Ungifted (18 page)

Russ chuckled as he stood me in front of my mirror. I was appalled by the condition of myself—bed-head and frumpy pajamas.

I forgot about my appearance when Russ stood behind me and placed his hands on my shoulders. My body went crazy and I had to fight it in order to keep myself from leaning back against Russ’s chest. I wanted so much for him to slip his arms around my waist and hold me close. He didn’t, of course, but I wanted it badly enough I was tempted to ask if he had put some kind of love spell on me.

“What if I can guarantee we don’t get caught?” he asked. “Would you be adventurous with me?”

“You can’t guarantee that.”

Russ shook his head. “You’re not thinking like a supernatural,” he said. “Prepare to be amazed.”

It dawned on me that Russ was talking about using magic, and a thrill of excitement ran through me. I couldn’t help feeling like a kid waiting for a magician to pull a rabbit from a hat. “What are you going to do?” I asked, somewhat giddy.

Russ laughed. “This.”

He dropped his hands from my shoulders and squeezed my hands. I held my breath as I waited.

And waited…

And waited…

Russ frowned and squeezed my hands again. He let go of me, waited a moment, then grabbed my hands again and gave them another squeeze. Still, nothing was different. “Um,” I asked, “is something supposed to happen?”

Russ’s frown got even bigger. “You’re supposed to be invisible right now.”

He stepped back and studied me a moment, his arms folded across his chest. After a minute of serious scrutiny, he held his hands out my direction and whispered something in Latin. He was putting a spell on me.

When nothing happened again I said, “And now?”

“Now you should be naked.”

I gasped.

“Kidding,” he said, but from the smile on his face I’m not sure he was.

As I stood there, face as red as a cherry, he tried one last thing and then shook his head, frustrated. “It’s like magic has no affect on you at all.”

Not surprising, I suppose, considering vampire blood and werewolf bites had no affect either. I slumped down on my bed with a heavy sigh. “Russ,” I groaned. “You’re supposed to be helping me answer questions. Not raise more of them.”

Russ dropped down next to me and threw his arm over my shoulder. “Patience, young grasshopper,” he teased. “Good things come to those who wait.”

I smiled at the cliché. “How very wise of you,” I teased back.

Russ shrugged. “I eat a lot of fortune cookies.”

That made me laugh outright, and my mood was suddenly better than it had been for weeks.

Russ ruffled my hair playfully, then pulled me into his side. It wasn’t until we’d sat in companionable silence for a minute that I realized what we were doing. “This is so strange.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Russ promised, serious for a change.

“No. I mean this…” I gestured to the two of us sitting together. “It feels right—familiar. You’re a complete stranger, and I’m usually so awkward and shy, but it’s as if I know you. Do you feel it, too? Or am I just crazy?”

“Definitely crazy,” Russ quipped, and then laughed. “Kidding,” he said again. “I don’t know,” he finally admitted. “This whole thing is beyond weird. Tell you what. I’ll go down to your school by myself and see what I can find out.”

“Really?” I couldn’t hide my relief. “You’d do that for me when you don’t even know me?”

“Sure.” Russ rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “What else am I going to do?”

“What do you mean?”

Russ’s face took on a bitter, determined look. “I need answers as much as you do.”

Now I was the one reassuring him we’d find them. “How long will it take you to check the school?”

“Not long.”

“And you’re sure you won’t be caught? I don’t want you getting arrested for my sake.”

“Okay, I know that pitiful display a minute ago was a bit of a let down, but trust me. I wont get caught. I’m a B&E master.”

“B&E?”

“Breaking and entering,” Russ explained.

This time I was sure he
wasn’t
kidding, and I felt it better not to ask. “All right. Then why don’t you go and come back at about ten? I’ll take you to meet Cynthia. We’ll take her to breakfast, butter her up with wild berry crepes, and ask her about the resistance.”

“Sounds good,” Russ agreed. He smiled as he headed for the door. “Especially that part about the crepes. Will there be whipped cream?”

I laughed. “You bet. Oh, and Russ?” I asked before he left. “Try not to break in when you come back. My dad and his security team don’t react very well to that sort of thing.”

Russ stopped, his hand on the door, and flashed me a smile I didn’t think him capable of—a cocky grin so big it lit up his entire face. His big blue eyes sparkled with mischief, making him nearly irresistible. “They’d have to catch me first,” he said with a wink, and then disappeared right in front of my eyes.

I sat back, stunned. Not because he’d vanished—I’d seen him do that last night. But for that last moment it was like he’d become the guy he was meant to be, the one who was trapped beneath all the pain and anger. He was amazing. He was charming, confident, playful, and so incredibly hot that that one smile had melted me into a giant puddle of goo where I sat.

I scooped up my phone off my nightstand and sighed into it when my best friend picked up. “Oh, Cynthia! I am in trouble with a capital L-O-V-E.”

Okay, I knew I didn’t have
a chance with Russ. I
knew
that. Besides the fact that a guy like him was way, way, way out of my league, he was head over heels in love with someone else. I totally got that. But I still couldn’t help stressing out about my appearance that morning.

I gave Cynthia all of the details of Russ’s visit and even though she was a little untrusting, she agreed to meet with us later and then talked me through choosing the perfect outfit. Not that there was much that could make a gigantic, clunky cast look good, but still, I tried. And I know it was stupid, but I went all out with the curling iron—which is something I never do—because Russ seemed to really like Dani’s curls.

