Ravage (Raegan of Ruin Book 1), page 6
Which I am, technically. If it means someone who kills multiple people. And there being a trend for the victims. Because my targets are all tied to Gifted Enterprise. I’ve honestly lost count of how many people I’ve killed.
For and against GE.
I’m the villain here. Exactly as they wanted me to be, except for one key detail. I’m aimed at them instead of their enemies.
Elias nods and smiles. “Understandable. I’ll share my story with you then, with the hope that you’ll give me a bit of yours. It goes without saying that whatever we’re sharing right now remains between the two of us, correct?”
I simply nod and pick up my drink again in case I’ll need it.
“Good. I was born with the gift of Truth. I can tell when someone is lying, when they are omitting information, and I can also see who has a gift or not.”
“What do you mean, you can see it?”
“It’s hard to explain, but I guess I’ll go with calling it an aura. Someone with a gift emits an aura around them that I can sense. It doesn’t tell me what they can do, but I can get a general idea of how strong they are when I compare the feeling with others.” He shifts forward and waves a hand toward me. “You, for example, your aura feels heavy. What’s normally a tickle is more like the beat of a drum. But unsteady. No real rhythm, as if you haven’t found the right beat yet.”
Unsteady. As if I needed someone to confirm who I am by comparing me to a musical instrument.
My walls go up, and my posture stiffens now that I’ve officially been outed for having a gift. It’s rare. Selected politicians and organizations are obviously aware of us, but even they are keeping us a secret from everyone else. So they can use us against others like weapons. And we’re too afraid to out ourselves out of fear for what the general population would do to us.
The Salem witch trials are proof we wouldn’t be accepted.
That was the first time people like us had been discovered. And they were hunted. Tortured. Friends and family looked at them with hate as they were burned at the stake.
We’re the generations later from those who survived. Still trying to survive.
It doesn’t matter that Elias admitted that he’s gifted like me. It doesn’t make me feel any safer. Keeping this secret is paramount to survival. The more people who know about me, the more in danger I become. And I’m already on the top capture list from a worldwide organization full of powerful people with unlimited resources.
I shift in my seat so I can spring up and out of here at a second’s notice if I need to. I can use my gift against him if I have to in order to escape, or if I can’t trust he’ll keep my secret, but I’m not ready to use it just yet. He hasn’t actually said anything that insinuates he will rat me out or that he knows who I am. Just another gifted in the world.
Elias watches me as if he can read every thought in my mind. I freeze. “Can you read my mind?”
He chuckles and shakes his head, but it isn’t until he speaks that I relax a little. “No. I’m pretty good at reading body language, but that’s not a component of my gift.” I nod, and he continues, “Someone close to me was hurt because of people hunting us, and there was nothing I could do to save them at the time. I worked to build myself up until I could get them back, but when I did, there was a stain on their soul I could never erase. I’ve sworn since then to help as many gifted as I come across. Either to keep the same thing from happening to them or to help them recover and get back on their own two feet.”
Elias pauses and then inclines his head. “I believe you’re the latter, so I’d like to help you as much as I can. I’d be able to help you better if I could learn more about what you’re going through or trying to accomplish. But I also understand if you don’t fully trust me either.”
Well…I swallow the words I’d normally say in self-defense. Do I believe him? Not completely. I’ll never blindly put my trust in someone else ever again. Not after having it broken and crushed to fine pieces that’ll never fit back together again. The only person I can trust is myself. But I could use the help that he’s offering me.
I started fighting back against GE three years ago, and I hate to admit that I haven’t gotten far. One person with no support, no extra money, only my stubbornness and ability to survive whatever I’ve come across, can’t realistically take down a worldwide organization.
I know that.
I’ve had too many close calls. Too many times where they found me because I had no idea what I was doing. I’ve only made it this far through luck and trying to learn from my mistakes.
But I’m far from where I need to be.
“Trusting people in the past hasn’t worked out so well for me.” Thoughts of my first boyfriend, who’d found me broken and alone on the streets after escaping the island and then took advantage of me, come to mind first. They’re followed by the others who died just because they’d been close to me. Or who had given me up the second I told them about my gift.
He nods, accepting my truth.
“But I’m also not making much of a difference on my own. I can’t keep going the way I have been and succeed.” I take a heavy breath. “I think you actually have these resources that you talk about and you seem genuine. I can’t trust you completely, not yet, but I could use some help.”
When I don’t continue, Elias presses gently, “What difference are you trying to make?”
I bite my lip. My survival instinct screams at me to keep my mouth shut. Not to involve anyone else, for keeping myself safe and them if they wind up as a casualty because of me. But…what more can I do on my own? Three years, and what do I have to show for it? Dead recruiters?
“I’m trying to take down a group that uses people like us.”
His eyebrow raises. “How so?”
Ugh. I’d hoped that would be enough for him. “I was kidnapped when I was eight and taken to an island with other gifted kids. It was mostly school and one-on-one sessions to learn about our gifts at first, but I learned later that they were conditioning us to use our gifts for them. For their agenda. And if anyone refused, they were tied to a bed and experimented on until their bodies gave out. Or just killed. I’ve seen some of the people who were brainwashed by them. They think what they’re doing is for the greater good, but they’re just killing people or doing horrible things because it benefits the people in charge.”
