Persona (43 page)

“Seriously? None of you have to go to school if you don’t want?” Raven asks Will.

They both seem oblivious to the approaching visitor. For which Moira can’t understand. It doesn’t take her long to remember that she is the only one to smell the cinnamon of him. It’s weird, the scent is so pungent, it should be noticeable.

“It’s not that hard to believe is it? We’re kind of like hicks out here, so it would only make anyone talk about us.”

Unfortunately, Raven and Will’s easy manor with one another can’t help her to ignore Liam’s near closeness. Thing would be much easier on her, if he didn’t have to always look so well put together. And by put together, she means slightly ruffled but in an attractive way.

It makes her feel guilty just thinking something like that, like she is cheating on Marty with her thoughts; and maybe even cheating on her own traitorous thoughts too.

“Wow, and here I thought we were lucky to be skipping school like we are.” Raven says a little too loudly.

“We don’t really skip, it’s more of a-” Will starts with a snort of laughter, but goes silent when he spies Liam walking over to them.

It’s hard not to miss the way Will’s posture changes and how he turns slightly away from Raven with a huge smile plastered across his features. Raven seems confused over the quick change, but then her eyes narrow down to a glare when she sees Liam now too. Who by the way really needs some new clothes in her opinion.

Does the boy absolutely have to wear a pair of jeans that fit him like a second skin and she can’t even think about the white shirt he’s wearing. Some crimes are too criminal by far; and this jerk offs attire is very against her law.

Then there is the way his sandy brown hair is beginning to fall forward into his eyes; and what eyes he has. The grey of them is like a storm cloud wanting to burst, but then they don’t really compare to the lavender color when he’s under his persona.

If she was alone, she would totally slap herself, because what the heck is she thinking. Of all the times to be checking Liam out, she does it now; when she can’t stand him. Marty would tell her that the ‘lady doth protest too much’, and she is starting to think she is. It’s only the day after losing Marty where she sworn to never speak to Liam again and here she is getting all swoony over the enemy.

She really needs to get her priorities straight and make up her boggled mind. But really, all of this would be so much easier if he didn’t look so scrumptious. Moira groans, there she went and did it again; checking him out.

To compensate for her traitorous mind, she offers up an Oscar worthy glare in his general direction; it’s best to not look directly at him.

“Sorry beautiful, but I see the man of the hour.” Will says distractedly.

He starts for Liam, who is smiling now instead of looking glum. And once more, is the fact that Liam smiles like they are the best of friends. It would figure that Raven crushes on the friend of Liam; will she have no piece?

“That’s just Liam cutie, and we’ve met.” Raven says still glaring and now crosses her hands over her chest and glances at Moira.

“Right, forgot that part….”

The two girls, are in complete agreement over the glaring at Liam is fun thing, but Moira thinks they both have their own reasons. Hers is a conundrum, and Raven’s just might be jealously over losing a new toy. Her thoughts go to mush though, as the closer he gets to her now his cinnamon wraps around her like a comforting blanket; and she wishes she could kick off.

His persona is like a whisper across her skin, and she finds herself biting the inside of her cheek to not let hers rise like it so wants too. She needs to put a stop to this, he’s not playing fair. Getting ready to yell at him for invading her personal space, she gets interrupted by something that makes her want to look away. But like a car accident, she just can’t.

It comes to a shock to her and even Raven, when the boys embrace each other, both grinning like idiots. Raven mouths ‘what the hell’ to her from the other side of them, and Moira can only shrug; not knowing anything anymore.

When the two of them separate, Moira actually looks over William for the first time and it kills her that he looks like an older version of Marty. She doubts that he and Liam would hug like that though. She thinks they would get into a fight faster than they would willingly embrace. It hurts seeing Marty in the other boy though, and having them all together it feels like everything isn’t all messed up; but it is.

Chapter Twenty Two

With the cinnamon scent like a cloud around him, they walk back in the direction to her and Raven. When they both give him and Will a similar question look, Liam stuffs his hands in his pockets, and glances at Raven and makes it a point to not look directly at her; she tries not to be hurt by it.

