Intercepted: Journal Entry: William Maddox

IT. IS. ON.  That’s right. I’m just going to have to step up my game from here on out, since it’s clear to me that I have Miss Obstinate Times a Thousand for a pupil. And do you know what the woman did?  She repelled me…straight across the clearing.  How’s THAT for a second lesson? Repelling at this stage is ridiculous. Her soul has got to be extremely advanced, so there’s no point in messing around. She’ll probably be able to clear a room full of astrals by spring.

God, my back is killing me. This vampire stuff must be wearing off, because I hit the ground HARD, I’m telling you, and I’m feeling it.  Lily really enjoyed it, too. The brat.  You should have seen her, smiling like she’d just learned some kind of juicy secret.  It was fucking incredible. SHE is incredible.  But don’t get me wrong–if she pulls those tricks again I’m going to have to teach her a lesson in manners. I’ll let you know exactly how later.  I haven’t figured that out yet.

By the way, I’m not going to lie.  Lily’s behavior isn’t helping me to feel any less attracted to her.  On the contrary–it makes me want to grab her by the hair and kiss her so hard she loses vision for a week.  She’s just, fucking infuriating. It’s sexy as hell.

God help me. I need a cold shower.

William

Intercepted: Journal Entry: William Maddox, June 15

Great. She hates me.

I knew it was too good to be true. I knew Christian would get to her soon enough.

DAMMIT! Things were going well enough the first few days. But not now. You should have seen her, all fire and spirit out there in the woods.  God help me, she is going to be a royal handful.  And you know what’s worse?  I actually repulse her.  As if I’d ever hurt her.  As if I’d do a thing short of care about her.  I’ve spent months keeping her safe and what happens?  It figures that I’d screw up where it really counts. It also figures that Christian would come out gleaming with heroism.

Damn that kid.  What am I going to do about him? Abram swears it will get better in time, but I can’t help wanting to swat Christian’s ass with a newspaper when he starts nipping at my heels.  And what do I do about Lily?  I told her to hate me if she wants, just as long as she lets me teach her how to protect herself, but the truth is, I can’t bear the thought of her hating me.  It’s making me miserable.

Abram is always trying to heal things.  He thinks it’s still my place to train her, since I was supposed to be her Retriever, and I want to follow through where I failed before.  I just hope she lets me in enough do my job—and maybe she’ll even learn to loathe me a little less? Maybe.  Shit, she is beautiful, though (says the broken record).  It’s really distracting. Plus, her energy feels incredible.

Yeah, I should stop thinking about that. Focus, Maddox.

William

Intercepted: Email from Anna Wright to Katrina Winguard

Trina!

Ok, so, in response to your last email, no, I haven’t tried strawberry milk before, but I will now.  It sounds yummy.  However,  if I’m experiencing something new, you must as well.  I insist that you go out, right now, and buy yourself a can of sardines… extra oily ones… (JUST KIDDING!), but really, have you ever had Nutella?  Oh my fucking stars, it is amazing! Like an orgasm in your mouth.  Put a bit of it on a graham cracker and you’ll be sold for life.

Update on our new Sentient! Oh my God, Lily is really talented! She’s training with William presently, and she’s brilliant! I think she’d do somewhat  better if she didn’t so dislike him (by virtue of my brother, of course), but she’s coming along at lightening speed, regardless.  Do you know that she is quite short?  Barely five-foot-five, I believe.  She’s like a porcelain doll. But she’s feisty enough, which makes up for it.

How is everyone in your group this week? Do tell them I said hello and give them a big kiss from me!  Write back soon.

xoxo
Anna

P.S. NUTELLA!!

Intercepted: Conversation between Abram Saru and Clara Wright, June 10

“We can only be thankful that the task is done.  I am of lighter heart now that Ms. Hunt has been retrieved.”
“Yes. Abram… I wonder, have you spoken to the poor child about her mother yet?”
“I have not.”
“I see. I can’t help wondering how much she knows.”
“We can’t be certain until I’ve spoken with her.”
“Will you?”
“In the morning, yes.  And Clara, I’d like to say something to you, but, may I request your confidence in the matter before I proceed?”
“Oh, of course.”
“I thank you.  Kismet has an interesting way of going about the business of dealing with destinies, and I have seen Lillian’s soul linked, in some way, to Mr. Maddox.”
“To William?”
“Yes. But you mustn’t speak of it to anyone. The proper timing is necessary in these matters, and more than this, I’ve seen that she will be just a bit contrary.”
“Dear me…”
“Well, we shall see. And also, I worry about Christian. He will not react well to the events of future. You must continue to act as intermediary, my dear. He loves you and he listens to you. But do let things unravel as they will.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Again, I thank you, and I shall speak with the girl about her mother tomorrow—a task which I do not relish.  She is greatly empathic, as you know, and it will likely upset her very much.  Were there any other way…”
“But there isn’t, Abram. She deserves to know.”
“So very true. Ah, Clara. This year will bring about a great shift for us, and if you can be patient and have faith, it will likely be a needed one.”

Intercepted: Journal Entry: William Maddox, April 16

It won’t be long now before I retrieve her.  Still can’t believe it, by the way.  Why would Abram ask me to watch over Lillian?  And when I finally make myself known to her, what’s the point of good first impressions just to have Christian stamp them out a second later? Ah well. I have no choice.  Abram asked, and I owe that man everything I can give, so, I’ll do my best.
I wonder if she’s ever spotted me, standing guard here and there.  I’ve been sneaky, for certain, but, she’s got intuitive senses, that girl.  Half the time I think she barely misses me, feels me when she goes walking, because she always pauses to listen… she’s so close to being ready for retrieval.  And this worries me, because she’s clearly radiating sentience, though I won’t know exactly how much until I interact with her.  She risks attracting something very bad, very quickly, and now that I’ve returned to Abram, it makes me incredibly uneasy to think of her out there without protection.  I can understand Abram’s reasoning for asking me to come back to Georgia.  Lolial seems to be on to me, and I don’t want to risk leading him right to her.  Abram thinks she’ll be all right for a month on her own, and I usually make it a religion to trust him, but, this time… well, I’m losing some sleep, I’ll admit that.

As a side note, have I mentioned how beautiful she is?  Yeah, yeah, only a dozen times, and the joke’s on me, I know, since I’d have an ice cube’s chance in hell with her, but I’m not blind.  I wonder if she’s as insightful as Abram thinks she’ll be…

Clara did something very kind today.  She made a joke and then nudged my shoulder.  Sure, I know, it’s pathetic to get so excited about something like that, but, people don’t touch me. Hell, they don’t even like to look at me.  Despite what happened with her husband, Clara never looks at me the way the others do—with their wary expressions and unspoken request that I not stand anywhere close to them in case I turn out to be evil after all.
But I really enjoy being an outcast, don’t get me wrong.  Who needs friends when being lonely is so much more… oh, hell, I hate being lonely. But keep that to yourself.  It would taint the mystique.
Anyway, I’m going to listen to some John Lennon, bless his soul.  The man just knew things, you know?
Peace
William