Madly and Wolfhardt (2 page)

I decided to start with the more subtle route.  I hoped not to have to shock anyone into a catatonic state before lunch.  With that in mind, I caught up to Kellina as she was walking out of class.

“Kellina!” I called as she approached the door.  She stopped and turned toward me, surprised.  “Hey,” I said, coming to a stop in front of her.

“Hey,” she responded uneasily. 

“I wanted to ask you about your bag.  What kind is it?  It’s killer awesome!”

Kellina looked down at her brown leather messenger bag and then shyly back up at me.  “Thank you.  It’s Louis Vuitton,” she said.

“Ooo,” I said in mock appreciation.  I had no idea what a Louis Vuitton was.  That was one reason for the uniforms at Veritas Academy; the Mer knew that, being buried beneath the sea for most of our lives, we’d be high-fashion challenged.  “Nice.  Where did you get it?”

If possible, Kellina looked even more uncomfortable, a bright red stain crawling up her neck toward her face.  “It was a gift actually.”

“What a gift!  Who got it for you?” I asked, not afraid to be nosey.  I knew it wouldn’t come across that way because we were talking about accessories.  For all she knew, I had every intention of tracking down a bag like hers.

Kellina’s petite nose curled up.  “A boy in one of my classes.  I think he has a crush on me.”

She looked so disbelieving my heart went out to her. 

“And why wouldn’t he?  You’re gorgeous,” I said.

The bright red deepened and settled in pools on her cheeks.  It was plain to see that Kellina was painfully shy, but she had no reason to doubt her attractiveness.  She really was quite beautiful.

I could see that she was struggling for something to say, so I jumped in to help.

“Hey, me and a couple of my friends are going down to the beach tonight.  Do you want to come?  Nothing big, just a bonfire, some music and S’mores.”

Kellina eyed me uncertainly.

“Come on.  It’ll be fun.”

Finally, she smiled and nodded, casting her eyes toward her toes.

“Alright.  That sounds like fun.”

“We’re meeting at my room at eight.”

I gave her my hall and room number and then we parted ways. 

Now all I have to do is tell the others that we’re having a party.

CHAPTER TWO

At lunch, Aidan and Jersey had wholeheartedly agreed to a bonfire and marshmallow roast that night.  I knew that the only other person I needed to sell on the idea was Jackson. 

It wasn’t that I felt like I needed to ask Jackson’s permission; it was more that I knew I needed to include him.  I mean, it was essentially up to us to recapture the Lore and save Atlas, so it would behoove me to keep him informed of my progress.

Of course, it was no skin off my nose to seek him out.  All day long my mind had intermittently drifted back to that morning, when his face had been so relaxed and he’d laughed so easily.  I grudgingly admitted to myself that I’d use virtually any excuse to see him.  This one just had the added benefit of being legitimate.

Sixth period was just getting started.  It was the longest of the day—literally and figuratively.  The minutes seemed to tick by at a snail’s pace and it didn’t help that it was ten minutes longer than any other period of the day.  Since deciding I’d talk to Jackson, I was so antsy to get home I could barely stay in my seat.  It was for that reason that I pled a headache and left school almost an hour early.

As I walked to the dorm, I wondered if Jackson would even be there.  Until yesterday, I’d never seen him, so I could only assume that he had others watching me during class time while he was out doing who-knows-what.  I found that the prospect of him not being home slowed my step and dampened my enthusiasm.

“And where do you think you’re off to?”

Chills popped out all over my arms when Jackson’s deep voice sounded in my right ear.  I stopped and whirled around, nearly running right into his chest, he was so close.

My heart was dancing against my ribs, making me short of breath as I squinted up into his handsome face.  I couldn’t see his eyes behind the Aviator glasses he wore, but I could feel that they were on my face.  My skin felt warm as if he were actually touching me.

“A-actually, I was coming to see you.”

“You were?”  He sounded genuinely surprised.

“Yes.  I wanted to talk to you about Kellina Stratford.”

“Oh,” he said.  I couldn’t tell if he really sounded a bit deflated or if it was just my imagination.  Sometimes, I felt as if I could almost
will
things into existence by believing them so completely in my head. 

Then it occurred to me.  “What are you doing here?”

“Following you, of course.”

“But how did you know—”

“I have my ways,” he said enigmatically.  “You should never forget that I have eyes everywhere.”

That thought was at the same time comforting, disturbing and secretly thrilling—the idea of him watching over me all the time.

“Do you have time right now?  Or…”

“I was just heading to the woods behind the park.  Need to do some scouting.  Wanna come?  We can talk along the way.”

Spend more time with Jackson?  Alone?  In the woods?  Um, yes please!  Just try to stop me.

Considering how exciting that prospect was, I thought my response was surprisingly casual.

“Sure,” I said with a shrug.

