“Well, I’m glad you’re feeling better and there’s no more snot and puke, and whatever else might have been coming out of you.” He smiles and I muster up a half laugh. He takes the flower back and tucks it in my hair behind my ear. Hooking a finger under my chin, he tilts my head back a little. “Beautiful. Just like you.” He’s so cheesy and sweet. It’s breaking my heart.
His eyes drift to my mouth and he leans down. His lips are buttery soft and patient in the way they move, surrendering all control over to me. I kiss him back, falling into the safety and comfort of familiarity… until Sebastian’s face flashes behind my eyes and my mind drums up the memory of his kiss and all the heat and want that came with it.
I pull away and catch my breath. I should not be thinking about Sebastian. And I definitely shouldn’t have kissed him back that day in my room. I don’t know what I was thinking. Evan is perfect. He’s so nice and thoughtful and super cute with his big blue eyes and disheveled blonde hair. And we’re together and we’re happy and we’re in… lo—my inner voice trips over the word and hastily replaces it with—and we really like each other. Any girl would be lucky to call Evan their boyfriend and here I am potentially messing everything up.
“You okay?” He studies my face and my heart momentarily plummets to my feet. Can he tell? Is the guilt of what I let happen between Sebastian and me written across my face? I swallow spit that’s turned to sand and smile.
“I’m fine. Just still tired, I guess from when I was sick,” I lie through my teeth. He deserves so much better than this. Maybe it really would be best if I broke up with him. After all, I couldn’t say the L word—not even in my own head, because if I really felt it, I wouldn’t have kissed Sebastian. Not to say it can’t ever be the L word between Evan and me because I think it could so easily become that...one day. But maybe now isn’t the right time. If we were to break up, at least he’d be safe. Safe from my confused feelings over Sebastian with whatever weird connection we seem to have between us, and safe from all the bloodsucking fiends, evil witches, and heavenly bounty hunters using him as bait to get to me. I’d rather he have a broken heart than become collateral damage in a fight he never signed up for. Maybe when this is all over, and no one is trying to kill me anymore, we can try again. Providing he can forgive me for the douchebag behavior I’ll have to display to push him away.
I stuff my face inside my locker and swallow down the bile climbing up from the pit of my stomach. I hate this. You can always compel him, the devil on my shoulder says and for half a second I consider it. But I can’t do that. It wouldn’t be right. It was one thing when I used it on Aunt Claudia and Uncle Caleb for the preservation of my memories, but to use it to manipulate Evan’s feelings wouldn’t be fair.
I grab my books and shut my locker, telling myself breaking up with him—at least temporarily—is what’s best for him. When I turn around he’s holding out a hand for me to take and I waver. I was planning on doing it now, fast and quick, like ripping off a Band-Aid, but when he flashes me his trademark smile—like he’s doing right now—rational thought seems to go out the window and I can’t bring myself to do it.
Besides, maybe I’m being too hasty. Maybe I should think this through. Really think this through before I decide anything. Maybe the protection spell Jack and Liv cast will work like it’s supposed to, and no one has to get hurt because of me. And the whole thing with Sebastian…I can just chalk that up to a lapse in sanity. Crazy situations, crazy times, crazy reactions, and that’s all it was/is between us. I don’t owe him anything. But I do owe it to Evan to see where our relationship goes before I throw it out in the name of protecting him, especially if it turns out to be unnecessary.
“Come on, I’ll walk you to class.” He wiggles his fingers.
“Won’t that make you late for class?” I put my hand in his.
“You’re worth getting a tardy for.” He laces his fingers through mine and leads me down the hallway. When we reach the Chemistry lab, he pulls me off to the side of the open door. We’re the only two left in the hall. “I really have missed you, Indi.” He leans down and presses his lips against mine. His kiss, tender and self-assured, a slow burn that promises something more if I want it. Nothing at all compared to the urgent filled passionate kiss Sebastian laid on me.
Damn it, I’ve got to stop thinking about Sebastian when I’m kissing Evan.