My good mood was crushed when I came hobbling into the kitchen at quarter to ten and was greeted by my father and Ethan. “Good morning, sleepyhead!” my dad said cheerfully. He did a double take and his face really lit up. “You look very pretty, honey.”

I blushed despite myself. Compliments from my father of any kind are very rare. Something big must have happened in the campaign. That’s the only time he’s ever in a mood this good. He kissed my cheek and helped me to a chair, then set a toasted bagel in front of me.

I eyed the bagel suspiciously and asked, “What?”

Bingo. There was guilt beneath his excitement.

“All right, fine. You’re right. I’m trying to butter you up. I need you to go to a dinner with me tonight.”

I groaned on cue. He knows how much I hate his stupid fund-raising dinners.

“This one’s important, sweetheart. The AHA is interested in giving me their official endorsement. I thought for sure they were going to go Republican this year, but…”

Dad shrugged, trying to look modest, while still beaming with pride.

I tried to muster up some enthusiasm even though I couldn’t care less. “That’s great, Dad.”

I don’t think I fooled him. He frowned, so I went for a distraction. I darted my eyes to Ethan and said, “What’s he doing here?”

Now my dad’s guilt was overpowering his excitement. “He’s taking you to a dress appointment at ten thirty,” Dad admitted with a cringe. “The thing tonight is black tie.”

“I wish you’d asked me first. I already have plans, Dad.”

Sadly, both he and Ethan looked really confused, as if the idea of me having any kind of life were impossible. I felt a hint of satisfaction when the bell at the front gate dinged. “See? Sorry.”

Dad buzzed the gate open without asking who was there. I headed for the front door and both Dad and Ethan followed me into the living room. “Well, just bring Cynthia to the dress shop before you go out,” Dad said. “It’s not going to kill her if you stop for twenty minutes first.”

“You’re right, it probably wouldn’t kill Cynthia,” I said. I reached the front door right as the doorbell rang. “However, it might kill him.”

I swung the front door open and rather enjoyed the look of shock on both my Dad and Ethan’s faces.

“Dad, this is Russ Devereaux. He’s new in town and has never been to D.C. before. I offered to give him a tour of our nation’s capitol. I mean, who better than the possible next first daughter, right?”

“Oh. Well.” My dad was completely tongue-tied. There was even a slight layer of pink in his cheeks as he struggled to compose himself. He wasn’t prepared for the protective father bit. He’d never had to do it before. After completely floundering for a minute, he puffed out his chest, cleared his throat, and held out his hand to Russ.

Russ turned on that magic charm of his and accepted the handshake, as if meeting my father were nothing at all. “It’s an honor to meet you, sir.”

“You as well, young man.”

Dad let go of Russ’s hand and looked back at me as though he was impressed. It was shocking. I can’t remember the last time my dad was impressed by anything I did. “You didn’t tell me you had a date.”

“Or me,” Ethan grumbled.

I’d forgotten Ethan was even here, and also that he and Russ had practically tried to kill each other the night before. Apparently his opinion of Russ hadn’t changed—unless it got worse. He was glaring daggers at both of us.

Ethan wanted to give me a mouthful about this. I was sure he would the second we left the house, but I didn’t care what he had to say. Just because he has some stupid bond didn’t mean he gets to control me. I couldn’t help losing my temper. “My social life is none of your business,” I snapped.

“Actually, it is, Grace,” my dad said with a sigh. “You have to schedule Ethan to be your escort whenever you leave the house, remember?”

My mouth dropped open in horror. “I thought that was when I was alone. Dad, I’m not taking Ethan along on all of my dates.”

I’d finally killed Dad’s good mood. He crossed his arms over his chest and switched into his grumpy dad voice. “Then you won’t be going on any. Ethan is your Randy now, Grace. He goes anywhere you go, regardless of who is with you.”

This arrangement sucked. Seriously, if it had been anybody but Ethan…

One look on my dad’s face told me I would not be changing his mind. “Well, tell him he has to keep his distance like your goons do. He’s my bodyguard, not my friend—and I don’t want him there.”

My dad’s eyes flashed with anger, but he managed to take a little of the edge out of his voice. “That’s a poor attitude, Grace. I’m very disappointed in you.”

I knew he felt that way—he felt that way most of the time—but it still hurt every time he said it. I hated that he got to me so much. I hated that I was so desperate for his approval. And I especially hated that in that moment my eyes filled with tears. I batted them away and stubbornly muttered, “What else is new?”

My dad saw the tears and sighed. The thing is, he’s hard on me and completely self-absorbed, but deep down I think he does love me. “Gracie, sweetheart,” he said, now full of pity. “I know this is—”

“Forget it, Dad. Spare me the lecture. I don’t want to hear it.” I didn’t want his pity. I’d rather he hated me. I wiped my eyes and turned to Russ, more embarrassed than I think I’d ever been in my life, and, believe me, that was saying something. “Maybe you should go. I have to go to a stupid dress shop for a fitting. I’m sorry. I wasn’t told that my day had been scheduled for me.”

Behind me my dad sighed. “Grace—”

“Or that we’d have company,” I hedged on.

“Grace you don’t have to cancel your—”

I glared at my dad so hard he actually shut up.

“No, your dad’s right,” Russ said. “You don’t have to cancel. I understand. If it means keeping you safe, I don’t mind having a tag along. And as for the dress shopping…” he made a grimace, but still shrugged. “It won’t take too long, right? Small price to pay for spending the day with you.”