Page 9

Kerry

“If you feel your control slipping, come out and we’ll go back to the cottage,” Hank told me. “Don’t try to talk to too many people. Use the strategies we’ve been practicing if someone challenges you. Observe what others are doing and follow like a little lamb until you find your feet.”

We’d gone over the plan twice already, but I guessed he needed to say it again for his own peace of mind. Or maybe he was nervous. His rambling riled up my own worries, though.

“Maybe we should try something shorter first.” I scrubbed a hand through my hair.

“You can do this. It’s a small class, and I spoke with the teacher, Ms. Weatherbee, this morning. She won’t hassle you. The worst that could happen is you falling asleep from boredom.”

“Hardly.”

The worst that could happen was I lose it and kill everyone. I had too many triggers and a room full of targets. When I took a deep breath, though, I smelled her in there.

Surely that’ll help.

“Remember to leave the necklace on,” Hank reminded me.

An hour ago, he’d given me a grace of refuge on a thin gold chain. It would keep the taint from reacting to anything Divine, and I was grateful for him thinking of that. My temper, never too good, got worse the more I hurt.

“And, whatever you do, don’t call up your power. You’ll be too tempted to cut loose. And watch your language.”

I rolled my eyes at him.

“Relax.” He smiled. “You’ll be fine.”

“Sure, Warden. Don’t go nowhere.”

“I’ll stay right outside the door.”

Telling myself to stop being so gutless, I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and went in. A rush of voices hit my ears and got louder the further I walked into the room, especially the not-whispering from the girls.

“Who’s that? He’s so tall!”

“Yum! Look at those blue eyes.”

“Wow. Just wow .”

“I don’t know. There’s something dark about him.”

“Who cares? He’s gorgeous!”

I found the angel right away, sitting alone and bent over a book, and I scanned the rest of the room. There were seven guys and four other girls, and I blended in with my t-shirt and jeans, although I was the only one with tats running up and down his arms.

One big guy in the back locked eyes with me for a little too long, then smirked and looked away. When he leaned over to whisper to the guy on his left, I made myself ignore the challenge and turned back to the angel.

She was a prettier sight, anyway, in her gray dress and pink sandals, and I let my eyes take in her curves as I walked over. She flipped her braid over one shoulder and started talking as soon as I reached her, but never looked up.

“Did you get all the homework done, Gigi? I’m too slow to get these last few.”

I slid into the chair next to hers, and she shoved her notebook toward me.

“Hmm. Maybe I copied them down wrong. Can I see how you wrote yours? Gigi?”

When I didn’t say anything, she glanced over, then up to meet my eyes.

“Oh, my goodness,” she whispered.

“I can’t believe it.” I shook my head. “When Warden told me I was free this morning, I think I went into shock. How’d you do it?”

Her smile was as bright as sunshine and all of her happiness seemed to spill out of her eyes.

And I couldn’t breathe.

What is wrong with this girl? I mashed my lips together and glared at her as I started to get mad. You don’t give a smile like that to something like me !

“Just remember what you owe me.” She dropped her eyes to her desk and sat very still.

I shifted a little in my chair.

Is she afraid of me?

Being tainted, especially by possession, made me an outcast in neph society. And Hank could ramble on all he wanted about me learning how to be more civilized so I could fit in here, but I never would be accepted. When people figured out what I was, half of them would hate me on sight and nearly all of them would fear me.

But I didn’t think she would. Hate me, sure. I got that. But she’d been so brave last night against Blondie and his boys.

Yeah, and she knows you’re a thousand times more savage than they are. She has the scars to prove it, don’t she?

Restless, I looked around for a distraction, but unless I wanted to get into it with the jerks in the back or handle a thousand questions from giggling girls, she was all I had.

For something to do, I dragged my desk over until it butted up against hers and moved my chair as close to her as possible. When I settled in, my arm bumped hers and I froze.

“Are you okay?” She searched my eyes and, knowing they showed too much, I looked away.

Don’t let her see what you are inside. Don’t you dare.

“This was a stupid idea.” I plowed one hand through my hair to hide how it was shaking, but didn’t move away from her.

“You survived for years on guts and willpower.” Her voice was quiet and steady. “Surely you have enough grit left inside to last one hour.”

I glanced down at her and relaxed just a little.

Those emeralds Zick paid with that one time. Her eyes are the exact same color. Where did I stash those? Maybe the cache in Midtown—

“Hello,” a voice interrupted my thoughts, and I looked over to see a girl in front of us.

