by Tara Chau
“Rutting?” I say, eyebrows raised.
Gabe ignores me as he plonks down onto my desk chair, keeping the whole room and bed between us. I've never seen him this angry, this scared, terrified. Gabe balances his arms on his knees, bending his head low as to rub his face with his hands. I can't see his eyes; he refuses to open them, refuses to look at me, as if one look will set him off again.
"I-I'm sorry," I try, going as far as to sit on the edge of the bed, "I just suddenly got so angry. It was all too much. It was too much. Seeing my prophecy on the wall, all the outcomes, hearing the three of you talk about her, seeing that coffin, then coming back to think about Lucien and seeing her dagger, it was too much, Gabe,” I say, chest rising and falling rapidly.
“You-you spoke as if you knew you weren’t going to come back, as if killing him was the only thing that mattered, and you were willing to die yourself to do that,” he says, softly this time, it scares me speechless. “Tell me that that wasn’t what you were thinking,” Gabe begs.
I hesitate, “At that point, I wasn’t thinking anything else.”
Gabe's shoulders fall even further. He rubs his fingers into his eyes as if he could scratch away that memory. I let the silence sit for a while, watching Gabe as he attempts to reign his temper back in.
"Okay, alright, listen," Gabe demands, sitting up straight and looking at me for the first time in what feels like hours. "Tomorrow, we are all going to come back to the Sanctuary after school, and the six of us, are going to come up with a satisfying plan together. Only once that plan is perfected and studied will we attempt to carry it out, whatever it is. One thing that is certain is that you will never be alone with Lucien, he'll never have the opportunity to take you, and we'll keep you from doing anything bloody idiotic. That is what is going to happen."
So, he wasn't trying to temper his anger. He was planning. I silently nod. Reading his eyes, I can see the demand in them, clear as his blazing anger.
“I understand,” I mumble.
“Good,” he says.
We both sit in our spots, staring at the wall, with no idea of what's supposed to happen now.
"We will find a way to stop Lucien; we'll stop him before he can hurt you, hurt any of us,” Gabe assures, his features softening for the first time as he sees my incredulous face. “Trust me, he’s not laying one hand on you,” Gabe swears.
"I-I think it's best that we don't deny anything, Gabe,” I say.
Gabe rises, walking over to me. He kneels in front of me. "We're not denying anything; there is nothing to deny. That's that."
His eyes are still black, black with hidden emotions, but his face shows no sign of the once obvious rage and fear. I smile down at him as he places both hands on my knees.
"I'm not done with you. There is still too much we haven't done. So, trust me, I'm not gonna let you go easily."
Dropping to the floor in front of him, I take up his face in my hands. I trace his jaw with my thumb, then his lips, then I press my mouth to where my thumb had just been. Gabe kisses me back, desperate and hurried. Stringing my arms over his neck, Gabe lifts me up, holding me by the waist, and hoists me back onto the bed. He eases me onto my back, leaning right over the top of me, so we're hip to hip. I pull back, gasping for air, but Gabe doesn't miss a beat. His mouth roves my neck, never once lifting from my skin. His teeth graze a spot just under my earlobe, and I gasp, arching up into him. A low growl comes from Gabe, hungry and wicked. Finally, Gabe's mouth connects with mine again, crushing my lips under his own, his tongue flicking against my own, drawing another moan from me. Reality comes crashing down on me, hard enough, so I draw away from him, rolling away and sitting up, breath heaving.
“What’s wrong?” he asks hastily.
“Um…”
Even though he doesn't think he's denying the inevitable, I know he is. And I also know where this will lead. I know that I wouldn't stop it. I know that it would throw us over that last threshold, and I wouldn't be able to take it back if I wanted to. I also know that if Lucien does use me, it will rip away every last shred of emotion from him, kill his heart, it will destroy him entirely.
I keep my eyes averted, knowing that he will be able to read them too easily, read what I am feeling, thinking.
“Hey,” Gabe pushes.
"It's alright. I just don't think that it's the right time to do this; there's too much going on,” I attempt.
