Venus!
Michael took off in the direction of the noise. The thick trees and rocky terrain, along with the fact that it was dark, kept him from going too fast. Every once in a while he’d stop so he could listen again—make sure he headed in the right direction. But it’d been more than long enough and he still hadn’t found them. The final time he slid to a stop, Michael knew he’d arrived.
He could hear voices. And, a lot of coughing.
He wasn’t sure what he expected to see when he came upon them—a ship, flying penguin creatures or even a unicorn . . . Instead he only saw the two of them—Zaren and Venus. They were in a small clearing next to . . . emptiness. Snow covered the ground. Trees surrounded them, as though they were sentries, guarding Zaren and Venus from harm.
But, there wasn’t a spaceship. No flying contraption. Or anything else. Only the two of them, whispering.
Venus still had on his coat and wore that stupid hospital gown along with her boots. Her hair hung long, touching her waist. It glimmered, as did the pale skin on her legs. A gnawing started low, in his gut, and spread through his limbs. She looked gorgeous, drowning in his jean jacket, the slit of the hospital gown going up, barely covering her body underneath. His body tightened with longing. But she coughed again and one thought drowned out all others.
Save her.
He had to help her get back.
“Venus,” Michael called out, moving forward. She turned, and even in the moonlight it was obvious she suffered. Dark shadows sunk deep under her eyes, her face looked ashen and he could hear her wheezing. “Venus,” he said again when he reached her.
“Michael. How did you get here?” she asked softly, as though it hurt to talk.
Zaren stormed over and grabbed his shoulder, his grip like steel. “Why did you come? You’ve put us in danger.”
“Let go, Bluto.” Michael tried to pull out of his grasp, but it was like trying to move a bulldozer. He didn’t budge. “I came to ask a question . . . and to help.” Venus put a hand on Michael’s arm. Her eyes tore into him, questioning. But he could tell she was happy to see him, too. “Venus, I’m sorry. It’s . . . I think—”
Whirring from a helicopter blade thudded from a distance. Michael could also hear the revving and screeching of engines and brakes.
“Crap!”
Frank said they had another way of tracking Venus. Maybe they’d found her without Michael’s help. Either way, they were up cret’s creek without a paddle.
“Great,” Zaren yelled, letting go. He ran back to where they’d been standing when Michael had first arrived.
Michael watched a shimmer ripple through the air. And he realized a ship of some sort was there, hidden. “That’s effin awesome.”
“Michael, what did you need to ask?”
He glanced at her, working to discern the look she gave him. She moved her hand to his. Her skin was freezing. He bent toward her, resisting a strong need to press his lips against hers one more time—hold her again. Doing so would only increase his desire, his love for her. Michael could see she was in such pain, every breath a challenge. Yet she still helped him, giving him what he wanted.
How could I have been so dense? He touched her cheek with his fingertips, trying to memorize her face. He couldn’t fathom how he’d ever, for one second, believed that Venus murdered his mother.
On the other hand, it was simple to see Vinny had the opportunity. His motives were still unclear. Probably the leader of The Order, but that didn’t give Michael the real answer. What did The Order have to do with killing humans? It seemed to Michael the murders accomplished nothing. The marks were a part of it, but there had to be more. Right now it didn’t matter. Once he had a weapon that could kill Vinny, the what’s and why’s to his questions would follow. He hoped Venus knew of a way to destroy Vinny. She had to . . . “Vinny killed my mother,” he finally blurted.
Zaren, who’d been doing what looked to Michael like a pantomime of touching a lover, asked, “How do you know this?”
Frustrated, Michael said, “I’m not sure. A . . . I just feel he’s the one behind The Order and the killings.” He knew he sounded stupid, but he also didn’t know how else to explain it.
“A feeling? That’s what brought you up here—endangered Venus. A feeling?” In a flash, Zaren stood in front of Michael, furious. “You’re the most!—”
Venus interrupted. “Actually Zaren, I believe him. I’ve felt there’s something off about Vinny for a while, but kept pushing those thoughts aside. I didn’t trust myself. I should’ve listened.” She turned to Michael and continued, “What can I do?”
“I need a weapon or whatever it is your . . . kind use to destroy kelvieri. There must be . . .” Michael stopped because Zaren shook his head. “Are you saying once your kind become immortal, there’s isn’t a way to destroy them?” If that were the case, then humans were in serious trouble.
“Of course we have ways of killing kelvieri. Even immortals must die if they dishonor the laws, but why would I share that knowledge with you—with a human? That’s your species answer for everything. Kill. Demolish. It’s why your kind won’t last another millennia.”
Rage ignited. Moving closer, so he and Zaren were toe to toe, he said, “This human wants to destroy an alien immortal because he’s killing my kind, for his own sick purposes. It isn’t wrong that I want to stop him.”
Venus placed a hand on each of the guys chests, trying to force her way between them. “Stop it, both of you. We need to go. Listen.”
They froze. The helicopter propellers were closer and vehicles sounded like they were minutes away.
