by M. H. Soars
I couldn’t hide the surprise from my face. “What? He did not do that!”
Matthew opened his mouth to counter my denial but seemed to think better of it. “Forget it.”
He left me standing there, like it had been my fault Julian had looked at me the way he did, and went to talk with Sean and Zach. I was so angry I could break something.
“Who pissed you off so early in the evening, Sam?” I heard Melanie ask.
Without thinking I replied, “Your jackass brother.”
Matthew
I hated these parties. It was all about appearances, who had the hottest date, who had the hottest dress. It didn’t help one bit that the first people we bumped into were Julian and Vanessa. I had every intention of completely ignoring them, but when Julian leered at Sam like she was a piece of meat, despite the fact that his date was right there next to him, I wanted to throttle the guy. How could Sam not understand my bad mood after that?
My temper did not improve when Alexia and Lucas failed to make an appearance after half an hour. Where could they be? The only positive aspect of the situation was that we still had Henry in our sights. If he was still here, the Council couldn’t perform the ritual.
We were at the party for nearly an hour and I was ready to get out of there and search for Alexia when something, or someone, created a buzz. People were talking excitedly as they pointed at the gymnasium entrance. I started to walk in the opposite direction when Zach put a hand on my arm, stopping me. “No freaking way!” He exclaimed.
That got my attention. Zach wouldn’t be impressed by just anything. I turned around and felt that the night couldn’t get any more complicated.
Ethan and Alexia, holding hands, were making their way toward us. When had that happened? And where was Lucas?
“What is she doing with him?” Henry shouted, causing several people to glance our way.
“Hey, chill man,” I told him.
“Chill, my ass. She’s supposed to be mine!” he exclaimed before he stalked away. I wanted to follow him, but Alexia and Ethan were already upon us.
“Hi guys! Great party, huh?” Alexia beamed at us. I’d never seen her look so happy. She and Ethan had patched things up, which was great, but it also meant another problem. At least now I was sure there was no way Alexia would make it to the Kissing Grove by midnight. Ethan wasn’t going to leave Alexia’s side tonight.
Melanie, Mia, and Sam soon joined us with equally astonished looks.
“What happened to Lucas?” Melanie asked.
“Lucas was only trying to help us get back together,” Alexia answered, but she didn’t go into details. I got the impression that she didn’t want to talk about why she had changed her mind about Ethan. She only wanted to enjoy the party.
As soon as she took Ethan to the dance floor, we came to the conclusion that there was not much to be done and that we could at least pretend to enjoy the party for a little while. Besides, it would be easier to keep track of Alexia and Ethan if we weren’t sulking in the shadows.
It was some time later that I spotted Lucas in the gymnasium. He wasn’t dancing, and I could tell he was observing Ethan and Alexia carefully. Why in the world would Durgin’s operative plot in favor of bringing Ethan and Alexia together? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
“We're leaving,” Alexia shouted to me over the loud music.
“Why? It’s early. Where are you going?” I asked. I hoped she wasn’t about to say she was headed to the Kissing Grove.
“We're starving. We're probably going to grab a bite to eat,” she replied.
“Good idea, let’s all go.”
Alexia wrinkled her nose at me. “Uh, Matt, don’t take this the wrong way, but I would like to spend some time alone with Ethan. You understand, right?”
I understood perfectly. But I couldn’t let her go without protection. The Council could still snatch her up tonight.
“I guess. Where are you going?” I hoped she would tell me so we could follow her there.
“Michael’s Diner.”
That was good. At least Michael’s Diner wasn’t too close to the Kissing Grove. She gave me a quick kiss on my cheek and left with Ethan. I turned to find the others so we could head there, too, when out of the corner of my eye I saw Lucas dash after Alexia and Ethan. I went after him instead. Something wasn’t right here. What could have possibly worried Lucas so? When I finally managed to slip out of the packed gymnasium, I couldn’t find any sign of Ethan, Alexia, or Lucas. But they couldn’t have gone far. I headed to the school’s main entrance and found Lucas crouched next to someone in front of the school’s front steps.