Surprisingly, he doesn’t look shocked by what I’ve said. “You’re trying to take down Gifted Enterprise.” It’s not a question, but I nod slowly anyway.
His index fingers tap as he studies me.
I’m afraid this is where he’ll either draw the line and rescind his offer, or call in a tip to GE that I’m here. I tense, preparing again to fight or run, but he lowers his hands to his desk and nods toward my glass.
“Have another drink before you bolt on me. I’m surprised that you’re going after such a big fish all on your own. How long have you been doing this?”
I take the drink without further prompting and finish it off. I definitely need the liquid courage to stay in my seat. “Three years.”
Elias sighs and rubs his forehead. “Either you’re extremely lucky, they want you alive, or you have a serious gift that can help you hold your own.”
Shrugging, I place the glass back on the coaster. “Probably a mixture of all three.”
“I’ve run into them a few times over the years, but my focus has been to remain off their radar. I work to keep others like us safe and hidden. Not shine a light on us by putting everyone I’ve sworn to protect in their line of fire by fighting against them.”
I shift forward in my seat. “I’m not asking for you to put anyone else’s lives in danger. This is still just me. If you can help me with information, then I’ll do the dangerous part. I’ve been stuck only finding the recruiters, and they aren’t getting me anywhere. Or, there’s a gala coming up in a couple of days that could have actual board members attending. If I can somehow get an invite or be a guest, then I might be able to jump higher up the ranks and make some progress.”
His pale blue eyes that are almost silver study me. “And once you’re higher up the ranks, what then?”
“I—” Any words die in my throat as I realize I have a plan, but I don’t actually have a plan.
He nods. “I see. You have a wish list. But you’re lacking in a plan of execution. And unless you’re some badass assassin who can fight groups of trained soldiers, gifted soldiers…” He pauses with a look, and I shake my head to confirm that’s not the case. “…then I’ll need you to promise me that you aren’t going to run in there, gift blazing, the second you find someone higher up.”
“Why? I mean, I know why I shouldn’t do that, but why would you want me to promise you that?”
“Because I’m not investing my time and resources just to help you get yourself killed. If we come to that point, then you’ll come to me and we’ll figure out a plan together. I may not have a team of fighters under me, but I’m sure we can work something out that gives us the advantage.” He taps his fingers against the desk again. “Although, the Guild may have those resources.”
“The Guild?”
Elias stands and walks over to the window. He points to a tall, silver building that towers even over all the other skyscrapers. “They were taken over by new management about two years ago, so I can’t say with great confidence where their loyalty lies. But based on the jobs they’ve been taking up lately and where I’ve seen some of its members involved, I’d guess they’re enemies of GE.”
He turns back to me. “Regardless, I’ll do what I can to assist you. Without”— he holds up a finger—“involving anyone else. For now, at least.”
He smiles at the shocked look on my face. “Don’t look so surprised that I’d help. They’ve taken people from me as well, but I didn’t have the resources at the time that I do now. And when I did, it was more pressing that I helped those I kept encountering first. This is a good opportunity for a partnership against a common enemy. Besides that, I have a good feeling about you. And I always trust my instincts.”
“Um, I don’t know what to say. Thank you? I mean, this all sounds too good to be true—”
“Don’t get too excited. I’m helping with information and networking more than anything. The hard part is still on you,” he reminds me.
Still, it’s more than I could have ever hoped for, to have someone like him in my corner. Not to mention, the job and apartment that he’d originally offered me. I’m starting off much better here now than I ever have since being on my own.
I liked the freedom of going wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted. But now that the burden of worrying about a place to sleep, food, getting the information by myself is gone, it feels like I can breathe for the first time in a long time.
I stand and try to figure out the best way to thank him for…well, everything he’s willing to do for me. A stranger.
Elias chuckles softly and shakes his head. “Whatever you’re thinking, stop. You’re making me uncomfortable and you haven’t even said or done it yet. I’ll look into the gala to see if there are any strings I can pull. I’ll need a contact number so I can let you know my answer to that. And for any other communication, so you don’t have to come find me here any time you need something.”
Right.
I hold out my hand for his phone instead of offering mine. He’s promised a lot of good things, but I’ll need to see them in action more before I can trust that he will actually see this through and not just report me to GE for compensation or to protect his hide.
He doesn’t seem put out by having to hand his phone over and easily places it in mine. “The gala is happening at the Reynard Museum of Art in a couple of days,” I tell him, giving him the last bit of information I have on it. I type out my current number and send a quick text to it so we’ll have each other’s numbers and then…I hesitate.
I could leave it like this, just a simple phone number, but I could at least give him something to call me. I add myself to his contacts under the name “Rae.” I’ll respond to it, but it isn’t my full first name, and there’s no last name either for him to try looking me up. It’s good enough.
I hand the phone back to him, and his brows quirk when he sees my name. “I’m sure it’ll be a pleasure working with you, Rae. Don’t hesitate to let me know if there’s anything else you need. I’ll text you the room number and code to get in for the open apartment next and then look into the gala.” He walks me to the door and opens it for me.
