Beyond the Veil (Zodiac Academy, #8.5)

by Caroline Peckham

“No fucking way.” I grinned, getting up and moving to stand beside Cal so that I could take a closer look. “The detail on this is sick,” I commented, studying the crescent moon with a wolf perched upon the curve at its base while a bat hung from the curve above. Within the moon was a clock with no hands, only a ring of numbers and shattered cogs spilling out beneath it. “Never thought you’d actually bite the bullet and break your tattoo virginity.”

“It’s beautiful,” Caleb murmured, and I rolled my eyes. “Fucking poetic, that is. Point out how badass that shading is and look at the linework around the moon’s craters. I need to know who did this piece. Ask him that.

Dude! Lol they are gonna fuck with you there

“Stop,” Seth growled. “Why?” Cal asked. “Because you’re stroking him like he’s a pet cat and it’s fucking weird, man,” I pointed out, arching an eyebrow at Caleb and wondering if he was thirsty or something because he was being a bit of a lurker, and touchy-feely wasn’t usually his thing.

Im gonna die

I barked a laugh. “Told you, you were being weird,” I pointed out, almost feeling like I was a part of this little hang out, back with my boys again. “Can one of you call Max?” I asked but they still didn’t react to me.

Third wheeling

“You didn’t seem up for the challenge I gave you, so why not get my kicks elsewhere?” Seth said, leaving me lost again because I had no idea what they were talking about but apparently that was the insult required to make Caleb snap at last and I whooped as he finally started the fight.

Dont worry about it babe

“That was embarrassing, man,” I told Caleb, crossing the room to the bed, and dropping down beside them to look at him. “Are you just gonna lie there and take that?” “You look good down there, Caleb,” Seth taunted. “Wanna know how good it can feel subbing for me too?” Weird choice of taunt, but okay.

Man you are gonna feel so stupid soon lol

“I thought I was your perfect dom fantasy, Seth?” I joked. “Have you really moved on already? I feel like you could have picked Dante or someone a bit more rugged though – Cal is too pretty to really pull off the daddy vibes, don’t you think?”

Hahah dude

Except they weren’t punching each other; Caleb tried to pin Seth beneath him, but the Werewolf flipped them again, his hand locking around Caleb’s throat, shoving his head back and- “What the fuck is this?” I roared, leaping to my feet as my two best friends started kissing each other with the force of a wrecking ball, the tension in the room shattering around them as they devoured each other’s mouths like the stars would fall from the heavens and set the whole world alight if they didn’t.

Im crying

“Prove what?” I demanded, backing up a step and glancing towards the walls as if they might part for me and draw me back away into the embrace of The Veil, but no, if anything they seemed more solid than ever before as I stood in a room with two of my best friends in the world while they kissed each other in a way that said in no uncertain terms that this had happened before.

Thats so fucking funny

My wife’s damn bed.

Thats what im sayin

I gaped at them as Seth began to unhook the buttons of Caleb’s shirt. This was actually happening. I was standing in the afterlife, haunting two of my closest friends in the world, watching as they shattered all the parameters I thought had existed within their friendship and- Oh for fuck’s sake, I did not need to see Caleb’s cock.

Hahhahahaa

“Gah!” I fell backwards as cum shot towards my fucking face, managing to avoid it before remembering that I was a ghost, and it would have sailed straight through me anyway. Either way, that was a fuck no from me.

Im dead

“You want to learn this lesson or not, pretty boy?” Seth taunted, grabbing Caleb’s hair. “Not,” I barked. “He’s all good. Maybe find a cloth or something for him and fuck off out of my wife’s bed though, yeah?”

This is the best thing to ever happen

“I’m angry too,” Caleb replied. “Angry at the whole fucking world. For Lionel, our fate, for our terrible fucking luck. For Darius-” “Don’t bring me into this shit,” I snapped because they had already done that, hadn’t they?

“Good.” Caleb kissed him and I groaned because it wasn’t over. Of course it wasn’t fucking over. I shoved against The Veil, snarling furiously as it refused to welcome me back into its embrace. “Help!” I yelled, wondering if some spirit might take pity on me and pull me back.

