Wicked Thing (C.O.A Series Book 2) (3 page)

She’d known what her Handler had needed.
Lexy whispered, “Do you feel better now?”

Grey smiled up at the heavens, turned to look at her and replied, “Much better.” He reached for her hand and laced his fingers through hers.

Her heart gave her a gentle tug in his direction
. She squeezed his hand and said, “With all of the drama from the Summit I never asked you how you were doing with the Melody thing?”

He chuckled as he answered, “Which thing? The fact that she’s going into the Testing tomorrow or the revelation that she had a thing with Thorne?”

“All of the above,” she replied.

Without looking away from the display of twinkling stars he answered, “Can we save this conversation for tomorrow?”

Lexy gently squeezed his hand once more and whispered, “Of course.” They remained there together under the sparkling display of the night sky with their hands connected and their hearts at peace until they both drifted off to dream.

Someone was shaking her
…
She heard Grey’s voice
, “It’s almost daylight. We have to get back inside before someone notices that we snuck out.”

Lexy smiled as Grey’s face came into focus she stretched and then groggily asked, “What time is it?”

Grey smiled at her with his eyes crinkling in the corners so even without seeing his lips she’d have known he was deliriously happy.
Every time she opened her eyes his smile meant she was safe and it was morning. It was a truly beautiful way to awaken.

He leaned over, kissed her forehead and replied, “It’s almost dawn. The sun is just beginning to peak over the mountain top. We should get back.”

Grey helped her up with his legs a touch more stable after being awake a few minutes longer and the two of them dashed back towards the bushes.
With her hand in his while racing through the grass she felt like the child she’d never had the opportunity to be.
They plunged into the overgrowth, shoving their way through until they found their way out into the open area around the crypt. Grey slipped his hand under the stone and the Ankh crypt slowly ground open. Their stealth descent of the stairs was only hindered by the sound of the heavy breathing of those still lost in dreamland. They’d beaten the morning’s first rays. The opening above them slid closed and the two of them crept quietly across the room, searching for a place to pretend they’d been sleeping.

Lexy heard footsteps grabbed Grey’s arm and whispered, “Pick a spot. Any spot.” He dashed across the room, and dove onto a pile of pillows in the darkened corner. She was right behind him. Lexy closed her eyes as Grey snuggled up behind her and they both tried to pretend they’d been asleep there all along. The footsteps grew louder and it became difficult to keep a straight face. She was thankful they were in a shadowed corner of the room. There was a glow of light behind her lids. Without opening her eyes, she knew someone was walking around and methodically lighting the torches. It was obviously time to get up.
They’d made it back to the crypt just in time.
She opened her eyes and shifted like she was going to get up.

Grey held her tighter and whispered, “Don’t move. This is nice.”

She shook her head and remained in his arms until the torch closest to them was lit and their shadowed corner was no longer.

Chapter 2
In Solidarity They Stand

T
hey all squinted as they scaled the steps out of the Ankh crypt deep in the wilderness and walked out into the glaring brilliance of the day. It was gloriously warm outside. She could picture what they were doing.
The newbies were probably lying on the dock, hanging out together having a grand time with no real comprehension of what sick torturously messed up situations the Testing would hold. This was their last true escape from the reality of their new life and they didn’t even know it
. The group trudged directly through the greenery until they reached the path. Lexy squinted in the sun’s rays and shielded her eyes with one hand as she looked over at Frost.
He was nervous
.
Kayn had spent an entire week with Kevin and the unknown was killing him. The seemingly unbreakable guy was doing his best to make it seem like it was just a normal day but it wasn’t. Not for him.
Lexy felt empathy knowing first-hand what it felt like to have feelings for someone that was still in love with somebody else. She glanced around at the groups matching solemn expressions.
It wasn’t a normal day for any of them. Today was the day they delivered the lambs to the slaughter.

