by C. M. Owens
“Yeah. That’s going to happen,” I scoff, and he stifles a smirk as we dodge a grenade’s impact.
“Fuck,” he breathes. “Go invincible if you’re going with me.”
“I need to wait. It’s only good for ten, fifteen, maybe twenty minutes but no more.”
He skids to a halt just as we reach the fiery tantrum’s core. In a blur, he takes my hand and pulls me behind him to meet a man behind an armored tank.
“What the fuck is going on?” Hale barks as he flicks his wrist to force an explosion against the oncoming missiles.
“They’re infecting humans, Sir. We caught them in the act, and they were ready to fight. We lured them away from the compound, but this is as far as we could get them,” the man trembles out, and I can see the huge gashes he has already sustained.
I turn my attention on the chaotic battle that has erupted almost instantly, and Hale jerks me to his body as a hail of bullets whiz by my head.
“Now?” he growls.
“Now,” I exasperate in a slightly rattled tone, and I feel my invincibility cloaking me per his request - or demand rather.
I walk over while pulling out my guns, and three distant shots ring out just before three men fall behind me. I let a proud grin escape when I realize it was Brazen and his long-distance shooting skills, and then I start firing shots of my own with the two guns that were strapped to my thighs.
I see red eyes staring into mine as blood gushes to the ground. I fire into the infected crowd just before the full blood army emerges. I gasp as I see the rising sun tattooed on one’s arm, and I fire straight between his eyes when he threatens to shoot Hale who is blasting out their tanks.
“Fuck. It’s the Rising,” I blare in disbelief, and then I feel arms moving me as blades clank into the skulls of two stray full bloods sneaking up on me.
I turn to face the pale eyes, and Brazen pulls the clips on two chrome grenades before launching them at the hoards swarming toward us. He forces me down to the ground behind one of our tanks that has joined the fight.
“I’m invincible,” I scream as the deafening blast erupts.
“I don’t give a damn. I’m not going to watch them shoot you,” he growls, and I see the sizzling embers from the ashes of the attackers that had once opposed us as they float back to the ground.
“That packs some punch,” I gasp.
“Thanks. I made them myself,” he playfully adds before launching two more over the tank.
Hale smirks as his TNT laced fingertips provide him with more of a blasting edge than Brazen’s homemade grenades, and I finally decide I’ve had enough. I throw my hands up when I feel my invincibility growing weaker, and I take on the masses myself.
Hale injects himself with more olophine, and I move through the crowd as I deter all attacks with effortless ease. Each grenade is thrown back, each bullet stops midair, and every running soldier finds himself straining against gravity to move forward.
“Araya, don’t use too much,” Hale yells, and I smirk as I launch three of their tanks into them at once.
Their bodies shiver under my power, and I drag my fingers across the ground as I very slowly scoop up a pile of their ashes to blow into the wind.
“Game over,” I murmur ominously, and then I hear the gasps of disbelief as I launch them into the open land behind us.
Every uranium tipped weapon follows their expelled state, and the fireworks erupt as they collide with the full blood massacre I’ve ignited. Hale takes my hand as he kisses my forehead, and he steps in front of me to block my view to the destructive path I’ve created.
“You need medicine. Your eyes, baby… take it for me,” he coos while handing me a vial of olophine.
I take a deep breath before injecting my veins, and I feel the high I didn’t know I was on starting to subside. He pulls me into his arms while almost everyone else starts rushing toward the wreckage.
“That was the Rising? That’s it?” I scoff, and he laughs when he sees I’m not the least bit savage right now.
“There were a lot more of them than you realize, baby. I think we both forget how powerful you can be,” he murmurs softly against my lips, and my smile spreads gloriously across my face.
“So we don’t have to go looking for them?” I muse.
“No. Let’s go home,” he exhales, and my smile almost disintegrates when I see Brazen lying on the ground as people rush blood to him.
I dash to his side, and Hale screams to Clay, “Get more blood now.”
