A Conyza Bennett story

I gape at him, perplexed. “What are you talking about?” I let my gift slide slowly towards his mind. This is no time to be ethical – something’s got this guy worked up and I want to know what it is.

“Forget it,” he blurts out, backing away. “I made a mistake.” He hurries off before I can lock onto his thoughts, muttering, “Crazy jealous types.”

I’m about to go after him when someone behind me says, “Hi.”

I turn to look into the adorable face of the baby of the Cresta Crew. His eyes are like molten chocolate, sweet, warm and inviting. He’s so irresistibly cute I have to clench my hands into fists to keep myself from pinching his cheeks. It’s ridiculous – he’s baby booties, puppies and kittens all rolled into one. He oozes wholesome innocence. It’s too overwhelming to be natural, so I can only assume it’s supernatural. So far I’m certain that three out of the six members of this group are gifted, and that’s already a rarity. Lebz’s theory might hold water, after all.

The boy turns on a sunshine smile that smashes my innate wariness to bits. “You must be Conyza.”

Fragments of suspicion stir from the wreckage. Sure, he’s sweet, but how does he know my name? “Do I know you?” I venture.

“Not yet. I’m Duma.” He holds out his hand.

Before I can shake it I sense someone behind me. The light-skinned one with the curls has materialised at my side. I jump, startled. “Where did you come from?”

He doesn’t even glance my way. “Duma, didn’t I ask you to get me a drink?”

“In a second,” says the kid, grinning at me. “I was just saying hi to – ”

“Now,” the other boy insists.

I look at him. “Let me guess. You’re the big brother.”

“Cousin, but he acts like he owns me,” Duma grumbles. “He’s Elias, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you, Elias.”

“Ja, hi.” He hasn’t taken his eyes off Duma. “Drink. Now.”

Duma mutters something incoherent and turns away. “See you later, Conyza.”

“Call me Connie,” I call out.

He turns around and beams, then vanishes into the crowd.

“And what exactly is your – ” But Elias is gone, leaving me baffled and a little annoyed. Why did he have to be so rude? Does he think I was making moves on his cousin, or is he just worried that I’ll figure out he’s gifted? Too late. And how did Duma know my name? Did he ask around because he sensed that I’m gifted, too?

I glance around for Rapunzel and Hulk, but they’ve disappeared as well so I head back to my corner. Wiki pulls out his earphones and gives me an enquiring look.

“This party is turning out to be interesting,” I report, taking my place beside him.

His eyes widen when I tell him what happened. “You think all of them are gifted?”

“I don’t know. At least four. That Elias moved like a cat. Definitely gifted.”

Wiki frowns. “That’s odd. A group of gifted relatives, hanging around together like some kind of…”

“Gang? Pop group? Coven?”

“You tell me.”

I shrug. “Being gifted doesn’t mean they’re trouble. You know what bugs me?” I lean close to him. “I’ve never heard of an entire family of freaks.”

“Doesn’t the power get passed on, like you and your grandfather?”

“Yes, but not always. Rakwena got his gift from his dad, but Ntatemogolo and I have different gifts, and we’re the only gifted in our family. It’s just…weird.”

Wiki frowns at his laptop, radiating concern. “So what happens now?”

“I need to know more about them, and since Duma seems to be more sociable than the rest, I’ll have to try to get him alone.”

“Maybe I should come…”

I pat his knee gently. “He might not talk in front of an ungifted. And you’re in the middle of an episode.” I pick up a biscuit, finish the rest of my drink and get to my feet.

“Good luck. And be careful!”

I wink at him and head back into the thick of the party. I spot Tshiamo near the door, but the minute he sees me he bolts. And I’m supposed to be the weird one. The loud music and densely packed bodies are starting to give me a headache. Number six finally makes an appearance at the far end of the room. Spencer. Lebz didn’t exaggerate – the boy’s a walking dream. In jeans that fit like magic and a T-shirt that shows off a ripped torso, he has a face so pretty it makes me want to cry. Poor Kelly didn’t stand a chance.

Unfortunately, the effect is hampered by the fact that Spencer is drunk, and if the cup in his hand is anything to go by, he’s not done yet. He leans against the wall, looking self-satisfied and ignoring the gaggle of girls giggling nearby. A moment later he’s joined by Kelly, and I’m struck by how good they look together. If they procreate, the world is in big trouble.

