Stygian Page 19

“Save her,” he said.

  I lay her down on the rough, cold ground, swept wet strands of hair away from her face, and tilted her head back. I took a deep breath then lowered my lips to her mouth and released a rush of air into Danni. Her chest rose and fell.

  I did it again.

  And again. And again.

  Nothing.

  “Fuck. Jesus, what have I done?”

  “Blood,” Waleron said.

  Danni was lifeless, cold, and pale. Her eyes stared at nothing. Her chest was still. Oh, God, I’d killed her. No. No.

  A sharp pain sliced across my wrist. “Feed her. Now,” Waleron ordered.

  I stared at the blood dripping from my wrist, and then held it to Danni’s mouth. The red liquid slid down her throat, but she wasn’t swallowing.

  Ironic I had to force her to take my blood to save her life when I’d taken her blood to save hers. Fuckin’ fate, spirits, whoever the fuck, were laughing their asses off right now.

  Danni was dead. She had no way to take in my blood. This was wrong. What if we were doing this all wrong? What if changing a human to a Scar was impossible?

  Nothing.

  Nothing was happening.

  “Noooo,” I roared as I picked her up in my arms and held her to my chest. Her head lolled back, and her mouth sagged open. I’d failed.

  No. No.

  I put my lips on hers and kissed her, my hand wrapping in her hair. She didn’t know it, but she’d saved me. She’d stopped me from running, brought me back to fight. She was the reason I wanted to prove to my kind that drinking vampire blood wasn’t a death sentence for other Scars.

  “Don’t you fuckin’ leave me.” But I’d be leaving her for death or Rest. I had no right to beg for anything.

  I rocked her limp body, placing kisses along her face, her neck, her hair.

  She lay lifeless.

  Cold.

  I glared at Waleron. “Save her, damn it. Bring her back.”

  Waleron met my eyes, unyielding and steady. “She was yours to save, not mine.”

  Was. He said was. No, it wasn’t too late. She wanted to fight.

  I’d never give up on her. Never. I’d sworn never to give up. I’d fight until my last breath. I lay her back down then slammed my fist down on her chest. Once. Twice. Then I breathed into her lungs again. Over and over again.

  I put my wrist over her mouth and blood dripped into her mouth. “Damn it. Live. You want to live. Fight, damn it.”

  I needed to see her smile again. Hear her laugh. Watch her walk across a room. I needed her spunk, her honesty. I needed it all.

  I placed my lips over hers again, breathing my air into her lungs. Repeating it over and over. I’d never give up. Never.

  She coughed.

  Blood spurted from her mouth and sprayed my wet shirt. I quickly rolled her on her side as she coughed up a mixture of water and my blood.

  I choked on the sob that emerged from my throat then pulled her tight into my arms. “Fuck, baby.”

  Her body trembled and she coughed several more times before laying still, her cheek pressed to my chest. I kissed the top of her head over and over again while cradling her in my embrace. I ignored the shuffling of feet behind me and Waleron speaking in low tones. All I heard was Danni’s breath and heartbeat.

  “Let her go.”

  I stiffened at the unfamiliar voice. But I knew who it was—a Wraith.

  They were here.

  I had to leave.

  I’d prepared for this.

  I knew running was not in the cards. I kissed her temple and smoothed her wet hair away from her face.

  “The Bond?” I asked Waleron without looking at him.

  “I do not feel anything. It’s broken,” he replied.

  “Balen?” Danni reached up, palm resting on my cheek.

  “Little one.” I took her hand in mine then kissed each finger.

  Despite every instinct telling me to never let go, I came to my unsteady feet, Danni still in my arms.

  She’d be safe now. She was one of them and the Scars would protect her. I looked at Waleron. “Keep her safe.”

  “My word.” Waleron nodded.

  I set Danni on her feet, keeping my hand on the small of her back until I was sure she was steady. “You good?”

  She nodded.

  I stepped away, and that’s when she turned and she saw them.

  “No. Balen.” She grabbed my hand, but I unlinked our fingers and stepped away. “No. He saved my life, damn it. He broke your stupid law to save my life.”

