"Could do," Walker said.
Levi stared at his commander in confusion.
"They are going to take her somewhere she could do a lot of damage. We're going to get there first."
Levi had to look away as he nodded, that strange pricking back in his eyes.
This new feeling, with Walker and the other soldiers, it didn't cancel out the horrible pain in his chest. It hurt to have let her down. His fear for her was a cold spear through his chest. He was tired of always being the weakest link, of fighting these same battles over and over again against an enemy that just seemed to keep getting stronger.
But this new feeling, it made him think that maybe… Maybe, they would succeed this time. Even if he was the weakest link, the success or failure didn’t depend solely on him. He had the strength of the other three warriors behind him. Never had he cared so much about that before now. Before Brooke. Now, it made everything feel possible.
Hope. They’d given him hope.
Putting human labels to all these crazy emotions inside him was exhausting. Things in Elementium were easier. His emotions there had been mild, muted, and stable compared to what they were here in the mortal plane. He’d been off balance since arriving here, and the chaos here affected him more and more.
He closed his eyes, his head against the cool window. He needed his body to rest and recover as much as it could since his loss of control had pretty much wiped out his power reserves.
Because he believed they were going to have to fight to get her back, but damn it, they were going to. Levi swallowed hard.
They had to.
They'd tracked Brooke to the hydro-electric dam outside of town. It had held back the waters of Lake Cass for decades, allowing the city of Topaz Ridge to prosper in its shadow and providing power for much of the state.
So far they had avoided any workers, but that couldn't last. And what explanation would four tattooed, armed men have for being inside the dam?
The forces of Chaos kidnapped my girlfriend and we have to rescue her before they make her elemental power go critical and cause mass devastation?
Walker led them down the labyrinth of damp, dimly lit hallways inside the dam. It chafed to not be the one charging to her rescue, but he couldn't sense her the way Walker could. And even he seemed to be having trouble.
They paused at another junction, Walker looking down all the hallways. He picked one, then after ten feet, backtracked back to the junction. “I’m having trouble sensing her. There’s too much water here,” Walker said, brow creasing. Walker picked another hallway and they all made their way down it.
Levi swallowed down his impatience. If Walker was having trouble, then it was really bad. The massive volume of water on the other side of the concrete wall must be overpowering the tiny call of water from a single Erratic.
The constant level of buzzing inside their heads didn’t help either. There had to be a dozen Chaolt nearby, all the ones that had grabbed Brooke, but they had yet to encounter a single one. The chances were getting better that they would. And if it sounded the alarm, that would bring all of the Chaolt down on top of them.
Which was fine with him. He wanted something to punch, to hurt. To burn.
Levi felt the brush of flames and swallowed hard, evening his breath and calming his emotions. He couldn’t lose control here, not now. Not until they got Brooke. After that?
No guarantees.
He was too aware of what would happen if she lost control. It would be really, really bad for everyone. And he didn't give a shit. Not about any of the workers, or the people living in the valley below. None of it affected him the way the thought of losing Brooke did.
He rubbed a hand over his chest, the dark, heavy pain back again. Something had happened with her. More than desire, more than friendship. He now valued her life more than any other human or Erratic. More even, than that of his fellow soldiers. Or even his own.
He was in love with her.
"Walker—" he choked out past the sudden brick in his throat.
Walker stood unmoving in the middle of the hallway, gaze unfocused as he tried to sense her. Gaze sharpening, he turned to Levi.
And dammit, he knew the pain was showing on his face. He could no longer hide how he felt about Brooke. They had to find her.
"We're close."
In the space between Walker's words and Levi's next breath, he heard a cry from down the long tunnel, full of fear and despair. It ripped his heart out as it echoed past him.
"Brooke," he whispered.
"Levi!" Walker's cautioning hiss was not enough to stop him from shoving him aside and running in the direction it came from.
The walls zoomed past his vision as he ran, though he felt like his legs were too slow, his movements too clumsy. The tunnel came to a T, and he looked from one side to the other as the other soldiers came up behind him.
As soon as he swung his head to the right he saw a Chaolt walking towards them. It wasn’t Charlie, that motherfucker who had gotten away, but he would do.
Instantly, he was running full tilt towards him, knives out and flames from shoulders to blades. He managed to sink a blade in each shoulder, and using them like handles, throw the Chaolt against the pipes. “Where is she?”
The Chaolt didn’t answer, and with a twist of his daggers, Levi pulled him up only to buffet him against the brick walls again, relishing in its cry of pain. “Where!” It didn’t answer, but a flick of its eyes down the hallway was all he needed. As much as he'd love to be the one to scatter his nasty ashes all over the hallway, he'd trust the other soldiers to take care of it. He had to find her.
When the other soldiers reached him, Levi spun away, yanking his knives from the Chaolt. He ran down the hallway and found a metal door.
Locked.
He had no interest in waiting to see if they found a key on the Chaolt. He summoned and focused his flames, pushing until the doorknob was red hot, and then kicked the door open.
