by G. K. DeRosa
The face I visualized on the punching bag was about to get replaced by a certain demon instructor. After a few more minutes, I stopped, the feel of Ryder’s unfaltering gaze only adding to my discomfort.
As soon as I did, he peeled himself off the wall and tugged his shirt off. “If you’re done, may I?” He pointed at the still swinging canvas bag. It took all I had to get my brain to put together a sentence when he stood half-naked in front of me. His onyx tattoos snaked over his perfectly sculpted chest and moved down across his chiseled abs. The deep V of his pelvis disappeared beneath low-slung sweatpants. The last time I’d seen him like this was the night we’d slept together. The night everything went to hell—or the Underworld to be more accurate.
I swallowed hard, my mouth as dry as the Sahara.
“You okay?” Ryder’s dark brows dipped down at me.
When had he gotten so close?
His minty breath swirled a few inches from my mouth. Was he breathing hard or was it just me?
I took a step back, needing to breathe air that wasn’t tainted in Ryder’s musky scent.
“Luna?”
I backed up all the way into the wall. There was nowhere else to go and still he advanced. My hands shot up, meeting his firm pecs. “Don’t, Ryder.”
“Don’t what?” A flash of concern zipped across his dark irises.
I groaned. What could I possibly say? Don’t be so hot, don’t be so damned irresistible, or don’t smell the way you do?
“I need a shower.” I pushed myself off the wall and barreled past him. Darting to the locker room, I forced my eyes forward until I was within the safety of the women’s changing area.
Slumping down on a bench in front of the lockers, I dug the heels of my palms into my eyes. What in the realms was wrong with me? I was with Drake. I cared about him a lot. But why did my insides turn to mush whenever Ryder was around?
I took an extra long shower, hoping the others would be here by the time I got out. Nothing good could come from spending more alone time with Ryder. Pulling my hair into a high ponytail, I marched out into the training room. I glanced up at the clock and muttered a curse. At least fifteen more minutes before the others arrived.
Across the room, Ryder lifted himself up onto the chin-up bar. I only allowed myself a second to ogle before tearing my gaze away. He was still shirtless, and now his body glistened in a fine layer of sweat.
Kill. Me. Now.
I pulled a yoga mat out and stretched on the floor on the opposite side of the gym, facing the wall. I needed to find some inner peace right about now. Closing my eyes, I took in a few cleansing breaths and cleared my mind. My heartbeat slowed as I focused on the expanding and contracting of my lungs. I inhaled deeply and a devastatingly familiar musky, sandalwood scent filled my nostrils.
Peeking through a slit in my eyelids, Ryder’s hulking form coalesced beside me.
“Son of a biscuit!” I growled.
“What?” Ryder staggered back.
“Are you doing this on purpose?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I swore his lip twitched, but it was so fast I could’ve imagined it.
“You seem tense, mini minx.” His big hands wrapped around my shoulders, his thumbs kneading the back of my neck. “Maybe a little massage would—”
I squirmed away, jolting to my feet. My sore muscles screamed at me, but I ignored them. This was entirely inappropriate, right?
“What’s going on with you?” he asked.
I popped my hands on my hips and glared up at him. “What’s going on with you? What’s with this flaunting your half-naked bod and blatant flirting?”
“I was not.” He actually had the nerve to look insulted, his lips twisting into a pout.
“Ryder…”
He stepped back and ran a hand through his damp hair, huffing. “Fine, maybe I was a little.” His eyes met mine, a hint of humor making them sparkle. “I guess I missed this more than I thought. You and me, the teasing banter. I just want things to get back to normal.”
I folded my arms across my chest like flesh and blood armor, as if somehow they could protect my fragile heart. “You’re the one that said there could never be an us, Ryder. I’m not the one that broke us. It was you.”
His eyes cast down, his lips contorting. “I know,” he muttered without meeting my stare. “I know we can never go back to how things were, but I hoped we could at least be friends.”
I shook my head, sucking on my lower lip. “So much has happened, Ryder. I’m not sure what I can offer you anymore.”
