So much for controlling my emotions.
Logan takes his stylus and draws a quick sigil. Another blue orb forms in his palm. This one, he throws at the mundane trying to scramble up the stone wall to reach him.
A sharp pain stabs the inside of my elbow. I look down and see my Shadowguard mark is glowing bright gold. Wonder mixes with my fear as I behold the unusual sight. I don’t know what’s happening. I’ve never heard of Shadowguard marks glowing, and mine has certainly never done so before.
The skin around the mark is shiny and red, and I swear the pain I feel is a burn. The tingling feeling in my arms has traveled over my chest.
The climbing demon falls to the ground when he’s hit a second time. The other mundane rushes forward to assist while Azazel stands as still as a statue. I see my chance to escape. As long as Logan keeps his attention, I should be able to sneak way.
Before I can take a step, someone grabs me from behind. I spin around and try to yank my arm away but stop when I see Cortney on the other side of the broken door.
“Come on!” She releases me and shoves open the door.
“Don’t move.”
I ignore Azazel’s too-close-for-comfort command.
I leap inside the museum, prepared to grab Cortney and run far and fast from the original demon behind us, but I’m stopped when a broad chest steps in my way.
Andrew doesn’t even steady me. He shoves me to the side and waves his hand over my shoulder. I turn and see Lex is also there, standing right in the path of Azazel’s furious pursuit.
Except… Azazel isn’t coming inside.
The air in front of him shimmers with magic. A barrier’s been placed at the entrance, preventing the original demon from following me inside. I dare to take a step forward and look up. Logan’s no longer in the window, and the telling glimmer confirms another barrier’s been erected there.
But just because Azazel can’t penetrate the magical barrier doesn’t mean his voice can’t.
“My brother may be fond of you, but I am not so patient. You will return to my side at once, or I will burn this building and all of its occupants to ash.” Azazel’s irises swirl with magic, anger, and authority. He expects me to listen. He believes his threat will send me falling to my knees, begging for forgiveness…
He doesn’t know me at all.
Lex is at my side in an instant, placing a protective hand on my shoulder, as if he’s worried I might heed the demon’s threat and go back outside. Andrew, also, steps closer.
I lift my burning arm and wipe black reside from my face, feeling the taint of the demon’s blood more keenly than before. I take a shaky breath and utter the only word I can muster, “No.”
Shock travels across Azazel’s face, and he’s not the only one.
Lex and Andrew give me an incredulous look.
I lift an eyebrow to my foster brother. “What?”
“You… you’re immune to his entrancing powers.” Lex’s blue eyes stare into mine with admiring disbelief.
“What? No, I’m not.” Azazel had frozen me in place not five minutes ago.
A fiery orange hand slams against the shimmering barrier. Lines spread from Azazel’s touch like a spiderweb, crawling over the surface, threatening to shatter the barrier into a thousand tiny pieces.
“Reinforce the barrier,” Andrew barks. Both he and Lex draw sigil after sigil, sending power into barrier. Even Cortney tries to help. Though her sigils aren’t as refined, I see the cracks filling in where her magic touches the barrier.
My fingers twitch. I wish I could help.
“Aspen.” I turn around.
Logan stands two feet away. Worried eyes run the length of me, almost frantic in their rapid movement.
The lines on his face begin to fade when he realizes I’m unharmed, and his concern does funny things to my heart.
“Logan?”
I step forward.
He does the same. “Aspen.”
For a moment, it’s like the world has slowed to a pause. I don’t hear the sounds of an attack and I don’t feel Azazel’s hateful glare on my back. The only thing I see is Logan, and the undeniable emotion swirling in his beautiful eyes. His hair is a mess, standing on end in every direction, and his tuxedo shirt is rumbled and the sleeves are rolled up. He must’ve ditched the jacket when the fight began.
Unable to maintain his intense, though thrilling, gaze, I dip my chin. I follow the length of his arms, marveling at the powerful sigils still glowing across his tan skin. Then, my gaze lands on his Guardian Mark. It’s glowing gold… and I’m reminded of how it looks exactly like mine.
