Decimate

by Sheridan Anne

  She shakes her head as she explains. “Every time you have gone there in the last six months, you have nearly ended up dead. I can’t live knowing if you step onto the premises again, you’ll most likely be eaten alive by a rogue werewolf,” she deadpans.

  “Yep,” Daniel smirks. “I agree with blondie.”

  Somehow the conversation turns into a rundown of every mistake I have ever possibly made over the span of my life when a light knock comes to the door. “Come in,” Jacinta immediately hollers, forgetting about the ‘boys in the dorm room’ rule.

  “Jacinta,” I hiss, indicating to the boys who are 2 seconds away from freaking out. But what can they do now, the handle is already turning.

  The door is pushed open as Jacinta makes a comment about ‘who would have the balls to get us in trouble after everything we’ve been through’. All my concerns vanish the second a familiar dark headed, brooding and broad-chested man steps through the door.

  He stops and immediately takes in the crowded room before him and I see the boys instantly relax out the corner of my eyes. “I shouldn’t be surprised to see you all here,” he smirks, though I don’t miss his eyes taking me in, taking note of all my injuries and how they are healing.

  “Meh,” I say with a shrug. “What did you expect?”

  He rolls his eyes at my blasé attitude and I’m suddenly struck with worry. “What are you doing here? And coming right to the door? Someone could have seen you,” I say getting up and going to him. He reaches out and rubs his palms down my arms in a soothing manner.

  “First of all, calm the hell down, nobody saw me. Secondly, no one is going to question why I am here after everything that we’ve been through this weekend,” he explains earning a grunt of agreeance from Jacinta. “And thirdly, you told me to swing by, remember,” he says with a seductive wink, forcing my cheeks to turn an embarrassing shade of pink. “Now, shove the hell over,” he says glancing at the occupants of the couch. “I figured you’d all want to know how the meeting went.”

  The room all nods enthusiastically as Rylan grabs my hand and pulls me over to the couch, sitting down next to Jacinta and pulling me down on his lap. I take a few seconds to bask in the current moment. The absolute perfect moment of sitting in Rylan’s lap, amongst my friends and family, in the most casual way. Knowing I will treasure this moment for the rest of my life.

  “You ok?” Rylan’s asks me quietly as he nuzzles into my neck to plant the sweetest kiss.

  I turn to look him in the eye, finding nothing but love and concern. “Yeah,” I smile. “Absolutely perfect.” He runs his hand up my spine and tangles it into my hair, bringing my face down so he can press his lips against mine. “You know, you looked pretty damn sexy standing up on the podium taking charge,” I mumble against his lips. “I love a man who can take charge.”

  He lets out a groan as he opens his eyes which are now hooded and full of fire. “Just you wait, Bianca Moore. I’ll show you exactly how I take charge,” he whispers.

  “Ugh… Get on with the story already,” Trey whines from across the room. I feel Rylan smirk against my lips, and I know if Millie wasn’t here, he would have made a show of claiming me right here and now.

  I reluctantly pull back so he can give us the details of the meeting, he laces his fingers through mine and gets started. “So, there were a lot of different viewpoints. It was basically a mess of people going back and forward, some of the council were all for an attack, while the others thought it would be suicide. We even had the handful of people saying it is all rubbish that Kaylee made it up as vampires are not known to band together, especially under the rule of the Fairies. So she was brought in and interrogated.”

  “Ultimately it was The Guards decision, in which they voted for an attack. Then came the part where the front lines had to figure out the best course of action and after three hours they had gotten nowhere. So, Brett Norrington put his foot down and demanded that we follow through with my initial plan,” his eyes find mine with a hidden message. This is his Dad’s way of trying to get closer, which he doesn’t like, but is thankful for as Rylan’s plan is utterly brilliant. Though we can come back to this when there isn’t a room full of people eager to find out Rylan’s secrets.

  “Ok,” I say bringing my thoughts back to the here and now. “How is that going to work?”

