From Deities (8 page)

I slowly twisted my
neck to the door. “Mason?” I murmured under my breath. My eyes shifted to Ian then to Mason, hoping he wouldn’t think that something was going on between us, especially when Mason had seen Ian at the bar. Maybe he wouldn’t remember him? It was dark after all. Luckily, I didn’t have to wait too long. With his head down, Ian walked right out the door without a word.

“It’s not what you think,” I said quickly. “He’s here for the party. He came up to see me. He’s in my statistics class.”

“Uh huh…I’m sure he was.” Mason furrowed his brows. “I’m not mad.” In one fluid motion, he stood in front of me, wrapping one hand around my waist and the other lacing through my hair. “Maybe just a little jealous, but I’m confident enough to know I make you blush…make you dream about me and think of me…make you feel things when I’m not around.” The mini electric jolts he was eliciting were making me tingle in all the right places, blissfully warming me up.

I was just about to say he was egotistical and arrogant, but I lost my train of thought due to his proximity and what he was doing. “You’re bad, Mason,” I said weakly, plopping on the bed to gather myself when he released me.

Mason hovered over me with his elbows steadying him. After brushing strands of my hair away from my face, he caressed my cheeks. “I promise you, when I know it’s time, when we’re both ready, I’ll be the naughtiest boyfriend in existence. You are beautiful, intelligent, kind, and irresistible. I know guys will chase you and ask you out. And yes, there will be times when I get jealous, but I didn’t come here to check up on you. You left your phone at Subway.”

“I’m so sorry, Mason.” I covered my eyes and guilt poured through the sound of my tone. It was no wonder I couldn’t find it in my purse. “I was looking for it. I guess I left it there after I texted Kayla back. You were worried and came right over. I feel so bad and irresponsible.”

Gently removing my hand from my face, Mason pulled me to his side. “It’s okay, Sky. I’m just glad you’re alright. But please make sure you have it with you at all times.”

“Okay,” I sighed.

“It’s loud here. Do you want to go back to my house?”

“No, it’ll be over soon. Besides, I have an early class tomorrow.”

“Statistics?”

“Yes. You remembered.”

“I remember everything about you, Echo.”

His words blissfully tugged at my heart.

“Don’t let any guys sit next to you in class.”

I didn’t know if he was being serious, but I brushed it off when he flashed an irresistible grin. “Possessive, aren’t we?”

“I can be,” he chuckled lightly. “Just be careful. Guys can be tricky, conniving, with one thing on their mind. Remember, I am one of this notorious species. And I’m the only one who gets to stare at you.”

I smiled while tracing my hand down his arm. “Don’t worry.”

“By the way, we’re meeting up with your dad this Saturday. I think it’ll be good for us to meet the others so we’ll know who we can trust.”

“Okay.” I let out a heavy sigh. It had been the first day I hadn’t thought about my dad. Sometimes it didn’t seem real that he was back in my life, not to mention what he was. Closing my eyes, I went to the place in my memory when I really did love my dad; the memory I refused to remember before, the memory that had hurt too much to think about after he left.

“Dad. Why do
you call me Sky and not Skylar?” I was sitting on my dad’s lap. He felt strong, yet soft. He was reading a book to me when I suddenly asked the question out of the blue.

“Sky is a shorter name for Skylar.”

“Oh! I get it. You call me Sky because I’m short. And when I’m taller, you’ll call me Skylar, right?”

My dad chuckled, squeezing me tightly in his arms. “Mommy let me pick your name. I named you Skylar because the sky is beautiful. When I first looked at you when you were born, I thought you were the most beautiful, precious baby I had ever seen. I knew that was the perfect name for you.”

“Really, Daddy?”

“Hearts honor,” my dad said, placing his hand over his heart. “When I’m sad or when I’m having a bad day, all I have to do is think of you and Mommy. Then everything bad goes away. You are my heaven, my peace, and my hope. I’ll always protect you from the bad and evil in this world as long as I’m alive. And even when I die, I’ll still watch over you.”

