by Mia Strange
I stopped struggling and found my voice. “Who else knows?”
“Elijah has always known. Now?” I could feel that classic shrug behind me.” I guess the rest of you.”
He had on a coat of some sort, leather, with harsh buckles that bit into my back.
“Where’s Eli?” Somehow flying without wings, a Troll beneath my feet and The Madison in flight, paled compared to my worry that Eli Dark was nowhere to be seen. And that Traveler Hale was not at his side.
“He sent me after you. We saw the Troll follow and knew it would be trouble. I’ll take you to him, right after.”
“After?” A foul wind, biting and nasty rose, and whipped through my hair. It became a tangled mess around my shoulder and face. For a moment, I couldn’t see.
Traveler shifted his arms so I could reach up and gather my hair in my fist. His arms fit tightly just under my breasts. I could see again. But molded to him in such an intimate fashion was unnerving.
“After we take care of the beast.” Holding me easily with one arm, Traveler drew his Athame.
“Oh, no you don’t.”
“Your palm, Skye.”
“This guy, at least I think it’s a guy, is already Raised.”
“And needs to be put down.”
“What happened to the old, “Athame in the heart” routine?”
“He’s too damn big.”
I looked at the Troll beneath us. It had started to lumber after The Madison. Our little railcar didn’t stand a chance. Just three of the Troll’s strides equaled a city block.
“Well fuck,” I said.
“Exactly. Sorry. But it won’t hurt.”
“Right. Liar. Just do it.”
Traveler flew toward the Troll. The creature caught sight of us and tried to bat at us like flies. Traveler flew higher still. I hung on tight, clenching my nails into his forearm so hard I made marks in the leather. Even though my mind had accepted that I was flying with Traveler, my fear hadn’t.
Palm out, I closed my eyes as Traveler sliced across my hand. Blood, wet and oozing dripped from my clenched fist. The distinct scent of copper filled the night air. Traveler took in a sharp breath and looked away from the blood. His eyes glowed.
My blood affected him. It always did. And now I knew all blood must affect him. But I couldn’t stem the bleeding now, even if I had to.
As we flew, Traveler held out my hand. We moved in dizzying circles, around and around and around again. More of my blood spilled. It vaguely registered that I was giving more blood than I had ever done before.
I knew better than to open my eyes. Between the blood loss and the motion, it would be hard to stay conscious.
Caught in a blood circle, the Troll roared beneath us. I felt that stomach in your throat feeling, as we descended. Traveler placed me gently on a mound of grass, underneath one of the dying trees. I opened my eyes, and watched the moonlight dance across his sharp, albeit handsome features. Soft mahogany hair fell from across his shoulders and grazed my cold cheek. A tube bead hit me on the nose.
“Sorry.” He shoved his hair over his shoulder. His eyes glowed like that of an animal’s caught in the light of a gas lamp.
Images swirled together, the moon, Traveler Hale, his amber eyes, the humongous shadow of the infuriated Troll behind us. I fought to stay conscious.
The creature pounded on the wall of invisible magic, unable to get out. It sounded like thunder was all around us, loud and terrifying. I squeezed my eyes shut, and the world started to fade away.
“Skye.” Traveler lightly slapped my cheeks. “Stay with me. You’ve lost too much blood. Cane’s magic is strong, I needed it, but, fuck.” He looked beyond frustrated. “Just damn it.”
I opened my eyes and watched him run both hands through his hair. He leaned over me once more. “You’re going to be fine, got it?”
“Got it.” I nodded. I didn’t know what I was supposed to get. And right now, I didn’t care. I just needed to get warm. It felt as though ice filled my veins. My own skin felt as cold as his. Weakness crawled through my bones, and confusion set in. My rapid breath accelerated my heartbeat. I fought hard to stay conscious.
“Damn it. Just damn it,” Traveler whispered.
“You sound like me.” I tried to smile but I didn’t open my eyes. “I swear too much.”
“Fuck it,” Traveler said.
“Ooh. That’s a bad one,” I giggled.
I opened my eyes. His image swirled. His wrist hovered against my lips, and once again I was surrounded with the scent of sharp, tangy copper. Traveler cradled my head in his hand, and my eyes closed as he pressed his flesh against my mouth.
