Enlightenment (Children of Ankh series Book 2)

by Kim Cormack

  He heard Patrick’s voice say, “You okay man?”

  Kevin replied, “Yah… I’m fine.” He followed Patrick back to where they’d been sitting. It had been a stupid idea to go and check on her. Why had he done that? It didn’t make sense.

  Stephanie shuffled into the seat next to him as she apologized, “I’ve been a bitch. I have a wounded ego. That’s all this is.”

  Kevin smiled at her as he replied, “Don’t worry about it. I’m all good. Go have some fun.”

  Stephanie grinned and asked, “Do you want me to take that Frost guy out of the equation?”

  “Are you offering to be my wingman?” Kevin chuckled.

  Stephanie replied, “I guess so. I’d be curious too. What she was to you. Why you loved her? I personally don’t see it, but I’ll take one for the team. I can suck it up for a week and allow you to figure it out for yourself. I know you’ll be back.”

  Kevin took her hand and flirtatiously teased, “I always come back to you, don’t I?” She let go of his hand as she shook her head, stood up and strolled away. Stephanie had just blown him off. He didn’t blame her for that either.

  Patrick shoved him and scolded, “I’m not going to defend you anymore if you keep leading her on.”

  Kevin grinned and said, “How am I leading her on? I’m probably going to sleep with her again.”

  Patrick chuckled and replied, “Keep talking like that and I may help her gather wood for the fire while she boils rabbits in your backyard. She’s certifiable but she’s our friend.”

  “Please get her a T-shirt that says that,” Kevin sparred as he started to laugh. He pointed to the other side of the room. Stephanie was already dancing with Zach from Ankh.

  “She’s going to eat him alive,” Patrick sighed.

  “She’s not going to do anything,” Kevin answered. “She’s just trying to make me jealous.”

  Patrick nodded his agreement as he raised his glass of wine towards Kevin in salute and made a toast, “To Stephanie… She’s certifiable but she’s our friend.”

  Kevin clinked glasses with Patrick as he repeated, “To Stephanie.” Kevin decided right there and then that it was time for him to leave. He’d dive into spending time with Kayn tomorrow once his competition for her affection was out of the way. He’d have a week to delve into why this quirky girl was haunting his dreams. That was, if she’d still give him the time of day after the way he’d treated her.

  A Thorne in Melody’s side

  Melody walked away from the dance floor and ducked into the family bathroom, just as Frost had suggested. The tears she’d unsuccessfully managed to suppress had caused her mascara to run in streams down her face. She fixed herself up in the mirror. After waiting for a good three quarters of an hour, she sank down to sit on the bathroom floor. She’d been waiting for Thorne to come to her as Frost had predicted he would. He wasn’t going to come. She should just leave. He’d moved on. Why would he leave his lady friend’s side to give her closure? She was being ridiculous sitting on the floor waiting for someone who was as old as he was. He’d probably been able to get over her in a heartbeat. Maybe she’d read too much into the look that passed between them? She’d all but given up, when she heard a few hollow knocks on the door. Melody stood up and tried to contain the urge to jump up and down like an idiot. She leaned against the door for a second before unlocking it. She opened the door and their eyes met. He shoved past her and locked the door behind him. The most even tempered man she’d ever met was furious.

  He aggressively walked her back against the wall until she had nowhere left to go and growled, “What in the hell are you trying to do to me?”

  “What do you mean?” Melody stammered while frozen in place, breathlessly anticipating what may happen next. He was so close to her, his chest not quite touching hers. She knew what that look in his eyes meant. He was trying hard to behave.

  Thorne whispered in her ear, “Don’t play dumb with me Mel. You know what you were doing. You were messing around with Frost trying to get a reaction out of me. Well, you got one. Is this what you wanted?”

  He was the one playing games with her now. He stepped away, leaving her standing against the wall aching for this to be another time and place. She whispered, “I tried to get over you. I wanted to be over you...I’m not.”

  The volatile emotion in Thornes eyes softened a touch as she confessed her feelings. “I never got over you either Mel,” He whispered as he brushed her hair away from her cheek. “I’ve missed you.”

