* * *
“I didn’t expect to see you in class.” Iris plopped down beside me.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” I still felt dazed from my encounter with Ms. Leech. Seeing her smile must have messed with my head. I felt all groggy and mush-like.
“Hello . . . the Pixie’s ominous fortune.” Iris rolled her eyes. “You might have warned me you were planning a trip to Hell.”
What are you talking about?” I asked.
“Attention everyone,” Mr. Mayer called the class to order. “As you’re all aware, the awards ceremony for the Junior Division Volleyball Team will be held tonight at seven o’clock in the gym. Our class will be in charge of setting up the decorations!”
A soft roar echoed throughout the room.
“Ms. Leech . . .” Mr. Mayer continued, his voice managing to shout over the commotion, “ . . . has asked us to place honeysuckle all around the stage, creating a soft, and inviting atmosphere for our guests.” The very words “soft and inviting” seemed strange coming out of Mr. Mayer’s mouth. He was tall and block shaped, and rumored to have been an indestructible force on the football field.
“We’re growing decorations now?” Iris sounded unusually excited.
What was wrong with her? This was one field I totally sucked at—I did not have a green thumb. It wasn’t like I wanted one either. The only high point to this assignment was that I wouldn’t have to be digging in real dirt–which was absolutely gross if anyone asked me. I slumped in my chair. Biology certainly had a way of sucking the life out of anyone!
“In an orderly manner please,” Mr. Mayer instructed. “No running along the path. Make your way over to the gym and begin with the Megalonoun spell. You should all know that one fluently by now.”
Yeah, right. “Fluently.” I rolled my eyes. This must have been how Iris felt when she had to light that candle.
“I’d have thought you’d be on the phone, looking for your dad right now?” Iris walked beside me, even more enthusiastic than the rest of the class. Although, I was pretty sure their enthusiasm came from being out of the classroom, and had nothing to do with the project at hand. Iris however was beyond giddy.
“Why would you think I’d be on the phone with my dad?” I finally answered her. What the heck was she blabbering about?
“Evie. Did you and I talk to the same pixie or not?”
“Pixie?” Pixie? Great. Iris was seeing pixies now? The girl had finally lost it. I mean: she was excited about growing plants!
Once inside the gym I spotted Antonio already setting up chairs for the ceremony. He glanced over at me and smiled.
“Evie!” Iris was standing in front of me, her hands firmly on her hips. “The pixie said your father had been taken.”
“What are you talking about? What pixie?” Iris was starting to worry me now. She turned and put her hands out, palms down and muttered Megalonoun. Honeysuckle grew from the floor and stretched its curling vines of yellow flowers and fragrance up the stairway to the stage.
I stared wide-eyed at her. “Iris, that’s amazing!” And I meant it.
“Thanks.” She smiled excitedly. “I’ve always been good with plants. It’s the only thing I am good at,” she muttered under her breath.
I thought about that and wondered if I'd have a special talent like Iris?
So,” she blurted. “What about the pixie?”
I sighed and decided to play along. “Why would a pixie say my father’s been taken?”
“Because you asked her!” Iris snapped. She was clearly annoyed with me now. Why? What did I do? I wasn’t the one seeing pixies for crap sake!
“Iris. Everything’s fine.” I spoke calmly, meeting the stares of several classmates who were now looking over at us. Okay, now, where were the people with the straight-jackets . . .?
“Fine!” Iris stomped her foot. “Denial is not going to help you, Evie.” She tossed her blonde curls over her shoulder and stormed away to work on the other side of the stage.
I certainly hoped I didn’t look as immature when stomping my foot. What the heck was Iris’ problem anyway? And why would she say my father’s been taken? Why would a pixie even say that? They’re creatures of the Underworld! How would a pixie know my father’s been taken unless . . .
I sucked in a breath of air. That sinking feeling you get when you feel like you're forgetting something important but can’t remember had just swallowed me whole. I held my head with my hands, the sensation of a thousand needles stabbing my brain, overtook me.
“Evie, what’s wrong?” I turned toward Antonio. His eyes were wide with alarm. He reached out, his hands settling on my shoulders.
“I don’t know,” I winced. My eyes kept going in and out of focus. There was something I needed to ask him, something important. But my thoughts were fragmented. “I can’t remember.” Tears leaked out the corner of my eyes, clearing my vision.
“Vandenberg!”
I jumped.
Gunny stood behind me—shouting as usual. “You’re not supposed to be in here, get back to class. Hollyander isn’t eye candy!”
I looked around. Roland was standing in the corner of the gym, his eyes fixed on me. What was he doing here, I thought he had math this period?
Roland didn’t budge, and his expression became more sinister as his lips curled up into a smile.
I blanched. That smile reminded me of the one Ms. Leech had given me before Biology. Ms. Leech! I could feel my eyes growing wider with realization.
“Evie?” Antonio shook my shoulders slightly, bringing me back to attention.
“My father’s in trouble,” I blurted out just as Roland began walking toward us, his body seeming to grow taller as he neared.
I started backing away. Roland’s eyes blazed violet. Dark scales emerged and covered the smooth skin of the arms that once held me. His blonde hair had turned to black—although calling it hair was a stretch. His head had completely scaled over, and gone were any traces of that cute boyish face all the girls fawned over.
Screams echoed around us as kids scattered. Their footsteps resounding like a stampede across the wooden floor.
Antonio jumped in front of me, a silver staff suddenly appearing in his hand. Where did he even get that? He pressed a button, and two blades shot out of both ends.
