Awakening

Once the guys, Demetri, and Ruth learned about the attack on Morgan, training began at a rapid pace. Almost every night the group met at the bus stop after classes and headed to the church’s basement, where they learned how to use their gifts with precision and agility. On the off times when they weren’t training, they were usually studying or doing homework in the girls’ dorm.

There was a rule now that none of them was to go anywhere alone, including home on the holidays. Demetri drilled into their heads that there was safety in numbers.

Sophie felt a bit safer knowing that Ruth still acted as a professor and that Demetri was still a security guard on campus. She’d even seen Father Kent dressed in his clerical robes in the back of classrooms or strolling near them when they walked from class to class.

In the small locker room in the basement of the church, Sophie pulled on her training clothes. Morgan and Lilli were deep in discussion behind her.

“How do you feel about going home with Aidan?” Lilli slyly asked.

“I have to sit with him for two days, at his house, pretending to be his girlfriend.” Morgan slammed her locker closed. “How do you think I feel?” She stormed out of the room, leaving the door to bang shut behind her.

Lilli giggled a little. “She’s so defensive about it. I can’t help myself.”

“She’s my training partner today, remember?” Sophie sent a baleful glance at Lilli. “And now you pissed her off. Thanks.”

“How do you feel about going home with Tristan?”

The question caused warm sparks to center in Sophie’s stomach. How did she feel about taking Tristan home to her family? A small smile touched her lips before she could stop it.

Lilli nodded, satisfied. “Yeah, I thought so.”

“What about you? With Jackson?”

“Same.” Lilli rubbed her hands together. “I’m off to keep the boys alive. Hopefully, they’ll leave wounds I can fix.”

Sophie shook her head, and they parted ways. She wasn’t looking forward to fighting Morgan while she was in one of her moods. The girl was vicious and invisible.

When Sophie reached their training area, Morgan and Ruth already had the large blue mat rolled out. She stopped at the edge and waited on Ruth’s command.

Morgan narrowed her eyes and took her place at the other side. Inwardly, Sophie winced.

It was going to be a painful session.

“Go,” Ruth ordered.

Morgan disappeared.

Sophie immediately reached out with her senses. Before, Ruth had blindfolded her to get her used to using her power. Now, she had to use the rest of her senses in conjunction to keep track of where Morgan was.

Movement to her left. Sophie swung up her arm and blocked a blow that would’ve hit her in the face. Morgan was really pissed about having to go home with Aidan.

The mat creaked behind her. She whirled around, swiping her left leg out, and knocked Morgan’s feet out from under her.

Morgan flickered into view for a few seconds when she hit the mat. A wave of frustration rolled into Sophie from below.

The reason distracted her. Morgan didn’t like feeling helpless or weak. She didn’t like knowing that Akeldama knew where they were or feeling like she wasn’t safe to fall asleep at night.

It drove her crazy.

“Pay attention, Sophie,” Ruth called from the sidelines.

Sophie’s body snapped to the side when Morgan tackled her. The breath exploded from her lungs as her head smacked the concrete just off of the mat.

Morgan pinned her down. Her body appeared in stages.

Sophie was struck by the distress in Morgan’s eyes. She waited until Morgan scooted off her before she asked, “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.”

Ruth came closer.

“Did we upset you when we teased you about Aidan?”

“No.” Morgan shook her head. “I expect that. I even get it from Aidan.”

Sophie remained silent. If someone wanted to talk, it was best to not pressure them with questions.

Morgan sighed. “I have this frustration and agony deep inside, but I don’t know why. Or where it comes from. I’ve never felt it before, and I can’t get it to stop.”

“Maybe you’re still worried about the attack.” Ruth placed a hand on Morgan’s shoulder. “We’re doing the best we can to make you ready for the next one.”

Morgan nodded and disappeared. “I know.”

Sophie knew their conversation was over. She readied herself for the next attack.

For the next two hours, they both gave hits and received them. Ruth corrected Sophie’s form and instructed them on how to use their bodies as weapons. When Ruth called time, Sophie and Morgan were sweaty and bruised.

