29. Atticus
Chapter twenty-nine
My body relaxes when my body slips into the veil to listen for secrets and all the whispers to greet my ears. I like it more in the veil than in the ordinary world. Here, everything is simple, and I understand it along with my purpose. It almost feels like all the fucked up feelings the real world leaves you as you pull yourself into the plane that exists in the outer part of this world. Everything gets dulled here, which causes a sigh of relief to leave my lips in relief from the feeling. Today, as I enter, the whispers say only one name. Salem . Something pulls me towards the hub. Despite the veil watering down my feelings, my heart speeds up with thoughts of seeing her. Somehow, Salem causes me excitement. This week has been rather dull without her on campus to watch. It made me feel terrible about my stalking skills not being able to find her in this realm. I can’t help but wonder where she has been. Maybe she was out of range, where my ability doesn’t work. It’s not as if I can walk up and ask her.
My mission for Gage has kept me occupied as I have been hunting for Leo. Gage has me on edge. When I told him what I heard at his parent’s house, he seemed somehow different from the person I know. He seems to have mentally and physically pushed himself past normal this week. Gage hasn’t been sleeping. It was written over his face, unable to stop the dark circles under his eyes. When he isn’t in class, he is out looking for Leo. We all are looking for him, but where do you go to find someone you haven’t seen in years?
I’ve mostly been watching from his parents’ house. I am listening to see if they have heard anything or if he will end up going back. So far, it’s led me down a path with more questions than answers. Gage claims that his family says everything is business as usual when he calls. Yet, they are scrambling. Last night, a team of men arrived with dogs. When they left, they said, “The dogs will be ready in three days.”
From the looks of Gage, I don’t know if he can handle half-truths. It’s not a lie if I can’t get the whole story. They keep giving me crumbs and nuggets of truth. His parents are careful, though. I can only gather so much from their comings and goings. The dark circles under Gage’s eyes tell me to hold back until I have the entire picture. Tonight, I will tell him about the dogs and the men. I have to give him something to keep him from going off on the deep end. We are all supposed to meet after classes to discuss the plan, and I want him to focus on his studies today. Maybe it will give him a few hours of normalcy before his world further implodes.
As I reach the hub, I watch the excitement fill the air. The crowd is hoping for a fight, and if it’s trouble for Salem, Lulu is behind it. Lulu’s obsession with her sister is almost unhinged. Something isn’t right with Lulu, and I’ve thought about it for a long time. The way she likes to touch anyone that is around her makes my skin crawl. Men seem to obsess over her. I stay off her radar since I am only out of the veil for class and meetings with the guys, so thankfully, I have had no run-ins with her.
The name Blackthorne is being murmured throughout the place. That gets my attention since the Prince of Sloth has been making waves. I am shocked when I see him standing beside Salem, smiling at her like she is precious. Oh, please tell me she isn’t dating Constantine Blackthorne.
Whose eyes lock on mine as soon as I think of his name. Constantine raises one eyebrow at me. He points his finger upwards in front of his eye and then towards me, sending one of his shadows popping into the veil before me. Watch yourself, incubus. The dark shadow sneers at me.
I fly backward, falling to the ground. He throws his head back and laughs before winking at me as he loops his arm around Salem’s, ushering her into the cafeteria. Constantine’s radar is one that I don’t want to be on. As I push myself upwards, my eye catches on one of the colorful posters. My head tilts as I realize the words have changed from the ones that have yet to leave the walls. I pluck it into the veil, wanting to read and touch the words. As they absorb, the world becomes heavy. He is her fucking father!
I’ve heard rumors about her being a Blackthorne bastard. That causes some things to click into place with that nugget of information. I don’t want to be this close to one of the Seven Deadly Sins, so I fly off and find Knox. As I think about him, I am pulled to where he is. There are some people you are so in tune with that you don’t have to try hard to find them. Knox is one of these people.
Knox sits at one of the cement picnic tables. When I reach him, I sit beside him before I pull myself out of the veil. Knox jumps slightly at my sudden presence. “You know I hate it when you do that shit!”
I hold my hands up in surrender. “Had to make a quick getaway because I think I just got put on Constantine Blackthorne’s shit list. I about shit a puppy, man.”
He raises a dark eyebrow at me like I am full of shit. “How the hell did you get on his shitlist? Or better yet, even on his radar?” He shakes his head like it isn’t in the realm of possibilities.
“Because some major developments were just happening in the hub right now. His arm looped around Salem. His eyes locked on me in the veil as soon as I thought about his name. He sent a shadow in to tell me to watch myself.”
Knox growls. “What the fuck does he want with Salem?”
I hand him the paper I grabbed off the floor. His eyes widen slightly when he reads the words, yet I want to add what I learned. “Salem is his daughter. People said she was a Blackthorne bastard, but Constantine didn’t appear to want her to be a bastard. Salem Blackthorne. The man wouldn’t have shown up if she wasn’t something important to him.” I shake my head.
“Well, I didn’t see that coming. That complicates things a bit for me...” He huffs out, then shrugs. “…yet, it will change nothing.”
“You lost me.” Why does she matter to Knox? He has seemed odd ever since he got to campus. I wrote it off as not wanting to be here—that he just wanted to be back at Hell’s Gate or, better yet, the Underworld. I don’t push him because he always tells me things when he is ready. Either that or it works itself out.
Knox glared at me and looked around us to ensure nobody was nearby. “Swear to me you won’t say a word. This has to remain quiet.”
My brows furrow as I question what he is about to tell me. Knox is my brother, maybe not by blood, but he is my family. “I will never say a word.”
“She is my mate.” Ouch, that stings, and I have to fight to keep my face neutral. The weight of the words has me looking down at my hands before I look back at him. How can my obsession be my best friend’s mate? It didn’t seem fair. The universe seemed like it was pulling me towards her.
“Why haven’t you claimed her by now? What the hell are you waiting for? Isn’t it killing you?” I don’t think I am playing this cool, but my anxiety is high. My shell around my emotions hadn’t let it out, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t help because it was leaking from my mouth. Keep it cool.
“Of course, it’s killing me. She might not feel it in human form. I don’t know what she is. So, I need this to happen naturally. I wouldn’t know her name if it weren’t for Gage. It’s destiny; if you try to force it, it usually blows up in your face.”
“So, only you and I know?” It feels like my throat is constricting on itself. I feel like the world’s shittiest friend since I lust after her. Watching her calms me in a way I didn’t know I needed. Knox is more important to me, but that didn’t mean I could shut off what I had been feeling. She doesn’t even know my name, at least. This is going to be awkward.
“Yes, and it stays that way.” He doesn’t say it is threatening, but that’s what it is: a threat. I don’t even hear Gage approaching.
“What’s staying that way?” He questions, sweaty from class. A towel is around his neck to help his sweating.
“Your ass-kicker. Daddy is terrifying. Pretty sure I am staying out of the veil for a while.” I said with a shiver, and I mean that. Damn, I didn’t need him coming for me in my dreams.
“Salem? She is back?” He looks around like she is going to pop out any second.
“Yep, it’s Salem Blackthorne. Constantine Blackthorne’s daughter.” Gage’s eyes go wide. He is fun to fuck with, but the shock factor is the best. At least it distracts me from this feeling sinking inside me.