Tierney found herself and Taraven in a clearing by a forest. She could hear Jax, Sami, Thaniel, and Kyrian all calling her telepathically. Tierney took a deep breath. “Well, that was … disconcerting.”
She could feel both her mates’ panic through their bond. “It’s okay, I’m fine … I’m—” She glanced around and spotted a river as Taraven let go of her hand. “Where are we?”
Taraven searched around as well, as if he were looking for something.
“Where are you? I’m coming for you,” Jax said angrily, telling her he was scared for her safety.
“Tierney?” both Sami and Thaniel called. “What’s happening?”
“Is Soroyan there?” Kyrian asked.
“Everyone, chill … let me find out what’s going on … right now I’m all right. We’re near a river,” she said to her mates and friends.
There was a scowl on Taraven’s face as he turned back to her. “He was here. I took my king home and went straight to you. They couldn’t have come back for him this soon.”
It was Tierney’s turn to frown. “What—who are you talking about?”
“The big wolf-man you were talking to the last time I saw you.”
Tierney figured he meant Soroyan, and since the male was missing it made sense. Though she wasn’t sure who else he was talking about. Fear filled her as he continued speaking.
“Serena shot him and her guard put a spelled collar on him.”
“A spelled collar?” Tierney repeated, a scowl on her face. “Thaniel was wearing one when we found him, it prevented him from shifting,” she said, knowing how crazy that would make the big bad wolf who seemed to be more beast than man.
Taraven nodded. “There are different kinds. This one not only prevents them from shifting, it eats magic.”
Dread made her feel sick. This was even worse.
“My king ordered Serena to bring him home with them. Then he had me port him home. I said I was going to go draw in my room, except, I ported to you instead,” he said.
Ported? Tierney didn’t say anything, just studied the ground. Not too far away was a pile of bloody clothing near an overly trampled area and then a trail of blood, where someone had staggered away.
“That was one of Serena’s guards,” the boy said, staring at the clothing.
Tierney glanced into the forest where the trail of blood led and prayed it was Soroyan and that he was alive and not too badly hurt. “Come on,” she said and began to follow the blood. She could feel how nervous Taraven was as he walked beside her. “The other guard will be back for him, we don’t have much time. If the guard finds me here—”
“Jax will come get me if you need to go,” she said, letting her senses out as she searched for anyone near. She could feel Taraven’s indecision, but for some reason, he stayed beside her.
About a hundred feet away, the trail led under the low-hanging bough of a fir tree.
Tierney crouched down just as a low, dangerous rumble vibrated through the air. With her empathy, she sensed the wolf close to the surface while Soroyan’s pain and fury thrummed like a finely tuned guitar string inside of her.
She took a deep breath, let it out, and held her hand up to keep Taraven away. Then she cautiously lifted the needled branch out of the way. “Soroyan?”
Underneath, from behind a sweat-dampened head of straggly black hair, Soroyan crouched in human form on all fours, low to the ground. His normally turquoise eyes glowed a pissed-off, hate-filled red. Threat more than clear, he stared back—stealing her breath.
Heart in her throat, Tierney froze as she took in the large muscular male in front of her, and while he was in his human form, it wasn’t the man she was staring at. Normally, you wouldn’t stare into the eyes of a predator, though neither of them were normal. She didn’t dare take her gaze from his.
There was no doubt in her mind that it was the wolf watching her and at any sign of fear, he’d attack. She knew his warning was real. He could easily tear a person apart if he so wanted. In fact, she’d seen him do just that the day at the Ilyium compound when they’d freed a bunch of prisoners. Still, she wouldn’t be so easy to take down, not with the years of training her father had given her, Jax, and Sami. And besides, while it was the wolf staring at her, he wasn’t in his beast form.
Then a convulsion shook him and she winced at the pain and threw her shields up. Power that she recognized as Soroyan’s filled the air, but it felt sick, infected. Weak. A moment later, he shifted from human to wolf and back again. When the convulsion slowed, leaving him hunched in a ball, he raised his head and the wolf rumbled deep in his chest again. White teeth flashed as he bared them at her in challenge.
