by Lucy Rains
“Time to go, Princess.” He shot Roman one last look, drew his gun up parallel to his chest so the barrel faced towards the ceiling, and walked away from the door.
I looked back to Roman to see him scowling in confusion at the doorway. When his eyes came back to me a sharp stab of pain bit into my head. He pressed himself back into the wall again, his body rigid.
“What are you so afraid of?” I asked, bewildered.
His eyes burned into me, and I almost cried at the distrust I saw in them. “You.”
"I won’t hurt you,” I promised.
“I’ve heard those words before.” His chin trembled on the last word and my heart pinched in pain at the implication behind his words.
My mouth opened as I began to reassure him I was not a threat, but an oncoming aggressive presence stopped me.
I sprinted to the door, trying to close it before our predator reached Roman’s room but I was too late. We would have collided had I not stopped, my face almost hitting the black barrel of his semi automatic weapon. My forearm snapped up as a reflex, knocking the gun sideways as my foot came up and rammed into the man’s gut. He fell backwards as I reached for my own gun, drawing it and aiming for his forehead.
His lip curled in anger and before I could fire, another body dressed in black appeared around the hall corner with his weapon raised. He started screaming at me in Russian. I growled in frustration as I felt yet another presence arrive and was forced around the corner. More orders were shouted in Russian, the loud voices grating on my tightly wound nerves. I closed my eyes and drew in a deep breath. Pulling from my core, I whipped around the corner and threw a blast of energy into the hallway, knocking all the men backwards and into the wall behind them.
I couldn’t take Roman into the hallway or down the stairs. He was weak, unarmed, and unstable. There were too many in the hall. I eyed him, knowing one bullet would drop him, not out of pain but fear. He watched me intently, waiting for my next move.
Voices were picking up in the hallway again. I eyed the window at the end of the room and made a decision. Reaching out, I grabbed the side of the door and slammed it shut as best I could. It would not keep anyone out, but it would block any bullets aimed at my back until I had left the room.
Switching the gun to my left hand, I took lunging steps forward towards both Roman and the window three feet to his right. I raised my gun, aiming at the window and fired off two shots. The trickle of shattering glass was drowned out by the screaming behind me, the door slamming open again. Not slowing down, my teeth grit as I wrapped my right arm around Roman and pulled him with me through the open window.
Brisk air rushed over me, whipping my hair around my face. I let go of my gun, kept Roman tight against my side and threw an intense blast of energy at the ground. Our descent slowed, and I continued pouring energy out of my hand to soften our inevitable fall. At the last several feet I threw my left arm around Roman and twisted so that my back landed on the ground first and Roman made impact with my chest. I used the momentum of our fall to roll and break the hardest impact but still choked as the wind was knocked out of me.
A bullet snapped into the bark of a tree trunk beside me. Still gasping for air and coughing, I pushed myself up in front of Roman to protect him from the oncoming threat. My energy was weakening, my body desperate for rest. I had used up so much of what was left in me getting Roman out of the building.
I panted, searching for the gunman. A dark barrel peered around the side of a tree from the perimeter of the courtyard and I barely ducked in time to miss his next bullet.
Roman and I were too exposed, too much in the open. I couldn’t leave Roman to attack the man, and I couldn’t move him safely.
My eyes searched desperately for help. Alex and Kyson were nowhere to be seen. Gavin was still inside the building. I finally caught sight of someone standing up across the lawn.
“PIERCE!”
A shot of fire ripped through my waist and I fell to one knee, gasping. Hot liquid dripped down my side and into my waistband. I pressed a hand to the wound and shrieked at the pain.
The man behind the tree flew backwards as Pierce threw a blade into his chest.
Waiting for my wound to heal, I threw out my sixth sense to feel for all of the guys. Anxious, but not fearful. Tense but not pained.
