Starborn (The Order of Orion Book 1)

by Samantha Jane

  Serena shrugged. “Maybe.”

  She reached out to Serena’s emotional footprint and found only a blank space. Frustrated, Willow glanced toward Lucas, but his face was impassive, and like Serena’s, his aura was closed. Damn it. She was sick of them using her sister as a carrot to manipulate her compliance. Hated that it worked so easily on her. But it was Paige’s reaction that pushed Willow to comply with Serena’s classroom game—wave after wave of fear floated from Paige. Reluctantly, Willow sat in the empty chair and offered up her wrists to Serena.

  “Before was child’s play,” said Serena, fastening Willow’s wrists behind the chair. “Starborn school yard games. Now we’re going to play hard ball.” Serena moved to stand beside a smirking Granger. Lucas leaned against the back wall, his arms crossed and his face grim.

  Gabriel looked worriedly at Paige, who was sitting wide-eyed and pale. “What are you going to do to them?”

  “I’m giving you all a lesson in problem-solving.” Serena regarded the neophyte Starborn with a stern expression. “Don’t interfere. If you do, I’ll be forced to punish Willow and Paige. You’ll bring greater harm upon them.”

  Paige’s fear intensified and swirled around them. Willow pulled at her wrists in frustration. She took a deep breath. No way in hell was she losing it in front of Paige. She gave her a playful wink, but her good intentions lasted all of two minutes upon seeing what Serena had planned.

  14

  Willow

  The fire was only tiny. Orange flames flickered as small wisps of smoke rose into the air a few feet away. It started independent of any obvious cause; the carpet spontaneously catching alight.

  Paige’s face turned ashen. She looked at Willow, shaking her head in denial. “Willow, help, it’s not me. I’m not doing it.”

  As the fire spread to a small round table near them, the flames grew higher. Willow tugged at her wrists again, but couldn’t free herself. The fire intensified and the flames leapt higher as it crawled across the floor.

  Paige began to cry, a pitiful whimpering that churned Willow’s stomach. Smoke, now thick and gray, rose in the air, filling the room with an acrid smell. Paige screamed and chaos erupted.

  Both Gabriel and Tyler yelled at Serena and then at the other mentors, who said and did nothing.

  Isobel stood and shouted, “Stop this, you fucking assholes!”

  “No,” said Serena. “The solution is there with Paige and Willow.”

  Willow tried to concentrate. Tried to think of what to do, but her mind refused to cooperate. Paige was hysterical and her emotions overwhelmed Willow.

  “Come on, Willow,” called Serena from the back of the room. “Do something! Show us what you’re made of.”

  Willow pushed back at Paige’s aura and tried to help her. Breathing slowly in and out, she imagined herself curled up in her bed hugging her duvet. She blocked out the shouts, Paige’s cries, and the taste of smoke in her mouth. Focused instead on the feelings of comfort and safety, and projected them onto Paige.

  Paige responded to the false calm Willow provided for only a few moments before her fear escalated again. The fire took hold on the side of the room closest to them. Bookshelves caught fire, and each individual book flashed brightly as it was consumed by flames. Willow’s own fear took hold as the heat from the fire almost seared her skin. What she thought would be an exercise in humility seemed more sinister. In desperation, Willow tried to project her fear onto Serena, but an impenetrable wall met her emotional missile.

  “Paige! Stop being the victim,” urged Serena. “You can stop this fire.”

  Paige could only whimper in response. Paige’s fear was so great that Willow sensed her retreating into her own private world.

  Anger erupted in Willow and she let out a primal scream full of frustration and fear. She briefly closed her eyes and when she next opened them, it was to a different scene. Gone was the fire, the smoke, the burnt table and bookshelves—the room was as it was earlier.

  Although Willow expected Serena to look spiteful, her face showed only serious determination. “Okay neophytes, what could Willow and Paige have done differently in that scenario?” Her voice was calm as though nothing had happened.

  As if Paige hadn’t been traumatized beyond imagination.

