Heartless Sky (Zodiac Academy, #7)

by Caroline Peckham

Xavier was caught in the middle of a Tyler/Sofia sandwich, the two of them kissing his neck and releasing happy little whinnies which kept resulting in puffs of glitter flying out over the entire crowd and pretty much everyone in the dining hall was sparkling at this point. It was almost as though there wasn’t a war raging on beyond these tunnels at all. Almost.

Except she wasn’t the one I was staring at. No. My eyes were on Seth’s hands as they skimmed her ass and she tipped her head back to howl loudly, causing Wolves all around the room to follow suit. They looked good together. Perfectly fucking matched. Two gorgeous, powerful Werewolf Alphas who would no doubt produce the strong kind of offspring his mom and dad would freaking love to fawn all over. I bit my tongue against the frustration I felt at watching them together,

Sex was like eating to Werewolves. If there was a member of a pack who was hungry, they fed them, and if there was a member with a hard cock, they sucked it for them. End of. I doubted he even remembered it now, my dick lost in a sea of cocks and pussies which he’d had before and since. I was such a fucking dumbass.

“That is my cake,” Tory warned, pointing her finger at Seth as she hiccupped again. “You can’t have any.” “Oh yeah?” he asked, the challenge in his eyes saying he was gonna dive right into that thing headfirst at any moment. “Seth,” I warned, unable to let this happen. “Don’t-” “So now you’re on her side?” he demanded in outrage. “After I shared that mega bar of chocolate I found in her room with you?” Tory gasped, pressing a hand to her chest as she glared at me in accusation. I mouthed an apology to her and Seth took the opportunity to lunge for the cake.

“Not tonight, sweetheart,” I said, getting to my feet and offering her an apologetic smile as I placed her down on hers. I needed to Fae up and own my shit though. Because if I wasn’t going to bury my problems with a night in this girl’s bed then I was going to have to just face them head on. Which meant I needed to talk to my best friend.

“I was looking for Seth,” I said, figuring I might as well own it at this point as I took in the empty room around them and finally accepted that he really wasn’t here. Rosalie’s lips curved into a sly grin and she nodded. “Of course you are, siete destinati l'uno all'altro.”

“So…you and him haven’t…” She barked a laugh, holding my eye and not seeming to give a fuck that we were having this conversation while she had her thighs clamped around some girl’s head. “No, Vampiro. As much as I might yearn for the taste of an Alpha, I don’t want to try and claim one who isn’t meant for me. I haven’t fucked him since we were all together at your academy last year and I have no intention to be with either of you again now.” “O…kay. Well, I’ll leave you to it,” I said,

I was going to find Seth tonight and I was going to end this awkwardness between us one way or another. Because I was done being without him and that meant we needed to figure this out.

“You’re my best friend and I don’t want to lose you. We grew up together. We’ve been there through the good and bad for each other, so one meaningless blowjob doesn’t get to ruin that.” I nodded slowly, my throat so tight it hurt, the word meaningless circling in my head like a vulture come to feast on my broken heart.

“So it was just a one-time thing. Just a stupid decision while I wasn’t thinking straight because I was hungry, and you were offering out pity BJs like you do with your Wolf pack whenever one of them hasn’t gotten laid in a long time.” I hesitated, every piece of my nature wanting to say no. No, it hadn’t been like that for me.

“Vampire feelings. I’ve been away from you for too long, and as my Source I need to…do some stuff. Okay?” “Okay,” I agreed so fucking easily that it was sad really. Because if Caleb needed to tie me to the ceiling by my ankles and wrists and drain my blood like a sacrifice to a god, then slap my ass and call me Mr Willing.

“You’re my Source,” he said in my ear. “And you’re my best friend. So you’re gonna stay here with me from now on.” “Yes, master,” I whispered. “What?” he snapped and I chuckled. “Joking,” I said and he broke a laugh, his body relaxing as he kept me firm against him.

