Vex (8 page)

“Chloe,” he gives a long blink as though he were tiring of my stupidity.

“Tell us what you know,” Gage is as desperate as I am.

“I don’t know Chloe’s secret. Only one person did, and she’s dead.”

“Who’s that?” I ask, stunned.

“My sister.”

Chapter Twelve

I’m Gonna Kiss You All Over

Holden shows up at Ellis’ party, and you would think he knew everyone here the way he paraded around and commandeered the crowd. Oh, wait, he does.

“At least he’s not shy.” Logan leans over the kitchen counter as we observe Holden doing body shots off Emily Morgan’s stomach.

“Most Counts aren’t,” I say, watching Brielle knock over an end table in an attempt to dance on it.

Gage has been hijacked by Chloe for a meeting of the minds, with her proliferating her insanity, and Gage pretending to care. She swore up and down she heard Dudley was coming then gasped in surprise when my new boyfriend decided to stand me up me so publicly.

“So, rumors are going around about you.” Logan points a finger towards my midsection.

“Are you still here?” I’m completely annoyed by his presence. “Don’t you realize I would rather listen to Fems discuss the way they’re going to strip the flesh off my bones than speak to you?”

“I swear, Skyla, I was trying to save you. It was an idea that came to me at the last second. When I saw you there, the first thing I wanted to do was take you home, then I realized you would be the perfect sacrifice.”

“So the Counts couldn’t touch me again,” I scoff. “Brielle told me all about it.”

“And you don’t believe it.” He looks down at the counter filled with disappointment.

“Why should I? What would it gain Demetri to OK yet another throwaway Celestra? And a pure one at that?”

“I don’t know,” Logan secures my eyes with his own, “but he was willing.”

“And if he wasn’t? If he demanded my capture and had me hooked up to Pierce’s fangs by midnight—what would you have done then?”

Logan’s amber eyes glisten as he hesitates with the answer.

“Nothing,” I hiss. “Because if I didn’t get myself out of that one, I wouldn’t be here today, would I?”

“Yes, I swear to you, you’d be standing right here. I could have taken you home after. We wouldn’t have to fight or win a faction war because you would have been untouchable to the Counts.” He steps in close until I can feel the heat emanating from off his body, feel his sad eyes stretch over me with pure agony. “Plus, that way you got a good look at some of the Count players on Paragon. They’ve always known who you are, and now the shoe is on the other foot.”

“A lot of good that will do me. Did you get your initiation?”

“We used a goat.”

A vague thought begins to twitch on the outskirts of my mind. That dream I had weeks ago still bothers me, the one with a round flat stone, Brielle and her goat.

 “What?” He washes over me with a heavy look of concern.

“Nothing.” I dreamed about the future, well, somewhat inaccurately, but I did. I haven’t dreamed anything significant since. I’ll have to start experimenting with Gage and his kisses, see how far they’ll get me while enjoying the ride.

“There’s always Dudley,” Logan says looking behind me.

“What did you say?” If Logan has procured some bizarre super power to hear my thoughts without touching me, we’re going to have a real freaking problem. 

“Dudley—he’s behind you.”

I turn in time to see Marshall wrap his arms around my waist from the back and kiss the side of my face like he was my boyfriend.     

Dear God.

I need to find out Chloe’s secret and fast.

“Shall we go outside?” Marshall presents the idea loud enough for Logan to hear.

“She’s not going anywhere with you. You’re a lunatic.” Logan stands as though he were looking for a fight.

“No, Logan,” I grit the words, “
you
are.”

I take Marshall by the hand and lead him out the door.

***

I walk with Marshall under a three quarter moon openly holding his hand while playing along with Chloe’s game, but mostly I’m doing this to scare the hell out of Logan who I know full well is stalking us like a lion. I can feel Logan’s hatred for Marshall as thick as the hatred Gage feels towards him. I seem to be the only one who doesn’t hate Marshall. He’s the one person I should fear and can’t.

We head out to the side of the house, free from the bodies jostling and screaming for Marshall’s attention. He’s like a novelty here.

“I guess people really think we’re together,” I say.

“Rumor has it we’re starting a family,” he gives a sly smile.