She was about half a foot taller and at least a cup size larger than the angel, and her black hair was a mess of curls. With a heart-shaped face, glowing skin, and dark blue eyes, she was movie-star gorgeous.

“Good morning, Gigi. Kerry, this is Bridget Carnahan. Gigi, this is Kerry Harker. He’s helping me with the homework.”

Helping her? Yeah. Like I’m ever gonna do any homework.

“Oh, good. He can help me, too.” Gigi sat at the desk in front of us, then swiveled around with a notebook in her hand. “I don’t know about you, but those last few were too hard for me.”

They finished right before class started, and Gigi spun forward, but I didn’t pull the desk or chair away from the angel. Ms. Weatherbee didn’t say anything about it, and I wondered if the adults had been warned to leave me alone.

Well, maybe not leave you alone, but Hank probably warned her about setting you off . And to be ready when someone does.

As Ms. Weatherbee droned on, I folded my arms over my chest and slouched down, stretched my legs out and crossed my feet at my ankles. I kept my head down and my eyes closed, breathing as evenly as I could. I didn’t take notes or follow along in her textbook, even though the angel pushed it toward me.

I kept my arm tight against hers. She seemed to have figured out how close to the edge I was getting because she didn’t move a muscle. I couldn’t understand why this girl wanted to help me so much, but I was fine to use her if it helped me stay calm.

We stayed that way until the teacher gave everyone the second half of class to work on a translation, and Gigi turned around again. I listened to them to block out the louder voice in the back of the room, where someone was working real hard to piss me off.

The angel went to the bathroom with fifteen minutes of torture left, and I was really tempted to just ditch the rest of class.

“Her name’s Gemma.”

I looked at Gigi, who gave me a friendly smile as she put her pencil down. The movement drew my eyes to her hand and the heavy silver class ring on her thumb.

That’s right. I remember the angel talking about Gigi and her boyfriend, Jax.

“Gemma?” My voice came out husky, and I cleared my throat.

“Yes. Gemma Shepherd. I wasn’t sure if you knew that.”

Gemma . I rolled it around in my mind a few times. As beautiful as she is.

“How did you decide what tattoos to get?”

“Huh?” I blinked.

“They’re obviously on display, so I didn’t think you’d mind if I asked. How did you decide what to get? Do they have special meaning? And how far up does the chainmail go?”

“That was a lot of questions all at once.” I was gonna have to wear long-sleeves tomorrow.

“What are you two talking about?” Gemma slid back into her seat.

“Kerry’s tattoos.”

I had a moment of pure panic when Gigi started to stretch her hand toward my arm, but Gemma grabbed it and pulled it under the desk. I glanced at her, but she and Gigi were locked in some kinda silent conversation.

Testing myself, I rolled up my right sleeve and showed them how my shoulder was covered with armor plating that stopped at my bicep. The chainmail picked up there and went all the way down to my wrist.

“That is so incredible!” Gemma shook her head. “Like 3-D.”

Yeah, my ink guy was great. One of the best. He put an illusion in his inks so the tats stay perfect forever. Even when I was wounded, after the skin healed, the ink reformed the design. And that was the chief selling point for me. I wasn’t vain, but it was depressing staring at scars all the time.

I guessed I coulda told them that since they seemed interested, but I didn’t know how. Talking with girls wasn’t something I did well or often, and that woulda been sharing more than I was ready to, anyway.

“I get the armor, you being a warrior,” Gigi said, “but what about your other arm?”

Giving in, I pushed my right shirt sleeve up. A black dragon started at the top of my bicep and its feet disappeared into thorny rose bushes that wrapped around my forearm. Flowers and vines trailed over a stone wall at my wrist and ended in a single rose that covered the back of my right hand.

“That is amazingly life-like!” Gigi chirped.

“Are dragons real ?” Gemma’s eyes got big.

“Yeah, they’re real,” Gigi said before I could answer, “but I was talking about the rose.”

“Wow. And that’s what dragons look like?”

“Pretty much.” Gigi smiled. “This one looks like it could come to life at any second.”

“I’d like to see a dragon.” Gemma seemed excited.

“No, you wouldn’t,” I muttered.

“Have you seen one?” Gigi scrunched up her nose.

“You two ask a lotta questions!” I barked.

“You don’t have to answer.” Gemma’s eyes flew up to mine.

“Isn’t this class over yet?”

