Chapter 6 #2
My mother’s choice to put Gwen in charge was the only thing that stilled my shaking hands.
“Why should we trust you?” I asked bluntly.
“Lily…” Hendrik warned.
But Gwen shook her head. “Lily is right to question me.” With a quiet sigh, the Dean leaned against the window.
For the first time, I noticed the slight wrinkles around her eyes as if her age was finally catching up with her.
“Lancelot was gone, trapped in Hell and I would have done anything to bring him back. What I did by forcing his spirit into a Vessel wasn’t saving him—or me, for that matter.
All I did was open myself up for the sort of manipulation Calamity seeks.
Lancelot is free now. That’s all that matters. ”
“Didn’t he return to Hell?” I asked, remembering that night like a brand seared into my nightmares.
“Yes, but not to the same layer of torment.” Gwen shrugged and tucked her hands into the voluminous pockets of her robe.
“Your mother made sure of that. He isn’t in the rage layer of Hell and he now serves out his eternal sentence in her territory.
It’s a blessing, I assure you.” She glanced at me, smiling.
“I sold my soul for my immortality. I was a fool to expect it wouldn’t come without a price. ”
“If you sold your soul…” I trailed off.
“I’m sure Lucifer is polishing up a room just for me,” she said, irony heavy in her voice. “I can only hope to work off enough of my debt that the Queen intervenes when that time comes.”
I almost felt pity.
How strange.
The ache in my heart spread and I rubbed at it. It did no good. It was like a cancer, growing with no end in sight.
“Is your head spinning yet?” Yuri asked, tossing away her sucker stick. Olivia and a male with bright green eyes entered the room behind her, making me relax. I hadn’t seen the panther shifter in a while and I was glad to see he would be included in this conversation. He’d always been kind to me.
“That’s an understatement.” I gave her a tired smile as Olivia silently joined me by the window, squeezing my arm.
“Hey.” Aaron nodded at me, his green eyes perusing my face. “It’s nice to see you’re back.” He winked at me. “I’ve been hoping for another chance at the Shifter Games.”
Memories of the match I’d joined when trying to get Logan to talk to me filled my mind. “So, I’m invited on the team again?” I asked.
“Of course,” he said, then his expression darkened. “What’s left of the shifters, anyway.”
Shadows and grief seemed to spread around him at that statement. My hairs stood on end as the temperature of the room dropped.
Not fear, I decided, but a sense of awareness that something wasn’t quite right.
The shadows cloaked Aaron’s form as he shrugged it off.
“Fucking darkness,” he muttered. With a faint shake of his head, the shadows dispersed. “Sorry. Still getting used to that.”
I stared at him blankly.
“A lot of weird shit started when the two academies merged.” He glanced at my wings as the door opened again. “You’re not the only one who’s changed.”
“Hmm,” I agreed.
Orion came inside and I started toward him, only to stiffen as I looked behind him and spotted Kaito dragging someone in.
Dante.
My heart wrenched inside my chest, the sensation only slightly more painful than it would have been if Dante had just ripped the damn thing out.
Determined not to let him see how much he’d hurt me, I looked at Orion. “It looks like the gang’s all here. Should we get the party started? I have a feeling I’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”
“Oh, honey… that’s an understatement.” Yuri was far too cheerful, considering the circumstances.
I almost envied her.
“I brought champagne.” She disappeared behind a wall and came back out with a bottle and several flutes. “Who wants some?”
Most of the people passed but I figured what the hell—I’d come back from the dead. Digesting blood isn’t the weirdest thing that had happened to me today.
“Alright!” Yuri splashed some into a pretty flute, the etched crystal catching the light as she passed it to me.
I caught the scent of strawberries and lifted the glass but Olivia leaned in and put her hand over it. “You don’t want that, Lil.”
“Why not?” The bubbly liquid had a faint pink tinge to it and it actually smelled pretty good.
“It’s pink… and it was just served to you by a vampire.” Olivia cocked a brow.
“What the fuck does that matter?” Dante said, his bitterness choking the air from the room. “She’s part demon, anyway. A little blood will probably rejuvenate her.”
