Turning the corner, I made my way down the hall, and stopped. Akio, Orion and four men were waiting for me. If they were looking for Maximus, he was already gone by now. He seemed eager to finish the demons off.
“If you are looking for Maximus, I think he left already.” I stopped in front of Akio. She was leaning against Orion, with her right hand tightly clasped in his.
She smiled. “We stayed behind, just in case there was any trouble. He thinks that there may be another attack tonight,” she said.
Glancing at Orion, I lifted my eyebrow. “I’m surprised that you didn’t go with him. You usually go wherever he goes.”
“Yeah, well, he ordered me to stay and guard you, so here I am,” said Orion. He glared at me, turned them around and started walking down the hall the other way. Orion was a jokester, but he was a proud man and I had hurt him in a way I had never meant to.
Akio elbowed him in the stomach and glared at him. “When are you going to get over your butt hurt feelings? You two need to work your mess out.”
I tried to step passed her, but she jumped in my way. She snapped her fingers at the four men. I watched them until they disappeared.
“I’m heading down to the lower level, to check on Arianna.”
She nodded. “Why don’t you let them go check on her? You and Orion need to work your stuff out.”
“We had a difference of opinion.” Shrugging, I stared at Orion.
His lips thinned. “You were being a jerk and you showed that you don’t trust anyone but Maximus. It hurts to know that you’ve fought side by side with someone and they don’t even trust you,” said Orion.
“I’m sorry. It wasn’t personal, but the situation was critical, and I explained it wasn’t personal. I did what I had to do. Are we cool?”
Orion looked like he wanted to jab a dagger in my throat. I think it will take time to repair the damage to our friendship.
“I don’t know. I’m not sure I can ever look at you the same.”
“Well, I guess, time will tell.” Turning away from him, I headed down the hall. I stopped walking; there was a faint scent of ash in the air. This school was a no smoking school, and no one ever broke that rule.
Turning around, I looked at Orion and Akio. “Do you smell that?”
Akio nodded and glanced toward the locker room. “I hate it when he’s right.” She rushed forward grabbing her katanas from their sheaths.
It is weird. I never saw Akio shift into a werewolf. She was the only one in their pack that I never saw transform.
Orion shifted immediately and stalked forward. I opened the door and stepped inside. The smell of ash, wet socks, and sweaty clothes filled the air. I walked past the metal lockers which were closed with pad locks. The rows were empty with nothing out of place.
The sinks in the corner were off and the pink soap dispensers were dripping. Passing the towel racks, I stepped into a puddle of water, and stopped. It was just enough water to come from outside. There were rows of windows toward the southside of the locker room, which was the only way someone could have entered.
Backing up, I motioned for Orion and Akio to go back the way we came. They stopped at the door, and I motioned for them to follow me down the long hallway, and around the corner. It was a passage that looked like a dead end, but there was a door we used for situations like this. I stopped when we reached the blue wall. I pressed a series of codes quickly and a hand panel appeared. Placing my hand on it, it opened the secret door. He pushed Akio in front of him, through the door, and followed her inside.
The door closed behind Orion, and we made our way down the windy corridor. I pressed all the heart shaped panels as we went along. It was the silent alarms that made a secret noise in the student’s room, which told them we were under a stealth attack.
This allowed them time to get up and fight for their lives. A few minutes or an hour could mean the difference between life and death. The academy was our turf, and any enemy that was bold enough to fight us on our turf would die. We excelled at this place, knowing it like the back of our hand, we trained for scenarios like this, and that would comfort our students.
Letoya, if you can hear me. Get dad and Arianna out of here. We are under attack. May Valcrum be with us all.
I wasn’t sure with my new abilities and power if Letoya could hear me, but I somehow felt she could. It seemed like we were all linked, at least those of us that were part of Zena’s tribe. Rounding the last bend, I opened the door and stepped out into the locker room.
