Book of Revenge (25 page)

Navia took a sharp breath and leaned toward Wes. “Did Jake tell you who?” Her head tilted with interest, an interest I assumed was due to her belonging to the pixie community and in being Jane’s new bestie, but there was also something else.

I tilted my own head, the whispers in her mind trying to break through. They sounded anxious, but were quickly squabbled. Again finding myself at a dead end, my considerations turned back to Jane. I could practically hear her swallowing down dread beside me. Wes’s reply would now be the only thing that could shed light on the situation.

Navia shook her head slowly, her lips a narrow line. “No, never heard of her.” Everything about her suddenly ceased to move, as though she’d been frozen.

Wes shrugged. “So, anyway. I thought you should know, Jane. That’s all.”

Jane was just as frozen as Navia. I was scared by the whole thing, never before seeing Jane so affected by one simple word or name. After a moment passed, however, I was relieved to hear her draw in a long breath of air.

“I knew about it,” she murmured, dropping her head. “I just… didn’t know her name.”

I bit my lip, seeing the sting in Jane’s eyes and regretting the idea of bringing this whole thing up. This morning it had seemed like a good idea because I thought she didn’t know, but apparently our news was a bit late. Broaching the subject was nothing but pouring salt on a freshly opened wound.

I looked at Wes, feeling increasingly bad for Jane. What was happening? Max and Jane had been so in love, but now it was falling apart. I guess anything could. “I’m sorry.” I rubbed my hand in circles on her back.

Navia’s attention came back to us. She grinned and stood, taking Jane’s arm. My gaze remained on Navia, her eyes flashing darkly just as they broke from mine. I drew in a discreet, tiny breath when I saw it, sensing the danger in it. Though I wanted to grab Navia and ask her why, they had already turned and walked away just as quickly as they had come.

“That didn’t exactly go how I’d imagined,” Wes admitted once they were out of earshot.

I shook my head distractedly, still trying to figure if the darkness was my own apprehension toward new people, or if it had really been there. “No, not at all.”

Wes stopped eating for a moment. “Are you sure you’re alright, Em?”

I swallowed, hiding the concern for now. “Yeah, babe. I’m fine.” I smiled as best I could, but something deep in my stomach lurched again.

Avery:

“Well, that wasn’t very nice.” I squeezed Jane’s arm with the force of my nervousness. She shied away from me slightly. Jane’s friends already knew about Max and me, a factor I hadn’t considered. Luckily, they didn’t know what I looked like, but considering my rather prestigious place in society, it wouldn’t take long before they found out. I needed to execute my plans, and soon.

Jane snorted. “So much for friends, right? I’m so sick of their mockery, teasing…
judging.”

I smiled through my unease. “Well, you have me now.” At least for a little while, I thought.

Jane nodded in agreement as we passed through the school doors and into the hall. She gently shrugged out of my grasp. “I better get to bio lab.”

My pet was sad, something I secretly enjoyed, but was required to convey otherwise. Still though, I had grown fond of having a pet, and I had to give Max a little credit—it was fun. I nodded sympathetically and gave Jane a hug. She smiled bleakly before shuffling pathetically down the hall.

Greg snorted. “I don’t even know what the plan
is
. Are you ready to share?”

I turned to him, giving him a sassy smile as I traced one nail down the length of his nose, then kissed it. “We’re going to kill her.”

Greg chuckled as though my words were impossible. “Not to be a Debbie Downer, but I think Max will notice.”

I laughed to myself. “Oh, Greg. He won’t.”

Greg shook his head. “If Jane turns up murdered, he’s going to dedicate an eternity to finding whoever did it. He’ll find you. If there’s one thing Max can do, its hunt his prey.”

I wrapped my arms around Greg’s neck, leaning against him. I clicked my tongue. “That’s why I’m not just going to kill her, my darling. I’m going to convince her to kill
herself.
If Max believes she did it, then the story ends.” The words alone excited me. “And best of all, he’ll blame himself.”

I could tell I was rousing Greg’s desires as his hand grasped my hip. “You’re going to make her kill herself? How will you manage that?” He leaned close.

My gaze rose to meet his, allowing the darkness in my eyes to show. “Just watch, dear Greg. You’ll see.” I pulled out of his grasp, smoothing my dress over and down my body. “Have you been doing as I ask?”

“He did, did he?” Max had more gumption than I’d thought. “Well, then I will assume he will be looking out for Jane a little more closely.” There was a ping of betrayal in my heart. My father would have surely told him about my darkness. “If he sees me with her, the whole thing will be ruined.” I sighed. “Please, keep me informed of his whereabouts at all times, won’t you, darling?”

“He’s here right now,” Greg challenged with a smile, getting back at me for my coy behavior.

My smile sunk to a frown and my stomach fluttered with the statement, a reaction I hadn’t expected. I was over Max, wasn’t I? I bit my lip and sloughed off the feeling as fast as it had come, finding an excuse for it. Max held my light, my soul. I craved it and that was all. This was the only reason that made sense to me. Max was a mere memory of my past life.

