by Lexi Ander
Ace moved to stand next to Juan, saying softly, "I understand."
"If you believe I'll leave you here while the walls come down, you have another think coming," Juan whispered in my ear, his arm around me tightening. Later, he'd give me grief for asking him to do something I understood he never could.
"Fine! Stubborn assholes," I groused, frustrated neither one of them seemed to understand I only wanted to protect them.
Juan simply smiled as if I'd professed my undying love, and Ace blushed, stuffing his fists into his pockets.
Moving to the center of the main cavern, I thought about what I wanted to attempt. The place was built into the bedrock. Realistically, what needed to be destroyed was the cursed tiles. I needed to produce flame hot enough to consume the material and, hopefully, leave only ash behind. Then the Magi could reform the stones, filling the space in for all time.
Juan and Ace stepped back toward the tunnel leading to the surface. After taking one more look at Juan, who gave me another heartwarming smile, I called up the flame. I imagined a window in the mental barrier holding the flame captive. If I opened the window a sliver, I could draw on the fire with a measure of control. In my outstretched cupped hands, a blue flame flickered to life, eerily beautiful and yet so devastatingly dangerous.
Internally, the fire pressed against the opening, dancing eagerly to get out. Steadfast, I worked to keep the outlet to only a sliver, but the inferno was like a weight fighting against me, as if the blaze had a mind of its own. Like a creature long caged, the flame wanted out of the walls I'd built to contain it. I trembled under the pressure of holding the opening steady, the fire in my hands tripling in size. How big the flame was didn't matter. What did were the shields holding back the heat, keeping it from consuming my companions. Gritting my teeth, I fought the fire's press against the outlet, holding the buffer steady. Suddenly I lost. The metaphorical sash of the window popped open and the heat poured out like a hungry beast and, before I could speak a word of warning, the blue flame engulfed me.
Broadening the shield, I attempted to contain the heat as I moved out of the middle of the floor. But instead of leaving the fire behind, it moved with me. There was no way I could protect the others from the heat as well as use the flame to destroy the caverns. As long as I held on, attempting to control the blaze, wherever I went, so did it. I'd have to release the fire, let it slip from my leash completely if I wanted it to destroy the caverns. Frustrated, I slammed the window shut in my mind. The action came too late. More of the inferno than I could safely absorb had been released and I couldn't put it out. The blaze licked hungrily over the white tiles, gobbling up the substance as if consuming a tasty morsel.
"Run!" I yelled to Juan and Ace.
Each attempt I made to leave the center of the flame failed. I was trapped because I was unwilling to let go of the leash, terrified of what the inferno would do if freed from my grasp. When I glanced up to make sure Juan and Ace had retreated, fear lanced through me. They still stood there, watching me as they spoke to each other.
I didn't have time to yell at them again. The window in my mind's eye exploded, the fire rushing forth, brushing me aside as if I were inconsequential. Falling to my knees, I screamed under the weight of the fiery beast, the heat swirling almost angrily around me, tinting everything blue. Bit by bit, I laboriously drew the flames close to me to give Juan and Ace time to flee. My muscles burned as if I moved a physical weight, and I fell to my hands. I gritted my teeth against the building scream as the flames scored through my soul, singeing everything in its path. The blaze not only gobbled down the material of the tiles, but reveled in it like a living thing. I was the unwilling conduit. Sweat poured off me as I fought for some semblance of control. When I opened my eyes to see Juan and Ace standing at the edge of the conflagration, not quite touching the blue fire, I thought I'd lose my mind in terror.
Damn it! Juan knew how dangerous my fire was; he had to know this wasn't normal. Its destruction, if unchecked, would rival the energy output of any human-made bomb. And yet Juan and Ace stood there, watching me with grim faces. Ace's mouth moved, but I couldn't hear him over the roar of the fire. When I shook my head, Ace motioned I should watch him. He held out his hands, palms facing towards each other. It took me a moment to realize the dust at his feet began to swirl like a little whirlwind, reaching up toward the ceiling. As he moved his hands away from each other, the mini tornado flattened and stretched, moving slowly to encompass the flames surrounding me. His magic was similar to what I knew, but not quite the same. What did Ace mean to do once he'd contained the fire? I couldn't make the blaze dissipate, and I doubted he could hold his spelling indefinitely.
