(2) The Invincibles: Justice and Revenge

Chapter 3: Conflict of Interest

A/N: You're all fabulous. Move along. 

CHAPTER 3

"Now who's stressing?" I tease Logan, cuddling up to him in our cheap motel bed. Between his body heat and my fuzzy pajamas, I'm just about roasted, but I'm too comfy to move. Logan's got his arms crossed behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. The curtains are shut but I can see sunlight; it must be past noon.

"I just don't get it." he sighs, "Why would Floyd be way out here? Do you think he's onto us? Do you think he saw me?" I prop myself up on one elbow to look him in the eye, and plant a kiss on his lips.

"Let's see," I say, tucking my frizzy mess of hair behind my ear, "He could be out here because, I dunno, he owns the place. Besides, who cares if saw you? You said he hasn't seen you since you were a kid and wouldn't recognize you."

"Yeah, but what if he knows about..."

"About what, Logan?" I scoff, sitting up. "That your father stabbed you in the gut so your friends had no choice but to kill him?" Logan shifts positions uncomfortably.

"Well, when you put it like that..."

"That's not the kind of thing you ignore," I point out, flipping of the blankets. Logan sits up as well as I go into the bathroom to get dressed.

"If your uncle knew who killed his brother," I say loudly, sliding on a clean yellow tank top and some cut off shorts, "Don't you think he'd come after us? Or you know, call a family meeting? He seems like the type to hold a grudge."

"You have no idea," Logan calls. I slap on some lipgloss and take a good look at myself in the mirror. After graduation I'd decided it was time for a new look, so I'd chopped off my hair. What once had been half way down my back now just brushed against my shoulders. I had become so accustomed to tossing it into a side ponytail that, now that it's too short, I don't know what to do with it. I need a second opinion....

"I'm gonna go next door to see Stel-" I trail off as I round the corner just in time to see Logan getting dressed. "Sorry!" I say quickly, turning my back. Logan comes up behind me and grabs my wasted, wearing just his boxers. I let out a slow breath as he kiss my neck and pulls me close.

"Logan," I breathe, turning to look him in the eye. "We talked about this..."

"I know," He grumbles, "Chastity and all... but couldn't we just..." He leans in for a kiss and I plant my hands on his chest, leaning in close but then pushing past him.

"I'm going to see if Stella is awake," I smile, grabbing his jeans off the bed and tossing them at him. "My hair is in a mood. Get dressed." I close the door behind me and take a wiff of the warm summer air. It's not exactly pleasant; the smell of cigarette smoke and mold overcomes any sweet aroma the land might produce. The vibrating hum of a lawnmower buzzes in my left ear, and I look over to see an old man in overalls driving a ride-on across the lawn. There isn't much grass to mow, just the small patch off the L-shaped patio surround the single story motel. I shake my head at the beautiful simplicity of it all, and knock on the door next to ours. I call Stella's name but nobody answers, so I assume she's is still asleep, and open the door. Apparently I'm wrong. The door swings open to reveal Stella sitting at the little 2-person table at the foot of her bed. The bed is made up, covered in clothing.

"Stella," I say again, taking a look at her room. The wallpaper in here is even worse than the one in mine. Stella is eating a bowl of cornflakes, bopping her head to whatever tune is going in her headphones. I yank one out of her ear and plop down in the seat across from her.

"Hey, Ember..." She says a little too nonchalantly, "What's uh, how's it going?" I narrow my eyes at her guilty face, wondering what's got her panties in a knot, when I see a second bowl of cereal in front of me, half finished.

"I knocked," I say, looking around the room. The door connecting Stella's room to Zeke and Zane's room is cracked open. Stella wraps her headphones up around her iPhone and places it on the table.

"Yeah, I couldn't hear you." She's lying, I can tell. I push the second bowl of cereal towards her with one finger and raise my eyebrows.

"Hungry?" I inquire. She stares at the bowl as if trying to come up with a decent answer.

"Yeah, I mean, well, no." She stutters, "Luke, uh, Luke was eating. In here, with me. But, he had to go."

"You're a horrible liar." I accuse, sitting back in my chair, arms crossed.

"Zane was in here, wasn't he?" I roll my eyes, "You had a cereal date."

"What? No." She blushes, "He needed to borrow a towel and I was just-"

"Whatever." I shake my head, "You guys can skip the 'taking it slow' stage. We all know where this is going. Don't deny it!"

"I'm not denying it, I'm just..."

"Kicking him out of the room before anyone can see the 2 of you together?" I chuckle. Stella just glares at me.

"You know, I don't really think it's any of your business," she huffs.

"Of course it is." I say defensively, "We're a team, all of us! It's my job to know if there's any... conflict of interest."

"There isn't." Stella snaps, grabbing both the cereal bowls in a hurry, splashing milk across the table. She walks over to the bed and plops down face first.

"Stella," I sit next to her, "I know you miss Daemon."

"Don't go there," She warns, rolling onto her back.

"But it's been a year..." I press forward, "You have to move on. Zane isn't going to wait forever." Stella takes a deep breath and blinks away a tear.

"So," She clicks back into happy-stella-mode. "Did you need something?" I sigh.

"Yeah, actually. I was hoping you could do something about this fluffy cat shaped thing I now call my hair." Stella starts listing a long line of hairstyles for a short haircut, but I tune her out. Something else has caught my attention, or rather, lost it. The calming sound of the lawn mower has ceased. At first I think it's nothing... until the old man screams, and 2 gunshots echo throughout the property.