Tethered to the World: A Phantom Touched Novel

by Brutger, Stacey

  When Annora turned, she saw a large guy leap the six-foot railing in a single bound. He was big and rugged, his black hair buzzed short in the back and sides, leaving the silvery, frosted tips on top to sweep over his forehead.

  Loulou swore behind her and clutched her arm, dragging her back while the man glowered and took a step toward them.

  “Leave her alone, Xander.” Then the giant was there, grabbing the man by his leg, nearly jerking the one he called Xander off his feet.

  “What the fuck is going on here?” Another man strode off the field, his face twisted in a menacing scowl.

  Shit.

  She didn’t need to be told that was Camden.

  The one Loulou warned her not to mess with.

  Unfortunately, it was much too late to hope the earth would open up and swallow her whole.

  He was lean but muscular, and carried himself like he knew his place in the world and didn’t care if he had to step on people to get there—clearly the leader of the group.

  He had black hair that almost shimmered with color, but even when she squinted, she couldn’t quite make out the different shades…it seemed to change while she watched, then vanish when the light hit it a certain way.

  He glared at the men, then his vivid, almost neon-green eyes latched onto hers. “If you’re going to play with my guys, do it on the field or get out.”

  Chapter Three

  Annora bit her lip as she lingered in the back of the group standing in the middle of the field, conscious of everyone’s eyes on her, wondering how exactly she got herself into this situation. It was that hypnotic pink hair. She could still feel it caressing her fingers. Despite being the center of attention, she couldn’t quite make herself regret what happened.

  She stared directly ahead, doing her best not to draw attention to herself, but she was afraid that ship had already sailed. She’d fucked up, and now she had to face the consequences.

  “You. Step forward.”

  Annora didn’t even have to look up to know the menacing voice was talking to her. The crowd in front of her parted, and she nearly laughed at her now-defunct plan to blend in and not make waves at the new school. Lifting her chin, she strode toward the front of the class…it was better to get the beating over with.

  The arrogant leader of the group was waiting for her. Camden cast a dismissive glance at her, then turned toward the rest of the crowd. “What the hell are you waiting for? An invitation? Back into your groups. Now.”

  She watched the students scatter like cockroaches. A few of them gave her a commiserating look, but the rest didn’t even bother to hold back their smirks at her predicament.

  The man didn’t wait for the others to scatter before he turned and began to circle her. The expression on his face said he wasn’t impressed. “You came to this school to learn. The arena isn’t for the faint of heart. You’re already behind in the class, which isn’t the way you want to start the year.”

  Annora barely resisted rolling her eyes.

  But she must not have covered her expression as well as she thought—he halted in front of her, his legs spread, his arms crossed and glared down at her. “I amuse you?”

  She couldn’t help it…she wouldn’t lie. “A little.”

  She heard a snicker but didn’t dare turn. A muscle ticked in the jaw of the man in front of her. “You think you’re special? What kind of training do you have?”

  She watched him closely, used to sensing moods from the slightest tell—she had to in order to stay alive. He felt it was a waste of time to train her…and he might be right.

  “Special? No. Training? Next to nothing. But I can duck and take a hit when I can’t escape.” She refused to share any more information than what he asked.

  He stilled, like a predator right before it struck.

  Annora relaxed, waiting for him to attack, but instead he nodded like he approved.

  “It’s a start.” He lifted his chin and glanced over her head. “Go through the basics, let’s see what she can do.”

  Annora turned sideways to keep the trainer in view, and grimaced when the man named Xander shrugged, then squared off opposite her.

  “The rest of you, go train your group.” The large giant she practically assaulted hesitated, like he wanted to protest, but his smaller, red-headed friend hauled on his arm until they both left.

  “Hit me.”

  Annora pursed her lips at the order, then crossed her arms. “The best defense is not to get within reach of your attacker.”

  Xander grunted, something in his teal gaze sharpening, then he held out his arms wide. “No retaliation.”

  She lifted a brow at him, glanced around the arena to see the rest of the students were actually working out together…or beating the shit out of each other in some cases. Taking a deep breath, she strode forward, lifted her arms in a boxing move. The man was a tad over six feet, making him stand nearly a foot taller than her.

  Instead of the amusement she expected to see, he waited patiently.

  “What’s the purpose of the attack?”

  He didn’t laugh or berate her, but answered honestly. “Fighting is a last resort. If you get into a fight, you want to put your attacker down.”

  “Got it.” Annora nodded, then rolled her shoulders, and drew back her arm. Just when she was about to throw a punch, she dropped down to one knee and swung.

  Her punch landed square in his balls.

  The man grunted, his arms immediately dropping to cup himself, and she quickly stood, bringing up her knee hard and fast, using the weight of her whole body to strike him in the face. She danced away, never once removing her gaze from his as he toppled over backwards.

  “Holy shit.”

  Annora glanced up to see the redhead watching them with his mouth open…seconds before the guy across from him threw a punch that knocked him on his ass. When Xander began to push himself up on his hands and knees, she winced. “You asked for it.”

  To her surprise, instead of being pissed, he gave a huff of laughter. “You’ll do.”

