A flicker of something crosses her expression, but then it disappears as quickly as it showed.“What?” I lean closer to her.“In which libraries have you found books?”“The secret ones.”tell me much. Do you have any idea how many secret libraries Valora holds?”“At least three.”“Try more than twenty.”My mouth falls open. “What? Where?”“If I tell you, they wouldn’t be a secret, now would they?”I scowl at her.“Which three did you find, sweetheart?”“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret.”She bursts out laughing. “Fair enough. I—”“Wait just a minute!” My mind races. “It was you!”“Come again?”“You put the books there!”“What books? Where?”“Don’t play dumb. It all makes sense. Who would’ve wanted Martine dead more than you?”Mom takes a deep breath. “I wish I knew what you were talking about.”“It really wasn’t you?”“If you tell me what you’re talking about, I’m sure I can explain my innocence.”I study her, and she does look genuinely confused. “While you were banished, I fou
It’s finally the end of the week, and I’m jamming with the band. I told Erica and our friends in case they wanted to come. Erica didn’t like them when I first arrived at the academy, but now she can’t get enough.So far, the room is empty other than those of us playing. And that suits me just fine. The last thing I want is to make anyone pass out. I’ve had more than enough of that to last me a lifetime.The door creaks open in between songs. I crane my neck to see if it’s Erica.It’s Neva. At first, my heart leaps into my throat—a reaction from the days I thought she and Isaac were a couple, before I knew they were besties and would probably gag at the thought of kissing each other. At least, I’d like to think that’d be their reaction.“Neva!” Isaac sets his guitar aside. “What are you doing here?”She throws herself into his arms, and they embrace. “My new academy is on break, so I’m visiting!” Then she hugs the rest of the guys, and even me. “I hear you’ve been taking care of our bo
I hate this. All of it. Life would be so much easier if I was still living on the surface. But it wouldn’t be the same. Now that I’m in Valora, I can’t imagine my life without Isaac, Erica, or my real dad. I never in a million years would’ve guessed him to be my dad, although now that I know, it’s obvious.How did I not see it? My supposed uncle was more doting than my dad. And come to think of it, I can’t remember a time that Martine ever referred to me as his daughter. He often said “your daughter” when speaking to my mom. And it wasn’t like it was just because he was a jerk. Before my sister died, he adored Aria. I never put much thought into it though, because Mom always gave me so much attention. I just chalked it up to each of them having a favorite. But now it all makes sense. Either Mom preferred me because I was Toni’s child, or she was making up for the fact that Mila could barely stand me. He played the part of the loving dad only when he needed to.Crash!The door flings o
Isaac fixes his top button. “Nothing. We should get going.”“This isn’t nothing. What did my dad say to you?”He adjusts his collar and gestures toward his bike. “Come on.”I put my hands on my hips. “What did he tell you? You two came out laughing, so I thought we were cool.”“You think any dad is cool with me kissing his daughter?”“Did he threaten you?” Anger churns in my gut. My palms glow green.“He merely suggested we take things slowly.”“Ugh! He’s such a hypocrite.”Isaac shrugs. “He’s the king. That’s his right.”“No, it isn’t! He was telling me that if he could go back in time, he’d do everything differently.”“Either way, I’m not going against his wishes.”I scowl at him. “What else did he tell you?”Isaac licks his lower lip and looks away.My stomach drops. “What?”He finally makes eye contact with me. “Your father wants to release my aunt from prison.”Everything spins around me. “What? Why? The woman is pure evil! She took away your funding for the academy even though s
Does everyone still hate me?”Isaac squeezes my hand. “I don’t think anyone hates you.”“Do they think I’m a joke because of the Mrs Walker thing?”He doesn’t respond.“That’s what I thought.”“Ignore them. They aren’t worth it.”“It’s hard to ignore relentless teasing and stares.”Isaac kisses my cheek. “Then pay attention to me. I’ll tell you how wonderful you are.”I can’t help but smile.He grins and gives me another kiss. “That’s better. Let me see about getting you released in time for lunch.”I’m alone again. I struggle to remember what happened the night before. I place my hand on my stomach, trying to recall the pain that brought me here. Was it something I ate? Or something else entirely?Something to do with my curse related to the ancient legend? I’ve been spending more time with my dad lately, and he’s been talking about her powers and those stupid trials. My stomach knots just thinking about that. Maybe I’d been thinking about that, and that’s what caused the pain.Might
Neva grins at me and throws a teasing glance at him. “Who’d have thought the princess would turn our Isaac into a gentleman?”He chuckles and takes his seat. “Nobody. Least of all me. But I can’t help myself.”She rests her chin on her hand. “You two are so stinking adorable. I wish I still went here to see you every day.”“Come back,” Isaac says“If only. But I like it where we’ve moved. So, there’s that.”We all dig in, and I stuff my face, not caring what anyone thinks.“You up for another concert?” Neva asks. “I’d love to sing with you guys tonight, one last time before I have to go back to my new academy.”I smile. “That’d be fun. Hopefully, I can get through all my studies first.”“Perfect.” She beams. “I love having another girl to jam with. Too much testosterone, you know what I mean?”I throw the guys a teasing glance. “Totally. It’s like—” A hot, searing pain radiates in my stomach, shooting around. Can’t breathe.“Marra?”Isaac sounds so far away.I clutch my stomach. Try to
