Plans For Me

DELLA

As we all make our way to the kitchen, Gavin’s phone rings. We keep moving, doing our best to give him some privacy.

“I’ll be there shortly,” he says into the phone, his voice stern. His brow furrows in thought as he looks at me.

He hangs up and turns to us. “I have to go to my office. Apparently, someone wants to discuss my detention tactics.” Gavin shrugs. I think he did a great job with my detention date, but I might be biased.

“I need to grab some things from my room anyway. I’ve been a bit scatterbrained lately…probably the lack of feedings,” I mutter.

“Deal. We can grab your stuff while Tenn has his meeting,” Micha says, his lips twisting to the side.

Soon, we’re standing in front of the portal to Gavin’s office. We take a deep breath before crossing over. Micha and I manage to get in and out of the dorm without any issues. It’s a relief, but I’m well aware of Murphy’s law. We head back to Gavin’s office, and just as I’m about to knock, I feel a strange sensation in my mind.

~Hide.~

I grab Micha by the front of his shirt and pull him toward a small alcove at a run.

“What’s happening?” he asks. I shush him and pull him inside with me. I see him about to speak again, so I pull him into a kiss just as we hear Raziel’s voice.

“I don’t understand. She has bright blue hair. She can’t be that hard to find!” he rages. Micha breaks the kiss, his copper eyes widening with worry.

“I’ll find her, sir. Just remember our deal,” a familiar voice says.

“Yes, yes. You’ll have your fun with her first,” Raziel says impatiently, as if it’s just a minor detail. That sounds like a major detail to me!

I feel Micha’s heart pounding under my hand, his aura blazing red, while I try not to retch at the insinuation.

“Good, that bitch needs to be taken down a peg,” Caleb growls.

We wait until the strange sensation in my mind fades, signaling that it’s safe. I slump against the wall. This is all so exhausting. Always on alert, always hiding. When does it end?

“Are you okay?” Micha asks. His face is pale and scared.

I nod and try to give him a reassuring smile. He frowns at me and tugs me along to Tenn’s room, but I feel like I’m still in the alcove listening to Raziel and Caleb discuss their plans for me. He knocks on the door. Tenn answers, and his smile fades when he sees us.

~Their plans for me.~

“What happened?” he asks.

“It’s Caleb for sure. Raziel made a deal with Caleb, that damn cupid.” Micha storms into the room and over to the desk, sending a note off into the air with a flick of his finger.

I watch Micha seethe. His aura is so bright red it’s like it’s screaming for blood.

“What’s going on?” Tenn asks, looking at me. When did I sit down? “What’s wrong, beautiful?”

I open my mouth, but no words come out.

“She hasn’t said a word since we heard them talking,” Micha tells him.

I haven’t? I thought I said something. Well, this can’t be good, right?

Tenn goes to ask a question, and Micha shakes his head. “We need Kade and Sorin here first,” he says. Where did Kade and Sorin go?

~Their plans for me.~

“Oh, fuck,” Tenn mutters as he crashes to his knees in front of me. His hands are warm on my face. “Della, sweetie, don’t cry.” I’m crying? I wipe at my face and pull away tears. Oh.

I see Kade and Sorin come in through the door, looking worried. I’m immediately in their arms. Warm.

“What happened?” Sorin asks.

“We were on our way here, and she pulled me into an alcove like our asses were on fire, and then, next thing I know, I hear Raziel coming down the hall bitching that no one can find her. And he was with Caleb. They made a deal that Caleb would ‘have his fun’ with her before they killed her,” he growls.

~Their plans for me.~

The room erupts around me, and the arms I’m in tighten protectively. A hard kiss is laid on my temple.

“She hasn’t spoken since. I don’t know how to help her,” Micha admits. I feel bad, but I can’t seem to break out of whatever is happening.

“I might,” Sorin says quietly. Why is my Sorin quiet? What’s wrong? Is he hurt? I watch as he kneels in front of me and looks into my eyes. “This has happened before, hasn’t it?”

“What do you mean?” Kade asks.

“Shut up for right now,” Sorin hisses. He’s mad? Sorin is never mad. He turns those crystal-blue eyes back to mine. He looks sad, hurt. I need to help him. “Della, has someone done something like this to you before?”

