Higher Places (Jacelynn)

[Lani Hunter]

The blond girl had been at the MANfesto. She had caught his eye and it was the smug look on her face that made Lani start seeking her out. She no longer went to the school he had discovered but rather the nearby university. Lani had found it to be a challenge to track her and figure out a place where they could meet on level ground. Her enhanced hearing made him have to keep his distance. He still didn’t know her name though she knew his and that put him at a disadvantage. He wanted to something that would give him leverage. He had been training his skill to the point where he thought he could get close enough without her hearing him to at least be able to get her to stay still. It took a lot of self control to not want to hit the girl and just let out all of his frustration on her.

Neutral ground, he decided. He tracked her down to the hall and noticing her take a seat at a table he slipped through the shadows. He melted into the heavy Christmas crowd and then out of it again and all but appeared at the girl’s table. He wasn’t sure how much of a surprise that was considering her ears but then again he hadn’t said anything while he was tracking her so maybe she hadn’t been able to make the connection because she hadn’t heard his voice. He thought he had his emotions under control but seeing her up close just made all the memories about how she had verbally attacked him and threatened to tell Adrianna everything. Lips turned up in a snarl Lani was unable to keep an open mind for this meeting and as calm as he had been from afar now that he was here and close he was in a dangerous mood.

“I hope you’re happy,” Lani said harshly not really sure how much she knew about everything that had happened but she had all but waged war with that little wave she had delivered at the MANifesto. He wanted that cocky expression of hers to be gone and dammit he wanted her to hurt as much as he did. He was redirecting his anger on someone who probably didn’t deserve it but who he associated with the problems that had caused him and Adrianna’s relationship to crumble. Maybe he wasn’t as over it as he liked to think. It had been mutual, for the best for both of them but he missed Adrianna. And now hearing she was with Venn he had covered it really well letting her know he was supportive playing it off like he didn’t care. But he cared, he cared a lot. He didn’t think about how he had gone on a semi-official date with Odion and how he was doing the same thing. He was wounded and he wanted someone to hurt with him.

[Jacelynn Heron]

After the whole MANifesto thing when she saw the boy that had been far too stubborn to listen to her, Jace had expected a visit from him. She didn’t know when it would be or where, but it was only a matter of time before it happened. Clairaudience often gave away whenever someone was actively trying to follow her, though she could only recognize footsteps of people that she had known for longer than a day. Lani was lucky because otherwise she would have caught onto him. That didn’t mean she wasn’t on her guard though, she always was even when there was no reason to be. It took a lot to catch this girl off guard.

Due to Christmas coming up and her mother expecting some form of a gift, Aleks had decided to take a little trip to the mall. She didn’t plan on spending all day there or a lot of money on her parents, but she had to at least get something. Maybe “Parenting for Dummies” for her mother. Anyway, she had gone around to every store she could think of and with the best luck she could muster, she finally found something. Jacelynn decided to go get coffee since she finished early and after she found a table, she sat down to enjoy it. Starbucks coffee always made things better on a cold day especially when she was so stressed out from her encounters with her parents.

As the footsteps got closer, she knew someone was headed her way, but the voice and the harshness in the tone was what made her set her coffee down and look up, “’Bout time you came looking for me. And really? Don’t be so dramatic Lani. I have no reason to be happy, I’m just merely satisfied with the fact that I was right and your stubborn ass didn’t believe me.” Call it being bitter, but Jacelynn wasn’t about to show any sympathy to this guy when he blamed her for his relationship failing. She knew what happened and it was all on him, she had warned him and he refused to listen. “I told you to tell her sooner and look at how she reacted. She wasn’t angry, she didn’t dump you on the spot like I would have, she accepted it. Then you go and fuck everything up again. Bravo, really.”

