“Hello.” I held a finger up to Maximus and leaned against the wall.
“Ari, where are you? Are you alright?” asked Kyra.
“I’m safe. Is Sylvia coming to get me?” I frowned and ran a hand through my hair. How was I going to get to the academy?
“I don’t think so. She disappeared after we got here. She thought you were dead, but I was sure you managed to escape. You always land on your feet,” said Kyra.
“This is perfect. The academy doesn’t know you’re alive so if you want to stay and help mom, you can. I’m here now and the headmaster will likely keep me if I’m his only option.”
“Kyra, he will know that I’m alive. He’s powerful for a reason. You can’t just fool him like a silly human. You can’t mean to leave me here on the streets to be slaughtered by vampires and werewolves.”
“It’s not my fault fate deemed you to be left behind. Go home and take care of mom and leave saving the world to me.”
“The headmaster will toss you out on your butt and I won’t be there for you.” Tears spilled down my cheek. How could my own sister leave me in danger like this? I’ve always sacrificed everything for her. If Kyra’s the last hope for humans, they’re already doomed.
Maximus handed me a tissue. I grabbed it and turned my back on him.
Click.
Cade
I hopped over the retaining wall and landed on the academy grounds. Today had been a day. It had sucked and I’m just glad to see home. Running through the enchanted gardens a small part of my stomach sank. There was no way Melody was waiting for me out here this late, but I kept hope alive. Who would wait out here this late when I didn’t tell her I would be late, and my phone was off? A woman stood up twice in a row back- to-back had a right to be mad.
Running through the hallway, I stopped in the kitchens. I was so thirsty even my saliva felt stale and inadequate. Grabbing an apple, I dashed to Liam’s office. Later, I would make it up to Melody, but I had to do this first. Busting into Liam’s office I skidded to a stop. Liam’s desk was neat but it smelled like death. Walking down into his study, I saw Leonardo on the silver hospital bed. The intravenous line was in his right arm and he was very pale.
“What happened to you?” I rushed to his side. He waved for me to stay far away from him.
“He’s been infected with the vampire virus,” said Liam. He pulled off the blue latex gloves and handed me the lab report.
“I don’t understand. There’s got to be a mistake. Is the virus transmitted through sex?”
“It can be. If you have unprotected sex with an infected person and are exposed to their fluids you could get it. You and I have talked about the importance of using protection. Did you lose your virginity tonight?”
“You got lucky tonight. Good for you. Who was the lucky girl?” Leonardo smiled then put the breathing mask back over his face as he went into a coughing spell.
“I’m not a virgin.”
“You’re still a virgin. You shouldn’t be ashamed of waiting until you’re ready,” said Liam.
“How did Leonardo get the vampire virus?”
“He says he left the bar with a girl, and she was a creature that looked human whose arms turned to steel, and she almost killed him. She poured the vial of tainted blood down his throat. He barely escaped with his life.”
“This is all my fault.”
“What did you find out?” Liam walked over and sat down at his desk.
I pulled the black envelop out and handed it to him. “I took this out of the vault at the air force base in Macon.”
“This looks like several chemical formulas. The first is a genetic code sequence. What were you doing in Macon?”
“I followed a girl, named Trinity, she turned into a dragon and killed Ben.”
“There is something going on deeper than the vampire virus. I’m just not sure it’s all connected yet. Someone is creating genetically altered beings that look like humans.”
Liam held up the envelope. “You may have found half of the answer tonight. You did great.”
“Where is the girl now?”
“I’m not sure, but there’s more. Trinity’s boyfriend is a demon named Fred. Fred is running from forty other demons that are here in Atlanta.”
Liam got up and unlocked his safe. He handed me a bottle of blood. “Drink this. You look like you’re about to collapse. Why is a demon here?”
Ripping the top of the bottle I chugged the liquid down my throat. I forced my hand to remove the bottle from my mouth, so I could answer him. My stomach hurt so bad, and the blood had only made it worse. My weakness continued to plague my limbs.