  There were two Wraiths; one looked the elder—dignified and patient—and the other looked the complete opposite. The older one stepped forward, grabbed my wrists, and locked the gold bands on them. “I’m Tor, the Wraith of Earth and with me is Edan, Wraith of Fire.” The sound of the metal bands clicking closed echoed in the cave. I heard Danni’s sharp inhale and fought every instinct to not fight.

  “You’ll be taken to the realm until the Deaconry decides what will become of you. We, the Wraiths of—” Danni’s scream belted into the air. I whirled around just as she fell to her knees, her hands held over her ears.

  “No. No. Stop it.” She shook her head back and forth. “Kilter,” she moaned. “I . . . hear him. He is . . .”

  I looked at Waleron then ran and kneeled in front of her, my hands on her shoulders. “What’s wrong?”

  “Her telepathy is strong. More so than an ancient’s,” Waleron said. “The Stream of Hell has given her this power. She is a Scar Reflector now.”

  “Kilter is thousands of miles away. It’s impossible.”

  Waleron raised his brows. “Never impossible.”

  “Danni. Look at me.” I waited until her eyes rose to mine. “It’s your ability. You’re not used to it yet. Close your mind to everything except what Kilter is saying. He’s a strong telepath like you. What’s he saying?” Why the hell was Kilter reaching out to all Scars?

  Danni raised her head, her eyes wide with horror. “They’re dead. Oh, God. Hannah . . . Hannah and the others are dead.”

  “RYKER?”

  I looked up at Waleron and shook my head. “They . . . they took him. But the others . . . Sandor, Derek, and . . . Hannah. They . . . they killed them.”

  Kilter’s voice drove into my head. “For fuck’s sake, woman, keep it together. I’m going after Ryker. They took him alive. You’re the only one left living who knows where the hideout is—the cave. Go there. In the clearing is a . . .”

  “Why—”

  “Shut up and fuckin’ listen. I’m tracking them. There’s no time. In the back of the cave, on the floor, there’s a hidden door. Crawl down the ladder and follow the tunnel to the end. The bracelet that Hannah gave you, undo it and the latch is the key for the box at the end of the tunnel.”

  Balen stroked my hair. “Kilter, I’m not trained to—”

  “I saved your fuckin’ life, woman. You’ll do this trained or not. And if you don’t, once I finish with these bastards I’m coming for you. Open the box, remove the amulet and bring it to me. And get your head on straight because if you screw this up, it will seriously piss me off. Don’t fuckin’ wear it, wrap it in something and get it to me.”

  “Why? I don’t understand, why me?”

  Kilter remained silent.

  “Kilter?”

  “Unfortunately for me, you’ve just become the strongest telepath among us. So, I’ll use you in order to contact Ryker.”

  “I want to help but—”

  “Shut your mouth and speak to me using your mind. It echoes like a bloody cistern when you speak out loud. Now, can you listen to instructions or not?”

  “Yeah, but—”

  “You’re still talking out loud, so you obviously can’t. Great. Just fuckin’ great. Okay, I’ll make this simple. Do what I tell you, or I’ll kill you. Is that clear enough for you? I’ve called Keir. He’ll meet you at my place.”

  “God, you’re an asshole. I’m trying here. It’s n
ot like I’ve grown up speaking telepathy. Balen is being—”

  “I don’t give a flying fuck what they’re doing to Balen. Get the fuckin’ amulet.”

  It was as if a pillow smothered my head and as soon as Kilter left, the sensation was gone. Hannah was dead. Hannah and Ryker . . . oh, God, Ryker.

  I looked at Balen. “They killed her and . . . they killed them, Balen. Kilter has gone to find Ryker and he needs my help.”

  “Release him,” Waleron said.

  The ground trembled and I grabbed for Balen, my fingers clutching his wet shirt.

  Tor said, “Waleron, I warn you, this is past your ability to stop—”

  “I’ll go in his place,” Waleron stated.

  “No!” Balen and Edan said in unison.

  Waleron continued, “Our law is to preserve our kind. If any are in need, we assist one another. Kilter needs Danni. She knows nothing of the Scars or our abilities. Balen can assist her.”

  “He betrayed his warriors the last time. What makes you think he won’t do it again?” Edan asked.

  Balen flinched.

