“Will I be working with him?” I whimpered, unassuaged by his assurances. I’d been working with the twins ever since they returned to class, and I wanted it to stay that way.
“No, Lexus. I don’t feel comfortable with that, and I doubt you do, either. Jaxson will work with some of the level threes to help develop their skills, and I’d like you to do the same, eventually.”
“You want me to teach other students?” I raised a hand to my lips and searched for a hang nail to worry.
“Yes, Lexus. Your skill level is very advanced, despite your inexperience. You are our most powerful student now, having surpassed Jaxson.”
I gasped, taken aback by his statement. Was I really more powerful than Jaxson just because I’d managed to control him once?
“But, there are so many things I don’t know how to do, so many things I’d never even tried. How could I possibly be the most advanced student?”
Anders somber expression broke with an eager smile. “Your power is raw and unrefined, Lexus, but that doesn’t diminish its intensity. A level four is characterized by the ability to master any skill with complete control of one’s power. That certainly describes you, Lexus. In fact, your ability to manipulate a Conduit without their consent is beyond the scope of any other Catalyst I’ve ever met. Perhaps you are the first level five.”
My face mirrored the awe in his voice, and an overwhelming rush of tension and excitement surged through my body. I stumbled backward and dropped to the bed, my knees shaking too much to hold myself upright. The boys came and sat next to me, patting my knees and my back.
Anders’ face grew serious again, and he put his hands on his hips. “Lexus, this ability you have is new and fascinating, but also potentially very dangerous. I’m trusting you to wield it responsibly and at my command only. You’re too young and inexperienced to truly understand the scope of this power, but I’m counting on your sense of propriety not to abuse it. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.” I nodded cautiously. After what I’d done to Jaxson, I was terrified of my own power. I had no intention of ever using it that way again.
“In fact, I think perhaps you should exercise this skill only under direct supervision. I’ll be monitoring your practice sessions from now on.”
Pleased with his decision, Anders nodded his head in farewell and walked out, leaving me and the boys stunned silent. My insides roiled, and I dashed to the bathroom again, my empty stomach heaving.
4
My feet stumbled to a halt as we entered the cafeteria the next morning, and my arms instantly wrapped around my belly.
Jaxson was back on his throne, ruling from the end of the table like a king holding court. His subjects crowded around him with eager faces, peppering him with questions about his adventure. I was sure his version was a lot different from mine.
What would he tell them? Everyone knew the twins had been badly injured at Jaxson’s hand, and I’m sure he was bragging about his ability to disable them without the help of a willing Catalyst. But how would he explain his own capture?
I couldn’t imagine him admitting that I had overpowered him. In fact, I was sure he’d do everything in his power to minimize my own from now on. Not that I wanted any recognition, but I was afraid he might tell them my secrets just to disparage me.
Sensing my unease, the boys reached for my hands simultaneously, but I ignored them both, clutching my arms together at my waist, afraid that someone might guess the truth about us. I didn’t feel guilty about it, but I knew most people wouldn’t understand, and I was desperate to avoid the sting of their disapproval.
The greasy scent of bacon and frying eggs turned my queasy stomach even more, and I was pretty sure my face was green.
“Is that all you’re going to eat?” Griffin frowned at my near-empty tray. Dry toast was the only thing I thought I could swallow.
“I’m not very hungry.” I took a banana, too, just to ease his mind, but I knew I wouldn’t eat it.
We carried our trays over to Sarah’s table where we always sat even though I didn’t really feel comfortable sitting with her ever since she’d revealed her interest in Phoenix. I was confident now that he wasn’t interested in her, but it still felt awkward. It was bad enough sharing a room with her, although I pretty much spent all my time in the boys’ room now. But I liked Stephanie, Juan, and Taryn, and Sarah seemed to accept that Phoenix was off the market.
“I see King Jaxson is back regaling his court.” Sarah wagged a piece of bacon towards him.
“Too bad. It’s been so peaceful without him.” Juan glowered.