It still feels too good to be true to have someone on my side and with the resources he has. But I can handle myself if this goes sideways. “Sounds good. Thanks again.”
Chapter seven
Raegan
“Mrs. Callahan!” Kellan’s raised voice announces just outside the doorway to the teacher’s lounge.
My hand jerks and coffee spills over the cup. Crap! She’s earlier than usual.
I finish pouring both cups of coffee and then grab the nearest towel to wipe up the mess. My heart is pounding in my chest at the chance of being caught, but the adrenaline merely brings a wild grin to my face. Kellan will keep her out; I’m sure of it. He has my back.
“…and you look so, so…nice…today. I love the floral print.” Kell schmoozes in his deep voice that would make even the most uptight of teachers breathless.
I’m used to it enough to keep my focus, although I won’t deny a certain heat sparks beneath my skin whenever he uses that tone.
It makes me happier than I’d ever admit to him he refuses to call anyone beautiful but me.
Once both cups are made with sugar and creamer the way we like it, I sidle up to the wall next to the door and wait for Kell’s gaze to check on me. He smirks when he sees me, then turns back around to face Mrs. Callahan.
“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you, actually. Can we talk in here? It’s…private. I don’t want anyone else to overhear.” He lowers his voice conspiratorially while waving his hand behind his back for me to slip out.
I hurry out in the opposite direction of them, counting on Kellan’s large frame and off-putting words to distract her. I sneak a glance over my shoulder to see him using his body as a shield for me while he guides her into the teacher’s lounge.
He’s only fifteen, but already he’s reached six feet and looms over most of the staff and students here. His shoulders are broad, and his muscles developed from either a crazy metabolism, or as a side effect of his gift, which he only helps by working out daily on top of it.
Pair that with his bronze skin tone, messy dark-brown hair, and roguish grin, and it’s game over.
I make it to the cafeteria and slide into my seat next to Dane with the end seat open for Kellan.
Vera leans over Dane to look at my spoils and then rolls her eyes at me. “Really? You’d risk detention and extra work for that crap?”
My arms wrap protectively around the two Styrofoam cups on the table while I hover over them to keep them from view. I lift the one for myself and bring it to my lips. The hot, earthy bitterness sweeps over my tongue and nearly burns down my throat in my rush to drink it. I moan softly at the taste I haven’t had all week and have been missing.
It’s not fair that only the adults are allowed to drink this stuff. Kellan stole me some once, and I was hooked. But getting any is always a risk, so we try to limit it to once a week.
Vera huffs and sets her drink down on the table. “If you’re going for discreet, you’re failing with all of that moaning.” She stands and moves behind me, leaning down to whisper, “Unless you’re hoping for a different type of attention.”
My head pops up from my coffee. Jack’s giving me a small smile across from Dane, and Aiden’s no longer focused on the latest business book he’s reading. His chocolate gaze is locked on me.
Dane smirks, leaning his elbow on the table and his head on his hand as he watches me. “Back off, Ver. She can make whatever sound she wants. If anyone else dares to say or do anything, we’ll take care of it.”
She chuckles and ruffles her brother’s hair. “Oh, I’m sure you will, little brother.”
“Hey!” He knocks her hand away, but she’s already whispering in my other ear to keep her words private.
“Let me know when you’re ready for some girl talk, Rae. I think it’s time, don’t you?”
My cheeks heat at the insinuation. I bite my lower lip and turn my head to look at her. She tosses me a wink and a wave and then struts away from the table.
I’m not sure how she seems so confident about boys. Maybe when I go visit the guys at night, she’s spending time with someone in her class?
The breakfast hour ends with no sign of Kell.
“Relax, Rae. I’m sure he’s fine,” Dane tries to soothe me while we stand and clear our table. I cling to Kellan’s coffee cup that’s already gone cold.
“He should’ve been here a long time ago. Did he get caught?”
Dane shrugs. “Maybe he and Mrs. Callahan are still fucking.”
I smack his arm. “Don’t even joke about that. He wouldn’t—” My words cut off when I catch the smirk on Jack’s face. I rush over to him and tug at his sleeve. “Do you know something, Jack? He isn’t banging the teacher, is he?”
He pushes the hair in my face behind my ear, his smirk growing wider. “Why do you ask? Would that bother you, little one?”
“Yes! I mean…because it’s a teacher and…does that mean he is?”
Jackson chuckles. “Right. Only because it’s a teacher.” His blue eyes twinkle mischievously, but I don’t bite. That is the only reason I’m concerned.
One hundred percent.
Maybe more like ninety…or seventy. Whatever!
“Do you want me to check on him?” he asks, canting his head to the side to watch my reaction while waiting for my answer.
“I’ll find him and make sure he’s okay,” Aiden cuts in, snapping the book closed and passing it to Jack with a nod.
Jackson sneaks the books out of one of the teacher’s rooms one at a time, returning the previous one after Aiden’s finished with it. The books in our library are about things we’ll never find useful. Like learning about weather and mitochondria.
