Page 14 of The Divines

Halley

It had been a month since my 20thbirthday and the day I was drawn into the world of the Divines. One month, thirty days, and I was restless. One month was the longest I allowed myself to stay in one city before venturing on to the next. I always told myself that by leaving after such a short amount of time, it didn’t allow for me to form relationships or for anyone to familiarize themselves with me, turning them into a threat. And now that I’m at Willow Grove with nowhere else to go, I realize my one-month policy had been perfect. Because although I still believed whatever threat Mom had run from was still out there, I felt a sense of safety here and without using my time to feed myself, stay concealed, and plan for my next move, I actually started to form friendships. Not many by anyone’s count, but two friends were more than I had ever had before. And maybe a third if you counted Maeve, who had recently started joining us for lunch. I knew she was a kind girl after our Ethos class together, but if I had to guess, her appearance had nothing to do with me, and had more to do with Kalani. And even though the friendships were great, I unfortunately also had more people that grated on my nerves than ever before.

Ignoring the thoughts of the two men that took up more of my thoughts than I appreciated, I focused on the two people in front of me. Kalani and Eli were fast becoming my two closest friends and really, the closest people I’d ever been to besides Mom. We didn’t go sharing any deep dark secrets, thankfully, but I enjoyed their company and looked forward to our lunches and nights together. After several more classes with Eli, he decided he wanted a more hands-on approach to my learning and started joining Kalani and me in my dorm each night that we practiced our gifts. Kalani would shift for us into her wolf, although her other creature was still dormant, much to her anger. We continuously tried different tactics to get her creature to shift, but still no luck. Eli would practice wielding Kalani’s emotions, since mine were still shielded away. During one of our nights together, just the three of us, we learned that Eli was special among the Ethos because not only could he feel other’s emotions and heighten or lessen them, but he could also change someone’s emotions completely. In complete honesty, when he had first told us, my innate reaction was fear. Someone that could control emotions was dangerous. He could make a happy person depressed, he could make someone feel pain, he could do whatever he wanted. But those worries quickly abated whenever I looked at Eli’s smiling face. I refused to believe that someone with a grin that wide would ever purposely cause someone harm. And I was proven right when his practice on Kalani usually consisted of making her laugh hysterically or feel absolutely nothing at all.

As for me, I was still reading from the books I had found and trying enchantment after enchantment. Some were too hard for me to grasp, and others were fun but useless, like when I used my magic to enchant lit candles into different colors. From Eli and Knox’s instruction, I had learned that the harder the enchantment, the more emotion I needed to fuel my power. Unfortunately, I wasn’t accustomed to allowing myself to feel those emotions, and so the smaller enchantments were easier to grasp. However, one important enchantment I had been practicing was how to let my shield down. Knox and I hadn’t gotten far in our training together, but I had stayed up each night working until I perfected the enchantment. The happiness route clearly didn’t work for me, so instead I focused on anger. Thinking about the life I had been dealt had the power in my chest thrumming, wanting to be unleashed and after what felt like thousands of hours struggling, I think I had nailed the enchantment.

“What did you want to show us Halley?” Kalani asked as she stretched out on the floor, her small legs stretched behind her, and her head rested on her hands as she looked between me and Eli.

Eli was sitting on the couch next to me, his long arms resting on the back of the couch, his legs spread out in front of him in that classic guy way. I was curled up in a ball on the corner of the couch, tired from another long day of classes and tutoring. It didn’t help that today was Wilder’s day and like every session since the first he had been a major asshole. I still didn’t know what his problem was with me, but he sure liked his lessons to beonlyabout the dangers our kind faced. Today’s lesson was about what happened when a Divine lost control. I was sure I would have nightmares tonight about rogue Shifters and blood thirsty Drax. Shaking myself out of those thoughts, I refocused on the two faces looking at me, waiting for my answer.

“In one of my lesson’s, Knox told me that I have a mental shield up. That’s why Eli can’t read or alter my emotions. I’ve been working on powering my shield so that I can let it down when I choose.” I smiled hesitantly at them both, excited about what I thought I could now do, each improvement with my powers a milestone, but I was also nervous about what it meant when my shield was down.

Kalani sat up from her casual pose and looked at me in awe. “Seriously? That’s awesome Hals, I had no clue Enchanters could shield other gifts. Do you think it only works for you? Or do you think you could extend it to others? I wouldloveto be able to block my emotions from certain Ethos.” At her last statement, a faint blush crept up her dark cheeks and I knew exactly which Ethos she was talking about. Although Kalani kept to herself most of the time like me, I knew Maeve had caught her eye. She had told me all about her crush on Maeve one of the nights before Eli had started joining us and how embarrassing it was that Maeve couldfeelthe emotions Kalani had whenever they talked. I personally thought it was adorable, especially since Maeve had never once mentioned anything to Kalani about the emotions she could feel. I also had a feeling Maeve returned those feelings considering she now sat with us at lunch every day. I kept encouraging Kalani to ask Maeve to join us at these nightly hang outs, but she was hesitant, not wanting to rush anything. Apparently, Kalani wasn’t good with the whole flirting thing, which I understood all too well, but I was adamant to soon get Maeve hanging out with us. I wanted my best friend to feel every aspect of happiness and I didn’t mind having another friend around as well.

