Denial (Goblin's Kiss Series Book One) Read online

  Perturbed at me later in the exchange for the rebuff I countered her with, she started to call me something vulgar. Whatever it was, I didn’t want it coming out of that mouth. I grabbed her hand before she could finish or beat that pencil over my head. Somehow, I didn’t want to hear any corroded words from her lips. She was too perfect to let such things taint her. The warm feeling returned washing over me, took over my everything. I felt it ripple at my hand and move out over the whole of my body and stop back at my hands making my blood heated and on fire. I slapped my hand back down to my lap in a fast fluid motion feeling the waves of her emotion and mine crash into me like I was feeling all of them together.

  The back of my mind, the part where I couldn’t control my own thinking sometimes, told me she was the one. I wanted to scream at my brain to shut up, but I was already worried I was reaching the crazy scale for thinking it all in the first place. She did something to me every single time she touched me. Holy crap!

  I’d heard stories about my father’s insistent belief that the human girl he married was magically made for him, but they were just stories. Others had told me how he believed my mother was connected to him physically. Just some kind of weird magical moment and it was sealed and done. But I didn’t do anything to make it happen.

  Right now, I could read every emotion running through her and by the way her face looked, she was doing the same. I certainly wouldn’t kiss her now, though the urge to was there. She would think I was insane.

  Heck knows what a kiss from me would do.

  EMMA

  Racing through the halls I found the first floor girl’s bathroom and locked myself in the stall. I leaned against the door with my back and took in the longest breath I’d ever held in my life. I’d held it almost that long when Rick tried to take it too far once in the locked locker room where everyone thought the worst of me. I’d held it half that in at the football game when Rick had cornered me afterward under the bleachers and Tonya had saved my bee-hind from certain man attack mode. I don’t know why I ever dated him and yet he still wouldn’t let me go.

  Even now he tried to stop me like he was actually concerned with my tailspin run through the hallways. Rick dated anything on two legs since breaking up with me and still he greeted me daily in the cafeteria pushing aside his date for a day to see me. He was relentless.

  I didn’t want to think about Rick at the time, but I couldn’t think about anything else. If I did, the bathroom mirrors might explode and then where would we be?

  Expelled.

  I left the stall and washed my hands for something to do. I searched my hip purse for the small bottle of pear lotion I kept full and handy for the dry bathroom soap I hated. The door squealed open and Tonya stuck her head in.

  “Someone said you were in here. Are you okay?”

  I relaxed at seeing her and only wanted my red headed friend to smile and tell me everything, including myself, was okay and normal. Tonya knew I wasn’t, but she pretended for my benefit.

  “I’m better now. Wait,” I let my hands shake out the next question, “Who told you I was in here?” Fear enveloped me.

  “A guy. Said his name was Ames. Hot too.” She smiled wide.

  My hands shook more. He followed me.

  When I ran to the door to look out and see his same fear driven eyes that I could somehow sense felt the same as mine right now, I saw nothing. And felt nothing. He was gone.

  Tonya looked back and turned left, then right. “Well, he was here. I don’t know where he went. Do you know him?” She cocked her head sideways at me in concern.

  I put my hands on either side of my temples and squeezed, “He’s in my writing class is all. He is,” I stopped myself. He is what? Unnatural like myself?

  “Hot in all the right ways and places. Definite replacement material for Rick. That will be the icing on the cake when Rick sees. Can’t wait for lunch.” Tonya giggled annoyingly.

  “NO!” I couldn’t see the guy again. He was all bad in all kinds of ways. He was like me and that scared and intrigued me into all kinds of what if’s. What if he’s here to take me away? But what if he had answers? “I just want to make it through my first day. And I could care a less about Rick. He cheated. He’s a loser. He doesn’t count for anything in my life.”

  “Still girl. Jealous will look good on him. He needs a good dose of it.” She giggled once more and said she’d see me in class. We had Economics together with Mr. Vamp, the coolest teacher in the school. Of course, that wasn’t his real name, but that’s what everyone called him since he slicked his black hair back across his head in Count Dracula style.

