Evernight (The Night Watchmen Series Book 2) (8 page)

“Jesus, now I’ve seen it all,” Weldon says as he pokes at his food. “A human garbage disposal.” I look up, my face twisted in disbelief and my words ready to protest, when he adds quickly, “But you’re the hottest disposal I’ve ever seen, so that’s a compliment.” His hands are raised in surrender.

“Because that makes it so much easier to swallow,” I retort. Rolling my eyes, I wipe my mouth with a napkin. I hate that my cheeks are on fire, and that I feel Jaxen next to me, looking at me.
It’s only food, and I need to eat,
I tell myself defensively. There’s not one reason on earth why I should pretend otherwise, not if it’s only to impress a man and make him think I’m some kind of bird or something.

So I take a large, very unladylike bite right in Weldon’s direction.

“Do you always have to mess with people?” Jezi says loudly as she dots a napkin around her lips. “Is that your way of compensating for whatever it is you’re lacking?” Her gaze drifts past his midsection, and then a slow, winning smile lifts the corners of her lips.

I bite back my amusement, swallow, and meet Jezi’s gaze. There’s a small, almost infinitesimal moment of camaraderie between us, and it makes me feel like maybe we could be friends. Like she truly is trying to be… nice.

“It’s okay. He doesn’t mean anything by it,” I ease out.

She lifts a lone eyebrow. “Don’t make excuses for him, Faye. You’re not the dipshit whisperer.”

Weldon pretends like he’s been shot in the chest. He falls back, out of his chair. “I’m wounded,” he says gravely, reaching up into the air, “wounded by the small-minded brunette with more insults than a comedian. Tell me,” he pleads, reaching out to Jaxen, “tell me the truth. She loves me, doesn’t she? Madly.”

Jaxen shakes his head and hides his smile before standing up. He grabs Weldon’s hand, pulling him to his feet.

“She’s got it bad, doesn’t she?” Weldon asks, pushing his gaze past Jaxen and onto Jezi.

“Ugh,” she says, “I swear, you just like the sound of your own voice.”

Weldon looks back up at Jaxen. His features widen in mock surprise. “You told her, didn’t you? Traitor,” he says playfully. “You told her who I was really in love with.”

“All right,” Jaxen says, chuckling a little. He lightly pushes Weldon back into his seat. “Sit down and shut up before she whoops your ass. You know she can.”

Weldon looks over at her again. “Oh, yes. I remember,” he says, his eyes swimming in a distant memory. “She’s a strong one.”

“Had you not ran your mouth and pushed her over the edge that night, she wouldn’t have had to flex her Witchy muscles on you,” Cassie says, tossing a wink in Jezi’s direction.

“What night?” I ask, looking between all of them.

“It was before we met you. Jezi and Weldon butted heads, and it resulted in Jezi blasting Weldon’s ass with a bit of magic. Typical female anger issues kind of shit,” Gavin explains, chuckling when Cassie elbows him in the side.

“Whatever,” Jezi says. I swear I see a faint blush in her cheeks, but she turns before I can really tell.

Weldon looks over at me. “You done eating? Want more?” He pushes his food toward me. “I don’t really eat this stuff anyway.”

My stomach rolls as I try not to think about his consumption of blood.

“I’m good,” I say, reaching for my water. Leaning back in my chair, I take in the people that pass between the buildings heading to God knows where. Jaxen finishes off his three tacos and reaches for Weldon’s.

“Freedom never looked so good,” Gavin says as he pushes his empty plate away from him. His gaze takes in the soft, ambient light that glows down the canal as if they plucked a million tiny stars from the sky just to light up the city. “Who’d have thought we’d be here, training to become Elites?”

“Better enjoy it now,” Cassie says, stabbing her fork through the air, “because I’m sure tomorrow won’t look as beautiful.”

A couple takes the table on the other side of us, and I can’t help but notice them staring at me, like I’m one of the seven wonders. I don’t know if I should act like I don’t see them, or let them know I do so they will finally look away. There isn’t much time to think about it because the woman grabs the man’s hand, leaning over enough to ask, “Aren’t you the Everlasting?”

