Shadow of Ruin (The Complex)

by Cherie Marks

  Without thinking about the consequences, he jumped into an empty transport and glanced over the controls. How hard could it be to drive one? A few minutes later, he’d figured things out enough to make it move. Using the electronic reader, he tracked Zaira and it looked like they were heading toward the secondary launch pad. He followed at a safe distance, but contacted Wondra to inform her of the latest developments.

  She’d meet us at the launch pad, and he hoped he would arrive in time to save Zaira and tell her everything he had to tell her.

  * * *

  Zaira had been in other situations as bad as this, but she didn’t like that she’d dragged Rori into it. She’d tried to convince the Daeva to let her friend go, but he’d been certain she’d lead the intra straight to him, and he couldn’t have that.

  “What’s the point of this? If you think Ryder will come after me, you’re wrong. I told him I wanted nothing more to do with him.”

  The Daeva seemed to be ignoring her, but then he said, “I’m just making sure you finish the job you were hired for. You have a reputation to protect, don’t you?”

  “What are you talking about? I turned the job down. I shouldn’t even be here, and even if I’d lost my mind and decided to complete the work, I don’t have the Shadow Crystal to give to you.”

  His laugh was harsh and grating to her ears. “Of course you do. You’ll be able to give it up after we extract it from your cells. You won’t survive, but by that time, you won’t care anymore.”

  Rori whimpered, and Zaira wished she’d been able to find a way to get her far away from danger, but she didn’t see any possible escapes, and it made her angry that Selky would never know Zaira had found her daughter. Zaira wouldn’t get the chance to make things right between them.

  She also wouldn’t get the chance to tell Ryder the truth. The year with him had been the best of her life. She’d been devastated when he’d left, not because he’d hurt her, but because she’d held back the truth. She’d fallen completely in love with him. Now, she’d never get the chance to tell him how she felt about him. She’d die with so much unsaid.

  “This is insane. How does your life change with that life-wrecking crystal? Trust me, just means more people chasing after you.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong. The Shadow Crystal reveals a Daeva’s presence to others, but in the possession of a Daeva, it renders the owner completely invisible. With the stone, I can walk into any place, rob them blind, and they’d never even know what’d hit them. I can assassinate any leader I want to change the politics in an instant. With that crystal, I’m one bad mother-fucker for hire.”

  “I thought you were getting it for others of your kind.”

  “Well, that’s the thing. Pretty sure I want to be rich and powerful. I think I’ll keep it for myself because sharing is just not the Daeva way, as I’m sure the others know.”

  He pulled into the secondary launch pad, and Zaira watched the lights of the runway grow bigger as they got closer to the place where, if she didn’t figure things out soon, she’d breathe her last breath.

  What he didn’t take into account was that she still had her kit, which she’d used to free her hands without him realizing. When he exited the transport, she looked at Rori and said, “I’m going to distract him. You run. Don’t stop, just keep running.”

  “What about you?”

  “I’ve been taking care of myself for long enough to know how to handle these kind of assholes.” I showed her my freed hands, and she gave a tentative smile.

  When he opened the door to pull them out, he pulled Rori out first before reaching in for Zaira. But she was ready for him. Her feet connected with the side of his face…hard. And he went down. She scrambled out and stepped on him as she took off in the opposite direction of where Rori was running. She knew he’d come after her and forget about Rori.

  Sure enough, when she looked back, he was right on her heels. She watched as he leaped from shadow to shadow, crossing huge distances in a heartbeat. Though she knew she had no chance, she anticipated his attack and ducked as he came at her. She changed direction and saw she was close to reaching numerous workers who would deter any more attacks if she could just reach them.

  Within a hundred feet or so, he finally caught up to her. From behind, he grabbed her around the neck and with his momentum, took her to the ground. She hit hard, knocking the breath from her lungs and banging her head hard on the solid concrete. For long moments, her head spun and she worked to pull air in. By the time she could move once again and make sense of what was going on, he’d pulled a hellahuge syringe from a pouch he carried around his waist. It had a long tube and a small box attached. He got it set up and grabbed her wrists, wrapping them with a cord.

  “I’d like to say this isn’t going to hurt, but, well, I like that it hurts, and it makes it all the better when you scream.” With no more pretense, he lifted Zaira’s shirt and began feeling around on her abdomen.

  She woke up to try to fight him, but it was too late by that point. He’d won, and there was nothing more she could do. He didn’t prepare her, just put the cold needle against her skin and watched her, probably hoping to see the pain from the moment he pushed it in and began pulling the very life from her.

  But before the excitement abated enough for him to go through with it, something swung around and slammed him in the back of the head. The needle scraped across her stomach but didn’t penetrate as he went flying to the left of her. She looked up to see her avenging angel—Rori with a long, metal pipe in her hands, pulled back, ready to swing again.

  She never got the chance though as he lifted his hand and an electric charge closed the distance between them, causing her to convulse and drop to the ground. When Zaira looked at her, she lay unconscious and breathing—barely—on the ground a few feet away. Zaira closed her eyes and pulled a long breath into her nose. Why had she come back?