  She was aching for his touch but knew he was trying to stay faithful to the girl he’d started something with. She selfishly wanted to push him a little but knew he’d kiss her back. It took everything inside of her to place her hand against his chest and say, “I noticed the girl you were sitting beside earlier. You have a chance at something more with her, don’t you? You can hold her hand in public and be with her every night. I know that’s what you want. You deserve to be happy.”

  Thorne kissed her forehead, holding his lips there for a moment longer than he should. The length of his body was pressed against hers as he whispered, “You come back from Testing. I don’t care what you have to do...You come back.”

  Melody teased, “I guess you’re not going to tell me what it is either?”

  He cupped both sides of her face with his hands and slowly shook his head at her while smiling. He leaned forward, kissed her gently on the lips and whispered, “Please, don’t ever put me in the position where I have to hurt you. When the clans are fighting, stay as far away from me as you can.”

  Melody’s heart solidified with his truthful words. This was where they stood. Until this moment it had been more theory than truth in her heart. One of her tears escaped, it trickled down her cheek. Thorne wiped it away with his thumb and whispered, “I will always miss you.”

  She knew he meant ‘love you.’ Melody whispered, “I will always miss you,” as he left, she sunk to the floor with tears streaming down her face. She cried uncontrollably until someone knocked on the door.

  Grey’s voice implored, “I saw Thorne leave. He took off looking upset... Do you need a friend?”

  Melody wiped the raccoon mascara circles from under her eyes. She opened the bathroom door and allowed Grey to come in. “How did you manage to pull yourself away from that harem that was fawning all over you?” Melody teased while attempting to fix herself up in the mirror.

  Grey kissed the back of her head as he suggested, “Come dance with me. I’ll keep your mind off you know who and you can keep me from doing something I’ll definitely regret.”

  “Deal,” she replied, attempting to smile weakly. Grey had a way of knowing when not to push. He ruffled her hair, pulled her in for a bear hug and whispered, “You look incredible tonight. You are way hotter than Thorne’s new girlfriend. Just so you know.”

  Melody shook her head, smiled and said, “I know.”

  He chuckled, “There she is, the girl that publicly ridiculed me for the last year.” He unrolled some toilet paper and suggested, “You should blow your nose. You sound all nasally.”

  She snatched the wad of toilet paper from his hand, blew her nose into it a couple times and tossed it into the toilet. She flushed it with one of her high heeled shoes.

  “Well, that was sort of sexy,” he commented.

  She knit her brow and laughed, “What’s wrong with you?”

  Grey grabbed her hand bag off the counter and said, “You look like Rudolph. You’re a Healer. How come your body isn’t healing that hideously swollen nose of yours?” He opened her handbag, took out her powder and tried to powder her nose without warning. She swatted him away while choking on the powder floating in the air and complained, “You don’t tell a girl that’s all broken hearted that she looks hideous. You moron!”

  Grey grinned and teased, “I said you’re hot, just your nose is hideous.” He winked.

  He was trying to get her mind off her wounded heart by ticking her off. Melody wiped th
e excess powder from her face and brushed it off her outfit. He had it all over him and she was tempted to leave it there. She sighed, “Get over here, you idiot.” He stepped closer. She used the paper towel to clean his face and brush off his dress shirt.

  “Why didn’t you just tell me?” He questioned.

  Melody replied, “About Thorne?”

  “Yes, about Thorne.” He answered while pretending to be offended.

  She answered truthfully, “After what happened in the in-between the day we met, how could I?”

  Grey tucked Melody’s hair behind her ears as he apologized, “I should’ve told you I was Ankh. I did what I did for selfish reasons. I don’t have any worthy excuses. I had a bit of a broken heart myself and you were there.”

  Melody cracked an enormous smile and countered, “Ditto.”

  He chuckled as he replied, “Well, it only took us a whole year to talk that out.” Grey hugged her again and they began to slow dance in the bathroom to the music playing outside. He whispered, “It’s been fun though...”

  Melody answered, “Let’s save that conversation for another time.”

