by KA Young
“Are you angry with me?” I asked as I sat up and started dressing. I stood and began strapping my daggers back on. He stood up, breathing heavily, his eyes still glowing. His naked chest glistened with sweat, so I used my hand to wipe it away. He stiffened and moved away as if my touch seared his skin.
“Don’t blame all this on me. You said you weren’t strong enough to fight it. You didn’t say you wanted the bond.”
His eyes were hard. The tenderness I once found in his gaze was now gone. I knew things would be different between us, but I had never expected this.
“Annabelle, that is exactly what I did say.” He stalked from the room, stepping over his ruined shirt on the floor.
I thought back. Maybe he did say I was his and he wouldn’t share me. That’s not exactly what I was hoping for, though. He didn’t say he loved me. I wanted a lover, an equal partner, not a tyrant that I was bound to for all eternity.
I washed my face in the bathroom sink then stared at my reflection in the mirror. I had done the right thing. I thought I had known everything there was to know about Joe, a man I shared a bed with for ten years. Damn him. He knew who I was even when I didn’t. It’s my life. I wouldn’t live the rest of it by anyone’s rules but my own. I began brushing my hair out and was about to put it in a ponytail when I decided it was time for the long hair to go.
Reaching under the counter, I took out a pair of scissors, took hold of my hair at ponytail-length and cut the whole chunk off. I then evened it up the best I could, getting it pretty damn straight. It was good enough, anyway.
I stalked from the bedroom with a newfound confidence. When I came down the stairs, I wasn’t surprised to see my cabin filled with warriors. I lifted my chin and walked through them. They were all eyeing my sheared hair. I rolled my eyes and went to grab a bottle of water, but we were all out.
He stood against the wall, both arms folded across his chest as I walked back toward the others, making eye contact with Eli, letting him know his attitude wasn’t getting to me. Torch was sitting on the sofa with his feet propped up on the coffee table, sipping on water, so, I fell onto the sofa next to him, almost landing on top of him, and seized the bottle from his grasp as he was putting it to his lips. He lifted a brow as I drank what was left and handed the empty bottle back to him.
“Thanks,” I said as he tossed the bottle behind the sofa.
“Love the decor in this place, it’s my exact taste.”
I laughed at his comment as Elise walked into the room and spotted me on the couch with Torch. “Badass haircut! It suits you. I love it!” She stepped over Van and sat down on the floor in front of me, resting her back against my legs.
Van definitely was still thoroughly pissed off at us. I couldn’t resist messing with him a little. I leaned up and whispered into Elise’s ear, keeping my eyes on Van the entire time, and then we both blew him a kiss.
He snarled at us, pushed off the floor, and stood. “You both drive me bat-shit crazy!”
“That’s what you said to us the other night, Van.” Elise replied as she winked at him.
Torch cracked up. He was laughing so hard, he was shaking me and I couldn’t help but laugh along with him. Elise was snickering, her shoulders bouncing against my legs, when Van had finally had enough and stomped over to the corner.
“Oh come on, Van, no hard feelings, right?” I called over to him. He gave me the finger.
Van didn’t leave, though. He took all the ribbing like a man. I had to respect that because everyone was seriously giving it to him. Everyone except for Eli, who looked as though he was about to burst a blood vessel in his forehead.
I bumped Torch’s shoulder with mine. “I told you; never underestimate the power of boobs.”
“Amen!” Elise chimed in.
Eli moved to the center of the room, his presence commanding everyone’s attention; I guess he’d had enough.
“We have Intel that there may be an attack sometime this month, so we need to be on high alert. Half of our group already packed up the compound and flew out this morning. I am sending two teams home tonight to be there in case of an attack. Although I don’t think that will occur, we must prepare all the same. The rest of us will set up a new compound at a new location and prepare for battle here.” The news sobered everyone right up. None of us wanted to have another slaughter of our people. I was beginning to feel sorry for Eli with the pressure he must be under.
