Veined (A Guardian of the Angels Novel) (12 page)

“I did this?” I eventually croaked.

“The answer to that question is lying over there on the floor,” Attic said. “Pretty things, too.”

I lunged toward my undies and stuffed them into my jeans pocket, making it bulge.

“The other night you literally blew the remaining Keres away. It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. I wasn’t sure how you did it at first, but then I remembered the night I came to dinner.”

Like a film trailer, flashes of the evening came back to me. I paused on the scene he must’ve been referring to. “Let me get this straight. If I hadn’t let you in, your ass would have frozen off?”

Attic chuckled. “I guess that depends on just how much you meant it.”

I shrugged. “Quite a bit at the time.”

Attic’s smile widened. “I sure hope I’m in your better books now, Lark.”

“We’ll see,” I said with a casual pat on my pocket, and hopefully no trace of a grin. “But while we’re on the topic. Why did you come to dinner that night, Attic? It can’t have been to introduce yourself to my family. Smooth lying though.”

“An Outbreak was about to happen very close to where you lived,” Attic said. “I wanted to keep an eye on you so the demons wouldn’t find you. And I was hungry. Although had I taken the time to find out what was on the menu, I would’ve hung outside instead.”

I picked up a muffin and tossed it like I was playing hot potato, and when Attic looked out at the blue sky, I chucked it at his back. There was a blur, and the next thing I saw was Attic casually biting into the muffin. “So, what did I do to deserve that, Lark?”

“For the rude comment you made that night.” And for destroying my flower buffer.

“But I couldn’t see you with it in the way,” he said.

“That was the point, and is there any way you could not read my thoughts?”

He raised a brow in mock disbelief. “Now why would I want to do that?”

Looking over his shoulder, I saw the blue sky had disappeared, the clouds darkening the outside once more. “It didn’t last long.”

Attic took another bite of muffin and didn’t say anything until he’d swallowed. “You’re untrained and using your power depletes your energy. It’s a good thing it didn’t last long. I don’t want you passing out. Again.”

I shifted from foot to foot and bit my bottom lip as I remembered waking up in his arms. “What did you do to me? I didn’t even have a scratch on me, even though I was battered in the attack.”

“I fed you blood from my Vein.”

“You fed me
what
?”

“I cut your wrist and nicked my Vein and shared my power with you, so you’d heal faster.” Attic ran a hand through his hair and I wondered if that was a sign of his nervousness. He dropped his arm to his side. “Angel blood can heal us from injuries.”

“But I also have an Angel Vein, right? Why couldn’t I heal on my own?”

“Because, Lark,” he said, exasperated, “the stunt you pulled with your power was too much too soon, and until the Vein regenerated you would only heal as fast as a human would.”

“Doesn’t giving me some of your Angel blood weaken you then?”

“It did a little bit. But with training you learn how to maximize the power from your Vein.”

“What happens when you run out?” I shook my head. “Is there some type of Vein station or something?”

Attic’s face darkened, his eyes gleaming
as if craving something. “I’ll show you sometime.”

My pulse raced. I had to change the topic, and quick. “Um
. . . Could you take me shopping? I mean, just do your Guardian thing while me and maybe Maddy and Marcus do some much needed,” Attic watched as I patted my pocket, “shopping.”

He laughed. “So you
do
know how to lark around.” Before I even had a chance to think how I’d reply, I was dangling over his shoulder. In less than five minutes he put me down outside room fourteen. Despite my dizziness, I frowned at him. “You’ve moved quicker than that before.” And travelled further distances.

“That’s pretty fast for
on foot
,” Attic said. I opened the door and stepped in. “But for shopping we’ll take the car if you want Maddy and Marcus to come along.”

I twirled back round, something just occurring to me. “But if you can move like that why did you bother driving to school? Traffic’s a bitch.” From a couple of rooms I heard people laugh in agreement with me.
Guardian hearing.

“The Porsche isn’t just a mode of transportation, it’s an experience. Plus, I like to take passengers, not all of whom can move as fast as I can.”

“Oh, right.” Somehow I’d forgotten about Attic’s charm and the girls that flocked to him. I didn’t want to even think about what they got up to in his car.

“Forget about my charm, did you?” Attic smirked. “I think I’m just going to have to do something about that.”