  I took another breath and held back my power, then headed off to class.

  Tonya was waiting by the door for me. We still had a minute till the bell rang. I watched her jump up and down all giddy and felt a small moment of calm come over me at the normalcy.

  That balloon burst with her next words.

  “He’s in this class. His name is on the roster on the board,” she crooned.

  I hated to ask, “Who?”

  “Mr. Hotness girl. Your bathroom buddy.”

  “Great affiliation there, thanks.” I positioned myself accordingly and asked a very important question to prove I was in control of my own fate. “Is he here yet?”

  Tonya shook her head no.

  I let my shoulders fall and entered the room fast as lightning to pick a place to sit that would be far away from his menacing eyes that just rocked my world.

  Tonya followed and we both sat at the same type of table for two from the writing class. I was safe.

  Something purred within my head. My stomach knotted on reflex. My heard pounded. I could feel him getting near. What the heck?

  A crew of giggling girls entered the room including Christina and two of her cronies from the earlier scene. Lovely.

  Then... in he walked. His gorgeous skin didn’t escape my eyes this time. It was flawless. Too busy trying to ignore the knee jerk reactions from before hitting me for a second time, I took the chance to see him as a whole from where he across the room. His eyes so easily found mine. And...he nodded at me. He freaking nodded at me. What the heck?

  He darted eyes at Tonya, then the room. The only chair left of course was beside the short skirted bimbo named Christina. Why did my skin prickle as he moved in her direction? I wanted to jump up and pull him to me. What was wrong with me?

  His feet moved easy at first and then slowed like lead was forming in his black combat boots. The further he went, the angrier I got. Halfway to the back table where Christina sat he stopped and oblivious to everyone I hoped, cocked his head in a full sideways motion at me. His eyes glowed. I blinked thinking I’d lost my mind not caring that I’d just been caught staring. When I opened them, there they were again. Glowing bright green. No, it wasn’t the color change. It was the pupils. It was like the dilated to dime sized circles. Oh, snap!

  His mouth moved making me leave his eyes to see why. He mouthed the word “Breathe” to me.

  My breath hitched. Tonya heard and asked if I was okay. In the millisecond all that took place, he was back walking away from me like it never happened. I was in deep trouble.

  AMES

  Things have changed. Plans are different. I couldn’t go through with the task my superior sent me here to do. I physically couldn’t hurt her.

  I heard a short redhead stick her head in the bathroom and call her name telling me she was probably her friend as I paced the floor outside the door. I was the new guy and everyone probably thought I’d lost it, but I really didn’t care what these people thought. She was my focus, nothing else.

  Sadness. Fear. Sadness.

  I caught a certain sign on her friend’s right hand still holding the bathroom door ajar. The trace left by my own kind. Emma’s feelings dissipated a little when I told the girl that Emma was in there. That was my cue. She would be okay till I returned. I wouldn’t take long.

  I took the steps three at a time like when
she was with me earlier and hid in the janitorial closet. Dancing in the small space with a broom and mop I purged the pinned up energy with a can of cleaner I’d just squeezed the life out of. The can exploded but the noise was muffled. I felt better. She wasn’t the only one with magic, but my extreme side stayed hidden from most.

  Normal wasn’t attainable when magic controls your body.

  Next, I felt like an idiot. I hadn’t had that much penned up frustration since I was really young and that was many years ago. I emerged unnoticed into the traffic of students. To class and back to Jem. Emma.

  From the corner near the room I hadn’t been caught at yet I heard her ask her friend about me. Her voice was still the sound the angels make when they sing. Her friend was far from sentimental about my presence but a minute earlier I was something to be seen. Not that I cared.

  Jem—Emma asked if I was in class yet. The friend must have nodded because I heard only silence. Dang it. I missed seeing her reaction.

  I followed the groupie girls from earlier into the room. Feeling her heart beat from outside the door, I followed its path to its owner. She already had her eyes on me. A satisfaction growled below my stomach.

