“I want you to go to boot camp and learn how to work together, then I want you as a team to go after the most dangerous of our kind and remove them from this world.”
I lift my head, scenting the air. The sulfur flares stronger with his enthusiasm. Sounds like a dumb plan to me.
“Why would we do your dirty work?” Lirin asks with a laugh. When I think of Lirin, I remember sandy beaches, but the purest water, glimmering with light. It’s fast and moves quickly, mesmerising and joyful. It’s still one of my favourite memories from when I could see.
But beauty often hides the most dangerous predators.
“You’d do this because I will grant you a wish. Any wish you want,” Diablos says slyly.
The Sirens are tempted. Leviathan is not. Why isn’t he interested?
I turn away, not even remotely curious. Bargains with beings such as the demon never end well for creatures like me. The air from the open door is sweeping around the room, and I’m getting a better picture in my head of where everything is, but that doesn’t stop me tripping over a small object that evades my scan.
I land hard on my hands and knees and stay there growling my frustration. I hate this world.
“Healer,” Diablos says. “Are you all right?”
Brio snorts in amusement. “She is fine.”
I am fine. I am! It doesn’t matter that it hurts or that it’s humiliating. It doesn’t matter that every failure is just another reason I shouldn’t stay on this planet. But I can’t go back. I don’t know how, and all attempts have failed.
I can feel their eyes on me, but before I can pick myself up, Leaf grabs me and sets me on my feet. He bends, and with a smooth motion that whips my hair around my face, he throws the object.
It explodes behind their heads.
“Keep going, Leaf,” Canto growls, “and we will show you why you wear the collar.”
I bristle, rage flowing through me like an inferno. I don’t stop to think, just sketch out a rune, letting it blister in the air.
I grab the dragon’s hand and pull him with me into a vortex of icy air, and then we’re through, and we are somewhere else.
A car screeches, and I have a moment to sigh, frustrated that this keeps happening to me. I brace for impact, but metal folds, bending, colliding, screaming and squealing in protest. Leaf growls and throws the vehicle away from us.
Oh, I like this. I like this a lot.
“Thank you,” I hum, reaching out to him. My fingers graze his massive arms and shoulders. He holds still while I investigate.
Then he scoops me up and walks briskly away from the sound of another car.
“WHAT DID YOU DO?” Diablos howls.
I wince. Leaf snaps his teeth.
“You can’t just do that to cars; there are people in them! This is why you are doing the boot camp.”
“No,” I growl.
“Yes!” Diablos snarls. “Yes, you damn well are. I’m sick of cleaning up your mess and everyone like you! I just want a day, a peaceful day, where everyone just stops stomping things. There are omegas dying. A whole planet for bad people like you to hide in. I’m trying to protect everyone. And you are just running around without a care in the world.”
Diablos grabs my wrist, ignoring the growl from Leaf.
“There are creatures hunting humans and omegas. Some very dangerous beings, and I need help. I don’t know how to track Nightmares, but you do. Help me.”
I press my lips together, refusing to say anything. Vulnerable gets you dead. Show no weakness.
His fingers tighten, and then he lets go, his disgust thick in the air.
“You are going to go to this camp and learn how to be human and then work with the Sirens, and you’re going to do it because you owe Becky a debt. Puppy brought you here, and she has let you stay. So, you are going to make yourself useful, or you are going to go home!”
