Fierce Dawn (15 page)

“
Lyric? Never mind.”

Elijah snapped the phone shut. The golden thing was as thin as a credit card and glinted as he put it away.

“
When did the pain begin?”

“
After I screamed at you and you fell against the wall.”

Again, Elijah approached her carefully. Taking her elbow, he helped her onto the bed. “I didn’t fall against the wall, Sadie.”

She scowled, which stung her brain. But he backed off.

“
Okay. Tell me about the pain. Describe it for me.”

“
It’s like someone is knifing my brain with broken glass.”

He leaned in, searching her eyes. “What else?”

“
My eyes are on fire.”

“
Try closing them.”

She did but shook her head. “That’s worse.”

He drew the blinds open. The sun’s warmth sent goosebumps of awareness over her skin. “Try opening them.”

She did.

“
Better?”

“
Much, actually.” The stabbing rapidly receded to a dull thump. “Thank you.”

“
You’re welcome. May I?”

She gave him her hands, the relief from pain leaving a strange euphoria behind. He turned her wrist up and set a thumb to each. He closed his eyes. Alarm shone in the mahogany depths when he opened them.

“
What? Just tell me what it is.”

“
I have a lot to explain in a short amount of time. What I’ll say will scare you. I’m not asking you to believe me, just to listen. The choice will be yours. Can you do that?”

The intensity in his gaze gave her pause. What in the world had she gotten herself into? At last, she nodded.

“
Good. First, tell me, can you feel this?” His left wing came around, reaching close to her. Her breath caught. Feel his wings? Up close, in the brighter light, she could see through them. They were a deeper blue than the dream version, more substantial, yet…. She reached her hand out, spellbound, but paused. Warmth emanated off of the wing.

Her fingertips tingled. Her pulse quickened.

Elijah stood very still. Was he nervous? Curious? The seconds seemed to hang in the air as her mind fired off fears. A breath away, a single soft touch to the dark sable wing.

He took her hand and pulled it to the wing’s surface. The tingle permeated her hand as she touched the wing’s surface and passed slowly through it.

Sadie gasped. “How?”

“
The drug that miserable fuck slipped you may have altered your transformation.” Elijah frowned. “Seeker wings are not perceptible to human senses. But your mind allows you to see them
,
yet you can’t touch them. Is this new?”

She balked a little. “More than new. It’s weird.”

“
But you saw my wings before you were drugged?”

Sadie rubbed the back of her neck, thinking.
At the club. In dreams.
“I don’t know. I can’t really be sure.” He quirked an eyebrow up, calling her bluff. “Okay, yes. I saw them before.”

“
When you screamed a moment ago, you unleashed an electric pulse. That is what knocked me into your wall. I don’t have to explain that this isn’t normal human behavior, correct? Good. Here comes the hard part.” He sat on the bed and faced her. “It isn’t. It is, however, immortal behavior.”

“
Whoa, whoa. Whoa.” Sadie moved to stand but her head sparked with pain
,
so she settled for two hands up and sarcasm. “Immortal means what? Like a vampire or werewolf or something? No thanks.”

His wings shifted behind him. Sadie jerked. He opened them wider, his eyes intent on her face. Her mouth fell open. Each wing curved out, the blue-black expanses filled the background.

“
How in the world can they be so big?” Shit. Had she said that out loud?

Elijah laughed. “Think of it like stretching. Your arms, your fingers.”

“
So, vampires?”

Half a smile crooked his mouth but warning shone in his gaze. “Human blood is a drug for us, Sadie. Vampirism is nothing to laugh over. Witnessing the truth your myths are based on would make you wish for the reprieve of insanity.”

A chill licked up Sadie’s spine. “Then what are you?”

“
A seeker.” He leaned in. “I hunt the bloodsuckers. I find them before it’s too late.”

“
Not an angel.”

“
If you liken it to angels, I understand, but that’s human myth. Demons, angels, faeries, all human attempts at defining the indefinable.”

Her mouth went dry and, stupidly, all she could do was watch his. “Indefinable?”

Had he drawn closer? Had she? “Some humans sense something else is there, just beyond a thin veil of energy, separated thousands of years ago to protect humankind.”

“
From what?”

“
From us.”

“
Vampires.”

“
Blood junkies. Humans farmed for blood. More than blood. Energy. The soul.”

His hair was the color of dark chocolate and a tendril at his forehead begged to be touched. “I’m one of the ones who can see you?”

He nodded. Then shook his head. “Humans can’t see us. They can perceive or dream or get an impression they can’t explain like a gut instinct to flee. You, Sadie. You can see. Because you are a changeling.”

The severity in his tone made her think she’d missed an important detail. “Changing how?”

He straightened a little, putting distance between them. “Changeling. You are a human evolving into immortality. You are crossing realms.”

The breath whooshed out of her lungs. Her mind went blank. Something eerily familiar whispered in the back of her mind. “Realms?”

“
Realms. Worlds. Dimensions. The veil that separates mortals from immortals.”

“
But you said immortals farm humans for their blood, exploit us for energy
.
That doesn’t sound like different dimensions.” The headache she’d nearly forgotten creeped back in. “It sounds like a horror movie. Why are you really here?”

“
I crossed over realm lines. Hunting. Vampires only survive on this side. Like a heroin addict, they need their fix.” Was there more? If so, he wasn’t ready to tell her
.

Fear crawled over her skin. He was right. Crazy sounded better than her blood being heroin for some weird inhuman beings. “Why me?”

“
I don’t know. In truth, I didn’t believe you were evolving. The only proof of it is in the fact that you can see my wings.”

“
And feel them,” I said, not sure why I felt defensive.

“
Not entirely. The human part of your mind still refuses to accept them as real.”

“
So prove it.” The pain in her temples ebbed away.