“Much better.” Ruth tossed them each a bottle of water. “You’ve come a long way in the past two weeks. Now, Morgan, we’ll practice your teleporting and then visit the guys. And don’t forget. Tomorrow is weapons training.”

Sophie groaned. Weapons training was the worst. She never could get the gun to shoot where she wanted it to go.

They rolled up the heavy blue mat and then leaned it against the wall. Ruth drew an X on the floor in blue, red, and black chalk.

From her vantage point on the floor, Sophie watched Ruth call red.

Morgan’s emotions stretched. The air shimmered violently and then a pop. She appeared on the red chalk.

Before, Morgan had to work on her precision and land on each X perfectly. Now that she had that down, she worked on her speed and agility.

“Blue.”

Pop.

Sophie leaned her head back against the wall and forced her breathing to even out. Even with the training, she worried they weren’t going to be able to stop Akeldama. She was full of hatred and malice. Her only wish was to annihilate the six of them.

Their only wish was to stay alive.

There was no balance there. She was immortal. They were mortals with extra gifts. How were they supposed to beat her?

“Soph, let’s go.” Morgan waved her over. “I’m finished, so Ruth wants to go watch the guys.”

A smile spread across her face. “I’m okay with that.”

Morgan rolled her eyes and pulled Sophie up. “Of course you are.”

Sophie groaned as all the muscles in her body stretched. They walked toward the concrete room that Aidan used for his fire. As they approached, Sophie saw Lilli and Father Kent watching from the window a story above the training room.

Demetri was off in a corner, cleaning weapons for tomorrow.

Goody, weapons, Sophie thought. She stopped next to Lilli. “Have you had any chance to train yet?”

“A few times. Aidan scorched Tristan so bad earlier, it took me half an hour to heal him. Tristan was in bear form. The smell of burnt hair was awful.” Lilli wrinkled her nose.

Sophie swallowed against the thought of Tristan being hurt. “I guess if they didn’t get hurt, you wouldn’t be able to train.”

Lilli laughed. “As long as they don’t try to kill each other, I’ll do my job.” She looked over at Morgan, then nudged Sophie.

Morgan’s gaze followed Aidan as he paced on his side of the room. He wore a grim frown, and fire danced up his arms. Every so often, the flames would dance out like a solar flare.

The door to the training room opened, and Tristan sauntered out.

Sophie’s breath caught when his gaze met hers. His eyes were stormy, like the frown on his lips. He’d removed his shirt because of the heat from Aidan’s flames and wore only a pair of jeans. Black soot marked his chest and neck, and he smelled of smoke.

“Hey.” He shoved his hands into his pockets.

Her mind went blank. She offered him her water bottle.

His lips turned up slightly and he took it. “Thanks.”

She watched him guzzle it down and forced herself to breathe. His strong jaw line made her stomach flip.

Lilli nudged her again.

She swung her gaze back to the training room.

Jackson stood opposite Aidan, palms in front of him, perfectly still. Sophie could almost imagine massive white wings unfolding from his shoulder blades; he looked that much like an avenging angel.

Useless pieces of furniture sat waiting to be used at his command.

Aidan still paced. His restless energy enveloped the room. Sophie felt his deep frustration. His helplessness.

Her fingers curled into fists. It was keen, running deeper than she could’ve imagined. It also was identical to the frustration Morgan had felt.

When she saw the tears streaming down Morgan’s face, she knew. The two of them were linked on a primal level. Morgan shared Aidan’s emotions.

Lilli gasped. Sophie forced her attention back to the room.

Aidan fired off several globed flames. They flew hot and fast.

Jackson formed a mental wall with his mind.

The fireballs slammed into it. The room echoed with the explosions.

Aidan’s desperation heightened. Sophie felt it clawing at his insides. It suffocated him.

The smoke cleared, and Jackson lifted a few chairs. He whirled them around in a figure eight pattern. Faster and faster they turned until it looked like one long piece of furniture.

Aidan’s eyes narrowed. His flames burned hotter.

The chairs rushed toward him.

His fire incinerated them immediately. Ashes floated to the floor. Aidan’s chest heaved.