Then, to my abject horror, Juan stepped into the blue flames. A startled cry left my lips as I frantically waved him off, but he ignored me. To my surprise he didn't burn. Every step he took, Juan staggered, fighting to stay upright. Why wasn't he consumed? What miracle allowed him to walk into the fire and not immediately turn into ash? When he reached me, Juan draped his arm around my hunched shoulders.
"Tie the magic off like we talked about. Release the fire. As long as you're still holding on, it will move with you." Juan shouted to be heard over the roar.
He was correct, but I was terrified what the fire would do once I released it. Would it burn itself out? Or would I be unleashing a monster that would consume the bedrock as well as the foul white tiles. But I had to do something. Ace and Juan proved they wouldn't leave without me, so I had to make my way to the surface if I was going to get them out of here. But there was one problem.
"I don't think I can stand."
I'd used all my energy to control the flame and my muscles had the consistency of gelatin. Juan stared at me with grim determination. His Lupe battle form emerged, changing him into a creature right out of the horror movies. His face elongated into a snout, jagged teeth pushed at his lips, and his eyes turned the color of freshly spilled blood. Then he reached for me, securing me to his chest before he stood, cradling me in his arms.
No longer needing to worry about supporting myself, I put my remaining energy stores into the task of tying off the magic and confirming the barrier remained secure, no threat of more slipping from my core. Beyond weary and fighting to stay conscious, I lay my head on Juan's shoulder.
Ace moved toward us, his whirlwind pushing the blue flames to the side. Juan walked to Ace confidently, and when we stopped next to him the cyclonic wind encircled the three of us, keeping the heat at bay.
"Are we ready?" Ace asked calmly as if he worked magic against something this dangerous every day.
Unable to speak well in his Lupe form, Juan nodded. Ace led us out of the main cavern. Before we left, I looked over Juan's shoulder to see the fire had spread, eating the white tiles but seeming to leave the bedrock alone. Did I do something to make the fire consume only what I wanted? Perhaps once the situation was safe we could return to look for clues.
Ace didn't release his magic until we reached the stairs leading to the surface. When I placed my hand on the stone wall and allowed the Earth's energy to slip into me, restoring some of my depleted energy, Juan stopped rather than letting my hand scrape as we walked further. What I really needed was a meal with lots of calories. After a short moment, the smoke coming up from the lower tunnels prompted us to hurry and climb the remaining steps.
Jynx, Devlin, and Nacht, as well as a few other Magi, waited for us.
"Damn, Gregori, you look terrible," Jynx said as he approached, ignoring Juan's fierce visage. He took my wrist, his magic sinking into me. The probe was a simple practice all Magi could do in order to assess someone's injuries. His knowing glance chastised me for keeping secrets from them. For the first time in, well, ever, I wasn't afraid to share with the people who led the college.
I nodded, understanding his unspoken demand, then looked for Ace. He was talking to Devlin, but his worried gaze met mine. Politely excusing himself, Ace crossed the space back to Juan's side. "How are
you feeling?"
I tapped Juan's chest in a request for him to set me on my feet. When my knees buckled, Juan growled and picked me back up again. Gods, if any of my friends saw us… Tristan and Stan would have a conniption fit.
"I'm fine—"
"You're not," Juan's garbled rasp interrupted.
"—thanks to you and Juan," I finished. Jynx's expression became both curious and smug at the same time. Meddling idiot. To Ace, I said, "Sometime you'll have to show me what exactly you did back there. Your strength is impressive." Later, I'd reprimand him for being foolish enough to stick around.
Ace grinned, then blushed a deep red when he noticed Jynx watching him. "It wasn't anything special."
"Oh, it most certainly was." Ace's aura blazed a brilliant gold at my words, but the deep red of sorrow still tinged the outer edges. As the shadowmen escorted us back to the ranch, I wondered if Juan and I could uncover what had hurt Ace. Perhaps we'd be lucky enough to be able to help him.
