Wicked Thing (C.O.A Series Book 2)

by Kim Cormack

  After hours of evasive driving, Lexy heard someone clunking around in the back of the motorhome. Somebody was awake. Kayn appeared, looking dishevelled and confused. She steadied herself by clutching the back of the seats.

  She was dying to hear they’re excuses. Lexy shook her head slowly as she asked, “I’m curious. Why would you guys be in a diner having dinner with Trinity? What in the hell was that about?”

  Kayn surfed the bumps in the now gravel road as she replied, “I knew it was a bad idea. Thorne showed up at our room and told us they knew we were there and they’d heard everything we’d been talking about because we hadn’t used salt.”

  Lexy knit her brow and questioned, “Used salt?”

  They drove over a larger bump and Kayn almost lost her footing. Lexy grinned as Kayn continued her explanation, “The salt circle and that chant. Silence inside or outside of the circle. You know what I mean.”

  Lexy grinned and stated, “Jakob was with them. He’s good. He can tune into anyone… anywhere.” She scowled in Grey’s direction. It was time for him to wake up. Lexy said, “Smack him for me, he’s not supposed to be asleep.”

  Kayn smacked Grey and his eyes popped open. He looked at Lexy, obviously wondering how in the hell she’d slapped him from way over there. Kayn giggled and Grey noticed she was standing behind him.

  He smiled at her and ribbed, “Oh, she got you to do her dirty work.”

  Lexy skillfully maneuvered the winding road as she chuckled, “It’s a good thing we were following you guys. Rule of thumb…if two of the clans are at a job, then the third is bound to show up.” The expression on Kayn’s face was glorious. She was wondering how much they’d seen.

  Grey grinned at Kayn and teased, “Yes, I totally saw that. You’re a glorious kisser. Anytime you want some more practice, feel free to call on me.”

  Lexy glared at her obnoxiously flirty Handler and said, “Oh, just go ahead and smack him again.”

  Kayn smacked Grey again and he started to chuckle, rubbing his head while pretending to be deeply wounded.

  They went over a bunch of deep potholes and the newbie Ankh surfed the thumps in the road like a champ as the road leveled out, Kayn apologized, “Hey, I’m sorry we screwed up and lost the girl.”

  Lexy glanced at Grey and grinned. She didn’t know.

  Kayn’s voice questioned, “What?”

  Lexy maneuvered the steering wheel to avoid the next potholes as she replied, “We didn’t lose anybody. The girls locked in the bathroom. We haven’t had time to deal with her yet.”

  Kayn glanced back towards the bathroom and said, “I almost went in there. What if someone else gets up and goes in there?”

  Grey shrugged as he quipped, “She’s out cold and there’s a sign on the door.”

  She asked, “How did you get her from Triad?”

  Grey piped in, “Let’s just say, Lexy’s Summit shenanigans came in handy. Hey, did Astrid kiss Tiberius? He was higher than a kite. I doubt he’d be stupid enough to drug himself.”

  Kayn grinned like the Cheshire cat from, ‘Alice in Wonderland.’

  It was her turn to appear to have a secret. Lexy smiled and said, “Oh, just spit it out.”

  “It was me. He kissed me, right before I passed out and I’d taken some of Astrid’s ability.”

  Why hadn’t she been drugged when she kissed Tiberius? Lexy knit her brow when she heard Kayn’s thoughts. Kayn was wondering if she’d made her jealous.

  Lexy responded to Kayn’s private commentary, “Not jealousy, but confusion. I kissed him and it had no effect on me.”

  Grey chuckled as he mumbled under his breath, “It didn’t affect you because you’re already crazy.”

  Lexy gave Grey a dirty look and Kayn smacked him without her having to ask and she smiled.

  They needed to find somewhere to deal with the girl. Maybe, she didn’t have to be the one to do it this time? There was another Dragon.