[Lani Hunter]

The blonde demonness. He really had to learn her name but for now that would suffice in his brain for her because he had no love for her at the moment. Lani wasn’t sure that seeking her out in this state was a good idea but at this moment he was too much on his rampage to stop now. The woman had better step carefully or she was going to have an angry telekinetic on her hands again. He didn’t want to hurt people but he was terrible at controlling his emotions and his emotions ruled his power. A power that could be destructive enough to destroy the track at school. He didn’t want to know what kind of damage he could do here with all of these people around. But that was part of the reason he had chosen here and now. He was conscious of the children around him and the parents and all the innocent people around. That would stall his rampage at least enough to allow him to keep his wits about him.

She looked calm for the meantime and that bothered Lani, he hated the feeling that he wanted to scare her. He hated himself for that but he also hated her. He could be a terrifying person by the virtue of his power but he was a protector not someone to terrify people. It made him sick and he identified her as the problem again and that only increased his anger for her. Lani slammed his palm on the table hoping to startle her. “You’ve got a lot of nerve you know that?” He snapped harshly. “You didn’t know anything back then and you still don’t know anything so why don’t you stop yapping your trap.” Lani wasn’t liking the way he was acting toward her but unable to help himself. He hated her because she had pointed out his mistakes and he hated her because she was right. He hadn’t wanted to admit it and now he was paying for it. He paid for it a million times over.

Lani barked out a laugh and glared at her menacingly. “You still don’t know anything that happened! You are so foolish thinking you know everything because you eavesdrop on conversations. You should get more information before you assume you know things,” he ranted with practically fire flying out of his mouth at her. “I fucked up everything before you even came alone so don’t act like some hero needing a medal!” He raged his anger like a flame that burned hot and agonizing in his mind. His power growled and twitched in his mind wanting to fling everything in the room to fly in the air. “You’re nothing but a spoiled brat who has some stupid vendetta against people she doesn’t know. So fuck you,” he point at her and with that his rage was served and shoving over a chair started to stalk away. Yes his intention was to rage and rage but now his rage scared him and he was on the run.

[Jacelynn Heron]

Jacelynn was being smart about this. There was no point in them both being so angry with each other to start a fight in public with children around. He may have thought she was such an awful person, but if he was going to say that she didn’t know anything, maybe he should see that he didn’t know anything about her either. Or her power for that matter. It wasn’t as if she went looking for conversations to eavesdrop on, but she did hear a lot of things and his conversations happened to be one of them. When she went back for the MANifesto thing, she heard some of Adrian’s as well. It was a familiarity thing, not that she was actively listening for anything to do with Lani or Adrian. Sure, she had been wondering if the girl was doing any better, but that didn’t mean she was listening for her.

Jace didn’t flinch, she didn’t even move when he slammed his hand down. A few people looked over at them, but she ignored it. “Nerve huh? And why is that? Because I’m not afraid of your telekinetic bull shit? C’mon Lani, you’re not stupid enough to pull the same shit you did back at the track with so many people around.” Or she hoped he wasn’t that stupid. All she could do was laugh humorlessly when he continued. She had never claimed that she knew everything about the situation, but she knew enough to not like him. Who kept stuff like that from a girl that was so completely honest to him? Only assholes as far as she was concerned. Lani just happened to fall into that category. Jacelynn knew she was right, but she didn’t expect him to admit it. No prideful man would.

“How about you talk to Adrian about powers before you act like you know anything about mine. It isn’t like I was specifically listening for you. In fact, I had forgotten all about you until I went back there. The only thing I had even wondered was if she was doing okay because she was getting the worst end of the deal. But I didn’t look for her, though I did pick up a few things.” She stopped there because she wasn’t sure he really wanted to hear about what she had found out. There was no way he’d expect something like that from such a sweet girl like her, but Aleks had heard it. He continued to spout of things as if he knew anything about her. If he had, he’d know that she wasn’t trying to be a bitch, he happened to catch her on a bad day and then to run into her? It just got blown out of proportion.

