Lana wiped her mouth with a napkin and then took a sip of her drink. I could smell the alcohol. Uncle Davin had told me sometimes humans drowned themselves in alcohol when they couldn’t tame their emotions. She was obviously hurting. Perhaps she was even trying to forget.
“It happened late one night when the moon was blue,” Lana began after swallowing.
“No, Grandma. Don’t bore Lucia with the details. It’s not true,” Jack said bluntly and shook his head. He bit into the corn and took several more bites. If my instincts were correct, the way he shoved food into his mouth meant he was furious.
Lana ignored him, still staring off into the distance. “The moon was blue as ice. Jack’s father owned a shop down by the beach. He loved to surf at sunset. I’m sure you’ve seen it. It’s the most beautiful sight. He stayed later than usual that day. He called to let us know he was on his way, but he never came home.” Her eyes were glassy and her lips twitched.
Goose stabbed a slice of beef with his fork. “The monsters killed him,” he sneered through his clenched teeth, sounding like a demon.
“Goose!” Jack threw both of his arms in the air. When his hands slammed on the table, we jerked from the sound. “Stop it. You’re scaring Lucia. This isn’t a normal dinner conversation.” Jack caught my eyes from across the table. “I’m so sorry, Lucia. Please don’t think we’re weird. We’ve just been through some hard times, and we’re trying to deal with it. My grandmother lost her son, and then she lost her husband last year. It doesn’t help that she’s getting older.” Jack ran his hand down his face defeatedly.
“It’s okay, Jack,” I reassured, trying to make him feel better. “I don’t think your family is weird. Have you met my uncle?”
Silence sliced through the room.
Jack busted out laughing, followed by Goose, and then finally Lana. I joined in as well. It seemed to lighten the mood. The dinner conversation switched to a brighter topic as we finished our meal. We talked about school and Jack’s childhood.
I found out Jack used to pretend he was one of the Knights Templar, fighting demons, when he was younger. His father had taught him how to surf, and he was actually good at it. Jack looked at me and flushed. He liked that I was smiling and laughing the whole time.
“Lucia, I’m going to give you some candles. They will fill your house with the smell of edelweiss and it will ward off demons,” Lana said out of the blue.
Jack frowned, huffing under his breath, “I thought we agreed to stay off this subject.”
I played along. “If it’s the same sweet smell filling up your house, I’ll take them.” My words seemed to help alleviate Jack’s tension. I was intrigued as to why the smell of edelweiss would ward off demons. “How do you know it works?”
Lana smiled immensely as if she had been waiting for me to ask. “The legend goes like this: an Elementum, a supernatural being that can manipulate earth, air, water, and fire, fell in love with a mortal. And because of this abomination, and to set an example for the others, the original Elementa cursed the child. The curse not only turned the baby’s little heart to ice, but she was guarded by a group of demons the original Elementa had summoned called the Possessors. The Possessors took the form of black mists, never leaving her sight. So the child could survive, the coven created an ice castle for her to live in on one of the highest, most solitary peaks of the Alps.
“The mortals called her the Snow Queen. It was known she had treasures that would make anyone rich for a lifetime. In spite of the demons, many brave suitors tried to win her hand in marriage. As soon as a suitor proclaimed his love, the demons would claim his body and soul, and in turn, the human became a demon. This was a cruel reminder that the curse could never be broken.”
The story kept my eyes rooted on Lana. She spoke again after taking a sip of her drink.
“When a hunter finally met her, her beauty kept him speechless. For days on end, he would kneel down before her, never asking for her hand in marriage. During that time the Snow Queen grew fond of him and started to admire his dedication to her. Fearing the Snow Queen’s heart would melt if she fell in love with the hunter, which was the only way the curse could be broken, the demons took the matter into their own hands.
“The Snow Queen watched the body of her love being taken over by the demons on the night of the blue moon. Soon after, her heart melted and broke the curse. She had fallen in love. Love is a beautiful thing, but sometimes it can be cruel. In unbearable pain, she shed one teardrop for the very first time. The tear fell onto a stone, where it turned into a silvery star. This was the birth of the first edelweiss. Because of this legend, giving this flower to a loved one is a promise of dedication.”
