by JJ Krzemien
“Yeah, the other half gargoyles.” Zur pointed to each of them in turn. “My bros: Jamal, Asim, and Taz. And Ezra, the first girl gargoyle hybrid ever.”
Ezra crossed her buff arms. “Thanks for that, Zur, you ass.” Her skin was so dark it made Zur’s seem pale. She had large deep brown eyes and wore her hair cropped short and shaved on the sides.
The four of them sat at our table. Jamal and Asim looked a bit older, probably mid-twenties. They were obviously brothers with the same brown skin, hazel eyes with gold flecks, curly dark hair, and matching chimera neck tattoos.
Taz was the youngest, maybe fourteen. Not quite as muscular as the others but already matching them in height. He had pale skin and frizzy red hair that protruded from his head like a dandelion puff.
None of them had twisted legs in human form, like Oscar. I mentally shook myself. I had to stop thinking about him.
“Looks like we’ve been adopted by the garanth gang,” Nixie said, batting her eyes up at Jamal.
Beside me, Ezra stared at her. “Don’t bet your fin on it, princess.”
Nixie winked at her. “Any-hoo, I have to get to work.”
I gave her an alarmed expression. She was going to leave me here with people I didn’t even know?
“What?” she said to me. “You’ll be fine. This lot,” she twirled a finger at them, “good people. Although Ezra can be kinda crude.”
“I’ll beat the fish out of you, Nix,” Ezra said, but her eyes showed her amusement.
Nixie stood. “See what I mean.” She dodged a swat from Ezra. “Lili, let’s meet back at your room at 4PM, yeah?”
“Sure.” I watched Nixie leave, my stomach tightening in a knot.
Because of spending so much time with Oscar, I thought I’d be used to gargoyle hybrids, but these five were so much more intimidating. After watching Zur fight yesterday, I didn’t want to piss off any of them.
They were all staring at me. I cleared my throat. I was half angel, I could do this. “So, what are you up to today?”
Zur leaned his elbow on the table. “You don’t know what day it is, do you?”
I glanced at each of them. “Uh, no. Should I?”
“New Year’s Eve!” Taz said with a face-splitting grin. He didn’t look menacing anymore, he looked like a happy kid. I smiled back at him.
If today was New Year’s Eve and we’d been at the railroad house on… I tried to do the math, but my brain started to ache. How many days had the Amigis kept me? I’d figure it all out later.
“You okay?” Zur asked, touching my arm.
I glanced up at him. “Sure. Sorry. Just thinking.” I picked at my cuticles. “What happens around here for New Year’s?”
“It’s not so bad,” Ezra said. “Big beach party. Fireworks.”
Jamal spoke up, “The Squad is having a party up at Lummi Peak, if you’re up for it.”
Asim elbowed him. “Dude, you can’t go around inviting everyone.”
“She’s not everyone,” Jamal said, and gave me a wink. “Don’t listen to him, he’s a total wet rag.”
“You guys are in the Squad?” Were they all like the gunman or was he the exception? If I went tonight, I could find out. I hoped they would someday help me fight the Amigis.
“Sure are. Wanna come?” Jamal asked.
Zur shifted in his seat. “Guys, you know she’s only sixteen, right?”
“That’s fine.” Jamal shrugged. “I just think she should meet some Squad. From what you said last night, it could be an option for her after graduation.”
Asim smacked the back of his brother’s head. Jamal turned and wrestled with Asim until they both fell off the bench.
My face grew hot. That’s why they were all talking to me. Zur had told them what happened in the coffee shop. Did everyone know? Probably.
I stood up. “I need to go. Sorry.” I took my plate and deposited it in the dish bin.
Zur jogged to catch up to me on the stairs. “Hey, wait up.”
I stopped. “I’m not going to sit around so you all can poke at the new freak in town.”
“Whoa.” Zur held up both hands. “Jamal didn’t mean it like that. Sometimes he doesn’t think before he speaks. He just wants to help.”
He didn’t deny that I was the new freak. “Never mind, it doesn’t matter.”
“Hey, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. And neither did they. Actually,” he stared down at his shoes then into my eyes, “I wanted to know if you’d be at the party tonight. I was hoping we could…hang out.”
By the way he said ‘hang out’, it seemed to mean something more. Was he asking me out on a date? Or did he want to be friends? What did I want?
“Uh, maybe. I don’t know. Don’t you have detention?” Heat crept up to my face. Why did I always feel so stupid when talking to Zur?
“I did have detention, yes, but it’s over. So...what do you say about tonight?”
“Um, maybe.” Before I could make the situation any more uncomfortable I turned and hurried up the stairs.