Chapter Six
"Sometimes, in order to do what is needed, all ties have to be broken." —From the order of Vikrum, the Ophidian assassins
Nathan Janick
Daniel didn't remove the cuffs when he "rescued" me. And before he put me in the SUV, he blindfolded me. He didn't want me to see where we were going, meaning his place was close and I might recognize where we were. Understandably, he didn't trust me fully; our allegiance was a fledgling thing when Tristan returned. In Daniel's world, I couldn't go anywhere or accomplish anything without his trust. I had a plan to earn that valuable commodity, so I didn't complain or cajole. Instead, I sat in the back of the vehicle and waited patiently as we rode in silence.
When I chose this course, I'd known the road ahead would be hard, perhaps even more than I could handle. A fine tremor worked its way up my spine. Breathing steadily, I brought up each reason I sat next to Daniel Sullivan. I wouldn't deviate from my course of action until I reached the end. I'd sacrifice my ties to everything I knew, to everything I held dear to accomplish my task.
I don't know how long we drove, at least two or three hours, I think. By the time we stopped, I had to piss like nobody's business.
"Allow me to guide you," Daniel whispered into my ear, his breath hot over my skin. Without warning, he licked from my ear down to my jaw, nipping me before he pulled away. I held still for his attentions, giving nothing away. "Slide across the seat towards me and I'll help you step out of the vehicle."
Swallowing thickly, I followed his instructions. He gently grasped my elbow, guiding me through the door. Gravel crunched under the soles of my shoes. I heard others moving around, and the slam of car doors. Daniel pulled me along behind him and I attempted to keep from shuffling my feet, wanting to show him without words that I trusted he wouldn't harm me.
"There are four steps up to the porch. Once we are inside, I'll remove your blindfold." Daniel's excitement was clear in the tone of his voice.
Navigating the stairs was easy enough, and true to his word, once the door closed, he removed the bandanna tied around my head. We stood in a foyer of a modern home. All the lights were on, the shades drawn over the windows so I couldn't get a peek at our location. When I glanced at Daniel, his gaze was expectant, as if he had some secret he was waiting for me to discover. I raised my arms and rattled the cuffs. I was tired of being separated from my wolf.
"Not yet, my friend. We would know your heart before we free you in Her sanctuary."
Daniel motioned me to proceed him into the living room, but as soon as I stepped over some invisible threshold, the room shimmered, changing to a space completely different than what I had originally seen. Gone were the plush sofas and recliners. Before me sprawled a vast cavernous room with marble floors and polished black columns. The atmosphere turned thick and I instinctively popped my ears as a dry wind brushed over my exposed skin. A soft hum pulsed in the air, causing an electrical current to crawl over my nerves. Shifting from foot to foot, I attempted to keep my rising apprehension from showing. I must have failed in the useless endeavor because Daniel seemed to read me like a book.
Stepping in front of me, he cupped my face. "We talked about this. Now is the time to back out if you aren't sure. Once you have completed the ritual, there will be no going back. You can't return to the life you once had. You'll belong to me and only me. Tell me now, is this what you want?"
I knew without him saying that if I backed down it would mean my immediate death. Though I was terrified of what was to come, there would be no returning. I'd given up everything to be here. But if I lost focus, if I lost sight of what I wanted, then everything I'd accomplished up to this point would've been for nothing. I refused to accept defeat.
"I'm ready," I said, looking into his light blue eyes. Daniel grinned widely, a small bit of his insanity peeking through.
Right before he kissed me, I thought I heard him whisper Tristan's name. But I didn't have time to contemplate what it meant, concentrating instead on submitting to him. No one, neither man nor wolf nor True Blood, dominated Daniel Sullivan. That was the first and foremost rule I had to remember if I wanted to survive in his twisted world.
He nipped my lip before stepping away. "Then come. She'll be waiting."
