He mutters incoherently under his breath. “Fine, give me the details.”
So I do, crossing my fingers he’ll help.
“That’s all Nalina said?” he asks after I’m done. “It seems like a very loose plan with a lot of holes.”
“Well, the crystal ball wouldn’t have to be fixed if someone would have warned me it was hiding out next to the first aid kit.” My voice falters between annoyance and desire. “If it weren’t for that, we’d just have to get a Foreseer who doesn’t mind breaking the laws.”
“I know what you’re thinking,” Alex says firmly. “And it’s not going to happen. We already made a pact that we’d stop going to him for help.”
“But Nicholas doesn’t mind doing things that are wrong.” I roll over on my elbows so my head’s above his, my brown hair a curtain around our faces. “And this time it will actually come in handy.”
He coils a strand of my hair around his finger. “Let’s sleep on it. In the morning, if no one’s thought of anyone else, we use him.” He cocks an eyebrow. “Deal?”
I stick out my hand to shake on it, but he kisses me instead.
“No more lying,” I utter between the movements of our lips.
He sucks on my bottom lip, nearly driving every nerve in my body mad. “It’s a deal.”
“Alex,” I murmur against his lips. “Are you sure you’re okay? You’re cut. It’s weird. You don’t even know where it came from. And…” I pause, looking down at his muddy shoes. “Did you go somewhere?”
Denying it, he shakes his head. “Nope. I’ve just been waiting around here for you.” He flips us over and positions himself on top of me, our bodies synching. “And my cuts fine. We’ve got bigger things to worry about than a little cut.”
As my hand comes into contact with his chest, where a faint scratch lingers, panic swells inside me. Not just because I’m worried about him. But because he doesn’t seem to be concerned, like he knows something I don’t. And with him, that’s a big possibility.
***
“You know you’re only kidding yourself,” Nicholas says from the foot of my bed. “You’re not as in love with him as you think.”
I crawl from the covers. “You can say whatever you want, Nicholas. I love Alex. I always will.”
His blonde hair glows against the moonlight. “Your soul connection renders your true feelings from showing though.”
“I know what I feel.” But my heart whispers different thoughts; lies, I tell myself. “We belong together.”
“That kind of love makes you weak,” Nicholas replies sadly. “It will be the end of you if you don’t get control of it.”
I reach him, my face only inches away from his. “And who should I love, Nicholas. You?”
He licks his lips, waiting for me to kiss him. So I do, crushing my lips against his and betraying my other half, and my heart, eternally.
***
My eyes open to a room full of sunshine. The curtains are opened. Alex is snuggled against me, his head buried in my neck. He’s dressed in a pair of black cargo shorts and red t-shirt, both dried with mud. He’s been up already. I sit up and stretch, shaking off the creepy feeling of last night’s dream. Nicholas and I kissing—what’s wrong with me? I’m letting the faerie get into my head too much. I need to be stronger.
“Go back to sleep,” Alex mumbles. “It’s still early.”
I carefully lift his arm off me and go over to the window. His car’s parked in the driveway. The windows are shattered and there’s a dent in the driver side door. Laylen’s head’s stuck under the hood. An array of tools is piled by his feet and jumper cables connect the GTO’s battery to the Camaro’s.
“Did you know Laylen’s out there working on your car?” I ask, cracking the window open to let some fresh air in.
Alex props up on his elbow. “Of course I do. We went and towed it home this morning.”
I cringe. “You went back to the field without me. I don’t think we should go there anymore.”
He pats the bed and I climb back in. “Stop worrying.” He sits up and rubs his weary eyes. “I’m fine. Laylen’s fine. The car’s fine. Everything is absolutely, one-hundred percent great.”
I flop down on the pillow, noting his overly cheerful behavior. I’m still wearing my clothes from last night and I feel dirty. I need to take a shower. “Well, thank God the car’s okay. For a minute, I was beginning to really worry.”
“Always worrying over nothing.” A grin plays at his lips and he smoothes his hair into place. “So what’s first on today’s agenda?”
“First, fixing the Crystal of Limitation and then persuading a Foreseer,” I answer. “Did you happen to think of one other than Nicholas?”