Gabe nods, understanding, agreeing. He crawls over to sit before me, leaning forward. He plants a kiss on my head. I can feel him smile slightly against me. "Go home now, Di. Spend time with your dad."
“Yeah, I should,” I decide.
“I’ll see you tomorrow at school,” he says.
Leaning forward quickly, I kiss him passionately, lingering for only a moment before jumping off the bed.
“Tease,” Gabe calls, voice laced with slight amusement.
“Pain,” I counter, only to stop. “Wait, that was a bit wrong.”
“Yeah…” he agrees.
“Tease,” I cry across the room.
“Pain,” he smirks.
“And order is restored to the world,” I announce.
“Indeed,” he nods once, confirming.
Looking him over one more time, I sigh. Anger no longer contaminates his features, but I can see in the way his shoulders are set that he's still struggling to contain it. Though the anger is there, a smile plays on his lips, not fake, but it doesn't reach his eyes either. That will take some time for all of us. But it's a start.
“See you tomorrow, Chip,” I say, leaving the room on a light note.
“See you tomorrow, Reeds,” I hear him mumble.
Strolling down the hall, I realise how little time I've spent with Dad, and resort to sprinting home, full speed. I decide to enter via the front door for once, smiling slightly at how weird it sounds and feels. This is me now.
Coming into the living room, I find Dad sitting at the dining table typing away at his laptop, sucking on a lolly snake. I smile and am about to sneak up behind him before I remember my attire. Right now, I'm dressed as an assassin for hire. Rushing into my room silently, I inwardly curse the old floorboards that call me out.
“Dianna? That you?” Dad calls.
“Yeah, Dad, it's me. I'll come out soon. I just have to clean up." I rush into my room, leaving it at that.
Stripping it all off, I shove my coat into the back of my drawers, hiding the knives and swords wrapped in a blanket under my bed. Looking around my room, I tug on a black hoody, drawing in a long breath. I smile at the familiar cinnamon scent. Quickly tying my hair back, I exit my room and walk out to join Dad in the living room.
“Hi,” I say, doing my best to plaster a bright smile on my lips. It gets easier with the passing days.
"Hey, stranger." He smiles, halting his attack on the keyboard. "What are you up to these days?"
“Oh, you know, normal teenager stuff.” I quickly try to hide my snort by covering my mouth with my elbow, trying to imitate a sneeze.
“That is what scares me,” Dad says, rolling his eyes.
If he's afraid of normal teenager activities, I don't know whether to call him lucky or just straight up damned. I'm no normal teen.
“Where’d you get that?” Dad asks, eyeing my hoody.
I tense, looking down at the black hoody, which is three sizes too big for me and made for men. I scramble for some excuse, something to hide the fact that it is Gabe's. I relax, though, as I remember that Dad now knows about us, and ease back into the seat, sighing with relief.
“It’s Gabe’s,” I reply, ignoring Dad's suspicious look. "He lent it to me a few days ago because I got cold."
Dad nods, letting out a breath of air, shrugging. Thinking of some way to steer the subject to safer grounds, I smile as an idea comes to mind.
"Hey Dad, I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner with me tonight, say six-thirty at casa de Reeds?" I ask
.
“It’s a date.” He smiles excitedly.
"Good, I've planned a movie, and whatever I can stir up, sound good?"
“Every part of this sounds amazing, except for the part where you said, ‘Whatever I can stir up.’ that part scares me. How about I just order some Chinese?" he requests.
"I'll try not to be offended by that, but since I love Chinese, I will not resist,” I say with a firm nod. "Don't be late, Sir. I hate people who can't read the damn time."
"Yes, ma'am,” he says mockingly, swiping to hit me on the back of my head, something he’s done since I was five, maybe even before that. Walking back into my room, I jump onto my bed, two and a half hours till dinner. That gives me enough time to shower, pick a movie and maybe get some homework done. I let out a groan. I don't even want to think about how much homework I have. Shower first, then think about homework later.