I flinched at his words.
Olivia put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed while Orion glared at Dante.
Yuri scoffed. “She was part Demonspawn all along and you knew that,” Yuri said into the taut silence. “Why are you being a dick about it now?”
Dante shoved off the wall, his eyes burning into Yuri. “Are you talking to me, bloodsucker?”
Olivia reached Dante before I could. A good thing, too, because I would have wrung his neck.
“You’re going to stop, Dante,” Olivia informed him, her voice firm.
Dante jerked his gaze away from her and to my surprise, his shoulders slumped, head dropping low. “Fine.”
I saw why a moment later as a faint, white glow emanated from her touch. Like Hendrik, she worked to keep Dante in check with her magic.
Olivia guided me to a seat and blew out a breath as she joined me. “Now, let’s get down to business. Everybody, keep in mind that Lily has been gone for…” She glanced at me with a wry smile. “A while. Make sure to touch on anything pertinent she needs to know while providing your report.”
How official.
She nodded at Aaron. “If you would start?”
“Sure.” He raked his fingers through his hair, gaze flicking toward me before moving to the others.
“You all already know, but since Lily needs to be updated, I have to inform you that I lost a few of my panthers in the recent attack. Those who are still with me are getting stronger. We’ve all gotten faster and learned how to fight as a team, but today showed we still aren’t ready.
Logan, you and your wolves? How did things go on that front today? ”
Logan crossed his arms and frowned. “Wolves hunt in a pack as a rule and we’ve gotten better at listening to our animal nature on that score.
Everyone did well today, but training has hit a wall.
” He hesitated before continuing. “I’m worried I might have lost a couple of mine.
They volunteered to go out hunting and see if they could gather any intel, but they haven’t come back. ”
“Maybe they’re just out having fun…?” Yuri twirled her flute. “I’m sure they’ll show up in a day or two.”
“Yeah, that ain’t happening,” Dante muttered.
Logan looked away, a muscle in his jaw pulsing.
Hendrik took his seat. “Do you have real insight on that or are you just being a dick?” His gaze narrowed on Dante. “You’ve seen plenty of action when you go out on your hunts, but you don’t ever give a report. Why don’t you share with the class?”
“I’ve got reasons,” Dante said, his furious gaze landing on me.
I met his rage with some of my own. I wasn’t going to back down this time.
Orion pushed his chair back, fury on his face.
“We’re getting side-tracked,” the Dean said, her voice cracking like a whip through the silence.
“Dante is our liaison with Cole and he’s offered early warning on attacks more than once.
It’s why he’s been a valuable asset despite his…
downsides.” Her gaze slid to me, silently explaining why Dante was part of this meeting.
They needed him.
“We didn’t get one today,” Orion said, his golden eyes cutting into Dante. “Cole showed up and broke the barrier. Might have been nice to know that attack was coming.”
“Blame her.” Dante stared at me as if I had caused every bad thing that had ever happened to him. “I had no idea anything was going down until the horde cornered me. Luckily for me, I wasn’t their intended target or I would have been shredded to pieces.”
He’d been battered, clothes torn when I’d seen him earlier. Now I knew why. Guilt twisted through me. He’d been alone when Cole sensed me and launched his attack.
Orion touched my shoulder. His warmth sank into me and I wanted to lean against him, let that warmth battle back the cold, but with Dante’s glare scorching me from across the room, I couldn’t let my guard down for even a moment.
Whether he knew it or not, he needed me, too. If only he’d let me in and stop treating me like the enemy.
“Lily is back,” Olivia said coolly, her tone as effective as a slap.
“We should call Sonya. She’ll want to know that Lily has returned.
Perhaps she’ll finally send the reinforcements she’s been promising.
” Lifting a brow, she looked at Hendrik and Dante before adding, “Unlike some, she always knew Lily would return. She had faith.”
Yuri slurped up the last of her drink. “Maybe we should save Sonya for when we really need her. Keep her in reserve, you know?”
The temperature plummeted as a dark, rasping voice replied to Yuri’s suggestion. “Oh, what an excellent idea.”
