Investigated

by Maya Daniels

  My feet falter when Fenrir stumbles into the cleared-up space, his hair falling over his face before he yanks it away angrily, glaring over his shoulder. Following the direction of his gaze, I can’t even feel the shock that’s trying to stun me when Cassius glares back a moment before he walks up and shoves the Fae closer to Zoltan’s unconscious form.

  “You snake!” Astara hisses from behind me. She must’ve followed when she couldn’t stop me from walking out of the shadows. “My brother trusted you, you pathetic excuse for a life.”

  “My daughter trusts me as well.” The mammoth of a man lifts his chin up unapologetically.

  “And you think they give a shit about you or that little brat? Not even you can be that stupid.” Astara is getting louder with each word spoken, and I tune her out, focusing entirely on Roberti.

  The demigod’s gaze sweeps me from head to toe, and revulsion brings bile up the back of my throat. I trusted him. I fed from him. His blood is inside my body, and it's burning like acid through my veins right now. He must’ve seen it written all over my face.

  “Don’t look so hurt now, Drake.” His hand lifts towards my face, and I take a step back. He mistakes it for fear and smirks. “This is nothing personal.”

  “Of course not.” My voice sounds flat and devoid of emotion. The blade burns a hole on the inside of my thigh, my fingers itching to grab it.

  “If you are to execute one of us, it must be with the agreement of the entire Board.” Project guy finds his voice again.

  I admire the man at this point.

  “Very well.” The vampire from the Board looks pointedly at the demon guards, and they spring into action, bolting out of the hall.

  “Was Aiden in on it, too?” I’m not sure why I ask, but since we are obviously waiting for something to happen, it’ll at least fill the time.

  “That idiot is in love with you. I almost had to kill him to stop him from coming after you here, messing up all my plans.” Roberti looks disgusted as he spits the words.

  How have I not seen this side of him?

  You didn’t want to see it. That snarky voice in my head has perfect timing, as always.

  Awareness spreads through me like a physical touch. I will recognize it if I am dead and six feet under the ground. My heart does a painful thump, and I open to it, letting it sink inside me, as desperate for it as my lungs are for air. It’s all that I needed to allow the energy churning in my chest free reign. Roberti’s patronizing smirk slips from his arrogant face while my smile grows. My heartbeat slows down, the calmness blanketing my insides.

  “What I find funny in all this”—Kicking off the damn stilettos that have been killing my feet for hours, I roll my head on my shoulders—“is that you thought you would win.”

  Thump.

  Throwing myself at Roberti, I send us both rolling on the marble floors. My fists beat a staccato rhythm as they jab his ribs until he lodges a knee between us, kicking me away. I keep rolling until I end up in a crouch, the sound of the skirt ripping down the sides too loud to my ears. My gaze locks with Roberti’s panicked one. I guess he didn’t get the chance to hear about all the little tricks a half blood can do.

  Thump.

  Power slams me when he unleashes his full strength, which would’ve doubled me over a week ago. Thanks to Zoltan, this is a child’s play right now and my grin grows when Roberti takes a step back. Releasing the hold on the torrent in my chest, I feel the blast that gushes out of me, lifting the demigod in the air. He gawks, his eyes widening for a moment as he floats, suspended in the air, before being thrown away like a dirty sock across the hall. The building shudders from the impact.

  Thump.

  “She is my sister.” Zoltan’s deep voice makes me turn to look at him. My knees almost buckle seeing him animated and standing. I watch him move, every punch and kick like a beautiful dance as he sends man after man tumbling through the space. Bones crunch, breaking with each contact he makes. His eyes are glowing, the fangs poking under his full upper lip, and I watch him mesmerized.

  “She is my sister.” Repeating the words, he sends a quick glance to make sure I’m paying attention.

  “I know.”

  A woman with more massive biceps than my thighs sneaks up at his back. I spring into action, my foot connecting with her face in a round kick that sends her crashing at three others behind her. My back connects with Zoltan’s as we watch those siding with the Board and Roberti circling us.

  “I should’ve told you.” He doesn’t sound happy, and I chuckle.

  Thump.

  My back bows, dropping me to my knees when a current of power enters my every pore. Zoltan roars, but I’m already moving. Wrapping my fingers on his shoulders, I use him as a bouncing board, sending my body up in the air, and I land with my knees on Cassius’s chest. We both go down, and I ride him like a slide to the floor. Tucking my head down, I roll away from him, pulling out the blade at the same time.

