Noru 5_Ways Of The Wicked Read online

  Please not now…

  This isn’t the first time that terror has gripped me and rendered me motionless in the past few weeks. I looked up my symptoms in as many journals as I could find. I even looked online but have found nothing to explain why an angel as powerful as me would suddenly be so terrified when there is no immediate danger. The closest to an explanation I’ve ever come is from a human medical site. According to them, I am having severe panic attacks.

  Whatever this is, I need to control it now or Bex is going to wake up and see me with my hands wrapped around my knees, shaking. He’ll then insist on having me checked out by a Healer. I don’t want to do that because it would only be a matter of hours before the whole angel world would know. I can see the headlines now: The First Noru falls apart over split with Silver!

  They already think I’m some poor lovesick girl. I don’t need a medical condition to make it worse.

  In order to stop the shaking, I try to clear my mind. Why the hell didn’t I fly off the mountain with a bottle of Coy? Drinking helps me not give a damn about anything, so the attacks never come when I’m drunk.

  C’mon, Pry! You can do this, just calm down and clear your head. There is no danger. There is nothing to fear. Pryor, stop it! There is nothing wrong with you!

  I repeat that over and over again until it begins to sink in. I start to rock slower and slower until I’m able to control myself completely. Dizzy with relief, I slowly get up and put my clothes back on.

  What about Bex?

  Argh! I know taking off without talking to him is wrong, but I really can’t do the whole “morning after” talk. If I fly away and leave him here, does that make me a complete bitch?

  Yes.

  I sigh and tap him on the shoulder. He doesn’t stir. I would do anything to avoid having the conversation we are about to have, but the truth is, leaving the Kon sleeping on the side of the mountain isn’t the best idea.

  “Bex, wake up.”

  “Calling a guy by the wrong name, way to kill the pillow talk,” he says.

  He then turns around to face me. Our eyes meet and my mouth drops. My eyes widen in complete astonishment. The guy lying next to me isn’t Bex; it’s Hunter.

  Chapter Two:

  Who Are You?

  I feel as if someone has hosed me down with liquid nitrogen. Every part of my body is frozen solid. I’m paralyzed in a state of all-consuming shock. My mind tries to make sense out of what just happened, but so far, I’m drawing a blank. This can’t be happening. I can’t be this stupid. I have made my share of bad decisions, but this, this is the very definition of idiocy. Seriously, this can’t be happening!

  Wait! Maybe I’m still Recharging and this is a nightmare. Yes, that must be it! I’m going to close my eyes, count to three, and open my eyes again. I will find myself back at home. Ready? One…two…three!

  “CRAP!” I shout as my eyes pop open and find Hunter standing before me, putting his clothes on.

  “This is not happening! This is not happening!” I repeat over and over as I hold my head in my hands.

  “Yet another hurtful comment,” Hunter says, pretending to be hurt as he gets up off the ground.

  “Hunter, how did this happen?” I ask.

  “You should know; you were there. But I took a few pictures in case you need to refresh your memory. However, all souvenir photos are $3.99.”

  “Hunter!”

  “Okay, okay, you get a discount on all wallet sizes and eight by tens.”

  “This isn’t funny! Dear Omnis, what did I just do?” I beg.

  “Look, kitten, it’s no big deal.”

  “This is the stupidest thing I have ever—did you just call me kitten?”

  “Yeah, but I don’t think that suits you. After last night, I’d say you’re more of a hellcat.”

  “Hunter, stop joking about this!”

  “What do you want me to do?”

  “I want you to take this seriously.”

  “Why? You’re doing that enough for the both of us,” he reasons.

  “This doesn’t make sense. Why would the team send you to come get me?”

  “They called Bex and told him you were gone. He took off to find you and I asked to help.”

  “Out of the kindness of the heart you don’t have?” I reply.

  “Ever since Silver’s kid died, Bex has been hating me. I mean more than usual. I thought if I helped him find you, he’d see that I’m not a bad guy.”