“Now look who is trying to act like he knows something he doesn’t. Hypocritical much?” He began to walk off and Jace sighed. “So I take it then you’re not interested in hearing about the things you don’t know about her? The things that might be of some importance to you if you give a shit about her at all?” She asked before he could go too far. It was only right to tell him so that nothing bad happened to her.

[Lani Hunter]

The intention to not do anything was quickly being washed away as Lani faced her and he couldn’t stop his tongue from waggling. His anger made him blind and it was getting harder and harder for him to keep his power from being the same way. A child laughed at something their parents said and that was just enough to jar Lani back into the world and he put a hard cap on his power and sealed it away in his mind for the time being. Lani didn’t notice that people were looking and that a few people were making as if to move to aid the girl. People seemed like they were waiting to see what this fight was all about and probably gauging a little bit of the danger getting into the middle of this. Considering she wasn’t backing down from Lani.

Lani clenched his jaw a little as the demonness started in on her own attack. “That should be the least of your worries,” Lani said his voice low and menacing. Lani narrowed his eyes and gave her a little nod signaling that that was exactly his intension. There was so much more that Lani could do that would destroy her life than his ‘telekinetic bull shit’. Sure being honest was a good thing and Lani was working on that but she probably never had to be honest about anything that could put her in prison for the rest of her life. She had been right that he should have told Adrianna, he should have told her before everything went to hell but the fact that he knew that didn’t mean that she needed to know that. She thought he was some asshole and for now he was ok with that being the way she thought of him. He didn’t want or need her as a friend and he would be just as pleased if he never saw her again after he ranted at her.

The blonde demonness was rubbing him the wrong way just by the pure fact of her being herself. “Don’t call her Adrian like she’s your friend,” Lani snarled finding anything and everything to be angry about. Lani felt a little deflated at her lack of thought about what she had said. It had to say something about the nature of this meeting that she came into his mind whenever he thought about how he and Adrianna fell apart. And now hearing that he didn’t even cross her mind did nothing to calm his anger. Lani raised a brow at her unhappy with her answer. Rolling his eyes he crossed his arms. “So you tell me,” he gestured for her to go ahead and a cocky expression crossed his face, “Tell me what happened because I don’t know that she got the worst of it.” His voice dripped with sarcasm he really didn’t need her to tell him how guilty he should feel. He didn’t need any help with that. He gestured in a way that questioned how she thought he might be wrong. “So you admit to eavesdropping on conversations that are none of your business. You know that people tell the people they do for a reason.”

So what if he didn’t always follow that either, he had sold information but it was a certainly different taste in his mouth being on the receiving end of being eavesdropped on. It was not pleasant. Lani rose his chin and he could have spat at her for calling him hypocritical. She needed to look in a mirror. Perhaps they both needed to look in the mirror. Lani sent a menacing glare at someone who moved when he knocked over the chair but he came to a sudden halt by what she said next. Adrianna could have her privacy if he could. It was the emphasis on her safety that got him. He turned to the blond eavesdropper and righted the chair he had toppled and seated himself on it leaning over the table giving her a glare that would chill the heart of a volcano. “You’d better start talking.”

[Jacelynn Heron]

“And what should I be worried about Lani? If not your oh-so-horrible telekinesis, then what? You wouldn’t do anything,” Jace snapped right back at him. Two could play at the menacing game. Jacelynn may not look terrifying, but her tongue was sharp and she didn’t take things back. He could try to ruin her life, but that would only cause an all-out war and with her power, she could easily get right back at him. It took a lot to scare her and even when she was scared, rarely did she let it show. From what she had heard about Lani, not only from Adrianna’s own conversations, but other people that had encountered him, he wasn’t a bad guy and she didn’t think he was anyway, but that wouldn’t make her hesitate for a second if he did anything to start something with her.