The sound of gunfire was disappearing. No one was approaching us. Only the inside of the building held a few random shots of gunfire and screams of men. A breath escaped my mouth and my shoulders dropped. My eyes traced around the grassy area, scanning the bodies that littered the ground.
“Where’s Charles?!” I yelled frantically.
“I sent him with Alex and Kyson.” Pierce stepped up to me and pulled me up from the grass, his frown etched into his face at my blood covered fingers.
Using my clean hand, I tilted his chin to look up at me. Looking into his icy eyes as if it had been a month since I had seen him. Really seen him. “Are you okay?”
His emotions warmed and he gave me a small nod before looking behind me.
I turned to see Roman standing up, his eyes darting all around. “Do you have shoes for him?” I asked.
Pierce glanced down and nodded. “The bag is over the ridge.”
“Where is Merrick?” Roman asked.
The sound of his voice startled me, surprised to hear him speak willinging.
“Who?” Pierce asked.
“Merrick?” I whispered, remembering Nara’s last words to me. “He’s here?"
As if to answer, Gavin called out to Pierce as he exited the building. A tall, slim man, also with long brown hair, was walking with him. He matched Roman in a well worn gray jumpsuit, wearing thin black flip flops. He was much older than Roman, with silver hairs mixed in the front of his hairline. My mouth hung open and I felt momentarily struck dumb.
Roman pushed past Peirce and I, ignoring Gavin, and went straight to Merrick. The two embraced with low words exchanged. Merrick smiled, patting Roman on the back.
“No,” I growled. My hands curled, my nails digging into my palma.
Roman felt the shift within me without realizing what was happening. He turned away from Merrick, searching for the source of anger that was filling him. When his eyes landed on me his eyebrows furrowed.
“Jade, wait-” Pierce tried to grab my elbow but I ripped it from his grasp.
The knife was in my hand in a flash, my eyes locked on the aging man before me. His brown eyes widening at my approach, his hands raised in innocence.
“Wait,” he croaked.
When I pulled the knife back in preparation to send it flying into Merrick’s chest, fingers wrapped around my wrist and the knife vanished from my hand. Not to be deterred, my hands flew forward to release energy but Roman stepped into the line of fire, forcing me to pause.
I hissed, striding forward to my goal of ending Merrick’s life. Roman glared at me, his mind suddenly defensive. His hands came up, made contact with my shoulders and firmly shoved me backwards away from him.
“Argh!” Roman yelped. I caught myself and watched him grip his head in pain. His hand pressing to the side of his right temple.
With him distracted, I went to take another step forward.
“Jade!” Kyson yelled from behind us. Panic swirled into my mind. My anger was running through all of the guys, bringing Alex and Kyson running back with Charles trailing behind. A limp in his trot.
“It’s not what you think,” Merrick said. His chest heaved in panic and I watched as his chocolate eyes switched from fear, to awareness. He lowered his hands and dropped to one knee, bowing his head in submission. “Your majesty.”
I paused.
Blinked.
No.
No, no, no.
My stomach dropped at the sight of him, the words like a slap in my face. It was a cold bucket of water dropping on me.
“Oh shit,” Alex said, walking up behind me. “Do we need to bow too?”
“No!” I barked, sh
aking my head.
“A victri never bows to his dejah,” Merrick said, lifting his head slowly.
I glared at him, “You are a murderer!” My teeth mashed together as my canines lengthened. Kyson wrapped a hand around my arm to steady me. I looked to Pierce, “You heard what Nara said! He killed my mother! Stole us! He should die!”
Pierce looked calmly at Merrick. Unmoving. “I don’t feel that he is a threat.”
I hissed again, ready to walk forward but was pulled back by Kyson.
Roman rubbed at his head and looked to Merrick. “What is she talking about?”
Merrick stood up, and brushed off his knee. “Nara is a liar. You can’t trust her.”
I tilted my head. “Funny, she said the same thing about you.”
“Jade,” Alex said softly.
“Did you bring us here? To Earth?” I asked.
