chapter Five
I FOLLOWED LANA UP the stairs to her room. “I really need to bathe,” I said, sniffing her tank. “I’m pretty ripe.”
Lana glanced over her shoulder as she opened the door. “Yeah, but it’s totally worth it. You got Jace good today.”
I beamed. Even if I had won by an “unfair advantage” according to Jace, I was stoked.
Lana pulled the chain next to her bed, and the gas lamps brightened, slowly revealing her black walls and chrome furniture. She had very eclectic taste. I loved her room. I spent more time here than I did in my own house.
I fell against her soft down comforter, burying my face in the cool material. I wanted to enjoy the feel of everything around me as much as I could. In a couple of days, my birthday would be here, and I had no idea how long I’d go through the change. Fear crept over me, tugging at my high mood, but I pushed it away. I reveled in my victory for a moment longer before prying myself from the luxury of her bed, and headed toward the shower.
I turned the dial, and water flowed out in a wide spray from the copper fixture. I quickly tossed Lana’s clothes in the basket beside the claw-foot tub and climbed into the warmth. It was like being under a small waterfall. Another reason why I loved her house. I ran my hands through my hair, un-kinking the tangles as I lathered the liquid soap. My mind drifted, and Reese’s glowing red eyes stared at me from the backs of my lids.
My eyes shot open. I spun the dial on the tiled wall, shutting off the water, and stepped out of the tub. I closed the curtain behind me and slipped into Lana’s bathrobe. I began towel drying my hair, but paused, straining to hear the voices coming from Lana’s room.
Cracking the door, I peeked out to see Jace and Nick sitting on the floor. “What’s up?” I asked, pushing the door all the way open.
Jace glanced up, his eyes scanning my robe before he quickly looked away. “We’re talking about what to—”
“Do for your birthday!” Lana interrupted and squealed.
“Lana!” Nick scolded. “You weren’t supposed to say anything yet.” He shook his head.
My eyes grew wide. “But it’s not my birthday.” I walked across the room and grabbed my bag.
Jace cleared his throat. “Yeah, but you’ll be kind of busy on that day. So we figured tonight would be a good night to celebrate.”
“Thanks. But, I didn’t really bring anything celebrate-y to wear.” I frowned.
“Whatever,” Lana said. “You can borrow something of mine.” She bobbed her head toward her closet.
“Oh, right.” I hooked my arm through my bag. “Because I just loved my barely there ensemble earlier.”
“Jace,” Lana whined. “Tell her she looked good. You know she did.”
Jace bowed his head, pressing his lips into a hard line. I felt my face flush and headed back toward the bathroom to change into my clothes from that morning. But Lana stood and blocked my retreat.
“No,” she said, cupping my shoulders and spinning me around. “I’ll pick something out. I promise it won’t be like those little shorts. That’s just all I had with me.” She guided me to her closet.
She picked out a pair of dark brown leather pants—which I didn’t mind—and a pale pink and cream lace corset. I swear, the girl owned every corset ever made. It was the style, but she loved them more than anything. This one wasn’t as short as her others, so I didn’t argue and went to the bathroom to change.
After I was dressed, I ran my fingers through my damp hair and added some of Lana’s makeup—rimming my eyes with kohl and smearing gloss across my lips. I was relieved to see the hickey had faded and I didn’t have to cover it. Being Kythan had its advantages, I thought, as I shrugged in the mirror. I actually looked pretty good.
When I emerged, they were discussing where to go. “I think we should go to Cogs,” Lana said.
Nick craned an eyebrow. “Are you mad? You know those Narcos will be there looking for trouble. You just want to see your boyfriend.”
“So,” she said. “We can ignore them. I told Devon we’d be there.” She pouted, pursing her lips. I honestly felt bad for her. Then something hit me.
At the Chowhound, Jace had made a comment that didn’t resonate with me until now. I waved my hand, gaining their attention. “Jace, you said before that you thought the Narcos wanted to try and harness our power for their own use.”
He furrowed his eyebrows. “Yeah? What are you getting at?”
