Broken Wings (Cruel and Beautiful World, Book One 1) (32 page)

"I think I got it," said Luka, getting back on his feet. "It should be dark in a few minutes so you can take it out for a test run."

"Fine," said Xander, mounting the bike and putting on his helmet.

"In the meantime, I need to use your bathroom." Luka held out his hand.

Xander sneered. "No. Go piss on a wall."

"That's really classy," said Luka. "Come on, mate. Give me access."

"I said no."

"Why not? You hiding something up there?"

Luka laughed but Soren eyed Xander curiously.

"Stop being so damn weird and hand your primitive keys over." Luka held out his hand again.

Xander grunted. It took everything he had to not stare at his balcony in hopes of giving Deryn a silent warning. Soren was already looking at him strangely. If he didn't let Luka in his apartment now then Soren might come back later, if he truly believed he was hiding something.

Reluctantly, Xander touched his wristband to Luka's and gave him temporary access to his building, then he reached into his pocket and took out his keys, slamming them into Luka's hand. "You better be quick about it."

"Yeah, fine," said Luka. "Sun's down. Better call Finley and get riding."

Xander pulled down the visor on his helmet and turned on his bike. It began to hover and he took off just as Luka headed for his building. One glance over his shoulder and he noticed Soren catch the door before it closed. He stared in Xander's direction for a moment before following Luka inside.

"Shit!" shouted Xander as he turned a corner. "Call Finley."

His wristband called her automatically.

"Is it installed?" she asked upon answering.

"Yes, I'm near my place. Now send the S.U.R.G.E. out quickly, and be ready to shut it off if it attacks me."

There was a momentary pause. "It's done. It should be there in a few minutes."

A few minutes felt like forever in that moment.

"Xander."

"What?" he said harshly.

"I just ... I want to know why?"

Xander grunted. She wanted answers now? Really? "No reason, Finley. But, like I said before, it's nothing personal." Only, this time, it was.

He heard Finley whimper. "Is this because of what I heard Mr. Von speaking with the president about?"

Xander knit his brow. "What?"

"You know. About you and Lona. When she becomes a Guardian."

"What?"

"You know. The marriage they're trying to arrange."

Xander's eyes widened as his body drained of blood. "What?" he repeated for a third time. "Where the fuck did you hear that?"

"Just now," she said. "The president and Mr. Von were talking about it. You didn't know?"

"I'm not marrying anyone!" Xander had never had much interest in marriage, and the current dark world they lived in only exacerbated those feelings. And since when did the president care about the marriages of his subordinates?

"Oh. So if that's not the reason you're blowing me off, then I guess it's just me," she said sadly.

"Damn right it is!" Xander turned another corner, circling back around to his apartment. "Want to get back in my good graces, Finley? Find out more about this 'arrangement'."

"Alright."

Just then, a S.U.R.G.E. flew into his vicinity. It fluttered around him for a moment before buzzing in approval and zooming off.

"It worked," he said to Finley through the line. "Let the president know we'll be installing the rest of them shortly."

Xander didn't wait for her to answer before hanging up. The test was done and he was heading home. Hopefully, there wouldn't be a mess to clean up.

Deryn stared at the street in panic as Xander rode off on his hover-bike and Luka headed for the door to the building. "Shit," she whispered to herself.

And then Soren hurried forward. She moved her position to follow him, just making him out as he disappeared through the same door as Luka.

"Shit, shit, shit!" she said much louder this time.

Deryn crawled to the door and slid it open, hurrying inside and back to her feet. Once the balcony door was shut and locked, she tossed her blanket and book into her room, then ran to the bathroom, grabbing every girly product Xander had given her and stuffing them in the cabinet under the sink. Then she moved like a whirlwind through the front of the apartment, searching for anything that was hers.

The knob on the front door rattled. Deryn went white before running into her bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind her.

"Th'fuck you doing, Sorey? If Xander didn't even want me up here then he sure as hell doesn't want you," she heard Luka say as he entered the apartment.

"I have to use the bathroom, too."

That voice ... that crackly, barely there voice sent chills down Deryn's spine. It was so different, but just the same.

"Like hell you do," said Luka. "If this wasn't an emergency I'd drag you back down to the street right now. But you better believe I'll be quick."

So would Deryn. When she heard Luka's footsteps head towards the bathroom, she moved around her room as quietly as she could, grabbing her things and stuffing them under the bed but holding onto her Element. Just in case. She wanted to clear out the closet too, but there was no time. All she could do was shut it and climb under the bed with her things, because Soren was already across the apartment and opening Xander's bedroom door.

He was out of there quickly, walking in a circle around the living room before stopping by her door.

Deryn put her hand over her mouth to drown out the sound of her breathing as her door creaked open. There were footsteps moving around the bed. She could see the shadows of his feet through the crack between the floor and the comforter. And then he stopped. By the closet. She didn't have much but she had enough to let him know someone was living here.

She clenched her free fist as she was sure he reached for the handle of the closet door, readying himself to open -

"Th'fuck you doing in here?" spat Luka, his angry footsteps marching into the room and shoving Soren back so his legs hit the bed. "You need to take a piss? Then go do it because you have no business in here!"

Something clicked and Soren spoke, his voice still damaged but somehow clearer. "That shithead you call a friend didn't want us coming up here for a reason and you know it."

