Bladed Wings (54 page)

              Sasha wanted her dead. In the next few seconds, she’d swing with the hopes of ending Kayla’s life. That was the first time she thought someone actually wanted her dead. It didn’t make sense. Kayla thought Sasha needed her body. Without time to think about it, Kayla doubled back. She wanted to get to Seth, and they’d run. That was as much plan as she could think of against the frenzied pounding of her heart, the breath caught in her chest.

              One of Sasha’s soldiers lunged for her, his arms out and ready to net her in a bear hug. Kayla dodged to the side and hopped away. Sasha had her concentration split between too many people. She couldn’t control the Alliance soldiers, fight back Seth’s hold, try to grab her, and avoid another swing of Kayla’s power.

              The second she was clear, Kayla twisted around. She let the world cystalize again the way Seth taught her. The air and forces through every molecule clarified into currents. She shoved them out. Another wave crashed into Sasha, but this time she didn’t block it. It slammed her back and knocked her down.

              At first, Kayla hoped the demon was out. But Sasha recovered quickly. She shook her head once and kipped back to her feet in one motion. At the same time, she ran at Seth. He didn’t see her, his focus aimed at the soldiers he wanted to free or dominate.

              Too fast, Sasha slammed her elbow into the back of Seth’s skull. He crumpled down. At the same moment, Vigo ripped himself free from his followers. Their eyes clouded gray again, but he head butted one and kicked out. His boots caught one fighter in the stomach. Free of their grasp, he pulled the unlocked cuff into his hand for an impromptu brass knuckle. One swing brought down another soldier. Cleared for the second, he ran.

              Arms cutting the air, he jumped past the other fighters. He grabbed Kayla and pulled. She wanted to stay, wanted to fight, but they wouldn’t win. If she wanted to help Seth, she’d have to come back. That was rational and the best decision. She knew it, but it didn’t matter. Every step felt like it crushed into her chest.

              She might not see him again. She might not save him.

              “Kill them,” Sasha called to their backs. “We have what we want.”

              And they ran fast. They ran hard. They ran until Kayla’s lungs burned and stretched for every droplet of air. They ran until her legs dragged at her. They ran until every muscle was pinched and burned. Past different houses, along different blocks, they ducked through yards and backyards, and all the while, Kayla hoped they’d get away, they’d get another chance.

              Kayla didn’t know this neighborhood, and she would’ve gotten lost in seconds. It was hard to see through the dark. There were a few street lights, moonlight but not enough to grab any landmarks or remember street names. Everything was about getting away. Speed was the only goal, survival their only target.

              Vigo knew what he was doing. Kayla hated using his help, but she didn’t see another option. He seemed to know when to stop, to hide behind cars or bushes, when the best moments were to move. It was like a vicious game of leap frog, but minute by minute, they got further and further from their pursuers.

              Occasionally, lights would turn on as they tripped the sensors. Dogs barked or growled in their direction. Every house started to look the same. The lawns and cars and streets melted together in Kayla’s head until she didn’t know where they started or where they’d go.

              Every time she spotted one of the Alliance fighters, their eyes still clouded gray, she felt something twist in her stomach. They wanted to kill her. Meat puppets at their mistress’s command, they’d do anything she wanted. They’d cut her apart without any thought or regret. Cold terror launched through her body each time, yet each time they managed to sneak away. If Vigo felt any of that same fear, he hid it well. If anything, he had the same look of concentration that Everett got when he had to sneak his characters through whichever video game he was playing at the time.

              With a quick jerk of his fingers, Vigo motioned for her to follow him. They crept past a house with blackened windows toward the garage in the back. Vigo rammed his shoulder into the door and broke whatever two dollar lock had been keeping the neighbors’ kids out.

              Inside, Kayla could smell the dust. Each step kicked up little clouds that caught the fragments of light through the broken windows. This definitely wasn’t the best part of the neighborhood, but it was the closest thing they had to safety.

