Chapter 3. Lucky
My eyes scan the forest. “Bones…Bones!”
Where is he?
I dismount Diablo and approach the River of Kings, pulling my cloak over my head. Bones told me he was on patrol tonight, so he should be here. But it’s quiet, and there’s no sign of him anywhere.
Automatically, I reach for my dagger and cast a wary eye across the surrounding grounds. I know I’m just being paranoid, but one can never be too careful, especially these days. The bridge is never supposed to be left unguarded, especially since that incident several weeks ago when Cody and Ivy were attacked and killed. Even though only Bones, Kieron and I know what really happened that night, the rest of our tribe is still on edge. It was nothing short of a miracle we were able to diffuse the situation and stop an all-out war. Fortunately, Bones can be a pretty good liar when he needs to be.
I cross the river of dancing flames and head to the enormous grey boulder resting against the hillside. Only after I press the secret lever to enter Demon Bar do I dare put my dagger away. Daisy, Ivy’s replacement, greets me warmly as I reach the bottom of the steps. I smile back, but a flash of anger rips through me as I remember how I’d discovered Ivy’s beaten, broken body…and how it was I who’d put the final nail in her coffin, ending her suffering with my own deadly bursts of fire. Not one of my happier memories.
Daisy twirls her pink hair around a finger and loudly smacks her gum.
“’Sup, crazy Daze?” I lean forward, air-kissing both her cheeks. No contact here. One controlled touch from her can turn any demon or demion into ash, stone or fire, depending on what she feels like at the moment. We’re friends, but one can never be too careful. “Bones here?”
She rolls her eyes and loudly pops a bubble. “Yeah, he and Catalina are in the back drinking. They might as well get a room or something.”
My eyes narrow. What does she mean by that? I’d noticed Bones and Catalina were spending more time together than usual, as they had both been very close with Ivy and Cody. Still, as pure demons, they can’t still be sad and needing to commiserate. Surely they’ve long since shut off their upsetting feelings the way only demons can. The way I wish I could.
So what are they doing together?
I sashay across the room, barely glancing at the other patrons. My eyes fixate on the couple in the back, obviously enjoying each other’s company. A little too much for my liking.
“Hi, Lucky,” the stunning redhead greets me as I pull up a chair and plop myself next to them. I have to give Catalina credit. If there’s a demon in here who is close to being as beautiful as me, it might be her.
I turn to Bones and give him a wide smile, but he glances away. My chest tightens. “Hi, Cat. Hi, Bones. What’s up? Why you guys sitting way back here?” I ask, hoping I sound casual. But inside I’m seething. It’s one thing for Bones to go off and seduce his Sapie women…he has to do that or he’ll die. But it’s quite another to see him making time with another demon, one he has no business being interested in.
Catalina fluffs her long crimson hair and leans forward to reach for her glass, her ample cleavage catching Bones’ approving eye. “Oh, we just wanted somewhere we could talk quietly while we had our drinks. Sometimes it gets so crazy in here, I can’t even hear myself think!” She gives a high, tinkling laugh. Bones smirks and leans back, one muscular arm cocked behind his head, the other casually draped over Catalina’s chair.
My insides smolder as I glance back and forth between the two of them. What the hell is going on here?
“You missing something?” Now a mischievous twinkle lights up Bones’ eyes.
“Obviously, I am.” I narrow mine, and he smirks again. I hate this cocky look he gets…the one that says how he knows he’s the sexiest creature alive and no woman can resist him. I hate it because he’s right. But demons are supposed to be immune to his incubus charms. Yet here Catalina sits, looking like she’s just dying to jump in his lap. Bitch.
“You don’t have a drink.” He stands up and removes his black leather coat, revealing a muscular torso beneath his form-fitting sweater. God, he’s beautiful. “What’ll it be?”
I wave my hand. “Whatever.” He steps over to the bar and I catch the lustful look in Catalina’s eyes. I know this look well, too…the one that says I’ll do anything to be yours. It’s the same expression that must’ve been plastered on my face every time I looked at him. That is, until I met Kieron.
