Warrior

by Karen Lynch

  “He will sleep now, and when he wakes he will be well,” the witch told Sara.

  They went to the twins so the witch could heal them as well. A collective sigh went through the room when he was done.

  Two warriors came to take the witch, and I was surprised when the boy looked to Sara for reassurance. She smiled and nodded at him, and he meekly let them lead him away. We were fortunate he was so young. An adult Hale witch would not have surrendered as easily, and might not have helped the people he’d hurt.

  I started toward Sara when someone called my name. I looked around and saw Chris waving from a bed in one of the rooms.

  “You going to stay in bed all day?” I quipped when I entered his room.

  He grunted. “You’d be on your back too if a Hale witch tried to scramble your brain.”

  My humor fled. “What happened out there?”

  “I found Sara and Jordan out back, and I was running to them when the bastard got me.” He grimaced. “It was the worst pain I’ve ever felt, like my head was going to explode. It was only for a few seconds, but I thought I would go insane. Then Sara screamed and jumped on me, and I passed out. I don’t know what she did, but she saved me and crippled the witch at the same time. I would’ve been a goner if not for her.”

  “So would a lot of people.”

  There was no telling how many of our people the witch would have hurt if she hadn’t stopped him, and it most likely would have changed the outcome of the attack. The vampires had come here for Sara, and she’d taken out their biggest weapon by herself.

  Chris let out a breath. “She had a bloody Hale witch cowering on the ground. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “And then?”

  I didn’t know if I wanted to hear more. Judging by the number of bodies I’d seen when I found Sara, she’d been right in the thick of the battle.

  “We tried to get to the garages, but at least a dozen vampires showed up with three crocotta. I honestly didn’t expect us to make it. I couldn’t fight. Sara, Jordan, and the werewolves held them off until the hellhounds arrived with the wyvern and the griffin.”

  He made a face. “I saw that wyvern coming at us, and I was sure we were dead. But he ignored us and went after the crocotta and vampires. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was protecting us. Jesus, what a night.” He sank back against his pillow. “Did you know we lost two trainees?”

  I shook my head grimly. “Who told you?”

  “Sara and Jordan. They watched the girl die. The boy was already dead when they got there.”

  “Vampire?”

  “Yes. Sara and Jordan killed him. I’m amazed they’re still standing after all they went through out there.”

  “Khristu!” I paced the small room. “I promised her she would be safe here, and she’s been hurt more times since she came here than she was in Maine. She could have died tonight.”

  “No one could have predicted something like this would happen. When was the last time vampires, or anything else for that matter, attacked one of our strongholds?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Someone shouted, and two of the trainees ran in, carrying Sahir between them. Sara ran up and stood outside the exam room with the boys while the healers worked on Sahir. She looked exhausted, but her anxious expression told me she wasn’t leaving until her friend was out of danger.

  An hour later, I saw her sagging against the wall, barely able to stand, and I decided I’d held back long enough.

  “You should be in bed,” I told her.

  She tried to hold back a yawn. “I’m fine.”

  “You’re practically asleep on your feet. There is nothing else you can do here tonight. If you don’t rest, you’ll end up in here yourself.”

  “Okay.”

  I expected her to argue. The fact that she gave in easily told me how tired she was.

  She moved away from the wall and wobbled.

  I reached for her, and she put up a hand.

  “I can walk. I’m tired, Nikolas, not weak.”

  Her indignant expression drew a chuckle from me. “Sara, no one who knew you would ever accuse you of being weak. Come on, I’ll walk you to your room.”

  She nodded, and we headed for the stairs. Except for the medical ward, the main floor of the building was deserted.

  “I’ve never seen it this empty here,” she said as we passed through the main hall.

  “They’re outside, cleaning up,” I told her, and she shuddered. She was quiet as we climbed the stairs to her floor.

