The Dark of Light (Starhawke Rising Book 1)

by Audrey Sharpe

  This is how we’ll die.

  But before the thought had even completed its path through her overloaded mind, the next beat pounded forward and everything changed.

  The compression gave way to a release so powerful she and Mya were wrenched apart. The current of white and green exploded outward, driving the gray back at lightning speed and dispersing it as it went, taking Aurora forward with it. As she fell, the wave hit the Necri. Their bodies shot upright, their hunched forms altering as their spines were pushed ramrod straight, their arms hanging boneless at their sides.

  She barely had time to get her hands in front of her before she smacked the ground. She grunted as the air was driven from her lungs. Her face pressed into the leaves as she stared at the tree trunks that now ran parallel to her line of vision.

  She wasn’t dead. But the battle hadn’t ceased just because she and Mya were now lying on the ground.

  Rolling over, she looked up at the Necri closest to her. The creature seemed different, and not just because of her weird angle. Upright, it appeared much more human than she would have imagined. Something in its face had also changed. The eyes were still creepy, but rather than the dead vacancy she’d seen before, now it appeared stunned—caught in suspended animation and awaiting the touch from a magic wand to bring it to life.

  Mya was sprawled a meter away. She was breathing, which was a good sign. Then she turned her head, her gaze meeting Aurora’s. The look in her eyes was such a confusing combination of “What the hell?” and “Damn straight!” that it prompted a snort of laughter.

  “Aurora!”

  The tortured bellow from Jonarel’s lips, however, sobered Aurora in a heartbeat. She stumbled to her feet as the trees spun. Mya staggered, too, and they leaned on each other for support. Their energy fields sprang to life, a surge of power stabilizing their equilibrium.

  One of the guards struck Jonarel from behind and he roared in pain. His knees buckled and he collapsed.

  “No!” Fear and anger launched her forward. She grabbed the rifle from the ground, aimed at the guard who’d struck Jonarel, and fired. The blast hit him squarely in the chest and drove him back, but he didn’t fall. The scorch mark revealed body armor underneath.

  She fired shots at the guard’s arms and shoulders as she raced past the catatonic Necri, with Mya close behind. She’d taken five steps when a sharp snap, like a rubber band contracting, halted her in her tracks and torqued her around. Her gaze met Mya’s, who looked similarly shocked, her mouth sculpted in a perfect “O” as she crumpled like a rag doll in the arms of the Necri who had grabbed her as she’d passed.

  The Necri held Mya gently, reverently, its arms cradling her limp form as her head lolled on its shoulder. But the creature’s touch was causing Mya’s energy to bleed out, flowing from her body into the Necri. The darkness that emanated from the creature like a toxic sludge swallowed the vibrant green in huge gulps. And Mya’s distress was taking Aurora down with her, making her legs tremble and her vision waver.

  The blast that hit her back burned like a thousand suns, startling a scream from her lips as she fell to her knees. A second blast hit her right arm, knocking the rifle from her hand. Pain radiated outward, contracting the muscles in her upper arm and numbing her fingers.

  Strong arms gripped her upper body and lifted her. But she wasn’t being helped to her feet—she was being hauled into the air by two of the guards. One of them ripped her visor and earpiece from her face and let them fall, while the other tore off her comband.

  She didn’t care. All her attention was focused on Mya, whose body was growing lax as her life force drained away.

  No. She couldn’t let Mya die like this. Somehow she had to stop it. Drawing what little strength she had left, she focused her mind and reached out to the Necri, sending a single thought. Let her go. You’re killing her.

  To her great shock, the creature did.

  As it opened its arms Mya melted at its feet, her energy field as dim and gray as the Necri’s. But the other three Necri were in motion. They’d joined the fight that still raged with Jonarel at its center, but instead of attacking him, they charged toward the guards.

  The guard holding her legs reached up to his control panel and keyed in a command. The Necri’s wings unfolded and began lifting them upward, pulling them out of range of the guards.

