Aflame (Apotheosis)

by Daniels, Krissy

  “Did you just say lady?” Marcus headed straight for her, ignored Zander and pinned Grayce with a smoldering gaze.

  He offered a muscular hand. “I’ve been waiting a long time to meet you. Marcus Lothario, treasure hunter, master illusionist and sexy mother fucker, at your service.” His eyes widened and his nostrils flared when she grabbed his hand and gave it one good shake before letting go.

  “A beacon,” he whispered so only Grayce could hear. “How wonderful.”

  She recoiled. Oh shit. Was he drawn to her too?

  “I’m Grayce. Are you mated?” she asked with a nervous quake to her voice. Zander’s arm tightened around her shoulder.

  Marcus’ lips quivered. “No.”

  She huffed. “Just my fucking luck.”

  Marcus took a step back and held her gaze with haunting hazel eyes, dangerous and seductive with a hint of playfulness. It pissed her off beyond measure that she couldn’t stop the natural urge to study the fine male specimen standing before her. Deep brown hair hung just below broad shoulders in natural waves. An unkempt goatee graced his angular face framing a pair of full lips. Thick brows formed a deep angle over his eyes giving him a downright dangerous appearance. His black t-shirt clung to his muscular body like a second skin. No way in hell would she let her eyes wander any lower. His shape brought to mind an ancient warrior and a shiver made its way across her skin. He was death waiting to strike. A beautiful yet savage beast. A shudder rocked her body at the thought of another powerful man being in the house.

  “Z, my man!” Marcus continued to hold Grayce’s gaze. “Looks like we’ve got some catching up to do.”

  Zander released Grayce and trapped his friend in a hearty embrace. They clapped each other’s shoulders.

  “We’ve got a lot to talk about.” Zander gestured for them to walk. “I’ve missed you. It’s been way too long. Let’s go find Nikolas. I’m sure Chelsea already knows you’re here.”

  Zander grabbed Grayce’s hand and started toward the kitchen. “Marcus lives here with us when he’s not hunting.”

  “Hunting?” Grayce asked. Yeah, she could picture him with big ass guns and knives.

  “Treasure hunting. We have Marcus to thank for most of what we know about our race. He’s collected artifacts from all over the world.” Zander chuckled. “Bastard gets himself in trouble more often than not. But he always comes home with a killer story and another piece of the puzzle.”

  Marcus walked a few steps ahead. Comparable in height to Zander, he wasn’t as wide, but carried solid muscle over his long limbs and lean midsection. His gait was every bit, if not more confident and cocky as Zander’s.

  Marcus turned and pulled up beside them. “Enough about me. Let’s talk about this gorgeous lady of yours first.” He punched Zander in the shoulder. “Damn, boy. You found yourself one hot tamale.” Marcus winked at Grayce and she couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

  Zander grunted. “You have no idea.”

  * * * *

  The blond toy lay limp across the wooden table. No need for wrist restraints, for much to his displeasure, she passed out over an hour ago. Too bad, things had just started to get fun. Tyr threw a blanket across her naked form and huffed out of the room, locking it from the outside.

  He loathed the dank, musty smell of the mining tunnels. Unfortunately, in this small sleepy town, hiding places were limited. Funding and resources were not an issue. He could make it livable, for a while anyway. Grayce’s apartment was no longer an option due to increased police activity. He had no choice but to find a new place to stay. To play. Set up his new playroom. Nobody would think of searching the long abandoned and mostly forgotten mine for the missing girls. Or Grayce, when he reclaimed her.

  He’d been staying in Grayce’s apartment for some time between detective visits, being able to teleport in and out as he so desired. It was there her essence, her addictive energy was the strongest. But he needed his playthings and he couldn’t keep them in her abandoned home. So, he made a temporary abode deep underground, in a mountain that absorbed their screams.

  And thank his lucky stars, the land the mine belonged to had come up for sale, the previous proprietor having died a sudden and unexplainable death. Along with the land came a modest but livable hunting cabin located near one of the tunnel entrances, complete with a wood burning stove and a dog. A convenient coincidence? Tyr didn’t believe in happenstance. He designed his own destiny.

  The time had come to put Houghton to use again. The convict had failed him miserably, but remained an important pawn in the game.