  The rest of the neophytes were pale, but Tyler was the first to recover. “Free themselves?”

  “Yes, Tyler, that would have been a good start,” said Serena, her voice heavy with sarcasm. “But Willow and Paige’s abilities don’t fall under the house of Marsa, which represents telekinesis.”

  “Lani! Please demonstrate the house of Marsa.”

  One of the female observers moved forward and the rope on Willow’s wrists fell away.

  Willow rubbed her wrists and slowly stood. “You people are sick,” she said, staring at Serena. “Did you enjoy your fun?”

  Serena narrowed her eyes. “It’s not fun if someone you love dies and you could have saved them. It’s not fun if you’re tortured and made to do things against your will when you could have freed yourself.” Her face flushed with emotion. “In the real world, there are those who hunt us, who want to use and abuse us. We must be able to use our abilities defensively in sometimes terrifying situations. Over the next year, you’ll undergo mind and body training each day until you live and breathe your ability.”

  “There must be some other way,” challenged Willow, unwilling to let it go.

  “Other ways have been tried, with terrible consequences. As much as you may not want to, you will need to trust us.” Serena walked around the room looking at the neophytes. “The Order of Orion does not believe in using our abilities for personal gain. We accept our gift comes at a great cost. To survive we must hide, but it doesn’t mean we don’t develop our skills. You must hone them so you can control your ability and destiny, not the other way around.”

  Serena returned to stand beside Willow and Paige. “You both have the power within you to have stopped the fire. Willow, you chose to focus your energy on Paige, which was admirable, but you had other options.” Serena spoke to the rest of the group. “Can anyone suggest what Willow could have done?”

  “She could have made you frightened so you would stop the exercise,” said Gabriel.

  Frustration pulled at Willow. “I tried…”

  Serena nodded. “It wouldn’t have worked. Willow and I are both of the Mercuria house. It is incredibly difficult to use our powers on each other if we’ve ascended to our full ability. I can easily block Willow’s ability.”

  Willow digested this information and it had a galling taste. To be defenseless against the likes of Serena gave her chills. But this explained the wall around Lucas. The only time she’d been able to detect his emotional tenor was when he’d offered her his hand in the motel. He must have lowered his defenses intentionally.

  “Ascension is what you must achieve to protect yourselves and others,” continued Serena. “It is where you become one with your ability. But let us learn from today. What stopped you all from helping them?”

  Isobel cried out, “You told us you would punish them if we interfered.”

  “Yes, but Willow could have made you help her, made you feel a sense of injustice. She could have attacked Granger, made him angry or frightened. Any of those emotions may have led to a different outcome.”

  A small voice interrupted Serena’s sermon. “What about me? What could I have done?”

  “Ah, Paige, our frightened little bird. Willow’s efforts would be imprecise, but you on the other hand have the absolute power within you. Your abilities belong to the same house as Granger, the house of Jupita, the ability to manipulate the environment around you. As someone with pyrokinesis, you can start fires but you can also put them out.”

  Willow defended Paige. “But it wasn’t a real fire. It was you.”

  “Once I had sensed Paige’s ability activate I would have terminated the exercise,” said Serena. “As neophytes, you’re sitting ducks to th
ose who wish you harm. Work hard and we can make you less vulnerable. Commit to this journey we’re offering and you’ll be rewarded with power and confidence. And most of all safety.”

  She walked around the room and appealed to each of them in earnest. “Today was a taste of what is to come over the next two weeks. We’re here to help you become confident in your abilities and to not be a victim of them. Think of your time in an insane asylum, think of times when you were rejected by others as freaks. Think of how your life could have been different had you been helped to nurture your ability.”

