Crossroads

by Jennifer Ann Reed

  “Train with me today.” Caden lifted my chin with a single finger until I met his gaze.

  “Fine.” My arms crossed and my teeth ground together. He rewarded me with one of his infamous half smiles. They always melted my insides, but I couldn’t let any of the others see how affected I was by him. It’d only add fuel to their playful taunts.

  The others broke into groups of two and three as Caden strode to center of the mat and took up a fighting stance. I made my way over and mimicked him.

  “Take your frustrations out on me, Kitten.” I hated that nickname and he’d used it twice today already.

  “I plan to.” I lashed out with a quick jab to the gut. He wasn’t prepared and grunted with the contact. “Focus, I don’t want to beat you too easily.”

  His grin turned feral and I knew he’d give me exactly what I needed; a worthy fight. We skirted around each other for what seemed like hours but was only minutes. We took many swipes but they would miss as we took turns out maneuvering each other. Caden kicked out and connected with my knee, but I was only down for mere seconds before I bounced back up and swept his legs out from under him. I intended to pin him, but he rolled from my grasp and I almost face-planted into the mat.

  Caden’s cocky grin infuriated me further and I went on attack, sending him backwards in shock. I relished the feeling of impressing him. Another perk of being a hybrid and coming into my fairy power was growing physically stronger every day. My wolf’s craving of any attention from Caden bothered me as she hummed her appreciation of his form. An annoyed growl at her erupted from my lips and I launched myself at Caden to finish our spar.

  Allie’s scream stole my attention as Curtis picked her up and threw her over his shoulder while she cackled trying to get away. They were goofing off. Really? It was a stupid rookie mistake to take my eyes off my opponent and I tried to fix it, but I was tossed onto the mat and as I landed all the air left my lungs.

  Caden wrangled my hands into his grip, pinning them above my head as I gulped down a breath. He pressed a knee on each side of my hips and the others clapped at his victory. I expected him to let me up after the pin, but he leaned forward. All I saw was his perfect mouth descending and my entire body locked up. My wolf howled for his lips to press to mine, but his head turned and I drowned in the scent of mint and fresh cotton.

  “Never take your eyes off of your opponent, Kitten.” Those lips my wolf begged to feel grazed my cheek and I stopped breathing. He sniffed my hair and sighed. One hand dropped to my cheek, caressing it and causing my heart to stutter in its beats. “You’re going to be the death of me.”

  Caden jumped up and left me on the floor like nothing had happened. I was going to be the death of him? What about the cardiac arrest he left me in? I laid there a minute trying to compose myself. A tan hand leading to tattoos offered me assistance in getting to my feet.

  “Try to keep it PG.” Linc’s smirk started an inferno under my skin. “Thought we would have to hose you both down.”

  “I didn’t do anything!” It was then that fire flew from my fingers and set the room on ablaze. “What just happened?” I shrieked as panic took over.

  Linc and the others ran for the multiple fire extinguishers and put out the small flames around the gym. Each had a look of wonder on their face, but I smelled the fear seeping from their pores. They were afraid of me. I took off for the door, fighting tears. Strong arms wrapped around me and I glanced up at Austin.

  We’re not afraid of you. He broke his silence. We were afraid the fires would hurt someone.

  I can’t believe that. Austin couldn’t understand how it felt to have the people you cherished terrified of you.

  It doesn’t matter what you believe. You have a special place in each of our hearts, Kitra. If you didn’t, we wouldn’t have searched for you when Aelfric had you. He let me go, but I stayed near him.

  I know how you’re feeling, Kitra. He knew how I was feeling? He wasn’t considered a freak of nature so how did he know what I was feeling?

  Probably not, Austin. No one knew what it was like.

  I’m going to tell you something I don’t share with everyone. Our elbows touched as the others discussed how useful fire would be in an attack. You have all this magic coursing through your body and don’t know what may come next, but I don’t have any fae magic to speak of.

  What? Was he joking with me?

