Destiny Disrupted (11 page)

While we exited the graveyard, I told her everything Shax had said about Caym’s evil schemes. She paused by her SUV and opened the driver’s door, reaching inside to grab her grimoire, and set it on the hood. Mom flipped through the pages, and I leaned over her shoulder to peek at the text.

“Stop! That’s him.” I pointed at a sketch in the book. “He was part of the Triad.”

“The text says that Shax is an Upper Level demon and commands demonic hitmen, which means—”

“If we don’t get out of here quick, more demonic bounty hunters will turn up.”

“Yeah, pretty much.” Mom pressed her palm against her head injury. “I wonder who their new leader will be. Do you think Shax meant Trent? Would he join their army?”

A weight seemed to press on my chest, robbing me of breath when I recalled the way Shax had kneeled before Trent.

“
What?
No! How could you even think that?” I said, feeling protective of my boyfriend.

She held her hands up. “Okay, okay. You’re probably right. But—”

“But nothing. It’s
not
Trent.”

I wasn’t sure who I was trying harder to convince, her or myself. Except Shax had recognized Trent. Good thing, he wouldn’t be around to tell anyone.

The shades bounded toward us, bruised and bloody. Obsidian fingers reached for my hands. I crouched and hugged them while Mom quietly observed our happy reunion.

“Did you see where Trent went?” I asked the shades.

Bakaz, Kasha, and Zrekam all growled and bumped each other.

“What’s with you guys?” I asked. “Has everyone joined some anti-Trent club that I don’t know about?”

Zrekam and Bakaz turned away and grumbled.

Mom rubbed her forehead and groaned. “Somehow I screwed up the spell.”

“Ya think?” I said. “So what now?”

“I’m not sure. But if the Triad are going to open the prison and destroy the human race, we need to stop them.”

“How do you kill three powerful demons?”

She didn’t reply, but she didn’t need to. I already knew the answer. I needed to become the most powerful witch the world had ever seen. And if that meant embracing my destiny with a capital “D,” then so be it.

After school, I stopped by my locker to grab a textbook. The row of lockers was near a corner that led into another corridor toward the gym. Voices drifted down the hall and I didn’t move, hiding behind my locker door when I recognized the two people talking.

“Why don’t you just get Brittany to dump her new friends?” Carter said. “She doesn’t belong with those freaks.”

My ears pricked at Brittany’s name. I froze, intent on eavesdropping.

“I wish! But she’s been a total bitch lately,” Heather said. “I don’t know what the hell’s wrong with her. I mean, dumping
me
for those losers.”

“That’s ’cause she’s hanging out with Shiloh,” Carter said, uttering out my name like he’d eaten a bad piece of fruit. “That freak is probably rubbing off on her.”

“Shiloh thinks she owns the whole damn school because she saved a few people last month and she’s dating Trent Donovan,” Heather grumbled.

“There’s something creepy about that guy,” Carter said. “He’s not normal. I could’ve swore once that his eyes turned black.”

“You’re just pissed because he smacked you down in front of everybody in the hallway,” Heather replied.

Carter grunted like the macho jerk he was. “Whatever. I’m telling you. There’s something
off
about him. When he hit me...I don’t know...it was like he had super strength. And he gets into fights all the freaking time. Last week during PE, Trent went crazy and got into a brawl with some kid just because he knocked into him while we were playing basketball. He broke the guy’s nose and knocked him out cold!”

“What the hell do you mean, he has super strength?” Heather asked. “Is he a lycan, too?”

“No. Definitely not one of us.”

The bell peeled and lockers banged shut.

As they walked away, Carter added, “I don’t even think he’s human...”

A sudden chill descended my spine. Sagging against the locker, I chewed on my hoodie string. What had caused Trent to change so much over the last couple of weeks? All his anger and moodiness had to be a result of the
Darkness
tainting his human-side. I had no cure or solution. No way to save him. But there had be
something
I could do.

I met up with Ariana in the school parking lot and we drove to Craven Manor together. On the way, I filled her in on what happened in the graveyard with my mom and Shax and Trent. I also told her about what I’d overheard between Heather and Carter.

“If your boyfriend doesn’t get a handle on his evilness, he’s gonna get kicked out of school,” Ariana said.

