Exaltation (19 page)

Chapter Seventeen

Raven expected Soren to have a million questions for her about Rydell on the way home, but he only asked if she was good and left it at that. The rest of the way home he talked about school, the rink, the normal things.

Raven was calm, not dancing in her seat or laughing. She couldn’t figure out the rush of vim between her and Rydell and was humiliated by it. She feared all the unlocking of memories and such had made her some kind of freak. She was all for being different, but she wasn’t sure she could function in her normal life if this kept up, and it scared her.

Once Soren dropped Raven off she walked around the side of Emery’s home and picked up a scent she had never smelled at either of her homes.

Raven crept toward the gardens and saw Emery standing on one of the benches against the wall, peering over it with a cigarette in hand. She was hitting it like she was about to walk to the gallows.

What has her so bothered?

“Now I’ve been told that’s a bad habit, and something like ‘you should respect your temple,’ and all.”

Emery jumped, which made her fall from the bench. Right as Raven went to help her, Emery hopped out of the flowerbed on one foot. Swallowing a curse, she held the cigarette behind her, which made no sense because Raven just said she saw her smoking it.

Raven raised one brow.

Emery let her shoulders fall, dropped the butt, and stepped back to put it out. Then the thought to dispose of the evidence crossed her mind. Emery picked it up and shoved it in her pocket.

This week had been hell. Emery was used to seeing Jamison or talking to him daily. Ever since the weekend he had been with Saige and Evanthe, another original from the coven, going over the details of the prophecy. Trying to piece it together with what was going on today. They never had a chance to finish their fight, or rather make up from it. When they spoke it sounded more like them laying out battle plans. They were only speaking of protecting the girls at this point.

Emery was saturated with guilt. And the more time she was alone, the more she watched the twins try and dig into their past, the worse she felt. Looking back, she knew her reasons for distance made no sense, and she feared she had waited too long. Now the girls were grown, now they were facing danger, and their family was at risk of falling apart when the truth of their odd beginning was revealed.

Emery tried to tell herself that the girls had joked about her and Jamison enough that it would be a relief, and that may be true. But it didn’t take the fact away she had hurt Jamison over the years with her insecurities and her fears.  Immortal or not, it was a sin to waste time better spent with a lover, with a family.

“Dude? Was that out?” Raven asked, looking at Emery’s pocket.

Emery nodded once.

“What has you so whacked?”

“Were you not with the girls tonight?” Emery asked. She knew they were digging up the past. She had almost convinced herself, when they came back she was going to tell them what they wanted to know.

“No. I had to work remember?”

“That’s right,” Emery said with a shaky breath, as she smoothed out her shirt.

“They were hanging out with Miss Sherri’s—” Raven stopped short. That was the direction Emery was spying in. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing. I just know how Ash and River are when they get their mind on something.”

Raven gave her a vague smile and started to walk inside. Right as she reached the porch Emery said her name. Raven may not have been made of her flesh but she was still her daughter and right now she sensed her pain. The bright light she was had begun to dim.

Raven hesitated before she looked over her shoulder.

“What happened tonight?” Emery asked. She knew Jamison was alarmed just before, but whatever worry he had faded as fast as it came.

“I don’t know how to say it,” Raven said, looking down.

“Someone hurt you?” Emery asked, moving forward.

“I think one day he could,” Raven said honestly. She was sure if she spent too much time around Rydell King she would fall for him and that didn’t feel right. Not when she thought about all the emotion she saw in his eyes. When she was sure some other girl held his broken heart.

“Oh, I see…come.”

Raven let out a sigh and dropped her skates on the stoop. She hated how easily everyone could read her. The thing is, when you’re always in a good mood, the second you reach a calm
everyone
notices.

Emery climbed the steps, pulled out a chair for Raven to sit on, and moved the other one so she was in front of her.

“I really don’t want to talk about it,” Raven said in a quiet tone.

“All right then. Think aloud and I’ll listen.”

Raven stared for second. It was always easy to talk to Emery about girl stuff. But this felt different somehow.

“I just did something stupid,” Raven finally said.

Emery took in a sharp breath before she asked, “How stupid?”

“Promise you won’t tell my dad?”

“Oh my, Raven BellaRose, please tell me you didn’t.”

Raven quickly looked up at her wondering what she meant by that, then it dawned on her. “What is it with you and Dad lately? Virtue intact.”

Emery’s shoulders dropped. “Good. Of course it is.”

“Still waiting on that promise,” Raven muttered.

“Girl talk stay with us. But you know we’re worried about you and if what you tell me reflects anything that’s dangerous, I’ll have no choice but to tell him. He will read it all over my face.”

Raven smirked because that was true. Emery wore her emotions in her expression most times. Raven knew Rydell didn’t have anything to do with hurricanes, car wrecks, or the vim stuff she learned the weekend before, so she was sure this conversation would stay on the down low.

“It’s a girl talk, ‘bout a boy. But I’m not ready to tell anyone about it. I haven’t even told the twins.”

“What happened?” Emery asked. She was well aware of this Rydell King boy. Knew he was an Escort, a First—royalty. She also knew how boys like that could make a girl feel. How they could make them question if they were entranced or truly falling for them.

Raven slouched in her seat. “Like I said, I did something stupid. I think this boy thinks I’m someone I’m not, then again I think he doesn’t. I really don’t know, but something happened that has me worried that he may think I’m a freak but then he took credit for it and it’s all a mess. Bringing me down and I don’t like it.”

