Broken Knights: A Paranormal High School Bully Romance (Gifted Academy Book 4)

by Michelle Hercules

  Xavier veers toward the kitchen and takes food out of the fridge, setting it on the counter.

  “Are you going to eat now?” Toby arches his eyebrows.

  “No, I’m setting up the scene in case someone comes in.”

  “The cars are loaded with lightning-glass. Let’s hope that’s enough to deter Chaos,” Rufio says.

  “Or that those goons didn’t mess with them,” Felicity adds.

  “Since we’re here, should we try to find a landline phone?” Renata pipes up.

  “No, we have to focus on getting out of here,” Rufio retorts.

  “I have a plan,” Phoenix says. “I can trap those motherfuckers’ minds into an insane nightmare from inside the building. They’ll be helpless.”

  “Do it,” Xavier tells him. “Everyone else, get ready.”

  Phoenix joins Rufio by the window and doesn’t move for a minute or so. He lets out a grunt after a while.

  “What’s wrong?” Daisy asks.

  “I can’t reach their minds. It’s like they have a shield.”

  “They can’t possibly have a vial of your blood.” Daisy steps forward, looking troubled.

  “I won’t be surprised if they do.” Phoenix moves back, rubbing his forehead.

  “I don’t think so. They must be wearing vests that protect them from Idol power,” Rufio replies.

  “If they’re immune to Phoenix’s powers, they’ll be immune to all of us,” Jodie helpfully observes.

  “Not all of us,” I say.

  “Shit!” Toby exclaims, staring wide-eyed at the front door.

  “What, kid?” Xavier pulls his arm.

  “They’ve found the missing miners and—”

  “Fuck, they’re coming.” Rufio steps away from the window, holding his lightning-glass dagger ready.

  The front door is kicked open, and the real Harry fills the frame, holding a shotgun in his hand. His eyes immediately zero in on Xavier.

  “Look at what we have here. One of the shapeshifting snakes. I thought you had been hunted to extinction.”

  “Clearly not,” Xavier grits out.

  “That needs to be fixed.” Harry takes aim and fires.

  I move at the speed of light, jumping in front of Xavier to take the bullet meant for him. I expect a fiery pain to pierce my chest, but all I feel is a sting. Harry curses and then prepares to fire again, but Xavier yanks the gun from his hold using his new gifts and aims it at the son of a bitch’s head. Harry clearly isn’t wearing a protective vest like his mercenaries.

  “You were saying?” Xavier asks.

  His goons storm the small space, weapons ready to fire. I don’t waste any time. I turn my dark gift on them, wrapping their hearts in the ultimate sense of dread. There’s resistance, but their protective attire is no match for my demigod powers. They drop their guns and then fall to their knees.

  Harry spares them a pitiful glance but seems unaffected by their predicament. “Go ahead. Kill me. You can’t stop what’s coming. We will rid the world of the poisonous existence of Idols, even your sweet, darling Daisy.”

  Xavier tenses even more, and I know exactly what he intends to do, but the gunshot will alert the others that something is amiss. I swing my arm forward, sending a slingshot of shadows in Harry’s direction. It hits the center of his chest, making him collapse on the ground. He struggles for a moment, clutching his left arm, before he stops moving altogether.

  “What did you do to him?” Toby asks, bug-eyed.

  “I gave him a sudden heart attack.”

  “What about them?” Rosie points at the four men writhing on the floor.

  “They can die too, for all I care.” Xavier lowers the shotgun and then pulls a dagger from inside his jacket pocket. Quickly, he slashes the necks of all of them with such precision that no speckles of blood get on his clothes.

  I glance at Daisy, worried that her guardian’s actions might have terrified her. But neither she nor Rosie seem affected. I guess they’ve seen far worse in their lives.

  “Weren’t there six men outside?” Felicity asks.

  Shit. She’s right.

  “We need to hurry. The missing guards must have gone down to alert the others,” Bryce says.

  Phoenix heads out first. “The coast is clear.”

  We run out of the building straight toward our cars, which are pretty much useless. Their tires have been slashed.

  “What now?” Rosie asks.

