Orion (8 page)

I stepped back now not touching him.

He released and straight into Maze
’s arrow it went.  Dead center!

He didn
’t turn, but looked at me from the side of his bow.  Everyone in the group watched and clapped.  He started to put up the bow and I put my hand out to stop him, but jerked it away when I realized it would mean touching bare skin to bare skin.  My skin heats up so much when it happens.

“
Not so fast.  You won’t let me quit after one go at it.  Another!”  I motioned to the target.  Bold move, but I wasn’t here to be a shy mouse.  I could afford it.

He wasn
’t too good at taking orders, so why was he doing this for me?  He looked around at several faces, and looked back at me, “As you wish.” 

“You can teach me next.  I like the up close and personal contact sports too.”  Derrick s
trutted a bit at his smart remark.

Calum took two fluid steps backward and punched his arm, hard!  His face went close to Derrick
’s and I could have sworn nothing was said, but he must of because his head shot to the side of Calum’s peeking out, “Sorry, Stace.  You’re just so hot. I don’t know what got into me.  Just asking for a share.”

Calum growled.

He looked at Derrick and nodded.  Derrick nodded back.  Derrick yelled out, “Okay already, get back to practice.  Quit your rubbernecking.”  And just like that, everyone moved back to their places.  Derrick and the other boy who I’d not met yet formally were flanking the sides of the bow area like bouncers.

I grabbed an arrow and handed it to him seeing him think heavily ab
out something.  Absolutely no one was looking at the exchange.

“You
’re mine next, Princess!” A growl of desire like a character from one of my books came from Calum. 

Alarm hit me
as I ignored the feeling it sent, “Why did you call me that?”  My face must of spoke loads.

“Um…sorry.  Only being…funny I guess.”  Calum
’s face distorted so. 

“You
’re right.  I’m sorry.”  I told myself to think fast.  “Sorry, my dad calls me that.  Just not used to men calling me that.”

“Men?  What do other
men
call you then?” he choked not smiling.

“Um,
Stace
.  The only men, boys, etc. I’ve ever known are my tutors, Dyer, my dad, and now you.”  I saw Calum’s shorter friend pop his head to me eavesdropping.

  “Who is Dyer?”

“A boy who was tutored with me.  He is back in Russia now.  Why?”  This seemed like really off behavior to me.

“Oh.  Sorry.  No reason,” a fear coming from Calum again as he tossed a look back to the unknown friend.  I
’m really confused with his fears.  They aren’t like the fears of other men.  This fear seems to pop up when he was talking about me.  Hmm!  

These Hunter
s were strange to say the least.

I motioned for him to turn.  “Back to work.  Time will run out and my turn will be lost.”

“Not lost.  I will have my glory moment.”

I laughed
totally losing any thought of danger.  This was fun.  He was great.  I’d never laughed this much. 

“Ah, she laughs.  What else hath I not seen?”

“Tis’ not for you to know my dear Romeo.”  This was thrilling.

“Ah, tis
’ well versed in Shakespeare also, my dear Juliet.”

Both of us
were laughing now!

“Yes, found me out.  My weakness.  Now, I shall find out yours.”

“Tis’ already shown, for sure, is it not.  For my lady, you are.” His face didn’t change, but he held his breathe I noticed very close to my face.

I gasped.  He just said I am his weakness.  What did I do?  I didn
’t mean to do that.  Is this bad?

He was turned sideways so he only heard the gasp and didn
’t see my face.   Composed again, I reached for his elbow when he positioned.  “Hit me with your best shot,” I muttered more to myself.  He flinched at my press to the top of his shirt.  It was warm where his skin touched it. When he arched the arrow back I saw that his arrow was not leaned against his cheek.  In my haste I reached my hand up to the arrow to tip it into his cheek.  Simultaneously, he released the arrow at precisely the same time I touched my fingertips to his cheek.

And…

The arrow slammed into the wall below the Roman numeral clock hanging dead center to the entire room’s back wall.  I got so caught up in the wittiness of this Hunter boy I’ve endangered the rest.  Half of the gym that it soared towards was now in a duck and cover.  And I was frozen stiff standing next to Calum who, in error, whipped around and knocked me in the head with his huge hand, was now catching me as I was falling into blackness. 

When I came to, Calum was above my face breathing
laborously into it with the same musky scent I’d just had a whiff of standing close to him.  Like the guys from sparring all those years.  I always imagined men stink because they work tirelessly, but they never did.  At least, most of them. 

He looked scared, and I felt it, but a relieved look came through when I blinked my eyes back open for the second time.  This fear, I recognized.  My father emits it every single minute he is around me.  The fear of losing me.

