This wasn’t in the training manual.
“Hell,” Walker said, pushing back his hair. “Just get here. I’ll debrief you and then we’ll go back as a team and—”
“No time,” Micah muttered. The phone line crackled. “There are more Chaolt on their way to the base.”
Walker’s head snapped up. “They’re following you?”
“No,” Micah said, “I’m following them.”
Emory held her breath as all the soldiers in the room became still as statues. Walker and Levi looked at each other.
In the space between heartbeats, they communicated something to each other.
"Go," Walker said, nodding. And then he turned to Ajax. "This is not over. Get them to safety and then get into position." He jogged out of the room talking low to the man on the phone.
What on earth was going on? Her head spun with the change from Ajax being in trouble to a sense of danger for everyone in the room.
"Ajax?"
Ajax did the stare communication thing with Levi, and then he brought out the gun, slapping it in her cold hand, as Levi talked in low tones to Brooke.
"This is only a precaution. Brooke will get you guys to safety." He gave her a hard kiss, put his forehead to Jackson's…
And strode out of the room behind the man that was just trying to haul him away.
Eyes wide, she turned to the others in the room for answers. But the woman's fingertips were clinging to Levi's as he walked backwards away from her. When they slipped apart, he blew her a kiss. And then he too was gone.
With a deep sigh, the other woman turned to her, eyes damp and dark as dusk. But then she saw the determination and resolve light her blue eyes.
"Hi, I'm Brooke. You need to come with me right now."
"What's happening—?"
"The Chaolt are coming. Let's go."
Brooke grabbed her hand and pulled her and Jackson through the room at a jog. They ran through a maze of rooms as Emory tried to process. More Chaolt.
"In here."
Brooke pulled them into a room and shut the door, closing them in the semi-darkness together. It was some kind of closet, or pantry. With the light under the door, she could vaguely see the outlines of jars and jugs.
Their heavy breathing was the only sound.
"Does this happen often?"
"It has never happened before." There was a short pause. "They must have followed you here."
Followed? Oh, god. Ajax bringing her here had brought the Chaolt down on the top of all of them.
Why would he put all of the others at risk? Why would he accept trial and punishment? For her and Jackson? Her heart stuttered a few beats. These were the consequences he’d mentioned once, and told her not to worry about.
All this time, he’d been trying to find a solution, a way to stay a Warrior and protect the world and stay with them at the same time. He’d told her how much being a Warrior grounded him, how important it was to him.
And all she’d cared about was that he wasn’t there when she needed him. She’d taken it as a personal betrayal, a sign he didn’t care.
But, god, he cared so much that he was risking everything, giving it all up, for her and Jackson.
Her chest squeezed around painful breaths, sawing in the quiet. He loved her. He loved them.
She covered her mouth as tears fell from her eyes. She loved him.
She loved him so much, and it was too late for anything. The Chaolt were coming after them, and even if they defeated them, then his commander would take him away. To his old world, where she had no chance of going.
She’d been so worried about focusing on Jackson, so worried about Ajax only ever being half in his life, that she’d deprived him of having a father at all. A father who actually cared, who was ripping his soul out to make sure they were safe.
She was such a bitch.
“Brooke,” Emory whispered, “I need you to give Ajax a message if I don’t make it out of—”
“Don’t talk like that,” Brooke ordered under her breath. “You will tell him yourself.”
“But they’re coming for Jackson, Brooke, and I can’t let them take him—” Emory ended on a painful, silent sob.
The other woman’s hand found hers in the dark, and squeezed tightly. “The Warriors won’t let that happen. I won’t let that happen. Everything will be okay.”
Emory squeezed Brooke’s hand back, praying and hoping. And believing…until the first hit on the door.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Ajax and the others mostly used hand-to-hand, knives and other close quarter weapons, because guns were too loud. They drew too much attention, and that was something they always wanted to avoid.
But out here, way out of town and nestled in the mountains—with all the precautions put in place to turn any wanderers away—avoiding attention wasn’t as necessary. And these guns were here just for any situation like this.
Never thought he’d see it happen though.
Walker threw him a rifle and a pistol. He put the pistol in his holster and knelt at his position at the window, rifle up.
Ajax peered through the sight, looking for any movement on the ground below.
He scanned the area, looking for the Chaolt. He could feel them, they all could, but couldn’t see or smell them yet. Which meant they were still outside, concealed by everything that concealed their base and the Elemental portal from outsiders. Giant boulders, heavy mist. Hell they could even be in the river. And with the power null from the enemy, he couldn’t reach out and find them in the air currents.
A shadow appeared at the edge of the mist and then disappeared right as he took aim at it. He cursed. He wasn’t that great with guns, he was more of a knife guy. They used them so incredibly rarely that he was out of practice.
He’d be making some time for range practice after this.
He cursed as another shadow appeared and the faded away before he could get off a shot.
And then another, new location, that Levi fired at. Again, it faded back into the concealing fog before the shot could hit. And again.
They weren’t that out of practice.
“Save your ammo. Wait until they get bolder. They’re trying to get us to use it all up before they make their move,” Walker said.