“I don’t want you to die, Daddy.” There was panic in my tone. I rubbed my eyes to stop the tears from falling.

“I’m sorry, Sky.” He brushed my cheek and kissed me on the forehead. “Don’t worry. It will be a very long time before Daddy dies. You’ll be old and gray by then.”

“Okay, Daddy. I’m five now, so when I’m like one hundred years old?”

“Something like that.”

“Promise?”

“Seal the deal.” My dad placed out his thumb.

I thought this was one of the funniest things he’d ever asked me to do. So I took out my thumb and touched his. Peering up to my dad—the dad I admired, the dad I loved—I said with a giggle, “Seal the deal.”

How ironic this situation was. One of the bad and evil my dad was trying to protect me from, was himself.

My cell phone
woke me up, as well as the sun peering through the blinds. It was going to be a beautiful day. Mason must have set the alarm for me. I didn’t remembering doing it. Feeling extremely parched, I went downstairs to get a drink in the kitchen. I was expecting to see a big mess, but everything was spic and span. Wow! I guessed there was a clean-up crew…maybe?

“Hey, Skylar,” Emily grumbled while she moaned. She was moving in slow motion, massaging her temples. “Ugh, I don’t feel well. I think I drank too much. Did you have fun at the party?”

My lips protruded, wanting to laugh, but I held it in. She had no recollection that I was in my room the whole time. “Yes. Your sorority sisters were really nice. They also did an amazing job cleaning this place up.”

“Yeah, we have a clean-up crew. I think I was part of it. I don’t remember.” Emily leaned against the wall, looking exhausted. Her hair was a mess and she still had on the clothes she’d worn yesterday. Not only that, I could tell she hadn’t washed off her makeup either. “Do you have Advil or something to help with this headache?”

“I do. Hold on.” I went inside the kitchen and brought back a couple of extra strength pills and the last bottle of water. Darn! Well, Emily needed the water more than I did. I can’t believe there was a full case last night, but now it was gone. “Here. We also need some water.”

Emily gulped it down. “Thanks. I’ll get some today after class. Thanks for being such a great roommate.”

My heart softened. Just a second ago, I was starting to get upset. “Sure.” Then I headed back to my room. The only thing left to drink was the punch Ian had given me. Holding the lukewarm cup in my hands, I contemplated whether to drink it, but I was so thirsty that my throat was aching and burning. Hoping it would soothe the pain, I drank most of it. It tasted nasty and left a bitter aftertaste, but it would tide me over. I had planned to go to the mini market on campus before I headed to class.

Grabbing my backpack and making sure I had my cell phone with me, I turned the knob and stopped. The room started to sway. My vision blurred in and out, my breath caught in my throat and I couldn’t breathe. Heaving, light and dark spots flashed and blended in my view multiple times as acid filled my stomach. Losing control of my muscles, I managed to open the door and drop to the floor.

I was drifting in
and out of sleep, feeling like I was heavily sedated. Noticing something soft underneath me, I knew I wasn’t on the ground. I heard whispering voices and thought I was dreaming, especially since I couldn’t open my eyes. Either I was in and out of consciousness or I was delusional.

“Did you draw her blood?” I think that was what he asked, but I couldn’t tell for sure. It must have been the doctor or the nurse. “Take them to my office.”

I didn’t know how long I’d been out, but the pounding in my head was what woke me up first. The queasiness I’d felt earlier had eased somewhat, which was a good thing. Blinking my eyes until my vision cleared, I noted I was not in my bedroom. The window to my left was a clear indication. Feeling somewhat naked underneath the sheet, I peered downward. Yup…that confirmed it; this was not my bed, nor my covers. Glancing around, I realized I was in a hospital room. How did I get there?

The door swung opened. “Skylar.” With a sigh of relief, my mom rushed toward me and sat on the edge of the bed. “I was so worried about you. The doctor said everything would be fine.”

