Wanted (17 page)

Cora had texted me throughout the day, demanding updates on my progress. She was being so awesome, and I insisted she be with me the next night when everything went down.

When dinner was over, Conor and I helped clear the table. Walking to the sink, I stumbled slightly, running into Conor and almost dropping my plate.

“Whoa.” He steadied me, setting the dishes he carried on the counter. “You worked hard, you must be exhausted.” He took my plate and guided me back to a chair. My heavy eyelids fluttered and my muscles refused to work. Maybe I should just go to bed.

Mom put a hand on my face and stared into my eyes. “You’re completely depleted, Ashlinn. You need bed now. You can resume your work tomorrow.”

Numbly, I nodded and tried to stand. My body refused to cooperate and I slumped farther into the chair instead. My dad picked me up and carried me up the stairs.

“G’night, Conor.” I mumbled, watching him through half-closed eyes.

He smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” And then all I knew was sleep.

Friday was more of the same. After sleeping in, showering, and eating breakfast, I dove right into levitating and controlling objects with my power. It was a little freaky to see it work. Usually, my power was just there, in me, without any physical manifestation. However my ability to float stuff around the room was pretty telling as to the strength of my power.

I was doing well until Conor showed up right after lunchtime. After the third pillow whacked me in the face, I swore.

“I need a break,” I declared, standing and stretching my aching muscles. Why couldn’t I get this down? Granted, Conor had been kissing my neck before I’d gotten a face full of pillow, but I was still frustrated he made me lose control. In a few hours, he was going to be biting me, and I needed to know I wasn’t going to shoot him across the room. So far, that wasn’t happening. Epic. Fail.

Stomping up the stairs, I went to my room to check my phone. Matt had finally texted me.

How’s it going? U ready 4 2nite?

I heaved a sigh and checked my reflection in the mirror over my dresser. My eyes shone a shocking blue, instead of the cornflower color I saw every other day. Wisps of hair had escaped my ponytail and stuck out around my head. My cheeks were flushed and my skin almost glowed. Is that what using my power did to me? I almost looked…pretty…in a messy, just-out-of-bed kind of way. I was kind of awed by my reflection. What would Matt think when I told him I was failing? Might as well tell him the truth.

Crappy. I suck.

While I waited for his reply, I took my hair out and remade my ponytail so it was smoother and less messy.

I’m coming over.

Why did Matt think he would be able to help? As I thought it over more, I found the tension easing out of my body. My muscles relaxed and calm snuck in. Okay, so the thought of Matt being here calmed me. How telling was that? Really not wanting to think about it too hard, I put my phone down and went back downstairs to rejoin Conor.

He was perched on the couch, flipping through channels on the TV. I paused in the doorway to the family room and watched him for a moment.

Even in profile, he was achingly beautiful. His black hair was in disarray, falling onto his cheek, obscuring his eyes from me. It just added to his sexiness. His cheekbones were high and pronounced, nose straight and sharp, and his lips so full and kissable, even from this distance. The muscles bulged in his strong forearms and led to biceps that stretched the material of his T-shirt. He wasn’t an athlete, why was he so strong?

Finally sensing my presence, he turned his gaze to me. I shifted from one foot to the other, a little embarrassed to be caught staring. Clearing my throat, I walked farther into the room.

“Matt says he’s coming over,” I told him apologetically.

One eyebrow raised, he quirked a grin at me. “It could work,” was all he said. I was distracted by his fingers smoothing over the buttons on the remote, just stroking them. His fingers were long, strong, sure. My face grew warm and I shivered with excitement. Conor’s low chuckle washed over me as he stood, unfolding his lean muscles from the couch.

“Ah,” I stumbled over words. “Do you want a drink, or snacks or something?”

I studied his feet as he walked closer to me. When he stood just a few feet from me, I forced my gaze upward. His head was cocked to the side and his green eyes studied me, mouth pulled into a slight frown.

“Water would be fine,” he murmured.

Overwhelmed by my body’s reaction to him, I simply nodded before turning toward the kitchen. Conor followed me. Once I could busy myself with filling glasses and finding some pretzels, I calmed slightly.

Matt must have texted me on the way out of school, because I heard the front door open sooner than I expected. “Ash.” His low voice echoed through the house.

