by Grace White
“No big deal? Are you kidding me? It’s huge.” Bobby looked ready to choke, his eyes wide as saucers.
My throat dried. I didn’t want to do this here. I knew Daiya was surprised I hadn’t told her by the way she stiffened beside me. But it wasn’t like we had time to discuss these things. Between all the crap with her sister and then Dad showing up, there hadn’t been time to catch a breath.
“You’ll say yes, right? If they want to draft you? Please tell me you’ll say yes?” Jack grinned like a fool, and I let out a frustrated sigh.
“That’s the million-dollar question, right, Kai?” Laker added, and I almost elbowed him in the ribs.
“Give him a break, guys. It’s a big decision, right, Kai?”
“Yeah.” I shot Lacey a grateful smile. “There’s a lot to think about.”
The guys got into a discussion of the pros and cons of drafting over not drafting while Daiya and I picked at our lunch in silence. Lacey tried to engage her in conversation, but she was barely present. I couldn’t blame her. It was just another reminder of the obstacles stacked against us. She had her secrets. I had hockey. But I thought I’d made it pretty clear where I stood on us when I’d declared my love for her.
I hadn’t meant to say the words; they just tumbled out. Maybe it was the fear of losing her or the unexplainable connection I felt, but I’d said it. I hadn’t told Laker or anyone for that matter. It was soon, too soon by most people’s standards. And I still didn’t understand our relationship. Daiya had asked me to trust her, to trust in us, and I would because walking away wasn’t an option. I knew that now.
“So Daiya, can we persuade you to make the trip to Chester with us? I bet Kai would love it if you came.”
“I have plans.”
Lacey’s smile dropped. “Oh, that’s a shame. Maybe next time.”
“Yeah.”
Daiya knew we had an away game this weekend. I hadn’t asked her to come because I didn’t want her to feel like she had to. But I would have preferred her close by. Especially after what happened last time.
“Come on,” I whispered in her ear as I nudged her along the bench. “We’ll catch you guys later.”
“Don’t forget practice tonight,” Laker said in his usual pissy tone.
Daiya waved and followed me to the bleachers. It felt like an eternity since we’d first sat out here and I kissed her, trying to prove we could be close without losing control. Things seemed so different now.
“You didn’t tell me about the scout?” Daiya said as she took a seat.
“It didn’t come up.” I shrugged in an attempt to downplay what the guys had said over lunch.
“Kai, it’s a big deal.”
“Look.” I entwined our hands together. “There’s been a lot going on. I would’ve told you.”
Daiya questioned me with her eyes. “This is important, Kai. You can’t shelter me from this part of your life. Hockey is everything to you. It’s your future.”
“Whoa, that’s not what’s happening here, I promise. Scouts have been out to see me before. You knew I had a lot riding on this year; I already told you that. Nothing has changed. They’ll come, they’ll watch, and I’ll do what I always do.”
“But—”
I ducked my head and cut her off with my lips. “But nothing, Daiya. Nothing has changed. I know what’s at stake.” Touching my forehead to hers, I sighed. Even after everything, could she still not see how I felt about her? Hockey was still important to me, but it wasn’t everything. Not anymore. Not without Daiya by my side.
“I love hockey, Daiya. I’ll probably always love hockey, but I love you too.” I inched away, staring at her and hoping she’d finally understand. “And there’s room in my life for both of you, okay?”
Daiya gulped as she nodded. “Okay.”
It wasn’t the words I wanted to hear. I hadn’t realized until this moment how much I needed her to say she felt the same—that she was in love with me too—but for now, it would do. As long as Daiya was in this thing with me, I would be okay.
DAIYA
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Miss Cattiva.” I strained my eyes to find Isaac. He was standing in the shadows next to our house.
“Isaac,” I replied sharply. “What are you doing here?”
“I told you to leave my son alone.”
“Are you following me?” I reached my door, refusing to meet his steely gaze as I fumbled with my keys.
“Answer my question.”
“Answer mine.” The demon stirred, igniting the fire in my blood.
“Miss Cattiva.” Isaac stepped into the light cascading over the porch. “Think very carefully about this.”
“About what? This is my home. My. Home.”
“And Kai is my son. My. Son.” He mimicked the tone I’d used. “What could you want from him? Do you really think I’ll stand by and watch you hurt him?”
I expelled a long sigh. The demon wanted me to fight, to stand my ground. But you didn’t stand up to someone like Isaac Stanton—a Dei Venatores—and come out unscathed. I had to play this differently. “You don’t understand, Isaac. It’s more complicated than you thought. Kai is—”
“Daiya? Is that you?” The door handle rattled, and my heart lurched into my throat.
“Be very careful, Miss Cattiva. I’m watching.” The warning carried on the soft breeze as Isaac was swallowed by the shadows.
The door swung open, and Demi stood there wearing a confused expression. “Who were you talking to?”
“Me? No one.”
She peered out the door and checked the porch. “Weird. I could have sworn I heard voices.”
“Poppy gave me a ride, and I called bye. It must have been that.”
“Yeah, must have.” She went back inside, waiting for me. “Where have you been? It’s late.”