“The angels aren’t prepared to fight forty demons. Are you sure they’re here already?” said Liam.
“That isn’t the bad part. These are shape-shifting demons that take the shape of humans to blend in. Fred said they were thrown out of Xundar for fighting Valcrum.”
Liam’s mouth flopped open. He opened his mouth again and shut it. “If that’s true they are the same demons that broke the thousand-year treaty in Xundar. I had hoped to be dead before anything like that ever happened.”
“What is the thousand-year treaty and what does that mean for us?” I wish I had paid more attention to our history and to the teaching of Valcrum but the multiple laws were endless. I still have the laws of Valcrum book deep in my closet. This sounds like a great time to pull it out.
“We cannot worry about that right now. We have to focus on the things we can change.”
“I found Trinity’s journal. I thought we could get her help since she wants to fight the demons and we do too, maybe we can team up.” I handed Liam Trinity’s journal. Things were bad. Leo now had the vampire virus and we still didn’t have a clue how to prevent or cure it. I’m hoping that the genetic code is the key to finding a cure. What if it isn’t?
“You can’t tell anyone that the demons are here. That would cause widespread panic.”
I nodded. Looking at my best friend I wanted to cry. “Have there been any developments in a cure for the vampire virus?”
“Maximus stopped tailing Derrick and started patrolling within ten miles of the school so that no angels were disappearing.”
“Why didn’t he put someone else over the patrol? The school is safe. No one would dare to come on school grounds and fight us.”
“Five new students are missing. We can’t train enough angels to battle the demons, and they are being killed before their training starts,” said Liam.
“Who were the five students?” Valcrum please spare Melody. What if she was still waiting for me in the enchanted gardens? She wouldn’t have waited for me that long. Would she?
“Zack, Steve, and three females.” Liam slammed his hands on his desk. He stood and paced in front of the window.
“We haven’t been attacked in over three hundred years, and now when all this crap is happening someone is attacking us. Who attacked us?” There haven’t been many times I’ve seen Liam lose his temper. To attack the angel academy on our turf was a bold move. How much bolder would they get?
“Leonardo said there were several guys with the girl that attacked him last night. This girl must have shown the demons where the school was. Now that the demons have these creatures fighting with them, they feel they have the advantage.”
“Are you sure the students aren’t sneaking off school grounds? The students often crave adventure and sometimes leave school grounds.”
“I held a meeting with all the students this morning. After the vicious attack on school grounds last night, I do not think anyone will leave the grounds willingly. Whoever leaves the school grounds will be on their own. I will not risk any more people.”
Maximus could find a needle in a haystack. We need him to find Claire Sands not patrolling and protecting the angels. We can all fight and watch each other’s back here. If they poison all the blood available to us the vampires will go extinct in a month’s time. “What are we doing to get ever
yone’s training up to speed?”
“We are teaching everyone hand-to-hand combat and sword fighting. It is not fair to make them rely on their powers when they have not had time to learn their powers.”
“I’m exhausted. It’s been a long night. I’m going to turn in.” I headed for the door. I’m more exhausted than I’ve ever been in a hundred years, but I really want to stop by Melody’s room and make sure she’s all right. My hand was on the doorknob when Liam touched my shoulder.
“There’s something else I need to tell you.”
A chill ran up my spine. He sounded as he did when he told me Letoya was dead. Something else was wrong. “What?”
“I know you have a crush on Melody Ackerman.” Liam was staring in my eyes. I could feel him probing my mind reading my thoughts. Just this once I wanted a moment for myself. I didn’t get my moment and I couldn’t prevent the senseless attack on my best friend. He lay in agonizing pain because I failed.
“I don’t have a crush on her. I love her. Stop reading my mind.” I walked to the door. Liam knows I hate when he reads my thoughts. It’s such an invasion of privacy.
“You just met her. You haven’t had time to fall in love with her. Thank Valcrum,” mumbled Liam. “Melody Ackerman is dead.” Liam hugged me.
