“Looks like Zoe found a winner!” Cali exclaimed. “Shall we go then? I’ll text Rena to let her know we’re on our way to Zoe’s.”
Vash walked us to Cali’s car and continued to his own with our dresses. Now he had an excuse to hang out more with Cali tonight. We pulled out of the garage ramp with Vash driving behind us.
When Cali parked in my driveway, I noticed my house was dark, which was strange, since my parents hadn’t texted about going anywhere. We piled out of the car and waited for Vash, who insisted on carrying the garment bags inside. He scanned the hallway and the rooms, then laid the bags over the back of the couch. I turned on the living room lights and walked into the kitchen, where I saw a note on the fridge from my parents. They’d gone to a movie, leaving Stella with Rena.
“Rena? We’re back!” I shouted, walking through the first door. “Stella? Where are you?”
“Rena? Stella?” Quinn called.
“Maybe they’re outside and can’t hear us,” Cali suggested.
Vash grabbed my shoulders. “Stay here while I go check out back.”
He started toward the back door, then we all leaped in panic when Rena and Stella ran down the stairs at us, yelling, “Boo!”
“That was so not funny, you guys!” I yelled. Vash and I exchanged a glance. He looked just as spooked as I’d been.
“Hey, did you find dresses?” Rena asked.
“Yes!” Cali exclaimed. “Two winners today.”
“Ooh! Fashion show,” Stella demanded. “I love fashion shows!”
I grinned. “Okay, girls, get up to my room and start changing.” Then I pointed to Vash. “You need to leave now. Go over to Kieran’s or something. Sorry.”
“I’d hoped to stay a bit longer.” He looked at Cali then back to me. “I’ll leave when you gals are all changed, how about that?”
“Fine, but Cali’s coming up with us.” I grabbed her arm.
I grinned all the way upstairs. It was time for “Mission: Paw Tattoo”.
“Hey, since we still have time left, we should do some quick up-dos so we can see what hairstyles look best,” I suggested, motioning for Cali to sit on my bed. “I think Quinn should model it down, and I will wear mine half down. Cali, you should wear your hair up. I think Vash would like to see your face.”
Rena glanced over. “So Cali, what’s up with you and him anyway?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “We’re friends, I guess.”
“Just friends?” Quinn teased. “I’d say you guys are a little more than that.”
Cali looked stunned. “Why do you say that?”
“Do you not see how he stares at you?” I asked. “OMG! He can’t keep his eyes off you!”
“But we only just met a couple of days ago.” She shook her head.
I shrugged. “I think you look cute together. I met Shay a week ago and he’s already told me he loves me. Things can happen fast, if you know you’re meant to be with that person.”
All eyes turned toward me. Oops.
“When?” they shouted at the same time.
“He told me a few days ago,” I told them. “And I know in my heart that I love him, too.”
“Wow, Zoe,” Quinn said, sounding awed. “I didn’t know it was like that for you and Shay. He’s a great guy. I can tell he cares about you. You can see it on his face. He looks at you the same way Vash looks at Cali.”
Cali frowned. “But how do you know that you love someone? That you’re meant to be with that person and not someone else?”
If everything Vash had said was true, maybe I was about to find that out about her. “I guess you know when you know.” I shook my head. “Okay, enough about me. Tonight is about us girls!”
I grabbed a brush and some clips, though I had no idea how I would style Cali’s hair. I only wanted to get a look at the back of her neck, thinking it might be a perfect, intimate place for her to hide the paw print. Cali smiled as I started brushing her long, brown hair, but she looked a little nervous. She almost always wore it down, so this was going to be a drastic change for her. I started lifting up some of her waves and bound them with clips. As soon as I lifted the hairs closest to the nape of her neck, I saw a little brown marking. I was so excited I dropped the brush onto the floor.
She handed me the fallen brush. “Here you go.”
“Thanks. Just look down at your chest so I can . . .” With her head lowered, I could see half of a brown paw and leaf mark. It was low on her neck, almost on her upper back, and it was about the size of a ping pong ball. She said nothing as I fussed, making it obvious to me that she didn’t know she had it. I wondered if it had hurt when it appeared.
