Courage (Mark of Nexus) (4 page)

He was frowning into his ice tea, jostling the frosted cubes around in his glass. It wasn’t like him to get distracted and wear his heart on his sleeve like that. The conversation must’ve taken a downward spiral while I’d been gone.

“So, you know nothing about it?” Cole glowered across the counter at Henry. “Even after living all these years with Grandpa Edwin?”

Henry wiped at his forehead for the umpteenth time since we’d arrived. “That’s what I said, Nicholas. The Mark of Nexus wasn’t something that came up. I’m sorry. You could ask him yourself, but he’s resting now.”

Resting, my ass.
I glanced down the hallway and, to my relief, found it empty.

“And you don’t know anything about a shipment?” Cole pressed, his irritation a growing force in the room. “Nothing to do with your once-dearly-departed sister?”

“No.” Henry finished loading the plates into the dishwasher. “Look, I’m glad the Nexus has resurfaced and even gladder Faye is alive, but I don’t know anything about a shipment or what it could have to do with the Mark.”

Resurfaced?
Hadn’t they always thought of it as a myth?

Wallace set his drink down, no doubt distancing himself before he lost focus and shattered the glass in his hand. “Forget it.”

I took that as my cue and crept up behind his stool at the counter. “Back,” I whispered, sliding my hands over his shoulders.

Wallace turned to face me, the chiseled set of his jaw a sharp contrast to the miserable look in his eyes. “You ready to go?”

“Mhmm.” I trailed my fingertips down his arms, reluctant to break contact. The creepy great-grandfather story would have to wait until the ride home. I wasn’t about to bust it out in this atmosphere.

“I guess I better get back to work,” Cole stood up and pushed his stool back with an exaggerated sigh. “They probably realize the post office is closed by now. I don’t suppose you want to write me a note saying my spleen ruptured?” He grinned at Henry, who rolled his gaze toward the ceiling. “Okay, okay. Didn’t think so.”

Wallace stood up, and I took a step back to give him room. Thank God we were leaving. I wasn’t sure how much more tension I could take.

I shot his uncle a grateful smile as we congregated near the doorway. “Thanks for lunch, Henry.”

“No problem.” Henry held up my messenger bag and came around the counter. “Don't forget this.”

“Oh, thanks,” I said, reaching for it. When my fingers closed around the strap, I tried to squelch the irrational fear that he’d pawed through it and found my tampons. “I must’ve laid it down somewhere and walked off.”

His eyes crinkled, resembling Clara more than I’d first realized. “Don’t worry about it.”

Heh. Too late for that.

“You kids be careful out there,” Henry cautioned, lowering his voice as he locked eyes with Wallace. “I heard there’s a storm coming.”

The muscles in Wallace’s jaw clenched as he nudged his sunglasses off his head and onto the bridge of his nose. “Yeah, I heard that, too.”

The band on my arm burned with resignation.

I wiggled my key back and forth in the lock, tugging with all my might. My box was one of four hundred set into the walls of Reid’s open mailroom, and if I didn’t hurry, someone was going to see me. Unless, they already had. Where was a can of WD-40 when you needed one?

My stomach turned as I peered down the hallway. Really, anyone waiting for an elevator could peek in here. One sideways glance and they’d laugh, thinking some freshman had got his key stuck in the wall.

But I’m a junior.

Sweat dampened my hairline as I fought to free the grooved metal.
Darn it!
If this thing didn’t come out, I’d have to get one of the guards on desk duty. Again. I could call Gabby, but she’d tell Rena, and there was no way I wanted her to see me look this stupid.

The lobby doors unlocked with a loud click, and I slammed my shoulder against the wall, trying to appear nonchalant.
Crap, crap…

“—ah, well, maybe I’ll make you,” a girl teased.

I knew that voice.

A man laughed. “Make me? How do you plan on doing that?”

“I have my wa—Aiden!”

I looked up and forced a smile as Rena came bounding into the room, her
shadow
close behind. “Hey. What’s up?”