“Michael, you’ve got to get out of here. I mean it. Leave,” Zaren hissed. In a blink he returned to the hidden spacecraft.
Of course Michael understood why they wanted him to leave, but he wasn’t going to. Not yet. Not until he’d figured out how to kill Vinny. “I’m not leaving,” he said, looking at Venus. His eyes pled with her to understand.
She gave him a sad smile. “Hang on.”
Michael followed every move Venus made, including her conversation with Zaren. Their interchange made him jealous. Zaren talked to Venus in a tender, loving manner. It was easy to see he cared for her as more than a friend. Venus responded by nodding and touching his face with the palm of a hand. Zaren reached behind his back and pulled a sword from its hilt. Michael hadn’t even noticed that he’d changed back into the clothes he’d seen Zaren in that first day.
Venus hugged him and then tried to run back.
Ugh, hadn’t she ever been told not to run with sharp objects. As the thought entered his mind, Venus tripped over something—a rock, maybe—and fell, the sword sailing from her hand.
“Venus!” Michael and Zaren yelled together.
Then Zaren said, “Michael, please help her.”
“Already on it.” Michael reached her and helped her stand. She picked up the sword. He noticed her hands shook.
“Are you hurt?”
As he asked the question a humming started in the spot where the invisible spacecraft stood.
“I’m fine. Here, take it. This can kill a kelvieri.” She held the sword in front of her.
He struggled to focus on the sword because a bright light, like the twinkling of a star, sliced the air in front of Zaren. As the light grew, he was better able to see the sword. It glistened. Michael took it from her by the handle. And the strangest thing happened. It began to glow. Intense, like the beam of a flashlight. Michael nearly dropped it, surprised. It felt alive. Sent jolts of energy and glimpses of knowledge into his body.
“What’s happening?”
A smile crept over Venus’s face. “Michael, I don’t believe it.” She started coughing, doubled over. When she moved away the tissue, it was dark with blood.
“Venus!” He grabbed her around the waist.
“Don’t worry about me.” Venus pushed out of his arm.
Zaren had turned and was staring at Michael, his face
filled with astonishment.
“What? Am I doing something wrong? Isn’t this supposed to happen?” Michael held it lightly, in case the sword burst into flames, or worse, caused him to burst into flames.
“That only—” she began, but couldn’t finish. She’d fallen to her knees.
“Michael, bring her over,” Zaren barked. He knew it killed Zaren that he couldn’t be in both places at once. Obligated to get them on their way, yet filled with need to help Venus. He knew because he had the same feelings.
With one hand Michael lifted her and helped her walk over to . . . It wasn’t one spacecraft, but two. The effing things looked nothing like the round, domed ships he’d seen on TV as a kid. They didn’t even look like a spaceship out of Star Wars, Independence Day or any other alien movie. Instead, there in front of him sat two glowing . . . marshmallows. He would’ve said eggs, but no. They were cylinder-shaped. Exactly equal on top and bottom. Marshmallows.
A conversation between Venus and him, while he’d been driving Red, popped into his head. Oh, this better not be what she considers cooler than my car, because these are ridiculous.
Zaren snorted and pressed against the side of one of their spacecraft.
Michael was half-tempted to lift his nose in the air. Would they smell like the warm, sticky gooeyness of a roasted—
“They aren’t marshmallows, you idiot,” Zaren yelled.
Venus let out a noise, as though she wanted to crack a joke and instead gasped for air, like a fish out of water.
“You can read minds, you sneaky SOB.” Michael would be pissed later, when Venus wasn’t clinging to life.
Zaren swore, but ignored Michael.
Michael moved closer. The spacecraft may’ve looked like large white gooeyness, but they weren’t squishy. As Michael watched Zaren tap it with his fingers, a panel slid down to reveal strange symbols, each one flashing brilliant red. He touched several and a door slid open.
“Venus, get inside,” Zaren said.
Michael carefully let her go. She seemed to want to get inside by herself, but she took two steps and fell down. “Dammit. Why are you so stubborn?” he whispered, setting down the sword and lifting her into his arms.
“Not. Stubborn.”
“Ha!” He went to the ship and carefully set her in what he guessed was a chair. It was white, but shaped like a banana. There were also lots of different buttons, compartments and panels. All of them blinking, flashing or speaking some strange language. “Are you going to be okay?” he asked.
“I’ll be fine.”
She’d said the words, but he had a feeling she lied. What can I do for her? She looked so broken, so frail.
Michael ran around to the other spacecraft and found Zaren sitting in his chair pressing buttons. “She’s in,” Michael said.
“Good. Now you’d better get out of here.” He appeared stressed. Michael turned to go, but Zaren stopped him. “That sword—I’m glad it lit up for you. Be careful with it. The sword contains immense power, especially since it’s taken a liking to you. And your father, Frank will want it, to study how it works. Don’t let that happen. Your world isn’t ready.”
Chapter 51
Should I Stay or Should I Go
Exiled Page 51