Like hell, she was going to wait and get sent back to the States. If Morgan Black expected her to just lounge around and whine, then he sure as hell didn’t know her very well. At least, not the new her.
Old Ren would have done just that. Lied down in that bed and bellyached. But new Ren…she’d burn this damned place to the ground before she got sent back. Going back to the States meant death. Meant never amounting to anything. She didn’t belong at Noah U, or with her boyfriend. She belonged here. On this godforsaken island. Her godforsaken island.
There were no shoes, but it wasn’t like she gave a damn. She pulled aside the curtain completely. A med-bay doused all in white and electric blue opened up to her. Thick white cots sat flush against the bleached walls. All empty. Heat welled up in Ren’s throat. Where would her grandfather take Kato? Would he have killed him? No. The Mesh killed her step-grandmother, so it would only make sense that Morgan Black would want to keep Kato alive. Learn who he was, how important he was to the Shamaness. Then, he would kill him. If he wasn’t important, Morgan Black would off him quickly.
It sickened her to know this. Not only to know, but to understand.
A sliding white door stood between her and freedom. Latticed light fell on her and she flinched. The thing was scanning her, figuring out if she had clearance to leave. Of course, she didn’t. But it didn’t fucking matter. It buzzed at her, the latticed light going fire-red. Flame clawed up her forearms, scorching her jeans, as she pulled back her fist. Slamming her palm into the door, fire bled through plastic and glass and plaster. Creating a black hole. Slipping her hand through the door, she felt for a handle and yanked. The thing wheezed open.
“What the fuck?” a man hissed. One of Morgan Black’s men, M-4 hanging from his neck on a sling. “Hey, you aren’t supposed to…” dark eyes moved, scanning the damage. His fingers wrapped around the M-4, pointer finger sliding straight along the trigger. Recognition flashed through his eyes as Ren stared at him head-on. Challenging—no, begging him. Begging him to aim his stupid fucking gun at her.
He couldn’t. Not at the granddaughter of his boss. Sighing, he lowered his head and shook it. Slid along the wall and pressed his back flush with it.
Ren shot him a lopsided smirk. Good choice, fucker.
When would her grandfather send her back? He obviously had plans to keep her locked in the med-bay—maybe he did understand this new Ren. Who cares if he did, though, he couldn’t stop her. She was a literal force of fucking nature. Sauntering down the hallway, barefoot, feet slapping against the linoleum; she stared up at signs hanging over doors like neon-posts. Morgan Black, Hunter, and Smith hung over the first three. More surnames hanging over doors passed her, further up the hallway. The med-bay must have been in the living quarters of the compound. From what she remembered, her grandfather kept a kind of resort going on the back end of the compound. While the front was completely off limits to her and her friends. Now, she understood why.
Coming to a crossroads in the hallway, she stopped and surveyed the three new paths that crisscrossed. Lumbering bodies passed her. Maids in white outfits, service workers, and other guys cradling M-4s or M-16s. Some gave her shocked looks, eyes going to the scorch marks on her arms and jeans. Others completely ignored her, seeing her as fuck-all. Why should they care? She had nothing to do with their daily tasks. Ren’s eyes followed a trio of armored men taking a sharp right. Edging down the hallway, they disappeared down a long stretch of shiny stairs.
Okay, goal. I need a goal.
Kato.
It snapped into her mind immediately. She knew he was in trouble if he hadn’t been in the med-bay with her. Striding down the hallway, she followed the footsteps of the armored detail and swung down a long stretch of stairs. They dove deep into the compound, curving round and round until they hit the place’s underbelly. A dimly lit basement with lights that flickered like dying fireflies. Down here, the floor was completely concrete. Icy to Ren’s feet. The crystal at her neck hummed and she checked it. The thing was only half-way blue, the other half empty. Didn’t Lindiwe say something about exhausting the damned thing? Fuck. Power requires fuel and shit—that’s what she had told her, right? With her crystal at half-capacity, that meant Ren was only half as powerful as she normally was. That wouldn’t mean jack-shit here, though. These people didn’t understand magic—while she did. Even with half of her power, she’d still be able to bust out of here.
