Smoke and Survival (Best Wishes Book 2)

by A. J. Macey

  “We just came to ask why she was still here. You know, wondering why you have bodyguards and everything. It’s not like they can protect you all the time,” Claire finally spoke up, taking a half step in front of her cronies. Elijah’s and Gabe’s brow furrowed while Sadie and Benji joined Gabe in his stranglehold on their own silverware.

  Great. I groaned knowing exactly where this was going. Ugh.

  Landon

  “Hurry the hell up!” I shouted, my head dropping back with a frustrated sigh. I was so incredibly hungry that I was bordering on hangry as I waited for Logan to grab his book for our afternoon class. I had shoved everything I needed haphazardly into my bag while Logan had to dig through one of his piles to find the right notebook. The guys were waiting in the lobby, and more importantly, every minute wasted was a minute less with our girl.

  “Shut the fuck up, dude, I’m coming,” he bit out, a glare aimed in my direction as he shuffled from his room. “Let’s go, asshole.”

  Yanking the door open, I followed him into the crowded hallway and down the stairs. The guys trailed away from a few girls who were very poorly trying to flirt with Dante and Cam, the girls’ faces falling when they responded that they were taken. I snickered softly to myself when we got outside.

  “What?” Dante asked, his hand rubbing through his short hair. I eyed him, a small smirk on my face as I readied to mercilessly tease him.

  What can I say? I get mischievous when I’m hungry.

  “You”—I waved a hand at Cam—“and him attracting all the ladies. Poor Lemon Drop’s going to have a whole gaggle of girls coming after her.” The rest of the guys rolled their eyes as Dante glared at me.

  “Not my fault. Besides”—he shrugged—“as soon as it makes it around campus that we’re all together, they’ll back off.”

  “Hopefully. Lucie doesn’t need any more stress right now,” Cam added, his hand adjusting his glasses. “Let’s hurry and get to the dining hall. With this Noah shit show going on it makes me jumpy when I can’t see her.” The mood sobered at the reminder of what was going on. It was easy to ignore it when we weren’t dealing with his shit directly, like when he trashed Lucie’s dorm, but when he was brought up, it weighed heavily on all of us. I could see it in my brothers’ faces and stances—hunched or tightened shoulders, fisted hands, and severe frowns. Thankfully the dining hall was directly ahead of us, allowing me to focus on Lucie and not that asshole and everything I wanted to do to him when I got my hands on him.

  The seating area of the building was packed full; only a few tables held extra seats as students filtered from the buffet lines to the door or their friends. Buzzing conversation filled the space as we all packed our trays full. Logan and I were the first through the line to pay and led the group toward the beacon that was Sadie’s blue hair. My steps faltered when I saw Claire and her band of prissy bitches hassling Lucie and the rest of the table. Grinding my teeth, I closed the distance between us, Claire’s voice finally reaching me as I drew nearer.

  “We just came to ask why she was still here. You know, wondering why you have bodyguards and everything. It’s not like they can protect you all the time.” She paused, a catty eyebrow raised as she stared at Lucie. “I mean, you are endangering the entire student body by staying while Noah’s chasing you around.” I heard a growl to my left and saw Dante’s white-knuckled grip strangling his tray in my peripheral vision. Knowing the rest of my family, they were as angry as I was. My claws extended sharply, the grey plastic in my hands cracking under the harsh points.

  “Fuck off,” Nik ground out. His power crackled audibly around him, and light sparks danced across his skin. The girls jerked their heads to look our way, not having heard us approach.

  “You’ve caused enough problems,” Cam snapped, cutting off Claire’s retort. “I will gladly turn you over to the dean if you keep harassing our girlfriend and our friends.”

  “He doesn’t scare us,” Claire flipped her hair over her shoulder with her free hand. I had opened my mouth to snark back at her when a thunderclap sounded around us.