  “I can fix that.” Jodie raises her hand, and the tires inflate back to usable condition.

  “What about the holes in them?” Rufio asks.

  “I can keep them full for a while.”

  Our group splits into the two vehicles, but I don’t make a move. We can’t let those fanatics have access to lightning-glass, but the only way to stop them is if we blow up the mountain.

  Bryce looks over his shoulder. “Morpheus, aren’t you coming?”

  I hesitate for second. I could try to do it, but what if I can’t?

  “Yes,” I reply finally.

  I jump in Felicity’s car, which is the only one with a seat left. Unfortunately, Jodie Fallon is also here.

  Great. This going to be a hella fun trip.

  28

  Daisy

  “How many lightning-glass stones did you stuff in the trunk of the car?” I ask Rufio, trying to suppress a yawn. This tiredness is not normal.

  “Not nearly enough to fill the space. It turns out they weigh a ton, and I couldn’t carry more than one load.”

  “No wonder you looked winded when you came to the assembly,” Bryce comments from the front seat.

  “Yeah, perks of my new reality,” Rufio grumbles. “Well, at least I’m immune to the fumes.” He glances at me. “How are you, Daisy?”

  “Tired, but so far, no headache yet. I hope it’s enough to deter Chaos. We’re in no condition to fight him now, especially so close to those lunatics.”

  “Renata, stay close to Felicity’s car. I don’t know how long my mother can sustain her gift or how far her reach is,” Bryce says.

  “Okay.”

  Rufio sinks against the car seat, pressing a closed fist against his forehead. “Fuck, I’m so tired of running for our lives. We need a break.”

  “I hope they don’t come after us.” I glance back, but the road behind us is deserted.

  “I’m glad we didn’t have to go through Morpheus’s ritual,” Bryce says offhandedly, and even though I don’t think he meant anything by it, I feel the sting of his remark.

  He doesn’t want to be linked to me through all eternity. I get it. It’s a huge commitment.

  “Dude, why not? I’d do it.” Phoenix links his hand with mine, and when I glance at him, he winks.

  “You misunderstood me. I’m not saying I don’t want an infinity band with Daisy, I just didn’t want to do it to appease those motherfuckers.”

  The ache in my chest eases off, and I finally dare to ask, “What is that vow, anyway?”

  “It’s a commitment that lasts forever, even after death. You’d be linked to Bryce through all your lives, if you believe in such a thing,” Rufio replies tartly.

  “But Daisy is involved with you, Phoenix, and Morpheus. How would that work?” Renata asks.

  “It doesn’t matter. We’re talking hypothetically here. I don’t need an infinity band to show how much I love her,” Bryce replies.

  My face becomes hot, a reaction that it seems I will never cease to have when one of them professes their love for me in front of others. It’s stupid considering how far we’ve gone in our relationship.

  I notice we begin to slow down, and I see the brake lights on Felicity’s car are on. “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know. I’m just keeping pace with your friend.”

  Soon, a couple of buses pass by us, going toward the camp. They’re filled to capacity, but I can’t make out who’s inside.

  “Shit. Were those more fanatics?” Phoenix asks.

  “It s
eems so,” Rufio replies. “We left just in time.”

  We pick up speed again, but after ten minutes on the road, Felicity takes the next exit.

  “Where is she going?” I ask.

  We find out soon enough. Felicity parks in the busiest fast food restaurant that comes up on the street.

  “We can’t possibility be stopping to eat. We’re too close to the camp,” Rufio says.

  “I could eat.” Phoenix shrugs. “Burgers and fries, who can pass that up?”

  “Do you have a hole in your stomach or something?” Rufio angles his body forward to glare at him.

  “Dude, I haven’t eaten in hours. It takes a lot to keep this sexy machine running.”

  I shake my head, trying my best to keep my grin from showing. We’re not out of the woods yet, but Phoenix’s humor, as inappropriate as it is, infuses a warm feeling in my chest.

  “They’re getting out of the car. Let’s see what’s going on,” I say.

  Bryce is the first to reach Xavier, who has changed back to his true self and has also ditched Harry’s clothes.

