The little hairs on my arms stood straight up, the static tingling as I put some space between me and the tree. My heart soared. I’d definitely made the right choice.
Shadows swirled and shrieked as a jagged line sliced straight down the middle of the giant oak. A rush of air and debris propelled me past Jake, into the empty expanse of lawn.
Freedom at last.
I turned back to the angel.
Somehow his golden eyes twinkled at me as if he knew exactly what I was thinking. The slate was wiped clean, the past split in two. Like that dead tree, all my regrets and the high-school drama lay disintegrated behind me now.
Except Jake still lunged at me, his hand gripping my wrist, eyes wide. “What was that? There wasn’t even a storm. Did you do that?”
“Sort of.” A grin curled up my lips.
The demon shadows had regrouped, circling each of Jake’s limbs with their dark tentacles. Like a deranged puppet, his other hand clamped around my free arm.
Desperately I combed the dark sky for the golden-eyed angel.
A clap of thunder rumbled from the angel’s light. Suddenly, as if the idea came with the thunder, I remembered the self-defense lesson from my training sessions with Dad. Target the four sensitive zones—solar plexus, instep, nose, groin.
Shackled by Jake’s iron grip, I couldn’t elbow him in the solar-plexus, but my feet were free. I lifted my boot and slammed my heel down on his instep as hard as I could. His grip loosened.
I wriggled free and started to run away from the library.
A dark specter screeched to a halt in front of me as Jake lunged for my foot. I smacked into the sidewalk, first my knee, then my cheek scraping the pavement. Warm stickiness pooled on my face, on the sidewalk. I couldn’t think about that now. I had to get up.
Gingerly, I rolled onto my back and kick-boxed his wrist with a vengeance until he let go of my ankle.
Above me, the angel thrust his sword into the shadow. It split in two, just like the tree, sparking and screeching into a high-pitched inferno. With a low scream of wind and air, the flames sizzled and morphed back into one wraith-like form, tentacles hovering behind Jake. Did I do that?
The angel planted his fury behind me.
I scrambled to my feet, racing to the open lawn as fast as I could, footsteps pounding behind me. I picked up the pace, shifting into a new gear as I sprinted across the quad, lungs heaving.
Something yanked my right wrist, pulling me back so hard my shoulder cracked.
Pain ripped through my shoulder like a scalpel, and I screamed in complete agony. I blinked as stars clouded my vision, matching the ripples of pain that shockwaved from my shoulder blade.
Jake spun me around to face his dead eyes, clutching my unwounded forearm in his iron grip.
“Don’t you care what happens to me? They want you, not me.” His eyes had turned a strange shade of red, his face twisted with anger and jealousy, with a dash of something darker. A shadowy tentacle wrapped around his forehead.
“You always cared more about yourself than anyone else. That hasn’t changed.” I hissed through the blinding pain, my shoulder throbbing with its own piercing heartbeat.
“You stupid girl.” His voice held a demonic edge. Then he shook me like a rag doll. The pain was so unbearable that I couldn’t do a thing to stop him. “You’re coming with me. Now.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.” With my good shoulder I crashed my whole body weight against him, thrashing and kicking like a wild dog. I couldn’t let him take me somewhere, but it didn’t do any good. “Help!” I wailed as loud as I could.
He slapped his hand over my mouth. I twisted my head around the quad for a glimpse of my lightning angel
.You are now the Seer. My powers are your powers.
Behind me, I gasped at the biggest showdown I’d ever seen. Hordes of demon wraiths were lined up, facing off with my angel, his bright light stark against the forces of darkness. With my free hand, I turned it palm up. Electricity sizzled through my veins, shooting at Jake’s grip on me.
“Yeoow!” Jake screeched and crumpled to the ground me behind me.
Now to the real problem. I took two steps to reach my angel’s side, squaring off with the host of shadow demons in front of us.
“Let’s do this.” I glanced at him with a grin, wincing as I held out both palms in front of me. Lightning crackled into two swirling orbs, one hovering in each hand. Ready to strike. With a war cry, I thrust both arms straight out in front of me, or as straight as I could with one dislocated shoulder.
