The Chosen

Chapter 1-2

Ian Knight kept his eyes on his charge as he moved through the relatively empty streets. He’d never been to Chelan, but he’d seen this street more than a dozen times.

A man moving toward him stuffed his hand into his front pocket.

As the man pulled out his cellphone, a gold ring fell out along with it.

Ian bent forward and grabbed the ring in mid-air.

If he hadn’t, it would have rolled into the manhole. “Hey.” Ian tapped on the man’s shoulder. “You dropped this.”

The man’s eyes widened when he saw what was in Ian’s palm. “Thanks, man. It’s my wedding ring.”

Ian already knew that. He’d seen it in his vision, seen the man pulling at his hair over the loss of his wedding ring.

Ian wasn’t here to save the ring, though.

He flashed a smiled and turned his attention back to the blonde several feet ahead of him. Her hands were stuffed in the pockets of her beige parka. Her black tote bag hooked over her right shoulder.

She was the reason why he was in Chelan, why he knew this street like the back of his hand. She was the reason why he knew the man would drop his ring.

Tonight’s job wasn’t anything exciting, though. He just needed to make sure the woman didn’t head down the back alley on her own.

That way, she wouldn’t run into the man who would end up killing her.

Who exactly was the woman or the would-be murderer? Ian didn’t know.

He’d been trained to keep the disastrous things in his visions from happening. The reasons behind them didn’t matter.

His vision showed him every detail that led up to the event he was supposed to prevent. He already knew what the blonde he’d be saving looked like. He knew what she would be wearing, what she would be doing.

Everything was crystal clear, as was all his visions. All except one.

Ian pushed that out of his mind. Focus. He needed to keep his eye on his charge. One mistake and the blonde might end up dead.

He couldn’t allow that.

These visions were a gift, a gift only the Chosen had.

By who? Ian didn’t know either.

All that mattered was that he was saving lives. Tonight, it would be the blonde in the beige parka.

He already had a plan, as he always did with every charge he set out to save. He would spill the red cranberry juice he’d bought onto her. Then he would apologize and insist on getting her a cab.

He would follow the cab, of course, and make sure that his charge got home safe.

Then he would head back to the compound and await another vision.

The door of the café to his left swung outward, barely missing him.

What the … Ian slowed his step.

This wasn’t in his vision.

A woman ran out onto the sidewalk, stopping right in front of him.

Ian frowned. He could’ve sidestepped the woman and continued on his way, but he didn’t.

Something was wrong.

Everything was supposed to play out exactly as his vision. So far, everything had.

Ian looked ahead at his charge. She was supposed to reach into her bag and take out her phone right about … now.

And she did.

Ian peered at the door that had swung close. It shouldn’t have opened. This woman shouldn’t be blocking his way.

His visions had never been wrong.

The mysterious woman whirled around.

Her.

Time seemed to slow as he watched her brown hair drift from her movement. How had Ian not realized it?

She was the one.

The woman screamed as coffee from her cup spilled onto her hand and his black jacket.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, but she wasn’t looking at him. Instead, she craned her neck to look over his shoulder.

Ian didn’t turn to see who or what she was looking at.

He couldn’t.

He couldn’t take his eyes off her. This is her.

This was the woman in the recurring vision. The one that wouldn’t go away. The one he didn’t have control over.

For the first time, Ian didn’t have all the details he needed. He couldn’t see where the car accident would happen. He just knew it would, and he knew it would happen soon.

The woman swiped at his waterproof jacket and took a step to the side. “I’m so sorry,” she said as her eyes continued to search the street behind him.

Ian’s gaze roamed across her petite heart-shaped face. “You’re her.” He was sure.

She lifted her chin, and her amber eyes met his. “Excuse me?”

Ian stared into her eyes, memorizing every chocolate-brown fleck within and the tinge of olive green that surrounded them.

For once in his life, he forgot about his purpose—his charge.

Her eyes flitted to the side, and she glanced over her shoulder as she asked, “Are you okay?” She carelessly used the edge of her white jacket to dab at the coffee on his jacket.

Her own hand was still covered in coffee, but she didn’t seem to care.

Ian couldn’t speak.

For six months he’d been having the vision. For six months, he’d been wondering why he couldn’t get more details out of it. All he could think about was that he might fail her.

Now he could finally see her face. “What’s—”

“I’m so sorry. I was—I’m sorry.” She flicked the coffee off her hand, reached into her bag, and pulled out a pen. “Here.” She scribbled something on the cup she was holding and pushed it into his hand. “My number. I’ll pay for your jacket. I’m sorry, but I need to go.”

She tried to step around him, but Ian grabbed her arm.

He couldn’t let her go. He just couldn’t. Why is she in such a rush? “Are you in danger?”

She would have to be alive to be in the car crash, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t in danger now.

Somewhere behind her, a car honked.

His mystery woman jumped and looked over her shoulder just as another piercing honk streaked through the cold night air.

Ian already knew that would happen. He’d heard the car honk in his vision, and that finally reminded him of why he was there. His charge.

He had a life to save.

In his moment of distraction, his mystery woman pulled away from him and ran down the street.

Ian took two steps after her before stopping himself.

He pulled his phone out and took a photo of the number. He twirled the cup around, but there wasn’t any name. With a sigh, he discarded of it and hurried forward.

It didn’t take him long to find his charge. After all, he already knew her movements.

Ian couldn’t help but glance over his shoulder every now and then. The woman was no longer in sight, and something tugged in his chest. Worry? Anxiety?

It didn’t make sense. He never cared about his charges. They were simply jobs he had to complete.

But everything related to the woman had been anything but ordinary.