“Oh,” I sighed.
“What? Don’t you like him,” Sawyer asked, stopping in front of me in the hall. She was causing a traffic jam as students had to maneuver around us.
“Sure, he’s really nice. But, right now I’m not interested in dating anyone. I’m still trying to figure out my place here,” I admitted, only half lying.
If I were being honest with myself, there was only one guy who captivated all of my attention, but I was more than certain that he didn’t think of me the way I thought about him. At least, I didn’t think so.
Just then, Ace made his way toward us and my eyes found themselves glued to his every move. He was like a magnet that drew me to him. No amount of will power would change that. Even the girls who acted afraid of Ace and Maylee, couldn’t stop watching him saunter through the halls.
Sawyer saw that my attention was drawn elsewhere and she, too, turned and saw Ace making his way toward us. A sly smile grew on her perfectly glossed lips and I hated how she gave me a knowing look.
“Maybe you just aren’t interested in Kade,” she said, before turning and leaving me standing in the center of the hall.
As Ace approached, I noticed mouths falling open all around me as my fellow classmates stared at us like we were a circus freak show.
“I need to tell you something,” Ace said, his voice dark and mysterious.
“Ok,” I barely managed to say. I hated having all eyes on us.
Leaning in, Ace’s lips were dangerously close to my ears. I could feel his warm breaths tickling my skin as he spoke. “There was another Demon sighting early this morning near the Chrisman Mill Cemetery.”
I shuddered and I wasn’t sure if the reaction came from his proximity to me or the message. Either way, I was filled with a strange mix of emotions.
“Was anyone hurt?” I asked, my voice barely audible.
Ace shook his head, giving me my answer.
“Well, we can talk more later. Am I still training?” I asked.
“Yes, I will pick you up at your house. I think we should go out to High Bridge and Camp Nelson tonight,” Ace said, then walked away as though the conversation never took place.
I headed off to class with my head buzzing.
By lunch, the whispers and stares were about to drive me crazy.
Sitting down at a table in the back of the large cafeteria, I took a moment to catch my breath.
Sawyer plopped down beside me, startling me as I was lost in my own thoughts.
“So, the whole school is talking about you and Ace,” she said, arching her brows mischievously at me.
I could feel my cheeks heating from embarrassment.
“Why would anyone care?” I asked, my tone way too defensive.
“Why would anyone care about what?” Garett asked, sitting down and wrapping his arm around Sawyer.
Apparently, they were a couple now. I felt like a bad friend not knowing everything going on with her right now.
“Nothing,” I said, shaking my head as I pulled my turkey wrap out of my bag.
Sawyer wasn’t about to back down now. “I was just telling Lizzie that everyone is talking about her and Ace,” she stated proudly.
Rolling my eyes, I watched as Garett took a massive bite of pizza before he placed his opinion on the matter. “Oh yeah,” he began through a mouthful of crust. “I’ve heard about that all day.”
Fed up, I slammed my hands down on the table. “Alright, just tell me what everyone is saying,” I demanded.
I was hoping my outburst would have deterred them; but to my dismay, it just seemed to amuse them more.
A spark was lit inside of Sawyer and that familiar twinkle shined as she began to gush the gossip. “Well, first of all, no one can believe that you were talking to Ace. Everyone knows that Ace and Maylee Creed stick to themselves. Their whole family hides away and never talks to the rest of us. I mean, I don’t believe the stories that they are zombies or Ghosts, something like that, but I’ve never seen them talk to anyone at school before.”
As I sat there listening to her spin the tales going around the school, I couldn’t help but notice the mindless stares from everyone around me. Their hushed whispers seemed to echo all around me.
I knew Ace was an enigma at this school, but now that made me just as much of a mystery as he was. I hated the attention.
“Yeah, everyone just wants to know why they decided to talk to you,” Garrett states.
Shrugging my shoulders, I look down and place my hands in my lap. My appetite is long gone now.
“I met them when I first moved here. Maylee is my friend and Ace is…” I'm unsure of how to finish my thought.
How do I explain the mystery of Ace? I can’t very well just say, hey he’s a Crow Shifter who protects our town from Demons. And, by the way, Demons are back because my great aunt decided to hide the necklace that can save all of us.
I doubt that would go over very well.
They both just nod.
Once lunch is over, we all scatter to the rest of our classes and I spend the rest of the afternoon ignoring the stares.
Later that evening, Ace met me at my house.
With my mom watching on with a big, cheesy grin, Ace and I took off for Crow Haven.
I knew my mom thought Ace and I were just hanging out or going to the movie. She knew enough right now, but I still wasn’t ready to tell her about the Demon. I just needed this one thing to be mine. To not live in the shadows of my mother.
“What’s on your mind?” Ace asked, as we were stretching on the mats.
I had been silent since we arrived at Crow Haven. Now in the workout facility in the basement, I hadn’t spoken a word until now.
“It’s nothing important,” I said, shaking my head.
“If it has you silent, then it’s something,” he said, causing a smile to form on my face.
“It’s just that everyone at school is talking about us. About how you and I talked at school. Plus, I still haven’t told my mom and dad about the Demon,” I admitted.
Ace narrowed his dark eyes at me like he was in deep thought. “You can’t let what people in this town say about you, get inside of your head. They are all intrigued by us. I know they have their own theories about what makes us different, but I’ve never allowed it to bother me. And, you shouldn’t either. As for your mom, you need to tell her. She’s a Mediator, Lizzie. I’m sure she already knows,” he finished.
He was right--about everything. Especially, about my mom. As much as I wanted to have my own secrets, I was sure she already knew. I would tell her, eventually, I conceded.
“I will talk to my mom tomorrow,” I agreed.
“Good, now let’s start training,” Ace ordered, jumping up and starting to bounce from one foot to another, like he was an MMA fighter in the cage.
I stood up, giggling at his antics. I placed my feet apart like he had shown me and readed myself for whatever he threw at me.
“What now?” I asked.
“We need to practice having you strike. You won’t really hurt or destroy a Demon, but you can injure and throw them off long enough to get away,” he added.
My stomach dropped as he spoke. It never occured to me that I couldn’t destroy the Demons. They could easily kill me. End my life forever.