Orion (10 page)

I found the story of my name again on some obsolete website after confirming that several sites matched up at least.  I read it slowly for two reasons.  I was looking for clues...and I wanted to hear the story of my name again.  I’d sneaked in my father’s office for years and read it.

Aquat, who was also known as Orion, took Anat
’s bow.  She was so not happy with her hot Hunter of the sky, so she sent another to steal it back.  The scorpion man “accidentally” killed Aqhat and the bow was lost. 

So my name derived from her.  Calum happened to be a
Hunter.  And Orion means a lot more than I want to admit. A scorpion boy was involved.  Did he exist?  And what did the stars of each constellation each have a name?  Did they play into this drama? 

I lifted my shirt to see how the dots panned out across my stomach.  Perfectly aligned to the constellation, Orion. I'd figured it out when I was young.

I sighed and felt my headache begin to fade as I looked up “PDA” and the “definition of real flirting” and what “kissing protection” means on my phone.  I didn’t find all the answers I needed, but I did learn a few tips on what to say when flirting.  I’m familiar with other devices used for protection in female and male relations, but would never dream of needing to use them anytime in the near future much less before I am married.  I’m going to try out the flirting comments more on him out in the morning.  Anything to get a little more information, right?

When Literature class got heated with discussion of Anne Rice
’s
Interview with Vampire
and the good and evil of taking a murderers life vs. killing at will, I drowned out the madness and practiced my lines for later.  Hearing the mention of Sookie and Tom Cruise and Edward Cullen all within the mix made my classic fiction buzz lose interest in the discussion.  Using folklore as information to prove the right and wrong of vampirism was crazy in my eyes.               

I had a few minutes before weapons class when I saw Dr. Quinn
’s back to the gym wall obviously talking to someone.  A solid flurry started in my stomach and began to itch up my spine as if I was touching something staticky.  Whether I was being privy to a bodily warning of danger or just inheriting a new spy girl alert system, the flutter running around in my belly wasn’t going away, but getting stronger.  In the back of my mind I also played out the conversation with my best friend Kassie back home of what she thought was to come in my life.  She still thought I’d marry the shipyard’s son and live happily ever after.  Never!  I’m hoping she has answers for me and can turn out to be a terrible fortune teller all in one.

I decided to walk closer and find out who Quinn was talking too.   I rounded the corner able to hear both voices talking knowing immediately who the disembodied voice belong to.  Dr. Richard Green.  Then another voice.  A deep voice, young and smooth and buttery sounding, talking to the other man.  Like it was natural for him to sound that sexy all the time, I noted.  It reminded me of the proverbial calm and collected bad guy, so to speak
.  Was Dr. Green plotting against my father and this was about my brother?  Or was this another twisted plot I was walking into?  The fluttering feeling increased the closer I moved towards them as I searched for the deep timbre's identity.  Look at me.  I’ve turned into this guy magnet spy machine, not the killer instinct Val mole I was sent in for.  I listened to all three.

“It
’s all set.”  That was Quinn’s voice.

No answer from Dr. Green who equaled his larger frame.

“Where is the princess?” That was sexy voice.
Did they mean me?

“Still in hiding and fine,” Green acknowledged.

“And the brother?” 
Szar?

“In the rack.”

“I have nothing to go on for the girl.  She’ll get nothing.”  Dr. Quinn said.

“No matter.  If she isn
’t attainable for the set day, let it go.  We have the son.  She will be right where she should.  The Were faction will give when they know we have her.   She just needs to save his ass before the road is set.”

“And if they don
’t?”

No answers were said aloud. 
They?

“When
’s the reveal?”

“Soon.”

“Three months time.  The birthday.”

And like that, they went in opposite directions.  I just got the clue I needed.  Good news and bad news. I know who the bad guy characters were in the fairy tale, but what is the reveal?  My birthday?   I
’ll call father at lunch.  I never got a chance to see the other face in the powwow.  For now, it was time for weapons class. 

The dark figure behind me stayed in the shadows, listening. After a few long seconds of waiting, he left and so did the spiraling dancing effect my body felt.

I walked in, sat my book down, and scanned for Calum while the warm feeling fluttered on and off again.  Nowhere did I see Calum or the mysterious guy.  Starting back across the empty gym to be sure I didn’t miss him, my eyes stopped abruptly.  Dr. Green was there.  He hadn’t left.

Hot
all of the sudden, my spine tingled with warm pools of liquid all up and down it.  My body really was acting weird being here. 

I walked over to the sword
’s rack that left me around twelve feet from where his back was turned.  He was talking to…Calum.  Not too odd, right?  But I’ve not seen him out until today. 

Calum cut his eyes to me apparently knowing I was there even without a sound.  He didn
’t react to my presence at all but circled around to have his father's back to me, then nodded to me.  Again.  And again.  Then Dr. Green left without looking within the gym once or at me.  And just like that, the painful flutter stopped.  Fast.  That was odd.

I sensed Calum
’s fear rising.  I was starting to think that it wasn’t just his fear I felt.  It felt almost like I could feel his body quiver with the thought of impending danger.  I sensed something.  Something bad was about to happen.

I stood by the swords and waited.  My blue long sleeve and matching yoga pants were picked specifically to be able to maneuver in for the fight of my life today.  The long sleeves were to avoid all shocks.  The yoga pants, flexibility.  And getting a run in at lunch.  My legs were aching for it. 

He wore his usual gray Levis, but also a midnight moon blue shirt that I knew immediately would set off his eyes.  I huge dimpled smile played across his lips after his father left.  “Hello, beautiful!” 