The sky flashed purple and white as lightning sparked across the darkness and jolted into the front line of shadows. One by one they exploded in a puff of smoke and orange sparks.
“Your turn, angel.” I huffed, gathering my angel fire again.
With pleasure. Angel lanced the blade to his left, twisting it into a large swirl of shadow. It burst into flames, fireballs screeching from the epicenter in every direction like fireworks.
The angel swung his sword in a wide arc of silvery white across the sky. Then he pointed the tip at me and bobbed his head once. In an instant the searing pain in my shoulder eased, enough for me to at least see straight.
Streaks of purple and silver lightning crackled from my palms as my angel and I battled the shadows around me. On instinct, my body twisted into the Krav Maga moves my dad and brother taught me as I shot lighting fireballs from my hands. The lightning seared into a wraith on meyleft and he exploded in a burst of orange fire. An icy tendril wrapped around my right ankle, but I shot a bolt of angel fire straight from my palm that vanquished the demon in two seconds flat. The rest of the demon wraiths were retreating back to whatever hell they’d come from. But I wouldn’t let them get away. They’d turned my ex-boyfriend into a bigger psycho than he already was. My blood boiled with anger and supernatural adrenaline buzzed through my veins. One by one, Angel and I vanquished every last demon into exploding fireballs. The field was black with puffs of smoke that dissipated into the night.
A surge of hope welled up in my gut. I wanted to high-five my new angel best friend, but was that even possible?
Sirens blared in the distance. Jake sat on the ground, his vacant. Did he see anything that happened, or was that the look of a host after a demon vacated the premises?
Angel sheathed his sword and waved at me, his golden eyes closing. Close enough to a high-five, I guess. With a great rush of wind, he shot up to the stars in a pillar of pure white, sparkling like glitter in the sky until I lost his light-trail among the constellations. The pain in my shoulder turned blinding again,until I just wanted to skyrocket into the heavens right along with him.
Blue and red lights flashed like strobe rays in the blackness. Footsteps clomped on the sidewalk behind us. I raced toward the sound. My cheek smashed into something firm, the muscle of a guy’s chest.
I lifted my face to a familiar set of blue eyes. “Bryan!” I wrapped one arm around his neck. The other hung limp and sore at my side.
The footsteps pounded closer, splitting in two. Campus security guards surrounded Jake.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here sooner. To protect you.” His hand grazed my hair, bumping against my scar.
I inhaled a full breath. “I protected myself.”
He flinched, but pressed me in closer. “For once, I’m glad you’re the Seer. I’m just sorry you had to figure out how to use your powers all on your own.”
I shot him a questioning look as campus security closed in. What did that mean?
Chapter 30
Jake stared at me, his dark eyes wide, shock etched into his face. “I’m sorry, Luce. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
The bigger guy yelled at him. “Down on the ground.”
Jake’s head swiveled from the guy to the female security guard, both in full uniform. Each had some kind of weapon trained on him, a taser, maybe. He shook his head in slow motion.
“Down on the ground. Now.” The guard r
epeated, louder this time.
He lifted up his hands and slid to his knees. The officer planted a foot on his back, smashing his face into the dead grass.
“Put your hands behind you.” Red and blue lights reflected off the silver cuffs as the guard snapped them around Jake’s wrists and yanked him up by his biceps, shoving him forward. As he dragged Jake to the car, the female officer turned to Bryan.
“We’re driving him to the police station in town. Take her to the security office so we can get her statement, then we can charge him. Know where it is?”
Bryan nodded.
She turned to me, wisps of black hair sticking out of her cap. “You think you can walk there, miss, or should I call for another car?”
“I can make it.” I glanced around the empty quad. When I shifted to my right, pain sliced across my shoulder and seared through my brain. “Unless it’s really far away.”
“Young man, get her to the road. I’ll call for backup. It should only take a few minutes. I better get back and help Dan.” She jogged away, barking orders into her walkie-talkie.