  “How is it you found me and he didn’t?”

  “I know where all the Chop Shops are. Bex is a good guy; he probably doesn’t even know Chop Shops exist.”

  “And you knew I’d be here?”

  “I knew you were looking to get lost, and there’s nowhere better to do just that than a Chop Shop.”

  “Argh! This can’t be happening,” I reply, shaking my head.

  “Okay, if you say that one more time, I really am going to get my feelings hurt.”

  “You don’t have any feelings; you’re the same guy who thought it was okay to create a mixture that could kill me and every member of my team!”

  “It could weaken your team—possibly. But that same mixture could have killed Malakaro.”

  “You are the reason Kill was able to get his hands on the mixture and take the life of an innocent baby!”

  “Is this how you are in the morning—argumentative and confrontational? Because if that’s the case…I don’t know how many more times we can sleep together.”

  “Are you insane? I won’t be sleeping with you ever again!”

  “See, now that’s a bold statement for someone who never thought she’d sleep with me at all.”

  “Argh! Hunter, just shut up. I can’t believe I—oh my Omnis.”

  A thought enters my head that makes me want to leap off the mountain once again. I open my mouth to ask Hunter a question, but I’m so afraid of the answer that I can’t bring myself to ask in more than a whisper.

  “Hellcat, you’re gonna have to speak up,” he says.

  “Did we use a Tam? Did we have safe sex?”

  “Naturally.”

  Thank Omnis. Thank you, thank you.

  “You’re sure, right?” I ask.

  “Yes, I always have some with me.”

  “Okay, okay, that’s good. That’s very good,” I reply, mostly to myself.

  “Now, how do you want us to make the announcement to the angel world?” Hunter asks.

  “What announcement?”

  “That you and I are in love and that we are now together.”

  WTF?

  “Hunter, I—”

  Before I can continue, he starts laughing hysterically. He laughs so much he doubles over.

  “That’s not funny!” I reply, hurling a rock at his head.

  “You should have seen your face!”

  “What is wrong with you?” I demand.

  “What’s wrong with you? We had sex. It was fun. So what? What’s the big deal?”

  “The big deal is you’re Bex’s brother.”

  “Are you dating Bex?”

  “Well…no.”

  “Are you dating anyone, for that matter?”

  “No…”

  “So you’re standing here freaking out because two single, consenting angels hooked up and had fun?”

  “I was really drunk. How do I know I consented?”

  “Pryor, even drunk you can overpower me, and I have never had to force anyone to do anything. Look, you want to play like this was all a mistake, then fine. But while you peddle that lie all over the angel world, don’t try to sell it to me.

  “You knew who I was last night. And you had sex because you’re a grown woman who wanted to have sex. Period. Don’t make it seem like I took advantage of you because, believe me, if anyone was under attack last night, it was me.”

  Hunter is right. I know he didn’t take advantage. I would have felt it in my body; a girl knows when she’s been violated. He’s also right about my
strength. No matter how much I drank, I would have been able to fend Hunter off of me. This happened because I wanted it to happen.

  A chill runs down my spine. I cross my arms in front of me and run my hands up and down my upper arms to keep warm. It’s not working. Hunter places his jacket around my shoulders.

  “Thanks,” I say softly.

  “Yup.”

  “Please don’t tell Bex about this.”

  “And ruin the strong bond I have with my beloved brother?” he teases.

  Hunter and Bex have never gotten along ever since Bex caused their father’s death when they were kids. Bex went to Earth to prove he was brave; his father came to find him. They came under attack and Bex’s father died protecting him. Hunter has yet to forgive Bex for what happened.

  “You can keep it from Bex if you want, but you know in the angel world—”

  “There are no secrets,” I reply.

  “Exactly,” he says.

  “I’m going to tell him. I just need to figure out how and when.”

  “Okay.”

  We stand in silence and look out over the mountain range. Hunter’s jacket does very little to warm me. I think that’s because the cold I feel has nothing to do with the weather.

