The Wanderers Beginning: The Wanderers, Reborn, & Unforgiven

by Jessica Miller

  I looked at him confused. “Care to elaborate?”

  “I’m half witch. We can usually tell when someone puts a spell on us or someone else, but it’s not always easy. That’s probably why I didn’t realize at first that Mackenzie had put one on you. After you had told me, I remembered I saw the signs, but refused to believe it. I’m sorry Ella. If I wasn’t so stubborn…”

  “Don’t,” I said. “It’s not your fault. But are you sure that we’re okay now? You said so yourself it’s not always that easy.”

  “Yes, but it also takes a very powerful witch to mask it and Mackenzie nor her coven combined have that kind of power. You already proven that you are more powerful than any one we know and cannot be bewitched easily,” he smiled, stroking my hair.

  “How do I know you didn’t cast a spell on me?” I teased. “You just admitted you’re half- witch and you’re also half-vampire which I’m unsure how that works,” I said, getting slightly off track. I shook my head. “You could be more powerful than I am aware of,” I said, semi kidding. At first it was a joke, but now that I actually said it, I was a little frightened it could be true.

  He smiled, sensing my uneasiness. “I don’t need a spell to convince you to be with me.”

  The slightest touch of his hand on my hip melted away any doubt. “Oh, really, than how do you plan to do it?” I provoked.

  “Like this,” he said, cupping my face with his hands, leaning down, and kissing me softly. My lips quivered from the soft touch. He pulled back and his hand slid down to my shoulder. My eyes were still closed and I could hear him laughing at me. “Ella, you can open your eyes,” he whispered.

  I pressed my lips together, savoring the taste of his lips on mine. Then I slowly opened my eyes and looked into his. They were sparkling, tender, and adoring. “I should go,” he said, smiling.

  “You can stay. I mean you can sleep here. I mean…” I slapped myself in the forehead embarrassed by my ramble. “It’s just that with Billy gone, it’s lonely, and sometimes scary all by myself. There’s the extra bed so…”

  “I’ll stay.”

  I let out a sigh of relief. “I have some extra blankets over there in that chest and I’m just going to go into the bathroom to change,” I said bashfully. I searched for some pajamas that were not 1950’s-ish as Cameron had said. I found some silk pajama pants and a kami. I grabbed them and went into the bathroom to change. I quickly checked myself out in the mirror and saw my swollen black eye. I sighed, knowing there was nothing I could do about it. I brushed my teeth and carefully washed my face, then closed the door behind me.

  Roman was lying on my bed in just a t-shirt and boxers. “I like those pajamas better than the granny ones,” he said, smiling big.

  “Uh, that’s my bed. That one is the extra bed,” I said, pointing to the one over by the window.

  “Wouldn’t you feel safer with me right next to you?” I crossed my arms and waited for him to get up. “The bed over there is colder because it’s next to the window.”

  “And you would know how?” I glared. I remember him telling me he never stayed in this room with Mackenzie. Something about her having a no boy policy, which I found hard to believe.

  “Look, we can be mature about this. I promise I’ll keep my hands to myself. You can even put pillows in between us.”

  “I might believe that if you weren’t in your boxers.”

  “I always sleep in my boxers,” he frowned. “Did you expect me to sleep in my jeans?”

  “Whatever,” I said, crawling into the opposite side of the bed. He put two pillows in between us. I lied facing the wall. He laid flat on his back and stared up at the ceiling.

  “Goodnight Ella.”

  “Goodnight Roman.”

  I slept like a baby that night. When I woke up in the morning, the pillows between us were gone, and I had my head on Roman’s bare chest and my arm around his waist. I got up quickly and slid over to my side of the bed. “Good morning,” Roman said grinning.

  “Morning,” I said, pushing the hair out of my face. “Umm, what happened to your shirt?”

  “I got hot so I took it off.”

  “And the pillows?”

  He shrugged. “When I woke up they were gone.”

  “How long have you been awake?”

  “Not long.”

  “Why didn’t you wake me?”

