by K. G. Reuss
“You came,” she murmured, her small hand reaching out for me. Her fingers brushed my cheek, causing me to close my eyes at her tender touch. I pulled her into my arms again, hating being away from her even for a second. A moment later, her eyelids trembled, and she went unconscious, her body once again limp in my arms. She’d probably never remember this moment.
The doorknob rattled loudly, and I looked down at Everly. My Everly. Her mom was going to help her. As much as it hurt me to do, I laid her down on the closet floor and stepped back into the shadows, my sword once again gripped tightly in my hands. A moment later, the door was jerked open, and Mrs. Torres let out a cry as she dragged Everly into her arms. Voices clamored behind her as police entered the house. Beyond Mrs. Torres Everly’s father was crumpled on the floor, a broken vase at his head. She’d knocked him out cold. A sense of satisfaction washed over me. I knew it was the end for Mr. Torres, and his reign of terror over my Everly.
I didn’t see her again after that. The attraction disappeared. She disappeared. It could’ve been from my new hatred of her that she couldn’t reach me any longer. Or maybe she just stopped needing me. It was right after I saved her that I went home to find my mother dead. All because I hadn’t been there to keep her safe.
I was left heartbroken, the two people who mattered most to me in the world, gone —one I had to learn to let go of and one I began to hate. I threw myself into learning my abilities, into doing everything my father and the Order commanded of me. Because I’d promised myself I would find her again, and she’d pay for being the reason I wasn’t home to protect my mother from the vamp who took her life.
The heat finally waned. My body twitched. My eyes moved. And I was able to breathe deeply again. I flexed my fingers, blinking my eyes. Even when I was a kid, that never happened to me. It was similar but definitely not the same.
I sat up tiredly as Eric and Brandon backed away.
“You OK?” Brandon asked uncertainly.
“I think so,” I murmured, rubbing my thighs briskly before getting to my feet. I was still tipsy, and Eric jumped to my side as I swayed. “I’m good.”
“You don’t look so good,” Eric commented, moving away from me so I could have some space. I didn’t reply because Damien and Headmaster Brighton entered the commons.
“What happened?” Brighton demanded, his gray eyes sweeping over me quickly.
“I’m not sure,” I replied, sitting back down on the couch. Brandon thrust a glass of water in my hand, and I thanked him quickly. “I just felt weird there for a minute.”
“Has it ever happened before?” Brighton asked, coming to survey me quickly.
“No. Not like that.” I shook my head. Brighton paused and looked me in the eye.
“So, it’s happened before?”
“Not like that,” I repeated evenly, my eyes locked on his. He glanced at the guys in the room before peering back to me and giving me a tight nod. He knew me well enough to know that I wasn’t one to share too much information, so pressing me on it wasn’t a good idea.
“And now? How are you feeling?” Brighton asked delicately, a frown on his tired face. He reached out and tilted my head up. A small light in his hand flashed quickly in my eyes as he surveyed me. Seemingly satisfied, he backed away and waited for me to answer.
“Like I could run a marathon—twice,” I answered honestly. It felt as if nothing had happened to me.
“It was probably just an episode of nerves. You guys are headed into a big nest tonight, right?” Brighton asked. He knew damn well it wasn’t nerves. We all did, but no one said that. Instead, we all agreed.
“Right. Well, I don’t think it’s anything serious. For now.” He gave me a stern look. “But do come get me if anything changes. Madam Ann is out in Easterly, the Fae realm, visiting family still so she won’t be available.”
“No problem.” I gave Brighton a curt nod. He eyed me once more before departing with a disapproving sigh. Brighton, our overseer in Conexus, was a good guy. Damien liked to refer to him as our glorified babysitter, a remark that often left Brighton threatening Damien with detention. Brighton’s job was to make sure we did what we were meant to do which was to protect. Brighton and I had an unspoken, respectful bond with one another. He recognized that I ran the school more than he did. We both knew our place within our world and didn’t bother to fight about it.
“Are we even still going?” Damien cleared his throat, breaking the awkward silence.
