Shadow Walker (Neteru Academy Books) (3 page)

That sucked.

Sarah glanced at her brother. Al would jump at a chance to carry weapons and blast demons. She could feel the excitement coursing through him, and it made her sad. Even if they didn’t like each other very much, she still loved him and didn’t want to see him dead. Resigned, Sarah closed her eyes again and touched the wall.

“Okay,” her father was saying when she tuned back into her parents’ conversation. “We do a sweep tonight, then. My main concern is that the Morrigan could be involved. If that’s true, we’re screwed.”

“If we’ve gone up against the Unnamed One and the entire Vampire Council,” her mother argued, “then I’m not afraid of the Morrigan.”

Sarah gasped, and Al cut her a sharp look to be quiet. But didn’t he get it? The legends they’d always heard about, the history they had been taught over and over, was coming to life!

The Morrigan might be involved in this…fallen Guardians who used their talents for the dark side. They were as bad as Vampires, as far as she was concerned. From everything she’d ever been told, the Morrigan would do anything for favors, extra human comforts, and for power to lord it over people who were stuck in controlled colonies. Sarah jerked her attention back to her parents, both hearing them and seeing them in her mind’s eye. Now she really had to know what was going on.

“I never said anything about fearing the Morrigan,” her father snarled, his fangs cresting in anger. “I said we’re screwed because they know our ways, knew our defenses before they fell…know about the Academy. They can hurt our children, Damali.”

Her father paced away from the munitions tables and raked his fingers through his hair. “Now kids are missing, Guardians are being picked off one-by-one. If we don’t find this bastard now or find out who’s actually doing his dirty work and how…”

History and legend were coming to life right before her eyes as their parents prepared for a night raid. Al and Sarah glanced at each other again, knowing that their dad was now talking about Zaphon, although nobody used that name for him anymore. All Guardians knew that Zaphon was still a threat, but they were always told he wouldn’t surface until they were at least twenty-one years old. Her parents had breeched Hell to drive him back where he belonged and had badly injured him, which was what kicked off the Armageddon early when his dad found out.

But what if the Dark Realm had discovered a way to heal him early? What if, because her parents had forced the Armageddon early, this was the real time when it had been meant to happen—well before she and Al were ready to deal with their so-called destiny to fight in it?

Horrifying thoughts took flight inside Sarah’s head. Panic made it hard for her to breathe.

“Carlos,” her mother said, her voice soothing, and Sarah wondered how her mom managed to sound so calm. “I know you wanted to smoke the beast’s heir before he claimed power over the world, but you just might have to accept the fact that maybe it’s our children’s destiny to handle that, not ours.”

Sarah felt like she was about to pass out for a second. It could not be her and her brother’s destiny to go up against Zaphon. She didn’t care what they’d been told all their lives about destiny. She’d never thought that meant Zaphon. No, no, no, no, no.

“I’m not accepting that philosophical bullshit, Damali!” her father shouted, pointing at her mother. “It’s my job as their father to give them a leg up and a safer world!”

You tell her, Dad, Sarah whispered inside her mind, squeezing her eyes shut tighter.

“You
did
.
We
did,” her mother said firmly. “But we are not God, not by a long shot.”

Her father stopped pacing, placed his hands on his hips and let his head drop forward wearily. It was a while before he looked up at her mother again. When he did, his expression was softer, and there was a different kind of intensity in his eyes. Sarah let out a short breath of frustration. This was the way all their fights seemed to end—her mom just broke her dad down with relentless, tenderly stated facts, and he wound up kissing her. It was the most inexplicable magic she’d ever witnessed. But she was conflicted that her mother had employed the tactic tonight. Feeling torn, half of her emotions wanted to go to school, the other half wanted to wall up in the safety of the compound until whatever was kidnapping students was found. But who wanted to be stuck at home when there’d be a chance to meet other kids her own age, regardless of the danger?

Tomorrow they were supposed to be leaving to start their first year at the Academy. Left to their father’s opinion on the matter, none of the kids in the compound would ever leave home—especially not her and Al.

“You are my angel,” her dad said softly, going to her mom.

Al let out a huff of breath and shook his head. “Aw, man, here they go,” he muttered in a hard whisper. “Skip all that and get to what’s kidnapping people, will ya?”

