“I got lucky. I just moved here, and I found Sapientia by chance.” She clamped her mouth shut before she could say more.
“Cool. Are you planning to stay here a while?”
“Maybe. It depends…I still have to figure a few things out.” She trailed off, rubbing a strand of hair between her fingers.
“If you’re looking for a job, Veneficia has an opening. It’s just a few streets down. A great bar. The owner is a cool guy. I can introduce you to him if you want.”
Sierra didn’t reveal she already knew the owner. The rational part of her wanted to decline this stranger’s offer. The impatient part of her wanted to return to Veneficia and talk to Gavin now. It would be harder for him to turn her down with one of his friends or a good customers on her side. “Sure. Let’s do that,” she heard herself say.
Maxim did the talking on the way to Veneficia. Sierra only caught bits and pieces, such as Savannah being the oldest city in Georgia and its port playing an important role in the cotton and lumber industries. She nodded politely and made affirmative noises from time to time while she thought up a strategy to convince Gavin to give her the job. Fortunately, Maxim didn’t seem bothered by her lack of contribution to the conversation.
“After you, my lady.” Maxim held open Veneficia’s door. The gesture brought a smile to her face. Handsome, smart, and considerate. A winning combo.
It took her eyes a while to adjust from the afternoon sun to the dimmed glow inside. This time of the day, the bar was nearly empty. A blonde bombshell with the name tag “Whitney” stood behind the smooth, ebony counter. She looked up as they approached. “Hi Maxim! How are you? The usual gin and tonic?” The perky voice matched her appearance and ample cleavage, which made Sierra self-conscious of her B cup.
“Please. This is Sierra. She’s interested in the job.”
Whitney put the drink down in front of Maxim and frowned at Sierra, as if appraising her. “We are looking for another bartender. Do you have a resume with you and are you willing to work both day and night shifts? The owner only hires people with flexible schedules.”
“Absolutely. I don’t mind working early or late, and I’m a great team player. Very reliable too.” Sierra hoped her reply wasn’t too eager. Normally, she was the quiet type, but she needed this job. She wouldn’t sit around the house twiddling her thumbs, waiting for others to make decisions about her life.
“Cool. I’m not allowed to hire anyone without the owner’s approval. But you can come back tomorrow night. He should be in.”
Disappointment swept through Sierra. She wanted this so badly. No, she needed this. She wouldn’t give Gavin time to come up with excuses to dismiss her. Without thinking, she reached out to Whitney and touched her shoulder. Looking deeply into the blonde’s honey eyes, she spoke clearly and with intention. “Whitney, I really need this job, and I know I would be a great fit for it. Hire me.”
Whitney’s eyes glazed over, and then she replied in a robotic voice, “Sure. Shift starts at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow. Don’t be late.” And with that, she flounced off.
Sierra stared after Whitney with bewilderment, not comprehending what had just occurred. Being assertive? Not really her style. She didn’t persuade people successfully. Yet, exactly that had just happened. She had just changed Whitney’s mind. Perhaps the old “fake it until you can make it” was true and all she needed was a bit of self-confidence and positive thinking.
“Good job.” Awe radiated in Maxim’s voice. “Do you always get what you want?”
“Ah, no, not normally.” Sierra felt her cheeks heat. When she spotted Finn strolling into the bar, she waved him over, grateful to take the attention off herself.
“Hi.” Finn played with a silver wristlet, which looked awfully similar to the one Sierra had inherited from her mother. “I was looking for Gavin. Do you know if he’s in?”
“He should be back tomorrow,” Sierra replied.
Finn’s eyelid twitched and his hands trembled. “It might be too late tomorrow. I really need to talk to him now. This is important.”
“You could call him,” Maxim suggested. Finn didn’t reply. Instead, his eyes scanned the crowd as he tugged on his wristlet.
Maybe Finn’s nervous energy was contagious, or maybe it had to do with Sierra being underage and sitting in a bar. Either way, she had the sudden urge to return home. “I have to go.” She grabbed her black tote. “It was nice meeting you, Maxim.”