  Lexy looked at Grey and explained, “The others are going to be up soon and everyone will need to use the bathroom.” She motioned to Grey. He opened the glove compartment and handed her a gold ring with the symbol of Ankh on it. Lexy gave it to Kayn and said, “This one is for you. You’re going to wait until she wakes up, give her the speech, brand her and kill her.”

  Kayn held the ring between two fingers and stared at it. She slipped it on her finger, nodded and flippantly responded, “Why not?”

  Lexy’s face exploded into a genuine smile. Dragon Kayn was kind of awesome. She winked and replied, “Now, that is how a Dragon responds to a challenge.”

  She’d seen a sign for a campsite a few miles back and knew they were close. There it was…By the side of the road there was a wooden sign that could be easily missed. They turned into the campground and when the motor home came to a complete stop, the newbie Dragon casually turned around and walked back towards the bathroom.

  This was going to be good.

  Grey leaned over and whispered, “Are you sure Brighton’s ready for this?”

  If her suspicions were right the Dragon part of her would be able to do what she’d asked of her without even flinching. Lexy glanced back at Kayn as she disappeared into the back, smiled and quietly replied, “I certainly hope so… but maybe, you should put on your running shoes just in case?”

  Grey gave her a funny look and sparred, “You gave Kayn the job you’re the one that’s running after the girl if she gets away.” Her Handler chuckled as he hopped out of the motorhome making a crunching sound in the gravel with his footsteps as he walked away. Lexy sat there wondering whether or not she should just go back there and do it herself.

  Grey yelled from outside, “It’s hooked up. You’re good to go!”

  Her stomach grumbled. She was hungry. Maybe, they should eat first? Lexy hollered to her fellow Dragon, “Come have breakfast before you kill her. I’m sure there’s plenty of time.”

  What was she hungry for? Lexy started to sort through the choices in her mind. The cupboard had nothing but bland breakfast cereal. Lily had been a part of the last grocery run. She always bought a variety of grainy nutty granola and other healthy crap that nobody else enjoyed but her. Lexy stood there staring at the cupboard, pouting at her options. She poured some cereal into a bowl, and took the milk out of the fridge, giving it a sniff before she poured it. Yes, the milk was still good! In moments like these her life felt almost normal. Well, except for the waitress they’d kidnapped and locked in their bathroom. She maneuvered around Grey in the small space, as he started to brew a pot of coffee. He cupped her waist with his hand as he reached above where she was searching in the cutlery drawer for a spoon to leave on the counter for the sugar. They were joined by a couple of the others and while they ate, the rest awoke from their Triad induced slumber and made their way to the table where they all were informed about the girl in the bathroom. Grey kept looking at Zach and then at Kayn with this enormous grin on his face. He wasn’t going to be able to keep his mouth shut about their sexy little almost hookup. There was no way. They’d all been sitting there, chatting and drinking coffee for about an hour when Lexy began to wonder whether or not Kayn intended to go through with what she’d ordered her to do.

  Zach stood up and complained, “I really need to go to the bathroom. We need to find another place to store the waitress.”

  Grey took a drink from his coffee mug and said, “Well, what are you waiting for? Go back there and see if she’s up.”

  Lexy grinned as she tried to keep her emotions from registering. It had been her experience that lessons learned the hard way always sunk in faster.

  Zach sighed dramatically and wandered back towards the tiny locked bathroom, while muttering under his breath about how this wasn’t his job. Kayn took that as a hint, as she stood up and went with him.

  Grey was giggling like a ten-year-old boy who had a well-hidden whoopee cushion as he got up with his coffee in hand and waved for her to come, excited to watch the insanity unfold. Lexy casua
lly stood up and strolled over to stand beside her astounding toddler Handler. It was wonderful. They had seriously underestimated this girl. Not only was she awake but she was ready to fight, hitting them with plungers and everything. Kayn was the one to capture her. She gave her the perfect, ‘sorry for your family’s murder but you’ve been given a second chance’ speech and then she asked the girl if she would like to be one of them.

