Shape Shifter’s Demons in the Mist: Angel Academy

by Thomas, Kiesha

  Orion shook his head. “Maximus think’s they can’t be killed, so fighting them puts us in a losing situation. We need to keep moving.”

  “How is running a strategy?” What is Orion thinking? I didn’t peg him for a coward, but he must know that he sounds like a punk running from a bully. “I’m not running. I’m a man of my word, so I will fight alone if I have too and give her time to escape.”

  “Man, get out of your feelings. I didn’t say I wouldn’t fight, just that we’re probably going to die,” said Orion.

  “I sure wish we had Trinity.” I’m not certain that she would help us considering she doesn’t know us, but I know she could probably destroy these undead beings.

  “I’ve been calling her all day. She won’t return my call. She’s probably listening to my desperate voicemails with glee,” said Patricia.

  “Dial her and give me the phone.” I’m not certain this will work but what do we have to lose? There was a chance that we would die out here on the roof, so I’m laying everything on the line and playing all my cards.

  “Do you think she’ll talk to you?” asked Patricia.

  “That’s a joke. His luck with women is terrible. I’ll bet you that she doesn’t answer his call.”

  “If we live through this, I could help you with your bad streak with women,” said Patricia.

  “I don’t have a bad streak with women. Thanks, but no thanks.”

  I watched her dial Trinity. My palms sweated when she handed me the phone, but I stood tall.

  “Trinity, if you’re listening, the men, the demons that plot to kill Fred are trying to kill my family. I plan to end their lives tonight. If you want to stop running and live a life of your own choosing, come fight at forty-three eighty-seven Diablo Road near the underground club.”

  I hung up the phone and handed it back to her. It was time. It had quieted and I’m sure that they are in there hiding, waiting for their chance to strike.

  “Do you think she’ll come and fight? Are they really trying to kill her boyfriend too?” asked Patricia.

  “Nope. They’re here to kill you. If I told her that she would never come. I don’t think she likes you.” I pulled her to the chimney.

  “I think he’s right. You need help talking to women.”

  Orion laughed then nodded. He sobered up and balled up his fist.

  Grabbing Patricia by the waist, I jumped up to the roof. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man rushing toward me while the other man fired the assault rifle. Shoving her behind the high ledge nearby I jumped and rolled into a ball hanging off the ledge. I fired the AK forty-seven taking out the man that had almost reached her.

  Patricia jumped out from her hiding space and opened fire shooting at the man firing at me. She jumped back around hiding but the man was now firing at her.

  “They’re on the roof and more are coming,” shouted Patricia. She ran out of bullets and held her head with her hands. The glass above Patricia’s head shattered and a man reached down to grab her, but she crawled away.

  Jumping up, I shot at the man with the gun. Several bullets flew past me, but one caught me in the leg, and I fell to my knees. I rolled away, firing shots as I rolled. Ducking close to the wall, I hit the glass window with my gun. Grabbing a piece of glass, I saw where the last man was hiding. When he popped his head up, I fired several shots and one bullet lodged in his forehead.

  “We’ve got to move.” Running to Patricia, I yanked her behind me. I saw Orion fighting two men. He was in full werewolf mode. I fired several shots at the two men’s legs, giving Orion the upper hand. Jumping over the edge, I landed on my feet carrying her in my arms. Turning around, I saw five men jump down and they were hot on my trail.

  “We’re not going to make it,” said Patricia. She yanked the gun strap in her hand and open fired on them.

  “Don’t stop until the car runs out of gas.” Reaching the car, I ripped the car door off and stuffed her inside. She jammed the keys in the ignition and flew down the street. When she turned the corner and disappeared, I ran toward the men.

  I swung my sword at the first man slicing his head from his shoulders. Pain sliced through my left shoulder blade as I ducked the man’s punch and slid between his legs. Pulling the knife from my back I tossed it at the man’s head running down the street after Patricia. Jumping to my feel I flew to the other men and sliced their heads off. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw ten more men jump from the roof.

