Billow (14 page)

A clear awareness settled over me.

I didn't need to worry about Alex, Aubrey, Chloe, or anyone else.

Because if the
sondaleur
killed all those demons, there'd be no more threat.

"You two get in the car and leave." My voice was harsh. "My aura's too bright for you to stay close. I'll distract them."

"What are you —"

But I was already running. Not hearing anything except the pull driving me forward and shutting everything else out.

Instincts recognized what I wanted. What would finally satisfy the bone-deep ache and extinguish the constant knot of fear and panic.

Blackness tore through.

A primal urge roared to life in a storm of undiluted hatred and the sharp hunger of need.

The need to make them bleed. Pay.

They'd see my aura soon. Which meant the only leverage I had was speed and surprise.

Feet flew over asphalt and concrete in silence, my quickening breath shifting the night air. 

Two hundred fifty yards.

I leaped over a short wire fence bordering an elementary school.

Scorching currents of magic licked my skin. I tugged harder on my Virtue, pulling everything into a whirlwind of unleashed power.

I crossed a parking lot toward the school playground. The outline of equipment transformed to harsh shadows against the night sky.

Hundred and fifty yards.

Empty vacuums turned in my direction. They spotted my aura.

Pumping my legs, I increased my speed.

Come and get me.

Arms spread wide, dagger glowing golden. Giant black silhouettes stood in front of two motorcycles parked near a jungle gym.

Thirty yards.

Easily topping six feet, they both had muscular builds. One had long, frizzy hair tied in a ponytail. The other kept its hair back with a blue bandanna. Dressed in leather jackets and steel-toed boots, they bore identical snarls on their faces.

Charging, they attempted to pin me on both sides.

Leg straightened and I whipped around in a circle.

Boot slammed against Frizzy-hair's skull in a high kick. Dagger cleanly sliced through the other's stomach.

A scream cut through the air. The gutted Aquidae dropped.

In one continuous motion, I transferred the dagger to my left.

Frizzy-hair still careened from my kick. Arm drove up in a diagonal, blade cleaving through chest.

It fell. Blood spurted in a thick curve of black.

My attention shifted to Bandanna boy on the ground.

I was just getting started.

A low growl I didn't recognize erupted from my mouth and I pounced.

The light of Essence streaked in a blaze of gold. Dagger thrust again and again. Blade tore through skin and muscle, the sound of ripping flesh beating in time to the pulsing need within me.

Triumph screamed. Finally.

Able to do something. Make it bleed as I did. Make it hurt.

I wouldn't allow them to do it to anyone else.

I won't let you.

The sound of Frizzy-hair stirring came from behind.

Bandanna boy lay unmoving, torn body already beginning the regeneration process.

But I'd inflicted enough wounds that it'd be awhile before it could stand.

And then I'd do it all over again.

I yanked the blade out of its ribs and stood to face the other.

Frizzy-hair slowly got off the ground, the last edges of its chest wound sizzling shut. Salty sweat and the acrid stench of black blood soaked the air.

Your turn.

It grabbed a tire iron resting against one of the bikes. Eyes were holes of savage violence.

We circled.

It was using the rod to maintain physical distance. It could attack and still prevent me from getting close enough to cut.

I bared my teeth, relishing the challenge.

Because I was going to make this hurt.

Virtue tumbled out of control and magic flared like the purest fire. After restraining it all week, I reveled in the flames.

I pulled harder and the inferno spread hotter. Faster.

It burned and I welcomed it.

This pain I could handle. This pain meant strength and power.

Dagger arm thrust, aiming for its weapon hand. It darted and blade scored its upper arm.

I pivoted in counter-attack and caught a sudden flash of movement.

The flicker of ridiculous lime-green glimmered like a beam.

It pierced through the shroud of furious magic and reminded me of something I'd completely forgotten.

Alex. Aubrey
.

They hadn't left. They followed me.

Realization hit in a shocking rush.

And for one moment, I lost focus.

The Aquidae pounced. Tire iron swung.

I snapped back into my body and dodged. Left arm instinctively flew up in a block.

Rod glanced off my wrist and searing pain shot through me.

I gritted my teeth.

Focus
.

Alex approached from the north.

I weaved back and forth, left and right. Frizzy-hair's eyes followed my movements and it advanced.

With each step, I pulled it away from the fallen Aquidae and Alex.

Green darted across the playground. Alex crouched by the unconscious Aquidae.

Golden glow shimmered and his
kouperet
staked it.

One left.

There was no way to avoid it. I had to reach the Origin.

I stilled, provoking it to attack.

Come on.

With a demonic cry, it lunged.

Wait.

Its arm pulled back, weapon ready to strike.

Closer.

I steeled myself.

Its jaw opened, face contorted in violence.

Pores glistened. Gaping maw opened in a primordial scream.

Now
.

Dagger arm shot toward its neck. Glowing tip pierced the Origin.

Tire iron arced.

I withdrew my dagger and shifted.

But I wasn't fast enough.

Steel hammered my left calf and a sharp crack resounded through the air.

I cried out. Blinding pain jolted up, blasting into my skull.

The bulky Aquidae smashed into me, its weight pinning me to the ground.

Get up.

Taking deep breaths, I tried to push past the pain. Tears streamed down my face.

Get up. Get up.

Bracing against the ground, I heaved the corpse off and rolled away. Hurt exploded through my entire body, a combination of injuries and the after-effect of using so much Virtue.

An involuntary moan escaped my lips.

Alex was by my side. "Irisavie!"

"I think…" The words were strained. "Broke my leg."

Running footsteps preceded the arrival of Aubrey.

"Why didn't you leave?" My voice came out reedy.

They both ignored me.

"Is she okay?" Panic laced her tone. "Kendra, are you okay?"

