by Maya Daniels
As Crystal went back to her breathing exercises, I eyed her warily. Sure, it was true that things like that worked, but it wouldn’t help me. The bad feeling pushing its way inside me wasn’t going to be erased by breathing alone, and I couldn’t ignore it even if I tried.
“Time to go. You girls ready?” Elijah sidled into the room, causing me to jump out of my skin because I hadn’t even noticed him being gone.
Eyeing the bag beside the bed, I decided to leave it there. I didn’t need to have anything on my back that could get in the way, and there was nothing in there that couldn’t be replaced. Standing, I swayed a little, a dizzy feeling slapping me on the side of my head.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Crystal muttered the words, hopping to her feet and taking the stance of the next ninja warrior, arms up in what looked like a chopping position.
Laughter bubbled out of me as I ran a hand over my mouth to hide my amusement from her. Now or never had come.
It was time to see what all of us were made of.
19
Creeping through a back alley behind the building that the mages called home, that bad churning in my gut only intensified. I had a feeling that maybe it was just me being consumed by their magic, although I worried it was me trying to explain it away so I didn’t examine the reason for it too closely.
“Stay low to the ground, and keep silent.” Elijah’s whisper caught me off guard, and I almost screamed. I had no idea what was wrong with me, but I was much more on edge than usual. It made no sense to forget he was there, but I’d have to just roll with it now since there was no turning back.
We didn’t have time for anything else.
Leading us around the building, Elijah was the epitome of a stalker, the darkness wrapping around him and hiding him from plain sight better than it obeyed me. Who was this guy?
All of us were dressed in black, which helped keep us better hidden, but the shadows were reaching for me, playfully tugging on my senses to get my attention. I ached to accept their offer, but I resisted the urge somehow.
It took more effort than I could afford.
“We are almost there,” Elijah hissed over his shoulder, his voice a low rumble pushing against the cool night breeze.
“Think again,” a male voice snarled, and everything after his words happened at once.
Mages swarmed from all sides surrounding us, leaping through the air and slinging magic right at our heads.
“Move,” Elijah roared, rolling on the ground to maneuver his body, placing himself like a shield in front of me and Crystal. The magic bounced off of him, flying back to the idiots attacking us and forcing them to take cover. Sparks sprayed left and right, stinging every inch of exposed skin on my body.
It took me a minute to catch up with everything that was happening and calm my erratic heart, especially with Crystal screaming bloody murder beside me like she was competing for first prize in an opera contest.
Yanking at the shadows like I wanted to do to the clothes covering Elijah’s body, I slung them toward the men opposite us. Groans, high-pitched screams, and grunts were ringing through the air as my dangerous dark magic crashed into them. The smell of burning hair and melting skin permeated the air, and I grinned, wanting nothing more than for all of them to die.
Horrible, painful deaths.
They deserved it for not leaving me alone.
I saw the ball of magic catapulting through the air aiming straight for Elijah’s back. Fear grabbed me by the throat, choking me, but desperation helped me push it aside.
“Elijah!”
My scream came just in time for him to duck low, and the yellow ball of magic that was aimed right at the back of his head crashed into the wall, missing him by an inch. With a nod of thanks, he got right back into his fight, barreling forward like a ferocious beast whose territory had been threatened. Right in the fray, he moved like a dancer, his body a work of art twisting and turning around the bodies surrounding him from all sides. It was beautiful to watch, until my arm burned like it was on fire when one of the mages slammed his cursed power into me. My arms lifted, and I sent a cloud of darkness billowing in their direction, their screams vanishing along with my magic as the shadows dispersed. Elijah kept punching and kicking, throwing bodies around like a sling shot. Down they went, tumbling to the ground in a tangled heap of limbs, all twisted together and unable to get back up.
“You think you are so tough, Elijah. We’ve known of your betrayal for quite some time.” Another male voice, but this one sounded familiar, although I couldn’t place it right that second.
When he came into view, I knew why.
It was the mage who’d pulled me from the shadows, his white hair gleaming silver in the moonlight cascading from the metal roof on the building next to us. His eyes glowed orange, an eerie thing to see in the darkness. Fear choked me, but I swallowed it down an instant later.
“Malacai, what a pleasure. I didn’t think you’d actually have the courage to show your face.” Elijah’s tone promised so much pain, and if I was that mage standing in front of him, I would have run the other way screaming for help.
He didn’t.
No, he just laughed, the sound crazed, carrying on the breeze as if it was everywhere all at once.
For the first time, I noticed the fighting had stopped. Risking a quick glance at Crystal, I saw her cowering in the corner, her head tucked between her legs and her arms wrapped around it as if she was practicing for a tornado drill. That girl was definitely not a fighter, but she got points in my book because she stood with us no matter what. She tried. I would give her the credit due for having my back.
