Bladed Wings (53 page)

              When she scored another point, Seth pulled the puck from his slot and asked, “Are you okay for time?” Kayla didn’t check, but nodded anyway. If Seth knew what she was doing, he didn’t give any sign.

              Seth had been mostly right. As they played through the arcade, she didn’t think about her family as much. There were a few flashes of nervous that stung and froze at the same time, but Seth would smile at her or tease her or just stand beside her. His presence, being so close, always pushed those fears away. He warmed her up again and made it easy to relax.

              Five games later, they were talking about new movies. Kayla said she hadn’t been to a movie with popcorn in a really long time. With a grin, he said he’d love to take her some time. Standard date procedure, but they hadn’t done that part yet.

              “Let’s go now.”

              “You have time?” he must’ve known the answer, but he’d let her decide. Kayla thought she was lucky to have a boyfriend like that. Blush touched her cheeks at the thought. One word, it felt magical, up there with date and that first time he kissed her. Words shouldn’t have had that much power. They shouldn’t’ have made her breath stop in her chest.

              “I think I do.”

              “Alright then. I’ll get us checked out.” He took the paddles back to the counter.

              When he was out of earshot, Kayla pulled out her phone, turned it back on, and didn’t check her messages. She knew there’d be a stack of them waiting for her. She pushed her way outside and felt the cold cut through her coat, but it wasn’t just the air that chilled through her skin. Kayla didn’t know what this would be like, a fight or something else.

              Kayla clicked in the numbers for home, heard the tone, and listened until her mom’s voice came from the message machine. Kayla blinked, knew that wouldn’t work, and shut her eyes. The sting of tears crinkled up her nose, but she pushed that feeling away too. “Look, I know I’m late. And I’m sorry. I hope you guys weren’t worried about me, but I’m okay.” She didn’t think they would be. They probably didn’t pick up because they were busy with another fight, maybe even arguing about where she was and whose fault it was she was late.

              I’m not going to do it. You’re the parents. You pick. I don’t have an opinion, because I’m not going to be part of this fight. Kayla stopped. These were her parents after all, “You guys. You fight and you shout and I know you don’t think we hear you or we block it out or something, but we don’t. This is your thing. I don’t know what’ll happen, but you have to sort it out.” In a smaller voice, “I’ll be home in a while. I love you. Bye.”

              When shut her phone, Kayla turned around and saw Seth just a few feet away, the silent question obvious on his face. “I’m fine,” she said. For the first time in a couple days, it didn’t feel like a lie.

Chapter 11: Past Prayers

              The movie turned out to be a chick flick that Seth barely complained about seeing. She sensed it wouldn’t have been his first choice, but she mentioned that it looked good, so he insisted. But still somehow managed to tease her about the cheesy plot. He’d lean over and whisper, quiet enough so only she could hear. Each time made her grin. It didn’t take long for her to lose interest in the movie and just think about how much she loved being there with him. She hoped he felt the same, but she couldn’t tell. It was too hard tracking a guy’s emotions.

              Seth had his arm around her again. He was solid and strong, warm and made her feel safe again. He always had that effect on her. Kayla was pretty sure she would still feel safe if he was there even if someone had a gun to her head. It wouldn’t matter.

              Outside, it was dark by five o’clock. There weren’t any stars. All of their light drown against the bright lights of Century Theatre. Since it was Friday, there were lots of dates around. Guys held their girlfriends’ hands. Seth held Kayla’s. That made her feel better too.

              As they walked back to the car, he must’ve been curious. He must have wanted to know why she didn’t go or what she decided. But he didn’t ask. She was grateful for that. He’d be patient with her and wait for her to share. Another reason she could feel safe with him. Anyone else would’ve peppered her with questions or pointed out how this wouldn’t work. She couldn’t just refuse to answer, but that was her plan. She wouldn’t say anything. She’d make her parents deal with it because it wasn’t her responsibility. It wasn’t her decision to make.

              They talked about the movie and corny ending. “It wasn’t that bad,” he said.

              “You’re lying. You are so lying.”

              “What makes you say that?”

              “Simple,” she explained. “You’re a guy. Guys don’t like chick flicks.”

              “C’mon, you can’t say that like you know every one of us. Maybe I’m the freak. Maybe I’ll go home and cry for hours over the boy who doesn’t get his girl.”

              “Somehow, I doubt it.”

              “Really?” he asked, actually curious. “Why?”

              Half way across the parking lot, Kayla glanced over at him. His eyes weren’t on her at that moment, but she could feel his attention. With Dean, she’d get the impression that he wasn’t really there. Maybe he was thinking about last week’s game or what he’d do the next time he saw his friends. Everything about the way Seth walked and sounded made it clear that he wanted to understand her. He wanted to know what she thought and felt.

