Incendiary (The Premonition Series (Volume 4))

by Amy A. Bartol

  “Interesting,” Xavier murmurs, the picture of composure once again.

  “She was an excellent student. She cut me right here once,” Zephyr says proudly, holdin’ up his wrist and pointin’ to the spot.

  “I would have liked to have witnessed that,” he replies, his voice full of humor.

  “Naw, you wouldn’t’ve,” I scoff at him, “‘cuz she healed him right after that and we had to watch her flesh break open and her bleed all over herself before Reed cleaned her up.” The look on Xavier’s face turns grim while he glances at me. “Ah, you didn’t know she’d do somethin’ like that, did you—hurt herself to save her friends? But, that’s what she does. She’d never abandon anyone. C’mon, Zee, we gotta catch a flight to faerie-tale-horror-town and make sure that no evil freaks are there when she arrives.”

  “What am I supposed to do?” Evie calls after us.

  “Enjoy the party,” I call back.

  Zee and I walk out of the courts and down a few hallways before I ask, “What do you think?”

  He glances at me before sayin’, “She knows him.”

  “You picked up on that, too,” I say, exhalin’ a large breath.

  “She doesn’t know that she knows him,” he adds. “But, that’s nothing compared to how well he knows her. He has the look.”

  “The look?” I question.

  “Buns can probably explain it better to you, but I will do my best. When a soul arrives in Paradise after a lifetime on earth, it will sometimes pine for the soul mate that was left behind,” Zephyr says.

  “He has that look?” I ask.

  “No…he has the other look,” Zephyr replies with a grim expression.

  “The other look?” My eyebrow quirks.

  “The look of that soul when it reunites with its soul mate,” he replies solemnly.

  “Naw, you’re wrong!” I blurt out, before haltin’ where I stand in the narrow hallway. “How is that possible when I’m her soul mate?” I point to my chest.

  “I don’t know, Russell,” he says plainly. “He’s an angel and he doesn’t even have a soul. I am just telling you what I saw.”

  I walk next to Zee again, but this time at a slower pace. “Why haven’t the Seraphim met with us—told us what’s happenin’, where they’ve been, what they’ve been doin’?” I ask. “It’d be nice to know the game plan, instead of havin’ to react when the room starts blowin’ up.”

  “We have to start doing our own intel before we become obsolete,” Zephyr says. “That’s what Reed’s been doing. He’s getting close to them—to Tau.”

  “I have a distinct disadvantage, Zee,” I say, thinkin’ ‘bout what he said. “I can’t speak Angel.”

  “You have an insider, Russell,” Zee says quietly. When I look at him, he says, “Anya—”

  “No way,” I growl at him. “I’m not usin’ her for nothin’.”

  “She knows possibly as much or more than them,” he says. “She probably knows what happened between you and Evie, have you thought of that?”

  “Of course I’ve thought of it! It’s almost all I think ‘bout, but my need to know isn’t as strong as my need to get her outta here,” I reply defensively.

  Roundin’ the corner to the corridor that leads to my room, I find Reed standin’ outside my door. He’s already attired in full, black combat armor. He nods to Zephyr and me as we approach him.

  “I requisitioned armor for you both, in case you wanted to join us,” Reed says, and gestures toward my room. I open the door and see the armor hangin’ in my closet.

  “Ah, you’re gettin’ the band back together. Look, Zee, we got new uniforms,” I grin at Reed and see his reluctant smile.

  “I wish I could offer you a better venue, but it’s the same old dive as last time,” Reed replies with a negligent shrug. I gesture for Reed and Zephyr to come in and then I close the door behind them.

  “I’m down—it’s gotta be hotter than that beach party we were just subjected to,” I say off-handedly.

  “Bad?” Reed asks.

  “If by bad you mean good, then no. Powers are appallingly lame players, no offense,” I flash him a grin for the slur I just shot his way.

  “Paper gangstas?” Reed asks me with humor.

  “Somethin’ like that. Now, Prostat Powers on the other hand…” I leave my comment to hang in the air between us, acknowledgin’ that he’s elite.

  “Have sick style,” Zephyr chimes in, showin’ that he’s been hangin’ out with Buns.

