Voracious Vixens, 13 Novels of Sexy Horror and Hot Paranormal Romance

by Travis Luedke

  His angry tone slices through me. But I make myself look back at him without flinching. I’m pissed too. He hasn’t seen me in a year and the first thing he does is reprimand me? Just because I’m a girl he thinks he can tell me what to do? And Randy’s right; how dare he address the group as if I’m not there?

  Argh, I really, really hate him; sexist, pig-headed fascist!

  “Silver, we get what you’re saying but we can’t just abandon Randy. It’s not right,” Key says.

  “This is your idea of leadership? Taking stupid, foolish risks for just anyone?” he asks me.

  “Randy isn’t ‘just anyone’—you know what, Aaden? If you don’t like the way I’m running things, you can take off. I’m sure there’s a line of half naked, drunken girls just waiting to receive the ‘Silver’ package. So why don’t you go give it to them?” I reply.

  “Whoa,” Swoop whispers.

  Aaden glares at me so hard, had I been a guy, he would have decked me for sure. Seriously, First Noru or not, he would have beat the hell out of me.

  “You know what? I never should’ve come back here,” he says darkly.

  I can’t let him know just how much his words hurt me so I clear my throat,

  straighten my posture, and agree with him.

  “You’re right; you shouldn’t have come back.”

  He looks around the room, starts to say something but then Swoop interrupts him.

  “Hey guys, I think I might know what Oden has that could help Randy.”

  “What is it?” I ask.

  “I had a contact of mine do some digging and Oden has access to Stirr,” Swoop replies.

  “Stirr? What is that? How can it help?” Randy asks anxiously.

  “It’s a mixture that can alter contracts,” I say to him.

  “I’m not exactly sure how Stirr works,” East admits.

  “Least I’m not the only one,” Randy says.

  “It blurs the portion of the contract that has the name of a specific being and renders it unreadable. And Death’s list is essentially a contract. So while Randy’s name would still be on the list...”

  “Stirr would cover it over,” Key says.

  “Yup, Angel Wite-Out,” Swoop confirms.

  “So Stirr allows you to get out of a contract?” East asks.

  “Yes, that’s why the Council outlawed it ages ago. And even if they didn’t, it’s a mixture so complex and dangerous, few dare attempt to make it,” Key says.

  “Key is right; just trying to procure the ingredients needed to make Stirr has cost many their lives,” Aaden says.

  “Wow, what’s in Stirr?” Randy wonders.

  “Demon blood, human cartilage, three-headed serpent tongue, a few slabs of fresh shark belly...”

  “Yeah, I am so sorry I asked,” Randy says to Key.

  “Your friend is sure Oden has access to Stirr?” I ask.

  “Yeah, it’s the only reason to think Oden would be of help,” Swoop says.

  “Does he know where Oden is hiding?” Bex asks.

  “No, but he has eyes on Kill. He offered to follow him and see if he leads us to Oden.”

  “What does your friend want in return?” Aaden asks.

  “What they all want: me,” she teases.

  “He’s willing to risk his life just to date you?” Bex asks.

  “‘Just’ to date me? Please. I’m amazing,” she says, dripping with charm.

  “Swoop, thank you so much for helping me; I love you!” Randy says, embracing her tightly.

  She hugs him back and blushes at his outpouring of emotion.

  “It’s a long line,” she says, smiling brightly.

  “Pryor, don’t do this; don’t go chasing after Oden,” Aaden warns yet again.

  “Look I told you—” I don’t get to finish my thought, thanks to an incoming text.

  “Carrots & Peas: Now”

  My jaw drops and I look at my cell again to make sure I’m seeing it correctly. How could this be?

  “I don’t understand,” I say to myself out loud.

  “Understand what? What’s wrong, Pry?” East asks.

  The rest of the group looks back at me with concern and confusion.

  “This text: Carrots and Peas. It’s a code from like forever ago.”

