Variant Lost (The Evelyn Maynard Trilogy Book 1) Page 19

  “Really?” I stepped back into his arms, and he wrapped me up in a tight hug.

  “Yes. It’s going to be an adjustment, but hey, what else is new? And like Ethan said, better Gabe than some random.”

  “Yeah, don’t go fusing any randoms to our Bond,” Ethan piped up before stepping forward and encircling us both in his big arms. “Group hug!”

  We all laughed, and the heavy weight in my chest lifted a little.

  After checking that the coast was clear, we left our hidey-hole and walked off campus to the café where Alec had gotten my latte. We took the morning off, having amazing coffees and then lunch, chatting about lighter things, before heading back for afternoon classes.

  As the three of us walked back to campus, I got a message from Dot asking where I was. I shot her a quick reply, telling her I was on my way back and would see her in our biology lecture, but as we came through the front gates of the Institute, she came marching up to us with an amused grin on her face.

  She was wearing black-and-silver boots that looked as if they were part of a video game character’s armor, and she’d paired them with a pinafore dress—with a massive matching bow in her hair—and a studded choker. She looked like a toddler assassin, and the look on my face was just as amused as hers. I was amused by her outfit; I had no idea why she was amused.

  “So, suddenly you’re a Variant and you’re dating my cousin. Someone’s been busy.” She nudged Ethan out of the way and matched our pace as we kept walking to class.

  “Dot, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. It’s just . . .” I had no idea how to end the sentence.

  “It’s all good. Gabe told me he would be meeting with you this morning to give you your test results, so I knew before you did. He wanted me to keep an eye on you once the news was out.” She giggled, and I laughed nervously along with her. It was better that she thought she found out before I did.

  “This one, however”—she turned around to glare at Ethan, who managed to look sheepish and satisfied with himself at the same time—“failed to mention he was boning my new friend.”

  “Look, it’s all kind of new and—wait. Boning? Um, that’s not . . .”

  Ethan’s booming voice drowned me out. “Your new friend? I saw her first Dot.”

  “Technically, Gabe saw her first,” Josh cut in.

  “Gabe doesn’t count, bro.” Ethan laughed, and the two of them started bickering as Dot looped her arm through mine and spoke in a more serious tone.

  “It’s all good, Eve. Considering his reputation, I can understand why you weren’t telling everyone you guys were seeing each other. And I can totally understand why you would want to go public with it now that the cat’s out of the bag about your DNA test.”

  “Yeah . . . wait. What?” The stuff about Ethan’s reputation made sense, but she’d lost me when she started sounding paranoid about my DNA test.

  “Yeah, the next few days might be a little . . .” She waved her hand in the air and gave me a pitying look, making me even more worried. “Most students start here at the beginning of semester, and everyone’s test results come out at once, resulting in a frenzy of information sharing and speculation, with no one person singled out. You arrived at the end of the year, so your results are going to be the talk of campus for a while. People are going to want to suss you out, so expect some extra attention. It’s why Gabe told me your results ahead of time. He was hoping it wouldn’t get out for a day or two, but he underestimated the power of gossip. Welcome to my world.”

  I groaned, hoping she was exaggerating, but even as we approached our lecture, I noticed more eyes on me than I’d ever been comfortable with. With a sinking feeling, it dawned on me that the people staring this morning when Ethan had tucked me under his arm weren’t interested only in our relationship—they were interested in my newfound status. I was no longer a Dime, and the whole student population knew it.

  That was exactly why Ethan had put on the affectionate boyfriend routine—to send the message I was already his. He had outed us before I’d even had a chance to express an opinion on the matter, without asking if I might have one. I was more than a little annoyed at him but decided to deal with one problem at a time. My sudden popularity was a more pressing issue.

  By the time I walked out of my last class for the day, I was already over it. Several people I’d never met before had come up to talk to me. Some of them came right out and said they’d heard about my test results and proceeded to tell me about their own abilities or lack thereof. Some of them just acted extra friendly, inviting me to hang out with them and asking if I would be attending some gala happening soon.

