by Dannika Dark
I discovered I could move metal objects. It began in Samil’s basement when I pulled a flask across the floor by accident. It doesn’t work on all metals, and only if a Mage recently handled it. All gifts have limitations. Justus could teach me all he knew about common gifts, but I stumbled learning how to control my new skill. Other than that, the only ability I had was that I could polish off a pint of ice cream in two minutes flat.
“Is this about HALO?”
His blue eyes sharpened.
“I was in your secret room once, with Simon. I saw the red book on your desk with that word etched across the cover. It has the same symbol you put on your business cards,” I said, matter-of-factly. “What is HALO? I know it has nothing to do with a holy object hovering over your head.”
His shadow played on the wall as he threw his serious eyes to the stone floor. “HALO keeps the peace among the Breed; we share information.”
“So that’s the big secret?”
“It’s no secret I’m a member. If a Vampire pulled information from you—it could undo years of work. It is better that you are not privy to our secrets. We’re a select few of different races that represent the Breed. Our alliance is built upon trust, integrity, truth, and secrecy.”
“Trust, integrity… wait a minute, your motto’s acronym is TITS?”
A deep line etched in his brow. “You always have a comeback,” he grumbled, waving a hand.
“You spelled it out,” I grinned, deciding I liked the joke. “Halos and tits—it sounds like a strip club.”
“I think you need to stop.”
“Fine, I know how important tits are to you,” I snickered. “Why is Simon going if he’s not part of your club?”
“His services for this job were contracted, and… he owes me. We leave tonight,” he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “I’m not easy about leaving you here alone for that length of time, but you’re safe in my home.”
“Our home,” I corrected.
The house was a subterranean fortress with secret passageways, a James Bond garage, and steel doors. It had to be because of HALO. Any position with that much importance meant danger, and the location and structure of his home added a level of comfort.
“I am explicitly ordering you not to step out of that door, do you understand me?”
“What if the house is on fire?”
He lowered his chin, reminding me why he earned the title of lord and master of his house.
“What if I want some ice cream?”
I sensed his anger percolating, so I eased off.
“Do not disobey me, Learner.”
I crossed my heart, and hoped not to die.
***
In a strange way, I felt naked without Justus in the house. I had grown used to him peering around corners to see what I was doing, feeling a touch of warm air on my skin when I riled him up, and the sound of his deep voice filling the wide spaces in the room. However, regaining my independence was more important than a little loneliness. For the first time as a Mage, I was leaving the house unescorted.
Sunny left a message on my phone:
I’ll be there Monday 4ish. Where should we meet?
Breed bars were out of the question; I might as well slap a sign on my head inviting all juicers to form a line. We could maintain a low profile around humans, but the rules state that I must flare in a human establishment. Flaring is an intentional act, releasing energy in small increments. It alerts other Mage that you are on the property, and basically prevents you from getting your ass kicked. The books that filled our shelves dictated these rules, and I decided the risk was low. I chose a human bar.
The problem was that I didn’t want to flare and advertise I was alone. If I tried to conceal and my energy leaked by accident, I could be discovered.
I stretched my legs over the red chaise in my bedroom and considered my options. Restless candles flickered on the wall, and the biting chill nipped at my toes.
I needed help.
My finger hovered over a name that Simon gave me a week ago. The scribbled numbers were neatly tucked in the pocket of my favorite blue jeans. I found it when gathering clothes to send to the cleaners and programmed it into my new phone.
Adam Razor. Adam appeared like a guardian angel and carried me through the darkest time in my life. He was my spiritual canteen. I didn’t know if Novis was as much of a drill sergeant as Justus when it came to his progeny, but I needed advice.
“Bueno,” he replied.
“Hey, Razor.”
I could almost feel the breath on my ear as he sighed, but I waited for him to speak first. Pride is a bitch to swallow, and I was choking.
“Why did it take you this long to pick up the phone and call?”
“Me?”
“Yes, you.”
“You are one stubborn sonofabitch. Here I am thinking that you hate me for what happened that night with Samil. You don’t hate me, do you?”
“Woman, I’ll bend you over my knee and throttle you for thinking something like that.”
I tucked my legs in, picking at the fringe on the cashmere throw. It felt like we were right back where we left off, and a heavy weight lifted from my heart. “That sounds more like something Simon would say,” I said with a short laugh.
“Hmm.”
“Adam, how is Novis? Is he treating you well?”
“He’s the shit, Silver. Truly. Novis has years of experience behind him. There’s so much I didn’t know.”
“I live in a hole, Razor. One stuffed with books that don’t make any sense, a fridge that is almost empty, no television, and a Ghuardian who works out six hours a day. I don’t know a damn thing.”
Adam laughed, and a flood of memories came back. “Has anyone ever told you that you have the mouth of a trucker?”
“I may have a dirty mouth, but it didn’t stop you from kissing it.” When the line fell silent, I changed the topic. “Have you been presented in front of the Council, officially?”
“Last week. We went through the ceremony with all the robes and speeches. I’m official.” He sounded proud.
