Him, a warden. God.
“So how… how does this work?” Aiden asked. He looked shaken enough that Dylan patted his shoulder.
My fault. My fault. My fault.
“Tomorrow after school I’d like you to meet me at city hall and fill out some paperwork. Ah… and you’ll need to discuss this with your parents.”
“What do I tell them?” Aiden asked.
“Would they believe you’re volunteering because of the attack?”
Dylan snorted. “My parents sure the hell won’t.” More than anyone, besides maybe Aiden, they knew just how much he hated wardens.
“Then I suppose you’ll need to be creative in coming up with a reason they’ll believe.”
Oh, that asshole.
“We’ll think of something,” Aiden said. As if Dylan needed to feel more guilty, now Aiden wanted to help him come up with a cover story.
“I’m confident the two of you can work it out.” Mr. Johnson’s lips turned up in a slight smile. “You make an excellent team, which is why I’m going to make you partners.”
“Partners?” Dylan looked at Aiden. His friend seemed a little relieved.
“I hope that’s some consolation. This isn’t meant to be a punishment. I’m recruiting you because I believe that as wardens you’ll be a great benefit to the supernatural community.”
Dylan scoffed. Mr. Johnson was forcing him to be a glorified jailer for other kids like him.
“And Dylan, since you believe the system is broken, perhaps you can use this as an opportunity to change it from within.”
Dylan was about to argue, but Aiden gripped his arm. “He’s right. The wardens are basically rebuilding. It’s the perfect time to change things.”
“Maybe.” That wasn’t a bad point. Dylan would rather tear the whole thing down and start over, but the wardens were such a mess that they might be willing to change. Mr. Johnson was in charge and not someone like Warden Bully. At least Dylan could try to make sure the wardens didn’t get worse.
“I’ll see you tomorrow after school, gentlemen.” Mr. Johnson nodded to them and made his way out of the pit.
So Dylan had to fill out paperwork to become a warden and somehow come up with a story his parents would believe. The walls were closing in.
CHAPTER FOUR
Morfran ap Nos looked across the clearing at the group of magical beings. Most of them watched him nervously, as well they should. But the two who stepped forward to meet him walked boldly, scents mingled so deeply they must be a mated pair. Their power carried the brush of fur and hot, humid air.
“Greetings. I am called Morgan in this realm.” He made the barest sketch of a bow. “These are my companions.” Morgan waved an arm to indicate the other dark fae that dropped their concealment glamours as they slipped from the trees.
The tension in the magical beings rose, and a delicious tingle of satisfaction warmed Morgan.
A flicker of unease went through the mated pair, but only that. “I am Renato Barros, and this is my wife, Isidora.” The male’s arm briefly touched the female’s shoulder, and they both bowed. “We are here with our companions to negotiate a partnership.”
Though Morgan could be patient, he was much happier taking a swifter route to satisfaction. Fate had, perhaps, smiled on Morgan and his followers. They had been hunting a team of wardens and happened to catch them as the wardens were on a hunt of their own. The dark fae had been successful. The wardens had not.
The wardens’ intended victim had offered an alliance, and thus the current meeting.
“And why should we consider this partnership?” Morgan glanced at the group. Two dozen magical beings. How many could the dark fae kill before the others fled?
“You are hunting wardens,” Renato said.
“We are hunting powerful creatures.” Morgan grinned. “Such as yourself.”
Again the group grew more nervous, and again the werejaguars showed only a hint of unease. “One of your companions was killed over a year ago. We know who’s responsible.”
Morgan growled. “It does not matter. He grew careless.” First the male had lost his weapon, and then he’d gotten himself killed, losing a second weapon in the process. Frustrating.
“What are you using the blood for?” the female werejaguar asked.
The being who had been the target of the wardens—a witch, who interestingly enough had dark-fae blood within her—had observed Morgan and his companions draining the wardens. This odd group of magical beings knew the dark fae were collecting blood, but not what it was for.
“That is our affair.”
The male studied him for a moment. “The wardens closed the pathways between this world and yours. Faery. They want to control magic, to cage us and protect the weak humans who should rightfully be our prey.”
Morgan tilted his head. “Go on.” If nothing else, these bold werejaguars were intriguing. Werecreatures might be terrifying to humans, but they were no danger to the fae. These particular two did not seem stupid, so they must know that Morgan was vastly more powerful. Yet they were not afraid.
“We want to restore the world to its proper order. To do that, we must get rid of the wardens. We don’t need their blood, but you do.”
The dark fae arched an eyebrow. “You propose to do my hunting for me?”
“We propose an alliance. We hunt together.”
“Why? Have you no concern for what I intend with this powerful blood?”
The female squeezed her mate’s hand, and they exchanged a glance. He nodded.
Isidora said, “We would like to know what you’re using it for. If you are willing to share such information.”
Morgan debated how much he should share, if anything. The dragonkin who had released him from Faery knew of one possible use for powerful blood magic, and the warden who had interrupted them surely knew more. It was quite likely all the wardens suspected Morgan’s plans, especially after Islwyn had gotten himself killed. Would it be harmful if these beings also knew?