My neck snaps up and I meet Logan’s expectant eyes. “Your powers are close to the surface,” he whispers, catching me off guard.
“How do you know?”
It’s his turn to look at my glowing mark. The breath catches in my chest. I’d never really thought about how Logan and I had similar Guardian marks. I’d just assumed there were only so many styles or designs a Guardian could be born with. I’d thought it wasn’t uncommon for people to have similar marks.
But at this moment, seeing how both of our arms glow gold, I know this isn’t normal. There’s a reason we share the same mark, and I’m determined to figure out what it is. Just as soon as we stop Azazel and his demons and escape this museum.
Logan seems to have the same thought. “I’ll explain when we get out of here. I promise.”
I believe him.
“Do you know why the demons are here?” My question breaks the unusual spell woven around us. The sound of our surroundings returns. There’s panic, but thankfully no chaos.
“My guess is they heard about the raid squad and wanted to stir up some trouble.”
“You know about the raid squad?” Part of me wonders if he knew the entire time, but I quickly dismiss the thought. I trust Logan. He wouldn’t have brought me and Cortney into such a dangerous situation if he knew.
Logan nods. “Lex told me when he found us. He’d said you’d already left…” He trails off, leaving me an opening to explain.
“I did leave,” I confirm. “But the demons found me almost the moment I stepped outside.”
Logan closes his eyes for a brief moment, looking pained. I don’t know if it’s on my behalf until he reaches out and wraps both hands around my arms. Then, he pulls me forward.
I stumble, barefoot, into his chest. Logan’s arms wrap around me, holding me tight against him.
I’m stunned by the affectionate gesture. Now doesn’t seem like the time or place for it. Hell, I’m not sure any time or place wouldn’t make this weird. But certainly a demon attack in the middle of a raid at a supernatural gala is not the most opportune time for a hug.
But my arms are pressed against my sides, held down by his muscular arms, unable to break out of his embrace even if I wanted to. I turn my wrists and rest my palms on his hips.
Logan’s head is tucked by my ear, and I hear his ragged whisper. “I’m sorry.” The pain I hear clenches my heart.
“What for?”
“For leaving you to fend for yourself tonight. I don’t know what got into me. You’re my mentee. I should’ve been there to help you.”
It might sound crazy, but I think we both know why Logan left me alone. He’d been upset by Joshua’s flirting.
Why? I don’t dare wonder. But hearing his remorse makes me forgive him, even if I don’t really understand why he’d been upset in the first place.
“It’s fine.” I press my tingling fingers into his hips, doing what I can to return his embrace. “It’s fine, Logan. I’m fine. Everything is okay.”
He leans back to look into my eyes, but our chests remain pressed together. I can feel the frantic beating of his heart, and it warms me to think of his worry for me. It’s nice to know he cares.
“We should help the others,” I murmur. I don’t really want this moment to end—whatever this moment is—but our friends are currently holding an original demon at bay, and there�
�s a raid squad around here somewhere. We need to get out before it’s too late.
Instead of agreeing and releasing me, Logan sighs. His head tilts forward until it rests against mine. “How do you do it?”
“Do what?”
“Fight… this?” His voice thickens with the word, but I have no idea what he’s talking about.
“What do you mean?”
Logan inhales deeply. I cringe at the thought of him smelling me. The demon blood is still on me, and its rotten egg aroma is potent.
But Logan doesn’t move away in disgust. In fact, he draws me closer. One hand travels to the small of my back, and the other finds its way to cradle my neck. His thumb brushes against my quick pulse, and my entire body goes rigid with a mix of fear and desire. I’ve never seen Logan like this. Did a succubi get ahold of him and douse him in some seductive spell or something?
“I mean this.” His grip on my neck tightens before he quickly releases the pressure. It hadn’t been enough to hurt, but I’m not certain he realized that. The controlled and careful Logan I’ve come to know is not the one who stands in front of me.
