"Hey, what's your problem?" Ace stepped in.
"Listen kid, I'd step back, this doesn't concern you." Castor butted his cigarette against the wall and wiped his fingers against Ace's shirt.
Ace clenched his fists, the veins in his neck pulsating. "It does when it's affecting Ellie."
Luxor retreated backwards, the shock to the system did not prepare her for the appearance of the gruesome twosome. She tapped into her coping mechanism and drew blood raking down her arms as no amount of breathing exercises could help her.
"Don't get attached to filth." Castor pushed him back and pinned his chest.
Theo snuck forward and gripped the underside of her arm and hid them in a corner. His brash nature was a change from previous occasions. "What are you doing here?" he said, the leather gloves chafing her arm.
Luxor flicked off his touch and scowled, she should have been the one asking that question, it was the last place they should be.
"Is that the way we're going to play it? Fine silent treatment is all the better. This is the only time I am going to say this. Do not come back, this is a place for those who have no home and are trying to piece their lives together. We don't need a dangerous hothead that cannot control her emotions causing upheaval. Got it?"
Luxor nodded her head and sucked in her fear, the only emotion available. Theo acted as a police officer, forcibly sending her on her way out of the boys’ dormitories. She had to suppress her violent urges to lash out and deck him to the floor, it would bring great satisfaction but also cause a scene.
"Oh, Ellie we will give Hunter your regards, we're sure he will be happy with your latest circumstances," Castor sang and mock waved. He eyed Ace and chuckled evilly.
Luxor ran out into the air and picked her sleeve and separated the drying blood before it became more uncomfortable. She hugged herself, she was at an impasse on whether to wait until she had calmed down or be brash and bold.
She turned around at the sound of footsteps behind her. She gave her a slight wave which was ignored.
Ace sidled up next to her, he twiddled his thumbs in front of him and let out a groan. "What the heck was that about?"
"Antagonistic jerks, best to steer clear of them."
Luxor's attention was diverted into the distance at the edge of the property where there was a divide in the trees, as if the inner circle had been scooped out. Hidden behind numerous trees, a smoky flume floated out of the chimney of a Tudor style faded bricked cottage.
"Bit too late now," he replied bitterly.
It was never too late. Luxor would have to make sure Ace stayed away and in turn Castor and Theo wouldn't hurt him.
"What's over there?" Luxor squinted and pointed.
"Dr. Lawson lives there. I'll see you later, Melody is expecting me,” he said blankly, and gave a short wave goodbye.
She kicked at the grass on the look-out for bright red hair, but didn’t have to wait long.
Valencia strode on over, with a clipboard close to her chest, her usual composure in place. “Luxor, what a surprise, I would have thought this facility would be the last place you’d want to be.” She walked over to a bench and took a seat.
“It is, believe me,” she chewed on her bottom lip. “But I need your help.”
“Oh.” She raised an eyebrow, and straightened up. “Continue.” She opened the flaps to her folder and clicked the pen.
“Off the record.”
“I won’t use it against you.”
“And that’s why it must be off the record,” Luxor said, not trusting Valencia to stick to her word. There was no way she wanted her recent behaviour to come back and haunt her.
“Fine,” Valencia sighed, placing the book to the side.
“I want to use my power.”
“Well this isn’t the direction I’d expected,” Valencia said. “You do realise you’re a loose cannon, don’t you?”
Luxor’s jaw dropped. “Excuse me?”
“It’s not a bad thing, look around you, I’m surrounded by them. Except in their case they want to lose them, and with my help they can be integrated into society.”
“Except they don’t have the King of Hell as their—”
“Father? You can say the word.”
“I want to be able to protect myself, without having round the clock bodyguards. Do you realise how suffocated I am, not being able to have me time?”
“It’s the price you must pay.”
“No, the price is self-preservation of my body and mind. In our next session, teach me to use my power for good.”
