by Lyla Oweds
It hurt to keep my eyes open, so I closed them. My mind hummed with numbness as more footsteps, more voices, joined my father near me. Shuffling around me, hands pulling at me, nothing mattered. Pain didn’t touch me anymore, nor did fear.
I didn’t fight it when I was forced to my feet. Nor did I protest when rope tightened around my neck. Death wouldn’t be so bad. Not compared to a life without her.
It only hurt for a moment. And then, there was nothing at all.
How long I teetered between nothingness and feeling, I wasn’t sure. Awareness slammed back into me. My world exploded.
Feelings overwhelmed my mind. Lights—even small lights—and colors burned my eyes. I sought the relief of darkness. The pain of hunger was a distant memory. But now, the guilt and fears I’d gotten used to threatened to consume me.
It was easy to move now, and so I fled. Returning to my room. It was dusty and dark. Even the furniture was different than before. How much time had passed? Surely not that long…
The change added panic to my growing fear. What was happening? I almost longed for the reality I’d escaped. I had…
My thoughts trailed off as I spotted her. My mind cleared as she turned to me. Her eyes widened as our gazes met. She was as lovely as ever. And seemed so small and afraid. Every protective instinct I possessed rose.
Why was she scared? Was she afraid of what might happen next? The afterlife was a dim, distant light that called to me even now. However, the unknown was terrifying. Of course, it had to frighten her too.
She shouldn’t worry. I would protect her. I would punish anyone and anything that caused her to fear. This was my second chance. I reached for her, hopeful.
But she ran from me.
Then Mother joined me. She told me to let her go—I was trapping her. But she was wrong. Why didn’t Mother see that Lily was in desperate need of my help? She ran because I’d failed her and she was hesitant to trust me.
I didn’t blame her. Trust would take time.
Our routine continued. Every day, things remained the same. The rooms changed around us, but I no longer cared. All that was important was Lily. She continued to run from me, but that was okay. It was now our game.
Then she came.
I hadn’t realized how much time had passed. The cycle had been reborn again. I’d never heard of one of them being a woman, but it didn’t affect me. There was something off with her powers. But it didn’t matter, not so long as Lily was left alone.
However, the fae are meddlesome. It wasn’t long before she noticed Lily.
Lily, in an act of defiance, reached out to her. Not many mediums could intervene. But Lily had picked one of the few who could.
She was trying to leave me? After everything I’d done and sacrificed. Why didn’t she understand? What more did she want me to prove?
Now I had no choice but to fight. It shouldn’t have been difficult, but as time passed, her powers grew. The others arrived. My fear became a tangible thing. The threads of rational thought fled, and all that mattered was becoming stronger.
If I became more powerful than her, perhaps she’d leave.
I knew she’d been chosen already. The magic had touched her, singled her out. I was in need, and this was my birthright.
She was alone, and I was running out of time. Distantly, I recalled the words. The heady feeling of magic. I wasn’t going to kill her. I just wanted a scrape of power. It wasn’t even a sure thing it’d work, considering I was dead. But it was worth a try.
The taste of her skin was addicting. We’d avoided fae, but something about her essence strengthened my magic. It made no sense; only Fire types nurtured ours. But the small pull of power harvested only from a touch made me feel invincible.
As each day passed, I wanted more. I hoped she give up and leave. But I also wanted more. It was impossible to attempt it again. She’d been with someone at all times.
Once, I almost had her. She’d been with Tu, moving beyond the wards. Confrontation with my own archetype was risky, but possible. He—like her—was nowhere near where he should have been.
But I’d overestimated myself and underestimated him. I’d forgotten about the power of Earth, and my magic had been compelled to obey. I’d been forced to retreat.
I hadn’t been strong enough.
Then they left. They both did. Mother and Lily.
I was alone. My chest ached from the empty feeling inside. She’d taken everything from me. There was no purpose here, but where should I go?
