Tainted (20 page)

I begged Ian for a small, teeny-weeny favor.  Though I finished my junior year, my mom and Ian convinced me easily to stay senior year.  Now I know why.  I was expected to walk the stage and graduate from high school in one week.  It is the middle of May and all of my friends, my human friends, were probably completely excited to finally find the day approaching.

“Ian, they won’t remember me.  They’ll just let my life disappear.  I am nothing but a whisper on the wind. I am a thought that never was.  I can’t let myself have only one legacy when there once was two of me.”  I know I went philosophical on him, but I was desperate.  And anyhoo, it was true.

He nixed my need pretty fast so I continued to badger him reminding him that I already had my credits from finishing earlier than most students and even had several college credits to my name.  He reminded me of all the
grave
danger I’d be putting myself in and how my appearance had already began to change leading to a lot of unwanted questions.  I asked him if there was such a thing as any other kind of danger, but he didn’t respond with anything but a smirk and folded arms.  I reminded him that it was mostly my eyes that changed, magic the humans can’t see, and other hidden characteristics.

Somehow the conversation turned again and he informed me that my skin glowed like his now on occasion.

“WHAT?” 

He blushed.  “Only when your emotions are running high.  And only recently.”

“What emotions?” I asked even though I knew the answer by his face.

“Sometimes anger, fear, and other ones.”

“What others? Can others see it?”  I was going to force him to say it. 

“Desire, Grace.  And no, I don’t believe others see it.”  He was trying hard to act like the tall, broad shouldered macho man that he always displayed to others, but I knew better.  I’d known him better than anyone in this world or mine.

Test time.  I made a fast look to make sure no one was paying attention.  Sure enough, everyone was ignoring us where we hid in the corner of the garden area.  I took one slow step forward and watched his face.  His lip twitched.  “What are you doing?”

“Improvising!” I let the other foot fall forward now standing toe to toe.  This was great!  I loved this.  We were standing in the darkest corner where I knew he hopefully would be distracted enough to say yes to my need—graduation.

I made a gutsy move and raked my tongue across my bottom lip.  He watched it intently.  I closed the distance with another slow motion step not letting myself touch any part of him, but rather leaning in so close I could feel his breath on my face.  I closed my eyes to breathe in deeply and flipped my eyelids up fast to show him what his scent was doing to me inside.  If I was able to glow, I would be right now from the feelings stirring inside me, this second.

I moved my lips so they were ready to touch his and realized then the happy glow his cheeks had formed.  I backed just my head up to see if the rest him glowed.  Yes!

“Do you see yourself?” he asked. 

I looked down.  The same amazing golden glow permeated from my skin as well.  “I guess I never paid as much attention to myself when I’m concentrating so hard on you.”

He grinned, “Oh are you?” He was patronizing me.  “Concentrate a little harder then, by all means.”  He closed the very small gap left between us and made the back of his thumb rake across my cheek in very slow motion placing his eyes close enough our eyelashes could have intermingled, but instead he placed his warm lips barely on mine.   He lingered there for seconds and wrapped his other hand behind my head tangling his fingers in my hair.  I wondered if that was to keep me from getting away. 

He forced my mouth open with his tongue causing my heels to lift and bring me to my tiptoes.  I fell into his rhythm and returned his need with as much of my own.  Other needs were pressing me to be aware of his current emotions so I loosened up not thinking I was able to stop myself if he gave me too many more reminders of what he was capable of doing to me.  This was not conduct becoming of a queen.  I panted and moved my hand to my chest to put some form of separation between us. 

“And you see what you do to me.” 

My eyes wide with new sensations once again, I noticed only now that a crowd had formed around in the garden beside us and applause broke out among them.  Cheers could be heard, terms of endearments, and even cat calls.  Embarrassing!

He just smiled.   Sneaky devil.  He probably knew there was an audience the whole time.

“AGAIN!  AGAIN!” the crowd chanted.

I cringed on the inside, but smiled on the surface.  And then he did the unthinkable.

He pulled me fast, wrapped his arms around me all the way to where we are more hidden from public view, and kissed me full on.  I was so full of just about every emotion at the time and assumed I was a lit up light bulb about to blow.  He finally pulled apart and I had to glance down out of sheer curiosity.  Yep!  A soft glow surrounded us on top of our skin alone.

