Tala Prophecy: The Complete Series Read online

  Dex pulled his eyebrows together and scratched at the side of his neck, looking confused. “I didn’t know we were picking them up. Do we have to take them home, too?”

  In an attempt to take control of her life, she’d offered to pick them up and didn’t mention it to Dex on purpose. He never asked her about anything, so she felt like she didn’t owe him any advance warning. His careless attitude was grating on her, causing her to be a little more inconsiderate to him than she had in the past; only seemed fair.

  “Not sure about taking them home. Probably, though,” Reagan said, shrugging.

  Reagan texted Aspen as they turned down Castle Peak Drive. As soon as they pulled up to the house, Aspen motioned for them to come inside. Aspen’s mom always wanted pictures. It wasn’t like it was prom or graduation, but that never mattered.

  “Ah, it’s Reagan and Dex. Cute as ever,” Aspen’s mom said. She hugged Reagan and ushered the couple over to the fireplace with Kyle and Aspen. After a couple of shots, the guys were dismissed. “Okay, just Aspen and Reagan now.”

  Twenty minutes later they were finally on the road to Clare’s party. Reagan and Aspen ran track and played soccer with Clare, and her parents had a gorgeous place near Chautauqua in Boulder. Reagan’s mom loved Clare’s family, because it was a way into the exclusive, wealthy part of town. Plus, most of the sporty moms there ran in training groups together, and Mom was a big runner.

  Reagan couldn’t remember when the next big half marathon was, but knew it was soon. If it wasn’t that, it was the next fourteen-er or triathlon her mom would be competing in.

  Reagan’s phone buzzed. It was Serena making sure they were on their way. She was only on her second date with Jack and needed her support team around.

  Fifteen minutes later they pulled up to Clare’s. Cars were parked up and down the block and music was blaring.

  “It’ll be interesting to see how long this party lasts before the cops come,” Aspen shouted over the din.

  “Please, Clare’s family probably paid them off,” Dex said.

  Serena ran out to greet them. “Glad you guys finally got here. What the hell took so long?”

  Reagan pointed to Aspen. “Pictures.”

  “For Christ’s sake, Aspen, your mom takes pictures for everything!” Serena said as she pulled the girls into the party. Dex and Kyle followed close behind.

  Drinks were shoved into their hands as soon as they walked in the door. There seemed to be two options: Solo cups filled with beer or some Kool-aid concoction. Reagan and the girls opted for Kool-aid while the guys chose beer.

  “You made it!” Clare squealed. She ran up and enveloped Serena, Aspen, and Reagan in a vice-like grip.

  “Ladies, two bedrooms are open upstairs. Who wants first dibs?” Clare asked, leaning toward Reagan.

  “God, Clare, we just got here,” Reagan said over Aspen saying, “I’ll take it!”

  Reagan grabbed Aspen’s arm and dragged her into the nearest abandoned room. “Are you sure? You and Kyle haven’t been dating that long.”

  “I know, but he’s been talking a lot about it, and I don’t want to be the last virgin on the planet,” Aspen said. “Or at least the last popular virgin on the planet. Any advice for me?”

  Yeah, don’t do it. Not yet. It’s nothing like the love scenes in the young adult books we’ve been reading, Reagan’s mind was screaming, but all she said was, “Be careful. I’m here if you need me.” As Aspen started to walk away, Reagan asked, “You have protection, don’t you?”

  “What are you girls talking about in here?” Dex came up behind Reagan and started kissing the back of her neck. He whispered in her ear, “Kyle and Aspen are going first. You wanna hit the hot tub? I figure they need at least thirty minutes.”

  As Reagan was considering her options, she noticed Aspen give a small wave behind her back as Kyle led her upstairs. Best of luck, my friend. Reagan had barely thought the words before Dex started pulling her toward the hot tub. Serena and Jack were already settled in with her sitting in his lap.

  Reagan pulled her summer dress over her head while Dex took his t-shirt off. They slipped into the hot tub.

  “Oh my God, did you know they’re making a City of Bones movie?” Serena asked, breaking away from Jack for a moment.

  “OMG, Jack, did you know?” Dex said, in a mocking tone. The two guys high-fived each other.

