Uprising (Children of the Gods)

by Therrien, Jessica

  My heart sank, and all I could feel was fear. Christoph knew how to play me. All he had to do was threaten those close to me. Love, something I’d tried my whole life to avoid, was my greatest weakness.

  The room was silent. “All right,” I said. “Just tell me where they are. Mac won’t approve, so keep quiet about it—”

  “Wait,” Kara said. “Let’s think about this. You can’t just turn yourself over to them.”

  “What other option do I have?”

  What about the baby? Kara insisted.

  I didn’t have an answer for her, but I couldn’t just leave all my friends with the Hunters to be murdered. I don’t know, I admitted, but I’ll be safe. They won’t harm me as long as I’m pregnant. How long until she’s born? I had no idea how long Descendant babies were in the womb.

  Our growth rate is faster before we’re born. Ten months from now, give or take, Kara answered, but her eyes were anxious.

  “All right,” Alex interrupted. “What’s going on? No secret conversations.”

  “Look,” Kara said. “I know a lot of Hunters. Maybe I can sway them to see things our way. Not all of them are happy with Christoph.”

  Alex crossed his arms, and I could tell he didn’t like the idea. “You do realize they’ve all been told to kill you on sight, right?”

  “Do you think they will? Kill you?” I asked.

  She thought about it and shook her head. “No.” I wasn’t sure I believed her.

  “Can I talk to you?” William asked, touching my arm. “Alone.” He turned to walk down the hall of the unfamiliar house without waiting for my answer, and I followed him.

  “I don’t think you should do it,” he confessed, sitting on the bed as I closed the door behind me.

  “I have to,” I said, swallowing down the nausea. I stared at the carpet in defeat. “What choice do I have?”

  “I don’t know,” he answered, standing and stepping closer to me, “but everything in me is telling me not to let you go.” He reached for my face, and his fingers grazed the back

  of my neck. I could feel the look in his eyes becoming more and more familiar.

  I had to pull away from that vulnerable place. If I was going to be strong, I couldn’t let him in.

  “This is supposed to happen,” I explained, remembering Beverly Hills. “I keep getting stuck in the same situations. Maybe he’s supposed to have me. Maybe it’s all for a reason. I can’t just let them die . . .”

  “Elyse,” William said, forcing me to look at him, but he couldn’t find the words. Instead his lips touched mine, and tears spilled over my cheeks. Our kiss, wet with tears, was salty and desperate. “I’m coming with you.”

  His green eyes yielding so much power made my chest feel empty. They didn’t know the loss that I knew. Even so, I had to be thankful for that. The old William would never have let me leave him.

  I pressed my face into his warm neck, pinching my eyes tightly shut, trying to keep this moment. I would need it later. “Thank you.”

  ***

  When my feet felt the ground I saw it, the only building for miles along the dusty highway. Harley Davidsons were parked in a jumbled mess out front, their menacing faces grimacing with black and chrome. The name of the bar, Tartarus, was illuminated in old red neon that flickered on and off in the midday sun. No one knew we were there yet. We could go back. My throat felt dry, and I tried to swallow.

  “Has Mac called?” I asked Alex.

  “Not yet, but he’ll realize it’s been too long soon.”

  I stared ahead at the building, knowing he’d disapprove of this. “If he does, don’t answer.”

  “You want me to go first?” Kara asked.

  “No,” I answered immediately. “We go together.”

  I glanced at William. I should never have let him come. I could tell he wanted to say something, try to convince me this wasn’t the right choice, but he stayed quiet with stubborn disapproval in his eyes. “Be careful, okay?” He squeezed my hand, his silent way of pleading with me.

  “We’ll be fine. Alex will be with us, so we can get out at any time.”

  I started for the door and heard the clatter of men before I walked in. The air was dank and the light dim. The smell of leather and sweat lingered. As I took my first steps into the bar, everything went silent. Big-bodied men sat on stools in front of a wall of liquor at the back of the room. They surrounded pool tables and dartboards that hung over the windows. Thirty sets of eyes zeroed in on me, each face harder than the next. Their thick hands reached for weapons, but I couldn’t move.

