by Hayley Todd
Anton bit into his palm and pressed it to her lips, staring into her eyes. “We only had a dance,” he said in cadence.
She nodded, “We only had a dance,” and walked away.
My body began to buzz, tingling with power and elation. I needed this. I needed this moment to pretend that my world hadn't exploded into a crazy disaster. I danced against Carson, Anton swaying a step too close. He breathed onto my neck but Carson exchanged a dangerous look with him and he backed off.
Carson pressed kisses to the skin of my neck while he stared Anton down. He rolled against me, rocking with the music.
We danced for hours, late into the night, reveling in friendship, music, and physical exertion. Carson took other bites from me periodically and I returned the favor, the bloodlust for him overpowering anything I felt for the humans. I was thankful for that. This felt almost normal. It was nearly the end of the night when Carson gestured to me and stepped out of the crowd, pressing a phone to his ear.
He maintained eye contact with me as he spoke to the person on the other line, then gestured for me to grab Anton and Kellic and meet him by the door. I nodded, grabbing Kellic's wrist and gesturing for her to get Anton's attention. She nodded back, turned away and grabbed Anton in kind. We all made our way to the front door in a chain, knees weak and heads spinning. I had already been drunk but had ingested some sort of drug--ecstasy maybe?--from their blood.
Carson ushered us out of the front doors and into a car big enough for the four of us. A dark skinned vampire sat in the driver seat as we climbed into the SUV.
“I hope you guys can sober up,” Carson mumbled as he climbed in behind us and shut the door. The driver joined into traffic, headed away from the club.
Carson turned to us. “Damien just called. His people have pushed a coven of witches to the edge of town. They seem to be running towards the hideout we discovered before. He wants us and another team to push from the other side, cornering them.”
I nodded, trying to force my head to clear. I was eager to do something. I was high on the club atmosphere and was ready to lash out my additional frustrations. “Headed into a fight then?” I asked with a grin on my face.
He looked at me with a grin. “It's time for a fight.”
We were silent until we neared our destination. Carson revealed a pile of clothes better suited for trekking through the woods and ambushing a coven of witches. He passed out a black long sleeve shirt and pair of black cargo pants.
As we pulled into a lot and piled out of the vehicle, Kellic held aloft a blanket while I shimmied my dress off behind it, pulling on the sweater and pants. I then held the same for her while she changed. We rejoined with the guys and crept to the edge of the forest.
It was go time. We could hope Henrick was with this coven and that Will was with him and safe. I played through my head what would've happened in that fight had he not gone for my neck, or had I at least expected it.
Four men in black swarmed around us and we all dashed into the tree cover. We ran at unreal speeds for nearly ten minutes before we located any sort of movement.
We broke through the line of trees cautiously. Ahead of us were thirteen witches, accompanied by several Vampyres, and one blonde Magick. She had long perfectly blonde locks and bright periwinkle eyes. She sat outside a tent, observing the surrounding area. The witches worked, setting up tents and building up a fire. An older man with a long white bearded stretched his hand over the tinder and muttered some foreign words.
A steady flame licked up the logs, exploding into light.
A out shriek ripped from the forest on the other side of the camp. Damien flew from the line of trees, followed by dozens of others as they cascaded from the sky, tossing apart the camp. He landed beside the fire and the ground beneath his feet bucked and settled, opening a six foot pit beneath the witches gathered there.
My dad had a feral grimace on his face and it frightened even me. The Magick I had observed looking about the camp was behind him now, her hands extended, ice creeping from the ground and locking around his right ankle. He fell forward, twisting the leg awkwardly.
“He needs help,” I gasped to Carson, leaning toward the clearing. We traded a long gaze, a million words passing between us. “He's my dad,” I begged. Carson stared for a moment longer, then nodded.
He and I leapt through the remaining trees, side by side. He went to Damien's side, fending off Vampyres while I went after the Magick. I dashed before her, rearing my fist back. I slammed it down, aiming for her face but she dodged just in time for me to snap her collarbone instead.
