Spectra: A Cynical Superhero

by Amy Sumida

  And now, he was too focused on Kyrian to notice Prince Traegur's arrival.

  “Amara Madison,” Kyrian snarled. “My ward. I'm tasked with protecting her, but a team brought her here without my consent. So, where is she?”

  “She's right here,” Traegur waved at hand toward my face in the door's window.

  I waggled my fingers at Kyrian, and he gaped at me.

  “What have you done to her?” Kyrian rushed forward but Traegur stepped between us.

  “We've only taken some vials of blood,” Traegur said. “Amara hasn't been harmed. Now, stand down, Arc Kyrian. I've taken over this mission.”

  “No one has notified me of that, Prince Traegur,” Kyrian said. “And until my king—who put me on this mission personally—orders me to stand down, I will do no such thing.”

  “Be careful, Arc Kyrian,” Prince Traegur said in a deadly tone. “At the moment, I'm inclined to be kind to our guest, but if you rile me, I may just have to take out my irritation on her.”

  I narrowed my eyes on Traegur, and then looked back at Kyrian and subtly shook my head. He wasn't doing me any favors by throwing a tantrum and then getting thrown off the ship.

  “Calm down,” I mouthed at him.

  Kyrian took a deep breath, and his aura started to brighten into white. When it was its usual halo self again, Kyrian nodded to me and then narrowed his gaze at Traegur.

  “If you hurt her, Prince Traegur, I will have you brought before the King to answer to the charge of inciting an intergalactic incident and interfering with a royal mission,” Kyrian said in his normal, controlled voice—which was far more frightening than his furious tones had been. “You know how important she is to His Majesty.”

  Traegur went still and silent, but he also nodded crisply.

  Kyrian gave me one last, long look and then strode out of the room. I glanced back at Traegur and found him staring at me in an unsettling way. There was something very wrong with that man, and I had no desire to discover what it was.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Three more days went by with a new doctor appearing every morning. Over and over, they came up with the same conclusion that Dr. Jeckel had; my blood was useless to them.

  Traegur didn't want to accept that, but after he'd gone through every available scientist on all fifteen battleships (he had arrived on the fifteenth—the same ship I was being held on), he had no choice. Prince Traegur came into my cell on my fourth day there with a grim and furious look on his face. I was surprised to see so much emotion in his expression, but I was downright shocked to see Traegur's aura.

  Auras shift with a person's feelings, but everyone has a baseline that's unique to them; a stable background of personality on which emotional colors can be painted. I don't remember most people's baselines; that would be nearly impossible, even for me. But there are a few that I'll never forget; Landry's and Mama's were on that short list, and my parents', of course. But then there were the auras that haunted my nightmares; the colors I'd seen the day my parents had been murdered. They had been burned into my memory along with the fire that had destroyed my happy life.

  “You,” I whispered. “You are a liar.”

  “Whatever do you mean, Amara?” Traegur smiled viciously.

  “You said that you'd never met my father.” I was surprised at how calm I sounded; inside, I was both terrified and furious. “But you did meet him. In fact, you killed him.”

  Traegur blinked in surprise; the furious red in his aura dampening for a moment under the pea-soup color of confusion. But the streak of pure black stayed strong, and it suddenly burst through the other colors to show the extent of its taint. And there it was; the aura that had become a monster in my mind. I knew every angle of that evil; every swirl and nuance. I had seen it clearly when I'd squinted through the cracks between the cabinet doors. It had enveloped my father's brilliant blue and extinguished it forever.

  “How did you...” Traegur cleared his throat. “I didn't meet him; I was sent to assassinate the traitor. Unfortunately, we weren't aware that he'd given the last of the elixir to his daughter.”

  “Here I was blaming the Bleiten for my parents' deaths,” I whispered, “when all along, it was my father's own people. Do you have to let go of your Triari control to commit murder?”

  “No, but it allows me to savor the experience.” He smiled wickedly. “I don't know how you found out about the execution, but since you know things that you shouldn't, and you're of no further use to me, I might as well find some other satisfaction with you. I'll tell the King I released you; he'll never be able to prove otherwise without your body as evidence.”

