“I’m not sure. He didn’t say anything specific, just that he wasn’t walking this morning. Do you want to stop at Coffee Grind?”
“Yes!” I said, suddenly glad to have my best friend beside me. “Chai always cheers me up.”
Vash and Cali were already in the shop, sitting in a corner booth. They waved us over, and after I’d ordered my latte and a slice of cherry pound cake we joined them.
I squeezed into the booth. “Hey, Cali,” I said. “Do you have plans for today after school? I was thinking of going to the Mall of America for a couple of hours to start looking for a prom dress. We could hang out at my house or something after. I need some girl time, you know?”
“Great idea, Zoe. I want to find a gown before all the good ones are gone. I heard someone asked Quinn last night, too, but I’m not sure about Rena.” She bounced in her seat. “If they can’t go, one of us could text them when we get back. I can’t be out too late, so can we go to Macy’s instead?”
I nodded. “Sure. We should talk with the girls at school to see who can go. Can you drive us?”
“Sure, no problem. I’m so excited!”
Kieran and Vash sat quietly beside us, sharing a look of boredom.
When we were done eating and drinking, we headed to school and stopped at my locker. I was reminded I wouldn’t see Sidelle today, and possibly not tomorrow. She had never skipped school before. The halls were quiet and dreary without her. I frowned.
“Since Sidelle is gone,” Kieran said, “do you want Vash, Shay, or me to go to with you this afternoon?”
I slouched. I’d hoped to just hang out with the girls. “Do any of you have to go? I’ll be with a bunch of people at a department store. I swear I’ll just go there then head right back home. I need a few hours of not thinking about everything else going on in my life. I want to be a normal teenager for a while. Is that okay?” My voice came out harsher than I’d intended. “I’m sorry, Kieran. I guess I’m just worried about . . . Sidelle.”
Kieran raised one skeptical eyebrow.
“And Shay,” I admitted.
Quinn raced toward us, grinning. “Hey, Zoe! Great news!” She waved at Kieran. “I’m going to prom! Caden asked me last night. The star basketball player wants me as his date!”
“That’s great! Cali and I are going to Macy’s after school today. Want to go with us?”
She nodded. “Count me in! Who’s driving?”
“Cali. Let’s meet at her car after school.”
“Okay, see you later!” Quinn skipped away down the hall.
Kieran stared at me. “Is this all you girls are going to talk about for the next month?”
“Probably. You’d better get used to it, buddy.”
He scowled. “Back to our earlier conversation. I’m sorry, Z, but one of us is going with you this afternoon. You decide which and let me know by end of day.”
He left me there, and I glanced longingly at Sidelle’s locker. How was she doing? If only she could get it done quickly and get back in time to go shopping this afternoon.
“Hi.” Vash appeared beside me, his expression a little shy. “Um, I’m your escort this hour.”
“Why?” I asked. “Shay usually walks with me to history. Is he not here yet?”
“I’m not sure. He just texted and asked me to do it. You guys fighting?”
I stepped backward, briefly panicked. “No, not that I know about. Did you see him?”
“I was at Kieran’s locker.” Vash shook his head. “Why do you ask?”
“Nothing. No reason. Okay, let’s go.”
We started walking to the room, and I realized it didn’t matter if he or Shay escorted me. I was sure Shay wasn’t angry—he must have had something important to take care of—and I wanted to ask Vash about Cali. The exciting possibility of her being his mate kept popping up in my mind, even though Sidelle had asked me not to say anything. I almost wished she hadn’t told me in the first place now. Maybe I couldn’t just point blank ask him, but I’m sure Cali would want to know if he liked her.
“So,” I started. “You and Cali?”
He raised one dark eyebrow, immediately suspicious. “Yes, Cali and me. What about us?”
I couldn’t stop now. “Do you like her?” I grinned. “I mean, really like her? Come on. You can tell me if you do.”
He didn’t change his expression even a bit. “Yes, I like her. And you’re going to tell her that, aren’t you?”