“Well, he’s not the ruler around here anymore.” Phoenix wrapped an arm around my shoulders and smirked. “He’s been overthrown by a queen.”
The others looked at him curiously, and I gawked at him. What was he doing? I’d carefully avoided telling anyone about how I’d overpowered Jaxson, trying to evade the spotlight.
“Come on, Lexus, don’t be so shy about it. I’m sick of that asswipe getting all the glory. Anders said it himself yesterday — Lexus has outranked Jaxson. He thinks she’s a level five.”
The whole table gasped collectively, and I buried my head in my hands. When I looked up, Griffin was scowling at Phoenix, and the rest of the table was staring at me, waiting for an explanation.
“There’s no such thing as a level five, Phoenix,” Juan said patronizingly.
“Well, there is now. Lexus has a power that no one else has, so that puts her on a whole other level.”
“What are you talking about?” Sarah asked, wrinkling her nose.
Phoenix leaned in and whispered giddily. “Lexus siphoned Jaxson’s power and made him do something without him knowing it.”
Sarah shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Lexus is a Catalyst, Phoenix. She can’t do that. Most Conduits can’t even do it. That’s what keeps our kind in check. Both partners have to work together.”
“Well, she did. That’s what makes her so special. Lexus used Jaxson’s power to throw a rock at his head, knocking him out.”
Sarah sneered, looking at Phoenix like he was an imbecile and tossing her long, bronze hair with a flick of her head. “No way. She must have used one of you two to do it.”
“Nope. We were both out cold. It was all Lexus. She did it before, too. That’s how she came up with the idea. Anders said he’d never seen anything like it.” Phoenix leaned back in his chair with his arm around me, his face beaming with pride. With thick, dark hair swooping over crystal grey eyes, and muscles bulging out of his shirtsleeves, he was impossibly gorgeous. I almost forgot to be mad at him I was so caught up in his presence.
The bell rang before the others had a chance to ask any more questions, but I knew the rumor mill would churn with my name for the rest of the day. I sighed, wishing I could bury my face in the boys’ shoulders for comfort, but if we were going to keep our relationship private, that meant I couldn’t show affection to either one of them in public.
I wondered if it was even worth the effort trying to keep the secret. Now that Jaxson knew, I was sure he’d talk eventually. He had no loyalty to any of us, and he’d do anything to get what he wanted, even if it meant ruining our reputations.
Phoenix’s revelation had set me up as an anomaly, an outlier in a group of people already different from everyone else. Why did he have to go and tell everyone? I knew he was just proud of me and eager to brag, but didn’t he understand that all I wanted was to blend in?
I trudged to 1st period, terrified of being so close to Jaxson again. My mind replayed the feel of his cold knife pressed against my throat, and I reached up to assure myself that nothing was there.
I huddled in my chair with my head down as Jaxson walked past, the current crackling between us stronger than ever. We didn’t have assigned seats, but everyone always sat in the same place. Jaxson ignored his usual spot, though, and took the nearest open seat, directly behind me.
I gasped as he lowered himself in the chair, his body
inches away from mine, power radiating off of him in a way that made my own body hum with energy.
“Anders said you’re not supposed to be anywhere near me,” I whispered when he leaned forward, his head next to mine.
“Relax, Lexus. I’m not going to hurt you. Besides, you’re stronger than me, now, right? No one’s ever overpowered me before, but I like a challenge; it’s kind of a turn on.” His husky voice crooned in my ear, his warm breath tickling it. I shuddered at the sensation.
He was right, though. Technically, I could control him just as easily as he could control me. So why did I still feel so helpless?
I didn’t hear a thing Mr. Stafford said the rest of the period. All I heard was the rush of blood pounding in my body and Jaxson’s warm breath blowing in my ear. The minutes dragged like hours, and as soon as the bell rang, I jolted out of my seat and raced for the door.
Phoenix’s first class was two doors down, and he usually met me and walked with me to chemistry. I barreled into him as I rushed for the door, and he caught me, a look of concern on his face. His eyes flicked up at Jaxson, hovering behind me, and he glowered.