She shrieked in agony and clutched at her chest. One hand twisted into a claw and ice swept over the ground, making me lose my feet. Kellic appeared beside me. She had her palm pressed to the dirt, a red glow scattering along the ground.
The flow of energy spun around the flow of ice, crinkling its edges.
The Magick glared at me, ducking close. She stabbed her hand out, dragging a claw along my cheek before I could fend her off. Cold crept over the open wound as she imbued my skin with ice.
I shot my arm toward her, catching her on the side of the head as she tried to slip away. She watched me from a distance, glancing at Kellic as she fended off the icy ground. I dashed closer, sweeping my leg below her feet. She lost her balance as I swung in a circle and slammed my foot against her head before she landed.
Her head rocked back from me and a trickle of blood ran down her cheek. She glared up at me, lifting herself. “I'm not sure why Henrick wants you,” she growled, leaping to her feet and hurling at me again. I tried to dodge but wasn't fast enough. She clipped my chest, sending me hurling backwards.
She stood over me, pressing her foot against my throat.
And Carson backhanded her so hard that she went flying away with a shriek, lashing out with claws and teeth. Carson's arm bristled with icy flakes from the impact.
He breathed heavily, his breath exiting in a cloud. “Ice? Really?” He complained, shivering. He grabbed my hand, yanking me to my feet. The Magick leapt off into the woods but my dad was currently facing off against a half dozen witches.
Carson and I leapt into action, followed closely by Kellic. The witches were chanting, their hands extended while dark liquid power flowed across the room and wrapped around Damien's limbs. He was frozen. A tall, imposing man stepped from behind the witches, casting another dark tendril toward my father's heart.
I didn't put as much thought as I should have into my approach as I dashed between them and my dad. He groaned as their magic released him and he slumped onto the ground.
The witches’ gazes collectively settled on me. The power arched and came alive along the ground before me. Black tentacles stretched over to me, pressing painfully into my skin and holding me down.
The ground shuddered beneath us, vibrated the witches footholds. The dark magic twisted in my skin, making me cry out in pain. That final whip stretched between us, curling over my heart.
I pulled energy from the air, filling every cell. Blue white light rippled down my body, shaking the darkness from my figure.
The witches drew back and began their retreat, staring at me with wide eyes. My father stepped alongside me, his hand pressed to the dirt and a canyon opened before us, swallowing the remaining witches. Once he had them contained, he lifted his hand and twisted, carving a cage out of the very dirt and lifting it to the surface.
A shiver ran down my spine but I tried not to show it.
My father was insanely spooky.
His people eventually group around us, having either dispatched or scared off any remaining vampires or witches. I burned the electricity from my skin, letting it waft into the air around me.
“How many got away,” Damien growled.
The man he'd spoken to at the house when Henrick ran stepped closer. “There was a Magick among their ranks. They were frightened into running. All of the Vampyres were incapacitated,” his eyes flicked up to Carson before continuing. “The
witches have been either killed or captured.
My father nodded and looked over to me. “You did well, my daughter. Thank you for coming to my aid,” he said, grinning at me and pulling me close. “You make an old man proud,” he mumbled so informally that it took me aback. He rarely broke through his formal demeanor. I smiled in response.
“Thanks, dad,” I replied.
“I want a team after that Magick,” he commanded, turning to the man again. He nodded and lifted a walkie talkie to his lips, mumbling orders into it. Damien returned to me and glanced aside to Carson. “And I want my daughter, back to safety,” he continued.
Carson nodded and took my hand, leading me back through the woods to the vehicle.
As we walked, I clasped his hand and asked a line of questions. “What was that?” I asked, assessing the image of that camp in my mind.
Carson looked down at me, still walking. “They work for Henrick. We have people who can detect witches magic. They can't stay still or risk us catching up to them, which it seems is exactly what happened. I'm more curious about their Magick friend,” he said thoughtfully.