I rolled my eyes. “Attic, you can have any girl you want. And they’ll all think you’re charming. You don’t need it from me.” Besides, I was with Jason. Who I should definitely call. . . .

Attic opened his mouth to say something, but then whipped his head to the side. Peering down the balcony, I saw Albelin. Although I couldn’t hear it, his mouth was moving and
I knew he was speaking to Attic. Judging by his stride, it was important.

“One second,” he said back to Albelin and faced me. “I’ve got to go. As soon as I get back, we go shopping.”

I rang Jason. “Hey, do you want to meet up again today? We’re going to the mall.”

“Man, I’d love to, but I’ve got work at the docks today. Who’s ‘we’, anyway?”

“Oh, you know, Marcus, Maddy, and, ah, Attic.”

Jason was silent.

“Jason, you there?”

He breathed heavily down the line. “Yeah, I’m there. I just, I don’t like that guy. Especially the way he looks at you. Damn, I wish I could come.”

The way he looks at me? I shook the thought. Not important. “We’re just going shopping. Ring you later, yeah?”

Next I rang Marcus and Maddy and told them I’d—
Attic
’d—be picking them up in the afternoon and to be ready.

It was two by the time Attic got back and we’d reached the mall. Maddy dressed up for the
occasion wearing a tartan tutu—or certainly something that looked like a tutu—flimsy stockings, and a thin, form-hugging jumper.

“You sure you’ll be warm enough?” I asked, my torso twisted in the front to see her in the back seat.

“I’m fine,” Maddy said, her teeth chattering slightly. I wondered if I should wish the air outside a few degrees warmer for the stretch between the parking lot and the entrance, but I changed my mind when Attic scowled at me, a clear
don’t even think about it
.

Marcus wrapped an arm around her. “I’ll keep her warm.” That was sweet. I really liked Marcus, he was worth any hard time Attic might give me for deciding not to Lethe them out of my life.

“It’s not like that,” Attic muttered, so low only I could hear. “I’m not going to give you a hard time.”

Good.

The car stopped. “What are we waiting for?” I said, scrambling out. Attic had promised he would stay out of sight while we shopped, and I couldn’t wait to be alone with my friends. Well, sort of alone. I knew he’d be watching me and probably hear anything we said, but at least I could pretend it was just me, Maddy and Marcus.

“We’ll meet back at the car in two hours,” I said to Attic as I pulled Maddy by the arm, making her trot to the entrance. Thankfully, inside it was warm. Maddy stopped shivering.

“Where to first?” Marcus rubbed his hands together.

Maddy put a hand on each of our arms and tugged us toward a jewelry store. “I need a little something to go with my gown.”

I gulped. Shoot. How was I going to shop for a dress? I couldn’t exactly do it with Maddy and Marcus with me, after I’d already told them I had something, and now with a jam-packed schedule, it didn’t seem like I was going to get another chance. Mentally I flicked through the items of clothing Attic had brought me. Maybe I could jazz up a skirt and top?

I pushed the problem to the back of my mind and followed Maddy into the jewelry store. It wasn’t where I’d expected Maddy to shop. Everything in the store was authentic diamond, gold and silver with weighty price tags.

“What do you think of this?” Maddy held up a simple silver chain with a small locket to her neck.

“You look stunning without it,” Marcus said. “But. Wow.”

“It’s wonderful,” I said. “Bit pricey though, for Twirp and silver.”

“It’s white gold, Sylva.” She checked the little tag hanging around the clasp. “$800. It’s not too bad.” My expression obviously spoke fo
r itself, because she continued, “The privilege of having diplomats for parents is that they feel guilty about moving a lot and make up for it with a pretty generous allowance.” She angled a mirror on the counter and gave herself a small smile. “I like it. It would be something to remind me of high school, too. This time in our lives will be over sooner than we know it.”

“You’re right there,” Marcus said with a more than subtle hint of ‘can’t wait’ longing.

Maddy made her purchase, making the assistant’s day. We prowled more stores and after we’d exited the fifth, Marcus shook his head. “Sylva, you were the one who came up with the idea to go shopping. And you’re the only one who hasn’t bought anything.”

It was true, but every time I saw clothes I liked I couldn’t bring myself to buy them. It felt too weird using a credit card that got charged to someone I hardly knew. And, jeez, I had pride. I wasn’t about to take someone else’s hard earned money.

