Page 30 of Ever Dark Academy, Vol. 3

Doppelganger

“ G rayson, what is it? What’s wrong?” Rachel asked, touching his forearm, as she noticed his distress.

His power sparked and she jerked back as if caught by an electric surge.

Confusion reigned in her brown eyes as she cradled her hand to her chest. He was trying to reel himself in while at the same time track the Sect member whose mind he had touched.

But he’d lost their mind in the sheer shock of finding it and Rachel’s revelations.

That last bit had him gritting his teeth.

This was proof that he needed to dump Grayson’s memories and feelings into the memory bin. They were impacting his work!

“Rachel, I can’t deal with this now,” Grayson said as he tried to shake the young woman off.

“Grayson, I know this is a shock. When your mom found out you were here, she couldn’t believe it either,” Rachel prattled on. “Not that she’d given up hope of finding you, but in the Ever Dark? She couldn’t believe it!”

He ignored her words or tried to. His eyes scanned the crowd where he had felt the Sect member, but it was too dark.

There were too many people. No one was looking suspicious.

In fact, they were all laughing and drinking, dancing and fucking, having a time they would never forget and might not remember.

Any single one of them could be the Sect member and he was alone down here without any backup.

Had he made the same mistake again that he had with Kaly?

No, they don’t know who I am. And I’m not alone, Grayson thought then sent, Balthazar, there’s a Sect member in the basement. North side.

Can you see them? Who is it? Show me their face? Balthazar insisted.

I can’t see them. I just felt them for a second, Grayson explained, leaving off the reason why he had lost track of them. Balthazar likely knew or could know if he wanted to. I need to find them again. And once I do, we need them to be taken out of here.

Help is on the way! Balthazar answered.

Tell Ryder–

“Grayson, you have to deal with this sometime,” Rachel interrupted his mental conversation by gently touching his chin.

He whipped his head around to look at her, not knowing what she had been saying for likely a few minutes. He blinked, feeling like an owl thrust into the light. But he realized she must still be going on about his denial of wanting to discuss his mother.

“Rachel, that’s not what I meant,” Grayson said, actually trying to physically fend her off by holding up his hands. He had to find that Sect member!

But she kept a hold of him. “Your mother was devastated by what happened–”

“By my stepfather meeting justice?” he growled, knowing it was the wrong thing to say.

He was practically admitting his guilt. Damnit, he would need Balthazar or another Eyros to deal with her memory. His emotions roiled. The young man who had felt abandoned and betrayed rose to the surface so easily and the great Immortal general fell.

“What? No, by losing you!” Rachel looked honestly shocked he would think of anything else. “Grayson, she’s been looking for you since you disappeared. She’s never forgotten you. Not for one minute. You have to believe me!”

“Believe you?” He actually laughed.

She jerked at the ugly sound. “I’m telling the truth. Please believe that.”

“I don’t have to. I can know whether you’re telling the truth or not. Even whether she is. We have people who can read minds here, don’t you remember?” Grayson stated coldly, reaching for his Ashyr self and shoving Grayson down into the depths.

How badly will I feel if someone dies because I’m mourning my mother’s lost love? Grayson snarled at himself. Get it together! This can wait!

“Rachel, I have to go–”

“Promise you’ll talk to me later. I’ll undergo whatever tests you want. I’m telling the truth and so is your mom,” Rachel said.

“Fine. But later!” he promised, not sure if he meant it, but telling himself he didn’t care either way. “Now leave me!”

He pushed her away, using a little of his gift, which caused her to totter on her heels, but she righted herself. Guilt that he’d shoved her flooded him for a moment. She was so small and fragile and he’d just…

I can apologize later. I have to deal with this now. It’s life or death.

If he’d been fully Ashyr he would not have lost his temper or been so careless. Another nail in Grayson’s coffin. He turned and swept the crowd with his power. No Sect members close. He started walking.

He extended his hands by his sides six inches, fingers spread wide, and moved to the dance floor where bubbles fell from the ceiling like rain.

Suds gathered around people’s feet. He saw a girl put a dollop of suds on a Mirryr Vampire’s nose.

Or, at least, where a nose should be. He had to reel his power in when he realized that people were jumping up in the air like popping corn as they were squeezed recognizably, but could not tell the reason for it.

“Grayson!” Mairead called.