Something liquid, wonderful, amazing, remarkable, slid down my throat. My thirst was quenched. My body warmed. My limbs felt whole. Whatever nectar this was, most likely from one of Pilot’s fabled Greek Gods, I wanted more.
A lot more.
Traveler groaned. He moved, and with his legs now straddling me, he leaned in. My corseted breasts pressed into his hard chest. I felt no warmth there. Only the harsh, cold buckles of his coat against my skin. He whispered in my ear. “Stop.”
I gripped his wrist. I drank what he had offered.
“Stop, Skye.”
I didn’t. I couldn’t.
“Please.”
His plea was haunting. Painful. I opened my eyes. He pulled his wrist away from my lips and turned away from me.
“I will do more harm than good, Lovely.”
“What? What just happened? Did I just drink–”
“Wait,” he cut me off. “Just wait. I have to close your wound. And I have to...
His voice trailed off. Traveler took my hand and brushed his lips against my wrist. My eyes fluttered closed. I couldn’t keep them open. I didn’t seem to want to. He moved to my palm, where his tongue traced the line over my long cut again and again. He moaned as I felt the last sticky remnants of my blood disappear. He ended the bizarre ritual with another slow kiss to my wrist.
I felt a pull low in my belly, and it was all I could do not to pull him on top of me, into me.
My eyes flew open.
I did not want this guy. Not in any world. I wanted Eli Dark.
“Skye,” Traveler whispered. “Listen carefully. Solving your blood loss is only one part of what must happen here.”
“What?” I could hardly talk. I felt so damn weak. I needed more nectar. Where had that Greek God gone?
“You have my blood.”
My eyes drifted shut. “Yeah. Don’t remind me. That whole transfusion thingy.” I had a vague thought that ‘thingy’ sounded like Jin, and I wondered if she was here.
“Okay, Skye. Stay with me. I want to ask your permission, but I may not have time to explain why in its entirety.”
“You sound like Eli. Give me the cliff notes. And no big words.” I was whispering now. And freezing. Why was I so cold?
He slid down my body and placed his cold hand high on my inner thigh. “I’ll place it here. Where it won’t show,” he whispered.
“What?” I could hardly think. My mind was mush. And my thoughts were replaced with images. Images of tangled bodies, cool lips on mine, and hands in damp secret places.
“I know what you’re feeling,” he whispered. “What you’re seeing.” His lips grazed my flesh. “And I’m sorry to take such liberties. Vampires are erotic creatures. And this is the result of the mark.”
“Mark?” I could hardly form the word, let alone the thought. My heartbeat slowed, and my breathing came hard…so very hard. And the cold. Was I dying? I was, wasn’t I?
“I won’t let you die, Skye St John. You may not like the result of my actions, and I fuck know Elijah Dark won’t, but I have no choice.”
In one swift movement, he pushed the layers of my white skirt up, tore my stocking from my garter, and sunk his teeth high on my inner thigh.
I should have screamed. I should have pushed him off of me. I should have fought.
But my body betra
yed me.
I did none of these things.
Instead, that low sexual pull in my belly roared to the surface, and I climaxed. But my screams in the night were not for Traveler Hale. They were for Eli.
My Eli.
17
Be careful what you wish for.
Or, at the very least, who you scream out for.
As if by magic Eli appeared over Traveler’s shoulder.
Traveler had just finished smoothing my skirts. He had paid close attention to respect my body, my modesty. He was beyond careful where he placed his hands. And best of all, he kept his sharp teeth to himself…for now.
His cool hands caressed my now fevered skin. I had gone from freezing to sweating, in seconds. With a soft touch to my brow, my cheeks, and my neck, his magic hands felt wonderful. And as great as that was, it did make me think of Jin and her turtleneck sweaters. He had just pulled my hair back and bent to whisper something in my ear.
I may never know what.
Eli yanked him off me and threw him against the wall of magic. Traveler hit hard, but managed to keep his footing.
“You do not drink from her, vampire,” Eli screamed. “Not ever.”
