Voices of the Sea (3 page)

“Lora,” Luke hissed from across the aisle.

She didn’t respond to his call and snickered when she heard him push his chair back to stand.

Luke moved forward until he stood right beside her. Lora continued to ignore him.

“Mr. Pellum, is there a reason you’re no longer seated?” Ms. Phillips asked, pausing her lecture. The room became silent and twenty students focused on the pair of them. Luke’s eyes were wild with desire and his body leaned forward to lessen the distance between him and the Siren.

Lora knew her father would be ashamed of her actions, and would probably chastise her for exposing her abilities and endangering Luke. She also decided she didn’t care. Luke acted like a love-crazed imbecile, but he deserved it and she couldn’t help the smirk, which crept upon her lips.

“Sorry,” she said, flashing an apologetic expression to her teacher. For added effect, Lora shrugged and rolled her eyes, hoping to convey exasperation over Luke’s odd behavior. Ms. Phillips gave them a warning glare.

“Is there a problem, Miss Reines?”

Yes, there’s a huge problem. Luke is an insulting twit, I’m almost eighteen and still don’t have all my powers, and I just found the mutilated body of my Siren sister. Oh, and I’d rather be anywhere else but here right now.

But Lora rested her clenched fists on her desk.

“Sit down,” she said to Luke, who instantly obeyed. Ms. Phillips’ mouth opened in surprise at Luke’s obeisance, but resumed the lecture after an uncomfortable moment. Lora could feel Luke’s eyes boring into her head and glanced at the clock. The lingering effects should wear off soon. She’d only let out a hum, but she must have been angrier than she thought, because the charm had been immediate. Lora giggled when she recalled his ridiculous reaction of desire.

A sharp pain on her ankle broke her good mood. She stifled a gasp, whipping around to frown at her assailant. Ankle throbbing, Lora glared at Will.

“
Stop,
” he mouthed, turning his wide mouth into a frown. His gray eyes narrowed and bore into hers.

Lora lifted her chin and turned away, but she stopped laughing all the same. Her cheeks flushed a bit; Will’s disapproval made her feel guilty over getting caught. She hadn’t been thinking of him when the singing started. She only wanted to teach Luke a lesson.

Luke’s eyes soon cleared of their fervor and they blinked rapidly, shaking off the remnants of her seduction. The offensive picture still sat on his desk, however, and Lora breathed deeply, seeking control again from her rising indignation. The song she sang a few minutes ago continued to linger, sweet and honeyed on her tongue.

Luke fled for the door the moment the dismissal bell rang, as if sensing the danger, even though he no longer had any memory of the event. Grabbing her pencil, Lora slammed her notebook shut and gathered her belongings, shoving them into her backpack. She wanted to get out of the classroom before Will could confront her face to face, but her chances of escaping would be next to impossible. Will’s lectures were almost worse than her father’s, and after the day she’d had already, her mood had turned foul. Lora sensed Will standing right behind her, even though she couldn’t see him.

“Leave me alone,” she grumbled.

Will maneuvered around the desk to face her. Lora stood at five feet, seven inches, but he still towered above her, dark and dangerous in his anger. “Or what? You gonna sing me to death?”

“Jerk.”

He said nothing, but observed her with those stormy eyes, reducing her to a puddle of shame on the ground. What did he want? An apology? Groveling? She’d found a Siren dead and didn’t feel like she owed anyone anything. Instead, her mistakes were a constant disappointment to people she cared about. Her father, Devin, Will. She’d had enough of trying to be who they wanted. Lora knew she should tell Will about Victoria. Maybe then he would understand why she was so angry and not lecture her.

Lora dropped her backpack on the desk. “He drew an obscene picture.”

Will pursed his lips. “And the picture makes it okay to put his life in danger?”

“He wasn’t in danger,” she murmured, throwing him an angry glance as she put on her red coat, threw her backpack over her shoulder, and strode from the room. He stayed close behind, however; she could hear the jingling of keys in his pocket.

The cold morning struck her as soon as she stepped out the door, and Lora wondered how much the temperature had dropped since she’d arrived at school. The air felt at least ten degrees cooler, and it stung her face. Even though the classroom had been warm and the air felt refreshing, she resented its bitterness. While she normally welcomed the feeling, today it only served to remind her of Victoria’s stiff body. Students hurried by in both directions, pulling their coats to them, shielding themselves from the cold.

Will acted as if she’d tried to murder Luke, which Lora would never do to a human. “You understand the rules, Lora. More than anyone, you should follow them. You’re supposed to
preserve
them!” His deep voice penetrated her, low and brooding. Two freshmen sauntered past them and beamed when they saw Will, who continued to glare at Lora and did not notice.

