Beautiful Beings (6 page)

“I’m really not that good.”

“I’m not a critic,” I teased.

“Give me a few more minutes to finish it.”

I sat nearby, watching him with awe and envy.  How wonderful it must be to have such a peaceful pastime.  “Are you taking any art classes?”

“Naw, my parents thought it was a waste of time.  They’d rather see me devoted to physics and science.”

“Like them, I assume.”

“You assume correctly.  My dad’s a physicist working on something or other in Germany and Mom’s right there with him, making sure his every move is jotted down for the great book that is supposed to come out of this.”

“If your parents are in Germany, why are you going to school here?”

He seemed annoyed with the question, his brow furrowing as his pencil took it out on the sheet of paper.  “They’re in Germany for a month, then it’s on to Lisbon, then somewhere in Holland, or is it Finland?  Anyway, they travel around a lot and I apparently need a stable home life.”

“I didn’t mean to touch on such a sensitive subject.”

Shaking his head, he glanced at me. “Yeah, sorry. I didn’t mean to bite you for it.” 

Again, a long and uncomfortable silence settled in for a moment. Only when I saw his jaw relax did I venture again.  “You like St. James?”

“It’s all right.  I mean they’re a little rigid, what with their uniforms, uptight teachers and snooty kids, but I manage to hold my own.” He pulled up the collar of his leather jacket and sneered.

“A bit of a non-conformist, I see,” I said with an amused giggle.

Mischief glistened in his aquamarine eyes as he glanced at me.  “I take it you understand where I’m coming from.”

“Pretty much. I never enjoyed following the parade.  I’ve always been off on my own, doing my thing… my way.”

“My kind of girl.”

I smiled, wondering if it was an idle compliment or a true glimpse of what he thought of me. Before an embarrassing blush divulged my thoughts, I changed the subject.  “I’ve been thinking a lot about what you told me last week.”

“The dream about you?”

“Yeah.  Was it really me?”

Pressing his lips together, he shrugged.  “Not really sure.  It was a girl, that I know, and there was an incredible ray of light coming from her.  There really isn’t more to tell.”  He hesitated a moment and turned a pensive gaze to me.  “Of the dream itself, I remember little, but the feeling I had when I awoke… an urgent need to find her, to find that light.  It’s still with me and I can’t shake it.  That’s why it was so weird when you came up to me.”

He set his pencil down and turned the pad to me. 

“Oh,” I said with a loud guffaw.

“Is my drawing that bad?” he teased.

“Of course not.”  I took the pad from him and examined the sketch.  The angel was perfect, the flow of its heavenly gown, the arch of its extending wings. And the serenity of its expression, but that serene expression was transposed onto my face.

As so often portrayed, the angel was nimble, frail, and ethereal with a fragile, childlike beauty, far from any angel I’d ever encounter.  Sam had been huge in stature, his facial expression never veering very far from the fierce warrior scowl he wore so well.  He’d been anything but frail.  And Lothario… he was the essence of masculine beauty, the epitome of strength, power and agility.

No doubt my new guardian would be just as impressive, perhaps even more so.

“Isn’t it funny the conception people have of angels?  The little cherub face, the gossamer gowns, the dainty wings.”  I eyed the naïve sketch with amusement.

“Don’t forget the halo.”

I chuckled.  “Oh, yes, and the halo.”

“Such a contrast to the strength, power and agility required to be a true angel.”

I shot him a quick glance as he said aloud the very words that’d just crossed my mind.

“After all, their duty is to keep us mortals safe, right?”  He grinned as he took his pad and shoved it and his pencil into a canvas backpack.  He turned his glance to the statue he’d just sketched.  “How is a dainty thing like that supposed to accomplish such a huge task?”

I tried to read him, tried to see what he knew. Did he see what I see?  Had he had encounters with angels as I had?

He had dreamt of me, though he had never even met me before. Could his subconscious travel through time and space, and meet with mine?

A chill crawled up my back and spread across my shoulder blades as I thought of the numerous dreams I’d had of a young man, the man I loved beyond reason, the man who always aroused such pain and heartache as I awoke to find myself alone.  Agitated and disturbed, I stood and paced a few steps.

Asher looked at me, his eyes softened with concern.  When he reached out to take my hand, the chill at my back diminished, replaced by the warmth of his touch. “You know, since I’ve met you, that urgent need to find the light isn’t so urgent anymore.”

I swallowed the gasp that bolted up my throat.

He stood, rising to an impressive height, well over a head higher than my own tall frame. His smile spread slowly across his lips while his eyes held me with the promise of a true friendship I could rely on.

“I’m happy you're here,” he said softly.  “Something’s changed since your arrival at St. James. I can’t identify what it is exactly, but something’s different… better.”

“A thousand apologies,” Mom said as she rounded the corner.  “Let me take you out to lunch to…” She stopped when she saw Asher.  “Oh…”

“Mom.” I turned to face her surprised expression.  “This is Asher, a guy I met in school.”

“Nice to meet you, Asher.  I was just about to invite my daughter to a fabulous lunch to make up for making her wait so long.  Would you like to join us?”

He shot me a shy glance before turning back to my mother with a nod.  “I’d love to.”

Lunch was indeed fabulous at the very posh and no doubt very expensive restaurant Mom chose nearby. Though the décor and atmosphere were divine, Mom’s limited free time had us opting for a stroll in the park rather than lingering over coffee.  Well-nourished, we headed in the direction of the museum via Golden Gate Park.

“Few people know this, but this park is actually larger than Central Park in New York,” Asher said. “Golf courses, botanical gardens, lakes… it’s really a fabulous place. The conservatory of flowers is at the other end of the park, but well worth a visit.”

