Daughters of the Moon, Books 1 - 3 by Lynne Ewing

“Because . . .” He looked behind him to make sure no one was listening. She couldn’t image what he was going to say now if the other things he had declared had not pushed him to caution. “An angel came to me the first night that I found a way to sneak out of the earth. She was beautiful and glowing. She told me to get your moon amulet.”

  Jimena wondered if it was the goddess who had come to her grandmother the night she was born.

  “Yeah, es verdad. She helped me find clothes to wear . . .”

  Jimena held her hand up, signaling him to be quiet so she could think. If the amulet was only a symbol, as Maggie said, then she supposed it would be all right to take it off and let Veto wear it. And maybe it had powers that Maggie didn’t know about. Perhaps it could break the spell of the Atrox.

  She pinched the amulet nervously.

  “Come on. Just let me try it on for a minute to see what goes on. Then I’ll take it off and give it back to you. What can happen? There’s no one around here but homeless people and tecatos. Vamos a ver.”

  She started to unclasp the amulet. As she did, she remembered her grandmother’s warning. The goddess had told her grandmother that Jimena would be safe as long as she wore the amulet.

  When she fastened the chain around Veto’s neck, the amulet began to glow, filling the dark around them with a peculiar white light. Almost immediately Jimena felt the intrusion of another mind in hers, and something more, a pain twisting inside her like currents of electricity.

  She jerked around.

  Cassandra stood behind her, eyes dilated, her features sharp as her face grimaced in total concentration.

  Too late to defend herself, Jimena realized that Cassandra had been hiding nearby and was now in her mind, reaching into the depths of her being and ripping her power away.

  Karyl stood beside Cassandra, but it was clear that she was acting on her own.

  Jimena focused her powers and tried to block Cassandra from going deeper inside her mind, but it was too late.

  She looked at Veto. “You betrayed me.” The words took all her energy. The pain inside her was complete now. She fell, disoriented, to the wet asphalt path.

  Cassandra and Karyl gathered around her.

  “Goddess.” Cassandra smirked.

  “Destroy her now,” Karyl whooped.

  “Give me time to enjoy my victory.” Cassandra beamed and walked full circle around Jimena, her heels tapping a staccato beat in the puddles. Her long black cape flapped around her and swirled over Jimena.

  Finally, Cassandra stopped and took a deep breath. When she spoke, the satisfaction in her voice was high. “Finally it’s done.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  “JIMENA.” SHE HEARD someone calling to her from a great distance. Her eyelids fluttered and then her vision cleared. Veto was bent over her now, trying to protect her from the rain. She must have blacked out for a few minutes, because she didn’t remember him kneeling next to her. She saw the intensity of the fear in his eyes and the hard set of his mouth and knew immediately that he hadn’t betrayed her.

  “I’ll be all right,” she muttered, but even that didn’t ease the look in his eyes. Why was he so scared?

  She tried to twist her head to see what was happening. Veto knelt closer to her and tried to keep her still. She glanced at him and when their eyes met, she knew. He was afraid of losing her.

  Veto edged closer, eyes watchful. “What did she do to you?” he whispered.

  “She took my power from me,” Jimena answered.

  “Power.” Veto seemed confused. “What power?”

  “My ability to see the future and fight the Followers.”

  “Followers?”

  “People like Cassandra and Karyl,” she answered. “They’re Followers of the Atrox.”

  He seemed to understand.

  “I told you.” Her whisper felt hoarse. “The Atrox wants to destroy me. Since you’ve been gone I learned my true identity. I’m a goddess, a Daughter of the Moon.”

  Cassandra giggled behind her—a cold and evil sound. “Were,” Cassandra corrected her. “You once were a goddess, but no more. I took care of that.”

  Jimena saw the anguish in Veto’s eyes. He understood now that he had been deceived. He started to unclasp the moon amulet that hung around his neck.

  Cassandra stopped him. “Too late, Veto. It won’t be any good to her now. You might as well keep it as a souvenir.”

  Karyl laughed. “Come on, destroy her!”

