me? Or their torment? I need to dispel all four of them from my life if I ever want a chance at being happy.
So why does that thought make my insides tighten like a nest of angry snakes? Why does it feel as if pure ice is coasting through my veins?
You need to stop thinking about him and the rest of the Devils, Peony. You need to—
“What is a pretty thing like you doing all alone?” an austere voice sneers from behind me. Immediately, it conjures up images of cracked teeth, broken watches, and sinking ships. Stuff that might’ve been normal in any other circumstances but currently makes my muscles tense up as I prepare to fight.
I spin on my heel, hands raised, to see a man sauntering towards me. Black hair grazes his jawline as he tilts his head to the side. His skin appears so white, it’s almost translucent. A pair of sunglasses hide his eyes from view as he steps in front of me.
Immediately, I take a step back, only to stumble into a second man.
I whirl madly, chest heaving, to see two more men cage me in on the remaining two sides. Four in total.
You can handle this, Peony.
“Come with us quietly,” the original speaker says darkly, and any hope that I have a chance to escape these fuckers dissipates when he raises his hand, ice forming on his palm.
Warlocks.
With a casualness belying the intensity of his voice, he takes another step towards me, removing his sunglasses. “Don’t put up a fight. We don’t want anyone to get…hurt.” The last word is said with noticeable amusement.
For the first time since I’ve been cornered, I finally get a good look at their eyes.
To a human, the change might not have been evident, but for a witch trained in the art of protection, I can tell right away that they’re something other. A rim of bright red surrounds their irises, the color screaming at me to run. Run fast and run far and never look back. It’s the color associated with one subset of witches and warlocks, one group parents warn their kids to steer clear of.
Bloods.
A practicing one, if their eyes are any indication. Only witches and warlocks who actively use dark blood magic have red eyes. That explains why the triplets have hazel eyes while these men have red ones. All Bloods, regardless of whether they use their powers or not, are required to drink blood to survive. If they don’t, they’ll wither away and turn to dust and bone.
Immediately, I break into a run, pushing through two of the men. One of them reaches for my blonde hair and tugs sharply, sending pinpricks of pain racing through my scalp. I release a startled cry, tears forming in my eyes, as he yanks my head back. He grabs at my backpack for purchase, and I hear the telltale sign of a rip.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asks, showcasing a row of yellowing teeth.
I begin to fight with wild abandon, kicking and jabbing and punching at any bare skin I can reach. I relish in every grunt of pain, every hissed curse word, every degrading word hurled my way. I know I’m not winning—I’m not even fucking close—but I’ll be damned if I go down without fighting tooth and nail.
I shoot a fireball at the dark-haired man, and he jumps to the side, just narrowly avoiding the blazing inferno. With newfound confidence, I allow flames to heat my hand and direct it at a second Blood’s face. He screams in agony, releasing my arm, and falls to the ground with his hands over his eyes.
“You’ll pay for that,” a blond-haired Blood bellows as he lunges towards me. In his hand, water begins to harden and transform into a sharp, deadly icicle. I know that if he spears me with that, there’ll be no walking away. No more fighting. I doubt I’ll even survive long enough for them to perform a blood ritual on me.
I try to run, but one of the other men holds me in place, stilling my erratic, jerky movements. I scream at the top of my lungs as the blond man gets nearer…
Suddenly, a blur of movement darts in front of me and tackles my attacker to the side, the icicle sliding from his hand. I take advantage of the Bloods’ moment of confusion to rear my head back into the face of the man holding me, smiling in satisfaction when I