“Annabelle is to be under constant guard.” He glared at me, exerting his dominance over me in front of all the warriors.
He continued speaking. “We are all aware of her importance to our people. A little more than she is, I am afraid. She currently has no say so to authorize or unauthorize any given order.” They all nodded.
I kept my demeanor calm and my gaze on him cool. If he wanted to assert his dominance over his own men, fine, no skin off my nose.
“I have a trailer loaded with supplies that need to be labeled and boxed up before we can transport it to our new compound. We’re done here.” He walked out the back door. Everyone got up and followed him, but Elise and I stayed put. She got up and sat next to me.
“He has a convoy of security SUVs parked out back.”
“Oh?” I casually glanced around. There were two warriors I didn’t recognize standing in the back doorway.
“I’ve really got to pee! We’re going to the bathroom, boys!” Elise shouted to the warriors then she took my hand and had me follow her into the bathroom where she closed the door and motioned for me to sit on the toilet.
I closed the lid and sat down. “I had a vision last night; you’re not going to like it.” She kneeled in front of me. “I would have told you sooner, but I didn’t have a chance; Nyoka has your sister.”
My blood ran cold and I felt sick to my stomach.
“His appearance has changed since you last saw him, too. He looks like a Nephilim warrior. I’m not sure how he accomplished it, but he does. He has her trapped in an old building, in the woods somewhere. I don’t know where, but I do know that he left you instructions in your kitchen.”
I stood and braced my hands on the wall, trying to catch my breath. I should have never gone to Julie’s house. This was my fault and I would never forgive myself if something happened to her.
“I want you to know I’m in this with you, Anna. I’ll do whatever you say,” she whispered to me.
She really was a terrific friend. I couldn’t endanger anyone else, though. I turned toward her.
“Elise, do you genuinely believe that you and I are destined to battle together? That I am the warrior you are paired with?” She nodded. “Then when that time comes, we will find each other. However, for now, I have other things I have to figure out, okay?” She teared up and hugged me; she understood. I really would miss her.
“There are supplies and weapons you will need. I’ll make sure you have them. I’ll leave them under the front porch for you,” she said as she reached into her shirt and pulled a silver necklace with a large opal pendant over her head and put it around my neck.
“It will heat up against your skin when you are in danger. It will also provide you with some protection and instruction. How much? I am unsure. I was told to give it to you at the right time. I believe that time is now.”
“Anna, you are needed out here!” Torch started pounding on the door. Elise, thinking quickly, pulled her jeans down and sat on the toilet just as Torch busted down the door.
“Oh, excuse me.” He turned around, but didn’t leave.
“God, Torch!” Elise shouted.
That chick was too much. I smiled despite myself as I walked out with Torch, leaving Elise to do her business. I needed to focus. Julie’s life depended on it.
“I’m not sure what game you’re playing, but you have certainly gotten under Eli’s skin. You’re going to get somebody killed.”
“That’s what you all keep telling me.” It was also what I was really afraid of now that Julie had been abduct
ed.
“I mean it, Anna; the dude has a serious hairpin trigger. He has me shadowing you.”
“Yeah, I hear ya. Torch? I feel like sparring, you game?” He eyed me suspiciously.
I walked past him over to my desk in the corner of the room and started hunting through the drawers, looking for my iPod that I had left there. He trailed behind me, peeking over my shoulder. When I found it, I strapped it onto my bicep and inserted my wireless ear buds in as I poked my chest out.
“Not afraid of these, are you?” He threw his head back and laughed, amused. I liked Torch, he got to me. With that thought, I turned and strolled out onto the lush, green backyard with Torch right on my heels.
Chapter 11
I waited in the open, grassy area as Torch collected the swords from one of the SUVs. Elise was sitting on the hood, chatting up Van who was smiling again. I was glad to see that. The rest of the men were busy with their tasks as Torch approached me, all business.
“You sure you want to do this here? There’s no padding to break your fall.” He handed me a newly sharpened sword. I admired it, gleaming in the sunlight.
