“Legend, long time, no see, man.” He glides open the window and sticks out his hand for a fist bump.
“Yes, it has been a long fucking time.” Legend taps his knuckles against the big guy’s. “Too long.”
“I see you survived your sentence,” big guy jokes, pushing a few buttons on a massive translucent screen.
“Barely,” Legend quips, handing him his identification card. “Almost lost my sanity a few times.”
Big guy laughs as he scans the card through a metallic square box. “Yeah, I heard living in the Common Realm can do that to you.” He punches a few buttons on the screen. “I can’t wait until I get stationed at a different realm.”
Legend rests an arm on the countertop. “How long have you been here?”
“A few months,” the big guy replies, giving Legend back his card. “Usually, they stick most of the newbies at this portal entrance, but I was asked if I could come down for a few months because a few paranormals snuck in and they needed to up security. I don’t know why anything would sneak in. Most paranormals hate the Common Realm. There’s a reason we use it as a prison.”
Legend nods, his face set in concern. “Do you know what kind of paranormals they were?”
“I think it was werewolves,” big guy replies, adjusting his ID tag fastened to his shirt pocket.
A lump wedges in my throat. Werewolves snuck into the Common Realm?
No, there’s no way that has anything to do with me. Well, unless the werewolves hunting me were sent away from the Common Realm and needed to sneak back in to attack me.
Legend’s brows dip, but then his expression turns neutral as he stuffs his card into his pocket. “Is my entrance cleared?” he asks the big guy. “I’m more than ready to get the hell out of here.”
Big guy nods, pointing to our right at an object that reminds me of a full body scanner at the airport. The only difference is the inside of this scanner is glowing with a shimmering iridescent light that matches the traveling pass in my hand.
“Step through whenever you’re ready,” big guy instructs, pushing a large button on the scanner.
Adrenaline pours through my veins. Never once did I consider that I’d actually have to go through a portal.
Do I have to go by myself? I don’t even know what to do.
“Actually, I was wondering if I could get access for a double pass,” Legend says, lacing his fingers through mine and pulling me to his side.
Big guy’s eyes skate to me, and his brows bunch together. “You’re taking a human back with you?”
Legend plucks the traveling pass from my hand. “She’s just going for the night. Thought I’d give her the tour of where I live.”
Big guy eyes me over then crooks a brow at Legend. “The humans wore on you, huh?”
“This one did. But she’s the only one.” He releases my hand to place his palm on my back, urging me closer to the glass window. “Lake, this is Giant. Giant, this is Lake.”
Giant sticks out his hand. “Giant is only a nickname truly evil creatures call me.” He shoots Legend a teasing, dirty look. “My real name’s Greg.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Greg,” I say, though Giant seems more fitting.
I politely shake his hand, noting that, like Legend, his skin is a lot colder than mine.
“It’s nice to meet you, too.” He studies me for an unnerving amount of time. “You’re very pretty for a human.”
Is that a compliment?
“Um, thanks.”
He smiles, pulling his hand away. “You’re welcome.” He scans my traveler’s pass, and the screen illuminates with my information. “Is this your first time portal traveling?” he asks, and I nod. He leans forward to read my background history, and I can already see his wheels turning. “It doesn’t have a place of birth listed.”
I bottle down the painful reminder. “I know. It should list why, though.”
He reads further then nods, pity filling his eyes. I know what he’s thinking. The poor girl who was found on the side of the road with no memory. The girl who doesn’t know where she’s from. The girl who doesn’t have a family. The girl who doesn’t have a real last name. The girl who has no one.
With an artificial smile, he returns my traveler’s pass. “You’re going to love the Midnight Realm, Lake. I’m sure of it. Just make sure to come back before your pass expires.” He winks at me. “No trying to stay longer, okay?”
His wink throws me off, but I manage a smile as I tuck the pass into a pocket on my studded leather backpack.
Does he know that Legend may be planning to keep me there? How would he know?
“I permitted a double pass so you two can go through the portal together,” Giant tells Legend. “You’ll need to hold her hand and guide her through.”
Legend holds my hand. “Thanks, man. And make sure to look me up when you get back in the realm. We’ll go out for a blood dine or something.”
“Sounds good.” Giant nods, stealing another glance in my direction.
I start to squirm under his stare, but then Legend hauls me toward the scanner.
As we near the light flowing inside it, my pulse skyrockets. But before I can fall too far into a panic attack, Legend leads me into the scanner and into the light.
A rainbow of warmth and bright colors instantly smothers me, and I start to relax. Then darkness drags me under.
Chapter 6
I gasp as I tumble out of the darkness and land ungracefully on my feet in a field encompassed by flourishing trees and thorny vines glowing against the silver moonlight. A city glitters in the distance, and a kaleidoscope of violet and silver stars paint the sky. Beside me, Legend is watching me intently.
“So, what do you think?” he asks with his hands stuffed into his pockets.
“I think I’m never going to look at the Common Realm’s night sky the same way ever again.” I steal one more glance at the beautiful scene as a calmness eases over me. “That is, unless I’m not going back.” I wait for him to answer, but he just steers me with him as he strides across the field.
