Malice (11 page)

I realized then that what I’d done
had
been pretty impressive. It was a strange feeling. I’d never been anything but average at anything before.

“Just think of the things you could do with a little bit of practice,” he said.

I wasn’t sure if he was talking to himself, or me, so I just nodded. Silence fell and I suddenly felt uncomfortable.

“I can’t wait to tell Mom!” Magnolia piped up.

Right. Mom. Mom would be here soon. As Levi’s expression turned slightly devious, I wished she were home right now. Tristan and Finola were right. There was something about him that felt…off. I couldn’t wrap my mind around what, exactly, that was. He seemed pleasant enough. But he gave off a vibe, the air nearly hummed with it. It prickled at my skin in the most unpleasant way.

Suddenly, I simply wanted to get away from him.

“I thought you were working in your room,” I said. The words slipped out and they sounded slightly accusatory.

“I was.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. If he’d been in his room, there was no way he would’ve been able to get downstairs, through the house, and into the backyard in the time I’d held my magic steady. My conjured image simply hadn’t held that long.

“I mean,” he corrected, “I was in my room. But I forgot something in my car. I was on my way out to get it when I glanced back here.” The look of amazement returned and he gave me a cheery smile. “I was so blown away. I couldn’t pretend not to see.”

I nodded because the explanation made sense. “Well, I’m sure you have plenty to do. We won’t keep you.” I reached for Magnolia’s hand and tugged her toward the house.

When we reached the back door, I glanced over my shoulder. Levi was watching me. The expression on his face had slid from a look of admiration to something else. It almost seemed cold. Calculating.

I couldn’t for the life of me imagine why.

The feeling of unease resurfaced again, like dozens of beetles skittering over my body. I flung my gaze away from him, pushed the front door open and quickly pushed my sister inside.

~*~*~

Mom pulled a hand through her hair. “I need to make a decision. I’m running out of time. I don’t trust that she’ll behave herself at school. And if anyone figures it out…”

We were in her room again. Levi had left without explanation. I was fine with that. After Magnolia and I were safely in the kitchen again, I’d begun chastising myself. I was sure that there was nothing amiss with the man. I was just letting Tristan and Finola’s crazy, unfounded dislike of him get to me.

It was easy to convince myself that was the case once I was out of his presence.

Mom had come home shortly after that. I had waited until Magnolia was in bed before I told her about the latest incident with Andrew.

While Mom was afraid that Magnolia would use her gift in ways she shouldn’t, that wasn’t her biggest fear. Her biggest fear was that someone would figure it out. If that happened, there would be no taking it back. Magnolia could be in danger, or at the very least targeted by people who didn’t approve of an ability that could be so powerful.

“Do you think you can just talk to her about it?” I asked. “Explain her gift to her and tell her how important it is that she doesn’t use it?”

“I wish it were that simple. She’s just so
young
. If I knew that I could tell her and that she wouldn’t slip up and tell someone else, then I would do that. But I just feel she’s too young to handle the responsibility of knowing.” She slumped against her dresser. “However, now we’ve reached a point where I feel that it’s irresponsible of me to
not
tell her. I don’t know how much longer I dare keep it from her. Once she knows what she’s capable of, the results could be disastrous if she chooses to behave irresponsibly.”

I shuddered at the thought. She’d likely have the capability to insist Mom and I do anything that she fancied. Her teachers, and other students as well.

“But they could be even more disastrous if she’s not prepared.” Mom shook her head in exasperation.

“What are you going to do?”

She blew out a sigh. “I wish I knew.”

“You don’t look too bad when you put in a little bit of effort,” Xavier said. He grinned at me, as if that hadn’t just been a backhanded compliment.

My shoes scuffed across the gravel driveway as I skidded to a stop. There was still some time, but not much, to get out of this date. I glanced over my shoulder. The wooden sign depicting
The Bella Luna
swung gently in the breeze. The ancient chains that hung from the eve, holding the sign up, creaked comfortingly. It was so very tempting to spin on my heel and march back inside.

“Oh, hey,” Xavier said as he latched onto my elbow. He pulled me back to him just as I was getting ready to make a hasty exit. “I just meant you look nice.”

“As opposed to how I normally look?” I asked. I cocked my head to the side and crossed my arms over my chest. I hadn’t gone as far as wearing a skirt. I had put on my newest pair of jeans and a cute, flirty top that Daphne would approve of. It was turquoise and complemented my fading summer tan. Admittedly, it didn’t have a plunging neckline or a corset-tight waistline like Xavier was probably used to on his dates. However, it was easily the cutest shirt I owned. Now I wished I hadn’t wasted it on him.

“I just meant you look nice. That’s all. I’m used to seeing you, you know, dressed like you’re ready for a hike through the cemetery. Tonight you look kinda pretty.” He smiled at me again. I wasn’t sure if it was genuine or if it was the smile he used on all of his dates.

Regardless, I blew out a sigh. “Okay. Thank you. Let’s do this.”

He guided me to the car but didn’t bother opening my door. Not that I cared. I was fully capable.

