Blue Violet (Book #1 of the Svatura Series)

by Abigail Owen

  “How bad’s the car?” she asked with another groan.

  “Probably totaled.” His face looked like a solemn mask. He sat back on his heels and ran his hand over his face.

  Alex couldn’t share with Ellie his horror of watching her car hit the tree and then skid toward the treacherous cliff. If her car had gone over, she would never have survived the impact. He’d had to use his powers on her, and hadn’t even stopped to consider the potential consequences. If someone had seen him, they would’ve seen him lift his hands, and the next instant, the car frozen in place. Even the snow falling stopped in time. It’d been a stupid move. I couldn’t just sit there and watch her die, he thought.

  “Griffin’s gonna kill me,” Ellie groaned.

  Alex frowned. “Who exactly is Griffin?”

  Ellie ignored the question. “He’ll be here any minute. And he’ll be furious with me.”

  “He can get in line.” Alex looked sternly at her as she wiggled down on the couch to try to get more comfortable. “What on Earth were you thinking?”

  She returned his look with a glare of her own. “I was thinking I had to get away from you.” She paused for a second, forcing herself to calm down. A repeat of the last few minutes was a really bad idea. “And you really should go,” she finally insisted.

  Griffin was close. He was already telepathically communicating his wrath to her. He’d seen the crash in his mind, and now he was scolding her mentally before he could finish the job in person. Ellie put her hand to her head, which was now starting to ache for many reasons.

  Alex noticed the gesture. Concerned, he reached out and gently touched the lump just above her eyes. Ellie flinched at the pain, although she was able to at least control the shocking sensation.

  “Sorry,” he muttered. “You should go to the hospital.”

  “That’s not necessary.”

  “Well, I should at least get you some ice for that,” he insisted. But he didn’t move. He just sat and looked at her for what seemed like an eternity. And Ellie couldn’t break the contact. Didn’t want to.

  Alex reached out again, this time to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. He trailed his fingertips along the smooth skin of her jaw.

  Ellie’s breath caught in her throat at the look in his eyes. A confession trembled on the tip of her tongue… to tell him who and what she was.

  The sound of Griffin banging into the house had the two of them jumping guiltily apart.

  Alex looked up as Griffin entered the room. His jaw clenched, and a pained look crossed his face. She didn’t need Griffin’s mind reading ability to know that Alex assumed that Griffin was her boyfriend. She was about to set him straight when she heard Griffin’s voice in her head.

  “Let him think what he’s thinking.”

  She gave her brother a confused glace.

  “He’s too involved with you, Ellie. It’ll help keep him at a distance.”

  Ellie battled with that thought. She didn’t want Alex at a distance. He was her te’sorthene, although Alex didn’t appear to have come to that conclusion yet. And while the thought scared the bejeezus out of her, she couldn’t ignore the instinctual pull to be with him. She reluctantly recognized that Griffin was right. It wasn’t time yet. Soon though.

  She felt Griffin relax as she came to her decision.

  “Ellie, what happened?” Griffin asked. He could be a master actor when he needed to be…he already knew exactly what happened. “I saw your car smashed against a tree out in the road.”

  “I had a little accident. But I’ll be fine. This is Alex by the way.” She introduced them with a general wave in Alex’s direction.

  The two boys nodded to each other silently. Each regarding the other somewhat coolly. Each sizing the other one up.

  “I’ll be okay now, Alex,” Ellie said quietly, laying a hand on his arm. “Thanks for getting me back to the house.”

  Alex regarded Ellie with a solemn face. His whole body practically buzzed with everything that had gone on in the last half hour or so.

  He’d come here this morning in a furious state, intending to confront her. But that confrontation had gone all wrong. And then he’d watched as she had her horrifying accident…as frightening as if it were happening to him. And somehow the anger and resentment that had driven him here had faded into relief when he’d realized she wasn’t dead. He could even ignore the twinge of jealousy he felt toward Griffin now.