  “Decidedly so,” I agree. “So, how’s this goin’ down?” I ask Reed, pullin’ out the black armor and seein’ that it’ll fit me.

  “We’re the opening act. We go in stealth, search for incendiaries, pockets of magic, latent spells intended for half-angels,” he says, lookin’ directly at me.

  “Don’t forget portals,” I add.

  “Those can be your special project, Russell,” Reed smiles at me as he adds, “you have the nose for it.”

  “Whatever. You’re just jealous of my new angelic nose—I got a lot of play with the old one…” I trail off when the crickets in my stomach begin jumpin’ ‘round and I hear the door next to my room open and close. It could only mean that Anya just got in.

  Reed glances at his watch and says, “Meet us on the deck when you’re ready, we have to leave soon.”

  “I’ll be along in a second,” I say as Reed and Zee walk out into the hallway.

  Reed turns back and says, “Russell…about the thing—with you and Evie…I was out of line—I—”

  “Reed, we’re good,” I reply. “I can’t explain it, but I can honestly say that I’m not sweatin’ it for once.”

  A crooked smile comes to his lips as he says, “Those crickets still bothering you?” he asks.

  “You could say that,” I reply.

  “You’ll let me know if you want to talk about them?” he asks.

  “Yeah, I’ll let you know,” I say, before closin’ the door.

  Hurriedly, I change into the body armor. Openin’ the door to my room, I step out into the hall just as Anya walks past me toward the end of the hallway. My wings unfurl snap when I see the skin-tight, black body armor coverin’ her dangerous curves. She looks more like a dominatrix than a soldier with her black hair pulled back in a massive ponytail and her golden bow slung carelessly over her shoulder.

  Before I can think ‘bout what I’m doin’, I’ve gotten directly in front of her, blockin’ her way to the deck.

  “Ah, naw!” I say with a dark scowl on my face. “Where do you think you’re goin’?”

  She doesn’t answer me, but attempts to step around me. My hands go to her upper arms to hold her in place in front of me. Her eyes narrow to slits as she raises her angelic voice in frustration. Sweet music falls from her lips as she jabs at the air near my face with her finger.

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah—I’m probably all of that and more,” I agree in a stern tone, “but don’t think for one second I’m lettin’ you off this ship, so you can turn ‘round right now and go back to your room.”

  “Leave ship! Stay on ship!” Anya rants in a derogatory way as she wildly gestures with her hands. “You non compos mentis, Russell. You cannot decide what you are wanting.”

  “Don’t try to twist this,” I respond with equal heat. “I want you to go somewhere else—not the exact same place I’m goin’.”

  “How am I to know that you volunteer for the mission, too? You do not share your intentions with me. I do not possess the magic to read your mind!” she replies.

  “Yeah, well, I bet you can tell what I’m thinkin’ right now,” I retort angrily.

  “I no longer care what you are thinking,” she replies. “I volunteer for this mission and I am going.” She attempts to step ‘round me again, but I block her.

  “Anya,” I growl when she tries to duck by me the other way. “You’re stayin’ here until I get back,” I order as I pick her up off her feet and heft her over my shoulder. Carryin’ her back down t
he hall to my room, I dump her quickly on my bed.

  “Russell!” she squeaks at me, too angry to even yell at me in Angel.

  “We’ll talk later ‘bout this,” I say, before backin’ out of the room. Closin’ the door, I whisper words to it, sealin’ it shut tight for the next hour or so with a spell. Grinnin’ when I hear Anya try to kick down the door and it holds tight, I turn and run back down the hall to the deck of the ship.

  Military grade helicopters with advanced weaponry speckle the deck with their rotors warmin’ up. Spottin’ Zee already seated in one, I run to it, climbin’ in next to him. "We’re not gonna fly with our wings?" I ask.

  Zee shrugs, “This will get us near the castle faster. It is also less taxing. We will bail out before we get there so they do not hear us coming. I thought you were going to miss it,” Zee comments next to me, usin’ a loud voice to be heard over the engines.

  “I ran into a complication,” I yell, but smile when I remember the feelin’ of Anya’s body against mine. The crickets are still buzzin’ ‘round wildly inside of me.

