RAYNE 7
Rayne paces the room, her heart set on one thing—attending the Halloween party. She knows the risks, knows that Rake is still out there, lurking in the shadows, but her students had worked so hard. She couldn’t let them down.
Blade watches her, his arms crossed, his face etched with concern. “Rayne, it’s too dangerous. Rake is unpredictable. I can’t protect you if you’re out in the open like that.”
Rayne meets his gaze, her expression determined. “I can’t just hide away forever, Blade. The kids have been looking forward to this for weeks. I promised I’d be there.”
Scar, standing off to the side, exchanges a glance with Gage, who sighs and steps forward. “She’s got a point. We can keep her safe, and the school is easy to secure. We’ll all go, cover every entrance and exit. Rake won’t get anywhere near her.”
Talon smirks, giving Rayne an approving nod. “I say let her go. We’ll be there to keep an eye on things, and besides, I’m dying to see what she’s got planned for a costume.”
Blade clenches his jaw, clearly unhappy but slowly coming to terms with the idea. “Fine,” he says, his tone reluctantly yielding. “But you don’t leave my sight. Not for a second.”
Rayne gives him a small, grateful smile. “Thank you. I promise I’ll be careful.”
When the night of the party arrives, Rayne emerges from their room in her costume, and Blade’s eyes darken the moment he sees her. She’d chosen to dress as a demon—a nod to her new world—with a fitted black dress that clings to her curves, complete with crimson horns and a faux tail that adds a playful touch. The look is as sexy as fuck, and bold, she felt empowered by it, even as Blade’s expression turns from surprise to a barely restrained hunger.
“Rayne,” he grunts, his voice low and rough, “you can’t wear that.”
She arches an eyebrow, crossing her arms. “Why not?”
He takes a step closer, his eyes raking over her with a possessive intensity. “Because every man in that room is going to be staring at you.”
Rayne can’t help but smile, a bit of mischief sparkling in her eyes. “I think I can handle it.”
Scar chuckles from behind them, giving Rayne a thumb-up. “Looking good, Rayne. You’re going to knock ’em dead.”
Talon smirks, nudging Blade. “Lighten up, man. She looks great. Besides, you’ll be there to fend off any admirers, won’t you?”
Blade shoots him a glare but says nothing, clearly not happy but resigned to the fact that there is no changing her mind. He knows she is stubborn, and he admires her strength, even if it drives him crazy at times.
The school gymnasium is packed with students and teachers, all dressed in colourful costumes, the room decorated with paper pumpkins, fake spider webs, and hanging ghosts. Rayne throws herself into the festivities, helping her students set up their game booths and making sure everyone is having a good time. She can feel Blade’s presence nearby, his eyes constantly on her, a steady reassurance amid the chaos.
As the night wore on, Blade pulled her aside, his tone serious as he explains, “Halloween isn’t just a holiday for us. It’s a nexus, a time when the veil between worlds is thin. It gives demons like Rake more power; more access to things they wouldn’t usually be able to reach.”
Rayne frowns, the weight of his words sinking in. “So tonight... we’re more vulnerable?”
He nods, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. “Yes, which is why we’re all here. Rake might see this as an opportunity, but we’re not going to let him get anywhere near you.”
She swallows, glancing around at her friends and students, the laughter and chatter filling the room. The idea of something dark lurking in the background is chilling, but she takes comfort in Blade’s steady presence, in the quiet strength he exuded.
As the party begins to wind down, the team is on high alert, covering every exit as the students and teachers start to leave. Rayne lingers near the entrance, saying goodbye to her students as they filed out, her heart full from the joy of the evening.
But then she felt it—a sudden, cold surge of dread through her bond with Blade. She turns, instinctively reaching for him, but before she can react, chaos erupts around them. The air crackles with dark energy, and Rake appears at the far end of the hallway, his eyes lock onto her with a predatory gleam.
“Rayne!” Blade calls, his voice sharp as he steps between her and Rake, his weapon drawn.
The other Elite members move swiftly, surrounding Rake in an instant, their weapons gleaming in the dim light. But Rake is faster than they anticipated, his movements a blur as he strikes out, a vicious grin on his face. Rayne’s heart races as she watches the battle unfold, her breath caught in her throat.
Scar and Kade lunge at Rake from either side, their blades flashing, but Rake twists out of reach, his body moving with an unnatural fluidity that makes him seem almost ethereal. Talon and Gage block the exits, their eyes blazing as they prepare to cut off any escape.
But then, in a split second, Rake turns, his gaze settling on Rayne’s friend Rita, who had been lingering nearby, oblivious to the danger. Rayne’s heart lurches as she sees Rake raise his hand, a dark tendril of energy wrapping around Rita’s body, freezing her in place.
“Rita!” Rayne screams, but before she can move, the tendril tightens, and Rita collapses to the ground, her body limp and motionless.
Blade and the others surge forward, their weapons cutting through the air as they close in on Rake, but he is already moving, his form dissolving into shadow as he slips through their grasp, disappearing into the night.
Rayne falls to her knees beside Rita, her hands shaking as she reaches out, desperate to find a sign of life. But there is nothing—Rita is gone. Rayne sobs rise in her throat, the pain of the loss hitting her with a force that takes her breath away.
