Again, the guilty glint in Morpheus’s eyes. A nagging suspicion takes hold of me. “You’re going to see Daisy, aren’t you?” I continue.
Rufio runs back into the living room. “You’re going to see Daisy?”
“Yes, if you must know. She still has the rare book she got from the librarian, and we’re doing a read-a-thon before she has to return it on Monday.”
“A what now?” Rufio asks.
“And do you have to go to her room?” I ask, unable to hide my annoyance or jealousy.
“It was her condition. She doesn’t want to see either of you.” Morpheus looks pointedly at Rufio and me.
“What did I do?” My brother arches his eyebrows innocently.
“Maybe she thought you were bad in the sack,” I answer perversely.
“Bite me, Bryce. You’re jealous that she didn’t put up a fight with me.”
“Okay. I’m out of here.” Morpheus heads for the door, but I beat him to it.
“Bryce, what do you think you’re doing?” he asks.
“I’m going to clear the air once and for all.”
I knock hard on Daisy’s door before Morpheus can stop me. We wait, and when there’s no reply, I look at him. “Are you sure she agreed to meet with you?”
“Yes.” Morpheus frowns.
“Uh, guys.” Rufio joins us in the hallway. “I just received a text message from Drusilla. She’s asking about Daisy.”
The cold touch of dread runs down my spine. Daisy isn’t home, and Drusilla is asking about her. That can’t be good.
Rufio already has the phone glued to his ear. “Come on, bitch, pick up already.”
After a moment, he gives up. “She’s not answering.”
There’s a ping from his phone, announcing a new text message. Rufio reads it quickly and then raises his gaze to mine. “She’s saying that if I want to know what happened to Daisy, I have to head down to her impromptu party by the pool.”
The lights in the hallway flicker, my power leaking from me automatically. I whirl around and head for the stairs with Rufio and Morpheus right behind me.
If Drusilla touched one hair of Daisy, she’s as good as dead. I don’t fucking care about the consequences.
RUFIO
Bryce is going to explode. He went from a guy who felt nothing to a short-fused one. I used to be the hothead in the group, but Bryce is giving me a run for my money.
As soon as we hit the sidewalk outside the building, he takes off at breakneck speed. He can probably outrun a cheetah. Morpheus and I struggle to keep up. Bryce has always been the fastest among us, which used to piss me off. Still does. I love my brother, but the rivalry between us is strong.
I can hear the upbeat techno music from outside the gym, plus laughter. Bryce has already disappeared inside. In his current state, he’s probably going to start blowing shit up first and asking questions later.
The music cuts off suddenly, and Morpheus curses under his breath.
“Here we go,” I say.
I push the double doors to the pool area open with enough force to command the attention of those nearby. But most of the partygoers have their gazes glued to Bryce, who is striding toward the bitch of the hour. Drusilla.
The idiot has the audacity to stare at my brother with a smug grin on her face. Either she’s gone completely crazy, or she has a trump card up her sleeve. She’s a powerful Idol, but she’s no match for Bryce. At least her friend Renata has enough brain cells to look fearful.
“Bryce, what an ho—” Her stupid speech is cut short when a waterspout erupts from the pool and curls around her neck, lifting her off the ground as it chokes her.
Damn. Bryce has amped his telekinesis game.
“What have you done with Daisy?” he asks in a low and dangerous tone.
Drusilla’s face turns beet red, and it’s obvious she can’t answer while Bryce is crushing her airway.
“Bryce. She can’t talk like that,” Morpheus points out.
It takes another couple of seconds for Bryce to release Drusilla. She drops to her knees and wheezes.
“Talk, bitch,” Bryce growls.
Drusilla lifts her chin in defiance. “You’re too late. Your Norm whore is probably already dead.”
“What did you do?” I take a step forward, curling my hands into fists in a futile attempt to control my anger. Bryce is not the only one who can do some serious damage.
Drusilla slowly rises from her crouch. “We gave her a taste of Idol life. She wanted to try Silver-voltage so badly. We couldn’t say no.”
With a roar, Bryce unleashes his fury on Drusilla, but the energy bolt he sends her way misses the mark.