“Technically, Dad is right,” Sarah fussed under her breath, giving Al a sidelong glance. “She’s part seraphim, part Powers level angel.”

“You are so stupid. That’s not what he meant.” Al turned away from her, shutting his eyes tighter. “Geeze, where did they get you from?”

Their father slid his arms around their mother’s waist and pulled her in tight, then buried his face against her neck.

Sarah pulled back from the wall. “This is private, Al…we shouldn’t—”

“Shut up and listen,” he said between his teeth. “If you’ll be quiet, maybe we’ll learn where they’re going.”

Tentatively Sarah leaned closer to the wall, not sure she wanted to see the depth of her parents’ affection for each other. It was enough for her to know that the argument wasn’t leading to a breakup, but seeing them kiss was not something she felt comfortable with. To her relief, they were just hugging each other. Her mom’s arms were draped around her dad’s neck as though he could solve all the problems in the universe. And if her mom believed that, she sure did. Sarah could feel herself relaxing as her father’s voice rumbled low and deep and calm.

“I just wanna be sure my family is safe, baby,” he murmured against her mother’s hair.

“It’ll be all right, Carlos,” she told him.

“We’ll take a few Hunter and Warrior class Guardians. Big Mike, Rider and Yonnie. In and out.”

“In and out,” her mother echoed in a more relaxed tone as she stroked his back.

“I’m going, too,” Al whispered, suddenly turning toward Sarah and breaking her trance.

“Are you crazy?”

“Look, I wanna know what bodies they’re talking about. If it’s happening at the school, that must be why Dad is so bent.”

Al turned to leave, and Sarah caught his arm.

“Bent. Bent? Do you want to see Dad drop fang when he finds out you snuck out after them? Have you completely lost your mind, Al?”

Al shrugged out of her hold. “You’re just chicken shit, Sarah. Afraid of the dark. Admit it. But if they think fallen Guardians could be in on this, plus kids are missing at school and Guardians are getting snatched…I’m in. This is my chance to see some real live action. I’m not like you, satisfied with sitting on the sidelines and afraid of my own shadow. Mom and Dad left themselves open enough psychically for us to put a light tracer on them—that never happens, okay. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Stay here if you want, but I’m going.”

Sarah cursed silently to herself as he strode off. Al was always such a hothead! Always wanting to jump in feet first, no matter what the consequences. He never appreciated the fact that she could always, ever since they were little, feel whenever something terrible was going to happen to him. That was a burden. Didn’t he understand that? To know as sure as you knew your own name that something tragic was looming over someone you loved—but not knowing what to do about it—was crazy-making. Telling him only seemed to make him bolder. Telling her parents only made him resent her when they insisted he be careful or revoked his grounds privileges. And tonight… She had such a bad feeling about tonight that it put gooseflesh on her arms.

Dammit, she could feel her own incisors lengthening. Her brother always knew how to push her buttons. Why did she have to inherit fangs from her dad instead of her Mom’s angel wings!

Calling her chicken shit and afraid of the dark was definitely one way to send her to Def-con 5—mainly because it was true. Her stupid brother had no idea how much she was afraid of both the dark and her destiny or the very valid reasons why. They’d all said that when she was born, she was the one who’d come out crying and fighting mad with her fists balled up, and he was the calm one. Go figure. But that all changed when the shadows started scaring her as a toddler. Al didn’t see the stuff she could see lurking in the darkness. So, yeah, the last freakin’ thing in the world she wanted to be was some demon hunter. She hated working in the dark, night-vision capability notwithstanding. She’d seen enough by fifteen years old—had seen things in her sleep that haunted her with all the lights on. It didn’t matter that Nana Marlene said it would pass. But she’d never give Al the satisfaction of saying all that tonight.

“You’ve never flown at night by yourself, jerk!” Sarah finally said between her teeth, jogging to catch up to her brother’s long strides. “And they are so gonna kick your dumb ass.”

Smirking, Al gave her a casual shrug as he walked away. “I’m not gonna fly alone. Uncle Yonnie is going, so by rights, me and my best hombre, Valencio, got this.”

