by Dexx Peay
“Hey, just because my body temperature is warmer than the average human, doesn’t mean I don’t like snuggling up under a blanket and besides, you have the AC cranked up in here.”
I guess I still had some work to do on controlling my powers.
“Come, lay with me,” she said in the sweetest voice. It was so seductive I don’t even remember getting out of the chair and into the bed. I lay there looking at the ceiling when she rested her head on my arm and pressed her body to mine.
“Your eyes are blue,” she said.
“I bet.”
I waved my hands and the lights went out.
The moonlight of the early night shined into the room casting a silhouette of a building on the floor. I kissed her on her forehead and wrapped my other arm around her stomach. She slowly tickled my chin then pressed her smoking hot lips onto mine.
It was like when she kissed me her warmth negated the effect of my icy chills. For the first time in a long time my body felt genuinely warm.
She climbed on top of me and I rose up still holding onto her. I ran my fingers up her spine. She hissed when my lips made contact with her earlobe.
She worked her lips on my neck, whispering my name between each warm and pleasing peck.
I wanted her to stop and keep going all at the same time. I pushed her off me, making sure to do it gently and smoothly. I climbed on top of her to gain control. She moaned and tried to resist as I pushed my body onto hers. Her flirtatious brown eyes said she liked it when I took control.
I rose up, taking a break from kissing her to remove my shirt. She lay there looking vulnerable. I slowly went back for another kiss.
The next morning when I woke up, I reached my hand over to touch Imani. The spot was empty and I snapped up. She was gone like a thief in the night. I didn’t have time to call her. I was running late for class. During the day I caught up with her on campus.
“What happened? You made me feel like a two-dollar John when I woke up this morning.”
She chuckled at the comment. “I had to get to class in the morning and I didn’t want to be caught sneaking out your room early in the morning.”
“So you just decided to jump out the window?”
She smirked boldly. “You were sleeping so peacefully. I couldn’t wake you.” She locked onto my arm. “Where you headed to now?”
“I'm going to meet up with Marc in the café. You coming?”
“I guess I could come along.”
We got to the café and Marcus was already there. I was surprised that Delilah wasn’t there. Not that I had a problem with Delilah or anything, it just seemed like lately those two were joined at the hip.
“Hey, bro,” he said, walking up to me. He shook my hand and followed with a pat on the back.
“How you been,” I said.
“No complaints over this way.”
Imani peeked out from behind me and waved to him. “Hi, Marcus,” she waved. He grimaced. “Umm … sorry about the whole me trying to kill you last semester.”
“No worries, I'm used to Dylan’s girlfriends trying to make my life a living hell. You two seem perfect for one another.”
His attitude was getting out of control. “Marc, man, you don’t have to be rude.” I held on to Imani. I wouldn’t want to piss either one of them off. Their fiery personalities cautioned me just knowing what they were capable of.
“Shall we eat, boys?” Imani suggested.
I like that nothing scared her, but I needed for her and Marcus to get along. I liked her but I couldn’t go through another Jessica situation. We all got some food and took a seat. I sat in the middle just in case any fireballs went flying across the table, I could freeze them before anyone got hurt.
To my surprise, they both got along and even tried to engage each other in conversation.
“So, Marcus, Dylan tells me you have your family’s books.” Imani said.
Marcus’ eyes pierced me.
“Don’t worry, I don’t want them. He tells me you have a lot.”
“I have quite a few,” he said.
“That’s really rare honestly. Your family did a very good job protecting them. Most books are spread throughout the family or even lost. They hold valuable information to our planet’s heritage. They could potentially be dangerous if they fall into the wrong hands. Guard them with your life and be sure to write in them.”
“I've already started,” he said.
“Good. The more the better.”
“So do you have your family books?”
“No, I wish. I just heard stories about the books. That was some inheritance your family left you.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
The following week was midterms so the campus was empty and the parties came to a halt. Hudson and Hachi gave Marcus a mid-term also and not the kind that required a pen and paper. Airez came back to the room in time for test week. He seemed different almost absent. I didn’t question it.
Skin flushed and slamming drawers, Airez asked, “Mind if I borrow your Calculus book? I think I misplaced mine.”
“Sure, just grab it off my desk.” I think we were in the process of forming some kind of weird and unusual bond. If I weren’t so good at math, I’d have him as my tutor.
When it came to my history mid-term, I wasn’t sure if I got an A, but I felt really confident taking it. I knew that coming in on time and actually reading a book would help me in the long run.
My bags were already packed and ready to go when my last test ended. I needed this week away from classes. Imani blew up my phone threatening me if I didn’t see her before I got on the road.
I decided to just go pay her a visit since I had to pass her dorm on the way to mine. I walked up to her room smiling from ear to ear. I knocked once and before my knuckles could strike her door again, it flung open. I stepped into clothes, books and magazines thrown around haphazardly.
“What happened here?” I asked. She breathed heavily past me and continued stuffing clothes into a small duffle. I walked up to her after repeatedly calling her name and being ignored. “Imani,” I yelled from behind her.
