Ruthless Idols: A Paranormal High School Bully Romance (Gifted Academy Book 2)

by Michelle Hercules

  My mention of Bryce makes Daisy frown. Shit. I forgot they’re still at odds.

  “Do you wanna come in?” She opens the door wider.

  “Yeah.”

  “I saw Mr. Atkins asked to talk to you after class. Did he set a date yet for the quiz you missed?”

  “Next week.” I glance at Daisy’s bed, and for whatever reason, heat rushes to my face. I quickly look to her desk.

  “I’m sorry I canceled our lessons. I needed time away from you guys.” She sets the box down and peers at me.

  “I understand. You’ve been through a lot.” Not knowing what to do with my hands, I shove them in my pockets.

  “Morpheus, can I ask you something?”

  “Sure?”

  “What does it feel like when you use your powers?”

  Of all the things I thought Daisy could ask me, that wasn’t it. “I’m the last person you should be asking that.”

  “Why?”

  “Because my power is different.”

  “Different how?” She braces her hands against her desk and leans against it.

  “Most Idols feel a warm sensation in the center of their chests when they use their powers. It’s natural, pleasing. All I feel is pain when I use mine. That’s why I have to wear these bracelets.” I raise my hands to show her.

  “Do you think you react like that because your parents are Fringes?”

  Her simple question creates all sorts of havoc in my mind. I’m angry, sad, torn. Suddenly, I feel like telling her the truth about my birth, but I stomp on the impulse. She’s my tutor, not my friend. Although, I wish she would be more than both.

  “Maybe,” I say. “But why do you want to know how it feels when Idols use their powers?”

  She sucks her lower lip in, crossing her arms and dropping her chin. “Some strange things have been happening to me since Bryce healed me.”

  “What kind of things?”

  “On the night I went missing, I never left campus. I couldn’t walk far, so I hid underneath a tree to wait until the storm passed. Throughout most of the night, I was plagued with the most excruciating pain imaginable. It felt like I was burning alive.”

  “But you looked like a million bucks the next day.”

  “I know. And I felt great. Invincible.”

  I remember how she confronted Drusilla without fear, how she avoided the punch by moving out of the way faster than I thought possible.

  “What other strange things have you experienced?” I ask.

  “Phoenix and I shared a dream, and he swears it wasn’t one of his visions. And there was one time where he sent me flying by accident and I stopped midair.”

  “And it wasn’t him?”

  “He didn’t think it was, but it had to be him, right?”

  I glance away while my mind is racing. If Daisy has diluted demigod blood, could she somehow become a Fringe?

  “What are you thinking?” she asks.

  “I don’t know yet. I’m curious about one thing. How did you and Bryce get out of the car before it crashed against Pietro’s?”

  Daisy stands up straighter, becoming visibly tense. “I don’t know. Everything happened so fast, it was almost a blur.”

  “I had a vision about the accident before it happened. There was no way you guys would’ve had enough time to get out of the SUV before it crashed.”

  “I thought that maybe Bryce slowed down time.”

  “He can’t do that, can he?”

  “He doesn’t think it was him. If not him, who did it, then?”

  “Do you think you bent time?” I move closer.

  Her eyes are wide with fear, and I hope it’s not because of me.

  “That would be impossible,” she whispers. “I’m a Norm. I don’t have powers.”

  I stop in front of her and, needing to touch her, unfold her arms and lace our hands together. She drops her gaze to them, sucking in a breath before she lifts her chin.

  “What if I said you might the descendant of an Idol?”

  “What?” She tries to pull her hands away, but I don’t let her.

  “I suspect your family is linked to an Idol who gave up her powers many years ago.”

  “But even if that were true, when she gave her powers away, she severed her link to the gods. Why would they return to me?”

  “I don’t know, Daisy.”

  “I’m scared, Morpheus.”

  I know too well what it’s like to be afraid of what’s inside of you. I’ve lived with the fear most of my life. Kind of ironic for a fearmancer to be afraid of his own ability.