I ran the rest of the way and saw Ethan lying on the ground, slowly coming around. The parking lot was deserted except for the three of us. There was no sign of Alexia.
“What happened?” I asked Lucas.
“I don’t know. When I got here I found him passed out on the ground,” Lucas responded. I noticed Ethan rubbing the back of his head as he tried to sit up.
“Where’s Alexia?” he asked, looking confused.
“I don’t know, man. Do you remember anything?” Lucas asked.
Ethan closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Suddenly, his eyes flew open. “That new kid! I remember he came to talk to Alexia. Then someone hit me from behind, and everything went dark. Do you think he took Alexia?”
Lucas and I exchanged a knowing look. “Come on. I’m driving,” Lucas said.
We could still prevent the ritual from taking place. I had to repeat that over and over in my head. The only thing keeping me from losing it completely was the fact that Henry didn't have much of a head start.
I helped Ethan up, and we quickly followed Lucas. No way in hell was I going to let that kid touch Alexia, Council’s orders or not. If anyone hurt Alexia, there would be hell to pay.
I wanted to see anyone try to mess with the Phoenix. I could already feel it churning inside of me.
CHAPTER 29
Alexia
I woke up with my face pressed against a leather seat. I tried to move my arms but found they were tied behind my back. The realization that I had been kidnapped shot my adrenaline through the roof. At least my legs weren’t tied, too. I slowly sat up and came face-to-face with Henry, who was sitting opposite me in the same limo Ethan and I had taken to the dance.
“Oh good. You're awake,” Henry said with a cold, hard stare.
“Henry. What is the meaning of this? Let me go this instant!” I screamed at him. What the hell did he think he was doing? I knew he was sort of weird, but not in a million years would I have pegged him to be downright psychotic.
He chuckled. “Don’t worry, my love. Pretty soon we will be as one, and you won’t have to worry about anything anymore.”
I hoped that didn’t mean what I thought it meant. I squirmed in my seat, trying to loosen the cord around my wrists.
“You’re crazy. Kidnapping might be the way people show love in whatever hellhole you came from, but here in the civilized world it’s a federal crime. You’ll never get away with it.”
Henry dismissed my outburst with a wave of his hand. “I’ve already gotten away with it. After the ritual is complete, I’ll have so much power that no one will dare touch me — touch us!”
The guy was delusional. I needed to think of a way to escape him, fast. But first I needed to know what he had planned for me.
“What do you mean by 'ritual’?” My mind flashed to virgin sacrifices, and I was glad that I was no longer one. But maybe he believed I still was. “If you’re planning to use me as a virginal sacrifice, let me point out to you that it’s too late for that.”
Anger flashed across his face. I thought he was going to throttle me, but he composed himself. “I’m not gonna say it isn’t a disappointment, but fortunately for us you don’t need to be pure.”
“What is this bloody ritual?” I said through clenched teeth.
“Isn’t it obvious?” he asked. When I didn�
��t say anything, he continued. “Us consummating our love, of course.”
“What?” I screamed. I tried once again to free my arms. “You get near me and I'll kill you!”
Henry didn’t take my outburst well. “That is no way to talk to your Promised One!”
The limo stopped then, and Henry looked at his watch. “We're early. What should we do in the meantime?” His eyes took on a predatory gleam. “I say we get to know to each other better, like a rehearsal for the ritual.”
He pounced, and I found myself lying on my back with Henry on top of me. He attempted to kiss me, but I turned my face away.
“Get off me!”
I tried to push him off with my legs, but they kept getting tangled in my long dress. I felt nauseated when Henry started to feel me up. He fought against the fabric of my dress until he managed to bring the skirt up to my mid-thigh. My voice was hoarse from me screaming for him to stop, and I was already crying desperately. I couldn’t believe I was about to become another statistic.
Abruptly, his weight was lifted off of me. It took me a few seconds to notice Matt’s face hovering above mine.