Well, well.  This is him flirting.
  Mmm! 
“Hello, Mr. Hyde.”

“Mr. Hyde?”
Calum echoed.

“Wel
l, yeah.  On the first day I met you, and didn’t know your name, I kind of named you several things, Mr. Hyde being one.”

“Why?” Pure curiosity displayed in his face and voice.

“Well, you were tall, dark, and...and you made me mad hiding behind corners, so I called you Mr. Hyde.  Admit it, you have a dark side hidden in there.”  I pointed to him.

Calum seemed to enjoy this, laughing low and asking, “How did I make you mad?”

“You judged me before you’d ever met me.  You wanted me to fail just so you could show off your assholeness.”

“I didn
’t,” his hand went to his heart.

“You did
, you jerk.” I accused again as he laughed under his breath.

“You
’re right.   I did. And I’m sorry for that.”  Calum looked heartbroken briefly, and then slid the grin upward and whispered, “But you caught my eye either way.”

“And your other side, Mr. Jekyll.  To avoid telling you later.”

I walked up closer and touched his hand.  Current!
Gasp
!  Release! “Just don’t hurt anymore new girls who show up with their own secrets.”  One day he will ask me what I mean by that.  I backed away keeping a pointless wall between us. 

“What other girl?  I don
’t see any but you.”  The dimples released their magic blinding me momentarily.

Smug! “Har, har!  These things you say to me, they come so easily to you.  Have you practiced them on others?”

“Meaning?”

“Other girls.  Do you flirt with them too?"

“In theory maybe, but not seriously.  Gotta see what works.  Does it work on you?”

I didn't answer.  I waited a second to ask my question again, “So you do flirt with other girls?”

“Um, no!  Not at the moment.  Busy!” Calum’s eyes were wide.  “Don’t want to.” He seemed upset, but still full of arrogance.  And yet I sensed no fear from him anymore in the form he gave before, or maybe he was trying to mask it.

“I am just trying to understand it really.  Back home, boys didn
’t come to where I lived unless father allowed them.  And they couldn’t freely talk with me unless we were chaperoned.”  I sounded stupid.  Why did I tell him all that?

“Where on earth are you from, Stace?” he crowed.

Didn’t expect that, but walked into it.  I took a sizable step back, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear like I did when I’m nervous.

“Small place, really.  No where important.”  That was safe.

“And your daddy does what?”

“What do you mean?”

“His job?” He maintained his interest.

“Oh, um, travels and political affairs.”

I’d not given my real name.  I couldn’t and make it this far.  I needed more information and to get the info I needed to father.  My father’s pet name is what I chose for my current quest.  I found out Calum was familiar with the Finnish language, among others, well enough he knew the meaning in my fake name that mimics my real one.

Calum dropped the subject looking at the clock, “Ready to rumble?”

I nodded wanting to avoid the fact that I just had a halfway civilized conversation with this Hunter boy.  I wanted to say one of the flirt lines, but the talk my father gave me was still stuck in my throat of not making friends.  Still, what could it hurt if I would never see him again?

I gathered my armor.  Shoes on.  Sword now in hand.  And walked over to the mat.  Calum was there with the devilish glint in his eye.

“Plans?”

He didn
’t answer but with a nod.  He gestured to step on the mat.  I did.  I looked his sword up and down the length of it with interest.  It had a curve at the handle I hadn’t held before. 

“Step into my office.  I promise to make you want to come back for more,” Calum beckoned me to follow to the middle
seeing my eye the sword.  “It was a gift from my dad.  In honor of my mom.”  He then shifted into Mr. Serious that fast giving a visual to naming him with the two sides of Mr. Calum Green.

We both readied and stood in stance.  My sword in the air, his in front of him.

I waited for him to start.  “This is your party. Make me come back for more."

He spun around, capered, and pulled up beside my head.  He was so fast I knew I was good as dead if it were for real.  Calum brought the sword back now and reformed his stance.  I used it to my advantage.  It
’s not like I can’t fight, but the sword is not my talent.  It was bulky.  I preferred a shorter blade.  It was closer to my taste. The long blade didn’t balance with my weight and stature. And he’s going to use it for everything he can.

I pulled around backwards and swirled around to his waist.  He caught it though, and the swords clashed.  Dang, he is strong!  And holds this kind of blade better than giving credit to his brute.

He parried, I parried.  We went back and forth, move for move.   I knew he was trying to tire me out but I refused to.  He hadn’t said anything yet.  His sword cut over my head and I pulled the distance in landing up against him without touching, swung around and pulled my arms up over my head, elbows pulled in, and crashed the sword around giving a killing blow to his side.

Calum
’s eyes wide, he bowed and pointed to restart without a word.  I walked over to my starting point with a slight smile.  Ha!  Long sword or not maybe I’d just never trained with someone who would really fight me. I found myself letting go a little more, showing my strength. It wasn't Calum's strength, but it was more than I'd shown him previously.

“
Ready.  Begin.”

Mostly, we repeated some of the same actions.  My second win hit well with him.  He was
dang
strong.  I pulled my arms in, swung around and meant to land beside him, but he caught me by the waist, pulled me against him,
touching now,
and held me.  I couldn’t shake loose.  I struggled, swinging the sword at his head.  He laughed.  The
dog
laughed. 

I sucked in my breath and pulled with every ounce of the fighter I could still allow with this not so fragile Hunter boy.    I landed on one knee, gathered my bearings and stood back, ready.  He was the devil now
. His boyish friendliness just explodes around others.  You couldn’t help but like him even when he’s mad at you.  Being friends with boys could be dangerous.