I hit what felt like a brick wall, my body slamming to an abrupt stop and my head pounding. I gasped and lay on the cold forest floor. Pain came in waves that rippled through my limbs and I shook, completely incapacitated.
Slender fingers grasped my wrist, and the searing pain of flames ignited. Raina was burning me. But without my strength, without my powers, there was nothing I could do to fight back.
I didn’t have to rise or even look up to know we were moving again. Strips of her black mist licked at my face like whips snapping in the wind. I lay crumpled at her feet, dragged through the forest again. The sounds of my dress ripping to shreds as it caught on the branches echoed exactly how I was feeling at the moment. How…how had they come for me?! Maes had promised me everything was going to be alright, that everyone would fight for me, and yet Marcus’s forces had snatched me with barely a second thought. My mind whirled. Had someone else chosen to betray us? But why? Everything around me, everything I’d fought for and loved was once again ripped away.
It was over. We’d lost.
A scream captured my attention, and I search the darkness, frantic to see who it was. Nakari’s ivory gown stood out in the night, but she wasn’t standing anymore. A fight was taking place, and she was surrounded by misty shadows that soon blocked her from sight.
“Give her back!” Nakari screamed.
“Nakari!” I cried, knowing I could do nothing to help her. I could only pray she’d survive.
Another black shadow stirred between the trees, blurring as it moved and then suddenly became clear…Daniel! He neared, and I struggled to reach out, trying to break Raina’s burning grip.
Time seemed to move in slow motion as the moon’s rays shone down through the trees. I pushed back the agony and forced myself to my knees, shoving myself into Raina’s legs to knock her off balance.
She hissed and glanced back. Daniel reached out, and suddenly Raina’s fingers dug into my scalp. She yanked me forward, and I screamed as white hot pain rippled through my head. I lost my breath, and I felt my eyes rolling back into my head.
I was quickly losing consciousness. Raina’s grip was taking its toll. Without my powers to protect me, she could very well kill me if she didn’t release me soon.
The moonlight faded, and soon lights outlining a city clipped past. She was circling us around the city, avoiding populated areas. She had to be taking me to the Dublin airport.
We stopped, and I was dropped, my cheek hitting what felt like concrete. My breaths were short and labored. Heavy footsteps neared.
“I told you not to hurt her!” an angry voice snarled. A voice that sounded like Marcus.
“She’s breathing, and she’s here. It’s more than the others have done for you!” Raina snapped back. Her words were cut off by a yelp.
“Don’t try me, Raina!” he hissed. “I only keep you around because you’re useful, but that doesn’t guarantee your safety. Now release her!”
Her petite body slammed onto the concrete beside me, her blue eyes burned with a wild animal’s rage. A moment later, she was shoved away and Marcus rolled me to my back. His fingers brushed the hair from my lashes and sympathy etched his face. I growled. How could the man who’d inflicted so much pain on me dare look at me like that!
Carefully, he adjusted the remnants of my torn silk dress and scooped me up into his arms without saying a word.
“You’re mine now.” I hadn’t the strength to stop him—to stop what was now taking place. Everything around me began spinning, and I pressed my eyes closed trying to prevent the nausea from taking over.
“Marcus!” Callon’s voice boomed with fury.
My heart began to race. Callon was here! I opened my eyes, enough to see that we were inside a dimly lit hangar and just feet away from a jet. Marcus halted, turning to face him.
“It’s been done, Marcus,” Callon said. “We’ve already united our powers. She’ll do you no good. Let her go.”
Callon and Daniel stood side by side. Their eyes were hard and piercing, their stances rigid and firm, ready to do battle.
“Do you take me for a fool, Callon?” Marcus asked.
“You are a fool if you think you can leave here with Cheyenne,” Callon’s reply was laced with warning.
“…from this day forward, as long as we both shall live, and until death we should part,” Marcus said.
My eyes went wide. The vows! I didn’t finish my vows, but Callon had!
Marcus shook his head. “Your vows were not completed. It’s too bad really, you were so close.”