So much for being a real Valkyrie.  Fear of killing another is like rule #1 in the book of on the road to success.  And so much for pulling off this Hunter façade.  They’ll see right through me now.

Calum lifted my head though I wasn
’t sure how I made it to the ground in the first place.  The way his hand hit me couldn’t have put me out.  It had to be the current zapping through my body from his touch.  But here I am.  “I’m so sorry.  I can’t believe I did that.”

He was holding my head with his hand touching only my hair being careful not to touch my skin.

“No deal.  I was the weak one.  I didn’t mean to hurt you.”  He bent down to my ear even though people were starting to surround us.  “Told you my weakness was you.  I’m not sure what to make of you, Stace, the brave.”

My eyes widened. 

“What?  That is what your name means, right?”

“Yes, but how did you know?”

“Your dad called you Princess and skilled you in every weapon.  My dad made me learn every language and every weapon.”

I couldn
’t help but be in awe just a little, but also realized how much we had in common.             

“So was I.”  I said more to myself.

I raised myself up, confident that I was better now.  “Fine now.” 

Derrick was standing there now.  “What did you do, stun her with your friggin
’ looks?”

“Stunned!  Great description for it,” Calum assessed.

“Stunned!"

The irony of the word “stun” affected both of us.  Instead of blushing, we both just looked at each other.  Also ironically, we both said, “stunned” at the same time now.

Derrick looked back at forth at both our faces and waved a hand in between.  “If ya’ll aren’t careful, I’m gonna cram ya’ll in my dorm room and hang a sock on the door.”

I couldn
’t explain this.  It defied all reason in my eyes.  I didn’t know what or how this boy came to me, but there was a reason for the gods to put us here, together.

The comment from his friend pulled Calum out of the trance, then pointed a stiff grim look at that friend.  He reached to grab my arm, stared at it, and said, “Come on.”

Derrick whistled, “Uh oh, they can’t even wait for the sock!”

“Huh, what did he mean?” I asked, confused by the sock issue.

I heard a crack and a pop before my instincts kicked in.  Calum and Derrick were throwing punches down on the ground in front of me. 

The crowd had drawn instantly.  I caught a fist flying towards Calum
’s stomach and heard him wince, but no worry because he returned it with a solid knuckle crack to Derrick's skull.  Ouch! 

Just then, the crowd began to spread for what I guessed to be coach, but changed course and moved in tighter.  This group really loved their fighting.  I finally had had enough and jumped into the middle like the great Val fighter that I am, NOT!  I
’m so not a contact fighter. 
BUT
, enough was enough.  I pulled both their shirts up to standing and made them face with me between them.  Not reaching either of the two Hunter boy’s full height, I looked up feeling almost motherly and barked with my hands on my hips, “You both stop, NOW.”

They both wiped their brow of sweat and blood and said nothing.  A heartbeat later my arm was suddenly buzzing and I was being led away.  I thought he was taking me to the swords area, but instead he walked me straight outside and around the building.  Not touching now.

“Where are we going?  Don’t we have fifteen minutes left of class?”

He didn
’t speak.  He went all the way to the spot where I’d seen him yesterday when he gave me a very scary look and disappeared.

“
Well?”

I
’m confused royally.  “Well, what?”

“Why are you shocking me every time you touch me?”
he said wide eyed.

“Me?
I thought it was you.”

We were both stunned!  Facially, that is.

I should be bolting for the door and yet convinced myself I was standing here because I needed answers to saving others and not myself at the moment.  It was only part of why I stood there.  It was the other part I didn’t want to think about just now.  The part that the cold heart knife girl in me was fighting.  I wanted to be here, wanted by another, and ignore that girl.

“You
’ve never had that happen before?”

I shook my head.  “You either?”

We were both deciding internally whether the other one was being honest or not. 

“You
’re thinking I’m lying and I’m thinking you’re lying, am I right?”

He shook his head.

“Let’s get proof.”  I grabbed his arm, forgetting.

Zap!  He jumped back.

Fine.  I’m mad now too and his vibes are telling me he is the same.

“Come on!” I stomped back into the gym holding his sleeve, stopped and stood until I saw
Derrick and Maze standing and conversing.  Closely, I might add.
What secrets were they sharing?

I walked back over to where we were just standing three minutes ago and wrapped my fingers around Derrick
’s arm.  Then I threw my hand around Maze’s arm.  And dragged them to the center of the floor where Calum stood waiting.  They were utterly confused, but followed anyway.  When they were both there, I looked to Calum and waited.

He wasn
’t satisfied.

