The Doorknob Society (The Doorknob Society Saga) (13 page)

Slade began calling out names and pairing students. He ran down the class list quickly until I was the only one left and then he waved me over. He wore a grin as I apprehensively stepped over by him.

He laughed. “It appears you’re stuck with me, Chloe.”

I smiled but bit the inside of my lip. How was this ever going to work? It was obvious that there was something happening between us no matter how hard I tried to ignore it or convince myself that this was not a convenient time. When did relationships ever wait for convenience?

We walked down the row of drafting tables until we reached the one I assumed belonged to Slade. It was covered with sheets of diagrams while small gears lay scattered across it. He reached into the mess and pulled out exactly what he was looking for, a blueprint of a jetpack.

“Now what?” I asked examining the diagram curiously.

“Now we’re going to see if you have an eye for design.” He winked and smiled at me.

Instinctively, I returned his smile. I couldn’t help it. His smile was contagious.

He spread the blueprint out across the entire surface of his drafting table and tried to smooth it over with his hands but all the junk beneath made it difficult. He started slowly pointing out the hand controls and then the temperature and fuel gauges on the actual pack. After that we moved on to the internal mechanics that were filled with gears some as small as a pinhead. I was mesmerized by the depth of intricacy to the device. I don’t know how long he detailed and I listened but before I even realized it the final bell of the day was ringing.

“We’ll go over more tomorrow. But for now why don’t you take this to study.” He handed me the blueprints and I folded them up and shoved them in my bag.