I want to forget. The darkness called. Shadows whispered promises of peace and strength. It would only take a second, and I’d be able to do anything.
Maybe even bring my Lily back to me.
I blinked, and the vision and thoughts faded, returning me to black, velvet space. Only this time, I wasn’t alone.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Bianca
Serpent
Twinkling lights receded, shimmering above me now like a night sky. And, not five feet away, stood James Cole. His hair was in disarray, and his clothing torn. Like they had been when Bryce summoned him. However, this time, his eyes were different.
Dull brown eyes were trained on me. He was waiting for me to speak.
Did he even know what had just happened? That I’d invaded his privacy in this manner?
“You’re not weak,” I told him. My nerves almost made it impossible to stay professional. I felt sad for him, but I was also scared. His biggest issue was self-esteem. Perhaps if he knew… “You’re not a failure.
“Lily was unhappy,” I continued, ignoring the flare in his eyes at my words. “You thought you were protecting her. But that wasn’t what she needed. She wasn’t a doll for you to possess. She was scared—”
“I know she was scared.” James sounded genuinely upset. “The unknown is frightening. I tried to help. I—”
“She was scared of you,” I interrupted, my heart thundering. I was walking a thin line between angering him, and making him see reason. I didn’t even know if he’d understand. But, for Lily’s sake, it was important to try.
My voice was softer, hoping that he might be able to see. “If you loved her at all, you’d try to understand.”
My words stirred something inside of James, but not in the way I’d hoped. His eyes flared, darkening to the color of midnight once again. The regret I’d seen washed away, and the slight accord we’d reached was gone.
“You’re wrong,” he growled, moving forward.
It happened so quickly that I had no time to react. I blinked and was suddenly on the ground. Terror ran over me in waves as large hands encircled my neck. James’s weight settled over my legs, pinning me down. “You’re wrong!” he repeated. “I only need to get stronger, then it’ll be enough. You’re the problem.”
My mind screamed while my voice couldn’t, and I clawed at his hands. The remains of my rational thought fled. Instead, my mind was thrown in the abyss as fear and shadows covered my vision.
A roar echoed in my ears, followed by a crash as the weight was lifted from me. I gasped for air, and hands pulled me into a seated position.
The hands were too much. I smacked at them, dots still swimming in my vision, but they didn’t move. But then the voices registered, Julian and Miles. It was them touching me, and my body went limp as I relaxed into their hold.
Julian rubbed circles on my back while Miles consoled me. “Breathe. You tried. You did your best.”
I nodded as the spots faded, and Professor Hamway’s living room came into focus. Remnants of my fear faded as a new scene captured my attention.
I’d known Titus was a dragon. But seeing an actual dragon—in person—was still unexpected.
He was pure white and had smooth, iridescent scales that reflected the light. His body was at least twelve feet long, and his razor-sharp teeth were as frightening as a nightmare. Large, pupil-less eyes shone like garnets in his long face. Whisker-like hair flowed from his head. His dragon form had four limb
s, and almost imperceptible wings that were folded against his back. Even from my location across the room, the deadliness of his claws was obvious.
Kasai flew in front of him, seemingly containing him to the corner. Titus hissed at him before his eyes snapped to me.
I’d been pulled back from the circle where Bryce and Brayden had James pinned to the ground. Damen stood between us, overseeing the brothers. But at Titus’s hiss, his attention turned to the dragon.
“If you control yourself, you can go to her.” Damen was calm, even though the heavy air around us caused my head to spin. “She’s fine now,” I heard him say as Titus recaptured my gaze. “We’re going to start the exorcism.”
It was hard to focus on anything else with a giant reptile staring at me. But then Titus stepped forward, and the sound of wood snapping echoed through the room. My gaze tore from his, and it was then I noticed the state of the coffee table and couch.
As if I needed anything else to worry about.
“Titus.” I stared, horrified at the destroyed furniture.
