Page 18

18

PANDORA

T omorrow was the day we would sabotage Dark Veil’s ritual site.

Steam swirled around me as hot water cascaded down my skin, muffling everything else outside the glass shower door. The rhythmic patter of water filled the space, a soothing hum that mimicked rain.

It was the first day that I would fight back against the cult that made my life an absolute horror for so long. Specifically, we would sabotage the ritual site on Gleaming Gulf’s shores with the supernatural agents, and I couldn’t wait. There was a charge of vengeance in the air that had been there all day. I wanted to destroy something they cared about for a change.

They deserved to have their entire cult burned to the ground.

A flicker of unease brushed against me like a cold draft, even though the shower door was sealed shut. The sensation was subtle, but there was a prickling at the nape of my neck.

Panic tightened in my chest. I turned my head slightly, eyes flicking toward the fogged-up glass.

Nothing.

Just the blurred outlines of the bathroom.

It was probably Dex spying on me again. It wouldn’t be the first time, but he rarely watched me when I was naked. Just the surrounding area.

I exhaled slowly, shaking off the ridiculous feeling. It was just the vulnerability of being naked and enclosed. My senses were dulled by warmth and water. There was a drake scale warding the academy now. Even with the loophole regarding the ward, I was safe. My mates were in the next room, and I could drop anyone that threatened me.

My mind latched back onto what was happening tomorrow. Everything else faded as I was consumed by my thoughts again, the echo of that odd feeling slipping away with the mist.

The bathroom was thick with steam as I opened the glass shower door with water droplets clinging to my body. The cooler air kissed my damp skin, making me shiver.

Shouts came from the bedroom, making my brows furrow, but I stepped onto the stone floor to reach for the towel. Just as my fingertips grazed the soft fabric, a deafening crack shattered through the room.

The door exploded inward, the frame splintering, chunks of wood scattering across the floor.

My breath caught in my throat as I froze.

Chaos, Bram’s imposing black spectral wolf manifestation with red eyes, broke through the door, tackling me to the ground.

I fell back, half-inside, half-outside, of the shower. Chaos covered me with his gigantic form, as if hiding me from sight.

“Chaos?” I rasped.

Chaos magic rippled through Bram’s mark as Demo manifested and lowered her ears as she growled lowly at the corner of the shower.

“Demo?” I glanced toward the corner she was growling at, but there was nothing. That spot even lacked steam.

How was that even possible?

That couldn’t be good.

My pulse thundered in my ears as my mind struggled to catch up with exactly what was happening.

“Chaos!” Bram snarled, barreling through the broken door. “What are you doing?”

My mates piled into the bathroom right behind him.

“What the Fates is wrong with Chaos?” Skel muttered, gesturing to the scene before him. “She’s showering, dude!”

“I have no idea, I swear!” Bram defended himself.

“Fates, trouble, are you okay?” Dex asked, panic rising in his tone. “Clearly, I need to start watching you shower.”

“You mean you weren’t?” I frowned.

“No,” he denied with a pout. “But I will if you don’t mind it.”

“He’s been with us in the other room,” Hunter told me as he grabbed the towel and wrapped it around me strategically, as Chaos wouldn’t move.

“Oh.”

The chaos manifestations turned their heads toward the opened door before Chaos carefully got off me and stalked into the bedroom, with Demo following behind him.

“Why do you ask?” Reed asked as he and Hunter helped me to my feet.

“I feel like I’m being watched,” I muttered as Skel came back in with a nightgown in hand.

“What do you mean?” Dex growled lowly, his tail flicking behind him.

“I can’t explain it,” I rasped.

“Try, princess,” Skel murmured, slowly releasing the towel from my grip and letting it drop to my feet. Then, he slipped the nightgown over my head. The silky fabric slid against my skin as it fell into place.

“I don’t know where to start with it all,” I admitted, glancing down at my feet.

“Start at the beginning, dream girl. We’re here for you, and we want to help make you feel safe.” Reed grabbed the towel and started soaking up the water from my hair until it was more damp than wet.

“We don’t want you to be hurt, and if you’re feeling like you’re being watched, I wouldn’t put it past Dark Veil to be watching you,” Hunter told me, his white eyes shining with raw concern. “Why don’t we go sit down and talk more about it?”

I nodded as they ushered me into the bedroom. Chaos and Demo were lounging on our bed, and Chaos took up almost all of the extra large mattress.

“What’s going on with you lately?” I bit back a giggle and plopped down next to Chaos, rubbing his belly.

“My guess is that Bram just wanted to see you naked,” Skel teased, sitting down next to me.

Comet meowed at him, climbing into his lap and flicking her tail at the chaos manifestations like they annoyed her.

“I know, Comet, but they’ll de-manifest soon.” Skel chuckled, petting her.

Gumdrop rolled his eyes as he stared at us from the tank.

“You good, buddy?” Reed asked.

Gumdrop frowned, staring at Bram.

“Don’t glare at me.” Bram grabbed an earthworm out of some container and dropped it in for Gumdrop, who absolutely loved it and gave Bram a smile. “There you go,” he murmured.

Gumdrop no longer looked at Bram with disdain. Instead, he looked at him with excitement.

“Keeping up the bribery, huh?” Reed chuckled.

Bram blushed. “I just wanted him to like me.”

“Well, it definitely worked,” Dex commented, sliding next to me and putting his head in my lap.

Nebula manifested, and his disembodied voice rang out around us. “The chaos manifestations are sensing something. How many times have they alerted? Don’t let your guard down when they act like that. Regular animals can sense magic, but magical manifestations of animals are even more sensitive.”