“What do you call yourself doing Mr. PDA?”  I panted out the last two words.

He wiggled his eyebrows and purred, “Improvising.”

To heck with it!   It was war now!  I kissed him full on the mouth warranting more hooping and hollering from the audience of ogling eyes.  When I regained my dizzying head, he pulled me up close so no one could hear and opened his mouth like he was going to speak.  I was watching his mouth too closely and didn’t hear the first word he said.

“Yes!”

I was lost but regaining composure with hearing something not pertaining to the word glow.  “Yes what?”

“Yes, I will take you to graduation if you promise to do all that again, very soon.”

I beamed with excitement.  “Oh, yes.  YES!  YES!”

I was so excited.  My mom was here.  My dad was here.  My dad!  He now thought that Ian and I ran away together and signed up for college in Washington State paid for courtesy of Ian’s extended family. And now we breezed into town to graduate only to return to college the next day.  My dad’s pain was evident, but his happiness at seeing me outweighed all of his misgivings. 

I spent the whole morning at my “put back together perfectly” house getting ready in my old bedroom, while Ian took the spare bedroom.  We arrived in the night to make our story safe for my father and to give me more time with my parents.  Ian and I decided together that a whole night could be dangerous although I didn’t think for one minute that Kin would harm me.  His Nyms…well they did his bidding, but I was not partial to them.   But I didn’t doubt that Kin was close and somehow guarding me like a hawk.

Everything went smoothly.  I kept Ian and Pike’s scents within distance knowing I was well guarded, as well as the third scent that not even the fast growing jasmine could cover.  My personal guards, Rion and Caymin could not travel with me for this expedition for obvious reasons.  They couldn’t glamour their speech well enough to mask the inadequate brain power.  Ian explained to me finally how he gained two human guards with such odd behavior.  They’d been in an accident before I was even born and near death by the falls where Pike lived.  Fey medicine saved them, but neither could recall their lives or where they came from, so they’ve stayed on at court ever since.

I finished getting ready making a point to put on two shirts in hopes of taking them back to court with me.  I couldn’t get two pairs of jeans on if I wanted to.  My favorite peace sign shirt on top, it reminded me of the shirt and torn jeans I lost at Kin’s lair.  Pretty soon, the jeans needed to go anyway.

I slipped on the graduation robe and pinned my hat on top.  When I descended the stairs Ian was already there and smiling a wide grin in the direction my mother’s voice came from.  My mother said something else to him when he lost sight of her conversation and looked at me.  When I turned my gaze from him at the bottom of the stairs, my mother was giving us both one of those “Aww, look at them” moments.  I rolled my annoyed eyes at her causing her to tiff at me and continue her conversation.

“It’s a shame your mother had to be in Boston.  I know you wanted the surprise but she will be most disappointed.”

“She will manage,” is all he said in the presence of my father.

We left in my parents’ car even though we arrived on Ian’s Shadow.  Caps and gowns and all that jazz didn’t go well on the back of a bike.   It was the most awesome feeling to ride in a car again.  I wanted to drive, but no one would let me.  Frustrating!

The stage was set.  We lined up.  I in my place.  Ian in his.  Pike in his.  I chanced a look back at Ian and saw his sad smile at being so far from me.  Pike, same face.  Oh, my many protectors.  As I turned in several directions a disturbing feeling came over and confirming my nose hadn’t deceived me.  Rubber, leather, whatever.  He was here.  The person in front turned to face me. 

“My queen.  I am here.” 

Kin. 
“Are you going to take me?”  My pendants were in both hands.

He raised a very devilish eyebrow possibly insinuating something very different than I meant, “Not here.  Not right now.  Not if you don’t want me too.”

This was a surprise. 

“I’m here to graduate, like you.”

I laughed.  Ian looked very grim when I found his face watching me.  He didn’t know who was in front of me somehow, but he was analyzing my every move.

“What?” Kin asked as I rolled my eyes back to him.

“Your reasons are hidden.  Graduation is in not in the thoughts of any of my three protection plan otherworldly men.  You are here for the same reason they are.”  I pointed to the other two over my shoulder and chanced another glance.  Pike’s eyes perked up at my pointing.  Ian was looking at him for clues.  They were searching my head.  I blocked even more so!  They were ready for a fight.

