by Elisa Paige
Taking Koda’s hand with my good right one, I snarled in Fae, “This male is mine. He is untouchable. Use him to challenge me and I will cripple you. Challenge or harm him and I will destroy you.”
Not understanding my words, but openly surprised by my savage tone and aggressive posture, Koda opened his mouth to speak. I shook my head sharply and he compressed his lips in a tight line.
“Did you hear my words?” I hissed at the cowed bitterns, hating every moment of what I was doing.
“By your will, meh-los.”
My stomach clenched. “Never call me that!”
My refusal of the bittern word for “master” drew Onas’s head up, his silver eyes flashing with surprise. I made myself bend threateningly over him and he bowed again, deepening his supplication. The sight of it brought bile to my throat and I squeezed my eyes shut tight.
Best to get the rest of this over with, I thought.
Clearing my throat, I looked down at Onas, now prostrate on the ground. Unable to meet the weight of Koda’s stare, I ground my molars together. “I am Nomad, outside bittern law and rank. I reject the title of First but retain command.” Not wanting to confuse them by insisting they call me Sephti which, after all, meant Second, I damn well didn’t want them calling me master. “You will remain Onas and Târre.”
There was a startled silence and I saw them exchange a shocked look from the corners of their eyes.
“Answer me!” I thundered.
The female joined Onas in prostrating herself. “By your will!”
Realizing I still held Koda’s hand, I let go and had to smile when he kept his hold firm. Looking up at him, my eyes blurred at what I saw in his gaze—he’d figured out what I was doing, and while he didn’t like it any better than I did, he understood. Even more, he could see the effect the brutal but necessary behavior had on me.
Swallowing hard, I gave him a wavery smile, then refocused on the bitterns. “Get in the truck’s backseat. Onas on the right.”
The two shot to their feet and climbed into the pickup. In unison, the doors shut and the bitterns sat rigidly facing forward like they were at attention.
Koda moved to stand in front of me, blocking my pained view of their profiles. “You okay?”
I sniffled and squinted up at him. “Just trying to figure out if I’m as much of a bastard as the fae.”
He touched my face with his fingertips and smiled gently. “Don’t beat yourself up for doing what must be done.”
“I’m glad you understand. Maybe after enough time has passed, when they’re not so indoctrinated, I can ease up. But until then, I’ve got to keep them in line. Otherwise, it’ll be nothing but a series of fights.” I shook my head, depressed.
Koda bent toward my face before freezing. His eyebrows drawing together, he asked, “Would my kissing you cause a problem?”
“For their control? Or mine?” Feeling suddenly bold, I stood on tiptoe and brushed my lips across his. “See? No problem.”
He chuckled. “Not quite the kind of kiss I’d had in mind, but I suppose it’ll have to do.” Koda cupped his warm palm against my cheek, rubbing his thumb across my bottom lip. “For now.”
My brain locked onto that thought and ceased functioning.
Seeing my glazed expression, he smiled. Taking my good hand, he tugged to get my sluggish feet moving toward the truck. “Your bike’s loaded. All that’s left is us.”
I blinked and looked at the truck’s bed, resisting the urge to jump up and check the straps holding my Ninja in place. I knew Koda would have made sure everything was secure. Besides, I didn’t think I could actually manage it right now and I had no desire to embarrass myself or show the bitterns just how stiff and sore I was. Sure, I’d knocked the living hell out of them. But I’d taken double the beating.
Slipping into the passenger seat while Koda held the door open for me, I murmured, “Thanks for taking care of the bike.” That he was strong enough to lift the Ninja by himself and yet touch me so gently, something he was doing more and more often, sent a wildly erotic thrill zinging through me.
He snapped off a mock salute, his eyes dancing, before shutting the truck door and walking around to climb in the driver’s seat. “Where to?”
“South,” I said, laughing as he rolled his eyes at the obvious statement. “Let’s get out of these mountains and see if we can get a cell signal. I’d like to call Siska and Nic, see if they’ve learned anything more about Philippe.”