  “You’re sure you would not feel better staying with Nate tonight?” What I really wanted was to take her back to my apartment. But she was covered in dirt and blood, and she’d want her own shower and bed after the ordeal.

  “I’m sure.”

  She turned to me when we reached her door, and I saw how hard she was trying not to cry in front of me.

  “You were amazing tonight,” I said, earning a small smile.

  “Really?”

  “The whole time I was out there all I could think about was getting to you. And then I find you standing in the middle of it all, surrounded by bodies. I heard what you did. Don’t ever tell me again that you’re not a warrior.”

  “I did have a lot of help.” Her eyes grew troubled. “I was worried about you, too.”

  I moved toward her, intending to ask if she wanted me to stay. The exhaustion I saw on her face stopped me. I touched her face and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Try to get some sleep.”

  “I will,” she whispered as she opened the door.

  As soon as the door closed behind her, I went to my place for a quick shower. Then I went looking for Tristan. But he was closeted in his office on an emergency conference call with the Council.

  I found out from Claire that in addition to Kenneth and the two trainees – Olivia and Mark – we’d lost Phillip and Jay, who had been on duty at the gate. The three warriors were young, and I didn’t know them or Olivia and Mark, but their deaths came as a blow.

  I decided to go out and help with the cleanup, but a faint wave of pain across the bond had me heading for Sara’s room instead. Outside her door, I heard her crying and felt her pain, and I didn’t hesitate.

  She was on the couch, her face pressed against her knees and her shoulders shaking. I sat beside her, and she made a small wounded sound and threw herself into my arms.

  “I can’t do this anymore,” she sobbed against my chest. “I can’t bear all these people getting hurt because of me.”

  I should have known she’d blame herself for the attack. I never should have left her alone.

  “None of this was your fault. No one expected the vampires to try something like this. If you have to blame anyone, blame me. I promised you and Nate that you would be safe here.”

  “I can’t blame you,” she said between hiccups. “You all could have died tonight. I couldn’t bear it if…”

  She started to cry again, and I held her closer.

  “Nothing will happen to us. Now that we know the lengths this vampire will go to, we will step up security and put every resource we have into finding him. I will never let them take you. That is one promise I will take to my grave.”

  A shudder went through her. “Don’t say that!”

  I had no reply, not one she wanted to hear. The simple truth was that she was everything to me, and I’d willingly trade my life for hers.

  I held her and rubbed her back as she quieted, and her body slowly relaxed against mine. Her hair was still a little damp from her shower, and her familiar sunshine scent surrounded me.

  When she sighed softly, I said, “Feeling better?”

  She nodded, and I unwillingly let her go.

  “Would you…stay just a little longer?” she asked hoarsely.

  My stomach fluttered. “I’ll be here as long as you need me.”

  I moved us until I reclined against one end of the couch with her lying against me. Then I adjusted the quilt she’d
been wearing until it covered us. Her head rested on my chest, and one of her legs was across mine as she snuggled against me. I closed my eyes as a sense of peace filled me and my Mori.

  “Go to sleep, moy malen’kiy voin,” I said softly. “You’ve earned it.”

  She huffed softly. “You’re always saying stuff in Russian. What did you just say?”

  A small laugh escaped me. “It means ‘my little warrior.’”

  “I’m not that little,” she murmured. “You’re my warrior too.”

  I wrapped my arms more tightly around her. Yes, I am.

  She was asleep within minutes, no surprise considering all she’d been through in the last few hours. I looked down at her delicate features, relaxed in sleep, and pictured her fighting alongside her friends tonight. As much as I wanted to protect her, I could already see her growing into the warrior she’d be someday. It filled me with pride and scared the hell out of me at the same time. I wasn’t prepared to see her in battle. Maybe after a year or two of intense training. Maybe.

  Sara shivered and cried out softly. I rubbed her back and pressed my lips to her forehead.

  “No more bad dreams,” I whispered. She’d had far too many of those lately.

