Disclaimer- All characters that aren't in the books belong to me. All the ones that are belong to James Patterson.
A/N- Happy fucking 2008. I love you guys.
Iggy POV
Kacey and I were lying on my bed, just one hour away from my mysterious date. Of course, Ryan had refused to give me any further information past the statement- "She's real hot." He also apparently thinks Nudge is hot, so I can rightfully doubt his opinion. I was lying down, hand behind my head on the pillow, with Kacey beside me. Her leg was curled over mine and her hand holding my shoulder farthest away from her.
I could get used to this. I already am.
"Kacey, is it true you knocked some girl out for the hell of it, sleep around, act like a slut publicly, and harass people's friends?" I asked her mock seriously, thinking back to Ella's words the day before. Her cheeks heated up where they rested on my chest and I felt her cough nervously. "Uh, yes, no, yes, and... yes. But all in good fun. Nothing serious."
So she did punch a girl, act slutty, and be a jerk. But she didn't sleep around. For some reason, that's the only one I cared about whether or not she did. "Ella?" Her voice sounded sad, and I wanted it to stop. "Kaze, you know she's just a little brat. Any view she has about you isn't accurate." Her head turned up to me.
"Ok, I punched a girl once. I had cramps and she kept hitting me with a volleyball during Gym. She deserved it. Also, I only acted like a whore a few times to help an old friend get over the reputation he had that he was gay. And her friends are bitchy! Her only nice one is MaxiPad... I mean Max. By the way, I really don't sleep around..." I smiled and kissed her head.
"You never have to explain yourself to me Kacey. Just be honest, that's all I'll ever ask. When do I get to meet your family? You've met mine."
She shook with muffled laughter and wrapped her arms around my waist. "You already have. I live with Dem and Ryan in an apartment about 10 minutes down the road, closer to town. Our parents live in Phoenix and send us money on the weekends. We stay here because all of our parents don't want to bother with us. Ryan's uncle used to live with us, because we moved in when we were thirteen, but he left this summer."
My breath caught in my throat. "Are you serious?" She kissed under my jaw and said something I didn't hear. I was a wee bit distracted. Her lips continued to glide over my neck, even as she stopped talking. Relaxing into her, I breathed slowly, trying not to ruin the moment.
Kacey POV
I knew he didn't hear my sarcastic reply. The moment I kissed him, his eyes glazed over. I was dangerously close to being mesmerized as I watched his expression when I ran my mouth along his neck and landed behind his ear. His date was in only ten minutes, but I was seriously considering not letting him go. I knew he'd stay if I asked... or if I just continued.
But that would be mean. He deserved dates, a girlfriends, romance... Iggy deserved it all.
I pulled away and froze when my arm, which was looped around his waist under him, brushed against something on his back. He noticed and stiffened immediately, paralyzed with fright. Fright? I gently sat him up and hesitantly groped his back. Wings? My hand slid beneath his shirt and pulled at a feather, causing Iggy to wince.
They were connected to him. Oh god, he had wings. Real bird wings... "Iggs. Baby, have those wings always been attached to your body? Like, since birth and all?" He nodded and opened his mouth to explain. I pressed a finger to his lips and his words died in his throat. "No need to explain. You were honest, and that's all I'll ever ask." I really wanted to yank his shirt away and see them. They felt bigger than I thought they even could be and I wasted a few moments wondering how he would look flying.
Slowly, as to not scare him, I pulled my hand from his back. I kissed him on the cheek and stood. "Well Iggs, get ready for your date! I gotta go with Dem to the concert. Some emo band he likes, ugh. Anyway, I'll see you later!" I kissed him again, beaming when he responded and did the same to me.
I didn't care about wings. He might have had some genetic disorder, or somebody could have done some crazy experiments. Maybe he was part of that horribly awful Itex incident a few years back... I can still remember flying to D.C. in middle of the night with all my friends and joining the giant mob of teenagers and kids destroying the company building.
After I found out about that experimentation thing on humans they did, I was so pissed. The crew and I went around the country, joining every group we could that was working to stop Itex. And then one day, it stopped. Everything from Itex was recalled, people were arrested, buildings destroyed, and we knew it was over. We went home and went on with our lives, slightly more proud of ourselves.
I walked out the door and shot him a smile I knew he could feel and prayed he somehow knew that everything was okay with us.
Iggy POV
I was shaking for about a full five minutes before Nudge called me down for the date. Shaking as in- Every muscle in my body trembling and convulsing unrelentingly. She knew. She knew. She knew. And even though my body was reacting to possibly the worst attack of fear and shock in my life, when I heard her talk I suddenly knew it changed nothing at all that she found out.
Walking down the stairway, I listened as Ryan and Nudge talked excitedly about some new horror movie coming out. Will they ever stop? Freezing, I cataloged the sound of unfamiliar footsteps walking around towards me into my memory for future reference.
Bony, languid fingers wrapped around my wrist and pulled me towards body heat. As soon as the person's chest crushed to my side, I knew she was female. Abundantly female. Those are real? I don't think so missy. I fought the urge to slap her away as her long fake nails wound through my hair. "Hello Iggybear! My name is Shaniqua! Pronounced Sha-nee-kwa, kay sweet thang? Oh you are too cute!"
