Frosted Torment (Marked Mortals Saga #1)

Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

M y heart fluttered. Jossy’s touch warmed me, sending tingles across my skin. I realized in that moment he had only revealed a fraction of his true self during all the time I’d known him. They all had.

“How does this work?” I asked, my voice wavering. “Help me understand, Joss. Angels, demons, end-of-the-world prophecies... are not something I’m prepared to handle. Putting killers away for arson, that’s doable.”

His eyes turned sad. “You don’t want to face it because you can’t explain what your senses can’t confirm. You can rationalize ghosts because you can hear them and sometimes see them.”

“They were once human, with physical bodies before death,” I argued.

“We existed too, but we forged our flesh when we fell,” Jossy countered, intertwining our fingers. “The world is corrupt, and most people don’t care about our kind, but you experienced our world for yourself. Did you imagine it all, Noa? ”

I shook my head, chilled to think something as sinister as a demon could reach me. “What about vampires?” I asked.

His face puckered as though tasting something foul. “People put more stock in the devil and his loathsome minions. It’s absurd.”

“Wait. You’re telling me vampires exist?” I gasped.

“They’re nothing like the movie versions.” He said it in such a casual way like it would be easy for me to hear. “Vampires are like zombies, but quite rare.”

I scratched my head in shock. “For a mere mortal with alcohol issues, this could push me over the brink,” I said.

“We’d never let that happen, Noa,” Jossy assured me. “Every woman in your family who came before you knew about us.”

I looked at him, searching for a lie. “My mom?”

“And your grandmother.” He nodded and began rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. “They tried to protect you.”

I rubbed my chest as anxiety swelled. Jossy’s voice faded to a muffle, and I struggled to hear him over the pounding in my ears. When I looked up, my stomach twisted in a knot. With an unpleasant retch, I vomited from the uncertainty of my own sanity.

“It’s all right, I’ve got you,” he said, reaching for me. I recoiled, signaling him to wait as I shook my head. Still hunched, I met Ivy’s eyes as she handed me water.

Rubbing my forehead, I muttered under my breath, “I need a second, okay? This is just... too much.”

The fog lifted as Ivy’s soft voice broke through. “Puking is part of learning how to portal, but that will wear off soon enough.”

“Thanks.” I poured water into my mouth before swishing and spitting it out. I wiped my lips with the back of my hand. “Where did you even find these?”

She shrugged. “An unassuming coat closet inside the church.”

My skin prickled at the realization of my best friends as fallen angels. Resolving myself to accept this reality was daunting, but something in me was worth everything to them. Dread gathered in the pit of my stomach, but unlike before, I tamed it.

Isolated, the sun was almost eye-level, with gentle hues of orange and purple coloring the sky. I took a deep breath and fought to make a choice. Trust my friends or continue looking over my shoulder, as demons sought me out while I figured it out alone.

My mother’s soothing voice penetrated deep into my mind, urging me to go with them. I glanced up and saw how much more of what they were now. Daunted, feeling several inches smaller in comparison, I wanted to turn heel and run again, but I didn’t.

I was suspicious, but I found the courage to ask, “Why did it take so long for you to realize it was me?”

“I don’t know,” Jossy offered me a smile. “We had a limited role, only to ensure that you were you .”

I steeled myself before voicing my irritation aloud. “You knew about this and kept it from me,” I huffed. “Well, nothing says ‘beaming target’ like ignorance.”

Jossy’s gaze softened, the tension in his brow easing as he regarded me. “Noa, we have to be cautious,” he said, his voice low and steady. “Your safety is paramount, and Vincent will explain the other details.”

The urgency in my chest ignited a fire in my words. “Get us a car,” I declared, my voice cutting through the charged atmosphere.

Ivy stopped playing with the white tips of her hair, a bored habit I had come to recognize. “Wait a minute,” she interjected, her brow furrowing in disapproval.

Lex’s eyes flickered, as though he could see the storm brewing within me and wanted to stop it. “What if we could help you disappear for a while? It’s possible.”