  “Miss Loren,” Dean Renaud’s voice boomed in the suddenly silent dining area. His stern look shifted from Claire to Madison and Khloe, finally landing on Brittney. “Miss Summers, Miss Davis, and Miss Sansbury. I’m growing quite tired of your petty fights.” Khloe started to protest. “Enough!” The dean’s voice cut through anything she was about to say, his voice harsh enough to make several students jump in surprise. “Report to the Assistant Dean’s office immediately if you wish to stay enrolled at my university.” His threat hung in the air as they turned quietly and exited the room, every set of eyes on them before turning to us in curiosity. “I’m truly sorry about their behavior, Lucie, I’ll take care of it.” His hand rested lightly on her shoulder before he turned and walked out of the hall.

  “What a bunch of bitches,” Benji scoffed, his statement bringing a slightly hysterical laugh to Lucie’s lips, essentially breaking the tension running through our group.

  “How did he know to come?” Gabe questioned, his eyebrows furrowing slightly as he looked around us. A chuckle came from Hudson whose face sported a satisfied smile. When everyone flashed him questioning looks, he held up his phone. The device was unlocked, revealing his text conversation to Dean Renaud saying they were causing trouble with Lucie in the dining hall.

  “Oh shit.” I gaped at the message, a single ‘K’ response showing the same time he had appeared in the room. “That’s fucking awesome!” I held up a hand, high-fiving Hudson as the rest of our group voiced their agreement around us. As we situated around the table, my hand finding Lucie’s over the top of the formica table, Dante’s voice echoed in my head.

  “They’re purposely taking chances whenever we’re not around. To try and deter them let’s not leave Lucie alone for more than a few minutes when we’re on campus even if she’s with Sadie or the others. Keep that stressful shit away from her,” he suggested before continuing, “and as much as much as I appreciate the dean taking care of this issue right now, this display just put a target on Lucie’s back.” I kept my face straight despite wanting to look at Dante.

  “How so?” Logan questioned before anyone else, his confusion clear.

  “Shows he’s willing to drop everything when she’s having a problem,” Cam answered, his voice somber. “People will assume that with her own security, her Djinn coin, and now the dean seemingly at her beck and call, she’s either dangerous, a favorite, or important enough to justify all these extra precautions.”

  “But the security is for Noah,” I explained, a sinking feeling in my gut.

  “That will not matter,” Nik whispered, even his mental voice carrying the strain of his damaged vocal cords.

  “Doesn’t matter. People don’t think for themselves; they’ll only think about the gossip.” Hudson’s voice was hard, no doubt remembering how kids rejected him in school for how his family was. Despite our best attempts, they were relentless in their teasing of the kid with the ‘hippy dippy’ family. It only stopped after Hudson beefed up over the summer between junior and senior year.

  “Regardless, she’ll be all right,” Logan exclaimed, determination lacing his words.

  “Let’s focus on Noah and that shit show first, but just keep this in the back of your minds in case it becomes a problem,” Dante commanded before turning his attention to Benji’s question about Kohl. As I took a bite of my food, my gaze scanned the area around us, taking in the whispers that filled the room and the eyes that refused to turn away. I caught Logan doing the same, his face grim as his attention turned to me, mimicking exactly what I was thinking.

  This is going to be an issue…

  November 21st

  Wednesday Evening

  Camden

  “I’ll see you guys later,” Lucie said as she moved through the rest of the guys, giving warm hugs as they dropped kisses on her head or cheek. Sadie mimicked gagging when Lucie reached her. “Shut up.” She laughed, he
r face going an adorable shade of pink. They hugged each other tightly before pulling back. Sadie and my brothers headed toward their temporary rooms in the Administration Housing as a group, the twins’ boisterous jokes echoing as they drew farther from Lucie and me. The library was closing shortly, so Muriel was chasing all lingering students out from between the stacks and study area with a wave of her wrinkled hand. I continued to leisurely read the large manuscript laid out on the table in front of me. Researching for this additional project was slow going, but I had about a month before it needed to be turned in, so I wasn’t worried.

  The library grew quiet as the last of the students filtered out the front doors leaving Lucie and me alone aside from Troy—still seated in the leather chair—and Muriel walking the aisles. Books and papers straightened on their own as she passed, her power allowing her to take care of such a large space without too much hassle or help, at least when Lucie wasn’t working. Muriel’s green eyes sparkled as she neared us, a large smile growing when she noticed the book I was studying.