  He stood up, rubbing the side of his head where he’d now been kicked and slammed with a heavy pipe. He walked over and picked up the syringe contraption, checking to make sure it still worked. With a foot, he kicked at Rori’s leg, and curled a sneering lip at her.

  “Nice try, bitch. I’ll save you for later.”

  As he turned back toward Zaira, she kicked her legs out at him, trying to connect but he sat on her quickly, holding the needle high in the air to let her see it before he plunged it into her stomach and began the slow process of extracting the crystal from her cells.

  He held her still as he slowly lowered it, watching her face the entire time.

  “Daeva! It’s over. Let her go.”

  Zaira never thought she’d hear that voice again. She sagged in relief and worked to stop the tears that gathered in her eyes. Ryder had come for her.

  The Daeva stood again, dropping the syringe on the ground and reaching for the electric charge thrower, but it was too late. Ryder rushed him and took him to the ground, pounding his fists into the creature over and over. The Daeva lifted his knee up and caught Ryder between his legs, causing him to suck in a quick breath. But he pushed through the pain and grabbed the Daeva around the neck, squeezing him until the Meta’s face turned impossibly red and his eyes began to bulge.

  “Ryder! Don’t kill him. Stars know he deserves it, but it’s not you who should get arrested. Hand him over to the intra.”

  It took shouting his name a few more times before he let go and the Daeva sucked in huge gulps of air. Ryder sat back and swiveled to face Zaira. He pulled a knife and began cutting her hands free, kissing her forehead and lips as he went. She let him, needing the contact.

  “I’m so sorry, Zaira.” He looked her in the eyes. “I’m done telling you what to do. Your fate is in your hands now.” His words were beautiful to her ears, and she could see the earnestness in his gaze.

  “Ryder…I…” but she didn’t get to finish as a loud cry sounded from behind Ryder. With a quick turn, Ryder caught the Daeva in mid-attack, not even taking a step back as he shove
d the other Meta back.

  The Daeva stumbled backward and looked down at his abdomen. Blue liquid was quickly staining his shirt, and I realized at once that it was blood. He’d run right onto Ryder’s knife he’d been using to cut Zaira free. The Daeva dropped to the ground, the handle of the knife protruding from his stomach.

  By this time, the commotion had drawn a crowd of people, including intra who immediately took Ryder and Zaira into custody. They stared at each other, so much being said in the intensity of their gazes. Zaira let them lead her away, but she knew it was just a matter of time until they settled things once and for all. The only question was what she’d choose.

  By the time they were both released the next day, their black market transport off the planet was long gone. They were stuck in the Complex for at least another month, if not for the two and a half years that was contractually required.

  Zaira walked down the stairs fronting the intra station and stared into the grinning face that belonged to the man she knew she still had unfinished business with. He leaned against a light post, arms crossed, watching her move toward him.

  “Did you mean what you said?”

  “Every word. Your choice now.”

  “Even if I choose to take the Kinjari and disappear forever?”

  He shrugged one shoulder. “You can do whatever you want. Of course, I should tell you that because I carried the Kinjari for a while, I’ll always know where it is…generally.”

  “So, you’d follow me?”

  “Not to take anything from you. I just want you to be happy. I’d keep you safe.”

  She smiled. “You’re such a bully. Just when I think I’m finished with you, you make me want you all over again.”

  His lips curled upward. “We could do something about that if you want.”

  She nodded and started for the nearest transport. By the time they made it back to the apartment building though, Zaira was surprised to see a call coming through on her electronic reader. It was from someone she’d never expected to make the first move.

  “Selky! How are you?”

  For a few moments, Selky didn’t say a word, and Zaira thought she’d called by mistake. Then, the still beautiful Human said, “I’ve really missed you, Zaira.”

  It was exactly what she’d needed to hear. “I’ve missed you too. So many times recently I’ve needed you—needed your wisdom.”

  “I heard you’re in the Complex. Surprising, for you. Thought you blamed Metas for your parents’ deaths.”

  Zaira looked up at Ryder. “I did, but I was wrong. The Metas who killed my parents didn’t represent all Metas. That much is clear to me now.”

  “Well, I have a little surprise for you.”

  Zaira almost explained that she had one for her as well, but simply asked, “After the last few days, I don’t know that you could surprise me with much.”

  “What if I was standing right behind you?”

  The hairs on the back of Zaira’s neck stood on end as she turned and saw Selky standing right behind her. Within an instance, they were in each other’s arms, hugging and sobbing at their long-awaited reunion.

  Zaira pulled back and said, “I’m so sorry for what I said. I’d be so proud to be your daughter, and I’m sorry I said you were using me to replace other relationships in your life. At the time, I had no idea what I was saying, but even if I did, it was a horrible thing to say to you.”

  “I forgive you. I took it personally, and you had no idea why at the time.”

  As Zaira spotted Rori stepping out of the apartment building door, she pursed her lips and explained, “I do now.”

  “What do you mean?” Selky’s perfect brow was marred by her confusion until Zaira swung her hand toward Rori and Selky followed her motion. The minute her gaze locked with Rori’s, she knew. She recognized her immediately.