“This… feeling,” he continues. “The power. Don’t you feel it?”
The only things I feel right now is anticipation twisting my stomach, and the remnants of the tingling sensation in my arms and chest. “I-I don’t know.”
“Aspen,” he breathes my name, once again resting his forehead against mine. “There’s so much I have to tell you. I thought I could fight it, but it gets worse every day.”
I swallow the lump in my throat, prepared to take the plunge and ask what he means. I suspect it might not be anything good, but damn if I can resist.
Logan reaches up and brushes a strand of hair out of my face. The light touch sends a shiver down my spine, and I can’t help but revel in the feeling.
“Uh, a little help here!” Cortney’s shout breaks the trance.
Logan rips away from me like I suddenly caught on fire. I choke down my objection and turn back to see the cracks have spread across the barrier, and they look close to breaking.
“Retreat. NOW!” Logan barks the command.
Lex grabs Cortney and drags her back, the sigil she’d been drawing only half complete. Andrew follows after them, but not before he grabs onto Logan’s shirt and tugs. “Come on!”
Logan shrugs him off. “Go. I’ll hold them off.” He avoids meeting either of our gazes. His attention is focused on Azazel and his violent glare on the other side of the barrier.
My mind shouts in protest, but I’m unable to speak. Fear robs me of my voice.
“Are you crazy?” Andrew shouts. “That’s an original, Logan. We’ve got to run. The raid squad is here and more equipped. Let them deal with him.”
“You won’t make it to the raid squad if someone doesn’t hold him off,” Logan counters, still refusing to meet either of our eyes. “Take her away, Andrew. Before it’s too late.”
Andrew mutters curses under his breath. I’m frozen in place, barely able to process what he’s saying.
Then, Andrew takes my hand, and pulls me away from the barrier.
No…
NO!
“NO!” I find my voice, ripping my arm away from Andrew. I try to run around him to return to Logan’s side, but strong arms wrap around my waist like I weigh nothing.
“I’m sorry, Aspen,” Andrew huffs as he carries me away. “I’m sorry.”
I struggle against his hold. Losing his grip, Andrew flings me over his shoulder and begins to run. I lift my head and see the cracks reach the edge of the barrier, and then it shatters.
Demon magic bursts through the opening, knocking down everything in its path.
“LOGAN!”
I watch as my mentor is flung across the room, crashing into the ground in a painful heap. He tries to stand, but his legs give out beneath him.
Azazel and a group of no less than ten mundane demons walk through the door. I hadn’t realized so many had arrived, and my terror for Logan intensifies dramatically. There’s no way he can fight them off and escape. Logan will die if no one helps him. Someone has to help him!
The tingling sensation in my body morphs into a burning flame, igniting my insides and skin in a painful, yet powerful, way.
My vision blurs before immediately zeroing in on the enemies in the distance. I don’t know how far back Andrew has taken me, but I know he will turn soon, and I will lose sight of Logan forever.
I can’t let that happen.
“Ah!” Andrew drops me without warning.
I tuck my body and roll gracefully to my feet. A quick glance reveals Andrew’s hands are an angry red color and his clothes are singed. I’ve burned him, but I feel no remorse. The only thing I care about is Logan.
With that thought, I let the burning consume me, reveling in my painful awareness. Then, I lift my hand.
“Logan.” My voice is calm.
Even with our distance and his disoriented state, he lifts his head in my direction.
His eyes grow wide with fear. He mouths for me to run. I don’t listen.
“Duck.”
Confusion flickers across his face, but then he heeds my command and dives to the side just as lightening blue fire streaks across the room.
I direct the all-consuming flames at the demons. All ten catch on fire. The only one left untouched is Azazel. He stares at me with his jaw unhinged and eyes wide. I shift the power to him.
Azazel lifts a finger and the flames are deflected away.
Still, he looks at me like he’s seeing a ghost—a powerful ghost. And there’s a possessive gleam in his eye.
