Souljacker (9 page)

Still, that taste floods through me like a
drug and I feel a little stronger. If I could just touch one more
person…

“Heya, Lucy!” I startle as a hand claps down
on my shoulder. Caddie bounces on her heels, lunch tray in hand,
and grins at me. “Guess who’s going to the salon today.” Her grin
is too white in the dim lighting of the cafeteria. “You’re coming
with, right?”

“Uh…” The idea of being stuck after school
with Caddie, who just oozes with energy, makes me ache. I don’t
want to give up this friendship. I refuse to take from her. That’s
not how friends work.

“C’mon. It’ll be fun. Besides, I’m a little
nervous. Haven’t you ever had girl time before?”

“Sure.” I shrug, taking a lunch tray off the
counter. The hot meal of hotdogs and mac and cheese sounds
disgusting. “It’s just…it’s been awhile. Not since I moved
here.”

She stops me, her fingers curling around my
arm. “Dude, why not?” Her eyes are wide and shiny with unanswered
questions.

Because I’m a freak?
I want to growl
back at her, but I keep my jaw clamped shut. She doesn’t let go, so
I sigh. “Doesn’t matter, really. I’m just not very social, that’s
all.” My heart skips in my chest. I don’t want to talk about the
past, about Sophia, about…anything. I turn away from her.

I head to the salad bar, making a tiny salad
with chicken and ranch dressing. She seems to give up the line of
questioning and we sit down together at an empty table, Caddie
chattering my ear off as I crunch into my meal. It tastes like
something a horse would eat, but I force it down anyway. She
munches on a hotdog and tries to decide what color she’s gonna
change her hair to.

Crisis averted.

The salon we end up going to is one of the
more expensive ones; I’m surprised that Caddie’s parents agreed to
this shenanigan. Caddie proudly announces what she wants done to
her hair and the stylist looks bored, but agrees.

I sit in the waiting area, giving her a
hopefully-reassuring grin as she bounces over to the chair and sits
down. I watch as the stylist performs magic: She turns Caddie’s
frizzy, out of control blonde hair into a straight, sleek mane of
platinum with a chunk of fire red.

Once finished, Caddie squeals at her
reflection. “Holy hell, I look
sexy
!” She tugs on her hair,
which got a layered trim, and does a little dance. She narrows her
eyes on me, waggling one eyebrow. “Think Jale’ll notice me
now?”

“Definitely,” I say. She does look good. The
white-blonde of her hair makes her dark eyes seem even darker, and
the streak of crimson brings out a fiery sparkle in them.

But God, all it would take is to put my hand
on her arm as I crow over her haircut. I can taste it, she’s so
close. I close my hands into fists. “I’ve really gotta get
home.”

She bobs. “Oh, yeah. Me too! Mom’s gonna
faint. I told her I was changing my hair, but haha, this is totally
epic. See ya, Luce!” After paying the stylist, we go our separate
ways. Before I realize what I’m doing, I’m passing the alley Freak
always hangs out in. My breath catches in my throat and I glance
down the aisle.

Iofiel.

He’s not here, but then again, did I really
expect him to be after that cyberhound attacked him? He’s probably
in deep trouble because of me. Still, it makes my heart ache and
I’m not even sure why. It’s just a stupid boy. I sigh and hook my
fingers in my belt loops, heading home.

Mrs. Rockwell’s asleep in bed, snoring
softly, a motorboat purr. I lay my hand on her icy forehead and
take just a little more. Just a little will get me through
tomorrow, to where I can fill up on Jale.

“Aely?” she murmurs and I slip out before she
can wake, guilt lapping at my throat. I collapse on my bed, curling
up on my side and hugging my pillow to my chest. Sync is even quiet
for once, perched on the corner of my dresser. Maybe she’s still
thinking about Iofiel being one of Fae’s minions as well.

I try and tell myself it doesn’t matter, I
didn’t have a chance with him anyway. Not the way I am. Not with my
emptiness never getting filled. I would only hurt him. I press my
face deeper into my pillow and just breathe.

***

“Oh God, Jale’s here today.”

Caddie squeaks in my ear, pointing across the
hall to where the skinny guy is signing in late at the office. My
heart sinks and floats at the exact same time. Here I am, plotting
to dine on my friend’s crush. I’m such a horrible person, yet I
can’t make myself feel that bad about it. It’s just Jale.