  Ellie was alive. And she was okay. That was all that mattered.

  “You should get her to a hospital,” he muttered as he stood up and headed towards the door.

  “I will,” said Griffin.

  Alex turned back to Ellie, regarding her with solemn eyes, and with a final nod he left.

  *****

  “Close one,” Griffin said under his breath.

  Ellie fell back on the couch with a thud. She snorted inelegantly. “Which part? The part where he clearly suspects I’m not who I claim to be? Or maybe the part where I could’ve killed him if I’d morphed? Or the part where I idiotically rammed my car into a tree? Of course, there’s also the part where I was this close,” she held up her hand with her finger and thumb millimeters apart, “to kissing him.” Ellie buried her face in the couch.

  “Huh. You have been busy, haven’t you? You’re forgetting the part where you discovered that he’s your te’sorthene.” He watched her for her reaction.

  Ellie blew out a long breath and then said softly, “I’m not ready to talk about that yet.”

  Sitting down at the end of the couch, he nodded. “You’re also forgetting the part where he saved your life.”

  Ellie frowned. “What’re you talking about?”

  Silently he took her hand, their link always at its strongest when they were both able to access her ability to use others’ powers. Ellie watched Griffin’s view as Alex had run out of the house after her. He’d stood in front of the car, leaping aside as Ellie had gunned the engine. She saw the look of dawning horror on Alex’s face as he’d watched her slam into the tree. And then, the flash of panic as the car had started skidding toward the steep drop.

  Alex had lifted his hands, grim determination etched in every line of his body. Without moving, he’d focused completely on her car as it started to tip over the edge. Suddenly, it had frozen in place. And then slowly, and with a horrible screeching sound of metal on rock, the car had inched back on to the pavement, gradually crossed the road, and ended up back on her property. Only when the car was safe and stable had Alex lowered his hands.

  Ellie sucked in a breath through her teeth.

  “How’s the head by the way?” Griffin asked as an afterthought.

  She gave her brother an aggravated look. “I’ll survive.”

  “I’ll get us some breakfast, and call a tow truck for the car,” he stood up, heading toward the kitchen.

  “What happened to taking me to the hospital?” she grumbled.

  “Do you really need it?”

  She paused and pressed her lips together. “What do you think?”

  “Hmmm… I think I’ll keep that to myself,” he teased.

  “Just get the breakfast, Griff,” she mumbled, lying back on the couch and closing her eyes. Immediately her mind turned to Alex and everything that had just happened. Ellie hoped Griffin wasn’t listening. She was just too worn out to try to block his telepathy.

  Ellie and Griffin spent the rest of the day hanging out at home. They discussed the wolves several times. It still wasn’t clear if the Vyusher were involved or not. But if they were, Ellie and Griffin worried about when to expect the attack…the question was when, not if it was coming. It felt too much like the last time.

  Chapter 19

  Later that night Ellie and Griffin agreed to split the patrols so they could get some rest between watches.

  Ellie took the first shift, having recovered sufficiently from her accident that morning. “I’ll wake you up when I get back,” she said as she walked out the back door.<
br />
  “You sure? How’s the head?”

  “I’ll survive,” she replied stoically.

  She quickly made for the woods. One of the things she and Griffin had decided today was not to go in and out of the house in their falcon forms. If Alex was suspicious, he might be watching. And if anyone was watching, even if it wasn’t Alex, a large bird shooting in and out would be too obvious to ignore. So Ellie headed into the cover of the trees, and once she felt safe, she transformed into a falcon and swiftly took flight.

  Nighttime had already descended, and despite concentrating on looking for the wolves and watching over the Jenners and Pierces, Ellie was still able to revel in the feeling of soaring through the air. As a falcon she could dive and reach speeds faster than any other creature on the planet, the wind almost a physical presence holding her, moving with her, supporting her. And then, in the same breath, she could flare her wings and hover over the earth, the wind still her constant companion, and the sights surrounding her so incredible that words could never do them justice. Men risked their lives climbing mountains and jumping out of planes to have just a momentary glimpse of what Ellie could see any time she chose. The sight was truly stunning, and she never got over the simple enjoyment of this miraculous gift.