  “Because I say he won’t,” Waleron answered.

  Edan glared at the three of us. “This is ludicrous.” He curled his hands into fists. “When does it end? He’s escaped his punishment too many times. We must put an end to this.”

  Tor stood stiff, unblinking as he stared at Waleron. I wondered if they were communicating by mind, but both men revealed nothing with their expressions.

  Tor gave one nod. “I will consent to this. But the gold bands remain.” He paused. “And you will go in his place.” The Wraith looked at Balen. “If you run, if you betray us, know that Waleron will no longer walk this Earth.”

  Waleron gave an abrupt nod to Balen, and then, without another word, he disappeared into a cloud of mist.

  “This is bullshit!” Edan said. “Waleron cannot remain in the realm.”

  Tor half-smiled. “And why would you object, Edan?”

  Edan sputtered for a moment and then vanished in a blinding fireball.

  Tor looked at me. “Continue as you do and salvation will pass you by.” He looked at Balen. “Let nature guide you.” The ground shifted, and then he vanished.

  I didn’t have time to think about the Wraith’s words as Balen grabbed my hand and we ran. He had his phone out of his pocket and was dialing before we reached the car.

  Little was said on the flight back to Newfoundland; Balen spent most of his time on the phone with both Keir and Jedrik while I tried to sleep to ease my spiraling emotions. I’d heard nothing further from Kilter, and Balen couldn’t reach him on his cell. He was MIA and, according to Balen, that was what Kilter did best.

  Once we landed, Balen stopped at a drugstore for ibuprofen. Since I’d died and come back to life, I kept hearing mumbled words tap dancing across my mind, undecipherable and growing worse whenever I was around people.

  I swallowed two pills and chugged back my bottled water.

  “Thoughts,” Balen said. “Those around you. You can hear what they’re thinking. You have to learn to block them out or it will eventually drive you crazy.”

  “How come I can’t hear your thoughts?” I’d like to know what he was thinking right now. He looked tense, had barely said two words to me the entire flight.

  “I can block you. Like telepathy. It’s like a live wire, disconnect it.”

  “How?”

  His gaze turned to me for a split second then went back to the road; instead of a frown, I got a scowl. Pleasant.

  “Focus. Concentration. Meditation. Whatever works,” Balen answered.

  It was my fault he was acting cold and distant. He didn’t deserve that, but the truth was we didn’t win this fight. “Balen. I said those things because . . .” I glanced at the gold bands around his wrists. They were a reminder of what awaited us. “I’m fighting, damn it. But us . . . we don’t win this.” I put my hand on top of the band and he stiffened. “It hurts. Seeing these. Knowing what will happen. It hurts so fucking much and I can’t stop it. I have to let go. I need to.” A tear escaped and rolled down my cheek then dripped onto my shirt. “And so do you.”

  He swerved the car over to the shoulder and before I had the chance to do anything, he grabbed me by the shoulders and forced me to face him. I winced as his fingers dug into my flesh.

  His green eyes penetrated, and I shifted uncomfortably. “Balen, what—” Suddenly, his thoughts hit me and my breath hitched.

  He was terrified. The drowning incident played over and over in his head. I heard his thoughts and fears of losing me, the one anchor in his life, the woman who made him laugh after years of having no one. How I made him feel whole. How I made him want to fight for me. For him. For us.

  But what hurt him the most was that I’d given up on us, on him. I didn’t trust in what we shared.

  And then . . . then I was encompassed by the love he felt for me. It was a powerful warmth surrounding me, a protective shield that refused to bend.

  Just as suddenly as his thoughts flooded my mind, they were gone. He released my shoulders, put the car in drive, and skidded forward, all without saying a single word.

  I was too stunned to speak. What could I say to a man’s inner most thoughts? He loved me and it was destroying him that I’d given up.

  Could I let my heart be broken? Wasn’t it already breaking? What if we only had weeks, days, maybe hours left together? Would I regret spending our last days together loving or trying to protect my heart?

  I closed my eyes. Balen would be taken from me. I was going to lose him.

  My father never fought. Maybe it was time I did. For the both of us.

  “Pull over,” I ordered. He ignored me and I put my hand on the gearshift. “Pull over or I’ll jam this BMW into park and let the transmission dump out onto the highway.”

