Free Muse (Descended From Myth) by Erin McFadden

remarks here and there to show I was listening, but my heart wasn't really in it. At some point, I interrupted her and asked, “Mom, when I was growing up, did you ever notice anything different about me? Anything that was unusual?”
    My question was met with a long pause, and I heard Mom's sharp intake of breath. “Why? Did someone say something? Has one of them been bothering you? What's happened?” she stammered. Then I heard her yelling for my dad to pick up the other line.
    “Mom, seriously, there's no reason to freak out. I was just asking a question!” I started backpedaling furiously, afraid she was going to hop in the car to come get me any second.
    “What's going on, Annie?” my Dad's deep voice rumbled in the receiver. Shit. This was going downhill fast. When Dad was in full-on Judge mode, it was very difficult f or me to get anything past him.
    “Did someone try to contact you there, Anna?” my mother as ked, her voice full of concern.
    “Who are you talking about, Mom?” I asked, trying to avoid answering until I knew if we wer e talking about the same group.
    “A few years ago there was a man who showed up at our house asking questions about you, saying that his group needed to do some tests on you to see if you had an inherited condition they were researching. He was very evasive and just made us both very uncomfortable. Your father threatened to take legal action against him if they didn't stop contacting us and they stopped. We didn't tell you then because we didn't want to frighten you.”
    I wanted to ask questions, but if I did then I would tip them both off that things weren't peachy here. I came up with the best excuse I could, knowing how flimsy it was. “Okay, that's pretty weird. I haven't talked to anybody about me being a genetic mutant or anything like that. I was just asking cause I was having a conversation with a guy I met here about our childhoods and I couldn't think of anything that was especially interesting. We were way too normal. Sounds like I have something cooler to talk about now, though.” I gripped my cell phone, willing them to believe my bluff.
    “You? Anna, you met a boy? Is this a boy that you like ?” she asked teasingly. My mother's infallible matchmaking senses had snatched onto the one part of that story I didn't want to pursue right now, but it was still probably the safest part of the conversation. At least I didn't have to lie. If Daniel was still planning on playing bodyguard and mentor after tonight's disaster, then I might as well prepare my parents for his presence anyway.
    “Yeah, I like totally met a bo-oy?” I drawled in my best valley girl impersonation. That was enough to end the conversation for my Dad, who said goodnight and went ba ck to whatever he'd been doing.
    I told Mom briefly about Daniel, well, a few details about him. I didn't lie, but there was some serious filtering going on. It seemed like enough to make her happy, though. Actually, if it had been the whole truth, it would have made me pretty happy, too. Sometimes the truth just sucks.
    Mom finally let me go. I was never able to find a way to ask any more questions about the mystery group without freaking her out, so I let it go. I decided to ask Daniel if he could find out if the Guardians had ever approached my parents. That is if I ever got the chance to speak to him again. I could understand where he was coming from, a little. We really don't know each other that well. I mean it's only been two days since he showed up in my life! It just seems like much longer. It would be a good idea for us to slow things down and get to know each other a little better anyway. Hold on, slow things down? After a few kisses and a single dinner? I'd had high school romances that were more physical. That makes me sound sleazy. I'll phrase that differently when I talk to Daniel. Sure, I'd had a couple of boyfriends over the years, but not since coming to college. I'd been on a few dates since then,