Reckless Revenge: Book Four (Spellbound 4) (23 page)

Gradually, I became aware of the pungent odor of grass and dirt. I cautiously opened an eye to find myself lying beside a tree stump. Leaves and pine needles littered the ground. I moved slowly. My back felt stiff, so did my arms and legs. My neck twinged. My head thumped painfully, and I held it between my hands as I sat up. I seemed fine. If I didn’t count the bruised ribs, a throbbing elbow, and a big, foggy blank on how I’d been thrown into the woods. The last thing I recalled was fighting with the lycans. Then lightning had struck.

Had Raze caused the weird sonic-like blast? The voracious roars of thunder and blinding cracks of lightning reminded me of the iconic symbol of Norse mythology’s
Thor
and his violent temper.

I couldn’t believe it. I had always expected the battle would result in my death, or the deaths of all my loved ones. But they were still alive, only bruised and battered. As I caught sight of Trent through the smoke, I smiled and my heart lifted.

Sitting up, I peered through the gloom, barely discerning the thick shapes of the trees in the dim light. No sign of the winged-guys. They must’ve flown off.

I crawled through the grass to squat beside Trent. He was wounded, and probably sore, judging from the bruises and blood. His eyes blinked open. His gaze chips of green flame. No
Darkness.
But the demonic power was still humming over his skin, joining forces with my own darker magicks.

The fire circle protecting Ariana and Brittany had burned out to only smoking embers. Brittany was whimpering and still clutching her broken arm. My pain relief spell must’ve worn off. Ariana sat with Daniel, his strong arms wrapped around her while she sobbed.

With wobbly legs, I stood up. “I’ll be right back,” I told Trent and hurried up the incline to check on Evans. He was unconscious, blood seeped from a head wound, but still alive. Regina must’ve snuck up from behind and hit him with something.

Sirens blared in the distance. I rested against a tree. A bulge in my pocket reminded me of the potion Mom had given me to speed healing. I uncorked the vial and took a swig.

Ugh. Nasty.

Firemen, police, and EMTs arrived within minutes. And then this big black SUV with two men in black suits, flashing badges and speaking softly to the rescue team. I caught a few of their words as I trudged back down the hill. “…special agents that work with the DarkSide Detectives. Covert operation. We want this kept under wraps. Give these civilians medical attention, but tell no one what you saw here tonight…”

The paramedics nodded and put Brittany, Daniel, James, Coach Ramírez, and a concussed Evans onto stretchers and placed them in the ambulances. Ariana rode with Daniel, giving me a wave as the ambulance drove off.

Sheriff Boyd was heatedly talking to the DarkSide Detectives. There was no way anyone was getting around a police investigation when you had a bunch of injured teens, especially a decapitated one. How these guys were going to explain the headless victim?

The other lycans had run off when the screech of the sirens had echoed through the woods.

Many of the football players, including Carter, were seriously wounded and the remaining paramedics were tending to their injuries. My wounds were already healing, so I refused medical care. The vans sped toward the nearest hospital. The medical examiner showed up and zipped the dead teen into a black bag, then drove away. Only one casualty in the battle. My team would’ve had major guilt issues with killing a bunch of teens that had been changed by something beyond their control. Ultimately, our classmates were just Regina’s victims.

I slumped beside the Dodge and blubbered. My heart plummeted. My stupid plan had failed spectacularly.

Trent slouched beside me. We both looked like hell. He glanced at my clothes, covered with blood and grime, and at my disheveled hair and dirty face. A bruise bloomed on his temple and blood trickled across his lips. Dusty hair, torn coat.

“We’re alive.” Trent tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Kicking ass
is
therapeutic.” His snarky tone was back, just like the old Trent. Before his cambion-side had emerged. But under it was a chilly edge that I wasn’t sure I liked. “C’mon, let’s meet the others at the hospital.”

“Wait. Let’s go back to the cave we found.” I swallowed my tears. The pain.

This wasn’t over yet.

Soon more blood would be spilled. Soon I’d finally be the victor in the personal vendetta that I had held onto for so long. I would finally have my vengeance.

It might’ve been impulsive and reckless, but I wasn’t scared of facing Regina alone, not with Trent by my side and the
Darkness
thrumming through me. And I could handle one psycho lycan.

It didn’t take us long to get there.