“I didn’t take you for a coward, Lex,” I challenged, crossing my arms over my chest.

His nostrils flared as his arms remained at his sides. “We need to think this through because they could have a damn army built by now.”

“If I have a supernatural tracker in my head, they’ll find me, right?” I countered. “I want answers, and I want to know how to fight off demons from killing me.”

“Demons and fallen angels aren’t ones to mess with, Noa,” Ivy warned. “If they catch you, they won’t kill you.”

“I’m sorry?” I chuckled, certain she meant to say will kill .

“Ivy’s right,” added Lex. He scanned the area as if they had already found me and Jossy’s wards weren’t strong enough to hide us.

“You’re the last of your family,” Ivy continued. “They want you, and they’ll do horrendous things to you for eternity when they have you.” Her words hung heavy in the air, each syllable a reminder of how vulnerable I was.

“Which is what exactly?” I asked. “To start Armageddon? Bring it on.” Defiance surged within me like a tidal wave. “I won’t run. Besides, with the three of you, they can’t touch me. Right? ”

Ivy grabbed Jossy’s arm, her voice laced with fear. “No. Please, talk some sense into her.”

“You’re taking me to Vincent, Jossy,” I insisted, refusing to back down.

“I agree with Noa. There’s more to this,” Jossy continued, his gaze shifting toward the wreckage that surrounded us. “And if that Lurker is dead, then?—”

My eyes widened in realization as dread seeped into my bones. “Then what?”

“Its master will know about it soon and come for us,” Jossy warned. The weight of his words felt like an iron cloak draped on my shoulders, pressing down with immense force. “You’re safer back at the ranch with us,” he decided.

Ivy’s eyes exposed her worry when she looked at me. “Noa, the Baneful is an entity of the purest evil,” she warned.

“I’m not hiding,” I declared, my voice stronger than I felt inside. “For years, you made me believe arsonists killed my mother. You knew who I was and lied about it. Now, I want the truth. I’ll deal with the consequences later.”

Ivy groaned, throwing her hands by her sides. “You always do this.”

“Thought this was what you wanted, sis?” Jossy said roughly. Then, nodding at me, he pulled out his phone. “I’ll request a car.”

“Yes, I am selfish,” Ivy snapped with a shrug. “Knowing about us and charging into a cursed war are two different things.”

Lex gave a disapproving shake of his head. “Will the wards hold for us to get far enough away from here before demons come looking?” asked Lex. He grew more paranoid by the minute, expecting an evil horde to attack us on the road.

“Long enough to get us to Whitefish,” Jossy answered him. He began entering our location into the ride-share app.

“Sorry, but I’m not skilled in how to portal, or else I’d have us there sooner,” I announced, a hint of sarcasm rolling off my tongue. “You can find me in the church when the car arrives.”

The sun had nearly vanished, casting long shadows around me as I stood in the empty church. I could feel the tension crackling in the air. The solemn silence enveloped me, amplifying the terror and uncertainty gnawing at my insides.

I paced back and forth, my mind racing with questions and doubts. I didn’t know how my family got tangled up in this supernatural world or if I was even ready to face the forces that sought to harm me. I took a deep breath, readying myself for what to do.

Then, Ivy peeked into the door and gestured for us to leave. I nodded, my resolve masking what I felt. As I walked down the stairs of the church, the night seemed to press in on us, amplifying the dread.

We climbed into an idling black SUV. I didn’t know what ride-share Jossy called, and I didn’t care. He sat up front in the passenger seat while Ivy and Lex sandwiched me between them in the back. Their expressions were unreadable in the dim light, and none of us spoke.

The car pulled away from the wreckage, tires crunching on gravel as we headed toward the ranch that my friends called home.

And Vincent .

Ivy unlocked her pink crystal-encrusted phone and began scrolling through social media. Of course, hers was in perfect condition.

I leaned forward to get her attention. “Hey, do you mind if I text Jack and Claire? I’ve avoided them long enough.”

“Sure.” She handed it to me, but her fingers gripped the phone longer than necessary as she studied me.

