Dark Covenant (Living Covenant Trilogy Book 2) (8 page)

“Don’t tell people that,” I hissed. “They’ll think I’m a deviant.”

“I have to read one of these books,” Rafael said.

“Really? I would think you’re more of a ‘War and Peace’ guy because you’re so much more mature than the rest of us,” I challenged, miffed at all the fun being had at my expense.

“I do like the classics,” Rafael confirmed. “I have to read one of your books, though. My life will be empty now that I know they exist.”

“Well, I’m not telling you what name I write under,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. “It’s a secret.”

“I’ll make sure you get copies of the books,” Aric offered. “I’ll even send you a list of pages that are really hot. They’re fun.”

“Can we focus on Mark?” My temper flared, causing the pizza box on the counter to flip.

Rafael lifted an eyebrow and glanced over my shoulder. “Did you do that?”

“That’s how she vents these days,” Aric explained. “She’s extremely powerful and has a tendency to lash out when she’s upset. Yesterday she blew up a flowerpot, and when I took her side she shaped the floating petals into a heart. It was kind of cute.”

“Oh, that’s so romantic,” Kelsey cooed.

“And schmaltzy,” Paris added.

“It was both,” Aric said. “She’s still doing a great job keeping things under control. I’m proud of her.”

“Oh, you’re still in trouble if you give those books to Rafael,” I warned. “I don’t care how cute you think you are.”

“We’ll find another way to unnerve Mark,” Aric said. “Seeing us in the hallways and on the sidewalks will be enough for the first day. I say we have daily meetings for progress reports.

“Rafael can’t go out during the day, so he’ll have to hear about our efforts after dark tomorrow,” he continued. “I know you hate the kids on the campus, but I need you to reach out to your contacts to see whether they’re hearing whispers about the Academy.

“I can’t believe he came back to Covenant College to be a professor, blow up our engagement party, and then leave things alone,” Aric said. “We need to figure out what his plan is, and then formulate one of our own. I want to be sure we do things right this time.”

“That sounds great,” I said, offering Aric a wan smile before turning to Rafael. “You can’t read those books. I’ll die of embarrassment.”

“Something tells me you’ll survive,” Rafael countered. “I will die if I don’t read those books. It’s a tradeoff.”

“This sucks.”

“
O
kay
, Mark has back-to-back classes,” Aric said the next morning as we stood in the parking lot outside of the English building. “He’s in his first one now. I want you to wait for it to end before you start the plan. Don’t barge into the room and threaten to set him on fire while I’m gone.”

I did my best to keep from scowling – and failed. I knew he wasn’t trying to be bossy, but sometimes he can’t help himself and it’s frustrating. “What do you think I’m going to do?” I already knew the answer to the question, but I wanted to see whether he’d admit it.

“I’m afraid you’re going to lose your temper in front of a bunch of people and out yourself as magical,” Aric replied, not missing a beat. “I’m afraid you’ll draw attention to yourself and cause even more people to go after you. I’m afraid someone will try to kill you because of it and actually succeed. I’m afraid because I know that will break me.”

His answer was so honest and earnest I couldn’t help but soften my stance. “How is it that you know exactly what to say to get me to do what you want?”

“I think that’s called love,” Aric said, his handsome face splitting with a wide grin as he cupped the back of my head and gave me a quick kiss. “Stick together and be careful. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Just so I’m clear, you basically want us to make sure Mark sees us but act as if we’re visiting the college and nothing is wrong, right?” Kelsey pressed.

“Yes,” Aric confirmed.

“What happens if he questions us directly?” Paris asked.

“Keep pretending you don’t know what he’s talking about. Tell him you’re just spending a week at the college as a reunion,” Aric instructed. “Don’t let him ruffle you. Keep in mind that confronting him is the same as letting him win.”

“You said that for my benefit, didn’t you?” I asked, scratching the side of my nose with my middle finger to prove just how juvenile the campus visit was making me.

“Cute,” Aric said, cupping my chin and giving me another kiss. “I know you want to win. This is how you’ll get under his skin. I trust you to be marvelous at it.”

