Chapter 4
Sly
Iwatched all four of them eat their meal, laughing and talking. I wanted to walk up and introduce myself, but now wasn’t the time. It would happen soon, but timing was everything.
The very first day at Emberhold, I’d seen Adalaide walking across the quad, and I’d stood frozen in shock.
It wasn’t just her beauty that drew me in.
She had an aura about her that drew the eyes of everyone in her sphere.
Touch was usually required to affirm you were a Potential.
It wasn’t necessary in my case; I knew she was meant to be my Nexus.
There wasn’t a single doubt in my mind.
"Hello… can you hear me?” Randell waved his hand in front of my face. “Is the air too thin way up there? Are you in danger of passing out?”
Randell was a close friend I’d known since grade school. He was a smooth talker with high hopes of gaining a seat on the Council. With his looks and confidence, I believed he had a good shot at achieving it.
“Sorry, what were you saying?” I ran a hand through my hair. My angel could distract me from anything and everything going on around me.
“Apparently, nothing that interests you.” He smiled, not offended in the least at my lack of attention. “It would be hard to compete with Adelaide Hawthorne.” He stared in her direction, “She’s absolutely gorgeous.”
I slowly turned my head to look at him.
“Whoa…big guy, what did I say wrong?” Randell held out his hands in defense.
“Are you interested in her?” I scowled. I had to accept Potentials, but I knew Randell had two of his own. He was probably Nexus, so he shouldn’t be looking at mine.
“No!” Randell said nervously, “I was just stating a fact.”
“Have you told anyone?” I narrowed my eyes.
“Told anyone what?” He questioned, “I just noticed that you were staring in her direction. Is there something to tell?”
“There’s nothing to tell. I was zoned out thinking about the game this weekend, and I happened to be looking in that direction.” I stared into his eyes, daring him to disagree with me.
It turned out that Randell was as intelligent as I always thought he was.
"That makes sense—nothing's happening with Adelaide," he said as he stood and collected his trash. "About the game, we should head inside now. Practice begins in a few minutes.”
I nodded my head. I knew he was humoring me; I had to get better at hiding my fascination with Adelaide... at least until I was ready to stake my claim.
“Hey, Sly, are you coming?” Randell called as he threw away the wrapping for his burger and headed to practice.
“Yes, just give me a minute.” I wanted just a little more time. I was watching the actual forming of my Faction, and that was more important to me than anything else. With Randell gone, I could stare to my heart’s content.
“Okay, man, but you know Coach doesn’t appreciate tardiness,” Randell yelled as he jogged off.
I knew he was right, but at that moment, I didn’t care. I’d only joined the team because the coach wouldn’t leave me alone. He’d started recruiting me before I’d even set foot in Emberhold Academy. I didn’t think being late to one practice was going to get me kicked off the team.
Adelaide looked astounded by something Rue said.
Knowing him, it could be anything. He wasn’t very good at social interactions, but that might be the only thing he struggled with.
The guy was a genius and had been watching my angel for quite some time.
I hadn’t interfered because he was sought after by every family that thought their child might be Nexus.
He would be the perfect addition to the Faction I was hoping to build with Adelaide.
It didn’t surprise me that he saw the greatness in her, just like I did.
Now the twins were a different breed than Rue.
I didn’t know how they met her. It must have been recently, because I’d never seen them around her before today.
They were both popular among their peers.
I’m sure their good looks had a lot to do with that.
Jesse and John were much sought after by all the Aurathions on campus.
Jesse was somewhat of a womanizer, but John was more selective about who he spent time with. Jesse was outgoing, while John appeared to be much more of an introvert. Both men were incredibly smart; I thought of them as the Yin-Yang twins in my mind.
They were both suitable matches for Adelaide.
If they hadn’t been, I would put a stop to this ASAP, Potentials or not. My angel's safety came first, and no subpar Aurathions were allowed to jeopardize that.
