Dream Warrior: (Dark Warrior Alliance Book 1) (28 page)

Hayden held his gaze. “They aren’t going to kill her. They want you to trade the amulet for her.” Zander knew that he was right. They wouldn’t kill her.

“That’s right, calm down. You can feel her here,” Hayden placed his palm on Zander’s chest and Elsie’s soul jumped to meet his palm. He closed his eyes at the proof she still lived. “Okay, now focus on the bond you have with her. You need to use it to guide us to her,” Hayden encouraged.

Silence descended in the room while he kept his eyes shut, blocking out the evidence of his anguish. He took several deep breaths, focusing on Elsie’s heart-shaped face. He shouted in relief when his connection to her finally sparked. “Thank the Goddess! She’s alive. I feel her.” He used his blood bond to her to try and determine her exact location. He sensed her within a couple hundred miles. “She isna far from here. No’ further than Victoria. I need a map. You have that computer running, Kill?”

Killian waved to the image on the cracked computer screen. “This is the best I can do with the damage. You can still zoom in and out so it should work.”

“Och, thank the Goddess.” Zander gazed at the computer screen, as he concentrated on the bond he shared with his mate. He knew she was north of his location and he kept zooming in different areas. After several grueling minutes with her blood acting as a divining rod in his system, he was directed to the Hoh Rainforest. Looking closer at the map on the screen, he realized there would be no easy way to get to her.

They needed buildings that were familiar to the sorcerers to open a portal. She was in the middle of a forest with nothing around for miles. A sense of urgency overshadowed everything. He had to reach her fast.

“I’ve found her, but it will take all of us working together to get her back. She is here in the Hoh Rainforest, so we canna portal close to her. Unless one of you,” he motioned to Jace, Evzen, Killian, and Gerrick, “has spent time in, and knows of somewhere close to the location. We need to do something, now. I have a verra bad feeling.”

Nikko flipped his
sgian dubh,
and then caught it by the hilt. “I can have the Cessna fueled and ready to go in twenty minutes, Liege.”

“Bluidy hell, make it fifteen. And, Kill, find an exact location we can use to portal the rest. I’ll be taking no chances with my mate’s life.” He grabbed his weapons from Kyran’s arms. The need to annihilate had consumed him. He would tear Kadir and his minions apart, piece by fucking piece.

“Yes, sir,” Nikko called from the door.

“The closest location I found to Hoh is the Misty Valley Inn, a small B&B in Forks, of all places.” Killian shook his head and muttered, “Sparkly fucking vampires.”

Bhric strapped on his weapons and crossed to the mangled door frame. “Kyran and I are going in the plane, I don’t care who else joins us, but I’m not leaving my
brathair’s
side. We’ll need at least Evzen and Kill to set the portal.”

It was a small comfort to him knowing his brother cared so deeply. He called over his shoulder, “Eight of you can come with Nikko and I, but decide quickly. I’m leaving now.”

*****

Elsie fought against the insistent force that was ripping her from her place of peace and thrusting her back into pain, excruciating, bone-crushing pain. She wanted the peace death would bring her, but she refused to give in when she had yet to discover what it meant to be Zander’s other half. She had been created for Zander and he was hers. She was part of something bigger than she’d ever known. Her resolve to live renewed, she was determined to experience every moment of life she could with Zander. Regret flooded her at how much she had already missed out on.

She’d wasted so much precious time pushing him away and refusing to embrace what she had clearly felt for the vampire. Her heart skipped several beats and terror hit. She could die without ever experiencing the full scope of his love. And, in return, not have given him all the love she had in her heart for him. There was no longer any doubt that she did love him.

Somewhere between the caramels and the float, she had fallen deeply in love with the bossy vampire. She loved him so much, in fact, that it was keeping her alive, giving her the drive to fight. Zander had knocked down the bricks she had erected around her heart, one by one, despite her protests. She had used her guilt as a shield, but Zander had managed his way through. She needed him to manage the impossible right now and save her from these demons and that vile traitor.

Awareness stopped that train of thought as Elsie came to, with a knife at her throat. ”Ah, she wants more,” Lena whispered in her ear. ”Good news for you. I’m happy to oblige.”

“Get bent bitch,” she spat at Lena, and wrapped her hands around the chains that shackled her to the cave wall. Determined to go down fighting, she wrapped her legs, ignoring the pain in the broken one, around Lena’s mid-section. In a blur of movement, she twisted and slammed her to the floor with all the strength she could muster. Adrenaline spiked, and her good foot connected with the vampire’s head, several times.