“When we close those rifts, Lavinia and my father will be vulnerable at last,” he said. “Which means it will be time to strike at them.” “Yeah, that’s the plan,” I teased. “Roxy…I want you to agree to let me be the one who goes after Lionel.”

“Killing him isn’t what makes you worthy of me,” I said, my thumb tracing over his cheekbone as I drank him in. “This love between us is what proves that. You’ve given me something I never dared hope for and I know you’re still not perfect, but I don’t want perfect. I want your flaws, your temper, your power, and your passion. I want you, Darius Acrux. Not a white knight who slayed a Dragon for me.”

“And you made me leave the party to do it. If I’d realised what you’d meant when you invited me back to your room to mix your muffins, I wouldn’t have come. I assumed you weren’t actually talking about muffins.” “Whatever else would I have meant?” she asked him. “Sex, Gerry. Sex.” “Oh, you are so vulgar at times.

“Wow,” I breathed and Darius’s hand slipped over my thigh beneath the table as he gave me a light squeeze. “I forget how damn mortal you are sometimes,” he teased but as I looked up at him, I found nothing but fondness in his dark gaze as he watched my fascination like it was more interesting than the map itself. “That thing is cool,” I protested just as the door opened and Darcy walked in with an, “Ooooh.”

“Seth and Orio should go to this one in the desert,” he said. “You’ll need speed and a strong shield, though I can’t tell much more. Then Geraldine and Darcy to that one. Darius and Max over in that cavern. I can get some members of my family to help take out the two in the north and the one in the snowfields by the Polar Capital, and Tory and Caleb can handle the one in that canyon.”

The cavern will require brute strength and the canyon needs speed. If we split up the way I suggest I see a possible future where we all return here later on tonight. Any other combination and the fates shift, making it less and less likely that we will succeed.”

“How would anyone know they’d come here?” I asked curiously as I looked up and down the ravine, wondering where to start our search. “Is there a magical alarm?” “Yeah. But it alerts my mom rather than Lionel since your family was killed so she will have recognised my magical signature and shouldn't raise the alarm.” “Let’s hope not,” I agreed with a feeling of foreboding rattling through my limbs.

“We’re cool, aren’t we?” I asked him to make sure and he glanced back at me with a confused look before catching on to what I was really asking. “Yeah, don’t you worry, sweetheart. I have someone else fucking with my feelings these days.” “Is that what you think I did to you?” I asked uncomfortably and he snorted.

So are you going to tell me who’s messing with your emotions now?” I asked. “How about I tell you once we close this rift?” he suggested, his smile slipping. “Because I don’t even know where to start with it and this is probably more important.” “Okay,” I agreed and he shot away without another word.

“And you’re going to have to hold me incredibly still,” he replied as I lifted him to hang above the water before the rift. “You sound like you don’t trust me,” I said. “It’s not about trust. It’s about me getting sucked into the fucking Shadow Realm if you screw up. So don’t screw up, Tory. I have too fucking much to live for.” I snorted as I concentrated on holding him still and Caleb reached out to start stitching the cut between realms back together.

“Did you do it?” I asked. “Yep,” Darcy agreed. “I guess the Nymphs didn’t know about that one or something because it was just sitting there waiting for us.” “Ours too,” I told her,

told you it was an accident! It’s not like I meant to do it,” Orion barked. “I know what this was, Lance Orion. It was hairmocide pure and simple!” Seth snarled

“Your clumsy boyfriend sheared half my fucking hair off with his Phoenix fire sword,” Seth growled though the sound turned into a whimper as he pawed at his ruined hair. “No. You were the dumb fucker who did a hair flick in the middle of a fucking battle,” Orion snapped. “How was I supposed to know that I’d end up beheading your hair as well as the Nymph?”

“You knew!” Seth accused suddenly, raising a shaking finger to point at Gabriel as he spotted him laughing and I fell apart too as I realised he was right. Gabriel must have seen this coming and hadn’t done a damn thing to stop it. “Serves you right for cutting my sister’s hair off, mutt,” he taunted and Dante boomed a laugh behind him just as Seth lunged. Gabriel was already sidestepping him before he even got close and I watched them with amusement for a few minutes while Seth tried his hardest to punch Solaria’s greatest Seer in the face without success.