  The Jenners and Pierces lived in two houses built side-by-side, well outside of town and far away from anyone else. Like her and Griffin, Lila, Adelaide, and Nate didn’t need much sleep to function and often spent much of the night together, frequently moving back and forth between the houses and sometimes wandering in the woods. This routine was one of the things that worried Ellie the most. The Vyusher had to be aware of this nightly activity… a habit she felt the pack would likely exploit.

  It didn’t take much waiting before Ellie saw her three friends crossing the woods between their houses. They took their time, stopping to sit on the grass in a small clearing, and appeared to be practicing their powers. Nate, ultra strong and fast, was picking Adelaide up and lifting her effortlessly above his head. Ellie couldn’t tell what the girls were doing.

  Ellie found a perch on top of a high tree from which to keep watch over them. She tried hard not to spy, although she enjoyed observing them as they practiced their powers on each other. She remembered her own adolescence and honing her skills with Griffin and with her friends. However, she didn’t want to intrude on these three. Besides, what she was watching for was not their activities, but for any kind of threat to them. She just couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible was coming soon. And with that gut feeling overwhelming her, she settled in and scanned the woods around them constantly.

  Three hours later, it was almost time to go trade shifts with Griffin. With one last look, she took off and started to fly for home. In the middle of a swooping turn, a movement in the trees caught her attention. Focusing her highly-sensitive falcon’s vision, she made out a shape in the forest moving swiftly and silently toward the clearing where her three friends were hanging out.

  No!

  Dread rushed through her as she arrowed her trajectory toward the movement. As she drew closer, Ellie made out the shape of a large wolf.

  And then she noticed another wolf.

  And another.

  Vyusher. Ellie’s worst fears were confirmed.

  Doing a swift about face, Ellie flew as fast as she could toward Adelaide, Lila, and Nate. There were about half a dozen wolves headed straight toward them. Wolves just like the ones that had attacked Ellie’s clan.

  Doing some quick mental arithmetic, Ellie worked through three important things as she flew. The first thought was Griffin was too far away for her to be able to tap into his powers. The second was that the rest of the family was too far away for her to get help before the wolves reached them. And the third was that between Nate, Adelaide, and Lila, only Nate had a remotely active and defensive power. From what Ellie could tell, Lila’s and Adelaide’s powers would not be useful in this fight.

  She ran through her options in rapid succession. I can’t do this without Griffin! The realization sank in and settled like a rock in the pit of her stomach.

  As she neared the trio, she angled herself in a dive meant more for speed than prudence. She couldn’t hear Griffin but prayed he’d be able to hear her. She gave a piercing falcon’s cry, and her friends jerked their attention to her descent. Pulling up sharply as she reached them, she morphed into her human form.

  “Ellie?” Adelaide gasped. The shock in her face turned to understanding faster than Ellie would’ve expected. “Well that explains a lot.”

  “I don’t have time to go into details right now. There’s a pack of wolves headed this way, and they’re coming to kill you!”

  “What’re you talking about?” Nate demanded, his face still showing signs of shock at Ellie’s dramatic entrance.

  “You need to run as fast as you can to the closest house.” She pointed in the opposite direction from the wolves. “Once you get there, tell the rest of your family. Together, there are enough of you to defend against them.”

  “What about you?” Adelaide asked urgently.

  “I’m going to hold them off as long as I can. Nate, if they get past me before you get to the house, use your strength. You might be able to give Adelaide and Lila a chance. You’ll have to snap their necks. It’ll be the only way you can stop them.”

  Nate nodded his understanding and grabbed Adelaide’s hand, already pulling her in the direction Ellie had indicated.

