Scorched Souls (Chosen Book 3)

by Jeff Altabef

  The captain pulls me toward a police car.

  What a cock-up I’ve created. Again.

  Juliet

  I named the holographic trainer Tiffany. Sure, the image clearly looks more like a Rolf than a Tiffany, but Tiffany is the name of an obnoxious, stuck-up girl I totally hate from my school back home, so I’m encouraged to train harder against a Tiffany than a Rolf. It might seem petty, but it helps motivate me and that’s all that counts.

  A small camera, the size of a lemon, sits on the table and projects the image. Some other device must register my movements so the trainer can react to them, but there’s nothing else on the table. I guess it doesn’t matter too much how the thing works as long as it does. Still, it reminds me that Deltites are way more advanced than humans, and in ways I can’t even comprehend yet.

  The holographic image moves much like a real person. Only the occasional flickering reveals that Tiffany isn’t flesh and blood, and her sword feels real when we clash. Luckily, when she slips her blade beyond my defenses, it passes through me with only a light shock, where a real blade would have carved a canyon into my skin. Had she been real, Tiffany would have killed me a half dozen times by now.

  I’ve passed eight levels so far. Once I’ve shown sufficient skill to advance, Tiffany stops, lowers her sword, and bows. Afterward, she attacks with renewed vigor, using more advanced techniques and enhanced speed. I zipped through the first three levels rather quickly. Since then it has taken me progressively longer to graduate to each new ranking. I wonder how many rankings the program has. As it is, Tiffany moves so fast she’s a blur. Most of the time, I react on instinct and have to anticipate her next move, or she’ll slice me up like a turkey on Thanksgiving.

  I pivot, duck under Tiffany’s slash, and thrust the point of my sword through her holographic chest.

  She stops and bows. Level nine.

  It’s dark, the intermittent rain has started to bother me, and I’ve grown weary, so I lower my sword and bow at the trainer. She bows in response and the image flickers off. With no sign of Aaric, I think about grabbing another pizza from the kitchen, but then I hear footsteps.

  Three Deltites, two men and one woman, walk up on the far side of the courtyard. They’ve clearly noticed me and saunter in my direction. Their confident gait and the swaying of their shoulders scream trouble like a red flashing sign.

  My survival instincts jump to life. I turn, but three other Deltites appear behind me, blocking my path. This can’t be a coincidence.

  My heart pounds faster, my grip on the hilt tightens, and my Husky appears at my feet. They’re probably just here to chat, I tell myself, but the glint in the female’s eyes looks dangerous, like a shark that smells blood in the water—my blood.

  The Deltites form a loose circle around me. They’re all so tall and beautiful; I feel like a weed amongst flowers—flowers with razor sharp thorns. The sole woman looks like a deadly shadow in her long flowing black robe, while the others wear simple T-shirts and loose-fitting pants. Everyone looks lethal in all black, or a combination of white and black.

  My Husky sits by my legs. The female breaks the circle and takes one long stride toward me. She sounds sweet, but venom laces her words. “Nice dog you have there, but we have our own pets.”

  She grins and glances at the Deltites behind her. Suddenly, three monstrous creatures appear. The one she creates looks like a small lion, but with a tail that’s hard and razor-sharp. The one to the left appears like a nasty bird with two heads and long knife-like beaks. The third resembles a boar, but it growls and whips a long lizard-like tongue out of its mouth.

  She might as well have opened up a portal from hell and yanked out three of the nastiest creatures in the underworld.

  My blood turns to ice.

  My Husky barks, so I grab her and whisper that she should stay put. Those monsters look nasty, but when the lion-like creature stalks forward, she bolts from my grasp.

  “Stop!” I yell, but it’s too late. She launches herself at the small lion and the two animals roll on the grass, snarling and biting each other.

  “Call them off!” I shout.

  The woman’s grin widens. “Why? They look like they’re having fun playing.”

  The two other creatures join the fray. The bird lands on my Husky’s back and the boar thing uses its tongue like a dagger.

