Vengeance Born (The Light Blade #1) (36 page)

“Only those who joined?” Candra asked. “That means all Light Blades have
Na’Reish
blood!” She wasn’t the only one with a look of shock on her face.

Kalan nodded as a sense of irony curled in his gut. “We’ve bastardized their original use. The Gifts were never meant to be used against the
Na’Reish
. We began the war. Our history has been distorted and hidden from us for centuries.”

“Mother of Mercy.”
Kymora smothered her soft cry with her hand. The devastated expression on her face was certainly shared.

“We’ve caused our own problems?” Benth’s voice came out as a weak croak. “Our dwindling numbers of Gifted people are our own doing?”

“You shall reap what you sow.”

Candra quoted the
Lady
’s words. The hard truth was a bitter one but Kalan nodded. “The arrogance and corruption of our own leaders led us down the path we find ourselves on today.”

“Where was this book found?” Kymora asked.

“Among the personal journals in a storage room of our library,” Arek said. “When you asked us to look for evidence of the
Na’Chi
among the histories I found nothing but dry facts. I thought to cross-check the personal journals of each Councilor and
Chosen
from the time of the Great War.”

“What I’d like to know is just how far that corruption has spread.” Kalan stabbed a finger at the book and glared at each Councilor. “Who among us knew about this?”

Yance was the most shaken. As the weight of the stares of everyone turned on him, he crumbled. “The information was kept from everyone for the good of all…”

Kalan’s anger thickened. “Benth?”

“No,
Chosen
, on my honor as a Light Blade I knew nothing about this history.”

Kalan gave a curt nod and looked to Candra. The older woman met his gaze levelly. “I’ve never read this account,
Chosen
.”

He gazed at Corvas. The silver-haired warrior looked to Davyn, found no support there. His jaw clenched then lifted. “I’ve read it. The decision was made not to reveal its contents for fear of widespread panic.”

“I don’t see what you’re all so upset about,” came Davyn’s calm reply. “The Council responsible died four hundred years ago. Too much time and blood has been spilled for us to ever rectify what was done. What good would revealing the truth do?”

Kymora’s staff clattered to the floor in her haste to stand. “What good comes of telling the truth? You sit here at the highest level of leadership and profess that truth-saying means nothing?” Her voice shook. “Today I’m ashamed to be human and I weep for the lives of our loved ones, past and present, who’ve died senselessly in this war. How can you call yourselves Councilors when you deliberately chose to continue the corruption that is destroying us?”

Davyn slammed his fist onto the table. “Our paths have split with the
Na’Reish
. They hate us as much as we hate them. Telling them about this won’t stop them from raiding. Savyr would rather see us all dead than talk peace.”

“The distortion of history is an unforgivable abuse of your leadership.” Kalan gritted his teeth against his disgust for the ex-warrior. “What chance have you given us to rectify the mistakes our forbearers made? You decided our futures for us by perpetuating generations of their fears and prejudices. We made the
Na’Reish
what they are today through our ancestors’ choices.”

Davyn leapt to his feet, his face distorted by anger. “They’re animals! All of them!” His eyes flashed with a wild light. “Whether we like it or not to survive we must continue killing every demon, full-blooded or half-blooded.”

Varian surged to his feet, his face tight with cold anger. “You deny your heritage and the facts.” His lip curled. “Now you live the lies you’ve told.”

Kymora reached out to grasp his arm as others rose around the table. “Do you all realize that the
Na’Chi
may be the answer to our problem with the
Na’Reish?”

“I won’t tolerate an alliance with half-breeds!” The light in Davyn’s eyes grew wilder. “I’ll see them all dead first.”

Kalan sucked in a sharp breath as his words triggered a memory.
Will it take the death of an innocent to convince you, Chosen?
He stared at Davyn as the hairs on his neck lifted. The warrior had come to the meeting unnaturally calm, composed, and until now, hadn’t lost that self-satisfied smirk.