Daniel led me down a corridor. The carpet muffled our approach to a candlelit room. The electric hum grew louder as we advanced. Once in the room, I realized the occupants were the ones who created the noise. Rows of wooden benches faced the far end of the room, and everyone wore red hooded robes, their faces so deep in shadow I couldn't discern any features. At the end of the aisle sat an altar intricately carved with two owls, their wings outstretched towards each other with the wingtips touching in the middle. Behind the table stood a woman with her back to us. She wore only a billowing white gauzy dress, and her lustrous black hair fell in waves past her hips.
I stopped next to Daniel mere inches from the altar, fisting my hands to keep them from shaking. The humming rose in pitch, and I gritted my teeth against the electric buzz making my nerves raw.
"I can smell your fear," she said, turning to look at me.
"Sasha?" My shock was evident, something I couldn't hide at the moment. Everyone knew who the assistants to the Council of Five were, Sasha being the most prominent.
She grinned, the light dancing in her eyes. "So my identity is still safe. I'd wondered if your cousin had guessed Sasha was really a Goddess in disguise. Tristan may be resilient, but he doesn't seem too bright."
I bowed my head and stared at the floor. "No, Goddess. He is not." I put as much bitterness as I could muster into my reply. Daniel rested his hand on the small of my back, either in comfort or in warning, I didn't know which.
The Goddess Inanna strode around the altar and approached us. My heart sped quicker with each step she took. "Daniel has sworn you are sincere in your allegiance. Would you be shocked to know you are the only one he has brought before me?"
She pushed her finger under the tip of my chin, tilting my head until I stared into her eyes. Before my sight, she sloughed off her human guise. Large feathered wings arched over her back, a band of red ocher covered her temple. Her fingertips became rough against my chin, her claws digging into my skin.
"Are you really who Daniel says you are? Dedicated to him and the cause he carries out for me? He believes you love him." Her eyes narrowed as she stared down at me, a hint of jealousy flickering across her face. Her grip on my chin tightened painfully as she lifted, and I hurriedly stood on my tiptoes to keep from dangling in her rough hold.
"I'd never presume to love him more than you," I replied hastily. She was the Goddess of Sacred Prostitution, of sexual love, and I'd always believed she should've been the goddess of jealousy.
"I won't compete for his devotion. He is my consort. I encourage his dalliances as long as they don't come between him and me." I glanced out of the corner of my eye at Daniel to see the blind devotion in his expression as he stared up at her.
"I could never presu
me to compete with you. I just wish to serve." I swallowed compulsively. I could only guess what answers she searched for. The wrong reply would ensure my death.
"Serve?" A malicious light flickered in her eyes. "Serve me or Daniel? What are you willing to give up in this service you speak of?"
I held her steady gaze and spoke the truth. "Everything."
Her expression turned serious, her eyes flickering over my features as if searching for the lie she suspected but couldn't find. "Daniel, love, I do believe your assessment is correct. You have never asked anything of me before. I'll grant you this gift for the lifelong dedication of both you and your father before you."
The Goddess Inanna released my chin and I dropped to my heels, my calves screaming with a burning pain. Daniel grinned widely, pleasure and pride in his countenance when she bent to kiss him. I could only stand and watch as she took Daniel's mouth with a passion that should've been kept out of the public eye. I reminded myself that exhibition and voyeurism were only two facets of this world I had willingly stepped into. My preconceptions of what 'should be' needed to be placed behind me. If I survived Inanna's ministrations I'd become Daniel's lover, his concubine. If he wanted to share me with everyone in this room, I couldn't say no. Again, I pulled out all the reasons I had placed myself in a position where I had to bend to Daniel and Inanna's will. The reminders calmed my nerves.
When they parted, she said without looking at me, "Lie down on the altar. We will see if what you say is true. I will ask much of you."
Releasing Daniel, she returned to her place on the opposite side of the altar. Daniel helped me onto the high stone slab. Before I lay down, he removed the enchanted cuffs. My wolf surged forward and I clenched my teeth on his ferocious snarl. Without more prompting, I lay on the cold block and gave over my arms and legs when Daniel motioned for them. I allowed him to bind me to the communion table, outstretched to the point I could barely move. The cold metal bit into my skin, grounding me in a gut-churning way.