  Traegur reached for me, but as he did, I blasted him with cowardly yellow. He grunted and bent over, but there was too much evil in him to be stopped by a little fear. Traegur lifted his head and narrowed his eyes at me menacingly. I was about to go invisible when someone barreled into Traegur from behind.

  I jumped out of the way as the tumbling knot of muscled bodies went rolling past me. Traegur's platinum blond hair was a bright spot against the deep black of his assailant's, and his body—though, large—looked slender when compared to the Bleiten's.

  Malik. The Bleiten Lord was rolling around on the floor of my cell with the Triari Prince.

  “Amara!” Davorin hissed from the doorway. “Come on, sweetheart, let's get you out of here.”

  “How... ?” I whispered and then realized that it was stupid to ask for answers now. Get off the Triari battleship and then question how they were able to rescue you, Amara.

  I ran for the door just as Malik slammed his fist into Traegur's face. Except Malik's fist was shifted into a clawed talon, and it shredded the Prince's beautiful skin. Traegur would have likely screamed; had he been conscious long enough to feel the pain.

  “You fucking piece of Triari trash,” Malik growled at Traegur as he kicked him the stomach; sending Traegur flying into the wall. “She's one of yours!” Another kick; this one had the wall to brace it. “And a woman! A beautiful, amazing, intelligent creature who is far too good for the likes of you!” He bent over, picked up Traegur, lifted the Triari over his head, and then tossed him into the wall on the other side of the room. “You treasure women like her; you don't abuse them, you feathered asshole!”

  “Malik,” I whispered in stunned amazement.

  Malik looked up at me, and we both froze. It was one of those moments that you see in films; the ones you know never happen in real life. Not only did it happen; it sent shivers racing through my entire body and made my mouth go dry. Malik was covered in Triari blood—his chest heaving with jagged breaths and fury—but his eyes shifted into something soft and beautiful when he focused on me. And then Malik held his hand out to me, and as he did, it shifted as well; back into something more human and slightly less dangerous. I took it without hesitation, and we rushed out of the room together.

  Davorin gave our joined hands an angry, shocked look, but he didn't say anything. Since he was standing among Malik's soldiers, that was probably a wise decision. But then I spotted Kyrian, and I tensed.

  “He's with us,” Malik said when he saw my stare.

  “What?” I gaped at Kyrian.

  “Amara, I'm so sorry,” Kyrian whispered.

  “Not now,” Malik growled and gestured toward Kyrian. “Lead us out of here, Arc.”

  “Yes, now,” Kyrian snapped as he hurried over to me.

  Kyrian scratched at the upper back of my dress as I watched his hand warily. He pulled it away to reveal a glistening dot on his finger; it almost looked like a water drop. He flicked it away with a grimace.

  “I tagged you in The Wilds,” Kyrian said. “I didn't know Traegur would use it to find you himself.”

  “You son of a bitch,” Davorin snarled. “That's how they found us?”

  “I said; not now!” Malik growled at both of the men. “We need to get her off this ship.”

  Kyrian nodded as he led us out into the hallway with outwardly curvin
g walls; he went to a panel on one of those walls and slid his finger down its edge. The wall slid open, and we scurried into a hidden corridor. We followed Kyrian through dimly lit passages; in a maze of twists and turns. Finally, he paused and laid his ear against the wall. Kyrian looked back at us and nodded.

  Despite Kyrian's assurance, everyone prepared to defend themselves; including me. I focused on the panel, and when Kyrian moved it aside, I instantly scanned the room beyond it. But it wasn't just a room; it was a docking bay. It didn't appear to be a large one; there were just three small spacecraft docked in the bay, and no one was manning the room. Kyrian had chosen the perfect place to park our getaway spaceship.

  Kyrian hustled us onto one of the crafts and then went straight into the pilot's seat. As everyone got strapped in, Malik saw to my harness first.

  “I can get it,” I murmured as I laid a hand over his.

  “Just let me do this; I need to see to your safety,” Malik said with another intense glance. “It's been four days, Amara. I...” He shook his head.

