Hillcrest Academy

by Cassie Pierce

  Note to self. Do not piss off Ryker. He is one scary angel. His ability to alter reality is scary. He could torture you and then make you think you had a nice picnic. Yeah....not planning on getting on his bad side any time soon.

  “We have about five more minutes before it wears off,” he says with a shrug.

  “Ok,” Braxton says, cutting into the conversation. “We need to leave then. If C.J. isn’t back in two minutes, we will come back for her.” His tone leaves no room for argument, and even I can admit I am surprised. Braxton Lux does not even like me. So...why all the concern?

  “C.J.?” I ask, my voice cracking on the word. I am still in total denial that my almost new bestie is the reason that I got my ass beat. I trusted her. I had always considered myself a pretty good judge of character, but I am thinking that I totally missed the call on C.J.

  She fooled me with her thick southern accent, and puppy dog eyes. Her quirky charm pulling me in, all so that she could throw me under the bus. Nope...Judas is not my friend. I once thought her to be the realest person that I had ever met. It was my favorite thing about her, but I see now. That was all a lie.

  C.J. was never real. She was just a damn good liar.

  “Yes,” Jaxon whispers. “She is the one who showed us where you were. Between that asshole’s hint about the mountains and C.J.’s help, we were able to get to you in less than an hour from the time our connection re-established.” Jaxon rushes to explain how we got to this point. I nod my head, too numb to say anything right now.

  So C.J. saved me? Does that even matter? I would never have needed saving if she wouldn’t have helped Bianca kidnap me! Like I somehow conjured her, C.J. appears out of thin air. It isn’t her sudden appearance that causes my entire body to lock down though.

  Nope. It is the man that stands at her side. His eyes lock on mine before shame causes them to shift away, and a sob escapes me without my consent. I whimper as I try to crawl into Jaxon. I feel a gentle push as he accesses my thoughts...my memories, and I can feel his body shake with rage as he figures out what caused my sudden distress.

  “You....” Jaxon growls, and his tone sounds murderous. It is low, and cold, and so unlike anything I have ever heard from him before. He takes a step forward, but Braxton places a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

  I know that he doesn’t know who Talon is. What he did. How terrified I am of him. Braxton and Ryker have no idea, because if they did, I would like to think that they would not say what they say next.

  “Are you both ready? We need to leave. Now!” It is Ryker who invites my tormentor to come back with us. Jaxon opens his mouth, and for the first time since finding out about our bond I can hear his thoughts as plain as my own.

  They are not pretty.

  “That asshole! How dare he look at her after he laid his hands on her! I am going to rip his balls off and feed them to him for breakfast!”

  Despite everything, that last line causes me to giggle. I can almost envision it, and I know it makes me slightly sadistic, but that would give me so much joy. I want that more than anything, but violence never erases violence. It just makes it worse. Besides, the mature part of me knows that in his own way..... Talon helped me.

  He could have killed me, but he kept the blows as light as he could without angering the crazy Fallen king. I take a moment to study him, and I can see it as clear as day. It is in the way that he looks at her, like she is the air that he needs to breathe. Talon loves C.J., and in my heart I understand that he only harmed me to protect her.

  Does that make it ok? Hell no! What it does make it though is understandable.

  Maybe that is why I squeeze Jaxon’s arm, using our newly formed link to ask him to stop. Then, because I haven’t had enough crazy in my life, I try something new. I close my eyes, reaching for our link, and willing my thoughts to transfer to the boy that I am pretty sure that I love.

  “Jax.....don’t,” I say silently, my eyes cutting to Talon.

  “Princess.....don’t ask that of me. Don’t ask me to let this go! He hurt you! He beat the shit out of you! There is no way that I am letting that go!” Jaxon voice yells into my mind. I know I am being unfair, but all I want right now...all I need...is to go home.

  “I’m not asking you to let it go forever. I am just asking for you to take me home. Please..... This place......It broke me......” I shudder as tears start to fall. I know that the others are watching Jaxon and I like we have lost our minds. In the middle of the chaos we are standing with our foreheads pressed together, lost in a silent conversation, but I don’t give a damn. The world could be on fire, but in this moment, nothing exists beyond my connection to my Moirai.

