I glared at her, but she just shrugged.
“What? It’s true.”
“Seriously?” Ashley leaned forward to glare at me. “Without you, I have no competition out there. What did you do?”
Nothing, I wanted to shoot back. But that wasn’t quite true.
“I might have gotten a little out of control...” I murmured.
Raquel guffawed and leaned against the wall. “She let a feral knock Gabe out and stab her in the shoulder.”
A single eyebrow rose on Ashley’s face as she stared at me. I shrugged and crossed my arms, feeling like a little child. I didn’t need more lectures. Luke had fulfilled that quota for the day.
“Well, if it was me, I’d still find a way to train.” Ashley reached down with a wicked grin and shoved Raquel’s head under the water. “You can’t get soft out there. That’s what kills you.”
Raquel burst above the water, sputtering and cursing. Ashley laughed and slipped back into the pool. The two of them raced off to the other side to join Adam in another round of dunking. I watched them swim, their bodies strong in the water.
Ashley had a point. I couldn’t get soft. Not after all the progress I’d made. I was just starting to feel like a warrior. I didn’t want that to fade. Not when Gabe needed me to be his equal partner. I had to find a way.
I had to take this into my own hands.
Chapter Four
Luke led the Europeans that morning into the training facility with a strained expression on his face. They’d already been here for a week and hadn’t wasted time in implementing change. It certainly wasn’t sitting well with the local Nephilim.
At dinner, there was always grumblings about a revolt. The Europeans had shut down any trips out of the manor for fun and enacted double training sessions for all gate keepers. With all work and no play, it was safe to say that everyone was feeling tense at the moment.
I looked up from my training session with Gabe to watch them walk in. According to Luke, the olive-skinned woman was Silvia. Her blond friend went by Oscar and the darker man was Manuel. I’d only seen them in passing. As far as I was concerned, they weren’t worth my time. There were better things to concentrate on, like how to get my father to lift his punishment so I could help in the demon fighting efforts again.
Gabe snapped his fingers, drawing my attention to his chest. Sweat drenched his white cutoff t-shirt, making it cling to his perfectly shaped torso. I tried hard not to drool. In rebellion against his agreement with my father’s plan, I’d been giving him the cool treatment outside of training. That meant no jokes over dinner, no cuddling in front of the TV, and absolutely no make out sessions in his bedroom.
The punishment was nearly killing me. I longed to run my hands through his hair, feel his tight muscles under my hands, and the warmth of this chest. More than anything, I missed the deep throaty sound of his laughter. Still, my stubbornness persisted. He needed to know how serious I was about getting back out there.
“You have to concentrate, Lizzy,” he said with another snap. “You’re getting sloppy.”
“I’m trying.” The words came out whinier than I intended. “I mean, I will.”
Crouching low, I readied myself for the attack. The Europeans grew closer, but I ignored them. With a relaxing breath, I closed my eyes and shut the whole world out, focusing on my rage. It was right there, always in the back of my mind. It crept forward, like a prowling lion, muscles taut and ready.
On the back of my eyelids, I could see Granny, her long wispy gray hair and dark brown eyes. Her customary blue flannel shirt and faded jeans. The image of her was like a gun at the start of a race. My rage sprung forward, coursing through my veins and into my chest. The power it brought was intoxicating.
This was my moment.
Leaping from my position, I tackled Gabe and closed my hand around his wrist. He yanked it free, maneuvering away so that he could swing me past him and throw me off balance. I regained my footing and focused all my power into my legs. They were as strong as two wild mustangs. With another leap, I threw my shoulder into his stomach and brought him to the mat.
Victory.
“Was that better?” I rolled off him and crouched on the mat, smiling with pride. “I definitely concentrated.”
Gabe pushed himself up on one elbow. “Your strength and speed were better, but you’re still reckless. What’s up with that?”
My smile dissolved. That was a hundred times better than the last twenty times we’d fought and he knew it. He was just being stubborn.
“This is your daughter?”