Its like punishment

I. Did. Not. Want. To. Know. “Merissa?” I yelled, wondering if she might be able to help pull me back. She’d been dead far longer than me, so she had to know how to reach me. “Yes?” Merissa asked as she appeared before me, and I groaned as Hail materialised at her back. I tried to move between them and the two Heirs who were now half naked and- yeah, Caleb was basically choking on Seth’s dick, so that was fucking peachy. “Did you just summon your mother-in-law to watch your friends fucking?”

Crying

Seth howled loud enough to rattle the damn walls as he came, Caleb groaning as he fucking swallowed and I was caught holding eye contact with Hail motherfucking Vega the entire time.

Bonding!

“Is that your face on the side of that box?” Hail asked, stepping closer. “No,” I snapped but it obviously was me and Merissa pressed her lips into a flat line as she fought a laugh. “It’s not licensed,” I protested.

Bhaaahaha

“Get me out of here,” I snarled as Merissa gave up on holding back and started laughing loudly. She offered me her hand and I took it, The Veil finally showing me mercy and hauling me away from the realm of the living. For once, I was glad to leave it behind.

I love her this is too funny

Oh yes, I was going to have a lot of fun with my best friends when I saw them again, and they would rue the day they used unlicensed sex toys with my face on them.

“Big, isn’t he?” Radcliff said cheerily. “He would probably be almost as big as me if I had been a Pegasus.” “Nah, he’d be bigger by far,” Darius said, earning himself a glare from Radcliff.

I burst into my Dragon form, chasing Xavier into the sky and roaring to him in encouragement, his ears flicking like he might just have heard that.

Its so sweet and so sad

I circled a paragraph in the book I had borrowed from the Archive of Yore that resided here beyond The Veil, swatting a loose lock of black hair away from my face.

I picture him as Lances older twin ngl

Though I may have been able to sneak a few things through The Veil from the deal I’d struck with Mordra long before I’d died, I could not have sent the entirety of my book collection. I had contacted her through the means of a magic so dark, it had required a heavy price of blood, and not just mine.

Excuse me?!

Starlight bright and dark the other. Wielded, both can rip asunder. In the Grawl where the light one sings. Blood and bone, the ether brings.

“Forgive me, I would not hear the chiming of the bells of the apocalypse when I am engrossed in my studies. Crucia could be standing at my back come to burn my soul to ash and I would still be questioning my latest hypothesis as I went into oblivion.”

So basically lance

Serenity laughed, moving closer and resting a hand on my seat, taking a glance at my work. Her fingers brushed my spine and I straightened a little, glancing up at her and taking in the soft curve of her cheekbone, her large brown eyes keenly poring over my work.

OH?

“You’re welcome to pry,” I said, smoothing back my hair. “I… ah, here.” I plucked a piece of paper off my desk and held it out to her. “It’s something of a plan to get a message to your son. Excuse the scrawling handwriting, and the er, scribbles in the corner, oh and that small diagram I crossed out. In fact-” I scrunched it up in my fist before she could take it. “I’ll write it out clearer.”

Hes so awkward lmao

“That is an interesting theory,” she said, thinking on it. “So you believe it is not wrong to seek joy here? Happiness even?” “I think we must else we will fall into madness. My work keeps me sane. Without it, I would be adrift.”

Squeeeee

The crystal burst back alight, but this time the fire was roaring and full of starlight. It threw itself against us and the heat of it blasted against our souls. “This fate is not for you to decide, seeker of knowledge,” the stars bellowed inside my mind, their fury clear. “The voices of the dead do not belong in the ears of the living. You shall not attempt this twice, or our wrath shall befall you and all those you hold dear.”

Oh shit

I ran my finger along the line that required sacrifice for a transference of the Death Bond. Stella was going to place it on another soul, and my throat thickened as I looked to Darcy, her inky hair swirling around her. Surely she wouldn’t…

Oof

Merissa moved forward, striking Stella across the face. “That is for all your poor choices.” She swept closer and kissed the place she had hit Stella’s cheek. “And that is for the good ones you made in the end.”

“You think there’s freedom in hiding away down here like a worm skulking in the shadow of a blackbird?” I called as I stepped into the wide opening which held the boulder she favoured for a perch. “You think hiding from the stars negates their power?”

Poetic

“Fuck, baby girl, you never do things by halves, do you?” I breathed while she fumbled with the pouch of stardust in her hands.

Zjgzkgkkg

“Fuck that for fate,” I growled, dropping down to press my hand to her back as she rolled onto her front, her body almost giving out entirely now. “Come on, it’s only a few inches away. You can do it, baby.”