“Alexia, are you okay?” He pulled me to him in a tight embrace. I had never been so glad to see him in my entire life. I sobbed uncontrollably against his shoulder as he rubbed my back and made soothing sounds. “Shh, it’s okay now. You're safe.”
He removed my wrist restraints and took me out of the limo. That's when I saw Ethan and Henry fighting.
“I’m going to fucking kill you, you bastard,” Ethan swore at Henry, who didn’t seem one bit fazed by the situation.
“I want to see you try. She’s mine, you hear me? You can’t fight destiny!” Henry raved like he was possessed.
I gasped, and that made Ethan glance my way. The brief distraction gave Henry the opportunity to knock him down. I could feel Matt shaking next to me. “Stop them, Matt. Please!” I begged him.
But then something weird happened. As Henry straddled Ethan, ready to pound on his face, Ethan’s hands began to glow a dark-blue hue. When he touched Henry with those glowing hands, Henry screamed in agony. Dark smoke left his body.
“Bloody hell!” I heard Lucas scream from my other side.
Henry rolled off of Ethan and convulsed on the ground as Ethan stared as his glowing hands in bewilderment. Soon after, Henry stopped twisting, and Ethan’s hands returned to normal.
I detangled myself from Matt’s hold and ran to him. Ethan held me in a bear hug and rocked me back and forth. “I’m so sorry, Lexi. I’m so sorry,” he kept chanting.
“I’m okay. You’re here. That's all that matters.” I was still suffering from the after-effects of my ordeal, but in Ethan’s arms I knew that I could deal with anything.
Matthew
Henry was dead. I could tell by Lucas’ body language as he crouched next to the unmoving corpse. But for now, Ethan and Alexia seemed oblivious to it, and I didn’t want to give them any more cause to be rattled. I put myself between them and Henry’s body and urged them to wait inside the limo. Lucas had already taken care of the driver. Apparently he had been compelled to drive Henry and Alexia to this location, and was now passed-out, thanks to Lucas.
“Did you see what happened when Ethan touched Henry?” Lucas asked me.
I nodded. “Black smoke came out of him. What does that mean?”
“Myserian,” Lucas muttered as he got up from his crouching position.
I wanted to ask Lucas a thousand questions, but he continued, “I gotta make a phone call.” He walked further away to ensure some privacy, but I could guess who he was calling: Durgin. The fact that Durgin was somewhere reachable meant he had been expecting something to happen tonight.
We were right on the edge of the private property known as the Kissing Grove, and I wondered if the members of the Council were already there. It was still early, just past eleven p.m.
I remembered then that I had left the dance without telling anyone. Sam and the others were probably concerned. When I checked my phone, I saw that I had several missed calls from Sam and Zach. I called Sam. She picked it up on the first ring.
“Matt!” she exclaimed.
“Sam,” I said, but she didn’t let me finish.
“Where the hell are you? We’ve been worried sick.”
She was still mad at me, and now I regretted losing my temper earlier. All I wanted was to lean on her strength, not deal with her anger. I decided to cut straight to the chase.
“Henry kidnapped Alexia and brought her to the Kissing Grove. I got to her in time.” I refrained from disclosing all of the details. No sense in worrying her further. There would be time for that later.
I heard Sam sigh in relief. “Thank God. Is she okay?”
“She’s shaken up, but she'll be okay.” At least I hoped so. “Ethan is here with her. Listen, Sam. I gotta go help Lucas with the aftermath.”
“Lucas is there too? Why?” I heard the concern in her voice, but the story was too long to get into over the phone.
“I can’t talk right now. I’ll tell you everything later. I promise.”
“Okay,” she replied.
“I love you,” I whispered, trying to salvage the mess I’d created.
She hesitated for a brief second and I thought she was just going to end the call when she replied, “Ditto.”
When Lucas finished his phone call, he came to talk to me. “Durgin is on his way.”
I nodded. If I had surprised Lucas by my reaction, or, rather, my lack of a reaction, he didn’t show it. “What about Alexia and Ethan?” I asked.
