I walked the stairs all the way down to the study. Liam finally stopped my march at the bottom of the stairs."Beloved?"I brushed his hands off. "I need to figure this out. Why did they take Kezia? Why did they take Amy?"Liam shook his head. "Kline said they wanted you or Kezia. It must have something to do with the witch blood."I shook my head. "Kezia is inside the Veil. It must have something to do with the Grey bloodline." I looked around at the books. "What if I can find a spell that has to do with family bloodlines?"I scanned the shelves pulling random books and setting them on the table as I walked. "Do you really think this is going to help?" He asked."Do you have any other ideas?" "We should gather all the brothers and attack them.""Where? Do you know where their underground base is?""We know an entrance at Grocer Outlet. We could attack there.""Well, we could, but if we enter through their tunnel entrance, they will pick us off one by one. I've been down t
The ground vibrated. I lifted my head from my napping place on the books. The ground vibrated again. Shouts issued through the opening of the study door at the top of the stairs. Cherry rose, looking very concerned."What is it?" I asked."We're under attack."I jumped to my feet and rushed upstairs. The metal stairs clinked under my short heeled boots. When I reached the top, brothers and sisters rushed down the halls. Most of them had guns out.I snagged one man's arm. "Where's Liam?" I asked."Leading the charge." He pulled away and hurried off.I exited the hallway. The bar was in complete chaos. Guns covered the tables. Brothers were checking in and leaving with some of the biggest guns I had ever seen. I slipped between them and upstairs. I laid my hand on the top of the pile of energy crystals I had filled the night before and sucked in their power. I felt tingly and excited. I took a deep breath. I needed to keep a level head. This was a real battle.I came back down the
The battle surged on through the afternoon until the last of the enemies fell. I stood, breathing hard. My swords held in my hands, looking for the next attacker. Blood soaked the pavement and the grass around the bar. I was soaked in it. Everyone around me was soaked in it. Bodies covered every inch of what used to be the parking lot. I realized we had won. My wings flickered out. The light of the swords died as they shrank to their dagger forms. I slipped them up my arms with a whisper where they nestled as tattoos on my forearms.I looked around at the Ardor Brothers. They look exhausted, but worried glances looked at me. I had frightened them, just as I had Liam. I hung my head. I had probably made the wrong call. I started towards the road."Beloved?" A brother called. I turned to see Jamie holding his side with dark blood oozing out of it. "Where are you going?""I... I don't know.""You can't kill their leader today. You need to recharge," another brother said.A strong arm
I finished showering and dressed. Even though I was clean, I still felt dirty. It was like every time I looked down, I could still see the blood all over me even though it wasn't there. I wore another pair of jeans and a long-sleeved black shirt with some sequin decoration. I chose a pair of new black sneakers to put on. I looked longingly at my new leather jacket from the brothers. It hung on my desk chair but was still covered in blood. I wished I could wear it right now, but there was no way that was a good idea. I wanted to stay as far away from blood and gore as I could for a while. I could feel myself already starting to break. Even the bullet casings on the floor were getting me worked up.I sucked in a breath and left my room. I could see Kezia in the kitchen from the hall balcony. Amy was sitting at the counter, eating a grilled cheese sandwich. Kezia was talking animatedly, and Amy was giggling. At least someone around here was feeling happy.I walked down the stairs. Kez
I hopped behind Liam on the motorcycle. My fingers gripped his leather jacket, which had been cleaned up since the battle. The bikes revved to life behind us. Liam growled something, then grabbed my hand and pushed it tighter to his side. His muscles were solid beneath the leather.We rode into the fading light of the sun. By the time we reached the safe house, my stomach was rumbling with hunger. There was no way I could eat anything right now, but it insisted that it was empty.Liam turned the bike off and slid off. My whole body tingled with the rattle of the bike's engine that was no longer beneath me. I walked a small circle as I looked around. I realized I had been here before. This was the first bar I had met Matei at. Where he had trapped Kira and Lanie had found her. The parking lot was sparse. "Remember this place?" Liam asked. "This is where we first met.""This is where Lanie propositioned you," I said. "She was trying to get Angandriel's attention.""Is that what tha
"Beloved?" Liam asked. "Did you just kill him?"I bit my bottom lip. I did. I did just kill him. I growled. Damn it. I pushed the vibrating energy back into his body. Mr. Kline gasped in a breath."Bowling alley," he wheezed. "Under the bowling alley."I tilted my head at him. "Now, was that so hard?""Kira, you have to protect me from her. She's going to kill me.""You should have thought of that before you worked for her." I turned away from him. "He's all yours, Liam."The lights flickered and faded just a little. A dark cloud billowed down the stairs and across the room. I jumped to the side as Mila solidified in the middle of it. She strode right towards me. The darkness formed around her like a cape. The pink god power flared to my fingertips, but my lack of energy made it short out. She threw me to the side. I hit the bar counter and slid down it. She reached out and twisted Mr. Kline's neck. He died instantly. His soul left his body, twisting in agony as it drifted up
