“That would make two of us,” I mutter in agreement.
His gaze flicks up to me, and he offers me a small smile, which I return.
“Do you feel less grumpy now?” I ask.
“Yeah, I do.” He brushes his mechanical fingers across my cheek, causing my eyelashes to flutter.
He watches in utter fascination as he moves his fingertips across my jawline and along my lips. I think about the time I polished his hand and how he seemed fascinated by it. He looks that way right now, too, as he traces his metal-kissed fingertip along my lip.
I wonder if he’s ever touched anyone like this before.
I’m about to ask him, even though I’ll probably look stupid, when I hear someone clear their throat.
Arrow hastily jerks back and lowers his hand to his side, the gadgets in his arm turning as he does.
“Good, my plan worked,” East says in a glittering tone.
I twist around and eye him over suspiciously. “What plan?”
“The plan where your pretty little lips brought my drummer out of his funk.” He winks at me.
“I didn’t do anything with my lips.”
“Sure you didn’t.” He smirks at me. “That’s why Arrow is blushing right now. Because you did nothing with your lips.”
Well, at least he seems completely better now. Not that I don’t believe for a second that the pain he felt has just healed. No, he just tucked it away. I would know since I do that all the time.
“I’m not blushing,” Arrow insists with annoyance.
East shakes his head. “It’s okay to like her, man.” He glances at me then traces his finger underneath my chin. “There’s a lot to like.”
I make a big show of rolling my eyes at his cheesy line.
He just grins, lowering his hand from my chin. “Always pretending,” he teases. “Deep down, we both know you like it.”
I want to argue with him, but I can’t.
Thankfully, Asher arrives and offers a distraction.
“We’re going to go on in just a few,” he tells East and Arrow then looks at me. “I want you to stay right here while we perform. It’ll make it so you’re kind of alone, yet we’re close enough that, if Maple tries to take you, she won’t get very far.”
I exhale the tension from my body. “So, this is where I’m bait?”
Asher gives me a warily look. “I don’t want to call it that. Maple doesn’t have a chance of getting anywhere.”
“Are you …? Are you sure about that?” I ask, a little bit nervous about seeing the half-genie, half-faerie again, remembering how much sick and twisted pleasure she was getting from smacking Maxton.
“Yes, I’m sure.” He doesn’t miss a beat. He also sounds like the intense genie I first met. The only difference is that it doesn’t make me as uneasy as it used to. Then he molds his palms to my cheek, cupping my face between his hands as he looks me straight in the eye. “I already promised you nothing would happen to you, and have I ever broken any of my promises to you?”
I shake my head. “No.”
“Okay, then.” He lowers his hands from my face.
Then the three of them head up on stage, leaving me with no choice but to trust him.
But the most unsettling part about all of this is I kind of do.
Harlynn
My revelation that I do trust the guys has fear spiking through me. Trust is fucking terrifying. And I’m pretty sure I’ve never trusted anyone before. At least, not after my parents died.
I’m one shallow breath away from having a panic attack and fleeing, you know, like the old Harlynn would do, when Ash East Arrow starts to play their first song. I’ve heard their music before, through the stereo, but never live.
The dark, haunting lyrics … the sultry rhythm … the sound of Asher’s voice … watching them play on stage … all of it wraps around me and starts to carry me away to a different world, a different place. For an amazing, breathtaking moment, everything is almost perfect. Then I feel it. That heat again. Sparking in my chest, like a flickering fire, begging to come out. And for a moment, I want to release it, unleash the heat inside of me.
“I need to get out of here,” I whisper, backing away from the stage as that heat magnifies into something more powerful.
Why is this happening now? What is this? What is happening to me?
I glance down at my arms, and my pulse quickens at the sight of the iridescent glow illuminating my skin. Every time my powers have appeared, something bad has happened. What if I lose control of them again?
“Looks like I made it here just in time.” The sound of Maple’s voice rises over the music.
