Her cheeks flushed pink as she flashed me her fangs in a big smile. “Aw, overachiever, you know me so well.”
“Yes,”I agreed softly. “I know my lethal darling is very bloodthirsty.”
Cora hummed. “I vote we take down the Resistance Network as soon as we graduate. We’d be the best new agentsever.”
“Same.” Ominous shot a few shadow bullets at the wall. They faded just before they hit.
“Hopefully they’ll be taken down before we graduate,” I mused.
“They’re usingmypower,” Rune said suddenly, the words edged and quiet. “Like it’s theirs. Like the Fates handed it to them instead of me. It’s a violation.”
Everyone glanced at her with sympathy.
I watched her fingers tighten on the edge of her book, knuckles whitening. Venom simmered under her skin. I felt it like static along the bond.
“I’d feel the same way if they took my power,” I murmured. “There’s a reason humans aren’t gifted special powers from the Fates.”
“Agreed.” Ominous sat up and looked at Rune. “If they took my special power to be able to blind people.”
“You can do that?” Rune and Cora gasped together.
He smirked. “Sure can, and it’s permanent…unless I decide to take the darkness away, of course.”
Before any of us could answer, Rune’s and my phones pinged.
Jesper Wyvernheart
New mission in the Demon Capital. We’re on clean-up and scene assessment. Use the wayfaer teleporter from campus to the Demon Capital’s HQ. See you in five.
Rune blew out a breath. “Of course,” she muttered. “Speaking of humans…”
I met her gaze. “Annoying, isn’t it?” I snapped my book shut. “Duty calls. You three, keep studying.”
“We’re not studying,” Ominous immediately said.
“We were barely studying before you were called away,” Seth admitted sheepishly.
Cora pointed her highlighter at me. “I’m on it. We’ll keep studying. You two, go fulfill your mission.”
Ominous and Seth groaned.
Rune swung her legs off the couch and stood, stretching. “No promises.”
We quickly changed into our academy-issued suits and left for the Demon Capital.
Magic prickledacross my skin like tiny electric shocks as Rune and I stepped onto the wayfaer portal.
“Are you okay?” I asked quietly, lacing my fingers through hers.
She shrugged. “Feeling bloodthirsty.”
I chuckled, squeezing her hand. “Perhaps we can vent your anger on the humans who are using your DNA.”
Her throat worked. “Yeah. That part still fucks with me. They stole my blood, my DNA, and my power. And now they’re using it as if it was gifted to them, but it wasn’t. The Fates gavemethat power. It’s mine. Not theirs. Humans always take. They can’t just accept their limits. They have to cut into things that don’t belong to them.”
Anger pulsed through her words and the bond like a heartbeat.
I reached out with my other hand and brushed my thumb over her cheek. “They don’t own your venom, and you can wield your power much better than they can.”
