Archenemies

It was true. It was still true. She was scared. Scared that she felt this way for Adrian Everhart, a Renegade. Scared that she couldn’t quite escape it, no matter how many times she reminded herself that he was the enemy.

Scared that even now, she knew that she wasn’t trying to get close to him only because Ace had suggested it. If anything, that was just a convenient excuse to do exactly what she’d wanted to do all along.

It shouldn’t be that hard, she had been telling herself all week. Adrian was handsome, talented, honorable, kind. So why did every nerve in her body rebel at the thought of faking attraction to him? Of flirting with him, merely for the sake of flirting? Of pretending to be interested?

The answer was thrown back in her face, and she fidgeted with her bracelet.

Because maybe it wouldn’t be fake.

And to discover that she actually liked him, against all her better judgment, would cost far too much.

Much as she hated to admit it, even to herself, she missed him. She missed the way he used to look at her. No one had ever looked at her quite the way that Adrian Everhart did.

He hadn’t made any attempts to kiss her since. He hadn’t asked her on any more semi-dates. He hadn’t tried to get her alone or bring her sandwiches in the middle of the night or stop by her house to see if she was okay. All those things that had seemed like such a nuisance before, but now …

Things had not been the same ever since the carnival, and Nova knew it was her fault. Adrian had tried to kiss her. For a moment, she had even thought that she might want him to kiss her. That she might like it.

But she’d blown it. She ran away. Literally ran. She couldn’t even remember what excuse she gave at the time, but she could clearly recall the rejection that flashed across his features.

He was grinning—that open, heart-stopping smile that she absolutely loathed.

She met Adrian’s gaze, and for the briefest of moments all he could think about was how her blue eyes were brighter than usual, from the morning air or the exercise or maybe there was just really good lighting on this floor, and …

He really needed to stop thinking about it.

Sometimes, a smile is the most powerful weapon we have.

Superheroes are only as good as their conviction.

THE RENEGADES: SKETCH’S TEAM

SKETCH — Adrian Everhart

Can bring his drawings and artwork to life

MONARCH — Danna Bell

Transforms into a swarm of monarch butterflies

RED ASSASSIN — Ruby Tucker

When wounded, her blood crystallizes into weaponry; signature weapon is a grappling hook formed from a bloodstone SMOKESCREEN — Oscar Silva

Summons smoke and vapor at will

THE RENEGADES: FROSTBITE’S TEAM

FROSTBITE — Genissa Clark

Creates weapons of ice from water molecules in the air AFTERSHOCK — Mack Baxter

Causes the ground to move with earthquake-like force GARGOYLE — Trevor Dunn

Mutates all or parts of his body into solid stone STINGRAY — Raymond Stern

Delivers venom via a barbed tail

THE ANARCHISTS

NIGHTMARE — Nova Artino

Never sleeps, and can put others to sleep with her touch THE DETONATOR — Ingrid Thompson

Creates explosives from the air that can be detonated at will PHOBIA — True Name Unknown

Transforms his body and scythe into the embodiment of various fears

THE PUPPETEER — Winston Pratt

Turns people into mindless puppets who do his bidding QUEEN BEE — Honey Harper

Exerts control over all bees, hornets, and wasps CYANIDE — Leroy Flinn

Generates acidic poisons through his skin

HAWTHORN — Name unknown

Wields deadly thorn-covered tentacles

THE RENEGADE COUNCIL

CAPTAIN CHROMIUM — Hugh Everhart

Has superstrength and is nearly invincible to physical attacks; can generate chromium weaponry

THE DREAD WARDEN — Simon Westwood

Can turn invisible

TSUNAMI — Kasumi Hasegawa

Generates and manipulates water

THUNDERBIRD — Tamaya Rae

Generates thunder and lightning; can fly

BLACKLIGHT — Evander Wade

Creates and manipulates light and darkness