Orion

by Cyndi Goodgame

  I was really uncomfortable now so I wiggled a little away from him hoping he would move too, but Calum saved my day. “What, our marks? Not your business, man. My fantasies, not yours.” Calum shook his wet head like a dog all over me as he entered the room and threw a territorial look in Lee’s direction.

  “Hey!” I stood up from the bed glad for the change of subject.

  He laughed and kissed my cheek, “You won’t believe what Quinn said.”

  “Well, don’t keep me waiting.”

  Lee was seated by Maze now on his bed. Calum and I were across from them. Lee had remembered to close the curtain after we were in this time. Last time we thought too late that anyone could have seen us sitting in the boy’s dorm, alone in a boy’s room, sitting on the boy’s bed! And doing nothing at all wrong! They wouldn't believe it though.

  “Quinn said he wanted to meet with me to let me know my father would be out of town for two days, but would be back for the birthday party our friends are giving. That yes, he knew about the party, and yes, he even donated food and some items needed. He even quoted my father supposedly saying 'I only have one son'. And he couldn’t tell me this himself?”

  I squeezed Calum’s hand acknowledging he should continue ignoring Maze’s looks of the lines I seem to be crossing when I knew Calum wasn’t the guy for me. It’s like she knew.

  “Anyway, Quinn said to make sure I had my eye on you and that you were not unaccompanied anywhere. That my dad and he had noticed our attraction as of late, his words, and you were too new to be left on your own. He knew my poker face would give him zilch, but he’s taking a big chance to get the message through. What I don’t get is why I need to know my dad is gone or why you would need to be protected unless they know something is going down.” The rest of us gaped at Calum as confused as he was.

  “Why he can tell us little secret messages, but not the truth is crazy. Maybe he’s bugged, but if so the screw ups organizing this would see right through the pretense.”

  “Like I can see through other things,” Lee had his eyes on my midsection. "Whoever is running knows stuff and will wonder that direction too. It leads back to her every time."

  Suddenly, the two boys were nose to nose in a matter of seconds with puffed out chests like two challenged gorillas. I jumped up to taper down the testosterone fest. They backed off and returned only because I threatened to flatten them both. I kept my hand on Calum’s arm to back him off. It worked.

  “Keep your freaking comments and eye paws off her,” Calum warned.

  “I only meant that others have to know,” he cursed lower as if I wouldn’t hear it. “It’s beyond us I think. Dr. Quinn. Dr. Green. Lord Hathown. Her twin. Too many friggin’ know and they know something we don’t. Seems to reason that more know about you two than you think. And they have a friggin’ agenda.”

  Chapter Thirty Five Life is such unutterable hell…

  Another day gone and now the dooms day event would be here tomorrow.

  After walking his books everywhere we went and him flaunting mercilessly to all that I had lost a bet I didn’t lose, Calum made good on his end of the bargain and met me in the ring. A truce was called after I hammered him several times and knocked him clear out of breath. I let him up only after he voiced aloud that I was stronger than him. I had my glory moment.

  Calum, Lee, Maze, and I planned a night meet to prepare for all the horrific circus act limbos that will tentatively end my young life during one of the most exciting few weeks of that life.

  As soon as classes are out I headed over to meet Calum at our bench. I wanted to spend my last night with him just in case the inevitable end of my world comes to a sudden close. Morose to speak of, but just in case.

  “Do you think it will all come down tomorrow night? I’m ready to fight.” My stomach flutters didn’t escape me being near the wooded area. I couldn’t help thinking of a pair of blue eyes set deep on a Vampire’s smirky face.

  “Your speech has changed since coming here. I fear our Hunter vibes are rubbing off on you.”

  I laughed.

  “I think that we…cannot presume anything. We are in control of us,” he pointed first at me and then himself,” and everything else just falls in place around us.”

  “You know, you are so much smarter than you let people think you are. Will you promise me something?” I easily smiled at his vast amount of good vibes he sends my way at precisely when I need it.