“Maybe,” I teased. “What will you give me to keep my mouth shut?”
“How about a swift kick in the butt if you do tell her,” Vash replied, his handsome smile returning.
I punched his chest and hit solid muscle. “Oh, Vash. I like you. Just be nice to her or I’ll kick you in the butt.”
“No problem.”
When we arrived at class, Shay was already sitting at his desk. He met my eyes, and looked apologetic. I sat next to him, and Vash settled in on my other side, paying no attention to either of us.
“Don’t say anything.” Shay held up his hand. “First, let me tell you, I’m sorry. After I left this morning, my dad visited, and we talked. That’s why I didn’t walk with you and Kieran this morning. I needed a little more time with him. I texted Vash to walk with you because I wasn’t ready to face you.”
Not ready to face me? Why hadn’t Shay told Kieran he was with his dad? Or had Kieran known about it and just didn’t want to tell me? My imagination ran wild.
“What I learned is that I shouldn’t doubt either you or your feelings. It’s just hard, you know? This whole relationship thing is new to me, and it sort of scares me. What you and I have is . . . intense.” He reached for my hand. “My dad told me that soul mates are rare to find, and even more outside our Order. But if we are soul mates, we need to cherish what we have. Not everyone has a chance to find theirs.” He squeezed my hand.
Knowing he felt the same way as I did about what we had was amazingly comforting. It had seemed too good to be true for me, too, but I felt better, knowing he felt that way. And now that his father had encouraged him . . .
“Shay,” I whispered, leaning over my chair to kiss him on the lips in front of everyone in the class. I heard some whooping in the background, but in my mind it was just Shay and me. We didn’t separate until I heard someone clearing her throat.
“Ah, I’m glad some of you are so passionate about history. Ms. Jabril, Mr. Curator, and the rest of the class, let’s get started.”
I guess I should have felt embarrassed, but I didn’t. I leaned over toward Shay’s desk again, wanting to get his attention. He looked at me, a goofy grin on his face, and I mouthed “I love you.” His smile warmed to the one I’d come to know so well, and just like that, all was right between us again.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to last. When class ended, I told him my after-school plans, his eyes flashed, and he grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to face him.
“Absolutely not!” he yelled. “You cannot go by yourself. You could if Sidelle went, but since she’s not here, you can’t go alone.” He shook his head, his expression intense. “Please don’t take this the wrong way. I’m looking out for you. It would make me feel a whole lot better knowing one of us is with you.”
I put my hands on my hips. He wasn’t about to tell me what to do any more than Kieran was. No way. “Don’t take this the wrong way, Shay, but I’m going. I’m telling you what I told Kieran this morning: I’ll be with a bunch of people at a department store. I’ll go there then directly home, I promise. I just want a few hours where I don’t have to think about what else is going on in my life. I want to be with normal girls and be a normal teenager,” I fired back, eyes narrowed. “And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t yell at me.”
Kieran walked up and shook his head. “It’s not worth arguing with her. You might as well admit defeat now. She always wins.”
The car ride to Macy’s was less than twenty minutes, a straight drive on I-94 into downtown. We found a pa
rking spot right away in the attached ramp then walked the skyway to the entrance. We made a B-line to the formal dresses on the third floor then spread out like a fan, combing the aisles and racks.
I wanted to find the perfect dress, since I would be wearing it for Shay. I perused the rainbow of dresses, but didn’t see any that caught my eye. Every so often, I heard one of my girls squeal with excitement on finding “The Dress,” and I scanned the aisles hoping to find at least one dress to try on.
At one point I held up a dress I thought had potential, then I froze, noticing a subtle movement near the mannequin to my left. I didn’t see any of my friends, and I couldn’t even spot the sales clerk who had been helping us. After two incidents with demons, it didn’t take much to make me feel on edge, which I supposed was a good thing. Better safe than sorry. In a rare moment of clarity, I wondered if maybe I should have taken Kieran’s and Shay’s advice more seriously. Demons would come after me in public.