  I’m frozen as the Husky goes down and the other creatures attack her mercilessly.

  When I finally regain use of my legs and dart forward with my sword out front, the other animals back away, leaving my Husky covered in blood, her breath shallow.

  I pet her and whisper that she’ll be okay, but her breathing stops and she disappears. I tighten my grip on my sword and glare at the woman.

  You’re going to pay for this.

  Her grin transforms into a sarcastic smirk. “Oh, what a pity. You’ve got to learn how to control your pet better.”

  Aaric’s voice rings in my head. “Run, Juliet, you are in danger!”

  He’s too late.

  Juliet

  That’s twice the Husky has died for me, and she’s probably not coming back a third time.

  The woman smiles and pulls a sword from her robes. It must be a signal for the others because suddenly they’re all brandishing crystal swords.

  I’m trapped.

  I should be quaking-in-my-boots-holy-cow-what-am-I-going-to-do-now scared. I can’t defeat them. One is probably too many; six is an impossible task. Still, I’m more angry than scared as I lock my eyes on the woman, who seems to be their leader. “Do I have to fight all six of you at the same time, or do you have the guts to face me by yourself?”

  The woman’s beautiful face turns toxic as she hisses, “You are nothing to us, hybrid. You’re a monkey wearing clothes.” She waves her sword. “It will be my pleasure to end you.”

  I smile, but there’s no mirth in it. “Others have tried. I specialize in killing overconfident Deltites.”

  The woman spins forward, her lithe form graceful, her robe swirling. Our swords clash. Sparks fly. She’s willowy, and yet the force of her attack sends a shudder up my arm.

  Even with my enhanced strength, I’m barely able to block the blow.

  She spins in the other direction and launches a quick attack, her sword jumping at me from all angles. She’s Tiffany on steroids, and her blade will do more than send a shock through me—it’ll spill my blood all over the courtyard.

  I manage to block two quick sideswipes, but a thrust sneaks through my defenses and nicks my side. The icy sting is familiar.

  She steps back and grins. “I don’t understand why Aaric thinks you are so special.”

  I gather up my remaining confidence and press an attack of my own. I feint at her head and slice at her legs.

  She dances out of harm’s way.

  I close the gap with a twist and swipe my sword in a forceful side cut, which smacks hard into her blade. Energy flows through me and I feel stronger than ever, but it’s not enough. I’m slow, clunky, weak compared to her.

  She backhands me across the face with her free hand.

  The blow sends me reeling, and I taste blood.

  She twirls her sword in front of her like a helicopter blade.

  I jump behind the table for a breather.

  She doesn’t move, just tosses the table aside with her mind. “No hiding, little monkey.”

  You’re really pissing me off.

  The wind picks up and swirls around us, and storm clouds gather overhead. For a second, I wonder if the Wind Spirit is here to help, but that’s silly. Spirits won’t save me.

  The woman’s eyes focus beyond me, and a sly smile lights up her face.

  I twist.

  Aaric strides into the Courtyard with Jared right behind him, and now it’s clear. She used me as bait to lure him here. She expected him to rescue me. She probably would have killed me already if she wasn’t after him.

  The grim look on his face confirms my thoughts
. She set a trap for him, and he knowingly fell for it to save me.

  A lightning bolt rips through the night and the willowy woman shields herself with a disc of energy before she becomes vaporized.

  Aaric projects his thoughts into my head and pushes me with his mind, as if shoving me toward safety. “Run Juliet!”

  My feet take a few involuntary steps toward the house before I stop.

  Aaric and Jared flourish their swords in front of them. The circle of Deltites that had been formed around me reforms around them.

  No one cares about me. I mean nothing to them.

  Aaric’s voice sounds strong and clear. “Have you no honor, Zanda? Why not face me on your own as is our custom? Hiding behind these minions is not our way.”

  She sneers at him. “I’m just being logical, Prime Elector. Alone, you have the advantage. Together, we hold the upper hand.”