It seems they’re eager to get cracking on that; Kelly plasters herself against him and kisses him with abandon. He drops the cup, unconcerned about the amber puddle at his feet, and wraps his arms around her so tight I feel suffocated. They’re not kissing, they’re trying to swallow each other whole.

For a moment all I can do is stare. I’ve seen Kelly play the game of seduction countless times, but I’ve never seen her like this. She’s clinging to Spencer with a desperation that borders on terror, as if they’ll die if they let go. When it comes to boys, Kelly always has the upper hand.

When she and Spencer finally pull apart, I can tell by the dazed expression on her face that the tables have been turned. She’s fallen, hard, and the realisation sends wild tendrils of panic shooting through my head. That look on her face doesn’t make me feel warm and fuzzy, and it’s not because of the antagonism between us. Even I wouldn’t begrudge Kelly the thrill of true love – but this isn’t it. This is something else. Something dangerous. Something wrong.

Spencer keeps his arm possessively around Kelly, and they vanish into the crowd. I try to follow, but I have no idea where they went. Her room, maybe. The thought fills me with dread. I search the room for them, and instead catch a glimpse of Elias’s twin dancing with a girl. They’re pressed so close to each other it’s a miracle they can breathe. Elias isn’t far away; I spot him chatting up a girl near the window. These boys are taking full advantage of their effect on girls. If they were regular boys I’d just be disgusted, but they’re gifted, and that changes everything.

I keep moving, heading towards the door, and stop abruptly when I see Thuli, Hulk and Rapunzel. Thuli is chattering away, but neither Hulk nor Rapunzel seem interested in his monologue. Spencer appears again, emerging from the crowd to stand at Hulk’s side. Kelly’s not with him.

He leans in to whisper in Hulk’s ear, barely able to keep himself from swaying. Beneath the haze of alcohol, he looks upset. Hulk pulls Spencer aside. They have a brief, terse discussion, and then Hulk beckons to Rapunzel and the three of them head for the door. Thuli starts to follow, then seems to change his mind. I, on the other hand, have no qualms about sticking my nose in the Cresta Crew’s business. I’m almost at the door when Lebz appears with Amantle right behind her.

“Connie! There you are – have you seen Kelly?”

As soon as Lebz’s hand touches my arm, my body stiffens. My eyes burn, my pulse races and panic fills my throat, almost choking me. The feeling fades instantly and there are no images to accompany it, but I don’t need a diagram.

Lebz inhales sharply, recognising the symptoms. “What did you see?”

I don’t answer. I push my way back through the crowd, following the thin, disintegrating thread of my premonition. Across the room, through the corridor, past the toilet where a queue has formed, past the staircase, past the kitchen and into another corridor. A door is ajar; I push it open and find myself in what must be the garage. It’s pitch dark.

“Kelly?” I look around, adjusting to the darkness. I can make out the shape of a car, the backdoor wide open, but a quick glance inside reveals nothing but an abandoned pair of high heels. “Kelly!”

Lebz and Amantle take up the call as the three of us comb the garage, but there’s no sign of her. Then I see another door, leading to what looks like a small storeroom. I run towards it.

“Here!” I yell to the others, stopping short of falling over the inert figure on the floor.

Kelly’s legs are in the doorway, her body slumped on the floor. She’s unconscious, but apparently uninjured. Her clothes are rumpled but intact. I kneel down beside her, tapping her cheeks with my palms. “Kelly. Kelly!”

“Oh, God!” gasps Lebz. “What happened?”

“Was it Spencer?” demands Amantle. “Did he…”

“I don’t know. Maybe she just had too much to drink.”

“But how could he leave her like this?” cries Lebz in horror. “All alone in the dark – he could have at least taken her to her room!”

Kelly starts to moan and her eyelids flutter open. “Spencer?”

“Gone,” I tell her, helping her sit up. “Are you OK?”

She rubs her temple and frowns. “I feel…sick.” Her eyes roll back in her head and she sags against the wall.

“OK, we have to get her inside.” I turn to Amantle. “Is there a way we can get to her room without passing the living room?”

Amantle nods and the three of us help Kelly to her feet. She seems completely unable to carry her own weight, and despite what I said I’m sure her condition has nothing to do with alcohol. Amantle leads the way, and Lebz and I carry Kelly between us through the dimly lit corridor and up another flight of steps. Amantle opens the second door on the left and we drag Kelly into the room and deposit her on the bed. She’s passed out again.

“Should we call a doctor?” asks Amantle, chewing on her thumbnail.

