I eyed her apologetically, expecting an indignant “I can’t believe you never told me.” Such a response would’ve been perfectly understandable.
But Lexi simply smiled. “It’s okay. I understand, I guess. I mean I can see how you wouldn’t want to tell anyone a big secret like that. Especially if your other huge secret was kind of tied to it.”
I smiled gratefully as Patrick crossed his arms over his chest, completely detached from my conversation with Lexi. He frowned and leaned back in his chair. “Okay, so we know they want to remind us of our past. But why?
I bit my lip and forced the wheels in my head to turn against their will until I came up with something. Anything. “Well, I guess they wanted to remind us of who we were before becoming light warriors. To beat us down and make us think we hadn’t changed.”
That wasn’t enough for Patrick. “Yes, but why?”
“I don’t know,” I whined. But then I remembered Lucas and Donovan from the night before and something clicked. “They want to get us to quit being light warriors and join them?”
Patrick scoffed. “It’s going to take a heck of a lot more than that.”
“But they were doing more, weren’t they?” I said. “Lila trying to seduce you. Trying to drive me crazy with jealousy so I’d go and do something stupid. Which I almost did.”
Gregory nodded slowly. “They were trying to get you to corrupt yourselves.”
“So then what about all those shadow hunts where we saw one of them?” Kyra asked. “Did they set those things up too?
“Actually…” Gregory held up a finger. “I have some more information about that I just hacked off Lila’s Google account.”
Lexi stared at Gregory under severely furrowed eyebrows as if she’d just found out Eminem collected beanie babies. “Is Mr. Delaney telling us he’s a computer hacker?”
“He is.” I smiled at her, remembering when I’d first learned about his questionably legal computer skills. “So what did you find?”
“Well, some fairly recent searches would indicate that she was doing some research on local rapists and gangs, including specifically—”
“The rapist and the gang we just dealt with?” Kyra finished for him.
Gregory nodded.
Lexi inhaled sharply and turned to me. “You saw a rapist?”
“Well, not personally.” I shook my head, dismissing her question. “Another story for another time.” I focused on Gregory again. “I still don’t get it. Most of those shadow hunts had nothing to do with our past. Well, neither did Connor and Owen’s fight for that matter. And I swear Lila was trying to imply to me that Lucas and Donovan wanted to hurt us. But if so, why haven’t they done it already? Why just create these shadow hunting excursions for us to go on or the fight here in the cafeteria and then come and watch? Do they think we’re stupid enough to get hurt at one of those things?”
Gregory’s eyes brightened with understanding. “Iris.” He stared into my eyes as though he thought I could see what he understood as well. But I couldn’t. Not yet. “Remember you said Lucas told Donovan how powerful you were and that they could use you? Did it sound like that was the first time he’d observed that in you?”
I replayed their conversation for a second but then shook my head. “No, I’m pretty sure Lucas had been trying to convince Donovan they could use me for quite a while.”
I gasped as the light bulb finally switched on over my head. I remembered all of the creepy, approving glances and nods Lucas and Donovan had given me after I’d done something no other light warrior could do. “They’ve been testing my abilities, haven’t they? To see if I was worth the trouble of getting me on their side.”
Gregory nodded. “I think so.”
Mixed emotions wrenched my stomach at that realization. Lucas and Donovan thought I was important enough to put forth so much time and effort into getting me on their side. But the cost had been significant. And that was partially my fault.
Suddenly, Lila’s comment about everything being about me started to make sense. “So…” I began slowly, hesitant to say my thoughts out loud. “When Lila said this was all about me and had always been about me…could they really not be after Patrick at all but only using him to get to me?” The words sounded so stupid and arrogant once I’d said them that I immediately wanted to take them back.
But Gregory started nodding like he’d already come to that same conclusion before I had the chance. “I was thinking that too. I mean, think about what she and Donovan have done to him and how you’ve reacted. Her trying to seduce him to get him back? Made you crazy jealous so that you almost corrupted yourself. Donovan reminding Patrick of his past by killing his old friend David? I think they were trying to make Patrick feel corrupt so that he’d leave you and us. Just think, Iris. What would that have done to you?”
I didn’t want to think about that horrible scenario, but when I did, I couldn’t argue with Gregory’s logic. “I would’ve been heartbroken and probably would’ve run after him wherever he’d gone.”
Gregory eyed me sympathetically. “They know how you feel about each other. If they get Patrick, they get you.”
Patrick let out a huge puff of air as he stared straight ahead of him. “Well, that takes being used to a whole new level, doesn’t it?” After sighing once more, his eyes found mine and his bitter tone changed to something like pity. “I should probably feel relieved that Donovan doesn’t really care about getting me back. But knowing he’s just using me to get to you only makes me more upset and more worried about you.”
“I know,” Kyra said softly, her eyes focused on the ground. “One on one seemed a little more manageable. But two on one just doesn’t seem fair at all.”
Even Lexi’s and Gregory’s faces were wrinkled with worry.
I looked down at my hands, unable to look at any of them. Though I should’ve been worried too, being the target of two very powerful demons, two thoughts were all that flowed through my mind. One, I couldn’t be this special, and two, it wasn’t fair that my friends had to be drug into this mess as well when all the shadows wanted was me.