What the hell. How did she move so fast?
She laughs from the bleachers. “Oh, Bryce. You’re no longer the hottest ticket in town. I’ve been blessed too.” She pulls the neckline of her shirt to the side, revealing a lightning bolt–shaped mark. The same mark the guys and I have.
Son of a bitch.
Morpheus lets out a groan and clutches his head between his hands. Ah hell. Don’t tell me our deity godfather decided to make an appearance in his head. The shadows on his wrists are darker and writhing as if they want to escape the bracelets’ bindings.
A high-out-of-his mind Pietro comes stumbling forward. “What are you guys fighting for? It’s a parteey.” He raises his fist up in the air. “Besides, Drusilla is totally lying.”
Pietro smirks at her, and she glowers. There’s no lost love between the two. He came on to her, and she shut him down hard, more than once.
“She’s not lying. I gave Silver-voltage to the Norm myself,” Renata replies.
Drusilla might have acquired extra juice, but I don’t sense anything extra about her stupid friend. I’m on the girl before Bryce can reach her, grabbing Renata by her neck and squeezing tight. “You’d better by lying.”
Dark veins appear in my hand. I’m one second away from turning Renata into dust.
“Dude, chillax,” Pietro says. “She’s totally lying. I saw Daisy with Phoenix like an hour ago. She was fine.”
Without letting go of Renata, I turn to Bryce. He already has his cell phone out.
“Is Daisy with you?” he asks Phoenix. After a pause, he continues. “Is she okay?”
“Dude, what’s going on with Morpheus?” Pietro asks.
He’s definitely not looking too good right now. He made his way to the bleachers and keeps holding his head in his hands. Fuck. We don’t need this right now.
I let go of Renata and walk over to my friend. Before I reach Morpheus, I catch Bryce fry his phone with an energy blast.
“What the hell did you do that for?” I ask.
“Phoenix hung up on me.”
“But Daisy is okay?” I take a step in his direction.
“She’s alive, which means she didn’t take Silver-voltage.” Bryce turns his attention to Drusilla.
“I told you she was lying.” Pietro sneers.
“Shut up, asshole!” she commands, and at once, Pietro shuts his cake hole. By the way he’s turning red, she used her compulsion power on him.
Morpheus lifts his head, his face pale now. “The god told me she isn’t lying,” he whispers so only Bryce and I can hear him.
I trade a glance with my brother. “What now?”
I can’t mistake the regretful expression on Bryce’s face. “We find Phoenix and Daisy and hope for a miracle.”
23
Phoenix
The street and cars flash by in a blur. I push my SUV to the limit because I don’t know how much time Daisy has left. I’ve never met a Norm who was dumb enough to take Silver-voltage, but if even Fringes are dying like flies, it’s only a matter of time before Daisy succumbs to the drug.
Today, I broke the record of stupid shit I pulled. First, inviting Daisy to meet my parents and thus putting her in my odious father’s path. Second, not suspecting what was wrong with her. I’ve taken Silver-voltage plenty of times; I should have been able to read the si
gns.
The navigation system tells me I need to make a left, but I’m going too fast.
“Hold tight, Daisy.” I yank the wheel, the tires screeching violently as I make the sharp turn.
She yelps, but I can’t risk peeling my eyes off the road for one second.
Finally, the damn robotic voice tells me Nurse Ellen’s home is coming up. Last year, we hacked into the school’s system and got everyone’s addresses just because we could. It’s finally being useful. She lives downtown on a narrow street, which at the moment has no parking spots available. Screw it. I’m parking in the middle.
I slam on the brakes, and Daisy’s body lurches forward. I’m glad she’s wearing her seat belt. I’m out of the car and by her door in a split second. She’s still buckled to her seat when I yank the door open.
Using my telekinesis, I free her from the strap and pull her out.
“Ouch, Phoenix. You don’t need to tear my arm off.”
I don’t stop or offer a comment. I’m running on pure adrenaline. I ring the doorbell, but only because I sense the nurse’s front door is protected against break-ins. When she doesn’t answer right away, I pound on it.
