Chapter 3

Chills and Spills

"They should have been there," Hedin gripes, and I just roll my eyes as we walk into Seminole compound empty handed.

Per the usual, our clever suspects got away. No big surprise really. I knew it the moment he ignored my findings. We found the car, but not the men we were looking for because facial recognition software wasn't searching for the faces we never saw. It was looking for the ones we let get away during the vehicle exchange.

"Any words, Ms. Banner?" Captain Fricks asks hopefully.

He's sweet enough to include me, but even he can't do anything about the commander's pet.

"No, Sir. Mr. Hedin followed the trail they laid out for us," I murmur with hidden undertones of snarkiness.

It's the truth. He followed the trail they wanted him to.

"Very well," Captain Fricks murmurs with a bit of a frown, almost as though he's disappointed.

He was always fond of my father, since Dad gave him the compound captain position shortly after he took the commander job. Captain Fricks is one of many long-living souls with a tortured past and tainted memories. He's also my one ally that isn't a part of my family. Though I appreciate his attempt to help me out, he's just going to make it worse.

Hedin sighs out while narrowing his eyes at me. He hates it when anyone asks for my input. You'd think they just handed me his title every time they say my name aloud.

"She was only there to observe," Hedin growls.

"Aria has been observing for a while. I think it's about time she starts leading some tracking missions. The more trackers we have in the field, the better," Captain Fricks rebuts.

"I don't think she's ready, and it's my call, not yours."

I roll my eyes while leaning against the wall as they continue bickering and talking about me as though I'm not here.

"Actually, it's the commander's call. I'm supposed to meet with him today about something. I'll speak to him about her being released on her own while I'm there."

"Not going to happen. After her denoting being recorded for her trailing a trap, there's no way he'll see her fit to track on her own. That was the first trial run she had, and she failed miserably," Hedin maliciously interjects with condescension thick enough to slice through.

Only because you interfered, you son of a bitch.

"We'll see," Captain Fricks murmurs softly, secretiveness etching into his tone as well as his pale eyes.

He walks off to leave me with the brooding hybrid tracker that hates me with a passion.

"You need to stop speaking even when spoken to," he growls at me.

I move off the wall to step up closer, and my eyes narrow as I scowl at him.

"All I did was agree with your findings."

"I don't need your fucking blessing. You should have walked away without acknowledging his question, or pointed to me to answer. From now on, I expect silence from those rebellious lips of yours.

Rebellious lips? I'll show you rebellious, you asshole.

Suddenly I feel arms pulling me away before I can jump on and beat the hell out of that arrogant prick. He walks away as I turn to face my brother.

"Damn it, Rex. Why is it you can only see me?" I snap.

He laughs lightly while wrapping his arm around my shoulders and leading me inside the central building.

"I can see more than you, but you're the clearest. You and Araya have always been the easiest to see."

"Araya? Since when don't you call her Mom? " I say with a touch of curiosity.

"My bad. It's just everyone here is constantly saying her name, and you tend to get a little ill when I call her Mom anyways."

My eyes cast their shame on the ground.

"I never, ever get ill for you calling her that, Rex. I'm jealous you're her favorite, but I never want you to think I feel like you don't have a right to her," I mumble guiltily. "We're too old to be having this childish discussion."

He laughs a little while kissing the top of my head and then leads me into the old office where our mom once sat.

"We are indeed too old . I have to get a few things out of here for Mom, and then I'll meet you at the banquet hall for the party tonight."

"I hate dresses," I grouse while leaning against the frame of the doorway.

"I know," he chuckles out while shaking his head, then his eyes turn more serious. "I want to tell Mom and Uncle Brazen about the way Hedin is treating you. He crossed a line today. He's risking lives by forcing you down. You know Mom knows the commander, and-"

"No. Absolutely not. No one will ever take me seriously if you do."

"Aria, people take you seriously because of her. Stop acting as though it's some dark cloud to be Araya Crush's daughter, when it's actually a damn good stepping stone."

"You mean Araya Crush Hawkins Banner Mordel's daughter," I correct with playful exasperation and a grin, and he lets a humored smirk escape.

