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When Anya delivers her news, my knees buckle. I feel like a black cloud has engulfed me in its body, but instead of being fluffy and soft, it’s slimy and cold. Her words shake my very core. I just can’t seem to catch a break.
“I’ll let you two talk,” Anya says, leaving us alone together.
Drop a bombshell like that and just leave? Nice.
“Summit, I’m fine,” Lucas says, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I pointedly glance at the vials surrounding him.
“Yeah, you look just peachy,” I snap.
“I look better than you right now. Are you okay?”
“Sure, my guy tells me I won’t be alone, then just hours later I’m told I have to send him away to save his life,” I say sardonically
My guy. OMO, did I really just say my guy? Maybe he didn’t notice.
“I’m not leaving the team and that’s the end of the discussion.” He smirks a little at my words, then continues with a more-than-serious cold tone that sends chills throughout my body.
Ha! If he thinks this is the end of the discussion, then he doesn’t know me at all. He did notice. Damn!
“The discussion has barely even begun,” I inform him.
I can feel my temper flaring up at his arrogance, and my next line comes out angry.
“Haven’t I caused you enough pain? Everything I touch ends in disaster—I will not be the reason you end up locked up in an institution for angels.”
Wait, do they have those? I remember back to when we first met. I really did think that’s where he belonged. Now that I know him, the thought rocks me like nothing I have ever imagined. I am not capable of being loved, and he needs to see that now before he ends up there or worse...
His tone matches mine, and the back and forth begins.
“I won’t be. It was a onetime thing, Summit. I’m fine to be around you. I let my guard down, that’s all, and it won’t happen again. To be honest, I don’t think it will be that hard. The more I get to know you, the less I like you.”
That hurt. Part of me thinks he’s only saying it to make me feel better about him being on the team, but another part of me wonders if it’s true. He thought he liked me—loved me even—but he didn’t know me then. This just reassures me...I was right. I, Summit Case, am unlovable....
What if I can’t live up to the vision of me he’s built in his head?
It would be a good thing, because then the Drin would go away, but it doesn’t feel like a good thing. It feels like the worst thing I could imagine coming to life and biting me in the ass.
I have to say something quickly to cover my hurt. Something biting. Something that will hurt him as much as he hurt me.
“The feeling is mutual,” I snap. “I didn’t realize what a self-centered asshole you really are until now. You would rather risk your life and my sanity than just sit this one out. Talk about a hero complex.”
“It’s hardly a hero complex not wanting someone else to die on my watch!” he snaps back.
I cringe inside. I went too far. Way too far. I wish I could take the words back, but I know I can’t. Instead, I try to take the sting out of them a bit.
“No one is going to die. You included. That’s why you have to do what Anya says.”
Lucas sighs. All of the anger has gone.
“Being who I am, the son of a king has always been kind of a burden, if I’m honest. But being a Toren is different. The team is my family, Summit, and they don’t place ridiculous expectations on me just because of my parents. They accept me for who I am, and to be honest, I need that.”
“I’ve made my decision,” I say with a stone-cold expression to match my icy tone.
The anger flares back up in him again.
“It’s too important to me to have you take it away from me.”
“Even if it means you’ll die?” I yell, incredulous.
He nods.
Before he can respond, Death comes into the room.
“I could hear you two screaming at each other from down the hallway,” she scolds us.
I suddenly find a particularly interesting piece of fluff on my sleeve and I focus on that.
“You two need to take a moment to calm down,” she goes on. “Summit, the team wants you in Parker’s room.”
Lucas pushes back the sheet that covers him.
“Not you, Lucas,” Death says gently.
“But...”
“No buts. They’re Anya’s orders and I don’t look forward to explaining to her why her patient is flaked out in the hallway, if it’s all the same to you.”
With a sigh, he drops the sheet and stays where he is.
Reluctantly, I follow Death out of the room. I glance back at Lucas, who scowls at me. If looks could kill, there wouldn’t be anything Anya could do to save me. I sigh. I don’t know what to say to make it better, so I don’t say anything at all.
“You know,” Death calls to me as I head for Parker’s room, “it doesn’t really matter what Lucas wants. It’s your call about who is on the team and who isn’t.”
I nod. I understand that, but if anything, it just makes it harder. I enter Parker’s room with a heavy heart.
The team has gathered some extra chairs, and they are sitting in a small circle slightly away from Parker. There’s an empty seat in the middle waiting for me.
I gasp as I look across at Parker. She looks like she’s unconscious.
“It’s okay,” Dylann quickly says when she sees my face.
“The healer has given her a sedative so the mixtures will work quicker. She kept getting herself excited about the poison, and it got her worked up and slowed down the healing, that’s all,” Ryder says with a laugh.
