Scorpion (4 page)

I know.  But you want more.  I can feel it.
I told the truth.

Cas smiled a knowing smile, his male ego flaring.

And what do you read from me?
  I dared a very dangerous question.

His lips parted as if readying himself, though he wasn
’t talking aloud. 
I think that I can read you very well.  More than you think maybe but admitting that can be very dangerous too.  Yet there are times I can’t read anything because your thoughts and your senses seem to all roll up together and jumble themselves. 

“That
’s a relief.  I’ll have to figure that out and do it more.”

He laughed.  We
’re both doing that a lot to ease the tension.

“Seriously
Kissa, I want to have you forever.  You are immortal.  I am immortal.  You said my name at your birth.  I said yours.  I’ve felt the connection between us tug at my very being since very young.  And I sense the same from you.  I have to force myself to stay away.  I want to give you everything you could ever want or need.  I absolutely hate that you were lonely for all those years and I couldn’t meet that need until the ordained time.  I was drawn to you before some prophecy ever came to me.”

That last part was the most reassuring part and kept me coming back for more though the grey matter of my bra
in was starting to melt and gel with the consuming power I knew he held over me.  It still was a choice. 
But I still stand with it is my choice no matter what.  Some prophecy doesn’t tell me what to do or that you should love me, right?

At least I confirmed he
’s immortal.

How did you feel about me that first night at the warehouse? 
At my manor?  Did you feel like you were made to do any of that?  Yes, I can sense your feelings are even stronger now, but do I make you feel or do anything you don’t want to?

No, you don
’t and I thank you for that.  You’re right.  No one can make me feel the way I do.  That’s me.

I want you to want this all on your own.  You have to be sure.

Then that’s what we will focus on.  More practice
.  I put out my hand and looked upward hoping he took my hint pointing to my lips.

He looked confused for
a second, but
only
a second.  And then my feet lifted off the ground and my lips were stolen property.  He took my advice and my suggestion.  Later I thought back to my earlier ideals on my development in the relations department.  I was getting better, no doubt.  With not a soul to hear me, I giggled to myself which was so not like me, but times are a changing.

I asked Cas about the Elves on the way to the meeting with my father and all the others.  He finally told me that they were continuously being sent out to scour the places I’d most likely be found.  That’s why Cas was spending his nights at the edge of the Hunter school.  I felt horrible for being careless about my own safety and putting himself off from his court to watch over me.  If I’m hard to kill, I didn’t get why they tried so much, but who am I to get in the minds of villains. 

My father had heard Borgon had plans to capture me at any price.  Cas acted funny when I told him he didn
’t even give me a chance to fight them.  He said I needed more practice.  I had it in me, but at some point I needed to act without hesitation.  He was right, I just didn’t want to admit it.

I left it alone and moved on for the night.

“You’re a refreshing rain of truth and selflessness.  My endless night.  My endless life’s only breath," his hands snaked across my shoulders.                               

“You
’re very poetic tonight.”

“Our secret.”  But his ego was sizzling with the power he knew he held.

I wouldn’t tell a soul.  I wouldn’t want to share this with anyone.  You’re mine
.  I was surrounded by the sudden thought of possibly losing him or living without him.  It made my heart hurt.

He smiled wider than I
’d ever seen him.  
Okay!  So I am
.  His face darkened just as fast when my thoughts were revealed.  He switched to talking when he read my emotional turn.  “You’re upset?”

Only—

His eyebrows turned down.  I didn’t have enough Supergirl in me to smooth those eyebrows back up the way I wanted to. 

Only I don
’t want to lose you.

He smiled and frowned oddly with understanding in his eyes.

You won’t lose me.  Ever.  I promise you that with every part of my being.

Forgetting where we were momentarily, I heard footsteps and the clearing throats.  My super powers still didn
’t step up to the plate letting me know who was there since I was apparently so engrossed in Cas.

I peeked up from Cas
’ chest to see Szar and Lee standing by the door of my father’s study.  It would be our meeting place. 

"Who invited you?" I snapped at Lee.

He ignored me.  I felt Cas rotate to where I couldn't Lee’s scowl.

Our conversation had been private, where it always would.  Cas leaned down to my ear so that no one would hear, but he didn
’t say anything aloud
. 
He paused long enough for me to lean up
. 

