Orion

by Cyndi Goodgame

  Nothing.

  I drifted forward and threw one knife with my eyes never leaving the armor wall.

  I walked toward the door of the gym and was just in between the doorframe when Calum stepped in. He looked me once over in my shorts and tank, with a little sweat running down my neck and disappearing below my necklace chain. He followed it. Male minds I’ve found follow a certain pattern.

  “Need some company?"

  “Always.”

  He stepped inside and we walked back halfway to the swords. I motioned using my left-handed knife hand as a fingered hush signal and pointed behind the armor wall. He took the hint.

  He doubled around sliding the sword from one of the hilts and I went the other way. He waved a one, two, three in the air and we both landed in fighting stance staring at each other. Whoever it was, was gone.

  “What did you hear?”

  “Heard and saw a sword. Never a person.”

  “Must have gone out the basement back entrance stairs. Who knows, maybe it was me spying to see some of your skills.”

  “You don’t have to spy. I’ll show you.” I’ve never been allowed to be this daring with a boy. Guy. Man. This is what Liz and Maze called flirting. It’s coming out easier around him. I liked it too much.

  I knew his eyes were following me. He kept looking in a way I've never seen a man look at a woman and it was me they were focused on. I liked it.

  I peeked back at him walking across to the range and his head shot up to my eyes.

  “What are you looking at?”

  He didn’t answer so I pouted my lip out. “Answer.” It was my new favorite facial tactic that seemed to work just perfectly on him.

  “Everything. And wondering when I can see Orion again.” Eyes looking at my shirt, no doubt with some excellent x-ray vision induced imagination going on.

  Hmm! “Same here, Rigel.” I dragged the name out.

  His eyes were wide with my boldness. “Alright, Anat!”

  We both smiled and stared for a second as if we weren’t sure what to do next.

  “Want a lesson?” I offered half arching my head and leaning on one hip.

  “Sure. But can I watch first. See some technique.”

  Okay. He is good. Technique! I see the way he is looking at me. I walked over to the board and snatched my missing knife. I didn’t have to worry about putting on a show, he was glued to me.

  I returned to position without looking his way. He’d taken a seat near the range and folded those ridged arms that were warm against my neck the other night.

  I poised myself, still a lady, but fierce. I braced and positioned for my three steps. One. Two. Three steps. Release! All seven right where they should be.

  “Nice. I think I need to see it again. Watch the way you cat down to the release point.”

  I walked up to him and picked up my water bottle on the bench, “Cat down?”

  “Well yeah, you hardly look like a man.” He looked over me again.

  “Stop that. Your making me want to put more clothes on.”

  “No. Don’t be rash," he smirked.

  I twisted my nose up at him and hissed. He chuckled.

  “Watch this.” I suddenly wanted to show off. “Count off for me.”

  I stood ready for my three steps, my eyes burning into him the entire time. My face closed and focused, I waited.

  “One. Two. Three.” His deep voice let the last number out faster.

  I nailed all seven to the center and never a blink of an eye off his face.

  His mouth dropped in a very awesome looking O and he stood almost as fast yelling, “That’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

  Knowing my experience with the word “sexy” to be very limited, I was curious how this could have caused such a reaction. But I didn’t feel like he would like me downplaying the moment by asking, so I reserved it for a Maze conversation.

  “I’m your pupil. Teach at will. I warn you, I might need a lot of practice with those eyes staring at me like that.” He was almost panting. The gym was hot but a part of me loved the reaction it warranted to get this much attention. I retrieved the knives and offered a new tidbit.

  “Black.”

  “What?”

  “My favorite color. Makes me invisible.” I put my finger on the temple beside his left eye, my gloved hands holding the current away. I think he was disappointed at that by the way he frowned and looked at my hands. Or maybe he was disappointed at the lack of touch. The daily voltage shot.