I turn over and nearly bump into Mom, who’s sleeping next to me. Dad is snoring in a chair on the other side of her. I’m not sure where Erica and Isaac are, but it comforts me that my parents are here. No doubt Martine would have taken off for kingly duties if he was still acting as my father. But my actual dad is here with me, sleeping in an uncomfortable-looking position.I sit up and try not to move the bed. Mom doesn’t budge. I hold my breath, slide off the mattress, then head for the bathroom. A wire stuck to my chest prevents me from moving any farther. I yank it off and am free. But as I inch away from the bed, the machine attached to the wire beeps loudly, quickly.So much for not disturbing anyone.Mom bolts upright and looks around. “Mila? What are you doing?”“Going to empty my bladder, if you must know.”Dad opens his eyes and studies me, while rubbing his eyes. “How are you feeling?”“Fine.”“That won’t last long.”“Thanks for the encouragement.” I hurry toward the bathro
“Awesome.”Mom turns to him, her eyes wild. “What are you saying, Tobi?”He squeezes her hand. “If she kills me, she’ll be relieved of her stomach pains—and she’ll have all of Mrs Walker powers.”Mom shakes her head. “I wish I’d never agreed to let you try to resurrect the ancient queen. I just got you back! I’m not going to let anyone kill you. Do you know the torment I went through when I heard you were dead? I could barely hold myself together!”He cups her chin. “I’ll come back to life.”“What?” we both exclaim.Dad nods. “My brother killed me, and my servants brought me back to life. We’ve already proven it can happen.”“Once!” Mom glares at him. “That doesn’t mean it’ll happen again.”I shake my head. “I’m not killing you!”“Don’t you two see?” He looks back and forth between us. “It’s the perfect solution.”Mom and I exchange a glance. We have to find a way to change his mind.By the time I get out of the shower, my parents are gone, having only left a note for me to rest.Righ
She'd wanted to see his face for more than that brief glimpse. Did he fear what she would see? Beauty and the Beast was one of her favorite fairy tales, because an empath could see it all. The monster beneath the flesh, no matter how beautiful the mask. The beauty of the soul, no matter the disfigurement. But she hadn't wanted to assess the balance within him. She'd needed to look into his eyes for a reason she couldn't define, but it had been all-consuming. If she'd seen the darkness in him outweighing the light, would she have clung to him anyway, because he needed her? It was a desperation that went deeper into the soul than even she'd ever delved. Down to the dark, frightening places where children screamed but no mother came, pain and fear were the air one breathed, and the earth had no magic beneath the soles of the feet."Isaac?"A warm light had spread over her skin. She raised her gaze to her father's dark eyes. Apparently when she hadn't responded right away, he'd intensifie
. How on earth did she know what brimstone smelled like?Maybe she remembered it from that time she'd ended up in the outer catacombs of Hell, looking for the caverns where her parents had first met. She'd been twelve, and fascinated by the story of how Anna had hidden Jonah there when he was hurt and being pursued by Dark Ones. Of course, Lex hadn't been thrilled to run smack into Lucifer while on her romantic quest. She'd been told in no uncertain terms she would not be swimming down into his realm again, not if she knew what was good for her. She was twenty-one now, but the memory still made her shudder.God, she loved her parents, but they had such scary friends. The Lord of the Underworld was her father's best friend, while Mila was the seawitch Mina, a creature whose name no merperson would speak aboveBut whether or not Isaac was smelling brimstone, this had to be a dream. Mainly because that part of the mind that kept things from being too frightening in dreams said so, even
His hand slid up, his thumb finding her nipple and making her moan softly. Closing his eyes, he forced himself to focus. Goddess, it was as if he hadn't sated his lust in eons. What was it about her? Rationally, he knew it could be something the witch had done. But his heart knew differently, for an angel's heart knew truth."I'm off balance, because despite all that, I'm enthralled by the way your hair lies on your shoulders, how anger flashes in your eyes like heat lightning. The flush of your cheeks, the way your nipples have hardened against that thin shirt just from my barest touch." He folded his hand around her throat and cheek, tucked her head under his chin, and let sensuality give way to comfort.When Mila let out a resigned sigh, coiled her arms around his upper body, he felt that curious relief again. "I'm angry, because in the midst of all these things, I want you. So I strike out at your desire for me, so new and clean. It's beautiful, Anna, a miraculous gift to any male