“What’s an eperious slug?” I asked curiously, taking another step away from Darius as he tried to wipe some more slime from his body, but it seemed to be sticking. “Oh it is a most gruesome of beasts,” Geraldine supplied. “A huge and carnivorous slug which is big enough to eat an entire minivan in one bite when at full size. It likes to dwell in dark, dank caverns and wait for creatures to wander inside unawares.

“We closed the rift despite the fucking slug,” he said firmly. “So is that it? Have we done all we need to do to weaken Lavinia?” “I think so,” Orion confirmed. “I can check the soul hat and see if Miguel can confirm it, but if it’s worked then we can get the rebels ready to march at last. We can bring the war to Lionel’s door and finally rip the crown from his unworthy head.”

“I don’t have that long Roxy,” Darius said, moving forward and grabbing my arms as he forced me to look at him again.

“They showed me your death. Both of you. And they offered me a chance to save you, to twist fate and give us a shot at defeating my father. Every bond placed on us broken and a single year to prove I could have been a man worthy of your love, Roxy.” “No,” Orion snarled. “A year?” I gasped, my heart hammering as I realised how fucking close we were to that time coming to an end already. “That’s why you were so angry when they went to The Palace of Flames,” Orion said in realisation, his voice cracking. “Because your time with her was being stolen?” Darius nodded,

My fist snapped out and I punched him so hard that I was pretty sure something broke in my hand as a scream erupted from me that defied all logic or reason or understanding and was instead filled with the pain and terror of knowing that I was so close to losing him already. The only man I would ever love.

I stared at Darius, shocked into silence as fear made my lungs cease to work. Darcy headed after her sister, her wings bursting from her back as she chased her into the sky and I took a step towards Darius, but the Heirs got there first, surrounding him like a pack of Wolves and demanding answers. I couldn’t hear them though. I couldn’t hear anything but the ringing in my ears as I tried to process the fact that one of my best friends in the whole world had traded his life and was going to fucking die.

And the worst thing was, I should have known. I should have realised the bonds wouldn’t be broken for nothing. And deep down, maybe I had. Maybe I hadn’t pushed him on the subject because I knew there was a price and I couldn’t bear to know the truth of it.

“Noxy,” I turned to Gabriel and he reached out with pain in his eyes, gripping my arm as Leon gathered up Rosalie and Dante, the three of them heading away inside. “You knew?” “I’m so sorry, Orio,” he breathed. “Really. I am. It wasn’t my place to say.”

“Fuck you,” I snarled in his ear and he clapped my back as emotion burned all the way down my throat into the pit of my stomach. “I’m so fucking sorry, Lance.” “You don’t get to be sorry, you asshole,” I ground out. “Because I know why you did it.” “You’d have done the same thing,” he said

“Don’t change,” he begged. “Don’t treat me like a dying man. Just be you, the Lance Orion I fucking love, who tells me when I’m being an asshole and tries to convince me to share the throne with the Vegas.” I laughed weakly, still not letting go of him.

“Darius…” she said softly, her gaze moving over me as she hesitated a moment before darting forward and throwing her arms around my neck as she lunged at me. It took me a couple of seconds to return her embrace, the shock of it catching me off guard as I’d expected anger from her too. “Thank you,” she breathed against my ear, a tear falling on my neck as she squeezed me tightly. “I can’t imagine how much you must have been hurting, keeping this secret for so long and I hate that you made this deal, I hate it so goddamn much. But I get it. You did it for her. Because you love her. And I can’t be angry at you for making this sacrifice to save my sister’s life no matter how bitter the price may be.”

Because I didn’t regret my choice. I would have made it again a thousand times over for her. For them. “I did it for you too,” I told her. “The stars showed me your death on the cards too, little shrew. And I couldn’t have that.” She sobbed as she clutched me harder, more tears falling against my skin as she held me like she really cared about me. And I realised just how much I cared about her too. She was like a little sister to me now. My silly little shrew of a sister who ran me around in circles as easily as breathing.