He looked at Derrick as did I.

“So Derrick.  Does my touching your arm tingle your fancy or give you any physical pain at the present moment?”  I forcefully poked just my fingertip to his bare skin forearm and kept it there.

Derrick, so puzzled by the bizarre behavior, questioned with a cracked voice, “No, should it?”  Then he added
rather smartly when I let go, “You could try several other places if were just experimenting.  You know, for the sake of science you can geek out on me.” His sun bright yellow eyes said much more than his words.  I had to throw a hard-fisted hand into Calum’s chest to hold him back from Derrick.  Men!

I ignored him then and faced Maze to
touch the top of her palm and repeat the same.  “Maze, am I causing any physical pain to your hand right now?”

“No!”

To both of them I held the smallest part of an inch with two fingers in the air, “Not even a little tingle of pain?”  This was just to be sure he’s confident. 

Both looked to each other for answers and nodded a no at me.

“Thank you.”  I started to fold my arms in my “rightness” but Calum placed his palm over my hand, clasped his fingers in mine, and pulled me out of the gym
again
with my jolt of electricity or whatever it was running through me in a spectacular mass of spark filled torture.  I turned to see if anyone was looking.  Luckily, only a thoroughly confused Maze and Derrick and a few others.  After all, we were hurriedly walking out of the class we were supposed to be in for a second time.

My hand was blazing like fire.  His had to be too, but he didn
’t let go.  When we were back to “our spot” he released my hand and rotated to face me. 

We both stood there panting and watching each other
’s chest rise and fall for a long time though not caused by any form of exercise.  Class had to be almost over, but neither one of us cared.

“Satisfied?” my ragged breath made the word choppy.

“Yes!” Calum affirmed.

“So what does it mean?”

“I have no idea!” he said long-and-drawn-out thumbing his hair out of his eyes.

There was a heavy pause.

“Do you think it’s me?  I didn’t prove the same test?” Calum offered.

“No, otherwise the rest would have complained all this time too.  It
’s just you.”

“And you,” he came back.

“What does it mean?”

“
I don’t know.”

“Do we ask someone?” I wondered aloud.

“NO!” he said too quickly.  I felt his fear and reasoned he didn’t want me to leave.

His fear rising and fa
lling fast told me my mission just expanded.

Even though I wondered why he said it too quickly, I realized a second later he was right.  I couldn
’t let anyone poke or prod me and find out I’m Valkyrie.  What was I thinking?  Uh, oh!  That’s got to be it.  He’s a Hunter.  And I’m…not!  I stood up taller again from doing my fearful thinking episode.  But then, Derrick would have done it too.

“What secrets are you keeping?” Calum theorized rather quickly for knowing me so little.

“I’m not ready to release them yet.”  I looked scared, I’m sure.  To this Jekyll side he throws out there so readily, my defenses were weakening.  Let him digest what he will.

“Okay!”  He said offended, but he really didn
’t understand.

“And you?”

“Most of mine aren’t releasable,” a smile played on the edge of his lips.

“Seems we
’re at an impasse,” I implied.

“Yes, it seems.”

We both continued to stare.

“Well, we can figure this out later.  Let
’s get back to class,” he whispered loud enough for me to hear.

“Are you going to be okay?” I asked without thinking of keeping my walls up first.

He nodded oddly pale with mixed emotions.  “Are you?”

“I think so.”  I was only being truthful.  “But you should really make good with Derrick.  It
’s only words.  He is nothing I can’t handle so don’t go all knight on me. Clear?”

He nodded but I don
’t think that meant a yes.

And when we walked back in, the kids were packing up, and everyone left.  Him with Derrick.  Me with Maze.  And neither of us looking at each other the entire way to lunch.

We didn’t talk at lunch either.  I decided to sneak a call into home before chemistry.  The idea of more class with him was giving me a killer headache.

I hid in the library, and dialed the number. 

“Hello.”

“Yes.”

“Kassie.  This is Stace.”  My one and only friend back home besides my brother.  And he doesn’t count in that department.

“Oh my.  Is it really you?  Where are you?” she crooned.

“Look, I haven’t time to talk.  I’m on a secret thing for dad and I’ve run into something I don’t quite have the knowledge of.  Will you find out more for me?”

“Of course.  I wish you could tell me where you are.  I miss you like the devil.”

Devil.  I think I met one.

“No worries.  I won
’t be gone too long.  Look, I need you to find out more about what happens when a Valkyrie touches skin to skin contact with a Hunter.  Or some divine something about real live electricity flowing from one person to another without any science to it.  Can you keep this secret, Kassie?”