On top of that, we’d forgotten to add one important piece to the equation. I sunk in my seat with a frustrated ‘humph.’ “So if they want me so badly, why was Lila telling me to watch my back? They wouldn’t hurt someone they’re wanting to use, right?”
The room fell silent, which was not comforting in the slightest. I had hoped someone would affirm my statement. Agree that it would be crazy for them to try to hurt a potential recruit.
“Well, I guess that’s what we need to figure out.” Gregory regarded each of us in turn. “Go home. Think about everything we know so far. Sleep on it. We’ll meet back when any of you have any ideas or I get more information. And in the meantime, to be safe…I would heed Lila’s advice.”
* * * *
Tuesday came and went with no new leads, and Wednesday was coming to an end with the same results. None of our brains seemed to be working. Plus, I’d ruined our chances at weaseling more information out of Lila when I’d exposed Patrick’s ruse from earlier. She basically steered clear of all of us now, aside from the occasional worried glances my way, which didn’t make me feel any better.
By that evening I was frustrated and worried. Even a little paranoid. Gregory had told us about a potential shadow hunt for the next night that involved drug trafficking. Though he wasn’t sure we should go with everything going on, I was all for it. At least I thought I was. My stomach was twisting into knots. I felt like I was on the verge of a discovery, like the answer was buried inside me just dying to find a way out. However close the answer was, I was beginning to sense I wouldn’t like what I discovered.
The next morning my phone buzzed with a message from Gregory. I threw back the covers and sat up in bed to read his text.
LET’S MEET TWENTY MINUTES BEFORE SCHOOL IN THE CAFETERIA.
Did that mean he had more information? Hopefully somebody did at least.
&nbs
p; I rode with Patrick that morning, so we strolled into the cafeteria together and searched for Gregory. He was standing off to the side with Kyra and Lexi, pretending to monitor the few students who ate breakfast at school.
“Did we miss anything?” I dropped my bag and sat down with Patrick at a nearby table.
“Nope. I was waiting on you guys.” Gregory cleared his throat as he and the other girls sat down with us. Hopefully, to everyone else this would just look like an impromptu study hall. “Okay, so I have some more information, something I heard through the spiritual grapevine.”
Lexi raised an eyebrow and glanced my way, but she didn’t say anything. She was probably getting used to our quirky terminology.
“I think I know what it means, but I wanted to share the information with you so we could all process it together.”
We nodded in agreement. Five heads were definitely better than one. Even if that one head belonged to an angel.
Before continuing, Gregory gazed at me in particular. My pulse quickened.
“The words ‘last resort’ have been floating around the demon community lately,” he said, “almost like a team whispering the name of the play to their teammates. Iris, do you know what that means?”
I closed my eyes and let this new information filter like glue into the cracks and holes of the puzzle we’d been attempting to put together with broken pieces. Lila’s warnings and recent behaviors. Lucas’s telling me I’d regret never joining their side.
My eyes flew wide open as the discovery that had been struggling to come to the surface finally blew through my mind like a hurricane.
I met Gregory’s solemn gaze. “If they can’t have me, which I’ve made pretty clear they never will…”
Gregory sighed, finishing my statement for me. “Then they’re going to make sure we can’t either.”
Chapter 28
Chairs scraped the tiled floor as trays and utensils smacked the lunchroom’s steel kitchen counter. Their echoes bounced off the walls. Had I missed the bell?
I surveyed my surroundings as if awakening from a nightmare. But this wasn’t a dream. Lucas and Donovan wanted to kill me. This was really happening.
I sat numbly, uncertain what to do or say. Everyone else did the same. There was no way I could stomach school today. Something about knowing evil shadows were scheming to end my life made it hard to concentrate on algebra and ‘good old’ Saturn.
Patrick was the first to break our silence. He placed a hand on my knee and squeezed protectively. “Iris, there is no way we’re going to let them hurt you.”
“Of course,” Kyra chimed in, though her eyes darted to Gregory like she was asking for permission to give me such assurance.
“Yes, Iris, don’t you worry,” Gregory said. “We’ll just have to be more cautious. In fact...” He paused to think and then shook his head resolutely. "I don’t think we should do this shadow hunt tonight with the drug trafficking.”
“What? No.” I glanced at the others for support, but nobody backed me up. “We can’t just stop everything because—”
Gregory held up his hand, cutting me off. “Iris, they’ve probably been looking for a good opportunity to kill you. This could very well be it. The way they’ve been chanting that phrase recently…” He closed his eyes and shook his head again, almost like he was shivering. “Iris, I just…I don’t think it’s safe.”
None of the others argued with Gregory or said anything. Their silence frustrated me, and that frustration somehow morphed into confidence. A confidence that grew every second I looked at their sad, passive faces.
“Hey! I am not going to just sit by like a scared little child while there’s work to be done. I mean what’s the alternative? Living in a hole twiddling our thumbs? Does that sound like fun?”
“Not fun, but necessary,” Patrick said, begging me with his eyes to agree with him, but I shook my head even more resolutely than Gregory had.