“Yeah. Trent’s gonna blow any he chance he has at going to college, if he doesn’t get his act together,” I agreed.

“Unless, he really is aspiring to rule the Underworld.”

“Officially not funny.”

Outwardly, the Donovan’s monster of a home had a formidable appeal. Sprawling and teeming with brickwork in fussy patterns, the Gothic mansion boasted gabled windows, a rambling rooftop, and a veranda that hugged the exterior. Craven Manor had everything except creepy stone gargoyles.

Once I parked, we hopped out and bounded up the porch steps.

“Is Trent gonna join us?” Ari asked.

“Nope. I haven’t seen or heard from him all day. When I spoke with Evans earlier, he said Trent was cramming for a calculus test with one of his friends tonight at the library.”

“What about our resident zombie?”

“Evans said Kayla’s visiting the DarkSide Detectives. They want to run some tests on her. I just hope they remember to feed her every three hours. Zombies get irritable when they don’t eat. And Brittany is having dinner with her parents. So it’s only you and me tonight.”

The DarkSide Detectives, “DD” for short, were a paranormal research group Evans often consulted. I’d met them after the lycan brawl when they helped conceal what had actually happened at the lake, and they’d taken Daniel’s mom—the crazyass lycan who’d killed my dad—to a supernatural prison. Good riddance.

The Donovan’s housekeeper, a fifty-year-old woman named Mrs. Baylock, answered the door and ushered us inside. “Mr. Evans is expecting you in the library, girls.” She always dressed in an old-fashioned maid’s uniform: gray dress trimmed in ivory and hard-soled shoes, with her brown hair styled in a loose bun.

“How are you?” I asked. “I mean, since that lycan attacked you?”

“Never better,” she replied with a slight smile. “Thank you for asking, Shiloh. Your mother brought me a tonic to drink after my stay in the hospital, and now I feel good as new.”

I nodded and gave Ariana a gentle push from behind. We crossed the grand foyer and a broad staircase rose to a balcony on our right. The rooms were decorated in mid-nineteenth-century Victorian chic, as if the furnishings had all been imported from the set of some popular BBC miniseries.

The library door stood open, revealing an enormous room. The scent of leather furniture, lemon-polished wood, and musty books filled the air. In one corner, a mahogany desk squatted, cluttered with stacks of hardbacks and ledgers, with light from an antique lamp shining on the smooth surface. A loveseat was positioned across from a couch near the fireplace. The chandelier threw a gold radiance over the built-in bookcases lining the walls. One of the Donovans must’ve been a huge bibliophile.

My mentor and Trent’s uncle, Anthony Evans, reminded me of a hip college professor, dressed in his usual unbuttoned vest over an oxford-shirt with rolled sleeves, corduroy trousers, and soft leather loafers. He stood near a bookcase and smiled affectionately at us.

“Hey, Evans,” Ari said.

He peered above the square frames perched on his nose. “Hello, Ariana. Shiloh.”

“Hi,” I said and plopped onto a sofa.

Evans hurried to Ariana and wrapped her in a fatherly hug. “I’m so sorry about your aunt. We’ll find whoever did this and make sure justice is served.”

Ariana sniffled and pulled away. “Thanks. I was never really close to my aunt, but now it feels like I’m all alone in the world.”

“You’re
not
alone,” Evans said. “We are your family. You have me and your friends.” He nodded at me, and then half-smiled at Ariana. “We’re here for you.”

“I don’t know what I’d do without you guys.” Ariana wiped her nose on her sleeve and took a seat across from me, hugging a tasseled pillow.

“Thanks for letting us come over tonight. I know I must’ve sounded kinda panicked on the phone earlier, but that face-off with Shax had me all twitchy,” I said.

He sat in the desk chair. “I’m actually glad you called. There are quite a few things we need to discuss.” Evans was a restoration expert by day. But no matter how much he loved bringing life back to dilapidated old buildings, his true calling was as a paranormal investigator.

I told him what Shax had told us, and how Trent came to my rescue. When I’d finished, Evans nodded and kept fidgeting with a file. Evans never fidgeted.

“Is something wrong?” I asked. “You’re acting like somebody spilled coffee on your first edition Beowulf. What gives?”

