Rising Darkness (A Rylee Adamson Novel, Book 9) (21 page)

CHAPTER 28

Rylee

M
arco and Eve
took Pamela, Alex, and Frank to Giselle’s place in town. I stayed with Blaz. Pamela hadn’t been able to do much in terms of fixing his wings. They were beyond trashed.

“Blaz, what can we do?” I touched the edge of one wing, carefully, feeling his sorrow with every beat of his heart.

Nothing. I would need someone like Milly to heal me. Pamela doesn’t know how.
He tucked his head under one leg.
I cannot be the one who takes you into the final battle, Rylee.

I leaned against him, a very small part of me happy about that.

He snorted and glared at me. I shrugged. “Can you blame me for wanting you to be safe? You always acted like you were on the outside looking in, not really a part of our family, but you are. You always have been.”

Blaz let out a long, low snort.
I’m not like you weirdos.

I patted him gently. “You’re the king of the weirdos, my friend.”

I sat next to him, knowing there was nothing I could do. We watched Peta pace the top of the mineshaft. I knew who she waited for.

“Peta, she’s okay. Just tired.”

Peta glanced at me and gave a pitiful meow that sounded more like a housecat than a leopard. I didn’t try to stop her pacing though. She was Lark’s, the way Alex was mine.

What do we do
now?

“Regroup. Get everyone up to speed.” I deliberately didn’t think about what came next.

Do you know where the battle will take
place?

I nodded. “I think so, yes.”

Are you going to tell
me?

“Not yet. One step at a time.”

The sun set slowly and when the last of the light disappeared, the two vampires popped out of the mineshaft. “How the hell did you climb so fast?” I scrambled to my feet and ran to them.

“We climbed the shaft and waited near the top,” Berget said.

Lark was slumped in Faris’s arms. He put her down and she went to her knees, wrapping her arms around a rather loudly purring Peta.

Everything was good.

So why did I feel like it was about to go to hell in a fucking hand basket?

Marco and Eve took Berget, Faris, Lark, and Peta next—another round trip to Giselle’s.

Again, I waited with Blaz. I kept a hand on him. “We’re not done. You know that, right?”

His head swung toward me.
Ophelia
can fly you into the battle. She’s trained for it. It would mean going back . . . to where you daughter is to get her. Eve could take
you.

My heart clenched at the thought of seeing my baby girl. One more time. How much harder would it be to leave her a second time? No, I couldn’t do that to either of us.

“Not going to happen, lizard. You might think you can get away with not being my ride, but I’m not facing Orion without you.”

I cannot fly, Rylee. I am useless.

I put my hands on my hips. “Please. It’s bad enough that I have Pamela thinking she’s no good, I am not putting up with that shit from you, too. Pull your head out of your ass and stop feeling sorry for yourself. We’ll find someone who can patch you up.”

You can’t fix everything.

I glared at him. “Would you shut the fuck up? I know that. I also know you are my dragon. Not Ophelia.”

He shrugged and his voice went silent in my head. I kicked at him, but only hurt my own foot. I hopped away. “Blaz, talk to me.”

The cold shoulder had a whole different meaning when it came to a dragon ignoring you. Eve let out a screech and I looked up to see her sailing down to us.

She landed and fluttered her wings. “Blaz, how long before you’re all healed up?” He wouldn’t answer her, either.

“He’s busted up pretty bad.” I climbed onto her back. “Blaz, I’m not giving up on you. I’d ask you to do the same for yourself.”

He grunted but didn’t turn around.

“Leave him be. He’ll come to his senses.” Eve leapt into the air. “His pride is hurt.”

“Why, I don’t understand? He kept us safe, helped buy us the time we needed to find Lark.”

Eve swooped through the dark summer night air. I closed my eyes as she spoke.

“There is a treaty between air elementals and the supernaturals who deal in their realm. Harpies, dragons, rocs. They aren’t supposed to attack us. If they do, the wrath of those who created us is supposed to come down on them.”