I whirl around, preparing to … well, I’m not sure. Part of me wants to unleash this building power inside me, while the other part remembers the dream I had and what the power did. So, instead, I spin back toward the stage and open my mouth to scream, but something hits me in the back, a wave of heat, I think.
Shit, I think Maple used her powers on me, is the last thought I have before everything goes dark.
Harlynn
When my eyelids lift open again, darkness still encompasses me. Only, it’s a different kind of darkness. A night darkness.
I startle completely awake as I become painfully aware that I’m outside at night on Steel.
The polished ground below me is icy-cold, and the mechanical trees are buzzing with electricity that shoots sparks toward the sky.
“What’s going on?” I mumble as I sit up, pressing the heel of my hand to my forehead. I have a headache from hell, and my memory is all spotty, like holes have been burrowed into it.
“What’s going on is that I’m about to finally prove myself to Axel.” Maple wanders out from the trees, her eyes pale against the sparks hissing from the trees.
I swallow hard as memories trickle back to me. Of her showing up at the party, of her using her magic to knock me out. And then, apparently, while I was out, she dragged me outside.
Where are Asher, East, and Arrow? Did she hurt them, too? Or, have they not realized yet that I’m missing?
Bait. They told me I’d be bait, but they also told me that they wouldn’t let anything happen to me. Maybe this is part of the plan. Perhaps they’re out in the trees, waiting for Maple to confess what I am.
As I scan the trees, though, I don’t see any sign of them.
Maybe the plan just went wrong.
Don’t freak out, Harlynn. Steel is still on lockdown, so Maple can’t take you anywhere.
“Who’s Axel?” I ask as I sit up straighter and start conjuring up a plan to get away from her.
A twisted smile curls at her lips. “Your new master. And mine.”
“You mean, Asher’s father?” I ask.
Her growing smile says it all.
“Yeah, I hate to break it to you, but he’s not my master, and he’s never going to be.” I jump to my feet and move to run, even though I have no clue where I’m going.
Another chilling thought occurs to me. Where are the monsters that the guys warned me about?
I gulp but keep moving, my boots scuffing the ground—
Maple throws her hands out, and a glowing orb slams into my chest. I crash to the ground, the wind knocked out of me, pain radiating throughout my body.
“Genie magic is very powerful, isn’t it?” She walks over to me and crouches down. “Although, mine has gotten a lot more powerful ever since the lockdown was lifted and Axel allowed me to channel his powers. He was channeling it into Maxton, but after he messed up so terribly with the arch thing, Maxton is done, so he gave his powers to me. Axel’s children have become a great disappointment and inconvenience to him.”
“Wait … The lockdown’s been lifted?” I croak out as I try to push to my feet, but the pain is too much. And what does she mean Maxton is done? Does that mean Axel killed him?
Pain emits through my chest, but it’s a different kind of pain than the magic she hit me with.
It also doesn’t help that she places her h
and on my back and pushes me down.
“Yep. I sent in an anonymous tip about who collapsed the arch,” she says. “Even Asher, East, and Arrow won’t be able to charm their way out of the destruction of a world arch.”
Fear and worry slam through me. “You turned them in for the destruction of the arch?”
“I had to,” she insists. “If they weren’t arrested, then they’d come looking for you, and I couldn’t have that. Not that I didn’t enjoy turning them in. They never treated me right.”
Over the hissing sparks, I hear a swoosh.
“Good. Our portal is here.” She grabs the back of my shirt and drags me to my feet.
When I glance up, I see a swirling vortex has formed in the middle of the trees.
While I’m unsure where the portal goes, I have a hunch it leads to Axel. Part of me wants to walk right in there and finally, finally get my revenge, but the other part of me knows I’m not ready. Not when I don’t have a clue about how to work my powers. Not when I’m not prepared. So, digging into every ounce of strength I have in me, I place my hand on Maple’s arm and try to do a reenactment of what I did the last time she captured me.
But she just laughs.
