Zodiac Academy 3: The Reckoning

I STRODE ALONG THE glass tube which created the corridor in Aqua house, glancing above my head as a shoal of glimmering silver fish swam overhead. The sun was setting and the light which made it this deep into the lake was quickly diminishing. Soon it would be too dark to see the view through the glass structure and the calming sight of the creatures beneath the lake would be lost to me.

For a moment I considered shifting into my Order form and heading out for a swim to see if that might relax me. But I shrugged the idea off. What I really needed was an outlet for this anger, not a way to try and calm it.

After watching the damn Vegas ace their Fire Trial, I’d ended up with a face full of fucking frosting courtesy of Geraldine goddamn Grus. But because of the sneaky way she’d gone about setting that trap for me I hadn’t even been able to challenge her over it. It would have seemed weak to start throwing about accusations, especially while I was covered in cake. 

My Atlas started ringing in my pocket and I hooked it out, raising an eyebrow as my Dad’s name appeared on the caller ID.

“Hey, Dad. What’s going-”

“I don’t have time for pleasantries, Max,” Dad said quickly and I didn’t miss the excited tone to his voice. “The FIB have just apprehended a Nymph – a live Nymph!”

“Shit,” I breathed, falling still in the middle of the corridor as I gave him my full attention. I waved a hand quickly, forming a silencing bubble against any nosey fuckers who might be lurking nearby before I went on. “Are they interrogating it?”

“That’s why I’m calling you,” he said briskly. “They’re bringing it to the Court of Solaria now so that we can perform the interrogation ourselves. We’ve never had an opportunity like this before and the other Councillors agreed that we should handle the situation personally.”

“Is it safe?” I asked, unable to halt the creeping fear which slid through me at the idea of my dad getting close to one of those things. There was a good reason why they were never apprehended. A Nymph’s rattle could disable even the strongest Fae if they were close enough and one wrong move could lead to them getting their probes straight into your heart. It wasn’t worth the risk.

“That’s the genius part of it,” Dad said, barking a laugh as his excitement bled through the phone. He was just as powerful as me and even the tone of his voice could transfer emotions when he was hyped up. “Agent Sky came up with the idea to cut its fingers off before healing the stumps. No probes! It’s completely disarmed and primed for a safe interrogation.”

“That’s…wow. So you think you’ll be able to get some answers out of it then? Locations, numbers, plots?”

“Oh I’m confident of it. They’ll be transferring the captive here within the hour. And I convinced the other Councillors that it would be educational for you and the other Heirs to observe the interrogation.”

“No shit!” I cried, a grin biting into my cheeks.

“Yes shit,” Dad laughed. “So gather the other boys and get here as quick as you can. I take it Darius has stardust to hand?”

“Of course he does,” I joked. “When do you ever see a Dragon without a pocket full of it?”

Dad chuckled again. “I imagine Lionel would bathe in the stuff if it wouldn’t get lodged in his butt crack, just because he could.”

I snorted a laugh too. Dad always liked ribbing on the other Orders, laughing at their shows of power. We both knew that the only real power that counted was ours – if you could make people feel the same way as you then you never lost an argument. Of course, the Councillors and other Heirs were strong enough to combat our power so it didn’t make a difference to our relationships with them, but almost everyone else we met fell under our sway easily enough.

“I’ll call the guys now,” I said. “We’ll be there within the hour.”

“Good.” Dad hung up and I sent a quick message to the other Heirs telling them to get their asses here ASAP.

I dropped the silencing bubble and started jogging as I headed up to my room.

I opened the metal door and stepped into the huge glass dome which was my home here at Zodiac. The lake rose to the centre of the glass bubble, lapping around the middle so that my room was half submerged. I looked up at the darkening sky as the last rays of the sun painted it in streaks of russet. The moon hung low in the sky already, almost full and lighting a hunger in my flesh. The closer we drew to the Lunar Eclipse, the more the moon called to me. I was really looking forward to the party that would take place that night. Inhibitions went to hell during an Eclipse and Fae followed their most primal emotions. It was refreshing for me to see people acting on the emotions I could feel pouring from them rather than just trying to repress them all the time.

