Carrier of the Mark (9 page)

Have some fun on me!

Dad, you’re the best
, I thought as I pocketed the cash.

“Let’s go,” I said, and pulled the door firmly behind me.

“The bus will be here in ten minutes, so we’d better leg it. Jennifer’s meeting us in Cork. She went in with her dad earlier.” We set off quickly down the hill and made it just in time.

“So … how was dinner last night?” Caitlin asked as soon as we sat down on the bus.

“Okay. Nothing too riveting.”

“Weren’t Killian’s parents there?”

“Yep. How did you know?”

“I have my sources. Next time, try to get me an invite. It wouldn’t hurt to get some insider info, you know.” She smirked and raised her eyebrows.

I smacked her arm, laughing. “You have it so bad! We have to sort that out soon before you injure yourself. So … I bumped into Adam last night.”

“No! Tell me all the sordid details.”

“Nothing sordid, unfortunately, but I think you might be right about him liking me! I’m pretty sure we came close to a kiss.”

“Agh!”

“I know. It was all very intense.”

“Details, please.”

I gave her a rundown of the previous night’s events, and then paused.

“Are you keeping juicy bits from me?”

“Not juicy bits, but, well … there was all this weird stuff happening with the water when Adam was around. It started to shimmer and bulge up.”

“Agh! Just like when you fell in. Holy crap, now you’ve seen it too. I’m telling you—there’s something up with them!”

“But that’s crazy!”

“I’ve been doing a little digging. I only came up with the usual tales of witchcraft blah, blah, blah, but do you know what’s really strange? These are old stories. There’s been nothing new in ages. All this strange stuff has only been happening since you’ve been here.”

We went quiet, lost in thought as the bus pulled into the city station and we jumped off and started walking toward the main shopping area around Patrick Street.

“Do you think it’s you? You know, with Adam fancying the pants off you?” Caitlin asked after a few minutes.

“Don’t be ridiculous. How could it be me? This was all going on long before I arrived. I think Adam just got caught out when I fell into the water.”

“Then how do you explain Áine?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Honestly, Cait, is it possible we are adding one and one and getting three? I sort of mentioned it to Adam and I felt
really
stupid afterward. He told me I was imagining things.”

“Well, he would say that, wouldn’t he?”

“I guess.”

“Wouldn’t it be cool if they were, like … magic? Hey! You should ask him to the Halloween party.” Caitlin looked at me with excited eyes.

“What Halloween party?”

“Oh, yeah … breaking news; the social event of the year is happening next Saturday night. Jennifer has all the details. Look, there she is,” Caitlin said, waving across the road.

Jennifer was standing in the doorway of a department store, talking into her cell phone.

“Hey, Jennifer! What’s the story? Any news on the party?” Caitlin asked as Jennifer ended her call.

“Yep. We are ‘G’ for go. My dad is throwing a huge Halloween bash at the yacht club, so while all of our parents are getting their groove on at
that
party, we will have free rein to have some serious fun at
our
party. It looks like there’s going to be a full student-body turnout, so, girls, we’d better get shopping.” She grabbed our arms and marched us in through the brass doors of the store. Jennifer led us right to the very expensive floors full of designer clothes, far beyond anything I could afford. Jennifer, however, made several purchases.

“This place is great for getting ideas before we hit the more affordable shops,” Caitlin explained as we stepped onto the escalator. She winked. “Now, here’s the main reason for hitting this store first.”

We were greeted by the smell of perfume.

“The makeup department.” I sighed.

We proceeded to work the entire floor. By the time we reached the doors at the other side, we were creamed, preened, and perfumed within an inch of our lives. We looked and smelled fantastic. The doorman in his top hat and tails opened the door with a flourish and we walked out of there feeling like royalty.

We crossed the vast street, completely ignoring the crosswalks, just like everyone else. This whole place was a lesson in jaywalking. I followed Caitlin and Jennifer onto a small lane that led to a maze of narrow cobbled alleys. Caitlin told me it was called the Huguenot Quarter. It was a really old part of the city and a treasure trove of boutique shops and restaurants. We browsed through them, picking up bits and pieces for ourselves in the process.

We were just looking for somewhere to have lunch when we heard loud knocking on the window beside us. We peered in through the fogged-up glass and beyond our reflections. Inside, smiling and waving at us, were Killian and Darren.

“What is Darren doing here?” Jennifer said, putting her hands on her hips and tapping her foot. “I told him we were having a girls’ day.”

Caitlin bolted for the door. “Come on,” she murmured. “Maybe I won’t have to wait for the party. Let’s put some of that plotting into practice.”

Killian moved over on his bench, pointedly making room for the suddenly very shy Caitlin, while Jennifer immediately launched into a deep discussion with Darren about his invasion of her girls’ day.

“What are you all doing in town?” Darren inquired, breaking away from Jennifer. “If we had known you were going in too, we could have come in together on the same bus.” This earned him a look of pure poison from Jennifer.

“I was getting an introduction to the delights of Cork,” I replied.

Jennifer scowled at Darren’s back and raised a very pointed middle finger in his direction.

Suppressing a smile, I kept babbling to keep Darren’s attention on me, as Jennifer continued the sign-language attack behind his back. “I really like it here.”