Jaxen stiffens. Spins around. “She’s trying to eat.” His tone says back off, and the man reads it clearly. He tugs on the woman’s hand, trying to get her to sit back, but she keeps on.

“I’m sorry. I don’t want to interrupt you,” she says, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

“Then don’t,” Weldon says pointedly.

“I just-I wanted to know if it was true or not,” the woman continues.

The man whispers something to her.

“No,” she says heatedly. Under her breath, she adds, “I deserve the chance to ask.”

Jaxen grips the arms of his chair as if he’s ready to lose it. Like he’s ready to escort me away.

But I’m curious now. “Ask what?” I say, resting my elbows against the table.

The woman looks at me as if she’s not sure I just spoke. “Oh, I just wanted to know if what the media and the Priesthood have been saying is true. Are you really going to take the Darkyn Coven down? I mean, you’re just so… young looking. Are you really the answer we’ve been waiting for?”

Jaxen’s chair falls back as he stands up. Weldon and Gavin follow, all three waiting for me to give the go ahead.

Her insult heats through my cheeks. I swallow it down. Dig my fingernails into my palm. The answer? Me? The one who doesn’t even know what’s going on? How can I tell her I don’t know? How can I tell her I probably know less than she does, when she’s looking at me like that’s exactly what she expects me to say?

I can’t. I won’t for a second let her opinion of my appearance lesson the person I know I can be.

“Yes,” I push out through my teeth. “I am the answer. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to finish my dinner.”

The man tries to avoid looking up at Jaxen, Weldon, and Gavin as he grabs the woman by the hand and pulls her out of her seat. The woman is too shocked to notice. Too surprised to protest as he whisks her away from us and back out onto the main sidewalk.

Weldon and Gavin fall back into their seat. It takes Jaxen a moment to follow.

“Well, that was interesting,” Gavin says, running his hand up the back of his head.

“And so it begins,” Cassie follows, picking at her napkin.

“What begins?” I ask, almost afraid to hear her answer.

“Rumorville,” she replies with a blatant look in my direction.

“Shh,” Weldon says, “no need to stir anything up. It was just one nosy lady.”

“One nosy lady that I’m sure has a bunch of other nosy lady friends. Trust me. This is only the beginning,” Cassie retorts, dropping the napkin.

“Can’t you feel it?” Jezi asks, her eyes solemnly grazing over the building and down the romantically lit alleyway.

“Feel what?” I ask, following her gaze, glad for a change of subject.

“The proverbial ‘other shoe’ hanging over our heads? The person waiting in the wings for the moment they can snatch the rug out from under you?”

I guess I was wrong.

“What are you talking about, chic?” Cassie asks, leaning up in her seat to nudge Jezi playfully.

“I’m talking about this city,” Jezi says, her eyes roaming back over to mine. “It might be beautiful, but it’s a dangerous kind of beauty. Like a Venus Flytrap or something.”

“Hotel California, baby,” Weldon says with a blank expression.

Gavin snorts. “What the hell are you talking about, man?”

Weldon leans forward, his face growing more serious than I think I’ve ever seen it in my life. “You can check out, but you can never leave.” His words crawl up my spine and weave a nest in the back of my mind.

Silence settles over everyone. I swallow thickly, watching every inch of his expression. Waiting for the moment when he slaps his thighs and says it was all just a joke. Just another one of his sarcastic, twisted ideas of making fun.

But that moment doesn’t come.

“All right, you two. Enough with the ghost stories,” Cassie says with an uneasy laugh. “You’re going to give Faye a heart attack.”

“I’m fine,” I lie, running my hands up and down my arms. I can’t seem to shake the chill that’s settled into my bones. I let out a small sigh, looking past them as Jezi and Weldon’s words take shape in the back of my mind. Could this place really be a trap? Could this city be a reconstructed, beautifully built lie? A mirage set in place to keep us thinking that harmony dwells all around us? In the way the light orange reflection of the gas lamps dance along the waters like tiny sprites. Or the Elites who walk in small groups, laughing and joking to one another without a care in the world. Or how the civilians head in and out of the small shops that make up the network along the streets of the canals.