Talk was surprisingly easy as we drove into town. Or maybe it wasn’t a surprise. I’d known Xavier as long as I’d known Daphne, which was most of my life. I’d had countless sleepovers at their house, accompanied them on two family vacations, and I’d spent endless hours with their family over the years.

Being with Xavier felt comfortable. Like being with a friend. All in all, I decided that wasn’t so bad. When he asked if pizza was okay, I readily agreed. Dinner went as smoothly as the ride into town.

It wasn’t until later that things started to get out of hand.

Literally.

Three hours, two pizzas and a movie later, I’d had about all I could take of Xavier. He seemed to be taking the “date” far more to heart than I was. His hands had drifted all over me during the movie. I’d swat his hands away and before I knew it, they were drifting back again.

It was rather exhausting.

By the time the movie ended and we got in his car, I’d had enough.

“You can bring me home now,” I said. I scooted as far away from him as I could get. My thigh was rammed up against the passenger door.

“Aw, come on Sammy.” I glowered at him. “
Samara
. It’s still early.” He leaned toward me, a lazy grin on his face. “There’s still lots of time to head to Derek’s party. Or...I bet you’ve never been up to the peak before.”

He’d win that bet. The peak, as it was simply called, was on the edge of town. It overlooked Granite Falls. It was the most generic make-out spot in the county. I hadn’t been there for a reason. I had no desire to go. The fact that he thought I would made me feel a little nauseous.

“I think you should just bring me home,” I repeated.

He let out an exasperated sigh as he slumped down in his seat. He gave me a pouty look. “I thought you’d be a lot more fun than this.”

“Well,” I huffed, “you thought wrong. I’m not one of those girls that follow you around the school just hoping that you’ll give them thirty seconds of your time.”

“I know that,” he said.

“But that seems to be what you want from me. But if you know that’s not me, then I don’t get why you even asked me out in the first place,” I said, exasperated.

He cocked his head to the side and narrowed his eyes at me. He looked like he was expecting me to say something else. I wasn’t sure what. I really had nothing left to say. I thought I’d made myself clear in the movie. I’d nixed every one of his advances. Everything from his wandering hands to his lips that had meandered a little too close to my neck.

“Wait,” he said, giving me a look of complete disbelief. “What do you mean, why did I ask you out in the first place? You didn’t really think this date was
my
idea, did you?”

My heart slammed against my chest. “Well it wasn’t mine.”

What in the hell was he getting at?

“It was Daphne’s. You know that, right?” he asked.

I felt the color drain from my face.

Of course it hadn’t been his idea.

Now that he said it, it was so obvious. I should’ve known it was Daphne’s idea. She’d talked him into going on a pity date with me. I was glad it had been hours since we’d eaten because suddenly my stomach was churning in the most unpleasant way.

“You
did
think this was my idea.” He sounded accusatory as he took in my expression. “Look, for fifty bucks, Daph made me a deal. I couldn’t say no. I asked you out as a favor. I just…I thought you knew.”

A favor? I let out a little whimper of horror. This was even worse than a pity date. She had to
pay
Xavier to go out with me. It was a good thing Daphne wasn’t there right then. I was certain if she had been, she’d be facing a great deal of bodily harm.

I reached for the door handle. He leaned over me, latching onto my wrist and tugging my hand away from the freedom that had been at my fingertips.

“Hey, don’t be pissy. This isn’t so bad, is it?” His free hand came up to my cheek. He brushed a strand of hair away, tucking it behind my ear. The smile he gave me looked sweet, sincere.

It was probably well rehearsed. It was probably the smile he used on all the hesitant girls. Not that many of them were hesitant. But still.

“This is very,
very
bad,” I corrected. I pushed his hand away yet again as I let myself out of the car.

“Samara!” he called after me. “Where are you going?”

“Home,” I grated out. My eyes were burning but I was not going to let my tears of humiliation fall. It was bad enough that he’d been—tricked? bribed? paid?—I wasn’t even sure. All I knew was that my ego couldn’t take another second of being in the car with him.

“Come on, let me give you a ride,” he said.

I should’ve let him give me a ride but my stubbornness had been kicked up to an unmanageable notch. I wanted nothing more to do with him right then. Or possibly ever. All I could think about was getting away.

Far away.

“No thanks,” I called over my shoulder. “You’ve already done plenty.”

~*~*~

My heels were blistering and my toes were numb. This was my punishment for dressing up for my date. The gravel crunched and slid beneath my feet as I trudged toward home. I had my cell phone in my purse. I knew I could call Finola. She’d come to get me. Or even my mom. I decided not to.

Walking home could be penance for my stupidity. I had known that Xavier wasn’t really interested in me. Yet, I’d gone ahead with the absurd date anyway.

I deserved all the blisters my sandals felt like doling out.

What had Daphne been thinking?

I was tempted to call
her
and insist on a ride home but I was too furious at the moment. I was afraid I’d say things I couldn’t take back. I planned to talk to her soon. Just not right then. As the sun started to set, the air began to chill. It didn’t matter. My anger and exertion were keeping me plenty warm.