“Oh, I’m going to get under his skin,” I said. “I just want to use a knife when I do it.”

Aric faltered. He wasn’t keen on my attitude when it turned bloodthirsty. “I know you want revenge, but I am not willing to lose you in the process,” he said. “We’re going to figure out how to take Mark down as a unit. I really would prefer you didn’t go crazy serial killer on me if at all possible.”

“I’ll be good,” I promised.

“What are you going to do?” Kelsey asked. “I know you said you were going to see the college president, but what do you hope to accomplish while you’re there?”

“I want to make sure he’s aware I’m in town and that I’m considering funding a new building,” Aric replied. “I want him to think that’s why we’re here. I’ll handle him while you guys make sure Mark is aware of our presence.

“Then, when Mark tries to complain to the president, he’ll be less likely to listen,” he continued. “Besides the dollar signs he’ll inevitably be seeing float through his head, I’ll also lay the groundwork that you guys are looking around the buildings because you’re nostalgic.”

“You’re basically protecting us,” I supplied.

“Basically,” Aric said. “Now, I am begging the three of you to stick to the plan and don’t go overboard. I know it’s difficult, but show some restraint. Wait until I’m with you before you do that.”

“It’ll be fine,” I said. “Of all the things we’ve faced over the past few weeks – heck, the past few years – hanging around the hallway of the English building is pretty much the easiest task you’ve ever given me.”

“Yes, and that’s why I’m worried about things spiraling out of control,” Aric admitted. “You have a tendency to force the issue when you’re bored. Paris and Kelsey are here to make sure you don’t get bored.”

“I think you’re insinuating I have a short attention span – like a child.”

“I’m insinuating that I want to watch you in action because I love you,” Aric countered.

“Nice save.”

“I work well under pressure,” Aric said, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Be good and have fun. I’ll text you when I’m on my way back.”

“
I
DON’T
think
the problem is that we look old,” Kelsey said, studying a group of girls as they walked through the building. “I think the problem is that they look too young.”

“That must be it,” Paris said dryly.

“I think it has something to do with hormones in our food,” Kelsey said. “These kids clearly have eaten too many hormones. It’s stunted their growth.”

That made absolutely no sense. “Have you ever considered that we looked just as young when we were that age, but that we have a different outlook now?” I asked.

“Does that mean our perception was skewed then or now?”

That was a really good question. “I have no idea,” I said. “I remember being eighteen and thinking I knew everything. Now I’m twenty-seven and I’m pretty sure I know absolutely nothing.”

“You and me both,” Paris said. “We could get away with doing dumb things when we were teenagers because we didn’t know any better. Now when we do dumb things we know better, so we look like idiots when we do them.”

“Is this about you having sex with that really old guy?” I asked.

“He wasn’t that old,” Paris hissed. “If you want to make fun of him because he was evil, I’m fine with that. He didn’t look terrible without his clothes on, so stop making fun of him because you think he was old.”

“Oh, well, there’s a ringing endorsement if I ever heard one,” I taunted. “He didn’t look terrible without his clothes on. That’s like saying someone only looks fat if they wear horizontal stripes. We all know they’re still fat. The horizontal stripes make it worse, so that’s when we comment.”

“You completely lost me with that roundabout thinking,” Paris said. “You need to stop making fun of me because Quinn was old.”

“That doesn’t sound like it will be any fun for me,” I sniffed, leaning against the hallway wall. We purposely picked a spot between the front and back doors of Mark’s classroom so we’d have the best shot of catching him when he left. “Aric said Mark’s second class is around the corner, so if he doesn’t look at us when he leaves we’ll follow him.”

“Are you sure that’s the way you want to do this?” Kelsey asked. “Maybe we should wait until Aric is done so he can be with us.” I found it funny that her courage seemed to come in waves and then quickly recede.

“We’ll be fine,” I said. “Mark would have to be an idiot to attack us in public.”

“I’ve never thought of him as one of the great thinkers of our time,” Kelsey said. “He might panic when he sees you. If I were in his position, I would definitely panic.”

“I hope he does panic,” I said. “I would love to see him run.”

“I would love to see him cry,” Paris said.