Shaking my head at Kalani, I laughed. “Although it would be great to know I could enchant others with it as well, I don’t even know if I have control over my own shield. That’s why I wanted Eli to come tonight. To try it out.” Looking towards Eli, I smiled shyly at him, hoping it was okay. Eli was always on board to help with our training and seemed to enjoy our company, but this was the first time I was asking him for help. Really, it was the first time I was asking anyone for help. I shouldn’t have worried though as Eli’s large grin overtook his face and he clapped once, blue eyes twinkling with happiness.

“First off, Halley that’s awesome and I would love to help. I always love testing my abilities. And second,” he quickly glanced at Kalani with a charming smile, “as an Ethos myself who is constantly feeling the emotions of those around me, I would say you have nothing to hide from acertain Ethos.”

I couldn’t help matching Eli’s grin as Kalani’s cheeks reddened again. I was glad I wasn’t the only one who saw that Maeve had an equal crush on Kalani.

Turning away from Kalani to stave off any further embarrassment over her infatuation, I looked at Eli and held out my arms. “Hit me with whatever feeling, and I’ll see if I can feel it this time.” At the same time as I began to pull from my inner powers, I saw the concentration on Eli’s face as he did the same. Eli had explained to me during one of our one on one sessions that just like all Divines, Ethos drew their gift from their inner power, but unlike physical Divines such as the Shifters and Drax, his power was like the enchantment I had learned to speak to Kalani in her wolf form, where he had to guide his power over another. Drawing the power from where it fluttered in my chest, I focused on encompassing myself with the power and molding the shield inside of me. Once Knox had explained that I had a shield, it was easy to spot. It felt like a physical barrier in my mind, blocking those around me. And now, I played with the barrier, loosening it until I felt it vanish.

Looking up at Eli’s focused face, I suddenly felt the pull from Eli’s gifts and quickly fell into a fit of laughter as Eli’s powers came over me. Kalani and Eli joined me in the laughter and soon we were all rolling around, tears streaming down our faces. Wanting to make sure I could fix my shield when needed, I struggled against Eli’s power, dominating it, and erecting my mental barrier once again. The laughter died off my lips and I smiled.

“So, it worked, I’m assuming?” Kalani asked once Eli cut off his powers and the two’s laughter died down as well. Eli and I both nodded, sharing a grin. Not only did I feel pride from learning another enchantment, but I felt a sense of peace knowing I could protect myself from other Ethos that didn’t have as good of intentions as Eli while also helping Eli practice his powers with Kalani now. I knew that Knox would be expecting me to drop my shield in the next session we had together, but although I trusted Eli to only use his powers for good, I had no intention of letting a Seer have a look into my past or future. Just because I was no longer running, didn’t mean I would stop hiding.

As I got lost in my own thoughts, Eli and Kalani began talking about classes and stories of each professor. I found Eli’s eyes on me more than once during the conversation and each time, a proud gleam shown in his eyes, making butterflies erupt in my stomach. I couldn’t remember the last time someone had believed in me and then been equally proud of my achievements. And although I still feared for what the future held and continued to keep my secrets; I wondered if this was where I belonged.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Madden

I pounded into the earth as I raced through the forest, allowing my creatures the running they desperately needed. Although the pack and I ran on a regular schedule, I always felt the desire for extra time. I was inherently myself when I shifted, the one place I felt peace and where I could truly be alone. Usually, I darted through the forest, turning around only when I reached the school’s barrier, but today I found myself circling around Enchanter’s Dorm. I knew why I ended up here, even if I left the decision making to my instincts when I shifted. After several lessons of riling Halley up and seeing that anger that turned me on, I was taking every opportunity to get a glimpse of the girl. Even if it ended with me eavesdropping outside her dorm.

Stepping closer to the windows, carefully avoiding branches on the ground, I allowed my enhanced hearing to listen in. By scent, I knew Halley wasn’t alone, that grinning fool Eli and the other new girl sitting with her. The three were excitedly speaking about something and as I closed in on the window, I realized Halley had figured out a new enchantment. Specifically, a mental shield. I had no clue that Enchanters could shield themselves, but as I listened in on their conversation, an idea sparked.

