by Kay, Theresa
“I need to find Trel and…” Rym presses his lips together and glances at me. “…try to stop this.”
Lir steps in front of him. “This is not your fault, Cousin. There is no way we could have known.”
Jace tilts his head to the side and looks back and forth between them with narrowed eyes. “What are—”
“So what now?” I ask.
“Now…” Lir’s gaze goes from the window and back to me, a pained expression on his face. “You and your brother should wait here. There’s—”
“Wait here?” Jace throws his arms up. “There are bombs going off out there. We need to get out of here.”
Lir shakes his head. “This building will be safe. It’s on the outskirts of the city and the humans have no reason to target it. No tactical value, it’s only a research facility and—”
“Research? That’s what you’re calling it these days?” Jace steps forward and jams one finger into Lir’s shoulder. “Back where I come from they call that torture, erk.”
Lir whirls to face my brother, his posture vibrating with rage. “And where I come from we call the killing of helpless civilians murder. But you would know all about murder, wouldn’t you?” Without taking his eyes from my brother he points one finger toward the window. “I realize that you would not recognize our skyline, or rather, what it missing from it, but I do. The building that stands right there,” he jabs his finger against the glass, “is gone. My family’s building. I pray for your sake they were not inside.”
Jace snorts, but he won’t meet Lir’s eyes and his voice is strained. “Why? What are you going to do?”
Rym takes a small step backwards.
Lir’s eyes slide closed and he takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. When he opens them again, nothing but coldness lingers in his gaze. The heat of his anger rolls through the link to me in contradiction with the icy stoicism he wears on his face. “What I must.” He turns briskly. “Rym. Let’s go.”
“Lir.” I step forward.
With curt shake of his head, he steps out of my reach. “I cannot do this right now.” His shoulders droop. “Please. You need to stay here, stay safe. I can’t worry about you and them.”
His face blurs behind the moisture building in my eyes. A single tear falls and tracks down my cheek. After a moment’s hesitation, Lir moves forward, wipes it away with one finger, and then cups my cheek with his hand. “I will keep you safe however I can.” He leans forward and gently presses his lips to mine.
I don’t want gentle. I use both hands to pull him closer, pressing my lips so hard to his that it’s almost painful. His mouth tilts and opens and I slide my tongue past his lips with a whimper. He groans and moves his other hand up until he has one on either side of my face. There’s so much I need to say, but there’s no time to say it. I’m sorry. I need you. Thank you. Please don’t leave me.
I love you.
The hitch in his breath is the only clue I have that something changes in that moment. I open my eyes at the sound, my lips still pressed against his, and he looks back at me in surprise. The emerald green orbs of his eyes glowing with something I can’t name. It’s only there for a moment before he closes his eyes again and pulls away from me.
“Jax… I…”
I don’t want to hear this, so I cut him off. “It’s okay. Go. We can talk later.”
I fall back against the wall with a huff and watch him walk out the doors. Lir and Rym disappear around a corner in the distance and I close my eyes and take a deep breath, sliding down the wall until I’m sitting. I may never see him again.
Jace speaks up beside me. “Jax…”
“Just don’t. I know what you’re going to say and I will not defend him to you.” I send a glare his way. “I shouldn’t need to.”
“You’re right.” He sighs. “But I can’t help that my gut reaction is not to trust any of them.”
“You don’t have to, just trust me.”
His hand moves across the floor and he twines his fingers with mine. “I do…” The next words come out in a whisper and his voice breaks. “I never thought I’d see you again. It kills me that I wasn’t there to protect you.”
“You’ve been the strong one for a while. It’s my turn now.”
Jace smiles at me and squeezes my hand. “Thanks, Sis.”
Then the world explodes around us.
The walls don’t just rattle, they crack and shatter. Chunks of debris rain down from above and I’m thrown backwards with the force of the explosion, skidding to a stop twenty feet away with a burning pain in my side, a five inch shard of glass sticking out just below my ribs.