“Where’s Annika?” Kalan watched the anger fade from Davyn’s face until only the wild look in his eyes remained. Coldness raced through Kalan.

“Rissa escorted her home to your apartment this evening,” Candra commented. “We parted ways at the garden.”

He glanced at Arek. “Check my apartment.”

Confusion clouded his Second’s gaze but he nodded. “Yes, Commander.” The warrior left the chamber at a jog.

“Kalan, what’s wrong?” Kymora asked.

Something dark and unpleasant flickered in Davyn’s eyes as the smirk reappeared. He began chuckling, softly at first, and gradually it became louder.

“What’s got into you, Davyn?” Benth demanded, his brows pulled down low. Others eyed the man with disbelief. “This situation is no laughing matter.”

“Oh, but it is, my friend.” His chuckling stopped and he stabbed a finger in Kalan’s direction. “Can’t you see what he’s doing? He’s already offered sanctuary to the half-bloods. He’ll demand an alliance between the
Na’Chi
and us next.” He shook his head. “Such a decision would be suicide.”

Running footsteps sounded out in the corridor. Arek appeared in the doorway, out of breath. “Commander, the guards at the door said Parnolli was escorting them to this meeting at your request.”

“I gave no such instruction.”

But Kalan wouldn’t put it past Davyn to do it. A sickening sense of dread scraped along his scalp.

“If Annika and Rissa were supposed to be brought here, then where are they?” Kymora asked, a frown on her forehead.

“He knows.” Varian’s quiet comment drew their attention away from Arek. The young
Na’Chi
had his violet gaze locked on Davyn. “Annika’s scent is all over you.”

As Davyn’s chuckling began again Kalan’s temper exploded. He leapt across the distance between them and wrapped his fists in the man’s tunic. With a strength born of anger he slammed the older warrior back first onto the table then leaned in against him.

“Where is she?” he hissed.

A malicious smile curved Davyn’s mouth. “By the time you find her, it’ll be too late. You’ll realize just what sort of animal you’ve given sanctuary to,
Chosen
.” Fanaticism crazed his gaze. “You’ll see she’s just like the
Na’Reish
.”

Fear ripped through Kalan as his imagination went into overdrive. Was Davyn insane enough to kill Annika? Bitterness had twisted the older man’s mouth into a sneer; every breath he exhaled reeked with hatred. There was little doubt he’d defy the promise of sanctuary.

Kalan’s chest tightened until he thought it might explode from the pressure of the hollow feeling building inside him.
Mother of Light
, he’d promised to protect Annika, to keep her safe. Had he failed her? Again?

She couldn’t be dead. He needed her. He couldn’t imagine the future without her beside him.

Face the truth in your heart and embrace it.
His sister’s soft words echoed in his mind. Annika had tangled herself in his thoughts, wrapped herself around his soul, and slid right in next to his heart.

Merciful Mother
, Kymora had been right. Against every convention, against everything he believed possible, he’d fallen in love with Annika.

His gaze slashed to Arek. Voice hoarse, he forced out an order. “Find Parnolli!”

Chapter 26

T
IME narrowed to the smallest of measures. Annika counted every breath in and out of her lungs in an effort to combat the incessant heat burning inside her. Sweat gathered in the hollows of her body and soaked into her clothes. She barely felt the cold against the cheek she had pressed to the stone wall.

Her tongue rasped over dry lips as the feverish sensation in her body increased. She moaned. It felt like her skin was peeling off her body. Hunger drove its claws into her stomach in response to the faintest sound of a boot scraping on stone.

“Don’t move, Rissa.”

Her plea came out as a distorted growl. The air in the room thickened with the bitter odor of fear. The scent tormented the beast inside her. Annika shuddered, her long drawn-out moan smothered as she pressed her forearm to her mouth and sank her teeth into her own flesh again. The pain was nothing compared to the hunger. The saltiness of her own blood filled her mouth but it tasted so weak compared to her memories of the sweet, heavy flavor of human blood.

