Demon Retribution (Shadow Quest Book 3)

by Kiersten Fay

“Cale, please don’t apologize. It was not your fault. I’m just…god, I’m just defective. I have never been able to control this power inside me.” True frustration leaked into her admission. “I’m like a time-bomb without a timer. I’m surprised I didn’t kill you.”

  “Me too.” A corner of his mouth turned up.

  She glanced at his disheveled clothes. “Tell me what happened there at the end. What did I do?”

  “You don’t know?”

  “No, I usually black out at the critical moment.”

  He considered that for a moment. “You became like a burning ember in my arms. Your body turned white hot…and you stopped breathing.” He looked as though he stifled a flinch. “And then something like an explosion shot out of you. It hit me like a massive kick to the bollocks, knocked the wind out of me. Then it snapped back with nearly the same force.”

  “I think I felt when that happened. That was different.”

  “Different how?”

  “I’m usually not able to rein it in like that. Never, actually.

  “What did it feel like?”

  “Terrible,” she replied. “Like every bone breaking at once.”

  He frowned, and she thought he was about to apologize again. Instead, he asked. “Why do you think it happened?”

  “Like I said, you startled me.” She covered a yawn with her hand.

  “Yeah, but I’ve startled you before. In your apartment the first time, and then later, when you discovered what I was.”

  Kyra cocked her head. He was right. He hadn’t done anything that should have been extraordinarily frightening or alarming when he’d grabbed her. In fact, in his voice, she’d sensed a soft playfulness. But, by then it had been too late. Her magic had reacted in a split second.

  “Maybe it’s the stress,” she suggested. “I’ve been thinking a lot about the Kayadon. And then your outburst today made me consider the danger I may have put Zoey and myself in, and made me wonder if I really could have protected us. That probably added to it. Plus, every time I’m on the run, I tend to have more…accidents.”

  “Accidents?”

  “Loss of control…a.k.a, I blow shit up. I’ve been getting better about keeping it in though, for the last few decades.” Her brows furrowed.

  “What?” Cale asked.

  “I’ve never…I mean, before you, no one has ever survived such close proximity.” Through her tired, fuzzy mind she channeled the memory of the park attack. By her experience, he should have perished alongside the Kayadon. Had she been responsible for his survival, or was he naturally more resistant to her magic?

  When her lids drooped, Cale stood. “We’ll discuss this further in the morning.” He paused at the door. “Do you need anything?”

  She shook her head, barely understanding what he’d asked. If he’d closed the door, she didn’t know. She was already out.

  Cale leaned against her door for a long while, staring at nothing in particular. He wanted so many things at the moment. He wanted to know why she was given a gift that debilitated her so, and what she’d meant by “on the run”. How many times had she had to use her gift, and why? And had someone been there to help her when she could barely walk? But mostly he wanted to go back in there and watch over her to make sure she continued breathing through the night.

  When he’d spotted her outside, he’d thought to tease her a bit and maybe apologize for his behavior. Much of his anger had dissipated, and he was prepared to admit that he’d overreacted…a little. He wasn’t prepared, however, for what had occurred, and he couldn’t help but berate himself for it.

  Her power had been fierce, like nothing he’d ever seen or felt. Keeping her in his arms had been difficult—like holding onto a sun—but he’d managed to stand his ground.

  He’d played down the final blow for her. The pain from the miniature stellar explosion had stolen his vision, his breath, forcing him to one knee as he struggled to support her body. Then the explosion had collapsed back on itself, delivering a second painful blow.

  He scrubbed his hand down his face, remembering the sheer panic that flooded him when he’d found her not breathing. He’d screamed her name over and over again, pumped her chest and breathed for her. The task of getting her lungs working again had been the only thing preventing him from plummeting over the Edge into an all too familiar abyss.

  Pushing away from her door, he let out a harsh breath and headed back down the stairs. Zoey was waiting on the couch, looking like she had no idea what she should be doing. He didn’t know either.

