Bound

by Jennifer Dean

  There I caught sight of Ross and Nick, charging at me with an angered vengeance. It wasn’t lust but murder in their eyes. I was to blame for their ending friendship and they were going to make me pay for that. I instinctively readied my arms to swing, when both of Liam’s hands rose forward, flinging both boys backward and out of sight, without a single touch. The swift control of their speed was like a stunt man being pulled back on a harness.

  “Thanks,” I said.

  He nodded before looking behind me. I followed the gaze over my right shoulder to find Sean. He was furious and running right at us like an enraged bull. But as he got closer I could tell it wasn’t me he targeted, it was Liam. I tried to stand in between, but Liam gently pushed me behind him protectively. Sean had his fist out, ready to swipe at Liam as he ran with hatred in his eyes.

  “Stop!” I yelled.

  But my voice was drowned out with Sean’s continued charge. No amount of sound that came from me would catch his attention. I was left to watch helplessly as Liam’s hand instinctively moved in front of him to force Sean’s body to fly back and out of sight, just as he had minutes before with the other two boys. I turned back to see Liam’s eyes glowing with a bright emerald green of unnatural beauty.

  Suddenly my eyes flashed open and my torso flung upward. I looked around my dark room, laying my hand across my chest, feeling the increased beating of my heart. I only had one thought that crossed my mind now that I was awake.

  Just what the hell was Liam Alexander?

  7. Productive

  With the teachers’ development day carrying an odd loneliness, I found inspiration to drive to Greenville. It was the closest Barnes and Noble. Maybe Liam wouldn’t tell me but that didn’t mean that I couldn’t research on my own. Well, at least try. I wasn’t naive enough to think I would make some big discovery so easily. But maybe I would find a tip or clue that led me somewhere.

  Finally, after a fifteen-minute prideful search of nothing but frustration, I quit resisting and found a guy in a hunter green polo shirt. He was a slightly shorter man with slicked back hair that came from own natural oily grease. Seeing my curious eyebrow lift and open mouth, he smiled invitingly.

  “Can I help you find something?”

  I grinned uncomfortably. “I’m researching for a paper about . . .” I paused, feeling slightly dorky, as if I was going to confess I was an avid Dungeons and Dragons player. “Legends and myths.”

  “Do you mean urban legends?”

  “Um no…” I paused looking awkwardly to the ground before my eyes glanced back to his shoulder. “…more supernatural.”

  “Oh, you mean vampires?”

  I rolled my eyes as I looked up to catch his lifted eyebrow of arrogance, almost like he was saying here’s another silly vampire-crazed girl. I couldn’t blame him, seeing as how the Twilight series had started a new craze for the mythical creature, but being associated with that obsessed fandom felt worse than the Dungeons and Dragons thing. Not because I hadn’t read the books—I had, and quite enjoyed them—but because anyone who claimed favoritism of them was judged unfairly. So if I could avoid the look I was getting now, I did.

  “No, something different. Legends of maybe creatures…” I squinted to help the vulnerability. “…that can move things with their minds.”

  Of course now I would have taken the Twilight look over what I was getting. It was the look I wanted to avoid, the look that said and this is a paper for what?

  “Let’s try looking it up,” he said, moving around the corner toward the free-search kiosk stand. I would have already tried to look it up privately on one of them, if not for all of the ones I found being for employee use only. I wanted to pinch myself for not thinking of looking it up on my computer before I came. Why did I have to impulsively leave the house?

  I watched as he typed supernatural legends of the old world. I don’t know where he got the old world but I had nothing to offer him, so I just waited for the results, maybe we’d both get lucky with the search.

  Unfortunately most of the results consisted of odd fiction about ghosts and vampires. I watched as he clicked through, pausing to investigate two books on the fourth page, before he turned away from the screen and began walking. I assumed I was supposed to follow, so I did.

  He was already five paces in front of me, so when I caught up he had already pulled one book and was in the process of pulling out a second. He then turned to me with a smile, placing the books into my hands.

  “Most of what you’re looking for will be in this section. But these are some books I suggest that are written by Dr. Clayton P. Howard. They are filled with many old myths and legends of supernatural creatures. Do you think these will work for your paper?”

  “I think it’s a good start,” I said.

  He nodded, clearly satisfied with successfully helping a customer. “My name is JD. Let me know if you need anything else.”

  “I will. Thanks.”

  The black book on top had a frightening red faced creature on the cover. I opened to a random page, only to roll my eyes at where I landed. Vampire. Regardless of my sigh, I read on. Supernatural being that doesn’t age and known to prey on human victims for their source of blood. That was exactly what I expected to hear because every movie had told me the same thing. With each doubt I still continued to read. Each immortal being holds the ability of supersonic speed and immense strength. Some even possess the skill of mind control over humans.

  I lingered with the words, supersonic speed. I did remember how fast Liam had moved to get me out of the way from Nick’s truck. Within a blink’s time I was in danger of broken legs—or something worse— and then I was suddenly not. But as far as I knew Liam didn’t drink anyone’s blood. Well, I didn’t see any bite marks on Ross or Nick, so that was something.