  I cleared my throat. “I’m Elyse.”

  The sound of a pistol sliding a bullet into place clicked behind my head. I froze. “We know who you are.”

  “We want to talk to Luther,” Kara said from beside me. The gun didn’t make her tense. She looked up at the Hunter without flinching with fear as I would have.

  The men laughed, but I heard the gun’s lever click back into place, and I released the breath I’d been holding.

  “You’ve got a lot of nerve showin’ up here, Kara.” His hard face looked angry behind his long greasy black hair. His dry, thick knuckles clenched into fists.

  Just leave, I told her.

  She shook her head subtly. I know him. He’s softer than he looks.

  “They want to see Luther,” the man announced to his fellow Hunters. He cocked his head to the left, staring from Kara, to William and Alex, then back to me. “Sure.” He shrugged. “It’s been nice knowin’ ya.”

  William’s eyes scanned the men who taunted us with smirks as the four of us moved deeper into the bar. We followed the Hunter to the back, the light growing dimmer, until we reached a dark hallway with a door.

  I looked behind me, still feeling threatened by the Hunters we’d left behind, but I only saw William’s face. “Where’s Alex?” I hissed, irritated that he hadn’t followed the plan.

  “I don’t know,” William answered under his breath. “He was right here and then he just disappeared.”

  I clenched my jaw in anger. I didn’t like not having an escape. If things went wrong, we were on our own.

  When we entered, there was a man sitting behind a worn wooden desk. He seemed gentler than the rest, but his low guttural chuckle made my heart beat in my stomach. His long gray ponytail hung at the base of his neck, and the white of his goatee reminded me of someone wise and kind. I was sure my impression was wrong. I felt William next to me, like a shield, tense and ready.

  The Hunters have made calls to the Council, Elyse, Kara warned. We don’t have a lot of time. They’ve called Antec, and he’ll bring others.

  “So this here’s it? A three man army come to take out the Hunters?” Luther nodded to the black haired man to shut the door. “Gonna have to do better.”

  “We’re not here to fight. We’re here to talk,” I said.

  “Hunters are better at killin’ than talkin’,” he laughed. “But since ya made it so easy, go ahead.”

  “I know this isn’t what you want,” Kara said, getting to the point. “Why do you kill for him? It isn’t right.”

  “What I want and what’s right ain’t always the same thing,” he answered. “Killin’ for him saves more lives than you’re willin’ to admit.”

  They were quiet for a moment, staring at each other, speaking secretly while we waited.

  “I’m just doin’ my job,” he said aloud.

  “Your job is to defend our people,” Kara disagreed.

  “I am,” he sneered. “Even if it means taking out Descendant rebels who want to bring on war.” He nodded to the man in the corner. “I’m sure Christoph wants her alive. Make sure she stays conscious.”

  He looked away as the greasy man headed toward me, but there was no missing the guilt he felt with his head hung low.

  “So this is what you are now, cousin?” Mac said, appearing in front of us with Alex.

  “Mac,” Luther grumbled. “Here to give me grief over this, too?�
��

  I glared at Alex and shook my head at him for not listening to me, but he only rolled his eyes and looked away.

  “There was a time Hunters stood for something,” Mac answered. “Something good.”

  “We do what we have to. What we were born to.”

  Mac took a defiant step forward. “You were born to protect. Have you forgotten your bloodlines?”

  “Protection means different things to different people.”

  “You’re descendant of heroes, of Hercules. You should be fighting for what’s right. Keeping our people safe, not killing senselessly and following blindly. That’s weak. You’re slaves.”

  I could see shame in Luther’s eyes, even as his face stayed stern and unyielding. “If we had a choice, maybe it’d be different.”

  “You do have a choice,” I spoke up. “We all do. Christoph thinks he can control us, but what does he have without you?”

  “He has The Council. He has followers. He ain’t afraid to kill those who oppose him, including us.”

