****Paradise Sagas:  Book 1: Warriors of Paradise****

 

Chapter 1

 

     She woke up screaming for the second night that week.  It had been the dream, the one she couldn't escape from.  The one with the group.  All those faces.  If only they wouldn't slip into her subconscious when she woke up.  If only she could remember if she knew them.  If only she could remember the dream.

     Her scream echoed off the silent walls of her dark 2-story apartment.  She took a deep breath, then reclined back into her soft pillow.

     Tomorrow, she'd start school again.  Tomorrow, things would be semi-normal.  Tomorrow was coming.

~*~*~*~

     He inhaled sharply as she entered the classroom.  He glanced at his seatmate, his best friend, who returned the look.  ~It's her, isn't it?~ His friend's voice echoed through his head.  He nodded slightly, his eyes fixing on her again.

     Yes, it was her.  The voices from the other side whispered.  The silver hair, the violet eyes.  Yes, this was her.

     She glanced nervously around the class as the teacher introduced her to the students.

     He already knew her name.  Alexa Burklin, Lexa for short.  He already knew her history.  17 years old.  Lives in a huge apartment by herself.  Only child.  Her parents had been rich, very rich.  They had died in a plane crash over the summer.  Three days after her birthday.  She was her own legal guardian.  She wanted to go where no one would know her.  She chose this small town.

     She didn't look directly at him; he sat in the back corner.  No one ever looked there.  Except when the teacher wanted to get someone in trouble.  It didn't bother him, though.  The popular people had rejected him since kindergarten.  No, it didn't bother him.

     He could see the girls in front of him whispering.  And the metallic, echoing voices told him what they said.

     "And look at that outfit.  Is it all Gucci?  She must be REALLY rich!" *Giggle*

     ~So, she'd going to be attacked by the wolves?~  His friend sent him the psychic message after he relayed what they had said to him.

     ~Not if I can help it.~  He replied, stubbornly, slouching slightly.  His friend sent a mental laugh.  He looked up again, she was watching them.  Alexa.

~*~*~*~

     Alexa watched his blue eyes as they hardened with some unseen, unheard decision.  The sun shone in through the window behind him, enveloping him with a halo and giving him the look of an angel with a cause.  She turned back to the teacher as he looked at her.  The teacher assigned her a seat.  In the middle row, very last desk.  The girl in the one seat smiled at her as she sat down.  The girl had brown-blonde hair.  And dark brown eyes.  The eyes disturbed her.  There was something about them.  Something...familiar.

~*~*~*~

     She almost decided to skip the afternoon classes.  If only to avoid being attacked by those girls.  They were loud, and almost too popular.  She'd been popular back in the old high school.  But being popular there was nothing like it here.  It seemed as if the moment she had entered the school, the all of the students had swarmed in upon her, wanting to be able to say they knew the new, rich girl.  All the students...except for a few of them.  HE was one of them.  She wondered who HE was.  She only had that one class with him so far.

     Lexa sat down on a cement planter, and set her books down next to her.  It was up so high, her feet barely rested on the ground.

     She rubbed her eyes, then the bridge of her nose with her index finger and thumb.

     "You see them, don't you?"  A voice startled her.  She opened her eyes and looked up.  HE continued, "At least in your dreams?”

     Lexa looked into his eyes.  And hers widened.  He gave a half smile and said, "Yes, you know me."

     "But-but we've never me."  Lexa was positive.

     "But you still know me.  You know as much about me as I do you, Lexa."  He took a seat next to her.  She could see a group of people stare at them out of the corner of her eye.

     "What is my name?"  He asked, staring out across the campus.

     "Kevin Dosh."  The words slipped from her lip the instant he finished the question.  Her brain was barely able to understand that SHE had known his name.  She felt as if she had, on a subconscious level, known it for years.

     He nodded.  "Yes."  He stood again.  "Come on.  There are some other people you should know."  He looked back at her as she gathered her books, and then joined him.

     "How did you know?  Do you have the dreams too?"  Lexa asked, turning to look at him.

     Kevin stopped and shook his head, "No.  I hear-and sometimes see-things that others can't.  There are voices that help me.  They-well, they tell me things.  I know it sounds strange.  All of us have our own unique powers."

     "Us?"  Lexa looked confused.

     "You'll see..."  He began to walk again, "C'mon.  They're waiting."

     Lexa was growing more confused by the second, but she went with him.  She felt the eyes of others bore into her body.

~*~*~*~

     He led her across the campus, to the freshmen building.  Instead of going inside, they slipped around to the back.

     There were 3 people there.  The girl who she had sat next to, the one with the dark brown eyes, was sitting on a metal wire bench, reading a chemistry book.  She looked up as the two entered and smiled before continuing her reading.

     There was the boy that had been sitting next to Kevin, sitting under a tree near the bench.  He stared off into space, as if not even there.  His black hair shone in the noontime sun.  He closed his eyes about the time that Lexa had spotted him.

     The third person was a girl, leaning up against the wall of the building.  She wore a black leather jacket, and pants, over a white turtleneck.  She had wild red hair, and dark green eyes to match.  She glared at Lexa and Kevin.  Studying them both.

     "What's she doing here?"  The girl asked, slightly agitated, "Is she the reason you called this meeting?"

     Kevin ignored her, and stepped up to the girl on the bench, "Lexa, this is-"

     "Kendra."  Lexa said, stunning both Kevin and the girl.

     Kevin coughed, "Um...yes.  And that's-"  He pointed to the other boy.

     "David."

     "Yes."  Kevin didn't even point to the second girl.

     "And she's Daenna."  Lexa said.  The girl glared at her.

     David opened his eyes and stood up from his place under the tree.  "How did you know our names?"