Except for that one picture. The one that said she hoped for something better.As he came back up her body and sheathed himself again, pushing them both over the edge they needed, he knew he was going to embark on this journey with her. Not because he believed the seawitch, or that the darkness in his heart needed healing, but because suddenly the most important thing was that his little mermaid knew that someone believed in her.And hellfire, he still couldn't bring himself to go back, reach out to Lucifer or the Lady. Or any of them. What would a week matter? Time was relative, when one was an angel.SHE woke alone. The thunder was shaking the house, coming close together, flashes of lightning illuminating the cottage so she could see him standing on the deck, the sliding glass door open to the driving rain. His hair was plastered to his head, his face tilted to the sky, the wings a heavy weight on his back.She didn't dress, but moved down the stairs, stood in the open door, steppe
"What the hell did you let her do to me?""She was trying to save your life. The Dark Ones--""She is a Dark Spawn. Damn it, I never should have trusted her. Or you, a child stupid enough to think a Dark One can be your friend. I--""She may be dead because of you, my lord." Mila thrust hard against him, but of course he didn't budge. "Because of me. Because I brought her into this. She led the Dark Ones away from us.""Perhaps that's what she wants you to think." He had no patience for her feelings right now. With disgust, he released her and managed to make it to his feet this time, though he had to fight the desire to lie back down. Because his voice was hoarse, he cleared it twice before he got the words out. "What did she do to me?""You're human." She flinched at his expression. "It's only temporary. At dusk, your true form will return. Until . . ." She bit it off and looked away. "It will return at dusk."His eyes narrowed. Gods, his head felt like someone was pounding a mallet
"What have you been doing?" Erica demanded."What do you mean?""The Dark Ones were loose and swarming about the ocean floor, seeking one of the winged ones. And it's all over you, his aura. You are fair glowing with it." Erica was already rummaging through her stores, reaching into crevices in the rock used for storage for her healing tonics and potions."He said I would be safe as long as I wasn't with him.""Idiot.""Erica," Mila gasped. "He's an angel.""And an idiot. Here, drink this quickly. It will purge you and you'll be rid of that glow. Go on or I'll pour it down your throat."Anna hesitated. "What do you mean, purge? Not . . . forget?"Erica stopped, stared at her. "No," she said at last. "It's a cleansing, not a . . .""Cleansing. How . . . Does that mean . . ." He'd said he could voluntarily withhold his seed, but what if . . .Erica peered at her. Now her gaze traveled more slowly over Mila, apparently seeing far more than auras."Mila, you lay with him.""It was necessa
How do you know about that?"She shrugged. "I've spent time in the human world. I've studied their history.""So have I." The shadows were back in his eyes again, the dangerous set to his mouth that made him seem so formidable. But he regarded her curiously. "Won't someone be missing you? Your family? Your great-grandsire?""I don't stay in one place for long. They're used to my absences.""So no one looks after you.""I look after myself," she said with a trace of irritation. "I got you here.""Despite my command to leave me.""It wasn't a command," she protested.Isaac snorted. "It most certainly was, and you ignored it."She rose, went to the water. For a moment he thought she was going to dive, metamorphose into her other self and leave him there. Rising, he came up behind her, not yet touching her but standing just at her back. Feeling her hair brush his chest, his abdomen, he gazed down over the top of her head at the swell of her breasts, the pink tips so recently suckled. One
Her features were so fine, small. He put his finger up beside the line of her nose, just to judge, and it seemed the tip of his finger would almost cap it. Her lips were a tiny bow, and despite himself, he imagined what it would be like to stretch them . . .While he knew human mythology suggested angels were above such things, that myth was not based on the warrior class of seraphim. The nourishing energy they required made carnality a vital part of their strength, one of the easiest and fastest ways to replenish their powers. Many of the humanoid races freely offered themselves, and he was all too aware that many felt they had no right to refuse an angel. While he tried not to take advantage of that, fortunately, not many had the desire to resist.But as the years had passed, there was a lack of intimacy to such couplings that bothered him in a way he didn't care to examine too closely. He'd begun to prefer recharging by going into seclusion, drawing from the elements, a slower, med
He would die without her. Let me die . . .No, by Neptune's Trident. She would not. And she wasn't dying here, either. This wasn't how she was going to go, damn it.When her tail encountered a flat surface, and moving water pushed against her face, telling her the tunnel had become horizontal again and was widening, she sobbed in relief. She was able to switch arms and swim forward, using the additional propulsion offered by a wider sweep of her tail. And then, the darkness began to have shapes. Rock formations in the walls, the curve of the tunnel on all sides. Light. There was light coming from somewhere. Seafans with waving tendrils and myriad corals began to blanket the walls again, scraping at her knuckles. Bless the Lady, the water was getting warmer. Much warmer. As the tunnel directed her up, she pushed against the wall with her free arm as well as pumped with her tail, suddenly desperate to know that what she was seeing, sensing, was true and not some odd type of mirage in t