A Shade of Innocence (The Illuminati Book 1)

by Jane West

“My friendship with Gina is none of your business!” Sally's ireful retort hardened her features.

  “I'm right, aren't I?” I stared at her as her face beamed red.

  “You're not perfect. You just claimed I'd sleep with the whole football team,” she snipped back.

  I bit back a laugh. Sally surprised me. She did have a little backbone after all. “You're right. I shouldn't have lashed out at you. I'm sorry.” I bit my lip, pausing, “But you make it hard for me to like you. I mean after everything you've done to hurt me, I'd be a fool to trust you again.”

  Sally's nostrils flared. I could've sworn I saw steam curling. I get why she didn't like the comment about the football team but it seemed to me she carried a much heavier load of disdain toward me. It boggled my mind too.

  Right then, the teacher walked in when the bell rang, and that ended the conversation.

  Sally turned to face the teacher. She didn't bother speaking to me during the rest of the class, a nice change that was duly noted.

  After thirty minutes into class, Lord Aidan decided to bless us with his presence. Our eyes locked and my heart lurched. He looked good too. The way his black hair fell over his face and his step, fluid and confident, capturing every eye in the room.

  He'd dropped a small pink slip on the teacher's desk and didn't pause for his seat.

  Ms. Jenkins cleared her throat and spoke, “Mr. Bane, this makes the third tardy this week. A hall pass isn't an excuse.” The teacher's face tightened. “See that this doesn't happen again.”

  “No problemo, Teach.” Bane flashed a cocky grin that could make a girl go weak in the knees. “I'll be sure to give Dr. Van your regards.”

  The class roared with laughter. Without a further word, Ms. Jenkins blushed into an angry hue.

  As Bane headed down the aisle to his desk, I tucked my chin down, burying my face into my English book. It seemed he preferred to ignore me as though I was a stranger.

  Then an epiphany struck. It occurred to me that Bane had a duel personality. Here at school, he betrayed the typical bad boy with adamant defiance. Off campus, his behavior displayed someone much different, older even. He was a mystery and one hard nut to crack.

  He slid in his seat with a soft groan; the sort of sound that made your toes curl. Chills spread up my arms. Just hearing his voice and that signature scent of a woodsy spice sent my pulse to the stars.

  He didn't even glance my way. After all, he didn't want anyone to see us together. A little burn trickled down to my gut. I sighed. I'd never be good enough to hang in his social circles, but how did I separate myself from him when the very air around him seemed magnified and I was always getting caught in his snare.

  The bell sounded off, and Sally scurried out the door.

  I gathered up my load, stuffing my book and work inside my bag and shouldering it.

  Bane was talking to one of the football players as I passed by him. He never glimpsed my way. I told myself it didn't bother me, but it did.

  I stopped at my locker to unload when Sam snuck up behind me, tickling my waist. I leaped with a yap, books and paper went flying. I turned around and slugged the crap out of his arm. “That's what you get for scaring me,” I huffed as my pulse was leaping in my throat.

  Then Sunday night popped in my head, and I slugged him again. “That's for leaving Jen and me stranded, you jerk!”

  I bent down picking up my papers and books. I reckoned Sam wanted to redeem himself as he assisted, gathering my scattered stuff.

  His puppy dog eyes glistened like black obsidian. “What are you talkin' about? I had to take a piss.” A bewildered look crept across his face.

  “Did you use the outhouse?”

  Sam shrugged both shoulders, eyes shaped like bowling balls. “I looked hell and high waters for you girls. I finally asked the bouncer if he'd seen you two. That's when I discovered that Old-Blue came and whisked you girls off on his broomstick.”

  “Oh, funny! Now Bane's a witch.” I rolled my eyes.

  “No, not exacting.” He unconsciously rubbed his arm. “I heard his family owns the joint.”

  My eyes dropped to his arm and I gasped, eyes wide. “Oh, my God! Your arm has claw marks.” My gaze lifted to Sam. “What happened?”

  He swiftly drew his arm away, covering the marks with his sleeve, “Aw, nothin'.”

  My brows collided. “It looks like you got in a cat fight.”

  “Don't worry about it.” He patted my arm. “Hey, I got practice. See you later.” He flashed a maquillage smile.

