With wide eyes and a blush on his cheeks, he says, “Oh my God. Of course we’re not going to do anything besides sleep. I swear it, Daisy.”
“Fine. If that’s what Rosie wants.” I cross my arms, feeling completely dejected and powerless.
“It is what I want. Come on, Toby.” Rosie walks out.
Toby throws me an apologetic glance and follows her.
“Do you think it’s safe for them to be driving alone at this hour?” I ask Ellen.
She puts her hands on her hips and then curses. “Shit. You’re right.” She glances at Bryce, who’s already on his feet and attached to Rufio’s side as if he were drunk. His head is hanging low. “You really won’t let me scan you again, huh?”
“Nope. You can follow Toby and Rosie home,” he says without glancing up.
With a sigh, she nods. “Fine. I will. But if you feel like you’re getting worse, call me or just head to the hospital.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
No sooner is she gone than Rufio says, “If you think Toby will keep his promise, you’re seriously mistaken.”
“Can you please not put disturbing images in my head? You sound just like Phoenix.”
“Where is Phoenix anyway?” Morpheus, who until now had kept quiet, asks.
“He dropped me off here and then said he had to make a call, but he never came back,” Bryce replies.
I freeze. His father was furious after seeing Phoenix with me and had already started to use the tattoo to punish him.
“Did Phoenix make any strange sounds, like he was in pain or something?”
Bryce tilts his head to the side. “As a matter of fact, he did grunt a few times when he carried me here.”
“It couldn’t have been from the physical exertion,” Morpheus points out.
“It wasn’t. Guys, Phoenix is in big trouble,” I tell them.
“What kind of trouble?” Rufio asks.
I’m about to break Phoenix’s trust, but I can’t let him face his father again and not do anything about it. So I tell his friends how I found him all messed up coming from his parents’ house, and also about his tattoo.
“That’s why you were asking about that symbol you drew,” Morpheus says.
“Yes. I wanted to find out if there was a way to neutralize its powers.”
“Remember those odd bruises Phoenix would show up with sometimes when he was younger?” Rufio turns to Bryce. “He never had a good explanation for them.”
“Son of a bitch. I can’t believe we were that blind.” Bryce presses a fist against his forehead. “Let’s go. We’re getting Phoenix out of that house.”
I can tell Rufio and Morpheus want to run at breakneck speed, but with Bryce still recovering and the slower-than-molasses Norm here, they have to contend with long strides. During the walk to the garage, Rufio tries reaching Phoenix via his cell phone countless times, but on his latest attempt, it goes straight to voice mail.
“Damn everything to hell. He must already be there,” he curses.
Once in the garage, Rufio turns Bryce over to Morpheus and zaps toward his car. I know the guys are superfast, but I’ve never actually seen him run like that. His car is the same SUV model Bryce used to have, only it’s black. I don’t know when he got it back from the side of the road or got the window fixed, but it looks brand new again.
He backs out of the parking spot before we even reach him, and as soon as we hop inside, he takes off, burning rubber.
“Jeez, take it easy. We’re still in the garage,” Bryce complains next to me.
“How are you feeling. Still tired?” I ask.
He turns and watches me with eyes that are beginning to close. “Nah.”
“You’re such a bad liar.”
He slides his hand across the leather seat and covers mine. “I’m glad my healing powers weren’t a fluke.”
I picture Toby lying in that bed of broken glass while his life ebbed way in a crimson river and get choked up all over again. “Me too. Thank you for trying.”
“I’d do it for anyone, not only because it was Toby.”
His statement makes my heart expand and finally let go of the resentment I hadn’t been able to until now. He didn’t know what healing again would do to him. His first experience left him almost completed useless. But I believe he wouldn’t let an innocent person die while he watched if there was a slim chance he could save that person.
I scooch closer and kiss him softly on the lips. He sighs into me, resting his forehead against mine. Then he simply collapses on top of me.
“Shit. Bryce, wake up.”
Morpheus turns around in the front seat. “What happened? Is he breathing?”