  I continued to the next page. Demigod: the rarest of supernatural beings. I couldn’t deny that it caught my attention. This being appeared to be the product of a god who fell in love with a human. It was summed up with the explanation that demigods would soon shed their human form to become gods, but it was their human half that would compel them to choose good or evil. The myth said that those who chose evil became demi-demons, ruling with power in their own kind of universe.

  I tried to resist a grin from came from my mind forming an image of Liam as a glowing being that had wings, one who would soon shed his human body for heaven or hell . I flipped to the next page. Superhuman: a borderline supernatural that lay on the fence of human and paranormal entity.

  My finger followed along to read their abilities varying with the source of their power. It could be a human genetic fluke, supernatural genes from a former paranormal relative, or simply the mind of the human guiding the body to a new paranormal power. The legend had it that these beings held different degrees of enhanced senses, which included possible psychic powers and various mystical martial arts skills.

  Those who chose not to pursue the enhancement of their superhuman power often became low-level vampire slayers, werewolf hunters, or some supernatural warrior in a paranormal profession that fought the forces of evil.

  When Dr. Howard began talking about the implantation of cyborgs, I could feel my judgment through narrowed eyes. Genetic engineering may be advanced enough to enhance humans as well. I could feel the amusement of how silly this all felt in my small grin. Well, isn’t that a future to look forward to, I thought.

  “Interesting reading.”

  The voice I had come to knew so well caused me to jump with a gasped exhale. I dropped my books, in an odd juggle as I reached to catch my heart. With the disapproving shake of my head, I bent down, only to meet with Liam’s emerald glow and crooked smile. He had gotten there first and was already placing both books back in my waiting hands. I rose at a slightly slower—human, it seemed—pace than him.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked.

  “I could ask you the same thing.”

  His chin pointed up with a defending lawye
r gaze.

  “Good thing I asked first,” I said.

  My eyebrows rose with victory at my countered comment. Ha.

  “Washington’s selection is limited,” he said.

  It was true. Washington wasn’t known for its library. It explained why I was here. That and not wanting anyone to read anything into my newfound interest in the supernatural.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  The day off had made me realize that I had actually missed seeing his face. I was starting to grow accustomed to him, or at least that was what I told myself.

  “Browsing,” I said.

  His eyebrows lifted.

  “What are you browsing?”

  I slid one of the books back on the shelf behind my back, not wanting him to know he caught me. I guess I wasn’t as sly as I thought, because he reached around to grab the book off the shelf.

  “Legends and myths,” he said. He lifted the book as evidence. “And just what kind of legends are you looking for with this material?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  He narrowed his eyes with suspicion, eyes that glowed brightly.

  I knew I was dancing in dangerous territory, and not just because I was convinced he wasn’t entirely human. It was because I was having a hard time thinking when he was around me. Though one part of me was saying to stay away, the other was content to just be in his presence.

  “Wouldn’t be about me, would it?” Liam asked.

  “Maybe. But then maybe I’m just purely interested in old legends.”

  “Something tells me it isn’t the latter.”

  “How do you know I’m not writing a paper and need sources?”

  His eyes studied mine as his lips resisted the urge to smile. “Are you?”

  “No, but like I told you before, it’s best not to assume.”

  “I will be sure to not make the mistake again,” he said with a grin.

  I grabbed the book from his hand, placing it back into the section with the other. It probably wasn’t exactly right, but close enough. “I’d better get home.”

  “I’ll walk you to your car.” He put his hand up to stop me from speaking against the idea. “We don’t want a repeat of last time.”

  “No, we wouldn’t want to risk that,” I said.

  His crooked grin let me know he understood my double meaning.

  “You’re not going to buy those?” he asked. His eyes gestured back toward the books I had put back on the shelf.

  “No, I have a feeling they won’t have what I’m looking for anyway.”

  “Probably not.”

  I wasn’t sure if they would have anything more. I was just too embarrassed to buy them now that Liam was around, so I left them behind as he walked beside me through the store. I knew Sean would hate the sight of this and yet I couldn’t resist the thrill of walking with him out the front doors. When I got to my car, I looked up to Liam with bravery.

  “So what are you? A superhuman? A demigod?”

  “I’ll tell you what I am,” he said. He paused, revealing his top teeth with his smile, finding amusement in my eager patience. “Someone walking you back to your car.”

  The disappointment caused my lips to purse and my eyes to roll.

  “Do you drink blood?”

  “I prefer water,” he said to my accusation.

  “You’re not going to give me an answer, are you?”

  His smile was an easy no. At least not any more than I had already gotten.

  “I’m going to find out, you know. I won’t stop. It’s not in my nature.”

  It was true. I was intrigued by mystery for the pure need to solve it.

  “That’s not necessarily a good thing,” he said.

  “Why did you even help me? Occupational hazard?”

  “I wasn’t going to let them harm you. You are far—”

  He gazed at my driver’s side door, before looking back at me with guilty eyes. It was as if he had gone too far. I was far to what? My entire brow had lifted in anticipation of how he would end that sentence, but instead he reached for the door handle and lifted to pull the door out for me.

  “Goodnight, Emma. Sleep well,” he said.