“And let them know Jack and Kate didn’t kill you?”
“That too.” I squirmed in my seat so my back was to the door and I could easily watch the statuelike Onas and Târre. I really did not like having them behind us, but didn’t see any options. “I also want to let Siska know what Jack said and ask Nic to use her resources to track Philippe’s movements.”
Koda eyed my position, his expression conflicted. Like he was pleased by my caution but not happy it was necessary. Which made two of us.
“You’re not suggesting Nic send humans out after him.” He started the pickup’s big diesel engine. Driving with care, he wove through the trees and back to the narrow road.
I shook my head. “I was thinking she could have somebody check flight and rental car records, hotel databases, maybe even credit card usage. All from the safety of a computer.”
Koda’s brows were by his hairline. “You’ve really assimilated into human culture.”
I grinned. “I’m a huge fan of cop shows.”
“In the real world, I understand it takes more than an hour to see that justice is served.” He laughed at the face I made. “Checking databases is a good idea, assuming Philippe doesn’t pay cash or use another name.”
“I figure Chicago’s on-air murders means he’s done with hiding. His being ‘out there’ is an affront to everyone, especially the Ancients. While he may still protect his travel plans, I don’t see him lying low once he gets wherever he’s going.”
The truck bumped up onto the rough blacktop and Koda accelerated. I let my eyes go out of focus as the woods blurred past, careful to keep my awareness firm on the silent bitterns.
“Where’d you get the bike?” he asked. “It’s just like the one that melted.”
Certain he wouldn’t like the full answer, I said, “Dallas.”
He looked amused, but didn’t press.
We were still so far out, it took the better part of a day’s travel before we got a cell signal. But when I followed Koda’s instructions to call Siska, it went to voicemail. I’d never phoned someone, although I’d observed plenty of others do so. In my ear, Siska’s voice said, “This is Siska. Leave a message.” Then I heard a beep.
My mouth opened, but I didn’t have a clue what to say. Koda smiled as I gaped, then took the phone when I handed it at him.
Into the mouthpiece, he said, “It’s Koda and Sephti. Call me when you get this.”
“I could’ve said that,” I huffed after he hung up.
He shrugged, working to school his face. “Next time.”
By that point, sitting sideways so long had a ferocious pain shooting through the left side of my neck. My partially healed left arm throbbed relentlessly from pressing against the back of my seat for hours on end. My nerves were frayed from being on constant alert, poised to attack if either bittern got feisty. I was tired and stiff and everything hurt.
To say my mood sucked would be generous.
All this while the bitterns rode facing forward, not speaking or making any attempt to interact. I could sense their growing strength as they healed, sense their awareness filling the truck’s cab. I knew they were entirely focused on the…dynamics, for lack of a better word, that existed between the four of us. The constant evaluation of strength and weakness, of the degree to which we were each alert and who was primed to fight.
Intently focused on the power of my will, they knew it was concentrated on them. And while they weren’t testing my strength—not yet—I could feel their coiled readiness t
o exploit any opening I might slip up and give them. Consequently, I had to remain vigilant, unassailable. Much like the Cold War, it was the threat of retaliation that maintained the brittle peace.
After twelve hours of this, I had to acknowledge that my faint hope either bittern could be pulled from their automaton-like existence was delusional. Nothing in the world around us even registered with Onas and Târre. The gorgeous Canadian Rockies, the brilliant blue sky, a magnificent waterfall we drove past—none of it drew their gazes or elicited the slightest flicker of emotion from them. The only time they seemed to take note of the world flowing past our windows was when four elk leaped across the road a quarter-mile ahead of us. A hungry light burned in two sets of silver eyes and Onas’s lips parted, the edges of his sharp teeth just visible.
Dryly, I told Koda, “Looks like some cheeseburgers would be a good idea.” I flicked a glance at Târre, craning her head to keep the animals in sight as long as possible. “Soon.”