“Brazen. You’re okay. Stay with me,” I whimper as I clutch his hand in mine.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he hoarsely forces out.
I can actually smell the overwhelming amount of uranium in his blood. He hisses through his teeth when he tries to sit up, and Hale rushes over with three bags of blood.
“This will get him started. I’ll go get more,” he says before darting back toward his car.
I hold Brazen against me as his blood covers my body. I rip the first bag open with my teeth as I begin pouring it into his mouth, and he gurgles slightly when he can’t drink as much as he needs to as fast as he needs to.
“Please try,” I sob, and he holds his hand on mine as he sips again.
“I must… look pretty… bad,” he wheezes out, and I pour more of the blood in his mouth before leaning his head back to let gravity pull it down his throat.
He chokes slightly, and I put my mouth over his to blow air into his lungs when I hear the liquid filling them. I pull back and repeat the pouring process before using my air to force it down his throat.
He coughs as his body starts to heal, and his own air rushes his lungs too quickly. He grips the back of my head to pull me against his lips, and it becomes a kiss rather than a respiratory necessity.
I jerk back scowling playfully at him, and he shrugs before sitting up a little better. His body is still covered in wounds, but they’re not as severe now as they slowly begin to heal. He opens the next pack on his own, and then he gives me a wink.
“Care to share this one? You’ve got a scratch,” he murmurs menacingly while pointing at my arm.
I roll my eyes, and I take the bag that has a couple of drops left in it. He smiles as I drink the small dose, and my tiny scratch heals instantly.
“Come here,” he says more seriously, and I wipe my tears as I hug him. “You didn’t go boom,” he chuckles out.
“No I didn’t,” I snicker out through my tears.
Because I went savage without even realizing it.
It was different though. I didn’t feel savage… just… powerful… very, very powerful.
“Want to help me up?” he asks softly while pulling back, and I act as his crutch while he stands to his feet.
The tinted sky is only promising to stay orange for another fifteen minutes before blaring its true glow, and Hale comes back with boxes of blood the others go to start dispersing to the wounded.
Brazen grabs one as they walk by, and he sips on it to heal his remaining aches. I continue supporting my full blood as Hale opens the back door to the car.
“Let’s get the hell out of Selma,” Brazen huffs as he plops down, and Hale laughs a little as he opens the door for me.
“You good with that?” he asks softly.
“More than good,” I mumble, and then Clay runs over to halt our spontaneous plan of retreat.
“I have one still alive, and I need Araya to interrogate him.”
“Yeah. Definitely,” I quickly offer, and I see them feeding blood into the mouth of a man trying to intentionally spew it out.
“I’ll die before I talk, hybrid scum,” he protests, and Hale ushers me into the car to head back to Selma.
“I don’t know how he survived that,” I murmur as we pass through the gates.
“I don’t know why they attacked here. Selma is a large compound with several military units at their disposal at all times. It’s stupid to infect so many just outside the gates,” Brazen adds while
slowly sipping on the blood pack.
“They’ve been so fucking clever up until now. They’ve never even made a mass attack. They’ve used stealth, precision, and calculated smaller attacks,” I murmur aloud.
“We won’t have answers in here. Be careful with this one. He’s resilient to have survived such a blast,” Hale murmurs, concern etching his voice before kissing the back of my hand.
“I’m always careful. I should be able to go invincible again in about five minutes or so. I always turn it on when I’m in the box with hybrids or full bloods.”
“Good.“
We start walking into the building as my breath very slowly begins rattling - a sinking feeling tugging at my gut.”
“Is something wrong?” Hale whispers as we step behind the glass.
“Something’s off.”
I stare at the snarling man they’ve already anchored to the steel chair. His dark hair, pale eyes, and lean body do well to mask the monster lurking inside. The cold walls behind him beg me to start the show they always love to see. The chains rattle and threaten to slice his hands off at the wrist when he surges too violently. My breath comes in sharply, and I shake off the nerves I’m not used to having.