Gesturing to the group of dark fae behind him, Morgan said, “I am using it to release my companions.”
“Is that all?” the male asked.
Morgan studied them. Yes, they were sharp ones, at least for their kind. Could these beings stop Morgan and his companions, if they even tried? Certainly not. Besides, he was quite curious as to what their reaction would be. “I intend to reopen the pathways to Faery.”
A few of the gathered supernatural creatures gasped, and the scent of nervousness grew stronger. The werejaguar pair seemed only mildly surprised. The male bared his teeth. “Others might fear the fae returning, but we do not. Our ancestors lived well in the old world. You are no threat to us.”
So very bold, like a weasel nipping at a bear. “You have yet to convince me of your use.”
“If you intend to use blood to open the pathways, you will need quite a lot of it. You can get it on your own, of course, but we can help you get what you need all at once.”
Morgan tilted his head. “Go on.” Attaining his goal sooner was quite tempting.
“Shadow Valley is full of powerful supernaturals. Most of the wardens are there—”
“The ones we didn’t kill,” Renato said.
“You killed wardens?” Morgan asked.
“Many,” Renato said with a growl in his voice. “Join with us, and we will slaughter the rest.”
It would be nice to have some pets. If what they said was true, they were at least somewhat capable. “I accept your offer.”
“We have two conditions,” Renato said.
Morgan’s eyes widened. Bold indeed. He would have to watch these werejaguars to make sure they didn’t cross the line into disrespect.
“First, several of our people were captured. We want your help breaking them out.”
Certainly that couldn’t be too difficult, and the chaos that would ensue would be delicious. “Agreed.”
“And second,” Isidora said. “We want our son given to
us, unharmed.”
One werejaguar’s blood was of little consequence, especially if Morgan could get his hands on Aiden and the dragonkin. “Agreed.”
CHAPTER FIVE
It was always weird bringing someone new here. Dylan step-slid down to the bottom of the pit with Sakura behind him. Cloud cover hid the stars, and it looked like it might rain. Dylan hoped it held off for a while.
“The last time I was here, me and Izume were watching you beat up Conner Mays.”
Dylan didn’t remember seeing them, but he’d been focused on his anger at the time. “I’m so glad that asshole is gone.” Conner was probably bullying people at a college somewhere.
“Me too.”
They reached the bottom and walked to the pile of scrap wood Dylan had set up yesterday. The scent of sawdust mingled with the smoky tang of ashes from past fires. Dylan flicked a hand, and sparks ignited along the wood.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but what happened with you and Hanna?”
He hadn’t been expecting a question like that. “We broke up.”
Sakura sighed. “I know that. But why?” She turned from the growing fire to look at him.
“Oh.” Well, it wasn’t like he had any reason to hide it. “She dumped me. She said she wanted to find out who she was on her own, without a boyfriend.” It still stung.
“Huh.” Sakura reached out, using her magic to toy with the flames. “I find it hard to believe anyone would dump you. But…” She licked her lips. “I know it’s selfish, but I’m glad she did, because that means I get to date you now.”
The past few years a lot of girls had been paying attention to Dylan, but it was because he was a town hero after fighting corrupt wardens and killing a dark fae. And of course last school year he’d helped save the town. He could hardly turn around without some girl batting her eyelashes at him.
Sakura was different though. She and Izume had never been afraid of him and had always enjoyed facing him in Major Magical Control. Sakura had confessed that she’d had a crush on him for a long time. It wasn’t because he’d become more popular than infamous.
Dylan tugged Sakura close and kissed her. He’d really liked Hanna and missed her, but Sakura was more like him. Bold, and proud of her skill with fire magic. And she’d been almost fearless during the attack on prom, rushing into the fight against the antitreaty people and coming along to help at city hall.
When the kiss ended, she smiled up at him. “Does that mean you agree?”
“Yeah.” Warmth tingled through him.
She laughed and stepped away. Flames shot from her hands, and she made them dance in front of her. “So is this what you do here? Burn piles of wood?”
“And play with my magic like you’re doing.” He sent a stream of fire into the middle of hers, the magics twining and flowing together. It was an odd sensation, very different from battling against her in gym.
Her smile widened. “Oh wow. This is like what I do with Izume.” Firelight danced in her eyes.
“It’s still weird to see you without her.” They’d been on a few dates over the past few months, but for years he’d thought of Sakura and Izume as a unit. The fox sisters.
“We are pretty much attached at the hip, aren’t we?” She looked at Dylan, her flames still moving even though she was focused on him. “Would it be okay if we sat with you at lunch?” She wrinkled her nose. “Or is that too clingy? I know you’ve got kind of a guy thing going since Hanna left.”
Although sometimes that “guy thing” consisted of Aiden and Tiago trying not to make goo-goo eyes at each other. Dylan didn’t want him and Sakura slobbering all over each other like some couples at school, but he did wish they could at least hold hands.
“Sure, I guess.” Dylan shrugged.
“Such enthusiasm.” Her fire expanded into a ball and surrounded his, like a big fish eating a smaller one.
“Hey!”
