Static (21 page)

Slowly, I turned back to his pile of clothes, then
feeling under them I found the zipper. I unzipped it. Pushing his
clothes in, I probed inside for anything out of the ordinary. I
wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for, but I was sure I would
recognize it when it showed up.

Except there was nothing in the bag but more clothes,
some socks, and a pair of runners, which again made the demon seem
so normal. I glanced at the green bag. I unzipped it, and pulled it
open. Holding my breath that he wasn't watching, I rummaged through
it. There were tons of newspapers articles, cut out from various
papers around the country. I caught a few bylines—one was over ten
years old. Then my hand touched a rectangular wooden box. It was
dark mahogany, varnished and inlaid with strange symbols.

Jackpot.

"I said black bag."

I looked over my shoulder to see Thane standing
behind me. I flinched, pulling my hand back. My throat tightened
and my mouth went dry. "Ah, I was just looking for more clothes.
Might as well do them all at once."

He moved toward the green bag, zipped it up, and
glared at me. "You have a lot of work to do. I suggest you get to
it."

Nodding, I backed up, and then turned to go into the
living room to pick up the garbage. Thane's gaze was on me the
entire time. He suspected something but obviously it wasn't too
serious, because if it had been, I wouldn't be walking around still
able to toss cans and wrappers into the trash bin. I'd be a pile of
blood and guts on the brown shag carpet.

About two hours later I dragged my ass and Thane's
black duffel bag back to Trevor's room. He'd been playing
Assassin's Creed but tossed the controller onto the table the
moment I came through the door. He was on his feet and coming
toward me.

"Are you okay? What did he do to you?"

I dumped the bag on the floor. "Made me clean his
room."

Trevor made a face. "He did what?"
"Yeah, sick right? I mean I'm not complaining considering what I
imagined he'd do to me. I just picked up his garbage, cleaned the
bathroom, and now," I kicked the black bag, "I have to do his
laundry."

He scratched his cheek, where the bruises from
yesterday were almost gone. "That's kind of strange."

"I know, right?" I collapsed on the sofa. "But I
think I found something that may be useful."

He sat beside me. "What?"

"A box. There's something in it he doesn't want me to
see."

"Like what?"

"I don't' know, but he was pissed that I was in his
other bag. It's important Trevor. I'm positive."

"Okay, how do we get it?"

"I think I can snag it when I take back his stupid
laundry."

"Too risky." He shook his head. "What if you got
caught? You're already on his watch list."

"What then?"

"I don't know. I'll think of something else."

I stood and paced, too pumped up to sit still. "Don't
be dumb. This is our chance. This is what you wanted, right? Me to
find a way in. That's why you brought me here isn't it? Because you
thought he'd take an interest in me because I'm an anomaly."

He stared at the floor for a few moments then looked
up at me. His gaze was fierce. "It's not the only reason."

I didn't know what to say then. Something hummed in
the room. I could feel the sizzle of electricity over my skin. The
little hairs on my arms stood to attention. The butterflies in my
stomach trembled awake.

Trevor stood and came close. I put my hands behind my
back so he wouldn't see them quiver.

"It's not just about revenge. I care about you."

My mouth went dry and I licked my lips. "I care about
you too."

He reached for me then, brushing his fingers across
my face and tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear. I leaned
into his touch.

"I was going crazy waiting for you to come back. I
was worried that he was going to hurt you."

He cupped my chin in his palm and his eyes locked on
mine. He leaned forward and gently brushed his lips against
mine.

Oh. God. Every nerve ending in my body flared to
life. In places I didn't even know had nerve endings. The
butterflies were going crazy and my thighs tingled as if I'd just
run ten miles up hill. I could barely keep upright. My knees were
jiggling like jello.

His mouth covered mine again. This time I could feel
his tongue against mine, enticing me. As he deepened the kiss, I
didn't know what to do with my hands. They were fisted along his
side but this time I felt a little bolder. The heat inside me
ignited a fire.

