ONE
“Nope, I just don’t see it.” Seraphina Raine wrapped her hands around her immense mug of tea and squinted at her twin brother sitting across the table from her with their best friends Fey and Quinn.
“See what?” said Luke, leaning back and spreading his arms wide. “My brilliance?” He grinned and lowered his voice. “I don’t want to make you all feel inferior, so I try to keep it hidden well.”
“Very well,” Fey said. “So well, it’s like it’s not there at all.” Her laugh sounded musical, magickal, and the few other people in the coffee shop turned to look. That happened a lot. Tall and athletic, Fey was stunning, to put it mildly. People always noticed her. But Sera was used to it—she’d known Fey forever.
“I’m not sure I’ve ever seen your brilliance,” Sera said. “Apparently you’ve hidden it our entire lives.” She looked into the light grey of his eyes that exactly matched her own, and smiled sweetly. “No, what I don’t get is that.” Sera nodded toward a group of girls standing in line to order. Muddy Waters was quiet, in the midst of a mid-morning lull, and these girls were making a spectacle of themselves. Between glances at Luke, they whispered to each other and giggled. One even playfully hit another in an I-can’t-believe-you-just-said-that kind of way.
“Ah, the Fan Club,” Quinn said, pushing his glasses up. “You should hear the things they’re saying about you, Luke.” He shook his head, took in Luke’s raised eyebrows and smile of expectation, then added, “Or maybe, really, you shouldn’t.”
“Oh, come on!” Luke said. “You can’t say something like that and then not tell me.” He leaned over the table toward Quinn and lowered his voice. “You know I’d tell you if I Saw your future. The least you could do is tell me when you hear things about me. If I had your gift—if I could hear everything—I’d tell you what I heard.”
“Well, I did hear people speculating about your sexual orientation since you have all these girls falling all over you and you’ve yet to ask any of them out.”
Luke glanced quickly at Fey, then back at Quinn. “Wha—?”
“That’s the word around school at least. I tried to tell them they were off—that I’d know—but that just made them think I’m your boyfriend.”
Luke was struck silent as Sera and Fey tried hard not to laugh.
“Okay, first of all, when I said I wanted you to tell me when you heard things about me, I meant right now—what those girls are saying.” Luke jerked his thumb in their direction and took a breath. “And second, I really don’t need to know that other stuff. At all.” He stared into his coffee cup for a moment, then looked up at Quinn. “Is that really true?”
Quinn shrugged noncommittally.
“Was that a yes or a no?” Luke said, and Quinn shrugged again. Luke shook his head and smiled. “You suck. You know that?”
Quinn grinned.
“I’m sorry,” Sera said, turning to Luke, “what was that you said about telling Quinn if you had a vision of his future? You mean the same way you told me?” She paused before adding, “And by that I mean not telling me at all.”
A few short months ago—what felt like a lifetime—Luke had Seen her die and had not said a word to her about it. And he had lied to her for the first time—something that still smarted even now.
“That was different,” Luke said, suddenly serious. The playfulness was gone from his face, as if it had never been there at all. Sera was instantly sorry she’d teased him.
She reached across the table and placed her hand on his arm. Warmth flowed through her and into his body. The fact that the healing light was instantly there for Luke made her feel doubly shamed. The whole ordeal had been traumatic for them both, but even more so for Luke because his visions had always come true. And he’d had to live with the knowledge that she was going to die, trying to find a way to stop it and certain that he couldn’t.
That he’d actually succeeded in changing the future—her future—was nothing short of miraculous. But their relief and elation didn’t erase all that had come before. Even months later it still felt fresh. She still flinched when she saw someone flicker—that tell-tale sign that they were from the Realm, a parallel world to their own.
She glanced around the coffeehouse. No flickers here, thank goodness. Just warmth. The rich, full smell of fresh coffee draped over the room like a dark brown velvet blanket. Sera breathed it in and wished yet again that she liked coffee. If only it tasted as good as it smelled. But her taste buds were never as enthralled as her nose.
“What time were Brandan and Raquel getting here?” Sera said, turning to Quinn.
“Probably now,” said Raquel as she peeled off her bright pink parka and slipped into a seat next to Luke. “Or maybe we won’t get here until later. You never can tell with us.” Brandan laughed as he went over to get in line at the counter.
Raquel and Brandan were Gifteds—people with unbelievable abilities—like Sera, Luke, and Quinn. Sera and Luke had spent seventeen years keeping their talents secret, not knowing there were others like them—until Quinn had revealed his extraordinary hearing, and then Raquel and Brandan, a perfect liar and a ghost whisperer, had shown up looking for them.
