by KC Kean
I try to think back as far as I possibly can to my first memory of taking something that wasn’t mine.
I feel a vague memory return to the surface. Usually if it's pre-Rafe I will force the thoughts back down, unwilling to take a trip down memory lane.
Now, I know I may need to remember if I plan to understand anything that’s going on right now, but that thought has fear clawing up my neck.
Closing my eyes, I try to relax myself, pushing past the panic inside, and encourage more of the memory forward.
Slowly, I try to take in what my mind is willing to give me. It feels strange, I don’t feel the red haze taking over as strong as usual, is it because I’m choosing to remember?
I can feel a sea breeze on my face, and blowing through my hair, as I’m running as fast as I can. I don’t recall where we are, but it feels familiar. I’m dashing through the grass bank, sitting above the beach below, no shoes on, loving the feel of the grass in between my toes.
I must be five at most, a pale pink dress floating around my legs and I can feel my irritation. Even then at such a young age, I’m mad with the restriction the dress is giving me.
I’m laughing, freely, and being chased by someone who is also laughing along with me. My fist is tightly squeezing something and as I look down at my hand to catch a glimpse of my treasure, I’m whipped off my feet and twirled around.
I can’t breathe, I'm laughing so hard. God, to be this carefree again, it feels like magic. When my captor finally relents on the twirling, I feel their arms wrap tightly around me in a protective and loving hold. When I finally look through my messy hair I see my father staring back at me, with eyes filled with love and pride.
His brown hair swept to the side, and his green eyes matching mine. Tattoos all over his arms and peeking out under his collar.
“Sweet girl, are you stealing my treasures?”
I shake my head innocently, and my father can’t help but chuckle more.
“My sweet Luna, you truly are your father’s daughter. One day, in years to come you will be the greatest of our name. Already outsmarting me so young. I’m going to have to work hard to keep up, ey?”
I just give him the biggest smile my face can hold and hand over the treasure I stole. It’s a small broach, a peacock, with bright blue and green gems. That’s what drew me to it, it looked so pretty I just had to have it.
My father kisses me sweetly on the cheek and places me on the ground. I instantly start running again, loving the feel of the wind whipping around me. When I look back towards my father he’s no longer alone, he’s also stood with a smiling Rafe as they laugh together, whilst my mother is looking up from the seas edge with menace in her eyes.
I stop myself there, unable to deal with anymore. I have spent so long pushing memories of my father to the back of my mind, I feel drained. My hands are shaking slightly, and I feel a cold sweat taking over.
I’m too scared to remember even happy times like then, especially when I can vividly remember his death in greater detail.
My father, Bryce Steele, is a mystery to me. Remembering what seemed like such a sweet moment between father and daughter breaks my heart. What would my life be like now if he was still here? It seems I’d likely still be heading to Featherstone Academy, but I’d have been more prepared than I am right now.
I’m struggling with the fact that I’m not in control. I’m used to dominating my surroundings, and right now I don’t even have a slight grasp of them. Knowing where to place myself next, who to place my trust in, seeing the danger signs before a situation worsens.
A tapping distracts my train of thought, drawing my attention to mother. She still has her gun aimed at Rafe, and she’s tapping her fake nails against it. Like a little reminder to everyone that she’s the one with the power here.
I’ve been completely caught off guard and I think it feels worse because Rafe has been holding a lot of this information from me. I trusted him over everyone else. Peering back outside the window, I can see the beginning of dawn touch the sky. We’ve been driving for some time. Not including the four hours I was unconscious.
I let my thoughts go back to how it would have been possible for me to take jobs from Featherstone without being aware. My profile on the dark web is limited, a lot of my contracts have been done facelessly, and I vetted out the information on who contacted me. Now it seems likely they were told to contact me by Featherstone if what Veronica said was true.
The only person who ever found out, that I was aware of, was West. About two years ago, I’d broken into a CEO’s office in one of the many skyscrapers in downtown Philly specifically looking for some blueprint documents. They meant nothing to me but enough to the guy, who contacted me through my dark web setup, to pay big for the job.
As the job was in the city, I made the trip in my beat-up truck, and parked five blocks away from where I needed to be. After spending a solid twenty minutes driving round in circles, making sure I wasn’t being followed.
With all the prep I had done for the job, it was a quick in and out extraction. I mean really, for a multi-million dollar company, they should have better security measures in place.
When I got back to my truck he was there, casually sitting on the hood, watching me approach. West’s excuse for being there was because he’d seen me randomly take off from time to time, and he wanted to see what I was up to. I was so mad at him at the time, furious at him for invading my privacy. It was irrelevant to him what I was doing.
He’s four years older, so for him to hold any interest in my whereabouts confused the hell out of me. I almost thought I had another Jake on my hands, but West never tried to overstep the mark, and I never caught any lingering glances.
He promised this was my secret and I believed him.
There hadn’t been a time that I did call him, seeing as I was perfectly fine on my own, but on that drive home he kept me on loudspeaker the whole way and that’s when he named me Moon. He would never explain why, but it stuck.