His eyes lifted to mine, locking me in with their smoldering intensity. “I’ll take whatever I can get.”
I nodded, too afraid to speak and say something I knew I’d regret later.
The training room doors creaked open, and I spun toward the sound. Raine and Aeria sauntered in, their curious gazes intent on us. I didn’t think I’d ever be so happy to see the two of them. I practically darted toward the weapons’ wall to meet up with the girls and pick my blade.
“Why are you acting so weird?” Raine asked.
“What? I can’t be happy to see my supe squad mates?”
Aeria twirled a curl of azure hair around her finger. “Yup, definitely weird.”
The pair sauntered off to pick their weapons, but I didn’t care. They had been just the distraction I needed. I had to figure out a way to avoid being alone with Ryder until this initial weird stage passed.
How long could it possibly last, right?
I picked my favorite daggers from the assortment of weapons Scarlett had brought in at the beginning of the year. A sparkling yellow sapphire encrusted the blades’ antique hilts, and they reminded me of a certain instructor’s citrine irises. Now, they were just comfortable, easy to carry and my accuracy had grown quite deadly.
Moving to the practice wall, I let them fly in rapid succession, calling them back with my magic to repeat the exercise. Each one hit its target, the demon stick figures Ryder had sketched along the wall. Some had horns and tails, and a few had fangs. I laughed as I sank the dagger into a particularly funny-looking one with knobby arms and a horn shooting from its football-shaped head.
Once the whole team arrived, we switched into one-on-one combat mode. With Drake gone, my usual partner, Ryder paired me up with Triston. I let out a huge sigh of relief when I saw him approaching. I thought for sure I’d be sparring with my instructor, which would surely lead to nothing good.
“Ready?” Triston asked with a smirk.
“Bring it on, wolf-boy.”
I surprised him by opening with a roundhouse; he wasn’t as familiar with my signature move as Drake and Ryder. My sneaker hit his head with a satisfying thump.
“Oh, you’re going to pay for that, little human.” His amber eyes pulsated, the wolf inside inching to the surface.
He threw a few punches which I dodged, then landed a blow to my gut. I gasped, all the air squeezing out of my lungs as I buckled over. It only took me a second to recover though and I lunged, catching him off guard.
Triston was bigger and slower than Drake, and if there was one thing Ryder had taught me, it was to use my smaller size as an advantage. I dove between his legs and jumped up on the other side, kicking his leg out from under him. His massive body hit the mat with a rewarding thunk.
A huge smile spread over my face as I stood over him.
“Nice one, Luna.” He extended his hand, and I tugged him up. “No wonder Drake told me not to go easy on you.”
I nearly choked on my own spit. “Drake? You talked to him?”
“Yeah, I called him last night. I had a question about a project we’re working on for class.”
My heart deflated like a leaky balloon. So he was only ignoring me?
“You haven’t talked to him?” He rubbed the back of his neck, his gaze flickering toward the floor.
“Um, not really.”
“It’s probably just the spotty reception
My eyebrows shot to my hairline. “He’s at the Spring Court?” Images of the lovely princess Miranda and Drake making out at the edge of a bubbling brook filled my mind. Nausea crept up my throat.
Triston pressed his lips together, his cheeks rosy. “Maybe I should just stop talking.”
I clenched my hands into tight fists and drew in a deep breath. “No, thank you for enlightening me. At least someone had the decency to.” I stalked away from Triston, grabbing my backpack as I darted out the training room door.
I vaguely registered Ryder’s questioning shouts, but I ignored them as I jerked my phone from the backpack’s outer pocket. I was so pissed I didn’t even feel the bitter wind raking over my flimsy training tee as I trudged back toward the dorms with the phone pressed to my ear.
Voicemail. Again.
“Drake, you better call me back ASAP. I want to know what’s going on now. You can’t hide from me at the Spring Court; I deserve to know what’s happened and when you’re coming back.”