“You too, Sierra. I’ll see you soon.” He cocked his head and held her gaze for several seconds.
Chapter 9
“You did what?” Gran and Gavin asked in unison, after Sierra notified them she had to leave the apartment in half an hour for her first shift at Veneficia.
“I didn’t do anything bad.” Sierra threw her arms in the air. “I went and got a job.” She turned to Gran. “You don’t want me to be one of those lazy couch potatoes who watch TV all day, do you? And you said I had to wait before I could train my powers.”
“You lied to me. I allowed you to leave the house to go to the library, not to wander the streets of Savannah.” Gran clasped her hands together. “Trust is easily broken but difficult to repair.”
“Oh, really? I walked a few streets farther than I should’ve and that’s the big deal? You lied to me my whole life about who I was and what I could do!”
“Sierra, Waldeburg is concerned.”
Sierra scowled at Gavin. “If someone told you what to do when you were eighteen, I bet you would’ve done the opposite right away.”
The corners of his mouth curled upward before he sucked in his lips. “Touché. But why didn’t you wait until I returned?”
“You would’ve found a way to not give me the job.”
“Speaking of which, I explicitly told Whitney not to hire anyone without my approval. How did…?” Gavin’s eyes narrowed and the molten turquoise of his irises crystalized into hard metal. “You used mind control on her, didn’t you?”
“No!” Did she? Sierra didn’t know. It had been strange how quickly Whitney had given her the job. “At least I don’t think so.”
Gran wedged herself between them. “I’m sure Sierra didn’t do it on purpose. You have to be careful. As a supernatural, you can manipulate the minds of humans and even erase their memories.”
“I didn’t—”
“This power shouldn’t be misused.”
Sierra wanted to bang her head against a wall. How could she be careful with abilities she didn’t know about in the first place? Picking her battles, she decided to focus on the matter of her obtaining a job. “Gran, I agreed to move across the country, cut all contact with my friends, and put my college plans on hold. But I need to do something. Meet people. If I stay here all the time, I might be physically safe, but I’ll go insane.”
Sierra rubbed her temples, trying to find the right way to say this. Hiding her latest idiosyncrasy wouldn’t do anyone any good. “I’m making up words. When I read Latin or hear Spanish, I’m translating it into English.” Tears sprung to her eyes. “I’m going insane.”
“No, Sierra, you’re not.” Gran patted Sierra’s shoulder. “It’s one of your skills. Omnilingualism—the ability to understand languages without ever having studied them. In time, you’ll be able to speak them too.”
Sierra’s mouth fell agape. “What? And you didn’t think to tell me? What else is there?”
“Your stamina will increase. You’ll be stronger and faster, though not as strong as Gavin or most other Dragoons.” Gran hesitated.
“Tell me. You’re not protecting me by keeping me in the dark.”
“Once you get your telekinesis under control, there’s a chance…” Gran sighed. “It doesn’t matter. As far as we know, it’s just legends.”
“What is it?” Sierra’s body hummed with tension, as if it had been pulled tight like a violin string.
“Element conjuring. Wielding air, water, earth, and fire. These powers won’t manifest by themselves. You’l
l have to train the conjuring skill, that is if you want to.”
Sierra shook her head, positive she did not want to do that. What she wanted was to turn back the clock to a time when her biggest concern was what to wear to school and whether she had studied enough for an exam.
Her chest ached, reminding her she needed to breathe. Feeling on edge, she began moving her bracelet up and down her wrist. That’s when she remembered. “Finn has a very similar bracelet...” She let the unspoken question hang in the air.
Gavin pulled up the sleeve of his leather jacket. “Every Ardere does.” He pointed to her wrist. “May I?” She nodded and unclasped the silver bracelet. Gavin examined the single brownish-red stone in it. “Fire agate. For protection against bullets.”
Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, she waited for him to continue.
“When charged by a Guardian spell, the fire agate stops fast flying projectiles, such as bullets, but not knives. Unfortunately, the magic works both ways, meaning Ardere can’t use firearms.” He stated this in a matter-of-fact voice, as if talking about bug spray not guns. “Yours needs to be charged.”
