by W. J. May
Devon scooped her off her feet and had her down on the bed before she knew what was happening. His mouth trailed frantic, urgent kisses up and down her neck as his hands scrambled to take off his own shirt and then hers, nearly at the same time. A second later, the tops were on the floor.
“Woah there, cowboy!” Rae pulled away for a second and grinned. “Someone’s in a hurry.”
He smiled back, stroking a stray curl off her forehead. “I thought they’d never leave.”
“Are you sure that this is okay?” She lowered her voice and glanced around the room. “I mean, here at Guilder—”
“Why Miss Kerrigan…” His fingers fiddled with the top of her pants and he flashed her a mischievous grin. “Is someone suddenly worried about breaking school rules? I seem to remember helping you sneak in here not so long ago…”
He was kissing her stomach now, and for a moment, she forgot how to breathe.
“This is Madame Elpis, we’re talking about.” She smothered a giggle as he bit playfully at her hip bone. “Would you like to explain it to her?”
For a split second, he paused. But then he shook his head and lowered it back down to hers with a grin. “Trust me, what I have in mind is well worth detention…”
Chapter 2
There weren’t many people who could slip past Madame Elpis at six in the morning, but fortunately, Rae’s boyfriend happened to have super supernatural powers. He even slipped out without Rae noticing.
When she opened her eyes, there was still an indent in his pillow. All that rested in the recess was a little origami fox. She picked it up and grinned, wondering how long it must have taken him to craft the little guy. It reminded her of her first year at Guilder. One of the first things she and Devon had unofficially bonded over was his fennec fox tatù. She’d known what it was before he even had to tell her, which, apparently, made her one of the few. Of course before she even had a chance to see it, he’d used it to save her life. Just a chance of luck, sort of. The memory made her laugh. She’d walked out of Aumbry House and she glanced around her room. Shoot! This was the room!
They had been doing renovations to this floor and a two by four or something had come crashing out of one of the upper rooms—this room! Devon had moved faster than a train to get her out of the way. She’d crushed on him even back then, and tried to pretend she wasn’t interested.
She twirled the little fox lightly between her fingers. Were their lives always going to be so crazy? Was their romance always going to be fueled by adrenaline instead of lazy weekend kisses and midnight walks on the beach? Or the need to keep things hidden? She was getting tired of living a life of secrets.
A shrill alarm burst through her reverie and she hurried to get dressed in something a bit fancier than usual. She was seeing her mother again today, after all. Despite how normal that should sound, it was quite the special occasion.
In the end, she opted for a silk ivory top—collared, but without sleeves—and simple black dress slacks. As she paired it with teardrop earrings and gazed in the mirror, she thought Molly would be proud. Lately, that was her litmus test for everything ‘wardrobe’.
To balance out the extra preparations, Rae switched into Jennifer’s tatù so as not to be late to the meeting. She shuddered at the thought of Jennifer’s betrayal but pushed it away. The tatù was an ability, not the person.
Halfway across the sweeping Guilder lawns, she suddenly stopped and switched out into Devon’s. She couldn’t brush the feeling aside. Jennifer’s tatù just felt wrong, like it was dirty. Rae’s blood heated, she swore to never again use the ability unless it was absolutely necessary.
She made it to Carter’s office five minutes early, but everyone else was already there. Her mother flashed her a bright smile as she walked inside.
Devon looked up innocently—greeting her for the first time. “Well, good morning,” he said with a carefully controlled smile.
Rae flushed and settled down in her seat without really looking at him. “Morning.”
Beth’s eyes flickered shrewdly between the two, but she let it go as Carter sat forward at his large desk.
He cleared his throat. “So, I’ve been going through my notes all night and I came to a simple conclusion.” His eyes landed on Rae. “I cannot take this to the Privy Council.”
There was a moment of silence before—
“What!?”
“Sit down, Miss Kerrigan, and let me explain.”
Rae hadn’t realized she’d jumped to her feet, and she sank back into her chair slowly, keeping her angry eyes fixed on Carter all the while.