The southside floor was super wet and slick. It was impossible to surprise the enemy with the water sloshing around our feet. The emergency lights were on, which casted a dull glow. Passing the lockers, I heard voices. I held up my hand behind me, signaling for Orion and Akio to stop walking.
“This is another reason we need to kill Trevor. He shouldn’t have failed to kill these weaklings. We will kill them all but the females, we will take them back and continue our breeding.”
“Xavier, Kyra’s sister is mine. She will be my mate. Once I impregnate her and she gives me a son, I’ll kill her, unless she can convince me to keep her alive.”
“Michael, why do you get to get her?” asked Xavier.
“Do you want to fight me to the death for her? I’m your leader so, I get first choice.”
They were just around the lockers. There were at least two DAOs, but there could be more. DAOs were almost the most powerful beings, second to an AVO, which was forbidden. Vampires and angels were not allowed to fall in love and create offspring. Michael was a self-appointed leader, who was going to rape and kill Arianna.
He will never touch her. He picked the wrong angel. He and all his kind will die. I might die too, but he is not touching my girlfriend. Wait. When did she become my girlfriend?
A roar burst from my lips. I was consumed with a fury so strong I hungered for the taste of my enemies’ blood. I flew around the corner and landed in front of two DAO. There were two more coming through the windows. If you can call the gaping holes that they made in the structure of the building a window.
The DAOs were beautiful. Their skin was iridescent and reflected colors underneath the lights, which made them almost sparkle. Their wings were black and stretched wide enough to cover their body. They didn’t have horns like the demons, but they had long pointy tails.
Michael looked different from all the DAOs standing next to him. He was beautiful and each of his eyes was a different color. He had long blonde hair braided at his back. He looked familiar in his facial features.
Michael looked like Trevor. That couldn’t be right. He didn’t look like Kyra at all. Trevor was many things, but he loved Kyra. As surprising as that was, demons were capable of love too.
“Angels give up now and I’ll make your death quick,” said Michael.
Squinting I looked at him. “You look like Trevor. Who created you?”
His lips curved. “Trevor and Kyra thought I wasn’t strong enough to live, and that I was dying. They mourned me then left me on the mountainside for the crows, when I stopped breathing.”
I waited for him to finish. Orion was beside me. Akio saw the DAO and screamed. Her shrill voice echoed off the lockers and she started shaking, her body growing, and her clothes tore off. She stood naked in front of us, as hair started to cover her naked flesh. She was a massive werewolf and she was bigger than Orion. When her transformation was complete, she opened her mouth and snarled.
Michael glanced at Akio and his lips curved, then he dismissed her presence like she wasn’t snarling at him. “Their other son.” He touched me with his mind, and he touched my heart massaging it with his mind.
“My brother Cyrus brought me back to life, which was his fatal mistake. I can’t allow anyone more powerful than me, to live. I will kill him and my parents.”
I lunged at Michael, but his wing swung around knocking me hard in the chest. I flew into the lockers and knocked several rows of them down. My shirt was ripped in sev
eral places where his wing caught me in the stomach. I ripped the rest of the fabric off me and jumped to my feet. Wiping the blood from the side of my head, I ducked as he threw a right hook at me. His fist caved in the lockers. My left elbow connected with his back, as I spun around with a roundhouse kick to his pectoral muscles.
I flew on top of him wrapping my hands around his neck, squeezing as hard as I could. He grunted and punched me in my stomach repeatedly. Squeezing harder, I ignored the pain. He flew to the ceiling, thrusting my back hard against the ceiling surface.
I flew us back to the ground, thrusting him hard on his back against the ceramic titles, pressing my knee on his neck, submerging his face under the pool of water. The locker room door flew open, and Maximus rushed inside. Behind him there was an army of werewolves. They moved like a blur of black fur, as they rushed to help Akio and Orion.
Michael turned and smiled. “I will have her. She will breed me a son, and then I will kill her.” He reached up and pulled a knife from his pants. Maximus yanked me off him, just as the knife moved toward me. Michael jumped to his feet and flew through the opening.
