The Honor Trilogy: Books One, Two, and Three of the Honor Trilogy (5 page)

After he tears his gaze away from mine, he stands and hands me my books. “
Ya gotta watch where you’re going there, love,” his deep, velvet voice instructs.

Motionless and unable to speak a single word, I nod.

I cannot stop looking at him.

Until Ethan walks in.

And his face turns stone-cold.

“Class. I’d like to introduce to you, our newest classmate,” Mrs. Johnson announces, “Storm Sutherland. Ethan’s brother.”

Ethan’s searing expression, directed at Storm, is unnerving. But the callous smirk on Storm’s face is actually blood-chillingly disturbing. I am suddenly afraid for Ethan.

The rest of the students ooh and
aah at the realization that Ethan and Storm are related, while the female gender of our class already begins darting coquettish glances at the new addition to our class. Mrs. Johnson finally demands the class focus on their math assignments, but I notice Ethan doesn’t appear to be paying attention at all. He seems to be stewing over something big. Something so disconcerting that I immediately run to the garbage can and throw up.

I end my day in the nurse’s office, where Ethan shows up to walk me out. He’s still stone-faced.

“You okay, Honor?” he asks, empathy apparent in his voice, but his thoughts are on something entirely different.

“Yes.” He takes my hand and walks us out of the school. I know better than to inquire about Storm. When Ethan is ready, he will talk about it. Maybe that’s why he asked me to go to the reservation today.

“I’ll drive,” he says out in the lot. “I can bring you back to get your car.” He opens my door to let me in, then circles around to his side.

The short ride is quiet.

On our rock at Mahlon Dickerson, Ethan nervously taps his fingers on his leg. Covering my hand over his tapping fingers, I take his hand.

“This is bad, Honor,” he laments, now shaking his leg beneath our hands. “He’s bad news.”

I don’t need to ask. Of course I know he is referring to Storm Sutherland. “Is he really your brother?” I really don’t know what else to say.

“We share the same biological father, but that’s where it ends.”

“What’s he done that’s so bad?” I figure he brought it up, it should be okay to ask. Right?

Ethan drops his shoulders and sighs. “He’s evil, Honor.” I watch him shake his head and close his eyes. “He kills…” Okay, I actually feel my eyes reach my hairline. “Just because they make him hurt. They don’t ask him to feel their pain, Honor, no one ever asks. But he hates them so much…he kills them.”

“Who? Who does he hate?”

Ethan turns and stares at me. Violet eyes to violet eyes – for at least a whole minute. Not even a blink on his part; I of course can’t help myself. “He’s an empath too. And he kills the very people whose pain he absorbs.” Ethan drops his head. “It’s all a game to him, Honor.”

I sit horrified at what I’ve just heard.

“It’s not good that he’s here, Honor,” Ethan continues. “Not good at all…,” he trails off into another world.

But I need to understand this. “Ethan,” I nudge, “are you saying he kills…everyone? I mean, wouldn’t he have been caught by now?”

Ethan jumps off the rock and paces the ground beneath me. “No. Not everyone, Honor. And maybe he hasn’t killed a whole heck of a lot of people.” Ethan sits back down on the rock. “But isn’t one or two enough?”

“Yes, of course.” Murder is murder, whether it’s one or twenty, but I need to know what is really on Ethan’s mind.

“She was so special,” he whispers.

“Who?”

“The girl he killed.” Ethan drops his head again. This time a tear falls from his eye. “My sister.”

“Oh my goodness, Ethan, I am so sorry.” I put my hand on his back and rub it up and down, trying to calm him and absorb his pain at the same time.

“She was only eight.” He squeezes the bridge of his nose. I think he’s trying to stop the tears. “Summer was my father’s pride and joy…I think Storm was jealous of her.”

“That’s horrible. He just…killed her? How?” I am trying so hard to absorb his anguish, so I take his hand instead of rubbing his back. I’m new at this. I don’t exactly know what I’m doing.

“With his bare hand.” His eyes closed, Ethan is inhaling what I think is courage to say whatever he’s about to say out loud. “I think he just…crushed her heart…I walked in the room and he was leaning over her. There was an indent of a hand burned on her chest…When he saw me…he fled. Haven’t seen him since. He was only fifteen, yet capable of murder. But we heard he had murdered…others…before Summer. I didn’t know that then.”

“Oh my gosh. Can’t you call the cops now? It’s not too late, is it?”

“It was seven years ago. There was never any case. Our family tended to live under the radar.” Ethan shakes his head. “My parents didn’t want anyone to find out about us. Being empaths and all.”

“That’s terrible.”

“We heard he became really mean and powerful after that. I also found out that once empaths kill…they gain strength. And if we kill another empath, we can live forever.”

“What? So…Storm is immortal?”

“We don’t know. Summer hadn’t shown any signs of being an empath yet, so I’m not sure.”