“Right.” I roll my eyes at the thought. Marshall has a strange fantasy of having kids with me. It’s bizarre, sort of like him.

The strong scent of jasmine fills my senses as we make our way past the flower garden that borders the property.

He pulls me into the paper white trunk of a birch tree and steals a quick kiss.

“Don’t do that.” I consider yanking my hands free and slapping Marshall, but it will only incite Logan to go ninja all over his ass.

“Do you have a vision for me?” I whisper.

“Change your mind, did you?”

I don’t dare clue Marshall in on the fact this might be a good time to test my dream aptitude after one of his kisses, that it will give Logan nightmares for a good long while all at the same time.

Marshall raises our conjoined hands.

“Oh, right.” I keep forgetting Marshall can hear me if he’s touching me, he’s Celestra that way, only he’s not.

“I have the best abilities of each faction,” he muses in a seductive manner. Letting Marshall woo me like this would have been easy if there were no Gage. For sure, it wouldn’t matter if Logan were around. I’m completely over him. I think.

We fall into a simple kiss saturated with Marshall’s feel good sensations. It is bliss like this with Marshall until I realize I have a boyfriend and try to push him away, but he grabs me by the waist, and a picture begins to emerge.

It’s Logan’s Mustang swaying, gyrating. I’m lying in the backseat in a ball gown. Logan is beside me taking off his clothes while covering my neck in passionate kisses.

I pull away and smack Marshall hard in the chest.

“No!” I say sharply.

“Are you rebuking me or the vision?” He seems equally stunned at the prospect of both ideas. 

“Why can’t you ever show me anything decent?”

“I didn’t show you anything yet, you simply saw what you wanted.”

“Bullshit!” OK, so, I may have had that very thought at least a couple of times before.

“Try me.” He pulls me in by the back of the neck and indulges in a penetrative kiss.

A field emerges, there’s a pool of blood. Someone is lying on the ground, hurt. We’re in danger. I can feel it. Their face is coming into focus—

Marshall is plucked off me, as Logan smashes his fist into his mouth.

“Stop!” I kick Logan hard in the shin.

“What?” He looks perplexed. “Did you want that?”

I cover my mouth unexpectedly.

“Are you cheating on Gage?” The whites of his eyes glint over me, accusingly.

“No. I would never do that. I love him.” I wipe Marshall’s taste off my lips with the back of my hand.

Marshall staggers backwards, examining the blood from his mouth.

“I’ll leave you two to digest the situation,” he takes off towards the house.

Logan appraises me in the stale light emanating from the back porch where voices pierce through the muted silence every now and again by way of a disjointed cry of laughter. 

He doesn’t believe me. I can tell by the look in his eye. He’s bewildered by the fact I’d be in a lip lock with, of all people, Marshall.

Logan picks up my hand.
He’s dangerous. Let me take you home
.

No,
I try to free my fingers from his grip, but he clasps on a little firmer.
I don’t trust you
, I say.

His amber beams tunnel through me with a spear of suspicion.
And, for the first time—I’m not sure I trust you
.

Chapter Thirteen

Love Like This

I hitch a ride home with Holden—
Holden
of all people. Marshall disappeared soon after, to tend to his swollen lip ‘professionally’ as he put it.

I lock myself in my bedroom and sit on the window bench, watch the lethargic fog float by easy as a dream. I wait for Gage and my heart breaks every minute. I need a muzzle around Marshall, a chastity belt—a shield. I’m a horrible girlfriend. And I can’t let Marshall sway me with his ridiculous glimpses into the future anymore. I mean, think about it, there’s never been anything I’ve been able to stop, nothing at all I can use to my benefit. I bet, all along, he’s been trying to erode my relationship with Gage.

Gage sends a text letting me know he’ll be here in one hour. He just dropped Chloe off, and there’s a storm on that end of the island.

I don’t hesitate in texting Logan.

Can we talk? ~S

Where?

Butterfly room ~S

If I want to keep my relationship with Gage intact, I need to be as honest as I can with Logan—or at least as honest as I want to be.

***

It’s like old times, me waiting for Logan and him crawling down through the hatch coming to see me.

His hair is slicked back. A trail of woodsy cologne swims over to me long before he does.

