by R L Medina
Maybe it could see me.
I stared at it, waiting to see what happened, my hand ready to grab my sword just in case. Footsteps pounded down the hall, heading toward us.
My breath stuck in my lungs. Out of instinct, I spoke the chant for my weapon, relieved when it appeared in my hand. Its power thrummed through me.
The door burst open, making me jump.
Molly. The dorm monitor glanced at the witches, Brady and then met my eyes. “Come on, Rose. They’re looking for you. Luna Negra. We have to get you to a portal.”
I gaped as she pulled out her sword and motioned for me to follow. Fear crawled over my skin. Where were all the guards? What was happening?
“We have to find the wizard. Find Grayson. And Javi and Shiloh,” I turned to Brady, “they could be in trouble.”
His lips flattened into a grim line. “I’ll take care of it.” He turned to James. “You should go with her. If they’re looking for her, they’re probably looking for you too.”
The witch turned to Ash. She gave him a firm nod, concern swimming in her eyes.
James shook his head. “We’re staying with you, Brady. We can help with the wizard.”
Brady opened his mouth to argue but was cut off by a scream coming from another room. Nausea rolled through me. They were there for me again, but why?
This was real. The school was under attack. The floor spun underneath me. My heart pounded in my ears. This wasn’t real. How could it be real?
“Rose!” She urged me forward.
“I can’t. I have to help Grayson and the others right now. I’m not going to run and hide. They need me.”
Worry creased her brow, but another scream caught her attention. She sighed and raced off toward the fray.
“Be careful!” I shouted after her.
“She’ll be fine. Let’s go.” Brady was packing up the weathervane and tin can.
“We have to check on Javi and Shiloh first,” I answered.
He nodded, throwing my bag over his shoulder, and leading the way. James and Ash brought up the rear.
We ran for the stairs. Adrenaline pumped through me as our boots pounded down the hall.
The front door was blocked by guards. I sighed in relief. The school did have help, then. An angry mob of students were swarming them, begging to pass through. My stomach churned at the sight. They wanted to fight? This wasn’t some drill or training. This was real. Life and death.
Voices drifted from the back room. More guards flooded in, barricading the students in.
One of the men raised his hand to silence everyone. Before he could even speak, the front doors burst open. Screams and cheers echoed around me.
I watched on the staircase in horror as vampires and wolves stormed in. How had they gotten past our wards? More people followed them, hands raised. Luna Negra.
The guards went down first, chants, and screams of pain filled my ears. The vampires and wolves moved in a blur, tearing through students. Spells went flying and everything dissolved into chaos.
Students ran away, some jumped into the fray, casting their own spells. One of the vampires leapt across the wave of students and landed at the bottom of the stairs. He smiled at us, his fangs elongated.
I stumbled back. my heart pounded in my ears. What was I doing? Cassiano’s strict voice echoed in my mind.
Never run from a vampire unless there’s a portal nearby. They’re too fast.
“Shield,” Brady commanded.
But I was too slow. The vampire’s hand shout out and grabbed me by my ankle and yanked me to the ground. I screamed and swung around, waving my sword in front of me.
Fear crept along my skin and buried itself inside of me. I tried to shake it off as best as I could.
I wasn’t helpless anymore. I could do this.
The pale face of a vamp appeared in front of me. His creepy red eyes met mine and two long fangs retracted from his mouth. My body went into panic mode. I tightened my grip on my sword and raised it before me. More vampires jumped up beside him.
Fight the fear. Focus.
But this wasn’t a simulation. This was the real thing and vampires were fast.
In a blur, he was by my side, making my heart slam against my ribs. Brady and James were shouting chants, dealing with the other vampires who had joined in. I swung my sword with all my strength. All of Cassiano’s training and technique went out the window. He wasn’t there to critique me on my technique.
All I could think about was surviving. Surviving to help the others.
16
Sharp nails lashed out and grabbed a hold of my shoulder, digging into my skin. I hissed in pain at the burning sensation.