“Perhaps, but for now, we follow the person in front of us.”

More hidden meanings.  For all his honesty, he was still one big scary mystery.  Kin is a curse, a sugarcoated slow to be seen agony of the heart that just can’t be ignored and causes one to take the glamoured final steps into the doomed trap of his charming ways.  But the better question, once there, is there an escape?

I returned my thoughts to graduation not wanting to look into those eyes again.  Caylie was four spots away calling my name.  “We have to talk more afterward, you naughty girl.  You have some explaining to do.”  I blushed at her assumptions watching her eye both Ian and Pike.  No doubt, she and Pam will never believe me in the why I was gone department.  And more importantly, I have to keep my hands within the robes out of contact to humans.  Rest assured I can latch on to Kin in a pinch.  Ian would have a fit if he knew.  Rephrase! He WILL have a conniption when he finds out, but it’s not going to happen if I can help it.  Not here anyway.

I glanced at Pam at the very back of the line.  She was wiggling her finger in my direction with a dare me look of “you better talk” or else.  Upon returning forward, Pike was suddenly beside me asking me in his Pike way if all my senses were a go.  I didn’t have the guts to tell him Kin was right in front of me, though that told me lots.   I knew that Kin was powerful enough to block them out and that he was hidden at the second saying Pike nor Ian could tell Kin was there.  That only confirmed they could read each other’s thoughts, but nothing beyond that.  Kin kept me hidden from them an entire day. It didn’t make sense that he had more power unless it was because he was one and they were two.  Maybe the prophecy is wrong.  Or read wrong.  Or something else.

Pike’s sudden appearance caused a ruckus.  The girl behind me, who I didn’t know the name of, was flailing her arms and yelling, “You’re out of line, dude.  You’re are you some kind of freaking genie.  How did you get here so fast from over there?”  Her shocked face reminded me that the humans had never seen the otherworldly mojo before. I’d come to see it as an everyday thing and my guard was down though I felt a little privileged at that point.  Special. I needed that reminder right about now.   Instead of cranking out the rudeness at Pike, I simply patted his arm and told him all was well.  He gave the girl a dirty look and returned in a slow walk to his alphabetical spot in line.  The girl bent forward and whispered, “All rudeness but comes in a yummy package.”

I don’t know what reaction I expected myself to do but this is what I did, “You can’t have him.  He’s mine.”

All three of my boys’ ears perked up.  Their heads all slammed in unison to my direction.  Kin and Ian scowling.  Pike grinning.  I looked at the girl in a panic, “You could never be good enough for the likes of him.  I mean...no he isn't your type, that you aren't, oh, never mind.  He’s much more than just a pretty package.”  I had no idea why I was sticking up for Pike, but I did know for sure I would have to answer for it later.  But this girl didn’t see him right.  She didn’t see the predatorily way he protects me.  Pike couldn’t see that I needed him in that way either.  Ian didn’t want to see that I needed him in that way.   Annoying as he was, I always feel safe with him near me.   And I just saw firsthand what my protection boys could do.  Their hearing was way better than they ever pretended it to be and know way more than they are letting on.  Plan B and C just became experiment number three and there was never a Plan A.

In front of me came an added comment, “Will you claim me too.  I am the only one left out now.”

Ignoring him was easy.  Ignoring his comments was difficult.  Today, I did.

The events off and rolling, I was moving closer to the stage following Kin as we were called one by one shaking hands with Principal Wagner.  When they called Kin’s name I felt the snarls behind me.  They knew now.  And Kin was the only one who picked a last name with the letter S in it.  Should’ve thought ahead on the last name boys!

When all had finished, we threw our hats in the air and screamed in delight.  Of course, my life would take a different turn than most of them.  No, all of them.  Strong arms went around me and I knew them to be Kin’s.  He whispered to me, “I will be awaiting your word, my queen.  Till then…” he planted a kiss right on me.  Fast and to the point! 

He was gone before Ian could surface so I watched him walk through the parking lot.  

Ian’s thick arms went around my shoulders pulling me close and eyeing a retreating Kin, “Are you happy, my queen?”

“Of course, my king,” I gave my best smile to Ian knowing Kin rattled my nerves and his worse.  It’s not that I thought he would take me, but that he could if he wanted to.  He was that much faster and craftier than either Ian or Pike.  Was it the Unseelie court part of him that makes him that way?