Logan sits Indian style across from me with anguish pulsating out of him like a geyser. We sit there, taking one another in as though we were laying eyes on each other for the very first time.

He picks up my hands and I let him. He fondles my fingers, molests them with an intensity he wishes he could extend to the rest of my body. A great sadness intervenes and I hold back the urge to cry. I used to know him, thought I did anyway, and now look where we are—lost and broken, belonging to somebody else.

I don’t belong to anybody, but you
. He resonates a thick sense of loss even through his smile.

 I do
.

Who does your heart belong to?
Logan is filled with suspicion.
Is it Dudley or Gage?

“Gage.” I rattle his hands off me.

“Then why were you kissing Dudley?”

This might be the last moment that I keep my dirty little secret to myself. If I tell Logan, then I’ll have to tell Gage because the last thing I want is for Logan and I to have a shared secret.

“Emerson knew something about Chloe. If I can find out what it was, I might be able to free myself from her blackmail.” My lips take a surprising U-turn. I’m a little relieved I didn’t tell him the real reason I was falling into Marshall’s mouth.

“And Dudley can help you with this?” He looks doubtful.

“Maybe.” Truth is, I hadn’t thought of it until now.

“So, that’s why you were kissing him?”

“No, Logan, Marshall was kissing me. I was trying to stop him.”

 “You weren’t struggling, Skyla,” he shakes his head. “There’s something else.”

“Maybe there is. Maybe I’m sick of being such an open book to you—sick of you holding all the cards, showing me your poker hand whenever you feel like it.”

“You’re going to hurt Gage. He’s been nothing but honest with you.”

“I have no intention of hurting Gage
ever
.” I glare over at him.

“Did you ever have an intention of hurting me?”

“Logan!” How could he?

“I’m sorry,” he looks down, dejected. “I built this lousy boat and pushed it out to sea. I’m the reason you’re with Gage to begin with.”

“What about destiny?”

“I guess I dovetailed right into it.” He gives a hard stare at the wall. “Or, I should say, out of it.”

“Don’t be mad at yourself.” I can’t bear looking at Logan in his constant state of affliction.

A half smile slinks up his cheek and dents his face where I cut him.

“You kissed Dudley to hurt me,” his eyes widen with pleasure.

“Maybe I did.”

He takes up my hand and glides it over his cheek before kissing it. “Then I’m still in the game.”

***

Trying to get rid of Logan and his scent is like trying to scrub lighter fluid off your body with matches. He seals himself like oil, coating me from the inside like a layer of toxic sludge. I wish I’d never invited him here. He makes me miserable. It’s hard to believe he once ignited my world with passion, and now the thought of him sends me into an angry tirade. Worse, he still has the ability to elicit those familiar urges in me that I find impossible to extinguish.  

Gage appears at the closet door as a horrific thought comes to me. Dear God, what if I do still have feelings for Logan? What if no matter how psychotic he turns out to be, a part of me refuses to let him go? I’ll go insane if that’s true. You can’t love someone you can’t trust—someone who wishes they could have cut your flesh for sport while pledging allegiance to the enemy. Can you?

I pat Gage over to the bed and he comes to me with his eager smile, taking off his jacket, his shoes, his jeans.

Holy crap!

“What’s gotten into you?” Usually I wouldn’t mind Gage’s hypersexual behavior but, in truth, I’m emotionally all over the place tonight and that just happens to be the one place I’m not.

“OK,” he presses in a soft kiss, darts over me with those cerulean blue sirens and dimples out a smile.

God, I love Gage.

I lean my head back and let him circle my neck with kisses. Marshall and Logan melt off my shoulders one by one.

“I’ve got an idea,” he gives a husky whisper. As a rule, Gage tends to ruin the moment with his ideas when we’re in the throes of passion. “We do whatever it takes to get dirt on Chloe, and fast.”

My eyes spring open. “Fast? Did something happen?”

“Let’s say fast is an understatement.”

“Did she touch you?”

“No, and I won’t let her, but apparently it’s not going to stop her from trying. I’ll protect you, Skyla but I’m not going as far as Chloe would like me to.”

For the first time I feel the very real danger that I’m in.

“OK, we’ll do whatever it takes.” I have a feeling it’s going take a lot more than I’m willing to give.