“No, she texted me earlier. We had a date tonight. She isn’t dead and she would never leave school grounds.” I felt myself stiffen in his arms. My blood turned cold.
“She didn’t leave school grounds. Her body was found near the rose bushes.”
Tears of blood ran down my cheeks. “She would never go back there.”
“I’m sorry. Somehow during the attack most of the cameras were destroyed.”
Arianna
“Hello. Kyra.”
The phone line was dead. I clutched the phone like it was a lifeline. I breathed deep then hit redial. She didn’t answer. This was a new low even for Kyra. I couldn’t believe she didn’t care about my life. Twins are supposed to be some of the closest siblings in the world; at least that’s what scientists have always said. I guess they lied about that as well.
Jamming my phone into my pocket I sank to my knees. Kyra’s betrayal felt like a knife was embedded in my chest. Identical twins aren’t supposed to treat each other like that. She doesn’t care if I live or die, and death is imminent on the streets of Atlanta.
“Are you referring to Angel Academy of Eastwick,” asked Maximus.
“Yes. Do you always eavesdrop on people’s conversation?” Wiping my nose, I walk down the street toward the street sign. I have no intentions of dying tonight. If I can get home, I can figure out my next move.
“Sometimes. Your screaming into the phone made your conversation heard by anyone in a three-block radius,” said Maximus. He smiled.
Standing here freezing to death with captain handsome isn’t my idea of dying either. The only thing I know is this place isn’t safe and the vampires own this part of town. Let’s hope they aren’t on the streets tonight.
“You’re going the wrong way,” said Akio.
“How do you know? Do you know where I live?” I turned around with my hands on my hips. This was the worst night of my life. I didn’t need any more witnesses to the nervous breakdown I’m sure I’ll have in the next two minutes.
“Nope. I thought you wanted to go to that stuffy academy,” said Akio. She hunched her shoulders and turned and walked away.
“Come on, we’ll take you to your school. It’s obvious that Kyra, whoever she is, isn’t going to help you, so I will,” said Maximus. He held out his hand to me.
What do I have to lose? I’m sure venturing off in vampire territory is certain death and I’m lost without a weapon. Maximus is the lesser of the two evils here. If he isn’t well, I’ll deal with that when the time comes. If he isn’t a crazy killer and he does know where the academy is, I’m going to kill Kyra. I need to get to the academy and right now, he’s the only one that knows where the school’s located.
“Are you serious? You know where the Angel Academy of Eastwick is? Are you a teacher there?”
Dropping my fingers in the palm of his hand, I allowed him to lead me in the opposite direction than I had walked in.
“Did she fall on her head while she was out here,” asked Akio. She laughed as she waited for us to follow her.
“Let’s just say, the headmaster and I have an understanding,” said Maximus. He cut through the woods and my steps faltered.
Besides the sound of the crickets I couldn’t hear anything else. I couldn’t see a thing. Maximus’s dark skin blended into the night. I gripped his fingers harder. Akio wasn’t talking and I couldn’t see her at all, but she obviously wasn’t scared. Normally, I don’t like to admit fear or weakness, but this was the perfect spot for werewolves to eat us.
“I appreciate you saving me and taking me to the school. It has been a difficult day for me.”
“Is that why you have a death grip on my fingers?”
“I was wondering why we deviated from the street. This is the perfect place for werewolves to eat us and leave our dead bodies mutilated in these woods.”
Maximus stopped walking. His fingers grazed my chin. “I’ll make you a promise. There won’t be any werewolves eating and killing you tonight.”
“You two just kiss already. I’m throwing up in my mouth,” said Akio.
I felt my face heat. I was glad that it was dark and he couldn’t see me. Akio’s boldness would’ve been refreshing if it hadn’t been directed toward me. Maximus was hot. He wasn’t the type of guy that would go for me. Would he? Oddly enough, I liked Akio, and I didn’t want a guy to come in between us.