Their personal lives aside, I’d never heard a bad thing about either man. They were protective of each other, and that would carry over to anyone they cared about. John was brutally honest. Sometimes that pissed people off. I appreciated that in a man, so it wasn’t a deal breaker for me.
I tried to gather as much information as I could on all the Passives from our year and the year before, since I realized that Adelaide was mine.
I knew she would be collecting Passives for her Faction—whether she knew it or not—and I wanted to make sure that all her Potentials were worth considering.
I wished with all my heart to be by her side during all of this, but I wanted to tweak the situation before introducing myself.
I was a rough guy and didn’t want to scare her away before I could show how beautiful we would be together.
I had a lot to offer our Faction, and I wanted a chance to prove it.
I felt a hand caress my lower back. “Hey, babe, what are you doing just standing here staring into space?”
I winced, “Just going over some strategies we practiced yesterday.” Frowning down at her, I continued, “You know we’re not dating Selene, so I’d appreciate it if you dropped the ‘babe’ when you talk to me.”
Damn! Selene was the last person I needed to notice my fascination with Adelaide.
She was one crazy bitch and had been after me for years.
I had zero interest because I knew just how evil she was.
Other people may be fooled by her beauty, but I knew the outside didn’t always reflect what was inside.
We had absolutely no relationship at all, but she didn’t see it that way. I definitely wasn’t her “Babe”.
“My poor, grouchy Sly. You have too much on your plate; Kicking ass right and left out on the field. I could help you with all of that stress.” Selene purred as she tried to nestle up to my chest.
I stepped back quickly and shrugged my shoulders, feeling queasy. “No, I’m good. If I couldn’t handle it, then I’d quit. I'd better get to practice before coach blows a gasket.” Her touch literally made me sick.
She pouted playfully, “Well, if you change your mind, I can get rid of my roommate. Beatrice and I would be more than happy to help you relax.”
I shivered in revulsion at the thought, but she took it for want. That was one of the things I’d noticed when we’d first met. Selene only saw what she wanted to see. If she desired something or someone, she’d do whatever was needed to get it.
Selene giggled, “I see you like that idea. Just say when and I’ll make it happen.”
Much of her interest in me stemmed from the fame I’d gained because of my talent in the field. She enjoyed the idea of basking in my glory. Beatrice was fully on board; she did whatever Selene wanted her to, no questions asked.
“It’s never going to happen. I’ve got to run.” I left so fast that there should have been skid marks.
“See you soon!” I heard her yell, not concerned in the least with me making it clear I wasn’t interested.
The bitch was crazy, and her best friend was even worse. They were a big reason I hadn’t made my move on Adelaide yet. Her having a room with Selene was unfortunate for both of us. I couldn’t believe how shitty my luck was when I found out that little nugget of information.
I had no idea how to claim Adelaide without making her an even bigger target for Selene.
I knew she was more than capable of dealing with her.
.. as long as Selene fought fairly. But that was unlikely, and when you threw Beatrice into the mix, it scared me to death.
Each of them was a dangerous, scheming bitch, who I suspected might be responsible for more than one Passive disappearing.
Both of their families were above reproach… but there were rumors.
Anyone who had remained Passive and had no hope of finding a Faction was considered lower than trash to some Aurathions.
The shame of having these Passives as relatives was more than some could bear.
The families of both girls fell into this category.
Family members who were unfortunate enough to remain Passive seemed to take extended trips that they never returned from.
Selene and Beatrice were each dangerous in their own right…together, they were lethal.
As I headed toward the locker room to change my clothes, I knew that I had to resolve this sooner rather than later. The draw to Adelaide was beyond strong, and I was tired of resisting it.
The last sight of my Faction had them all laughing and eating. They were getting along like they’d known each other for years. Adelaide threw a grape at Jesse, and he caught it in his mouth.
I grinned. Soon… very soon I’d be right in the midst of them. Enjoying Adelaide’s beautiful smile while my head was in her lap and she was feeding me grapes.
Get ready, sweet angel. We’ll be together before you know it.