[Relentless 01.0] Relentless

by Karen Lynch

  “Kill me then.” My words startled the vampires, and I was proud of how calm I sounded despite the storm of emotions inside me. “All I ever wanted was to find the one who killed my father, and here you are. Knowing that my friends will rip you to shreds – all of you – after I’m dead is enough for me.” My voice grew stronger as I spoke, powered by my conviction that Nikolas and the werewolves would do exactly that.

  A wave of panic rippled through the vampires surrounding us. My life was the only thing between them and certain death, and my willingness to die had just drastically decreased their chances of survival. Some of them looked poised to flee. They weren’t stupid. The Mohiri and the wolves wanted me, and my friends would follow whoever had me.

  “Stand firm!” Eli growled. “You would dare disobey the Master’s orders?”

  Apparently, the Master’s wrath was even more terrifying than dying because the vampires moved to take up defensive positions around me and Eli. With the cliff at our backs and the line of vampires between us and his enemy, Eli’s confidence lifted.

  “Such a pretty speech,” he rasped into my ear. “But you see I’m not ready for either of us to die yet.” His lips touched my earlobe, and I suppressed a shudder. “I have such plans for us, sweet Sara. Before this night is out, I will own you, body and soul.”

  “I’ll die before I let you have me.”

  His voice hitched as he fed on my terror and his own anticipation. “Fight me all you want. It only makes you more desirable.”

  I tried to block out the images his words conjured. “You’re a monster.”

  Eli chuckled. “I’ve had many, many women, and all of them begged me for it… well, up until I made them scream, of course. Your daddy screamed, too, at the end, and so will you.”

  Pain shot through my chest. “I’ll kill you!” I choked, struggling against him, making him laugh again.

  I grunted as something sharp dug into my hip. The knife. An absurd urge to laugh flooded me as I remembered how I had tried to refuse the weapon when Nikolas gave it to me and how many times it had helped save my life since that day. Through it all, the knife always seemed to find its way back to me as if it was daring me to deny my heritage.

  My right hand snaked inside my coat and touched the handle. At the same time, my eyes sought Nikolas’s, and I drew strength from his unwavering gaze. No matter how this ended, I was not leaving this place with Eli. It was obvious that one of us was going to die here, and if it had to be me, I would go like the warrior Nikolas believed me to be. I owed him that much.

  “Father and daughter and someday I’ll have the mother, too,” Eli gloated, oblivious to the resolve burning in my eyes. He pulled me against him again, and if it weren’t for my newfound strength, I would have buckled under the vicious promise in his dark eyes. “Maybe I’ll keep you until I find dear Madeline. I’ve never had a mother and daughter at one time.”

  “You sick bastard!” My fingers closed around the handle of the knife and slowly slid it free. “I’m going to enjoy watching you die, Eli.” My whole life I had fought to save the lives of others, but today I would gladly try to take one, even if it meant my own death.

  He smiled, but there was no humor in it. “You’re brave enough to say that now, but soon you will beg to die. I will use you and drink from you over and over until I have had my fill. And when there is nothing left, I will send you to be with your dear father.”

  A lifetime of grief, loneliness, and fear powered the thrust that sent the knife into Eli’s chest, up between his ribs and into his demon heart. My eyes met his as they flew wide in disbelief while his hands clawed at the hilt protruding from his body. I watched impassively as realization dawned on his face, as his dark, soulless eyes stared at the last person he would ever hurt. Inside me, the Mori reveled in the kill, but all I could think of in that moment was my dad. Killing his murderer did not ease the pain of losing him or bring me any joy, yet it felt right that I was the one to do it. I couldn’t save him, but I could give him this.

  Eli crumpled to the ground, and all hell broke loose.

  Nikolas sped toward us followed by Chris, and they were met by six of the vampires. Swords and bodies flew so fast I could not follow the fight. Behind them the wolves began to race toward the rest of us on the cliff. Around me, the remaining three vampires quailed when they spotted the approaching threat, and they turned to jump into the ocean.