“Oh, you know. Errands.” She waved her hand and nodded toward the wall. “Checkin’ your mail?”

“Yep.” I should’ve said something sarcastic. Knowing my luck, the perfect line would hit me five minutes after they left.

She fiddled around with the keys on her lanyard until the smallest one pointed out. “I should do that, too. I never remember.”

I chuckled under my breath. That wasn’t much of a surprise. “When was the last time you checked it?”

“Uh…” She crammed her key into one of the locks and gave it a sharp twist. “February?” The door popped open, revealing a crammed mess of envelopes, cards, and flyers.

Wallace bent over and blinked inside. “Geez, Rena. What is all this?”

“Love letters from my
other
boyfriend.” She leaned around him and grabbed the stack. “It’s junk, okay? That’s why I don’t check it.” After a quick rifle-through, she shut the door, retrieved her key, and dumped everything in the recycling bin. “I don’t think people actually send letters anymore.”

I scrunched my face. “I send letters. What if I write you a really important one someday, and you trash it?”

“A love letter?” Wallace asked with a grin. “Are you her other boyfriend, Aiden?”

My stomach dropped, and heat slashed my face. “N-No…” Ugh. Why did I always have to stutter like that?

“Good.” He laughed. “Oh, hey, is that stuck or something?” I followed his gaze as he reached over and twisted my key. Of course, for him, the thing slid out like butter. “Oops. Guess not.” He dropped it into my waiting hands with a shrug.

I shoved the treacherous key into my pocket and fought to keep my composure. Was there anything the guy couldn’t do? He had to be so cool all the time.

Rena rolled her eyes. “Like he’d be standing there, hangin’ out, if it were stuck. C’mon…” She looped her arm through his and took a step back. “And Aiden, I promise, if you ever send me a letter, I’ll read it. You get top priority.” She flashed me a grin.

“What do I get?” Wallace asked her.

“You get to live.”

“Well, that’s comforting.”

I tuned them out as they made their way to the elevators. It took every ounce of my willpower just to bend down and grab my bag like nothing had happened. Like the Parade of Lovers hadn’t swept in and ruined my day.

My own junk mail was sticking out of a mesh pocket in my backpack, and I pushed it down to follow them. There was no avoiding those two. She lived with Gabby, and Wallace lived in the room next to mine. One way or another, I was going to have to witness their stupid, love-struck happiness.

Maybe I could pretend I’d left something at the library…

The elevator doors chimed open, eliminating the option before I had a chance to consider it.
Too late.
We all shuffled in, and I watched Wallace hit the buttons for the fourth and seventh floors. Was that a courtesy selection, or were they separating for the night? I stole a glance at my watch. It was just after eight.

And then the doors closed.
Hello, claustrophobia.
I’d been in the elevator with them dozens of times, but rarely was it just the three of us. The scenario felt so harsh, so in-my-face. Didn’t they realize what seeing them did to me? I pushed my glasses up on the bridge of my nose and frowned. Of course not. If they did—

“C’mere.” Rena crooked a finger at Wallace, motioning for him to bend down. When he complied, I tried to look in any direction but theirs. It didn’t work.

She held his face with both hands and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Good luck with this one.”

Good luck with what?

He gave her a weak smile and ran a hand down her arm as she exited on the fourth floor. “Thanks. I’ll call you later.”

“Okay.” She turned around and waved from the hallway. “You wanna come hang out, Aiden? Wallace has a cluster coming on soon, so he’s gonna head back.”

“Me?” I asked before I realized how stupid that sounded. “Um…sorry, I’ve got some things I want to look over before my Systems Integration test Monday.”

She shrugged. “No problem. I’ll catch you guys later.” And with that, she was gone. No insistence, no fight. My answer hadn’t affected her at all.

Wallace leaned against the wall with a heavy sigh, like it was all he could do to stay upright now that she’d left. Was this more headache stuff, or was he upset about something? The elevator dinged to announce our arrival, and he straightened.

“Sorry,” he muttered, tilting his head back to roll his shoulders. “It’s been a long day.”

“Must’ve been.”