  All of them made a point of shaking my hand, and it didn’t take me long to figure out why. They were making skin contact to check if I was their Vital or Variant—to see if we were connected.

  The boys and Dot did their best to run interference, chatting to people who approached and trying to take some of the attention off me. I was grateful they were trying to shield me, but there was only so much they could do. Yes, these people had ulterior motives, but they weren’t technically doing anything wrong.

  Dot took it all in stride, but Ethan and Josh became more and more agitated as the afternoon wore on. Josh managed to cover it well, keeping a neutral, bored expression on his face, but the tick in his cheek was incessant. Ethan became visibly surly, his usually light and carefree demeanor disappearing behind a frown and crossed arms.

  None of my protectors had been in my last class, and I’d had to deal with the vultures on my own. My own arms were crossed over my chest and my head was turned down as I exited the lecture hall. If I avoided eye contact, maybe no one would have an excuse to start a conversation.

  I was wrong.

  “Eve, right?”

  The overly friendly male voice came from close by, and I groaned even as I looked up. Ethan, Josh, and Dot were standing together just a few feet away, but my view of them was blocked by a broad chest as a guy about my age stepped into my path.

  “Yeah, hi.” I wasn’t even trying to hide the disinterest in my voice.

  He chuckled. “Long day, huh?”

  In answer I just stared at him, waiting for him to get it over with. He had honey-blond hair and looked friendly enough, but I was not in the mood.

  “Look, I get it. I just want to introduce myself. I’m Rick, and this is my ability.”

  He held his hand out, just as I’d seen Ethan do many times, but instead of fire, what appeared between his fingers was electricity, sparking and darting around in a mesmerizing dance. My fatigue with all the unwanted attention warred with my fascination for unique abilities, and I couldn’t help a small, amused smile pulling at my lips as I watched the blue bolts moving in jerky movements between his fingers.

  My view of Rick’s ability was interrupted by a bright ball of fire shooting between us. Rick laughed and dropped his hand, the electricity disappearing, as I jumped, startled.

  Ethan stepped up behind me, wrapping a possessive arm over my front and pulling me against him.

  “Hey, Rick.” He sounded friendly, but I could hear a hint of tension in his voice. “I see you’ve met my girlfriend.”

  Josh and Dot joined us as Rick answered, still friendly and seemingly oblivious to Ethan’s hostility. “Hey, Kid. Yeah, I was just introducing myself.” He extended his hand.

  I shook it as quickly as I could and pulled my hand back, shrinking into Ethan’s warmth. I had been outraged he’d all but staked his claim on me this morning without discussing it with me, but after the afternoon I’d had, I was glad he’d done it. I shuddered to think how much worse my day would have been if I’d had to deal with things on my own.

  Of course I felt nothing when I touched Rick’s hand, and he wouldn’t have either. But apparently he was in the mood to stir some shit.

  “Hmm. That was quick. Not sure if I felt a little something or—”

  Ethan tensed, but before he could react, before Rick had even finished his sent
ence, Zara barreled into our little group, Beth hot on her heels.

  “Beat it. I need to talk to my friend.” She looked kind of mad, speaking over her shoulder to Rick.

  Beth kept throwing her furtive glances and only waved at me in hello. I waved back as Rick laughed.

  “Excuse me,” he said. “We were having a conversation.”

  “And now it’s over. I said leave, you overgrown toaster.”

  Dot chuckled, and Ethan’s big shoulders shook behind me as he tried to contain his own mirth.

  “God,” Rick said, “you’re such a bitch, Zara.”

  “Thank you.” She smiled at him; I was pretty sure she genuinely took it as a compliment.

  “Whatever. I have to go anyway. See you around, Eve.” Rick winked at me and walked off.

  Zara turned on me. “Why didn’t you tell us you were a Variant?”

  “Zara,” Beth soothed, “come on, I’m sure that—”

  “She only just found out, you psycho,” Dot interrupted. “She got her test results this morning.”