  I watched him move into position, my eyes taking him in, like a tall glass of water I just need to have near me. He watches me with the same expression, though his was more transfixed. I’m more terrified at my own boldness and wondered rampantly at how I ever arrived at this state. Because he knew my secrets and still talked to me? I certainly liked being liked.

  I asked him if he wanted to take one, two, or three steps. He’d always done one so he positioned and raised his arm. Two knives ready, I counted, “One!” Release. They hit one on the center, and the other on the edge of it.

  “Again. But with more control of your release. The first knife was pointing up and therefore hit dead center. The second knife was too loose in your hand and spun in the air.” It was totally uncoordinated.

  “Can you come show me?” The sneaky devil probably faked it. I wondered if he’d held them wrong on purpose, but I’d seen his overdone showiness the first day I arrived and knew it was his real stuff. Besides, he looked very talented until I came along.

  I carefully walked up to him and fixed his fingers as he watched. I pulled his arm into position to give a practice throwing action all the while electricity flying everywhere on our arms reclaiming the purpose that was still unknown.

  I stopped, stepped back and said, “One.” He watched me instead.

  Dead center.

  “Great teacher. You ought to think about becoming one. On second thought, I don’t want anyone else’s hands on you anywhere or yours on them. Never mind. I’ll teach you mine, if you teach me yours.”

  “Didn’t we already agree to this arrangement?”

  “Just confirming.” Calum looked at the range. “One more thing, I win, you meet me under the stars tonight. You win, you meet me under the stars anyway.”

  “Was there ever a choice?”

  “Always. I won’t make you do anything Stace, you don’t want to do. I just hope like hel—heck you will.”

  I smiled. “Alright, what is it?”

  “Promise you’ll do it.”

  I hope I can keep this promise. “Yes!”

  “Line up your shot and on three and throw, with your eyes closed.”

  “Okay!” my voice shaky. I stood still and followed my eyes into darkness. My fear would to be screaming out if he were a Valkyrie but I did all he asked. Counted and…

  His mouth was on my neck. Release!

  All seven knives missed the target and landed left into the wooden backboard wall. The wall was there for that purpose alone.

  I whirled around too fast and he was doubled over laughing.

  “That was not fair.”

  “Oh, and your bow and arrow escapade was any different? In front of everyone no less."

  I folded my arms with some major pouting.

  “Oh, don’t do that.” It was working. “Fine. But it just means we need to practice even more, with distracters.”

  This gave me an idea. “Fine. War’s on!”

  His face showed the slightest hint of a worry then smiled. “What have you in mind?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

  When he looked like he was about to protest he countered and said, “Likewise.”

  “Shall we?” He gestured to leave.

  Neither of us heard or saw the figure still hidden in the shadows, but I sensed him. His anger rather. He moved out the back entrance before I could even mention it to Calum.

  Chapter Fourteen …When First We Practice to Deceive.

&nbs
p; The next few days were exciting and full of laughter, practice, studying, and more laughter. I’d never laughed this much in all of my years combined before coming here. I kept business in the back of my head and tried not to think of my brother and how little I progressed. It’s like something was keeping me from the goal. Maybe myself.

  Tuesday afternoon during our study session, I let myself get so into my favorite classics, weapons practice, and experiment on my “study dates”. I’d forgotten anything to do with my mission to be here in the first place.

  That is when someone, unintentionally reminded me, of why I was here.

  We, Calum and I, were sitting in the library, studying chapter five. I was relishing in the attention from him knowing that we were almost to the end of our “catching up” in the chemistry book.

  Calum had just asked me a question about the properties of matter in something, but my quick hearing caught something else alarming at the table behind me.

  I jerked my head back, but quickly disguised it as a gesture to hit Calum’s arm and say, “Too much studying. I’m tired.” My eyes were on the table behind us the whole time counting how many at the table in my peripheral and registering whose faces were in attendance etched into my brain. I have a fantastic memory at remembering little details. Just not what I should be doing.

  Derrick, Lee, Charles, Alex, Christin, Jodi, and Shell. Seven. No major deal, yet. I needed to fully sort out who was who though.