“Whoa, slow down start at the beginning.”

Raven swallowed nervously. “I was really hyper last Friday, like crazy hyper and after I was done with my skate I saw this guy, Rydell. I skated up to him and kissed him. Like for
real
kissed him then I skated away.”

“Last Friday?” Emery questioned as her eyes went wide. Jamison was right. Raven was responsible for dropping those protection spells.

“It just got weird after that.”

“A bad weird?” Emery asked.

Raven grimaced. “Tonight my vim got out of control.”

Emery raised her hand to cover her mouth. Out of control energy…she knew all about that. “How so?”

Raven shook her head as she remembered the kiss, the searing heat of his lips, the vibration between them.

“I don’t know—I felt the air move. I think I saw a light when my eyes were closed and the next thing I knew I was ten feet away from him. I moved in the blink of an eye and don’t know how. And he saw me do it.”

“I see,” Emery said, even though she didn’t. It wasn’t like that with her and Jamison. Their energy pulled them closer, locked them in a world all their own.

“You see why I don’t want to tell my dad that I was kissing a boy and my emotions went haywire and I ended up giving this boy every reason to think that I’m a freak?”
At the very least a witch who has no control—which is not awesome in the witch realm of things!

Emery tilted her head to acknowledge how that might be a strange conversation. Particularly considering Jamison knew Rydell King from long ago. Jamison had control…but that much…? Emery shook off the morbid thought. “What did, um, Rydell say?”

“He was cool. At first he acted like he didn’t notice and even told me he would leave me alone.”

“Leave you alone? So he’s being forceful?”

“No, I skated away from him after I kissed him that first time. It’s like an inside joke, he thinks I’m running from him and he was going to let me.”

Emery tensed then leaned back in her seat and strained to look calm. None of this made sense.

“That’s as odd as I think it is, isn’t it.”

Emery was quiet for a second. “First tell me how this boy makes you feel. When you first saw him, did something deep inside seem familiar?”

“I don’t know if I would explain it like that.”
Nope I just thought he was
hawt.

“Does he make you feel at ease?” Emery pushed.

“Depends.”
Hell no, the boy gets my blood pumping…sin Emery. I’ve
tasted
sin
.

“Do you feel like you change around him or that you can be yourself?”

“Depends.”
Um yeah, like on the verge of becoming a sexpot—which says a lot considering my v-card standards!

“Can I meet him?” Emery asked, finally realizing whatever was between Rydell and Raven was not as intense as she had feared.

“Miss Emery, really? Why? I think that’s why I haven’t really talked about him. I don’t want him analyzed, especially with the way all of you are acting over Berries.”

“I think you need to talk to your dad about this.”

“No way. No how. No nothing.”
Especially since I’m not clear on
exactly
what witch powers he has…if he can read minds I’m so screwed…

“Raven, listen to me. You’re a powerful soul. A remarkable child, and there’s someone who’s perfect for you. Your dad knows this. I even think he may be looking for him to surface.”

Emery knew he was looking for him. The soul that was to rise with Raven. He had been for years, and they were having little to no luck. Considering how many close calls with death Raven had—the boy should have surfaced by now, but he hadn’t.

“I really appreciate the compliment. I do. But I’m seventeen and it was just a few kisses. I’m not telling my dad about it.”
Way to go Rav, she’s going to make you, and you know it!

Emery stared at Raven for a long moment then said, “Stay right here. I need to make a call.”

“To my dad? Are you serious? I trusted you!” Raven moaned, as she leaned forward.

Emery let her hand rest on her back. “I just need to ask what I have the freedom to say. Give me a second.”

Raven was mortified. She had a good relationship with her dad. The best any teen could ask for, but there were some things you just did
not
tell your dad.

Instead of using the kitchen phone right behind Raven, Emery went further in the house.

Right about then Raven heard the gate screech open and Ash scold River for the noise. They both jumped back when they saw Raven on the porch.

“Good God what are you doing in the dark!” River whispered harshly.

“I’m being talked to, time out right now. She had to call my dad for pointers,” Raven said, as she noticed they both had book bags that were jammed full.

“About?” Ash asked.

“Told her I kissed Rydell, twice, and I had a funky little power shot emerge.”
Probably going to end up with a chastity belt because I did…

“Rydell—you kissed
Rydell
?” Ash whispered with wide eyes.

“You didn’t tell her I told you to, did you?” River asked, which earned her a glare from Ash.

“No, I didn’t get that far. What do you know about Rydell?” Raven asked Ash.

“That he’s walking sex and knows it—which makes him dangerous.”

“Where’s Mom?” River asked, peeking in the door.

“I think in the front parlor.”

“Cool. Cool. Distract her until we get upstairs.”

“What? You’re going to leave me to this lecture on my own? Do you not even want to know the juicy details?”

“They were juicy?” River asked with wide eyes. 

Ash jerked her forward and glanced back at Raven. “We have juicy details. All right here,” she said, nodding to her bag. “Hurry up. Just nod and say you understand—get upstairs.”

“Awesome,” Raven said as she rolled her eyes. She was sure she was about to be put through the torture of looking through Miss Sherri’s photo books. Or newspaper clippings or God knows what else.

They crept into the house and Raven heard Emery call for them, so Raven yelled in the door. “I think I’m going to turn in. I have a test tomorrow.”

Emery rushed through the house in her direction glancing over her shoulder. “Are both of them home?”

“Yeah, they’re going to bed, too. Are we done? Am I officially humiliated now?”