“You think you are unstoppable and better than us, but you aren’t. Just because you are supposed to be all powerful, that doesn’t mean you can’t die. In fact, you made a huge mistake by coming here tonight.” Malacai’s grin stretched his face to what looked like a painful grimace, and I had no idea what the hell could be making him so pleased with himself that he would show his crazy to all of us. “Soon, you will be put in your place, exactly where you belong”—He paused, saying the rest in a whisper I could hardly hear—“at the bottom of an ocean where no one will find your bones.”
What happened next I would have never saw coming in a billion years, and it sucked because I really wished I witnessed it. A ball of what looked like multicolored flames glowed brightly in Malakai’s hand, which he held in front of him like a cake at a surprise birthday party, raising it to eye level. At first, I looked at it gaping, not sure what that would do when it hadn’t done anything previously when they attacked Elijah. Upon further inspection, though, I noticed the magic wasn’t the same. Not just the colors, but the density of it as well. Something about it was different.
Brighter.
Much stronger.
I blinked. It was less than a split second, but when I opened my eyes, magic smacked me right in the gut with the force of a truck slamming me at full speed. It lurched me backward until I smacked the ground, sliding a hefty distance away from the crowd.
Elijah ran for me roaring.
I couldn’t focus on the anguished look in his determined gaze, which was locked on me. My focus was shifting in and out, and I could hardly pull in enough breath so I wouldn’t faint. My entire body was on fire, the intensity of it melting my bones. Eyelashes fluttering, the erupting pain inside of me felt like it traveled through my veins, encompassing every single inch of in a matter of seconds.
Regardless that I felt like I was dying, I tried shaking my head at Elijah to tell him to go back, to leave me and protect Crystal. There was no helping me now. I was well aware of that little fact. I couldn’t even lift my hand as I laid flat on the ground, staring at the starry sky above me and thinking how sad my death would be. The cold from the ground I was stretched on seeped through my clothing, chilling me to the marrow. All in all, it wasn’t bad dying gloriously in a fight like this. Minus the asshole mages, of course, it was almost epic.
L
ike an avenging god, Elijah dropped to his knees with a heavy thud next to me, fear creasing the corners of his eyes and his forehead puckering in a scary, pissed off expression. Those emerald orbs of his flicked to my middle where I’d been struck by the magic, and I could see the concern he attempted to hide.
I’d known the moment the magic hit me that it was fatal. My deathbed found me, and I was already getting comfy in it with each passing breath. Acceptance washed over me like a soft wave because, no matter what, I’d lived good while I’d been alive. I stuck to my morals, and made the best of what I had.
What more could a girl ask for?
At the same time, I was also pissed because I was too young and had my whole life ahead of me. Why had I been thrown into this mess? And why would these assholes kill me if they wanted to use me? Nothing made sense, and now I would never get the answers I wanted. Not like it would matter if I did.
“Elijah … I—” Struggling for breath, I reached for him.
With a finger to my lips, he stopped me from talking, taking my shaking fingers in his warm hand. “Don’t. You aren’t done here yet, do you hear me?”
A glow caught the corner of my eye, such a brilliant gold I thought I was imagining it. Pain thrashed through me like a restless sea before a storm, and my body jerked on the ground as if I was having a seizure. Asphalt scraped my skin, cutting through my clothing every time I involuntarily flopped around like a fish out of water. Through it all, Elijah held me so tight it was like he thought someone was going to try and take me away from him.
What was happening?
Dark spots danced in my vision, stretching further and further until it was the only thing I knew.
And then I passed out like a shmuck.
When I opened my heavy eyelids, I couldn’t remember where I was. Tuning in my focus, my eyes then found Elijah, who was sitting beside me gnawing on his lower lip as if he was worried about something.
That was when it all came back to me.
The fight.
My imminent death.
The mages attacking in the alley.
The bolt of magic that had almost drained all the life from me in an instant.
Jerking up I was surprised to find myself on a couch, and I scrambled to get off it. “Where are we? What happened?”
In my panic, I didn’t realize I only wore a bra and panties, so I crossed my arms in front of me as if that would cover me up. Snatching the blanket from the sofa, I wrapped it around me like a towel. “Well? I’m a little tired of waiting around for answers, Elijah.”
“Brigit …” Elijah trailed off, looking me up and down to assure himself that I wasn’t about to keel over. I heard the defeat in that one word he tried to mask behind concern for my wellbeing.
“What?” My voice snapped like a whip in the room, making me aware we were not in the shit hole that was our safe house of some sort. Glancing around, I noticed it was actually quite a large and modern room, with grays and blacks mixed with whites in a perfect contrast. Later, I would take it all in. Now, I wanted to know what happened after I passed out.
“They took Crystal.”
The air whooshed out of me as if I’d been sucker punched, and my ass fell back on the couch. I was thankful it was there, or I would be on the floor.
“How?” The word was more like a breath passing my lips in shock, but I had no air left in my shriveld lungs to speak louder. I knew he’d heard me.