  Zara rounded on her. “Why are you even here, Dot? What, now that she’s officially a Variant, you think she’s yours? She might not even have an ability. Are you going to drop her as fast as you did me when you realize she’s not special?”

  “What? I didn’t drop you. You’re the one that stopped coming to things or answering my calls. Don’t put your identity crisis shit on me. Or Eve for that matter.”

  They were beginning to raise their voices, and I really didn’t want to give the Bradford Hills gossip mill more to talk about. In one day, I’d found out I had not two but three Variants in my Bond, been claimed by Ethan, and been accosted by half the student population. Now two of my three friends were about to have a public showdown over old grievances brought up by my current situation.

  As someone who had spent her whole childhood pretty much alone, I was not used to this level of attention.

  “Enough!” I yelled, stepping out of Ethan’s arms to look at them all. “I can’t handle this shit. I’m leaving. Alone. Can I get, like, two freaking seconds to process? I just . . . Dammit!”

  They all stared at me, stunned.

  Charlie chose that moment to walk up, oblivious to what was going on. “Hey. What have I missed?”

  “Where the hell have you been?” It didn’t seem fair that he’d managed to avoid all the drama of the day and was now standing there, casually unaffected by it all.

  “I’ve been in the library all day working on my thesis. What’s going on?”

  “Eve’s test results spread around campus like wildfire, and she’s been swatting people away like flies all day. Dot and Zara are finally having it out about why they stopped being friends, and Ethan and Eve are officially a couple,” Josh supplied helpfully, giving me an understanding look. I had no doubt he understood what I was feeling—he’d proven himself to be very good at it—and it must have been frustrating for him not to be able to do anything about it in public. Being reminded of another complication in my life only added to my foul mood.

  Charlie whistled low, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “A bit then.”

  “I’m leaving.” I didn’t wait for a response from anyone. I just walked off toward my res hall, trying to forget the day for just a few minutes and focus on the swaying branches of the trees lining the walkway, and the sound of the rustling leaves.

  Charlie caught up to me quickly, matching my pace in silence, giving me space. Which was exactly what I needed.

  “How much did you already know?” I asked once I was feeling a bit calmer.

  “I’ve known about your test results as long as Gabe. I do some work for Melior Group in their cyber division—it gives me access to certain . . . information.”

  He gave me a cheeky smile. The access he was talking about wasn’t, I suspected, entirely legal. I shook my head at him but smiled a little despite myself.

  “I suspected there was something between you and either Ethan or Josh, but that was only confirmed today.”

  “Yeah . . .” Ethan or Josh. I wanted so badly to tell him it was both, to have at least one thing off my chest, but I kept my mouth shut.

  We reached the front of my building, and he turned to face me. “The attention will die down as the novelty does, and Ethan’s overprotectiveness will go with it. Dot and Zara will sort their own shit out—that has nothing to do with you and has been a long time coming. And we’ll get you through all this new Variant stuff. Everything will be OK, Eve.”

  “Thanks, Charlie.” I gave him a hug. It was exactly what I needed—someone to cut through the shit and remind me that, as overwhelming as this felt now, it would pass.

  We said goodbye, and I headed upstairs, locking myself in my room for some much needed alone time.

  I went to bed feeling better about the situation but utterly exhausted and a little wary after the crazy day. I was not at all superstitious, putting all my faith in science, but a sense of foreboding still hung over my head as I lay on my bed, staring at nothing. My life at Bradford Hills was about to get more complicated.

  So much for focusing on my studies and having a few quiet years while I got my degree.

  Sixteen

  Ethan’s face was frozen in shock, his amber eyes wide, his hands out at his sides as if to steady himself. There wasn’t much he could do about his current situation though, floating as he was, eight feet off the ground in Josh’s bedroom.

  “Shit shit shit,” Josh muttered, his eyes as wide as Ethan’s. He held his arms out toward him, keeping him elevated with his telekinetic ability.

