“I’m called Link, for obvious reasons.” As he chuckled the chains tinkled, and somehow their eerie sound found my ears over the chaos surrounding me. “Your friend here complicates matters,” he nodded toward Kian. “I have a feeling he won’t let you come willingly.”
“I have no intention of going with you,” I spat back. “My grandfather has no right to come after me.”
“He has every right. You’re his only living blood and he wants you.”
“Why?” I demanded.
“We are what humanity is supposed to be.” Link reached his arms out as if he were about to embrace someone, but instead he lowered them and cocked his head to the side. “Without the norms diluting the gene pool, Caelians can rise to lead.”
My hand tightened around Kian’s. “He wants to kill off the norms?”
“Kill. Enslave. There really is no difference. The norms are not worthy of this world anymore.”
“I will stop you.”
“No, little girl. You will go nice and quiet to your grandfather. We were only able to recover a few seconds of your little display at the mall, but it was enough for your grandfather to recognize you, and he’s excited to have your Talent at his disposal. We’re all excited for you to join the team.” His gaze slid down to my chest and lingered. Kian stiffened next to me; his jaw was clenched so tight I was scared he would break some teeth.
“Even if I went with you, I’d never help him wipe out the norms. We are all humans.”
Link’s face contorted in a feral grimace as he began unraveling his chain at a measured pace. Each loud jangle of the metal reverberated around us. Threatening. Vibrations flared around him the moment he drew upon his Talent. I opened the door in my mind and allowed my Talent to flow through my body unhindered. “I am done chatting. It’s time to go, little girl.” Fear blossomed in my chest, but I stood my ground, schooling my face into a Kian-like neutrality.
Kian pulled me into a tight embrace, hiding his face in my hair. His sudden burst of affection confused me. Was he afraid? Did he see something I missed and this was our last moment? His lips found my ears and I felt his hot breath. Shivers shot down my spine as I melted into Kian’s chest a little more.
“There are two men behind us. I’ll go after the one to my left and you the one on your right. Then you run toward the exit as fast as you can. We can make it. Do not let Link get near you. I don’t know what his Talent is and those chains freak me out.” His lips grazed my cheek as he pulled back and I nodded in understanding.
“Now.” Kian spoke with a frightening calm before flashing toward his intended target.
I turned to face my opponent. He was a small, thin man with slicked back silver hair and matching eyes. His diminutive stature gave me pause, but I was forced into action when he activated his Talent. Its thin vibrations were a veritable typhoon within him. Wind whipped around the both of us, enclosing us within a whirlwind force field. My Talent crackled under my skin as I lunged for him.
He evaded each punch with the ease of a graceful dancer. We spun within our wind cocoon, neither landing a hit on the other. Aggravated, I cursed my Talent for being one that required touch. If I had an external Talent like his I wouldn’t be wasting it on a barrier. A thought hit me worse than any punch he could have landed. He was trapping me for Link. Anger burned and I stopped my advances.
Link had mentioned my Talent, but I wondered if they were aware of what I could actually do or how I activated it. There was only one way of finding out. I stepped back into a crouched fighting stance and he quickly copied my movements. Reaching deep within, I sneered at my opponent as I began breathing deeply with each exertion as if I were gathering energy for an attack. Confusion, shock, then fear blossomed across his face and I chuckled under my breath. He was falling for it.
He looked around as if the answer to his problems was lying on the ground before running at me full speed. Once he was within my grasp, I grabbed ahold of his neck and called on my Talent. It responded at once, grabbing ahold of the delicate vibrations of his Talent and extracting it from him and filling me. As his Talent drained into me, the briny aroma of the ocean whipped around me and the taste of salt lingered on my tongue. His eyes bulged as he felt his Talent leave his body and he began clawing at my hands and face, but I was immoveable. His silver hair faded and the wind wall surrounding us began to dissipate.
I didn’t know if it was my Talent or my anger, but I wanted him drained until empty. His eyes closed and the rhythm of his heart that had been beating erratically was now a soft thud, each beat further apart. Shame overwhelmed me when I came back to myself. Without any thought I was killing this man. If I took his Talent, he would die.
With disgust, I threw him down and spun to meet Link, but he was nowhere to be found. The world swam as I struggled with Talent sickness. Arms snaked around my waist and I jumped, as ready for another fight as I could be when the world around me was spinning out of control. My senses came to me and I recognized the strong Talent pulsating against my back. Kian.
He looked at me with concern. Ashamed, I cast my gaze down and allowed my hair to float in front of my face like a barrier. I gasped when I saw the silvery gleam in my tresses. Last time I used my Talent on Jesse I slept for hours before I saw the faint tint in my hair, but this time, my hair was the same exact color of the wind user.
I choked back a sob. There was no way I was going to cry right now.
“We have to go before they send more men.”
I nodded and we barged ahead to the exit. The sounds of the skirmish began to wane. The encounter was coming to an end and I hoped against all odds that my friends were on the winning side.
We walked for what seemed like hours, but was in all likelihood was more like 30 minutes. My legs felt like gelatin and I supported most of my weight on Kian. Screeching filled the night as a dark van hopped the curb in front of us, stopping us in our tracks. My vision tunneled as four men poured out of the van.