Merrick nodded, “I did.”
“Kidnapped us? As children? Babies?”
He nodded again, “I had to.”
“Jade,” Alex said again.
“Did you kill my mother?!” I shouted, my voice raising into a shout.
“No,” Merrick shook his head.
“My father?!”
“Jade!” Alex shouted.
“What?!” I yelled back, finally turning to look at him.
He stepped forward to look more intensely into my eyes, making sure he had my attention. “He speaks the truth.”
My mouth closed as I digested his words.
Alex nodded, “He is not the enemy.” He stepped back, “Can we clear out? I’m sure more are on their way.”
Kyson let go of my hand and I shot one more frown at Merrick before turning away.
“Water,” I said.
Gavin unzipped a side pocket on his pants and pulled out a small water bottle. I thanked him as he handed it to me, draining it within seconds. In the few minutes we had been still my energy had rejuvenated a small amount. I flexed my hands open and closed, eyeing Merrick as he wrapped an arm around Roman’s shoulders and led him forward.
My body stilled as an emotion surfaced in my mind.
“Someone is close,” I said quickly, my head spinning, searching.
Pierce’s eyes closed, his chin tilting up. “Up high,” he whispered.
I lifted my head, to peer at the top of the building. There was a click of a gun behind me. I threw my sense out farther, reaching the threat up above. “Up there!” I pointed.
“Where?!” Gavin shouted.
My hands raised and I jolted my energy into the third floor window where I felt the aggression aimed for us. The glass shattered, shards reigning down as a figure was exposed.
Gavin fired once, twice, and the threat left my mind.
“Incredible.”
I turned, seeing Merrick’s eyes wide with wonder.
My mouth twisted like something rotten was on my tongue. His name had been burned into my mind as the bad guy. The one filled with mal intent. And now I was supposed to see him as an ally? “Are you sure I can’t stab him?”
“No,” Pierce and Alex answered at the same time.
“What about his nose? Can I break his nose?”
Merrick looked at me appraisingly, unaffected by my threats. “You are strong. I am glad you have turned out well.”
“That’s debatable,” Gavin mumbled.
I shot him a look, then turned to Pierce. “What now?”
Pierce was staring at the building, “What should we do with it?”
“Do we need to do something with it?” Gavin asked. “Why can’t we just leave it?”
“Burn it.”
I turned to Roman. His eyes locked on the stone building with an expression of pure loathing. Hatred. I pushed into his mind, deeper under the hate. An electric pain ran through him.
“Burn it all,” he said again.
There was a loud smack as Alex gave Roman a pat on the back. “I like this guy."
Chapter 33
“Sanaleen-”
“Don’t!” I held up my hand to stop Merrick.
“What’s a Sanaleen?” Alex asked.
“It’s Jade’s birth name,” Pierce explained.
I stepped over a large rock, bounding up a trio of boulders. The renewed strength that I felt was intoxicating. I wanted to run, to fly. Kyson smiled up at me, offering up a hand. I didn’t need it. But I returned his smile, grasped it and swung down to him.
“Sanaleen,” Alex said to himself. “Has a nice ring to it.”
“Jade,” I corrected him. “Just Jade.”
“Jade is not the name of an Empress,” Merrick argued. He ducked under a low branch.
We walked quickly, trying to put space between us and the burning building we left behind. Pierce had wanted to take one of the ATV vehicles but Alex pointed out that they would have a tracking system on it that he didn’t have time to deal with.
So we walked. As quickly as Charles and Merrick’s pace would allow. A gray cloth was tied around Charle’s left calf, his limp still noticeable. He promised it was only a scratch from a grazed bullet.
“Let Kyson help you,” I pressed for the third time.
“I will be fine for now, Miss Jade. Let Kyson keep his full strength until we are finished.”
“Kyson-”
“I can’t force him, Jade.” Kyson said.
I huffed, “I don’t like seeing you hurt.”