I’ve never really known what West does for a living, he isn’t around all the time and occasionally he’ll train with us at Rafe’s gym, but he doesn’t work at Inked with Jake. He was a bit of a mystery and that suited me just fine, if it meant my secret stayed with him, but now it seems my secret wasn’t really a secret at all.
I’m at even more of a loss of who actually surrounds me.
*****
I could cut the tension in this car with a knife. I don’t want to be here but apparently that’s irrelevant. My arms are completely numb at this point, but I refuse to complain or show any weakness. No one’s offered to help me out. Seems it’s completely normal to take people against their will and handcuff them like this for hours.
Clearing his throat, Rafe gains my attention, “Luna, we aren’t too far from Featherstone and I feel there is still more for us to discuss.”
“You’ve had plenty of time to discuss all of this with me Rafe, why worry about it now?”
I’m trying to see all of this from Rafe’s point of view but I’m still furious with him. As much as it may have been a tough conversation, I would have been more prepared right now.
He sighs but continues, “When we arrive there won’t be any hanging around, they don’t fuss around like that, so I only have now to prepare you. There is only so much apologizing I can do Luna and right now that isn’t my priority.”
He looks me in the eyes, and I can feel him trying to communicate how serious he is. I give a nod and his shoulders relax.
“When we arrive, you should be taken for registration. They’ll give you everything you need to settle in, from your dorm keys to a list of materials you may need. Some items can be purchased on site while others hold more value. You should be given access to our bloodline vaults, where you’ll have access to heirlooms. Anything else you need, should be provided by Featherstone, otherwise I can get you whatever you need.”
He looks to my mother for confirmation of this, who simply no
ds like it was obvious to begin with.
“There are already cliques amongst surnames here, add the fact that most of the other students will already know each other leaves you at a disadvantage,” Rafe murmurs, his eyes darkening with the thought.
“Although, with you being a Steele, you are high up in the ranks, and learning three bloodline skills should help broaden your reach amongst the student body.”
He pauses like he’s trying to find the right words, “Luna, it’s a dog eat dog world here and that includes the tutors too. You are stepping into a world where these kids have been raised to be criminals. Stabbing you in the back, literally, would be like waking up and having a cup of coffee to these people. You need to make sure you are always alert.”
“Rafe, always the storyteller,” my mother muses, but Rafe doesn’t seem to pay her any mind.
“As much as I hoped this would never happen Luna, I trained you for this. I threw so many techniques at you, pushing you to your limit sometimes, to make sure you could hold your own no matter what.”
I usually like seeing the pride in his eyes. I don’t want it in this moment but I do trust him with my life, so I have to set my emotions aside and take in any information he can give me. He looks as though he’s going to push on with more insight, when we’re interrupted by one of the meatheads sitting upfront in the SUV.
“We have arrived.”
Arrived? I glance out of my window to see us pass through giant wrought iron gates. The parameter going on beyond what I can see. Twisting around the best I can, to get a better view, I’m taken back with the size of this place.
From my viewpoint, I can’t see much, but guards stop us before we are able to continue down the road. Apart from the road, everything else is nature. Perfectly cut grass, vibrant flowers and large chestnut oak trees.
It’s beautiful.
“This is the entry building and where they hold events. The dorms are in separate buildings to the left, classes are held over a few buildings to the right and the shops and cafeteria are in the center. You’ll get used to the size of it,” Rafe says.
His hands are pointing out in random directions, and I struggle to keep up with him without ending up with whiplash. I hope I get some form of map because I can’t remember all of that.
As the car pulls to a stop, I rattle the handcuffs, “If you’re so intent on me attending you may need to uncuff me mother.”
She smirks as she says, “Don’t look at me, I assumed you’d come without acting like a child, they’re Rafe’s.”
She wants me to lash out and aim it all at Rafe, but I won’t give her the satisfaction. On the inside I want to rip him a new one, punch him in the throat and smash his face through the car window but on the outside, I simply smile.
“The honors, Rafe.”
He moves swiftly as he murmurs, “You’d have killed us all Luna and it’s not our time yet.”
I hum in response as my arms fall to my lap, wiggling my fingers to get my blood flowing again. My mother hands her gun off to one of the guys. Seems it was just an extra precaution to keep me compliant.
“I’m aware we’re at Featherstone Academy but would anyone like to tell me where that is on the map?”
“Not far from Richmond, Virginia.”
Oh, so the guy next to me does actually talk, who knew? The guy sitting to Rafe’s left opens the door and everyone gets out. The humidity hits instantly and I consider jumping back in the car for the air conditioning alone.
Two people are heading towards us, a man and a woman, who seem to be having a heated discussion, the woman is dressed similarly to Veronica with a tailored pantsuit in black and her caramel hair slicked back in a tight high pony. She wouldn’t need Botox with it pulled that tight, that’s for sure. The man is a lot more casual in jeans and a leather jacket and it looks as though he didn’t even bother to brush his hair.
As they make their way towards us, Rafe lightly grabs my shoulder and talks softly to me, “Luna, you don’t need to hear this, but I need to say it. You’ve got this. As much as I don’t want any of this for you, you were made for this. Don’t doubt yourself and don’t let anyone get under your skin. If they so much as catch a glimpse of a weakness they’ll be all over it.”
