by G. K. DeRosa
“You bitch!” she shrieked as she lunged for me.
Catching me off guard, she toppled me down onto the mat and pinned me with her thighs. She ripped her gloves off and grabbed a fistful of my hair.
“Ow! Raine, you’re cheating!” I screamed.
“You ruined my life! I hate you!”
I bucked her off a second later, thrusting my hips forward and sent her tumbling off me. Jumping to my feet, I loomed over her as rage rippled through my veins. “I ruined your life? Are you freaking kidding me right now? You handed me over to Luxora!”
“I had no idea that’s what Des wanted,” she spat.
My magic swirled to the surface, creeping across my skin and begging to be released. Energy flickered between my fingertips as I fought my darkest urges to hurl something at her.
“Enough, ladies!” Calliope moved between us, her hand splayed across my chest as I towered over Raine. I clenched my fingers into tight little fists to keep from slugging our new instructor. She seared us both with a sharp glare. “Whatever is going on between the two of you needs to stop immediately. This is no way to behave. We are a team.”
“Maybe you should’ve taken a second to find out a little more about your team before throwing us into a fight,” I hissed.
Raine pushed herself off the ground. “We’re not the only ones that have catching up to do, Calliope.” She spun toward the locker rooms, not glancing back once despite our instructor’s repeated shouts.
“I’m out too.” Grabbing my backpack, I raced outside into the chilly morning air. I was done with Calliope for the day. The frosty blast of wind cooled my heated cheeks and chilled the fury roiling inside as I trudged back to the main building. Approaching footsteps crunched through the snow behind me, but I didn’t turn back to see who it was. I sprinted ahead and dashed into the main hall straight to Cillian’s office.
Darby leapt up as I marched right past his desk and swung the headmaster’s door open.
“Luna, Luna!” he shouted after me.
Cillian was hunched over his desk in his typical headmaster pose as I barged in. Darby scurried after me, but it was too late. Cillian had already seen the look on my face and waved him off.
The patient angel glanced at the clock on the wall for a second before settling his blue-eyed gaze on me. “What happened? I didn’t expect you for at least another twenty minutes.”
I slapped my hands on my hips and glared. “Well, our new instructor thought it would be a good idea to pair Raine and I together for a little one-on-one.”
Cillian groaned and raked his hands over his face.
“You didn’t think filling her in on what happened last semester was important?”
“I’m sorry, Luna. It’s been a difficult few months for all of us. It slipped my mind. I’ll make sure she’s up to date on all the drama of the supe slayer squad going forward.” His lip lifted into a half smile.
I knew he was patronizing me with our team nickname, but some of my ballooning anger deflated. I slumped onto the couch in front of the roaring fireplace and leaned my head back to stare at the soaring rafters.
A moment later, the couch dipped beside me. “Now, what is it that you’d like to talk to me about?”
I sat up to face the sometimes-daunting angel. “I want to go with you and Logan next time you search for Ryder.”
He shook his head, his lips pressed in a grim line. “I’m afraid I can’t allow that, Luna.”
“But why? You guys haven’t been able to find him for months. Maybe I can help.”
“It’s too dangerous.”
“But it’s Ryder. He’d do it for me without a second thought.”
Cillian loosed a breath and clasped his hand over my shoulder. “You’re right. The old Ryder would have, but the demon that has taken control of his body isn’t the same person, Luna.”
“He’d never hurt me.” My voice was so small and pathetic I wanted to smack myself. Because as much as I wanted to believe it, I wasn’t certain anymore. The Ryder I knew never would’ve murdered dozens of supes either.
“We don’t know that.” Darkness settled over his brilliant eyes. “I know you care a lot about him, Luna—”
“I love him!” The words popped out of my mouth before I could stop them. Embarrassment flooded my insides, and then the waterfall of tears came.
Cillian didn’t say a word; he simply pulled me into his massive chest and held me as I sobbed.
Chapter 4
Kimmie-Jayne had been right; being back at school was exactly what I needed to distract me from the constant thoughts of Ryder. After a few weeks, I’d fallen back into my routine of classes and training.