  It took me a moment to realize I was free. I ran toward the wolves only to be snatched off my feet and thrown over a shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “For the Master,” growled the vampire who’d grabbed me.

  I screamed and struggled to break free as I was carried back toward the cliff. Behind me the wolves roared, and over the din I heard Nikolas yell my name.

  We went down in a tumbling heap, and I rolled away to see a silver coated arrow sticking out of the vampire’s chest just before he toppled over the edge of the cliff. Scrambling to my feet, I spotted Chris fitting another arrow into his bow.

  “Sara, run!” shouted Nikolas as he ran his sword through one of the vampires he was battling. I needed no more encouragement, and I started forward.

  I didn’t feel the pain at first, just a cold numbness in the center of my chest. When the throbbing pain came, I looked down in confusion at the patch of red blossoming across the front of my shirt. By the time my dulled mind recognized the hilt of my knife sticking from my chest, scalding pain began to shoot through me.

  “No!” someone bellowed above the roaring in my ears. I tried to move toward the voice, but my feet would not obey me and I tripped backward instead. My hands flailed as my feet tried to find purchase, but there was nothing but air as I toppled over the edge of the cliff.

  I’m dying. The thought hit me at the same moment I collided with the little tree clinging precariously to the face of the cliff. My hands grabbed the thin branches, barely feeling the needles that tore at them as I clung to the tree with my rapidly fading strength.

  Dangling over the boiling surf, I could barely hear the shouts and roars from the battle raging above me. I tried to call out to them, to let them know I was here, but when I opened my mouth, warm frothy blood was all that came out, running down my chin to drip into the sea.

  Strange. I always thought I’d feel scared when death came for me – not this peace that slowly spread through my body. There was sadness too – for Nate who would be alone now, for never seeing Roland’s playful smirk again, and for Nikolas whose handsome face swam before my eyes, his eyes sad instead of their usual stormy gray. He had tried so hard to save me, and I knew he would blame himself. I wished I could tell him that it wasn’t his fault. More than that, I wished I could let him know that somehow through all of this, he had become an important part of my life.

  My hands opened.

  The last time I’d fallen, Nikolas had caught me in his arms, though I had no memory of it. This time it was the ocean that wrapped me in her cold embrace. I sighed as the pain vanished, the world went dark, and the waves closed over my head.

  Chapter 21

  “Look, Daddy! I can go all the way around without falling now.”

  “That’s great, honey!” Daddy watched as I skated in a wide circle around him. I made my way over to him on wobbly legs, and he caught me just before I fell. “Whoa, slow down there, Gretzky.”

  “I’m cold. Can we go get hot chocolate now?” I asked him hopefully, and he grinned down at me.

  “Of course! When have we ever not gotten our hot chocolate?”

  We sat on the bench, and Daddy blew on my drink for me. “There you go, honey.” I took a long sip, and he smiled. “Be careful, or you’ll burn your tongue.”

  But the chocolate did not burn me, and I drained the cup. I held the empty cup out to him. “Can I have some more?”

  “More? Don’t you want to skate again?”

  I shook my head, shivering in spite of my warm coat and mittens. “Please, Daddy, I’m so cold.”

  “How doe
s she fare?”

  “She is alive, and she is a fighter. That is all I can say.”

  “She looks so human, so fragile.”

  “Aye, but she is stronger than she looks.” A cool touch to the forehead. “Rest now and get well, little one.”

  “I don’t feel so good.”

  Daddy’s hand felt cool against my face. “Hmm, you are a bit warm. Where does it hurt?”

  I coughed and winced. “My throat hurts, and it hurts here,” I rasped, touching my chest.

  He tucked the blankets around me and left my room, returning with a glass of water and some pills. I took the pills obediently and greedily drank the glass of water. “More,” I gasped. I was thirsty, so thirsty.

  “Why does her body resist the healing?”

  “It is the demon blood. It is poisoning her.”

  “But the demon is part of her. How can it harm her?”

  “No, it is the other demon’s blood that was on the weapon. Her body must choose to accept it or reject it.”

