Dark Fae (Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac Book 1)

by Caroline Peckham

  I closed in on the edge of town and turned the bike toward the copse where I’d leave it and walk the rest of the way to Scarlett’s house.

  As I rushed into the clearing, something slammed into the front wheel and the bike flipped. My gut soared as I cast earth magic at the ground to soften my fall. But before I impacted with the mud, I was snared in air magic and twisted upside down. With a yell of anger, I shot vines from my hands to counter the attack but someone froze them mid air, the ice sliding up and wrapping around my bare hands to stall my power too.

  “Show yourselves!” I bellowed, my voice muffled by my helmet. I was furious as I battled the air holding me six feet above the ground, the magic overwhelmingly powerful. I wasn’t trained well enough to fight it off and I cursed that school for taking so long with my fucking education.

  A man stepped out of the shadows who made my insides coil with hatred. Felix Oscura. Dante’s piece of shit uncle, the current leader of the Clan. And the man who’d buried thirteen members of my gang less than a week ago.

  “Fuck you!” I spat as he closed the gap between us, his hollow eyes sliding over me. Three more of the Oscura Clan appeared from the trees, their faces set in sneers as they took in the son of their mortal enemy. My father had killed so many members of their family, it would have taken a century to piece back together all of the body parts.

  “Ryder Draconis.” Felix took hold of my helmet, yanking it off and tossing it onto the ground. The visor cracked on a rock and I snarled through my teeth. “It’s not like The Brotherhood to stick to routines. You got sloppy.”

  Acid seeped through my blood at his words. What a fucking idiot I’d been taking this same route on the same day every two weeks. I’d gotten too damn comfortable and now that mistake was gonna cost me my life.

  Felix clicked his fingers and the woman behind him waved her hand, the air magic releasing me so I shot toward the ground.

  I crashed into it headfirst, my magic still useless as the ice pressed to my palms. Blood poured down my forehead but if they thought hurting me was worthwhile, they were going to be severely disappointed.

  “I live for pain,” I growled, rising onto my knees and the woman’s air magic pressed down on my shoulders to keep me there.

  Felix coated his fingers in ice, creating razor sharp nails from his water magic. His weathered features were half in light, half in shadow.

  “Yeah, so I hear,” he rasped, his tone common and his voice dry. “But the question we Oscuras always bet on is whether that’s because of your Order or because Mariella Oscura fucked up that little Lunar brain of yours too good.” His boot swung for my face and I didn’t even flinch as the steel cap slammed into my jaw. Pain burst through my mouth, swelling my magic reserves. One of my back teeth was knocked out and I spat it onto the ground with a wad of blood, smiling up at him.

  “I’m unbreakable,” I growled. “You won’t get information from me. So kill me quick or slow. I’ll enjoy it either way.”

  Felix sneered at me, the darkness in his eyes mirroring my own. He reached down to grip my chin, his frozen nails biting into my skin and drawing blood. “I’d love to see you dead, snake. But I need something from you.”

  “I’d die before I’d help Oscura Clan,” I snarled, rage swirling through me like a hurricane.

  “You might wanna hear me out first,” Felix mused. “You’ve got a lot to gain from this deal.”

  I ground my teeth, refusing to fall for his bait. I would not be fucking bribed by Felix Oscura.

  He stepped closer, releasing my chin and running his tongue across his teeth. “I want you to kill someone for me. Oscura Clan can’t get involved in this, but it won’t affect The Brotherhood.”

  “Do your own dirty work.” My upper lip curled back as blood sailed down my jaw. “Or can your mutts not even manage that now?”

  His Clan members howled and stalked closer, baying for my blood.

  Felix held up a hand to hold them off, surveying me through his lifeless eyes. “I’ll give you something you can’t refuse, Draconis. I’ll give you Mariella’s location.”

  I stilled, staring up at him as those words rang in my head over and over. Mariella. I’d longed to find her for years, to finish her for what she’d done to me. I’d cut out my own tongue for it. But why would Felix give her up?

  “Liar,” I snarled. “You wouldn’t sacrifice one of your own.”