  Really, I don’t. I’ve been searching for it for years and have begged the Creator for just an ounce to manifest, but I can’t call anything forth. I threaded my arm through his. I’m a freak in Faerie. I don’t return there often because everyone refers to me as the “mute.” It’s a stigma I’ve had to overcome. So when I say I know what you’re feeling, it’s the truth.

  I’m sorry, Austin. I had no clue.

  You have a great purpose, but how do you like having an inept fairy as your familiar? One with no purpose? It broke my heart to hear him think of himself as a lesser person.

  I wouldn’t have it any other way. I hugged my friend and released him after he squirmed. We’ll figure out our purposes together.

  “Do you think you could do that again?” Caden grabbed my hand, squeezing it gently and my attention was diverted away from Austin and what we had been discussing. He wanted me to try to ignite the flames again? Was he crazy?

  “We have fire extinguishers.” Zander threw in with a reassuring grin. My mouth gaped like a fish at their suggestion.

  “Aw, come on, Kitten. I know you can do it again.” Linc flicked my ear, starting the fire in my veins again. “Just try not to set the room on fire this time. I’d prefer you kept it in your hand.” He waved at my fingers.

  Was that it? I marveled at the sensation of the heat pushing to the surface. Did I have to be angry to create fire?

  I focused on the emotion Linc stirred up and forced it to my palm. It slowly heated and turned freezing cold. Several gasps filled the air including one from me. A small fireball floated in my hand heating before it froze and melted and then started the cycle all over again.

  “We have to tell the others.” Curtis barely breathed as he leaned forward to watch. “This new power could be really helpful in the future.”

  “Well, I will leave it to you all to tell the adults.” I closed my fist over the fireball, smothering it and the fire drained from my blood. I turned and gave Austin a quick hug before I bolted for my room. The responsibility of confessing I had almost burned the house down was now on their shoulders. I’d had enough problems for one day.

  Chapter 2

  T HE REVELATION OF my new ability sent the house into a frenzy much like a small child on a sugar rush after too much candy. Nervous excitement permeated the air at what the possible uses of controlling fire in a fight meant for us. We knew our future held dangers none of us were prepared for but my capacity to create fire breathed hope into their hearts. I, however, was consumed with unease.

  When I had turned seventeen not even a couple of weeks ago, I thought all of the powers I would hold had manifested then. I wasn’t expecting anything else. What did it mean when new abilities were still surfacing? How many more were untapped and how would they show themselves? I hated to think about what could occur if any other abilities revealed themselves. I didn’t want to hurt anyone.

  Several times the others tried to pull me into their conversations about the future, but I wanted to be left alone with my thoughts. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to be around them; I just needed time to process how I felt. After spending so much of my life internalizing my emotions, I struggled to let down my defensive walls. When I lived in Texas, I was an outsider trying to keep my wolf side hidden and now once again I was an outsider. My friends and family continued to include me, but I was still the hybrid who the supernatural community believed would be the downfall of the world. I was the abomination that wasn’t supposed to exist. If I confided in the others, maybe they’d help me with my personal outlook, but what if they too were beginning to thi
nk I was nothing but a freak of nature? Tonight, I chose to curl up under my covers and hide from the world.

  ***********************************

  A high pitched squawking blared along my eardrums and an unladylike grumble came from the other side of the room. Allie covered her head and growled. Her behavior was more like a wolf than a fairy. I turned the alarm clock off and flopped back against my pillows. After the battle with Aelfric, Allie and the others had become permanent residents of Frost Manor. The only ones who moved back and forth were Lucian, Amara, and Elder Dylan. At first, I thought it was odd when Uncle Kalen helped move my room around enough for another bed and dresser to be brought in. I didn’t mind having Allie and Austin here 24/7, but I assumed that Caden, Linc, Curtis, and Zander would stay with their families. When they fully moved in without anyone batting an eye, I asked Lucian a ton of questions about it.

