Courage (Mark of Nexus) Page 8

  “So you say.” Should I hit her and run? I looked over my shoulder and sighed. No, too many witnesses.

  “There’s something I want to show you, Rena. Something terribly exciting.”

  “Picked out your plot already?” I asked in a dry tone, trying to keep my face hard. The woman played a good part, I’d give her that. For a minute, I’d almost believed her drivel.

  She smiled as she guided me out of the classroom and down the hall. “Not quite. You see, I have a gift and a proposition for you. I’ve taken on a new intern, and I believe it would behoove my great-nephew to make her acquaintance.”

  I came to an abrupt halt, shrugging off her hold. “What is this?”

  “What is what?” Her features contorted into a look of hurt. “Rena, I assure you, I’m here in a professional capacity. I have no ill will toward you.”

  “Bullshit,” I snapped, gripping the worn canvas strap of my bag.

  A few people paused long enough to glower in my direction. Great. I’d been caught yelling at the old, disfigured woman who wanted to cleanse the world of disease. That would help my reputation.

  She dared a step closer and lowered her voice. “You know, don’t you? You went to Henry’s. Surely he mentioned the Nullari.”

  Little alarm bells sounded in my head. Bad. This was bad. She shouldn’t have known about Henry’s. I patted my pocket for my phone. Could I get it out and call Wallace before she stopped me? I pushed the door open.

  “I found one,” she continued. “A whole line of them, really, but I selected the one most suited to our cause.”

  My face must’ve given me away, because she flicked her hand out. “No, not that cause, dear. The crippling strength of your beloved.”

  “Don’t talk about that here.”

  “Very well.” She sauntered out into the afternoon sun and pointed toward The Rec, knowing damn well I’d follow. “This girl—Corynn—can help him, Rena. Her ability will nullify his. With her at his side, he won’t have to worry about hurting anyone.”

  It was as if every background noise faded in that instant. My cheeks burned, and I struggled to understand inside the vacuum. “But he…”

  “He’s already there,” she said. “I sent Gail to fetch him.”

  I swallowed hard and shifted my stance, more unnerved than I cared to let on. “So, why are you telling me this?”

  Her one-sided gaze softened. “I wanted to prepare you.”

  “Prepare me for what?” My feet set back into motion without warning, leaving her to trail behind. “I don’t see why you would care.”

  She grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. “Look, I know you think I'm the bad guy here, but you're mistaken. I am not your enemy, Rena.”

  “And what would you call someone who hurts their own family?” I asked, gritting my teeth. “A megalomaniac who thinks herself fit to play God?”

  Something flashed in her eye, and she released me. “Wallace was in no mortal danger, I assure you. I could have intervened at any moment.”

  “But you didn’t.”

  Faye drew in a deep breath and closed her eye. “I had to test the depth of your bond.”

  I started walking again. “Bullshit.”

  Oh, look. The conversation had gone full circle.

  She scrambled to catch up. “Then look at this as appeasement. I’m about to hand Wallace everything—normalcy, the life he’s always wanted. Doesn’t that count for something?”

  “What do you get in return?” I growled as I pushed The Rec's glass doors open. “Didn’t you say you had a proposition for me?”

  The second I entered the fitness area, I felt Wallace’s unease within me. It was a worried caress as I charged down the hallway, weights clanking in the background. He was in a room near the center of the building. Probably one of the areas they used for Pilates.

  “I want you to join us,” Faye said, hurrying to block my path. “Hear me out. I want you to see firsthand what we’re doing, to learn for yourself what kind of difference we’re making. It seems we’ve given you kids the wrong impression. I want to make things right between us.”

  There was something in her voice, a note of sincerity that made me question the whole situation. Was it possible we’d misread her intentions? I shook my head. No, the old bat was doing some kind of mind voodoo. She had to be. “I’ll pass.”

  “Think of it, Rena. A society where our chosen are of equal strength, intelligence, and agility. A level playing field. Once retrained and reeducated, they’ll have no means—no desire—to fight over power. We’ll have one governing body. One collective will.”

