by J. L. Weil
“Definitely.” I was a bit surprised we had gotten to the same conclusion. But honestly, it was what I would have done. I saw something in Catina’s eyes, something that once had shone in mine. Fear. And that fear made people do desperate things, even more so with an inexperienced witch, who had no idea what was happening to her. At least I’d had the academy and Ambrose.
Why had he never told me what I was? Was my fate, my life even mine to command? Were we just puppets for the Aereum to tug and pull our strings?
I’d deal with my father later. And the Aereum.
“Are you okay?” Scorpion asked, noticing my thoughtful pause.
“Fine.”
“Okay, I’m trusting your instincts on this one, seeing as you have more experience with… witches.” The word rolled off his tongue in an odd way, as if he was attempting to speak a foreign language. I was guessing the whole supernatural world was still sinking in, regardless that he’d seen things that couldn’t be rationally explained any other way.
I grinned. “So, you’re smart too.”
Amusement colored his expression as his back relaxed, the lines on his face softening while he observed me, probably trying to figure me out. “I’m many things, beautiful.”
“First, my name is Renna. Not beautiful, doll, love, or some other cutesy name humans use as endearments. And second, we don’t know each other well enough for nicknames, Ethan.”
A ghost of a smile played on his full lips. “I prefer to be called Scorpion.” His hand lifted, fingers stroking my jaw slowly, intimately, before I could realize what he was doing. “And, I think we know each other well enough.”
My tongue darted over my bottom lip, the memory of his kiss making it tingle. I leaned back, breaking the contact between us. “Somehow, you and I are going to have to get through this mission without swapping spit or spilling each other’s blood.” I just didn’t know how, yet.
“I’m not so sure about the first part,” he murmured in a lazy drawl, his eyes almost hypnotizing with the masculine confidence he exuded, like a scent of temptation.
Focus, Renna! I snapped my eyes away from the depths of his emerald gaze, and stared at the outline of Nevada. “I think I can help us narrow down our search.” Unearthing the necklace from my pocket, I dangled it over Vegas, like a pendulum, moving slowly around Nevada and bordering states, waiting to see where our little witch had run off to.
“What are you doing?” His breath mingled with mine, as he moved closer.
My lips turned down. “Watch and learn.”
“How is that going to help—wait, is that a magic necklace?”
I nodded. “Let this be your first lesson in magic. This pendant is an artifact that once belonged to the Faerie Queen, Mab. I had it enchanted by Tricksy, since she’s a witch, with a tracking spell to locate Catina.” Well, not the girl, but her cat. Wherever the witch went, the cat was sure to follow.
“Impressive. How do we know when it—”
The pendant began to glow, and the closer I got to the state of Arizona, the brighter the amber light surged, until it was all but humming with the fire of a thousand suns. I dropped my finger over the small black dot of Young, Arizona, and peered at him from under my lashes. “So, Ethan, how do you feel about a trip to the desert?”
“Scorpion,” he reminded, his eyes glued to the warmth of The Awen of Light. “And about the same as you feel about cats.”
“Flashbacks from the war?” I gleaned, forcing a pout on my lips.
His stare shifted to my mouth and I suddenly regretted drawing his attention to it. Damn his telling gaze. “Some flashbacks are worth reliving, Vixen.”
Tearing my eyes from his, I folded the map and shoved it into the back pocket of my black jeans. I hung the necklace around my neck. “We should go, before I change my mind.”
Together, we stood, his height towering over me.
The sudden quiet in the room struck me, and I panned the commons, noticing there were far more students than there had been when I arrived. All staring at us. I rolled my eyes, biting my tongue instead of telling them to find someone else to gawk at.
Not giving them another thought, I turned to walk away, but a large hand held mine, stopping me. My gaze connected with Scorpion’s, yet he didn’t say a word—his eyes attempting to speak instead. His warmth filtered through my pores, taunting me, and when his touch left me, I realized he had placed something on my palm. Lifting it to my eyes, I saw a small bird made out of folded blue paper.