  Grey pulled away from her, sat on the bathroom counter and teased, “I’m going to tell your dad you have serious control issues.”

  “I haven’t even attempted to touch that situation,” she sighed.

  While perched on the edge of the sink, he replied, “You should. Orin’s a great guy. He probably stayed away hoping you’d have a chance at a normal life. If you had no abilities, the Correction would have just passed you by.”

  Melody said, “One traumatic event at a time Grey.”

  Without saying another word, he grabbed her hand and towed her out of the bathroom towards where Frost and Kayn were dancing.

  Grey announced, “Frost! We need a bottle of wine stat!”

  Frost grinned and followed them back to the table. He took a good look at Melody and said, “I’m not sure one bottle of wine will be enough. I’ll be back.”

  Bad Ideas

  The night had been a mish mosh of random uncomfortable situations, but amidst these moments, there had been a few quite memorable ones. She’d met her uncle, kept her shit together in Kevin’s presence and waded through the pile of crap that continuously spewed from Tiberius’s mouth with a smile on her face. That was mean. It was mean, but the truth. He was an asshole and a half. She’d been prewarned that this night would be a gong show… They hadn’t been wrong. Grey strolled past them with a visibly distraught Melody and made a joke about needing wine stat. They left the dance floor and followed their friends back to the table. Frost had been doing an excellent job of side tracking her maybe she could pay it forward and do the same for Melody. She gave her distraught friend a hug before finding a seat. Zach should be here too? She hadn’t seen him in a while. Kayn accepted a glass of water as it passed by her on a tray. Yes, it was definitely time to dilute the wine. Grey was sitting beside Mel with his arm around her visibly emotionally demolished buddy. Either Thorne had come to see her, or he hadn’t come at all. It was probably best if she left that whole conversation alone. Mel was wallowing in her thoughts as Frost disappeared from her side. He wandered up to the bar, reached over it, grabbed a full bottle of golden liquid and made his way back to the table with it.

  “That’s a horrible idea,” Grey commented, while giving Mel a friendly one armed hug.

  Frost grinned as he loudly exclaimed, “Nonsense! It’s a brilliant idea!” He took a big swig from the bottle and passed it to Kayn.

  She laughed, “Oh, sure…if you want me to puke all over the motorhome later.”

  “I promise, I’ll hold your hair like a gentleman,” Frost teased.

  Even though she knew she shouldn’t, Kayn took a giant swig of the golden liquid, choked and questioned, “Did the bar tender siphon someone’s gas tank and pour it into a bottle?” She passed the foul-tasting stuff to Melody, almost feeling guilty as she did. Her friend looked up with swollen eyes as she took a giant gulp and didn’t even flinch. Kayn was quite impressed. That took both acting skill and the ability to not care if your throat was on fire. She peered over at Frost, caught him staring at her and looked away. The table area had cleared out rather suddenly. Kevin was nowhere in sight. When the bottle returned to her, she took another baby sip feeling a little more relaxed in the absence of Kevin. To see him and have it not actually be him was a level of confusing that did not mix with well with alcohol. He was gone and she was with her clan. She was as emotionally safe as she chose to be. Her eyes travelled back to the hot dark-featured immortal. Frost was sitting far too close. She should be drinking water. Only water. Melody was being awfully quiet. When she glanced her way, she realized that her friend had passed out cold with her head on the table. Grey was stroking Mel’s hair, while staring off into the distance. Frost also appeared to be preoccupied with something else and neither of them had noticed Melody’s unconscious state. She followed their gazes and grinned. Tiberius and Lily were getting a little bit friendly on the dance floor. Watching them felt a little voyeuristic, she looked away. Someone was wearing some seriously incredible perfume. Kayn slowly ran her finger around the circumference of her wine glass and giggled. It tickled her finger.

  “What in the hell is she doing with Tiberius?” Grey whispered, while loosening his tie.

  With a concerned expression, Frost replied, “She is doing exactly what she was ordered to do.”

