Immortals (Runes book 2) (9 page)

I sighed. No matter how much he pissed me off, I didn’t want him to be miserable. “You didn’t, like, try to remind him of the past, did you?”

Mom chuckled. “No. After what your father went through, I wouldn’t mess with a man’s head when Norns are through with him. Did you?”

I cringed and nodded.

“Oh, sweetie.” Mom gripped my shoulders and shook her head. “We should have talked about this before the cruise, but you were hurting so much. Then the two weeks away was our time for healing as a family, so I put off bringing up Torin’s name.”

Mom always avoided unpleasantness, but there were some things you just couldn’t ignore. “So what did you do to help Dad?”

“I waited for him to find his way back to me. I knew he would, and he did.”

“How long did that take?”

“A couple of years. He started by going to places we’d visited, searching for me even though he had no idea what he was searching for. I was forbidden to see him or do business with him, but we were bound to meet again. The day we did, he took one look at me and knew I was the woman for him.”

“Did he ever remember your previous time together?”

She nodded. “Yes. The memories trickled in slowly over the years after he fell in love with me again. They might have made him forget here,” she tapped her head, “but he never forgot here,” she touched her chest above her heart. “The heart always remembers.”

I didn’t want to wait years for Torin. A plan was already forming in my head. “Thanks, Mom.”

***

“Can I get a ride to school?” I texted Eirik the next morning.

“Sure.”

His reaction would tell me whether I had succeeded in getting ready for one, pig-headed Valkyrie. I caught movements in his room, but he didn’t come to his window. He must still be home because I didn’t hear the Harley leave. When Eirik’s Jeep entered our cul-de-sac, I grabbed my backpack and headed for the door.

“Wow,” Eirik mouthed when he saw me, his eyes widening. When he gave me a once over and swallowed, I grinned. Nailed the look I was going for.

“Stop right here.” He reached inside his Jeep for his faithful Nikon and lifted it to his face. I posed as he clicked. He lowered his camera and grinned. “You look…”

“Amazing?” The skinny jeans hugged my hips, and the push-up bra gave the already flattering green top an extra oomph. Green anything, top, dress, or eye shadow tended to bring out that particular color in my hazel eyes. My hair and makeup, the mirror had shown me, were both perfect. Knee-high boots finished my new look.

“That’s a given. I meant you look like you are out to make someone suffer. When did you grow big boobs?”

“Shut up.” I sashayed past him. He turned, and I could see his reflection on the Jeep’s window. “And quit staring at my butt.”

“What did you say about not having a plan?” He glanced over at Torin’s and added softly, “Poor bastard.”

“Hey, the outfit and makeup is for the people who called me a witch,” I fibbed.

“Yeah, right.” He slid behind the wheel and put his camera in the tray between our seats. “Looking like that, no guy will care if you’re flying around on a broom, cackling. The girls will only hate you more.”

I didn’t care. I was only interested in the reaction of one guy. Torin’s garage door lifted and my heart picked up tempo, but it was Andris backing out their SUV. He looked at us as though we were stinky aliens invading his personal planet. He wasn’t going to spoil my good mood. I grinned and waved. His expression didn’t change.

“What’s his problem?” Eirik asked.

“Don’t mind him. He thinks you and I are dating again.”

“Why is it any of his business who you date?”

“Last night he asked me why I’m not with Torin. I told him we decided to go our separate ways. He thinks I gave up on Torin too easily.”

Eirik chuckled. “I guess he hasn’t seen your outfit. I assume the plan is to make Torin drool and follow you around like a besotted idiot.”

Eirik got it right. I want Torin to notice me. Not take his eyes off me. Think about me.
 
Maybe even fall in love with me again. He wasn’t the drooling type, but a girl could hope. I sighed.

“What’s wrong?” Eirik asked.

There was no way I’d share my thoughts, so I repeated what Mom had told me about her experience with Dad and his erased memories. “Reminding Torin of our past will only screw with his head. Can you imagine people telling you about things you did together but you can’t remember? I’d go nuts trying to remember.”

“I wouldn’t. I like to be hit right, left, and center with the truth.”

“Yeah, I tried that, but it got me nowhere.” Eirik went silent as though thinking about what I’d just said, and then he grinned. “Whatever you’re planning, don’t do it,” I said.

“He stole you from me.”

“He did not.”

“From where I’m standing, he’s a girlfriend stealing a-hole who deserves everything that comes to him.”

I sighed, not sure whether he really meant it or was only kidding. I studied his profile. “Just leave him alone, Eirik. Okay? For me. Please.”

He elbowed me and laughed. “Gotcha! I still haven’t lost my touch.”

I elbowed him back. “Jerk.”

“Seriously, he’s off the hook for now, but if he hurts you, I will rearrange his face.”

Torin already hurt me, but it was up to me to deal with him. “Anywhere but his face.”

Eirik looked at me with disgust. “Change of topic. Do not tell Cora about me.”

I hadn’t planned to, but I couldn’t help giving him a hard time. “Why not? She’ll absolutely want to make out with you once she learns you’re a deity.”

“Don’t.” His hands tightened around the steering wheel.

“I was only teasing.”

“It pisses me off every time I think about them. What kind of grandparents listen to crones and dump their grandchild in another realm? I might have cousins I’ve never seen. Uncles and aunts. Missed out on family gatherings.” He glared ahead and only stopped when I rubbed his shoulder. “You know what? Screw them. My family is here. People who’ve been there for me since…”

He ranted against his absent family for the rest of the drive. He kept going back and forth, so I wasn’t sure whether he wanted to meet them or not. Anger and a sense of betrayal laced his words, just like yesterday. His angst wasn’t lessening. Usually he was so easygoing.

