by Mari Mancusi
And Emmy did seem to enjoy the attention. She especially liked showing off when the cameras rolled. Unfortunately, when they went dark, so did her mood. She’d retreat back to her little burrow where she’d binge-watch TV for hours on end, with little interest in doing anything else—not that there was, admittedly, much else to do. Trinity would sit with the dragon during these times, trying to keep her company at least. But all the while, her father’s words would ring in her head.
To her, it might be just another cage.
“Just hang in there, girl,” she muttered, watching Emmy nose through the printouts as Luke set up the camera. “Once Dad gets the time machine back up, I’m going to fix this, once and for all.”
She sighed, a draft of loneliness seeming to roll over her. While Emmy no longer seemed to actively object to her presence as she had when she’d first arrived, they were still miles apart from where they used to be. Emmy could understand her, but Trinity could still not hear the dragon’s thoughts. And the one-way conversations were driving them both a little insane.
Suddenly, Emmy lifted her head, a low growl rumbling from her throat as she stared straight ahead, neck tense, ears pricked. Trinity frowned, turning in the direction of the dragon’s stare just in time to see a lone figure stepping through the hangar door. Scarlet, she realized in surprise. What was she doing here?
Scarlet never came into the hangar anymore. In fact, the girl who had once been so dedicated to the dragon—who had shared a blood bond and acted as Fire Kissed—now seemed to go out of her way to avoid Emmy altogether. In turn, Emmy seemed to have no desire to interact with Scarlet either. But when Trinity tried to ask the girl if something had happened between them, Scarlet had turned red in the face and became extremely evasive.
To be honest, Trinity didn’t push too hard; deep down, she was relieved to have the competition out of the way, giving her a better chance of someday restoring her and Emmy’s bond. Still, she had to admit, it was strange to say the least.
“Um, is everything okay?” she asked now, setting down the printouts and putting a comforting hand on Emmy’s arm.
Scarlet nodded, though Trinity thought she caught a dark shadow cross her face before she spoke. “Yeah,” she said. “It’s just…Caleb asked me to find you.”
“What?” Trinity’s eyes bulged. Her heart hammered in her chest. “He’s awake? Caleb’s awake? When…? How…?” The questions flew from her mouth even as she realized how little they mattered. If Caleb were truly awake…
Trinity turned to Luke. “We’ll have to finish this in the morning,” she told him. “Emmy, I’ll be back in a bit, okay?”
The dragon nodded, not taking her eyes off Scarlet. Trinity gave Emmy a small squeeze, then dove across the hangar, launching through the door, toward the main terminal’s entrance. Toward Caleb’s sickroom, heart in her throat.
Caleb was awake. He was awake!
“Caleb!” she cried as she burst into the room, swinging around the corner so quickly she lost her balance and almost ate it completely.
“Watch it, Princess. Wouldn’t want to mess up that pretty face of yours.”
And there he was. Sitting there, propped up by two pillows, as if he’d just woken from a normal night’s sleep.. He was pale, thin, and looked malnourished. His blue eyes were watery, and his hair was mussed. But he was there. Awake. Smiling.
She dove for him, throwing her arms around him, letting loose a floodgate of tears as the emotions swarmed her brain too fast and furious to catalog. For a moment, she couldn’t speak. Couldn’t move. Couldn’t do anything but hold him in her arms, feeling his warmth.
So solid. So real. So alive.
So Caleb.
She managed to pull herself away, meeting his eyes with her own. His beautiful, storm-tossed eyes, wide-open and looking right at her. “They told me you’d never wake up,” she rasped. “That you’d be locked in the Nether forever, just like Mom.”
“Please. Underestimating me as always,” he said with a snort. “As if a little Nether coma could keep me away from all the fun.”
She swallowed hard, past the huge lump that had formed in her throat. It had been so long since she’d heard his voice, and yet at the same time, it felt like yesterday. “I never gave up on you,” she assured him. “I watched over you, day and night.” She didn’t know why she was telling him this, only that she felt like she had to.
