by A and E Kirk
I laughed. “A dance. Flint used to have some big party every spring, so the school started having it as part of their tradition too. A great excuse for hormonal gyrations. You’ll be wildly popular.” As he pushed in my chair, I noticed the abundant but organized papers and books on the table. “This looks serious.”
“Up to the task for the help you need.”
“In addition to the help I need against demons lurking around the corner? Shape-shifting snipers sitting on the roof waiting for me to pass a window? Axe wielding ninjas? Axe wielding demonic ninjas?”
He gave me a blank look, then took the seat next to me and pulled it close. “I checked your school records.”
“You and everybody else.”
“I had not realized the extent of the problem with your grades. You require my tutoring more than I anticipated.”
“Which is ironic coming from you,” I said, then fluttered my hands pathetically and spoke in a high-pitched, fragile voice. “Mr. I’ve Got To Have Someone Show Me Around And Go With Me To All My Classes Because I’m So Helpless.”
Cristiano shrugged. “On these sort of assignments, Horus and I are usually the ones undercover at the school. We have retaken so many classes, we could easily teach them.”
“If Principal Clarke only knew.”
“You would thereby lose both the extra credit and an excellent tutor. Not a good plan.”
Good point. “Umm, okay, but speaking of Heather.”
“Which we were not.”
“Which we are now. I couldn’t wake her up.”
“I know.” He started to open the math book. “You also have a test in Science on Monday, which allows us the weekend to prepare.”
“Wait.” I laid a hand on his arm. “What do you mean you know?”
His body went completely still. He stared at my hand for a long moment. I was about to remove it when he slid his arm from my touch and returned to the task of finding the correct page in the book. He cleared his throat. “With the sedative I gave her, Heather should be unconscious perhaps into the evening.”
“So I can’t talk to her until then?” I rolled my eyes. “Fabulous.”
“If you would like to speak to her sooner, I am willing to accompany you at lunch to her location and administer a dose of medication to awaken her.”
“Isn’t that convenient. Very clever, but no thanks. I’ll wait.” I flumped back in my chair. No matter how trustworthy he seemed, letting him in the sanctuary was a bad idea. “Besides, I’ve got work to do.” I waved my hand toward the table. “Let’s get at it, big tutor wizard.”
“That is Mr. Big Tutor Wizard to you.”
It wasn’t a joke. His tutoring skills were awesome. I got through all of my homework, learned new things, and understood old stuff better. As the homeroom warning bell went off, Cristiano cleared the table into his large leather backpack, and we headed to class.
In Pre-Calculus, I volunteered to go up to the board, and though I wasn’t first to finish my problem, the answer was right. Then in Chemistry, I even raised my hand and answered a few questions.
Correctly. Yeah, there’s a first time for everything.
In P.E., Psyche played substitute. To get everyone’s attention, she did a tango with Cristiano which was so…sensual that by the end of it, the floor needed to be mopped to clean up audience drool. Including mine.
While Cristiano was surrounded by groupies, Psyche took me aside and explained that Eros was still keeping far from anything Mandatum. “Except me, of course,” she giggled. She had no news other than the loss of Heather from Novo was being covered up, presumably by the traitor, and the Hex Boys were back to being heroes.
“About time,” I said.
“They are even scheduled to receive commendations for their exceptional service in unearthing the demon invasion!” Psyche beamed.
“Thank goodness. So they’ll be released soon? Coming home?”
Her smile wilted. “Alas no. They must attend the award’s ceremony at one of the Mandatum Headquarters. And in the meantime, they still wear their trackers. Mostly because Blake’s emotional state remains rather…agitated. But that should improve now that Eros sent word that Heather and you are safe.” She glanced toward Cristiano. “You are safe, yes?”
Good question.
Cristiano twirled a blushing Katie in his arms, then dropped her into a low dip. There was a collective sigh from the female onlookers and cries of “Me next! Me next!”
