Kaiden frowned, staring at the woman whose face he can’t still see up until now but her ever smiling lips were grinning mischievously at him. “I don’t understand, how can my curse help you?”
“You can’t die, at least, not intentionally.”
“True, but I go through unbearable pain till I pass out any time I try to forcefully take my life.”
“Oh I know that,” Catherine chuckled, “which is why it is a perfect game. I can’t raise my army without the dumb humans.”
“Then just go there and take them, obviously, they are no match for you.” Kaiden said like it was something so simple to figure out and no rocket science was needed as he wondered how that is a good deal and how it would get him out of the cell and away from his younger brother.
“Oh don’t be faster than your shadow, Kaiden, I know that already. But for what I want, it’s not going to work if I go after them, I need to set up a scene for them. And that is where, you my dear, plays the biggest role. I want accidents, lots and lots of accidents. And you, Kaiden, will create them for me. You can’t die so you have nothing to lose if you jump in front of any vehicle and create a very spectacular show for me.”
“How is creating accidents for the humans going to help you?” Kaiden pondered.
“Oh, you don’t need to know that. During your own time, the rogues were your puppets, but for me, the humans are. When you create the accidents, I don’t just want casualties, I want deaths, lot and lots of deaths. Premature death, to be precise. So I will suggest going to a big arena, maybe their stadium, or their malls. Don’t kill suicidal patients, they are not worth it. Don’t kill from hospitals, their fates are already sealed. But the movies, the mall, the stadium, the amusement park, that would be perfect. And what’s more, there are always a bigger crowd there, don’t you think?”
Kaiden had been lost at what she had said earlier and so after some seconds of thinking, he looked up at her with a frown, “premature deaths, are you creating ghouls?”
“Bingo,” Catherine clapped her hand with a dark chuckle, “you are not so dumb after all. So, create accidents, send me the pained souls of our dear humans and I will make it worth your while. Do we have a deal?”
Kaiden glanced around him, for the past twenty-five years, his life had been hell. Edward had only come to see him once and that was to show him that his mate was perfectly fine and to gloat at his face that he won and he lost as usual. He could remember feeling so betrayed at that time, throughout the incidents, he had always felt happy that although Edward locked him up and took away his powers, he was still able to take away Mariah from him once more and only for him to find out that he had not succeeded. They had never paid him a visit again since then and he had to spend years in this dark cell, doing nothing but watching as Melissa and her sisters died, leaving him with the pungent smell of their corpses. Without thinking for long, Kaiden already knows his answer and so with a smile, he looked up at Catherine who chuckled and waved her hand.
***
“Naomi, wait up,” Justin called, running after her. He caught up with her and grabbed her hand, forcing her to stop. “Didn’t you hear me calling you?”
“What is it, Justin?” Naomi asked in a resigned tone.
“It’s been three days since you came back from God knows where you went and I have been trying to talk to you.”
“Exactly, Justin. Trying, you never actually talked.”
“You know it’s because of Stacy, she…”
“And just what I knew you were going to say,” Naomi interrupted. “Listen Justin, I know you are now tied to Stacy and I understand, perfectly. I want you to help your family too but I am really tired of you trying to get close to me and Stacy giving me the killer stares while it paints the picture to everyone that I just can’t get over you. It was one kiss, Justin, one kiss in the woods and it’s okay. Even though it was my first kiss, it’s okay, we were both drunk and I understand. But seriously, can you just stop this? My reputation is already bad enough and I can’t have you keep adding to it. So, can you please stop trying to talk to me? Can you start avoiding me like I am avoiding you? Please?”
Justin stared at her, he couldn’t believe what he just heard. He had always known that Naomi had a crush on him and it was why he was always confident in asking her to do things but now, it seemed like the shy Naomi had suddenly grew wings and can now air her mind? He ran his fingers through his blonde hair and bit his lip, his green eyes staring at her intently while trying to find that blush, that blush he knows she always wears when he looks at her. But to his utter dismay, it was not there and there was no sign that it even used to be there. It was like he was just a regular boy to her and only one face came to his mind. “This is because of Asher, right?”