     "I don't know."  Lexa answered, truthfully.  David accepted the answer and sat down next to Kendra.

Daenna circled Lexa and growled softly, "Why did you call this meeting, Kevin?"

     "She's one of us.  She's the one we've been waiting for."

     "Is she?"  Kendra looked up, hopefully.

     "I hope so."  Kevin muttered.

     Lexa allowed Daenna to circle her again.  When she seemed unable to find want she was looking for, Daenna resumed her stance against the wall.

     Kevin looked disappointed.  Kendra looked thoughtful.  David's face was blank.  Daenna looked mad.  Lexa looked confused.

     "I don't know why you brought me over here, but I've got to get to class."  Lexa finally broke the silence.

     David and Kevin looked at each other, as if having a private conversation.

     Kendra grabbed her books and stood too.  "I'll walk with you!"  She exclaimed cheerfully.

     Lexa smiled and the two headed back to the campus grounds.

~*~*~*~

     Kevin watched as Kendra escorted Lexa to fifth period.  At least Kendra saw it.  Daenna was letting her temper get the better of her.  David didn't seem to care either way.  He picked up his backpack from under the bench, where he had left it earlier.  He looked at the two remaining, then left the group.

~*~*~*~

     Daenna glared at Kevin as he left, before she finally exploded.  "He thinks SHE's the one?  How?  There are no resemblances!  No characteristic marks!  He's too desperate!  He's blind!"

     "If they tell him it's her, then there is little room for doubt."  David replied, not looking at her.

     If he had been any other person, she would have slugged him.  But she managed to restrain herself.  *You can't get him to agree with anything!*  She thought roughly.

     She gave a huff before she stomped off.

~*~*~*~

     Kendra didn't ask any questions of Lexa, and Lexa returned the favor.  Kendra knew the other girl was dying to ask questions.  Yet her instinct was telling her to be quiet.

     Kendra gave Lexa directions to her next class before the two parted.

~*~*~*~

     “What’d they say to you?”  A girl with stringy blonde hair asked, placing herself next to Lexa.

     “Who?”

     “You know, the freaks.”

     “Freaks?”

     “Yeah, they’ve got these weird ways of knowing what’s going on and what we’re thinking.  What did they say?” 

Lexa watched the girl, “They just wanted to ask a question, that’s all.”  The girl frowned and moved away to an empty desk.

~*~*~*~

     She flipped a switch and the flames leaped up in the marble fireplace.  After Lexa deposited her bag on the couch, she headed towards the kitchen, hitting the 'play' button on the answering machine.

     It rewound, then her cousin's voice came on, echoing through the apartment.  "Hey, Lex!  Mom's worried about you.  She's got the flu and she's worried about YOU!  Can you believe it?"  He laughed, "Anyways, she wanted to check up on you.  Talk to you later."  *Click*  He hung up.  A beep came, followed by the next message.

Lexa listened half-hazardly to relatives calling, as she rummaged through the fridge.

     "Hey, Alexa.  We're meeting again.  At the beach.  Try and come."  *Click*  The final beep went off, signaling the end of the messages.  Lexa stood straight up.

     "Who was that?"  Lexa closed the fridge door, and went back tot he living room.  Pressing the rewind and play button, she listened to it again.

     "Kevin?"  That was who it was.  How did he get her phone number?  And why was he inviting her to their meeting?  Only Kevin and Kendra showed any interest in her.

     But curiosity would kill her if she didn't go.  Maybe...

     The phone rang.  She jumped, before she picked up the wireless from its hook.

     "Hello?"  She asked.

     "Lexa?  Hi!  It's me, Kendra!" Kendra's cheery voice said.  "I was just wondering, are you going to come tonight?"

     "I'm not sure."  Lexa bit a nail.  *How DID they get my phone number?*

     "Does that matter?  Oh!  Uhh...I mean...ummm..."

     "You can read my mind?"

     "Uh...yeah.  You'll be able to also, if you come to our meeting.  I mean, if you really are one of us, you should pick it up."

     "I'm still not sure.  I mean, what kind of use am I?"

     "If you are who Kevin thinks you are, then you'll be of more 'use' then you know."

     Lexa couldn't help but smile, "I'll try and be there."

     "Great!  That is when we'll find out if you are one of us!  I'll see you at 7:00 at the beach."

     "Okay.  Bye!"

     "Bye."  Both hung up.  Lexa stared at the phone for a few seconds, before placing back on its hook.

~*~*~*~

     Daenna looked at her watch again, "So?  Where is she?"  She crossed her arms.

     Kendra looked at her watch also.  "She's still got five minutes till 7:00.  She'll be here."  She turned away from Daenna, "I hope."  She whispered to the stars.

~*~*~*~

     Lexa honked the horn, and looked at the time on the dashboard.  6:57.  She was going to make it.  If this truck in front of her moved.

     It turned finally, and she hit the accelerator.  She cruised up to the parking lot of the beach, spotting a green pick-up and a blue Geo.  She turned off the headlights.  David stepped out of the shadows; his hair slightly messed up from the wind and his wild blue eyes were flashing

     "We were starting to wonder if you'd show."  He called as she stepped out of the jeep.

     "Got stuck in traffic."  She locked the car door, then headed towards him.

     He nodded, and then when she reached him, he walked with her into the sand.  She slipped off her sandals, and felt the cold grains of sand crunch beneath and around her feet.

     David jammed his hands into his black jean pockets.  He walked with her in silence.

     A bonfire was burning, down about 1/2 a mile away from them.  3 figures were silhouetted against the flames.  As the approached, Kevin stepped forward.

     "Let's begin."  He pulled out a dagger from a holder on his belt loop.