Awakened Read online

  “Hey, Lil,” Kylie called out, intruding on our telepathic conversation. They were out of the hot tub and had already collected their stuff. “See you tomorrow,” she said.

  “Sure.” I waved back, uneasiness skidding down my spine as I watched them file out of the pool area. I pushed the discomfort aside. There was no need to be wary of being left alone with Bran. Despite what Grampa had said, I believed Bran would never hurt me. “I should be heading home soon, too,” I said but didn’t make a move to leave.

  “I know. I saw your Grampa and the others an hour ago. They’ll talk to the Circle and seek permission to get my family out. They’ve never dealt with a case like mine before, which might be a problem, but at least they’re willing to try. Meanwhile, I’m to lie low and wait. That’s why I’m going home.”

  “Where’s home?”

  “L.A. with my older brother, Gavyn, for now. But before that, I lived on Coronis Isle…Xenith. We access it from the North Pole.” He frowned, and then smiled. “It’s funny. The Cardinals didn’t know where the island was until I told them. I guess they’ve been searching for it and Coronis for years.”

  My eyes widened. I remembered the stuff the trainees said about demoness Coronis. “Is Coronis your queen?”

  Bran stiffened. “She’s the leader of the Hermonite demons, but that doesn’t make her my queen.”

  Okay, that was the wrong subject. “How many are in your family?”

  “Four—me, Gavyn, my younger sister, Celeste, and my mom.” He leaned in toward me, his expression apologetic. “I didn’t mean to snap. Coronis is a sore subject with me.”

  “That’s okay. I heard she’s very evil. Is she the reason you want to leave?”

  “Yes and no. Coronis kidnapped my grandparents a long time ago, forced them to live on the island and made their only son, my father, marry my mother, who’s a Lazarus demon. But my grandparents made sure my father never forgot who he really was, and he, in turn, told us.”

  I had no idea what Lazarus was, but this wasn’t the time to badger Bran with unnecessary questions. “Then you’re only half demon.” I lowered my voice though the other people in the pool area with us were the older couple and they were in the hot tub on the other side of the room.

  Bran shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I was raised as one, trained and initiated into the Hermonite Brotherhood. Getting out of the brotherhood is not easy, and that’s why I need the Cardinal Guardians’ help. Celeste still lives on the island with Mom, but I must get her out before she turns sixteen and goes through initiation into the Sisterhood.”

  “Is the initiation bad?”

  His eyes grew stormy. “Very.”

  “What do—?”

  “It’s not something I want to discuss now.”

  I shivered at his icy voice. “Have you ever stolen a…no, never mind.”

  He frowned. “It’s okay. When my father died, I became angry and chose to ignore all he’d taught me. I did things I’m not proud of. But I’ve made a choice to stop and to try to make up for them. I’ve already started to….” He cocked his head, frowning.

  “What is it?”

  “I felt a powerful energy surge.” He scowled and continued to angle his head as though searching for the disturbance.

  I looked around. The other families were gone, and the older couple was getting out of the hot tub, their conversation a buzz in the background. I closed my eyes and searched, but all I saw was Bran’s psi energy and the other Guardians in the distance. “I don’t see anything.”

  “I think I should walk you home.”

  Something in his voice had me jumping up. Bran grabbed my arm and steered me toward the side door. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. He wore an uneasy expression. I just needed to know one thing before we parted ways. “What is it you were saying you’ve started to do? You know, to make up for the past.”

  He shrugged. “Let’s just say that I did things I regret, and I’m making amends.”

  “Some say confession is good for the soul. But what if you don’t have a soul?” a voice with a familiar lilt mocked from behind us.

  Before I could turn and find the speaker, Bran, in one smooth motion, whipped around and pushed me behind him, blocking my line of vision.

  I peeked from behind him anyway and then gaped at three of the most gorgeous men I’d ever seen. They stood at the other end of the pool, their black leather pants, black shirts and long black coats, making them look like they might have stepped from the movie The Matrix. The leader was tall and blond, his hair so pale. Flanking him were two blue-eyed, dark-haired guys who looked like identical twins. They all wore their hair long.