  “Yeah, sure.” I eyed him suspiciously. He sure did rush off when I mentioned the scratches. I wondered what happened.

  Lunchtime hit and I went looking for Jen. I was on a mission, and I needed Jen's help.

  Right outside the cafeteria, I spotted her heading for our tree. The same oak tree that Bane and I stood under the first day of school.

  Jen and I usually ate lunch there if the weather permitted. It beat the cafeteria, sitting under the burning glare of Gina.

  “Jen,” I called out to her, making my way to her, panting slightly.

  Jen's eyes lit up. “I see you survive the woes of punishment.” She smiled. “How much time did you get?”

  A little pain hit me in the heart. It wasn't easy admitting the downfall of a parent, “Yeah, getting grounded sucks.” I shrugged. Right away, I shifted gears into another subject. Though I knew Jen wouldn't judge me, I didn't want to harp on my problems. “I need your mad computer skills. You up for the challenge?”

  Jen paused a moment. Mischief filled her brown eyes. “What you got cooking in that brain of yours?”

  “I want to Google Aidan Bane.” I held my breath, hoping she'd be up for the task.

  Jen laughed. “Girl, you don't stop!” She shrugged. “Let's go! I'm not hungry anyhow.”

  “Yeah,” my eyes gleamed, “Me neither.” We bumped shoulders, laughing.

  Once we entered the library, we headed straight for the computer section, nicely tucked away in private cubicles, more private and out of earshot. I wanted to keep this under wraps.

  We picked the last cubicle. Jen tossed her book bag down on the floor next to the chair and flopped down, fingers on the keyboard. She clicked on the Google icon. In the box, she typed Aidan Bane. I leaned on the desk holding my breath while the circle churned. “I swear the computer must be dial up.”

  “I wish I had my laptop. This bitch is ancient.”

  “Yeah, you right!”

  Finally, the search engine pulled up several pictures and a long list of Aidan Banes.

  “Whoa! I guess his name is pretty common.” I bit my bottom lip.

  “There are a bunch, but look at this one,” Jen clicked on one link that seemed to be the bio of a deceased person.

  The circle churned for a handful of breaths then finally it stopped. We both gasped, staring at the new page and a picture that could've been Bane's twin.

  “Oh my God,” I barely breathed. “That has to be Aidan's great grandfather.”

  “Something all right!” she whistled low. “Read this, Stevie!”

  I leaned in at the screen, scanning over the information. It was an obituary. The piece read,

  Aidan Bane, age 23, of New Orleans, Louisiana passed away on February 25, 1918, died of the Spanish influenza. He was born on August 21, 1897, in New Orleans, Louisiana. One survivor includes his wife, Sabella Mae, no children. Mr. Bane was a student at Yale and a sorority member of the Skull and Cross Bones.

  “Oh, my gosh!” I braced myself against the table. I was three shades of stunned. I expected a lot of things, but I didn't expect to find his twin. My eyes fell on Jen. “Do you think this is our Aidan Bane?” As soon as the question left my lips, it sounded ridiculous. Of course, it couldn't be. This man died at the turn of the century.

  Jen shrugged. “I don't see how, but that guy in the picture could be Aidan's clone.” Jen blew out a sharp breath. “Maybe the dead Aidan Bane had a kid by another woman that he didn't know
about?”

  I tapped my finger against my lips, thinking. “Possible, I guess. Hey, type in Skull and Bones.” My curiosity was running with me.

  “Yeah, that is a weird name for a Frat house.” She laughed. “Those rich kids with Daddy's deep pockets usually are wicked.”

  I giggled, “Right, like that bar!”

  “Girl, you know it!” She shook her head. “Freaky Freaks,” Jen laughed typing.

  I grabbed another chair from the cubicle next to us and dragged it up beside Jen. After several ticks, the browser stopped with several hits.

  Jen clicked on a link reading Yale's Skull and Bone Conspiracy Archive. The front page displayed a large skull with crossed bones with crimson in the background, reminding me of a flag or an emblem like pirates.

  As we scrolled down the page, our eyes halted on a black and white picture. The bi-line read, 1916. Thirteen men were in their Sunday's best, black suits and black ties.

