Breaking the Nexus (Mythrian Realm)
Page 14
Nightmare leapt, powerful legs propelling him to her faster than she could evade. A swipe of his claws barely caught her arm, drawing a hiss of pain.
I’m fine, don’t worry. He just grazed me. She hastened to assure Connor.
I saw. I trust your judgment, temptress. Warmth filled her at his words. He was worried but he trusted her abilities. It made her want to kiss him all over again. You can kiss me all you want later. His amusement curled around her.
“Nice shot. But I still drew first blood,” she taunted, watching him with hawk eyes. This time, she caught the tell that said he was going to strike and she sidestepped the attack. The maneuver closed the distance between Evil Bastard and Connor. A little further and he could make his move.
Energy jolted through her body. Alarmed, she looked to the sky. By the flame, the fissures were growing. The surge, while welcome at that moment, signaled magic was leaking from the Nexus. It was growing dangerously unstable now.
No time to worry. She inhaled a few times and on the last, she filled her lungs deep and forced every ounce of power she had into a single lance of fire, aimed straight at Nightmare’s chest. He tried to evade, but his feet were rooted to the ground, held there by her secondary binding spell.
“Gotcha, you son of a bitch.” Triumph at defeating him made her heart race.
The flames connected, driving him backwards onto the silver blade in Connor’s hand. It pierced the wendigo’s ice heart, the intense heat of her fire incinerating it instantly.
You’re…still…too…late. The…ritual’s…already…complete. Ferren…is…coming…
Light began pouring out of his body, bursting out from his skin. Oh hell, that couldn’t be good.
“Connor move!” Her warning sent him racing away from the wendigo just before the body exploded, the force from the blast lifting Sha and tossing her into the nearest building like a rag doll. Her head slammed against the pavement and left her reeling.
“Sha! Can you hear me?” Connor had somehow ended up right above her, eyes a bit wild. Behind him, Alec stood, clothes bloodied, a makeshift club in his hand.
“Y—yes. Gods, my head.” Pounding, nauseating pain. She watched, bemused as Alec whipped around, bashing a diminutive demon aside that had been coming toward them.
“I know it hurts, but no time to wait. Look.”
Gingerly, she turned her head in the direction he pointed. By the flame. The fissures were now the size of Gateways, blue bolts of energy shot across the tears. Through the swirling, black clouds she caught glimpses of Sentinels in Mythria fighting in vain against demons, struggling to keep them from reaching the breaks.
The entire fabric of the Nexus undulated, writhing under the strain of the ever expanding gashes.
*******
“Guys, get ready. I think we may be too late. It looks like it’s about to…” Sha’s voice held a sharp edge of panic that reverberated through his body when she fell silent. Connor whipped around in time to see her drop to her knees then slump over.
“Sha!” Before he could even take a step in her direction, the Nexus rippled then bowed inward for a brief moment. The next instant a wave of pure energy rushed outward and amidst a flash of blinding, bright light, Connor caught a glimpse of arms reaching through one of the slits, pulling Sha across. A sound of pure, primal rage ripped from his throat and only Alec’s hand clamping down on his arm stopped him from charging the portal.
“On the other side of that is Mythria and a battle a hell of a lot worse than what is going on here. Are you sure you want to go in there?”
Connor cast a startled look at Alec, then shook him off. “There is nothing stopping me from going after her,” he bit out.
Alec studied him, then nodded in satisfaction. “In that case, you first.”
“Excuse me?” Connor asked, wondering what he’d missed.
“I’m coming across, too.” Alec shoved Connor toward one of the openings. With every passing second the Nexus looked more and more unstable. “You can go first though. What can I say? I have a strong sense of self-preservation. Hurry before it collapses.”
“Alec, you’re going to have a lot of explanations if we make it through that in one piece.” Connor deliberately stated it as a command, not a question. He took a deep breath and issued his partner a silent apology for leaving him to deal with the aftermath of the devastation they were leaving behind. Without giving himself time to question the sanity of what he was doing, Connor leapt into the portal and hoped like hell Sha was on the other side.
*******
The story continues in Waking the Phoenix…Coming soon!
About Lindsay Avalon
I am a wife, a programmer, and now an author. I have an adorable mini Schnauzer and more books than I have room for. I love reading romance because no matter what may be happening in my life, I can always count on my books to end happily ever after. The day I met my husband was the day I truly began believing in happily ever after. After hearing me complain a few too many times that I had “nothing” to read despite the hundreds of paperbacks scattered around the house, my husband began suggesting I write my own stories. When I finally took his advice I discovered that although I enjoy my day job as a software engineer, my true calling is to be an author.
My sister drilled into me an appreciation for fantasy and mythology, something I try to bring to my books. My debut novel, Breaking the Nexus started as a book written for NaNoWriMo and has grown to so much more. It was the conduit that introduced me to a fantastic group of independent authors who have changed my life in unimaginable ways.
When I’m not writing, I’ve found a passion for blogging and interviewing fellow authors. I also love reading (of course!), baking, crochet, sewing sock monkeys, playing video games, and all sorts of random crafts. I have an incurable love of rubber duckies and stuffed animals, and I believe nobody should have to grow up if they don’t want.
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