“Don’t touch me. I’m a killer.”
Raven carefully approached her kneeling on the floor.
“I’m sorry, Alexandria. I didn’t know. Damn it, who could have known my fucking half-brother could be that depraved. We knew he was insane, but…”
“It doesn’t matter.” Alexandria cut him off, panting to catch her breath. “It is what it is and I needed the knowledge. Leave me alone for a minute.”
Backing off, Raven sat on the floor with his head in his hands. Alexandria realized he was in just as much pain as she was. Her memories now a part of him forever. He really was the one who got the shaft on this one.
Shakily, she crawled over to him, sitting down and placing a hand on his knee.
“No. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you to pull the truth from me.” She shuddered reliving her treatment and final mental breakage under Turin’s hands. “I do owe you.”
Raven looked at her then. “You’re damn straight you do.” He brushed off her touch and stood up.
“Fucking women,” he cursed while he grabbed his empty glass and went to retrieve another drink.
Alexandria slowly stood as well. She stared after Raven knowing the Warrior was still hurting from what he saw in her dark truths. A darkness re-awakened swirled within her mind with the knowledge of how evil she had really become. This time it was her Sphinx rising to the surface bent on enacting revenge. Yes, it was time for her to take out a bit of revenge on Turin, and when she ran into him she would slit him from sternum to scrotum and glory in it.
Feeling the fury rising quickly in her, Alexandria stormed over to her bag slinging it over her shoulder. She cast a glance to Stormy and Eleina, and when they took a step back, she knew her eyes were glowing from her anger.
“Ladies, the time for me to take care of some unfinished business and try and save our asses has come. I’m going to hit medical and retrieve the anti-gene and then to the staging cavern. Join me or not. Either way, I’m going even if I don’t come back.”
Stormy and Eleina cut her off before she could take off. Stormy stepped up to her putting a hand on her shoulder.
“You’re not going anywhere without us. You’re family and we’re sticking to you like glue. Whether you want us to or not.”
Taking the biggest breath of her life, Alexandria held it for a moment, and then blew it out.
“I wouldn’t think of pushing my family away. I do need your help and need something good in life to redeem my wicked Life Force.”
Stormy shook her head. “You do have something good in your life. You have Joshua.”
Alexandria bit her lip. “We’ll see about that when he wakes up. I knocked him out with my abilities. Power equivalent of a sedative.”
Both women looked shocked and Alexandria heard Raven choking in the background on his drink and his mumbled, “Fucking women.”
She rolled her eyes, stepped around Stormy, and headed for the door.
“Ladies, I’m not as sweet as you think I am. Time has run out. If you’re helping me grab your gear. I’m crashing the Wraith party in five.”
Striding for the door, Alexandria already felt the fury rising in her again from what Turin had made her do. How could Joshua stand her once he found out what she had done to him and to the Wraith child? Not that those actions mattered since this mission could be the death of her. Either way, she was screwed but if she could save the Sphinx then her sacrifice was worth it.
Chapter Fourteen
The minute she was in the hallway, Alexandria broke into a dead run. She had wasted precious time retrieving the truth from her battered mind and describing her plan to Stormy and Eleina. Skidding to halt in front of the elevators, she punched in the button pacing back and forth while she waited. When the door opened, she dove in and again paced back and forth in the restricted space. Her nerves were riding her hard but even more, her anger continued to grow. The images she had recovered flashed painfully behind her eyes. The expression of a child, even if the child was an evil Wraith at heart, was one of fear while she drained its life away.
Curling her hand into a fist, she dug her nails deep into the palm of her hand using the pain to focus her thoughts away from what she had done to the young creature. She was damned but couldn’t think about it anymore. What was done was done and when the doors slid open, she ran to the medical clinic, determined to block the memory forever.
Alexandria quietly opened the door just enough to peek inside and see if she was going to have to explain her presence and what she was doing. Luck was in her favor and the medical staff were in the patient rooms taking care of the Guardians who had been injured in the last battle. With the room being clear, she swiftly moved over to the lab bench where she had been working on the anti-gene.
