Reckless Times: A Paranormal Romance (Paragon Society Book 1)

by Michelle Hercules

  For fuck’s sake. Answer it already, Andy!

  I press the button. “Hello?”

  “Andy, I’m so disappoint—”

  I cut the speaker off by ending the call. It wasn’t the Silverstone brothers but my very own devil.

  The phone rings again and again. I try putting it on Silent, but it doesn’t work. Shit. Did he hack my phone? Dread licks the base of my spine, giving me horrible chills. I turn the phone off and shove it in my desk drawer just in case he’s spying on me through it.

  This is foolish of me. I won’t be able to avoid the asshole for much longer. It’s clear he has an arsenal of tricks at his disposal, and he’s extremely motivated. What if he makes good on his promise and decides to hurt Mario and his daughter? If something happens to them, that will be my fault.

  Dejected, I sit on the edge of my bed and hide my face in my hands. What am I going to do? I can’t trust anyone with this secret. Even if I could kill Nathaniel, it wouldn’t solve my problem. Someone else would come after me.

  I let my chains hang loose from my wrists, taking solace in their warmth. They circle around me, radiating pure energy.

  Suddenly, the image of Stephan appears in my mind, as clear as daylight. I can see every single detail of his face. That’s what he looks like, what I’d see if I weren’t blind.

  How am I doing this?

  The image changes a bit, becomes more detailed. Stephan is getting dressed. There’s a bandage around his shoulder. He winces as he covers it with a sweater. Oh my God. Is this happening for real? After he’s dressed, he heads for the living room, pausing for a second as he stares at his couch. Is he thinking about me? He then grabs his keys from the console by the front door and walks out.

  The image goes dark, and my chains drop to the floor, no longer bright and warm. My mind is reeling. I never knew I could use my chains to locate someone from across town. Nor did I know I’d get my sight back like that.

  This is huge and also terrifying. If Nathaniel finds out the extension of my gift, I can forget ever getting my freedom back.

  An hour later, Fatima knocks on my door. I’ve managed to shower and get dressed already by I don’t know what miracle. All I want to do is stay curled up in bed.

  “Come in,” I call out.

  “Hey, honey. How are you feeling?”

  The question isn’t a surprise. She thinks I skipped school yesterday thanks to a bug. Idols can get sick from time to time, even though it’s rare.

  “I’m fine.” I sit up, pushing the covers aside.

  “Good. Do you feel up to meeting someone right now?”

  Panic takes a hold of me. “Who?”

  “Stephan Silverstone is waiting for you downstairs. He was worried that you missed school and came to check on you. Isn’t that nice?”

  I bolt from my bed. “Stephan is here?”

  “Yes.” I can hear the smile in her reply.

  Fuck. He probably wants to know what the hell I was doing in that warehouse last night.

  I run a nervous hand over my hair. A small part of me wants to stay hidden in my room, but avoiding him will be impossible. Might as well face the music now, rip the bandage off, so to speak.

  “Okay, fine. I’ll be down in a minute.”

  “I’ll let him know.”

  “Wait! How do I look?”

  I can’t believe I actually asked that. I’m worried about my appearance because of a guy.

  “Like a cat chewed you and spat you out.”

  “Really? That bad?”

  “Don’t fret, child. Your clothes are fine, but you do look pale, and your hair needs combing.”

  “Can you help me?”

  “Oh my stars. You have no idea how long I’ve waited for you to ask me that. Of course I’ll help you.” Fatima parks my butt on a chair and quickly applies makeup to my face.

  “Please don’t make me look like a clown.”

  “Who do you think you’re talking to? I’m a professional. We don’t want him to think you went through a lot of trouble for him. I’m just covering the dark circles under your eyes and giving color back to your cheeks. You do need to get out in the sun more often.”

  When she starts to comb my hair, I warn, “I want to keep it loose.”

  “No can do. You didn’t brush your hair after the shower, and now it looks like a bird’s nest. Don’t worry, a messy bun will look cute and effortless.”

