The Nexis Secret Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  About Author

  Crossing Nexis Sample Chapter

  Prequel Sample

  Break-in

  Lucy's Dream

  Teaser

  Acknowledgments

  The Nexis Series

  The Nexis Secret

  Barbara Hartzler

  Copyright © 2015 Barbara Hartzler

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

  Printed in the United States of America

  First Printing, 2015

  ISBN: 1927154421

  ISBN-13: 978-1-927154-42-7

  Splashdown Books

  Auckland, New Zealand

  Editor: Grace Bridges, Rachelle Rae Cobb (2019)

  www.splashdownbooks.com

  Cover Design by Erin Dameron-Hill / EDH Graphics

  For my Granna, who is rejoicing with the angels now.

  PROLOGUE

  A world of white blinded my eyes, but I couldn’t blink. Too much effort. Vague outlines, then silhouettes of color emerged from the whiteness. The ivory outline of a man’s face, his hair glowing like sunshine, his eyes full of light. “It’s going to be okay, Lucy. You’re going to be okay.”

  My eyelids sank shut. Too heavy.

  The smell of antiseptic singed my nostrils. Faint voices wafted through the background. Mom’s hushed whisper, “I don’t know what to do with her. How can we send her away after this?”

  Dad’s low growl, “We don’t have a lot of options.” His muted baritone faded into the darkness.

  My eyes fluttered open.

  A hospital room—finally something tangible. So white, but not blinding any more. The same bright-eyed man stared down with golden cat’s eyes, a smile etched into his perfectly sculpted face.

  “Who are you?” I croaked through parched lips.

  “I’m here to help. You’ve been through a lot.” With every syllable, warmth twinkled in his clear eyes, soothing my aching head.

  “What happened?” I propped myself up on my elbows. Then the white world tilted on its axis. My head thudded back to the scratchy pillow.

  “Easy there. You don’t remember the accident?” His smile faded, but no frown lines creased his face. His hand hovered over my forehead. With a light touch, like the wings of a butterfly, his fingertip grazed my temple.

  It all came back to me.

  There they were, on the couch. My boyfriend with his arms wrapped around my best friend. His face smushed against hers, lips locked. I winced. How could they? Acid rose in the back of my throat as tears clawed at my eyes. I’d sprinted out of her house, then hopped into Mom’s Mercedes SUV and sped off. The tires hadn’t peeled out like I wanted. Not even a squeal—how humiliating. So I revved the engine and ignored the speedometer. My hands had trembled so hard the steering wheel shook. When I wiped my eyes I veered off the road—straight into a tree. My head hit the dash, and it all went black.

  Instinctively I reached for my forehead, brushing my fingers against the bandage over the laceration at my temple. “Ouch.” Back to reality.

  “Major ouch.” The man eased my hand down. “Better get some rest now.”

  “Good idea.” I tried to smile, but my lids drooped again. His golden light drifted away.

  Swoosh. I jerked awake.

  A woman in scrubs drew back the curtain. “Doctor, she’s waking up.”

  The sunshine man was gone and the day had darkened.

  A light lasered into my eyes. A white-coated bald man flicked a flashlight at me, then withdrew it. “Pupils normal. Hello there, Miss McAllen.”

  “Where am I? Where’s my family?” The words gurgled from the back of my throat, as if I hadn’t spoken in days.

  “They’ll be along shortly.” His beady eyes peered at me behind frameless glasses. He pulled out a pen and scribbled something on his clipboard. “Do you remember what happened?”

  “Kind of. There was some kind of accident.” I closed my eyes. The memory popped and crackled into focus like TV static. “I was upset. I swerved. Didn’t see the tree until it was too late. How bad is it?”

  The doctor flipped through the pages on the clipboard. Then a low whistle pierced my ears. “You were unconscious for several hours and you’ve been sleeping for a few days. There’s a severe cut on your head. You lost some blood. Don’t worry, though. We fixed you right up.”

  “What do you mean?” I clutched the side of the bed and pulled myself up. A shockwave pounded through my forehead, then the room wobbled and I slumped back down. “Like brain surgery or something?”

  “Nothing like that.” He dropped the clipboard at my feet and pointed to the IV bag full of clear liquid. “Just fluids to rehydrate you, and a transfusion. Head wounds can bleed a lot, especially if left untreated too long.”

  I raked my fingers through my long hair. Whew, it was all still there. I rubbed the dark ends against my lips. Soft, but greasy. “I need a shower.”

  “Sorry, but you can’t get the wound wet. Your head injury required stitches. Eleven, to be precise.” He handed the clipboard to the nurse and she disappeared down the hall. “You rest now. Nurse Sherry will check on you later.”

  “Okay, doctor.” As he padded to the door, a chill crept through the empty room. I called out after the white coat. “What about that nice guy who was in here earlier? Is he a nurse?”

  “I don’t think you’ve had any male nurses in the three days you’ve been at Cedar Creek. Maybe a tech or something.” He waved and dashed out the door.

  Whoever the golden stranger was, his smile made me feel better. Somehow, he was the only one who did. Would anything ever be normal again?