Before he could bite me, I ducked and dodged and brought my sword around with all my strength.
I couldn’t rely on chants. All I had was my minimal skill with my sword to save me now. He easily evaded my strokes and circled me. My eyes darted, trying to keep up his movement. It was too much. He was a blur.
Without warning, he collided with me full force and tried to rip the sword from my grip. My shoulder popped, making me scream.
He slowed, giving me a confused look.
I tried to shut off my mind to the pain spearing through my arm, giving a silent thanks to my tío for paying for my sword upgrades. Without the spell, I would have dropped it.
He moved again, but I brought my blade up. My sword sliced through him, making me gasp. His eyes widened before turning to white. I pulled out my blade and stumbled back as he fell. I’d ripped open his throat, but there instead of red blood, black blood spilled out.
Bile rose in my throat as I examined him. Vampires were technically already dead, so how did I make sure he wasn’t going to pop back up and attack me?
His fangs retracted. Shit. I leapt away. My heart slammed against my ribs as I held my sword up.
Just do it. Decapitate him and then he’ll be dead for sure.
I couldn’t do it.
Even though I knew he was a vampire and he’d been after me, I couldn’t bring myself to perform that level of violence. My sword jerked in my hand almost as if to ask what I was waiting for.
Before I could decide, his body went flying back and was lodged at the top of the stairs along with the other vampires Brady and James had fought.
I looked to the others. “How are we going to get out of here?”
A boom echoed around us, the ground shaking. I blinked, trying to steady myself as voices shouted around me. My ears were ringing. I turned to find the floor caving in. James fell through, Ash following. My heart slammed against my ribs. Vampires were climbing up to us. There were so many.
“Run, Rose. I’ll meet you at your tío’s. Go.” Brady blasted me with a spell that struck me hard.
A shield—temporary, but I could only hold it for a little bit.
“What about you?” I hesitated.
He was trying to find where James and Ash had fallen through. His eyes met mine. “I’ll be fine. Go. There’s a portal at the end of the hall. Fourth floor.”
More students poured out of their rooms, weapons in hand. Their chants filled the air. Feeling guilty for leaving Brady, but worried about Javi and Shiloh, I turned to run. Sweat coated my skin and my breath turned ragged.
I ran up the stairs, passing more students on their way down to join the fight. Some of them scowled at me as I raced the opposite way, but I didn’t have time to explain myself to any of them, nor did I care to.
When I made it to the fourth floor, it was completely deserted. Dim light filled the hall. The voices drifted from downstairs and I bit my lip.
Would Brady be okay? Ash and James? I felt awful for leaving them, but Brady was smart and powerful. He would be okay. I made it to the portal, nearly out of breath.
I waved my sword in front of it. Nothing happened. Was it even on?
“You,” an angry voice called behind me.
I turned to find Tyler standing behind me at the other end of the hall. He h
eld a knife in his hand. A knife already dripping with blood.
Shit.
Trying to ignore the panic rising inside me, I turned back to focus on the portal.
Work damnit.
His harsh laugh caught my ear. “Are you seriously trying to leave? Leave after the mess you’ve made? This is your fault, and you think you can just run away?” His voice hardened as he grew closer.
My heart slammed against my ribs. Okay, screw it. The portal’s a no-go.
“I’m talking to you, witch!” His words bounced down the hall, making me flinch.
Giving up on the spell, I turned and summoned my sword’s extra shield. It burned bright in the dim light, its power thrumming through me.
Tyler’s eyes narrowed on me—an unspoken promise there.
He didn’t just want to stop me or hurt me, no, he wanted me dead. An icy rush of fear washed over me as I braced myself.
“Please, Tyler. I wasn’t running. Javi and Shiloh need me. I was just trying to get help.”
He stalked closer. I glanced behind me. Dead end. I couldn’t let him back me into the corner. Getting past him was my only chance. That or… I swallowed hard.
