“I think it will test yours,” the Szorian says, turning back in my direction and lifting a leg to enact what I can only imagine to be an extremely painful blow. I close my eyes and it is a surprise when the blast doesn’t hit its mark. When my eyes reopen, neither Hayden nor the Szorian is within my field of view.
I feel a gentle set of hands on my arm and I take a deep breath, knowing that such gentle hands do not belong to a Szorian. “We need to get you inside right now. Lee and Hayden are in the middle of something and you are in the way. Lee won’t hesitate to trample you,” Jebadyah says, lifting me in his arms. “Damn it,” he whispers as he lifts me. I can’t feel his arms on my skin or the air on anything but my face, but leaving the battlegrounds is all I want to do at the moment. Nothing else seems to matter, other than Hayden of course.
“Is Hayden all right?” I ask. Jebadyah tilts my body to the side and I catch a glimpse of multiple metallic creatures engaged in a fight. Two are lighter skinned and the other eight are dark, but I am surprised to see that the lighter metal creatures are faring well. I can tell which one is Hayden by the way he is moving so swiftly and quickly. He isn’t allowing a single hit to be laid upon his perfect metal structure.
“Hayden is doing great. We need to be more concerned for you at the moment,” Abdul says sharply. I wonder what he means until he delivers a concise explanation. “You are hurt.”
“I’ll be fine,” I reassure them. But as I’m laid on the couch and can’t so much as feel the fabric beneath me nor the pressure of the cushions on my skin, I realize I may not be okay after all.
*****
Chapter 14
Mary
Mary knows they heard her. She takes a deep breath and brings herself to her feet, still in a crouching position. Is this the last thing she will ever experience—trying to remain hidden behind a counter in a Chinese store? “Please don’t shoot me,” Mary whispers to herself. In a louder tone, able to be heard by the two people at the door, she continues. “I’m going to stand up. Please don’t kill me,” she pleads, blunt about her only request.
Mary stands slowly with her hand flat on the counter. As her eyes peek above the counter, she first notices the gun pointing in her direction, held by a man who takes her breath away. In the face of death, she can’t believe she is able to take notice of the man’s attractiveness, but he is, for all scientific intents and purposes, the perfect specimen.
His arm that holds the gun is healthily muscular but not as large as Hayden’s or Ross’s. His jaw line is set and defined against his broad demeanor. For someone who has to be starving, he looks strong and fit with sculpted calves and a broad chest. By definition, this man is attractive, and his rare sky-blue eyes and black hair just make his so much more drool-worthy. “Who are you?” he asks, his tone best defined as hard. Mary has no doubt he will pull that trigger if she proves to be a threat.
“I’m Mary Thorne,” she says, peeling her eyes away from him and glancing at the other person in the room—someone just as attractive.
“She’s a human,” the woman whispers. She is just as tall as the man but far slimmer. Each of them wears shorts and raggedy tennis shoes, which is a sharp contrast to Mary’s apparel. It may be hot outside at the moment, but it could drop fifty degrees in two hours and the weather change wouldn’t surprise anyone. Mary always dresses in two shirts and two pairs of pants—good for any occasion. A pair of leggings and baggy jeans, and a T-shirt with a sweatshirt overtop. Right now, she wears the sweater around her waist, but she has it ready to place over her head in a matter of seconds.
The man lowers his weapon, but it remains loaded. “Why are you here?” he asks.
“How do you know I’m a human?” Mary counters, not daring to move her hands in fear of the man aiming and shooting his firearm. She wonders if one of them are Nectorian or Szorian, but she highly doubts that one is Szorian, especially knowing that Szorians are meant to kill their mates and anyone else in their way.
“I can sense Nectorian and Szorian. You are neither,” the woman says. Her features are small and hard; brown eyes penetrating Mary. She feels violated by the mere stare.
“I am here to gather supplies,” Mary says tersely, not mentioning her group. She needs to know these people are not cold-blooded killers before she gives them information that could be used to hurt Ross or Red. “What are you?” Mary asks. She knows she can’t defend herself without a weapon, so when her eye catches on a metal object below the counter, partially hidden by papers, her curiosity piques.