Daniel’s eyes focused on me and then he vanished. Marcus’s head twisted to the side. Daniel was next to the plane, but below us. He had been blocked from jumping where he wanted to go. He blinked, confused, just as confused as I was. Marcus laughed.
“You’re the fool, Callon,” Marcus sneered. “You can’t admit defeat even when it’s right before your eyes. I’ve won. The Consilador clan will be destroyed, and you’re completely powerless to stop it.” A gut-retching laugh rose from the pit of his stomach. “But I must thank you for giving me your clan’s powers, as well as Cheyenne’s. Such a kind wedding gift. I’ll be sure to treasure it forever.”
Callon stood motionless, his eyes lost in a sea of emotions as he stared at me. My gut recoiled in horror. What had we done?
Colt’s looming shadow appeared, and he held up a silver etched box. No…the Braid del amour! The box was glowing that same blue hue, and Marcus had it. I struggled to reach for it, but was crushed to Marcus’s chest.
“Hush, my angel,” he said against my cheek. “There’s nothing you can do outside of marrying me to gain access to your powers again…or to give the Consilador’s back theirs.”
I was whisked inside the jet and the door secured. A moment later, Raina appeared, and Marcus set me to my feet, still holding me up.
“Take her,” he growled. “But harm her again, and it will be nothing compared to the punishment I’ll unleash on you.”
I blinked, and we disappeared, only to reappear in another jet, larger than the last, but similar to the jet we’d flown on to rescue Colt. While Callon’s jet was bright and had life, the colors in this jet were dark and gloomy. Raina shoved me into a seat and then Darrien took hold of my arm. Seconds later Marcus and Colt appeared. The jet engines roared to life, and they began to prepare for take off.
I kept my eyes locked on the floor as Marcus buckled me in. Tears began to stream down my cheeks, tears I could no longer control. I couldn’t believe it. We were so close! I cried for Callon and Daniel, I cried for Lilly and Dex, for Nakari, Koda, Skylar, Brogan; everyone. I cried for all their preparations, all their precautions. I cried for the Timeless race. But more than anything, I cried for myself. This was my ultimate failure, and there was no way to mend it.
I’d lost.
Chapter 24
I clamped my hands together, trying to stop the tremors. My breathing was erratic, and my lower lip shook. I was hurting not only on the inside, but the outside as well. My wrist throbbed where Raina’s fingers had been, and I could feel the wound swelling. Blisters were forming on the now bright red skin. I knew as a Timeless it should heal soon, but she’d purposely harmed me. It was evident after she moved me the second time; I had no burns from then.
Blood dripped from my cheek onto what was left of my wedding dress. It had been torn to shreds in the forest. What was once white and flawless was now stained and ragged, not unlike me.
A voice came to life over the intercom. “You may now move about the cabin.”
Marcus leaned over and unbuckled my belt. He helped me stand. The gray interior of the cabin began to spin, and my legs grew weak.
I heard a woman’s gasp and what sounded like the rustling of material.
“Don’t touch me, you beast!” she hissed. I caught sight of an ivory dress, and my breath caught.
Nakari!
Marcus’s arm came around to hold me up, and he led me to a couch where I collapsed. A mo
ment later Nakari was over me, hugging me tightly.
“Cheyenne!” she whispered. “Oh no, I’m so sorry…I was too late!”
My heart ached and yet I felt some small relief. Nakari was alive, but what were Marcus’s plans for her? There would be no need to keep her now that he had me…or would he use her as bait to draw Callon and the others in? Would he kill them all?
She drew back, tears in her eyes. There were no words for her to say. I saw it in her eyes. Failure…we’d all failed.
Her auburn hair was filled with leaves and twigs, dirt smudged her face and her lips were swollen and crusted with dried blood. Her left eye looked puffy, and bruises were forming on her pale skin. Her dress had rips, along with mud and bloodstains. She’d fought hard, but in the end it didn’t matter.
Marcus towered over us, but he didn’t push her away. Instead, he gently helped her to her feet when Darrien arrived with supplies to tend to my wounds. Jahlem, Conall and Colt stood nearby, silently watching. I refused to make eye contact with Colt; I wouldn’t have been able to handle it. I was already too emotional as it was, and looking at him would push me over the edge and right into the jaws of the crimson-eyed beast.