  Rori knew Selky too, and they approached each other slowly at first. As they got closer though, they rushed into an embrace, squeezing each other like they were making up for years of lost hugs.

  Zaira reached for Ryder’s hand and pulled him toward the apartments. Yet, as they entered into the building, Wondra stepped off the elevator and approached with long strides and a confidence that came from being gorgeous. She stopped and looked at them both, understanding in her eyes.

  “Thought you’d like to know, with the news that the twins are together again with the Kinjari, the Daeva have retreated and left Creda. Seems they had their own prophesy that said a love match between one of the twins and the carrier of the Shadow Crystal, the name they gave the Kinjari, would ensure their extinction if they stayed.”

  Ryder released a breath and smiled. “This is amazing news. We’re all free from years of struggle and war. It doesn’t feel real.”

  “Well, I know one thing that will make it feel a little more real to you. If I let you two get where you’re going without me there to give you sour looks for your good fortune.” Wondra looked at Zaira. “You’re good for my brother, so I like you, but if you hurt him, I’ll gut you. Another thing I thought you should know.”

  With her message delivered, she left the building, and Zaira didn’t know whether to laugh or be scared. Either way, she admitted she liked Wondra too.

  As they stepped onto the elevator, Ryder took Zaira into his arms, and she melted into him the minute his lips softened against hers. He took control almost immediately, feeding her his urgency as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his hard—really hard—body.

  The elevator stopped on their floor, and the kiss continued as they walked awkwardly but with determined purpose toward her front door. She slammed her hand against the sensor and the door slid open.

  It wasn’t until they were in her bedroom that he lifted his mouth from her lips enough to say, “You are absolutely more than I ever thought I deserved, and I want you to know that I don’t just care about you. It’s so much deeper than that. The last two years were torture, not being able to move on but knowing I couldn’t be with you.” He dipped his kisses to her neck until he lifted once more to meet her searching gaze. “No doubt about it. I love you, Zaira. You’re everything I never thought I’d ever have in my life.”

  Zaira looked at him a long time before she said, “You are very lucky to have me.”

  He laughed fully, throwing his head back, and she loved hearing him let go for the first time since the year they were together. “True. So very true.”

  “But I’m lucky too. I love you too, Ryder. Now, I’ve got this ache that I need you to help me with. You think you’re up for the challenge.”

  “Baby, I’m on it. You don’t have to ask me twice.”

  He took her in his arms, and took her to screaming heights all through that night with the promise of forever between them tonight and always.

  Thank you so much for taking the time to read my novella from The Complex!

  All reviews are appreciated.

  If you would like to read more from The Complex series, please click on the link below:

  The Complex Website

  Keep up with new releases and get a FREE copy of The Vampire Next Door by signing up for my Reader’s Club Newsletter here: Happily Ever After the Write Way Newsletter

  About Cherie Marks

  Twitter: http://twitter.com/cheriemarks

  Facebook: Author Page

  My blog: http://www.authorcheriemarks.com/

  It all started with an old fashioned typewriter. When my family brought it home, for the first time, I knew what I wanted to do. All those stories rolling around in my head could finally get out. The press and click of the keys were satisfying in their own right, but when I pulled out a finished page, I knew this was for me. Since then, I've graduated to a laptop, but the stories still find a way out.

  I'm a breast cancer survivor, a teacher, a wife, a mother, and a writer. I continue to strive for less procrastination and more tact. The battle wages on.

  More Books by Cherie Marks

&nbs
p; The Fae Next Door

  Janna Thompson believes she’s going downright mental. In the past few weeks, she’s seeing things no one else can see and can’t shake an ominous presence. Yet, when a hot cop with a protective instinct moves into her apartment building, things might be looking up.

  Cade Lanter is no ordinary being. The son of a human policeman and a Queen of the Fae, he lives in the human world for now. When an enemy of old threatens the balance of both the human world and Eiru, Land of the Fae, he must fight the would-be usurper in the human realm. Of course, that might require more focus than he can muster lately since a certain, sexy neighbor keeps him distracted.

  Their two, unlikely worlds collide when he becomes The Fae Next Door.

  Excerpt:

  Someone…or something…was following her.

  Janna Thompson moved quickly down the sidewalk toward her apartment building, throwing furtive glances over her shoulder. An acrid smell of smoke and decay floated in the air, yet no one else around her reacted to it. Couldn’t they smell it? Couldn’t they feel the impending doom that hovered like a cloud, smothering the light and any sense of goodness? No one behind her stood out as a creepy creeper, but she could feel darkness, like a chasing fog, inching toward her to engulf her. This wasn’t the first time in the last week she’d felt it, and even more nerve-wracking, it was growing stronger and, to be perfectly honest, scarier.

  A hot, bubble bath had been calling her name after a few grueling tests today. Her classes were getting harder at South-central Community and Technical College, and so far, she’d risen to the challenge. She’d loved every minute of her anatomy class--until today. Studying for exams was obviously going to require more than an overnight cram session. But, somehow she’d survived it, and pulled a slightly above-average grade. A little celebration had been on her mind. But not now. Now, that was completely wiped away. She clearly had a blip on her radar—one that felt particularly threatening.