“Oh yeah? I bet my brother loved that,” he said dryly.
Her smile faded. It had been so long since the two brothers had had their fight back at the hotel room in Colorado that she’d almost forgotten how things had left off between them. But evidently Caleb hadn’t. And why should he? While so much had happened to the rest of them since then—making the whole thing seem petty and stupid at this point—he’d been stuck in the Nether the whole time with nothing to do but stew over that horrible afternoon. And from the look on his face, she could tell the anger was still raw in his mind.
“Look, Caleb, about Connor,” she tried gently. “He’s really sorry about what happened between the two of you. And he’s been really devoted to your recovery too—he’s pretty much come by every day you’ve been here to make sure you’re okay.” Sure, that was partially due to her guilt-laden encouragement, but Caleb didn’t need to know those pesky details. “Trust me, he’s devastated about what happened to you.”
“Yeah, I’m sure he’s been terribly broken up about it,” Caleb sneered. “Probably as broken as my nose after he sucker punched me the last time we hung out. Which reminds me,” he added, “do you have a mirror? I’m dying to see the aftereffects of such brotherly devotion.”
Trinity sighed. “You look fine.”
“Fine? Just fine?” His mouth quirked. “Not so irresistibly hot that you can barely restrain yourself from jumping my bones and kissing me senseless?” He gave her a mock horrified look that made her want to laugh despite herself. “Then seriously, get me a mirror, woman! My nose must be simply hideous.”
She rolled her eyes. “Your nose is perfect. Though I’m thinking your ego may still be a bit bulbous.”
“Aw, Princess. Your flattery never fails to get me. It’s one of the things I’ve missed most about being alive.” He glanced down at his arms and legs. “Well, that and the food. Mother of mercy, look at me! I’m nothing but skin and bones.” He looked up. “Nurse, get me to an all-you-can-eat buffet, stat.”
“That I may be able to arrange,” she told him with a small smile. “My father is a terrific cook. He’ll fatten you up in no time.”
Caleb’s teasing grin fled from his face. He stared at her with excited eyes. “So you really did find your father,” he said. “And he’s actually here? Now? Does that mean Virgil is here too? Do they have a plan to save Emmy? God, I’ve missed a lot while I’ve been out, haven’t I?”
“A few minor things,” she agreed with a small snort. “And yes, my father’s here. But Virgil is no longer with us. It’s a long story, but let’s just say their plan to save Emmy didn’t exactly pan out. I mean, it would have, probably, if Emmy hadn’t decided to bail at the last minute to play superdragon.”
“Oh, Hot Wings. Always making it so hard on your poor Fire Kissed,” Caleb said with an overexaggerated sigh. Then his expression turned serious. “Look, Trinity. All joking aside, I owe you a huge apology. The way I walked out on you that night at the hotel—after all you’d suffered, after all I had promised.” He cringed. “I was so messed up at the time. So confused and angry and scared. And…addicted, I guess. Not that that excuses what I did but…” He paused for a moment, then added, “Let’s just say I’ve had a lot of time to think about things while stuck in the Nether. And about what’s really important to me.” His blue eyes glowed as he spoke, broadcasting his earnestness. “And now that I’ve been given a second chance? Well, I’m not about to waste it. I’m here for you, Trinity. Whatever you need, I’m
here for you.”
Trinity smiled back at him, feeling both ridiculously happy and incredibly sad all at the same time. She’d missed him so much. More than she’d even realized. “We’ve all made mistakes,” she assured him. “But the important thing is we’re together now. And we can be a team again.”
“I appreciate that,” Caleb said sincerely. Then his mouth twisted. “I just hope my brother is as excited about my rising from the dead as you are. After all, I imagine the two of you have gotten pretty cozy over the last months, what with none of my irresistible charm to get in the way.”
Trinity rolled her eyes. “Yeah, don’t you know? We’re totally married with kids at this point. Grandkids any day now.”