I streaked them under his t-shirt and rubbed them
over the hard plane of his bare chest. I'd wanted to do that ever
since I'd seen him in the shower. He was as hard but smooth as I
thought he'd be, like silk wrapped stone.

He pulled away and murmured cautiously, "Salem."

"Don't stop kissing me." I nipped at his bottom lip
with my teeth.

"Believe me, I don't want to," he murmured against my
lips.

"Then don't."

He feathered his fingertips over my cheeks and chin.
As if he was afraid to really touch me. As if I might break if he
pressed too hard, too fast.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't. I won't break, Trevor. I'm not like other
girls, remember?"

He stared me in the eyes then smiled. "No, you're
certainly not."

"Then kiss me. Feed off me. I can make you stronger
than those dicks in Malice."

He chuckled a little, then he did as I asked. He
kissed me. And it was hard and hot and wet. And I thought I would
die from it.

My heart thudded so fast so hard I thought it would
break my ribs. My whole body vibrated with want, with need. Trevor
could've sucked me dry and I would've let him. It felt that damn
good.

I squeezed my eyes shut and dug my fingers into his
shoulders. Everything was light and dark and hot and cold. I'd
never experienced such a confliction of sensations in my life. It
was a rush, like I was high on endorphins. And I probably was.

But then it was over and I was leaning against the
wall. When I opened my eyes, I saw Trevor, shirtless, on his knees
in front of me trying to breathe. Sweat slicked all of his
skin.

I pushed my hair out of my face. "What...what
happened?"

"You." He coughed into his hand. I saw the thick
tarry substance in his palm.

"What does that mean?"

"You nearly sucked out my soul."

My heart leapt into my throat. I collapsed to my
knees next to him and tried to hug him. "I'm sorry."

Still hacking, he patted my back. "I know. You
couldn't help it. It's my fault anyway. I shouldn't have let it go
so far."

"But we only kissed."

He made a face. "Ah, you don't..."

I followed his gaze and looked down. My t-shirt was
gone. I was just in my black cotton bra. Frantically, I looked
around and spied my shirt across the room.

I leapt to my feet and sprinted across the room.
After snatching my shirt from the lamp where it had landed, I
pulled it on, my cheeks blazing with embarrassment. I didn't even
remember taking it off.

I rubbed at my arms. My skin tingled. In fact, every
part of my body tingled. As if it all had been asleep and now was
just waking up for the first time. I didn't want to like the
sensation because of what I'd done to get it. But I couldn't help
it. I was invigorated. Fresh. New.

Trevor pushed to his feet, rubbing a hand over his
sweaty face.

"I'm sorry," I said again. Although I kind of didn't
mean it. It felt too damn good to be sorry for it.

"It's okay, Salem. I should've stopped it before it
even started."

I licked my lips still tasting him on them. "Please,
don't tell me we can't ever do that again."

He shuffled over to the sofa and collapsed on it. "We
both have to learn control."

I went to the fridge, opened it and grabbed a bottle
of water. I handed it to him. "How?"

He chugged half the bottle, then answered,
"Carefully."

"Well how come this didn't happen when you kissed me
at the club?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Different circumstances
maybe."

I watched him finish the water and set the empty on
the table. He looked tired, drawn, worn out. I'd done that. I'd
taken his life energy from him. It now coursed through my veins,
feeding my muscles.

"I'm every sorrier to say this, but I feel flipping
amazing."

He gave me a look. "Nice."

I laughed. "I can't help it. I feel like I could run
a marathon without any effort. Is it because you're a cambion as
well? You must have different energy. I didn't feel this good even
after Josh."

"I guess. I don't know."

I splayed my arms out to the side and twirled around.
"You have to try this. It's amazing." I was almost giddy with the
power of it.

"Well maybe next time I'll be the sucker and you be
the suckee." He gave me a half smile.

I returned his smile, happy that he said there would
be a next time. I thrilled at the possibility of kissing him again.
Touching him even. But I just didn't have the heart to tell him
that I really had no intention of being the suckee. There was no
way I'd be that girl again.

