Lunacy by R.A. Sears Page B

where
I’d broken his nose in two places. Aside from that, I didn’t like
anyone who was under the assumption that every person had their
price, and could indeed be bought. It seemed to be something they
taught you at Savage Academy, where money talked.
    “Now, now, Kaysh. No need to be unfriendly…”
    I cut him off before he could try buttering me up
with innocuous lies. “Bullshit, Alain. And don’t call me that. You
have no right to use nicknames, much less pet names, with me.”
    He sighed, cool and collected, which only fueled my
anger more and more by the second. Why in the hell wasn’t anyone
else happening to wander past right now? It was between sets for
Christ’s sake… The fact that he made me uneasy enough to fear for
my safety, because he was definitely stronger than me now, made me
want out of there. And fast.
    He walked forward and I had no choice but to back up
or have him bump into me, and that was the last thing I wanted. My
back hit the vending machine quicker than I’d been expecting and he
leaned forward, one hand supporting his weight pressed against the
front of the machine just by my head. “So hostile, Kacea. And for
what? For me being a silly little boy who was infatuated with your
pretty green eyes and long hair? Surely, you can’t still harbor
such hatred over something so simple.”
    I scoffed. “I’m more scared of the fact that you
could do anything you damn well pleased to me and your parents’
money could make it seem like nothing ever happened.” I looked up
at him and it was terrifying from this close. There was something
about him that creeped me out, and I knew better than to ignore my
instincts about people.
    He tutted softly and reached out his other hand to
trail very smooth fingers down my cheek and cup my face, not
allowing me to look away. Heat rose in my face as I looked directly
into his eyes, not liking the dark yearning I saw in those obsidian
depths. “Let me go, Alain… Right. Fucking. NOW.”
    He chuckled and brought his face closer to mine,
almost close enough that it was hard to focus on his features, the
smell of his cologne from this close was something expensive and
delicious. “Or you’ll what, Kacea? Kick my ass like you did when we
were kids? I dare you to try, sweetling. I’m not the chubby
simpleton I was then.” He dragged his thumb across my lower lip and
his dark gaze followed it. “I’ve learned a lot of things since
then. And I’d love to share them with you…”
    His eyes started to close and I was about to drive my
knee into his groin when he was yanked away from me with such force
that it staggered me and I fell back against the vending machine.
Looking up to see my savior, I was half expecting to see fists
swinging and have to call the cops. Jynxx was standing there,
barely contained rage practically flowing off of him in waves as he
had the smaller boy lifted onto his toes by a fistful of shirt.
Alain was like a mini-clone of Jynxx, with sharper and more genteel
features. Both of them were pissed, and if it came to blows, I knew
that Jynxx would clean Alain’s clock better than I ever had.
    “No means no, Alain. Or did you think today was
opposite day?” Jynxx said simply.
    I fought hard not to laugh, but I really didn’t want
them to hurt each other. I moved over to them, my soda bottle held
behind me to use as a club if need be. “I‘m alright. Just let him
go, Jynxx. He’s not worth it, and he’s gotta go up on stage for
Blunt Trauma’s set, anyway.” He looked down at me and I swear I saw
his eyes flash golden again. My blood sugar must have been
dropping, so I opened my drink and took a long swig. “Come on. I
need someone who can take better care of me in the pit if they’re
gonna get more rowdy than they have been.”
    Reluctantly, he let go of Alain with a flick of his
wrist that made the other boy stumble. Alain straightened and
brushed absently at his shirt as though Jynxx might have wrinkled
it. He looked to