  “Yes, I think.” Calum hesitated not knowing my terms.

  “If we survive tomorrow night, will you promise to let others see the real you more. The really smart philosophical, self-righteous yet daring and se—

  I cut myself off from what I was about to say. Calum’s face showed all signs of reading my twenty shades of a red blush I knew I had forming. That wouldn’t be his thought anyway. He only shook his head side to side and looked down at our hands that were now gripped tight enough my fingernails were digging into his palm.

  “Are you going to claw my sexy self?” No he didn’t! I blew my mouth up like a balloon, balled my fist up, and nailed him in the chest. He fell back and hit the ground behind the bench.

  Nej!

  I looked around for Lee hearing a language taught at my court, but saw no one. Then I was on top of him like cheese on rice before he hit the ground. “I am SO sorry!” He was laughing as I checked him over for injuries. My face balled up into all different ways of anger.

  “And do you know how sexy you look when you’re angry? Purr!”

  My stomach balled to knots but saw no rabbits or other creatures near. I even looked for the Vampire.

  He tilted my face up to his and away from the trees. He’d replaced his smug face with that of what I supposed was a mixture of curiosity and wonder. He kissed my cheek making me wince from the pain.

  “Cold?” he whispered.

  I breathed a “no” and stood. The jolts made me ache giving me the reality check needed. It actually hurt to kiss him.

  “Don’t be sorry. I’m into the idea, but at the same time, it’s painful.”

  My eyes not focused and a little embarrassed, but more hot with the fact that he turned away from me. It was too hard to concentrate with my befuddled mind still in the darkness searching for the cause of my dizzying insides, wishing for rabbits.

  “You’ll be the death of me Stace!” When my arms dropped, I felt the frigid air reenter my lungs. “I…I didn’t mean it that way. Heck! That is not what I meant. But I can tell you one thing for sure, you better get too close tomorrow or I’ll never make it to the party.”

  “Why not?” I breathed still unsettled by the death thought.

  He blinked. “Just don’t do that again until after I save our lives. The electric current makes my brain check out for a time.”

  “Why not?” I was sure he was realizing we should be just friends. I hoped.

  “I’m not sure we might not electrocute each other if we’re not careful.”

  I think he is right. But I needed to know. I’ve never been this close to a boy or man or Hunter or Valkyrie for that matter. And the pain from the shocks alone worry me.

  Impulsively I spoke my mind’s first thought, “Do you think it’s just us or are there others like this? Do you think it happens even when they are ...married?” All my thoughts were jumbled and coming out as a huge embarrassment. Shoot! What was I thinking? I just said that?

  His saucer eyes were burning holes into mine. Of course, Calum would find a funny way to respond, “Are you asking me to marry you, princess?”

  A new thought entered my mind and stored for later. “Perhaps we should get to our rooms?” I didn’t want to go there just yet, but I didn't want to continue this conversation. I vowed to let him go after I survived my birthday. “I don’t want to marry anyone. Marriage in my family is arranged and I have no choice. I will never marry!”

  Calum didn’t speak again for over a minute. He looked up at the sky and I let my eyes follow his up. “Don’t sa
y that you’re now saying that you’re not making your own choices when all I hear from you is how you are the boss. You are calling the shots, Stace.”

  We didn’t go to our rooms and we didn’t have a blanket, but we settled into the soft wintry grass with my head propped on his arm. We counted the stars in Orion and tried our best to imprint our memories with the exacts of the constellation beyond what we already knew.

  We went over the words of the prophecy from our own memory but made it no further than where we were before. It was after midnight before we made it to bed. I really didn’t want to go to a lonely room, but didn’t want to inconvenience or make Calum uncomfortable.

  I woke with the morning light with swollen exhausted eyelids. I showered, dressed, and locked my dorm ready to start my birthday doom day with all the vigor in the world. I had to jiggle the lock side to side to make it turn, but it finally clicked. I turned to go down the hallway to the foyer leading to the outside and on to Calum, anxious to see him and see he was okay too.

