by G. K. DeRosa
My captor trudged through the Fae forest and from the sounds of multiple footfalls we weren’t alone. I squirmed to find my wrists were bound, wrapped in a deep ruby mystical glow. I focused within, searching for my magic, for the invisible cords that tied me to the others. It was gone. Nothing but gaping emptiness.
“You were right; she is strong.” A woman’s voice pierced the silence. “She should’ve been out for longer given the blow to her head.”
My kidnapper slowed and slid me down his chest. My bare feet hit the frozen snow, and I gasped. Son of a wintry B!
“I told you she was the one.”
I glanced up to meet Desmond’s crimson-hued pupils. “What the hell are you doing?” I screeched. Wiggling my wrists, I tried to break free from their mystical restraints, but it was no use. Their magic-dampening energy was sucking my powers right out of me. I was completely defenseless.
“Someone’s been dying to meet you.” He tugged on my arm, turning me toward a woman.
Two massive gorilla-looking demons flanked the female, their sharp canines protruding from beneath fat lips. But it was the striking woman I couldn’t tear my eyes away from. A neon-green snake slithered over her shoulders and cascading jet-black hair, its pink tongue tasting the air. Tendrils of darkness coiled around her, the power more heady and suffocating than my father’s.
“Who are you?” I breathed, but somehow I already knew.
She pierced me with eyes blacker than night. “I am the dark lord, the warlord of the sixth realm of the Underworld, first child of Lucifer, the light bringer. I am Luxora.” The ominous title slithered from her lips much like the creepy reptile undulating around her neck.
“Okay… can I just call you Luxora?” I wasn’t sure where the snark was coming from because my insides were a quivering mess of jello. It could’ve been the freezing cold seeping into my bare skin too.
She narrowed her frigid eyes at me, the interminable darkness holding none of the warmth of her half-brother’s. “You may refer to me as the dark lord.”
“Shouldn’t it be lady?” That had been bothering me since the first time I’d heard her official title.
Desmond snickered beside me. “She’s no lady.”
I gritted my teeth together to keep them from chattering. “So what do you want from me, dark lord?”
“I need to confirm you are the one the oracle prophesied.” Her eyes ran over me again, her dark brows knitted as if I were some big enigma wrapped in a human-skinned puzzle. “You will come with me to the Underworld, and the oracle of the sixth realm will set her all-seeing hands on you. It is the only way to know for certain.”
Ice ripped through my veins, and it definitely wasn’t only the cold. “What exactly did this oracle see?”
“The end of the division between the realms and the collapse of my reign. As you can imagine, that is not something I can allow.” The snake slithered beneath her chin, and she stroked its scaly head.
A wave of goose bumps the size of golf balls exploded over my skin. This lady was off her rocker. How could I cause any of those things? A dark thought niggled at the corner of my mind—Kimmie-Jayne. Visions were her gift, and she’d practically admitted seeing something bad about my future. I shook my head, trying to jiggle free the ominous contemplations from my mind. No, it couldn’t be.
“Don’t worry,” said Des, yanking me into motion. “Maybe the oracle will discover it isn’t you after all.”
“Then what? The dark lord will let me live, bring me back to the academy?”
He shrugged. “I’m not sure. We didn’t discuss the specifics.”
“Why are you doing this?” I hissed.
He shrugged, casting his gaze to the ground.
We trudged through the forest for another few minutes as my mind whirled with possible scenarios to get out of this mess. I assumed we were headed toward some sort of portal, and once we reached that, I’d disappear into the depths of the Underworld never to be seen again. I couldn’t let that happen.
“Des, please, don’t let her do this.” I grabbed hold of his hand and squeezed. “You know I’m as good as dead when I go down there.”
“I’m sorry, Luna, but I can’t. A deal’s a deal.”
Great. Now Luxora was trading in deals just like her father? I was so screwed. “How much further?” I shouted, hoping to get Luxora’s attention and slow down her rapid pace.
She swirled around, her two gorilla henchmen mirroring her every move. “Quiet, half-blood,” hissed demon number one. “You dare to address the dark lord?”