  Balen took his time bringing the car to a stop. He let it idle while his hands gripped the steering wheel.

  “I love you.” There was no reaction from him as he stared out the windshield. “I’m not good at it. Shit, I suck at it.” I sighed then tucked my hair behind my ear. “My dad . . . he and my mom loved one another so much. They were inseparable, and then when my mom died, it destroyed him. He was never the same, lost in his own world until finally he couldn’t take it anymore and put a gun to his head.

  “I found him in his office.” I rubbed my arms as a cold shiver crawled over my body. “I never wanted that kind of love.” I reached over and put my hand on his arm. I guessed it was a good sign when he didn’t move away. “I don’t ever want that to happen to me. To love so much that I can’t go on without that person. I’m terrified that when they finally take you away, I won’t be able to go on. I’ll fall so hard that I won’t be able to get back up again.”

  “You’re not your father, Danni,” Balen said then looked at me, his face hard and unyielding. “You’ll go on because that’s in your soul. You’re a fighter, a survivor. I saw it. I lived it. You just need to find it again.” He reached over and cupped my chin. “You’ll never lose me. No matter what happens, I’ll always be here, whether as I am now or as a breeze in the fuckin’ wind. I won’t ever leave you.”

  Balen leaned toward me and his lips met mine. It was everything in that kiss, warmth, a promise, and even a goodbye. I sagged into him, his mouth bruising as if it was imprinting this kiss into me forever.

  I watched Balen pace the length of Ryker’s destroyed living room. Keir, Jedrik, Hack, and Delara had arrived hours earlier and were waiting when we arrived.

  He stepped over torn cushions, glass shards, and destroyed antiques. “She’s not a warrior,” he shouted. “Her training is fuck all. She’s been a Scar for hours. Hours, damn it. She gets the amulet, gives it to us, and takes a flight back to Toronto.”

  “Balen?” He ignored me, all of them did, except Delara, who winked then mouthed men.

  Jedrik rolled his eyes. “You’re being overprotective. We’re here to keep her safe. Frig, ma
n, her telepathy far surpasses—” He shut his mouth abruptly, and when I looked at Balen, I knew why. His scowl was fierce, and goose bumps rose on my arms.

  I slipped my hand in Balen’s as he stepped toward Jedrik. “Baby, no. Please. I can help.” I wanted to help Ryker.

  He grunted then peered down at me, his expression softening. “You’ve never called me baby before.”

  I shrugged and squeezed his hand.

  “Love that.”

  “Jedrik is right. Her telepathy is strong,” Keir said then addressed me directly. “We all feel it. For Kilter to reach you from that far away was, well, I’m not aware of any that have that capability.”

  “Ulrich did,” Jedrik said.

  I noticed the sudden tension in the room. “Who’s Ulrich?”

  Jedrik answered, “Kilter’s brother. He killed him.”

  Kilter killed his own brother and I was the one who had to communicate with this guy.

  Keir turned to Balen. “Kilter is right. We need her to speak to Ryker on the inside.”

  “I said no. We find another way.” Balen glared at Keir.

  “Do I get a say in this?” I asked.

  “Her telepathy is too strong not to utilize, Balen. Ryker’s life is at stake,” Keir argued.

  “I’ll do it,” I said.

  Keir nodded. “Good. Kilter is complicated, but he can be trusted. I spoke with him an hour ago and, whoever these guys are, they have Ryker contained in a room made of steel. They must know about our telepathy limits and have taken precautions.”

  “Can you really do that? Speak to us through steel?” Jedrik asked.

  I shrugged. “I’ve no idea.”

  Delara went and sat beside Jedrik on the couch. He ruffled her hair and she punched him in the shoulder. “If Kilter reached you in Zugarramurdi in a cave, then you can reach anyone,” Delara said.

  Jedrik rubbed his hands together. “So what’s the plan? Because I’ve been itching for some action for weeks.”

  “If you cut your girlie hair, maybe you’d get some action,” Hack said.

  Jedrik shook his loose, blond curls and they danced over his ears. “Yeah, well, at least I have plenty of it. It looks like you need a few seedlings planted.”