Wintertide

by Everly Taylor

  I dashed down to Sebastian’s classroom, hoping I would find him there, or at least that Sebastian would have some sort of explanation. Instead, I only found a note pinned to the chalkboard informing myself and Jaxon that tutoring was canceled for the day and would resume again tomorrow.

  As I roamed the halls looking for Jax I kept an eye out for anyone that might have darker ideas, or would be after me to try to harm me. I tried his level but the guard refused to let me through. I tried using my charm, and then bribery, which finally got out of him that Jaxon had been called to his father’s office early that morning.

  My face fell and the guard looked at me knowingly.

  “Sorry, no dick for you this morning. Get moving,” he barked, making my face flush red.

  Even though I hadn’t been able to talk to Jax, there was some good that came from our exchange. First, we would know where to start looking for him if it came to it, and second, the guard would probably report back to the headmaster how desperate I was to see Jaxon. I sulked away and figured my next best option was to go to the cafeteria, it was about time for check in anyway.

  I almost whooped in excitement when Jaxon finally sent reassurance through our bond. I didn’t know if he were coming or not, but at least I knew he was okay. I stopped outside the cafeteria and could feel Blade and Calex just inside. I knew that if anything happened they would help immediately, though it killed me to not be able to run to them and kiss them like I wanted to.

  It was so hard to not look their way as I made my way to the check-in. I stared straight ahead, determined to do my part in all of this. Anger radiated off of them and I knew it was because I was alone. I sure hoped Jax made his appearance soon so they would calm down. I sent them reassurance that everything was okay, but it didn’t help.

  Instead of calming down, Blade’s lion clawed toward the surface as he barely contained his rage that I was left unprotected. I had no clue how the hell he dealt with that every single day.

  I groaned when my sister’s voice piped up behind me, “Did my dear sister already chase away all the men?” I chose to ignore her, not wanting to draw any extra attention to myself. But in true Alayna fashion, she wasn’t going to let it go. “I’m not surprised. Mom and Dad didn’t even want to be around you. You’re unlovable, Evangeline.”

  Carmen’s laughter rang out and I refused to turn around, to get caught up in their petty shit when I was so close to leaving. I couldn’t take the chance. I stayed calm with the knowledge that she wouldn’t be laughing when we were gone from this hell hole, and she was left behind. Not only dealing with a pissed off warden, but also knowing that I had my guys with me.

  I felt the guys’ anger increase as they started moving toward us. I thought hard about why it would not be a good idea, hoping they got the point. It was hard to focus on not losing control and trying to keep them calm too. At last they backed down and I was relieved they understood.

  “Jaxon’s dick tasted so good last night. He was dying for a good time and begged us to fuck him,” Alayna lied as she sneered at me. If I hadn’t already known she was lying by the way her voice increased an octave, I knew Jax would never do that to me.

  I finally sensed Jaxon’s presence growing stronger and I knew he was headed toward us. I just had to keep ignoring my sister until I could get away from her. Suddenly worry washed over me, as I could feel his unease. Whatever had happened that called him away, couldn’t be good.

  Carmen started in, “The best part was licking his dick while he told us that Evangeline was a prude bitch that had no skill at fucking. What did he call her? Oh, yeah a dead fish.” Her laughter rang out, evil and unsettling. I still ignored the both of them because I knew that he would never do that or say that. I just didn’t know what their end game was.

  “I don’t like taking my sister’s sloppy seconds, but I bet Calex and Blade would be just as amazing. They obviously don’t want this hoe, either.” She lowered her voice, “Oh, Eva. I’m going to enjoy taking everything and everyone from you. Then when you have nothing, I will find a way to get rid of you permanently.”

  Ice spread out from my hands as I battled for control. I used the meditation that Jaxon taught me and it started to recede. I couldn’t let her empty threats get to me, I was bonded to my guys and had a best friend that was going to escape with us. Her words were meaningless.