  “A code for what?” Bex wonders.

  “It signals I’m in danger and need to get to the safe house.”

  “Where is this ‘safe house’?” Key says.

  “Across the street from my school.”

  “Who sent you the code?” Aaden asks, now even more alarmed.

  “That’s just it. The only one who knows about the code is my mom...”

  *******

  Everyone in the warehouse, including Aaden, heads for the safe house. I didn’t ask him to come. And he didn’t ask if I wanted him to join us. It’s just something we all knew we had to do together. No matter how crazy and pissed we have been with each other as a group, we don’t just let one of us go into danger alone. I guess that’s why Aaden saved me: part of the code of being a Noru. Why does that make me a little sad?

  Because you were hoping he saved you for reasons far more personal...

  I refuse to think about that right now. I have to stay focused on the text message I received. The Pathway being destroyed not only means that angels can’t come down from the light, they also can’t communicate. So how was my mother able to send me this text? And if she’s really here then why didn’t she come find me at the warehouse? She knows there’s only a short list of places I’m likely to be.

  We land in the alley by the safe house; it’s a bakery store that’s been closed since I started school. There’s a broken side window my mom and dad found. She told me if she ever sent the code I was to go in through there and go down to the basement and wait for her. I tell the others and we start to head for the side window.

  “What are you doing out of class? Get back in here!” someone calls out from clear across the street.

  We all turn and look over at the school entrance. Standing there with her hands on her hips, impatiently tapping her pen to her clipboard, is “The Face.”

  “Mrs. Greenblatt, oh crap,” Randy says.

  “Look, we don’t have time for this,” Bex warns.

  “Your mom could be waiting inside for you, right now,” Key reminds me.

  “I said come over here; right now,” Mrs. Greenblatt calls out firmly.

  “Can’t we get out of this?” Randy asks.

  “I can Mind wipe her, but I need to touch her to do it,” East says.

  “We could just ignore her,” Key suggests.

  “Um...Mrs. Greenblatt isn’t really the kind of person you can ignore,” Randy says.

  “He’s right. Let’s cross the street. I’m sure she’ll take us to her office to write us up; East can Mind wipe her there,” I tell them.

  “Why not do it once we get close enough for East to make contact?” Randy asks.

  “There’s a glow that comes from my powers—too many people around for that. We need to get her alone,” East says.

  I sigh deeply and we head over to The Face.

  All I really want is to go straight for the basement, so why don’t I? Because I’m afraid when I get to the basement there will be no one there. And I can’t bear to face that very real possibility.

  “All of you are in serious trouble,” she says as soon as we are within earshot.

  She doesn’t give us a chance to explain. She herds us through the crowded hallways. The girls at the school can barely keep their eyes inside their sockets. They are completely taken with Bex, East, and Aaden. There are girls who literally dropped whatever they were holding when the guys walked past them. One girl actually gasped.

  The human males in the hallway all have goofy smiles as they behold the twins. Some quickly try and fix their hair, some prepare their best “macho stance,” but most just stare with mouths open.

  I think the biggest surprise of all is that the
group of impossibly hot students is with me. I walked by resident mean girl, Harper, and I swear she nearly swallowed her tongue. That alone is worth the trip to Mrs. Greenblatt’s office.

  It doesn’t matter how many students want to stop and speak to the group; we all know better than to slow down. The Face is walking with speed and purpose; and we don’t dare fall behind.

  “I’m guessing it’s been like this all week?” I ask Key.

  “Humans are easily impressed.”

  “That’s because you’re impressive,” Randy says before he can top himself.

  It isn’t what he said but the longing in his voice when he said it. The group looks over at Randy and then at Key’s boyfriend.

  Bex looks over at Randy curiously. Thankfully before he can say anything, we arrive at Mrs. Greenblatt’s door.