“I sent you a text letting you know I was going to Poppy’s to study; didn’t you get it?”
“Battery’s dead. I worked an extra shift and only just got home myself not long ago.” Her voice trailed off like she wanted to say more but wasn’t sure she should.
“What is it?” I said, dumping my bag at the bottom of the stairs and heading for the kitchen.
“What’s what?” Demi followed.
“Whatever you want to say.”
“I’m worried, that’s all.”
Helping myself to a juice carton from the refrigerator, I jabbed the straw into the box and took a long drink. “He told me he’s in love with me,” I said, turning slowly to face my sister.
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh.”
Kai had only said the words twice. Maybe because I hadn’t said them back or maybe he was starting to doubt things between us. But I hadn’t forgotten them; they were imprinted on my mind, a cruel reminder of our predicament.
I joined Demi at the table, and we sat across from one another in thick silence. “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t need to be sorry,” I said. “None of this is your fault; I just need to figure out what the hell I’m supposed to do.”
“What does Heather think?”
“She talks in riddles most of the time.” It was on the tip of my tongue to tell Demi about Isaac, but if she wanted us to leave before, she would definitely want me to leave when she discovered he was Kai’s father—that Kai was a direct descendant of the Dei Venatores.
“Daiya, what is it?”
“Nothing.” I sighed. “Everything. I’m just so overwhelmed.”
She reached across the table, holding her hand out. I took it and threaded our fingers together. “I’m here. I’ll always be here.”
“What do you think will happen, Demi? If the prophecy does come true?”
She stared out of the window. “I don’t know. I wish I did, but I don’t think anyone can predict this kind of thing.”
“Heather said there are ripples already. I feel like I’ve been sheltered from so much. I know nothing about our world.”
�
��You never wanted to know.”
“I know, I know, but now, it’s different. Now, I have this role to play. Only, I don’t know my lines.”
“Sometimes, the best works of art are improvised.” She smiled.
“Oh, god, don’t, you sound like Heather.”
“Daiya, I have always believed that things happen for a reason. Just like we were born Lilituria; you were born for something greater.”
“You really believe that?” She hadn’t always been on my side.
“Mom believed it. I realize that now.”
My heart sank. Demi still couldn’t say the words.
“Do you want it to be true?”
“I …” She hesitated. “Being Lilituria is all I know. Have I dreamed about what it would be like to be a normal girl? Sure, I have. But what if we were never supposed to be normal?” Her eyes welled with tears as she smiled. “You want the truth, sister? I’m scared. Scared of what might be and what might never come to be. I’m scared for you, for the burden you bear. But most of all, I’m scared this thing is going to tear apart the only family I have.”
Silence enveloped us, the weight of her words filling every space until the air felt thick and heavy.
“I didn’t ask for this,” I said.
“Yet here we are.” Demi’s voice was soft, and I tried to put myself in her shoes. Prophecy or no prophecy, she was only trying to look out for me. My sister, my guardian.
“Thank you, for everything.” I reached for her hand. “I don’t know if I tell you enough but thank you. I love you, Demi.”
The rattle of the front door ended the moment, and Devlin appeared in the doorway. “Did I interrupt something?”
“We were just chatting.”
“I need to get my freak on tonight. Demi, you in?” Devlin completely ignored me as she moved around the kitchen.
“Devlin, I thought we talked about this.”
“Noooo, you talked, and I ignored. I won’t sit around like a prisoner in my own home forever. Besides, I’m hungry.”
“Dev—”
“Ah-ah, sister.” She turned to Demi. “That won’t work with me. Not anymore. I’m here because, let’s face it, I have nowhere else to go. But don’t mistake my presence for something it isn’t.”
“I’m going to my room.” I rose from the table and shot Demi a weak smile.
“That’s right, little sister. Go hide in your room and pretend none of this is happening!”
I ignored her dig, tuning out their raised voices as I went up to my room. Once inside, I washed up and changed for bed, turned off the light, and then climbed under the covers. I pulled out the journal Heather had given me. It was much like the Historia de Lilituria only the text looked even more dated. My fingers carefully flipped to the page I had ended on last night and started reading again.
As Lilim numbers decreased, the number of Lilituria increased. Like an abomination, these half-demon, half-human daughters plagued the earth for centuries. God was patient. He waited for the pure-hearted one to arrive. But she never came. And so he forged an army; a secret brotherhood of men tasked with a sole mission: to rid the Earth of Lilituria. Over time, as the bloodline grew, so did the hunters’ disdain for demons. They swept through villages, towns, even cities, extinguishing the scourge until the scales balanced once again. Eventually, the Dei Venatores became a legend, lost to a bloody history. But one thing remains true—demon activity acts like a beacon and those in the bloodline answer the call.
It was just as Heather and Isaac had explained. Our arrival—or more specifically, my awakening—in Decker County had acted as a neon sign, alerting the Dei Venatores to our presence, and now, two girls were dead, and things between me and Kai were a mess. I’d spent my whole life coming to terms with my family’s lineage and worrying about what being Lilituria meant when I had far bigger things to worry about. At that moment, I couldn’t help the resentment I felt toward Mom for keeping something so huge from me. She’d known about the prophecy, about me. And worst of all, she’d known Isaac. There was more to their relationship than he was willing to reveal—something important, something that could change things. I knew it; I felt it all the way down to my bones. But it wasn’t like I could demand he tell me. I got the distinct impression that no one could make Isaac Stanton do anything he didn’t want to.