Any of my profit was now gone, and my reputation in shambles. I might have been able to replace the table, and maybe fix the dent in the refrigerator. But there was no lying my way out of this disaster.
I pointed at the shredded sofa. “Professor Hamway is going to kill me.”
“What?” Julian sounded confused before spotting my problem. “Oh, don’t worry about that. We’ll buy new things.”
“That is not the point!” My words came out as a growl, even through my bruised throat. Titus took another step, snapping another piece of the table under his foot. “Don’t move!” I turned my finger to him, and he froze. “Don’t you understand that I’m a poor college student?”
“But he’s not,” Miles replied, helping me to my feet. “A few hundred thousand is nothing for—”
“Don’t be wasteful.” I elbowed Miles, cutting off his response. I needed to see what was happening, to make sure… I began to limp toward Damen, who had begun chanting. “This has been a traumatic night. I don’t need your shenanigans destroying the house.”
Damen’s chanting slowed, and he spared me a concerned glance. His arms, which had been raised, lowered slightly. And with a completely straight expression, he said, “You should probably lie down.”
That was the last straw.
“Where, Damen? Where should I lie down?” I fell into him, holding on to his arm for balance. Julian and Miles were following along, silently. “On the couch?” My voice croaked. I sounded hysterical, but I couldn’t help it. The night’s events were catching up to me. And even though I felt bad for him, I couldn’t bring myself to look at James.
“The way she said his name,” Miles muttered to Julian. “I’ve never heard her sound like that before.”
“He’s in so much trouble,” Julian replied.
Damen turned to face me. His face unreadable, but his eyes wary. A surge of annoyance bubbled in my chest, but when he put his hands on my shoulders, the fight drained from me. “It’s over, Bianca. You don’t need to worry about a thing now. Go sit with Titus, while I take care of things here. Then we’ll talk.”
“But…” My gaze finally moved to James. He was still restrained on the ground, hissing and spitting curses in his attempts to break free. My fear gave way to sadness. “I said I would try.”
“You did try,” Damen said, inclining his head.
An instant later, there was a nudge at my shoulder. Warm breath blew across my neck. I didn’t even need to look to know it was Titus. But strangely, I wasn’t moved.
I didn’t feel anything anymore. I just wished this was over.
Now that I’d forced myself to look, I couldn’t tear my gaze from James. It was almost pathetic, the way he thrashed against Bryce and Brayden. His appearance was more smoke than substance now, but his black eyes flashed. He was dangerous.
And I knew they were going to exorcise him.
Was it the right thing to do? Did he deserve that end? What gave us the power to make that call?
“Hurry up!” Bryce grunted even as Julian rolled up his sleeves and moved beside Damen.
Julian glanced in my direction. I expected him to say something to me, but he addressed Titus instead. “Keep her back.”
Miles stepped away, pulling me with him. Titus followed as he gently tugged me to the other side of the room. It became easier to relax the farther we moved. My own memories still haunted me, but the pressure over me vanished.
Titus brushed against me, and I realized why it was easier to breathe. He was doing some weird, magic-blocking thing on me.
My attention drifted from the other side of the room, but before I turned my head, Titus was in front of me. His face nuzzled my cheek.
Well, kinda. His head was over three times the size of my own, so the movement was less comforting and more suffocating. But still, there was something sweet about his attempt. My hands rose instinctively to touch him.
His skin was soft, the hard-looking scales felt like feathers. Titus met my eyes once again. Up close, they looked like jewels. My face reflected back to me off the smooth surface. There was something wise and deep about his gaze—as if, within, he held the wisdom of a thousand lifetimes.
“Titus?” He was trying to tell me something, but I had no idea what it might be. But then his eyes closed and his forehead bumped against mine. The action seemed to block the words, and shouts, from the other side of the room. I still wanted to look, but I couldn’t. Because I was trapped in the prison of Titus’s attention.