Darrien and Jahlem had Nakari sit nearby as they gave her a wet cloth to wipe her lips and face. I stared at her. Her expression had turned to worry and despair. She knew, as I did, that her chances weren’t good. Her fingers traced metal bands around her wrists. Had she been wearing those before?
Marcus shifted, blocking my view of Nakari, and sat on the edge of the couch. Darrien and the others moved away, taking Nakari with them. Marcus focused on my wrist, gently wiping the blood, then spread a salve on it. Finally he wrapped it with gauze.
I studied his face for a few moments. It was different somehow. A scar ran from his brow across his right eye and then stopped at his cheekbone. He’d never had a scar there before, at least not that I’d remembered.
He turned his attention to my face. Raina’s cloak had given me scratches, and I glanced around, searching for her. She was nowhere to be found. Had he left her in Ireland? He dabbed the blood away and then focused on my neck. His long fingers traced the necklace, taking time to caress the pearls and sapphires. His gray eyes met mine, quickly masking any emotions.
“It’s an exquisite piece of jewelry, Cheyenne.” He paused for a few moments, eyeing it closely. “Where did you get it?”
“Lilly gave it to me. It was my mother’s,” I muttered.
His gaze seemed to be lost in a memory, but then he spoke again. “I thought as much. Did you know I gave this to your mother as a wedding present?”
My throat tightened, and when I didn’t think my heart could sink any lower, it did. Marcus let out an amused chuckle.
“How fitting that you now wear it, Cheyenne. It seems your mother’s destiny has caught up to you, too.”
I shook my head. Every turn I made, every fight with destiny kept bringing me back to him…why? Callon was my destiny. I’d constantly been told that it was Callon, and believed it with my whole heart. But if Callon was my destiny, then why did Marcus keep showing up? Were we wrong all along? Was I wrong?
No, everything about Marcus was wicked. He’d killed, murdered in cold blood to get where he was today. We couldn’t change his past…but could his future change just like mine had?
I tried to turn away, but he pulled my chin back.
“You won’t turn away from me anymore, my angel. We’ll face each other head on, eye to eye. No more running.”
He was right on one thing; I had nowhere else to run.
Gently he helped me to a sitting position, and the room began to spin again. I fell forward into his chest, unable to stop myself. His arms came around me as his fingers slowly worked their way up my spine. A tremor escaped me. My stomach grew nauseated. If I could have fought him off to keep him from touching my bare back, I would have. His hands stopped at my neck, and he unlatched the necklace, pulling it away. He then removed my earrings and shoved them into his pocket.
His hands returned to my back, caressing my skin. He stopped when they ran over my Tresez scar; he traced the wounds then lowered his head.
“I’m sorry that you’ve suffered so much at my hand, that I’ve brought you so much grief.” His warm breath trailed over my forehead. “But it had to happen this way, Cheyenne. I had to pull you from the poison they filled your mind with. You’ll see, just as Colt did. In time you’ll forgive me and know I was right.”
It was just as Dex had told me. Marcus, his father and my grandfather had dabbled too much with their powers, and it was affecting their minds. How could he say he was sorry for all the pain he’d caused me? He’d been the one to order the attacks! He’d tried to kill me and succeeded in completely destroying my life! Poison he said…they’d poisoned me? How could they have poisoned me when all they’d done was show compassion and love? How was that poison? And Colt? How could he have fallen for such stupidity? How had Marcus brainwashed him into thinking he was right?
Forgiveness would never come from my heart. Marcus had wounded me too deep, but now I was in his grasp and powerless. The Braid held my powers along with Callon’s, Daniel’s…and mostly likely Colt’s. I was responsible for the Consilador clan’s demise. I fought to keep the tears from falling. I was trapped with no way out.
Marcus drew back and then sat beside me on the couch. He guided me to lie down, my head resting on his lap. The cabin lights dimmed, but not before Colt rose and draped a blanket over me. He returned to his seat, but I felt his cold gaze on me.