  The trio howled with fury, but the fourth Necri reacted with savage ferocity, venting its rage on the harness. It tore at the undercarriage that held it captive even as it was lifted higher and higher into the air.

  One of the guards on the ground headed toward Mya. Aurora cried out, her warning barely a whisper. But the guard didn’t get very far.

  From off to the right a series of blasts flashed, hitting the guard in the head and limbs. He fell under the sudden onslaught.

  Three figures appeared out of the darkness. Kire! He raced toward Mya while Byrnes and Gonzalez joined Jonarel. Kire knelt by Mya’s side, then glanced up.

  His gaze fixed on Aurora. “Roe!” His cry carried in the cool night air.

  She couldn’t move. Couldn’t respond in any way.

  Three of the Necri flew in formation near her, their bodies now hanging in limp resignation. The fourth, however, continued to rage against the harness, tearing through the straps that held it captive. Its gaze locked on Aurora for a moment and she recoiled. In the shadowy moonlight, intelligence and serenity showed in its dark eyes. Then the creature let go.

  The fall couldn’t have lasted more than a couple of seconds, but for Aurora it stretched into infinity. When the creature’s body slammed into the ground and broke apart, she opened her mouth and screamed.

  37

  Kire wanted to believe his eyes were deceiving him. But as the two guards disappeared above the trees with Roe locked firmly in their arms, he couldn’t escape into a fantasy where everything was still okay.

  Turning his attention to Mya, he placed his hand on the side of her neck and checked her pulse. Weak. So very weak. And her breathing was a shallow, hitching gasp that seemed to take more effort than her body could sustain, even though he hadn’t found a single mark or wound on her that explained her condition.

  “Mya? Can you hear me?” No response. Her consciousness had apparently checked out along with her body. What the hell had the guards done to her?

  Byrnes appeared, crouching on Mya’s other side and taking her limp hand in his. He reared back in surprise. “She’s ice cold.”

  “Let me see her,” a guttural voice mumbled.

  Jon and Gonzalez stumbled toward them, Jon leaning heavily on the slighter man, his steps hesitant but his eyes blazing with pain and fury. Byrnes immediately backed away while Gonzalez eased Jon down next to Mya’s still form. Byrnes tapped his earpiece and began speaking in a low tone to the person on the other end of the connection.

  Jon brushed the side of Mya’s face with his fingers. “We need to get her to the ship.”

  Kire opened a channel. “Kelly, where are you?”

  “ETA in two minutes,” she replied. “We just dropped out of the upper atmosphere.”

  “What’s happening with the enemy ship?”

  “The engines powered up a moment ago and the last remaining guards have reached the bay.”

  Jon stared at him, his expression tortured. “They took Aurora.”

  “I know.” He placed a hand on his friend’s arm. “We’ll get her back.” He’d always wondered if Jon’s feelings for Roe were more than just friendship. The devastation in his eyes made it clear that his emotions ran very, very deep.

  “Kelly, we’re heading for the shuttle. Mya’s injured and we’ll need to get her to the med bay as quickly as possible.” Of course they didn’t have anyone qualified to treat her. Williams was still onboard the other ship. But they’d deal with that later.

  Byrnes sank down next to them. “I just spoke with Reynolds. Cardiff and eight of the kids are still onboard, and she hasn’t heard from the rest of the team. Reynol
ds has moved the children out of range of the ship but they’re terrified and she’s having trouble keeping them calm. I’d like to help her.”

  Kire nodded. “Go.”

  Byrnes rested his hand on Kire’s shoulder for a moment before sprinting off through the trees.

  Kire returned his attention to Kelly. “See if you can block the enemy ship from leaving. We’ll rendezvous with you in the shuttle. We’ve lost contact with the assault team. The kids are on the ground with Reynolds so do not fire. We don’t want to accidentally hit our own people.”

  “Acknowledged.”

  He glanced at Jon. “Let’s go.”