  She relaxed again, and I closed my eyes. I should be outside helping with the cleanup, but I couldn’t make myself leave her. I’d waited days to be alone with her again, and nothing short of another attack would force me out of her arms tonight.

  I soon realized her couch was shorter than mine, and not the most comfortable bed for a six foot two warrior. Careful not to jostle Sara, I got up and carried her to the bed. I laid her on top of the covers and went to turn off the TV and grab her quilt. When I lay down beside her, she turned to sprawl across me before I had even covered us with the quilt.

  Smiling, I pulled her close and joined her in sleep.

  Chapter 27

  “Hard to believe, isn’t it?”

  I looked sideways at Chris, who had joined me on what had been a battlefield twelve hours ago. The snow was more red than white, and there were three blackened circles where piles of vampire and crocotta bodies had been burnt.

  I’d gotten up at dawn to assist with the job of loading the burnt remains on a truck so they could be taken miles away and disposed of. We would not desecrate our home by burying the bodies in our woods. It had been violated enough just having them here last night.

  “I never thought I’d see this day,” I admitted grimly. “It kills me to say it, but Westhorne is no longer safe, at least not for Sara. As long as she’s here, the Master will keep coming.”

  “I think you’re right.” His gaze swept the grounds. “Whatever you decide to do, I’m in. No one will get to our girl without going through us.”

  “Thanks, Chris. I knew I could count on you.”

  “Yeah. Besides, my life would be unbearably dull without you two.”

  I smiled. “It’s hard to remember what life was like before Sara.”

  “Very, very quiet,” he said, and we both laughed. The sound felt wrong after what had happened here last night.

  Chris sobered. “Tristan called in three units to help with security until the Council sends more warriors. I’m going out on patrol until reinforcements get here. Want to join me?”

  “Yeah.”

  It would be good to go out and stretch my legs a bit. I didn’t need to get my sword. Like every other warrior here, I was wearing mine wherever I went today. Westhorne was still on alert. Although the chances of a daytime attack were unlikely, we were putting nothing past this Master.

  It was late morning when we returned to find the stronghold a lot more crowded than it had been when we left. The twenty well-armed warriors were a welcome sight to everyone at Westhorne, and they immediately went to work, organizing themselves into patrols.

  I was on my way to find Sara when Tristan stopped me in the hallway.

  “I’m going to see Michael. He’s asking for Sara, so I’m going to ask her if she wants to talk to him.”

  “Not without me.”

  Michael had betrayed Sara and almost cost her her life. There was no way she was going into the same room with him unless I was there.

  Tristan nodded. “I thought you’d say that.”

  The medical ward was quiet after last night’s craziness. The healers had done an exemplary job of handling the dozens of injured pouring in here after the attack.

  The worst were Sahir and the three who’d been attacked by the witch. I’d checked in on them this morning and found out they were all doing well. Ben had already been released, and Seamus and Niall would be good to go later this afternoon.

  Only Sahir had to stay for another day or two. He had almost been killed by two vampires at the menagerie before he’d somehow managed to free the creatures. The wyvern had thanked him by saving his life.

  I wasn’t surprised to hear Sara’s voice coming from Sahir’s room. Tristan went to get her, and I entered Michael’s room to find Celine there. We hadn’t spoken about what she’d said to Sara, and I’d decided to let it go with everything else going on here the last week, first with Nate and then last night’s attack.

  I hadn’t forgotten it was Celine’s interference that was partially responsible for sending Sara right into my arms. I found it hard to be angry about that.

  Michael sat on the bed, propped up with pillows, his wrist chained to the bed rail. He gave me a fearful look and ducked his head when I took up a position by the door.

  It was hard to believe this frail young boy was responsible for the deaths of five people. If not for Jordan, Roland, and Peter, he would have caused Sara’s death as well. Sara thought he was mentally ill, but I wasn’t sure I could forgive him for what he’d done to her.