I hurried through the bar and up the stairs. Everyone was dead. I flew up the stairs to the apartment. It was quiet. I ran up the stairs and checked the bedrooms. I found Anton dead across the bed in his room. Kezia and Amy were gone. No bodies.Liam called for me somewhere down below. I couldn't believe it. Everyone was gone. Cherry, Anton, Cole, they all lay lifeless on the floor.No. No. This could not be happening. I would not let this happen. My pink wings fluttered behind me with agitation. I would not let this be.I stormed down the stairs back to the bar. The men spread out, checking the lifeless bodies. Liam caught my eyes."They're all gone," he said.Anger flared inside me. This wasn't fair. This was not how things should be."Not for long.""Beloved? Your eyes..." He stared at me."I'm sorry, I need this." I pulled all the energy in the room. Liam and his remaining men fell to the floor. I could feel their life energy inside of me."I'll give it back. I just need t
It took me three days to get out of bed. Liam visited me several times a day, but I didn't listen much. They still hadn't found Kezia or Amy. I had all the books with the family blood runes brought to my room. They laid out over the floor and bed, all just within reach. My head felt fuzzy, and my body ached like mad. I felt like I had been stretched like taffy, and everything was just trying to figure out where it fit again.On day four, I finally decided to get out of my room. I showered and dressed. I wore the black leather this time. I donned my freshly cleaned Ardor Brothers jacket. I slipped on a pair of tall leather boots. Everything fit like a glove, and this time, I felt like I could pull it off. It was that, or maybe I didn't care if I did.I looked down over the balcony. Anton was sitting watching the television. It was playing the news. The giant hole where the bowling alley used to be was plastered all over the large screen with a headline reading: "Sinkhole appears in mi
I don't know how long I lay there crying and wailing and sniffling. I couldn't believe he was gone. I'd been played. I'd let the darkness use him and use me. I needed to be smarter. I needed to figure out what she was doing before it happened. How did one even learn those sort of skills? I was no hero. I was nothing.The deep pit of depression pulled at me throughout the hours as I lay on the cold hard ground. I couldn't pull myself up. I couldn't go on. I had killed Mila and now I had killed Remi. I let Kezia and Matei die. No matter what I did, I was never good enough to save the people I loved. I'd even killed my own mother. What was wrong with me? I was living ball of bad luck. Bad Karma.I raised my head. Had Karma done this to me? Was that the reason? I slowly pushed into a sitting position."Karma!" I screamed. I had nothing left; otherwise, I would have pushed so much power into her name; it would have knocked the rest of the castle over. "Karma! Did you do this to me!?" M
Yes, I was looking at a freaking Dragon in front of me. It must have been three stories tall. What is that, thirty feet? It was freaking huge. Its black scales glittered in the moonlight, and if I weren't shaking in my boots and worried about being eaten alive, I would have thought it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Atlas, it was terrifying. Complete and utter terror gripped my throat, even more than the ominous darkness that used to chase me home from work. This thing had fangs and claws and wings! It was the embodiment of a predator and it was assigned to kill me.The thing reeled back its head after in a great roar as if to bellowed out fire on me, the tiny figure standing in front of it. I instinctively rose the Aurora sword in front of me. Instead of normal flame, it blew out a steady stream of black and purple fire. The sword sliced it in half, protecting me. After the breath, it turned its head and gazed at me with one bright golden hazel eye. The fearsome intel
I woke up bound and gagged in a very cold and dark place. I could hear water dripping somewhere far off. The smell of mold and dirt filled my nostrils while the wet, cold air penetrated my clothing made me shiver. I pulled at the power I had stored inside me, but it was gone. It felt as if I had been completely drained. I even felt drained of life.I wiggled in the grime until I was able to free my gag. "Hello?" My voice echoed off what sounded to be stone walls.I could be anywhere. For a moment, I thought I was dead, but I think I was too uncomfortable to be dead just yet. After much struggling, I was able to sit."Remi?" I whispered. "Angie? Sandriel? Natalia? Anyone? Can anyone hear me?""No one can," a familiar voice echoed.It surprised me at how close it was, maybe only a few feet in front of me. The deep smooth female voice was easy to place. The water dripping in the background grew silent. Even the air around me stopped."Karma," I said."Oh, aren't you just so smart