  “Ah, Mr. Smith, The Book of Knowledge: Myths and Legends, good choice,” she praised. “You two be good.” She waved and made her way into the office and back into her own set of rooms. Lucie gave a warm smile and goodnight before returning her attention to her own books. Her expression was serene, her stance calm, no harsh frown marring her beautiful face as she scanned the text. I knew I should look away, but I couldn’t stop staring. Her sapphire eyes flickered up to me when she felt mine on her, and her face squished up into an adorable look.

  “What?” she murmured, her hand running over her hair. “Do I look funny or something?” I chuckled and leaned forward, my forearms resting on the manuscript.

  “Or something is right.” I smirked at her, the tip of my fang stabbing into my lower lip. The feeling I had grown used to when I was with Nik started as I stared at Lucie, my fangs aching as I took in her signature vanilla scent mixed with her unique pheromones. “Beautiful, amazing, absolutely perfect.” I leaned closer to her with each word, trailing off at the end with my lips only a breath away from hers. Lucie didn’t talk, just leaned forward ever so slightly, pressing a soft kiss to my lips before pulling back.

  “You’re such a sweet talker, Cam,” she teased, but her twinkling eyes and the light flush on her cheeks gave away how she truly felt. “I don’t think this is what Muriel had in mind when she left us alone… well, mostly alone.” Her eyes darted to Troy before returning to me, her blush deepening from pink to red.

  “You’re right, I just couldn’t help myself.” I kissed the dimple that had appeared when she smiled then reclined back into my chair, not wanting to continue reading from the boring text in front of me.

  “What are you reading about?” Her head dipped toward the large volume that had some of the smallest writing I had ever seen. After a while, I’m pretty sure my eyes had started to cross. I closed the book softly, not wanting the book to slam shut, and angled it toward her. “What’s The Book of Knowledge?” Curiosity was brimming in her words, her hand barely brushing the cover.

  “It’s a book that’s mostly legend; a lot of people don’t think it exists,” I explained, comfortingly slipping into my researcher role of stating fact and information. “I’m doing an extra project for the university, and I need to deliver files on five different artifacts, as well as information about them.” I shifted the notebook from off to the side to in front of Lucie, turning to the page about the artifacts I was researching. “These are the ones I’ve decided on, now I’m just compiling information.”

  “Is this for that special exhibit showcase thing they’re doing here in the library after winter break?” Her eyes scanned the page. My eyebrows went up in surprise. The professors hadn’t talked to anyone other than other faculty, the dean, and me about the display. She glanced at me before smiling, clearly reading the confusion in my expression. “I heard Muriel and several professors talking about it. One benefit of working in the library.” She chuckled and shrugged. “Besides, I’ll get roped into helping set up. Muriel and I are two of the only people who can navigate the basement.”

  “There’s a basement?” This conversation just kept getting weirder and weirder, but I had to admit that I was loving these little surprises. Lucie stood and collected her books, stuffing them behind the checkout counter.

  “Troy,” she murmured walking up to him, “we’ll be right back. We’re just going to go check on something in the basement.” He hesitated to agree but nodded, shifting his attention back to the library. He waved us off, and Lucie gently tugged me in the direction of her room. I wrapped my hand around hers and followed obediently, curiosity piqued as we turned to one of the doors opposite her bedroom. At the bottom of the stairs, Lucie pulled out an ID with her smiling picture on it and scanned it on a reader to the right of the door.

  “What’s down here?” I whispered.

  The air was still, no noise except the unlocking click surrounded us. She smirked at me and pushed the door open. It was dark, only a few safety lights lighting the ground every few feet on the multitude of pathways. She turned to the left and hit a large lever, and the clunking sound of industrial lights turning on immediately followed. My jaw dropped as the space was slowly revealed, the yellow lighting cast over the large area filled with a wide array of shelves, cases, and grated storage cages. I immediately recognized several of the objects near us, famous daggers and swords laid out on velvet backing in clear glass storage cases. Lucie took my hand and pulled me toward another area of the basement.