Lena screeched and did a back-flip away from her. From an angle, Lena reached out and slammed her head against the wall. Her vision blurred around the edges, but this time she remained conscious. Lena moved at her so fast she was a blur and then fire exploded through Elsie’s leg. She felt the skin tear and looked down to see her bone sticking out of a gaping wound. Lena ripped the chains free of the cave wall and picked Elsie up, throwing her across the space. She hit the ground and rolled.

She stopped when she hit a large boulder. Unable to move a muscle, she lay on the hard, dirt floor, every inch of her body broken or bloodied. As her blood seeped from her veins it took her life force with it. She weakened as the minutes passed. She was going to die in the god-forsaken place and would never see Zander’s beautiful face, again.

She pictured his smile, recalled his sexy accent, and everything he had done for her. He hadn’t held back, but had showed her how deeply he loved her. All the reasons why had she refused to acknowledge the depth of her feelings for him seemed so irrelevant at this point.

I love you, Zander!
Dizziness assailed her, as she felt the blood trickle in a steady, hot stream, down her chilled skin. She was losing too much and was going into shock. Lena stalked toward her, ready to deliver the final blow.

“Lena, desist now!” Kadir roared. “He will give me nothing if I can’t prove to him that she lives. If she dies, you will endure far more at my hands!”

Lena paled, her head swinging from Kadir to Elsie’s slumped, lifeless form, then back to Kadir, again. “Where is your sidekick? And his Fae? He can heal her, right?”

“No, he can’t, you idiot. You know nothing about magic. I’m surrounded by ineptitude,” Kadir ranted. “You,” he demanded of a nearby skirm, “see if the human is alive, and find Azazel. Hear my words, vampire, you had better start praying to your Goddess that she lives. Otherwise, you will understand why your kind fears demons.”

As the demon’s words faded away and the tidal wave broke, sweeping her out to sea, her beloved’s soul wrapped her in a soothing energy that gave her the strength to hold on. She hoped it wasn’t too little, too late.

After a grueling plane ride, a rough landing and a hike to the Inn, Zander was crawling out of his skin, nerves shot to hell and back. He watched anxiously as the three sorcerers created the portal to Zeum. Not soon enough, Orlando stepped through, followed by the others.
Thank fuck!
No more waiting, now they could proceed. He turned his attention to his brothers and Nikko. “Have you finished? We’re wasting time, damn it.”

“Aye, brathair. The human’s memories have been erased, and two of them have kindly given us their SUVs,” Kyran informed him.

“Let’s go. Something is wrong,” he barked, as everyone loaded into the SUVs and they headed out.

He gazed out the window as they drove in silence, praying to the Goddess to keep his Elsie alive for him. Bhric’s voice echoed in the quietness of the vehicle. “Which direction do we go from here,
brathair
?” he asked after they had crossed into the rainforest. He hadn’t realized they were that close. He concentrated on his mate.

The throb of the bond between him and Elsie pulsed hotter than ever. He nearly collapsed with relief that she was alive, and feeding into their bond. She had accepted him, and her status as his mate. He had been waiting for weeks for this to happen and now he may never know the joy of claiming her.

“Go east,” he ordered. They were not going to arrive too late. He had to believe that.

Orlando’s fury seeped from every pore. “Have you tried to communicate with her, Liege?”

“Nay, I havena been able to bring myself to reach out to her. I couldna handle it if I heard her being tortured and could do nothing. I will link with her when we’re closer. Through our bond, I have been sending her strength and love.” The car fell silent once again, each consumed with their thoughts of what lay ahead.

He gave Bhric directions when needed and as soon as they were minutes away, he reached out to let her know he hadn’t abandoned her. As he linked to her mind, he heard her scream out that she loved him. He lashed out and hit the door frame as their connection was lost before he could respond. Frantically, he repeated his attempts to contact her, but failed. The thrum from her soul was dimming, he was losing her.
Nay, please, Goddess, doona take her.

“Jace, stay with me. I fear…” his voice broke, as his emotions tightened in his throat. “I fear she may be injured verra badly,” he managed past his tears.

As soon as the car slowed, he was out the door and running through the forest, a blur in the night. He had to reach her, before it was too late. Urgency rode him hard as he heard the council members and his warriors close on his heels.

When Hayden gripped his arm, stopping him mid-stride, he nearly ripped the Omega’s head off. The hand signals that followed informed him of two skirm, one archdemon and one Fae, less than a hundred feet ahead. Hayden motioned for Orlando and Santiago to shift. Zander nodded his acknowledgement and continued on to Elsie while the shifters ambushed the small group.