Under the center section of the bench was a small refrigerator and inside were the vials she needed. To get inside she pressed her finger to a small round scanner. The scanner took only a second to read, verify her print, and unlock the door, but the time seemed to drag out for Alexandria. As soon as she heard the click of the door unlocking, she pulled it open and grabbed one of the small boxes of vials and an injection gun.
Most of the vials would go in the Wraith’s central water source in the stronghold. The water there was one of the only pure sources that bubbled from the depths of the stronghold which could actually be consumed in the Drake Dimension. The other vial she would insert into the injection gun to take out the altered Wraith causing the Gate to open. She was positive there was only one. She had seen first-hand Turin could only fawn over one creation at a time.
Quickly, she closed the refrigerator so there wouldn’t be evidence of her visit. Next, she placed the box of vials in her pack and headed back out into the hallway. Running back to the elevator bank, there just didn’t seem enough time left to get done what she needed to do. She was becoming more and more agitated from the need to get going with the mission. Alexandria suspected the images of what happened to her at Turin’s hands had released a suppressed fury which wasn’t helping and she hoped the emotions wouldn’t interfere. All she knew was as soon as she got down to the staging cavern she was opening the Gate, with or without her support team.
Not soon enough, she arrived at the staging cavern level. She stepped out into the main area of the Cavern to find Stormy and Eleina already waiting for her. Both of them were just as jumpy as she was with the dark aftereffects still in the air from the recent battle. Looking around, Alexandria noted the clean-up crew had done one hell of a job. Nothing was left indicating there had been a battle. Even the stains from the blood were gone. It felt surreal to her all of the death which had surrounded her just a few hours ago.
“Alexandria, are you okay? Are you sure you want to go through with this?” Eleina touched her arm softly. Alexandria suspected she didn’t want to set her off but she was in control. She had to be for the success of the mission.
“Yeah. Just a little disoriented still from Raven’s digging around in my head. But at least he didn’t fry my brains.”
Refocusing on her dangerous task, she unslung the bag off her shoulder and opened it removing the battle gear. Swiftly she donned the small linked vest and attached the gauntlets to her lower arms making sure her Sefu Element was clear for when she reflexed the bracelet form into her Power Sword.
Satisfied she was ready, Alexandria picked up the bag, positioning it back on her shoulder and making sure the pack hung across her back out of the way.
“Alright ladies. It’s now or never.” Stormy looked like she was going to hug her, but Alexandria shook her head at her. Letting the anger and steel of her determination flood her eyes, she saw the understanding in Stormy’s eyes. Alexandria couldn’t take the emotional gentleness at that moment otherwise she would crumble and fail.
Keeping in mind what she had done to the Wraith child and more recently to Joshua by keeping him unconscious, she let the boiling anger take over. An anger at herself, anger at Turin, anger at the Gat
e and the constant struggle for her people to stay alive, and most of all, anger at having to give up the life she had dreamed of for so long and the love she had finally found in Joshua’s arms. Alexandria’s entire body twitched for a moment making her think she might end up changing into the feline again, but slowly her breathing and heart rate settled out and her muscles stopped twitching.
The atmosphere was oppressive in so many ways and she knew if she waited much longer she could possibly change her mind about all of this. But no, she had to go and meet up with the destiny awaiting her.
“Stormy, I’m going to open the Gate. I need you to stabilize it for as long as you can. If all goes well, I’ll be back in the next few minutes. If not or if the Wraith start showing up, then close it.”
Stormy suddenly cried, “Alexandria, I can’t leave you there…”
“You will!” Alexandria growled at her. “If I don’t come back out then I’m dead anyway even if it’s by my own hand. Turin will never have me again. You will do this, if not for me, then for our people. I’m sorry asking this of you, but what else can I do?”