  Chapter 1

  Rough tree bark bumped against my fingertips, jagged as the scar at the edge of my hairline. The ridges blurred through my memory, then sharpened back into reality. It wasn’t the same tree I’d plowed into to get myself shipped here, after catching my boyfriend frenching my best friend. Excuse me, ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend. This tree bore a different mark, unmarred by my mistakes. It marked the start of something fresh, something I needed so badly. A chance to put the past behind me—the first day of my new life.

  I smoothed my fingers once more down the bumpy bark, as if I could simply wipe it all away. Then I turned to face my new reality at Montrose Academy.

  So long Indianapolis, Lucy McAllen has moved on to bigger and better things. That’s right, me, a sixteen-year-old, on my own
in the Big Apple. The city of possibilities. Okay, just outside the city. More like Riverdale, New York to be precise. But still, what could be better?

  The August heat suctioned my long hair to the back of my neck like a wet mop. Too many strangers jammed onto one sidewalk. It reeked like a smelly old gym sock. I wiped my moist palms on my plum tank top, but the stink hovered above the orientation-day crowd.

  A guy squeezed next to me in the crowd. He flashed his piercing gray eyes at me, not to mention an adorable chin cleft, and waved a flyer in my face until I reached for it. “Welcome to Montrose. Hope to see you there.” His cinnamon breath spiced the air.

  I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Cute guys tended to have that affect on me. He tilted up his chin, like he knew it was his best feature. Or was he just trying to get me to read the flyer in my hands?

  With a fire-like logo it announced the Nexis Society’s new recruit drive. Odd way to put it, like it was some kind of fraternity. Must be as elite as my parents seemed to think, judging by the linen paper and gold emblem. Apparently becoming a Nexis member from Montrose Academy would be my ticket to a full ride at Yale. Not to mention back onto the parental honor roll. My mom and dad had enough “Lucy” plans to make my brain somersault into eternity.

  The flyer fluttered in my hand. My brother, James, had been Nexis president two years ago. Could this group help me find some connection to him? He hadn’t spoken to me, or anyone else in the family, since he graduated. Bumming around Europe does that to people, I guess.

  I scanned the crowd for my mystery man, but he’d already disappeared. No doubt the orientation dragon swallowed him up. Then someone ripped the flyer from my hand. The thick paper sliced through my flesh.

  “Ouch.” I pressed my fingertip to my tongue. “What’d you do that for?”

  Another guy crumpled the paper against his polo and banked it off a tree trunk into the trashcan five feet away. Show-off. I glanced up to say as much, right into the most gorgeous eyes ever.

  Hold the phone—smolder alert at the orientation fair. At least six foot with dark hair, aqua-blue eyes. Almost the exact negative of Nexis guy. Hello, hottie.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you. You should stay away from that guy, his group, too. You’ll be a lot better off without them.”

  “Who made you king of the school?” I ground my teeth together, nicking the inside of my cheek. A metallic tasted filled my mouth. Yeah right, like it was his job to tell me what to do. “You don’t know much about girls, do you?”

  “Hold it. Why do you say that?” Those blue eyes seeped through my thoughts, muddling them into mush. I had to focus on something else. A gust of wind tousled the hint of curl in his dark hair, offset by pale skin that highlighted a dimple on his cheek. Okay, anything else. His mouth pressed into a hard scowl. That would do.

  “Do you always answer a question with another question?”

  “Touché.” That scowl didn’t last long. He held out his hand. “I’m Bryan Cooper. What’s your name?”

  My fingertips sparked at his touch. Probably just the paper cut. “Lucy McAllen.”

  His eyes widened like I’d just told him I came from the moon. He held my hand so long I almost pulled it back. Finally, he shook it. “Please, educate me on girls, since I have no clue.”

  “If I must.” I wriggled my hand from his tight grip. Wouldn’t want to give him any ideas. “Girls don’t like to be told what to do. Next time ask or suggest something if you ever want it to happen.”

  He belted out a laugh so loud that people stopped and stared. Then he doubled over. Seriously? One good jab to the ribs and he’d crumple to the sidewalk. He’d deserve it too, for laughing at me, but I wasn’t that brave.

  He propped his hands on his knees. “You’re right, my mistake.”

  When he glanced up his blue eyes were hovering at my level now.

  “Woah.” I backed up. “Don’t let it happen again.”

  “Whatever you say, Lucy. See you around sometime.” He stood up to his full height and waved, a laugh still lingering in his eyes.

  I fought the urge to roll my eyes as he disappeared into the crowd. Like I really wanted to see him around. Hotties were always dangerous, especially ones with gorgeous eyes. The next time I saw him, I’d let him have it.

  Teenagers packed the orientation fair. They surrounded me on all sides. I blinked at the clipboard shoved in my face. Can we say personal space, people?

  The fabulous roommate I met this morning pushed her way through the snarled lines and snatched the orange Astronomy Club sign-up sheet from me. Her twelfth clipboard today. Shanda Jones needed an intervention.