“Yes,” I answered without hesitation. I wasn’t about to sacrifice getting into one of the Cipher nests just because I had an unsteady, strange moment. I’d rather pass out and wake up surrounded by the blood-sucking leeches I loathed with my entire being, than call off a hunt just because I felt odd. Vampires were the worst of the worst.
“Man, that was messed up. I don’t know if it’s a good idea—” Eric started, but I shook my head, silencing him.
“This is our job. We have intel that the Cipher have a nest nearby. We’d be fools to let it go simply because I had a moment. We have a duty to remove the threat. And we will,” I said determinedly, my voice taking on the authoritative tone I used when I had to get tough with my crew. The Cipher had every type of being we had and then some. We were a little more discriminating about who we allowed within our ranks.
“Damn,” Damien muttered. “I really wanted to be here when Sloane found the empty milk carton.”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure we’ll hear about it when we get back,” I chuckled softly, still feeling odd. I shook it off. It couldn’t be her. Everly was gone. I hoped she stayed that way, too. I wasn’t sure what I’d do if I saw her again.
But something deep within me hoped that maybe, just maybe, she was out there thinking of me too.
Chapter 2
“On your left!” I shouted at Eric as a carrion lurched forward with its pitch-black eyes and lolling mouth both opened wide as it lunged forward. Eric swept his sword down and cut through the beast, leaving it to fall to the ground at his feet, dead.
“Shadow! Behind you!” Damien called out. I whipped around and slashed through another carrion while throwing my dagger and nailing another one in the chest. I’d taken out at least twenty of the foul, magic-leeching creatures—beings who were once casters but had screwed themselves by overindulging in the dark arts. Now, they roamed around, starving for more magic, needing the very thing that had overcome them and sucked the sense from their bodies. They were servants to a darker power now, and there was no coming back from that.
We hacked and slashed our way through the nest. Adam, our resident warlock, wiped at his brow and shook his head.
“This is ridiculous! When did it get so bad?” he growled, his dark hair wet with sweat and his lips turned down into a frown. “Why are there so many of them?”
“Good question,” I muttered. There did seem to be a lot more than usual. Our intel indicated that the Cipher had many of the forsaken and other dark creatures and beasts under their control, but this seemed like a lot, even for them.
“It’s like they’re gathering an army,” Eric commented. “I mean, they always have been, but this?” He gestured around to the bodies strewn on the ground. “This is a bit much. We had to have taken out at least a hundred carrion tonight.”
“Yeah, another night, another heap of dead crap. Can we get food now?” Damien yawned widely. Brandon chuckled and stuffed his blade back into his black cloak. We all followed suit. Damien had a point. We’d worked up an appetite.
“Adam, burn the bodies,” I commanded, nodding to the dead carrion. He obliged with a nod. Instantly his hands erupted into brilliant blue flames, then the bodies ignited. They sizzled and crackled for a brief second before only dust remained, leaving just the ugly stench of ash hanging in the air.
“You do realize it’s only after midnight, right?” I chuckled as we walked away and entered a dark alley, morphing from our shadow selves into our real selves—all of us in long, dark cloaks and all-b
lack hunting attire.
“That’s AM, my friend,” Damien countered. “Which means morning, and what do you eat in the morning? Breakfast. I’m thinking waffles.”
We were sharing a laugh when I suddenly fell to my knees, clutching my chest. The heat was back, and this time it brought an intense pain with it.
“Shadow?” Eric called out, rushing to my side.
“What’s going on?” Adam asked, frowning down at me as I tried to breathe. Each movement of air only created more agony in my chest.
“Is it the same as earlier?” Brandon demanded, his hands automatically going to the sides of my head. I felt him try to heal me, but it couldn’t flow past whatever block was happening. He growled in frustration and tried again.
“Dude, what the hell, man?” Damien shouted. “Let’s get him out of here. We need to get him to Brighton. Eric, get on the other side and help me carry him—”
He didn’t get to finish his sentence, or maybe he did, and I just didn’t hear it. Before any of us realized what was happening, the tug in my core grew, and I was pulled into shadow, disappearing and leaving them behind.