              “Nothing wrong with guys who’d cry at a movie, but I don’t think you’d want to show any kind of weakness. If you watched something like this, you’d keep it perfectly hidden. No one can see any vulnerabilities.”

              “Huh.” He sounded surprised, “Am I that obvious?”

              “Just to me.”

              “Okay. I think I can live with that.”

              They kept going through the movie. There were those poignant little moments that made them forget the rest of the world. There were also those clunky bits of dialogue where it was hard to watch without laughing. Dissecting the movie, Kayla let herself relax into those moments where she got to be with the boy she liked. It was awesome. Awesome because she had fun. Awesome because it was natural, easy.

              As much as she didn’t want to, she said that she had to head back. At the same time, she noticed Seth drive a little slower than usual. He mentioned something about making sure he didn’t get a ticket. Kayla just smiled because that wouldn’t be a problem for someone with his talents. After a while, she hit the radio and listened as a love song came on.

              Kayla ran through the lyrics she’d heard a hundred times before. This time she heard this woman sing about the man she loved and Kayla thought it was more personal, more important somehow. She was about to ask what he thought of it when she glanced up and saw the light was green, but they weren’t moving.

              Ahead of them, someone stood in the intersection. It took her a second to squint through the dark and make out his features. That sharp nose, big eyes, straight stance, and signature black coat shouted who stopped them. It was a cruel thought, but Kayla almost wanted Seth to hit the gas and run him down. If that’s what it would take to protect him, she might have been okay with it. Then again, if their test proved she was a demon, he’d want to cut her throat too.

              This could mean blood.

              Kayla never hurt anyone, not really. Sasha was a monster. She took control of people and made them hurt each other. Vigo was different. He thought he was making the world a better place. She couldn’t say he was evil, not like her.

              Vigo wasn’t alone. She saw figures emerge from the shadows. They had the same blades that Vigo wore at his side, each sharp and gently curved. To one side, Kayla spotted Sasha. The demon had a vicious leer that promised how much she’d enjoy this fight.

              “Seth.”

              “I see her,” he said, eyes straight. Vigo and Seth stared back at each other like predators. Whoever blinked first would be prey. Without taking his focus away from the Alliance leader, Seth reached for the door handle. He popped it open but didn’t step out.

              When he looked at her again, Seth smiled, but it was sad. It was resigned, the kind of shadowed flicker of hope someone might give right when he knew he was going to die but that was somehow okay. Kayla looked for words, she shook her head like she already knew what he was going to do. She couldn’t name it, but she knew it was stupid.

              She knew she had to stop him.

              “Don’t,” he said. “Just let me talk for a second, okay?” Kayla didn’t like it. She knew that because Seth should’ve hit the gas. Vigo and his men would’ve gotten out of the way. They could have run. She would’ve gone with him. It’s not like she had anything left here.

              “I love you, and I’m going to do this for you. I’m going to get out of this car, and I’m going to let them take me. When I’m alone with Sasha, I’ll finish this. You’ll be safe. But I have to get her alone. I can’t do that if she always gets to pick the battlefield.”

              “No! No way. I’m not going to let you get yourself killed. You can’t do this. Don’t be stupid. We can get away. We don’t even have to fight.”

              “They figured it out,” he said. “The Alliance won’t give up.”

              “Why not?”

              “Because they know me,” Seth said. But he didn’t stop there. He reached for her, had his hands around the base of her neck. She wanted to speak. She wanted to stop him, but she couldn’t. It wasn’t like she could hold him there. He was stronger, and he knew he’d do anything to protect her. He’d knock her out if that’s what it took.

              All she could do was watch with helpless fury.

              “You’ve made me a better person,” he said. “That’s all I could’ve ever asked for.” He leaned across the seat and pressed his lips into hers. In that second, she was lost in that kiss, their last kiss. Their last embrace, she scraped her fingers into his coat. She couldn’t let him go, but he pushed her away. “Keep safe. Okay?”

              “Don’t do this,” she said, her eyes wet. She was crying, and she didn’t care.

              “I knew it would come to this?”

              “When?” She grasped at questions for seconds until she’d lose him.

              “Since we saw Sasha. She’s one of them. She’s protected. I have to get past them if I want to get to her. But that won’t happen. I won’t let it. Just do me one more thing.”

              “What?” it came out half-hiss. She wanted to slap him. She wanted to knock him out and hold him there, but she couldn’t. She wasn’t strong enough. He was always stronger. Now he was dumber. Even if he was right.

