Initiated (Daywalker Academy Series Book 4)

by Maya Daniels

  “As soon as Fenrir returns with the whereabouts of Roberti.” A line forms between his eyebrows, and the vulnerable hesitation on his face is the last straw that extinguishes the spark of my soul.

  I can see his mind working, going over everything that happened between us just like mine is. When uncertainty pulls those blue eyes to mine, I want to drop on my knees and beg him to forgive me for being stupid and cruel, but I stand in the same place, frozen, watching him war with himself. Coming to some decision that I’ll never be privy of, he nods slowly at me.

  “I never meant to presume, Ms. Drake. I apologize.” Squaring his shoulders, he turns on his heel and walks out with his head held high, leaving me drifting in front of the window.

  A slow clap makes me jump out of my skin.

  “How very noble.” Daren keeps clapping as he watches me with an unreadable expression. “And very stupid of you, Franky.”

  “This is none of your business, Daren.” Taking a step forward, I sway on my feet, dizziness making the kitchen spin wildly.

  “Easy there.” The mage is right next to me, wrapping an arm around my waist. “For God’s sake, you are as pale as a ghost.”

  “I’m fine, just a little lightheaded,” I mumble under my breath, my lips numb and tingly.

  Daren spits curses under his breath and ushers me to one of the chairs around a long wooden table at one end of the large kitchen. I let him do whatever he wants, too focused on how empty and hollow my chest feels. It’s almost like my magic has shrunk away and wants nothing to do with me now. There is no heartbeat either. Shouldn’t my heart keep pumping even if it’s emotionally shredded to pieces. I’m sure that was true. Daren is a living proof. The mage has a heartbeat. I’m sure of it because I can hear it even now.

  Somewhere in the back of my mind I’m aware this is not a normal behavior, but I can’t stop thinking insane thoughts or obsessing about why I can’t hear my heart. My arms hang limply to my sides, sliding off my lap when Daren folds them there. Through a fog, I hear the mage yelling and calling for Astara. I’d like to tell him it’s not a smart thing to do after I just insulted and hurt her brother, but my tongue is too thick in my mouth and I can’t utter a word. Panic finally penetrates the cotton filling my head.

  Leo and Astara come running inside the kitchen. I watch with wide eyes when Astara yanks on my shirt, pulling the necklace out. I forgot I put it over my head when Fenrir couldn’t stop looking at it. Since I wasn’t sure what the deal was, I hid it under my shirt. Leo is slapping my face and his lips are moving, but I can’t hear a word. Scary, all-encompassing silence fills me, taking all that’s Francesca Drake away from my physical body. Astara tugs on the chain sharply, breaking it. It dangles in her white-knuckled fist like a pendulum in my face.

  All sound returns with a whoosh.

  Sucking in a lungful of air, I cling to Leo’s arms with trembling hands. Tears finally trickle over my cheeks in rivulets, soaking my shirt. All of them are talking but I can’t answer from the crippling pain shredding my insides. A crazy thought crosses my mind. I can snatch the stone. It will stop me from feeling like this.

  I dig my nails deeper into the Alpha’s skin.

  “Drake.” Leo shakes me to get my attention. “Francesca, what happened?”

  “I knew it had something to do with this,” Astara spits, looking at the stone in disgust.

  “I’ve … had…” With my heart drumming in my throat, I can’t speak until I’ve gulped many times to dislodge it. “I’ve had it around my neck since my father gave it to me. Nothing like this happened.”

  “Soren didn’t awaken your dragon blood until you entered the gates of the Academy, right?” Daren is eyeing the stone warily. “I would bet my life it has something to do with that. Fenrir would know.”

  “You are not touching this until he comes back.” Astara throws the necklace on the kitchen counter where it slides, finally stopping in the middle of it. “From the day I met you, I started thinking I’d have a short lifespan. Now I see why. You’ll be the death of me, Franky.”

  “It’s not like I did it on purpose.” Grumbling, I can’t stop my eyes from going to the arch entrance, but Zoltan is nowhere to be found. There is no way he missed all the shouting.

  “He will come back.” My head snaps at Daren when he speaks softly. “You are a good actress, I’ll give you that, but blood never lies Franky. He has taken yours, so it’s only a matter of time until he understands what you were doing.”

