MAX
A flowery archway greeted us as we entered Hall H. Glittering strings of lights glowed against the walls, and I assumed magic handled the lights floating in the air, like little lightning bugs.
“Your tickets, please?” a voice said on our right, and the three of us handed in our tickets. My feet were already screaming at me for purchasing these high heels. I guessed it was the reason ‘It’s painful to be beautiful’ existed.
“Eeek,” Amy’s hands moved so fast, mimicking her excitement. “Let’s go take a photo.”
Scar grabbed my wrist as she pulled me toward the portable photo stand that carried some sort of mystical forest theme. Probably something to fit with the Run.
Amy, Scar, and I posed—well, Scar and Amy did as I’d never found myself in a situation like this until now. The girls were so flamboyant and didn’t own a shy hair on their heads, whereas I was experiencing a lot of firsts.
“No, no, no. Redo,” Scar said and pulled me back. “Max, a smile, a funny face, anything other than looking as if you are going to run your legs off, wouldn’t kill you. Again.”
We posed for a second time, and I made a funny face as the flash blinded me.
Amy and Scar laughed.
“Photos will be available in two days with Mistress Visser. And may I say, you ladies look stunning.”
“Thank you.” Amy curtsied as heat crawled up my body.
Scar pulled me behind her, down the stairs, getting a better look at the ballroom. Round tables were stationed around the dance floor with a buffet on both sides. Students wearing gowns and tuxedos occupied the chairs at the tables with food in front of them, chatted or stood by the buffet, dishing up.
My gaze searched, and I hated that Liz was right. I had this weird fixation with the commander and wondered if he was here; I couldn’t see him.
I had to break whatever I was feeling for him and soon, too. It wasn’t healthy for me, as he would always disappoint me.
We found Cade, Will, and Simon.
Will whistled as Cade tapped over his heart. Simon was ever the gentleman and just smiled at his sister as he stared at her pink mini.
“I’m a girl. It’s time I dress like one too.”
“In a dress that is barely covering your ass?”
“It covers my butt. I’m just showing off the legs. Nothing wrong with it.” She tapped Si’s face. “Chill, bro. Enjoy the evening.”
We sat down as I felt like a flaming tortilla with the way the guys looked at us.
The three of them already had plates in front of them. “The kebabs are the best,” Will said, and Scar nicked one of his kebabs and slid a square piece of meat off the stick, popping it into her mouth.
“Hey, that’s mine.”
“You’re right, they are delicious,” Scar mumbled as her cheek was full of kebab.
I couldn’t stop staring at everything around me. A DJ booth sat on the stage and, at the moment, soft music came from the speakers. Banners hung from the roof. Half of them announced the Jewel Ball, the other half of them announced the Run.
Scar grabbed my arm as she passed my chair and pulled me off mine as we headed in the buffet’s direction.
My feet were protesting at once, complaining that they hadn’t had a proper rest.
I grabbed a plate and dished up some kebabs as well as a scoop of rice, some salad, and a drumstick.
Amy loaded her plate with carbs and meat, and Scar went for salad and kebabs.
We dug into our food and finally, around nine, Principal Williams walked onto the stage, all dressed up in a three-piece suit, wearing a mask covering half of his face. On his head was a similar bowler hat to Scar.
Principal Williams grabbed the microphone. “Welcome to this year’s Jewel Ball, and to the students who are going to take part in the Run in two days. We know you are all going to succeed and that the Shield is lucky to have each and every one of you as Selectives. Please, enjoy this evening.”
Everyone in this room applauded as Principal Williams bowed, pulled off his hat, and smoke covered him as he disappeared. The applause turned into cheers as the DJ’s voice boomed from the speakers. “Are you ready to party?”
Everyone screamed as I covered my ears. Drums and a loud intro filled the room.
Students jumped from their chairs and rushed to the dance floor. Scar was one of them, but she made sure that our entire table joined her.
