by Raven Steele
I moved quickly to the wall behind Cyrus’s desk and felt around for some kind of notch or other object that looked out of place but found nothing. It had to open somehow. I dropped into Cyrus’s seat and swiveled around. I felt under his desk, opened his drawers; I even clicked a few pens thinking maybe it was some sort of remote control. Finally, after checking everything, I swiveled back to face the wall. I stretched my legs out and noticed my untied shoelace.
But that wasn’t all I noticed.
At the base of the wall, where the floorboards came to meet it, part of the floor was slightly raised. I wouldn’t have noticed the deformity by looking down on it. I stood up and pressed my toe onto it. Click. A section of the wall opened a crack.
I sucked in a sharp breath and pushed on it more. It gave way to the force. I almost shoved it all the way open but stopped as I remembered all the horror shows I’d watched with Jake. A common mistake of victims was never telling anyone where they were going. I didn’t want to be a victim.
Removing the phone from my pocket, I texted Liam: Found secret room in Cyrus’s office, behind desk. Latch on floor. I’m going in. I hit send.
Before I got a response back, I pocketed the phone. I could probably guess what Liam would say, but there just wasn’t time to wait for someone to come with me, nor would I risk anyone else’s life.
I pushed on the door until it was wide enough for me to slip in, then closed it behind me. It was dark and cold and the air smelled faintly of rusted copper pipes. I produced a ball of Light. Just in front of me was a narrow, metal stairwell that spiraled down into darkness. I swallowed and gripped the railing. Here goes nothing.
I wasn’t sure how far I’d gone, but by the change in the temperature, I guessed I was beneath ground level. A little bit farther and the stairs ended at the beginning of a long hallway. On each side were doors with small windows covered by bars. It reminded me of an old, abandoned psychiatric hospital. I really should stop thinking of scary movies.
Wiping the images from my mind, I continued forward. At least there were lights down here—two lightbulbs hanging from a wooden slat ceiling. Occasionally a drop of water would find its way between the warped boards and fall to the concrete floor. Parts of it had a greenish-blue hue as if mold had taken root. That would explain the pungent smell.
I avoided the green areas and stopped only long enough to peek through the bars of each closed door. Up ahead, I heard faint voices. I worked quickly. Other than metal beds, some of them turned upside down, the rooms were empty.
I thought my efforts had been a waste of time, but then I looked into the last room. Tied to a chair and head slumped forward sat a motionless person. Although her head was covered by a black cloth, I knew by her tan pants and black shirt that it was Tessa.
Holding my breath, I tried the doorknob and exhaled when I found it unlocked. I carefully opened it slowly to avoid any creaking of what looked like a two-hundred-year-old door.
Tessa remained still. I didn’t allow myself to think that she may be hurt. I just needed to get her out of here.
After I closed the door behind me, I tip-toed to Tessa and lightly touched her back. She jerked as if doused by water and thrashed back and forth.
“Be quiet, Tessa. It’s me,” I whispered. I removed the head covering.
She blinked several times as if waiting for her vision to clear. She glanced behind me toward the door. “What are you doing here?”
“Saving you.”
Not far off another door opened.
“Hide!” Tessa breathed, her eyes big.
I looked around. My only option was under the bed. I moved to dive under it.
“Wait! The hood,” Tessa whispered.
I scooped it off the floor and pulled it back over her head. Just before the door opened, I slid under the bed, my heart thundering within my chest. I scooted all the way to the back where the concrete floor was cold and wet.
Four sets of feet came into the room—Vykens by the way my body was reacting. I considered fighting them but four was a lot to take on. Plus, I didn’t know how many else were beyond the door. Hell, I didn’t even know where I was. Too many unknowns to reveal my position.
For several seconds no one said anything. Then one of them sniffed.
“Someone’s been in here,” I heard Jameson’s voice say. “I can smell it. Search the room.”
There was only one place to look in this cramped dungeon. Black boots shifted in the doorway. If they found me, they’d surely kill me and Tessa.
My gaze darted around helplessly. I’m so screwed.
The dim light in the room reflected off an oily puddle of water just in front of me. The surface of it contained all the colors of the rainbow, shifting slightly by the commotion in the room.
Footsteps walked the floor.
A rainbow. My mother.
I guessed I had about ten seconds before I was discovered.
Closing my eyes, I flexed every part of me as if I were lifting a two-ton car and wished to be invisible. Be invisible. Be invisible. Change! Sweat broke on my brow.
Thick soled boots approached the bed.
I imagined my skin shimmering, transforming into actual Light. The image was so vivid I smelled electricity in the air.
My nails dug into my palms, sinking into the soft flesh. Change! I screamed within my head.
My body began to vibrate, rattling my insides until I thought I’d break in two.
A knee joined the boots on the floor.
Be invisible! I was shaking so hard I thought I might be having a seizure.
Something popped inside my head. It was followed by a brilliant burst of light exploding in my brain. Then it raced through my body like lightning, making my skin feel like it was on fire.
The only thing stopping me from crying out in pain was the sight of Blade’s head peering under the bed only a foot away. His black eyes swept the area, completely passing over me. I would’ve been relieved except for the fact that I’d never been in so much pain in all my life.
