by Abby James
“I know why you are.” She glanced over her shoulder. “It has everything to do with a certain person who is shadowing us on this trip, I’m sure.”
“I won’t see him at all. He’s heading to Prague for Christmas. Or so he said.”
“Oh really, why would he go there?” Lorna joined in.
I’d not shared all of Luca’s story with Amy and Lorna because it was his story to tell. “He used to work there.”
“It’s where the female vampire that turned him works,” Amy said.
How was it she knew most gossip?
“Geez, sorry, Sam. That’s a shame,” Lorna said.
“There’s nothing between them.”
They shared a glance that said they both thought I was denying the truth.
“Don’t you two have exes that you are still friends with?”
They both shook their heads. “How about you?” Amy said.
“Considering I have had a total of two boyfriends, no. But that doesn’t mean people don’t stay friends with their exes.”
“That’s a long time to stay friends, especially when you live on the other side of the planet.”
“Maybe that’s why they are still friends,” Lorna added, which made us laugh.
I glanced over my shoulder. Vamps had super good hearing. I would know. I’d experienced it when Luca touched me, but I struggled to remember how far their range was. Could he hear us now? Hopefully not.
“At least you admit to having a huge crush on him,” Amy said. “It was getting tedious all your denying and pretending it was all about training.”
“I’ve been honest with myself from the start. It’s you two I haven’t been honest with. After what you told me about him, all your warnings, I was embarrassed to admit that I hadn’t listened to a single one.”
“He seems to be behaving himself. And now that I am in love I think everyone else deserves to be in the same shoes as me, so I won’t begrudge you this crush.” Amy turned to Lorna. “And you, Lor. We’ll have to find someone for you.”
“Don’t, please,” Lorna groaned. “I’m capable of doing that on my own.”
Amy’s wink to me said what does she know?
We departed from the general flow of students who all seemed to have the same idea as Amy. Maybe they had all heard about the sale at Masons.
“Hi, Samara. Knew I’d see you on the trip to the other side this time.”
Bailey was one of the few supernatural’s besides Amy, Lorna and Ms Lane, I was happy touching, and Luca of course, but that was for other reasons. When he took my hand the soothing quality of his healing energy washed over me like a caressing hand.
“I heard Ms Lane is doing all right” he said.
“Apparently her recovery is slower than normal due to the nature of the curse. She’s taking time off campus while she recuperates.”
“Those bloody skurks. Council need to be serious about breaking up their hold.”
“I’m sure if it was that easy they would’ve managed to reduce their threat.”
“You’re right. But that is not what we should be thinking of right now. Christmas is coming and we should be merry.”
“That’s why I have my list,” Amy said, waving the long sheet of paper in the air.
“Welcome aboard, ladies.” Bailey ushered us in with a flamboyant bow and sweep of his hand.
I glanced behind to find Luca coming up behind the last few students who’d chosen bus number sixty four. We took seats down the front so I caught Bailey’s surprised expression as Luca climbed on board.
Luca didn’t look at me as he took a seat farther down the back, and I resisted the urge of looking over my shoulder to see where he sat. I couldn’t remember in any of our conversations, which lead to McGilus agreeing to let me attend the shopping expedition, if we’d made a decision to avoid each other, but Luca seemed intent on acting as though we were strangers. Maybe I had started it by sticking with Amy and Lorna. Sometimes it seemed he enjoyed being with me, sometimes I wondered what his feelings were. I knew when he kissed me he couldn’t get enough, but there was also my feelings thrown into the mix, so I couldn’t be sure how much was me and how much was him.
Luca was frustratingly good at keeping his reserve during any situation, which made it hard to tap into what he was feeling, except when we touched.
My grand march into the vampires’ lair had given me no more insight to his true feelings. He’d pushed me away, but I couldn’t let go of the way he’d kissed me and the exhilaration of his emotions. His lust was off the scale, but so was his yearning, which felt like more than just sex. Or maybe that was my own yearning reflected back on me. God it was a jumble when we connected. Above all Luca seemed faithful to McGilus and Darkwells. His insistence at keeping me safe could be no more than protecting a Darkwells student.
And there were so many walls we would have to face if we did progress into a relationship; the biggest being his immortality. How did you even begin a relationship when you knew the devastating outcome? One of us would die and the other would live forever.
“Alrighty, how about you all hold tight down the back there,” Bailey yelled once he started the bus.
Amy took my hand and with her touch came the flutter of small eddies around me. I inhaled the sweet scent of her perfume that flowed along the small ripples of wind that seemed to move around her all the time. It was not something I noticed until I touched her and gained some of her ability.
“I’m not scared,” I said, thinking she was doing this for my sake, seeings as this was only the second time I had crossed the veil and the first had not been good.
“I know, but you need a few more goes before it feels like second nature.”
I gave her a tight smile as Bailey accelerated away. With the acceleration of the bus, my top left thigh itched. I scratched once without giving it much thought, but the itch turned into a tingle that crossed into my fingertips. I jerked my hand away and Amy frowned at me, so I shot her a small smile. The mark was tingling. That’s what it was.