I heard the words spoken behind me in a heavy Spanish accent. Turning around, I realized that the Europeans had stopped to observe our fight. Their gazes swept over us as if we were animals in a zoo.
“Yes,” Luke replied. He smiled nervously at me. “And Gabe Cael is her partner. They were just matched a few months ago.”
“She needs to work on her concentration,” Manuel replied in his thick accent. “She could be a very talented warrior if she mastered her powers. I see that already. But she is sloppy.”
“Very sloppy,” Silvia added. She sounded like she was from Britain with an English accent, the kind that a proper lady would have. “She’s bound to get someone killed, fighting like that.”
Gabe slid in next to me. “She’s only been a warrior for a few months.” I could feel the protective waves flowing off of him, even though he’d been saying the same thing only moments ago. “She’ll get there.”
Silvia and Manuel both frowned.
“You are her partner?” Manuel asked.
He lifted his chin and nodded. To this day, it still surprised me that Gabe could act so proud to be my matched partner. He was amazing in every sense. I had a lot of catching up to do.
“Then you are a distraction as well. I shall take over her training for the time being.”
My mouth fell open as my eyes darted from Gabe, to Manuel, and then to Silvia’s disapproving smirk. He couldn’t do that. The Europeans had meddled with everything at the manor, but surely he couldn’t separate me from my partner. That was just cruel.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Gabe said in a growl. “I can handle it.”
“Can you, really?” Manuel stepped forward and swept his eyes over me. “From what I see, she’s only been getting worse in the week we’ve been here. I will work with her.”
It wasn’t a question, but it wasn’t really a command either. The idea that Manuel had been secretly watching me this week made me angry. What right did he have to do that? Gabe and I were just fine.
The way Gabe puffed out his chest made me think he wasn’t going down without a fight. He and Manuel stood eye to eye, each as fearsome as the next. They were both warriors with extreme clout, men born to protect and serve. Manuel appeared to be about Gabe’s age, although with Nephilim, who could tell?
“Son, it’s okay.” Luke put his hand on Gabe’s arm. His blue eyes softened. “Maybe a change of pace would be good for her.”
Gabe dropped his shoulders, defeated. My father had been his mentor practically all his life. He couldn’t go against his wishes.
“Wait just a second...” I began.
Did no one care what I thought about this plan?
“Fine,” Gabe said in a huff, cutting me off. “You train her.” He didn’t even look at me as he turned to march away. “Good luck.”
Luke hurried after him, no doubt to assure him of the Europeans’ good intentions. I wasn’t so sure about that. They seemed to make a lot of demands.
“Yes, best of luck Manuel,” Silvia added. Her eyes met mine with a disinterested shrug of her shoulders. “I’m not sure you have the time to waste on her, but that’s your prerogative.”
The rage I’d just managed to push down flared up. I wanted to drag her perfect six-foot tall body into the ring and fight it out. Let the best warrior win. Then, we’d see who was a waste.
“She won’t be a waste of time.” Man
uel nodded at Silvia and the strangely silent Oscar, who’d stood a foot behind them. “Go on ahead without me. I’d like to speak to my pupil.”
When his friends had moved on to observe another set of warriors, Manuel lowered himself gracefully to the mat and sat with his legs crossed. I waited for him to say something, but he remained silent. Soon, the silence grew awkward, so I plopped myself on the mat in front of him.
His chin rested on his hands, as if he were meditating. Large brown eyes ringed with black lashes gazed at the mat with a disinterested fixation. I cocked my head, not sure whether to say something or keep quiet. These Europeans were so odd. Maybe this was how they trained.
“Um, Manuel?” I wasn’t sure what to call him. Trainer? Teacher? That sounded too formal, so I settled for the only name I knew for him. “Are we going to train?”
“Shhhh.” He placed a finger to his full mouth and blinked. “Quiet yourself.”
A sigh escaped my lips before I could prevent it. This wasn’t training. This was torture.
His intense gaze shot from the mat to my face. “Am I keeping you from something more important?”