The dark forest started to clear as I flew forward on my delicate wings. The first thing to catch my eye in the firelight was Kezia strapped to a pole in the middle of the nexus circle surrounded by what looked to be human bones. The rose bushes that were planted six years ago were the size of people, bushy, and well cared for. Their blooms were just starting to fade as the fall equinox rose. A hundred or so crystals sparkled in the moonlight spread out over the complicated circles drawn in the dirt. Mila stood at the edge of the circle chanting in a language I couldn't make out.Kezia's eyes darted towards me as I appeared out of the trees. Mila immediately stopped her chant as she looked in my direction. A wicked, too big smile gaped open. Pointed teeth spilled across her face. She extended her fingers out and flicked them at me.Dark tendrils of shadows leaped from the trees. They wrapped around my ankles and wrists, pulling me down to the ground. I could feel the familiar fear gr
I stood looking out at the stars in the night sky from the roof of the Ardor bar building. The power from the crystals thrummed beneath my skin as I swirled it inside me, converting it to my pink energy. I needed to do this. I had to go all out like I had done for the brothers in order to save Kezia. It wasn't fair that she was taken hostage because of me.I closed my eyes. I searched deep inside the well of power within me and whispered, "Remi." The word escaped my lips with a deep insistence with power behind it.The night pressed in thick around me like a cloud that descended and hung about in a fog. I realized it was Remi's shadow fighting his summoning."Remi," I bit out. The power behind the word was sharp.The shadows merged into his figure. He stumbled forward on to his hands and knees before me."Kira," he heaved a breath. "Where did you learn that trick?""I need you to take me to Kezia."He lifted his head. "Don't do that. Forget about Kezia. She's lost. Just let it b
The evening died down. I was left sitting alone again, but this time my basket of crystals was full of energy. Their surfaces pulsed with pink light. The elves' energy was different, but it was intense. It wasn't as easy to mix with my own, but when I did, I felt powerful.I collected the basket and went downstairs. I bid good night to Cherry with a nod. I carried my basket through the back then started up the stairs."Beloved," Liam's deep voice drew my eyes up from the stair steps.I nodded. "Liam.""Where are you going with all those crystals?""I was taking them to my room to practice."His eyebrow ridges knit down. "Practice what?"I smiled innocently. "I'm just testing what I can do. Don't worry; I'll be careful."He eyed me suspiciously. I tried not to let my smile waiver. I felt like he could see right through me, but I held firm. I had to do this. I couldn't just let Kezia die, not like Mila."Alright, be careful. Good night, Beloved.""Good night." I inched around h
I sat outside in the parking lot were a bar counter, numerous tables and chairs, and many lights decorated the area. The elves sat politely at the tables, drinking their fancy top-shelf drinks. The Ardor Brothers pretended to be having a good time, but the suspicious glances between the two factions put a damper on the party.Lord Quillion finally strode across the parking lot towards us. He took a seat in front of me with a pained look.I remained silent with a smile on my face. No more plastic smiles for me. This one was genuine."Lord Quillion," I said."Beloved," he responded. He said it as if it tasted bitter on his tongue.That made me smile wider.Cole spread the contract out on the table between us. "This claims The Kingdom will be allies to the Ardor Brothers for the next fifty years. They will aid us with whatever we require, including sharing materials and funds. The territories will remain separate, but the people of either territory will be allowed to move across the
"I accept the terms," Lord Quillion said.I extended my hand to him. We shook, then I backed away. Both armies stepped back to give us space.Liam squeezed my shoulder. "Let me fight for you."I shook my head. "This is my fight."He gave me a worried glance but gave a slight nod. "Good luck, Beloved."Granite gave me a soft punch. "We're counting on you." They both turned and stood to block the entrance to the bar. They watched me with their iron-grey eyes. I couldn't help but smile. For such cold, hardened warriors, they had such warmth in their hearts.I turned my attention back to Lord Quillion. He stood at the center and lifted his long sword to the sky. Dark clouds appeared and swirled overhead. Blue lighting ripped from the sky on to the sword. He held pointed it toward me, then screamed a battle cry.I cringed. It sent a primal surge of fear through me. I stood my ground as he ran forward with the sword. For a moment, I felt frozen, but I calmed my thoughts and felt for
I didn't sleep. I paced the room. I tossed and turned in bed, but I never managed a wink of sleep. Hours ticked by. Painful minutes ticked by. There was nothing. No word. No text or message. I was just stuck in the dark and I didn't dare bother them because it could mean life and death. At seven o'clock in the morning, I stumbled down the stairs on tired legs. I wanted to sleep, needed it, but I couldn't. I made some cereal and sat looking out at the sun in the sky over the city. The harsh sun reminded me of my garden. I let my mind wander to that peaceful place. I thought about the blooms, the sun, and the pink glow. Before I knew it, I was standing in my garden.The plants were still there, but they looked wilted. The ones next to the stream were okay, but the rest looked a little frazzled. I added more of the glittering water next to them and they slowly perked up. I touched others and they blossomed again. The tiredness slowly drained from me as I walked through my creations.I