Fire Stones (The Fire Wars #2) (14 page)

            But, to my surprise, it started to rain.

           
Figures
, I thought, cutting my trip short early. It looked like I’d beat my mother home after all – which meant we’d have a good six hours until bedtime to markedly
not talk
about her confession.

            “Hello!” I called as I lugged my shopping into the doorway. But, as I expected, the house was empty. I checked my watch, fumbling for the light switch. My mother wouldn’t be home for another half hour.

           
Click
! I flicked on the light switch, but nothing happened. The electricity was evidently out, leaving me plunged into total darkness. I looked towards the window, but the curtains were drawn.

            I froze. My mother had left for work before I left for school that morning, and I definitely remembered leaving the curtains open…

            But before I could process my thoughts, a sudden blow struck me from behind, making my head ring as I stumbled to the floor. Immediately my mind began to process the wrestling moves I had learn; I lashed out at my attacker – a broad, strong figure. I couldn’t make any features out in the lamplight, but from the size and shape I guessed it was a man. It certainly wasn’t scrawny, short Alice, who had attacked me last month in the locker room. But the other assailant had never been unmasked. Was he back to finish the job?

            “Get…off!” I cried, kicking the figure square in the stomach. But despite my best efforts, the figure didn’t budge. He was too large, too strong; I felt his hands squeeze around my neck, growing tighter and tighter. I cried aloud, but the sound was strangled in my throat. Everything was going hazy – my mind went blank as my body cried out for oxygen.

            Just as darkness overtook my brain, a sudden crash brought me back to life. My attacker was huddled over on the floor; I heard him cry aloud as another figure kicked him in the stomach. Immediately, my attacker was on his feet, running away…

            I sprang up, ready to fight this new figure.

            “Hey – are you alright?” The concern in the voice made me melt. It was Varun, holding out a warm hand, helping me to my feet.

            “We should go after him!”

            “Too late…” Varun looked out the door. “He’s gone by now. Are you okay – that’s the important thing?”

            “Fine,” I answered breathlessly. “Just a little shaken, is all. “

            “That guy was strong,” Varun said. “I could barely get him off you. That was no mortal you were fighting – whoever he was, it was definitely an Embodiment.”

            “Like Alice?” I looked up at him. “He could have been the guy who attacked me before with Alice – I’m not sure. I couldn’t see anything in the darkness.”

            “But who could it be?” Varun wondered aloud. He looked down at something, frowning. Then he bent down, picking up a small, glinting rectangular object. I recognized it immediately – I had one, too. A Cutter Imperial Hotel name badge – worn by all staff members. And this one had BRANDON clearly emblazoned on it.

            “Brandon?” I looked at Varun in surprise. He was a Fire god – what reason had he to want me or Vesta dead? “He was always so…nice.” Silly, jovial, joking Brandon – how could he be anything but a friend to me?

            “I’m sorry, Mac,” Varun said, staring at the name-plate in his hands. “I’m as shocked as you are that Brandon would do something like this.” He too looked crushed. Brandon was his good friend, after all – and the look of abject betrayal on his face said it all.

            “Maybe it wasn’t him!” I wasn’t sure what I was saying – but I would have said anything to take that look of pain off his face. “Maybe it was a set-up – the attacker dropped the name-tag on purpose to throw us off the scent.”

            “I doubt it,” said Varun miserably. “That guy didn’t expect to leave anyone alive enough to follow any sort of scent. He was out to kill.”

            “But why Brandon? He’s a Fire deity?”

            Varun shook his head. “Was. He’s strong enough to attack you like that – no doubt about it – and he’s been rumored to be looking for an alliance with Water.”

            “Because of you? His friendship with you?”

            “No,” Varun sighed. “He’s been spending a lot of time in the ocean lately. I told myself he just enjoyed swimming – but now I’m not so sure. With Abzu on the loose, it’s very likely that Abzu’s been courting the favor of Fire and Water deities alike to overthrow me as King of Water. I wouldn’t put it past Abzu to try to turn my friends against me, whatever their element. He’s tricky. He doesn’t use brute force – he strategizes. He’s smart. That’s what makes him so dangerous. But I never thought my friends would fall for it.” Varun looked crestfallen.

            I reached out a hand to touch him, aching to comfort him, to ease his pain. I wrapped my arms around him, trying to ignore the longing in my breast. He leaned against my chest, sighing deeply as I stroked his hair. He took my hand – so small in his enormous grip.

            “No,” he said. “You’re the one who just got attacked.” He gave a false laugh. “You need comforting, not me.” He pulled me into a bear hug – massaging my aching muscles from where the attacker – Brandon? – had hit me.

            “I’m so sorry, Varun,” I said. “But let’s not jump to conclusions. Let’s make sure this name badge was really left by him.”

            “You had enough to worry about,” sighed Varun. “With all this Vesta stuff – I didn’t mean to drag you into my mess. It could be that Abzu was attacking you to get to me – he didn’t know you were Vesta, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t suspect, or that he just wanted to hurt me even if you were just human. I should never have put you in danger like that.”

            “It’s okay, Varun,” I said. “I owe you a lot. Being with you is – you know, nice. Hanging out.” I blushed, knowing that I meant so much more than I said.      

            “Nice,” Varun gave a small smile. “Listen, why don’t I get the electricity turned back on – then I’ll put away those groceries and whip you something to eat. You’ve been cooking for your mom so much lately – it’s time someone took care of you.”

            “Careful,” I couldn’t help but laugh. “If you keep making me food, I might get attacked more often.”

            “As long as I’m there to save you.” Varun grinned at me and I could feel myself melt. Stones or no stones, I still had a weakness for him. I looked into his eyes, wanting to move in closer, to touch my lips to his, to feel his skin against my own…

            “Anyone home?” We sprang apart. My mother walked in, a broad smile on her face. “What happened to the lights?”

