Divinity: The Gathering: Book One (20 page)

I decided that since that was apparently the case, then it wasn’t a good idea to tell them the truth without sounding…crazy. I was still trying to wrap my own brain around it myself. “I must have.” I r
eplied feigning embarrassment to add to the lie.

“Are you sure? That looks like a hard hit. You had to have been running awfully fast, but even if you hit the wall or the floor full on, it wouldn’t have looked like that.” Rodney said from the
door while studying my face with concern.

“I know. It looks raw too, like a burn almost,” Erin added, looking over my mouth and chin with co
ncern.

“Do I look that bad?” I asked them all.

Lenell smiled showing her dimples. “You could never look bad honey, but that is a nasty bruise and cut on your lip. I think I should call the paramedics just to be sure.” She then said with a sincere motherly look of worry.

“I don’t need an ambulance. I’m okay. What about my teeth? I still have them all, right?” I told her and then asked as I cheesed and brought my fingers to my teeth to feel and wincing at the sting in my lip and corner of my mouth.

I was shocked to find how much more swollen it had become since I had woken up just now. I ran my tongue slowly across my upper and lower bridge, still tasting the coppery sweet hint of blood near my gums. I grimaced taking another long swig of water to wash the taste away. It didn’t really help.

Lenell chuckled, her bosom bouncing heartily, “Girl you are so silly. I’m gonna have to fill out an accident report for you so ambulance or no ambulance, don’t be su
rprised if you get a call from risk management and HR anyway,” She cackled with laughter as she rubbed my shoulders lovingly.

“You guys really didn’t hear or see anything at all?” I asked all of them in wonder with my brows furrowed just to make sure.

Erin shook her head no and so did Rodney.

“We heard you screaming but it was too dark to find where you were and what was wrong,” Lenell said.

I shook my head incredulous. Maybe I had run into something and knocked myself out.

No, I know what I saw, I know what I smelled, and I know what I hit. My pain and injuries were definitely real and there was still soreness in my wrist and e
lbow from the jarring impact of slamming the flashlight into the shadow things' solid face.

So, if they had been real though—what happened and where had they all gone?

Rodney straightened, having been leaning against the doorjamb and turned his head to his right past the open office door. He was talking to someone out of my sight range. There was another voice, low sounding but deep, rich and smooth, and I wondered who it had been. “Yeah, it was unexpected. One injury but she’s okay; she’s a tough one.” He chuckled turning back to me with a wink.

“Who are you talking to?” Erin asked Rodney as she peered around him and out the door. “Oh…
Hello officer.” She said slowly as if whoever it was had struck her with pleasant surprise, and then she smiled really big.

I sat up too, though dizzy, and tried to stand only to be forced to remain seated and relaxed by mother Lenell, which was a good thing because my ankle instantly protested and I stifled my abrupt gasp, so I wouldn’t let them know it was injured. Rodney stepped aside to make way for the officer who was coming into the office.

“Does she need an ambulance?” The deep, rich voice asked, and then the officer whom the voice had belonged to, stepped into the office-- having to duck slightly into the doorway. Now I know why Erin seemed so…awestricken. At first glance, it was his height that made my jaw…as well as Lenell’s drop. He was decked out clean and sharp in a perfectly pressed, all black IMPD uniform. It was complete and decorated with weapons belt, gun, shiny silver handcuffs, black leather gloves, impressive medals and buttons to match the silver badge on his wet jacket as well as the one on his cap. Not only was he really freaking tall and smooth cut, but he was incredibly… gorgeous— as in gladiator, Greek God gorgeous.

Standing next to Rodney, who was six feet himself, he looked like a giant, towering at least a foot over him. He was shoulders were broad; his muscular build was sculpted into a classic ‘V’ shape by his lean, narrow waist. From what I could see, his had a full mouth and a strong, defined square jaw line. I hoped I wasn’t gawking; I mean everyone else was. His eyes were a bit shadowed under the patent brim of his cap, so it was hard to see them.  The little bit of his hair peeping out from his perfectly edged hair line was dark. My mind strangely went to…male stripper at a bachelorette party or something to that e
ffect, because he was that damned sexy in his uniform and jacket, which still held silvery beads of water and dark spots of rain.