As they approached the campground and walked around the blind curve of the trail there was Kayn and she was alone.
She appeared to be distraught for some reason. Perhaps, it was that the fantasy was at its end.
Frost strode towards Kayn. Even through her inner turmoil, her eyes lit up when she noticed his approach. He smiled and they embraced. Lexy stepped out of view and remained there, silently observing their exchange.
They needed to be alone
.

Kayn whispered, “I’m glad you guys are back.” She made a rather obvious attempt to put Frost back in the friend zone by giving his back a few sturdy pats before letting go.

Lexy winced…
Ouch. That had to hurt.

It didn’t seem to phase Frost as he teased, “You are, without a doubt, the strangest girl I’ve ever met.”

She had quite the view from where she remained. Kayn was trying to be strong. Lexy knew what it felt like to shove the emotions down and move on. Kayn blinked away the few stray tears that still threatened to fall and plastered a giant fake smile on her face. Her young blonde friend had mastered her deceased twin’s fake pageant smile. She could tell that Frost wasn’t fooled by the act. He appeared to be concerned but didn’t question her any further.

Kayn smiled again and replied, “I try.” The two of them continued their stroll back towards the cabin together to wake the others. Lexy made sure to remain out of sight but had to stifle her own laughter as Kayn tripped on the stairs while not so inconspicuously attempting to sneak a peek at the cabin across the way. It was the one Triad usually stayed in. She was curious to know what Kevin had done to her during their week alone.
She could feel the pain radiating around her young friend.

Frost grabbed Kayn before her knees hit the steps and whispered, “Chin up, or I’ll start quoting country songs.”

Kayn smiled warmly, nodded and excused her two left feet by saying, “I’m fine.” Before they even had the opportunity to open the front door they could tell by the noises that the others were already awake.
I’m fine…that was her line.
Lexy opted to stay hidden outside until the two of them went into the cabin. Once they were inside Lexy strolled towards the deck and sat down on the wooden stairs. She could hear Frost telling animated tales of her insane bravery in the coliseum. Lexy sat on the slivery weather worn wooden steps and gazed at the cabin across the way, recalling the naughty games Tiberius had been playing with her before the banquet. She had a very clear image of him teasing her by pretending to unzip his jeans while standing on the now empty sundeck. She shifted the palm of her hand on the wood, felt a small prick and knew she’d received a sliver from the wooden stairs beneath her hand. She raised her palm but not quickly enough to remove the shard of wood before her skin had healed over top of it. Lexy wiped the tiny amount of blood from her palm onto the flesh of her thigh and looked at the clearly visible sliver buried beneath the layer of skin. In time it would work its way out, but she wasn’t squeamish about the logical solution. She took a small blade from her pocket, cut the skin and removed it with her teeth. She spat it on the stairs and wiped the blood on her leg versus her clothing. In the time that took, her hand was once again healed to perfection. Once again she glanced up at the deck of the cabin across the path and smiled.
It was best to not allow either slivers or naughty men to take residence under the surface of her skin.
She had too much going on right now to waste her energy thinking about inconsequential things. Grey sat down beside her. She hadn’t even noticed his approach.

He slid his hand over her bare knee and stated, “There’s blood on your leg and you’re holding a knife. Do you need my help with something?”

She peered at her thigh and grinned.
She hadn’t even thought to rub it in so the blood wouldn’t be as noticeable.
Lexy met Grey’s concerned expression with a matter of fact statement, “I got a sliver on the palm of my hand from the stairs. My skin healed too quickly so I cut it out.”

Grey smiled, took her hand in his, unfolded her fingers and tenderly kissed the palm of her hand where her wound had healed. “Was cutting yourself totally necessary or did you do that to take your mind off of things?”

She hadn’t really given it that much thought when she did it. Truth be told, her mind had added some symbolism to the action after the fact.

Grey gazed across the way at the cabin she’d been staring at when he’d arrived at her side and questioned, “What happened between the two of you at the Summit is messing with your head, isn’t it?”

Grey knew her so well
.
There would be no point in lying, but she’d give him the choice.
She replied, “Do you want the truth or a lie?” He released her hand, squeezed her knee and stood up giving her his response to her question with an action.