Trent and I stood at the mouth of the cave. The velvety darkness inside was terrifying, but I was determined to conquer this fear and kick it in the ass. In my haste, I’d forgotten to bring a flashlight, but I sensed Trent’s cambion-side had changed his green eyes to black, which would enable him to see easily in the dark. And I had magick.

Quickly, I chanted that night vision spell, “
By the power of the sun make the dark become the light and make the sun shine in the night!
”

Blinking several times, my eyesight soon became sharper. I grasped his hand. “Lead the way.”

Trent entered and tugged me behind him. The world was muffled blackness. My teeth ground.

Phobia or not, I couldn’t punk out now. I had to do this for my dad. I’d fought for years, struggling with my fear of the dark. If I ever wanted to overcome my phobia—the time was now. Facing your fears was never easy, but I had to conquer it. I took a deep cleansing breath and blew it out.

In the same instant that I let go of my fears, I had the power to free myself from it forever.

Trying to be as quiet as we could, Trent led the way through the narrow passage. Even with my magickal night vision, I could barely see more than a few feet into the darkness. But I sensed there was something in here with us. The chill of the cave froze the sweat dripping from my brow.

About halfway in, the crackle and blaze of a fire danced on the walls. The tunnel broadened and produced a spacious cavern, the ground scattered with the bones of animal skeletons. In the center blazed a campfire within a circle of rocks.

A snarl bounded off the damp walls. Trent roughly pushed me behind him. My shoulder collided with a bruising jolt against the wall. He stood in front of me, his body stiffening, a deadly tension rippling through him.

Over his shoulder, two yellow eyes blazed much like the firelight. The creature stalked closer, revealing its true form. A lycan with fur as black as velvet. Her head hung low, drops of blood dripping from ivory fangs. The wolf growled, a menacing grimace showing every sharp tooth in its mouth.

Regina, half-human and half-lycan, stood on her hindquarters, formidable and dangerous, with her pointy ears cocked in my direction. Her face had mutated into something canine and inhuman.

Trent stayed rigid. Alert. Protective. But this was my battle, not his. He nodded as if he understood. I squeezed his hand and let go. Stepped in front of him.

“Figured you’d be headed for the nearest airport by now,” I said.

“I can’t leave my pack. My family. My son.” Her voice lowered, rough and growly.

“You don’t have a choice. You lost that decision the day you murdered my dad.”

Darkness
writhed inside me. The power expanded, sweetly throbbing like a razor beneath my skin. I reached one hand behind me and pulled the switchblade from my back pocket. My thumb hit the button and the blade flicked out, sharp and smooth. The combination of Trent’s black magick and mine churned and mottled together.

Using our united powers to propel me forward, I launched myself at the lycan. The blade struck her in the chest above the heart. While Regina struggled to grab it, my fingers wrapped around her throat and my thumbs pressed into her esophagus. Her paws raked at my hands. Her claws shredded the skin, but I didn’t let go. Our gazes locked, her eyes bulging with terror, mine narrowing with purpose. Her paws dropped to her sides. Her body grew limp. Both of us fell forward onto our knees, mine hit the stone floor with a painful thump. My hands still gripped her neck. Regina’s eyes rolled back and her head lolled on her neck. Her body convulsed and her lycan form dissolved into a human shape. Hair slack against her face. Her naked body limp, near death.

You’re not a murderer, buttercup.
Dad’s voice in my head, calm and rational.
If you do this, the Darkness will win…

I let go of her and fell back on my butt. Everything inside me went all floppy, the hostility and vengeance and struggle spilling out like water. The
Darkness
retreated. I pushed it back under my ribs. Using black magicks wasn’t the answer. Killing Regina wouldn’t change anything. She wasn’t the enemy here.

The real enemy was
me.

It wasn’t the demon blood. It had never been just about the darker power.

No, it was the anger and retribution festering inside me that feed the
Darkness.
Over Ariana being kidnapped. My dad being murdered. Little Azeri’s unfortunate death. Losing two of my best friends and my cousin to a demon. If I lost control now, there’d be no going back…

Tears pricked hot at my eyes. That hollowness in my chest had closed at the sound of Dad’s voice. I couldn’t do it. He was right. Vanquishing demons to hell dimensions was completely different than taking a life with my bare hands. Sure, Regina was evil and psycho, but she was also my friend’s mother. I wouldn’t be the cause of that type of pain. I’d spare her life so Daniel didn’t have to suffer the agony of losing a parent like I had.

