Forged by Fate (27 page)

“You were chosen,” Theo whispered.

The woman slowly nodded. She peeled her hand from beneath Sadie’s and cupped her cheek. The cold flesh startled Sadie, but she put her own hand over it, pressing the woman’s closer. “Please, tell me.”

“I remember taking you into my arms. Holding you tight. The woman clasped her hand over mine and said,
Blessed be.
” Nicole smiled. “The next thing I knew, I was sitting in the chair before my supervisor, still holding you.”

“Where’d my parents go?”

“They gave me an envelope and said you would come looking for me when you turned eighteen.”

“She got a good punishment for accepting the child like she did,” Richard said. “They have protocol, and Nicole here didn’t follow it.”

“Why’d you take me in?” Sadie asked.

“The woman’s eyes glowed.” A tear welled in Nicole’s right eye. “I saw the love and the fear. She said I was chosen to receive you. That it was an honor to protect the next Ahavah.”

Sadie gasped.
Ahavah
. Theo’s hand rested on her shoulder.

“The woman had your eyes and your beautiful long hair. She was taller, but you have the same build.”

“And the man?”

“He had wide shoulders, a square jaw, and striking brown eyes. Like the woman’s skin, his glowed as well. It was subtle, but I noticed it.”

Sadie’s gut suddenly clenched, and Theo let out a grunt.

“They’re here,” Justin said. “I smell them.”

“Richard. Quickly. Get the envelope.” Nicole waved at him.

The old man hobbled down the hall as Sadie hopped to her feet. The woman grabbed her hand. “Evil chases you, but your mother gave me something to give to you.”

After all these years craving a family, Sadie would finally have something of her birth mother’s.

A stench of sulfur rammed into her to the point of nearly barfing. The demons were close, and these two older people were in harm’s way because of her.

She had to protect them.

“Halena, Justin, get outside and fend them off as long as possible,” Theo ordered.

Movement drew her attention, and she saw the back ends of the two Shomrei hustling toward the door, daggers drawn.

Heavy footfalls sounded, and she found Richard hustling toward them, holding a manila envelope. Glass shattered from across the room, and he stopped, eyes wide. Blood spurted from his mouth, and that’s when Sadie saw that an arrow wobbled from his chest.

“Richard!” Nicole yelled, thrusting herself from the chair. “Richard.”

Sadie pushed her to the floor and covered her with her body. “No. Stay down. We’ll get him.”

More glass shattering rang out. Crackling glass sounded beneath Theo’s feet as he hurried to Richard’s prone body. The old man lifted the envelope toward Theo as he sagged to the ground. “For her.”

An arrow darted through the air and pierced the envelope, snatching it from Richard’s grip. Thirty feet away it was fixed to the wall, just below the window.

“No,” Sadie yelled and pushed off Nicole. “Nicole, stay down.”

“Get the ring. Get the ring,” Nicole yelled.

There was a ring in that envelope? A wave of heat roared through Sadie as she sprinted to the wall.

Theo knelt beside Richard, absorbing the injury as he looked at Sadie. His eyes widened, and his fangs dropped. “Watch out!”

Sadie turned to grab the envelope, but two big hands reached for her before she could get the treasure. She went to deflect with her forearm, but the massive fingers clamped onto her shoulders and hauled her through the window.

Heat streamed down Sadie’s arms as the broken glass shredded her skin, but she grabbed the windowsill. One hard pull brought her close enough, and she reached over and grabbed the envelope.

Jerked back by her hair, she was dragged outside.

Now out in the darkness, she was clamped in a bear hug when another demon rammed into them and ripped the envelope from her grip.

Sadie slammed her booted heel into his foot, rammed her fist into his groin, and smacked her head back.

His grip loosened, but not enough, so she clawed at his forearms and kicked her heel up, hoping to cause some damage.

He bellowed and went slack behind her. Sadie dropped to her knees, rolled, and hopped to her feet.

Completely fanged out, Halena rammed her Mavet dagger into the demon’s throat.

Sadie snatched her weapon from her ankle holster and turned a circle, searching the ground for the envelope.

Shit. It was gone.

Chapter Forty-one

“Sadie!” Theo yelled as he ripped his hand away from Richard’s injury.

“Go,” Nicole said. “Get the ring to her.”