"I know no such thing. That shithead's always been private. Now go take a piss!"

Another click. "I don't have to take a fucking piss!" shouted Soren, storming out of the room. Luka followed, making sure to shut the door behind him.

The two continued to bicker in the front room. Deryn kept hoping they would leave but their voices never got any farther. Until she heard the balcony door slide open. Then they both must have stepped outside.

She stayed where she was, not moving, not even breathing out of fear that she might give away her position, even though they were no longer near her.

When Xander arrived back at his building, he drove his hover-bike directly into the garage and leapt off of it, tossing his helmet somewhere as he ran out and shut the door.

When he got outside, he looked up at his balcony, his body burning as he saw Luka and Soren leaning over the side, Luka waving cheerfully.

"Shit," he whispered as he ran for the door, scanning his wristband and typing in a code since Luka had the key. The moment the door was unlocked, he ran inside and darted up the stairs three at a time. By the time he got to his apartment he was winded, but he didn't care.

The first thing he noticed was that all doors were shut. Then he went for the balcony, his eyes bulging as he caught Luka and Soren smoking his cigarettes. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"Hey, Xan," said Luka, glancing over his shoulder at him. "Better not let the president know you have these."

Xander looked at Soren. "Can you even smoke that with your throat?"

Soren shrugged.

"What would your brother say if he saw you with that?"

Soren chuckled and pressed the button on his collar. "He'd probably be more interested to know that
you
were smoking them."

"You going to tell on me, then?" asked Xander, walking to the edge of the balcony and glancing over the side. Deryn wasn't dangling, so that was good.

"I don't see any reason to mention this. As long as you do what I've asked."

Luka glanced sideways at him, obviously curious about what they were talking about.

"I said we'd look for her and we are. What more do you expect from me?"

"I expect you to find her," said Soren, standing up and tossing his cigarette over the side.

Xander could not help but notice the way Luka grimaced at the mention of Deryn. When he caught Xander staring, he quickly pulled it back.

"So did it work?" asked Luka.

Xander nodded.

"Guess we better get a move on then," said Soren, heading inside.

Luka took one last drag of his cigarette before putting it out and following him. Xander was right behind them.

"You two are fully capable of doing this without me," he said, walking over to meet them at the door. "If there are any complications figure it out yourself, because I'm done for the night."

"Whatever," said Luka, tossing him his keys and heading out first. "Come along, Sorey! Time to leave the hermit to his cave."

Soren gave Xander a curious look before following Luka. The moment he was out the door, Xander shut and locked it. He stood there for a second, trying to catch the breath he had been holding since the moment they got there. When he turned around, Deryn was standing in the doorway of her bedroom.

"Were you on the balcony before?" he asked with a gulp.

She nodded and slowly walked towards him.

"Glad you got in alright. Thank our lucky stars for five floors and no elevator."

She reached him, her eyes both cold and blazing as she stared at him for a moment. And then, without warning, her hand lifted and she slapped him hard across the face. He stumbled but still managed to stay on his feet.

"How dare you! How dare you, Xander Ruby! How could you not tell me that he was alive?"

"I didn't want to worry you," he said while rubbing his aching face.

"But I'm already worried! Every single day I'm worried! And Soren ...
He's
the one who wants you to find me?"

"Both him and Veli," answered Xander honestly.

"What does he want with me?" she screamed, tears visible in her eyes.

"He wants to possess you."

Deryn whimpered, but quickly covered her mouth. "It will be worse. He will be so much worse to me after what I did to him." She paced back and forth. "I can't go back to him! I won't! I'd rather die! I -"

"Calm down, Leon!" shouted Xander, grabbing her shoulders and holding her still. "I'm not going to let him get close enough to lay a hand on you! You understand?"

"But -"

"No buts. Soren will never have you again. I promise. I won't let him, even if it means killing him in a room full of Guardians. You will
never
be his."

Deryn sobbed but still nodded. She wiped her eyes, which was pretty much pointless since the tears kept falling. Xander pulled her close and held her tight. Deryn wrapped her arms around his waist and melted into him, that wonderful scent of his filling her nostrils.

But he let her go far too quickly, without even so much as a kiss on the top of her head, which she had become quite accustomed to.

"What do you want for dinner?" he asked, back to that cold, detached manner he had been exhibiting for days now.

"I'm not hungry," she said following after him. "Xander."

He turned and looked at her.

"Xander, please stop playing games with me."

He said nothing.

"I know what you're trying to do and I won't let you manipulate me."

He cocked an eyebrow before flashing that crooked grin of his. He'd called it. Less than a week.

"Fine!" she shouted, obviously not appreciating the silent treatment. "You win, alright? I cave. I don't like you like this. I want you to be like how you were before. I want
us
to be like how
we
were before."

Continuing with his deafening silence, Xander crossed his arms and waited for her to go on.

"I was wrong," she admitted. "We're not nothing.
This
-" She motioned between them. "- isn't nothing."

Xander's mouth twisted. They were on the right track but ... "So what is it then?"

Deryn blushed and cast her eyes to the floor. "I don't know. A friendship, I suppose."

Xander raised his eyebrows. "Is that it?"

She sighed while looking up at him sadly. "I don't know what you want from me."