  “Patience, Karyl,” Cassandra murmured as if making the moment linger somehow made it better. “Besides, Morgan will want to see. Where is she?”

  Veto tightened his grip on Jimena’s arm. His eyes were staring at something across the park. “That’s the angel I told you about. The one who helped me that first night.”

  Jimena turned her head. Morgan rushed down the asphalt path toward them, a spray of water splashing beneath her knee-high boots, her red mini wet and clinging.

  Karyl snickered. “You did good, Morgan.”

  Morgan walked over to Veto. “You shouldn’t believe everything a gorgeous girl tells you. Glitter makeup can make anyone glow.”

  That made Karyl and Cassandra laugh.

  Then to Jimena she added, “Angel is such a natural role for me.”

  “Dark angel,” Karyl corrected.

  “My mind-control helped,” Cassandra added. “It was easy to make Veto think he was seeing an angel.”

  Veto put on his stony máscara and held his head up and back. Jimena could feel his muscles tense. His hands formed into fists.

  “Don’t do anything,” Jimena warned. “You don’t understand what you’re up against.”

  He stood. As he threw a fist at Karyl, thunder shattered the air. The ground around them shook and the earth ripped open behind Veto.

  Veto balanced precariously on the edge of the precipice, his arms swinging wildly as he desperately struggled to keep from falling. Finally, he took a faltering step forward and smiled in relief.

  Suddenly, Cassandra seemed to appear from nowhere. She walked quickly toward him and shoved his chest exactly as she had done in Jimena’s first premonition. Veto lost his balance and as he started to fall backward, he turned with his last effort to face Jimena. His eyes held hers as he fell over the edge.

  Jimena screamed, but the sound came out more a mournful groan. She dragged herself to the edge of the chasm and watched Veto tumble into the ink-black abyss, precisely as she had seen him fall in her premonition.

  “Why did Tartarus open now?” Morgan’s voice sounded worried.

  “The Atrox must sense our success.” Cassandra gloated. “And it wanted its puppet back.”

  Karyl’s eyes fired with savage delight. “You think Veto will like it in Tartarus, Jimena?”

  Jimena suppressed her tears and rose slowly, her legs barely able to support her. She took one halting step forward. Her voice was full of conviction when finally she spoke. “You haven’t won, Cassandra.”

  Cassandra hesitated for only a second, her ice-blue eyes unsure, and then she laughed, the sound lifeless and pitiable.

  “You’re done, goddess.” Cassandra’s eyes began to dilate.

  Jimena waited for her to strike, but Cassandra stopped and touched her temple as if she were feeling something strange. Jimena knew from the look on Cassandra’s face that she was having a premonition.

  When it was over, Cassandra smiled strangely. “This power stuff is a knockout.”

  “Did you see something?” Karyl asked.

  “Yeah, wham, like a movie played behind my eyes.” Cassandra’s words rushed out in her excitement.

  “Well.” Morgan seemed impatient. “What?”

  A satisfied look crossed Cassandra’s face. “We defeat the Daughters in the biggest way.”

  Morgan whooped.

  Jimena wondered what Cassandra had seen.

  She listened carefully, hoping to hear a clue.

  Karyl nudged Cassandra. “So tell us.”

>   Cassandra started to walk away, smug. “I told you that if you steal the power from one of them, the rest will tumble.”

  “Yeah, like dominoes,” Karyl agreed.

  “My plan is working.” Cassandra’s pace quickened.

  “Where are you going?” Karyl asked. “You’re not going to get rid of her?”

  “No, the premonition showed me a better plan,” Cassandra said with alacrity.

  Karyl seemed hesitant.

  “I’ve seen the future, Karyl.” She lifted her arms to the rainy night, and swirled suddenly around. Her black cape seemed to take flight. “Jimena is going to bring all the Daughters to the edge of Tartarus!”

  Karyl smiled broadly.

  “And I’ll be part of the Inner Circle.” Cassandra turned to leave, with Morgan and Karyn following close behind.

  Jimena watched them go. She had never been able to stop any of her premonitions from coming true. Did that mean she wouldn’t be able to stop Cassandra’s premonition from coming true either? She felt heartsick. Could all the Daughters be doomed because of her stupidity?