  Fine, if he was going to be that way.

  “Goodnight, Liam. Sleep well,” I said. I resisted a smile with my somewhat sarcastic tone before turning to face my door.

  “I won’t be sleeping,” he said.

  “What do you mean you—”But when I turned back around, he was gone. “Of course.”

  I contemplated running back in for the books but decided it would be counterproductive of his gesture. But that still left me frustrated on my way home. In fact, now that I thought about it, the whole trip had felt a little counterproductive.

  I had learned some new terms but they didn’t answer my lingering question. It was like the multiple choice answers had grown. I was left more confused than when I started.

  Once in bed, I found myself only staring at the ceiling. Liam had told me to sleep well and I was doing quite the opposite. I pushed my feet out of the covers and got out of bed. If I wasn’t going to sleep then I may as well do something. I crept down the hall and into the guestroom, where my dad had set up the old desktop.

  I touched the mouse to bring the computer out its standby mode. Once Google had finally loaded, I could only think of one thing to type. Telekinesis. I exhaled with amusement to how ridiculous I felt looking at the range of links that included—movies, TV shows, YouTube clips, and fan man websites. But no one could explain anything more besides the ability itself. Nothing about someone abnormally fast who could also move things with their mind. It was either one or the other.

  I sighed only growing frustrated, realizing I wouldn’t get anything from the internet this way. It felt more helpful to be reading the books at Barnes and Noble. I was rubbing my eyes when an inspiration hit me. I typed Dr. Clayton P. Howard and Legends and Myths into Google in hopes of another approach. There was a link for his two books on the Barnes and Noble website for an even cheaper price than the bookstore. I clicked on both to place them in my online shopping bag, but paused my left index finger on the mouse once I found myself in the checkout. I wasn’t sure how long I had sat staring at the screen before I finally got the nerve to tell myself, what the hell and finally clicked, place my order.

  In a few days, I would have at least something to read more about, something that hopefully would lead me somewhere. But even if everything in these two books was complete crap, maybe it would still inspire me on where or what to look at next. It was at least worth a shot. I had nothing to lose. I sighed, lifting my lips proudly.

  Finally, I was feeling productive for the first time today.

  8. Lunch Trail

  The corner of my eye caught Liam coming out of the bathroom. “Go on. I’ll meet you in there,” I said to Pamela. It was dumb luck that I was dumping my books for lunch when he came striding out, or maybe just good timing on my part.

  “Okay,” she said.

  I pretended to be stacking books until she disappeared around the opposite corner of the hallway. I felt sketchy as I shut my locker, shifted my eyes left to right for anyone who may have been watching him too. No one even took notice. Not because he wasn’t worth the look—I found myself often distracted by him. It was because he was just well versed in blending with the crowd. Well, blending from everyone except for me.

  I wasn’t sure what had inspired me or what had given me the courage, but suddenly I was eager to follow him, to discover where he went during lunch—finally disproving the theories of my friends. Was he a vampire and had to leave the school grounds to feed? Would watching others eating their generic lunches remind him of his own craving? I suddenly realized that I shouldn’t have been so quick to dismiss him from being a vampire. He did say that he preferred water, not that it was the only thing he drank.

  I waited till he had turned the corner before I started on his trail. Wasn’t that what they mentioned on thos
e shows? Keeping a reasonable distance? An appropriate length that would avoid any suspensions.

  When I got to the end of the hall, I realized that maybe I had made a mistake. I didn’t see him anywhere. Crap, I thought. I sighed as my neck turned left to right, the way you do before you cross an intersection. I wasn’t sure why, but something told me to go left, so I listened. My eyes met with the two glass front doors. I shrugged as I got closer. It couldn’t hurt to look, I thought. I pushed them open with delicacy. I knew this was the part where if he was outside he might hear me, if I was too careless in my spy attempts.

  I swallowed the saliva in my throat, feeling I was going to get caught any moment, not by Liam but by Principal Gately. I didn’t see her being too excited if she found a random student standing outside the school. I wasn’t even sure what I would give as an excuse anyway. But with her nowhere in sight, I could see I had two choices: sneak by the left or right side windows of the school, or go back inside and have a normal lunch.

  I could hear myself saying, what are you doing, as my feet directed my legs to the left, swiftly moving past each window and ducking down under the last door. With only brick left, I began hugging the wall of the left side with quiet steps. I had nearly made it to the corner when my inner angel convinced me that I should go back inside. I rolled my eyes in disappointment, knowing my conscious was right. I turned on my heel, ready to walk, when I heard a voice from behind me. My feet froze as if they were suddenly glued to the cement.

  “You can’t, Liam.”

  I froze, hugging the brick wall once again. The voice had come from around the corner, just merely feet from where I was. If I had continued, I would have run right into them.

  “She is going to figure it out.”

  Liam, I thought. My eyes widened at his voice. I could feel my skin prickle with goose bumps at the thought of getting caught by him and whoever he was speaking to.

  “We can’t, you know that.”

  The voice rang with me. It was female and familiar. Well, at least I thought it was. It was like watching an animated movie and never being able to figure out which actor was voicing the character.