“
Prove I’m real?” He shifted, irritated. “What more proof could I possibly give you?”

That one stumped her. Okay, so he was right. Sitting mere inches away, looking beyond divine, the hint of his scent making her want to bury her face in his neck and sniff like an animal. She needed something more
,
though, before her heart jumped back into wrong conclusions or her libido took over. “If I am changing, what am I becoming?” she said, a tremble in her voice.

“
I don’t know yet. And there’s more.”

Her mind bucked. More? Nope, her head hurt too much for more. The urge to make him leave took over again. “Jen is pulling into the garage.”

“
I know. I heard her coming.” He leaned back on one elbow, unflustered. The mattress squeaked as he got up. He faced her with a crooked grin. “I’ll go if you still wish me to. But if you change your mind,” he paused. His eyes narrowed. “Wait here,” he said.

“
And what if Jen sees your wings.“ Or, could she? Was that a stupid question? In a flash, Elijah disappeared. Sadie jerked back. “What the fu
—
.”

In another flash he returned, grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet. “We have to leave. The changeling found us.”

Hadn’t he just called her a changeling? “I don’t think so.” She pulled her hand free but he took her into his arms, holding her waist. “Not until you explain.”

His eyes met hers. The fear looking back at her stilled her squirming. “I won’t compromise your safety again, Sadie. Forgive me.”

His wings surrounded their bodies. The room went grainy. Her body seemed to shatter into a billion specks. By the time she tried to cough or breathe or scream, it ended. The world swam back into view, shrinking away under them.

Sadie shrieked, every muscle in her body bunching. Suddenly, her direction reversed, Elijah let go, and her body plummeted. She was falling so fast that air blasted her face, forcing her to hold her breath.

It occurred to her that grass might not hurt so much to crash into
,
then Elijah scooped her into his arms before she could find out if she was right. “Don’t scream again,” he scolded. “Ever. You shocked me.”

Sadie gripped his neck for dear life, wrapped her legs around his waist and squeezed her eyes shut. “What do you expect?” she yelled. “First time frickin’ flyer here!”

Elijah’s posture relaxed. Was he laughing? “Shh. You’re safe. I won’t let you fall. Calm down, Sadie. If you scream again, you’ll shock me again and I’ll drop you again. I can’t risk another transport.”

Sadie’s body relaxed. Her pulse slowed. She became aware of his hard chest and taut waist. What she wouldn’t give for time to spin backward. Not even to two years back. Two weeks would thrill her at this point. Her and Ben and books and nothing but a silly crush.

“
Sadie,” Elijah said, his voice tentative. “Sadie, open your eyes.”

Memories of her dreams flashed through her. Their naked bodies entwined. His tongue licking up her thighs. His fingers flicking her tightening nipples. An ache throbbing between her legs begging for that hot, wet tongue to lave bliss over her.

“
Sadie,” Elijah said softly. His mouth grazed her shoulder.

She shivered.

“
Hey, open your eyes. We’re on solid ground.”

She did. Behind him, the blue sky seemed to stretch to eternity. Her legs released his waist. Her feet touched the cold dirt. They stood atop a red, desert butte. She didn’t know what she’d expected, but this? “Where have you taken me?” she
asked
and stepped back.

For miles, all she saw was red, jagged desert and cloudless sky. Jen would freak out if she found Sadie gone.

“
Relax, remember?” He cupped her face. “I’m sorry. It’s the best safe place for the moment. I hate to leave you like this but I promise, I’ll come back for you.”

“
Leave? Be back? Don’t you dare!” But he flashed away before the words left her gaping mouth.

Her pajama pants billowed in the breeze. She put her palms to her aching head and paced. Vampires, immortal realms, wings, flying. Dear God. Standing in the middle of the desert, cold, wondering what a changeling was. Did she even have a choice?

Did she really want a choice?

One thing was certain. This was real.

A changeling. Sadie remembered the night she’d cut her back two years ago and the bizarre thoughts that had driven her to it. She’d been trying to release something trapped within her.

She put a hand to her stomach. Too many questions swirled in her throbbing head, making her sick. The scars on her back burned nearly as much as one thought: If Elijah didn’t come back for her, how in the world would she get back home?

*

Elijah landed on the skyscraper’s rooftop ledge. Holly and Lyric arrived, Lyric pulling his air-cycle to a screeching halt a few feet away. “Where is Sadie?” Holly asked, hopping off the bike.

“
She’s safe,” Elijah said.

“
What went wrong?” Lyric asked, un-strapping his helmet but remaining straddled on the air-bike.

“
Someone is after Sadie. Another changeling might have discovered what Sadie is.”

“
Another
changeling?” Holly strode to his side, confusion clear in her concerned gaze.

“
Yes. Or so she claimed when I found her stalking Sadie.”

Holly crossed her arms, the fire in her hair burning bright, licking in the wind. Lyric arched one eyebrow. “Nice show of trust, brother.”

He should have told them sooner. He knew that. He’d hoped the changeling would prove no more than a nuisance. “Some days ago, I caught what I assumed was a wolf shifter following Sadie. She claimed she was no shifter at all but a changeling, like Sadie. She claimed she recognized what Sadie was becoming.”

Lyric spat, throwing hands up. “For fuck’s sake, Elijah! How do you expect us to help if you keep secrets like this? If there are others, Sadie is in more danger than we first thought. Imagine what High Council, what the Illeautians alone will do.”

“
Lyric,” Holly warned. “What matters is we know now. And what we do about it.”

“
He’s right to be mad,” Elijah said. “This means others know about Sadie. It means she isn’t the only one like her.” He didn’t need to spell out the uproar humans evolving into immortals would cause. The Illeautians viewed mortals as parasitic. Immortal code strictly upheld the separation of realms. “We have to capture her.”