  “I have her.” Jon slipped his arms under Mya’s still form. However, as he stood, he staggered and went down on one knee.

  That’s when Kire spotted the trail of blood flowing steadily from a nasty gash in his back. “Whoa, big guy. You’re leaking like a sieve.”

  “A scratch,” Jon growled, but when he tried to rise again, his knees buckled.

  Like hell. “Jon, you’re in no condition to play hero. You know where the shuttle is. You lead and Gonzalez and I will carry her.”

  Jon growled again, but from frustration at his own weakness, not aggression. He allowed Kire to slide his arms under Mya’s knees while Gonzalez supported her torso. Then they set off toward the shuttle.

  38

  Aurora was in a fog, barely aware of the trees underneath her or the dark shapes of the guards above. A heartbreaking sadness held her in a melancholic lethargy.

  She kept replaying two scenes in her head—Mya sliding to the ground as the Necri released her, and the look in the Necri’s eyes just before it had dropped to its death. The Necri had known exactly what it was doing. It had chosen death. Why?

  A pale light appeared in the darkness up ahead. An open bay door. They’d reached the enemy ship. The three remaining Necri grew restless, their harnesses creaking.

  She could make out vague outlines of shapes in the ship’s interior, including the cramped cells where the Necri were kept. The doors were all closed, indicating they were locked inside. An overwhelming sense of hopelessness filled the bay, settling over her like a blanket as the guards carried her inside. But something else came with it. As the guards’ feet touched down, Aurora’s energy field came back online with a vengeance.

  A barrage of screeching and banging erupted from all directions when the three Necri dropped to the ground a few meters to her right. The guards glanced around in surprise and Aurora seized the opportunity.

  Whipping her head to the side she sank her teeth into the arm of the guard holding her upper body while she jerked her legs toward her hips and kicked the second guard. The element of surprise worked in her favor. They released her and she flipped like a cat, landing on all fours.

  Raw energy poured through the room like a raging river, flooding her with power and focusing her mind. Normally she wasn’t an aggressive person, but after what had happened to Mya and the dead Necri, all bets were off.

  She drew a knife from her belt as the first guard charged. She sidestepped the way Celia had taught her, following with an arc of her right arm that took the blade across the back of his neck, severing his spinal cord. He fell like a stone. One down, one to go.

  She pivoted on the balls of her feet, getting in position to face the second guard. It was a wasted effort. The three Necri had already taken care of him. His mangled body and the remains of the Necri’s wing harnesses lay in a litter of bits and pieces across the open floor.

  She held her defensive posture, generating her energy shield as she waited for them to attack. They didn’t. Their eyes were curiously vacant of thought or emotion, their bodies as relaxed as their crippled forms would allow. The sight was disconcerting.

  Were they waiting for her to do something? If she moved, would they attack? Or stay where they were? She’d have to test it to find out. Keeping her gaze on them, she took a small step backward. All three Necri moved the exact same distance toward her. She halted. So did they.

  Her heart hammered in her chest. What was going on here? These three had tried to kill her in the forest and they’d just ripped the guard to pieces. Why were they standing there like statues?

  A strange thought took root and wouldn’t go away. Shifting her weight, she took a tentative step forward. They immediately backed up a step. She was right! They were mirroring her movements. But why?

  The Necri in the cells were also silent. That seemed strange considering the uproar they’d made when she’d first arrived. Keeping the three Necri in her peripheral vision, she peered into the cells to her right. The dark confines made it difficult to see anything, but the light from the floor reflected off two points at the small window of each cell. Every single Necri was staring at her.

  The floor beneath her feet began vibrating, indicating the ship had powered up. A quick glance confirmed the bay door was now closed. Not good. Cade’s team had failed. They might even be dead.

  She shoved the unwanted thought away. If they were alive and onboard, she could help them. If they weren’t, then she still needed to help herself. She was not going to end up in one of those cells.

