Hillcrest Academy

by Cassie Pierce

  “Do you ever wish that you could be someone different? That you had more of a say in your own life? I’ll tell you girl, I don’t fit anywhere...especially into the role that I was born into.”

  I recognize the feeling better than she thinks. I have never been normal, but I never cared before. I had Ashlee, and my crazy plus her crazy always equaled the perfect amount of sane. Like together we balanced each other out...understood each other. I didn’t care about what the world thought of me, because my world thought that I was perfect. She loved my crazy ass, and I loved hers. After she left.....the world came rushing back, and suddenly I had no place.

  No home.....

  Until the day that I met Jaxon.

  “I think that if you don’t like your story C.J., then write a new one. If you lose control, fight like hell to get it back, and don’t accept anything but the ending that you want.”

  I was talking to her—yes, but I was also talking to myself.

  “Damn girl....that’s....that’s some deep stuff,” she says with a laugh. I can hear her moving around, but I don’t open my eyes. I can feel the bed dip as she sits beside me, and I slowly peel one eye open.

  Indecision flashes across her face but is quickly replaced by a look of steely determination. “Screw it! Let’s open the box.”

  I sit up, knowing that whatever she is about to say is serious. I grab her hand, giving it a soft squeeze. A silent nod of support. A non-verbal sign that I am listening.

  “It’s my family,” she says with a sigh as she rings her hands together nervously in her lap. The movement causes her one million bangle bracelets to jingle, and I have to resist the urge to reach out and still them.

  “Your family?” I ask, choosing to focus on what’s important, and for some reason I know that this is. I can see it, in the tight set of her shoulders and the nervous lines of her usually calm face.

  “Yes. My fam....”

  A loud obnoxious knock on the door cuts off her sentence. Her head whips to the door as her eyes enlarge with fear. It is almost like she knows who is on the other side and would rather eat rat poison than see them.

  “We can just ignore them,” I say, meaning it. She laughs, rising to her feet and making her way to the door.

  “Trust me.....you can’t ignore her. I have been trying for years.”

  I am slightly confused by her cryptic statement as she reaches for the handle. She pauses, her eyes finding mine as she slowly shakes her head.

  “I’m sorry you had to find out this way.....”

  Sorry? What in the hell is she sorry for? I am confused, but then she twists the knob and the door flies open, and I get it.

  I would rather eat rat poison than open that door too.

  Bianca Bicada— the queen bitch herself, stands in the now open doorway looking every bit the ice princess that I now know her to be. She rolls her eyes, before strolling into my room and pulling my friend into a tight embrace.

  What in the actual hell?

  It isn’t until she steps out of the hug, that those ice blue eyes focus on me. They get really large before shrinking into thin slits that could freeze an open flame. Her cheeks turn a nasty shade of red as she turns to C.J. at the exact moment that I do.

  “What’s she doing here?!” we both shout in unison, and poor C.J. looks like she would rather be anywhere but here....

  Well newsflash! So...would...I!

  “B,” she says placing a calming hand on evil barbie’s back. “This is Maci....my new roommate, and my friend.” She emphasizes the word friend, and I swear Bianca’s face gets a little redder. Which brings me an odd sense of joy.

  “Maci,” she says turning to me, and pointing to bitchy barbie like I don’t already know her. Unfortunately, I do....

  “This is Bianca Bicada.....my half-sister.”

  Wait.....what? Half-sister?

  I know that I am way behind on the whole angelic hierarchy and all that, but I was paying attention in class. Well.....mostly. Enough so that I know for a fact that Mr. Rothe introduced Bianca as the only Fallen heir. If C.J. is her half-sister, then that means that....

  “You’re fallen?” I ask, not believing it for a second, but suddenly understanding her whole speech about wanting to change her story a little more.

  She is basically cursed.....

  Jesus! No wonder she was crying!

  I shake my head, refusing to believe that C.J.— my C.J., who wears socks that look like chicken feet and says howdy could be cursed. Out of all of the strange things that I have heard in the last few days...this....this is the thing that I cannot believe.