  “Don’t be. I’m here for you,” I assure her.

  “Why would you want to help me?”

  I step even closer, about to do a very foolish thing, when I sense Bryce and Rufio nearing her door. I release her hands at once, moving away.

  “Bryce and Rufio are coming home. I’d better go,” I say.

  “Okay. Thanks for the cake and the talk.”

  “Any time. And don’t worry, I won’t tell the guys what you told me, not until we can figure out what’s happening. Promise.”

  “Thanks, I really appreciate it.”

  I nod, already wondering why I said that. I should at least confide in Bryce about my suspicions. But I know the reason I made the vow. It was the fear in Daisy’s gaze about the possibility that she might be turning into something more than a Norm. It gutted me.

  45

  Daisy

  “You must have a very powerful guardian angel watching over your shoulder, Daisy. I’ve seen the pictures of the crash online. I can’t believe you survived that,” Toby says, watching me closely.

  His scrutiny makes me super uncomfortable. He’s my best friend at school, and he knows most of my secrets, but I can’t tell him that I think I might be turning into a Fringe. Mainly because it’s nuts, but also, after he pretended to be one for so long, I don’t know how he’d take it if my suspicions were true.

  “Not a guardian angel, just a level seventeen Idol with a guilty conscience.” I drop my gaze to my fries, but speaking about what happened yesterday has made me lose my appetite.

  “So you still haven’t patched things up with Bryce, huh?”

  “It’s complicated,” I say.

  “Well, I can always set you up with Stephan.” Toby smiles in a cheeky way.

  I roll my eyes. “Right, because things with him would be sooo much simpler.”

  He shakes his head. “I know. Bad joke.”

  We’re having lunch outside, and there isn’t anyone near us, so I ask, “How are things going at the gallery? Did you learn anything?”

  “No.” Toby’s shoulders sag. “It’s been pretty boring, actually. Mr. Silverstone is overseas on a business trip.”

  I push my tray away. I’m definitely not going to eat anything. “That’s too bad.”

  Toby’s gaze zeroes in on my fries. “You’re not going to eat that?”

  “No. Go ahead. You can have them.”

  He switches his tray with mine and digs into my uneaten lunch. After a couple bites of fries, he speaks again. “So, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

  “What is it?”

  “There’s a social event this weekend at school. You’ve probably seen the posters splattered all over the walls.”

  “Honestly, I haven’t given those posters a second glance.”

  “It’s the Founder’s Ball. It’s a big deal, bigger than the prom. I was wondering if it would be okay for me to bring Rosie as my date.”

  I freeze. The idea of Rosie mingling with the awful students in this school makes my blood run cold. “I don’t know, Toby. I don’t think Rosie would feel comfortable hanging with our lovely peers.”

  “Actually, I kind of already told her about it, and she’s excited.”

  My heart sinks. I’m not even surprised. Rosie loves to dress up. Of course she would be excited to attend a fancy ball. I want to be angry at Toby for telling her without asking me first if it was
all right, but I can’t bring myself to do it.

  “If she wants to come, then it’s fine with me.”

  I feel a little better when I see the happiness in Toby’s gaze. Things haven’t been easy for him either, and he deserves a little joy.

  “Thank you, Daisy. I promise I’ll keep Rosie away from all the assholes.”

  “Hard task.” I laugh. “Shit. That means I need to go shopping for dresses.”

  “I can take you girls to the mall sometime this week.”

  My stomach twists. I’m embarrassed to tell Toby that we never buy clothes at the mall. It’s secondhand stores and thrift shops for us. As I’m still wrestling with the idea, Toby drops another bomb.

  “Who are you going to the ball with?”

  “What? Do I need a date to attend this thing?” My voice rises to a shrill.

  “Well, it’s not obligatory, but it’s a ball, Daisy.”

  I dip my chin, resting my head in my hands. “Great. Just fucking great.”

  “What’s fucking great?” Phoenix slides next to me on my bench, throwing his arm around my shoulders.