“Anna, I know there’s some heavy shit going on between you and Eli right now. Don’t let it make you sloppy and I’m not just talking about sparring.”
“I hear you. No worries.”
He paced away. I pulled up Nickleback’s Burn It to the Ground on my iPod and hit “repeat,” then sought my flame. I put everything else out of my mind. I needed to test my limits. The tunes filled my ears and, with the flame in my mind’s eye, I was ready.
Torch and I circled each other, sizing one another up. He had his long, parrying dagger strapped under his left arm and two blades tucked into his boots. I waited for his attack, which came exactly when I expected it.
As he lunged at me, exposing his entire left side, I struck, making contact with his ribs with the flat of my blade. I quickly retreated, circling around him and, in a flurry of movement, Torch lunged again. I fought on a plane I never knew existed. I could feel his movement before he even made any moves. I felt the wind he made from lifting and swinging his sword before each strike. I deflected every attack. I was lasting longer than I ever had before, losing track of how long we were at it. He winked at me as he spun around and sliced my left thigh. I could feel the stinging air in the small, open wound as blood welled up and ran down my leg.
I smiled and came back at him. Torch barely missed the impact of my spinning kick. I unsheathed one dagger, using the hilt to hit against his nose, and heard a satisfying crunch as I made contact, blood splattering against my face. He flung me away from him with full force. I sailed through the air, crashing into a large oak tree, and my head snapped back against it. I could feel the bark scratching my back as I slid down the large trunk, but I couldn’t hear the music anymore.
“Enough!” I heard Eli’s unmistakable voice thundering out the order.
I pushed myself upright and stood. I looked around and saw a wall of warriors blocking Torch from me. Elise was being held back by Van with concern all over her face. What the hell? I looked down and realized I was bruised, scraped, and bloody, but I had never felt better. Then I happened to glance down at my armband. Dammit! Now I was mad. I wiped the blood from my face with my forearm.
“Torch!” I shouted. “You broke my iPod, you asshole!”
Laughter erupted. I could see approval in the eyes of the warriors. I glanced at Elise who gave me a thumbs up, signaling her part was done and I nodded my thanks.
“Anna, you get off easy this time,” Torch shouted over the men.
I laughed. “Whatever, Torch. Anytime, anyplace, you name it!” I challenged.
“I said enough!” Eli’s tone was murderous. His jaw was clenched and his eyes blazed with rage. Eli reached Torch with one long stride. Without a word, he snatched Torch up by his shirt, ripping it in the process before sending Torch flying across the yard.
Now was my chance. I knew I had only a minute at the most before Torch was back to shadowing me or Eli assigned someone else to do the job. I silently made my way to the front porch. There the bags were, just as promised. I slid the backpack over my shoulders and the duffel bag across my side, and then ran for the woods.
I stopped after five miles when my stomach protested its hunger. I sat on a rock and took my backpack off and unzipped it. Elise rocked! There were fruit along with sandwiches in a thermal cooler, lots of water and anything else she could fit in the bag.
I drank two bottles of water and ate a sandwich, then savored a crisp apple. From my calculations, I had about another mile before I made it to the next cabin on the lake, which was owned by my mother-in-law. She kept an old Buick there for the family to use that would help put even more distance between the rest of the Nephilim and myself.
Feeling energized by the food, I loaded myself with the bags and began running again. A couple of minutes later, I reached my destination and was relieved to find the place empty. I went up the steps and rammed the front door with my shoulder. It fell down.
I had knocked it right off the hinges. I was definitely getting stronger.
I entered the cabin and found the keys hanging on the key ring, right where I hoped they would be.
I slung my bag into the passenger seat and adjusted the driver’s seat forward. The car started right up and had a full tank of gas. For some things, Mary could always be counted on.