            “Uh, power outage,” I said quickly. “Varun just came over to fix it.”

            Varun and I looked at each other and sighed. The moment was gone.

Chapter
17

           
V
arun made us both a delicious dinner – smoked salmon on lightly toasted bagels, smeared generously with cream cheese. The smell of toasted eggs wafted through the house. My mother seemed grateful -  more grateful, even, then I was, and she beamed protectively at Varun as he made conversation with her. I could see it in her eyes – she was charmed. Not that I should have been surprised, of course; after all, Varun was exactly the kind of guy that could charm the pants off any parent in a six-mile radius. I sighed as my mother gave me a winking look. Did she think that Varun and I were together? I wouldn’t be surprised if she did – after all, I hadn’t told her anything at all about Chance. Yet her happy look made me feel guilty inwardly – and I could see Varun, too, blush when she turned to me and pronounced loudly “he’s a keeper!”

            “Yes,” I said quietly. “Yes, yes, he is.”

            I was relieved when Varun left. It was hard enough keeping things together in front of my mother, but playing house with Varun made my feelings that much more chaotic. How was I supposed to know what my destiny was – what my heart wanted?
I’m only seventeen
, I wanted to scream.
I shouldn’t have to decide whom I want to spend the rest of my life with.
Only a few months ago, I’d been casually dating guys I had no expectation of even going to senior prom with, let alone spending eternity with. But now every decision I made took on that much more importance. I’d never be free.

            I texted Chance after my mother went to bed early, letting him know what had happened. “Don’t worry,” I said. “I’m fine.” But I should have known Chance would never take that for an answer. Moments after I sent the text, I heard the sound of stones being thrown at my window. I opened it to see Chance standing outside in the moonlight, an expression of deep concern upon his face.

            “I’ve been so worried!”

            I climbed downstairs to meet him in the field. The sea was black on the horizon; the full moon gave a luminous glow to Chance’s marble paleness. Chance ran to me and kissed me, squeezing me so tightly that I felt as if I were going to burst.

            “Who was it?” he looked concerned. “Did you identify him?”

            “I…don’t know,” I admitted sheepishly. “It was dark. He – if it was a he – left a nametag behind from the Cutter Imperial. Brandon. But it could be a setup,” I added quickly. “We don’t know yet. We’re trying not to jump to conclusions. Maybe someone’s just trying to make us
think
that Brandon is the attacker – for whatever reason.”

            But Chance’s face darkened. “I doubt it,” he said grimly. “He’s a friend of mine – no doubt about that – but I’ve known for a while that his allegiance to the fire clan is tenuous at best. He’s not somebody to trust, Mac – mark my words. Beneath that joking exterior lies a person of great personal force and power. Remember that day you wrestled with him? I admit it – I was jealous – but it was more than that. There was something about him I didn’t trust. Something about him I still don’t quite understand. He’s friends with an awful lot of members of the Water Clan. Haven, for example. And Varun.”

            “Varun’s not involved!” I protested. “He couldn’t be.”

            “We can’t trust any Water clan.”

            “Don’t be paranoid, Chance,” I said. “If Varun wanted to kill me in the ocean he could have – far more easily. And he helped fight off the attacker.”

            “He what?” Chance looked up, envy spreading over his face.

            “He ran in and pulled the guy off me.”

            “And you don’t think it’s awfully convenient that he was there just in time to save you?” Chance frowned.

            “Yes, I do think it’s convenient.” My eyes blazed as I turned to Chance, angered by his suggestion. “And lucky. But Varun’s a friend – and he’s not an extremist like Abzu. Even you must know that, whatever your personal history means.”

            Chance glowered. “You need to be careful, Mac. If finding these stones means compromising your safety – well, I’m not willing to risk it.”

            “I’m fine, Chance.” I patted him on the shoulder, trying to reassure him. “I can take care of myself.”

            “This time,” he sighed. “But what about next time – and the next? They’ll never stop trying to hurt you, Vesta. They’ll never stop!”

            “I’ll be fine. If I’m really Vesta, that means I’m powerful, right? I’ll learn how to control my powers. I’ll learn how to fight. You’ll teach me – we can wrestle together in the woods.”

            Chance shook his head. “I don’t like you being out here in this cottage. My father will put you and your mother in one of the suites – I’m sure of it. If I ask him. One of the suites near me. They’re far nicer than the cottage, and they’re supervised by 24-hour security. You wouldn’t have to worry about break-ins there. This place is so secluded – it’s not safe.”

            “No,” I said, holding Chance in my arms. “This cottage – it means a lot to me and Mom. She works so hard at the hotel – we both do. She needs a place to come home to at the end of the day that isn’t her office. She needs this place – you know what a workaholic she is. It’s the only place that keeps her sane. And me – too. If we’re going to be together, we can’t be living together – we’d drive each other crazy.” I smiled, and Chance laughed too.

            “That’s my Mac,” he said. “Independent and selfless as ever. And so brave. But doubt it not – I’ll be taking care of you every step of the way. I love you too much to let anything happen to you.” He smiled. “I have a surprise for you....to help with that.”

            “What?”

            Chance smiled as he removed a velvet box from his pocket.

            “Open it,” he grinned. “I was going to give it to you for our three-month anniversary, but I think now is a better time, all things considered.”

            I opened the box and looked up in surprise.

            “The topaz! How did you?”

            He had taken the topaz and set it in a gold nest, putting it on a slender gold chain.

            “Twenty-four carat. I snuck it out of your pocket – so I thought I’d do something special with it. Now you can wear it around your neck, close to your heart. For protection. And when you wear it, my love – you can think of me.” He leaned in and kissed me.