“Thanks Slade, that was really interesting.” I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Slade was a good instructor and didn’t mind me constantly peppering him with questions. I found myself looking forward to the next time we would work together.

~~~

For the next few weeks I worked with Slade on the jetpack design and studied every night when I got home. In the first week of class with the Impossible Engineers two students in our class declared for the Engineers after their powers were able to activate the devices they were working on. Another student was removed from the class when he showed no aptitude at all. Plus he dropped a dimensional hammer on Mr. Miller’s foot, that made him really unhappy.

I found myself enjoying the IE classes though I hadn’t declared for the group. I didn’t think it would be totally horrible if I did, but there were the other disciplines to try. I hadn’t had a chance to visit the library yet, which I figured was still my best chance to learn about my dad’s expulsion from DS.

Dad’s tour was going well and he tried to make it home most nights, though most of the time unsuccessfully. I had a feeling Dad was up to something. It didn’t make sense that he couldn’t get home after the shows every night. I’d helped him set up for his routine far too long to believe the various excuses... equipment malfunction my foot. It only fueled my resolve to help him and find out everything I could.

Most of my free time was spent with Val and Edgar unless of course I was working at the Arrowhead. We were becoming quite the little group. Michael Slade was another story.

Slade and I spent one night a week together studying for class and I began finding myself looking forward to that night more each time. I liked that I could ask him any question, no matter what it was, and he would answer. No question seemed too stupid or obvious. He remained patient and understanding doing his best to help me. I knew I was only setting myself for grief and disappointment, but I liked how simple it was to hang out with him. He was nice and normal and it made me forget just how messed up I was. Around him I could almost forget my problems, be a different person, someone who didn’t scare away guys or feel like a freak whose mother had deserted her.

Since I was undeclared I needed permission to use the library so I tried to convince Slade that we should work in there but he didn’t think it was necessary. So every day we were back at his drafting table, tinkering away at blueprints and diagrams. He would teach me about the different components and then Mr. Miller would quiz me on them. I was allowed to handle the devices but my powers didn’t activate them. There were a few times when I could feel a slight tug in my stomach when I thought I might, but it didn’t happen.

I found myself happy for the first time in I don’t know how long. I enjoyed my time with Slade and we had fun together. He was always showing me some new gadget and I was asking him every question under the sun. At the end of class one day he asked me to hang around. The other students had cleared out and Mr. Miller had left as well.

I sat at Slade’s drafting table while he dug around in his bag searching for something. I glanced around the Hall and laughed when I spotted the broken jetpacks that Morgan had been made to hang on the wall every time he crashed one, it was up to six now.

“I made something new,” Slade said proudly as he pulled his clinched hand from his bag and stretched his arm out to me. He spread his fingers and there nestled in his palm laid a locket. It was oval and crafted of silver. I reached out and scooped it up.

“What is it?” I peered at it nibbling nervously at my lip as I turned it over in my hands. If Slade made it there was no way it was an ordinary locket.

“Press the sides.”

I did and a small click was followed by a whirring noise. The top of the locket split and flipped open. Tiny sheets of metal rotated around in a tornado-like fashion. They flew up from the locket each quicker than the last and connected to one another until they formed a perfect metal rose that spun, the bottom of the locket its base.

“It’s beautiful,” I whispered.

“I’m glad you like it.”

I stared at him speechless, not sure what else to say, not knowing what this meant.

“I made it for you.”

“I don’t know what to say,” I stumbled over my words, his beautiful gift scaring the hell out of me. “I don’t think I can take it.” I tried to hand him the locket.

“It’s yours,” he said clasping his hands over mine and closing the locket.

The warmth of his hands sent a tingle through me and I looked down at the way his hand covered my own... with gentle tenderness. He leaned closer, turning his head and I knew he intended to kiss me. I shook my head and pulled away.

“I’m sorry I need to go.” I jumped up and rushed out of the room throwing the locket into my bag as I went.

I avoided all of Slade’s texts that night and the next day, pretending as if nothing had happened, nothing had changed. Even though I knew it wasn’t true. I wished I could be a carefree girl who fawned over the hot guy. But that wasn’t me I was the broken girl who always pushed people away and I knew it. I’d gotten so comfortable pretending to be someone other than myself that I started to believe that maybe I could have that life. When all the while down deep I knew it would never work. Maybe I’m just not capable of a normal relationship?

Chapter 13

Status: I meet the Doorknob Society

“Are you kidding?” Val’s mouth hung open in shock.

“No, he tried to kiss me.” I ran my finger around the edge of my coffee cup, which I hadn’t even taken a sip from since we sat down. I loved the Cape Beanery and apparently the others did as well since it was fast becoming our official hangout place.

“Did you?”

I didn’t have anyone else to talk to about this so I had called Val.

“No.” I shook my head annoyed. Not sure if I had wanted to kiss him or not sure why I hadn’t let myself. “I need to concentrate on school I don’t have time for dating.”

“Right of course.” Val seemed unconvinced and took a quick sip of coffee to cover her face.

“What?”

“Nothing. Nothing at all.”

She smiled and I nearly laughed aloud, Val was a terrible liar. “Tell me.”

“It’s just, well he’s nice and I think you’d make a cute couple, in an opposite attract kind of way.”

It was her turn to laugh and I couldn’t help but think she was right. Michael Slade is one of the cleanest cut and handsomest guy I’ve met. He looks like he walked off some All-American calendar. I on the other hand with my skirts, combat boots and hoodies didn’t scream cheerleader. My fingertips slid over the multitude of silver rings I wore on my fingers and I closed my hand into a fist.

“I’m no good at relationships,” I said thinking of the list of failed boyfriends I’d already accumulated and of course my mom leaving me didn’t help matters.

The bell above the door jingled and I glanced over to see my worst nightmare walk into the café. I hunched down in my seat wishing I had pulled my hoodie up and cursed my luck that he would have to be here now.

“Damn,” I whispered and Val turned to see what I was looking at. She spun around as soon as she saw him, her face flushing red. But it was too late. He’d seen us and was on his way to our table, his cocky half grin stretched across his face.

“Masters, I heard you were busy engineering?” He winked at me.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You tell me.”

He rested his hands on the table and leaned forward; the silver necklace he wore swung free from his shirt and caught the light shining through the window. I watched it spin in circles for a moment and then glanced up at him.

“Jealous, Nightshade?”

He smirked and stood straight, snatching his necklace and slipping it under his shirt. “Want me to be?”

“You’re impossible.”

“Isn’t your boyfriend the Impossible one?”

“He’s not my boyfriend.” My hand slid over my chest, my fingers probed finding the locket Slade had given me hidden beneath my shirt. I caught Nightshade watching me and dropped my hand under the table.

“Sure he isn’t.” His voice took on an edge of sarcasm.

“I said he’s not my boyfriend!” My voice carried across the room and silence fell. Everyone turned to look at me and I wanted to crawl under my seat and vanish. Instead I held my head up and kept my eyes on Nightshade. I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of knowing how foolish I felt.

He leaned in closer the scent of leather drifted off the jacket he always wore and wafted over me. It was a distinct scent that you either loved or hated; I kind of liked it. And damn if his strange colored eyes didn’t mesmerize.

“Good to know.” His voice was low and before I could respond he pulled away and walked to the counter. I gritted my teeth and my fingers gripped the handle of my coffee cup my knuckles losing all color. I wanted to scream at him but then he would just assume he had won. I didn’t know why the guy drove me nuts but it seemed as if he could set me off with a simple phrase.

“Ms. Masters?”

“What?” I spun ready to attack but instead of Nightshade a man I’d never seen before was standing in front of me. He was tall and older with wisps of grey in his beard. His hands rested in the pockets of his long overcoat. My eyes were drawn to the rectangular necklace he wore with a lion’s head doorknob insignia.

“You presence is requested.”

He stood as stiff as a statue and stared from me to Val with a steady gaze. Val shrugged in my direction; at this point I think she just assumed everyone around me was insane.

“Requested by whom?” I looked passed the man to see Nightshade leaning against the counter, in one hand he was sipping his coffee. In his other I could have sworn I saw him holding his skeleton key which he quickly slid it into his pocket.

“Mr. Jordan, the head of the Doorknob Society.”

