Unafraid aa-3 Page 2

  He continued to walk across campus and proudly surveyed his domain. When he came across the white roses that sprouted from the ground in front of St. Joshua’s he laughed out loud. No matter how strong and how gifted he might be, he still couldn’t decipher their mystery; their truth was just beyond his grasp. Beyond everyone’s grasp for that matter. No one understood why they were always present, always in full bloom season after season, century after century. No one, including Michael, understood their purpose, or if they even had one other than adding beauty to the school. Michael bent down to caress a milk-white petal that was incredibly smooth and thick, and he felt like a child and an adult at the same time. He was filled with wonder by this baffling creation and the knowledge that mystery was merely a part of life. Accepting that some things could never be explained was all a part of becoming an adult. So too was understanding the need to exercise caution.

  In the distance he saw the headmaster’s office. It looked like all the other buildings at Double A, and yet Michael knew it was unique. It was where David presided, where he and his dutiful subjects conspired to destroy The Well and wage war against Michael’s kind. He knew that David was a formidable opponent, and he wasn’t naïve enough to think that he and his army wouldn’t strike out against them again. However, David’s plans had been thwarted once already, and David had learned that victory would not be easy or achieved without bloodshed, so they had all settled into an uneasy peace. How long that peace would continue Michael had no idea, but he didn’t want to dwell on it, not on his birthday.

  The past, however, was strong and tugged on his memory. In the presence of the office he thought of David’s predecessor, Alistair, the headmaster who had welcomed him to Archangel Academy. He hoped that wherever he was, he was at peace. He hoped that was the case as Alistair had offered him kindness and support when he first arrived here, and Michael had never properly thanked him. Sadly, he suspected he would never get the chance.

  Walking back toward the heart of campus, Michael thought about the other adults in his life and silently remarked that they were truly a disappointing group. He didn’t care if he ever saw his father again. His grandparents allowed their own limitations to prevent them from ever having a fulfilling relationship with their grandson. And then there was his mother. He understood Grace’s actions and her motives now, he knew that she had fled London to get away from Vaughan in order to prevent him from turning Michael into one of Them, but it still didn’t change the fact that she had kept all her secrets to herself and as a result Michael only got to know his mother after she died. They had closure, but they were never close.

  Stop thinking about the past, Michael, he thought. Stop imagining what you might do in the future and pay attention to the present. He took his own advice and looked up to find Ronan staring down at him from their dorm room window. Michael was so overcome with a collection of emotions—joy, pride, love—that it took him several moments to feel the rain. Unlike in his dream or premonition or whatever it was, these were just a few drops falling from the summer clouds onto the earth, onto his and Ronan’s faces, making them glisten the way they did the night they first met. How his life had changed so drastically, so magnificently since that night. Maybe it was time to bury all those thoughts and feelings that had plagued him; maybe it was time to let go of the past; maybe it was time to grow up.

  “Happy birthday, love,” Ronan said sweetly. One drop of rain fell from Ronan’s lips and didn’t stop falling until it landed on Michael’s. “Why don’t you get up here so I can give you your gift right proper?”

  Half a second later the boys were tumbling onto their bed, their bodies damp with rainwater and anticipation, their quickened breaths and the fumbling of the sheets almost drowning out the sounds of the summer rain shower outside. Almost. No matter how hard Michael tried, no matter how much in love he and Ronan were, the world, for better and for worse, would always be waiting for them.

  “What was that?” Michael asked, looking out the window over Ronan’s bare shoulder.

  “What was what? ”

  “I thought I heard a noise,” Michael clarified. “Sounded like a bird flew by.”

  Pushing Michael’s body deeper into the pillows and the mattress, Ronan laughed. “That meadowlark of yours needs to find his own boyfriend. You’re taken.”

  “Guess he wanted to wish me a happy birthday too.”

  Words quickly gave way to kisses and all thoughts of the lark were forgotten.

