I fell backward the wood of the chair dug into my flesh. I struggled against the bonds. A door opened behind me and I tried to roll over, but I couldn’t move.
“I’m going to kill her,” said Kyra. She struggled to pick me up.
“No leave me here. You can’t lift anything right now. Victoria will be back, take Cyrus and run.”
Her eyes widened and then she placed her hand over her stomach. “I haven’t had my period, but it is not regular like it used to be. I thought it was late.” She threw her arms around my neck and showered my face with kisses. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”
“Woman, yes you are. Do you want to watch her kill me and Cyrus?”
Kyra’s hand flew to her mouth and she grunted and lifted the chair. She wiped the sweat from her brow and placed her hands on her hips. “I can help you.”
“Take Cyrus and run. Get Dylan, so he can protect you. Don’t trust anyone else and run, now. I will find you.” I took in her beauty. Her thick body was voluminous and swollen with my seed. Her skin was covered in sweat and her clothes clung to her like they were about to burst at the seams. I have never seen a more beautiful woman in my life. I know that I never will. She was my everything.
“You better not die, or I will come down there and finish you off myself. You have some explaining to do about giving me that blood.” She ran into the bedroom. I heard her gathering Cyrus, who was now whining. When she pounded on Dylan’s door, I held my breath.
“Dylan is gone. I should just hide in the bedroom.” She stood in front of me holding Cyrus in the personal carrier wrapped around her chest.
“No, go now. If you stay, she will kill you. Go, now.” My eyes blazed and I felt my horns break through my skin. I was not in control of my emotions and my demon form was emerging. Pulling I tried to free myself from the bonds but all I accomplished was causing my wrist to bleed.
I heard Kyra run out the back door. She closed the door behind her.
Kyra please be careful. Dylan please be close by and help Kyra. Where was everyone?
Victoria appeared. She was holding a bundle in a pink blanket. I could smell the faint scent of Vaseline and baby powder. Closing my eyes, I tried to compose myself.
Victoria waved her hand and the steel bands fell away from my arms and legs. I didn’t move or open my eyes. My daughter was within my reach. Would she fear me?
Opening my eyes, I stood up. “Give me my daughter. I can’t go on like this.”
She handed me my daughter. “Stop crying. You shouldn’t be so emotional; it allows your enemies to know your weakness.”
Cradling her in my arms, I folded the pink blanket away from her face. Her dark ringlet curls were hanging down her back. She turned her face toward me and smiled. She reached out her chubby hand and grabbed my face. She placed a wet kiss on my cheek.
When she squealed with delight, the tightness in my chest eased a bit.
“Catalia, daddy has missed you so much.”
I walked back to my bedroom and placed Catalia in Cyrus’s crib. I turned on the light show and smiled when her eyes flew wide once the music started.
Turning around. Victoria was leaning against the wall, with her nose turned up. She was staring at my crumpled bed sheets. The room was clean except for the bed not being made up.
“What?” Staring at her I walked toward the bedroom door. Victoria’s attitude had changed in the blink of an eye. Her mouth was turned up and she looked like she smelled a skunk.
The room didn’t stink, but my sheets did smell like Kyra’s perfume. She had a thing for scents and the scent changed with her moods, days, and inclinations.
“I have given you what you want and now you’re going to give me what I want.”
Behind Victoria, I saw Kyra and Dylan creep back into the house.
Why did I expect Kyra to listen to me? The woman does what she wants, when she wants.
Kyra dashed inside Dylan’s bedroom.
Victoria narrowed her eyes and looked behind her.
“Dylan is here.” I spoke loud enough that Kyra could hear me and hopefully stay hidden. I wasn’t sure why she came back except she wasn’t leaving without me. Her stubbornness was a quality that I adored most times, except for today. Dylan looked like he had been fighting an epic battle or something. His clothes were bloody and torn, but I acted like this was how he was all the time. Victoria wouldn’t know Dylan hated to be covered in blood.
Dylan strolled into the bedroom. He looked at Victoria then at me. He smiled and walked over to the crib.