“Please. I’m on your side. I don’t want to hurt you.”
A snort of derision came from him. “Well, I do want to hurt you. Make you pay for what you’ve done. You brought Luna Negra here. You never should have come to our academy. You don’t belong here.”
My eyes flickered past him. Could I make it?
As if sensing my indecision, he smiled. “Go ahead. Run. You can’t outrun my knives. They’re spelled. And they always find their target.”
Knives. Plural. Who knew how many the psycho was carrying? Pushing down the fear clawing its way up inside me, I widened my stance and gripped the hilt of my sword.
He laughed. “This is going to be too easy.”
Heat spread up my neck. “Then do it already, asshole. What are you waiting for?”
His smile vanished. God, just shut up, you idiot. Pissing him off even more wasn’t going to help me.
With one flick of his hand, he sent a chant flying at me that I barely had time to counter. My shield wavered as his spell struck it. I gaped at the knife still in his hand. What was he doing?
Tyler took another step toward me. Soon, he’d be right on top of me. I shifted my weight, raising my sword higher. A jolt of pain struck me at the movement.
I dropped my sword. It fell to the carpet. Before I could grab it, Tyler’s hand opened, and he chanted something indiscernible. My sword flew backwards—out of reach.
Dread filled me.
Spells rushed through my head. I still had my ring, my conduit, but without a solid grasp on my magic, I’d be shooting blind.
Think. Think. Please.
“What’s the matter, witch? Don’t know how to cast?” Tyler taunted.
His knife floated in the air now, spinning in a slow circle. It would only be a matter of minutes before he would launch it at me. I needed a shield. One that he couldn’t break so easily. Then I could buy myself some time to come up with a better defense or offense.
Mustering all the strength I could, I moved my fingers up and down, trying to ignore the fear and focus on building the invisible shield. I could do this. I’d rehearsed it enough with Cassiano. I just needed to make it hold until I could get away.
Tyler was more than half-way down the hall now. I backed up, but then realized my mistake.
Don’t let him get the upper hand.
“Come on. Show me what you can do. If you’re so special, show me.”
I bit the venomous retort back, forcing myself to concentrate on holding the spell. If I lost it now, I wouldn’t have enough time to cast again. Not before his knife found me.
A shudder ran through me at the thought. Sweat dripped down my back and coated my forehead. My head throbbed and my face felt flushed. I could feel my hold on the magic waver.
No.
With renewed effort, I grasped for it again, holding the spell together as tightly as I could. A bead of sweat dripped along my nose, making my skin itch. I didn’t dare move. But how long could I hold it?
How long before…
A blast of air rushed toward me, bouncing off my invisible barrier. I gritted my teeth, tightening my fists to hold onto the spell. Another shot of cold air struck me, cracking my shield.
I gasped, trying desperately to seal it back up before he hit again.
This isn’t working. Run. Just run.
But I couldn’t run. Not without losing my grip on the magic altogether. Then I’d be a sitting duck. My eyes flicked to the humming portal behind me. There wasn’t enough time to get it running though.
My options were limited. and I was running out of time.
Tyler was right in front of me now. A triumphant smile on his face. He had me and he knew it. Nausea rolled inside my gut.
Slowly, he raised his arms, eyes never leaving mine. My knees trembled. My mind was screaming for me to run. But I wouldn’t make it past him.
But I could make it to him.
Before he brought his hands together, I rushed him, colliding with him full force. Pain spread up my elbow at the contact. We knocked heads, black spots dotting my vision as a throbbing started in my forehead. He stumbled back but recovered quickly.
He still had his knife. A murderous look flashed on his face as he gripped it.
Oh, shit.
I tried to palm strike his face and knee him in the groin, but his hand shot out and grabbed my wrist with an iron hold. He held it in place as he brought the knife down—hard.
A scream tore from my lips as it cut into my skin. The pain was immediate. I tried to pull my hand out of his hold, but he was too strong. His lips curved into a smile.