“Okay,” I said. “You’re done. Now help me into my dress.”
I was the last to be ready, but the first out the door. “Okay, Vash,” I called down the stairs. “We’re coming down. You need to leave.”
“Okay, fine. I’ll go.” He sounded reluctant. “See ya, ladies.”
We modeled for Stella and admired each other, then changed back into our normal clothes, slightly tired after the rush of adrenaline. This must have been how Cinderella had felt after the ball. I checked the time: seven o’clock.
“Should I throw in some pizzas or just make sandwiches?” I asked.
“I already ate before I came over, but you guys go ahead,” Rena said.
“Nothing for me,” Cali said. “I have to leave.”
I walked her to the front door, like a good hostess should, then hugged her. “Bye. I’ll see you in school tomorrow.”
I opened the door and all the color drained from my cheeks.
On the front step stood three guys, all dressed in black.
Three Demon Knights.
I shuffled backward, moving away from the door until I hit the back of the couch.
Trapped.
Cali froze in place, as the middle guy grabbed her into a chokehold. The demon on the right held the door open while the left one barged into the house. A blood-curdling scream escaped my lips, and the rest of the girls came running out from the kitchen. They stopped when they saw the three strangers and Cali being choked. I ran around the couch and over to the kitchen doorway to block Stella from coming into the room. I had to protect my little sister.
Two DKs charged toward Quinn and Rena, locking them both against their bodies. Stella shoved through my arms, and we huddled in the far corner of the living room, watching my friends struggle in their captives’ arms. There was nothing I could do, but watch Cali’s face as it began to turn blue while her body fought for air. She suddenly went limp and crumpled to the floor, her chest no longer rising.
I screamed again.
Oh God, no!
“Zoe, Zoe, Zoe,” said the one who held Quinn. “What do we have here? We’ve finally caught up with you, and find you alone, without any of your guardians. What a great surprise.” He stepped further into the room. “Don’t do anything stupid, now. If you do, we’ll force you to watch these friends die. And your sister.”
“Let. Them. Go.” Vash’s voice rumbled across the room. “I’m only going to say it once.”
Vash stood at the opened door, his hands fisted at his sides, his eyes glued to Cali’s body. He seemed surprisingly calm, but then again, he did this sort of thing regularly. As he looked at her lifeless form, his body relaxed as if finding a resolve. Then he marched past the DK holding Quinn, staring as he passed, and stopped in front of Rena as he shrugged out of his coat. His body’s muscles rippled in anticipation.
The two other DKs shared a glance.
“Ah, Vash. How sweet. Daddy let you out of the pound to play.”
“You know this guy?” asked a Knight.
Vash leaned to his right and narrowed his eyes at the skeptical demon. Then he growled, a deep rumble that shook his whole chest.
The first DK didn’t flinch. “What’s it to you if this one dies?” He hissed. “I thought you’d be all over protecting Zoe.”
Vash’s eyes were lik
e black embers, anchored on the demon’s face. “You are holding my mate’s best friend. She will not be dying today. In fact, you will be the only ones dying. I’m going to do something far worse to you than you did to her.” He looked at Cali’s again, and I saw him harden further. “We’ve had enough death for one night.”
As soon as Vash had uttered the last word, his upper body fell to the floor and fur sprouted through his clothes, which then disappeared. He grew into a huge, brown wolf with blazing red eyes. Snarling, he skirted around Rena and lunged for the Knight’s head, snapping it off with a powerful crunch of his jaw. Blood spurted across the ceiling and dripped onto the carpet as the demon’s body disappeared, leaving a dark black stain.
Rena screamed, and tears streamed down her face. Her body trembled and fell on the floor. I tried to run to her, but the purple orb had appeared, enveloping my sister and me. There was absolutely nothing I could do to help my friends.
Unacceptable!
I thought back to the other occasions when the orb had disappeared. What had I been doing and thinking when it vanished. I needed to help Rena and Quinn.