She was just doing the same thing after all. William doesn’t notice the tension and swaggers back over to Raven’s side, and it doesn’t go unnoticed that she relaxes as he does.

“So you met the celebrity’s huh?” Liam says.

The familiarity of the deep twang of his voice makes her persona stir against her will.

Clenching her fists at her sides, she concentrates to not let herself change, it’s hard though with the memory of his lips on hers wanting to come to the surface too. She is saved by Raven and William both laughing and sharing a blushing glance.

“I was in fact just having the pleasure of the introductions, yes.”

Raven, clearly flirting with William, leans into him with a dangerously seductive grin. One which he has no problem returning and it’s enough to make Moira uncomfortable. It doesn’t help that she can still feel Liam’s persona so strongly, it’s a wonder he hasn’t changed yet. And even more so, that she hasn’t either; yet.

“So, how did you two boys get so chummy?” Raven asks with a bat of her lashes up at William.

He grins down at her, before glancing over to Liam with a more serious expression that isn’t attached to the current moment.

Is it her imagination, or did Liam just give a slight nod in Williams direction; like he’s giving the other boy permission or something. Of course, she’d know for sure if only she’d really look at him, but no that’s not an option.

“I’m Liam’s second.”

Whereas Moira and Raven both are a little confused by this, he goes back to flirting with Raven with his dark eyes and own dangerous smile.

This peaks her interest enough that she finally fully looks at Liam again; and regrets it instantly. He is watching her now, or maybe he always has been. His eyes are the lavender color of his persona, and she could get lost in the sea of them.

He seems like he’s waiting for something, and it can’t be from the sort of gross love birds. So she decides to take the bait, and ask what he clearly wants her too.

“And what does that mean?”

He blinks at her, and his cinnamon scent picks up more strongly making her sad suddenly. It’s hard having mixed emotions about someone, especially when those emotions make her feel guilty for even thinking them.

He glances away from her finally, and indicates with a nod of his head at William. Who is still grinning like a fool to an already flushed Raven.

“It means that Will, is my second in command or beta to my alpha.” Liam says, still not looking at her.

Raven doesn’t even notice that her friend is having an inward war with herself over Liam, just gushes up at William all impressed. Moira doesn’t really know what he is talking about; she hasn’t really read that many paranormal books or seen the movies. The words he said kind of sound familiar, but not enough to make any kind of sense.

“Alpha means strongest right?” She asks the ground at her feet softly.

She can feel Liam beside her, even though he is nowhere near her, or maybe it’s just the cinnamon of him. She glances up in time to see him tense somewhat and starts like he’s going to answer, but William beats him to it thankfully. Her control is only so strong, and it doesn’t help that his voice is tempting.

Whether she now wants to hit or kiss him, she doesn’t know.

“Yeah sure, but we all just let him think that.” William says with a laugh.

Raven joins in and moves none to subtlety closer to him, and Liam visibly relaxes as he watches them.

“Keep on dreaming pup.” Liam says with an honest smile.

Moira has a brief moment, of thinking what life must be like here on the ranch. She had all these wild and crazy ideas that the people here would be these violent mastermind resistance types; whereas they are all just like her. Just going through the motions and trying to be normal, or as normal as genetically mutated people can be with wolf dna running through their bodies.

It weird to think that people can grow up here, and not be afraid of who they are. It must be the way it is too, because there aren’t just adults here; there are enough small children running around everywhere, which leaves her to believe families are here.

She gets brought out of her revere, by Liam’s warm inviting voice again, but he’s addressing William and not her.

“We need to get the group together at some point. There are a lot of things we need to discuss; or updates really, on my part.”

William nods, still making moon eyes at Raven, who doesn’t seem to mind.

“Sounds like a plan, I’ll gather the troops.” William says to Liam, but looking at Raven.