Pushing thoughts of Sebastian away I focus solely on Evan and deepen our kiss. It takes him by surprise, but doesn’t stop him from responding eagerly. He breaks away to catch his breath. “Wow. That was some kiss.” Eyes heavy, he drinks me in. “We should do something after school.”
“Yeah. Sure.” What the hell am I getting myself into? Only a few minutes ago I was contemplating breaking up with him and now I’m practically throwing myself at him in the hallway. I’m going to end up breaking both our hearts.
Mr. Jackson reaches out to close the door. His thick bushy eyebrows shoot up in surprise and then in disappointment as his gray eyes shift between Evan and me. Mr. Jackson doesn’t tolerate tardiness. “Miss. Bellamy, you’re late for class. You know the rules. I’ll have to give you a detention. As for you Mr. Lewis, isn’t there somewhere you should be?”
“See you later Indi.” Evan makes a pained face as he mouths sorry.
Everyone in class stares at me as I take my seat, including Sebastian. My eyes are drawn to his despite my best efforts to look anywhere else. Whatever this connection is between us now, it’s like a magnet, inexplicably pulling me toward him. A small smile plays over his mouth, which does little fluttery things to my insides. This is bad, and I do my best to squash all the fluttery things before they can really take flight. I’m not the kind of girl who gets caught up in love triangles. Or at least I never thought I was.
Paige kicks me from across the aisle when Mr. Jackson isn’t looking. Curiosity colors her face. “What’s up with you and New Boy back there?” she whispers under her breath.
“Nothing,” I whisper back.
“Uh-huh. I saw the way you looked at him when you came in. Something happened between you two didn’t it?” she whispers a little louder, getting Taylor’s attention now as well. Great. This is just what I need. An interrogation.
Taylor leans back in her seat, her head to the side so she can look back at me with one eyeball. “What are you guys whispering about?”
“Indi and the New Boy,” Paige whispers with a sly smile.
“There is no Indi and the New Boy,” I blurt, referring to myself in the third person, which is weird. I shake my head. “There’s nothing going on.”
Paige leans in, her gaze scrutinizing every inch of my features in the hopes she can glean something from my expression. A knowing grin covers her face. “Sure there isn’t.” Is she psychic or am I that transparent?
“Miss. Hammond, Miss. Smith, and Miss. Bellamy. Do you three care to share with the class what’s so important you feel it necessary to interrupt my experiment on what happens when you drop a gummy bear into molten potassium chlorate?” Mr. Jackson leans against the table on the palm of his hands, his eyes locked in our direction. The man could win an evil death glare staring contest hands down. Paige, Taylor, and I collectively gulp, neither of us saying a thing. He continues to glower, the weight of his gaze bringing about beads of sweat on my forehead.
“Sorry Mr. Jackson. We didn’t mean to interrupt,” Paige says quietly. Of all the teachers here at school, Mr. Jackson is by far the meanest and the scariest. I think he hates all teenagers, and only became a teacher to intimidate and torture us with his creepy, evil glares and promises of detention. Admittedly, some of his experiments in class are pretty cool, but if he wanted too, he could blow us all up at anytime.
Taking the heat of his stare off of us, he scans the room. “Now where was I?”
“You were about to condemn a gummy bear to a fiery death. So come on Mr. Jackson, let’s light that bitch up.” Holding onto the edge of his desk, Sebastian leans forward in
his seat with a devil-may-care grin plastered on his face.
“That’s a detention Mr. Chase. I will not tolerate that kind of language in my class.” Mr. Jackson goes back to the experiment where he does indeed send the gummy bear to a fiery death. I glance over my shoulder at Sebastian. He leans back in his seat with a wink directed at me. He wanted to get a detention. So much for my plan to continue avoiding him.
When the bell rings, every student in the room bottlenecks in the doorway. No one wants to stay here with Mr. Jackson any longer than necessary. I push my way toward the door, hoping I can squeeze through before Sebastian catches up with me.
“You can’t avoid me forever you know.” Suddenly beside me, Sebastian gazes down at me from the corner of his eye, a small grin teasing at his mouth.
