Darkblood Academy: Book Two: Supernatural Slayer Squad

by G. K. DeRosa

  “She’s pretty feisty.” He turned away with a smirk and addressed the whole team. “All right, guys, this is what we’ve been training for. Everyone ready?”

  A chorus of yeses rang out all around me. I was not quite so enthused.

  Chapter 10

  “Thanks for coming to hang out with me tonight.” I squeezed Cinder’s hand across the bed.

  “Please, where else would I be the night before my bestie goes on her first official mission?” She shot me her sweet smile, and for the millionth time I thanked the universe for sending me such an amazing girl friend. My first real one in a very long time. “You’re going to do great, Luna. Don’t worry about it.”

  I chewed on my lower lip, my fingers drumming on my knee. I’d told her everything Drake and I had uncovered about Garrix and his demon magic. She’d been supportive as always and promised me I wasn’t evil. I wished I shared her optimism.

  “Okay, I don’t want to talk about anything magic or demon related for the rest of the night. I need to be distracted. Tell me something fun instead.” Scarlett had gone out for a hunt to power up before the mission, and a girls’ night with my best friend was exactly what I needed right now.

  “Well… I could tell you about my date with Raf—”

  I leapt across the bed and hugged her, cutting her off mid-sentence. “What? When did this happen and how could you not have told me about it?”

  “It was just last Saturday, but you’ve been so busy training we haven’t had a moment alone together.”

  “I know, and I’m so sorry about that. I really miss our late night catch up sessions since I moved out.” I squeezed her hands and smiled. “Okay, tell me everything!”

  “He took me into the Fae forest for a twilight picnic, and it was so romantic. We stayed out till the stars came out, cuddled on a blanket. Between the fire and his angel heat, it was so cozy. It reminded me of nights back in Draeko when I was young, roasting gangleberries drenched in honey around the bonfire.”

  I had no idea what gangleberries were, but I was thrilled for my friend. “That sounds so romantic, Cinder. I’m so happy for you two.”

  “I was afraid it was going to be weird with an angel. Shifters are very touchy-feely, and I didn’t know what to expect from Raf. When he finally kissed me, it was ah-mazing. We ended up making out most of the night under the stars.” Her smile stretched from ear to ear, those golden eyes shimmering with delight.

  “That really sounds perfect, Cin.”

  “It was.” Her cute lips twisted into a pout when she paused. “The only thing that sucks is not being able to tell him that I know what you guys all do. He texted me yesterday to say he couldn’t hang out for the next few days and if it weren’t for you, I would’ve thought he was being shady. Do you think he’ll ever tell me about the supe squad?”

  “I’m sure he will eventually. You know it’s top secret. Ryder would kill me if he knew I’d spilled.”

  She perked up a mischievous brow. “Yeah, right. He’d be lost without you.”

  I flung a pillow at my friend and scowled. “Ryder and I will never be able to have what you and Raf do. Even if he admitted to having feelings for me, we could never be together.”

  “Never is a long time, Luna. The longest you’ll be at the academy is for three years, and that’s assuming they don’t graduate you all early to do the demon hunting thing full time.”

  I hadn’t even considered that possibility. But if things really were as bad as Logan said, and we were successful in our first mission, maybe she was right. “Three years might not be forever, but it’s still long. And I doubt Ryder would wait around for me till then.”

  “I wouldn’t bet on that.”

  “Then why do I keep seeing him with that she-demon?”

  Cinder made a gagging sound, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “You know how guys are; he’s just scratching an itch he can’t get to himself.”

  Now I was really laughing. “Did I tell you how glad I am that you’re here?” I squeezed out between giggles.

  We talked for hours, and it wasn’t until Scarlett sauntered in after midnight that we settled in for the night. I watched Cinder curled up on the couch for a while before the spinning thoughts in my mind finally settled. A part of me envied how easy she had it. She knew exactly who she was, who her parents were and what her place was in Draeko and the supernatural society of Azar. I still had so much to figure out. My lids finally grew heavy, and I gave up the fight, convincing myself come tomorrow, everything would be fine in the light of day.