"Araya Crush is the legendary interrogator and savior to the United, Araya Hawkins is a sentimental show of affection to the father she never knew, Araya Banner is the Commander's pride, mother, and devoted wife, and Araya Mordel is the woman in need of a break. So I was right in my choice of surname," he smugly retorts, and I stifle a laugh.

I start to walk out, but he calls my attention back to him before I can.

"So, I saw you talking to Jase Ericson. Anything to share?" he teases slightly.

"You know him?" I ask while turning around, completely intrigued and not classy enough to hide it.

He lets out a snicker while sifting through the desk drawers.

"Apparently the women seem to love him. Be careful though. According to the rumors, he might be gay," he laughs out. "He only dates girls as a ruse."

I feel my grin growing upon hearing my protective big brother spewing his nonsense. He's so full of shit. Jase was flirting with me… at least... I think he was. It could just be wishful thinking.

"Can you see anything happen-"

"Ew, gross!" he scoffs in interruption, and I let out a hellacious laugh. "Even if I could see, I sure as hell wouldn't try, you sick, twisted thing," he scolds.

I laugh harder while rolling my eyes, and then I let my dreamy eyes fantasize for a minute before continuing.

"Well, would you tell me if you accidentally slipped in and saw my future with him?"

"Again, ew . No I wouldn't because I would burn out my eyeballs with uranium and then I would let Mom erase those memories from my scarred mind."

I laugh wildly while shaking my head. "She can't do that."

"She might can. She's got a hell of a lot of new gifts showing up almost regularly these days."

I know, and I can't get a grip on even one of mine.

"Is it right for me to envy her abilities?" I'm sure I look like a sulking child right now, but I can't help it.

"It's not wrong. You're only hybrid, not a saint," he chuckles out.

My eyes move from his to the television that is casting the news. I tilt my head, and then I turn up the volume using my gift, which actually works for a change. Though changing the volume on the television is a far cry from the powerful creature everyone assumed I'd be.

"The Bombside Mercenaries were apprehended today during a routine border check. The Lancaster officials found it suspicious for so many men to be passing at once, and they ran their credentials to find out they were falsified. As of now, they are in the custody of the United."

I turn it back down as a smile spreads to my face. I was right!

It's odd they checked them out. It's not really that unusual for a group of men to be passing through the borders. Nevertheless, I'm frigging brilliant.

"I suppose you're proud. You should have just told Uncle Brazen and Mom to begin with about your suspicions."

"Ha," I scoff while walking out, and he joins me with Mom's files in tow.

"Seriously. Someone needs to recognize the work you're capable of doing, instead of letting that asshole hold you back intentionally. He's just trying to keep you from making him look like an amateur."

"I'm new to the field. Give it some time," I say casually while shrugging, though I know Hedin won't let me branch out until his span is up.

We walk into the training hall where the full bloods are practicing their shooting skills and a younger one, fresh to his change, glares at me with a menacing smirk.

"She's one hybrid I would do," he whispers to one of his chuckling buddies.

Rex starts to do something, and I roll my eyes while holding him back. I simply extend my middle finger at the crude boy, and then I start walking away.

"You'd be in love, and I'd be bored, baby," he chuckles out.

"That's it," Rex growls, and again I hold him back.

"You wouldn't let me take out Hedin, so you can't take out the childish full blood."

"You weren't going to do a damn thing to Hedin. Believe me, I saw it. I held you back to play up your ego because I saw you simply storming away before you did a fucking thing. As always. Damn it. Stop letting everyone walk all over you, Aria!" he barks.

My head tilts as something stirs my inner hybrid, and his eyes change as he stares at me in confusion. I feel… something, but I don't know what. I turn to face the still sniggering group, and I undo the top four buttons on my shirt until my black lace bra is just barely revealed.

The crude young one's eyes find mine, and his humor dissipates as I stalk toward him. He swallows the knot in his throat as he leans back, and I lean over to be eye to eye with him while clutching the sides of the chair he's sitting in.

"Newbie, I'm hybrid. You would be so, so many things if you were with me, but I can promise you that bored isn't one of them," I release with the most seductive delivery I've ever had, and he melts before me, his eyes captivated by mine as drool forms on the corners of his parted lips.