I couldn’t dance for shit, but I tried to mimic Scar’s moves or the ones I was comfortable doing, as she was a dangerous dancer doing those bad-ass dips that only some women could do. Amy followed her, but I couldn’t. My legs would fail me, and I would fall on my face. So I just swayed, turned in circles, and bounced.
When a slow song came up, I headed back to the table as Will was nowhere to be seen, and Simon grabbed Scar while Cade and Amy danced.
Fingers grasped around my wrist, and I turned around to look at who it was. It was a guy, tall, who wore a really gothic kind of tuxedo. A black mask covered half of his face and only a pair of succulent lips stuck out from his mask. I chuckled as I knew it was Ben.
He bowed in front of me, lifting the hat to reveal his dirty blonde hair.
I curtsied, and a smile fanned on his lips. He took my hand gently in his and pulled me closer to him, moving on the spot.
I couldn’t help remembering what Scar and Amy had said at the beginning of this year, when we’d met all of them. He liked me. My stomach was doing these funny grumbling noises. I knew I wasn’t hungry.
I stepped on his toe. “Sorry, I am not a great dancer.”
“To be honest, I don’t care at the moment. You have any idea how beautiful you look tonight, Max?”
“That obvious that it’s me?”
“No, I have a thing for Cupid bow lips.”
Heat flushed my cheeks as I never thought my lips carried that Cupid bow. Liz had a Cupid bow.
“Smooth, Ben.”
He laughed. “The masks helps jack-shit.”
I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of my lips.
“Are you nervous about the Run?”
“A little. I mean, I don’t know what’s inside the Moore. Do you?”
“It doesn’t matter if I do. You won’t experience the same thing as me. Something tells me you will be okay. Your gift is the coolest of them all.”
“No. Will’s gift is the coolest.”
Ben laughed. He has a great laugh; my lips curved into a smile.
“So, what were you facing when you had to go through the Run?”
Ben’s touch against my back was warm. “It’s a huge illusion, so just remember that it’s not real, even if it feels real. The second you forget, that is when the Moore sucks you in and getting out is twenty times harder.”
“Can the illusions hurt you?”
He nodded. “Your mind makes it real.”
I got what he was saying. Everything was going to feel real, even if it wasn’t.
“Just a piece of advice. Don’t split up from the others.”
“Why are you telling me all this?”
“Because usually that is the first mistake everyone makes. I really would love to serve on the Shield with you one day.”
Something weird, like bubbles popping, happened in my stomach. What was he doing to me?
GABRIEL
We enjoyed our meal with plenty of the patrons that dined at the tavern tonight.
“So, Gabe, who is your most prized X-Gene-ist this year?” Red-beard asked. He was a dwarf and one hell of a drinker. Glad that I didn’t have to do the negotiations with him, but with a faun.
“That is for me to know and for me to shut my mouth about,” I replied, and the table laughed.
Ed’s lips curved as he cut into the half a boar that was slapped on his giant plate.
Alexis loved the fairy wine and kept putting the glass to her lips, taking another sip.
I leaned closer. “Ease up. I need you sober.”
She nodded and put the fairy wine down.
We carried on eating, listening to conversation around the table. How Barock chased a shadowed member from the Moore. The faun knew that the shadowed had something with him. He could sense it, and no matter how hard Barock had tried, he couldn’t penetrate this one’s mind. It was as if something protected it.
“Fucking witches, I tell you. They are the worst of the lot,” Red-beard added.
“Be careful, two of us are half witches,” I said.
“You are still only half, Gabe. You have another part that makes up for the hag inside of you.”
More laughter broke through, and Ed just shook his head and stared at Red-beard. My second-in-command was exceptionally quiet tonight.
“Did they take something?” Ed asked.
“Don’t know,” Barock answered. “The court is still investigating that case. They haven’t concluded yet, but I know the fucker took something. I could feel the Moore’s magic following the shite.”
I didn’t like the fact that the shadowed had no fear for the Moore. They were getting stronger each year, or that was what it felt like.
The dinner party was coming to an end. Barock got up from his chair. He lifted his glass. “To this year’s Run.”
We all lifted our glasses. “To this year’s Run.”
