Foresight was a capricious ability, as proven by the events of the past months. Not everything was meant to be seen, and not every prediction came to pass. But often the knowings, premonitions and visions did hold a vein of truth.
James watched Hailey do an aerial cartwheel, after which she bowed gracefully for her teenage audience. She smiled excitedly when a young leopard girl did a back walkover and clapped when the girl landed softly in the grass.
"I've got to say, you've managed to surprise the hell out of me."
James felt the corner of his mouth rise as he leaned back against a tree, his arms crossed in front of his chest. He gave Remi a sideways glance. "How so?"
Remi shook his head. "She's definitely not a cat."
The other corner of his mouth now joined the first. "No, she isn't."
Remi gave him a pointed look. "She's also definitely not human."
James coughed, hiding his laugh. "No."
The leopard alpha sat down on a tree stump and braced his elbows on his thighs while focusing on Hailey, who was currently briefly levitating one of the RainFire teenagers before placing him gently on the grass.
Her control had strengthened over the past months, but she still insisted on training several times a week. He understood why. Beside her need to leash her abilities, the sparring sessions between them were… fun. She kept finding ways to distract him, while he tried to do the same to her. It was as much an exercise in psychic control as it was in physical control.
The memories of yesterday's session still warmed his skin. She'd somehow found a way to twist herself behind him and had thrust her hands under his shirt, possessively running her fingers over his torso, then lower...
"She's not Psy either." Remi's pensive voice snapped James out of his thoughts. The alpha scowled at him, but James could see the curious glint in Remi's eyes. "Where can I find one?"
"Do you want me to take a look for you?" he offered.
Remi's eyes turned a vivid yellow-green as he stood up from the tree stump. "You wouldn't dare to mock me, now, would you?" It was the leopard snarling at him.
James shook his head, his lips twitching again. In every other case, he would have been on high alert, the predator in Remi challenging the predatory core of him. But because of his interaction with Hailey, he knew how to respond without instigating a fight with the alpha.
"I'm not offering to become a matchmaker," he dryly said. "I'm aware changelings like to court mates in their own way." Even though he'd used those strategies to his advantage to persuade Hailey. He met the alpha's gaze without flinching. "I can try to glimpse the future, but, being a secondary ability, it often doesn't work."
The leopard was still looking out of Remi's eyes but the curious glint had returned. "You can see the future?"
James shrugged with one shoulder. "Occasionally."
A huff of laughter, the sound coming from both man and leopard. "Then why is it you needed me for relationship advice?"
He arched an eyebrow at Remi, who was grinning in a distinctive feral way. "Do you want me to try, or not?"
Amusement still written on his face, Remi was the one who shrugged now. "Sure. Go for it."
James closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, using Remi's face as a lock to expand his mind and channel a vision.
A minute passed.
Two.
After several minutes, James opened his eyes when he heard Hailey's husky laughter. She was sitting in a circle with the teenagers while one of the young Arrows was moving animatedly with her hands.
"Well?"
Returning his attention to Remi, he went to tell the alpha that he'd come up dry. But when those clear topaz eyes met his, a vision crashed into his mind. He clenched his fists at the way the storm of the vision poured images inside his head. When it suddenly stopped, he released a jagged breath, his heart slamming inside his chest, the pounding a drum in his ears.
"James? Are you alright?"
He shoved aside the vision as he nodded at Remi. "Yes. I apologize, I saw nothing of interest to you."
Topaz ringed with yellow-green. "But you did see something, didn't you?"
James ignored Remi's curiosity for the moment and walked towards Hailey, who was already running to him.
Her eyes were big and dark when she cupped his face. "Hey," she whispered. What's wrong, love?
He untangled the myriad of images from the vision while placing his hands on her hips. It wasn't the near future, he saw now. He recognized an image of one of the Arrow children–who was still a toddler–but had grown to the age of at least seven or eight.
Still… Could it truly be?
Wonder uncurled inside his chest at the unexpected gift he'd received.
Let me show you. Stay aware of your draining ability, he warned her. Leash it. Tightly.
Nodding, Hailey closed her eyes when he placed his forehead against hers. Yes, milord. Now stop ordering me around and show me what's wrong.
He didn't even need to drop his shields for her, their pathway always open to one another. Sending her the images–and making sure it was gently this time–he showed her the vision.
Hailey laughing at something Remi said while she walked through snow. Playing children running circles around them, before chasing each other through the trees. Remi looking back, waving at him, following the children.
Hailey swiveling around to see him, gold lighting her eyes, a bright smile around her lips. His hands cupping her face, their breaths forming small clouds in the air.
Hailey wincing, giving him a rueful smile as she looked down.
Him, following her gaze while stroking his hands over her coat, over the round area of her pregnant belly.
Thank you so much for reading James' and Hailey's story! I really hope you've enjoyed this figment of my imagination based on Nalini's Psy/Changeling series.
Love, Kristy