Right?
Not right now. You can do this. Get out before your grandpa sends you home!
Right.
She stumbled down the hallway. Water dripped to the cement somewhere, constantly falling. Musk invaded her senses, the chill humidity of the place stifling. Before long she was met with a door. Heavily armored. A pad to the right of the door lit up in the shape of a hand. The damned thing talked to her. Told her: “Identification, please.” Ren bit her tongue and called up her fire. Pressed her burning hand to the door’s face and began melting through the metal.
The thing whooshed open. Ren stood her ground, burning hand still in place.
This man tilted his chin up at her. A heavy M-16 hung from his neck, his gloved hands cradling the barrel and stock. He sneered at her, looking down like a feral animal starving for some game. His eyes cut through her, scratching at her core.
She knew this man.
His black ear-piece buzzed. Tapping it, he nodded as a voice growled through the receiver. Guy never took his eyes off of Ren. “Yeah. Right. She’s out. Where do you want her?”
Oh, hell no. Ren took a step back. Like hell, she was going back into that fucking med-bay. But this guy was fast. She could have blinked and missed his hand shooting out, clutching her by the shoulder. He pulled her through the door, twirling her around just to shove her forward.
Cells. Plastic cells took up every inch of the massive concrete room. Far to her right, a man sat bent over in a chair. Saliva slid from his mouth, merging with blood and phlegm.
“The north wing?” the guy swung her round again, trying hard to keep her off balance.
Ren’s fingers lit up. The crystal at her throat purred, white light escaping, as she clenched both fists tight and dug her heels into the ground.
Ren yelped. He pinched her between her neck and shoulder right as the barrel of his gun prodded her in the back. “You don’t wanna do that, honey.”
“Fuck you—Morgan Black would cut off your balls if you hurt me.”
“Funny.” Xavier—that was his name. She remembered him from video-calls with her grandfather. He always had these cutting, piercing eyes. Like he could see right into her soul and thought hard about eating it. “He didn’t do shit when Ava died.”
Ren shrieked. Whirred to face him right as his gun clicked. The thing going from safe to fire. Xavier didn’t smile, just glowered down at her blankly. “You really wanna try me?”
The barrel poked her beneath the ribcage, biting into her diaphragm. “Where is my friend?”
“The savage?” he shrugged, gazing going over her head. “Just turn around.”
She did.
41
What Ren saw made her go ballistic.
Blood slimed along the plastic walls of his cell. Kato’s forehead pressed against the plastic, his arms cordoned off behind him. His knees and chest bare. Scraped by God knows what—probably the serrated and rusty edge of a fucking blade.
“Kato!” he was dead. She knew it. He was fucking dead. But she couldn’t just leave him there—hell no. Ren pivoted on her heel. Xavier had to fucking pay.
Too bad he was ready for her. With a quick chop to the neck, she went down. Blacked out. Slumped lifelessly to the ground.
When her eyes snapped open, she was drowning beneath a weighted comforter. Ocean blue. White light poured in from the window behind her bed. Below the window, the ocean ate away at the dark beach.
Ren threw back her head and screamed. Fuck Morgan Black. Fuck Xavier. Fuck this whole goddamned island. Kato was lifeless. Head pr
essed against the plastic wall of his cell—why? Why did they kill him? What did her grandfather fucking want?
Was this all seriously over fucking oil? Holy fuck.
This was it. She should have burned through this whole fucking compound—why had she sauntered through the damned place like she had time? Like she owned it? What in the fuck was wrong with her? She was cocky.
Pride comes before the fall. And fuck did it ever.
She was in a bedroom. Modernistic and sleek, sexy with dark wood flooring and slate gray walls. Fuck this place—she had to get out. Ren checked the crystal at her neck. It held a little less than one-third. Guess she’d find out now what happened if a Scion exhausted all of her power, huh? She needed to. Even if Kato was dead, she couldn’t leave his corpse here. She’d need to get it, get him to the Wall and back to the village—Nyx. Then what? What was her grandfather planning to do, hiding out on this beach?
They planned to go further inland. It only made sense. But only after the Mesh and the Kirabo were finished tearing each other apart. Which would probably be soon.
