Wicked Omen (The Royals: Warlock Court Book 1), page 2
“Yeah, okay.” I held my palm over the little box with the number pad and blue smoke seeped from my fingers into the box. The security light flashed from red to green and the lock slid to the side with a click.
Ophelia wrapped her hand around the handle and yanked it wide-open. Florescent lighting flooded into the alley.
Cross stepped in front of both Ophelia and me. “I’ll go.”
As the head of the warlock warrior cast, Cross was a fighter through and through. He took one step up into an empty back hallway. Ophelia shoved in behind him, followed by Maze then me. I slammed the door shut behind us. In front of us was a pair of two double doors leaning farther into the hotel. To my right was a set of stairs leading up.
I pointed to the stairwell. “Let’s start the climb.”
“Twenty stories for no reason? I think not.” Ophelia shoved her hands into the silver bar running across the middle of one of the double doors. They flew open and she walked through. “There’s got to be an elevator somewhere around here.”
The hallway extended before us like a long beige tube. Why are they always beige? White speckled linoleum glinted like it’d just been polished. Ten feet into the hall and a bank of service elevators came into view.
Ophelia spun in a circle and her skirt flared out. “See, what’d I tell you. Elevators.”
“Hey, you kids! Stop!” An average looking man in a security uniform quickened his pace toward us. He rested his hand on his belt as though he might draw a gun, but there was only a nightstick hanging from it.
“I got this.” Maze stepped between Ophelia and Cross to face the guard head-on.
I turned and leaned up against the wall. “Make it quick and painless.” I knew Maze wouldn’t hurt anyone and I had to conserve any magical energy I had. I didn’t know what kind of power or who we were facing. All I knew was I was about to come face to face with a powerful warlock who didn’t even know they were a warlock to begin with. Maze’s vision had been unclear as to who it was but all he could say was tonight was the night a major power would be unlocked. Even now I felt its presence heavy in the air. It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I sucked in a deep calming breath, I had to be cold, logical, calculating like I always was. I waved him on, giving him the motion to wrap it up quickly.
He reached into the pocket inside his jacket and pulled one of his cards out. “Quick yes. As for the other . . . I make no promises.”
He held the card in front of him then let it go. It hovered in midair. The security guard’s shoes squeaked as he skidded to a halt. “What the hell?”
“Not quite.” Maze flicked the card and it glowed a bright green. The image of the hanged man flashed before it blended in with the glowing green. Red ropes flew from the card and latched around the security guard’s arms and legs. The ropes twisted and the guard was turned upside down. His screams echoed down the hallway.
“Maze!” I shoved away from the wall and opened my hand. Blue smoke poured from my palm and sped over the floor up around the ropes. I forced the ropes to cover the guard’s mouth, silencing him. My power filled the hallway and I used it to move the guard toward a door that read STAFF ONLY.
“You never let me have fun anymore.” Just like the picture on Maze’s tarot card, the guard hung upside down bound and gagged. His eyes were closed and his body slumped into a relaxed position.
“We’re not here to play. Ophelia, get the door.” I didn’t spend all this time fighting against my warlock side for me to fail in my mission because I was sent back to a world I’d been avoiding.
Maze rolled his eyes. “Oh please. He’s just stunned. Not like I killed him. ”
Ophelia yanked the door open and shoved him inside. She brushed her hands off then moved across the hall and pressed the button for the elevator. The bell for the elevator dinged and the silver doors slid to the side, opening.
I can’t believe I’m doing this . . . again.
The warlock world wasn’t a place for the faint of heart and I was expected to bring it to heel. It was an impossible task, yet here I was loading up into an elevator to find a warlock who didn’t know they were a warlock. I jammed my finger into the button for the top floor and my stomach sank for only a second as the elevator rose. We rode in silence as the lights ticked by and we finally got to the top floor. The doors slid open and we piled out into a hallway. Music from the club pushed through the walls. The bass thumped against my chest. The sound of bottles being tossed into garbage cans mixed with the music. At the end of the hall to my right was the kitchen and to the left was another door that every time it was flung open gave me a view of the club.