“High, my name is Dylan. You are very beautiful.” He snuggled Catalia’s cheek and walked out of the room with her.
I was torn. I wanted Catalia to be safe, but I didn’t want her to leave my sight. I wanted my daughter to know her father. I love her very much and I wanted the opportunity to show her that.
“Don’t take her far, Dylan.” I paced my room. I was pacing but I was looking for anything that was out of place. Victoria was up to something and I didn’t want to be taken by surprise again.
Victoria pushed away from the wall and walked to the dresser. She picked up a baby monitor and rolled her eyes. Sitting it back on the dresser, she walked to the door. “You will kill the baby in Kyra’s stomach and show the DAO that you are not a weakling,” said Victoria.
“I gave you Catalia why would you need another child. You still have the boy child, don’t you?”
I threw up my hands. “You can’t be serious. I’m not killing my child.”
“You don’t need another boy; you already have one.”
I balled my fists at my side and moved toward her. “You know I would never agree to kill my child, so what is your game?”
Victoria smiled. “I don’t have a game. The DAOs feel you are weak and have agreed to spare your wretched life after they get rid of your weaknesses.”
Damn, I have underestimated her again!
“You told the DAOs they could kill my children?” I felt my blood heating. My breathing was coming fast, and I tried to calm myself, but I was livid. She told the DAO to kill my kids, and Kyra too, I’m sure.
“They want to kill you too. If you prove yourself by killing the kid, then you might get out of this alive.”
“They don’t know where I am. What makes you think they are focused on my kids?”
“They do know where you are. Where do you think your men have disappeared to?”
I walked to her but stopped when I saw Kyra behind Victoria. She flew to Victoria and slit her throat with a razor blade.
“Nobody comes for my kids.” Kyra grabbed her by the hair and smashed her head against the wall then spit on her.
Excruciating pain shot through me. My hand gripped my throat and I fell to my knees. My throat was closing, and my air was cut off.
“Dylan help me. He’s dying,” screamed Kyra. She rushed to me and rolled me over to my side.
Dylan ran in the room. He looked at Victoria and then to me.
“Kyra, you’ve killed him. We’ve got to go. The DAOs are coming.”
“No, I am not going without him.”
Valcrum have mercy on Kyra and my kids. Do not punish them for my sins.
“Dylan he’s not breathing. Do something!”
My eyes flew open as a bolt of electricity shot through my body. Valcrum was kneeling with his hand in my chest. His fingers were squeezing my heart, forcing it to pump and circulate my blood. The flesh around my neck was repairing itself, as it formed a patchwork healing skin.
When Valcrum stood up he smiled. “You are learning, but you must prove yourself to me.”
Opening my eyes, I sat up. Gripping my neck, I still felt my body repairing itself.
Kyra threw herself in my arms. “I’m sorry. I overreacted. I’m glad you didn’t die.”
Getting to my feet, I helped her up. “I did die. Valcrum brought me back to life.”
Kyra frowned. “I don’t understand. Why would he do that?”
&nbs
p; I don’t understand it either but now is not the time to figure it out.
“You need to get Cyrus. Quick we don’t have much time.”
Dylan looked at me and shook his head. He was holding Catalia in the personal carrier strapped across his torso.
Kyra raced back inside the bedroom. “Where are we going?”
“We are heading to the academy.”
25
Arianna
I followed Cade and Maximus outside. I didn’t know what to feel. Kyra and Trevor must be desperate, to come here. Everyone else waited safely inside the academy so that Trevor and Kyra wouldn’t know anything. None of us trusted them.
What would make them so desperate that they would come here?
Kyra looked different. There was something different about her. She had put on weight since I last saw her. I guess it was safe to say he made sure she ate. Her clothes weren’t revealing at all and they were more like something you would see me in, instead of her. She had on a blousy shirt that was super long and wide leg parachute pants.
Her hand went to her stomach then she dropped it. She caught me staring at her and she rolled her eyes.