“Lora . . .” he began again, and she whirled to face him.

“I don’t need you to lecture me on the rules. The Clan, you, my dad, hell, everyone has been hammering them down my throat since I turned two. Don’t you think I worry about my responsibilities every day?” Her anger toward the monster who’d killed Victoria and her anger toward the Clan for holding her back overtook her.

“Besides,” Lora hissed, “from what I understand, you’re hardly a role model.”

She regretted the words the moment they left her mouth. The churning of the ocean faded into the distance. “Wait,” she said, reaching out her hand to touch his jacket, “I didn’t mean . . .”

“I know what you meant,” he snapped, his face darkening like the sea at night. Will ground his teeth, and Lora flinched at the sickening sound. “Enjoy your lunch.” He turned and strode down the hall, disappearing into the crowd of shivering students. Cringing at his harsh tone, Lora called out to him, but he kept walking. Her stomach twisted, and she felt sick.

How could she insult him after all the hurt and pain he’d experienced so many years ago?

The world slowed. Going after him now may not be the best move, she decided. More than likely, he needed time alone, time away from her. Lora stood, trying to decide what to do as her friend hurried away down the hallway.

Chapter Four

W
ill didn’t turn around. She’d figured he wouldn’t, but had dared to hope, anyway.

The hall began to clear of students who were making their way to the cafeteria. Lora turned the hurtful comment over and over in her mind as she reluctantly marched toward the large building at the end of the hallway, admonishing herself for her own stupidity. According to his aunt and uncle, Will had been withdrawn and depressed for over a year after he’d come to live with them. It took him a long time to start enjoying life after the incident.

Her father would be furious if he found out.

She didn’t even want to imagine what Devin would say to her right now.

But she still had time to make it right.

Lora hurried down the hallway after Will. She couldn’t see him any longer, but broke into a jog, her book bag smacking against her thighs. Will had a predictable personality, and she was pretty sure she could figure out his destination. Besides, there were few places on campus where a person could be alone. Her breath came out in white puffs as Lora passed under the large archway guarding the school entrance. She scurried across the parking lot. Light mist kissed her eyelashes as she ran.

Will’s red Pontiac sat in the far corner of the lot, next to her car. Once free of the school, she again connected with the ocean, taking comfort in its presence; she preferred being outdoors, where her protector lingered nearby. The mist had turned to light rain, and Lora pulled on her hood as she wove around the parked cars. The temperature had dropped even more since she’d left the beach, and summer seemed far away.

Through the rain-splattered window, she saw Will in the driver’s seat, eating a sandwich. He glanced toward her, a wad of bread in his mouth, then turned back to the dashboard and shook his head.

Lora tried the door handle. It was locked.

“Come on, Will. Let me in.”

He ignored her. Will didn’t plan on making this easy, and why should he? She deserved his anger. Weary, Lora closed her eyes and prayed to her ancestors for guidance. She pictured them, basking on an island shore off a stormy coast, content among sisters, a passionate sea calling and singing around them. Lora took a deep breath, calming herself with the ocean’s mantra, and confidence swept over her.

Lora put both hands on the glass and pressed her nose against the wet pane. “Please?” She had to yell to make sure he could hear her through the glass.

He still didn’t respond.

Lora frowned and moved around to the driver’s side window. Will turned his head away. In a last ditch effort, she knocked to get his attention and pressed her nose and mouth against the glass, letting out a deep breath. She looked ridiculous, and Will cracked a small grin. Placing her hands together as if she were praying, she again said, “Please?”

Will hesitated, but unlocked the doors. She hurried around to the passenger side, jerking open the door and sliding into the seat.

“It’s warm in here.”

Will shrugged.

“I’m sorry, Will.”

He shrugged again, then turned his head away, toward the parking lot. What was he searching for? The ocean, as she herself so often did? She saw his shoulders rise and fall in a sigh.

“What do you want?” he said.

She frowned at her hands. “I acted like a jerk.”

He shifted in his seat, but didn’t respond.

Turning toward him, she stole a glance at his dark face, lined with pain. His face revealed yellow undertones, small moments of sun beneath his skin, and his gray eyes lowered, conflicted. Today they were the same color as steel. The words to heal him were beyond her reach, so she tried to think of the right thing to say to crack his hard exterior. “Okay, I’m a
big
jerk. I was . . . mad, and I shouldn’t have brought up . . .” Taking a deep breath, she placed her hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

Will nodded and ate another bite of his sandwich. “It’s fine.”

