Authors: Trisha Wolfe
What are they doing here?
They didn’t look like Council members. They looked our age. The Narcolym leaders were supposed to meet with ours, and only at the Shythe Council Building. They were to hash out whatever they had to discuss about the Treaty Act. And that wasn’t supposed to happen until next month. Or so we thought. So why were
they
here?
I turned my back to them and latched onto Lana’s wrist, gripping it. Her eyes grew wide, and I jerked my head, nodding in their direction. Clutching her shoulders, I spun her around and pressed up against her back. “Don’t let them see your eyes,” I whispered in her ear. “We’ll stay here for a minute, then sneak out the way Nick and Jace went.”
She leaned the back of her head against my shoulder. “Are they full, or like us?”
Discretely, I tossed my head back and forth to the music while glancing at them.
Great
. One of the Narcos at the bar had a neck tatt, marking him as a full shifter.
“They’re full. Just do what I said.” Lana inched away from me, dancing with her eyes half-shut and head down.
One glimpse into our eyes would be all it’d take. They’d know we were Shythe. Humans couldn’t see our glowing blue irises unless we wanted them to, but other Kythan could. It was one of the features we couldn’t hide from each other. The other—our Kythan ink. I had no clue why the Narcos were here, or what they were up to, but I didn’t want to chance them seeing us and possibly having all hell break lose. And I knew if I didn’t get to Jace before he came back in, that’s exactly what would happen.
I reached for my analog communicator to send Jace a data message, let him know we were on our way out. But before I pulled it from my pocket, arms wrapped around my waist. Anger squeezed my chest. I was about to push the guy off me when I glanced into the wall mirror and saw his neck tatt. My breath and hands halted.
Lana saw him, too, and panic flashed in her brilliantly blue eyes. I bit down on my lip and slid my eyes to the door, signaling her to leave
now
. Her eyebrows knitted together, and she shook her head. I widened my eyes at her, tersely jerking my head toward the door. One of us had to get away. She reluctantly slipped off the dance floor, glancing back once. I gave a quick nod, letting her know I’d be right behind her as soon as I eased out of his grip—
which shouldn’t be too hard, right?
There were plenty of other girls to distract him. All I had to do was hide my eyes from his and walk away, or dance away, as to not offend him. Narcolym were known for their hot tempers.
I danced with him for a moment, allowing his hands to roam over my body as I watched Lana dip out of sight. I breathed a sigh of relief and began inching away, but he pulled me to him and held on tighter, pressing my back against his chest. His hand brushed my hair aside, and he lowered his head. His lips skimmed my neck as he rested his chin against my shoulder.
Waves of fear and panic, and then anger, washed over me. I wanted to reach behind my head and snap his neck. I wanted to break his fingers, which were finding their way under the hem of my peasant blouse, grazing against my midsection. But I couldn’t give myself away. Not to mention cause a scene right in the middle of Cogs, and in front of humans.
“Name’s Reese,” he said, his warm breath brushing against my ear. “What’s yours?”
I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head. No way was I giving him my name. When his lips pressed against my neck, in the same spot where Jace’s had been moments before, I shuddered violently. The Narco’s body stiffened behind me. He gripped my shoulders and twirled me around—his face inches away from my mine. His eyes flared red as he stared into my blue flames. Then his lips curled back, revealing his now elongated eyeteeth.
I wrestled out of his hold and bolted for the door. I was almost there when he grabbed my waist. He hauled me against the wall and pinned my hands on either side of me. “You’re not full?” he said questioningly. His blazing eyes searched my neck.
I glared up at him. His black hair hung straight, just touching the dark lashes crowding his glowing red eyes. His face was smooth, fair, becoming fairer by the second. His lips parted, their flushed pink contrasting against his white, sharp eyeteeth. My breath caught as his ears shifted from rounded human ears to pointed as he revealed his Kythan form to me.
“Not yet.” I jerked my head away from his penetrating gaze. “But don’t let that fool you.”
He chuckled. “Oh, I’m not fooled. You’re plenty capable.” His red eyes flicked down my body. “But, no ink, no power. I wouldn’t want to accidentally hurt my new
ally
.”
I glanced around the dark room, struggling under his hold. “There’re more of your
allies
here, you know,” I told him, finding his eyes again. “Don’t want to threaten the Treaty Act in front of witnesses, do you?”
He laughed, a low, menacing sound. “Well precious, let this be a lesson.” He snapped my hands above my head, gripping them both with only one of his. Then he slid his fingers down my cheek, pausing to run his thumb over my bottom lip. “You shouldn’t come out to play until you have the power to party like a big girl.”
His eyes flared, and red, scorching flames burned into mine as his hands heated, warming my skin uncomfortably. “Take your hands off me before I drop you where you stand,” I threatened. “This is
my
city.” I glared back into his glowing eyes. “You’re the one who shouldn’t be here.”
“You’re a feisty one, I’ll give you that. But I’m not here to fight.” His free hand stretched down, and he kicked my legs apart. Then he ran his hand up my inner thigh. “You might like what my kind can do.” Heat spread through my body as his hand warmed my skin beneath the leather. It felt like liquid fire heating me, and I fought harder to free myself.
His face began to lower toward mine, as if he was going to…
kiss
me? I tried to concentrate, but his hand—the heat—was sliding up and panic distracted me, keeping me from tearing his red eyes out. He leaned in…but halted right before my face, his eyes growing wide. They shimmered as a soft smile replaced his sneer.
His lips passed mine, finding my ear instead. “Come find me after you go through the change,” he whispered, sending shivers along my skin. “You actually seem like a challenge.” He raised his head and shifted into his human form. No longer looking menacing.
I glared into his fire red eyes.
Was that a threat or a come on?
I shook my head, clearing it.