“And nothing happened.”

“His faith in what he believed to be true has been shaken. Perhaps you acted before our creators could,” she said softly.

“How do you know all this?”

“I learned much of it when Frank and I went to the Harpies to ask for their help.” She didn’t offer anything more than that so I let it go.

It seemed that no time had passed and we were landing in the backyard of Giselle’s home. The only home any of us had anymore.

“Thanks, Eve.”

“Rylee, you don’t have to thank me.”

I paused in mid-stride. “I do. I don’t say it enough. I couldn’t have come this far without all of you. Even when you weren’t with me, you were. Do you understand?”

She clacked her beak twice. “I do.”

I left her there to roost. Before I could step inside, though, the shadows next to the door shifted. I yanked a sword free.

Frank stepped into the light and held up his hands. His face was battered to hell, and his hands . . . shit his hands looked like they’d been through a meat grinder. “Frank, what are you doing out here?”

He ducked his head, and moved as if to push non-existent glasses up his nose. “I just don’t feel like this is over. Orion left too fast.” I lifted my eyebrows at him and he straightened his back. “The zombies held Milly down while we fought for Pamela’s life, but when Orion left Pamela’s body . . . he went back to Milly’s body and got away from the zombies. They seemed to scare him away, but still . . . .”

A chill swept through me. I hadn’t seen Milly, hadn’t known Orion was so close. “What?”

Frank lifted his eyes. “You didn’t see her, did you?” He quickly explained that Milly, or Orion as she truly was now, had shown up at the mineshaft and tried to derail things. And when he told me how Orion had gotten away, I agreed with him.

“Something’s up. Good man, keep an eye out and shout if you even suspect anything.” I put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a squeeze as I went by.

“Did you mean what you said? About us being with you?”

I stopped and hugged him. “Even you, Frank. You are all a part of the reason I can kick ass, even when it hurts.”

He hugged me back and a heavy tension seemed to flow out of him. “I’ve never had a real family like this before.”

I laughed. “If you think this is a real family, kid, you’ve got some things to learn.” Patting him gently on the back, I slipped inside. The hall was quiet, but the voices I heard came from the kitchen. I followed them, stopping in the doorway. Berget and Pamela stood side by side and Faris leaned against the countertop, legs stretched out in front of him and crossed at the ankle. A Liam pose, if I ever saw one. Alex laid on his side, breathing deeply, a soft rumbling snore escaping him.

Berget was the first to look up.

“Do you know the next step?”

I shook my head. “Lark, is she sleeping?”

Pamela tapped her fingers on the table. “Yes, Peta’s with her.” She seemed a little sad and it took me a second to realize how attached she’d grown to Peta. The cat was good like that, worming her way into your life.

“You’ll get your own familiar, probably when you least expect it,” I said. She smiled and though there was a shadow of pain behind her eyes, the darkness that had hovered before was gone.

Faris’s eyes met mine across the room. The rim of gold around the blue concerned me a little. What if they blended together, became one man instead of two separate ones? Could I love him then?

Shit, the thought made my brain and heart hurt.

There was a distant thump and we all froze. “What the fuck was that?”

Eve let out a screech and I was up and running without thinking. Or maybe not wanting to think.

I burst out the door and onto the yard. The place was lit with witch light, the steady green pulse hanging above our heads in three distinct orbs. In the center of the lawn stood Milly, her arm around Frank, holding him to her chest. Eve and Marco stood back, wings spread and beaks open as they hissed at Milly.

No, not Milly.

“Orion.” I strode out, closing the distance between us.

“That’s close enough, Tracker. You know, this boy cost me my new witch.” With one smooth motion, she pulled a copper knife from her belt and slid it across his throat. Pamela screamed his name as his head bobbled forward, a soft gurgling of air the only other sound I heard.

No. Horror froze me for half a heartbeat. Not Frank, too.