Gran took the bracelet. “Gavin’s right. It’s time for me to renew the spell. It will take me two days.”
Sierra swallowed. Was that really necessary? Certainly, she was in no danger of being shot. Right?
Gavin took a step closer to Gran and dropped his voice. “What about the job? Do you want me to…?”
Sierra rolled her eyes. “I’m in the same room. I can still hear you.”
Gran didn’t reply for a long time, her forehead furrowed. Finally, when Sierra was convinced the answer would be no, Gran said, “All right, you can work at Veneficia. I expect you to come straight home from your shift and text me when you arrive and when you leave. And, obviously, no drinking.”
Sierra hugged Gran. “You are the best!”
“Don’t make me regret this.” Gran motioned at Gavin. “Can I talk to you alone for a second?”
“I’ll be outside.” Sierra walked out into the foyer. She leaned against the door, the muffled conversation from behind the wall reaching her ears.
“Do you still have the lapis pendant?” Gran asked.
“Yes,” Gavin replied.
“Promise me you’ll wear it.”
He sighed. “Fine. I’ll do it for you because I don’t want you to worry. But just so that we’re clear, I don’t believe in it. I’m too old for fairy tales.”
Gran dropped her voice, making it impossible to catch the rest of the exchange. A minute later, the door swung open and Gavin led the way to his car.
He didn’t speak during the short drive to Veneficia. When they arrived, all he said was “good luck” before he walked toward the manager’s office, leaving Sierra alone.
Nervousness tugged at her scalp. Never before had she worked in a bar. She had wanted this job, but what if she sucked at it and made a fool out of herself? Taking a deep breath, she put one foot in front of another and made her way behind the counter to join Whitney.
The blonde glanced up. Her honey-colored eyes widened slightly, as if she had forgotten for a moment about the new hire, but she regained her composure quickly. “Come. I’ll show you where everything is.”
Grateful, Sierra followed Whitney, who pointed out the stock room, the storing area for fresh cocktail ingredients, and how to process payments.
“It’s easy, really. You’ll get the hang of it in a few days. If you need anything, just ask. I’ll be working with you the next few shifts. Not many exams at the beginning of term, so I’ll be here a lot.”
Whitney explained merrily how the bar job was paying the bills while she studied for her nursing degree at Dunlawton. Already Sierra liked Whitney’s positive can-do vibe. Could they become friends? Or would that only lead to complications and Whitney’s memories being erased?
Gavin locked the deadbolt and leaned his back against the cool surface of the door. Not only was Sierra in his town, she was in his bar, which meant he would see her daily. Not a big deal. She was just a girl. No, she wasn’t. Something about her granite-hard determination, her hunger for making sense of the world, and her quiet strength drew him in.
Instead of just accepting the status quo, she constantly questioned it. A rarity. Many Ardere, like humans, tended to behave like sheep, following somebody else’s lead, incapable and unwilling to challenge the status quo around them. Even worse, some reveled in injustice, took abuse from those above them in the hierarchy while imagining how they in turn would torture those below them. Almost everyone played games, disclosing certain pieces of the truth, keeping others hidden.
Not Sierra. She laid all of it out there, didn’t hide her emotions. And Waldeburg wanted him—him of all individuals—to mentor Sierra. “I gave you one part of the lapis stone. Sierra has the other. You are now connected by the lapis bond.”
“Why me?”
“Because, Gavin, you complement each other. Together you’ll be stronger.”
“How?”
Waldeburg smiled mysteriously. “You’ll find out in time.”
A knock on the door tore Gavin back to the present. Not bothering to wait for an answer, the intruder pressed down the handle. When it didn’t give way, the individual resorted to hooting.
“Gavin, open up! I know you’re in there.” He sighed at the thick Italian accent and lilting timbre. Gio’s voice always gave away his inebriation level, and right now, it was a solid nine on a ten-point scale.
Gavin turned the lock and let the Dragoon enter. A medley of cheap cologne, sweat, and beer assaulted him.