My eyes widened. “Oh, no. He knocked you up again. You’re here because you’re pregnant.”
“I’m not pregnant.” Kyra tossed her curly hair over her shoulder and crossed her arms over her chest. She rolled her eyes and went to go stand next to Trevor.
I watched Kyra closely. Her right eye twitched. She was lying.
“How is Joe? I’d love to see him.”
I missed Joe, but what I really wanted to know was where were my niece and nephew. Kyra wasn’t the motherly type and she didn’t need kids, but here she was with two and a third in her stomach.
Kyra shook her head. “I lost Joe.” She shuffled from one foot to the next.
Trevor grabbed one of her hands. “Joe is fine. I have Dylan taking care of him.”
Kyra frowned. “It’s ok. I’m not going to cry anymore about it. You don’t have to lie to them.”
He smiled. “Dylan has Joe. He has had him for the last three weeks. You were ragged and could not take care of Joe, too.”
Cade stepped outside and walked up to Trevor. “You have a lot of nerve showing your face here.”
Trevor shrugged. “You need us, and I am here to help you, because it will help me. I don’t like you anymore than you like me.”
I shook my head. “What makes you think I need you?”
Trevor smiled. “The DAO are coming to kill you. I don’t care about that, but they want to kill my kids, so here we are. I am willing to join forces to kill the DAOs once and for all.”
Maximus snorted. “You should’ve never created them, and we wouldn’t be in this mess, but you had to play Valcrum, didn’t you?”
Trevor wrapped his arms around Kyra. “This is a one-time offer, now what’s it going to be?”
“No. So leave now, while I still allow you to,” said Cade.
“Your funeral, Cade,” said Trevor. He started walking but Kyra dug her heels in.
“We came all the way here. You said our kids would be safe here. I’m not leaving like this. We may not get sanctuary, but they will not turn down our kids,” said Kyra.
“We will take the kids.” I stepped forward but Maximus grabbed me by the waist.
“Trevor is on the verge of losing it. He isn’t going to give you the kids,” whispered Maximus.
Trevor grabbed her arm and pulled her close. “I am not leaving my kids with them. I go where my kids go.”
“Are you condemning our kids to death?” Kyra burst into tears. She clutched her stomach and fell to her knees, in the dirt.
Trevor picked her up. He smoothed her hair back and kissed her forehead. “Stop crying.”
One of Trevor’s men came rushing toward us. He had a baby strapped across his chest and one in his arms, bundled in a pink blanket.
“We are leaving, Dylan.”
Dylan walked over and handed Catalia to me. “We need to get them inside now. The DAO are coming. The men are fighting them now. I left to bring them here.”
Maximus stopped him. “Give me the baby and wait here. We still don’t trust you. We do this our way, or you can fight the DAO with the baby on your back.”
I opened my mouth then looked at Cade and shut it. This was Trevor and Kyra and they couldn’t be trusted. Who was to say they weren’t using the babies to set us up for a sneak attack?
Dylan handed over the baby to Maximus and he placed the baby on my back, and I rushed inside the doors, locking them behind me.
I ran into Liam’s office. “Letoya, here take them, the Dao are coming.”
She grabbed the kids. The window shattered and two men with horns and angled wings and came rushing towards her. Claire shot two orbs and sent them flying back outside. Orion and his men jumped out the window.
Letoya disappeared with the babies. I looked at Ivy. “You are still healing. Stay here.”
I jumped out the window. Landing next to Cade, he glanced at me then ducked a punch from one of the DAO. Ivy flew down and sent the DAO flying.
Nathaniel jumped down from a nearby tree with Derrick. Nathaniel threw a dagger at Ivy. I waved my hands sending energy to the dagger turning it around to Derrick. It landed in his chest. he fell to the ground heaving and screaming.
Cosima and Chaniya flew from the window. They turned into white tigers. They jumped on the DAOs behind Maximus and Cade. Nathaniel ran toward me. He wrapped his hands around my neck lifting me off the ground. He thrust me against the wall.