“Cogs.” I sat down beside him. “They’re hanging out at Cogs.” I opened my eyes wide.
“Crap,” he breathed.
“Exactly.” I looked over to Lana and Nick. “Devon infuses crystals with Charge. Like the one on the hilt of my Charge Dagger. They aren’t displayed where everyone can see them, but I’m sure the Narcos will become curious after a while, wondering how he’s able to distort the sound of instruments and the light show.”
Nick cursed. “We can’t let them find out. We have to warn Devon.”
Lana grabbed her data communicator. “I’ll give him a heads up before he opens the club. But we should be there diverting their attention so they don’t figure anything out.”
I looked over to Jace. His eyes were unfocused, as if his thoughts were far away. “What are you thinking?” I asked him.
He shook his head once, lightly. “That they might have already figured out something. That maybe that’s why they were so intent on going back to the club.”
“Naw,” Nick said. “I think that Narco really just wanted to push your button, man. He saw how you were about D—”
“Right,” Jace said, giving him a stern look. “They probably haven’t put it together yet. But Dez and Lana are right. We have to keep them from snooping around the club.” He jumped to his feet. “Looks like we’re partying at Cogs.”
Lana bounced up, pulling me with her. “Well, if we’re going to be a diversion, we’ll need better outfits.”
I glanced at Lana as we walked toward the entrance of Cogs. “Still have my fake ID on you?”
She nodded, but then tilted her head. “Why?”
“Think I might get wasted for the first time ever tonight.” I shrugged. “That’s something to celebrate at least, right?”
She cocked an eyebrow. “Am I hearing birthday sarcasm?” She waved her hand through the air dismissively. “Dez, we’re all scared about the change. But try and have fun tonight. For me?” She batted her eyes.
I mock laughed. “Yup, with trying to divert Narcos and an impending change that’ll have me locked up for a while.” I tugged one of her pink dreads. “Sure. Let’s party.”
As we stepped inside the club, Devon looked up from tuning his guitar and waved. He was setting up the stage with the rest of the members of Current. Lana took the lead, and we followed her over.
“Did you get my data message?” she asked Devon, flashing a sweet smile.
He looked down at her from the two-foot high stage and smiled back. “Yeah, I did.” He adjusted his goggles, positioning them above the rim of his top hat. Tiny wisps of his blond hair feathered underneath. Then he jumped off the stage. “That’s some pretty serious stuff—Narcos looking for ways to use our power. And here we thought they just loved our company.”
Jace sidled up beside me and scoffed. “I think soon they’ll be more interested in certain company.” He eyed my outfit.
“What?” I crossed my arms. “This is all your sister. Blame her.” Lana had dressed me in a dark chocolate mini-bustle skirt and black corset. The bustle ruffles cascaded in back, barely reaching the top of my thigh-high boots. I’d pleaded to wear anything else, but she’d insisted it was my birthday “party wear” and the best choice for tonight’s mission.
I felt uncomfortable, but that was just me. This was a casual outfit for girls every day. I simply preferred my leather breeches. You couldn’t spar in a skirt. Well, you could, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
Jace’s eyes scanned over me again, his eyebrows knit in an expression I couldn’t figure out. Then he turned to follow Devon toward the bar and said under his breath, “I’m going to die tonight.”
Devon led us behind the bar. He pulled back the black curtain along the wall, revealing a hidden door. We stepped through and my mouth fell open. “Wow.”
Clocks and pipes decorated the walls, with pistons and gears randomly strewn about. On the table near the back, quartz and crystal were laid out. It looked like a mad scientist’s lab.
Devon pointed above our heads. I looked up to see three large crystals, a blue electric current jumping around inside them. “That’s how I power the stage instruments and the lights.” He pushed a button and two of the wall gears, one giant wheel and a smaller one with deep cogs, began turning. A pneumatic pipe pumped behind me, venting steam as a grinding noise scratched at my ears. A fake ceiling, slowly moving sideways, covered the crystals—hiding them away.
Devon looked around. “Shouldn’t be a problem to keep most of it hidden from the Narcos.”