I glanced up as Calliope, or Professor Havens, as everyone else in class called her, pointed at an image on the smart board. It was one of the oracles of Azar. I’d been so stuck in my own head that I never thought to ask our new Divinations and Prophecies teacher what she knew about the dark oracle of the Underworld.
“There are eight oracles in Azar,” she explained, “one located in each of the realms plus the one in the Underworld. In addition, there are a few dozen supes who have the gift of sight. Visions and prophecies are tricky. They’re not black and white and cannot always be trusted. We will study a few of the more notable ones this semester, and you’ll see firsthand why.”
Cinder nudged me from across the row. “Maybe she knows something about Luxora’s oracle.”
I nodded. “That’s just what I was thinking.”
Calliope’s voice suddenly cut off, drawing my attention back to the front of the class. She stared at her cell phone, and her bright eyes widened. “I’m sorry, class, but something urgent has come up.” Her fingers zipped over the phone as she typed out a message. “I’ll send for Professor Malindra to finish up the hour.”
A second later my phone buzzed, then Drake’s, Zephyr’s, and Scarlett’s—everyone else on the team in the class. I scanned the screen, my eyes bugging out.
“What?” Cinder whisper-hissed.
“We’ve gotta go. Supes spotted at a rally just outside the White House. Logan’s meeting us there.” I grabbed my books and shoved them into my backpack as my friend’s anxious eyes trailed over me.
“Be careful!”
“I will.” I darted out after Drake and the others, and Calliope followed just behind.
“Training room, now,” said Calliope as she broke into a jog when we reached the hallway. “Cillian’s meeting us there in five.”
When we arrived at the stone building, Cillian, Raine, Raf, Triston, and Aeria were already there. The eight of us gathered together as the headmaster whispered to Calliope.
“What’s going on?” I asked Raf.
“Not sure. Cillian wanted to wait till you all arrived.”
Right on cue, the headmaster turned to us with our new instructor standing by his side, her lips set in a tight line. “Sorry to interrupt your class, but Logan sent word they needed our help. As you know, over the break, the resolution was passed granting supernaturals the right to vote in human elections. The first election is today, and a large crowd of protestors has amassed in front of the White House. A few of Logan’s gargoyles were sent to keep an eye on things, and they’ve spotted some demons. Given the high threat level and proximity to the U.S. President, we’ve been called in to assist.”
Drake and Triston rubbed their hands together, dark twinkles in their eyes. “Let’s get this show on the road,” said the shifter. “I’ve been jonesing for a good demon fight.”
I rolled my eyes. We could always tell when it was nearing a full moon. Triston’s cord got all wild and mangy, increasing our unease. Somehow his need to shift always triggered my skinwalking urges. I’d managed to keep them in check all winter long, but now my flesh was itching, my essence clawing against my insides to burst free.
I tamped down on the urges, wrapping my arms tight around my torso to keep myself from untethering. Only Drake knew of my skinwalking abilities, and I wasn
’t sure if Cillian had filled Calliope in on that juicy little tidbit.
Cillian curled his index finger, beckoning me over. Bending down to whisper in my ear, he asked, “Have you been practicing opening portals at all?”
I nodded. I’d spent a few days in Maginaria with my father over the break practicing that among other things. He’d wanted me to use my skinwalking abilities, but I refused. I still couldn’t get over the feeling of wrongness when I took over someone else’s unwilling body.
“Do you think you can get us all to the White House?” he asked, pulling me back from my wandering thoughts.
“Yup.” I glanced over at the rest of the team. “How are we going to explain it to them?”
“I think it’s time they knew the truth anyway.”
My eyebrows nearly reached my hairline. I’d been begging Ryder and Cillian for months now to tell the others the truth about my father and my warlock-ness. Maybe it hadn’t been Cillian who’d opposed the truth coming out, perhaps it had been Ryder all along.
Calliope watched our exchange with knitted brows. “She can open a portal?”
I guess she didn’t know everything.
