Descended by Blood (20 page)

Instead of focusing on her mind, I focused on mine and that I had the ability to be inside hers. I thought of my awareness wandering around hers as a cloud might coast across the sky.

That was when I sensed it. An area that was pliable and bent when I tapped it. I pushed forward and a steel wall came crashing down.

I huffed in frustration.

“That was excellent! Sometimes, force is not the best method. I’m sure you could have succeeded had you continued with a gentle advance.”

I swiped at my face and pushed my hair back.

“Let’s move to chameleon. Now that I know where you’re going to go with Sanjam, I’m going to resist harder, and I want you to have some strength for this exercise.”

“All right,” I said, standing up and straightening my pant legs. I bent to sit back down.

“No, we’ll stand.” Lijepa stood and faced me. “Now, you know the warm feeling you get when you tap into your Pijawikan side?”

I grunted. “So, that’s what that was?”

“Yes. I want to you think about how you felt and what you were thinking during those times you felt it.”

I pondered for a moment. “Well, it’s usually when I’m really ticked off or when I’m about to die.” Yep, that pretty much covered it.

“Good,” Lijepa said, grabbing my shoulders. “I want you to focus on that and what instinct you called forward.”

I had no idea how to do that, but I closed my eyes and tried to replay the images of the mountain lion bounding toward me, the moment when the lady came between Kaitlynn and me at the airport, Zack’s slimy tongue penetrating my mouth. I thought I grasped it, so I nodded, keeping my eyes closed in fear of losing it.

“Think of it spreading out through your limbs,” Lijepa whispered. “Warming the back of your thighs and the inside of your forearms.”

I did, and it felt as if I stood too close to a flame. My wrists burned and then my fingers relieved them, taking some of the miasma inside them.

“Great. Try bringing it back up.”

I opened my eyes. “That’s possible?” I had never done that before. All the other times, the heat faded. As it did now.

She released my shoulders. “Yes, and when you do, you will be able to tune into your vibrations. And eventually, you will be able to adjust them.”

I shook my arms out and shimmied my shoulders. “Let’s try again, please.”

Lijepa tilted her head down and then placed her palms on my shoulders again.

This time I only focused on the image of Kaitlynn trailing behind me at the airport. Her legs switching beneath her in sluggish torture. The look on the lady’s face when she blocked my view of Kaitlynn.

Fever branded through me in half the time it did a moment ago. When it reached my nail beds, I held it there, calling the fire to cook my cuticles. Then I commanded it to follow my breaths as I inhaled. Again, I felt the blaze underneath my translucent wrists, this time flickering toward the creases in my elbows.

Awareness opened up within my mind. I felt my vibration, and it was beautiful. My cells rippled like the top of a pond during a steady rain, vibrant colors pulsing outward in ever-bigger circles.

I was doing it. I shuddered on exhale because of my excitement, and I could feel my flesh break out in bumps from the rapid temperature change as the fire cooled.

I tried to call it back, but the furnace died.

“Hmph.” I opened my eyes. “I lost it.”

Lijepa flashed me her sparkling teeth. “You did it, dear. You became invisible for a moment. That was excellent. You continue to baffle me. Hopefully, we can discover soon what the bitter taste woven within your power means.”

I smiled, elated. I enjoyed making Lijepa proud of me. Although, I wasn’t excited about finding out the source of her bitter taste. I was sure it was bad.

Fatigue made my eyes flutter, and I was frustrated with myself, sure that I could have succeeded today if I wouldn’t have lost my focus.

“You can go rest now. We’ll continue this tomorrow,” Lijepa said.

“Thanks.” I nodded and then lumbered into the kitchen to find something to eat.

Mirko sat on the stool and leaned over the counter. The moon reflected a purple glow in the tiny strands of his dark hair. I craved to touch it but resisted.

I turned on the light, then perched on the stool next to him. “What’re you doing?”

He lifted his head and looked at me. “Thinking.” His forehead creased, and his eyebrows furrowed. He didn’t even smile when he glanced up at me. I’d never seen him look this gloomy before.

“Why? About what?”

“I have a team trying to find Jelena. We don’t know where she is, and on top of that, I can’t think of a way to stop her without being the one to do it.”

“Oh.” I slouched. That really was bad. “So, what do we do? Well, I mean...” Of course he didn’t know what to do this time. That’s why he looked so hopeless. “Isn’t there someone we can go to? I don’t know, a higher-up who would help us?”

