Crais

by Jaymin Eve

  Hello, sweetheart.

  My skin crawled at the deep voice.

  We’re waiting for you in the shadows. I’ll release your mate the moment you complete the ritual.

  I didn’t like the word ritual. It gave me an uncomfortable feeling. Or maybe that was the smugness of its tone. It was manipulating me somehow and I didn’t even care. I couldn’t stop myself from lifting the knife and sliding the razor-sharp point across the pad of my hand. It cut quick and deep, droplets of blood raining into the glowing abyss below me.

  The moment my blood fell, connecting with the stones lining the rock, the light changed color, the white fading out to a deep red. I fell to my knees as a sense of foreboding struck hard. What had I just done? Something was very wrong.

  Say the words, or you will release much more than my brother.

  The voice was impatient, the genial tone it had adopted when speaking with me was gone.

  What are you talking about?

  There is much more locked in these walls than stones. There are ancient entities that guard and secure us. They feed off blood; you have just given them an influx of strength.

  Oh, shit. I really should have clarified what exactly was going to happen that day.

  I recalled the words and without hesitation spoke out loud.

  “Vectus Elitus.”

  Everyone spun in my direction.

  “What did you say, Abby?” Lucy took a hesitant step toward me. “Please tell me it wasn’t ‘Vectus Elitus’?”

  I shook my head as she repeated my words.

  “Why?” Fury had her hands on hips. “What does that mean?”

  Everyone except Josian jumped back as the now red light increased in intensity, shadowing our faces.

  “It’s the invocation to start the ritual.” Lucy glared at me. “What the eff have you done?”

  Crap. She’d used the word ritual too. The sick feeling intensified. I wasn’t sure if it was from the red light or the guilt. I stumbled back.

  “How do you know so much about this place, Lucy?” I said in a weak voice.

  “It’s the dreams.” She stepped forward. “I think I’m supposed to be a guardian or something. The information is coming in bits and pieces, but I’m starting to put it all together.”

  Too late.

  I stopped then and looked at her. I mean, really noticed Lucy. She was my oldest friend. I’d known her since we were in diapers. But she was different. In my own selfishness and crazy life I hadn’t stopped long enough to notice how much she had been through, the strength she now carried, the authority she held.

  “Luce,” I breathed. “You ... wow, I’m impressed.”

  Her brow furrowed. “I definitely feel a lot better knowing that it’s not insanity chipping at my brain. That there’s actually something to these dreams.”

  “Baby girl, care to share what just happened?” Josian interrupted, his impatience clear by the strangled tone of his voice.

  I was just opening my mouth to answer when the red lights of the pit flared and an unearthly scream emerged. Every one of us hit the ground. The walls began to shake as the noise increased. I could feel the Seventine emerging. It was calling to its brothers, and then it broke through the barriers and something fissured inside me.

  Lucy crawled over to me. “You don’t know what you’ve done, Abby.”

  My breath caught in my throat. I knew this had been a bad idea, and I was about to find out why.

  I captured her face in my hands, staring into her serious blue eyes.

  “What, Luce?” Tears poured down my face. “God, what have I done?”

  It was as if I had been under a spell until that moment, and now I understood the full repercussions of my actions. I’d done the very thing we’d been trying to prevent and I may have just ended the world with my one decision.

  “I didn’t see until your blood hit the stones, but the third was the lock.” Sympathy shone in her eyes. “You’re the chosen of the halves, Abbs. Your blood was the key to releasing the lock. If you had not freed the third, then it would never have been released and the Seventine would have been dragged back in when their time was up.”

  I choked on my sobs. The noise continued to increase, the energy holding us immobile on the ground.

  “I don’t ... I can’t ...” Oh, god, I couldn’t even get the words out. “I really effed up this time, Luce.”

  Tears filled her eyes also, and she rested her forehead on mine.

  “I won’t tell them, Abbs. It doesn’t change anything and our mission is the same. Save the worlds.”