  “Make fun, but you guys will be going with us this fall to see Breaking Dawn,” Reagan said. You want what you want, you take me to my movies, tickled the end of her tongue but she didn’t let it out.

  They chatted about nothing for several more minutes until Reagan noticed Kyle walking back toward the beer. “Was that Kyle?” Reagan whispered to Serena.

  Serena glanced over and gave Reagan a look. They excused themselves. “We’ll be right back, guys,” Reagan said over her shoulder.

  They went in search of Aspen, wanting to make sure she was okay. After walking around the main level for a few minutes and coming up empty-handed, they went upstairs. One of the bedroom doors was shut, so Serena knocked.

  “Come in.”

  Reagan edged open the door and saw Aspen huddled in an armchair by the bed, crying. Both the girls rushed over and knelt on the floor nearby.

  “Are you okay?” Serena asked.

  “I couldn’t…” Aspen said. She was crying so hard the words came out between sobs. “We were messing around, and I just couldn’t. It was all going so fast. When I told him to slow down, he said he was done waiting on me and left.”

  “What a jerk. I’m gonna have a little chat with him,” Serena said, starting to get up. Aspen shot out a hand and pulled Serena back down.

  “Please, don’t. It’s bad enough already. I’m sure he’s telling everyone,” Aspen said, dropping her tear-soaked face into her hands. She began to shake as she cried harder.

  Reagan was pissed on her friend’s behalf, disgusted with Kyle, and looking for an escape. “Let’s just leave. This party’s lame anyway.”

  Serena nodded. “Yeah, I agree with Reagan.”

  “Do you think Dex will care? What about Jack?” Aspen asked, her voice thick but with an edge of hope. Clearly she wanted to go.

  “Dex won’t love it, but he’ll deal. I’ll call Mom on the way and tell her I’m staying with you. Or, would you prefer to go to my house?”

  “Let’s go to your house. My mom’ll know I’ve been crying, and she’ll ask too many questions.” Aspen wiped at her tears with the toilet paper Serena brought from the nearby bathroom.

  “Or, God forbid, take pictures!” Serena added, in an apparent attempt to lighten the mood. It worked, and Aspen squeaked out a laugh. “I’ll go tell Jack I owe him one. Then I’ll meet you guys out front.”

  Reagan knew Dex would grumble, and she wasn’t planning on offering him a rain check. She and Aspen walked down the stairs, arm-in-arm. As they were heading toward the hot tub to find Dex, Reagan noticed him talking to Kyle and laughing. Disgusted, she ushered Aspen straight outside, hoping the poor girl hadn’t seen. When they were close to the car, Reagan pulled out her cell phone and texted Dex: MEET ME AT THE CAR. WE’RE GOING HOME.

  Then she called her mom. “Hey, darling, is everything okay?” Mom said when she answered.

  “Sort of. Aspen had a rough night. Can we come back there and stay?”

  “You and Dex?” Susie sounded surprised and unsure.

  Are you kidding me? That’s the question you ask me? Reagan wondered why she never said what she really wanted to. “No, Mom, Serena, Aspen, and me.”

  “Do you wanna talk about it?” Mom asked.

  “Not now, we’ll see you in a few.”

  Reagan clicked the end button on the phone. Someone grabbed her arm.

  “Reagan, what’s all the drama?” Dex got close to Reagan’s face, yelling.

  “Aspen needs me right now. If you don’t want to leave, I’m sure my mom or dad will come and get us.” Reagan wasn’t backing down. It wasn’t
the first time Dex had been mad at her, she was sure it wouldn’t be the last.

  ↄↄↄↄↄ

  A week later, Reagan was still avoiding Dex. It was easy. She’d signed up for the crappy hours at her summer job, dressing mannequins at the Gap, and he was working late at Dick’s Sporting Goods. Sometimes they met for lunch or dinner in the food court, since both of them worked at the mall, but they rarely had a night where they were both off.

  Reagan was getting ready for work when her brother poked his head in. “Hey, did you hear Mom and Dad talking about Yellowstone? I’m so psyched. But my weather app says it’s supposed to be freaking cold there.”

  Sam had been jabbering on for weeks about how much he was looking forward to his first real hunt with their dad. Her brother was motivated when he was excited, and he’d even taken some hunter education and safety courses down at the local Sherriff’s department. Plus, he’d been doing target practice with their dad. Reagan figured she’d be hiking with her mom while the two idiot males were out trying to kill something.

