by Tamara White
As we drive along the main road, Justin points out various buildings to me. The strip of restaurants in the middle of the community, the mall housing a variety of shops.
“So, where are you taking me now?” I ask as we leave the main strip in the center of the island. It’s been a little over thirty minutes, but I already feel like I’ve seen the whole community.
He reaches over and gives my hand a squeeze. To my surprise, he doesn’t let go and continues to drive one-handed. I can’t help but feel a little tingle of pleasure run through me.
He lets go a few minutes later as we pull into a gravel driveway. Then he stops in front of a small house along the edge of a river. Looking out, I can see the edge of the forest across the deep water and wonder why he brought me here.
Once he turns the car off, he gets out and rushes to my side to open the door for me. I get out slowly, my eyes still glued to the scenery. My hair whips around me in the breeze and the smell of fresh water assaults my senses.
“It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?” he whispers as he leads me over to the water’s edge.
The soft sound of the water flowing offers me a little bit of peace. Justin wraps his arm over my shoulder and I can’t help but snuggle into his warmth.
This right here. This is what I’ve been missing most of my life. I look up into his gray eyes and wonder how I could feel so connected to someone I barely know. But as soon as the thought enters my mind, I dismiss it.
“Valerie Jones!” Out of nowhere, I hear my dad bark out my name, startling me. I jump back from Justin’s embrace as if I’ve just been burned and turn to find him standing there, glowering at Justin, who seems to be unaffected by the wrath in my father’s eyes.
“Get. In. The. Car!” My father growls each word menacingly, his glare still fixed on Justin.
I nod and hurry to grab my bag from the back seat of Justin’s car. Then I climb into my father’s sleek silver BMW. The only reason I recognize what it is is because Nat had explained it was the go-to car for rich people when her parents each bought one.
I watch Justin’s interaction with my father and feel a little guilty for leaving him to fend for himself, especially since my father is ranting like a lunatic while Justin just stands there, smirking. The only words I can make out are ‘not ready’ and ‘cheating,’ not that they mean anything without context.
Finally, my father throws his hands up in frustration and stomps back to the car. I can see a storm brewing in his eyes. Justin continues to watch as my father backs out of the driveway. He mouths, ‘See you tomorrow’ and flashes me a wink.
I slump back in my seat, feeling the weight of my dad’s silence and unsure just how to handle it. Neither of us say anything during the car ride, but I know it’s coming.
When we pull up in front of the mansion, I see Zane standing out front. He crosses his arms as I get out of the car. My dad is right behind me, walking towards the house. Then he halts and turns to pierce me with a glare. “Five minutes. Then I want you in the kitchen. You and I need to have a talk.” With that said, he turns on his heel, leaving me alone with Zane.
I wait until I’m sure my father is out of earshot before I start to rage. “Seriously, Zane? You told my father I was out with Justin, didn’t you?” I ask, and my suspicions are confirmed when he doesn’t respond. After all, who else would have? Carter and Cooper seem to respect a person’s privacy, as does Jaxson, even though he may be a little off at times.
He shrugs his shoulders, not admitting anything, but not denying it either. That’s all it takes for me to finally snap. “Well, thank you very fucking much. Now I have to go listen to my dad lecture me like a fucking five-year-old, all because of what? You think you know what’s best for me and for everyone around you? Well, I don’t have any patience for that kind of arrogance.”
I stomp my foot unconsciously and while I know it probably looked childish, it feels so fucking good that I can’t bring myself to care. And anyway, it’s better than punching him in his obnoxious face.
He says nothing, and I growl, before storming off. I’m halfway towards the house when his voice reaches me. “I’m just trying to keep you safe. You have no idea who Justin really is.”
I turn back, my anger driving me to retort. “Or maybe you just don’t like seeing me getting along with someone who wasn’t you or one of your brothers. Maybe you’re jealous.”
