Jaded Jewels (The Coveted Saga #2)

by C. M. Owens

  Tallis turned back to Trey who was wailing in pain as he shook and grabbed his broken hand.

  "My hand is broken!" He dropped his cup and grabbed his broken hand with his free hand while doubling over in pain.

  Another guy ran up to help the fool who should have stayed a coward.

  "Sorry, man. He's just drunk. I'll make sure he doesn't mess with you again." He started pulling Trey away from Tallis.

  Tallis's haughty grin taunted the whimpering guy. "He's going to need to see a doctor about his hand."

  The guy looked terrified, far soberer than he probably was minutes ago. Even I feel a bit more alert. Trey seemed terrified as well. Tallis had just broken his hand without lifting a finger.

  Tallis rolled his eyes and then turned back to me. "That guy doesn't know how to take a hint."

  I laughed a little—my reaction to most everything since the first cup of punch. "He really would have been a mess if you had hit him back."

  Tallis chuckled. "I think his strike is punishment enough. I didn't come to put someone in the hospital."

  I couldn't help but smile as Trey scurried away fearfully. Then I looked at Tallis as my humor died down.

  "Henry called you, didn't he?"

  He nodded slowly, his eyes gauging me. "Yeah. He was worried about you being here." He looked down at my cup disapprovingly.

  I raised it up and took a sip as a rebel statement. "I'm not leaving yet. I came to have fun. You wanted me to enjoy the mortal side of life, so here I am." I took another sip and staggered slightly. He caught me and fought hard not to grin.

  "I didn't come to make you leave. I came to keep an eye on you. Just go easy on that stuff." He pointed to my cup.

  I groaned, "Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the advice."

  I took another sip and resumed dancing. He joined Everett in the corner, both of them shaking their heads. I didn't like the fact that he was here to keep me out of trouble. I wanted to be in trouble.

  In fact... I wanted a lot of trouble. I found myself burning with the desire to touch him. I couldn't fight it either. Not with so much alcohol in me. I had no boundaries and no will to fight my urges.

  I needed to feel his arms around me. I needed him. Another guy came up and grabbed me by the waist to join me in my dancing, but I pushed him away.

  I walked over to Tallis and Everett, staggering just a little. I smiled at both of them as they turned to meet my eyes. "So, can someone please dance with me? I'm tired of getting groped by the mortals."

  Everett looked around warily and then whispered, "Not so loud, Aria."

  Tallis smiled at my intoxicated self. "She has no idea what she's saying or doing right now, Everett. Personally, I don't think anyone of them would remember or believe her if she spilled every secret we have right now."

  Everett nodded humorously, his eyes sparking with amusement. Then I continued. "So, any takers?"

  Tallis sighed loudly. "Yeah. I'll dance with you."

  Success.

  I smiled too big and pulled him out onto the floor, despite the fact that he seemed hesitant in his decision. I started to dance, and then a slow song came on. Now I could see that he was shifting around uncomfortably. All that did was piss me off.

  "Is it really that repulsive to think about touching me right now?"

  No filter. Alcohol meant no filter.

  His head dropped back for a second, but he finally brought his eyes back down to mine. "Aria, you know better than that."

  He put his arms around my waist, and I slid into his embrace, holding him as tightly as I could. I rested my head on his chest and started dancing.

  I couldn't enjoy the moment, though. I had him so close to me, but I could only think about one thing. I could feel something terrible about to happen—something that couldn't be coming at a worse time. I couldn't stop it either.

  I pushed myself free of his embrace and darted outside. Shoving people out of my way, I headed straight toward the railing on the porch. As if I needed another reason to be tortured at school, I put on a show, hurling over the railing in front of everyone.

  I could hear some people snickering. Tallis and Everett followed me out to investigate my abrupt departure.

  Everett wrinkled his nose up as he said, "Well I certainly don't miss feeling that feeling."

