The Noru 2 : The Last Akon (The Noru Series, Book 2)

by Lola StVil

  “What is it, Key?” I ask.

  “Nothing. It’s just…she’s very badly hurt.”

  “Try. I can’t lose her,” Aaden says.

  His concern for her is like a spear going right through my heart (if I had one).

  “I’ll be back,” she says as she goes back into the bedroom.

  “Don’t look at me like that,” Aaden says.

  “Like what?” I ask.

  “Like I just ran over your puppy.”

  “It’s just that—never mind.”

  “No, say it,” he encourages.

  “I didn’t know she meant that much to you,” I say softly.

  “Because I’m some jerk who never cares about anyone he hooks up with, right?”

  “Look, I know you’re stressed out, but I really don’t need you snapping at me. I have enough going on. I just allowed a Kaster into my house.”

  “She’s barely alive, what are you worried about?” he pushes.

  “She shouldn’t be here at all,” I remind him.

  “She saved your life and you can’t give her shelter for a few hours?”

  “You’re right, Aaden. I should open my door to all the girls you’ve slept with. Of course the house may not be big enough. In fact, we may have to move because I’m guessing the City of New York doesn’t have enough space to accommodate all your conquests.”

  “She’s my friend. What is with you that you have to reduce everything to sex?” he demands.

  “This isn’t about sex. This is about allowing the demon that helped Malakaro kill my brother in to the house.”

  “She had nothing to do with that.”

  “Bullshit! She knew they were coming to attack us and she let it happen. She’s an evil, corrupt, self-serving little bitch and I want her out as soon as she wakes up.”

  “I’m not saying she’s innocent. But we both know this has nothing to do with her being a demon. You would hate her no matter what because I used to be with her.”

  “I couldn’t care less who you used to be with.”

  “Argh! I don’t want to do this with you right now,” he roars angrily.

  “Fine, then take off. You’re really good at that. Go ahead, take to the sky and act like you don’t belong on this team.”

  “I have never let this team down. I show up every day.”

  “Yeah, thanks for making a five second appearance. It really is the highlight of my day.”

  “Are you reprimanding me as my leader or the girl I kissed once?”

  “What? That’s not even…I don’t think about—I barely remember that stupid kiss.”

  “Then why are you acting like a jealous girlfriend?”

  “You know what, screw you,” I reply, shaking my head.

  “You are unbelievable,” he counters, equally frustrated.

  My cell phone goes off. Thankful for the interruption, I pick up on the first ring. I talk for a few moments and then hang up.

  “Who was that?” he asks.

  “It was Swoop. She found out the reason Malakaro punished Ruin—she tried to free your father.”

  Shocked, he looks over at the room where his ex-girl lay behind the door, dying. His expression turns to concern, and finally deep sorrow. He rakes both hands though his hair and lowers his head, as the weight of the moment bears down on him.

  “I’m sorry,” I whisper to him.

  He doesn’t reply, he just looks out into nothing.

  “I really…I didn’t know she…I guess you two were very close. I mean if she was willing to defy Malakaro, she must really… love you,” I add, not knowing what else to say.

  We stand in the living room and wait for the next two hours in silence and frustration. Finally, the Healer and Key come out of the bedroom.

  “How is she?” Aaden asks before they can say anything.

  “We were able to save her,” the Healer says.

  “Thank you,” Aaden says, weak with relief.

  “We’ll give you two a moment alone but not too long. She has to rest,” the Healer says.

  “I’ll only be a few minutes,” Aaden promises.

  As he heads down the stairs, he turns to face us.

  “You know I don’t have any compassion for demons but in a case like this…even I have to admit, it’s a very sad thing,” the Healer tells us.

  “What are you talking about?” Aaden asks.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, I thought Keyohmi told you when she came out here before,” the Healer replies.

  “I wanted to wait until we were sure,” Key says, lowering her head.

  “Tell me what? What is it?” Aaden insists.

  “Well, we were able to save her life, but there was way too much damage to the central nerves in the upper area between her shoulder blades.”

  “What does that mean?” I reply.

  “It means the demon in there will never fly again.”

  Aaden holds his hands to his mouth as if to keep from crying out. Devastated, he leans against the wall and braces himself before he goes inside. The Healer apologizes for the bad news, wishes us well, and takes off into the air. I shake my head in complete misery. I’m not a fan of Ruin but to lose your wings for trying to help someone…

  “Do you want me to come with you?” I ask.

  He shakes his head “no.” It hurts; a lot.

  “He just needs time,” Key says, placing a hand on my shoulder.

  “I want him to be…happy. He deserves that, Key. And I want to be the one to give that to him,” I confess quietly.