Bryan turned to me, arms sliding around my waist, lines creasing his face. “I’m sorry I didn’t answer sooner. I feel so terrible.”
The images of him and Colleen zoomed into focus, but I let them fade away. It didn’t matter now. None of it mattered. I had bigger things on my mind now.
I met his eyes, pressing my finger into his soft lips. “I’m just glad you came when you did. Jake said he wanted to take me somewhere. I don’t even want to think ...”
My own pulse pounded in my ears, but even the throbbing in my shoulder couldn’t drown out the scary what-ifs. God knows what could’ve happened if Jake had succeeded or what Nexis would’ve done to me. That’s why my angel came. My lips curled at that thought—my angel.
“Shh, my sweet angel.” He cupped his hand around my waist, steadying me. “Let’s not think about it, okay? Everything’s all right now. Everything’s fine.”
“Okay.” I rested against his chest, slowing my breath to match his.
Familiar-sounding heels clicked behind me. “Lucy, I’m sorry I didn’t see your text sooner, but when I did I came running. What happened?” Shanda gasped, her jaw dropping to the pavement as she checked out my right cheek.
I lifted my chin to show her my good side. “I’m fine now. Can you guys help me to the road? I think he dislocated my right shoulder.”
Another set of red and blue lights streaked across the dark sky.
“He did what?” Shanda screeched. “Here, let me help you.”
She put my left arm around her neck while Bryan braced his forearm against my back. But every movement, each little jostle, inflamed the fire in my shoulder. I couldn’t help but wince with every step.
He paused. “Let’s take it slow.”
“This isn’t working.” Shanda’s words jumbled together. She ran out of breath and bent over. “You should just carry her.”
I turned to Bryan, lifting my good arm to his neck. With one fluid motion, he scooped me up without a word. I muffled a moan into his jacket, but his strong arms told me one sure thing. It was over now. I was finally safe.
He marched with slow and gentle strides to the security car as Shanda’s stilettos clacked on the pavement behind us.
Students decked out in full Montrose colors milled around the car, as if they’d just come from the game. Lights flashed as more sirens wailed closer, illuminating their faces with blue and red. Maybe they assumed I started the fight or something. Let them think what they wanted. It was better than the truth.
An ambulance pulled up to the curb with a campus security car not far behind. A paramedic hopped out of the back and pulled out a stretcher.
“I don’t need an ambulance.” I said to the female paramedic.
“It’s not for you.” The paramedic patted my hand and wheeled the stretcher to the cobblestone path.
The ambulance driver and one of the security officer raced to the woods. When they came back, a familiar figured hobbled between them. The female paramedic raced to join them, and they strapped Will onto the stretcher.
For some reason I wanted to run to him, but I could barely walk myself. The paramedics wheeled Will closer to me.
“Stop.” He yelled, reaching for my hand.
“Are you okay, Will?” I grabbed his hand and squeezed, tears forming I took in his host of injuries. His left eye was swollen and blood trickled from his busted lip. His clothes were torn and smudged with dirt. By the looks of it, Jake had beat up Will far worse than me.
He tried to smile, but winced in pain. “I’m fine as long as you’re okay.”
The female paramedic grabbed his wrist. “His pulse is weak, but steady. We need to get him to the ER just to make sure he doesn’t have internal injuries.” She pushed me out of the way. “I’m sorry, miss. We have to go now.”
Hot tears oozed from my eyes as I watched the paramedics bundle up the stretcher and load Will inside. He’d been beat up by my ex and it was all my fault.
Please be okay, Will. I whispered a silent prayer to my angel or anyone who would listen, watching as the ambulance sped off into the night.
The female officer opened the back door for me and Bryan, pointing at Shanda. “You get in front.”
Bryan lowered me into the backseat.
The officer shut her door and put the car in gear. “We’ll stop at the nurse’s office first, then take you back to the station.”
“Thanks,” I muttered under my breath. She either didn’t hear me or ignored me as she rolled the car through the crowd as slow as a parade.