He pulls me into a tight hug, which feels odd as we don’t usually show affection, but I squeeze him back all the same.
“Classes begin on the twenty-fifth, so you’ve got a few days to find your feet. If you need me for anything at all you know I’m only a phone call away. I know I’m not your favorite person right now but that doesn’t change anything between us, but you will always be my number one priority. I tried to grab as much as possible from your room including your ‘Moon’ bag, but if I missed anything let me know and I’ll get it sent over. I’m proud of you Luna and I love you no matter what.”
I hold him tighter for a moment longer, than step away as the new arrivals stop in front of us.
“Hello, you must be Miss Steele, my name is Barbette Dietrichson and I’m the Head of Featherstone Academy. This is Maverick Miller, our tutor for combat training. If you’d like to follow me, we have much to attend to. Leave your belongings, they will be taken to your room.”
She pulls her gaze from mine looking straight to my mother.
“Veronica, a pleasure as always,” she says with a smile, turning for me to trail behind her.
The guys are all back in the SUV ready to go again. While Maverick clasps hands with Rafe and they share some kind of man hug, pat, chest bounce thing. No words are spoken between them, but they clearly know each other. I give Rafe a backwards glance as I follow behind Barbette unaware of where this may lead me, but my instincts tell me nothing will be the same after this.
CHAPTER FIVE
I’m led to a large stone building, to say it was grand would be an understatement. The height alone is powerful, add to that the arch ways, columns and balconies it feels like it wants to be a castle. There are intricate carvings around the windows and in the alcoves. Ivy grows up the building, and flower beds decorate the bottom of the stone steps up to the entry.
I wonder what stories they could tell, of what lies beyond these walls and the people that have passed through them. Everything is immaculate, nothing at all like what I expected a criminal underworld academy to look like.
Following behind them up the stairs, I hear the SUV pull away. My heart wants to drown in all of this, yet again being dropped somewhere and left behind. I refuse to be beaten by my circumstances, I’ve lived through far worse. Feeling out of my depth and a little lost isn’t going to be the end of me.
With that in mind, I take a deep breath finding my center, relax my shoulders and raise my head. I’m walking in here whether I like it or not so I’m going to do so on my terms. Carrying myself with all the confidence I’ve got I make sure my poker face is in place and my defensive walls are up.
Stepping inside, it’s just as grand as outside. All dark wood and golden framed memorabilia, in all shapes and sizes. Before I can take any of it in fully I’m being led to the left and straight through a door leading to Dietrichson’s office.
Her office doesn’t match the rest of the building. White walls and modern glass furnishings. Although is that a fucking tiger rug?
“Please take a seat Miss Steele, I don’t have much time for this.”
I want to yell that I don’t want to fucking be here so let’s not waste your time, but I don’t know who I’m dealing with and it’s clear I’m out numbered as a party of one, so I bite my tongue and take a seat.
“Usually this is all done through the administration office but seeing as it’s a Saturday that’s not possible now is it?” she asks, as she steeples her fingers on the desk in front of her.
I don’t respond, that was just a mouthful of snark.
“Here is your I.D. box, inside you will find the key to your room, a copy of your timetable, a map of the grounds, access to financial funds from your bloodlines, a list of requiremen
ts and access key cards to the vaults you have access to.”
She holds a plain wooden box with a piece of paper stuck to the top. Not as fancy as I was expecting for this place. She glances at the top of the I.D box and frowns, I look at what’s caught her eye and I can see the names of the three bloodlines I’m here for: Steele, Gibbs and Hindman.
“Do you want to tell me why you’ve been given access to the Gibbs bloodlines as well?” The venom in her voice is clear as day.
“Is there a problem?” I ask as I lean back in my chair.
I don’t know what she wants me to say, I haven’t made any of these decisions.
“A problem? You are only given access to your bloodlines, it’s impossible to be assigned a third, there must be an error!”
She’s flustered by this, but someone must have authorized it, otherwise it wouldn’t be happening.
Maverick, chimes in, seemingly bored with all of this already, “Barb, this was approved late last night by the superiors, it was stated in the email.”
“I haven’t seen any email, I received a call two hours ago to be here for a late arrival, something like this cannot be approved without me. I run this Academy and I won’t allow it!”
Wow, power trip much?
I don’t know what I’m expected to say here and nothing I could say is going to make this situation any better. Maverick seems to notice this too and takes the box out of her hands.
“I’ll take this and sort Luna out whilst you get your shit together, yeah?”
He marches out of the door, not looking back. It takes me a second to catch on and I’m up and following after him.
“Get my shit together? Are you fucking joking me? Do you even know who I ...”
I slam the door as quick as I can behind me cutting off her tirade. I’ve had enough of bat shit crazy women today thank you very much.
Glancing around I see Maverick leaving through the opposite end of the large hall area that we came in through. Nobody else is around. It feels like I’m trespassing in a museum or something, like that time in Baltimore.