Darkness Awakened (Primal Heat Trilogy #1) (Order of the Blade) (47 page)

Gideon grinned. “One down.”

Quinn flexed his hand in satisfaction as the weapon settled into his arm, carefully watching Nate’s face. It was full of pain but unrepentant. And there was deep fear in his face. “He’s afraid of someone, someone besides us.”

“Ezekiel?” Gideon asking, coming to stand beside Quinn.

“Maybe.” Quinn’s instincts pulsed and he jerked his head up and reached out for Gabe.
Gabe? Everything okay there?

No response, and Quinn felt his body kick into assault mode. “Go check on Zach and Gabe,” he snapped.

Ryland and Kane took off, weapons out, while Gideon and Ian stayed behind. “We can’t kill him until we find out where the tablet is,” Gideon said.

“And Ana,” Grace said, clutching his arm.

“He’s dying. Maybe he won’t be strong enough to keep me out.” Quinn wove through the barriers in Nate’s mind, using the connection that they shared as Calydons.

Nate was old enough that he should have had the defenses to keep Quinn out, but he was so close to death that he couldn’t fight it. Quinn slid easily past Nate’s defenses and into his mind. The moment Quinn was connected to Nate, darkness crashed into him. Evil so deep and so penetrating that Quinn recoiled and instinctively started to pull out.

Then Grace’s hand slid into his, calming him, and he let the evil brush past him, using his shields to keep it out of his own mind.
Where is Ana, Nate? Show me Ana.

He repeated the command and Nate’s thoughts shifted involuntarily to Ana. Quinn saw her, lying in the mud, less than a mile from where they were. Hot damn. Two goals accomplished. Only one left.

The tablet, Nate. Show me the tablet. Show me how Ezekiel’s walls are falling.
He felt Nate’s struggle, his sudden elevation of terror, then there was a flash of malevolence, of death, of true, pure evil. It gripped both of their minds and clawed at their spirits.

Ezekiel.

Quinn jerked himself out of Nate’s mind and broke the connection. Nate’s body convulsed and he screamed, and then he was dead. His body disappeared a split second later.

“I think Ezekiel just killed him.” Quinn’s body was numb from the force that had attacked Nate. He pulled Grace into his body, seeking her warmth and goodness to chase away the darkness in his body from that brief touch of Ezekiel.

“How old was Nate?” Gideon asked. “A thousand years?”

“More than that.” He looked up at his friend. “Do you think he’s been helping Ezekiel for the last two thousand years?”

“You think Ezekiel’s been controlling someone on the outside for that long?” Gideon raked his hand through his hair. “Hell. I thought he was isolated in there.”

“He was supposed to be.” Quinn stood up, his arm still around Grace. “If he could touch Nate, he could probably manipulate others.”

Ian cursed suddenly and held up his wrist. “It’s burning again.”

“Shit.” Gideon looked down at his wrist. “I am, too.”

Quinn shoved Grace behind him as all the warriors called out their weapons. “Who the hell’s doing this? Nate’s dead. Who’s doing the illusions now? Ana?”

“No, it’s not her,” Grace said. “I can tell.”

“So, it’s never been Nate.” Quinn said. “There’s been someone else working with him all along...someone who has the tablet? Someone who would want to follow up where Nate left off with Ana and Drew.” He swore and took off up the hill, toward the spot Nate had showed him Ana was, Ian and Gideon on his heels.
Kane. Ryland. Be careful. I think someone else is going after Drew. Get to him fast!

We’re on it,
came the terse reply.

Quinn sprinted over the hill and down the other side.

Shit!
Kane’s voice ripped through his mind.
Zach and Gabe are down. Drew’s gone.

The tight grip of destiny closing down on them.
Find the trail. Find Drew. We can’t let them get him.

We’re tracking him now, and right now, he’s heading straight toward you.

Which meant he was heading toward Ana, who was between Quinn and Kane. Damn! Had they gotten this far only to have destiny still win by destroying everything he and Grace cared most about? Ana, Ezekiel...had they lost after all?