  It was good that the boys had something to keep them occupied, because if they had inspected the situation further they might have discovered that, while the noise was indeed the sound of wings flapping in the wind, it wasn’t created by the lark.

  It was David.

  His feathered wings, black as sin, created a sinister silhouette against the pale blue sky as he soared over Double A to test out his newly acquired ability.

  And, of course, to spy on the unsuspecting couple.

  chapter 2

  Even with his eyes closed Michael knew he was being watched. It was a glorious feeling. The sound, however, was not.

  “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you.”

  Another one of Ronan’s flaws revealed—he couldn’t sing. His Irish brogue, so melodic when speaking, somehow lost all of its musicality when he tried to sing. Still it was touching to hear words that were so heartfelt and meant only for his ears, touching and, unfortunately, embarrassing as well.

  Ronan’s attempt at crooning made Michael remember that he had completely forgotten Ronan’s seventeenth birthday a few months ago. True to his word, Ronan didn’t hold a grudge and seemed to have forgotten about the incident until Michael was compelled to bring it up again.

  “Thank you,” Michael said, sealing his words with a kiss. “And next year I promise I won’t forget yours.”

  Ronan changed position so they were now lying on their sides facing each other. “I told you, love, it’s not a big deal,” he replied. “Birthdays don’t mean much to vampires or to Atlantians for that matter.”

  Tugging on the curls of black hair on Ronan’s chest, Michael whispered, “I know, but I still shouldn’t have forgotten.”

  Ronan grabbed Michael’s hand and pulled it away from his chest; he loved the sensation, but he just felt the need to kiss Michael’s fingers. “The concept of age is kind of meaningless to us now,” he explained. “I just know you still enjoy this human tradition.”

  His comment made Michael roll his eyes. Yes, Ronan had been a vampire for longer than Michael had, but only by a few years. And yet sometimes when he spoke he sounded downright ancient. “Well, I promise not to forget your birthday,” Michael declared. “Even when we’re 362.”

  Ronan traced his cheek with Michael’s fingers. How wonderful it will be to spend 362 years with you, Michael, but before we spend another moment together things need to change. “I want to give you a gift.”

  Unable to contain his excitement, Michael sat up in bed, bouncing a little bit, delighted and hoping that Ronan’s present would be better than his singing.

  “I want to give you the gift of honesty,” Ronan stated.

  Hmm, maybe not. “Is that, um, a new cologne?” Michael asked.

  Shaking his head, Ronan wrapped his leg around Michael’s waist so their naked bodies were intertwined. “No, I’m talking about the actual word and everything it means.”

  “Oh,” Michael replied warily.

  Ronan held Michael’s hands in his and looked him directly in the eyes. Whatever he wanted to say, he was serious, and Michael’s caution turned into intrigue. “I don’t want there to be any more secrets between us,” Ronan said. “I didn’t tell you about my past with Nakano, or about your father being a vampire, or the fact that Saoirse’s different from all of us, and if only I had we could have avoided lots of turmoil, lots of unnecessary pain.”

  “I told you,” Michael said, “I understand why you did all that. You were protecting me.”

  “A
nd look how it all backfired,” Ronan added. “So to bloody hell with all that. From here on out, no more secrets.”

  Slowly, Michael nodded his head in agreement. He was happy to hear that Ronan wanted to substitute truth for secrets, but he couldn’t help wondering what else Ronan could possibly have to tell him. Secret telling, however, would have to wait a while longer, because just as Ronan was about to speak he was interrupted by a knock at their door.

  “Open up! We come bearing gifts!”

  The high-pitched voice was unmistakable. It belonged to Saoirse.

  “Hold on!” Ronan cried.

  Like two mice scampering in a field, Michael and Ronan raced around their room putting the clothes back on that they had so carelessly discarded earlier in the morning. Fully dressed, Ronan opened the door to see not just Saoirse, but Ciaran and Fritz as well, all bearing gifts. “You two were in your birthday suits, weren’t you?” Saoirse asked.

  “No,” Ronan said emphatically.