“Maybe you should pretend you want to sleep with him again and then wait until he’s naked and point and laugh,” I suggested. “Don’t forget your camera if you do that, though. I want to upload it to YouTube.”

“Ha, ha,” Paris intoned, her irritation bubbling up. “You never get tired of making fun of my love life, do you?”

“Not really.”

“Oh, wait … his class is packing up their stuff,” Kelsey said, craning her neck as she looked in through the glass panel of the door. “Maybe someone should hide on either side of the door and when he goes through we can kick him in the nuts and then run. How does that sound?”

“That sounds … well, that sounds kind of fun,” I admitted. “I promised Aric we would stick to the plan, though. We’ll save that for tomorrow.”

Kelsey’s eyes were mischievous when she shifted them to Paris. “Have you noticed that Zoe is a lot more domesticated now that she’s going to be Mrs. Aric Winters?”

“I have noticed that,” Paris said, widening her eyes to almost comical proportions. “I guess it’s true what they say about women when they get that ring on their finger.”

“I know what you guys are doing and it doesn’t bother me,” I said.

“We’re not doing anything,” Kelsey countered. “I just can’t believe how settled you are. From now on, you’re not going to be the Zoe who thinks for herself. No, you’re going to be the Zoe who does what her husband tells her to do. It’s a great change.”

“Totally great,” Paris agreed, her head bobbing.

“I don’t care what you say, I’m not falling for this,” I said

“We’re not trying to get you to fall for anything,” Kelsey said, her face full of faux innocence and light. “I’m marveling at your self-control.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “I hate you guys sometimes.”

“Here they come,” Paris said, turning sober when the front classroom door opened.

I watched with mild curiosity as Mark’s students filed out, chattering amongst themselves as they geared up for a weekend of partying and hooking up. It didn’t take long for the classroom to empty, and I knew Mark was the only one left when I saw a leather briefcase move through the doorway.

Mark’s attention was fixed on the sheaf of papers in his hand, and he didn’t immediately look in our direction. I narrowed my eyes as I willed him to look at me and the rush of energy whooshed out like a spring breeze, only it had enough force to rip the papers from Mark’s hand and send them flying throughout the hallway.

Mark glanced up, surprised, and locked gazes with me. I didn’t move. I didn’t plaster a smile on my face for his benefit. I didn’t point and scowl either. I simply stared at him.

Mark seemed stunned. The world around us ceased to exist as we stared each other down. Finally, Mark backed down, darting a worried gaze up and down the hallway before bending over to retrieve his papers.

I watched with unveiled amusement, fighting the urge to chortle each time he risked a glance in my direction. I kept my back against the wall, my arms folded over my chest, and watched.

Kelsey and Paris seemed content to let me handle our first interaction, their eyes busily bouncing between us. Once he had all of the papers back in his possession, Mark straightened and turned toward the end of the hallway where his second class would be held. I watched him for a few moments and then pushed myself away from the wall, slipping into the steady stream of traffic and following him.

When Mark got to the corner he glanced over his shoulder and stared at the spot I had stood in moments before. It took him a moment to find me in the crowd. I didn’t change my pace, but Mark was unnerved enough to scamper around the corner.

When I got to the classroom, the door was already closed and Mark stood at the front of the room, staring through the glass pane. I positioned myself against the far wall, taking up the exact position I had outside of the first classroom, and made sure he had a clear view of me as he addressed his class.

“I’m not going to lie, that is ridiculously creepy,” Kelsey said, her cheeks flushed with excitement. “If I were him, I’d be crapping my pants right about now.”

“Do you know what’s great about this hallway?” Paris asked, scanning the corridor. “There are only two classrooms, and he has nowhere to run when he wants to leave in an hour.”

“It’s funny how life works out, isn’t it?” I said, grinning as I met Mark’s terrified gaze. “Aric was right. This is almost as much fun as blowing him up.”

“Can you make his papers fly off his desk?” Kelsey asked. “That scared the bejeezus out of him. If you did that a couple of times while he was trying to teach he would definitely crap his pants.”

“I have no idea whether I can do it on command,” I said. “It’s worth a shot, though.”