Guild of Truth 02 - Shield from the Heart

by Mary K. Norris

  Merrick introduced himself and Felix started the whole friendly chit chat thing.

  Sydney could have gone and mingled, left the boys to their manly talk, but she stayed where she was.

  Merrick settled against one counter while Felix faced off on the other. Every now and again Merrick would reach for another piece of pizza, his arm brushing against her side or her stomach. He apologized each time, but she noticed that as it went on the touches became bolder, the pressure of his touch firmer.

  Sydney’s stomach was flipping so frequently she had to stop eating for fear that she wouldn’t be able to keep her pizza down.

  Felix gave her a curious look when she continued to remain in the way of the pizza. She could easily tell he was wondering why she didn’t just hand it to Merrick.

  Because I want to steal as many touches from him as possible.

  Of course she’d never tell Felix that.

  “Here you are.” Joel’s arm slid around her shoulders and he planted a firm kiss on her cheek.

  She tensed. Felix’s eyebrows shot up. She forced herself to relax. Beside her Merrick’s body went stiff.

  “I should have known you’d be by the pizza.” Joel reached around to grab a slice. “So what are we talking about?”

  Sydney ducked out from under his arm. “I better go find Cali and Niella.”

  As she passed Merrick she could have sworn she felt his hand reach out and slide against her arm.

  She shivered.

  Chapter 11

  Merrick watched Sydney leave out of the corner of his eye. He hadn’t been able to resist stealing one last touch. And when she shivered? His entire body clenched.

  He directed his attention back to Joel and Felix. Both men were watching him.

  Shit, caught red handed.

  Joel looked like he was barely holding on to his temper.

  Felix’s expression was carefully neutral, almost contemplative. He glanced between Merrick and Joel. “Come on, Merrick.” Felix hustled him out of the kitchen. “Let’s introduce you to Niella.”

  The name tickled something in the back of his memory and Merrick allowed himself to be led over to a woman in a wheelchair. Cali was at her side. Joel had pulled Sydney back into the kitchen where they were talking near a small circular table. He didn’t like the way Joel was invading Sydney’s space. The urge to go over there was fierce, but he shoved it down.

  “Ladies,” Felix interrupted the two women. “I wanted to bring Merrick over here to introduce him to Niella.”

  Merrick tore his eyes away from the kitchen. Niella had light brown hair that was cut in a short pixie style. She had intelligent hazel eyes and an attitude that Merrick could feel from two feet away. This was a woman who didn’t like to let people get close to her. Again he felt the tug of familiarity. Like he’d seen her before. But where?

  “So you’re the one I’ve been Dreaming about the past few days.” Niella held out her hand politely.

  Merrick drew back.

  “Told you,” Cali said smugly. “Creepy as fuck.”

  After being introduced to Niella, Merrick migrated over to where the “kids” were sitting around their own pizza box. The fact that they were closer to where Joel and Sydney were standing had nothing to do with his sudden interest in them — or so he told himself.

  Hazel smiled at him and offered him a piece of pizza. He was beyond full but he accepted the food anyway and took a bite to keep from having to talk. He sat down on the couch and listened.

  “ — Felix can take care of them. We’re on vacation. I thought you said we were going to spend the rest of the time together.” He could barely make out Joel’s voice.

  “I know.” Sydney sounded genuinely conflicted. “But I feel bad just leaving them behind. We’re kind of all they know. I don’t want to abandon them.”

  Joel grumbled in frustration. “It’s only for the night. They’ll be fine.”

  “Exactly, it’ll just be for tonight,” Sydney bargained. “Once I know they’re taken care of, then we’ll spend some real time together.”

  “You’re killing me, Syd,” Joel said in defeat. “Trust me, after three months of celibacy every day is like an eternity.”

  Three months of celibacy?

  Sydney hadn’t slept with Joel for three months?

  Merrick’s mind whirled.

  Three months …

  He realized with a start that it was three months ago that Sydney had seen him in his cell.