“In the kitchen,” I called back in a normal tone. He’d be able to hear me, wherever I was in the house.

He walked in and the tension left the room. Again, I was amazed at how simply his presence calmed me. The boys nodded to each other in greeting before Matt turned a fierce gaze on me.

“You have to get this down.” His tone was serious and demanding, it frightened me a little. He made it sound like life or death.

“I know, I know.” I handed Conor his glass of water and a bowl of pretzels. “I’m working on it.” I was afraid I would end up as exhausted as I had the night before. The last thing I wanted to do that night—besides throw Conor around—was to pass out before the damn thing could even happen.

Conor watched us with one eyebrow raised, a half-grin playing on his face, like he knew something and just waited for everyone else to notice. I looked at him in question, but he took a drink as he moved toward the doorway muttering, “I’ll be in the family room.”

Left alone with Matt, I focused for the first time since he’d come in. He was still Matt, baggy jeans slouched over athletic shoes and a polo stretched tight over his chest and shoulders. Its light blue color deepened the blue of his eyes. His skin was a pale golden color, the freckles on his nose and cheeks slightly darker, and his sandy brown hair was artfully arranged.

“Matt, did you use hair gel today?” My voice was full of wonder as I stepped closer, examining the top of his head.

He blushed and tried to move away. “Yeah, I, uh, kinda have a date tonight.”

What was that strange feeling in my stomach? It felt like a small fist was slowly squeezing my insides. I so did not want to go there. Instead, I forced a smile and patted his shoulder. “Nice, buddy. I’m so proud. You taking Megan, then? Finally tell her you’re a vamp?”

“Who?” The corner of his lip curled up as he thought. “Oh, from lunch? No way, she was like a thousand years ago. Once I found out she was anti-vampire, I moved way on. Keep up, Ash.”

“Oh. Who’s your date then?” That small fist grew and squeezed harder.

His mouth tightened but he didn’t say anything. Moving past him, I made to leave the kitchen, almost relieved to not know the answer to my question. His hand on my arm stopped my progress. “If you don’t get your power under control, the Council will be forced to take action tonight.”

I stumbled slightly. “What?”

His eyes closed briefly, as though steadying himself, before he leveled that gaze of sea-blue eyes on me. “They cannot allow you to go through the ceremony if there’s a chance you’ll hurt Conor. He has to report to them whether you were successful with your control or not.”

The fist in my stomach squeezed painfully and I fought not to throw up. “What will they do?” I whispered.

Matt shook his head. “I don’t know. Right now, I’m here to make sure you get this.”

“And tonight?” I pushed. “Will you be there when it all goes down? What about your date?”

Matt’s eyebrows rose at the bitterness in my voice, but he didn’t take the bait. “I’ll be there if you need me.”

With a shake of my head, I mentally cursed myself. I had to get under control, both my power and my emotions. “Well, let’s get started.” I tried to ignore the wash of feelings coursing through me as I took my arm out of his grip and left the room.

Conor waited patiently for us in the family room among the pillows we’d put on the floor. I sat beside him, placing my water on the end table. Matt sat on my other side and gave Conor a look over my head.

“If you guys are going to communicate, I wish you’d do it out loud, so I knew what you were saying.”

Matt grinned for the first time. “We’re not talking. It’s just a guy thing.”

Conor’s hand was warm on my shoulder.

“It is a guy thing, and nothing for you to worry about.” He leaned in and pressed a whisper-light kiss to my cheek. “Now, get started, my little witch,” he whispered in my ear.

Shivering, I swatted him away and closed my eyes to begin. My centering and grounding had gotten so fast, it was done before I exhaled. I opened my eyes and focused on the pillow in front of me. It rose easily and hung in place.

Conor leaned in and breathed on my neck, the pillow wobbled. A warm hand enveloped mine, and Matt’s presence flowed through my body. The pillow steadied and I gasped. Conor’s lips touched my jaw, my neck, leaving a trail of kisses as he moved across my skin. My pulse sped, yet the pillow remained steady.

Normally, things would be flying by now, but Matt’s presence had a calming effect and I found I was in complete control for the first time. Conor’s fangs tickled my skin, leaving goosebumps. I panted but was not hit by any projectiles. Finally, he sat back and I released the pillow.

