“The general needs all hands on deck. He sent me to gather you all to the infirmary. Hurry!”
Giving Juliet a weary look, the soldier walked away then ran quickly through the halls to her father, who was just fine. She didn’t like lying but she wanted--no needed--to get the vampires who hurt him.
With one look back, Juliet slipped through the door in hopes of catching up to the bloodsuckers. The entire time it took her to get out from being underground, she replayed how reckless she was being and she knew she’d be in a lot of trouble when she got back. Her anger trumped her senses and that was no longer important to her, which could be dangerous. To justify her actions, she had to defeat all of the vampires or it would be for nothing.
The moment she left the train, she ran to the nearest building and climbed the fire escapes all the way to the roof. When she knew she was in the clear, she closed her eyes and focused as much as she could through the fury. She slowed her heart until it beat no more.
The spark of life that came with her shift always gave her a rush that made her scream with glee. Feeling more in her skin while she was a phoenix than she did in her human form, Juliet flapped her wings once and took to the air. With her enhanced sight, finding the vampires would be easier.
And to her delight, they were.
Chapter 18
Temper Control
Juliet zoomed in on the nearest roof and landed expertly on her sharp and lethal talons. She stayed ifar enough away where she couldn’t be seen and she followed the group. Some of them had tattered clothing and some of them had dried blood smeared along their skin. Juliet smiled on the inside knowing that was done by her father.
The thought of them ambushing a single shifter made her even more furious. Anger radiated through her feathers, along with the orange-blue fire that pulsed off her. The more mad she got, the hotter her body became and she knew it would be what gave her away. But she couldn’t help it. She was livid.
Of all times to control her temper, that moment was the time for her to use all and any technique to stay calm. Instead, she did the exact opposite of her zen routine and gave in to the rage. Fully aware that there could be humans around, Juliet made sure not to attack until they were clear. She was confident it was going to be a fast execution.
They slowed in a nearby alley to joke about the state they left her father in. One of them claimed to be sad about the vampires that they lost because of him. Again, the pride inside Juliet soared.
Taking a valiant leap from the roof, Juliet let her instincts take over. She hoped her reflexes would kick in like they had the other times when there was trouble. She didn’t only rely on hope, though. She believed she was fully equipped and ready to take them on herself.
Bravery and adrenaline coursed through her body as she expertly landed on the cement with one last flap of her fiery wings. The vampires stopped in their tracks with their mouths hung wide, stunned. The first vampire to make a move was a girl and she reached for a notepad. Not at all what Juliet expected, but it threw her off.
“This can’t be Malachai. We just left him pretty torn up, and this bird is a young one, as fresh as they get. A student possibly but what’s with the blue hue? That’s new.” The vampire wrote it down then went to stand behind their lead guy.
“I don’t know who that is. We should go, though. It looks really angry.” She was smart to make that observation, but Juliet didn’t want to spare any of them.
He put his hands up as if it would block her from annihilating him and his vampire crew. It only made Juliet more frustrated because he wasn’t fighting back. Yet, it didn’t stop her from wanting to end his long and bloody life.
“Listen, we don’t want any trouble.” For just a second, the vampire disconnected eye contact. It was obvious that he tried to signal his friend to get her from the side. Juliet saw it coming and flapped her wings once to blow him back enough to stumble.
On the other side of Juliet, another one tried to attack her from behind. She did the same thing to that one and blew him back. The leader took a few steps back himself but the look in Juliet’s eyes made him freeze.
Focusing on all of her ice and all of her fire, Juliet spread her wings far out and thought of one of the weapons in her mental journal. With one flap, five stakes made of ice and filled with lava shot out of them, in a direct line from the two vampires’ heads to their chest. It was a gory sight but it was exactly the fear she wanted to place in the remaining four.
“Um… this isn't good. Phoenixes don’t do that.” The vampire nerd girl stopped herself as she gasped loudly.
“What?” the lead jerk asked without breaking eye contact again.
“That has to be…” She began to say exactly who Juliet was when someone else said her name instead.
“Juliet!” Nik was red in the face as he angrily but quickly made his way to her side.
It wasn’t until that moment that Juliet felt guilty for leaving the Dome without a single notice. She knew it was wrong and that it would get her into trouble, a lot of it. Her intentions were to have abolished the vampires before anyone found out. She was wrong and he did not look happy.
“Yeah… not good. This is officially about revenge. We hurt her father… and she’s here to hurt us.” The vampire girl put her journal away and began to back up slowly. She looked around with paranoia in her eyes and Juliet liked to see her afraid of more backup. Even if Juliet didn't call for backup.
Before anyone else showed up, the lead vampire went into action and threw a few hand signals to the remaining two guy vampires. With dizzying speed, they disappeared. Juliet looked around frantically because she didn’t want to get blindsided, but that was exactly what he was waiting for.
Nik spoke to the earpiece in his ear calling for his unit while he kept his eyes open for the two that just left them. Neither of them saw the leader make his move toward Juliet. With a single swift kick to Juliet’s left wing, the vampire left her trying to catch her breath through the pain.