Then the bell sounded.

I flew out of my chair, and Hank met me outside the door, just like he promised.

“Hang on a sec.” His teeth were clenched. “I want to have a word with those two fools.”

“Who? Those girls?” My eyebrows shot up.

“No, not them!” Hank scowled. “Those two boys who heckled you the whole time.”

He heard them?

Of course he did. He was a guide. His hearing beat mine even when I turned my ears “on.”

“They have no idea what life is like outside the limits of their tame little world, but they’ll judge someone who does and conclude he’s worthless?” His eyes sparked with bad temper. “Sanctimonious imbeciles.”

He’s willing to fight for me? That makes no sense. I hardly know him.

As students filed out of the room behind my back, Hank moved so he was between me and everyone else, which was fine by me. I didn’t want anyone bumping into me, and I didn’t want to see those girls again today, either.

They were too… Too much . Too talky. Too question-y. Too bright and happy. What was I supposed to do with that? It was exhausting and made my ears hurt.

“Hey! That’s Hank Bishop.” It was the big guy. The one who had smirked at me.

“ The Hank Bishop? He was assigned to the possessed First.” The other one cut his eyes at me. “So that’s who the new guy is.”

“Can’t believe they’re letting a filthy demon taint come to school.”

In front of me, Hank tensed, and I half-wondered if he was gonna get into it with them. If he did, I wasn’t gonna stop him. I leaned my shoulder against the bank of lockers and got ready to watch the show.

“Oliver, you better mind your own business.” Gigi came out of the room and glared at the shorter guy.

“And don’t call him that, Noah.” Gemma was right behind her. “You don’t know him.”

I’d known she was brave, but to see her going toe to toe with the big guy?

Maybe she isn’t too bright.

“Listen to them, fellas.” Hank’s voice was low and slow, but it cut through the chatter in the hallway like a mute button. All eyes fixed on him, even mine. “If Kerry starts trouble, I’ll hold him accountable. But if you start it, I won’t hold him back.”

He didn’t need to do this. Neither of these jokers was any kind of threat.

“Hank?” Now Ms. Weatherbee joined the party.

“Don’t worry about it, Gina,” he muttered. “It’s nothing.”

As fun as this had been, I needed to crash. Seeing an opening through the small crowd, I shot through it and out the door. I was at the top of the garden path before Hank caught up to me.

“You okay, kiddo?”

“Yeah, but you know you just made it worse.”

“Maybe, maybe not. Those two have been at the Sanctuary long enough to know who I am.”

“And who are you?”

“I’m Hank. Hank Bishop. Nice to meet you. I’ll be your warden. Welcome to the Sanctuary.”

“You’re a smart mouth who’s pushing his luck.”

“Probably so.” He chuckled. “You want to try the grocery store with me? Or just chill?”

“I gotta crash, Warden. I’m wearing out. Fast.”

I was raw and only wanted to get to my bedroom and shut down. He said he’d be back from shopping in about an hour and left, which kinda made me feel bad. I knew he was only trying to help.

Pissed at myself for even caring, my hand shook as I turned the door knob. I went in, shut the door, and locked it. Too tired to even make it to the couch, I dropped on the floor and was out in seconds.

#

Gemma

“Jax! Jax! You’ll never guess!” I ran up and grabbed his shirt sleeves and bounced on my toes. “Kerry Harker made it through all of first period!”

“He did ?”

“Yes! I was working on the last little bit of our homework and thought he was Gigi at first, then I looked over and got the surprise of my life to see he’d come right over to me.” I was still a little shocked. “He pulled his desk and chair next to mine.”

“More like, he was plastered to her side,” Gigi interjected with a wry look.

His eyes flashed to her and it took me a few seconds to understand the look he was giving her. He was asking her if she was okay. If Kerry Harker had done something to her. If he’d hurt her.

I didn’t like Jax thinking that way, but I had told him everything about the night Kerry attacked me. I suppose it was only natural to be cautious. Still…

“He was fine.” I dropped my hands. “I mean, he’s tense—”

“ In tense is more like it,” Gigi threw in.

“—but he isn’t feral.”

“He nearly killed you a few weeks ago.” Jax made a face.

“ He didn’t do anything except try to get me to run. To leave him alone because he didn’t want to hurt me.” I shook my head so hard, my braid whacked my shoulder blades. “I won’t blame him for what the demon made him do. I can’t.”