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  JIMENA WAS BREATHLESS when she finally reached Maggie’s apartment and pressed the security button.

  “It’s about time,” Serena’s voice came impatiently over the speaker. “Where have you been?”

  Jimena tried to speak, but her throat was too dry to utter a sound.

  “Jimena?” Serena sounded worried now. She must have sensed trouble, because the magnetic lock buzzed. Jimena opened the door and hurried inside.

  Serena was waiting for her on the fourthfloor landing when the elevator doors slid open. “What happened?” Serena asked.

  “Cassandra and Karyl . . .” Her words fell away when she saw the way Serena was looking at her. What did Serena see in her eyes? Could she tell just by looking at her that she no longer had her power of premonition? Or was it something else?

  Serena put her arm around Jimena. “What did they do to you?”

  Jimena couldn’t find her voice.

  “Come on,” Serena helped her along the balcony. They entered the apartment as Maggie came back from the kitchen, carrying a tray with a tall glass of water. “Drink this, Jimena, and don’t say a word until it is finished.”

  Maggie sat down and Jimena drank. She knew immediately it wasn’t water, but a cold herbal mixture that tasted of sweetened barley. The liquid soothed her throat.

  “Now, dear,” Maggie began. “I assume from the way you look that your last premonition has come true.”

  Jimena nodded. “How can I go down to Tartarus and rescue Veto?”

  Maggie studied her for a long time. “The way down to Tartarus is easy, but to retrace your steps back to the world above is impossible.”

  “I’m willing to try,” Jimena pleaded.

  “It’s too dangerous.” Maggie shook her head. “I cannot let you do it.”

  “I have to do something!” Jimena felt confused. She had thought Maggie would have a plan.

  “I know you’re concerned for Veto,” Maggie spoke sternly, “but perhaps you should be more concerned with what has happened to you. I have warned you time and time again to be careful. If the Followers can stop one Daughter . . . eliminate her, then the power of all the Daughters is greatly weakened. Perhaps you should tell your friends what has happened.”

  Vanessa leaned forward with a nervous expression. Catty twisted a strand of hair between her fingers, her eyes expectant. Only Serena seemed to know already. She looked crushed.

  “Cassandra stole my power,” Jimena confessed. “I was careless.”

  “Tell them the full truth,” Maggie coaxed.

  “I took off my moon amulet and let Veto wear it.” She hated the look of shock and sorrow on the faces of her friends. “But I know Veto is innocent. He was deceived, just as I was.”

  “Yes,” Maggie agreed. “And now all your powers are weakened.”

  “Why don’t we act now?” Serena suggested. “If we know where the Atrox is, then we should go now and strike first.”

  “Yes.” Vanessa seemed suddenly animated. “Why do we always need to wait for the Followers to do something? Let’s attack and get it over with. I hate all this waiting and anticipation.”

  Maggie shook her head slowly.

  “Vanessa’s right,” Catty put in.

  “We should be like a gang,” Jimena added. “If you hear your enemy is gunning for you, then you strike first and hard.”

  Maggie sighed sadly. “I’ve told you. Daughters can never use the tools of evil to fight the Atrox.”

  Jimena finally voiced something that had worried her since Cassandra had taken her power. She spoke hesitantly, the other Daughters staring at her. “Without my power of premonition, am I still a Daughter of the Moon?”

  Maggie hesitated too long. That was more answer than if she had voiced the words.

  “Then I know what I have to do.” Jimena stood and pushed back her chair.

  “No!” Maggie cried sharply, as if she had read her mind and knew what Jimena was going to do. “Evil only feeds evil.”

  “You keep our hands tied,” Jimena accused. The other Daughters watched her, amazed at her anger. “We should have done something before now. If you had let us act on our own a long time back, then maybe Cassandra wouldn’t have been able to trick me and steal my power. Because we would have already destroyed her. Why do we have to act like monks?”

  “You need a cup of tea,” Maggie offered. “Something to settle your nerves. You’re not the first Daughter that this has happened to, and you need to have a clear mind.”