  They teleported closer, so only half the width of the pool separated us. Bran’s back went rigid, and his hands balled into fists. The air was thick with chilling menace and dread snaked around me, causing goose bumps to erupt on my arms. Who were these guys?

  “So this is where you’ve been disappearing to?” the blond said. “Did you think I wouldn’t know you’ve stopped scouting?”

  “Leave this place, Gavyn. You can’t enter the Cardinals’ hideaway without consequences.” Bran’s voice was strong, confident, though I could feel his unease.

  Gavyn? Bran’s brother? The blond hair had thrown me off, but he had the same melodic lilt in his voice like Bran did and the same facial bone structure. But Gavyn’s eyes were gray and cold, unlike Bran’s warm emeralds.

  Gavyn dismissed Bran’s comments with a wave of his hand. “Just like you, little brother, we can camouflage our psi energy from the Guardians. I’m here to take you home where you belong.”

  As Gavyn’s words rang around the swimming pool, a tug on my necklace drew my attention to my chest. I pulled out the pendent dangling from its chain. The green in the jadeite appeared to swirl and ebb, causing it to vibrate. I wrapped my hand around the stone. It was warm.

  “I was just about to leave,” Bran said, reaching behind him to grab my hand in a reassuring grip, which didn’t work because his apprehension flowed into me. “Why don’t you go on ahead? I’ll be right behind you.”

  His brother laughed. “It’s taken me hours to find you, and I’m not about to let you out of my sight, little brother. We’re going to have that talk.”

  Bran shrugged. “I thought your people made your feelings clear last night when they threw me out.”

  “The people responsible have been punished. But I want you to listen to me because I’m going to say this only once. You belong with us.”

  Bran’s grip tightened, then he let go of my hand. Teleport out of here now, Lil.

  Dread gripped my throat. I had no idea how to teleport.

  7. THE FIRST BATTLE

  “Don’t even think about it,” Gavyn’s voice whipped out. “In fact, I’d advise you against doing anything to tick me off, Guardian. That means no teleporting anywhere or communicating with anyone outside this room.”

  Oh, no, he’d heard Bran’s thoughts. My knees grew weak, and I swallowed a lump of panic. This was the result of not listening to Grampa. I should have stayed away from Bran.

  “If all you want to do is talk, why bring the Goetz brothers?” Bran asked, shifting his gaze to the twins.

  “I needed trackers to follow your erratic teleporting energy, and they’re the best at finding telegates and mimicking energy. And like you said, one shouldn’t enter the Cardinals’ lair without being prepared. As nature-benders, they know how to destroy the Guardian jadeite.”

  Nature-benders? My hand tensed around the amulet. The stone was warmer. I glanced down. My eyes widened at the eerie green light radiating from it. How would it protect me when Gavyn’s men could destroy it?

  “Besides, I couldn’t trust my regular guards not to go behind my back and report to Coronis or her people that my little brother has gone crazy,” Gavyn said, interrupting my thoughts. “First you tried to join the Outcasts, now this. A demon searching for redemption isn’t just pathetic, Bran. He brings shame to his famil
y. Have you any idea how Mom is going to react once she finds out about your latest escapade?”

  “She doesn’t understand.”

  “Oh, she understands all right. She understands you’re just like father. Weak and pathetic, incapable of seeing the big pic—”

  “Don’t talk about him like that,” Bran snapped.

  “Touched a nerve, did I?” Gavyn laughed. “Dad could have united our race and started a new order in this human infested world. That’s all humans need, inspired leadership.”

  “Dad never felt that way. He never belonged on Coronis Isle, and neither do we. We’ve a right to choose our own destiny.”

  “That’s a load of crap,” Gavyn’s voice lashed out, cutting the air with its intensity. “We have one destiny, you moron…one. To become gods, immortal and invincible. This is what every demon aspires to.”

  “We’re not—”

  “Shut up. Just shut up and get over here. We’re going home.”

  The silence that followed was thick with raw emotions. Still, Bran didn’t move.

  “Get over here!” Gavyn ordered.

  “I’m not leaving.” Bran’s body was taut, but his tone was devoid of emotion.

  More silence, a stalemate. I peeked from behind Bran, and my eyes met Gavyn’s cold ones. I jerked back, tugged at the hood covering my head and slumped low behind Bran.