He raised the knife again. I flailed and kicked, trying to get away. My arm burned with pain and I knew he wasn’t done. I had to get out of there.
My boot caught him in the thigh, making him grunt. But he didn’t let go.
“Stop kicking me, you bitch,” he snarled.
I gaped at him. Like I was supposed to make it easy for him to slice me?
“Go to Hell, you bastard,” I snapped back, swinging my leg to kick him again.
He brought the knife down on my thigh, slicing through the fabric. Blood pooled from the cut. I hissed in pain and renewed my efforts to get out of his hold. In a move, I barely remembered from training, I yanked and twisted my arm, in a semi-arch, breaking his grip.
Pain speared through me at the movement, but I wasn’t safe yet. I backed away, toward the only exit, heart racing.
Tyler smirked. “Go ahead. Run. I’ll give you a head start. My knife has tasted your blood now. I could throw it and it would still find you in the next room.”
I held my bleeding arm to myself. His words chilled me, and I knew it wasn’t a bluff. I had no doubt, he could do exactly that.
“Please, Tyler. Don’t do this.”
He laughed. His knife twirled in the air, my blood flying off it and spraying the carpet. My stomach churned. My head ached.
What could I do now? There was no running from him. I’d have to use every bit of training and survival instinct and hope it was enough.
“I’m getting tired of this, witch. I think I’ll show you some mercy. The next target will be your throat.”
A shudder ran through me. I couldn’t duck or run from the magical blade, but I could block my throat. I’d have to use my arms to do it and it would hurt like a mother, but there was no other choice. I had to survive. My friends still needed me.
Tyler lifted his chin and chanted. The knife flew from his hand. I lifted my arms and crossed them, clenching my eyes shut. My ears rang.
“What the?” Tyler’s confused tone startled me.
I opened my eyes to find the knife frozen right in front of me. Relief flooded me followed by shock. Did I do that? I blinked back tears.
“How did you do that?” he demanded, voice growing angri
er.
He tried to call the knife back to him, but it didn’t budge.
“I did it,” a voice called behind us.
Tyler whipped around and threw out his arm for another spell, but it bounced off the walls. My eyes met my savior’s. Gloria.
She glanced at me and back to Tyler, her face stony.
He sneered at her. “Of course, you would protect her. One of your own.”
I was still reeling from my near-death experience, breathing hard, but I nodded to the witch in gratitude.
“Put the knife away and we can all walk away from this.”
Tyler scoffed. “You think I’m going to trust a witch?”
Gloria’s brow furrowed. “I’m on your side. I’m here fighting with the GRIMM. Just like Rose.”
Tyler’s eyes slid to me. “She’ll never be one of us.”
My lip curled at him. “Good. I don’t want to be a monster like you, Tyler.”
He spun back toward me, fists curled, but paused. His head snapped back to Gloria. “Let me go. You can’t use a freezing spell on me. It’s illegal.”
“I’m giving you one last chance. Leave now.” The witch’s voice was steel.
I retrieved my sword from its place and stood beside her.
Tyler’s face mottled with rage. He chanted another spell and charged toward us, breaking her hold.
Gloria threw her arm up and he dropped to the ground face first with a resounding thud.
I looked to her, mouth open. “Is he… did you kill him?”
She frowned at me. “Of course not. I don’t enjoy killing anyone, least of all children, Rose. He’s just sleeping.”
I watched as she turned him over with her shoe. A loud snore escaped him. Damn. That was a spell I needed to learn.
Her eyes scanned the empty hall. “I’m so glad I found you. Luna Negra. They’re here. Looking for you.”
I shuddered. “What do I do?”
She averted her gaze and grabbed my hand. “Come with me. I know a safe place.”
“What about Javi? Shiloh and Brady? And the other students?”
She flinched. “They’ll be fine. The witches don’t want them.”
Her words weren’t convincing, but what other choice did I have? Hiding in a closet wasn’t going to help me.
