Alyson Noël - Night Star

For Bill Contardi

Best. Agent. Ever.

Youll never beat me. Youll never win this one, Ever. Its impossible. You cant do it. So why waste your time?

I narrow my gaze and peer into her facetaking in her small, pale features, her dark cloud of hair, the absence of light in her hate-filled gaze.

My teeth clenched tightly, voice low and measured, I say, Dont be so sure. Youre running a serious risk of overestimating yourself. In fact, you are overestimating yourself. Im one hundred percent sure of it.

She scoffs. Loudly, derisively, the sound of it echoing throughout the large empty room, bouncing off the plank wood floors to the bare white walls, meant to scare, or at the very least intimidate and throw me off my game.

But it wont work.

Cant work.

Im too focused for that.

All of my energy concentrated down to one single point, until everything else fades away and its just me, my readied fist, and Havens third chakraalso known as the solar plexus chakrathe home of anger, fear, hate, and the tendency toward putting too much emphasis on power, recognition, and revenge.

My gaze narrowed on its location like a bulls-eye, right smack dab in the center of her leather-clad torso.

Knowing that one quick, well-directed jab is all itll take to reduce her to nothing more than a sad bit of history.

A cautionary tale of power gone wrong.

Gone.

In an instant.

Leaving nothing behind but a pair of black stiletto boots and a small pile of dustthe only real reminder that she was ever here.

Even though I never wanted it to get to this point, even though I tried to work it out, tried to reason with her, to convince her to come to her senses so we could move toward some kind of understandingcut some kind of dealin the end, she refused to give up.

Refused to give in.

Refused to let go of her misguided quest for revenge.

Leaving me with no choice but to kill or be killed.

Leaving me with no doubt of how this one ends.

Youre too weak. She circles. Moving slowly, carefully, her gaze never once leaving mine. The stiletto heels of her boots assaulting the floor as she says, Youre no match for me. Never were, never will be. She stops and places her hands on her hips, head cocked to the side, allowing a stream of glossy dark waves to fall over her shoulder and hang well past her waist. You couldve let me die months ago. You already had your chance. But you chose to give me the elixir instead. And now you regret it? Because you dont approve of what Ive become? She pauses long enough to roll her eyes. Well too bad. You have only yourself to blame. Youre the one who made me this way. I mean, what kind of creator kills her own creation, anyway?

I may have made you an immortal, but you took it from there, I say, the words firm, deliberate, ground out between clenched teeth, despite Damen having coached me to stay quiet, stay focused, to make it swift and clean, and not unnecessarily engage her in any way.

Save your regrets for later, he said.

But the fact that weve found ourselves here means there is no later where Havens concerned. And despite what its come to, Im still determined to get to her, to reach her, before its too late.

We dont have to do this. My gaze locks on hers, hoping to convince. We can stop right here, right now. This doesnt have to go any further than it already has.

Ha, you wish! she sings, gleefully mocking. I can see it in your eyes. You cant do it. No matter how much you think I deserve it, no matter how much you try to convince yourself of that, youre too soft. So what makes you think itll be any different this time around?

Because now youre dangerousand not just to yourself, but to everyone else as well. This time is different, entirely different. As youre about to see

Curling my fingers so tightly my knuckles instantly blanch, I steal a second to center myself, find my balance, and replenish my lightjust as Ava taught me to dowhile keeping my hand low and steady, my gaze fixed on hers, my mind cleared of all extraneous thoughts, face cleared of all extraneous feelingsas Damen recently coached.

The key is to give nothing away, he claimed, to move quickly, with purpose. To get the deed done before she has the chance to ever see it comingwont even realize what hit her til its way past too late.

Until her body has disintegrated and her souls moved on to that bleak, dreary place.

Refusing her even the slightest opportunity to make a move or fight back.

A lesson learned on a long-ago battlefield that I never thought would apply to my life.

But even though Damen warned me against it, I cant keep from apologizing. Cant stop the words forgive me from coursing from my mind to hers. Seeing her respond in the flash of pity that tempers her gaze before its quickly diminished by the usual mix of hate and disdain.

Her fist risingaiming for mebut its too late. Mines already in motion, moving forward, in full swing. Slamming right into her solar plexus, sending her reelingspinningshatteringheaded straight into the infinite abyss.

The Shadowland.

The eternal home for lost souls.

Aware of my own sudden intake of breath as I watch how quickly she disintegrates. Fragmenting so easily its hard to imagine she was ever once solid form.

My gut churning, heart crashing, mouth so dry and parched no words will come. My body reacting as though what just happened before methe act I just committedwasnt just a game of make-believe, but the horrifying real deal.

You did well. You were right on target, right on your mark, Damen says, crossing the room in a fraction of an instant, his warm, strong arms sliding around me as he pulls me close to his chest. His voice lilting softly in my ear as he adds, Though you seriously might want to lose the forgive me part until after shes gone. Trust me, I know you feel bad, Ever, and I cant say I blame you, but its like weve discussed, in a case like this, its either you or her. Only one can survive. And if you dont mind, I prefer it to be you. He runs the tip of his finger down the length of my cheek, tucking a stray chunk of long blond hair behind my ear, before he adds, You cant afford to give her any sign of whats to come. So please, save the apology for after, okay?

I nod and pull away, still fighting to steady my breath. Glancing over my shoulder at the pile of black leather and lace on the floor. All that remains of the Haven I manifested, before I blink it away and erase every trace.

Stretching my neck from side to side, and shaking out each of my limbs in a move that could be taken as either letting off steam or preparing for more, Damen choosing to interpret it as the latter when he smiles and says, So, another go then?

But I just look at him and shake my head. Im done for the day. Done with pretending to kill off the ghostly, soulless form of a former best friend.

Its our last day of summer, our last day of freedom, and there are much better ways for us to spend it.

Taking in the sweep of longish, wavy dark hair that spills across his forehead and falls into those amazing brown eyes, before drifting over the bridge of his nose, the angle of his cheekbones, to the swell of his lips, where I pause long enough to remember how wonderful they feel against mine.

Lets go to the pavilion, I say, my eyes eagerly searching his before moving on to his simple black tee, the silk cord bearing the cluster of crystals that hides underneath, all the way down to his faded denim jeans and the brown, rubber flip-flops on his feet. Lets go have