  “Logic is not an excuse for cowardice.”

  She chuckles. “You are a traitor to our kind, Logician. You have no support here.” She twirls her sword, as do the other Deltites who surround Aaric and Jared.

  The two barely seem to notice. They stand still and calm with their weapons at their sides.

  No one’s looking at me. I can retreat from the courtyard, slip through the house, and escape. It’s the smart thing to do, and Aaric wants me to run, to sacrifice himself for me. Yet my feet are encased in concrete. I can’t turn my back on him and let him die for me. He’s right: our futures are twined together.

  Zanda lunges forward, but Aaric meets her thrust, and then the courtyard explodes around him. Lightning strikes blast from the storm clouds, filling the air with electricity. The Deltites shield themselves with energy discs, but it slows down their attack and makes them awkward.

  Aaric spins so fast he’s a blur—transformed into a phantom.

  Jared swirls through the air only slightly slower than Aaric.

  They move faster than the other Deltites, their strokes sure, but they face so many opponents they start to tire. Small nicks score against Aaric’s body, and blood seeps through his white shirt.

  I grip my hilt tighter, but I’m still frozen, undecided. My sword won’t amount to much in this melee. I need another way to help.

  I close my eyes and feel an explosion of energy around me. I’ve been connected to Aaric in a strange way since we both drank those potions, and his power fills my core. The earth shakes below my feet. I’m the center of a volcano. My physical body melts away and is replaced by pure energy, lava ready to erupt.

  I focus on Zanda and notice the battle on the courtyard has slowed. Aaric’s shoulder is cut and a gash mars Jared’s cheek.

  “No, Juliet. It is too dangerous!” Aaric shouts.

  It’s too late for caution. I can’t stop what I’ve begun. Just one slight push and events unroll like a domino chain. My eyes focus on Zanda. The air explodes around me and the energy throws me aside. I land hard on my back, and everything goes gray for a moment. I hear shouts and curses and screams, but it all seems like a hazy nightmare.

  I work to pry my eyes open and feel Aaric lift me.

  He cradles me in his arms as he races to the house, his face covered in blood.

  I close my eyes again.

  A second later, I’m in the back of the sedan.

  Aaric yells at Jared to drive as some energy returns to my body.

  I blink and can see that it isn’t just Aaric’s face that’s colored crimson.

  My heart leaps. “Are you okay? There’s so much blood.”

  The car pulls from the curb with a squeal.

  He looks sad. “That is not my blood.”

  “Whose blood is it?”

  He brushes his fingers against my cheek to stop my trembling. “It is Zanda’s blood. You shattered her.”

  I what?

  My mind spins.

  The fog returns, followed again by the darkness.

  Juliet

  The car stops suddenly and I open my eyes.

  Jared parks in the driveway of a modest house with prickly rose bushes out front that flank the door.

  My eyes stick on the roses, and suddenly I’ve zoomed in so close, I can see every fiber, every imperfection as if I’m examining the flower under a microscope. It’s disorienting. It looks like each petal might be an entire universe... and it scares me. I have to shake my head a few times to clear the image and bring my sight back to normal.

  Aaric opens my door with a concerned look, and moves to scoop me up again, but hesitates when he notices I’m awake.

  “I can walk,” I mumble. I take a deep breath and unfold from the car, but I was wrong.

  My legs wobble, and I’m about to topple to the ground when he saves me. He doesn’t grab me with his hands, but mentally adds strength to my legs so I can stand upright.

  I smile. “Thanks.”

  He nods, his eyes studying mine, probing, looking for answers to questions he doesn’t dare ask.

  When he turns, I follow him inside the house.

  Jared is inside already and has left the door open.

  “This is a safe house I bought a few months ago,” Aaric explains as he shuts the door behind us. “No one knows about it... well, except for Jared. It is not as lavish as the Compound, but it will do for now.”

  He excuses himself to clean up, and I walk stiffly to the downstairs bathroom. The warm soapy water feels good against my hands, arms, and face. My shirt is ripped and I see the edges of my twisted arrows tattoo on my shoulder. I sigh, close my eyes, and lean against the sink.