“Did Novis give you a new name?”
The induction involved each new Mage receiving a new name by their Creator. The tradition was antiquated, but customs were important to the Mageri. I wasn’t so fortunate with the one my maker chose for me, but he could rot for all I cared.
“I have a name.”
“And? Don’t leave me hanging. What is it?” The silence was torture. “Are you kidding me? I’m hanging up if you don’t tell me what it is.”
“Adam.”
I quieted. “I’m still calling you Razor.”
“No, you’re not,” he chuckled. Novis doesn’t have a last name and you know the rules.”
I preferred to call him by his surname. Adam was too soft and personal. For fuck’s sake. Now I was going to have to call him Adam and I knew he was eating it up.
“Adam, I need your help.”
“What’s wrong?” All the soft edges in his voice wore away.
“Nothing’s wrong, I just need your advice.”
“Shoot.”
“And your confidence.” I let that sink in; what I really needed was his silence. “I mean it. If you want to help, then what I tell you stays between us.”
“On my word, Silver. Tell me what’s going on.”
“I called Sunny and she’s flying in tomorrow. I can’t bring her here, so I was thinking about taking one of Justus’s cars, but knowing him he probably memorizes the mileage on them and—”
“What time?”
“Her plane comes in around four.”
“No, what time do you need me to be there?”
“That’s not what I’m asking. I only called because you’re the man with the plan; you have ideas, and I need help.”
“I can go in public without my Ghuardian.”
“Come again?”
I stood up and paced the room. I kicked a dirty sock under the bed a
nd took a cleansing breath.
“Novis is very old, Silver. The light he gave me is strong, and he has no problems with my ability to take care of myself.”
“How old is he?”
“Ancient. Look, I’ll come along and you won’t have to worry. It’s too dangerous to be out alone and we all know you’re a pocketful of trouble.”
“Very funny.”
“I’m bringing a friend along, remember Knox? He’s in town for a little while, so we can all hang out.”
“What’s Knox doing here? That’s not exactly severing human ties,” I said through clenched teeth.
“If you don’t give me a time, I’m coming over right now and we’re having a slumber party.”
Chapter 3
The next afternoon, I stared at the front door for an hour. From my vantage point on the floor, I saw the house in a new light: cobwebs garnished the corners of the wall spattered with mud, shadows moved like dark soldiers, and there was a tiny green candy in the groove of the stone floor. Everything received a thorough inspection because of a deep-seated paranoia that Justus had rigged a trap so he could tell if I left the house. I paced the edges, crawled on my knees searching for string, hair, dental floss, or anything that could serve as a tripwire. I also planned to take a bottle of lemon scented cleaner to that floor later that night.
A knock pounded against the door and I shrieked, springing to my feet.
Someone laughed. “Silver?”
I lifted the latch to the heavy door and pulled it open. “Adam, you scared me to death, why didn’t you flare?”
He gave a wolfish smile and I knew it was because I called him by name.
“What happened to your hair?” Someone gave him a bad haircut, and he brushed his fingers through the wavy brown locks. He tried to keep it long on top, but a little too much came off the sides.
“Yeah,” he said, scratching at the whiskers on his cheek. “Maybe I better keep my day job.”
I looked over his all black attire, as it went against the grain of Adam, who preferred jeans.
I peeked around his shoulder.
“Knox is up top, I don’t think he liked the looks of that ladder.”
“I don’t think the ladder liked the looks of him, either.” I smirked and folded my arms.
“Where’s my hug, baby doll?”
I gave him one of those awkward hugs where I cradled my arms against my chest. Since when was I his baby doll?
Adam grabbed my wrists and hooked them over his shoulders. “Better,” he said.
I wrinkled my nose and sniffed his collar. “Are you wearing cologne?” I pulled at the fabric and looked at his neck.
“What are you up to?” he asked. “Because if you’re trying to take my clothes off then I should warn you, I’m wearing a thong.”
“Oh, shut up. I’m just curious where your mark is.”
Each Mage carries the mark of their Creator; mine just happened to land on my ass cheek as a promise of future embarrassment.
“Wouldn’t you love to know?” he said with a lift of his brow.
“You’ve seen mine, remember? Doesn’t seem fair.”
“Maybe someday if you ask me nicely,” he said, keeping his arms locked around my waist. My nose drew in his scent, and a flood of memories came back.
“Thanks for coming. I wasn’t sure if I could do this alone.”
“Are you sure you trust Sunny?”
I fell out of his arms and he backed into the hall.
“As much as you trust Knox.”
I looked at the threshold with concern and my gut knotted. Was it worth the risk to ruin the trust I shared with my Ghuardian?
“What’s wrong?”
“I promised Justus I wouldn’t step outside the front door,” I said, shuffling a foot across the floor. “It’s not as easy as I thought it would be. My conscience is a pitchfork prodding me in the rear.”
Adam bent forward, grabbed me around the hips, and threw me over his shoulder. “What are you doing?” I gasped.
“You can’t get in trouble for being kidnapped, can you?”