I turned and marched toward the door. “Fan out and find him.” I pulled my phone from my pocket. “It’s eleven fifty. We have ten minutes until midnight and all hell breaks loose.”
Ophelia wriggled past me and started to make her way out onto the dance floor. She spun and danced to the beat of the music. I shook my head.
We aren’t here to party. “Hey, I thought I said go look for him.”
She shrugged. “There’s no way of finding him until his . . .” She wiggled her fingers. “You know gets released.”
I knew she was right. How was I supposed to find a warlock when I didn’t know what he looked like or who he would be here with? Yet I marched across the dance floor and around the blue velvet seating areas, out past the floor-to-ceiling windows, and to the terrace. Normally in November it would’ve been chilly this high up, but tall space heaters were spread throughout the terrace. Even so, every time there was a breeze, cool air drifted over my face.
I sucked in a deep breath and looked at the sky. The shadow of the lunar eclipse had already started to block out the corner of the moon. Out here the lights of the city were so beautiful and the music from inside was almost drown out. How the hell am I going to do all they needed me to do? Without any distractions . . . that’s how. I needed a single-minded focus. I had a list that needed to be complete and I would do it without fail, without hesitation, and without mercy. Evermore needed me and I would do this for my world. . .to save it. Head in the game! No distraction!
“What happened to not ruining my night, your highness?” Her voice was sweet and smooth with a pleasing pitch that sounded like music to my ears.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have our distraction. Damn it!
Chapter 3
Astrid
“You’re not the only one who can get into the party scene.” He looked around at the terrace and up at the sky, anywhere but at me.
I cleared my throat. “Actually, I’m not here for the partying.” I pointed up toward the moon. “I’m here for that.”
The shadow of the eclipse was halfway over the moon now. The hot guy from out on the street gazed up at it and sucked in a deep breath then blew it out. He shuffled from one foot to the other. “Yeah, it’s nice.”
Out on the street he’d seemed flirty and interested in me. At least that’s what I thought. But now I was questioning myself. He was jumpy, looking anywhere but at me. Like I was bothering him. I’d seen enough boys treat girls like this to know the signs of zero interest. He was beautiful and captivating. But clearly didn’t share the feeling. Awkward silence hung between us, it made me want to turn and bolt.
“Right, okay. So I’m gonna go back over there.” I hiked my thumb over my shoulder toward where Tilly sat with the others from our school.
“I’m Beckett.” He almost snapped at me.
I stopped before I turned away. “Um, I’m Astrid.” I extended my hand out toward him.
He grabbed it and gave it one quick shake. “Nice to meet you.”
Is it? One second he seemed like he couldn’t care less that I was standing next to him and the next he was introducing himself. Whiplash much? “Nice to meet you too.”
We stood in silence, both watching the shadow passing over the moon, neither of us saying anything. This is awkward. I should walk away. A breeze blew over the terrace and his clean, fresh scent hit me and I found myself staying, hoping he would say something else. Yet he didn’t and neither did I.
The tall, muscular boy who’d nearly started a fight on the street marched up to us. “Yo, Romeo, you done here?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. Jackass. “Nice to meet you too.”
“I know what I’m here for, Cross. I don’t need you to remind me.” Beckett looked down at me. “And yeah, I’m done.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. Ugh, jerk. “You know what? Yeah, me too. I’m done here.”
I turned on my heels and threw my shoulders back. There was no way I was going to let them see how embarrassed I was. Ten feet from my friends and Brody-brad got up from the seating area and walked over to me. He threw his arm over my shoulder and yanked me in close to his body. His cologne was like a slap in the face compared to Beckett’s clean scent. His jacket scraped my cheek and I tried to duck under his arm, but he clutched me even tighter.
He held his drink in the hand he had wrapped around me. As he stumbled back toward our area, it sloshed over the side of the glass and spilled down my jacket. “Slumming it, I see.”
