Heptagram (Unleashed, Book 1)

Chapter 2

I manage to dodge the dagger, but I am not quick enough. I feel something running down my left cheek, and when I wipe it, my fingers are stained with blood. The sight makes me nauseous, even though I never had a problem with blood. I lean back against the sink, doing my best not to throw up. My vision gets hazy as I try to focus on the scene unfolding in front of me.

The two people who wanted to get in have made their way past the glass door. A girl is the first one to step foot into the house. She wastes no time and lunges at the blonde. I see the fist going for her face, but she dodges it and moves quickly out of the way.

She laughs wickedly as the new girl regains her balance. "Hello sister. I assumed you missed as much as I did."

The girl murmurs a name under her breath, but it's loud enough for me to hear it. "Beryl." Not a single drop of affection in that name, only a level of hatred that makes me baffled at the idea that these two are related.

Sisters? I take a long look at them, noticing almost no resemblance. The only thing they seem to have in common is the color of their hair. The new girl has the same golden hair as Beryl, but hers is straight. Her green eyes shine with absolute disgust as she prepares to go after her sister once again.

"Coral." A firm voice stops them both from doing anything else. We all turn our heads in that direction. The person who entered the house with Coral is standing over Queen's body. He nudges her on the side, and I realize with horror that she's not moving in the slightest. I inhale anxiously, wondering if she's dead. Just like that.

She's still tangled in the curtains she tore while falling to the ground, and right now he's not even paying attention to her. He's focused on Beryl and Coral, perfectly still. He radiates power, the raw power of someone who's certain of their skills and knows they have every means to destroy you, if they want to. He slowly takes his foot away from Queen's body, his attention still on the two sisters.

His jet-black hair appears almost brown in the clear light from the streets. He doesn't utter a single word, but it looks like Coral got the message. She takes a few steps back and stops next to him.

Beryl lets out a mocking sound and stares at her sister with displeasure. "I see you're still following orders like a robot, aren't you?" She turns to look at the guy, who has not moved. Is he even breathing?

"And I see you keep ordering people around, Kain. Still trying to gain mommy's love?"

His eyes twitch, and he clenches his jaw. Beryl smiles, satisfied by his reaction. Kain takes deep breaths, as if he's trying to control himself.

"I don't really have time to waste with you, Beryl. If you are here I assume you wanted him. That being said, I can't be entirely sure that you and Aaliyah are not behind his disappearance."

Beryl stares at him, with an expression so concerned I actually start to worry as well. "And here I thought you were the smart brother. Why on earth would we want to do anything that could harm the one person that can be useful to us?"

My head is throbbing, as flashbacks triggered by the conversation are fighting to come to surface in my mind. Nausea washes over me and I do my best to keep my gaze focused, with very little success.

"We need him as much as you do. That's the best thing about his kind, especially him. Traitors or not, he has to help us. His powers are for each and everyone to use." She rocks back and forth, then stops abruptly and grins. "After all, it's in our blood, isn't it?"

I study both Coral and Kain's expressions. I have no clue what Beryl is talking about, but I do know what the person she's speaking of is capable of doing. It's obvious that, given his powers, his existence is something a lot of people might fight over.