This time, I feel the tears fall down my face as I nod.

“I was afraid of that,” he says quietly. I watch as he unbuttons his shirt, revealing a body littered with scars.

Crosses. So many. All burned into his beautiful skin.

“No,” I whisper, laying a hand on his chest. My heart shatters, but it seems to snap me back to the present.

“Talk to me, beautiful.”

“The priest who did the exorcisms. He tried to rape me the last day he was alive. I killed him. Then, at the mental health ward my parents sent me to, they gave me this medication that made me feel fuzzy, and I couldn’t move or think properly. An orderly said he had plans for me. I killed him from…the inside…and then I ran…after he…,” I trail off, unable to finish.

“Jesus,” Sorin says, holding my scarred body against his.

“Are you okay?” I ask him.

“No, not right now. I need to hold you. To make sure you’re here and safe,” he admits, so I hold onto him too. “What do you need?” he asks.

“I need a plan. Not just to hide. This won’t go away on its own,” I say, feeling a bit stronger. Yes, my own plans for me. That’s what I need.

“Done. Let’s figure this out.” Sorin grins proudly down at me. He holds my hand to his chest. “I’ll tell you when we’re alone. I promise,” he whispers.

I nod and press my lips to his as a knock on the door startles us. The strange sensation in my head starts up again.

~Hide.~

“It’s him. We need to hide,” I whisper.

Sorin’s beautiful eyes turn hard, and he leads me to Kade and Micha. They bring me in for a hug and just hold me.

“Tenn, get some information that we can actually take to the Council,” Sorin commands before joining us in our huddle by the bed. I watch him snap his fingers, and the world gets a bit blurry around us. “We can’t be seen, but we can be heard, so we need to be silent,” he warns.

We all nod as Kade brings out an old recording device. I look at him askance. Where the hell did he get that? He just shrugs with a smirk as we watch Tenn let Raziel into the office.

“Good afternoon. To what do I owe the pleasure?” Tenn asks, sounding friendly, but I see the tension in him. He hates this. So do I.

“I had a complaint about one of your students today,” Raziel says. “Apparently the last detention didn’t do a thing for Delaney. She has threatened Caleb again.” I have? I mean, I have, but not to his face. And I thought that detention did a lot. I’m a big fan of detention.

“Well, her detention was interrupted. We are resuming it tomorrow,” Tenn reveals.

“Oh? And what will you be doing with her?” he asks. “This kind of violent behavior has to stop.”

“One-on-one research. I hope to be working out some aggression as well,” he says calmly, and I almost giggle at the double entendre. Luckily, Micha’s hand covers my mouth.

“Well, that’s a start. Are you going to be here?” he asks.

“No, we’re going off-campus for this. We don’t know the extent of her powers yet. I’m still working on research.”

“Of course. She is quite the mystery. Do you know who her father is?” Raziel asks.

“Well, I know her mother, of course. I’m hoping she might be willing to tell me more. She was friends with my parents, after all.” She was? Would Tenn and I have grown up together if I hadn’t been swapped?

“Ah, so you don’t know the father?” Raziel asks.

“Zeve has never told me.” Tenn shrugs, still technically telling the truth. “Why? What’s your interest?”

“Well, I have reason to believe she might be…a Sin-Eater.”

The faux shock on Tenn’s face is adorable. “But…they…,” he stammers, letting Raziel believe he’s lost for words so the other man will keep talking.

“I know. She shouldn’t be here,” Raziel rants.

“Well… What are we going to do? She’s already a student,” Tenn fishes.

“I have my ways. My son is actually quite skilled in these things.” His son?! “Even for a cupid.” What?!

“I wasn’t aware you had a son,” Tenn admits.

“Yes, well, how would that look? A warrior with a cupid son. Really,” he scoffs. I almost feel bad for Caleb. ~Almost.~ “Anyway, I’m glad you’re taking this Delaney business seriously. When will you have her back in your office?”

“We’ll be back pretty late. How about I bring her to you?” Tenn suggests, and my heart clenches in my chest.

“Tomorrow?”

Tenn nods. “Perfect. Send me a time.”

“I will, thank you for understanding the situation.” Raziel smiles.

“I understand perfectly.” Tenn grins viciously, leading Raziel out the door.