Valencia gave a short laugh. “Unlike others, where your curse can be considered a gift, yours is a curse, a curse you must learn to live with, otherwise all will suffer.”
"She will be the death of us all," Mason’s warning screamed.
Valencia rose and gathered her clipboard and pen. “This has been enlightening. Before you leave, I’d like to bring up a particularly important issue with you.”
“What?”
“It concerns Hunter. I’m aware of his little visit when you were in isolation.”
“Nothing escapes you, does it?” Luxor drawled. “I expected you’d confront me or him earlier on.”
“Oh, he knows. My issue is more about the aftermath. What was the argument with Hunter about at The Hive?"
"Lover’s quarrel," she quipped, aware Valencia would rather her stay away from him.
The smile disappeared. "I've made it clear it would be beneficial to stay away from him."
"That's not your call to make." She reigned in her anger, aware losing her temper at this time would be a bad unwise.
"You are acting irrational; I might have to recommend you coming back to stay for an extended time," Valencia threatened.
Luxor whipping around to face her. "Like Hell I am. I need answers, what is so bad about him? Tell me and I'll stay away." She lied through her teeth. As it stood, Valencia would be getting her way since she hadn’t heard a word from him since that day.
"I seriously doubt that, you are in too deep. If I'm not mistaken, I'd say you've developed ill-advised feelings for him." Disgust weaved into her words.
"What is bad about him? He said he's never stayed here."
"He hasn't. Just know this, he's a very disturbed...person." Valencia chose her words carefully.
"How so? He’s helped on numerous occasions to keep me safe, even putting his life in danger when confronted by Cane.”
“For his own selfish reasons.” Valencia ran her hands over her face. "You have to trust me when I tell you, Hunter would be the cause of your destruction."
Okay, melodramatic much?
"I'll keep that in mind."
"If you have a death wish, then Hunter is the person for you. Consider that my final warning.” Her pager beeped at her hip and het let out a resigned sigh. “Go home Luxor, or I’ll have a room prepared.”
Luxor turned on her heel determined to find out more about Valencia’s sudden condemnation towards Hunter. In her peripheral vision she noticed another tinge and expected Valencia to have a change of heart, but as her coming from focus sharpened, but was disappointed.
“Luxor, what a surprise,” James said.
“It appears that way, you’re not the first person to say it,” she deadpanned. “Are you going to ask me to leave too?”
James furrowed his brow. “Why ever would I do that? I’m delighted to see you.” He waved his arm over to a small building, and scanned his eyes over the panel to open the door. "Come join me."
Luxor followed him into a room which could only be described as a gymnasium, although not as daunting.
The inside was larger than perceived from the outside, completely light and airy with natural sunlight streaming in from the skylight above. The walls were painted in thick streaks of different shades of blue; baby, sky, cobalt, navy and everything in between. It was a recognition of all the types of Nephilims out there and how their powers from category one to ten mattered. All ar
ound the room three pieces of each equipment to strengthen and tone every body part was set up all grouped up. Treadmills side by side with stairmasters and elliptical machines, then next to them more leg equipment; leg extensions and the leg curl. The abdominal had the usual swiss balls with mats needed for sit up, push ups and planks, and finally upper body strength.
Luxor swallowed, her body hurting just looking at all these contraptions, and would take up another session of kickboxing any day. Making her way further in she absorbed the understated beauty.
Her sneakers, damp from the dewy grass, squeaked on the hardwood floor. "Oh sorry," she said, leaning over to loosen the laces.
"Forget about it, this room usually has worse things than muddy feet.” James moved to the furthest corner. "I want to show you something." He flicked up two switches which were camouflaged within the wood panelling. His arms outstretched wide to reveal a gap within the wall. Without another word he disappeared into the black void.
Luxor followed him in, not at all surprised about the hidden passage, every place she entered seemed to have one, hiding secrets behind closed doors, just like people.
