Warrior's Rise (6 page)

Willow almost gagged. “All right, that’s it.” She stood and shoved her brother towards the door. “Family time is over. Go home.”

He laughed. “Aw come on, Willow, don’t be like that.”

She continued to bully him towards the door. “When you start telling me I need to ‘get to know’ the worst possible human being on the planet, it’s time for you to leave.”

He laughed again. “I’m serious!”

“So am I.” She pushed him through the door and shut it, then ran her fingers through her hair and let out a long, slow breath. She collapsed back into her chair and put her head in her hands. She was tired of all of this petty drama that Logan Savage was creating. She had more important things to concentrate on. A wicked woman with a vendetta was threatening to annihilate her entire race. She didn’t have time to deal with a guy who had a small penis problem, or whatever the heck his deal was. It didn’t matter that she could tell he put on such a harsh front to obviously cover over his own insecurities about himself. A jerk was a jerk was a jerk… And her brother was totally out of his mind. Logan Savage was the farthest thing from a warrior she had
ever
seen.

* * * *

Aside from the fact that he really didn’t want to be there, Logan couldn’t deny that his surroundings were beautiful. The camp was right next to a dense forest and the presence of it made a tiny bit of peace steal into his soul. The entire camp was situated on top of a hill and the forest lay just down a small incline. Currently, that was where he sat, at the edge of the hill, staring into the trees and trying to force all of the slashing remarks he’d received that day out of his mind. For some reason, he couldn’t do it. Usually he could. He’d long ago mastered the art of letting people’s words bounce off of him. He had a skin thicker than armor… But he couldn’t shake the dismal feeling that Willow’s words had given him.

He was a no nonsense sort of person. He wasn’t fanciful, wasn’t a dreamer. He was a man of action; he liked conquests. He’d never had time or room in his life for things like fantasy. It was useless to indulge yourself in things like that when there was work to be done and things to accomplish. He’d always thought it was sensible thinking, practical… Was everyone at the camp really laughing at him like he laughed at them? To them, was
he
the freak? He didn’t know what to do with that.

“Hey, what are you doing out here?”

Logan looked over his shoulder to see Pigtails—Lucy—standing there with curiosity in her eyes. He scowled. “I’m thinking,” he grumbled. “Aren’t I allowed to do that in this stupid place?”

“Sure,” she replied simply. She said nothing for a few seconds, then plopped down next to him.

He frowned and looked over at her. “What are
you
doing?”

She gave him a level stare, then arched an eyebrow. “I’m sitting down. Aren’t I allowed to do
that
?”

A small smile tugged at his lips without his permission and he gave a nod. He sighed and looked back at the trees.

Lucy sighed. “Darien shouldn’t have hit you,” she said. “I’ve never seen him get upset like that before.”

Logan shrugged one shoulder. “Ah, well, I guess I deserved it. Kinda messed up to go off like that on a bunch of kids… Pretty immature on my part, I guess.”

Lucy stole a sidelong glance at him and chewed on her bottom lip. “You know,” she said slowly, “it’s not like we’re living in these alternate dream worlds. We live regular lives. We do regular things. Like Colt, he’s actually student body president at his school.”

Logan couldn’t suppress his surprise.

Lucy smirked. “Yeah, he actually has a lot of charisma. People like him because he likes himself and he’s fine with being different. People are attracted to his confidence. Then Aki and Doug, they’re honor students… So’s Darien. And during school, I volunteer at a nursing home.”

Logan looked over at her. Was she serious? She was sixteen years old and was able to do work like that? Izzie had tried doing that once while she was in college and had come home crying all the time. She’d said it took a special kind of person to be able to do that kind of work.

“We’re all pretty used to being made fun of. It kind of comes with the territory. People see different and all they want to do is stereotype you. Put you in a category. Like, people see you and label you jerk, right? Or player? Or jock?”

A very unwanted shiver went up Logan’s spine at Lucy’s astute assessment and he clamped his mouth shut, not wanting to admit, and not wanting her to know, that she was right.

It didn’t matter. She seemed to know anyway. She smiled. “Darien can’t stand being put into a category and labeled. He has a lot of anger towards people like that because of his dad. His dad has it in his head that, just because Darien’s not a ‘man’s man,’ he’s a girly boy or something. He’s always putting him down and saying he’s a pansy and a waste of sperm.”

Logan’s eyes widened and his back grew rigid as his own father’s similar, callous words filled his mind.

“I mean, the guy actually spent several years of Darien’s childhood smacking him around just to teach him how to tolerate pain.”

Logan drew in an audible gasp and he squeezed his eyes shut. You mean there were other people out there in the world who did that to their kids? It wasn’t just his father?

Lucy shrugged. “I think, because Darien has to take such crap from his dad, that was why he got so pissed at you today. When you were yelling all those things, I think he saw his dad in you.”

The force of Darien’s punch earlier was nothing compared to the force of that statement. It drove all the air from his body and made him feel sick to his stomach. He lowered his head, closed his eyes, and let out a ragged breath. “Ouch,” he whispered.

Lucy frowned. “What?”

He lifted his head and sorrow, real and true, settled right around his heart. Sorrow mixed with a heavy amount of self disgust. “It really sucks when someone holds a mirror up to you and the reflection you see is the person you hate the most.” He slid his gaze over to her. A wry smile curved his lips. “Well played, Lucy. Well played.”

She blinked in apparent bewilderment, then frowned. “I mean, all I’m trying to say is, this place is important to us. We can be ourselves here. What do you like more than anything?”

He thought for a moment. “Chicks?” It sounded stupid and shallow even to him.

She rolled her eyes. “Besides chicks.”

