I’d see if I looked at my hands, if I’d actually see the power there.
Kellan fell silent. He was the one to rear back this time. He stood to his fullest height, his eyes thoughtful, and then he sniffed the air. An evil smile lit his face, his golden features, and his shoulders straightened. He was ready for a fight, one that he lived for.
A part of me died inside because that fight was with me.
“Are you ready?” He moved forward, just an inch. “I can feel it in the air. I can feel you, Shay. You’re everywhere. Everyone in the house knows it. You’re enraged. They can feel it, and they cower.”
I narrowed my eyes and slammed the door shut behind him.
Kellan didn’t even jump. I felt his adrenaline kick up another notch.
“This is what you want? This is what you live for? You want to fight me?” I whispered.
“No, Shay. I don’t want to fight you. I want to make you alive. I want to see what you can do.”
“Why? Why is it you?” It was always Kellan, since I was a little kid. It was never Vespar. Never my sister. Not even my mother or our father. It didn’t feel right. When we grew up, it was only Kellan.”
“What do you mean, Shay? Who takes care of you? Who makes sure you eat? Who makes sure you get a ride home from school? Is that what you mean? Why is it always me who pushes you? That’s what I’m doing right now. I’m pushing you. Let go. Feel your powers. Show me what you can do.”
“Show me what you can do.”
Those words weren’t right. They didn’t sound right. I shook my head, and the fight left me. I didn’t understand it, but something rebelled against Kellan. It was like he wanted me to do something and I couldn’t, not on command.
They were correct, though. I knew we weren’t human. It was why I knew I could’ve easily removed Matt Rettley’s hands from holding me against the locker, why I could’ve stopped him. It was why I had felt Kellan’s approach before I saw him. It was why… It was possibly why I painted masterpieces. But it didn’t matter, not in that moment, because in that moment I was a student.
I tapped my books. “I need to do my homework.”
Everything was gone in that moment. The air was replete, sucked of emotion, and I actually saw Kellan’s chest fall in disappointment.
“I don’t think I can go running in the morning. I’ll be up late studying. There’s a test in college psych tomorrow, you know…” I trailed off.
Kellan just sighed and left.
I was okay with it. I had homework to do. In some ways, I wasn’t sure if I was a coward or if I was courageous.
Dew still stuck to my car. The morning was chilled. A light smattering of chirping birds could be heard in the background as I arrived at school the next morning. I took a moment and remained in my seat. I wasn’t quite ready to face another day as a Braden. It didn’t use to bother me so much, but…things had started to change, somehow, unexplainably.
Pulling the mirror over, I sat back and studied what I saw.
I had a heart-shaped face, with slightly reddened cheeks that came naturally. My cheekbones seemed to stick out, which drew the eye to my lips. A curve filled out on my top lip, and the bottom was slightly plush. And my eyes, dark eyelashes over frostbitten green eyes, and coal black hair that framed each side of my face.
I looked good. I knew it, but I didn’t care. Giuseppa was gorgeous. She was one of those golden Greek goddesses, and she loved it. She used her looks to get anything she wanted, and if her looks didn’t work, she’d use her powers. She’d probably slept with half of the guys in school, and most of them didn’t even remember. Gus was the ultimate female player, but no one even considered slamming her with labels such as “slut” or “whore.” Gus was just Gus, and she wasn’t considered on the same level as the human girls, who would call each other “slut” or “whore.”
Gus used them, enjoyed them, and made them forget. There were no ramifications afterwards.
I wasn’t sure, but I assumed Vespar did the same thing. He was just more discreet about it.
And Kellan…Kellan slept with who he wanted. If he changed their memories, that was up to