  Scowling, I cross my arms. There’s not much I can do besides trusting Fatima.

  A minute later, she’s done.

  “Now, wait here another minute while I tell Stephan you’ll be down soon.”

  “Where is he now?”

  “In the receiving room.”

  “Are my parents home?”

  “Yes.”

  Crap. I don’t want them to know Stephan is here. Also, I don’t want anyone eavesdropping on our conversation.

  “Can you take him to the entertainment room?”

  “Of course. Should I send drinks and snacks over?”

  “No. We’ll be fine.”

  I bet a million bucks Fatima is giving me a disapproving glance. She doesn’t understand that proper manners are the last thing on my mind right now.

  I wait until I hear her footsteps fade away before walking out of my room. Using the secondary stairs, I head for the entertainment room because waiting here will only give me more anxiety.

  No one uses the room I chose. It’s a home theater, not the type of entertainment my parents care for. I make a beeline for the snack corner where all the candy is. There’s a popcorn machine too, and a tall fridge filled with beverages. I grab a handful of jellybeans and shove them all in my mouth. I’m not hungry, and I don’t particularly have a sweet tooth, so why I’m stuffing my face with junk is a mystery.

  The door opens, and I’m immediately blasted by Stephan’s aura. My heart soars despite everything. This isn’t a romantic encounter, yet I’m giddy.

  I swallow the big lump of candy before I turn in his direction.

  “Good morning, Andy.” His voice is rough, as if he’d been screaming all night.

  “Hi,” I whisper feebly.

  We don’t speak for several beats, which only makes me edgier.

  “Are you okay?” he asks finally.

  Damn it. I should be asking him that question. He was the one who got stabbed last night, after all.

  “I’m fine. And you?”

  “All patched up.”

  “That’s good to hear.”

  “You know why I’m here, right?”

  Straight to the point, huh? So that’s how this is going to be.

  I blurt out the first thought that comes to my mind. “Judging by your dark mood, you’re not here to make out again.”

  Yeah, I said that. Maybe I should eat more candy so I can’t say ridiculous things.

  He sighs. “Why were you in that warehouse last night?”

  “Why were you there?”

  He moves closer, exuding raw power. I’ve never felt him this rattled. “This is serious, Andy. Answer me.”

  “I was on my way home when Leroy spotted the fire.”

  “Leroy?” His voice rises to a pitch. “What the hell were you doing with him? Were you on a date?”

  He sounds mad now, or maybe jealous. No. I can’t let dangerous ideas give me hope that Stephan cares for me.

  “What if I was?”

  There’s another poignant pause, and in those seconds, I don’t dare to breathe.

  “I should say it didn’t matter if you were on a date. But that would be a lie.”

  He said exactly what I wanted to hear, and yet panic is taking control of my body. “Don’t say that.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Not sorrier than I am.

  “I wasn’t on a date with Leroy. Ezekiel was also with us. We went to the movies. When they saw the fire, we drove by to investigate. I was worried by the absence of the fire department, so I scanned the building and saw there w
ere still people inside. I had to help.”

  “You went into a burning building to help mere strangers?”

  “Yeah.”

  There’s another pause, which allows me to hear how fast his heart is beating.

  “You’re amazing,” he breathes out.

  My face blushes at the praise, even though I don’t deserve it.

  “You were doing the same thing,” I reply, hoping he buys my lie.

  He comes toward me and I realize I have nowhere to go. I’m backed into a corner. If he tries to kiss me again, I might end up spilling all my secrets.

  “Not exactly the same. I’m going to ask you a question, and I want you to answer truthfully.”

  My heart is jamming against my rib cage, and my stomach feels like there’s a ten-pound stone crushing it.

  “Okay,”

  “Do you know what Soren and I are?”

  “What do you mean?” I play stupid.

  “Did you hear our conversation yesterday morning?”

