Phoenix Fire

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Phoenix Fire Page 28

by S. D. Grimm


  “Cade?” Nick crouched down to be eye level with me, but I held up my hand to keep him at a distance.

  “I don’t understand how someone like you—someone with a heart for the poor and needy, someone so courageous that you protect humankind—could ask his own brother to let the woman he loves die.”

  Nick winced. “Of course I don’t want you to have to suffer that kind of loss.”

  My tight grip on Angelica lightened. “Then you’re okay with this?”

  “If you want to fall in love, Cade, yes. I’m okay with it. But this woman—she doesn’t love you. She tricked you. And she’s—” He shuddered. “She’s not who you think she is.”

  I looked into Angelica’s deep, green eyes. “See, I told you. He doesn’t know what love is.”

  “He does.” Her face changed and a strange smirk curved her lips. “And I pity him because he does. But you, you were putty in my hands. Clay I molded. And now you will shatter.” A piercing pain stabbed my gut, and I looked down to watch her pull a strange, red feather out of me. She stood and backed away from me. “A Phoenix quill can let me remove your powers temporarily.”

  “What are you doing?” My voice shook. Everything seemed fuzzy. Everything hurt, especially my heart.

  “No!” Nick raced forward, but she ran at him.

  Ava skidded to my side, but Angelica threw the quill. It slashed open Ava’s arm.

  “It takes your healing powers.” Angelica smirked. Then she said something to Nick. Something I didn’t hear. And he stabbed her through.

  Everything started to fade, and I looked up at Ava as she pleaded with me not to die.

  When I came to, Nick knelt beside me and hugged me tight. “I’m sorry, Cade. I didn’t know she’d gotten to you. I—I’m sorry she wasn’t who you thought she was. That was Gwen.”

  My eyes opened wide and I stared at my brother while a hollow hole carved into my chest.

  The memory winked out, leaving me in utter blackness. I wasn’t awake. But I wasn’t asleep.

  I was numb.

  All the brokenness stayed with me even as the memory faded.

  I had loved…Gwen. Gwendolyn. Psycho… What about Yuki? Didn’t I also love Yuki?

  I’d put her on my cycle. Why? More urgently, what was missing from this memory? What had Nick put in that stone? I needed to understand everything.

  I sat up and noticed Yuki sitting beside me, shaking my shoulder.

  “You’re awake.” She hugged me tight.

  I held her back, knowing full well that the only reason she loved me was because I’d saved her. Did that mean Gwen loved me, too? I rubbed Yuki’s back. “I need to get to Nick.”

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Ava

  Nick. My own brother.

  He’d killed Wyatt.

  Killed him right in front of me. After I’d begged him not to.

  Did Cade know?

  Nick knew. All that talk about protecting me. And to think I had let myself believe him, love him even. Only to have him stab me in the back. He knew I’d loved Wyatt; that was the kicker.

  Because another memory came to me. Silent and soft, but cold and haunting.

  It crept into my mind, and my anger colored it gray and orange. Nick was standing with me outside the marquis’s house, holding a sword, showing me the motions with the weapon. Letting me take control on my own. “You seem to be in a cheerful mood today.”

  “I am.” I couldn’t help but smile at him over my shoulder.

  He glanced at me and tilted his head. Then a look of dread passed his face, but he erased the evidence. “This isn’t about that dance last night?”

  When I’d danced the night away with Wyatt. My face practically burned.

  “Ava.” He pressed his hands gently on mine and took the weapon. “You know we are different, right. The code?”

  “Mother said a Phoenix could fall in love.”

  Nick’s eyes darted away. “Yes.”

  I glanced at my brother. “Have you ever—”

  “When a Phoenix falls in love, it’s for life. I’ve heard the same stories you have. I also know we have been forbidden—since the split of the Dark Phoenixes—to take on a life mate that’s not another Phoenix.”

  My shoulders sagged. “You’re forbidding me from seeing Wyatt?”

  “Wyatt?” His eyebrows rose. “He’s a good man, Ava.”

  “I know. I was hoping you’d approve. He was hoping you’d approve.”

  “Does he know what you are?”