His words slurred together and I craned my head away from him.
“Come on. Let me go. You’re drunk.” I gave him a nudge, trying give him a hint to stop.
“Now why would I do that?” With one hand behind my head and the other pressed to my chin, he turned my face up toward his then slammed his lips down on mine.
His teeth hit mine and pain surged through my mouth. I ducked under his arm and spun out of his grip. The glass he was holding fell to the ground and shattered. I wiped my hand across my mouth, trying to rub the burning flavor of alcohol from my lips.
I shoved him in the chest only moving him back an inch or two. “What the hell?”
He took another step toward me and reached for my arm. I leaned out of the way. My muscles shot tight with anger and I felt something shift inside my chest.
“Back off!”
“Just one little kiss.” He took another step toward me.
Something in me snapped and I hauled my fist back then snapped it forward. My knuckles cracked across Body-brad’s face. He stumbled back and fell into Beckett and Cross. I shook out the sting from my fingers. “Ouch.”
Cross curled his hands into Brody-brad’s shirt and yanked him up so they were nose to nose. “I’m pretty sure no means no.”
He pulled his fist back and slammed it into Brody-brad’s stomach. The air wooshed from his lungs and he hunched over, gagging and trying to suck in a breath. Cross pulled him back to a stand. “The key is to breathe through the pain. Go on, suck in a deep breath.”
Brody’s nostrils flared as he sucked in a beep breath. His eyes widened and got a crazed look to them. He curled his hand into a fist and swung wildly for Cross’ face. Cross ducked his head and Brody-brad missed completely.
“Aren’t you going to do something?” I screamed at Beckett.
He shrugged. “I’m still deciding.”
Dillhole! “Tilly!”
My bestie’s head snapped up and she jumped to her feet. “Oh shit!”
She ran out of the VIP area and smacked right in between Cross and Brody. She pressed her hands to their chests, trying to shove them apart. “Come on, boys, break it up.”
The other two preppy boys who’d came with us in our limo jumped into the fray and plowed their shoulders into Cross. That’s when Beckett decided to step in. Finally!
He moved to Cross’ side. “This is a waste of time and we have things to do.”
Brody-brad along with his two idiots all faced off against Cross and Beckett, who looked like they could kill them with the flick of their wrist. Yet Tilly stood between them all. She was a little over five feet tall with blond ringlets and yet she held off five guys about to rumble.
This isn’t happening.
I yelled at Beckett, “Don’t just stand there, do something.”
“I dragged him away the first time.” He shrugged.
Are you freaking kidding me?
Brody-brad dove for Cross, knocking Tilly into the fray. She stumbled and fell in the middle of Brody-brad, his friends, and Cross. My heart leapt up into my throat and I ran at the group, trying to get to Tilly.
Two bouncers came from out of nowhere. One wrapped his arm around my waist and lifted me off my feet. The other jumped in between Cross and Brody-brad, shoving them apart. Yet Tilly was still trapped. She threw her arms over her head and screamed.
I shook my head. No, this isn’t happening. Stop. Stop. A scream was torn from my lips. “Stop!”
Heat flooded my body and I wanted everything to just stop. I didn’t want Tilly to get hurt and I didn’t want a fight on my birthday! My fingers felt like I’d held them over a fire. What the hell? Tears pricked the back of my eyes and I shook my hands out, trying to halt the burning. Smoke! Gold smoke poured out of my palms. Holy shit, am I on fire?
“Astrid, look at me.”
My head snapped up and I froze. The entire club stood motionless like statues at a museum. Everyone but Beckett and Cross. I took a step back. “This can’t be happening.”
Panic like I’d never felt flooded my body. My chest tightened and my breaths came in quick desperate gasps. Black dots swarmed my vision and acid rose up my throat. I’m gonna puke! I pressed my hand to my stomach and more smoke poured out around me. My heart raced in my chest.
“Astrid!” Beckett screamed from just a few feet in front of me. “Look at me.”