Without giving him a chance to respond, I hurry into the house. I make my way to the kitchen, ready to listen to whatever speech Dad wants to dish out. After all, I kind of have to. He’s like my fucking keeper until I get this shit sorted out. I sigh heavily. I need to try harder than ever to remember what happened on my birthday.
He’s pacing in the kitchen when I come in, and Cassandra standing nearby with a frown on her face. None of the other boys are in sight, which is probably a good thing. I’m not sure if I want witnesses for whatever is about to go down.
Out of nowhere, a crow swoops in through the open kitchen window, landing on the kitchen counter. No one makes a move to shoo it, though; Dad and Cassandra don’t even seem to have noticed.
My dad stops in his pacing to glare at me. “What were you thinking, Valerie?” His voice is raised, and I flinch from the intensity of it.
Cassandra reaches out and places a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him.
Dad takes a deep breath before continuing his rant. “Do you have any idea how much trouble you are in, Valerie? How much trouble you could have caused and the amount of danger you put yourself in?”
Is he serious right now? I’m on a fricking island that has two fricking cops. How the hell can this place be dangerous? “What the hell are you talking about, Dad? I went out with a friend. Something I have very few of these days, remember? All we were doing was talking and getting to know each other, and then you show up, acting like a raving lunatic. I’d be surprised if Justin ever spoke to me again!”
Cassandra chooses that moment to speak, her voice still soft and melodic, but a hard edge creeps into it. “What your father is trying to say is that you don’t know Justin. He’s dangerous. We’d hate to see you get hurt.”
“No offense, Cassandra, but if that’s what he meant, he would have said so. Even now while you were trying to be gentle with me, I could see him grinding his teeth. That’s his ‘I’m not happy’ face, which means no matter what you say, it won’t stop him from telling me what to do.”
Dad’s face gets redder by the second, until finally, he explodes. “YOU ARE NOT TO GO ANYWHERE, OTHER THAN THIS HOUSE AND TO CLASSES!”
At his outburst, the crow jolts from the counter and comes to land on my shoulder, its claws digging in. A strange sensation washes over me and I feel my body, but no longer have any control over it. Red mist seeps around me and both my dad and Cassandra gasp.
Just then, the guys tumble into the kitchen holding… swords? Swords that are fucking glowing? Where the hell did they get those from?
“You dare treat my daughter that way?” The voice is coming from me, but it’s not mine. What on god’s green earth is going on?
Dad gets down on his knees, grovelling. “I’m so sorry, goddess. I am trying to keep her safe, but she is stubborn.”
I feel a smirk curving my lips and the sensation feels weird. “You, keep my daughter safe? I think not. You abandoned her. She was placed in your care as an infant, yet you have not helped her. Abandoning her was the only thing you did.
“She learned to grow without you. She learned about the horrors of this world without you, and she’s learned that love comes in many forms. And none of that did she learn from you. No, my daughter is so much stronger than you give her credit for. I’m here to tell you one thing and one thing only. Stop trying to protect her.”
At this point, Jaxson has lowered his sword and is looking at me, a strange look on his face. I want to ask him for help, but no words cross my lips.
Do not worry, my child. You are safe in this moment. I just need to use y
our body for a little longer.
Whoa, was that a voice in my head talking to me? Yep, I’ve officially gone insane. The moment this is all over, I’m carting myself off to the looney bin.
“What do I do, then?” the heartbreak in my dad’s voice kills me, but there’s nothing I can do.
The weird voice uses my mouth again to speak. “You leave her be. Let her learn about our world, her world. Teach her, guide her. You all keep trying to protect her from magic, but she is born from it. Regardless of how many times you wipe her, she will eventually start to remember. And that knowledge of how you kept this from her may push her to the dark. She needs to find her place in our world, not have it forced down her throat.”
The voice pauses, letting her words sink in before turning in my body to face to the four brothers. They are standing side by side, looking majestic with their swords strapped to their hips. “As for you four, guardians are supposed to love their charges. Don’t smother her, or she may never learn to love you back.”