He sat back down on his chair and looked at the others. “Scoot.”
Everyone around the table that belonged to the Moore got up and left with grunts and insults, taking spots at different places in the tavern.
A thick file appeared out of the air and landed in front of Barock.
I hated the big files. “Tatiana, bring over the fairy wine and let’s get this over with.”
She brought jugs filled with fairy wine and new goblets and put them in the middle of the table as other servers cleared our plates.
“Food was delicious, thank you,” Ed told her.
“You are welcome, Commander.” She handed Barock his glasses, and he put them on before opening the file.
He went through the pure bloods first, ending with the djinns. He always wanted wish masters to join the Moore. Strengthening the illusion.
A year for the djinns and between five to seven months for the others. He took it and then we finally reached the hybrids. My head spun with Cade.
It was a tough one. He really wanted him.
“Why you want him?” I asked.
“A guy that can multiply. Who doesn’t want that? Our force will be the strongest it’s ever been. How many of himself can he produce?”
“Not a lot.” I always discovered how important my X-Gene Selectives were when sitting like this in front of Barock, negotiating their stay in the Moore.
“Gabe?” Barock spoke.
“If he doesn’t make it out of the Moore, five years.”
“Ten,” Barock said.
Ed looked at me. They never went that high that fast. Storm from last year was ten, and she was the last one in her group.
“Seven.”
“Deal.” He lifted his mug filled with Seelie wine. I didn’t enjoy playing with their lives like this, but we had no choice. It was something that had to be honored or otherwise they were going to pluck Selectives from the pure blood crowd.
I lifted the next glass of fairy wine and brought it to my lips. I hated the sweetness on my lips and the joyous feeling that came with it. A laugh washed from my mouth, and I shook it off and tried to focus.
Alexis chuckled.
“Gabe,” Edward sounded serious.
“I’m fine.” I pulled myself together and waited for Barock to tick off the next one.
“The snow and water wielder. We know they are twins. They come as a package.”
I growled. “Fine.”
Barock smiled. I hated the smug look on his face and wished I could mount his ass on my dorm wall.
“If they don’t make it, you can have them for a year.”
“You’re getting boring, Gabe.”
“What are you going to need them for, anyway?” My tongue suddenly tied.
“I have my uses for a pair like that.”
“One year.”
“Two.”
“Eleven months.”
Barock’s lips curved. “Fine, I’ll take the year.”
I grabbed the glass of fairy wine to seal this deal and chucked it back.
My head spun a little more. I needed to stay awake, otherwise the Moore would claim them all, even if they gave up.
“William Peterson.”
I huffed. Wrong about the fact that I’d thought he would leave him for last. He was going to leave Max and Scarlet for last. “What about him?”
“The guy can mimic abilities, no?”
I nodded.
“I want him to stay forever if he doesn’t make it.”
My gaze flickered at Barock. He never asked for that.
“Gabe,” Edward breathed.
“No,” I replied.
“C’mon, Gabriel. You’ve never given me one. Give me him.”
“They are hybrids with the X-Gene. It doesn’t work that way.”
“Fine, then twenty years.”
He was making me nervous. I shook my head.
“Fifteen years.”
I shook my head again. I needed him.
“Gabe,” Barock spoke.
“He can mimic anyone’s ability.”
“Exactly my point. Ten?”
“Five years. If he doesn’t make it, he stays five years.” I lifted my mug and drank more fairy wine before he could change that number.
My head turned like a vortex. Stay awake, Gabe. Two more, it’s all you have to do.
The air in the tavern was getting stuffier. Barock paged through his file, and a chuckle slipped from his lips as his glasses rested on the bridge of his nose. “Scarlet Flavion.”
I closed my eyes knowing that he’d kept Max for last. I didn’t like the queasiness around my chest. I opened my eyes and stared at Barock. “What about her?”
“She can see the future,” he stated.
“And?”
“She is technically part of the Seelie, and we want her back.”
I laughed. “She is half a witch and half vampire. She will make your life a living hell.”
“We’ll deal with her.”