Pardon? Gag me please. No wonder Ryan wouldn't tell me anything about her. There was nothing good to tell! We were walking out the door and into Ryan's old Chevy when I felt her pinch my... ahem. Backside. "So Iggybear! What movie do want to go to?" I was going to ask Nudge, but I couldn't get a word in between her and Ryan rambling about some vampire book. Twilight? Edward? Volturi? Whatever the hell they were talking about.
I gave a dry look to her general direction and answered wryly. "Does it matter? I'm blind, so I won't able to see anyway Shaneka... Shakira... Shanaynay?" She pulled sharply on my earlobe and fake giggled. "That's Mistress Shaniqua to you big boy." My face flushed as several scenerios associated with her implication flashed into my mind. Oh shit, not with her, anybody but her. I do not need to picture her that way... grossness. My poor virginal mind.
I walked ahead quickly, jumping into the backseat. "Uh, let's go see that horror movie." Shaniqua slid in beside me and fake giggled again. "Ohhh, then my big Iggybear can protect me!" My face drained of color as I scrambled for a way out of a night with this crazy whore clinging to me, desperate for a shag. "Actually, it looks to scary for me too! Let's go to that comedy about the highschool." Nudge squeeled happily about some guy named Troy so of course Ryan reluctantly agreed.
We were almost halfway to the movie theater and I was wondering if Shaniqua was smart enough to get my message and back off. "Oh, Iggybear! I hope it's romantic." Aw shucks, I overestimated her intelligence. She leaned in conspiratorily, hanging on to my chest with her hands. "It'll get us in the mood." She giggled for real this time and I was suddenly and morbidly tempted to feel what that rushing pavement beneath the truck would feel like beneath my face at over seventy miles per hour. It was getting very tempting indeed.
Kill. Me. Now.
Okay, I would just have to be more upfront about my rejection. I shrugged her off quickly and scooted as far as the window would allow. She moved to where she was flush against me and began whispering what she probably thought was naughty things in my ear. I was contemplating how fast I could open the door beside me and flip her out over my lap when the car parked. Movie theater Freedom. I opened the door, literally falling out, scrambling as far as I could go.
Shaniqua fell out behind me, trying to get a hold of me. "Iggybear, you can't see! Don't fall into the road!" I faced her and gave her what I knew was a condescending glare. "I'm blind woman, not a fucking cripple." Ryan and Kacey where already at the door buying the tickets and I ran to meet them. The Fake Whore caught up, panting lightly. She linked arms with me and I could almost feel her wink.
By the time we were halfway through the movie she had grabbed my crotch. Twice. I could have sworn she was trying to worm her way down my pants last time. In public no less! Had this... thing no shame? She had to be borderline nymphomaniacal judging from the times she made a move on me... in the past hour.
After another twenty minuted of crotch grabbing, I simply stood and hid in the bathroom until Ryan came in to get me. "Iggy... dude, she took a cab home and the movie is over. It's safe to come out now." I stayed in a stall, carefully judging the consequences. I reluctantly stood after an internal debate and walked with him out to the care silently.
The drive home was quiet on my part while the two lovebirds up front reviewed the movie over and over, pretending to be stuffy movie critics with a decidedly annoying accent. We got home and I went straight to bed. Apparently news had spread of my 'date', so I only got minor teasing. Other than that it was never mentioned again.
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Several Months Later
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Kacey POV
Oh shit. It was nearing Christmas and I was wracking my brain for a gift idea for my Iggy. Halloween had passed, as well as Thanksgiving. We had gone trick or treating with his family while he came to our apartment for the weekend and spent Thanksgiving supper with us. It was almost like he was divided between his two families, us and his Flock as he called them. He calls everybody but Ella and his mom the Flock and when he talks about all of them he just calls them his family.
We haven't really talked about the wing incident fully yet. He told me it had to do with Itex, and that the rest of his Flock has them too. He also refuses to show me them, much to my disappointment. I bet they're as beautiful as him. Dem and Ryan know, I told them just I week after I found out. With Iggy's permission of course. Nudge and Ryan were still dating, much to our surprise and Ella's disdain.
She never warmed up to us like the rest of his family did. Her loss. Even Fang let loose around us once in a while. Demetri had taken a liking to Gasman and Angel. He doted on them like an uncle, buying them gifts and teaching them things they didn't know. So sweet. It made me happy to see him show affection. But I was still worried over what to get Iggy... and if he was spending this extremely important holiday with us or them.
I wanted him to be with me but I couldn't be that selfish. If he wanted them, it would make more sense anyway. But I still wanted him with me. I was happy he had gotten more comfortable with my public affections, which were slightly unconventional for 'just friends'. He used to blush and tense, but now he is nonchalant and occasionally returns it. When we're alone, he's adapted even more to the way I cling to him. Hm, I hope it isn't annoying.
Nah, he would tell me if it was.