Kieron…Damn him…Where the hell is he?
If Kieron was here, I wouldn’t be having all these mixed up feelings over Bones. I wouldn’t care if he was making time with some trampy demon with slutty red hair. I wouldn’t care that he was looking at her the same way he used to look at me.
“So, Lucky, when is Kieron supposed to be returning?”
It’s all I can do not to slap Catalina’s perfect, pouty lips right off her face. “Dunno. Soon, I guess.” I smile and shrug.
“Must be hard on you, him being away for so long—”
“Here ya go, Lucky Lady. Jack on the rocks with an extra shot of Source Energy. You look like you could use it.” Bones returns and sets the drink down on the table in front of me.
I shoot him another glare. What the hell does that mean? I look amazing, as always. Better, in fact, as I’m wearing a brand new, low-cut, sparkly red and black outfit specially made for me by the fire-witches of Rome. Top of the line and devastatingly sexy.
I gulp my drink, eyeing the two of them. When I finish, I storm up to the bar to grab another. I return to the table to see Catalina’s hand lingering on Bones’ shoulder, and him leaning into her as if they’re sharing an intimate secret.
“Sorry if I’m interrupting something,” I say loudly and sit back down.
“Oh, it’s not a problem, Bones was just telling me about the time he—”
“I thought you were supposed to be on patrol tonight,” I say to Bones, cutting Catalina off. Like I really give a crap about anything she has to say.
“I thought so too, but I guess it’s Alik’s turn at post. That’s what Khalil said earlier—”
“I didn’t see him at the bridge. No one was there.”
Bones gives me his full attention. “Are you sure? He has to be. Maybe you just missed him.”
I shake my head. “Nope. No one was there. Trust me, I looked. I was looking for you,” I say pointedly, “but there was no one there.”
Bones stands and gulps down the last of his drink. “I better go check it out. If there was some sort of mix-up and the bridge was left unguarded…”
“I’ll go with you,” Catalina says, rising to her feet. I swear, her bright-pink outfit might as well be painted on her body. Whore.
By now, I’m sure steam is coming out my ears. “Not me. I have better things to do. Later—”
Just as I set my glass down, a commotion behind me catches my attention. A thunderous crash is followed by angry shouts and panicked screams. Then a deafening explosion. And another.
I jump to my feet and spin toward the main room. Suddenly a band of unfamiliar demons storms in, shooting off fireballs and knocking over tables. For a moment I’m frozen with shock, and before I can blink, the whole room erupts in a huge brawl. Bodies fly everywhere, and right in front of me, a young succubus named Zanna is vaporized by an enemy flare. A pool table flies across the smoky room amid explosions of fire and lightning.
Instantly the whole place descends into chaos, and the deafening yells and screams become the sounds of battle. Dozens more enemy demons swarm the enclave, some with weapons, others with their own balls of fire hurling from their hands.
“What the—?” I stagger towards the corner as a flaming ball of electric fire the size of a watermelon comes flying at my head. I duck, and fire singes the side of my face.
“Oh...No…!”
Panicked, I turn to see a horrified Bones. Adrenaline surges through my body, and it’s another whole second before I realize Catalina is no longer standing behind me
. The small pile of ash beside my feet tells me she didn’t move out of the way in time.
“Lucky, get out of here!” Bones shouts. He grabs my arm and pulls me to the back wall as the whole room explodes with smoke and fire.
He braces his body over me protectively and we half-run, half-stumble, blindly toward the secret exit in the back. When we finally reach the small door camouflaged in the rocky wall, I kick a stone on the ground to let us out. Together we race down the dark, twisty tunnel, guided only by the light in my palms. I wonder why Bones hasn’t transformed…he’s much less vulnerable as a hellhound. I keep checking over my shoulder to make sure we’re not being followed as we rush through the narrow corridor, but so far we’re alone.
Finally we emerge from the other side of the rock and into one of Dryndara’s Dark-fairy forests. Bones and I exchange looks as we try to regain our bearings. I don’t know what frightens me more, the scene I just witnessed in Demon Bar, or the terrified expression on Bones’ face now.