  Grey quietly did his best Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonation as he commentated, “Come with me, if you want to live.” Lexy scowled at him instead of smiling as she wanted to because one of them had to at least appear to be mature.

  The brave girl extended her hand without hesitation, and Kayn branded her flesh with the symbol of Ankh. The girl only had time for one shriek of pain before Kayn snapped her neck and she crumpled to the floor. It was done. Molly was Ankh. Kayn twisted her ring around, walked back down the hall towards the others and met Lexy’s eyes. She was so proud of her. It was like having a slightly sadistic child. Good job on that murder.

  Now came the actual work for the Healers. She’d help them out with this part. They had two Healers, but because they’d figured out how to use Kayn’s Conduit ability, she was able to act as a third. The three of them healed the girl together and Molly was now a part of Clan Ankh. It felt like the beginning of a new chapter. Where usually nobody survived the Testing, five had come out and this had altered her perspective. Lexy didn’t feel that sense of foreboding when she looked at Molly, she felt hope….

  For weeks they did nothing but drive, and hide while trying to conceal Molly’s location from the other clans. They stopped every couple of days in a campsite in order to sleep, shower and stretch their legs for a while. It had stopped feeling like they were babysitting the newbies. It now felt like they were all protecting Molly... as equals. They were sent word via text message from Markus that the other half of their clan had also acquired a new member and his name was Dean. This was good. Ankh had two new members and it had only been a short time since the last Testing. Would they be able to hold on to both of them until they were eighteen years old…now that was the question?

  Lexy awoke in the middle of the night to the crumbling sound of a vehicle driving through gravel. Had they been found? She harshly shook Grey, waking him as she slipped on her jeans and shoved her cell phone into her pocket. Just in case they had to contact the others. She tiptoed into the darkness of the kitchen, and grabbed a knife from the drawer, without making a sound. She would need a weapon if it was Trinity or Triad. They wouldn’t have the numbers but they would have one thing, perhaps the most important thing…The element of surprise. She sensed Grey behind her.

  He whispered, “Kayn’s the only one sleeping in her bunk. The others must have fallen asleep in the back room.”

  Lexy tossed him a steak knife without warning in the pitch black kitchen and she could tell by the lack of swearwords that he’d caught it. She whispered, “Let them sleep. It might be nothing.”

  He nodded as she carefully opened the door, wishing they’d taken the time to oil the squeaky hinges and they both simultaneously grinned as they saw their own clan’s black truck.

  The hum of the driver’s window rolling down revealed Frost’s face, he whispered, “I’ll go inside and get Kayn and Zach. Get in. Lily wants to find somewhere to watch the sunrise before our next job.”

  Frost got out of the truck and strolled right past them with only a quick smile in their direction. They got into the backseat.

  Lily glanced back to where they were sitting and said, “The whole sunrise thing was not my idea. He’s trying to do something romantic for Kayn.”

  Lexy shook her head and sparred, “He didn’t even text her once.”

  Lily shifted around in her seat so she could look at Lexy as she gave her response, “I know, I told him he was being an idiot.”

  The door opened and Zach jogged down the steps, walked around to the passenger side and waved at them. Lily opened the front passenger side door and motioned for him to get in.

  Zach yawned as he took his seat and they all got a, not so fresh, nose full of the Nacho chips that he’d been eating earlier that evening. Lily crinkled up her nose, dug around in her purse and passed him a pack of gum.

  Zach took a piece out and said, “Thanks.”

  Lily politely smiled and whispered, “Chew two they’re small.”

  He took another piece, unaware of his issue he popped the second one into his mouth and asked, “What time is it?”

  Nobody had a chance to respond before Frost opened the driver’s door, slid into the seat and announced, “She’ll just be a second.”

  Lexy was excited about the idea of some action. She grinned at Grey.

  He shoved her and playfully teased, “You don’t even care what the job is do you?”

  Lexy was still smiling as Kayn climbed into the backseat with them and repeated Zach’s question, “What time is it?”