Man, this guy was looking for anything to get pissed at her more. Any reason he could find was just another thing to add to the list of what he disliked about her. Seriously? Don’t call her Adrian despite the fact that she tells everyone to call her that?! “Are you kidding me? Really? God, what the hell is your problem?! She tells everyone to call her that because her name is quite the mouthful, I’ve heard her say it dozens of time so you can chill the fuck out!” Her temper was starting to get out of control and she was close to acting just as insanely as him. Two incredibly angry people were not a good mix in a situation like this. Not when she had something important to tell him.

Taking a deep breath, Jace let it out and gritted her teeth together. “You really are an asshole. I have no clue what she possibly saw in you, but I guess that’s beside the point. I could really do without the sarcasm, too. How about you start acting like a fucking adult and not like a child throwing a hissy fit.” And again he pointed out something that she had just said. Acting like he knew anything about her power at all when she was damn sure that he didn’t know squat about it. “You really should start reading up on your ability index because you have no right to act like you know what my ability even does. You’re being an ignorant jerk. You think I want to be in everyone’s business? You think I want to hear everyone’s secrets even when some of those people could be put in jail or do something worse?” The last part had her wincing because that was exactly what she had been trying to tell him about if he’d just shut up. “I wish I didn’t have to hear half the shit that I do, but I can’t fucking help that! I can’t help it anymore than you can help your emotions messing with your ability. I’ve actually read up on the powers so I know what I’m talking about. Don’t even try to act like you know anything about being a clairaudient.”

The more they talked and argued and screamed at each other the more annoyed she got. Jace just wanted to offer him some advice (that he’d be too stubborn to take) so that she didn’t have to feel so damn guilty if something bad happened. But he just couldn’t let her do that. Instead he had to treat her like crap for trying to help him in the first place. Sure, they were both hypocritical, but at least she wasn’t as ignorant as he was. As he walked away, she wished she’d have let him so that she didn’t have to deal with him anymore, but that wasn’t right. For Adrianna’s sake, she had to continue this awful meeting. “Oh so now you’re interested in what I have to say even though I was ‘medaling’ in someone else’s business? Shocker. Now listen, it’d be in your best interest to actually do what I tell you to this time because if you don’t, you could have a huge mess on your hands and it won’t be pretty for anyone. And before you start jumping to conclusions about me being wrong, think about everything that has happened and think about how you’d feel if you were in her position, deal?”

[Lani Hunter]

“You know what you should be worried about, you’ve heard enough of it, right?” He said adding the question at the end to get the words to sting. He wanted to show her how bad it was to go after people without knowing the fully story. If she knew him and what he could do she would be right to be afraid but she had a point, she must have been talking to Rhett. Lani was a whole lot of talk and not a lot of action but with this girl he might just push past that and give her something to fear. But there was another catch, she knew that he was a thief and who knew what else she had heard and she could oh so easily take that to the courts and Lani would be done for. Or a fugitive at the least. So whether Lani wanted to admit it or not Jacelynn had a much more menacing weight hanging over his head than he had over hers.

Lani growled his lips twisting up as he barred his teeth in a feral expression. “What the hell is yours? I’m not the one who ambushes people and threatens to tell all of their secrets!” He got out all in one breath and he had to pause to breathe and he shook his head. He gritted his teeth not willing to accept that she was right in words but he gave her a smoldering glare and let it go. He really just wanted to fight about anything and everything. He was in a combative mood and god rest the poor soul that crossed his path or tried to interfere. You win this round, demonness, he thought at her hoping that she felt all of his anger and wishing that his eyes could really be daggers and stab her right in her pretty little… ok, take a breath, chill. He told himself trying to calm down at least a little bit to keep people from interfering.