I laughed lightly. “I know you’ve been continuing to visit that Emily girl. Her mind may be protected, but not from me. She was wildly thinking about it just a moment ago: you sneaking into her room in the dark, watching her… It’s all really quite
romantic.
You must have left a lasting impression on her.” I shook my head mockingly. “Can’t you just let it go, Greg? That’s what’s truly pathetic.” I turned away from him, quickly ending this meeting. “I should go.”

I disappeared before he got a chance to reply, leaving him instead with a shocked expression, something I never got tired of seeing.

Jane:

I felt increasingly ill as I placed one foot in front of the other. I didn’t expect that knowing her name would do this to me.

Avery.

It washed across my thoughts like waves on a beach—constant, unchanging, and worst of all, unstoppable.
What did she look like? Was she like me? Was I like her?
I felt increasingly self conscious just thinking of Navia and how beautiful she was. Avery had to be at least as attractive. They all were. I was, in comparison, quite literally plain Jane.

But the questions didn’t stop there.

How long were they together? What did they do for fun? Did Max break up with her, or did Avery break up with Max?
A part of me felt Max had left her, but I hadn’t bothered to ask details, too devastated by the simple existence of a former woman in Max’s life, and not just any woman, but a
fiancé.

A chill fell over me then, a sweet, soft chill. I stopped in my tracks and turned on my heel.

“
Max?”
I whispered, frantic and drunk with the feeling.

Holding my breath, nothing happened. No one was there. I bit my lip, placing my hand on my chest as the breath I was holding began to sting. I released it and shut my eyes, wanting to cry, but nothing came. Opening my eyes, I turned back and continued on down the hall. When I reached the bio lab, I was relived to see it was empty. Normal students were still enjoying lunch, only geeks like me liked to arrive early—and, well, geeks like Jake, normally.

I stared through the small window into the dark room, knowing I should go in, but not sure if I was prepared to be that alone. A moment ago it had seemed like a good idea, but I knew I really just wanted to get away from Navia for a moment. She was suffocating me.

I didn’t like being weepy, and worst of all, I didn’t like being predictable. Running away from my problems to sulk by myself in a dark room was definitely ‘predictable Jane’. I dreamed of running someplace new for a moment, like the ice cream shoppe or the park. These were places that could actually comfort me for a change, but then I remembered I had no car. Finding this the only choice, I placed my hand on the handle of the door and pressed down against all my body’s screams not to.

My footfalls echoed as I made my way to my regular spot and sat down, stool squeaking. I sighed, looking up at the board where equations were scribbled. Everything about this room felt like an old friend. There was a smell of alcohol from the beakers that sat filled along the far wall. The scent seeped toward me, burning my nostrils and making me forget about the scent Max had given me—the scent of me.

Another sweet chill fell over me, and I didn’t know if it was from the thrill of forgetting, or something else. I shut my eyes, indulging my mind.

“Max?” I asked again.
“Please?”

The chill grew stronger. I opened my eyes, but again, no one was there.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked, but deep inside, I already knew the answer. Just then, something white caught my eye on the stool beside me. I twisted my head, my heart leaping into my throat. There was a paper crane sitting there, facing forward as though it had been there all along. I couldn’t help but smile.

I reached for it slowly, relishing the moment as I unfolded its wings.

I have to fix this. That’s what you want.

That’s all that matters.

I ran my hand over the letters, the ink still fresh. It was my fault he wouldn’t let me see him. I had been right. My request for him to fix this had not been taken lightly. I should have known enough about his nature to understand that he wouldn’t come back until all of my requests were fulfilled. I lifted my head, feeling more alone than before—he was punishing me.

The door to the lab opened suddenly. I jumped, crinkling the paper in my hand to hide it. Navia waltzed in. I could not escape her.

“Seriously. Why are you here?” She snorted—albeit gracefully. “I think I’ve had enough of this school stuff for today, how about you?” Her eyes grazed the room, looking sharp.

Navia crossed her legs and folded her hands on her knees, looking like a politician on stage. “From?” The corner of her mouth curled.

“Well…” She placed her hand on mine. “I have just the thing to get your mind off it. I was just invited to a Halloween party Friday night, and I think we should go. Finding the right costume is enough to keep you distracted for days, trust me.”

I tried to be happy about it, at least for her sake, but there was no hiding my continued sadness.

Navia sighed. “I want to help you feel better.” She paused. “Have you had a chance to think about what I said?”

“About?” I was in no mood to remain sharp about everything she’d mentioned in the last forty-eight hours, especially given the added factor of champagne.

“About the whole becoming an angel thing?” she reminded me pertly, as though it was obvious.

“Oh…
uh…”

Navia didn’t let me finish. “Just think. It would solve all your problems. You’ll no longer be Max’s guarded, so you know what that means, and you’ll live as long as he does.”

I let the thought take hold. “How will I find someone to save? It’s not like people just drop dead everyday in Glenwood Springs, let alone from an event requiring saving.”