Raquel flipped her blonde braids over her shoulders and focused her attention on Fey, who eyed her with suspicion.
“So you’re a Light Elf?” she said, and Fey stared at her, then glanced around. It was just like Raquel to get right down to it. Luke had asked Fey to tell Raquel and Brandan about the Realm in general and the Light Elves in particular. They were curious about it all, and kept asking questions that Sera and Luke couldn’t answer.
“Yes,” Fey said, “and keep your voice down.”
Sera glanced at the neighboring tables. No one was near enough to overhear.
“I’m just saying, you know, wow,” Raquel said in an exaggerated whisper. “You’re an elf. You’re supposed to always be able to tell when someone is lying. Right?”
Fey narrowed her eyes. “I can always tell. All Light Elves can.”
“Can you lie?” Raquel asked, leaning forward just a bit. Luke was about to take a sip of his coffee, but stopped, his cup frozen halfway to his mouth, his eyes on Fey’s face.
“Why would I need to?” Fey said, raising her eyebrows. Luke grinned before he brought the cup up to cover his laughter. He was enjoying this and Fey looked like she was ready to kick him. Or maybe she wanted to kick Raquel. It was hard to tell. Sera tried not to smile.
Brandan handed a steaming mug to Raquel, then swept around the table to sit down next to Quinn. They clinked mugs.
“I’m going to get a refill,” Fey said. “Anyone need anything? Sera, more tea?”
Sera shook her head, her fingers tapping on the sides of her now empty mug. For some reason, Fey had never warmed to Raquel. Maybe Raquel’s gift put her on edge. Whatever it was, Fey did not hide her dislike well, though Raquel never seemed to notice.
“Would you get me some sugar?” Raquel said. “I love sweet coffee.” Her smile was blindingly cheerful.
Fey stared at her a moment, nodded, then turned and walked away.
Sera glanced over at Luke as he watched Fey go. Then he met her gaze and raised his eyebrows. He saw it too. It was funny, because Fey really liked Brandan. But then, Sera thought, who wouldn’t? He was ridiculously intelligent, communicated with ghosts, and liked Quinn. The way they sat together at the other end of the table, their heads together, talking quietly, was really sweet.
When Fey returned, she handed the sugar to Raquel and sat down. Raquel thanked her, smiled at the sugar packets, and tapped them on the table looking very pleased with herself.
Sera’s eyes widened as she watched Raquel not empty them into her coffee.
Oh no. She’d just lied to Fey…
And gotten away with it.
Raquel looked gleefully triumphant. Sera wasn’t sure whether to laugh with her or tell her to run for cover, because Fey was now watching her with dangerously narrowed eyes. Fey knew she’d been duped.
Sera looked over at Luke, who was grinning widely. He knew what had happened, too, and was not trying to hide his amusement at all. When he met Sera’s gaze, she lifted her eyebrows and tilted her head toward Fey.
So Luke turned to Fey and said, “So, you were going to tell them about the Light Elves.”
As Fey leaned forward, a flicker behind her caught Sera’s eye. She froze and didn’t want to look, afraid of who it might be. But she couldn’t help herself. She lifted her eyes and her heart sped up as she met his gaze.
A vampire. Staring at her.
She was about to say something to Fey when he smiled and held up his hands as if asking for help. Then he pointed toward the bathroom nook.
And Sera was flooded with relief. She knew why he was there.
He wanted her to make him human again.
TWO
Fey glanced at Raquel, who was still playing with the unopened sugar packets, and then back at Luke. She pressed her lips together, cleared her head, got on task.
“Yes. The Light Elves,” she said. “The Good Mother, Keren, blesses souls of light that come into the Realm but do not pass through to the After world for whatever reason. These souls become Light Elves.”
“Light Elves used to be people?” Brandan had turned to listen when she’d started talking again and was fiddling with a small silver flashlight.
“Yes, in a way.”
“But what about the Dark Elves?” Raquel said. “Where do they come from?”
“They are dark souls who linger in the Realm and do not receive the blessing from Keren,” Fey said. “The longer they stay, the darker and more dangerous they become.”
“Like the Shadows?” Raquel stared intensely and Fey couldn’t help wondering whether Raquel’s soul was light or dark. She’d venture to guess the latter at the moment.
Sera shifted in her seat, wrapped her hands around her mug. Fey knew Sera didn’t like hearing about this stuff. Especially the Shadows since they’d been the ones to bring Marc into Sera’s life and then push him right back out of it. Sera met Fey’s gaze, then stood. “I’ll be back,” she said, and walked toward the back of the coffee house.
Fey watched her go, worried, but also a little relieved. She could speak more freely about the Shadows if she didn’t have to worry about upsetting Sera.