She bent over me, her skin chalky white.

Emerald eyes took in the bloated wrist and left leg positioned at an awkward angle. The dirt, sweat, and black blood that caked the gorgeous wool coat she'd outfitted me in.

Fear and horror flitted across her face.

And for a fleeting second, I wasn't sure if she was afraid for me or of me.

"We need to get help. We have to take her to the hospital."

"No." Just the thought of going to Lyondale Hospital sent panic into my throat. "No hospital."

"I don't know if we should move her," Alex muttered. "It looks pretty bad —"

"A Healer at Haverleau can fix it."

"But the hospital is clo—"

"We have to go," I ground out. "Now."

We were exposed, out in the open. If any more Aquidae showed up, we were completely vulnerable.

Alex understood the urgency. His arm slid underneath and carefully pulled me up. Wincing, I struggled to balance weight on my uninjured right leg. Aubrey came to the other side and I put my arms around their shoulders.

I took a deep breath and looked down.

White spots flickered and I would've fallen over if they weren't holding me. My leg was badly swollen, looking almost deformed.

"I drove here," Aubrey said quietly. "We just need to get to the lot."

The short distance to the car was slow going and excruciating. They supported my weight and I hopped forward on one foot.

Jaw clenched. Each jump jarred my body.

They helped me lie down in the back seat of her Lexus and I struggled against the fog crowding the edge of my vision.

Aubrey drove to the Silk exit and Alex got in his car. Unable to hold back the blackness, I let it overtake me.

When I regained consciousness, she was on the phone.

"She broke a leg…"

"Alex."

Worried expression appeared in the rearview mirror. "He's behind us. We're almost there, Kendra."

Leg felt every bump and crevice in the road and the use of magic left a ferocious ache that echoed in every cell.

It was too much.

I slipped in and out, the pain returning with a vengeance each time I floated back to awareness.

Strong arms carefully lifted and held me against a muscular chest. The familiar clean, masculine smell wrapped me in a warm blanket of sensations that were too real. Too close.

Of all the people…

And then I fell back into the blackness that knew no pain.

TWELVE

I peeked through my eyelashes. Long, beautiful fingers rested on top of legs crossed at the knee.

I evened out my breathing and stayed still. Maybe he'd go away.

"I know you're awake."

Why did Aubrey have to call him?

Giving up the pretense, I opened my eyes. He leaned back in the chair next to my bed, posture relaxed and expression blank.

"Let's talk." Tristan's voice was calm.

I slowly sat up and winced at the tenderness in my leg and wrist. The Healer had already fixed the break and bruising. Thankfully, I didn't remember any of it because that must've hurt like a bitch.

"There's nothing to talk about."

"You went to Lyondale by yourself, met with a nix known for underground dealings, and engaged with two Aquidae." With each word, his voice hardened. "I think that's something to start with."

"You're not gardinel anymore." I made a dismissive gesture. "You're not responsible for protecting me."

A line furrowed between his brows. "As Crown Prince, the gardinels still fall under my authority."

"So?"

He raised his brow. "So I want to know why they didn't know where the
sondaleur
and her friends were last night. Perhaps they need to be reassigned."

Much as I resented Ewan's hovering, I didn't want him getting into trouble over something I did. I was sure Aubrey felt the same way about Garreth.

Tristan knew they were really good at their jobs. For God's sake, Garreth was Chief Gardinel.

He was trying to get me to talk.

"You know it wasn't their fault," I muttered.

"I don't know anything until you tell me what happened."

I sighed inwardly. He wasn't going to let it go. "I was being responsible."

A combination of shock and incredulity crossed his face. "What?"

"As
sondaleur
, I didn't want to put anyone else in danger, Your Highness," I replied coolly. "I needed information and the nix obviously has a problem with chevaliers and gardinels."

For a moment, he looked speechless. "You think a Redavi ondine and two unqualified elites, one of whom is completely without experience and the other is the
sondaleur
, going off to Lyondale at night is being responsible?"

When he put it that way, of course it didn't sound great.

"Alex and Aubrey followed me without my knowledge," I argued. "I specifically told them not to—"

"How did you think they were going to react?" His eyes blazed. "You planned this with them. What did you think they were going to do? Sit around and do nothing while you did the dangerous part alone?"

Alex had said practically the same thing. I decided to ignore the fact that everybody seemed to know what they would do except me.

"I have the skills and experience to handle the nix," I told him. "As the
sondaleur
and Ian's friend, it was my responsibility to take care of it."

"Why didn't you talk to me? I would've helped."

I didn't respond.

Concern and something that almost looked like doubt flashed across his face.

"Don't…" He hesitated and for a moment I thought he wasn't going to finish. "Don't you trust me?"

Of course, I trusted him. There was no one I trusted more than him.

And that scared me. Because eventually he'd leave again. Go off and take over his royal duties as Crown Prince.

Tristan couldn't help the way he was. Even though he wasn't my gardinel, he felt he had to do right by the
sondaleur
. His wiring wouldn't allow him to do anything less.

The problem was me.

I didn't want him slowly sliding back into my life. Doing things that made him impossible to forget.

I wouldn't be able to keep him in a professional box. The inevitable yearning would come again, the longing for things to be different.

"You left Haverleau because you had more important things to do," I evaded. "You resigned your position as Chief Gardinel. That means you don't have to deal with me."

He frowned as if he were trying to figure out what I meant.

I'm not your job anymore
.

I wasn't anything to him anymore.

Burying the twinge of pain in my chest, I shifted on the bed and grimaced. Whatever the Healers did, it'd taken a toll.

He noticed the stiff movements. "It's not just the after-effects of Healing. It's because of the magic you used last night."

I wasn't going to apologize for the power that let me take out those demonic freaks. "It sure came in handy."