  “Is she the reason you’re staying here?” Gavyn’s voice was pleasant enough, but I hadn’t mistaken the menace in his eyes.

  Bran stiffened.

  “Who’s she?”

  “She’s not important.”

  “Come out, Guardian, or I’ll send my men to get you.”

  I swallowed, debating whether to defy or obey him. My hand tightened on my amulet, and a feeling I couldn’t explain surged through me. I lifted my chin and moved from behind Bran, my legs shaking.

  Gavyn’s eyes went to my chest. “A Cardinal Guardian trainee.”

  I looked down. The glow from the stone filtered through my fingers. I released the amulet and the eerie green light bathed the air around us. Gavyn took a step back. I smiled. I turned to his men, and my smile disappeared. They’d assumed a fighting stance, teeth gleaming. The whites of their eyes changed to red.

  “A young morsel,” one of then said as a yellow ball of energy crackled into existence above his palm, angry flares tinting its edges.

  “Filled with raw energy,” the second one added and laughed, two energy balls fizzling to life. He bounced them up and down as he would bounce plastic balls. The yellow blaze turned orange then crimson.

  “Omnis,” Bran groaned.

  That wasn’t good. And omnis must mean the nasty-looking energy balls. Panic locked my chest, making breathing hard. Whatever courage I’d gathered from the stone evaporated, and I shuffled backward, putting as much distance between me and those evil orbs. My back touched the wall and I collapsed against it. I struggled to stay upright, my legs barely supporting me. My nails attempted to grip the textured wall.

  “Fine. Let her go, and I’ll come home with you,” Bran said, sounding pissed.

  “You are coming home with us. As for letting her go, no can do. You think I don’t notice how your psi energy is matched with hers? I’m surprised you haven’t given in to temptation and drained her powers. Unharnessed energy is such a delicacy, isn’t it?” Gavyn’s tone changed, becoming persuasive. “But so irresistible when your energies are a match. Why fight it, little brother? Give in to your instinct and drain her. Imagine how much it will enhance your powers.”

  Eyes wide, heart thumping with dread, I stared hard at Bran’s back. He turned his head, glanced at me. Something feral flashed in his eyes before he blinked and shook his head. “No.”

  “You’re a fool, little brother. Now we must take her by force.”

  “You’ll have to go through me first,” Bran warned in a hard voice, head lowered and legs braced for an attack.

  Gavyn laughed and brushed back wisps of pale hair from his face. “You’re not more powerful than me anymore, little brother. But I think you’ll recover, with time. As for the girl, we can be merciful and end it quickly, or do it slowly and painfully. It all depends on you.”

  Bran extended his hand toward the swimming pool and a sound of bubbling liquid filled the room. “You’re not taking her.”

  Gavyn laughed and signaled his men with a nod.

  The two guards raised their hands and lobbed the omnis at us. The demonic globes expanded, their energy pulsing and buzzing in my ears. Red flames flickered off the tile walls, making the building look like it was filled with hell fire. Too terrified to scream, I sobbed with each breath I took and pressed my back against the wall.

  In one fluid movement, Bran teleported to my side, pushed me behind him and motioned the bubbling pool water upward with his other hand. Water broke the surface of the pool like a giant wave and curled toward the ceiling. Instead of crashing back down, the violent liquid whirled, forming a funnel. Bran swept his hand in front of him, and the twirling water funnel followed, blocking the path of the energy balls.

  I gripped Bran’s hand, my eyes wide. God, please, let the water stop them.

  Like torpedoes wrapped in flames, the omnis broke through the churning water, gaining more energy as they drew closer. My scream split the air as the slosh of water slammed against the wall. A cold laugh followed, the sound bouncing off the walls of the swimming pool room, scraping my senses like thorns on skin. It was Gavyn’s.

  “I guess you forgot that water has no effect on omnis, eh little brother,” he shouted like a crazed fiend.

  There was nowhere to run, nowhere to go. Bran tried to push me behind him. I resisted, anchoring my legs to the floor, standing in place beside him.

  “I’m trying to protect you, damn it,” he yelled, his eyes wide with fury. I couldn’t tell if it was directed at me or his brother.