I sagged against Kian as my body decided to fold against itself and he struggled to keep me up.
“I’m glad we found you,” a voice I recognized from the warehouse spoke as he lifted my arm and placed it over his shoulders, helping Kian with his burden.
The captain of the underground’s military was helping, well dragging me, toward the van. He had a deep gash from his hairline that followed the curve of his face ending with a jagged point on his sharp cheekbone. A bruise blossomed on his jawline. He looked like he had barely survived.
“Michael. Lacy.” My throat was raw and their names were all I could get out as they laid me down in the back of the van. The gentle hum of the engine was pulling at my consciousness, beckoning me to sweet darkness.
“Go to sleep,” Kian whispered as he lay next to me and brushed away the hair stuck to my face. The pads of his fingers grazed my cheek, comforting me with his touch. His head was drooping and every now and again he would jerk awake. “We’re safe now.”
The last thing I saw before I slept was Kian’s angelic face sleeping inches from mine.
I startled awake. The last thing I remembered was sleeping in a van with Kian and now I didn’t recognize my surroundings. I was in a dilapidated hotel room that smelled of stale cigarettes and cheap perfume. The walls had a god-awful green and brown floral pattern that matched the stained brown shag carpet.
A bright light was on in the adjoining bathroom, reminding me that I had to go.
With care, I glided to the side of the bed and put some pressure on my legs, testing their strength. They seemed stable enough to stand, but I didn’t take my head into account. As soon as I was vertical, the world tilted, and I stumbled toward the bathroom. My arms flailed to find purchase on anything that would prevent my face from meeting the disgusting carpet. With a grunt, I found the bathroom’s door frame with my shoulder, and I pressed my body against the cool wood.
A few deep breaths later, I felt well enough to finish up my business and wash my face in the sink. The wat
er ran brown for a few minutes before it was clean enough to use. I cupped my hands, filled them with the cold water, and splashed it against my face. The crisp water felt like heaven against my flushed skin and jolted me awake like a shot of caffeine.
On the way out to find someone and force them to tell me what was going on and where my friends were, I caught a glimpse of my face in the mirror. My hair was mostly back to its original color, but it shimmered silver when the light hit it just right, and the weight of what I had almost done crashed down upon me.
I had almost killed another man.
I had wanted to kill that man. There was no denying it. It felt different than the man I had killed at the orphanage. That man had physically attacked me and in self-defense he was murdered, but I had attacked this guy and tricked him into getting close enough for me to touch him.
Part of me knew he was working for my grandfather and because of his affiliation with him, it’s probable that he was not the nicest Caelian out there, but he hadn’t been harming me at the time. I was torn. Why did it feel okay to defend and murder in one scenario and not the other?
My thoughts were interrupted when the door creaked open. Kian stepped into the room and was at my side in an instant.
“What’s the matter? Are you hurt? The doctor looked at you while you were resting, but if you’re in pain, I’ll call him back.” While he talked, Kian was running his hands over my face, making his way down, checking me with a clinical approach. A part of me was immensely disappointed. Another small part was happy he cared, but his hen clucking was getting on my last nerve.
“Stop, Kian!” I pushed him away. “I’m fine.”
He gave me a look to say he didn’t believe it for a minute, but he was a smart boy and let it go.
“Where’s the captain?” I asked.
“Waiting in his room. Let’s go.”
Kian led me down a hallway that looked forgotten. It was darker than any hotel hallway should be, but with every third light being out, it couldn’t be helped. Wallpaper from another decade peeled at the edges where each strip met another, and the carpet was worn and threadbare.
Kian stopped at the door at the end of the hallway and walked in without a knock. Inside the suite stood the four men who had picked us up on the side of the road. Each man was bandaged and carried a weight on their shoulders reserved for those who had watched people they cared about die in a cruel way. The captain stood straighter when he saw me and dragged his hawkish gaze to my hair, staring at it like it would leap out and grab ahold of him.
One of the soldiers next to him coughed, breaking the awkward silence.
“Where are my friends?” I demanded.
“Captured,” he replied, crossing his arms. “Out of the 30 men and women there were…”
“—and children.” I interrupted him. “Bobby was … he was … just a child.”
The captain pursed his lips, annoyed with my interruption, but he continued without reprimanding me. “There were 24 casualties, including Bobby, who chose to be at the warehouse that night. Just like the others. We escaped with our lives while Michael and Lacy were captured alive. Do you know why?”
I grimaced. “They’re bait.” A torrent of emotions surged through me. Overwhelming for a moment until I grasped onto the thought that nothing else mattered except getting Michael and Lacy back. The resolve grew, consuming all trepidation. It was a need pressing down on me and all other rational thought was gone. Just as I opened my mouth to give up, Kian spoke over me.
“You will not give up.”
“We have to get them back.” I forked my fingers through my hair over and over again, checking every few minutes to see if the silver had completely disappeared.
“I never said that we won’t get them back, but it will not be at the cost of you getting captured. I don’t believe Lacy and especially Michael would be okay with that,” Kian replied with a shrug.
