The Pact Between Angels and Witches

by Kiesha Thomas

  I ran to them. In a blur, I leapt to them and disappeared. I wrapped my hands around the demon’s neck and felt his bones crush underneath my fingertips. Turning, I punched the other demon. My invisible hand went through his skin and I wrapped it around his heart, squeezing the life out of it. He screamed and sank to his knees.

  Reappearing in front of Denise, I pushed her toward Maximus. “Stay behind the werewolves.” I said.

  She rushed behind Maximus looking like a deer in headlights. First year students usually didn’t see battle because they were not prepared for it.

  Nathaniel ran toward Liam. He tossed the demon that was on his back to the ground and jumped over the angels and demons fighting. Trevor was fighting Maximus and Claire. Liam was fighting three mutagens and his back was to Nathaniel.

  Nathaniel drew a sword and leaped high in the air. My heart pounded in my chest as I ran fast. I disappeared in a wind of motion and shapeshifted in midair into a white tiger. Liam turned in time and tossed the mutagen in the air at Nathaniel but that didn’t stop him from plunging the sword into Liam’s shoulder.

  “Your time has come, old man,” said Nathaniel. He reached behind him pulling another sword.

  I landed on his back. My teeth sank deep into his back and my sharp claws sliced through his arms. He fell to his knees dropping his sword and staggering out of arms reach.

  Nathaniel wrapped his arms around my neck. Thrashing my head, I couldn’t loosen his grip. I went still listening to his pounding heart. My body slowly transformed into air, and I slid inside Nathaniel’s nostrils and into his body.

  Cade you can’t kill him yet. You need him to lead you to the others.

  Letoya he tried to kill dad.

  Are you there for vengeance or to do Valcrum’s will?

  I forced myself to focus on the wind and I flowed out of Nathaniel’s body and into the air.

  My body materialized in its normal form and I saw Cosima and Chaniya running toward Trevor. He spotted them, whistled for his men, and retreated.

  Nathaniel got to his feet and, with the few men that still lived, ran off as well.

  Everyone went inside. I ran to Liam’s office. His door was locked but I use my code to override it and swung open the door. Kicking the door shut, I ran over to him. He was lying on his desk, with a bunch of gauze pressed against his shoulder. Something was wrong.

  “Why aren’t you healing?” I grabbed the gauze and removed it to examine the wound. His flesh was torn apart and there was an olive color turning his flesh a dark greenish hue.

  “I think he poisoned me. My body is not healing, and it does not help that I had not healed from battling him earlier.” Liam’s arms gave out and he landed flat on his back.

  I rushed to his bookshelf. There had to be an antidote or something in these books.

  “There is no time. Son place the mask on your face and come here, but do not touch me.”

  I went to his side. I didn’t bother with the mask. He was my father, and I would breathe his air and touch his blood if I wanted to.

  I wouldn’t be robbed of one second with him. “You can’t die. Tell me what to do. I can fix this.”

  Liam snorted as blue blood ran out of his nose. “You will stop talking crazy. You do not have time to waste on a dying man, not even me.”

  I tried to hold him in my arms, but he rolled away from me. “I am infected. You will live. Your destiny has always been greater than mine. The school needs you.”

  Shaking my head, I breathed in deep, smelling his flesh rotting before my eyes. “I can’t do this without you. We are destined to be a family. You will not die.”

  “I love you Cade. I have always been proud of you and to come here and see how you have kept everything while I was gone, was one of the best moments of my life. I can die a happy man.”

  He closed his eyes. “Take care of Letoya. She will need you and you will need her,” said Liam.

  The window shattered. Letoya was in tiger form as she ran over and leapt on the desk. She bent down and sniffed his shoulder.

  “I am sorry, I failed you. Maximus and you would have had better lives. I wish I could take it back. I love you, Letoya.” His eyes closed and his chest was rising very slowly.

  She bent her head and bit his neck. Her teeth sank into his neck and his blood poured out. His arm that had turned blue started to resume its normal color. When she stopped biting him his clothes were drenched in blood, but the poison wasn’t in his body.

  She jumped down and headed for the window.

