Frost Fire (Tortured Elements) (13 page)

No. He wasn’t even going to consider that. Because he’d never do anything to harm the girl, and she’d never have a reason to want him dead.

Allai stared at him, completely still now. She silently evaluated him, her fingers slowly clutching around the lockgem. She looked torn by the decision—lockgem or no lockgem, safety or trust. He hated seeing her so uncertain, so scared.

“Just wear it, little Nox,” Drake said quietly. “It’s okay.”

Her eyes widened. Then she unclutched her hand and slipped the chain over her neck. The lockgem didn’t look right on her, an ugly mass of gray against the perfect paleness of her skin.

Guilt was clear in her expression. He thought about smiling at her to tell her it was all going to be okay. But he wasn’t even sure if that was true, and he’d never been one for false assurances. They were as good as straight-out lies.

“You’re sure this is necessary?” Allai asked Luke in a whisper. “You’re sure…” Again, she trailed off.

“You’re not safe here,” Luke said. “The Sentinel can’t take care of you anymore.”

“Can’t
you
take care of me?” Allai couldn’t even meet Luke’s gaze.

The viper shook his head. “You know the French have control over me. It’d be useless for me to even try to get you to the Chimeras. I’d probably be dead before we left the state.” He paused, and then grudgingly added, “And Drake is the only one who knows how to get to the Chimera’s headquarters.”

Drake shot Allai a small smirk. Because he could help her. Not the viper, or her father, or any other stuck-up Warrior in this mansion. Only him.

Allai glared back. Drake maintained the smirk, but inside he cringed. Because that fire in Allai’s eyes reminded him that her life was in his hands. Again. And he’d never been able to keep her safe before.

“Here,” Luke said, breaking the silence. He pulled something slim and black out of his pocket. A cell phone. He handed it to Allai, pressing it into her hand. “It’s prepaid and untraceable. You know my number. Just call me if you need something.” He didn’t let her speak before he pulled a wallet out of his other pocket, and slipped a credit card from one of the slots. “And you know what this is,” he said as he handed it to Allai. “Just don’t buy anything I wouldn’t buy. It’s the French’s money, and they monitor it.”

Allai collapsed. Drake tore his gaze from Luke just in time to see her hit the ground. Her eyes were closed, her body limp. Drake jumped up and rushed to her.

Luke lunged towards her at the same moment. Every instinct in Drake screamed to tear into the viper. Luke was too close to her. He could hurt the girl. But Drake was in his useless human form, without his claws or wings or strength. So he just kneeled down by the girl, hovering over her and doing his best to keep Luke from getting too close.

“What did you do?” Luke demanded. He also knelt next to Allai.

Drake gagged as the scent of Persequor invaded his nose, but he managed to shake his head. Then he realized Luke wouldn’t be able to see him and said, “Nothing.”

Luke gestured wildly at Allai. The only sign she was alive came from the shallow breaths she took. “Then how do you explain this?”

Drake shook his head again. And then realized again that Luke couldn’t see. But he didn’t care. The viper shouldn’t even be asking questions, he should just be getting out of the way. Drake focused on clenching and unclenching a fist to keep from lunging at Luke. “She did this the other day. When she was in the dungeon with me. She just fainted.”

Luke opened his mouth to snarl back some skeptical retort, but then Allai stirred a little. She opened her eyes, blinked a couple times, and mumbled, “Did I faint again?”

Luke sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. “Yeah, Allai,” he said, his voice tight. He didn’t say anything more, but just pressed the back of his hand against her cheek and gave her a weak smile. Drake wondered how hard it would be to rip the viper’s hand away. But Allai didn’t seem to mind it, and she closed her eyes again.

“We don’t have time for this,” Drake snapped. “She needs to get out of here. If the French start searching for her, they’ll look in here first.”

For a moment, Luke looked ready to growl back some kind of retort. But then he nodded. “Pack some things for her,” he commanded. “Clothes and stuff.”

There was no point in arguing. Drake grabbed the duffle bag off the bed, already half-filled with some of Luke’s clothing. The bag had been in there when Luke first shoved him into the room, and he’d told Drake the clothes were packed for him. How sweet. And totally, completely useless, since Luke’s clothes were about two sizes too small.