With a loud screech that she was sure everyone in the state heard, Juliet stood up and completely blacked out. As if her vision were even more enhanced, she immediately found the two vampires that ran off, hiding in two fire escapes across from each other. With her left wing throbbing and out of service, she relied on her right one.
Leaning on her fire, Juliet used all her strength to set those vampires aflame. One of them fell over the banister and crashed to the pavement just between Juliet and their leader. The other screamed until the fire ate through his body. Four down, two to go.
Even through the pain, Juliet knew it was still far from over. The girl vampire was frozen in her tracks, afraid to move or say something to put Juliet even more on edge. Her fear was bittersweet to Juliet because she felt bad enough to want to let her go. But they all participated in hurting Malachai. Juliet would leave no survivors.
The leader extracted his weapon which looked like a shotgun, but Juliet knew there were more to the bullets that filled the chamber. Now only slightly afraid, Juliet put all of her focus on him. Nik growled beside her and she knew he was shifting into his dragon. As much as she loved to see him shift, she couldn’t take her eyes off the vampire.
The girl squealed as she officially took that as her means to leave, but Nik was faster than even her vampire speed. Leaving Juliet, he flew and blocked the frightened girl from escaping. The leader must have had a connection to her because it was his turn to get distracted and it was just what Juliet needed.
Eager to use her training, Juliet expertly shifted back to her human form. Her arm still seemed to be broken, but that didn’t stray her away from her goal. With a small jump in the air, Juliet used her entire body behind the power in her right fist as it connected with the vampire's jaw.
Juliet heard it snap and she knew she popped it out of place. She wasn’t done, though. She took advantage of the fact that she still had her strong arm and she pounded his face like it was a speed bag. A few teeth flew out of his mo
uth as blood poured to the ground.
The vampire smiled through the blood which brought even more fire to hers. Both of them charged at each other with their fists raised. From all of the training she had done with her dad she knew he was going to go for her arm to get her where it already hurt. So at the last minute, Juliet turned just enough for him to miss her and stumble to his feet.
Spinning in a full circle, Juliet closed her eyes and brought brass knuckles made of ice to her fingers just before her fist met the other side of his face. She felt the spikes sink into the flesh on his face, causing her to have to pull her fist away and out of it. The vampire clutched his cheek as the skin hung off, leaving craters.
Nik flew back with the girl in tow and she seemed to go without a fight. She wasn’t trying to fight back at all. Again, that made Juliet much more frustrated than she already was. Even though she didn’t see any fun in what she was doing, that vampire girl sucked any enjoyment out of it completely.
When the girl saw the condition of her leader's face, she began to sob and it pulled Juliet’s attention away enough for the lead guy to try and attack from behind again. This time, Nik was the one to see it coming. With a lethal swing of his sharp wing, he struck the vampire directly in the heart.
The moment Nik retracted this wing, the vampire fell to his knees with his mouth in the shape of an O. The girl screamed and again tried to run away. Juliet raised her right hand and brought all of her ice to her fingertips. She thought of her alicorn ancestor and she thought of her favorite weapon. And that was exactly what Juliet used.
The strength of the frost that escaped her palm made her slide back. She had to force the ice back into herself before she let it consume her. The sensation was like a rush that she never wanted to end. Nik shifted back to his normal form just in time to help Juliet steady herself.
When she got her balance, they both looked at each other, then made their way to where the girl stood, frozen in place. Her entire body was encased in a shiny blue cube. Her face was stuck in a tortured scream and tear streaks were clear on her cheeks, even through the ice.
Juliet tuned into her phoenix hearing and used it to listen to the girl's heart. It was still beating underneath all of the ice. Lining up her finger to where the vampire's heart was, Juliet sent a single blast of ice to freeze over her heart. Nik’s unit finally showed up, just in time to clean up their mess, and Juliet was never more thankful.
“So… we’re going to have to leave them here to take care of this ‘cause your dad wants to see you.” Nik didn’t hold back because even then she could tell that he was still upset with her for leaving the Dome. He wouldn’t look her in the eyes and there was nothing but silence their entire walk there in their smart clothing.
Juliet didn’t know what scared her more: seeing her father torn up from getting attacked, or hearing that he wanted to see her after she snuck out to take out a pack of vampires. She hoped he would be proud because deep down, she was proud of herself. Only, she knew that was far from what awaited her back under the lake. And that frightened her more than the vampires that she just ambushed.
Clutching her arm, Juliet lifted her head high and straightened her back, unwilling to let anyone tell her she was wrong for trying to protect her father. She didn’t need their acceptance because she finally mastered balancing her ice and her fire at the same time. Regardless of what wrath her father had for her, the success of her training filled her with enough pride to last her a lifetime.
Chapter 19
Ultimatum Blues
Juliet fully imagined that the students already knew what happened and would applaud her when she walked back into the Dome. Instead, what awaited her were confused looks by the students that were by the door when she and Nik walked through. They simply didn’t understand where she and Nik came from when they were supposed to be on lockdown.