  “Well, as I said during the first meeting, we will use Kaylee who will tell us once the decision has been made and we will go to them. We’ll have a massive show of force and surprise them halfway. It should be an easy takedown. Kaylee will remain in a secured location and the academy will stay on lockdown. Probably for a few days,” he explains.

  “So, if it is such an easy takedown, how come you look like you’re going to throw up?” I ask.

  He brings his eyes back to mine and takes a deep breath. “As the Guard want an overwhelming show of force, all combat students over the age of 18 are permitted to accompany us into battle,” he says.

  “No,” Jacinta whispers as Millie breaks into quiet sobs. Daniel reaches out for Millie and scoops her up into his capable arms. Dread fills at the same time I’m filled with relief, relief that none of my friends have yet turned 18 and will be sitting here, probably in this very room, far away from all sources of danger.

  I keep my eyes locked on Rylan’s searching for any hint that he could be joking. But no. I won’t find it. Rylan would never joke about something so serious, especially something that could once again, have an attempt on my life.

  “Ok,” I say calmly. “So, I’m going into battle with an army of vampires and Fairies.”

  “Can she get out of it?” Jacinta asks. “I mean, after everything she has been through, surely they could give her a pass.”

  “No,” Rylan sighs. “I’ve already tried. The Guard will not stand for it. Especially after seeing her in action during the mid-terms, they believe her to be some kind of prize,” he scoffs.

  I nod my head silently, accepting what will be. I’m suddenly bowled off Rylan’s lap as Millie barrels into me, a few of my bruises screaming in protest, though I do my best to cover it up. “No,” Millie cries. “You can’t go. I only just got you back,” I hold her tightly to me for the second time today and glance up at Daniel as I could have sworn he was holding her not five seconds ago.

  Daniel rubs at his arms and catches my gaze. “She bit me,” he says as Trey and Jacinta break into snickers at Daniels expense.

  I sigh and focus my attention back to the beautiful girl in my arms. “I’ll be ok. I’m the badest, badass around. I’ll take them all out and be back before dinner,” I say as I try to soothe her fears.

  She sniffles and nods her head. “Can’t The Guard just make up their minds. First, they are about to kick you out, then you show them your awesome and they want to keep you locked up in an ivory tower and now they are basically throwing you to the wolves,” she huffs as another tear slides down her cheek. “I think mum is literally going to have a heart attack,” she adds.

  I suck in a harsh breath. Oh no. My poor mum. “You can’t tell her,” I say to Millie.

  “I can’t, not tell her, what if something happens and she never gets a chance to… you know… say goodbye,” she sniffles.

  “Nothing is going to happen to me, please Millie. It’s only going to worry her. I’ll tell her when I get back. Promise.”

  “Ok, fine,” she finally agrees on a yawn.

  “Come on,” Rylan says noticing her tired state. “It’s been a big day, can Bianca and I walk you back?” he asks her.

  She gives a quick nod as Rylan helps us both to our feet. “I’ll be back in a bit,” I say to Jacinta as I grab my jacket.

  “No, she won’t,” Rylan says. “We’ve got a lot to talk about,” he adds fixing me with a look that has me wondering what on earth he could possibly have left to talk about.

  Jacinta gives me a sad smile as I make my way to the door and I notice a small scowl gracing Daniels' lips. Damn.

  “Do
you need your shopping bags?” Jacinta smirks with a raise of her eyebrows.

  Rylan gives me a curious look, knowing exactly what it is that he would find in those shopping bags.

  “I’ll make do without,” I grin, stepping through the door to hear her laughing from the other side.

  Rylan and I make quick work of dropping Millie back to her dorm. I give her one last squeeze before shutting her door and making my exit out of the hall, praying that won’t be the last time I ever see my little sister.

  The school grounds are practically deserted with all the students trapped in their dorms. It’s amazing how I’ve managed to run around all afternoon without getting caught. I walk beside Rylan, desperately wanting to take his hand but knowing it would be too risky out in the open.

