Xan looks surprised for a moment before he responds.
"Really."
Not even a question.
I nod, backing away from Archer's body.
"Xan, What do I do?! What if she's dead?!"
"She's not dead, sweetheart. Leave her there unconscious any longer and she will."
I drop down next to her, feeling her neck.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Nova. It's quite simple, actually. My powers—no—Veronica's powers are human mind control. She can put people to sleep with her hands...they contain a sort of power that's somewhat radioactive."
I make a face as I try to shake her awake.
"Veronica?! Who the fuck is Veronica?!"
Xan walks back and forth, and my eyes follow his every move.
"Veronica is none of your business, dearie. She just happened to lend me her powers."
I glare at him.
"Knowing you you probably took them. How do I get her back?!"
Xan rolls his eyes.
"Do I have to help you? The girl tried to kill me...and I don't like to help people who try to murder me. I will probably have more scars then I already do from that bitch."
I sigh, looking up at him with pleading eyes.
"Come on. For me?"
"Not for you. For me. If I do this I won't have to listen to your damn complaints."
He crouches down, pushing her hair from her face.
Archer's eyes seem to move underneath her eyelids, like she's awake.
"Is she awake?"
"Paralyzed. That's what they do."
My eyes catch on the golden ribbon-like veins sprouting across her forehead, and I shoot him a look.
"What in the hell is that?"
I see his lips stretch in a grin.
"A mark of death, baby."
"What?! Don't let her die! Please! She has been one of the only people there for me since my parents left!"
Xan takes Archer's wrist, cocking his head to the side with a slight frown.
"Impossible."
"What?! What's going on? Tell me something! Anything!"
"She's still breathing. There'd be no way for that unless—"
"She's a villain herself."
We both turn our heads around, seeing Damien along with Robyn and Rogue.
"Robyn? Rogue? Damien?"
"Move out of the way."
Robyn runs forward, bending down.
"Hey. Listen to me, alright? We got you."
A noise seems to want to escape Archer's throat, and Robyn sits her up, pressing her palms against her temples.
"Someone. Squeeze her stomach."
I go over, frowning.
"Why?"
"Trust me."
I press on Archer's stomach, and just as she starts coughing we hear something else.
"There!"
"What?"
We turn around, and Xan's mismatched eyes spark with anger and sadness when his eyes catch on them.
Madam Olivier and—Holiday?!
"Hols?!"
"You won't get away with this! Any of you!"
My eyes widen when they meet Holiday's. Black. Her eyes are green.
What is going on?
"Run."
"What?!"
Xan pushes me backwards just as a large sparking trap lands where I was.
"What's happening?"
"Take them and go."
He searches for something in my eyes, and when his glow blue I realize something. Xan isn't the one I should be running away from.
"Where? I don't know where to go, Xan!"
"Damien knows."
His hands radiate with blue flames that he throws at Holiday as she charges him, her pain filled screams piercing my ears as I smell burning flesh.
"No..."
"Get them!"
I snap my head around towards Madam Olivier, my eyes widening as guards come running towards us.
I snap my eyes on Robyn and Rogue, who are helping Archer, Xan holding some of them off, and then Damien coming right at me.
"Duck!"
"What?"
I duck down right as a silver arrow glides past my head, and Damien grabs my arm.
"We've gotta go."
"But—"
"Xan will be fine. What matters now is you, me, Robyn, Rogue, and Archer. Come on."
Robyn hops off the roof and Rogue grabs Archer, jumping off as well.
Damien follows and I hesitate, turning around to see them gaining up on him.
"NOVA!"
"Huh?"
I turn around right when someone punches me in the head, watching as I fall unconscious onto the ground.
That's all I remember.
*******
My eyes snap open when I feel a sharp pain in my stomach, seeing a black haired and violet eyed girl staring at me.
"Who the hell are you?!"
She grins.
"Veronica."
"Did you just—"
"That was Breeze."
A white haired chick appears out of nowhere, smirking.
"Hello, I'm Breeze! I like to electrocute people for fun! I also have invisibility if you didn't notice."