I let my hand trail from the collar of his shirt to the top of his pants before I start pulling away, and he leans in every inch I lean back until his body falls free from the chair and slaps the floor. His friends all burst out laughing, and I give a smug smirk while walking away and buttoning my shirt back up.

Rex's mouth is gaped open in disbelief as he runs behind to catch up with me.

"When did you start sticking up for yourself. Are you-"

He jerks me around to check my pupils that have never even tried to dilate.

"Yeah, I wish," I scoff. "Believe me, if losing Dad didn't provoke my savage, then some punk full blood making snarky remarks isn't going to do it. Don't be ridiculous."

He frowns as he keeps up with my vicious pace. My body tingles as the adrenaline rush I got slowly slips free. I don't know what that was to be honest.

"But you've never-"

"That was a little hot," a familiarly smooth voice interjects, and my heart flips until it slaps my throat.

Oh damn. Please don't let it be him.

I wince as I slowly turn around to the face I've been wanting and dreading to see for two days.

"Jase," I murmur in the wrong octave, and Rex stifles a laugh upon witnessing my awkward reaction.

"I'm just gonna, well, go somewhere else," my traitorous brother teases before disappearing and leaving me alone with the irresistibly gorgeous full blood in front of me.

"You remembered my name?" he says with mock surprise.

I can't fucking stop thinking about you.

"I'm one to pay attention to the details, Lieutenant Ericson."

He smiles bigger as he walks toward me, slowly closing the distance between us and making me start walking backwards for fear of losing all my personal space - and my mind. What is he doing to me? I'm acting like an idiot.

"So you've been asking about me?" he muses while reaching me, and he towers over me as my back presses against the wall when I run out of room to back up.

He leans in to press his palms against the smooth stone surface behind us, trapping me in his web. I swallow hard while staring into those deliciously pale eyes.

"What makes you think that?" I ask shakily, trying not to acknowledge how dangerously close we are.

"Because my surname wasn't a detail I disclosed, Ms. Banner."

Crap. Think straight, girl.

He leans in closer, his soft, kissable lips just millimeters from mine, as his eyes dare me to give in. He was nowhere nearly this forward during our last encounter. Now he's torturing me with his taunting proximity, making me throb in all the places I don't need to.

"Well," I murmur while coughing to clear my nervous tone. "My brother actually brought you up."

"Oh?" he says with a disbelieving smirk.

"Don't give me that look," I say with a girlish grin spreading involuntarily. "He really did. He was asking me about speaking to you."

"And? Did your brother happen to see anything pertaining to us?" he says, insinuating he knows about my brother's gift.

It's not exactly classified information, but it's still odd he knows about it.

"No," I laugh out. "He said he refused to look."

His brow arches menacingly as his eyes teem with seduction, and he leans over even closer - which is nearly impossible to do without pressing his lips to mine. The heat of his breath slips between my parted lips, and I inhale his sex and candy, becoming almost drunk with desire.

"So you're suggesting there might be something in our future a brother doesn't want to see?"

Oh damn. Why do I keep opening my stupid, stupid mouth?

"Oh, I um… well… I… er," I stammer, nothing of any real coherency or substance falling out of my unfiltered gob.

His lips turn up more deviously, and then he pulls back while motioning for me to join him as he walks down the hall. Like a lost-in-the-haze fool I am, I follow too willingly.

"You blush a lot, Ms. Banner," he says softly, his eyes staring ahead while still offering me a teasing burn.

Damn red cheeks.

"I do," I huff out while fumbling around with my phone.

I'm almost praying Hedin has sent a text or called to summon me for another scolding.

Nothing.Damn it.

"Looking for an escape?" he releases with his eyes still straight ahead as he opens a door for me.

I walk through without any regard for where we're going, and then I turn back to see him smiling more.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Because you are, Ms. Banner. It's rather infectious," he snickers out.

Great. I've become absolute mush, and he's toying with me the way a cat does a mouse before turning it into dinner.

"You're very annoying," I gripe while looking away, and he laughs even louder.

"That's the first time anyone has ever said that to me."

He opens another door, and again, I follow him through the labyrinth halls of Seminole. I know we're heading out to the exercise grounds, but I don't know why, and I haven't bothered to ask.