“Let me go. He’s getting away.” I struggled against Maximus, but his grip was strong.
“He almost poisoned you.” Maximus didn’t loosen his grip on me.
“He’s a DAO. What do you expect?” I scrubbed my hand over my face.
Everyone knows fighting a DAO meant death. I was no exception. I fought with honor and Michael didn’t. DAOs didn’t have honor.
When the other DAO flew out into the night, I turned and looked at Orion and Akio. Orion knelt next to Akio. She was bleeding from a deep wound in her stomach. Orion picked her up in his arms.
“You don’t understand. You don’t know what you are, and what it all means,” said Maximus.
Sputtering. I struggled to find the right words. “And you do?” A prickling sensation along my neck made me cease struggling and stand next to Maximus. I glared at him, wanting to smash my fist in his face.
“You are an immortal,” said Maximus.
My gaze turned to the open window. “You just said I almost died. If I am immortal, why did you stop me from killing him?”
“Because when you die, you don’t die, your life belongs to Zena. Therefore, your loved ones, maybe your wife, son, daughter, cousin, best friend, partner, dog, and me.” Maximus’s Adams apple bobbed up and down. “Your recklessness can cause us all to die. You’re a greater threat than the DAO. You must learn your place and control your temper, or we are all doomed.”
19
Trevor
I paced back and forth. I hovered over Paris’ shoulder like a hawk. I watched her as she gave Dylan some of her blood. I’m not sure what I was expecting. I guess I thought she would make an intravenous line and give him her blood that way, but she didn’t. What she did was different and, well, erotic. I was not sure if I was witnessing an intimate act or if she was trying to save him.
She sat next to him, with her black tee-shirt halfway off her right shoulder. Her hands cupped the back of his neck, as she pressed his face to her neck. She made a paper thin cut an inch above her collar bone and pressed his face there. I couldn’t take this anymore. Dylan wasn’t in danger of dying, I had brought him back to life. I was sure he had a certain part of him growing hard, stiff and very blue. The gurgling sounds he made were unnecessary, and the way his tongue lapped at her neck after each drink made me cringe. His feelings for her were obvious and this might be the only moment he had to get her to notice his feelings for her. I didn’t want to witness that.
Dylan was my only friend until Kyra. He is still my best friend and that will never change.
I eased myself out the door. The men were standing in hallway, most were curious, and some were probably bored.
“Will Dylan be alright? Do you want me to kill her if he dies?” he asked.
“He is fine. They will be awhile, so leave them alone tonight. You can ask Dylan questions tomorrow.” I turned and headed toward my bedroom.
“If after a while he turns out to be fine, with no complications, are the rest of us going to get her blood too?”
They are always angling for power. I guess they must think I have grown soft, just like the DAOs do, but they will see. It is a mistake to underestimate me.
“She mentioned that there were a few draw backs, but I didn’t mention them to Dylan. He was weak from fighting the DAO. I don’t want to worry him about things he can’t change.”
“See I told you, Jake, that getting her blood would be a mistake. We are stronger the way we are, and with all of our numbers we are invincible.”
Jake shook his head. “Dylan was almost dead when we came. He looked like he was dying,”
“Dylan had fought an army. If you were alone, fighting a DAO army, would you survive?”
Jake shrugged. “I don’t understand why they have turned on us. We created them. It doesn’t make sense.”
“They feel we are weak, and they seek to do a divide and conqueror strategy to kill us off, one by one.” My blood boiled as my mind flashed back to Kyra and Cyrus on the ground. I would make my men strong, by gathering loyal allies, not giving them more power. Turning on my heels, my strides quickened toward my bedroom.
I needed Kyra. My body needed to touch her, to have her warmth envelope me. My ears needed the song of my son’s heartbeat, pounding in my ear. My soul needed her love.