  Rules had changed slightly.

  Confident he’d be able to lure Grayce out of hiding, he headed for the hospital. Having just fueled himself with his blond toy, he’d be able to transport a few times before being drained physically, but he chose to drive. Gave him more time to contemplate Grayce.

  Behind the wheel of his Porsche he was young again. Elated. And the women, all the pathetic females, fell like Jezebels at his feet when they discovered he was the owner of the beauty. God, they were so easy to manipulate.

  He waited patiently down the hall until visiting hours were over and the reporters and detectives retired for the evening. After the security guards at Houghton’s door nodded off, which they did frequently, Tyr transported into the prisoner’s room. It was a short trip so didn’t require much effort.

  The paunchy man stared out the window. “What the fuck are you doing here? You gonna kill me?” Houghton refused to look at Tyr, a clear indication that he was either scared to death of his punishment or just didn’t give a shit anymore. Tyr guessed it was the latter.

  Punishment was coming. It was inevitable. No one failed Tyr without facing his wrath.

  “Make it quick, will you. This catheter is a motherfucker.” The man struggled to reach his dick but padded handcuffs had his arms restrained to the bed, inches out of reach.

  Tyr stepped into Houghton’s line of sight. It disgusted him how ugly this man was. His oily balding head and fat bulbous nose made Tyr grateful for the genes he’d been blessed with. “I’m not going to kill you.”

  Not yet anyway.

  “We still have work to do.”

  * * * *

  Zander’s chest brimmed with pride for the family that surrounded him and the overflowing table of food. He was seated next to Grayce in his usual manner, with his body pressed firm against hers wherever possible. Thigh, shoulder, elbow. Hell. He’d have her in his lap if it was appropriate lunchtime behavior.

  Stephen claimed the spot on Grayce’s other side. He too, had his chair scooted as close to her as possible. Although they weren’t touching, he was noticeably more relaxed next to Grayce.

  Nikolas, the patriarch of the family, sat at the head of the table where he belonged, and struggled with a bottle of wine. After he muttered a few curse words under his breath, he gave up on the bottle opener and uncorked it with his mind. So much for being suave. He rarely used his telekinesis, but since Stephen’s arrival, he pulled out his mad mind skills more often to get a giggle out of the boy.

  Marcus, whom he loved as a brother, sat next to Chelsea, and hadn’t stopped talking since they sat down.

  Everyone, except for Grayce, listened intently to the stories Marcus told of his latest adventures. She sat, stiff and quiet, no doubt battling the demons that had her convinced all men were bad, and each and every one of them was out to get her. But she was trying. And that was progress. She pretended to listen. Zander kept a careful eye on her, ready to spring into action at the slightest mood shift.

  “Marcus, please say you’re going to stay for awhile.” Chelsea begged, holding his hand to her chest. “We’ve missed you so much.”

  “I’ve got no immediate plans.” Eyeing the last turkey and Swiss, he hit Stephen with a challenging smile. “Anyone wanna fight me for that sandwich?” Stephen’s eyes lit up as he shook his head and rubbed his stomach.

  “It’s mine then.” Marcus snatched the sandwich from the
tray. “So, you two gonna tell me how you met?”

  Zander and Grayce exchanged a quick glance. The mood in the room darkened.

  “That’s a conversation for later, my friend.” Zander glanced sideways to Stephen and tilted his head.

  “So Stephen, I hear you have the gift.” Marcus considered everyone’s powers a gift. Complete opposite view to Zander, who’d always regarded his powers as a curse.

  “I have lightning.” Stephen beamed. “Do you want to see? I’ll show you after lunch.”

  “That would be awesome.” Marcus downed the sandwich in three bites and chased it with half a glass of Barolo.

  “What can you do?” No sooner did the question leave the boys lips when the kitchen turned into a dense jungle. Stephen reached out to grab a giant leaf and laughed when it misted around his arm. “That’s hella dope.”

  Chelsea cleared her throat. “Marcus, I hear you brought something home. Where is it? I can’t wait to see what you found us this time.”

  “Nikolas quarantined it until we figure out exactly what it is. Right now it looks like a large clump of dirt. I excavated it from a tomb in the northern part of Sudan.” Marcus brushed crumbs off the table and shot Grayce a nervous glance.

