The Lost Soul (Fallen Soul Series, Book 1) (31 page)

“You could go there,” I suggest wickedly.

“To the Faerie Realm?”

“Yeah, Luna’s not there, so I’m sure it’s safe.”

She smiles brightly. “You know what, that’s a good idea. I’ll get a portal opened up tomorrow.”

I grin to myself, flicking a piece of lint off my shorts.
One down, two more to go.

“I wonder if there will ever be a time when we’re not running from the end of the world,” she says.

I bite my thumbnail off and spit it on the floor. “I think it’s safe to say that that might never happen.”

A car backfires from somewhere and Aislin tenses. “I hope they’re okay.” She twists her hair up into a messy bun and secures it with an elastic band.

“They’re fine.” I set the brush on the nightstand. “They’re a Keeper and a vampire for Christ sake.”

“But Laylen…” She fluffs a pillow and lies down. “How bad was it?”

I climb under the blanket, which stinks like cigarette smoke and mildew. “Huh? How bad was what?”

“The biting incident?” she whispers. “How bad was it?”

I internally cringe. “Not too bad,” I lie. “In fact, he bit another vampire.”

“He didn’t tell me that.” She sounds relieved. “I’m glad. That way is better than him biting some girl, because…” she trails off.

I know what she was going to say, though. There’s an intimate feeling shared between a human being bit and the vampire that’s doing the biting.

The keycard slot makes a gurgling noise and the door opens. Laylen and Alex hurry in with the ice bucket and dead bolt the door behind them. They place some warm soda cans we bought from the front desk into the bucket to chill. Laylen kicks off his boots and climbs in bed with Aislin. She giggles and Laylen whispers something in her ear.

I tune them out, my eyes locked on Alex as he slips his shoes and green t-shirt off and climbs into bed. Aislin giggles again, louder this time.

Alex rolls his eyes. “If you two don’t knock it off, I’m going to lock you in the bathroom.” Her giggles muffle. Alex winks at me and leans close. “You and I will just be quieter.”

Now I roll my eyes, but smile when he snakes his legs between mine. His jeans are rough against my bare legs, but I don’t move. As the room quiets down, he clicks off the lamp, and kisses my neck softly.

“Goodnight,” he whispers, his breath soft against my cheek. “I love you.”

I tuck my head under his chin and lie motionless. Hours tick by. I don’t move. I wait until everyone’s fast asleep. Then I reach down my throat and pull out a black widow wedged in it. I place it on the floor and it runs under the bed. I sneak out of bed and tiptoe over to Laylen. His arm’s flopped over the edge and he takes up most of the bed. I inch my hand for his mouth, closer, closer. His eyes snap open and he twists my arm in an awkward position that tears at my muscles. I flip my arm around quickly, freeing myself, and coil his until it hurts. I grab his hair roughly with my other hand, yank him out of bed, and drag him into the small bathroom. I shut the door and he starts to laugh.

“I knew you liked it rough,” he says impishly.

I tap my fingers on the counter. “Well played. I’m pretty sure neither of them expected anything.”

“Of course they don’t.” He places his hands on my hips and slowly guides me toward him. “I can’t believe they actually thought that would work. It takes a heck of lot more to bring someone like you down.”

“Only one person actually. Annabella.” I peer in the mirror. “But she’s trapped inside me and I’ll never let her go.” I smooth down my hair. “I’m out of her body for one minute and look what she does to herself.”

“We’ll get you some stuff to make you beautiful again,” Laylen promises.

“Or maybe I’ll just get a new body.”

“You know you can’t do that. You know how hard it was to find a girl who’s fey, a Keeper, a Foreseer, and who’s connected with the soul of another. If she wasn’t bonded to the doofus out there, her soul would probably be too weak to carry your power—she’d probably die.”

“We need the doofus.” I rub the pads of my fingers along the lines of my jaw, my narrow cheekbones, around my violet eyes. “And Gemma will die anyway. Once I’m out of her body.”

He swallows hard and his blue eyes simmer with hot tears.

“Shut it down. You’re letting him seep through the cracks,” I demand, repulsed. He sucks back the tears. I pull a face at his weakness and then at my hideous reflection. “I need to get to the City of Crystal.”

“What for?” Laylen’s thumbs massage circles on my hips.

“Because she’s not strong enough to get into the Room of Forbidden on her own.” I motion at my leggy body.

Laylen cocks his head to the side. “Why don’t we use a Foreseer who’s here in the Human World? I hate going to that creepy place.”

“Quit being a baby.” I shake my head exasperatedly. “Besides, I don’t want just any Foreseer. I want Dyvinius.”

Laylen’s fingers try to sneak up the back of my shirt. “Why? What’s so special about the old man?”

I shove him away, not wanting to get caught up in anything other than my plan. “Because at the moment, he’s the most powerful Foreseer I know. And because after this is all done, and the vision is altered that will change my past, I can kill Dyvinius and then all the Foreseers’ power will be gone.” I make a poofing motion with my hand. “And then no one will be able to change the vision back.
Ever
. Besides, he can give me the Serpent mark. How fun would that be?”

Laylen’s lips creep into a smile. “Your mind is truly amazing.”