It was starting to get dark by the time I made it to my house. My neighbor, Mrs. Harris, was walking her trash down to the sidewalk. I didn’t have a way into the garage so I parked in the driveway then snatched the bags from the back of the car and got out. I slowed my pace as I walked up the driveway, trying to appear to any onlookers that everything was perfectly normal. Mrs. Harris stopped in the middle of her driveway, staring at me. Guess I didn’t look normal enough after all.
I stopped, waved, and smiled sweetly. “Hello, Mrs. Harris. Have you had a pleasant day?” Her mouth dropped open as she took in my appearance. I tried to calm my crazy hair by putting it behind my ears. “I’m taking a self-defense course at the gym,” I added.
She nodded hesitantly. “That’s nice. Everyone’s been looking for you. We thought something awful happened to you, dear.”
I smiled brightly. She was a sweet lady; I didn’t want her world to collide with mine.
“No, ma’am, I’m perfectly all right. I just forgot to let anyone know I would be taking a little vacation. You know, trying to deal with things.” I started for the door again. “Well, you have a good evening.” I waved and left her standing there, gaping at me.
I gave the door a nudge, careful not to ram it too hard. As I ran into the kitchen, I stopped short. There was dried blood all over the kitchen floor. I took a couple of breaths to calm myself and, upon closer inspection; I realized there was a message written in it.
I WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU.
THE MEDALLION WILL GUIDE YOU TO ME.
I looked around the kitchen and saw a leather pouch hanging from my pot rack. When I opened it, I found a skull medallion with a ruby in its mouth. It glowed in my hand before I put it back in the pouch and put the pouch into my pocket.
I went through the duffel bag and pulled out its contents, stuck a blade in each boot, strapped another dagger under each arm, and I holstered a sword onto my back. I found a black bandana in the bag and tied it on my head like a headband.
Done preparing my weapons, I reached down and felt where my leg was cut and was surprised to find that the skin had already knitted back together. The scratches on my back were fully healed as well.
“Hang on, Julie. I’m coming.”
I was taking Joe’s silver Porsche 911 that he only drove on the weekends. He had always kept the keys in it, so I opened the door, starting to head for it. I wasn’t a bit startled when I heard Dan’s voice behind me, either. I had been pretty sure I would run into him here.
“Anna, I knew you would come back here.” I slowly turned around to face
him.
“Good God, what did you do to yourself?” He gave me the up and down.
I shrugged. “New era, new me. I don’t have a lot of time, Dan. What do you want?”
“I know they have Julie. I came to help you.” I stepped toward him, noticing that his nose was totally healed. That wasn’t possible since he was one hundred percent human. I reached under my left arm and unsheathed one dagger.
“How did your nose heal so quickly?” His face was pale. “Dan, I asked you a question.”
“I drank a healing potion.” He swallowed, visibly nervous.
“Where did you get a healing potion?” I took another step toward him. He grabbed my arm that held the dagger and his grip was stronger, a hell of a lot stronger. I landed a kick right to his midsection, which propelled him ass first into the breakfast table. He stood right back up and held up both his hands.
“Anna, listen to me. You’re not the only one with connections in the supernatural world. Our family knows a lot about sorcery and potions. We have close connections to a family of enchantresses. Good witches, not any of that black magic like the yetzer hara use. I needed to be stronger. Anna, I needed to do this for you. I want to help you get Julie back.”
From my experience with Elise, I knew that potions and spells didn’t last all that long, but she was still in training. I had no idea what an old enchantress could do.
“How long will it last? The spell, I mean.”
He shook his head and looked down.
“There’s no coming back from this. They didn’t know what would happen when I drank the stuff. It wasn’t formulated for mortals. I’m not sure what I will become from what I ingested.”
He did this for me, the stubborn fool.
“Do you know how to use a sword?” I pointed to the bag on the floor.
“I’ll manage.”
“Grab a couple of blades and strap them onto your sides and under your arms like this.” I lifted my arms.
We went into the garage as soon as Dan finished up strapping on the blades.
“We’re taking the Porsche; we need to get going.”