by Anne, Melody
“Those have been my favorite moments with Brian, too,” Sadie said with a sigh as she wrapped her arms around her boyfriend.
Phoenix felt a pang in her chest. She wanted to admit she’d fallen in love with Jayden in the same way. But Jayden wasn’t there anymore — hadn’t been for a very long time. But Devon was. They hadn’t lain together looking up at the stars, but he had been there for her in some of her darkest times. What did that mean?
The room quieted as they all got lost in their own thoughts of love, freedom, and the old and new world. The night passed slowly as they ate their meal and then tucked in early. It was hard to go to sleep with so many thoughts on her mind. But the storm kept raging, and for some reason, it comforted Phoenix.
It reminded her that normal things still happened. Storms raged, wind blew, the sky opened up and rain fell. Rain was a good thing — it cleaned the earth and purged all of the bad smells, washing away the blood staining the streets. It also brought new growth and new beginnings. Finally with those thoughts, Phoenix was able to let her mind shut off and drift away from reality for a little while.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Jayden knew she was there. He could feel her presence. Vyco hadn’t figured it out yet, and Jayden was too fearful of Vyco discovering her to tell her to go away. He cringed as the demon slashed his whip against his body once more.
“You will give in to me, Jayden. I’ll say this for you, though, you’re much stronger than I thought. Many years before you would’ve broken far sooner,” Vyco said, tossing his whip away in disgust.
Jayden knew Vyco was growing bored with his daily beatings. He knew his time was coming to an end. He was afraid Cassidy would be added to Vyco’s list of victims. Jayden needed to convince her to leave.
“I think I’ll go visit your Phoenix now. It’s been a few nights. She’s starting to break — soon she’ll be mine, and all of this pain will have been for naught,” Vyco snarled, growing angrier when Jayden didn’t react to him. On the inside Jayden was simmering, but he’d learned not to show any emotion on the outside. It only fueled Vyco.
Vyco disappeared in his typical ring of fire. Jayden allowed his body to sag against the binds and let the agony show on his features. He hurt unlike anything he thought was possible. Vyco would give him just enough time to heal before he’d start in on him again. He was beyond the point of caring about life. He’d rather Vyco gave him his eternal rest. But Jayden was well aware Vyco knew that would be a mercy — and the man he’d once followed so faithfully was too demented to give something as soft as mercy.
As soon as Vyco parted, Cassidy scanned the area and quickly noticed the smug leader only had two guards at the entrance of Jayden’s tomb — and they were lower-level followers at that. Vyco had far too much assurance in his powers. He should’ve known Cassidy wouldn’t rest until she saved her brother. Vyco underestimated her loyalty to Jayden.
“Hey, boys,” Cassidy called, startling the guards. They reached for their weapons, but they were too late. Cassidy jumped into the air and spun in a circle, her foot connecting with one of their faces, then her arm curved down and slammed into the other one, causing both of them to stumble.
Before they were able to regain their footing, she pulled a gleaming, double-sided blade from her belt and lifted it in the air. With a swift twist of her arm, the knife cut through the air and slashed clean through one’s neck, his head rolling to the ground.
The other guard regained his footing and kicked his leg out, catching Cassidy off guard and sending her flying to the ground. She winced as her body hit hard, but she rolled over just as the guard’s own blade struck the ground where her head had just been.
She jumped back to her feet and crouched low as he barreled toward her. Cassidy smiled with triumph before her blade sank into his chest. She quickly pulled it out and swiped it across the guard’s throat. She walked into her brother’s cell with the satisfaction of their bodies going up in flames behind her. Dark magic didn’t like to leave its followers behind. It destroyed any evidence it ever existed, eliminating its fallen soldiers.
“Jayden, we’re getting you out of here,” Cassidy said. He slowly opened his bruised and swollen eyes, not wanting to admit what a beautiful sight she was, even if there wasn’t anything she could do to help him.
“You shouldn’t have come, Cassidy. You can’t break these binds. I’m securely locked here by his dark power. Believe me, I’ve had months to try,” Jayden said. He even managed to pull his lip up in an unconvincing semblance of a smile.
Cassidy smiled at her brother. She hated seeing him in so much pain, but she was relieved she’d finally found him and could get to him.
“Quit acting that way. Phoenix needs you,” she said. Her words stabbed him through the heart. He’d left to protect the girl he loved, and he’d accomplished nothing. Vyco was still haunting her dreams, getting closer each day to capturing her soul.
“I miss her so much. Please, please, don’t,” he gasped. He couldn’t think of seeing Phoenix again. It was a pain more unbearable than any of the vicious wounds Vyco had inflicted on him. The wounds were only damage to his flesh, but the pain of not being with his only love was tearing his soul from his immortal body.
“So quit whining about it,” Cassidy said with a grin. He looked at her with shock. How could she stand there, free to go, and taunt him? She’d never been cruel before. Maybe being part of the mortal world changed her without her noticing.
“Cassidy, leave,” he said. He didn’t have the strength to deal with her.
“I’m planning on it. This place gives me the serious creeps, and because of you, I’ve been away from John when there was no need. You should’ve never left. Now, let’s fix the mistake,” she said as she came closer. He was getting angry.