  “Hunter, what did you say to make me want to sleep with you?” I wonder.

  “I think it’s more about what I didn’t say.”

  “Okay… what didn’t you say?”

  “I love you.”

  “Wow, so I slept with you because you don’t love me?”

  “Love is heavy, especially when you carry it by yourself. Maybe you’re sick of the load.”

  “Have you been in love before?” I ask.

  “That’s your first mistake, hellcat, trying to get to know the guys you sleep with. Bad move.”

  “Yeah, I can see how it would be.”

  Hunter places a call to Bex, telling him that he found me and that I’m fine. He doesn’t give the Kon any more information. Hunter then heads for Bex’s castle in Germany. I stay on the mountain range. I planned to be here for a while, but I get a text from East that forces me to take to the sky right away.

  Half an hour later, I land in New York. I run towards my house and burst through the front door. I frantically look around for signs of danger. Instead I find the twins, Randy, and East standing in the middle of the living room, looking back at me with trepidation. I try to take in the scene before me, but I am genuinely baffled.

  “What’s going on? I got a text that the team needed help!” I tell them.

  They all look at each other, but no one says a word. I look into their faces, trying to understand what is actually taking place.

  “Hello? Someone say something,” I push.

  “We texted you that someone on the team needs help and it’s true,” Randy says.

  “Okay, I see no demons, no blood, and no tears. So…what’s up?” I reply impatiently.

  “The one who needs help is you, Pry,” Key says.

  “Seriously? So what is this, some kind of intervention?” I joke.

  “Yeah, that’s exactly what it is,” East says.

  “Wow, we’re really doing this?”

  “Pryor, you’ve been partying every night, sometimes you don’t come home, and I can’t remember the last time I saw you in school,” Randy reminds me.

  “I hate sounding like the voice of reason, I mean it totally clashes with my new kick-ass ‘carefree wings,’ but you need to stop all this craziness,” East says.

  “Don’t you guys think calling me to come home like this is a little over the top?” I ask.

  “What’s over the top is killing a demon because he crossed against the light,” Key whispers.

  “That demon asshole had it coming. And anyway, killing demons is what we do here, remember?”

  “Yeah, but we do it as a team. Now you’re just going off on your own. This isn’t the way you’re supposed to lead us,” Swoop says.

  “Have I missed a battle?” I ask.

  “No,” Randy replies.

  “Have you guys ever called on me and found that I did not come to help?”

  “No, but—”

  “East, now that Malakaro is looking for the last vial that will help him come to power, are we not actively seeking that vial to destroy it?”

  “Pryor, it’s not—”

  “Have you guys ever called on me only to find that I’m too busy, too drunk, or too out of it to come to your aid?” I ask.

  “No,” Swoop replies.

  “Then what is the problem?” I ask.

  “Silver,” Key blurts out.

  It feels like she took a serrated blade and sliced clean through my breastbone when she says his name.

  “What about him?” I ask, forcing myself to remain calm.

  “He broke up with you and now you’re acting out. I get it. But we can’t allow our pain to get in the way of the things we need to do,” Swoop says.

  “Maybe I’m supposed to be in bed, playing sappy songs and hiding under the covers. Maybe I’m supposed to be crying my eyes out to Randy and holding on to Mr. Frog for dear life. But that doesn’t work for me.”

  “Okay, fine, but you have to find another way to deal with what’s happened,” Randy replies.

  “Do you mean like reading sad poems in bed, posting pitiful updates on Facebook, or rereading Twilight for the hundredth time and dog-earing all the best Edward and Bella parts?” I ask.

  “If that’s what it takes, then yes,” East says.

  “Again, that doesn’t work for me. I need to get over this my way, not yours.”

  “You’re making it so hard for us to be here for you. Seriously, just let us help,” Key says.

  “Sure, that sounds good. Can you help me get my parents back from the light? Can you bring my little brother back? Or maybe the Firebug. I loved that little girl, can you bring her back?” I demand.

