Betrayal (Blood Haze: Book Three) A Paranormal Romance (2 page)

“So what was that about?” I asked Liam
quietly after Alexi departed.

“What was what about?” Liam asked
innocently.

“You know what I’m talking about. The thing
about Hillary?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Liam, come on. You said ‘Oh, that’s right.’
What did that mean, and why was Alexi so dismissive?”

“It’s really not important.”

“Then just tell me.”

Liam sighed in exasperation.

“Fine, but don’t tell Alexi I told you.”

“I won’t say a word.”

“Hillary’s been in love with him for several
years. Alexi never had any interest in her, and she’s bitter.”

“So they never dated or anything?”

“No. Alexi’s always been fully committed to
you.”

“Seriously? So… he’s never dated
anyone
?”

“Never. He’s been in love with you since we
were kids. Every time Father had a vision of you, Alexi would just
sit and listen in awe. It never occurred to Alexi to date anyone
else.”

“Wow. I don’t know what to say. That’s pretty
intense.”

“Yeah, and of course Hillary thought he was
crazy. She was hoping she could at least get him to spend some time
with her, but he refused. She’s still in love with him, and she
won’t accept that he loves you.”

“So that’s why she was so cold to me when I
met her.”

“Yes, that would be why.”

“I feel bad for her.”

“So do I, but Alexi’s made his choice.
Although, I don’t suppose it’s really a choice. It’s just how he
feels, and he can’t control that.”

“I feel bad for Alexi, too.”

“You’re referring to the fact that you’re in
love with someone else?”

“Of course.”

“Alexi understands. He’s not happy about it,
but he knew he couldn’t expect you to be single forever. He was
certainly
hoping
for that, but he didn’t expect it. After
all, you weren’t brought up hearing about visions of him the way he
was with you.”

“I know, but I just feel terrible for him.
And I do care about him. I just can’t give him what he wants from
me, and it makes me feel awful.”

“Don’t stress yourself out over it. You have
enough to worry about.”

Just then, Max strolled into the room.

“There you are,” Max said to me. “Kai and I
have been looking for you.”

“What’s up?” I asked Max.

“We were just hoping to spend some time with
you this morning,” Max answered. “And to find out what we’re going
to do.”

“Have a seat,” I told him.

“She’s in here!” Max shouted out the door,
and then he took a seat across the table from me.

Momentarily, Kai walked through the door. His
whole face lit up the moment he saw me, and he bent down and kissed
my forehead. I wrapped my arms around his neck and clung to him.
Liam cleared his throat.

“I’m going to go see if Alexi’s found
anything out,” Liam said, and he made a hasty departure.

Kai sat down in Liam’s abandoned chair and
took my hands in his. His eyes were full of worry.

“So what are we going to do?” Kai wanted to
know.

“Alexi’s calling his grandfather,” I
explained. “Apparently his compound is hidden in some secret
location, and we can only get there by teleporting.”

“So is that Hillary chick coming?” Max
asked.

“Probably,” I replied. “I guess Alexi will
contact her after he gets permission for us to go to his
grandfather’s compound.”

“I don’t like her,” Kai grumbled. “I saw the
way she looked at you before.”

“Yes, but she did get me out of Dmitri’s
cage,” I reminded him.

“Yeah, but why’d she look at you that way?”
Kai asked.

“Long story. It’s not important,” I said.
“What’s important is figuring out what we’re going to do about
Dmitri.”

Just then, Liam reentered the room.

“From the looks of it, we’re headed to
Grandfather’s compound,” Liam said confidently. “I was listening in
on the conversation, and it sounded like Grandfather was actually
looking forward to it.”

“So when do we leave?” I asked.

“As soon as possible, of course,” Liam
answered. “Whenever Hillary can get a portal opened for us.
Thankfully, she’s already at the compound. There will be plenty of
Elders there to help her open the portal.”

A moment later, Alexi breezed into the
room.

“It is time to go,” Alexi said, holding one
arm out toward me. “I have already given our regards to Thaddeus
and his people for their hospitality.”

We all headed into the large open area in the
foyer and stood a few feet away from the front doors, waiting for
Hillary to open the portal. Several moments passed, but nothing
happened.