  His staunch tone was undermined when Michael said, “Kind of,” at the same time.

  “Aren’t ya glad I told ya to knock first?” Fritz asked. Despite the interruption to their privacy, both boys welcomed the intrusion. The camaraderie made Ronan feel like part of a family, and it reminded Michael that he now had friends who wanted to celebrate his birthday. Both were changes for the better.

  Those weren’t the only changes that had taken place since the end of the school year. Ciaran and Fritz had become closer, and as a result they were beginning to adopt each other’s personality traits.

  Ciaran was continuing to break through his shell and was no longer so stuffy and reserved; he wasn’t as laid back or as funny as Fritz, but he was starting to lighten up and realize there was more to life than just being a lab rat. For his part, Fritz had learned that you can’t always get what you want just because you ask for it loudly. He had wanted a more intimate relationship with Phaedra and as far as he knew she had just up and switched schools without even saying good-bye. It had been a hard lesson to learn, but he had come to realize that he had obviously overestimated the depth of their relationship. As a result, he had become more pensive and reflective.

  And then there was Saoirse. After surviving the attack on her life during The Carnival for the Black Sun, she had greatly matured. Unfortunately her development was more physical than emotional. Her lean tomboy’s body had started to gain curves in all the right places, and she had grown about two inches in height in the past month. She had always been told that she had a beautiful face, but now she had the shape to match.

  Although she was becoming a woman, she clung tightly to her girlish charms. She was still a spitfire with a firm grasp on her adventurous, mischievous spirit. As far as her puzzling heritage, the more she thought about it, the more conflicted she became about truly wanting to know why she was so special, so different. The only thing she did acknowledge was that, as a girl who was almost sixteen, she didn’t want to be anything close to different.

  Piling with his friends on the bed, Michael sat on the pillows like they were a throne. Ronan was next to him, then spread out in a circle, Saoirse, Ciaran, and Fritz, all, for the moment at least, his subjects bearing their majesty gifts and hoping to secure his royal favor. Michael tried to act mature and as if this wasn’t one of the most exciting days of his life, but he couldn’t; he was practically giddy at being the center of attention, and he decided to embrace it. “C’mon—don’t keep me in suspense any longer!” he shouted. “Gimme my gifts!”

  The kids were just as excited, and three pairs of hands thrust their gifts toward Michael at the same time. Before he could choose, Fritz made the decision for him. “Open mine first,” he ordered.

  “Because there’s no soddin’ way their presents can be better.”

  As Michael took the gift-wrapped box from Fritz’s hand, Ciaran commented, “Didn’t we just have a conversation about the importance of humility?”

  Shrugging his shoulders, Fritz replied, “No need to be humble when I know my gift’s the bloody best.”

  “Maybe you should all act like gentlemen and let the lady go first?” Saoirse suggested.

  Fritz only took a second to reply. “All right, Ronan start us off.”

  It took only another second for them to crack up laughing, Ronan loudest of all. A year ago Ronan might have sulked all day from such a comment or perhaps struck out and hit Fritz in retaliation; now he raised his hand and met Fritz’s in a high five, proud to be the butt of his joke. Fritz was even prouder of his comment and laughed so hard he almost fell off the bed backward, saved only by Michael’s lightning-quick reflexes.

  “Thanks, Nebraska,” Fritz said, still laughing. “You got a firm grip there. You hitting the weights or something?”

  Just my preternatural vampire strength. “You know me,” Michael replied. “I just come from good ole Midwestern stock.”

  Fritz was so excited about the prospect of Michael’s opening up his gift he didn’t notice the others glance at one another conspiratorially. “Okay, mate,” he declared. “Go ahead and open it.”

  Like a kid much younger than seventeen, Michael tore at the red and green wrapping paper, which looked like it had been salvaged from last year’s Christmas supply, to reveal a plain cardboard box underneath. Crumbling up the paper into a ball, he tossed it playfully at Ronan, who deflected it nicely with a flick of his hand, so it landed squarely in the wastebasket next to their desk.