  “You think he doesn’t want to kill us? Kill me?” Kara added. “You’re supposed to be the heroes, Luther. Stand up. Be brave—”

  “Something’s wrong,” Alex interrupted with force. “I was getting calls, and they just stopped.” We all stood there watching him. “I can’t . . .” His eyes lifted in fear.

  “Christoph,” Mac said.

  “What do we do?” Alex asked, lost without his ability. “Antec’s here,” Kara said in a rush, trying to concentrate on distant thoughts. “He’s here for you, Elyse. You’ve got to go.”

  “Go where?” I asked, feeling just as stuck as everyone else.

  Mac nodded toward the side wall. “The window.”

  Before we could move, the door flew open, and for the first time I stood face to face with Antec. Black hair hung like a horse’s mane around his face, and a scar cut through his bottom lip. His bold eyes locked onto me.

  “Feel like making this easy?” His voice was slick, and his face twitched with anticipation.

  “Don’t take another step,” Mac threatened as he drew his gun, but Antec’s lips only stretched into a half smile around his scar.

  It won’t work, Kara warned us. He has a descendant of Loxo with him. Sure enough, the Hunter standing watch at the door was gone, and in his place was a tall thin man with blond hair and a twisted grin.

  What does that mean?

  He can divert the paths of things. Change their direction.

  Antec took his first step forward with confidence, daring Mac to shoot him. When the gun went off, I dropped into a squat, taking cover against the side of Luther’s desk. The bullet ricocheted away from Antec, and Kara cried out as it grazed her arm.

  Don’t let him touch you with his hands, Kara said in my mind.

  Every part of me wanted to dive at him, tackle him to the ground and drive a dart into his neck, but I couldn’t bring myself to act. Some other instinct kicked in that told me to hide, run, protect my child. I fumbled with my bag of darts trying to find the largest one I could. My blood wouldn’t work on a Council member, so I gripped the wooden spike in my hand. If he came at me, I wanted to be ready.

  The sound of breaking glass, gunshots, and men’s deep battle cries erupted outside of the little room where we’d been cornered. If we didn’t get out soon, more would be coming. When Antec took his next step, Mac lunged at him, then Kara, but he was faster than they thought. All I could do was sit and watch as the two of them tried to bring him down without success. He dodged every blow taunting them with his hands as if he was enjoying the fight and could end it at any time. His fingertips brushed Kara’s arm as he ducked under her punch. Within seconds Kara and Mac were gone, carried away to Antec’s Underworld like they’d never been here at all.

  I couldn’t keep myself from screaming as they disappeared. Before I knew it, I was on my feet. “I’ll go with you. Just let them go.”

  “No,” William yelled as he grabbed a bat from against the wall. “Get her out of here, Alex.”

  Antec walked slowly toward him, and there was nothing I could do as William took a challenging stance in front of me.

  “What are you doing?” I screamed at him, but Alex had me by the waist, pulling me toward the window. “Let me go.”

  I struggled enough to get free, but Alex darted out in front of me, too careless without his ability. In seconds, Antec lurched forward and his hand found Alex’s arm. Another friend, gone.

  Luther grabbed me by the wrist, pried the dart from my hand, and yanked me back. It didn’t matter how strong he was. I still struggled. My eyes were focused on William. Each time he swung the bat he missed, all while my voice was going hoarse from yelling, begging to be set free.

  As the bat made contact with the side of Antec’s face, I went quiet. He spit blood onto the floor and looked at William ready for revenge.

  Luther pulled me toward the window, and my eyes met William’s one last time before glass was crashing around me. “Run!” I pleaded, but I was the distraction that caused him to let down his guard. A hand clamped down on his shoulder, and he was gone like the others.

  I landed on Luther’s thick body as we hit the ground below us. I tried to scramble to my feet, but he was strong enough to break bones. It was no use. He threw me over his shoulder and carried me flailing to his bike.

  He sat me in front of him and wrapped his left arm around my waist, locking me in my place. I struggled, but it was pointless. He had me, and I collapsed in defeat. I felt dead. My chest was heavy, and everything inside me hurt. The roar of the motor drowned out the riot, which had spilled out into the front, and as we drove away I didn’t try to look back.