  I swallowed. Who I am. What I do. Hunt. Kill. Protect. Save. Destroy. Rebuild. Die. Live again. Repeat. “I’m tired of being alone.”

  “We have each other.”

  I faced my brother and knelt in front of him as we did when we asked something of Father with an abandon that showed we were ready to give our lives for our cause. I laid down the sword and bowed my head. “I love him, Nick.”

  He crouched next to me, not what he was supposed to do. And the pain in his eyes was so real and clear and raw. “Ava, you can be with Wyatt here, but you can’t heal him when his time is coming. In the end, you have to leave him behind while you live on and on, over and over. Are you truly prepared for that, because if you aren’t, you might want to reconsider.”

  “Is that what you did?” I asked him. “You left her behind?”

  Nick blinked several times, his eyes starting to get red around the rims. “I don’t wish that decision on you or Cade. That’s all. I’ve been trying to keep you safe.”

  “By denying such a big part of life from me? By making me live in hiding and hunting at night? You really thought I would be able to run from life forever?”

  “You don’t remember yet, do you?”

  “Have I fallen in love before?”

  “No.”

  I whispered, “Cade has. Hasn’t he?”

  He nodded.

  I stood. “That’s why he hates you suddenly. He remembers?”

  Nick winced. “I’m keeping you safe, Ava.”

  “Really? Because it seems like you’re killing a part of me.”

  He opened his mouth, but I had nothing to say to him and didn’t want to hear his response.

  And the memory slipped away. I was back at my brothers’ house.

  I banged on the door.

  No one answered. No one was home.

  They were already hunting? I walked back to the car. Maybe Nick was looking for me at the cabin. I checked my phone, but there were no new texts. I got into the car and wiped tears from my cheeks. Nick had betrayed me.

  I’d started to love him—I had let myself love him—and he knew about all of these memories. He knew he’d betrayed me and looked me straight in the eyes and asked me to help him. Told me he’d be there for me. And all this time he knew what Wyatt was. And that he’d tried to kill him.

  My chest ached.

  I leaned on the steering wheel and let the tears come. Even if Nick betrayed me, I couldn’t let Cade die. I texted Wyatt: When you come to, will you help me? I need to kill Gwendolyn. And I can’t do it alone.

  Something nagging, like a memory, tugged at the corner of my mind. I pulled down a side street, turned off the car, and gave the memory my full attention.

  It flooded into me. For some reason, I knew this was France, a long time ago. I remembered that much.

  Wyatt pushed my hair behind my ear and looked into my eyes. “I think Nick is finally coming around to the idea that you’re not terrible.”

  “But I am terrible.”

  “Wyatt, you have to stop doubting who you are inside.”

  “Every month it’s a struggle. And I don’t—”

  “You’re not alone. Remember that.” I placed my hand on his arm.

  “Nick says you have to kill Gwendolyn?”

  “Yes. She is the last Dark Phoenix. And only I can kill her for good.” I strolled along the bank, Wyatt’s hand in mine.

  He had to be nervous about tonight. About leaving us to go under Gwend
olyn as our spy. Nick seemed to think it was a good plan. Cade didn’t like it, though. He didn’t like the idea of Wyatt getting that close to the enemy. He thought Gwen would see right through Wyatt’s good heart.

  I agreed. But Wyatt had decided in the end, and he’d sided with Nick.

  I squeezed Wyatt’s hand. “You’re okay with Nick’s plan?”

  He nodded. “I’ll be your spy. I’ll get close to Gwendolyn—but I’ll have to play a convincing role. Please know it’s all for you.”

  I stopped walking and faced him. My heart swelled with love. “I trust you, with my life.”

  He breathed deep, his hands on my arms and a slight smile curved his lips. “That’s a precious thing to trust me with. Especially when I’ll be tapping in the darkest side of me.”

  I trailed my fingers over his jaw and he leaned closer to me. My skin tingled with warmth and I smiled. “Even the smallest light can pierce the dark. I’m your light, Wyatt. As long as I trust your heart, I’ll keep shining. You’ll come back to me.”

  His arms slipped around me. “I’ll always come back to you.”

  I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him into me. He always kissed me with such passion that my heart fluttered and pounded at once. My body pressed against his, and all I could feel was his strong arms around me and every tingle pulsing through me that sparked anew with each deeper kiss.

