Icy fear slithered through me as if it had never left for a single moment and I stared at the winged figure, shocked.
“Okay, that,” I said under my breath, “definitely looks like Chris’s drawing.” The thing that hated me. The thing that wanted to hurt me because I had something it wanted.
It had finally found me.
Chapter 18
The winged form stepped away from the light, so I could finally see who it was. And when I did, I actually gasped out loud.
“Clara?” Melinda managed. “What are you doing here? Why are you holding my sword?
And...are those wings?”
All very, very good questions. Questions that were also screaming inside my head.
“Hey guys,” Clara said thinly. She drew close enough so I could give her a good once-over from head to foot.
Something slowly dawned on me as I looked at her wings. They weren’t leathery like a demon’s or a dragon’s. They were thin and delicate, and had color, muted in the darkness, but I had a feeling that in the sunshine they would be very beautiful, gossamer wings.
“You’re a—a faery,” I said with complete shock.
She eyed me with distaste. “And you’re a demon.”
“Half-demon,” I corrected.
“Same difference.”
“What do you want with me?”
“What is going on?” Melinda demanded.
Clara shot a look at her. “You’re a demon slayer, right?”
“I—I, um, yeah. I am.” Melinda lifted her chin defiantly as if covering for her stammer.
“Then you should be happy I’m willing to team up with you. Together there’s no way this demon can escape from us.”
“You’re a faery,” Melinda said with more emphasis. She looked just as shocked as I felt. “For real? How come I never saw your wings before?”
She didn’t wear a coat anymore. I guess she’d removed it to show off her extra appendages.
Faery wings looked way more delicate than demon wings.
That sword, though. That didn’t look delicate at all.
“Because I didn’t want you to see them,” Clara said. “I’m very good at glamour. Nobody knew who I really was.”
“Why are you here?” I asked. I didn’t let my gaze waver from hers for a moment. This girl was dangerous, and I had no idea what her problem was with me.
“You don’t know?” Clara snorted. “How can you not know?” I worked it all over in my mind until my eyes widened. “Rhys.” She gave me a thin smile. “Maybe you’re not as dumb as I thought you were.”
“What about Rhys?” Melinda asked.
“You think you can change it all, don’t you?” Clara snarled at me, ignoring Melinda completely. “Everything was how it was supposed to be until you breached our borders. You changed things. And the prophecy...” She gritted her teeth. “I won’t let it come to be.” I stared at her with disbelief. I was pretty sure she wasn’t talking about the updated prophecy I just got from Chris about me personally trashing the Shadowlands.
Then it clicked. “Oh my God. You’re jealous. You’re a little jealous faery chick who’s come here to take care of the competition, aren’t you? You want to marry him.”
“I was meant to be a royal,” she snapped. “My family is important enough that I would have been considered when the time came for King Rhys to choose a bride. I could have been queen.
Now a demon, of all disgusting things, is getting in my way.”
“Sorry to break it to you, but I rejected that prophecy. It’s not going to happen.”
“You really think you can just reject a prophecy?” Her eyes flashed. “There’s only one way to stop a prophecy from coming to be. And that’s if the subject of it is dead.” My stomach dropped as I glanced at the sword. “So you want to kill me. And you think Rhys is going to want to marry you then?”
“If you hadn’t ruined him and got him chasing after you like some sort of lovesick peasant, he’d be back home being king. He’s ignoring his responsibilities to play at being human. It’s disgusting. And it’s more disgusting that he’s even remotely interested in a demon.”
“He’s dating Melinda.” I pointed at the demon slayer in question, hoping to take the heat off me until I could figure out how to dig myself out of this huge mess I’d fallen into tonight.
“He isn’t as interested in her as he is in you. The human means nothing to him.”
“Oh, gee, thanks for that,” Melinda said, putting her hands on her hips. “Clara, I thought we were friends.”