I jabbed at the screen, wishing I could hang up on him properly. That was the problem with smart phones, you really couldn’t slam them down.
What was Drake doing at Spring Court, and why was he so busy he couldn’t even spare me a return call?
Anger unfurled in my gut as I traipsed through the Fae forest. Stupid winter. Stupid Fae. I needed to get out of there.
So when a young, first year witch passed by me on the way to the stables, I did the one thing that felt right. I followed her. My skin itched for release, to be someone else. As soon as I confirmed we were alone in the barn, I shed my skin and jumped into hers.
Chapter 7
Another day passed and still no word from Drake.
“I’m not kidding, Cin. If he doesn’t call me by tomorrow, I’m going.”
She chewed her sandwich thoughtfully as she regarded me from across the table. The rest of the team hadn’t arrived at lunch yet, so we had the large round table to ourselves for once. “But Triston said he’s in Spring Court, you don’t even know where. Going to Wintersbee Palace unannounced is one thing, but Spring? You don’t even know the king.”
Ugh. But I knew the princess. My boyfriend’s betrothed.
I raked my hands over my face and blew out a breath. Why had I been so stupid? I never should’ve gotten involved with the ice prince. I knew it was only a matter of time. “This is so messed up,” I grumbled.
“I’m really sorry, Luna. I know you and Drake were just starting out, but maybe it’s for the best to end things before you get too involved.”
I didn’t know where my friend got her eternal optimism from, and generally I appreciated it, but not today. “I don’t even know what he’s doing there. It could be nothing, right?”
Her head bobbed up and down as she took another bite. “Absolutely. We shouldn’t be jumping to conclusions.”
Raf, Triston and Zephyr appeared, filling in the seats around us. The hottie nephilim dipped down and placed a sweet kiss on Cinder’s forehead as he sat down beside her. “How’s it going, ladies?”
I resisted the urge to snarl, and instead, plastered on a fake smile. “Just peachy.”
“Still no word from Drake, huh?” Raf’s brow perked up.
I seared Cinder with my best glare from across the table.
She shrugged and mouthed, “Sorry.”
Drake and I were supposed to be keeping things on the down low for this exact reason. If things went bad, we didn’t want it affecting the team. Then Ryder and Cillian would definitely have my head.
I took another tasteless bite of my salad and dropped my fork. It was no use; it was like eating sand.
“Any news on Luxora?” Cinder asked. That’s what I loved about my bestie, she knew me so well. Nothing like the dark lord to take my mind off my failing love life.
“No sightings. But Scarlett and Cillian are actually meeting with Carmen Rosa today to discuss her traitorous inner circle vampires.”
“From what Cillian said at the Sons of Heaven meeting,” said Raf around a bite of his burger, “Luxora seems to have infiltrated nearly all seven houses of Azar—except for ours.”
Triston leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest. “Or that’s what you think, anyway.” The alpha of the Shifter Pack had already found a few traitors in his ranks as well.
“What about the dragons?” Cinder asked.
Zephyr shook his head. “Nothing so far. Your brother’s been keeping a tight rein on all the local alphas.”
“Well, at least that’s two out of the seven.” I picked at a leaf of lettuce on my plate. The shrill squeal of my phone and then Cinder’s sent my heart leaping up my throat.
The momentary excitement past when I scanned the screen, and it wasn’t Drake. My brows furrowed at the unfamiliar number.
Across the table, I barely registered Cinder chattering on her phone. After another ring, I answered, hoping it was Drake calling from someone else’s phone. Maybe his cell had been on the fritz and that was why he’d been ignoring me.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Luna, it’s Flare.”
“Oh, hi.” I couldn’t hide the disappointment in my tone when I realized it was Cinder’s brother and not my cheating Fae boyfriend.
“Pack a bag, I’m coming to get you girls in half an hour. You and Cinder are about to become aunts.”
My heart just about doubled in size. Every ounce of anger disappeared, and a huge smile lit up my face as I glanced up across the table at my best friend. Her lips looked like they were about to crack she was smiling so big.