  “Does he know you’re in love with him?” she asks as she brushes the hair from my face.

  I’m about to deny it when she gives me a look that tells me it would be pointless to even try.

  “ Does he know?” she asks again.

  “No.”

  “You have to tell him,” she insists.

  “I can’t. He hates me.”

  “No, he doesn’t,” she says.

  “Yes, he does. He can barely stand to be in the same room as me. When we kissed it was the first time in my life that I actually felt like I was exactly where I should be. No matter what’s going on, if I get to see his face everything is better. Most of the time I feel like a broken toy with no instruction on how to be repaired. But when I’m near Aaden, I realize I’m not broken, I’m just missing a piece. He’s that missing piece. Without him, I’ll never work right.”

  “I’ve seen him look at you; I think he feels the same way,” she offers.

  “How could he? I’m the girl who won’t let him save his father, the girl who’s taking his family away. But inside that room is Ruin, the girl who risked her life to save his family. That’s who he loves. That’s who he wants.”

  “Pry, how do you know?”

  “Because he’s in there and I’m out here…”

  CHAPTER SIX: DAY TWO

  Something lands on me, hard. It pulls me out of Recharging. I pop my eyes open. And find Randy jumping on me like an eager puppy. I groan and roll over on the sofa.

  “C’mon Pry, get up!” he shouts.

  “Go away,” I mumble, desperately wanting more Recharge time.

  “No, you have to get up so we can celebrate!”

  “Celebrate what?” I ask as I hurl a pillow cushion at him.

  “Hello? It’s March first; it’s your birthday! You’re fifteen today.”

  “So?”

  “So you are now officially a Taylor Swift song.”

  I reluctantly sit up and face him.

  “So what do you want to do for your big day? I’m thinking we hit the movies. There’s a slasher marathon in the Village. We’ll stop off and get whatever angel power ‘snack’ you like, I’ll gorge on popcorn, hot dogs, and milk duds, like a good American.”

  “Randy, I don’t think—”

  “Then we’ll go bowling, where I will beat you. Then we’ll fly to the other side of the world and see what breakfast looks like for the good folks in Papua New Guinea.”

 
“Why Papua New Guinea?”

  “It’s just such a fun name, I’m sure it’s a fun place,” he reasons.

  I can’t help but laugh at him. He’s trying so hard to cheer me up.

  “Randy, you know we can’t do that,” I reply.

  “I know. I just thought it would be nice to pretend for a few minutes.”

  “It is.”

  “Okay, okay, I know we can’t take off with everything that’s going on but maybe this will help.”

  He hands my cell phone to me and tells me to listen to the voicemail. I listen and hear him singing happy birthday to me, and it was so beautifully done, I had to save it.

  I embrace him and thank him.

  “So…how bad are things?” he asks.

  “Well, let’s see: I can’t sleep in my bed because there’s a demon in my bedroom. Uncle Rage is in a forest filled with deadly creatures and I prevented his only son from rescuing him. Oh, and I find myself feeling sorry for the girl slash demon that Aaden is in love with because she can’t fly anymore. When I’m not feeling bad for her, I’m envying her because she has the guy I want.”

  “Relax, Pry, teenagers all over the world face these problems,” he jokes.

  I groan and rest my head on his shoulder. He assures me that things will work out. I don’t know if he really believes it but it’s nice to hear. I head to the shower and hope turning fifteen gets better.

  ***

  After getting dressed, I head down to the kitchen where everyone is waiting for me except Aaden. He’s upstairs tending to Ruin.

  And I’m fine with that, just fine…

  “Happy birthday, Carrot,” Swoop teases as she hugs me and hands me a small velvet box.

  “It’s from all of us. We didn’t really have a lot of time to shop with everything going on, but we think you’ll like this,” Key says.

  I open it and find a white platinum ring with a light blue stone in the center. When my fingertips make contact with the stone, a hologram-like image of my parents appears, along with a younger version of Sam and me.

  “You got me a Reply ring!” I shout, delighted as the ring reenacts a few seconds from my thirteenth birthday.

  I remember that day very well. I was so happy because my parents agreed to take me with them demon hunting. I’d be confined to a Holder but still I was so excited. But then a storm was brewing and it looked like it might be cancelled. The ring reenacts what my mom did to save my birthday.

  My mom headed over to the window and pulled the clouds apart so that the sun could shine through. That made a then three-year-old Sam giggle. My dad came behind my mom and wrapped her in his arms. We all gathered by the window and watched the amazing, unscheduled sunshine.

  I didn’t realize just how much I missed them until that moment. The desire to be with them is overwhelming. I touch the ring again so that the images will stop and revert back inside the stone.