“And wait…if it was seven years ago and he was fifteen, he’s like...twenty-two years old…in high school?”

“Yeah, he probably made up false records or something.”

A faraway expression shadows Ethan’s face. “You know, it’s funny,” Ethan says, “we thought Summer was the
only
one Storm was fond of. A tsk escapes his mouth. Then an angry chuckle. “He hated us, Honor. Especially me. I’m what caused his parents’ divorce. My mother got pregnant with me when my dad was still married to his mother.” Ethan takes my hand and gives it a tender tug. “I guess I can’t blame him for that. But…it was such a shock what he did to Summer. We thought he really…loved her. I just don’t understand it.” He shakes his head in devastation. I want so much to hold him, but…I stop thinking and just do it. I take my hand from his and wrap both my arms around his neck. He turns in my direction and lets me.

We hold each other like that for God knows how long when we hear something move behind the trees.

“It’s probably a bear,” Ethan remarks as he steps down from the rock to check things out.

I jump down and follow him.

“Honor, you shoulda stayed where you were. Bears can be dangerous.”

“But I’m with you. I’ll be okay.” And that’s the truth. I really believe that when I’m with Ethan, everything will just be all right. He protects me.

A resigned “all right” forces its way out of Ethan’s mouth.

We follow the noise but find no bear.

What we
hear
however is the roar of an engine.

And the squeal of spinning tires crunching across the gravel parking lot.

What we
see
is a bright orange Challenger hightailing it out of the park.

Storm.

“Hi, Honor.” A strong voice calls from behind me in the cafeteria.

I come to a halt. Knowing who it is before I turn. “Storm.”

“That’s me. Trip over any desks lately?” His joke falls flat on my ears. But my face grows hot.

“Just joking, sweetheart.” He places his lunch tray on the table next to mine and slides in on the bench. Smack dab next to me. Arm touching very large arm. I move as indiscreetly as I can without hurting any feelings. Then I think, why should I care if I hurt his feelings? He’s a murderer. “Don’t worry. I put my deodorant on this morning.” Obviously he noticed my sly attempt to distance myself from him.

“I wasn’t worried.” My defensive tone betrays my words.

“Did I do something to offend you, honey?” Though he sounds sarcastic, something in  his tone is off.

“No.”

“So, Honor. I like your name.”

He’s waiting for a response from me, but none comes.

“I’ve been asking around about you.”

My lips are sealed shut.

“You’re shy?”

Why does he keep talking to me? I bow my head and break apart my sandwich, unable to actually eat it.

A sharp pain enters my chest. Heartache. But it’s not mine.

“Honor?” Storm’s face drops, as does his mood. “Would you like me to take my tray somewhere else?” He asks, and I literally feel his hurt deep in my heart. Storm is hurting and I don’t want to make it worse, though I cannot explain why.

“No. You can stay,” I answer quietly, forcing myself to look him in the eyes. His beautiful violet eyes which are so intense right now. “I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize. It’s all good.”

“Yeah.” I smile and then see Ethan walking toward the table. Now I begin to worry.

Jumping from my seat, I go towards Ethan. “Eeth. Hey.” But I feel like he caught me cheating on him (even though I don’t really know where we stand on that issue anyway).

“Ethan.” Storm follows me and holds out his hand. Of course Ethan doesn’t shake it. He just stares at Storm, and I watch his eye twitch and his face contort. And I think,
wow, this guy really repulses Ethan.

Storm drops his hand. “Suit yourself, little brother.” Storm sits back down and dives into his lunch.

Picking up my purse and tray, I follow Ethan to another table. Feeling bad for Storm that I did so.

“I don’t like that he was talking to you, Honor. He’s up to something.” Ethan’s hand runs along my lower back while I sit down. He straddles the bench next to me, his hand still warm on my back.

“He seemed okay, Ethan. He was just making small talk.”

With Ethan’s right hand still on my lower back, he lays his left hand on my thigh. “He worries me. I can’t tell you why. I really can’t put a finger on it, aside from the fact that he murdered my baby sister, but...,” he pauses a minute, “I still think he’s bad news.”

My emotions are torn. I feel Ethan’s suspicions, literally. But my own feelings just don’t match up. When in Storm’s presence, the burning in my chest I experienced yesterday is still there, but…so is a sharp pain. Deep down in my soul I can feel the breaking heart of Storm Sutherland.

Nodding my head, I silently agree with Ethan. How could I tell him that I feel sorry for his eight-year old sister’s murderer?

Ethan removes his hand from my leg and instead squeezes the bridge of his nose again.

“Are you all right, Ethan? You shouldn’t let him get to you, really.” I turn and straddle the bench to face him. Taking his hands in both of mine, I close my eyes and try my hardest to remove his hurt.

Unfortunately, he is on to what I’m doing and pulls his hands from my grasp. “Honor. Stop that. I told you what healing people will do to you. Please, Honor. I’d like you to live a while. If that’s all right with you.”