  I looked deep into his eyes, still holding him close. “Don’t forget your Andromeda, Perseus.”

  He chuckled, his eyes soulful. “Never. We’ll take down this monster together, because my Andromeda is no helpless princess.”

  “Don’t you forget it.”

  The memory pushed me three months into the future. I recalled the little home on the French Riviera. I remembered going over Nick’s plan to kill Gwen—for me to kill Gwen. And I knew it was three months later, because that was how long it had been since I’d seen Wyatt.

  He was different.

  Jumpy, distant, volatile. He paced like a caged animal at the circus. I kept glancing over at him, and the tight ball in my stomach wouldn’t loosen. Something was clearly wrong. He kept looking my way only to dart his gaze away the moment I made eye contact with him. The full moon was two days away, and he was acting like he was about to change.

  Nick pointed to the table where he’d set up little pebbles and sticks to act as us and the monsters Gwen had rallied. Our plan of attack. We were to sneak in tonight, two days before she planned to bring the attack to us. She wouldn’t expect it, and Wyatt had told us where all the monsters would be. “Are we clear? Cade and Wyatt and I will take out these monsters here.”

  “Stop using that word.” Wyatt lunged at my brother.

  Nick put his hands up. As Wyatt backed off, Nick pressed his hands into Wyatt’s arms. “Hey, I need you to have a clear head. Can you do that, or do we put this off?”

  “Tonight is the night she’s mostly alone. She sends the werewolves away so they…attack in other cities. It keeps her location harder for you to find.”

  “Okay. Do you need to sit this one out?”

  I came up beside Wyatt and touched his back. “Are you going to change?”

  “No.” He looked at me askance, worry deep in his eyes. The same sorrow he looked at me with when he was about to change and wanted to ask forgiveness for all that he was about to do. My heart sank. “I—I think I’m just nervous. And I can’t contain my emotions this close to—”

  “I think you should sit this one out, buddy.” Cade pulled himself up onto the table and sat there, dangling his legs over the side.

  “I’m not the one who might fall over during battle because of a headache.” Wyatt glared.

  “Hey, that’s not needed.” Cade crossed his ankles. “I’ve been new-memory free for thirteen days now. I think I’m good.”

  Nick narrowed his eyes and searched Wyatt’s face. “Is there something you’re not telling us? Has she done something to you? Hidden some information from us?”

  Wyatt turned to Nick, opened his mouth, but said nothing. His hands gripped Nick’s shirt, shaking. He tried to speak again. Then one tear dripped down his cheek.

  My heart shattered.

  Nick placed his hands on Wyatt’s. “She did something to you.”

  “I—I can’t even tell you the truth. I’m trying.”

  Nick let out a frustrated growl and slammed his hand against the wall. Then he pinched the bridge of his nose.

  Wyatt sank to the floor, trembling.

  I started to go to him, but Nick put his arm out to stop me. He turned to Wyatt. “I never should have sent you in there as the spy. I’m sorry.”

  “Sh-she’s already here. Run.”

  Nick slammed open the back door. The four of us started to head out, but Gwen stood there, at least fifteen vampires, werewolves, wraiths, and a few moving shadows told me she had shadow puppets with her as well.

  She glanced at Wyatt. “Good little pet.”

  I wanted to throw up. To spit at her. This disgusting woman. “He’s not your pet.” I clenched my fists.

  But Gwendolyn patted her thigh, and, cringing, Wyatt slunk over to her. No. A denial echoed in my hollow chest, and it hurt. There had to be a reason. An explanation. Wyatt had a plan. He wouldn’t betray us. I met Gwen’s hard gaze with a heat of my own.

  “He’s mine now.” She snapped her fingers and Wyatt screamed. He started changing into a werewolf. How was she doing that? My heart plummeted and my knees weakened. Did she truly have control over him?

  “Wyatt! Don’t listen to her. Listen to your heart! Please!” My throat burned raw as I screamed. “You can’t have him.”

  She chuckled. “Too late.”

  And I ran forward, dagger ready to kill.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Cade

  I pulled into the driveway, and Yuki jumped off the motorcycle. We both headed up the porch steps at Kelsey’s house. No one was there.