Orion dropped his body, stepping over it like it was nothing. “Now onto more important business. I’ve had your dragon maimed, I wonder if I can do the same to you? Without Milly to heal you, and Pamela isn’t capable, a broken back should slow you down, yes?”

Orion raised his other hand and a car lifted from the other side of the fence. One flick of his finger and the car spun toward me. Fucking hell.

Berget was there at my side between one breath and the next. She caught the car and threw it back the way it came. Faris stepped up to my other side. “We’ll cover you. Kill him if you can.”

I didn’t wait, didn’t wonder if this was the final battle. If we could maim Orion badly enough now, maybe I would have a chance at kicking his ass. I didn’t disillusion myself. This was not the first time I’d faced him, he was one tough son of a bitch.

But this time, I wasn’t alone.

I had my family with me.

Alex slunk in from the side, inching toward Orion.

Orion spun, a laugh on his lips. But then something shifted. Those glowing red eyes swirling with black pinpricks shimmered and turned green.

“Milly?”

“Rylee. Kill me quickly,” she whispered. “I can’t hold him at bay for long. Love my boy and tell him the best of me. But kill me now so he won’t know I was a demon’s whore.” Her eyes overflowed with tears and she shook with the effort.

My swords were out and I strode toward her. “Milly, please. Fight him. Pamela fought him off.”

“She’s stronger than me. Pamela. Remember, to heal, you have to give up a piece of yourself. You have to stop being afraid of the power.” She turned to look at Pamela.

Pamela nodded and then she screamed as Milly stiffened. Orion’s voice slipped out of her. “Oh, that is not going to happen. First things first.”

She flicked her hands at the two vampires, fireballs leaping toward them. They bounced out of the way. I ran straight down the center toward Orion, blades out.

I wasn’t fast enough.

He pulled a power pole out of the ground and swung it toward me like gigantic baseball bat. I saw the trajectory, knew that even if I leapt there was no way I would make it. The last second, I knew we were done. We couldn’t beat him.

I was going to die.

A black, furry body shoved me out of the way, taking the hit for me.

“ALEX!” I screamed his name as Pamela had screamed Frank’s. Rolling to my feet, the dark body still where the power pole had dropped him. No movement. Nothing.

Pamela strode past me, headed for Orion. “This time, it’s my turn, Rylee.”

I wanted to argue with her to tell her she was too young. I stepped back. “Kick his ass, Pam.”

“With pleasure.”

CHAPTER 29

Pamela

I
didn’t fling my
hands at Orion, didn’t even twitch my fingers. But the power ripped out of me, raced toward him, and he barely caught it in time. Thoughts moved faster than hands and fingers, and my thoughts hammered Orion with a speed he couldn’t match.

Lightning danced in front of me, flames shot from him toward me, scorching the ground. Magic thickened the air, making it hard to breathe.

But I didn’t hold back. I put everything I had into putting him down. I wouldn’t let him hurt my family again. Not if I had anything to say about it.

Orion’s eyes never left mine. “I should have stayed in your body when I had the chance.”

“You would never bend me to you.” The words left my mouth and I knew they were true. I wasn’t Milly.

Orion could have never tamed me.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins. I lifted my hands, and the wind picked up. I would steal his breath, just like the elemental had tried to do with me.

Black and red eyes narrowed. “Oh no you don’t.”

Skirts swishing, he ran toward me, Milly’s hair trailing out behind. From the corner of my eye, I saw Rylee darting in and I knew what she was trying to do. If she got her hands on Milly’s body, she could act as a disruptor, her immunity nullifying the magic.

The copper knife was in Orion’s hand as he raised it, eyes glittering as he stared at Rylee.

Rylee’s left side open to him.

Blaz’s words to me.

Rylee comes first.

I leapt forward, magic forgotten as I tackled Orion. The copper knife drove into my belly, tearing a scream from my throat.

But still, I didn’t let go. I rolled with him, taking him away from Rylee. It was the best I could do. The last I could do.