  For the rest of the two hours, Annora watched the others fight, conscious of the trainers observing…specifically the four guys who got her in trouble in the first place. When it was her turn to fight, she didn’t flinch from the fists, taking the blows in order to get in close and do the most damage.

  To her surprise, she won as many as she lost.

  When a bell dinged, everyone broke apart and lined up. Annora limped to the last row. Though her body ached, she was used to the pain, relishing the burn. She watched the others, able to pick out those who had training…those who were the predators and who was prey.

  And she couldn’t help but wonder where she was on the list.

  The trainers stood in front of the group, seeming to take note of everyone’s injuries. “Go rest. I expect to see you at training again tomorrow morning before sunrise.”

  A few of the students groaned, but she didn’t think they were complaining…more begging for mercy.

  “Dismissed.”

  Everyone scattered, and Annora hurried after them, hoping to get lost in the crowd. When she saw the guys begin to work their way through the people, heading in her direction, she did what every self-respecting woman would do…she ducked behind a large group and ghosted herself.

  The darkness welcomed her with open arms, the afterworld resembling an abandoned realm that had been destroyed many millennia ago. As she hurried across the stadium to collect her bag, her wounds slowly knitted closed. She watched the shadows, knowing she was pushing her luck by using her powers, but the need to escape drove her.

  She needed to be alone.

  She needed space.

  Being near so many people was physically draining after being alone for so many years. Conversation was stressful and awkward. Trying to act normal was taxing. Worse, she couldn’t tell where the next attack would come from. A ferret peeked out from a hallway ten feet in front of her, lifting a foreleg as if to beckon her
forward.

  Without hesitation, she followed, scooping him up as she passed. He wiggled free, scampering up her arm to perch on her shoulders. Only when he patted her face did she allow herself to take form again. A few more twists and turns and she was outside, the hour late, the campus dark. A quick glance at the clock located high on the library building said it was after nine.

  Feeling a little pleased about escaping the guys, she dug into her bag for her papers, sorting the pages until she found the one with directions for Grady House and the campus map.

  Across campus.

  Sighing, she shouldered her bag and began walking. The students quickly thinned out, and she relaxed a little now that she was finally away from the constant attention. The campus seemed to be spread out over a few miles, a lot of trees and parks interspersed throughout.

  Not wanting company, she took the long way around, taking time to memorize the map and buildings as she went in case she needed to leave in a hurry. When she turned the corner, it was to see the four guys from the arena walking in front of her.

  She nearly stopped, nearly turned back. She just took a step onto the path when the leader turned and spotted her. “Are you following us?”

  Taken aback by his harsh question, she halted. “Yeah, I’m following you. It must be your bubbly personality. It couldn’t be that the new girl is lost and trying to find her room.”

  The redhead swallowed his snort, the giant smothered his smile with his hand, while the other two just watched her. Then the leader stepped aside and waved his arm. “By all means…after you.”

  Shit.

  She should’ve kept her mouth shut. They were going to follow her, and the last thing she wanted was for them to know where she lived.

  But it wasn’t like they couldn’t figure it out on their own.

  Stifling her growl of frustration, she didn’t walk between them, but circled around them. She’d covered only a few feet when she heard them follow, and she released a pent-up sigh of aggravation. Men like them, who liked to be in charge, gave her the heebie-jeebies.

  She didn’t do well with orders, and frequently suffered the bruises and broken bones to prove it.

  She’d gone no more than a few yards on the path when something in the shadows caught her attention.

  She was being followed, and it wasn’t by the guys.

  To make sure, she turned off the path. When she reached the light post, she pulled up short. She tugged the zipper of her bag open, then nudged Edgar inside.

  “What’s wrong? You lost?” Camden’s mocking voice became more obnoxiously conceited as they drew closer.

  She shook her head, only sparing them a glance. “We’re being followed.”

  Humor drained from the guys, and they went back-to-back, each angled to look in a different direction. “What do you sense?”

  Annora drew on the darkness, allowing her eyes to turn, and quickly spotted them.

  “About a dozen wolves.” She twisted and glance around them. “We’re surrounded.”

  Fear curdled in her gut. They couldn’t be after her. The rumors about what happened at the gym couldn’t have spread that far that fast…could they?

  Mason, the giant of a man, snatched the edge of her bag and resolutely dragged her backwards until she was in the center of the group. A series of yips echoed around the small clearing as a group of guys took shape out from the shadows.

  “What do you want, Tyson?” Camden crossed his arms and braced his legs. Though he stood a little under six feet, he exuded a kind of power and competence that said don’t fuck with me, which she found surprisingly comforting.

  A short, blond man stepped forward with a smile that was a little too sharp, his eyes this side of yellow, making him look like a mangy feral mutt. “We’re just here to check out the new girl.”

  It took all her concentration to keep her form solid. She pushed away her emotions and studied the wolves more closely. They were kids, out to cause mischief, not take her captive. If they knew the truth, they would’ve sent a whole pack for her, not a bunch of teenagers. She was too valuable to be assigned to such low-level wolves.

  “It’s after hours. You know the rules.”