“The Shadows are the most powerful of the Dark Elves, so yes. Trolls, dwarves, and goblins are Dark Elves. Also some witches and wizards, though they can also be of the Light. It depends.” Brandan and Raquel were wide eyed just like Sera, Luke, and Quinn had been when they’d grilled her about all this a few months ago. “But Shadows are by far the worst. They’re like living nightmares.”
Fey looked over her shoulder to where Sera had disappeared. She didn’t see her anywhere. Perhaps Sera’d gone to the bathroom.
“What about vampires?” Raquel said. “Are they Dark Elves, too?”
“No.”
“Then what are they?”
“Vampires,” Fey said. When Raquel just looked at her in silence, she sighed and said, “If you want to know about vampires you must ask a vampire. It is not mine to tell. Perhaps Jonas will.”
“Who’s Jonas?” Brandan said.
“A friend,” said Quinn.
“You guys are friends with a vampire?” Raquel said. “Oh my god!” She leaned a shoulder into Luke and smiled up at him. “You are seriously the coolest person I’ve ever met.”
And Fey ground her teeth together, could feel magick gathering at her extremities. Then she remembered where she was—remembered who she was—and she took a deep breath. Luke was hers to guard, not to have.
Still, she was relieved to see Luke lean away from Raquel and put some space between them. He looked at Fey, raised an eyebrow and one corner of his mouth. She shook her head at him.
“Do you remember your human life?” Brandan said.
“No,” said Fey. “It was another lifetime. It’s not mine any longer.”
“Were you Gifted?” Raquel said.
“No. The Gifteds have come now, they didn’t come before. It wasn’t the right time for them.”
“So why are we like this?” Brandan said. “How come we can do these things that no one else can?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Luke said. “I mean, for me. I am a god among men, or well, boys at the moment.” He looked from Brandan to Quinn. “Or, maybe more accurately, girls.”
Quinn put down his coffee cup. “You did not just call me a girl.”
“If the glass slipper fits, Princess,” Luke said, a huge grin on his face. “And, to answer your question,” Luke said to Brandan, “it’s because of Keren.”
Fey nodded. “The Good Mother blessed certain human infants with special gifts about seventeen years ago.”
“Which is why we have this…” Luke paused, as if searching for the right word as he turned to look at Fey. “…connection with the Light Elves.”
She held his gaze for a moment. Indeed, they did have a connection. One that she was having a hard time figuring out how to handle.
Raquel placed a hand on Luke’s arm and he turned to smile at her. Fey was having a hard time handling that, too. Luke deserved better than Raquel. He deserved to be with someone who was honest. Who wouldn’t lie to him just because she could. Fey stared at Raquel’s hand, willing herself not to magick it into a horse hoof. Or better yet, a dragon claw.
She shook her head at her thoughts.
And wondered what was taking Sera so long. As she turned to look back, she saw Sera standing next to a man, her hand on his shoulder.
As if he felt her stare, the guy turned and looked straight at Fey, his blue eyes looking no more humane than a Shadow’s. A slow smirk spread across his face. Vampire. Or what used to be one. She was sure of it.
A shadow of foreboding flowed over Fey.
She was on her feet immediately, striding toward Sera with long, swift steps. Magick crackled at the ends of her fingers and Fey drew strong on the power of her people. His eyes followed her and he lost neither the smirk nor the stare.
There was something distinctly sinister about him, more so than most other vampires she’d ever come across. He was completely calculating, she realized as she came to a halt between him and Sera. He’d glanced around the room, his eyes skimming over all the humans present and his smile had grown as he’d apparently assumed Fey would be forced to restrain herself.
He obviously didn’t know Fey.
She was careful, yes. But she had thousands of years of powerful magick at her fingertips. And she was more than willing to use it.
An image of a rune formed in her mind—a single long line like an icicle suspended in the air. “Isa.” Fey hissed the word into the room and threw her arms wide, spreading the magick beyond the four walls of the coffee shop.
And everything around them stopped.
The shop was silent save for the muted conversation at Luke’s table. Even that came to a halt as they realized the rest of the patrons weren’t moving. At all.
“What—?” Sera said from behind her. “What did you do?”
Fey didn’t answer, but watched the smirk fall from the guy’s face. He looked unsure for the first time.
“Get out of here.” Fey flicked a green spark of magick in his face. He flinched when it hit him, but he held her gaze. He was either brave, arrogant, or stupid—she wasn’t sure which. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked her up and down as if he were unimpressed. But she could feel it—the lie in his stance, the anger tinged with fear. She got the impression that he was used to being in charge, obeyed, and decidedly not used to being outflanked.