I focused on the sky. Lightning struck across the sky. I raised my hands and my eyes turned white as I felt the energy from the sky go into my body. I struck Nathaniel with the lightning bolt. He fell to the ground. Cosima jumped on his chest and bit his head off.
Letoya jumped from the window. She was a white wolf. She had the babies attached to her back and she was running. The handsome DAO that attacked inside Liam’s office jumped in front of her.
“Michael, no. It’s me that you want. Come, son,” said Trevor. He leapt over three DAO, but one tackled him down to the ground. Maximus jumped in and ripped one DAO’s head from his shoulders.
Maximus roared. The werewolves stopped fighting and formed a barrier around Maximus as he went berserk fighting them all off., allowing Trevor to get free.
Trevor leapt over the stone wall, toward Michael. A DAO knocked him to the ground. Trevor fought the DAO off him and turned to run toward Kyra, who was almost in Michael’s arms. The DAO threw a dagger, striking Trevor in the back. He fell to the ground.
Claire turned and saw Maximus. She snapped her fingers and disappeared. She reappeared next to the DAO and injected it with a syringe. He instantly fell to the ground.
Kyra ran to Trevor. She shot the DAO with an orb. It landed on his chest and he laughed. He punched Letoya in the face and grabbed the little boy off her back.
“Mother, you loved him more than you loved me. Why did you leave me on the mountain to die?”
Kyra’s face turned white. “You were dead. We love you, too.” She held out her arms, but he shook his head.
“Too late, Mother. If you love him so much, you will die for him. Come die for him, Mother, and I promise I will spare his wretched life,” said Michael.
Kyra ran to Michael. He threw the baby on the ground and grabbed Kyra and whirled her away from him, so she was facing Trevor.
Focusing on the dagger in Trevor’s back, I shot it at Michael, but he ducked, and the dagger wedged itself in the tree trunk behind him.
Michael smiled at me. “You will make me a good baby momma.”
Michael pulled out a dagger from his leg sheath. The top sparkled with a teal blue color. “Any last words, Mother?”
Kyra closed her eyes. “I love you, Michael. Please don’t kill your brother and sister.”
Trevor staggered to his feet and ran toward Michael. “Don’t you do this, you ungrateful freeloading mongrel.”
Michael smiled. He slit Kyra’s throat and threw her face down in the dirt, next to the baby.
“Kyra,” screamed Trevor. A DAO stabbed Trevor in the shoulder and kicked him in the stomach. He fell to the ground.
The boy baby saw Kyra fall face forward in the dirt and let out a wail. His face turned red, and he looked at the baby in the carrier. He lifted his hand and a yellow orb formed around her. He touched Kyra’s hair, and a fuchsia bubble formed over Kyra and him.
Michael tried to grab the baby boy, but he was thrust back every time he touched the fuchsia bubble.
Staggering to my feet, I lifted my hands and shot the energy to the ground causing an earthquake, and the ground split open. Michael flew back from the force of the earth moving around him.
Zane appeared. He waved his hands and sent the DAO, through a time portal. He incinerated the dead bodies, and he severed Nathaniel’s head, before setting his body to flame. He snapped his fingers and we were behind the academy walls.
Trevor was placed on an IV drip to heal. The babies were in Ivy’s hands. The lights went out suddenly. I powered on the overhead emergency lights and the sprinklers came on. Michael lunged at Ivy, punched her in the stomach and grabbed the baby boy. The baby touched Michael and he began to shake and dropped the baby. The baby’s wings extended, and he floated to the ground.
Michael grabbed Catalia and flew through the window.
Epilogue
Wonder what will happen next to Cade and the crew? Read on with Angel Academy: The Rise of Valcrum’s Warriors book 3. Click the link below.
https://books2read.com/u/mv5pWz
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Also by KIESHA THOMAS
ACADEMY OF MAGIC
PRISON OF SUPERNATURAL MAGIC
THE RISE OF VALCRUM’S WARRIORS
The Pact Between Angels and Witches Page 18