  “What’s up?” Bryce asks.

  “We’re acquiring new transportation. Our vehicles are too recognizable, and Jodie won’t be able to keep the tires inflated for hours on.”

  “Not a lot of good choices here.” Phoenix looks over the parking lot, which is filled with small vehicles that are most likely older than us.

  My eyes land on two station wagons, the best cars in the lot which could accommodate our large group, but they usually belong to people with children. I won’t steal from a family.

  Just then, a company van pulls up. Two men in uniform get out and head into the restaurant.

  “I think that will do,” Xavier says. “It’s best if we drive in one vehicle.”

  “I’ll need help unloading the lightning-glass stones from our trunks,” Rufio says.

  “Bryce and I can do it from afar. We just need Morpheus’s camouflage skills.” Phoenix stretches his arms forward with his hands linked together, cracking his knuckles in the process.

  The wind suddenly picks up speed, sending chills down my spine. I glance at the sky, noticing with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that those clouds are getting together, dark and ominous, in an unnatural way. Shit. That must be Chaos.

  “We have to move, folks!” Xavier warns.

  Morpheus’s expression changes, turning veiled and almost inhuman. His eyes glow like liquid gold again as the shadows gather behind him. With a motion of his arms, the shadows expand, creating a massive shield that covers all of us, including our target vehicle.

  Without missing a beat, Bryce and Phoenix get to work, each one focusing on a car. They pop the trunks open and then send the big pieces of lightning-glass stones floating across the lot toward the open back of the van.

  The loud rumble of thunder above makes me jump on the spot. Rufio pulls me to his side and kisses me on the cheek. “He’s not going to harm you. We won’t let him.”

  “As much as I love hearing that, I can’t let you be my knights in shining armor. I’m not a damsel in distress.”

  Rufio smirks while his eyes dance with amusement. “I know you aren’t. You’re our firecracker, our slayer queen. But we’ll never stop wanting to protect you.”

  “All right, everyone. Let’s move,” Xavier commands.

  With his hand on my lower back, Rufio nudges me forward. I’m much more powerful than he is now, but that doesn’t change his protective stance. I get into the van after Rosie and Felicity, but they get in the back seat, closer to the lightning-glass rocks, whereas I’m instructed to sit near the front. Rufio slides in next to my sister. I’m now sandwiched between Bryce and Phoenix, while Toby and Renata sit across from us, an arrangement that must not be pleasing to Rosie. I glance at her, and sure as shit, I find her throwing daggers with her eyes at the back of Renata’s head.

  Morpheus is the last one in. He pretty much jumps inside and slides the door shut with a bang. “Go. Go! The owners of the van are coming back.”

  Xavier, who already had the motor running, presses the pedal to the metal, burning rubber. The sudden acceleration sends me forward since I didn’t buckle up yet. But Bryce and Phoenix reach out, keeping me in place.

  “You’d better put your seat belt on, darling.” Phoenix fumbles around the space between our bodies, looking for the seat belt but also copping a feel in the process. His antics only serve to wake my body.

  “It’s okay. I can do it myself.” I try to be stern, but it’s impossible to stay mad when I look at his gorgeous face. Ugh. Why does he have to be so pretty?

  Xavier buzzes the horn, almost giving me a heart attack.

  “Son of a bitch. Is that fucker blind?” he yells.

  “What’s going on?” Rufio asks from the back seat.

  “It’s like they can’t even see us,” Xavier continues. “Stupid idiots.”

  “Oops!” Morpheus says. “I still have us concealed by shadows. My bad.”

  He doesn’t blush, but the sheepish expression he’s sporting now is adorable. If only we didn’t have to save the world.

  “Where are we going?” I turn in my seat as much as the constraints of the seat belt allow.

  Jodie passes over her cell phone to me. “My phone is working now, but the signal is weak. You should try contacting your mother, Morpheus.”

  I take the phone from her, then pass it to him.

  “If the signal is weak, that means the lightning-glass is working.” Bryce slings his arm across my shoulders, casually placing his hand on my forearm. He caresses me absentmindedly, but I’m all too aware of his touch.