And he was most definitely outflanked right now.
She almost hoped he put up a fight. There was something about him—she’d enjoy taking him down.
“Fey,” Sera said, gently touching her arm. “It’s okay. Adrian was only thanking me for—” She broke off when Fey looked back at her and glared. Eyes wide, mouth open, she was struck dumb in the face of Fey’s anger.
When Fey turned around, Adrian was gone. Her eyes scanned the room and found him in the far corner, his hands around a woman’s neck.
How had he gotten all the way over there? Humans couldn’t move that fast and he could no longer teleport.
Adrian squeezed and the woman’s face started to darken, but there was no other reaction—she was frozen.
“Get your hands off of her!” Luke said, shooting to his feet and lunging toward Adrian.
“Luke, no!” Fey yelled, and disappeared. She reappeared where Adrian had been standing, but now he was next to Sera again.
That wasn’t possible. He was moving as fast as a vampire.
“Luke?” Adrian said, and turned to Sera. “Your brother, the Seer?”
Sera’s eyes were wide and she backed away from him even as Fey teleported in front of her again.
A hand clamped down on Fey’s wrist and Adrian spun her around, her back against his chest, her arm pinned between them. He wrapped his arms around her waist.
“You’re not calling the shots anymore, Elf,” Adrian said.
“Hey!” Luke started to charge over, but Fey shot him a warning look and shook her head.
She had this.
Adrian was strong, there was no doubt. Stronger than a human should be, so he hadn’t lost his vampire strength nor his speed in the transformation.
But that wasn’t going to be enough.
She shrugged her shoulders down and swept her arms up, breaking his hold. Then she grabbed one arm, flipped him over her shoulder and slammed him onto the floor. Before surprise even had a chance to register on his face, Fey held a clear elf blade at his throat.
“You will never go near either one of them again,” Fey said. “Is that clear?”
“DIANA!” Adrian yelled and in an instant a blonde vampire appeared, leaned down to grab hold of his arm, and in a blink they were gone.
The place was silent, the humans still frozen and the Gifteds all staring.
Fey swung her arms out, green sparks flying from her fingers and the people all came to life again. Raquel jumped at the sudden reanimation around her and her head whipped left and right as she took it all in.
Sera stood there wide-eyed, one hand clutching her ever-present necklace—a simple silver pendant shaped like a hand with a spiral etched in the palm. Her face was pale, her body shaking.
“Oh my god,” Sera said. “What was that?”
“Are you okay?” Luke said as he and the others hurried over.
“Who was that guy?” said Quinn.
“I don’t know,” Fey said, and she looked toward the front windows.
Raquel stared at Fey in awe. “Holy—”
“I know, right?” said Brandan. “I wanna be like Fey when I grow up.”
“You’ll have to trade in your flashlights for daggers,” Luke said.
“He’ll never give them up,” Raquel said, her eyes still on Fey. “They’re his security blanket.”
“Hey,” said Brandan, “do not disparage my flashlights. They come in handy sometimes.”
“Not to worry. You’d have to die to become like me,” Fey said. “You don’t want to do that.” She looked at them for a moment. “I think we should go, in case Adrian comes back,” she said. “ I don’t want to have to kill anyone today.” She walked over to their table to get her jacket.
Raquel said quietly to Sera, “Is she kidding about that?” and Fey couldn’t help but smile a little as she headed for the door, stepping outside to look around and make sure no other vampires were around.
“Fey?” Luke was beside her, his hands stuffed in his pockets, that delicious smile on his face that sent her heart speeding. “Hey,” he said. “You okay?”
She shrugged, her eyes scanning the street.
“So, when are you going to take us to visit the Light Elves?”
That he wanted to go meet her people, see her home, made her heart sing. She looked at him. “I will. I promise you.”
“When?”
She smiled. “I don’t know.”
“Soon?” he said, and grabbed her hands. He was like a little kid begging to go to the playground. Fey had to laugh. “And can we meet Keren?”
She looked at him, eyes wide. “You want to?”
“Yeah,” he said. “She already met us once, right?”
Fey nodded.
“So, it’d be nice to meet her again.” He paused, then said in a quiet voice, “Did she know our parents?” Luke had lost his grin and his eyes were serious, hopeful.
Fey wasn’t sure what to say. His birth parents had died in a fire when he and Sera were babies. Fey had been able to save the two of them—that was her duty, to keep them safe—but she hadn’t been able to save their parents or six older brothers. And she could see what Luke was hoping for. But he’d yet to consider something.
And here he was asking her. She had to tell him.
“Luke,” she said, “I knew them.”