  Next, Michael removed the lid from the box and, although he was stunned by what he saw, when he inspected the gift further he couldn’t hide his disappointment.

  “You hate it!” Fritz cried.

  “No,” Michael protested. “I love it.”

  Shaking his head, Fritz pouted. “No you don’t, mate. I can see it in your face.”

  “Seriously, Fritz, I love it,” Michael said. “But ...”

  “I knew it!” Fritz shouted. “Nothing’s ever any bloody good if you have to say ‘but’!”

  “I just don’t think I look like this.”

  To get a more objective opinion Michael held up Fritz’s gift to the others. It was a whole issue of his comic book, Tales of the Double A, that was clearly a dedication to Michael, entitled Invasion From Nebraska. Most of the cover was filled up with a close-up drawing of Michael’s face. At least Michael thought it was supposed to be his face; he wasn’t completely sure.

  Taking the comic book from Michael’s hands, Ronan glanced at it and nodded approvingly. “Looks just like you, love.” To Fritz he added, “You really captured his eyes.”

  As proud as a cross-legged peacock, Fritz grinned. “Thanks, mate.”

  Slightly appalled, Michael grabbed the comic book back from Ronan. “I do not look like this!”

  This time Ciaran grabbed the comic book out of Michael’s hands so he and Saoirse could get a better look at Fritz’s artistic rendering of their friend. “Oh sure you do,” Ciaran confirmed. “Looks just like you.”

  “Especially before you put your hair gel in,” Saoirse added. “And, you know, gussy yourself up.”

  Luckily, Michael knew when he was beaten as well as when to let go of his vanity. “Then I think it’s positively perfect, Fritz!” Michael declared. “I absolutely love it.”

  Still beaming, Fritz conveyed a bit about the plot of the Michael-centric issue. “I called it Invasion From Nebraska ’cause it’s all about how you came to Double A from America.”

  “That is brill, Fritz,” Ronan shouted, truly impressed.

  “Except that you’re a zombie and you bring with you a tribe of Nebraskan zombies who try to kill all of us students,” Fritz explained. “Well, I won’t say anymore ’cause I don’t want to spoil the plot.”

  Now that Michael had gotten over the shock of seeing himself depicted as a comic book character he was downright thrilled to be the focal point of the issue. Saoirse, however, wasn’t convinced it was as great an idea as everyone else was. “Didn’t you already have an issue
about zombies?”

  “Yes!” Fritz admitted. “But it sold out in a bloody hour! Everybody loves zombies, Seersh.”

  Jumping onto her knees, Saoirse bounced up and down on the bed. “I forgot to tell you all that I have a new nickname,” she announced. “Henceforth and jolly-o, please address me as Seersh.”

  Michael smiled. He really enjoyed being in this girl’s presence. She could be frustrating, annoying at times, but she never failed to make him laugh. He glanced over at Ronan, and he could see that he felt the same way. “Will do, Seersh,” Michael confirmed. “Should I open your gift next?”

  “No,” she replied. “I’ve decided that I want to go last.”

  “Because it’s a lady’s prerogative to change her mind?” Ronan asked.

  Smiling devilishly, she answered, “You should know, Lady Ronan.”

  Again the kids cracked up, and even though Ronan found the joke funny there was no way he was going to allow his sister to stick him with such a nickname. “You call me that again, Seersh,” Ronan informed her, “and you’ll be back at Ecoles des Roaches in time for the next semester.”

  “All right, ladies, enough, it’s time for my gift,” Ciaran announced, then added a bit more seriously, “I hope you like it, Michael.”

  Taking the package from Ciaran, Michael immediately noticed it was much heavier than Fritz’s gift. “Thanks, Ciaran, I’m sure I will.”

  In spite of his certainty he once again found himself trying to hide his disappointment as he stared at Ciaran’s gift. “Um, thanks,” Michael mumbled. “I guess I can always use some more notebooks.”