“Well then the feeling is mutual,” he sniped; he didn’t know if she was dating anyone but he could not imagine how anyone could stand her! She was insufferable! Lani shot out a laugh. “Oh I’m the ignorant jerk? Look in the mirror bitch! You think you know everything about my world, oh yes! Bullshit! You’re meddling in things you don’t understand! I was protecting her! And I’m fucking sick of people thinking I used Adrianna! I lied, I get it stop rubbing it in my face!” Lani roared he was getting dangerously close to shouting here and now his sins and he eyed the security guard with a dangerous glare. “But I never used her, never.” His pitiless eyes laid on her and he wrinkled his nose in disgust. Her explanation sounded too much like complaining but too bad he wasn’t going to feel sorry for her. “Don’t act like you’re the only person with a burden. Oh yeah, you’ve done your research, good for you. Fine, then don’t act like you know anything about…” He narrowed his eyes at her cutting himself off, she knew exactly what he was talking about and she wasn’t about to trick him into admitting it here in public. He had to admit that his anger was starting to dissipate and he hated himself for it. He wanted to help and protect people and he could sympathize with her power but he didn’t make excuses for his power he knew that was his fault.

Lani turned and sat but he glared at her a level stare that would have made other people cringe away. Whoever this girl was she certain had courage that was for sure. He wasn’t going to allow himself to feel anything remotely close to respect for her. Not at all. He opened his mouth to make a snide remark but the urgency in her voice stopped him and he decided to do the thing his body was screaming against and that was sit and listen. Lani leaned on the table. He ground his teeth, this was for Adrianna. He didn’t have to take her advice he just had to listen and he didn’t have to like her while doing so. “Get to the point, Princess,” Lani said a smirk crossing his face. He knew that would get to her. He crossed his arms to hide the fists he was making. She had his attention and he was willing to stall judgment until she told him what she thought she knew.

[Jacelynn Heron]

“Funny because I’m not worried about that in the slightest. You can try and threaten me all you want but you know as well as I do that I’ve got you by the balls and there’s nothing you can do about it,” She said darkly. Jace was taking a chance with this whole thing. She was hoping that what she’d heard about him from those who knew that other side of him was right. If he called her bluff, well she’d be screwed, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t figure out a way to get to him. She was more than capable of digging up dirt and though she knew that Adrian needed him more now than she had before, Jace just didn’t know if she’d care after Lani pushed her over the edge. The only reason she was even talking to Lani was for that girl’s sake.

Jacelynn laughed, outright laughed at his next statement, “Really? You wanna go there? Fine.” She leaned back and looked at him, “You say you’re not the one that ambushes people and yet you came to me. You say you aren’t threatening to tell secrets, but that’s only because you don’t have any to spill. Instead you choose to threaten me without anything. Here’s the problem with that, you’ve got nothing over me. I’ve got your secret still in my back pocket. Adrian may not have said anything, but that doesn’t mean I won’t.” And she would too, she had no problem sending his ass to jail where he belonged. He was lucky she actually liked the girl he’d totally screwed over.

“Oh good, wouldn’t want you trying to charm me with your jailbait ways. Not to mention, I like my men honest,” She gave him a smirk. Oh gosh Adrianna was a saint for putting up with this guy. What in the hell had she been thinking? Sure, Lani was cute and all, but she’d need to ductape his mouth shut in order to actually tolerate him. “Please continue, tell me how you were protecting her by lying to her? If I remember correctly it got both her and Odion kidnapped. Tell me how that’s protection. You’re the worst body guard someone could ask for. And if you keep up with your loud ass mouth, it’ll end up with you in jail without a word from me.” Why was she even warning him? It wasn’t like he deserved shit from her. Jacelynn wasn’t trying to make excuses for her power, but she didn’t have any way of controlling it. Sensitive hearing wasn’t something someone could just turn off. “I’ll stop pretending when you do, Lani. Until then deal with it.”