“Ellen, open up!”
I hear footsteps coming down the stairs. A second later, a distraught woman opens the door. She’s not Ellen, and she’s a Norm.
“Who are you?” she asks.
“Who is it, Fatima?” Ellen asks from inside the apartment.
“It’s Phoenix. And Daisy.”
Ellen finally runs down the stairs wearing comfy sweatpants and a T-shirt.
“What happened?” she asks with wide eyes.
“Daisy took Silver-voltage,” I reply.
“What?” both women exclaim.
“I didn’t take it willingly. I was forced to,” Daisy supplies.
“Oh my God. Come on in. Quickly.” Ellen urges us in with her hand.
In single file, we hurry up the stairs. As soon as Daisy reaches the landing, Ellen grabs her by the hand and sits her down on a high stool.
“How are you feeling? Dizziness, nausea, headache?” The nurse fires one question after another while staring intently at Daisy’s face.
“I was dizzy when the drug entered my system. And my legs were numb for a while. But after that, I felt euphoric and relaxed.”
“That’s the effect of the drug on Idols,” I say.
“Stay still, Daisy,” Ellen tells her. “I’m going to scan you.”
Daisy’s panicked gaze switches to me for a fleeting moment. I want to tell her everything will be okay. I should be strong for her. But I’m freaking out myself. At least my father left me alone for now, which in itself is a bizarre occurrence, especially after the stunt I pulled at dinner.
Ellen closes her eyes and stretches her hands in front of Daisy. I faint light emanates from her palms. Whatever she’s doing takes about a minute. Then the nurse lowers her arms, but she doesn’t speak at all.
I walk to Daisy’s side. “So?”
“I can’t find any trace of the drug in her body.”
“Are you sure?” Daisy and I ask at the same time.
“Positive. Is it possible that this was only a prank?”
“We’re talking about Drusilla here. It’s not her MO to brag about something she didn’t do,” I say.
“If she truly had given Daisy Silver-voltage, that would be murder,” Ellen’s Norm friend says.
“Like Idols care about that.” Daisy leaps off the stool.
Both women make a face, then glance at each other.
“We’re not all bad,” I say, but my words are hollow. Not too long ago, I wouldn’t lose a night of sleep if someone I knew had killed a Norm. They were bugs to me. But not anymore. Well, at least one of them isn’t.
“I don’t begrudge your point of view about Idols, Daisy, but not all of us are evil.” Ellen looks affectionately at her Norm friend.
Holy shit. I’m dense. The woman is only wearing a long T-shirt and socks. She must be Ellen’s girlfriend, not a friend.
“Poppers is a similar drug to Silver-voltage but not lethal to Norms or Fringes,” the girlfriend says. “It’s no longer popular among Norm kids, but if someone wants it badly enough, they can get their hands on it.”
“So your theory is that Drusilla gave Daisy Poppers and told her it was Silver-voltage instead?” I ask.
Daisy shakes her head. “I’m not so sure. You didn’t see the glee in her eyes when Renata dosed me with whatever it was. She was ecstatic.”
“It’s the only logical conclusion, Daisy,” Ellen says.
“I’ve seen kids dying of Silver-voltage overdose. It happens quickly, a few minutes after they take the drug,” the girlfriend says, and Ellen nods in agreement.
“That’s right. This was a terrible prank, no denying that. But be glad they didn’t use the real deal,” Ellen adds.
Daisy looks pensive, and as she does so, she bites her lower lip. Hell and damn. Now that a tragedy has been averted, my cock is all too aware of how much it wants her. Her nibbling on her plump lips is not helping my case.
“I guess we should go back to campus, then,” I say with a voice that’s a little rough.
“Thanks for seeing me,” Daisy says. “And sorry for the trouble.”
“Don’t mention it, hon. I’m glad everything turned out okay.” Ellen smiles.
“Yeah, thanks a bunch,” I say.
Ellen walks us to the front door and then peers over my shoulder. “I can’t believe you parked in the middle of the street and no one called the tow truck on you.”