“When is she going to open the portal?” I
asked.

“Any moment now,” Alexi said.

At that moment, a shiver raced down my spine.
I heard the familiar whispery swirling sound of wraiths
chattering.

“Wraiths!” I gasped, grabbing Alexi’s arm
with one hand.

“What? Are you sure?” Alexi asked.

“I hear them!” I hissed. “Outside the
doors!”

“Get away from the doors!” Alexi shouted, and
we all moved quickly across the room, turning to face the
doors.

“Where is the damned portal?” Max
growled.

“Give her time!” Liam snapped. “She has to
gather a group to help her!”

The doors flew open, and a group of wraiths
began to swarm into the building. They moved as one giant mass, and
I had no way to ascertain exactly how many there were.

Once again, I felt my body began to quiver,
and then it began to shake violently. My teeth rattled, and the
familiar red haze began to spread over my vision. Outside, I heard
thunder rumbling, and lighting streaked across the sky and flooded
the room with shockingly brilliant light. The sky darkened, and I
could see a mass of black clouds begin to spin as I brought down a
funnel to take the wraiths away.

The door slammed shut, no doubt the result of
the wraiths closing it intentionally. Immediately, my connection to
the wind was severed, and I could see the sky starting to lighten
through the windows.

“Liam! The doors!” I shouted, realizing my
ability was useless indoors. “I can’t control it in here!”

Liam waved his hand, and the doors flew open,
bring a sharp gust of wind in. Quickly, I concentrated on bringing
back the storm. The sky filled with black clouds, and thunder
crashed. My body began to shake violently as I tried to hurry the
process along, and I felt the familiar warmth of blood oozing from
my eyes and my nose.

I saw the doors begin to close, and out of
the corner of my eye I saw Liam holding both arms out in front of
him, attempting to keep them open against the power of the wraiths.
His arms shook as though he was bearing an enormous weight, but it
was slowly crushing him.

“I can’t…” Liam grunted. “I can’t keep… this
up…”

The doors kept nearly closing, and then being
thrust open again over and over as Liam struggled against the
wraiths. I could tell he wouldn’t last much longer against the
group.

The black funnel began to descend from the
sky, and I beckoned it into the room with my hands. The tip snaked
its way closer and closer, and the wind began to flood the
room.

“Gah!” Liam shouted, as his power gave way,
and he collapsed on the floor.

The doors slammed shut, and my connection was
broken.

“Liam!” I shouted, kneeling beside him.

He was slumped face down on the floor, so I
gently turned him over. His eyes were open, but they looked
distant.

“Alexi!” I screamed. “Help!”

“Wait!” Alexi yelled. “The portal!”

In the center of the room, a dark vortex had
opened.

“Go!” Alexi instructed me. “I’ll get
Liam!”

“I’m not leaving you!” I snapped, but I
jumped to my feet.

“Please, Alice,” Alexi implored, hoisting
Liam over his shoulder.

I looked toward the wraiths, and I saw a
thick mass of white fog crawling across the floor.

“Gas!” I shouted.

Suddenly, everything overwhelmed me. I tasted
blood on my lips, and my legs began to tremble. Trying to control
the storm had drained me, and I fought to stand. I reached for Kai,
and he wrapped his arm around my waist to steady me.

“I…” I started to say something, but my body
gave out, and I started to slouch toward the floor.

“Alice!” Kai gasped, and he immediately
lifted me into his arms.

“Take her!” Alexi yelled. “Go… now!”

I fought to remain conscious, but the
blackness threatened to steal me away. I felt myself being jostled
as Kai ran across the floor. We lifted into the air briefly, and
then I felt us falling. A few seconds later, we were jolted
abruptly as Kai landed smoothly on his feet. He moved quickly out
of the way, and I looked back toward the spot where we’d landed.
Through a blur, I saw Max fall through the swirling vortex and land
on his feet.

“I can’t hold it open!” Hillary shouted.

I looked at her, and I could see she was
weakening. She was trembling, and her eyes were wide with fright.
The others around her fought to concentrate, trying to give her
their strength, but it was no use.

“Put me down!” I yelled.

“Alice, you…” Kai began to object.