  Reagan had no interest in it, and didn’t participate in their discussions; she didn’t even know what game they were going after. All she knew was people weren’t allowed to hunt within Yellowstone, so her Dad and Sam would be gone a whole day on their exploits to some other location in Wyoming. Still, she appreciated how excited her brother was.

  “We’ll be fine. Have you seen all the gear Dad’s been buyin’?” Reagan asked.

  “Thanks to Dex,” Sam answered.

  Dex was passing along his Dick’s discount to Dad. Sometimes, she thought her family was more into Dex than she was. Actually, it was most of the time.

  Sam continued, “Dad said you and I will be in one tent, and they’ll be in the other.”

  “I thought we were going to have a girl tent and a guy tent!” Reagan rolled her eyes at the ceiling. She glanced at her bright purple Baby-G watch—a gift from Dex for her seventeenth birthday in April—and realized she had to be at work in thirty minutes. Thankfully, the mall was only fifteen minutes down the road.

  “I know; that’s what I thought. Dad said we’d have more fun in a tent together.” Sam said.

  Reagan turned to look at him, placed one hand on his shoulder, and said, “Actually, I think Mom and Dad will have more fun if we’re in a different tent.”

  Sam pushed her hand away. “You’re disgusting!” He ran out of the room.

  Five minutes before she needed to be in the car headed toward the mall, she rushed downstairs. She stopped by the kitchen for a drink and ran into her mom.

  “How late are you working this evening?”

  “I think I get off at ten,” Reagan replied.

  “We really need to start packing for Yellowstone. Dad already packed the Thule with the necessities: sleeping bags, tents, warm coats, and all sorts of camping gear. The weather channel is saying it’ll get pretty cold at night,” Mom said. She sounded excited about the trip, but wary of the cold. “We only have a few days before we head out.”

  Nanook, their dog, came up and bumped Reagan’s knee. A sure sign he needed some affection. Dad’s prized Rhodesian Ridgeback and champion hunter was as much a member of the family as Sam and Reagan.

  “Remind me again why Nanook can’t come?” Reagan asked, scratching behind the big dog’s ear.

  “Your father said Yellowstone has harsh rules about pets. I didn’t fight him. As much as I love Nanook, I have enough to figure out for this trip without having to worry about bringing a dog along.”

  “A dog? Don’t listen, Nanook. She didn’t mean it.” Reagan leaned down and kissed his face. Looking back up to her mom, Reagan continued, “Why can’t we just book a lodge? I’d suggest one that has a fireplace.” Yellowstone sounded amazing, but warming her feet by a fire in a cozy lodge sounded even better.

  “You know how your father feels about having the true Yellowstone experience.” Mom made quote signs in the air and rolled her eyes.

  “I know,” Reagan agreed. Her dad had been walking around on cloud nine since he decided to take them on the trip. “Just promise me you’ll let me pick our trip next summer since it’ll be my last one home before college?”

  “Don’t remind me,” Mom said, pulling Reagan into a hug. “I’m gonna miss you so much.”

  Squirming away, Reagan straightened her shirt. “I’m thinking of going to either CSU or CU. At the most, I’ll be an hour and a half away.”

  “Still, first you, then Sam. I’ll be all alone again.” Mom sniffed.

  Reagan couldn’t tell if it was genuine or more of her mom’s dramatic flair. “No, you won’t, you’ll have Dad.” Was that a huff? Realizing the time, Reagan grabbed her drink and gave her mom another hug before saying, “Man, I gotta go. I have off tomorrow, so we’ll pack then.”

  “What about Dex?” Mom asked.

  Dex, Dex, Dex. Mom, you worry about your love life, and I’ll worry about mine. One of these days, she was going to give her mom an earful; but today wasn’t the day. “I think we’re doing something later.”

  “Oooh, get in some time before you’re apart for a week. I get it,” Mom said, giving a wink and a smile.

  “No, you don’t,” Reagan mumbled on her way out the door.

  ↄↄↄↄↄ

  Mom woke Reagan up bright and early to bond over packing the next morning. After a long night at work and very little sleep, her heart wasn’t in it, and she was dragging. Two hours in, the phone rang.

  “Hello?”