My mouth popped open. There was no way that weapon would be school approved.
“Evie, stay behind me,” Antonio shouted over his shoulder.
Roland, if you could still call him that, had transformed into a . . . what the hell was he? A gargoyle? “Roland was a freaking gargoyle?”
I guess I didn’t have a date for the dance after all. Crap. I was really looking forward to wearing that dress. What was wrong with me? Roland had transformed into a beast from Hell and I was worried about a dress? I so needed to prioritize.
Antonio moved like lightning, colliding with Roland mere inches from me. The blade of his staff struck Roland deep in the thigh. A loud ear-piercing roar ripped through the already panicked screams of the fleeing students.
Staying behind Antonio proved to be impossible. He and Roland were all over the place. Roland was desperately trying to push past Antonio, slowly advancing my way.
Gunny had joined the fight, taking brutality to a whole new level. He pulled a knife that looked like something “Rambo” might use from a pocket in his pants—a piece of Roland flew across the floor a second later.
I could taste the vomit in my mouth. Roland shrieked—almost as loud as I did—his claw-like hand had landed with a thud against my foot.
I screamed, jumping away from the body part.
Large black wings unfolded out of nowhere from Roland’s back. How the hell had I missed those? They were huge! Not to mention the saliva-dripping fangs that snapped inches from Antonio’s neck.
“Uhhuh!” I’d kissed that mouth before.
Roland lunged in my direction, but Antonio was quick to defend me, his staff coming down on Roland’s forearm. I wat
ched in horror as the blade cut through the scales, yellow liquid spewing from the wound.
Gunny and Antonio fought with skilled precision. There was no way I could be a Slayer. Not with all the training on the planet could I be that fast and agile—Gunny had just delivered a blow to the side of Roland’s face—courtesy of a wicked left kick—and my dad did this for a living?
Gunny was good, really good. But Antonio was better. Roland lunged at him several times, only to meet the point of Antonio’s staff.
Roland roared out. The sound reverberated through the gym I covered my ears, wincing in pain.
“Evie!” Iris appeared beside me yanking my arm, pulling me toward the door and out of the building.
“Iris, we can’t leave them!” I said as she began to pull me toward the grass.
“Ahahh!” We screamed as debris rained down on top of our heads. Roland, well Gargoyle Roland, had crashed through the doors after us. Splinters flew like small wooden swords, pricking us as they descended.
Roland’s violet eyes searched . . . until they fixed on me once again. He roared an unholy sound.
Thankfully, Antonio was right on his heels.
New screams could be heard from the students that had been outside the gym as the sight of Roland sent them fleeing in opposite directions.
“I changed my mind Iris, run!” I didn’t have to tell Iris twice. She was already sprinting down the path. Why she wasn’t on the track team, I didn’t know. She was lightning fast!
I didn’t care if I looked like a coward. Being ripped to shreds wasn’t on my self-preservation list.
A loud roar halted my retreat. I spun around as Antonio struggled to stay on Roland’s back. In one fluid movement, he whirled his staff around and planted it firmly in the middle of Roland’s head. Roland collapsed, lying motionless on the ground as yellow goo oozed from the wound.
I held my breath as I took a step toward them. My eyes searched for any sign of life. I would bolt in a heartbeat if I saw so much as a twitch from that thing Roland had become.
Antonio slipped from the dead carcass. His chest heaved in and out with exhaustion. He ran his hand through his hair, brushing it back while small beads of sweat clung to his forehead. He looked around frantically amongst the droves of cowering students, his eyes finally settling on me.
“Evie!” He looked overjoyed to see me. He’d quickly closed the gap between us. His strong hands cupped my face affectionately as he looked me over, making sure I was free of injury. Thank the heavens. The last was meant for my ears only, I was sure of it.
“Antonio . . .?” There were so many questions. I didn’t know where to start.
“Shhh.” He wrapped his strong arms around me and pulled me into the warmth of his body. I savored it, listening to the steady pounding of his heart.
“There’ll be plenty of time for questions. For now, you are safe.” There was definite relief in his voice. I hated to spoil the mood.
“Antonio. That thing tried to kill me, didn’t it?”
“Yes.” He gripped me tighter, as if the very act protected me from further assault.
“Did it take my father?”
I could feel the protective shield weakening as his arms released their hold. He stepped back a little, providing a full view of his troubled face.
“No.”
“But how do you know that? He’s a Gargoyle!” I knew I was stating the obvious but damn, someone had to.
“A gargoyle isn’t capable of delivering someone like your father into the Underworld. Something much more powerful is behind this.”
“So my father is in the Underworld?” I said frantically. Tears were already pooling in my eyes. I knew the answer before I’d even asked him, but somehow, I wouldn’t believe it unless Antonio spoke the words. Somehow I knew that Antonio had the answers I sought.
“Yes,” he admitted flatly.
“But, how did you . . .?” I started to question him, but stopped. It didn’t matter how he knew. Like he said, there would be time for questions later. There was a more pressing matter that needed to be addressed.
“Will you help me get him back?” I couldn’t believe I was asking him to do this. Of course he was going to tell me no. Maybe even hell no. Who in their right mind would willingly go into the pits of Hell to rescue some girl’s dad? Especially when he regarded that girl as “too young” and completely un-datable. How romantic would that be?
“It will be my honor.” Antonio bowed his head slightly. “Come.” He said as he laced his fingers with mine. “We have much to prepare.”