“Bones, what was that? What happened? What’s going on?” I cry, falling into his arms, panting more from shock than physical exertion.
It takes a long moment for him to answer me, but when he does, his normally strong and confident voice sounds hollow…haunted.
“That, Lucky, was a declaration of war.”
Chapter 4. Liora
I trudge onto the school campus, my eyes automatically scanning the parking lot. But I stop mid-step and take a sudden deep breath when I realize I am searching, not for Kieron’s big, black truck, but for the fair-haired Tristan.
With a twinge of guilt I hurry on inside, annoyed with myself. I am not some flakey girl who goes from one guy to another without a second thought. And it’s not like I’m even attracted to Tristan. Maybe I’m just finally coming to terms with the fact that Kieron is never coming back, and being with Tristan makes me feel good. It’s a nice way to feel for a change.
“Hi, Liora. Beautiful day today, isn’t it?” a melodious voice rings in my ear. I fight back a smile as I turn around.
“Hi, Tristan.” Standing beside him is his younger sister. “Hi, Cassie.” She rolls her eyes and grunts something unintelligible.
“Don’t be rude, Cassie,” Tristan chides her. Cassie flashes me a disgusted look before silently stalking off in the other direction.
“Sweet girl,” I say, and start walking toward the entrance.
Tristan falls into an easy pace beside me. “She really is, once you get to know her. Don’t take it personally…she’s still adjusting to being here. The transition is much harder on her than it is for me.”
I glance up at him; the faint rays of sun glint off his golden hair and shiny scar. His soft eyes feel comfortable and warm, and his voice is a gentle solace. Other than Kieron and Tatiana, I’ve never felt so completely at ease with someone before. But whereas Kieron lit every cell of my body on fire, Tristan somehow calms it all down. Lately, I want to be in his presence more and more, and miss him as soon as I’m not.
“What’re you thinking?” Tristan asks as we head down the hallway. “You had such a happy look on your face right then.”
I brush my hair from my eyes and wave to Corrine. She gives me something between a smile and a grimace and heads in the other direction. “I was just thinking about my boyfriend, Kieron. I bet you guys will really hit it off when you meet,” I reply, trying to ignore Corrine’s indifference.
“Well, when do you think that will be? I’ve been here almost two weeks and have yet to see this mystery man of yours. Are you sure you aren’t just making him up to make me jealous?” He laughs and holds the classroom door open for me.
I don’t smile at his joke, because I’m sad. Sad that when I take my seat, I now think of the chair beside me as Tristan’s, not Kieron’s.
Thirty minutes into class, a blaring siren causes twenty-five heads to pop up from their papers at the exact same time.
“What’s that?” Tristan mouths, his eyes wide.
I know this sound. The wailing siren screeches over the whole town, calling for backup…for help. It’s a sound I haven’t heard in almost ten years, one that signals ultimate danger and extreme emergency. A sound that, the last time I heard it, meant twenty-one men were trapped inside miles of rock and iron. All but three eventually met their untimely deaths.
“It’s coming from the mines,” I reply. “There’s something wrong. Very wrong.”
“Why do they sound such a loud alarm?” Tristan asks over the excited buzz of the room. Several panicked students have already risen from their seats.
Mr. Sodenberg motions for everyone to settle down, but now more students are gathering their belongings and rushing out the classroom door. Some are making phone calls, others are near hysterics or consoling one another.
“It was put in a long time ago, before everyone had cell phones and computers.” I stuff my books in my bag. No way I’m sticking around if everyone else is taking off. “It was the fastest way to alert the townsfolk and rescue workers when there was an emergency, so help could arrive as quickly as possible.”
He frowns and stacks his books. “Whoa. That’s too bad. Maybe it’s nothing too serious…a false alarm, perhaps.”
I shrug, not sharing his optimism. Flintridge Mines are the oldest and largest source of coal in this part of the country. Men working there have been doing it for generations. And as far as I know, the alarm has never been set off “accidentally”.