Liam nods, not caring that the other boy isn’t even looking at him, and simply turns on his heals heading back the way he came. He doesn’t look back, and Moira has an irrationally tense moment where she is afraid of him leaving and her not getting the chance to ask him something important. Because she didn’t realize the one flaw in not speaking to him; not getting information about Marty and who else is best to get it from.

Not stopping to think about anything, she steps away from the protection of the apple tree and calls out to him.

“Liam wait, I want to talk to your father.”

***

Adirondack Mountains

Peter Fletcher is sitting at his desk, in his average small office, talking to an obscenely direct woman. Thankfully, it’s only over the phone, otherwise he’s be tempted to shoot her. It’s a good thing she is being so helpful as of late, or he might have wanted to hire someone to shoot her. He would do it himself, but doesn’t want to responsibility of it on his record. He has enough on his plate without being charged for murder.

He worked very hard to get where he is today, even if it’s only in a drab looking office in an even more drab underground research facility. At least he has a lot of clout with his bosses and employees a like to make it all worthwhile. He lets out a dramatic sigh, when he realizes he was thinking to deeply about killing the woman, and not listening closely enough to hear what she said.

“My apologies, Debbie, could you repeat that last part?” He tells her in a sing song pleasing voice.

“Of course Doctor Fletcher, that’s not a problem. I was just saying that it was very easy, to collect the boy and the man from the warehouse, without trouble.” Debbie says in a voice that holds an odd twang to it.

Oh right, this is why he was putting up with her lack of demeanor; her usefulness.

“Good, good. And you’re sure that they are one of the accomplices that were traveling with Moira?”

There is a pause, and it’s long enough that Peter would like nothing more than to yell at the woman; but he doesn’t. It would only scare her off, and unfortunately he needs her at the moment. Then she clears her throat, as if she were nervous, before continuing.

“Of course Doctor, they were with some of the others that came after her and the other girl.”

This revelation sends thrills down his spine, and he has to control himself to not bust out laughing from happiness. It would be better if the woman still had Moira of course, but bait is also a wonderful thing. It is also great for questioning, and that has been his favorite pastime lately.

He wonders though, how the girl is; he isn’t a monster after all. A little amoral sure, but not completely evil; some would argue that he knows. When one wants to know something, it is best for one to ask, so he cuts Debbie off before she can continue with her spiel.

“How did she look; was she well?”

“She was well enough to get away Doctor.”

“That is good to know. I want you to keep your prisoners and feel free to question them at your leisure.”

Peter hangs up the phone not waiting for the woman’s heinous reply, and all the while he can’t help but to smile. He may not always win the fights lately, but they seem to be pushing in his favor though. And that is good enough for him; for now. He can be patient when he wants to be and he knows now is the perfect time for it; because all good things come to those who wait. Moira is one of those good things and it’s only a matter of time now until she might be the one to come to him. Eventually, she may have no choice in the matter. So he will wait for her.

***

Moira’s voice cuts through Liam like a knife, one that digs right into his heart; and causes him to come to a complete frozen stop. Her scent envelopes him and it is the familiar warm apple pie scent, and not the spicy sour one from before. He almost believes that nothing is wrong between them now because of it, but he knows that not true. Since it’s why he froze in the first place.

He’d like to know when his life got so complicated, and when he decided to walk around everyone like tip toeing on eggshells. Then it hits him; Marty and Gordon. What he did is unforgivable, he knows that, but he would sure love to get past it already. And who knows, maybe Moira has, she is talking to him after all.

Feeling tenser than he ever has before, Liam finally turns around to face her and only realizes what she just said to him. It wasn’t I’m sorry or I forgive you; it was I want to see your father. Her shocked expression tells him she is just as surprised to have said it as he is to have heard it.

But she doesn’t recant anything, and he honestly wonders what is going on in her mind. If only he had the ability to find out, because there is no way he’s going to ask her. She isn’t the only one to have gotten hurt the last couple of days, and he’d be damned if he’s just going to act like what happened between them was nothing. He is to mentally drawn to get into that right now, it’ll have to wait for another day.