I was mentally flogging Daphne for the third time when something caught my attention.

I heard gravel spraying behind me as a car roared down the road in my direction. I moved off to the side, not wanting to be assaulted by the small but painful pellets. Trudging through the grass proved to be unnecessary as the car slowed. I glanced over my shoulder, surprised to see Levi.

He lifted his hand in a wave as he pulled alongside me. The passenger window buzzed down and he leaned over, his face appeared in the frame. “Don’t tell me this is your way of getting some exercise.”

I shook my head. “No.” I didn’t offer further explanation. I continued walking. His car continued rolling along beside me.

“I assume you’re headed home. I’m going there now so why don’t you hop in?”

The crunching of gravel ceased. For just a brief second, I thought of refusing him. I squinted at the road ahead. It was going to be completely dark soon. I was sure I wasn’t even halfway home. I shuffled my feet indecisively and a throbbing pain jolted through my heel.

I glanced at Levi. I’d stopped walking and he’d stopped the car. He looked at me as if wondering what was taking so long. It was true he wasn’t exactly a stranger. I wasn’t exactly sure that I trusted him, either.

I decided the likelihood of him being up to something nefarious tonight was pretty slim. I decided to take my chances with him.

“Thanks,” I said as I got in.

“No problem.”

We rode in silence for a while. When he finally spoke, his tone was full of concern. “You’re still a few miles from home. You don’t really look like you’re dressed for a walk. Want to tell me what you’re doing out here?”

I didn’t want to tell him. I felt like I owed him an explanation anyway.

“Date from hell.” It was simple enough.

“Ah,” he said. “I’ve had one of those a time or two. Don’t tell me the cretin dumped you out on the side of the road. I might have to search him out and wring his neck.”

“No,” I said with a small laugh. “I jumped out. Not one of my smartest decisions.”

Levi chuckled. “And yet, I bet it was a blow to his ego. I’m sure you made a statement he won’t soon forget.”

I didn’t say anything because I wasn’t so sure. This was Xavier we were talking about. I thought the chances of him forgetting about me completely by the time morning came were pretty high.

I didn’t want to dwell on my imaginary love life. I took advantage of the momentary lapse in conversation to ask a question of my own.

“How’s the research going?” I asked as The Bella Luna appeared around the curve in the road.

He turned to me, a smug smile on his face. “Better than I ever imagined.”

Until that moment, the ride had been perfectly comfortable. But with those words, the air seemed to change. It felt charged somehow. As if a low grade electric current was coursing through the air. It vibrated though me, chilling the marrow of my bones.

The feeling was beyond intuition. It almost felt supernatural, as if he was giving off some strange vibe.

I knew it had to be my imagination. My friends’ skewed perception of him was playing on my nerves. What I felt around Levi didn’t even make sense. Actually, I didn’t even know what I was feeling around him. Just that it was unpleasant.

He slid a smug look my way. “I heard you trap wraiths for people.”

I nodded, assuming Daphne had informed him during her mindless chatter.

“Have you ever thought about hunting something a little more challenging than wraiths?”

“What?”  I asked around a nervous laugh.

Ignoring my question, he continued on. “You should. With the help of your friends, I’m sure you’d be magnificent. You’re the perfect magical trifecta: beauty, brains and brawn.”

I tried not to shudder. I knew I wasn’t the brains, pretty certain I wasn’t the beauty. That left brawn. While it may have been a compliment, it sounded so…inelegant.

“Thanks,” I said as I forced a smile. “I’ll keep that in mind.” I already knew it would never happen. Daphne would never get her hands dirty and Finola would never get her conscience dirty.

He edged his car up next to mine.

“Thanks for the ride.”

“Anytime, Samara,” he said.

I got out of the car the same time he did. We rounded the car at the same time too. When we reached the sidewalk, I was taken aback when he flung his arm around my shoulder. He pulled me into a surprisingly reassuring sideways hug.

“I’m sure you don’t want to talk about it, so all I’m going to say is that it’s his loss.” He gave me a squeeze as we walked in tandem up the sidewalk. The feeling I’d felt just moments ago had evaporated already. Now, I just felt comforted by his words.

“Thanks,” I mumbled. “And thanks for the ride. My feet are already thanking you.”

“Looks like you’ve got company,” Levi said.

I glanced up, surprised to see Tristan’s face framed in the parlor window. The curtain fell to the side, shielding him again.

“Funny,” Levi said, “I thought he was the one who left you on the side of the road. I thought you two…?”

“No. Definitely not. Just friends,” I said, not even sure if we were that anymore.

His arm stayed firmly anchored around me. “Does he know that?”

“Oh, yeah,” I scoffed. “He’s the one enforcing it.” I instantly regretted my words. I’d said too much.

“I see,” Levi said with a small smirk. He leaned in just as Tristan’s face appeared in the window of the front door this time. He was scowling at me through the pane. “It’s his loss as well.” His warm breath whispered into my ear. It confused my senses for just a moment.