  “Oh, come on, Camden. We’re just having a little fun.” His smile sharpened as he glanced back at the rest of his pack, as if he found the whole thing amusing.

  Instead of answering, Camden sighed and strode forward.

  Tyson stood up straighter, his smile wilting at whatever expression was on Camden’s face, his feet shuffling slightly, as if it took everything inside him to hold his ground.

  “Leave.”

  The two stared at each other for a full minute before one of the wolves reached forward and dragged Tyson away. Tyson snarled over his shoulder, “Your day is coming, Camden. Mark my words.”

  A couple of wolves howled and yipped, while menacing laughter echoed around the small clearing. In less than a minute, they disappeared as quickly as they came.

  “Fucking wolves.” Camden ran a hand over his hair, and for just a second, she’d swear she saw purple and blue shimmering in the strands. When he turned, his eyes immediately landed on her, and he slowly stalked forward. “How did you know they were there?”

  “Fuck you, asshole.” Disgust twisted through her at the accusation in his voice. “No girl asks for a bunch of creeps to stalk her. A girl can’t afford not to pay attention to her surroundings.”

  Without waiting for his response, she whirled away from the others and headed back the way she came.

  “Wait.”

  She ignored the giant, easily recognizing the low rumble of his voice, and lifted her hand over her head to give them the finger. It took her a good twenty minutes after that to find Grady House, the place practically nestled into the forest surrounding it. Thankfully the lights were still on, and she didn’t have to drag some poor girl out of her bed.

  It wouldn’t be a great way to make friends.

  The place wasn’t huge, but it was a lot bigger than the ten by twelve room that had practically been her whole existence for the past ten years. It was three stories high, the three-car garage making it appear almost twice as big.

  She hesitated at the bottom of the steps, wondering if she was making the right choice after her fucked-up first day. She hadn’t signed the papers yet. She could leave.

  But go where?

  Nowhere was safe.

  Her uncle and his minions would eventually find her. She needed help, and Rufus said the school could protect her.

  She just hoped it was true.

  Before she could talk herself out of it, she trudged up the steps and rang the doorbell. She took her backpack off her shoulders, dropping the bag at her feet. As she heard footsteps approach, she swallowed hard, suddenly nervous. When the door opened, she could only gape at the redhead from earlier. “What the actual fuck!”

  He pushed open the door and smirked, wiggling his eyebrows. “So you were following us.”

  “No.” She practically stumbled down the stairs in her rush to get away, her hand on the railing the only thing keeping her from bolting. “I think there was a mistake.”

  He crossed his arms, and leaned against the doorjamb, some of his good cheer fading. “While we’re flattered, we’re not interested. Don’t come here again.”

  Annora released her hold on the railing and lurched backwards, her chest hurting like she’d been punched.

  “Is that the pizza?” The giant pushed his way forward, only to halt when he saw her. His lavender eyes widened, but then he began to frown. “What’s wrong?”

  When he went to follow her, the redhead angled his body between them. “Leave.”

  Her throat tightened painfully at his coldness, and she gave a bitter laugh. “Some fucking welcome. When Loulou said my roommates were assholes, she really wasn’t exaggerating.”

  “What?” Shock crossed Logan’s face, and he took a step toward her, his foot knocking her pack down the stairs, scattering her fe
w belongs everywhere. “Shit.”

  Annora snatched her bag, shoving her few clothes back in the pack. When she went to reach for her music player, he grabbed it first and something inside her snapped.

  “Give it back.” She tried to snatch it away, but Logan sidestepped.

  “Just wait. There’s been a misunderstanding.” When he reached for her bag, she launched to her feet and jerked away…her bag caught between them.

  Then Edgar popped out and bit him.

  “What the fuck was that!?!”

  Annora took advantage of his surprise, grabbed what few belongings she could, then turned and ran.

  “Wait.”

  Pure panic grabbed her by the throat when they gave chase.

  They were gaining.

  She reached for the surrounding darkness and flung herself into the afterworld and didn’t stop running until she was at the center of the campus. The biggest building in the middle of the square drew her attention—the library.

  It was closed, which meant there would be no people.

  Without hesitation, she ran straight through the door, shivering when the chill from the glass sliced through her. She didn’t stop running until she was out of steps, finally leaning against the wall in the seventh-floor stairwell, pulling herself back into the real world…and met resistance.

  It was a survival mechanism.

  Her mind still said she was in danger, and refused to let her return. She closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths to center herself. Only when the panic receded a fraction did her fear of the afterworld take hold, and her smoky shape returned to human form. She slid down until her ass was sitting on the bitingly cold cement.

  She tried to convince herself she overreacted, but the thought of any of the guys touching her sent her into a panic. She blew out a shaky breath as the adrenaline began to wear off.

  It was time to make a choice…she either ran for the rest of her life or stayed to learn how to kill those who thought she was a pet to be owned by the highest bidder.

  Chapter Four

  Annora slept on and off, unable to completely shut down and rest in an unknown place, stuck more or less out in the open. She fed the vending machine another dollar, the assortment of snacks barely staving off the ravenous hunger that always hit after slipping into the afterworld.