  “I think your complication has followed you,” Zephyr replies above the noise of the rotors. Anya emerges onto the deck of the ship and strolls over to our helicopter.

  As she brushes past me to a seat, small pieces of wood and fiberglass fall off her armor, lettin’ me know that she couldn’t break through the door I had put a spell on, so she went through the wall.

  Sittin’ kitty-corner from me, she smoothes her hair back delicately like a cat, raisin’ her eyebrow cunningly when I scowl at her. As I tear my eyes away from hers, I try hard to get control of the warrin’ emotions her presence instills in me. I don’t know if I want to shake her or kiss her…or both.

  Through the open doorway, I see Reed standin’ among the Seraphim on the deck of the ship. He nods his head when Tau places his hand on Reed’s shoulder in a gesture of respect. When he drops his hand, Reed turns toward the main door. I glance over in that direction too and see Red standin’ by the entryway with her arms crossed over her chest and her hair whippin’ wildly ‘round her in the wind. Reed walks to her and when he reaches her, he picks her up off her feet and kisses her like he’ll never let her go.

  I frown then, not ‘cuz I’m jealous—I mean I am, but it has lost its intensity somehow…it’s different. Glancin’ at Anya, she’s no longer lookin’ at me, but out the other doorway at the sea. A few moments later, Reed climbs into the seat across from mine and the helicopter leaves the deck.

  While Anya continues to stare at the sea, my eyes wander down the delicate slope of her neck. I wonder what she is thinkin’ ‘bout and what it would be like to kiss her like I dream of kissin’ her whenever I close my eyes.

  CHAPTER 16

  Everlasting Love

  Evie

  Cold, fine drops of rain fall softly on my cheeks as I emerge from the darkness of the ship’s interior to the gray, overcast sky of the main deck. Pulling my dark pea coat tighter to my body, the wind lifts red tendrils of my hair. I walk slowly to the railing overlooking the water.

  Even though the initial reports from Reed and his team are good, I had felt suffocated listening to them in the comfort of the Seraphim’s control room. Envisioning Reed, Russell, and Zephyr roaming the shadowy rooms of Brennus’ castle has me unable to sit still or think clearly. I spared little thought for what the Seraphim would think before I had left their meeting abruptly. They’re the ones that insisted that I stay with them; so right now upgrading their opinion of me isn’t a priority.

  I catch my first sight of the Irish coastline; its craggy landscape makes me shiver in dread. I find it difficult to imagine now how the Gancanagh had made this their home for so long without anyone realizing it. The cold, moss-covered edifices practically scream their presence. As I study the shadows between the falling-down stone, I imagine creeping shapes of undead Faeries grasping the rock, waiting for our ship to draw nearer to their position.

  Tipping my face up, I let the rain wash over me. It bathes away the frigid sweat of fear that has broken on my brow.

  “You don’t know how fiercely beautiful you are, do you?” A quiet voice behind me asks, causing me to stiffen and fix my eyes on the rocks along the shoreline.

  “Xavier,” I say in a tight voice, “if there was ever a time to leave me alone, it would be now.”

  “I have left you alone—too long alone,” he replies.

  I glance at him over my shoulder and I see the strange expression on his face that resembles something disturbingly like regret. “Continue the trend, I don’t mind,” I reply.

  Xavier grins, “When your insult is accompanied by your winsome smile, it takes all the edge out of the remark.”

  “I’ll try to affect a scowl next time,” I say.

  He joins me at the railing. “You could try, but they’re just as seductive—” he begins.

  “What do you want?” I interrupt, stiffening in confusion.

  “I saw you slip out of the strategy meeting. Why did you leave?” he asks.

  “Strategy,” I murmur the word like it’s an illusive concept, “the art of planning.”

  “I remember your fondness for it. You used to have a strategy for everything—studying, entertaining, shopping…you used to lay out your clothing each night before school,” Xavier says with another grin. “Cole and I would wager whether you’d actually wear the outfits that you chose or change them at the last second.”

  “You were spying on me in my bedroom? That sounds perverted,” I reply, wrinkling my nose at him. My cheeks burn not only with that thought, but also at my stupidity for not knowing that they were there.