“Good, get angry. Quit acting defeated. Don’t you remember what Josiah said? You’re so much stronger than most in our world, Jayden. You’ve listened to Vyco, which is never a good idea, but you’re far more powerful than he is. Together, we can defeat him. Now is not the time. We need to get you away from here, give you time to heal. We’ll get him, I promise.”
His eyes lit as he looked at her. Her aura glowed as power simmered within her. He felt her strength rush through him. She stepped forward and pressed her hand against his. Warmth started spreading through their joined hands, traveling up his arm. He felt powerful, and something indescribable. His eyes shut as the feeling traveled through his body.
She pulled away, and he reached forward, his eyes slowly opening. He didn’t want the feeling to end. He still hurt, but not like he had before the touch.
“You’re free, Jayden. You did it,” she whispered, her eyes glowing with pure light and joy. He moved his arm, testing her theory. When it lifted, he took a tentative step. He fell forward, then looked up at her smiling face. “It’s been in you the whole time, you just had to believe it. Believe what Josiah told you. Jayden, you really are the one who will save this world,” she said. She dropped to her knees and lifted his head. There were so many emotions flashing in her eyes, but love was the strongest.
He wrapped his arms around her, not realizing how much he’d needed physical comfort until that moment. Vyco had affected him more than he’d realized. Jayden was fighting so much darkness. He wanted nothing more than to jump to his feet, find Vyco, and rip his head from his shoulders. He wanted Vyco’s blood, and lots of it.
“Fight it, Jayden. That’s not who you are,” Cassidy said, pulling his attention back to her.
“I don’t know who I am,” he said with anguish.
“We’ll figure it out together. We need to leave. You’re not strong enough to defeat him right now, but soon you will be. You’ll destroy him, but hopefully it’s because he needs to be removed from this world, and not out of hatred,” Cassidy said. She got to her feet and tugged him up.
He was conflicted. He wanted to hunt Vyco down and make him pay for the torture he’d inflict
ed for months, and even more for the pain he’d put Phoenix through, but he knew Cassidy was right. He needed to heal.
“She needs you, Jayden. She’s scared, and her heart’s broken,” Cassidy said, sealing his decision. He’d been away from her long enough. He needed to see her before he lost his battle with the demons trying to claim his soul.
Jayden said nothing. He just nodded at her. The tunnels were dark as she led him away from his prison. He didn’t know how long they traveled, but he knew the moment they were about to walk out of his tomb into the night.
The fresh scent of a rain-washed forest infiltrated his senses. He could hear crickets playing their midnight melodies. He felt the strength of the moon with its brilliance beaming over the earth. Stepping through the small opening, Jayden lifted his face toward the star-filled sky. How had he ever willingly spent months below ground? He filled his lungs with the comforting fragrances of the forest, full of gratitude to be there.
“I know where to take you,” Cassidy said. She took his hand, and her strength once again flowed through him. Suddenly, they were flying through the woods, his legs floating above the ground as they ran so quickly, they didn’t need to touch. The exhilaration flooded through him, making the months of torture crumble from his mind.
They ran for so long the sun started to gently crest over the mountains. The fragment of light burned his eyes after being in the dark for so long. He knew the moment Vyco found him missing. His lips curled in a satisfied smile as he felt Vyco’s rage course through him. His old master was furious, but there was nothing he could do about it. He opened his mind for just a moment to allow Vyco to feel the taunt coming from him before locking it back down. That was a game he couldn’t afford to play right now.
“We’re here,” Cassidy said. She brought him into a shelter. He looked around, not recognizing the area. “I found it when I knew where you were. It’s protected. This will be where you’ll heal. Then, in a couple days, you’ll be with Phoenix and I’ll be with John,” she said. She led him to a bed where he slumped. The exhilaration from the run suddenly drained him completely. She waved her hand in front of his face and he blacked out, falling into a coma-like sleep.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“I told you it would clear,” John said with a smug smile.
“Are you kidding me? You’ve said that for four days. Of course, you’re bound to be right one of the days,” Brian said sarcastically. They were packed and ready to leave the house. It had kept them warm and safe, but they needed to move on.
They piled into the truck and pulled out onto the freshly washed streets. As Phoenix glanced around, she closed her eyes and inhaled the smell of rain still in the air. She could almost forget for a moment they were in the middle of a war. The air was cool but not bitingly cold, and she was once again snuggled between Sadie and Devon.
Devon had taken up permanent residence next to her, and she didn’t mind. She and Sadie had talked for long hours about her being careful and not falling in love with him. Phoenix knew all of that and was sick of hearing it. There was nothing wrong with having another good friend, even if he did happen to be a boy. She chose to ignore the look in his eyes when she caught him staring, or the way he constantly felt a need to touch her. If she thought about it, she’d have to be honest with him and tell him she’d never love him.
They drove for several hours. Phoenix’s stomach started growling so loudly they could hear it over the sound of the motor.
“Hope we find food soon,” Devon said with a chuckle. She couldn’t do anything that would turn him off, it seemed.
