Sky Ghosts: Marco (Young Adult Urban Fantasy Adventure) (Sky Ghosts Series Book 1.5) by Alexandra Engellmann
Authors: Alexandra Engellmann
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Chapter 1
She landed on the highest roof in the area and looked out over the streets below. They stared back at her like a many-eyed black beast, their scattered yellow lamps blinking lazily. A minute passed before her eyes adjusted and she was able to see clearly through the dim light. Not a soul was visible in the mazelike alleys, but that was no surprise, considering that she was in Port Morris, with its gloomy factories and warehouses. She had already searched five sectors in Brooklyn, and there was nothing of interest going on. It was like the entire criminal society of New York had decided to take a day off, leaving the Sky Ghosts’ patrols with nothing else to do but slouch around the city, smoke, and gossip. They kept shooing her away because she wasn’t supposed to be there, and she was bored, all hope of any excitement gone over the last hour. Still, it was better than staying home, and just the feeling of the wind on her face made the time spent outside worthwhile. She belonged here in the sky, not within four walls, waiting obediently for another lesson.
So now she peered through the hazy air, the last spark of hope fading inside her chest. She knew Zac’s group was patrolling this sector, and she searched for them, black on black down there on the streets.
The summer night was warm, so she wasn’t cold standing at the top of the building like that. Indeed, her thick gear would protect her from the wind even if it were winter. She crouched on the edge, feeling the familiar weight of the sword on her back; or more precisely, the scabbard that weighed three times more than the sword itself. But it was necessary for a long sword like hers, and she brushed her irritation aside, focusing on the streets below.
A few minutes passed before she finally noticed a movement. Her feet left the concrete surface of the roof, and she descended in a free fall down the tall building, the wind whooshing around her. It slammed the breath out of her chest when she stopped her fall at the third-story level, and the air exploded around her, sending her forward between the closely-packed buildings. Her eyes never left the spot where she had seen someone move, and as she got nearer, she could make out three hovering shadows. She slowed down and let her power fade, bringing her to a crouched stop on another roof. There were more dark, unmoving forms on the ground around the three standing figures. Invisible against the black sky, she sat still and watched the patrol move around the spot, conferring in quiet voices. They seemed to have just arrived, and now two of them stood over one of the bodies. She couldn’t make out what they were saying, so she had no choice but to join them, otherwise they would take off and leave her with nothing but frustration at missing the chance to learn what had happened.
She jumped off the rooftop without a sound and stole through the shadows, a stubborn feeling of malice not letting her miss an opportunity to startle them.
“What have you got there?” she asked loudly from the dark, making the three heads snap up. Their eyes stabbed into her, and Zac frowned as he composed his face, hiding his surprised expression.
“I thought you weren’t allowed to patrol yet,” he commented, ignoring her question.
He brushed back his tousled black hair and bent over the body, his blue eyes troubled.
Allowed, she snorted mentally. Undisturbed by his response, she circled the body curiously, like a hyena regarding a fresh kill.
“Is he alive?” she asked, pulling on the fallen man’s collar, to see the Mark on his neck. It was there, of course.
“Yep,” answered Chris, Zac’s partner, as he crouched over the man. “Unconscious, smells like whiskey, but alive,” his full lips quirked in a lopsided smirk. The wind blew his curly blond hair into his face, but he didn’t seem to notice.
“Wounded?”
“No, which is surprising…” Chris muttered, glancing at the bodies around them.
“Look
She landed on the highest roof in the area and looked out over the streets below. They stared back at her like a many-eyed black beast, their scattered yellow lamps blinking lazily. A minute passed before her eyes adjusted and she was able to see clearly through the dim light. Not a soul was visible in the mazelike alleys, but that was no surprise, considering that she was in Port Morris, with its gloomy factories and warehouses. She had already searched five sectors in Brooklyn, and there was nothing of interest going on. It was like the entire criminal society of New York had decided to take a day off, leaving the Sky Ghosts’ patrols with nothing else to do but slouch around the city, smoke, and gossip. They kept shooing her away because she wasn’t supposed to be there, and she was bored, all hope of any excitement gone over the last hour. Still, it was better than staying home, and just the feeling of the wind on her face made the time spent outside worthwhile. She belonged here in the sky, not within four walls, waiting obediently for another lesson.
So now she peered through the hazy air, the last spark of hope fading inside her chest. She knew Zac’s group was patrolling this sector, and she searched for them, black on black down there on the streets.
The summer night was warm, so she wasn’t cold standing at the top of the building like that. Indeed, her thick gear would protect her from the wind even if it were winter. She crouched on the edge, feeling the familiar weight of the sword on her back; or more precisely, the scabbard that weighed three times more than the sword itself. But it was necessary for a long sword like hers, and she brushed her irritation aside, focusing on the streets below.
A few minutes passed before she finally noticed a movement. Her feet left the concrete surface of the roof, and she descended in a free fall down the tall building, the wind whooshing around her. It slammed the breath out of her chest when she stopped her fall at the third-story level, and the air exploded around her, sending her forward between the closely-packed buildings. Her eyes never left the spot where she had seen someone move, and as she got nearer, she could make out three hovering shadows. She slowed down and let her power fade, bringing her to a crouched stop on another roof. There were more dark, unmoving forms on the ground around the three standing figures. Invisible against the black sky, she sat still and watched the patrol move around the spot, conferring in quiet voices. They seemed to have just arrived, and now two of them stood over one of the bodies. She couldn’t make out what they were saying, so she had no choice but to join them, otherwise they would take off and leave her with nothing but frustration at missing the chance to learn what had happened.
She jumped off the rooftop without a sound and stole through the shadows, a stubborn feeling of malice not letting her miss an opportunity to startle them.
“What have you got there?” she asked loudly from the dark, making the three heads snap up. Their eyes stabbed into her, and Zac frowned as he composed his face, hiding his surprised expression.
“I thought you weren’t allowed to patrol yet,” he commented, ignoring her question.
He brushed back his tousled black hair and bent over the body, his blue eyes troubled.
Allowed, she snorted mentally. Undisturbed by his response, she circled the body curiously, like a hyena regarding a fresh kill.
“Is he alive?” she asked, pulling on the fallen man’s collar, to see the Mark on his neck. It was there, of course.
“Yep,” answered Chris, Zac’s partner, as he crouched over the man. “Unconscious, smells like whiskey, but alive,” his full lips quirked in a lopsided smirk. The wind blew his curly blond hair into his face, but he didn’t seem to notice.
“Wounded?”
“No, which is surprising…” Chris muttered, glancing at the bodies around them.
“Look
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