He stomach dropped. There she was, tied to a chair. Pale, limp. Not even a twitch from the noise of him busting through the door.
Burning through the ropes, he lifted her in his arms and strode out the door to meet three grim faces.
"Is she alive?," asked Ajax.
Levi nodded, but didn't answer. Couldn't.
She was in his arms, but he could only breathe a little easier. They still needed to get her away from the Chaolt, get her to safety.
The buzzing in his head, all their heads, had changed to blender intensity. A moving wall of soldiers formed around him and Brooke as he ran for the exit.
The rest of the Chaolt were on their way.
Brooke was floating on a sea of blackness.
There was no water here, no flood. No screaming. Just darkness, and silence.
Beautiful silence.
Yet even as she floated, something registered in her awareness. Like distant thunder, she wasn't sure she heard it or where it came from, but it was… comforting.
As she floated upward, light seemed to infuse the black into a lighter gray but she couldn't move or talk or see.
Like a beacon it drew her, and as she floated towards it, it got louder and became more real.
She recognized the thunder now. It was his voice.
"Brooke. Can you hear me?"
Yes! I can hear you! But she didn't have a voice or even breath. That's when the blackness became more sinister, like a pile of wet, heavy blankets smothering her. Weighing her down.
She could feel her body, but wasn't quite in it yet. Her arms and legs wouldn't obey her commands, and her eyes wouldn't open. She began to struggle. It was like slogging through deep mud, the blackness trying to pull her back, but slowly she gained awareness.
The gentle rocking vibration meant she was in a vehicle. Levi was here, which meant Charlie wasn't.
Memories of Charlie and the syringe and the nightmares played before her closed eyes, and that more than anything is what finally gave her the strength
to open them.
He was right there.
"Levi,” she whispered. His eyes were dark with concern, his mouth bracketed with lines of worry. He looked tired.
"You're okay. I’ve—" he stopped, eyes flicking around the interior of the SUV, "we've got you."
He came for her. Once again, this extraordinary… man… had rescued her from the brink of death.
And his hot hand was wrapped around hers, solid, anchored her there when the dark seemed to swirl and tug.
Though her arms and legs were slow and heavy and tingly, she clumsily raised herself up and threw herself into his arms.
He gathered her close and stroked her hair. She just concentrated on her breathing, staring out the window and denying the tears that wanted to fall from her eyes.
"It's okay. You're okay."
Out the window, the blue waters of a large lake sparkled, framed on three sides by green rolling hills. The fourth side was a wall of concrete through which the lake poured out of in great white arcs of water: the dam of Cass Lake.
Horror seeped in as she looked at the scenery. Everything was more familiar than it should have been. She hadn't ever spent much time on this side of town.
But that little blue house, right on the river's edge. The way that certain hill bumped out into the lake like a turtle's back.
She'd stood there, right there on the turtle's back as she watched the rubble of that blue house wash by her in a flood of water and debris. And bodies.
The shaking started in her arms, and she clung tighter to Levi.
He felt it and grabbed her face in both hands. "Brooke. What is it? What's wrong?"
She focused on his eyes, the horror of what had almost happened sweeping through her like a flood itself.
Voice quivering, she told him, "They were going to use me to break the dam. To flood the valley." She whispered, eyes wide, "I was going to kill everyone!" The tears she'd been holding back finally began to fall, and he pulled her back against his chest.
"You're safe. Everyone's safe," he said as the sobs shuddered through her.
When she could breathe again and her tears had slowed, she was surprised to hear Walker say her name.
She turned to look at him, still in the circle of Levi's arms.
"Brooke, I'm sorry, but we need to know."
She could feel Levi jerking his head back and forth above her. "Know what," she sniffled.
"How do you know what the Chaolt's plans were? Did they tell you?"
"No," she said, hiding her face against Levi's chest. "They were keeping me drugged, so I would sleep. Dream. Char—" No. He wasn't a man, he was… a monster. She’d called Levi one before, and she would apologize for that later. Because now that she’d seen a real one… It had nothing to do with being from Earth or not. Human, or not. No, it had everything to do with the insides. She swallowed and started again. "The Chaolt said that was how he would get to me. That I had more power, was stronger now, and when I was ready, he was going to come set it free."
She pressed her face tighter against Levi, not caring that her voice came out muffled.
"I dreamt of the dam breaking. And the town being flooded and all the people drowning— " She sucked in a shuddering breath. "That's how I know."
She didn't have to look up to know all the soldiers were staring at one another. She could feel it over her head.
Levi's hand stroked down her hair again, and she felt his lips on the top of her head. "That's good, baby. You did good."
She had done nothing, couldn’t have, but let his murmurs and the heat from his body soothe her for a few minutes anyway. She was so cold, and he was so warm.
"Levi," Walker said. There was something there in his voice, some warning that made her sit back and look up at the man she clung to.
His eyes were closed, jaw clenched so tight his lips were white.
"Levi?"
He just shook his head.