  The next morning when the supe squad emerged from the dark tunnels of Grand Central Station, my anxiety ratcheted up a notch. I was instantly transported back to my last visit here when my world was turned upside down, and I was whisked away to Darkhen Academy.

  After a quick subway ride to Madison Square Garden, we weaved our way through the busy streets of downtown Manhattan. I clutched my backpack strap, fidgeting with it to keep my fingers busy. I felt so light without my thick winter coat on as early fall embraced the city. This had always been my favorite time of the year. I focused on the familiar sights and sounds of the city rather than the brewing turmoil in my gut.

  We still had almost an hour before the rally started, but as we approached the iconic arena, hundreds of people packed the sidewalks. Crowds were gathered to protest against the supes, a multitude of signs with derogatory comments flying in the air. Others just lumbered around, probably tourists trying to see what the commotion was about.

  Ash ran up beside me, a big smile on his face as he tilted his head up to check out all the towering skyscrapers. “This is my first time in the city,” he admitted. “It’s even more incredible than I’d imagined.”

  “It is. Isn’t it?” I hadn’t even realized how much I’d missed it in the past few months. My life had been so hectic I hadn’t had time to. A pang of guilt jabbed at my insides. I’d never come back to see my friend Jay like I’d promised. Our texting had grown infrequent, and I wondered if he’d started community college yet.

  Ryder and Logan stopped and turned, gathering us at the corner across the street from Madison Square Garden. “Everyone remember the plan?” Ryder asked.

  We all nodded. The eight of us had been pretty quiet the whole trip over—maybe I wasn’t the only one with anxiety about our first mission. Only Drake looked primed for a fight, his lilac eyes pulsing with excitement. Figured nothing would affect the ice prince.

  “Team one, you’re with me, and team two, stick with Logan. His gargoyle teams are already in place inside and outside the arena. Remember, we’re trying to keep a low profile. Ash, no dragoning-out in public and the same goes for you and your wolf, Triston. We don’t want to freak out the humans. Try to keep magic usage to a minimum if possible—no huge bursts of energy or firepower.” Ryder’s gaze flickered to mine. “But if your life is threatened, that’s obviously more important and you’re free to go full magic.”

  “Everyone ready?” asked Logan.

  Definitely not. “Yup!”

  Drake, Ash, Scarlett and I followed Ryder, and the rest of the team trailed behind Logan to the opposite side of the stadium. A part of me hated being separated, knowing our greatest power came from our magic combined, but with the size of the arena we had to cover there was no other way.

  “So what’s this rally about anyway?” Drake asked Ryder.

  “The supes living and working here want voting rights. They’re trying to get a petition passed.”

  “That would be pretty huge,” I said.

  “It would, and the majority of humans are not happy about it.”

  Drake waved his hand and the line of people waiting to get in parted, their expressions dazed, allowing us a clear path to the entrance. As Ryder held the door open for us, police sirens and blue-and-red lights drew our attention back to the street. A motorcade turned the corner, escorted by a dozen NYPD cruisers and motorcycles.

  “What the hell?” Ryder’s sharp eyes focus
ed on the approaching vehicles.

  Three black Escalades with tinted windows came next, pulling up in front of the arena. A pack of men in black suits spilled out of the vehicles before the door of the SUV in the middle opened. A familiar blonde head peeked out from the mass of bodies.

  “Shit,” grumbled Ryder. “What’s the president doing here?”

  My mouth dropped as he confirmed my suspicions. Even from a distance I could feel dark tendrils of energy coiling around the man. I glanced at my teammates, but no one else seemed to notice. Weird.

  “He must be speaking at the rally,” I answered. It would make sense after all. He’d always been the number one supporter of the integration.

  “This could be really bad,” hissed Ryder. “The demons attacking the President of the United States would heighten this conflict to a whole other level.”

  “We’ll simply have to make sure that doesn’t happen,” said Drake.

  Ryder nodded and ushered us inside. “We’re going to have to modify the plan now that Lazaris is here. He’s gotta be our number one priority.” He pulled out his phone, and his fingers flew across the screen. “I’m going to alert Logan and the others.”