I sit on the edge of the bed and feel Kelly’s forehead. She’s not running a temperature and doesn’t appear to have any bruises or wounds, but that doesn’t mean she’s fine. Something supernatural happened to her, but I have no idea what it was or how it’s going to affect her. “I think that’s a good idea, just to be safe.”

Amantle reaches into her handbag for her phone. While she makes the call, Lebz comes to sit beside me.

“You don’t think someone drugged her, do you? I mean, it’s possible – there are a lot of people at this party and no one was really paying attention…”

“Maybe. But you said she was with Spencer all the time.”

Her eyes widen. “You think he…”

I glance at Amantle and lower my voice. “I saw him leaving and he looked upset. It’s not exactly evidence, but I got the feeling something was off. And the premonition…”

Amantle hangs up. “My cousin’s coming; she’s a nurse. Maybe I should get my brother – he’s supposed to be the chaperone, but I think he’s outside.”

“Good idea. I’m going downstairs to see if I can find any of the Cresta Crew.” I glance at Kelly. “Will you guys be OK?”

Lebz nods. I leave the room and scan every face downstairs, but none of the boys are in sight. I enlist Wiki’s help in the search, to no avail. All six of them have vanished. We head outside. I see Tshiamo talking to another boy, and I remember that I never found out what his story was. His back is to me.

“One second,” I tell Wiki, and walk over to Tshiamo. I tap his shoulder.

He turns around and swears colourfully. “Look, I’m sorry, OK? What was I supposed to do? Two hundred bucks just to keep an eye on you is a sweet deal, so I took it.” He fishes in his pocket, pulls out a folded bill and hands it to me. “Tsa. I don’t want any hassles.”

I stare at the money, utterly confused. “Wait – you were paid to keep an eye on me?”

“Hey!” He forces the money into my hand. “I was just trying to help. Take it up with your crazy jealous boyfriend. Or maybe not – he looks like the passion-killing type.” He gives me a significant nod. “My advice? Dump him and get a bodyguard.” He backs away, shaking his head. His friend follows, glancing at me over his shoulder.

I blink. “What the hell was that?”

Wiki clears his throat. “My conclusion is that Rakwena paid Tshiamo two hundred pula to keep you out of trouble.”

“We’ve reached the same conclusion,” I reply through gritted teeth. No wonder Rakwena seemed calmer when he dropped us off – he had a plan. I’m angry and exasperated. I hate it when he goes behind my back!

“I’m sure he was just worried about Thuli,” says Wiki gently.

I shake my head. “When Duma came towards me, Tshiamo tried to take me away. He said he was supposed to keep me away from other guys – especially those guys, meaning the Cresta Crew.”

Wiki falls silent. I storm past him, back into the house. I intend to have a word or two with that boyfriend of mine. By the time we get to Kelly’s room the nurse has arrived and it’s almost eleven. Amantle’s brother looks like he’s about to have a heart attack. I imagine Kelly’s parents won’t be too happy with him.

The nurse emerges from Kelly’s room. “She’s fine,” she declares, and we all heave sighs of relief. “I think she might have had one drink too many, and she just needs to sleep it off. She’s a bit weak, but otherwise all right.”

I pull Lebz aside and leave Amantle and her brother to talk to the nurse alone. “Rakwena will be here soon,” I remind her.

“I’ll get a lift with Botho,” she says.

“OK. Don’t worry – you heard the nurse. She just drank too much.”

Lebz nods, but she’s not convinced, and neither am I. I give her a quick hug, say my goodbyes and head back downstairs. Wiki’s already outside with Rakwena, and I can tell from the look of concern on Rakwena’s face that he’s been filled in.

“How is she?”

“She’ll live to torment me,” I assure him, keeping my annoyance in check. I don’t want to fight in front of Wiki. “The nurse thinks she partied too hard.”

His eyes narrow. “And what do you think?”

“I’m not sure.” I turn to Wiki. “Ready to go?”

“I’ve been ready since I got here,” he quips, and the three of us make our way to Rakwena’s car.

Rakwena doesn’t say much until he’s taken Wiki home and it’s just the two of us. He parks outside my gate and peers into my face. “You’re upset. Is it Thuli? Did he – ”

I pull the crumpled P200 note from my pocket and slap it onto the dashboard. “Money-back guarantee from Tshiamo. By the way, he doesn’t like doing business with crazy, jealous boyfriends.”

Rakwena stares at the money and says nothing.