“There’s a small town in a few miles. I’m hopeful we can find something there,” John said. Phoenix hoped so too.
“What I wouldn’t give for ice cream. We’re riding all this way in the back of a truck. It goes without saying that we deserve the creamy goodness of a milkshake,” Sadie said with a dreamy look in her eye.
“Do you think there will ever be ice cream again?” Phoenix asked in a worried voice. The two girls looked at each other with horror at the thought of not having it. They finally realized how intense they were over a treat and suddenly were laughing. “We are truly horrible human beings,” Phoenix gasped.
“I know. I can’t believe how I panicked at the thought of never having a shake again. I swear, I could go without television forever, but not a triple brownie delight,” Sadie said, her body shaking with laughter. The three guys in the back of the truck looked at them as if they’d truly gone insane.
“I never realized the importance of ice cream,” Scott said with a pucker between his brows. His comment made the girls laugh harder.
“You’re going to make me throw up, and I have nothing in there, so it’s going to really hurt,” Phoenix gasped, tears running down her cheeks. Scott raised his brow, then turned away, trying to give them time to compose themselves.
“Is everything okay back there?” Brian asked on the radio while looking through the rearview mirror.
“Yes, the girls are just having a moment. There’s a town down the next road. Turn right and follow it,” John replied. Brian nodded, but kept glancing back in the mirror. The guys said nothing further, and by the time they reached the town, they’d managed to pull themselves together, but neither spoke, afraid they’d lose it again.
They soon found a garage to park in, then climbed from the vehicle and stretched. After the incident in the last town, John insisted on doing a complete sweep of the town before allowing anyone out of the safety of the garage. He came back in twenty minutes, and they were given the okay to search the stores. John hadn’t felt any enemy’s presence.
The sun was high in the sky as they carefully walked the streets of the once beautiful town. It hadn’t been hit nearly as bad as other places, but it was just as deserted. It could easily be re-inhabited when the war was over. A few buildings were burned, but nothing to the extent of other areas they’d seen.
Phoenix looked around, picturing couples walking hand-in-hand down the street, holding the leash of a dog while pushing a baby stroller. Her imaginary couple was laughing about a joke they’d heard from their neighbor. Another couple passed and gave them a friendly wave before the man pulled open the door to a store for his wife and child.
The store owner let their dog enter with them and even gave the beautiful Lab a bone. It was a happy scene, and she wanted it so badly, she squeezed her eyes tight, then opened them in a childish hope it would come true. She had to fight the disappointment of seeing reality instead.
“Come on, Phoenix. I see a store,” Sadie called, then tugged on her hand. Phoenix obediently followed. She couldn’t get hooked on fantasy. They’d make it reality soon enough.
They went in the store and found a few groceries, but not nearly what they’d hoped for. There were a couple of bags of jerky, and Phoenix ripped one open and passed out the hard meat. It didn’t matter how old it was, their stomachs didn’t complain. They found enough food to stave off hunger for a while, but they knew they’d need to find more or have a miserable night.
“Oh, my gosh, there are a few cans of Pepsi back here,” Sadie exclaimed. Her voice was filled with a mixture of reverent awe and delight. It took a few moments for her words to sink in to the others, but when they did, they rushed to where she was.
“That’s more than a few, Sadie. There are a couple dozen,” Brian said, practically panting in anticipation. He grabbed one of the cans and ran his hand over it adoringly. “It’s been so long. Do you think it’s still good?”
“I don’t care. I’m drinking one,” Phoenix insisted. She hadn’t had a soda in years. She’d drink it without ice. It was the most amazing item they’d found on their journey. “We have got to find one of the soda plants and see if there’s still soda in them,” she said. Just the sight of the faded can brought her a new measure of hope for things of old.
“Great idea,” Sadie agreed.
“Maybe we should secure the base befo
re going on a soda hunt,” John said, trying to sound stern. He couldn’t keep the grin from his face, though. He loved seeing his sister and Sadie so happy. Who knew such a small find could put them on top of the world?
“Come on, let’s search some of the homes,” John said, and led them from the store. The group had renewed spirits, but they needed more food.
After searching for another hour, they were about to give up when John suddenly stopped and looked to his left. They all froze. He held his hand up and everyone reached for their weapons, not knowing what was out there.
“What is it, John?” Devon whispered.
“I don’t know, but it’s not soldiers,” he replied. He moved down the street toward a large home. It was surrounded by an eight-foot fence, and he had them wait while he scaled it. He was gone so long they started to worry. Suddenly, the gate opened, and they looked in shock as John stepped out with a heavily armed man. They knew he couldn’t possibly have captured John, so they didn’t know what to expect.
“This is Grayson. There’s a group of people in the house. We need to go inside and hear what they have to say,” John told them. They were leery of stepping into the unknown situation, but they knew John wouldn’t put them in danger, so they slowly followed him and the stranger through the massive front doors.
They walked down a hallway, entered a boarded-up room, and found a group of at least fifty people. The people eyed them warily while they assessed the situation. The strangers were mostly adults, and they were all armed. A shudder ran down Phoenix’s spine as she looked from person to person.