  I pressed my lips into a thin line. “In other words, a dictatorship.”

  “A utopia,” she emphasized. “These evolved beings won’t have to worry about war or illness. We’ll take care of them. We’ll take care of everything. You could be a part of that.”

  “Pass,” I repeated through gritted teeth.

  “You don’t have to decide right now.” She let out a deep breath, stepping aside. “But promise me you’ll think about it.”

  My eyes were already scanning the doorways lining the curved wall beside us. “Sure. Now, which one is it?”

  I focused on the Nexus, honing in on its distinct pulse. “No, don’t tell me.” I reached for a handle and swung the nearest door open, unprepared for the scene that lay before me.

  “Nut-hater!” Maverick called out, his ever-present smirk in place. “How’s it going? ‘Bout time you got here.”

  Wallace’s head whipped around, and he stared at me with wide eyes.

  Just off to his side, stood a girl in her early twenties, with a flawless russet complexion and piercing silver eyes. Her thick brown hair was swept up in a short ponytail, and her tank top revealed the slightest hint of midriff. She lifted her chin. “You must be Rena.”

  Holy unexpected accent, Batman. Was this the Nullari?

  “Yeah,” I mumbled, closing the distance between us. “What’s—”

  “Stay back,” Gail instructed from beside Maverick. “We need to see Wallace without your ability.”

  Okay, so, Henry was wrong. They did know about me.

  I stood a good ten yards back and took in the situation. Three Dynari, one Nullari, one compromised human, and me—a supposed Augari. They outnumbered us two to one.

  “Wallace.” I kept my voice calm, watching for any sign of movement in the mirrored walls. “Is Gail holding you there?”

  “My legs, yeah.” His broad shoulders lifted in frustration. “Apparently, I’m the unwilling participant in an experiment.”

  Gail rolled her eyes. “I’m about to let you go. Just do as we asked. It’s for your benefit, anyhow.” She shot her grandmother a look. “Though, I still don’t see why…”

  The Nullari girl, Corynn, didn’t emit the same vibe. She just stood there, hands on hips. “So, is he good to go or what?”

  “Yes.” Faye patted my shoulder and lowered her voice. “If you don’t let him do this, Rena, you’ll never know.”

  Wallace lurched forward in a sudden stumble and whirled around, eyes locking on me. “You okay?” He started to move off the blue mat, but I took a step back.

  “W-Wait.”

  His brows furrowed in a dark line. “What?”

  “Just”—I gestured toward Corynn—”try that. You might as well.”

  “That has a name,” she grumbled. “It’s Corynn Catley, and all I’m asking for is a hug. God knows I need it.”

  She looked from me to him. “Look, since I got off the plane, all I’ve had is grief. ‘Corynn, you’re a bloody freak.’ ‘Corynn, sleep underground on the weekends.’ Now they’re tellin’ me to sort out your touch aversion. Well, guess what? I’m an intern, so I’ve got no choice in the matter—not that I mind, having seen you and all, but still. I don’t need another headache.”

  Wallace let out another breath and rubbed his forehead. “You don’t know what you’re asking.”

  She cocked an eyebrow. “
What? Am I ‘bout to see this super-strength firsthand? Come on, then, handsome. Get it out of your system.”

  He looked back at me, almost panicked, and my heart clenched.

  “It’s fine,” I reassured him. “Just be careful.”

  His throat bobbed as he nodded. Within seconds, anxiety began to filter out, replaced by an even crueler emotion—hope. Did he notice a difference around her? I thought he’d put up more of a fight.

  “Here we go,” Faye muttered beside me, as the four of us watched with varying degrees of interest.

  I didn't dare to breathe as Wallace carefully took Corynn in his arms, but then something strange happened—a clash of my best and worst-case scenarios.

  His fearful expression faded as she stepped into his embrace and threw her arms around his neck. For a second, he seemed paralyzed, overcome with shock, but then the relief registered in his eyes. They widened, glassy with disbelief as he lifted her off the ground, his arms tightening around her waist.

  He whirled her around in a full circle, a grin lighting his face like he'd finally found his miracle, his savior. Never before had I seen such unchecked emotion cross his features. Never.