It wasn’t like when I was a kid. I soared through it and landed with a thump on a hallway floor. The pain and strangeness I’d been feeling disappeared, and I swallowed hard as I got to my feet and examined my surroundings. I didn’t recognize the place at all. In front of me was a closed door. A shiver traveled up my spine. There was something behind that door that I didn’t want to see. I knew it, but the desire to open the damn thing was eating at me. Just as I was reaching out for it, the door was flung open. I quickly pressed my shadowed body to the wall beside it.
A girl with wild green eyes rushed out of the room in tiny, pink shorts and a tank top. Her hair was a long, dark tangled mess flying behind her. She dashed down the hallway, her small body quaking with fear. With haste, she threw open another door and disappeared inside without a backward glance.
I stood staring in the direction she’d gone, stunned. Everly. It was her. I knew it without a doubt. I’d never forget those green eyes. And she needed me, or I wouldn’t be there. I let out a low growl, not knowing what was driving me other than my sheer hatred for the girl. Rivaling the anger I’d harbored towards her for the past five years was an overwhelming ache in my heart that I forced away. Drawing my blade out of my cloak, I stepped forward, ready to finish the job the monsters from the deepest depths of our world had started all those years ago. I was alone. No one would know it was me who killed her. No one would ever know.
I licked my lips as I contemplated it. Yes. I’d waited for this day for five years. It would end a lot of pain and heartache for me.
But what was she running from?
I glanced at where she went, then back to her bedroom, grinding my teeth. Maybe I should just let the creature take her. Save me the blood on my hands. It was against our rules to kill a Nattie unless it was dire circumstances. Even if the Order found out I’d done it, I’d probably get off just because of how powerful I was. Straightening my spine, I made up my mind. I was going to do it. But I wanted to see for myself if she was being chased because something had brought me there. In the past, it was always some dark creature or a lost one—wandering dead—with her. It was never simple.
As I stepped into her dark bedroom, my red eyes narrowed. The air was thick with death. Something was there, lurking. I flung her closet door open. A switch turned on inside of me. Either for old time’s sake, my desire to be the one to take her out, or my need for peace—whatever the reason, I was ready to fight it out with whatever creature there was. I frowned when I saw the closet was normal, containing nothing but clothes hanging.
“What the hell?” Puzzled, I backed out and looked around. I made my way to her bed and checked beneath it only to find the space empty of anything. There didn’t appear to be anything there, but I could sense it. There was a broken picture frame on her desk, the shards of glass sparkling like diamonds in the moonlight.
“Come out, come out wherever you are,” I growled, looking around. There! Out of the corner of my eye I saw it slide out from beneath her dresser. I lunged at it, my sword aimed to kill. It darted away, and I turned and watched as it faced me.
“You seek to protect what you should let die,” it hissed at me. Its gnarled features were indiscernible in the darkness for the average Special. Thankfully, I was anything but. It had always been easy for me to see through the darkness. Tonight proved to be no exception. I knew exactly what it was—an ugly creature with razor-sharp teeth that could chomp through bone without having to bite twice. Its low purring growl and click, click of its claws on Everly’s wooden floor showcased its impatience. It wanted to feed on her. To sink its teeth into her tender pink flesh and feast on all the deliciousness that came along with pretty, scared girls.
“Shows what you know,” I growled at it, itching to plunge my sword through it so I could get to Everly in the next room. “It’ll be me who kills her. Not you.”
“You can’t kill what you know you’ll never let die, Shadow,” it snarled at me. A hissing cackling erupted from it. “As for me, all you’ll succeed in doing is sending me back to the Veil and buying her just a little more time because you won’t kill her. You don’t even realize how important she is. More of us will come for her. Thousands more.”
“She’s already dead as far as I’m concerned, wraith,” I hissed in a deadly whisper. It chuckled darkly at me, it’s mouth opening to reveal its rows of razor-sharp teeth.
“You know nothing of her, you stupid boy. Let me take her. Let me suck her sweet soul from her body. Save us both the time.”