A screen with a futon behind and an open doored wardrobe with a series of ninja suits. Along one side of the wall a multitude of weaponry hung up from fire arrows and bows, samurai's katanas, to small blades with nun chucks on the other side. In an open drawer a host of small paraphernalia such as blades and firecrackers.
"Wow," was all Luxor could manage. "I think I've jumped into a Japanese ninja's paradise." She picked up some spikes and juggled them in her palm.
"It does appear that way," he said and removed them from her hands. "These are not toys. First, you must understand the weapon in order to wield it."
"Yes sensei," Luxor quirked her lips to the side and did a slight now. "So that's your gift? Discipline?"
"Yes, mine is physical, Valencia’s is mental." He grabbed gloves, mitts and knee pads only."
“For now, these are your weapons.”
"Butt kicking equipment, got it."
James chuckled. “And then some.”
Two hours, fifty-three minutes and twenty-twenty seconds later, Luxor hobbled out in the car park like a geriatric woman—hunched over, and her muscles screaming with each step. Evie almost choked on her bubble gum. She banged on the steering wheel, spat the wad out, and heaved on the verge of hyperventilation.
She puffed on her Ventolin inhaler. “How can a psych session end up with you walking like you’ve aged a hundred years?”
“Yoga,” she said the first thing that popped into her head.
“Aren’t cheerleaders and ballerinas supposed to be stay flexible?” She revved the engine and stuck the car into drive.
“When maintained.”
Evie dropped the subject and sung/screamed out song lyrics all the way to The Chalet.
Luxor doused herself under an ice-cold shower for an hour until she couldn’t keep her limbs and the tenderness had dissipated.
Pandora entered and she was relieved Ayla wasn’t about, her cavalier attitude towards her safety continued to make her irritate.
“I’d presumed you’d be in a better mood, endorphins are a great aphrodisiac. Or your date.”
“Non-date,” she reminded. “And that was days ago.”
“What has you all doom and gloom?”
Luxor sat on the edge of the bed and dried her hair, wiping the dampness from the back of her neck. “The lack of doom and gloom.”
“Explain,” Pandora said in a psychologist tone, and reclined on the bed against the pillows.
“Don’t you think it’s weird how quiet Cane has been?”
“It’s crossed my mind on more than one occasion, but don’t you have other problems?”
“The ones accepting deals,” Luxor said. “But they’re harmless…compared to the Cane scale.”
“Don’t think I don’t know about the alley attack.”
“Ayla?”
“Despite her annoy-ness we have a common goal,” Pandora said. “I’d be more worried about Pastor Cooper teaching Evie they ways of a demon hunter.”
“Oh, yeah. I forgot about that.”
More like want to forget.
Luxor couldn’t fathom if the day came where Evie would join the family business and ultimately hunt her down. She hoped if the day ever came, Evie would have an open mind and see the goodness within her, and bypass the darkness.
A swish of breeze came in from the bi-fold door, and Luxor momentarily assumed it was Ayla until a harsh screech followed. A whirl of black and white swooped above her head and she stumbled off the bed and covered her head.
“A magpie!” Pandora hissed, and crouched on all fours. She leapt into the air with her arms outstretched. The magpie flew to the dresser. “Hit it with a pillow.”
“I don’t think we need to.”
From past experience magpies had a knack for swooping and pecking at heads, usually because they were threatened, or perhaps they were bored and loved to attack humans. But this one was too docile and Luxor swore she saw it shake its head.
She neared the magpie and expected it to fly off, or worse peck out her eyes, except it remained still as a statue. The only sense of movement was when it tapped the perfume bottle with its talon.
Tink, tink, tink.
Around its neck a thin collar had been attached with a thin, rolled up paper affixed around its neck.
“A message. It has a message…I think.” Luxor peered in closer but not too close that a possible eye gouging was possible.
“Like a pigeon? Or owl?
“Yes! Come get it off.”
“Are you crazy?” Pandora said.