The two other DKs froze in place and stared at the dark brown wolf who tracked them around the room. One Knight still held onto Quinn, using her for protection as he retreated backward toward the front door.
I looked at Quinn, at my sister, then over at Rena, who still lay on the ground, shuddering and crying. Finally, I gazed at Cali’s dead body, feeling overwhelmed with sadness. Time to take action. I concentrated hard, focusing my mind on helping my friends, and just like that the orb disappeared. I ran to Rena, helped her stand, then guided her toward Stella.
They’d killed Cali.
They would not be getting away with this. I moved toward the departing DKs, not sure what I would do to them exactly, but knowing I couldn’t let them escape the house. We had to finish this. Vash stepped in front of me and blocked my path, clearly unwilling to let me pass. He was massive. His wolf head came to just under my chin.
“Leaving so soon, cowards?” I taunted.
“Oh, we’re not leaving,” one of the demons replied. “We’re just getting started!” He turned to the other and nodded. “But we’re bringing this one with us.”
But the doorway was blocked by two tall figures.
“Going someplace?” Shay asked, his voice low and menacing.
Kieran shook his head. “I don’t think you’ll be taking Quinn anywhere,” he told the demon.
The Knight smiled cruelly. “Ah. Kieran and Shay. We’ve been expecting you. And where’s the fairy?” He looked behind, trying to locate her, then faked a pout. “Ah, she’s not here, is she? That’s too bad. She won’t be able to help you like before. I do have to say I was a little surprised to discover you have a pet wolf now, but that won’t matter.” He nodded smugly toward the opened door. “The Marquises are outside, surrounding the house. No one will escape death tonight.”
I peeked through the front window and saw at least five Marqs on the lawn, advancing toward the house. I whirled around when the back door flew open, and two more demons stood on the step. I assumed there were more out back and at the sides of the house. Maybe ten or twelve total. Those odds were not good.
Shay stepped forward, reached for his silver sword, then everything happened at once. My friends screamed when two black-hooded Marquises glided through the back door, and Vash lunged at one of the Knights, trying to take him out, but the DK had learned his lesson after seeing what the wolf could do. Forced to drop Quinn, he dodged Vash’s leap, and I braced to run for her.
“Zoe, no!” Shay shouted. “Don’t move!”
Kieran was beside me in a second. “I’ll get Quinn,” he yelled. “You stay back.”
With a nod, I moved back to my friends in the corner. “It’s going to be okay,” I told them, but their blank stares told me they didn’t believe me. “We’ll get out of this somehow.” The purple orb reappeared and encased us.
Since Kieran was the closest to them after he’d helped Quinn out of the way, the Marqs advanced on him. I watched him turn to his attackers, his head bowed and hands in a prayer position. Then his head snapped up and an intense, bright white light shot out from his entire body. Enormous golden wings broke out from behind his back.
One of my friends gasped.
The Marqs cringed away from the light, halting their advance. I felt love, kindness, and compassion seep out into the air as varying shades of reds and pinks swirled around the protective orb. I watched the pureness of Kieran’s light drain some of the Marquises’ darkness, making them appear more ghost-like than black.
Now that the room was so brightly lit, I could easily see Shay battling a Knight while Vash hunted his prey. Shay drove his sword into the DK’s chest, then twisted and yanked it back out as he spun to find Kieran. Seeing Kieran was all right, Shay turned back to Vash, evaluating who needed his help more.
Vash took a shortcut by bounding over the couch and launching himself at his opponent. He slashed his victims’ shirts to shreds with his claws and swung a mighty paw, decapitating it.
The demons’ bodies suddenly vanished.
“Oh my God!” Rena screamed. “Did he—” She pointed to the spot where the DKs had lain.
“Shh.” I tried to comfort them, though I was terrified. Quinn, Rena, and my sister huddled closer to me, whimpering and shaking, tears pouring down their faces.
Shay and Vash turned their attention to Kieran, who still battled the two Marquises. He was enveloped in a white orb, just like my purple one only brighter. I remembered having heard that he could create protective orbs, but only around himself. How could he fend off the Marqs if he was trapped within an orb, I wasn’t sure.