There was something else about him though that gave me a sense of unease, but I coul
dn’t quite put my finger on it. Was it the way he was looking at me…almost as if he knew me or something…like Ms. Hawthorne had when she first saw me?

I began to feel that familiar static ele
ctric sensation pricked my flesh again…like it had in Professor Phillips office and out in the courtyard when I saw that outline of some large being. I sensed as I glanced around at Erin and Lenell, who both still gaped at him, that I was apparently the only one feeling that odd sensation on my skin though.

He moved closer to where Lenell sat with me on the couch, studying me as if he were d
oing his own medical evaluation of my injuries and at the same time, removing his cap as a gesture of respect. He ran his gloved fingers through his perfect, dark hair. Though cleanly edged around the sides, his hair was now slightly tousled on top, enough so that when he ran his fingers through it, it formed an adorable resemblance to a semi-Mohawk down the middle making him look even younger than he probably was and—incredibly sexy.

His eyes met mine, and they were the most vexing and captivating eyes that I had ever seen on anyone in my entire life. They were a unique striking combination of what I could only describe as deep, moss green and cerulean blue with pale gold flecks beneath his long, thick dark lashes and brows. My breath caught as my heart beat faster. I could imagine what I must look like, bruised, dirty, mouth swollen with vomit crusted in the corners and my hair in a tangled hot mess all over my head.

The static sensation wasn’t helping that aspect much either.   I rubbed the sides of my arms as our eyes met again. Actually, his never left mine and I instantly blushed, feeling warm blood rush to my face and my nipples hardening. Strangely, I literally began to feel as if my clothes were sliding off of me all on their own suddenly too.

             
I shifted myself on the couch, having to look away for a moment as Lenell handed me an ice pack that had been on the lamp table beside the couch. “Thanks. Ambulance isn’t necessary; I’m fine,” I said to him as I placed the ice pack carefully on my lip.

“I didn’t catch yo
ur name officer…” Rodney began.

“Cam, Officer Cam Black. I was nearby when the power went out. I thought I’d check on everyone here,” He casually replied, though when he said it he looked at me as if I had asked the question. He was so gorgeous, standing there with his hands on his hips, exuding his authority with his perfect, tanned
face and the physique of a male fitness model.

Rodney nodded with a smile, “You guys making runs out this way?” He then asked.

“As I said, I was in the area already.” Officer Cam simply reiterated.

“Oh right, sorry. Yeah storms like this do wreak ha
voc, and we need all the help we can get sometimes,” Rodney nodded again.

“How are the roads?” Erin asked
him still entranced by his looks. “Clear enough, no closures. The rain is actually tapering off now,” He answered so eloquently. The sound of his deep voice was like liquid warm honey.

“Maybe you should stay the night until the storm blows over. We have some vacant rooms. I can call your roommate.” Lenell offered.

After what just happened and knowing there were rooms here that people have died in…the mere thought of that gave me the creeps and right now all I could think of was getting back my own room. “No, I’m okay to drive back, really.” I assured her as I attempted to stand.

             
I noticed Officer Cam’s gorgeous eyes travel down to my bloodied shirt and instantly tighten. Then his jaw began to work as if he were …angry or something and I swear that I just saw his eyes glint or glow with a preternatural light for a brief nanosecond.

             
I didn’t want to seem as if I was staring, and I think truthfully I was still shaken up by what just happened so I didn’t really trust my eyes fully just yet or should I have?

“Are you sure you don’t need assistance?” Officer Cam asked me in a velvet tone that caressed my ears.

I nodded quickly as I stood slowly, testing my weight on my ankle.