  I kept listening as I told Calum to let us stop on the next page and meet back in the library tomorrow. He agreed and kept making the diagram on the sheet in front of me as I tuned in again.

  “Valkyrie worshiped Odin and had all kinds of powers.” A girl said, the one named Jodi. She was answering something Lee said. I would have ignored it, but my ears caught the word Valkyrie.

  “They still do,” a guy voice responded. Lee.

  “Wonder if Odin is still around punishing them like Brunhilde? I know how to punish them!” Derrick fisted his hands and slammed them against each other.

  “I wonder what powers they have now? And the vamps? I heard Summerville has a few of both. No dark alleys for me!” This came from a girl voice I couldn’t put a name too, but spoke softly as if she didn’t want to be heard by others too loudly.

  “Are you a Hunter or a sissy? What about the Were’s? We search the dark alleys, remember?” Derrick said to her.

  The soft voice responded back, “Maybe you want your face rearranged, but I like mine. I’ll take anyone who attacks, but I’m not searching for it. That’s what I have you for," she smirked. She was shy, but she knew her place. I vowed to find out who she was knowing we've a lot in common. Well, mostly!

  “Well, I wouldn’t won’t to meet a Valkyrie in a dark alley either. Or a vamp. They have like major awesome hearing and eyes. And can make you do things, the “bend your will” kind of stuff.” This was Shell talking. She is in my Chemistry class. The one who sits in front of me and laughs at all the things I don’t know. Perhaps my “ignorance” shields my identity well.

  After what all I’d seen of this Hunter school and learned of their feelings towards others species, I’m well aware of how much my father has hidden from me. How can he send me on missions with so much little Intel to go on?

  “You finished yet?” Calum interrupted my eavesdropping eyeing me cautiously.

  “What?” my face obviously lost. A lump grew in my throat as I hid my need for air.

  “Reading?” He shook his head.

  “Not in the mood to work, I guess. Let me finish this paragraph,” I pouted to hide my blunder. I hated to be deceiving.

  “The vamps are way stronger than I am.” Another girl announced.

  “But skill and intelligence outweigh the strength. They’ll be down before I count to three,” Lee’s voice was seething. What’s with him and Derrick?

  “Well, either way, someone needs to off ‘em all!” Derrick’s fist was going at it again.

  “Nooo, we need something to bring all of the species together. We shouldn’t duke it out all the time. We should work together,” shy girl answered. Another pacifist.

  “And sing songs and join hands, oh boy! NO, Christin.” Derrick snorted.

  Ah! The shy girl is Christin. I’ll make a point to find her tomorrow and say hello. I like her.

  “Whatever.” Shell said, flipping her frizzy brown hair away and walking off, her chair squawking loud to the whole room.

  I used the moment to close my book and announce that I was done. I knocked my chair back enough to stand and flicked a sideways glance at Lee and Derrick. Typical Hunter guys as I‘ve learned!

  I locked eyes with Lee who just looked menacing. Why does he dislike me so?

  We were standing now and Calum was waving goodbye to their table. “Good bye, Blondie!” Lee smiled evilly. He gave Calum a sordid look before lifting his glare.

  Calum shot his own look. I had a strange feeling starting to settle in my stomach. A bad one, in fact. And Calum, by his daggers being shot into Lee’s eyes, thought he might be “flirting” with me. This was my new vocabulary word for the week! But I’m pretty sure, something else was hidden behind the comment Lee made, not anything flirtatious.

  I stared at him a second too long. With his long hair falling into his eyes and stubble growing he reminded me of a Valkyrie boy I once knew, minus all the hair and bulk. He readjusted his smile to little less than a growl permeating fear. I expected anger. Why fear? Why at me?

  Calum broke the stare with a tug on my shirt. I let him take me away without an answer to the new mystery added to my list.