  He leads me down a little path and after another five minutes we come to a small table and I quickly realise this was his spot. His place of freedom where he came when he was a senior to get away from the crazy world he lived in. My eyes fly to the table top to see his name carved into the table. The carving brings a little smile to my lips. Rylan watches my gaze and smiles back at me when he realises what I’m looking at.

  Bringing my attention back to him, he indicates for me to sit and he crouches down in front of me, taking both my hands in his, knowing out here in the privacy of our little spot, we will never get caught. He looks deeply into my eyes and I see nothing but love and devotion staring right back.

  He takes a steady breath. “I’m going to ask something of you and you’re not going to like it, but I need you to do it anyway,” he warns.

  I search his face once again, removing one of my hands from his and placing it gently on the side of his face, spreading my fingers into his hair. “Ok,” I say, knowing that whatever it is, he needs it.

  “Bianca… I need you to tell me everything that happened in the Fairy Kingdom, every last detail.” he says.

  I gasp at his request as shock runs through me. Why would he want to know this stuff? “No,” I say shaking my head “I can’t… I’m sorry.”

  “Why?” he asks, pulling me in closer so I have to open my legs to make room for him.

  “I just can’t. I can’t burden you with that,” I explain.

  He lets out a heavy sigh. “Bianca, I’m not asking because I want to know. I’m asking because I need you to tell me. I know you, Bianca, you’re going to hold on to this until it’s eating you up inside. The same way you did with your Dad’s attack. You need to tell me so you can free yourself from the pain and begin to move on.”

  I pull him in closer and press a feather soft kiss on his lips. “I know what you’re saying and I get it, I really do. But I just can’t burden you like that.”

  He pulls back from me ever so slightly so he can look me in the eye. “I would carry any burden for you if it meant your soul was free,” he declares. “Please, Bianca. Let me do this for you. I need to help you move on.”

  I take a shaky breath, knowing the vow I took to remain strong for him in the hotel room is about to be shattered into a million pieces. “Are you sure?”

  “I would do anything for you,” he whispers.

  “Ok,” I say with a shaky breath. “Come here,” I pull him up, onto the space beside me and climb onto him, straddling his lap. I lean into him so our bodies are pressed together and wind my arms around his strong shoulders, holding onto him for dear life.

  I start my story from the very begging, giving him every last detail my mind can possibly remember. I cringe as his breathing becomes laboured and hard but I continue on, knowing this is just as hard for him to hear as it is for me to tell. He holds me tighter and tighter the further I get into my story. Silent tears begin rolling down my cheeks and ruin his shirt as I relive the memories from the worst day of my life, but I carry on, even through the part where I wished for my own death, strong till the end.

  When I’m finally finished he wipes the tears that remain on my face. “Thank you,” he whispers. “I know that was hard.”

  “No,” I say, cutting him off. “You were right, I needed to get that off my chest.”

  We sit in companionable silence, holding each other as we lose ourselves to our thoughts. “Would you stay at my place tonight? I’m having a bit of a hard time letting you go right now.”

  I pull back and give him a smile. “Yeah,” I say. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

  Chapter 22

  The Guard Academy has been on lockdown for two days now. Soldiers of the front lines stand guard at every entry and exit point, protecting us with their lives as they prepare for any threat.

  With classes still on hold, Rylan has easily fallen back into his role as a soldier for the front lines, joining the shift rotation. A firm believer in not letting his talents go to waste. I haven’t spent time with him since I woke up in his bed yesterday morning, but am lucky enough to have seen him every now and then when he drops by with an update.

  The Guard have held ‘progress meetings’ every few hours, day and night waiting to hear when the Fey will make their decision to attack. I had a moment of weakness where I felt sorry for Kaylee as she was gawked at and constantly interrogated. No doubt, her interrogations would be getting worse, the longer the Fey wait, building the tension in the front lines and causing themselves to doubt Kaylee’s abilities, not to mention, the longer it takes the more The Guard grow suspicious of her.

  I see the hard set of Rylan’s jaw every time her name is brought into the discussion. Interrogation tactics are openly discussed and I know he feels for his sister in this situation but simultaneously wants to hate on her for everything she put me through.