"Let's use all that extra energy of yours and do
Thane's laundry. The faster we do it, the quicker we can find a way
to finish him."

I nodded and picked up the black duffel bag and
wondered how bad it would be if I did cartwheels all the way
there.

Chapter 24

"Hey look what I can do."

Trevor raised his head from loading the dryer and
watched me as I pressed into a handstand on top of the washing
machine.

I smiled at him from upside down. He shook his head
then glanced around at the other people in the laundry mat, who
were now staring at us.

"Maybe we shouldn't do handstands on the washers,
Salem. Ever heard of keeping a low profile?"

I stuck out my tongue at him. "You're no fun."

I spread my legs into a split then twirling on one
hand I did an awesome dismount. Raising my hands in the air, I
mimicked a crowd going wild.

"A perfect ten for Salem Vale."

Trevor shook his head again, but I spied the little
twitch at his top lip. "Grab the clothes from the washer and put
them in the dryer." He pointed to the dryer beside him, the one
with the open door.

"Fine." I lifted the lid on the washer and gathered
the wet clothes inside. I carried them to the dryer and shoved them
in. A sock and pair of shorts landed on the dirty cement floor. I
picked them up, lint, dirt and all, and shoved them back in,
slamming the lid shut. Trevor gave me the coins to feed it then I
pushed the on button.

It was all so tedious. It was driving me nuts.

"We have forty-five minutes to kill. What do you want
to do?"

He slid into a plastic chair. "I have to have a
nap."

"You're no fun, old man."

"Hey, I'm the one that got the life sucked out of
him, remember?"

"I know and I said I was sorry like a billizion
times." I sat beside him, leaning into his ear. "I could try and
give it back to you." I nuzzled into his neck.

He held me back a little, but it wasn't meant to be
mean. I could hear the thumping of his heart and the rush of his
breath. He was definitely thinking about it.

"Not that it isn't tempting, it's not the right time
or place."

"Okay." I jumped to my feet. "I'm going to go get
some food. Do you want anything?"

"Meatball sub? There's a sub shop just down the
block." He fished in his pocket for some money and gave it to
me.

At the sub shop I ordered Trevor a meatball and for
myself I got a foot long turkey on rye with all the trimmings.
Being a cambion was hungry business. I dumped the change in my
pocket along with the rest of the quarters Trevor had given me for
the dryer. As I fingered the coins, I spotted another one of those
old school phone booths across the street.

Tucking the subs under my arm, I dashed across the
road and went into the booth. I plugged in a bunch of coins and
dialed. It rang four times before it was answered.

"Hello?"

I swallowed against the rising tears building from
hearing my mother's voice.

"Hello?" She said again, and I could tell she was
fighting back tears of her own. "Salem?"

My intake of breath must have been loud because she
continued on in a rush as if knowing I wouldn't be on the phone for
long.

"Don't hang up. You don't have to say anything. I
just want you to know that I love you baby. And it doesn't matter
what you've done I will always be here for you. Just come home
baby. Whatever it is we can work it out together. I love you so
much."

Without a word, I hung up. "I love you too, Mom."

Most of the coins tumbled into the return canister. I
fished them out and plugged it back in, dialing a different
number.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Chloe."

"Salem. I didn't think I was going to hear your voice
again."

"I miss you." The tears were gushing now. I couldn't
keep them in.

"You can come home, Sale. Everything's okay now. Josh
is awake. He's talked to the cops. He told them he tried to rape
you. They just want to talk to you is all, to get your half of the
story. I don't think they'd even charge you with anything. Everyone
just wants you to come home."

The sobs were coming fast and furious now. I could
barely breathe. I nearly choked on the emotion gushing out of me
like a typhoon.

"Tell me where you are. I'll come get you."

Swallowing down tears, I choked out my words,
"I...I'm in..."

That was all I got out before the folding booth door
was pulled open and I was yanked out backwards by my hair and
pushed to the cement sidewalk. The wrapped subs fumbled from my
grip and rolled into the gutter.