  “How…?” He breathed the question with such reverence my stomach turned “This is amazing. You…you’re amazing.”

  Stupid tears pricked my vision as I watched them and something clicked in my brain. This wasn’t an experiment; it was an introduction. Faye had said she’d flown Corynn out for Wallace. To help him…to stay by his side…

  I pushed off the wall, ducked my head down, and made for the exit. I couldn't let Wallace see me upset over his breakthrough. He finally had the chance to live a normal life now, something neither of us had ever thought possible. I just…couldn’t be a part of it.

  CHAPTER 13

  “Hey…” I caught up with Rena outside, more sick and elated than I’d ever been in my life. For a few fleeting seconds, I’d been a guy—just a guy—hugging a girl that wouldn’t break in my arms. It was unreal, and it shook me. Hard.

  Then Rena ran out.

  “Hey.” I knelt down beside where she hugged her knees on the curb, wafts of freshly-mowed grass burning my nose. “What’s wrong?”

  Tears made their way down her face in silent streaks, and it took every ounce of my willpower not to gather her up in my arms like I’d done Corynn. She shook her head and pulled her lips back in a grimaced smile. “Nothing. I’m just happy.”

  “Happy,” I echoed, tucking a blonde strand behind her ear. “Among other things.”

  Confliction lashed inside her like a storm of emotion, making even the strongest feelings impossible to discern. She tensed her jaw. “Do you not understand what just happened? You had a taste of life in there, Wallace. Real life.”

  I scrunched up my face. “What?”

  “You could be normal,” she stressed, gritting her teeth. “We never thought it was possible, and now here it is, within your reach. You’ve always wanted to be a teacher, right? And a husband? A…father?” Her eyes glittered with unshed tears as she looked up at the sky. “Well, here’s your chance. Corynn seems game.”

  I opened my mouth to refute her, but the words wouldn’t surface. She was right. I’d been so caught up in the moment, I hadn’t considered the implications. Corynn was a Nullari. She could tame my strength and fade the emotions around me, just like the book said. But, Rena was an Augari, and that meant…

  She met my gaze with sad resignation, like she’d been waiting for me to make the connection all along. Rena cancelled out Corynn’s ability. As long as we were together, I had no chance of leading the life she spoke of—so what the hell was she suggesting? That we go along with this scheme for a shot at normalcy? That I agree to some kind of supernaturally-arranged marriage? Bullshit.

  “Please tell me you’re not saying what I think you are.”

  “It’s only fair,” she said, her voice wavering. “You need to take some time and think about this. And read that journal, too.”

  I leaned back and stared at the stranger moving my girlfriend’s lips. “Why?”

  Frustration lit her eyes like jade fire as she leaned in. “Because you deserve a real life, Wallace. You’ll never have that with me.”

  I grabbed her shoulder in a surge of desperation and recoiled just as quickly. “Damn it, Rena. You’re being…ridiculous.”

  She looked down, her shoulder-length hair tumbling in a soft curtain. “Am I? You can’t even touch me.”

  I winced, wishing she’d taken the conversation anywhere but there. Before, when I’d cursed my lineage, it hadn’t meant much. It was all I’d ever known. But now that I understood the freedom we’d been cheated out of, it ached in a way I couldn’t describe.

  “I’m sorry.” She reached for my hand. “I know you’ve been trying really hard these past few months. It's just that you're my best friend, and I'm scared, and I want you to be—”

  “It’s fine,” I mumbled. “Can we just drop it?”

  She nipped at her bottom lip as she studied me. “Yeah.”

  God, why did we always end up in this position? Having to fight each other, when we should be fighting for ‘us’. Nothing about our situation seemed fair.

  “Hey.” Rena squeezed my hand, concern lining her forehead. “I thought we were dropping it.”

  “We are,” I assured her and shook my head. “Let’s get out of here. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to stick around to hear their reasoning for the Nullari visit.”

  She stood and dusted herself off. “Amen to that.”

  I started to get up and froze at her choice of words. Crap.

  “What?”

