by Nikki Frank
He grabbed me around the shoulders and sat me up. I flopped against his chest and had to fight the urge to sink my teeth into him. He smelled like raw power. “Oh my God. What are you?”
I had my face pressed into his shoulder. I’d never felt the urge to prey on a live person until now. I wanted to eat him. To drain every last drop of his blood. To somehow ingest his power. We hit the trunk of the tree with a thud. I’d managed to shove him back, even being nearly out of magic.
“Livy?” Fear made his voice tight.
His alarm didn’t affect me like it should have. I was starving, dying really, thanks to the venom. He could fix me. Something deep in my gut knew that to be fact. But how to get at the magic without hurting him? I wasn’t so far gone I would harm Emmett. I still had some control over my base instincts.
Without thinking my body reacted. Keeping him pinned I lunged forward and kissed him. I used the kiss to pull his power out. The flow of magic I drew from him satisfied far better than any ration I’d ever had: water for thirst, and no kidnapping needed.
Emmett struggled beneath me and I scrambled backward, horrified. We’d never been involved. I considered Emmett my right arm or my brother or something else unromantic. What would he be thinking right now? I stared closely at him. He’d gone pale and clammy.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
Emmett nodded and gulped. “I . . . uh . . . yeah. You’re . . . you’re full of surprises today.”
“Oh, Emmett. I’m so sorry. I reacted without thinking. I had to have you. I don’t know where you got those reserves of power, but thanks. You saved my life.”
He scratched his head. “I saved you by letting you kiss me?”
“No. I wasn’t kissing you. I mean I was, but not for . . . you know, romantic stuff. I just needed to draw on your magic to replace my own. Sucking the power out seemed a better way to get it, at the time.”
“Better than what?”
“Eating you.”
He yelped. “You eat people?”
“No, no, no. I’ve never eaten anyone. But you smelled so strongly of magic and I needed power so badly. The thought of eating you did pop into my mind. But that’s why . . . you know . . . with your lips and mine.”
The recharge I’d gotten from Emmett wouldn’t last forever. He probably still had issues, but I needed to move on for now. I dug in my pocket and pulled out a leather pouch marked with a red cross. Pinching a bit of the white powder inside, I held my wounded arm out to Emmett.
“Squeeze the bite until it bleeds for me.”
“I can’t do that. I’ll hurt you.”
“Please. I can’t pinch my arm and sprinkle the medicine at the same time.”
Emmett grabbed my arm and pressed either side of the holes, looking the other way as he did. I tried not to make a sound or flinch even though touching the wound hurt like hell. I refused to make Emmett any more uncomfortable. When two ruby drops appeared, I sprinkled the powder on each.
“Let go,” I ordered.
Emmett dropped my arm and enough of the blood retreated into the holes to take the medicine with it. The rest I did by magic, spreading the drug around my own bloodstream. Once the medicine started working, relief enveloped me. I’d still need more help, but keeling over wasn’t such an immediate threat.
Time to call my parents. I tugged my necklace out: a blank disk of gold on which I could write a single word. When I finished, the message would show up on Mom’s necklace. The chain would shrink into a choker, so she couldn’t miss my call. I wrote, help. They would travel back by magic and hopefully they wouldn’t take too long.
I leaned back against the tree next to Emmett. “They’re coming.” I took in his pale face. “Are you really okay?”
He turned a halfdead look on me. “Did I ever say I was okay? How am I supposed to be okay? You’re some sort of creature. You attacked and killed a monster. You drank magic from me. How the hell you carried me in one leap onto the roof and through the city like a human bullet train is beyond me. Truth be told, I’m waiting to wake up and go back to reality.”
“Me, too.” I shuddered. “Ever since my parents left life has been like a nightmare.” I’d gotten so hot. I went to pull my fleece off and stopped. “Wait, you can see me right now?”
“Duh.”
I pulled the shirt off. “Well, you just proved you’re not human. This shirt is designed to make me look like a shadow to humans. How do you think I got into the school?”
“I don’t know why you need confirmation since you used me like a power smoothie.” He rubbed tiredly at his head. “Should I feel like you sucked half my soul out?”
“Ew, no.” I jerked upright and scooted away. “I’d never touch a soul. I’m sure you feel off because of the drain on your power reserve. I wonder what your source is? You should need―”
“Olivia?”
“Olivia?”
The panicked voices belonged to my mom and dad.
“We’re in the trees.” I waved my good arm. The one with the bite throbbed too much. My parents crashed through the brush and then I was in my mother’s arms. She petted my hair, squeezing me a little too hard.
“What happened? Why aren’t you two at school?” She glanced at Emmett before eyeing me seriously. “You know what your father and I had to do to get back here like this . . . right?”
“It’s fine. You can speak freely. Poor Emmett got one hell of an introduction already. He got attacked by a diablita.”
“A diablita?” my dad asked, glancing around in alarm. “Why? Where is she?”
“Everything’s fine. I took her out. But we’re gonna have to move. The situation happened in the middle of school and I only have so much power. I had to pick between killing her or making a barrier. I chose to kill her. So, half the school saw the fight. I got bit.”