“That would be Lijepa,” he said, pointing to the den. “Most anyone else wouldn’t want to get their hands dirty in this.”

Right. Neither would I. “What about if we both took her on? At the same time. I come in with my invisible stuff and grab her, while you come in with your cracked-out Bruce Lee?” I beamed.

He smiled weakly. “Sounds good. In theory. But I don’t want you that close to her. It’d backfire, and she’d use you against me. You’re too cute to risk being damaged.” He stroked his finger down my cheek. At least he appeared to be cheering up.

I thought about it, trying to strategize a way for this to work. “Well, do you have any special powers?”

“You mean other than looking this good? It’s voodoo on the ladies.”

I laughed. It was. I didn’t see it coming. That was for sure.

“No,” Mirko said, leaning his elbow on the counter and his head in his palm. “Zao Duhs only get the strength, speed, and Sanjam.”

I guess that limited our options. I got up and pulled out the leftover yam stuffing from lunch. “Want any?” I asked, popping the lid off the container.

“What’s your plan after you eat?” Mirko asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

I snorted. “Not that.”

“Your loss, Slatki.” He lifted from the stool. “Nah, I’m good. Don’t stay up too late. Training. Bright and early.”

“Can I call Kaitlynn?” I asked, pleading with my eyes.

“Yes. Just a second.” He turned toward the basement.

When he came back with the phone, I sat at the table eating my own piece of heaven. Even as leftovers, Lijepa’s food was gourmet.

“I need to call another contact in about fifteen minutes,” Mirko said.

I nodded. He called Ace and handed me the phone.

I told Kaitlynn about the blood situation while training with Mirko today.

“I feel for you on that one. I’m not grossed out by it, but I wouldn’t want to have to drink the stuff any more than you would,” Kaitlynn said.

“See, it’s too weird.”

She asked me about my training, and I shared my progress with her.

“Has it been good for you to be by yourself and not have to worry about what Jaren, or anybody else, is thinking of you?” she asked.

I hadn’t really thought about that, but maybe that was why I was finally able to sort of accept these changes. “I think it has. But I really miss you, and I can’t wait to introduce you to Lijepa. You’ll love her.”

“I’d like to meet her. She sounds cool. At least you’ve gotten to meet one good Pijawika. Oh, and Jaren’s been ignoring Holly Anne.”

I smirked. “I bet she hasn’t liked that too much.”

“Not. At. All. But what is she going to do? She’s not supposed to use Sanjam on him, so she’ll just have to deal.”

I laughed.

“How are things with Mirko?” Kaitlynn asked when we quit laughing.

Oh, I should probably tell her about the kiss. I stood up from my chair at the table and went to see where Mirko had gone. I checked downstairs. I didn’t see him, so I hollered, “Mirko?”

“Yes, Slatki?” he replied from down in the lair.

“Never mind.”

“What’s that all about?” Kaitlynn asked.

“Oh my God, Kaitlynn. We totally kissed last night,” I said, walking back into the kitchen.

“What? What about Jaren?”

I sighed. “I know. I’m way confused. Jaren doesn’t even want me, though, and I keep thinking about him. And then Mirko’s here, he accepts me and he’s hot, and he wiggled his way in there.”

She chuckled. “I can see that. So, what are you gonna do?”

“Nothing right now,” I said. “I’m way too confused, and there is so much other stuff going on. You have to go home soon too, right?”

“Yeah, but Ace is working on that, so don’t worry about it.”

Mirko came out of the basement, and I was glad Kaitlynn and I changed the subject before he came in.

“I’ll try. But Mirko needs the phone, so I’ll call you tomorrow.”

I offered the phone to Mirko, and Lijepa came in.

“Shall we have a few small slices of pie before bed?” she asked.

Anything Lijepa made was good. “Sure.”

“Cut me one,” Mirko said. “I’ll be back in a minute.” He left the kitchen.

“It seems you two get on all right,” Lijepa said, grabbing from the drawer a beautiful silver knife, with what looked like rubies and emeralds on the handle.

My cheeks flushed. “Yeah, we do, I guess.”

“Ah, I sense more than that,” she teased. “Come on. You can tell me.”

I smiled and shook my head. Might as well. “I like him, but I’m confused.”