  Yuki looked up at me. “Please say you know where Ava is.”

  I shook my head as ice chilled my blood. If she had gone back to the house, would she wait? Hopefully she wasn’t where I thought she was. “Let’s go!”

  We rode the bike home, just like we’d left it after slaughtering reapers here. And I raced inside, hoping my phone was in here somewhere. I stopped dead in my tracks. “I remembered something very important.”

  “What?”

  I didn’t exactly trust my voice right now. I tried to steady it. “We can’t trust Wyatt when it comes to Gwen. He—he betrayed us. And I…made a mistake with Gwen. It’s my fault that she’s stripping me of my powers.”

  Yuki touched my arm and something about her touch calmed my overdrive heart. “It’s okay, Cade. We fix it now. I remembered something, too.”

  I pressed my palms against the kitchen island and tried to still my breathing.

  Yuki picked up the memory stone Wyatt had left on the counter. Her eyes widened. “What’s—” She stared at me. “Do you know what this is?”

  “Yeah. My memory’s trapped inside.

  “Why?”

  “Because Nick is stupidly secretive.”

  She pulled out her sword. “Then take the memory out.”

  I narrowed my eyes and tilted my head, taking in Yuki’s sudden confidence. “Do you know how that works?”

  An impish smile curled her lips. She held out her hand as if asking for mine. I placed it in hers. She flipped it over, so my palm was facing up. Then she placed her sword on my hand.

  My heart sped and I looked up at her.

  “It needs your blood so it knows what memory is yours.”

  “Why didn’t I think of that?”

  She smiled at my sarcasm and slid the blade gently over my palm. I winced, but tried not to move. As the blood pooled in my palm, she placed the stone in it, and I felt it unlock. The memory started to seep into me, and I was back there at the mercy of Gwen in the shipyard that day in France when Wyatt had betrayed us, and my mistake c
ame full circle.

  I lay on the ground, hard under my back. Everything felt cold as I stared up at the stars. And her face came into view.

  “Caderyn.”

  I would have spit at her if it wasn’t just going to land back in my own face. My shoulder and neck throbbed from where Wyatt had ripped me open. Three of her monsters muscled me to my feet and held me with my arms behind me.

  “Leave him alone!” Ava screamed. She raced up to Gwendolyn and her dagger sailed for Gwendolyn’s chest, lightning fast.

  Gwendolyn caught Ava’s arm, just as fast. “You would kill your own sister. Your own brother?”

  “What?” Ava flinched back.

  “Don’t listen to her, Ava! Just do it.”

  Gwendolyn laughed. “Nick is a Taker. He can’t kill me, because I’m his twin.”

  My stomach roiled. She was my sister? I wanted to throw up. No wonder Nick called her disgusting. She’d—I’d kissed her!

  Ava’s voice shook. “No.”

  “Kill her, Ava!” Nick’s voice drew closer.

  Monsters blocked him from coming.

  I tried to stand, but pain coursed through my body, sending me back to the dirt.

  I tried to breathe. To feel…anything. If I killed Gwendolyn, it wouldn’t kill her for good. But it wouldn’t kill Nick, either. Only Ava could kill her for good. But it meant Nick would die, too.

  My hand groped across the dirt, and I found my dagger. My fingers touched the hilt. Slow and sluggish, I wrapped them around the weapon. Then I summoned everything I had left. I sat up and plunged it into Gwen’s heart.

  She screamed and fell, dead. Her form swirled into a cloud of dark and zapped out of existence. One by one, her monsters started to screech and flee until we were the only ones left.

  Ava stared at me wide-eyed. Then she pressed her hands against me and healed my wounds. “Why didn’t Nick tell us she was our sister?” Her eyebrows pinched together. “How did we not know?”

  “I have no idea.” I touched her hand. “And because he’s an idiot who thinks doing the right thing is more important.”

  Ava looked at me with her eyes round and full of tears. “Don’t let Nick die.”

  I swirled out of that memory into another and another—just pieces of the same thread. The same information Nick wanted to hide from us. Then I stood leaning against the kitchen island holding the stone.

 

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