  It isn’t that I am some great person who wants to take the high road. I would totally buy front row seats to watch Jaxon kick Talon’s ass. It is more the fact that I want to get out of here before we all get captured. Jaxon let’s out a curse as he reads me, sensing my urgency and fear to escape above all else.

  He turns angry eyes on Talon, who holds his gaze despite the fact that he looks a little pale. C.J. chews her nails nervously as she looks between the boys. Talon better be damn glad that Jaxon has me in his arms. It is probably the only thing keeping him alive right now.

  “The vampire is not coming with us,” Jaxon growls. My eyes trace the room, and it takes me a few seconds to realize that Jaxon is referring to Talon. Huh? I had no clue that Talon was team vamp, but then again, I did not really have time to sniff him out. You know, between punches and all.

  “He goes, or I take down Ryker’s illusion and we are all up shit creek,” C.J. says, stepping up to Talon and staring Jax down with a fierceness I had no clue she had inside of her.

  I know that Jaxon is about to argue with her. Hell, the brothers would as well if they had a clue just what Talon did, but I shut that down quickly. I was not lying when I said that I wanted to get out of here.

  If that means that the psycho-vamp has to come with us, then so be it. A thought that I send to Jaxon before he gets us all killed.

  “Fine....” he grumbles angrily. “But know this. I am going to kill you.”

  To Talon’s credit, he doesn’t argue or try to defend his actions. He just nods. A simple tilt of his head to let Jaxon know that he hears him. Ry curses behind us, and we all turn in his direction. His soft yellow light is starting to dim, and I know without asking that we are running out of time.

  “NOW!” he shouts, and he does not have to say it twice. I can feel heat surround me as Jaxon pulls me into him and we disappear into the shimmer.

  I keep my eyes closed as we travel faster than the speed of light, still totally perplexed about how this mode of transport really works. I mean, I know that he already explained it to me, but it seems to go beyond the laws of physics.

  But technically so do angels.... so there is that.

  My feet connect with solid ground, and Jax places a gentle kiss to my forehead as he steps back to get a good look at me. I close my eyes as his hands softly trace the cuts and bruises that mar my face. I shiver when he runs the pad of his thumb over my swollen and split lip. I release a soft inhale when he leans in, placing the softest of kisses there. I try to watch him as he moves, but my left eye is swollen shut.

  A tear breaks free, stinging my tender cheek as it falls. Jax places a hand over his heart, rubbing at his chest like he can feel my pain. The soft whooshing of air alerts us that the others have arrived, and Jaxon moves before I even realize that he is gone.

  His fist lashes out, smashing into Talon’s face with so much force that it dents the side of his cheek. Blood splatters, hitting a stunned C.J., who is yelling at the boys to stop. There will be no stopping though. Not for Jaxon, who pulls back and hits the vampire again and again. Talon makes no effort to move or defend himself as Jax takes out his fury on the vamp’s face. Slightly concerned that he might kill him, I turn to the boys.

  “Are you not going to stop him?” I demand. Braxton looks from my face to the fight and b
ack again. Ryker just smiles, like all he needs is some popcorn and he will be set.

  “Our brother is many things, but Jaxon is not hot-headed. If he feels the need to harm the vampire, then he has reason. I am guessing that reason is you,” Braxton says, stepping up to me and touching my swollen cheek. I go to jerk away from him, but he rolls his eyes and pulls me forward. I gasp as he opens his hand, laying it softly against my throbbing cheek.

  A strange heat flares to life where he touches me, and I almost moan at how good it feels. It isn’t a sexual thing, but Braxton’s touch feels phenomenal. The heat gives way to an icy coolness that takes with it every ounce of pain from my face. A soft pink light flows from his palms, and I am too stunned to move as he repeats the process on the other side of my face.

  When he gets to my lip, his eyes find mine, and I know that he is asking permission. That the big bad angel, who hates me on principle is asking permission to touch me. I nod, because words have escaped me.

