Chapter Twenty-Seven
Marcus
A bell dings over the door behind me as my eyes scan the tables of the small coffee shop. She should be here by now; I check my watch. The trackers report said this is the place. I make eye contact with the waitress who called the trackers on her. She nods toward the booth in the far corner.
Glancing around the room, I find her. Her dark red curls are in total disarray. She is staring out the window toward the nearby beach, but I can tell her thoughts are a million miles away, as she holds a book she doesn’t read.
I had hoped she would come back on her own. Asher's interference was unfortunate, but manageable. I need her, and I have the power to make her do what I want. It’s entirely too easy to take advantage of such a fragile thing. With a smug smile spread across my face, I slide into the booth across from her. She looks up at me surprised, but says nothing, just stares at me. I tilt my head, studying her for a moment, one eyebrow raised. Did she really think I wouldn't find her? I shake my head, silently telling her not to run or make a scene.
“Hello, Phee, how is the vacation going?” I ask, looking down at the untouched book in front of her. Her eyebrows scrunch together as she thinks.
“What do you want, Marcus?”
She sounds irritated. This is going to be fun. “Retract the claws, Phee. We don't have time for a fight, and after the crap you pulled back on the boat, let's just say you're lucky we’re family,” I declare, waving my hand at her question. “I am going to need you to sign the Titan contract. You need to return to the Academy.”
She laughs a dry, sad laugh at this, shaking her head. “Is that so?” she replies with a sigh. “Look, I'm happy here. I told you I could survive out here. The answer is no, not a chance in hell am I going back there, ever.”
Her chin quivers a little as she pulls her knees to her chest and wraps her arms around them tight, like she’s trying to hold herself together. She’s about to fall into a million pieces. I can almost see the cracks forming. The pain in her eyes is evident as they well up with unshed tears.
“You can't make me go,” she says, lifting her defiant chin to lock her eyes on mine, standing her ground like a little warrior.
I’ve got to respect her spirit; she makes me proud. I see there’s only one way to go about this.
“I think we both know I can make you do anything I want.”
“Why are you doing this to me? Why can’t I just leave? I’ll fight you on this, Marcus. Every step of the way, I will fight you.”
“Fair enough,” I say, reaching my hand out to shake hers. Such a simple gesture everyone accepts, if only they knew the power they are giving me by agreeing to such a simple touch.
She reluctantly placed her hand in mine. I squeezed her hand tight, too tight, locking eyes with her as I lean over the table. Grabbing the shields necklace from around her neck, I snap the chain with one quick tug.
“You walk around these people pretending to be one of them, pretending to be less than you are. Flashing your wrists at one of them. You thought you could trust that old woman, she betrayed you instantly. You are so naive! The only way off that island is either with the Titans or in a body bag. You get me.”
“Why? Why are you doing this to me?” she asks, afraid to know the answer.
I've had enough of her defiance. It's time to put an end to it, once and for all. I squeeze her hand in mine and say the words that will put her back in her place.
“The only thing you know about me is that my name is Marcus Ryan and I’m in charge. You do as I say, when I say it. Understand?” I clear my throat, still gripping her hand. She tries in vain to pull her hand away, and her gaze meets mine. She was lost to my powers the moment I started speaking. With her eyes locked on mine I continue in my commanding tone. “Where was I? Oh yes, you have had a change of heart. You have seen the error of your ways. You have moved on from the hurtful things Asher Blaze did to you. You belong at the Academy; it is your home. You have nowhere else to go. You return to the Academy, determined to sign the contract and complete your training and fulfill your dream of joining the Titans. You will forget you saw me today. You WILL forget I am your brother.”
I pull my hand out of her grip. She sits there nodding her head, quiet and stunned. Her eyes glaze over like they always do. She will remember nothing except the overwhelming urge to return to the Academy with determination in her heart.