No!
Grace’s voice was sharp in his mind.
You have to get there first! You have to save her! We can’t fail! Hurry!

Quinn renewed his focus and lit out through the woods. He could hear the whisper of footsteps up ahead, and he knew he was in a race for Ana. He couldn’t pinpoint the location of his opponent, but he could hear him bolting through the woods, going for Ana, trying to beat Quinn there. Quinn was the one in the rear, and he knew he was going to lose the race.

Kane nodded and disappeared back in the woods, Gideon held his position while Quinn knelt to check on Ana. She had a pulse.
Grace. She’s alive. We have her.
He smiled at Grace’s sob of joy, then he gently lifted Ana onto his lap. Her hair was black like Grace’s, matted with mud and sticks. Her thigh was drenched with blood, and her ankle was limp and twisted. What a bastard. Quinn gently brushed her muddy hair off her face. “Ana,” he said softly. “It’s okay. Nate’s dead.”

She stirred in his arms and her eyes opened. They were glazed and foggy. “Nate’s dead?” Her words were so weak he could barely hear them, but he nodded.

“You’re safe. Grace’s here.”

Tears filled her eyes, and his throat tightened. “Grace,” she whispered. “She found me? Is she okay? She didn’t get hurt, did she?

Quinn smiled at her concern for Grace’s welfare, so much like Grace’s worry about Ana. Sisters, so much alike. “She’s fine.”

There was a shout from the edge of the clearing and he looked up see Grace running across the muddy ground. “Ana!” Grace fell to her knees beside her sister, and pulled her onto her lap. “I’m here.”

Ana let out a small sob and raised her finger, touching Grace’s face. “Grace?” Her voice was raw. “Is that really you?”

“Yes, it’s me.” Grace leaned over her, her cheeks glistening with tears. “You’re safe now, honey.”

“Safe?” Ana echoed.

“Safe.” Grace’s voice was so firm, but her body was shaking with exhaustion, belying the strength in her voice. Quinn wrapped his arms around her to hold her up, nodding at Gideon to take Ana.

“Safe,” Ana mumbled. “That’s good.” She managed a faint smile and let her eyelids close. “Get Lily,” she whispered.

“Lily?” Grace frowned as Gideon knelt beside them and slid his arms under Ana to pick her up. “Who’s Lily?”

Ana’s eyes opened as Gideon leaned over her. She looked right into Gideon’s eyes and grabbed his shirt, her knuckles white with the fierceness of her grip. “Swear to me you’ll get Lily.” Her voice was fierce with sudden energy, with desperation.

Gideon nodded. “I’ll get Lily, I promise.”

Ana touched his cheek, and then slid into unconsciousness, her head landing against his shoulder as he stood up with her in his arms. He looked at Quinn. “Who’d I just promise to get?”

“No idea.” Quinn helped Grace to her feet. “But I have a feeling neither sister’s going to let you back down from your promise.” He wrapped his arm around Grace as she pulled her sister’s hand toward her.

Then she gasped. “She’s marked!” She pushed Ana’s sleeve the rest of the way up, and Quinn saw the marks on her arm.

Gideon cursed. “That’s Elijah’s mark. How the hell did that happen?”

Quinn met Gideon’s gaze. “From when he tried to protect her instead of running. He died to keep her safe.”

Grace set her hand protectively over her sister’s belly, glaring at both of them. “Don’t even tell me you’re thinking about killing her because she’s Elijah’s
sheva
. I swear—”

“Elijah’s dead, Grace. There’d be no reason,” Quinn interrupted before she could get upset. “She’s safe.” He slid his hand over Grace’s where it was resting on Ana’s stomach, then frowned when his fingers brushed against something hard hidden under Ana’s shirt. He lifted the shirt, then saw Nate’s knife tucked in the waistband of her pants. He recognized it from the battle they’d had with Nate earlier.