Suddenly I remember that Kieron’s uncle Troy works there. I’ve never met him, but Kieron often spoke fondly of his late mother’s brother.
“I have to go,” I say, jumping to my feet. Mr. Sodenberg, realizing no more teaching would be done today, throws his hands in the air and nods at the class to leave, as if anyone was looking for his permission.
“What’s wrong? Do you have family there?” Tristan asks.
“Yeah. Well, sort of. Kieron’s uncle is out there…” I hurry to the doorway with Tristan right behind me.
We push our way down the crowded hallway, through a flurry of students racing to their cars. Others are huddled in groups, and some are just standing around, happy to have a day of unexpected freedom, but trying not to appear too happy out of respect for their worried classmates.
“What’re you going to do?” Tristan asks as we rush toward the parking lot.
“I’m going to the mines. See what’s going on.” I pause, furrow my brow, and start to pace, trying to recall where I parked my car. Then I remember and clench my fists in annoyance. Crap!
“Don’t you think you might get in the way? They probably don’t want a bunch of lookieloos if there really is an emergency.” Tristan is watching me carefully.
I stomp past him, silently cursing myself for not bringing my car today. Why can’t I be like every other normal teenager who loves to drive? Now what am I going to do, walk all the way home first?
I pause and turn back around, meeting Tristan’s concerned gaze. “Um, mind if I ask you for a huge favor?”
His face eases into a gentle smile. “Sure, anything.”
“Can you give me a ride home? I walked today, and I really want to get to the mines as quickly as possible.” I bat my eyes several times in rapid succession, hoping I look like a damsel in distress and not someone with a mosquito in her eye.
He reaches out and gently takes me by my arm, guiding me in the opposite direction. “I got one better for ya. Why don’t we drive up there together? I’d like to see what’s going on as well.”
“Thanks.” I gratefully follow him as he maneuvers through the hordes of students rushing to their old cars and rusted pickup trucks. Tristan leads the way to the farthest back corner of the parking lot, eventually stopping next to a car I’d never seen before.
My jaw drops and I slowly turn to look at him. “Where’d you steal that from?” My eyes are wide as I ogle the sporty, blue Jaguar convertible. No one in these parts drives a car so fancy, let alone a student. Tristan just shrugs nonchalantl
y and cracks a half-grin.
“And just where are you guys going?” a snide voice behind us snaps.
We both turn around to see Cassie standing with her hands on her hips, her lips protruding in an unhappy pout.
“I’m just going to take Liora up to the mines to see what’s going on,” Tristan says softly.
“And why exactly would you do that, big brother?” Her eyes scour me with an alarming hostility that makes my skin crawl.
Tristan takes a strong step toward her, his face hard as he locks his eyes on hers. They are both silent for a moment, then Cassie glares again at me and lets out a low grunt before stomping away. She stops a few cars over in front of a new white Navigator with shiny rims and unlocks it.
I chuckle, despite her rudeness. I’ve already accepted that she dislikes me, and frankly, couldn’t care less. “That’s what she drives? How can she even see over the steering wheel?” I ask as the tiny girl climbs inside the monstrous SUV.
Tristan watches her, the strange look still in his eye. “Yeah, she likes to be up high when she drives. I guess it makes her feel bigger.” He smirks. “Not me, though. I like it low.” His face relaxes, and he turns to give me a wink.
“I just can’t believe your parents would let you have a car this expensive,” I mumble as he opens the passenger door. I slide in, feeling the buttery-soft leather conform to my body. I run my fingers over the slick dash and can’t help but be impressed. I’m not a car groupie by any stretch of the imagination, but even I know class and style and elegance when I see it. Although, in these parts, that isn’t very often.
“They know I’m a safe driver.” He positions himself behind the wheel and we exit out the narrow side road, toward the highway that leads to the Flintridge Mines fifteen miles away. Already cars from town are speeding in the same direction, and it’s not long before several police cars, a fire truck, and three ambulances go whizzing past us.