It seemed so delicate and beautiful, contrasting harshly with the strong and commanding way he carried himself.
“Origami?” I asked, admiring his creation, knowing this was what he’d been focused on when I found him.
Scorpion nodded. “I didn’t have much of a childhood, always training, toughening myself, preparing for—” he paused, as though he’d said more than he intended. “This is the one thing that has always kept me centered, no matter what.”
“Pretty,” I admitted, handing it back to him, but he shook his head.
Holding my hand, he closed my fingers gently around the bird. “Paper cranes are a symbol of hope during challenging times. Considering our journey…” He shrugged, plunging his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. “I made it for you, please accept it as a peace offering.” He winked at me, giving me a dazzling smile that made his eyes twinkle.
I blinked, taken aback by his gesture, and probably swooning big time—though I’d die before admitting it—then placed the little bird in my pocket.
Silently, we strolled around the couches, only to pause at the threshold on our way to the portal, and I glanced over my shoulder. “Do me a favor...”
His brows arched, intrigued. “Anything you want from me, Vixen.”
“First, don’t call me Vixen. And second, don’t get yourself killed.”
A dark smile tilted his lips. “I might not have superpowers, but I’m damn difficult to kill. Trust me.”
He better be right, because for reasons I didn’t understand, the thought of his death pestered me with apprehension. And I doubted the council would be thrilled.
The portal dropped us smack dab in the middle of a campground. A toilet flushed in one of the public outhouse stalls, as Scorpion and I stepped through the full-length mirror pinned to the grimy concrete blocks. I tried not to touch anything.
One of the disadvantages of having heightened senses, was things like mildew, or pissed stained bathrooms were intensified. I was going to throw up. So, in an attempt to refrain from embarrassing myself, I refocused my sense of smell onto the sweet human beside me.
A door swung open and the old man who emerged looked from Scorpion to me, then back at Scorpion and grinned. He winked conspiratorially as he walked out the door. “It’s all yours, Romeo.”
“Ew,” I said, making a face, and the sudden urge to hurl came back, although a moment later my lips twisted in a smirk.
Scorpion laughed, the deep timber sending flutters into my belly. “I’d like to think I’m more romantic than this.” He gestured to the dirty stall. “Though I suppose there are worse things he could have been thinking.”
I caught a glimpse of us in the mirror’s reflection. Of all the humans the council could have assigned to work with me, they had to go and pick one who was far too attractive for his own good. “I’m more concerned with what type of snakes live in this place, than a creepy old man.” Facing Scorpion, I bit down on my lower lip. His comment about romance gave me far too many ideas about what he would do with me if we… never mind.
“Not much of a camper?”
Stepping out of the men’s bathroom, I clutched the necklace in my hand. “Do I look like a girl who likes to sleep on the ground and pee in the woods?”
I was beginning to love the sound of his laugh, which wasn’t working for me.
“Definitely not. You look like a girl who always gets what she wants.” He smirked. “Also, you certainly deserve far better than this.”
“And if I was?” he countered, amused.
I tried to imagine him as a little boy, dressed in a Boy Scout uniform, and my lips curved at the image I conjured. “You scream military brat.”
He followed, his long legs keeping an easy pace as those keen eyes took in everything surrounding us. A formed habit by how effortlessly he surveyed the trees. “I’d love to share my past with you, but you won’t share yours.
It wasn’t a question but a fact, like he was certain of his statement, like he knew me.
I didn’t like it.
“Definitely not,” I mumbled, letting my eyes adjust to the starless darkness. It was weird not seeing a single twinkling light in the sky, as if the night knew of the danger lurking on the horizon.
We walked for a few minutes in silence, the only sound was the crunching of leaves and grass underfoot. Occasionally, I picked up the chatter and laughter of a nearby campsite, like the one we’d left behind. Another spear of lightning jutted above the trees.