  Fear and urgency came from Jaxon and I found my resolve faltering, tingles racing across my fingers again as my power pushed for the surface. I continued to breathe and thought of all the love my men had given me last night. The feeling of our bond snapping into place, the love that radiated from all of them, every moment of connecting as one.

  “You can try to ignore me, but I will always be here, waiting for my moment to strike. You will never be able to let your guard down, sister,” her voice was full of venom.

  I started to give Henry my number, but the feeling of electricity shooting through my body and the tremors that wracked through me, stopped me mid sentence. I forced myself to stand upright, leaning on the counter for support as she continued to pound me with her magic.

  Jolt after jolt struck against my back as I braced against the counter, the ensuing shouts barely registering as her assault left everything muffled. The fear and anger from my guys filled me and I knew I had to find a way to shut them out if I was going to stand strong. After focusing for a moment, their feelings fell back, no longer distracting me from the strength and intensity of them.

  Her onslaught of energy balls ceased for a moment and I took a deep breath to steady myself.

  “More! More!” Carmen’s voice came through clearly as I tried to gather myself. Suddenly the pain intensified as rather than sending her electric balls at me she was somehow sending it shooting at me in a steady, unending stream.

  My heart faltered, skipped a beat, and I thought this might be the end. My sister may finally finish me just as I found my happiness. She would get her wish and take everything from me. A tear trickled down my cheek as I thought of how heartbroken my death would leave Calex, Sebastian, Jaxon, and Blade. I could picture their pain and misery as I fell to my knees.

  My sister’s laughter, so dark and insane, battered my ears as she continued to press into me with her power. She was winning and I was powerless to do anything to stop her.

  “Eva, fight it,” I heard Blade’s commanding alpha voice coming from somewhere. I no longer knew which way was up and which was down as I was battered. “Fight back,” the panic in his voice rose, one that was always so steady before, made something inside of me snap.

  I was not powerless, and damn it I had four men on my side. My sister was not going to get the better of me. I looked deep inside myself and found the tiny, faint glimmer of my magic as it barely clung to life. Focusing on it, I willed it to grow, glow brighter and stronger than ever before. I threw my hand out behind me, not caring if I hurt anyone else in the process. The only thing that mattered was getting her to stop so I could actually have a chance.

  Shards of ice and wind flew from my palms in her direction, leaving me breathless from the sudden intensity as they knocked her back.

  The pain immediately stopped but I was weak from her onslaught, so, so weak. I attempted to stand again but my legs trembled beneath me and refused to move. A gentle warmth began to seep in near my heart, a quiet glow that seemed to radiate through my body. It was comforting and powerful all at the same time as I felt it flow through my veins and fill me with an energy unlike I had ever felt before.

  “Take her down, Ice,” Calex’s smooth voice washed over me as I realized it was he that was feeding me energy somehow.

  My legs were still shaky, but I was finally able to stand again. I turned to face my sister, not even slightly remorseful that blood welled from a cut on her cheek. Her green eyes seemed to glow with anger as she hobbled toward me, her hands raised as she was about to strike.

  As the blue flash left her hands, I had no time to think and just reacted, thr
owing out my own hands as I hoped that something strong would come from them. “Holy fuck,” I heard Jaxon’s voice in awe as electricity shot from my own hands and crashed into hers. My breath caught as my turquoise current faltered and cut out just as hers had.

  Alayna’s breath heaved as she stared at me with hatred before shooting her own electricity toward me again. This time I focused on that turquoise stream and I stared in awe as the streaks of colorful light arced through the air and connected between us, sparks flying everywhere where they met, reminding me very much of fireworks. I pushed hard, not able to take a moment to wonder about this strange turn of events as sweat beaded on my forehead.

  Instead, I focused on the intensity of it, forcing it in her direction, slowly pushing its way toward her. No longer did our currents meet in the middle, but it was overtaking hers and closing in on her.

  She screamed as she struggled against my onslaught, tried to fight back, but it was useless. The scent of singed hair and burning clothes filled the air and still I pressed further as she fell to her knees. I refused to back down from her, not this time. Not ever again.