“Then they’re going to be waiting a long fucking time,” Levi growled as he reloaded and shouldered his rifle, taking another shot anyway.
Yeah, if their plan was to make them run out of ammo, they’d be waiting a while. They had enough ammo to do this for days.
Previously their jobs had been easy. Find Chaolt, kill them. Find Erratics, save them. It had been pretty straight forward.
What the hell was this shit?
“Walker?” Ajax asked, “What is this?” But in his gut, he knew.
This was their plan. This was bad. It was impossible to see how many there were, or to predict where the next one would appear.
“A diversion,” Walker gritted. Another shot, another miss.
A diversion. And they were just wasting bullets on the Chaolt while the rest of their plan was put into motion, whatever that was. He took more shots as his mind whirled.
He had no doubt they were here for Jackson. Jackson was the strongest Erratic since Brooke, and he’d be much easier to break due to his age. If they got to him…
Ajax fired at several places in the mist, clamping down on the cold fear that swamped him.
And then briefly, faintly, that fucking smell reached his nose. They were inside the building. The cold fear was back full tilt.
Son of a bitch. He’d already given up being a Warrior to keep them safe, it couldn’t all be for nothing now. He couldn’t let Jackson or Emory be hurt or taken. He had to do something.
He lurched to his feet, sweat prickling his skin.
“Ajax, you cool?”
Walker was staring at him instead of out the window. He looked down at his hands, air swirling between his fingers, his power making his glyphs
glow.
Somehow, the null wasn’t affecting him anymore. He could lose control.
Or he could fucking use it.
Fuck yes.
He closed his fists and looked at Walker, a smile curling his lips. “I’m good. But I’m going to stop them from getting to Jackson.”
Walker stopped and sniffed the air, and then motioned with his head before sighting down his gun. “Go.”
“I’ll be right behind you, Ajax,” Levi called, firing again into the mist.
Ajax took off at a run, not waiting for Walker’s response to Levi or for him to change his mind. Not that it mattered, he wouldn’t be here for any disciplinary action. He shoved the thought of exile out of his head, filling it instead with thoughts of Emory and Jackson.
His power spun inside him like a great cyclone, and he reached out with it carefully, surrounding the base with an eye of calm. And then he let the cyclone out with a mental promise to Emory.
They will not get our son.
Emory gasped for air around her sickening déjà vu, panic stealing her strength. The smell of burning plastic was thick in her nose. They were hitting the door.
“They want my son. They’re going to take my son.”
Brooke put an arm around her shoulders, rubbing her upper arms.
“If he makes it through the door, maybe I can use my powers somehow.”
“You have powers too? You’re an Elemental?”
“No. Yes. Sort of. I’m an Erratic.” Like Jackson. “I can’t do much,” she grabbed Emory’s hand in hers and squeezed, voice vibrating, “But I won’t let them take him from you. No matter what it takes. I’ll…use my powers to throw these jugs at them.”
Emory squeezed her hand back, pushing down the panic threatening to choke her. She couldn’t let Brooke defend them, no matter how she wanted to cower in the corner. Brooke was pregnant. Emory couldn’t believe the depth of generosity of the other woman, offering to defend them at the risk to herself and her child. She’d never forget that. But Emory had to be the one to get it together so that when the Chaolt came through the door, she could defend them all: Jackson, and Brooke, and her growing child. Nothing else mattered. Her own life didn’t matter as long as the babies were safe.
Arms weak and shaking, she passed Jackson to Brooke, pressing him tightly in her arms over her protests.
“Protect the babies.” Brooke went to speak, but just nodded as a kick landed on the door. Emory stood, pulling out the gun and going through the motions. Pointing it at the door, about head height. Safety off. Her hands shook a ton more than the first time she’d done this, just a couple hours ago. That surprised her in a distant way, because she knew how this went.
He’d kick open the door. She’d aim and shoot.
The door slammed open—
And the sudden bright light blinded her. She squinted and squeezed the trigger, but it was too late. He rushed her, fingers snapping tight across her throat, other hand grabbing the hand with the gun. The shot went into the floor. She grappled with him, refusing to let go, refusing to let him take the gun from her even though she was held aloft by the hand on her neck.
He can’t get it, he’ll shoot them—
Instinct made her bring her knee up, smashing both of their hands and sending the gun clattering across the floor. She cried out, her fingers sparking with cold pain.
But it didn’t stop him. He simply brought that hand up to join the other on her throat, tightening, closing off her airway and her blood flow and her life.
Brooke was kneeling with Jackson in one arm, gun in one hand pointed at them.
“Shoot. Him,” she gasped, struggling for air.
“I can’t, Emory. You’re too close, I could hit you!”
“Save…babies.” The light was fading from her vision as she clawed at him with one useless hand. So what if Brooke hit her too? She didn’t want to die, but at least if Brooke didn’t have to worry about her, she would have a clean shot at him. Jackson and Brooke and her baby would be safe.
From the left, a large jug of water flew off a shelf and smashed into the side of his face. His hands loosened a fraction as he turned to Brooke. Without touching the jug, Brooke reached out her hand and smashed another into the face of the Chaolt, trying to get him to drop her out of the way. He stumbled backwards, hands loosening incrementally, and Emory had one blessed, painful breath before he was back again, choking the life out of her.