He makes me smile. My face grows warm, and I’m thrilled to know he must like me-like me if he intends for me to be around a while. We never did qualify our relationship, so I’ve been having my doubts as to whether he likes me or is just hanging with me because I’m some sort of legend in the empath world. Because I’m the one that got away. Though thanks to Ethan, I’ve now been found. Not sure if I am happy about that or not.

“What’s the matter, Honor? I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings…”

“No. No,” I jump
in.“You didn’t hurt me at all.” In an attempt to hide my smile, I bite the inside of my mouth. Which hurts.

His fingers touch beneath my chin, gently lifting my face to look at him. “What is it, Honor?”

Oh his smile is so beautiful. His perfect white teeth are just the right size. Not too big; not too small. For several minutes (or what seems like several minutes), we gaze at each other, assessing what the other is thinking…or feeling, rather. My stomach gets that butterfly effect right in the pit of it, chased by a bunch of tingles that run up and down my limbs. Though I’m sitting, I feel my knees go weak. Ethan’s face is closer. He leans in. Nose to nose. The cafeteria disappears around us until it’s just us. My head tilts to one side, his to the other, when he sets his lips to mine and I close my eyes. His arms wrap around me and I move in closer, allowing the embrace. His sweet lips part just a bit and I feel his tongue separating mine. Parting my own lips, I meet his tongue with mine, and I melt in his kiss.
My
first kiss.
Ever
. Time passes, and who knows how long it’s been, but nothing else matters but Ethan’s kiss.

Until Storm interrupts us with a blatant cough. “Honor. I was wondering if I could talk to you after school about something?” Ethan and I stop kissing, but he keeps his hands on my thighs. Storm’s grin is unreadable; I can’t tell whether he is mocking or serious. But he continues talking to us, though Ethan’s own expression doesn’t welcome any other comments from his half-brother. I know this, because Ethan is only looking at me. Trying hard to ignore the elephant at our lunch table. “So, the thing is,” Storm keeps going, “since brother-dear deems it appropriate to not acknowledge me, I would like to get to know someone here at school and…well, I was wondering if I could get to know you.”

“That’s it.” Ethan tears his gaze away from me to stand and face Storm. “Get the hell outta here.” Brother to brother, they stare each other down.

“How ‘bout it, Honor?” Storm still persists with talking to me, though his gaze hasn’t left Ethan’s. “
Ya wanna hang after school…with me?” The evil that escapes Storm’s lop-sided grin is apparent, but I can tell…it’s only skin deep. The boy is hurting inside. And I hurt for him.

Ethan continues the stare-down. “She has plans with me.”

Storm is first to break the stare. But only to look at me. “’zat true, Honor? You have plans with this loser after school?”

“Yes.” I nod, but look only at Ethan. Afraid to feel anything else for Storm if I look at him.

“Very well. Maybe another time, sweetheart.” He strides away all boss-like, but I see the real Storm beneath his deceptive arrogance.

Ethan sits back down, straddling the bench so we’re facing each other again. “You can’t let him befriend you, Honor…you just can’t. He’s dangerous, and I don’t know his intentions right now.”

Looking down, I bite my lip before I speak. “I get that…it’s just,” I hesitate, not sure of Ethan’s reaction to my feelings for Storm. “I don’t think he’s as dangerous as he lets on.”

I regret it as soon as the words are out of my mouth. Ethan’s eyes shoot up in disbelief. “How can you say that, Honor…after what he did to my sister?”

“I’m sorry, Ethan.” Rage begins to fill me unexpectedly. Until I realize it’s Ethan’s rage I’m feeling. “Please, Ethan. Stay calm…”

“Stay calm? I tell you he murdered my baby sister and you tell me he’s not dangerous?”

With the palm of my hand, I attempt to soothe Ethan by rubbing his arm up and down. To which I receive his jerking away from my touch. I still say what I need to say. “Listen, Ethan, I didn’t say he was good or anything. I just meant, I don’t think he means me any harm. I think he’s in pain,” I say quietly. “Emotional pain…and because of it, I, like, think he’s…” Because of my determination not to anger Ethan, I stop talking.

“He’s what, Honor?”

“I…like…just think…his heart is breaking, that’s all.”

Ethan takes a step back, scorn displayed in the contemptuous way he holds his mouth. “You have feelings for him.” The throbbing vein in his neck causes an ice-cold chill to seep up my spine. I knew he wouldn’t understand.

“No. No, Ethan. That’s not it at all,” I plead, trying to make him understand. “My feelings are not
for
him. They
are his.
I feel what
he
is feeling. That’s all.”

“Then it’s only a matter of time,” he whispers, then turns and walks out of the cafeteria.

So much for my first kiss. I guess it didn’t end too well. I drop to the bench, slide my legs under the table and hold my face in my palms…sobbing into my healing hands. Which, ironically, do nothing to heal my own pain.