I nodded. Michael’s voice filled my thoughts. If he knew I had considered allowing myself to be captured for their freedom, he would yell and curse for hours before enveloping me in his bear hug. God, I wanted to feel his thick, warm arms squeezing the life out of me again.
“Kian is right. If you get captured, whether planned or unintentional, it would negate every life lost last night and I refuse to let that happen.” The captain turned to face his men. “Matthew. Tracey. Go below to restock the weapons and prepare the van. Mateo, contact headquarters and let them know that Sadie is awake and wants to return for the prisoners.”
After the Captain barked his orders, the three remaining soldiers scurried off like cockroaches, disappearing down the depressingly dark hallway.
“This isn’t headquarters?” I asked.
“No, this is one of many safe locations throughout the city.”
“Do you have a plan to rescue Sadie’s friends?” Kian asked. When the soldiers left, he moved from beside me and curled his arms around my waist, tugging my back against his front. Heat radiated from his body and I basked in his warmth, allowing it to fill me and to soothe the disquiet in my mind. I wrapped my arms around his, and the tension released from both of us. My head leaned against his shoulder and I closed my eyes, allowing myself a moment.
There was nothing sensual about the way he held me. He was one human offering his warmth and strength to another when it was needed most. Right now I needed Kian just as he was. A pillar of strength to recharge my waning supply.
Captain Monroe and Kian bounced ideas back and forth while I rested against Kian. The steady thumping of his heart combined with the clean smell of soap helped release the tension from my shoulders, allowing my head to clear.
Something the captain said caused me to abruptly straighten, knocking my head into Kian’s chin. My hand rubbed the sore spot on my head as I turned to look at Kian. He was mirroring my actions except his hand was on his chin. He looked fine, so I focused my attention back on the captain.
“What did you just say?” I asked.
“They moved their location to a foreclosed home near Michael and Lacy’s residence and reduced their numbers to only five, not including the hostages.”
“He picked a residential area so we wouldn’t come in guns a-blazing, and he’s trimmed his numbers because he’s certain I’m going to give up.” The captain grunted in agreement.
“Are we certain they aren’t hidden in the surrounding homes?” I asked.
“We are positive,” he answered. His eyebrow quirked as I began pacing the room. A plan was forming in my head. It was bold. It was risky. It would work.
Kian lumbered across the room, leaning against the wall next to the window, watching me pace. He would not be okay with the plan, but it would work.
Maybe. There were too many variables and we didn’t have the time to argue anymore.
“How many more soldiers are available to you? And how soon can they get here?”
“What are you doing, Sadie?” Kian asked, his voice filled with concern. He watched me with guarded eyes, as if he was scared I would disappear. I met his stare and a certainty filled my heart. In this moment, when I was planning a counterattack on a man who killed 24 innocent people and took two of my closest friends hostage, I knew without any doubt or fear that I was beginning to have feelings for Kian.
It was the strangest moment to have such an epiphany, but it happened all the same. A smile pulled at my cheeks as I tucked away this revelation to ponder at another time, when there weren’t two lives on the line.
“I have a plan to get my friends back.”
Chapter 16
We hashed out the details of my plan. Just as I had assumed, Kian was not okay with the danger it would put me in, but after plenty of arguing and some pleading, he saw it was the only way to get my friends out alive and he begrudgingly went along with it.
There wasn’t much time before the troops would arrive, so I took my leave soon after we finalized the details. Once my mind was settled from planning Michael and Lacy’s res
cue, I noticed my clothes hadn’t been changed since I had left the orphanage. Every inch of my body felt the grime of yesterday’s battle. I was in dire need of a shower.
Muscles I didn’t know were tight released as the scalding water beat down. I had resigned myself to a cold shower due to the condition of the hotel, but was pleasantly surprised when I tested the water to find it heating fast. The shower wasn’t as long as I would have liked, but I had to get ready.
When I left the orphanage, I wasn’t expecting to run operations with the HCA underground, but I had a few items of clothing that would work. My mind drifted to how Lacy was dressed the last time I saw her and I pulled on a pair of black jeans and a white scoop neck t-shirt with a local band’s name in large, thin letters across the front. It was close enough.
I brushed my hair in a rush, snagging on tangles and causing my eyes to water, but I didn’t care. I welcomed the pain and threw on a pair of black sneakers. Maybe once this ordeal was all over, I could request a pair of those kickass boots I had seen Lacy wearing. After grabbing my phone and taking a quick look around my temporary room to verify that I wasn’t forgetting anything else, I made my way down to the lobby.
When I arrived, fourteen soldiers, evenly mixed between norm and Caelian, lined the lobby of the abandoned hotel. Their backs were straight and they were awaiting their orders from the captain. He paraded before his troops, taking them in before he spoke in a commanding tone.
“As you know, two of us, Michael and Lacy Jones, have been captured and are being held in order to draw out Sadie, who has recently been placed under HCA protection. We will not hand over our mark, but we will not allow two more people to die. Sadie has come up with a plan. Each one of us will have our part to play, and we will play them flawlessly in order to guarantee the safety of everyone involved.”
The Caelian Cycle Boxed Set Page 13