the past never stays gone - Lost Energy (Energy Series #2) by Lynn Vroman

My head stayed nestled in the crook of her arm. She rocked me, stroked my hair. Said words I didn't bother to try to comprehend. I cleaved to her voice. Too much. All of it had become too much. I couldn't deal anymore. 

Take me home! 

Oblivion rescued me again. This time, blackness gave me peace.

Description:

Last spring, Lena discovered who she was.

Now all she wants to do is move on—and find a way to be with Tarek, the new Warden of Arcus and the love of her life. Even though worlds separate them now, she holds onto the hope they’ll be together again. Until then, Lena focuses on being truly happy for the first time in her life…this life. She has new friends, an apartment free from her abusive father, and the chance to live a normal life.

But for Lena, the past never stays gone.

A woman from another lifetime reveals Cassondra, Exemplian’s new authority commander, is seeking revenge against Tarek for killing her brother. There is only one way to end this new threat…

This time, it will take more than Wilma to keep the monsters away. It’ll take an entire army–an army who remembers Lena from her past life, and who might just want her dead, too.

Lena’s past will shape her future more than she could ever imagine.

For seventeen-year-old Lena, living in the trailer park with the rest of town's throwaways isn't exactly paradise. Dealing with a drunken father who can't keep his fists to himself doesn't help matters either. The only good thing in her life, other than track, is the mysterious man who visits her dreams, promising to find her. When a chair burns her arms, Lena chalks it up to stress-induced crazy. Yet as bizarre incidents escalate, even being crazy can't explain it all away... until one day dream guy does find her. Tarek lost Lena seventeen years ago after she was accused of treason and marked Tainted. He finally discovers her reborn on Earth into a life of suffering as punishment for her crime. However, someone else has already found her... and wants her dead. Willing to sacrifice everything, he fights to keep her safe so she can live the only life she's ever known-even if that life doesn't include him.

EXCERPT

In the darkness, we lay on that narrow bunk, bones and skin preventing me from getting as close as I wanted. I settled for resting my chin on his bare chest to watch him sleep.

After a minute, his dimples flared. "It's not polite to stare."

I ran my fingers over his chest, memorizing every muscle, cementing it in my mind. I always thought I'd be nervous my first time. No. This…this was heaven. "Admiring my man is all."

Keeping his eyes closed, he drew me closer, his smile soft. "Carry on, then."

I kissed his heart. "Tarek?"

"Hmm?"

"What's your favorite color?"

He opened his eyes, his smile deepening as he pulled me up until we were nose to nose. After brushing knotted hair behind my ear, he cupped my chin. "Green."

Perfect… He was perfect. "I love you."

"You'd better."

Fear picked that moment to interrupt. If the worst thing happened…I had to ask for his word. "You have to promise me something."

He played with my hair. "Anything."

I captured his fingers in my hand and squeezed. "If I die, do whatever needs done to make sure my energy is sent here to you. Keep it safe until…until we can figure out…I don't know…what to do next?"

His eyes hardened, along with the rest of his face. "Nothing will happen to you."

"Come on, you know that's not realistic…please."

His eyes slammed shut, his jaw tightening as he worked to control his emotions. The wind picked up outside, though no storms erupted. When he spoke, his voice was soft, deceptively soft. "You have Wilma."

"Great. Wonderful, but there's always what-if." He shook his head, and I grasped the sides of his face, forcing him to look at me. "Maybe there's only a slight chance, but there's a chance. Just make sure I end up here."

He inhaled, blowing it out in slow intervals. Then he kissed me until I almost forgot what I asked.

Almost.

But yeah, he definitely had moves.

We broke apart, both of us working on catching our breath. But I wouldn't let it go. Not until he promised. "Promise me."

He slid a finger down my cheek, sadness dulling his eyes.

"Tarek?"

A pause, the silence I loved and hated, stretched between us. He finally leaned up to speak right against my lips. "Wherever you are is where I'll be. Always."

****

Four people still waited ahead of me in line. Damn it. For every step I took forward, Dreads was right behind me, saying nothing, while listening to his music.

I had faced giant squid, angry Protectors, a fucking Warden. This guy… He wasn't gonna get away with…whatever the hell he was trying to do.

I circled around on him again. "Backup, asshole."

He tilted his head, staring at me with dark eyes so ancient they defied his young face.

"Do we have a problem?"

With pursed lips, he shook his head. Even over the blaring music, he could hear me, which meant he probably heard every nasty thing I muttered. Good.

I tightened my hold on my bag strap. If the guy wanted money, he wasn't getting it from me. Nope, I'd be keeping my stuff today. He was a lot smaller than Abercrombie and my height. I could take him.

But in that moment, that second, I learned the size-doesn't-matter lesson.

"Even with all the shit you been through, you still gravitate toward stereotypes." He tsked, wagging a finger. "Shame."

My face went numb. "Huh?"

I think you're here for me.

His lips never moved, but his smooth voice blared in my brain, repeating the same thing I had said to muscle boy.

Oh, crap. I swallowed. "Winston?"

He nodded, never bothering to take out the earbuds.

My mouth opened and closed like a guppy's, trying to spit out an apology, something confident to say, but Tarek's warning, let Farren approach him, rang in my ears. I didn't give a shit about that warning when I thought Abercrombie was the Protector, but this guy. This guy…

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About the author:

Born in Pennsylvania, Lynn spent most of her childhood, especially during math class, daydreaming. 

Today, she spends an obscene amount of time in her head, only now she writes down all the cool stuff. 

With a degree in English Literature, Lynn used college as an excuse to read for four years straight. She lives in the Pocono Mountains with her husband, raising the four most incredible human beings on the planet. She writes young adult novels, both fantasy and contemporary. 

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