Seeing Killian laugh, Darren turned to look back at Jennifer. She quickly flicked her gaze over to me and looked suitably aggrieved. “I can’t imagine why! I can’t wait to start university, so I can get out of this dump!”

“Hey, that’s a little harsh,” Darren said.

“Whatever,” she bit back.

“Ouch! What’s up with you?” Killian asked, looking at her.

“Nothing.” She stood up and pouted at Caitlin and me. “Girls, want to ditch the boys and do some shopping?”

“Ah, Jen, we just got here, and I’m starving,” Caitlin said.

“Suit yourselves. I’m outta here,” she announced, turning to leave. “Text me when you’re finished.”

“And that, unfortunately, is my cue.” Darren frowned. “Man, is she high-maintenance,” he whispered to us before he ran to catch up with Jennifer.

We ordered lunch and Caitlin and Killian chatted easily about school and the impending midterm break. Talk moved on to the big Halloween party, and I think Caitlin noticed I was starting to feel like a third wheel, because she suddenly turned to me and asked if I thought I would be able to go.

“Probably; I’ll have to run it by my dad.”

“You’ll be there, Caitlin, won’t you?” Killian asked eagerly.

“I sure will.” She smiled.

“You know, I might meet up with Jennifer after all,” I said, getting out of my seat. “I still have to buy something for the party. Do you mind?”

Caitlin looked at me, not quite sure what to say. I quickly intervened. “Killian, you can take good care of my friend here for an hour or so, can’t you?”

“I’m sure I could manage that. It will be a burden, but I’ll cope.” He laughed.

“Great, so I’ll see you guys later then!” I raised my eyebrows at Caitlin to let her know that she should use the time with Killian wisely, and set off down Patrick Street in the direction of Grand Parade. I texted Jennifer to see if she was up for more shopping.

Within seconds my phone beeped:

Definitely. Let me just ditch Darren. Meet you in five at the fountain on Grand Parade.

Darren was kissing her good-bye when we met up. Then he waved to us and set off.

Jennifer sighed once he was out of sight. “I guess I shouldn’t be so hard on Darren. It turns out it was Killian who coerced him into ‘accidentally’ meeting us. Killian is
finally
going to ask Caitlin out.”

“That’s awesome! I’m glad I left them alone so it could actually happen!”

“Yeah, well, it’s about time. Now with her sorted it’s just you we have to worry about. Are you still hankering after Adam?”

“I don’t think I was ever
hankering
after him.”

She gave me one of her withering looks.

“Okay, so I did some hankering,” I admitted. “I don’t know; I guess I still am, but as you’ve all pointed out, he’s a no-go.”

“Listen, if Adam DeRís showed even the slightest bit of interest in me I’d snap him up. When a guy’s
that
gorgeous, he could sprout wings and sport a tutu and I’d still have a bit of him.”

“I’m just not big on making the first move … and he doesn’t seem too hot on it either.”

“Oh, dear Lord. It’s like the Caitlin/Killian fiasco all over again. Just grow a big pair of cojones and ask him out. The Halloween party is the perfect opportunity. Now, come on. We need to do something about that wardrobe of yours.”

I pressed the button at the crosswalk and waited for the little red man to turn green. Then I heard a caw.

I glanced up in disbelief. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“What did you say?” Jennifer said.

“Oh, nothing. Just talking to myself.” That crow really was following me! Now that I had noticed him, I saw how he shadowed our movements from shop to shop.
This is crazy
.

Later, Caitlin texted for us to meet her. She and Killian were standing outside the café waiting for us, and her face relaxed when she saw us walking toward her.

“Finally!” she exclaimed.

I noticed Caitlin and Killian had their fingers linked casually. I made no comment, but winked at Caitlin when I knew Killian wasn’t looking.

“Are you ready to go?” she asked.

I nodded and she turned to Killian. “So, I’ll see you Monday?”

“It’s a date,” he replied. “I’d better check in with Darren.”

“I’ll go with you,” Jennifer said, linking her arm through his. “See you guys later.”

Once they were out of earshot, I spun around to Caitlin.

“Tell me everything! What happened?”

“Oh, Meg,” she said breathlessly. “Wait until I tell you! He is mad about me, has been for ages. He’s taking me to the Halloween party.”

“I’m so excited for you!”

She gazed dreamily ahead and sighed. “And, my God, that guy can snog.”

“You kissed him?”

“Oh, it was so yummy. My lips are still tingling.” She giggled. “Would you listen to me? I sound like
such
a pleb.”

“I’m not sure what a pleb is, but I’m sure you don’t sound like one. It’s sweet.”

Up ahead our bus was pulling into the stop. Laughing, we ran the last couple of yards, jumped on, and made for the backseats.

Once we sat down, I noticed Caitlin looked a little sheepish. I nudged her. “What’s up?”

“So, the Halloween party next Saturday, it starts at eight thirty. Would you mind terribly if, instead of walking together, I meet you there? It’s just that … well, Killian wants a little rendezvous beforehand. I don’t have to meet with him, but I’d love to. Don’t hate me,” she added.

“Why would I hate you?” I laughed. “I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure? It’ll be dark.”

“It’s Kinsale, not the Wild West. Here, lemme show you what I bought to wear.”