  We enter her spacious office. It’s filled with pastel decorations and way too many motivational kitten posters. She also has wall organizers, bookcases, and suspended writing utensil boxes, all from Martha Stewart’s “Pretty things for anal people” collection. All in all it’s a cozy enough space, considering.

  “Now all of you sit down,” she orders.

  We are about to object but she raises her eyebrows and we all take a seat. I signal to East to get ready to make contact with her. He stands up again and walks towards her.

  “Mrs. Greenblatt, I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself the other day,” East says with his arm out.

  “Well, there will be enough time for that later. Right now we have more pressing issues,” she says.

  East looks at me and I signal for him to wait a moment. It seems rude somehow to Mind wipe The Face. Still we really don’t have a choice.

  “Mrs. Greenblatt, I know we skipped school, but—”

  “Yes, Pryor, you did. And so did your friends. We will get to that but first things first,” she replies.

  Oh no, the book report!

  “I’m sorry, Mrs. Greenblatt. I know I’m in trouble,” I admit.

  “You certainly are. So tell me, what’s your plan?” she says.

  “My plan?”

  “Yes. How the hell are you going to kill Malakaro?”

  CHAPTER NINE: THE FACE

  Mrs. Greenblatt studies our shocked faces. She waits for us to recover from her question, but I guess we are taking too long for her because she launches into her next question.

  “Come now, Pryor, you didn’t think your parents would allow you to go to school without being watched over did you?”

  “I thought...no, I guess not,” I reply, still somewhat confused.

  “I have been on the job since you came to this school. A job that you have not made easy by the way.”

  “Why didn’t you tell her who you were?” Bex asks.

  “Oh, and on that note, who are you?” East pushes.

  “I don’t have any wings so I’m obviously Quo, like you,” she tells him.

  “You didn’t say anything this whole time?” Key asks.

  “I’m just supposed to watch over you and make sure evil isn’t after you. And also keep you and the entire student body on the right educational path,” she says in a matter-of-fact tone.

  “So you sent Pryor the text?” Swoop says.

  “Yes. Your mother gave me the code and said should anything happen, I was to wait until all the Norus gathered. Then I was to ensure your safety until the situation was resolved.”

  “Why didn’t you reach out to us sooner, when the Pathway first exploded?” Bex asks.

  “We wanted all the Norus before we gathered,” she explains.

  “Well you have us; now what?” Aaden asks.

  “Well, now Pryor will tell me her plan to get rid of Malakaro,” she replies simply.

  “I don’t really have one—yet,” I admit.

  “I thought you did given that you have been gallivanting around, chasing demons, setting fires, and putting your friends at risk,” she accuses.

  “It’s my fault. They are trying to find a demon that can help me. They shouldn’t get in trouble. They were just trying to help,” Randy says desperately.

  “That may be but their parents sacrificed a lot to ensure their safety. The Norus will be the greatest weapon against evil someday. That is why the entire Angel world has been working tirelessly to protect them,” she replies.

  “How exactly are they doing that?” Bex demands.

  “There is a board that consists of the most powerful remaining angels on earth. Their mission is to discover what Malakaro is up to and how to stop him. If not, he will destroy all of you before you come to your full powers,” The Face informs us.

  “So what do we do?” I ask.

  “Nothing,” she tells us.

  “What? No! We can’t just sit here and wait for Malakaro to find out where we are,” Key says.

  “He’s already found you; all of you,” she says.

  We look back at her in hyperalert mode.

  “The way you were all using your powers and hopping from country to country, did you think he wouldn’t know? The mixture to hide you has lost all its affect. You have all placed a red ‘X’ on your backs,” The Face says with regret.

  “So he’s coming for us, right now?” I ask.

  “Yes and no..” she says.

  “Um...okay,” East says.

  “What you have to understand is this: Malakaro was never meant to be the new evil. He took over by brute force. He killed, tortured, and disemboweled demons for years until the top ranking demons noticed him. He studied under them and when the time was right, killed many of them.”