  “Stop,” a booming voice echoed through the cafeteria, surprising us both enough to relent.

  Alayna collapsed to the ground and Carmen raced over to her to help her up. I stood in place with my breath heaving as I dragged my eyes from them and turned to find the source of the voice.

  Headmaster Frost sauntered up to me and circled me like a shark, a sinister look in his eyes. “Well, well, well. It seems we have a student here that thinks she doesn’t need to follow the rules. I let you go the first time you lost control, but this certainly cannot be overlooked,” his smarmy voice made me want to cringe but I was not going to let him see how he affected me.

  I knew what he planned for me and I was not about to let it happen. My guys readied themselves to attack at the first sign the headmaster intended to do more than just talk. I hoped to get him to keep talking though, I needed him to reveal himself in front of the entire reformatory.

  “I know you just want to take my powers, Frost. I’m not going to let you. You’ve seen what I can do and I will not allow someone as sick and twisted as you to have them.”

  I have to admit his acting skills were on par as he tilted his head, “Steal your powers? Miss Bylar, it seems you are suffering delusions. No one can steal powers. That’s impossible,” he scoffed, earning a small chuckle from the guards at his back.

  “Yet you found a way. All anyone has to do is look at the cut on your son’s face to know that you are more than you seem. He’s fae and should have healed immediately. Yet he hasn’t,” I said loud enough for everyone to hear. The murmurs of the other students made me feel triumphant. I knew it wasn’t much, but at least I got them doubting enough that he would have to be careful where he went next.

  If his eyes had lasers, they would have burned through me as it was his only indication of the rage that boiled beneath the surface. “I see. And you think I had something to do with Jaxon’s injuries? I’m not sure how you could come to that conclusion. I think it was you who did that to him.”

  I laughed, “Yes, because that’s plausible. I hurt him and then became his girlfriend. Everyone here knows that we started dating after his injuries.”

  The murmurs started up again and I heard someone shout “Yeah, explain that warden!”

  “Enough!” he roared as he threw out his hands. The silence that followed was so immediate that I was shocked to see everyone frozen where they stood behind him. It took me a moment to realize that he had literally stopped everyone from moving in their place. The only ones that remained untouched were the few guards that stood to the side out of his reach, Una, Jet, and three of my four guys that were behind me. Sebastian wasn’t here and probably had no clue yet that our timetable just moved up. There was also Henry whose eyes were wide in terror at the scene before him.

  I stood ready when Headmaster Frost took another step toward me, putting him inches from my face. “Oh, Evangeline, there’s so much you don’t know. So much I didn’t know until your little display. I may actually let your sister live for how well she did in finding the truth about you. Though, I daresay that having her power would be very convenient. No, now that I know the truth about you, I’ll let her live out her days in the caves with her little harpy.”

  “What truth?” I asked as I worked on focusing my magic so that I could use it to get out of this. I had no clue how the electricity came from me, but it had to be somewhere inside me. I remembered Jaxon’s words and looked for a glow inside me. “What the hell are you talking about?” I tried distracting him as I searched inside of me for that turquoise glow that sparked so different from the glow of my ice.

  I found the glow of my ice, so bright and strong, that I almost missed the hint of something else there. It was faint but it was different than the other, turquoise and sharp unlike the bright white, icy glow I was used to.

  I focused on harnessing it, coaxing it to me as the headmaster answered my questions, “There was only one known person in all of history that was born with the ability to harness two powers, yet equally strong in both.” His voice lowered and I could barely hear his words, unsure if anyone else heard them. “You, Evangeline, are a descendant from my father’s late wife.”

  Chapter Thirty

  My mind reeled at the implication, one that I had known from my mother, yet not all of it. It seemed she hid a very important part of her tale from me. “You’re full of shit,” I spat out, lying as an attempt to hide the truth.