Shaking her head in agreement finally, Alexandria watched Stormy square her shoulders, take a deep breath, and face the Gate.
“I’m ready,” was all she said.
If Alexandria made it back, she swore she would make this up to everyone she was hurting by going back to the other side. She bit her lip and shared a silent exchange with Eleina for a moment. Both were Warriors at heart, used to the violence and agony, but still this mission would take a lot out of them.
“Take care of Stormy, Eleina. Please don’t let anything happen to her and you keep yourself alive too.”
Eleina stepped forward offering her hand and Alexandria grabbed the offering of kinship in a firm Warrior’s shake.
Before Eleina let go, she demanded, “Be safe, Alexandria. Come back to us. We need you and Joshua needs you.”
Both of them let go and stepped back taking their places at the center of the Cavern. Alexandria took a deep breath and reflexed her hand back against her Sefu Element. The Life Power in her system rushed to the bracelet and instantly the Element glowed, its black metal sliding from her wrist and hand to her palm forming the hilt. In the next instant, the long deadly black crystalline blade shot out forming the full Sword. She raised her other hand out in front of her towards the hidden energy of the Gate.
Concentrating every bit of her Life Power into her hand, she reached out to the Gates dark energy. For a moment, Alexandria wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to make contact but when she did the Power snapped out at her. She grabbed onto the violent dark energy holding on and concentrating it. The Gate began to spin near the center, a dark foggy gray presence oozing for release while ghostly fingers reached out expanding the circle of energy. A slight breeze started as the atmosphere of the Cave destabilized but shortly the gentleness was a roaring tornado of storming wind beating at them.
The Gate continued to open wider, the dark center changing to shades of blood red and white hot energy. The wind and energy whipped and stung Alexandria’s face but she ignored the discomfort demanding the Gate’s presence. The Gate owed her for the life it helped take time and time again by letting the Wraith loose in her world. Finally, the Gate was open far enough she could see into the red sanded world of the Drake Dimension. The wind whipping back and forth stirred and blew the sand out at them and the dry hot air rushing into the coolness of the Cave felt like the inside of an oven.
Alexandria stood a few minutes just observing the area where she would be entering for signs of Wraith. Just as she suspected, none of the creatures were outside the stronghold and she was certain most of them would be unconscious, either healing from the battle or resting in preparation for the soon to come follow on. A bonus which would allow her a few extra seconds to get inside and do what she needed to do.
Turning to Stormy, she shouted over top of the cacophony of violent winds and the roaring of the Gate, “Stormy! Can you stabilize it?”
Keeping her Power engaged, she held the Gate open while Stormy called up her own Power to brace the Dimensional Gate open. Alexandria thought watching her Power Keeper in action was amazing as the energy glittered over Stormy’s skin and through her fingertips, her eyes glowing from within, and the shear grit and determination in her expression. And Eleina, Power Sword formed and ready to defend, her stance locked and aggressive to whatever came across the threshold. Damn, if they weren’t going to win this war with the women alone.
Standing there engaged with the Gate, Alexandria felt the change when Stormy locked the Gate open for her.
“I’ve got it!” Stormy cried back over the still swirling winds.
Alexandria released her hold on the Dimensional Gate and strode directly up to the opening. Turning back to her two friends one more time, she gave them a cocky grin, saluted, and then faced off to the swirling entrance. Fate awaited and she couldn’t delay any longer. She knew she was doing this for her family, the Warriors, this World, but most of all for her love, Joshua. Even though she knew he would still be under the influence of her Power induced sleep, Alexandria still reached out through their Joined Link. For you, Joshua. I’ll love you forever, no matter where I am.
With the last vow she might ever make, she glared into the dry, heated, sandy dimension and strode straight through the Gate. Pausing for a moment with her boots firmly planted in the gritty sand, she scanned her surroundings. Still there was no sign of the Wraith but they were here. She could sense them. They had to be just inside the door of the stronghold only a few feet away and she was ready to face them head on.