“Think he’ll notice me?”

“Go for it.” I smile at her.

She clasps her hands together, then composes
herself and follows Jale Halvers to his locker. He thumbs the
finger pad and it swings open. Caddie leans against the opposite
locker and says something; I see her lips moving, painted a light
red that matches her new hair color, and Jale seems to give her a
second glance.

He’s smiling now. Definitely interested. Go
Caddie! I can’t help the flip of my heart as she fishes out a piece
of paper from her notebook, scribbles on it, and hands it to him.
Then he walks off down the hall and she all but prances back to
me.

“I. Just. Gave. Jale. My. Freaking. Number.”
She sounds shell-shocked for a moment, then lets out a high pitched
shriek that makes her clap her hands over her mouth and giggle. I
grin at her. “Oh my God. That was terrifying. I’m gonna be late to
class. Bye, Luce!” She bounces off down the hall like a hyper puppy
and I sigh; what I wouldn’t give to be like her.

The day drags by, minutes ticking slowly, as
if the world is going on forever. Finally I’m sitting in English
class, my stomach a riot of nerves. Jale sits down beside me,
looking at me for a moment like he’s just now seeing me. I look
down at my hands. I hear a rip of paper and he slides it onto my
desk.

“Hey.” He gives a man-nod. “Can you give this
to your friend? The peppy blonde one?”

“Sure,” I reply quickly, slipping the sheet
of paper into my bag. “No problem.”

He smiles, that dazzling,
I’m-rich-and-I-know-it smile. Then he lays his head down on his
arms as the class begins. As usual, Mr. W. doesn’t call on him and
within a matter of moments, I hear Jale’s breathing even out. My
heart picks up speed. His bare arm is right there, hanging off the
desk. All it will take…

I lean over and press my fingers against his
skin. Warmth floods my hands, soaking up my arms like fire and I
bite my tongue to keep from moaning at the taste. Yes. Yes… It
scores across my nerves like a thousand tiny pinpricks of light,
opening up new portals in my soul. I’m filling up, but I still have
control. I don’t want to stop, but I can if I had to and--

“What the
hell
?” Jale’s on his feet,
hand wrapped around the spot where my fingers had left pink marks.
His eyes are cold, flashing and wary as he steps away. The class
falls silent and I gape up at him, frozen for a moment before
scrambling to my feet. “What was
that
?”

“What was what?” I blunder, tucking my chin
and giving him what I hope is a look of innocence.

“You just did something. You touched me, I
felt…something. You fucking
did
something.” He steps
forwards with a snarl on his face. Mr. W. makes a nervous sound,
moving as if to stop us, but Jale’s hands are already gripping the
front of my shirt, jerking me towards him. I clench my hands into
fists, terror ringing through me. I’m afraid to touch him, afraid
my fear will kill him.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to,” I whisper,
bitter words on my tongue. “I don’t know…”

“You’re a Class A freak,” he snaps, tossing
me away from him. He rounds on Mr. W. “I’m going to the
infirmary.”

And he storms away, leaving me the victim of
twenty pairs of eyes staring holes into my back. I’m trembling, my
arms wrapping around myself as if maybe I can protect myself from
them. I grab my bag and leave the classroom without a word.

My heart sinks like lead in my stomach as
Jale comes into view. He’s in Caddie’s face, saying something, and
she looks worried. She glances over to me, her mouth an ‘o’ of
surprise and Jale follows her stare to me. And spits.

I can’t help it,
I want to cry, I want
to scream. I take off, my boots skidding down the hall, and I
collapse into the nearest bathroom, locking myself in a stall. I
hang my bag up on the hook and curl up on the toilet lid, knees
drawn up to my chest.

I focus on breathing, but my breaths come
fast and ragged and terrified. I’m nearly hyperventilating. Sync’s
voice is muffled by the bag, but I can’t let her out, my arms are
too weak to reach up and unclasp the front.

Oh God, what did I do?

I’m going to have to move again, start all
over in a new city, a new school. I’m such an idiot!

I stop mid-gasp as the door squeaks open. I
hear the scuff of shoes on tile and then, “Lucy?” Caddie’s voice,
bold and totally unafraid. “What the heck just happened?”

“Just… Just go away, Caddie. It doesn’t
matter.” I press my face into my knees, tugging at the ends of my
hair.