  I watched my feet like I sometimes do when I’m deep in thought haphazardly tripping over something and stopped to right myself. As I did, I noticed something in the small windows moving outside the front double doors.

  I watched for a second to confirm my suspicions, but nothing else moved. If I’d been in my right mind I would have stood a little longer and analyzed it further. Since Calum seemed to frequently make me go out of my mind, I was not aware of the catastrophe awaiting me.

  I opened the front doors with my eyes on my feet again, and nearly fell forward onto the declining steps but someone caught my arm and steadied me still.

  “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”

  “Hej!” I shouted in my Danish dialect. At least fifteen girls were standing there with Maze and Liz dead center, but that wasn’t the catastrophe I was alluding too. My entire drawer of panties and bras were lying across the entire line of gardenia bushes lining the wall of our dorm on both sides. I knew they were mine, because my favorite yellow lace bra was folded out long ways right beside my left side.

  I was mortified. But I couldn’t show it. They would only play on it more. Shaking my head at their little joke, I smiled and started pulling my not so intimate “anymores” off the bushes. Sure enough, it got worse. The girls dissipated leaving Maze, Liz and I to gather my undies!

  “I like shopping. I think I’ll take that one.” I froze. He had to walk up NOW! I flipped around giving my best non-red faced smile of “no freaking big deal”.

  He reached to grab one snatching my favorite yellow bra. I didn’t make it before he had it dangled from the tips of his fingers waving back and forth in front of me. I was vaguely aware of the fact that Maze had the rest of the drawer gathered double time and was walking in mumbling something inaudible. I snatched it and held it to my chest.

  “Do you want to go put that in your room?”

  I paused confused.

  “Or you can try them on for me at breakfast," he grinned.

  “Oh, yeah right.” I took the bra from his hand and walked in and slammed my undies onto my bed and ran back out to Hunter Hyde who greeted me with fancy words about age and Hunters.

  Breakfast was interesting too. Word spread conspicuously about our birthdays hence the party. Sometimes I sat with Calum and other times I sat with Maze and Liz.

  But today, all day, I will stay with Calum if not for safety than just to have each other’s backs. Two bran muffins graced our spots at the table where we routinely sat together with a tube of chapstick sticking up out of each like candles.

  Lunch proved just as slapstick funny. The same two tubes were standing in our rolls mostly emptied and a note between them. It read, “You chap my hide.”

  Har! Har!

  Maze wasn’t at lunch. She’d started the decorations and such for the party and insisted we stay away. She claimed it was a big surprise and didn’t want our noses to catch a glimpse of anything until the reveal. We went back to my dorm for a minute. I needed my hat and scarf due to the chilled winter air. I didn’t find my hat so I settled on just a tank, zip hoodie, jeans, and matching scarf with every weapon I own at the ready. Security was the norm, but I noticed through the day that Dr. Green and Dr. Quinn were both present at all times.

  Calum cleared his throat standing by my bed. I turned seeing two of my bras held up in both of his hands for me to watch him survey. Hej!

  I snatched them and put them both back into my top drawer. If I lived through the night, I’m killing Maze.

  “I can remedy that.”

  “What?” I asked.

  “Try them all on for me. A fashion show.”

  Hmm! “You are an interesting boy. While that may sound fascinating to you, I however, shall only be giving private shows to these four walls.”

  “I shall have to become a peeping tom perhaps.”

  Both of us smiled, but then frowned because we both remembered there may not be another night. Nothing like impending death to damper the mood.

  “I think it’s time we get ready.” He trumped my mood swing with a sweet smile though he seemed to be in the same morose bubble of despair. “I’m not leaving you, so I’ll stand outside the room. Knock when you are ready. Unless…”

  His devil smile could always brighten me even through the naughtiness of it. I was starting to like it a bit. I was a more daring me since coming here. Not a hindered, sheltered, boring girl who hid from laughter. I pushed him from the back and forced him out. Putting it off no more, my brain was ready.