  “Drink?” he offered.

  She nodded.

  A moment later, they both sipped on something called rum and coke. After Cale finished his first glass, he opted for just rum. Zoey found a deck of cards and wiggled them at him in question. He shook his head.

  “So what the hell happened?” Zoey broke the silence.

  He was glad she no longer feared him. That was one thing he could stop fretting over. “I don’t know how to explain,” he started. “Her sister did something similar once, during one of our training sessions. She’d expelled a blast of energy that had nearly knocked me over, but Kyra’s ability is a hundred times stronger.”

  “Training? You taught her sister?”

  “Sort of. I only helped Anya harness her gift in a new way. We’d been experimenting, mostly. I really had no idea what I was doing, but neither did she. We just tried a slew of things to see what worked.”

  “And what worked?”

  Cale went quiet, unsure how to answer. He’d tried so many different approaches with Anya. Some worked, some didn’t. Some only worked once and not again. From what he’d gathered, it had a lot to do with Anya’s state of mind. If she were happy, her gift would react differently than if she were sad or angry. He almost never got the same result out of her. One day it would seem as though they made progress, the next she was back to blowing up light bulbs.

  Wait. Hadn’t Kyra just said she blew stuff up?

  Maybe her gift was more closely related to Anya’s than he’d realized. Perhaps he could use the same tactics to help her master it.

  Cale cringed, recalling an unfortunate emotional outburst that he’d unintentionally pulled from Anya. It had been but a simple lesson with swords. He’d made her dig into a dark part of her psyche, not knowing the damage that lay there, waiting to rage.

  He hadn’t realized it then—it had happened so fast—but the chit had put real power into her sword and had actually forced him to retreat from a fight.

  He’d have to be much more cautious with Kyra. Otherwise an “exploding light bulb” could turn into an exploding Cale.

  Finally, he replied to Zoey, “I have no idea.”

  Chapter 12

  A shard of morning light warmed Kyra’s face, brightening the backs of her eyelids. She moved her pillow to block it until she could urge her sticky eyes open. Her tummy was noticeably empty, her throat scorched dry. The clock read 7:29am. Could she have only been asleep for a few hours?

  Next to the clock sat a large glass of water. Thank the heavens! She heaved to sit up and brought the liquid to her lips, gulping heavily until the need for air took over.

  A light snoring sound caught her attention. In the corner, Cale was settled in a not so comfortable looking position on one of the large chairs that had initially resided downstairs. He slumped with his head to the side, his feet propped on her small vanity—muddy boots and all.

  She had to smile.

  It took a few times of calling his name before he stirred, but once he did, it was as if he hadn’t been asleep at all, whereas she was still stretching and rubbing her eyes.

  “How long was I out?” she asked.

  He looked at the time. “Thirty-seven hours. How do you feel?”

  “Alright, I guess. A little hungry.” She paused. “I’m so sorry. I may have asked already, but I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

  “Not as bad as you could have, I’m sure.” He paused. “Zoey’s been keepi
ng busy in the kitchen. I’ll see if she can make you something.”

  “Oh, coffee! Tell her coffee. Say, pretty please with kisses and hugs and a cherry on top.”

  Cale twisted his face in horror. “I’m not saying that.”

  She laughed. “Okay then, just coffee if she doesn’t mind.”

  “You should eat something too.”

  “I will, but I can get it myself. I’ll be down after I take a quick shower.”

  Cale nodded and then turned to leave.

  “Wait.” She called. “Thanks for taking care of me.”

  He nodded once more and then was gone.

  Kyra took note of all the sore spots in her body. Instead of a thirty-seven hour peaceful, dreamless slumber, it felt like she’d been in a gym with a Tae Bo drill sergeant.

  Gathering a change of clothes and a towel, she headed for the bathroom. The water was blissfully warm, and as it soaked her, she let her muscles relax, stretching them a little more under the heat.

  She turned the knob and stepped out of the steamy enclosure.

