Awakening

Three weeks later, the pain was as strong as it had been when her world first collapsed. So was her desire for revenge. Even as she burned for Akeldama’s death, she couldn’t find the will to get on with her life. The Demoness was making it hard for Sophie to get her vengeance, having made no attacks on them since Todd. It was as if she was luring them into a false sense of safety.

She trained twenty hours a day. The physical exertion kept her mind off her brother’s last few hours and distracted her from thinking too much about Tristan.

When the others trained with her, after their classes, he was always there. He wore an impenetrable wall of hurt and anger ever since that night and hardly acknowledged her. She missed him. She wasn’t sure how much longer their silent argument was going to continue, she just hoped it wasn’t forever.

Sophie descended the steps to the symbol room and thought about how worried the others were. No matter how hard they tried to convince her, she wasn’t going back to class. Sitting in the classrooms made her feel passive. Being passive made her feel the pain and guilt. At least this way, she was closer to shattering Akeldama’s demon butt into oblivion.

She passed through the symbol room and into the training area.

Her breath caught, and she stopped short.

Tristan ran on a treadmill, shirtless, while a news program played on the giant flat screen T.V.

Desire sparked underneath her pain. Tristan’s essence reached out to rest inside her. She wasn’t sure if he meant for the spark to happen, or if it automatically had, so she stepped onto the treadmill next to his and upped the speed to match his stride.

He glanced sideways at her. Her heart skipped a beat. He turned his attention back to the news. The local station broadcasted record lows in the temperature.

They hadn’t talked about what happened that night. About how she’d used him to distract herself from the anguish. “Tristan.” Sophie cut the treadmill off.

He stopped his, too, and moved like a predator toward the wrestling mats.

She swallowed and followed him, keeping her eyes on the back of his head. Frustration rolled off him in waves. After not getting anything but cold silence from him, it burst like fireworks on her skin.

She had enough sense to know she was in trouble.

He stopped at the end of the blue mat. His eyes brightened to yellow-green when he watched her take her place at the other end.

There was no one to call time or referee this match. Jackson and Lilli were in biology class, and Morgan and Aidan were visiting his mom in the hospital. Ruth was teaching, Father Kent off doing research. Sophie had no idea where Demetri was. No one was there to stop this if they let it go too far.

Would they let it go too far?

Her heart galloped in her chest. Half of her wanted this fight. She had her own feelings of frustration, guilt, and grief to work out. The other half of her wanted to run and hide at the intense look in his eyes.

Movement caught her gaze. He stalked forward, his smooth motions cat-like.

She stood, frozen. His eyes paralyzed her with their predatory gleam. If this were a war, she’d lost weeks ago.

He stopped right in front of her. Tempted her with his closeness. He placed his hands on either side of her neck.

Warmth immediately permeated her body, and her lips parted. Blood thundered in her ears.

Then, his lips touched hers. It wasn’t a sweet, I-missed-you kiss. He pressed his body into hers, invading her senses, and poured all his pent-up frustration into it.

A tear slipped down her cheek even as she kissed him back. His hurt flowed into her.

She’d made him feel used.

Before she had time to process this, he pulled back. Accusation shone in his eyes. A low growl rumbled in his throat. The animal in him prowled right underneath the surface.

It was time for the final battle. They’d either make up or hate each other forever.

“I’m tired of feeling this angry with you. It’s distracting, and it’s going to end up getting us killed. Let’s fight this out.”

“Fine with me,” Sophie agreed.

He kicked out a leg and knocked her off her feet.

She landed on her back. She wheezed oxygen in and rolled over to her hands and knees.

Tristan watched silently as she got to her feet.

She barely balanced before he attacked again. She blocked the blow to her ribs and counter-attacked with one of her own to his solar plexus.

They watched each other warily and circled the mat.

Sophie’s nerves stretched taut, but her muscles relaxed. They were finally working this out.

He kicked toward her face; she blocked it.

She aimed for his knees; he twisted out of the way.

Kick, block, aim, block, twist, counter-attack. She wasn’t sure how long their dance went on, but she felt the burn in her muscles.