“Nope, so I guess he’s our best bet.” He stretches his arms over his head and his shirt rides up, showing a sliver of his rock-hard stomach. Without even thinking, I trail my fingers along the space of his skin, feeling the grooves of his muscles. “You should probably go get him. He seems to like you.”
My hand freezes. “You think I should be the one to go get Nicholas?”
He nods agreeably. “It’s probably the best way to get him to agree.”
My head buzzes with confusion and I pull my hand away. “I’m sorry, but is something wrong? You’re acting a little weird.”
He looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “I’m not acting weird.” He lures me on his lap and kisses the tender spot on my neck just below my ear. “I’m acting like myself.”
I tilt my head back and stare him in the eyes. “No, you’re not. You’re acting happy and… Did Aislin accidentally hit you with a mellow spell again?”
He feigns to remember. “Not that I know of.” He kisses my neck again, sliding his tongue along my skin, and my shoulders shudder in desire.
It takes a lot, but I jerk from his arms. “How’s your cut doing?” My fingers seek the hem of his shirt, but he swats my hand away.
“If you’re not into this,” he gestures back and forth between us, “then I can go.” He shoves me off his lap and strides for the door. “I have better things to do than sit around, talking.” He slams the door, leaving me with my jaw hanging to my knees.
“What the heck is going on with him?” I jump off the bed and dash to Aislin’s room. “Aislin, are you in there? I need to talk to you. It’s important.”
A shuffle and then something clanks against the door. Seconds later, it opens. Aislin eyes are ample, her white shirt unevenly buttoned, her golden hair static charged. I’d worry I was walking in on her and Laylen, but Laylen’s outside.
“Everything okay?” I ask, scanning her room. It’s a mess; clothes everywhere, the bed a heaping pile of sheets and blankets, and bottles litter the vanity.
“Huh? What?” She peers over her shoulder. “Oh, yeah, everything’s fine. I just had a spell backfire.”
“Speaking of spells; you didn’t happen to accidentally hit Alex with one, did you?”
“No, why?”
I push my way in. “Because he’s acting weird.” I draw the lacy curtains back and the sunlight pours in. Outside, Laylen and Alex are chatting in front of his car and smoke is huffing out of the exhaust. “Good. They got his car running.”
“Huh… oh, yeah, the car.” She lets out a nervous laugh. “Guys and their cars. But what are you going to do?”
She’s acting strange. I check around, my eyebrows furrowed together. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Aislin casually steps in front of the closet door. “I’m fine. But I’m really busy so if you could,” she waves her hand at the door, “you know, go. That would be great.”
I point my finger at her, raising my eyebrows. “Wait a minute. I know what this is about. And let me just say that I’m really sorry. Laylen didn’t want to go, but I made him.”
She stares blankly at me. “What are you talking about?”
“You know, the other night, when I had Laylen get that address for me—the one to Nalina’s.”
Her body judders forward with the door and her eyes pop wide. “Apology accepted. Now can you go? Like I said, I’m really busy.”
I lean to the side, watching the door crack open and shut. “Are you hiding someone in the closet?”
She shakes her head swiftly. “Why would I be hiding anyone in my closet? That would be weird.”
“About as weird as you’re acting.” I march up, scoot my hand behind her back, and grab the doorknob.
“Gemma, don’t,” she stammers. The door rocks forward and backward. Aislin uses her weight to force it shut. “If you open it, we’re in trouble.”
“We’re in trouble,” I say, deciding whether to push or pull on the door. “I don’t know what’s going on.”
“Just help me lock it and I’ll explain,” she pleads. “Find something to shove up against it.”
I remove my hand and hunt the room for a heavy object. “It would help if I knew what was in there.” I grab the handle of a small metal trunk. “Is it strong? Big? Magical? What is it?”
“Umm…” She stumbles from another thrust of the door and scurries backward. “Get something heavier than that.” She points a finger at the bed. “Drag that over here.”
It’s a thin metal-framed bed, but it takes a minute to haul it over. Once it’s secure, Aislin relaxes, collapsing on the bed with her hand draped over her forehead melodramatically.
“So do you want to tell me who’s in there?” I eye the door, which is still jiggling. A choir of giggles flow through the opposite side. “Or what’s in there?”