“Who says I’m avoiding you?” I keep my expression impassive, hoping he doesn’t pick up on the sudden nervousness wreaking havoc on my insides. I don’t know how to act around him now. I spent so much time and energy trying to keep my distance from him and his constant staring, to then suddenly feeling this intense connection to him after I’d healed him the night we were attacked by a crazed vampire, it’s giving me whiplash. Throw in the kiss between us and I don’t know what to feel other than confusion.
“You. Your lack of communication since our shared moment in your room speaks volumes.” He bites his lip as his eyes drop to my mouth. My face bursts into flames, or at least that’s what it feels like. He releases his lip with a full smile, getting the reaction he was hoping for. “But there are things we need to discuss. And things we need to plan for. So avoiding Bas time is over. I’ll save you a seat in detention.” He winks then disappears among the students in the hall, shuffling their way to their next class.
“Nothing going on huh?” Coming up beside me, Paige bumps my arm with hers as she stares after Sebastian. “Looks like something to me, and I want all the dirty details.” She wags her eyebrows suggestively.
“Let me guess,” Taylor chimes in. “Since you couldn’t get out of your joint assignment in History, he came to your house over the weekend and you two did some research.” I didn’t think it was possible, but she’s managed to make the word ‘research’ torrid.
“I was sick over the weekend.” The lie worked for Evan, so why not them too? “Plus, I’m with Evan.” Guilt stabs through my chest at that one because even though it’s true—I am with Evan—it didn’t stop me from doing exactly what Taylor alluded to. When Sebastian kissed me, I could have stopped him, but I didn’t. I encouraged it.
“Whoa, wait.” Taylor takes my arm and pulls me off to the side. “I was only teasing you, but did something actually happen between you two. Like for real? Because the way you said you’re with Evan, came out a little guilty like.”
Paige’s face lights up. “I knew it. I could see it in the way you two looked at each other.” The warning bell rings and she makes a face. “You have to tell us everything at lunch.”
“There’s nothing to tell. We’re working on an assignment and that’s it.” I yell after them.
I skip lunch and opt to hide out in the library instead. I’m a total coward. On the plus side, maybe I can get some work done on my history project. After pulling several books off the shelves I dump them on the floor in the back corner. If I’m going to hide, I might as well do it proper. No one will see me among the stacks.
I plop down and crack open one of the books just as my stomach growls in the absence of food. I dig around in my pocket for a few loose bills to hit up the vending machines. It won’t be a healthy lunch, but it’s better than nothing. And it sure beats the heaping dose of twenty questions I’d be playing in the cafeteria with Paige and Taylor.
I peek out the door to make sure there’s no one in the hall, since technically I’m not supposed to be here. With the coast clear, I hook a left and head down toward the vending machine alcove. My Chucks squeak over the white tiles of the floor and I slow my pace to minimize the sound. I unfold three singles as I turn the corner, hoping the machines won’t give me a fit in dispensing the bag of Doritos and the bottle of Mountain Dew I have my heart set on.
The lights above me flicker, go out, and then turn back on. Ordinarily I wouldn’t give it a second thought, but the heavily charged feel to the air making all the hair on my arms stand on end, is definitely giving me pause. I spin in a slow circle in search of I don’t know what—a person, a monster, my imagination run rampant. I so hope it’s the latter and I’m just psyching myself out.
A shadow catches my eye and my heart slams against my chest. “Who’s there?” It comes out, barely above a whisper.
No one answers.
Another shadow moves in my peripherals. My breaths come faster, the palms of my hands beginning to sweat. My feet want to freeze to the floor, each foot refusing to budge except for in slow shuffling movements. At the edge of the alcove my breaths come to a sudden stop. The sound of my heart pounds within my ears as I slowly lean forward.
The hallway is completely empty.
And I’m a complete idiot for spooking myself.
I sigh and try to shake off the hand of fear still gripping onto the back of my neck.
Glass rattles behind me. I turn around quickly. All the vending machines are shaking. Snacks fall off the shelves to the bottom while bottles of soda roll out onto the floor toward my feet.
What the hell is going on?