“I simply cannot take this drawing,” he held it up, “along with the word of Rae Kerrigan, and tell them that a five hundred-year-old madman has suddenly come back to life to mastermind this grand conspiracy. They’d never believe it. Hell—I don’t believe it.”
Rae gripped the arms on her chair ready to yell, but Beth cut her off. “Why did you say her name like that?” she asked with a frown. “What in the world do you mean: along with the word of Rae Kerrigan?”
Carter hesitated as Rae and Devon exchanged a quick look. How exactly did they tell her mother that in addition to having a tragic past, she could now look forward to a marked future?
Rae cleared her throat and decided to step up to bat. How did her mom not know? The whole amnesia thing was going to be complicated to deal with at times. “We, Kerrigans, are…how should I say it…not quite so highly regarded in certain circles—”
“We’re pariahs,” Beth interrupted sharply. “That’s what you’re trying to say.”
“Only by people who don’t know you,” Devon interjected softly. “Anyone who’s spent any amount of time with Rae is quick to see her true colors. That she’s the complete antithesis of her father. Rae has proven herself time after time.” He turned to Carter. “Which is why her word, along with what she saw in Jennifer’s memory, should be enough to launch an investigation.”
Carter shook his head. “While I admire your sentiment, it simply doesn’t stretch beyond the people in this school. To the rest of the tatù world, a Kerrigan’s a Kerrigan. It’s bad enough I’m going to have to tell them that not only was Jennifer Jones a rogue agent this entire time, but that we let her get away.”
Rae leapt to her feet again, unable to control herself. “And what exactly is the Privy Council doing about that? As much as I despise her, Jennifer’s a world-class talent. Every second we waste here is another second she has to completely disappear. You’re the president of the Privy Council! We need people on the ground now.”
As usual, Carter was unfazed, except for the single eyebrow that rose as she mentioned president. Nobody was supposed to know about that, let alone shout it out at the top of someone’s voice. “Miss Kerrigan, I don’t know if you’re using some sort of new jumping tatù, but I suggest you take a seat so I can continue this meeting.” Rae sank sullenly into her chair and he continued, “I can guarantee I want to find Jenn—Miss Jones as much as you do.” His eyes flickered to Beth. “I’ll make it my personal mission. But like I said, the Privy Council has had people in place since the explosion by the hospital. The entire city is on lock-down, she won’t get far.”
Devon’s hands twitched and he balled them up into impatient fists, clearly as unwilling to sit on the sidelines as Rae was. “With all due respect sir, if you’ve benched us, why exactly are we here?”
Carter frowned as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You’re here, Mr. Wardell, because while Jennifer Jones is a threat, Jonathon Cromfield is the mastermind behind this entire catastrophe.”
“But you just said—”
“I said I can’t take this to the Privy Council,” Carter repeated. “That doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t remain our top priority. We’re just going to have to keep it…off the books.”
Rae shook her head. “Off the books? What does that mean? I can’t have any supplies? A team, people to work with?”
Much to her surp
rise, Carter actually chuckled. “How spoiled we have become! No, Miss Kerrigan. You cannot use official Privy Council manpower or resources. However,” he said and leaned forward, the corner of his mouth twitching, “you are literally living in the stronghold of the next generation. The greatest convergence of tatù power in the history of the world.” His eyes glanced at Devon and then back to Rae. “Why not use it?”
Rae’s mind flashed back to the girl, Ellie, from the library and she flashed Devon a dubious look. “They’re just kids.” Hadn’t she just been one of them a couple years ago? “I mean, what can they really do?”
This time, both Beth and Carter laughed in unison. “They’re just kids…” Beth repeated with a smile.
“Miss Kerrigan,” Carter tried to restrain his amusement, “lest you forget, you are also just a kid. Both you and Devon are teenagers—yet highly trained operatives who have proven yourselves worthy time and time again.”
Despite the present circumstance, Rae couldn’t help but swell with pride at the words. Carter didn’t give compliments out easy.