  The outfit she picked was soft and loose: a pair of sweats and a long sleeved cotton shirt. By the time she was dried and dressed, she felt even better. Her hair was a tangled mess, but a brush made quick work of the strawberry gold strands. Deciding not to take the time to dry it, she pulled it back into a wet ponytail.

  The instant she emerged into the hallway, the scent of coffee beckoned her. Both Cale and Zoey sat at the table, waiting.

  “How are you?” Zoey asked.

  “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think a truck slammed into me. Other than that, I’m perfect.” Kyra paused as the rest of the kitchen came into view, and her mouth dropped open. Bread, muffins, pastries, and desserts topped every counter. “You weren’t kidding,” she said to Cale.

  He gave her satirical grin.

  Zoey announced begrudgingly, “I bake when I’m anxious.”

  “I can see that.” Working around the piles of food, she poured herself a heaping mug of black liquid, blending it with a bit of cream. Then she grabbed what looked like a lemon muffin and joined them at the table. “Sorry for…making you bake.”

  “That’s okay. It’s not your fault if you can’t control your weird fairy magic,” Zo replied, and Kyra rolled her eyes at the word fairy. “Cale said he might be able to help you with that.”

  Kyra’s eyes found Cale. “Is that so?”

  He shrugged. “I’ve been working with your sister’s gift. It wouldn’t hurt to try a few things. I’d like to learn more about what you go through first.”

  “You’ve pretty much had a front row seat to the action twice now.”

  “I mean what do you feel when it happens? Or, rather, how are you feeling? What sparks it, and why?”

  “That’s easy. It has to be fear. I’ve always been in danger when it happens, or I felt I was in danger,” she amended sheepishly.

  Cale didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he cleared his throat. “That could be it. Have you ever tried to harness the power when you’re not afraid or in danger?”

  “I have tried a little bit, but I couldn’t exactly practice around people, or even within a town without the fear of blowing up a building or killing someone. And when you’re all alone in the wilderness, potentially knocking yourself out for hours is not the safest thing to do. So mostly I try not to use it.”

  “Would you be up for some training after breakfast?”

  Kyra took stock of her body. The long rest and shower had helped rejuvenate her, and coffee always infused her with energy. “Sure, but…are you positive you want to do this? I think it was pure luck that I was able to keep from killing you so far.”

  The only response she received was a single shoulder shrug, and once she bit into her muffin, she couldn’t concentrate on anything else but consuming every last crumb. She did manage a mouth-filled compliment aimed at Zoey, who beamed back at her.

  Once she had downed the last of her coffee and grabbed an energy drink for good measure, she followed Cale outside. Zoey tried to follow, but Cale ordered her back in the house.

  “You’re not the boss of me,” she protested, though her tone lacked conviction.

  “Please, Zo,” Kyra pleaded. “This is going to be dangerous enough with Cale around, and I don’t think I’ll be able to do much knowing you’re nearby.”

  “Fine,” she relented. Before disappearing into the house, Zoey conveyed a look that said, “Be careful.”

  Cale led her a short ways into the woods, stopping when they came to a twenty foot clearing. The cabin was still partly visible through the trees.

  “Here?” she asked when Cale came to a stop.

  “This’ll do for now.” He pointed to a tree stump, about waist high. “I don’t want to do too much now, just get a feel for where you’re at. Have you ever been able to aim or direct the energy?”

  “I never really tried before.”

  “From where you’re standing, do you think you can affect the stump or anything around it?”

  “Affect it how? By blowing it up?”

  “Try not to if you can, but that would still be something. See if you can hit it with your magic. Actually, let’s try a tap first.”

  “A tap,” she repeated in a flat tone. “Sure, that’s what I’m known for.”

  Cale turned severe. “If we’re going to do this, you need to take it seriously. Otherwise, we shouldn’t even bother.”

  “Alright, I’m sorry. I’m just not sure how to start, is all. And maybe you should step back or something.”