  “What did you do?” Astara narrows her eyes on me.

  “What was right.” I sound defensive but I can’t help it. “What’s taking Fenrir so long?”

  “There were twenty-three different addresses for the Red Cross in the area where they held Zoltan.” Leo pulls a chair out, flipping it around and straddling it. “It takes time to check them all out.”

  After I told them what Alexius was bragging about at the gala, we all decided that checking out the Red Cross was our best option. Alex is as arrogant as Roberti and I doubt it’ll cross his mind that his words stuck with me. He made a very valid point at the time, though, which was his downfall. In this war, there is no place higher up the chain than being the one dealing with blood. You control the blood, then you control everything else. The question is: will they be dumb enough to hide in plain sight. Knowing Roberti as well as I do, I’d say yes. The asshole will gloat about being right under our noses. Now I just need Fenrir to return and confirm my suspicion.

  And take Astara’s glare away from me.

  “What did you do?” Nobody could ever mistake her for anyone other than Zoltan’s sister. Even if they didn’t look alike, both are as stubborn as mules, not that I’m the one to talk.

  “I set him free.” My chin kicks up in defiance.

  “You set him free.” She deadpans, her chin hitting her chest.

  “Yes, I did.” Swallowing the tears that threaten to spill out, I wring my fingers under the table where she can’t see them. “He is a pure blood and he will eventually find his mate, Astara. I’m grateful that all of you are so accepting and never make me feel like I’m less than you, but the fact of the matter is I’m a half blood. I can’t be anyone’s mate, least of all Zoltan’s. He needs to move on instead of wasting his time on me.”

  “How noble of you.” Her words are so condescending they’re dripping like honey from her voice.

  “That’s what I said.” Daren snickers, but chokes on it when I scowl at him.

  “Can we not talk about this, please?” Shifting uncomfortably on the chair, I roll my neck to relieve the tension building at the back of my skull. “There are more concerning matters.”

  “Oh, we are talking about this alright.” Jamming both fists on her hips, Astara looks down her nose at me like some teacher. “You two, get out,” she barks at Leo and Daren.

  If I expect backup or even them telling her off for daring to kick them out, I’m sorely disappointed. Both males jump up like someone poured scolding hot water over their heads and scurry out of the kitchen like cockroaches. I’m left gaping at the empty doorway with my heart hammering like a frightened bird in my chest.

  “Let me hear what other bullshit is going through your head, Franky.” She twirls her hand in my face, wordlessly telling me not to try her patience.

  “It’s not bullshit if it’s true.” Indignation makes me straighten in my chair. “It’s what the fates have in store for us, no matter if we like it or not.”

  “And you became an expert on fate and destiny when?”

  “Don’t patronize me, not you please.” Leaning my elbows on the table, I grab fistfuls of my hair. “The longer I let it go on, the harder it’ll be on me when it ends. Maybe it’s selfish but I can’t take it. Not with him.” When I look at her again, I’m taken aback by her teary-eyed expression instead of the pissed-off one from a second ago.

  “Do you know why he and Fenrir are so adamant about you not taking the oath?” Pushing a chair close to mine, she sits down n
ext to me and takes my hands in hers.

  I shake my head mutely.

  “You have to make a sacrifice for the oath to be binding.” She squeezes my fingers. “You need to give up something that means everything to you for it to count. The magic they use will take nothing else. Everything has a price.”

  I can’t swallow the lump forming like a fist in my throat.

  “Do you know what my brother sacrificed for that oath?” My mouth opens but no words come out, and Astara’s face blurs through the tears gathering in my lashes. A fat tear rolls out and trickles down, clinging to my chin for a long moment before disappearing when it splatters over our joined hands. “He gave up his right to a true mate. For what it’s worth, his destiny is as half blood as yours. At least in this.”

  Squeezing my eyes shut doesn’t lessen the stabbing pain in my chest.

  “A blind person can see how much he means to you, Franky.” More tears roll from my closed eyes while she speaks. “He knows that too. Unless he is dumb. Males can be dumb about things like this.”

  I bark out a laugh and she chuckles.