“Thanks, Flare. We’ll be ready.”
We both jumped up at the same time and wrapped each other in a huge hug as giggles of excitement bubbled out.
“We’re going to be aunties!” Cinder announced to the table.
The guys all congratulated us as I tugged on my best friend’s hand. “Come on, we have to go tell Cillian—” I cut myself off when I remembered he was gone for the day. “Who do we get a day pass from if Cillian’s not here?”
“Go see Darby. He’ll sort it out for you,” said Raf. He gave Cinder a quick kiss, and we raced through the halls to the administration wing.
Two hours later we were back in Draeko. Thick tension seeped through the air of the infirmary in Skye Lair. Fenix hadn’t stopped pacing since we arrived, and I was fairly certain he’d been at it for much longer than that.
Cinder and I exchanged an anxious glance as we waited. Beside her sat Ashlin, the youngest of the Skyraider clan, followed by Flare and their parents, Blaze and Ember. Flare seemed as nervous as his brother, his knee bouncing up and down at an alarming rate. It must have been a twin thing. I’d always heard the brothers were extremely close. Fenix’s nervous energy must have been leaking into his twin.
Kimmie-Jayne had been in labor since the night before. They’d waited until today to call us because the healer had said it wouldn’t be an easy delivery. I wasn’t really the praying type, but I’d already pleaded to every deity I knew of in both realms.
Fenix stalked in front of the door that led to the birthing room, raking a hand through his hair. The anxiety rolled off him in suffocating waves. Every once in a while a deep growl would vibrate his chest, and then he’d whimper like a puppy who’d just been kicked.
“Fenix, maybe you should sit, dear,” said Ember. The former dragon alpha’s lifemate was the spitting image of my best friend, with the cascading raven hair and high porcelain cheekbones.
“I can’t, Mother,” he snapped. “She’s in so much pain.” He choked back a sob.
Then I remembered their mental link. Fenix could probably feel everything Kimmie-Jayne was going through. She could even be talking to him through their connection right now.
“Is she okay?” The words burst from my mouth.
The hard set of Fenix’s jaw softened as he turned to me. “Yes, I’m sorry. The healer has ensured me she’ll be fine, Luna; it’s just been a difficult delivery.” He crouched down in front of me, a sheen of sweat covering his brow. “You women are made for this sort of thing. I, apparently, am not.”
I squeezed his hand before he straightened and continued his manic pacing.
The sweet, smoky odor of magic filled the room about a second before Garrix’s form coalesced from a dark mist. The two royal guards stationed by the door nearly jumped out of their skin. Their reptilian pupils elongated and sharp talons emerged from their fingertips.
Blaze stood, halting them with one look. “At ease.”
His choice of words were funny because the former dragon alpha looked anything but. “How many times have I asked you not to pop in like that, Garrix?”
My father leveled the intimidating dragon with his own icy gaze. “And how many times have I told you that my daughter lives here? Her safety is of my utmost concern. If I don’t test your wards, who will? And now that my grandchild is coming even more the reason for me to perform these security controls.”
Blaze towered over my father, a growl reverberating in his throat. “I’ll give you a pass today, warlock, but do not make this a habit.”
With a smirk, my father sauntered over to sit beside me. I resisted the urge to sink down into my chair and disappear. The Skyraiders had been nothing but nice to me, and I didn’t appreciate my father’s uncalled-for attitude.
“Don’t be so rude,” I hissed.
He clucked his teeth, waving me off. “Blaze is just bitter he gave up the role of alpha too soon. He still has too many years left of idleness. It’s enough to drive a powerful man like him stir crazy.”
The sharp cry of a baby’s first breath filled the waiting room. Everyone’s anxious eyes spun to the door that Fenix barreled through. He’d left it slightly ajar and I twisted in my seat to sneak a peek, but I couldn’t make out anything besides a white room and the corner of a hospital bed.
The Skyraider clan all rose to their feet so I followed along, trailing them toward the open door. Muffled voices seeped through the crack, the thick tension finally dissipating.
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