“Never. It’s mine to take,” I rumbled, done with the banter. I didn’t wait to hear more from its forked tongue. I rushed forward, my anger and desire to be the one to take Everly driving my sword forward. It let out a nasty, gurgling shriek and darted through her bedroom wall before I could get to it.
I dashed out to the hall and caught sight of it sliding beneath the door I knew she was probably cowering behind. Firmly, I pushed the thought out of my mind. I knew she’d be scared, but I’d be swift in her death. I wouldn’t make her suffer. That was a promise I could keep. I slipped through the door as silently as I could and surveyed the room. My eyes fell on her as she cowered in bed beside her sleeping mother, the blankets hauled up tightly around her, her plump pink lips moving in a silent plea.
I let out a gasp. When she’d rushed from her room. I hadn’t gotten a good look at her. She was beautiful. In fact, she was the most beautiful girl I’d ever laid eyes on. My heart gave a painful jolt as I realized how badly I wanted to touch her ivory skin and soothe away her fears, rather than plunge my blade deep into her beating heart. She’d morphed into a gorgeous woman, growing into her long legs and arms. She stole my breath away. The wraith came up on its haunches and lunged at her, teeth bared, yanking me abruptly from my awe of the girl who sat trembling in her mother’s bed. Racing forward, I pulled myself out from my silent reverie of her beauty and ran my sword through the creature as she let out a blood-curdling scream. Her pretty green eyes were wide with fright and locked on me.
I stared at her, warring with myself. Moments before, I wanted to end her. But now that I stood gazing at her, all I wanted was to rush to the terrified beauty and wrap her small trembling body in my arms, run my fingers through her silky, black locks, and hold her while I promised that everything would be OK. But I couldn’t.
That wasn’t how this was supposed to go! My hand twitched on my blade as I stared back at her. It would be quick. It would barely hurt. I’d never killed a Nattie before. I’d never had to. But this was different. My mother was dead because I’d rushed to save Everly. I took a step forward, swallowing hard.
Do it! Kill her! End it!
She stared at me, with tears streaming down her face as she sobbed. Her mother began to stir. I had to do it now. I raised my sword a fraction of an inch.
Damnit!
I let out a frustrate
d sigh, my hand loosening on the hilt of the blade. I couldn’t. My heartstrings tugged as I stared at her. Instead, I backed away as her mother woke and held her. Everly’s small, terrified voice babbled through her curtain of dark hair as her mother hugged her tightly, attempting to soothe her. It was all too reminiscent of a time long past.
I should’ve left. I knew I should have. Instead, I found my way back to her bedroom and sat down on the bed. The minutes swept past me, turning into hours. I was afraid to leave her and afraid to stay. I didn’t know what I was capable of in either aspect. They wanted her—the dead, the undead, the dark creatures from the deepest, darkest pits of our world. I had no clue why, but I needed to find out if I was going to be able to make the decision that was tormenting me.
I picked up the broken picture frame and stared at her beautiful face. She was all smiles and bright eyes. My heart lurched. I tugged the photo out of its frame and stuffed it into my cloak pocket knowing that no matter what, I wanted to be able to see her face again.
Chapter 3
I watched her from the shadows of her bedroom as she came in the next morning, her eyes bloodshot and her hair a wild mess. My vision last night hadn’t done her justice. Everly Torres had grown into something extraordinary. I fought the urge to reach out to her, to either kiss those sweet lips of hers or shove my blade deeply into her chest. Even when I was twelve, I knew I wanted to kiss her. I only ever spoke to her that one time—the last time. Before that, fear kept me from conversing with her. I knew she could see me then, and I knew she was afraid of me, thinking that I was one of them. I had simply stood watch over her. Protecting her. Worrying for her.
But then I’d gone back and found my mother dead. So, I’d spent the last five years in a constant state of panic, confused about what I’d do if I ever saw Everly again. I had no idea why I’d been thrust into her world in the first place, but I knew there had to be a reason. Deep inside I wanted to believe one day she’d need me again. And when she did, I’d be there to finish what I prevented so long ago.