Free Dark Goddess by J. N. Colon Page B

my way and keep your trap shut.”
    He sat down and saluted me.  “Yes ma’am.  I like a girl who knows what she wants.”
    I shook my head and turned heel, striding toward the group of cheerleader hopefuls.
     
    The girls broke into groups to practice the routines we taught.  Each senior was responsible for one while I walked around and monitored.  I ambled passed a small collection of freshmen, a tall one with auburn hair and big brown eyes catching my attention.  She waved shyly at me.  An image of her with unnatural pitch eyes and a gaping maw of black mist flowing out slammed into my consciousness.
    Her name was Ashley.  She was the nervous freshmen contestant in the Miss Northwood pageant months ago that had been possessed by a dark soul.  She attacked me in the parking lot where Hayden saved me, demonstrating his awesome power for the first time.
    A pang resonated in my chest thinking about my dark god and knowing he was hiding something.  Thanks to him she was looking a lot less evil and had no memory of the event.
    I smiled and waved back.  She was a sweet girl.  I hoped she made the team.
    “Hey Hartley!”
    My gaze shifted, landing on a few more freshmen, all of them waving excitedly at me.  I didn’t know them personally, but I distinctly remembered them being possessed by a sin spirit.  They had been controlled by envy and followed me around like freaky stalkers.  They cornered me in the bathroom and were practically salivating over me.
    Thanks again Reese .  The bleachers were suddenly empty, the god not where I left him.
    My eyes narrowed as I sought him out, finding him with a group of juniors.  His hands were on a girl’s arms, moving them as if he was instructing her on the dance.  I stomped toward him and planted my hands on my hips.
    “Okay,” he told her.  “Make sure you straighten those elbows on that one move and then drop your left arm.”
    She bit her lip and demonstrated for him.”
    “Yep.  Just like that.”
    I cleared my throat to get his attention without success.
    “And then your other arm forward.”
    I cleared it again, my jaw flexing with annoyance.  “What are you doing?” I hissed.
    Reese whirled around, a wide smile stretching across his face.  “I’m helping.”
    My brows slammed together.  “I told you to stay on the bleachers.”
    The girls shared worried glances with each other.
    “I was helping.”  He motioned toward the girl he’d been instructing.  “I can’t help it.  Competition is in my nature.  She was doing it wrong.  I’m just trying to give her a fighting chance.”
    “He really was helping.”  Stephanie said.  “Our senior teacher is kind of MIA at the moment.”
    My eyes glanced around.  “Who’s your senior?”  I didn’t need to ask.  I was pretty sure I knew who it was.
    “Darby.”
    Why wasn’t I surprised?
    “Yeah.  That little stuck up blonde one disappeared so I thought I’d help since I’m already here and all…”  Reese trailed off, shrugging his wide, muscled shoulders.
    One of the girls put her hands together and bit her bottom lip.  “Please Hartley.  Can he stay?”
    Several other girls began a chorus of pleases.
    Reese was flashing his pearly whites again, batting his dark lashes too thick to be human.  “Please Hartley.”
    “Ugh fine.”  At least he’d be out of my hair for a while.
    The girls jumped up and down.  “Thank you.”
    I waved as I walked away.  I can’t believe the god of war is teaching cheerleaders how to be cheerleaders.
    How is this the same guy who let loose sin spirits and tried to kill me?
     
    “You can seriously stop following me now.”  I tried to slam my front door on Reese’s face, but being a god he caught it easily and strolled inside.
    “No, no.  I’d rather stay with you in case you need me to pop you into the Underworld.”
    I rolled my eyes.  “I can call Hermes.”  I dropped my books on the breakfast bar with a loud thud.  “Does