  I head out of my dorm room and down to the gym for a workout. The campus is eerily quiet as I make my way across the quad. I push through the doors to find the gym packed with members of the front lines, all keeping themselves prepped and ready. I glance around the room to find the small handful of my combat teammates, all of who are over 18 and have been allowed access to the training facilities, Alex and Luke being two of them.

  I nod in their direction as a type of camaraderie settles over us. I notice Ben hovering around the group of boys, sharpening them up on anything they may be weaker in, making sure they have every advantage they can possibly get. A few of the other members in the front lines join in when they notice something that could be improved. Each of them with a certain hesitancy in their eyes and I realise, they don’t think we’re ready to be thrown in the deep end, we’re just a bunch of ungraduated teenagers, though they will never object to the final decisions made by The Guard. Especially a decision that has come right from the top.

  I make my way around the gym, collecting the equipment I need. “Hey,” Ben says making his way over to me. I give him a tight smile as I begin to stretch out my calves. “I know you’re amazing and probably the most prepared out of you kids, Hell, probably more prepared than half the guys in this room but if you need a hand, just ask,” he says with seriousness.

  “Thanks,” I say with yet another smile hoping he can read the gratitude in my eyes. He leaves me be to get started on his own training and I spend the next few hours going over my moves, working out what my injuries will and won’t allow me to do and dodging the flirting and sexual winks coming from every corner of the room, apparently, I’m right back to being the talk of the town and since I’m over 18 and no longer jail bait that makes me a little enticing to the male sex.

  When I’m finished I head back up to my dorm room and rush through a shower so I can make it for the progress meeting. The meetings have been closed off to anybody who will not be attending the battle and, of course, the council and Guard members.

  I push through the doors of the great hall, pleased to actually be early for once. I make my way up the front to give myself a perfect view and take a seat, just left of the podium, leaving front and centre for the council and Guard members. I watch silently as people begin to trickle in, filling the great room within minutes.

 
I notice Rylan standing against the wall on the opposite side of the room watching me with his dark smouldering gaze, his perfect body wrapped up in his favourite leather jacket. He sends me a wink when he catches me checking him out that causes a wicked grin to creep across my face.

  I break my gaze away from him, knowing if I continue to openly gawk like the moron I am, I will 100% give away my feelings.

  Five minutes later the room is busting at the seams and a short, skinny man in a suit makes his appearance on the podium. “Quiet please,” he awkwardly suggests, then gives another try, this time starting with a clearing of his voice “Excuse me, can we all settle down,” he says.

  I giggle to myself as this pretentious idiot continues to try to win the rooms attention. Rylan catches my reaction and shakes his head in exasperation, then saunters up onto the stage giving an ear-shattering whistle. “Shut it,” he orders, the room instantly falling into silence. He smirks at me and leaves the stage, leaving the idiot to commence the meeting.

  Thirty minutes later, the man reluctantly removes himself from the podium, not having told us a damn thing that we didn’t already know. Brett Norrington takes his place on the podium, he scans the room and stops when his eyes land on me. He gives me a curious look before he continues looking upon his people.

  My eyes find Rylan across the room who is watching his father, his eyebrows pulled together in suspicion, though clearly not sure why. He finds my questioning gaze and shrugs his shoulders, unsure of his father’s intentions.

  Brett commences his part of the meeting, going over all sorts of formalities. If this wasn’t such a life-threatening situation, I probably would have been excited to be a part of this meeting with all the new things I have learned.

  Brett keeps his part short and finishes up by inviting Rylan up to the podium to discuss strategy and tactics. Rylan glares at his father but none-the-less makes his way up to the podium for the second time and immediately launches into our strategy, putting an amazing plan of attack together in the space of two seconds. A plan which has the whole room nodding along in agreement. He glances down at me and I give him a smile to convey just how proud I am. A warm glow radiates from him as he takes in my smile. He finishes up quickly and makes his way down off the podium and back into his position against the wall.