Hidden Powers

by Tara Lain

  Dash tried to wriggle away from the embraces and kisses, but they all included him.

  Jazz laughed, but who knew a laugh could sound exhausted? Shifting on the fly after his body had been so beaten and abused seemed to have drained him. He’d earned every ounce of fatigue he was feeling. What a hero.

  “How’d you find us?” Jazz asked.

  Mr. Vanessen said, “A woman named Lalita called us to say you were all in dire jeopardy and told us exactly where you were. Cole and Winter ran ahead while we drove behind, but by the time they arrived, the crisis was over.”

  Jazz shook his head slowly. “Thanks to Lysandra.”

  From behind them, Lysandra’s melodious voice said, “Not at all, Jasper. Though I hate to admit it and never will again, Nardo was too powerful for me alone. If Dash hadn’t weakened him and you drained him of blood and life force, we wouldn’t be standing here now. You and your associates defeated him. I just provided backup, shall we say?” She laughed, and the birds in the trees wept in envy. The female did have the power. Dash smiled.

  Jazz nodded toward Nardo, who lay on the pavement guarded by Winter and Matt. “What’ll happen to him? He looks bad. I guess my wolf really wanted to kill him.” He smiled tightly, but clearly the experience disturbed him.

  Lysandra gave Nardo a disdainful look. “I have members of the council security arriving to take him into custody. He’ll be judged and incarcerated.” She nodded toward Winter. “I know the FBI would like to get their hands on him, but trust me, even with powerful marvelous males like these two guarding him, Nardo can’t be held except by his own kind.”

  His own kind. Dash stared at the powerful mage, now laid low. What exactly is his kind? Are he and Jazz the only wolf wizards in existence, like Mr. Bopherson said?

  “What about Evenride?” Jazz asked.

  “We have that under control.” Mr. Vanessen waved a hand. “But right now, we need to get you all to your homes to rest and recuperate. Carla, I’ve contacted your parents and let them know that you and Jazz are together. I suggested you’d decided to stay with some of the other interns in New York. They won’t be worried about you, so best to act like you’ve been having a grand time with Dash and your friends.” He turned to BeBop. “Benjamin, I believe you live with a relative, is that correct?”

  BeBop stared at his shoes. “Yes, sir. My uncle.”

  “What if I were to contact him and ask if you can spend the rest of the summer with us?”

  If conflicted had an expression, BeBop had it all over his face.

  Khadija stepped forward. “Sir, Be—uh, Benjamin starts his NYU doctoral program in the fall, and he’s teaching a course in quantum mechanics this summer.”

  “Ah, I see. So perhaps staying with your uncle is better.”

  Dij glanced at Fatima. “I was thinking he could move in with me and Fatima. I mean, if you want to, BeBop. We’re too radical for our community, and you love your uncle but don’t like living with him. We can start our own outcast refuge.” She laughed. “We’ll all have to be careful, but Fatima and I are used to that. Despite our lack of impact on Nardo, we can protect you from most threats pretty effectively.” She smiled.

  “You’d really want me?” BeBop looked amazed. Then his dimples popped. “I mean, I realize I bring a new level of awesomeness to the assembly.”

  Fatima spoke gently. “Maybe you’d help me with my physics homework?”

  BeBop flipped up the collar on his cotton shirt. “With pleasure, little lady. With pleasure.”

  Everyone laughed.

  Mr. Vanessen asked, “Will you have sufficient funds? I wouldn’t want you compromising your studies by having to hold down jobs. I’d be happy to help our brave interns who helped save Jazz’s life.”

  “Thank you, sir.” BeBop smiled. “But I’m sure my uncle will help. He loves me but knows living with him isn’t quite my style.” He ran his fingers over his starched collar, which was now pretty limp. “Plus, I get paid for teaching, so that will help.”

  Khadija nodded her head gracefully. “We also thank you for the offer, Mr. Vanessen, but my sister and I receive a stipend as part of our community. It won’t provide luxury, but we’ll have enough.”

  Mr. Vanessen put a hand on BeBop’s shoulder. “It sounds like you’re well taken care of. But promise you’ll come to me if you need help.”

  BeBop gave his sassiest grin. “Aces, Pop-Pop.”

  Mr. Vanessen spurted out a laugh and hugged BeBop. Then they started dividing the group up so they could take each person to their own home.