I slide out of the booth, smoothing my suit when I stand. “Always fun playing with you, little sister. See you real soon,” I say as she continues to stare off, a stray tear falling down her cheek.
Over the years, she has become a useful little fire chaser. Walking away, I pull out my cell and dial the trackers. “It is done. Send the trackers in to retrieve her,” I order and end the call, putting the cell back into my pocket and then slide into the backseat of the car waiting at the curb. All the pieces are in place. Game on, motherfuckers.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Phoenyx
Glancing around my new trainee suite. I have never had a room to myself at the Academy before, if you don't count solitary. Having just come out of my forty-eight hour stay in solitary for running away, bask in the sunlight shining through the windows. I've been locked up for worse. My offences range from assault, underage drinking, public nudity, damage to property, and raining flames down on a fellow student. Yes, I'm aware I have issues.
This year is different. I am no longer just another orphaned ward of the Academy. I have signed on to be a Titan, the Holy Grail for all Demigods like me. Promising my life away, or at least the next year of it, to training and placement in the Titan Elite.
Not sure if I regret that decision yet; ask me in a year. Titan training is brutal to put it mildly. You must be a Demigod to be accepted, and even then, you have to make it through the world’s most daunting training program. Only the absolute best make it. And I intend to be one of the very best.
With a stretch, I swing my feet to the floor, before sleepily drag myself to the bathroom—my own private bathroom, another perk of my non-ward status. After a quick shower, I wrap myself in a towel and stare at my reflection in the mirror. My bright fiery eyes stare back at me. I look like a predator, and they tell the world to beware. I run my fingers over the tattoos on my wrists.
Two thick black bands wrap around both of my wrists, the mark of a Demigod convicted of murder, a brand telling the world not to trust me. I was just a kid; they had no right to brand me a killer. I attempt to rake my fingers through the tangle of red curls that fall halfway down my back, wild as usual, every shade of red and orange. Every movement and breath of my existence screams I am dangerous. I’m amazed I lasted as long as I did in normal society, but all it took was one phone call and the trackers picked me up. They probably spotted me a mile away. I've tried to run away, but I always end up coming back here. For better or worse, this is my home.
I start rummaging through the clothes I hastily unpacked the night before when the guards dumped me and my stuff off. I really am a hot mess, finding a pair of yoga pants and a tank top. I grab my iPod and a black hoody before heading out. This summer was the only time I have ever been away from the Academy. I spent three months on the run before getting caught, which was kind of ironic since I had already made my mind up to come home. Home, I shake my head, when did this place become my home.
I now lived on the third floor. All trainees lived up here in private suites. The third-floor towers each have a kitchen and lounge area with a balcony overlooking the gardens; the view is beautiful from up here.
They have requested all trainees to attend a meeting this morning, our first day of training. The chatter coming from the dining hall has me nervous before I enter. Grabbing a coffee, I lean my back against the counter, glancing around the crowded room. Everyone else looks new except a small group sitting at our usual table, it’s a relief to see some of my friends signed up for training.
The new people have segregated themselve
s from the wards for good reason. Wards were raised with Demigods of other powers. Most Demigods on the outside stick with their own kind. A cluster of trainees with a general appearance of disdain and superiority marks the outsiders; they are snotty, spoiled, self-indulgent swine’s, all of them.
All the usual powers are represented, and then there is me and Asher, the only two great and powerful fire chasers with one of the hardest learning curve of any power granted to a Demigod. There are so many variations of powers out there, half-breeds and the like, but us, we are pure rare and powerful, but also dangerous. The only “legal” way off the island for a dangerous Demigod is with Titan training. It’s our only hope at seeing the world off this island, you know, without knocking several people unconscious, and stealing their car, and ID.
If only I could erase the last year of my life. Three months after walking away without a word, I am back; enrolled in training, holding my head high, ready to kick some ass. This is where I was born to be.
I spot him across the room, Asher Blaze. Standing with his back to me, facing a group of trainees, arms raised in the air, telling a story so animated and loud, everyone in the dining hall can't help but watch him.