Charles smiled kindly at me, as he always did. “I think you suffered more than I did.” He eyed the hole in the side of my vest.
We walked silently through the forest. My eyes darted to Roman every few minutes. I wanted to drink him in, study everything about him. Ask him questions, talk to him. But there were other, more important questions to ask.
“Tell me what happened,” I demanded of Merrick. I forced my feet too slow to his pace so that I could hear what he had to say.
“We don’t have time for this,” Pierce said from the front.
“We can walk and talk,” I shouted back. Pierce wanted us to get to the pick up point as quickly as possible to meet Harold. Going at the pace we were at, it would be a couple of hours.
“It’s a long story,” Merrick said quietly.
“Then give me the short version.”
His mouth pinched together and he rubbed a hand over the silver stubble lining his jaw. This man beside me was the one responsible for our presence here. The one that had shaped my life. I wasn’t going to wait until we were in a different country for some sort of explanation.
“You were in danger,” he said quietly. “All of you. Your mother, the empress, had just been killed. You were the next target.”
“Nara said-”
“Nara,” he spat the name, “killed your mother.”
I stopped walking. My feet froze. Maybe I didn’t want to get into this topic right now. The distraction was too tempting, too strong of a pull for my attention.
“Jade,” Gavin called out, bringing me back.
My head jerked and I stepped forward, quickening my pace. “I don’t understand," I said. "Why is she helping us get Roman out?"
"To end your life."
I turned to look at Merrick.
"She can not kill you while your victri lives."
I paused. Lost in his words. Unable to comprehend any of my guys dead.
"Like, at all?" Alex asked.
Merrick shook his head.
"Not even a head chop?"
A loud hiss slipped from Pierce's mouth and I flinched.
“But why would she want to kill me?” I asked. Why does my life even matter to her?
“She wanted what your mother had, now what you have.”
“What do I have?” I asked.
“The krin.”
My hand went to my chest and I tripped on a branch. Kyson shot a hand out to steady me. I rubbed at my sternum where I felt my vibrations.
“Nara is your mother’s sister. She wanted that power for herself. The krin choses the soul i
t deems worthy to wield its power.”
“The empress…” I mumbled.
“The one who holds the krin within, is the ruler of our world. Nara was jealous, wanted that power for herself. Driven to commit unspeakable crimes in her quest for power.”
"And I'm related to her?" I spat. "Nara? My aunt?"
"Unfortunately.”
“What about the guys?” I jerked my chin, motioning to them. “What about their parents?”
Merrick shrugged sadly. “I do not know. They were alive when I left Lotherland. But many died each day.”
I nodded, my heart heavy. We walked in silence for several minutes until I felt compelled to ask another question. “Did you two see each other much?”
Merrick looked at Roman who walked beside him silently. Merrick’s mouth turned down, “No. Once, maybe twice a month. They kept us apart.”
“Did you explain anything to him? About me? Us?”
Gavin started talking to Pierce, pointing to a line of trees that opened into a meadow.
“Yes, I was able to talk to him. I had to explain why he was locked up in such a place. And I had to help him understand what was happening to him when things changed.”
“What do you mean?”
Roman spoke up, answering my question. “My ability,” his voice thick, rough with an accent that matched the Russians. “I was very confused.”
I stopped walking, turning to Roman with wide eyes. “Your ability,” I remembered. “What is it?”
“Hey, Jade!” Alex called out, motioning me over. He was standing by Pierce and Gavin, looking past the open trees.
I turned back to Roman, but he was already walking ahead with Charles, stopping by Alex.
My shoulders dropped, disappointment washing over me like a cold rain.
“Be patient, your highness,” Merrick said softly from behind me. “He has lived a life detached from people. You are more than he can handle at this moment. Even though you are the best thing for him.”
“I know,” I whispered. But it didn’t make me feel any better. He looked out into the open meadow that Pierce and Gavin stood staring at.