  Grey held up his wrist with no watch and replied, “It’s the crack of frigging dawn. We’re going to go somewhere cool though to watch the sunrise. I knew you wouldn’t want to miss it.”

  “No breakfast then?” Kayn questioned.

  Grey chucked her a granola bar and Kayn grimaced as she took it.

  Lexy smiled as she recalled the fixation with food she’d had back in the beginning when she’d first joined clan Ankh. It had been a different situation. She’d been starving for years. She turned to look out the window at the view of endless black. The only light came from their vehicles headlights as they barreled down the backroads. Grey slipped his fingers through hers and gave her hand a squeeze. She recalled Grey’s words the day he’d convinced her to come with him, ‘Come with me to clan Ankh and I will always be your friend.’ He’d stayed true to that promise even though he had gotten a lot more than he’d bargained for out of that deal, when they’d made him her Handler. As always, holding Grey’s hand felt right. Would a piece of her always wish that they could be more? They couldn’t be together and no passage of time would ever change that fact. Grey released his hold on her hand. Free from the connection she started to fantasize about what could be, her thoughts travelled to Orin and the uncomplicated night they’d shared. He’d shown her what it was like to be with another Healer. It had been unexpected and simple. She turned her thoughts to Tiberius and his wickedly naughty ways. He understood the Dragon that slept beneath the surface of the woman that she was pretending to be. Lexy identified with the dark parts of him because those were the parts that she kept hidden away so other people would be comfortable. Grey took her hand and squeezed it again bringing her back to the here and now. Neither of them was Grey. She looked into her Handler’s eyes as he raised her hand to his lips and pressed a tender kiss on the back of it. She took note that even though he knew the bad parts of her, it had never stopped him from falling back in love with her, time and time again.

  They’d been driving for what felt like hours, when the sun began to rise. They pulled over and parked at a look out, perched over a small town. Everyone got out of the truck and stood side by side as the sun peaked over the mountain top in the horizon, just as the street lights flickered out in the town below.

  Grey put his arm around her, and held her close while gently stroking her side with his thumb where his hand curved around her waist. Her heart began to thud. This was his move. The thing that he did, that caused her to fold like a cheap deck of cards. Even though her mind had been focused on trying to shut down her reaction to his touch, she’d heard the gist of the conversation that the others were having. They would be staying here for a couple of days, and they’d buy everything they needed in town. Lexy looked at the population of 207 on the large green sign and her stomach cramped. She knew what they were here for…This was her favorite kind of job. Her Dragon would finally have the opportunity to come out and play. Lexy looked at Grey, gave him a knowing smile and teased, “Awe, this is so sweet Greydon. You shouldn’t have. My birthday isn’t until
next week.”

  Grey crinkled his nose as he smiled and teased, “Anything for you, Babe.”

  Frost motioned towards the truck and nudged, “Come on, everyone. Let’s go have some breakfast.”

  As they pulled in to a picturesque little town with perfect sidewalks, and cobblestone planters full of flowers, Lily rolled down her window. There was just a hint of fall in the air. They drove slowly and as they passed a man walking out to his vehicle, Lexy could tell he was mortal by his aura. Her stomach muscles kept clenching at regular intervals. Her predatory instincts rarely led her astray. That man was probably just passing through. This town was full of dangerous things and they would meet their match in her.

  Kayn looked at her and stated, “Now, that’s trippy.” Kayn had borrowed some of their healing energy, by using her Conduit ability so she could take part in healing the new girl. Lexy chuckled, “You haven’t seen anything yet, Hun.”

  Zach twisted around in the front seat and enquired, “What are you guys talking about?”

  Kayn pointed at the man that was now a speck in the distance and replied, “I could see that guy’s aura and it’s been almost a month. I guess I just assumed it would be gone by now.”

  It had been closer to three weeks but she wasn’t about to correct her.

  Lily squirmed around in her seat and proclaimed, “There it is. That’s the place. Jenna said it was named after a children’s poem.”