Jacelynn had to admit, she knew Lani wasn’t trying to be a total moron when it came to Adrian. She actually had seen what Adrian saw in him, but after the way he was acting and how he deliberately ignored her the last time, she just couldn’t actually like him. The nickname made her want to slap him and he was lucky she didn’t. “You wanna fucking hear it or not? Because if you keep that shit up, I’ll walk away right now and you’ll have to find out the hard way about Adrian,” She threatened. God, if only she knew who Adrianna’s new boyfriend was, Jace had a feeling getting through to him would be a hell of a lot easier than getting through this thick-skulled prick. Venn was probably a lot nicer than Lani, too. “Okay, whatever. When I walked past her room, I heard her talking to someone, but no one was talking back so I really don’t know if it was on the phone or just her alone. From what I heard, I think she was alone.” Jace bit her bottom lip and looked down, “She was talking about how she really wished it would all end and how she hated her life and how it wasn’t fair. She was crying and really upset. Now, I don’t know her personally but from everything I’ve heard, she just didn’t sound like herself. That upbeat girl that was always happy and smiling? Well, that wasn’t her and I really think you should watch her carefully.”

[Lani Hunter]

Lani glared, oh he hated this woman. If there was one thing he hated it was someone having something over his head. He simmered as if accepting what she said. It wasn’t fair. She knew he was a thief and due to her power she had practically gotten a confession out of him. He had a feeling he might have to just accept the fact that he was screwed beyond reason at this point. Lani would like to have said with confidence that there was no way she could get him pinned down with one thing but he wasn’t sure how much she had heard. Lani’s eyes flashed dangerously. Lani laughed a little, “I’m sorry, you think this is an ambush? Here in the middle of all of these people. Trust me, if I wanted you gone you’d be gone.” Lani snarled, now he was bluffing. He didn’t have that kind of power under his call anymore. When he left his boss all of the resources, save for the ones he made himself had gone as well. And Lani didn’t make any personal friend in the business of killing people. “Let me make something perfectly clear. You tell my secret and it will be the last thing you ever do.” They wanted to take a telekinetic to prison, good luck. And godspeed to the person who tried to put him there.

Lani snarled and almost jumped across the table then and there and strangled her. She’d better be damn glad that there were so many people around. Lani was severely taken aback by her continued onslaught. He sucked in breath and the weight of guilt broke him down. That wasn’t fair. It wasn’t his fault. He tried to stop them, he tried to save them. He dropped his head for a moment so she couldn’t see the pain on his face. Masks were easy but they still had to be sustained he couldn’t take something like that and not break down. “I tried, I tried,” he muttered his voice shaking with regret and pain. He forgot for a moment that she could still here him. He now raised his eyes to her spelling death. “You don’t know what happened, you don’t know anything. I was trying to protect her because I was trying to stop.” His hand twitched, but it was like a drug. This addiction to adrenaline and kleptomania. She was pushing him closer and closer to the edge and he was too close to breaking.

He raised his hands in yielding still a little struck numb by her harsh realities. They were all realities that he knew but having them spat back into his face twisted the shards of glass a little deeper into his heart. “Fine. I don’t know anything about your power, you don’t know anything about my job, done?” He asked not hiding his frustration with the situation. Lani would be surprised if she believed any of the good things she had heard about him, he would have imagined it would have had her laughing. He was a screw up and he didn’t need her to tell him that. Admittedly he understood she had been trying to help but he wasn’t used to being attacked and he wasn’t going to take it lying down. But he was the worst body guard someone could ask for. He couldn’t protect Adrianna, he couldn’t protect Odion, he couldn’t protect Caroline. Lani felt very close to tears at the moment. The blond girl had no idea how close she was to shattering everything that Lani had left. He loved protecting people, lived for it. That was all that had pulled him out of his depression right after, the idea that he could still protect people.