Opening the bedroom, I closed it softly behind me, sliding the lock in place. This was the only bedroom with a lock, the way Kyra and I enjoyed each other’s bodies, we needed privacy. My men didn’t understand. Kyra and I had created the most powerful DAO’s and I wanted to keep it that way. There was something special about Kyra. She was never meant to be tainted, by me, and yet Valcrum allowed me to do it anyway. Our children were DAO’s but much more. They were closer to Valcrum than I could have ever imagined. Kyra’s bloodline was special, and, through her, our children might be immortals.
Shaking my head, I cleared my thoughts. If that were the case, then our son wouldn’t have died. I tossed my clothes to the ground. I forced the body to transform to my demon self. Kyra had never seen me in my true ugly form, and it was time she did. I needed to prepare her for a sneak attack. The DAO wouldn’t stop until we were dead, or we killed them first. Smiling, I heard her splashing in the tub. Lifting my nose, a soft scent of peonies and shea butter filled the air.
Her scent never grows old. I could get drunk off her fragrant body and never get full. She is my drug. One look and she owned me. One taste and I lost myself in her, forever. She and I are bound for all eternity.
Stalking to the bathroom, I removed my clothes on the way. Her soft lyrical voice echoed off the bathroom walls. I paused at the bathroom door, glancing around the bedroom. The men had stolen a teal blue crib for Cyrus and a hot pink crib for Catalia. Closing my eyes, I felt my tears rolling down my cheeks.
Baby girl, daddy’s coming for you. It won’t be long. Have faith in me. I will never let anyone hurt you or steal you away again.
Walking over to the cribs, I folded the pink one and slid it under the bed. Kyra had been through too much today and I didn’t want her sad. She doesn’t need stress, not in her condition. She has been keeping me at arm’s length, not wanting another baby, now that Catalia has been taken.
Kyra is a wonderful mother. She is perfect.
Creeping to the door, I opened it. Kyra wasn’t in the rose petal bubble bath. She jumped on my back and punched my shoulders.
“So, you think you’re going to sneak up on me.”
Laughing, I grabbed her arms and flipped her over me but caught her, before she could hit the ground. I had almost forgotten that we couldn’t play rough. She didn’t know she was pregnant, but she probably knew something was up now.
Her eyes were wide. “What the...” She blew the bubbles out of her mouth and touched her long straight hair, that was starting to revert to the tightly coiled curls I loved so much.
Her smile was instant. “Not really, Cyrus makes certain happy noises when you come into the room. He loves you so much.”
“Do you love me?” I stared into her eyes. I didn’t move or make any movement to prevent either of us from catching a chill, as we stood there pressed up against the cold tile dripping wet. I turned my face away from her.
Why did I ask her that? Nobody has ever loved me.
“I love you, so you better get used to me being with you, because I’m not going anywhere.” She grabbed my face and placed a kiss on my jaw, followed by kisses on my eyebrow, forehead, and eyes.
Something had changed between us, going from sparks of desire to an infernal blazing hot need.
“Kyra Deeds, you are mine, in this life and in the next. We will be together forever, whether that is in purgatory or the Realm of the Forgotten Souls. You are mine.” My lips crushed hers. I showed her just what I meant. Her lusty cries of pleasure were escalating until she was screaming.
I opened my eyes. Kyra and I had a marathon session of lovemaking. She was always very horny when she was pregnant. Our hunger for each other was insatiable. It was one of the many reasons that I loved her. I love her very much. I would die for her. Sliding from the bed, I pulled the covers back over her. She looked so peaceful sleeping right next to me. Picking up my discarded pants, I donned them. Cyrus was sleeping in his crib. I kissed him on his cheek and walked out the room.
I stopped at Dylan’s room and knocked. Normally, I would walk in without knocking, but I wasn’t sure he was alone tonight. A part of me hoped he wasn’t. He had been plagued with depression and it was time for him to be happy. Dylan opened the door.
The Pact Between Angels and Witches Page 14