  Chapter Thirty Six …solely because it is sometimes beautiful.

  The four of us were decked out for the party in “ready for battle” gear. My favorite all in black, easy movement top and pants outfit replaced my afternoon jeans. It was shimmery and sleek looking so I felt limber and well, like a spy. I also felt ill, but my headstrong insides would never let it show. The darkness moved above me. A dark curtain of clouds covered the sky like I’m boarding a train leading straight to hell.

  “No frowns tonight, birthday girl.” Liz popped in my face and looked me over. “Why the get up?”

  I motioned to Calum. “His idea!”

  She just nodded and pulled me to the center of the crowd. People were dancing to the loud upbeat music, eating tons of food that seemed to be everywhere, and here I stood, rooted to the center of it all. And where was Calum? He’d walked out here with me and disappeared in a manner of seconds.

  “Hey there, princess!” I spun around eager to see my assailant.

  Lee stood close enough I was forced to step back. He looked me over without conscious effort but his eyes darkened a bit more than I would have cared for. I nervously ticked my head back and forth looking for Calum second guessing my choice of outfits.

  “He’s with his dad.” He’d guessed my uneasiness. “His father…wanted to give him his birthday present.” I looked towards the building where Dr. Green’s office is located. Alone?

  “I thought the same thing. I came to find you so we could go check on him. Want to come?”

  I hesitated only because… ”Should we find Maze?”

  “No time.” He took my hand. His touch never buzzed me like Calum’s. His hand was cold to me but warmed in my hand. We snaked through the bodies dancing and made our way to the only lighted room in the Verde Building. Funny, I never caught the name on the building before was Spanish for green.

  Lee dragged me and I tried to nicely loosen my hand from his grip. He wouldn’t budge. Niceties aside, I yanked my hand free. “Use those Val skills. That’s the girl I knew.” He looked at me fiercely.

  “When will you let it go?” I challenged.

  “I can’t. By the gods, I’ve tried.”

  I huffed and continued on to the goal at hand.

  The two of us were under the window of Dr. Green’s office. We knew before we made it this close there were three shadows standing just inside the room.

  “I want you to have something that marks the turn of a new dawn on your life son. Y
ou’re life will change.” That didn't sound like impending death.

  Dr. Green was right beside the window now facing sideways towards the very same file cabinet I’d stolen his stash from. He was reaching inside the same drawer and my ill feeling was suddenly being confirmed. He was about to know what was missing. I pinched Lee on the arm and signaled to the pouch at my side. He read my message loud and clear. We watched, wide eyed.

  His hand was in the drawer and searching. And nothing came out. He went in again this time with his head dipped down into the drawer and came back up empty. I swallowed the only breath I had in me.

  Lee had my arm ensnared with his fingernails and Calum was cornered in the lion’s den. So, I did the only thing I could! Knock! Knock!

  I heard feet shuffling. The door opened. I giggled like a school girl and walked into the office with a calm breath after running through the building at breakneck speed. My nonexistent flirtatious side played well since I came off as a total idiot, but it somehow worked. Calum’s look of fear and astonishment at my inept lasciviousness was priceless.

  “I found you. Are you coming back to the party?” I tried my best to sound jolly. I’d never admit it out loud, but I was very glad that Lee was by my side.

  Dr. Green was forced to speak now and I knew he hadn’t given the gift he wanted yet. I assumed he would have been giving him the letter. It so happened, it was just in my pouch and now lying at Calum’s feet. Tricky, I am. Let’s just hope that was the intended gift.

  “It’s our birthday guys, shouldn’t we return to the party?”

  Calum looked to his father. “I haven’t—

  “Whoa! What’s that by your feet, Calum?”

  All eyes went to his feet.