I placed my other hand on her wrist, and she relaxed beneath my touch. “This was going to catch up to me, Ivy,” I said, as a flutter of anxiety twisted in my stomach. “Besides, I still need you to keep me safe.”

She released a long sigh, her breath escaping like a deflated balloon. “We didn’t call first, so Vincent is going to be pissed.” Her eyes darted toward the window, watching the blurry landscape flash past us. I could almost see the gears turning in her head, calculating the repercussions of our actions.

Jossy turned in the front seat to look at us both, his expression shifting from concern to strength. “I’ll handle Vincent, but it’s safer the longer we wait.” The driver peered over at him with a raised brow, and Jossy turned his head to meet the driver’s gaze. A flicker shot across Jossy’s eyes, then the driver focused his eyes back on the road. Jossy continued, “He’ll sense us the closer we get.”

“What did you do to that guy?” I pointed to the driver, who remained focused on the road ahead, oblivious to our mounting drama.

Jossy faced forward again, adjusting his ponytail with practiced ease. “We can’t have everyone know about us, Noa,” he clipped .

“You used powers to make him forget,” I stated, disappointment creeping into my voice. The thought of manipulating someone’s memory felt heavy on my conscience.

He adjusted his position in his seat, his fingers tightening around the middle console. “Text your godparents,” he instructed with soft urgency.

I typed out a thank you for wishing me a happy birthday, then lied about losing my phone. I prayed it would keep Jack and Claire satisfied. Shaking my head, I remembered I had a job and my boss would notice if I didn’t show up.

“Dammit,” I grumbled.

“What is it?” Jossy’s tone turned irritated, with impatience bubbling beneath the surface.

I could feel him ready to pounce on whatever excuse I’d offer next. Even though I decided to go with them, it didn’t make the choice easier.

“I’m supposed to be at work tomorrow for a book delivery before the new semester starts.” My voice came out a cracked whisper.

“Don’t you have vacation days?” he asked with a tone that suggested my human concerns were trivial compared to our current situation.

“If I don’t show up, that’s when people start asking questions and cops get involved.” I clapped back. “Do you get vacation, Jossy? Are you even a lawyer?”

Jossy laughed—a rich sound that cut through the tension like a knife. “Yes, Noa. I’m a lot of things,” he said, a smirk playing on his lips. “But a lawyer is my focus here. We’ve been around for hundreds of years, so jobs bide our time and help us keep our home. ”

“Good for you,” I quipped. “So you know that calling off last minute isn’t professional.” I bounced my knee, but my pulse quickened, and I turned toward Lex, my eyes wide. “Hundreds of years?” I asked.

He arched an eyebrow and smiled. “Yep. A breath for us in the Veil is years and years for you here.”

Considering I was in love with him, I needed to know. “How old are you? I know you’ve existed since ‘let there be light’ and all, but what’s your age in human years?”

“That’s irrelevant. We’re eternal beings and we don’t age,” Lex explained, then glanced at Ivy’s phone, which I now flipped back and forth between each of my hands. “Call your boss.”

I scrunched my nose—an involuntary gesture of doubt—then took a deep breath to steady myself. “I don’t want to lie to the man.”

“But Mr. Dell likes you,” Ivy chimed, placing a hand on my thigh. “I bet he won’t have a problem with you needing a few days.”

“Tell him it’s a family emergency,” suggested Lex in my other ear.

I twisted my lips as an idea began to form in my head. “He’s always nagging me to take time off, so that could work.”

I dialed Mr. Dell’s number and explained that I would be leaving town for a family emergency. That wasn’t a lie. I was the family, and I was definitely in an emergency.

He agreed and decided to have his daughter cover for me since she would soon be my assistant. It was a relief to have that handled. Maybe this was not an obstacle. It could be an opportunity to find sanity amid the madness.

After my call, Ivy tucked her phone under her thigh and was asleep within minutes. I concluded she didn’t feel there was more she could do to help, except provide moral support. I was exhausted, just like her, but I couldn’t fall asleep.