“Damn,” she muttered, then drawing on her own power, she calmed her racing heart. She couldn’t imagine how horrible this must be for such a strong, powerful male. “Soroyan, I’m here to help,” she said quietly, softly, using her empathy to try to calm him. At the threat of her power, a snarl burst from his lips.
Even with her shields up, she caught his anger and hatred like a living entity as it seeped through the air around her. She shivered, sensing how precariously close he was to losing it. “Shh. I know it hurts. Let me help,” she whispered, but he only snarled louder.
“What’s happening?” Taraven asked from behind her and Soroyan ceased, eyes flicking toward the boy.
Chapter Fourteen
Earth
Raven stepped out of the blinding light of the portal on Earth only to be flung viciously to the ground. She caught sight of a figure dressed all in black and kicked out, sending his weapon flying. As he went for his gun on the ground, she rolled quickly out of the way and sprang to her feet, two smaller blades already in hand.
Pulling his own blade, her attacker started toward her and she noted the red eyes and infinity rune on his neck and frowned. Daywalker. Not in the mood, she moved in and six seconds later, he lay in a pile of clothing and ash on the ground. Not wasting any time, Raven quickly sent his soul down to the bowels of hell.
She sheathed her knives then bent to pick up the clothing, shook out the ash and checked the pockets to find a key ring with two keys, and some kind of plastic device with a screen and buttons that folded open and closed.
Looking around, she spied a vehicle of some sort parked not too far away and, carrying the clothing, she hurried over. Raven smiled when the key fit in the door. Tossing the clothing in the back, she searched the little auto and found a small booklet that said Passport. She slid the strange device and passport into her pack and then closed the car door and searched around.
There were no dwellings or buildings around, just a barren expanse of hills and sky.
Well, at least there wasn’t anyone to have seen her, so she didn’t have to worry about wiping minds.
As she thought about the attack, her frown grew deeper. Why had the Daywalker attacked her? Had he been guarding the gate? And if so, why? From whom?
She’d gained the moniker Angel of Death twenty years ago and it had since become whispered like the boogeyman to keep little children in line, though whenever there were brutal deaths, adults often crossed themselves with a shudder, looking around fearfully.
It had become a name that set fear into the hearts and souls of all who heard it whispered. Still, she hadn’t survived by being careless and in all the years hunting the Ilyium, she never left anyone who could identify her. Plus, unlike the Ilyium, she didn’t kill women, children, or elderly unless they tried to kill her, or another innocent. If there were witnesses, she always, without fail, wiped any memory of herself from their minds.
So really, no one knew who she was or what the actual Angel of Death looked like and the Ilyium group she recently infiltrated thought she was one of them. Besides, she didn’t have a beef with any of the Walkers, so it didn’t make any sense why the Daywalker would bother attacking her. She hadn’t mentioned to anyone that she was even coming to this world, other than a telepathic message to her brother, and she didn’t even k
now if he received it.
No, the male had to be guarding the gate for other purposes. She frowned at the unanswered questions as a shiver of dread, a premonition of the future, rushed through her.
She couldn’t worry about it. If it pertained to her brother’s family she’d take care of it. She wasn’t an angel of punishment for nothing. Her original title of Avenging Angel had taken on a whole new meaning these last twenty years. At least for her, anyway.
After tucking her long black hair behind her ears, she summoned her power and black feathered wings sprouted from her back. Then, with a cloaking shield in place, she took to the sky. “I’m coming, brother. Just hang on,” she muttered, and using her connection to Zander, she began to fly.
As she soared through the cloudless sky, she remembered the day she found her brother sitting in a puddle of his dead mate’s blood.
Gods, when she’d seen the horror in the village square, she’d prayed her sister-in-law and children were still alive. Part of her prayer had been answered, but not all. She’d never wanted her brother to ever experience the pain of loss that she’d felt the day she lost her own mate. It was what drove her every day since, and now a different sense of urgency sent her hurtling through the sky. It was going to be a long flight.