“Elijah. I had to close her wound-”
“What wound? What did you do to her?” Gone was the decrepit Dr. Dark. In his place was Eli Dark, young, strong, furious. Magical.
Traveler sensed what was coming. “Don’t be stupid, Dark. You’re no match for someone such as me.”
Eli stood his ground, his rage rolled off him in waves. “Do you really think I would let you on the train, let you into the Academy, without knowing I could be your equal? Your arrogance is mind-blowing.” He stepped back, held his arms out in front of him and murmured a string of jumbled, exotic words. Light, as bright as any sun flew from his fingertips. Traveler shielded his eyes, and sunk to his knees moaning as the light enveloped him. His leather coat began to sizzle and melt. The light continued, unrelenting.
“I warned you, Hale.” Eli’s voice, calm and deadly, frightened even me. “That was your one and only condition.”
The magic wall around the Troll wavered and weakened. If Eli’s magical sunlight stayed on, the wall would crumble and fall away. If Eli’s magic stayed focused on Traveler, it would kill him. In his fury, he didn’t seem to notice. Or care.
I scrambled to my feet, tearing my skirt in the process. I ran between them. I’d never felt such a surge of adrenaline. Or raw, brute strength. I didn’t know what was happening to my body, but at the moment, whatever this was, this magic in the blood, seemed to be working for me.
“Stop, Eli. Just stop,” I shouted. “We had to use my blood to contain the Troll. Like in a Raise. We used the Athame.”
Behind me, Traveler’s sleeve caught on fire. The smell of burning leather surrounded us. I didn’t want to smell burning flesh. “Eli. Turn off the light.” He hesitated, rage still swimming in his eyes.
“Eli.” I walked over to him and gently pushed his arm to the ground. The light drifted away from Traveler, crossed the field and went out. I put my hand to his cheek. He met my eyes. “Traveler saved The Madison and everyone who rides in it.” I thought of Phil. “And on top of it.”
The rage tapped down. Eli’s gaze held less anger and more questions now.
“Annabel sleeps, and has a new strand of pearls I think she will like.” I felt like I was talking him down from a ledge. Eli reached up and touched my neck, his fingertips grazing my sensitive flesh. “The Troll is contained,” I went on. “And look,” I held up my palm. “As good as new.”
“Traveler,” Eli said.
“Saved my life. Again.” I knew something else had happened between us. But the details were fuzzy. And a part of me was afraid to fully remember.
Eli ran his hands through his thick hair. His shoulder’s sagged with resignation. “Go on.”
“We needed more blood than usual. Because Jacoby’s-”
“Magic is strong,” he finished.
“Yeah. Too strong for, ya know normal stuff.” Like bloodletting can ever be normal. What was I thinking?
He nodded. “Nothing about tonight is normal.”
“Especially now that we all know we have a vampire in our midst,” I said. “Correction. In our Academy.”
Eli put his arms around me and held me close. “I should have told you, all of you. But I wanted to give him a chance. Not to be judged for what he was, but for-”
“For who he is.” I finished. “I get it, Eli. I do. I know I didn’t always. In the beginning…” my voice dropped off. There was nothing left to say.
Together we walked over and Eli offered Traveler a hand up. A moment in time passed. Then another. At last, Traveler grasped Eli’s hand and stood up.”
“You hurt?” Eli asked.
“Sunburnt. Don’t worry. It’ll peel, then turn into a tan.”
“Funny.”
“Not really.”
“Mad?”
“Fuck yes.”
“Can we fix it?” Eli took a deep breath. “And should we? Now that you’ve had a taste.” He tipped his head toward me.
Traveler glared at Eli. “Skye and I were connected from the moment you put that needle in my vein. You did it.” He jabbed at Eli’s chest.
“True enough,” Eli said. “And I’d do it again. So once more. Can we fix this?”
Another pause. Traveler looked at me. He’d saved three Troupe members tonight. Saved our mermaid. Saved me. Twice. I nodded. He gave Eli that famous Traveler Hale shrug. “Maybe.”
“I’ll take maybe,” Eli said.
“Add on an, “I’ll see.”
“Fair enough.”