              “Have a good life. Okay?” He smiled. “I’ll try to get back. But if I don’t see you tomorrow, I’ll be dead. So go have a good life. Be happy. Okay?”

              “I can’t. Not without you.” She wouldn’t lie. She wouldn’t hide her feelings no matter how stupid they sounded. Sure, they only knew each other for a week. Sure, they’d been on two dates. It didn’t matter. She loved him. Losing him would be like losing her heart, her soul, the most important part that made her life worth anything.

              “I love you too,” he said and got out. He shut the door, and Kayla wanted to get out and scream at them. She wanted to declare war on all of them, but that would just get them both killed. That would break everything he wanted to do for her. Desperate for some other answer, she balled herself up and tried to think. Just a few feet away, Sasha grinned like she’d already won. That’d be a mistake, Kayla realized, and Seth knew it. He’d use that confidence to get her alone and kill her. For Kayla, to protect her.

              Even if Kayla thought she could fight her way out of the car, there three more Alliance fighters stood right there. Two flanked Sasha, and Kayla knew they’d be under the demon’s control. If she acted, they’d have every reason to jump her. Seth wouldn’t get his element of surprise. She wanted to smash something, run, get away. Five minutes ago, everything was soft and easy. Happy. It couldn’t have fallen apart like that.

              But he knew.

              Seth knew it from the moment Sasha declared herself. He’d planned on this. It wasn’t an accident. Rage and gratitude beat through her. Sacrificing himself for her made him good. Sacrificing himself for her also him a jackass.

              His door was still open when he raised his hands to the Alliance. “I’m not going to fight you,” he said.

              “Sick of having blood on your hands?” Vigo wanted to know. It came out with the same bravado any soldier uses when confronted with his most dangerous enemy.

              “I don’t want you to hurt her.”

              “Don’t worry,” Vigo said. “We won’t. She’s not our enemy.”

              “I know.”

              Questions beat into Kayla. Did that mean they’d done their test? Maybe the test wasn’t accurate. Maybe Seth messed up the results somehow. He had that quarter grin that could’ve been from a trickster who enjoyed a fun game. Or he smiled because he knew this was the end and he was happy he got to give it up for someone else. She wanted to hold him. She wanted to slap him.

              “Restrain him,” Vigo said with a nod to two of his soldiers. They pulled out cuffs and approached with caution. Scared of a seventeen year old, hey exuded fear with each step. It didn’t matter that he was smaller, less muscled, and had years less experience.

              The soldiers passed Vigo, spun around together. It was too mechanical. They moved together, like they were muscles from the same mind. Kayla twisted back to see Sasha, and the demon’s eyes were outlined in gray. So were the soldiers who had Vigo.

              Sasha must’ve realized what Seth planned. Rather than wait for him to strike, she made her opening move right there in front of Vigo and the rest of his soldiers. This was her ambush. And it worked as Vigo shouted at his men, demanding to know what they were doing. In a second, they had his hands locked together. He couldn’t draw his blade or pull again. He tried to yank his arms free, but the two soldiers were powerfully built and held him in place.

              Seth ducked down and tried to run. Sasha ran around the car and swung at Seth. She caught him in the stomach. A painful woosh of air was knocked from his lungs. Stunned, Seth fell back, blinking to get his sight clear even as Sasha punched him twice. Two strikes, one to the face, another back to the stomach. Seth threw out his arms to block. He avoided her third swing with a quick duck, but he didn’t expect her. Worse, she had all of her attention on him.

              The rest of Vigo’s men swarmed at Seth’s back. They formed a semicircle around Seth to make sure he wouldn’t escape. Sasha gave a feral growl filled with eager anticipation. She’d wanted this for a long time.

              In that melee, everyone forgot about Kayla. She pushed the door open. She didn’t go especially slow or fast. She didn’t want to grab anyone’s attention. She waited until she was out and clear. No one behind her, no one to jump her, Kayla focused her energies and slammed them into Sasha.

              The demon got thrown back. She completely forgot about the girl with the power to move things with her mind. A thin cut appeared at the demon’s lip where Kayla struck. Seth tried to take advantage of that moment and lock his thoughts onto some of her followers.

              Their eyes shimmered with the war of gray and blue as Seth pushed his thoughts into their minds. They stopped, frozen like computers with too many commands clicked way too fast. Sasha was older and probably stronger, but Seth was desperate. Pain strengthened his focus and heightened his will to fight.

              Kayla tried to help him with another swing. She swiped her fingers across the air. A whip of force beat into Sasha. She threw up her hands like she could see it too, and the blow caught her across the forearms. There was a growl of pain, but she lowered her hands, drew a curved knife, and strode for Kayla.