The rest of the night is as normal as I can wish it. I shower, get half of all my homework done, then get a sarcastic lecture from my dad when I'm the one that ends up late. Enjoying a movie and Chinese with Dad before climbing into bed at ten, already too exhausted to think. As soon as I close my eyes, the dark takes me, letting me drift in the peaceful easiness of sleep for what feels like only ten seconds. The dawning light splashes into my room, waking me for the prison that was designed for holding teenagers for a whole six hours, the perfectly effective torcher devise. Crawling out of bed, I slip into a navy skirt, black stockings, and white singlet, slinging a pale pink silk scarf around my neck. Packing my bag, I walk out the door, already running a few minutes late.
"See you tonight, Dad!" I call down the hall as I strap on my boots and dash out the door, pulling it shut behind me.
I walk casually towards school, rolling my eyes as I sense another familiar presence not too far off. "Your trust in me is hurtful,” I shout, not stopping to look behind me.
“You weren’t supposed to know I was here,” Jess says, emerging from thin air. I spot her slipping the glamour ring into her pocket.
“Again, you wound me,” I say, quickening my pace.
“Precautions.” Jess shrugs, “We just wanted to watch you in case you freaked out again.”
I stop, turning my head to look at Jess, “You told him,” I accuse, "You told Gabe about it, didn't you?" not really a question.
“Ty, he did it,” Jess corrects.
“So, let me guess, he’s the one that asked you to follow me this morning?” I say, quickening my pace.
“It was more of a demand,” she says, cringing.
“Why isn’t he the one following me?” I ask.
"He said something about his parents coming to talk to him. He'll still be at school, though,” she assures.
My annoyance softens as I wonder why Malisa is here. "Okay, well, you can walk with me. I don't really like my friends as playing bodyguard makes me look bad,” I say, grinning.
Jess slips her arm into mine, we skip the rest of the way to school, acting like merry little girls. Approaching the school, we join Ty, Anne, Hayden, and Gabe. Jess lets go of my arm, slinking over to Hayden's side as I give Gabe a death glare which he willingly returns.
Each class I have seems to span forever, the second hand on the clocks hanging on the walls over the boards ticking slower than usual—even recess and lunch lag.
In the final lesson of the day, I count down the seconds until the bell rings, allowing the six of us to go back to the Sanctuary and plan. Plan something, anything to take down Lucien. That loud shrill bell starts to ring. Even my ears welcome the usually unwanted scream of the toll. Rushing out of the front gate, I barely wait for the other five to join me before I run towards the Sanctuary.
Dumping my bags in my room, I pick up paper and pens, rushing to the library, taking up a table shoved up against the wall all the way at the back, unseen. I sit in one of the chairs, inpatient and annoyance growing. Finally, what feels like hours later, they all stride in. Anne sits next to me, Jess on her other side, Ty and Hayden take up two chairs on the other side of the table, and Gabe leans on one of the bookshelves behind them, arms crossed.
“Right, let’s get started. What’s first?” Ty asks, taking a sheet of paper from the pile I’d set aside before.
"Well, obviously, we need a way to catch him,” Jess says, "He's too powerful for just cuffs and signums. We've already tried that." The complement she gives him obviously burning her tongue as she winces.
“And we need to decide if we’re going to bring him in, or just….” Anne trails off.
“Kill him,” Hayden finishes mirthlessly.
The six of us gaze down at the blank pages, scrambling to think up some genius plan.
“He needs to be brought in,” Ty decides, looking around at each of us, "Remember, he's hurt more people than just us and our families. We have no right to take away others’ rights. We hand him to the Protectors in Maline, they’ll call a mass vote, and everyone will get their justice. Lucien will get what he deserves.”
Everyone nods, maybe hesitantly and grudgingly, but everyone knows it is fair. Hayden takes a pen and quickly scrawls a summary onto the paper, sliding it back to Ty.
“Now, how do we get him?” Anne asks.
Everyone is silent. I can practically hear their minds wiring, processing, and weighing outcomes of different ideas.