Clara nodded. “We can be. We can be strong allies. As a demon slayer, you have no issues with faeries. You hunt demons because they are vile and disgusting beings who spread anarchy and despair.”
“Okay, enough already,” I growled. I focused on my dragon’s tear bracelet and channeled my energy into shifting form. Melinda immediately staggered back from me, her eyes wide with fear as she took in my Darkling form. I pointed at Clara with my taloned finger, hoping that a little intimidation might work to my best advantage. “You need to back off, faery girl.”
“And you, demon spawn,” Clara hissed between clenched teeth, “need to die.” The next moment, she flew at me. Literally flew.
I hadn’t expected that. And I hadn’t expected her to be so fast. I tried to block her and spin out of the way, but she was in front of me again in an instant.
“Die, demon,” she snarled and lunged again.
Before I could dodge her completely, I felt a sharp, searing pain in my left shoulder as she thrust the sword through it. I screamed.
I kicked at her, landing a good blow and knocking her back from me. I think I broke her wing.
Good! I’d break her face next if she gave me half a chance.
Then I stared at Melinda’s sword sticking out of my shoulder before I lost my footing and fell hard to the ground. Shock raced through me.
Melinda loomed over me, eyes wide. The silver in the sword was doing crazy things to me, blurring my vision and making my head spin. It felt like a drug. I knew Melinda had told me that it would kill a demon if it went through their heart. Even though the sword wasn’t in my heart, it still hurt so bad I could barely see straight. But I also felt weak—too weak to even attempt to pull it out.
Melinda placed the sole of her boot on my arm, pinning me in place like a butterfly on a board. Her gaze scanned the length of me, all of my scary demon attributes. I couldn’t read her expression very well, but saw a mix of fear and horror there.
She gripped the hilt of the sword and yanked it out of me. I howled in pain again and tried to stand up, but I was still too weak and her foot was enough to keep me firmly in place.
“Kill her!” Clara urged. “Do it! She’s a demon. You’re a demon slayer. You were born for this moment of glory!”
There was a fiercely haunted look in Melinda’s eyes as she stared down at me, one that spoke of many training sessions where she had to imagine herself in a position just like this. Ready to slay her enemy the moment she got the upper hand.
“You want me to kill her because Rhys—who’s also a faery—is prophesied to marry her and not you,” Melinda said through clenched teeth. “That’s basically what I got from your little conversation just now. Right?”
“She’s a demon. She’s not your friend. She’s disgusting and evil.” I felt the exact same way about the faery.
Melinda’s jaw clenched. She touched the tip of the sword against my chest, just over my heart. “Are you?”
“You know what I am,” I gritted out, nearly blind from pain and outrage and whatever the silver had done to me. Strangely enough, fear had taken a backseat ever since I shifted form.
Now I was just mad as hell.
There was a time when, if I’d been in trouble like this, Michael would come blazing onto the scene to save me. But I knew he wouldn’t this time. That he couldn’t. Not now or possibly ever again. I didn’t like the idea of being saved when I’d prefer to save myself, bu
t I wouldn’t refuse help when I needed it the most. And with the messed-up way I felt right now—I needed help.
Melinda studied me for what felt like an eternity as snow softly drifted down between us.
Each breath she exhaled cast a frozen cloud before her. Slowly, her eyes filled with tears, replacing the fierce warrior look. “You really think I know what you are?” I nodded, my throat tight. “I know you do. Deep down. You know it.” A tear slipped down her cheek. “You’re my best friend.”
“Nothing’s changed.” I swallowed hard. “Well, everything’s changed, but that much hasn’t.
Do you believe me?”
“You’re a demon.”
“And you’re a slayer. Who cares?”
Finally, the weight of her boot eased off of me as she shifted her attention to Clara.
“What are you doing?” Clara demanded. “Kill her!”
“Not today.” When Clara moved closer, Melinda held the sword out toward her. “Don’t even think about it. I’m supposed to slay demons, but I will make an exception for a bloodthirsty faery if I have to.”