  “What?”

  The spacecraft shifted, and Malik fell into the seat beside mine. He glared at Kyrian, but the Arc didn't see it. Or if Kyrian did notice, he ignored it. Malik strapped himself into his seat as the craft quietly rolled to the end of the docking bay. Lights pulsed in a line outside the windows and a low vibration began. The spacecraft engines started to rev up as we came to a stop. An enormous door opened before us to reveal the star-riddled darkness of space, and then we were launched into it.

  At first, we were all thrown back into our seats, but then the craft settled into a speed and evened out. I let out my breath and relaxed back into my seat. I was safe, and I had been rescued by three men who hated each other. I was looking forward to hearing that story.

  “I was worried about you,” Malik said as he took my hand. “I can't remember the last time that I worried about anything.”

  “You can stop with the seduction routine, Malik,” I said as I removed my hand from his. “The Triari took my blood and all of their horses and all of their men couldn't put the elixir back together again.”

  “What do horses have to do with it?” He frowned at me.

  “The Triari scientists have been testing my blood for four days now and they've all reached the same conclusion; it's useless to anyone but myself,” I said smugly.

  My words were true, although it wasn't the entire truth. But I was hoping that Malik would buy it, and then I could get both the Triari and the Bleiten off my back for good.

  “What did you say?” Kyrian asked in shock as he glanced back at me.

  “That's why Traegur was in the process of assaulting me.” I grimaced. “Since he couldn't get the elixir out of me, he was intent on having another type of satisfaction.”

  “That piece of angel shit,” Malik growled as he clenched his hands into fists.

  “Yes,” I agreed. “But my point is; there's no reason to chase me anymore. Sorry, gentlemen; I hope that doesn't ruin the reason for my rescue.”

  “I just rescued you from my own people, Amara,” Kyrian snapped as he angled the ship down and navigated us back to Earth. “I didn't do it because I wanted your blood for myself.”

  “Why did you do it?” I asked softly; the memory of Kyrian's combustible aura filling my head.

  “I was given a mission to protect you.” Kyrian kept his gaze firmly on Earth. “I've never failed a mission.”

  “And you know how I feel about you.” Davorin smiled softly at me. “The only concerns I have for your blood is that it stays in your body. Plus, I told Landry I'd keep you safe, and then I didn't. I had to get you home or he was going to turn me into fertilizer.”

  I smiled at that; at least two of them had come to save me and not the elixir. The Bleiten, however, were grimly eyeing their leader. I was wondering if I'd just gone from a spaceship frying pan and into a Bleiten fire when Malik started laughing. I looked at him in shock, but he was staring at his men.

  “That settles it,” Malik said to the other Bleiten. “The mission is complete.”

  “You don't seem upset,” I noted.

  In fact, Malik's aura was brightening into delighted shades of sunshine yellow. This was not the response I'd been expecting.

  “I didn't want your blood either, Amara,” Malik admitted. “I was the one who negotiated with my king to be able to offer you something in exchange for it. But if it's worthless, then we have no reason to pursue you. At least, no military reason. I have some personal ones that I'm free to act on now.”

  “She's already spoken for,” Davorin growled.

  “Is she, now?” Malik asked skeptically.

  “No; I'm not,” I said to Davorin with irritation. “'Spoken for' implies that we're a couple when, in actuality, we haven't even been on a date yet. Regardless, this is a private matter that I don't feel like discussing in front of present company. And there are far more important things to talk about. Such as Lily, Jason, and Leo; are they all right?”

  “They're fine,” Davorin said crisply. “I came back to find them trussed up like pigs. They were embarrassed but alive.” Then he let out an annoyed breath. “Amara, you can't deny that we have something.”

  “Excuse me, but I think I far surpassed both the rock-man and the demon in the romantic gestures category,” Kyrian pointed out. “No one is making any claim on Amara until I have some time to talk privately with her.”

  I gaped at Kyrian in shock.

  “We aren't demons!” One of the Bleiten snarled before I could reply.