  I hug myself, suddenly needing the extra barrier even though my chains are there, ready to protect me. But they don’t perceive Stephan as my enemy, so they’re quiet.

  “Yes,” I finally confess.

  “You know, then.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “That’s it? You’re not going to say anything else?”

  “What do you want me to say? I can’t voice the name for fear someone might hear it and take you away from me.”

  “Andy.” Stephan cups my cheek. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

  His touch is tender and incendiary at the same time. It destroys my resolution to keep my distance from him. I reach for his sweater and pull him to me. The moment our lips meet, I know there’s no going back from this feeling. All this time, I thought freedom was everything I needed, but I was so wrong. I still want it, but what I really need is this connection, the sense of belonging.

  Stephan seems just as eager to surrender to the raw emotion joining us together. With each stroke of his tongue, with each touch of his hand, he unravels me.

  I run my fingers through his soft hair, pulling at the strands while his arms circle my waist, bringing me closer to him. When he leans back, I want to follow, not ready to let go of him just yet.

  “Andy, I swear I didn’t come here for this,” he murmurs.

  “I like this turn of events.”

  He rubs his thumb over my lips. “I can’t stay away from you anymore.”

  I sigh, resting my cheek against his chest. “I’m scared.” The confession rolls off my tongue without effort. It’s the most honest I’ve been with anyone.

  “You don’t need to be. We’re careful about our secret.”

  I snort. “Not so much. I overheard you. Plus, you could have died last night. That Neo God got you good.”

  Stephan tenses, and I realize my mistake. I said too much. He pulls me back slightly to no doubt search my face for clues.

  “How did you know we were fighting Neo Gods, Andy?”

  “I’m blind, not stupid. Who else would you be fighting?”

  It’s impossible to miss the change in Stephan’s body. His heartbeat accelerates, and the energy surrounding his frame is unstable, almost as if it’s flickering. I don’t think he’s buying my answer.

  “I wasn’t supposed to say this, but I want you to consider joining us.”

  I expected Stephan to accuse me of being a liar, not invite me to join the Knights.

  “You can’t be serious.”

  “I am. Hear me out, okay? You barged into a burning building to save whoever was there. You killed one of our enemies without a second thought.”

  “Only because he hurt you.”

  “But you did, and that was amazing. I knew there was something special about you when we met. It’s why I didn’t hesitate to get you out of your gilded prison. You have potential, Andy.”

  I step away from his embrace, feeling cold to the bone all of a sudden. “Wait. Are you saying you only helped me because you thought I was Knight material? This whole thing has been nothing but a recruitment ploy?”

  When he doesn’t answer right away, my stomach bottoms out. “I can’t believe this.”

  “Andy, please, let me explain.”

  “Are you going to backtrack now and say you helped me without an ulterior motive?”

  “No.”

  “Then we have nothing left to say. I want you to leave.”

  “I care about you. That wasn’t a ploy. It wasn’t part of any recruitment scheme.”

  My eyes burn as they slowly fill with tears. I was so naïve to believe Stephan was different than the rest.

  “Don’t waste your breath with pretty lies. Heartfelt or not, they’re still lies.”

  “I’m not lying to you!” he yells, and I can hear the frustration in his voice.

  “For the first time in my life, I let myself believe someone actually saw me, the person, not the daughter of someone important, or the blind girl, or the powerful Idol. Me, Andromeda. But all you cared about all along was what I could bring to the table.”

  “That’s not true, Andy. I saw you. The real you.”

  I cover my ears with my hands. “Stop it! I don’t want to hear any more words from you. Leave, please. Don’t make me use my chains on you.”

  “Okay, I’ll go. But this isn’t over. I don’t care if you join the Knights or not. I’m not giving you up.”

  And he truly means it. On Monday morning, my father agrees to let me move into the Paragon Academy dorms.