“Don’t touch the thorns,” he warns through a murmur. “They’re poisonous.”
I flinch as the vines shrink away from us. “They’re pretty, though.”
“Yeah, a lot of stuff in my realm is pretty but poisonous or venomous. In fact, some of the prettiest things here can kill you. There used to not be so many at the entrance. They’ve really spread since the last time I was here. They only used to reside in the Violet…” He quickens his pace, zooming past the vines.
“Where are we going?” I jog to keep up. When did he get so fast? “And where are the guards at your portal?”
“The only realm we’re not allowed in without permission is the Common Realm, and rarely do any creatures try to sneak in there,” he explains, weaving around the vines. “And if they did, the guards on the other side would catch them.”
“But, didn’t Giant say some werewolves just snuck in?” I ask as we reach the edge of the field and step onto a cobblestone path that winds down a hill toward a glittering city.
He nods, his brows furrowing. “Yeah, I’ve never heard of that happening.”
“So, why do you think it did?” I ask. “Do you think it might have been the werewolves who are after me?”
“I’m not sure. But it really doesn’t matter right now. I’m here and you’re here, and all’s well in the realms.” He grins, fangs and all, and then quickens his stride, leaving me struggling to keep up.
I have the weirdest suspicion he’s keeping something from me, but I can’t figure out what.
“You never told me where we’re going.” I trip in my heels, trying to keep up with him.
“On an adventure.”
“We’re not going to your place?”
“No. We don’t have much time, and I don’t want to waste what little we have hanging around my lair.”
My lips form an O. So, I am going back to the Common Realm, then? Why do I feel
so sad about that?
I try not to pout, but epically fail.
“Stop pouting,” he playfully scolds. “I promise we’re going to have fun. And it’s not every day you get to have fun in the Midnight Realm, right?”
He’s right. I’m only here for one night, so I might as well make the most of it.
I plaster on a smile. “All right, let’s go on an adventure.”
With a wink, he speeds up, nearly sending me tripping over my feet again.
“Why can you suddenly walk so fast?” Another thought dawns on me as I realize how much lighter I feel. “And where the heck is my backpack?”
“I sent it to my house. And I can walk faster here because my powers have been reconnected with the moonlight.”
“How exactly did you send my bag to your house—”
I trip over a lip in the cobblestone and nearly eat shit. Thankfully, Legend catches me.
“With magic.” He winks as he steadies me.
“You have magic?” I brush stray hair out of my eyes. “Since when?”
“Since always. My powers were just limited during my sentence.”
“Oh.” I observe him curiously. “What else can you do?”
“Lots and lots of things. I promise to show you some of them later. For now, we’re on a time constraint, and your human lollygagging is slowing me down.” In one swift motion, he scoops me up in his arms and zooms down the sidewalk, moving so swiftly that the buildings and lights lining the street are nothing but streaks of colors.
By the time he grinds to a stop, my head is spinning.
“Whoa, head rush,” I mutter as he sets me down on my feet.
He chuckles as I regain my balance. “Such a fragile human.”
I glare at him, but it’s a playful move. “You’re cockier here.”
He smirks. “No, I’m cocky always. I’m simply more in my element here, so the cockiness comes out times ten.”
I cross my arms. “Are all night creatures as cocky as you?”
“Yes, we are, sweetheart,” someone purrs from right behind me.
I reel around, then shuffle back, my back bumping into Legend’s chest.
I’d been so caught up in his vampire super speed and the dizzy side effect that I didn’t notice we’d stopped in front of a mob lined up in front of a two-story building made of tinted glass that matches the starry night sky. Or, well, I guess people is the incorrect term since nearly every creature has either fangs or claws or wings.
The wings throw me off. I knew werewolves, vampires, and a few kinds of demons lived in the Midnight Realm, but not faeries.
One of the male faeries with golden hair and sparkling blue wings winks at me, and I wonder if he’s the one who purred in my ear. I’m not sure how I feel about having the attention of a faerie. I’ve heard they can be quite tricky and manipulative.
“The fey just visit here,” Legend whispers in my ear. “And they have to abide our laws while they’re here, which means no trickery.”
“What realm do they live in?” I try not to make eye contact with the faerie.
“The Willow Realm.” He lines the palm of his hand to my back and urges me toward the front of the line. “Come on; let’s go inside where you won’t be so …” he wavers, “on display.”
I become more than aware that approximately every creature in line is eyeballing me now.
“Haven’t they seen a human before?”
He nods, avoiding my gaze. “But you … have a way about you that draws attention from paranormals.”
He’s never mentioned that before.
“What do you mean by a way about me?”
“I’ll explain later.” He dismisses me with a flick of his wrist and strides up to a velvet rope at the front of the line. Beyond the rope is a pair of steel double doors. Music reverberates from inside, vibrating against the cobblestone ground.
“Is this place a club?” I ask, and he nods. “Why aren’t we standing in line like everyone else?”
Before Legend can respond, an extremely tall man with jet black hair and skin as pale as moonlight materializes out of nowhere. He gives a quick glance at Legend then a smile curls at his lips as he lifts the velvet rope.