  “Dear, sweet, Evangeline. Your mother was never forthcoming about your history, was she?” He shook his head as he tsk’ed at me. “She didn’t give you the tools you needed to reach your full potential.” His voice was smooth, almost captivating if it wasn’t coming from a sick, evil man. “Where my fumbling son and Professor Sebastian failed you, I could help you to harness the power inside you. Together we could be the rulers again, just as my father had been alongside your grandmother before she disappointed him by having a child with not even a spark of magic.”

  “Your father?” I asked incredulously as the idea of being related to this monster sunk in, followed quickly with revulsion that I had sex with Jaxon, a family relation. I looked at him with horror.

  Headmaster Frost threw his head back and laughed, “No worries, dearie. My mother was his second wife, so there are no blood relations to your little fuck boy. My mother, however, bore him a child with powerful magic unlike your grandmother ever could. It’s really a shame that my mother couldn’t handle birthing me and died. Though, I suppose it was for the best since her own power was nothing special.”

  He spoke of her death as if it were nothing significant, as if she were nothing. It angered me how he could speak of his mother like that. Even though my parents had shown me no love and had hid important information from me, I still didn’t wish them any ill as he seemed to.

  His hand reached up and stroked my cheek, “Join with me, Evangeline. Be by my side and we can rule together. Our combined powers will make the people bow at our feet.”

  I heard Blade growl behind me and I felt the anger radiating off of him. The headmaster flicked his wrist and sent him flying backwards, crashing into a table yards away. Anger boiled up inside me and I pulled on that turquoise glow, bringing it to my hands as it burned through my veins.

  “Never,” I spat as I threw electricity at him, the crackling through the air loud as it arced out and threw his body across the room.

  He got up quickly and shook it off as if it were nothing. “I will overlook that little incident. Of course, you were simply lashing out at the new knowledge.” He brushed a flake of dirt off his shoulder and stalked toward me, “If you come with me now, I will let your friends live.”

  I dared to look behind me at my lovers and my friends, my eyes settling on Jaxon. I didn’t want to do something terrible to his father if it would hurt him. He nodded his head, knowing what I was asking, “Take him o
ut, Eva. Do whatever it takes.”

  I unleashed a flurry of wind and snow, pushing hard to hold him back, but he just laughed as he trekked forward, barely slowing down. His hand whipped up and pushed it away as if it were an annoying bug.

  I knew I wasn’t giving it my all, wanting to save my strength to go against this enigma. I didn’t know his capabilities, just that he had many powers that he had stolen and was much more experienced than I was. I was getting scared that I wasn’t going to be enough to stop him.

  “Seize her,” he shouted to the guards. They rushed at me and I threw ice at them, pushing them back as I kept my eyes on the headmaster. My guys would take care of them, of that I was sure.

  “You will not take me, Frost. I will never be yours,” I told him firmly as I felt my guys take out the guards. “My power belongs to me and I won’t let it go to the likes of you,” I shouted as I threw razor-sharp shards of ice at him.

  He managed to ward most of them off, but a few got through and sliced through his flesh. Several places on his face bled, and he wiped it away as if it were nothing. “It doesn’t have to be this way, Evangeline. You won’t win against me. You are too weak, too uncontrolled. I can already see you fading.” He laughed, a maniacal laugh that had me scared. “Stop this now, and let me teach you.”

  An icy tendril shot from his hand and I heard Jaxon gasp behind me as it reached for me and wrapped around my neck. As it grew tighter, I struggled against its steel-like grip and had no choice but to concentrate on getting it off of me as I couldn’t breathe anymore.

  The guys rushed to me, each trying to pull and chip away at the icy rope. Blade’s eyes glowed amber and I watched as he transformed in front of me, his lion dark and dangerous as he roared at the headmaster.

  “No, Blade,” I wheezed out, my fingers gripping at the icy rope. He didn’t listen though, he was too deep in his animal form to have any human thoughts at the moment as his beast fought to save his mate. The tightening on my throat stopped me from crying out as I watched Blade pounce. The headmaster threw another icy tendril at him and easily caught him midair, throwing him to the side without breaking a sweat.