We made our way to the suite in silence, no longer pressed to make conversation. As much as I hated to admit it, times like these reminded me Wallace wasn’t so bad after all. Without Rena around, he was just the messed-up guy next door. The one we all felt bad for, despite the lingering rumors. A non-threat.

But seeing them together poured salt into my wound, reminding me of everything I couldn’t have—or rather, could've had and missed out on. If I’d told her how I felt before she met him, if I'd just manned up and said something, chances were things would've been a lot different around here. Not that I had any right to think about that now.

I shook my head. If the madman made Rena happy, I had to accept it. Move on. I knocked on my door and waited for Josh to answer.

“Later, man.”

“Huh?”

I glanced over my shoulder as Wallace unlocked his door and stepped into his room. “Oh, bye…man.” That sounded stupid.

My own door swung open, and I rushed inside.
One more month until summer break.
If I made it that far, I wouldn’t have to deal with this crap again until September.

But knowing my luck, it’d be the longest four weeks of my life.

Gabby was on the phone when I walked in, so I took my time getting settled. Shoes landed in the corner, my lanyard skidded across my desk, and my bag ended up tossed on my bed. I collapsed onto the mattress with a dramatic exhale, wishing I could vent about the day’s events.

“Maybe when you drive down, we can play Mavalanche, again.” She giggled and kicked her legs up, admiring her pedicure. “Oh, yeah. That, too.”

I groaned and chucked my pillow across the room. “Gabby…”

She swatted it away and threw me a look. My commentary was not welcome.

After another minute or so, she got off the phone and sat up. “I know what you’re gonna say.”

“That you’re insane, and Maverick’s probably still cheating on you? Yeah, that’s what I’m gonna say.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Seriously, I can’t even believe we’re having this discussion again. I told you—”

“Yes, Rena, I remember,” she interrupted. “You and Wallace went off for the weekend and caught him somewhere with his other woman. Gail or Fail or whatever her skank-whore name was. You remind me every time I talk to him.”

I threw my arms up in frustration. “Then stop talking to him!”

“I love him!” She matched my tone, widening her eyes. “You can’t control who you love.”

“You’re ridiculous.” I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “Fine, let him have his play on the side. Invite her up here for a threesome. Swing from the ceiling. I don’t care.”

She snorted, and a few seconds ticked by before we both burst out laughing. Talk about gross mental images.

“Girl, I think you need sex more than I do. You sure Ace isn’t ready?”

I lifted my head at the mention of Wallace. “Oh, I’m sure.”

Sure, I was lying. There were a few reasons why we hadn’t been intimate yet. None of them had anything to do with his being ‘ready’. The guy was fit to explode.

She stood up and smoothed out a wrinkle in her jeans. “I’m telling you, it’s those damn sweatpants you wear all the time.”

My eye twitched. “I’m not even going to dignify that with an answer, pants elitist.”

Gabby flashed a grin as she grabbed her purse. “All right. I’m out. Gonna hit the L&L with Jinx and Sera. I don’t suppose you wanna come with?”

“Don’t suppose I do.” I poked my tongue out. “Are you sure
you
feel up to it?”

“Girl, please. I love you and all, but I gotta get out of this room. I think that’s what’s making me sick.”

I doubted it. She’d thrown up more times in the past few weeks than when she went on that bender sophomore year. Unless we were growing some kind of mold by the trashcan, she had the flu. Or malaria. Hell, if she hadn’t single-handedly kept Trojan afloat during the recession, I would’ve sworn she was pregnant.

“I wouldn’t advise drinking,” I told her. “Unless you want to see it again in a few hours. I know I don’t.”

She made a face. “Pass. I just wanna sit and hang out with people for a bit. You know, get some air. Are you sure you don’t want to come?”

“Nah, I think I’m in for the night.”

The truth was, Wallace was due to have his cluster in about ten minutes, and that meant I’d end up all antsy and distracted. It’s like my mind gravitates toward the frantic energy pulsing along his subconscious and latches on. I can’t concentrate on anything else.