  “Let’s take a walk.” I slid my hands into the pockets of my frayed jean shorts.

  “Okay, just a sec.” With an ebony hand she flipped dark braids over her shoulder and grabbed another clipboard, scribbling her name on it.

  I peeked over her shoulder. “Fall play tryouts? I say go for it.” Memories of my stint in Alton High’s drama club fought their way forward.

  Shanda’s eyes scanned my face like she didn’t believe me. “Why don’t you sign up, too?”

  “Not me, I don’t need that kind of pressure right now.” The crowd caved in on us. Who could see anything in this maze of people? “I’ve been dying to explore the campus on my own.”

  On tiptoes, I gazed beyond the herd. Green lawn and freedom lay dead ahead.

  “Sure. Let’s get out of here.” She carved a path through the pack of teens and parents. “I took the grand tour a few months ago. One of Dad’s houses, the Central Park condo, is less than an hour away.”

  Wow, her dad must be loaded. Why wasn’t he here? Probably the same reason my parents were AWOL—busy, busy, busy.

  A light breeze blew across my face. “Much better.” I inhaled the fresh air.

  I had a feeling I’d love this school as much as James had. The Montrose campus sat on a hillside nestled above the Hudson River. Off to the west, green lawns leveled off into a quad of brick buildings that flanked a Gothic stone chapel on the far ridge. Those gorgeous arches and stained glass windows begged for a closer look.

  “Eye candy at two o’clock.” Her manicured nail pointed out a sandy-haired heart-breaker zipping down the cobblestone sidewalk across the quad. “He’s got some potential.”

  “Not a bad pick.” Tousled hair, but cute with the right amount of chisel, kind of like the mystery flyer guy. Why couldn’t I go one day without thinking of boys? This was at least the third one today. Get a grip, girl. Like I could think about dating again after my last debacle. “So not happening.”

  “You wanna bet?” She raised a pencil-thin brow at me. “I can help you snag him.”

  “No way. I’m not into dating right now.” I smacked my hand over my mouth, but the truth popped out before I could stop it. At least my brain won the battle of the hormones, probably because the nearest guy was fifty feet away.

  “What?” She halted in the middle of the sidewalk, mouth wide as the sequined outline of Mick Jagger’s lips on her rocker tee.

  I plowed straight into her shoulder, and the horrible images rushed back. Clear as the cloudless sky.

  Jake and Becca, kissing on the couch, tangled together. Their faces followed me anywhere, even a thousand miles away from home. I blinked hard and the scenery turned watery.

  “Bad breakup?” Shanda’s smile was soft.

  “Yeah.” I couldn’t smile back. My lips just twitched.

  She nodded with a familiar expression that said maybe she’d been there, too. “Wanna talk about it?”

  “Not really.” I shook my head. “I just want to start fresh. On my own terms.”

  “Understandable.” She didn’t say anything more, just resumed the pace like nothing ever happened. Now that was cool.

  We marched on in silence, stopping at the stone steps of the chapel.

  Like a mini Notre Dame Cathedral it towered above us, even more breathtaking up close. A kink formed in
my neck from staring up at it. “Impressive, don’t you think?”

  “It’s supposed to look that way, or no one would pay the huge tuition bills. Soon you won’t even notice these cobblestone sidewalks or your so-called impressive buildings with too many steps. But if you start swooning over the benches dedicated to someone’s dead grandmother, I’ll have to kill you.”

  “Fine, I’ll swoon in silence.” I slapped my palm against my forehead and dropped to the nearest bench. “Bring me my smelling salts.”

  “Get up, girl, you’re missing the true gem of Montrose.” With her finger she outlined an enormous stone tower behind the chapel and the quad. Its white dome gleamed in the afternoon sun. “That’s the observatory. It’s huge. I can’t wait to use the giant telescope.”

  “Now who’s swooning?” I laughed as she helped me up. Overhead the sky sparkled bright blue, not a wisp of cloud. Yet a damp smell hung in the air, like the fragrance after a big rain.

  Chiseled guy tackled the steps two at a time. A larger-than-life shadow trailed behind him, almost wraith-like. Weird, since the afternoon sun was nowhere near low enough to cast that kind of shape. At least Ihad learned something in art class. Maybe another building refracted the light or something. He disappeared into the tower and so did the shadow.

  I blinked and everything looked normal again. I must’ve stared at the sun too long.

  Once classes started I wouldn’t have time to worry about boys. As if I’d ever go for future Ivy League boys and senators’ sons anyway. Dream on.

  * * *

  I tugged open the dusty blinds with a whoosh that echoed off the hardwood floors of room 210, my boarding school dorm for the next nine months. The windowpane stood tall and alone against the far brick wall, like a sentinel on guard. Nothing could go wrong on its watch. Famous last words, right?

  A perfect view of the river loomed beyond the glass, juxtaposed against a serene lawn. The green contrasted with the deep gray water, merging into a peaceful palette. If I closed my eyes, I could almost hear the gurgle of rushing water.

  The faint refrain of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds jingled from the depths of my purse. I dug out my cell phone. “Hello?”