by Maya Daniels
“I don’t trust him.” Folding his arms over his chest and bunching the fabric of the shirt around his biceps, Zoltan stares me down with a stubborn lift of his chin.
“Congratu-fuckin-lation! I don’t trust anyone.” Scratching my arm in anger, I can feel skin filling up the space under my nails where I’m leaving red gouges in it. “Now that we have this out in the open, we need to move. I have no doubt the Board will find a reason why I should do that stupid oath sooner rather than later, so I’d like to have a plan before that happens if you don’t mind.”
Ignoring my comment about personal space, Zoltan takes my hand in his strong fingers, stopping me from mutilating myself. Maybe he has no idea what personal space means? Watching his thumb scrape over the back of my hand as if it’s a snake that will bite me, my head jerks up when Daren laughs out loud. The mage has his head thrown back and he is pressing a hand over his chest.
“What’s so funny?” Astara takes a surprised step back when I snarl like a feral beast.
“Only you, Franky.” Daren howls louder, slapping his thigh. “I was worried they were manipulating you or threatening you in some way, so I wasn’t sure if I wanted to portal everyone.” Snickering and chortling, he pushes to his feet. “I should’ve known none of them stand a chance against you and the chaos that follows you everywhere, Daywalkers or not.”
“Oh yeah.” Leo snorts, joining Daren in some stupid male solidarity. “She had them all turned on their heads in the first five minutes she stepped foot here. I’m surprised none of the Board has had an aneurism yet.”
“Ha ha, very funny. Let’s see if you’re still be laughing after we tell you everything.” Stabbing the air with a finger at Daren’s face, I yank my other hand out of Zoltan’s where he is still holding it hostage. “Come on, click your shoes three times and take us away, Dorothy.”
“You know what she is talking about?” Leo turns to Fenrir.
“Some human television stuff, I’m sure.” The Fae twists his mouth like he tasted something sour.
“I want to come wherever you are going.” Azgor’s voice floats from the doorway.
“I thought you had us warded so no one could hear our conversation.” I glare at Fenrir.
“He didn’t hear anything.” The Fae looks insulted, but I don’t care. I’ve had enough frustration for one day and today has barely started.
“I’ve made a lot of mistakes only because everyone is keeping vital information from me.” The ghoul moves further inside the dining hall, the collar of his shirt gaping almost down to his navel by this point. He really needs to stop tugging on it. I’m starting to think he has more anxiety issues than me. “Everything I’ve known is falling apart. Don’t keep me out of it. I can help.”
“Let him come.” At Fenrir’s murmured agreement, Zoltan grabs my upper arm and propels me out of the room. “I need to get something from my room, and Francesca is coming with me.”
“Francesca can walk on her own, thank you very much.” Yanking on my arm, I’m practically jogging to keep up with his long strides, but that doesn’t make him let me go. “Why do I need to come anyway? You know where your room is.”
Azgor gives us a passing glance when we storm past him, but he rushes to join the others when the jerk next to me nods sharply at him. The ghoul looked like a lost puppy but now there is determination bordering on frantic excitement painting his features. I hope Zoltan knows what he is doing, because I haven’t had a chance to form any type of opinion about Azgor. He is just there, popping up at random times. It’s enough to be aware of his presence, but nothing more. Seeing him with the old idiots when they attacked our group at the portals didn’t win him any points, either.
“Please tell me someone told her who he is.” There is a hint of fear in Daren’s voice, and it sounds far away by the time we reach the entrance of the dining hall. “She knows who Zoltan is, right?”
“I don’t think she does.” Fenrir chuckles, his words loaded with amusement.
“Even Daren thinks you are a bogeymen,” I huff out when we turn down the hall. “It’s all that one-word wonder personality you have going on.”
“I think Myst is rubbing off on you.” Zoltan flicks his gaze at me but doesn’t slow down. “And not in a flattering way.”