Another ‘perk’ of our bond.

She nodded and made for the door, blowing me a kiss over her shoulder. “Phone’s on, if you need me.”

“Be safe,” I called out. When the door clicked shut, I fell back on my bed. That girl was exhausting.

Sure, she was my best friend, but she was also a danger magnet. Why couldn’t she have just ended things with Maverick after we’d told her about the cheating? He’d been a plant, a freakin’ plant the whole time he was here, and we couldn’t tell her. Not without revealing Wallace’s supernatural lineage and compromising everyone’s safety. God, my life was complicated.

I thought she would give up on the whole Maverick thing after he’d moved back to Cleveland for that conveniently-timed internship, but no, that only made her want him more. I didn’t know how ERA’s experiment had affected him, but I had a feeling she was going to end up hurt. What could I possibly do in this situation?

My phone started buzzing in my pocket, vibrating against my leg. I pulled it out and made a face at the caller ID. As usual, my brother had impeccable timing. “Hello?”

“Hey, Spaz. You guys still comin’ tomorrow?”

Shit.
I’d almost forgot. “You bet.”

“Awesome. You know we can’t wait to meet the boyfriend.”

“Drew,” I started, rubbing my forehead. “Don’t mess with him. Please?”

I heard him snicker into the phone. “What?”

“Ugh! This is your engagement party. Can you at least try to be a
little
classy?” As much as I hated it, my big brother had asked Brittani-with-an-i to marry him. We were going to be sis…sis…we were going to be in-laws. He wasn’t going to ruin their day by harassing Wallace.

“Shut up,” he retorted, reverting back to his seven-year-old self. “Just be at Mom and Dad’s by noon.”

I shifted around and knocked my bag onto the floor with a thud. “Yeah, yeah. We’ll be there.”

“All right. See ya tomorrow.” He hung up.

I shoved the phone back into my pocket and swung around. “So much for my weekend.” With a groan, I leaned over the side and started gathering my things. Pens, e-reader, lip gloss, wallet, ancient tome, tissues—wait.

One of these things didn't belong.

With cautious hands, I pulled the book onto my lap and sat up. The thing smelled like leather and the musty passage of time. Its gilded pages glinted in the light as I turned it over and carefully opened to a page of fluid, elegant script.

September 02, 1881

I saw him again today, the man whose very presence burns through my veins. I pray the exhilaration courses through me each morning I reside here, if only to remind me that I still live and breathe on this earth. There is life in this town, and I must bury this cursed ability to cling to it.

Adelyn

I closed the book and looked around, half-expecting someone to pop up with a video camera. This thing couldn’t be legit. How did it get into my bag? I flipped back to the beginning and found my answer—a note scrawled on several pages of prescription pad.

Rena,

I lied to you, and I apologize, but it was for everyone’s good. Faye has been prodding me for information since the Nexus’ rebirth, and I’ve come to realize her reasoning too late. She’s using us—both of us—more than anyone knows. ERA has already found the girl. It's too late to stop what has already been set into motion.

I know this doesn’t make sense right now, but it will soon. What you’re about to read is a firsthand account of the last Nexus. Our father led us to believe it was nothing more than a fairy tale, but a few years back, I found this journal among his things. When I confronted him, he refused to acknowledge the book at all. It wasn’t until I read its pages that I understood why.

You’ll find a change in handwriting near the end, where I’ve listed my notes, conclusions, and hypotheses. I wish I could explain more, but there’s no time. A man can only stay in his bathroom so long without arousing suspicion.

Just know this. Faye can never find out you have this journal. I told her it was lost, and there are still a few things she hasn’t pieced together. So, please keep your wits about you, Rena, and be careful whom you trust. That threat of yours can still be disguised as an asset. Remember that. We’re entering a darker age than you know.

Henry

I blinked and read the note again, unable to comprehend the information before me. Henry was lying? We were entering a dark age? What the hell? I looked up at the clock and grimaced. Wallace wouldn't be done for another thirty-seven minutes. That meant, until then…I'd have to sort through this mess on my own.