When she turned to look at Walker was when she noticed the flames behind her, around her.
Slow, gentle flames. Fire that didn't burn her, though his arms were wrapped around her back.
Walker met her eyes for a second, and then made a show of ignoring the two of them. Ajax stared into the rear-view mirror for a second longer than was probably safe for a driver, but then he too, looked away. In the back seat, Micah had his eyes closed, head back, like he was sleeping.
She put a hand to his cheek, feeling the contrast of smooth skin and rough stubble. And beneath that, the heat. "Open your eyes, Levi."
He shook his head again, speaking through clenched teeth. "It'll just scare you more."
Brooke trailed her fingertips down his cheek. "Please."
Slowly his eyes opened, revealing his glowing irises and the fire that raged behind them.
This time when she felt herself falling forward into them, she gave in. And with a sigh, pressed her lips to his.
He would never hurt her. He was always her rescuer, keeping her safe. Only he, with his special abilities, could do that against explosions and raging fires and psychotic enemies. If she had no choice but to depend on someone in this crazy, scary world, she couldn’t think of anyone better.
And he cared for her. Enough to burn.
Chapter Fifteen
When they got to the compound, Levi didn't let go. When she loosened her grip, he'd tightened his hand, preventing hers from slipping away.
He pulled her along after the other soldiers, through the living quarters. Up the elevator. Into Walker's office.
Walker stared at him, hands on his hips, but he just tightened his jaw and glared right back.
Yeah, they were going to talk about some sensitive shit, but Brooke deserved to have some input. She was part of this. He looked down at the top of her head.
Was she strong enough?
She looked up at him and smiled. It didn't reach all the way to her eyes, but the little tightening of her hand said she appreciated him including her, not leaving her alone. And that was all he needed.
God, what a woman.
Shit was serious, though. They had a major issue to deal with. There was no way the Chaolt would stay away from a festival held at the portal. At least one fight was a guarantee, and likely more.
And still, he felt like smiling.
It fell from his face like a stone when Walker asked, "What are we going to do with Brooke?"
She spoke up before he could. "What do you mean, 'What are we going to do with Brooke?'"
Walker met Levi's eyes, and he shrugged.
With a sigh and a rub to his jaw, Walker said, "We have a situation we need to take care of. A mission. We're leaving tomorrow morning." He spread his arms wide in question. "What do you want us to do about you? Do you want to stay here at the compound? You'll be alone. Do you want to go back to the rental house?" He dropped his arms. "We don't have the time to drain your powers, and I don’t think that’s an option now anyway.” Walker’s gaze flashed to him, and then back to her. “We took out a lot of Chaolt at the dam. But there could be more.”
She'd probably be safe, but there was no guarantee. Charlie wasn’t among those they disposed of. And they'd be gone for a few days. If there was even one Chaolt left in Topaz Ridge… He tightened his hand again. "She goes."
"Where—"
Walker's gaze snapped to him. "Excuse me?"
"She goes with us. Sir."
"Now hold on a second—”
"No. She goes."
"You'll be putting her in danger—” Walker started.
"There's no guarantee she's not in danger here—"
"Maybe not, but there is a guarantee she will be there!"
"Hey guys!" she yelled, letting go of his hand and glaring at him and Walker. "I'm right here!" She took a deep breath. "Walker, please explain the details to me."
He sat back on his desk, crossing his arms.
"We're going to the desert. There's an Elemental portal there that draws Erratics, and a big festival. We'r
e going for damage control. To keep the Chaolt from killing anyone or causing any disasters. You'll be in as much risk as any other Erratic there."
She hugged herself. She had to be thinking about her own experience, the damage that could have been.
Levi changed his mind right then. She should stay here. There could be too many Erratics to keep tabs on, too many Chaolt to track. What if they grabbed her again—
"I'd rather go with you guys, if that's okay. I feel safer with you— " Her blue eyes flashed to his, "than I do alone."
And just like that, he was all for her going again.
Frustration rolled off Walker in waves. Levi could feel it in the air, even though the only sign was a tightening around his mouth as he looked around the room.
"She'll be safer with us," Ajax agreed. Micah, as usual, just nodded his consent.
"Fine." Walker pinched the bridge of his nose, and then waved his hand at them in dismissal. "Go get your gear and some sleep. We leave at oh-five-hundred."
Brooke eyed the clock again. Levi had been gone just ten minutes, getting them some food from the kitchen.
She needed him to hurry back.
She paced from one piece of glass art to another, intrigued but unable to study any of them for very long. She was all jumbled up, tender inside, as if the underside of her skin had been rubbed raw with steel wool. The horror of the dream wouldn't leave her.
Or the horror that the only thing that kept her nightmare from being reality was her timely rescue. If Levi hadn't come… or if they'd been just a few minutes later… Each time the thought surfaced, it made her heart stutter and she got a little sick to her stomach.
Now she needed his solid, warm hand to remind her that the nightmare would never be reality. She was safe.
Burn (Elemental Hearts Book 1) Page 15