  I hadn’t done it on my own, but the inner voice that seemed to crave her wanted to reassure her I knew she was upset by me, so I nodded at her. Her eyes went wide as the beast within smiled smug at knowing she reacted whether it was a good reaction or not.

  I already surmised that she didn’t have a clique, a high school define categorical group as they often adapt. She was who she was and defined herself that way. Everyone seemed to talk to her and no one really buddied up with her either. She was just...Emma.

  I checked that her friend seemed hellbent on staying in the seat that called for me and then scanned the room for another. Starting towards the slutty cheerleader groupie as my only choice, I made it three steps when she locked up my legs. Her anger and territorial jealousy hit like bricks bouncing off my head. She didn’t want me to leave her. Crap! I couldn’t move.

  Emma’s desire rose up claiming me. Flippin’ out as I was I couldn’t do anything but look her way still standing in the tar pit she’d glued me into. Cutting my head crooked so as to not make it obvious what I was doing, I couldn’t be prepared for what I saw. Her eyes glowed... again. She blinked it back and forced it down. Her efforts were in vain because she moved the entire table beside me by three inches. And I knew what mine might be doing also though the whole scene from above would be as unbelievable to a human. Like learning they were not alone in this world of diverse creatures. They would do what humans do...make up a good story to explain it.

  I should not be doing this.

  Her breathing picked up and I knew from where I stood what I would do next. She would be mine if I had to lose everything to have her. Either way, I knew I was in deep trouble.

  I mouthed for her to take a breath hoping it would foster the energy field around her. When she released it, she released me. Yep! Deep, deep trouble.

  EMMA

  Class started and I kept my head and thoughts forward filled with economic talk. Mr. Vamp and his jokester attitude kept worries outside the classroom more than any other teacher.

  The only positive thing in my life was my teachers. The last few years have been rough being me, and crossing into otherworldly dimensions was the only out.

  It wasn’t until Mr. Vamp remembered to call roll that I flashed back to the previous situation. That’s what it was, right? A situation to be solved. I’d spent years solving others problems with little good deeds as I called them. It didn’t always go the way I planned. My power was a secret to all, even Tonya. Oh, she knew I wasn’t right, but she never asked. Well, once or twice.

  In sixth grade another girl was harassing her into doing something she didn’t want to do so she asked me if I would do my “mind thingy” on the girl to stop her.

  I did.

  Tonya kept it a secret still.

  The teacher called roll in alpha order making my name near the last. When he called out “Ames Cahn” the majority of the female population making up the room went into fits of giggles and the guys all groaned.

  Mr. Mystery kept his coolness factor with a solid grin and a “What’s up?” to the teacher. I rolled my eyes at Tonya. When he chuckled even the smallest sound, it rolled over me like syrup. Every time I heard his laugh, it just...did things.

  “For now, you will keep your seats. In a week after the meet and greet of back to school wears off, you will begin your first project. I will assign you partners and the both of you will invent a new product, decide the buy and sell options we will discuss this week, and give a speech about the supply and demand of your product. If you like, you can make this product for your classmates, your customers, to try before they buy.” Mr. Vamp laughed to himself.

  Great. I might not get to be with Tonya. I peeked under my hair at the dark cloud of emotion behind me. He was snaking the same look at me. I saw my future before it even came my way.

  “Your partners are as follows,” the teacher turned around to face the whiteboard where our names were already lined up beside each other. What are the odds? I feared for one lonely second that he might have made it that way and the smug look on his face told me he probably did. I needed to stop looking at him.

  I didn’t know if he did this time. But I did know he’d made the words change in writing class to be something they weren’t. Whatever he was...whatever I was...I decided right then I was going to find out.

  My outlook just changed to that of the predator. I was tired of being the prey.

  “Um, Mr. Vamp. Perhaps the new guy would be better suited to a guy. Let him show him the ropes or something,” I cooed at the teacher knowing he’d be all cool and say that was just fine like he usually did for me. So did not happen.

  “Miss Steele. You are full of imagination and quite capable. I’ve already made the list in my gradebook. I’m afraid it can’t be changed.”