“That’s a beautiful story,” I gushed. “But I don’t understand why demons would be afraid of it.”
Lana focused back to her story. “Oh, curiosity rapidly spread and the demons gathered around the edelweiss flowers. The sweet scent lured them, along with the sudden novelty of the white blossoms. The yellow round balls in the middle of the flowers sprayed out the Snow Queen’s tears, which had been created from her love and pain. Like poison, they ignited the demons. Some escaped and spread the legend. From then on, the scent of edelweiss has warded off all kinds of demons.”
“What happened to the Snow Queen? Does she still live in the Alps?” I asked, moving my last bean and carrot across my plate with my fork. After my final bite, I wiped my mouth with a napkin. Too busy listening to Lana, I hadn’t realized I’d been stuffing my face the whole time.
“I have no idea what happened to her. The rumors said she took her treasures and lived somewhere in a warmer climate. Some say she fell in love again, got married, and had children. I’m not sure. But the night of the blue moon is when the island is the brightest. All those who believe in the legend light edelweiss candles. It’s the night when the Possessor demons take their revenge against the Snow Queen, thus killing humans.”
“I’m glad the curse was broken then.” I placed the crumpled white paper napkin on the table. I didn’t realize I had wrung it into a tight ball. “What do you mean by blue moon?”
“It happens when a year, which normally has twelve full moons, has thirteen instead.”
“Oh, I see.”
After dinner, we cleared the table. Lana did the dishes in the kitchen while we sat in the family room. Lucky napped beside me. She was such a sweet, tamed dog.
“Did you find the book?” I asked Jack.
Jack practically jumped off the sofa. “I asked my mom. She said she would try to find it before she went to work. I’ll be right back.”
With Jack out of the way, I turned to Goose. “So, you saw demons on my roof last night. Are you sure? What did they look like?”
Goose leaned over to whisper, “They appear like a black mist, but they can also take on a human form. Grandmother doesn’t believe me even though she believes in the demons. I think demons killed my dad, and my grandfather too. My grandfather told me one of our ancestors was one of the Knights Templar. Jack and I might be next.” He said it so casually, he gave me chills. Goose pointed toward my house like before. “They’re here.” His words escaped his mouth as a sigh.
My heart leapt out of my chest. “What?” I flew off the sofa and ran outside. The moon was already blue, appearing deadly and dangerous. A malicious and evil scent definitely floated on the air. While humans would admire the color of the moon, for me, the moon actually turned into ice, the way the little baby’s heart had turned. I shivered from the thought. Legend or no legend, it was cruel.
When I didn’t see anything suspicious around my house, I went back in and stood by the door, debating whether or not to go home. Since my uncle and Zach weren’t home, I thought I should stay at Jack’s to be safe. My heart found its steady beat when I didn’t see the demons. It should have been a laughable moment, as if Goose had played a prank on me. But the fact that he could describe them and knew exactly where they were the night before scared me to no end.
>
“They’re not there anymore.” Goose stroked Lucky’s fur. “If your uncle and your brother aren’t home, you’d better find them. I mean, to warn them of the blue moon tonight.”
I looked over my shoulder to see if Lana or Jack had returned. “What happens?”
Goose stopped petting Lucky and slid off the sofa to stand. “Grandfather told me the demons feed during the blue moon.”
“Feed?” I imagined them eating human food, but I knew that wasn’t it.
Goose stood in front of me. “They feed on humans for pleasure, for revenge. Maybe if you hurry, your family could help save lives.” His eyes beamed with admiration.
“How?” I asked, not sure of what he was trying to say. Surely he had no idea of what we were.
Goose’s eyebrows pinched together adamantly. He pointed to the wings on his T-shirt. “Because—you can fly.”
Chapter 10
I ran out of Jack’s house in less than a heartbeat. Goose knew I wasn’t human, and for some reason it didn’t worry me. I figured he wouldn’t say a word.