  “So, Grayce is a beacon. Does that mean we’re staying put for a while?”

  The room fell silent, except for the loud ding as Nikolas’ spoon dropped to the floor.

  “A beacon!” Nikolas shouted. “How did I not figure that out?”

  Grayce’s red glow had already seeped from her skin. “What the fu—I mean, what the heck is a beacon?” Grayce glanced at Stephen and mouthed a “sorry” to him.

  Zander jumped in. “Firecracker, you give unmated males power. That’s why Stephen is so strong around you, and that’s why men horde you at the bar. It’s why...” He shook his head and couldn’t continue.

  Nikolas finished his sentence. “It’s why Tyr won’t leave you alone. He can’t leave you alone. He’s addicted to you.”

  Zander fisted his napkin in his lap. “You probably gave him his power.”

  “But there’s more,” Chelsea chimed in. “Our kind will be drawn to you. Unfortunately, the dark warriors will be drawn to you as well as the light, which means—”

  “The war is coming,” Stephen interrupted.

  For the second time, the room fell silent. Zander stared at the fragile boy. How could he know anything about a war? He was too young.

  “What did you just say?” Marcus asked.

  Stephen shrugged his shoulders “What? Am I in trouble?”

  “No, Stephen, it’s just that—”

  Chelsea jumped from the table. “We are finished with this conversation for now.”

  With that, Marcus changed the topic of conversation back to himself and his latest acquisition.

  * * * *

  Grayce watched the interactions play out in front of her with a heart yearning for the kinship they shared. Why was it so hard for her to like these men? Why couldn’t she relax and join the conversation?

  Every muscle, every fiber of her being wanted to recoil, slip into the dark corners of her mind. She had to keep reminding herself that Zander was her safe place now, not the black shadows of her soul she’d been forced to escape to for so many years.

  Now they’re telling her she’s a beacon, attracting more males? What kind of cruel joke were the fates playing on her? Shit.

  She overflowed with guilt, knowing that she’d never be able to love, not the way these people loved each other.

  Chelsea pressed into her thoughts. “Honey, would you like to take a walk with me?” Glancing across the table, she nodded yes.

  “Zander, I’m going to kidnap Grayce for a while.” Panic bulged his eyes and Chelsea giggled. “Don’t worry, we won’t go far enough away for you to miss her.” She stood, planted a peck on Marcus’ cheek and turned to give Nikolas a real kiss. Every face in the room blushed at their show of affection.

  “You boys clean up.” Chelsea sauntered around the table, clasped Grayce’s hand and led her out the door.

  They walked in silence. Too many words crowded her brain. When they reached the thick underbrush, Grayce stopped and plopped herself on a mossy tree stump. The tranquil scenery did help to quiet the chaos in her mind.

  Her head slumped between her shoulders. “I’ll never be able to love him, you know.” Wow, she said it out loud. To an actual person. This sharing stuff wasn’t so horrible. “I’ll never be able to love at all.”

  “Oh, sweetie.” Chelsea knelt to face her, pine needles and twigs crackling under her legs. “I can’t begin to imagine what you’ve been through.” With motherly endearment, she blotted a tear from Grayce’s face. “You have to know that we already love you. All of us. If you can’t love us back, that’s okay. We’re going to keep on loving you anyway.”

  Chelsea stood, cupped Grayce’s hands and continued her pep talk. “You’re an amazing, charismatic woman. You have love inside you. I can feel it. You’ve buried it so deep, it seems impossible to get back. You had to protect yourself. I know that. You’ve trapped yourself behind an impenetrable field.” Tears flowed heavy between them. “It’s going to take a long time, but you’ll find a way to trust again. That needs to come first. Love will follow.” She chuckled. “Zander’s an exceptionally patient man. He’ll wait forever.”

  Grayce choked on the lump in her throat. “Zander. This is unfair to him. How can he want to be with me? I’m damaged. I’m broken. I’ll never love him, not like he deserves.” Sun peaked through the tops of the pines. Grayce imagined herself light as a feather, floating upwards until the heat burned away the anger and pain.