              Vigo leaned against the wall and slid down. One hand pressed against his side, he went silent as he looked at the shimmered wet spot. Blood, Kayla realized, something else sick in her stomach. Before he said anything, Vigo pulled off his coat and started to rip into strips.

              “Can I help you?”

              “I’m fine,” he growled. Each second must’ve hurt, but Kayla was sure he wouldn’t tell her. “I definitely don’t need your help.” He muttered something else, the kinds of profanity Kayla never heard anywhere except in any chat rooms.

              “Look, we have to work together if we want to survive this. I’m sure they’re not going to just give up. Sasha is determined to come after us.”

              That snapped his attention back to Kayla. “Sasha?” he said name like another curse. “How do you know that name?” His eyes tightened from pain or suspicion, “Are you going to tell me you work with her too?”

              Sasha took one of his soldiers. That woman out there, Kayla realized, her body’s original name wasn’t Sasha. The demon took it. She could be honest with Kayla and Seth. It wasn’t like anyone would have believed them. “Your friend, she was taken over.”

              Vigo opened his mouth, and Kayla could tell that he wanted to argue with her, but he couldn’t find the words. It was too obvious. Sure, he might’ve thought that maybe Seth took his soldier’s mind, but there wasn’t any reason. It was an ambush, and Seth was pummeled in that fight. His thoughts covered all of the variables and calculations, and he closed his mouth, because he knew she was right.

              “How long?”

              “I don’t know,” she said. “She came to me a few days ago.”

              “I didn’t see it. I was so focused.”

              “On hunting Seth?” Kayla made that question into an insult.

              “Absolutely. Your friend’s a demon. He’s killed. He’ll kill you too if you spend enough time with him.”

              “You’re wrong.” Kayla kept her voice low. She didn’t want a shouting match to attract Sasha or her followers, but she wouldn’t let Vigo attack the boy who just sacrificed himself to save both of their lives. “He’s good. He was going to give himself up so you wouldn’t hurt me.”

              “Hurt you?” he laughed, “Right. You’re no demon.”

              “Seth,” Kayla said, “It was always Seth then.”

              “Sasha needs a demon’s body if she wants to survive for more than a couple months. She knew I’d follow him, so she took one of my fighters. Damn her. Damn that little conniving demon bitch.” He could’ve done better, Kayla guessed, but the fatigue and pain kept him from shouting his worst swears.

              When the demon slayer finished with his bandages, Kayla could still see the shine of blood leak down this side. His ripped coat couldn’t stop the jagged wound from bleeding. She wanted to help him, but she didn’t know how. It wasn’t like she could just call an ambulance.

              Besides, Vigo had his own plans. He pulled out a pistol, cocked it, and asked, “Are you willing to kill tonight?”

              “I’ll fight to save him.”

              This time he looked surprised and curious in the same glance. “Why would you want to save one of those things? They’re twisted. It’s what they are, and he’s one of them. Seth and Sasha? There’s no difference between them.”

              “I don’t know what he’s done or what you think happened, but Seth is a good person. If you try to kill him, I will stop you.” She heard him click his gun into place, a bullet ready to rend flesh and end a life. “He’s helped me. He saved me.”

              “That woman out there, she saved my life two days ago when we were after a different target. That doesn’t change the fact that she’ll kill us and she’ll use whoever she wants to get her way.” He stood up and stretched his hands out like he wanted to understand which movements would trigger which pains. “She can look good and moral. I’m sure your boy did the same thing. At least when he wasn’t playing with your head.”

              Kayla stood against him. Maybe he hated Seth. Maybe he wanted a fight, but Vigo wouldn’t fire on his only ally when there were possessed fighters combing the neighborhood for him. “He wouldn’t do that even if he could.”

              “Right.”

              Kayla wanted to slap him, but that wouldn’t work. He was bigger than her, and she didn’t know if she could win a fight with him. Besides, she didn’t have to remind herself that he was still her best chance to get out of there, find Seth, and maybe survive that night.