  Cale rolled his eyes. “Just have a seat.”

  She did. The ground felt a little damp and was covered by a thin layer of brown fallen leaves. Yet the trees still sported an array of brilliant autumn colors.

  Cale claimed a spot about ten feet to her left and leaned against a thick tree. He looked perfectly at ease even though he knew what could happen if her magic went haywire.

  A rampant part of her brain appraised him with feminine appreciation. He’d changed into a pair of dark wash jeans and a dark button down shirt. His hair spiked in that perfect bed-messed way that almost camouflaged his horns. She remembered running her hands through it and how soft it felt in the crevices of her fingers.

  As if sensing her thoughts, he raised a brow at her, and she mentally shook herself. “Okay, what now?”

  “You remember when I frightened both you and Zoey the other day in the car?”

  “I wasn’t frightened, I was pissed.”

  He gave her a patronizing look. “Right. But, you recall how I was different then from how I am now?”

  “Yes. Your eyes were red and…” Her gaze dropped to his mouth. “I think you had fangs.”

  “I always have fangs.” He smiled wide to show her a set of pointy canines. “But they’re receded now. However, not the point. What you saw was what we call the Edge. Happens to us all, and it’s hard to control. When our emotions blaze…” He stopped for an accusatory glance in her direction. She crossed her arms stubbornly, and he continued with a hint of amusement, “Our bodies secrete a mixture of chemicals, like super concentrated adrenalin, if you will. It makes us stronger and more aggressive. Two very good things when needed, but it also scrambles our reasoning skills. So if we don’t train to control ourselves in that state, we could end up harming those around us without meaning to.”

  “So you could have attacked me then?”

  He jutted his chin. “I was in perfect control of myself.”

  “Then you intentionally dented my car?”

  His lips thinned. “Are you trying to start an argument?”

  “No, please continue with the lesson, Oh Great One.”

  He pinched the bridge of his nose, but went on. “A demon will train for years to master the Edge in battle. To be able to both use the strength while retaining cognitive reasoning. And also to be able to invoke the Edge without emotions getting in the way. That one’s harder. Much harder.”

&
nbsp; “So you think my emotions are fouling me up?”

  “In a way. I think it’s easier for you to invoke your gift when you really need it, and that tends to be when you’re in danger. The instinct to survive is one of the most powerful motivators in the universe. Of the many races, it binds us all in commonality.”

  “Well, what do you suggest I do? Convince myself I’m in danger from the stump?”

  Shaking his head, he grumbled, “You know, if you weren’t mildly adorable, I would walk away right now.”

  Heat entered her cheeks. “I’m really not trying to be a pain in the ass.”

  He studied her for a moment longer. “I want you to, first of all, be patient. Rather than trying to fool yourself into a certain state of mind, try to remember, instead, what it felt like when you were already there.”

  “Alright.” She sat for a while, recalling random moments when she’d used her gift, trying to remember what she had felt then. As she did this, her gaze wandered. First to the stump, her target. Then the fallen leaves. A bug fluttered by, then came back to hover by her head, forcing her to wave it away.

  She took in a breath and let it out. Her legs had been tucked underneath her for some time, so she crossed them and adjusted her posture. Unthinking, she picked up a stick and started breaking it into pieces, looking back at the stump. When her stick was no more than scraps, she found another one and began the process again.

  She glanced at Cale. He hadn’t moved an inch, wasn’t fidgeting like she was, but instead watched her with a calm expression. She expected him to get on her case about concentrating, but he didn’t.

  “Are you just going to sit there?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  “This may take a while.”

  “I realize that. Don’t worry about me, and don’t feel rushed. If something does happen, I want to be here to make sure you’re okay.”

  A stack of tightened nerves eased in her neck, and she felt grateful for his presence. With him here, she could test out her ability without the fear of being vulnerable if she lost consciousness. She understood how invaluable this chance was to her, yet how dangerous it could be for him if she couldn’t keep control.