“Put me down,
now
!” I screamed loudly,
wiggling violently to escape Kai’s arms.

My legs wobbled, but held, and I raced over
to the group. I grabbed Hillary’s wrist as well as that of the man
beside her, and a jolt ran through me like I’d been shocked. The
red haze grew thicker, and the clarity I usually noticed when it
was upon me disappeared. I could see nothing but a vague redness,
and blackness crept inward from the outer field of my vision.

“Alexi!” I pleaded. “Liam!”

I struggled to hold on as long as possible,
willing every last ounce of energy I had toward Hillary, helping
her hold the portal open as long as possible. I prayed the wraiths’
gas hadn’t gotten to Alexi and Liam before they could make it to
the portal.

I felt another hand close over my wrist. The
touch was gentle, and I could feel love radiating from it. Kai. He
was helping.

“Please, Alexi,” I whispered. “Liam…”

The blackness inched further and further over
my vision, and the redness was almost entirely dark. My head began
to pound, and my legs wobbled again. The room began to spin, and I
felt the warm wetness of blood dripping from my ears and streaming
down my neck.

“Close it!” I heard someone shout, and then I
heard a thud.

I could take no more, and I succumbed to the
darkness.

“Alice, I do not know if you can hear me, but
if you can, squeeze my hand,” I heard a voice say.

I felt a warm hand in mine, and I struggled
to force my hand to move. I was unable to control it.

“Please, Alice,” the voice begged.

“Anything?” I heard another voice ask.

“Nothing,” the first voice answered.

I tried to open my eyes, to wiggle my toe, to
shout. But my body simply would not comply.
I must be
comatose
, I thought. How could I let them know I was okay? I
knew they must be worried.

“Alice, my darling,” the first voice
whispered into my ear. “I love you.”

I could feel his breath warm against my ear,
and I felt his strong hand squeeze mine. It was Alexi. I tried once
more to respond, but it was futile. Nothing I tried would work. I
was helpless within my own body.

I felt someone take my other hand. I
recognized the love in his touch. It was Kai. The bed on that side
lowered slightly, and I knew he was sitting beside me.

“Please come back to us,” Kai pleaded.

“Alexi?” I heard another voice chime in.
“Anything?”

“No, Liam,” Alexi said mournfully. “Still
nothing.”

I’m here!
I tried to shout
. I can
hear you!
But the words simply would not come out. It was as if
my soul was trapped inside a dead body.

“I’ll tell Max,” Liam said. “He wants to be
here, but he still can’t get out of bed.”

Can’t get out of bed?
I thought.
What happened to Max? Damn it!
Why couldn’t I just
speak?

“Alexi?” I heard Hillary announce, her voice
shrill and annoyed. “Can we talk now, please?”

“I am not leaving her!” Alexi snapped.

“It’s been weeks, Alexi,” Hillary complained.
“It won’t hurt you to leave her for five minutes.”

“No!” Alexi hissed. “I am
not
leaving
her!”

“Fine,” I heard Hillary growl through
clenched teeth.

Alexi sighed.

“I’ll stay with her if you want to go talk to
Hillary,” Kai offered.

“I have not left her in all these weeks, and
I will not do it now,” Alexi shot back.

Weeks?
I thought. Had I really been
unconscious for weeks? I must have been. Hillary and Alexi had both
mentioned it, now.

“I have to get back to training,” Kai
said.

Training? I thought. But Kai didn’t have
powers. What kind of training was he referring to?

“Go,” Alexi told him. “I will be here.”

I felt Kai’s soft lips kiss my forehead, and
he brushed my hair gently away from my face.

“I love you,” he whispered in my ear.

He squeezed my hand, and I felt his grip
loosen reluctantly. Then I heard his footsteps echoing across the
floor as he exited the room.

“Alice, my love,” Alexi whispered, his voice
pleading. “Come back to us. Come back to
me
. I cannot live
without you. I need you.”

I felt his head drop to my arm, and in a
moment the bed began to shake lightly. Something warm and wet
touched my skin. He was crying.

“Please…” he whimpered.

Come on, Alice!
I shouted inside my
head.
You can heal people back from the brink of death, and you
can control storms! Just open your eyes! You can do it!