She laughed, then her expression turned serious. “Is it weird I like this better than going out to eat and stuff? Don’t get me wrong, I do like dressing up and going out to a restaurant once in a while, but this seems more”—she waved a hand—“natural.”
“No, it’s not weird.” He went over and wrapped his arms around her. “I like it better too.” Dylan nuzzled her neck, the scent of her magic heavy around her. Incense and fur. Under that she smelled faintly of soap and shampoo.
Her breath puffed close to his ear, going a little fast. “Good.”
Dylan brushed her hair aside so he could kiss her neck. She tasted good too, like clean skin and something earthy.
Sakura tugged his face up and kissed him hungrily. Warmth expanded inside him like her fire had, filling him up. He wanted more—more of her lips, more of her hands gripping him. They made it to one of the large, flat rocks near the bonfire and kissed until they couldn’t breathe.
Sakura laid her head on his shoulder as they sat together. “Can’t do that at a restaurant.”
Dylan laughed, trying not to think of the ache in his groin. “Or a movie theater.”
“Well, we could try, but we’d risk getting kicked out.”
Wood popped as the fire slowly consumed it. How serious is this? How serious do I want it to be?
Would Sakura change her mind and dump him like Hanna had?
“Is something wrong?” she asked. “You look serious. Is it something I said?”
“No. Just… thinking.”
She didn’t look relieved. “About what?”
“Us,” he admitted.
“Oh.” A faint scent of fear rose off her.
He was such a jerk for making her worry. “Not in a bad way. I mean, not really.” Dylan sighed. It would be needy and weak to admit that Hanna dumping him had made him insecure. Especially since Sakura had admitted to having a crush on him for years. But what if the reality of dating him didn’t measure up to what she’d imagined?
She was still looking at him expectantly.
“My last two relationships didn’t last long.” There, that was something.
“Do you think I’ll leave? Or do you not want me to get attached?” Her thumb played along the back of his hand.
Geez, nothing like putting him on the spot. “I like you a lot. I’m just… not very good at this dating thing.”
She smiled at him tentatively. “You’re doing a good job so far.”
“The making-out part or bringing you to here to burn things?”
“Both.” Her smile widened, and she leaned in to kiss him.
The soft feel of her lips washed everything away for a moment. Maybe this wouldn’t go wrong. Third time’s the charm, right?
CHAPTER SIX
Heading to his locker, Aiden saw the girls again. The one who had snapped at him before gave him a glare. Aiden swallowed but walked up to them anyway.
“You’re Aiden Spencer, aren’t you?” the other girl asked. She had short hair dyed a purplish blue.
“Yes.” Even before he’d become a town hero, lots of people knew who he was because he was the only full-blooded fae in Shadow Valley. Of course they’d heard of him. “I’m sorry about before. I wasn’t staring because I think it’s wrong. I think it’s great, actually—”
“Ugh,” the girl with dark hair said. “I don’t care who you are. No, we’re not here for your gross pervert fantasies.” She tugged her girlfriend away.
“No, wait.” Aiden’s face burned with embarrassment.
But once again, they were already walking away.
“Crap.” Aiden sighed and thumped his head against a locker. He just wanted to talk to them, to ask them what it was like to be out. How did people treat them? How had their parents reacted?
He’d just have to try again tomorrow. Or would they think he was being some kind of stalker? Maybe Maggie could talk to them. Maggie could charm anyone.
He pulled her aside after Advanced Spellcraft, going to the back corner of the classroom. “I saw those girls kissing again. I t
ried to talk to them, but now they think I’m some kind of perv.”
Maggie bit her lip, holding back a laugh. Today she wore a Steven Universe shirt. He’d watched a few episodes at her house and thought it was pretty good. “What did you say to them?”
Aiden told her and then described the girls.
“Oh, it is them. They’re in the same grade as my brother.” Maggie’s brother was a freshman this year.
“Are they friends?”
Maggie’s nose scrunched up. “Not exactly. But they know each other and they have some friends in common.”
“Can you talk to them? Or can your brother talk to them? I want them to know I’m not some kind of creeper.” What if they told other people? What if Aiden got a reputation?
“Sure, I can talk to them.”
“Thanks.” She’d straighten things out. “So were they together last year too?”
“Oh, yeah. Pretty much the whole year, I think.”
“Did people freak out about it?”
Maggie shrugged. “I don’t think so. My brother mentioned they were together, and people were definitely talking about it, but I don’t think it was like, a scandal or anything.”
“Could you see if maybe they’ll talk to me? I just want to ask, you know, what it’s like.” He was warm all over, heart beating a little fast. He fought an urge to look at the teacher. Even if he could overhear them, he wouldn’t guess why Aiden was having this conversation, right?
“Actually, I’ve been thinking.” Maggie’s eyes lit up and Aiden braced himself. “We could start an LGBTA support group.”
“A what now?” The string of letters sounded like gibberish to him.
“You know, lesbian, gay, bisexual—”
“Oh that.” Now he really wished they were somewhere private. All the kids from first period had left, but now a few people from the next class were drifting in. And of course the teacher was there. “Um, we should really get to class.”
Dragonkin Are from Mars, Changelings Are from Venus Page 2