Waiting for Mercy (Cambions) (44 page)

“I deserve that Luke,” Flynn confessed. Rubbing at what must ache on his face he added, “I think you fucking broke my jaw.”

Luke looked back.  I breathed. I didn’t think I could do while he had been looking at me.  There was something dark in his eyes.  I’d never seen before and it gave me pause.

“You’re right, you deserved it,” Luke hissed.  Interestingly, Luke held a hand out to Flynn.  Clasping his hand, he pulled him to his feet in a smooth movement.

Steady on his feet, Flynn looked at me.  Regret crossed his expression just a moment before he said, “I told you long ago, bros before hoes.”

Luke’s arm shot out as his hand caught Flynn around his neck.  Then he proceeded to lift Flynn off of his feet.

“Fuck, Luke, I didn’t mean any offense.  It’s just a saying.  Mercy’s not a ho,” Flynn replied on a choking breath.

Dumbstruck, I stood there.  Flynn wasn’t fighting back.  I knew he was no slouch. He could defend himself if he wanted to.  So I didn’t intercede, not yet at least.  I figured Flynn felt much like me.  That we both deserved Luke’s anger. 

“I know all too well.  If you think I didn’t notice how you felt, you are a bigger fool than I was.” Luke let go and Flynn stumbled to his feet but didn’t fall. “Keep your feelings and mouth off Mercy.”

Luke turned from his former friend. “Consider us even,” he said over his shoulder to a stunned Flynn.  When he reached me, he snaked an arm around my waist.  His hand moved to my ass in a show of possessiveness and said loud enough so Flynn could hear. “This is my piece of ass, don’t forget it next time.”  Stunned, little things were adding up about what Luke was doing that was so unlike him.  I had an uneasy feeling.

“Wait,” I said before Luke could take me away.  I turned back to Flynn.  I pulled the crumpled note out of my pocket. I held it up.  Luke took it from me and smoothed it out to read it.  Flynn came forward.  Luke read it then handed it to Flynn.

I watched Flynn’s expression darken before he handed the note back to me. “At least it’s not an outright threat.”

“Who could this be from and what do they want?” I asked the both of them.

Luke took my hand and said, “Time will tell, but I won’t risk it.  Don’t be alone, ever.”

Pulling me close again, my mouth opened in surprise when we lifted in the air up to my open bedroom window which we’d been standing under two stories down.  Grabbing my backpack off my floor, I spilled the contents on my bed and began shoving clothes half heartedly into it.

“Don’t forget those cute little pink sweats you like to wear,” Luke said.  I turned to meet his stare which was all predatory.  I moved ahead not sure what else to do.  In my head, I kept telling myself there was nothing wrong with him.  His behavior was mostly justified.  Finishing with my backpack, I slung it over my shoulder and headed to my door. 

~

When we arrived at his house, we ended up in the kitchen.  He’d made himself a sandwich and I watch with utter fascination as he began to devour it.

“Did you want some?” he finally asked.

I shook my head.  It was late and the last thing on my mind was food.  Instead, I was trying to define the change I was sensing in him.  He continued to forge on until he’d decimated the towering thing that had been piled high with meat and cheese.

“I haven’t eaten for days.  I didn’t need to on the other side.  I guess it caught up with me once I crossed back over,” he said, as if he needed to explain his behavior to me.

Shrugging, I said, “It’s okay.”

A tiny thing bounced into the room and over to Luke.  It was his very petite mother who could pass for a teenager. “Luke, you made it back,” she said cradling his face in her hands while she had to stand on her tippy toes to reach him.  Giving him a fierce hug, I could see all her love and devotion for her only son.

“Mom, it’s okay,” he said, giving her a half hug.  She pulled back never taking her eyes off of him.  He was looking at me. 

Her eyes followed his and fell upon me.  It wasn’t a hateful stare.  But it was clear she knew that I was part of the reason for his being called away.  Casting my eyes downward and shifting on my feet, I wished desperately to be anywhere but here. “Mercy, how nice it is to see you again,” she said with what appeared to be a forced smile.

Looking up, not wanting to be rude, I said, “Nice to see you too.”  Still shifting on my feet, I clasped my hands in a knotted fist caving under the pressure of his mother’s stare.

“Well, it’s really late,” she said.  Her meaning was clear.  She wanted me to leave.

“Mom, Mercy’s staying here tonight,” Luke said. His tone was clipped, barely respectful.

Clearing her throat, she gave a nervous laugh.  “Your mother is okay with this,” she said, looking at me while I continued to fidget.  I wanted to bolt and run.  I was never good at facing down authority.  I’d been taught that adults should be respected always which is why it was so hard for me to fight with my mother about all the things I should know.

“My…” I began but Luke cut me off. I flashed my eyes to his seconds before his gaze turned icy and focused on his mother.

“She’s either staying here or WE go back to her house,” he said as if he was the one in charge.

She, too, cowered at his stare.  Stepping back, she said, “Fine, but you two have school tomorrow.”

He laughed and there was nothing funny about it. “School? I just came back from the other side and you’re worried about school.” he said, looking at her like she’d gone bonkers. “Sure, Mom,” he paused.  “We’ll go to school tomorrow.”  His voice was patronizing.

Biting my lip, I watched with horrific fascination.  Luke was not the guy that was here a couple of days ago.  That guy wouldn’t have been so rude.  I felt the pit of my stomach erupt. I’d done this to him.  It had to be the taint that I’d cast on him that was somehow affecting his behavior.

“I guess I’ll go call your father,” she said turning to head out of the room.  Her expression showed defeat and looked deeply saddened. Her eyes found mine and in them I saw condemnation. She knew I was the cause of this.