“I just want to know when we’re going to get there. If I get hypothermia along the way, the dark lord will never get her answers now will she?”
Luxora arched a dark brow. “Vampire, give her your jacket.”
Des shrugged off his fancy blazer and hung it over my shoulders. A second later we were marching through the thick copse of tree once again, and I was clamoring to think of something—anything—to get myself out of this.
I brushed by one of the towering evergreens, and its sharp branch skimmed my arm. A tiny trickle of blood split my skin. A brilliant, and possibly epically stupid, idea crossed my mind.
I glanced at Des from the corner of my eye as his nostrils flared. One more time. Moving closer to the monster trees, I slammed my forearm against a particularly jagged branch and winced as dark crimson blood bubbled to the surface.
Desmond’s head whirled toward me, and his fangs slipped out. His crimson-rimmed irises fixed on the ruby liquid dripping down my arm.
“Oops,” I mumbled, stopping.
His tongue ran over his pointy fangs, and a deep growl reverberated in his throat.
Oh please let this work, oh please let this work.
Lifting my manacled arms, I rubbed the trickling blood over my neck and chest. Desmond’s eyes widened into twin pools of black tar. Brilliant crimson eclipsed his irises as he stalked closer, licking his lips.
From the corner of my eye, I could still see Luxora and her demons, but at least I’d managed to put a little space between us. I took a few steps back and smacked right into a rough bark. Adrenaline hemorrhaged through my veins, my heart thrashing against my ribcage as Des lurked nearer.
Squeezing my fingers into tight little fists, I darted to the right and through the trees back in the direction we’d come. Desmond’s footfalls sounded just behind me, and I knew I didn’t have more than a few seconds. Without my magic, I was no match for a vampire’s speed or strength. Hopefully, I’d bought myself some time.
Luxora’s shout reverberated through the quiet forest, drowning out the thunder of my own heart and ragged breaths. Crap. I was about to have four monsters on my tail.
I swerved between two towering pines, and a massive body pummeled into me. All the air squeezed from my lungs as I hit the frozen ground with a smack. Holy hell, that hurt! Hot breath wafted over the back of my neck as my captor straddled me. “Luna, Luna. You know I can’t resist when you run.”
“That’s what I was counting on,” I mumbled, my face pressed into the snow.
Des’s nose brushed over the dried blood in the crook of my neck for a second before his fangs pierced my flesh. I bit back a scream, forcing myself to remain in control. The sound of approaching footfalls meant Luxora and her minions weren’t far behind.
Trying not to focus on the slurping sounds, I wriggled my arms free from under my stomach. My mind flashed back to all my combat sessions with Ryder and taking a deep breath, I pushed off my bound wrists and bucked with all my strength.
Des was so consumed in the blood lust he didn’t realize what was going on until he was flying through the air. He smacked into a massive pine headfirst, and the crunch of snapping vertebrae resonated through the icy air.
I didn’t wait to see what happened next. Sprinting through the maze of trees, I headed back toward the academy. Or I hoped, anyway. Damn tricky Fae forest.
Pumping my arms as fast as I could, I willed my tired legs forwar
d. I hazarded a quick glance back and cursed. Luxora’s gorilla demons were gaining on me. They hurtled through the woods on all fours, sprinting faster than I’d imagined possible for such bulky beasts.
I made a sharp right hoping to lose them, but the snarling monsters split up, and when I glanced back I was surrounded. The demon twins circled me, tightening the ring as I bounced from foot to foot. A few yards away, Luxora slowly sauntered toward us, her snake entwined within her jet-black hair.
I struggled against the charmed bindings, a last ditch effort, but it was useless. Whatever dark magic created them was stronger than mine.
“That was very foolish, half-blood,” Luxora hissed, finally reaching the small clearing her minions had me trapped in. “The vampire would’ve been a better companion for you than Lexin and Rexin.” She ticked her head to her demonic underlings, and they closed in around me. “Are you familiar with gorabora demons?”