Ren jumped from the bed, rage burning through her like an awful fever. Charging toward the door, fire rocketed up her arms. Lifting her palm, she prepared to burn a hole through it. Force her way out and save Kato’s corpse.
Overhead, she heard the whirring of chopping helicopter blades. The compound trembled beneath beating air and slicing blades. Pressing her hand to the door, it whooshed open.
Of-fucking-course.
Xavier blocked her way. Him and four other armed men, M-4s slung around their bodies. “Shame you won’t be here to see the fireworks.” Xavier sneered, yanking her by the elbow. “Morgan Black’s moving the compound in three days. Taking us to the heart of the island.” He said as he forced her down the hallway and up a nearby flight of stairs.
Ren fought. Squirmed and shrieked like a cornered animal. Seemed like the scorching heat burning her skin had no effect on Xavier. The heat went through his gloves, but didn’t melt them. Did absolutely fucking nothing to him.
“So—just fuck the natives, right? The island and everything else?” she spat. “These people were here before you and you’re just going to destroy them?”
Xavier hawked a loogie. Spat, climbing the steps in twos. “I don’t make the calls. The well’s dried up, so to speak. Your gramps thinks there’s more inland, so further inland we go.” He grunted. Another hallway loomed, a thin ladder hung flush with the left wall further up. Ren ground her teeth, watched moonlight dance up the sleek stretch.
“Why even tell me? Where are you taking me?”
“Thought you’d like to know how your fucking friends will fare once you’re gone. While you’re lounging in your Gramps posh mansion, everyone you know here will more than likely die. You’ll just forget though, right?” he said, fingers digging into her elbow. “Fucking rich girls. This way.”
He grabbed the back of her head and flung her toward the ladder. Ren’s fingers burned. She clutched the grip and brought a foot onto the first rung. “You’re wrong.” She gritted out. “You’re fucking wrong.”
Straining, her crystal rose. White light exploded, lighting up her neck like the moon hovering on the horizon. Fire blared from her hands and the men screamed. Xavier leveled his rifle with her head, the weapon clicking as he prepared to fire. Xavier smiled, a grotesquely twisted stretch of thin lips, as his finger squeezed the trigger.
Ren ducked. Shrieked and crossed her arms. Unraveling them, a funnel of flame exploded through the air. Scorching the corridor, setting everything aflame with a burst of tangerine light. It lit up Ren’s face, alighting her smile. Her teeth. Her flared nostrils. Kneeling, she blew fire across the floor. The flame shooting from her clenched fists like a tongue of fire exploding from a flamethrower. Her heart rang in her ears, silencing the feverish screaming. Cutting out the blaring sirens of fire alarms and the gut-wrenching boom of bullets shooting from barrels. Water droplets fell from the ceiling as Ren stood, arms blackened. Pants scorched by her own flame. Black smeared across her face, bullet holes peppering the wall nearest her. She skirted along the wall, using the wreathing flame and black smoke as a cloak. Shadows lay limp in the firelight, drenched in water as the sprinklers above soaked through everything.
She didn’t she Xavier, nor did she search for him. Ren ran.
42
Ren flew down the stairs, raced down the adjoining hallway. Red light flared to life, sirens screaming as Ren drowned everything in scarlet flame. She’d burn every fucker in this compound while she searched for Kato’s body and fled. No use not doing some damage anyway. The more she fucked with them, the less inclined they’d be to venture farther inland. But there was no telling, really. And Ren didn’t really care. She just wanted to watch this whole place burn.
Taking a sharp right at the first intersecting hallway, she almost tumbled into a group of screaming children hounded by their soot-faced mother. She shoved the children forward, ignoring the girl on fire as sprinklers rained ice-cold water on their heads. For a moment, Ren’s heart hiccuped. Guilt washed over her as she stopped in her tracks and watched the family teeter toward the exit. They weren’t alone either. More tumbled up the hallway, lurching from their rooms and suites. Somewhere, a dog whined. Barked and howled from a nearby room.
Goddamnit.