I love you!

I gasped aloud alerting others to the oddness in the air.  In his eyes, it wasn’t a random or spur of the moment slip of the tongue.  Calculating carefully as he always did, he wanted me to know and to
react
.  Though probably not the way I did.

I was in such an emotional whirlwind place in my head and heart that I couldn
’t have predicted in any such fashion all the levels of my stress right then.  But at the same time I was completely relaxed holding on to Cas, though I couldn’t for the life of me, keep up with his inner and outer dialogues.  He kept me in solid suspense almost as if he enjoyed the game of it, especially in front of others.  So when he let me go, I stumbled forward where Cas caught one arm and Lee caught the other.  I waved and found my footing thanking them both and neither of them letting go.

Every bad situation I
’d ever met with came flashing back clear to me in this instant so I refrained from thanking Lee for annoying me. I pulled away hinting at the need for regaining the feeling to my arms.  I know what a tug-o-war rope feels like.  Lee was sending a message.  But his message was a little late and not wanted.  He certainly provided a clear demonstration of his ability to build up my walls.

Cas on the other hand, had a clearer demonstration of his ability to break down my walls of icy coldness and was slowly being broken more and more when he was around.  I could easily build it back up when
Lee
was around.  He was still a traitor.  I feel responsible for the way he is though I didn’t know he was a spy before we met.  He chose his path. 

The others annoyed by our silence began to clear their throats once more.

Who was now throwing fireballs in our direction more than the rest?  Calum.

Cas intervened, “But you can
’t be responsible.”  He was saying this out loud purposely.  I guess he wasn't hiding our skill anymore.  Something told me his motives have changed.

Don
’t do this!
  I shouted in my head. I was already dealing with the fact that Lee was sneering at Cas.

Szar had to pipe out seeing the three silently kill each other with looks, “If you all fight over her, let me pop some corn first for the show.”

“NOT NOW, SZAR!”

Szar looked at Cas and dang it if he didn
’t say out of his dog ugly mouth, “Told ya she would be trouble.”

He popped Szar hard in the arm.  I fisted my hand and hit him as hard as I could and not plaster him on the floor.  He and I
’d been in the ring too many times to not know each other’s limits.

I hit him i
n the jaw.  Cringing inside, I would never tell them how much that made my hand hurt.  Yes, I would heal fast.  No, I wasn’t immune to pain.  I could storm off right now and make my point, but I had a BIGGER point to make.

“Told ya my fist would connect to your face.”

“You never said that!” Szar laughed at me trying to hide his real shame.

“Just.Did!”  So much for calm, cool, collected.

Cas pulled me off him and forced me to calm down.  When I was breathing like normal again, he had to bring back the last subject of choice. 

“He didn
’t choose to spy on the Val court, let me make that part clear.  He didn’t know what he was walking into until he was already there and well, unable to leave.  And maybe he did lie, a little.”

We
’re back to him again? 
What was he hinting at? 
“Lee Dyer lie?  Never.  Not at all, right?”  I glared at said liar.

Cas halfed his
statement by using our mega super talented telepathy for the part he didn’t want others to hear, “I admit I didn’t help him in any way though I could have.  All for you!”
  I told you, Kissa.
 
I’m a very selfish creature.  I wanted you to be mine.

“We all did.” Lee apparently
guessed his mind talk as if some type of guy telepathy was expected.  Great for them. 

This was all too dramatic and totally contradictory to the matter at hand.  I squirmed in my own skin with anxiousness
after living eighteen years never wanted it seemed and now suddenly I’m the girl for everyone.   

“Not me
, sis!  Not my type.”  Szar had to speak.  This didn’t break any tension.

I forced a laugh.  “No for more reasons than the obvious.  Too
head-strong.  You prefer the ditzy helpless kind.”

“Not fair.  How would you know?”

“Agreed! Just a guess.  But probably a good one.”

“End of subject!” Szar fumed.

There were ample reasons to walk away from all this.  I could easily give in and lose this whole cause.

“But you won
’t.  You can’t leave us.  Whether we feud or not, we can’t do this without you.  You’re the ace and we are the wild cards.  If we don’t work together, solve this, what will happen then?”  Cas added to my thoughts.

