Nefarious ➛ Theo Raeken [2]

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Clarissa's footsteps clattered down the stairs, her short legs making leaps and bounds to keep up with the taller teenagers in front of her. She wanted to sprint towards the back door to the lacrosse field in search for Nolan, but she couldn't help but weigh her choices carefully.

Ever since she cut her finger on the glass and astral projected to the other side, she could almost sense them coming. It was like Josh's electricity, the faint humming in the air dialed to one hundred in her ears. It was all around her and she could sense it drenching the school. The Ghost Riders were coming there and they were coming fast.

"What's the plan?" Liam asked quickly, his feet echoing down the flight of stairs into the almost empty hallway.

"Convince Okafur, Steinbach, and Wallace that playing tonight is a bad idea." Scott replied heavily, his eyes glancing back towards the chimera that was staring firmly ahead. "Clary will convince Nolan and Gabe."

"You're sending my sister after the hunter who wants you all dead?" Delcan questioned as if the very notion was insane and in a way it was. Gabe couldn't be reasoned with but maybe Clarissa could appeal to his need to protect Nolan. "You're insane."

"I can handle Gabe." Clarissa commented firmly, her mind already thinking up ways to manipulate the taller boy into seeing reason. She wanted to push Nolan away, but she didn't want him hurt. "And I'll drag Nolan off the field by his skinny ankles if I have to."

"You've read everything there is to know on the Ghost Riders." Scott turned towards Mason quickly, his sudden stop forcing Clarissa to avoid hitting his shoulder with her own.

"Yeah." Mason agreed quickly, his eyes glancing towards the chimera who was now looking at Scott in apprehension and confusion.

"And you're the only one of us who's figured anything out." Scott continued, his tone growing urgent as he stared the younger teenager down. "Have you come across anything that could stop them?"

"Not yet." Mason commented softly, his eyes glancing between a worried Corey and Clarissa. Both of them had always had his best interest at heart, if he could find a way to protect them, then he would feel better about the situation. "But I can try."

"Do that." Scott commanded gently before turning towards the door, the others trailing behind him softly. The only two that were hesitant to leave were Corey and Clarissa.

"Mason." Clarissa gently declared his name, pulling his eyes towards her. She moved her hand up to rest on his shoulder, squeezing softly and offering a reassuring smile. "Be careful."

Mason nodded, a soft look in his eye as he realized that the old Clarissa who had taken care of them all was still in there. He glanced between the two siblings, his eyes lingering on Corey for a moment before leaning over and kissing his cheek.

"You can do this." Corey whispered to the other teenager with a soft smile on his face.

Clarissa turned away from the pair with a gentle smile on her face, moving towards the locker room. She had been in there earlier that day and the sight of her brother's face showed that he remembered her vile words vividly.

In a way he was right, she was a coward. Every word that he had spat towards her was true, but she couldn't dwell on that now. Not when too many people were at risk of being erased from their memories.

Clarissa had just turned into the locker room and visibly recoiled at the sound of the helmet thumping against Scott's chest.

"You're late, McCall! Why aren't you people dressed?" Coach Finstock, in all his insane glory, was staring at the trio of lacrosse players with that glint in his eye that promised pain and suffering on lacrosse game day. "Get your asses moving. Everyone on the field!"