by A. S. Oren
I grab Paden by the front of his shirt and bring him down, before kissing him. I loosen my grip on his shirt as his hands come to hold my hips. I let him take the lead; he deepens the kiss, the edge of his tongue tracing my lower lip. I open for him. Sun god, I’ve wanted this for four damn years, instant pain relief.
“K. My turn. We’ve been waiting four years, too.” Jericho grabs my hand and lightly pulls me to him. Paden groans as he lets me go.
Jericho tilts my chin up. He doesn’t tower over me as much as Maverick and Paden do already. His emerald green eyes shine down at me as he grins like the Cheshire cat; maybe, I gave him the wrong plushie. “Kiss me already,” I pout.
He raises an eyebrow at me and then kisses my forehead.
I shake my head. “Not there.”
“Hmmm, how about here?” He moves to my nose.
I smile at him. “No.”
“Then it must be here.”
Soft lips finally grace mine, and I close my eyes with a gasp. He’ll never bring the same sensations that the Fold does, but that doesn’t mean my toes don’t curl. My hands travel up his chest, and I circle my arms around his neck. His hands go to my waist. Like Paden, the tip of his tongue comes out to trace my lower lip, but he’s less tentative. I don’t even think as I open up for him. I wish we could’ve had four years to practice this.
I’m careful not to stick my tongue down his throat. Girls in movies always say they don’t like that, so I have to assume that it goes for guys as well.
He’s careful too. I guess it pays off to be forced to watch romances with me. They’ve learned things, too.
I squeak as Maverick eases my arm from around Jericho’s neck and tugs me toward him.
The back of his fingers brush my cheek. “Four fucking years is a long time. I can’t believe we actually managed to make it.”
He kisses me, and I squeal as he lifts me up into the air and spins us around. “Mav, put me down.” I pat his shoulder.
He brings me down just enough so that my face is level with his. I kiss him, cupping one of his cheeks with my hand. The other one goes into his shaggy black hair. He moans a bit. My heart picks up. I did something good.
Maverick tilts his head the other way, and I do the same, tracing his lower lip with my tongue. His grip on me eases for a second, bringing me down a fraction of an inch. My hands go to his shoulders to brace myself, as he opens up for me, and we explore each other. Sun god, this is better than all the pain relief teas out there. My bones don’t want to snap in two every second.
A knock echoes throughout the room, causing Maverick to put me down and I to break the kiss. I groan. It was just getting good. I go to the door and open it; Amr stands on the other side.
“It’s been an hour; do you want to go horseback riding?” He looks me over. “Or I could come back?”
His lips are swollen, and hair mussed. I smile at him. He’s been making out with someone, too. When will I get to meet this person in my brother’s Fold?
“No, we have plenty of time to continue what we were doing, later. Let’s go.” I look back at the guys. They pout but follow me.
We step outside onto the red cobblestone. Rose bushes of every colour imaginable line the edges of the paths. Each walkway has several arches of metal ivy over it, a lantern hanging from the centre of each of them. The garden must be gorgeous at night.
I still can’t believe how large this place is. It must take a lot of magic to put on the façade that the weather is always perfect within the barrier. Who is in charge of that, anyway?
“The horses are this way.” Paden leads the way down one of the paths.
I lean over to Amr. “So, when do I get to meet the lucky guy you were making out with before you came and got us for horseback riding?”
His cheeks flare pink. “Soon. You already sort of met him. He was the guy in front of you during the tour.”
I frown, thinking back. “The guy who commented about how the sixties threw up in the school wing? Mr…King, was it?”
He nods. “His name’s Horace, Horace King.”
I nudge him. “Well, why didn’t you introduce us after the tour was over?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know. I didn’t know how you would feel about that, and we just met over the summer, so I didn’t know how he would feel about it either.”
“I think it would be awesome. I get to meet my little bro’s boyfriend.” I’m too short to wrap my arm around his shoulder, without making him crouch to do it, so I opt for the crook of his arm instead.
“We’re only five minutes apart in age.”