Through his gaggle of groupies, Cristiano caught my eye. He flashed a quick smile and wink, then lifted Katie off her feet and twirled her away again.
“Safe?” I huffed a little sigh. Around Armani, that was a relative term. He offered many kinds of danger. But I could handle it. “Yeah, I’m fine. Although, I haven’t spoken to Heather yet.”
“It is imperative that you do so,” Psycho told me. “Eros surmises that seeing you in person obviously triggered memories. He suggests continued live interaction. Her being in the presence of her past reality may help, but he warns to take the utmost care. She remains fragile and certainly unpredictable, even volatile. He is unsure of all the damage inflicted upon her mental faculties. We will contact you when it is safe, but for now,” she looked over her shoulder, “he and I must disappear.”
“Why?” I said. “Is the Mandatum getting too close?”
“Not only that.” She took a deep breath. “Eros seems to think there is another threat. I feel it too. An unusual and dangerous energy. I cannot quite explain it, but…” She stared thoughtfully for a moment, then shook off her frown and gave me a hug. “Not to worry. We will see you again soon and both wish you the best of luck. It is time for me to go.”
“I’ll miss you,” I said. “But at least class doesn’t end for another—”
“Mrs. Rose!” Coach Slader came jogging into the gym and approached Psyche. “Thank you so much for taking over on such short notice.”
“It is my pleasure, of course,” Psyche said, laying a hand on Coach’s arm, the touch bringing an immediate blush to his cheeks. “Did you resolve your erroneous situation?”
“Finally,” he huffed. “I mean, I realize another freak accident looks suspicious to the insurance company, but at least this time it wasn’t my car. Although, having my boat blown to smithereens isn’t great either.”
Oh my God. Again? “Coach, I’m so sorry.”
He smiled. “Lahey, you’re the only student who ever seems to care, but I’m just happy my family is safe. Hey, weren’t you at the country club that night? I’m still foggy on it all. Except for Seth deciding to play hide-and-seek in the midst of all the excitement. Gave the missus and I quite a scare, but who would’ve guessed Matthias would save the day?”
“Yeah.” I tried not to vomit. “He’s such the hero.”
“So thanks for the concern, Lahey,” Coach said. “But it wasn’t your fault.”
If he only knew.
Coach clapped his hands. “Now students, get back to what Mrs. Rose had you doing while I walk her out.”
As they left, arm-in-arm, Cristiano snatched my hand before any of the other girls got to him. The class started dancing, and so did we. He chatted amiably, managing to keep his feet from being trampled by mine, while successfully leading me in the one-two-three of the waltz.
“You are quite the smooth and experienced partner,” I said.
“So I have been told,” he replied in a silky voice.
I smirked. “I just bet. More than once, I’m sure, being the Seduction Guru and all.”
His expression turned more than mildly displeased. “I was referring to my skills as a dance partner. You give me far too much credit. And referring to my work as seduction is what instituted Blake’s permanent removal from my class.”
“Like you’re so innocent? I don’t think so.”
“You would be surprised. Now, watch your frame. Chin up.” And with that, he twirled me away.
At lunch, I hurried off to check on Heathe
r. Still asleep. When I returned to Cristiano in the library, he shrugged unsurprised at her slumbering state and offered me half of his ham and fancy cheese-that-smelled-bad-but-tasted-good sandwich on a baguette he’d baked himself. Then we got back to studying.
After that, more classes. More smartiness from me. There was even a pop-quiz which I aced. At the end of the day, Cristiano went to the library, promising only a thirty minute wait time before coming to look for me.
In the sanctuary, I found Lizzy’s bed empty. I fingered the rumpled covers, then looked under the bed, but there was no sign of Heather.
I called a tentative, “Hello?”
“Here,” she said in a weak voice, then shuffled out of a back alcove that housed a bathroom. A few semi-conscious steps later, Heather nearly collapsed in my arms, heavy and limp. “Aurora, oh my gosh, I’m so happy to see you! But I don’t feel so good.”