He raised his hands and sat back glad that he had at least struck a nerve of some sort. He clamped his mouth shut, he was being given a dose of free information he could take whatever she wanted to throw at him to listen to it. This was for Adrianna, he reminded himself. He bared his teeth at her in a feral manner, why did she always make him get blinded in anger. Lani was glad when she finally started talking. Initially his face was skeptical as if he was expecting her to tell him something stupid like Adrianna made out with Venn, surprise surprise Lani knew that they had a thing now. The amusement ran away from his face when she kept talking. That didn’t sound like Adrianna at all. Lani’s brow creased in worry and his eyes flashed around the room as he listened his mind already trying to figure something out. “Her mother’s dying,” Lani said after a few moments, “But I didn’t think she… Are you sure? Adrianna’s strong, she wouldn’t…” He looked at the blond woman hoping she would say she lied. “You’re sure no one else was there? Would you be able to hear someone on the phone? When did you hear this? Have you heard anything like that since or was it just when you were there? Did she say if it had been going on for a while?” Lani started to shower her with questions, all someone in the business of selling information needed to have an answer for.

[Jacelynn Heron]

The irritation he made her feel was draining fast because at this point all she wanted was for him to listen to her and if he was pissed at her that was less likely to happen. Despite everything she’d said to make him so angry, she knew he was a good guy and she knew that he cared about Adrianna. She was just pushing his buttons now because it was easy to do and sort of entertaining. Jace didn’t get frightened easily and with her knowing just how sweet he was, he couldn’t really intimidate her. It’d be a different story if she hadn’t heard so many good things about him from the younger girl. Not to mention how he was with his little sister. Jacelynn had heard far too many good things about him to be scared. At his threat, she just nodded, having lost all of her fight.

When she brought up the kidnapping she knew it would set him off. As well it should. He had gotten lucky that nothing happened to any of them and she knew he realized that. She knew that it was in large part to him that Adrianna was alive. Jace didn’t know the specifics of what had happened that day, all she had heard was that Adrian and Odion had both been taken and that they had come back with a few bruises and internal scarring, but it was better than the other outcome that almost happened. It was around that time that Jacelynn had a feeling things would crumble between Lani and Adrian. She hadn’t wanted to be proven right, but she was. “I know you tried and honestly that’s probably why they came back without serious injuries. And you’re right, I don’t know what happened, but don’t you get it? I warned you about telling her for that reason. Because I knew it was possible that she’d be used against you and she had a right to know for her own safety.” Her voice had changed from snarky and biting to softer and hesitant. She was being cautious now because she could hear it in his own voice that he was close to breaking.

Again, Jace had something over him and she knew he wouldn’t keep messing with her if he really wanted to know what was wrong with his ex. Finally he shut up and she explained what she knew and what she had heard. His expression changed and Jacelynn was thankful that he was actually taking what she said seriously. It was about time that smirk got wiped off his face. His comment had Jace nodding and she frowned, “I heard about that and I really think that is the reason she’s so…different. I mean I can’t imagine going through something like that, but I’ve seen similar things.” Biting her own lip, she listened as she was bombarded with questions that she had been paying close attention to. After all, she had to know the answer if her information was going to be taken seriously.

“She is strong, she is, but only because she doesn’t want help from anyone else. You know how she was before, dependent? Well, my theory is that after what happened between you and her, she felt like she had to become independent and face things on her own ya know?” Jacelynn took the questions one at a time and thought through her answers before actually saying them. “I would have heard someone in the room rustling around or moving if they were actually there and I wouldn’t have heard the exact words that were coming from the phone, but I would have heard muffled words. It was the day of the MANifesto when I was on campus and that was the only time I’d been close enough to hear anything form her. Since then, I haven’t been to Hammel so I don’t know if she’s said anything like that again. My guess is that the more time that passes, the worse it will get because her mother is only going to keep getting worse.”

[Lani Hunter]

Lani wasn’t done fighting yet. She had become the object of his displaced anger at himself. It infuriated him to no end that she knew so much about him and he didn’t even know her name. This blond demonness was good and he hated to admit that. It was really taking all of his self control to hold back his power that was clawing its way to the surface of his mind so that it could show her just what she should be afraid of. Lani’s reputation had followed him and it bothered him to think that people didn’t think he had the combative nature in him. If someone really rubbed him the wrong way he didn’t take it sitting down. These scars didn’t come from nowhere. Really the only reason he was still sitting here and he hadn’t launched her into the wall was because she had information for him. And maybe the whole getting him thrown in jail thing had something to do with it. She didn’t respond to his threat and that gave Lani a false sense of superiority. Finally. She was gaining sense and he was gaining the upper hand. Poor Lani didn’t even realize he had already lost.