I hear the click of a lock. Caddie’s locked
us into the bathroom together. “Come out, Lucy. We need to talk.
What did you do to Jale? He’s pretty freaked out.” She peers in at
me through the gap between the door and the wall. I kick at the
door and it rattles. She sighs. “Lucy. I’m not letting you out of
here until you come clean. What the heck, girl? C’mon.”

“I told you I was a freak,” I growl, my voice
tight.

“Yeah, but you never told me what
classification of freak you are. Everyone has secrets, Lucy. I’m
not gonna judge you just because you can do something
different.”

“I hurt people, Caddie. It’s not
different—it’s disgusting.” I unlatch the door and swing it open.
Caddie backs up a step and I begin to pace in the tiny bathroom, my
heels clicking with each step I take. I ram my hands through my
hair, fingers catching in snarls.

“I’m… I don ‘t know. I’m like a vampire. An
energy vampire. I take people’s…soul, pretty much. Their life
force. I can’t live without it. The longer I go without soul,
then—”

I cut myself off, shaking my head. “I’m
dangerous. I hurt my best friend. I didn’t mean to, but I surged
and she almost died.” Tears spring to the surface and I let them
fall to patter down the front of my shirt.

“I’m
trying
to be normal. I really
freaking am. All I want is a normal life, with a best friend and a
boyfriend and…it’s never going to happen. Jale’ll probably tell his
parents that I did something and I’m gonna be shipped off
again.”

“So you eat soul to keep from hurting
people?” Caddie tips her head to the side.

“Kinda.”

“And if you don’t take soul, you’ll die?”

“I’ve never gotten to the death part, yet. I
always surge first. Then my victim is whoever I’m closest to. How’s
that for awesome?” I say bitterly.

“That’s definitely different.”

Just like that, she seems unphased. Like
she’s been around the block before. Like she can understand what
I’m going through. Like hell. Something snaps in my mind and I
round on her.

“What the hell is
with
you? I just
spill my darkest, most dangerous secret to you, and you don’t even
blink?”

She stares at me and I see emotion churning
in her eyes. Then a slow, eerie smile creeps onto her lips. “I’m a
freak too, yanno.”

“Oh yeah?” I say, but it’s half-hearted. I
can feel heat billowing out of her, blasting me with warmth. Her
hair even seems to float around her head and she lifts a hand.
Okay, so she’s definitely not normal.

“Yeah,” she says. She snaps her fingers.

And a fireball appears in the middle of her
palm.

Chapter 11:

Lucy

“Holy slag.”

That’s the only thing that really comes to
mind. I watch as her hand opens, fingers dancing around the blazing
ball of red and golden light, flames licking them like greedy
puppies lapping at water. How is it even possible to control an
element? I mean, yeah, I’m a freak, but I don’t have the power to
expel energy—just to steal it.

“How?”

Her dark eyes flick up to the ceiling, as if
worried the sprinkler system will switch on, and she closes her
hand around the fireball. It extinguishes with a hiss of steam and
smoke and she shakes her hand. She opens the palm to me and it’s
not even burned.

Then her eyes lock into mine, a triumphant
smile on her face. “I knew you were like me the minute I laid eyes
on you.”

“Sure, but what are
you
?”

“A freak.” She lifts her shoulder in a half
shrug. “No other real classification for it. I’m human, but I’m
also a freak. I can shoot fire from my fingertips. Hasn’t always
been a gift, you know. When you’re a little kid... Kids don’t know
the meaning of secrecy. I wanted to show my classmates what I could
do. Instead of making them like me, it terrified them. But kids
will be kids, right? Life goes on. I stopped using my powers. Then
things went south.”

Memories spin through my mind: Me as a
toddler, touching people just because it made me happy. The look on
Mom’s face as she realized what I was doing. The lecture she gave
me: That it was dangerous to use my gift. That I needed to keep it
a secret, because the Unseelie stole children away for that very
reason. The fear forged in my heart after that.

And then the surge that ripped my life apart:
Mom’s eyes snapping open as she sank to the ground without so much
as a cry of pain. Little-me, filled with so much of her soul that I
was on cloud nine, full and content. Then little-me at the funeral
a week later, begging Mom to open her eyes, begging to know what
had happened to her. They called it a freak accident, but a little
piece of my heart was buried with her that day.