Luxor arched an eyebrow, even though she knew it wasn’t malicious. “You’re my protector, remember?” She stifled the giggle threatening to burst. It was the first time she had played that card.
“You do realised birds hate cats, don’t you?” Pandora cautiously slid the paper out from the collar, and skittered back.
“Lucky you’re not an average kitty then.” Luxor plucked the paper and lay it flat against the bed and unravelled.
The magpie screeched and flew out causing Pandora to lunge across the room in a clumsy motion and landed with a thump. “This is so much easier as a cat.” She rubbed the back of her head. “Who is from the nineteenth century who can’t call?”
Luxor let out a resigned breath. “Don’t make plans for tomorrow, we have a day with a witch.”
The instructions were direct and simple in typical Becky style. The note only had a time and an unconventional location.
“An alleyway? Really? She couldn’t be normal and go to The Hive?” Pandora sniffed. “Is she going to serve us dumpster food?”
“Oh, shut up!” Luxor said, and procrastinated from entering. “Would you like another magpie visit?”
Either Becky lacked tact or wasn’t aware an alleyway wasn’t an ideal place for a catch up. Didn’t she realise this was the exact space I was attacked in?
"What’s wrong?" Pandora snapped her out of her reverie.
Straight ahead, Luxor noticed Xavier under a tree with a book in his hands. He swept a lock of his flaxen hair out of her eyes, and lifted his head. She couldn't contain the smile at the image before her.
"Where are you going, theatre is that way?" Pandora pointed into the opposite direction.
"I'm going to say hi." Her feet travelled on their own accord.
"No," Pandora said and pounced, obstructing her way. "Bad, bad idea. Stick to one guy."
"It's a hi, what harm can it do?" she said.
"With you, a lot." Pandora huffed and hesitantly followed.
“Besides what other guy do I have?”
“One day you’ll be the death of me,” Pandora said with an exaggerated huff.
“Lucky you have nine lives then,” Luxor said.
“Believe me, you’re chewing them up at a rapid rate. At this point I’ll never reach the Garfield stage; fat and lazy and
living a life of luxury.”
“You’ll always be orange and black,” Luxor said and resisted the urge to chuckle. Pandora hissed and she held up her palms. “Okay I won’t get into trouble today. I promise.” She crossed her fingers behind her back because knowing her history, trouble was her best friend.
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah and I don’t like tacos.”
Luxor skipped down the steps, and stopped in front of him. "Hey, Xavier."
"Hey again," Xavier's soft voice was a harmonious song to her ears.
"Hey," she whispered back, relaxing her shoulders.
An infusion of warmth filled her insides, her breath taken away by the intensity. Everything dissipated and nothing else mattered. She was calm, the sensation of standing on a white sandy beach, a sea rippling to the foreshore, and the fire didn't rage within.
When thoughts of Hunter threatened to enter, the water dosed the heat and made her life bearable. Not as exciting where she felt alive but calm. And calm was what she needed.
"Come, sit." He shuffled over.
"We have plans." Pandora tugged on her sleeve.
"We're already late." Luxor sat down by his side. "Where have you been?" she asked to make idle chit-chat. The warmth was intense, in places there shouldn't be, and momentarily she wished for the electric sparks Hunter fused her with.
"Why, did you miss me?"
Did I? Of course, I did why else would I ask?
"Nah. Just had to find creative ways to keep me occupied," she teased.
"Damn, now I'm jealous." He lowered his eyes, and his long eyelashes shaded his pale blue eyes, jutting his lower lip into a pout.
She laughed and tilted her head. "What are you reading?"
Xavier flipped over a blank yellowed book, with only the title on the front in Russian.
A name circled in her mind and she blinked. "Anna Karenina?"
"You read Russian?"
"Not really. Well a little bit."
How could I explain my ability to decipher most languages?
Betrayed: The Chronicles of Luxor Everstone Book Two Page 22