  Tallis laughed under his breath, and then he grabbed my hair as I began heaving again. After I had emptied my stomach of all of its contents, and my dignity a well, he picked me up and carried me to his car.

  Humiliating was too kind of a word to describe that moment.

  He placed me in the front seat and buckled me up as though I was a helpless child. When he closed the door, I laid my head against it, needing something to stop the hellacious, unrelenting spinning going on. I heard him talking to Everett before getting in the car. I ignored his eyes, but I heard his pitying words.

  "Are you okay?"

  I could have lied, but what was the point? "No."

  He laughed lightly and cranked the Range Rover. He pulled out of the driveway and headed back to my house. I didn't make it that far, though. I passed out before we were even half way back.

  I'd never had my head pummeled by a jackhammer, but I was pretty sure it felt a lot like a hangover. Who in their right mind would ever do this to themselves? Besides me, obviously. And I'd learned my lesson. Never. Again.

  I groaned as I massaged my temples, then I covered my head with the blanket to drown out the obnoxious morning light that insisted on fueling the raging lunatic assaulting the inside of my head.

  As if I needed any more stimulation to my migraine, someone knocked, only aggravating the vicious rhythm of the jackhammer.

  "Yeah?"

  Henry poked his head in with a knowing grin. He walked the rest of the way in, carrying a glass of water. "Good morning, sunshine."

  Was he always so loud? We needed to discuss a proper volume.

  I muttered something that even I didn't understand, and grabbed my head that was being sloshed around. "Oh… it's morning, alright," I groaned, annoyed and in pain.

  He laughed a little harder—too loudly if you ask me—and handed me the glass of water. I grabbed it gratefully. My lips were dry and cracked, punishing me when I tried to open my mouth too wide. It felt like the Sahara Desert had just taken up residence in my mouth.

  I guzzled down half the glass in just seconds. He smiled and handed me some pills. "Here, take these and eat something. It's the only way to get rid of that headache."

  "Are these a magical cure or something?" I asked, studying the pills for a moment.

  "Yeah. They're called Aspirin."

  I couldn't even force a smile. I felt completely miserable and sick—so, so sick. "Thanks. Sounds like you've had some experience with this."

  He laughed again. "Yeah. I had a little too much experience. You're going to feel rotten for a while."

  I groaned and slumped back down in the bed. "How terrible was I?"

  He laughed under his breath, delighting in my misery. "You got a little wild with the dancing. I left before you hit the crazy mark, though."

  A few cringe-worthy memories started off foggy, but grew clearer as I concentrated on the distorted images. Once I remembered, I wished I hadn't.

  "Oh no! Tallis. Ah, crap." I slid down in the bed completely and pulled the covers over my head once more, praying to banish the mortifying night from existence.

  Henry's roaring laughter wasn't sympathetic to my headache.

  "Yeah. He said it was entertaining. He cleaned you up and snuck you in through your window. He didn't want everyone seeing you in your... um... condition. If you know what I mean. Then he hung out until I got back. He wanted to make sure you didn't get sick again before he left."

  I kept my face covered, allowing the blanket to muffle my voice while hiding my shame. "That's just great. I forgot about heaving like a fool in front of everyone."

  I felt his smile. I didn't have to see it. Jerk.

  "It h
appens to the best of us, Aria. I wouldn't expect Trey to talk to you anymore, though. Tallis said he rattled his cage a bit after I left."

  I scowled, even though Henry couldn't see it. "Yeah, well, that's fine by me. I would prefer it if he didn't even look at me again."

  Henry patted my shoulder, and the bed shifted as he stood up. His voice easily broke through my blanket barrier one last time.

  "Get some food, sleep, and drink plenty of liquids."

  I pulled the covers down so I could mock a salute. "Yes, sir."

  He rolled his eyes while laughing and walked out. I rolled back over and stared at the numerous sketches I had hanging—all of them were drawings of Tallis. Then I sighed and pulled the covers back over my head, ready to die or sleep. Thankfully, I drifted off quickly, making it the latter of the two options.