“What are you up to, Jaxson?” he asked, grabbing my arms and pulling me to his chest.
Jaxson held up his hands innocently. “I didn’t touch her.”
“Don’t even talk to her.”
Jaxson snarled. “You’re not really in a position to be making demands, are you, Phoenix?”
Phoenix narrowed his stormy eyes and scowled at him. “You’re not either, Jaxson. I’m sure Anders would have something to say about the fact that the first thing you did yesterday was head for Lexus.”
Jaxson smirked, his aqua eyes twinkling. “Hey, I came to talk to you and your brother. How was I supposed to know that Lexus would be in there, cuddled up between you?”
Phoenix whipped his head around to see who might have heard Jaxson’s comment, but no one was within earshot.
“Find your own girl, Jaxson. This one’s taken.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me down the hall, leaving Jaxson sneering in the doorway.
My stomach clenched, and I swallowed my breakfast again.
I heard my name whispered a few times throughout the morning, and I knew Phoenix’s story had circulated throughout the school already. No one had approached me about it, probably because the twins were with me, but by the time I got to 4th period, my anxiety had ratcheted up to epic levels, leaving me feeling lightheaded and clammy with nervous sweat.
Neither of the twins had English class with me, and by then the other students were blatantly pointing and staring. I was a little early, and a lot of the seats were still empty, so I passed my usual seat in the front of the class and headed for the back row, wishing my powers included invisibility.
“Is it true? Did you really control Jaxson against his will?” a Catalyst named Matt asked too loudly as he tromped down the aisle towards me and dumped his books on the desk in front of mine.
I gulped and peeked up at him from behind my hair, no idea how to answer him. If I said no, people would think Phoenix was a liar, but saying yes would only invite more unwanted attention. A few students were already staring at us in curiosity.
“Well, is it?”
I dropped my head and whispered, “I guess so.”
“Holy shit, you have to teach me how to do that!” Matt’s face lit up, and he plopped down into his seat, turning backwards to look at me and folding his arms on my desk. The voices around us swelled with excitement.
“Seriously, Lexus. What’s your secret? Every Catalyst in this school is gonna want to know it.”
“I don’t know, it just sort of… happened. Jaxson was out of control, and I needed to stop him,” I mumbled. “I just sent out a surge of power and he did what I wanted.”
Matt shook his head, his eyes wide and sparkling with excitement. “That’s freakin’ awesome. Will you show me today in practice? My partner will be cool with it, right Anna?”
The Conduit next to me bobbed her head. “As long as you don’t make me do anything stupid.”
“I want to try, too!” another student said.
“Are you people crazy? Why would you want Catalysts to be able to control you against your will?” A boy in the back boomed, and a chorus of voices followed, some eager to work with me and others clearly disturbed by the whole idea.
The noise escalated as more students entered the classroom and wanted to know what was going on. Finally, the teacher walked in and put a stop to the ruckus, but I felt their stares for the rest of the class.
By lunchtime, all I wanted to do was crawl back in bed and hide under the covers. I made my way to the cafeteria instead, but as soon as I walked in, the smell of fish sent me reeling for the bathroom, and I found myself huddled over the toilet for the second time, the cold tile biting into my knees.
“Lexus, are you okay?” Sarah poked her head into the bathroom and I groaned. Why did it have to be her? Sarah was everything I wasn’t. Bold, confident, outgoing. Our looks were similar — petite figures with long, brown hair and hazel eyes, but she wore them so much better than me.
I was sprawled out on the floor in front of the first toilet and hadn’t closed the stall door, so she gingerly approached, scrunching her nose. There was nothing left in my stomach to throw up, so I pulled myself away from the toilet, and Sarah held out a hand to help me up. Her normally sweet perfume nauseated me.
“Wanna go to the nurse? Looks like you’re coming down with something.”