“But . . .”

He turned to her then with cheerless eyes, full of hurt. “Really. I’m not mad.”

His tone of voice confused Lora. He should be angry with her, but this calm submission infuriated her worse than any screaming tirade. “You’re not?”

Will raised his eyebrow with an amused expression. “Do you
want
me to be angry?”

“No,” she answered. Then, “Yes. I deserve it.”

He shoved the remaining food into a brown bag, then turned to stare out the front windshield. “No.
I
deserve it. It’s my fault they—” he stopped himself. “She’s dead.” He crumpled the brown bag in his fist. “I’ll never stop paying for my mistake.” The muscles in his arm flexed and tightened as he squeezed the crumpled lunch bag.

His admission stunned Lora. “Will.”

“What?” he yelled, startling her. “Are you gonna tell me it wasn’t my fault, too? I’m so sick of people pretending like I didn’t kill her.” His hand shot to the backseat and he grabbed his backpack. “At least you were honest.” Will yanked opened the car door, and Lora lunged forward to stop him, grabbing his backpack to pull him back into the car. Although she had guessed he harbored guilt over what happened, Lora hadn’t realized his soul endured this torture. The accident happened before she met him five years ago, but from what she understood, the girl’s death had been nothing but a tragic accident.

A sudden gust of wind rattled the car and the rain increased, coming in at an angle and pelting the car’s leather seats through the open door. Rain soaked Will’s darkened shirt.

“I have something to tell you,” she said, pleading, praying he wouldn’t leave her alone.

“If it’s about . . .”

“It isn’t,” she interrupted. Lora decided to tell him, even if it was grim. “Something happened this morning.”

Will’s body did not relax, but he turned to face her, pulling the car door shut. “I could see it in your eyes,” he said, “when you came late to class. Tell me.” His seemed almost excited to hear her news, but she wondered if he was relieved to change the subject.

Lora hesitated. No matter what she said, Will would probably get angry with her. The other clan members and he were the same: strict and conservative. But he was still her best friend, and she could no sooner keep a secret from him than she could stop loving the ocean. “I went for a walk this morning.”

“On the beach?” His voice sounded calm.

“Yes.” She paused. “Will, I couldn’t resist the call! It pulled me in, stronger than usual, and I couldn’t let it go today. Besides, Devin says my need to be near the sea is much more powerful for me because I’m a future Guardian. And it was so wonderful, feeling the ocean within me, answering its song. We were meant to be a part of it, and I just don’t understand why everyone insists on ignoring who we are.” The words poured from her mouth, and she breathed heavily as Will raised his eyebrows at her outburst. “Sorry,” she murmured. “It’s been a rough morning.”

He showed no sign of understanding. “What happened?” he asked.

Lora recounted the events, and her friend’s eyes grew wide. As she spoke, the angry storm outside surrounded the car. Will remained quiet and composed, the only calm element in the car, considering the fiery girl next to him.

“If you’d seen her, Will. If you’d seen the way he mutilated her . . .” Lora shivered, and Will put a hand on her shoulder. His touch brought on Lora’s tears, coursing down her cheeks. “It was horrible,” she whispered in a trembling voice.

His arm reached around her and pulled her close. Lora cried on his shoulder. Will’s arms enveloped her, comforting her, smoothing her soft, brown hair. His jacket felt warm against her face and she clung to him, grateful for his friendship.

“Did you tell Devin?”

“Yes,” she said, still clinging to him, though she felt him stiffen. She loosened her grip a bit. “But she didn’t share any of her visions with me. Devin just told me to go to school, and that we’d talk more later.”

“Does your dad think the killer targeted Victoria because she was a Siren?”

“He didn’t say so,” Lora replied, finally gaining the courage to pull away from Will’s arms. “But he did say I needed to be more careful now. If you saw how they killed her . . . well, I don’t really see any other way of looking at it.” The image of the dead woman sprawled across the ice plant returned, and Lora felt sick to her stomach. A Siren killer had somehow found their clan. Over the years, the Clan seemed to have forgotten who they really were, forgotten their legacy. Lora blamed the constant need for secrecy. All this time she’d wanted the world to learn about Sirens, but perhaps there was safety in anonymity.

Will’s gaze seemed far away, his mind lingering elsewhere. “I bet Devin will call a meeting soon. I don’t want you driving home by yourself, either, so why don’t I follow you back to your house when school gets out?”

Comforting Will had disappeared and practical, distant Will had returned. Lora’s ease dissipated, the empty feeling returned, and she sought solace once again. Over the years, she had sometimes wished Will had been chosen as her counterpart, but the sea must have other ideas, because it would have told her by now. She had to trust the ocean, and besides, his periodic lack of emotion could be infuriating.