When the sting of the hits were a little too much, they circled each other again. Both panted, lungs on fire.

Sophie’s anger and guilt burned through her. This had to end before they accidentally killed each other.

She dove headfirst; he hit the mat with her on top of him.

Tristan recovered fast and rolled them over. His knees landed on either side of her hips, pinning her down.

She went at him with both her fists. He trapped them above her head.

She tried to catch her breath.

Accusation shone in his eyes as he stared into her face.

Every thought she’d had evaporated. Tension radiated from him. He was furious.

“How could you do this? Treat me like some one-night stand?” His pain sharpened inside her. Her breath caught. “You know how Cecilia made me feel. Used. Worthless.”

“I—”

“No. I’m not finished,” he hissed. His lips thinned into a hard line.

She snapped her mouth shut. Hot tears threatened to fall, but she refused to show any weakness.

“I thought no one could hurt me worse than she did. But you proved me wrong.” His bitter tone struck her. “Being connected to you made the pain a thousand times worse.”

His anguish pressed into her mind and mixed with her own, sparking her anger. “My brother had just been tortured and murdered by a demon, Tristan!” Her voice rose. “And I saw it happen when I touched his cold body. Yes, I acted like an idiot. But I was lost. I wanted the pain to go away. I wanted to forget.” Her voice broke, and she let him feel her own pain. “Then you left me.”

The anger drained from his eyes, leaving his body.

“Sophie.” A world of remorse whispered to her.

She knew she’d hurt him. That hurt her, too. She bit her lip and leaned up slowly. Her lips caught his in the sweet kiss they’d missed earlier.

His eyes fluttered closed. Sophie pulled back and rested her head on the mat as his eyes changed back to the ashy color she loved. The grip on her hands loosened.

“I’m sorry, Tristan,” she whispered. She let the regret show in her eyes and in her heart.

Emotions rippled across his face. He sighed and rolled off to lie next to her.

The silence stretched on. She broke it again. “I know that an apology probably doesn’t mean anything. What I did was wrong, and I swear I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“I know.”

She turned on her side. Faint bruises formed on his arm and one appeared on his face. When had they become these people? Ones who held in emotions until they became volatile and then beat them out of each other? She gently touched a bruise on his jaw.

He caught her hand and brought it to his lips. He intertwined their fingers. “I’m sorry I haven’t been here for you when you needed me the most.”

Tears clogged her throat. She swallowed against them. “It was my fault.”

They both knew she wasn’t just talking about what she’d done to him.

He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. What happened to your brother wasn’t your fault.

His essence fully enveloped her when he spoke into her mind. The tears fell hard now that Tristan was with her. He was joined with her again, and she could hide nothing. He stroked her hair, murmured comfort, and held her until the violent sobs quieted to sniffles.

A few hours later, Sophie, Lilli, and Jackson were studying some research Father Kent had dug up when Aidan and Morgan walked into the training room.

Aidan’s fire glowed just beneath his skin, and his lips were pulled back in a sneer. While both of them radiated unease, Aidan’s emotions boiled inside him.

Sophie exchanged looks with Jackson and Lilli. She thought twice about asking what happened when Aidan went straight into throwing massive fireballs at the demon effigy.

Demetri watched silently while Aidan brushed a flaming hand over his brow.

Ruth came to stand by the girls. “What’s wrong with him?”

Morgan licked her lips. “His mom took a turn for the worse. He shouldn’t be training right now. I tried to talk him out of it.…”

Sophie placed a hand on her arm. Morgan might not realize how deep her feelings for Aidan went, but Sophie knew.

“It’s probably best for him to get it out of his system,” Jackson said. “He can’t keep it buried inside. He’d probably explode.”

Father Kent and Tristan walked in from the weight room. They stared at Aidan as they stood with Demetri.

Aidan kept going, giving all he had into the fire. Sophie began to sweat from the heat pouring off him.

A table burst into flames near Demetri, and the girls jumped.

“Enough, Aidan.” Morgan stalked up to him.

Aidan snuffed the flames immediately.