In truth, her and Connor’s so-called relationship had been strained at best after their argument over the Dracken’s continued involvement in Emmy’s life. Sure, they’d both officially apologized since then, but things had remained a bit awkward. Every time Trinity headed over to film one of Emmy’s broadcasts, she could feel the disapproval in Connor’s eyes. Which in turn made her defensive and quick to lash out.
Caleb sighed, shaking his head. “My brother, ladies and gentleman, the original pimp.”
“Besides,” Trinity scoffed, “from what I understand, you’ve been blasting that so-called irresistible charm of yours all over the Nether.” When Caleb raised an eyebrow, she gave him a pointed look. “The name Scarlet ring any bells?”
Caleb blushed, turning away, but not before she caught a sheepish grin cross his face. So there was something going on between him and Scarlet. She felt her teasing smile falter a little as something uncomfortable wormed through her stomach. All this time, she realized, she’d been holding out hope that this so-called romance between the two of them had all been a figment of Scarlet’s overactive imagination. Evidently not so much.
And why shouldn’t he, she scolded herself. You pushed him away. You told him nothing could happen between you. What did you expect—that he would just sit and pine over you for all eternity?
“Sorry,” she said, feeling stupid. “I shouldn’t have said that. It’s none of my business who you choose to date.”
Now it was Caleb’s turn to frown. “Date? Trin, you do realize I’ve been a flecking vegetable for the last nine months, right?”
Her face burned. God, how deep a hole was she trying to dig herself into anyway? “Right. I know. I mean… I’m just saying, like, it’s cool if you like her. Uh…not that you need my permission, of course. But I’m just…”
Seriously, close your mouth and stop talking, Trin!
She felt Caleb staring at her, his eyes so piercing they could probably burn through dragon scale, but she found she couldn’t look up—couldn’t bear to see what she feared she’d see on his face. Finally he spoke.
“Look,” he said in a calm voice. “I’m not going to lie. Scarlet and I—well, we got close when she came to me in the Nether. I was dealing with a lot. Feeling like crap. Pretty much ready to give up on it all. And then she walked in and…”
He trailed off, and Trinity finally dared take a peek at his face. She could practically see the emotional conflict raging inside of him. He likes her, she realized, a sinking feeling settling into her gut. He didn’t want to admit it to her, but he liked Scarlet a lot.
He caught her looking and masked his face. “Hell, what is it they say?” he asked brightly. Too brightly. “What happens in the Nether stays in the Nether?”
“I’m pretty sure that’s Vegas,” she muttered, trying to shove down the bile rising in her throat as her mind treated her to an all-too-detailed picture of Caleb making out with Scarlet in the Nether—his hands tangling in her hair, his mouth burning against Scarlet’s lips.
Just as it had once burned against hers.
I’ve never taken anyone to the Nether, he’d told her. No one but you.
And now Scarlet. But hey, who’s counting?
Frustration rose inside of her. At him for moving on. At herself for not wanting him to do so. The tears welled in her eyes, and she angrily swiped them away. Squaring her shoulders, she summoned up all the hardness she could muster. “Well, anyway, it’s good to have you back,” she said in a clipped tone. “I may need to call on you in a few days to help me with Emmy. You’re the only real dragon guardian in this place, and I’m going to need all the help I can get to continue her rehab.”
“Sure,” he replied. “I can do that. I told you, whatever you need, I’m here for you. All you have to do is ask.”
He made it seem so simple when, in truth, it was anything but.
“Okay. Great. Awesome,” she mumbled, starting to back out of the room, unable to stay a moment longer. “Then I guess I’ll…let you rest. I’ll come by and check on you in the morning, okay?”
“I’ll be counting the milliseconds.”
She nodded, forcing herself to turn, to walk out the door, and to close it behind her before her mouth betrayed her any further. God, what was wrong with her? She’d been waiting all this time for Caleb to wake up. And now he had. She should be singing and dancing and telling everyone, “I told you so.”
Instead, all she wanted to do was cry.
