Shift - 02 (12 page)

“When we were training?”

“I had a vision, or I went somewhere else. I don’t know. But he was there...with my mom.”

“Your mom?” Rayna asked.

I explained the visions as vaguely as I could. I had no desire to relive it in detail again. Rayna’s expression turned from surprise to sadness, and I turned back to the dance floor. Tiki was in the middle of the two girls, not really moving, but he was grinning as they danced against him. Tiki waved eagerly and his excitement forced a smile to my face.

“I don’t really think he needed us to be here.”

Rayna smirked, but didn’t look at Tiki; her eyes were all for me in that moment. “You know I’m here, right? If you want to talk about…I mean, I’ve been where you are. I know what you’re going through.”

I watched the ice clank against the side of my glass, and I stirred it around the dark liquid with my straw. I didn’t want to talk about it, but as the tension crept up between us, I realized I’d rather be open with her than have things be uncomfortable.

“I just don’t know what to say. Does it hurt? Yeah, of course it does. But talking about how much it sucks that she’s gone won’t bring her back. My father killed her, but it’s my fault.”

“It’s not your fault! How can you even think that?”

“I’m the reason it all happened. If I hadn’t pushed you to go to Vincent’s, we wouldn’t have had to get the scroll. If I would’ve waited for Marcus to go to your old house, they’d never have found out you were the key. Everything that happened was because of me, and my mom had to come save my ass, all because I didn’t listen. I was too stupid to see the dangers.”

“First off, that’s a lot of ifs. Second, you saved my life. Riley and the Dark Brothers would’ve found me one way or another. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here.”

“Maybe…”

“No maybe. You saved me, and if you hadn’t gotten the scroll, Vincent would’ve found another way to get it. Then he’d have the scroll, the Mark, and the ring too.”

“The mark that does nothing, a ring that just sits here and looks fancy, and powers I can’t control.”

“This place is fantastic.” Tiki ran up to the table. He took a drink of his soda and spit it across the table and all over my face. “What is this?
 
Poison?”

I grabbed a napkin and wiped the spit and soda that now dripped from my face. “It’s a soda,” I said through gritted teeth.

“How can you enjoy drinking this?” He pushed the glass away and Rayna laughed.

“Yeah, this is hilarious,” I said.

Tiki looked between a giggling Rayna and me, but he didn’t seem the least bit phased by anything that had just happened.

“It’s strange here. At home, I was nothing. I didn’t belong among the purebloods, and I had nowhere to go.
 
I’ve rarely met any others like me, but here, I am an equal. And these women…they are everywhere, and they won’t stop touching me.” Tiki was practically glowing, his caramel skin flashing under the club lights.

“Hey, you didn’t think you could hide from us, did you?” The two girls who had claimed him were back, licking the tips of their fangs.

I shuddered at the imagery, and if it was possible, I think Tiki’s smile grew wider. Rayna rolled her eyes as more girls started to crowd around, all of them trying to touch him.

“It looks like you’re doing just fine on your own, Tiki,” I said. “I’m going to head home. I want to keep an eye on Willy.”

“Me too,” Rayna said.

“You don’t want to stay? Come dance,” Tiki said.

Rayna's smile faded and her eyes met mine.

I laughed. “No, I’m good. Are you going to be okay on your own?”

Rayna’s eyes fell to the floor and then back to Tiki.

“Oh, yes,” he said.

The women pawed at him and before I could say goodbye, he was being dragged back to the dance floor.

Rayna left some cash on the table and led the way out. We stepped outside and I slipped my daggers back into their sheaths. The air was brisk and the scent of fall was thick.

“It’s nice out tonight, want to walk?” Rayna asked.

I took in a breath of fresh October air and nodded.

Things were quiet at first, only the sound of Rayna’s boots tapping along the sidewalk. The awkward tension from Revelations was gone, but I felt like there was something else. Just as I was about to break the silence, Rayna spoke.

“My mother was a good person you know. The Circle made her sound…dirty. She wasn’t like that.”

I turned to Rayna, but her eyes were staring at the pavement.

 
“The Circle has a way of making even the smallest thing seem terrible. I’m sure she was really great.”

Rayna half-laughed and shook her head. “You don’t have to say that. We both know you don’t believe it. She was a demon after all.”

The comment forced me to do a double take. “You don’t really think that do you? Maybe a few weeks ago you would’ve been right, but I don’t look at the Underworld like that anymore. You of all people should know that.”

Rayna shrugged.

“You have to understand where I grew up. The Circle isn’t a warm and fuzzy group of people doing magic tricks. It’s a boot camp. What the elders say goes. There is no difference of opinion. You do what you’re told to do, and you believe what you’re taught to believe.”

“If it’s that bad, I’d think you would’ve been happy to get away.”

“Until I was exiled, it was all I knew. I was angry. I’d never be a hunter, never have my father’s approval, and never have an elemental power. But once the Underworld got wind of what happened, I became a trophy waiting to be claimed.”

“I guess you weren’t given much of a chance to decide things for yourself.”

“Not until I met you and Marcus. I never thought a half-demon would punch me in the face and turn around to save my life, that’s for sure.”

Rayna laughed. “You were being an ass that night.”

“I think we've established that.” I laughed.

The laughter faded and Rayna looked up at me. “Do you ever miss being part of the Circle?”

“Not since I realized what I missed didn’t truly exist. Everything I thought the Circle stood for was a lie. The only thing I miss now is Mom and the life we had. At the time it seemed hard and I was angry about everything. But I’d give anything to have that back.”

“I’m sorry…Tessa was really great.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“I know, but…I know how much it hurts to lose a mother.”

I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t believe I was talking about my mother, but I realized then that Rayna really did know how I was feeling.