A blush crept to my cheeks. “Well, no...”
“Then, do as you’re told. Quiet yourself.”
We spent the next half hour staring off into space. Many of my Nephilim friends passed by during this time, shooting me weird looks. All I could do was shrug at them and return to my misery.
What did he want me to think about? Attacking ferals? Because that was all I could think about. That and Gabe’s spectacular abs. Sigh. But truly, I couldn’t be more focused.
Finally, he stood up without warning and brushed off his pants. “We’re done for today. I want to meet again at 8:00 in the morning. Work on quieting your mind, listening to the rhythm of your thoughts, in the meantime. A quiet mind will not clutter your instincts. It will save you out there. It is essential.”
He turned and left before I could think of anything to say. So much for a training lesson. That had been nothing but junk. A waste of my time.
Looking around the training facility, I realized everyone was gone. My session with Manuel had carried over supper time and it was likely I’d missed all the good food. There was no point in hurrying back now.
I might as well train myself, if no one else was going to do a decent job of it.
A wicked blade hanging on the weapon’s wall caught my eye. Gabe had never let me use it during practice. It was sharp, meant for tossing at a target on the range. I plucked it from the wall and ran my finger ever so slightly over the blade. If I pressed a tiny bit harder, it would slice into my flesh. It was the perfect weapon for taking out ferals.
If only they’d let me back out there.
Suddenly, a terribly rebellious idea came to me. What if I continued my training on my own? I could go out at night, when most of the Nephilim were sleeping. By now, I knew the patrol schedules by heart. It would be easy to avoid their paths. I’d just hunt down a stray feral or two. Nothing intense. It’d give me a chance to hone my anger and my powers, unlike these silly practice sessions.
It was a brilliant idea that bloomed inside my head like a rare tropical flower. No one would have to know. It was simple and effective.
My feet strode toward the door. A million nagging thoughts flitted in my mind, but I ignored them. I’d been alone in the Black Hills National Forest countless times. I’d fought and killed a deceiver, one of the strongest and most intelligent demons that existed. There was nothing to fear. Gabe and Luke were just overprotective.
I had nearly crossed the invisible mystical border that protected the manor from all things sinister, when I heard my name called from behind. Alarm exploded in my gut, but I managed to keep my cool and spin around casually, the blade hidden in my hands.
“Raquel, hi.”
There stood my redheaded cousin, all six foot of her lanky legs and torso. She wore a tight fitting yellow blouse that clashed terribly with her hair and freckled face. Still, it had been cropped short enough to show off a flat stomach that every human girl would kill for.
“I just came to see why you missed dinner. How was...?” Her eyes caught the faintest glimmer of light off the blade in my hand. “Wait. What are you doing out here?”
Raquel wasn’t exactly Sherlock Holmes. I could paint a bright neon sign on my head and she’d still miss it. Yet, she’d chosen this moment of all moments to actually pay attention to something other than reality shows, boys, and training.
“Um...nothing.” I hid the blade behind my back. “Just heading to bed. I’m exhausted.”
Raquel looked over her shoulder at the manor looming in the twilight. “But our room’s that way. Why are you going into the forest?”
There wasn’t enough time to come up with a good excuse. Time to come clean and just hope Raquel wouldn’t fib.
“I’m going out to train, so please don’t tell anyone.” The words fell out of my mouth in a rush. “And especially don’t tell Luke or Gabe. They’d never let me leave the manor again if they found out.”
An uncertain frown pulled at the sides of her mouth. “But, you’re going out? By yourself?”
“Sure. I’ve been in the woods by myself a thousand times.”
Of course, that had been nearer to my hometown of Hanna, where a certain deceiver demon had set up territory and kept all the other demons away. But she was dead now and there was nothing to stop the demons from materializing anywhere within a three mile radius of the Hell Gate.
“Trust me.” I stepped closer to my roommate and shot her a smile. If there was one thing I knew about Raquel, it was that she craved acceptance. I could play on her weakness, even if the idea of manipulating her made me cringe. “You’re my best friend, Raq. And best friends help each other out. I’m never going to get stronger if I can’t practice on real demons.”