I held out my arm which my mom immediately started working on. “I’m not sure why she targeted him. It’s not like Buraee and I sat down for girl talk before we tried to kill each other. But she said she was surprised I’d found him so early and she didn’t blame me for keeping him to myself. He swears he’s human, but he’s loaded with magic.”
“Did she bite him, too?”
“No, but she did put a love spell on him. Don’t worry, I got her to release her form before I killed her. Only trashy news outlets are going to believe anyone from the school. Wow, a diablita’s one hell of a beast, red wings and everything.”
My dad beamed and ruffled my hair. “That’s my girl. Taking down a demon before you’re full grown and without a partner even.”
“Why does poor Emmett look so pale?” Mom asked. “Is he in shock?”
Heat crept across my cheeks. “I . . . uh . . . I kinda drained him.” Both my parent’s gazes snapped down on me and I blushed even harder. “I used nearly all my magic and he . . . well . . . I couldn’t help it. He smelled so good and he saved me. Because of him I’m not passed out or worse right now.”
My dad crouched in front of Emmett who shied away from him. “You really had no idea you carried magic?”
Emmett shook his head and pressed back against the tree. “What are you?”
“An imp, like Livy.” Dad reached out a hand for Emmett’s forehead and Emmett dodged. He must have been really scared still. My parents were Emmett’s other set, too. “Don’t worry, Emmett. I’m going to try and get a read on what you are. Each creature has a separate power signature and there isn’t much living on land I haven’t met. A quick touch and we’ll know.”
Emmett nodded silently and sat still as Dad laid a hand on his head.
Dad frowned for a moment before letting out a deep breath. “Well, no wonder. You’re gonna be on the top of everyone’s collection list. You’re human, but you’re what they call a source. A special type of hu
man who has an opening in their being allowing them to freely channel magic. The good news is no one is going to kill you, you’re far too valuable. The bad news is every magic being between here and kingdom come is going to be after you.”
Now my curiosity was piqued. “Why?”
“For the same reason you already figured out.” Dad’s expression urged me to keep up. “He’s the magical equivalent of a battery, a magical bank account which never runs out. With him you’ll never need to send anyone to the Goblin Kingdom again. No need to work to earn your own magic, ever. And the same applies to any type of magic folk lucky enough to have him.”
My eyes grew wider, until they almost fell right out of the sockets. “Well, that certainly explains a lot. But how come we didn’t know sooner? We could have protected him better.”
Dad helped Emmett to his feet. “These things usually ramp up during puberty like―”
“Gross, Dad. Don’t say puberty. I feel dirty when you say weird words about growing up and crap.”
He laughed at me. “Okay. Will adolescence work?”
I nodded.
“Anyway. Just like everything else in your body revs up and matures, so does the channel for the magic. Before, the connection was like a leaky faucet: drip, drip, drip. Now the flow is like a hose on full, but by the time he’s grown, who knows; a stream, a river? The magnitude depends on his potential. But Emmett being a source does explain why you were drawn to him as a little kid. You would have been unconsciously aware of the leak.”
“So, I’ve been leaching magic off him for years,” I shrieked. “I’m a parasite?”
“No, no,” Mom soothed. “The relationship between a magic being and a source is reciprocal. You taking the excess energy keeps him balanced. Such natural partnerships are common. For example, those little birds that ride around on the back of a rhino. The bird feeds on parasites which doesn’t hurt the rhino, it actually helps him. In return the bird gets food and protection. You guys are natural allies.”
Mom’s explanation comforted me, especially about sucking Emmett dry, but something still nagged at me. “Then, will he be hunted for this power for the rest of his life?”
My mom frowned and slid a glance at my dad. One of those looks which said something I couldn’t pick up on. I hated being deliberately left out.
“Probably not,” he answered. “There are ways to create a permanent link between partners. But I’m not really familiar with them. Human sources are quite rare. I’ve only ever met one other.” He gave Emmett a sad smile. “Emmett, I’m really sorry. I think you would be safest if you came and lived with us for a while. At least until we figure out how you bond with a magic being. Then you will need to choose a partner, but we can advise you there, as well.”
“What about my parents?” Emmett choked out.
“We’ll go back to your house now and we’ll explain things to them. But if something nasty comes looking for you again. Not only will you be safer where the three of us can protect you, but at home your parents would be in danger. They’re human and defenseless, not to mention disposable to a lot of creatures.”
Chapter 3
Mom and Dad led us back through the trees to a sedan parked beside the road. I’d never seen the car before and I didn’t ask. We rode in silence back to Emmett’s house, tension taking up all the spare room and spilling onto our laps.
His mother answered the door in a panic. I got an immediate kick of guilt. I’d been left in her custody and then run off. I knew the school would have called about Emmett being missing. She was smart enough to connect the dots and worry herself. She grabbed us both and hugged us, fury and relief in each squeeze.
Dad gently pushed her inside. “Ivy, we need to talk. Something unfortunate has come up.”
She dropped Emmett and I, chewing her tongue for a moment before letting loose a tirade. She ranted about wild stories of kidnapping from the school and me being a knife-wielding psycho who leapt off with Emmett.