  24

  Stephan

  My father is expecting me, but I can’t see him right now. I drive without direction, seething from my stupidity. How could I have not foreseen Andy would react like that? She told me on the evening we met how she loathed everyone for always wanting something from her. I knew it was wrong, and I did it to her anyway. I now feel wretched, powerless, empty.

  My aimless driving takes me to a haunted place, the marina that nine years ago was the backdrop of a horrific act. I get out of the car and head toward the pier. It’s a sunny day, and the place is slowly filling up with tourists. When I reach the end of the boardwalk, I get a perfect view of the port from where ferries come and go.

  The sight makes me feel raw. It brings to the surface the awful memory of one of the ferries exploding with my mother and sister onboard. I don’t know why I came here. For punishment or a reminder? It doesn’t matter. Curling my hands into fists, I flex my legs and then take off, soaring as high as I can. My eyes and nose burn, and not because of the colder air. I’m no stranger to crying, to being overpowered by my emotions, but I didn’t expect Andy to trigger them.

  I let out a yell of frustration, which gets swallowed up by the wind rushing by. The roar in my ears is comforting, as is the knowledge that there’s no one around. The endless blue sky beckons me; the sun shines warm on my back. I close my eyes and enjoy the rare sensation of total freedom. I lose track of time, and only when the tears streaming down my cheeks crystalize, freezing my face, do I become aware of my body once more. Breathing is getting harder as the oxygen supply dips. I sense a drop, and it wasn’t intentional. My control is slipping. If I don’t land soon, I’ll simply fall from the sky.

  The sobering realization is a wake-up call. I have to accept the fact that Andy and I were never meant to be. I knew this from the start, but my heart refused to get the memo. There’s nothing left for me to do now besides focus on the job.

  I scan the landscape below to gather my bearings. I’m a minute away from my father’s house; I should have enough juice left to get there.

  It’s a struggle to maintain the airways below my body. My shoulder throbs with the effort. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have been so careless. Flying before I was completely healed is the second stupid thing I did today.

  When I land, my lungs are on fire. I brace my hands on my knees and take a moment to catch my breath. Fuck. I’m never doing that again.

  The front do
or opens, and my father calls out my name. Still breathing hard, I lift my chin. “Hey, Dad.”

  Soren joins him at the door. “What the hell happened to you?”

  The scowl on my father’s face says it all. I’m in for a tongue-lashing. “You flew here, didn’t you? Get in before I decide you’re not too old for an ass whooping.”

  Wheezing, I force one foot in front of the other. Damn, even my legs are affected. Blind spots appear in my vision, and the world begins to tilt.

  “He’s gonna collapse,” Soren says a split second before I tumble forward.

  He’s suddenly there, holding me upright. Thank fuck for his super speed. Falling face-first would have been the cherry on top of this crappy day.

  “You’re such an idiot,” he mumbles under his breath.

  “I know.”

  He leads me to the couch and dumps my sorry ass. Sinking against the plush leather, I close my eyes and wait for the room to stop spinning.

  “Here, drink this. You need to recover your strength.” Dad shoves a glass of orange juice in my hand.

  Its sweetness hits the spot. The fuzziness in my brain goes away, and I feel like myself again.

  “Tell me what happened.” Dad sits on the chair opposite me.

  “I went to see Andy.”

  “And?”

  “It didn’t go well.”

  “Let me guess: you professed your undying love for her, and she shot you down,” Soren jokes.

  When I don’t refute his comment, his eyes turn as round as saucers. “Son of a bitch. You did that, didn’t you?”

  “You’re in love with Andromeda Belfor?” my father asks in disbelief.

  I drop my gaze to the floor. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “That was a very foolish thing to do, son.”

  “It wasn’t like I had a choice,” I reply angrily. “It doesn’t matter. She doesn’t want anything to do with me or the Knights.”

  “You told her about us even after I specifically ordered all recruitment efforts to cease?” His voice rises.

  “She already knew about us. She figured out who we were on her own.”

  I briefly catch Soren’s gaze. He’s watching me through slits because he knows I’m not telling the whole truth.