She gripped his chin and pulled his face close. “You will stop this nonsense, do you hear me? I hate that your mother is sick, but you will not destroy this church.”

His eyes were full of anguish, but he managed a small grin for her. “Yes, princess.”

“Good.” She let go of his chin.

The pain in Sophie’s head sharpened as Aidan’s unease settled into something else. She suddenly had the urge to run. “Something’s wrong!”

Tristan crossed to her and placed a hand at the back of her neck. “What is it?”

The pain increased, and she cried out. “Not me. Someone’s coming!” Dark shapes twisted in her mind. Intense pressure told her they were close.

Heat rushed and pushed her through the air. Pain blossomed when she landed against Tristan, who’d blocked her impact into a concrete wall. As she and Tristan slid to the floor, she thought Aidan’s emotions had actually exploded. Through the fuzziness of her mind, everyone’s pain and confusion battered her.

The darkness slithered through her mind, and she became sure Aidan didn’t do this.

Smoke and heat blanketed the room. Sophie blinked against the sting in her eyes. Morgan, Aidan, and Lilli helped each other stand. Black soot covered all three over myriad scratches.

“Jackson!” Lilli’s voice pierced through the ringing in their ears. She scrambled over chunks of wood and concrete while she searched.

Tristan pulled Sophie up. His eyes changed. She sensed the animal close to the surface.

“Jackson.” Lilli’s relief brought tears to Sophie’s eyes.

Jackson levitated a few pieces of wood off himself and then gathered Lilli into his arms.

Through the smoke, Sophie saw Demetri and Ruth pounce to their feet.

“Look out!” Morgan shouted as a shadow of smoke slunk toward Father Kent. “We need to get out of here!” Ruth ran to the gun racks. She unlocked the case and threw a gun to Demetri and then Kent.

A tremor rocked the room, and Kent stumbled.

Jackson cursed as a smoke shadow came up from behind and flung him to the floor.

Lilli screamed and tried to grab at it. Her eyes widened as her hands passed through it, and she staggered back a few steps.

Another tremor shook and knocked Sophie to the floor. She sat up, pain radiating through her ribs. Her mind filled with whispering thoughts, none of them kind. Her head pounded with each heartbeat.

A shadow solidified behind Father Kent. He was reaching for the gun he’d dropped from the first tremor and didn’t see it. Without thinking she leaped up and darted toward him.

Her lungs ached. She leaned down, braced for impact. Her shoulder connected with the shadow as it started to solidify.

They hit the floor so hard her jaw snapped together.

All she could smell was sulfur and smoke. The dark and undead eyes focused on her. As it solidified the rest of its body, Sophie gasped. Its pale skin was blue with death, and black veins ran across the body.

“Jesus!” Aidan rushed the one that solidified by Jackson. He balled his fists and shot them out. The shadow laughed, the whisper of it echoing in their minds.

Ruth and Demetri fired rounds and then frowned when the bullets passed through the shadows.

“It’s not working!” Ruth signaled to him. “We have to get the Guardians out of here.”

Sophie lost her breath as the shadow man flipped her over his shoulder into a pile of debris. Pain intensified when he pressed down on her ribs. She screamed in rage and hit it with her fists.

The weight suddenly disappeared. Tristan’s concerned face filled her hazy vision.

Sophie barked out two coughs when more smoke filled her lungs. The dark feeling overwhelmed her, and she spun around to find the reason.

Kent’s lifeless body fell to the floor slowly. Blood spurted from his neck with each heartbeat.

Sophie met the gaze of the soulless one behind Kent’s body. She had to crane her neck back to see the face of the massive shadow.

Pure one.

The voice whispered inside her mind and her skin crawled.

I have come for your friend.

“No!” Sophie cried out. Which one? Her breath caught while her gaze bounced from Lilli to Morgan.

Her head snapped back to Lilli. A shadow formed behind her, its dark claws solidifying in front of her throat.

“Lilli!” Sophie screamed. The others forgot the fire raging around them and turned to Lilli.

Fiery bits of ceiling fell around them and thundered to the floor. Lilli’s eyes widened in horror, and Jackson rushed forward.