While pondering this, we hit the divide between the casters rip in reality and the real world. I felt flung loose from my body. The first time I had felt like I was being stretched, this time it felt like my body parts had no way of staying together. I closed my eyes and focused on Amy’s hand even though I was sure that my own arm was not attached to my body.
Next thing I was coughing and gasping to suck in air that had vanished. That’s when I realized I was buckled forward in my seat, Amy’s hand on the back of my head, forcing mine between my knees.
I could barely breathe or tell Amy to let me up, so I smacked her knee instead. She helped lift me back to sitting. Once up I took a huge lungful.
“God, you look dreadful.”
“Thanks.” It was all I could say.
“We’ll get Bailey to sort you out once he stops.”
I felt limbless and weak. I slid sideways and rested my head on Amy’s shoulder while I concentrated on re-oxygenating my blood with big breaths. Thankfully the cross happened so fast I’d not had time to panic and now that it was over, I was so trashed I couldn’t summon the will to care that I felt like jelly.
“My chest didn’t hurt the first time.”
“It’s weird, but some times the second crossing can be worse than the first. Something to do with tensing up because you know what is about to come. Whereas the first time it happens so unexpectantly you don’t get a chance to react.”
“How long will it take before I don’t feel anything?”
“Depends on how many times you cross. I’ve only been at Darkwells one year, but I’ve been back and forth so many times. At the start I missed home and was heading back every weekend. Now I don’t travel across the veil as much, and by second year your workload is much more and you have to spent your weekends studying, but once you’re accustomed to the crossing your immune for life. Or so I’m told.”
I stayed crumbled on Amy’s shoulder while she kept a hold
on my hand. A few times I nearly slid forward and face planted into her lap, I was feeling that lethargic and washed out, but at the last managed to maintain my dignity.
At the first stop we waited for everyone else to get off the bus, everyone, that is, who felt all right. There were a few who suffered minor weakness and Bailey moved around seeing to them first. When he arrived at me, he crouched in front with a wide smile.
“This takes me back to the first time I took you across.”
“Don’t remind me.”
“You were a feisty one. You wouldn’t let me help you at all.”
“And now look at me.”
“Darkwells has tame you somewhat.”
“She’s smarter now,” Lorna chimed in.
Bailey took my other hand, the one Amy wasn’t holding, and I closed my eyes. What he gave me was beautiful in a completely different way to the beauty Luca gave me. Luca made me feel alive, wild and invincible, Bailey made me feel calm and whole. His ability came into me like a loving embrace.
“Do you have a girlfriend, Bailey?” It was such a random question I couldn’t believe I’d asked it.
He laughed. “Are you offering?”
Oh shit, Bailey didn’t know about my ability, which meant I couldn’t let on how his ability felt to me.
“No, sorry that came out wrong. It’s just your touch is gentle and I thought any woman would be happy to have you as her boyfriend.”
His smile was as warm and comforting as his touch.
“Shall I refer any girl I’m interested in to you so you can put in a good word for me?”
I chuckled as I straightened from Amy’s shoulder. “Quick working too. I feel fantastic now.”
Bailey stood. “Great. I’ll be back here around four if you ladies want to catch a lift for the return, otherwise you can get a lift with one of the other buses.”
“Thanks,” we all chimed in as we climbed off the bus.
With the tall buildings surrounding us the wind funneled down the road and slammed into me the moment we exited onto the sidewalk. I pulled my jacket tight as Amy glanced at her phone. Now we’d crossed over wissend driven electronics worked again. Apparently Nathan had collected all my things from my apartment when I first entered Darkwells and had promised to bring my phone to our meeting. Not that I had anyone to call once I got my phone back.
“We’ve got to get walking ladies, if I want to get half of what’s on my list before I meet Duncan.”
“You guys go ahead. I’ll catch you up.”
No,” Amy said. “I need your opinion.”
“I’m coming, I promise. I’ve got to have a word with Luca.”
Lorna and Amy glanced at each other. They were always glancing at each other every time I mentioned Luca.
“You better get there, girl,” Amy said to me as she jabbed a finger in my direction, then she grabbed Lorna’s hand, spun her around and dragged her off down the road.
By this time the only two people from Darkwells standing on the paving were Luca and I. He had positioned himself leaning against a street lamp looking every bit the dark seductive stranger. As with every time I looked at him my insides flipped triple somersaults.
“I hope you’re not planning on following me too close.”
“The deal was for me to babysit you. I can’t do that from blocks away.”
“I know, but I may decide to get you something for Christmas, and I can’t do that with you looking over my shoulder.”
Those dark eyes flashed equal amounts of amber and crimson. Luca was so good at walling up his expression I couldn’t tell if he was pleased or indifferent to hear I would buy him something.
“Don’t get weirded out or anything. It’s a thank you for the few things you’ve done for me in the last three months.”
“Does this mean I have to reciprocate?”
Well that was just lovely. “No, not if you don’t want to.”
If he didn’t, would I be upset? I wanted him to think about it at least. Even a little something to show he’d thought of me on Christmas day while he was all the way over in Prague enjoying the special day with his ex. Was he going to get something for her? Oh geez, Samara, shut up with all this bullshit.