“I don’t know.” He huffed. What
was
important to him? He didn’t even know. “Sports, I guess.” He rolled his eyes. All he was doing was grasping for an answer. “Racquetball?”

She frowned and her eyes seemed to ask if he was serious.

He shrugged helplessly. Yeah, his self worth was going down notch by notch the longer he sat there.

She giggled. “Okay, fine. Say you went to some sort of…racquetball camp. What would you do if you got there and all the counselors tried to make you do was sing folk songs and knit doilies, or something.”

He laughed in spite of himself at the ridiculous picture. “I’d be pissed!”

She grinned. “Right, well this is important to us. We don’t try to change you… Please don’t try to change us. We like us.”

He looked over at her and sighed. Was this girl really a sixteen-year-old? Or was she a sage trapped in a little girl’s body? He gave her a soft smile and nodded. He couldn’t see a loophole out of her point even if he tried… And he really didn’t want to try. If everyone really saw him as some obnoxious, narrow minded jerk, he needed to change his approach. Arguing with her just for the sake of it would be stupid. Even if he didn’t understand their love for fantasy, he couldn’t debate with her on very valid statements.

“Lucy, what are you doing out here?” Darien came to stand in front of them, scowling down at Logan like he was the lowest form of life.

“I was just talking.” Lucy giggled. “Why, were you worried about me?”

He gave her a pointed look. “Yes.”

Logan glanced at her. Her cheeks turned pink and she took Darien’s outstretched hand, letting him pull her up into a standing position. Darien gave Logan another black glower and started to lead Lucy away without a word.

Logan stood abruptly. “Darien—” he called. He sighed. Man… why did everyone have to shatter his tough guy exterior? He felt like such a slug right now; he couldn’t be tough if he tried… Which meant he had to be nice, and that was a practice that he hadn’t really honed yet. He was good at being cocky. He was good at being snide. If he was always a smart ass he never had to feel anything past the surface… He never really had to feel anything at all. Nothing real, anyway.

Darien turned, his scowl deadly. “What?” he snarled.

Logan stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Look, can I talk to all of you guys for a second?”

Darien rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Just don’t take up too much of our time. And if you even try to get derogatory with us, I’ll sock you again.”

“Darien!” Lucy cried.

“I don’t care what Miss Willow says.” He spun and stalked back to their cabin.

Logan followed and wondered why walking through that door and into that room of teens was the hardest thing he’d ever had to do in his life. He sighed as he looked at all of the wary eyes staring at him. “Look, guys,” he started. He sighed again, feeling like a fool. “What I said today…” He forced himself to look up at them. “I was really out of line. I may not really understand why you guys like what you do, but it’s not my place to say you’re stupid for it.” He waved his hand. “After all, I wouldn’t want to sing folk songs and knit doilies either.” Lucy giggled, but everyone else looked at him like he’d lost his mind. He glanced at Lucy and smiled. “Anyway… I’m not really good at this, but…” He cleared his throat. “I apologize.” He swallowed and looked up at Darien. He gave him a meaningful look. “Especially to you.”

Darien gave a befuddled frown.

Logan let out a relieved breath. At least that was over. “Anyway, I just wanted to say that, so…” He shrugged. “Have a good night, guys.” He turned and started out of the cabin.

Logan held out his hand and took the offering, then raised an eyebrow when he realized it was the dreaded trail mix sock Aki had beaten him with.

Logan snickered. “Well…” He held the sock up. “If I keep being nice can I maybe graduate to trail mix in a bra?” He knew his smile was evil.

Darien made a gagging noise. “I did
not
need the image, thanks. You in a jock strap…”

Logan laughed again and some of the dismal oppression he’d been feeling lifted just slightly. He shook his head. “All right, goodnight guys. See you in the A.M.”

“You’re not going to make us do any more wilderness junk, are you?” Doug all but pleaded.

Logan smiled. “Nah, I’ll think of something else.” He tapped on his temple. “I will
try
to put my brain in this fantasy realm of yours, but I don’t want to hear it if I come up with something that really sucks.” For some strange reason, their giggles and chuckles made some warmth seep into his heart and he waved, leaving their cabin and making his way back to his.

He had
no idea
what he was going to do with these kids. He was so far out of his element it made him ill. For the first time since he’d become an adult, he was actually, honestly, terrified.

Chapter Six

Logan had wracked his brain trying to figure out some sort of fantasy-ish activity for the kids, but all he’d succeeded in doing was having a great night of insomnia. He couldn’t think of anything to do to save his life. He knew
nothing
about the fantasy genre.

Finally, after tossing and turning all night, he just got dressed and got up. He made a strong cup of coffee and wandered outside to greet the sunrise, deciding that drifting around the camp might at least wake him up a little bit. All was quiet with only the cheerful sounds of the birds singing in the treetops. He sighed and meandered, walking down by the hill that led into the forest and letting the serenity of the tree line beckon him for awhile. He didn’t know what it was about the outdoors and the forest, but it had always brought such peace to him…whenever nothing else would.

He turned and started to head back to his cabin when he spotted a building he hadn’t noticed before. He frowned in curiosity and made his way over to it. It was too small to be a bunk, but too large to be a shed, really. Why hadn’t he noticed it? Probably because he hadn’t cared and just wanted to be far away from the entire facility…

He set his cup of coffee on the ground and noticed that it had no windows whatsoever and the door was obviously supposed to be locked, but the padlock had been broken. He studied the busted lock for a second and contemplated his choices. Apparently, the building was supposed to be off limits, otherwise it wouldn’t be locked. If he was smart, he would go tell Willow and maybe gain some points… Or, he could look inside like the curious devil that he was… Yeah, option two definitely held more appeal since he didn’t know if any amount of points could get him closer to the Glacier Queen’s ice cold heart.