I hung upside down and stared at his rear. It was a nice view, but it faded in the dark tunnel when the door closed behind us.
“No, but you can,” I said, arms swinging like pendulums.
When we reached the ladder, my stomach lurched as he whirled me back on my feet.
I looked up and saw Knox looming over the open hatch like Mount Olympus. He served with Adam in the Special Forces—the kind that no one knew existed and Adam never detailed. It explained a lot about Adam’s personality that never clicked for me. Sometimes I saw another side to him that made me wonder about the life he used to live. He worked hard to take care of his sister, and despite dropping out of school, he later obtained a diploma. Adam was loyal and capable, a dangerous mix for someone who lost his twin to murder.
Knox took hold of my arms and lifted me to my feet.
“Hey, dollface.”
“It’s good to see you, Knox.”
Adam shot up out of the tunnel and gave his friend a scornful glance. “Her name is Silver, so you can cut the dollface shit.”
“I’ll call her whatever the fuck I want to, Razor. I’m not a Mage. Your rules, not mine, brother.”
I looked at Adam. “He knows?”
“He can be trusted. Are you positive you want to tell your friend? Remember, there are consequences if a human breaks our trust.”
“If she believes who I am, then she’ll have to know what I am.”
Adam nodded in agreement.
Knox pulled a dark knit cap over his eyes. “Let’s roll.”
***
The human bar was a smoky, forgettable joint, full of regulars. We stole a table in the back and ordered a few beers. I picked up that Knox and Adam were sharing information based on enigmatic glances and abbreviated remarks. I pressed, but they refused to answer my questions.
“Are you dating anyone, Knox?” Adam kicked my leg and I gave him a “What the hell was that about?” glare.
Knox held his beer between two fingers and pointed at Adam. “I have a bone to pick with you, brother.”
Lifting his hands defensively, Adam laughed. “It’s not my fault she likes to stir it up. I didn’t tell her a thing about your situation—or lack of it.”
Knox tilted the bottle to his lips like a weapon and cursed with his eyes.
The waitress appeared with fresh beers and a hungry smile. Knox’s eyes slid up her body like a rocket on a launch pad as he admired her long legs. The direction of her stare was obvious as it fell across his thin shirt that hugged him like a long lost lover. His chest was broad and heavy. Knox was an intimidating man who was rough around the edges. He licked his tight lips and flattened his shoulders against the back of his seat.
A flush of color rose in her cheeks, and she played coy—twirling a silver chain around her neck. She wasn’t a young demure thing, either. “Sure you don’t want something with a little more bite?”
His teeth scraped along his lower lip as they stared at each other. I nudged Adam, but when I turned to look, he was too busy soaking me in with his eyes.
“Stop staring at me,” I warned, stripping the label away from the bottle. “You have a television at home, go watch that.”
“Where are my manners?”
“Funny, I’ve been wondering that since we met.”
The waitress with small cherry earrings strolled off, passing by the front door where a young woman stepped in, shaking rain from her wet hands.
“That’s her,” I whispered. “That’s Sunny.” My stomach twisted into a pretzel as the music switched songs.
Both men leaned around for a look.
Soft light accentuated the curve of her back as she stood on her tiptoes, searching the length of the room. Sunny dressed for the weather in a snug, ashen sweater dress, wide belt, black leggings, and a scarf wrapped over her head. I forgot how much I envied her curves; she could have been a model ex
cept she lacked the pissed off, vacant look in her expression. She had a cute button nose and her apple cheeks pushed up those bright blue eyes whenever she smiled. Tonight, she wasn’t smiling.
Her blond hair spilled out in short waves when the scarf pulled free, and the bracelets on her wrist clinked together.
My hands were shaking. “She won’t recognize me.”
“Call her over,” Adam suggested, and nudged me with his elbow.
“Sunny!” I stood up to make myself more visible. She looked me over with a blank expression.
“It’s me, Zoë.”
I put myself in her shoes, and I knew she wanted to bolt. “Please, sit with us for a few minutes. I know it’s a lot to take in.”
“I don’t know you.” She clutched a small, black purse and raked me over with her eyes. “This was a mistake.”
I did the only thing I could think of. “It’s me, Sunshine.” I reached out and shocked her arm. I always had an unexplainable talent at summoning static electricity. She bounced back and I saw something that wasn’t there before—recognition.
“Don’t let this be a cruel joke. Please be you.”
“I promise it’s me. You’ve come this far and that’s more than I expected. Will you sit down and have a beer with us?” I grabbed her hand and we walked to the table.
“I’d like you to meet my best friend—”
Knox stood up so fast the table lifted off the ground. An empty beer bottle sailed into Adam’s lap, and he caught the remaining bottles before it turned into a fiasco. Knox pulled off his cap, releasing a mess of black hair that covered the tips of his ears. He wrung the hat between his hands and looked down at her shoes. The man was nothing but muscle and mouth, yet there was something so lovely in the way he looked at Sunny.
I smiled—couldn’t help it. “This is Knox.”