“Are you going to explain why you felt the need to hire me a bodyguard without my permission?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” He takes the money, unfolds it carefully and puts it in the glove compartment. “I was worried Thuli might – ”

“No, you were worried I’d talk to the Cresta Crew. Tshiamo told me.”

I see his jaw tense in the dim light. “Yes. I’m worried about them, too. You said you’d stay out of trouble. You promised, and then you went to a party where you’d be exposed to one freak hunter and six undefined threats, so I took protective measures.”

“You’re not my father!” I sigh. “Honestly, you can’t do stuff like that. And if you were so worried, why didn’t you gate-crash the way you did at Thuli’s party?”

“I’m sorry,” he says, and he sounds sincere. “I overreacted. It won’t happen again.” He’s got his cool, calm mask up, and I can’t tell what he’s really feeling.

“You don’t need to worry about me,” I assure him. “I’m fine. I’m much more concerned about Kelly. There’s something about that boyfriend of hers. His friends, too.”

“Wiki says you think they’re gifted.”

“Oh, I know they are.” I release the buckle of my seatbelt so I can turn to face him properly. “Spencer’s relationship with Kelly bothers me. It’s so intense. It’s not like her at all. Duma seems like the friendliest of the group. I need to talk to him again.”

“Again?” Rakwena blurts out, eyes wide. “You spoke to one of them?”

I recoil. “Relax, we barely said two sentences to each other. His cousin Elias interrupted. What’s your problem, anyway?”

He has that look on his face, the one he gets when he doesn’t approve of my tactics. “I just don’t want you getting hurt. After the Puppetmaster and Thuli…” He sighs. “Look, maybe Kelly did just drink too much, and Spencer had nothing to do with it.”

“And maybe I’m not really a telepath – I just have an overactive imagination,” I retort, with a tinge of annoyance. “I know what I saw. Those guys are dangerous!”

The mask slides back on and his expression is as inscrutable as ever. “Fine.” He hesitates. “Just don’t go looking for trouble, OK?”

I poke him hard in the ribs and he winces. “Aren’t you the one who wanted me to take an active interest in these things?”

“Yes, but – ”

“Then stop complaining.” I glance towards the house. “I should go make sure Dad hasn’t fallen asleep on the sofa again.”

He leans forward to kiss me. “Can I come by tomorrow?”

“I’ll think about it,” I tease, before jumping out of the car.

I wish he’d relax; I’m not the one in trouble. I chain the gate and put on a padlock before hurrying up the driveway. I’m concerned about Kelly. Instead of graduating from bad boys with trust funds to bad boys with powers, she should find someone trustworthy and loyal. But I guess not everyone can be as lucky as me.

***

“Kelly’s fine,” says Lebz with a sigh. She’s sprawled across my bed, while I’m in the chair at my desk. “I went over this morning to check on her.”

I turn away from my game of Spider Solitaire. “What did she say?”

Lebz makes a face. “She said she drank too much.”

“Hmm. Nothing about her boyfriend leaving her passed out in a storeroom?”

She shakes her head, making her ridiculous dangly earrings jingle. “Maybe she asked him to leave because she was embarrassed about being so drunk.”

I snort – Kelly doesn’t get embarrassed, not even when she should.

“Anyway, Spencer was really drunk, too,” adds Lebz.

He did look rather wasted. Maybe that was why his buddies were so unimpressed, and why they got him out of there in such a hurry. I have to admit, it does look like a simple case of overindulgence. Except for one thing. I turn my chair to face Lebz. “If Kelly wasn’t in danger, why did I have that premonition?”

Lebz props herself up on her elbows and looks at me. “Maybe it was because Amantle and I were worried. You know sometimes your premonitions are triggered by other people’s emotions.”

I shake my head. “I sensed that she was in danger. Something’s not adding up.”

“Well, if something happened, Kelly’s not telling.” She sits up. “As long as she’s OK, I’m happy.”

“Get me Spencer’s number.”

Lebz blinks. I raise an eyebrow at her.

“No,” she says firmly. “I don’t want to piss Kelly off.”

I roll my eyes. Sometimes my best friend can be supremely naïve. “She doesn’t have to know. Just make some excuse to see her phone, go through her contacts, and get the number. Easy.”

She swallows hard, unease coming off her in waves. As much as she wants to find out whether her beloved Kelly is in danger, she’s not eager to get involved in another supernatural battle. Lebz likes to keep her feet on the ground, in expensive shoes, and far away from things that might give her nightmares.

“It was your idea for me to investigate,” I remind her mercilessly.