Maybe it’s because I’ve been waiting on this moment for months.
Very warily, I step out from behind the safety side of the glass and move into the room that forces secrets to be expelled.
“Hybrid bitch,” he snarls out as the foaming spit forms across his lips.
Gee, haven’t heard that before.
I smirk as I shut the door, and I drop the enormous file I have on the Rising onto the table in front of him - all my hard work slightly spilling out to give him a peek. His eyes barely pay it any attention, disinterest rocking over his brow, and he jerks his head away to avoid looking at me. I turn my back on him to stare into the glass that mimics a mirror full of hidden expectant faces chewing their nails, tapping their feet, or shifting from side to side as they impatiently await results on the other side.
“So many of your kind have sat on that side of the table and discussed their loathsome distaste for me. Then they poured out their hearts, their worries, and their secrets before leaving,” I murmur while turning around slowly to face him.
“I have no secrets left to tell,” he almost whimpers, and then his jaw clenches as he regains his composure.
A sniveling Rising member? Since when?
“Why attack so close to somewhere you knew you’d be apprehended with ease?” I say with the intentions of insulting him.
“We didn’t mean to,” he almost whispers, his eyes casting shadows on the floor - a hint of pain trapped in the undertones of his words.
I’m bemused, curious, and a little taken aback by his vague answer.
“How is it possible you didn’t mean to attack?” I almost laugh out, even though I’m actually somewhat worried about what his answer could possibly be.
“You wouldn’t understand, you fucking piece of shit. Your kind think you’re so much better,” he growls, and then he cuts his eyes away from me again.
“My kind? Your kind spits out the air from their lungs if they have to share it with us for too long with us. Don’t accuse my kind of being the ones to cause friction between our species.”
“Our kind only clings to what little bit of power we have left, and soon you’ll do the same. Let me know how you feel when that time arrives. Tell me if you can be so cavalier and smug then,” he mumbles.
“What does that mean?”
“It means, I pity anyone who dares to cross anyone the way we did. It’s all going to go to hell. You’ll see,” his whispered voice continues, and then I hear the snap of the cuffs before the crushing blades slice into his wrists.
Blood spews free as he drops to the ground, his knees pounding the concrete first before his body collapses in a fold. There’s no way he can survive this, not in his already weakened state. His lifeless corpse jerks lightly as his nerves react. My gaping eyes can’t move away from the ghastly sight I never expected to see. Why wait until now to kill himself? Why survive that attack out there to kill himself in here? It makes no sense.
As if in slow motion, bodies pour into the small room. My eyes fall on the steel table splattered in blood. The shiny surface offers me a bit of blurry insight to my own red speckled state. I very, very carefully wipe the blood away from my lips. If he’s not dead, that could cause some serious problems. I sure as hell don’t want to blood fuck him.
Hale and Brazen both squat to examine the full blood that has just intentionally killed himself while the medics rush in with cold bags of blood to revive our once viable suspect/witness.
“It’s too late. With the high levels uranium still in his veins, the blood he just lost is too much. Fuck,” Hale huffs, and he stands up to walk back over to me.
“Did you understand any of what he was saying?”
He shakes his head in response to my question, and Brazen grips the back of his head as his elbows rise to the air.
“I’m about sick of the riddles and bullshit. It’s as if we’re being played no matter what circle we step into,” Brazen growls.
Hale’s lips purse as he stares at the man encircled by his own pool of blood.
“I’m sick of it too,” I mumble, and Hale’s hand takes mine in his as Clay joins us with agitation etched into every piece of his expression.
“Damn. He was a talker too,” he gripes while stooping to inspect the scene.
“I know. He was so close to giving me everything since he had just lost it all. He was dying to tell me more. I should have let a full blood come in here instead of me when I saw how ripe he was. I let my damn pride ruin this investigation,” I guiltily grouse while plopping into a cold, steel chair.