He’d done this, taken part in my capture, and there’d be no forgiveness in my heart for his betrayal. It ran deep, this crevice in my heart, revealing the crimson-eyed beast that had been asleep all this time. He would pay for this.
Marcus began to remove the flowers and pins holding my hair. They dropped to the floor, like every hope and dream I’d ever had. It all lay in a crumpled pile to be swept away and never seen again. I closed my eyes and willed myself to sleep, hoping to wake up from this nightmare, but I knew I never would.
The soft whisper of someone humming caused my breath to catch. It was familiar, masculine and soothing. I blinked and looked up. Marcus’s lips weren’t moving, but the sound was coming from him. His gray eyes softened as he twisted a strand of my blond hair between his fingers. I remained still, listening, when I realized why I knew it. It was my melody, the melody I played when I wanted to think, sort through things…the one I played when I was with him in the forest. He’d remembered and was doing it to soothe and comfort me.
I closed my eyes again. I wouldn’t fall for his tricks. Instead, I concentrated on how to restore Callon’s powers. There had to be a way, regardless of my being trapped here.
“Cheyenne! Wake up!”
I blinked, confused and dazed. The cabin was dark, and Nakari was standing over me.
“Hurry!” She yanked my arm and dragged me off the couch. “They’ll be back soon!”
I stumbled after her, unsure what was taking place. The cabin was empty, and we were heading towards the back of the jet. Quickly I managed to snap out of sleep and take faster steps.
“There’s a rear access panel to the baggage compartment that we can crawl out of.” She pushed open what looked like a storage room door.
“But I thought the baggage door could only be opened from the outside?” I stared at the small narrow door.
“It’s open, I heard it. They were loading supplies, but they haven’t closed it yet.” She was down on her knees tugging the door open. “Come on, we haven’t much time.”
“Why can’t you just jump us out of here?”
She slid herself into the narrow opening and dropped from sight. Suddenly her head appeared and she lifted her wrist.
“These bands block my powers,” she explained. “I can’t.”
Powers…
“Hold on!” I ran back in search of the Braid box. It would be my only chance to save Callon.
“Ch
eyenne, no!” Nakari hissed, but it was too late.
I fumbled in the main cabin. Colt had had it last. Where had he left it?
From out of nowhere, a large hand snaked around my waist. I screeched and was lifted from the ground. Conall’s steely arm clamped down across my chest, thrusting me into his body. Soon Jahlem and Darrien rushed past in search of Nakari.
My heart raced, and Conall’s hold tightened, making it hard to breathe.
“Let her go!” Colt growled. “She’s turning blue, you fool!”
Conall snarled and turned. “She’s not your concern anymore, Colt!”
Jahlem and Darrien returned. “Nakari’s gone.”
The veins in Colt’s neck bulged, and his biceps flexed. Darrien pushed Colt back while Jahlem eyed me closely.
“Put her down, Conall,” Jahlem said calmly. “She’s not going anywhere.”
A door slammed, and the jet began to move. Finally Marcus appeared. His eyes focused on Conall while his jaw grew rigid.
“Let her go, now!” he snapped.
I fell to the floor, gasping for air.
Jahlem helped me to my feet, but Marcus grasped my arm and whisked me away towards the back of the jet. He opened a door and shoved me in. I tripped and fell onto a bed. A pair of jeans and a shirt were neatly folded there.
“Change,” he commanded.
I eyed the clothes and then looked up into intense gray eyes. His incensed expression looked even fiercer with the scar running across his brow.
“Will you leave so I can change?” My voice trembled.
“No. It’s obvious I can’t leave you alone.” His tone was clipped.
I stared at the clothing again and then sat up, pulling the jeans from the bed and wiggling them up under my dress. I turned away and untied the tulle halter and slipped the shirt on over the dress. My fingers fumbled with the buttons on the back of the dress when suddenly they were ripped away. The soft patter of them hitting the floor sent a chill over me, and I took a deep breath. He’d done it to get a reaction. I pushed the remnants of the dress to the floor and waited.
Daylight, a Timeless Series Novel Page 36