  Serena said nothing more and the room fell silent. Willow thought back to a time when her ability had failed her, failed her in circumstances most dire. She’d been nineteen and an eager university undergraduate, thrilled by the adventure of study, delighted by the irrelevance of people’s backgrounds if one chose to avoid the campus cliques. Her height and dramatic coloring had made high school hell and she’d been content to soak up the anonymity of a large campus. She was slow to make friends, quiet in the lectures, cautious in the smaller tutorials. And then she was paired with Mia for a team project. Mia. Petite and pretty Mia. Bubbly and fun, and so very open. She had taken Willow under her wing, wanting to show Willow the fun side of university life. Her enthusiasm had been infectious and Willow had allowed herself to be taken to campus parties, movie nights and pub crawls.

  It was exciting for all of two weeks, before it happened.

  A shudder passed through Willow's body as she thought back to the campus toga party.

  Mia had pleaded and begged for Willow to attend the party of the year—threatened she wouldn’t go if Willow refused to go. Mia’s emotional footprint was always so clear and Willow reluctantly gave in, not wanting to disappoint her new found friend. The night of the party, Mia wore a pink mini skirt with a white cashmere sweater, soft and gentle like her. Her long blond hair hung straight down her back. Drunken teens, male and female, swarmed around them as soon as they arrived at the party. Everyone eager to speak with Mia, eager to be touched by the beautiful aura she so freely shared with everyone.

  The party soon burst the confines of the designated area on campus, spilling out onto the perfectly manicured lawn. In the crush, Willow was separated from Mia and forced to make small talk with increasingly drunk classmates. At nineteen, she was still learning about her ability. Touch revealed emotions to her more consistently and only occasionally did she sense the emotional footprint of others from a distance.

  As the hour grew late, Willow felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise as a tidal wave of fear crashed over her.

  Fear from Mia.

  Her emotional aura was unmistakable. Willow instantly started running through the rooms and corridors of the old building, searching the campus grounds. When Mia’s fear turned to pain and horror, Willow cried out in terror. Yelling and then screaming for her soft. gentle friend, drunken students stared at Willow in her desperate state.

  And then Willow found her.

  Three boys, for that was really what they were, not men, just boys. Fresh faced, but old enough for a vileness Willow would never forget. Two held Mia down, while the third lay upon her, his pants down around his ankles, his buttocks pumping up and down. Willow reacted with a wildness that surprised them. She ripped the monster off Mia, and then hit and kicked him as she was consumed by adrenalin and rage.

  But soon it was Willow who was overpowered. The three of them pinned her down and she was helpless within moments. Mia took off like a frightened rabbit. Willow tried to project emotions onto the boys—fear and then repulsion, hoping to stop them. But they seemed immune. She hadn’t felt so powerless since she had been separated from her sister, Eve, at twelve years of age. She was saved from their retribution by the return of Mia with an army of drunken reinforcements. A fight ensued and then police arrived to break up the violence and the toga party.

  For months, Willow felt guilty she hadn’t found Mia earlier. And angry too, that her gift was erratic and useless when she really needed it. Willow became gripped with what if scenarios and closed herself off from others. Her burgeoning friendship with Mia slowly petered out, both keen to not be reminded of what had happened. Willow continued with her studies on autopilot until finding a pamphlet advertising self-defense classes on campus. She joined immediately and after six months of intense training had clawed back her self-esteem and confidence.

  “Willow,” Serena’s sharp voice slowly penetrated Willow’s memory-fogged mind. “Willow. Am I boring you?”

  “No.”

  “Shall I continue?”

  “Yes.”

  Serena folded her arms. “As I was saying, this is not summer camp. Over the next two weeks, you’ll feel pain, emotionally and physically, this is what will make your abilities stronger. We’ll discuss the other houses and you’ll begin your training in preparation for your initiation rite. Each of you will be assigned a mentor to assist you through this time honored process.”

  Serena began to pair them up with the observing mentors. “For the house of Marsa, Gabriel you have Lani and Tyler you’re with Holly. Isobel your house is Pluta, for sickness and healing so you have Juliette. Paige you belong to Jupita and have Granger. And Willow…last but not least…you have Lucas.”

