Page 24 of Written In Flesh

Lily’s blue-green gaze jumps to mine, shyly looking up at me behind the curtain of her hair. “I hope you had a jacket. It’s getting colder out.”

My lips twitch in almost a smile, something I never fully give in to, even as her words irritate me. “I like the cold, Lil. Shouldn’t you be on campus?”

Our new semester starts tomorrow, and I was under the impression everyone was heading back to campus today. I had planned to after my rotation at the graveyard until this little meeting was called.

“Only athletes are needed back this week, Madd,” Killian scoffs before taking a bite of the steak in front of him. Lily goes rigid, and a light blush floods her cheeks.

“I want everyone back on campus tomorrow, Killian. That was my call, given the situation that’s happening in our world.” I glare at him across the table. I want to berate him for embarrassing Lily, knowing she hates unwanted attention. Lily and Aero have been my friends since elementary, and we always head back to campus together. Killian used to join us until I surpassed him in power. Then his father lost a seat on the council for trying to destroy the council with dark magic, and it formed the first crack in our friendship.

Gavin sighs and tosses his cloth napkin on top of his plate. “This right here is what I’m talking about when I say discourse.”

Shemar chuckles. “I think they sound like us when we were younger, Gav. Besides, with very little information to go on, everyone in the paranormal community is on edge.”

Gavin takes a sip of his wine, and I see my mom reach under the table, likely patting his knee. I tear my stare away as fast as I can. I tolerate their relationship for the most part, knowing it was helpful for my mom after my dad passed in order to secure her spot on the council. Most members are men and tend to be stuck in their old ways and not at all forward-thinking enough to want a woman in their ranks. Being with Gavin allows my mom to have power, power she will eventually pass down to my brother and me.

“That’s because we still don’t know anything. The best thing to do would be to act normal and put on a united front,” Gavin argues back with his friend.

“You’re saying you know absolutely nothing?” I ask Gavin, my tone bordering on sarcastic.

Gavin glances at me, and the usual iciness in his eyes is there. Even while he tries to look calm and cool in his seat, all I see is the rigid way he holds himself. “We all heard the blast. It’s being hypothesized mostly by a few covens and angels that the Nexa is here.”

“Wouldn’t that be something?” My mom laughs lightly and shakes her head, which earns a chuckle from Shemar as well.

“I’m in complete agreement with you, Sera. To our best knowledge, the last time the Nexa actually walked the earth was almost five hundred years ago.”

“The Nexa would need a female, human body to thrive in, wouldn’t it? If we find such a being, it will make it easier to get rid of the powerful Nexa, right?” Lily looks up at Gavin under the curtain of her light hair. Gavin’s gaze roams over her, and my knuckles turn white, gripping my silverware. Lily is soft and delicate. Gavin looks at her like he could destroy her with his words alone.

“It would take a special kind of paranormal to hold the Nexa in its body and survive. Four types of blood and magic need to be woven in. For the Nexa to thrive and reach ultimate power, there also needs to be a connection with her mate,” he explains to her. His small smile looking pinched.

“It would be impossible for anyone less to hold the Nexa, right?” Killian asks. My eyes snap to him. His brow is furrowed while his gaze stays on Lily.

“Next to impossible for sure.” Shemar chews and swallows, waving his fork with a flourish. “Anyone carrying the Nexa without full acceptance and compatibility would be in pain. Can you imagine walking around all day in pain like that?”

Kilian’s eyes drop, and when he raises them to me again, it feels like a challenge almost. “I can’t. Can you, Madden?”

Narrowing my gaze on him, I let my tone fall flat, almost bored. “I can’t.”

“As I said, it’s nothing we need to worry about right now.” Gavin flicks his wrist, looking at his watch before taking another sip of wine. “I did want you here, Madden, because I have an important announcement, one that affects you all.” He glances around the table at me, my group of friends, and Killian. I feel my mom’s eyes on the side of my face, silently begging me, and I know what he’s going to say before Gavin even opens his mouth again.

“Skallan will be coming back this fall and will also be attending River Falls University.”

Lily’s fork drops to her plate, and Aero reaches out, touching her arm gently. I’m not sure what happened between her and Skully, but Lily acts terrified anytime she’s brought up. My memories push forward to the girl in my mind, her head held high, nose in the air like she was better than everyone else. She didn’t have many friends in high school while she was here because she tended to be a bitch and was rude to everyone. Except for those few times. My magic swirls and tightens in my chest, but I push it and those memories down. They were lies. She’s a liar and a vindictive bitch. I wouldn’t put it past her to have hurt my friend. Even as I think it, my magic wants to rebel against the idea. The little tendrils of darkness inside me long for her. Something I’ll never understand after the damage she left behind.

If Gavin is bringing her back, he must know what I did to keep her away. I glance up, and his gaze meets mine. “Everyone, leave please. I need the room with Madden and his mother.”

As if we’re children he’s scolding, everyone gets up from the table. I see the flare of panic on Lily’s face and the knowing smirk on Aero’s lips. It’s the dark glare from Killian, though, that sets my molars on edge. I know why he’s pissed and know he knows I had something to do with it.

With the room emptied, Gavin pushes his plate aside. “You put a spell on her, why?”

My shoulders lift in a shrug. “She didn’t remember anything or have her magic. I was doing what felt safe. She didn’t want to be here, anyway.”

“That is not up to you to decide, Madden. Skallan is my daughter and has every right to be here as you. You are going to be her stepbrother. You are not her keeper.”

His words sting, and my body revolts against the idea. I might have been enthralled with Skully when she first arrived, but only until I learned her true colors. Her father doesn’t know about his precious daughter. He doesn’t know about her fascination with her almost stepbrother either. I would love to tell him to rub it in his face, to really ruin her. She’s coming back, which means I can’t play my cards too early. A stronger, deeper, darker part of me wants to hoard that information and use it in a way that will hurt her the most. Now isn’t the time; it’s too early.

“Are we done here?” I ask, getting up from the table.

“Madden,” my mom tries to settle the argument. “It’s best that Skallan be here and around others more like her. Lord knows she isn’t getting the best education at the community college she’s attending. Or living with that atrocious aunt.”

Skully loves her aunt, though. That was the one constant with her, no matter how long she had been away from her real home. Still, I snort at the new information. “Community college? How quaint. Let me know when she arrives, I’ll keep myself scarce from the manor during that time.”

Gavin grunts, but his face pinches. “Skallan already secured housing on campus. She won’t be living at the manor.”

This time, my gaze narrows on him. During this time, when there are so many unknowns, how can he let his daughter choose to live outside the manor? Anger flares in my gut just thinking about the trouble she’ll cause on campus. Spoiled. Selfish. I’m not even surprised. Without glancing back, I stalk out of the dining room, through the hallways, and out the front door. The damp, chilled night air hits my lungs, and I breathe deeply for the first time tonight. Little Skully is coming home. The darkness inside me rises again, just waiting to see its favorite plaything.