But at least he could get Allai some clothes that fit. Drake pulled open the dresser, the white one across from her bed, and examined the contents of the first drawer. T-shirts, folded jeans, a couple tank tops. He stuffed a little of everything into the duffle bag, hoping things matched and not paying much attention. Until he came to the bottom of the drawer. The girl really should have known better than to use a top drawer as a hiding place. Apparently, she didn’t, because a Hunter’s knife lay at the bottom of it.

He glanced over his shoulder at Luke. He was pretty sure the viper had some kind of sight, even if he claimed to be blind. Because he was staring right at Drake, his clouded eyes burrowing into him. Like he knew. Like he could see the knife.

But he couldn’t, and Drake quickly stashed the weapon into his pocket. He wouldn’t give it back to the girl. No, she was much too delicate and helpless to carry anything that dangerous. But she might appreciate knowing that it was close to her.

The air-conditioning felt a little cooler on his face, and Drake realized it was because of the sweat breaking out on his brow. If anyone caught them in here, if anyone found them…

He didn’t finish the thought. Instead, he whirled back toward Luke, slung the duffle bag over his shoulder, and said, “Let’s get her out of here.”

Luke nodded. He had helped Allai up, and she was sitting on the edge of the bed. She looked dazed, but she was rapidly blinking, and a little clarity returned to her expression every time her eyes opened. Luke grabbed Allai’s shoulders and whispered something in her ear. Drake couldn’t make it out in his human form. He thought about shifting forms, but then he remembered how Luke had threatened him about that. He couldn’t risk it, not with the lockgem around his neck. Damn that thing.

Seconds ticked by, and finally Luke lightly hugged Allai, and then pulled away from her. He helped her stand, but she leaned most of her weight on him. Her legs trembled, ready to collapse.

Drake bit his lip for a moment, and then rushed forward. “Let me take her. If the French see you helping to carry her out of here, they’ll kill you.”

Hesitation crossed Luke’s face. For a moment, he pulled Allai closer. Then he sighed, and stepped a little away from her, just enough so that Drake could replace his position by her side.

Being close to her suddenly didn’t seem like such a good idea. It’d been so long. So many years had gone by, and so many things had changed, and surely Allai had changed, too. He was probably an idiot to think that things could ever be like they’d used to be. That they could be more than natural enemies, and become… What? What had they been? It had been more than friends. But maybe it had just been the desperation of their situation that had created that close bond. Maybe, now that Dad wasn’t a threat, everything would be completely different.

Drake forced his uncertainty away and wrapped an arm around Allai’s shoulders. She blinked a couple times, still dazed, and then looked up to him. Her daze did nothing to obscure the fear and confusion in her eyes.

Should he smile at her? Or maybe give her a little reassuring hug, like he’d seen Luke do? Both seemed like ridiculous actions, considering the situation they were in. But he had to do
something.

Luke didn’t give him time to make a decision. He snapped, “Don’t just stand there. Get her out of here.”

The viper had caught him just staring at the girl. Great. Drake clenched his teeth, but then unclenched them. Because that didn’t matter now. What mattered was getting the girl out of the Manor and away from her enemies.

He squeezed the girl’s shoulders a little—more to just wake her up from her daze, not really a hug—and guided her to the door. She stumbled along after him, every step more accurate than the last.

Drake shoved open the door and led her down the hallway. She looked over her shoulder, staring at Luke until he was out of sight. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. He couldn’t tell if they were from sadness, anger, or fear. Maybe all three. Whatever she felt, she stayed quiet, her lips pursed and silent.

Allai’s steps faltered as they neared the corner of the hallway. She stumbled, but quickly righted herself and leaned more weight into Drake. Carrying her was the best option. He could move faster that way. But she’d probably freak out if he tried picking her up, and he didn’t need her drawing attention.

He rounded the corner. A Charger stood in his way, wings flared and fist clenched. It only took a moment for Drake to recognize him.

Shieldak.

It took Allai a moment to recognize the Charger. The world was still spinning a little, making the rage on his face disorientating. Who was he? And why was he so mad?

Then she recognized the freckles dotting the bridge of his nose and his flaming red hair. She let out a sigh of relief, but choked on it as his expression remained furious.