“Yes, of course. That is a definite hint who you
r with.  Any good gossip,
fire
away!” She was always quoting phrases from my music favorites.  Aside from our fascination with movies, Kassie and I had never had much contact with the outside world in lieu of having friends and spending time with them.  Much less, we’d never had conversations like I’d had in the past two days as casual as these.  For the closeness we did have, we had to talk in secret because our families kept us apart.  We sneaked around at least once a week to see each other never knowing why they wanted us apart.

At last second I added, “And specify whe
ther it matters to be a girl versus a boy.”

“O…kay.  Something I should know?”

“Oh, no.  Just some observations.”

“Mmm!  I
’ll call you tomorrow at this same time.  That okay?” 

“Yes.  Thanks.  Miss you.”

“Miss you too.” 

I hung up and headed to my next class, chemistry. 

I arrived there first.  No one was there yet, so I started reading chapter two while I waited thinking it might be nice to catch up earlier than expected.  I looked at Quinn’s desk, the corners of the rooms walls, windows, air vents.  It appeared to have no listening devices or video, obvious treachery or evil intentions.  I wanted to investigate his desk, but thought I’d better wait.

Glad of my choosing, in walked Calum.  Alone together, he sat beside me.

“I’m sorry,” Calum disclosed.

I didn
’t look up.  I didn’t know how to act around him.  “No point,” I volunteered.  Nice was so hard.

“
I don’t know why I freaked back there.”

“I do, mostly.”

“There’s a reason and we will find out why,” Calum’s smile was tight with worry. “I made good with Derrick, but he’s been forewarned.”

He has no idea
just like me but smiled anyway. Besides, I would probably know tomorrow, find out it is some weird side effect of working with Hunters, and continue on my mission.  I need to put my emotions to the side if I intend to become the Valkyrie that everyone wants me to be and complete the task.  Enough sidetracking.

Calum asked me about chapter two and I told him I hadn
’t a chance to read it yet. And that I had only been there a minute or two.  He gave me a confused look, but said nothing.  He didn’t know about my phone call and in my haste, gave a peculiar answer to his question.

He explained the experimen
t we would do after school that goes with chapter one and would be finished in less than five minutes.  I was pleased with that.  With time to spare, we were heavily into chapter two when other students started arriving making me realize that either Calum had followed me to be so early or he gets there early sometimes. I doubted the latter.

  In walked Derrick and the other cohort.  The other one sat down and touched my hand, then looked at his finger.  Calum
’s eyes went wide with anger.  

“Nothing.  I heard she causes pain at the mere contact.  Definitely not pain I
’m getting, though I knew this.” The friend wagged his eyebrows up and down in opposite directions.  That struck a memory that seemed way out of place.  Someone I used to know coult ath that with his brows.

Derrick was shrugging heavily now and saying, “What man?” to Calum
’s fiercely growing anger now merging with rage. A cold smile traced his lips.

My emotions went into a whirlwind of retracting anger that was a little overwhelming. It was if it grew in intensity. 

And worse than the physical pain, I didn't like secrets shared.

“Lee, by the way.   I don
’t think we’ve formally met …here at school,” the boy, with his hair all the way in his eyes spoke.  He seemed familiar to me for some off reason.  It was longer than Calum’s, but shorter than Derricks.  One side hung in his eyes which caused him to always tilt his head just a bit.  He held out a hand and I took it out of not making a scene. His cold hand took mine and...nothing.  No pain.  But then again, I’d never caused pain to anyone before so why would I now?  Just Calum.

“Stace.”  I told him
trying to be polite, but was now pondering his drawn out words.

“I know.  Who doesn
’t know who
you
are?”  A condescending voice answered a question I didn't ask.

Calum sat up straighter, making a knocking sound with his foot on the floor.

Hunter boys definitely have more of an emotional drive than the Valkyrie.  I couldn’t detect all emotions, but this fear was becoming familiar to me even if I didn’t understand it.  I kind of like it.

“Sure are territorial lately, man,” chided the boy named Lee.  Calum shot a look at him.  Lee
’s hands shot up and then aimed at him.  “Okay, okay!”

“Stace?”  I looked back to Lee calling my name.  This boy sent off some major anger and fear waves.  He seemed to be plagued with it.

“Is that short for something else?” Lee insisted.

Nervously I answered him, pushing a slow smile to my face, “No!  Just Stace.”  I tried to keep my voice from cracking by holding back my swallow but it swooshed out in rapid little wisps.  He didn
’t respond again or look my way.  It’s a totally normal question to ask.  I’d pondered a different name coming here, but decided it would be hard to answer to anything else and might raise more suspicions.