“Is he your boyfriend? I don’t mean to step on your toes.” I started swinging our joined hands to quell the butterflies in my stomach.
Akio made gagging noises. “Gross. He’s my brother. Gee thanks for giving me nightmares. I don’t know if I’ll ever sleep again. You can have him.”
“Ladies, I’m not a piece of meat.” He stopped walking and lifted my chin. “I told you my name now is a great time for you to tell me yours.”
“Arianna Deeds.”
“Arianna, you and I are going to get to know each other really well.” He bent his head and his lips brushed mine. His hand moved from my jawline into my hair. When he lifted his head, I was gasping for air.
I’m not an expert on kissing, but a guy sticking his tongue down your throat means you’re a good kisser. He didn’t stick his tongue in my mouth. Breathing deep I leaned trying to smell my breath. Everything smelled ok to me. Am I a terrible kisser? He probably kisses many girls but I’m not them.
“I don’t kiss guys who aren’t my boyfriend.” Jerking my hand free from his I walked off toward Akio’s laughter. I’d kick her too if I could see her.
“I have a feeling; I’m going to be the exception to a lot of your rules Arianna.” He jerked me back to him and wrapped his hand around mine.
One thing was for certain, Maximus isn’t an angel. If he isn’t an angel, then he’s off-limits to me. I ignored the sliver of disappointment that ran up my spine. Boys are the last thing I need to focus on.
An hour later we left the woods and walked toward a bright pink bookstore. It was the only building on this street. There were pink and yellow roses in the front, which made the building look quirky.
“Why are we heading to a bookstore?” I looked at Aiko who giggled as she leaned up against the door.
“Try to stay alive. Any girl that doesn’t fall at Maximus’s feet is a friend of mine,” said Akio.
“You have a smart mouth. It’s about time you’ve been put in your place. You deliberately escalated the confrontation with Dennis rather than appease him,” said Maximus.
“You know Dennis wasn’t going to give her up. I didn’t do anything you didn’t do.”
“You dropped your sword forcing him to fight you.”
“I can handle Dennis; besides you dropped your sword too. I can take Dennis.”
>
“That is not your decision to make. Are you the alpha?”
“Let’s talk about this later,” said Akio.
“There won’t be a later. Orion was right and I’ve been blinded. Your fate is up to him and he’ll decide what to do with you.”
“Maximus please. Orion doesn’t understand me, and I can’t tolerate him. If I ever meant anything to you at all, please don’t do this.”
“I won’t lose you like Isabella. I’ve made up my mind. You will speak no more on this.”
“I’d rather you sacrifice me to Dennis. I hate you!” Akio burst into tears and ran into the woods.
Maximus dismissed Akio.
He smiled and walked to the door. “This is it. Don’t worry about getting lost the moment you step through the door you’ll be surrounded by everyone.”
“Please don’t be upset with her. She was only trying to help.” I wrapped my arms around my middle section and shifted from one foot to the other. I expected him to come in and explain what happen but I guess that isn’t happening.
“You plead for her and you’ve just met her. You don’t know either of us well.”
I stepped closer to him. “I know that she means well, and you make it sound like Orion will hurt her.”
“Orion will hurt her, but she’ll be alive. Her recklessness must be tamed.”
“Is a wild horse less beautiful because it is wild?”
“Nope. Akio Hayashi isn’t a horse. This is real life and life has actions and consequences.”
“You make it sound like women are a man’s property. Akio did nothing wrong tonight and she saved my life. How can you reward her with punishment? Please don’t hand her over to Orion. Sometimes when a woman is broken inside it can’t be fixed. Don’t break Akio. No woman deserves that.
Maximus’s eyes turned a stormy gray. He didn’t look happy with me or Akio. Oh well, I feel he’s wrong. Why punish her like that. She said she would rather die than deal with Orion. A woman doesn’t feel that strongly for nothing.
Shape Shifter’s Demons in the Mist: Angel Academy Page 14