∞ ∞ ∞
At seven o’clock that night Nixie and I had been in my room for nearly three hours getting ready for the New Year’s Eve party. Nixie had done our makeup with matching smoky-eye looks. She put her hair up into a high ponytail. Mine she braided into what she called a loose fish-tail, with little strands hanging around my face.
With hair and makeup done, Nixie decided my T-shirt was not fit for the occasion. She went to her room and brought back a couple of tops. The bandage style tank top I said no to right away. The other was a shimmery gold v-neck, which I tried on.
“Don’t you think the neck is too low cut?” I asked Nixie, evaluating the top in the full length-mirror that hung from the back of the door.
“Nope. It’s perfect.”
Easing my wings around the shoulder straps, I opened them and gave them a flutter. It felt good to stretch them out, kind of like standing up after sitting in class for a long time.
“You look super badass and hot,” Nixie said.
“What, with a low cut top on and my wings out?” I studied my reflection, not bad.
“Yep. Freak or not, the boys are gonna be after you. And some of the girls, too.” She gave me a wink.
“I’m not sure if I really want that right now.” My mind wandered back to that last encounter with Zur. He was cute and nice, but I’d thought that about Edgar, too.
She rolled her eyes. “Come on, just for tonight. Tomorrow you can go back to your blah T-shirt.”
I sighed. “Fine.”
“Great. Let’s get outta here. Take this.” She shoved a black wool wrap in my arms. “It can get freakin’ freezing on the beach.”
Nixie led the way, going in the general direction of the cafeteria. Through the pines, I could hear the party already in full swing. As the tree line thinned, the trunks were illuminated by the massive bonfire.
My chest twisted as we drew nearer. What if everyone reacted the same way that one group had at breakfast? Were they all going to glare at me and keep their distance? Maybe coming here wasn’t such a good idea.
I grabbed Nixie’s arm. “I can’t do this. They all think I’m a freak.”
“It’ll be fine. Just stick with me.” She turned and kept walking.
I hung back, unsure of what to do.
Nixie disappeared into the crowd. Great. What was I supposed to do without her? I couldn’t go in there by myself. Leaning against a tree, I watched the party. Most hybrids hung out in their own cliques—just like high school. A few danced around the fire to the blaring music from the DJ.
To one side Zur was arm wrestling someone as a crowd watched and shouted. The match came to an end and Zur jumped up and down. He high-fived the people around him. I was tempted to go say hi.
My scalp prickled at the feeling of being watched. I scanned the party. My gaze met a pair of green eyes. Edgar. I grimaced. Not wanting to deal with him, I started to back away into the trees.
“W
ait, wait, wait,” Nixie called out. She sped toward me with two plastic cups in her hands. “Here. This will help your social anxiety.” She placed a cup in my hand.
“What is it?”
“Beer.”
“Beer? I never drink at parties. Besides, I’m only sixteen.”
“Oh my God.” She rolled her eyes. “Wake up, you’re not in human-land anymore. Different place, different rules. Drink the beer.”
I took a sip. It was light and kind of fruity. Not bad. I glanced back over to Edgar, but he had gone.
Nixie took my free hand and dragged me onto the beach. We found her fellow half mermaids and chatted with them for a bit. A few of them seemed a little uneasy at first, but once they figured I wasn’t going to get mad and torture them they relaxed. The beer helped.
I checked out the other groups near us. Most of them were so absorbed in their own conversations that no one reacted to me being there. I began to wonder if I was overreacting. Maybe nobody cared that much.
Angelica came out of the trees and strutted through the crowd like she was their queen. Four beautiful teenagers followed behind her; three other girls and a guy. They all seemed to glow. These were the other nephilim—my peers.
She headed straight toward me, bumping my shoulder as she walked by. The beer sloshed over the edge of the cup and down my hand.
“Clumsy, freak,” Angelica hissed at me. She continued walking. The other four stared at me as they passed.
I was really not looking forward to classes with my fellow nephilim. How could I be one of them. I didn’t glow or walk around like I owned the world.
Nixie whispered next to me, “Isn’t he the hottest?”
“Who?”
“Brian, the nephilim guy, duh. He just walked by us.”
“Oh. Sure.” I hadn’t really seen him, only his intense stare. “Nixie, do I look like them?”
She took a second to evaluate me, then glanced at the five nephilim and back at me. “Actually, you do. Except for the glowing bit.”
“Great.” I took a swallow of beer.
∞ ∞ ∞
As midnight neared I was on my second beer and feeling more relaxed than I had in a long time. The temperature had dropped and I sat on a log near the bonfire, the wrap hanging loosely on my arms. I should have been cold, but warmth radiated from inside me. Nixie stood next to me talking to a couple of water nymph hybrids.