  Orion roared and sliced four of the men, before landing in the middle of them. One guy jumped in the air and landed behind Orion. My blood heated and my heart pounded. I flew to him and ripped his head off.

  Within minutes, we had left a pile of dismembered limbs, and blood through the street. We ran around the corner trying to get away. Three miles down the road a girl’s scream pierced the street’s silence.

  “Is that Patricia?” asked Orion. He skidded to a stop.

  “I don’t know.” Running down the next street where I heard signs of a struggle, I saw Bethanny fighting a guy. Her dress was hiked up over her hips and she was leaning on a car door trying to get away.

  A guy jumped out of the dark alley and threw Orion into the wall.

  She kneed the guy between his legs but that didn’t stop him. He punched her in the face and she slid to the ground.

  Grabbing the guy, I threw him off her. He hit the wall and I pulled her up.

  “Let’s go.”

  “Thanks,” said Bethanny. She placed something hard and rectangular on my chest. I looked down. There was a soft click and then a jolt of electricity ran through my chest. Every muscle in my body spasmed and I fell to my knees. Why would Bethanny use a taser on me?

  My vision was foggy, and my brain almost blank. The darkness lured me closer as I blinked rapidly the guy came toward me. Bethanny held me down. I struggled but each time she hit me with a higher electrical current on the taser.

  The guy stood over me and injected the syringe into my heart. I heard Orion’s roar just as everything went dark. The needle dug into my skin. Melody walked toward me and my mind went fuzzy.

  Trevor

  I broke Kyra’s heart and for what? Locating Claire Sands. Celeste is predicting the next light year. Kyra blocked my phone number so that I can’t talk to her. Women are stubborn and hold grudges. Celeste’s snide comments about Kyra are rubbing me raw like jock itch.

  Two weeks had passed since I told Kyra it was over. It felt like an eternity banned in darkness. Her laughter and light touched something deep inside of me. I’m not sure if she touched the ice-cold heart that beats in my chest or my mind. Kyra was smart and she kept nuggets of information in her brain like a high-tech processor.

  “Why are you pouting? You’re too sexy to brood like that,” said Celeste. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and flopped down on the couch.

  “Why is this person so hard to find? It should not be this hard to find Claire.” I was beginning to think that she didn’t exist. Why was this so hard? The way things looked right now; I would just have to kill the vampires in Jonesboro and worry about getting my hands on some more of the virus.

  We have this beautiful house and Kyra isn’t here to enjoy it. I was looking forward to watching how the light crept into the window and warmed her face. I’m still looking forward to it. If Lily could forgive me for killing her, surely Kyra could forgive me for breaking up with her. After all, she is not dead. I can touch Kyra’s heart too; I just need to find out what makes her happy.

  “I think you’re missing your girlfriend, but she won’t have anything to do with you after you embarrassed her like that,” said Celeste.

  “Go home or make yourself useful and find Claire.” I turned from the window. The beauty outside didn’t do anything to calm my nervousness or frustration.

  “It’s not my fault that you made her think we were sleeping together. You led me on too, but I’m not complaining about it,” mumbled Celeste. She jumped up and stormed to the kitchen. />
  She’s right baby, Celeste is not the reason that Kyra hates you and wants you dead.

  Victoria, get out of my head. You and I both know that you are to blame and you did not hold up your end of the bargain. Every time I trust you, I end up getting screwed.

  I held up my end of the bargain. You have what you need to wipe the vampires off the face of the earth, and instead of acting like you don’t miss her; you’re standing here with your lips poked out like a baby.

  You were supposed to deliver Claire Sands and you have not done that. Besides, Kyra is upset, but she would not wish me dead. We’ll go outside of the school ground, and if Leonardo is not dead Celeste dies. She hurt Kyra and she has not proven herself to me.

  If she saw you in the street and she had a gun, she’d unload the entire clip in you and wouldn’t think twice. When a woman’s fed up, there’s nothing that you can do about it. Chin up, you’re getting what you truly want.