“Dad,” she whispered. Or at least she tried to whisper. It came out more of a half-croak, half-squeak.

“Allai,” Shieldak said smoothly.

Why did he always have to speak so calmly? Even when he was obviously pissed? It was unnerving.

A growl broke the awkward silence. It took Allai a moment to place it. Drake. He was still at her side, still supporting her, and still the guy who was supposed to be her worst enemy.

Not. Good.

Shieldak turned to Drake. A small smile tugged at his lips, as sarcastic as it was unsettling. “Drake Rhaize. I see you’re taking advantage of your freedom,” he said, nodding toward Drake’s arm wrapped around Allai. Shieldak didn’t even comment on the fact that Drake had escaped from his inescapable dungeon. Did he know Luke had set Drake free? Allai cringed at the thought.

“And you, Allai,” her father continued. “You’re also taking advantage of your freedom, aren’t you? That and so many other things.”

She opened her mouth to reply, but no words came. She didn’t know how to respond. She
couldn’t
respond. Because he was right; she
was
taking advantage of her freedom. And there was no reason she shouldn’t; she
deserved
that freedom.

Shieldak took a single step toward them. His wings remained flared, his fists clenched. This close, Allai could fully see the rigid set of his jaw, the narrowing of his eyes.

“Allai,” he said. “Come with me. Now. We have things to discuss.”

Drake snarled. Allai startled at the sound and stumbled back a step. People didn’t snarl at her dad, not if they wanted to live.

She looked up at Drake. And then realized he didn’t give a shit if he lived or not. He was shaking, holding back a form shift, and his eyes were livid. The rest of his expression remained blank, completely impassive. But his eyes narrowed and burrowed into her father, as if he thought he could tear into him with just his gaze.

“Get away from her,” Drake hissed.

Shieldak snapped his attention back to Drake. His smile grew a little. “Do you really think you can give me orders in my own home, Drake?” He shook his head slowly, and then quietly said, “Step away from Allai. I’ll deal with you as soon as I’m finished with her.”

There was menace in his voice. It was familiar, the same tone he used whenever he confronted an enemy. But, at the same time, it was foreign. Because she was supposed to be his daughter, not his enemy.

“Dad, please don’t do this.” Her words came out choked. For once, she didn’t care.

She didn’t see Shieldak’s hand. It moved too fast, and her eyes were too blurred with tears. But she felt the harsh sting of his slap as it struck her cheek. She didn’t react, not even to back away. Shock froze her.

The world whirled around a little, but pain quickly brought clarity back to her vision. Shieldak stood in front of her, his lip lifted in a snarl. “I am
not
your dad. Not anymore.”

She tentatively touched her fingertips to her cheek. “I didn’t know that I was a Mage,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”

Shieldak’s hand balled back into a fist, readying a punch. Allai didn’t move. She couldn’t. But Drake reacted for her, shoving Allai behind him and out of harm’s way. He snarled, the sound slowly settling into something between a growl and a hum.

Allai stared at Drake’s back. She didn’t want to peer around him and see her father. Or whatever Shieldak was to her. So she just stared at the back of Drake’s shirt, examining a small hole in the fabric.

Tense silence settled over the hallway. But it only lasted for a moment, until footsteps approached from behind.

She wanted to run. To escape from the Manor and Shieldak, and never look back. But part of her held out, convinced that it was all a mistake, that this would all end peacefully.

The footsteps paused a couple yards behind her. Then she heard a sigh, and a women’s voice said in a bored tone, “You see, Shieldak? This is what happens when you let a Mage into your headquarters. You catch them conspiring with your other enemies.”

Allai knew that voice. High, shrill, and thickly accented. She’d heard it before, but never in person. It was the voice of one of the French ambassadors, the woman who always spoke loud enough so that Allai could listen at the door of Shieldak’s office and catch snippets of the negotiations. Shieldak had mentioned her name before. Amber, or maybe it was Sapphire, or something else distinctly un-French. Crystal, that was it.

Crystal’s footsteps came closer, marked by the patter of heels on the hardwood floor. Drake growled at her without turning away from Shieldak. The pattering rapidly retreated a couple steps.