I touched my fingers to the glass wall of my room and created a layer of ice to grow over the orb, blocking the view of the lake and the sky to make sure we had privacy.

I stripped out of my clothes and found a grey suit in the back of my closet, changing into it swiftly. If we were seen at the Court of Solaria, no doubt our photographs would be taken to go with a fluff piece about us helping with the war effort in tomorrow’s papers. It was important we looked the part if we were spotted.

I moved to the mirror, pushing some product into my mohawk to flatten it a little then strapped on one of the watches from my top drawer, opting for a platinum piece to compliment the suit.

A knock came at the door and I opened it as Darius strolled in wearing a black suit with a grey shirt beneath it. He nodded to me, but his attention was on his Atlas as he listened to someone on the other end of it.

I spotted Caleb striding up the corridor outside and left the door open for him.

“Just trust me, Mother,” Darius said firmly. “I have it on good authority. And if I’m wrong and you spend a night in the mortal world for no reason then what difference does it make? It’s worth it to make sure Xavier isn’t at risk.”

I glanced at him, wondering why he might think his brother was in danger, but he’d taken a seat on the couch with his back to me.

I drew closer to him and a wave of concern swept over me followed by relief at whatever his mother was saying in response.

“Thank you,” Darius said, his shoulders sagging. “I’ll see you next week once it’s all over.”

He cut the call and I moved to perch on the arm of the couch as Caleb entered. He’d opted for a black suit too but the white shirt he wore with it was full of creases. He seemed distracted and he dropped onto my bed with a sigh; irritation flowed from him muddled with disappointment, frustration, a touch of rage… all in all I’d say that Tory Vega had done a number on him.

“Is everything alright with Xavier?” I asked Darius, opting to avoid the subject of Tory while the two of them were here. That girl was causing cracks in our group and I wasn’t sure that they’d heal until we got rid of her and her sister for good.

Darius let out a long breath and for a moment a flicker of fear came from him but he held it in check, clearly not wanting me to read into it.

“He’s just going through a few things at the moment. It’ll all resolve itself in time,” Darius said, obviously not wanting to go in to whatever it was.

I nodded, accepting his decision to keep whatever was bothering him to himself. Sometimes I worried that his secrets would catch up on him one day though. His father had done too good a job of teaching him to bottle things up but sometimes emotions needed an outlet beyond rage.

I shifted my gaze to Caleb and he noticed, leaning back on my pillows with his lips pursed.

“I don’t think I can keep seeing Tory,” he said darkly, more than a little anger pouring from him.

Darius sat up straighter in his chair, relief and excitement slipping from him. I caught his eye and he shrugged innocently, but not before I felt a touch of his lust too.

Yeah, we need this girl gone before the two of them come to blows over her.

“I thought you were going to keep things the same with her so that she didn’t catch on to the fact that we were coming for her?” I asked, though I’d known when Cal said that he’d have trouble doing it. The moment he realised he’d been screwing the girl responsible for making him a laughing stock, his anger had tainted the air all around him so strongly that I could taste it even when he left the room. It was more than that though, he was embarrassed too, knowing she was laughing at him and leading him on. Hell, it pissed me off enough and she hadn’t even done it to me.

“I know,” he muttered. “I just… I’m not going to be able to keep my temper in check if I’m hunting her. It’s hard enough not to be too rough with her when I’m not pissed at her. I don’t think I can control myself while I’m this angry and I could end up going too far.”

“So rough her up a bit,” I said with a shrug. “Maybe she’ll like it.”

Darius growled at me and I looked around at him in surprise as a wave of anger slammed right into me. Emotions always tasted more potent when they were aimed at me like that and for a second I felt exactly what it was like to have a Dragon point his rage at me.

“What if he ends up killing her?” he snapped like I was an idiot. “The law won’t protect him from murdering a royal.”

I scoffed and looked back at Caleb but I was surprised to find him nodding.

“I could,” he said darkly. “There’s a reason why the Vampire Code discourages us from indulging in the hunt. The bloodlust blinds me while I’m hunting and it’s…hard to rein it in sometimes.”