  C.J. has the sweetest soul of anyone that I have ever met. How can she not be Divine? How could anyone ever deny her true grace? How does that even work?

  “Yes,” she says softly, and there is so much sadness and finality in that one word that it breaks my heart. It is like she has accepted that her destiny has already been decided. Like she has already given up. Well....screw that!

  “NO!” I say, loud and more demanding than I should as I charge forward and grab her by the shoulders. I am fully aware that queen B is watching. I just don’t care.

  “You are more than the life that you are born into C.J. More!” I say, and her eyes light up with hope.

  “Cut the shit half-breed,” Bianca cuts in, and I resist the urge to punch her in the face. Just barely.

  “How are you related to her?” I ask sarcastically, rolling my eyes and pointing toward a now snarling Bianca. I am only kidding, but Bianca feels the need to answer my question.

  “Let’s just say that daddy has a hard time keeping it in his pants half-breed,” she says with an eye roll.

  “So... your mom, and King Xavier....” I say with a shudder.

  “Uhhh.....don’t remind me that my mom got inseminated by the sperm donor by choice,” C.J. says with a grimace, causing me to laugh.

  “Don’t talk about daddy like that Candice,” Bianca fumes, using C.J.’s real name. “You are damn lucky he took pity on you and decided to provide you with funds and an education. Show respect,” she says turning in the direction of the door.

  Pity? Last time I checked a father’s responsibility was to do those things. It isn’t pity.

  C.J. opens her mouth, but quickly shuts it, and I know that she won’t say what she is thinking. That she can’t. Well....lucky for her that I can.

  “That is utter and complete bull shit Bianca. Blood is blood, and there isn’t a damn thing that makes yours better than hers. Your dad may be a king by worldly standards, but he isn’t much of a man. Real men love their children.”

  She moves before I see it coming, and for the first time I can see why she is the princess of a dark race. Her hand whips out, smacking across my face, leaving an angry sting. I see red.

  Something dark and dangerous sparks to life inside of me. A rage that I did not even know had been starving until it tasted a drop of blood. I grab her hand, squeezing as hard as I can as my skin lights on fire. I watch in fascinated horror as a purple and gold light explodes from my hand, seeping into her skin.

  “Shit!” I hear C.J. exclaim behind me, but I don’t stop. I can’t. It is like whatever power has sparked to life inside of me must be fed. Bianca’s eyes widen in fear, and I almost laugh as the stench of urine makes its way to my nose. I open my mouth, and when I do all I know with absolute certainty is that I am starving.

  I can feel hands on me, shaking me....begging me, but I can’t stop. Bianca hurts people. Her soul is full of darkness and rot, and it is my job....my purpose to rid the world of such. I lean in, drawing in a deep breath, and taking with it some of her infested soul.

  My legs almost go weak from the influx of power I feel as I draw on her life force, and in the back of my mind I know that this isn’t me. That I would never do something like this, but whatever monster that has been unleased inside of me cannot be stopped.

  I have just leaned in for another taste when I hear him.

  Jaxon....
.

  “Maci. You have to stop. Please baby....let her go. Trust me.”

  Jaxon?

  The world seems to snap back, and I jump back in horror as I shove a now pale Bianca away from me. Her eyes are wide, and her face is a frozen mask of terror as she stares into empty space. She falls limply to the floor, before curling into herself. C.J. falls to her knees beside her, looking at me like she doesn’t know me.

  I stare down at my hands, shaking so badly that I can’t seem to stop as the light slowly absorbs back into them. I turn to C.J., inching toward her, but stopping when she backs away from me.

  “C.J.......I’m so sorry. I don’t......I don’t know,” I say as sobs take over my body. C.J. is silent as she looks from a shivering Bianca to me and back again. Tears fall from her big brown eyes as she looks at me.

  “What are you?” she whispers, but I don’t get a chance to answer her. A shadow enters the doorway, and moments later Jaxon is there. He scoops my trembling body up into the shelter of his muscular embrace as he whispers soothing words in my ear.