Barking out another harsh laugh, he snarled, “Don’t call him.”  She turned back to her son with a questioning gaze. “You don’t owe him anything.  Stop being a doormat and letting him walk all over you.”

This was a train wreck on a collision course for disaster.  The rage that was coming off him was not from this moment of what she’d said.  This was pent up from years of hurt.  His mother’s face fell.  But he was not done decimating her.  “He treats you like shit and you sit there and take it.  He hurt you and you still let him rule you.”

Fat tears hung heavy in her eyes.  Again, I wanted to run and leave this.  I shouldn’t be here.  This was none of my business.  But more importantly, I wanted to run and hug her.  But how could I.  She had to know that I was the one that caused this in him. Time for action on my part was upon me.  It was too late to forestall this.  But no longer would I be the doormat and sit back and let things happen around me. “Luke,” I said sharply.  Twisting he turned that frosty stare on me. Now that I had his attention, I wasn’t sure what to say. “She means well,” I said, holding his gaze.  Words weren’t my friend tonight.  There was just too much weirdness going on.

Slowly, he faced his mother again and his expression softened.  Just as slowly, he walked towards her.  She now stood steps away from the door ready to scurry away much as I had moments ago.  Taking her in a hug again, he said softly in words I barely heard, “You need to stop waiting.  Move on with your life, he has.  He’s never coming back.  Not for you.  He’s married someone else.  You need to find someone who will treat you better.”  Kissing her forehead, he let her go.  Looking into her tear streaked face, he gave her a tight smile and wiped her tears.  “I love you mom.”

Giving him a brief smile, she finally fled the room. When he looked back at me, I couldn’t answer the plea in his stare. 

interminable
(adj.)
without possibility of end

Upstairs, I stood just inside the door with trepidation.  When the door clicked shut, I nearly jumped.  We hadn’t spoken any words.  I just followed him upstairs.  Feeling lost, I didn’t know what to say to him.  Cowardly, I couldn’t say the words that needed to be said like ‘
Something in you has changed’
.  Whatever he now was, I was the cause.  The Luke that had once been was no longer.  His summer tan wasn’t the only thing that had dimmed in the aftermath that was my damnation.

Feeling his hand on my shoulder, he drew my backpack off.  Letting it fall to the floor, he took my hand.  If not for his hand on my chin and tilting my head up, I wouldn’t have looked at him. “Cinderella,” he sighed. With questioning eyes, I couldn’t speak the words that left me downstairs.  “Without you, the magic would all disappear and I would turn into a pumpkin.”

I turned away and let my gaze fall to the floor. “I’m no Cinderella.  I’m the ugly stepsister.  I stole all your magic.”

He bent down to force me to look at him.  All of the ugliness that I’d witness was gone.  My knight in shining armor was back.  “If not for you, would I still be able to do this?”  With only his hand in mine, we lifted off the ground. Even though no music played, he spun me and moved to unheard notes, until I heard the beating of his heart.  We ended with a dip.  Slowly we descended back to earth or rather the carpeted floor of his room.  There was no stopping the grin that erupted on my face.

Gliding his hand up my back, he guided me to a standing position.  “Mercy, I would have no powers at all if you hadn’t intervened.  It was your love that saved me.  You don’t know how I longed and waited for you.”

Pulling me toward the far side of the room he said, “I need a shower.”

If not for his pulling me, I would have stopped short.  I wasn’t quite ready for things to move further between us.  I’d been sure the whole way back from the other side.  But his Dr. Jekyll routine had me second guessing my decision.

Inside the bathroom, his hands framed my face.  Pulling away, he breathed, “You can go first.”  He flashed me a smile that reminded me of the kind and gentle guy he’d been.  Leaving me alone, he closed the bathroom door behind him.

A part of me wanted to lock the door.  But what would that say? That I no longer trusted the guy who had basically stopped our relationship from moving further despite my pleas all along?  So slowly I took off my clothes and tried not to shiver because a part of me kept expecting him to walk in at any moment.

It wasn’t until I was done and turning off the water that I totally relaxed until I realized I had no change of clothes with me in the bathroom.  I dried my hair the best I could and longed for a ponytail holder.  Looking in the mirror with my damp hair falling in waves like curls over my shoulder and down my back, I felt exposed even with the towel wrapped around me.  I could handle this, I thought to myself taking deep breaths.

Opening the door, Luke was standing right outside the door.  Shock must have been on my face.  “Are you okay?” he questioned.  I bit my lip and nodded. “I felt your pain in there,” he confessed.  “That’s a part of the whole guardian thing.  When you have strong emotions, I’m in tune with them.”

Yes, that, I’d almost forgotten.  “Why didn’t you tell me you were my guardian?” I managed to say.  Really, I had no right to ask because I was the queen of secrets myself.  But there was no stopping the words.

Now it was his turn to look guilty. “We aren’t allowed and I gave it up to be with you,” he said honestly.  “Look, you’re shivering.  I’m going to take a shower and then we can talk.”

He headed into the bathroom.  Once I heard the shower running, I got dressed.  I put on the pink Juicy sweat pants he liked.  I even put on a bra before my tank top.  Normally, I didn’t sleep wearing a bra, but it felt necessary.  Looking in his mirror, I still felt exposed in my tank top.  So I pulled open a few of his drawers until I found his tee shirts and shrugged into one.

I cocked an ear when I swore I heard him singing.  He was singing in the shower.  Finding myself pressed against the door, I shuffled away when the water cut off.  I looked at his bed but opted for the sofa in front of the television.  Pulling an afghan that was hanging over the side over me, I turned on the television.  Just then the door opened and I made the mistake of looking back at him.