Darius growled again and I huffed at all the anger in the room.

The door opened and I looked up as Seth came in. He was wearing a black suit too and I groaned irritably.

“Should I get changed?” I asked. “You all look like you’re matching on purpose now.”

Darius rolled his eyes and shrugged out of his jacket. “Better? Now I look like I didn’t even bother dressing properly. The stories will be about that instead of focusing on your inability to match or the possibility that we’re conspiring to make you look like the odd one out in a grey suit.”

I smirked at him because it was better. I hated it when the press made comments about me like that, but Darius just let it all roll off of his back. And with my ability to read his emotions I knew he genuinely didn’t care about it, so I didn’t even have to feel bad about him taking the fall for me.

Seth moved to take a seat beside Darius, nuzzling into him despite the way Darius shifted back an inch to avoid him. It always amused me to watch Seth pushing his wolfy ways onto Darius and Caleb despite their Orders preferring their space. They tried to accommodate him as much as possible but their natures would always collide to some degree.

“So what were you talking about before I arrived?” Seth asked, his hand moving to Darius’s thigh.

I raised an eyebrow at him as I felt a touch of lust coming from him and Seth whimpered guiltily, taking his hand back before Darius could push it off.

“The moon is making me horny as fuck,” he complained. “And my pack still won’t come anywhere near me. I’ve got needs.”

“Tell me about it,” Darius complained. “All fucking week it’s been getting worse and the Eclipse isn’t until Monday.”

“Which makes it even harder for me to break things off with Tory,” Caleb moaned, falling back onto my pillows dramatically.

“What are you, a teenage girl?” I asked him, taking a pillow from the couch to toss at him. “Just find some other girl to screw.”

“It won’t be the same,” Caleb growled, pulling the pillow over his face. “She’s so fucking hot. She keeps surprising me and it makes me so hard I can’t-”

“Shut the fuck up about it,” Darius snapped, pushing himself out of his seat. “Keep screwing her or don’t. I don’t wanna fucking listen to any more talk about her or her goddamn sister.”

His anger pulsed through the room and I sighed heavily. I was gonna need a rage detox after spending a night in their company. Maybe I could find a Pegasus to screw when we got back from the interrogation; they always had happiness to spare. I wasn’t even sure why Caleb hated that rumour so much. Who didn’t like screwing a girl who smiled the whole time like you were doing her a favour with every thrust?

Seth got up too and moved closer to Darius with a whimper, reaching out to comfort him. Darius batted him away but Seth persisted, brushing his hands along his arms and whimpering like a kicked puppy every time he was rejected.

I swiped a hand over my eyes.

“Is your guard dog going to keep us waiting much longer?” I demanded, checking my watch.

“You know Lance.” Darius shrugged. “He’ll be late for his own funeral. But if I show up without him Father will be… disappointed.”

I pushed my tongue into my cheek. Yeah, disappointed enough to beat the shit out of his son no doubt. Darius had never told us what Lionel did to him, but we all knew. I’d felt the emotions coming from him after one too many run ins with his father and Cal had overheard Lionel screaming at Darius while kicking him until his ribs broke when we’d been at their house for a barbecue once. He’d tried to intervene but his mom had stopped him. When Darius had returned, he’d been healed like it had never happened and we’d tried to confront him about it. He hadn’t confirmed it or denied it. He’d just thanked us for giving a shit and told us not to worry about it. As if that was possible.

 Seth wrapped his arms around Darius who growled in response. He didn’t appreciate us feeling sorry for him and I was pretty sure it would only be another moment before-

Darius shoved Seth off of him and he fell back onto the couch with a whine.

“I’m not a hugger, Seth,” Darius snapped. “How many goddamn times do I have to tell you?”

Seth whimpered again. “I know, I know. But you look like you need one and I’m sleeping on my own. My pack should be huddled all around me but I’m in that bed with no one to snuggle and I need to snuggle!”