“What do you mean by that?” Bram asked, his voice strained. “Do you mean they’re possibly sensing someone watching Pandora?”

He sighed as if the question was ridiculous. “ Yes, clearly . That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

“It must be dark magic somehow,” Dex muttered bitterly as I ran my fingers through his white-blond strands.

“It’s not,” Nebula hissed, and he sounded certain, though. “I can sense that much, but be aware. I’m sure the alcohol showing up randomly is probably part of this.”

“If not dark magic, what is it?” Bram asked with a scowl.

“More like who,” Nebula muttered.

“I don’t like that,” Bram said.

“I don’t like it either,” I murmured.

“Just because it’s not dark magic, doesn’t mean it’s not a cult member,” Nebula added.

“We’re hitting Dark Veil tomorrow, and I’m not letting anything stop us,” I rasped.

Dex let out a disgruntled sound as he clicked his tongue ring against his top teeth.

“I get why you want to do this, and I feel the need for vengeance in your soul,” Hunter started, running a hand through his dark blond hair. “But I’m still so worried about you, starlight.”

“I am too,” Skel murmured. “If there is someone watching us, wouldn’t they know of our plans? What if it’s all a trap?”

“Maybe Chaos and Demo are just nervous about tomorrow. It could be all our nervous energy,” Bram mumbled, but the tightness around his eyes told me he didn’t believe that one bit.

“Part of me wishes we didn’t have to put you in danger like this.” Skel’s voice broke, and he ran a hand through his black and white strands. “When I saw Hunter’s fear illusion of you chained in that damned cellar, after Dark Veil took you and Dex... I just can’t bring myself to want you to be near that cult again.”

“I share that sentiment.” Hunter swallowed hard.

“I think we all do,” Dex whispered, his eyes fluttering shut as I continued raking my nails over his scalp.

“Don’t forget what Dark Veil has done.” I squeezed my eyes closed for a moment, flashes of my memories flooding my head. “They’ve tried to kill all of us countless times. Sybil was responsible for Skel’s leaking magic. She tried to infect Reed and forced his mother into the cult, turning her against her own son. Hunter and Bram were stabbed. Dex was decapitated, and his sister was murdered. My confinement and torture was also due to the cult. Jenni’s dad was killed by them. They’ve done so much more,” I choked out, opening my eyes and meeting each of my mates. “I’m done letting them hurt us and others. We have to make them pay for all they’ve done.”

“You’re right,” Dex mumbled, his eyes cracked open to meet mine. “They need to pay.”

“And we need vengeance,” Hunter agreed.

“I know,” Skel agreed with a frown. “I just wish Pandora wouldn’t be in danger to do it.”

“She’s strong.” Reed’s violet gaze pierced mine. “She can do this.”

“I’m so proud of you, Pandora,” Nebula hissed. “You must trust your own magic. The Fates gave you this power for a reason.”

“I promise I will.” I yawned as exhaustion settled over me, but something caught my eye.

Sitting on the dresser, barely visible in the dim lighting of the room, was my ring—the one Dad gave me that had gone missing.

My blood ran cold.

“What’s wrong?” the five of them asked, feeling my unease through our bonds.

Dex sat up, scanning me with an intense look.

I pushed off the bed to walk over to it with slow, deliberate steps. “My ring.”

“The one you lost?” Hunter asked.

“Yeah.” I reached for it, and my fingers barely brushed the metal before dark magic surged through it. I yanked my hand away and choked on a gasp. “It’s infected.”

“How?” Skel asked.

“I don’t know, but it won’t be for long.” I called on my power, letting my smoke escape my lips and surround the ring, eating away at the dark magic that swirled inside of it.

It writhed and twisted, resisting being consumed by my magic. But I pushed, purging it forcefully until the only magic inside the ring was the enchantment meant for it. My stomach heaved as my power slunk back into me, but I kept it down.

I picked the ring up, staring down at the now-cleansed ring. “There.”

“Wait,” Reed murmured. “Why the Fates was it here?”

“It wasn’t ,” Dex growled.

“Could it have been misplaced?” Bram suggested weakly.

I turned the ring over in my fingers, my brows furrowing. “No. It wouldn’t have been here if I had. It shouldn’t have been infected, either.”

“Which means...” Skel trailed off.

Hunter raked a hand down his face. “It wasn’t misplaced. It was stolen and brought back.”

Everyone in the room tensed.

“By the same person leaving alcohol for Bram,” I muttered bitterly.

“But who?” Dex asked. “Dark Veil? They aren’t trying to infect Pandora anymore, and what would enticing Bram to drink do?”

“Maybe they’re changing tactics,” I mumbled. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Whatever it is, I don’t fucking like it,” Dex seethed.

“None of us do,” Hunter agreed. “But Pandora needs to stop grabbing dark magic things.”

“I agree with that,” Dex said.

“You know I can handle dark magic, though,” I grumbled, crossing my arms.

“Aw, she’s cute when she’s being a brat,” Bram commented.

I gasped.

“You are,” Skel agreed. “It’s hot.”

Reed nodded. “True, but to double back a second…even though you can handle dark magic doesn’t mean you should.”

“Sorry,” I murmured.

“Don’t apologize.” Dex put a finger under my chin and lifted my head. “Just stay safe for us.”

Dread pooled in my gut along with the dead dark magic. I knew I had a chance to take revenge tomorrow, and I would do everything in my power to mess up anything Dark Veil had planned.