Chapter 7
My eyes were gritty with fatigue and my whole body ached—especially my shoulders, back, hips, thighs, quads… okay, every damn muscle that had anything to do with moving my body screamed in protest.
Maybe my earlobes had escaped unscathed. The rest of me, though, felt like one giant bruise.
After the fiasco that was the Council Meeting with the Dean and the faculty, which basically consisted of Olivia, Yuri, Aaron, and my mates, a good night’s rest sounded like a pretty awesome idea.
As much as I wanted to sleep with my Virtues, we all had some kind of crazy shit going on, so it felt natural to camp out in Olivia and Yuri’s dorm.
I started to roll onto my side and stopped, pinned in place.
“Olivia,” I hissed as pain surged up my shoulder. “You’re lying on my wing.”
She snored in reply, so I gently nudged her until I worked myself free.
She didn’t even stir, which made me wonder how much today had taken out of her.
I could relate. My whole body retaliated against all the different muscles I’d used, plus my fight against Cole, and Dante.
What healing magic I’d released didn’t seem to work right now and a low buzz emanated throughout my body, demanding that I tough it out the old-fashioned way, made all the worse by the massive wings attached to my back.
The weight of my new, feathered accessories wasn’t the only thing plaguing me. As exhausted as I was, my brain kept churning through the day’s events.
Behind me, a faint rustling sounded as either Olivia or Yuri moved around in their sleep before settling.
My bed had once seemed massive but now, thanks to the wings, it almost felt cramped with me and the other two women.
Yuri had her own bed, but it seemed like she enjoyed the company when “fish-face” wasn’t around, as she put it, referring to Olivia’s boyfriend, Trevor.
I actually missed the demigod, son of Poseidon, because I missed the life I’d had before everything turned to shit.
Based on what little Olivia had told me, he’s the only reason she’d stayed sane and I was eternally grateful to him for it.
Part of me wished my Virtues—the ones not being assholes—were here with me, but at the same time, I was glad they weren’t. Not all of them would want to be with me. Not really. And not together, as a family, the way we were meant to be.
I missed the comfort and strength I found in them, especially Kaito, Logan, and Orion. Once, I could have included Dante in that list. And damn it, now my heart ached almost as much as my body—or worse.
But, Dante had made it clear that our Virtue bond was in very real danger.
Sniffing, I dabbed at my eyes. I wasn’t going to cry over that prick anymore. At least, not anymore tonight.
Rising, I paced over to the window and gazed outside.
A blood moon hung in the sky, its light unearthly against the pearlescent gleam of the barrier.
The Academy’s magic altered the light through the day so it simulated sun during the waking hours but at night, we could see the moon in terrible clarity.
Despite the moonlight and the beauty of the barrier’s glow, the darkness of the night lay heavy around the Academy. It was almost like I could feel it in my very bones.
A soft sigh from behind me had me turning and I watched as Yuri wiggled around the bed before curling into a tight ball. A look of abject misery twisted her pretty features. I wondered if the memories of her maker plagued her at night, despite Olivia’s magic that kept the memories at bay.
Yuri always seemed bold and brazen. Now, sleeping and obviously haunted by something painful, the vampire looked impossibly young and vulnerable.
The weight of her vulnerability—and so many others—lay in my stomach like a rock.
Going to my dresser, I picked up the note Cole had left behind and read it again.
Little Angel,
You should have taken my first deal, now things only get worse. I can’t protect you from my brother if you refuse to stand at my side. Listen to reason, Lilith. You and I are the same. Your other Virtues can’t accept you for what you really are.
I can.
Meet me in the tunnels at midnight—I’ll make sure Luc’s army isn’t surveying the area during this time.
Failure to comply will be met with violence.
The demons want blood and an outlet for their rage.
I can’t promise protection for anyone you love when they’re like this, so I suggest you act quickly.
You have seven days before my brother launches his new weapon—and trust me, your pathetic little Academy won’t survive this time.
Come soon.
Come alone.
C.
Just reading it made me feel ill. It was probably the most I’d ever heard Cole say at once, even if it was written in a letter. If I read between the lines, I almost would have said that he felt like he was doing me a favor. Did he think he was holding his brother back?
Did he really want to protect me?
I had so many questions for him. All the torment he’s put my Virtues through didn’t make sense—unless it was all a distraction.
Something to appease his brother while he kept Luc occupied until my return.
Dante had been feeding the Dean information on Demonspawn attacks, giving the Academy time to prepare and survive each one.
Now that I had arrived, it changed the game, and like Cole said, the demons wanted blood.
I had no idea what to do.
It didn’t really matter if he meant to protect me or not. If I refused to go with him, I only endangered everyone, and what would happen to my Virtues if I left? Would they finally fall apart?
For Logan and Kaito, hope had been the only thing for them to hang onto. I’d seen what my Virtues looked like when they’d given up, and it wasn’t pretty.
The bonds between us were so twisted and frail. What would it do to them if I left to meet with Cole after everything he’d done to them? To us?
I could argue I was doing it for the safety of everybody at the Academy, including my mates and it would be the truth.
But that truth wouldn’t help them—and that wouldn’t help us.
The raw ache in the center of my chest swelled until it almost hurt to breathe and I set the note down. Pressing my hand over the emptiness in my chest, I closed my eyes.
What am I supposed to do?
A wolf howled in the distance, the ominous sound an omen that no matter what I did, someone would suffer for my choice.
I tried to sleep. For the most part, I failed but I did manage a couple of restless hours before finally giving up and climbing from bed.
“Ouch,” I muttered, stretching my sore body. Muscles in my back protested as I opened my wings.
The discomfort subsided after a few twinges, so I closed the massive, feathery cinderblocks strapped to my back in preparation to repeat the stretch.
Just how did a freaking feather cape weigh so much?
I blew out a breath and headed to the window, pushing the panels open to let the early morning air in.
A breeze stirred my feathers, a teasing caress that called to something inside me I’d never known existed.
It was an urge to spread my wings wide and launch myself into the air, feel the currents through my hair, against my face, and along my body and wings.
I swayed as a stronger breeze buffeted me, my wings catching air as I spread them, this time listening to my instinct instead of my own musings. Bracing my hands on the sides of the windows, I leaned farther, my instincts flaring to life that I could do this.
Without even thinking, I climbed onto the low, broad ledge and grinned, the wild urge inside me delighted.
There’s only one way to learn… and I am immortal, right?
What did I have to lose?
The giddy thought circled through my mind only for a few seconds before logic pestered in my brain. I could barely unfold my wings, and now I wanted them to hold me up on invisible air currents?
Yet, the warm breeze wafting up from the molten streets below suggested this would be prime flying territory.
“Okay,” I told myself. “It’s just like swimming, except, in the air, right?” Taking a deep breath, I teetered on the edge.
A strong breeze hit me again, making me lose my balance before I was ready to take the plunge. A scream tore out of me as I tumbled down, a tangle of limbs and wings that was most definitely not my prime first flying attempt.
The ground rushed up to greet me and I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for a true test of my immortality.
Something warm and ethereal embraced me, stopping my free-fall a few inches from the hard ground.
Heart racing, I opened my eyes, finding the hot ground just inches from my face.
Olivia’s magic, I realized with a pang of distress. As if she needed another suck on her magical reserves.
The warm cocoon had a new scent to it, one of vanilla and sunlight. It wrapped around me as I began a slow ascent.
My face was scalding hot by the time my best friend had me securely back in my room, her eyes narrowed in consternation.
Yeah, I wasn’t sure how I was going to explain this one.