"I suppose I'm a pioneer then," I snark, though it's all I can do to keep from swooning.

What's wrong with me?

"So, what did your brother say about me?" he pokes.

He said you're gay to keep me from wanting to fuck you.

I roll my eyes, and then his hand grazes mine when we get too close. I gasp a little at the sparks between our touch, and he clears his throat as though he felt it too.

"Um, nothing much. He just wanted to know what we were doing off to the side, alone, in the dark… you know. I told him it wasn't anything like it looked," I lie, while avoiding letting my hand graze his again.

I want details from the brother who sees the future, but he refuses to give me that.

"Mm, I see," he says with a secretive smirk. "So you didn't tell him your theories on the leading tracker?"

"He knows them already. I think he's sick of hearing my gripes and complaints on the matter," I mumble.

"Well, I suppose you'll just have to start sharing them with me instead. I wouldn't grow tired of hearing them," he says with his seductive tone intact.

"I was right, you know," I say while walking out into the brightly lit sky of the courtyard.

"I heard. I saw it on the news this morning. It's good those officials did more of a detailed search than usual."

"Very," I sigh out. "Have you heard who will be interrogating?"

He smiles as he pulls my hand in his to lead me around the damn wall I was about to slap headfirst. I grumble under my breath, but his hand only tightens around mine instead of releasing it. I don't want him to let it go either. My fingers intertwine with his, and I see his grin spreading once more.

"Are you saying you'd like to interrogate?" he leads, and my moment of seduction is soured with the question I hate hearing asked.

"Not at all," I murmur while dropping my hand out of his, and he looks at me with his smile fading.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"It's nothing. I just get sick of everyone thinking I can interrogate," I huff out.

"You can't?"

He seems surprised by that, just as everyone else. I hate, hate, hate this part of getting to know someone.

"I can, but not like my mother."

I might enjoy interrogation if everyone's expectations weren't absurdly high. I don't care for that sort of pressure. I prefer tracking anyhow. I get out of the compound more.

I look away, keeping my eyes focused front instead of on him for the first time. He lets a bit of a laugh free, and his hand grazes my back as he turns me into another building; the greenhouse that stands at least five stories high. We slowly start up the stairs, our sides almost touching in the narrow space meant for one person at a time to travel up.

"Your mother has been interrogating for centuries. I don't expect you to be as good as her since you have no field training in such," he laughs out.

"You'd be the only person not to expect it then. I swear, everyone thinks I'm supposed to have this divine gene that makes me just as strong, smart, and fascinating as she is, but I don't. It's just annoying. Besides, I'm not good at the whole seduction thing, and that's her forte which makes everyone spill."

He laughs wildly now, and my cheeks burn with their blushing hue once more. Is he making fun of me?

"Judging by what I saw in the training room, you'd be surprised at how good you are at seduction. I thought the boy who was suffering your teasing was going to combust before he slammed into the ground," he laughs out, and I blush all the harder.

"That's not usually me. I don't like a whole lot of unnecessary conflict. I don't know why I even did anything at all. I should have just kept walking."

"There's nothing wrong with standing up for yourself," he says with a shrug, his laughter tapering off. "I was planning on saying something when you weren't in the room with him anymore. I just wasn't going to let you overhear me and get mad at me for interjecting."

I smile again, and it's so large I have to look away to hide it.

"I didn't see you in there," I say to deter the conversation as we continue climbing up every flight of stairs.

"I know. I'm good at that," he says smugly.

"What? Skulking in a dark corner?" I tease, and he laughs again while leading me to the top floor of the beautiful sea of green life.

"No, being invisible. I told you I'm not very social."

No, but you're damn sexy.

Those pale eyes draw me in, begging me to fall into those soft, cool arms, and if I knew for certain he wouldn't push me away, I'd pull him down to meet my lips right now before letting him have his way with me on the hard floor of the greenhouse.

I would love to feel those lips on my skin, and I wouldn't mind showing him how a hybrid feels from the inside.

He coughs suddenly, and he trips over a barely-there incline as the floor shifts upward ever so slightly. I laugh a little at his stumble, and his cheeks redden from the embarrassing display.

"You okay?" I chuckle out.