I laugh. “But I’m still the older one. Thus, the big sister.”
The cobblestone path continues into a vast green field with rolling valleys and hills. It must be fun for the horses to run through. A forest rests on the very edge of it all. Perlow let us know we weren’t allowed to go in there, which just means we’ll be going in there at some point when we figure out how to evade the Watchers.
Maverick falls back from his brother’s side and comes to stand with me. “What’cha two talking about?”
“How happy I am that Amr has a boyfriend, and asking when I’ll get to meet the mystery boy.”
Maverick nods. “That’s awesome, man. He should hang out with us.”
Amr shrugs. “He is a member of the Vox. I saw the birthmark on his shoulder earlier. He hasn’t said anything about it, so I don’t know if he knows what it means.”
Jericho comes to stand on the other side Amr. “All the more reason for him to be here with us.”
Amr nods. “Soon, I don’t want to overwhelm him by meeting you all at once. He’s a little shy, and I don’t know if he’s out yet.”
Jericho throws an arm around Amr’s shoulders. They’re just about the same height. Amr jumps at the touch and looks to Jericho with a frown. Jericho doesn’t notice. “Love is love. We don’t care.”
Amr continues to frown and takes hold of Jericho’s hand. “Jericho, have you ever been cursed in your life?”
Now Jericho frowns and takes his hand back. “No. At least I don’t think so. My childhood up until I came to live with Edgar is fuzzy.”
Paden glances back at us, his brow pulled together. What’s up with him?
I pull on Amr’s arm. “Why are you asking such a strange question?”
He shrugs. “It’s just a feeling I got. Mom says I have an affinity for picking up on old magic, especially curses. She said it’s what my Angel side is strong with.”
Jericho runs a hand over his hair. “And you think I’ve been cursed at some point?”
“I don’t know. I just felt something when you touched me, but it didn’t feel like the sensation I get with someone who is a part of my Fold.”
Maverick rubs his chin. “You did use to stutter when you first came to live with us. Miss Nezbit helped that, though. Maybe that has something to do with it.”
Jericho’s cheeks flush. “Don’t remind me. I hated not being able to talk properly.”
It’s troubling that he might be cursed. What if that’s the tingling feeling I get when I kiss him? “If he is cursed, how do we remove it?”
Amr shrugs. “You’d have to ask the witch that cursed him. Only she would know how to get rid of it. I’m just half Angel, not the real deal.”
“That’s the thing, I have no idea who cursed me. One day, I just woke up on Edgar’s lawn, and that was that.”
Something green fades into my memory. My head has a dull throb that comes on with it.
Amr frowns. “But didn’t you have—”
“Hey, guys, look at that, we’re here.” Paden cuts off Amr to point at the large stables. It could span at least two football fields. Horses of all breeds stare at us from their stalls. Mothers and their colts graze in the field off to the left of us.
A servant comes up to us and grins before bowing. I nudge Amr when I notice his eyes, it’s the servant with the bi-coloured eyes. He’s so pretty. “Good afternoon, my Lords a
nd Lady. How may I assist you?”
“Um, we would like to go riding.” Paden glances at us. I don’t think any of us have ever been called Lord or Lady.
He bows again. “It should only take me a few minutes to retrieve horses for you. Have you ridden before?”
Paden nods. “I have and so have those three, I’m not sure about you, Amr.”
Amr nods. “I have, almost every day for five years.”
My eyes widen. We never rode that much. Maybe a few times a week. Edgar didn’t show us his stables and horses until we were eight.
“Very good. If you step through that door over there, you’ll find a comfortable waiting area.” He motions to the large house attached to the stables like long arms, another bow, and then he claps his white gloved hands. The double doors open, and we walk through them as he goes off to the stables on the right.
This place is nuts. I haven’t seen yet what makes Spearwood hell on Earth. The room we walk into has cobblestone walls, with forest-green couches and chairs, accented with dark woods. Above it all hangs a gigantic antler chandelier. The thought if it falling, and crushing us all, flits through my mind.