  “And Chaos is not on our tail.” Renata looks out the window. “My parents must be freaking out. It’s been days since Gifted Academy got taken over by Neo Gods.”

  “Maybe you can call them after Morpheus is done with the phone,” Toby suggests.

  “No!” Xavier and Jodie say at the same time.

  “I’m sorry, kid, but there’s no way to know your parents haven’t sided with Neo Gods or aren’t under their surveillance. We can’t risk it,” Xavier adds in a softer tone.

  “I know.” Renata drops her gaze to her lap.

  “Mom?” Morpheus speaks into the phone. “Are you there? I can’t hear you very well.”

  “Put the call on speaker,” Phoenix pipes up.

  The signal is breaking up, and we can’t make out the words Mrs. Malek is saying.

  “You’re too close to the fumes. Trade places with me,” I say.

  We make the switch, which gives Bryce and Phoenix unhappy puppy faces. I roll my eyes. Boys.

  “Morpheus, I’ve been worried sick about you,” her voice comes out more clearly now. “I saw on the news that cops were killed near the safe house.”

  “Yes, they came for Phoenix. Mom, we’re on the run and need a place to stay ASAP. We need your help.”

  “I was afraid that would come to pass. I made calls after I dropped you off at the safe house. How far are you from Saturn’s Bay?”

  “Three hours, at least,” he replies.

  “I’ll text you an address. Please, stay far away from Norm neighborhoods. It isn’t safe.”

  “How is the situation now?” I ask.

  “Oh, is that you, Daisy?”

  “Yes, it’s me.”

  “Not great. The Neo Gods came out in full force. They also had help from Fringe criminals. Those poor children.” Her voice cracks at the end, making me choke up.

  Tears gather in my eyes, brought forth by a mix of sorrow and rage. Unmaking those bastards is not enough. I want them nuked from the face of the Earth.

  Rosie whimpers softly behind me, earning Toby’s attention. He turns in his seat but doesn’t make a comment.

  “It’s okay, honey. They’re going to pay for all their sins,” Felicity comforts my sister.

  “Yes. Yes they will,” I say.

  29

  Phoenix

  After three gruesome ho
urs without breaks inside a crowded van, we finally arrive at the destination Mrs. Malek gave us. It’s in an industrial area, but judging by the conditions of the buildings, we’re not in Idol-controlled territory. The painting is fading on some facades, but it’s not so completely terrible that I’d suspect those buildings belong to Norms. I don’t really think they can afford to own anything.

  Xavier parks in front of a warehouse with faded gray walls. There’s a ramp leading to a great rusty metal gate in the loading area and a door next to it that almost blends in with the wall. No signs of any kind. The parking lot is completely empty too.

  “Where are we?” I ask.

  “We’re in Flaunders, east of downtown,” Xavier replies. “I thought most of these warehouses were abandoned.”

  “Why would they be deserted?” Daisy asks.

  “Sometimes a business area just dies for no obvious reason,” Jodie pipes up.

  Rufio snorts. “Yeah, right. There’s always a reason, and you bet your ass Idols are behind it.”

  “Excuse me?” Jodie says with a stern motherly tone.

  “Oh, drop the act, Mother. Like you can expect respect from me.”

  I whistle. “Boy, that escalated fast.”

  “Everyone quit bickering. You’re giving me a headache,” Xavier grumbles.

  “It could be the fumes,” Renata replies. “I’ve had one for the past hour.”

  “I’m going to text my mother and tell her we’re here,” Morpheus says from next to me.

  He had to trade places with Daisy so he could use the phone, and we never switched back. Another reason I’m sour.

  A minute later, his mother walks out of the building through the small door. The wind is howling outside, which makes me wonder if it’s a natural occurrence or if Chaos has followed us here. Mrs. Malek’s curly hair is flapping wildly around her face while she tries to keep her jacket closed. Thanks to the light color of the fabric, it’s easy to spot the bloodstains on her sleeve. Morpheus notices that too. He curses, then turns into dark smoke, vanishing through the crack in the window in the blink of an eye.