“She isn’t Seelie.”
“Her gift says otherwise. Seeing the future is always something that belonged to the fae.”
“She is not seeing it great.” A hiccup slipped through my lips.
“We can help her see more than just a few seconds.”
How the fuck did they know? “No, she is a hybrid.”
Barock leaned closer. “Her ability says otherwise.”
“The fae won’t see it that way, and you know it.”
“I AM FAE!”
“No, you are a fae creature.”
His palm slammed on the table. “Twenty years.”
“Not a chance!”
Ed leaned forward in his seat, a tell that whatever was happening had put him on alert. Alexis shuffled like a nervous rat.
“Fifteen.”
“Seven months,” I countered.
Barock’s jaw muscle pumped. “Okay,” he said, and nodded at Tatiana. She placed a mug in front of me.
My body tingled as my second ability took over. I could sense there was something completely off with these negotiations. He’d said okay for Scarlet way too fast. He didn’t want seven months. The faun wanted them all.
I bumped the glass over. “Oops.”
Alexis and Ed jumped from their seats. Fire danced on Edward’s palm, and Alexis was ready to take us back.
Barock leaned back in his chair and laughed from his belly. “There was nothing but fairy wine in there, Gabe. I was just testing you, I swear.”
Ed and Alexis sat back down as Barock’s gaze lingered on me. Glad that I didn’t have to drink as foul play with mixing the fairy wine happened.
Barock came to the end of his file. I knew who it was. He wanted my bird. “Last one, Maxima Lane.”
“No,” I slurred.
“Gabe, we both know—”
“I said no, she is my bird.”
Alexis’ lips grew tighter as I felt Ed’s eyes on me.
I pointed my finger in Barock’s face. “I waited for her for a fucking long time.”
“I will not take no for an answer. I need her.”
“Stand in fucking line!”
“Gabe,” Barock tried.
“I said no!”
“Fifteen years.”
I laughed. “No.”
“Give me something!”
I tapped my chest. “Me. Three months if she doesn’t make it.”
All of them gasped as I struggled to stay awake.
Barock stared at me. “I don’t want you.”
My lips marched to my cheek. “You know that is a fucking lie.”
Silence lingered.
I lifted my fingers, showcasing one. “Going once, going twice.”
“Fine,” Barock said and lifted his glass. I could hardly pick up the new one that was placed in front of me, seeing three of him. I was so drunk.
I finally grabbed the handle and brought it to my lips, chucking down the fairy wine. It spilled down my lips and throat, messing up my uniform. I smacked the bottom of the mug hard on the table and a burp belched from my lips.
“Ed, read him the rules,” I mumbled, and Ed took out his parchment.
I dipped my head to my chest.
A hand tapped my cheek.
“Gabe,” Alexis said. “You need to stay awake.”
“I’m awake.”
“Fine, but there is one change. They can either use spells or abilities, not both. And only once,” Barock replied to one of the rules Ed had read him.
I bared my teeth at Barock. Planning to tell him that the Run was off, but Ed nodded.
“Then I give them one chance to get out. To sign for help and if they give up, they come back home. No years spent with you.”
Silence lingered as Barock stared at the table. He hated all of it. A growl slipped past his lips, and I laughed.
“Gabe,” Alexis hissed.
“It’s weak,” Barock said. “Proves nothing.”
“It’s not weak. It proves everything,” Ed said. “They would forfeit their place in the program. Those that refuse to give up, and the Moore claim, those you can have. The rules stay the same. If they decide to stick together, they stay together. The rest will stay as they are. If any of you interfere, it’s off.”
Barock took his time thinking, just staring at the table. “Deal, and if any of them harm one of us again, I claim them all.”
Silence lingered.
“Fine,” Ed said.
A tremendous sigh left his lips as his gaze flickered to mine. Or I assume they locked with mine as I was seeing three of the faun.
Barock got up. “Till next year, you bloody half-breed cunt.”
His hooves galloped on the floor. I laughed at how he hated me changing up the rules from last year and fell off my chair.