Below us, the ground gave a mighty thump, heaving and shaking. Another elemental? The distraction slowed everyone. Hands grabbed me, yanking me from Orion. Only, it wasn’t Orion anymore.

Milly stared up at us, her green eyes dull. “The veil is open. Orion is free.”

Behind her hovered his spirit. He was huge, tall and wide, muscle-bound. He grinned. “Ah, well I’d love to continue this, but I have things to do. A new body to possess. Babies to find.” He gave a slow wink. “Milly, I’ll be back for you, darling. Just wait for me. And Rylee, your Marcella, has she your hair color or the wolf’s? Never mind, I’ll find out for myself soon enough. Tian Shan waits for me.”

His image wavered and he was gone. Escaped again.

Orion’s words chilled me. “He knows where they are.”

Milly struggled to her knees, crawling over to Pamela. She healed her, then sat back, and crossed her legs. “Rylee, it’s time.”

I shook my head. “No, it isn’t.” I would not kill her. I would not take her head. Holy fucking hell, Orion knew where my daughter was. I had to go. I had to stop him. But how? Blaz was out of commission, Eve wasn’t fast enough. A plane, I would have to take a plane. I checked my weapons as I spoke. “You’re strong enough to face him. We have to get Zane and Marcella. Now.”

She shook her head, long brown curls floating around her face. “I’m not strong enough and none of you are safe when I am here. I cannot be trusted because I can’t stop him. He left because he has a better body waiting for him. That doesn’t mean he won’t be back.”

Faris stepped up beside her then crouched. “Milly. We still need you.” That wasn’t Faris, but Liam. Hoping we could convince her. She shook her head. “No. You don’t need me at all. Pamela is the witch who will help you. Faris can jump the veil. He can get you to the babies in time.”

This was all happening so fucking fast.

I looked at Faris, seeing Liam there so clearly in the golden rim around the bright blue iris. “Go, get the babies, bring them back. Berget, go with him.”

He flicked his hand, and a slash opened in the air. On the other side was the interior of the monastery. Tian Shan. The place I’d hidden while pregnant. The place I’d left my daughter to be safe and sound.

And now she was in more danger than she had ever been in her short life.

Berget and Faris ran through the slash connecting here and there, and it closed behind them. For just a moment, I thought I smelled wood smoke but it was gone in an instant. Please, please let them be safe. Let the babies be safe. To not go after them myself, that was the hardest thing I’d ever had to do. Liam was there, though; he would get them out and make sure they were safe. And I wasn’t finished here, not by a long shot.

I looked at Milly, my heart breaking into tiny shards. She knelt in front of me, her head bowed. Her hair parted, giving way to the creamy skin of her neck. “End this, Rylee. Once and for all.”

The sound of my sword sliding from the sheath on my back was the only sound. “Milly, you are far braver than I ever gave you credit for. I love you,” I whispered.

She lifted her eyes to mine and smiled. “I love you, Rylee. Be strong, and don’t forget me.”

I closed my eyes at the last second, felt the blade cut through bone and flesh, heard the thunk of her head rolling to the ground. But I couldn’t look. I stumbled backward, the grief hitting me as hard as if one of the cars had managed to drop on me.

Pamela was at my side. “Rylee, what about Alex?”

“Oh, shit,” I lurched to my feet. How could I forget him? There he lay, broken and twisted on the ground black fur matted with blood. Bones stuck through like a pincushion. “Alex.” I Tracked him, knowing I would find him gone.

I was wrong.

“Pamela! He’s still alive.” I dropped to my knees and touched his face gently. “Alex, hang on, Pam is going to heal you up.”

She fell to the ground beside me. “Rylee, I can’t. You know that.”

I took her face in my hands. “Pamela. I know you. You have the biggest heart of all of us, and you can do this. Alex trusts you. I trust you.”

Nodding, she lowered her hands to his side and closed her eyes. I did trust her, but was it enough? Could she find it in herself to heal him?

Alex’s life was there, a thread of a heartbeat so unsteady I wasn’t sure I could even patch him enough to allow him to heal himself the rest of the way. I swallowed hard and reached for my magic, pulling on it like I always did.