  “You looked so peaceful I didn’t want to disturb you.”

  I got up off the bed and noticed the pillows were on my side of the floor. “Oh,” I thought to myself. I looked over at Roman who was still lying comfortably. Okay, so here comes the awkward part. “Well, um, thanks for staying,” I stammered.

  “We could go to breakfast together, if you want?” he said, standing up. That’s when I noticed his ripped body. His six pack abs, the way his boxers hung low on his hips. “Like what you see?” he said, noticing my lingering eyes.

  “Shut up,” I said, hitting him. He moved closer, pulled me into him, and kissed my lips ever so softly. “What was that for?” I asked breathless.

  “Just wanted to know what it was like to wake up next to you in the morning and be able to kiss you.”

  “And?”

  “Eh,” he laughed.

  “Very funny,” I said, pushing him and walking away. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me down on the bed. “Hey!” I yelped, giggling.

  He pinned me down and said, “You know, you really should start practicing more. You’re losing your touch.”

  “You ever think I’m letting you pin me?” He smiled big and pressed his lips to mine. I felt comfortable in his arms, safe. I lost track of time the minute his lips connected with mine. The only thing that broke us apart was when Dean sent me a message in my head to meet him and our parents in their room for breakfast.

  “I have to go,” I whispered as he moved his lips down to my neck.

  “It’s Saturday, what do you have to do that’s so important,” he mumbled as he brought his lips back to mine, distracting me. If Dean wasn’t shouting in my head to hurry up I never would have left my room.

  “Uuuhh,” I whined. “I have to go.”

  “Nooo…”

  “Yes I have to. My parents are here.”

  He stopped dead. “Talk about mood killer.”

  “I know but you weren’t listening.”

  “Can you blame me,” he smiled, nibbling on my neck.

  “Okay, okay. Parents, parents, parents,” I repeated, trying to get him to stop.

  He sighed, pulling back. “How long are they here for?”

  “With my parents, who knows?”

  “Will I see you later?” he asked with a little desperation in his voice.

  “I think I can find some time,” I teased. He laughed and gave me a quick peck and then got dressed.

  I opened my door and peeked outside to make sure no one was around and then told Roman it was safe for him to leave. He gave me another quick kiss and sweet smile before he left. I felt like I was floating on a cloud. My head was spinning and my body was tingling. All that changed the second Dean started screaming in my head again. Then after he was done it was my dad telling me to get dressed and head to their room.

  Ugh! This was so unfair that I couldn’t talk back to them. I hated that they could get in my head like that. I quickly changed, washed my face, and brushed my teeth. When I got to their room Dean started whining. “It’s about time you got here. I’m starving.”

  I rolled my eyes and sat down on the couch. “Good morning sweetheart,” my mom said, kissing me on the cheek. “You seem in better spirits today.” She stepped back and took a good look at me.

  “What?” I said, feeling uncomfortable under her stare.

  “Nothing,” she said smiling brightly. Her smile faded when she looked at my horrible black eye. “I wish there was something we could do about this?” She gently reached up and I flinched. “Sorry honey.”

  “Why has someone not healed it yet? Surely there
are other healers on campus,” my dad said.

  “Yes, but they are only used for emergencies and this isn’t considered one,” I shrugged. “It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt as much as it did and I’m a fast healer. I’m sure it will be gone in a few days.” I hope, I added to myself. “So what’s on the agenda for today?”

  “As soon as your father finishes up we’re going to head out for brunch,” my mom said.

  “But we can’t leave campus?” Dean shot me a look to shut up.

  “Ella, you will be with your father and I and they cannot tell us we can’t take our own children off campus,” she smiled. I never thought of that.

  Dean and I spent all morning and all afternoon with our mom and dad. We had brunch, then my mom and I went shopping while the boys did…well I didn’t know what they did, but they weren’t bothering us. “Did you decide if you’re going to the dance or not?” my mom asked.

  “Um, yeah.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me? Do you have a dress yet?”

  “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t think I was going.”