  They look back at me with sadness and despair. I didn’t mean to bring everyone down; I just want them to give me some space.

  “I’m trying to move forward with my life and have fun. And so long as I’m not letting down the team in any way, I don’t see the harm.”

  “Pry, we love you; we’re just worried,” Key says.

  “Yeah, I get it. But you don’t have to be. I’m okay. So can we please cancel the ‘save-Pryor-from-herself’ meeting this week?”

  “Okay, fine. Sorry,” East says.

  “Thank you.”

  “Randy, can I talk to you for a sec?”

  “Yeah, sure,” he replies as he follows me up to my room.

  “When East apologized, he was speaking for himself. I’m not sorry that we called Bex and asked him to help find you. You’ve been acting crazy and making bad decisions. So I’m looking out for you. Like it or not,” Randy proclaims as he sits down on my bed.

  “Yeah, I know. This isn’t about that. I did something last night, something really bad,” I admit.

  “How bad?”

  “I slept with Hunter.”

  “HUNTER! BEX’S LITTLE BROTHER, HUNTER?!”

  “Shhhhh!” I scold.

  “Pryor, did you sleep with Hunter for real?”

  “Yes—but I was drunk. I mean really drunk,” I assure him.

  “Is that supposed to make it better?”

  “I don’t…I…I didn’t mean to do it. Things have been out of hand and I had a lot of shots.”

  “You cannot go Lindsay Lohan on us right now. We’re supposed to be fighting evil, not searching the world over to rescue party girls from themselves. And now you’ve gone and slept with the angel who killed Sparks? Pryor, what the hell?”

  “Hunter didn’t kill her. He had no idea that Kill would—”

  “Stop it! Stop it right there! Don’t you dare stand here and defend that Para trash. Hunter is the reason Silver and Diana lost their child. It doesn’t matter if he didn’t physically harm Sparks. He put all the ingredients together to make shit stew and we were all left to
drink from it.”

  “Randy, that’s disgusting!”

  “So is sleeping with Bex’s brother!”

  “Okay! I know, I know! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do it.”

  “But you did. Pryor, Bex is in love with you. When Silver walked away from you, he was there. He stood beside you and this is the way you treat him?”

  “I know what I did was wrong, okay? I feel so bad I can’t even look at myself.”

  “Looking at yourself is exactly what you need to do. You can’t keep going like this! Pryor, you are out of control.”

  “I just wanted to have some fun.”

  “No! You wanted to forget Silver, but you won’t because he’s in your heart. Like it or not, you love him and you have to stop running away from that fact.”

  “I’m not sure what it is you want me to do,” I admit.

  “I want you to be Pryor! Since this breakup you’ve been acting like a completely different Noru, and I don’t like her. She’s reckless, selfish, and has the morals of a snake. Go back to being Pryor, my Pryor.”

  “That girl that you’re talking about, she’s gone. And I’m really glad because all she ever did was get hurt.”

  “So now you’re Pryor two-point-oh? Now you get to inflict pain on others?”

  “I’m not hurting anyone,” I remind him.

  “Really, because I’m pretty sure you just crushed Bex’s soul this morning.”

  “He doesn’t know about it.”

  “So that makes it better? Who are you right now?”

  “Look, I made a mistake, okay? I’m sorry. How many times will I have to say it? I’m sorry. But honestly, I thought I’d come in here and get a little sympathy from you, Randy.”

  “And I thought I’d come in here and find my best friend, Pryor. Do you know where she is? I really miss her.”

  “You think it won’t change you—heartbreak. You think that when Key breaks up with you, you’ll be the same as you were before?” I ask before I can stop myself.

  “Why would Key and I split up? Do you know something? Is she unhappy with me?”

  “No.”

  “Then why would you bring it up?”

  “To prepare you: Falling in love is the easy part, but when you fall and find that there is nothing standing between you and the ground…you don’t recover.”