Ruth and Demetri had joined them now. Everyone seemed to realize that it wasn’t an ordinary training session.

Tristan made a move to go stop them.

“No. Let them finish,” Demetri ordered.

“Aidan’s going to kill him,” Tristan growled.

No one risked a glance at Morgan. Her shoulders shook.

“Jackson can handle it.”

Sophie bit down on her lip to keep Aidan’s emotions from overwhelming her. The group didn’t need two crying women at the same time.

Jackson closed his eyes. Beams creaked as the baby grand piano and the desk levitated behind him.

Aidan’s jaw clenched when they charged him. The flames heated higher than Sophie had ever seen them burn.

It split the piano in two. The sections skimmed on either side of him.

The blast of heat from the room was intense.

The cold look of triumph was wiped from Aidan’s face when the desk hurtled into his midsection.

Morgan gasped and placed a hand against the window. She snatched it back when the heat seared her palm. Her shared frustration evaporated in the face of her worry.

Jackson quickly moved the pieces of the desk. He bent down and hoisted Aidan over his shoulder, fireman style, and carried him up the stairs.

Tristan had the door open for him when he reached the top.

“Oh, my God.” Morgan slid down to the floor when she saw the blood covering Aidan’s body.

White bone stood out against his torso and wrists. A desk leg impaled his right shoulder, and a large gash scuffed his face.

“I see a few of his ribs, Lilli.” Jackson gently laid him on the floor in front of her.

Aidan’s labored wheezing caught Sophie off guard. From her spot a few feet away, she felt the heat wafting off his body.

Lilli knelt down and pressed her hands to Aidan’s ribs. He moaned when the golden energy traveled from her palm into his body.

Sweat beaded on his brow when Lilli moved to his shoulder.

“Jackson, I need you to remove the wood. Tristan, hold him down.” Lilli placed a hand on the side of Aidan’s face. “What were you thinking?”

Ruth, Demetri, and Kent watched silently. Morgan crawled over and placed Aidan’s head in her lap. She ignored the blood on his face and stroked his hair. The gentleness calmed him, and the heat dissipated. Sophie felt the frustration lighten.

Jackson kept his gaze trained on Aidan’s and gripped the desk leg.

Aidan nodded.

Jackson wrenched it out, and Aidan’s body arched in pain.

Lilli went to work instantly, relaxing him as she did. She moved on to his wrists and then, finally, his face. When she sat back, Jackson wrapped an arm around her.

“Would you guys give us a minute?” Sophie spoke to Ruth, Demetri, and Kent.

Ruth nodded. “Of course.” She placed a hand on Demetri’s arm. “Let’s go.”

Kent tilted his head to the side before he followed them out.

What had caused that much heartache that not only had Morgan felt it, but Aidan couldn’t control it? “Morgan, that frustration you felt earlier?”

“I know. It was his.” Morgan sighed when she looked down into his face. “What happened?”

Aidan forced himself into a sitting position. Morgan helped him lean against the wall. He pulled her close when she went to move away.

His emotions surged through him. They reached out to Sophie, wrapped around her.

“My mom,” he said, his voice faltering. “My mom has cancer.”

Lilli covered her mouth with her hand.

“Aidan.” Morgan put her arms around him.

The pressure in Sophie’s chest grew.

“Why didn’t you tell us sooner?” Jackson asked.

“It’s spread to her lymph nodes.” Aidan swallowed. He blinked a few times. “She’s basically in a drug-induced coma to keep her from feeling the pain.”

“I could—”

“No, Lilli, you can’t.” Aidan smiled weakly. “The cancer is…everywhere. I thought of that, too, but it’s metastasizing rapidly. So, unless we can give her a new body….”

“But, I could try.”

Sophie, knowing Lilli’s gift as well as she did, shook her head. “It would kill you.”

“Thanks for the offer, though.” Aidan’s sincerity sliced through Sophie. “I know you would if you were able.” He stood, his eyes haggard. “I’m going to shower.”

They watched him walk away, his back stiff and head held high. Only Sophie and Morgan knew how badly his heart ached.