Coughing, I fumble at the glass, my fingertip fumbling for a grip against the blood that coats it. The feel of the skin parting registers before the pain as my right palm splits against the edge. I pull my hand back with a hiss, the blood welling around the cut and trailing down my wrist. Not too deep, my fingers still bend and I’ve got feeling in it so no nerves or tendons were severed. Raising it above my head I rip at the gown with my other hand, yanking on a torn edge until a swath of cloth pulls away. I wrap my palm as tightly as I can, then grit my teeth and use the padding my bandage provided to grab the glass and pull it out, a pained gasp erupting from my mouth.
My back hits the wall and I lean back and catalog the rest of my body. Sore and obviously bruised, but not critically injured. At least I don’t think so. I blink the dust out of my burning eyes and take in the room around me.
The ceiling has collapsed, at least most of the way and I’ve been forced to the back of the room, almost into the hallway. There will be no going out the front door. They aren’t even visible over the pile of debris in front of me. Thank goodness it appears the facility is mostly underground, a few more stories on top of me and I wouldn’t be here.
But where the hell is Jace? I scan the room frantically before a groan calls my attention to a pile of rubble to my left. Jace lies there, one leg trapped under a large chunk of the collapsed ceiling. I run to him and fall to my knees next to him, ignoring the sharp agony that travels from my side and the blood soaking my gown. “Jace.”
“It’s okay Jax,” he says. He pats my arm. “You’ve got to go. Get out of here.”
“No, I’m not leaving you.” This building was supposed to be safe!
I grasp the underside of Jace’s arms and pull, my feet scrabbling on the tile for purchase. He doesn’t budge, even worse, he lets out an awful scream and his eyes roll back in his head. One foot slides out from under me and my butt slams to the ground. My brother’s head ends up half in my lap and my other leg is twisted behind me.
Each breath brings another stinging pain up from my ribs and into my arm. More blood too. The stupid gown is soaked on one side and it doesn’t really show any sign of slowing. I need to stop the bleeding. It won’t do anyone any good if I pass out too. I’m alone and injured. Jace is hurt. The walls close in on me and my breaths come faster. Panic claws at my chest and I scramble up to my feet.
I wedge my fingers under the biggest piece of concrete holding Jace down and pull until my arms scream. One hand slips and I lose my grip, going back down to the floor. Up. Pull. Slip. Fall. Again. And again.
Tears blur my vision. The bandage on my palm is nearly shredded, the blood from the wound staining the rock holding my brother down. My fingers will barely curl around the rough edged rubble anymore, scraped and bloody as they are, one fingernail ripped off. I haven’t come this far just to lose him. I refuse to let this happen.
The floor beneath my feet shakes and I slam back down to the ground. My side is on fire and black spots swim through my vision. Too much blood, but I can’t stop. Get up! Try again! I screech at myself until I stand up again on wobbly legs.
Did it move that time?
A panting whimper escapes my mouth as I rage against that rock. If it’s moved, I can’t tell. The room spins when I stand again and I don’t even have time to batter my poor fingers again. It’s just straight bac
k down for me. My butt crashes against the floor. Scooting closer to Jace, I pull my knees into my chest and rest my head between them to let the dizziness pass.
I’ve lost a lot of blood and who knows the extent of Jace’s injuries. Just look at us, the only hope for the survival of the E’rikon and human races. If what Lir said is true, Jace and I are somehow meant to unite them. And we’re going to die in the crossfire between them without anyone the wiser. How stupidly ironic.
The skitter of rock and a flash of movement to my left bring my head up. An instant, fiery anger licks at my blood when the white coated form slinks around the corner with his hands up.
Not one I know, at least not one I remember, but he might have been one of Jace’s tormentors. He won’t be hurting my brother any more.
My lips pull back from my teeth in a snarl and I’m on my feet, a blend of hysteria and hot rage powering my movements. Quick, smooth and purposeful I grasp a shard of glass on my way up. Unbalanced and awkward, it won’t make a good throwing weapon, but it’s all I have.