Lost in her thoughts, she turned the corner too fast, slamming into something hard and solid.
Make that someone.
She looked up, her cheeks flaming as she realized it was none other than Connor himself. He looked down at her, taking his hands and placing them on her shoulders to steady her, his beautiful blue eyes filled with concern.
“Are you okay?” he asked. “You’re shaking. And you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
The weight of his hands on her shoulders felt unbearably heavy. As if he were purposely holding her down. “I’m fine,” she assured him, hating how shaky her voice sounded as she said the words. “It’s just…Caleb. Caleb’s finally awake.”
For a split second, his grip on her tightened, nails digging into her flesh so hard she had to stifle a cry of pain. Then he dropped his hands altogether. She could feel him staring down at her but found she couldn’t meet his gaze.
“That’s…great news,” he said at last. “Really great.”
Guilt washed over Trinity in waves, and it was all she could do to keep standing upright. “Yeah,” she said, forcing her voice to stay steady. “I guess an ‘I told you so’ is in order?” she joked, desperate to lighten the mood.
“I suppose so,” Connor replied vaguely, as if he didn’t get the joke. Awkward silence fell over the two of them. He looked at her. She looked at the ground. Then she heard his sad-sounding sigh.
“I guess I should go talk to him,” he said. “Do you want to come with me?”
“No!” She shook her head violently. Then she blushed. “I mean, you guys have a lot to talk about. You shouldn’t be distracted by me.”
“You’re never a distraction, sweetheart,” he said, giving her a sad look.
She forced a thin smile. “We can talk later,” she told him. “Right now, you should go see your brother. It’s late. I’ve got to get to bed.”
Before she could turn away, he reached up, cupping her chin in his hands and peering at her worriedly. His eyes were so blue. So damned blue. “I do love you, you know,” he told her, his voice filled with earnest.
She smiled weakly. “I know.”
Chapter Fifteen
Go talk to her, you coward!
Caleb hovered at the back of the restaurant, tray in hand, watching Scarlet pile yet another mountain of barbecue ribs on her plate. It was hard to believe someone as small as she was could put away so much food. The girl ate like a trucker. He supposed she was probably trying to make up for lost time—she couldn’t have gotten much to eat in the government lab, judging by how skinny she was now.
He involuntarily thought back to how she’d felt when he’d held her in the Nether—soft curves in
all the right places. Now she was all hard angles and sharp bones jutting out. Kind of like he himself, he supposed, glancing down at his own scrawny, pasty white body. These days it was hard to believe he and His Buffness—the great and powerful Connor—were identical twins.
The miracle Nether diet! Guaranteed to help you lose all your body fat in just one long sleep.
He watched as Scarlet thanked Trinity’s father, then turned, her eyes scanning the restaurant where some of the Potentials were eating. No one made eye contact, he noticed, or waved her over to sit with them. But Scarlet didn’t seem too broken up about this—if anything, he thought she looked relieved. She seemed to like to fly under the radar these days. He wondered at times why she even stuck around, since she didn’t seem to have any friends in Team Dragon. Once upon a time, he would have assumed it was out of loyalty to Emmy. But Scarlet seemed to be avoiding the dragon these days as much as she avoided the others.
Go and talk to her. Now!
He sighed. He’d been trying to work up the nerve to approach her since that first night, when he’d been so eager to get caught up on their mission that he’d basically kicked her out of the room to talk to Trinity. And ever since then, she’d barely spoken a word to him, going out of her way to avoid him. Every day, he told himself he would pull her aside and talk to her about what happened between them in the Nether, yet every day, he ended up chickening out. And now it was like there was this big elephant in the room, and he didn’t know what to do about it.
If only he hadn’t kissed her. If only he’d stayed strong and resisted the urge. But she’d been so sweet, so passionate, so earnest in her attempts to save his worthless hide after everyone else had given up on him. He’d been so lonely, trapped in his icy cold prison, so desperate for the warm touch of another human being. And she’d been more than willing to give it to him.