“Try all you want. I’m more prepared this time.” She jerks on my arm and pulls me toward the vortex.
Panic flares through me as I dig my heels in and try to fight her, but she’s stronger than she looks.
Think outside the box, Harlynn.
As I rack my mind for a way around this, my gaze lands on a polished rock laying on the ground and an idea comes to me. It’s totally old-school, before magic Harlynn, but that Harlynn was pretty badass, too, even though I don’t always give her credit for it.
I let my legs buckle, the move throwing off Maple enough that we both trip to the ground. Her fingers leave me, and I hurriedly crawl toward the rock.
“Oh no, you don’t,” she growls out, and I hear her magic hissing.
I don’t stop, though. I grab the rock, roll over, and throw it at her as hard as I can.
It slams against her head so hard that the impact sends a deafening clank echoing across the land. But it does the trick as her eyes shut and she collapses to the ground.
I’m not sure how much time I have until she wakes up, but since she’s part genie and part faerie and is channeling Axel’s powers, it’s probably not enough time. I should just shove her into the portal and run back to the world traveling vehicle. Well, if I can find my way back. But Maple might have the answers to everything—what I am, what I can do, why Axel wants me. That’s why the guys wanted to capture her. So, in a very sporadic decision, and one that’ll probably bite me in the ass later, I grab Maple’s foot and drag her behind me as I start down the path that hopefully leads to the vehicle.
The air is quiet except for the hissing sparks crackling from the trees and my grunts as I pull Maple behind me. I can’t see a single monster in sight and begin to question if perhaps the monsters are just legends.
Back on my home planet, the paranormals would make up stories all the time in order to instill fear in humans. Maybe the rulers of this planet created the stories to instill fear in the cyborgs. It does seem plausible.
Of course, a few seconds after arriving at that conclusion, a crapload of glowing eyes abruptly appear in the darkness.
Harlynn
You know, I used to be able to remain super chill, even in stressful situations, but I also used to think stealing food was a stressful situation. Never did I have to deal with being surrounded by at least a dozen robotic hellhounds. That’s what they look like, anyway. I honestly don’t know what they are. They’re huge; that’s a given. They also seem to be really fixated on me as they creep from the trees, hunger glowing from their eyes.
Panic soars through me as I inch back slowly. “Um, good doggies,” I say as I tug on Maple’s leg—
One of the beasts releases a roaring growl and snaps its teeth at me.
I freeze.
Keep calm, Harlynn, and figure out a way out of this.
There has to be a way out of this. I mean, I found a way out of Maple taking me to Axel. For now, anyway. She could wake up at any moment, though. I’m not so sure that would matter since I’m pretty positive we’re both about to get eaten—
A hand slaps down over my mouth, and I’m yanked back behind a tree. Panicking, I move to elbow them in the stomach, but then they whisper in my ear.
“Relax. I’m not going to fucking hurt you.”
The smell of darkness hits my nostrils then—Maxton’s scent. But this time a dash of something sugary and sweet is mixed in with it.
I’m not sure if his presence should bring me comfort or not, since the last time I saw him, he was trying to capture me and take me to Axel. But Maple had said that Maxton was done. Though, I’m unsure exactly what that means.
Maxton steps in front of me and turns me so my back is against the tree. His hand is still covering my mouth, but he puts a finger to his lips and slowly lowers it.
I smash my lips together to keep my breathing quiet.
He looks at me for a fleeting instant, the starlight from the sky illuminating his silver eyes.
Wait … Silver eyes? The last time I saw them, they were black.
He gradually leans in, lowering his head toward mine, and I make a fist, preparing to clock him throat
“I’m going to get us out of here,” he whispers, and I put a pause on my throat punching. “We just need to be quiet. The hounds, they run on movement and noise sensors, so if we keep quiet and out of their sights, we should be able to get out of here alive.”
I nod, not sure if I trust him. But, what other choice do I have? To run blindly and hope I make it back to the vehicle without becoming robot dog chow?