The demon sneered and cut a small piece of Lilli’s flesh. She squirmed in its grip, but it was too late.

Jackson fell to his knees when Lilli disappeared. “No.” The word tripped from his lips.

Sophie jumped when he roared at the top of his lungs. Lilli was gone.

“We have to get out of here!” Demetri gestured to the door.

Aidan held a hand up to keep the fire at bay. Sweat beaded on his brow from the effort.

Sophie tugged on Tristan’s sleeve. It spurred him into action. He crossed to Jackson, grabbed him under the arms, and hauled him up.

Ruth pushed them toward the staircase. “Move!”

“Come on!” Tristan shouted, shaking Jackson. A ceiling beam landed with a loud rumble beside them. The sweltering smoke pressed in on them.

Sophie grabbed Morgan’s hand and forced them both to the floor. The smoke is rising. We have to crawl.

Morgan nodded, black smudges marring her beautiful features. Her ice-blue eyes showed her determination to make it out alive with the rest of her friends.

Sophie weakened as everyone’s pain and shock soaked in, battering at her already frail defenses. Black spots appeared in her vision.

Morgan tugged at Sophie’s hand. We’re almost to the stairs. She coughed and inhaled more smoke.

Jackson struggled against Tristan’s grip.

Cut it out! Tristan snapped. He tightened his hold enough to cut through Jackson’s shock. We won’t be any good to her dead!

The heat devastated them. Sophie’s knees weakened, and Morgan dragged her up the stairs.

Almost there, Soph.

“The door is locked!” Ruth jiggled the handle, pushing at the door. She slammed her palm against it when it refused to budge.

“Let me.” Morgan disappeared. From behind the door they could hear things crashing to the ground.

Fire pushed up the stairs. Aidan stood between them and the fire and struggled to keep it at bay. Morgan!

They blocked it. I’m almost done!

The door swung open. Once they hit the tiled floor, they ran for the front door.

Night air rushed to greet them when their feet hit the sidewalk. Sophie greedily gulped in the crisp oxygen.

Ruth and Demetri had their heads together, quickly whispering a plan.

“No! How could you do this to me?” Jackson pushed Tristan away from him. “I left her!”

“They took her. They did this!”

Jackson threw a punch. Tristan’s head snapped to the side as Jackson’s fist connected with his jaw. For a brief moment, his eyes glowed green.

Sophie held her breath.

Tristan drew a deep breath in and let it out slowly. His eyes faded to gray.

Police sirens serenaded the night while they stood staring at the burning cathedral. The siren’s mournful cries awakened Sophie’s grief. She collapsed to her knees. The pain in her chest compressed.

“She’s gone, too.” Sophie wrapped her arms around herself.

Tristan knelt beside her. “We have to go.”

Sophie ignored his soft words.

“Now!” Demetri shouted. “They can’t find us here.”

“What would we tell them? Demons were after us?” Aidan reiterated. He started sprinting away. Morgan and Ruth looked at each other before joining him. Demetri grabbed Jackson’s arm and shoved him into a run.

“Come on, we need to go.” Tristan grabbed her hand and pulled her down the sidewalk. The police cars squealed to a stop in front of the inferno. The uniformed men spotted Sophie when she stumbled and fell to one knee.

Tristan looked over his shoulder and tried to help Sophie up. He was hidden behind the corner of the next building, out of the policemen’s sight.

Go. Now! They don’t need to know all of us were here.

I’m not leaving you! His fingers tightened around hers. Get up!

Sophie heard the pounding of the men’s feet on the sidewalk. She knew they were going to catch up with them. There was only one thing to do. She stood and shoved Tristan over the edge of the shrubs. If you get up I’ll never forgive you!

With one last look at him, feet hanging over the hedge, she ran in the direction of the police. She recognized the first one as Detective Campbell, the man she had delivered the letters to about the kidnapped students. His eyebrows lifted when he saw her.

Her stilted run and torn sleeve caught his attention. She sobbed, covered in black soot and a small amount of blood. When she came closer, the others noticed her as well.