Ethereal

Nina's POV

Just when I thought the cheer squad couldn't get any sluttier, they went and proved me wrong.

For the last couple of days, they'd been 'prepping' the guys for the opening game. Cheering in the halls, trashing the opposing team and right now?

Twerking on the cafeteria tables. Waving their red-black pompoms back and forth, down and up.

Some guys—and girls—were entering a state of hypnosis, like they were exotic dancers.

Rolling my eyes, I took an orange from the fruit section.

"Watch it dick!" The guy in line next to me cursed.

"Wouldn't have to watch it if you weren't in my way." A deep voice growled and an arm got shoved between me and Cursing Guy. "Hello, gorgeous," Lux—how I know referred to him in my head—smiled down at me. With my boyfriend's totally kissable lips and pearly white teeth.

Teeth I'd been finding more and more difficult not to knock out.

"Careful," I hissed when he completely flagged Cursing Dude, who I know recognized from trigg. "People were in line before you. You're supposed to wait your turn."

"I've been waiting many things. Just cutting one short." Lux still smiled, but I got the hint. Three days had passed since Uriel got sent running, tail between her legs. Three days I'd wasted, according to the Evil Landlord.

"Good things come to those who wait." The line moved enough for me to pay for lunch. Thank the Lord. "Seriously?" I asked when Lux played tag along as I walked to a table that wasn't being used as a dance floor.

"What?" He sunk in the chair across from mine.

I cut short a scoff by biting into my pizza slice. Calories were going straight to my ass. But I figured there was no better friend than fast food for when boyfriends got taken over by the Devil.

"You cut in line for nothing." I glared at him. "That could've gotten ugly."

A creepy psycho smirk showed, "I think I can handle a human."

"It's the human I'm worried about, jackass." Name calling got me nowhere with him. It drove Cam crazy. Or amused him. Lucifer let it slide by.

"...slow down—come on, Dawn. She was just cheering me—"

"And talking."

"Yes, we were talking. What's so wrong with talking?"

Dawn's short heels clicked on the grayish floor as she whirled on Zeke.

"One," she held up a finger. "She was practically flashing her boobs in your face. Two," another finger for the count. "You were letting her do it."

With a groan, Zeke denied it going after my friend, who was making a deadly walk for the lunch line.

I glanced at V as she pulled her special tomato juice out.

"Are they fighting?"

"I think so." She nodded extra slow, looking in their direction along with me. "Sam was chatting Zeke out in the hall..."

A weird feeling twisted my belly in several knots.

Days ago, I'd seen a terrifying scene. Zeke dead. That day had sucked big time. I'd let loose my Power. Because of that slip up, I'd been avoiding the couple.

Now Sam was chatting him up? That couldn't be good.

"Do you have plans this afternoon?" I asked Vanessa, plainly ignoring the fact Lux's eyes were dancing down a perky cheerleader with bleached hair.

She lowered her plastic fork, "I have an assignment that's going to take at least a week." V sighed. "That's what I told Gary."

My brow pinched.

"I'm avoiding him."

"Why?"

"Because every time we're in the same space I want to drink his blood. Which, you know, kinda ruins the romance."

Boyfriend trouble was spreading like an STD around these parts.

Vanessa's rosewood eyes slid to Lucifer, then back to me. I tucked a wavy hair away, sending a well implied 'don't wanna talk about it' glare.

"Anyway, I'm free."

I sobered up.

"Do you think you could keep an eye on Zeke?"

She blinked at me. Slowly. Like I'd spoken in tongues.

"You want me to... spy on Zeke?"

"Not spy," I muttered. "Keep an eye on. Make sure he doesn't get in trouble. Or someone gets him into trouble."

Her eyes grew into spaceships.

"You're worried Sam will...?" She trailed off.

"Eat him?" Lux finished, suddenly paying attention, leaning on the table with his arms. "It's okay to say the words. Just like it's okay to take a bite out of your boyfriend." He smirked broadly at her sudden crimson flush. "After all, you're a Vampire. Snatch, eat, erase. That easy."

"Keep out of personal business." I hissed.

"He'd never have to know."

Argh.

Just because Vampires had the ability to mess with memories, or influence actions, didn't mean humans were an open buffet.

He was so twisted.

"Yes, I'll tail Zeke." I smiled as thanks. "Where's Phillip? I haven't seen him all day."

"Phillip's cutting class. Because he's clearly given up trying to get back on the team." I finished my soda. "He's off with Serena, somewhere in the woods." Before thoughts in her head hopped the train to Naughty's Ville, I cleared up, "They're looking for some herbs Serena needs, so we can finally get rid of Sam's friend."