I froze.
Cole emerged from the corner—a corner that had been empty just seconds ago and came to stand at the edge of the table.
“Oh, don’t mind me,” he said with a smug grin. “Carry on with your plans. I’m sure they’ll be a smashing success.” His wings flexed behind him, the talons on the arches glinting in the blood moon’s red light. “Or… you could listen to my proposal.”
“How did you get in here?” Hendrik asked, launching to his feet.
Cole shrugged. “I could always intercept your little barriers. No one knows Hell better than I do, even if this layer has had a few… redecorations. I just never had a reason until now.” He stalked us in a slow circle as the Dean drew an orb from her pocket.
I recognized it as a device that would be filled with witch spirits.
Dante noticed it too and stiffened. He and witches didn’t have the best history.
“Would you like to hear what I think?” the demon asked.
“Shove it up your ass, Cole,” Logan said, a growl underscoring the words.
“Sit, puppy. Good boy.” He laughed as Orion grabbed Logan’s arm before the shifter could attack. “Now, my proposal.” His ruby eyes held laughter as he surveyed the room. “It’s more of a trade, really. I tried to offer it earlier, but Lily wouldn’t listen.”
“Offer what?” the Dean asked, her voice sharp. “Deals with you never pay off.”
Cole laughed. “Oh, but they do, Guinevere. I gave you what you asked for, did I not? And so I would do it again. If Lily comes with me, I’ll negotiate a temporary truce, and your little Academy will be free from attack.
” He swiped his thumb over his lower lip, his eyes on me.
“This fight is between Sonya and my brother. It doesn’t need to concern you. ”
“Lucifer isn’t going to stop attacking us.” Yuri snorted. “You can’t speak for him and it’s not like he’s going to listen to you.”
“I know him better than anybody else,” Cole said. “I know his weaknesses.”
Kaito stood up, his silver tattoo blazing with blue heat. “This isn’t just about Hell’s throne. This is about Calamity. If Lucifer wins, he’ll unleash untold chaos on the realms.”
Cole shrugged. “Maybe, or maybe not. Either way, it’s a gamble and you won’t be able to do much about it if you’re decimated in the next attack.”
My skin ran cold at the thought. Cole had a point.
Calamity was a power beyond all of us and if I couldn’t get my Virtues to heel, then what chance did I have against Hell’s army?
Maybe if I went with him, I could get him on my side.
I had called Cole as my Virtue for a reason, even if I didn’t understand it yet, he had to be the key to all of this.
Or, I could finally just kill him and get it over with. Both sounded like plausible solutions.
“I’ll go,” I said, standing. It was clear that I wasn’t going to do much good just sitting around the Academy. I needed to deal with Cole and if it gave the students time to prepare for another attack, it was a win-win.
“The hell you will,” Logan said, snarling.
Orion stood before me, his tight expression echoing Logan’s. It was clear he wasn’t going to move without a fight.
Cole’s laugh rang around the room and I spun around as the metallic scent of blood filled the air, followed by Dante’s pained growl.
“You want to play this game?” Cole asked. “Fine. I’ll show you who’s really in charge.”
He swept out a hand and clenched his fist, sending Dante falling to one knee. Blood trickled from the Hunter’s lips, nose, then eyes.
His golden gaze locked on me.
Horrified, I lunged for Cole. Orion and Logan caught my arms, hauling me back. I hissed, kicking and fighting every step of the way.
The scent of blood and roses grew thick in the air, the lights around us flickering.
Hendrik moved to stand in front of me, cutting off my view of Dante and Cole, his power twining around him as he moved his hands. He said something in a deep, guttural voice, then shoved out with both palms, directing the strike at Cole.
It went right through the demon.
“It seems you’ve seen through my ruse,” Cole said, laughing as his entire body shimmered and faded. He pulled a letter from his pocket and let it drift to the floor. “My offer still stands. You have seven days before the next attack.”
The air went tight, then with an audible pop, Cole disappeared.
“An illusion,” Olivia said, fury in her voice.
Yuri picked up the letter and read it, her features turning dark before she announced, “We’re so fucked.”