I walked across the combat area, grabbed my things, and headed straight to my bike, not bothering to look back. I’m sure they were all following. I tossed my leg over my bike and sped off. I was going to get some fucking answers, after a shower.
Idrove for about five minutes, before my stomach started feeling very unsettled and a heavy, pressing sense of danger in my chest. Then my headlights caught something in front of me. I slowed my bike, not understanding what I was seeing. It had wings, dark, inky skin, and swirling, fire-tinged eyes.
“What the fuck.” I barely got the words out before the stupid shit flew at me with a knife in its hand. I swerved my bike and jumped off, cringing internally as my precious Ducati fell in the dirt, rolling to my feet and trying to see in the dark.
I was able to dodge the attack, but the fucker was clearly still out there. I heard laughter echo around me, and I spun trying to gauge where it was coming from. Fuck this. I pulled energy, cursing not having a weapon, and threw a fireball in the direction of the trees, I heard a shriek.Was that me?Fuck, at least the fucker on fire helped me see a little better. And what do I see? I see that I was fucked, I was fucking surrounded.Where the hell were the guys? They drive like a fucking grandpa on a tricycle, on a beach, in a speedo. Don’t ask.
XENA!I yelled mentally.
“Little queen, little queen, we have been watching you, feeling you. Your magic,” one of the winged fuckers stepped closer and breathed deep, “is intoxicating. We want it. All of it. For that you must die.”
“First of all, you dickwad, you must have the wrong person. I'm not a queen. Second, fuck you.” I gathered my energy and casted a spell to immobilize, except it didn’t affect just that one. It stopped them all. Holy shit. Well, that was fucking awesome. I heard the rumblings of bikes, before I saw Xena run and start tearing through whoever was stuck. Taking her lead, I walked up to one of the frozen beasts, its eyes still moving and filled with fury, taking its weapon and cleaving its head off. I cast a lighting spell, illuminating the entire area a bit more clearly and holy fuck. This wasn’t a small attack, there must have been dozens of these fuckers everywhere.
I barely registered the guys coming to my side as they took in the sight surrounding us.
“What the fuck is going on?” yelled Zane, taking charge while they all dismounted and ran to my side. I vaguely registered Remi pulling up in her car and running out as well.
“Dude, I don’t know. I was driving home when one of them popped out in the middle of the road, then this dead motherfucker, called me a queen and said my power was intoxicating and that I had to die blah blah blah. It was all rather dramatic.” I waved my hands around, still taking in the scene.
“Queen? What are they talking about?” murmured Grayson.
“Well, I’ll always call you my Queen, sweetie, but I don’t think this is what these guys meant,” Ryder tried to joke but his eyes were wide as he took in the many frozen bodies around us.
“I have never seen creatures like these,” I said, Xena continued to kill and maim whatever she could.
“Hudson, we need to get you out of here now. There are quite a few things that need to be explained to you,” Remi whispered. She spoke as if she knew. One of the creatures started to move and I spun around with the boys at the sound.
“Oh, little queen, there is so much for you to know and you know nothing,” it cackled. “Just know, you will die,” it hissed. I was fucking tired; it had been a long ass day and I. Was. Fucking. Done.
“Fuck this, you will die.” I pulled my magic, closed my eyes, and sent off a wave of different, yet familiar, magic that lit up the night sky as it burned every single one of the winged evil fuckers up and incinerated them. I held my concentration through the shocked murmurs of the boys, until I ‘felt’ the threat was gone. My chest felt lighter and I took a deep breath and opened my eyes.
Remi tugged my hand and the guys looked as confused as I felt. I followed her to my bike, before I righted in, cringing at the dirt before getting back on. I was hyper aware yet strangely numb as we drove back to the house, Xena running by my side the entire time.
What in the ever fuck was going on, and why do I feel like this was only the beginning of a very fucked Hudson’s life plot twist?
I pulled into the garage and parked the bike. I heard the other bikes and Remi’s car approaching and I walked straight inside and headed straight for the pool area, not wanting to stand inside, covered in blood, sweat and whatever the fuck else was on my body. After a day like today, I needed a shower and comfort clothes, or maybe a dip in the damn jacuzzi, but I guess that was going to have to wait until Kalen could explain what these marks were and apparently, whatever that attack was, if what Remi said is accurate. Of course, Kalen and the Dean were already there, and I nodded my head in their direction as I threw myself down on the lounge chair, Xena at my side.
The men and Remi approached from behind and followed suit with picking a lounger. I wanted to make sure they were there before I started talking.
I looked directly at Kalen. “So care to explain why I feel like someone is holding out on me and why I was just attacked by some dark winged assholes who called me queen and tried to kill me?” He looked startled. Well, he fucking should. My bike was hurt damnit. At least I was fine.
“You were what!?”
“Yes, catch up, Kalen, because I’m really trying to figure out how the hell you, the attack, those creatures, these marks and my… friends are connected in all of this.”
“They were dark Fae, Kalen. They got past the school wards and tried to kill Hudson,” Remi spoke up. Kalen rubbed his head angrily and looked at the dean.
“Okay,” the Dean started, “so I’m sure you’re all curious as to what happened earlier,” Alvor began. I rolled my eyes. What was this, a fucking wedding? We are all gathered here today, type of shit?
“Understatement, Dean. What is going on,” Hunter started, my forever angry one, already aching for an argument.
“Hudson, as I’m sure you have all noticed, is different. Her abilities with magic, and the way her mind works, makes her extremely advanced. More so than anyone her age or even beyond her age,” the Dean paused.
“For goodness sake, Alvor, the time to sugarcoat it all is over. She was almost killed,” Kalen snapped, and made eye contact with all the guys and glanced over Remi, his mouth tightening, before settling over me.
“Hudson, your name is not really Hudson Jacobs, it is Riona Fheall. You are not human. You are Fae.”
* * *