  In the front row, two gentlemen sat opposite sides of a table with a skull and crossed bones as the centerpiece. Behind the two seated, eleven other men stood, all heavily mustached. When my eyes gravitated to one man who stood nearly a head taller than anyone else did, I became grateful for the chair that saved me from falling to the hard floor.

  Jen and I shared a shock glance. For a minute, silence hung in the thick air as we studied the tall man's face. The only way I could explain it was that the guy in the picture had to have been Bane's doppelganger.

  “Jen, this cannot be possible!” My heart raced faster than a Russian racehorse.

  “Yeah, impossible!” Jen stared at the screen.

  Dread washed over me. “No way!” I leaped from my chair, feeling electrified.

  “Stevie, you gotta listen to this.”

  Jen drew me back to the computer.

  She tossed me a quick look and began reading.

  “The Skull and Bones is an ancient symbol with a powerful, clandestine connotation. Folks today have been misled to believe that the Skull and Crossed Bones signifies 'poison' but this is a calculated deception by the elite to hide its true interpretation. In fact, the Skull and Crossed Bones is an ancient instrument used by necromancers to gain satanic powers.”

  After Jen finished, she turned in her seat, staring up at me. When our eyes locked, we both mirrored each other's spooked gaze.

  “What the hell is a necromancer?” This had eerie stamped all over it.

  Jen's brows knitted. “Heck if I know.” She placed her fingers on the keyboard and Googled the word. “It means sorcerer, a person who practices magic.” She flashed a faint smile.

  I scoffed. “I wonder if that includes the tooth fairy. If so, my life's crushed,” I joked, pretending this stuff didn't have me rattled.

  Jen laughed, “Yeah, right!” Then we sat in silence for a moment, mulling over our discovery.

  I barely murmured, “Could this be Bane?” I shoved my hands in my jean pockets.

  Jen sighed sharply, wringing her hands. “I don't see how it's possible. Still, how can we explain the look alike thingy? This dude in the picture not only is the spitting image of Bane but has the same smile. Look at the guy's teeth.”

  I leaned forward examining the image.

  “Tell me if that ain't him?”

  I shook my head, “Holy cow! He's got the exact same smile.”

  Jen smirked. “Maybe he's like the Highlander! Old but hot as hell!”

  I snorted, laughing. Jen always cracked me up. “Old and hot shouldn't even be in the same sentence.”

  “Yeah, you right! That's just gross.” We both snickered.

  I checked my watch. “Damn, the bell's about to ring.” My lips twisted into a smile. “Guess we'll have to pick this up next time.” I shouldered my bag.

  “Whatcha doing later?” Jen snatched up her bag and purse, following behind me as we left the library. “I might stop by for a moment after school.”

  “I'd love to have company but I'm grounded.” I lied. “Hey, I thought your parents grounded you?”

  “Girl, pfff ease EEE! That was yesteryear. I got out of it by saying a few Hail Mary's and swearing I will never go anywhere with Sam again,” she laughed, “Which I ain't never hanging with him after he dumped us.”

  “I know what you mean. Sam told me he'd been in the men's restroom.”

  “Oh no, he didn't!” Jen bit her bottom lip, “That lying dog! He told me that he went to his truck to grab his condoms. He made light of it by saying, 'no glove, no love'.” Jen stuck her finger down her throat.

  “I can't believe that asshat!”

  Jen blew out a frustrated sigh. “Well, this has been very educational. We both know that Sam can't be trusted, and your hot boyfriend is old as hell.” Jen playfully shoved me, laughing.

  I snickered. “Girl, go on! You know he's not my boyfriend. I'd never date a guy who's passed the age of twenty.” We both laughed but inside I was kicking myself for lying. I was too embarrassed to tell the truth. How did I explain that my mother sold me for sex and I was forced to live with a guy who hated me?

  * * *

  When the last bell rang for the day, I headed outside. No one bothered to let me know the protocol of how I'd get home after school.

  I stood under the awning, rocking on my heels, biting my nails. I hated this feeling of homelessness. I'd been uprooted from my house and forced to move in with a guy that I hardly knew, but I was certain Sara held the sales receipt.

  After the last nail, I decided to put my own fate in my hands and headed to my house. How bad could it be? Two miles was a cakewalk. Ms. Noel would be happy to see me too.