  Chapter 7

  The Gravity of Magic

  Sometimes you don't find your place in life—it finds you.

  School was almost over. We had three days left until summer break. I desperately needed that break. I had avoided Tallis as much as I possibly could since the party incident. Obviously I was embarrassed, but it was also just too hard to try and pretend I didn't love him.

  The more I was around him, the more I found myself finding ways to touch him, and that only brought me torment. My growing addiction to him was a daily struggle, one I was losing. Distancing myself did no good, because he haunted my every thought.

  It seemed as if he had been avoiding me as well, which was becoming normal. At least I had gotten closer to Amelia. She was a great distraction. She was the first girl friend I had made, besides Taryn.

  Truth be told, Taryn annoyed me with her far too bubbly personality. There were never any real conversations between us. She seemed almost superficial most of the time. Amelia, however, was completely different. She had an incredibly good personality, but she could have real, intimate conversations with me.

  She had listened to my struggles with Tallis—minus the supernatural part, of course. I often wished I could share everything with her. It was hard to omit certain things, but I knew it was a necessity. I also knew that she and I wouldn't be as close once I transformed. But we could be friends until then.

  Maybe the rules would change by then anyway. It was nice to have normal, non-magical talks, too, though. What worried me was the fact she and Henry were still dating, and it seemed as though they were both falling harder. I needed to talk to him about it, but every time I tried, I chickened out. Was it any of my business?

  Amelia and I were standing by the lockers as Henry walked up. He and Amelia started talking while I got my book for my last class, and I sighed heavily, feeling weighted with uncertainty about what to do.

  "So, you want to grab something to eat after school?" Henry flirted, his smile concentrated on making Amelia dissolve.

  But she didn't dissolve, much to my surprise. She barely even mustered up the energy to attempt to smile back.

  "I wish I could, but I have to go straight home. My dad gets mad if I don't, you know?"

  "What about this weekend?"

  Amelia's spirits perked up and she giggled. I just kept my head in my locker, shielding myself, trying not to feel the pang of envy. Maybe that's why I wanted to say something. I couldn't say something if my intentions could possibly be tainted.

  "Yeah, I'll definitely try," she said with her sugary sweet voice.

  And then I heard the hyenas. This time, you didn't need excellent hearing to hear what they were saying. They made sure everyone around us could hear. This time Henry couldn't kiss me and shut them up. This time Amelia couldn't call them all tramps, since it appeared she had stolen Henry from me.

  "Oh, how sad. The only friend she has made has stolen her newest eye candy. I wonder who she'll sleep with next. Hmmm, we'll have to round up so fresh meat for her. No one will come back for seconds, it seems. Must be more wrong with her than what you can see on top of the clothes."

  They cackled in unison, reveling in my growing humiliation. I just stood there with tears in my eyes, my head barely out of my locker. It was more mortifying than hurtful. People had started snickering throughout the hall way.

  Amelia stepped toward them, bringing my attention away from the gray walls of my locker. Her head tilted to the side as her eyes took on a shade of wild. She smiled menacingly, as the leader of the hyenas—Elaina—started crying uncontrollably.

  Bizarre? That was putting it mildly.

  Then Elaina grabbed her stomach and doubled over as if she was sick. She took off running down the hall like she was trying to get away from something, but there was nothing and no one chasing her.

  Tallis was suddenly in front of me, grabbing me by the waist and swinging me to where his face was centimeters from mine. I felt the heat from his touch rush through me with an overwhelming passionate fire. My breaths had stopped the second I forgot how to breathe.

  He bent over to meet my face, and I was bending backwards. Our faces were so close to each other that I could feel his breath brushing against my lips, teasing me, begging me for more. I could feel the erupting passion started to boil out of me. The fire was igniting from within.

  I could feel the sensational heat flooding through me with no resistance. Everything around me ceased to exist.