Darius rolled his eyes and I snorted a laugh, slipping down beside Seth and pulling him under my arm. He released a groan that was damn near sexual as he folded his arms around me, nuzzling into my chest. The relief that poured from him coated the back of my tongue and my gut twisted as I felt a sharp twist of pain coming from him. He was hurting. This separation from his pack wasn’t healthy for him.

“Come and sleep here tonight,” I offered, needing to make him feel better. His pain hurt me too and I couldn’t just leave it alone. “You can be the big spoon.”

“Really?” Seth asked excitedly, peering up at me like I’d just promised him the moon. “You promise?”

“Fuck knows why, but yeah.” A smile tugged at my lips as I felt just how happy that made him and he swiped his tongue straight up my cheek.

Caleb laughed at us and my smile widened as I felt him pushing some of his anger aside in favour of amusement.

“If you’re starting on an orgy I might just wait outside until you’re done,” Orion’s voice came from the door and I twisted in my seat to look at him.

A torrent of relief and happiness spilled from Darius as his special buddy arrived and he strode straight across the room to meet him, pulling him into a tight embrace. They stayed locked together for several long seconds and Orion ran his hand up and down Darius’s back. The emotions coming from them were so strong that I could hardly feel the twist of jealousy I usually got when I saw them together. 

The four of us were as close as four brothers but Darius had this special relationship with Orion that didn’t include us. It was kinda sad how it made me feel like a jealous little bitch but there it was. The one thing a Siren had to do was own their own emotions and I couldn’t really deny it. When Orion was around, Darius dropped us like sacks of shit. Okay, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration but it felt that way sometimes. And I knew neither of them had chosen to undergo the Guardian bond so I didn’t even have the right to feel the way I did. But I couldn’t help it. And neither could Cal and Seth.

Seth started howling loudly as Orion and Darius kept hold of each other.

“I thought you didn’t like hugging,” he growled when he couldn’t take it anymore.

Caleb laughed and I joined in as Darius finally stepped back.

“Well maybe I just don’t like hugging you,” he teased, pulling a pouch of stardust from his pocket.

A stab of hurt came from Seth and I frowned.

“Don’t be a dick, Darius,” I snapped, squeezing Seth tighter.

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Darius muttered. “Come here then, puppy.”

Seth bounded out of the chair and leapt on Darius like he’d just declared his undying love for him instead of offering a consolation hug. He jumped into Darius’s arms and knocked him back onto the bed where they fell on top of Cal who got dragged into the hug too.

I laughed as the mood in the room switched dramatically and amusement, happiness and friendship filled the air. I got up and dove on top of them as well, earning myself more licks from Seth as he alternated between all of us.

“Come on, Orion,” Seth called excitedly. “You can join my honorary pack for the night.”

“Not a fucking chance,” Orion replied, folding his arms as he stayed well away from us where we were all tangled on the bed.

Darius laughed as he got up, offering me a hand to help me up too. Seth pinned Caleb down and licked him straight up the centre of his face and he spluttered as he shoved him off.

“We’re going to be late at this rate,” Orion said casually and we all looked at him in disbelief as we moved closer together.

Darius tossed the stardust over us and the next second we were floating through the stars, the room melting away from us as we shifted through the world in little less than the space between heartbeats.

My feet hit the ground and I looked around at the others as they appeared too.

Cameras started flashing instantly as the paparazzi spotted us and I heard my name mixed with the others’ as the reporters tried to snag our attention for a comment.

Orion darted away from us straight into the building as we turned and posed for a few photos to keep them happy.

“We don’t have any comments to make at this time,” Darius called and we headed into the Court of Solaria before they had much chance to protest.

The moment we walked through the huge rotating doors, my father’s P.A., Cressida, descended on us. Her platinum blonde braids were pulled back into a high ponytail and her full lips pressed into a thin line which was the only indication she gave of being irritated that we were late.

“Here you are!” she gushed. “They just brought the Nymph in. Your parents are already waiting in the interrogation room.”

We followed her further into the building, passing several security doors and more FIB agents in their black uniforms than usually filled the halls around here. I guessed it was a precaution with the war taking place but all the tension surrounding us made me uneasy.