  Surely that was nothing but a coincidence …

  You don’t know that. She could have stopped sleeping with him because of you.

  He threw the thought away. It was impossible.

  Wasn’t it?

  His mind circled back to the question she’d asked him in the elevator.

  What if she’d asked him if he’d felt something between them because she had too?

  What if, like him, she thought they were Mirror Mates?

  He shook his head. Too many “what ifs.”

  He spent the rest of the night in a thoughtful stupor.

  Cali drove Niella home but the rest of them bunkered down at Felix’s. Joel and Sydney retreated to the guest bedroom. Juliet and Hazel each took a couch in the living room while Merrick and Luke toughed it out on the floor.

  “I’m really sorry I don’t have anything more comfortable for you to sleep on,” said Felix. “I used to have an air mattress but I accidentally Erased it.”

  Merrick was still trying to get used to all the new terminology Sydney’s guild seemed to use. Felix was an Eraser and caused things to vanish. Cali was a Silencer — she could manipulate sound. Niella was the Dreamer. He’d even learned the proper name for Joel — a LockSmith with the power to Lock anyone to anything with a single touch.

  Merrick, Hazel, and Luke had all confessed to their abilities and Joel had promised to think them up titles. Juliet had seemed very interested with the entire ordeal. She’d even taken down notes. When she was questioned about her own powers she admitted that she didn’t have any. It turned out that she had been a little too close to another woman that Vander had taken and because Juliet was seen so close they instantly assumed the two were friends and that Juliet had powers as well.

  Merrick didn’t know if he bought the story. Why would Juliet be seen hanging around another person with powers? How would she even know that person had powers?

  Had it all simply been bad luck?

  Merrick focused himself back to the present.

  Sydney walked in behind Felix. “I thought you could bring back anything you Erased? Why not bring back the air mattress?” She continued into the kitchen, which meant she missed Felix’s reaction. But Merrick didn’t.

  Felix instantly tensed, something like unease flickering behind his eyes before disappearing. “Remember how your car came back, Syd?” Felix’s voice held a hint of forced cheer.

  “Don’t remind me,” Sydney said as she filled a glass with water.

  Felix grinned. “I rest my case. I don’t think I’ll be bringing back anything I’ve Erased for a little while.”

  “Well, goodnight.” Sydney waved to them before disappearing down the hall. A few seconds later Merrick heard a door click shut.

  Felix stood there for a few awkward moments before he stepped back. “I have an early start so I better turn in. The others all gave me their orders but I didn’t catch yours, Merrick — do you want anything in particular from the bakery?”

  Merrick shrugged. “Anything, really. I’m a man of simple tastes.”

  Felix excused himself and Merrick tried to get comfortable on the floor.

  He slept a solid four hours before Hazel started making noises in her sleep. The others were too exhausted to be bothered by the small mewling but Merrick couldn’t ignore the sound. He decided to head to the bathroom and come back in a few minutes to see if the nightmare would pass. He didn’t want to wake Hazel up. The kid deserved all the rest she could get.

  He finished drying h
is hands in the bathroom and stepped out into the darkened hall where he collided with something small and soft.

  A quick gasp.

  Merrick’s body instantly stiffened as the person shifted against him. He inhaled deeply and caught the faint scent of vanilla.

  Sydney.

  She tried to step back but he wrapped his arms around her, keeping her flush against him. She didn’t resist.

  He ground his teeth and forced himself to speak. “What are you doing up?”

  “I heard someone in the bathroom.”

  She heard someone and had wanted to investigate? Or had she gone to investigate because she had been hoping it was him?

  You’re delusional. Stop making something out of nothing; you’re only going to hurt yourself in the end.

  His hands trailed down the sides of her body. He hissed when his fingers reached the end of her oversized t-shirt. It was all she wore.

  Here he was shirtless and she was in nothing but a shirt.

  “What are you doing?” she whispered and knocked his hands away. He noticed that her voice was shaking.