Chapter Fifteen
Angry Wolf
Tierney drew in a deep breath, let it out and looked back at Taraven. He’d been watching for the guard, but now turned wide, worried eyes on her.
“He’s in pain. His wolf is angry,” she said quietly.
“Oh.” With a nod, Taraven blinked and went back to staring down the trail, more concerned about the guard, which told her just how afraid of Val Jean he must be. Demons! If what Taraven told her was correct, they didn’t have time for this, and while she normally kept weapons on her body, it was Christmas day. She hadn’t planned on going anywhere, so she hadn’t weaponed up. She wished she had.
That wasn’t her only problem. The wolf in front of her wasn’t about to listen to someone he saw as weak or below him in dominance and they didn’t have time to wait for help.
With a deep swallow, she thought about her options. A moment later, Soroyan went into another convulsion.
Pursing her lips, she concentrated, seeking the dragon deep within her. I need your strength, she said when she could feel it stirring. In answer, a shock of energy surged through her. Biting back her gasp, she focused back on Soroyan to find him baring his teeth at her again, and she knew he too sensed her dragon.
With another snarl, he met her gaze and then paused and she knew her eyes had begun to glow. Drawing on her dragon’s strength, she glared back at him. “Seriously, we don’t have time for this. Cut it out,” she snapped.
At her tone the wolf blinked, and slowly recognition seeped into his eyes. Still, with his intense pain and raw fury swirling around them, he began to rumble deep in his chest, trying to warn her away.
“No, I’m not going anywhere,” she said, feeling his power flow over her intermittently, one moment strong and the next weak and petering off. Still, it hit her like a whirlwind, biting, and oh so very cold. Underneath it all, she became aware of another emotion and quickly realized that part of Soroyan’s rage was directed at his own vulnerability. “Crap, Soroyan.” Heart aching for the proud lone wolf, the breath hissed out of her and tears pricked the backs of her eyes. “Shh, it’s all right. This isn’t your fault.”
A quick shift in color from glowing red to turquoise and the man blinked at her, but it didn’t last. The wolf-red came back and she caught a fleeting glimpse of confusion as his growl faded. That was when she finally noticed he was completely naked. Shivering and shaking. One hand reached up and tugged futilely at a golden collar secured around his neck.
Judging from the redness on the skin, she knew it wasn’t the first time he’d tried to tear the collar from himself.
Without taking her eyes from his, she quickly yanked her baggy black sweater off, glad she’d worn a t-shirt underneath. “It’s not much, but it’ll give you some privacy.”
Without looking, she spread it over him as a voice, rusty from the pain of his struggle, attempted to speak. “Go. Not safe—” he bit out until he began to seize again as his wolf once more fought for freedom.
“No,” Tierney whispered, then reached out and laid her hand on his shoulder. She drew on her empathy and poured it at him, hoping that this time it would calm the wolf and not anger him.
She bit her lip, worried it wouldn’t work when the convulsions slowed. She needed to get Soroyan away from here, and fast. Even if Jax flew to her, he’d still take too long.
“Can you port us away from here?” she asked, drawing Taraven’s worried gaze back to her.
“No, I can only port one person at a time.”
Tierney knew she’d be fine against one Daywalker. Even weaponless, she was still fast and strong and knew how to fight. “That’s fine. Port him, then come back for me.”
Taraven shook his head. “He has a collar on. I can only port him a very short distance, five hundred yards, maybe a thousand, no more.”
“Leave. Me,” Soroyan ground out.
Tierney sighed in exasperation. “I am not leaving you.” She noticed Taraven watching their interaction.
“Port him that way.” She told the boy and pointed to the north, through the thick foliage. That would make it a little harder for the guard to find them. “I’ll meet you there.”