  Letoya will he live?

  That decision is up to Zena. I hope that he is worthy but if he is not, she will kill him.

  I watched my sister jump back through the window.

  Taking off Liam’s clothes, I redressed him and carried him down to the secret basement. I didn’t trust another attempt on his life. I pressed the lever and without turning on the light, I flew down to the basement. He wouldn’t want me to allow anyone to see him like this.

  Tucking him in the bed, I flew upstairs, and closed the entrance to the basement. I had two choices, I could act like Liam had disappeared again, or I could say he was healing and not taking visitors.

  Walking back to his desk I cleaned it and took his clothes to the fireplace where I burnt them. We’ve already had one traitor and we didn’t know if there were others in our mist. I was not taking any chances.

  11

  Cosima Arko

  If I never saw Trevor and his legion of demons again, it would be too soon. I took a fleeting glance at Chaniya and inhaled. Walking to the girl lying on the ground shaking, I helped her up. Trevor was fighting with the man when we came up. It would be nice to find out who our enemies were and kill them quickly. Liam seemed to be the target tonight.

  “Are you alright?” I held out my hand for her to grab.

  “Thanks.” She stood and hobbled toward the entrance. Her right leg was bleeding profusely, and her flesh was open. She was going to need stitches. The smell of blood was pungent. I saw her fighting and she must be a first-year student. Her fighting skills were not mastered and if I had to guess, this was her first fight. She was alive, so she wasn’t doing too bad.

  There were six demon’s dead. There were losses on both sides, but today the demons realized that the academy won’t be so easy to destroy. It was probably time to setup a second location of operations, where we could fight the demons and have the element of surprised.

  Letoya had said the time was near. Today reinforced the fact that the demons were strategically putting themselves in a position to win this battle. We can’t fail Valcrum.

  Moving, I rushed to Chaniya’s side, my sister was helping other injured students to their feet and quickly moving them inside. I followed Maximus, Claire, Orion, and Chaniya to Liam’s office.

  Maximus turned to me. “I’m surprised to see Chaniya and you here. Did Liam call you?”

  Chaniya snorted. “You should have called us. You almost lost that battle out there.”

  I elbowed my sister. She had never been tactful, and I didn’t expect her to learn now. I shook my head. “Letoya told us to come. That it was time.”

  Maximus stopped walking. He turned around swiftly and within minutes he was towering over me. “Where is she? Where is Letoya?” said Maximus.

  I shrugged. “I don’t know where she is. She doesn’t stay in one spot.”

  Chaniya rolled her eyes. “She said you two used to be special at one time, but I didn’t believe her. She has a strong personality and I can’t see her bending to an alpha male. Is that why it didn’t work?” asked Chaniya.

  Liam’s office door swung open. Cade looked somber but stepped aside for us to come in. Claire closed the door and started pacing. I looked at my sister who rolled her eyes. Claire seemed to be a worry wart. The last thing we needed was someone panicking.

  “Where is Liam? I have a suggestion that I want to run by him.”

  Something is not right.

  Cade sat
down in Liam’s chair. He opened his mouth, and then shut it when the office door opened Orion and Akio walked inside and locked it behind them. He pushed a button on the desk and the door clicked. A light underneath the handle illuminated.

  Whatever is about to be said is very serious and secretive. I hope Liam is alright.

  Cade looked at all of us. “What I say to you now does not leave this room,” said Cade.

  Maximus stood knocking over his chair. He prowled to the other end of the office and lifted his nose. He looked at the fireplace then back to Cade. “Spit it out.”

  A tick appeared at Cade’s jaw near his dimples. “Liam was injured when Nathaniel tried to kill him. He was already injured from fighting with Nathaniel earlier. Nathaniel knew this and when he attacked him, he poisoned him.”

  “Where is he?” asked Maximus. He prowled back and forth like a caged tiger.

  Claire stood and walked over to him. She placed her arms around his neck and hugged him. Maximus’ body seemed to lose some of the tension it had, but he moved her aside and walked up to the desk and leaned down. “Where. Is. He?”