Standing and pacing in front of a long, rectangular coffee table with a glass top, Elijah rubbed his chin, a muscle ticking on one side of his clenched jaw. “I don’t understand it still. They were after you, not Crystal. But they took her. Why did they take her?”
Angry, I got up, stormed up to him, and grabbed his arm, digging my nails into his skin. “I have no damn clue, but there must be a reason. So you need to think and we need to go get her.”
“I have been thinking, but it doesn’t make sense. I’ve thought the whole time you were sleeping, and I can’t come up with a fathomable explanation for anything that transpired in that alley.”
“Elijah, look at me.” When he did, I shook him a little, or tried to anyway—the guy was an unmovable mountain glaring down at me. “Snap out of it already. You know why. I’m sure you do. You came here to help us for a reason.”
“Because of you,” he blurted, his eyes wild as he tore away from me, slamming a fist into a bookstand that only came halfway up the wall. The wood splintered, bursting like confetti all over the space. “I’m here because of you. Because of who you are.”
Pressing my lips together, I cocked my head to the side for the first time, seeing a different possibility. “Who I am? If you know, tell me. Please.” I had a bad feeling he was here because he needed me, not because he was concerned about my health, but I needed answers too. Begging him while keeping a white-knuckled grip on his arm, I didn’t care if I sounded pathetic in that moment. If he knew who I was, then I wanted to know.
I needed to know.
“You are the last of the shadow mages, Brigit. The last of your kind. And only you can open the portal that has been sealed off for centuries.” Elijah faced me then, his flat eyes searching mine. Gone were the wink and the smirk, replaced by a shell of the man I got to know. “And I can’t let that happen. The mages want to use you to open that portal, so whatever is behind it can be released. I need to keep you safe, and far away from that portal. You are the last of your kind, and you’re in this realm for a reason. Opening that portal is a very dark ambition, even for Malakai.”
Fucking hell. Could my life get any worse?
The last of my kind and a key to open a portal …
If it didn’t mean I was fucked ten ways from Sunday, I would’ve said I was quite a catch.
“Get ready,” I told Elijah as I searched for my clothing, even checking under the coffee table.
“What am I getting ready for?” He sounded distracted, but my next words snapped his attention right where it should’ve been all along.
“I’m going to take Crystal back.” Blowing loose strands out of my face, I planted both fists on my hips. “And Imma kill those fuckers for hurting me and everyone else.”
From the Author
Did you enjoy your introduction into the world of Brigit Grey? Because I know I certainly have.
Let me tell you, it has been an epic ride putting this book together. Though in all honesty, I give all the credit to Maya. Without her, without her saying we were going to do this together (and yes, she told me we were writing a series together, there was no question about it), these wickedly amazing characters would still be locked away, never seeing the light of day and that would be a tragedy indeed. It has been my greatest honor to work and learn from her.
Without getting anymore mushy and sappy, I hope you stay on this journey with us and see where it leads to next. Cause I can assure you, it will be nothing short of amazing.
Cheers,
AR Johnston
From the Author
Hey guys,
I hope you enjoyed the start of Brigit’s story. It was a lot of fun to write and if you take to her the same way we did, you’ll be seeing a lot more from the shadow mage. Elijah is in a lot of trouble having Crystal snatched right in front of their noses, so the emerald eyed hunter will have to gravel… a lot.
Thank you for being on this adventure with us. It means the world! Please consider leaving a review. It’s a lifeline to us authors and we would give you a hug if we could every time you write one.
I’m off to the cave to keep clicking the next book.
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Until next time,
Happy reading!
Maya xxx
Also by Maya Daniels
New Blood Rising series- Dark PNR
Risorgimento-Rebirth Book 1<
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Rovesciamento-Overthrown Book 2
Riconoscimento-Recognition Book 3
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Forsaken Destiny series-Reverse Harem UF/PNR
Forsaken Dream Book 1
Forsaken Fate Book 2
Forsaken Heart Book 3 - coming April 2021
Other Series:
The Necronomicon Guardian Series-UF/PNR
The Magician Book 1
The High Priestess Book 2
The Fool Book 3-coming soon
Infernal Regions For The Unprepared - UF/PNR
Black Hand Book 1
Lower World Book 2- coming March 17th 2021
Everlasting Fire Book 3 -coming 2021
Honor among Thieves series - UF/PNR :
Stolen Magic Book 1- coming July 2021
The Broken Halos series- PNR/Urban Fantasy:
The Devil is in the Details Book 1
Speak of the Devil Book 2
Encounter with the Devil Book 3
The Devil in Disguise Book 4
To look the Devil in the eye Book 5
Better the Devil you know Book 6
Give A Devil His Due Book 7- coming out July 2021
Daywalker Series - PNR/UF
Investigated Book 1
Infiltrated Book 2
Instigated Book 3
Initiated Book 4
Infuriated Book 5
Ignited Book 6
The Courtless Fae series - PNR/UF
Spin-off series from Daywalkers
Secret Origins Book 1