  “What will it do to her if it does not kill her?”

  “I cannot say. She is not like any other we have healed.”

  “Can we do something to help her?”

  A sigh. “It is up to her now.”

  “Am I dead?”

  “What an odd thing to ask, honey.” The corners of my dad’s warm green eyes crinkled when he smiled. He patted the sofa beside him, and I curled up happily in the crook of his arm. “I can’t believe it. My little girl is all grown up.”

  My brow furrowed. “I don’t understand. Where have you been all this time?”

  He sighed and gave my shoulders a squeeze. “I never left. I’ve been with you every day.”

  “But I couldn’t find you. I was alone and scared, and you were gone.”

  “You were never alone, Sara. You had Nate and your friends. You still do.”

  Tears burned my eyes. “I messed up so bad, Daddy. I lied to everyone, and I hurt Nate and my friends. They probably all hate me now. Everything I do hurts someone. Even Nikolas. He tried to help me, and I let him down, too. It’s no wonder I died.”

  “No one hates you, honey, and you’re not dead.”

  I shook my head. “You died, and the only way I can be talking to you is if I died, too.”

  He kissed the top of my head. “My sweet girl, you can talk to me anytime you want to.”

  I closed my eyes and laid my head against his shoulder. “I miss you, Dad.”

  Soft tinkling sounds like glass wind chimes pulled me up from the warm cocoon of darkness wrapped around me. My eyes felt heavy as if I’d slept for a long time, and when I opened them, it took them a minute to focus. When I could finally see my surroundings, I knew I must still be dreaming.

  I lay in the middle of a large canopy bed, covered by white sheets made of soft linen and a comforter of the lightest down. The walls of the room were entirely covered in sweet-smelling flowering vines, and the domed ceiling was made of stained glass depicting the night sky. There was no window and no door that I could see, and when I leaned over to look at the floor I saw what looked like hard-pressed earth. On a glass-topped table beside the bed, a small oil lamp flickered softly.

  I fell back onto the soft pillows. I am so not in Kansas anymore.

  The vines parted, and a pretty red-haired girl appeared. She wore a pale green shift with a fine silver gauze overlay, and her delicate face had an almost ethereal quality to it. At first glance I guessed her to be around ten years old, but as she approached the bed I saw that she was closer to my age, maybe a little older.

  “Welcome back, little sister,” she said in a soft musical voice that was oddly familiar.

  “Where am I?” My throat was dry and my voice raspy.

  She moved her hand, and out of nowhere she seemed to pull a glass of what looked like water. Pressing the glass into my hands she said, “Drink.”

  I took the glass and put it to my lips, too parched to question what it was or how it had appeared from thin air. When I took my first drink I discovered the clearest, most refreshing water I had ever tasted. With my second drink, flavors exploded across my tongue like the smell of grass and flowers and rain and sunshine. It reminded me of standing in a meadow after a spring shower. I drank it all then looked forlornly at the glass, wishing for more. Like magic, the glass filled again, and I drank that down, too, before my thirst was quenched.

  “Am I sick?”

  She smiled sweetly, and her emerald green eyes sparkled. “You were very ill. I am delighted to see you have recovered.”

  I studied her face. I’d never seen her before; that much I knew. So why did I feel like we’d met before? “Do I know you?”

  Her laugh was airy, musical, and something stirred at the edge of my memory. “We have met once, but I have been watching you for many years now.”

  “Who are you?”

  The air around her began to shimmer, and a small breeze tossed the leaves covering the walls. Before my eyes, the girl faded and morphed into a small spinning column of air. “I told you we would meet again,” said a whispery voice I would know anywhere.

  My hand flew to my mouth. “Aine?”

  The air shifted, and the smiling girl stood before me again. “It is good to see you again, Sara.”

  “I don’t understand. Why are you here, and why have you been watching me?”

  She laid her pale slender hand over mine where it lay on the comforter. “We always watch over our own.”