“I guess it was a lucky evening all around,” I quip, but there isn’t humor in it. It wasn’t a fortunate evening at all. I defied my father, and I’ll pay for it. With blood.
Daisy is quiet on the way back, so after a long stretch without a word from her, I break the silence.
“A penny for your thoughts?”
She turns her face to mine. “I can’t believe Drusilla tricked me like that. I honestly thought she had given me Silver-voltage.”
“Well, maybe she’s not as savage as we thought.”
Yeah, even I’m not buying that horseshit.
Once we’re on the move again, I call Bryce. By the sheer number of missed calls and text messages not only from him but from Rufio as well, I know they must be losing their minds. But I get his voice mail instead, so I call Rufio. He answers on the first ring.
“What the fuck, Phoenix. Finally!” he screams in my ear.
“She’s fine. It was a false alarm. Drusilla lied. She didn’t give Daisy Silver-voltage. We suspect they used Poppers.”
I look at Daisy, finding her frowning. It’s almost like she’s upset that Drusilla didn’t try to kill her.
“Son of a bitch. Get your ass here as fast as you can. There’s been new developments,” Rufio barks.
His tone is ominous. Great. More problems are exactly what we need.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” I tell him.
“How is she?” he asks in a much softer tone.
“Difficult to say.”
Whipping her face in my direction, she says, “Tell Rufio I’m fine and he can quit pretending he cares about my well-being.”
I wince at her outburst. For what she lacks in powers, she compensates for in attitude. I can’t imagine what Daisy would do if she were an Idol. Thank the fates she isn’t.
24
Morpheus
“Are you sure about what that son of a bitch said?” Rufio whirls around.
“Yes,” I answer from the couch, wrapped in the thickest wool blanket I own. The god has departed from my head, but the shadows are still active, which means I’m once again turning into a human Popsicle. I can feel the power of the bracelets diminishing already.
“You also saw her mark,” Bryce says from his spot at the window.
“It means nothing. She lied about giving Daisy Silver-voltage,” Rufio rebuffs.
“She wasn’t lying,” I say, sta
ring at no particular object on the coffee table. “The god told me as much. I think….” I shake my head, trying to collect my thoughts. “I think Drusilla has been the one making Fringes take Silver-voltage.”
“It fits her MO.” Bryce frowns. “He wanted Daisy gone, and we defied his command. Maybe he found a more willing soldier to do his dirty work.”
“Well, Phoenix said Ellen scanned Daisy and found no traces of the drug. So what the hell is going on?” Rufio kicks a chair. It topples over, but it never hits the floor, turning to dust beforehand.
“Son a bitch! Will you quit destroying our furniture?” I yell.
“Yeah, and you still owe me a fucking door, asshole.” Bryce jumps from the windowsill and heads for his doorless room.
He stops midway when the sound of a key turning catches our attention. I sit up straighter, and Rufio turns toward the door, as tense as ever. Phoenix walks in with a grim expression that only heightens my own pessimistic thoughts.
“Where’s Daisy?” Bryce and Rufio ask at the same time.
“In her room.” Phoenix looks at Bryce. “She wants her father’s diary back, and I think you should give it to her.”
“Are you fucking kidding me with this diary shit?” Bryce barks. “And why are you singing a different tune about her now? You were the mastermind of her utter humiliation, after all.”
“Why did you take her to meet your folks? Aren’t they evil?” I ask.
“Will you stop with the ten thousand questions? I thought you had bad news to give.” Phoenix veers toward the kitchen and grabs a cold one from the fridge.
“Drusilla has been marked,” I say.
Phoenix moves so fast, he sloshes beer over his button-down shirt. “What do you mean, marked? By whom?”
“Who do you think, idiot? The asshole god from the island of horrors,” Rufio replies.
Phoenix’s eyebrows meet his hairline. “How? I thought you had to pass his bullshit trials to receive the honor of his fucking mark. Are you saying Dreadzilla got the mark by doing absolutely nothing?”
“I think she received the mark when she agreed to take the hit on Daisy’s life,” I say.
Ruthless Idols: A Paranormal High School Bully Romance (Gifted Academy Book 2) Page 13