“I am going to need you to be more specific,” the woman says, taking a step forward. Mary, who is hidden behind the counter, takes a tiny step back, removing her hands from plain sight. If she can move against the bar, the object will be within reach.
“You know that I am neither a Szorian nor a Nectorian. I’m not a cannibal as you can tell by my properly functioning motor and speech skills. You know that I am an average human, so I would like to know what each of you is,” Mary begins, taking a small step forward and allowing her fingers to graze the metal object bellow the counter. Neither of them moves or speaks, so Mary continues. “If I were guessing, I would assume that the man is a human. If he weren’t, he wouldn’t need a gun to protect himself. It’s you, miss, that I am unsure about.”
“I would have thought that my standing would be apparent to someone who looks to have experience in Szorians, Nectorians, and cannibals alike,” the woman says.
Mary presses the metal object against her leg and uses the sense of touch to determine what the object is. It feels almost like a letter opener, but it could also be a dull knife. Either way, it gives her something with which she can defend herself. “You would be correct in assuming that I have experience, but that experience seems to make this entire encounter confusing,” Mary says. “You see, both Nectorians and Szorians have mates, as I am assuming you two are.”
“Szorians do not have mates,” the woman says, her voice suddenly becoming defensive and accusing. The man has not lifted the gun, so Mary’s words are apparently not reaching him nearly as much as they are reaching the woman.
“So, you are a Nectorian,” Mary states. Relief floods through her at the revelation. Mary is willing to bet that there are no other Szorians who have followed the same path as Ross. She is also willing to bet there was not a surviving human who was anywhere near as kind and gentle as Charlie.
“I am,” the woman says. “Why do you believe Szorians have mates?” she asks, getting straight to the point.
“I have seen a Szorian fall in love with his mate.” Mary stares at the woman, knowing that she is the boss of the group. It seems that the Nectorian almost always has the control, but Hayden and Jo seem to break that stereotype.
“Are you speaking from experience? Where is your mate?” The woman asks. Mary notices as the man’s glare intensifies, likely accusing her of being mated to a Szorian. She can’t fathom transforming a Szorian into a humane creature, even if she tried. Charlie had the magic touch, not her.
“My mate is dead.” The tension in the air intensifies, and Mary watches as the man’s expression turn from brooding to sympathy. She doesn’t want anyone’s sympathy. “But she left me with a child. That’s why I’m gathering supplies. The baby needs to eat,” Mary explains.
“A child? Your mate was a female?” the woman asks. The man looks as if he wants to ask the same thing, but allows the woman to ask instead. “So that means each of you must have had something quite excellent to offer. Typically, a mating occurs between a man and a woman because men are knowingly stronger.”
Mary eases the letter opener into her back pocket and nods. “Is a mating usually between two people who are attracted sexually to one another?” she asks.
The man stiffens and the woman clenches her lips to withhold a smile. “I haven’t seen the mating turn into a sexual attraction in my experience,” the man says, looking at the woman. “I’m not with Isabelle if that is what you were thinking,” he clarifie
s with an amused look on his face. Mary can feel a blush rise, no matter how hard she attempts to suppress it. His sky-blue eyes penetrate Mary’s, and she takes a deep breath. Who is he?
“What’s your name?” she dares to ask.
With a smirk, he replies, “Elijah.”
“So, you say you have a baby. Where is it?” Isabelle asks. She looks past Mary as if she will suddenly see the child behind her. She has brought the child into a town before—unwillingly, of course. This time isn’t much different other than the fact that Ross is willing to help.
“Red is with Ross, a member of my group. They are tracking the rest of our group, and I have to catch up with them after I get supplies,” she explains, biting her lower lip. “But I don’t know how to track.”
“We know how to track,” Elijah says with a shrug. “And we are on our own. The more the better, right?” Isabelle looks at Elijah in disagreement and nudges him in a way that should have been discreet had it not been for Elijah’s head whipping around so quickly.