I shrugged and pointed to a lingerie store. “Marcus, would it freak you out if we went in there?”

He laughed. “Other guys would be kicking themselves to be in my shoes right now. But, no, doesn’t bother me a bit.”

“Sylva, what size are you?” Maddy asked, raking through bras and undies.

“Ah, 34B.”

“What are you looking for? Practical? Pretty? Sporty? Sexy?”

“Anything. Some of each, I suppose.”

Maddy had good taste. She piled me up with both innocent and scandalous varieties of underwear and sent me straight to the check out. They were the one thing I had to buy, so I didn’t feel as guilty when the assistant swiped the credit card. Besides, I’d think of a way to pay it back myself.

“Okay,” Maddy said to me, chewing on the straw of her coke, “I can’t wait any longer for you to tell me. I have to ask. What’s up with you and Attic?”

“Thank goodness you asked,” Marcus said, pulling on the black and grey striped woolen hat he’d brought. Without bright blond hair decking his head, Marcus looked older, but he still sounded his same self: a mixture of sweetness and mischief. “The same question’s been whizzing round in my head, too. Is Jason available again?”

I closed my eyes briefly, imagining Attic’s ears pricked about now. “Nothing’s up with Attic. And, no, Jason’s
not
available.”

“So why are you hanging with him, on a Sunday no less?” Marcus said.

“He needed to go shopping, too, so it just made sense. You know, save gas.” If my explanation didn’t satisfy them, then Attic, walking towards us, looking as if he were drowning under bags, did.

“Good God, he’s gorgeous,” Marcus muttered under his breath. My face flushed for him, knowing Attic had heard.

Attic glanced at us, his gaze lingering on Marcus. What wouldn’t I do to be able to read what was going on in Attic’s mind right now? “Nice hat. Suits you,” Attic said. Okay, that was suspiciously friendly. “You guys all done?”

Maddy looked pointedly at me. “You’re pretty much going home empty handed. Want to see if we can’t find you a little something else, first?”

I would have liked to spend more time with Maddy and Marcus, but I couldn’t handle one more shop. “Nah,” I said and Maddy pouted her bottom lip, making her look more doll-like than ever. “Another time.”

“How about after Twirp? On Sunday, then.” Maddy wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

I laughed. “It’s a date. Promise.”

CHAPTER 13

BY THE TIME
I’d clicked open the seat belt, Attic had already unpacked the boot
.
The door shut with a thud, and I heard my pullover rip. Crap.

Attic laughed and, with a quick jerk, freed my hem from the car’s grip. It was truly beyond repair now. I felt Attic press something into my hands, and looked down to see his numerous shopping bags.

“You really have to start using the credit card. I’m not your personal assistant.”

It took me a while to process what he was saying. Attic pointed to the bags and I glanced inside one to see the navy blue cashmere top I’d been eying up while Marcus had bought his hat.

I gulped, afraid to check the other bags. Were they all for me?

“Everything you fancied and even sort of liked is there,” Attic said.

Well, that was unexpected. And . . . nice. No sooner had I thought it, Attic broke into a grin.

“But I will find a way to pay for it myself,” I said.

Attic frowned. “I don’t think you understand. Money isn’t a problem for Guardians, we get an allowance from the Head Guardians for our work. And having lived for so long, we’ve saved up plenty.” He patted the Porsche. “Albelin bought the 911 just a few months ago.”

“Well, I haven’t exactly done any work. Who am I indebted to?”Attic fiddled with the rim of a glove and the action spoke louder than words. I let out a defeated sigh. “It’s you, isn’t it?” His silence was admittance enough. “Whatever am I going to shop for with Maddy next Sunday?” I said, giving up. There was nothing I could do about it now. Hell, there seemed to be nothing I could do about anything. My life had been taken over and I was powerless to stop it. A thought wormed its way to the surface of my bursting mind.

As soon as I asked it, I realized it was the one thing I most wanted. “Attic, do I get a choice?”

“I have to say, I’m surprised this didn’t come sooner.” Attic started walking toward the motel reception and I hurried to keep up, leaving the shopping bags next to the car. Just before the entrance he stopped and looked me in the eye. “Yes, you have a choice.”

“I don’t—I don’t have to be a Guardian?” I said the words aloud, but they were directed to myself. “I can go back to my family?” I stopped moving, but my thoughts swirled.