  It felt like someone had turned the heat up in the room by ten degrees. Sweat glistened on Kayn’s brow and the silky material of her blouse was sticking to her, she undid the top button. Through the fog of two am, it clicked…That heavenly fragrance in the air was caused by Lily’s ability. If she was too inebriated to reign it back in, there might be a problem. If she roofied a room full of immortals in opposing clans, drinking ceremonial wine, it would undoubtedly create some messed-up situations.

  “Oh, lovely… here we go,” Grey stammered.

  Kayn could see how this was going to play out. She picked up her friend’s hand and it dropped as dead weight to the table. Kayn stated the painfully obvious, “Mel won’t be healing anyone this evening.”

  Frost winked at her and chuckled, “What was your first clue?” He gave Melody’s arm a little shake. He nudged Grey and asked, “Where’s Lexy?”

  Grey glanced around the room and replied, “Well, she might not be killing anyone. Tiberius is still here.”

  Frost looked at Grey and said, “Lily’s not in control anymore. I can feel it. You have to be the one to go and pull the plug on this.”

  “Come on man. I can’t. You know how long it took me to get over her,” Grey pleaded.

  “If I go over there and try to stop her in the condition I’m in, she’ll set off my ability and shit will hit the fan in an epic way,” Frost countered.

  Grey downed the rest of the bottle, sighed and declared, “You owe me one!” As he got up and strolled over to the couple on the dance floor.

  Kayn watched with morbid curiosity as Grey broke up the pair in a well-acted jealous rage. He towed a confused Lily away from Tiberius and the crowded dance floor full of odd pairings of over affectionate enemies.

  Kayn gave Frost a peculiar look and said, “Care to elaborate on that statement.”

  Frost chuckled and whispered, “Why don’t I just show you.” Without making contact with her skin, he slowly moved the palm of his hand up the length of her arm and hovered it above the pulse point on her neck.

  Adrenaline began coursing through her body, Kayn gasped and shivered with pleasure. She felt someone’s stare and her eyes raised to meet Jenna’s disapproving glare.

  Frost cleared his throat and said, “I should go explain. I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.”

  Kayn placed her hand on Melody’s back and whispered, “Good idea, stay asleep.” Her inhibitions felt like they were holding on by a thread after the mixture of Lily’s pheromones, whatever it was that they were drinking and Frost’s seductive explanati
on. She covered her lips with her hand to conceal her expression. Frost was nothing but trouble. She smiled as she bit her lip. He was coming back to the table. She got up and made her way through the crowd to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She gazed into the mirror, desperately needing a moment to compose herself. Kayn pressed her hand against her reflection, wishing she could still summon up the image of her twin. Since they’d merged, she’d lost the ability to do this. The images in her mind had become jumbled with Chloe’s and it made everything so confusing. Each time she had a sensual moment with Frost, her twin’s memories came screaming to the surface. Kayn caressed the place on her neck, where he’d almost touched her. Her pulse raced wildly. She ran the freezing cold water for a minute and splashed the icy liquid on her face as she tried to talk herself down. He had the ability to make anybody want him without even touching them. All he’d done was show her his gift’s reaction to Lily’s ability and given her an explanation for asking Grey to stand in front of an oncoming train. Her inner Chloe had to simmer the hell down. She leaned against the counter and laughed. She was an emotional hormonal mess. Kevin was finally here. She’d dreamt of this for so long but the scenario definitely hadn’t played out as she’d imagined. He was just some guy that had dreams about her. He looked like Kevin but his mannerisms were not even close to the version of the boy she’d adored since she was five. She was facing a whole week in close confines with her best friend’s body double. This promised to be an epically messed-up situation. When she finally felt like she could think rationally enough to leave the bathroom, she realized there was no paper towel left. Fantastic, she’d soaked her face and there was nothing to dry it off with. She thought about using her shirt but opted out. Instead, she dried off her face with some toilet paper and afterwards she had to pick the remnants off her skin. Oddly, it helped. She felt way less desirable than she had when she’d locked herself in the bathroom. Kayn left her sanctuary and ventured out onto the almost empty dance floor. Everyone that remained appeared to be in the process of leaving. Frost was still sitting at the table with Melody. Someone shoved her. She wasn’t coordinated enough to stop it so she braced herself for contact with the floor.