“Maybe we should talk about this first,” she proposes, eyeing Mary with hesitance. “Alone.”
As they turn to walk out of the Chinese shop, Mary watches as they stand outside and engage in what seems to be a mild argument. Mary realizes after a moment that this arrangement may not be the wisest thing she had ever thought to do, especially considering Ross is Isabelle’s soul enemy, but it may be her last chance to find Ross and her baby. If that is what will result from this arrangement, she will happily take the risk.
Mary waits for another few minutes and they come back inside, a victorious smirk lying upon Elijah’s face. “We will help you,” he says. Isabelle merely smiles as Mary leads them from the Chinese store and back in the direction from which she came. Mary knows this situation may turn out ugly, but at least she will find Red.
Even if it means she will be leading two mortal enemies into the same breathing space, she will get Red back.
*****
Chapter 15
Jo Leigh
I feel like I am waiting forever as I doze off into a shallow sleep, but when Hayden struts through the front door with Lee on his tail, I open my eyes and feel my heart flutter. The way he looks at me changes my feeling completely.
Hayden’s expression is so full of different emotions; I can’t keep up. The first feeling I notice, and by far the most dominant is disappointment. I know he is disappointed in me for leaving him, but there is nothing I can do about it now. Another dominant emotion is relief, which I can only imagine being there because I am alive. The third emotion, nearly as prominent as the other two, is distress.
Jebadyah and Abdul walk in his direction and mutter things in each of his ears. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to realize I have been traveling alongside two men other than him, even if only for a very short amount of time. As they speak, his expression darkens and he rushes to my side, pushing Abdul and Jebadyah away from him.
When he is within reach, the first thing I say surprises me. “It’s too dangerous. This is why I can’t have you here,” I whisper. His jaw clenches and he shakes his head.
“If it’s too dangerous for me, then you shouldn’t even think about doing it,” he says, slipping a palm underneath my back. I can’t feel it, but I watch as his hand slides beneath me. “Can you feel any of this?” he asks, his tone clipped and worried.
“No,” I reply tersely. He shakes his head, and I watch his expression turn from anger to worry. “It’s more dangerous for you. You’re—you’re a warrior and these Szorian want you dead above all else.”
“Can you feel any part of your body right now? I can feel mine, and I faced five more Szorians than you did and am uninjured. This path is more dangerous for a human, especially one who thinks she can conquer the world. Now hold still and don’t talk,” he says. For once in my life, I listen to his order and remain still, allowing his touch to cure my body of injury. I briefly wonder if he is going to make my body whole again.
By being here, he is already softening my heart, and that is the last thing I need. I can’t complete this mission with a warm heart.
Every second his hands remain on me, a heat floods deeper and deeper inside my body, wrapping itself around my spine and healing me. After exerting all the strength in battle, he can still make me whole. The feeling starts in my chest and slowly sweeps down my body. I feel the scratchy cushion of the couch beneath my bare back and Hayden’s hands, warm and electrifying, against my lower back. The pressure of the sofa becomes apparent and my cold toes soon follow. After a few more seconds, Hayden jerks backward breathlessly.
His face is red and he gulps in breaths of air. The look reminds me of Jebadyah and Abdul as soon as they laid their hands onto Hayden. “Are you okay?” I ask, worry flooding through me. I attempt to bring myself to my feet, but instead fall to my knees beside Hayden’s crouched form. I have never seen him so weak and feeble looking.
“He used most of his energy to heal your back, stupid girl,” Lee scolds, arms crossed and face hard as stone.
I don’t see as Hayden leaves his position on the floor, but in seconds he has Lee pinned to the wall, hand around the man’s throat. “Don’t you ever talk to her that way,” Hayden growls in Lee’s face. I jump to my feet and with wobbly legs, separate them, allowing Hayden to fall back into me and lean his weight on my shoulder. It’s far from easy to hold him up, but I manage to bring him back to the couch to sit, leaving Lee at the wall where Hayden had just marked me as his territory.