  I am vaguely aware of someone else in the room, but all I can do is clinch my eyes closed and concentrate on the smoky tenor of Jaxon’s voice.

  “It’s ok Princess. I am going to fix this. I swear it. Then, I will explain everything.”

  My eyes open through the haze of my tears as I peel my cheek off of Jaxon’s chest. I nod, unable to find the strength to ask the one million questions that are running through my fractured mind.

  “It is done,” a new voice cuts in, and I am surprised to see Ryker there. Jaxon nods, standing with me still in his arms.

  “What....what is done? C.J.? Bianca? Did I....did I kill her?” I ask, putting voice to the fear that is eating away at me. I didn’t mean to hurt her, but something dark inside of me wanted to punish her. Wanted to end the ugliness that exist inside of her.

  “Relax,” Ryker says with a grin that does not belong in this situation. Something about that grin tells me that he is enjoying this. Which is a whole different level of wrong. “No one is dead, and because your boy was smart enough to bring me along,” Ryker says with a wink. “No one will even remember what happened. I gave them new memories. More pleasant ones,” he says with a frown.

  “I’m....I’m confused,” I admit, still clinging to Jaxon for dear life.

  Ryker rolls his eyes, turning to his brother with a smirk. “See brother. This is what happens when you take your work home with you.”

  Huh?

  Then Ryker flashes from the room, like he was never there. I look around, and that is when I notice that C.J and Bianca are no longer here as well. It is like everyone just vanished.

  “Ok. Explain,” I demand, wiggling so that he will put me down. He looks like he wants to protest, but eventually gently sits me on my feet.

  “I will, but I can’t here. It is too risky. Come with me, and I will tell you everything.” He says taking my hand in his. I gasp as static electricity and little golden sparks fly from where he touches me.

  I want to agree. Just go with him and trust him without question, but there is one thing that I have to know first.

  “What did you do to C.J?” I demand, crossing my arms defiantly over my chest.

  He smiles, and I swear that smile almost stops my heart. Shatters it into a million pieces and then puts it back together. He steps into me, and I gasp as he pulls me into the hard shelter of his warm body. His lips find mine in the barest of kisses, just as the door to my room opens.

  “See for yourself princess,” Jaxon whispers before pulling away.

  A startled gasp sounds from the now open doorway, and I peek around him to see a stunned C.J. standing there wide eyed. Her eyes look from me to Jaxon and back again as she slowly fans her flaming cheeks.

  “Sorry,” she drawls, slowly backing away. “I will come back later. I forgot my phone, but hot damn.....it can wait.”

  Then with a thumbs up and a shit eating grin she turns on her heel and walks away.

  I turn to Jaxon.

  “Explain everything!” I demand.

  I am so confused. Like on a scale of one to ten, I am a seven hundred and fifty-two. He nods, saying nothing as he holds out his hand for me. I know that this moment is going to change everything. That by taking his hand, I am somehow choosing a side....a life that I never knew existed, but the truth is this life chose me on the side of the road the night that Ashlee died.

  I don’t overthink it. I don’t even question it. I just do what feels right, and what has always felt right to me is Jaxon.

  I take his hand, smiling when a soft golden light encircles our palms. He pulls me closer, and I go willingly. Something tells me I will always go with him willingly.

  “Trust me?” he asks, and I nod my head as I step even closer to him.

  Then we are flying, floating through a rainbow of golden warmth and away from the world as I have always known it.

  ∞

  ~ Chapter 10 ~

  I gasp as we materialize in what has to be the most beautiful garden that I have ever seen. Everywhere that I look is alive with varying shades of greenery that is dotted with the bright colors of multiple flowers. A stream runs close by and pours into a tiny little waterfall.

  In the heart of the garden is an apple tree, that glows a soft golden light from the center of it. On its branches hang the most delicious looking red apples that I have ever seen. It would look like something out of a fairytale, except for the large tree house that sits nestled within its embrace.