  Holy shit… there’s so much history in this place. I was dumbfounded. Completely and utterly starstruck at the objects we passed, so much so I could barely comprehend what was around us. When she stopped, she pointed with a slender finger at a display.

  “That should look familiar.” She chuckled as I stepped forward, her hand still tangled in mine. It looked just like an old-timey broom, the handle made of worn, knotted wood, the bristles made of twigs held together by cracked leather ties. This wasn’t just any old broom though, it was one of the first Witch’s Brooms ever made, the kind that magick users used to fly on. I turned my head to gape at her, still at a loss for words. She had recognized it from my list of artifacts. I hadn’t expected to actually see any of the items until the university started to set up the display. I found myself speechless at Lucie’s thoughtful gesture—breaking rules, I’m sure—just to show me something she knew I’d love. My brothers always supported and looked out for me, but I wasn’t used to anyone but Nik doing special things like this.

  “You…” I couldn’t think, I just moved, cupping her jaw in my free hand and molding my lips to hers in a passionate kiss. Her hand rested on my chest, fisting the material of my sweater as she kissed back. Her tongue battled against mine as I deepened our kiss, my hand dropping from her jaw to her hip and pulling her flush against me. The thudding of my heart filled my ears, her soft curves pressing against my chest as I nipped sharply at her lip, making sure to not draw blood. “You are absolutely one of the most incredible people I have ever met,” I murmured against her lips, our heavy breaths coming out in sharp pants and filling the silence around us.

  “You’re not so bad yourself,” she teased, shooting me a cheeky grin before pulling back and yanking me toward another part of the basement. “Come on, we can look at a few other objects before we head back upstairs. Or, if you want, we can check the archives down here for any information on your artifacts.”

  “Seriously,” I whispered, sneaking another kiss before moving down the aisle with her at my side, “absolutely perfect.”

  For the next half hour, Lucie and I combed the shelves, locating several books for my research. When I didn’t think my heart could be any fuller, it nearly burst when she grabbed a pen from a random shelf and started taking notes on a scrap piece of paper for me, intent on helping me with the workload. As soon as we realized we had abandoned Troy to his own accord and their shift change would happen soon, we returne
d the antique books to their proper homes and headed back upstairs, planning to sleep away the night. Our Lucie is perfection, I thought, quietly curling her in my arms when we slipped into bed.

  15

  November 23rd

  Friday Morning

  Lucienne

  The vehicle swerved sharply off the interstate and into an abandoned rest area. My heart pounded painfully against my ribs, the sound drowning out the music flowing from the truck’s speakers as the anxiety that gripped my chest constricted. His white-knuckled grip slipped from my sight, shifting to throw open the driver side door. My breathing seized. Please no, I mentally pleaded, my body frozen in place. His cold expression filled my window right before he yanked away the only barrier between me and him.

  “Lucie baby,” he cooed sadistically, his hand tightening on my upper arm, “let’s go have some fun…”

  Yelling and warm hands against my face pulled me from the memory, my vision watery when I cracked open my eyes. Nik’s drawn face stared down at me, his rough hands stroking my hair away from my forehead. Logan’s worried expression caught my eye as he knelt in a pair of grey pajama pants next to Nik on my bed. His hands trembled as they reached out for mine.

  “Lucie?” he murmured, sighs of relief echoing through the room as the other guys pulled back from hovering over the edge of the mattress. “You awake?” I nodded slightly, just a small dip of my head, my breathing still ragged as I attempted to control the sobs that wanted to break through.

  “Oh, thank god.” Landon’s husky voice shook, his hands raking over his face as if he was trying to rid his memory of something he’d seen. I shifted slightly, the sweat coating my body making it uncomfortable to be under the blanket. Nik and Logan realized what I was attempting to do and moved back enough to give me room to sit up against the headboard. Cam was waiting between the bed and the bathroom door with a small paper cup of water which I gratefully drank. The cool liquid soothed the roughness in my throat, and my brows scrunched in confusion.