“They didn’t let up, you know? They tortured her for hours, but she wouldn’t tell them where I was,” Rayna said.

“You watched the whole thing?”

“I didn’t have a choice. When the hunters came, we didn’t have time to escape. She shoved me into a cubby in the wall and masked it with a spell. I couldn’t get out, and no one could get in. I watched them peel her skin off, one strip at a time, until there was nothing left. They tore…” Rayna stopped and covered her mouth. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and looked up at me. Tears built up on the edge of her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.

“You don't have to…”

“They tore her hair out by the handful. When she couldn’t scream anymore, they set her on fire.”

“That's…horrific.” I dropped my gaze. I couldn’t put into words how terrible that must have been.

Rayna sniffed and wiped the tears off her cheeks. “My mom was a powerful witch. After she died, the spell didn't fade right away. Even Marcus couldn’t find me at first. I sat there, screaming, forced to stare at her lifeless body for an eternity.”

Rayna’s tears fell in streams and she lost her breath in a rush of sobs. Streaks of dark makeup slid down her white cheeks, and the reflecting moonlight made them paler than I knew they were. I stepped towards her and did the only thing I thought mattered in that moment. I wrapped my arms around her.

When I pulled her against me, her sobs became heavier. Her nails dug into my shoulders as she pulled herself into me. I winced at the strength in her grip, having forgotten in that moment that she was more than just a girl.

“Sometimes I hate her. I hate what she did. If she'd just given me to them...” She gasped through trembling breaths.

“Then you'd be dead too.”

“But it might've gone quicker for her.” Rayna sniffled and tried to draw back the tears.

“Your mother spent her last moments alive, keeping you safe. She left this world a hero.”

“And now yours is gone because of me too.”

“No,” I said. I grabbed Rayna’s shoulders and pulled her back from me, forcing her to look me in the eyes. “Don’t think that for a second.”

“She did, Chase, and you know it. I'm surprised you don't hate me.” Rayna pulled away from my grip and turned her back to me.

“If it wasn't for our mothers, we wouldn’t be here, and I wouldn't have you right now,” I said. The words surprised me and I wanted to backtrack, but I couldn't.

We were outside the condo, and the building was a silent tower of dark glass. Rayna’s tears stopped. She sniffled and glossy green cat eyes stared up at me. Streaks of makeup ran down her face, black drops of liquid hanging along her jaw.

“They're heroes, Rayna. We owe it to them to remember that.”

Rayna was silent for a long moment. “You’re right, it’s just sometimes…”

“I know,” I said. “It’s easier to think about if you blame yourself.”

Rayna nodded. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being here.” She brought both her hands up and tried to wipe the smears of black from her face. “I’ve never talked to anyone about this before. Not even Marcus.”

“I'm honored you would share that with me.”

“I needed to. You need to know you’re not alone.” Rayna stepped into me and wrapped her arms around my neck. She squeezed her body against mine and I held her tight in my arms. The embrace lasted longer than I expected, and I felt Rayna’s head tilt up towards me. I looked down into her eyes and I felt a closeness with her I’d never had before. I couldn’t pull my gaze away from hers, and a smile came over her lips.

She pulled back slightly so her body was barely touching mine and only pushing against it with each breath. My stomach tightened as her warm breath rolled over my skin and a chill ran through me. Her lips parted the slightest bit and she tilted her chin up. My pulse exploded and adrenaline surged as she rose on her tiptoes, her lips coming closer to mine. I brought my hands up to rest on her arms, and the urge to pull her against me tore through my body. I resisted the impulse and leaned towards her.

When a sound crashed above us, we both jumped back. I gripped Rayna's arms, pulled her down, and covered her body. As shards of glass shattered around us, I could feel them raining over me, small pieces biting at the exposed skin on my neck.

As the last few bits of glass littered the sidewalk, a light flashed from the top floor, followed by a crash of thunder. It was coming from our condo.

I tore through the lobby, Rayna running at my heels. I smashed my fingers into the button on the elevator, hitting it repeatedly.

I couldn’t wait and we moved for the stairwell. We put floor after floor beneath us in supernatural speed and broke through the stairwell door, slamming it against the wall. I drew both my blades and pushed the condo door open, taking caution with each step. Shards of glass crunched beneath my feet and I squeezed the blades in my hands.
 

Thick claw marks had been torn into the walls, decorating the floor with bits of drywall dust. Bursts of blood speckled the walls, and clear fluid ran down in fresh, thick streams. The hardwood was scarred with scratches, and the leather couch was ripped to pieces, clumps of white fluff covering the floor.

A body lay motionless in the center of the living room. Smoke billowed up from it and brought the smell of burnt hair and charred flesh, giving me an instant headache.

Amongst the fluff were white and gold feathers, some still floating down from the ceiling. Rai’s four wings were extended, flapping about in one corner of the room. Her feathers were ruffled and falling to the floor. Loud, rapid squawking echoed through the condo, sounding fiercer than the small creature it came from.

Once Rai saw me, she dove from the ceiling, landing hard on my shoulder. Her small claws gripped me and pierced my skin. I could feel bubbles of blood from the punctures seeping through and clinging to my t-shirt.

“Easy, girl.” I brought a hand up to pet her. She calmed as my fingers sifted through soft, white feathers. The squawking became a quiet tweet, and the grip of her claws lightened.

I stepped down into the living room, watching the creature lying face down on the floor. The stench was thick as we neared, and most of its skin was dark, charred, and still smoldering. I lifted my foot and used it to turn the limp body, but as soon as my sneaker touched it, the clean pieces of skin flashed and changed, matching the dark blue of my shoe.

“Willy?” I gasped.