“You’re drained. You need to sit for a while,” I say, rubbing Hayden’s back. I wonder how mine broke. I don’t remember the pain that I’d imagine with a broken back or any pain at all. All I felt was a pinch and the inability to move.
“Your spine dislocated,” Hayden explains, looking at me. “If I wouldn’t have healed you immediately, you would have never walked again. I couldn’t risk that with you,” he says. I look at Lee and see the expression of an insincere man who would have left his mate to die without a second thought. It takes someone frigid-hearted and cruel to do something like that.
I realize I should not tell Hayden that Lee slapped me once and almost did again. Though the man is terrible and deserves to go to hell, his mate doesn’t deserve to watch him die the death the man deserves. “Thank you,” I whisper, leaning into him. My touch may not recharge him the way his touch does me, but I need to express my gratitude.
I also need to accept that leaving him behind may not be the wisest thing to do, even if I always worry about his safety. When he is by my side, we are each at our strongest. “How did you fight so many of them when you looked so weak before?” I ask Hayden.
“Did you not see Jebadyah and Abdul?” he asks. Even his voice sounds weak.
Jebadyah takes a step and sits on the floor beside us. I realize only Lee and Alex stand in the room with us and briefly wonder where everyone else is. “I’ve got this,” he tells Hayden. “I told you about how a Nectorian can give energy but not take it, right?” Jebadyah asks. With my nod, he continues. “Well, Abdul and I gave Hayden as much of our strength as we could without burning out completely. We knew he could put the energy to use in a way we couldn’t and we were right. He defeated the Szorians with our energy.”
“Then why do neither of you look as weak as Hayden?” I ask, looking worriedly at my soul mate. I realize this is all my fault, but at least we are all alive and no more deaths fell on my shoulders.
“We replenish quickly. In twenty minutes, he will look as good as new,” Jebadyah says. Abdul watches me curiously.
“You are different when he is here,” he notes. I wonder what he means, but don’t bother asking. I am slightly different, even if I don’t want to admit it. I’m different in a good way, and everyone around me can tell the difference. My entire life is no longer consumed with finding and killing the Szorians. Now that Hayden has found me, he is at the top of my list. He is the most important thing.
“Can we be alone for a few
moments?” Hayden asks. His question, though formatted as a question, is more of a demand that everyone understands and obeys. They each leave the room, and Hayden leans back on the couch cushions, finally relaxing. “You left me.”
“I couldn’t watch another person I care about, die,” I tell him. “Charles ruined me. If you died too…” I trail off, knowing that he understands.
“I won’t leave you. I’ll always be here for you,” he promises, pulling me into his side. I feel his warmth coming from him in waves and bask in it. It’s Hayden, and he is right. He is here for me, and he will always try his best to stay with me, but all it takes is one mistake and he could die, too.
“But you don’t know that. The last thing Charles ever said to me was that we wouldn’t leave each other’s side once two weeks passed. She had no idea that she was going to die and she promised we’d be together soon. That’s why I’m afraid to stay with you. I know you wouldn’t break your promise intentionally, but death will break it for you, just like it broke Charles’s.” I hope he understands my fear. If he knows why I left him, it will make it much easier for him to see why I shouldn’t stay with him.
“I’ll die just as easily without you. In fact, I make irrational decisions when I don’t have you to keep me grounded. We belong together,” Hayden whispers, forcing me to look into his galaxy eyes. Nothing can prepare me for the rush of overwhelming feeling that I receive from looking into such perfect eyes.
“You’re right,” I admit with a hesitant sigh. “You just can’t break my heart the way Charles did. I can’t go through that again,” I say. I swing my leg over his lap and straddle him, holding both of his cheeks. “Promise me.”
“I won’t leave you. I can’t go through that again either,” he says, shaking his head and grabbing my wrists, pulling me closer. “I won’t leave you if you don’t leave me, and even if you do, I will find you with my last breath. Do you understand me?”
Final Impact: A Dystopian Trilogy (BOUND Book 3) Page 7