  “We’re in this together,’ I shouted back. I had no idea what I could do to help, but I had to try. I gripped my amulet, closed my eyes tight and focused hard. I raised my hand, palm toward the demonic balls. “Stop!”

  Any moment, I expected the fire to singe my hand, explode on my face. Instead, all I heard was the echo of the single word I’d spoken. Then there was silence, the eerie kind that heralded bad news. My eyes snapped open.

  I blinked once, twice. The omnis were suspended in mid-air, inches from where Bran and I stood. I could even feel their heat caressing my bare skin. Wow! I did it. How cool was that?

  “No!” Gavyn yelled, drawing my attention to the other end of the pool. He waved his arms at the twins. “More.”

  His men released more of the crimson spheres. But as though an impenetrable barrier now occupied the space between us, they froze in mid-air at that exact spot. Gavyn’s men moved back to stand beside him, their eyes wide. My gaze met Gavyn’s. I wasn’t sure what I saw in his eyes, terror or surprise.

  “Who are you?” he asked in a low growl.

  “She’s not just a trainee,” one of his men said. “Look at her hair.”

  What about my hair? My hood had fallen off my head, and red strands draped my shoulders.

  “Do you think she’s the one?” the second man asked.

  “Of course not,” Gavyn cut in. “She’s a Guardian.” He spat out the word like it was something foul.

  “Whatever, man. We’re getting out of here,” the first one who’d spoken added.

  “Not yet,” Gavyn’s voice whipped out, his gaze not leaving mine. “I want my brother, Guardian. He’s leaving with us.” His voice had lost the arrogant edge. He sounded more like a petulant child whose wishes had been thwarted.

  Silence followed, then Bran stepped forward. “Not today, Gavyn,” he said, and from his tone, I could hear his sadness.

  “Stop with this foolishness, Bran.”

  “I’ve a right to choose my destiny, so do you. Join me, brother.”

  Gavyn’s eyes narrowed, not on Bran, but on me. Hatred turned his ex
pression to stone, then he smiled. I shivered at the icy chill that ran up my spine. Words were useless between us. I knew, deep down, that I’d acquired an enemy.

  Then he dematerialized, his men following a split second later.

  I released the breath I didn’t know I was holding, my knees trembling like leaves in the wind. I glanced at Bran. His green eyes were shadowed, and his shoulder length ebony hair now covered half his face, whipped into a snarled mess by our fight. He raised his hands toward me, then stopped and forked his fingers through his hair, his darkened eyes not leaving mine. He was undecided on whether to offer me comfort or not. The confidence he always wore like a cloak was gone.

  “You okay?” he asked in a gentle voice.

  I tried to answer, but my vocals refused to function. I nodded. Tears crested in my eyes as the adrenaline rush of the near disaster with Gavyn and his men took full affect. Bran moved closer, put his arms around me and pulled me closer.

  Part of me wanted to push him away. After all, his brother had wanted me dead. Another part was so desperate for comfort I clung to his shirt, welcoming the warm and solid planes of his chest. Tears streamed down my cheeks, soaking his shirt.

  I don’t know how long he held me before I calmed down and started noticing little things like his clean pine scent, the gentle way he rubbed my back and murmured into my hair. A feeling I couldn’t explain tightened in my tummy. I leaned back. His arms fell away from my shoulders.

  “Do you want me to contact your Grampa?” he asked.

  I shook my head, stepped away from him. “No, I’ll do it.”

  I closed my eyes, focused and searched for Grampa just like Bran had taught me. None of the thoughts were Grampa’s. I searched some more until frustration blocked my throat. I opened my eyes, shook my head. “I can’t find him.”

  “Allow me.” Within seconds, I heard Bran telepath him. Cardinal Falcon, we have a situation at the pool.

  In a fraction of a second, Grampa appeared beside us in his hiking boots, dark-brown outdoor clothes, a long leather coat and his usual hat. Until now, I’d found it hard to visualize Grampa as a demon hunter. My eyes popped at the sheathed sword dangling on his hip, gleaming serrated Ninja-looking weapons wrapped across his chest. He was a dead ringer for Van Helsing.