The moment my eyes met his he gave me a tentative half smile. “Breathe, you have to calm down.”
My eyes darted around the club at the gold smoke surrounding the motionless people. “What did you do to me?”
“Beck, we gotta contain this.” Cross strolled over to the edge of the terrace and looked over the side. “Before the magic hits the streets.”
Magic? What the hell is he talking about? Tremors wracked my body and I couldn’t stop them. Tears streamed down my cheeks and fell from my chin. This wasn’t happening, none of it was. This was a bad dream! No, not a dream . . . a drug! Some kind of horrible hallucination or side effect. I took another step away from him. “Did you drug me?”
“Beckett! The street!” Cross pointed over the side of the building. “Now!”
There he was, the hottest boy I’d ever seen in my life, standing across from me and I didn’t trust him not one single bit. Something was happening to me, something I couldn’t control. All I wanted was to go home and pretend this never happened. He held his hands loose at his sides, then turned his palms to face toward me.
Blue smoke poured from them and out around the gold smoke that’d come from me. “Astrid, see, it’s just magic. You need to calm down before you hurt someone.”
Hurt someone? Me? I would never. “What are you talking about?” I pressed my hands to the sides of my head, trying to contain the pain shooting through my temples. A scream tore from my lips and I hunched over. My whole body felt like at any moment I was going to explode. Sharp pain ripped through my stomach and I wanted to vomit and pass out all at the same time. Gold smoke swarmed my vision. I sucked in a deep breath and my throat closed around the smoke. Hacking coughs wracked my body and I leaned over and gagged.
“Beckett! If you don’t stop this she’s going to ascend right here and kill us all!” a female voice snapped.
“Fine, take her,” he growled.
When I looked up into his eyes, there was nothing between us. We stood in a tunnel of gold and blue smoke. “How could you do this to me?”
He didn’t say a word to me. Instead, he nodded toward me. The Wednesday Addams looking girl emerged from the smoke like a terrible nightmare. She sprinted toward me at full force. I only had a moment to brace for impact as she leapt off the ground and lunged toward me like a linebacker. She wrapped her arms around my waist and shoved her shoulder into my stomach. The air whooshed from my lungs as I slammed into the ground with her on top of me.
I kicked my legs out and shoved at her with both my hands. “Get off me!”
Beckett’s face filled my vision. “Sorry about this.” He pressed his hands down on one of my arms while the girl lay across my legs. “Cross, hold her other arm down.”
No! No! This couldn’t be happening. I was going to die in the middle of a club and no one was going to help me. My pulse simmered in my veins and I shoved all the agony I felt out of my mind. I had to get out of this, I had to survive.
“Maze, do it now, or she’s going to kill us!” Beckett yelled over my screams.
“Let me go or I’ll kill you all. I swear it!” Anger flared through my body.
The dangerous looking boy leaned over me. His black oily hair fell into his face and he reached into his pocket. “I got this.”
I shook my head. “Oh no, you don’t!” I kicked my arms and legs out at the same time. They all struggled to hold me down and I felt a weight building in my chest, a surge of power I’d never felt before. Like I could rule the world or burn it to the ground if I chose to.
“Maze, now, she’s building up. We won’t be able to hold her much longer.” Beckett pressed his lips into a hard line. His face turned red with exertion.
Maze was reaching for a weapon. I knew he was. I recoiled from him. Yet when I glanced up, he pulled a card from his pocked and held it over my face. A picture of a person, bound by ribbons and blinded while being surrounded by eight swords. It glowed a brilliant bright green and I felt myself being drawn to it. It filled my vision, warming my body from head to toe. The power I’d felt only a second ago pulled back from my skin and coiled into a ball deep in the pit of my stomach. It resonated there, smoldering like hot coals. My body went limp and the fight went right out of me.
They continued to hold my arms and legs down, but this time I didn’t struggle against them. Maze stood up straight and gave me a sideways look. “You can let her go, she’s under now.”
