Absently, I make myself a glass of iced tea while using my magic to assemble the scattered pieces, and then I summon it to me, watching as it floats.
I shut the door to the fridge and sip on my glass of tea while waiting for the dark user to answer. Nothing. It just rings and rings. I frown, sighing as I put the phone down.
"What are you doing?" a smooth voice asks, drawing my attention.
I look up to see Chaz, and I grin at his bed-head. "Calling Gage," I murmur softly, letting my smile fall. "I'm worried about him being on his own."
He gives me a you-can't-be-serious look, and then shakes his head. "He's Somage. He's not alone. You can't ask him to come here if you're worried about him. If your new fiancé doesn't kill him, your father will."
"They won't kill him—I don't think. Look, Gage is alone. He was leaving the Somage because he thought we were going to be together. This spell is eating him alive. I have to help him."
"Why would you help him out of something he brought on himself?"
I glance down at my side, knowing the tattoo he got me—when he worried about a spirit coming after me—is lying underneath my shirt. Then I look up to meet Chaz's eyes.
"Because he loved me. He's an idiot, but people do stupid things when they're in love. And he's my friend. Friends fuck up and you forgive them."
I look pointedly at him, reminding him that he abandoned me to make things easier between him and his mom. He nods knowingly while taking a deep breath.
"Since you're up, do you want to watch a movie with a friend you've forgiven for fucking up?"
I snicker lightly and then nod, letting him lead the way to the living room. It's after one in the morning, but I can't sleep. I'll keep calling Gage and hope he answers.
"Boringest movie ever," Chaz groans as the credits roll.
"Is that a word?" I chuckle.
"Yep. Someone created it after suffering through two hours of that shit."
I laugh louder than I mean to, but movement outside draws my attention. Chaz's eyes move to the window, and they grow wide.
"I'll check it out," he whispers before vanishing, leaving me alone.
Fortunately, this house has a special spell cast to keep out anyone intending me harm. Unfortunately, spells aren't always all they’re cracked up to be.
A hand wraps around my mouth, a body presses against my back, and I'm suddenly moving faster than I can see. But I'm not being vaporized, and considering I can't use my fucking powers, it means a night stalker has me. Not one of our night stalkers, either.
The wind strikes me, and I can't manage to scream to warn anyone about what's going on. As his grip becomes tighter, I dread the worst. Where the hell is my creature fucking goddess when I need it?
His hand finds my throat as he twirls me around, letting me see the house still barely in sight. When my eyes meet his, shock fills me and steals what little breath I have left.
It's the leader—the one from the ambushing night stalkers that attacked me the night Kane was missing.
His devious grin spreads as his night stalker blues taunt me, chilling me to my core with the promise of a painful death. He's here? Why? They have the black diamond of Roth.
"What do you want?" I choke out, coughing on the air he refuses to let me have.
"The creature that shouldn't exist has to die before the wakening.”
I squirm, seeing spots before my eyes as he chokes me harder. I'd give anything to go crazy right now.
Before I have to attempt the impossible, the night stalker drops to the ground. I never heard the power buzzing, never heard footsteps approaching, never knew he was coming, but Kane stands there as I drop to the ground, staring at the night stalker he's about to kill.
"Fuck," Zee spews, stumbling up behind us. "How did they get past the fucking barriers?"
Kane shakes his head as he steps over the body, quickly scooping me up like a wounded lamb. I prefer Ms. Hyde to the damsel in distress any day.
"You okay?" Kane asks me, ignoring Zee's important question.
I nod slowly, still reeling over the quick turn of events.
I see spurts of golden streaks bursting in the air, and my heartbeat quickens as a word finally escapes. "Chaz."
More power erupts with a powerful buzz, and I get a little sick to my stomach when I see the sky churning with power—my father’s unrestrained power. Drackus just lost it. My fears are confirmed when tortured screams blanket the night air.
Chaz appears beside us, his eyes wide—as thought they’ve been scarred. "Drackus is one crazy mother-fucker."