Panic raced through Sarah as her brother bound up the steps and disappeared.

Missing Guardians, the Morrigan, a midnight mission—and now her brother was running off into the night like he was crazy to watch her parents fight demons or possibly their worst enemy. This night was going from bad to worst.

And unfortunately, she had to do something about it.

S
arah ran back up the stairs and down the hall to Tami’s room. She needed reinforcements. None of them were ready. They needed training. And now her brother was leaving the compound with their cousin Valencio on an unauthorized run like he’d lost his damned mind!

Tami opened her bedroom door and waved Sarah in before she’d even reached it.

“What gives?” Tami said, looking at Sarah with wide-eyed concern. “You’re seriously stressed out. I could feel you ever since you hit the bottom of the stairs. Are your folks really headed toward splitsville?”

Sarah shook her head and pushed her hair up off her neck. “They were arguing about letting us go to the Academy.”

“What?” Tami asked, stunned.

“Apparently there’ve been kidnappings at or around the school, and some rogue Guardians have gone missing.”

Tami’s jaw dropped. “Get. Out.”

“Yeah, and my parents are going to investigate new demon portals near the school, and my stupid brother and Val are going to follow them!”

“Are you serious?” Tami said, grabbing Sarah by both arms. “That is so cool! I’m in.”

“Wha—No that is
not
cool. It’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard in my life!” Sarah said, struggling out of her best friend’s hold. “Our parents are going to go down a freakin’ demon hole to bust things up!”

“But think of it, Sarah… what a rush,” Tami said, looking like she was in rapture from the idea alone. “And since we can’t fly because we didn’t get blessed with wings like the guys did, we can be Al and Val’s navigators.”

Sarah slumped in defeat. There was no arguing with Tami when she got like this. Her mother had been a vampire for forty years, they said, before she got her life and soul back. Add to that, Uncle Jack Rider’s wild personality and you got a kid as crazy as Tami. So much for being the voice of reason and stopping Al from doing something dumb.

“All we have to do is get beyond the compound energy safeguards so we can mind-link with them. You link to Al, I’ll link to Val. It’ll be insane!”

Sarah folded her arms over her chest. “Yeah. It is insane. One problem. Al will never let us tag along.” It rankled her to no end that her brother had thrown out the challenge that she was too chicken to go knowing that she really was, and yet if she tried to go, she knew he’d tell her she couldn’t. It would serve him right if she did force the point and showed up with Tami.

Tami folded her arms over her chest. “He has no choice. It’s called extortion. Either we go with them, or we blow the whistle on the whole mission.”

Sarah smiled slowly. Having something to hold over her brother’s head did have a certain charm to it.

“He’ll be so pissed,” Sarah said, grinning.

“Uh-huh,” Tami said, going to the door, her answering grin saying she knew she had hooked Sarah with the one thing she couldn’t resist. “So we all go or nobody goes.” She held the door open. “After you.”

“This is complete bullshit!” Al said through his fangs as he yanked his black t-shirt over his head.

He
so
got on her nerves. What a jerk. Why all the compound guys wanted to be like him and all the girls had wanted him at one point or another was beyond her. Her brother was cocky, arrogant and a royal pain in the behind. He got in trouble and stayed there. So what if he was tall, lean and muscular? Who cared if his skin looked like gold under the blood-red moon? Good looks and ability weren’t everything. It sure didn’t beat brains at a time like this.

She watched her brother run his fingers through his thick, soot-colored curls like he didn’t have a care in the world. He glared at her, his dark eyes an intense replica of her father’s—like that mattered. He wasn’t her dad and couldn’t tell her what to do!

He flexed his shoulder blades and forced out huge, pristine white wings, his eyes going silver in the process. It just wasn’t fair. Al had gotten the good looks and the wings to go along with the superior telepathic ability and fearlessness. He was the perfect combination of their father’s vampire and mother’s angel DNA. Her twin brother had clearly robbed her in the womb, leaving her with an unruly mop of brown curly hair, a flat chest, a complete lack of curves that her mother claimed was an athletic build, mediocre telepathic ability and fangs that only popped out when she was angry. Oh, yeah, plus there was some freaky attraction between her and stuff in the dark. But at least she’d come away with all the common sense.