“Goose. What did you say to Lucia?” I heard loud and clear before I entered my house. Even though I was in complete darkness, I could clearly see everything around me. Knowing the demons had been floating around my house minutes before made goose bumps prickle over every inch of me.
I grabbed my phone and called Zach and my uncle, but the calls went straight to voicemail. I thought about speaking to Zach through my mind, but remembered it would be a beacon to attract demons to me. Seeing a note on my desk, I picked it up and read it.
Lucia,
We're going to Black Sand Beach.
Zach had written the note. It was his handwriting for sure. But why did I doubt myself? He’d never written a note to me. I guessed he left it on account of my uncle not wanting us to communicate telepathically. It was the only reason I could think of why he would.
I paced my room as I held the note in my hand. I couldn’t stay home, knowing humans were in danger. Why would Zach tell me they’d gone to Black Sand Beach? Was he telling me to go there? What to do? Tossing the note aside, I grabbed the car keys, ran out and jumped in the car. I quickly checked my phone once more and drove off when I saw I hadn’t received a text back from my uncle or Zach.
Since I’d never driven at night—actually, only having driven once with Uncle Davin—my driving skills weren’t the best, but I trusted my coordination. Luckily, there were only a few cars around, but at the same time, I might have felt a bit safer if there were more. I felt like the only person alive on the island. As I drove along the dark, one-way road, I realized I had no idea where I was going, so I entered Black Sand Beach on the GPS. It took me several tries to get it right, not being familiar with all the buttons on the car.
Zach, I’m coming to you. I communicated to him with my mind, but there was no answer. I immediately regretted it, especially when I heard a thump on the roof of the car, but I’d had no choice. Desperate times called for desperate measures. Hopefully, it wasn’t anything to worry about. Another loud thump caught my attention. Holy Crap. It had to be a demon. Should I stop the car or swerve to shake it off? I stiffened when I heard another thump. That was three.
I almost flew out of the car when a black mist came straight through the roof to the passenger seat and turned into a figure. Unsure whether to stop the car and try to escape, I decided to play it out. I was on the verge of wielding my bow when a familiar masculine voice sent tingles through me, and I caught the familiar scent of sweet coconut.
“I told you to stay home. What part of stay home did you not understand?” Eli sounded angry.
My jaw dropped as I gasped at this newfound revelation. However, it wasn’t all that new. I’d had my suspicions, so why was I surprised? He was a Possessor demon.
I frowned, but Eli couldn’t see my expression. Pressing the gas pedal harder as anger brewed inside me, I made sure my eyes were glued to the road ahead. “Why didn’t you tell me you were a Possessor demon? Are you here to kill me? No—are you here to try to stop me from helping the humans?”
I got a glimpse of his eyebrows arching as he said, “Neither. Not all demons are evil.” His lips curled mischievously. “I’m just good at being naughty.” Despite his arrogant tone, he made it sound somehow charming.
Too busy drooling at his sexy grin, I swerved out of the lane. His hand flew to the window to stop himself from slamming against the door as the car swayed sharply to the right.
He let out an agitated groan. “No wonder your uncle always drives. Is this your first time?”
“I drive just fine,” I retorted, offended by his words. How did he know my uncle drove? He’d been watching us? Driving faster than I liked, both my hands tightened on the steering wheel. “You didn’t answer my question. Why didn’t you tell me who you were?”
“Because you didn’t ask. Besides, what would be the fun in that? If you didn’t want to tell me what kind of demon you are, why should I tell you?” He crossed his arms and leaned back like he was sitting in a comfortable chair. The sight of him staring at me without a word made me uneasy.
“I’m not a demon,” I assured him. “Don’t even put me in the same category.” Realizing I had admitted to being some kind of supernatural, I wanted to smack myself.
Two loud thumps on the roof made me jerk. I squatted lower, thinking another must have landed the same way Eli had. I imagined their weight pushing down the roof above me, but it didn’t happen. “I think there are demons on the roof.”