Carter pressed his fingers together as his elbows rested on his desk. “The students here at Guilder may be young and inexperienced, but they’re powerful and a force in their own right. Work with them. Don’t tell them what it’s for—play it off as a mentoring position. In fact,” he smiled, “think of it as your thesis paper. They can do the research on Cromfield while you and your team do the legwork.”
“My team?” Rae asked. “I thought you said I didn’t get a—”
“As far as I recall, you and Devon, though capable agents, are still on probation,” Carter said coolly. “It was also brought to my attention that both Julian and Miss Skye put in for leave this morning. Now, while I can’t officially sanction a team for a mission that doesn’t officially exist…I can suggest you spend some quality time with your friends, can’t I?”
Rae stared at him, shocked. He had been hard, almost cruel her first year. He’d changed so much. Over the last few days, Carter had come to surprise her again and again, but this was in a league of its own. It was the very reason why he was continuing to enforce their suspension, she realized. Any other agent would have been cleared the second their hunch was proven correct, but Carter was keeping her and Devon purposely on the sidelines. Smart man.
“I…” Words failed her and she bowed her head, trying not to smile. “I’ll most definitely do that, sir.”
“Good!” Carter clapped his hands in a business-like way. “Then I think we’re done here.”
Devon and Beth stood, but Rae stayed behind. “Sir, one more thing. My mother. I’d like to know what kind of protection she’s—”
“I am protecting her.”
Under any other circumstance, Rae might have talked back. But one look in Carter’s eyes was enough to assure her. He had this. If Jennifer Jones herself came knocking down the gates, Rae believed Carter would send her straight down to hell.
“Good to know, sir.” She followed Devon to the door before whirling around once more. “Actually, I’ve one more thing.”
Carter sighed in exasperation. “What is it now, Miss Kerrigan?”
“I’d like to get permission to go to the hospital today to visit Luke.”
Carter’s face softened sympathetically. While Devon flashed her a quick look, his eyes cleared immediately and she couldn’t read his expression.
Carter pulled out his phone and began tapping on it. “Of course you may. Send him our best.”
Once outside, Beth hugged Rae. “I need to get going. Your Uncle Argyle’s landing in a few hours and Carter has two agents escorting me to the airport to pick him up.” She gave Rae a kiss on the cheek. “Let’s do dinner tomorrow.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Rae smiled.
Beth hugged her once more before leaving her and Devon standing alone in the bright sunlight drenching the lawns.
Devon squinted towards the parking lot. “You need a ride?”
“Uh, no, I don’t think so.” Rae pawed the ground nervously with her shoe. “He’s still really weak coming out of the coma and I don’t want to—”
“Hey, I get it.” He flashed her a pearly smile and tossed her his keys. “Tell him hi for me.”
Rae looked at him doubtfully and he gently took her hand.
“I’m serious,” he said softly. “It’s because of him you have your mother back. He changed your life in a profound, permanent way for the better and I’m not blind to that. He’ll always have my thanks.”
Rae blinked, overwhelmed and ridiculously grateful for the maturity of that attitude, before stretching up on her toes to give him a swift kiss on the cheek. “Thanks,” she said quietly. “I won’t be long. See you back here tonight?”
“Count on it.” He grinned. “Drive careful.”
“Ha ha.” She knew he was teasing about her driving skills.
* * *
An hour and a half later, and Devon’s car still in one piece without a scratch on it, Rae stood outside the door to Luke’s room, half wishing she was invisible. What did you say to the guy who almost died trying to reunite you with your family? How did you greet someone who just got out of brain surgery because your mentor bashed him over the head?
A doctor walked by curiously and Rae quickly whipped out her phone and pretended to be texting. She flashed him a smile as he walked past, then slipped the phone back into her pocket and stared helplessly at the door. She almost wished he had sent her away to ‘let him get some rest’. She should have waited till the end of the school day, and mistakenly come after visiting hours were over.
“Rae?”
Rae jumped, almost hitting her head on the ceiling from Devon’s tatù. She squinted incredulously through the fogged window.
Luke was just a normal guy. He didn’t have any supernatural ability. How the hell did he know she was there?