  Apparently, our pack believed in communal living. At puberty, once they had shifted, young males were separated to live in dormitories. The females stayed with their families until they shifted after their eighteenth birthday. Lucian explained that the pack helped to raise each wolf cub and then worked together to teach the new wolves about the ins and outs of shifting. They grew up knowing what would happen to them, but learning control after the first shift was still hard and the next few years afterwards were the most volatile, hence when my Guardians moved into Frost Manor, it didn’t cause a stir.

  I understood their reasoning, especially after all the trials and errors I underwent when I shifted after puberty. I learned I was different from the rest of the pack. I was the only female in Dire Wolf history that had shifted early and Lucian assumed it was due to my hybrid nature.

  With a sigh, I threw back the blankets, stretched like a cat, and groaned when my spine cracked down each vertebra.

  “I need five more minutes.” Allie’s muffled voice came from under her pillow.

  “Fine. I’ll wake you up when I get out of the shower.” I yanked one of my nerdy black t-shirts from the closet and grabbed my favorite pair of worn jeans from a shelf.

  I turned the faucet over to the red H and waited as the water heated. The temperature rose steadily and I stepped inside, letting the scalding liquid cascade over me in small rivers. Yawning, I swayed and propped myself up in the corner of the shower as the warmth lulled me back to the state between sleep and wakefulness.

  I jerked awake when I heard Allie, who had just gotten out of bed complain. How long had I been sleeping in the shower? I quickly bathed as Allie banged on the door.

  “You didn’t turn the alarm off, you just hit snooze. So, I got exactly five minutes. Thanks.” The last few words dripped with sarcasm.

  “Sorry,” I called as I shut off the water. “I thought I turned it off.” I quickly toweled off and dried my wavy locks before throwing it up in a high ponytail. I opened the door and a cloud of steam engulfed me as I left the bathroom. Allie’s eyebrow rose.

  “Really?” She gestured toward my shirt and a grin broke out across my face. Allie didn’t understand my need to wear “nerd gear” the title she labeled most of my wardrobe with. Today’s shirt read Mundane Fools: I’m a Shadowhunter in training. “What does that even mean?”

  “Exactly. If you’d read the books I listed for you, you’d no longer be a mundane and would understand what it meant.” I ducked the pillow she threw in my direction and it bounced off the wall.

  “Whatever.” Allie stumbled into the bathroom and closed the door while I chuckled as I searched for my mascara.

  After applying a quick coat to my lashes and adding some cherry lip gloss to my lips, I packed up my messenger bag and added two handfuls of chocolate to one of the pockets. My craving for both the sweet, smooth treat and rare steak still reared its ugly head every now and then, but it wasn’t as frequent as before my birthday. My body’s two sides were slowly accepting one another, but when it came to my vices, I needed to stay prepared. I became feral if the cravings hit and I couldn’t satisfy them, or at least that was Allie’s classification of my mood when the need struck.

  Downstairs, when I planted myself on a stool at the island, Uncle Kalen slid a plate of steak and eggs and a cup of hot chocolate across to me. Saliva pooled behind my teeth and I dug in like I hadn’t eaten in a while, eliciting a chortle from him. I should’ve been embarrassed by my poor table manners, but I just grinned around my food. Allie slumped next to me and Uncle Kalen dished out some breakfast for her along with a steaming cup of coffee. She clasped both hands around the warm mug and blew over the surface before taking a tentative sip, ending with an appreciative grunt. Uncle Kalen shook his head at both of our antics. Clearly, neither of us were morning people.

  “Where are the boys?” Allie perked up as she scanned the room. I stopped shoveling eggs into my mouth long enough to finally notice it was just the three of us in the kitchen. Huh? Seemed like my mind focused on one thing when one of my addictions was placed in front of me. I grunted realizing how sad that was.

  “They’ve had early practice this week to make up for the ones they missed.” He didn’t have to remind of us of our absences due to Aelfric and the Dark Ones. “You girls have been running late each morning and haven’t noticed. I’m surprised to see you two are actually on time.” He eyed us over his own cup of coffee.