  A warm hand on Dash’s wounded shoulder made him turn. Lysandra smiled. “You’ve had quite an adventure.”

  “Yes, Mistress. Thank you for saving me. I was out of my depth.”

  “Dash, don’t you realize what you’ve done?”

  He felt the sigh in his soul. “I know the council and the community must be finished with me. I understand. I’ve got a defiant nature.” He shook his head. “I’ll find a place of my own and live as humanly as I can.” He wanted to smile. With maybe a little werewolf thrown in.

  “Have you lost your mind?” She turned. “Come with me. We need to talk.”

  Why was it never a good thing when a woman said that?

  JAZZ PARKED in front of the governor’s mansion feeling like half a new werewolf. Twenty-four hours had passed during which he slept, ate ravenously, and healed like a wolf, which meant fast. His body was doing great. His mind and heart? He wasn’t so sure.

  The door opened, and Carla ran down the steps in her high-tops. She hurled herself at him from several feet away. He grabbed her and swung her around. Grinning, he said, “Why are you always so sure I’ll catch you?”

  Her snarky Carla smile softened. “I’ve always known, since we first met. Before I knew there were things that go bump in the night living in my backyard, I knew you were a hero, Jazz. One who’d always be there for me.”

  Heat pressed behind his eyes, and he grinned to cover it. “That goes both ways.”

  She made a face and wriggled to her feet, so he let go of her. “I’m the weak link in this society,” she said. “All of you have these amazing skills and powers. I’m just a boring, weak, defenseless human.”

  He stared at her and shook his head slowly. “Are you kidding? You heard what Nardo said. He couldn’t wipe your mind because of your will. The rest of us tremble and prevaricate, Carla. You’re the beacon we follow.” As he said it, he knew it was true.

  She snorted. “Well, I’m going to choose to believe you because I really like being part of the Superordinary Society. I may not have the credentials, but hell, chance or fate or cosmic planning put me here in the middle of the most weirdass stuff anybody’s ever heard of. I mean, who could make this shit up? So I guess I’m a card-carrying member.” She pulled his arm. “Come on. The society’s gathered.”

  Following Carla into the mansion, Jazz’s stomach flipped. Dash. He so desperately wanted to see Dash, and yet he was nervous about it. They’d skated around the edges of a relationship since they’d met, and it felt like decision time. And yet, what kind of decision could they make? They were eighteen, going to school in different places, members of different communities, saddled with epic weights of differing responsibilities. What kind of relationship could they possibly have?

  Inside the mansion, they climbed the big staircase. “You’re awfully quiet,” Carla said. “Do you feel okay?”

  “Yeah. I’ve just been through a lot.”

  “Ya think?” She laughed, and the sound did his soul good. Having a BFF was a good thing.

  Carla opened the door to her suite and stepped aside. “Ta-da!”

  Jazz walked in and smiled. BeBop was curled in one corner of the couch, feet tucked under him, with the newest addition to their group beside him—the beautiful Fatima. Beside her sat Khadija, dark eyes glowing. They both wore their tightly wrapped head scarves, Fatima’s a brilliant white and Khadija’s a deep red. Precisely what these garments hid
, Jazz still wasn’t sure, though he trusted he’d find out someday.

  Jazz slowly breathed as he turned his eyes to the deep easy chair and looked at Dash—who didn’t look easy. In fact, his face seemed set in a semblance of pleasantry, but he didn’t quite meet Jazz’s eyes. Uh-oh. Jazz’s heart sank. Maybe Jazz hadn’t been able to picture the exact nature of his future with Dash, but he’d hoped to have one. Maybe not.

  Carla flopped on her bed, and Jazz crossed to the other easy chair and sat, trying to show excitement at seeing them all and not letting being dashed by Dash eat him up. These guys had come to his rescue, risked their lives for him. “Who does that?”

  All of them looked surprised, and he barked a laugh. “Sorry. I was just realizing how all of you totally risked your lives to save me. Who does that? The answer is here. Heroes do that.” He pressed a hand to his chest.

  “Not heroes, you dork, friends,” Carla said.

  He smiled from his heart. “Yeah. Superordinary friends.” He swallowed. “I can’t tell you how grateful I am.”