  Zoltan does not allow me to have fun. He barrels into Cassius like a truck, tucking his shoulder at the larger man’s gut. I leave them to it, searching for Roberti or the Board. The three men are nowhere to be found. Roberti is missing as well. Craning my neck, I finally spot the Board members close to the large double doors of the hall, and I spring at them, jumping over bodies and spinning around fighting men.

  Thump.

  The vampire is the first to see me coming, both his hands lifting in the air. Dropping to my knees, I slide at him, avoiding whatever blast he sent my way and taking him down when I collide with his feet. My hand lifts in the air, fingers gripping the blade so tight there will be an imprint of the hilt on the skin of my palm. The soulless black eyes on his face widen, horror written all over his arrogant features when he sees his end a breath away.

  “Stop!” Nothing could’ve stopped my hand but the frail voice and softly spoken demand.

  Everyone stops, and you can hear a pin drop while the two demon guards carry a platform with a sleeping man on it. A memory nudges at the back of my mind, but I’m too stunned that the voice pulled me out of the trance to care about it. Even the three assholes from the Board are watching the newcomer with respect, reverence and fear.

  “Did we start killing each other in our home now?” The frail voice asks, and I see the sleeping guy’s lips moving, but his eyes stay closed.

  “No Soren, we have an intruder that has entered our grounds.” The shifter growls, his hate-filled glare aimed right at me.

  I grin at him.

  I can’t explain why, but the presence of this person brings me confidence and peace. I should really be worried because tonight is evidence enough that I’m stupidly trusting the wrong people.

  “An intruder passing the trials.” The guy, Soren, doesn’t sound convinced. “I need to see him.”

  “It’s a girl,” the Mage from the Board says in disgust, and Zoltan saddles next to me, yanking me behind his back.

  “A girl passes the trials. The rest of you decide to kill her, while one of our strongest is standing as a shield in front of her as we speak.” Soren chuckles, “And you call her an intruder.”

  Zoltan stiffens, and even Fenrir and Astara block me from the sides like a living shield, just like Soren said, but he still has his eyes closed. As if this night is not weird enough.

  “Step away, Zoltan. I mean her no harm.” Soren chuckles again when Zoltan growls low in his throat. ‘Come closer child, I wish to see you.”

  Placing my palms flat on Zoltan’s back, I try to push him away, but he is an unmovable rock in front of me. Unless we are planning on fighting our way out of here, I need to go and see what Soren wants. The feeling that he will not hurt me sits at the forefront of my mind. Since I can’t move the stubborn vampire, I shoulder Fenrir away and stride purposely towards Soren.

  “Francesca, get back here.” Zoltan’s hiss stops me for a second, but I continue moving.

  “Intruder, she is not,” Soren says when my feet bring me next to him. The de
mon guards watch the blade I’m still clutching in my hand warily.

  “She is not a Daywalker, nor can she become one,” the Mage snaps angrily. “She is a half blood.”

  “A half blood walking our grounds for days, not minutes but full days, until you decided she is not worthy of gracing us with her presence.” Soren’s head turns to the side, his eyes still closed. “Were you not aware she was here?”

  “We were tricked to believe that she is a pure-blooded Fae, a mate to Fenrir,” he shifter grumbles.

  “And you think we should kill her.”

  “The rules have been followed since the foundations of this institution were set.” The Mage looks like he expects applause.

  “Truth.” Soren’s voice cracks, and I grip the blade tighter. “And do the rules say we kill one of our own?”

  “Of course not! Not unless they break their oath.” The Mage flicks his light green eyes at the other two robed men.

  “Not even the students in this academy.” Soren waits for confirmation, and after nodding like an idiot, the Mage realizes he can’t be seen.

  “Not even the students,” he says a little louder.

  “Let me see that blade, child.” It takes a second to understand he addressed me.

  Without thinking, I shove the dagger in his face, making everyone hiss a warning. My lips twist in a grimace, and I ignore them. The guy asked, so it’s not like I stabbed him. Warm, thin fingers wrap over my own. I watch it like it’s happening to someone else when Soren’s hand moves fast, pulling the blade from my hand and slashing both our palms at the same time. Shouts create chaos around us, an unfamiliar power blanketing me. Panic stops the breath in my throat when I feel my blood pulling back up my veins instead of flowing like it normally does. Understanding dawns on me that whoever it is, they are trying to stop me from bleeding out of the open wound on my hand. Looking over my shoulder, I see Zoltan, his eyes locked on my palm and glowing brighter than ever before. I’ve never felt his powers like this. Almost as if they belong to somebody else.