I froze, frowned, and stopped trying to force it. I begged it, opening myself in a way I never had before. “Please, I want to heal him,” I whispered, “Please, help me.”

The magic in me swirled softly against my ribs, beating in time with my heart. Flowing down my arms and into my hands, through my fingers and into Alex. I directed it carefully, putting Alex back together piece by piece. Bit by bit. It wasn’t enough. There were broken connections all through him. I couldn’t stop the magic and didn’t try. It was a living thing, an entity all its own as it zinged through his body, making him twitch and moan. His bones snapped and Rylee grunted.

“Pamela, he’s healed. What are you doing?”

He slept and I knew she meant well. “The magic is doing this.” But even that wasn’t true. The magic knew all along I’d wanted to heal, to do what no one else had been able to.

To fix whatever was broken inside Alex and make him whole. His body jerked and jumped and the fur began to recede, his limbs untwisting. Body changing. Shifting.

The fur under my hands was gone and my fingers were pressed against smooth, tanned skin.

“Holy shit, Pamela,” Rylee whispered. “What . . . how did you do this?”

“I think . . .” I opened my eyes and stared down at the sleeping body of a young man. Older than me, but not a grown-up by any chance of the imagination. “I think I might have taken the werewolf virus from him.”

He let out a groan and sat up, touching his head. “Damn.” His voice was the same . . . but not. I shook my head, suddenly realizing he was completely naked. “I’ll get a . . . some clothes.”

I stood and sprinted into the house, my emotions all over the map. I should have been happy. But somehow I felt like I’d lost a friend.

I stared at Alex, seeing in him the echo of a young girl from over a year ago,
stolen away from her family
. “Buddy, how are you feeling?”

His eyes, golden still, stared up at me. “Rylee? What happened?”

I patted the top of his head and laughed softly. “Pamela healed you. But it looks like she might have kicked out the werewolf in you, too.”

Slowly, he shook his head. “No. The wolf is still there. But I think I can shift back and forth now.”

“Welcome back to the world.”

He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around me. I thought it would be awkward. Weird. I closed my eyes and hugged him back. Nope. This was Alex. “I’m glad you’re still with us.”

He barked a laugh. Seriously
barked
a laugh. “Me, too.”

So many questions, but there were more important things happening. Pamela rushed out and handed him a pair of pants and shirt. Liam’s old clothes. They hung off Alex’s frame, but they were the right length. When he finished filling out, he might be as big as Liam in the end.

Eve hopped forward. “Rylee, I should take Pamela to Blaz. She can heal him now.”

Pamela nodded, and I saw her glance at Frank as she went to the Harpy. I stopped her and wrapped her into my arms. “Pamela, I’m sorry we lost Frank.”

She pushed away from me. “I can’t deal with this right now. When I get back from Blaz . . . .”

I nodded. Perhaps more than anyone else, I understood the desire to run from the grief. To pretend the bad things didn’t happen.

Eve left with Pamela. And now I had nothing to do but wait on Berget and Faris. Which thankfully took only minutes, not long enough for me to fully freak out.

A slash in the air opened up and three people stumbled forward. Berget, Faris, and Cactus—the red-headed elemental I’d met in Tian Shan. He’d helped me, been my friend. I hoped that hadn’t changed.

But by the way Faris held him, by the scruff of his neck, I wasn’t so sure. Faris gave him a shake. “Erik and Coyote got the babies out with Ophelia. Just in time.”

I slumped and Alex slipped an arm around my waist, holding me up.

Tears trickled down my cheeks. “Cactus, what happened?”

“Someone broke, someone was tortured. We think . . . we think it was the spell casters who helped you.” His green eyes met mine. “None of us were able to stand against the demons, but we tried. We held them back long enough for Erik and Coyote to get the babies out. That was the best we could do. The others in the monastery, they didn’t make it. The monastery is burning even now.”