He gently pulled it free. “She has Nate’s knife? Why?” He flipped it over, then noticed it had a stone handle. “Calydon weapons are always full metal—” He noticed writing inscribed on the handle in an old language he couldn’t decipher. He showed it to Gideon. “Can you read that?”

“Not a chance.”

Quinn closed his fist over the knife as Kane, Ryland and Ian emerged from the woods. Their faces were tense with frustration, and their weapons were sheathed.

“We lost him,” Ryland said. “We followed him to a set of tire tracks, but his truck was gone by the time we got there. He took off with Drew and whatever he knows about the tablet.”

Quinn cursed softly as he tucked Grace protectively against his body. “Dante was right. This is just beginning.”

* * *

Hours later, after Kane had taken all of them to Dante’s house, a veritable fortress that masqueraded as a mansion, Grace leaned on the bed beside Ana. Her sister was resting under a light sedative prescribed by a doctor Quinn had brought in. The doctor had taken care of Ana’s thigh wound, her shattered ankle and her numerous cuts and bruises.

Even the Order members had been shaken by how badly injured Ana was, and it had taken all Grace’s strength not to fall apart. Her sister needed her now, and she would be strong for her.

Kane and Ian had recovered Vaughn from the cabins, and he was in another room, but it was doubtful whether he’d live through the night. He was currently unconscious, too out of it to even ask about Drew.

Quinn had ordered the best care for him, his guilt over Vaughn’s plight apparent.

Grace closed her eyes and held her sister’s hand, trying to tell herself that it would be okay. That her sister would survive.

Physically at least. Mentally and emotionally? Did Ana have a chance of ever recovering who she used to be? Would she ever regain her beautiful illusions, that gift that she’d cherished so much? Grace buried her face in her arms, overwhelmed by what had been stolen from her sister.

A warm hand cupped the back of her neck and she lifted her head, smiling despite the tears. “Quinn.”

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him, kissing her hard. She sighed and buried herself against his chest, in the strength that he gave her. “I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you, too.” He tangled his fingers in her hair and tugged softly so she had to look up at him. “You’re exhausted.”

She smiled. “You are, too.”

“There’s a bed in the next room. You’ll be able to hear her if she needs you, and the team will keep checking on her.” He kissed her forehead. “Gideon’s antsy for her to wake up so he can find out what he’s supposed to be doing about Lily, whoever she is. I have a feeling he’ll be checking on Ana every few minutes.” He tugged her wrist. “Come on,
sheva
. You need to rest.”

Grace glanced at her sister, but realized he was right. Her whole body ached, and her legs were trembling. “Okay.”

He took her hand. “Before we rest, the men have something for you.”

She frowned as she followed him across the room. “Do I want it?”

Quinn didn’t answer. He simply opened the door and led her downstairs to the family room where the men had set up command. They were sprawled on the couches eating when she walked in with Quinn. Huge men in black leather who dwarfed the oversized couches. They were still covered in blood and mud. No one had taken the time to shower yet. Had they been waiting for her?

Gideon saw her first, and he stood up.

Thano glanced over his shoulder at her, then he set his plate down and stood, turning to face her. Kane, Ryland, Zach, Ian, and Gabe followed suit, until all the warriors were facing her.

Silent.

Her heart began to beat faster and she tightened her grip on Quinn’s hand.

“You saved all of us at Ezekiel’s prison at risk to your life,” Gideon said, his deep voice reverberating through the room. “In the history of our kind, no
sheva
has done anything like what you did.”

She straightened at the formality of his tone.

“You resisted your destiny to kill Quinn. By doing so, you broke destiny’s hold on Quinn.” Thano’s tone was rich with respect. “No
sheva
has ever done that.”

Kane stepped in front of her and went down on one knee. “Dante came back to save you.” His voice was reverent. “You have Dante’s blessing.”

Ryland nodded. “You’re part of this destiny, part of all our destinies right now. Call out Quinn’s sword.”