“No,” I said firmly as I stood up and stared each one of them down. “I’m not going to let this stop us. We are light warriors. We are called to fight. Not play defense. So if Lucas and Donovan want to pick a fight, then let’s hit them head on instead of sitting around with our tails between our legs waiting for them to strike.” My confidence was unwavering. My logic was sound. And no one was going to convince me otherwise.
This time when I scanned everyone’s faces, I saw something different. Kyra looked like I had just delivered the best rallying cry in the history of battles. Lexi looked stunned. Gregory looked like a reluctant but proud parent of a child wanting to join the military. Patrick was the only one who didn’t seem completely convinced.
At last, Gregory let out a huge gust of air and then eyed Patrick with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Patrick. I don’t want to, but she’s right. We can’t put everything on hold indefinitely. Besides, I think she’s proven by now she has more strength and tenacity than most light warriors. If Iris is determined to keep on fighting, then we need to fight with her.”
I smiled at Gregory. I wasn’t sure I deserved the compliment, but I was grateful for his confidence in me.
Patrick pinched his mouth up on one side, glancing up at me. His smirk fell with his resolve, though, as he sighed and stood up. Grabbing both my shoulders, he stared into my eyes. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Pulling his hands from my shoulders, I held them between us and smiled. “You need to have more confidence in the light.”
“I know, I know,” he whispered and then gathered me into his arms. “I just wish they were after me instead of you.”
Gregory placed his hands on the table to push himself up and cleared his throat, signaling our little meeting was over. “Okay. Here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to get a sub for the day so I can get some more information on this drug trafficking thing. I already have some angel intel on it, but I want to check in and assess the risk factors.”
“Now, the rest of you.” Gregory paused as we stood expectantly and threw our backpacks over our shoulders like a unified troop awaiting orders. “I’m not sure how soon we’ll need to get together to go over details. If needed, I’ll check you all out early. Otherwise, you’ll just have to stay here and I’ll call after school.”
We all groaned, even Lexi.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t have a plan to go over yet. I promise, I will let you know more as soon as I do.”
“Isn’t there something we can do to help?” I did my best to keep the whine in my voice under control.” I had just figured out Lucas and Donovan wanted to kill me and then made the decision not to hide in a hole. That’s what sitting around at school felt like. Sitting in a stupid brick building learning absolutely nothing since I was too flustered to think straight did not seem productive.
“Don’t worry, Iris. You’ll be safe here with Patrick and Kyra for now. And before you know it, you’ll be back out there doing what you do best. Okay?”
I knew Gregory was cheating, covering me with his potent glow to help his encouraging words sink in, but I allowed myself to draw strength from his light anyway. I let my eyelids fall and breathed in his comforting scent. When I eventually exhaled and reopened my eyes, his glow had disappeared, but I was recharged. At least for the moment.
By third hour I was a fidgety mess again. And not because of Lila, who was for some reason absent. “How can you be so calm right now? Isn’t being here driving you crazy?”
Patrick’s lighthearted smile and attitude the last few minutes since I’d arrived were starting to get on my nerves. I’d been restless almost all day, so him sitting beside me perfectly still and at peace made me feel even more like a basket case.
“Well, first of all, I trust Gregory. He’s got this under control. Second of all, I didn’t want you to go on this shadow hunt in the first place. You’re much safer here than out there being a hero.”
“Well, excuse me for trying to save the world.” I pulled out my phone for the millionth time that day to see
if I’d missed a call from Gregory and then deflated when a blank screen stared back at me.
“Iris, he hasn’t called yet. It’ll probably be after school. Or if anything, he’ll just check us out and we’ll get a note from the office.”
I jammed my phone back into my pocket and slid further down my chair.
“All right, class.” Mrs. Bauder moved to the front of the room with a list in her hands. “I’ve got the names for today’s parents.” She waved the paper and smiled as though she were holding winning lottery tickets. She’d handed out the eight plastic babies to the first set of students last Thursday. I’d forgotten today would be the next round.
When I call your name, go ahead and get your baby, as well as one diaper bag and seven outfits.” She motioned to the row of carriers behind her filled with hard, lifeless dolls and then the long table with diaper bags and piles of clothes. “Meadow McClelland, Maria Malaveci, Brooklyn Gorman, Kaitlyn Posey, Cheyenne Clawson, Tori Compton, Erik Van Winkle—our only father for today...”
Erik, one of the only guys in our class besides Patrick, stood up and brushed off his shoulders. He strutted to the front as if his name had been called for the prestigious award of Coolest Fake Dad.
“And Iris Kohl.” She set the list down casually as though she hadn’t just delivered my death sentence.
My jaw dropped. Had I seriously signed myself up for this week? How could that have slipped my mind? Of all days, today could not be the day I was chosen to become the caretaker of a demanding imitation baby.
I hadn’t moved, so Patrick nudged me. “Iris. Go get your baby.”
I closed my mouth and stood up to shuffle to the front. There was one baby left. A girl. She stared at me with a fake smile as if to convince me she was a sweet baby and that we’d have loads of fun together. I wasn’t buying it.
Luminous Spirits (Shadow Eyes Series Book 2) Page 28