There was silence for a moment. “Henrick wasn't with them,” I whispered, disappointed. I had hoped I'd find Will's face among the residents and this would all be over for him but no such luck. I ha relieved some frustration between the partying and knocking that Magick all over the place but now I just felt exhausted.
Carson watched my face. “We'll find him,” he assured. “He can't hide forever.” He rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb.
I hoped he was right but wondered how true it may be. Henrick hid in plain sight after betraying the Magick people for eighteen years. There's even more at risk for him now, what guarantee did we have that he would reemerge?
Who would either stay underground forever, or he would come for me. “What is Henrick going to do to me?” I asked, trying to force my imagination from running wild.
Carson's jaw tightened. “He wanted Anton to...force you to issue an heir. Anton refused and Henrick disowned him, leaving no one else currently in line for the throne. The only way for him to redeem his twisted deal, is if you would be found...with child.” It was evident that the words weren't easy for him.
My stomach sank. The only way this psycho who hated me and my family would get his way was to knock me up. That made me feel great about his intentions. And he currently held hostage one of my best friends. My mind recalled again that he was human and vulnerable.
Carson's hand tightened on me. “I won't let him hurt you,” he assured me.
At last, we broke through the trees and crossed the street, headed to the SUV. We climbed in, Anton and Kellic in the back, Carson and I in the middle. I leaned my head on his chest, memories of Will overwhelming my mind. Anton reached over the seat back and brushed my neck with his fingertips. I suddenly felt overwhelmingly exhausted and blinked hard as Carson snuggled me closer.
Chapter Nineteen
I couldn’t quite shake the exhaustion that had locked down on me, even after we made it back to Damien’s manor. Carson slid out first, scooping me into his arms, resting my head on his chest. He pressed a light kiss to my forehead, issuing goodnight wishes to Kellic and Anton as he made his way inside.
I was kind’ve in and out for the walk to his room, struggling to rouse myself. “It’s alright,” He shushed me. “You can sleep. We’ll talk in the morning.” His voice was a balm to my sleepy self, luring me farther under the waves.
I only realized we’d stepped over his threshold when the lighting shining on the inside of my lids changed to a softer tone. I squinted one eye open, looking up at him.
“Why are you always warm?” I mumbled, snuggling his chest.
He glanced down at me, a smirk on his lips. “I’ve told you,” he replied. “Hybrid.”
I traced my fingers along his chest. “What does that mean?” I asked drowsily.
He pulled the covers back with his fingertips and laid me beneath, kissing my forehead. “It means I run at a warmer temperature than you, than even humans. So I’m always warm. It’s nice that you’re so cool. It gets to be too warm pretty quickly.”
He kissed my lips and I gleefully kissed back. “I like your warm,” I whispered, cuddling closely to him as he nestled in beside me. I cling to him, resting my cheek above his heart. It pounded out a solid rhythm, quickly luring me to my slumber.
I opened my eyes onto the roaring stadium. The crowd was on their feet, shouts of Achillia rising from them. I lifted my arms in victory before turning back the way I had come. The gate stood open for me, the green eyed god waiting there for me.
As I reached his side, he took me by the hand, leading me through a maze of corridors until one final door stood before us. Just as we stepped forward to emerge into the light, the emperor blocked our path, flanked on either side by hooded figures.
The man separated us, his arms held back protectively. “You issued the order yourself, Emperor. She is free to go,” he growled.
The Emperor stared up at him. The man at my side had a few inches on him and glared down his nose. “I said she was free,” the Emperor began. “Not free to leave.”
The green eyed man who felt so familiar growled, low in his chest. The Emperor gestured forward, rippling strands of dark energy erupting from the gathered figures. The whips of power grabbed the man, throwing him from his feet. They burst forth more power, lunging at me.