“Yeah, I think he just passed out from exhaustion.”
I shift in my seat, trying to make Bryce lay his head on my lap.
“How long did he stay out the last time?” Rufio looks at me through the rearview mirror.
“I don’t know. I found him out cold in the shower, but I don’t know how long he’d been sitting there.”
“As long as his problem is only tiredness, then it’s fine. We can handle Mr. Westbrook ourselves. He’s only a level fourteen Idol.”
“What about his staff? That place was more like a fortress than a house. He must have security there,” I say.
“Don’t worry, Daisy. We’ll handle them too.”
I don’t want to poop all over Rufio’s confidence parade, but he also said he could handle those gangbangers and he almost died doing so. And they were Fringes.
“I wish I had my lightning-glass dagger with me.” I look out the window. I kept the dagger the gang member used on Rufio, but after what Xavier told me, I didn’t want to carry it around.
“Morpheus, look inside the glove compartment,” Rufio says.
“Son of a bitch,” Morpheus exclaims. “What are you doing carrying this around?”
I lean forward to see what Morpheus is holding now. “Is that the dagger I left at the treehouse?”
“Yeah. Since you kept the one used on me, I decided it wouldn’t hurt having a surprise weapon as well, just in case.”
Morpheus holds the dagger with care as he hands it over to me. “A bit nuts on your part, but at least Daisy isn’t defenseless anymore.”
Five minutes later, we’re inside the gated community where Phoenix’s parents live. But when his house looms at the end of the street, Rufio lets out a string of curses.
“What is it?” I ask.
“The walls and the gate are protected. I can sense the invisible energy coming from them.”
“Yeah, I can too. It’s fucking strong,” Morpheus adds.
“What does it mean? You can’t breach it?” I say with a hint of alarm.
“Oh, we’ll breach it.” Rufio steps out of the vehicle, and Morpheus does the same.
I glance at Bryce, who’s sound asleep. I try to shake him awake, but he doesn’t budge. He’s truly out to the world. Up ahead, I see the guys doing their best to open the gate, but every time they touch it or try to jump over it, they’re flung backward. When they said barrier, what they really meant was an invisible force shield. Meanwhile, Mr. Westbrook is doing who knows what to Phoenix.
Rage takes over my body, making my stomach coil tight. Curling my fingers around the dagger’s handle, I get out of the car. There’s a humming right above my skin, a foreign sensation that I don’t care to understand right now.
When the dagger pierced Rufio, it weakened him. Maybe if I strike the gate with it, I can dilute its force enough to allow Rufio and Morpheus to shatter it completely.
They’re both are sent to the ground again by the time I near the gate. Motherfucker. I’m done with this piece of shit hurting my guys. Propelled by the fury coursing freely through my limbs, I run toward the gate, raising the dagger above my head.
“Daisy, don’t get any closer!” Rufio screams, but I ignore him.
I let out a roar right before I strike. The dagger sinks into one of the rods in
the wrought iron gate, sending white-hot pain up my arm. I sense the force of the field trying to push me back like it did Rufio and Morpheus, but I stand my ground. Clenching my jaw, I hold the dagger’s handle with both hands and try to open the gate. It feels like I’m trying to move a mountain.
I think about Phoenix, how mangled he was when he came back from this place. I remember my parents and the night they were taken from me. All because of Idols like Mr. Westbrook.
A warm ball of fire seems to form in the middle of my chest. It spreads rapidly through my entire body, crackling like raw energy, making me feel invincible. The tension in the gate suddenly vanishes, and I’m able to pull it open after a hard yank.
I hear the guys behind me, but there’s also a loud buzzing in my ears, and I can’t make out their words. I don’t stop to wait for them. Still propelled by this mysterious force in me, I take off. As I suspected, Mr. Westbrook has security guards on his property. Two come at me, but they’re Fringes, not Idols. I slash at them with the dagger, cutting the neck of the first one when he gets close.