And what the hell just happened? Why isn’t he ripping my throat out?
I was thrust forward by the force of him being ripped off me. “Get your hands off her, Narco Slime.” Jace stood between us.
I fell against the wall, slack, and took deep breaths to calm myself. Lana loomed near the exit door waving me over.
Oh, no. Not before I get a piece of this guy
. I pushed off the wall and knocked Jace out of the way as I went for the Narco’s groin with my knee. He blocked it, but I got another quick shot in and nailed him across the face with my fist.
Damn
. That stung. His head snapped to the side and stayed there.
Jace forced me through the door. “Are you crazy?” he said angrily as he ushered me away from Cogs. Lana and Nick came up beside us, matching our brisk pace.
As we raced through the cobbled street, I glanced back to see the three Narcos pushing through the door of Cogs. “Jace, what are we going to—” My words caught in my throat as I halted mid-stride.
We stared out over the bay. Airships hung over the harbor, their Daimler engines choking out black smoke, a dark haze conflicting with the purple-orange night sky. Giant, round swells above the ships reflected the lights of the pier against their shiny silver. And their canvas sails reached out over the inky water, beating in the breeze.
“They’re here.” I turned toward Jace. “And more than just their Council.” I glanced at the three huge airships in our harbor. “That Narco at the club had a neck tatt, and I felt the heat rolling off his hands. What are we…” My words died again as I saw the three Narcos making their way toward us. Crap. Why would our Council agree to a Treaty Act? And why the hell would they ever allow the Narcolym into Haven Falls?
Jace pushed me behind him. “Let me handle it.”
I attempted to get around him, wanting to hit the stupid Narco one last time. “I don’t need you protecting me, Jace. What the hell is all that training for, then?”
He shot me an impatient look. “Please, Dez. Just…look after Lana.”
I studied my best friend’s panic-stricken face, and gave her a weak smile.
The Narco that had pinned me to the wall, Reese, and his two thugs marched toward us.
“Great,” Nick breathed. “Guess it’s on now.”
Jace and Nick stepped in front of Lana and me.
Reese stopped right in front of them. “I guess you didn’t come out to play alone, after all.” He grinned at me, then looked at Jace and cocked his head. “Do you really want to do this?” he asked.
Jace cracked his knuckles. “Don’t see why not.”
Reese rubbed his hands together and they flamed red as heat built in their center. A red glow snaked around and up his forearm. “You’re not ready.” His eyes flared. “I thought you might have some tatts, but you’re powerless. And besides”—he nodded toward his two buddies—“we’d get in trouble for disturbing the peace. Though it might’ve been worth it if you were full shifters.”
The Narcos beside Reese waved their hands at us as if we’d wasted their time. I released a breath that I didn’t know I’d been holding. As much as I wanted to take the guy’s head off, I was more worried about my friends getting hurt.
I turned to Lana. “Let’s get out of here.” Then to Jace, I added, “Come on, let it go.”
Jace balled his hands by his thighs, white knuckled. “He can’t get away with treating you like that.”
I laid my hand on his shoulder. “Jace…” And with just his name, he relaxed his hands and turned to go.
As we neared the bike ramp, I glanced over my shoulder. Reese’s glowing red arms faded as he passed under dimly lit gas lamps. We were almost to Jace and Nick’s levibikes when I looked back one last time. Reese waved—a smile spreading across his face. Then he winked at me.
My birthday was right around the corner. I’d be seventeen and have my full power, and then I’d see that Narco hothead again.
Treaty Act my ass
.
Chapter Two
“D
UDE
, D
ID
Y
OU
S
EE
that Narco’s arms?” Nick asked Jace over the low hum of the levibikes. He pushed his goggles onto the top of his head and stared wide-eyed at Jace. “I think I shat myself a bit.”
Jace kicked his levibike into a higher gear. He shook with laughter in my arms, and I sighed with relief as his tense form melted. Pressing myself closer to him, I rested my cheek against his back. Then I thought better and scooted farther down on the leather seat, making some room between us. The steam engine warmed my calves, and I gripped the brass handles, balancing myself as Jace took a sharp curve.
We bobbed as the levibike hovered over the cobbled roadway. Haven Falls, our protected sanctuary, was built on top of earth magnet. Steam-powered machines floated along the city streets, propelled by an equal amount of opposite magnetic energy built into their frames. I studied the two-story buildings—their windows lit up like twinkling stars—trying to envision what might change as the Narcolym invaded, and also wondering if it would affect
my
change.
Lana gave an exasperated huff. “Sit farther up.” She slapped Nick’s shoulder before adjusting her seating on the back of his levibike. Nick always drove, leaving Lana stewing from behind. “Not that his arms weren’t something to gawk at, but I’m more concerned about why they were at Cogs.” She looked between the two hover-bikes. “Haven has protection spells keeping Narcos out, not just along the city border, but around buildings, shops…everywhere. Council members are the only ones who can lower them. Why would they take them down all over the city and not just the Council Building?” She slapped Nick again. “You know, where they’re supposed to be meeting?”
“Stop hitting me!” Nick shouted. “I get your point, sheesh.”
My stomach knotted. I didn’t want to think about having to avoid them everywhere. “You have to ask your dad,” I shouted over to her.
Lana nodded. Their father was a member of the Shythe Council. He could give us some answers—that is, if he actually would. The Council was secretive about the details of the Treaty Act, especially when it came to the younger generation. And Mr. Tuner didn’t like to involve his kids in Council business.
I frowned and chewed the inside of my lip. That had been the first time I’d ever come face-to-face with a Narcolym, and I didn’t know what to make of the encounter yet. My mother had done everything in her power, literally, to keep me away from them—moving us to Haven, changing our names. She wouldn’t even tell me what my last name used to be. She’d freak if she found out about tonight.