I nodded. “Agreed.” I glanced over to Jace. He was handling one of the dormant crystals.
“Hey, Devon,” he said. “Will you show me how you infuse these?”
“Sure. I learned it from my professor at the Academy a couple years ago.” Devon picked up a crystal. “He’s also the one that taught me how to make some stuff on the down-low.” Devon wasn’t into sparring like us, but he loved how things worked. He made our weapons, and figured out new ways to incorporate Charge into them. He glanced over to Jace. “You said the Narcos are going to the Academy this year?”
Jace nodded once. “Yeah. This just keeps getting thicker.”
Everybody was quiet for a long moment. Then I spun around and left the room. I hoped Jace’s theory on why the Narcos were here was wrong. It was going to be nearly impossible to keep them from discovering how to use our power. But if that were the case, wouldn’t our Council already have realized this? I shook my head.
Nick was seated at the bar, helping himself to free beer. I scowled at him, then shrugged. “Give me one of those.”
He popped the cork on one of the dark glass bottles and slid it down the bar. I took a long pull. Tonight was going to be crazy, and my nerves were a mess. Happy birthday to me.
Devon opened the club, and the crowd waiting in line outside filed through the door. Current was on stage, already performing at full tilt. I motioned to Lana, jerking my head toward the bar. The music was deafening, but tonight there were no beat-matching lights, just the low-hung gas lamps. A loud note erupted, and steam spiraled from the pipes underneath the stage, making the club feel dark and eerie.
Lana and I made our way through the mist, and I sat down next to Jace at the bar. He looked me over, giving an appraising scan before furrowing his brow. He hadn’t spoken to me since we first got here.
The bartender checked my ID, and I ordered a Clockwork Tangerine. “Two actually,” I corrected, noticing Lana’s pouting lips.
“Rum?” Jace turned toward me, eyes wide. “Oh, hell no.” He shook his head. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Ordering a drink. What does it look like?” I slipped my ID between my inner thigh and boot. Jace’s hand trailed mine and confiscated the ID, causing my stomach to flip violently as his fingers brushed my skin. “Hey! What are you doing?”
“Taking your ID. You can’t drink.”
I scowled at him. “And you can?”
“Yes.”
I huffed. “That’s sexist! How come you get to drink when you’re all upset and I don’t?”
He stared into my eyes, a desperate look on his face. “You’re upset?”
“You’re not the only one who’s freaked about the Narco situation,” I said, accepting my drink from the bartender. “I don’t like it any more than you do. But I know whining about it won’t change a thing. I just want to try and have fun at my birthday celebration.” I took a sip and nearly choked.
Jace screwed up his face. “Give me that.” He attempted to snatch my drink. I turned, sloshing a bit from the glass but keeping it in my hands.
“No,” I drawled. “And you never answered me. How come you can drink and I can’t?”
He released a heavy sigh. I barely heard it over the music. “Because, no one tries to take advantage of me if I get drunk. I’m not a hot chick that has to worry about some guy trying to get into my pants.” He looked me up and down. “Or my bustle.”
I stretched my eyes wide, amused. “So, I’m a hot chick?” I smiled. “And you’d probably look pretty cute in a bustle.”
He opened his mouth, then shut it. “Did you miss the point of that sentence?”
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever, Jace. If I get a little messed up, I’m sure you’ll watch my back. Right?”
Lana fanned her hand between us. “Chill, guys. We’re trying to enjoy ourselves, remember? God, you’d think with the drama between you two you were dating.” She gulped her drink down in three long chugs while Jace and I glared at each other. Then she rushed me to finish mine, herding me toward the dance floor.
I glanced back once to see Jace staring after me. He looked like a kicked puppy. I’d have to try to force him to have a good time. At least for the time being, before…if the Narcos showed up.
Lana giggled next to me, putting her hands above her head and flinging her long waves of blond. She was the hottest girl on the dance floor. With her tight leather pants and short mini-corset, she was the one Jace would be guy-deflecting for. It wasn’t that I wasn’t pretty. I mean, I’m okay. But she had a presence about her—playful—that just attracted guys like a magnet.