“She is onto something by staying away from you lot, I’ll tell you that much.” Finally freeing my arm because I don’t want to admit he actually decided to release his grip, I rub at it. “Why did you need me to have your back? That’s why you dragged me with you right?” Flicking a hand in his face when he opens his mouth, I narrow my eyes at him. “The next words coming out of your mouth better be, ‘yes Francesca, I needed backup,’ because if that’s not it I’m going to be pissed.”
“We can’t leave it behind if all of us are going through a portal.” My mouth forms an O at that. The book is in Zoltan’s room. It’s smart thinking to take it with us in case someone decides to break in and search for it. With everything going on, I forgot about the cursed thing. Okay, so he did need backup. A smile curls my mouth.
“I took you with me because the mage can’t snatch you away if I’m near.” Zoltan kills any warm fuzzies that start in my chest.
“You are an asshole. I hope you know that.”
“So you’ve told me once … or twice.” That corner of his mouth twitches again, and my palm is itching to slap his smirk away.
“Daren is in no way working with the Board or with Roberti.” Remembering the grief that came off him, I rub a fist between my breasts. “If you knew his story, you’d know I’m right.”
“Why don’t you tell me.” With a hand on the small of my back, he veers me left across the wide space of the Academy’s foyer.
“It’s not my story to tell.” I swallow the lump in my throat. “You felt some of what he is feeling through the blood bond, no?” I shouldn’t have mentioned the bond.
It’s not a normal thing for a half blood, this feeling of connecting he forged between us. Yes, I can feel the presence of anyone if I take their blood, but this is different. Ever since it happened, I’ve been so freaked out that I’m blocking it as much as I can. Is it the same for him? I don’t dare dissect it long enough to figure out. And now I blurt it out like some idiot.
Zoltan nods slowly, thoughtfully, unaware of my inner turmoil.
“That was some very strong grief, indeed.” My heart punches my ribs hard before hammering wildly. “It doesn’t say he can be trusted.” Shadows dance around his face, the light of the moon coming through the windows we are passing sharpening his cheekbones. “I’m not taking any chances when it comes to you, Francesca.” Luckily, we reach the door to his room and I don’t have to comment on that.
“Go get the cursed thing.” Crossing my arms, I lean on the wall.
Zoltan stops with his hand on the door handle, his gaze searching my face for a long moment. Not looking away, I stare at him unblinking but inside I’m a mess. I hope he can’t see how his last words affected me. Not because I need someone to protect me, but because of how everything inside me melts and turns to mush knowing someone is willing to try. His eyelids lower slightly and I can tell he wants to say more, but thankfully he opens the door and disappears inside. Releasing a deep breath, I sag on the wall. What the hell are you doing Franky, I ask myself, but I have no answer. When it comes to the Daywalker, I’m drifting like a speck of dust in the air with nothing to anchor me to reality. The one where me and him can be nothing but a passing thing.
“I have it.” Zoltan walks out closing the door behind him.
“Great.” He gives me a startled look at my chirpiness. “Let’s go.” The words rush out of me as I bolt down the hallway.
I have no idea if I’m running from him, or from myself.
Chapter 11
“Take the rest of them first.” Zoltan glares at Daren while holding me by the arm. “Francesca and I can go with you last.”
Praying for patience, I nod at the mage because we will stay
here for days if we argue with Zoltan. The Daywalker made it abundantly clear that we’re doing things his way or the highway. Daren looks between us with amusement, but it evaporates when Zoltan growls. The panther, who by some miracle doesn’t follow me when we retrieve the book, is not helping either when he shoulders his way between us, plopping in front of me. Typical cat, no matter the size.
I watch in fascination when Daren glides his hands in the air and the space in front of his starts swirling and shimmering like a soap bubble in the sun. Astara, Leo, Fenrir, and Azgor gather behind him, watching each flick of his fingers or twist of his wrists with rapt attention. I’d be lying if I said I don’t find it amazing. I mean the mage is literally ripping an opening in time and space right before our eyes. Until he popped inside the Academy out of thin air, I thought portals were some anomaly connecting us to the humans. Daren just proved how wrong I’ve been.
“Where are we going?” Leo shifts from foot to foot, excitement making him practically vibrate in place. Astara elbows him to shut him up because he is disturbing the mage.