Clara gave her a disappointed look. “You’re so weak. It’s pathetic. When you want something, you have to take it, no matter what the penalty might be.”
“And you want Rhys.”
“Of course. He’s the king. Why wouldn’t I want the chance to become queen? Maybe then I could convince him to stop trying to be human when he’s so much better than that. It’s not just me. Everyone agrees that he’s acting more like a fool than a king right now.”
“You should tell him that,” I said through clenched teeth.
“Yeah, right.” She snorted. “I’m not a complete idiot.”
“No?” Rhys asked from behind her. “That’s funny, because you sound like one to me.” I hadn’t seen him approach. I didn’t think even he realized what was going on until he got within hearing distance. His gaze swept the three of us. I was flat on my back with blood pouring out of my shoulder wound, unable to move. Melinda stood next to me, pointing her sharp sword at Clara.
And Clara...I couldn’t really explain the look on her face. Like a child being caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Only way, way more epic. Epic cookies. Epic jar. Stupid child.
“Your Majesty.” She fell to the snowy ground, bowing deeply before him. “Please, forgive me. I meant no disrespect.”
“Really?” He raised an eyebrow and regarded her with distaste. “Because that just sounded extremely disrespectful.”
“My apologies. My sincerest, humble apologies, my king. Forgive me.”
“How long have you been in the human world?”
“A week.”
“Spying on me.”
“I was concerned. I took it upon myself to make sure all was well. You’ve been acting so strangely I feared you were bewitched by this disgusting half-breed demon.”
“I never saw you. Never sensed you, not even for a moment.” His lips thinned. “Your skill at glamour is second to none. You would make a good spy.” She kept her eyes on the ground by his boots. “Thank you, Your Majesty.” A gateway opened behind her. It looked different than the ones I was used to seeing. This one swirled different shades of yellow, like a whirlpool of molten gold. It reminded me of Rhys’s eyes when he got emotional.
She glanced at it over her shoulder. “Are you returning with me, King Rhys?”
“Stand up.”
She scrambled to her feet as fast as she could. Her left wing hung at an awkward angle, confirming that I’d managed to do some damage to her. If nothing else, that gave me a little satisfaction.
“You have concerns about the prophecy,” he said softly. “You believe that I should not associate with demons in any way.”
“It is not the faery way, my king. There are many faery girls who would be honored to be considered by you.”
“You’re one of them.”
Her cheeks reddened. “Yes, of course. I adore you. I always have, but you’ve never noticed me. I would do anything for you, anything at all.”
“Even attempt to kill Princess Nikki.”
She wrung her hands, looking ashamed. “Perhaps I acted rashly. I see that now. But she isn’t dead. She’s alive. She’ll heal.”
“You, Clara”—Rhys moved closer to her, so close that I saw her shiver—“wish to be considered as my future queen.”
There was a hopeful look in her eyes. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Even without the prophecy, you never had a chance.” He shook his head. “Sorry, but you’re just not my type.”
With that, he pushed her backward into the gateway, and she disappeared with a shocked and very disappointed look on her face.
He stood with his back to us until the gateway closed, then he slowly turned around. His gaze swept over me, ending at my wounded shoulder.
I noticed for the first time that he had a book with a black leather cover, about the size of a hardcover novel, tucked under his arm.
“The book,” I managed with surprise. “You went to get it.” The pain hadn’t gotten any better.
Clara said I’d heal, but I was quickly learning that fast healing was not one of my half-demon attributes when it came to wounds caused by silver weapons.
“Yes, I did.” His gaze shifted to Melinda, still clutching her sword. “I suggest you point that somewhere else, demon slayer.”
“I do think it’s entirely possible that I’ve gone crazy tonight.” Melinda stared at him as if seeing him for the first time. “You’re a faery king.”
“I’m the faery king,” Rhys corrected.