  I shook my head. “I can’t ask that of you. I think the Seventine influenced me somehow. I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I had this one-track mind that couldn’t be changed.”

  “You should have come to us, Aribella.” I lifted my head from Lucy’s to see Josian and Lallielle crouched next to us. “That’s what we’re here for. We’re your family, and we protect you and guide the actions you make,” Josian finished, his bronze eyes serious.

  “I know you’ve been on your own for a long time.” Lallielle reached out and grasped my hand. “It’s our fault that you forgot to turn to someone for help.”

  I hung my head, shame clouding through me like an insipid fog. The golden cord snapped once in my mind and then it was gone. I remembered the final warning.

  My head flew up. “We have to get out of here. The three freed are coming to destroy anyone still in the caves.” I faced Josian. “Tell your men in the other channel.”

  He nodded. “They’re fine. There was nothing in their side except the traps, so they’ve already exited and are waiting outside.”

  The pressure in the room had eased; I lurched to my feet with everyone else. Without a backwards glance, afraid I’d see the mists of the Seventine, I bolted toward tunnel eight. I had Lucy’s hand held tightly in one of my own and I trusted that everyone else was escaping with me.

  There was a strange fogginess in the air now, making it difficult to see where we were heading, but I continued without pause. There was no time to waste. I screeched as a shadow rose in front of me, my face crunching as I smashed into what felt like a rock wall.

  I bounced back, pulling Lucy down so we both ended up in a painful tangle on the ground. I was stunned for a moment and while I was waiting for the ringing in my head to stop, the melding bond snapped back in.

  My breath caught in my throat. The emotions flooding my system were overwhelming. In the time Brace had been gone I’d forgotten how intense our melding was. The gasps were stuck in my throat. And while everyone was scrambling, trying to not stomp us to death, the wall I’d just smashed into moved out of the mists and, reaching down, scooped me into his arms. Lucy’s hand fell from mine.

  The moment he touched me, his scent overwhelmed my senses and darkness engulfed my mind. I was neither fully unconscious nor conscious; I could feel the ground shifting, arms that felt like bands of steel wrapping tightly around me. There was not one iota of space between us. Tears tracked silently down my cheeks, flooding under my closed eyelids. Warm hands brushed them away.

  “You need to open your eyes now, Red.” Shivers wracked me as his voice washed over my sensitive skin. “I need to see those tantalizing emeralds.”

  I wanted to; I was wasting precious time not looking at his beautiful face. Every day I’d wished he was back with me and now I was too weak to open my damn eyes. The breeze caressed my face, drying the last of the tears which had soaked me. I felt relief that we were out of those mountains. No one had been attacked. The Seventine had kept its word to me, so far anyways.

  I decided to face my fears and with a sigh opened my eyes. The light was dim outside, the sun starting to set in the indigo sky of First World.

  “Hey, baby.” His features were immobile.

  I clashed eyes with a chocolate brown so rich that I drowned for a moment.

  “Brace,” was all I could strangle out.

  His expression softened.

&
nbsp; I finally noticed that his black tribal marks were visible. And the threads of our marks were bleeding out to join with each other. My eyes widened. I couldn’t see any yellow moonstale light reflecting around.

  “Your marks –” I started.

  His lips narrowed. “The Seventine’s power branded them permanently on my skin, since they’re part of the original universe.”

  I sat up a little straighter. Was this why my marks had been permanent since my enlightenment?

  Brace’s focus never wavered from me. He wasn’t saying much but the intensity screamed loudly. I wanted to blush. The heat in his gaze was as hot as the Crais suns’. I was probably getting a suntan. In my own nervousness I started to babble, confessing my sins.

  “I’m sorry, Brace, I should never have freed the third. You warned me.” As the guilt overwhelmed me I struggled in his arms, wanting to stand on my own.

  But he wouldn’t let me move an inch.

  “I’m a damn stubborn idiot. I didn’t listen. I was too caught up in the thought that I could have you back.”