  What happened at the courtyard?

  I recall the immense feeling of energy that threatened to overwhelm me, and my singular focus on Zanda. Only jagged images come to mind after that, like shards of shattered glass. There aren’t enough pieces for me to put together and form a complete picture.

  Maybe it’s better that way.

  I know what happened. Do I need to see it? Do I need to relive it?

  I stare into the mirror for a long moment and examine the new me. I’ve changed so much over the past few weeks. Gone is the girl who just wanted to be average, to blend in. A new, stronger person has replaced her, but what have I become? A killer? A monster? An Alpha who shatters another person with her mind?

  Is this what Sicheii wanted for me?

  I dry myself with a towel and step into the living room with my thoughts still spinning.

  Aaric waits for me, his aura a dazzling display of light. It shines a brilliant shade of white, but other colors, subtle yet noticeable, blend together to form an intricate pattern.

  I wish I knew what it means.

  His hair is wet, and he looks troubled. He points to the couch and sounds serious, like a teacher who is about to scold a student after she’s failed a test. “We need to talk.”

  Once I plop down, he starts. “You should have run from the Compound while you had a chance.”

  He can say what he wants, but I’ll make up my own mind. “I wasn’t going to leave you to fend for yourself. There were six of them and only you and Jared. I couldn’t just let them kill you. You came back for me!”

  He settles next to me. “If I tell you to listen to me next time, will it do any good? You seem to be unreasonably stubborn.”

  I half smile at him. “I like to think of myself as strong-willed.”

  “You certainly are... strong-willed.” He sighs. “I am sorry I put you in such a perilous situation.”

  I recall the storm that preceded Aaric’s arrival at the compound. We Chosen have our own abilities, but that storm was stronger and more intense than anything we could even dream of mustering. Ordinary humans could never compete with that strength. Regular humans would see him as a god. We’d have no chance.

  “So you can create storms?”

  He shrugs. “Most Alphians have one special ability. Sometimes they have two. Storms and lightning have always been mine. Others can bend light, control metal, or—”

  “Or create fire or liquefy
solids.”

  He nods. “Right. I should have foreseen that confrontation and prevented it. Apparently, the rift that divides my people runs deeper than I thought.”

  “I thought all the Deltites on Earth report to you. If you’re the Prime Elector, don’t they have to do as you say?”

  He shifts his fingers through his hair, clearly frustrated. “Our society is complex. Ten different coveys exist on Earth. Each one operates somewhat autonomously from the others. Each has a task that will help advance our relationship with humans. All the coveys are supposed to report to me. Obviously more than a few have doubts about my plans for the planet. I will have to sort through each one and deal with the traitors. It will not be an easy process, but I am more worried about our Leader. These groups on Earth are only a symptom of a larger problem. I fear the Emotionalists throughout the universe are rebelling against him.”

  He’s revealed more about Deltite society than he should to an outsider, especially someone who is supposed to murder him. He must trust me. Maybe I need to trust him back.

  He leans closer to me. “What you did in the Courtyard was very....”

  I can tell he’s searching for the right word.

  “...Dangerous.”

  “I didn’t mean to—” I cringe. “—to do that to Zanda.” A lump forms deep in my throat. “I soaked in all this energy and just released it at her. I didn’t know what would happen.”

  He shakes his head. “Zanda got what she deserved. She was a coward. I am not worried about her. It is you I am worried about. Absorbing that much energy is extraordinarily dangerous for you. You have no ability to control it. You could have killed everyone, even yourself.”

  I remember our prior conversation about abominations and how hazardous they are to those around them, and a chill rips through me. Aaric said they’re too dangerous to let live. What if I can’t control this power and I’m in a crowded place? How many innocent people could I kill?

  My voice sounds squeaky as I utter the unthinkable. “You’re worried I’m an abomination. That I’ll become too powerful and will be dangerous.”