  His eyes were locked with mine. I could see desire, passion, and pain all at once.

  Finally, he broke the breathless silence. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

  The rest of the hyena pack backed up, confused and stunned by Elaina's outburst. They walked away, looking at us oddly, and they seemed as if they were about to cry, too.

  When my breathing returned, it was harsh and labored. I wasn't sure what had come over Tallis. I was scared to move too fast, but I could see Amelia suddenly looking almost terrified and stunned as she quickly ran in the opposite direction that Elaina had. Tallis's arms slipped off of me just as she fled.

  "I'm sorry. Damn. I don't know what possessed me to do that. I didn't mean to—" I rolled my eyes his same old song and dance, and cut him off with a wave of my hand.

  I pushed him back and chased after Amelia before he could finish. She veered from her course, and dove into the bathroom. I followed quickly, still reeling from the crazy mess that happened in the hall.

  "Amelia, are you okay?" I asked, when I found her.

  She didn't answer or even acknowledge me. I stared at her while she leaned over the sink, her breaths shallow and hastened. Her shirt was slightly raised up on her back. There was a huge, dark bruise that distracted me.

  "How did you get that bruise?"

  "I fell," she said, quickly pulling her shirt down. "I'll be fine. I just think I'm sick." She darted by me and ran out of the bathroom and back down the hall.

  "Amelia!" I called after her, but she didn't answer or even look back. Then I got a text from Henry.

  Meet us outside now!

  Us?

  I shook my head and ran outside to the parking lot. Tallis's white Range Rover screeched to a halt in front of me, making me stumble over my own feet from the surprise.

  "Get in," he ordered, rushing me.

  I climbed in the car, feeling a little confused. Before I got seated, I heard the back door open and shut. In a blink, Henry was in the back seat.

  "Did you see which way she went?" Tallis asked, the alarm in his voice putting me on edge.

  "She took a left just up there. She's on foot."

  Henry's voice sounded just like Tallis's, causing the knot of dread to start in my stomach. Tallis stepped on the gas and sped out of the parking lot.

  "What the hell is going on?" I hissed.

  Henry kept his eyes trained on the road ahead of us, but he answered, "We have to find Amelia. Do you know where her house is?"

  "No, she's not allowed to have people over. What's wrong? Is she in trouble?"

  Now I sounded worried and I didn't even know what was going on.

  Tallis spoke to me as his
eyes searched the sides of the road, scouring for her blue-hooded shirt. "She may be if we don't get to her in time."

  "Why? What's wrong?" The bruise on her back popped into my mind. I started to bring it up, but Tallis said something that shut me down.

  "She's an empath." That raised more questions than it answered.

  "She's a what?" I hated sounding like the idiot who knew nothing.

  Henry interrupted before Tallis could clarify his answer for me. "There she is!"

  He pointed to the side of the road. Her head was down, her steps were quick, and her arms were crossed over her chest. It almost looked like she was hugging herself.

  We began following at a slow pace, staying a few hundred feet behind her.

  Tallis continued with a slightly calmer tone, now that we had her in our sights. "She's an empath. She can feel your feelings as you do, and she can project them—which makes others feel them as well. She can manipulate emotions so that you feel as if they are your own."

  "So... she's a witch, too? Is she dark or light? She doesn't stink." I was so lost. I had no idea what had happened to set them off. This all seemed so out of leftfield.

  "Empaths are not witches. Her mother would have been, but her dad would've been mortal. They're incredibly rare. They were thought to be extinct. She must've slipped through the cracks somehow, but now she has bonded and her powers just nested fully. Well, as fully as they can for now—until she reaches immortality."

  I knew he thought he was being explanatory, but I was only getting more confused as we continued to follow her at a near crawl.

  "We don't need to spook her, so we'll follow her to her house," Henry said to Tallis, his breaths sounding exhausted as he ran a hand through his already disheveled hair.

  "I wasn't going to approach her on the streets," Tallis murmured reassuringly.