  “He needs a moment to realize what you were doing, I’m sure.” Standing up, she pulls me to my feet. “Don’t push him away a second time. Okay?” At my nod, she throws her arms around me. “Your heart was in the right place, but you are so stupid for willingly giving up something good, fates be damned.”

  “I feel lost in this new world that Soren pushed me in.” It’s easier to talk when my face is hidden in her hair. “I don’t know what is up and what is down anymore.” A door crashes open and we jerk away from each other. Fenrir storms in like a hurricane inside the foyer, his voice bouncing around the entire house.

  “I found them!”

  Chapter 14

  Absentmindedly rubbing the center of my chest, I try, and miserably fail, to pay attention to what Fenrir is saying. I hear the words, but I don’t understand a thing. It’s like he is speaking some foreign language. Bits and pieces filter through about taking a left turn on some street in Santa Monica, then some industrial park with shipping containers until I zone out again. The remnants of the numb, empty feeling inside me lingers, sinking its claws between my ribs and clinging there so I can’t get rid of it.

  “Drake, you paying attention here or do we bore you?” Blinking stupidly at Leo, I realize he is talking to me.

  “Sorry, what?” With a frustrated grunt, the Alpha throws his hands in the air. “I’m listening, we need to go to Santa Monica to a shipping center.”

  Astara chortles.

  “Is that all you heard?” Pinching his nose between a thumb and forefinger, Fenrir has his eyes closed as if in pain.

  “Yes?” Uncertainty laces my question as my eyes snap to each of their faces.

  “What is going on with you?” The Fae frowns at me like I’m a child having a tantrum.

  “Nothing is going on with me.” Anger spikes up, but it’s aimed at me, not at Fenrir, though my words still come out sharp. “Why do we have to sit and debate everything with you guys? You found the assholes, now let’s go kill them. A long conversation isn’t needed. We need action.”

  You can hear a pin drop.

  “If you were listening as you should’ve been”—Staring down his nose at me, which is his usual way, Fenrir clenches his fists. “You know they’ll have the entire building warded. The place is locked down tight, and they will shred anyone without clearance to walk through.”

  “I thought it was a blood bank thingy.” Dropping my hand under the table, I poke at the seam of my pants with a nail. “Don’t they need humans walking in and out all the time? How does that work?”

  “That’s what we are trying to figure out,” Astara says while glaring at Leo and Fenrir.

  With a sigh, I slump in the chair. “I’m sorry. I’m still little rattled from earlier.” When Astara’s head turns to me with a snap, I grind my teeth. “About the stone,” I clarify in case she decides to talk about her brother and the clusterfuck I created.

  Speaking of which, the Daywalker is still nowhere to be found. Out of desperation I tried opening the link between us only to find an impenetrable wall blocking any attempt to feel him. It’s what I wanted a couple of hours ago, but now it’s like a dagger stuck in my chest. One I can’t remove no matter how hard I try. I’ve done many stupid things in my life, but this one tops the scale by a long shot.

  “What happened with the stone?” Fenrir’s gaze is so intent on me my skin prickles in awareness.

  “I couldn’t breathe and started feeling empty.” Rolling my shoulders to get rid of the phantom sensation, I stare at the Fae’s chin because I’m unable to meet his eyes. “It numbed me … I think …” trailing off, I flick a quick glance at those penetrating eyes but regret it the same second.

  “Her skin was very pale, almost silverish in hue.” Squinting at me in thought, Astara’s words are slow and measured. “Her hair was changing too, whiter than anything I’ve seen. Almost like frost was taking over the strands.” She turns to the Fae and her mouth forms a thin line. “You know anything about it?”

  “It’s over now.” Fenrir is still staring at me without saying a word, and it makes me want to squirm. “It’s off.”

  “Where is it?” I jump at his barked question.

  Pretending I don’t notice my shaky finger, I point at the kitchen counter where Astara threw the stupid thing. What scares me more than what that stone can do to me is the uncontrolled power coming from Fenrir, blasting all of us like a furnace. Astara has already moved, now partially standing in front of me in a protective stance. Daren is stiff as a board and Leo has his upper lip curled in a half snarl. It’s affecting all of us, but the Fae is oblivious, rushing to the counter like his life depends on it. With a sigh of relief, he snatches the broken necklace in his hand, all the strain and uncontrolled pulses draining out of him the same instant.