Evans steepled his fingers beneath his chin. “I’ve uncovered an obscure urban legend regarding Fallen Oaks. Now I know why Esael agreed to that bargain with Darrah and the BRC—he needed human sacrifices to undo the magicks sealing the Sheol.”

“What’s inside the Sheol? What would it be like?” Ariana asked.

Evans stared at the books lining the shelves. “I’m not entirely sure. Very little is known about Hell dimensions or prisons within the Underworld. From what I’ve read, I imagine it would resemble our world, but in a more primitive and post-apocalyptic locale. Time itself would move quite differently than here, too.”

“Have you discovered anything else about the Evil Triad?” I asked.

Evans leaned back in his chair, leather squeaking under his butt. “They belong to an ancient race of demons, the Nocturne
,
which is the pure essence of a demon imprisoned in the form of a shadow. Nocturnes were once enslaved by the Forsaken
,
a band of exiled fallen angels formerly led by Lazarus. And it was Lazarus’s son Raziel who joined the lycan battle.”

“Angels can procreate?” Ariana asked.

“If demons can, why not fallen angels?” Evans replied. “Once they fell to Earth, they took on certain human characteristics and physical traits. The Forsaken are no longer full-fledged angels or warriors for God. But we’re getting off topic. As I was saying, the Nocturne revolted, and because of this rebellion, the Nocturne were vanquished to one of the nine demon dimensions—the Sheol. If the prison is opened even a crack, it will not only allow the Nocturne to reenter our world, it will start a deadly battle.”

Gulping, I stared at the heavily stacked bookcases. “So, I’m guessing Shax was only here to warn us about the Sheol. And Caym was here to drop in on Esael’s long lost son. Too bad Trent killed Shax before I could gather more intel.”

“Yes. Most unfortunate. My research indicates that the Evil Triad, a fitting nickname, is trying to seek revenge by building an army against the Forsaken.” Evan’s voice sounded rough. “The power and magicks needed to open it is bound to be arduous.”

“But Shax said that wasn’t the Triad’s only goal. Caym’s got much bigger plans.”

“And if he unlocks the prison, we’re talking supernatural civil war,” Ariana said.

“Yes, that’s what I’ve been saying.” Evans folded his fingers together and settled them below his bristly chin. “With the arrival of the thirteen founding families, the magicks locking the Sheol became seemingly warped. It wasn’t until the Blood Rose Circle tapped into its power that the Sheol was cracked open enough to emit its dark energy and release Esael.”

He passed us newspaper clippings and copies of police reports, which described mysterious homicides and bizarre fatal incidents that had taken place over the years in our coastal town.

“Well, it’s releasing something unholy. Paranormal activity has increased. And I’m
not
talking visits from Casper, the friendly ghost.” I crossed and uncrossed my legs. “Someone must’ve released the Evil Triad. Well, I guess it’s just Caym and Leith now, since their buddy, Shax is dead. But
Evil Couple
just doesn’t have the same ring to it—”

“Shiloh. Focus. But you do bring up a valid point…” Evans paused, his jaw tightening. “The Blood Rose Circle were the only ones that knew of the Sheol’s existence for years. And only those witches had the power to summon demons.”

“And if it wasn’t the BRC, then who summoned the Triad?” Ariana asked. “Do you think there’s another coven up to no good?”

“Perhaps. Or something else entirely,” Evans replied. “Since the Blood Rose Circle is no longer an active coven, the responsibility of protecting the Sheol rests upon our shoulders for now. Hopefully, we can stop the ritual and deter a possible violent demon uprising without their assistance.”

“What about Trent? How does he factor into all this?” I asked. “Why do the Nocturne even need him?”

My mentor pushed up his glasses. “That remains to be seen. From the research I’ve done, he’s going to become a major player in the Nocturne’s plans. Whatever they turn out to be...”

“If what Shax said is true, Caym wants to end the world, and not just free his pals,” Ariana said, her voice shaky. “So what happens if we can’t stop the Triad?”

Evans’s bottom lip folded inward and he didn’t speak for a minute or two. “Your guess is as good as mine, Ariana.”

