Waiting for Mercy (Cambions) (40 page)

My mouth opened a second before my bedroom door did.

“Why the hell aren’t you at school,” Flynn bellowed.

Startled, I frowned.  In that moment, Flynn turned to see Sebastian and narrowed his eyes.  “Why is it I keep catching the two of you together?” he asked.

My brain did a quick unfreeze when I remembered that Sebastian said none of us were in school. “You have a lot of nerve.  Why weren’t you in school today?”

“I was taking care of biz,” he said.

Huffing out a half laugh, I knew exactly what “biz” he was referring to.  And this was one of the main reasons why if Luke had never been in the picture, Flynn and I couldn’t be together.  I was so not into sharing.

“So was I,” I said and looked towards Sebastian.  Maybe it was wrong of me to be so petty.  But in that moment, I couldn’t help what I was thinking.

“Flynn,” a voice came from somewhere out in the hall.

I twisted my head to look back at Flynn who was scowling at Sebastian. “Who is that?” I asked none too nicely.

Flynn found my eyes and said, “Kristen.  She’s here to do homework.”

“I just bet,” I said sarcastically. “Was she your biz earlier today?”

“None-,” Flynn said.  Clearly, he was about to say none of your business.  I just rolled my eyes.

Sebastian cut him off. “No, Amanda was,” he said, looking at Flynn.

“Flynn,” Kristen called out again and her voice was getting closer.

“Both of you, get out,” I barked.

They looked at me and I pointed at the door.  Flynn excited and Sebastian did his disappearing act.  I was left alone.  I’d forgotten to talk to Sebastian about Paul, too many things to think about.  This demon thing was getting to me.  I couldn’t share my body with something that had no care for everything I’ve valued and waited for.  At the same time, I couldn’t stay awake twenty four hours a day.  My timorous sleep wasn’t stopping her either.  I’d been awake when Sebastian came and that hadn’t stopped her.  Yet I scared me to think that if she somehow took over again without my knowledge, would I wake no longer a virgin?

ennui
(n.)
boredom, weariness

As much as I didn’t want to, I went to school the next day.  The idea of school almost seemed ridiculous with everything I now knew.  However, school was normal and that is what I needed.   Maggie was there but Jay and Kathy were no shows, figures.  Flynn was back to his King of the School routine with girls fawning all over him.  I tried to ignore it but it seemed like it was worse than ever. I couldn’t believe the shamelessness of some girls.  I mean really, throwing yourself at a guy was not a way to his heart.  It was however, a way for him to get into your pants.

“What’s the matter Eme,” Maggie said.

Feeling jaded with life, I said, “Nothing more than usual.”

“When do you think Jay will contact you?” she asked.  I’d clued her into everything vowing not to keep secrets from her anymore.

Sighing, I said, “Not quickly enough.”  I so desperately wanted to leave this school.  But I was eternally grateful to David for the car.  At least I didn’t have to ride with Flynn.

We were sitting at the elite lunch table today.  Brent wasn’t in school and automatically without thinking we’d gravitated there.  Realizing my mistake, I tried to choke down my burger as I gagged at the freshman girl who was damn near sitting in Flynn’s lap.  I didn’t know her, but she had to be a freshman to do something so totally idiotic. 

Deafly, I heard her murmur something to Flynn.  Her breathless high-pitched voice was lost to my hearing.  But I heard Flynn all too clearly. “Ask Mercy, she’ll tell you.”

My eyes darted to his while mentally I threw icicle darts at him. The bubbly girl who was making me lose my appetite said, “So is his car really comfortable to lie down in.”

I choked and spit food in my hand.  Maggie’s hand clapped my back. “You ok?” she asked, oblivious to the conversation.  She’d been talking to Amber whom, I was supposed to be listening to.  This time flames leaped from my eyes while flame leaped from my eyes headed to Flynn. Keeping my eyes on him, not giving the girl any of my time, I said, “I Wouldn’t Know!” My voice wasn’t loud but my meaning was clear.  Flynn just laughed at me and turned his focus back to the girl.  He whispered something in her ear and she giggled.  She stood and bobbed her head up and down in agreement to whatever he’d whispered.  When she turned he patted her bottom making her giggle more.  She strode happily over to her table where her friends had been watching.

Most of my burger I had been able to swallow before this happened.  So I turned to Maggie and said, “I’m going to the bathroom.” She acknowledged me and I left the table without even looking back him.  So what he’d done had worked.  He’d gotten to me.  I wasn’t going to give him any more satisfaction.  Tomorrow, I would be sitting at my table again.

The day had been brutal.  It felt like every teacher piled on the assignments to ensure all of us had no social life.  One bright spot was that I had my own car which I was sitting in pissed when I realized that I left my history book in my locker.  I really didn’t feel like making the trek back into the school.  Maggie just left a few minutes before.  The parking lot was thinning out.  Softball practice had been cancelled.  The coach was out with the flu along with the assistant coach.  Nobody was up to self practice, so I sat with my head on the steering wheel trying to talk myself into going back in the school.  Thinking about how behind I was already with my missed school days, I got out of the car and headed back in.

The halls were clear and it was just so odd to see them that way when not twenty minutes before these halls had been packed.  My chucks barely made any noise on the tiled floor.  It was my noiseless footfalls that had me turning the corner and getting an eye full.  Flynn had some petite brunette pressed firmly to the bank of lockers not far from mine.

He was so thoroughly kissing her, neither of them noticed me.  Pivoting, I was about to make my escape but I decided my chance at college was more important than his groping hands at her waist.  Holding my chin up, I walked to my locker and recognized the girl.  Well, I should know her.  It was her locker they were pressed against.  I saw the girl every day.   She was cute, but no Amanda.  I was certain Flynn was making her year.  She and I weren’t friends. Heck, I couldn’t remember her name for the life of me. 