He… no, this one with the white coat is an ‘it’… It moves one small step forward, a simple sliding of its feet moving it within feet of me. Slowly, cautiously it takes another step.
“Stay back!” The makeshift bandage provides me with a perfect handle as I grip the shard in my fist.
Hands go up. Yellow eyes with a star burst of red in the center never leave my own. Something— this thing pushes against the link, gently but persistently.
A hiss from me. My other hand curls into a fist and I position myself between Jace and it, legs spread, knees slightly bent.
“I will not harm you.” Of course not, it will be dead before it has a chance to do so. Another step.
I narrow my eyes. It’s taller than me. Go for the throat? Quick and easy, won’t require as much strength, but it will be expecting that. The leg, femoral artery. One good slice and it will be down. Hopefully before it can do me any damage.
“I am unarmed.”
Good. A creeping, twisted smile pulls at my lips. Easier to dispatch.
“My name is Jastren Reva.”
Does it think I care? I knew the names of the men at the cabin. I knew Zach’s name. Didn’t change the outcome. I crouch lower, shielding Jace from its view.
“He is injured. Let me help you.” Another step. My eyes track every movement. “Let me link with you.”
I snort. “Doesn’t work. They’ve tried. By the looks of that coat you should know that.”
“But…” he sighs and lowers his hands, “…familial links are different.”
Familial? As in… He said his name was Reva. Cocking my head to the side and straightening, I study the alien in front of me. He’s obviously on the older side of their age spectrum. There’s no gray in his bright red hair, but there are subtle lines on his face and just something in his eyes….a tiredness? “Who are you?”
“My bondmate was part of one of the first teams to arrive. She was pregnant…” He takes in the details of my face as if he’s looking for something or someone, a sad and almost defeated look on his face. “Our daughter was born here on Earth soon after my bondmate arrived. Following our traditions, she was named for her father’s line, my line… Jaslyn.”
The name— my mother’s name— sends me back a step and my eyes widen. Jastren moves closer and my hand brings the glass shard up higher.
“Stay back.” The command is softer this time.
“There is not much time. You need to get out of here. We—”
“How did you find us?” I step closer, brandishing the glass in front of me. “You’re dressed like them… the ones that locked us up. The ones that… studied us. Why should I trust you?”
“Right now you have no other choice. I imagine at this point I am just as much of a target as you are and I know another way out.”
“Target? Why would you be a target?”
“Although I had nothing to do with what happened to you and your brother, I know too much. The same reason young Steliro was meant to be here when that bomb hit.”
“But how would the humans even know…”
Jastren shakes his head. “Do you really think this was the human’s doing? This is an unmarked building well away from any potential targets, but that last one was almost on the doorstep. Vitrad is making his move and your arrival gave him the perfect scapegoat. Wipe out the Vestras and who would be left? Who would the people turn to for direction? Who will fuel the flames of their anger and incite this war with a few well picked targets?”
“But why?”
“That is a story for another time and right now we need to get you and your brother out of the city.” He hesitates for a moment and then strides forward, glancing from my face to my hand.
Oh. I’m still clutching my improvised weapon. He’s the only help I have so I’m going to have to trust him. I lower my hand slowly. “How are we going to get Jace out?”
He doesn’t answer, merely shifts through the rubble until he finds a long metal rod and then slides it underneath the concrete. Pushing down on one end of the lever, his face reddens and there’s a small shift in the rock, enough that I’m able to slide Jace out from underneath.
After I pat his cheek a few times, Jace’s eyes flutter open and focus on my face. He struggles to stand, but his leg is twisted in a direction it’s not meant to go in and his face goes pale before he can reach his feet. Leaning down, I pull him up and throw his arm over my shoulder. I’m not strong enough to hold him up though, so Jastren steps up.
Jace furrows his brow and looks at me. “You sure seem adept at finding alien admirers. This one’s a little old though.”
