Lost Seraphine (The Seraphine Trilogy #2) (15 page)

Caleb

Thorne chose an area along the shores, a place close to the island’s lighthouse yet hidden well enough to keep the Coast Guard away. To the average patrol, it appears we’re just a bunch of kids hanging out on a Friday night. No one should raise an eyebrow about anything like that, right? Yet you can almost step into the adrenaline coming from the kids gathered here tonight because the excitement rushing through the place feels just that thick, almost to the point of being contagious.

Rays from the setting sun’s ribbons of gold, orange and hot pink cover the rocks along the edge of the shores, giving the beach a fiery appeal. The whole scene creates an eerie mix of fire, wind and water. The day has drifted to that cool place between the security of daylight and the mystery of what night will bring, particularly this one.

About a hundred or so kids from several schools have arrived for the unofficial event, the unauthorized boxing match that kicks off the official season.

The ring is actually a cleared out area in the sand with four corners defined by tall wooden stands. Along the front of our makeshift box, two boys and a girl who reminds me of that Lettie character from Fast and Furious have set up a table. I cannot believe they put this much effort into boxing. I mean, I knew there was a fascination with Thorne and his dad’s celebrity statuses as professional boxers, but this setup takes things to the extreme.

Gia feels like I’m being set up, that Erica and Thorne are working together in some way. I don’t want her to worry.

I don’t want to admit I think she’s right, either.

“All right, Rocky Wannabe,” Paige begins as she approaches Gia and me standing near a group of trees closest to the forest. “You’ve proven your point. You showed up. Hooray! Now let this thing go.”

I get heated at once. “No way,” I say as I adjust the wrist bands made from an ace bandage. This is some kind of Thorne manhood test thing. I won’t let him show me up.

“I’ve tried everything,” Gia says to Paige. “He’s the poster guy for stubborn right now.” I don’t wait for them to corner me. It’s kinda ironic; the sea witch teaming up with the sea king’s daughter to talk me, the anonymous son of who knows what, out of doing something stupid.

Kyle walks up to us about the time Thorne’s first opponent, a popular front end guy from a rival football team, steps into our homemade boxing ring. We’ve talked about my plans over the phone a couple times. Kyle’s on my side. At least, I think he is anyway. A wave of relief washes over me as I step toward him.

Shani’s walking beside him, her dark, waist length hair blowing in the wind of the strong gust that has picked up speed since we arrived. The expression on her face is a carbon copy of Gia’s and Paige’s. Must be a girlfriend slash bodyguard thing to look at me that way tonight. Doesn’t matter, I’m still going through with the match. If I can handle getting thrown on my ass in tae-kwon-do, then I’m pretty sure I can take anything Thorne throws my way.
I hope.

Kyle and I slap hands in a high five and then bump shoulders. He’s just about to open his mouth when Shani steps in between us and says, “I’m going to say what Kyle won’t. You’re being a complete idiot. Where’d all this—this fascination with boxing come from? I didn’t even know you had experience.”

“Thank you, my loveliest,” Kyle says and places an arm around Shani, gently easing her off to the side. “Let me talk K-9 to Caleb here while you go calm the girlfriend and his, um, family friend down.” Kyle passes a wary glance at Paige.

“Your loveliest who?” Shani asks, shucking his arm and giving him a playful smirk.

Kyle rolls his eyes upward and glances around the area.

“Answer her question, Romeo,” I tease.

He narrows his eyes at me, but then turns a smiling face back to his girlfriend. Shani lifts her eyebrows. “You know you’re my Juliet. Why make me say it out loud?” Shani starts gushing and throws her arms around his neck. I’m so glad they have their act together. At least my partner in trouble’s life seems to be all good. Now, back to my dilemma.

Across the area, Thorne begins round one with the dude from a rival school. I think I heard somebody say this guy plays defense on the football team.
Great.
Two lug heads I’ll be facing if I get moved up in our little illegal tourney.

What the hell am I doing?

It’s like I’m not in control of me anymore.