  I forget how to breathe as his hand comes up, his soft light soaking into my split lip and healing the cut. I gasp, as the realization of what he is doing sets in.

  Braxton Lux is healing me. His power is healing, which is so at odds with his personality that it makes me giggle. I can still hear fighting in the background, but I am too transfixed by this new development to care.

  Besides....if Jaxon beats the hell out of Talon, we can just get Braxton to fix him.

  “What?” he grumbles, taking a step away from me. I watch in amazement as the pretty pink glittery light goes with him. Then I start to laugh harder. There are a million things that I could say in this moment, thank you being the big one, but that isn’t what comes out.

  “Your light. It’s.... pink,” I smile, unable to resist the chance to tease him. I say it playfully, but the sudden change in his demeanor tells me that I picked the wrong thing to say.

  Ryker joins my laughter, throwing an arm over his brother’s shoulder. Braxton shrugs him off, looking at me like I just hit him. “Awe Maci. Don’t tease Brax about his girly powers. He has always been sensitive about them.”

  “Shut up. My powers are not girly,” he defends, which causes Ryker to laugh harder. C.J. runs up to us then, swatting Braxton on the arm angrily.

  “No one gives a chicken’s ass about your girly powers Braxton Lux! Will you do something....” she says, cutting her eyes to the fight that is still in full swing behind us. Talon now has his arms up, blocking his face, but still makes no move to hit a very pissed off Jaxon.

  “Hit me! Come on, hit me! Or do you only hit fucking girls?” Jaxon roars, throwing a solid punch to the vamp’s face as he says it. This time Talon yells, pushing Jax off of him and rising to his feet in one swift movement.

  “Wait? He hit you?” Ryker says, his voice taking on a dark tone that makes Jaxon’s look like sunshine. I am starting to notice that about him. Ryker Lux is the black soul of the family.

  Before I can answer, Talon does it for me. “STOP!” he roars, chest heaving as he spits a mouthful of blood onto the floor. I watch as a nasty gash above his eye knits itself back together. His lilac eyes search me out, but Jaxon steps in front of me, blocking me from his view.

  “You don’t get to look at her,” he snaps, balling his hands into fists. The other boys step up beside him, making a wall in front of me. I watch as C.J. looks from Talon to me, before hanging her head and stepping to his side.

  Something funny happens in my chest then. A painful crack expanding into a full-blown fissure as I watch my friend take his side. I shouldn’t be surprised. He is the reason why she betrayed me to begin with.

  Talon takes a deep breath, holding his hands up in front of him in the universal I mean no harm gesture. “Look. I get it ok. I would want to kill me too, but you need to listen. I don’t have a lot of time. When he realizes I am gone I will be forced to return to him. It is what you don’t understand. Yes. I hurt Maci, but I didn’t want to.” Talon’s voice is a plea that begs us to listen, and while the boys look like they are two seconds from hitting him again, I hear him. I was there. I saw the struggle in his eyes that they did not see.

  “Explain it to us then, because everything in me wants to let Jaxon kill you. So, what power could Xavier have over you that is beyond your choice? Don’t say love either, because I love Jaxon, but I would never ask him to hurt someone for me. That isn’t love.” I am shaking now, so angry. Not just at him, but at life. Life for continuing to take things from me when I have nothing left to give.

  “You love me?” Jaxon whispers, and I resist the urge to hide. I did not mean to admit that part out loud. I certainly did not mean to admit it to everyone. I should own my words. Turn around and tell him exactly how he put me back together after the world broke me, but I don’t. I don’t do anything. Jaxon already knows how I feel about him, but the awe in his voice almost makes me want to say it again. Just to see him smile, knowing that I caused it. Instead, I ignore his comment, choosing to keep my attention solely on the vampire.

  “I asked a favor of the king once, to save someone that I loved. In return I had to promise my loyalty. I was young then, new to my kind. I did not know about angel’s magic. I did not know about fealty. That by pledging my loyalty, I was also forfeiting my free will. All I knew at the time was that I had to save my sister. I thought I was doing the right thing....”