  Aspen’s soft voice came back. “Hiya.”

  Reagan slipped into her room for some privacy and closed the door. “How are you doin’? Have you talked to Kyle?”

  “We’re taking a break.” Aspen’s voice was flat, detached.

  “I’m sorry. Maybe it’s for the best.”

  “Maybe. Anyway, I can’t believe you’re leaving for ten days. What are Serena and I gonna do?” Aspen whined.

  “You’ll be fine. Remember months back when Mom offered for you guys to come?”

  “Puh-lease. Camping is so not my thing,” Aspen said.

  Reagan sighed. “I know. Not really mine, either. I keep suggesting the lodge idea, but Dad would be so disappointed. He’s been building this trip up in his mind for almost a year.” Her dad had researched private hunting trips and planned every detail of their trek through Yellowstone.

  “Oh, a lodge I would’ve done. Did you ever ask Dex if he wanted to go?”

  “Are you kidding me? How awkward would that be?” The thought of having Dex try something in a tent in the woods with her parents just a few feet away was too much.

  “You’re probably right. Well, have a great time. Call me as soon as you get back and text when you can. I’ll try to stop by today to see you. Wait, when are you leaving again?”

  “Saturday.”

  They talked for a few more minutes. After they hung up, Reagan realized she didn’t get much out of Aspen concerning Kyle. Maybe she really was okay with it. Reagan wished she had the guts to walk away from Dex, but there were so many things happening in their senior year, she couldn’t.

  Dex was a guaranteed prom date and an almost guaranteed way onto homecoming court. It was easy. After high school, they could go their separate ways. Dex’s dad was really pushing his son to get a football scholarship; and the dream location was his dad’s alma mater—Penn State.

  Reagan knew she needed to call Dex and make plans to see him before she left, but she wasn’t looking forward to it. Only one thing would be on Dex’s mind, and Yellowstone was going to be a nice escape from dealing with his needs all the time.

  Waking Up

  “What do you mean something bad happened?” Reagan asked.

  She wasn’t sure how, but she knew, deep in her gut, Sam was gone. Dark, blurry images clouded her ability to recall details from that night. Remembering gut-wrenching pain, she winced and looked down at her arm. It was covered in bandages.

  “Honey, it’s okay.” Mom was using a tone lik
e she used when trying to calm Nanook. Her head tilted a little to one side, and her demeanor changed to all business. “Nurse, can’t you give her something?”

  Reagan followed her mother’s gaze to an older lady standing nearby.

  “Reagan, I’m Mrs. Parker, your nurse. You’re in the hospital and recuperating from several injuries. A doctor will be in to see you soon. Until then, I’m going to give you a little morphine for the pain.” The nurse injected it into Reagan’s IV. “There you go, honey, you’ll be feeling better soon.”

  Mrs. Parker turned to Mom and put a hand on her arm. “Let us know if you need anything. The doctor should be here in the next twenty minutes.”

  Reagan waited for the nurse to leave before turning back to her mom. “Sam’s gone, isn’t he?”

  Mom started crying. Before Reagan could press for answers, her dad came into the room. “Reagan, thank God you’re finally awake.” He bent down to kiss her on the cheek.

  “Dad, I need to know about Sam. Mom’s not talking.” Reagan was exasperated and terrified to hear the truth—even though a part of her already knew.

  Dad stepped over and put an arm around Mom. She leaned into him, and both of them reached out to hold Reagan’s hand. “An animal, we think it was a grizzly, attacked your tent. Your brother was taken.” His eyes grew dark as he spoke the words.

  “What do you mean taken?” Reagan was confused. Maybe it was the drug kicking in, because she was starting to drift. Fighting the feeling, she asked her Dad again, “Is Sam dead?”

  “There was blood everywhere,” he answered. “We have to assume he’s dead.”

  “They haven’t found the body,” Mom added. As soon as the words escaped her lips, the tears started flowing again. She turned her face away, but her heaving body did nothing to conceal her obvious pain.

  Reagan was losing the battle to stay awake. “Where are we?”

  “We’re in a hospital in Wyoming. You’ve been out of it for days.” Her mother’s words took several seconds to sink in.

  “Hello!” A booming voice broke the tension in the room. “I’m Dr. Carter. How’s our patient doing today?”