  My brain kicks into gear, realizing how bad all this must be if he will rather stop my heart than allow my blood to leave my body. I want to squeeze my hand so I can help him out, but I can’t move. My heart is barely beating in my chest, and terror numbs me as I watch one drop separate from my skin and fall into Soren’s open hand, splattering over his pale skin.

  A foreign energy, ancient magic, the primal sense of something larger and more powerful than life itself spreads through me, overwhelming my senses, and all sound comes back in a rush.

  “She is not an intruder.” Soren’s voice sounds intense, and it quiets everyone. “She is just like me.” His snake eyes open, locking on mine. “She is dragon blood.”

  I feel Zoltan at my back, his arms wrapping around me and holding me upright. Memories assault my brain of the night before when I found the sleeping Fae. The promises he made me make. The oath he forced from me. Soren is smiling like he just won an award, but I have a horrible feeling that it was a death sentence for me. When Fenrir steps next to us, his hand gripping my shoulder in silent support, I know I am right.

  “Welcome to Daywalker Academy, Francesca Drake. Your training and education will begin immediately.”

  “Soren, what did you do?” The fear in Zoltan’s voice makes dark spots dance at the corners of my eyes.

  “I tied her life to mine.” Soren smiles brighter. “And mine is tied to all of yours. If you kill her, you will all die.”

  “Well, fuck.” My words are slurred, and I finally succumb to the darkness.

  To be continued

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  From the Author

  Dear reader,

  Thank you for taking this journey with me. With each new story, we move along the fantasy worlds together and I couldn’t be more grateful. I have many people to thank for their support and faith in me, and you most of all are one of them. I can never express my gratitude.

  This books are not just mine, they are a product of a team effort in more ways than one. Yes, I write the stories, but my team is the one making sure they get to your hands.

  My PA Debbie Victorino, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if it wasn’t for you. You are a saint, order to my chaos, and the calm to my storm. I consider you a blessing because you are more than a friend. You are family. Jessica Allain, the mastermind behind most of my covers, you are yet another blessing I was fortunate to have in my life. What started as a business transaction developed into a great friendship that I will be forever grateful to have. Talent such as yours is rare and precious, just like the beautiful and kind soul that you are. Cassandra Fear, another blessing, my editor, and the woman that makes me laugh out loud even when I’m ready to scream and pull my hair out is another part of our group of sassy rebels. Many times when I’ve been frustrated or ready to self combust, you are the one keeping me together, the one telling me to snap out of it and write the words or else. LoL Lisa Fejeran, the woman reading all my insanities before anyone else sees them, I can never say how grateful I am for you my friend. You will always be my alpha rebel. Carolee Samuda, my dear friend that deals with my ramblings and word vomit when coming up with the blurbs. Your patience, and awesome sense of humor are the reason there are no one sentence descriptions for the books. I have to work harder to get you to swear again Carolee, I made it my life mission. LoL Arien Johnston, although you recently joined our little group of sassy weirdos, I have no idea how I managed to deal with everything without your support and encouragement. It’s not a joke when they say soul sisters find each other no matter what. And all the ladies in my ARC team, you are amazing human beings and you mean a lot to me. I hope you know just how much.

  Thank you! All of you make this dream of mine a reality, and my heart can barely contain the love and gratitude I have for each and every single one of you.

  All my love,

  Maya xxx

  Also by Maya Daniels

  Daywalker Academy series - PNR/UF

  Investigated Book 1

  Infiltrated Book 2 - coming December 2019

  The Broken Halos series- PNR/Urban Fantasy:

  The Devil is in the Details Book 1

  Speak of the Devil Book 2

  Encounter with the Devil Book 3

  The Devil in Disguise Book 4

  To look the Devil in the eye Book 5 - coming soon

  New Blood Rising series- Dark PNR

  Risorgimento-Rebirth Book 1

  Rovesciamento-Overthrown Book 2

  Riconoscimento-Recognition Book 3 - coming soon

  Stand alone-Dark Fantasy romance/ Mythology:

  The Cursed Kingdom

  Hidden Portals trilogy- PNR:

  Venus Trap Book 1

  The First Secret Book 2

  The Obsidian Throne- coming soon

  Semiramis series-Urban Fantasy/PNR:

  Who am I - Prequel to the Semiramis series

  Semiramis Awakened Book 1

  Semiramis Reborn Book 2

  Semiramis The Vessel Book 3

  Remembrance Book 4 - coming soon