“He is to blame for being possessed.” Gigi raised her eyebrows. “You can’t be possessed without your consent.”

“He was nine years old,” I reminded her.

“And I overheard some wardens talking the other day. Kerry’s mother died the same night he was possessed.” Jax slid an arm around her waist. “I guess you don’t need to be Stephen Hawking to figure out what happened.”

I didn’t want to think about that. I couldn’t . Jax must have picked up on my distress and, as he usually did, tried to lighten things up.

“So what’s he like? Is he a jerk or a clown or a nerd?”

“None of the above.” Gigi laid her head on Jax’s shoulder. “He’s intense, like I said, and he got agitated when we asked questions.”

“That’s because he was nervous.”

And probably scared, too. His hands had trembled and his jaw stayed clenched tight.

“You didn’t tell me he was so tall.” Gigi grinned at me.

“I was surprised, too.” I grinned back, then caught the look on Jax’s face. “What? It’s not like I was paying attention while he was gnawing on my shoulder! And when I went to heal him after the exorcism, he was lying down. But I did notice he’s gained a lot of weight.”

“You’re joking, right?” Gigi’s eyes rounded. “He’s skin and bones!”

“Not joking.” Sorrow welled up in my heart at the memory. “He was a living skeleton.”

I remembered every detail of what he looked like after the exorcism. Each rib visible in sharp ridges under his pallid skin, stomach caved in, hip bones sticking out like worn knobs. And the scars. So many scars —

My eyes burned.

“Well, he’s certainly handsome, even if he’s too skinny and has a scar slashed across his face.” Gigi winked at me. “His eyes are amazing . I couldn’t stop staring!”

“Hey, now.” Jax pulled her tighter against him. “Remember me? The guy who loves you? Are you going to break my heart?”

“I’m devoted to you, Ajax Kosta, which you know very well.”

“Yes, I do.” He laughed and rubbed his nose against hers. “Just as I’m devoted to you.”

Then she had to run to make it to her next class on time. I went into the locker room and changed before meeting Jax at the air hockey table. As I fended off the plastic puck, I filled him in on everything that had happened. He told me Kerry’s warden, Hank Bishop, had been a fierce and famous team leader for nearly two centuries before he “retired” from the field to become a warden.

“Is Kerry his first ward?”

“Yes. Ha ha! I wonder how many times a day those two butt heads! Hank didn’t have a reputation for being patient. More like ruthless.”

That worried me a little. Kerry was probably very … fragile … right now. A ruthless guardian didn’t sound like the best fit.

“I can tell what you’re thinking.” Jax used my distraction to get in a clean shot and scored. “Kerry Harker’s reputation is for being pretty ruthless, too. Trust me, he can hold his own.”

I fished the puck out and put it back on the table, but didn’t say anything.

“Look, I understand you’re curious about him.” He stood up and looked at me. “I am, too. And I get that, as a healer, you want to see him restored to good health, mentally, physically, and emotionally. Just be careful. Tainted nephs, especially those who were possessed, are dangerous and unpredictable. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I’m not going to get hurt.” Rats . My face was on fire now. “How could I get hurt by becoming his friend?”

“What’s the real deal, Gems?” He quirked up one eyebrow. “Do you pity him that much?”

“I don’t pity him at all. I admire his determination and will to survive. I told August I’d like to learn that kind of strength. I want to help him rejoin society in a positive way, and that’s all I’m looking to do.” I tilted my head and stared at him. “He deserves a chance, Jax.”

“You’re too soft-hearted.” He tossed his striker up in the air and caught it. “Your reasons may be selfless, but mine aren’t. I’m thinking that he’ll be a major problem for us in a few years if he twists. So, while I’m not planning to become his best friend or anything, to keep from handing Big Evil a level ten warrior on a silver platter, I’ll at least talk to the guy.”

I blinked. I wasn’t mercenary enough to think that way, but I was mercenary enough to score a goal while he was throwing his striker around.

“Hey! That’s cheating!” he hollered. “Oh, it’s on now, girl!”

Later, during math class, I thought about what Jax had said. It felt underhanded to befriend someone to save yourself a future headache. Pity wasn’t much of a reason, either, so I’d stick with my “selfless” ones, as Jax called them.

Besides, the more I interacted with Kerry Harker, the more fascinating I found him, and I couldn’t understand why no one else saw what I did when I looked into those gorgeous blue eyes.

Like August said, he needed a friend, so I was going to give him a chance to make one.