Sin & Salvation (Demigod of San Francisco #3)(71)

Jeffrey Smile.

Smile.

Kieran had been laughing at him. He’d moved into town, slick as they came, with a vendetta. He’d worn the cloak of weakness, showing off his bleeding heart, when all the while he was as cunning as Valens had ever been.

A note of pride disturbed his thoughts, but it couldn’t smother his rage.

Kieran had been after vengeance for that whore. She’d probably filled his head full of lies and deceit. She’d programmed him to wreak vengeance for her.

“You were right to come here. Tell no one of this. We’ll attempt to deal with the matter quietly. Get more information. Prove that your suspicions are true and my son is behind all of this. I don’t want to make another mistake as it concerns him. I will not be made a fool of.” He ground his teeth. “And get Vance. Tell him to meet me at Lyra’s tomb tomorrow morning at sunrise. I want to make sure it is still intact.”

“Yes, sir.” She turned and strode out of the room.

His son could’ve been great, but now they would never know. He would destroy Kieran before the next Summit, proving once and for all that he could not be crossed. That he was the only Demigod capable of leading the magical world into its next phase of existence.

Valens sat quietly, simmering in rage. Far out at sea, he felt a storm brewing.





30





Alexis





Light blared down from the noonday sun, glittering on the ocean as I fought for my life on the cliff near my new house.

I dodged a beam of light tearing through the air on my right side. Another raked the ground in front of me. It turned out Boman was a Light Bender, a really cool magic that gave him the ability to attack with light, or mask things by bending light around them. While I knew his position from being able to feel his soul, I couldn’t anticipate the white-hot jabs that pierced my body and split my skin.

A fist sailed at me from the left, huge and white-knuckled, attached to a Berserker’s enormous arm. From behind, a wave of mind-splitting power needled at my back.

“Not fair,” I forced out through clenched teeth as I bowed back, barely ducking Thane’s blow. “Three against one.”

I slashed spirit at Kieran, trying to take out the leader of the training session.

He grunted before another wave of power slammed into me. Light cut across my shin, leaving a trail of searing pain. Thane roared, and I knew he was about to charge again. The guys were barely pulling their punches now that I had increased reflexes and healing abilities.

“Three against one will be nothing in the battle we’re facing,” Kieran shouted through the blasts of salty air and heady power.

“Yeah, but I’m not allowed to grab Boman and Thane’s souls!” I punched Thane’s spirit box to knock him off course and spun, facing Kieran, who stood at the edge of the cliff. An enormous wave rose behind him, building in height and power even as he thwarted my attack.

“That’s because I want them alive for the battle.” Kieran ripped his arms forward. A wall of agony knocked me back, nearly knocking me onto my butt.

I’d been practicing with souls all morning. The guys had brought by the most bloodthirsty shifters from Will Green’s captured pack. Most of them had lost their senses and were trying to kill anything in sight, including me when they were unceremoniously released in the backyard. It was the only reason I didn’t feel badly for practicing on them.

I’d gotten pretty good…except I still hadn’t figured out how to re-dock their souls well enough for them to survive a shift. I had no idea what I was doing wrong.

Which was why I was forbidden to mess with anyone else’s. I was not trusted.

A ringing phone somehow cut through the commotion, and I could feel Kieran’s confusion trickle through our soul connection. All his people knew we were training and not to be disturbed.

“Wait,” I heard Boman shout from behind me.

The drape of light fell away from Boman, revealing him as he turned in the direction of the houses. Jack ran toward us, a phone clutched in his hand—my vision was now freaking amazing.

Something hard hit the side of my head, knocking me sideways. Thane roared and his feet thumped the ground. He was clearly intent on finishing our battle.

“Enough,” Kieran shouted and a blast of power sideswiped me, cutting Thane down to his knees.

Stars swam in my eyes as Kieran’s strong fingers wrapped around my upper arm and hoisted me up.

“You okay?” he asked as Thane rolled and screeched not far away, fighting the pain. His power didn’t come with a handy off switch.

“Yeah,” I said, still dizzy, as Jack yelled, “We’ve got word from Henry. Answer your phone.”

The phone rang again as Kieran dug it out of his pocket. The rest of us had left our phones behind for the training session, but he’d insisted he could get a new one if it was damaged in the fight.

“Yes,” he barked as Jack reached us, his eyes hard.

Thane groaned off to the side, finally changing back to human.

“How’d training go?” Jack asked me.

“She’s ready,” Boman said, his eyes on Kieran.

“I still haven’t successfully re-anchored a shifter’s soul, though,” I said as Kieran turned away, bowing a little as he listened.