Instead of saying something, he rolled down the window. I gasped loudly when an upside-down face appeared. He seemed familiar, but it was hard to tell. The wind slapped his hair against his face, and his eyes glowed a bright amber color against the darkness.
“You brought a demon friend? What’s he doing up there?” I seethed with rage, finally recognizing him. He was the same guy Eli had been having a heated argument with when I’d followed him at school.
Eli ignored me to look at his friend. “Brody. What?”
“They’re right behind us. You told me to warn you,” he shouted against the wind.
Eli shifted his body forward and pressed the window back up. “Stop the car, Lucia.”
“What?” I stammered.
“Stop the car. The demons are behind us. They’ll tip over this car if you don’t stop, and I don’t think your uncle would like his nice, expensive Beamer flipped over.”
“Beamer?” I repeated, noting we were at Black Sand Beach. How did he know about my uncle? And why did he call this car a Beamer?
The ocean beat against the volcanic rocks, and I could almost taste the salty water. Looking out the side-view mirror, I saw his friend had told the truth. Black mist-like ghosts were floating right behind us, catching up faster by the second. And why was his friend riding on the roof instead of in the backseat? He could have easily slipped through the car like Eli, unless they were different. That thought gave me chills. I wondered what other supernatural beings existed there.
“Your friend is crazy.” Those words slipped out of my mouth as I drove the car into the parking lot.
Eli set his hand on the dashboard, clenching his jaw. “Are you going to stop the car or not?”
I rolled my eyes. “Why do you think I pulled in here? I’m not going to stop in the middle of the road.”
His hand, which was still on the dashboard, rounded into a fist. “There’s nobody here. You don’t have to park the car.” Eli peered into the backseat. “Looks like you brought a friend. Seems as though he’s just as crazy as mine. He’s been hiding—”
Eli never got to finish his sentence. Seeing the figure standing in front of me, I pressed on the brakes as hard as I could, but still lightly hit it. Only it wasn’t a person. We watched it float toward the ocean as if to direct us. And the countless demons from behind us were nowhere to be seen. Instead of finding a place to park, I turned off the engine.
“Stay here. My friends and I will take care o
f this.” He got out of the car and slammed the door.
My friends? I thought it was just Brody. And Uncle Davin and Zach weren’t there. Had I walked into a trap? Again, I had acted without thinking. I was being reckless, but the note had said...
“That’s just great,” I mumbled to myself, lightly punching the steering wheel. What had I gotten myself into? But there had been no other choice. Uncle Davin was going to be furious!
Hearing whooshing sounds and metal upon metal, I opened the door. A breeze sliced through the air, whipping my hair up. The bright sparks from the clashing of swords showed me where they were. At first I thought it was just Eli and Brody, but then I spotted Milani. Had she been on the roof too?
As I debated what to do, I watched Eli. He was skilled with his sword, a short blade about the same size as my bow. Since he hadn’t been carrying a sword around, I assumed he could will it to appear like we did. I wasn’t the type to listen to commands, besides the higher orders of angels, but for some reason, either Eli’s tone or the fact I didn’t want him to know I was an angel, I stayed behind.
They seemed to have it under control, but perhaps I had spoken too soon. From across the sky, down came what appeared to be a massive puff of black clouds, and it didn’t seem friendly. More Possessor demons. Crap. What to do?
The swarm passed the full moon, completely blocking its glow for a second and then spiraled around like a family of bees, heading straight toward Eli and the others. It resembled one massive suicide bomb, ready to detonate at the target.
“Look out.” Lame. I dashed toward them. Needing to protect them, I flashed my wings and covered the four of us. The pounding and the pressure of the demons falling on my wings caused me to close my eyes tightly and take it all in. When I didn’t think I could hold the barrier any longer, it stopped. I opened my wings up, willed my bow, and prepared to fight.
“I thought she was a demon.” Milani spoke for the first time. “What the hell is she?” Orbs of fire the size of tennis balls spun in the palms of her hands. Only it wasn’t fire. It was energy—some form of orange and red light she shot at the demons passing by her.