It was really sore, but I’d done worse to it many times in the past during my gymnastics career so it was no problem for me to manage the pain.

I felt Officer Cam’s eyes on me the entire time, though I tried to avoid his gaze.

“Did you hurt your ankle too?” He then asked me; glancing down at my foot.

Everyone else’s eyes traveled to my foot as well.

“No, it’s fine,” I lied.

“Are you sure? You were limping earlier when I brought you in here.” Lenell eyed me.

“Yeah, see?” I said as I applied a bit of pressure car
efully and took two steps, screaming internally at the shooting ping of pain stabbing in my right ankle and snaking all the way up my calf.

They didn’t seem convinced but they didn’t call me on it either, thank goodness.

“You shouldn’t drive on it. You may have sprained it, let me take a look,” Officer Cam said as he moved closer to me and kneeled down on one knee while reaching for my foot.

I stepped back away from him, and he gave me a knee-weakening, single raised brow of surprise at my stubbornness.

My heart raced as I inhaled the heady scent of him, feeling his body heat along with that tickling of something electric wafting off of him. It was strong, like pulses of static heat against my skin— it was really weird.

Gorgeous, hell yes but something about his presence physically was— off to me.

“I said it was okay. I’m sorry I threw up on the floor. I’ll clean it up,” I then said as I sat back down to start putting my shoes on.

Officer Cam looked at me the way that a parent
would eye a difficult child.

Lenell chuckled, “Already been done, but I wouldn’t have allowed you to do that anyway.”

“Star are you sure? Maybe Officer Black can give you a lift back to the college then.” Rodney suggested.

I wished he hadn’t.

“No I don’t need…” I began as I waved a hand.

“Bloomington?” Officer Cam cut in with a raised a brow, still kneeling in front of me.

“Yes,” Lenell cut in before I could say yes or no.

“That’s not a problem. Are you right handed?” He then asked me.

I looked at him with puzzlement.

“Yeah,
why?” I wrinkled my brows.

“So you’re right foot dominate. People drive with their right foot given where the pedals are anyway so it’s gonna make it difficult for you, and I don’t want to have to ticket you for attempting to drive incapac
itated,” Officer Cam said with a drop-dead gorgeous bright white, straight smile that nearly made me fall forward towards his mouth with my own lips ready and puckered for a kiss.

Erin and Lenell certainly weren’t the only ones ogling him from the chatter beyond the front-desk area beyond and between the other female staff members and nurses.

I eyed him in surprise, “Are you serious?” I replied with raised brows.

             
“By legal standards, yes…I’d have to.” He said with a glimmer of something sneaky in his gorgeous eyes.

I snorted a sigh and rubbed my forehead.

“I can just wrap my ankle it isn’t that serious of an injury.” I then told him. He smirked as he lifted the right hem of my pant scrubs, exposing my ankle and both Lenell and Erin gasped in shock.

“Oh my God Star, that don’t look good at all honey! It just might be broken. Did that happen when you fell?” Lenell said with worry as she quickly moved in for a closer look and bent down to examine it next to officer Cam.

Rodney whistled with surprise.
I shrugged playing innocent and clueless as I sat back down, defeated. I glanced down reluctantly to see that my ankle had swollen to twice its size and was ringed with a dark purplish blue bruising in the shape of what looked like four long fingers. It shocked me too at that moment to actually see it.                        

    
There was no denying that the demon had left several, painful and tangible marks on me and I wondered if they would all be able to see what I was seeing. Apparently not because so far no one made the connection to the bruises resembling finger marks.

Officer Cam’s jaw was working again and when he looked up at me with those striking indigo blue and dark green eyes shaded beneath his thick, long lashes; I was instantly reminded of a clear blue ocean at dawn with the reflection of dark green trees at the shoreline and actual gold looking sparkles mixed in between those trees. They were breath-taking and it was then that I knew that I couldn’t argue that I was fine anymore.