School isn't going well though. Well, it's the same for me, but Iggy seems to be a growing target thanks to the fact he's new and hangs with us. Infact, even Max and Fang are getting some hate because they hang with us a lot publicly. As of a few weeks ago, the popular girls pushed Max out of their circle (due to her inability to keep up with trends... or care about them) and the jocks rejected Fang(he refused to beat up some dork Lord of the Rings junkie), so they're actually stuck with us now. But they don't seem to mind... I think.
Christmas break started today and I was dodging the mistletoe carefully, trying to avoid the horrors of somebody I don't know touching me. I was meeting Iggy at the front steps because the rest of the family loaded up in Dr. Martinez's van and home. Because she picked up my crew to drop them off, Dem left me his precious car so I ever Iggy and I could leave late. We wanted to clean out our lockers before the holiday break. Whoopee.
Seeing him standing on the steps with four hulking guys however, is not what I expected. They were simply standing there, nothing being said, so I walked up to them. Clutching Iggy's hand with care, I kissed his shoulder. He nodded in acknowledgment as I turned to the boys infront of us. "Can I help you men?" I carefully kept my voice weak instead of defiant, not wanting trouble.
One of them stood taller. "Yeah actually. We seem to be having a problem with part of your crew." He sneered and I flinched as his spit flung into my face. Ew, mucho gnarly. "Mister tall, dark, and stupid has been giving us bad looks, and we don't like it." Oh yeah! These are the guys that have been hitting on Max that Fang hates so much. I wonder why he doesn't like them... (please note the extreme sarcasm)
I cocked an eyebrow, no longer cautious. I was in the mood for a good fight now I found they were so damn obnoxious. Little fuckers. Iggy sent a smile my way and I knew he felt the same. "Oh really. And what the fuck are you going to do about it?" They all looked taken aback at my rude tone and language for a moment but bulked up quickly, one of them shoving my shoulder.
I wheezed. Ouch, that was my bad shoulder. I always had a problem with that area. Iggs must have heard my sharp intake of breath and grew livid, knowing what happened. He stepped forward until he was mere inches from the biggest guy in the group. "Do not touch her again. Ever." He pulled back his fist and broke the guys nose in one shot. Oh yeah... it's on.
Stumbling into a neat and tidy home with blood gushing from your mouth tends to make a mess. Or so I learned as Iggy and I limped through his doorway and onto the tidy beige carpet lining the hallway to the family room. I also learned it tended to freak chocolate-chip-cookie-making vets that raise birdkids freak out. Ha.You find out something new everyday.
"EEEEEK!" Now I knew what Iggy was talking about when he complained about Dr. Martinez's yelling voice. Yeoch muthafucka. That hurt.
"Oh. My. God. My carpet!" She kneeled on the floor and stared at it in horror. "Where did this blood- Ohhhh, my poor babies!" Her eyes scanned us quickly and she grasped our faces gently, inspecting the damage. Iggy had fared better than me, but he got distracted near the end when about four or five more of the guys friends drove up and tried to wrestle me into the car. Ugh. Men are dogs. And I'm not even talking about the gangster kind.
Fang glanced in and left, quickly coming back with Maxaroni and some icepacks. "Erasers?" Angels sweet voice rang out, and I ran to comfort her when I saw the tears in her eyes. "Sweetie, whatever these Erasers are, this wasn't it. Just some icky men who didn't like us." She nodded and hugged me tightly. Erasers? This poor kid has some serious problems if she's scared of school supplies. I'll have to ask Ig about that later.
I held an icepack to my head and whispered loud enough for Iggy to hear but too quiet for the others. "Don't tell them that it was about Fang. And definately don't mention it was those guys." I watched him look at the ceiling and then at the floor. A simple gesture for the most part, but under the circumstances- it was a nod. "Oh and Ig? Thanks for saving me." I put joking into my tone, but he knew I meant it. A smirk lit up his face and he ran over to me, nearly a blur, and picked me up bridal style.
I shrieked and ignored his family's coughELLAcough looks.He flopped onto the loveseat and I dove my head into his chest and purred. It would have been embarassing if his family could hear it, but it was far out of their pitch.
"Silly sweetheart. You're growling at me and here I thought you liked me." He grinned at me happily before pouting exaggeratedly. I fought the surging impulse to take those lips in mine and just ravish him. Ohhhh, bad Kacey. Down girl. Not the sort of thing to think about your friend now is it? I looked at him again and his head was tilted back, totally relaxed. His tooth was chipped, eye swollen, lip split, and scratches littered his face.
And was still I could do not to just take him as mine. "Iggy?" His head inclined towards me and I pressed my lips to his neck. "I'm so glad that we're friends ... I love you."
His hard body froze beneath mine. He slowly slid his arms off my waist as I watched in confusion as his face went blank and unfeeling. It occured to me that he didn't feel the same. My heart plummeted and I slid off him and stood up. "Kacey... I just-." That's all I heard as tears overwhelmed me and I rushed towards the door, straight to my car.
I was only able to drive a few miles before I had to pull over and let it all out.
A/N- Sorry it's so short. About the date- I went on a double date with a guy and he went with my date's friend. The girl was atrocious, almost exactly like the one in the story. Sorry for the cliffy as well. Couldn't resist.
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