“Will was there?” Bryan stared me down, but I just shot him a look. “No, first things first. I’m so sorry about Colleen. Shanda chewed me out good for that one. She can write some mean texts.” He inched his hand along the backseat until he found mine. “Monica told me she had something on you, something she was going to post on Instagram. But it was all a lie. Instead, Colleen showed up drunk.”
“She what? I’m going to kill that girl,” Shanda hissed. “Both of them.”
My head throbbed with beats of pain, and I rubbed my good hand into the back of my neck. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
“I’m sorry. I never should’ve gone.” Those blue eyes lost their light, filling up with such sadness.
“You could’ve told me first, but I’m glad Shanda was right about you.” I tried to force a smile, but he still stared me down. “Ugh, fine. Will was in the library when I couldn’t get ahold of you guys. He called campus security, then when they didn’t come he said he was going to take care of it. I guess Jake got to him first.”
“Likely story,” Bryan muttered. Shanda snorted in the front seat.
“I don’t know what happened to Will, honestly. He didn’t come back.” I leaned my aching head against the seat. “So I tried to sneak out on my own, and it backfired. Big time.”
“Hey, honey, don’t worry. You’re safe now, and that’s all that matters.” He squeezed my hand, a pained look on his face like he’d been beaten up right along with me.
The car stopped in front of a tiny gray shack behind the gym. The lady guard opened the door and Bryan carried me to the front.
A nurse in scrubs rushed out with a wheelchair and he cradled me into it. I squeezed his hand, smiling my thanks.
His lips twitched, his face disappearing as the nurse wheeled me away.
When I closed my eyes, all I saw was that face, full of heartache. And I finally knew how I really felt about him.
The next time I opened my eyes, I was in a white room, another flashback to nine months ago. Would I ever stop repeating history?
A kind woman smiled down at me. “Let’s see if we can get that shoulder back in place.”
I nodded, grinding my teeth together as she stuck a needle full of something in my shoulder. She waited for my arm to relax and yanked it with one swift motion. Pain sliced through me like a scalpel at first, then disappeared in an
instant. I laid back against the crumpled paper of the doctor’s bed. Finally, I could breathe easy.
~
With one great exhale, I fogged up the glass of my favorite perch. Flakes of pure white snow floated from the gray sky, trickling down the windowpane.
So beautiful, so vulnerable, here one minute then melted away in an instant.
That could’ve been me, but it wasn’t. Thanks to my new powers and the angel who came when I asked.
A speck of red bobbed in the field of white. That silly hat his sister made. Bryan looked so small from up here.
I pressed my fingers against the cool glass. If only I could just tell him I wanted more, as if a relationship could actually change anything. Yet I knew it wouldn’t.
“You ready, Rapunzel?” Shanda wheeled a giant suitcase toward the door.
“Wasn’t Rapunzel blonde?” I curled my lips, answering her question with another question. Hoisting my duffel bag over my good shoulder, I dragged my suitcase behind me.
My parents agreed I didn’t have to come back to Indiana until Christmas. Jake was out on bail. He even got special permission to leave the state because he was a minor. I guess there were some perks to Nexis membership. So much for the justice system. Still, they hadn’t been happy about me staying with Shanda for two weeks until I flew out, especially Mom. But I couldn’t face my mother and pretend everything was okay. Not with a crazy man running loose in my hometown. It was too much to ask, even for me.
“You’re the new Rapunzel.” She cackled as we lugged our bags down the hall and stuffed ourselves into the elevator. When the doors closed she turned to me. “Besides, all the blondes at this school are crazy. It’s time for a new reign.”
“Hear, hear.” I raised my right fist to the ceiling, happy to have full movement again with only a slight twitch of pain. “To the reign of Shanda and Lucy.”
“I second that.” She clapped as the bell dinged. We both cracked up all the way to the lobby.
Bryan rested against Shanda’s little Fiat, that red ski hat covering most of his dark hair. When he looked at me with those aqua eyes, I wanted to melt away with the snowflakes. Instead, I just let him load my luggage into the tiny car.
Montrose Paranormal Academy, Book 1: The Nexis Secret: A Young Adult Urban Fantasy Academy Novel Page 29