  “Isn’t that church festival tomorrow?” I strained to remember. “The one we said we’d help at?”

  She cursed under her breath and smacked her forehead. “Yes, I forgot all about it. It’s around ten, right?” Without waiting for an answer, she planted her feet half on top of mine and offered her hands to pull me up. “Come on.”

  I complied, letting her grasp my wrists. “Yeah, let’s meet in the lobby at quarter ‘til. I’ll drive.”

  She nodded and grunted in a ladylike fashion as she hoisted me up. “Check that out. No superpowers needed.” A moment ticked by, and she drew in a sharp breath. “Oh, speaking of which…”

  I admired the view as she bent to dig around in her bag on the sidewalk. Her jeans fit like a second skin, and I would’ve loved nothing more than to pull back and—

  “Ta da!” She produced a notebook-paper card with two different colors of ink and grinned from ear to ear. “It’s an apology card.”

  Her smile was contagious as I took it, read the outside, and then flipped it open. “Wow. This is the best apology card I’ve ever gotten—and the only one that doesn’t contain an actual apology.”

  She slapped my arm. “It's close enough!”

  I laughed and scooped up her bag before we moved on. “You’re right. Thank you. So, did the power-sharing incident have any effects other than fatigue? You said in your text that you slept straight through the night, but I was worried you’d be sore or something.”

  “Nope,” she replied, rolling up her sleeve to kiss her bicep. “I am a fine conduit of superpowers. No soreness involved.”

  I fought back another grin. At least she’d perked up at the distraction. “So, you think you’re ready to try again?”

  “You really want me to kick your ass in front of all these people?” She nodded toward the pick-up soccer game happening across the parking lot. “It might be embarrassing.”

  “Not any more embarrassing than any other time we’re together.”

  She smirked, and then faltered as offense took hold. “Hey…”

  I laughed, looked around, and then moved to stand before her. “Okay, try it really quick.”

  “Here?” She bounced on her tiptoes and rocked back on her heels. “I don’t know.”

  “Do you want me to make you mad again?” I asked, knowing I’d be in
for hell if I really did.

  “No.” Her answer was automatic. We weren’t going back there. “Just give me a second.”

  That second turned into ten, and then thirty and forty. Her face was pink, her eyes were closed, and I was starting to get a little concerned about the vein in her neck.

  “Okay,” I said. “Never mind.” The pull wasn’t there.

  “I’ve almost got it,” she groaned, cracking her eyes open. “It just needs a jumpstart or something…” She pressed against my stomach, timid at first, but then she really got into it. Before I knew it, she had her shoulder pressed against my abs like she was ready to bust down a door. “Ugh…just move, damn it…”

  “Rena.” I tried not to laugh, but it was about to come out anyway. It shook my core, and I knew she felt it. “Seriously.”

  She took a step back, planted her hands on her hips, and glared at me. “You will rue the day you mocked me, Wallace Blake.”

  Great. I couldn’t stop now. Why did she have to look so cute when she was angry?

  “I’m serious,” she said, with a teasing scowl. “You will rue. Rue!”

  “Yeah?” I took a step forward. “What’re you going to do to me?”

  “How about I spank your—”

  “Are we interrupting?” Faye cut in, and I flicked my gaze over Rena’s head. Shit. The whole ERA posse was coming down the sidewalk, and we had nowhere to go. I’d been blocking out background emotions again.

  Rena spun on her heel with a muttered curse. “Did you need something else, Faye? Another carrot to dangle in front of his nose?”

  “No, no.” Faye placed her hands on Corynn’s shoulders. “Just saying our farewells. We’ve got to get this one settled into her dorm. Summer session isn’t that far away, you know.”

  “She’s studying here?” I asked, embarrassed I hadn’t seen this part coming. “Why?”

  “Do I need a reason?” Corynn gave off an unexpected pang of hurt. “I’m a university student, and I received a scholarship to study abroad here. I’m getting work experience, too. You’re telling me you’d pass that up?”

  “No, it’s just…” I ran a hand through my hair and tried to think of an eloquent way to put it. “They’re—”