Demon Forged

Becca flat on the floor, her knee in the novice’s back and her knife against the side of Becca’s throat. The novice struggled to get up. Irena held her easily.
    She gave a warning glance to the novices surrounding them—each with their weapons drawn, she noted with approval. Behind her, running footsteps suddenly halted, and a shout was muffled as Olek stopped the only one in the room who, given his feelings for Becca, might have posed a danger—to himself, when Irena defended against his attack.
    On the floor, Becca tried to pull herself forward. She gasped as Irena pressed her knee down harder. The rug ripped beneath the novice’s fingers.
    With a soft sound of alarm, Pim stepped forward, lowering her sword. “Irena, please .”
    Irena ignored her. She bent to speak into Becca’s ear. “I’m stronger than you. Faster than you. I could tear you apart without lifting a finger, and you do not yet even have your Gift,” she said. “Will you still try to come between Lilith and me?”
    “Yes.” The novice’s ragged breaths were almost sobs now.
    “Why?” Irena sneered. “Because you are loyal to Lilith?”
    “Because it’s the right thing to do, you crazy cunt bitch!”
    Irena flipped her over. She blocked Becca’s fist, then captured her wrists. The novice could have hurt Irena with a knee to her back, but Becca must have realized there was nothing left to fight. She stared up at Irena, absolutely still.
    “Yes,” Irena said. “That is the right answer. Your loyalty should not be to me, to Lilith, to the Guardians. Only to this.” She laid her hand over Becca’s racing heart. “ Only this. Do you see?”
    Becca nodded, and Irena knew that the novice did see. This one was the youngest here, but she was not stupid. And if the others were not stupid, they would see as well.
    Irena hauled the novice to her feet. “Then you will be worthy of your wings.”
    She began to turn, but Becca’s voice stopped her. “And what if I don’t know what’s right?”
    Irena sighed. She hated questions such as these. “Then ask your friends.” She gestured to the novices around them. “Surely one of them will say something sensible. Or ask your mentor, or Micha—” She cut herself off. The novice bit her lip. Irena drew a deep breath and finished, “Or Michael.”
    Humor lit Becca’s eyes. “Lilith?”
    Irena chuckled, more amused by the novice’s daring than the question. “No.”
    “You?”
    Her laughter took off. When she finally wrestled it under control, she wiped her eyes and shook her head. “No.”
    The novice looked genuinely perplexed. “No? Why not?”
    Irena stared at her. The novice had been afraid that she might kill Lilith—and if circumstances had been different, if Lilith had been different, Irena would have slain the former demon—and yet she looked to Irena for guidance? “Why would you?”
    “You’re . . . you.”
    Irena frowned. That made no sense. But the other novices were nodding, and so obviously the only person it didn’t make sense to was Irena.
    “Come to me, then,” she said. “But know that my answer will always be ‘Kill the demon.’ Painfully, if possible.”
    Becca gave a little smile, as if that pleased her. “Okay.”
    Still frowning, Irena turned away from her toward the stairs. Across the common room, Alejandro stood with his forearm against Mackenzie’s throat and his sword angled between the vampire’s legs. Mackenzie’s rage had not yet cooled.
    Alejandro’s tone remained calm, but demanded that the vampire listen. “Your desire to protect your woman speaks well of you—but do not forget that she is a Guardian. You must learn to recognize when she needs protection, and when she does not.”
    From behind her, Becca snapped, “I don’t need protection, you stupid jerk.”
    Irena wasn’t sure if stupid jerk referred to Alejandro or Mackenzie, but the vampire must have thought it was him. Chagrin flashed through his psychic scent before he bared his fangs. “Be quiet, my woman.”
    The novices snickered. Perhaps they’d seen this argument before. Irena left them to it, continuing toward the stairs.
    Alejandro released the vampire, adding, “You’ll likely find that when she needs it and when she wants it will rarely coincide.”
    Irena gave him a look as he caught up to her at the head of the stairs. When she wants it? she signed.
    The corners of his mouth deepened and his cheeks hollowed. His not-quite-a-smile. But his eyes didn’t