I smile to myself, imagining Parker’s disgruntlement when the healer knocked her out in the midst of her new discovery.
I take the empty chair.
“So,” I begin awkwardly. I’m not sure what to say or how to say it. Hopefully they take it well. They may very well decide to kick me off the team. Lucas is better in every way, and even though I am their leader, he is royalty and would be better to have along on this mission.
“I’ve just had an interesting chat with Anya about Lucas. Apparently, the Drin is getting worse, but she has a way to stop it. He just has to stay away from his trigger.”
I shift uncomfortably.
“You?” RJ offers.
I nod gratefully.
“Yeah. Which means he can’t be on the team, because Anya said if he is, then he will most likely die.”
The news throws everyone into a stunned silence. I hate that I am somehow causing this. Splitting them up.
“No one calls me a bus, buddy,” Parker shouts from her bed.
It is the perfect thing to break the tension, and we all burst into laughter.
“The drugs are sending her a bit loopy,” Ryder points out unnecessarily.
“She’s been shouting stuff like that since she took the sedative,” Dylann says, holding back a laugh.
The laughter dies down a little and I carry on.
“Lucas has made it clear that he has himself under control and wants to remain on the team.”
Parker fires off again.
“Yellow elephants don’t like Jell-O.”
“She has a point,” RJ says, mock serious.
We all end up laughing again. My laughter has a slightly hysterical edge to it, but it feels good to release some of the tension I’m feeling.
“Should we talk about this somewhere else?” Nix says.
“Nah, this is way too good to miss,” Ryder says, crossing his arms and laughing.
“Death has just told me that ultimately it’s up to me to make a decision about whether Lucas can be on the team. We just had a huge fight about it, and I don’t know what to do. I tried telling him he was off the team but he kept insisting. On the one hand, we need him, but on the other hand, I’m afraid of what will happen if I don’t send him away. Any suggestions?”
Right on cue, Parker bursts into life again, although this time, no one laughs.
“Nix...Nix...stop. Stop. It tickles,” Parker says, giggling affectionately, waving her hand like she’s brushing him away.
We sit in silence for a second, no one looking at anyone else. I glance at Nix and see his cheeks turning silver. He looks like he wants the ground to open and swallow him.
Ryder glares at Nix.
“What the hell, man? What have you been doing with my sister?” he says accusingly.
“She’s out of her mind right now. She doesn’t know what she’s saying,” Nix reminds him. “Two seconds ago she was talking about yellow elephants, yet this, you choose to believe?” he says, growing angry.
“Nix, you better not be messing around with Parker,” RJ warns him.
“I’m not, but if I were, it wouldn’t be Ryder’s business. Or yours,” Nix replies.
“No, man. Two things you never do: date a guy’s sister or his ex,” RJ says.
Ryder swallows hard and looks away.
I frown. What is up with that? I think back to the weird tension between Ryder and Parker that always seems to come up when we talk about anything remotely related to dating. What isn’t he telling us?
The tension in the air is so thick I can almost taste it. Now isn’t the time for us to be fighting amongst ourselves.
Nix made a good point about Parker not knowing what she’s saying. It’s probably nothing, but even if something is going on between them, I can’t help but think that Nix is right about that too. Parker doesn’t seem like the sort of girl who would be bullied into dating someone she doesn’t want to, and it’s really no one else’s business.
“What were you saying about Lucas?” Dylann says.
I send her a silent thank you for getting the conversation back around to Lucas without it looking like it is all about me.
“He said he’s got it all under control and the Drin won’t get ahold of him again. I need to decide whether or not it’s safe for him to stay on the team.”
Nix squirms uncomfortably in his seat. He looks ready to say something, but then he closes his mouth and casts his eyes away from me.
“If you’ve got something to add, please do, Nix. I need your opinions on this.”
“I think he’s probably telling the truth about it being a one-off. He can’t be that into you because he’s always dating one girl or another. I think he’s moved on.”
That stings almost more than what Lucas said, because I know Nix has no reason to lie.
RJ snorts. “That’s bull, man. Just because you date a few girls here and there doesn’t mean you don’t have feelings for someone else. Trust me, I know. It’s like me with Sabrina. I’ve dated girls since we split up, naturally, but my heart’s never really been in it. Hell, when all of this started, I even called her, hoping to get back together with her, but I know that’s never going to happen. I could hear a guy’s voice in the background. It sounded vaguely familiar, but he was too far away for me to make out who he was.”
Ryder takes in a sharp breath. And that’s when I know. That’s what all the tension has been about with Parker, and it’s why he acts so weird when we talk about dating. Ryder is Sabrina’s mystery guy.
I discreetly poke him in the side of his thigh. He has to get a better handle on his reactions. Luckily, RJ is too intent on what he’s saying to notice.