With a curt nod, Taraven crouched and Tierney held the branch away so the boy could touch Soroyan. The big bad wolf let out a whoosh of breath, then he and Taraven were gone. Tierney blinked, knowing how badly it must’ve freaked out Jax, Thaniel, Sami, and the others to watch her disappear in the same manner.
Feeling her mates’ worry through their bond, she stood up and the little hairs at the back of her neck prickled. Someone was approaching. Quickly, she turned and silently ran, light on her feet, just like she’d been taught. Mere moments later she pulled up.
Face tense, Taraven stood waiting for her. Behind him, a shaking Soroyan was semi-propped in the lee of a large, rotted tree trunk where it butted up against another tree. The shelter this new spot offered from anyone seeking them, was even worse than where they’d first found the wolf.
“Demons, this isn’t very far,” she muttered, searching back the way she’d come. “Can you get the collar off him?” she asked as she bent once more and put a hand on Soroyan’s shoulder. She drew on her power just in time to stave off his next convulsion and sucked in a deep breath as the wolf’s wild fury pulsed against her hand. Gods, she hated seeing such a strong male reduced to this.
“No, it’s spelled. Only my king has the key.” Taraven informed her.
Shit, they were going to need that key, because if Soroyan, with his immense power and strength couldn’t get the blasted thing off, chances were slim that any of them could. “Is there any way that you can get the key from your king?”
Taraven shook his head and fear flitted across his face as they heard the snapping of branches and twigs. Serena’s guard was tracking them. “I can’t be found here. I have to go.” Taraven glanced at Soroyan then back at her and Tierney could both see and feel the boy’s indecision.
“You said you are Val Jean’s wizard, right?” she asked.
“Yes,” Taraven answered.
Surely the Daywalker king wouldn’t let any harm come to his wizard, would he? “He won’t punish you, will he?” she asked. He was just a young boy! Then she mentally slapped herself. She knew better. In fact, Jax, Sami, and Thaniel’s childhood proved that being a precious child didn’t stop evil people from hurting them.
He didn’t say anything but her suspicion was confirmed when alarm lit his eyes for a brief second before his mask slid back into place. Still, it was long enough for her to glimpse a weariness behind it all that should only have been born after many long, hard years, and not seen in one so young. Tierney bit her bottom lip. This whole fucking situation sucked! “Go,
I don’t want you getting into trouble.”
Taraven’s large eyes held so much emotion, and unable to help it, Tierney stood up. She pulled the slight boy into an embrace, feeling him tense up for a moment before he relaxed and let her hug him.
“Thank you. If you ever need somewhere to stay, or want to talk, come see me … on second thought, you should just come back with us,” she said.
Taraven shook his head. “No, I can’t. I’m bound to him.” His words sent a chill through her as she remembered the strange, cryptic message she’d received not so long ago. She’d like to have questioned Taraven some more, but he stopped speaking, knowing he’d said too much, and moved away from her.
Tierney expected him to disappear. Instead he stared down at Soroyan whose shivering had grown even more violent. Tierney crouched down and grabbed Soroyan’s bicep, feeling both the wolf and man shudder under her touch.
“I can cloak you. It won’t last, and you have to be super quiet, but—” Taraven stopped speaking to glance back toward the noise slowly getting closer. The Daywalker guard was not very far away. Taraven took a deep breath. “It’s not perfect, but it should keep him from seeing you.”
“Should?”
Taraven shrugged and Tierney’s heart ached for the young raven-shifter, wizard-boy. She wanted to bring him home with her. Just the thought of letting him go back to that evil monster made her feel ill. “Thank you, that would help,” she whispered, willing to believe he could do what he said even if he wasn’t as confident.
Tierney sank onto the ground beside Soroyan as Taraven waved his hand in a quick circle. A moment later, strange, flowing warmth slid along her and Soroyan and settled on them. Then the boy was gone.
Tierney watched the large wolf stuck in human form. He was still fighting the collar’s magic, but as long as she kept a hand on him, the convulsions were held at bay.
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