  I no more walked a block, and yours truly pulled up to the curve beside me.

  The window rolled down as Bane yelled out, “Hey, jump in,” as he leaned over the passenger's side.

  His blues felt like red-hot darts shooting at my back. “Sorry, I prefer my own bed tonight.” I tossed over my shoulder, keeping my pace.

  He blew out a forceful breath that bounced off my back. “Come on, if you didn't like your room there are plenty other rooms to suit your taste.”

  I kept walking, keeping my eyes straight ahead. I wasn't in the mood to argue with Frosty the Smug Man. Tires crunching over the loose gravel ricocheted off my ears.

  I must've briefly blacked out for a second. When I looked up, Bane stood directly in front of me. His arms folded, brows dipped into an angry glower.

  I stopped dead in my tracks. My eyes flew open. “How did you get from your car to me so quickly and without me seeing you?” I took a step back, startled.

  “I don't have time playing these school girl games. Now get in the car,” he ordered darkly.

  “Hold on just a minute, buster! It seems you're the one playing a child's game. You didn't say one word to me in English,” I snapped. “Who's playing whom?” I threw the proverbial brick right back at his head.

  “Stevie, I can't explain everything to you. I don't want certain people to get any ideas.”

  Bane really thought that was going to make me feel better.

  “What ideas? That you're hanging out with a poor girl?”

  “Your social hierarchy has nothing to do with my distance.” The bridled anger in his voice cut me to the bone.

  “I get it.” I threw the words at him like bullets. “I'm good enough for you to suck face and grab ass with, but I'm not worthy of your presence in public.” I wanted to cry, but I swallowed it back, denying myself the aching urge.

  For a second his blues softened, then just as always, he masked over his expression as if he had a secret that he was taking to his grave. “Look! You don't understand and, I don't have time to explain.” A sudden thin chill hung on the edge of his voice. “You're coming with me whether you want to or not. You're not that heavy.” His lips stretched back, revealing straight white teeth. “What's it going to be, Princess?”

  “You're right. I don't understand why I have to stay with you. We don't even like each other, so why the fu
ss,” I countered icily.

  His voice was cold and lashing, “Get in the car, now!”

  I drew in a quick breath, trying to wrap my dilemma around my head. If I ran, he'd catch me and drag me back. He outweighed me at least a hundred pounds. I crossed my arms, holding my gaze leveled to his even though I was quaking in my shoes. I blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “I have nothing to wear at your place. I need to go get my clothes.”

  “That's been taken care of by Jeffery.” The insolence in his voice concealed little. “You're no longer living there. You'll be staying with me for now on.”

  My mouth dropped open. Startled hurt turned into white anger. “Who gave you permission to take over my life?”

  “I think you know the answer to that.”

  “Fine!” Curses flew from my mouth as I twirled on my heels, stomping to the car.

  King of the Castle

  Once again, I found myself stuck in Bane's Corvette with the reticent torture of listening to his classical music blaring in my ears. This dude was a bundle of weird. What teenager listened to Beethoven and actually enjoyed it?

  We finally arrived at his majesty's palace halting at a barrier that reminded me of a stone boulder. Bane punched a button on his keypad and the rock lifted, giving birth to a dark tunnel.

  After a quick flash of darkness, we entered an underground warehouse that housed an arsenal of vehicles. I tried to keep my gawking down to a minimum but damn! I couldn't stop myself.

  The collection had to have been one of the most expensive collaborations of metal on wheels in the world.

  I slid out of the Corvette, gaping at the gazillions of toys. There were several different models of motorcycles, one I recognized; the classic Harley, easy pick. Various foreign cars lined the warehouse, all in every imaginable color with shiny chrome. I spotted the Rolls right away, nestled next to my beetle bug sitting in the far corner.

  Then I remembered Jeffery mentioning a broken perfume bottle landing on top of the Rolls. I snuck a quick glimpse at Bane. I wondered if he knew.

  All at once, Bane jarred my attention back to him when his fingers clasped my elbow. I flinched at his subtle touch. He was the last person I wanted touching me. I think it was the part where he was forcing me to live under his ironclad fist that seemed to have drawn the line in the sand.