  Willow didn’t know whether to rejoice or run when her gaze connected with Lucas. The next words that came out of Serena’s mouth told her to run.

  “For the next fourteen days you’ll live and breathe the Sanctuary with your mentor. Everywhere your mentor goes, you’ll follow. Everything your mentor tells you, you’ll listen. Everything your mentor teaches you, you’ll learn. All of you will return to your quarters, except Willow.” Serena paused, before continuing with a derisive tone. “Willow, your stunt with Kiara has earned you special attention. For the next fourteen days, you’ll share Lucas’ quarters. Step out of line and he’ll know.”

  Willow’s mind whirled at Serena’s announcement. Sharing quarters with someone she found intoxicatingly attractive spelled trouble. She was here to find her sister, not for some ridiculous infatuation. They were dismissed and they separated into their pairings. Lucas strode to Willow, every inch the handsome, brooding hero. His emerald green eyes scanned her face; looking for what, she wasn’t sure. As she stood, she smiled tentatively and waited for him to say something.

  “Follow me.”

  With her heart pounding and her mind racing, she followed his tall, muscular frame, trying not to look at his perfectly shaped backside, and failing dismally.

  15

  Lucas

  Lucas strode along the corridors at a fast pace. Willow matched him stride for stride.

  “So I’m under Starborn house arrest or something,” she challenged.

  When he didn't reply, she persisted. “You’ll be my own personal guard? Watching me twenty-four seven? Making sure I don’t step out of line?’

  “Something like that,” he murmured. God help him, he was going to go crazy. Even her words were conjuring up the wrong kind of images. Lurid images that he had no business thinking. He took a ragged breath and tried to look relaxed as other Starborn greeted him as they walked through the Sanctuary.

  “And what about Serena? Does she pull that sort of crap on new Starborn at each induction?”

  Willow sounded like she wanted to pick a fight with him and he couldn’t blame her—the induction process wasn’t designed to be fun.

  When he didn’t answer, she poked his shoulder. “How can traumatizing Paige make us want to stay here? The rules and regulations of Queensgate are nothing compared to that sham this morning. My patients have horrific backgrounds, how can you people in good conscience condone traumatizing people?”

  He kept his eyes forward. “It’s only going to get harder.”

  “Harder?” Her voice rose to almost a squeak.

  “Weak powers are a liability.”

  “A liability? What are you saying?” She quickened her pace and stepped in front of him; blocking
his path. “Wait, after everything that’s happened, you owe me. I want to know.” Her eyes pleaded with him for answers. “Please? Not for myself, but my patients. I helped bring them here.”

  “The next two weeks will involve intensive education, physical and emotional training. It’s all in preparation for the initiation rite, a centuries old tradition of The Order. It is an intentionally traumatic ritual to force Starborn to ascend to their full potential.”

  Willow’s jaw dropped. “You’re going to torture us to help us become stronger? Are you fucking kidding? That’s sanctioned abuse…” Her voice trailed off in disbelief and she turned away in disgust.

  It had been a long time since Lucas had felt so defensive, but with Willow he found himself wanting her to understand. Not because he was supposed to get her into line, but because he wanted her to appreciate The Order’s ways. As if compelled, he reached out, grasped her shoulders and gazed deep into her blue eyes. “Think of the guilt and remorse that must consume Paige day after day for the death of her parents. At the moment her ability is unpredictable and dangerous. Something for her to fear.” Her skin was warm to touch and their eyes locked with an intensity that unbalanced him. Desire curled within his belly. “Think of how things could be different for her, if she could control her ability.”

  At her continued look of doubt, Lucas turned off his defensive shield and allowed her access to his emotional footprint. So much for having control of the situation, he thought wryly. He rarely lowered his shield and now this was the second time he’d done it for her in a matter of days. He wanted her to understand The Order, and maybe him better.

  Slowly, he slid his hands down her shoulders until he captured her hands in his. “What about you? Wouldn’t you like to be able to shut off the emotions of others?”