Lani clenched his fists and dug his fingernails into is palm to prevent any sort of response to that. He hated her. His power blasted out and Lani for a moment had to scramble after it. If this demonness wasn’t careful she would find herself with a face full of telekinesis and not live to be able to tell his secrets. The softness in her voice bothered Lani. He pulled his lips up into a snarl seeing the gentle tone a mocking tone. He didn’t believe that she believed that. “You were right,” Lani said venom pouring from his voice, “Is that what you want me to say, huh? So what, do you want a medal or something? Am I supposed to come to you every time I have a problem? Sorry Princess, that’s not how this works.” He snapped in response genuinely infuriated that she would spout something about his failure than tell him he did the best he could. He hadn’t. He could have used his power and blasted the enemy away. But he froze someone held a gun to Adrianna’s head and he froze. “How would that have stopped them, huh? They still would have been kidnapped and it still would have been my fault.” He growled his voice harsh with anger at himself and anger at her for bringing it up.

He didn’t want her to see how close he was to breaking. But even Lani didn’t know how close he was. He didn’t break down in front of people. It didn’t happen. If he was one his own soon he probably would. It happened the same way he fought against those people telling him things that he already knew telling them they didn’t understand and didn’t know who he was. But the problem was that his mind was already screaming the same thing at him and their words just gave Lani more ammunition against himself. Lani’s eyes darkened and the thought of Adrianna in such a dark place broke through all of the anger and all of the guilt he found himself wallowing in. Lani swore like a sailor and shook his head very close to slamming his head on the table had his hands not raised to meet it. He was going to kill Venn. Wasn’t he supposed to be the one to be there for Adrianna? Lani had to admit that was unfair Venn probably was there but perhaps Venn didn’t understand. Perhaps Venn would say things that made her feel better but maybe he didn’t tell her the harsh things she needed to hear. Lani wasn’t her boyfriend anymore, he had been that person for her before and he could do it again. And since he wasn’t her boyfriend anymore he could do so and allow her to hate him for it.

His hands curled into fists as his iron eyes fixed on the woman before him. Somehow in this conversation he had realized that perhaps demonness was a little bit harsh. “Are you saying this is my fault too?” He snapped without thinking. “Being independent isn’t the problem, it’s that she no longer wants to ask for help. She wants to think she can do it on her own.” He shook his head, no one could do this on their own. Lani frowned and looked at the woman for a moment. With a slow nod of his head Lani found it in him to realize that the woman had done all she could and that she had dealt with what she had. “A word of advice, Princess” Lani said, “Next time take the time, several days even, see if there is a pattern.” He glared at her still bitter at the old wounds. “And when you’re looking to attack someone make sure you have all of the details before you spout of that you know who they are.” He snarled setting down the ground rules. She wasn’t allowed to attack him if she didn’t know who he was. “Just like your power, it tends to piss people off when you pretend to know everything. And not everyone will be as understanding as I am.” With that last bit of a stab that made him feel justified, and made him feel like he got the last word on the matter he was satisfied. But despite what it sounded like it was a bit of real advise that he hoped she took to heart.

“But thank you for telling me,” he said in a gentler voice that was indeed full of gratitude. Perhaps Lani had been wrong about her but there was no way he would ever admit to being wrong. Never. He looked at her for a moment and with a sigh he realized that he would probably owe her a favor. They didn’t have to like each other but this could be a business partnership. “And, if you ever find yourself having pissed off someone you can’t beat… Don’t hesitate to call.” He told her. A favor for a favor. Nice and simple, friendship didn’t have to complicate this in the least.