  Fatima said softly, “You don’t really know me, Jazz, but I hope to be your friend too. And it seems to me you saved us, so gratitude flows among us in all directions.”

  Wow, what a nice way to put that. “Thank you. I already consider you a friend.”

  “I’ve got snacks coming,” Carla said. “Meanwhile, why don’t you bring us up to date on what’s happening.”

  Jazz glanced at Dash, who looked pleasant and attentive, but things didn’t feel right. “Your uncle was right, BeBop. Nardo wanted me. He figured together we could gather the packs and influence human society too. He had big plans and was assembling a werewolf army to help him—us—carry them out.” He glanced at all of them.

  “I should tell you, the cardinal rule of my community is to never reveal ourselves to humans. Of course, they don’t know the rest of you exist, but they probably don’t want you to know about us either. So keep it quiet, okay?”

  Carla frowned. “Funny how Evenride actually hit the truth with the whole werewolf thing.”

  “Yeah, but with Nardo out of the picture, that deal should fade away. He was just trying to stir up trouble for Pop-Pop and in the packs to make it easier for him to take over.”

  “So Vanessen’s secure?” BeBop asked.

  “Yep. Lindsey’s doing a review of the board members to determine who was swayed by Orwell. They’ll be quietly replaced.”

  Dij spoke seriously. “It’s not just you who have the need for secrecy, Jazz. Fatima and I are under oath to not reveal our, shall we say uniqueness, to others as well. I’m sure this is also true for Dash. Now we all know about each other—and, forgive me, two humans are included—which is anathema for each of us.”

  BeBop stretched his arms in the air. “Hell, Carla, we may need to run from wolves, mages, and Drusans all at once.”

  That made them all laugh.

  Dash finally spoke. “What about your arranged marriage? Nardo may be gone, but the packs still need an alpha.”

  Jazz shook his head. “Yeah, but they can damned straight find their own. Maybe without Nardo stirring up the young males with promises of wealth and power, the present alphas can get their packs under control.”

  Dash glanced up and then at his hands. “That’s a big maybe.”

  Jazz frowned. “I just had my life taken over by an expert. Marketo can suck eggs before I let him do it to me too.”

  BeBop punched the air. “Go, Jazz!”

  “How about you, Dash? What will your people do about having others know?” Dij asked.

  “As far as my community knows, only Jazz and I were there. They believe Lysandra and I brought down Nardo. Nothing more will be disclosed.”

  “Guess we have to stay away from the National Enquirer.” BeBop laughed.

  The snacks arrived, and they all dug in, cramming pizza into their mouths and downing vanilla cokes until they were thoroughly sated with junk food. Dash ate, but not much.

  Finally Jazz broke down. He leaned over and asked, “Are you okay?”

  “Yes.” He finally met Jazz’s eyes, and he looked… what? A little sad? “I guess I’m still kind of shell-shocked.”

  Carla barged in. “Hellfire, Dash, the dude nearly killed you. Who wouldn’t be? Even mages can get PTSD, I bet.”

  His beautiful lips curved up. “You’re probably right, Carla.”

  “You too, Jazz. This whole thing was nightmare city. I mean, we can all be grateful to be alive, but you two nearly killed a guy. That’s another level of shock.”

  Jazz released a hidden breath. “Thanks, Carla, for knowing that.” He knew his brothers and brother-in-law and Cole and Paris had all killed in war or battle of some kind, but Jazz hadn’t, and the bloodlust his wolf had experienced would stay with him in his nightmares for a long time.

  “So where do we go from here?” BeBop asked.

  “We?” Dij said.

  “The Superordinary Society, of course.”

  “Well, we’ll all be together until the end of the summer, and then I think most of us are going to school somewhere in the northeast, right?” Carla looked around. Dash stared at his lap. “Dash?”

  He glanced up, and the film on his eyes made Jazz’s heart sink. “Actually, I have to leave right away. I start school next week.”

  “What?” Carla jumped forward to the edge of her bed. “But it’s not even July!”

  “I know. I’ve been given a special scholarship….” He stared at the floor. Suddenly, he looked up. “Fuck it! Here’s the truth. I guess the fact that I got as far as I did with Nardo is some big fucking deal. The council for magery wants to send me in for special training. It’s like superwizard school.”

  “Hogwarts!” BeBop punched the air.

  “Yeah, well, it’s called Arcantaria. I kind of don’t want to go.”