The second guard sends a gust of wind my way, but somehow it parts right down the middle, missing me completely. In a split second, I’m on him, burying the dagger deep in his gut. He makes a gurgling sound, looking at me with wide eyes. I pull the dagger free before he collapses.
I just killed two men and didn’t even blink. It’s almost like I’m having an out-of-body experience.
“Daisy, wait!” Rufio yells.
“Rufio, watch out,” Morpheus warns.
I look over my shoulder as the guys engage with more security guards who have stormed the front of the house. Once again, I don’t wait. The boys can handle those Fringes. I sprint up the stairs, prepared to kick the front door open, but surprisingly, I find it ajar.
Shit, this could be a trap. Slowing down, I correct the grip on the dagger. My hand is sweaty, and there’s blood covering the handle, making it slippery.
The entry foyer is empty, but once I clear the narrow passageway, I see a flash of black from the corner of my eye. I turn, dagger ready to strike.
Vargas, Mr. Westbrook’s butler, raises his hands in surrender. Is he the one who opened the door for me?
“Where is he?” I ask.
“The basement. That’s where he usually takes his son.” He points at the stairs going down.
“Do you know what he does to Phoenix?”
The man nods, bringing bile to my mouth.
“And you never thought to stop him?”
“I’m only a Fringe, miss.”
Whatever. I don’t have time for his poor excuses. I head for the basement on light feet, not knowing what other nasty surprises the wicked man has in store. When I reach the bottom of the stairs, I hear Phoenix’s soft cries.
Throwing caution out the window, I push the only door in this lower level open and find Phoenix on the floor, naked and bleeding. His father is standing over him, still wearing his suit pants and white shirt. Only know the outfit doesn’t look so pristine. It’s speckled with Phoenix’s blood.
Motherfucker. I’m going to kill him.
I charge, not caring that I’m about to collide with an Idol. His surprise wears off quickly, and with a flick of his wrist, he sends me flying against the mirrored wall to my left. At this speed, I’m going to shatter the glass completely. Only somehow, I slow down. Time seems to pass in slow motion, allowing me to twist my body and land on two feet instead of hitting the mirror. As soon as I touch the ground, the world resumes its normal speed.
“How the fuck did you that?” His eyes widen, and then he glances at Phoenix. “You did that, you piece of shit?” He kicks Phoenix in his rib cage, and all he can do is curl into a ball on the floor.
With a roar, I run toward the man, ready to plunge the dagger into his heart. He turns just in time, grabbing me by the throat with one hand and my wrist with the other, forcing me to drop the dagger on the floor.
“You think you can invade my home and attack me, Norm scum? I’m going to hurt you so badly, you’ll be begging for death before the night is over.”
“Let… her… go,” Phoenix grits out.
“Oh no. This is going to be fun. First, I’m going to break all her bones, and then I’m going to take you hard and let her watch.”
He’s squeezing my throat so tight that I’m beginning to see dark spots in my vision. I can’t pry his hand off my neck, so on a stupid move, I slam the heel of my free hand against his forehead. All the hit should have done is irritate the Idol even more. Instead he lets out a grunt and almost immediately lets me go. He staggers back, rubbing the place I hit him.
The fire churning in my core surges again. Disregarding my personal safety, I step into his space and grab his head with both hands. A tingling sensation concentrates in my palms at the same time that the asshole’s legs fold and he drops to his knees.
He cries out as if he’s in terrible pain. The veins in his forehead protrude as his eyes bulge. Only when my hands begin to hurt do I pull them away and step back. I feel sick to my stomach and light-headed.
Breathing hard, Mr. Westbrook glowers at me with murder in his eyes. He slowly rises to his feet, seething. “You little bitch. You’ll pay for this.”
He makes a violent movement with his arm, but nothing happens. “What the fuck?” His face twists savagely, becoming redder with the effort. He grunts. “What did you do to me? Why can’t I use my powers on you?”
“Maybe because she took them away from you,” Phoenix says from behind his father, back on his feet.
The man turns, his eyes almost popping out of his head. “How did you get up?”