I haven't seen him in three months. Once, I called him mine, me and every other girl. He is sexy and damaged, and completely ripped my heart out of my chest. I returned here knowing I would see him again. He ignited a passion in me, but our relationship was a twisted mess of lies. We hurt everyone around us and barely survived each other. The connection we have is chemical. We will always be drawn to each other, but we burn too hot, too fast, destroying everything in our path. It was a beautiful disaster I never want to relive.
I gave my heart and soul to him because I was young and stupid. Finally seeing clearly for the first time, we are a team, a deadly and effective team. We will be unstoppable in the Titans, but that is where it has to end. There will never be anything between us again. My eyes are wide open, finally.
In hind sight, I don't know why I let the drama with Asher go on as long as it did. He couldn't be trusted with my heart. He was my friend and our partnership makes our team invincible.
Past him, I see Silas is sitting at the table with our friends. He is here. My heart speeds up at the sight of him. What is he doing here? I try to be unaffected by him, but even after our time apart; I still feel he is mine in some twisted way. Even after all I have done to hurt him, a desperate hope that he still loves me weighs on my mind. Sick, I know, I never said I wasn't a broken mess.
Our goodbye was so painful. He probably thinks I'm still on the run. I never deserved him; I threw away his love at the first test of my devotion. His heart is pure and true. He would never have done to me what I put him through. He would never break me like Asher did. I could never be good enough for him.
Weeks after our second painful goodbye, I never expected to see him again.
Asher's boisterous laugh snaps me out of my daydream. He is laughing and joking with our friends, our little family of misfit wards, Ianna, Kai, and Silas. Ianna sees me and immediately screams, jumping up and pulling me into a hug.
As she pulls away, I see Asher stop in mid-sentence and his whole body goes still. Slowly, he swivels around until he is facing me. Shock registers in his eyes, but it’s quickly replaced with something else entirely. His eyes on my body for the first time in three months rake up and down and it feels... erotic. How can his gaze be so erotic?
A smile slowly creeps onto his face, and that dimple appears—the deceptive sign of sweetness in his rough exterior. He reaches out for my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. With a sigh of relief, he says, “I'm glad you came back.”
So am I. So many things flash in his eyes, asking a hundred questions that will wait until later. I drop his hand and dare a glance at Silas; he is coming over to hug me. His smile feels like a thousand suns warming me to the core. I know I have made the right choice by coming back on my terms. I let his warmth envelop me in a hug. Tears sting my eyes, but I hold them back. “I'm so sorry, Silas,” I whisper into his chest.
“Don’t worry about it, it’ll be okay,” he whispers, kissing the top of my head. He pulls back, gazing into my eyes. I touch his cheek, amazed he's here. I smile as tears fall down my cheek.
“We will talk later, okay?” he asks, wiping my tears away. I nod.
We all sit down, me beside Silas, across from Ianna and Kai. I nudge Silas' shoulder, giving him a smile. He returns it, but then looks past me at Asher, and it fades slightly. These people are my family. Most of them are wards, like me. We have all claimed the Academy as our sanctuary. All of us have been cast out, for some reason or another, sent here to be groomed for greatness.
Mason enters the room, his eyes lock on mine, raking down my body, remembering. He just smirks and winkss at me. Ugh, damn he looks even better than I remember. I nod back, we don’t need words. That night something shifted between us and our friendship may never be the same. Our connection feels like something more. I can’t figure it out.
Mason my trainer/torturer/guard/mentor/ and friend takes position at the front of the room, his giant arms folded across his giant chest, waiting for the last few late stragglers to arrive. Each one getting a head shake of disappointment because they are wasting his time and no one wastes Mason's time.
If they knew Mason at all, they would never be late. He gets more evil if he is kept waiting, a lesson all of us wards have learned. He's a hard-ass, but also was my first friend here.