When my mom took my hand, I saw the tube that went straight up into an IV bag. Lowering my eyes, I saw a Band-Aid and assumed blood had been drawn from me. I panicked and my heart dropped. Would they find something inhuman in the testing results? I guess I’d find out soon.

“Do you know what happened?” My mom continued with her questions.

Desperately wanting to remember, I tried to trace my thoughts back from that day, but when my head felt like a hammer hitting the wall, I stopped trying. The only thing that came to my mind at that point was Mason. Knowing I had missed a text or a phone call from him, I was sure he would worry. “Mom, do you know where my cell phone is?”

My mom didn’t answer, but started speaking instead. “Your roommate, Emily, stopped by, and Sky…there’s a boy outside waiting for you. I didn’t let him in because I didn’t know who he was. He says his name is Ian.”

My heart had been steady, thinking my mom would tell me Mason was waiting outside, but then she said Ian’s name instead. However, I had no idea why it instantly thumped harder. “Ian?” What was he doing there?

“Do you want to see him? Is he your boyfriend?”

I shook my head. “No, just a friend. Can you let him in? I would like to talk to him in private.”

“Sure. I’ll go get him.” With one last caress to my hand, Mom headed toward the door.

“Mom?”

She turned, smiling. “Yes.”

“How did you know I was here?”

“To tell you the truth, I don’t know who called. I didn’t answer my phone. There was a message letting me know you were at the hospital so I came as soon as possible.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Hey,” Ian greeted
. Wearing jeans, a blue sweater, and a baseball cap, he sauntered through the door. His face looked genuinely concerned.

“Hi,” I replied warily, feeling slightly nervous from his presence. “How did you know I was here?”

Ian pulled up a chair next to the bed. “You didn’t show up to class, so I swung by your place. Your roommate told me you’d passed out. She said you were at the hospital.”

“Oh.” I furrowed my brows in puzzlement. “Do you know why I passed out?”

He shifted his position, sitting tall, then slouched, appearing a bit nervous. “Sorry. I don’t know.”

“Thank you for your concern, but you really didn’t have to come.” I had no idea why he was there. In a way, I wished he wasn’t. We’d just met and he acted as though we were good friends.

“Well, I better let you get some rest.” He stood up and kissed my cheek. “I’m sure your boyfriend will be flying through the door real soon.”

Surprised by his actions, I didn’t know what to do or say. What was that kiss for? Glancing over his shoulder one last time, he winked and left. Mom walked in seconds later, gave me a hug, and told me she would be back after running some errands since I wouldn’t be discharged until later that evening. Though I protested, she insisted I return to her house and spend at least one night with her. Before my mom left, she gave me my cell phone.

As soon as she left the room, Mason charged in. “Sky.”

I flashed my eyes open to the face I knew so well. Hearing his voice was like sunshine after the rain. Suddenly, I felt better. Mason was a huge distraction. When he was around, I could focus only on him and easily forget the world around me.

“Mason.” My eyes watered with tears, but I didn’t understand why. Quickly, I tried to wipe them before he could see them, but it didn’t work. He wiped the remaining ones and took my hands into his, caressing them with his lips. I peered up, gazing into his eyes; they were deep, expressing a lot of trepidation.

“I’ve been so worried about you. Are you okay? What happened?”

There were many questions, but I couldn’t answer them. I remembered somehow managing to open the door, then blacking out. Thank goodness, I’d collapsed on the carpet in my room and not on the concrete on campus…that would have been embarrassing. “I don’t remember much. It happened early this morning. I got up and went to the kitchen. I gave Emily some medicine. I was thirsty, so I headed back to my room so I—” 

Oh God! I drank the punch. That warm, leftover punch. Had Ian done something to the drink? Was that why he seemed uncomfortable, or was I reading him wrong? Surely, he didn’t. How could I be so stupid to take a drink from someone who was practically stranger? He came to visit me. Had he been guilty, he wouldn’t have come…he certainly wouldn’t be able to look me straight in the eye. Then again, why
was
he here? Wanting to investigate further before telling Mason, I decided to wait and confront Ian.