I would’ve liked to say I pulled off the line without hesitation. Ashley was the sort of girl who could get away with something like this. Not me. I’d always been the good girl. The one who couldn’t lie. But I could see my cousin soaking in my lies, her trusting nature overriding common sense. It didn’t feel good.
I could add another check to my long list of sins. Sneaking out? Check. Manipulating Raquel? Check. Lying to all my friends and family? Check. The list went on.
“Okay...I guess.” She looked over her shoulder at the manor again. “But don’t be too late. I won’t be able to sleep until I know you’re safe.”
“Deal!”
I ran off into the depths of the forest before Raquel could change her mind. No more time to feel guilty. I had to concentrate. Ferals were around here somewhere. I could practically feel them on the edge of my consciousness.
This was the action I’d been waiting for all day.
Sure enough, half a mile from the manor, a twig snapped behind me. Out from the shadows of the ponderosa pine stepped a woman about my height, her eyes flashing red. I couldn’t help the smile that grew on my face. It was going to be a good night.
“Come on, demon.” I licked my lips and tightened my grip on the dagger. “I’m ready for you.”
Chapter Five
A voice rang out across the manor grounds, sweet and pure like an angel. I paused to listen. The wet grass tickled my bare feet and welcomed me with the warm embrace of a parent.
“Lizzy...”
There it was again. The voice sounded so familiar, yet I couldn’t place it.
“Lizzy, come to me.”
I knew this was a dream. Everything was so surreal and beautiful it hurt. Without hesitating, my feet moved forward. All around me, the manor grounds glistened like teardrops. A haze had settled on the early morning lawn. It grew thicker, until I couldn’t see much more than a few yards in front of me. Still, my feet moved forward with a purpose, as if they knew exactly where to go.
My heart thumped with anticipation. The owner of the voice was out there, waiting for me. She knew me. All I had to do was find her.
As if on cue, the haze lifted. It was nighttime now and dark, without a speck of light from above. But it didn’t matter, I could still see everything as clear as day. A woman appeared at the edge of the forest. Although we stood at least a dozen yards away from each other, I could feel the loving warmth in her smile as she gazed at me.
Long blonde hair curled gently over her shoulders and onto a flowing white blouse. Her petite figure moved with the grace of a woman rocking her newborn baby. I found myself staring into her dark brown eyes that held a familiarity that I just couldn’t place.
“My dear.”
It was that same voice I’d heard only moments ago. It came from this woman.
“My dear, come to me.” She extended a hand. “I’ve been waiting for you. Prove to me you are worthy.”
I wanted to move forward. Every fiber of my being longed to run toward this stranger in the woods. But something in my heart held back.
I didn’t even know this woman. She didn’t know me. This was absurd. Why was she in my dream?
As if she could read my mind, the beautiful woman frowned and took a step back into the darkness of the forest. “Not yet. You are not yet ready. But soon, my dear. Very soon.”
“Wait! Who are you?” I lunged forward to stop her, but tripped over my feet, landing hard on the ground.
The jolt of the fall pulled me out of the dream faster than any bucket of water could do. I lifted my head to find the manor grounds cold and empty, the sun just rising over the eastern horizon. It had to be very early in the morning. Not even the stables were lit up. I must’ve been sleep walking.
Cold dampness seeped through my thin pajama pants, so I leapt from the ground to stop the wet grass from doing any more damage. Still, the fall had left me cold and shivering. I hugged my arms around my camisole, but that didn’t seem to help.
I’d been having the same dream for the past three weeks, ever since Manuel took over my training and started teaching me to quiet my mind. But, they’d never ended up like this. Usually, I woke up in bed, warm and safe under my blankets and listening to Raquel snore softly on the other side of the room. This was a major escalation and not one that I was excited about.
Soul of a Demon_An Urban Fantasy Novel Page 3