They both groan when they hear someone else's voice.
A male.
"What do we have here? A party and you didn't invite me?"
I let out a small screech when I see a man hanging from the ceiling, watching as he falls and lands on his feet.
He grins, silvery eyes boring into mine.
"Hello, my little puppy."
I make a face.
"I—did you just fucking call me a dog?!"
"A puppy, Naughty Nova. A puppy."
I wince at the pain in my stomach, sitting up.
"Who are you?!"
"I'm Slade..."
I stare at all of them blankly, before frowning.
"Where are they?! Everyone else?"
"Robyn, Rogue, Damien, and the little redhead are fine."
Breeze says, and I snap my eyes on hers.
"What about Xan?! Where is he?!"
Breeze and Veronica go silent, and I look at Slade.
"Slade...? What happened...?"
"A little mishap, mouse. But—"
"What do you mean a mishap?! Where is he?"
Veronica grins.
"Someone has a secret crush..."
"I don't! And even if I did it wouldn't be important. Where the fuck is he?!"
Slade appears next to me.
"Well...I don't know how to say this without you flipping out on me, but wonder boy is stuck at the school."
My eye twitches.
"What."
"He's stuck. At the school. Do I need to—"
I grab the collar of his shirt, my eyes narrowing into thin slits.
"No. I heard exactly what you said, gray. What I didn't get is how the hell you let that happen?!"
"Listen, cupcake—"
"Quit it with the pet names! They won't help your case, Slade!"
He shuts his mouth, and I release a breath.
"Tell me what the hell happened after I blacked out."
"Alright, alright. Wonder boy called us through his head for backup because he knew he wouldn't be able to hold them off on his own. There were too many. By the time we got there he was gone. You were there on the floor with the rest of them surrounding you. He was obviously the one they wanted, puppy. So if you'd let me go that'd be great."
I squish him tighter, glaring at him.
"And you didn't do anything why?"
"Because it was already too late! They were gone! What did you want us to do, Nova? Go inside the school and get captured too? No! He'll be okay. It's Xan we're talking about."
I drop him, standing up.
"Listen. He promised me some things that I can't get back if he isn't here. Freedom being one of them. So if you'd excuse me, I'm going to go get him."
I begin to stalk towards the door when I feel an iron grip on my arm, turning around to see Veronica.
"What're you doing?! Let me go!"
"Sit down. Don't make me hurt you."
I sit down on the bed and she lets go, a tingling feeling left in my arm.
Veronica drops down to my level, sighing.
"Listen. He told me to not let you go after him whatever happens. I aim to keep my promises, Nova. Therefore you have to stay here. I can assure you that he will be fine."
My mind goes blank for a moment, until I remember her screams.
"Holiday. What happened to her?"
Breeze grimaces.
"Nothing good. She was being controlled by Olivier...that's why her eyes were black. Robyn told us everything. That type of power takes a toll on newbies like her who have just obtained their powers. She's most likely dead."
My heart drops, and I look at her wide eyed.
"You can't be serious. Anyone but Holiday."
She frowns.
"Sorry. But you're other friend's okay! The redhead?"
"Archer? Thank goodness."
I look at Veronica.
"He had your powers. Xan. Why?"
"I have them to him in order for freedom. That's the price."
She cocks her head to the side, staring at me for a moment.
"I was in your exact same position, Nova Birch. And he took me out of it. That's his way of doing things...manipulation."
She stands up, motioning that Breeze come with her.
"Slade? Stay with her."
He looks at Veronica then me, grinning.
"Nice."
I grimace as they close the door, looking at him.
"What're you planning to do?"
He looks at both of his hands, then me as his eyes spark black.
"Fun, fun things, puppy."
********
(XAN'S POV)
I get thrown against the far wall, and my mother grabs me by the chin.
"Why are you here?! I will kill you, Azurecide."
I manage to release a small laugh, staring into her eyes.
"Nice to see you too, mom. Mind being a little more gentle next time? I'm fragile."
She releases a humorless laugh, punting me to the ground.
I let out a wheeze, coughing out blood.