Dad pressed Ivy into a chair and knelt in front of her. He stared into her eyes as if trying to hypnotize her. “They weren’t wild stories, Ivy. Everything you heard is true, except one fact. Livy wasn’t kidnapping Emmett. She was saving him.”
Ivy shook her head. “But there’s no way those stories are true. How could Livy pick up Emmett and leap onto the roof?”
“Magic.”
“Isn’t real . . .” she added hesitantly.
Dad shook his head. “Come on, Ivy. I’m trying to do this the easy way. Work with me here.” He stared harder at her, definitely using magic on her mind, but she resisted.
She’d broken out in a sweat. “None of this can be real. They said Livy killed a devil-looking woman and a student had turned into the monster. Like a possession. A devil.”
“A demon, not a devil,” Dad corrected, giving Ivy a pointed look as if waiting for her to catch on.
Still Ivy shook her head. “Doesn’t matter, neither is real. What am I supposed to think of all this?”
“Okay then.” Dad sighed. “I’ll show you. Before I do, I need you to understand Emmett is in grave danger. But we’re going to protect him.”
Dad nodded at Mom and I and all three of us let our appearances go. Mom and I let our teeth and ears get pointy. Following a popping noise, Dad’s tail swished behind him. Ivy covered her mouth on a scream and even Emmett startled a little.
He looked up at me. “Do you have a tail, too?”
“Yeah,” I said, without taking my eyes off his mom. “But like Buraee’s wings and stuff we don’t let them out unless were really pissed, or off our guard. He’s just proving a point.”
“How is Emmett in danger?” Ivy asked, through her hand.
Dad explained, but I doubted she really understood. Emmett at least got the danger aspect. He’d seen Buraee in person. When Dad finished Ivy had a different look of fear in her eyes.
“How are the three of you supposed to keep him safe against monsters?”
“We’re specially trained hunters,” Mom said. “We’ll be the best shot he has currently.”
Ivy blinked at tears. “How far are you going to go and when can he come home again?”
“We’ll bring him home as soon as his situation is settled. How long that will take, I don’t know,” Dad answered honestly. “As for where we’re going, it’s best for you not to know. I’d hate to find you being used to get to Emmett. Making a human spill the truth is easy and harmless. If you know nothing, you ought to be left alone.”
“My boy.” Ivy sobbed.
My mom hugged her. “I understand. We’ll take good care of him. We have untraceable spells on our phones. He can call as often as you want.”
“Does this mean I’m getting out of school?” Emmett smiled, a little.
Both mothers scowled at him.
“Absolutely not,” my mom scolded. “I’ll homeschool you and Livy until we’re settled and can enroll you somewhere.”
“Bummer.” Emmett slumped against the couch again.
Ivy asked more questions as Emmett and I went upstairs to gather a few bags of stuff. We’d summon the rest by magic after we got settled. Emmett plopped on the end of his bed and looked at his room morosely.
“Think of our trip as an adventure,” I said sitting next to him. But the brightness of my voice came off as fake even to my ears.
“Yeah . . . right.”
I reached over and gave his hand a squeeze and was rewarded with absolute tension on his part. I let my arm drop. “Are you stiff because you’re leaving, because I’m an imp, or because I kissed you?”
“Yes. All of them.”
“I’m sorry. For everything. I won’t take your power from here on out. I had no idea what was going on and like I said, you saved me. So, I’m grateful. And if the kiss made
you uncomfortable, I’m sorry for that, too. I wasn’t starting anything . . . I mean, I don’t feel . . . I mean, you don’t have to―”
Emmett held up a hand. “You can stop. I get it, but I need some time to sort my feelings.”
“I’m still me.” I tried to reassure him. “We’re still us. We can be the same as always.”
I shuddered at the dark glare Emmett gave me. “No. We can’t. I have to get to know you all over again. I mean, you’re not even human. You’re always going on about how plain and boring you are and then you turn around and kick some demon chick’s ass. Which, if I hadn’t been scared shitless, should have been hot. But you’re not supposed to be hot. No offense. You’re like my sister. Then you pull that kiss. To top everything off I’m now some honorary part of your family and we’re moving.”
He broke off, panting with agitation. “Our life is not the same. It can never be the same. You’re nothing like I thought you were. Deep down I know even though you’re actually an imp, you always have been one. So . . . yeah, you’re the same as you were . . . but everything feels like it’s changing so fast and I . . .” He shrugged and ran a hand across his head, ruffling his light brown hair. “I don’t know. You’re still my best friend, but I need some time to come to terms with this new you. Then maybe I’ll relax.”
I shuffled next door to get my stuff in silence. I didn’t know what to say. He had a point. I felt some of those same feelings myself. I’d always assumed he was nothing more than Emmett, yet he turned out to be some sort of source and a target for collection. I imagined the difference must be even more staggering from his side.
I took the assignment shell and kept it out. The shell had grown warm, meaning it had a message to deliver. But my parents were home now, so I’d let them worry about the incoming assignment. Downstairs, I handed the shell to my mom. She asked the device for the information and nearly dropped it when the paper came out blue.