  25.

  WE DROVE SO FAR MY BODY ached from sitting. The wind burned my face and made me numb, but none of it mattered. My lifeless eyes took in our surroundings with indifference. I assumed we were in the Sierras. The mountain roads were lined with pine trees, and there was snow on the ground, although it was old and melting under the sun that beat down on us. Passing cars were few and far between. Their license plates read California. Signs for campsites flashed by us as we drove. I didn’t know where he was taking me. I didn’t care.

  Luther turned off onto a dirt road marked by a brown wooden sign—Pine Knot Campground. Nobody was there, not even a park ranger. It was too cold for camping. As soon as we stopped, I tried to push and shove my way off of the bike. “Let me go,” I screamed.

  “Sure,” he said, letting me slide off the side. “If you try and run, I’ll shoot you.”

  I stared at him, so much hate and anger seething through me I couldn’t take it. “I could have saved them,” I said quietly.

  He lifted his leg over the back of the bike and stood tall next to me. “No.” He shook his head, tossing a large pack to the ground. “You couldn’t have.”

  I watched as he unloaded weapons from the leather satchels that hung on the sides of the bike. Guns. Bullets. Knives.

  “Are you going to kill me?”

  His laugh was a deep rumble. “You think I’d o’ brought you this far to kill ya?”

  “Maybe.”

  “If I wanted ya dead, you’d be dead.”

  “So why are we here?”

  He unzipped the pack and pulled out a tent, blankets, and food.

  “Safety,” he answered. “Had to get ya outta there. They’ll be searchin’ for ya in all directions from that place.”

  I looked at him, unsure of what to make of this change of heart. I grabbed a pole and started copying him, sliding it through the sleeve of the tent. He watched me as my fingers inched along the fabric.

  “None of us never meant it to be like it is,” he said.

  “You had a choice,” I answered, trying not to look at him. “True.” He lowered his blood-shot blue eyes. “Never was any savin’ me, though. My soul’s been black too long, but maybe helpin’ you will undo some o’ the bad I did.”

  “Helping me?”

  “Helpin’
you go where ya need to go. Do what ya need to do.”

  “There’s nothing I can do.” My voice spiked with frustration, and I let go of the tent. Why was I trusting him anyway? “Your men or Christoph, someone’s going to kill my friends tonight.” My chest started to tighten at the thought.

  “That’d be Christoph,” Luther said, “but he ain’t keen on killin’ his kind. It’s not likely he’ll go ahead when he knows he won’t get nuthin’ for it.”

  His words were reassuring, but I didn’t know if I could believe him.

  I picked up my end of the pole and fit it into the metal fastener. “Why would you help me? You were about to turn me over to him a few hours ago.”

  “Eh, Kara was right. Always is. Just been livin’ by somebody else’s rules for too long,” he said. “Seein’ as you’re alive, though, there’s still hope o’ changin’ that.”

  I shook my head. “I tried believing that. I’m just not sure it’s true.”

  He looked at me across the canvas dome. “Well, here’s to hopin’.”

  When the sun went down, the heat went with it. Luther built a fire, but even that couldn’t keep me warm. The shame, the cold, the emptiness all made me shake and tense until I felt sick. Who knew if I’d ever see William again? I blew hot air into my hands as Luther cooked beans over the flames like we were in the old west.

  “Want a blanket?” he asked.

  “Okay.”

  He wrapped it around me with the same heavy hands that had killed so many. It was hard to accept kindness from those hands, but I did.

  “Imagine Christoph’s fixin’ to rip apart the world. You have a plan?”

  “No,” I answered, disgusted with myself, my lack of leadership. Even if I did, I probably wouldn’t tell him. I still wasn’t sure how much I could trust Luther.

  “He’s doin’ somethin’ with those humans. Poor souls.”

  I rubbed the skin around my fingernails. I hadn’t even thought of the humans. All I could think about was William, Kara, Mac, Alex, and the others. If I had any plan it would be to save them, but I didn’t. I had no idea where to go or what to do to get them back.