“What’s up? Why are you hiding in here?” Gio drawled, staggering into the room, his aura distorted from the alcohol flowing through his bloodstream. He slumped into the chair opposite the desk.
“I’m not hiding. I’ve got work to do.” Gavin turned to his computer, sending Gio a subtle hint, not that the Italian was likely to pick it up.
“Right. Big boss. The marshal and the owner of Veneficia.”
Gavin restrained himself from replying that both were well deserved given the work he had put in. “What do you want?”
Gio clasped his fingers behind his head and leaned back. He let out an exaggerated groan. “You’re no fun anymore. All of this has gone to your head.”
Yes, because being marshal and reporting to Louis was so much fun. Not. Louis…was he behind this? Playing Gavin and Gio against each other? Gavin had always suspected that Louis gave him the marshal position to vex Gio. What better way to knock down someone’s confidence than put his younger friend above him in the hierarchy?
“Anyway.” Gio opened Gavin’s personal cabinet and reached for the white rum bottle. “Why don’t you lock up here and head over to O’Malleys with us?”
“Leave my own bar so I can get wasted with you? No, thanks.” Gavin put the liquor back and turned the key. “If you excuse me, I have work to do.”
“Whatever. Suit yourself. But guess what? It’s student night at O’Malleys—lots of horny hotties will be there.”
“No, thanks.” Gavin ushered Gio out of the office. Jeff stood on the other side of the archway. Good, someone to keep an eye on Gio.
Two hours later, Gavin finished his bookkeeping for the last quarter and decided to check up on Sierra. On her tiptoes, she was reaching for a vermouth bottle. Her top rode up, exposing porcelain skin. Her chocolate-colored waves caressed her collarbone as she leaned forward to mix a cocktail. She turned and her emerald gaze met his. For a second, they just stared at each other.
The phone rang.
Gavin grabbed the receiver. “Hello?” His voice came out strange, as if he was under water.
“Gavin! Thank God you picked up. This is bad, really bad. I don’t know what to do. I tried calling him. I called several times. He’s not picking up.”
“Jillian? Slow down. What are you talking about?”
A pause. It drained the air out of his lungs.
“Finn. I saw it. And I
can’t reach him.”
Gavin inhaled deeply. “You had a vision?”
“Yes. I saw Finn dying.”
Chapter 10
Jillian sniffed loudly through the phone. “I don’t know what to do. Finn’s not picking up. I texted him, but what if it’s too late? He might already be dead.”
Gavin gripped his rising emotions, balled them up and shoved them far away. He had to be the strong one, the rational one. “Is this the first time you had a vision like this?”
“Yes. I don’t know when it’s going to happen or if it’s already happened.”
“Did you see the surroundings?”
A sob. “Yes. City center. I didn’t see a street address, but I could probably recognize the spot if I saw it.”
“Okay. Where are you?”
“Main campus library.”
“Wait for me at the exit. I’ll be right there.” He hung up, allowing himself one second of desolation before he pulled himself together.
“What’s going on?” Sierra’s lower lip quivered.
Gavin didn’t see the point in worrying her. Jillian could be mistaken. “We’ll talk later. Promise me you’ll stay here until I come back and drive you home.”
She scowled but nodded. Gavin stormed out of Veneficia. The scene outside made him come to an abrupt stop. “Gio?” The Dragoon only looked up when Gavin stood directly in front of him. “What is this?” He gestured to the blood specking Gio’s face, knuckles, and white T-shirt.
“Nothing.”
Gavin prepared to retort when Jeff emerged from Veneficia. “I’m taking him home. He got into a brawl.”
Gavin noticed with relief that Jeff didn’t sport any blood on his clothes. Then again, he had the opportunity to clean up, not that Gavin believed Jeff had been involved in the fight. In his five years as a spy for the regency, zero reports of violent outbursts had been filed against him. A conscientious Umbra, Jeff had done a lot of penance for sacrificing a human, not that anything would ever exonerate him completely. “You do that,” Gavin said, unlocking his car.
Fluidus Rising: A YA Paranormal Novel: (The Ardere Series Book1) Page 6