“Are you going to stand out there all day, or do you think you might come in and talk to me?”
Blushing fire-engine red, she pushed open the door and walked sheepishly inside. Luke didn’t look as bad as she thought he would, especially considering he’d just woken up from a coma. There was still a bit too much medical machinery for her liking and he still had an IV shoved in his arm, but other than that, he looked relatively normal. Only the dark circles under his eyes betrayed what had happened. That, and the fact that they’d shaved off half of his hair. “Hey,” she said in a rusty voice and cleared her throat. “Hey, Luke.” Her eyes dropped to the floor in shame.
“Rae! It’s great to see you.” The happiness in his voice made her head pop up. He greeted her with a bright, astonishing smile.
Her heart began tentatively beating for what felt like the first time in hours. Could it possibly be that he didn’t vehemently despise her?
“You see that weird, paned glass on the windows?” he asked. She nodded. “It’s a new thing they’re trying. I can see out, but people can’t see in. It’s supposed to make me feel connected while providing some sense of privacy.” His eyes twinkled. “It’s how I saw you lurking. When’d you turn into a peeping Tom crazy person?”
She laughed at his teasing, starting to relax. “I didn’t mean to lurk, I just didn’t know how to…what to say.” She sighed.
“Hey, come here.”
She perched obediently on the bed and he took her hand in his own. “No apologies, okay?” Luke smiled. “I don’t know what exactly you’re thinking, or what weird sense of guilt you’ve been carrying around with you, but it’s fine, okay?”
Maybe he’d hit his head even harder than she’d thought. “Luke, you had to have brain surgery because of me! That’s worth an apology. And, like, a lifetime’s supply of ice cream, and chocolates, and whatever else you want.”
He chuckled softly and touched the side of his head before dropping his hand. “As great as that sounds, it’s not exactly the case. I had to have brain surgery, because a rogue agent went nuts and hit me over the head after I uncovered some sen
sitive information. Info that would be useful to both our organizations.” He couldn’t really move too fluidly yet, but it looked like he might have shrugged. “Rae, this is what I signed up for.”
She shook her head firmly, unwilling to be forgiven so easily. “You uncovered that information for me. It wasn’t agency-sensitive. It was a personal favor.” Her eyes flickered over the tubes and wires still holding him to the bed and her eyes filled with guilty tears. “I’ll never forgive myself. You shouldn’t either. I’m a Kerrigan.” She hated her last name and the responsibilities that came with it.
His hand came up and weakly squeezed her shoulder. “No, no, no! None of that. You’re not the one who gets to feel sorry for yourself! Look at this wicked haircut! It’s boss!”
She snorted in laughter and ran her fingers along the shaven edge. “It’s very modern,” she said helpfully, tilting her head to see both sides of his head. “Kind of a Jekyll and Hyde sort of thing.”
He laughed and reached up to touch it again. “Don’t lie to me. The nurses have been hiding all mirrors, but I managed to catch my reflection in one of their reading glasses. It’s pretty awful.”
“Nonsense!” Rae exclaimed. “A little duct tape here, a little wig there, you’ll be right as rain!”
His eyes sparkled as he tried to hit her with one of his pillows. “Very funny. At least Molly promised to help me fix it. Said she could turn it into some sort of cool mohawk.”
Rae leaned back and blinked. “Molly was here?”
For whatever reason, Luke suddenly couldn’t meet her gaze. “Uh, yeah. She was here when I woke up, and she stopped by earlier this morning to see how I was doing. She’s pretty. I mean, she’s pretty sweet!” He fidgeted. “Considering I look like Dr. Jekyll and all.”
A warm flush lit Rae from head to toe. She knew that look, all too well. The only reason Molly wouldn’t tell her she was coming to the hospital was if there was something a little more to it than just a regular visit.
Rae bit back a smile and nodded casually. “Yeah, Molls is the best. I really don’t know where I’d be without her.” Something Luke said echoed back to her. “Wait. You said Molly was here when you woke up? What about Devon?”