  “Sure; we see that,” Davorin said sarcastically. “Angels who aren't so angelic, and demons who aren't demonic. Neither of you is good for Amara.”

  “That's quite enough, gentlemen,” I said sternly. “I'm deeply grateful for your timely rescue, but if you think it's given any of you some kind of caveman claim to me, you're sorely mistaken.”

  Kyrian, Davorin, and Malik grimaced in awkward discomfort.

  “But what I would like to know is how this happened?” I waved a hand to indicate the men in general. “How all of you decided to work together.”

  “Kyrian was at The Wilds when the crew and I returned from Maryland,” Davorin said. “He was telling Landry that he was going to go up on that Triari ship and find you.”

  “Which I did,” Kyrian said. “But Traegur wouldn't budge, and you told me to back down.”

  “Yes; I recall,” I murmured.

  “I returned to the bar because I knew if I was going to rescue you, I'd need help. We were lucky, but things could have gone poorly up there, and I knew I'd only have one chance to save you,” Kyrian said. “I had planned on asking Davorin and his friends to join me, but then I found Davorin outside The Wilds with the Bleiten.”

  I looked at Davorin in surprise.

  “I needed someone with a spaceship,” Davorin said with a grimace. “I was desperate, and the crew reminded me about our conversation; how the Bleiten looked the least guilty. I thought what better way for them to prove that they had good intentions toward you than by rescuing you. Plus, I figured that the best people to take to fight Triari would be Bleiten.”

  “I walked into the middle of that conversation,” Kyrian said with a pained tone. “And I, too, was desperate.”

  “Desperate times,” I looked around at the motley collection of my rescuers and shook my head. “These are desperate measures indeed.”

  “We agreed to a truce,” Malik said. “For you.”

  “Why didn't Lily, Jason, and Leo come with you?” I asked as I looked away from Malik's ardent stare.

  “It was already a big group.” Davorin waved a hand at the Bleiten. “I told them to stay behind.”

  “You mean that you didn't trust either Kyrian or Malik completely, and you didn't want to risk them as well as yourself,” I concluded.

  Davorin grinned and shrugged.

  “Lord Malik, are you simply going to take her word for it?” One of the other Bleiten asked. “Should
we not collect her blood anyway?”

  “You think that I should give Amara the riches I promised her for a vial of her blood, even though she's just confessed that it's worthless?” Malik asked his soldier with lifted brows.

  “Um....”

  The guy was obviously a soldier for a reason. I grimaced at him and shook my head at Malik.

  “If it eases your mind, I will speak to our king and let him decide,” Malik said.

  “Thank you, it would.”

  “Do you hear this bullshit, Amara?” Davorin huffed. “These are the bastards who killed your parents, you can't seriously be thinking of getting involved with one of them.”

  “We did not kill her parents,” Malik snarled at Davorin.

  “Yeah, right.” Davorin glared back.

  “Actually, he is right, Dav,” I said softly.

  Both of the men swiveled their heads to face me in surprise.

  “Landry was wrong,” I went on. “The Triari killed my parents. Traegur was one of the assassins.”

  “The Triari did not kill your parents, Amara!” Kyrian shouted in horror.

  We all looked at him blankly.

  “Did we?” Kyrian whispered in horror as he deflated.

  “I heard it from Traegur himself, Kyrian,” I said gently. “The King wanted to keep the elixir for the elite, but my father disagreed. He stole the elixir and ran, and the Triari labeled him a traitor. They sent assassins after him and then burned our house to make it look like a Bleiten attack.” I looked at Malik and shook my head. “How many times has that happened to your people?”

  “How many times have the Triari put the blame for their dirty deeds on us?” Malik clarified.

  I nodded, and Malik snorted scornfully. The other Bleiten made similar sounds of derision.

  “That many?” I asked in indignation.

  “Bullshit,” Kyrian said, but it was without his earlier fervency.

  “Don't tell us that you've never suspected it was your people demolishing cities and slaughtering babies in their cribs?” Malik snarled. “You had to have known something, even if you weren't one of those who committed the atrocities—which I find very hard to believe, Arc.”