  “Go,” Ellie urged them as Lila grabbed Adelaide’s other hand.

  “Ellie, will you be okay?” Adelaide asked, straining against Lila and Nate as they both tugged her in the direction of the home. They were all clearly frightened, but Adelaide’s tender heart wouldn’t let her go without her friend.

  “Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself. Go.”

  Chapter 20

  Ellie turned her attention to the woods, as the other three took off at a sprint in the opposite direction. She hoped she could buy them enough time, and she had to wait for them to be farther away before she took the next step in her plan. She didn’t want to frighten them more than they already were, and she definitely did not want them to turn around to try to help her.

  When she was sure they wouldn’t hear her, she screamed, “Griffin! I need you!” Her cries were mental and physical, and she prayed her brother could get to her in time.

  Ellie prepared to face her worst fears. She only had to wait a few minutes before she heard the wolves approaching. They’d heard both her falcon’s cry and her scream for Griffin, and were no longer attempting to be silent.

  Without access to Griffin’s other power, his physical force-field which was his best weapon in a fight, Ellie quickly ran through her options. She had to keep the Vyusher occupied long enough to give her three friends time to get to the house. She’d have to actually fight the wolves to do that. Without hesitation, her body shimmered and quivered. Suddenly, a massive, ebony jaguar sleek as the night stood where a moment before had been a girl.

  Ellie tried to form a plan. As a jaguar she had the advantage of size, strength, and weight over the wolves. She was outnumbered, however, which put her at a distinct disadvantage. She was going to need to use her brain and possibly her other powers. Knowing that the wolves were unaware they’d be attacking a jaguar rather than unsuspecting teenaged Svatura, Ellie decided to use the element of surprise to her advantage. She bounded high into a tree, her sharp claws digging in and holding her secure. Her sinewy body tensed, ready to pounce at a second’s notice. If she could take down at least one of the wolves immediately, it would give her one less to fight. Maybe it would also give her enemies pause. Anything to buy time.

  The attack came in a rush, and instinct kicked in for Ellie. Three of the six wolves burst into view in the clearing where she and her friends had been just moments before. Ellie’s body tensed to spring. As the first wolf neared her position, she leapt into the air, landing on the large animal’s back. Dig
ging in her claws, she used her powerful jaws to snap his neck with one sharp jerk.

  One down, she thought, as she jumped off the wolf mid-tumble. She immediately charged the next closest wolf, who stood stunned and frozen with shock. Having personally witnessed the Vyusher wolf pack’s attack techniques once before when they’d decimated her own tribe, she knew if she waited too long, all of the remaining wolves would arrive, circle her, and overwhelm her. She didn’t intend to give them enough time to coordinate.

  Ellie slammed her huge paw, claws unsheathed, across the second wolf’s face, likely breaking a good number of bones with the force of the blow. The wolf howled in agony but still managed to rally for a counterattack. He lunged at her, teeth bared. Ellie defensively stood up on her hind legs, but the wolf’s momentum toppled her backwards. He landed on top of her, his huge paws on her shoulders. He went for the easy kill at the jugular, but Ellie was faster, getting her back paws under his belly and pushing with all her animalistic brute strength. The wolf went flying through the air, crashing into a tree with a pained yelp before dropping to the ground.

  Ellie didn’t wait to see if he had been knocked unconscious or just dazed. She knew one more wolf was in the clearing, and two more were out there somewhere, hopefully distracted by the fight rather than following the scent of her fleeing friends. She was just turning to locate the third wolf when she felt a searing pain in her hind leg. Letting out an anguished scream, she rounded on her attacker, trying her best to block out the throbbing agony.

  He was close enough that she was able to surprise him. She lunged under his massive head and locked her strong jaws on his neck. She hadn’t got the angle quite right though, and only had a hunk of skin and fur between her teeth. Even so, she bit down and pulled back, ripping the wolf’s hide in the process, only a flesh wound, but it gave her a chance to get out from under him and put a little distance between them.