Lani Woodland - Indelible

Also by Lani Woodland

The Yara Silva Trilogy

Intrinsical

Pendrell Publishing

This is a work of Fiction, characters, names, places and incidents are either a product of the authors imagination or, if real, are used fictitiously

Copyright 2011 Michele Tolley

The scanning, uploading or distributing of this book via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Your support of Author rights is appreciated.

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First Edition 2011

Library of Congress in Publication Data is Available

ISBN 978-0-9827297-2-4

ebook available

This book is typeset in Banbridge

Cover design by Alma Tait

Photography 2010 Sweet Expressions Photography

Pendrell Publishing

Los Angeles California

www.pendrellpublishing.com

info@pendrellpublishing.com

For my Handsome Husband:

Who sat beside me for many hours helping me craft this story. His faith in me gave me the

motivation to keep going and the strength to finish.

I love you, Handsome!

Indelible::

Making marks that cannot be erased,

or removed,

That which cannot be

eliminated, forgotten, or changed,

Chapter One

Being stuck in California rush-hour traffic wasnt nearly so bad when I had something to keep me busy. My current activity was kissing my boyfriend, Brent. We were trying to make up for the three months we had spent on different continents. I had been in Brazil and hed been in California.

The metallic groan of brakes roused me from my kiss-induced haze. I turned my head and the world swam back into focus. We were stopped in front of a historic home in Corona, California. Brent, who hadnt anticipated my movement, ended up kissing my cheek.

Are we already here? I asked.

Yes, Cherie said from the front seat. And what do you mean, already? Weve been in the car for almost forty minutes.

And weve had to sit here and pretend not to hear you lips smacking the whole drive, Steve added, looking at Brent in the rearview mirror.

Brent glanced toward our friends in mock surprise. Hey look, Yara, theres someone driving the car.

Ha, ha, Cherie grumbled. You two havent come up for air since we picked Yara up from the airport.

Circle the block, Brent instructed. Im not done kissing her yet. His velvet soft lips found mine again. He was the oxygen I had been deprived of all summer and I willingly kissed him back.

Were not circling the block, Cherie said. She didnt come back a day early from Brazil so you could make out with her. Shes here for the school party.

It isnt just any party, Steve corrected in a sarcastic voice. Its the Pendrell Academy Internship Party.

Cherie waved away his interruption. Who cares what its called? What matters is, the drives over. Shes mine now.

Hey! Brent scowled at Cherie. I bought you a mani-pedi for sole access today.

Dude. Steve dropped his chin to his chest and reached his hand back between the seats. Hand it over.

Brent slapped his outstretched hand.

No. Steve wiped his hand on his slacks while shaking his head. You dont get to give me five. Hand over your Man Card. I cant believe you used the phrase mani-pedi.

Shut up. Brent smacked the back of Steves head. I only know it because of your girlfriend. Shes a ruthless negotiator.

And you should have checked the fine print. Cherie said. Our agreement was for the drive here. Were here. Its my turn. I havent even hugged her yet.

With that she jumped out of the car, opened my door and pulled me out into a tight hug.

When Cherie let go of me she took Steves outstretched arm and turned toward the Alumni House, where the party was already in full-swing. Brent was lightning-quick to take advantage of her distraction. He pulled me back a few steps and wrapped his arms around me as I smiled and snuggled in closer. I breathed in his citrusy-musky scent. That simple smell held a complex mixture of desire, comfort, longing, and a feeling of being whole.

I missed you, he mumbled into my hair.

I missed you too, I said. I gave him another long, slow kiss.

Keep kissing me like that, please. Im not ready to go in yet. Brent rested his forehead against my temple, his breathing still a bit ragged, while his fingers slid through my hair. I angled my head so I could stare into his dark, chocolate-brown eyes. I had missed the privilege of gazing at him whenever I wanted.

Your kisses are better than I remember, I said.

Thank you. I practiced a lot while you were gone. He brushed his lips across mine.

Ha, ha.

So, Yara, Steve said as he and Cherie walked back to where we stood. From fledging Waker to all-powerful, right?

Im up for Waker of the year, I said, rolling my eyes. If only I really were all-powerful. Despite three months of Waker-training in Brazil with Vov, my grandma, I still felt as though I knew nothing. Vov always made it look so easy, being able to see and talk with the dead, like it is in the movies. If only. It took work and practice to develop the skills and instincts you needed to know how best to help a spirit cross over. One thing I had definitely learned was that I had so much more to learn. It would take years to become even half as comfortable, strong and knowledgeable as Vov.

My studies over the summer would have gone better if I could have convinced myself that I actually wanted to be a Waker. Id spent most of my life hoping Id never be able to see ghosts, but last year my ability had developed and changed my life forever.

So, instead of spending the summer in California hanging out with Brent while he worked as a lifeguard or Cherie as she volunteered at the Senior Center, I had been sent to Brazil. I didnt feel like I had absorbed as much information as my grandma had wanted about things like which herbs to burn while dealing with a depressed ghostwe met one who refused to get out of the bed he haunted because he didnt think his afterlife was worth livingbut I knew some of her teachings had stuck.

Actually, I do think I might have gotten stronger.

How so? Cherie asked.

I didnt see any ghosts when I flew out, but I noticed lots of them all over the airport when I got back.

Really? Thats awesome! Cheries usual enthusiasm for anything paranormal sparked in her eyes Did you talk to any of them?

No, I ignored them. I didnt really have time. Besides, I didnt want to deal with ghosts today. Ive done it all summer and I wanted the day off, so I pretended I couldnt see them. And I... wasnt sure what to do.

Steves eyebrows drew together. But isnt that what you learned this summer? How to deal with them?

Kind of, I said. I watched Vov guide a couple of ghosts into the light, but she did all the work. I sort of assisted. Ive never done it alone before. I shrugged and tugged on the end of my blazer. Im not sure how to help them. Even if I knew how to help, its not like I can just talk to them in public. People will think Im crazy.

I fingered the scar above my left eye: a present given to me by a rock-throwing boyfriend in second grade when I told him that my grandma had seen his dead mothers spirit. It stood as a reminder that people could inflict physical and emotional pain when they learned of my ability.

So youre nervous, not sure what to do, and youre making up excuses, Brent summed up.

I grimaced and dropped my hand. Sometimes I wished he didnt know me so well. Yeah, pretty much. But there were at least sixty ghosts at the airport. It wouldve taken hours to help them all. How do I choose which ones to help first?