  “Pry, you okay?” Bex asks.

  “Yeah, yeah…I just really need them to fix the light so I can see my parents again,” I reply.

  “I know what you mean. I actually miss my mom and her third degree. Where you going? With whom? To do what?” Swoop says, mimicking her mother, Miku.

  “I’ve been following the progress, and well, according to Channel One, there isn’t much progress at all,” Bex says.

  “Yeah, I know,” I reply, trying to hide my disappointment as Key takes my hand in hers.

  “Hey, I love a touching moment just as much as the next guy, but does anyone want to talk about the demon in the bedroom?” East asks.

  “What about her?” Silver asks as he walks into the kitchen.

  “Well we were wondering a few things,” Bex says snidely.

  “Well, she’ll a Leo, she thrives in challenging environments, loves dogs, hiking, and long walks on the beach,” Aaden replies sardonically.

  “Really, Silver?” Bex says, growing irritated.

  “Enough, you two. Ruin was punished because she tried to rescue Uncle Rage. I don’t know if she’s reformed or not, and really I don’t care. However, since she did risk her life for someone we all love, the least we can do is offer her shelter,” I reply evenly.

  “So how long is she going to stay?” Swoop asks.

  “I’m not sure yet,” I inform them.

  “This makes no damn sense. We can’t just open our home to a demon,” Bex barks.

  “Why am I not surprised? You Paras are all the same: judgmental pricks,” Aaden spits.

  “You drag your demon piece of trash in here and you want us to welcome her with open arms?” Bex demands.

  Aaden rams into Bex so hard they both tumble to the ground. They immediately exchange powerful blows and crash into the furniture. We shout at them to stop, but it’s no use. We look on in horror as both Bex and Aaden summon up their Powerballs.

  “No!” I shout.

  But it’s too late. The two Powerballs meet in the middle of the room and collide into each other. I scream for the team to take cover. The explosion tears a massive hole in the wall and leaves everything in the kitchen in ruins. I check on the team and they all say they are okay. I then turn my attention to the two children in the room: Bex and Aaden.

  “HOW DOES THIS HELP UNCLE RAGE? TELL ME. HOW DOES ANY OF THIS HELP?” I bark at them.

  They glare at each other but wisely decide not to speak. The others remain silent as they survey the damage to the room.

  “We now have only two days to find Uncle Rage, and we don’t need this childish ‘whose wingspan is bigger’ crap. When I come back downstairs, it better be to a room of well-trained, mature Norus, or I swear to Omnis, I’ll take you both out,” I warn as I march out of what’s left of the kitchen.

  “Where are you going?” Randy asks.

  “To check on Ruin,” I reply.

  “Really?” Aaden says.

  “Yes, really. She tried to help and now we will help her. Besides, we have to make sure that she’s okay. I mean…you love her, right?” I ask, fearing the answer to my soul.

  All of us turn our attention to Aaden. But Aaden’s eyes are fixed on one being only: me. We exchange an intense look between us.

  “Yes, I do; I love her,” he replies simply.

  “Then it’s settled; we’ll look after her. At least for a little while,” I say in my best “official” voice.

  I force myself to calmly walk up the stairs with my head held high. My movements are steady, confident, and unaffected. Once I am no longer visible to my team, I lean into the wall and place both hands on my mouth to stop from crying out. For one moment tears thought they might make an appearance.

  Oh no you don’t.

  I stand up straight and compose myself. Yes, it hurts that he said it out loud. But there will be no crying here. Period. The moment passes and I am back in full control again. As I open the door to see Ruin, however, Aaden’s words echo in my head.

  Yes, I love her…

  ******

  When I enter the room I find her lying underneath the covers, with her eyes closed. She’s wearing a necklace with a white colored stone with a dark trim. Her raven hair spreads out on the pillow and lies perfectly. Her crimson lips are pouty and again, perfect.

  Even draped in covers, her curves are impossible to ignore.

  She looks like she belongs in a Goth romance graphic novel. There’s only one way to describe Ruin: a dark, sexy, alluring mystery.

  No wonder he loves her.

  I place the extra towels from the closet near her bed. She opens her eyes and looks back at me.

  “I didn’t mean to wake you,” I say softly.

  “Its fine,” she says, never taking her eyes off of me.

  “There’s some towels here in case you need any,” I offer.

  She doesn’t say anything--she just keeps looking at me.

  “What is it?” I can’t help but ask.

  “I’ve heard so many things about you, yet I’ve never seen you up close like this,” she admits.


  I should have worn a better outfit. Or at the very least run a brush through my hair. Note to self: When meeting the lover of the guy who you’re crushing on, skip the fluffy cat slippers your mom gave you and opt for heels.