~~~

I stepped out of the portal onto a vast green field that rippled like soft ocean waves and in the middle of it surrounded by gardens and pathways sat a manor house that looked as if it may have been transported directly from the English countryside. Cobblestone paths lead off in all directions and there were doorways opening and closing at the end of each of them. Men and women walked all about, the house buzzing with activity.

I had made a quick excuse to Val and followed the guy out of the cafe. I wasn’t sure what the head of DS wanted but I didn’t think turning down a request from him was a good idea. The only other place I’d ever been that I had sensed this level of power was Paladin Academy.

My escort clasped his hands behind him and stood to the side of the portal not moving. A young woman who appeared to be my age walked toward us. She smiled and stepped up to me.

“Chloe Masters?”

“That’d be me.”

“Hello, I’m Faith Parker. I’m supposed to escort you to your meeting.”

“Lead the way.”

Faith started down the path toward the manor house.

“What is this place?” I followed quickly beside her.

“Doorknob Society Manor. DS has used this as our place of operations for over seven hundred years. It’s rare for a nonmember to be allowed here.”

“Is it now?”

“Yes, even other society members are rarely allowed access. It’s a great honor to be here before you’ve declared.” Faith bit her lip and shrugged. “I didn’t mean anything by that.”

“No worries, I’m sure I’ll declare for the Society soon enough.”

We moved down the cobblestone path and crossed through one of the gardens. The shrubs were massive and carved into all different shapes of mystical animals; griffins, dragons and such. Energy pulsated from the front doors as we approached them and activated my powers without any thought from me. I glanced down at the doorknobs, growling lion heads rested on brass plates carved with DS initials.

Without thinking I reached out and blue tendrils of light flowed out of the knobs surrounding my hand. The knobs turned and the doors swung open. I stepped into the main entrance hall of the manor. The floors were polished marble with a large image of the lion’s head doorknob inlayed in the center. Old tapestries added stateliness to the cherry wood paneling that covered the walls.

“Wow.” I turned to see Faith staring wide-eyed at me.

“What?”

“You haven’t declared and yet you can open the manor doors?”