  “What did he ask of you?” Ryker says softly, and I hold my breath. Whatever it was could not have been good.

  “He made me sign a blood oath. Meaning, that as long as I live, I will serve him. His every wish, mine to carry out. Which sucks, since we are both immortal. He left out the part about his power. If I would have known what his power was, I would have never agreed.” Talon’s eyes beg me to understand, and all around the room the brother’s let out a string of profanities.

  Me?

  I am just lost.

  “What power?” I whisper, confused about everyone’s shift to the oh-poor-Talon-attitude. Well...everyone but Jaxon. He still looks like he wants to kill him.

  “Do you know nothing of angelic history half-breed,” Braxton grumbles, back to his totally asshole self. Yep. Guess he did not like me calling his power pink. I smile to myself, secretly vowing to use the word pink around him whenever I can. Which is the inspiration behind his new nickname.

  “Oh. I am so sorry Pinky. I was busy this week. You know, getting kidnapped and all. I must have missed that class.”

  The others erupt into a fit of giggles and I might be mistaken, but I swear even Braxton’s lips lift into a grin for a few seconds before he tucks it away.

  “You two fight like brother and sister,” C.J. says with a grin. She still doesn’t look at me, but she does speak. Which is something. “My fath.....” she starts, but changes her wording at the last second. “King Xavier’s power is mind manipulation. He can control the actions of others. He is a master at it,” she says sadly.

  “Wait,” I say, pushing through the boys to get a better look at Talon and C.J. I hear Jaxon growl behind me, and I smile when I feel him step closer to me. “Are you saying that when you hurt me, it was really Xavier? That he was physically making you?” I demand, getting it a little more now.

  Talon’s lilac eyes are sad as they lock onto mine, and the pain that I see there nearly breaks my anger completely. Never has someone worn so much regret in one look. “Yes,” he whispers.

  That one word. That one simple conformation puts everything into perspective for me. I can’t hate Talon. How could I? He already hates himself enough, and his actions aren’t really his.

  Without thinking too much about it, I step forward. I don’t know who I surprise more, myself or him. I wrap my arms around the man who caused me pain just mere hours ago. It just feels right.

  The hug is awkward, because I am not a hugger, but I try. I try to show him through that one simple action that forgiveness is possible. His arms come around me, and I stay still as he begins to cry. I am talking huge, heaving sobs
that wet my already ruined shirt.

  I don’t know when the other’s leave, but one by one they all step away. Except for Jaxon, who will probably never leave my side again. He remains a silent statue, watching over the moment.

  Talon pulls away, his eyes slightly softer and less haunted than before. He nods once before taking a deep breath. C.J. walks back in, and straight into his open arms. Her eyes too shine with tears, and this time she does look at me.

  “Thank you,” she whispers. I just nod, because I am still hurt. I discovered a long time ago to never let your hurt be your voice. It will mess things up every time.

  Talon falls to the floor, his hands gripping his head. C.J. goes with him, and they whisper things that I can’t hear. He shakes his head before rising to his feet, and with the speed only a vampire can possess, darts from the room.

  “What happened? Where did he go?” I ask.

  C.J. looks at the door, like if she just wants it enough, she can bring him back. Her pain is visible as she starts to cry.

  “Back to father...always back to father.”

  ∞

  ~ Chapter 16 ~

  I stare at the open doorway that Talon disappeared through for an absurdly long amount of time, attempting to put my scattered thoughts in some kind of order. I have been at Hillcrest for less than a week, and already my life has taken a detour into crazyville.

  Then, let’s not forget the little issue of school. Luckily, I came here mid-week, so I didn’t miss too much by being kidnapped. Which means, that on top of all the other suckage in my life, I have class tomorrow.

  Great! Just great!

  I turn to Jaxon, mostly because I am not ready to face C.J. yet. I know I should. That if I were being fair, I would walk back to our dorm with her, and listen to her side of the story. That is what a friend would do, but I am not sure that we are really friends.