Yes, they would, if they were desperate. And clearly, they were.
I took a few tentative steps closer, staring hard at the spot where I’d seen the movement. I saw the shape again, and I could make out it was a guy. Males didn’t belong in this part of the store—unless they had a thing for formal gowns.
This guy was big. Tall and bulky and wearing a faded, brown leather jacket.
Wait a minute.
“Vash?”
His familiar face appeared from behind a frothy pink gown. He blushed like crazy, his eyes darting everywhere but at me.
I tried not to laugh. “What are you doing here?”
“Nothing.”
“Are you following me?”
“No.”
I stepped up to him and folded my arms across my chest. “Please don’t lie to me. Were you following me?”
This time he stared straight at me. “No.”
“Then why are you here in the same store as me? Did Kieran and Shay send you?”
“No.”
“Is that all you have to say? One-word answers?”
The side of his mouth curled up. “Maybe.”
“Not funny. You scared me half to death! I thought you were a demon. I was—Wait. You didn’t follow me?”
“No. I already told you that. But you should’ve taken one of us with you, you know. You need to take this seriously, Zoe. Your safety is priority number one.”
“I am taking this seriously. OK, I wasn’t, but I am now. I just wanted a few hours to be a normal teenager. I know. Don’t look at me like that. I get it. I’ll be careful.” I sighed then narrowed my eyes at him, trying to look intimidating. “But you did follow someone?”
“Maybe.”
I grinned. “Aha! You followed Cali, didn’t you?”
“I needed to make sure she was safe.” He craned his neck, looking for her.
“So Kieran and Shay didn’t tell you to follow me?”
“No, they didn’t.” He smiled. “I volunteered. They told me your plans during lunch today.”
“Those two are in so much trouble!” I muttered, whipping out my phone to text them both.
Me: Seems my canine stalker showed up at Macy’s just now
A second later Kieran texted, then Shay.
Kieran: Yeah?
Shay: What a coincidence
I snorted and responded.
Me: No. Say hi to the stalker. He’s reading this 2
Kieran: Hi Vash
Shay: Vash
I huffed again, but my anger was vanishing with each letter I typed.
Me: U2 are in so much trouble when I see you next!
I locked my phone, and Vash ducked behind a rack of evening gowns. I glanced over my shoulder just as Cali flitted out of the dressing room in a black strapless dress. Quinn hovered around her, fluffing the hem, while Vash eyed Cali with longing eyes.
“She’d better not find out you’re here. I don’t think she’d want you to see the one she picks out.”
Vash’s phone dinged. He pulled it out, quickly read a text, then tucked his phone back into his jeans. “It’s just Kieran and Shay.” His eyes softened. “Please don’t tell Cali I saw the dress. I don’t want to ruin this for her.”
I smiled. “I won’t tell her. Just be careful. You need to pick something larger to hide behind. A mannequin is not going to cut it. You stick out.”
He looked sheepish. “Thanks, Zoe.”
I looked back toward my friends and saw Cali scurry back into the dressing room.
“Are you going to hang around here?” I asked.
He nodded then dug out his phone and read another text.
This seemed like a good opportunity. “Can I ask you something? If it’s too personal, you don’t have to answer.”
“Shoot.”
“How would you know if Cali was your mate? I mean, can you make her your mate or—”
“I know what you’re trying to ask. Let me back up before I answer your question. The way it works is that a wolf can bite you, or you can be born a Natural. If a male bites an Ordinary and seals the bond, then the female will turn into a wolf and become his mate. If they don’t have sex, the female may join any pack, but the male will be killed.” Vash rubbed the back of his neck.
“If a wolf bites a male Ordinary, they will become pack members. If the new male chooses not to join the pack, then he becomes a renegade—someone with no pack—the area Alpha will track him down and kill him. Some wolves bite Ordinaries to create packs, but it’s frowned upon because we believe people should have a choice.” He stood taller, looking for Cali, then continued. “But if you’re born a wolf, the male will find the female. They will know if they are mates. It’s sort of like love at first sight. That’s how it was for my parents.” Vash paused. “The Naturals are marked at birth with the Heaven’s Mark. I’m sure Shay or Kieran told you about the angel tats?”