Near the grand fireplace stands a bar esque area. A wrinkled old man stands behind the counter, cleaning out a glass with his rag. He stares forward at nothing.
A boy with long, black hair and caramel skin sits on one of the stools. “So then I told him…” I swallow hard as his eyes spot us. Like pools of liquid amber, I’ve never seen such a colour in someone’s eyes. “Une fille!”
He steps off the stool and comes to me in the blink of an eye. He lifts my hand. I almost jump out of my skin as the current of electricity runs through my body. I wasn’t expecting that to happen with a stranger.
His warm lips land on the back of my hand. As he pulls away he says, “Vous êtes la plus belle créature que j'aie jamais posé les yeux.”
I lift an eyebrow, my French is okay, not great, but I’m pretty sure he just said I am the most beautiful creature he has ever laid eyes on.
“Merci. Who are you?”
He lets go of my hand and places it on his chest. “I, my dear, am Dante Mathis. Did you just come in today? I think I would’ve noticed you before now. I started last month. I’m on my free period right now. Do you like soda? They have wonderful Italian cream soda here.”
I blink. He can talk a mile a minute. He has a slight accent, too, New York, maybe?
“I do.”
He grins. “Great! He can make: strawberry, blackberry, peach, and pear. Which one would you like?”
“Um, strawberry.”
He winks and walks back to the bar. “One strawberry cream soda, my good sir.”
I glance over my shoulder at the guys. They all stare at this new guy with narrowed eyes. I’m not even sure Dante has seen them standing there yet. I motion down with my hand. “Relax, I think he may be part of the Fold,” I say under my breath.
Jericho frowns.
I forgot that he knows the truth now. It doesn’t mean I love him any less. I don’t care if he’s part of a destined Fold or not.
The old man fills a curvy-glass with ice before pouring a dark red syrup over it a quarter of the way. With a shaking hand, he brings up a hose from behind the counter and sprays soda water into it, at least I think that’s what it is. Miss Nezbit made cream soda once for us during lunch. He takes that to a few inches below the brim, before topping it off with some cream. With a long metal rod, he stirs it until the colours blend into swirls. He groans and bends down for something, several joints pop as he comes back up. I wince for him. He holds a piping bag with both hands and makes a perfect topping of cream on top of it all.
Dante places a long, red straw into it and continues to grin like a kid in a candy store as he brings it over to me. “Here you go, Mademoiselle.”
Our fingers brush as I take the glass, another shock courses up my arm. I guess it wasn’t a fluke the first time. “Thank you. My name is Avalon Radcliffe, by the way.” Pinching the straw, I take a small sip. My eyes widen. “This is delicious.”
“Right? So who are these gentlemen behind you, who look like they’re ready to try and kill me?”
I glance over my shoulder again. Amr’s fine, but the guys shoot daggers at Dante with their eyes. “The red head on the end is Jericho Flinn, the one with the forelock is Maverick Hansen, and the blond is Paden Hansen.” I tug on Amr and hand him the cream soda to try. “This is my brother, Amr.”
Amr smiles at him. “How do you do?”
Dante shakes his hand and goes down the line of them. “I’m well, thank you.” He shakes his hand out after Jericho. “You’ve got a firm grip there, my friend.”
The doors open and the bi-colour eyed servant stands with his hands behind his back. He nods to Dante and us. “Your horses are now saddled and ready, my Lords and Lady. Please follow me.”
We follow him back outside. Six horses stand side to side, each with a servant holding their reins. A servant with kind, grey eyes walks up to me with a black and white speckled horse. “My Lady, this is Luna. She’s a kind horse and will be yours for as long as you want her or attend Spearwood.”
I approach them slowly and ease over to the side of the horse. I pet her wither with one hand and allow her to investigate the other. She moves her head towards it; I place my palm on the bridge of her nose. Grinning, I move to the front of her. She’s so nice. Nothing like the old girl, Cranky, at home. Only Edgar could feed and ride her, she always nipped at kids if they got too close.
