Reckless Souls (Saints Academy Book 1) Read online

  I would dream I had powers, skills, and anything that could be used to possibly make my life a little better. Which wouldn’t have been hard considering I only had a metal bed frame with a lumpy mattress I slept on at night, and shared a room with five other girls. Watching as they were adopted, one by one, but not me. Never me.

  A shiver rattles its way through my body at the helplessness I felt growing up. Fuck, I need a stiff drink and a movie. Something fun. Something to distract me from my reality. Something to pull me out of this funk I’ve slipped into because of Dante being a cheating scumbag.

  Dante was more of a friends with benefits situation than a relationship, but fuck, he was at least a constant in my life. The only one, a clear reminder to rely on no one but myself. Screw everyone else.

  My favorite Chinese restaurant, Peacock, comes into view on the corner of my street, and the thought of dipping into my measly savings to splurge on a chicken lo mein fills me with a little bit of joy. It’s a birthday treat, break up fix, and overall happiness gift to myself, and I deserve it. But before I can indulge and spoil myself a little, I need to run home and raid my savings jar.

  I smile at the old guy that lives across the street, sitting in his rocking chair out front without a care in the world. Always a story to tell and a smile on his face. He’s in his late seventies now. You’d expect him to be as miserable as the rest of us, since he lived through the dreaded war, but I don’t think I actually know a happier person. The slight tingling of warmth spreads through my chest at the realization.

  I can sense words on the tip of his tongue, and quickly pull my earphones out.

  “Happy birthday, child,” he sings from across the street, making my steps stutter, but I manage to cover the mishap as I grin at him.

  “Thank you, Al,” I reply, stunned that he knows it’s my birthday, but I must have mentioned it before. I’ve lived here ever since I was kicked out of the orphanage at eighteen, four years ago, and I don’t recall him saying it before, but I shrug it off, offering a wave as I turn to my front door.

  The wooden boards that replaced the glass are a stark reminder of how deteriorated the building is. Updating infrastructure in the lower income areas was never a priority.

  Entering the pin into the dated locking system at the door, I step inside, the damp, moldy scent instantly hitting my nose, making me cringe. You’d think I would have become immune to the smell after all this time, but if anything, it gets worse every day. I wonder if any of my neighbors feel the same? Doesn’t matter though because nothing will be done about it anyway.

  The building holds six individual apartments, but none of the other residents are around. Thank the Gods. I don’t need a fake, meaningless conversation right now. As tough as I’m trying to be, I’m still disappointed, hurt, by today’s revelations, and talking about the weather is only going to irritate me. Which will only make me a snippy bitch, and none of us want that today.

  The elevator has never worked, and of course I’m on the top floor. So, I take a deep breath, ready to trudge up the dirty green carpeted stairs, but an envelope peeking out of my mailbox makes me pause.

  Mail?

  I don’t ever get mail unless it’s an overdue bill, and I’ve been on top of that lately. What the fuck could it be?

  Frowning, I detour to the wall of mailboxes, pulling my key from my pocket to open it, only to find another envelope inside too. Well fuck.

  Worry crinkles my eyes as I reach for them both, tucking them under my arm before racing up the three flights of stairs. Sweat trickles down my spine from the movement and heat combining, and there’s no reprieve when I step inside my apartment since the air conditioning is broken.

  I’m met with a blast of humidity, the heavy air causing a bit of tightness in my lungs. I take a look around my tiny apartment. The front door opens to reveal the mini kitchen to my right, with my sofa set up to the left, which pulls out as my bed, leaving the door to the left as my bathroom. The windows straight ahead offer a pitiful view since I’m overlooking the back of the property, staring at the brick wall of the neighboring building. Natural sunlight isn’t really a privilege for me in here, that’s a fact.

  Moving to the small refrigerator in my kitchen, I swing the freezer door open and stick my head in the cold space for a second to cool down. A shiver runs through me at the drastic change in temperature, my lungs protesting at the cool air. Taking one final gulp, I take a step back, glancing down at the letters in my hand.

  When they don’t magically reveal their contents, no pun intended, I open the top white one first, a birthday card slipping out. A pretty purple butterfly decorates the front page, Happy Birthday, written intricately along the top, but when I open it, there’s no indication of who or where it came from. It simply reads,

  To Rhea

  Happy 22nd Birthday

  Best of luck

  Uhh… thanks, Mr. Invisible?

  I stand it up on the laminate countertop, the only card I have, before moving onto the other letter. The envelope is almost gold compared to the first, the quality feeling thicker, pricier. Sliding open the flap, my frown deepens when an official document falls out.

  My eyes scan over the words as I unfold the paper, making my heart gallop in my chest. I try to swallow past the lump in my throat as my fingers tremble ever so slightly.

  Miss Rhea Harrington

  As your twenty-second birthday has arrived, you are cordially invited to attend a testing at the Town Hall on Monday, October 2nd at four p.m.

  The testing will confirm if you have any supernatural abilities as required by law.

  Failure to attend will result in The Hexagon taking matters into their own hands.