“You certainly know a lot about the city.”  Mom was impressed.

“I’m curious and love digging up information revolving just about everything around me.”

After a quick run through of the history of the Japanese Tea Garden and the old windmill, Mom glanced at her watch.  “Well, kids, it certainly has been a pleasure, but work beckons.” She extended her hand to Asher.  “You're a delightful tour guide.  I hope to see you again.”

“Have a nice afternoon, Mrs. Collins.”

“See you at dinner, dear.” She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and was off.

Watching her walk away, a wistful smile came to Asher. “You have a great mother. Do you guys always get along so well?”

“Pretty much, yeah.”  Taking up the footpath around Stow Lake, I felt a tinge of guilt for the great parents I had.  “Thanks for being so great with her.  It’s not every guy who’ll tolerate hanging out with a parent, much less talk so much with them.”

“It was really a pleasure.  I have all this knowledge inside my head… might as well share it.”

“Funny,” I said as I glanced at him.  “Brax said you were the school bad boy.”

“Did he now?”  He straightened his shoulders and tilted his chin up with pride.  “I guess I deserve that title in a way.  I do enjoy pushing the teachers’ buttons, I’m relentless in a debate and I’ve been known to have rather loud discussions about the school system in general with the director.”

“You also have an aversion to blue uniforms,” I reminded him.

He harrumphed.  “Might as well scratch out our names and simply call us by a number.  They want us to be automatons, clones of one another.  Conform, follow, listen… don’t dare have a thought of your own, or heaven forbid, an opinion.”

I playfully leaned into him, pushing his huge bulk off the graveled path.  “Aren’t you exaggerating a bit?  I mean, St. James isn’t that bad.”

“Guess not, but there certainly is room for improvement. Too bad Braxton doesn’t have any influence on his uncle. If anything, he has to adhere to the rules and regulation more than anyone… set an example, you know.”

“I did notice how Brax walks the line.”

Asher sniffed the fragrant autumn air, his eyes taking in our surroundings. “So it’s Brax, huh?  That guy certainly doesn’t waste time.”

“He’s a good friend.”

“Yeah, he does have that great capacity to be friendly. I guess he’s just not the type of friend I’d hang out with.”

“Really?  Why?”

“Actually, it’s the company he keeps, namely Shayne and Moore.”

“The twins?”

“Yeah, don’t you find something odd about them, I mean aside from the obvious.”

“Oh, that they’re both drop-dead gorgeous, with flawless skin, perfect teeth, unbelievably captivating eyes and hair that would be the envy of just about everyone?”

“Let’s not forget that they’re also disgustingly charming and ridiculously rich.”

 I was reluctant to point out just how charmed I’d been by Moore, and my friendship with Shayne had already blossomed into something I’d never expected, something I had never experienced before.

“Tell you the truth, aside from their enviable perfection, I don’t really see what’s wrong with them.  It’s not their fault they were born looking so great. Their parents must have done something right to have raised such charming children, and they probably worked hard to give their kids all the creature comforts.”

“If that’s what you want to call a twenty two million dollar bay side mansion in Belvedere.”

“Eeks, really?”

He nodded slowly and deliberately.

“Still, we shouldn’t judge them on that.”

“I’m not so much judging as sensing.”

He had to be hallucinating. I had sensed absolutely nothing but divine attraction and passionate desire for Moore. Neither he nor his sister exuded anything remotely demonic or evil.

As the path snaked its way around the pond, it forked and Asher took the path leading back to the nearby street.

“I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you a little better.” He stopped to face me. 

The gentle breeze that had caressed us all afternoon gusted, sending a few loose strands of my hair into my face.

“I’ve never seen you with your hair down,” Asher said as he tucked the strand behind my ear. His eyes, filled with questions, locked onto mine while his lips parted.

I was suddenly filled with the sense of love and desire I’d felt so many times during those dark, dream-filled nights. Could he be the one I’d cried for so many times?  He came closer and my lips parted, anticipating his touch.

He reached out to brush his hand over mine. “See you Monday,” he whispered into my ear before backing away. A flash of pain and regret crossed his eyes before he turned to walk away.

Chapter 7

“
D
o I really have to go to this thing?” I whined as Mom pinned my hair up.

“This
thing
is Mr. Kingsley’s way of welcoming your father to the faculty and your father would be crushed if you didn’t attend.”

“You know how I am about these fancy parties filled with snooty people and the strange and paralyzing etiquette.”

“Learning a bit of etiquette never harmed anyone.  Get in the game and play nice.  It’s just for one night.iv h  She patted the last strand into place. “There. Aren’t you gorgeous?”

I stood to take in the full effect.  As requested, the updo wasn’t too severe or matronly.  It was actually kind of funky.  I twisted and turned in front of the mirror, admiring the way the little deep blue mini-dress hugged my curves just right.  The off the shoulder sleeves were elegant while the black leather gladiator sandals added just enough edge to the look.

The bejeweled crucifix at my throat was the perfect accessory.

“You’ve got legs like I wish,” Mom griped as she playfully slapped my exposed thigh on her way out.  “And you're always hiding them in those jeans you insist on wearing all the time.”

I grinned, grabbed the little clutch Mom had loaned me and followed her down to the living room where Dad patiently waited.

Twenty minutes later we pulled into the Kingsley drive and parked among the Mercedes, BMWs, Porsches and Hummers.  Suddenly Dad’s prized sedan didn’t seem so impressive.

“I told you, Mom,” I whispered as we got out of the car and headed to the butler waiting at the door.  “I hate all this snootiness.”

“You look stunning, honey.  Make the best of it,” she whispered back as she slapped on the most elegant smile for the butler.