He glanced back at her and skillfully changed the subject, “Let’s go inside and save this conversation for later. We have too much going on today to worry about something stupid. It doesn’t even matter because I’m sure it will never happen again. You’re too intelligent for that.”

Lexy had to stop her mind from thinking of a response to that statement because with their connection she knew he’d be listening for it. She’d have to make sure she saved her fantasies of Tiberius for when she was all alone. Grey opened the cabin door and the two of them stepped inside just as Kayn came out of the bathroom. She smiled, strolled directly towards them and embraced them both. Lexy held on to her for a second longer than she should.
Please, come back.

They helped them finish packing their belongings and began their trek back down the brush lined trail they’d appeared out of less than an hour before. Lexy took a deep exaggerated breath of the cedar scented campground air.
It was an absolutely gorgeous day.
Warm rays of sunshine filtered through the trees creating this strange effect by lighting up the pathway at regular intervals before them. Lexy watched for Grey’s reaction, knowing he was the one that felt the beauty of these moments most. For forty years she’d played witness to his beautiful soul. Her heart swelled with adoration each time she saw him like this. He was gloriously lost in a magical moment and she was in awe of him. Grey raised his hand into the ray of sun on the trail before him. He was watching the particles of dust as they flitted around him like millions of tiny planets in a galaxy. The others had kept walking but she had remained there with him. His wheat colored hair was just a touch too long and it was obscuring his view. He took his hand out of the ray of sunlight and raked his fingers through his hair to get it out of his eyes.

He noticed her watching him and said, “Come over here and feel how warm this spot is.”

Lexy wandered towards him, stood in the ray of light and smiled as the particles of dust danced around her and the sunlight caressed her skin. Lexy could feel his eyes upon her and peered up to meet his gaze of devotion.

He stepped towards her, tucked her crimson hair behind her ear, gently kissed her forehead and whispered, “You don’t have any idea how beautiful you really are…do you? Listen, I’m not sure what came over me yesterday. It was absolutely ridiculous. I don’t have any right to judge you.”

All of a sudden she felt like an enormous asshole because she knew what he’d said was the truth. He’d sooner die than intentionally hurt her but she would intentionally hurt him. Vengeance was a part of being a Dragon. She’d have to try harder to keep him here in the friend zone.
Friends were forever
. They embraced, and as always, it felt so right.
This was where the line became crossed in her mind.
She took another deep breath. The scent of his skin had always made her feel like there was nowhere else in the universe she was supposed to be.

Their embrace had gone on just a bit too long and he whispered in her ear, “There’s nothing you could ever do that would make me love you less.” He jokingly cringed and teased, “Even Tiberius.”

She stepped away, smiled at him and sparred, “I’m sure I could find something.” Then she started to jog ahead of him to catch up to the others.

Her Handler laughed, chased her down and tripped over an enormous tree root that had grown up along the path, accidentally tackling her from behind. He landed on top of her on the dirt floor of the pathway and with their lips this close she had to actively fight the urge to kiss him.

Grey ruffled her hair with one of his hands, climbed off of her and scrambled to his feet. She remained there for a second after his brotherly action. It was as though fate expected her to be able to shift her heart to wherever he needed it to be on that day. Today it was taking her through all of the motions.

He held out his hand towards her and chivalrously announced, “Madam.”

Lexy took Grey’s extended hand, but couldn’t help rolling her eyes.

They continued their peaceful stroll towards the motorhome and as they scaled the few steps towards the front door it felt like they were coming home. Lexy could tell something was amiss the second she entered; she leaned over, opened the fridge and hissed, “Shit.” This was one of her biggest pet peeves. A scent wafted out at her and she complained, “You guys didn’t even touch the fridge. This milk’s seriously outdated. It’s going to stink up the whole place.”

Grey shoved past her, snatched the carton out of the fridge and chuckled, “I’ll get rid of it then. It’s not a big deal, Lex.”

To her. It was
…Lexy continued to give Zach the stink eye until he gave her a response.