  Cade shook his head. “We have already had one traitor and I don’t know how many more there are. I will tell you where he is when I am sure it is safe to do so.”

  Maximus’ mouth fell open. “You don’t trust us?”

  Cade shrugged. “We have had one traitor we don’t know if there are others. It has nothing to do with you, personally.”

  Orion frowned. “You’re only telling Maximus, so the rest of us, are taking it personally.”

  Cade stood and hopped over the desk. “Nobody in this room cares more about him than I do. This is how it will be. If anyone has issue with it, then we fight now. To the death.”

  He leaped up and grabbed Liam’s Masamune sword. He rushed to Orion whirling the blade in a wide arc. “Do you challenge me, Orion?”

  Orion transformed. “I do. When I win you will tell us where Liam is?”

  In a blur of motion Cade had the sword to Orion’s neck. When Orion tried to move, Cade let the sword draw blood. Akio’s high-pitched scream filled the office and she unsheathed her katanas and rushed forward but was intercepted by Maximus.

  “He’s my mate. Let me go,” said Akio.

  Maximus sighed. “You acknowledge the man when he has a Masamune to his neck. You still have a lot to learn about submission.”

  Akio’s face flooded with color. She was struggling in Maximus’s arms and when she glanced at Orion, he nodded.

  “Damn man doesn’t know when to shut his trap,” muttered Akio.

  Chaniya choked on laughter. She didn’t bother to cover her mouth and she shrugged when everyone turned to look at her.

  “Orion stand down. That is an order. Your life belongs to me, and to the pact,” said Maximus.

  Orion’s lips thinned. “He should trust all of us. It is disrespectful that he doesn’t trust us.”

  “You can’t believe that you care more for Liam than his only son. Stand down or I will end you myself,” said Maximus.

  Orion lifted his hands. “Fine.

  Cade let Orion go with a not so gentle shove away from him. He lowered the sword, but he didn’t take his eyes off Orion. Orion and Cade were close. So, for him to threaten to kill Orion, it was serious. He meant business and he didn’t care who had hurt feelings.

  Glancing at Chaniya and me he nodded. “Thank you for coming when you did. Today’s fight was brutal but that isn’t why I called you.”

  He glanced at Claire then back to us.

  “Claire’s baby sister, Alexa, left here trying to rescue her best friend, Gayle Middleton. Gayle’s last known whereabouts was the XJT Motorcycle Club, where they were holding her hostage. Zarin has infiltrated the club and confirmed that Gayle is there. She is being held in the clubhouse in Lithia Springs, called the XJT Club Hustle, on Thornton Road.”

  Chaniya’s gaze flickered to the ceiling. “I don’t want to listen to you and your boyfriend argue the entire time. I hope you’ve worked out your crap.”

  Tapping my foot, I glared at my big mouthed sister. “Shut up.”

  Cade’s lips turned up. “Chaniya, I have another task for you, so don’t worry about Zarin and Cosima. Ivy Tussac led Alexa to Lithia Springs to get Gayle back, by allowing herself to be captured,” said Cade.

  Chaniya frowned. “Are you kidding?”

  She looked at me then at Claire. “I guess your sister didn’t get the smart gene, like you did.”

  Claire crossed her arms over her chest. “If you’re calling my sister stupid, you may want to rethink that. It isn’t smart to make me angry,” said Claire.

  Cade held up his hands. “Ivy is missing. I think she may have traveled to the Realm of Dreams, for answers on finding Arianna.”

  “So, we need to find Ivy and Arianna?”

  Cade glanced at Arianna. “Arianna is here, for now. You need to find Ivy. It may be difficult, since she is the best tracker that we have. We don’t have any leads yet, and we have been searching for her for some time.”

  The window suddenly blew open. A strong gust of wind swept through the room, and it slammed the window shut. A man appeared, and he was more beautiful that words could express. His clothing suggested that he was royalty and his entrance showed that he was a powerful warlock.

  Cade lowered his sword. “I told you to use the door when you come, Zane.”

  Chaniya elbowed me. “Who is that?”

  I had never seen him before. Zane was the type of man that if you saw him once, it was more than enough to make an impression. He was strikingly beautiful, almost too beautiful.