  Wariness slithers up my spine like a venomous snake.

  “What’s that stone, Fenrir?” Each word coming out of my mouth is slow and cautious.

  “Serpentine.” Again, the reverence in his voice makes my heart pound like a fist against my breastbone.

  “I’ve never heard of it.” I turn to Daren when he speaks, seeing his face scrunched up with his eyebrows lowered like he is trying to remember something with no luck.

  “You wouldn’t, mage. Stay away from it.” I’m taken aback when Fenrir rounds on him with a sneer.

  “Yo!” My shout jerks his head my way. “As far as I can see, none of us have heard of it. Only you have. You don’t have to be an asshole about it.”

  “I apologize.” Drawing in a deep breath that puffs up his chest enough to stretch his t-shirt within an inch of its life, Fenrir blows it out and calms himself down. He doesn’t look at Daren, though he is looking at me so I scowl at him.

  “To him.” Hitching a thumb at the mage, I dare the Fae to argue. “Not to me.”

  “I apologize.” Pushing the words through clenched teeth, Fenrir looks pained that he has to do it.

  “What is it?” The Fae looks startled that I’m asking him this question. “Is it a weapon? Like a kryptonite for dragon blood or something? Cause sure as fuck didn’t try to kill me when I was a pesky half blood.”

  “Kryptonite?” Leo whispers, turning his head between Astara and Daren as if looking for help.

  “Yeah, you know, like that rock that almost killed Superman?” The Alpha looks more confused than ever, so I dismiss him with a wave of my hand. “Never mind, all of you live under a rock. No surprise the hunters have been multiplying. You still live in the middle ages or something.”

  “Who is Superman?” Leo mumbles, at Daren but the mage shakes his head to shut him up.

  “Well?” Ignoring the poor shifter that is now looking dismayed and a little freaked out, I lock my gaze on the Fae. “What is it, or more importantly what can it do?”

  “I would rather have this conversation between us Francesca.” Fenrir’s chin kicks up
stubbornly.

  “Too fucking bad for you, Fae.” Twirling a finger to encompass everyone, I grin at him humorously. “See this bunch? You and I are stuck with them, and if it wasn’t for their fast reactions, I would’ve been a corpse you found when you got back. So, speak up. The cat is out of the bag, so you might as well add more to it since they haven’t started running … yet.”

  “Remember what you said to me when I asked what court you were from?” My breath freezes in my lungs at Zoltan’s voice.

  The vampire is leaning one shoulder on the arched entrance, his arms folded over his massive chest. He changed clothing, wearing dark jeans that wrap around his powerful thighs like they are giving him a hug. A faded dark blue t-shirt with some writing on it is stretched over his pectorals, the words too washed out to be readable. The sleeves are tight, digging into his biceps where his muscles twitch under my scrutiny. Droplets soak up the fabric on his shoulders, dripping from his still-wet hair. My gaze sweeps over him, stopping at his bare feet, his legs crossed at the ankle in a relaxed manner. I would’ve believed the nonchalance if it wasn’t for his eyes.

  Those blue peepers burn with some emotion that I can’t decipher, and it turns my heartbeat into an erratic fluttering in my chest. It would’ve been wonderful if I could say the sensation is lust. But, no. What blooms inside me when we lock gazes is fear like I’ve never felt around any Daywalker before. The too-blue gaze is burning, but it’s empty and calculating at the same time. And I can’t feel shit from him through the blood connection. I’m still hitting that damn wall he placed between us. Way to go, Franky, you idiot.

  I gulp thickly.

  “I’m one of the courtless Fae.” I croak out, and there is a collective intake of breath. Fenrir staring daggers at Zoltan.

  Zoltan looks at Fenrir with no change in his expression.

  “Serpentine is a stone only found in Faery. In our realm.” A muscle is jumping in Fenrir’s jaw and his hands are in white-knuckled fists. “Even there, it’s a closely-guarded stone and a well-kept secret among the Fae protecting it.”