I laughed as she danced up beside me, wrapping her arms on either side of my hips. She’d soon make every guy in the place have a heart attack. I watched us in the mirror for a moment. In the reflection, I saw Nick getting his own action with a tiny blond girl half his size. The effects of the drink were making me giddy, and I couldn’t stop laughing at the sight of him trying to squat low to dance with her.
I spun around and noticed Jace still at the bar, watching me. My heart sank. No matter how we were acting toward one another tonight, he’d been one of my best friends my whole life. I waved to Lana, and she shrugged as I bounced off the floor.
Jace whirled and faced the bar. He took a swig of his beer. “You’re drunk already, huh? Girls. You’re such lightweights.”
“No,” I said, stretching the word out. “I’m just happy. Come on.” I tugged on his arm. “Let’s go dance. It’ll make you feel better.”
He drew his arm back, bringing me with it. “I’m perfectly happy getting my drink on right here. Go back to Lana before she gets mauled.”
I glanced at the dance floor to see that, sure enough, two guys had sandwiched her. I laughed. “Please,” I begged, giving Jace my best puppy dog pout. “It’s my birthday…sorta.”
He hung his head. “Fine.” He finished his beer and set the empty bottle on the bar. “But only so I can keep an eye on your drunk asses.”
Walking Jace toward the dance floor, I grabbed his hand and laced my fingers through his, ignoring the urge to release his hand immediately. I’ve danced with him before, I told myself. It’s no big. But when he slid his hands along my waist and cupped my hips, my chest fluttered wildly. A small pain ached in my chest, and I pressed my hand over my heart, urging it to calm.
Trying to hide my unease, I twirled and danced with my back to him. His hands lingered on my hips as he inched closer to me. I bit down on my bottom lip. Dancing with Jace felt too strange—foreign, as if he was suddenly someone who had never touched me before.
I caught Lana watching us and gave her a weak smile. She waggled her eyebrows and grinned as she hooked her arms around one of the man-breads. I’d kill her later for making my stomach lurch. How could she joke about this? Jace was her brother—practically mine.
My thoughts drifted away from executing her as Jace’s arms slid around my midsection, holding me tighter and bringing me closer to him. I had to close my eyes so I wouldn’t see Lana’s reaction. The music changed, switching to a slower beat, and Jace rested his chin on my shoulder. I laid my arms over his and swayed, nearly motionless, as steam swirled around us. Just for a moment, I tried to envision Jace as someone other than my best friend.
As I became comfortable in his arms, he turned me around to face him. I finally opened my eyes, and he stared at me so intensely my breath caught. We stayed looking into each other’s eyes—my arms wrapped around his neck, his arms locked around my waist—for what felt like an eternity. Then he cupped the back of my neck, his thumb resting against my cheek. My lips parted as he guided my face toward his. I closed my eyes in anticipation. But at the last second, he brought me cheek-to-cheek. “I’m going back to the bar,” he said into my ear. “Happy birthday, Rug Rat.”
My heart plummeted into my stomach. But I recovered quickly and nodded, averting my eyes from his as he backed away. A brief, pained expression washed over his features, but it was quickly replaced with a simple smile. Then he headed off the dance floor.
I’m an idiot. What am I doing? Was I really crushing on Jace? Ridiculous. I scolded myself as I weaved through the crowd toward Lana.
Her eyebrows furrowed into the middle of her forehead, but my expression must have said “not now” because she just wrapped her arms around me and began dancing.
I was finally enjoying myself, laughing with Lana as Nick attempted a dance move that involved jumping over his leg and falling on his backside. I felt flush, so I stepped off the floor and moved away from the steam pipes. As I leaned against the wall, I spotted Reese walking in from the side entrance. My insides knotted. But instead of turning around and avoiding him like I’d done the night before, this time, I met his challenging gaze.
His eyes widened, flashing an intense red glow as they traced me. His lips curled into a grin, and he headed straight for me.