On soundless feet, Zander entered first, followed by Jace. His blood boiled when he saw Lena pick Elsie’s slack head up by the hair. His worry for Elsie kept his feet moving as the shock of Lena’s betrayal hit hard. One of his vampires, one that he knew intimately, had turned against him, and turned his most beloved treasure over to the archdemons. The burn of that treachery was drowned out by his need to get to Elsie.

He ignored the dozen minions that lounged around the edges of the fissure, as he charged toward Lena and his mate. He was focused on Elsie and the blood-soaked cloth around her neck. Her cheek was swollen and he noticed a bone protruding from her leg. This bitch was going to pay for hurting his female. His war-cry drowned out Lena’s plea to Kadir.

He was saved the choice between his mate and the archdemon responsible for her torture, when Nikko rushed in and slashed out at the surprised demon. “Not so fast, asshole,” Nikko’s blade found purchase in the demon’s hard, grey chest, but missed his heart. Zander noted the demon was momentarily halted from teleporting away.

“Where is the amulet? I expect that you brought what I require,” Kadir brazened, as Nikko ripped the blade from his chest. The demon was trying to buy enough time in order to heal and teleport away, but Nikko didn’t pause in his attack. Zander continued on his path to Elsie.

“No, asshole, we didn’t, but you won’t need to worry about that after I’m through with you,” Nikko reached into his boot, and came up shining, with twin
sgian dubhs.
He sliced at Kadir’s neck, missed, and chopped off the demon’s right hand, just as the demon teleported away. “Coward!” Nikko shouted.

Killian and Evzen didn’t hesitate to attack the skirm that stood between them and Elsie. Evzen muttered a spell, freezing several combatants, while Killian grabbed his titanium blade and dispatched them. Zander reached Elsie’s side as four more blades were added to the battle when Bhric and Breslin joined their forces. He ignored the rest of the battle and trusted that his warriors and the council could keep him and his mate safe.

He fell to his knees and gently scooped her to him. Her precious face blurred from his tears as he caressed her soft cheek while he cradled her broken body. She was alive, but barely. Her pulse was sluggish and weak. “Jace, get over here. Heal her, please.” The crack in his voice displayed his weakness. He needed to be strong for her. He placed a kiss on her pale lips, and placed her in Jace’s arms. He rose to face the evil slime responsible for her capture.

Lena had backed up against the wall and was staring in obvious horror. The traitorous bitch thought she would get away with this. “You will pay for this, Lena,” he spat. Lena spun and attempted to run, but Zander was faster as he lunged and grabbed hold of her throat.

He slammed her down to the hard floor. “No, Zander. You can’t, please. You love me. We’re meant to be together.” She disgusted him with her pleading. The female had misconstrued everything that had ever happened between them. She’d never been anything more than a warm body. She meant nothing to him and he’d never said, or done anything, to give her any other impression.

His rage turned his vision red as she tried to mitigate what she had done. Not going to happen. “You’re wrong aboot that. You’ve never meant shit to me. Nothing more than a body to fuck. The Goddess created me for Elsie, and her for me. I belong to her. You will suffer for what you’ve done.”

“No, Zander, please, I did this for us. So we could be together,” Lena attempted again.

“You are pathetic and deserve everything you are going to suffer,” Zander spat. He was going to make her pay for trying to take his mate’s place.

“Zander, get over here, Elsie needs you.” Jace’s words sent ice through his veins, and stoked the fire of his rage. He didn’t have time to torture Lena, as she deserved. Elsie’s needs always came before everything.

“Join your demon in hell,” he said and with a squeeze of his hand, he ripped Lena’s head from her body, tossing it aside. He was at Elsie’s side, before Lena’s body hit the ground.

“Is she going to be, ok?” he choked out, as he knelt next to them on the floor.

Jace looked up from his mate and held his gaze. The torment he saw reflected there stopped his heart. He couldn’t breathe. “She’s in bad shape, Liege. She’s lost too much blood, I can’t heal her,” Jace told him.

His stomach hit the floor, and a hollow ache engulfed his chest. Seeing his distress, Jace quickly added, “But, you can give her your blood. It’s her best chance at survival. In fact, she’s going to need a lot of vampire blood. More than you have.”

“Will she die?” he forced himself to ask.

Jace exhaled, and reluctantly responded, “I can promise you that she’ll die within minutes, if she doesn’t receive blood.”

He gently cradled Elsie’s head in his lap. Her peaches-and-cream complexion was gray, and her normally plump, pink lips were pale, dry and cracked. Blood matted parts of her curly, brown hair. He didn’t give it a second thought and with a hiss, his fangs shot down, and he bit deeply into his wrist.