Devastating

But there was no afterlife waiting for him on this side anymore. The Veil screamed as it met with the lingering remnants of his soul and with a blinding flash of light, he was obliterated, the price paid for the magic she had needed to stave off death and any festering pieces of that son-of-a-bitch destroyed once and for all. If anything, he’d gotten off lightly.

Damn...

“Do you see it yet?” Mordra cooed, her wet lips brushing my ear and I jerked around, finding myself in her cavern once more.

Spit it out bitch

I tried to take a step, but I couldn’t move beyond the ruby pendant, its power anchoring me here while those screams rattled on.

Dude!!!!!

“It would take just one of their deaths in exchange for your soul’s return to the land of the living,” she purred.

Wtf...

“A soul for a soul,” Mordra urged, her voice my bane. “I won’t,” I growled. “Then you shall be cursed just like the rest of us,” she spat furiously. “There is only one way to truly cross The Veil and that is in death. All other passages are fleeting, ghosts at best, no bodies to house them. It all awaits you and yet you scorn the gift you might claim.” “I scorn nothing but the stars,” I replied bitterly. “And you’re no better than them.”

“Go on, son!” I roared to Lance. “Give him hell!” “Son?” Azriel hooked an eyebrow up at me. “He is that to me, Azriel,” I said fiercely and he moved closer, grasping my arm. “And Gwendalina is a daughter to me,” he said, the two of us sharing a brief smile before we turned back to watch the fight.

Awwww

“You never even let me wield that blade,” Azriel pointed out and I shrugged, tossing him a grin.

Lmao well...

“You’d better be watching, sir. Because this fight is for the Vegas,” Lance said, making my heart lurch, those words meant for me. He knew I was here, or at least suspected it and I moved to stand at his back, placing my hand on his shoulder to lend him what power I could. “Oh, I’m watching alright, good choice,” I said with a dark laugh and Azriel moved to lend him power too, gazing at me with a soppy ass look. “Now remind me why the stars selected you as a match for my daughter.” “Go on, Lancelot!” Azriel bayed.

“It is a monster,” I said in disbelief. “Kill it while you have the chance, Gwendalina!”

No its good boy

“It’s not coming with us,” Lance muttered, and Gwendalina arched a brow at him. “Firstly, do not boss her around,” I growled. “Secondly, you have a point.” “It seems friendly enough,” Merissa said, moving closer to it and reaching out to pet its side despite the fact it couldn’t feel her.

Lmao hail

“We will be married,” Lance said in a growl, and Merissa let out a small squeal while Azriel shot her widest grin. “Oh Hail! Think of the wedding. The bridesmaids all in deepest blue, an ice sculpture in the shape of a Phoenix,” Merissa gushed. “They could hire a jazz band,” Azriel said excitedly, and I gave both of them a dry look.

Mawrriage

“Says who?” Gwendalina balked. “She clearly doesn’t want to be married,” I said. “Says me,” Lance snapped and I rounded on him. “Watch your tone, boy,” I snarled. “I will wed you the moment this war is over,” Lance said, and I had a mind to clip him around the ear. “He’s possessive. Now who does that remind me of?” Merissa sung and Azriel nodded, looking at me. “Oh you will, will you?” Gwendalina narrowed her eyes at Lance. “We’re already mated, why would we get married too?”

“Just because we’re mated doesn’t mean you get to skip a proposal.” Gwendalina shot him a sharp look and I smirked. Give him hell, little darling. “So you’d better ask really, really nicely the next time you bring this up. And I am making no promises that I’ll say yes.” “Or that I’ll agree to it,” Gabriel tossed back over his shoulder, and I barked a laugh. “Good boy,” I said. “He’s so protective of his sisters.” Merissa smiled serenely, though apparently me being protective made me ridiculous.

“Darius didn’t ask your permission to marry Tory,” Lance said. “That boy doesn’t know the meaning of respect, that’s why,” I muttered. “I don’t recall you asking my father for my hand in marriage. Actually, I recall you kidnapping me to Solaria,” Merissa said, shooting me a look and I shrugged innocently. “All this asking is outdated anyway, I say. It’s down to Gwendalina whether she wishes to marry him or not, and the only person Lance need ask is her.”

She and Roxanya were so much more powerful than even I could ever have claimed to be. It rattled the foundations of the kingdom.

I was waiting for him to say that