              Because she could die there. She might never see her parents again. Every thought about the future, about college, about marriage, or a career would get sliced away with one blade stab. That fear almost choked her. Kayla forced herself to breathe. She forced herself to think about Seth and the way she felt whenever they were together. Biting her lip, she made herself calm down. She looked back at Vigo.

              “Can you call for help?”

              “No one’s close enough. They’ll find us before any help could arrive. So we’ll have to fight.” He didn’t smirk, but Kayla still thought she heard something smug when he said, “You’ll get a choice, Miss Knack. You can fight and survive or let that body kill you. By the time we see him again, he’ll be gone. Accept it now. It’ll be easier that way.”

              Kayla inhaled just as she heard a crack outside, the crunch of boots on the ground. The door was kicked open again, a soldier stood there.

              “Don’t shoot.” Seth’s voice boomed over the beat of her heart and the click of Vigo’s gun, “Before you make a mistake, I suggest you hear me out. I have an offer of truce for you. Both of you.”

              Vigo didn’t shoot and the soldier made it all the way in. A moment later, Seth entered as well. He was the same guy with the same face and voice, yet he moved differently. He wore a different kind of sneer. It was filled with contempt for everything around him.

              It wasn’t Seth, not really. Those were his eyes, but he wasn’t there. Something inside of him had taken hold. Sasha had another demon’s body. She could survive now. She could kill now, with Seth’s hands. Kayla didn’t know what to do or even what she should want to do. She wanted to punish Sasha, but that body was gone, discarded like some piece of trash. Nothing, there was nothing Kayla could do.

              “What are your terms?” Kayla couldn’t believe Vigo would really negotiate, but it got her closer. The demon approached, head tilted.

              “I want a cessation of the hostilities between us.”

              “You know that’s never going to happen. Even if you kill me now, the Alliance will just send more agents to take you.”

              “I don’t know about that,” Sasha said with Seth’s throat. “This teenager evaded you for a very long time. I have access to his mind. Before this, I was very good at seizing control of human thoughts. Perhaps I’m even better now.” The threat lingered on the air as darkened blue and gray swirled together. It made Kayla sick to watch, but the demon just chuckled.

              “Try to control me. Let’s see how that works out.” Vigo leveled his gun at Seth’s face. “I feel the tickle of your thoughts in my head and I’ll blow yours away. You understand?”

              “Of course.”

              As the demon and hunter stared at each other, both waiting for leverage, gauging their opponents, Kayla skirted closer to Seth. Sasha noticed. With a thought, her two guards took their places in front of her like Kayla was a government-trained assassin, not just someone who wanted to be close to the boy she loved. “Stay there.”

              That was supposed to be the kind of intimidating command that sent Kayla scurrying back to the wall, balled in terror. But Kayla heard something else in that order. There was fear. Something about Kayla getting close made Sasha nervous.

              Kayla slowed down, but she didn’t stop. She didn’t know if she could time this right. She didn’t even know what she’d do if it worked, but she couldn’t let Vigo kill Seth, just like she couldn’t do nothing. Sasha would slice her open and enjoy it.

              “Stop or I’ll have them kill you. Don’t test me on this,” Sasha promised.

              Kayla didn’t stop.

              Sasha took a tentative step back, probably torn between showing weakness and letting Kayla close in. With a tightened nod, Sasha ordered Kayla’s death. It was silent, but their jerked motions for their blades was all the warning she needed.

              The force of the air was static, loose, reverberating between everything moving and alive. Kayla, with one sweep of her hands and consciousness, knotted them together and swung. A pulse of energy, the largest she’d ever created, burst among Sasha and her two guards. The two fighters in front of Sasha took the brunt of the shockwave. They smashed through the derelict garage’s walls. Crumpled heaps on the ground, they didn’t even twitch.