Blade came to his feet. “Room’s empty.”
As much as I was dying to let go of whatever power made me invisible, I felt it was too soon.
Someone must have shoved Tessa because she grunted.
“Who’s been in here?” Jameson demanded.
“What? Huh?” Tessa’s groggy voice responded, making it sound like she was coming to.
There was a shuffling of feet and Tessa made a strangling sound as the chair she was sitting on lifted.
“Who’s been in here?” Jameson asked again.
She didn’t answer, couldn’t answer because she was still gagging. Her chair dropped and rocked backward.
“No one,” she finally coughed.
“It was probably Jackson or one of his boys,” the other Vyken said.
Jameson must have accepted this because he said, “It was brought to my attention that you stole some of the Auras’ pills. I want to know what you did with them.”
“I didn’t—”
He slapped her. “Tell me the truth! Where are the pills?”
Through fresh tears, she stammered, “I … I took them.”
“Where are they?”
“I swallowed them.”
“Why?” he growled.
“I thought they would make me special. Like Auras.”
There was a small pause before they all broke out into laughter.
“That is the most pathetic thing I’ve ever heard,” Jameson said. “A pill will never make you special.” He snorted. “But it will make you dead.”
“When?” Blade asked.
“Wait until tonight. We can throw her body out with the trash.”
Another Vyken laughed as they all left the room and said, just before the door closed, “I don’t think the dumpster will be able to hold all the dead bodies. Maybe we should have the garbage truck come early.”
The others joined in his laughter.
After a few tense seconds, I le
t go of whatever power was keeping me invisible. A sound exploded in my ears and my vision blotched black.
I barely heard Tessa say, “Llona?”
Stay conscious, I commanded myself. I tried to slide out from under the bed, but I seriously felt like I’d been run over. Every part of me hurt.
“One sec,” I breathed, but even speaking proved difficult.
“What’s wrong?” Tessa whispered.
I heard the worry in her voice, but it didn’t make me move any faster. I couldn’t. Arm over arm, I crawled toward her. Each movement sent mind-numbing pain up and down my body.
“Llona?”
“Hurt,” is all I could say.
I reached the back of her chair and rolled onto my back. Through double vision, I could just barely make out Tessa’s bound wrists. I blinked a couple of times, trying to clear my line of sight. It didn’t work.
I raised my hands, wincing because of the pain the action caused. I felt the ropes around her wrists. They were wet and slippery. I hoped it was from sweat and not blood, but when I squinted I saw red. This made me move a little faster.
“I’m so sorry,” Tessa said. She was crying again.
The ropes were tight, but after a minute I was able to get them loose enough to where Tessa could free herself. She swiveled onto the ground next to me. “What did they do to you?”
“No. Me. Invisible.” My vision was completely gone now. Only empty black space existed.
“I don’t understand.” She squeezed my hand.
I tried to squeeze it back, but I had become paralyzed. No matter what I tried I couldn’t move.
“Help,” I said with my last bit of strength.
“Llona?” Tessa sniffed, then waited. “I’m going to get help. Don’t worry.”
The last thing I heard was the sound of something heavy sliding along the floor. I hoped it was Tessa stuffing me back under the bed.
Chapter 32
My eyes opened. Blackness again. I thought I might still be under the bed, and I began to panic.
A voice said, “You’re safe. I’m here.”
My vision adjusted to the darkness. I was in my room and very familiar with the person sitting in a chair next to me. “Christian?”
His warm hand stroked my head. “You really scared us.”
“Is Tessa—”
“She’s safe. Liam has her. They were able to sneak her out.”
“Is she okay?”
“A little bruised, but she’ll survive.”
Anger swelled within me, hot as fire. “Does her mother know?”
“Tessa wrote her a note. Can you move?”
I wiggled my toes. No pain. My fingers moved next. When they felt fine, I lifted my arm. It took great effort, but it didn’t hurt like before.
After I finished assessing the damage, my anger became my soul focus. The pain Tessa and I had experienced had been caused by Cyrus and his followers. And Jackson.
Darkness swelled inside me at the thought of Jackson, someone who should’ve protected Auras. And I let it. “How did you find me?”
“Liam called. He told me where you were going. I hurried to find you and ran into Tessa on her way out. She led me to you.”
“Did anyone see you?” I scratched at my arm, hoping it would reach the dark thing squirming and writhing inside me.
“As far as I could tell the place was empty, even Cyrus’s office. We were lucky.” His fingers laced through mine. I wanted to pull away, tighten my hands into fists.
“Tessa told me what happened,” he said, his voice quiet. “I can only guess the reason you weren’t caught is you figured out how to turn invisible.”
I nodded.
“That was extremely dangerous. It nearly killed you.”
I tried to sit up. It was difficult, but I let my anger and hatred for Jackson and the Vykens force me upright. “Don’t worry about it.”
Christian ignored my curt tone and helped me into a sitting position. “You don’t need to rush it. Go slow.”
I turned toward the window. Just a glimmer of moonlight stole through the glass. “What time is it?”
“Almost nine. Liam should be here soon.”