Spinning the dial on my locker, they hadn’t come up for air to even notice my presence.  I tried telling myself that was the reason why I was annoyed.  Once my locker was open a folded note with my name scrawled across the front greeted me.  My locker was pretty neat because I liked things in order.  Needing to leave, I pocketed the note and grabbed what I came for.  With my book in my hand, my locker made a thwack when I closed it a little too hard.

Now they broke apart.  Glad I was no longer facing them I allowed the tiny bit of satisfaction show on my face.  Reaching the corner Flynn called out, “Mercy.”

Stopping in my tracks, I was pissed with myself that I hadn’t kept going.  Just barely turning as I nearly hugged the corner waiting for retreat I saw the sly grin on his face. “I won’t be home for dinner, so don’t wait up.” 

Okay, I wanted to curse him, spew out ten-letter words that would baffle him, or give him the finger, but I did none of it.  I just walked off.  Even though I heard them laughing, I made my way out the building just as casually as I’d come in.

I ended up in my car but not heading for home.  The intimacy I’d witness had brought jealously out of me, but not for Flynn, I told myself.  I was missing Luke like crazy.  So when the in dash car navigation system signaled that I’d reached my destination, I found a parking spot.  It was close to the end of the day.   So, most people were leaving the city, not coming in.  My parallel parking skills were put to the test getting into the spot I found.  Thankfully, my lack of driving up to this point didn’t hinder my abilities.

Parked, I walked slowly to my destination.  My memory filled my senses with the last time I’d been here.  The water was a shimmer of darkness that crept in from the retreating light of the sun.  The temperature was dropping.  Wrapping my arms around myself, the coldness that crept deep inside was more than just the outdoors. It was that I wasn’t sure if I’d ever get to see him again and have a chance to apologize for all the wrong I’d done.  Sitting on the steps in front of the great man, I remember Luke’s word about choices.  

With my legs wrapped up in my arms, staring out onto the majesty that is the “Mall” in downtown DC, I lay my head and watched the tiny ripples in the water of the reflecting pool. With my head down on my knees, I remembered the note.  Pulling it out, I looked at the neat handwriting of my name and didn’t recognize the writing.  Unfolding it, it read, ‘I
know what you are, you demon whore
.’  The creep factor rolled up my spine.  Crumpling the note, I fisted it in my hand as I look around nervously as if the writer had followed me here. 

Stupid, I berated myself remembering the demon and shifter attacks recently.  Yet like the silly little girl I was acting like, I’d gone off without letting anyone know where I was.  Checking over my shoulder, it didn’t appear that anyone was following me.  The note hadn’t threatened me, so I didn’t run to my car, but I moved with purpose. 

Would demons attack me out in the open in front of other humans?  The thought had my hand shaking while trying to get the key in the ignition of my car.  Fear had me jostling the keys even more when a knock came at my window.  I looked over to see who it was instead of starting the car and gunning it towards home.  There stood a pleasant face looking guy who eyed me warily.  He motioned with his hand in a way that suggested that I should roll down the window.  Foolishly, I did.

“Can we have your spot?” he asked, while pointing to a car that was paused in the main lane.  His eyes were a deep green.  I studied them for a second.  Instinct took over then, I lean in and so did he.  I learned something important in that moment.  The rush of power was like a wave of relief I’d waited so long for.  My mouth was an inch away from his.  We did not touch, yet power flowed into me.  His eyes looked lost.  And I was lost in the thrill of his life force coursing through me.  My succubus awakened.  She let me know that if our connection was sealed, the rush would be even more amazing.  My hand cleared my window to snake behind his head. 

The sound of blaring horns shook me from the need to feed that had caught me so off guard and overwhelmed me.  I pulled back.  Thankfully, our mouths never met.  “You should go,” I warned.

He nodded and stepped back right into the line of traffic.  “Wait,” I yelled. “Get back in your car and forget this,” I commanded, with a little prompting from my demon.  Even though I had no idea if it would work, my demon seemed to send signals to my brain that it would.  I was seriously freaked.  Once the guy was safely at the passenger door of the car he’d been riding in, I pulled out of there like my life depended on it.

On the ride home, one message replayed in my mind.  Did Flynn know that he could get what he needed without physical contact?  Something in me answered yes.  If so, then he’d opted to ignore that option.

When I pulled up to the house, Flynn was outside leaning on his car doing something with his phone.  Parked, I head to the house and pointedly ignored him on the way.  He stopped me short. “I’ve been trying to reach you.  Jay called.  We have less than a half an hour to get there or you will lose your shot.”

Hustling me into the car, he said. “I called you a bunch of times.”

Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I said, “I guess I forgot to charge it.  It’s dead.”

He nodded.  Peeling out, we were on our way.  I had no idea where we were going.  It didn’t matter though.  I had so many things on my mind I needed to reconcile.  The elves may not grant me my request.  But if they did, would Luke even want to see me.

 Dead silence filled the space we shared.  The cool glass of the window soothed my troubled mind while I leaned against it.  Jerking, I reacted when Flynn finally spoke. “You should charge your phone.  My charger is in the glove compartment.”

Saying nothing, I complied and pulled it out.  The coiled thing sprang free. Since we had the same phone, I just plugged it in and rested my head back on the window.  Restlessness crept up on me gripping me tight.  I had questions.  We were alone, so now was a good time as any to ask.  Sitting up in my seat, I turned to catch his profile.  Oh, how I wished things were different.  Wishing away that fated day of our kiss would mean that I wouldn’t have my encounter with Luke.  As much as I regretted the situation Luke was in because of me, deep down I felt like a better person for have knowing him.