  We hung back as Secret Service ushered the president through a back door. For a moment, I swore the president’s gaze flickered to mine, but it was so quick I couldn’t be sure. Did he know we were here? Did he have any idea he was walking right into a trap?

  “Don’t worry, he’ll be fine.” Ryder’s hushed whisper brushed my earlobe.

  “I know Garrix would be fine, but this is President Lazaris. He can’t exactly go all dark warlock in front of thousands of people and TV cameras.” If the American people knew their president was a supe, they’d go nuts.

  Ryder’s phone dinged, and he frowned. “Damn,” he hissed and turned back to Drake, Ash and Scarlett. “One of Logan’s teams spotted some demons in the crowd. Luxora sent her most human looking ones so they’re blending in with the masses. We’ve got to be on high alert, guys.” He led us into the seating area and through a door marked Backstage Access Only.

  “Drake, Luna, between the two of you, can you manage a cloak for all of us?” Ryder asked as he halted in the dimly lit corridor.

  Drake smirked. “Luna’s a pro at those.”

  I jammed my elbow in his gut while smiling sweetly. “Yeah, I think I can manage it.”

  Drake’s hand clasped mine, and a low growl reverberated in Ryder’s throat, but I could’ve imagined it. “Ready?” he asked.

  I nodded, and we whispered the incantation, “Nascondem, ascondem oblivis tutti.” Heat unfurled between our clasped hands, and a second later the sweet, smoky scent of magic engulfed us.

  “Nicely done,” said Ryder. “Grab your weapons now and leave your backpacks here.”

  Following Scarlett’s lead, I tucked a dagger beneath each pant leg and settled with a short blade in my hand. I didn’t want a large sword weighing me down, plus if I could only get my magic working, it was much stronger than any physical weapon.

  Once we were armed, Ryder ticked his head toward the back of the stage. “Let’s go.”

  We crept along the quiet corridor in silence, the heavy cloaking spell muffling our rushed footsteps. And labored breathing—or at least mine anyway. My heart slammed into my ribs, pummeling them with the force of a jackhammer. A trickle of sweat snaked down my back and more lined my brow. I tightened my hold on the short sword to keep my hand from shaking.

  This was no different than all the other demons we’d taken on. I repeated the mantra over and over, but my heart could tell I was lying and its mad thundering refused to relent. A pit of dread formed in my gut, growing the closer we got to the stage.

  About a dozen men in black suits turned a corner, appearing before us. In the center was none other than the President of the United States, a.k.a. my father. His head swiveled in our direction for a brief second before pivoting forward once more.

  Could he sense us beneath the cloak?

  Ryder motioned with this hand, and we all froze.

  A guy with a headset wrapped around his neck was giving the president some instructions. Apparently, he was slated to speak first, a big surprise for the audience.

  Snappy jazz music filled the corridor, and a booming voice came from the direction of the stage. From the sounds of it, the rally was about to begin.

  A drumroll echoed all around us, and the president marched onto the stage with Secret Service tight on his heels. I let out a sharp breath, and one of the men in black twirled toward us. A flash of crimson streaked across his hazel eyes.

  “Ryder!” I squeaked, yanking at his hand. “There’s a demon in the president’s Secret Service team.”

  “Are you sure?”

  My head bounced up and down. “I just saw it. His eyes did something crazy.”

  Ryder shot off a quick text, and we all moved closer to the stage. A thick black curtain blocked our view of the president, not to mention the half a dozen burly bodies of his security team.

  President Lazaris began to speak, and a wave of applause drowned out the thickening silence. The tiny hairs on the back of my neck prickled.

  Two men in black barreled through the other Secret Service agents, knocking bodies over left and right as they raced toward the stage. Then all hell broke loose. A swirling portal opened a few feet behind us, and the pungent smell of sulfur permeated the air. The quiet backstage exploded into pandemonium as creatures leapt from the dark vortex.

  It only took a second for Ryder to spring into action. “I’m going for the president, you four stay here and deal with this. We cannot let them out on stage!” His eyes flew to mine, a thousand emotions swirling through the darkness. He nodded and threw me a reassuring smile before he darted away.