“I know,” she mutters. “I’ll see what I can do.”

***

During the week, Rakwena and I go to Game City to watch an afternoon movie. We don’t do a lot of normal date stuff like other couples, but I like that about us. I wouldn’t have said that a year ago, when I was doing everything I could to pretend I was normal. That was before I became a telepath, before Rakwena. Now normal is a sad little dream I’ve finally woken up from.

I want to watch a thriller, Rakwena wants to watch a political drama, so we settle on a comedy. It’s not bad – the parts we actually watch, that is. Rakwena tries not to laugh out loud while I sift through the thoughts of the guy sitting two rows in front of us. I know I shouldn’t, but the poor man seems to have a mini heart attack every time the pretty female lead makes an appearance.

When the film is over, Rakwena wraps his arm around my shoulder as we leave the cinema. I push him away self-consciously. I’m not one for public displays of affection. Instead of being offended, he laughs and ruffles my hair. The heel of his palm brushes the top of my ear, and I feel the tingle all the way to my toes.

“Coward,” he whispers.

“And proud of it.”

The retort I expected never comes. Rakwena stiffens beside me. I turn to see the cause of his discomfort. The Cresta Crew are sitting at a table at KFC, all six pairs of eyes trained on us. Honestly, didn’t anyone teach them that staring is bad manners? I wave to ease the tension, but not one of them responds – not even sweet little Duma. That’s when I realise that they can’t even see me. All their attention is on Rakwena. I look up at him. His jaw twitches as he wrenches his gaze away from them.

“Let’s get out of here,” he suggests, through gritted teeth.

“Wait. This might be my best chance to talk to them.” I start towards the fast food outlet and Rakwena’s hand closes fiercely over my arm like a Venus flytrap over its prey. I wince. “Hey, that hurts.”

“You’re not talking to them,” he hisses, pulling me away. “We’re leaving. Now.”

“Hey! Let go!” I try to pull my arm away, but Rakwena is the strongest boy I know. “Rakwena! You’re hurting me!”

He drops my arm instantly. “Sorry. But you’re being so… Please, let’s just go. I’m starving.” His voice turns coaxing. “I’ll make us dinner.”

I stare at him, rubbing my sore forearm. “You know, this Jekyll and Hyde thing you’ve got going on is really starting to get to me. What’s going on with you?”

“Nothing, I just want to go home.” He keeps his eyes on my face, almost as though he’s afraid to look in the Cresta Crew’s direction.

“It’s not nothing,” I persist. “You paid someone to keep me away from them at the party, and now you’re acting crazy. Why are you so worried about these guys?”

“Because they’re obviously dangerous,” he blurts out.

“Obviously?”

“Yes. And they’re taking too much interest in you. They’re suspicious.” He lets out an exasperated groan. “You promised to stay out of trouble!”

“Ja, well, I’m un-promising. If you’re so concerned, you can wait here.” I start towards the boys again, and again Rakwena grabs me, this time almost pulling my arm out of its socket. “Ow!”

“Connie, please.” His eyes are bright and pleading. “What if they try something?”

“In the middle of a mall full of people?” I snap. “We’re going to talk about this, but right now I’m going over there, and I swear, if you try to stop me, I will scream this whole place down. Got it?”

I stalk off, furious with him. My whole arm is aching. What on earth is the matter with that boy? I glance over my shoulder, expecting to see him standing there glowering at me, but the space where he stood is empty. I catch sight of him walking – no, practically running – away, fists clenched. He’s angry, too. From this distance I can’t tell if he’s giving off blue light, but it’s a good thing he’s getting out of sight before he sparks up.

I take a deep breath and turn back to the Cresta Crew. They’re frozen in their seats, glaring at me, almost daring me to take another step. They’ll soon learn that I don’t scare that easily.

By the time I reach their table their expressions have changed. The twins look incredulous. Spencer looks surly. Duma looks nervous, Rapunzel impressed and Hulk…well, like he wants to smash something. All of them are giving off high energy levels and blocking me as though they were born doing it. I finally have my confirmation – they’re all gifted, and I’m not talking about a little sliver of sixth sense. Whatever their gifts, they’re powerful.

I offer them a bright smile. “Hello, gentlemen. I’m Connie. But you already know that. Want to tell me why you’re staring at my boyfriend?”

No one says a word. A few of the others glance at Hulk. I see – there’s a hierarchy at work. Hulk takes a long, languid sip of his Coke.