He clears his throat. “All right, shut the hell up!” His voice echoes off the dining hall walls. The new trainees jump and quiet down immediately. I try to stifle a giggle, but fail miserably, which grants me the glare of death from Mason. Shrugging my shoulders at him and smile, I have been a constant pain in his ass for years, but keeping him irritated has been the highlight of my otherwise boring days here. Also, the fact he has done dirty things to me up against a bathroom wall gives me certain leeway that no one else gets.
“Welcome to the Academy, all you knew people, my name is Jacob Mason. I will be overseeing your Titan training. Let me start out by saying I do not give a crap who your daddy is, who your trainer was, or where you grew up. Cuts will be made swiftly and without mercy. We are looking for the best of the best, so my advice to you is check your bullshit attitude at the door, train hard, show up on time, and keep your head in the game. To my left is Mr. Marcus Ryan. He is in charge. We will also be judging you every second of everyday and cutting anyone unfit for the Titan Elite. For the next four months, we are your worst nightmare. Training begins tomorrow at 0600. Take this time to get yourself acclimated to campus life. Do not even think about showing up late. That is all, dismissed!” he orders, turning to talk to Marcus.
I watch Marcus, but my eyes catch Asher's. He's watching me watch Marcus. I give him a small smile and he scowls at me then shakes his head, looking away. I shake it off. Do not let yourself get swept up in him again. Whoever this Marcus guy is, he looks like someone I should avoid at all cost.
As everyone starts to file out of the dining hall, I link my arm through Ianna’s and lead her out the stained-glass doors leading to the courtyard before Asher or Silas have a chance to talk to me. I need a breather before talking to either of them. Ianna doesn’t asks where we are going; she knows if I'm upset I head to my spot, a huge red leaved tree standing over a hundred feet tall with large smooth branches. As I settle on a low branch and Ianna sits across from me, her arms crossed, looking serious but calm.
“You okay?” she asks.
“I will be,” I assure her with a nod, breathing deeply. “I just… needed a minute.”
Having the three of them in a room together was stressful, Asher Blaze is like a drug, ruining my life with each dose, Silas was my world, before I ruined us, and Mason used to be my best friend, I have no idea what we are now but I don’t trust myself not to pounce on him. Men, they will be the death of me.
“Last we spoke you said you would never come bac
k. What changed?” she asks, looking skeptical.
“This is where I belong. I need to forgive and forget to move on, I just don't want to get caught up in all their nonsense,” I say, and Ianna nods in agreement.
“This is the only home I've ever known, besides, I want to be here. This is what I was born to do. The only way I can try to make up for...” I shake my head, not wanting to talk about it anymore.
“Okay, enough heavy. I'm glad you’re here!” she squeals, hugging me. “I have a date with Kai, but I will see you later, right?”
“Yeah, I will come find you after I run off some of my frustrations,” I say with a laugh.
As I stand and brush my pants off, Ianna loops her arm in mine. “You know, Nyx, I'm sure Silas can take care of those pesky frustrations for you.” She wags her eyebrows at me and burst into a fit of laughter while I groan. I love Ianna; she always lightens my mood.
She takes off toward the west tower to Kai, and I start running until all I feel is my body move. No worry, no remorse, just me and my music. I run until the sky is dark.
After a shower, I head up to the South Tower common room, looking for Ianna.
“Hey Nyx, Ianna said she would be right back in a few, she had to call her aunts and let them know how her first day went.” Kai says who was in the middle of a conversation with Ian, one of the new trainees. I sit up on the kitchen counter, trying and failing to keep up with their conversation when Silas walks into the kitchen, but stops as soon as he sees me. We just stare at each other.
Kai clears his throat. “Uh, hey, I'm going to, um... give you two some privacy.” He says as he walks out of the room, dragging Ian reluctantly behind him. If there is one thing I am known for, its drama.
Phoenyx Rising (Demigods Duet Book 1) Page 16