  Sara entered the room behind Tristan, looking rested and recovered. Her eyes found mine, but she looked away when Michael spoke to her.

  “You came? I didn’t think you would.”

  “I wasn’t sure I would come either.” There was no anger in her voice, only sadness.

  She walked over to the bed. “How are you feeling?”

  “O-okay,” he stammered. “Sara, I-I’m sorry for what I did to you. I know you won’t forgive me, but I want you to know that I didn’t ever want to hurt you.”

  “You didn’t hurt just me, Michael,” she corrected him in an accusing tone. “Olivia and Mark are dead.”

  “Oh, God!” Michael began to cry wretchedly. “No one was supposed to die. They said if I gave them you, they would give me Matthew.”

  “And you believed them?” she asked in disbelief.

  “I had to. I messed up everything else, and it was my last chance of getting Matthew back.”

  Everything else?

  Tristan stepped forward. “What do you mean? What did you mess up?”

  Michael wouldn’t meet Tristan’s stern gaze. “I-I was supposed to scare Sara and make her leave. I did things to make her want to go, but she never did.”

  “What things?” Sara stared at him. “Did you have anything to do with us getting attacked in the movie theater?”

  He ducked his head. “I only told them what movie you were going to see. I didn’t know they would sic demons on all those people.”

  My gut hardened in anger, but I stayed where I was. Losing my temper was not going to help us.

  Sara looked a lot calmer than I felt. “What about the vampires at the party we went to? Did you tell them we would be there?”

  “I didn’t even know you were going to a party. I swear,” he said.

  “What else did you do?” Tristan asked.

  “I gave Sara some drex venom,” Michael answered in a small voice.

  He looked at Sara. “It was supposed to make you sad and depressed so you’d want to leave. It’s not supposed to make people sick. I didn’t know what to do when you got so sick.”

  I looked from Sara to Tristan. She’d been ill? When? Why hadn’t Tristan told me?

  Drex demon venom made people
have hallucinations. It normally didn’t make them sick. But then most people weren’t half Fae… I swore silently. Demon blood and venom were poisonous to the Fae. It was no wonder Sara had gotten sick.

  “You did that to me?” Sara asked in disbelief.

  Celine spoke for the first time. “Where on Earth did you get drex venom?”

  “They keep a lot of venoms in the medical ward for making antidotes,” Michael replied.

  It was hard to stay calm when I thought about how many kinds of demon venom we had here. If he’d used too much drex venom, or if he’d used a different one Sara couldn’t fight off, she might have died. It didn’t matter that he had no idea she was half Fae. He could have killed her.

  “What else did you do?” I bit out.

  He flinched and looked down at his lap. A minute or two passed before he answered.

  “I-I let the hellhounds out so they would scare her. I did it when there were lots of warriors around to keep her from getting hurt.”

  Tristan sent me a warning look before he addressed Michael. “How did you do that without anyone seeing you?”

  “They let me hang out in the control room sometimes,” he told us. “And I saw Ben entering in his security code when he was on duty. After that, it was easy to log on from my laptop.”

  I thought back to all the times I’d been in the security center with Dax since I’d returned. I had seen Michael in there on at least one occasion. Dax hadn’t seemed to mind, so I hadn’t mentioned it.

  “You set the karks on me, didn’t you?” Sara asked accusingly.

  Michael bit his lip. “I sprayed some scarab demon pheromone on you. I used just a drop to get them worked up. I had no idea they’d go nuts like that.”

  It was all I could do to keep my anger in check. For weeks, this boy had played dangerous games with Sara’s life. People were dead because of him, and Sara could have been one of them.

  Sara threw up her arms. “I don’t get it! The vampires wanted me dead and you had so many chances to finish me off. Why didn’t you just kill me and be done with it?”

  He gave her a horrified look. “I couldn’t do that. I never wanted to hurt you at all. I just wanted you to leave so they would see I did what they asked me and let Matthew go. And they said they wanted you alive.”