“Annika? Rissa?”

She heard Rissa’s breath catch at the faint sound of a voice calling their names on the other side of the door.

“In here!” The girl’s small fist pounded against the door.

Her cry shattered Annika’s tenuous control. Limbs that once shook now felt the incredible rush of inhuman strength and she turned her head to fix her gaze on her prey.

“You’re mine!” Her wild, rasping cry jerked the child around until she pressed her back to the wall next to the door. Hunger overrode every rational thought and, with a snarl, Annika lurched to her feet and staggered toward her.

The door burst open. Light spilled into the room, blinded her. The impact of a heavy body drove hers to the floor. A masculine scent, not quite human, filled her lungs. Rage at being denied her prey surged and Annika twisted and bucked in his hold.

“She’s mine!” Her scream echoed in the enclosed space.

“She’s strong,” grunted the unfamiliar voice.

“What’s wrong with her?”

“It’s blood-rage.” Annika raked her fingers along bare flesh, heard her assailant’s breath hiss through his teeth. She heaved in his hold as she became aware of another masculine scent, one more familiar. “Help me hold her!”

Another pair of hands grasped her shoulders. She barely felt the searing pain of her wound. A redhaze obscured her vision as she peered up at the people restraining her. The strong, steady beat of the human’s heart so close it was a torment. Every muscle in her body strained in the attempt to break free.

“She needs to feed now!” The urgency in the male’s voice penetrated her crazed mind.

“Arek! The kitchens. Get a fresh carcass!”

“Her eyes are pure red,” said the second male. “The blood-fever has peaked. She needs blood now!”

“Annika?” The familiar scent grew stronger. “Annika, look at me!”

Snarling, she turned her head toward the sound of the voice. His scent finally registered.

“Kalan?” Her voice was a hoarse croak. She shuddered. Her vision blurred, blackened at the edges. The struggle sapped the last of her energy and she was left trembling beneath her assailant. Her limbs became heavy, her eyelids closed, and she began to drift.

“We’re losing her,
Chosen
.” The voice sounded like it was coming from far away.

“
Mother of Mercy
, please don’t take her away from me.” There was the soft hiss of a blade being drawn from a sheath then the rich, metallic scent of human blood filled Annika’s nostrils. It drew her back to consciousness. She issued a weak groan. “Annika, drink my blood.”

She forced her eyes open. Every instinct urged her to take what she needed but fear swelled within her. She turned her head away from him. “No…” Wracking spasms stole her breath and vision again. She gasped as they stopped. “Can’t… Kalan… don’t make me…”

Kalan gathered her limp body into his arms, fearful at the sudden change in her behavior. He glanced at Varian who knelt the other side of her. The warrior’s mouth flattened and he shook his head. His heart clenched hard. His hand trembled as he touched her face.

“She’s ice cold.” A deep groan welled from his chest. She’d gone from wild to unresisting in a matter of heartbeats, as if her strength had been drained from her body. She couldn’t die, not now. They’d just found one another.

His arms tightened around her. He wanted her to live, for them. And,
Lady
forgive him, so she could hear the words he’d been too afraid to acknowledge. He hadn’t told her he loved her.

“Annika, hang on and fight it, please.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “My heart is yours.”

She remained silent in his arms. In the light thrown from the braziers Arek had lit in the chamber he could see the ominous dark stain of blood on the bodice of her dress. Unadulterated rage ripped through him at Davyn’s betrayal but he pushed it back to focus on Annika.

Cradling her head on his shoulder he placed his slashed wrist against her mouth. “Drink!”

“You’re offering her your blood?” Varian sounded surprised.

His nod was sharp. “If becoming her blood-slave means it’ll save her life, I’ll do it.”

Annika’s soft groan pierced his heart. It beat harder at her refusal to drink.

“She’s never told you, has she?” Varian asked, his normally stoic face slackening in astonishment.