And then the air shifted, changed, almost imperceptibly. But it was enough.
He still had his hands around her neck, but they loosened. His eyes were wider, crazier. But he didn’t tighten his fingers again, didn’t move.
She pulled back from him, out of his reach and back to Brooke and Jackson, gasping. He didn’t follow. Just stood there, hands out, fingers clenching. Mouth moving soundlessly, gaping like a fish.
Hand to her throat, she smiled through her tears. Because behind him, Ajax was coming toward them.
Ajax, like she’d never seen him before. The light of his eyes was intense, bathing the path in front of him in teal light. The space between his tattoos glowed with the same teal as his eyes. His hair was floating slowly, eerily around him, his feet barely touching the floor.
An Air Elemental, in all his earthly glory.
He had one hand out towards the Chaolt, and then he reached out his other hand out to her.
Emory didn’t hesitate.
She grabbed Jackson from Brooke, helped her up, and they ran around the Chaolt, who still hadn’t moved.
Emory took Ajax’s hand, staring at his profile. He didn’t turn to look at her, but he pulled her in closer to his side.
Morbid curiosity made her turn to look at the Chaolt. The air between him and Ajax shimmered, almost like heat waves. The shimmering waves increased in speed and her eardrums vibrated with pressure. Ajax was sucking the air from its body.
The Chaolt burst into black ashes before her eyes, drifting towards them before falling to the floor.
Ajax turned to her right away, pulling them into his arms. “Are you guys okay?”
She nodded under his chin, unable to speak just then. She held him tighter, swallowing around the lump of past terror and future heartbreak. She couldn’t let him go without telling him.
“Ajax—” she started, but had to start again.
“Shhh, baby, it’s okay.”
“Please, listen.” She brought his face to hers and kissed him gently.
“Ajax…” Softly, she kissed him again. “I’m sorry I wasted time being angry at you for nothing. Time where we could have been—” Her voice cracked, and she closed her eyes against the pain, but pushed past it. “Could have been happy.”
She swallowed hard and opened her eyes, meeting his surprised ones. Willing him to see the truth there.
“Ajax, I love you.” Hands stroking through his hair, she nodded. “I do, I love you. And I’m sorry—I wish I hadn’t waited so long to tell you, but I wasn’t sure—I was stupid.”
Her words ended on wheeze as he crushed her close. Held her there, wordlessly, while she squeezed him back.
They pulled back slightly, Jackson beginning to fuss at being mashed between them. “I love you too,” he whispered in her ear. But she’d known, already figured it out, from the weight of his sacrifice. Still, the words melted her. And broke her heart all over again.
She put her face in his neck and cried, the hand not holding Jackson clenched in his jacket. She turned to see Ajax stroking down Jackson’s cheek, as her baby smiled innocently back at him. Their baby. His baby.
Ajax loved Jackson, she could see it in the sad lines of his face. And yet he was losing him, to keep them both safe. He’d given up being a Warrior for them. He’d given up his freedom, for their safety. For their happiness.
Oh, god. She loved him so much.
He whispered to her, trying to comfort her, but she couldn’t hear much past her own sobs.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Ajax hel
d Emory as tightly as he could without crushing Jackson. Her tears were doing something unexpected to him, ripping into him and squeezing his heart, stealing his breath when he should have a limitless supply.
God, he loved them, loved them both so much. The feeling was undeniable now. When he’d heard the gunshot… He didn’t even remember running the rest of the way here. It killed him to have to leave them now, but whatever punishment the Premiers could devise, it would be nothing compared to losing one of them.
Somehow that fear, of one of them being killed or injured or taken, had allowed him to push past the null and access his powers fully, safely.
Brooke jogged past them with a cry, and he knew Levi had followed him whether or not Walker had agreed to it. He understood Levi a lot better now.
“Ajax,” Walker called, his voice ringing through the room, the command in them clear.
He closed his eyes, squeezing Emory and Jackson closer, memorizing the way they felt in his arms, the way Jackson smelled warm and powdery, the creamy rose scent of Emory.
He pulled back with hot eyes and turned to Walker.
“They’re all gone?” The lack of buzzing in his head told Ajax they were, but the charred smell hanging in the air made him ask anyway. Especially since a Chaolt portal now meant an endless supply of the bastards.
Walker raised an eyebrow. “Seems like a big tornado came and blew them away. Luckily, we were at the eye of the storm.”
Ajax tried to keep the smirk from his face. And failed. Fuck ‘em.
It was immensely satisfying after all this time to finally be able to use his powers on those fuckers.
When conversation stalled and Walker crossed his arms and stared at him, Ajax closed his eyes and nodded. It was time. He leaned his head on top of Emory’s, rubbing her back and trying to soothe her. It didn’t work, and she just cried harder, opening up the fresh wound in his own heart more.
“There’s something fucked up here.”
Ajax tilted his head to look at Walker, who was now staring out the window with his back to them. He didn’t know how he was supposed to respond, so he kept quiet.
Rise (Elemental Hearts Book 2) Page 17