  I say nothing as Jaxon takes my hand, silently leading me in the direction of the massive apple tree. We stop at the foot of the tree, and I turn to Jaxon with burning curiosity. Dying to ask the question, but feeling level thirteen stupid for even thinking it.

  But come on.....

  “Is that....is that the apple tree? Like as in the one from the bible?” I muse, wondering just what garden we landed in.

  Jaxon looks at me, saying nothing as he walks up to the tree and plucks a shiny red apple from a branch. With a sinful slowness he brings the apple to his lips, biting into it with a moan that makes me think of some much better things that he could be doing with that mouth. My eyes almost bug out of my head as the sky above us rumbles with thunder and rain starts to fall from the suddenly angry sky.

  I reach forward, smacking the apple from his hand. I watch as it rolls to the ground. “What did you do?” I accuse as the rain picks up.

  Then Jaxon laughs, bending at the waist and clutching his side. His eyes latch on to mine as he tries and fails to pull himself together. As quickly as it started...the rain fades away, leaving a once again picturesque sky.

  “Oh my god,” he says between fits of laughter. “You should see your face. Priceless....” he laughs, reaching up and picking another apple from the tree before biting into it.

  “Not funny,” I grumble, even as I push back the grin that tries to break free. He totally got me on that one, and yes...I will admit. It was a little funny, but I be damned if I’ll tell him that.

  He holds the apple out to me, stepping into my space and rubbing the already bitten into part against my lips. I look up, biting into the apple slowly just to tease him. The juicy sweetness fills my mouth and reminds me that I am starving.

  Jaxon watches me with hooded eyes before taking a deep breath and backing away. “I know you are hungry. You didn’t eat lunch,” he says simply.

  “How do you know that? How do you know anything? How did you just control the weather? I need answers Jax, and I need them now. Something....something is happening to me. Something dark. Help me to understand, please.”

  He nods, taking my hand and pulling me up the steps and into the surprisingly large and furnished tree house. He waits until I find a seat on a soft black futon before he speaks.

  “This is a long story Maci, but I will do my best to not leave anything out. Understand that I didn’t know you were the one....not until after.”

  I nod, patting the
space beside me so that he will sit. He looks at the spot for a long time, before finally letting out a long sigh and making his way to me. He takes my hand and turns so that we are looking at each other.

  “I told you that we have a bond. A Moirai bond, but I didn’t tell you everything. I should have, but it is a lot to take in, and you didn’t even know this world existed. I was trying to protect you, but all I did was fail you....again.” he says.

  “I doubt that,” I say, tracing a slow path up his forearm and back down with my finger in an attempt to relax him. His eyes trace the movement, like he is trying to memorize my touch.

  “Sorry,” I say, lifting my fingers. His hand latches out, stopping my retreat.

  “Never apologize for touching me. Never,” he says, and I almost melt when he takes my hand and moves it back and forth again on his arm. After a few swipes against his soft skin, I resume the movement on my own and he keeps talking.

  “Our bond is different in many ways, but I guess the one that matters the most...the thing that makes it dangerous is that it was outlawed by the angelic council hundreds of years ago. You see, a seer had a vision that foretold the end of all of the races, and at the center of her prophecy was a bond. A true Moirai bond. Between the displaced Prince and the Angel that should not have been.”

  Us....he is talking about us. I should have died. I am only an angel because he saved me. The displaced Prince part must have something to do with him becoming my guardian. He was always meant to be a warrior, until fate threw us together. It is the only thing that makes sense.

  I swallow the fear that wants to drown me, and instead focus on the steady movement of my hand against Jaxon’s skin. I cannot even go into the fact that he just said end of the world, so instead I focus on something a little easier to digest.

  “Tell me more about our bond. What it is exactly, and what makes it different?” I say, because I feel fairly certain that I can handle the answer. I mean...anything tying me to Jaxon can’t be that bad.

  His eyes find mine, and I bite my lip as a dimple springs to life on his left cheek. Sweet Jesus! He needs to stop looking at me like that.