Ariana stood and pulled her cell from the pocket of her jeans. “Got a text from Daniel to call him. I’ll be right back.” She hurried out of the library in Craven Manor and into the corridor.

Evans sat behind the desk with one leg propped over his knee. “You seem out of sorts. What’s bothering you? The demon attacks, the murders, or the Triad?”

I slumped in my seat. “None of the above. It’s Trent.”

Evans rubbed his fingers across his scruffy chin. “I have been searching for another solution since you lost the Orb of Oculus, but I’m sorry to say, there is no other magickal or medical way to alter or remove the
Darkness
inside Trent. It is part of his genetic makeup.”

“But I have to try. Can’t we just get another orb?”

“Perhaps, however, this is
his
battle, not yours,” he said gently. “He must choose to suppress the evil within him and fight to hold onto his humanity. No one can make that choice for him.”

“What if the
Darkness
is stronger than his human side? What then?”

“Your love helps him overcome his darker impulses and stay grounded. The best thing you can do is be there for him.”

“What if it’s not enough?” I twisted a long strand of hair around my finger and one leg bounced up and down. “I’m worried about him. Get out your musty books and look stuff up. Find something that will squash his demonic powers if we can’t get rid of them.”

Evans shook his head. “I’ve been trying, Shiloh, but so far I haven’t had much luck. It might help if you keep searching your grimoires for a spell or a potion that might strip him of his powers. Otherwise, there’s nothing much we can do to help the poor boy.”

I slumped lower in my seat. “Our options kinda suck.”

“I agree.” Evans went to a bookcase and pulled out several large tomes, then retook his seat. He set the stack on the desk and pointed at the top book. “I did find an entry on the
Demon
Majesty,
which I think correlates to the Evil Triad. The text states that these demons are the top advisers to whomever is the ruler of the Underworld. They have always aligned themselves with great power.”

“And now they want to convince Trent to become their next ruler.”

“Yes, it would seem so. I think it’s time you formed a real coven. Typically, a coven is composed of thirteen members, but with the uniqueness of your two friends, I don’t think that will be necessary.”

“That’s a good idea. I should do it before the Triad tag teams me again.”

“You’ll have to recruit Ariana, and also Brittany. Regrettably, since Kayla is technically dead, she lost her powers the night she died—”

“Back up. What uniqueness are you referring to?”

He pushed one of the books across the desk toward me. I lifted it and rested the heavy tome on my thighs. The title in gold lettering caught my eye:
Mythical Creatures
.

“I’ve started researching the personal history of each founding family and I stumbled upon some rather astonishing information regarding Ariana’s relatives. Open the book,” Evans said.

A bookmark stuck out of the middle and I flipped to the page. The chapter heading read:
Mythological: Fae.
“What do fairies have to do with Ari’s family?”

He raised an eyebrow and stared back at me.

“
Nooo
.” I sucked in a soft breath. “Ari has Fae relatives? Fairies are real? Like Tinkerbell?”

He shook his head and suppressed a smile. “Fae are not like pixies or little elves, but large paranormal beings with a human appearance. However, they are not human at all. They’re immortal creatures with vast magickal talents.”

“Wow. That’s pretty cool.”

“I suppose, but they can also be dangerous. Most of them loathe humans and live apart in their own communities.”

“When are you gonna tell Ari all this?”

“I was hoping we could do it together. Some of it may not be easy for her to hear. Ari’s father, Oberon Parsons, was Fae and betrothed to another female of the same race. He left her at the altar and went into hiding with Ariana’s mother, who he’d fallen in love with. From what I’ve gathered, Fae council members discovered Oberon living here in Fallen Oaks and dispatched a troop of warriors to bring him back. It might be the reason they left town after Ariana’s sister died.”

“Hell’s Bells. This is huge. We have to tell her.”

As if on cue, Ariana walked back into the room. “I gotta go,” she said in a rush. “Daniel needs help with his homework and wants to borrow my notes. He’s coming to pick me up.”

“Before you go,” I said, twisting in my seat. “Evans has something to tell you.”

Ariana drifted closer. “Like what?”

Evans pushed back his chair and came around the side of the desk to perch on the edge. “I’ve been studying the founding families’ history and yours is quite unique.” He proceeded to tell her everything he’d just told me.