  I shook off the swell of sensations that one look incited and swerved toward the rushing demons. Drake’s fingers weaved between mine and with a rushed few words, the cloak vanished. He drew his sword and rammed it into the chest of the nearest vile creature. I followed his lead, allowing the months of training to take over.

  The short sword moved like an extension of my arm, magic its driving force. I could feel it pouring through me, controlling every thrust and parry. The monsters charging out of the vortex weren’t the human-looking kind. Most resembled more beast than man with reptilian skin, hairy bodies, and horns protruding from massive heads.

  The four of us fought side by side, the crash of metal against tusks, bones and flesh resounding across the echoing arena. I could make out similar sounds of battle from the seating area below the stage.

  “Scarlett!” Ryder’s voice boomed from across the way. “I need you now!”

  Scarlett thrust her dagger into the gorilla-like demon lunging for her, and he exploded into a puddle of black goo. The thick dark liquid shot all over us. Scarlett managed to get away unmarked and darted in the direction of the stage.

  I wasn’t so lucky. The nasty, sticky sludge covered my face and hair and dripped into my eyes, blurring my vision. I swept the back of my hand over my eyelids to clear it away, but it only made it worse.

  A dark shadow blotted the blurry scene and searing pain blazed across my belly. A scream tore from my lips. My hands clamped over the wound as scorching agony ripped my insides, and I collapsed to the floor.

  “Luna!” Ash’s hazy face hovered over me, his hands pressed on top of mine. I couldn’t make out the details but his eyes were huge, his mouth gaping. This couldn’t be good. “Put pressure on the wound. Don’t let go.”

  I tried to nod as a chill settled over me, the blinding pain receding. The crushing weight on my lungs lessened, and I sucked in a breath. The numbing sensation rolling through my body was heavenly, but a part of me knew it wasn’t a good thing.

  “Stay with us, Luna,” whispered Ash, his hands covered in crimson.

  Darkness seeped into the corners of my eyes. It wasn’t just the black goo either. My body felt light, my head was spinning.

  D
rake appeared over Ash’s shoulder, his bright platinum hair the only thing I could distinguish through the deepening curtain of darkness. He shouted something into his phone, but his words were muffled, his lips moving in slow motion.

  Another dark shadow coalesced behind Ash, but I couldn’t tell if it was real or my hazy vision. I opened my mouth to warn him, but no sound came out.

  A razor sharp claw sliced the air, and Ash fell beside me. No! His head lolled to the side as a shower of blood spurt from his throat.

  Drake’s sword lit up the air, the brilliant lilac glow snapping me from the fog settling over my mind. He cried out and brought his sword down in a powerful arc. The thump of a massive body falling shook the floor beneath me.

  I rolled my head to the side and met a pair of familiar green irises. I blinked quickly and salty tears streamed down my face, removing some of the goo from my eyes. “Ash,” I whispered. I tried to reach for him, but my arm wouldn’t cooperate.

  “I--I’m sorry,” he choked out. His lids drooped, and his body stilled.

  A scream rang out over the frenzied sounds of battle, shattering the cold numbness filling my veins. It was only when my jaw snapped shut that I realized it had come from me.

  Pounding footsteps echoed behind me, reverberating against the back of my head. I squeezed my eyes shut to drown out the sound, but it didn’t help. Hot tears streamed down my cheeks, and when I reopened my eyes, the dark haze had completely lifted. Drake fought against two demons, leaping over a dark figure splayed out across the floor.

  Ash still lay beside me, his eyes closed and a much too peaceful expression across his face.

  More footsteps and clashing metal swam around me. A blast of white light shot out, illuminating the dark backstage and the advancing demons staggered back.

  A figure slid down next to me, panic etched into those bottomless black irises. “Luna, hold on. Raf is coming.” Ryder pulled me into his chest, and I waited for the pain to streak through my body but it never came. My bottom half was completely numb. He rocked me in his strong arms, and I tried to reach for his shirt to grab onto, but my hand still refused to move. “Hold on, baby. Please, hold on.”