“We’ll drop your bag off on the way.”

And we did.  Directly afterward, we headed off toward the outskirts of Slumber, to the park that bordered the only forest in the area.

As we entered the park, Jackson explained.  “Kellina Stratford lives with her grandmother just this side of the town line, at the back of the woods.”

“Ohmigod, it’s like history repeating itself.”

Jackson simply nodded, walking slowly enough that I could easily keep up.

“So, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?”

“Oh, right,” I said, clearing my throat.  “I have a class with Kellina and this morning, I sort of invited her to a bonfire on the beach.”

“Who’s having a bonfire on the beach?”

“Well, I am now.”

“And the purpose of this bonfire is to…” he prompted.

“Befriend her for one thing.  I mean, it can’t hurt to be able to talk to her about stuff, right?”

“I suppose not.”

“Besides, I thought I could tell the story around the bonfire, maybe give her enough history for her to draw the parallels herself.  That way, I won’t have to freak her out by telling her about us, about her life and her ancestors.”

Jackson nodded in approval.  “Not a bad idea.”

I beamed at the compliment.  I couldn’t help myself.  “Thanks.”

As we walked, Jackson and I fell into a companionable silence.  I felt relaxed and contented even though I was hyper aware of Jackson’s big body and tantalizing smell.  Several times, he offered his hand to help me over fallen logs or big puddles of water.  He even took my elbow once when I stumbled, an action that sent shock waves zooming up my arm, straight into my belly. 

I noticed that each time he touched me, it became more and more uncomfortable when he broke the contact.  Though he said nothing, I couldn’t help but notice that Jackson’s expression grew darker and darker with each passing moment.

When it seemed that my pleasure over his touch and his distaste of it would literally cause me to bust, I could hold my tongue no longer.

“What have I done to make you hate me?” I asked as I came to a stop in the shadow of a huge maple tree.

“What?” Jackson’s expression was thunderous yet puzzled. 

“Don’t even try to deny it, Jackson.  You think I haven’t noticed how much you hate touching me or being near me?”

“Princess, I—”

“And stop calling me ‘Princess’ as if we haven’t known each other practically our entire lives.”

“Alright,
Madly,”
he snapped.  “I don’t hate you.  I simply have a job to do, that’s all.”

“Jackson, the least you can do is tell me the truth.”

“I am.  I—”

“No, you’re not.  I can tell that you hate me.  I just don’t know why.”

“I don’t hate you, Madly.”

“Then why do you treat me like you do?”

“
You
are the heir to the throne. 
I
am a Sentinel.  I treat you with respect and I protect you.  How else would you have me treat you?”

I wanted to scream in frustration, frustration because I couldn’t make him say what I wanted him to say.  I wanted him to say that he couldn’t stop thinking about me.  I wanted him to say that he found himself wanting me like I found myself wanting him.  I wanted him to say that he found himself craving my nearness like I found myself craving his. 

But I couldn’t.  No matter how much I wanted it, I couldn’t make him say those things, couldn’t make him feel those things. 

I tossed my hair over my shoulder and straightened my spine. 

“I’m sure you treat me just like the rulebooks tell you to treat me, Jackson.  Just like the perfect Sentinel robot that you are.” 

Stepping angrily past him, I proceeded on through the forest, leaving Jackson to catch up to me.

We didn’t say another word the rest of the trip as we made our way through the trees to the outskirts of the park, to the outskirts of Slumber itself, where Kellina’s house lay.

When the woods began to thin and part, a big white plantation-style home was revealed.  It had two wide wrap-around porches (one on each level), thick, sturdy columns and was situated in a circular patch of lush green grass.  It sparkled brightly in the late afternoon sun, looking nothing like I’d pictured it would.  I had imagined it to be much more rustic, shabby even.  But this mansion was impeccably kept.

Jackson stopped at the edge of the trees, looking at the house and then scanning the woods all around us. 

“Here’s what we’ll do,” he said, still watching the house.  “We’ll follow the tree line as far as it goes and then when we get to the grass, we’ll just be a teenage couple skipping school for a walk in the woods, alright?  Just in case someone’s home.”

Not once did Jackson meet my eyes, which frustrated me to no end. 

“Whatever,” I snapped.

I followed Jackson as he weaved his way through the tall oaks and maples.  We circled the house as far as we could, until there was nothing but grass ahead of us.  Jackson stopped, looked back at me and then grabbed my hand. 

“Come on.”

We emerged from the dappled shade of the trees into the bright sunshine and I felt its warmth suffuse me from head to toe.  I refused to consider that the bubbling heat in my belly had anything to do with Jackson’s long, strong fingers wrapped around mine.

“Do you remember when I almost dismembered Collin DeSpirito because he tried to kiss you against your will after your third-level graduation?”