  “She’s less than an Omega nowadays,” he said with disdain. “What use is she to the Clan while she hides in the shadows? She won’t show her face after what you did to her. I couldn’t care less if you have her.”

  “I’ll never trust you.” I shook my head, my shoulders tensing as Felix stepped aside, allowing a man to move between us.

  “Here’s my proof,” Felix said and the man’s face morphed. His two eyes slid together until they were just one, large feature at the centre of his face. The Cyclops rested a hand on Felix’s forehead then placed his other on mine.

  Felix’s memory was channelled into my brain and I saw myself on the ground, kneeling at his feet as he spoke to me. “I couldn’t care less if you have her.” I felt the truth of those words in my chest the same way he had when he’d voiced them.

  The Cyclops released us and I gazed at Felix in shock, my resolve fading away. He really was offering me Mariella. And there were few things in this world I wouldn’t do to get my hands on her.

  “I won’t hurt anyone in The Brotherhood,” I said, lifting my chin in defiance.

  “It’s not The Brotherhood I want,” Felix said with a dark smile. “There’s a student in your school I need gone. Dead. Buried. With no fucking traces back to me.”

  “And you’ll give up Mariella once it’s done?”

  He nodded. “So what do you say, Draconis…do we have a deal?”

  I set my jaw, my mind on vengeance and nothing else. I could take a life for Mariella. And I fucking would. “Deal. Who is it you want dead?”

  I twisted my fingers through my hair where it hung beside my chin as I waited outside the dorms for Leon. He had been planning to pick me up from my room but when Ryder had messaged me, I changed the plan. My Atlas was still upstairs, but I chose not to go back for it. I had no bag so I couldn’t really keep it on me tonight anyway and it wasn’t like I had any money to put in a purse. I was hoping the drinks were free tonight or I’d be spending the evening sober...unless I could convince Leon to buy me a few.

  I ran my tongue over my lips again, tasting the lingering drops of Ryder’s blood with a smile dancing around my mouth.

  His power filled me to the brim, dancing beneath my skin and whispering dark promises in my ear. I was more than a little tempted to take him up on his offer tonight. But no matter how much I was drawn to him, I wasn’t going to forget the reason I’d come to this academy. There was a damn good chance that Ryder Draconis had murdered my brother. And if that were the truth then the only thing I’d be taking from him was his life.

  My gut twisted uncomfortably at that thought and I frowned at myself. Why was I feeling uncomfortable? I’d never once doubted the idea of seeking vengeance on the piece of shit who’d killed my brother before. And I definitely wasn’t going to let my fucking hormones make me feel guilty either. Just because the guys who had most likely been responsible for his death were stupidly attractive, it didn’t mean I was going to blink.

  I wouldn’t be going to Ryder’s room tonight.

  And not just because I was worried that sleeping with him would make it harder to kill him if I had to. But because it meant picking too. Lunar or Oscura. Ryder or Dante. I refused to pick either. But in the darkest corner of my heart, I wished I could have both.

  I snorted at the ridiculousness of that idea. If I let myself fall into fantasies involving the two gang leaders being okay with that kind of situation, I was delusional. And I guessed that was a part of what held me back too. They were both telling me what I had to do. Both telling me what I couldn’t do either. Picking one me
ant saying no to the other and I didn’t want that any more than I wanted to join a gang. Besides, I didn’t want or need any man who thought he could place rules upon me.

  The door to the Vega Dorms opened and Leon stepped out, his eyes falling on me in an instant, the heat in them sending a trickle of desire running through me.

  I pushed myself to my feet as he prowled towards me, his movements all masculine and animal, his eyes locked on me like I was his prey. And I found I quite liked being the hunted instead of the hunter for once.

  He’d tamed his long, dirty blonde hair back into a topknot and had dressed in a deep blue suit with a white shirt beneath it. He wasn’t wearing a tie and there were enough buttons left undone to give me a glimpse of his tanned chest.

  Leon didn’t slow as he came straight for me, a deep growl escaping him as his eyes raked over me in the dress he’d bought.