My mind caught the train for a second. Could they be... in the woods?

Phillip and Serena all over each other created a very graphic image. Ew. I hid the cringe by chewing the last of my pizza, waving an imaginary hand through my thoughts, dissolving the idea of my Ex-boyfriend getting all hot and heavy with a Witch I'd just met.

It was getting hard not to ask, though. What they had. Because there was definitely something between those two. We lived in the same house and these few days I'd exchanged close to ten words with Phill. True I'd been spending most time with Jade, showing her the ropes on being a normal teenager and not flinch every time someone raised their voice.

Tricky work.

Once I left for gym, I wasn't the tiniest bit surprised by my guard-dog-shadow, he'd—

"What—ow!" I yelped, trying to shake off his hand.

I got tugged forward.

Our faces were in close proximity, and an old friend unfurled in my chest. Burning desire to get closer. It always existed between me and Cameron, only now, I couldn't give in.

Just like a month ago.

"I'm getting tired of watching you and your little friends. I have dangerously low patience, dear Nina, and I've been extra nice to you." His eyes flaredwildly, cold as snowflakes. "But either you start working on finding Etna or I start taking your life apart. Piece by piece." Lucifer hissed.

My eyes ran over Cameron's tense body. The only times I'd seen his muscles this strained was when he'd wanted to get to Phillip, or the night he'd let me see what really happened to their parents. How he'd accidentally killed his father.

Cameron would've never taken out his anger on me. With words? Maybe, he had a bad habit of not holding his tongue. But never physically harm me. The way Lucifer was gripping my wrist—I was afraid bone would crack—told me a complete different story.

"I'll start with the Vampire...? That little Psychic, though, she's such a pure thing. Pureness like that needs to be violated." He mussed, lips etched into a deadly smirk. "The best is better kept for last."

My heart beat faster as I realized what—rather, who the best gritting, I pulled away. Stumbling, because the douche canoe let go.

"I know it might seem strange in your egocentric, malevolent brain, but there's a Succubus roaming this town. She's already killed two people, maybe more. I saw my friend dead. My priority, right now, isn't you."

"You saw who dead?"

Goody. I shared Cameron's inability to shut up.

Filling my lungs with fresh air, like that would help braving me up, I stepped closer.

"You hurt anyone I care about and you can kiss mystery girl goodbye." Lucifer's eyes narrowed. I kept my jaw straight, taking small breaths. "And," I went on. "It's not like you tell me her name and suddenly I can see her past! I need something material of hers. That's the only way I can do it, touching an object or... the person." That last one was out of the equation, in this case. "Every time I've tapped into someone's past I made physical contact and thought about what I wanted to know. That's how... How Cameron thinks it works."

Lucifer tilted his chin upward, staring me down, accessing if I was lying. There was an urge to scowl.

He muttered something I couldn't catch. Lux circled around me, leaning in from behind, whispering:

"I can get rid of the Succubus for you." His tone dripped with sweetness, an amount Cameron had never used. Fake. "You kept that Azure Dagger..."

"No," I spun, so we were face to face, again. "Killing her means killing Sam."

"It's not like you don't hate her. She made your life hell. Spread lies, rumors, trashed your car—"

"Stop," my hands balled up. Nails digging into soft flesh. It was all I could do to push the poking white flares of anger, the memories from not so long ago, into a shady corner of my brain. A place where I kept everything that'd make me go cray-cray. "Not liking someone isn't reason enough to kill them. Especially if they're sharing a mind with a Demon."

"You're no fun."

"You're idea of fun sucks."

"I'm the Devil, biscuit." Huh, he got me there. "They won't be able to find Osha in these woods."

"Osha?"

"A very powerful, pure Magic herb. Without it there's nowhere to trap the Succubus once its separated from the host."My heart went all jumpy once his arm claimed my shoulders, stirring me in the gym's direction. I'd forgotten about class. "Serena's a Solstice Witch, which makes her incredibly powerful. Problem is, she's a baby. And unless you teach a baby how to do things, they'll turn out a gigantic mess."

I would never put Serena—the long legged, blue-eyed blond—in the baby category. She'd extracted a soul and guided it into another body. Kinda. And what the hell was a Solstice Witch?

Stopping in front the metal double doors, I glanced into smoky eyes.

"Does this talk have a point?"

"Either she travels with rare herbs or she doesn't know Osha is the main ingredient." Oh. "Osha has specific locations. Virginia not being one of them."

I was ready to start ripping tufts of hair, until...