  Their own? I shook my head, thinking I knew exactly how Alice had felt down in the rabbit hole. “I’m not a sylph. I’m Mohiri.”

  “You are correct. You are not of the air, and you did inherit your mother’s demon side.” Aine nimbly hopped up to sit cross-legged on the bed beside me. “But you inherited something from your father as well. I know you have always wanted to know where you got your power to heal. That comes from your great, great, great, great grandmother.”

  “Are you saying that my dad wasn’t human?” I refused to believe that. Nate was very human, and my dad had been, too.

  “Oh, he was human. Your ancestor’s gifts can pass only to females of her line.” Aine’s eyes danced. “Do you know you are her first female descendant? As you can imagine, we were very excited when you were born.”

  I struggled to keep up with her. “What are you saying?”

  “Forgive me. In my eagerness I have confused you. Let me explain.” She took one of my hands in her smaller one, and I felt a peaceful calm flow into me. My power surged in response, and a soft gasp escaped me when I sensed energy coming from Aine that was so similar to my own. It was like finding a piece of myself that I did not know was missing.

  “Your great, great, great, great grandmother was named Sahine, and she was of the water and one of my dearest sisters. One day, Sahine fell in love with a human male and she chose to leave this life for a mortal one. It happens sometimes.” Aine smiled wistfully. “We were sad when she left us, but she was so happy for the rest of her days. I was glad for her.”

  I rubbed my eyes and felt my forehead to see if I was feverish. But my face was cool to the touch. Maybe I’m drugged. What else could explain the things I was hearing?

  “So I’m like a mermaid or something? Because if you tell me I’m going to start growing a tail, I’m going to freaking lose it.” I moved my feet under the covers to make sure they were still there.

  Aine gave another tinkling laugh. “You are undine. And I don’t think our cousins would appreciate your sentiment.”

  “Undine?” I tried to remember what I knew about undines. Water elementals, always female with beautiful singing voices. Obviously not all of their talents were passed on. All elementals could heal, which explained my power. Undines were supposedly born without souls and marrying a human was one way to get a soul. I felt a moment of fear. I was already half demon. Did this mean I had no soul either?

  Aine’s brow furrowed. “I thought you would be happy, but you look troubled.�
�

  “Do I… do I have a soul?”

  “Only those born in the water are full undine and have no souls. You were not born to the water, so you are not full undine.”

  I had a soul – that was something at least. But what did this make me? God, a month ago I was just another human, or so I thought. Now I was what – one-third human?

  An ache started behind my eyes. This was too much to process. One minute I’m falling off a cliff, and the next I’m in a strange room with a sylph telling me I’m part elemental. If this was someone’s idea of the afterlife, it was pretty messed up.

  Aine slid off the bed. “I am sorry. You are weak from your illness, and I am upsetting you.” She touched my forehead with her cool palm. “Go to sleep. I will be here when you wake up.”

  My eyes immediately began to droop, and I fought to keep them open. “Wait, I have more questions, and you didn’t tell me where I am.”

  “You are in Seelie. Your injuries were grave, and this was the only place that could heal you.”

  Seelie! I thought before sleep claimed me.

  When I woke again, I felt well rested and surprisingly serene, considering everything Aine had told me. True to her word, the sylph reappeared as soon as I opened my eyes. She brought me a pale yellow dress similar to her green one, and I marveled at the fine fabric as I slipped it over my head. Barefoot, I followed her through an archway behind the vines to a courtyard overlooking a glassy lake. We sat at a small glass table set with food and drink that made my stomach growl, and I reached for a pastry, wondering how long it had been since I’d last eaten.

  My hand stopped halfway to the plate when I remembered where I was. Rule number one in Faerie: don’t eat or drink.

  “You are not mortal, little sister. The food is safe for you.”

  That was all I needed to hear. My appetite had always been good, but I’d never tasted food like this: pastries that melted on my tongue, fruit so sweet I licked the juice from my fingers, and cold, frothy milk flavored with mint. It was like pure bliss, and I sampled it all – twice – before I finally leaned back in my chair, sated.