The other two charged in that moment: Shay with his sword extended, and Vash with his fangs bared. Just as they reached Kieran, two more Marqs slid through the back door. We needed to catch a break. But in the instant when they entered the house and Kieran’s light fell on them, some of their blackness drained. Now they looked like dark gray figures, though they weren’t as faded as the original two. Whatever Kieran was doing, he seemed to weaken them of their color and energy, but I knew he couldn’t kill them—only the wolves could do that.
Working through the fatigue caused by Kieran’s light, all four Marqs drew their swords. Vash emerged from behind the couch, and took one of the newcomers by surprise, ripping it and the cloak to shreds with his claws and teeth. The three remaining Marquises leaped out of the way, changing tactics. They formed a triangle with their backs in the center, allowing each to take an opponent, though there were only two to fight, since Kieran remained in the center of the room, his mighty wings still fully extended.
The Marqs moved as one unit, clashing with Shay’s sword as they turned in a circle and tried simultaneously to fend off Vash’s strikes. Every so often, the wolf got in a good swipe and the Marqs would shriek in what I guessed was their version of pain. But I also heard howls and whimpering.
I didn’t want to think that Shay might get hurt.
From outside the house I became aware of shouts and grunts, and wondered who was fighting outside since we were all trapped in here. Through the windows, I saw flashes of lightning and shards of ice darting through the air, and every now and then, thunder cracked in the sky. That’s when I realized: The weather could only be manipulated by fairies. Sidelle was back.
“Gah!” Shay screamed.
“Shay!” I sought his eyes then scanned his body, checking for damage. His left arm sported a huge red line, marring his skin and oozing blood.
“I’m okay,” he mouthed.
Turning my attention to the open front door, I saw shadowy figures moving on the lawn. Flying objects zipped past, and the wind whistled, adding to the chaos. Rising above the noise echoed the sound of male laughter.
“Is that all you’ve got?” a voice howled. “A snowflake can hit harder than you! Go back to the hole you crawled out from, demon!”
Ice crashed
through the side window of my house, and my cowering girlfriends covered their heads as it rained ice pellets and glass shards. Nothing hit us as the debris bounced off the orb’s barrier. It was like a full blown blizzard in April.
“Think you can hold them off on your own, Vash?” Shay yelled over the fighting.
The wolf nodded once.
“Okay,” Shay shouted. “On the count of three. Kieran, you ready? One! Two! Three!”
Shay threw his sword out of arms’ reach, and his beautiful silver wings appeared. A soft white glow encircled him, draining the lone demon into a light gray and turning the original one almost transparent. This was all Vash needed. He took out one of the Marqs with a swipe of his paw, easily slicing it in half.
Kieran and Shay joined hands, and through their combined glow, the room filled with so much light it almost blinded me. Vash used this distraction to take out the final Marq, and when the last demon’s cloak fell, Vash bolted out the front door, followed by Kieran and Shay. They had to help whoever was outside.
With the house now devoid of all “living” evil beings, I knelt to look out the front picture window, needing to know who was out there. I could only pray it was Sidelle. Quinn, Rena, and Stella crawled behind me, trying to stay within the safety of the orb. I could barely see through the flying leaves, branches, and the thick falling snow. Spears of ice cut through the air, adding to the confusion. I squinted hard and counted at least five black figures.
Vash immediately sprung from the top step and killed one by taking a massive bite out of his chest. The body melted to the ground, leaving the empty black cloak. Kieran and Shay stood on the bottom step, releasing the powerful white glow and catching some of the Marqs by surprise. Some hesitated in their movements, wanting to see where the light was coming from, and Vash took the opportunity to take out another.
On the corner of the front yard, I noticed a tall man with jet-black hair. He kept pulling his arm back and thrusting it forward, and I realized he was the one throwing the ice shards. I assumed he had initially created the snowstorm and made it so cold. I had to wonder which side was he on.
The Guardian, a Sword, & Stilettos (The Enlighten Series Book 1) Page 21