Swiftly, she rushed to the side of the tall fortress and plastered her back against the stone. She leaned against it taking a breath to steady herself and could feel the heat from the stone searing into her back even through the layer of metal protection. She carefully reached out and grabbed the handle to test if the mechanism was unsecure or not. Even though she found it locked, Alexandria smiled. The tingling in her fingertips told her she still had access to the building. So like him to believe she would return and give herself back to his cause. He was an arrogant fool or perhaps she was the fool because she had returned.
The images of what the hated man had done to her flashed before her eyes. Unable to hold the truths back any longer, the image of the Wraith child and its death by her hand assaulted her. Fury exploded in her head. Her Sphinx roared its hatred and promised retribution as she rushed through the door.
The Wraith on the other side didn’t have a chance. Alexandria ran the creature through with her Power Sword before it could even make a sound of alarm. She watched the Wraith drop to the floor in its own blood and entrails and still felt nothing but boiling hatred. Turning her back on the dying creature, Alexandria continued further into the stronghold slinking down the hall. She couldn’t believe Turin had only one guard at the door. To her, it felt like a trap, but how could he know anyone would try and invade their world.
Edging up to the end of the hall, she paused and her heart fell. “Damn it,” she cursed to herself.
She could smell the fetid odor of more Wraith waiting, watching for any intruders, but would they really be expecting her? She doubted it and suspected they would be a bit slow from lack of sleep. She would have to make a run for the next area and a Power Sword wouldn’t be of use in this situation. At least for the moment. She reflexed her Element back into the bracelet form. As soon as it settled on her wrist and hand, she reached down to her weapons belt and removed a set of throwing daggers gripping them with deadly intent in each hand.
In her head, Alexandria counted down to one and then shot through the opening into the cavern sized room. In a flash, she was past the groggy Wraith and headed at a furious pace to the next interconnecting tunnel. The map of the stronghold flashed before her eyes from all the times she had traversed each and every inch of the damn place trying to escape the Power sucking Wraith during her cat and mouse training. Although
she was well in the lead to her destinations, she could hear the screeching warnings the Wraith made to each other. She shivered in expectation of their tracking her in their hot pursuit for fresh Power.
Tapping into her Sphinx and pushing herself to the maximum speed possible, Alexandria was a blur shooting through one hallway, dodging around the next corner, flying across a cross junction of zigzagging tunnels, and dropping down through a gap in the broken stone flooring. She had remembered her secret shortcut which she had used to escape the Wraith when they had hunted her before. Only she could fit being small even after her genetic change. Now the shortcut worked in Alexandria’s favor allowing her to lose the creatures in the catacombs and placing her even closer to her first goal, the Fifth Page of Seven.
Even with her feline vision, she still had to slow down slightly due to the vastly decreased amount of light reaching into the lower level. What little light there was made the perceived space misleading and confusing. As she maneuvered down the halls, several times she bumped into corners and scraped against the rough stone walls. If not for her protective gear she would have sustained some nasty cuts and suspected there would be some pretty good bruises left anyway.
Approaching the next junction, she stopped just inside the opening. A quick peek told her she had remembered well and had found the underground water source. The dark water bubbled up from a cistern near the back wall from the back pressure and cascaded up like a fountain. Once the water reached its maximum peak it fell back into the surrounding bowel shaped trough. The water hitting the stone bowel roared like the ocean rushing up on the shore and then flowed in opposite directions along straight sections of additional troughs.
Alexandria needed to get to the water but in her way were two more Wraith. Slurping disgustingly, they were fully engaged in quenching their thirst. Slinking up behind them, she let the fury of her Sphinx rise further releasing adrenaline in her system and sharpening her reflexes. Gritting her teeth, she stood over the first one pausing for only a moment, and then with one powerful downward thrust, drove the first of her daggers deep into the base of the skull severing the spinal column and hitting the base of the brain.
Sphinx Transformed (The Sphinx Warriors Series Book 3) Page 25