“Dylan, I have to go. Now!”
“Relax.”
I crept up behind her, rubbing her arms up and down. She inhaled then exhaled.
“Tell me what’s wrong,” I asked. She fixed herself to speak but stopped. “You can trust me,” I whispered in her ear.
“My dad,” she said. “He-h-h.”
“Just tell me,” I said calmly.
“He’s been attacked. He barely survived this one. I'm headed home now to see if I can help find out who did this.”
“You mean kill?” I took a step back.
“Dylan,” she cried. “You’re new to this. You’ve never lost anyone to Qihar. It’s either kill or be killed with them and I'm sorry, but I refuse to lose anyone else close to me.”
I understood everything she said, but I had to ask myself, if it came to it, could I really kill another person?
Deep down I knew I couldn’t.
“I know I can’t stop you from doing what you want to do. All I ask is that you be safe and watch yourself.” I nodded my head and the window opened.
She looked up and I looked down as her fingertips touched mine, sending waves of solidarity under my skin. She gave me a quick hug and I managed to say, “Come back to me,” before she grabbed her bag and flew out of the window.
Chapter 24
Sleeping With the Enemy
Gunner refused to go back to Texas for spring break. So with the help of his parents, we had a beach house for the week. When all the girls and Charlie bailed out on us, it was only Marcus, me, and with a little convincing from Gunner, Chris. The drive was seven hours. Growing up my family flew everywhere that was over a five-hour drive. I appreciated all the laughs, stories, and memories made from the time the guys and I spent in the car and on our trip.
When we weren’t partying or swimming, I had horrid images of Imani fighting men twic
e her size. I still couldn’t believe all this existed. She was tough for her size but for all I knew it could have been a trap. Trying to talk her out of it would have been foolish on my part. She seemed to be the type that when her mind was made, it was final. I called and messaged every day but never got one response.
During the last few days of our trip, Chris started to open up and have some fun. The first few days, well, it was an act all in itself to get him to socialize with other people on the beach. The last night consisted of lots of beer, sand, and music.
I sat in the passenger’s seat on the way back, calling Imani every twenty minutes. Her lack of communication terrified me.
“Something on that mind of yours, cowboy?” Gunner looked over from the driver’s seat, reading the expression off my face.
I clinched the phone and tried to relax my face. “Oh … yeah.” I looked up for a second to acknowledge him with a smile. “I'm fine.”
My phone beeped, relieving me for a split second. It was only a message from Marcus seeing if I was fine. He didn’t know the situation, so I held off until we got to campus to fill him in.
It was right around dusk when we returned. We all went up to the suite. Gunner and Chris went into their room and passed out I'm sure. Marcus came over to mine. Airez wasn’t back yet because the room was just how I left it. Marcus sat at the desk and started browsing the web. As I put my things away I told him how Imani went on some hunt to find out who attacked her dad.
“So you haven’t heard from her since we left?” Marcus asked.
“No, and I'm starting to get real worried. She was so emotional when she left.”
He spun around in the chair and stood. “The way she tried to rip my head off, I'm sure she can handle herself.”
“What if she just got in way over her head and she really can’t?”
“Trust me, Dylan, she will be fine.”
“And we still need to try and figure out who wants you dead,” I said.
“Trust me, Dylan, I’ll be fine.”
It was a struggle to get up the next morning for class. History took longer than usual to get through only because I was anxious to get to my next class to see if Imani was there. When class finally let out, I rushed to the door and ran across campus to get to my next class. Normally she was there before I was but since I got there so fast, I doubt I gave her any time. I took a seat and kept my eyes focused on the door.
People started to enter and my eyes shuffled through the crowd without a sign of Imani. I rubbed my sweaty palms down my pants. The instructor started talking but my attention was focused on the door. I got about halfway through class when I contemplated walking out, but I weighed the outcomes and stayed. I knew finals would be creeping up on me soon and I still had to look out for myself.
As soon as I got to my dorm, Imani sent me a message saying to come to her room. I called Marcus and told him to meet me there.
Marcus was outside her dorm when I got there. We went up and knocked on her door. She answered, standing there looking emotionless with a big nasty bruise on the side of her face that changed her caramel skin purple.
“What happened?” I rushed her with a hug.
She hissed and pushed away from me.
“You OK?” I said.
“I'm still a little sore,” she said, her hands up defensively towards me.
“Well, now that we know she’s alive, you can finally let her have it for not answering your calls,” Marcus said.
I went with it. “I've been worried all week long. Why haven’t you answered any of my calls or texts?”
She looked around her body. “As you can see, I’ve been busy.”
“Did you do what you said you were going to do?”
“I did.”
“I can’t believe you went at this alone.”
She spoke coldly. “I had help.”
“Who?”
“One of my father’s friends. He’s the one who let me know what happened.”
“Well I'm glad that all three of you guys are OK,” I said, quickly reaching in for her hand. She let me have it this time.