  He caught my waist and I inhaled sharply half a second before his lips captured mine.

  My lips parted for his tongue as he pressed forward, dragging me against him so that every line and curve of our bodies were pressed against each other.

  I caught his lapel in my fist, pulling him closer still as his kiss devoured me whole.

  My heart was pounding an erratic tune in my chest, my thoughts scattering and an aching desire riding through me like a storm. I wanted him. Needed him. More than I’d even let myself realise until that moment when he’d finally decided to stop letting me run.

  Leon’s grip on me tightened and I could feel the keen press of his arousal grinding against me as the heat of our kiss burned through us like a wildfire.

  My fangs snapped out as I lost control despite the fact that I’d had more than enough of Ryder’s blood to sate me. But I wanted more of Leon, every part of him.

  He drew back a little and I caught his bottom lip between my teeth, my fangs scratching against the inside of it and offering me the faintest taste of his blood. I moaned aloud as the blazing power of him called to me like sunshine on a winter’s day. He was an oasis in the middle of a desert, a diamond in a pile of coal. I ached for more but he broke our kiss before I could drive my fangs deeper.

  “Calm down, little monster,” he teased, leaning close to speak in my ear, his stubble scraping against my skin in a way that had my toes curling. “There’s only one way I’ll let you bite me.”

  “And how’s that?” I asked, tipping my head so that I could look into his golden eyes which were blazing with the same desire I felt coursing through my veins.

  “When I’ve got you pinned beneath me and you’re screaming my name,” he growled, the tone of his voice sending a shiver down my spine. “You can bite me when I make your body tremble with pleasure and you can’t take it anymore.”

  “Well that’s something to look forward to later,” I teased, inching back as I fought to regain control of myself.

  “Is that a promise?” he begged, holding me close for a final moment.

  “No,” I replied with a smirk before twisting out of his grip.

  He caught my hand and I let him have it. He smiled like he’d just won a point then tugged me closer so that he could sling his arm around my shoulders instead and I let him do that too.

  “I think I’m starting to get a taste for this taking the lead stuff,” Leon said, dipping his mouth to my ear again.

  “Don’t push your luck,” I teased, looking up at him from beneath my lashes.

  “I’ll try to control myself,” he promised though it felt like a lie.

  I smiled as I leaned into his hold and we started walking toward the huge Voyant Sports Hall where the party was being held.

  More and more students appeared along the path as we headed closer to the party where Taylor Swift was belting out her best rendition of I Knew You Were Trouble. Leon laughed as he led me through the double doors.

  “They’re playing your song,” he joked but my attention had slipped from him to the unrecognisable sports hall before me.

  The party committee had done an amazing job and my lips parted as I looked up at the pool of water which had been conjured to hang above our heads. Schools of glimmering silver fish swam past as I watched and I couldn’t help but grin at the impressive display of magic.

  I dropped my eyes to the walls where waterfalls ran endlessly down them and the sound of running water undercut the music which was pounding out from speakers at the far end of the room. There were circular tables laid out around the edges of the space, each holding a beautiful ice sculpture at the heart of them depicting various Order forms. I didn’t spot any Vampires but I guessed an ice girl with pointy teeth didn’t look quite as impressive as a Manticore with the body of a lion, wings of a bat and a scorpion stinger for a tail.

  Someone bumped into me and I flinched back just before a drink sloshed to the ground by my feet, narrowly missing my new shoes.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry,” Cindy Lou gushed falsely as I looked up to find her standing way too close to me, her arm coiled around Dante’s possessively.

  I didn’t even bother to respond to her as I looked up at the Storm Dragon whose dark eyes were currently drinking me in like I was the only flower in the meadow. He was wearing a black suit which brought out all the darkness in his features and made him seem so much older than nineteen.

  “Hi,” I breathed as he pinned me in his gaze.

  “You...splendi più luminoso di tutte le stelle nel cielo, bella,” he said with a smile that made my stomach do a backflip even though I didn’t know what it meant.