He nodded, his gaze sweeping the rearview mirror as he observed the bitterns. About a mile later, he exited the highway and pulled into a combination gas station and fast food restaurant. Koda parked at the gas pump farthest from the convenience store and gave me a quizzical look. I breathed deep and scrounged up a shred of energy, just enough to camouflage the bitterns’ and my features and appalling condition. I was hoping the truck’s tinted windows would mask anything my glamour didn’t quite hide.
“Okay?” I asked.
He nodded. “I’ll be quick.” His hand on the door’s handle, Koda gave me a soft smile, worry and anger darkening his eyes. Then he climbed out, shutting the door behind himself. He got the gas going and walked into the restaurant to get the food. About five minutes passed and he came back out carrying a big bag and a tray of drinks.
I turned in my seat to kneel so I could face the bitterns, swallowing the pained hiss as my leg’s stitches stretched uncomfortably. Hating myself the whole time, I brutally pushed my will onto them until both dropped their gazes. Pushing harder, I figured it was a better option than allowing them to attack Koda for the food the second he opened the truck’s door. Only when they were visibly cowed did I wave him forward to hand everything in. When he reached across to put the bag and tray on the hump between our seats, I ignored the anger radiating from him, knowing it was directed at the situation and not at me. He shut the door and finished with the gas pump, then climbed into the driver’s seat. Starting the truck, he pulled out onto the surface street and retraced our route to the highway.
The scent of cheeseburgers filling the pickup brought a pained, hungry sound from Târre. Onas growled threateningly, his silver eyes narrowing as he focused on the female.
“Enough!” I snarled in Fae. The last thing we needed was for the two of them to battle over the food. Without removing my hard gaze from the bitterns, I said to Koda, “Is there someplace private we can go to feed them?”
He shot me a sharp look. “We’re on interstates now with traffic all the way between here and the other side of the U.S. border. Unless we go some distance out of the way, there’s nothing.”
I could feel the skin of my face tighten. If the bitterns didn’t eat soon, their hunger would override my control. “This should be interesting.”
Reaching one-handed into the first bag, I took out a paper-wrapped burger and handed it to Onas, tacitly acknowledging his seniority over the female. Only by keeping the pressure on him, giving myself a massive headache, did I keep him from snatching the food from my hands. Even as I was reaching for the second burger, Onas had shred the paper wrapping and was tearing into the food like a ravening animal.
Târre was only marginally better, simply because she was yet another level below me in rank, which required her to be that much more careful. But when the food was in her grip, she fell on the burger just as savagely.
To prevent a squabble between them, I tossed two more burgers to each, having to cuff Onas when his eyes lifted to meet mine and he stiffened, threat implicit in his posture. I cursed under my breath. That he was acting aggressively, even with my will hard on him, told me he was going to be a real problem. He ducked his head and murmured the proper apology, the formal words coming out with more growl than sincerity. When his sharp gaze lifted to Koda and a speculative expression crossed his face, I lunged, resolutely not giving in to my arm’s agonized protest as it slammed into the back of my seat.
Catching Onas by the throat, I squeezed, allowing my short nails to dig into his flesh. “He is untouchable,” I hissed in Fae.
The bittern made as if to raise his hands in an effort to free himself and I tightened my grip until his face went purple. He gasped something which sounded close enough to a sincere plea for mercy and I released my hold, sinking back into my seat but keeping my focus on him.
Koda swore, livid. “How long is it going to be like this, Sephti?”
Breathing through the pain of my throbbing arm, aching ribs and leg, I stayed concentrated on the bitterns. I hadn’t missed Târre’s keen interest in Onas’s condition or the calculation that crossed her features as she considered attacking him in that moment, while he was weakened.
“Sephti?” Koda prompted. “How long?”
Hurting and heartsick, I wanted to slump in my seat, put my head back and just freaking let go. Harsh reality kept me erect and alert, though. After a long moment of wrestling with the truth, I finally admitted, “As long as they are around. They’re too…too…”
“Rabidly psychopathic.” Koda’s tone dripped loathing. “Your grand plan, the one that has you risking your life, is for creatures like them?”