Phoenix lifts his wrist, revealing nothing but unblemished skin. “Tattoo is gone, motherfucker.”
Faster than a cobra, he plunges my dagger into his father’s chest, twisting it for good measure. The hateful man staggers back, looking down as if he can’t believe a common weapon could pierce his Idol skin. He finally drops to the ground, unmoving.
Phoenix’s gaze meets mine. His face is bruised, his lower lip is busted, and there’s a gash on his eyebrow that’s bled, but the blood is dry now. His wide, naked chest expands and contracts rapidly as if he’s been running a marathon. He slowly moves in my direction until he’s right in front of me. Without breaking eye contact, he captures my face between his hands.
“You’re not a Norm.”
I blink fast while my mind is struggling to understand the meaning of his statement. “If I’m not a Norm, what am I?”
“I don’t know, and I don’t care.” He kisses me then, and I taste the blood from his lip, but I don’t stop. I need this connection with him after everything I’ve done, everything I’ve seen, even if it’s making me cry.
49
Daisy
Rufio and Morpheus finally join us, breathing hard and sporting manic glints in their eyes. They glance at Phoenix’s father dead on the floor, then at us.
“What happened?” Rufio asks.
“I finally broke free from my shackles with Daisy’s help,” Phoenix replies, keeping his arms around me.
“You killed your father with the lighting-glass dagger.” Morpheus’s gaze is trained on the man.
“Yup. My only regret is that he went too quickly.”
Rufio is staring at me with brows furrowed. “You could have been killed, Daisy. What the hell were you thinking?”
“I wasn’t. All I cared about was saving Phoenix from that monster’s clutches.”
Glancing down, he runs a hand through his hair and exhales loudly. “Madness, complete madness.” He lifts his gaze to meet mine. “Don’t you ever do that again.”
His order makes me see red, and maybe it’s the adrenaline that’s still coursing through my veins, but I step away from Phoenix’s embrace, ready to show Rufio he can’t boss me around.
“Holy fuck!” Morpheus blurts out.
“What?” we all ask at the same time.
“Daisy, can’t you feel it?”
I frown. “Feel what?”
“The power in you.”
Rufio squints, and then his jaw drops. “What the fuck?”
“Stop staring at me like I’m a freak!” I yell.
“You’re not a freak. You’re an Idol,” Morpheus announces.
The air is sucked out of my lungs at the same time that my stomach bottoms out. “Impossible,” I breathe out.
Phoenix holds my waist and turns me around. “I saw it with my own eyes, Daisy. You bent time, and you sucked my father’s power right out of him.”
My throat is tight, and my heart is slamming against my rib cage. “How can that be? Idols can only be born.”
“I’m not… so sure,” Bryce speaks from the door. He’s clutching the doorframe as if he could collapse at any minute.
“Bryce, what are you doing here? You should be resting.” I stride toward him but halt abruptly, afraid he won’t accept my comfort now.
“Come here.” He reaches for my hand and pulls me the rest of the way, engulfing me in a bear hug. Hiding his face in the crook of my neck, he inhales deeply before kissing a spot below my ear. “Don’t be afraid, Daisy,” he whispers. “We’ll figure this out.”
A throat clearing sounds behind us. Easing off the embrace, I look over Bryce’s shoulders to see who the newcomer is. Vargas is standing there, accompanied by Xavier. His eyes are hard, troubled.
“Is Maximus dead?” he asks.
“Yes,” Bryce replies.
“Then what are you waiting for? Move your asses! You can’t be here when the authorities arrive.”
“Who called the cops?” I glance at Vargas.
“It wasn’t me, miss.” He looks frightened.
“Vargas is not the enemy here. Now move. We don’t have much time.” Xavier motions toward the stairs.
Since Bryce is still recovering, I wrap his arm around my shoulder and steer him toward the exit. But before I reach the landing, I see Xavier stop Rufio.
“I need your assistance, kid.”
“With what?”
“Getting rid of the body.”
Ruthless Idols: A Paranormal High School Bully Romance (Gifted Academy Book 2) Page 27