  “And Chelsea, he’s gorgeous. I mean out of this world, knock-you-on-your-ass perfect. Like he’s not real. And look at me.” She raised her shirt, exposed the evidence of her abuse. “I’m hideous.”

  “Let me tell you something about Zander.” Chelsea’s angry voice boomed. Fists to hips. A mother scolding a child. “That man has loved you since the day he laid eyes on you. He loved you the moment he knew you existed. He came home after seeing you the first time and I’d never seen him so happy. So alive. He told me you were the most beautiful creature he’d ever laid eyes on. And this was before he knew for sure that you were the one. He wanted it to be you. It was all he talked about.”

  She pointed an angry finger at Grayce. “It took all his will power not to grab you that day and drag you here. And believe me, that man had his choice of women. They swoon over him. You know what? He’s turned every one of them away. You know why?” Chelsea didn’t let Grayce answer. “Because he knew you were out there. He saved himself for you. You’re the only woman worthy of that man’s love. You’re the only woman he’s ever loved.”

  “Chelsea.” Grayce kept her tone low.

  “Wait a minute, I’m not finished.” Chelsea held up her palm to stop Grayce from continuing.

  “For fuck’s sake, don’t move.” Grayce gripped Chelsea’s forearms and squeezed hard to get her full attention. “Shut up.”

  Holy Fuck was the first thought that came to mind. Get Chelsea out of the way was the second. Without a moment’s hesitation, Grayce shoved herself in between Chelsea and the imminent threat.

  “Get behind the stump,” she ordered.

  The grizzly stood no more than twenty-five feet away. Shit. Now what? Don’t panic.

  Act like prey, they’ll treat you like prey.

  She remembered hearing that once. Probably on a reality series where no one was ever in any real danger.

  Chelsea spoke slow and calm. “Don’t move Grayce.”

  The stare-down lasted mere seconds, but seemed an eternity. Her bones rattled so hard it was likely a few of them had fractured.

  Where was the damned fire when she needed it?

  She closed her eyes and concentrated on the painful rhythm pounding against her breast. The heat swelled. From gut to heart, then through her arms. Her fingers tingled with the need to release. Arms
trembling, she threw her fire toward the majestic creature.

  It grazed the grizzly’s head. The bear shook ferociously, stood on hind legs and exposed large, terrifying fangs and claws.

  Fear tightened her bosom and squeezed the air from her lungs. Blood pounded through her ears louder than a college drum line. Pulling another blast of heat from deep within, she aimed at the roundest spot on his exposed belly.

  The shot would’ve hit dead center. It should’ve sent the creature on a dead run to the next county. Talk about bad timing. Zander appeared out of nowhere, caught the blast and flew straight into the creature. Man and beast tumbled in a ball of dirt, fur and flesh.

  The earth stopped spinning. Air fell silent. Grayce stood horrified as Zander rose from the chaos. Unsteady. Shaken. Bloody.

  Holy shit.

  The grizzly scrambled to its feet and swiped a deadly paw.

  Zander stumbled backwards, regained his balance, and assumed the stance of a warrior ready to strike the final blow.

  God he was a sight to behold.

  Fangs bared, the bear charged.

  Zander shifted his weight, leaned forward and caught the animal at his chest. It was thrown, flailing, into a small pine. The tree bent and snapped as the grizzly fell to the earth with a thud. A flock of birds soared to the sky and screamed in protest. A mound of dusty, matted fur shook wildly and retreated into the thick of trees.

  * * * *

  His knees hit the dirt. His legs no longer able to bear weight. Warm liquid spurted over his thighs forming a dark, glistening puddle around him. Three open lacerations stretched from his left shoulder to his navel. “Grayce.”

  “Chelsea, help!” Grayce peeled off her shirt as she ran. The cotton tank she applied to his bloodied torso might have been a square of tissue for all the good it did. “Zander, you have to get yourself to the house. Can you get up?”

  “Are you hurt?” He whispered. She looked unscathed. It was hard to be sure through the dark shadows crossing his line of sight.

  “No. Oh my God. No.” Her hands trembled as she pressed the useless rag tighter to his wounds. Her breath came in hitches, like it did when they made love. “Zander, you need to get back to the house. Can you do that?”