The name rang a bell from my Demons and Fiends class, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. “Nope.”
“Their saliva is a paralytic venom. Only a powerful antidote can reverse its deadly effects, but I’ve never used it on a half-blood and I am not certain of its outcome. But now that you’ve made this more difficult, I have no choice but to risk it.” She nodded to the creature on my right. “Lexin, go.”
I gulped as the gorabora moved closer, saliva dripping from two sharp incisors. “I don’t think this is really necessary, Luxo—I mean, dark lord.”
A shadowy blur darted from the tree line as a furious growl echoed through the forest. My heart staggered. The figure zipped by me, and a loud thunk drew my attention to the ground. The gorabora’s bloodied head rolled to a stop in front of a fallen branch.
My head whipped around to the dark blur which coalesced into a very familiar form. Ryder’s anxious eyes met mine for a second before he squared off with the second gorabora.
“Well, this is a surprise, brother,” Luxora crooned. She sauntered over, her slim hips swaying to a hypnotic beat. “When I heard you were teaching at the academy, I simply refused to believe it.” She raised her hands, and the snake danced across her shoulders. “But here you are.”
“Here I am. Now call your monkey off, or I’ll rip his head off like the other one.”
“My, my, so much hostility.” She narrowed her dark gaze on her half-brother, and goose bumps swept over me. “I told you that would happen if you kept suppressing your demon. It’s not healthy, Ryder.”
“I’m doing just fine, thank you, Luxora.”
“That’s not what Father said.” Mischief sparkled across her pitch irises.
“Father doesn’t know shit.” His gaze darted to mine for a split second before returning to his sister.
“What are you doing at Darkhen Academy? Please don’t tell me the rumors are true. The rumblings are that you’ve turned against your own kind. You’re amassing a team to destroy us?”
His jaw clenched, the tendon twitching. “Demons have no place in the human world, Luxora. Call them back, and we can put an end to this before it starts.”
Her lips curved into a wicked smile. “It is true then.”
“The humans shouldn’t play a part in your battle with Father. You want to dethrone him and take over the Underworld be my guest, but keep the fighting in your own realm.”
She folded her arms across her chest, her gaze bouncing from me to Ryder. “Now is it a particular human you’re trying to protect or all of them in general?”
“What I do is none of your business, sister,” he spat. “Now go, before Cillian and the rest of the academy break free from your sorcerer’s boundary spell.”
She tsked, waggling her finger. “Not without my half-blood.”
“What would you want with a lowly human?”
Ouch.
“My oracle doesn’t agree with your poor estimation of her. And given the murderous look in your eye, I’d say neither do you. The girl is important to you.”
“She’s not. She means nothing to me.”
I swallowed down the unexpected pang of hurt.
“Then let me have her.”
“I can’t do that.” He inched closer, and Luxora smirked.
“I don’t want to hurt you brother, but I will if you stand in my way. If she is the one that my oracle foresaw, I will not stop until she’s wiped out of existence.”
A streak of yellow flashed across his irises. “I don’t want to hurt you either, but I will wipe you out of existence if you touch her,” he growled.
A high-pitched giggle burst from Luxora’s ruby lips. “My, my, such big words from my little brother.” She cocked her head, her piercing eyes running over me like a death ray. “Either you know something about her that I don’t, or there’s something else…” Her brows knitted as she continued to scrutinize me.
Ryder moved closer, the remaining gorabora shadowing his every step.
“I’m bored. I’ll have my oracle figure this out.” She motioned to her demon gorilla, and he lunged.
“Ryder!” I screamed. His eyes had been focused on me, and he completely missed it when the gorabora swerved and leapt for him instead. The beast’s maw clamped down on his shoulder, and he dropped.
My heart froze.
I slid to the ground beside him as blood soaked his shirt. “Ryder, Ryder, please.” I patted his cheek with my manacled wrists as his eyes rolled back. “Please, stay with me.” His entire body went limp, his skin damp and clammy.
Anger unfurled in my core, heat scorching through my veins. “What did you do to him?” I screeched.