  He invaded her space until she was pushed up against the wall. “Why haven’t you slept with Joel in three months?”

  Her mouth gapped. “How did you — ? That’s none of your business.”

  “Was it before or after you saw me in that cell?”

  Please say before, please say before.

  She avoided his gaze. “Before.”

  Fuck.

  She was lying.

  Merrick’s emotions were in turmoil, his cock swollen and aching. “Why did you ask if I felt anything the first time we touched?”

  Even in the dim lighting he could make out her eyes widening. “N-no reason.”

  His finger trailed the outside of her exposed thigh. She trembled beneath his hand but didn’t knock it away.

  He leaned in to speak into her ear. “Stop lying.”

  He needed to pull away. He needed to stop. He was obviously sleep deprived. But everything in his body was telling him that this was so right. He brushed her hair away from her neck and kissed her there.

  She gasped and he barely stifled a groan. He ground himself against her, unable to help himself. Every instinct inside of him said to claim her.

  Her fingers traveled over his skin, feather light touches that set his blood racing.

  He snaked his hand behind her head and kissed her. Her mouth opened for him instantly, her hands getting lost in his hair.

  Desire flared white hot.

  He slid his hand beneath her t-shirt to cup her hip. He brushed the material of her panties with his thumb. It would be so easy to hook his finger through and pull them down.

  Would she be wet for him?

  He followed the hem until he reached her center. Sydney jerked. Merrick bit down on his tongue, hard, to keep from cursing.

  She was wet.

  He drew his hand away before he went too far.

  Sydney kissed him harder and her tongue twined against his, driving him crazy.

  The hall light flickered on.

  Chapter 12

  One second Merrick’s body was pressed deliciously against hers, the next it was gone.

  The hall light burned Sydney’s eyes and she blinked to give them time to adjust. Hazel stood a few feet away, face flushed.

  Heat crept up Sydney’s neck. She’d been caught kissing Merrick less than ten feet away from where she was sharing a bed with her boyfriend.

  Hazel shut the light off and turned to retreat.

  Would she tell anyone?

  Sydney’s body went cold.

  Merrick looked conflicted, as if he didn’t know whether or not to go after Hazel or to stay with her.

  She made the choice for him. She raced back to her room and shut the door. She climbed back into bed, her heart racing.

  Coward.

  Joel was still asleep.

  She tried to do the same but all she kept thinking about was if Joel would be able to smell Merrick on her.

  • • •

  “Are you sure you’ll be all right?” Sydney asked Juliet for perhaps the fourth time.

  Juliet placed her hands on her hips. “Of course I’ll be fine. It’s my family. I’ve been away from them long enough.”

  “And you want to go with her?” Merrick asked Hazel.

  She kept her eyes downcast, her thick black hair obscuring her face. “I don’t really have anywhere else to go and Juliet said they wouldn’t mind. They seem nice too.”

  As stupid as it sounded, Sydney was going to miss Juliet and Hazel. She’d grown attached to them, or at least felt responsible for them. But Juliet had insisted that she get back to her family. Apparently she’d even invited Luke to come with her and Hazel, but Luke had declined. Instead he’d asked Sydney if he could join The Guild of Aletheia. Joel would be ecstatic over hearing Luke use the “real” name of their guild. Most of them just referred to it as the Guild of Truth. However, Joel had been called into work for some kind of emergency.

  “We’ll be happy to provide as much money as you need to get wherever you’re going,” Sydney told the two girls. Even though Juliet wasn’t even a year younger than Sydney she still thought of her as a girl. She’d helped rescue her after all.

  “It shouldn’t cost us too much,” said Juliet. “We’re only going to Thousand Oaks.”

  Which was quite a ways from where they lived, at least an hour and a half.

  “And you’re sure you want to go?” Sydney asked Hazel.

  Juliet looked put out by all the questions but Sydney wanted to make sure this was something Hazel wanted and not just Juliet.