  “I was guarding you,” he corrects me. “So why did you leave the strategy meeting? It’s not like you to let any detail escape your attention.” His mouth curves in a cunning smile as he watches me frown.

  “You go ahead and make your plans,” I reply in a dismissive way, irritated that he thinks he knows me well.

  “You sound as if you believe it is futile to do so,” Xavier remarks.

  Facing him, I see both his blue eye and his green eye. He is so big, like Russell, in fact, they have a similar look to them, but Xavier’s hair is much lighter than Russell’s tawny color—more golden…extremely handsome. I used to like his size, but right now it’s annoying because it makes me feel small.

  “It is futile,” I reply. My knuckles tighten on the railing in front of me, causing them to turn whiter.

  “There can always be a plan, if you know your enemy,” Xavier says in a quiet voice.

  “I know my enemy. That’s why I’m not making plans,” I reply.

  “What does Brennus want from you? Do you know?” Xavier asks.

  I flinch at the mention of Brennus’ name. “He wants me to be his undead queen,” I answer in a voice that quivers a little.

  “Why?” he questions with his eyebrows pulling together in concentration.

  “Why what?” I ask as drops of rain slide down my cheeks.

  “What is it about you that he desires?” he asks in a probing tone. “Apart from the fact that you’re a beautiful, tempting morsel…”

  My face flushes with color again as his eyes rove over me and I want to hit him when he chuckles. Raising my chin, I reply, “I think it’s important to him that I see the good in him that didn’t die.” The smile falls away from Xavier’s lips to be replaced by a deepening frown. “Something good survived in him that Aodh, his maker, couldn’t kill and that part of him craves love—yearns for it.”

  “You’re wrong,” Xavier disagrees in a tight voice. “Nothing good survived his transformation from Faerie to Gancanagh.”

  “How do you know?” I counter.

  “Because he follows you even though it’s wrong. If his love were pure, he’d let you go so that you could pursue what you desire. He wouldn’t try to change you into one of them because he knows that it’d be the death of you,” Xavier replies, his breathing increasing with restrained emotion.

&
nbsp; “Brennus hasn’t changed me yet and he’s had plenty of opportunity,” I point out. “He’s not what he seems...and I think he’s different around me.”

  “He’s different? How is he different?” Xavier asks while his jaw tightens.

  “He...he’s nicer. I make him nicer,” I admit.

  “Nicer?” he asks like he doesn’t know the word.

  “He doesn’t want to hurt anyone when he’s with me. Maybe I do that to him. Maybe it’s because he says I’m always giving him my energy. He says he craves it like an addiction. Maybe I make him nice,” I explain.

  “You defend him?” Xavier asks, his eyes narrowing. “He’s reprehensible.”

  “He wanted to survive,” I say between my teeth.

  “At the expense of all else,” Xavier says.

  “He did it for his brother Finn. Finn was turned first and he believed that Finn wouldn’t survive Aodh’s cruelty without him,” I argue, unable to stop myself.

  “A noble reason for a tragic error in judgment, one that I’m sure he’s looking to you to correct,” Xavier states with a renewed patience.

  “Meaning what exactly?” I ask, feeling something cold climb down my spine.

  “If I were to cease to be…I could think of no better place than within the arms of an angel, especially if she loved me—” he says, but I interrupt him.

  “I don’t love Brennus,” I whisper, perplexed by the stab of guilt that rushes through me.

  “You have a great propensity for love. It’s in your nature. You make others gravitate to you like sheep to a shepherdess…and you love them, even if they’re wrong,” Xavier says, while reaching out and wiping away the rain from my cheek with his warm, rough fingers. “But for Brennus, it will be only revenge now: his thoughts of you are ugly and twisted. He’s been drinking dust after tasting your blood, and that craving for you is just as strong in him. He’s had time to plot his horror—design his torture for you.”

  “Why are you telling me this?” I ask as I shy away from his touch.

  “I don’t want you to hesitate to kill him,” he replies, staring into my eyes. “Don’t let your human side and your need to be empathetic get in the way of destroying his vulgarity. Don’t be fooled by the falseness of his love and deny the ones who really love you.”