“Nice to have you back, Legend.” He exchanges a fist bump with Legend then steps aside to let us through.
He notes me as I squeeze by him and curiosity flickers in his eyes, but he doesn’t utter a word, only opens the door for us.
I’m about to ask Legend how we bypassed the entire line, since you have to be a big deal to do such a thing back in the Common Realm, but then we step inside and all words are lost.
The place is magnificent, to say the least. Somehow, I’m guessing by magic, the ceiling is an exact mini replica of the night sky outside, and the fake stars and moon are twirling around, spilling violet and silver light across a packed dance floor and leather booths. A bar runs across the far back room, and a spiral staircase stretches to a balcony lined with leather booths and cages, each one displaying a gorgeous, winged creature dancing inside.
“This place is …” I can’t find the words to explain the scene before me, so I just end up just gawking in amazement. “You’re ruining everything in the Common Realm for me.”
A grin touches Legend’s lips as he steers me through the mob of creatures grinding against each other while drinking strange, colorful, sparkling beverages.
“I’m glad you like it here,” Legend says, elbowing a winged giant of a man out of his way. “Maybe you’ll never want to go back, then.”
Confusion cracks through me as he once again implies that maybe I don’t have to return to the Common Realm. But I soon become distracted as we start up the spiral staircase and near the caged, angelic-like creatures.
“What are they?” I whisper, my heels clanking against the grated stairs.
“Black Angels.” He glances over at the closest cage. “Don’t let the angel part fool you. They’re not angelic by any means.”
As if to prove his point, the angel in the cage hisses in our direction.
I yank my gaze off her and clutch Legend’s hand for dear life.
When we reach the top of the staircase, Legend scans the booths. I figure he’s looking for a vacant one, so when he heads toward a corner booth that’s already occupied by three guys, I grow uneasy over the idea of sitting with strangers. Thankfully, the guys don’t look too scary, each around my age, maybe a couple of years older.
The guy on the right side of the booth has hair as blond as Legend’s, only his is much shorter. Silver metal ornaments his brows, and a smirk plays at his lips as he eyeballs Legend approaching.
The guy stretched out on the opposite side of the booth has piercings in his brows, as well. However, his hair is much darker than blondie’s and longer on the top and shorter on the sides. And he’s sporting a scowl instead of a smirk.
Both of the guys are gorgeous in a way that makes my head dizzy, but the guy sitting at the back of the booth is the one who sends my heart into a fitful frenzy.
He’s more than just gorgeous with chin-length hair the color of the midnight sky, piercing blue eyes framed by dark eyelashes, and metal rings embellishing his full lips. He’s wearing a short-sleeved black shirt that reveals his lightly inked, lean arms, and leather bands wrap around his wrists. Everything about him screams importance from the silver, engraved rings covering the fingers of his left hand to how utterly bored he looks in a room full of powerful creatures. But that boredom diminishes when his gaze collides with mine. Then a crinkle forms between his brows as he breathes in, his nostrils flaring.
My pulse throbs with fear. I’m not even certain why I’m afraid, other than the most beautiful guy I’ve ever laid eyes on is staring at me and I feel drawn to him in a way that I feel like I’d jump off a cliff just to reach him.
That out of control feeling is absolutely terrifying.
Why do I feel this way? I’ve never felt this way about a guy before …
I ten
se as I get a whiff of their scents.
Moonlight.
“Werewolves,” I whisper in horror.
The beautiful guy frowns, his intensity altering into disappointment mixed with the most heart-wrenching sorrow I’ve ever seen. Then he looks away from me, his jaw set tight.
What on earth is causing him so much pain?
Why do I care?
Legend abruptly spins around, facing me and blocking me from the guys’ view.
“I know you’re nervous, but I promise they won’t hurt you,” he says, sweeping strands of my hair forward to cover my temple.
“Then why are you hiding my birthmark?” I hiss under my breath. I hate being angry with him, but he knows how much I loathe werewolves. Still, I do my best to control my irritation. “Can’t we go sit in one of the unoccupied booths?”
He shakes his head. “Sorry, but I need to talk to these guys. They might be able to help us figure out why those wolves are after you, who they are exactly, how long they’ll be in the Common Realm, why they’re there—things that could help keep you out of danger.”
“You won’t … You’re not going to tell them what those wolves did to me, right? That one of them …” I can’t even get the words out, my chest painfully constricting.
He looks me straight in the eye. “I promise I won’t tell them anything other than you were attacked. I’ve known these guys since they were kids. They’re not like the werewolves hunting you. None of their pack is.”
Even though I’m terrified, I nod. “Okay, I trust you.”
He offers me a small smile then strides up to the wolves, dragging me with him.
I remain positioned behind him, acting like a scared kitten, which might not be the bravest thing to do around werewolves, but I can’t seem to find the strength to stop being a coward.
“And the legend has returned.” The blond werewolf snickers. “Thought maybe they kicked your pasty ass out of here for good this time.”
“Shade, lovely to see you again.” Legend’s tone oozes sarcasm. “Glad to see your sense of humor is just as bland as when I left.”