“Yes, I know about them.”
Ding. Vash grabbed his phone and read more incoming texts. Leaving his phone in his hand, he proceeded to explain wolf tattoos.
“The last way for it to happen is for an Ordinary to have a unique symbol appear, usually in a private location somewhere on their body. Their mate will already have the identical symbol.”
He looked intently at me. “You asked how I would know if Cali’s my mate. If she is, I think this last one would be the answer. I believe Cali would have a symbol somewhere on her body that will match this.” Pushing up his sleeve, Vash showed me a mark of a brown paw print with an intricate leaf design wrapped around it.
I touched it gently, admiring the lines. “So if she has this, she’ll be your mate and that’s it? What if she doesn’t want to be?” I smiled apologetically. “I mean, I can’t imagine why she wouldn’t want to have you, but who’s to say she also wants the tiny little inconvenience of turning into a wolf at a full moon?”
“If we’re meant to be together, she’ll be drawn to me and won’t have a choice.” He frowned. “I know you’re asking because you’re looking out for your friend, and I want you to know you have nothing to worry about. Believe me when I say if she’s my mate, I will love her with all my being. She will want for nothing.”
I had no choice but to believe him. Besides, his eyes were brimming over with sincerity. “What’s the significance of the matching tattoos?”
“It tells the rest of the wolf community she is mated and mine. It’s a personal thing between the pair. The males don’t want the female mark to show, so it’s always someplace where it can easily be covered.”
“But if hers is hidden, how do other males know unless they check her body?” His phone dinged again, and I nodded toward it. “You’re a popular guy.”
“Sorry. It’s just . . . never mind.” His eyes lifted from his phone. “To answer your question, the female’s scent changes to match their mate’s after she’s marked.”
Now I was dying to know if Cali had a tattoo of a paw print.
“Hey, Zoe,” Cali interrupted us. We both jumped and tried to
look casual. “We’ve been looking for you,” she said. “Did you find any dresses? Oh!” She looked past me and directly at Vash. Both of them blushed. It was adorable. Busted. “Hi, Vash. What are you doing here?”
“Oh, um, I’m looking for clothes,” he replied.
Ding.
“Uh, you do know you’re in the women’s dress department, right?”
He nodded, looking a little less uncomfortable. “Yes. I was walking by and saw Zoe, so I stopped to chat.”
“Okay.” She turned to me, not questioning him further. “So Zoe, did you find anything for yourself?”
I shook my head. “Do you guys want to go? I can always come back and browse another time.”
“No way. We can stay longer if you want. Quinn hasn’t found anything either.” She waved me away, beaming at Vash. “You go look. I’ll keep Vash company.”
“Take all the time you want, Zoe,” Vash said. “I’m not in any hurry to get back home.”
“I won’t take long, I promise,” I said, but Cali ignored me.
Time to get down to business. I was the one who’d insisted on coming here, getting away from the Enlighten subject. I sighed as I walked down a few aisles, picked out a few gowns, then returned them to the racks. I decided to wander over to the clearance ones, and that’s where I found it.
My hands froze, hovering over the next gown: a white chiffon tea-length, A-line style with delicate capped sleeves. I pulled the dress out to take a better look and my eyes traveled to the three-inch white satin ribbon circling the waist. The ribbon had been tied into a bow in the back, and its tails hung as long as the hem. It was absolutely perfect. And only ninety bucks.
I slid into the change room and undressed, then stepped carefully into the gown. After pulling the side zipper, I stood in front of the three-way mirror and twirled. The back was cut into a heart shape with the point plunging to the waist, and the front had a large, scoop neckline. It fit as if it had been made specifically for me. My search was over. I changed back into my clothes and ran out of the dressing room to pay.
The Guardian, a Sword, & Stilettos (The Enlighten Series Book 1) Page 20