  Gradebook? He could change a freaking gradebook, couldn’t he? I folded my arms down to myself and heard Tonya groan beside me. I glanced up and saw who her partner was.

  “What on earth are you talking about? You get hotness all to yourself and you would throw it away? I’m stuck with the baghead Christina. What is wrong with you?”

  Oh, the end of the world. Everything I ever knew was now alive in a whole new perspective. I wasn’t alone. I wasn’t the only one.

  “Wanna trade?” Tonya giggled.

  I didn’t look back at him. I somehow knew he’d be looking.

  A feeling came over me as I gritted my teeth, “NO!”

  Since I wasn’t looking at her, I don’t know how she reacted.

  Ring! Class ended and Tonya and I headed for the door. I hugged my notebook and new economics book left out for me on my desk. My head buzzed with confusion.

  Tonya asked if I was eating lunch and all present worries left me for the inhalation of food. That would make me sane again.

  I said a loud, “Heck yeah.” She looked at me weird. I swallowed the gulp and hurried out with, “Senior patio here we come.” We high fived and for a short minute Tonya was all kinds of normal for me and my world. Then the shackled bubble popped again when Rick was in the food line. I raced on and tugged Tonya against me to avoid him. I hoped he wouldn’t try to sit with us this year. I whipped through the cafeteria and headed out to the bench Tonya and I had picked out for our crew last year trying to make sure it was full when he emerged.

  I didn’t even stop to think about Rick and his crew being there at the same time. What would I do if I had to survive his face daily at lunch? I hadn’t seen him all day except outside the bathroom and that was relief alone if you didn’t count the dark prince who followed me around half the day.

  I briefly wondered where he would be for lunch and decided the devious clutches of said cheer groupies were attacking all at once. Poor him. He sure didn’t seem to care if they fawned all over him.

 
As if he knew I was thinking of him, the flutter I couldn’t quite pin a point to in my body yet, started to go off signaling me he was close. I searched for his scent. I could find it anywhere, I think. Or maybe it was his cologne. It was different than any I’d found. Tonya and I were experts on men’s cologne. We’d sprayed every single one of them on the little cards in the mall stores upstairs and downstairs numerous times. I had it pinpointed. This guy pheromoned off a crisp pine earthy scent.

  I bit into my red apple just as Scott and Ames came through the inner cafeteria door and onto the patio. My bite froze in mid-chew as Scott eyed my reaction to his “new friend”. Why did he have to befriend him?

  Not missing a beat this time, Ames sidled up to the stone bench and sat right stinking beside me. I finally finished the bit of apple left in my cheek and swallowed but it felt like the size of a cantaloupe.

  “Hi Emma,” he charmed me with his voice and set off a halo of sunlight above his head with the way he popped his head in my direction. “Tonya.” He didn’t look at her as he greeted her because he framed his eyes exactly on me. I promised myself not to look at the way his hair fell over his eyes again. I failed myself.

  He finally turned back to Scott, his apparent new bestie. “I have class with them before lunch.” Turning back to me he said, “Scott here invited me to sit with you guys. I know you hated the idea of having me for your project partner, but maybe you can make an allowance for lunch time chitchat.” He took a bite of his own apple and watched me.

  No freaking duh! And I don’t need an itinerary.

  Stunned, I looked to Scott for help. He threw up his hands and said, “On your own, Em. I was just being a nice guy.”

  I resolved to act respectful and show that I indeed had manners. I was going to get to the bottom of his secrets, but I had to get to the bottom of him first. His red herring wouldn’t be hidden forever.

  “It’s all great, Scott. I know he’s fine. I mean he’s...not fine. Uh...he was quite the gentleman on several occasions already.” I batted my eyes with the fakest smile ever and lied through my teeth trying to hide my embarrassment. He was kind of a silent one, at least. Ames stuck with friendly and flirtatious in front of others. His sexy look didn’t help matters. He dressed like he was older, worldly, experienced. I wanted to front him out, but didn’t have any idea where to start that wouldn’t have me end up looking the fool.