We headed up a dark staircase and Cressida led us into an observation room beside a pane of one-way glass so that we’d be hidden from the Nymph. The interrogation room beyond the window was still empty, its white walls gleaming expectantly as it awaited the prisoner.

The Councillors looked up as we entered the room and we all moved forward to greet our parents.

Dad smiled widely as he saw me, his excitement infectious as he drew me into an embrace.

“Have you gotten taller?” he teased, straightening his spine as we stood eye to eye.

“You saw me a few days ago,” I replied, shaking my head at the tired joke.

Seth and Cal were both grinning at their moms as they greeted them too but Darius and Orion only exchanged a curt greeting with Lionel.

I extended my senses towards the Fire Councillor, wondering if I should be concerned for Darius tonight but I only detected the faintest hint of disappointment from his father. He was one of the strangest people I’d ever read. Whenever I got near him it was like he was void of emotion. A blank canvas. Either he kept himself in complete control or he was some kind of path. Sociopath, psychopath… both. I certainly didn’t envy Darius his life with him whatever he was.

My dad noticed my attention swivelling to my friend and his father and led me over to join them, picking up on my concern. I’d spoken to him about Lionel once but there was nothing he or the other Councillors could do about him. To challenge him would be to challenge the Celestial Council itself. And Solaria couldn’t afford the unrest that would cause, especially with the Nymphs circling ever closer and the Vega Heirs reappearing.

“Nice to see you, Professor Orion,” Dad said, offering his hand.

Orion shook it briefly, his emotions in control too, though his discomfort spilled out a little. He didn’t like being read by Sirens. But we were fairly used to that reaction.

“You too, Lord Rigel,” Orion agreed.

“I suppose you’ll have your hands full with the Lunar Eclipse on Monday,” Dad joked. “I wouldn’t fancy the challenge of trying to wrangle a school full of randy teenagers with the moon working against me!”

“Gah! Dad!” I complained, scrunching my face up in disgust.

“Oh come on,” Caleb’s mom, Melinda, piped up. “You boys are practically adults now. We all feel the urges of the moon when the Eclipse comes.”

Lionel laughed darkly, his gaze sweeping over Melinda in her tight fitting dress as a hint of lust leaked from him.

Christ, I’m going to be sick.

“That we do,” Lionel agreed.

Caleb visibly shuddered. “No you don’t, Mom,” he snapped. “I don’t want to even hear a suggestion that you do!”

Melinda laughed. “Well you should. You’re Eclipse-conceived after all.”

“Fuck! Don’t tell me that!” Caleb covered his ears and the Councillors all laughed like it was hilarious.

“Actually, Cally, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about this,” Melinda added. “Your father and I have decided it’s best you come home for the night on Monday. Vampires feel the bloodlust too keenly during the Eclipse and it’s not worth risking any…incidents.”

Seth snorted loudly and his Mom, Antonia, nudged him in a way that wasn’t really reprimanding but was obviously meant to be seen that way.

“I can control myself,” Caleb complained. “I don’t need to go home like a-”

“I’m sure Professor Orion can attest to the difficulty of controlling his nature during an Eclipse?” Melinda asked, casting her gaze on Orion so he was forced to respond.

“It can be…a challenge,” he agreed slowly.

“I bet it can,” Antonia murmured, running her eyes over him.

“Mom!” Seth barked. “The Eclipse isn’t for two days for the stars’ sake!”

“See, Cally? A challenge. Your own professor admits it. So you’re coming home to make sure you don’t kill anyone and cause a scandal.”

“But Mom-” Caleb began just as the door opened in the interrogation room.

We all looked around and silence descended like a cloud over all of us as the Nymph was dragged into the room.

My eyes widened as I took it in. I’d seen a few Nymphs in their true form before, but that had been in the midst of battle or after they were already dead. The nightmare before me sent ice sliding through my veins.

It was over a foot taller than the four FIB agents who dragged it into the room. Its skin was rough like the bark of a tree and thorny horns extended from its skull. Its eyes were black like the Shadow Realm it was born from and its face was a picture of horror.