  “I’ve had enough,” Jimena said in a low voice. She could feel her body automatically assuming a threatening pose. She held her head back and looked at the others. “Are all of you going to sit around waiting for Cassandra’s next move?” When they didn’t answer, she continued. “Maggie knows nothing about fighting evil.”

  Serena looked away from her. Catty frowned and Vanessa seemed frightened.

  “Leave it to a homegirl.” Jimena stepped back. “I’ll fight Cassandra and win.”

  She turned abruptly and started to leave.

  “Jimena,” Maggie called after her. “You mustn’t do this!”

  “But I’m not a Daughter anymore, am I?” Jimena asked. “Now that Cassandra has stolen my power. So it doesn’t matter what I do, does it?” Her heart was racing. More than anything, she wanted Maggie to tell her what she had said wasn’t true.

  But Maggie only looked at her sadly.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  JIMENA WALKED WITH purposeful steps toward the door. Her hands trembled as she clutched the doorknob. No one called her back, not even her best friend, Serena, and that hurt. Was it so easy to let her go?

  She yanked the door open, and then she was running down the balcony to the fire stairs. With each step she could feel the locura returning to her, that impossibly crazy-wild feeling she had had before when she was living la vida loca. Nothing could stop her. Just do. Don’t think. She felt invincible again.

  She hurried outside and started to run.

  Someone called her name. She stopped and turned.

  Collin jumped from his utility van. His hair was combed back in a ponytail, and he was wearing a Hawaiian shirt, baggies, and thick sandals.

  “Hi.” His smile was flirty and it annoyed her. “I’m waiting for Serena.”

  Sudden rage ripped through her. She resented that Collin’s life had been so easy. It wasn’t fair.

  “Don’t put your moves on me.” Her voice sounded threatening.

  Collin had been walking toward her and now he stopped abruptly. “What?” he asked with a baffled expression.

  “You heard me. I know you’re waiting for me and I don’t have time to chat it up with some gabacho surfer. You go worry about your waves, pretty boy, I have things to take care of.”

  “What’s your problem?” His words filled with anger of his own.

  She looked at him th
oughtfully. “You. That’s my problem. Go find some perky girl who’s all flirty and blue-eyed and doesn’t understand what life is about.”

  Too late he tried to hide the startled look on his face.

  She hurried away from him.

  “Jimena!” This time when he called her name, she did not stop.

  She had to figure out what she was going to do. She knew a gun wouldn’t help against the Atrox, but a bullet would stop the Followers. Cassandra, Karyl, and Morgan weren’t Immortals yet. A sly smile crept across her face. Wouldn’t they be surprised to come face-to-face with her while she was holding a gun? Daughters had to live up to that goodie-goodie front and never use violence to fight the Atrox. But a homegirl . . . her fingers twitched, anxious for the heavy weight of a gun.

  “You’re going down, Cassandra,” she whispered to the night. The need for revenge filled her heart and made her walk faster.

  She could go to her homies. They would be happy to see her back and excited to go on a mission with her, but she didn’t want to get them involved with the Atrox. She still felt as protective of them as she had in the years back when she was running wild with them and watching their backs. Maybe she could break into the gun shop on Alvarado Street . . . but that felt too close to home. She was sure someone would recognize her.

  Then another idea came to her. She knew where to find guns. Lots of guns. In enemy land. It was dangerous, but it also felt like the perfect solution, and she liked the risk. Her heart started to race as it used to do before a mission. She could go to the abandoned house where she knew her old adversary, Wilshire 5, hid their guns and ammunition.

  Forty-five minutes later Jimena hopped off a bus and hid in the dark shadows of a jacaranda tree as the bus pulled away from the curb.

  She moved stealthily around the tree and scoped out the street. She knew where the Wilshire 5 liked to kick it. All she had to do was sneak past them in the shadows. Her heart found a faster rhythm, and she started forward. It had been a long time since she had gone on a mission. She liked the rush of adrenaline, the dry feel in her mouth, the hot nerves in her muscles. She wondered if this was the way the jaguar felt slinking around its jungle.