The bell vibrates through the area, startling me with its crisp sound, telling me it’s too late to tuck tail and run like a wounded dog. The boxing match roars to life as Thorne shuffles toward his opponent. The focused way he hones in on the other guy gives him an air of fierceness, even with his pretty boy blonde-haired, blue-eyed looks and his golden butt hugging shorts. The school’s star quarterback makes one of the most rugged sports in the world seem like a runway for testosterone.

Punches fly through the air. The sound of each hit that lands on a cheek or abdomen slices through me. The two boys go back and forth this way for what seems like an hour. Thorne should be good and tired after all this. Not!

You’re so screwed dude.

That would be me, not the dude in the ring.

Hope you got insurance for that face of yours.

The kids around the area cheer and holler, making enough noise for us to be heard from a mile away. I think we enjoy violence even more than the Romans did. Gia takes my hand and squeezes it, glancing into my eyes, hers filled with worry.
I got this
, I mouth in the midst of the melee and flex a muscle for her.

Of course, my water angel doesn’t find my inability to take anything serious—or so she thinks—particularly humorous at this moment. I turn my head in just enough time to see Kyle giving me one of the most sarcastic K-9 faces ever while Shani’s shaking her head with her lips pursed in a way that seems to say, “Man, I feel sorry for you.”

“Hey, Caleb. No worries, brah. I’m strong enough to carry you outta here when they’re done with you,” Kyle teases.

Whatever, man
, I mouth out to my friend, forcing a grin on my quivering bottom lip. I turn away before he notices it. I tighten my grip on Gia’s hand and make my way up to the front of the crowd, the part closest to our kid-rigged boxing ring.

I don’t know what I missed in the thirty seconds or so it took to get up here, but suddenly I hear a succession of thuds, as in skin meeting bone. The big dude takes a fist to the underside of his left jaw, drool flying out of his mouth. Time slows down, or at least it feels like it does, as his massive frame collides with the sand.

Two girls rush to his side with a boy who has a towel draped around his neck, a water bottle in his hand and a fierce look on his face that seems to be reserved just for Thorne. The coach, I guess. I can’t help wondering if Thorne has made one of his deals with this guy, too. If he has, then that means he’ll be expecting the same kind of thing from me and that’s not gonna happen.

Thorne raises his hands and cheers. “Winner of Round One, Thorne Wiggins!” our mock referee and one of Thorne’s groupies, a boy named Christian, announces. He could almost pass as Thorne’s smaller twin.

The guy on the ground stirs a tad, but he’s finished. I can tell. Blood’s rolling out of his mouth and nose as he moans and tries to refocus his crossed eyes on the scene around him. Several kids help him move to his feet and then lead him away through the crowd, his dark head bobbing around as he leans on his friends.

My heart’s thudding so hard, I’m sure anybody who bothers to look can see it moving underneath my shirt. That itchy scalp feeling starts at my nape, right around the spot where I now know Bernael’s mark sits, claiming me and doing God knows what else. More and more I have the feeling Gia’s right; this whole show feels like a setup, but for what?

Christian, Thorne and the other guy’s coach start up a heated conversation that lasts about five minutes. The coach storms off, leaving Thorne and his groupie behind.

The two boys turn to the crowd, passing glances in my direction that send chills down my spine. Must be a private joke. Obviously, I missed the punch line.

“All right, everybody. Settle down. Everything’s under control,” Christian yells over the crowd’s murmur. “We got ourselves a little change in plans here. Since there are only three contestants left after… ehem… losing Mitch, we need to even things up a bit. Our champion, the great Thorne Wiggins, will sit out the next round.” A low murmur flows through the kids around us. That sinking feeling in my chest increases as Christian continues. He makes a shrill whistle, piercing through my eardrums. The crowd silences at once. “No tripping out, please. We got a solution. Caleb Wood will fight in Thorne’s place this next round.” All eyes turn my way.

“No. This isn’t what you agreed to do,” Gia says, her voice carrying over the cheering, her eyes focused on mine. “Tell them you’re not going to do this.”