“I would be willing to bet that there’s no chance for us now, but that doesn’t mean I can just turn it off.”
This isn’t helping. In truth, I wanted someone to say definitively one way or the other whether Lucas should join us. But of course, that would be way too easy. And now I can’t concentrate at all because of what I’ve just worked out about Ryder.
I decide to focus on that. I can deal with that one so much easier.
“Ryder, can I talk to you for a second please?” I say.
“Sure,” he agrees. He gets to his feet and heads for the door. I follow him.
We walk a bit down the hallway, and the second I hear the door closing behind us, I round on him.
“What the hell are you thinking?” I yell in an angry whisper.
“I know it’s wrong, but I can’t help it, Summit. I love her,” he says quietly.
I feel for him. It must be awful falling for your best friend’s girl. But I get it. If they both feel the same, they should give it a chance. Right?
“It’s really none of my business who you date or don’t date, but it is my business if tension between you and RJ gets one of you killed. You have to tell him, Ryder. If you’re honest with him, maybe he’ll understand. But if he finds out from someone else, chances are he’ll hate you forever.”
“I was going to say something, but in case you didn’t notice, we were a little busy—you know, being attacked, losing our parents to a big void, and well, I had homework!”
It takes all my willpower not to smile at the last part of his comment. I bite the inside of my cheek. It’s really not funny.
I glance towards the main door of the building as I try to think of a way to persuade Ryder that he has to come clean to RJ now. Today.
I spot a girl coming in. She is around my age, with long brown hair and soft brown eyes. I watch her for a second, marveling at her natural grace. There is something mesmerizing about her. She is beautiful, but she doesn’t seem to know it.
Her face breaks into a smile as she heads straight for us.
“Oh no,” Ryder says quietly.
I glance at him.
I know right away, but I don’t want to ask.
“That’s Sabrina,” he says like he read my mind.
“You told her to come before you told RJ the truth?” I ask.
This just keeps on getting better.
“No, I just told her where we were, I didn’t know she’d come.” Ryder leans in and whispers, “And she kind of thinks RJ already knows. In fact, I told her he took the news well.”
“You’re lying to your best friend and your girlfriend? Nice,” I answer, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
That’s when the door to Parker’s room opens and RJ hurries out, his face aglow. He looks by far the happiest I’ve ever seen him.
It’s as if the universe just wants this moment to keep on getting worse.
Ryder has spotted RJ as well, and for a moment, he looks stunned. It’s clear he has no idea what to say or do, and neither do I.
RJ hurries towards us.
Sabrina has just reached us. “Hi. I had to see you. I had to know you were okay.”
Somehow, RJ doesn’t pick up on any of what’s happening. I guess it’s true that love is blind. He embraces Sabrina.
“You came,” he gushes, still holding her.
Reluctantly, she reaches up and gives him a quick squeeze. She wriggles free.
“I left a message, but I didn’t think you’d come. When I saw you walking past the window, I thought maybe I was imagining it,” RJ goes on.
“I’m so glad you’re okay with this. Me being here,” Sabrina says to RJ.
“Of course I’m okay with it. I’m so happy you’re here. I’ve got loads to tell you,” he says, looking at her with an expression so filled with love and hope that it’s sad to see.
Sabrina glares at Ryder. I’m pretty sure she’s just figured out that he’s been lying to her about RJ knowing about them.
I glare at Ryder too. RJ is making a fool of himself, and Ryder could have stopped it all if he’d just been honest with his best friend. This whole thing is about to blow up, and I might have thought it was the easy option to deal with before, but I sure as hell don’t now.
Ryder glances back at me. He looks as lost as I feel. We exchange uneasy looks.
I’m momentarily saved from the situation as Anya calls my name from down the hall.
“Summit. You need to come and officially release Lucas from his duties to the team,” she reminds me.
I shrug helplessly at Ryder and head back to Lucas’s room. Lucas stares at me with a ferocious intensity that I can’t read, but it sends shivers down my spine. I can’t go in there right now.
“There’s something I have to do first,” I tell Anya. “Please tell Lucas I’ll be back later.”
I turn and walk away before anyone can stop me.
***
I didn’t have anything to do, I just had to get out of there. Away from Lucas and his piercing eyes, and away from Ryder and his girl drama.
I called Milo, but my call went to voicemail, so naturally, I’m doing what any sane person would do in my situation—getting really drunk really fast.
My first instinct was to hit the nearest bar, but I’m underage and I wasn’t in the mood to get turned away. Instead, I consulted GoQuo, a fantastic app that gives the location of the nearest dive bar that is kind of neutral territory.
It caters to angels, demons, and Quos, and it’s an unwritten rule that inside the bar, we’re all just there to get drunk, not to fight.