I shook my head, clutching her arm for support. My body felt as limp and powerless as a strand of seaweed, swaying in the water, tethered in place by a tiny root.
“I think it’s just nerves, with Jaxson back and all.”
“Do you normally puke when you get nervous? Besides, what’s there to be worried about? Sounds like you owned him.” Sarah cracked a smile, and I tried to smile back, but I couldn’t get my cheeks to cooperate.
“You’re not pregnant, are you?” Sarah chuckled. “I know you hooked up with Griffin.”
I gasped as her words fell on me like sacks of dead weight, pinning my body in place. Could I be?
I couldn’t remember my last period. How long had it been since I’d had one? Too long, I was positive.
Panic twisted my face into a frozen caricature. I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. Sarah turned towards me with confusion, then her mouth and eyes widened as she realized what was happening.
“Oh my gawd, Lexus! Didn’t you use protection?”
My twisted face crumpled with shame and I slowly shook my head. It had been a spur of the moment decision; neither one of us had been prepared. In fact, the thought never even crossed my mind. Had it crossed Griffin’s?
“Wow, Lexus. You really need to go to the nurse and find out for sure.”
I shook my head violently. I’d probably be expelled immediately, Griffin too. I needed time to think. I dashed from the bathroom, clutching my tender belly, and hurried to my bedroom, a million thoughts colliding in my head.
I collapsed on my bed, burying my face in my pillow as sobs wracked my body. Glimpses of my future flashed before my eyes, and the images were terrifying. Me, still a child myself, holding an infant. A crib shoved in the corner of my tiny room at my mother’s house. The baby wailing in hunger because I couldn’t afford to feed it. My mother’s drunken, angry voice berating me.
I deserved this; I was no better than her — a foolish tramp desperate for male attention. And just like her, I was going to ruin not only my own life, but my child’s, too. But I didn’t have to ruin Griffin’s.
5
Sarah stalked towards me with a look on her face I couldn’t decipher — equal parts fear, disgust, apprehension, and sadness.
“Griffin, I think Lexus needs you.” Sarah plopped down at the table and glared at me.
I glanced confusedly at Phoenix, surprised to hear her say Lexus needed me specifically. Not that it made much difference. Phoenix hopped up at the same time as m
e, intent on finding out what was the matter.
“Where is she?” we said in unison, our faces pinched in identical frowns.
“Well, she should’ve gone to the nurse, but I think she went to our bedroom.” Sarah gave me another grave look that didn’t make any sense, and my heart started pounding. Why did Lexus need the nurse? Was she hurt? Sick? I nodded and took off to find her, Phoenix at my heels.
“Uh, Phoenix, you might want to sit this one out,” Sarah warned.
Phoenix and I glanced at each other then gave her the same bewildered look. She held up her hands and shrugged, wincing. “Just a suggestion.”
“Screw that.” Phoenix growled, and I didn’t argue with him. Sarah didn’t know about our new relationship status. Maybe she thought Lexus was with me.
Our movement caught Jaxson’s eye from across the room, and he lifted his head, narrowing his eyes as he stared at us. As if on autopilot, he rose and started heading our way.
Phoenix and I bounded up the stairs towards Lexus’ bedroom, and Jaxson followed, his long strides making up time till he was right behind us.
“Where’s the fire, boys? What’s going on?” His features were delicate, almost feminine, and his shiny black hair and blue eyes were too pretty for a guy, but every time we made eye contact, his face was always twisted in an ugly sneer, negating his beauty.
“None of your business, douche bag.” My brother snapped at him, but Jaxson didn’t take the hint, just kept following us.
“You two are up to something, and I want to know what it is. Where’s Lexus, anyway?” He slunk behind us, hands in the pockets of his black skinny jeans.
We ignored him, and I rapped on Lexus’ door, but it was unlocked, so I opened it without waiting for her. She lay on the bed, crying into her pillow, and my body seized tight with pain.
Taking Flight (Teen Paranormal Romance Series) (The Caged Series Book 3) Page 2