“Open her mouth, Jace.” The moment Jace parted her lips he placed his bleeding wrist over her mouth. His blood flowed freely and he prayed it would give her what she needed. The wound to his wrist healed over several times, forcing him to bite deeper into his skin. All the while, there was no response from her. Her breathing remained shallow and her heartbeat faint. Eventually, blood no longer flowed from his bite, and when he sliced into his jugular, there was nothing. Still, she remained unresponsive.

Jace had said she needed more than he had. He looked over his shoulder at his brothers. “She needs more blood. Hurry,” he yelled frantically.

As Kyran, Bhric, Nikko and Breslin raced to his side, Orlando ran into the cave, followed by Santiago, and a bloodied Hayden.

“Holy shit…” Orlando breathed.

“Kyran, take Zander’s place and open a vein now. Bhric, Nikko, and Breslin, be ready to take over when he runs dry.” Jace barked from the other side of Elsie, as he placed pressure on her wounds.

Bhric placed his pierced arm over Elsie’s lips. Zander sat beside her, holding her cold hand. She had to live. She was his whole world.

Jace placed his hand on Elsie’s neck, and turned his attention to her leg. He had belted it off, above the open fracture. “Part of the problem is she’s still losing blood. Keep pressure on her neck, Zander. If we can get this bleeding to stop, your blood will be able to heal her.”

He nodded and removed his t-shirt then pressed the fabric on his mate’s neck. He held pressure ensuring no more was lost and felt the heat of Jace’s healing touch. He held his breath as he watched Elsie’s leg heal under Jace’s touch. She wasn’t out of the woods, yet. Once Bhric had given all he could, Kyran and Nikko each proceeded to give blood to Elsie. He poured all of his love into his hold on her neck. Did he feel changes beneath his palm? Was their collective blood healing Elsie? He refused to lift his hand to see.

He buried his head in her hair, as he waited to see if Elsie survived.

*****

Cognizance returned suddenly and Elsie braced for the pain to follow. She kept still while she assessed her body and surroundings. As she took stock an intoxicating aroma hit her nose. A sliver of recognition floated through her, but drifted away, before she could grasp it.

She finally opened her eyes and looked up at a coffered ceiling. She tried to roll over on the soft mattress, only to bump into a broad, muscular chest. Zander was asleep next to her. That was the source of the delicious scent. She glanced around and wondered how she got back to Zeum.

She had been kidnapped, tortured, and had been certain she was as good as dead. Her feelings for this vampire had given her strength. She loved him with her whole, battered heart. With that one thought, her body moistened and responded. His scent added to her arousal. She had never noticed the intensity of the fragrance, before. She detected oak, musk, and an indescribable, male essence. It enveloped her and she had trouble not devouring him in his sleep.

He looked unkempt, and there were dark circles under his eyes. She could see strain in the texture of his beautifully, bronzed skin.
Wait, why can I see the texture of his skin?
He opened his eyes, and she lost her train of thought at the joy in his brilliant, sapphire-blue eyes. The wash of his emotions mirrored hers.

“Och, thank the Goddess!” He kissed her fervently and then drew back to stare at her again. “I was so verra worried. I thought I’d lost you. I never want to feel fear like that again. I couldna go on without you,
a ghra
. You are my life, my everything.” He squeezed her tight to his chest and buried his head in her neck.

“To think what you went through…and I wasna there to protect you. I will never forgive myself for that.”

She held him close, happy she was alive and with him. “It wasn’t your fault. I’m here now.” Her mouth watered. She was having trouble thinking past her thirst. “I’m thirsty. Can I get a drink, please?”

“Of course, wait here.” She watched his muscular back and ass as he stood up and went into the bathroom to get her some water. He had the finest backside she had ever seen. The view of his front was even better. His shaft lifted with awareness as she watched him. He had a beautiful body. She gulped down the water he handed her and fought to recollect everything that had happened.

She only remembered pieces of the puzzle. “I see pictures of the demon and Lena, and remember pain, but I can’t recall all the details. How am I alive? I thought I was dead,” she whispered.

He grabbed her and held her so tightly it bordered on painful. She gaped, as he told her an incredulous tale of how she had been kidnapped and how he and his warriors located and saved her. He watched her warily as she absorbed what he had said.

“How are you feeling,
a ghra
? Do you have any pain?”

She stretched her leg and rubbed her ribs, then threw her legs over the side of the bed. Gingerly, she tested to see if she could hold her weight. She met his eyes over her shoulder.

“I feel surprisingly good given what happened. How long have I been out?” He was hot on her heels as she made her way to the bathroom. She grabbed hold of his hand and something settled at the contact. This was where she was always supposed to be. “Ugh, I need a shower. I can smell the filth. And, I’m hungry...wait, my neck.”