“It’s the sedative. It’ll wear off.” I helped her into a chair at the mini kitchen’s table.
As she munched on a cornetto, I got her a glass of water, which she drank while her sleepy gaze surveyed the cavern. “Got your note. What is this place? It’s a little creepy.”
“Long story.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to be out of that hospital, but I still don’t understand.”
“What do you remember?”
She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, then shook her head. “Not much. You getting me out. Gunshots, helicopters. A plane? Very James Bond.” She grabbed my hand. “And men hitting you? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I used the excuse of getting her more water to remove my hand from hers.
When I got back, tears were streaming down her face, and she was fiddling with her flower bracelets. I hadn’t noticed before, but now she had two, one on each wrist. She sniffled and wiped her nose.
“Heather,” I said. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m sorry,” she choked out in a hoarse whisper, reaching for my hand, then jerking back, twisting her fingers together and shoving them in her lap. “I know why you hate me. I thought it was a horrible dream, but I saw your scars. I hurt you. I beat you in the alley! We all did. But why me? How could I do that!” Her fists hit the table with a bang, once, twice, she wouldn’t stop. “Why! Why! Why!”
“It’s okay.” I took her hands, needing to use more than a little strength to hold her still. “It wasn’t your fault. Someone messed with your head.”
She stared at me with wet, red eyes. “Really? How do you know that? Who? What’s going on?”
“Right now I need you to remember everything you can about the night of the attack. And anything about Dr. Jones. Will you do that, Heather? Please?”
Her hands trembled in mine. “Of course, Aurora-bora. I’ll do anything to help you. And actually, I had an idea. We should go to the alley. Since seeing you in person brought back memories, seeing the alley in person might do the same thing. I don’t know what it’s called, but I remember reading about something like that in my psychology books.” She gave me a shaky smile. “It could work.”
I’d forgotten that Heather was going to be a Psychology Major. And her athletic ability wasn’t the only reason she’d gotten that softball scholarship. She was smart. Top of our class.
“I suppose it’s worth a try.” I gave her hands a squeeze. “Guess we’re going on that road trip we always talked about.”
“Yay!” Heather squealed and clapped her hands. Then her eyes rolled up, and her head flopped onto the table. She started snoring.
I shook her, several times, but nothing. “Awesome.”
After lugging her into bed, I stole a couple of bites of her half-eaten flakey pastry, then felt guilty and stopped. She’d be starving when she woke up again. I chewed my remnants slowly to savor the goodness while glancing toward the towering stone bookshelves.
Lizzy’s Scriptor ability was so advanced it allowed her to remember everything she ever saw, heard, read, and experienced, and sometimes she could literally think the stuff in her head onto the paper instead of writing it down. The decades she spent getting all her remembered knowledge into books had left this room with an incredible mass of information.
The Divinicus Nex Chronicles contained all the biographical history on every past Divinicus. This replica of the Mandatum Archives housed the society’s most extensive and Top Secret history and knowledge they’d gathered over the centuries. It was heady stuff. Especially because somehow all the information in these books could fly into my head without me setting my eyes on a page.
It felt great. A physical high. If I touched a book, my mind had access to a ton of information written in the documents. I could mine through it all, looking for specific data, but sometimes it was hard to even know what to search for.
And there was one serious catch.
Jayden surmised that if I pushed it hard enough, my brain could turn to mush, then I’d die. Which is why I’d promised Ayden not to come here alone. Without a monitor, if I went too far, the Boys couldn’t get in here without the Divinicus. Me.
Traitor seemed too general a term to search for, but I placed a finger on a random book’s spine and—
“Ow!”
Words and images came flooding into my head. Lizzy screaming—
“Stop!” I shouted and rubbed my aching temples, cutting my mental connection to the information in the books. That was weird. I hadn’t even been trying hard. Time to go.
In the elevator, the metallic walls felt cool against my palms, which had started to itch. My body relaxed into the mechanical creaks and sway of the ascent. There was a faint smell of oil. I exited and started jogging down the hall in case Cristiano was getting impatient.