“He’ll be fine eventually. As long as he’s given the antidote.” She flicked her wrist, pretending to look at a watch that wasn’t there. “He has about four hours before the damage is permanent.” She bent down and wrapped her hand around my forearm. “Come, come, we must go now.”
I ripped my arm free of her grasp as fury exploded in my center. “I’m not going anywhere with you.” Squeezing Ryder’s hand, I could feel the magic coating his skin, running through his veins. My fingers began to glow, red-hot energy coursing between us. “Romperem!” I shouted, wrenching my wrists free.
The manacles burst in a flare of golden lights. Raw power surged through me, the force of it so potent it nearly knocked me off my feet.
Luxora’s eyes widened, the intense black nearly consuming the white. Focusing on the gorabora demon, I splayed my fingers and a blast of purple energy shot from my fingertips. The surge sent the creature hurtling toward the thick copse of trees.
I spun at the dark lord, channeling all the fury of my magic and splayed my hands out. Heat blazed across my skin and lit my fingers on fire, brilliant blue flames dancing across the tips.
Luxora’s lips curved into a knowing sneer before a dark cloud of smoke rolled over her. And she was gone.
Chapter 27
“Cillian, is he going to be okay?” Tremors overtook my body as I paced in front of Ryder’s bed wringing my hands. The imposing angel hunched over Ryder’s still form, warm light bathing the dark room. It was at least the third time he’d run his healing angel light over his nephew, but his eyes remained shut and his breathing shallow.
Cillian finally glanced up at me, deep grooves creasing his forehead. “I was hoping my angel light would heal him, but it’s not working.” His wings unfurled, and a brilliant golden glow swirled around him. “I’ll go find the antidote Luxora spoke of; I think I know where I can find it.”
My head lifted to the clock over the door, and my pulse spiked. “You have to hurry, Cillian. He doesn’t have much time.”
He nodded, his lips pressed in an unyielding line. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Darting to the window, he wrenched it open and disappeared into the night sky.
A frosty breeze blew into the room, shooting a wave of goose bumps over my skin. I closed the window and latched it, throwing in a protection spell for good measure. Luxora would be back; I felt the certainty within every bone of my body. Tonight
was only the beginning.
And what about Raine? Had she been working with the dark lord all along? Cillian assured me she’d be dealt with, and I just couldn’t focus on anything but Ryder right now.
With anxiety ripping my insides apart, I returned to Ryder’s side, crawling in bed beside him. Cillian wouldn’t be back for a while, and right now I couldn’t care less if he did catch me in bed with my instructor. Wrapping my arm across his chest, I nuzzled into his side. His musky, sandalwood scent filled my senses, and a knot formed in my throat. It wasn’t fair. I couldn’t lose Ryder now, not when he finally wanted to give us a chance. “Please, don’t leave me,” I mumbled into his chest.
The steady pounding of his heart beneath my ear accelerated.
“Ryder? Can you hear me?”
His eyelids fluttered, and my heart thrashed against my ribs. Slowly, his lids cracked open. The deep onyx I knew so well was dim but still there. He let out a groan.
“Don’t worry, Cillian went to get the antidote. You’re going to be okay. You have to be.”
He blinked, and his lips parted. It was like he was trying to smile. Tears streamed down my face, and I buried them in his warm chest.
“I…”
My head shot up at the sound of his rough voice. “Don’t Ryder. You have to save your energy.” I pressed my finger to his lips then replaced it with my mouth. Salty tears mingled over our lips as I kissed him.
I didn’t know how it was possible. I thought the demon poison had completely paralyzed him, but maybe it was only from the bite down. His lips barely moved against mine, but I could feel the fire of emotions behind their leisurely strokes. I finally forced myself to pull away. He needed to rest regardless of what my raging hormones wanted.
I cupped his cheek, brushing my thumb over his prickly scruff. “I can’t wait to spend the winter break with you.”
His eyes lit up, some of the darkness receding. “Luna, if anything happens…” He swallowed, his voice a shadow of its normal self.