For just a moment she got lost in the rush of knowing something that they didn’t, something major. Regardless if they didn’t cheer her on for defeating the vampires that caused their lockdown in the first place, she still liked knowing ahead better. The surge temporarily caused her to forget about her arm that was surely broken.
“Ahhh,” Juliet groaned as she accidentally tried to straighten it.
Without a word to her, Nik pulled out his phone and spoke through the earpiece that was still in his ear.
“We’re going straight to the infirmary. Her arm’s in bad condition. Okay, see you there.” Nik hung up and finally showed her some leniency.
“Is there anywhere else that hurts?” His voice was soft but still she could tell he wasn’t happy with her.
“No.” The awkwardness made Juliet’s heart break into pieces. She didn’t mean to upset anyone, but she just blacked out after seeing her father was wounded.
“Nik, I… I want to apologize for leaving without telling you. But I can’t apologize for doing it because they hurt the only family that I have left and I just… lost it.” Tears began to fill at her eyelids, but Nik stopped them from falling.
“I get it. But you should have come and gotten me ahead of time. I could've helped. I would've helped. I was so scared, Juliet. I thought I lost you, and my heart just…” They stopped walking as Juliet interrupted him.
“I know the feeling.” Both of them stood there in silence for a moment to remember when Nik died. He placed his hand on her face and held it there as he kissed her forehead.
“I love you, and losing you would kill me.” They understood each other’s heartache.
But students began to fill the halls.
With Nik in a better place, he led her to get help in a much less intense manner. Juliet felt relieved, but then remembered who was going to be there when they arrived. She’d seen her dad angry enough to cause her nerves to go on overload. She expected him to be much more angry this time, and that triggered her anxiety.
Turning the corner, Nik held Juliet’s hand a little tighter as they approached the waiting group of people. Oberon, Malachai, Dr. Ember, and the doctor that was going to be checking her arm. All people that made her shake in her boots.
“Juliet Quinn, explain yourself.” Malachai cut straight to it, causing Juliet to grimace. Nik never let go of her hand, bringing her comfort. But it wasn’t enough. Her breathing hitched as she fought an anxiety attack from breaking through.
“Um, I… um, saw you hurt and… I don’t know. My mind went blank and all I wanted to do was find them… and make them pay. I’m sorry, Dad.” Now the tears weren’t going to stop, no matter what.
Nik let go of her hand as Malachai rushed forward to embrace his daughter in a compassionate hug. Holding her as she cried into his shoulder, he squeezed her and Juliet flinched away. Malachai wiped at his own eyes as he signaled for the doctor to check her over.
“I’m so glad you’re safe, Juliet. What you did, though, leaving like that without telling anyone while we're on a lockdown, was not okay.” He helped her to the empty bed that she would be getting evaluated on.
“I know I shouldn’t have. But… I’m glad I did go. Those vampires won’t be hurting us anymore.” Juliet thought that with them gone it was enough justification. But the stern look on the adults’ faces proved her wrong.
“While I’m proud of you for your bravery and ability to take down a group of vampires, Oberon and I both agree that you’re basically grounded for life. But because you did succeed in your attack and got us all out of harm's way, we're going to give you a choice. That way you’re being punished for your actions but respected enough to choose your own sentence.” Malachai stood and placed his hands in his pockets.
Juliet let the doctor examine her painful arm while she nervously looked up at her father. She couldn’t tell if he was more disappointed or if he was proud of her because each time he tried to show her his seriousness, he validated her actions. Still, she was curious as to what options she would have.
“Alright, either you can spend the next few months on a strict detention sch
edule where you’re reporting to different areas of the Dome to lend whatever hand they need. Or we could assign you to a rookie unit in my military where you’ll have to report every day after classes. There you will learn loyalty, respect, and ways to enhance your defense. You have until Ms. Heather finishes with you to make a decision.”
Malachai took a step back as the harpy healer took an X-ray, but his eyes were still filled with a sadness that would only fade with him comforting her. But by the way everyone sternly looked at her, she knew they meant business. Juliet thought they would be proud of her for defeating the vampires, but by their long faces, she could tell she really disappointed them.
Until that moment, Juliet didn’t think it was fair to be reprimanded, but that changed. She had people that actually cared about her, people that were genuinely worried for her safety. They only gave her that ultimatum because they loved her. As Ms. Heather finished her examination and assessed the damage on her fancy tablet, Juliet knew exactly which path she was going to choose.
“It’s broken in a few places. I can heal her.” As Ms. Heather worked on Juliet’s arm, Myreen came running through the halls.
“Nik, will you update her, please.” Oberon ordered Nik to get Myreen up to speed, with a single look of sympathy, she knew he was still there for her completely. The nurse released her hands from Juliet’s now-healed arm and disappeared through a door, giving them the privacy that frightened her.
“Have you come to a decision?” Malachai wasn’t cutting any corners.
“I have. If being a rookie in your military means I get to spend more time with you, then that’s what I choose. I almost lost you, Dad. That was more scary than sneaking out to defeat those jerks. I’m sorry that I did it the way I did, but you’re here, alive, and I’m here alive. That’s what matters.” Tears rolled down her face, causing Malachai to rush toward her.
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