The creature’s arms were bound behind its back with chains of fire but as it was thrown to the ground, it turned and my stomach clenched as I spotted the stumps where its fingers should have been. The wounds had been healed to stop any bleeding but the thought of what had been done to them made me clench my own hands into fists defensively.

Excitement built around me and the four Councillors filed from the room, leaving us to watch as they headed in to start the interrogation. Dad clapped me on the shoulder as he went, obviously noticing my concern and I gave him a tight smile as he headed off to join our enemy in that room.

The FIB agents left as our parents entered and the Nymph moved up onto its knees as it was surrounded.

Seth whimpered softly as his mom drew close to the creature, brushing his shoulder against mine for reassurance.

Dad had shed his suit jacket on the way into the room and he slowly rolled his sleeves back as Antonia stalked towards the Nymph first.

Lionel and Melinda stood back, watching as the Nymph raised its head to survey them with its black eyes.

“We need information which you have,” Seth’s mom said, stopping in front of it. “And we will get it from you before you die. It’s up to you how difficult that is.”

“The shadows will welcome me back for dying a warrior’s death,” the Nymph growled, its voice guttural and low. “I do not fear pain or death.”

Antonia flexed her hand and the Nymph was thrown back against the wall with a blast of air. Its head collided with the white tiles and blood splattered across them at the impact.

My father moved to her side and water shot from his palm, slamming into the creature before creating an orb around its head. The Nymph started thrashing as it fought for air and Dad’s jaw clenched as he held the magic in place until it started convulsing.

The water cascaded to the floor before the creature could lose consciousness and Antonia started weaving air through her fingers again.

“Tell us where your forces are massing,” she demanded.

The Nymph glared up at her and took in a deep breath, a loud rattle filling the air.

I sucked in a sharp breath as Antonia and my dad dropped to their knees under the influence of the creature’s power.

Seth caught my arm, a howl leaving his lips as he cried out to his mother.

Melinda and Lionel staggered as its power hit them too but Lionel snarled as he stepped forward.

Cries went up from the corridor as FIB agents called out for backup and the five of us moved so close to the glass that we were practically pressed against it.

“Tell us!” Lionel yelled, a roar escaping him as he managed to run at the Nymph despite the heavy rattle of its power filling the room.

My own knees were growing weak as it wielded its dark magic and my dad clutched his chest like he could hardly breathe.

Smoke slid between Lionel’s lips as he called on the Dragon beneath his flesh for power and threw his fist into the Nymph’s face.

Blood flew and he yelled out as he hit it again, his powerful frame brimming with rage as he threw his fists like hammers into the Nymph’s face.

On the fourth blow, the rattle was cut off and the Nymph was knocked to the ground.

Lionel didn’t stop. He was screaming at it, demanding the information he wanted while kicking and punching, more and more blood spilling over the white tiles as he lost control.

Dad got to his feet, drawing Antonia back instead of moving towards Darius’s father.

“Lionel, stop!” Melinda demanded but he just kept kicking and kicking until the Nymph wasn’t moving at all.

Silence fell heavily among everyone and I dragged in a long breath.

“He just…killed it,” Caleb breathed, a frown gripping his features. “Now we won’t get any information from it.”

“It was too powerful,” I growled. “Even without its probes it just disabled some of the most powerful Fae in Solaria.” I knew we needed the information that creature had held, but I couldn’t get the image of my dad on his knees out of my mind. I was glad it was dead.

“That monster never would have talked,” Seth said in a low voice. “The only thing they deserve is death.”

“Well, it makes a change to see him turning that rage on someone who deserves it for once,” Orion muttered. 

“Kinda looked like he went easy on it to me,” Darius replied darkly.

I turned to look at him with a frown, wondering if he’d really had to endure that level of anger at his father’s hands. One look at his face gave me my answer and I shifted uncomfortably as I gazed back into the room where blood was steadily spreading across the ground.

I reached out with my power, pushing through the glass and focusing on Lionel Acrux. His face was fixed in a mask of anger and disappointment but as I pressed a little harder with my power, I found the truth of what he was feeling beneath the mask.

Joy. Exhilaration. Relief.

And that might have been the most terrifying thing I’d experienced all night.