  I was standing off to the side with my lower back pressed against the couch, my hands over my mouth. I had done my part for this training session—I had identified the Light inside me, monitored the levels, and transferred a specific amount to Josh through our hands. All I could do now was stay out of the way.

  Tyler stepped up to Josh with slow, deliberate movements, but his posture was relaxed and confident. “It’s OK. You’ve got this, Josh.”

  “What?” Josh sounded much less calm. “It doesn’t feel like I’ve got it, Gabe!”

  “You do. You’re holding him up. He’s safe for now.”

  “What if I drop him?”

  “You won’t. You have enough Light, courtesy of our Vital.” He flashed me an affectionate smile, and I just stared back, wide eyed. “If you were straining or overusing your ability, Eve would have noticed. She’d be feeling a pull to you. Are you feeling a pull, Eve?”

  I dropped my hands to my throat to answer. “Nope! You’re doing great, Josh.”

  “See, you’re doing great.” Tyler gave Josh an easy smile, and I could see some of the tension in his back release. “Now, take a deep breath and focus.”

  Tyler encouraged and guided Josh until he gently and precisely lowered Ethan to his bed, unharmed, and we all breathed a massive sigh of relief. Josh rested his hands on his knees and took several deep breaths.

  Half my evenings and most of my weekends were now spent at the Zacarias mansion, training with Ethan and Josh. It was the safest place to do so without being discovered, but we still had to be careful. Dot and Charlie were close with the boys and spent a lot of time at the house, not to mention all the gardeners, cleaners, and other staff that were ever present.

  Josh’s ability appeared to be limited to items he could see, so we were able to close ourselves into a room and practice without fear of him accidentally floating one of the staff out of a window. It was a little more difficult to find time to train with Ethan. Tyler insisted we do it in the pool for safety reasons, but the only time there was no one around was at night. Luckily, he too was getting better at controlling his ability, and I was hoping Tyler would let us practice outside the pool soon. Some nights it was way too cold to be outside in a bikini.

  I gave Josh a reassuring pat on the back as he straightened. The fabric of his Green Day T-shirt felt soft under my palm. He was in the comfort of his home, and I’d learned t
hat meant he would be in one of his seemingly endless supply of band Ts.

  “I’m so sorry, Kid.” Josh still looked a little worried.

  “It’s all good, bro!” Ethan scooted to the edge of the bed. “But there are healthier ways to express your jealousy over the fact that I’m Eve’s boyfriend and not you.” He flashed us both a cheeky grin.

  “You mean pretend boyfriend, right? You haven’t actually asked me out yet,” I reminded him.

  “Uh huh. Sure thing, dumpling.”

  “Come here, dimples, you have a cobweb in your hair.”

  After Ethan’s calling me “babe,” the nickname thing had stuck around, and now we were in an ongoing game where we called each other by a different pet name every time. We hadn’t run out yet, but they were starting to get more and more inventive.

  Tyler told us to take a break while he made a few calls and headed downstairs. The three of us collapsed on Josh’s couch and he put some music on while we chatted.

  As the boys started bickering about something—it was both their favorite pastime and how they showed affection—I slipped out and made my way to the end of the hallway. To Alec’s bedroom door.

  I had been keeping my eyes open for an opportunity to approach him about the night of the crash again, but he’d started actively avoiding me, so I wasn’t having much luck. Tyler had mentioned he was home. I just hoped he wasn’t sleeping.

  Wringing my hands, I mentally chastised myself for my own nervousness. This whole situation had turned into something way bigger than it ever needed to be. Part of that was his fault for making it so difficult, but part of it was mine for letting it get to me so much.

  Steeling my shoulders, I knocked firmly on his door. My heart beat a little faster at the sound of movement on the other side, but I took a deep breath, determined to look calm and confident.

  He opened the door in a towel. All the things I was going to say to him, all the words I had practiced for over a year, just flew out of my head, chased away by broad shoulders, corded muscles, countless tattoos, and that towel, slung dangerously low.