“Sky?” Mason brushed my cheeks.

His voice broke me out of my thoughts. “Don’t stare at me,” I said lightly.

“I wasn’t staring.” His lip curled up just enough to show me he was trying to hold in a laugh.

“Oh, yes you were.”

“Fine, you got me.” His tone became softer, and he laced his fingers through my hair. “When I want to see or feel a bit of heaven, all I have to do is watch you smile. It gives me peace. It’s the only calm I have in this crazy world. I’ll always stare at you, Sky.”

“Mason.” I gazed deeply into his eyes, melting into his sweet, loving words.

“I was worried when you didn’t text me back the second time.”

His words didn’t make sense. “What do you mean? I didn’t get the first text from you.” I lifted the phone from the bed and clicked on Mason’s messages.

8 a.m.

Good morning, sleepy goddess. Just checking in.

I’m wide awake. Miss you.

Always on my mind.

2 p.m.

How was your day, babe?

2:05 p.m.

Sky, you there?

2:10 p.m.

Sky, answer me or I’m coming over.

I worriedly peered up at Mason. My hands were trembling and my lips quivered; I was filled with anxiety and fear. I was having a difficult time uttering the words that seemed to be stuck in my throat. “I…I…don’t…remember texting you back this morning.”

“What do you mean, ‘you don’t remember’?” Mason appeared flustered. His brows pinched at the center. “You texted back, ‘I’m wide awake. I miss you’.”

I tried my best to play out the morning in my mind, but texting was not one of them. Maybe I did and I forgot? Sometimes, things that were done on a daily basis blended in with the daily routine so that they actually became a habit, something a person may not even be aware they were doing.

“It’s okay,” Mason said quickly when he noted the distressed expression forming on my face. “You’ve been through a lot and maybe your body is changing. We’re meeting your dad this Saturday. Maybe he can help us.” He paused, sighing deeply, with a look of guilt in his eyes. “I’m sorry, I don’t have answers for you. I wish I knew how to help you, but I have no clue. The only thing I can do is to protect you the best way I can. My family and I have been hiding since our mothers passed away. It’s time for us to venture out and get some answers. I promise, Sky, I will help you through this. I also think you should stay with me. Not for any other reasons but your safety…and of course, I want to spend every waking second with you.”

“My mom is going to pick me up. She doesn’t know about you yet, unless she read my texts. She wants me to spend at least one night with her. So how about I come the day after?”

Mason squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath, then opened them while exhaling with an adorable frown. “Okay, but I’m texting you every hour, so you’d better have the phone right next to you.”

“Deal.” I smiled, placing out my thumb. “Seal the deal, Mace.” I had no idea why I had said that, except for the fact that I had done this with my dad when I was a little girl, so I was a bit shocked that the words came out of my mouth. I hadn’t said that since I was eight years old. Out of habit…maybe?

Mason let out a soft chuckle. “Did you just call me Mace? It sounds hot coming out of your mouth. I’ll seal the deal with my love shock.” Positioning his thumb near mine, small, illuminating sparks flew out from it. They looked like small, glowing branches, yet moved like long spider legs. Slowly, he moved it closer. It sizzled and crackled first, then it wrapped around my thumb. It was the coolest sight. Where our thumbs were touching glowed. The longer the light touched me, the warmer it got in that area. Then it continued to weave from my hand down to my arm, making it shimmer.

Watching in awe, I gave him the biggest smile I could. Suddenly, my body jerked and I dropped my hand. “Ouch.”

Mason captured it and rubbed the area. “Shit! I’m so sorry. Sometimes I can’t control it around you.”

I formed my lips into a wicked, sexy grin. “Sometimes, I don’t want you to.”