“What about Maple?” I whisper as quietly as I can.
“She deserves the painful death she’s about to get,” he grits out in a shaky tone. I can almost feel the tension surging through his body.
Maple was abusive to him, and he has every right to think that, but …“I need her,” I tell him. “She knows why your father wants me, and she knows what I am. I need to get that information out of her before you let the hounds eat her … or whatever they do.”
“Harlynn, I know all those things, too,” he stresses. “And I can tell you now that my father is finally, finally done with me. Although, I’m not sure why I’m not dead. That’s how it’s supposed to work,” he mutters the last part confusedly.
So, I was right when I thought Maple meant that Maxton was dead. That still leaves a lot of questions, though. The most important being … “Are you still tied to him? Axel, I mean.”
He shakes his head then breathes out, “No … I’m free.” He sounds so baffled, like he’s not sure what to do with that revelation.
I really don’t either, so I just give his hand a squeeze.
“Okay, let’s get out of here.” I only hope I’m not making a huge-ass mistake by trusting him.
Nodding, he clutches my hand and pulls me with him as he carefully moves farther into the trees. I keep my footsteps as light as possible as I follow him, holding my breath and cringing at every movement—
The sound of Maple’s screams pierces the night, and the darkness lights up with eyes.
Maxton skids to a stop, and so do I.
“Oh my gods, they’re everywhere,” I whisper in horror as I take in all the glowing eyes peeking out at us from the trees.
Maxton casts a glance at me, but he weirdly doesn’t appear as terrified as I am.
Then he parts his lips. “Run.”
I don’t argue. I do exactly what he says, and we both take off in a mad sprint. Hounds dart at us from every angle as we maneuver around, jumping over logs and swinging around trees.
The clanking of the hounds’ teeth chases after us, glowing eye reflecting from everywhere. It seems like we’re going farther into the mess as we run deeper into the mechanical forest.
“Do you even know w
here we’re going?” I ask breathlessly as Maxton tugs on my arm and veers us out of the path of at least a dozen hounds.
“Kind of,” he replies vaguely.
“What do you mean kind of?” I hiss.
“I mean, before I found you, I stumbled across Asher—my brother’s vehicle. No one answered when I knocked, and the door was locked, so … so I went looking for him but found you instead. I’m not very familiar with this planet, but I think I can find my way back to it.”
“Think?” Well, that doesn’t sound promising.
“Yeah, think.” He skitters to the side as a hound leaps out in front of us. “And if I can get us there, we just need to find a way to unlock it.”
While I’m not a huge fan of his iffy plan, it might work if he can get us there.
“If you can get us there, I might be able to get us inside.”
“Okay,” he says determinedly as he picks up the pace.
I struggle to move as quickly as him, mostly because of these damn clunky heeled boots I’m wearing. I refuse to go down by becoming a mechanical dog’s supper, so I keep going, pushing myself to go faster.
I’m not going to lie. I had a lot of doubt that we could find our way to the vehicle, so when we burst through the trees and I spot the guys’ worlds traveling vehicle, a sense of relief washes over me. However, that means I now have to break into it and before the hounds get us. And I don’t have any tools on me at all, besides a hairpin. That’ll have to do. Although, I’m still not sure how I’m going to break past East’s seal if he put one up. Maybe if I can channel some of my power, but I’ll start with the lock for now.
As we slow to a stop in front of the door, I pluck a hairpin from my hair and reach for the doorknob, trying not to pay attention to the sounds of the hounds’ pounding footsteps rushing toward us.
“Please hurry,” Maxton says with his gaze fixed on the land around us.
“On it,” I tell him as confidentially as I can. But now that we’re here, I’m remembering how much of a pain in the ass it was to break into the guys’ vehicle the last time I tried. What if this doesn’t work? What if I can’t get us in in time? What if I can’t do this?
Chasing Steel: Capturing Magic Books 1-3 Page 38