I looked at him excitedly.

“I did it.” Letting go of Matt, I leaned over and drew Conor into a fierce hug. His arms came around me and I buried my face in the crook of his neck. Finally, finally I had control. I could do this, I would get through tonight, and Conor and I would be together.

I sat back and looked at him, wondering why he was so silent. His eyes weren’t focused on me; they were locked with Matt’s baby blues. My head swung between the two boys.

“What? No one’s excited? This is what I needed to do, and I did it. We’re all good now.”

Silence.

“What?” Anxiety overtook my joy. “What’s going on now?” Two pairs of eyes locked on me. One blue, one green, both serious.

“Matt is the key.” Conor’s voice was barely above a whisper.

“Well, that’s okay,” I reassured him, taking his hand in mine. “Matt said he would be there if I needed him. Even if he has to ditch his date.” I didn’t know why I couldn’t stop myself from sounding like a jealous ex-girlfriend. Conor’s eyebrows raised, his focus going to Matt.

Matt’s cheeks flushed, his eyes still on Conor. “I can be there if it’s okay with you.”

Conor looked between us. “I’m not sure the Council would allow it. You need to be able to control your power with just me. Matt will not always be around.”

For some reason, my skin grew cold, my throat closed, and black danced around the edges of my vision. I forced a laugh; it sounded harsh. “Of course Matt won’t always be with us, but he’ll always be around. I mean, nearby. Nobody’s leaving, right?” I felt like I watched a tennis match with the way my head was swinging from side to side, trying to get a response from either of them.

Conor took his hand out of mine and suddenly I was an island between two brewing storms; isolated at the moment, but I could feel the tension pouring off them. Each boy was lost in his own thoughts and both had left me here to deal with mine. Their eyes connected and they did that whole guy, voiceless communicating again.

I grabbed Matt’s hand, drawing his eyes to me. “You’re not leaving, right?”

He frowned and touched my cheek briefly before letting his hand fall to his lap. He, too, withdrew his hand from my grip. “You’re going to have Conor, now. You won’t need me.”

Panic threatened to overtake me as I finally realized what was going on. “Of course I’m going to need you. You are my best friend. I’m always going to need you.”

His gaze focused over my head, and I swung mine to Conor. “And that is the problem,” Conor whispered, touching my cheek just as Matt had, his green eyes sad.

“What? I can’t be your familiar and be friends with Matt? That’s just dumb.”

The opening of the front door cut off any reply I may have gotten. My mom appeared in the family room moments later.

“How’s it going in here?” Her voice was cheerful, so odd compared to the melancholy hanging in the room. Matt’s face melted into a grin, blue eyes sparkling as he turned to my mom.

“Ash is doing great, Mrs. O’Hara. She’s got her control down pat now.”

He stood, stretching his arms over his head. I tried not to stare at the patch of golden abs poking out below his lifted shirt. Conor cleared his throat and I looked to him guiltily, cheeks flushing. He simply raised an eyebrow at me as he took my hand and helped me to stand.

My mom hugged Matt and came over to me and Conor.

“That’s great news,” she told me, beaming. I supposed she had known the Council wouldn’t let an out of control witch be bitten.

I nodded. “Now I just need to get ready, eat dinner, and we’re good to go.”

“Actually, we’ll have dinner there, so you just need to get ready.” Conor’s soft voice was close to my ear, eliciting goosebumps.

“Oh. And what do I wear?”

“I have your dress in my car,” Matt replied.

“Oh.” I didn’t know what to say.

He turned and left the house, only to return a few moments later with a dress bag on a hanger.

“It’s tradition to wear a formal dress,” Conor told me as Matt handed the dress bag to my mom. “Matt and I picked one out for you.”

“You and Matt,” I repeated.

He nodded. “Well, Matt knows you better than I do. He knew what kind of style you would like and what would look good on you.”

Matt’s gaze met mine, and I tried to ignore the flare of heat I saw in them. Was he thinking of what I’d look like in the dress he’d helped pick out?

I focused on my mom, who was still smiling. She clapped her hands together. “Okay, boys, your job is done. I’ll get Ashlinn ready, and you can come back later to get her.”