  Kind Regards,

  Hex

  Chapter 2

  Rhea

  I swipe my hair back off my face as I glance at the clock, internally screaming at the time. Irritation burrows deep in my chest, anxiety coiling tightly around my throat as I wrap the last set of cutlery and add it to the pile, ready for the evening rush that’ll come later.

  Not that I’ll be here for most of it, but it’s my way of contributing.

  My brain has been stuck on four p.m. since the second I opened my eyes this morning. Fuck, let’s be honest, ever since I opened the damn letter.

  Now it’s three thirty, and if I want to make it across town in time, I need to head out.

  The quicker I get there, the quicker I can get back, and the less money I’ll lose for the day. With a resigned sigh, I run my hands down my apron, before untying it and folding it neatly on the server station.

  “Vinny, I need to go,” I holler, looking toward the open window that gives everyone a direct view into the kitchen, and a moment later he makes an appearance.

  “You know I can’t pay you, girly,” he grumbles, and I roll my eyes.

  “I know, Vin, you’ve mentioned it a time or two,” I reply. More like a million times. He’s like a broken record. “I’ll go there, do what I need to do, and be back as fast as possible,” I add, forcing a smile to my lips as he tosses a dish towel over his shoulder, shaking his head and waving me off.

  He knows it’s mandatory for me to go, something I’d completely forgotten about in my disaster of a day with Dante, but it still inconveniences him and ultimately that’s all he cares about.

  Now to just put one foot in front of the other and actually leave the comfort of the diner.

  Making sure I have my phone and keys in my jeans pocket, along with my small wallet, I’m ready to go. I step into the main hustle and bustle of the room. Large wooden tables fill every inch of the floor, cramming the space full. With only a few customers in at the moment, I wave at the other servers still working before I step out into the sunshine, letting the door fall shut behind me. The smell of grease still lingers on my skin.

  I shield my eyes slightly, tilting my head up at the sky for a moment as I take a deep, calming breath, letting the fresh air fill my lungs. Wetting my lips, I huff,
before turning in the direction of Phoenix Valley’s Town Hall. If I hurry, I should make it there with a few minutes to spare. I can take the stupid test and it will all be over. Then I can continue on with my life as if this was nothing but a blip.

  The nerves I’m feeling don’t seem to shake off so I dig out my earphones, immediately tucking them into my ears before pressing play on another angsty playlist. The sun’s not helping. It’s too fucking warm. That must be why I feel like I’m overheating and sweating like a pig.

  Tightening my ponytail, I swipe the beads of sweat from my temple as I make my way through the streets. At this time of day, people are either working, picking up their children from school, or doing anything else that keeps the center of town quiet. There’s only ever minimal people out, the mad rush will start again in the next two hours. Then it will be like this sense of calm never existed.

  I don’t usually have a reason to come over to this side of town, ever, and the further away from my comfort zone I get, the more my anxious thoughts threaten to consume me.

  Get in, get out, get back to work. I repeat the thought over and over, with each step I take.

  Although, what would it be like if the outcome was different from the reality?

  What if I was… supernatural… gifted… powerful?

  What would that feel like? Physically, emotionally?

  My eyes instantly tilt to the sky and search out Paradise Heights, far off in the distance, casting a permanent shadow beneath it.

  To live a different life, to have an ability, any ability that makes you unique, makes you important, makes you visible.

  An audible scoff falls from my lips as I shake my head. Flying under the radar is all I’ve known, all I’m comfortable with.

  Get a fucking grip, Rhea.

  I don’t know why they even bother with these tests. Surely they must know before someone turns twenty-two if they have any supernatural skills and abilities. It doesn’t make any sense, but I’ve always begrudged supernaturals, and the pretty, appealing life they get to live. I’ve never been eager to learn more about them, other than their general existence. They stay perched high on their pedestal in the sky, while we survive on the minimums down here.

  I’ve seen a vampire or two, hovering on the edge of the dodgy parts of the city, but I’ve always run as far away as possible, because they’re not there for a casual good time. Even from a distance you can sense their aura of danger. They’re either there for blood, money, or both, and it’s something I never wanted to get caught up in. Not when I’ve seen so many of the girls from the orphanage caught up in all of that trouble.

  Just thinking about it sends a shudder down my spine.

  But you could tell what they were the second they extended their fangs and their eyes glowed blood red. Their leering, aggressive body language made it clear that they are the hunters and we are the hunted.

  Everything else I know about supernaturals, I’ve seen or heard on tv, but I’ve never seen a demon, nor have I heard the murmurs of an incubus or succubus, luring you in with their desires and appeal. They’ve been nothing short of a myth to me.

  I’ve never knowingly seen a shifter of any kind, in their animal form at least, but I’ve seen the people behind them on the television before.

  Angels look almost like me, from the television too, but I can’t explain the difference. It’s almost like they’re… lighter, freer, glowing.

  Then there are the Gods. The biggest assholes ever to grace the world. Better than the rest of us and quite happy to remind you of it.

  Fucking… fuckers.

  Taking the next right turn, I glance at my phone. I have five minutes to get there on time, so I increase my pace as I brush the wispy hair back off my face.

  It really is too fucking warm. I glare up at the sun, not a single cloud in the sky, hoping the supernatural in charge of controlling the weather feels my pain and suffering.