Humming rang through my head. My song, a tune I recalled from my earliest memories. Words I didn’t remember. From childhood, during my darkest times, it was the one thing that had brought me comfort.
But why now?
The atmosphere quieted, grew lighter. Miles’s arm relaxed over my shoulder, and I knew that if I looked over now, I wouldn’t see James anymore.
He was gone. I wasn’t sure how to take this. I was the worst spirit representative ever.
Miles stepped away and Damen’s arms encircled me from behind. Warmth spread from my back as he pulled me into him, resting his chin on the top of my head.
“It’s not your fault,” he said, speaking into my hair. “It’s difficult for even a strong-minded person to return from the other side. He was lost before Bryce ever summoned him.”
Titus’s gaze moved from my own, and the song in my head stopped. The fear that had been preying on me all evening didn’t return. The only thing left was bone-deep exhaustion.
“Baby.” Damen turned me to face him as the dragon uncurled himself from around me. He’d moved so subtly, I hadn’t even noticed how we ended up in this position. But now that he was gone, I missed the feeling. However, Damen redirected my attention back to him. “I’m proud of you. It’s done.”
That wasn’t right. There was another threat, something outside of this home. “What about the other Cole… people? What should I do?”
“Nothing,” Titus replied. “We’ll just keep our eyes open. Thankfully, there aren’t that many of them around. You don’t need to worry about it.”
I had frozen, but not from his words. But rather, at his sudden, very human, presence behind me. “Titus…” The tentative question left my lips. “Are you… naked?”
I mean, it would make sense if he were. Especially considering that part of the mess on the floor was the shredded remains of his pajamas. It was almost tempting to look, to be sure. But at the same time, I also didn’t want to know.
“Ah.” Titus made a sound, as if he was only now realizing this himself. “I suppose that I am.”
Bryce and Brayden, who had been conversing with Julian, paused and glanced in our direction. None of the three seemed surprised at the scene.
“Here, moron.” Miles shuffled behind me. “Use this blanket.”
“I don’t want it,” Titus huffed. His large hand closed over my shoulder, and alarm shot through me. He was moving closer, and he was still
naked. Yet, he seemed oblivious to my current panic. “You wanted to know about dragons,” he said. “This is a natural state for a shifter, and—”
“Put your clothes on,” Damen snapped, smacking Titus’s hand away. “This is not the time for a dragon-shifter lesson.” Then, not waiting for a reply from Titus, Damen began to lead me from the room. He waved his hand, and Julian followed. But still, even though it had freaked me out, I couldn’t stop my morbidly curious look back before we rounded the doorway.
There was barely time for a glimpse. But it was enough to spot the tiny black mark on Titus’s outer thigh as he wrapped a blanket around his waist.
So, Damen had one. Julian and Titus too. If that was the case, where was Miles’s?
Julian traced his fingers over the skin of my neck, his face somber as he gazed down at me. He sat, looking at me as I lay on the guest bed. Damen, meanwhile, stood at some feet away, arms crossed and face bossy.
“It’ll be safe to sleep here tonight,” Damen said, speaking to both Julian and me. “But still, stay together. The rest of us will stay downstairs. We’ve got work to do.”
Julian lost his balance, falling into me. His hand pressing into the center of my throat. “Damen!”
I gagged as my fingers closed around his hand. Immediately his focus returned to me and his hand pulled away. “I’m so sorry, darling. If Damen hadn’t surprised me…”
“It’s okay.” I winced, touching my neck. “It’s my typical luck. I’ll just wear a turtleneck.” I pressed myself up onto my arms, glancing at Damen. “What other work is there to do? Is it something I should help with? What about tomorrow? Should I even go to class?”
“You should go to class,” Damen replied, pressing his glasses up his nose. “It’s not certain that anyone has realized you were targeted with the spell. They obviously know there is research into the house, but that’s a separate issue. They are more likely to go after one of us, and not you. We’re more threatening to their position. You should continue your normal routine.”