  Where the hell did he come from?

  I lift my face and catch Toby’s blanched expression. He doesn’t know about my hookups, so I expected more from him.

  “Daisy is stressing about the ball,” the traitor replies.

  Why would he tell Phoenix that? I’m going to kill him later.

  “What’s to stress about?” Phoenix asks.

  “She doesn’t have a date.” Toby shoves a fry in this mouth.

  “Toby! Shut up,” I snap.

  “Who says you don’t have a date, silly girl? You’re coming with me, naturally.” He kisses me on the cheek, making my already hot face burst into flames. We haven’t hooked up since that first time. I put all the guys in relationship limbo because I can’t deal with the complication of my love life on top of finding out about my family’s past. It’s just too much.

  But knowing what his father did to him after he brought me home for dinner makes me less inclined to accept his offer.

  “Phoenix, can I talk to you for a second?” I begin to stand.

  “Sure.”

  I steer him away from the building until we reach a large tree. Partially hidden from view, I turn to him. “I can’t go with you to the ball.”

  “Why not?” He frowns. “Are you still mad about that group meeting?”

  “Yes. But that’s not the only reason. I don’t think it’s wise for us to be seen anywhere together.”

  “Is this because of Bryce and Rufio?”

  “No, it’s because of your father.”

  All amusement leaves his face. His crestfallen expression twists my heart, hurting like a mother.

  “I don’t care about that asshole,” Phoenix grits out.

  “I care about what he can do to you. I can’t bear it if he hurts you again because of me.”

  Phoenix’s stormy expression softens. He cups my cheek tenderly, and damn, it feels good. “You have no idea how much what you just said means to me.” He leans in and steals a kiss.

  We’re out in public and anyone can see us, but the moment his lips connect with mine, all common sense leaves my brain. I’m clutching the lapels of his jacket now, completely into him. Surprisingly, it’s Phoenix who eases off, ending the kiss too soon.

  “As much as I’d love to keep savoring your sweet lips, I have to control myself.”

  “Why?” The question leaves my mouth automatically, making me sound like a desperate nympho.

  He chuckles. “Oh, Daisy. You don’t know the effect you have on me, do you?”

  The school bell rings and the moment is broken. Phoenix walks backward, still grinning like a fool at me. “The ball is this Saturday. I’ll pick you up at seven.”

  I head back to the picnic table. Toby has both our trays in his hand and is waiting for me.

  “So, you and Phoenix, huh?”

  I narrow my eyes to slits. “Why did you throw me under the bus like that?”

  Toby widens his eyes in a show of innocence. “I didn’t do that.”

  “You told Phoenix I was freaking out that I didn’t have a date to this stupid ball.”

  Guilt flashes in Toby’s eyes. He drops his gaze to the tray. “I have a confession to make.”

  “Fuck, Toby. What did you do?” I place my hands on my hips.

  “I know you and Phoenix hooked up.”

  “What? How?”

  Toby meets my eyes again. “He told me. But since you’ve been giving him the cold shoulder lately, he asked me to help him out.”

  “And you believed him?”

  “Are you saying you didn’t hook up?”

  I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Ugh. I did, and it’s a mess.”

  “Do you—”

  “No! I don’t want to talk about it. Let’s go. We’ll be late for class.”

  46

  Phoenix

  “Will you quit looking so smug, asshole?” Rufio grumbles from the couch as he dabs Silver-voltage on a piece of cloth.

  “Only if you stop acting like a jealous little bitch.” I laugh and then finish my beer.

  Bryce enters the living room, ready to play his part of the dutiful son. He glances at me for a moment before glaring at his brother. “You’re not ready yet?”

  Rufio brings the cloth to his nose and takes a deep breath. Then he relaxes against the couch and stares calmly at his brother. “I’ll be done in a minute. You can’t expect me to attend this stupid party sober.”

  Morpheus is the last one to join us. His long hair is secured back in a man bun, and his tux is sharp and wrinkle free.

  “You clean up nice, bro. Trying to impress the ladies?” I ask.