With that said, a loud pop echoes in my ear, and the voice disappears completely, leaving me swaying dizzily on my feet. Then the crow takes off, and the pain in my shoulder is the last thing to register before the floor comes up to meet my face.
Fourteen
“Where are you? Please, don’t leave me!”
Justin appears in front of me, surrounded by shadows. “I’m right here, Valerie. Just take my hand.”
I reach out and intertwine my hand with his. Then I watch in horror as the shadows that are coming from his body latch onto mine too. No matter how hard I try to get free, they manage to capture me. They claim my soul.
I scream, jolting upright. The fear of Justin and I being swallowed by shadows has my heart pounding.
“Valerie? You ready yet?” A voice calls out to me, but I can’t determine who it is through the buzzing in my ears.
I go to climb from my bed but find myself confused when I realize I’m tucked in tightly. What the hell? I hardly ever sleep with the covers on; why on earth am I tucked in like a fricking burrito?
A banging sounds on the door and then it flies off the hinges, smashing to the ground. I watch in disbelief as an angry Jaxson takes a step into the room, a fierce expression on his face. He only pauses when he sees me staring at the destruction he caused. His face shuts down, but not before I see worry flash across his face.
“You know you could have just knocked, right? I mean, did you really have to break down my door?”
He looks down at the door in question, which is utterly destroyed from his assault, and reaches up to run a hand through his hair. “Uh, I guess not. Next time, though, you should probably answer when someone calls for you.”
I smile, unable to hold back the expression with how protective his actions were. “Next time, I’ll be sure to answer when you call out. Now what’s up?”
“Your dad wants to talk to you before we leave, but I have an early class this morning, so you need to hurry up.” He doesn’t stay to offer further explanation, just turning on his heel and leaving me to wonder if he’s at least going to fix the door at some point.
I quickly grab some clothes and step into the bathroom to get dressed, hoping Dad will be in a better mood today. He yelled at me last night, something he’s never done before. I don’t recall what happened after he left, but I must just have come to bed.
I see my bag waiting by the door and grab it before I leave, glad that Jaxson was able to keep at least the main door to the pool house intact.
The moment I reach the main house, I can’t help the little sliver of dread that goes through me at the thought that my dad might further berate me for going off with Justin. But what can I say? He intrigues me.
As I walk into the kitchen, I see my dad sitting at the dining table, two cups of coffee in front of him. He sees me and immediately smiles. “Valerie, good. Take a seat. Cassandra and I would like to have a word with you.”
Ugh, great. And sure enough, Cassandra walks in right after I take a seat, closing the door behind her.
I watch them for a long moment and wait for one of them to speak, but they both remain silent. Screw it, I’ll go first.
“I’m not going to stop hanging out with Justin. No matter what you said last night, I think he’s a good guy, just shadowed by old stigmas caused by dissension between the academies. I mean, is it really fair to judge a person’s value by the school they go to? No.”
I cross my arms over my chest, making it clear I’m not backing down.
Cassandra purses her lips and her gray eyes narrow. “I understand you think you are being nice and that Justin seems like a nice man on the surface, but just be careful. You’re an adult, Valerie. It’s not my place or your father’s to tell you who to spend your time with. We can only hope you make the right choices.”
Oh, well that’s good… I guess. Why did they call me in here then?
As if Dad heard my unasked question, he beams at me. “I have some good news, Valerie.”
“Huh?” I glance over at Cassandra, hoping for some kind of clarification, but her only response is to smile broadly, which only leaves me more confused.
“What’s going on?” I ask my dad, getting impatient.
“The evidence I told you about? The reason I’m leaving? Well, if it’s accepted by the judge, you will be cleared of all charges.”
“What?!” I sit back in my chair, not quite believing it. It can’t all be over like that, right? It hasn’t even been a week!
“I know this is quite a shock, but if everything goes as planned, all the charges will be dropped and your probation will be lifted.”