  She needed to get to the bridge. Turning back to the Necri, she reached for the weapon the guard had dropped. They didn’t move to stop her. That was a good sign. She didn’t trust them, but since they didn’t seem inclined to hurt her right now, she’d lower her defenses a little and see what happened.

  “I’m heading for the bridge, and could really use some backup.” They couldn’t understand a word she said but she felt better talking to them as though they could. “You three seem to be intent on following me, so I’m hoping we’ll be able to work together on this. I don’t know why you’re acting the way you are, but if you can help me rather than trying to kill me, that would be great. If not, well, no hard feelings.”

  Giving them one last look, she turned her back and headed for the door.

  39

  The cacophony that had erupted in the bay had echoed in the ducts like cannon fire. Celia had slapped her hands over her ears, but they were still ringing. Silence had fallen moments later, as abruptly as the roar had started.

  She worked her way along the makeshift ladder, her gaze dropping to the pale light filtering through the vent onto the small patch of floor below. She couldn’t see any shifting shadows that would indicate movement, but that didn’t mean anything given how far she was from the central section of the bay. As the silence continued, she crept down, alert for any clues that might tell her what she’d find when she reached the bottom.

  Settling onto her hands and knees, she closed her eyes and listened. A moment later, she caught the faint murmur of someone speaking in the distance, followed by multiple footsteps crossing the room, heading in the direction of the exit door.

  “Ceeliia?” Maanee balanced on the grips, her blue eyes as big as saucers.

  Celia lifted her finger to her lips, then slowly eased the vent out and pushed it forward. Judging by the pitch of the voice, the unknown speaker had been female. As every guard she’d seen had been male, she’d either encountered the first female, or Ellis’s team had made their way back to the bay and she’d been listening to Drew. In either case, it was time to make a move.

  Setting the grate on the floor, she slid through the opening and glanced toward the door. No one there. If Ellis’s team had been in the bay, they’d left again. Leaning back into the duct she waved at Maanee to follow her, which she did with surprising speed, her older sister close on her heels. While the rest of the teens worked their way out, Celia opened a channel to Ellis.

  “Ellis, do you read me?”

  His voice was one of the sweetest sounds she’d ever heard. “Loud and clear. Where are you?”

  “In the Necri bay.”

  “You didn’t make it off the ship?”

  “The kids and Reynolds did. But eight of the teens wouldn’t leave without the Necri. Where are you?”

  “Climbing
down an access tunnel toward engineering.”

  She frowned. “Were you and Drew just in the bay?”

  “No. Why?”

  “Because a female was just in here. I thought it might have been Drew.” She missed Ellis’s reply as a low murmur caught her attention. The kids had all moved out into the bay, heading down the aisles of the Necri cells. She set off in pursuit, her gaze sweeping over the space to make sure no guards were lurking in the shadows. “I’m sorry, I didn’t get that.”

  “Are you certain it was a female?”

  “Pretty sure.” She spotted Maanee and her sister in front of one of the cells, their fingers clinging to the edge of the small grilled opening in the door. They were whispering to the Necri inside.

  The Necri’s gravelly voice drifted out of the dark cell as it responded—in the same language.

  40

  Cade followed Drew down the rungs of the metal ladder. “Who else would be in the bay?” No response. “Cardiff? Are you there?”

  Even over the comm, he heard her clear her throat. “No clue. But I think I just figured out why the children refused to leave the Necri behind.”

  “Why?”

  “The Necri are their parents.”

  He almost missed the next rung. “What?”

  “I’m looking at a Necri with blue eyes that exactly match Maanee and her sister’s. And the Necri speaks their language. Fluently.”

  Their parents? How was that even possible? He couldn’t believe that the Necri were the natural adult form of a humanoid species. Evolution would never produce something so unwieldy. Besides, the children looked completely human and the teenagers were only a few years from adulthood. “Are you sure about that?”

  “Yes. If you could see the looks on their faces, you would be, too.”