  He didn’t compare to Zarin. No one compared to Zarin.

  “I don’t know. He wasn’t here the last time we were here.”

  He cut his eyes at Chaniya and me. I felt my ears grow hot. I’m not sure why I let my sister pull me into girl talk at the most inappropriate times.

  Zane lifted his chin. “My father has agreed to help you with the warlock and witches, to protect the school. If we can come to an agreement, he will agree to aide you in the war against the shape shifting demons.”

  Chaniya sat up. She tilted her head to one side. “Who is your father, and what do you have to gain?”

  “Chaniya. Let Cade talk,” I said. My elbow hurt from elbowing her in the side and it didn’t do any good.

  Zane’s booming laugher rang out. “My father is King Gregory Monteiro, King of Starkum.

  That explains a lot. Zane Monteiro was known to be the most beautiful warlock in the realm. He kept a low profile and his beauty was second to his power. They said he was more powerful than his father.

  “The rumors are definitely true,” said Chaniya.

  “Chaniya!” I tired to cover her mouth, but she dodged my hands and shrugged.

  “Cosima, I know you’re into Zarin, he’s your boyfriend and all, but you can’t tell me that this man isn’t beautiful,” said Chaniya.

  Chaniya became silent and stared into the distance. “I don’t understand what you get out of the deal?”

  Zane winked. “Cade knows what I want.”

  Cade cleared his throat. “You can’t be serious. You can’t expect me to guarantee that she’ll date you. The war hinges on her dating you? Come on man, you must want something more than that. Something that I can give you.”

  Hell, any woman in her right mind would want to date him. Cade looked at him. “Just introduce the girl and she will fall at his feet,” said Chaniya.

  Zane’s jaw set. “The school will be protected regardless.”

  Maximus rolled his eyes. “You are protecting the school because of her.”

  Zane shrugged. “You aren’t doing a good job of keeping her safe.”

  “We protect our own,” snapped Orion.

  Zane’s hands balled at his side. “Really? She is one of your own and you allowed her to leave the school unprotected and you don’t know where she is,” said Zane.

  Orion rolled his eyes. �
��Nobody knows where she is. Do you?” said Orion.

  Zane’s lips curved. “Yes, I do.”

  Cade snorted. “Where is she?”

  Zane pointed to Chaniya. “I will take her with me, to get Ivy.”

  Cade rubbed his temples. “I cannot promise that she will date you Zane.”

  What girl wouldn’t want to date Zane? If she met him, and I’m betting my life, she has, why doesn’t she want to date him?

  “For the love of Valcrum. Does anybody hear me when I talk? Just introduce the girl and she will fall at his feet,” said Chaniya.

  My sister didn’t have a filter. It was times like this, though, that I enjoyed it. She had a boldness that I didn’t. It was refreshing to hear her ask the questions that I would never ask.

  “I do not want to date her,” said Zane.

  “Oh, I see. You are one of those guys,” said Chaniya.

  I did not get the sleezy vibe from Zane. He could have any girl he wanted and yet he was involving himself, and his father, in this war, to win the hand of a girl. This was so Shakespearian. I want to pop popcorn and watch it play out. I’m sad I won’t get to go retrieve the girl in question. She must be remarkable indeed.

  Zane turned and glared at Chaniya. “She will be my wife. I am the kind of man that knows what he wants and refuses to settle for less.”

  Maximus looked at Cade. “How can we help you achieve that?”

  Zane smiled. “It is simple. Have Arianna talk to her. I’m not a bad guy,” said Zane.

  “Why doesn’t she like you?” asked Chaniya.

  Claire laughed. “He refused to help her go on a mission to assist Arianna.”

  “So, you’re a beautiful jerk,” said Chaniya.

  “It was a suicide mission,” snapped Zane. His muscles tensed as he turned away from Cade and started to pace. His confident mask broke and there was a sliver of insecurity there.

  His body language shows he cares a lot for the girl, and he is magnificent in his beliefs.

  Chaniya shrugged. “You must have been wrong. She didn’t die,” said Chaniya.