He shakes his head while fighting an enigmatic grin, and then he motions for me to walk in front of him.

"I don't want to go first. You might trip and fall on me next time," I playfully poke.

Of course, if he landed on me that could lead to something, so maybe I will go first.

His reddening cheeks grow darker, and then he urges me to go in front of him as he coughs out again.

"You know, you blush a lot, Lieutenant Ericson," I teasingly add to mock his earlier remark to me.

"Only when I almost bust my ass in front of a very confusing girl," he grumbles from behind me as I make my way through the narrow aisle that is lined with the full leaves of beautiful green plants.

"How am I confusing?" I muse while running my fingers over the first few beauties that are poking out from their perches.

"So, so many ways," he sighs out with a bit of strain, and I tilt my head curiously while halting my stride.

"Why are we in here?" I ask softly while leaning against one of the railings.

My hips are just inches away from his hands, and visions of him jerking me to him sprawl out in my mind as vividly as if they're real.

"I need plants for my new apartment," he says with his body stiffening to a rigid posture.

"Okay, so you're staying here for a while?"

No, please say no. I'm already planning ways to fuck you right now. It's just a matter of time before I do if you stay!

He leans too far as his eyes widen, and he falls over the railing while knocking several plants from their perch and shattering their fragile pots. I laugh wildly, to the point tears almost breach my eyelids, and I quickly stop before the acid burns through my contacts.

"Damn it," he gripes while standing up and dusting himself off.

"What the hell?" I giggle out.

"That railing is loose," he lies while continuing to remove the dirt and grit from his once white shirt.

I smile as I move around to join him, and I start helping him clear off the destroyed fragments of ceramic that are also stuck to him. My hands move over his stomach to knock off a clump of dirt, and his breath hitches when my fingers skim the top of his jeans.

Definitely not gay.

It wouldn't take much to move this belt of his out of my way. I can see his erection through the tight material. It's obvious he's at least somewhat attracted to me, enough to let me have some fun with him.

"Problem?" I seduce while slowly letting my hand trail back down to my side.

He narrows his eyes at me and then shakes his head again.

"None," he strains out.

"Hmm," I say with a grin while walking on by him, deliberately grazing my ass against his erection as I do, and damn it feels so good. It's all I can do not to just say to hell with it here and now. "So what sort of plants are you looking for?"

He straightens his shirt, and he walks a little stiffer as he follows behind me.

"No flowers."

I laugh lightly, and then I see one I have to point out.

"This one would be good," I murmur softly while quickly turning around to hand him the leafy pot.

His eyes dart up hastily, letting me know he was just checking out my ass, and I have to stifle a grin.

"What is it?" he muses while reading the tag, and he lets a smile escape when he sees the name. "Ah, of course."

I laugh lightly, and then I pull it back from him to put the Aralia plant back on its perch.

"Why'd you do that?" he asks while pulling it back down.

"It was just a joke," I chuckle out.

"I happen to like this one," he murmurs sincerely while staring fearlessly into my eyes.

My bottom lips slides between my teeth as I move in closer, and he puts the plant down as my body nears. His hands grip my waist, and the cool touch of his body sends the most incredible tingles through mine. My lips almost meet his, and then a woman's shrill screeches sound out from behind us.

"What the hell happened?" she shrieks as she stares at the mess.

I huff out in frustration, and his lips tighten as he turns to her.

"I'll pay for that, and I'll take four Aralias too, please."

He couldn't handle four, but I'll eventually make sure he takes a shot at one Aralia.

He coughs out again, and his face reddens as it did before. The woman glares at him. I suppose he really hates to be clumsy in front of people, considering his blushing fiasco.

"I'll go pay for this, and then I'll meet you at the front?" he asks hopefully.

"Um, I need to go speak with Captain Fricks about my next assignment actually. I'm supposed to head out tomorrow with a new captain, and I need to find out what to pack. Maybe some other time though," I murmur dismissively, and his eyes tilt to be confused and slightly disappointed.

"I could go with you if you like," he offers.

"Nah, I've got it. Good luck with your new apartment, and welcome to Seminole," I say with forced casualness, though he never really said if he was living here or not.

I have to stay away. It would be too easy to fall for him, and that's something I can't risk.