Ren searched for the whining animal. Heard it emerging from a nearby door marked Smith. She pressed a shoulder into it. Locked. Fuck. Flame spiraled up from her hand and she slammed it into the door. Once. Twice. Burning through the wood and glass, she found a handle and pulled. Tiptoed into the dark room and found a black wire cage. A little Boston terrier lay there, whining. Its huge black eyes fixing on Ren’s face.
Ren threw open the cage door. The dog popped up. “Go on.” She hissed. “Get.”
The little guy padded away, breaking into a sprint. Hopefully, it knew where to go. Ren couldn’t lead it out. It was only a matter of time until Xavier caught up to her. Or—better yet—her grandfather. Dashing from the room, she fled down the hallway. Scanning for the stairs leading into the basement, she caught movement in the scarlet stained darkness. A detail of men holding weapons. Flattening herself against the wall, a flood of families shoved by, the detail bringing up the rear. Probably searching for her. Dim light reverberated from her crystal as flame erupted from her hand. Bringing her hand up, she sighed heavily as she smashed it into the wall behind her. Lighting it on fire.
A siren blared in her ear. The flood of people reacted violently, pushing and shoving harder. Trampling each other as the flame came for them. Using the chaos to her advantage, Ren plunged into the horde of shrieking families. Sliding past the detail of men, she careened down the nearby staircase and into the basement.
White smoke clogged up her nostrils. The armored door was up, a deafening scream emanating from it. The thing was telling her to evacuate, but she ignored it. Ducking under the sheet of raised metal, she skid into the room and stopped. The man she saw before, drooling onto the floor as he leaned against the chair, looked at her first. His mouth opened—he was talking to her. Ren saw a gold-tooth. Had a flash of recognition.
Her helicopter pilot. That was her fucking helicopter pilot. She came to him. Melted the plastic and undid the ties keeping him in the chair. A silent nod passed between the two of them before he left. Disappearing through the doorway just as the thing began to blare red.
It was closing.
Fuck.
Ren raced to Kato. Swallowed tears as she slammed her burning arms into the plastic and melted the cell. The stench of burning plastic made her eyes water. She coughed, slipping her arms underneath Kato’s armpits. He was unreasonably warm. Sweaty even, his skin like a lizard’s. Slimy and uneven.
The door was moving, buzzing down. “Evacuation in progress.” It sang.
“No it’s fucking not—I need to evacuate you goddamn piece of shit!”
“Evacuation in progress.”
Kato was even heav
ier in death. Ren wasn’t sure how she’d get his corpse out—but, damn it, she would. He had done so much for her. Protected her. Made she sure learned how to spear fight and control her fire. Hell, he had given her shelter. Made a dream-catcher for her so that the stupid Mafioso would stop showing up in her fucking dreams. And now he had died. Died because she thought she seriously needed to save Mia. No—save herself. Kato died because she has a selfish bitch with a one track mind. Home, home, I need to go home. Well, how’s that working out for you now?
“I don’t want to go home.” She said, grunting as she pulled Kato’s body out of the cell. He was heavy. Too fucking heavy. There was no way she’d be able to carry him through the compound. Much less get him through that stupid goddamn door. “Fuck you, Kato. I don’t want to go home.” She leaned into him. “I’m sorry.” But she had said it too late. Too damn late.
The door slammed shut behind her.
“Evacuation complete.”
43
Ren dropped Kato onto his back. Pulled her knees into her chest.
She froze.
His chest rose and fell. He was wheezing, eyelids flickering.
The fucker was still breathing. Ren almost dropped to the ground.
Kato was still alive.
She couldn’t say anything—do anything. Soon Xavier and his men would come down here, find them, and force her onto that fucking helicopter. But right now—
Ren flung herself onto him. Kissed him full on the lips and breathed her fire into him. His eyes snapped open as she pulled away. But Kato pulled her back, cupped her face with his calloused hands. Slowly, he brought himself up, hands roving through her hair. Tracing her scalp, her throat, her collarbone.
Holy shit.
Ren shoved him away. “You’re alive.” She couldn’t help but smile. She fell into him, hugging him. Tears spilling from her eyes.
“I’m pretty hard to kill.”
Wild Magic (The Island Book 1) Page 13