“I got that as well.”

“What do you mean?” I asked her. She brought the pie and the knife to the table.

“I know you look upon Mirko, but there is another as well.”

“Yeah, but he doesn’t want me,” I said, looking down.

“Well, Mirko sure does,” she said, grinning.

“I know. He doesn’t try to hide it, either.”

Her gaze turned serious. “It’s deeper than I expected.”

“How so?” I asked. I grabbed the plates and forks and set them on the table.

“Mirko opens up with you. He’s dropped some of his walls he carries with him when associating with others. I think he cares for you a great deal. But shhh,” she said, picking up the knife, “he’s coming back.”

I sat straighter, thinking my posture would give me away if I was bent over the table.

Lijepa placed the first piece of pie on a plate and cut the next.

Mirko’s face was grave when he walked in. “My contact found Jelena. She’s in Utah.”

23

A Lair within a Lair

Lijepa set the knife down next to the pie platter. “Do you know where she is or where she’s heading?”

“No. She was last seen in Salt Lake earlier today,” Mirko said.

Not good. “Are Kaitlynn and Jaren safe at The Base?” I asked. They were my first concern.

“We’re not sure who else she’s brought with her, but it would take a lot to breach The Base.”

Lijepa’s eyes widened, and she grasped the edge of the table so hard her knuckles turned white.

“What is it?” I asked, staring at her with trepidation sinking in my stomach.

“They’re here. I smell them. Jelena’s here.”

I rose, knocking my chair over as I stood.

Car doors slammed, lots of them, coming from the front of the house.

“You need to leave now,” Lijepa demanded.

I shook my head. “We’re not leaving you.”

Mirko grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the basement.

I trembled, dreading what would happen to Lijepa if we left her. “No. I can’t leave her,” I said, tugging out of Mirko’s grasp.

“You have to,” Lijepa said, pushing me to the basement door with Mirko. “There’s too many of them, and it is better for all of us to die than for them to get a hold of you. You need to leave
now
.”

Fear won, and I ran with Mirko down the steps. He flew into his room, ripping his quilt off the bed and tearing back down the hallway. I followed beside him, his free hand clutching my arm to spur me onward.

When we reached the edge of the hall, he opened a closet and tore out the shelving. Towels and blankets flew to the floor. He tapped the wall, and it opened.

“A lair within a lair?” I asked. “But they’ll know we came this way.” I looked at the obvious mess on the floor.

“Go,” Mirko growled and pushed me inside. “It leads outside. Run.” He pushed me forward. Frigid air assaulted me. Darkness filled the space, but I ran.

“Get in front of me,” I told Mirko and pulled him around me to take the lead. I clutched the back of his shirt and pushed myself as hard as I could to match his speed.

We turned left down a corridor when it split in two directions. Our feet echoed along the concrete floor. A growl vibrated off the walls from the direction we just fled. I gripped Mirko’s shirt tighter and propelled forward faster. My heart beat so forcefully, I thought it would crack my ribs.

“We’re not going to make it,” I huffed.

“We will. Run faster.”

I was already running as fast as I could, but his words gave me the strength to keep pushing. We turned down another tunnel and then another where water flowed up to my ankles. My feet splashed, but I tried not to let it slow me down.

We reached the end of the tunnel, and Mirko punched the ceiling. Moonlight flooded into the concrete waterway on a rush of cold air. Mirko threw the blanket up and then jumped, and he stood over the tunnel. “Come on,” he said, reaching his hand down toward me.

I grabbed it and jumped. Mirko pulled me up to adjust for the distance that I missed in my leap.

“Oh my God,” I said, once outside. I’d jumped out of the tunnel and into an ice box. Mirko grabbed the blanket, wrapping it around me, and then we ran up the mountain.

“Avoid the patches of snow,” Mirko whispered back to me. I grabbed the back of his shirt again and kept my eyes on the ground to watch where I landed my feet.

We ran for what felt like an hour. Mirko led us up the mountain and then down again. I had no idea where we were, and I had a feeling Mirko ran us the way he did to keep Jelena’s people confused about our location.

“Through here,” Mirko said. He bent down to crawl into a small opening in the mountain.

I kneeled and then crawled in behind him. The echo revealed a cave. And a very dark one, too. “I can’t see anything. Can you?” I asked, grabbing his shirt again and mirroring him when he stood.