  “Hey, I hate mornings but I’m usually on time.” I pointed my fork in Allie’s direction. “She’s the one who takes forever and begs for more sleep. Maybe you should give her the wakeup call you used to torture me.” The memories of Uncle Kalen bursting into my room every morning, singing off key at the top of his lungs, resulted in a cringe that consumed my entire body and drew uncontrolled laughter from him.

  “I’ll see what I can do.” Uncle Kalen wiped tears from his eyes.

  “Just wait until I’m already up,” I warned. I wanted her to suffer, not me.

  “Traitor.” Allie’s narrowed gaze was meant to be angry, but she was as scary as a barking Chihuahua. My head dropped and I bit my bottom lip to keep the smile from my face.

  “Have you heard anything from Aunt Mauve?” I thought a subject change would distract her enough for her to possibly forget I had thrown her under the bus.

  “Not yet. Don’t worry. When she gets in contact with me, I’ll let you know.” Uncle Kalen’s promise didn’t ease any of my worries. No one told how to get in contact with her and it wasn’t like I could pick up a phone to call her.

  “She’s fine.” Allie’s fingers gripped mine. “I promise.” I released the breath I’d been holding and nodded. She was right. We would know otherwise.

  “You girls better get going.” Uncle Kalen started loading the dishwasher.

  I glanced at the clock and saw we had twenty-five minutes until we had to be in homeroom and the drive to school took at least ten minutes. Allie and I grabbed our stuff and scrambled to the door. I didn’t have time to fully appreciate my baby, a sleek black Aston Martin Vanquish. My uncle had gifted me with this car for my birthday. As usual we were in such a huge rush, but I did take a moment to sigh as the buttery soft seat molded around me. I pushed the glass key into the ignition and pulled around the wolf fountain sitting in our roundabout driveway. I drove down the lane through a sentry of oak trees standing on either side of the long driveway leading to Main Street.

  Allie turned on the radio and sang along to the music. We passed Fuller’s Grocery and I shivered as I thought about Layla Fuller’s betrayal when she helped kidnap me. Layla and her family were secret followers of the Dark Ones, but now she was gone. Aelfric had taken her for his own sick purposes and after it was revealed to our pack how they supported the Dark Ones, her family fled. The pack took over the store, but I still refused to go there and left the shopping up to my uncle.

  Thoughts of that night still terrified me. I had thought I was taking my last breaths.

  Allie squeezed my shoulder when she noticed how quiet I’d become. I still worried about Layla even after all she had done. Sh
e was misguided and now she was with a crazy psychopath who killed if she was in a bad mood. As we approached Serenade Falls High School, my attention was diverted and the tension pulling my shoulders to my ears relaxed.

  Seeing Home of the Wailing Banshees engraved in the sandy stonework above the doors released the last bit of my nervousness. I found the closest available parking space and pulled in. Sunlight blinded me as it reflected from the multiple glass windows that covered the two smaller wings which were attached on each side of the main entrance. Allie and I hurried inside and passed clumps of students hanging out by their lockers. We actually made good time and were able to claim seats in the back of our homeroom.

  Many students filed into the room, but the five seats surrounding us were left empty. They would be claimed by the missing boys of our entourage. Speaking of the devils, they waltzed into the room and stole the attention of every female. Girly sighs of appraisal came from every direction and I couldn’t help but agree. They were a force to be reckoned with and all female hearts were in danger of falling head over heels for them.

  Only one captured my full attention and sent my pulse into overdrive. Butterflies swarmed in my stomach and threatened to erupt from my throat as Caden sat in front of me. My wolf danced at his proximity and I tried to shush her. He wasn’t ours to claim. He didn’t have my mark and I needed to push him from my mind. Mint and fresh cotton invaded my nostrils as the object of my confused affection faced me with a megawatt smile and I almost visibly swooned.

  “Do you feel better now?” He reached for me, but dropped his hand. “Austin said he felt your agitation after the fire.”