“You needn’t worry. I will keep my distance.”
Did he just whitewash our conversation? “And what about when I meet Nathan?”
He would have to sit outside, across the street, maybe, before I felt comfortable he could not hear everything I said. Even though he would probably still hear.
“I know how to be discreet, Samara.”
“Do you think it’s the most likely time I will be in danger?”
“The exact opposite. I trust Nathan to be able to protect you. And so I will give you space. But I will still be close if you need me.”
It wasn’t just McGilus who’d said he had to come. Luca would never have let me leave Darkwells without coming with me. My dark shadow. Wasn’t that proof he cared? But maybe not enough for him to want to be with me.
“Thank you.”
Our eyes lingered on each other. There had never been a time his eyes weren’t mesmeric to me, which made breaking eye contact impossible. Why couldn’t we just hang out together like boyfriend and girlfriend, walk the city, catch a movie, share some pizza, do all those things that new couples did, which they thought were cute? But Luca and I weren’t a couple, and he spent a good deal of time keeping his distance from me even while he dropped breadcrumbs of hope my way.
“I’d better go,” I said, backing away a few paces.
“When you’re finished with Nathan head to central park.”
“What are you going to do in the meantime?”
“Remain discreet, at your bidding.”
“I’ll see you this afternoon.”
I’d organized to meet Nathan at eleven twenty at a diner a few blocks away from the last stop on Amy’s shopping itinerary for the morning.
I turned and left, then did the stupid girl in love thing and looked over my shoulder as I walked away. Luca was watching me. I would like to think he was watching me walk away because he didn’t want me to go, but it was more likely he was keeping an eye on me in case a skurk jumped out of the crowd.
12
Mental note to self: never shop with Amy again.
I had never been one for shopping, but Amy took it to a new level. Within two hours we’d been forced to borrow a trolley from the last department store so Amy could carry all her bags. Lorna had a handful herself and I had two.
“Sorry, girls, but I’ll have to leave you now.”
Her eyes were alive with the thrill of shopping and even more so, the excitement of catching up with Duncan. They’d had a long chat a few weeks back about what had happened at the Draak party and where they went to from there. It turned out Duncan was due to head home in another year, and that was the big complication, along with the fact he spent chunks of the year away on secret missions, which according to Amy he would not speak about. Amy managed to convince him that one year was plenty of time for them to decide if there was something between them that was worth pursuing further, such as her moving with him back to England. Although she wasn’t committed just yet to the move, she admitted that if she fell in love with him it didn’t matter to her where she lived as long as she was with him. They had both agreed to take it slow at first, but it was obvious by the perk in her stride and giggly school girl excitement, slow was not on her agenda.
Amy and I watched her scoot away battling with the trolley, which had developed a wonky front wheel from being pushed over all the uneven paving at high speed.
“I have to go to, Lorna, sorry.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ve organized to catch up with Robin and Clare, from my elemental class. We may go see a movie.”
“I’ll see you back at Darkwells,” I said as I took advantage of the traffic lights to cross the street.
Once on the other side I cast a quick look around and caught the dark shap
e of Luca crossing the street farther down. I smiled to myself and headed off along the paving toward Sherbets. When I had been moved from my first family after only one year, Nathan brought me here to cheer me up. Ever since then it had become our local haunt.
Once I was a teenager I used to wonder why Nathan treated me differently to all the other kids under his care. I used to make up stories that I reminded him of a child he’d lost through illness or perhaps a bad divorce; although I’d never had the courage to ask him the reason why he took extra interest in me. Now I knew why.
On my own, walking the two blocks to Sherbets, I found myself becoming increasingly aware of the people around me. This would be a good time to attack if the skurk had any interest in doing so. And since they had known part of the tournament would involve a fae glamor, it was likely they would know about the students’ habitual Christmas shopping trip.
A burly man paced toward me. His broad shoulders reminded me of Massus, the first skurk I had met at Rifos. That moment seemed like a lifetime ago, and I could no longer remember what Massus had looked like. I eyeballed the guy as he neared me to let him know I was on to him if he tried anything funny, but his face remained set in a blank expression as he stared ahead without seeming to see me. He pounded along the paving like a diesel train in his business suit complete with yellow tie and briefcase, which made him an unlikely skurk candidate. He drew near and than passed without so much as a sideways glance.
I heaved a big out breath then continued to scrutinize the crowd. At one point I looked back over my shoulder to see if I could see Luca coming up behind, but he was nowhere in sight. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea of mine to make him keep his distance.
At last I spied the bold black lettering of Sherbets up ahead. I quickened my pace, then jerked open the door and slipped inside. Sherbets had grown in popularity since Nathan and I had first discovered it, and it seemed in the few short months since I had crossed into Darkwells its popularity had doubled again.
I smiled when I saw Nathan in our usual booth toward the back of the cafe. Seeing him for the first time in all these months, a bubbling of warmth flooded through my chest. Nathan had always been the closest thing I had to a parent. I’d been wounded, angry and felt betrayed when I first discovered Nathan was apart of this new world of mine, but that had passed quick when I discovered his part in protecting me. At least now it meant I didn’t have to let him go.