I tore my gaze away from Melinda to look at Rhys. He was inspecting me like he worked for the CSI department.
“No body bag required,” I assured him, but winced as I said it.
“You’re hurt.”
“There’s a sword-shaped hole through my shoulder. It doesn’t feel great.”
“Don’t shift back to human. It’ll feel even worse. Your leathery skin in this form should help.”
I closed my mouth instead of saying something sharp back to him. He wasn’t trying to insult me. My skin in Darkling form looked the same as it normally did, but it was way tougher than in human form. “I need stitches. Possibly a blood transfusion. But I don’t think they’re going to welcome me at Erin Heights Hospital if I look like this.”
“You’re right.” He sank down next to me as Melinda looked on with wide eyes. There was some distaste on his face, as if being this close to me in Darkling form grossed him out.
I watched him carefully, not sure what he planned to do. “Am I that ugly or are you just squeamish when it comes to blood?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Do you ever stop talking?”
Before I could reply to that he placed his hand on my shoulder. I jerked in pain.
“Steady,” he said. “Let me try to help you.”
When Rhys first came to my high school and I realized that I was going to have him as my biology partner, he’d tried to resurrect the frog we were supposed to dissect. Faeries liked animals when they were alive, not dead, and he’d found it extremely disturbing. He’d failed since it was long dead and been soaking in formaldehyde, but I’d always wondered if he could really heal injuries.
“Ow,” I yelped.
“Don’t be a baby.”
“It hurts.”
“Of course it hurts, you were stabbed through your shoulder with a sword. Now, shh.” I clenched my teeth while his touch burned into my arm. Slowly, the pain began to fade away until it vanished completely. Once that happened, my hold on my Darkling form slipped away and, with a few more moments of a different kind of pain, I shifted back to my regular human form.
I shoved my sweater to the side so I could see my bare shoulder beneath. It was totally healed.
Even the blood had vanished and all that remained of my brush with death was a rip through my sweater. It was already ripped thanks to the wings that seemed able to slice through any material as if they wer
e twin blades.
“Wow,” Melinda breathed.
“You healed me.” I met Rhys’s gaze. “Thank you.”
“I am a faery of many talents. That was the worst wound I’ve ever successfully healed.” He gave me a grin. “I’m kind of awesome.”
I just stared at him with surprise and relief. “I’m actually not going to disagree with you at this exact moment.”
He got to his feet and offered me his hand. Tentatively I took it and let him help me up. I felt fine. Maybe a little light headed, but otherwise just fine.
Rhys turned his attention to Melinda, who continued to gawk at him.
“So...I’m thinking that we should probably break up,” she said.
He nodded. “That’s probably a good idea. Nothing personal.”
“No, I totally agree.” She blinked, then turned to me. “Are you okay?”
“Do you care?” I asked tentatively.
“Yes, I care. This night has been insane, I know that. From dragons, to faeries, to...this.” She looked at my healed shoulder and winced. “I don’t want to hurt you, Nikki. I don’t care what you are.”
I inhaled shakily. “I’m half demon.”
“Finally you admit it.” She laughed, but it sounded hollow and shaky. “You tried to protect me earlier. You didn’t make a move to hurt me. I believe it, Nikki. I believe you’re my friend and that hasn’t changed. I don’t know about everything else...we’re so different now.” I shook my head. “We’re not any different than we were yesterday. Or the day before.”
“I need to think about things. Figure out how I really feel about all of this.”
“Are you going to tell your parents? Tell Patrick? Have you already told them?”
“No, I haven’t. And I—I’m not going to.” She swallowed hard. “This will be our secret. But I’m going to start training again. You said there are bad demons, ones who want to come here, too. I need to be prepared in case they succeed.”
I let out a shuddery sigh of relief. “Sounds fair. Thank you for not saying anything. And for believing in me.”
Melinda smiled weakly. “I’ll see you both around.”