Naomi was a little dazzled to hear him mention his name and for a while, she was too stunned to speak. Of course, it was because of Asher, who else? “I don’t understand.”
“What don’t you understand, there is no rocket science needed. It’s obvious that you are acting indifferent to me because of him.”
“Don’t try to paint this the wrong way, Justin, you are the one that can’t even defend me in the presence of Stacy.”
“Because of my dad’s contract, I told you that. I just need time to figure out how to handle it. You know I don’t like Stacy, you have always known that so I really don’t understand why you should be acting like this.”
Naomi stared at him in utter shock before scoffing. “Do you know the funny thing I just noticed, Justin? The fact that you want me to be satisfied with this very explanation of yours.”
“Of course,” Justin frowned. “I mean, you know I like you, I have tried to pass that message across these past days,” a tiny blush crept onto his cheeks and he cleared his throat. “Anyway, this Stacy thing is just temporal, just give me time and I will fix it. You don’t have to run into the arms of the next available guy.”
While Naomi would have been thrilled before to hear this from him, times have changed now and she was able to hear the selfishness in his words. “So let me get this straight, I am supposed to just stay in the shadows, waiting for you, taking the insult from Stacy and everyone else while you try to find a way to tell your father that you don’t like her?”
“Exactly,” Justin said stubbornly.
Naomi stared at him, “what if it takes years?”
“So? You have liked me for years, a little bit more wouldn’t hurt, I mean, now that you know that I like you too. It’s just a little bit of sacrifice till we are finally together.”
Naomi couldn’t believe her ears, could this really be the Justin she has been crushing on for years indeed? When did he become so unsensible? Oh wait, he has always been like that, she just never have any other option but just crush on him in the shadows while waiting for him to notice her back. “Did you even give a single thought about my own feelings? Like, how I am going to be feeling seeing you together and all that?”
“Like I said, it’s just a little sacrifice for us to be together. Listen, Naomi,” he picked her hands in his, “I am the best option for you. I mean, Asher? He doesn’t even care about you. Have you seen the guy’s face, you obviously not his type, you are too plain to be noticed by someone like him.”
Naomi couldn’t explain how it happened but it felt like her hand had grown feeling of its own and just smacked loudly against his face. She stood in shock and she could see the shock in Justin’s eyes too. In as much as what he said was insulting, Naomi knew she would never have slapped him, in fact, she didn’t even think about it so how could her brain had send the signal to her hand?
“That slap was very deserving,” a cold voice said and she turned around to see Asher walking up to them. His eyes were bloodlust and she could see it flickering between blue and black. He stood beside her, his arm draped on her shoulders as he looked down at Justin, being three inches taller. “It’s a shame she chose to slap you because if it was done by me, your head would have been rolling down the hallway by now.” While others may call his words bluff, Noami knew it was true judging by what she knows now. “So, why not swallow the rest of your pride and walk away with a warning from me, because the next time you insult my girlfriend as being plain, you won’t live to see another day.”
Even though Justin felt the threat and fear in his words, he stubbornly glanced at Naomi, “Naomi, I…”
“Out!” Asher yelled and the lights in hallway flickered for a second.
“Just go, Justin, please,” Naomi said and seeing that she couldn’t even look at him, Justin could only swallow his pride and while glaring at Asher, he stormed off. Asher and Naomi stood in the hallway for some seconds and when he didn’t say something, Naomi glanced up at him to see him clenching his teeth. It was no doubt he was angry, really angry. “Just now, my hand, did you do it?” she asked to get him to talk, maybe it would help in calming him down.
“It was obvious you weren’t planning to so I figured I should give you a hand,” he answered with gritted teeth before saying after some time, “let’s go, blood moon is tomorrow night.”
Without a word, Naomi followed him out silently, sensing him still seething in anger. As they walked out of the hallway, Gideon came out from behind the lockers, he had heard every discussion and for some reason, he decided he would be going to the Westwood for this year’s blood moon night.