Ariana dropped onto an armchair. She didn’t say anything for a few moments. “You’re saying, I’m a witch and a Fae. My dad was a fairy.” Her big blue eyes blinked at Evans. “This is freakin’ insane.”

Evans nodded. “The thing I’m most curious about is the fact that you have latent magickal abilities, which have yet to surface. I’ll do more research. There has to be a reason, and I’m guessing when they do arise, you’ll be extremely powerful. And perhaps even immortal.”

“My mind is blown.” Spreading her fingers in a fan against her breastbone, Ariana swore under her breath. “I-I don’t even know what to say.”

“I believe your parents left town to protect you from the wrath of the other Fae,” Evans said. “The warriors are only looking for them, and not you.”

“It sounds that way,” I added.

Ari’s lips turned downward. “Really? That’s funny, because they ditched me, leaving me a penniless orphan. Some protection.”

“Unless they return, there’s no way to know their real reasons for leaving.” Evans took the book from my lap, then faced Ariana. “I could hire a private investigator, if you’d like, to locate their current whereabouts,” he offered.

“That’s very kind of you,” she said. “They should know what happened to my aunt.”

Mrs. Baylock appeared in the doorway. “Excuse me. There is someone at the door for Ariana.”

Ari got to her feet. “That must be Daniel. We’ll talk more about this later.” She rushed out of the room, followed by the housekeeper.

“She looks freaked,” I said. “Ari didn’t like finding out about her witchy side, now this.”

“Ariana will be fine. She’s a very resilient girl. Now, back to Trent.” Evans sat behind the desk again. His body stilled, his gray eyes sharpening. “Has he done anything I should know about?”

“No.” I shifted uncomfortably. “But…”

“It’s okay. You can tell me.”

“He’s been getting into fights at school and his temper just seems off the charts lately.” I sighed. “And I would just like to know what he’s been so secretive about.”

“You think he’s up to something?”

I nodded. “And I got this icky feeling that Trent showed up just in time to kill Shax before he could finish telling me everything. Shax said he had info about the cambion.”

Evans let out a long, anxious breath. “Trent must go to the DD headquarters. He’ll be safer there and away from the Triad.”

My heart lurched. “Trent won’t go to some lockdown ward. It might push him over the edge.”

“He has no choice. Maxwell has already agreed.” Evans shook his head and sat back in the desk chair. “We’ll need your help convincing him to go.”

I turned away and chipped at the burgundy nail polish on my thumb. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.”

Evans ran his fingers over his brow. “Trent may become even more dangerous if he allows the
Darkness
to taint his humanity. Once he receives his full power, he’ll be impervious to white magick. They’ll be no stopping him.”

Suddenly I just wanted to go home and hide in my bedroom. “Stopping him from what?”

“From becoming the next ruler of the Underworld. And if he accepts the throne and fully embraces his demonic powers, it’ll significantly limit the ways to vanquish him.”

Numbing iciness slipped over me. The entire mansion might as well have collapsed beneath my feet. I leaned back against the chair, feeling like I might black out. I wasn’t sure my body could take another shock.

“I’m sorry. I don’t think I heard you right,” I replied in a squeaky voice. “I want help saving him—
not
ways to kill the guy I love!”

His brows rose an inch. “I’m sorry, Shiloh, I truly am. However, that might be our only option.”

“We’ll find another way,” I said vehemently. “I’m not giving up on him—”

“No one is telling you to, Shiloh.” Evans scooted forward. “But we must face the reality of Trent losing his human-side to
Darkness
. I’m sorry. I don’t really know what to say. Doesn’t this sort of heartbreaking stuff require ice cream or chocolate?”

“Chocolate will come. First, I want to stop the Triad and save Trent,” I said. “The nicest thing about hunting demons is that kicking ass is the best comfort food.”

“For now, I advise you to stop patrolling Wait until we can pinpoint the Triad’s location and have a counterattack in place.”

A muscle in my forehead throbbed. “But if I don’t patrol this week, other innocents might get killed.”

“Your mother and the other witches can protect themselves,” Evans said sternly. “And we have no idea who will be next or when. To be safe, I want you to halt your patrols until we know more about these demons.”