Blade kneels beside her, his arm wrapping around her shoulders as he pulls her close. She can feel his anger, his grief, radiating through their bond, but all she can focus on is the emptiness, the horrible, suffocating void that Rita’s death has left behind.
“We have to go,” Gage orders, his voice grim as he looks around, the shadows seeming to close in around them. “It’s not safe here. Rake won’t be far.”
Rayne nods, numb as she allows Blade to lift her to her feet. She clings to him, her heart shattered, as they make their way back to the safety of headquarters, the weight of Rita’s loss settling over them like a dark cloud.
Back at headquarters, Rayne sits in silence, her eyes unfocused as she tries to process what had happened. She feels hollow, as if a part of her had been ripped away, leaving a wound that she didn’t know how to heal. Blade is beside her, his hand resting on her back, a silent comfort that she barely registers.
“Rayne,” he calls softly, his voice breaking through the haze of her grief. “I’m so sorry. I should have protected her.”
She looks up at him, her eyes filled with a sorrow that cuts through him like a knife. “It wasn’t your fault. Rake... he did this. He took her from me.”
Blade’s jaw tightens, a fierce determination settling in his gaze. “Then we’ll make him pay. I swear to you, Rayne, we’ll stop him. We’ll end this.”
She nods, clutching his hand as the tears finally came, a torrent of pain and anger that she couldn’t hold back. He holds her close, his arms strong and steady, a rock in the storm of her emotions. And in that moment, as they sit together in the darkness, she knew that they would face whatever came next—together.
Rayne sits alone in the room, the silence pressing down on her like a weight she couldn’t escape. The night’s events replay in her mind on a relentless loop—the laughter, the costumes, the warmth of Rita’s smile just before everything fell apart. She squeezes her eyes shut, but the images won’t leave her, it’s seared into her memory with a vividness that makes her chest ache.
It is her fault. She can still hear Rita’s laughter, see the way she had waved goodbye to the students as they left, completely unaware of the danger lurking just beyond the shadows. Rayne wraps her arms around herself, the weight of guilt settling over her like a shroud. If only she hadn’t insisted on going to the party. If only she had listened to Blade, had accepted his warnings instead of brushing them off.
She can still feel Blade’s arms around her, his whispered reassurances, but they did little to ease the ache in her heart. She had wanted to be brave, to show that she could handle this new world she’d found herself in. But her pride, her stubbornness, had cost her everything. It had cost Rita her life.
A sob escapes her, a raw, broken sound that fills the empty room. “I’m so sorry, Rita,” she whispers, her voice barely more than a breath. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”
She remembers the look of joy on Rita’s face as they set up the decorations, her friend’s playful teasing about her costume, the way they’d laughed together, oblivious to the shadow that was waiting to strike. They’d been so happy, so caught up in the moment, and she had let herself believe, just for a little while, that everything would be okay.
But it hadn’t been okay. Rake had found them, had taken Rita away, and now, Rayne was left with nothing but the hollow ache of loss and the bitter knowledge that her choices had led them here.
She buries her face in her hands, the tears flowing freely now, each one a testament to the guilt that claws at her insides. Blade had tried to protect her, had done everything he could to keep her safe, but she had pushed back, insisting that she could handle herself. And now, Rita was gone. Because of her.
She looks up to see Blade standing there, his face etched with worry. She tries to pull herself together, to hide the pain that threatens to consume her, but he is already moving toward her, his arms encircling her as he pulls her close.
“It’s not your fault, Rayne,” he whispers, his voice firm, but she shakes her head, unable to accept his words.
“Yes, it is,” she chokes out, her hands clutching at his shirt. “I insisted on going. I put everyone in danger. If I had just listened, if I hadn’t been so selfish, Rita would still be here.”
Blade holds her tighter, his hands running soothingly over her back. “You couldn’t have known, Rayne. None of us could have. Rake is the one who did this, not you.”
But his words did little to ease the pain. She could feel the truth of them, but they didn’t change the weight pressing down on her chest, the relentless guilt that gnaws at her insides. She had made a choice, and that choice had led to Rita’s death. No matter what Blade says, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was to blame.
“I can’t... I can’t stop thinking about it,” she whispers, her voice barely audible. “I keep seeing her face, hearing her laugh. She is my friend, and I let her die.”
Blade pulls back slightly, cupping her face in his hands as he meets her gaze. “Rayne, you are not responsible for Rake’s actions. He is a monster, and he will pay for what he’s done. But you can’t carry this weight alone. We’re in this together.”
She looks up at him, searching his eyes for some kind of solace, but all she could see was her own reflection, the sadness and guilt mirrored back at her. She wanted to believe him, to let go of the blame and accept that it wasn’t her fault, but the hollow ache in her chest told her otherwise.
She takes a shaky breath, her hands still clutching at his shirt as she tries to steady herself. “I just... I don’t know how to move on from this. I don’t know how to let it go.”
Blade pulls her back into his arms, his embrace a solid comfort against the storm of emotions inside her. “You don’t have to do it alone, Rayne. I’m here. We all are. And we’re going to make sure Rake never hurts anyone again.”
She nods against his chest, the tears still flowing as she clings to him, letting his presence ground her, even as the guilt continues to gnaw at her heart. She knows it will take time, that the wound left by Rita’s death will not heal easily. But for now, she held onto Blade, finding a fragile comfort in his words, even as the weight of her choices linger in the shadows, a constant reminder of what she had lost.