“Go ahead, Luna. We don’t have any more time to waste.”
Squeezing my eyes shut, I murmured the words of the spell Garrix taught me. “Portalis venitem, portals apertum.” Heat swirled in my core, increasing in intensity until it ripped apart my insides. I splayed my hands out, and the energy tore through my veins and exploded from my fingertips.
A giant whirling vortex opened in the middle of the training room, the rush of wind whipping blonde strands of hair across my face. The entire team stared at the mystical doorway, their eyes bugging out.
“Did Luna just do that?” asked Aeria.
My gaze bounced to Cillian’s, who dipped his head. “We all need to have a little discussion when we get back. But now, we must hurry.”
Drake edged up beside me, his lilac gaze like lasers scrutinizing every inch of me. “I knew it,” he whispered.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I hedged, wrapping my arms across my chest.
“Let’s do this, team.” Calliope was the first to jump in with the rest of the squad right behind her.
Over my shoulder, I caught Cillian’s anxious gaze as he watched us disappear into the swirling vortex, and a tiny pit of dread took root in my gut. As we hurtled through the viscous, gelatinous substance, my mind raced. I hadn’t been on a mission in over a month. The few we’d been sent on in the summer were minor skirmishes. I was fairly certain Cillian only sent us on those to keep us busy. But this… this felt different.
The portal spat us out on a small side street off Pennsylvania Avenue near a Starbucks. The scent of roasted coffee beans wafted to my nose and momentarily set me at ease. No time for a latte now.
The eight of us scanned the surrounding streets to get oriented. Calliope clapped her hands, and my head whipped back toward her. “Logan and his team are stationed on the South Lawn where the protestors are gathered just outside the White House gates. We’ll meet up with them there and see where we’re needed. Everyone ready?”
We all nodded, and anxiety unfurled in my gut once again. Calliope led the way across the street to the South Lawn as the roar of protestors mingled with the blaring horns of traffic. Polling booths had been set up at President’s Park, and a never-ending line of supernatural voters awaited their chance to make history.
“How are we going to know who the bad guys are?” The park was teeming with supes of all kinds.
“We’re not,” answered Calliope. “Not until they make a move.”
Great. The hairs on the back of my neck bristled as we passed through a crowd of vampires.
“Scarlett, you better get ready,” Drake warned.
“Don’t be racist, prince. I saw some pretty sketchy-looking Fae back there too.”
“We have to keep our eyes open for anything, guys,” said Zephyr, the voice of reason.
From afar, I caught sight of Logan’s silver hair towering over the crowd. He motioned for us to follow him, and we wound our way through the dense masses to a quieter corner. Two gargoyles stood beside him, each with the same stony, silver-eyed gaze. “Thanks for getting here so quick,” he whispered. “My guys spotted at least a dozen demons within the crowd. So far they haven’t made a move, and I’m not sure what they’re waiting for.”
“Maybe they’re just here to vote?”
Logan shook his head. “They’re the ones carrying the ‘Send the Supes Home’ signs so I’m fairly certain they’re not.” He pointed to the thickening crowd. “We need to split up, guys. The demons are scattered and if we’re not, we won’t be able to stop them.”
I groaned. Separating was always a bad idea, but he was right. There was no other way to cover the colossal crowd.
Calliope broke us into groups of three. I got Drake and Logan, which I was more than happy with. I guessed Cillian had finally filled her in on my issues with Raine. “Okay, stay close everyone,” our new leader announced, “and if you see anything suspicious at all, summon the others through the link right away.”
Everyone nodded and dispersed in opposite directions. Drake led the way, and Logan sidled up beside me as we weaved through the tight mass of bodies. I’d wanted to talk to Logan about Ryder since my return to Darkhen, but I hadn’t gotten a moment alone with him. With the rumble of the crowd all around and Drake a few steps in front of us, this was my chance.
I grabbed the gargoyle’s arm and pulled him closer beside me. “Logan, I need to go with you guys next time you get news on Ryder.”
His jaw clamped shut as he shook his head. “I can’t do that, Luna.”