Ian stiffened seeing where my eyes were aimed, “Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“What?”  I heard the bike start up.   Everyone in the parking lot near us stopped to watch.  The cap and gown were on the concrete and Kin was heading off into oblivion.  Whizzed in...whizzed out.

“Why didn’t you tell me that he was here?” Ian repeated still stealing the same sarcasm in his tone, holding back how he really want to react.

"He will not harm me whatever purpose he might have.  He will bring no harm to our court as long as I am in it which is why I keep from freaking out every time he has a notion to shock value me.” 

“And you know this how?” he yelled at me catching some attention from nearby rubberneckers, letting go of me in his quick-tempered rage.

“Because he told me.”  His green eyes were blazing at me now absolutely revved up for action.  He gruffed, huffed, grunted and so on.  And walked away.  He could be such an butthead sometimes.

Pike, my # 3 butthead of the hour, was now at my side.  “I will walk you and do not get any ideas, my queen.”  His voice was fierce.

“I have ideas, but they don’t concern you Pike.” 
Stupid men.
 

He leered at me and pulled me to his side with one arm around me.  We were at the car now with Ian MIA.  Pike leaned close and secretly thanked me for saying the kind words to Staci.  “Who?” I asked. 

“The girl you told off.  Didn’t know you cared.” 

“I don’t.”

“Yeah, right.  Keep saying that, Grace.”

My mother and father flowed in with the crowd of parents not far behind my friends.  When Pike had the car door opened and waiting I stopped, “Wait.  I have people I want to say goodbye too.”

“Too risky.”

“For you maybe.”

He grunted once more now being joined by Ian causing me to wonder where he arrived from.

“Why are we still here?” Ian asked in haste towards Pike.

“Ask her.” He spat.

Can these men be any more ornery?
  Hello!
  “I want to say goodbye to Caylie and Pam.”

“Fine.” He stomped off to get them I presumed leaving me with Pike and my parents to wait.

My father stepped towards the two of us, “Introduce us to your friend.”

I swallowed tangling my thoughts a second searching for Pike’s human name.  “Dad, this is Christian.  He went to school with me.”  I smiled, my lips quivering.  I saw Caylie and Pam sneak up two cars over and stood waiting for me to look in their direction.

“Very nice to meet you.  Your daughter has been a great friend for years and I am honored to finally meet you.”  He was all deep voice and smooth talking to win my father over.  He bowed and shook my father’s hand.  Very jealous at the hand contact.  So not cool!

“Well, Grace.  You never mentioned him.  Nice boy!”  My dad was looking back and forth from Pike to Ian, no doubt noticing the step up in too many boys around my daughter mode.

“He was a very shy one dad.  He only recently came out of his shell.”  I liked my analogy. 
Ha!
 

“Well, he seems to be a nice young man.  Opens door for a young lady.  You’ll make a fine husband one day.”

I gulped. 
DAD!
  “Father, P—Christian has to go now.  He was only saying goodbye.”  I turned to him.  “Goodbye Christian.  May you get everything you deserve.”  I once again was proud of my underlying tones.

“Oh, I’m aiming for it, my lady.”  And the dang boy kissed my hand.  In front of my parents.  And Caylie and Pam.  And Ian! 
Dog!

I very hastily let both girls hug me no handed.  Of course, Pam had to ask.  “What’s wrong with your hands?”

“Oh, I am freezing.  They are ice cold.”  I felt Pike slide back up next to me feeling his boots knock against the back of my heels.  His protector hand grabbed my arm, the one he just kissed.  He is supposed to be gone like I told him too.

“Are you getting sick?” Pam asked in disbelief, “or is it all the hotness that seems to surround you, follow you, latch on to you.”  Ian was faster than he should have been.  His hand knocked Pike’s down and replaced them with his own on my shoulder blades, claiming me as his.  Me Tarzan, my woman! 

This warranted a laugh from Pam and Caylie both.  Oh boy, were they wrong to do that.  BUT I was loving it.  SO I did the worst thing possible.  I lit the fire hotter.  “Yes, hot guys seem to be around me a lot lately.  They just won’t give me any space.”  Ian growled.  Yes ma’am!  He surely did!