Attic sighed. “The Angels always give you the choice. They want you to be their Guardian, but they want you to want it. So they let you choose freely.”

“And what happens if I—”

“If you reject it, your Vein will eventually deplete and your powers will disappear. Once that happens you’d be lethable again, and, yes, we’d give your family’s memories back, and you could go back to them.” He took a nervous breath. “And if you accept, there’s no turning back. It’s till death do you part.”

I clenched my teeth and I shoved Attic’s chest, pushing him to the door. My voice came out low. Croaky. “You’d made me think I’d lost them for good.” I shoved him again, but there was nowhere for him to go. He didn’t try to fight back. “I’ve been grieving when . . . when all along I could go back to them?” I squeezed his shirt in my palms. “Why the
hell
didn’t you tell me earlier? Right at the beginning?”

Attic met my gaze. “I couldn’t. It crossed my mind a few times to tell you. But, I don’t know
. . .I just couldn’t.”

I closed my eyes. There was no point in dwelling on this. Better to focus on the relief.
The fact that I can and will decide against becoming a Guardian.
I let Attic go. “Get my furniture back, give them their memories. I’m going home.”

Before I could spin away, Attic clutched my elbow, his face pale. “The angels chose you. It’s a privilege to be a Guardian. Doesn’t that mean something to you?”

I shook my head. “Not enough. My family mean more.”

His fingers twitched on my elbow as if he were shaking. “There aren’t enough Guardians. So many of our potentials fade or are killed. You saw the tortured, torn up body of one of the Guardians. I was with you as you found Guardian Heath. Heard your thoughts
, wishing over and over again that you could have helped. As a Guardian
you can
. We need you.”

The horror of that evening came back to me. I shivered. I had wanted to help, still did, but at the cost of my own family? “I just
. . . I just . . .” I shook my head. “I don’t know.”

Attic’s voice softened. “Please don’t make the decision straight away. Now that you’ve Phoenixed and your powers are much stronger, you’re still in danger. You wouldn’t be able to go back to your family right away, anyway. Not until your Vein depletes. At least give it that time to consider it. Take becoming a Guardian seriously.”

My heart raced. Was I seriously considering this? “How long do I have until it depletes?”

Attic studied my face. “I’d have to see your Vein to tell you that. But my guess is about a week or two.”

He shuffled away from the door. Albelin stepped out of the reception and rested a hand on Attic’s shoulder.

As Albelin led him to the middle of the car park, Attic kept his eyes on me. I turned to leave, but paused on the steps up to the balcony when the wind trailed their voices to me. I wasn’t sure if it was something I’d unconsciously willed or not, but
I listened anyway.

“I’ve just heard,” Albelin said, “your brother will be here by the end of the week.”

Attic grunted. “Dammit.”

“Sorry mate, I am, but you had to know they would send one of your brothers to find you before your next birthday.”

Over the railing, I thought I saw Attic’s adam’s apple rise as he swallowed. Whatever Albelin was on about, it didn’t look like good news.

“Will you run?” Albelin asked, his gaze flickered momentarily toward me, and I quickly stared straight ahead, continuing up the stairs. “I don’t envy your responsibilities. The burden is great. If there’s anything I can do
. . .”

“You’ve been a good friend to me, Albelin. I couldn’t ask for anything more.” Something panged inside me at the sound of Attic’s anguished voice. I knew that feeling too well. And more than necessary, thanks to him.

Outside room fourteen, I fumbled for the keys, but before I could find them the door swung open and I was yanked inside. I yelped when I saw who it was.

“God, Attic, how’d you do that? The door was locked, and you were just down there.” I pointed toward the parking lot where he’d stood with Albelin. My mind whizzed, trying to figure out if there was another way up and into my room that I didn’t know about.

“Heard all that did you?” Attic shut the door, jailing me between his arms. His heat flooded toward me and my heart beat hard against my chest.

Immediately, I regretted eavesdropping like it had been my business. “Sorry.” I stared over his shoulder at the shopping bags he’d managed to bring up before me too. “I didn’t mean—Hey. Aren’t
I
supposed to be the one angry with
you
?”

His eyes bored into mine and his face inched closer. My Vein flared with heat, sparks ran through me and I feared anything touching my skin would combust, I was so charged. I licked my bottom lip, my body already anticipated what was coming, but did I want it? Considering he kept lying to me and I already had a boyfriend, no, absolutely not. But then why
. . .