Closing the journal, I sank back into the pillows and closed my eyes as I tried to sift through all the pieces of information. What did I know? There was the obvious: I was Lilituria, and Kai was a descendant of the Dei Venatores. Isaac was his father, and I couldn’t be sure, but he seemed important, someone with rank and power. And he’d known my mother. He talked fondly of her or regretfully—there was a question mark there. Then there was Jezebel, Mom’s friend the witch. She knew what we were and had cast a protection spell over us. But now, Heather couldn’t reach her. Did her association with Mom—with us—mean she was also in danger? It hadn’t occurred to me before, but it made sense. And then the prophecy that had everyone confused. If no one around me could make sense of it, how was I to? The only thing I could be certain of was my connection to Kai. Divine planning or not, I felt it—so did the demon. Was this the ultimate test—to see if we could overcome our bloodlines to be together? Was that where this was all headed? Then what? We’d ride off into the sunset together? What about the rest of the Lilituria? My sisters? Our demons?
The endless questions swirled around, crashing against my skull like a relentless storm. I reached over and hit the lamp switch, plunging the room into darkness.
“Daiya, what is it? What’s wrong?” Kai’s arms loop around me, drawing me into his body. My eyes sweep around the garden in surprise. It’s never happened like this before. Or at least, I don’t think it has. Usually, I arrive first and call him.
“My head hurts,” I whisper, and he hugs me tighter as his lips ghost over my hair.
“I’m here now.”
I feel him breathe me in, and I relax into his arms, soaking up his warmth. But then I sense a change, and Kai tenses.
“Kai, what is it?” I pull back, concerned.
“I don’t know. Something feels …” His voice trails off, his gaze burning into me. “Did you wear a different perfume?”
“No, I- I don’t think so.”
“Shampoo?”
“Do I smell bad?” I ask, not liking where this is going.
“No, it isn’t that, it’s just”—he pauses, leaning into me—“different.”
I frown. “Good or bad?”
He laughs, but it does little to ease the rising panic. “Come on, let’s go down to the water.”
“Okay,” I say, letting him lead me down the path to the water’s edge. Kai makes small talk—like we’ve done so many times before—but this time, I’m elsewhere, trying to figure out what’s wrong.
And then it hits me.
Nothing is different.
Everything is exactly the same.
It’s not me. It’s him.
Kai is more aware, attuned to my demon. He senses it.
His hunter senses it.
“Daiya?”
“Huh?” I stare at him, watching me with confusion creasing his eyes.
“I asked if everything was okay?”
“Oh yeah, everything is fine.” I force my lips into a smile.
“Come on, then. I can’t explain it, but it feels like we don’t have long, and I really want to spend some time with you.”
We don’t have long. His words sound in my head like an alarm. Is he right? Is our uneasy truce only temporary? I don’t want to believe it, but deep down, I know.
The worst is yet to come.
KAI
We’re home. It sucked being away from you, but we won. Can I see you later? I typed.
Can’t tonight, sister thing x
Disappointment flooded my chest, but I tried to ignore it. Things between Daiya and I were better. Better than that, things finally felt right. The week had passed without
any more drama. Dad hadn’t shown up again, and although we still hadn’t talked about what happened with her sister, I trusted that, in time, Daiya would explain things. That she would finally open up and let me in.
Too wired to sleep, I shot Laker a text to see if he wanted to hang out later. He replied with instructions to bring food, so I grabbed my keys and headed out. But when the door swung open, I froze. So much for no more drama.
“What do you want?” I stared at my father, anger bubbling in my veins. He seemed unaffected as he stood poised in the doorway.
“To talk, Kai, that’s all I ask.”
“I have nothing to say to you. If Mom finds out you’re here again, she’ll flip.” I curled my hand around the door ready to slam it in his face. “You should go.”
“Wait, please.” His hand pushed against the door. “I’m not here to fight or cause trouble. But I’m not going away either. Ten minutes. Surely, you can spare me that?”
I should have slammed the door and made my position clear, but instead, I found myself reluctantly nodding and stepping back to let him enter. “Ten minutes and then you’re gone.”
“Thank you,” he said, and I hated how sincere he sounded.
We situated ourselves in the kitchen because inviting him into the living room felt too personal. I stood braced against the counter, and Dad took a seat at the table. Arms folded over my chest, I waited. If he thought I was going to make this easy on him, he was mistaken.
“You still play?” His eyes glanced over at the bulletin board. Various game reports were pinned there next to a recent photo of the team.
“Hockey’s in my blood.”
“I always knew you were destined for great things from the moment you put on your first pair of skates. You were six if I remember correctly.”
“What do you want, Dad?” I didn’t want to take a trip down memory lane.
He sighed heavily, fixing his eyes on me. “I want to get to know my son again. That’s not too much to ask, surely?”
I laughed bitterly. “I hate to break it to you, but you’re about five years too late.”