I open and close my mouth, unsure what to say. I mean, this just doesn’t feel real. “This feels too good to be true. Are you sure? What is this evidence?”
Dad frowns and looks down at the table before meeting my eyes. “That part I can’t tell you quite yet. I promise, though, as soon as it becomes concrete, you’ll be the first to know.”
“Does this mean you’re any closer to finding out what happened to Nat?” I ask, hopeful that I can finally get some real answers.
My dad sighs and Cassie pats his back comfortingly. “No, unfortunately not. There’s been no such luck, but your friends were right about it being mainly synthetic blood at the scene. There wasn’t enough of Nat’s blood for it to have been a fatal wound according to the forensic team, but that still doesn’t leave us with any answers as to what really happened.”
Cassie claps her hands before I can reply. “Okay, enough of this morbid talk. Valerie, your father asked me to get you a phone when I was out shopping yesterday. And remember, you still have classes today. The boys are all waiting for you in the car. They wanted to take you for breakfast rather than having me cook because I have to go to the medical center soon.”
With that, she hands me a phone in a pale blue case. After taking it, I get to my feet and grab my bag.
“Oh, I put my number in there in case you need it,” Cassie adds. “I won’t be home when you finish classes, but Jax is going to cook dinner, so I still expect you to be home for it. Just because you are close to being off probation doesn’t mean you can disrespect my rules.”
I nod in understanding, taking in her stern expression. She’s definitely not someone I want to cross. “Okay, thank you for this. I will see you when you get home. And Dad, please give Sally and Jessica my new number when you get there. I would love to speak to them.”
He smiles and gives me a big hug as I go to leave. “Stay safe. I’ll be home before you know it.”
I head out of the kitchen and make my way into the garage, where the guys are all waiting in the car, just as Cassie had said. Carter and Cooper are in the back seat and I open the door, sliding in next to Carter. He scoots over to give me more room, but even so, I’m still pressed against the door with my bag on my lap.
Once we arrive on campus, I wait for Carter and Cooper to get out before climbing out after them. Once I’m out of the ca
r and no longer pressed against male bodies, it feels like I can breathe easier. That is, until they all surround me protectively, preventing me from moving.
“Uh, what’s up guys?” I ask, noticing their carefully schooled expressions.
Jaxson is the one to speak and I meet his amber gaze. “We know your father is leaving today. We just wanted you to know if you need us, we’re here.”
“Oh.” That’s not at all what I was expecting them to say, but I guess it’s sweet they are trying to look out for me. “Thanks, guys, but I’ll be fine.”
“Alright then. Let’s get to class. Valerie, you and I share a class this morning so I guess you’re stuck with me.”
Zane, Cooper and Carter wave goodbye before taking off towards the school, playfully joking and nudging each other as they go. I begin to follow after them, with Jaxson close at my side. “You know you can do your own thing, right?” I inform him as we walk into our first class. “You don’t need to stick with me all day. I’m happy to learn the ropes by myself.”
He chooses a seat and gestures for me to sit beside him. I sit down and put my bag in the aisle seat beside me. Then Jaxson faces me, his amber eyes showing an expression I don’t quite understand. “You’re not some burden, despite what you may think. We all enjoy your company. Now sit, be quiet and listen to the professor.” He grins as a tall, elderly man walks into the room.
“Welcome, class. Today we’ll be discussing the mechanics between worlds. Whether it is possible to travel between them and visit the realm the gods come from,” he says in a deep voice, before turning to write what he just said on the whiteboard behind his desk.
Crap, what class is this? Sounds way out of my league. Oh well, at least I can drop it at the end of the month.
The lecture continues and I’m surprised to see that Jaxson seems thoroughly interested in the topic. I take notes where I can, but all the talk about parallel dimensions and the possibility of worlds outside our own makes me space out. Instead, I think about Sally and Jessica, and wonder what they’re doing without me.