  Since the war, that’s all they’ve done; control every inch of our human lives, right down to the damn weather. The mythical four seasons no longer exist. We have sun all day, and it rains in the darkness of the night between one and four in the morning. Every. Fucking. Day.

  I’ve seen snow in old movies, but it’s not something I’ll ever get to witness first hand, since they deemed it an unnecessary weather condition. I appreciate the fact that there’s no more disasters caused by Mother Nature, but this is just… boring. We may get the occasional gust of wind, or a gentle breeze, but otherwise, the Hex seem to think they’re doing us a favor by keeping us in the hot weather.

  My phone vibrates in my pocket, pausing the music in my ears, but when I look at the screen, my nostrils flare with irritation.

  Dante.

  He can fuck all the way off.

  For the last five days he’s called me non-stop, swamping me with voicemails and texts. I haven’t given in and answered a single time, not once, but he still continues, relentless in his approach. I don’t need nor want his apology or bullshit. I don’t think we knew each other very well to begin with. It was a heavy case of fucking that went on too long because we got comfortable. I can detach myself from the reality of our relationship. He needs to as well.

  Good dick won’t make me crawl back.

  Ever.

  Hitting the red button, I pocket my phone again as I turn right into the huge square where the Town Hall stands tall and imposing.

  Large stone steps lead up to a column-framed building, with a sloped roof and cream coloring. It reminds me of the type of building they had in the old Greek movies about Gods, legends, and all of the myths. Only here, there are armed guards standing in front of each pillar, in full black uniform, with the haunting Hex symbol hanging on flags.

  I come to a stop, considering whether I should turn and run back to the diner, but the reminder in the letter of what would happen if I didn’t show, has me putting one foot in front of the other.

  The Hex are… judge, jury, and executioner, in both the human and the supernatural worlds. I’ve never researched them, apart from the few times Zeus himself has addressed us on television and thankfully I’ve never had any other kind of interaction. The other members seem quite happy to let him reap all the glory, be the face of Hex, while they stay hidden in the background running the show.

  Short for Hexagon, the group is made up of six members, each representing their kind, to create a united front for everyone after the devastating war.

  A God. An angel. A vampire. A shifter. A demon. And a human.

  They’re the politicians of the new world who have a much heavier footing in the supernatural city than the human one. Likely because it’s prettier up there, more luxurious. No one wants to have to make do down here. Not even the most affluent areas of Phoenix Valley compare to the images I’ve seen of Paradise Heights.

  As I near, the Hex symbol looms above me, its presence a reminder of who controls who. A black background with what look like six white slashes mark the material. One for each member of the Hex. Short, simple, and fearsome, with three words written among the image.

  Veni, vidi, vici.

  I have no idea what it means, but I’m more than happy to continue with my naivete rather than try to find out. The less I know, the better off I am.

  I startle when a large, calloused hand is waved in front of my face, making me blink up at them as I quickly pull my earphones out. “Are you going to move, Miss, or am I going to have you escorted off the property?”

  I stare in surprise at the guard, who has stepped away from his post to glare down at me. I’m frozen to the spot at the bottom of the steps that lead up to the entrance of the Town Hall.

  Fuck.

  I hadn’t even realized I’d stopped walking.

  “No, I’m moving,” I murmur, hastily stepping around him to rush up the stairs, stuffing my earphones into my pocket as I go.

  Thankfully he doesn’t say another word, but the glare I feel on my back screams a thousand words of how much I inc
onvenienced him. I rush inside without any further interruptions.

  My heart thunders in my chest, and I’m not too sure if it’s because of the way the guard just startled me, or what I’m actually doing here, but either way, I don’t like how fucking unsettled I am.

  Taking a deep breath or five, I wet my lips and glance around the open space. It feels eerie, echoey, and overbearing. I’m surprised to see there’s no foyer, just a queue of people lined up around the exterior of the huge room, while the center is taken up by what must be the testing area.

  There’s no privacy, no separation, the whole process is just done out here in the open for everyone to watch.

  Great.

  Like my life hasn’t gone to shit already, I now have all of these people watching me be reminded just how not special I am. Joining the back of the line, I watch the center like a hawk, trying to figure out exactly what happens from start to finish.

  There are two women and two guards standing up on the simple wooden platform, with something in front of them, but from this angle I can’t see anything but their backs.

  One by one, someone takes a step forward, declares their name and day of birth, and the advisors tell them what to do. It seems like they’ve collated everyone with birthdays in the past week or so. They talk quietly, so you can’t hear what the directions are, and as I move to the side, hoping to catch a glimpse, I realize there’s a mahogany wooden wall up, shielding whatever they’re doing from the rest of us.

  With a sigh, I try to distract myself with the details of the room, but when I scan every inch around me, I realize there’s nothing but more Hex flags. No posters, no leaflets, nothing at all. It’s just… bare. Just as forgotten as every single one of us in here. Well, except on our twenty-second birthday. Apparently, that’s when we matter most.

  We come in, they test us, we don’t change magically before their eyes, so they send us on our merry way, discarding us once again. Rinse. Repeat.