A long jagged crack snakes along the glass of each machine. They jerk violently and then explode outward. Broken glass, snacks, and bottles of soda turn into flying missiles, heading straight for me. I throw up my arms to shield my face, but the onslaught never comes. My body hums, my insides trembling at a hundred miles an hour. I lower my arms and crack my eyes open one at a time.
I’m standing in the library, books on the Salem Witch Trials surrounding me.
How did I…?
I grab a hold of a shelf, unsteady on my feet. My head throbs, sending flashes of white light to burst in front of my eyes. The world tilts, or maybe it’s me that’s tilting. The checkered blue carpet of the library smacks against my face. A pair of motorcycle boots move into my line of sight, and then it all goes black.
14
I sit on my knees beside the dark-haired boy lying on the ground. His eyes are partly closed so only the bottoms of his blue irises and dark pupils can be seen. His pupils are big, like how they get in the dark, despite the brightness of the sun shining down on us through the trees. Blood mattes his hair. What’s left still flowing from the wound at the back of his head spills over the rock beneath him. His mouth is open, the smallest amount of breath passing over his lips.
He’s dying.
But he doesn’t have to. I don’t know how I know this, but I do.
I reach out for him, taking his hand in mine. I squeeze it. He doesn’t squeeze mine back. Closing my eyes, I instinctively call out for him to come to me. Inside my head, I see us standing together hand-in-hand in a dark place. But it’s not scary. It’s peaceful.
“What’s happening to me?” the boy asks in a small voice.
“You’re dying. You fell from a tree and hit your head.”
“Are you dying too?”
“No.”
“Then why are you here?”
“I don’t know. I felt like I needed to be here with you. To help you.”
“To help me what?”
Before I can answer, a door appears to the left of us. His door. The one meant to take him from this life and into the next. It’s his time to go. All I have to do is walk him through it. I feel the absolute truth in it. “To help you cross over.”
His eyes widen and a small amount of fear fills his gaze as he looks from me to the door. “But I don’t want to go yet. Can’t I stay?”
Somehow I know I’m meant to tell him no, that his time here has passed, but I can’t get the words out because I don’t want him to go either. I’ve seen him at the park before with his sister. He always sticks up for her when t
he other kids are mean even though she’s older than he is. If he goes now, who will be there for her?
Another door appears to the right of us. It feels out of place, like it’s not meant to be here, and only is because I want it to be. So he can go back.
“Yes,” I say answering his question. “You can stay.”
A bluish white light glows between our hands as we walk together toward the door on the right. As we near, it slowly opens, a bright white light spilling into the darkness. It’s so brilliant I have to close my eyes and when I open them again, I’m back on my knees, holding the boy’s hand. He gazes up at me with wide deep blue eyes containing a speck of brown in his left one.
“Indi!” Mama yells.
“Coming Mama.”
“Sebastian.”
I sit up too fast, causing the room to spin in dizzying circles. I cover my face with my hands. “Ugh, why does my head hurt so bad? Make that my whole body. Why does my whole body hurt?” My voice muffles against my palms as I part my fingers, letting in little bits of light from the room. My eyelids feel like lead weights over my eyeballs, making it hard to open them all the way. When I finally get them open enough to see, I find myself alone on a cot in the nurse’s station.
How did I get here?
I scoot to the edge of the bed, my dream—if that’s what it was—still fresh in my mind. I think maybe I understand the connection Sebastian and I have now. I’m ninety-eight percent sure the boy in my dream—memory—whatever it was, is Sebastian. Whatever I did to save his life after the vampire attack… I don’t think it was the first time.
“Dreaming about me huh?” Sebastian enters the small room with an ice pack held in his hands. “I heard you call out my name.” He wags his eyebrows, suggesting things that would ordinarily make me blush if I weren’t too busy internally freaking out. If he is the boy from my dreams—and I’m almost positive he is—then that means we knew each other before as kids. That could explain why he seemed familiar to me, and I to him. We just couldn’t put it together because of the spell Uncle Caleb and Aunt Claudia cast to protect me. They made us forget each other.
Of Blood & Magic: Blood Descent Book 1 Page 15