  “Sounds like a great guy,” East says with an uneasy tone.

  “Pryor, the board believes that Malakaro wants two things: to destroy the family that rejected him,” she explains.

  “It wasn’t my dad’s fault. He didn’t know he even had a son—”

  “Pryor, it does not matter what took place before. All that matters is that Malakaro will not stop. And unlike the evils before him, he’s driven by something far more dangerous than a dark nature—revenge. He will pull your life apart until there is nothing left.”

  A chill runs down my spine and makes me feel cold all over. I pull my sweater closed and look away. Key places her hand on my shoulder. Sensing that I needed a moment, Swoop addresses The Face.

  “You said there were two things he wanted, what’s the second thing?” the younger twin asks.

  “What all evil wants: the end of all things.”

  “He’s not strong enough to make that happen, right?” East says.

  “Not yet, but he’s seeking power. He has been for years. And it’s only a matter of time before he finds it. If that happens the only beings who could even stand a chance against him are in this room,” she tells us.

  “How can that be? Why don’t these powerful board members of yours stop him?” Randy asks.

  “We can’t find him. But when we do, it’s the intention of the board to take him out before he can acquire the powers he seeks.”

  “And if you can’t find him, what then?” I ask.

  “The board is confident we will find and stop Malakaro. However if we don’t...let’s just hope we do,” The Face says.

  “So he won’t come after us right now because he’s too busy looking for power?” Swoop asks the Face.

  “Yes and no, like I said before. He is focusing on finding more power. We don’t yet know how he plans to do that. However we do know that he put together a team and their only objective is to hunt and kill as many of you as they can.”

  “He’s assembled a team of demons?” Bex asks.

  “They aren’t just demons I’m afraid. Malakaro has altered them with a potent mixture that makes it nearly impossible to kill them. They’re called Kasters. There’s only six of them, but if everything we have heard about them is true, six is quite enough,” The Face informs us.

  “Of course! The major badass assembles a team to fight against the team of heroes. That makes perfec
t sense. This kind of thing is done all the time in comic books.”

  “Hey fanboy, wanna dial it back?” Aaden snaps.

  “I just meant that—sorry,” Randy replies.

  “It’s okay. It does seem like some crazy fantasy gone wrong,” I admit.

  “Well, it’s not; it’s real. And the Kasters are out looking for you right now,” The Face tells us.

  “I should go home and go get Sam,” I reply as I stand up and head for the door.

  “Pryor, you don’t have to do that,” she says.

  I don’t pay her any attention. I go to open the door but it locks on its own and the chair I was sitting in moves over to me. Mrs. Greenblatt can move things with her mind.

  “Sam is with Tony. He checks in with me every half hour. The best thing you and your team can do is step back and let us take care of Malakaro,” she insists.

  I reluctantly sit back down. Aaden studies me; he has been doing that this whole time. Something tells me that had I taken off, he would have followed me. I don’t understand since all he’s done since he’s been back is yell at me.

  “Fine, can you at least tell us about these Kasters?” I ask.

  “As I said before, there are six of them. Wrath can create a vortex that swallows any and all things near him”

  “Wow! That’s so—bad. Very bad,” Randy says as he clears his throat.

  “Who else?” Key asks.

  “Twisted or “Twist” as he’s known by his friends. He’s a Kaster who can inflict pain by sending waves to your brain that cause excruciating pain. Few can survive an assault by Twist for more than a minute or two.”

  “He’d have to catch me to inflict pain, and no one can catch me,” Swoop says with a smile.

  “What about the three others?” Aaden asks.

  “Manic is a Partial,” The Face says.

  “I didn’t think there were any of them left,” I admit.

  “What’s a Partial?” Randy wonders out loud.

  “A being that is half animal,” I reply.

  “What kind of animal?” East asks The Face.

  “Manic can transform into a winged beast with poisonous fangs. If he rips into you, it’s highly unlikely you will survive.”