A cool burning sense flows through me from somewhere deep. I shudder at its ancient touch. Closing my eyes, I concentrate, drawing it out so I can reach it. Somehow, it calls, communicating with my mind, soul. It's something in me, advising me what to do, what to say.
“Me,” I blurt.
Everyone looks at me, Anne and Jess with worry, Ty with annoyance, Hayden with understanding, and Gabe with subdued rage.
“I can hold him in place for a little bit, just enough time for someone more powerful than me with magic to come, portal him straight into the cells at the Sanctuary.”
“And who is more powerful than you, Di?” Ty asks incredulously.
Again, that ancient pull inside me answers, "Leave that to me. I have just the person."
Again, they all look at me sceptically; I can see Anne trying to figure out who I'm talking about, what I'm planning, I can see it in all their faces. I can also see the fear, but there's desperation in their eyes as well, enough, I know, for them to say yes.
"That's the best we have, guys,” Hayden states.
“Yes, that’s true.” Jess nods.
"I hate this. Why do you always have to be the one to risk everything?" Anne yells but doesn't protest against it.
"Because I'm the fricking saviour,” I say sarcastically, adding a little bit of sparkle, along with a broad grin.
Ty scoffs, scribbling everything down on the paper.
"Okay then, we'll leave it to you, Di, but do not do anything stupid or anything that would put us in any kind of other threat,” Ty warns.
"Yes, Sir,” I say, rolling my eyes.
The ancient power has gone back to sleep, satisfied, still there but just beyond my reach.
“Wait,” Jess says, “There is that small matter of finding him.”
“Right,” Anne drawls.
“Again, leave it to me. I know a person who’ll know for sure,” I say, ignoring their imploring looks, “I’ll tell you all as soon as I find out,” I add.
“Fine,” Jess grumbles. “And what about the book?”
"I've got this one," Hayden says, grinning, "Gabe, Di, and Jess will go find the book. Ty, Anne, and I will go watch the Xavia, watching the Shifters, while collecting information." Everyone nods slowly, taking it all in, "Then when Gabe's group finds the book and secures it, we'll join them to confront Lucien, letting Di do her thing, and voila!"
"Voila?" I say, raising one eyebrow, "That's actually a good plan, Hayden, but it's not going to be that easy. We all know it." The rest of them grumble their agreement, "We'll stick to that plan as best as we can. Once I get Luci
en's location, we'll get the layout of the place on paper; it may be a big or small building, maybe it's a forgotten part of town, wherever it is, we need to study it."
Anne sits up, adding it all to the paper, scribbling quickly onto the other side as the first is filled, before speaking, “We’ll go in pairs, patrol the area for three nights before we plan further. Rendezvous points should be set, as well as planned escape routes.”
"Alright, that all sounds good." I nod, looking down at the paper, "I can go and print this. Each of us will take one sheet and study it. We don't need to memories this perfectly since not everything is planned to perfection or in detail. Just read it over a few times to soak it in and understand. I'll get that info as soon as I can before we have another session like this,” I assure, already rising to walk to the printer.
They all nodded, eyes as hard and focused as I could ask for. Walking away, I hear them all mumble quietly, continuing to talk about outcomes. Setting the sheet down on the copier, I set it for five copies, drowning out the wiring of the machine as it prints them all double-sided one by one. An image of cold, calculating eyes and scarlet magic flashes through my head, Veronica Vain. If I ask her to help us, this would be the fourth favour. I would owe her four things, whatever it be. Heavy breathing tickles my neck. I don't turn around as I watch the third piece of paper slide out of the printer, ready to be collected.
I take a deep breath, “Yes?”
“Don’t be so desperate to do something so drastic that it becomes unamendable, Di,” Gabe warns.
Another copy slides out, I make to grab for it, but Gabe grabs my hand, spinning me to look at him. Seeing his cold, stern eyes, I sigh.
“I know what I’m going to do, and I know what it will require,” I seethe.
“Do you? Do you really know what you’re willing to get yourself into, just to get yourself out of something else?” Gabe asks, glaring back.