“It’s too quiet,” Scorpion whispered. “I don’t like it.”
I agreed, stretching out my hearing. “Even the animals have made themselves scarce.”
“How can you tell?” he asked, looking at me strangely, like he was analyzing everything about me.
“You must have heard some of the tales about vampires.”
“Only what I’ve seen in movies or read about in books.”
“Perfect. It’s all true,” I replied.
He picked up on my sarcasm easily enough. “So, you sparkle in the sun?”
“Ha. Ha. Ha.”
“If that is the case, then why haven’t you sucked me dry? Not in the fun way, I mean,” he added.
I coughed, covering a laugh. “The night’s not over yet, Ethan.”
“You know, before this mission is over, you’re going to call me Scorpion,” he vowed with the utmost confidence, so sure of himself and his ability to charm me.
“Don’t hold your breath.”
We picked up our pace again, letting the steady glow of the pendant guide us through the dark. “Do you like being a supernatural?” he asked, breaking the lull.
“I can’t complain. My life as a human was dull in comparison. I know this isn’t a life most people would choose, but for me, it was better than anything I had before I was turned.”
“I assume you don’t miss your old life. I probably wouldn’t either,” he replied thoughtfully, remembering what I let slip during the meeting with the council.
“No,” I replied, perhaps a bit hastily. “I didn’t have a white picket fence childhood, with parents who cared.”
A heavy sigh left him, processing my words. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, Renna.”
I didn’t want him to feel sorry for me, or pity the girl who hadn’t been wanted. “Don’t be. Turns out, I was destined for something better. And I’m wickedly good at it.” Something pierced the side of my neck, and I smacked a hand at the culprit. “Stupid bloodsuckers,” I mumbled, wiping the smear of blood and mosquito guts splattered on my hand against my thigh.
Scorpion chuckled, but didn’t point out the obvious.
I could see the irony in being bitten by an insect who sustained on human blood. Flipping up my black hood to conceal my face, we moved with the shadows, keeping out of the moonlight. Darkness clung to me.
“So, Ethan, what’s your blood type?”
“Do you have a preference?” he asked, his voice thick, mischievous, and pensive.
I peered at from the side of my eyes. “Perhaps I should find out for myself…”
I was testing him and his reaction to what I was. I wasn’t sure why it mattered, only that I refused to allow myself to be vulnerable in front of him. I also had very little experience with how humans reacted to what I was. Being supernatural was a safeguarded secret, and for the better part of two years, I’d spent most of those with other people like me.
His hand reached for my wrist, halting me in my tracks. My first thought was that he was going to try and kiss me again, but when I saw his face, I instantly became alert. “What is it?” I whispered.
“I’m sensing something is out there, watching us.” He did a slow 360. His eyes seemed to zoom in on the darkness, scanning every inch of the woods. “I think we are being followed,” he whispered.
I listened, but nothing stirred. If it weren’t for the tightening of his body, causing the muscles of his chest to clench, I would have thought he was screwing with me, but his eyes were crystal clear and bright with awareness. “Who would be that dumb?”
Demon.
Before I had a chance to digest the thought, I was pinned against the trunk of a tree. He moved quickly for a human. It wasn’t often I was caught off guard, or perhaps it was his body pressed against mine that was throwing me for a loop. “You better have a good explanation for pinning me like this.”
His finger fell over my lips, silencing me, while he continued to stare into the dark. “I just saw something.”
“What?” I hissed, keeping my voice below a whisper.
“A glimpse of white horns? I-I’m not sure. There was movement between those trees.”
I turned my head to where he indicated. “Whatever it was, it’s now gone.”
My breath fluttered along the side of his ear, and I heard his pulse quicken. Blood rushed through his veins in response, a call I found myself impervious to ignore. Scorpion’s hands gripped my waist, and it was as if some force compelled me to turn my head, so my lips skimmed over the surface of his neck. That same feeling nudged me further, and my tongue darted over his vein, tasting him.