  “It’s been two weeks; we should go near the academy to see if Leonardo is dead. If he still lives…” I allowed my voice to fade and glanced at Celeste. She wasn’t the least bit afraid of me.

  “If you want to kill me just take your shot. That’s a joke. Stronger people than you have tried and failed,” said Celeste. She waltzed over to me palms facing up in submission and her neck exposed to me.

  “You are mistaken if you think I will not snap your neck like a twig.”

  Baby, she knows your thirst for vengeance. Celeste has had a hard life, and she has lost faith that you will make the people that did this to her pay. She’s tired of being used.

  I always do what I say I’m going to do. I wasn’t the one that used Celeste, therefore she only has herself to blame for allowing people to use her.

  You didn’t hang all over Celeste and tell her you were taking her home in front of Kyra? You led her to believe that you cared for her, so you used her just like the other jerks that experimented on her.

  Nonsense. Just because I made Kyra jealous does not mean I used Celeste.

  Trevor, Celeste has been staying with you for two weeks. Who is responsible for hurting her? What did they do?

  Victoria, she has not told me anything. What does that have to do with anything?

  Trevor, you use everyone that you meet and you don’t think twice about it. You’re just a user.

  Celeste’s lips thinned and she backhanded me across the face. “This isn’t about the vampire virus, or even killing them. It’s about you regretting breaking up with your girlfriend. Man up and win her back if you want her. Men like you lose the women you love because you’re too stupid to acknowledge that you love them in the first place,” said Celeste.

  My cheek stung and I wiped the blood that trickled down to my lip. “Rest here and get your hormones in check. When we get back you will tell me what they did to you.” I yanked her by the throat and flung her over to the couch.

  My phone vibrated. “What’s up?”

  “You need to get down here. We’re in the dead alley over here on Peach Lane and Henderson Road. Winston and the others aren’t listening to me; they want to kill Arianna Deeds,” said Dylan.

  “Good.” Why would he call me for this mess? Arianna is too bossy for her own good. She should die.

  “Not good. Kyra and she were fighting, we showed up and Kyra ran away thinking that you were here.”

  “If Kyra is not there why should I come up there. I hate Arianna. Feel free to cut her head off.”

  “No, you need to call Kyra and tell her if she wants to see Arianna dead to come up here. She hates her sister and will come then you can talk to her and work your crap out.”

  “Dylan, my relationship is not crap. I’m on my way.” After turning the ringer on I slid the phone in my pocket. Kyra did hate Arianna. Snapping my fingers, I walked to the door. Dylan has always had a way with women and this sounded great. Kyra wouldn’t be able to resist knowing whether I had Arianna and she would come just for curiosity alone.

  “The guys are in trouble?” asked Marco. He tossed the beer in the trash.

  “I should go and make sure this isn’t a setup. You might need me,” said Celeste. She stood and pulled her hair into a ponytail.

  “You need to stay here. Tonight, you will tell me everything I need to know about the jerks that messed up your life.”

  We got there in twenty minutes. Jae- Ho drove the truck and parked it off the road deep in the woods. We could have walked but I did not want the meeting to take longer than needed. This had better work because I was ready to see Kyra.

  Frowning I saw Antonio and Winston standing over Arianna. She was crumpled up on the ground. Her chest wasn’t moving. Dylan was holding Phil back from going over to Arianna.

  What are they doing? I held up my hand and we stayed just beyond the trees. Where they couldn’t see us.

  Trevor, you see only what you want to see. This is the price for being your friend. Dylan is a real friend to you and he’s willing to die for you even though he knows you wouldn’t do the same for him.

  I would never kill him. I haven’t asked him to die for me.

  You demanded all of them die for you when you went against Valcrum and got them stripped of all their powers.

  I protected them. They can shapeshift so they are not totally defenseless.

  You stubbornly think because my power flows through your body that you are the strongest person on earth but you’re not. I keep telling you this but you refuse to listen.