I shook my head. “No! What is with you? You’re the one who talked me into doing this. I
chose
to be a witch. I could’ve walked away from my duty, but I didn’t, and there’s no one else with my skillset to do this, anyway.”

Evans slammed his fist down on the desk. “As your mentor, I
insist
that you quit patrolling. Be smart. You cannot take on these demons alone—”

“What are you two doing in here?”

I twisted around. Trent stood in the doorway, his wavy hair mussed.

“I’m trying to convince Evans I can handle a couple of stupid demons on my own,” I said.

Trent gazed at his uncle and a slow grin curled his lips. “How’s that going?”

“Not well,” I muttered.

Evans sighed heavily. “Shiloh, I have to leave to meet with Sheriff Boyd and Mayor Witheridge. We can continue this discussion another time.”

“Some of the Nocturne want to stop Caym,” I blurted. “I don’t think they’re all on his side.”

Trent walked into the library and stood behind my chair. “What’re you talking about?”

“One of the thugs in the Evil Triad thinks Caym’s the mastermind behind wanting to start an apocalypse—”

“You and this demon were all friendly?” Trent snapped. “Why would he tell you that?”

“Making friendly conversation?” I shrugged. “How should I know?”

Trent sat in the seat beside me. “You can’t trust anything they say.”

“But demons never lie—”

“Wait a minute,” Trent said, frowning. “You were busy chatting with a demon while your mom was unconscious instead of getting your ass outta there?”

“Well, yeah. So what? It’s not like I was gonna leave my mom.”

He shot his uncle a meaningful look. “Uncle Tony.”

“What?” My gaze bounced between them.

Evans walked around the desk, rolling down the sleeves of his shirt. “What should you have done, Shiloh?”

“Called for reinforcements.” My stomach muscles cramped. “I get it, but—”

“And you were attacked in front of your house, too,” Evans interrupted. “And if Raze hadn’t stepped in, you’d be dead.”

“I-I...I was fine…” I stammered. “I’ve vanquished demons on by myself before. It’s not a big deal.”

Trent avoided my eyes, staring at his uncle. “It kind of is.”

“I agree.” Evans crossed his arms, pinning me with an annoyed stare. “You know better than to engage Upper Level demons alone. I know you can handle the less threatening types, but right now it’s not safe for any of us.”

I sank lower in my seat. “It’s not like I had a choice. My mom was there, but the demon knocked her out, and I was ambushed the first time—”

“We don’t need Shiloh searching out the Triad and putting herself in danger,” Trent said.

I stared at him. “I am
not
quitting! End of subject, guys.”

“Now that the Sheol is in danger of being unlocked, things are different. It’s a lot more dangerous than it used to be,” Evans said sternly. “Until you can put together a coven for backup, you’ll only be risking your own safety.”

“I can’t really picture Brittany prancing around graveyards in her Pradas and vanquishing demons.” I shifted uneasily in my seat. “So until I get my friends to join a coven, I can’t go hunting alone anymore?”

“That’s something I need to discuss with Lauren,” Evans replied. “But for now, no hunting.”

Talk to my mom? They were dating, so of course she’d agree with him. This sucked. I was on the verge of either bursting into tears or punching someone in the face. I hated the idea of not being able to help innocents in my own way. It was the one thing that had given my life a purpose and a way to honor my dad by protecting people. Taking that away was like a stake to the heart.

“While I appreciate the fatherly concern from both of you, no one is safe until those demons are vanquished.” I stood and stomped out of the room. No use arguing with them.

Trent followed me into the foyer. “Hey. Wait up.”

I stopped near the grand staircase and whirled on him. “How did you know I was in the graveyard that night? What were you even doing there?”

For a moment, we stared at each other. That was when I finally took in his appearance. Heavy black boots, holey jeans, a blue V-neck shirt clinging to his chest with sweat. His face slightly bruised along the jawline.

“I was, uh, driving past when I saw your mom’s SUV parked outside and figured you’d be with her.”

“Oh.” I lowered my head and sniffled. “I never had a chance to thank you.”

“No need. I’ll always be here for you,” he said. “But you should listen to my uncle, Shiloh. You need to stop hunting solo—you could get hurt.”

I stared at him. “Then why’d you run off?”