“This investigation is already over. The Rising is no longer a threat, so you didn’t ruin it,” Hale soothes.
“It would have been nice to understand why they acted so wild.”
“Not everything is meant to be found out. This will just have to irk us.”
“Can we please get the hell out of here now?” Brazen mumbles while tossing his gloves into the trash.
“I think that’s a great idea,” Clay sighs, and they lead the way out of the messy box full of the man’s spilled life.
“Araya? Hale? Wow. I never thought I’d see the two of you back together after the most infamous breakup of all time,” Melody - the human gossip queen - scoffs in disbelief.
“Melody,” Hale says in acknowledgement through tight lips.
“I can’t believe the two of you made amends, but here you are in Selma again, while holding hands.”
I roll my eyes, and then I see several of our old hybrid friends coming over to gush in disbelief.
So close. We were so fucking close to avoiding this.
“Are you two engaged?” Hank asks.
“Are you two married?” Elaine asks.
“Are you two-”
“Stop. We’re just dating,” I huff in interruption of the incessant line of questions they plan to continue.
“I’m a fool for letting her go, and we’re about to head back to Seminole now. I’m the captain there, and Araya is about to become the lead interrogator.”
Hank turns curiously to Brazen, and then he tilts his head back at me. “I thought the two of you were-”
“We were. I fucked up too, but I’ll be there when Hale fucks up again,” Brazen says with a menacing smirk.
Hale’s jaw tenses instantly as his eyes burn into the devilish pale ones taunting and daring him.
“I won’t be fucking up again,” Hale says while cracking his neck to the side, his eyes not leaving the full blood’s.
Brazen shrugs casually before walking off, his daring smirk still in play as he turns back to give me a wink.
“Well, there’s no doubt Araya has the goods,” Elaine whispers to Hank, and he stifles his laughter.
I roll my eyes at the petty nonsense I’m far too old
to deal with, and I begin my stalk down the hall. Hale rushes to catch up with me, and his fingers intertwine with mine before he kisses the back of my hand.
“I meant it. I won’t fuck up again.”
“I hope not, or I’m really going to look stupid - not to mention I’ll be crushed,” I murmur -the last part meant to be a whisper for only my ears.
“I won’t make you look stupid, and I sure as hell don’t plan to crush you.”
Please don’t.
“Let’s just get back. I need to do so much work. I have so much shit to replace it’s ridiculous. I lost everything I owned in Javeline. Maybe they have some apartments available now.”
“I’ll take care of that. You can live with me, and I’ll replace anything else you need. You know you’re going to be staying with me most of the time anyways, and you know I want to marry you.”
I smile a little, and then he pulls me into his arms to dust off the remaining remnants of my uncertainties. I kiss him as I wrap my arms around his neck, and he swirls me around in the air.
“I love you,” I murmur against his lips.
“I love you. Let’s set a date,” he says playfully, and I laugh too hard to sustain the kiss any longer.
“You haven’t proposed,” I exasperate through my chuckles.
“I have proposed… many times,” he mutters with his own snickers rattling out.
“You haven’t given me a real proposal, and I haven’t said yes. You’re not getting off the hook this time,” I giggle out while he opens the car door for me.
“You want roses and shit, huh?” he teases.
I roll my eyes at his faked coyness while he hops in the other side. The car hums, and he slams it into gear.
“Yes. I want roses, not bullshit,” I retort, and he lets his laughter escape.
“We don’t have anyone riding with us now. I’ll stop at a flower stand on the way home,” he jokes, and I start pouting at his poking remark.
“Don’t pucker those lips unless you want mine on them,” he smolders out, and my bottom lip curls between my teeth as my eyes dare him to come get me.
“Don’t do that either,” he cautions, his eyes teeming with lust.
“Don’t do what?” I ask with mock innocence while slowly unbuttoning my shirt to reveal my see-through, lacy white bra that gleams against my barely sun kissed skin.