“He
’s right.  Whatever has happened between us, we have to work as a team.  If we argue, we just die trying.”  Szar was trying to defuse things and doing pretty good. The rest of the bodies in the room were moving around now.

“This is a truly morbid discussion that elicits a hope for some type of compromise
,”
I was going to be sick. I really was Alice going down the rabbit hole.   Can’t I just take them on some mad exodus to a safe haven far away and deal with this quickly?

“
You can’t take us away.  Besides, do you think any of us would go willingly abandoning you to the other?” Cas was answering my thoughts yet again.

“
Very good question,” Lee said.

“And if given the choice to follow what the other says, you would just walk the plank? All you do is fight.”  I motioned to each of them indicating they would have to actually, I don
’t know,
get along
.

Calum studiously answered, “
Well, I’d get wet, but I still would do as I deem.  What needed to be done.”  As was Calum’s way.  When others saw walls, he saw opportunities.

“
You can’t do that.”  My back stiffened worried he meant sacrificing himself.

“We can
’t always have what we want.”  Calum painfully stated as his massive Hunter caveman walk entered the room beside me from where he’d been standing in the door still.

Szar scoffed and stomped off his heavy boot falls sounding like a herd of something or another. 

Lee walked away mulishly knowing defeat.

Calum
’s eyes pleaded.

Cas knew my heart.

Yet, he knew my heart’s dilemma as well.  I nodded at Cas to leave us alone.  When he was gone I sat on the sofa signaling Calum to follow.  His hand hid his face particularly as he rubbed his chin.    I noticed the distinct difference in the lines that had formed across his forehead.  They were more pronounced.

The room emptied after I asked them to all leave.  We couldn't meet under this kind of rage.

“I can’t change things,” I said for lack of what else I should say.

“Fitting response.”

“What would you have me do?  Never mind, what can I do to help you now?”

“
You can’t.”

“Then you have to replace it with the power and strength I know you have.  The battle strategy you keep hidden inside.  Everyone needs to see that person.  You are so much more than you let people see of you.”

Define
people
.  We aren’t exactly part of that mold.

“Did it mean anything to you?  Us?”

“Calum, you mean everything to me.  I can’t do any of this without you.  I can’t sleep at night right now because my heart is breaking for you.  I can’t give you what you need.”

“Say it.  DID IT MEAN NOTHING?”

“I can’t!”

“SAY IT!”

“NO!  Calum it meant everything to me.  You are incredible.  You are warm and courageous and…”

“And not what you want!”

“Wrong.  I look up to you.  You are my hero.  I can’t believe I ever lived without you.  I want to come ask advice of you almost every hour.”  I remembered to try to be a people person here.

“You haven
’t answered the question.”

Hurt and rage burnt through me like bolts of lightning and not from him.  I wanted to hit him.  “Yes, Calum.  You mean a lot to me.  You always will.  But Cas, he
’s everything to me.  He completes me.  Is this what you wanted to hear?”

He stood fast, turned faster, and slammed his fist into my father
’s wall releasing the energy we both held in.  The hole, two handbreadths wide. 

And I felt it. 

“Do you see my point?  You have power Calum.  Combine that with what you know, you will be a powerful Hunter lord.  You are amazing, you know that?”

“No!  You make me out to be, but I
’m not!”

“You
’re wrong.”

I made a rash decision to feel like I should comfort him.  I moved over putting my hand on the back of his shoulder.  He tensed.  I kept it there regardless.  His pleading eyes
looked back at me so I watched him try to read my intentions.  “I want you to be happy.  I never wanted you to have this much sorrow.”

He repositioned, straightened his face, and I felt his mood changing.  The fear changed to a solid unreadable emotion.  He disarmed me with his killer smile.  “I will from now on, be whatever you need me to be.  If that
’s what you need.  I will not let you down.” 

He sounded so formal.  I wasn
’t entirely sure he was being real or not.  The Calum I knew made everything into a joke.  This was a serious Calum.  He was waiting for me to respond. 
So bipolar.

“I
’m serious Stace.”

“Okay!”

He stared at me intently.

“Why so fast?  That was very multi-personality like?”

“I can’t change it, can I?” His troubled eyes watched mine.

“No!”

“Okay!  So let’s start now.  What do you think will be the main topic of tonight’s discussion?”