“We can’t let them know that Henry is dead. Not until they know the whole truth. Durgin will take care of everything.”
I turned around so I could face him. “You mean that Durgin will compel them to forget, right?” I couldn’t help but let my anger show.
“I know what you're thinking, but Durgin has his reasons for doing so. There are more things going on than you’re aware of. Trust him.”
I suppressed the urge to laugh at Lucas' statement. “Trust him?” I barked. “I trust him as far as I can throw him. No, not even. I could throw him pretty far.”
Lucas didn’t say anything but instead went to check on Ethan and Alexia inside the limo.
It took Durgin fifteen minutes to reach us. The first thing he did was examine Henry’s body. He patted his pockets and brought out an empty glass vial. He opened it and smelled it before muttering something unintelligible. Though I couldn't understand what he said, he was obviously disgusted.
“What is it, Durgin?” Lucas asked.
“Ayahuasca. Goddamn it! How in hell did they know?” Durgin shouted. I had never seen him so out-of-control before. He was usually pretty composed and never let his emotions get the better of him.
“Is that the drug that has been giving extraordinary powers to Earthlings?” I asked. Durgin looked up at me before he got up.
“Ayahuasca doesn’t give anyone super strength. What it does is lower Earthlings’ natural barrier against possession,” Durgin replied.
“I don’t understand.”
“Have you ever wondered why the Myserians never attacked Earth? It’s because Earthlings, unlike us Arcadians, are immune to Myserian possession. We never figured out why. But somehow, someone found a way to breach their natural barrier.” He shook the empty vial at me. “The super strength those Earthlings show is nothing more than the Myserians possessing them.”
I swallowed the big lump in my throat. The reason Arcadia had almost succumbed to the Myserians’ attack was how swiftly they possessed and destroyed their hosts. If it wasn’t for the planet’s inner power and the Dome, they would have annihilated the entire Arcadian race completely.
“So you're saying that there are people here who are deliberately allowing Myserians to possess Earthlings? To what end? And who would want to do something like that?”
“That is what we have been trying to find out,” Durgin responded.
“Wh
o is 'we’?” I asked, but Durgin shifted his attention to something over my shoulder. I turned and saw Ethan walking toward us, with Alexia in tow.
“Is Henry all right?” Ethan inquired as he tried to get a better look at Henry’s form sprawled on the ground. I was glad that there wasn’t much illumination in the clearing — only the full moon and the light coming from the parked limo.
After a brief nod from Durgin, Lucas went to them and prevented them from getting any closer. Alexia’s gaze fixed on Durgin and she gasped, taking an involuntary step back.
I knew that Durgin was a very intimidating man, so I felt the urge to reassure her. “It’s okay, Alexia. He's here to help.”
I watched Durgin as he tried to compel Alexia and Ethan to forget about the kidnapping and subsequent fight. At first, he put them in sort of a trance so he could work on them individually. But after several minutes, he stepped back, looking worried.
“The compulsion is not holding. They’ve already started the bonding.” He turned to Lucas. “I need your help.”
What was he talking about? What bonding? Once Lucas stepped in to help, Durgin seemed satisfied. He finally glanced my way. “The compulsion won’t last long, but at least it will give us some time to prepare everyone. Then we'll tell them the truth.”
There were many things that I wanted to say to Durgin, but I held back my snarky remarks. Instead I just thought, about fucking time.
CHAPTER 30
Samantha
The brief exchange with Matthew over the phone did nothing to reassure me. I didn’t like that Lucas was involved one bit. I hated not knowing which side he was on. I’d been certain that he worked for Durgin, so it would make sense if he followed the Council’s orders to the letter. But his actions spoke differently.
Gary was agitated when we came home without Matthew and Alexia, but I didn’t tell him anything about my phone conversation.
More than an hour passed before Matthew showed up with Alexia, Durgin, Lucas, and Ethan, surprising us all. Alexia and Ethan both had vague expressions on their faces. They were under compulsion.