  “Don’t worry honey. You’re beautiful and sometimes that can be intimidating to a boy. I’m sure someone will ask you.”

  “Thanks mom,” I rolled my eyes. “I didn’t think I was that pathetic.”

  “No honey, you’re not pathetic. You’re special.”

  “Okay just stop. You’re not helping.”

  “Why don’t you just ask someone? Didn’t you say there was a boy you liked?” This was her way of fishing for information. Trying to subtly slip questions in there I wouldn’t normally answer.

  “Mom! If you would just please stop I can tell you that I already have a date.”

  “You do? That’s great. Tell me all about him and why you do that we can look for a dress,” she gleamed.

  “Mom, this isn’t like prom. I don’t think you need to go all out. Something simple will be fine.”

  “Isn’t this dance to celebrate Ostara?” I shrugged. I had no idea. “Ella, aren’t you paying attention? What have you been learning?”

  “Sorry, I’ve been a little distracted with everything else that’s going on.”

  “Honey I know. I’m sorry. I know this can’t be easy for you,” she said sympathetically.

  “I’m dealing.”

  She pulled me in for a hug. “I think going to this dance will help you get your mind off of things. Take this opportunity to enjoy yourself,” she smiled tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. “Now, let’s go find you a dress.”

  We shopped for about an hour and everything she picked out was a ridiculous, puffy gown. “What about this one?” she asked, holding up a black, strapless gown that looked like the one I wore in my last dream.

  “Definitely not,” I said. I looked through the racks ready to give up when she held up another dress. My eyes lit up when I saw it.

  It was perfect.

  It was a long, white, strapless dress. It reminded me of the one Reese Witherspoon wore in the movie ‘Walk the line’. “Try it on,” my mom said. I went into one of the dressing rooms to try the dress on. The fabric felt like silk on my skin and hit just below my ankles. I fell in love with it the moment I put it on. “Well?” I stepped out of the dressing room and my mom gasped.

  “You like it?”

  “You look beautiful,” my dad said. He and Dean had come into the shop while I was in the dressing room. “You look like a princess,” he smiled, placing his hands on my shoulders. If I didn’t know better I swear it looked as if he was going to cry.

  “Dad,” I said, rolling my eyes at his comment.

  My mom turned to the cashier and said, “We’ll take it.”

  We headed back to the school and I hung up my dress in the closet and then changed. My dad wanted to see the progress I was making with Gabe. I wasn’t happy about having to do this on the weekend. The weekends were my time off, but who was I kidding. I should know better than to expect any time off. My life if anything was always changing.

  Chapter twenty-three

  When I got to the gym, I saw that my dad was wearing gym shorts and a t-shirt. “Uh, Dad, seriously. Aren’t you a little old to be wearing shorts?” I heard Dean chuckle under his breath. My dad narrowed his eyes at me not amused.

  “You’re going to show me what you and Gabe have been working on and then you and I are going to spar,” he said.

  “Um…you think that’s a good idea?”

  “What, are you afraid I’m going to hurt you?” I laughed so hard I almost peed in my pants. “That wasn’t meant to be funny.”

  I wiped the tears from my eyes. “Good one Dad. Thanks, I needed that.” Gabe just shook his head at me. “What?”

  “Let’s just get started,” Gabe said.

  Gabe and I went one on one for a while and then he told me to show them how I use my shield. My dad’s eyes went wide with surprise. “Ella that’s amazing,” he said proudly. I smiled at him, feeling happy about my new power for the first time. “I always knew you would be something special.” He hugged me tight before he said, “Okay, now my turn.”

  “Dad, I still don’t know?”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll take it easy on you,” he winked.

  “Alright old man. You were warned.”

  “Old man, eh?” He took his stance and got ready. We danced around each other, but neither of us made a move.

  “Okay, I’m sorry, but I can’t hit you. I feel like I’m setting myself up for a possible future grounding.”

  My dad laughed. “Oh come on, you know you’ve been dying to get a few swings in,” he said smacking my arm, taunting me.