Only time will tell.

“So what are you doing later?” Jaxen asks Weldon.

He leans back, tucking his hands behind his head. The smile he wears could hang the moon. “I’ve got a date,” Weldon declares smugly.

“That fast? With who?” Cassie asks, sounding thoroughly surprised. She takes another bite and stares across the table at him.

Weldon leans forward. “Well, you all have met her.” He smiles, taking his time to revel in the attention he’s drawn. “She’s blonde and blue-eyed, with lips to die for. And her voice…” He rolls his eyes in pleasure. “She’s in the broadcasting business. You see, I like my women—”

“Oh, God,” Jezi says, cutting him off with sharp laughter, “don’t tell me. It’s the woman on the screen, isn’t it? The robot.” She slaps her thighs and burst out in laughter. “This is perfect. Only you would think—”

“Unlike you,” Weldon says harshly, cutting her off, “she’s well educated.” He pulls at the collar of his uniform.

“She’s a robot,” Gavin points out.

“Yeah, well, robots deserve love too!” Weldon says in mock defense. “And she’s going to appear on my screen at nine pm sharp to go over the layout of the city and the background of each member of the Priesthood. One can’t be too prepared, and I don’t buy into the whole ‘Clara’s our ally’ thing. She can’t be trusted. Period.”

“So she’s not really a date?” I ask, choosing to ignore his comment about Clara.

“No,” Jaxen says to me. “You can’t take anything Weldon says too seriously.” He eyes Weldon down. “He’s one for jokes.”

“And on that note, I leave this dull crowd,” Weldon says, standing up. “I need to eat real food if I’m even thinking of functioning tomorrow. And get out of this stifling joke of a uniform. You couldn’t even have a bad thought in this thing without someone noticing.”

Jezi snorts at his crass remark. “Good luck with that,” she says with her arms crossed.

When he’s gone, we all look at each other. “He’s right, you know,” Gavin says. “We shouldn’t let our guard down with Clara. She’s up to something for sure. Her first official act after the day of her induction was to pull us misfits out of the pen?” He snorts and leans back in his chair. “Since when does she care what happens to us? It’s a lie.”

Jaxen turns himself enough to open up to the conversation, shifting so his leg is touching mine. His hand is face up and open, and my fingers itch to link with his.

“All I know is that Mack didn’t trust her, so neither do I,” Jezi says as she plays with a strand of her hair. “She’s always exuded the backstabbing-bitch syndrome.”

Cassie lets out a long sigh. “I just can’t believe she really did it.”

“Did what?” I ask.

“Deserted Mack for this position,” she says, shaking her head. “She’s only looking out for one person—herself. And this new position, it gives her a reach most could only dream of. Right into the politics of our Coven. The Goddess knows what she plans on doing with that.”

“We might not know what her plan is, but I think I can make an accurate guess as to
why
she was the one who released us,” Gavin adds in. We all look over at him. “She has enough dirt on us to hold us by the necks. I’m sure she’s going to use that to her advantage just to get us to play ball. It’s only a matter of time until her
plan
comes to light.”

Jaxen stiffens, and I feel his tension like static in the air before a storm. “Gavin,” he says quietly. Ghosts haunt his tone, and it makes me look over at him.

Now I’m paying full attention.

I see the alarm in his gaze. The blood drained from his face. The way his lips tighten when he looks at Gavin, quieting him from saying anything more.

“What are you talking about?” I ask, not liking the turn this conversation is taking. “What dirt?”

Jaxen turns to me at once. “Just an old incident. It’s nothing,” he says a little too quickly. There’s a heaviness in his eyes, like he’s weighed down by secrets.

“Then why do I feel like I’m missing something?” I look over at Gavin. He looks away. So does Jezi and Cassie. “Seriously? Jaxen?”

He grabs my hand. “Clara was just a pushy Elder. Things happened, Mack took care of it, and now Gavin thinks she might bring it back up. That’s all Gavin meant. Right?” He looks over at Gavin and exchanges a pressing look.