Despite the danger, she actually considered a trip to the beach, which is where she did her best thinking.

“Sure,” she said, shrugging, pretending she didn’t mind the change in his demeanor. “That’s exactly what my Dad would want.” Will did not resemble her father, but their personalities were so similar: practical men living in a realistic world. No time for play, no time for passion, no time for anything spontaneous or unplanned.
How ironic. The two most important men in my life are exactly alike, and yet so different from me.

Lora placed her hand on the door. “I should get to the cafeteria so I have time to eat. Meet you here at three?”

Eyes narrowed, he studied her face before nodding. “Three.”

“You forgive me, right?” She held her breath when he paused, his hand resting on the door handle as if considering his response.

“There’s nothing to forgive,” Will said. He gathered his belongings and studied her with his beautiful eyes, laced with an emotion she couldn’t pin-point. Be it sorrow or anger, she couldn’t tell. Will’s dark features and misty eyes often had girls across the school swooning, but Lora could only focus on the moodiness emanating from them. Which proved easy to do, considering he continued to brood right next to her. Lora turned away and grabbed her backpack as she exited the vehicle. They hurried across the parking lot through the steady rain until they reached the archway.

“Why don’t you meet me here after school?” Will said.

“Why? I can meet you at my car.”

Will shook his head. “It’s safer to meet me here.” Without waiting for a response, he took off, away from the cafeteria, leaving Lora alone, her only company the musical tinkling of rain on the cars. Loneliness swept over her, but it was an oddly welcome feeling. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply, taking in the cool, fresh air.

“Wow,” she heard a voice say behind her. “You’re soaked.”

Startled, Lora turned to see Nicholas Wilson staring at her, a strange expression on his face.

“You get caught up in the rain?” he asked.

Obviously,
she thought, but bit her tongue to remain polite. “Yes. I had to run across the parking lot.” Lora did not want to see or talk to Nicholas right now. He meant well, but had never developed basic social skills, particularly sensing when others didn’t want him around. His scrawny shoulders slumped, and he shuffled his feet on the concrete. “I saw you with Will. Were you eating with him? Lunch, I mean?”

“We ate in his car. I . . .” she hesitated, not sure how best to form the lie. “I wasn’t in the mood for a noisy cafeteria.” This was mostly true, minus many important, nasty details. Lora couldn’t even imagine how Nicholas would react if she told him she’d found a dead body this morning. He might throw up in front of her. Or worse, hug her.

“Oh,” Nicholas said, nodding vehemently, and Lora blinked, trying hard not to look bored. “I know how you feel. I hate the cafeteria.”

Lora wasn’t surprised. The other students routinely picked on him because he didn’t quite fit in. He’d moved to Pacific Grove mid-year. Rumor had it he lived in a small apartment with his mother, who supposedly worked several jobs to support them. He probably had no one at home to advise him, or to teach him useful social skills. As a result, his clothing didn’t fit him very well. His pants either sagged off his lithe frame or resembled high-waters, and his shirts usually had holes in them. Today, upset from the morning’s events, she figured she would have to work extra hard to keep her patience with the poor kid.

She took a few steps toward the cafeteria. “I’m actually heading there now,” Lora said. “I want to meet up with some friends before the bell rings.” The rain came down harder, and though the covered walkway protected her, droplets bounced off the pavement and splattered her legs.

“I’ll go with you,” Nicholas offered. His hand reached out to touch the sleeve of her damp t-shirt. At Lora’s startled expression, he snatched his hand away.

“Thanks,” she said, mustering a smile, “but I have to hurry.”

As she turned to leave, Nicholas said, “Really, it’s no problem. I’d love to go with you. Maybe you could introduce me to your friends and we could all hang out this weekend. There’s a great new horror flick at the dollar theater. You wanna go? Your friends could come, too.”

“I have plans,” Lora lied, squirming to get away. “See you around, Nicholas.” Nicholas wrinkled his large forehead.

“Are you sure? My treat!”

“Really. Some other time, maybe.” She had too much on her mind and couldn’t imagine spending an entire evening in his company.

“Okay,” he answered, giving up. “Bye, Lora.”

Lora scurried toward the cafeteria, aware of Nicholas’ eyes staring at her as she retreated. He always treated her well, smiling and saying hello when he saw her, but his staring gave her the creeps, and she wished she could break his growing attachment. It might be time to pretend Will was her boyfriend after all, especially because Nicholas seemed to think they had a chance as a couple.