I flinched, but made my voice stay steady and strong, since anything else might precipitate an attack from the backseat. “No. It’s to keep my people from being made into creatures like them.”
He swore softly under his breath and flipped on the truck’s headlights with a lot more energy than necessary. Suddenly, he swerved, taking an exit right before we would’ve passed it. I caught the tray of drinks to keep them from falling and making a horrible mess, shooting a look at him before returning my attention to the bitterns.
We wove through a series of streets until we came to a warehouse district, where Koda slowed the truck as he studied the increasingly run-down buildings we passed. Finally, he seemed satisfied by one with broken-out windows and trash blowing across its weed-strewn parking lot. Graffiti layered on top of graffiti made me think of the way animals mark their territory—each successive creature coming through to urinate on the same spot in an effort to prove who was bigger and badder.
That humans chose to do this with paint was just one more mystery to me. At least the paint smelled a little better.
Koda pulled around the building’s corner and turned off the headlights. “We do this my way now.” Climbing out of the truck, he went to the back end and dug around in an old-fashioned trunk I’d noticed but hadn’t thought anything of. When he came around to my door and opened it, I looked at him quizzically. “Bring them.”
Dragging myself out of the pickup, I stretched surreptitiously, trying to work out the kinks from having sat in pretty much the same position all day. Never one for headaches, I had one now and it felt like my brain was trying to force its way out through my ears.
Koda was looking at me, hard, his sharp eyes cataloging my growing exhaustion and the care I was taking to mask it from the bitterns. He brushed a loose strand of hair back from my cheek, smiling faintly at my indrawn breath. “Hold them just a little while longer.”
I nodded, barking a rough command that had the two scrambling to kneel at my feet. Getting them moving took another order, then the four of us entered the dilapidated warehouse.
“Have you been here before?” I asked Koda, keeping the bitterns well back from him as we followed him deeper into the abandoned building.
“No.”
“Then how’d you know—”
His shoulders tightened. “Every city has its cast-off sections. All y
ou have to do is look.”
I’d noticed the same thing and had used such areas to hide when I escaped the stable.
We made our way across shattered glass and past a strange variety of broken shopping carts, collapsed boxes, a refrigerator without its door and a one-legged table. Apparently, the building had been used as a dump, although the thick layer of dust on everything indicated no one had been here in a long while.
“This is a good spot.” Koda indicated an area in the center of the abandoned structure’s farthest section. His tension had increased to the point that he seemed to vibrate with it.
His extreme discomfort in Târre and Onas’s presence added to my own uneasiness and I ratcheted my hold on them that much tighter. A tickle had me swipe at my nose and I was astonished to see a smear of blood across my knuckles. Having a nosebleed blew my mind, since this had never happened in all my time in captivity—keeping yourself alive required both physical skill, unfaltering alertness and the ability to mentally push your fellows at all times. As the consummate survivalist, I couldn’t figure out why less than a day dealing with just two bitterns should cause my nose to bleed. Or, come to think of it, why I had such a killer headache. I’d been so busy bracing against the throbbing pain that I hadn’t really thought about how strange it was that I hurt.
Giving myself a mental shake, I watched Koda spread a small buckskin square on the floor. Directing the bitterns to kneel where he pointed, I sat facing the pair on Koda’s nearer side.
Taking a fistful of sweet grass from a pile by his knee, he made a small fire, waving his hands in the smoke so it wafted over his head. Inhaling, he seemed to be talking to himself in another language, but the words had a rhythmic quality to them. As if he was speaking the lyrics of a song.
“Tighten your hold,” he said quietly, his eyes flicking to mine and darkening as he spotted the bloody nose. When I nodded, he removed a large bone-handled knife from its beaded sheath and held the blade in the sweet grass smoke. My will was so hard on the bitterns that I’m not sure they even saw that Koda was armed, something that would normally have set off their instincts. The added effort did awful things to my headache.