“You’re a good girl, aren’t you?” I blow on her nose, and she blows back. Ed taught me that’s how horses greet each other in the wild, and it’s a good place to start in earning their trust.
“She likes you, my Lady. Would you like me to retrieve a stool for you, or can you manage to mount the horse yourself?”
Heat flares to life in my cheeks. Yet again, my shortness has to be addressed.
“No need. I can help her, we always do at home.”
Paden lifts me up, and my blush deepens as my legs automatically come up to wrap around his waist. We most certainly didn’t ever do this at home. He carries me to Luna’s side and kisses me before placing me on the saddle. I lick my lips and turn in the saddle.
With a smile on his face, Paden goes to his palomino.
I place my necklaces under my shirt, I don’t want them flying about while I ride. Edgar just gave me the locket after all.
Amr gives me a nod from his seat on a black and white pinto. Jericho canters ahead of us with his all white mare, not even waiting to see if we’re following. Great, he’s mad. Dante and Maverick ride two chestnuts. Dante’s is darker than Maverick’s, though.
His amber eyes gaze into mine. “Are you two together?”
A heat flushes my cheeks.
“It’s complicated.” Paden supplies before I can say anything. Complicated doesn’t even cover it, but it will have to do. Dante eases his horse into a trot, warming her up. “Who’s ready to ride? I can’t wait to gallop through some of these hills.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“I’m going to reach the edge of the court yard before any of you!” I glance over my shoulder at them. The guys’ horses gallop after Luna and me. She’s a fast little thing, just like me.
We’ve made almost a full circle around the field and valley; it’s been a few hours. We didn’t run the horses the whole time though, that’s cruel.
My eyes turn straight again to our finish line, the courtyard. I frown when the large group comes into view. What’s everyone doing in the courtyard?
With small tugs to the reins and placing my weight back into the saddle, I have Luna slow down to a near stop as she comes to the edge of the courtyard. A servant walks up to me. “I can take your horse back to the barn, my lady, if you wish.”
I nod. “Thank you.” With as much grace as a fat cat climbing onto a tall bed, I slide down from the saddle. “What’s going on over there?” I point to the group; faint cheers
carry on the wind.
“I believe two students are fighting, my lady.” The servant gets in Luna’s saddle and rides her back to the stables. The guys come up just as I inch toward the commotion. More servants step forward to take their horses. They must wait in the shadows until someone needs something.
Paden jogs up to my side. “Where are you going, Lon?”
I point. “To see what’s going on over there. What else would I be doing?”
He grabs my arm. “I don’t know if it’s safe over there.”
I roll my eyes. “I broke a guy’s hand and dislocated his shoulder earlier today, I think I can handle myself, Den. Just because we kissed doesn’t mean you can act the hero saving the damsel. I’m not a damn damsel!”
He sighs and lets go of my arm. I head for the gathering again.
Maverick and the others catch up with us. “Where is she going?”
Paden sighs again. “To watch the chaos. She won’t listen to me.”
“She can take care of herself, have more faith in her abilities,” Jericho says as he jogs up to my side.
“Thank you, Jer.” I grasp hold of his hand; does this mean he’s not mad with me anymore?
“Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!” The crowd cheers.
We get to the edge of the circle. I can’t see a damn thing over all these tall guys. Still holding my hand, Jericho steps in front of me and pushes his way through the group, parting them for me. I beam. I could’ve done that, but it was sweet of him to go first.
Before long, we’re at the front of the crowd, the other guys not far behind.
Two boys stand across from each other, bloodied and in fight poses. I can’t make out their facial features too well. One stands at least a foot taller than the other and he’s four times as broad.
Dante stands on my other side and shakes his head. “Great, these two are at it again.”
They both breathe hard; they must be taking a break, because they’re just having a staring contest. “You know them?”
Another shake of his head. “I know of them. The big one is Lusk Mirren. I suppose if Draco Malfoy and Victor Krum had a kid, it would be him. Entitled, vain, and a brute. Kinda looks like a mix of them too, don’t you think?”