  Brace’s expression darkened, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Listen to me, Red. You never stood a chance against its power and manipulation. Because of me it knew everything about us. It knew exactly what to say to you.” His tone was angry but his words confident. “If it takes me forever I will put the Seventine back in their prison. Don’t you worry about that.”

  Josian interrupted us then. “I’m happy that you’re here, Brace, but we really need to move now.”

  I had no idea how long he’d been standing next to us. Brace gave him the briefest nod before moving toward the Walker doorway.

  You can put me down. I’m sure I’m not the lightest thing to be carrying around everywhere.

  I spoke through our bond, my heart fluttering at the return of his mental presence.

  Brace laughed.

  You weigh nothing. And neither gods, Walkers nor Seventine could tear you from my arms right now.

  I thought Walkers were gods, I teased, my lashes fluttering as exhaustion overwhelmed me.

  I’d been so tired and alone that until Brace was back I hadn’t realized how much his loss had sucked from my energy. I rested my head on his hard chest.

  No, we just have the egotism of them. Sleep now, baby. I have you and I’ll never leave you again.

  I fought it briefly, wanting to ask him a million questions, but I lost the fight. As I drifted off I realized we were surrounded by the golden aura which had been absent for too long.

  Chapter 12

  The arguing woke me first. I kept my eyes closed as voices raged around me.

  Should I pretend I’m still asleep?

  I opened the bond to Brace; I was curled up on his lap, his presence surrounding me.

  You take as much time as you need, Red. Accusations are being thrown around, and I’m sure they’re going to start in on you, and then I’m going to Hulk out and try to kill people and since they’re mostly people you love ... well, just take your time.

  I mentally giggled, remembering how much he’d loved the Hulk movie. A smile must have curved my lips because the next thing I knew someone’s hair was hitting me in my face.

  “Quit pretending to be asleep and save me from these nut jobs.” Lucy said as she flicked her fingers in front of my nose.

  “Who are you calling a nut job, you psycho blond doll?” I recognized Fury’s cranky voice.

  “I’m not psycho; I’m psychic. There’s a difference,” Lucy huffed out. “Bitch,” she added under her breath.

  I laughed out loud this time and reluctantly opened my eyes.

  “Oh, great. It’s sleeping beauty. About time you graced us with you presence, super Abby.”

  I swung my head to face her. Fury and Dune were sitting against the wall, their backs straight. Dune’s arm fell off her shoulder as she leaned forward to glare at me. Lucy, who was next to us on the white couch, also shifted forward until her elbows rested on her knees.

  Her voice was low as she barked out words. “Hey, Dune, why don’t you put a muzzle on your dog? She’s about to get her ass kicked if she doesn’t shut that whinge-hole she calls a mouth.”

  Fury was on her feet so fast that I swear the wall shook from her pushing off it. “Why don’t you step over here and say that.” Her voice trembled as her anger bled into the room.

  Lucy also pushed herself up. “My pleasure. You’ve needed an ass-whopping since Abby found you on Crais.”

  Josian held up a hand and stepped into the center of the room.

  “Lallielle will not be happy if we fight in this room. If you girls want to battle, then downstairs to the training room.”

  My mouth fell open as I too hopped to my feet. I shivered as my body adjusted to the loss of Brace’s warmth, before turning my glare on Josian.

  “Are you freaking kidding me, Dad? They can’t fight. Lucy is human and Fury has Walker powers.”

  “I don’t need Walker powers to fight her,” Fury scoffed. “She’s like the size of a ten-year-old child.”

  I sucked in a deep breath. Oh, crap.

  “What the eff did you say?” Lucy’s tone was deadly.

  “You. Are. Short.” Fury emphasized each word.

  And then all hell broke loose.

  By the time I had made it across the room, Lucy was on Fury’s back, her hand buried in the long white strands of hair as she slammed her head into the floor. Fury struggled, but Lucy was very proficient in the arts of wrestling and judo.