When we entered Riverside Boulevard, he stopped, sighed, and added, “Remember, ease up on the D word.”

“Aye, aye, ex-boyfriend-now-officially-my-big-brother.”

He snorted. “That sounded awful. There she is.” He pulled into the parking lot and sure enough, Cora was standing by her car waiting for us. She waved. “Not a word,” Eirik reminded me.

I pretended to zip my mouth.

“Is it true…? Whoa,” Cora squealed. “What did you do with my best friend? You know the one who never wears makeup to school.” She touched my hair. “I’m so loving your hair like this, and your makeup is flawless.” She pressed the side of my breasts and shamelessly sized them. “God bless PUBS,” she added, using her abbreviation for push-up bras.

“What are PUBS?” Eirik asked.

She laughed and threw him a naughty grin over her shoulder. “Women’s most guarded secret.” She faced me, her smile dimming. “Is it true someone vandalized your car?”

“Yes.” I retrieved my backpack from the backseat. “They wrote
Die, Witch, Die
. Who told you?”

“Kicker. Argh, people can be such tools. You need to get even, Raine. Get mean. This,” she waved to indicate my makeover, “is great, but it will only work on guys.”

“What do you suggest I do?”

Cora shrugged. “I don’t know. Something that will scare the beegeebees out of everyone. Where’s your car now?”

“At home.”

“See? You didn’t drive because of them. You’re giving them too much power. And you,” she leveled Eirik with a look, “why weren’t you at swimming yesterday?”

“Ooh, you missed me?” He wiggled his eyebrows.

She threw me a quick glance, her cheeks growing pink. “No, but Doc asked about you. Where were you?”

“At Raine’s.”

Light dimmed in Cora’s eyes, and I wanted to kick Eirik. How could he be so blind? He should have realized by now Cora only attended swim practice to watch him. We walked in silence, but it was strained. Eirik appeared oblivious. Cora kept glancing at him from the corner of her eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell me you guys were hanging out?” she finally asked, hurt in her voice.

“We weren’t,” I answered quickly before Eirik could open his mouth and make things worse. “Eirik stopped by for just a few minutes, raided my fridge, and left. Actually, I was talking to Lavania, who’d stopped by for a visit, when he interrupted us. He was so rude to her.”

Eirik snorted. “That was me being polite.”

“I don’t understand why you don’t like her,” Cora said, sounding chipper. “Oh, I asked Doc if I can rejoin the team.”

“That’s great,” Eirik said. “What did he say?”

“I’m in, but I can’t compete at the upcoming meet. Kicker also rejoined, and she convinced Lexi…”

Completely lost in their little world, I gave them space and lagged behind. They looked so cute together. The sound of Torin’s Harley reached me before I entered the building, but I refused to look back. It wasn’t easy.

Inside, students stood in groups, chatting. One by one, they nudged or whispered to their friends, and a wave of silence swept across the hall. Stares followed us. I didn’t make eye contact, but the vibes were different from yesterday. Eirik and Cora noticed, slowed down, and flanked me, Cora to my left and Eirik to my right.

He paused, bowed, and waved. “Thank you. No photographs or comments. You guys are too kind. You don’t have to, but thanks.”

Cora giggled. Even I fought a smile. He was such a goofball. Once we left the hall, he disappeared toward his locker while Cora and I headed to ours. We both stopped when our lockers came into view.

Someone had scribbled in red lipstick,
Witches! Burn! Burn! Burn!
This time, the ugliness touched Cora.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered.

“It’s not your fault.” She turned and glared at the students watching us. “Who is the loser behind this? Show your face, you coward.”

I gripped Cora’s hand. “Don’t. This is about me, not you.” I turned and studied the faces of the students watching us. Some looked down. Others stared back with uneasy smiles. “I’m not explaining myself to anybody. You want to burn me? Come and get me. But don’t you dare hurt someone who’s done nothing but stand by my side. That’s what friendship is about, something most of you wouldn’t understand. You mess with her,” I pointed at Cora, “and I’m coming after you with everything I’ve got.”

The students scrambled to get as far away from me as humanly possible. Grimacing, I turned to face my locker, and my eyes met with Torin’s. The grin died from my lips. How long had he been standing there? Cora threw her arms around me.

“I love you, Lorraine Cooper,” she said in a trembling voice.

I chuckled. Her tear glands were connected to her emotions. “Love you too, Cora Jemison.”

She squeezed me hard. At the other side of the hallway, Torin watched us. I ignored him. Cora finally let me go, stepped back, and wiped her wet cheeks. We turned and studied our defaced lockers.

“I have a box of tissue for cleaning up,” she said, punching in her locker combination.

“No. Let’s show them exactly how we feel.”

“Yes, let’s.” Then she made a face and added, “How do we feel?”

“We don’t care what they think.” We put our backpacks away and collected our folders and books. After we agreed to meet during lunch, I took off toward the math floor while she headed to the English building.

 
“Wait up, Raine,” Eirik called from behind me. I pressed against the wall and waited for him to catch up. He made sure he placed himself between me and the students rushing past us.

“Shouldn’t you be going in the opposite direction?” I asked.

“Why?”