  Hazel looked her in the eye. Cali must’ve provided her with some make-up because the black eyeliner she wore made the forest green of her eyes pop.

  “I’m sure,” she said. “I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I’d like to stay but I don’t want to get involved with Vander anymore. I’d rather stay away from the super hero life. At least for a little bit.”

  Sydney couldn’t fault her for that. Hazel was young and obviously scared. As their guild dug deeper and deeper into Vander’s business they were constantly putting themselves in danger, a danger Hazel didn’t want.

  Sydney pulled her into a hug and Hazel tensed, reminding Sydney of Cali before she got used to regular human contact. “We’ll miss you,” she whispered into Hazel’s ear.

  When she pulled back, Hazel was smiling at her. It made her look both beautiful and young. “I hope you and Merrick make it,” she whispered to Sydney. “I think he really likes you.”

  Sydney blushed.

  Hazel moved on to hug Merrick. From afar the two could pass for siblings. She noticed that Merrick even embraced Hazel like a sister.

  “If you ever need anything,” she heard him tell Hazel, “you call here and they’ll find me. Okay?”

  Hazel nodded. “Okay.”

  Merrick ruffled her hair affectionately.

  Sydney’s heart tightened in her chest.

  Hazel moved on to Luke. He was shifting nervously. She looked like she didn’t know whether or not to hug him. Finally Luke gave her a quick embrace.

  “How’re you guys getting to Thousand Oaks?” Sydney asked Juliet after she gave polite handshakes to everyone. There was no hugging from Juliet. She briefly wondered if it was a defense mechanism so she wouldn’t become attached.

  “Cali and Felix are going to drive us to a metrolink station.”

  Sydney checked the time. Felix still wasn’t back from the bakery but she could hear Cali grumbling about the early hour all the way from her bedroom. It was just past ten o’clock in the morning. Sydney shook her head. How Cali dealt with Felix’s early morning schedule, she had no idea.

  • • •

  Sydney watched Felix’s Hummer disappear down the street, leaving her and Merrick in the front yard.

  They made their way back into the house. Sydney’s eyes slid to the hallway where they’d made out
. Her body grew warm at the idea of being alone with Merrick in Felix’s house. It was like the first time she found herself alone with a boy in high school all over again. A giddy nervousness that she wished she could make go away.

  Merrick did a good job at masking his emotions. He’d been coolly detached all morning. The smile he bestowed on Hazel was the only warmth she’d seen from him. Was he just going to forget last night even happened? Was he going to wait until she brought it up?

  Like that’s really going to happen.

  She wasn’t going to put her heart on her sleeve and tell Merrick her fear about their “destiny.” What if he laughed at her?

  Or worse, rejected her.

  He wasn’t making it any easier either. When she told Merrick about Mirror Mates she hadn’t been able to tell if the idea frightened him or excited him.

  Felix had been downright ecstatic when he’d learned about Cali being his Mirror Mate. He’d done everything in his power to win her over and keep her in his life.

  But Merrick …

  Merrick had confessed to being afraid of ever getting close to a woman for fear of learning her inner thoughts and feelings. Did that mean that if she told him they were Mirror Mates he’d keep her at a distance?

  He had been very receptive when everyone told him their powers but it was a lot harder for someone to believe in soul mates when there was no tangible proof.

  Sydney rubbed her chest where she felt a small ache. Cali used to tell her that the further she was from Felix the more her chest felt empty, but was this feeling Sydney had really solid evidence?

  And what if Merrick didn’t feel it?

  Had she ever seen him rub his chest? She tried to remember but the last few days were one big blur of activity. She was more than ready to go back to her day to day life at the clinic. She didn’t know if she was cut out for this adventure stuff like Cali and Felix and Joel.

  But you’re not done yet. You still have to find Kevin’s journal.

  She thought about handing that torch off to Cali and then berated herself for it. She could do this. She was going to see out the rest of her vacation and she was going to hinder Vander anyway she could because everyone who was hurt by him deserved some kind of peace of mind.