I don’t wait to find out the reason behind his look. I lift my left hand and send a second bolt of fire, thinking of nothing but covering Logan long enough for a retreat. Deducing my plan, he begins to crawl, but he’s too slow. He won’t make it. I can’t hold this power forever.
“Andrew,” I grind out. My teeth are clenched with effort as I focus the power. “Help him.”
There’s a brief moment of hesitation before Andrew jumps to action. He races to Logan’s side, kneels down, and picks him up over his shoulder. I’m careful to keep my fire from them as they retreat. Azazel tries to move forward, but a surge of power holds him back. I’m not foolish enough to believe I can actually kill him, but I’m sure I can hurt him. And based on the way he avoids my power, he thinks so too.
My power.
I can’t afford to lose my focus, but I recognize the fact I’m accessing power. It’s nothing like the sigil magic I’d expected. This magic is raw and uncontrolled by ancient drawings. It feels ancient itself. Like its travelled this earth for generations, yearning for the chance to bind with a soul who would release it upon the world.
And that soul belongs to me.
A red dagger of power flies toward me. I almost don’t have time to duck out of the way.
I send my fire to intercept Azazel’s next attempt, stopping the demon magic from striking Logan in the back.
A desire to protect him at all costs consumes me. The power intensifies. Now, blue bolts fly out of each of my fingertips, creating a web of unpredictable magic. The fire in my chest rises with my control. I force the flames to surround Azazel. He can’t move without the risk of being burned.
Through the flickering blue, his glare meets mine. I can practically hear him cursing me and my existence, before his expression promptly shifts to sick excitement. He might hate my power, but he’s also thrilled by it.
“Until next time.” His words reach me like he stands right in front of me. Then, he disappears in a cloud of smoke. My blue fire never touches him.
Frustration causes a surge in power, incinerating two of the mundane demons collapsed on the floor. All of them have fallen, and I suspect all of them are dead.
The end of the threat causes the fire within me to diminish to a smolder. With the loss of the burn comes the loss of my strength. I hadn’t realized how much the magic took out of me. But as I
fall to the ground, the gown tangled around my legs, I begin to fear it was too much.
Darkness envelops my mind. The smoldering fire turns to smoke and fades away.
Then, so do I.
Chapter Eighteen
Wind blows strands of hair across my face, tickling my nostrils. I try to rub the feeling away, but I can’t lift my arm.
What the hell?
I’m lying on a plush, flat surface. I flex my fingers, or I try to, but nothing happens. I release a confused grumble. At least I have my voice.
“You’re awake.”
My eyelids part, but I’m unable to turn and see the person who spoke. I’m looking up into a bright, summer sky and a warm breeze continues to move hair into my face.
Wait…
That’s not right.
It’s winter in New York.
“Aspen?” My head grows clearer with every passing second. Now, I recognize Belial’s voice. His shadow blocks out the sun’s light when he leans over me. That’s when I know I’m in a dream.
“Are you all right?” Vibrant purple eyes search mine for the truth. His concern is obvious.
“I can’t move.” So, not great.
He frowns. “What happened?”
I search my memory. Images come in incomplete flashes. “I-I don’t know… I think we were attacked.”
“Who? Who was attacked?”
Lex’s worried blue eyes hit me. He’s dragging Cortney away from a crowd of demons.
I suck in a breath. It all comes back to me.
“Demons.” I lock eyes with Belial. It’s my turn to search them for the truth. “A group of mundane demons attacked a gala hosted by lesser demons... Azazel led them.” I wait for any clue to what he’s thinking. I wonder if he knew about his brother’s planned attack.
Unfortunately, I can read nothing but concern in the original demon’s stare. “What were you doing at a gala full of demons?”
I want to sit up for this conversation, but my limbs refuse to heed my command. I groan in frustration. “Logan and I were on a mission.”
Demon Marked: Shadowguard Academy Book 2 Page 14