“I don’t know about you, but I would like to step out on the other side with all my body parts in the right places,” she hisses at the Alpha.
“I have a house in the human realm and it’s secluded. It’ll be safe to speak there,” Daren says low under his breath, not taking his eyes away from the opening portal or pausing in his movements.
The ground under my feet thumps slightly, but none of the others react. My power lurches in my chest, alerting me that something isn’t right. Just like when Daren appeared earlier. The portal snaps open and the earth on which the Academy stands shudders like it’s cold. Not for the first time, I wonder if the magic protecting this place is a sentient entity we know nothing about.
“Go ahead.” Daren shifts slightly, urging the others to go through.
“Here goes nothing.”
Astara squares her shoulders and strides through it without a second glance. Leo is right on her heels, barreling through with a curse sounding like “damn stubborn females,” but I can’t be sure. Fenrir grabs Azgor by the back of his neck, propelling him ahead as he walks through as well.
“I’ll be back in one second.” Daren throws the words over his shoulder and steps through.
Without overthinking it too much I lurch my body forward, tugging Zoltan’s hand off my arm. As I knew they would, both the vampire and the panther jump at the portal, disappearing through it before it snaps closed, which leaves only me and Daren left standing in the middle of the empty dining hall.
“You really have a death wish.” Daren snorts and scratches his head.
“Fuck!” Sucking in a deep breath, I fill my lungs to bursting and hold the air in. “He is going to kill me for this.” Blowing the breath out, a hysterical giggle bubbles out of me.
“Care to tell me why we pissed off the most dangerous Daywalker that ever walked the worlds?” Daren’s green eyes sparkle with mischief. Slapping his hands together, he rubs them harshly. “You never make life boring, Franky.”
“It’s Zoltan, he’ll get over it.” Waving his worry away, I push the spike of fear that passes through me to the back of my mind. “We need to make a pit stop before we join them.”
“I’m not a taxi, Drake.” There is no bite in his comment, but his eyes narrow on me.
“I’ll owe you for this. I need to stop at my apartment, but I can’t leave through the gates.” Daren’s eyebrows snap in a sharp V over his eyes but I rush ahead to convince him. “I just need one minute, two tops, and we will join them. Please, Daren.”
‘Why can’t you leave through the gates?” The mage grabs my shoulders to stop me, bouncing on my toes in his urgency.
“I kinda die if I try to leave the Academy,” I mumble before the rest comes out in one breath. “If I kick the bucket, you can bring me back. It took you less than a second to return just now. Let’s go.” Daren jerks back like I’ve punched him.
“You die?” His eyes are about to pop out of their sockets, and I deflate.
“Listen, it’s a long story and I promise I’ll tell you everything later. The longer Zoltan waits for us to show up the more furious he will be.” Chewing on my lip, I eye Daren. “Your house might get some redecorating. But anyway, since you are creating the portal, I think I’ll be fine. You can even hold onto me the entire time if you like. I’m not doing anything stupid, I just need to get something.”
A muscle is twitching in Daren’s jaw and tiny flames are bursting in puffs around his clenched fists. “They are holding you here against your will.” His face fills with darkness like a stormy cloud.
“What? No.” It’s my turn to be taken aback. With a groan, I cover my face with both hands. “Maybe at first,” Daren hisses angrily so I pick at him through my fingers. “Like five minutes, give or take.”
“Are you listening to yourself Drake?” The mage paces in front of me wearing a hole into the floor. “Do you know how insane that sounds?”
“At the time, I didn’t know the Academy was where I needed to be Daren.” Dropping my arms, I glare at him. “Don’t you see what’s going on? You’d rather not know and leave the faith of Sienna in the useless hands of the Board? Or would you rather be in the thick of it where you actually have a say?” Not waiting for an answer, I shove a finger in his face. “I didn’t think so.”
“I see Zoltan’s hands are more capable.” He shuts his mouth with an audible snap. “I didn’t mean that.”
“Who I fuck is none of your business. The faith of many lives is at stake here, so are you going to take me to Sienna or not?”