“Inside Lucent?”
“Hardly anyone’s here. They all went to the city to see some musical. Besides, Liam wanted to see for himself that you’re okay.”
This made me madder, but I didn’t know why. I slid to the edge of the bed, puffing air out my nose. “Call him. Tell him not to come.”
“Relax, Llona. Why are you so worked up?”
“Because I need to go kill someone.” Rage pulsed through me, a heartbeat independent of my own. It wanted violence, needed it.
Sweat broke on my brow. I touched my forehead. Was I burning up? I closed my eyes briefly. I needed to get out of here.
I stood too quickly and stumbled. Christian moved to help me.
“Don’t touch me!” I snapped. “I can do this.”
“I’m just trying to help.”
“No, you’re babying me, so lay off.”
Christian reached for me. “What’s going on?”
I shoved his arm away, just hoping he’d try again. If he did, I’d tear him up. And if not him, then someone else. Every nerve ending in my body hummed for the fight.
I stepped toward him. “Get out of my way before I—“
My bedroom door swung open. Liam stood in the doorway, his eyes burrowing into mine. He walked straight to me and took hold of my shoulders.
“Hey,” Christian began, but Liam spoke only to me.
“You’ve got to calm down, Llona. It’s eating you from the inside out.”
I pushed him away, my strength fully restored now. Liam stumbled back.
“What are you talking about?” Christian asked, his gaze darting between me and Liam.
Liam kept his eyes on me. “I could hear the poison in her voice from the first floor.”
“I’m fine,” I snarled, telling him what I thought he wanted to hear. I pulled a beanie from off my dresser and put it on, anxious to leave this cramped room. “I just need you two to leave me alone.”
Liam took a step toward me. “I know you’re scared. I know you’re mad, and hurt, and probably a lot of other things, but you have to think this through.”
All the anger and rage I was feeling exploded from me.
“You weren’t there, Liam! They hurt Tessa and said horrible things to her. They were going to kill her and throw her body out with the trash. And me too, if they would’ve found me.”
Liam softened his voice, but it carried a sharp undertone. “I understand what you’re feeling, but you have to control it.”
“Llona?” Christian said, and I could tell by his furrowed brow that he had no idea what was going on. How could he?
I looked back at Liam, directly in his eyes. “I’ve never been more in control, and this feeling inside me is more powerful than anything I’ve ever felt. And it, more than any of your touchy-feely exercises, is going to help me kill Cyrus, so get out of my way!”
Liam relaxed his rigid stance and shrugged. “Fine. But if you leave, I’ll kill Christian.”
Christian and I froze.
Liam continued, “Go on, Llona. Get your revenge.”
My gaze flashed from him and then to Christian. Both of us were trying to decide if Liam was serious or not.
“You’re a horrible liar,” I said and moved toward the door.
Before Christian or I could react, Liam was standing behind Christian, his arm around his neck. Christian gasped for breath.
“What are you doing?” I cried. “Stop that!”
“Make me.”
Christian tried to swing a fist up, but Liam tightened his grip more, forcing Christian to use all his energy on just trying to breathe.
Liam’s actions surprised me, but I couldn’t be fooled. I took another step back toward the door. “Sorry, Liam, but I know you won’t kill him. Quit wasting my time.”
I touched
the doorknob.
“You’re right,” Liam said.
I glanced back at him.
“I won’t kill him, but I will hurt him.” Liam shoved Christian to the floor and rammed his knee into his back. At the same time, Liam jerked Christian’s arm back to an unnatural angle. Christian screamed, and I knew by his expression that it was no act.
“Stop me, Llona,” Liam growled, his eyes wild and dangerous. It was a look I swore I’d seen in my own eyes.
I tightened my grip on the doorknob.
“Go, Llona,” Christian yelled, wincing through pain. “I can take care of—”
Liam punched the side of Christian’s face; blood splattered onto the floor.
“Stop me, Llona!” Liam yelled again.
I inhaled a hitched breath, shocked at the violence Liam was capable of, and yet, his eyes reflected a deep sadness.
Pursing my lips, I said through gritted teeth, “I don’t want to fight you.”
I was itching to rip apart someone else, but then Liam pulled at Christian’s arm again until something popped. Christian screamed into the carpet.
“No!” Light exploded into my palm, and I tossed it hard at Liam. It hit him square in the chest and knocked him off of Christian. I made three more balls and drilled each one into him. Liam’s eyes widened, and his expression tightened in pain, but he remained silent.
When I was sure Liam had been rendered temporarily useless, I ran at him and kicked him hard in the stomach over and over until he curled up into a ball.
“Fight me!” I screamed.
But he remained still, doing nothing to satisfy my hunger for violence.
I lit up my hands with bright Light and pressed them to his back. This time he couldn’t hold in the pain. He screamed as Light spread throughout his whole body.
I thought I might actually kill him, but then something peculiar began to happen. The rush of Light, which wasn’t just consuming Liam, began to absorb the Vyken’s darkness inside me—the part that thirsted for revenge and the lifeblood of every living thing. And it was a different kind of Light than what I had used previously. Whiter, more pure, and filled with concern and love for Christian.