I gathered strength in my palms, pulling from the righteous fervor of the crowd. My hands billowed with light and the dark energy hissed away. I helped the man to his feet, drawing the gladius from my hip and brandishing the blade, pushing energy down to its tip.
A ball of pulsing blue white light emitted there, spiraling threateningly.
The Emperor shrank back and gestured to his entourage. Hands reached up, pulling hoods back, revealing a variety of women. They muttered chants, dragging more dark energy forth.
“This won’t go well for you,” I warned, crouching low.
“Kill them,” the Emperor chimed anyway, stepping back beyond his guards. There were six women in total and they tried hard to keep up with me.
I leapt forward, my hands clenching around the nearest neck to me before wrenching to the side. With a snap, she fell to the ground, her energy fizzling out.
Five heads swiveled up to me, fury, pain, and fear filling their features. Hands lifted, pulling dark clouded energy from the ground beneath us.
I pushed more energy through my body, becoming a beacon of light that burned away the dark. I leapt toward my savior, clasped his arm, and dragged him away with me to safety.
We found solace in an abandoned building on the outskirts of the city. I pulled the man into the darkness, making the exterior appear undisturbed. He hadn’t blacked out but he was definitely dazed.
I began working on a fire, collecting broken furniture for tender and heaping it on the stone floor. Once I had enough, I held my hand aloft over the cone of flammable objects and summoned energy to my palm. I bled a tiny bolt of lightning into the structure, only waiting for a moment before the lightning ignited it, burning a small fire deep within its recesses.
“How do you do that?” He asked after so much time in silence. I flinched, nearly forgetting he was conscious.
I rolled my eyes where he couldn’t see it. “The gods shine well on me,” I replied, watching the electrical light shows dance across my knuckles.
He peered around me, watching with fascination. I breathed in, collecting the remaining energy in the air.
“Achillia,” he said waiting until I turned to him, curiously. He braced himself, sitting up and leaning nearer to the fire. “I’m something like you. How do you do that?” When I glanced up to his face again, veins stood out along his cheeks, his eyes paling but glazing from green into a pale bluish green. He sneered, pulling his lips away from his teeth and revealing two fine lines of incisors there.
It startled me. They were identifying marks I was
familiar with. The fangs were reminiscent of my own, the veins, something I’d done myself. But those eyes...while my eyes lightened with the usage of my ability, they never changed color like what I was seeing.
“What are you,” I growled. I tried to bury the panic within me. If he had wanted to hurt me, he would’ve done it already. He’d had ample opportunity.
He hesitated for a long moment before I felt a power tickling along my skin. It was definitely different from my own but it called to me. I looked him over. He was unstrapping the armor along his chest, exposing his torso. The power splashed over me, peeling back my defenses and peaking my interest. I leaned forward, my eyes grazing his collarbone and down his chest.
The energy drew me in, making me arch forward unconsciously. I fought against him.
“You’re an incubus,” I hissed, recoiling until the thick alluring power receded. It swept away from me, going back inside him and leaving me be.
He turned his fanged face toward me. “I am,” he replied. “But I’m so much more. What are you?” He leaned toward me and reached his hand out. I pulled away from him instead of letting him touch me.
“I am a Magick.”
His eyes went wide. “I’ve only ever met a few,” he said.
I rolled my eyes, emitting power along my fingers again. I liked to watch the way it danced across my skin, knowing I could wield it like a blade with no more than a thought, a mere concentration of my will.
“Well, now you’ve met another one,” I responded to him, watching the veins recede away from his cheeks. “I survived,” I chimed, thinking back to the private moment with him in the equipment room.
He reached forward and touched my skin, but I let him, the buzz of awareness tickling my cheeks. He didn’t allow his power to well out; he didn’t touch me with it. I appreciated that, my trust extending toward him.
“Who are you?” I asked, pressing my palm over his hand.
“My name is Marcellus,” he replied. My eyes sought something in his face.