I love the Angel world in that moment. That is one cool app.
I reach the bar I’ve been sent to: Sally’s. The outside doesn’t look too bad. The way I’m feeling now, I don’t think I would care if it had a neon danger sign.
I push open the door and go in. I find myself wrapped up in layer of heat, engulfed by the smell of burning wood and sweat that only a dive bar seems to be able to produce.
The bar is dimly lit, and I can see some of the tables have groups of people huddled around them, deep in conversation. A group hangs around the pool table. Most of the bar’s clientele prop the bar up, drowning their sorrows.
The walls are covered with a dark wood paneling. An ancient jukebox sits against one of the walls beside an equally ancient dartboard. I watch, fascinated, as two demons play darts. When they make their shots, a piece of white chalk floats up into the air and writes down their scores.
I head for the bar. A girl around my age stands behind it, laughing with what I assume are her regulars and painting her nails. Behind her head, the range of spirits hang, but there are no signs of any brackets. The bottles simply float in place.
In the furthest corner, a Quo sits idly firing her power, which takes the form of a small orange ball, into the air. It floats down and she catches it and throws it up again. She is soon juggling with half a dozen small orange balls.
I get to the bar and position myself on a stool.
“What can I get you?” the bartender asks, putting her nail polish down.
“A tequila shot please,” I say.
“I think you’re in the wrong bar, honey,” she says.
She laughs, and a few of her regulars join her. They watch me as I peer at the bottles.
They all have the same label. White with the word Coy in thick black letters. Each has a different name underneath this. Desire. Black. Love. Joy.
Those are the ones that jump out at me, and I’m conscious of being watched. Joy sounds like a good option.
“I’ll take a Joy,” I say.
The bartender shrugs and clicks her fingers together. I watch as a shot glass positions itself under the optic and a shot fills it. It floats down in front of me. I fish in my pocket, hoping I have some money. I do.
I down the shot. It tastes better than I expected it to, and I ask for another.
“You’re Summit Case,” the bartender announces as I sink my fourth shot.
It’s good stuff. I feel happier already and there is a warm glow in my stomach.
“The one and only,” I respond, my words a little slurred.
The demons at the bar have stopped openly watching me. Instead, they crowd close and talk in whispered voices.
One of them breaks from the crowd and comes to my side.
“We’re moving on to somewhere a little livelier. Want to join us?”
Every instinct in me screams no.
“Okay. Can I get one more? Make it a double please.” I slam the last shot.
I get off the stool and stumble a little.
“Easy there,” the demon who approached me says, steadying me.
“Hey, Summit,” the bartender calls as I’m halfway to the door.
I turn back.
“You should stay here. It’s safer inside. Those guys aren’t exactly drinking buddy material.”
They glare at her.
I shrug. “I’ll take my chances. Thanks.”
I follow the group of demons outside.
As soon as we’re out of the bar, their demeanors change. They are no longer laughing joyfully or trying to befriend me. They are all business.
One of them grabs me.
“You should have listened to Georgie in there,” he says.
“In there, we behave. Out here? Not so much. We’re going to siphon out every little bit of those powers you’re so proud of.”
––––––––
I don’t know why he thinks I’m proud of my powers, but that’s hardly what I should be focusing on.
The fresh air has hit me like a brick, and I find myself swaying slightly. I clumsily try to push the demon away from me. He laughs and tightens his grip.
I stumble along, and they drag me into a dark alleyway.
Before I can even begin to think about what to do next, a huge figure steps out of the shadows. He is well over six feet tall. He has a mane of thick jet-black hair and the most piercing amber eyes I have ever seen. There’s something familiar about them. He holds a ball of blue flames in each hand. They burn furiously bright, seeming to dance in the shadows.
He glares at the demons, and they shrink back. The one who was holding me drops to his knees, not even bothering to hide how pathetic he looks.
“We didn’t mean any harm. Just having a bit of fun,” he says.
The others join him, their voices pathetic as they whimper and plead for their miserable little lives.
The giant doesn’t let them plead for long. He raises his hand and drops the orbs. They fly past me on either side and crash into the demons. Their pleas turn to screams of agony as they are engulfed in blue flames. These flames don’t fully engulf them right away, but burn slow and steady as the demons scream in pain.
I peer up at the giant.
“I’ve seen pictures of you,” I say thoughtfully, trying to remember where I’ve seen them.
I should be terrified of this being, but I find I’m not. Something about his eyes is strangely familiar. Comforting even.
“Who are you?” I slur.
“To everyone else, I’m the highest-ranking demon there is—I am the last Akon. They call me Rage. But you’re stumbling out of a bar instead of facing the crap that is happening in your life. And you’re making really bad choices. That makes us family. I’m your grandfather. C’mon, let’s go drink some more.”