I cup his chin with my hand and cut his skin with my thumbnail. “You better not screw with me this time. If you try anything with my sisters, I’ll kill you. It’s because of you that I am stuck in that wretched place. Your betrayal caused my mother to sentence me to The Afterlife. She thought I was weak.”

“I’m sorry, my love.” He flinches and wipes the blood from his chin. “I had needs, though. And my family had expectations.”

“Well, your bloodline is almost dead.” I gesture at the door. “Except for those two out there and that’s an easy fix.” I back away, slipping the Cornu Lepore around my neck. “The more power I have, the better… I wonder if my Lost Souls have found their bodies yet. It’s important they find good ones—ones that have high reign in the world.”

“If they don’t pick the right ones, we’re screwed. And Luna’s out now, so that’s a problem.”

“Luna doesn’t scare me.” I slink out the door. Alex and Aislin are snoring softly from the beds. We sneak out the door and to the parking lot. I feel guilty for leaving them, but only momentarily. I turn off my emotions, just like I used to. A new me settles in. I scratch a cut across the star on my wrist, whispering good-bye forever.

I take Laylen’s hand and seal my eyes shut. “Let’s go rain some hell down on the world.” I blink us away, out of the night, knowing no one can stop me.

“Wow, that’s truly amazing,” Laylen observes when I land us in the City of Crystal. We are standing in front of a set of tall, silver doors, with curved handles shaped like a Foreseer mark. I dither my next step. Barge in? Sneak? I’m way to powerful for that. I rip open the door and toss my head back with exhilaration.

Shiny cutouts of silver and blue porcelain create a path through the green gemstones, mimicking blades of grass. The blue sky diamonds above and clouds image across it. I advance down the path like I own the place, looking straight ahead at the silver throne perched on the sapphire dais.

“Dyvinius. Dyvinius. Come out. Come out. Wherever you are,” I singsong, reaching the brim of the dais.

“He’s not going to come out,” Laylen says over my shoulder. “He’s not that stupid…” He trails off as Dyvinius emerges. “Okay, I guess I have to retract my statement. He is that stupid.”

The tall, old man walks out, his hair and eyes matching his sliver, floor-length robe. “Gemma, what are you doing here?” he asks unhappily. “And how did you even get here? You don’t have your power anymore.”

I pace the floor in front of the dais. “You know, the last time I saw you, you were just an ordinary Foreseer with no authority.” I cast a glace around. “And now look at you, reigning over the Foreseers. Impressive. Of course, I know how you got the position. It’s not based on your power, but more on your sick ability to cheat your way to the top.”

He stumbles over his robe and his silver eyes amplify. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t cheat. I earned this.”

I hold up my hands. “Hey, no judgment here. I can respect a man who can lock away another man, just to get what he wants.”

He falters to his throne. “Who are you?”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” I wave my finger at him. “I’ll be the one asking the questions.”

He shivers. “I’m not sure what you want, but I can tell you right now, I won’t give it to you.”

I step on the dais, place my hands on the armrests of the throne, and dip my head close. “You’ll give me whatever I want. Because death always wins.”

Realization strikes him like a lightning bolt to the chest. “I don’t… how did you… Helena?”

A smile teases my lips. “I’m glad to see you haven’t forgotten me. Although, I am very memorable.”

“Yes, you are,” Laylen muses from behind me.

My grin broadens. “Now, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way.”

“W-what do you want?” he stammers, hovering back.

I lean away slightly. “Well, to start with, I want the Serpent mark.”

He shakes his head swiftly. “I’ll never give it to you.”

“So the hard way, then.” I sigh, inspecting my chipped fingernails. “I was actually hoping for the easy way. Normally I don’t mind a challenge, but being human is rather tiring—all this emotion bustling through me. I’m having a hard time dealing with it.”

“Helena,” Dyvinius pleads, eyes squinting, wrinkles creasing his pale skin. “I know what you’re up to and I beg you not to do it. Changing visions doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get exactly what you want.”

I unhinge my jaw and spit a Black Widow on his lap. He screams and tries to jump up, but I whip my hand out and hold him down as the spider climbs up his arm and sinks its venomous fangs into its neck. His body slumps to the side, arms draped lifeless over the armrests.

“Silly Dyvinius,” I say. “I always get what I want.”

Laylen steps up beside me and runs his fingers through his hair. “You didn’t kill him, did you? Because he’s useless to us if he’s dead.”

I pat him on the head and let my finger trace a line down his pale cheek to the neckline of his black shirt. I grip the fabric and tug him closer.

“Of course he’s not dead,” I breathe. “Don’t ever second guess me.”

He nods and I release him, exhaling loudly. “I need a place… somewhere that he can’t use his Foreseer power.” I stare at the stubborn old man. “I have a feeling it’s going to take some torture to get what I want and I can’t have him going off and disappearing with the blink of an eye.”

Laylen nods agreeably. “We could go to the castle. The place is covered with
praesidium.”

I pat his head. “Good boy. And as long as Luna’s not there—”

He cuts me off. “I’m sure she won’t be. She’s got her own things to worry about, like getting her power back.”

“Well, she better not succeed,” I say. “Otherwise, it’s going to be tricky getting what I want. Not impossible, but tricky.” I sigh and grab one of Dyvinius’ comatose hands. “Alright, let’s go to the castle.”