“I’ll take you, but you better not die on me, Franky. I’m not dealing with that Daywalker on my own, am I clear?”
“Crystal.” His hands are already moving so I don’t argue anymore.
“You must be the dumbest female I’ve ever met if you think what’s going on with that vampire is as simple as scratching an itch.” Shaking his head like he can’t believe my stupidity, Daren snorts incredulously.
“That’s what it was. It’s all in the past now.” Staring him down my nose, I dare the mage to keep talking. Rattling around my ribcage, my heart is erratic, though on the outside I’m as calm as a cucumber.
“Keep telling yourself that.” Pursing his lips, Daren can’t even stop the snicker coming out of him.
“Just open the damn portal.”
Grinding my teeth, I bite hard on my tongue to stop the idiotic butterflies that are bursting in my lower belly. The mage is too optimistic thinking everyone can find love just like he did. Didn’t he learn a lesson when his female was killed? Unless he wishes all of us to suffer loss like that, he can’t possibly encourage this insanity. My eyes lock on the back of his hand where the black ink is stamped. I wonder if he will go through with it again if he can go back in time. Was it worth it? The question sits on the tip of my tongue, so I bite it until blood fills my mouth.
“Okay, Franky.” Blowing out a breath, Daren has beads of sweat gathering around his hairline and above his upper lip. “I’ll hold it open as long as I can so we don’t waste time opening a new portal. You better be fast, or I’ll have to fully step through and waste a few minutes to create another gateway directly to the human realm. If you are dying it might be little tricky to concentrate. Never mind the fact that I’ll bring you back just so I can kill you myself.”
“You can do that?”
“Are you planning on dying?” At my frown, he shakes his head. “I can’t, but I will definitely try if you don’t stay breathing.” He grins at me, but it’s strained.
“Right.” Blowing out a breath, I inch closer to the shimmering portal. “We will be in and out.”
Bracing for the nausea that slaps me every time I walk through one of these damn things, I blindly step through, my face scrunched up stupidly. My foot hits something hard and sends me spinning, so I sidestep around it and grab onto soft fabric in hopes to stay standing. My eyes snap open and I blink fast to c
lear my vision so I can see my apartment, which is partly covered in shadows where the moon is not penetrating the darkness in front of me. The fact that I’m not curled on the floor fighting for breath makes me grin.
“Still alive,” I call out to Daren, hoping he can hear me through the portal.
Not wasting time, I rush to my bedroom and yank the door open with too much force. It crashes against the opposite wall but I’m already tugging the mattress off the bad frame. My fingers curl around the headboard at the same time as claws dig into my neck, cutting off my air supply.
“I knew you’d eventually come here.” Someone snarls in my ear, his rancid breath making me gag. “It was just a matter of time.”
Dark spots dance at the corners of my eyes so I lift my leg, slamming the heel of my boot on his foot as hard as I can. The asshole roars in pain but his damn claws tighten around my neck instead of releasing me. Kicking, clawing, and scratching doesn’t work either and hysterical laughter bubbles inside me. Here lies Francesca: she fought demigods, hunters, and poisons just to be killed by a burglar, my mind supplies my eulogy. The person killing me screams, bursting my eardrum before releasing my throat. Falling on all fours, I gulp air and cough as tears stream down my face, blurring the bedroom.
“Never a dull moment,” Daren says from somewhere behind me and I see him kicking a body burnt to a crisp when I look over my shoulder. “At least you are not dying from being in Sienna. Hurry up and get what you need until I open a new portal, or I’ll leave you behind.”
Nodding jerkily, I pull the bad frame aside with shaky arms. My fingers are trembling while I fumble with the ridges between the planks on the floor. I miss it three times before finally catching the tiny gap and digging my nails into it. I don’t open this hidden compartment often, so it takes a lot of effort and cursing until the part of the plank pops off. Scraping the shit out of my hand, I catch the cloth bag between my fingers and gingerly pull it out. With a sharp tug, I unravel the knot on the little bag, flipping it so the rock, which is the size of my thumbnail and sports a brass chain, drops into the center of my palm.