“Now.” Traveler took off his coat and slapped the still glowing embers out. “What about The Bishop?”
“Gone.”
“Gone,” I whispered. “As in dead gone?”
Eli shook his head. “Gone with Jacoby Cane. Seems the guy had some serious sucking up to do, with” he pointed to the Troll, “with his massive fuck-up with this monster. Cane risked everything to get The Bishop out of the chaos. And let me tell you, that was no easy feat. I barely got out myself. Still. It’s disappointing to say the least.”
I frowned and looked over at The Neptune Theater in the distance. Now consumed in flames. Fire had followed the strung lanterns up into the sky and the blaze had caught up with a few unfortunate dirigibles. Explosions erupted, sparks flew, and flames leaped high into the night. I was glad Eli was disappointed. Let someone else be hunted for a change. I for one would toast with absinthe when The Bishops of the North, South, East, and West finally figured out Jacoby Cane. I would drink the entire bottle when we put all four Bishops where they belonged. In the ground.
“Political ambitions to add with his geomancy. A worrisome combination,” Traveler added.
“Not the last we will hear from him I’m afraid,” Eli said. “And not the last chance I’ll have to kill Bishop West. We still travel in his territory. Our paths will cross. And you can tell Darius that’s a winning bet.”
The Troll turned to stare at the fire. Without Cane, his magic waned, and he thumped down hard, causing the ground beneath our feet to quake. He hung his head.
“Let’s put the big guy to rest, and then, let’s get the hell out of here,” Eli said. “What do you say?”
From on top of Onyx, I watched as Traveler lowered the magic wall. The Troll hardly noticed. He hadn’t moved a muscle in ten minutes.
Traveler and Eli both approached, until they were but a few feet from the creature. Traveler pulled his Athame, not for the Troll, but for him. I gasped as I watched him slit one wrist then another. He sank to the ground, crossed legged letting his arms dangle. He let gravity do the rest.
I couldn’t help with this one. Pure black magic, solid and strong, was needed to fight pure black magic. I didn’t know the magic of Jacoby Cane. But I knew Traveler Hale’s. He would win this one.
Eli manipulated the river of blood around the Troll
. It seeped into the ground beneath the giant, and as his porous body absorbed it, he began to turn back to stone.
Onyx, catching the scent of blood, pawed the ground. His nostrils flared, a flame shot out and singed the grass. Dagger lowered his head and leaned into Eli. The dog waited, teeth bared, and watched.
Suddenly, like a puff of summer breeze, the creature’s last breath reached me. It was then I knew The Freemont Troll was once again rebar and concrete. Mortar and stone. Just a harmless sculpture sitting in an empty field.
“You okay? Eli asked Traveler.
Traveler lay on his back with a blade of grass between his teeth. “Just resting until I get a chance to replenish.”
I reined in Onyx and decided to not ask what exactly that meant. I think I’d learned enough for one night about scary Traveler Hale. And I think when my head cleared and I could privately check out a dull throbbing on my inner thigh, I’d learn more.
“Meet you at the train,” Eli said.
“Don’t wait for me,” Traveler said. “You two go on.”
Eli paused. He wanted to say more. Finally, he did. “We never leave an Academy member behind.”
Traveler paused. “I’ll catch up,” he said softly.
“See that you do.” Eli grabbed a handful of Onyx’s mane and swung up behind me. He took the reins out of my hands.
“Gives me an excuse to hang on to you,” he whispered against my ear. With a last look at Traveler Hale, Eli turned Onyx, and dug his boots into the automaton’s side. Onyx bolted, and with gears turning and the massive pistons that made up his legs, grinding into action, we galloped hard and fast into the night, heading for The King Street Station.
I heard the earth elements of the Freemont Troll chase after us, whispering through the wind.
Thank you. Thank you.
18
Annabel clutched her new pearls in one hand, the pretty blue moonstone in the other. In deep slumber, a slight smile passed over her delicate features. Her abandoned, rusted bottlecap necklace, lie at the bottom of the tank. Guess she liked mine better.
“This is some tank, Eli,” I said keeping my voice low. “You and Dru had it all figured out.”