After our first session, I had been thinking of ways to “teach” Halley. I was struggling with ideas because truthfully, I didn’t pay enough attention in class to know much about the Enchanters. But I did have an interest in igniting the anger she so clearly had inside of her. Anger could quickly turn to passion, and I couldn’t deny that I wanted to explore that further with her. I had no clue why I was so transfixed with this girl. Besides our training sessions, that never lasted longer than five minutes due to her storming out in frustration, I had only ever interacted with her in New York. But something about her intrigued me and I couldn’t get her out of my head. And it wasn’t just her looks that had me wanting a second experience. Although, her wild red hair and curves I’d love to get my hands on definitely played a part. But there was something else about her that had my mind turning towards her, even in my creature form, when I rarely thought. Maybe it was the fire in her eyes, the strength that reflected back at me. Maybe it was the fact she represented something new and unknown. Maybe it was the fact that she had lived a life of freedom I so desperately craved, wanting to break free of the prison the Divines had created for themselves. Whatever it was, I knew I wanted more. More of Halley.

Realizing I had been sitting outside her dorm for much longer than anticipated, I heard Eli and Kalani saying their goodbyes and knew it was time for me to leave. Kalani, even out of her wolf form, would catch onto my scent as the Alpha and I had no intention of being caught outside Halley’s dorm. It looked a little too stalkerish for my liking. If I had any hope of having Halley’s positive attention, being caught snooping on her was not the way to go. And I desperately wanted that attention. Sprinting away, I cleared my mind of Halley for now, pounding the dirt beneath my feet and howling towards the sky, feeling a sense of freedom I wished would be permanent.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Wilder

The sunlight began to dim beyond the horizon, and I took a deep breath, welcoming the cool breeze of the evening. Closing my eyes, I settled against the stone wall of Central Territory, engulfed by the noise coming from the cafeteria. I heard the shouts and laughter of the Divines from inside, happiness seeping out of their pores. Although, as a Drax blood was my main source of fuel, actual food went down easy enough, but I stayed far away from the large groups that clustered inside. I hated seeing the looks of happiness on all their faces. Hated hearing the stories of their beloved communities and families. I hated it because I envied them and their naivety. Once upon a time, I had been similar to them. My mother had been a waste of space, but Dad had done everything in his power to give me a bright childhood. We had hunted together, played sports together, and watched action movies much past my bedtime. I had been blinded and believed that inside our community we lived a spectacular life. A fairytale. But that’s all it had been. A fucking fairytale. A lie told to our people that we were safe inside the community and the evil of the Hunters couldn’t touch us. I quickly learned what bullshit that was, my childhood being ripped away from me before I could blink. So no, I didn’t want to spend time clustering with those idiots who were too stupid to see the real dangers we faced. We couldn’t live in our communities forever, thinking the Hunters would forget about us altogether. Sure, there wasn’t a cavalry banging on our front door, but we would never be safe until we could leave this world and return home. Unfortunately, that seemed highly unlikely to happen in my lifetime.

Chatter began spilling outside the door and I focused back on my reason for being here in the first place. I didn’t want to socialize with these people, but I still needed to feed. Focusing my hearing on the different voices coming outside, I began picking up their scents, trying to find a strong enough source to abate my hunger. Ever since that fucking girl had come to Willow Grove, my hunger had been intensifying. I hadn’t felt anything like this in the past four years since my powers had manifested. I hated it. And her. I definitely hated her. Just the thought of her had my fangs lengthening and I snarled, annoyed at myself and this whole situation. It seemed with such a strong source around the rest of these fuckers did nothing for me unless I fed more and more.

A high-pitched voice sounded, coming out of the cafeteria, and I caught a whiff of her scent. Jane was a Seer and although nowhere near Knox’s level of power, her scent was enticing enough. It helped that she was always eager to let me feed from her.

Flashing from my post against the wall, I stopped in front of Jane, startling her and her friends. After the initial shock wore off, she gave me a sultry grin. Although I enjoyed the easiness of feeding from her, I had no interest in the other activities she wanted to participate in. I wasn’t celibate by any means, but I had no interest in fucking Jane. She would try to sink her claws deep inside of me and I had no plans of becoming a boyfriend anytime soon. Unfortunately for me, not only had my instincts decided that we only wanted to feed from a certain redheaded temptation, but we also didn’t want to fuck any other girls recently. It was driving me wild, and I felt the anger growing larger and larger in my gut every day, resentment towards Halley only strengthening.

“Wilder, what do I owe the pleasure?” Jane purred, curling her fingers over my forearm. I instantly wanted to peel her off of me, but I wasn’t one for causing a scene, especially as more people poured out of Central. Gripping her arm, I flashed us away from the crowd, secluded in the forest, underneath the towering trees.

“I’m hungry. You good to go?” I asked gruffly, my eyes focused on the pulse of the vein in her neck. Licking my lips, I waited for an answer. I knew some Drax that just took other’s blood when their hunger emerged, but we could at least have the fucking decency to ask first. I hated Divines that thought it was okay to use their powers on each other. If an Ethos ever dared to mess with my emotions, I would snap their neck in an instant.

“Of course,” Jane responded willingly, tilting her neck to the side and allowing me access.

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