I hadn’t ever been born to wear a crown. All I really wanted was for Solaria to be ruled by people who knew what was best for its subjects. And I had to accept that whatever way this war went now, that was never going to be my fate. I wouldn’t share the throne with the other Heirs, I wouldn’t take my place on the Celestial Council. I wouldn’t even see in the new year ever again.

“We have a war to win,” she said firmly, taking a step towards me. “Hamish and the others are already working on the details. We will bring the fight to The Palace of Souls before the week is out. Darcy and I will have hundreds of weapons to bless with our flames to help arm the rebels against the Nymphs so that they can stand against them. And you will swear to me that you won’t attempt to go after Lionel before then.”

She owned me anyway. So why keep fighting against the commands of my queen? “Okay,” I agreed.

“Are you wondering what they would have looked like ringed in silver for you?” I asked her and her lips lifted a little as she shook her head, her wings flexing at her back. “No. I don’t want the stars to choose you for me, Darius. I chose you for myself and that’s exactly how I like it. Fate doesn’t get a say in it. You’re my mate because I picked you, not them. You’re my match because you proved that you were the only one for me, not destiny.

“So star damned stubborn,” I commented and she gave me the ghost of a smile. “I just know what I want.”

“Swear it,” she said, her tone unwavering and her gaze hard. That was my girl. Any softness was always tempered with steel and she might have been back here, might have wanted to hold me close and kiss away the hurt of this, but she was still angry as all hell with me and I knew I deserved it. “You don’t trust me?” I asked. “After finding out you’ve been lying to me throughout our entire relationship? Strangely, no, I don’t.”

“I know you’re giving up,” she replied in a deadly calm tone, though I could see the pain in her green eyes. “And I know that the man who fought so damn hard to claim me from the stars wouldn’t just give up on me that easily.” “That’s what you think?” I asked, my blood heating at her suggestion as she just arched a brow at me and didn’t take those words back. “I think you got too used to taking a kicking when you lived with your father, Darius. So now, instead of fighting this with all you have you’re just rolling over and taking it.” “You’re a bitch sometimes,” I growled. “That doesn’t make me wrong,” she replied, shrugging one shoulder.

“What do you expect me to do, Roxy?” I demanded, my temper rising despite myself. “Well you defied the stars for me once already. So what’s once more?” she asked. “This fate was the price of that defiance,” I said, my soul aching at the words I was having to speak, but I’d thought about this. I’d thought of nothing but this for months on end and I couldn’t see any way to change it. “I was gifted a year to love you and that’s what I’ve done.” “If you love me so much then why are you so set on leaving me? Destroying me?” she asked icily. “I‘m not,” I protested. “So swear it, Darius.”

I looked at this woman, this princess, this ultimate fantasy of mine and she stared me down as she waited me out, knowing that when it came down to it, I could never deny her anything she desired of me.

“I intend to keep that vow.” “And what if you can’t? I can hardly release you from it beyond the grave.” “You won’t need to if you stick to your word.” “What you’re talking about is impossible,” I insisted. “We were impossible once, Darius Acrux. So don’t try to put limitations on what we can or can’t do.”

“I love you, Roxanya Vega,” I said, my voice raw with the truth of that. “No matter what happens with this fate, the war, my father, the throne, all of it pales beside my love for you. And I know I’m not good enough for you but that just makes it all the easier for me to worship you the way you deserve because I won’t ever stop trying to live up to being the man you deserve to have. Not until my dying breath and beyond that too if it’s what you want.” “You’re what I want,” she replied firmly.

She was right. The stars couldn’t have this. They couldn’t take us away. It was too powerful, too beautiful, too fucking right. And I wouldn’t let them have it because it was mine. She was my most prized treasure and I would hoard her away from the sight of the stars themselves if that was what it took to keep her.