She had bubbles in her hair and her shoes were missing. In her other hand was a flute of champagne. She grasped his arm to steady herself. He was already trying to wave her off, but she was Mairead. She stayed exactly where she was.

“Someone just goosed me!” Mairead looked around hopefully for a suitor, but since it had been him there was no one to find. “Are you joining Eiji and me for a dance? He’s already the star of the show!”

She pointed and he saw that Eiji was in the center of the dance floor surrounded by Mirryr Vampires and students.

They were all dancing together. He was smiling so broadly and his cheeks were so pink that Grayson wondered if the old man would be one of those ones not remembering this very good time.

“I have to go, Mairead,” he said.

“Go? What? You’ve just got here! Tell me you’re not leaving the party like Amara?” Mairead rolled her eyes at their other roommate’s name.

“No, I–”

“Is Ryder here? That very hot Weryn Vampire? Are you meeting him?” Mairead asked.

“Ryder is–”

Ryder is in the back stairs, Grayson , Balthazar said. Straight ahead of you past the bar. He says he smells Legion!

Legion? The War Childe? Grayson asked. Legion would be a good candidate for the Sect of Dawn now that I’m thinking of it.

More than. He hates Immortals. Hates Daemon. Probably hates himself, Balthazar said.

What does he look like?

I have no idea!

But you said Ryder–

Smelt him! You’ll have to ask your lover about that. But Ryder doesn’t remember what Legion looks like. Not even sure if it's a he, she or they so there we are! Balthazar explained. Don’t you know?

They were made after my Second Death, Balthazar, remember? I was the first to go.

Oh, yes, of course! I’m an idiot! It’s just that you remember things–

What about Caemorn or Fiona? Grayson interrupted.

If we met them, none of us recall , Balthazar sounded slightly guilty.

Not remembering his past as Eyros had not necessarily been a bad thing for him until now. But now they needed those memories and they weren’t accessible.

“Grayson? Earth to Grayson?” Mairead waved a hand in front of his eyes. He snapped back and blinked at her. “And here I thought I was drunk!”

“You’re definitely drunk. And you’re right that I’m meeting up with Ryder. What can I say? I can’t keep away from him!” Grayson said as he removed her hand from his arm. “Go and dance. Have a good time. You need to put yourself out there.”

She spread her hands and laughed. “I’m Mairead, Grayson. I’m out there already.”

He laughed, but any mirth quickly died as he turned and practically ran from the dance floor. If he stayed any longer, she’d keep him there and the Sect member could already be up the stairs and gone.

Using his powers, he checked the whole of the room as he made his way to the back stairs.

Just because the Sect member had been near there–or if they were Legion going up them–didn’t mean that they couldn’t have come back down.

If Ryder was within sniffing distance then they must be nearby. But that was both good and bad.

Balthazar, tell Ryder not to act worried if he sees me. Everything is fine. He’s just here as a chaperone. There’s no danger, Grayson said as he started up the stairs. This is just one of the Sect’s missions and there could be other Sect members here. If we reveal we know their plan–

Do you know your lover at all? He’s practically frothing, but he’ll keep it together. He’ll just gnash his teeth quietly. And if he gets to you then he’ll feel better, Balthazar said.

Tell him to keep to the top of the stairs. I’m coming up and, hopefully, I’ll be able to point out the Sect member right then and there, Grayson said.

Yes, Grayson, understood. He knows, Balthazar assured him. He hates it all, but he’s doing it.

I’m going up the stairs now, Grayson said.

When you identify the person, just look at them, preferably their face, in case they get past Ryder. Though I can track an ass under certain circumstances, Balthazar said. Asses can be quite distinctive. You know–

I’ll get their face, Grayson replied dryly.

Grayson forced his expression to become calm, slightly tipsy, smiling vaguely. He wanted to look like one of the party-goers. Not quite drunk, but definitely feeling fine. Just enjoying the party. Nothing to see here! He was not on any mission. He had no idea that anyone was going to die.

The back stairs were crowded, far more crowded than the front had been.

People were using it as a part of the party.

He passed dozens of couples pressed up against the wall.

Moaning and writhing. Legs curled around waists.

Heads thrown back in pleasure. Lips parted when not fastened onto some other body part. Necks exposed.

Was there blood drinking going on? Grayson had been amused to see the no sex rule had been abandoned within moments, but blood drinking? He would have thought that this was verboten. But it was happening.