I wrenched the switchblade from her chest and let it drop with a
clang
to the stone floor. Didn’t bother picking it up. Blood seeped from the wound, bright red against the brownness of her skin.

I didn’t get any type of adrenaline rush or feel like I’d just kicked the world’s ass. And suddenly revenge didn’t seem so important now.

Wheezing, Regina sat up, one hand clutching her throat and the other her chest. Trent moved blurry fast and hauled Regina up by the arm, and with his free hand, he dialed a number on his cell phone. He spoke into it, but I barely listened. I pressed my back against the wall, and my legs forced me up.

It happened so fast. One moment Trent held Regina by the arm, the next, she was
shifting
and lunging at me with her claws unsheathed. She leaped on me and knocked me backward. We hit the slimy wall, and I barely had time to grasp her wrists before she raked her claws down my face. My fingers slipped. Regina was too strong for me to hold. Her head dipped lower, teeth bared. Then she screamed.

Trent was standing behind her. He had jammed the switchblade into her back. Had saved me by going after her. She whirled, trying to reach for the knife sticking out of her spine. Trent pushed the blade in deeper and gave it a twist. Regina howled. Her cry became wheezing and earsplitting. The howl cut short on a gurgle. She slumped to the ground and didn’t move. Judging by the odd angle of the blade thrust into her spine, she might never walk again. She might even die…

Now I had more blood on my hands.

Trent took a step in my direction. I moved sideways against the cold wall. Like I didn’t want him to touch me. I swallowed hard. He stopped.

“I-is she dead?”

Trent stared at me with those shark like eyes. “Would it matter? You wanted her dead, right? Wanted to kill her to avenge your dad?”

I couldn’t speak. I stared at Regina, unable to look away, my voice trapped inside my throat.

“Regina deserves to die.” There wasn’t a single ounce of remorse in his tone. I should’ve been more afraid. “She’s a coldhearted killer, and she attacked Mrs. Baylock.”

This triggered my vocal cords. “What? When?”

“We found her lying unconscious near the house as my uncle and I were leaving to meet you tonight. We called for an ambulance, but we don’t know how bad the injuries are yet. Evans said that Regina must’ve picked up your scent and showed up at the manor. Mrs. Baylock was just taking out the garbage…”

“Oh, god, that poor woman.” I backed away. “Why did you stab her?”

He huffed, his gaze flashing onyx. “To save you. If anyone
ever
tried to hurt you, I’d crush their skulls with my bare hands.”

His over protectiveness was getting a little scary. Almost bordering on possessive.

My heart pounded a frantic tattoo and I shook my head. “I-I didn’t want this, Trent.”

“Why not? Regina would’ve hurt more people if I hadn’t stopped her. Not only that, she would’ve created more hybrids. Only an alpha has the power to change humans into lycans. Everyone in town would still been in danger if we let her go.
You
would be in danger. With Regina gone, and Daniel as the new pack leader, we’ll all be safer.”

“I didn’t…I don’t want this…” I repeated, but he just stared at me. “You killed Daniel’s mother.”

“I don’t think she’s dead. Just not in a position to inflict anymore of her evil psycho-ness.” He sighed. “Look at her, she’ll be fine.”

I glared at him. “She’s bleeding and unconscious. Please clarify how the hell she’s supposed to be fine!”

He stiffened. Black gaze fervent. “She’s still breathing. How’s that for clarification?” he snapped.

I didn’t know what else to say. Nor did I want to get into a big fight right now. I couldn’t even blame Trent for his weakness, which had let his cambion-side emerge and provoke him into almost killing Regina when I couldn’t. I was able to control the
Darkness
inside me and stop myself from killing her. But Trent was a half-demon, which meant he wouldn’t be able to restrain the darker power as easily as I could.

We were all weak. Just in different ways.

And I
had
wanted Regina to die. She had organized Ariana’s kidnapping by the lycans. She was responsible for my dad’s death. Even Azeri had died to protect me from the lycans that she commanded. And Kayla’s life had ended because of this vile woman.

None of them deserved what happened to them.

Trent was right. Regina deserved to die, or rot in jail. I’d be satisfied with the latter.

Footsteps pounded toward us. Those guys in black suits jogged into the cave. Without a word, the taller guy threw Regina’s body over his shoulder and strode out of the cavern.

The other guy stepped forward. “I’m Gavin Townsend, I work with Evans. We need to go to the hospital to check on the others. Come with me.” And we did.