  He grumbles and then pulls the sleeves of his jacket down to hide his bracelets.

  “All good there, Morpheus?” Bryce asks.

  “Yup. No headaches, and the shadows are quiet. It’s possible tonight will go down without a hitch.”

  “Mom will be happy.” Rufio stands up and heads for his room.

  I throw the beer bottle in the trash can and pop a mint in my mouth. “How do I look?” I pull on my tux jacket, puffing my chest.

  “Like a glorified penguin,” Rufio mutters before he disappears through the door.

  “Don’t be a hater because you didn’t have the balls to ask Daisy to be your date,” I yell.

  “Just keep her safe, man. There will be a lot of people at this party who want her dead.” Bryce looks pointedly at me.

  He doesn’t need to say it twice. My father, if he decides to make an appearance, is one of them. I’m risking another weekend in his dungeon if he catches me with Daisy, but I didn’t hesitate asking her to be my date to the ball. Fuck him. He took too much from me already. He won’t dictate who I care about too.

  I glance at my watch. It’s seven o’clock sharp. I grab the corsage from the fridge and head for Daisy’s room. In the hallway, I bump into other seniors dressed to the nines as well. Some girls give me appreciative once-overs despite the fact that their dates are present. When they see me stop in front of Daisy’s door, they widen their eyes and gossip in hushed tones. That’s just the beginning. We’ll be turning heads the whole evening.

  I only need to knock on the door once before she opens it. My jaw drops to floor and my tongue rolls out, cartoon style. Daisy is wearing a deep red, snug mermaid dress with a plunging neckline that has my cock hard in an instant.

  “Hi,” I say roughly.

  “Hey.” Her eyes drop to my shoes before she slowly brings them up to meet mine again. “You look nice.”

  “Forget about me. You look incredible.”

  She looks at her own dress and then attempts to make the neckline less revealing.

  “It’s a little too snug for my liking,” she says.

  “It’s perfect.”

  She watches me from under her eyelashes, and by heavens, I want to forget about the ball and spend the entire night wor
shipping her body. I’ve never craved anyone this badly before.

  “Would you like to come in? I still have to put my shoes on.”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  She shouldn’t have done that. The moment the door closes, I turn her around, push her against the wall, and kiss her. She only has the chance to let out a little squeak before I cut the sound off with my tongue.

  My cock is straining against my pants, begging to come out and play. It’s hard to ignore the desire, but when Daisy grabs my ass and pulls me closer, I fucking lose it. I’m grinding against her like a sex-deprived pervert.

  “I miss you, girl,” I say between kisses.

  “We should be heading out.”

  “I know.”

  Neither of us is willing to stop though. I’m a second away from removing Daisy’s dress when a knock on the door interrupts our moment.

  I pull back and glance at the it. “Are you expecting anyone?”

  “Daisy, are you still there?” a female voice asks.

  With a gasp, Daisy pushes me off her and attempts to smooth the wrinkles on her dress. “Yes, I’m here. Hold on, Rosie.”

  Rosie? Ah, her sister.

  Daisy runs to the bathroom and curses softly. I must have ruined her makeup. Curious to meet her younger sister, I take it upon myself to open the door. I not only find the girl but also Toby standing in the hallway.

  “Hi. Daisy will be out in a second.”

  Her sister’s jaw slackens as she stares at me. My lips curl into a smug grin.

  “Rosie, this is Phoenix. Daisy’s date,” Toby introduces us.

  “I thought Daisy was going to the ball with Bryce.”

  And just like that, my good mood deflates.

  “Bryce had other plans,” I reply dryly.

  “Uh, can we come in?” Toby asks.

  Daisy pushes me out of the way. “Don’t just stand there, let them in.”

  Rosie keeps staring at me as she walks inside, and when her gaze connects with Daisy’s, I read the question there. An awkward silence follows.

  “Well, are you two ready?” Toby asks finally.

  “Yeah, Phoenix just got here,” Daisy tells them.