  “You take it back,” Lucy screamed. “I do not look like I’m ten.”

  “Child ... Child ... Child,” Fury chanted over and over.

  Dune and Brace stood above them. I had to laugh watching these two brawny men jumping side to side trying to break them up. Though, as chick fights go, they were doing us proud. There was not one bit of scratching or hair pulling.

  Fury twisted over, managing to gain some traction on Lucy. Their limbs flew all over, making it impossible to separate them. I glanced around the room, noticing that Lucas, who was once again randomly in my house, was standing in the corner with the slightest grin on his face. Lallielle and Josian also looked amused. The Reds were against the back wall, and their discipline shone through. Not one of them cracked a smile, although their eyes were flat out laughing.

  I turned back to the fight, suppressing my own smirk, just in time to see Fury throw out her arm and by luck smash a fist into Lucy’s face. I heard the crack from where I was standing and right then I’d had enough. I released my power, the dream energy flying from me to immobilize the room. Even the Walkers paused in their actions. Excitement flared in my gut; I was getting stronger.

  Stepping around Brace, I reached down and hauled Lucy up. There was already the beginning of a bruise forming around her right eye and down her nose; she was going to have a hell of a shiner. I sat her on the couch, flopping down next to her, waiting for the energy to finish its job.

  Brace and Josian were the first to stir. My mate crossed the room, lowering from his great height to bring his face right up close to me.

  “Very clever, Red.” His lips brushed mine, just the slightest pressure before he pulled back.

  I flushed at the sweet but slightly frustrating kiss. After our time apart I needed more. But I knew both of us were feeling the pent-up frustration simmering between us. Privacy would be the best for our first real kiss.

  I spun my head as Fury awoke and went nuts. Dune looked to be the only reason she wasn’t shooting off fire balls and burning down the house. Even still, her blue flames were flickering on and off.

  “What did you do to me?” she sobbed, her tears evaporating in the heat of her flames. “Why did I see that?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know what you saw, and it wasn’t deliberate, simply the easiest way for me to end the fight.”

  She’d stopped struggling, although her breath still came in deep huffs. “Don’t do that to me again,” she said, stumbling back with Dune and sinking
against the wall.

  I raised my brows at her commanding tone. “I’ll do whatever I need to prevent people getting hurt. If you need a good dose of common sense, I’m happy to be the one who knocks it into you.”

  She glared me down. “And I’ll be the one who’s happy to burn you and your house to the ground.”

  “Fury,” Dune admonished her. “You don’t need to have this attitude; these people are not your enemy and Abby more than any is your kin.”

  Uh-oh, Dune was so in for it. Fury’s face darkened, the red highlighting her tensed features. She faced him, lowering her voice and, from what I could see, started to grill the hell out of him.

  Over her drama, I turned away. “So what was all the yelling about when I woke up?”

  I hoped my change of subject would distract everyone from whatever dreams I’d sent their way. Sometimes it was better not to know the vulnerabilities I’d exposed to the world.

  “We weren’t yelling. We were discussing the events at the dark mountains and trying to figure out the next step.” Josian made his way over to Lallielle, pulling her closer to him.

  The pink aura swirling around them had my heart rejoicing. For the first time in a long time I could watch their love without feeling as if someone was stabbing me repeatedly.

  “Some of us were yelling,” Lucy said, rubbing her nose.

  Jen the housekeeper walked into the room then and handed Lucy a type of blue gel square. She brought both hands up to her face to demonstrate how to press it to the bruise. The moment Lucy did this relief crossed her features.

  “We need you to tell us exactly what happened in the dark mountains. The sooner we finish this debrief the sooner I can have the Doreens off to inform every Walker clan of the gathering.” Josian glanced behind him. “And Lucas arrived just after us with some urgent news.”

  I closed my eyes briefly. It was time to face up to my actions. I didn’t waste time, getting right to the important parts.

  “It could contact me through this golden thread in my mind. I assume this was the melding bond still between Brace and me.”