I chuckle and Jastren tries to conceal a smile. “Yeah, say hi to Grandpa.”
THIRTY
I scavenge for a change of clothes and a pair of boots as we navigate our way out of the building. There is only so much blood covered fabric I can take and the gown keeps sticking to my side one moment and ripping away the next. Not the most comfortable feeling in the world, plus it keeps the wound from clotting. Thankfully, I’m able to scrounge up one of those snazzy gray uniforms that everyone seems to wear around here and a pair of boots somewhat close to my size.
There’s more to my change in wardrobe than temporary comfort, but not something that I’m willing to share with the guys yet. Jace will not approve and I’m not entirely sure what Jastren will say.
Once we stumble our way through a maze of back hallways and outside, I can see the edge of the forest from where I stand. So close. Everything in me just wants to jog into the trees, leave all this behind and go hide somewhere familiar and safe, but I can’t leave without Lir.
And that’s what is going to make for a very uncomfortable conversation with Jace right now.
“That outbuilding over there looks like it might be a good stopping place.” I point to a small shed right inside the shimmering barrier that surrounds the city.
“Stopping place?” Jace leans forward from beside Jastren. “Why would we be stopping?”
Deep breath. “I’m going back for him.”
“For…”
“For Lir.”
I expect Jace’s protest, but not Jastren’s. “Steliro Vestra is not to be trusted. I do not know what your experience has been with him, but he is Vitrad’s.”
“Yeah, Vitrad’s nephew. Why shouldn’t I trust him? I thought you said he was a target too.”
“He is, but should he have survived that bombing, I am positive Vitrad will find another use for him. He—”
“Wait a second here,” Jace breaks in. “This Lir guy is one of the Vestras and he’s related to the Vitrad guy? The one that started all this? The one that wants to kill us all? Hell no, Jax. You aren’t going anywhere. It’s bad enough you broke him out of lock up. You don’t owe that guy anything.”
“You don’t understand.”
“Damn right I don’t. We’re together. We’re alive and mostly whole. Why would you want to risk yourself o
n a rescue mission for some alien that probably doesn’t even need to be rescued?”
I stop walking and curl my fingers into my palms, digging in to prevent my temper from exploding. “You don’t even know him.”
“Yeah, but he does.” He jerks his thumb at Jastren. “And even he thinks it’s a bad idea.”
“And you trust him, just like that? What happened to your whole aliens are the devil spiel?”
They’ve pulled a few feet ahead of me and Jace finally stops to face me. “Verifying the family connection is pretty simple stuff. I checked him out as soon as he came over to help.”
Pretty simple stuff? Maybe for him. Is it worse that Jace kept things from me or that he’s so dismissive about my feelings and abilities? If he hadn’t kept me in the dark for so long, none of this would be necessary. I clench my teeth and try to rein in my growing irritation.
“Fine then. Go hang out with Gramps. I’ll be back.” I spin around and take off running. Jace calls out my name and the wound in my side screams, but I ignore both. I refuse to let them see me falter. Before I round the corner of the first building I call back over my shoulder, “Why don’t you get in touch with Flint while I’m gone, you know arrange a ride or something. Should be pretty simple stuff for you, right?”
I don’t wait for an answer.
* * * * * * *
The streets are deserted. Great news for me, but also a little disconcerting. Where is everyone? They’re under attack, or at least they’re supposed to think they are, so where are they?
My steps have slowed to a jog and each empty block I traverse just increases my desire to turn around. Each time my chest expands, my indecision increases. What am I thinking? I’m putting myself and my brother in more unnecessary danger for a guy I’m not entirely sure about. I’m basing everything on Rym’s assertion that Lir didn’t know, that Lir was a victim of Vitrad’s manipulations, but what if he was lying? And even if he told me the truth, what was Lir doing out in the clearing that day? Jastren, Jace and Vitrad planted the seeds of doubt and now the questions slink into my brain, taking root in my suspicion and confusion.