  “Stop eye-fucking my date, man,” Leon teased, thumping Dante squarely in the bicep and drawing his attention away from me. “And don’t use that foreign pantie dropping crap on her either.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh as Leon pulled me against his chest and the warmth of him enveloped me.

  “Are you worried because it might work?” Dante teased him and I rolled my eyes in response.

  Cindy Lou clucked her tongue and glowered at me but the guys ignored her.

  “I dunno, little monster, are you tempted to ditch me for this asshole?” Leon asked, looking down at me with a playful smile.

  I looked back up at him and reached out to run my fingers across his rough jaw. “No,” I replied honestly. I had no desire to ditch Leon for Dante. Though if they were willing to share then I wouldn’t have objected to that idea at all.

  A look passed between the two of them for a moment which almost made me wonder if they’d just been thinking the same thing but Cindy Lou interrupted, reminding us all that she was still there too. Unfortunately.

  “Come on, baby,” she said, fluttering her eyelashes at Dante as she coiled her arm around his more tightly. Her voice dropped suggestively as she reached out with her other hand to brush her fingers along his belt and I stilled as I was struck with the desire to smack her roaming hands off of him. “I want to show you something outside...”

  Dante hesitated a moment before letting her guide him away and I watched them leave with a scream of frustration sticking in my throat. Which was totally insane because I held no claim over Dante and that was entirely by choice. But the idea of that stupid cow putting her hands all over him made me wanna spit. Which was crazy. Not to mention totally hypocritical because I was here with Leon and I had zero desire to change that fact.

  “Pfft, that girl,” Leon growled and I looked up at him in surprise as he narrowed his eyes at Cindy Lou’s back.

  “What about her?” I asked. I thought I was the only one who knew she was a total sack of shit but if Leon wanted to have a bitching sesh at her expense then I was all in.

  He shook his head dismissively. “She just used to date a friend of mine and it ended...badly.”

  “Oh?”

  Leon gave me a rueful smile and caught my waist between his hands as he dismissed the subject of Cindy Lou.

  “You wanna show me how you like to party, little monster?” he purred and I smiled as I looked around the room, trying to figure out what I wanted
to do first.

  My eyes fell on the dance floor which seemed to be made out of a block of pale blue ice and I grinned as I started heading straight for it, tugging Leon after me by his hand.

  “Don’t you wanna get a drink first?” Leon asked, trying to tug me back but I only pulled harder.

  “No. I want to dance. You’re not gonna bail on me already are you?”

  His lips twitched with amusement at the dare and he shook his head.

  The music changed as we reached the dance floor and I grinned as Hot in Herre by Nelly started playing. Songs about taking your clothes off tended to get a lot of plays back in The Sparkling Uranus and I was pretty sure I could have performed a whole routine to it if the mood took me.

  Instead of stripping for the entire school, I stepped into Leon’s arms and fell into the rhythm of the music as our bodies moved together and the heat between us began to build again.

  My breaths came quicker and my heart beat faster for every second he held me in his arms. As one song bled into two then three, four, five, I realised I was smiling. Like full on smiling with real joy in his company. Which wouldn’t have been strange for anyone else. But since I’d lost my brother, I’d begun to think I’d never feel that way again.

  And all the while that Leon was making me feel like that, I knew I wouldn’t want to be anywhere but in his arms. Which was exactly where I intended to stay tonight.

  He was like joy personified. I’d stopped even thinking of him as a potential suspect. There was just no way that someone as happy and warm as him could be a killer. So I let myself fall under his spell just a little. Because I was so tired of all the lies I’d been telling since coming here. The smile Leon put on my face was one of the most honest things I’d experienced in far too long. And I intended to spend as much time smiling with him as I could.

  Fifteen months before the Solarid Meteor Shower…

  Ping. Ping. Ping, ping, ping.

  “What the hell, man, who’s blowing up your Atlas?” I groaned as I tried to pull a pillow over my face to block out the continued sound of messages flooding Leon’s Atlas. It was the middle of the night and I was way too tired to cope with the ongoing sound.