"You know, don't you? Where this Osha stuff grows?"

Cam's shock of onyx hair fell into his eyes, giving him a sinister, alluring look. Err... There was nothing alluring about Lucifer, just about Cameron's otherworldly hotness.

The bell sounded.

Dang. The tardy bell already?

"Nina?" He said my name in a form of caress. I stiffened. "Bad blood doesn't need a logical reason for murder. It'll find its way into your heart and soul at the smallest opportunity. It's in our nature."

Easing into the late crowd, Lucifer disappeared. Leaving me stark speechless.

As I crossed the gym—running for the locker room—I saw most girls warming up. Okay, fine. I was the only one missing. Tossing the sweater and jeans into my locker, I grabbed a baggy Tee I'd borrowed from Cameron since school had kicked off. It was two times my size.

Just about to storm out—I stopped. The cold chain was still around my neck. Quickly, I found the clasp.

Without the familiar weight around my neck... I felt naked. And a little colder on the inside. This was a valuable part of Cameron and me. Part of our history.

I put it inside my locker, on top of my messily folded sweater.

***

Last one to arrive was always the last one to leave.

My muscles were burning from all the extra laps coach Adams made me run. Plus the squats. Lets not forget the push-ups. If I was a Labradoodle my tongue would be hanging out of my mouth.

I rubbed my hands up and down my arms. It was freezing monkey balls.

Practically wrestling with myself to take a shower now, instead of home where it was nice and cozy, I made a quick grab for my towel, shampoo and flip-flops. Raced for an empty shower before courage fizzled out.

It was one quicky, cold shower.

My knees were buckling from cold as I returned to the bench. I lost time drying off my hair. Last thing I needed was the common cold. Pulling out my clean set of undies and socks, I put them on, followed by jeans and... A frown sunk my forehead lines.

My hand felt around the sweater. Nothing. Only softness and warmness. No five-pointed crystal.

Breathing wickedly fast, I tore my sweatshirt out, shaking it about. No necklace dropped out.

I put it on, then, searching every inch. My locker was empty—aside for the gym bag on the lower shelf—nothing.

This couldn't be... I'd left it inside! The locker had been...

Open, I remembered.

Once I'd returned, it'd been ajar. I'd thought nothing of it, I could've forgotten to close it—

My eyes widened. Lips moved creating no sound.

Sam was leaning on the opposite set of lockers, wearing trade mark seven-inch heeled boots and her super-duper tight cheerleading outfit. The mini-skirt and sleeveless top wasn't what set me off my rocket.

It was the thing around her neck.

"That's mine," I said, voice low. "Give it back, Sam."

"It looks much better on us. We like shiny things." Her lips kicked up a notch. So did my building anger. Sam tapped the amber star with a nail. "I remember this thing! I knew it looked familiar. Now, I remember. I was walking down Berkly Street and who did I see? Cameron Leale. Inside of a jewelry store!" She giggled, teasing her bottom lip with a canine. "I saw him holding this... Totally forgot about it, since I saw the most amazing pair of boots—"

"Story time's over. Give it back."

Sam stopped and her expression changed from up-beat to mischief.

"The only thing he ever bought me was a beer. And I was doing all sorts of things for him."

"Like cheating with Daren?"

She scoffed, hands on her hips.

"Sugar, everyone knows you're a dirty slut. You've been humping both brothers left and right." Doing my best to keep my head well above her petty words, I exhaled. "How does that work, anyway? Does Phillip get you one week, Cam another...? Oh, don't tell me it's a threesome."

My stomach flopped non-stop. I could taste the vomit in my mouth.

She held up her hands, "We already know they don't mind sharing. But it's weird, I never thought Cam would go for sloppy seconds. Especially his brother's—Ah!"

I hadn't thought about doing it. It just happened.

One minute Samantha was babbling her wood-peck insults, denting my self-control away, the next, my fist slammed into her face. Her head snapped to the side, she staggered. I lunged forward, taking us down, and my other hand had curiously found its way to something else, before.

The Dagger Uriel had lost against Lucifer.

I'd been carrying it in my bag like a paranoid nut.

She shrieked, digging growing nails into my shoulders. Underneath me, Sam tossed and kicked, landing more than a few hits to my sides and legs. I just wasn't feeling it. I'd grasped a handful of glossy hair and was banging her head down—on the floor.

Her eyes went white, but by that time, I'd backhanded Sam with the hand holding the Dagger. Using all the body weight I could—like Cameron had taught me—I ceased her legs. My free hand fended off her abusive hands—I swear she was aiming for my eyes.