“How was your vacation?” she asked, staring down at her hand in mine like she was questioning it.
“It was awesome,” Marcus said.
“I'm mad at you,” I whispered.
“Get over it,” she whispered back.
“Listen, guys, I just came over to make sure Imani was alive and to make sure I didn’t need to toast any bad guys,” Marcus said, flaring his palms up.
“OK, Marc. Put that out before you burn the building down,” I said.
“I'm out of here,” Marcus said.
“OK, bro. Thanks for coming with me.”
“Thanks for checking on me, Marcus,” Imani said softly. He walked out the door.
“You look extra tough now with that bruise on the side of your face.” I joked, stroking her face.
“I'm hungry. I haven’t eaten all day.”
“Want me to go get you something to eat?”
“Please?”
I left and came back with a pizza. When I got back to her room she was just about knocked out. Her eyes lit up when she opened them to a box of pizza. It took us most of the day to eat because every time she opened her mouth, she hissed from the jaw pain.
I wanted to hold her all night and take the pain away, but I knew she wouldn’t let me. Seeing her like this only made me not to want to use my powers or to fight Qihar, but I knew I had to learn to protect my loved ones and myself.
I got back to my room right before midnight. Airez was already there asleep. I still wondered what his deal was these days.
I stopped by the picnic on the quad when class was over to meet up with Hudson. The winter boots and jackets faded away as the temperature shifted with the seasons. Since I found out I could shoot ice from my hands, I fell completely in love with the winter weather.
Hudson had a burger in one hand and a soda in the other when I walked up on him. I'm sure if he had more hands he would be holding more food. Hachi slinked from behind him like a silent killer and snatched the soda right out his hand. She cracked it open and took a sip.
“Thanks, brother.” She handed it back to him.
“I swear you two have some kind of twin tracking system,” I said. It freaked me out how incredibly close they were. I guess the fact that they literally need each other caused them to spend more time with each other than they probably planned.
“Go get your own,” he yelled at her.
Hachi rolled her eyes then placed a hand on my shoulder. “Let’s go get some food, Dylan.” Hachi ran off, dancing her way to the front of the line. She walked back with two plates of food.
As I ate my burger, Marcus walked up, books in hand, pencil in ear.
He shrugged. “No call? He grabbed the half-eaten burger from my hand right as I was going in for a bite and took one for himself before handing it back to me.
My eyes widened.
“And you talk about us having twin telepathy.” Hachi gave us a blank stare. Marcus and I shared a blank stare then cracked in laughter.
Hudson and Hachi introduced us to some of their human friends as we walked around. They said we’re the first ones on campus they’ve met that are like them, or somewhat like them since we don’t have the markings of their kind.
“You two have really progressed since we met you,” Hudson said.
“All thanks to the two of you for showing us what we can really do,” Marcus said.
“You guys are quick learners,” Hachi said.
“Everyone but Dylan,” Hudson said. I got used to the jokes although I did want to experience it for myself. Marcus said it was the perfect stress reliever.
“One day I will fly, guys, just watch and see,” I said.
“That’s the spirit, Dylan.” Hachi hit her brother’s bicep.
When I left the picnic, I dropped off a plate to Imani. She was still sore in some places, but she was a fighter. I had faith
she’d be fully recovered in a few days.
I went back to my room after I left Imani’s. Airez was on the bed staring at the ceiling throwing a baseball in the air and catching.
“Everything OK?” I put my things down.
“Yep,” he replied, still throwing the ball.
“Well if you ever need to talk,” I hesitated, “I’ll be here to listen.”
“Yep.”
The vibe was too awkward so I went to Gunner’s room to play some video games.
The weeks progressed on and before I knew it, finals were approaching. This semester was one big test itself. Last weekend I went home to help Dad move his things and get his house set up.
My dad was never the most affectionate when it came to Dalton and me, but he apologized for his lack of expressing himself the way he felt he should have. My dad was an amazing father. He made sure to be at all our games and most practices when we were kids. He always pushed us, but he felt like a coach more than my parent when it came to my actual life.
His house was small compared to the one we grew up in. I guess he really didn’t need to spend much money on a home no one was going to be in. I expressed my gratitude to my parents for their maturity in the situation. I've heard plenty of nasty divorce stories and that’s what frightened me the most. I told Dad I would stay with him on the weekends so he wouldn’t get lonely on his off days and he can get his rematch every Saturday in basketball. He cracked his knuckles and grinned at the gesture.
It was the day before finals and I was mentally exhausted. Marcus had his bags packed, ready to go. His instructors exempted him from finals due to his impressive grades. He was driving my car back home and coming to get me at the end of finals. I didn’t get a chance to study since we all spent the weekend partying. Well, everyone but Imani of course, so she and Marcus came over to help me pass my finals.
“Thanks for helping me study, guys,” I said, opening the door for Imani.
She grimaced and walked past me as I tried to hug her. “You look like the walking dead, Dylan.”
“Yeah, you knew you should have been in the books this weekend, bro,” Marcus added.