  Jazz gazed at Dash’s perfect face and tried so hard to want the very best for his friend, no matter what it was. “But you kind of do, right?”

  Dash let out a long breath. “It’s what little boy wizards dream about. The alternative is that I give it all up.”

  “All?” Carla scrunched her face. “Like your magic?”

  “Yeah. I mean they can’t take my magic away. But they can police me so I don’t get to practice.”

  “Oh, that would be awful!” Carla leaned her head on her hand.

  Jazz agreed. It would be awful.

  “So where’s the school?” BeBop asked. “Platform nine and three-quarters?” He smiled.

  “No one knows. I mean, I’m sure lots of wizards know, but it’s not common knowledge. The rumor is it’s in the Himalayas.”

  “Holy crap.” Carla sat up and downed the last of her vanilla cola.

  Dash’s eyes crept to Jazz. “I don’t want to leave you all. I mean, for the first time in my life, I have friends. Real friends.”

  “Didn’t you have friends in high school, Dash?” That was Carla again. “I mean, I sure didn’t, except for Jazz, but I know most kids do.”

  “No. I never went to high school. I’ve been tutored while I apprenticed with Lysandra.”

  “We’ll still be your friends when you come back,” Jazz said softly. “You’ll visit… often.” His voice sounded pleading.

  Dash shook his head, and Jazz’s heart dipped into his stomach. “Once I go, I can’t come back until the course is done.”

  “How long is that?”

  “No one knows that either. I guess it varies from person to person.”

  “You’ll be the quickest study ever!” Carla stated.

  Dash said nothing.

  “We sure will miss you.” Carla was tearing up.

  Jazz wanted to cry too.

  A half hour later, the food was gone, and the five remaining members of the Superordinary Society had agreed to get together on Monday. Dij was going to try to get an internship for Fatima, and Jazz assured them he’d put in a good word. They all hugged Dash and cried and pledged they’d be togethe
r forever, no matter how big a deal Dash became.

  The governor’s chauffeur was scheduled to take Dij, Fatima, and BeBop back to New York, where it seemed BeBop already had a line on a perfect apartment for the three of them in Brooklyn, thanks to his uncle’s “connections.” They all stood around outside, not wanting to let go, but finally the limo pulled away, Carla waved and went inside, and Dash walked beside Jazz to the Prius.

  Jazz stopped and swallowed to keep from bawling. “You’re going to be great at this superwizard thing.”

  “I’ll miss you so much.”

  Jazz nodded. “Likewise. We just got started getting to know each other.” He breathed deeply. “I know a lot will change, so just go with it. Suck up everything there is to know and have from the experience.”

  Dash nodded. “You too. They’re going to want to make you an alpha. You deserve to be one, if you want to be, that is. You don’t have to marry anyone to do it, you know. Just tell them you’ll be alpha, and they’ll be so happy, they’ll pee their pants.”

  Jazz snorted. “They’re going to miss you at Vanessen.”

  “Yeah, well, I’ll bet Fatima’s better than me. Besides, she’s beautiful.”

  “So are you.” Dash looked up and their eyes met. Jazz grinned. “Of course, you can’t turn guys to stone.” His eyes widened. “Wait. Maybe you can.”

  Dash smiled. “Kiss me goodbye before I call Lys and tell her and the council to fuck superwizard school.”

  “Yeah.” Jazz leaned forward and their lips met. Jazz’s heart slammed against his ribs, and his head filled with light. The touch of Dash’s lips was a magic he’d never overcome.

  And then it was just too much. The magic turned to misery. Dash was leaving, and the reality was, he might never see him again. Even if he did, it wouldn’t be the same.

  Jazz pulled away and smiled. “I better say goodbye before I show just how much of a wuss I am.” He leaned in and gave Dash another peck, then ripped open the car door, jumped inside, and tore out of there as if he was driving a Ferrari instead of a Prius.

  The tears started before he even hit the gate of the mansion. On the expressway, he had to slow down because he couldn’t see well enough to drive. Some fucking alpha. It was stupid. He and Dash barely knew each other. They’d hardly kissed, barely hugged, made no promises, never really had sex, and yet Jazz’s heart knew. This is it. Some awful certainty said there was no one else out there waiting for him. No one he wanted. No one he could even see.