"Jeez, woman! Are you trying to kill me?! Your favorite son?"
She stares at me blankly.
"Why are you back? Why are you here to manipulate more of my students you awful child! Don't you have enough?"
My eyes glisten with malice and I grin.
"You can never have enough power, Liliane. That's something I thought you'd understand. You've been torturing them for ages."
Her eyes fill with anger before her face softens.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, son."
"Of course you don't. You hide where you really get these powers don't you?! Take them from the kids who are actually—"
I let out a grunt when she stabs me, narrowing her eyes.
"Keep talking and I'll kill you, Xan. You don't know what you're talking about."
I cough out more blood, staring into her eyes.
"You won't get away with what you've done. The only reason I'm doing this is for Dale, Liliane. The daughter you killed. You killed my sister you sick son of a bitch."
Liliane's lips dip down in a disgusted frown.
"I didn't touch her you sick man. Why would I kill my only daughter?!"
"Because you wanted her power. She was the only one born with them, and once you found more you found a way to extract your powers and give them to teenagers so you can train them to be your little minions. You still have them in this very basement, don't you? The hundreds of children you sent away for what? Experiments?"
"Shut up."
I glare up at her, my hand over the wound in my stomach.
"No, Liliane. You tried to throw me down there with them, didn't you? I remember."
"I said shut up!"
She kicks my gut, and I double over on the ground, wheezing once again.
"You ungrateful bastard! I'm doing this for you and your brother! All of it! You said you wanted power...and I'm getting it for you!"
I look up at her from behind my now messed up hair, glaring.
"None of this was for us and you know it, Liliane. Can you hear yourself right now?! The only things coming out of your mouth right now are lies."
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!"
She points a gun at me, and my eyes widen.
"What're you doing?!"
"Stop. Stop! Be quiet before I kill you!"
I hold my hands up slightly in surrender, and she motions I stand up.
"Stand up!"
I stand up, wincing.
"You are a weak son of a bitch, Xan Olivier."
I sigh, and she releases a breath.
"Look at me."
"Why?"
"Look at me!"
I snap my head to look at her, and she purses her lips.
"My beautiful little boy, what happened to you?! Why don't you work with me anymore?!"
She drops the gun, searching for something in my eyes.
"I cannot work with someone who tortured literal children."
"Guards! Get rid of him! Get him out of my sight!"
Two people grab my wrists, dragging me backwards towards the basement door.
My eyes snap on hers, and she frowns before mouthing the words:
I'm sorry.
********
(NOVA'S POV)
I scooch away from him, my eyebrows furrowing.
"You're creepy."
"I've been told."
Slade grins, and my eyes catch on his literal fangs.
"What the fuck. Why are your teeth so sharp?!"
"I don't know, mouse, but I think you'd sound better screaming..."
I scooch away even more, and he starts laughing.
"Ahh...how I could just end your very existence by kissing you, you know that?"
My eyebrows furrow.
"Poison?"
"Bingo! No comment on the obvious flirting? I assume you like it then, puppy."
"Please stop calling me that. Or else."
Slade makes a mock frown.
"I'm so scared!"
I glare daggers at him and he smiles.
"Still no protests. I'll flirt with you more often, Nova."
He stares at me for a moment before grinning again.
"You do like him."
"What? Who?"
"Xan. You like him."
"I'm concerned for his well-being, yes. But I don't like him romantically."
He rolls his eyes.
"Whatever makes you sleep at night, puppy. Tell you this...I'll come with you to get him."
"Really?"
"Yes! Only if you give me that pretty rock around your neck."
I look down, and he points at Holiday's pale blue gem.
"That one."
"What? No! What're you planning to do with this?"
"Use it, obviously. Telekinesis, right?"
I look at him uneasily.
"Well...yeah..."
"Great! Give it to me and I'll take ya."
I frown slightly.
"Okay. But Slade, what if Xan—"
"What if Xan what?"
We both turn our heads around, and our eyes widen.
Slade looks surprised.
"Holy shit."
My mouth drops open.
"Wha—Xan?!"