  “Trevor says she lives for now,” said Dylan. He pushed Phil back and Phil threw up his hands yanking a cigarette out from behind his ear. After he lit it, he handed it to Dylan. Dylan took a couple of puffs and handed it back to him.

  “He won’t know that we killed her. He’d be completely in the dark if you would stop calling him, telling him everything you know. You’re so weak and one day my blade might be found buried in your heart,” said Antonio.

  “You’ll either stand with us or stand with Trevor,” said Antonio. He nudged Winston who nodded.

  “Trevor got us thrown out of Xundar and now we work and do his bidding while living like slaves. At least in Xundar we lived like Kings and had everything we wanted. We had rules to follow, the rules that Valcrum established, but now we have rules that Trevor established and he doesn’t care about any of us,” said Antonio.

  “When he wipes out the vampires, and he’s distracted we’re going to kill him. If you stand against us, we will kill you now,” said Winston. He jerked his eyes to Antonio who lunged and grabbed Dylan from behind.

  Winston threw his knife at Phil and it landed in Phil’s heart. He sank to the ground as blood poured from his mouth.

  “What are you doing? You killed Phil!” Dylan struggled against Antonio’s hold and flung his head back trying to head butt him.

  “What’s your decision? Are you with us or are you ready to die? Trevor got you kicked out of Xundar too or did you forget,” said Antonio.

  Dylan looked at Phil, who had stopped moving and his eyes were fixed and glazed over.

  “He’s my best friend and I choose him, so do what you have got to do. You can’t kill him and you will never be half the man he is on his worst day,” said Dylan.

  Antonio swept Dylan’s legs from underneath him and jabbed a knife in his back. “You are stupid, and you’re going to die on your knees. Where is your best friend now? He doesn’t care about you. If it were him here and not you, Trevor would save himself and allow you to be killed.” Antonio twisted the knife and elbowed Dylan in the head. Dylan landed face forward in the mud. Winston picked Dylan’s head up and took his serrated blade out of its sheath. “So long sucker.”

  I channeled all my energy, allowing the black in my veins to flow harnessing that energy I shot the orb at Winston. Winston’s body exploded and his blood and guts flew over Dylan and Antonio.

  Antonio took off running but Arianna opened her eyes and stuck her leg out tripping him. He fell face forward in the street. He scrambled t
o his feet and began running again. I shot another orb and hit him in the head. His head exploded.

  Dylan stood up and ran to Phil and dropped to his knees. “Don’t you die on me. Hang in there.” He rocked Phil’s lifeless body and applied pressure to the wound. When he ripped the blade out of his heart, he didn’t make a sound.

  Dylan got up and jerked Arianna to her feet.

  “Why didn’t you let them kill me? They were going to kill you too. How can friends kill friends?” She looked from Dylan to Phil who was lying on the ground.

  “He wasn’t protecting you. Nobody likes you. I just thought Kyra would want to see you die before we kill you,” I said.

  “My sister hates me. I can’t deny that, but she may hate you more. Everyone is talking at the academy about how you passed her around to your friends like a cheap trinket.”

  My hand close around her throat and my nails dug into her flesh. I watched as her eyeballs began to bulge out of the sockets and her face lost all its color. “You will do well to shut up. Don’t be mistaken, your miserable life will end out here in this street regardless, but if you don’t close your mouth it will end now rather than a few minutes from now.”

  Dropping my hand, I pulled out my phone and dialed Kyra. “If you want to see your sister die, then you need to meet me outside of the gate around the corner at the dead end.”

  “She should die for making my life a living hell but I don’t want to see you,” said Kyra. I rolled my eyes. She sounded like a feral cat hissing and ready to sink her claws into me. I wish she would just come do it.

  “This isn’t about me it’s about Arianna dying, come watch her die or stay gone, the choice is yours.”

  “Oh, I get a choice now. You’re a douche bag and I don’t care what you do with her. I don’t want to see you. I hate you more than I hate her.”

  “Oh well, it’s your loss.” I hung up the phone.

  “Is she coming,” asked Dylan as he looked down the street.