Yeah. Right. I’ll wind up being the laughing joke around the school until my next lifetime. “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I gave my word.”

“This is a setup.”

Yeah, I know.
“I can handle whatever Thorne’s cooking up.” Can I, really? I have a sneaky suspicion it’s going to be a lot more complicated than what I’m thinking. It doesn’t take me long to find out how on point I am.

“Coaches, friends, support groups, girlfriends,” Christian begins, still standing in the middle of the ring, “man your corners.”

“What’s all this?” Kyle asks, placing a hand on my shoulder. He’s half-smiling now. I can tell he’s concerned, too. “I thought Thorne was your gig.”

“Yeah, so did I.”

“Kick ass, Caleb. I know you can do it,” Shani says, her eyes beaming with excitement. Kyle gives her the raised eyebrow smirk. “What? It’s true.”

“I thought you were sure he was a complete idiot,” Kyle reminds her. “Why the sudden change?”

Shani shrugs. “I don’t know. He could use a little support.”

“Now, see, that’s confidence. I need to hear things like that more often. Thanks, Shani. It’s good to feel
believed
in.”

This sudden turn in the competition’s events is about Gia. Somehow, Thorne remembers they had a relationship. I’m sure of it. In his eyes, the enemy—that would be me— took her away from him. Now, I’ll be paying for it.

Gia catches up to me and takes my hand before I walk too far away. Thorne wants to be a big baby and play kiddie games, then that’s fine, but I got the best prize no matter what happens tonight. I lean down, plant my lips on Gia’s and kiss her deeply. The effect of our contact fires through every unmentionable part of my body. Yeah, I can so handle this thing now.

Whoops and hollers sound out all around us. I pull away and glance into her eyes, which are gorgeous and frightened. “Keep doing things like that and you’ll make me agree to anything,” Gia says, smiling nervously.

“Don’t tempt me.” I kiss her again, ignoring the cheers exploding through the air. With a whole lot of hesitation, I ease away from her and walk toward my opponent, a guy who’d be classified as a lightweight like me. The only difference is, he’s a champion the kids around the school have nicknamed Adam’s Apple; a dude on the same boxing skill level as Thorne. From what I understand, Adam is known for knocking out his opponents by momentarily cutting off the flow of air through their windpipes.

A well-timed blow to the throat makes this possible. I recognized his name when Christian introduced him a few minutes ago. Since I’m quite fond of my Apple—large as it may be—I intend to protect it no matter what I have to do.

Standing across the way from me, he’s doing his boxing shuffle thing with his feet, pumping his fists in the air and grinning. I don’t know what’s scarier, the threat of a crushed windpipe or his bright red shorts that have a rhinestone apple embroidered on the left thigh.

Standing right outside the area and behind him, Thorne waits, giving me a smug smile that heats me up the longer we stare at each other.
You’ll get your turn. Don’t worry,
I mouth in his direction, not understanding where all this boldness in me is coming from.

I have never boxed before, not even the make believe kind. The only training I’ve had even remotely close to boxing consisted of watching Naruto beat the crap out of Sasuke and then using Kyle to reenact the scene the next day. This can’t be too far off from tae kwon do. I can do this.

The bell, a beat up thing someone must’ve stolen from one of those three hundred-year-old churches in downtown New Bern, gongs through the air. I position my fists in front of my face and imitate my opponent’s moves. Not smart. Doesn’t take him long to figure out I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.

My face is stinging for at least ten seconds before I realize what’s happened. Yep! I got the crap knocked out of me. Two more stings, some drool, a shit load of stars and then my ass hits the ground. I don’t fall over or feel anything really. I’m just sitting here in the sand, watching the world spin in slow motion, wondering why the faces of my opponent and my friends are all one big blur now.

I move a hand up to my nose. There’s something tickling the area above my top lip. Blood. I’m pretty sure Rocky’s son, no wait, Adam’s Apple just rearranged my nose. That ticks me off. Something stirs deep inside me. Anger. Fear. Rage. Nah. I’m pretty sure it’s a combination of all three.