“Guess we could call it even.” Attic pushed against the door and stepped away from me.

My head cried out in relief, but it was in stark contrast to my body, which felt like it’d been offered something it really wanted but couldn’t have. I forced myself not to grab Attic like an uncontrolled addict. I was pissed at him. And I didn’t even like him.

Attic looked up at me, his eyes pained. “That’s probably a very good thing. Liking me would make things way too complicated.”

What did that mean? I stuffed the question in the back of my mind and concentrated on the curve of his shoulder. I hated not having privacy.

I sensed Attic’s mood change. When I dared to look at his face, he was smiling again. “I’ll teach you how to shield your thoughts, Lark.” His lips were poised in such a position I knew he hadn’t finished. He paused a moment longer, then said, “
If
you do whatever I say until you’ve made your choice about being a Guardian or not.”

My breath caught and I coughed. “What do you mean “whatever”?”

“I mean
whatever
, sweets.” Attic offered me his hand to shake on it. “Just how much do you want me out of your head?”

“I swear I’ll do
whatever
you say.”

Attic dropped his hand, balling it at his side. His face hardened and looked cold and beautiful, like marble. When he spoke, his tone froze me like I’d seen a moving shadow in a supposedly empty house. “I want you to shake on it. To follow through on my condition based on your own sense of fairness. But not obligation. Never,
ever
, swear to something unless you’ve thought about it for a very long time,” Attic said, his eyes blazing, then he added, “And even then don’t do it.”

I closed my eyes briefly. When I opened them Attic was no longer there, but his warning still hovered like shards of ice in the air.

I spent a good deal of the rest of that day and night trying to guess exactly what
whatever
entailed. Either too early in the morning or too late at night I concluded that it didn’t matter, shielding my thoughts was too big a temptation for anything else to hinder it from happening.

Unfortunately, by the time I got to sleep it was almost time to get up. I’d set the alarm on my cell, and when it went off in the morning, I seriously considered flushing it down the
toilet. Only problem with that was, I’d have to get up to do it.

I swore as I dragged myself into the shower. On the ‘to be’ side of my decision, at least as a Guardian I wouldn’t feel so dead tired all the time and would spend much less time lolling about uselessly in bed.

I spent much longer than I usually would getting dressed. The options were too numerous. Attic hadn’t exaggerated when he said he’d bought me anything I even sort of liked.

Finally, I settled on black pants, a simple grey top and decorated it with a splash of turquoise from my scarf. Twisting strands of hair, I clipped it up and felt quite satisfied once I was done.

Hoping I wasn’t too late, I grabbed my shoulder bag and ran down to the Porsche where I’d arranged to meet for the ride to school. I skidded to a stop, my mouth dropping open.

“How the hell do you pull that off?” I let the words fly. He would’ve read my thoughts anyway, if I hadn’t.

“Thank you, Lark. Looking good yourself.” Attic slid into the car and I did the same, still fixated on his hair. Dark green with black highlights and the tones seemed to pick out the greener flecks of his blue eyes. It looked stunning. Hot, actually. Really hot. Attic started to grin and I focused on the road, naming as many of the American States in my head as I could.

“Stop that. It’s boring,” Attic said, and added with a waggle of his brows, “Get back to complimenting my hotness.”

I pinched his arm. “Tune out.”

“I wish I could,” he grumbled. “Have you decided whether you want to take up my offer?”

And have my head to myself again? You betcha.

“Good. Then wipe the smirk, Lark.” It was my turn to grumble. “And today at school, you’re going to be nice to me,”
he added.

I fluttered my lashes at him and smiled. “But I’m always nice.”

Attic snorted.

The morning sped by and before I knew it lunchtime had arrived. It came with some very unappetizing soup. I lifted the spoon and let the running orange slush plop back into the bowl. Maddy chuckled. “School’s the best diet ever. The food here totally sucks ass.”

Something brushed the top of my head and I leaned back to see Jason and his upside down smile. “Hey,” he said and kissed my forehead again.

My cheeks flushed as I remembered Saturday night. I wasn’t sure how much of it he remembered, but I hoped he hadn’t got the wrong idea about me. He smiled at Maddy and Marcus and felt for my hand under the table.