  Chapter Fifteen The Best Laid Plans…

  I confirmed at dinner the night before who Christin was and located her. Luckily she is in my weapons block and I found her instantly. I saw her before hanging out in the bow range several times but today I lucked out that she was with me.

  After convincing Calum to let me break from sword play and do some bow practice, I set about to make a new friend. An alliance!

  Calum needed some good old fashioned man time throwing swords at other boys anyway. At least, it worked to get him over there.

  I watched her technique and decided I’d play teacher since it worked well with Maze last time. I walked up and shot an arrow with ease to prove my worth.

  Maze frogged my arm from the right and yelled, “Show off.”

  I stepped up beside Christin who was staring at both of us with that same shy smile.

  “Stace.”

  “Christin.”

  “If you swing your arm two inches lower and raise your bow an inch, I think you’ll have it.”

  She didn’t say anything, but turned, followed the advice, and nailed it almost perfectly. Christin turned, put her arm around me, and asked if I’d show her how to fix her knives too. Maybe not shy always.

  I smiled and followed her over to the knives after a few more practice shots.

  I purposely sat and chatted with Christin in the library that afternoon. With barely a glance, I saw Lee had come in and sat next to me. I finished our chat and stood to join Calum strictly avoiding Mr. Full of Venom.

  My mind was full of things I desperately needed to sort out before I shot my mouth off. Just before Christin had arrived, I’d stopped the red-headed boy, who had a name now, Barry, and he knew nothing about any rack or anything else but he did know vampire everything!

  Lee grabbed my arm. I pulled backwards towards him like a yo-yo knowing he was the only one remotely close. When I looked at him in shock his fear and anger flowed over me in waves.

  “What, Lee? Do you need something?” I stated assuming innocence as one of my strong points.

  He didn’t answer but released me before Calum wheeled around. I stumbled, but made it to my seat, a little shaken. I could’ve made myself free of his clutches, but he’d have noticed the super strength. That would spoil things, now wouldn’t it?

  Almost to the end of our session, my ears perked up at the sound of Lee ta
lking. Why are my insides turning to bile and rising to the top of my throat when he speaks?

  “What book is that, Shell?” he asked down the table.

  “Pride and Prejudice."

  “Elizabeth was a tease.” Lee seethed.

  “Like you’ve read it.”

  “Shocked I’m sure, but before I came here I had private tutors for a while,” I could tell his voice was turned in my direction.

  I couldn’t stop the head pop. Up it went. I’m usually more sleuthy, and have no doubt lost my edge.

  “Wow!” Shell commented, “On the book I mean, impressive to say the least.”

  “Shouldn’t be. How would I ever know how to impress you ladies without a guide?”

  I was so still. My tongue frozen. I leaned and looked through my curtain of hair feeling his fear. His eyes were bore into mine.

  “Stace!”

  Zap! “What?’

  “Are you ready?” Calum was standing and touching my hand.

  My mind raced with the implications.

  Chapter Sixteen …Often go Awry.

  The week passed into the weekend. I’ve attempted three times in the week to get into more of Quinn’s personal items and into the personnel files of teachers, but no major obvious hints at anything whatsoever.

  Dressed in my favorite jeans and t-shirt, I found Calum by the dorm door waiting for me. “I’m not a damsel in distress you know.”

  “Never thought you were. But I like to see you. Is that okay?”

  “Most assuredly.”

  He grabbed my hand, let it go from the pain, and headed us in the direction of the giant tour bus waiting to take us to downtown Summerville, home of the Summerville Spartans, best homemade peach jam, and high culture spot for teenage hangouts at the local theaters and diners.

  He’d mentioned that the town had laser tag and a bowling alley that remained the favorites of the most, but that tonight was “old movies” night at the theatre and who could resist alone time with a guy who insisted on giving you all his attention as looked as good as Calum does. It sounded great until I remembered my reoccurring promise to stay focused. I smiled accordingly, but I wasn’t focused on the date. I had more pressing matters waiting at the library.