'Ever since Hayden became my bodyguard, I perceived him as a gullible jerk whom I can easily manipulate with money,' Aubrey thought to herself, her fist crumpling her skirt. 'But never have I ever expected him to be so arrogantly cool.'
That silly thought bubbled up her head, smitten by that chivalrous display. Her perspective of Hayden took a perfect 180 shift. The Hayden she used to look down on now radiated a formidable presence, and her pulse skipped a beat at the realization.
Aubrey was dazzled, but she couldn't let that side of her slip, not in front of Hayden.
Aubrey huffed, glaring up at him. "There you go again, showing off! I'm not a DH, so don't expect me to keep up with your endless stamina!" Her voice was sharp, but her quick glance betrayed a flicker of admiration she refused to admit.
"I'm not saying that you need to keep up with my pace, just don't slow me down… and save your complaints to yourself, it's unpleasant to my ears."
Aubrey lifted herself up, acting tough. "I swear I'll punish you when we make it out here."
Hayden was full of her, so he grabbed her again, ensuring that the elusive bitch won't slip away like a lost child.
Eventually, they reached the northeast side, stopping by a tall, bricked wall about ten buildings away from the main entrance. This wall encompassed the entire school grounds, towering nearly twelve feet high with a line of metal spikes along the top edge.
Hayden crouched and vaulted upward, his fingers finding a narrow grip just between the spikes. In one smooth motion, he hauled himself up. He grabbed one of the spike's shafts and tore it apart like clay.
From his perch, he outstretched a hand toward Aubrey.
Standing below, Aubrey glanced at his hand and scoffed. She tried climbing on her own, and a few slips later, she gave up. With a quiet groan, she reached up and took his hand. Hayden pulled her up effortlessly before carrying her down on the other side safely.
Beyond the wall was the quiet parking area. There are no students in the place except them since all of the students who managed to escape are on the southern side of the school.
The place was on the edge of the barrier. Hayden scanned the surroundings—no demons in sight, and the barrier ended just beyond the parking lot. He and Aubrey headed that way. As they passed through, the purplish veil rippled around their body like liquid glass, parting without resistance. Their vehicle was waiting on the other side.
Apparently, Hayden wasn't the only one bold enough to take that route because Jace was there too. Both bodyguards seemed to think alike when it came to risk.
"I'm glad you made it out safe and sound," Grace said, running to her twin.
"Thank god you're also unharmed," Aubrey replied, her tone softening for once.
While the twins checked up on each other, their bodyguards stood nearby, their conversation heavier since they share the same depth of knowledge.
"How did it go on your end? You took longer than it's supposed to," Jace said.
"I did encounter light troubles. It caused unnecessary delays, but I managed," Hayden replied.
Both bodyguards nodded, understanding each other well.
"At any rate, we should finish the job," Hayden added.
"I concur. We ought to bring the protectees back to the mansion."
Hayden was still contemplating the stem of this mysterious and unorthodox umbrella gate. However, after encountering those demons that vanished upon being killed, the faintest idea surged through his perplexity. So, he asked, "Before we depart, I'd like to ask if you stumble upon a demon-looking creature inside the barrier?"
Jace's brow lifted, his expression unreadable but his eyes sharp. "As a matter of fact, yes," he replied. "When the barrier appeared, I was escorting Grace to safety. On the way, we came across a distressed girl, and she transformed into something... unnatural."
Hayden's gaze narrowed. "So, it was you who left its corpse on the pathway."
"Correct," Jace answered. "It transformed right before my eyes and attacked. It was rather weak, so I took it down quickly."
Hayden re-envisioned the moment when he watches the transforming demons in the student line back in his classroom building. Though he didn't notice those students acting discomposed, it's clear that they all abruptly transform just like Jace's encounter.
On top of all that, the most important piece of information that he recalled from that event was that the students who turned monstrous were all female.
"Are you certain that the demon-like creature that attacked you was once a girl?" Hayden asked.
"I'm certain."
At that very moment, it clicks into Hayden.
It's as if every piece of the puzzle linked itself together and fell into place, forming the final picture that gravely shocked Hayden. It all makes sense to him now; the cursed students, the timing with the gate, the mission to assassinate Conor, and the demonic presence he felt yesterday when they passed by the front of the infirmary on their way to Liam's fight. All of that is not just a coincidence. It was all connected.
Finally grasping the potential danger of the situation, Hayden's current plan to bring the girls home changed. His original mission to kill the principal was back on the chalkboard.
'All along…' Hayden muttered, his eyes widening. 'Conor wasn't luring female students into his chamber to molest them. This entire time, his victims were nothing but hosts of his curse. He spread it and patiently waited for this precise moment before triggering the curse. It's Conor who orchestrated it all. His plan was only made possible, because all this time, he was a wolf in sheep's clothing—he is an archdemon.'