Everything changed when I made her gulp.

Color drained from her, her skin looked like a brand new canvas. I was itching to spill some color on that whiteness. Red sounded like a very appealing color.

"You won't do it," Sam breathed, voice distort. Like two people talking at once. Her brown eyes had been replaced by glowing bulbs. "We know—"

I twitched the Azure blade closer. Its tip touched soft skin on her neck.

I wouldn't?

Why in God's name had I been trying to save such an awful person? She'd caused nothing but trouble since I got here. And for what? Jealousy? Because I got Phillip and Cameron's attention?

Tough.

"You have no idea what I'm capable of, Sam." I couldn't say what it was—the murdery intent in my eyes, the chill of my voice, or she simply saw my aura turn whatever color—she knew exactly what I wanted to do.

That spark of fear fed my pulse. My blood was going so fast I could barely stop myself from shaking. I edged the tip deeper. A single bead of blood cut loose, slithering down the curve of her neck, threading into my necklace's chain.

My whole body hunched as I kicked, arms flaying. The Dagger clattered next to booted feet.

"Let me go!"

"Now, little star. Calm down for a sec." Velvet made the hairs on my neck stand. I was still struggling for freedom when Lucifer wrapped an arm around me, caging me to his chest. Cam's chest. "You wouldn't want to do something you'd regret, would you?"

Regret? Just the reminder of this bitch kissing Cameron was enough to send me over the edge. And she'd done so much more.

Sam, still laid out on the floor, stared at us—at Lucifer—in a daze. She looked like a pumpkin lantern from Halloween, eyes still snow white, mouth gaping.

"We... I know who you are." She stated, voice scratchy. Leading me to believe the Succubus had the reigns here.

His name dropped from her tongue in a mute whisper. Lucifer. I rarely used his name out loud, it was the freakiest thing.

It wasn't hope that fluttered across those inhuman eyes. It was terror.

Lux smirked in a cold fashion.

"Can I risk letting you go?" Cam's chest vibrated as he talked, causing the hard muscles to bite into my soft back. I hated how it made me feel. Like he was one second away from whirling me and kiss me. "Bummer," Lucifer muttered when his steel band of an arm dropped. I stood there, focused on keeping my marbles. "I love a good cat fight."

Startling me, he zoomed beyond me, seizing Sam's throat. Lifting her off the ground, off her feet. His arm was raised high, a bit taller than his head.

"And you're nothing more than a parasite I would gladly crush." He said, putting the fear of God into her. The tiny cut opened further, blood tickled down his fingers. "The only reason you're still here—still alive is because Nina is far more merciful than me. You'd do well to remember that."

Lux tossed her left—towards the door—she skidded over the cold floor like rag doll. There was something dangling from Lucifer's hand.

The star necklace. He must've ripped it off in a show-off motion.

"Scram," he bellowed, not moving or looking her way.

I watched, with sick satisfaction, as she scrambled to pick herself up and tripped over her own feet for the door.

Dark gray eyes turned on me. I held a breath.

"You probably want this back."

I took the dangling birthday present, locking my fingers around the star. Slowly, I wiped blood off the chain, smudging the red between my fingers.

"Why?" Was the only thing I got out, struggling with latching the thing around my neck. Where it belonged.

Our eyes found each other.

"Because you've come this far without killing her, what's another day?"

"I didn't think you cared about humans dying."

"I don't. Or Demons for that matter," he paused, leaning a broad shoulder on a locker. "But I like people who know what they want, and earlier, you made it perfectly clear you wanted to exorcise the Succubus. Not kill the girl."

"Wait. One more day? You said they wouldn't be able to find that... Osha herb."

I held my ground as a suspicious grin came on.

"They won't. Unless they've stumbled into Mexico." The leather jacket tightened on those evenly made shoulders as he stood straight, towering above me. "You said you needed something material of Etna's, right? I have something, a friend is holding it for me."

"Okay..." I mumbled, not sure how this had become about MIA Girl. "Is this 'friend' a herb-dealer for Witches or something?"

He laughed—it sounded like one of Cam's rich laughs. Made my insides all twisty.

"Or something." Lucifer bent down, grabbing the Dagger. I opened my mouth once he stuffed the deadly thing into an inside jacket pocket. "What if you suddenly snap and decide my nephew isn't worth all this trouble? You're a dangerous girl, biscuit. So during our little road trip the Dagger stays with me."

I blinked three big times.

"Road... trip?"

"Yeah. If you hurry up we can be back by midnight." He chuckled. "The hour when everything interesting happens."

Oh, golly.