  He was right. I was dying to take a swing at him, but I wouldn’t admit it. Not out loud at least. Knowing we would be here forever if I didn’t do something, I put on a brave face, and swung. He blocked it with ease. He took his cue and came at me. I gave him everything I had, not holding anything back. I was impressed at how well he could keep up with me. He never got winded or tired out, well, that he showed. I was pretty sure he was dying on the inside.

  Not wanting to get showed up by my own father. I came at him full force, knocking his ass on the floor. I held out my hand to help him up. “Not too bad for an old man,” I teased.

  He held his hand to his back. “I guess I am a little out of practice,” he said, slightly limping. I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

  “Alright, I think we had enough for today. We have an early flight tomorrow so I think we should retire for the night,” my mom said. I think she was more worried about my dad over doing it and didn’t want him to end up breaking something. I passed my dad over to my mom and looked at my watch. It was almost ten. We had worked straight through dinner. No wonder my stomach was growling.

  “Hey Dad, want me to heal you before you go?” I asked, not able to keep the smile off of my face.

  He narrowed his eyes at me. “I am perfectly fine,” he said, straightening out his back. I heard several cracks and pops. I knew he was masking how much pain he was in. Men and their stupid pride. I walked with them out of the gym. Dean and my mom managed to get ahead while I lagged behind with my dad. When they rounded a corner my dad held an arm out stopping me. Then he turned to look at me. “Okay, maybe a little healing wouldn’t hurt,” he said.

  “Sure Dad.” I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing.

  “Just don’t tell your mother.”

  “It will be our little secret.” I healed my dad and he sighed with relief. Then we met back up with my mom and Dean. She gave us a funny look when she saw us, but didn’t say anything. I had a feeling she already knew.

  Dean and I said goodbye to our mom and dad. They had decided to stay at a hotel tonight to avoid the long drive in the morning. I never did find out why they stopped by for an unexpected visit, but it was pleasant so I couldn’t complain.

  On the way back to my room I stopped by the social room and grabbed myself some food to munch on. “Hey Ella!”

/>   “Oh, hey Riley. I’m sorry we haven’t had a chance to hang out much,” I said, realizing I couldn’t remember the last time I had spent any time with her.

  “It’s okay. I know you’re really busy with training and stuff.”

  I remembered a while ago there was something she wanted to talk to me about, but with Billy’s arrival and everything else going on I forgot. I deemed myself the worst friend ever. “No it’s not okay. I’m such a bad friend. How about just you and me hang out tonight and catch up?”

  Her eyes twinkled, indicating she was excited. “That would be great,” she said.

  “Okay, just give me some time to shower and eat,” I said, holding up my bag of chips.

  “Ella, is that your dinner?” she asked appalled.

  “Yeah, I, uh missed it earlier so…”

  “Go take your shower and I will find you some real food to eat,” she said, sighing at my lack of nutrition.

  “Okay, meet me in my room in like a half hour,” I said as I walked out.

  When I opened the door to my room I almost dropped my bag of chips when I saw Roman lying on my bed. “What are you doing here?” I asked, thinking I need to remember to start locking my door.

  “I’d thought you’d be happy to see me?” he said, getting up, walking over to me, and kissing me.

  I pushed him back and looked over my shoulder to see if anyone was out in the hall, then closed the door. “Are you crazy? Someone could have seen that,” I said.

  “I didn’t know this was some big secret?” He crossed his arms and looked like he was ready to transform into one of his many alter egos.

  “Relax, that’s not what I meant. Well, I mean, what is this exactly? What are we doing?” Roman had already confessed that he liked me but never really expressed interest in pursuing anything.

  The expression on his face told me he didn’t know either. “Having fun?” he said unsure.

  “If that’s the case then maybe we should just keep this between us for now.” With everything going on I did not want people to think I was some boyfriend stealing whore. I had enough rumors going around about me I didn’t need anymore.

  Roman stood silently for a moment and I was afraid I offended him. He stepped closer to me and took my hands. “I think I can handle that, for now,” he smiled, kissing me again.