“Please. I can help. I know I can.”
“You’re probably right, but if something happens to you while we’re out there, Ryder will kill me. And I happen to like living.”
A tiny twinge of hope took root in my heart. “You think he’s still in there somewhere?”
He nodded. “I’m sure of it. The Ryder we knew is simply buried deep beneath the demon. Didn’t Cillian tell you about his kills?”
My brows slammed together. “No, what about them?”
“I did some digging and discovered all the souls he consumed were of less than savory characters. Troublesome lesser Fae, nasty shifters, murderous vampires. There wasn’t a ‘good’ one in the bunch. And he hasn’t killed a single human. Back in the day, they would’ve been his go-to prey.”
A trickle of light shone in the darkness that had become my heart. “So you think he’s still in there, and we can bring him back somehow?”
“I’m sure of it.” He squeezed my hand and tugged me more quickly through the crowd. “Now come on, focus, we’re on a mission.”
Pushing aside the momentary giddiness, I forced myself to concentrate on the task at hand. If some random demon killed me, the fact that Ryder hadn’t gone full dark would be completely moot. I scanned the mass of people as we weaved between the packed bodies shouting and chanting, “Send the supes home!” among other more colorful mantras. Keeping my eyes on theirs, I searched for otherworldly flashes of yellow or crimson or any other telltale sign.
A scream tore through the general cacophony, and Drake, Logan and I all spun around. The crowd of protestors all silenced as another shriek incited panic in the air.
Logan pointed past the mob. “It’s coming from the polling booths. Alert the others!” He led the way, shoving his way past frightened bystanders.
My thoughts focused in on the seven cords wrapped around my heart, and I set off the alarm. I could feel each one tug back in return as they received my warning.
A man in front of us pointed to the sky as a black-winged creature tore across the bright blue.
Freakin’ flying demons!
Logan let out a string of curses as he barreled forward. “Out of the way, move!” he shouted. People were running now, cardboard signs were being chucked on the ground and trampled.
<
br /> Amidst the lines of supes waiting to vote, the chaos erupted. Demons broke free from the protesting crowd and attacked their own. Shifters transformed into wolves, panthers, and dragons, witches and warlocks let their magic fly free, vampire fangs slid out and anarchy reigned. A full-out supernatural battle exploded on the presidential lawn as humans screamed in terror.
“This is so bad,” I muttered under my breath as policemen clamored to subdue the brawling supes. A cloud of black smoke exploded beside us, and then came the tear gas.
“Protectum admorae!” I shouted as the dense fog descended over us and bounced off my protection spell.
Ahead of us, Raf, Aeria and Scarlett and their gargoyle escort had already arrived. They were fighting off half a dozen demon baddies. They’d all shed their human skin now, and what lay beneath had nausea creeping its way up my throat. Raf swung his angel sword at a purple sludge monster, lobbing off its arm. The puddle of goo disintegrated on the ground and another grew back in its place.
Aeria and Scarlett were double-teaming a demon whose face was covered in spikey horns. He swung his head back and forth, trying to gore the girls with his six-inch tusks. Drake raced ahead, bursting free of my protective bubble once the tear gas had cleared and thrust his sword at the freaky creature.
I reached the skirmish a few seconds later as adrenaline rushed my veins. I loosed one dagger and then another, taking down two nasty demons with a flick of my magic.
Heavy footfalls sounded from behind me, and Calliope, Zephyr, Raine and Triston joined in on the fight. The cords around my heart tightened as if happy to be once again near each other. Only one was missing—the one I hadn’t felt anything from for months now. It was like it had been completely severed. I pressed my hand to my heart, massaging the invisible ache away.
Two snarling demons appeared on either side of me, their gorilla-like features shooting a pang of fear through my chest. Gorabora demons. Just like the ones Luxora had shown up with when she tried to kidnap me from the academy. Their bite was a poisonous paralytic, and Ryder had nearly died because of it. I summoned a fireball in each hand, another trick I’d been practicing with my bio dad, and hurled them toward the pair.