Neither Edgar nor Angelica reappeared, which left me in a pretty good mood. And besides Angelica and the other nephilim, everyone was cool tonight. For the first time in weeks I felt okay.
Sure, there were going to be challenges here. But after everything I’d been through, I was confident that I could handle whatever was to come—even the gunman. I would learn everything that I could and when the time was right, I’d take care of him myself. Of course there was also the Amigis, and more specifically Rose. As long as the Tribe didn’t know I was Amigis by blood, it would be okay. I chewed on a cuticle. But those were all worries for next year. For the rest of this year, for just a few minutes, I wanted to revel in the firelight, my new acquaintances, and feeling like a teenager again. I deserved that.
A breeze came off the ocean, raising the tiny hairs on my arms. I pulled the wrap over my shoulders, even though I didn’t really feel the chill. I set the cup in the sand at my feet. Closing my eyes, I breathed in the crisp smell of seaweed and salt.
“Your hair looks really nice like that,” said a deep voice.
I opened my eyes and gazed up at Zur. He smiled, plopping down on the log beside me. In jeans and a blue shirt that matched his eyes, he looked really hot.
“Thanks. Nixie braided it.” I ran my fingers over the braid.
“She’s a good friend to have.” He glanced from my face to the neckline of the sparkly top, then back to my face. His bright blue eyes bored into mine. My stomach fluttered and heat rushed to my cheeks, but I didn’t look away.
The first firework exploded over the ocean, making me jump. It seemed to startle Zur, too. I was about to laugh it off, when Zur suddenly wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me to his chest. The air around us grew thick and shimmery.
A second later the shimmers disappeared. Zur dropped his arms and scooted back on the log. “I’m so sorry,” he blurted.
I glanced around. “What was that?”
“I—the fireworks.” He closed his eyes for a moment and tried again. “The fireworks startled you and I reacted to your fear.”
I stared at him. “You can feel my fear?”
“Uh, yeah. Goes with the whole garanth thing.” He touched my shoulder. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay.” The warmth of his palm seeped through the wrap. For the brief time he’d embraced me his chest had felt warm too. My face flushed. I’d never blushed so much in my life.
More fireworks exploded low in the sky. For a few minutes we sat next to each other watching them. Then the countdown to midnight started at thirty seconds. Gradually everyone on the beach joined in.
“…three, two, one!”
Zur leaned closer to me. “May I?” He glanced at my lips, then held the question in his eyes.
It took me a second to realize what he was asking. Of course, it was New Year’s and kissing was a tradition. I nodded, anticipation tingled through me.
He tucked a stray hair behind my ear and cupped my cheek in his palm. His lips met mine. They were soft and warm. He kissed me lightly, moving his lips slowly against mine. My heart pounded in my ears. I curled my fingers around his biceps and he pulled me closer, deepening the kiss.
All too quickly it was over. Zur rested his forehead against mine. His hand slid down to squeeze my fingers.
“Happy New Year,” he whispered.
AMITY
MYTHIC BLOOD SERIES
BOOK TWO
I have an awful secret that’s tearing me apart:
My ancestors are all murderers.
And they want me to join them.
Having escaped from the Amigis, a secret society determined to rid the world of hybrids, Lilianna finds a new home with the Tribe. But the island refuge is not the safe-haven she expected. Everyone has secrets. Especially Lilianna.
She can’t tell the Tribe that she’s the heir to the Amigis throne, making her their biggest threat. But she needs to stay and learn to control her powers, because she’s set on avenging herself and her loved ones.
Drawn to the scent of her blood, Edgar, the hot dhampir who turned traitor, won’t leave her alone. Is he still working for the Amigis? Not that she has time for boys, not even for the sexy half gargoyle who’s drawn her eye.
But the greatest danger may come from within the Tribe itself. When Lilianna finally comes face to face with the centuries old darkness that lurks on the island, she begins to understand the role she was born to play. A role that could shatter her entire sense of self and everything she believes in.
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VISIT: https://tinyurl.com/y94azjod
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JJ Krzemien (pronounced: krez-men) writes young adult Dark Urban Fantasy, often with a cat or two on her lap, in the quiet forest outside of Portland, Oregon.
She wrote her first story at the age of eight. Growing up in the wilds of Idaho, she read anything she could get her hands on. Her recent favorites are Vampire Academy, Hunger Games, and Fallen.
She’s a member of the Northwest Independent Writers Association. For the past four years she’s been part of the local fiction critique group Wednesday Ink.
When she’s not writing, she’s turning cards as a professional fortune teller along side her husband. Needless to say, her enjoyment of the paranormal and mystical side of life runs deep.
You can find her online at www.JJKrzemien.com, and on Facebook as JJ Krzemien.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAP
TER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
AMITY
ABOUT THE AUTHOR