Wrong move, Renna.
A shudder rocked Scorpion’s spine, and he pressed closer against me, enticed by my actions. His reaction and being this close to him did something to me. I lifted my gaze to his, just as his head tilted, eyes boring into mine. He licked lips.
I wasn’t supposed to be thinking about the numerous things he could do to me with those lips, or what it would feel like to sink my fangs deep into that sensitive spot of his neck.
Scorpion’s scorching gaze dropped to my mouth, but he shut his eyes, the muscles of his jaw and arms jerking, as though he was forcing himself to reign in his need for me. “We are on mission,” he all but growled, looking at me again. “We need to maintain focus, so we should probably keep moving.”
I nodded, not really hearing his words, his voice was husky, strained, and delicious, calling me to him. My mind was off on its own and I stood on my toes, bringing our mouths closer.
What are you doing, Renna?
Playing with things I didn’t understand, but my curiosity got the best of me. Would kissing him feel the same? Would his lips be as soft? I moved in, his breath warm on my face, and his fingers tightened at my hips. Anticipation and excitement rippled within me, and my eyes began to flutter clo—
A twig snapped.
Our heads jerked in the direction of the sound, to our right, and my fangs descended, automatically reaching for the bracelet at my wrist. Stepping back, Scorpion reached for the gun in the back of his jeans and cocked it. He was right. Something was out there. For a moment, I heard it, and its breathing was different than Scorpion’s or mine.
Not human.
A flicker of fire, no not fire, but red eyes connected with mine.
Gotcha.
“Let’s go.” I reached for Scorpion’s hand and took off, giving chase to whatever was out there, but it quickly became clear that Scorpion would only slow me down. He couldn’t keep up with my vampire speed. Releasing his hand, I ran.
“Renna,” his voice
hissed through the darkness, surging forward after me.
The creature was fast, born from night itself, but without the glow of its burning eyes, it was impossible to track. No sooner had I given chase, that I had also lost the creature.
My feet skidded to a stop and a few moments later, Scorpion stopped beside me, panting. “It’s gone.”
“What do you mean, gone?”
“I don't know. Just gone.”
“Do you think it is hunting her?”
“You mean, the demon?” I nodded. I didn’t know what Infernum would want with a witch, other than to stop whatever the Aereum had planned. How did they even find out about her? Did they sense her power? “Which means we need to find her first.”
“Look.” Scorpion’s fingers reached for my hand. Together we held up the forgotten pendant, our attention diverted from the red-eyed demon. The necklace was… humming? A low energy hum came from the Awen of light, it’s glow pulsating, and growing.
Amber light shot out of it, shining like a beacon at sea, and a cabin became visible, nestled in between a thicket of overgrown trees and thorns. It would have been easy to pass by at this time of night, were it not for the amulet’s help.
The house had seen better days. Multiple windows were broken, the wooden logs were decayed, and covered in mossy vines. Gods knew what slithered inside, other than the witch, that was.
Our feet moved smoothly and silently as we slunk our way closer to the cabin, as Scorpion firmly held his gun, aimed at the ground to avoid any accidents. “You’re sure she’s in there?” he asked.
I nodded. “I can sense her.”
From the outside, it looked abandoned, not a single light or sign of life within, but the hum of energy coming from the direction of the house was off the charts. She was definitely holed up in there. Was it wrong of me to hope her cat had gotten eaten by a snake?
“It’s showtime, Scorpion.”
He flashed me a grin that would have made even the coldest of hearts thaw.
12
RENNA
“Follow my lead,” Scorpion commanded, inching his way toward the house. He kept his advance careful and deliberate, approaching so stealthily that he might as well have been a shadow. Not even his steps could be heard. Keen emerald eyes inspected the porch and corners of the cabin, trained for any signs of movement.