Then I turned the corner and crashed into a giant beast.
CHAPTER 79
Cristiano caught my shoulders, his eyes bright with concern. “What happened?”
“Ow.” I rubbed my forehead which had engaged in way too close contact with his chin. “You nearly knocked my block off.”
“No, not that. I thought you were in danger.”
“Yeah, when you almost knocked my—”
“Block off. Yes, I heard you.” He looked me over. “Nothing else is amiss?”
“Nothing. In fact, I talked to Heather.”
That got me a sharp look. “She is awake? I was afraid that might happen. She has built up a tolerance. Did she hurt you?”
“No. Her tolerance didn’t last long. She zonked out again, but she had an idea.”
Cristiano listened as we headed toward the library.
“Her plan has merit,” he admitted when I finished. “With no school tomorrow, we can leave in the morning for the university. We will inform your parents you are taking me sightseeing in Los Angeles.”
Tomorrow? Yikes, that seemed so soon. “When do you think she’ll wake up?”
“Did she eat anything?”
“A couple of cornettos.”
“Then she will at least sleep through the night. It works out perfectly.”
“Why would her eating have anything to do with—” I narrowed my eyes. “You drugged her food? You jerk! Wait, I ate some!” I ran to a trash can and started spitting. Totally useless since it was already in my system. “I need water to flush it out!”
Cristiano stopped me as I raced toward the drinking fountain. “No need. In the anticipation of the possibility I put the antidote in your breakfast. You will not be affected.” He led me down the hall again.
“So you drugged me with a drug that would keep the drug I might eat from drugging me just in case?”
He took a moment to consider my statement. “Yes. I think. We shall call it an anti-drugging.”
“No! We shall call it wrong!” I glanced around and lowered my voice. “Okay, you need to stop with the drugging. Got it?”
“Agreed. As long as you deliver Heather to me now.”
“What? Why?”
“She already tried to kill you once. We do not know wh
at she is capable of. She is damaged. Possibly volatile. Even Eros warned you to take the utmost of care.” At my huff, he shot me an irritated glance. “Yes, I heard your conversation with Psyche, and I cannot believe I am saying this about a demon, but I completely concur with his judgement and do not want you alone with her when she is conscious. Leave her in my custody, and I will bring her along when I reclaim you in the morning. It is too dangerous otherwise.”
“So say you.”
“So say I,” he nodded. “And Eros. A demon. Whom you seem to trust.” Then he added quietly, “Apparently, more than me.”
“And you promise she’ll be alive and well in the morning?”
“You have my word. Shall we go retrieve her together?”
He was persistent. “No. But you can meet me in the basement.”
He grumbled, but let me leave. I made a beeline to the sanctuary. Heather was still out cold, so lugging her limp body over my shoulder, I used the extensive secret tunnels to arrive in the high school's basement.
Cristiano was waiting, looking impatient. He rushed to take her from me and haul her onto his shoulder. I followed him as he strode down the hall.
“Remember you promised you’d keep her alive and well.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Define well.” At my horrified look, he laughed. “I am joking. Where is your sense of humor?”
Buried under a mountain anxiety.
Tomorrow I’d be hanging with a psycho assassin who may still be trying to kill me and a mentally unstable, mind-warped girl who had definitely tried to kill me, and we were going to the literal scene of the crime in an attempt to relive one of the most horrifying moments of my life.
Let the good times roll.
CHAPTER 80
Cristiano pulled up at my house right on time. The sun was only thinking about creeping over the horizon, which meant I had another way-too-early wakeup call, and on a weekend for heaven’s sake, but I’d wanted Heather in Cristiano’s care for as little time as possible.
Every Lahey should’ve been asleep, but Mom and Dad wanted to double check the number I’d given them for Cristiano’s cell phone and reiterate my promise to check in regularly. At least they stayed in the kitchen as I headed out.