The envelope tethered to the wall was gone. Had Sadie gotten it? Five long strides took him to the window, and he dived through, dagger in hand.

He tucked and rolled into a somersault, then hopped to his feet.

A horde of demons converged on Halena, Justin, and Sadie. Blades flickered in the moonlight. Cries, screams, and growls filled the night air.

Sadie.
Fangs burst through Theo’s gums, and a roar sliced up his throat and out of his mouth. The two demons kicking Sadie flinched. She took the opportunity and stabbed one in the thigh as she yelled the vanquish and kicked the knee of the other.

A third descended upon her and buried his dagger deep into her chest. Her scream shredded Theo’s heart. With a speed he’d never known, he rammed into the demon and sank his teeth into the monster’s neck. One quick twitch, and the demon’s throat lay on the ground.

Theo whirled around in time to see Halena take a blade in the shoulder defending Sadie’s prone body slumped on the gravel yard.

A short, stout demon sprinted away, but the moonlight flashed on something in his hand. The envelope.

“Justin, go.” Theo pointed to the demon. “Get that.”

In a blur, Justin darted after the demon. Metal meeting metal rang out, and Theo turned his focus to Halena. She fended off two creatures while three more approached Sadie.

Theo exploded into a sprint. He met them with the force of an atom bomb, cracked his blade through the skull of one demon, and chanted the vanquish. A knife pierced his chin from the bottom up, right through his tongue. A demon he hadn’t seen had come in from the side and effectively silenced him.

Damn it.
He elbowed that demon in the temple and shoved the Mavet into his thigh, but he couldn’t say the vanquish.

“
Reverto ut Abyssus
,” Halena said, in between punches.

The demon he’d stabbed vanished. He swiped the blade against the neck of the other, but no words followed. Halena had been grabbed from behind, mouth securely fixed closed.

Theo ripped the blade from his mouth, but it would take a second to get his speech back.

He squatted and jabbed his dagger in the gut of another demon and threw him to the ground. At least it’d slow him down. He grabbed the next demon by the ears and snapped its neck.

“
Reverto ut Abyssus
,” Sadie whispered.

Her voice was tight. Theo looked down and saw her dagger in the calf of the demon he held in his hands.

Another demon launched onto his back. He spun, slamming him onto the ground. Sadie scooted forward enough to edge the dagger toward the monster, but she couldn’t hold her hand up.

Theo grabbed her dagger and rammed it into the demon’s shoulder while she recited the words. Her voice even fainter than before.

Hold on, love
. Theo jumped up and scanned the area. Halena had the two under control. He gathered his Mavet and Sadie’s, then skidded to her side.

“Envelope,” she whispered. “Ring.”

“Shhh,” he hissed as he ripped open the front of her tank top. Blood gushed down the front of her, starting from just above her heart. He pressed his hand to her skin, and a shock raged through him.

Her body tensed beneath his touch. Her back arched, and she opened her mouth. The most pained sound he’d ever heard in all of his existence streamed from her.

A grunt from a distance drew Theo’s attention, though he kept his hands on Sadie. Halena faced off with a seven-foot demon, fangs dropped, blood dripping from her mouth.

“Cockroaches,” she yelled as the last demon lunged. She had it under control, so Theo turned his attention to Sadie.

A gun cocked beside Theo, and Ramos stood watch, Dasha close beside him also holding a gun, though her hand shook enough to trigger it on its own.

Sadie’s blue eyes stared back at Theo, but a smile curved the corner of her mouth. “Damn daggers.”

You’re so strong, love.

She cupped his cheek, and her energy jolted through him, speeding the healing of his tongue. As he took in her devastating wound, his energy waned, yet the draining wasn’t nearly as much as he’d expected. Before, when she’d been injured and near death, he’d gone into slumber while healing her. Their time together in the plane had prepared him for this. Strengthened him.

Halena, Justin needs help. Get the envelope.

Even now. His energy diminished as he healed her, but she replenished him as he went. Not completely, but enough to keep him focused. Alert enough to protect her.

“Envelope?”

“Justin and Halena will get it.”

She smiled and her eyes slid shut. “Halena.”

“Shhh,” he pressed his finger to her lips.

“Saved me.”

“She did.” He glanced around, opening his mind to any splices or demons approaching. Funny, Aggie hadn’t made an appearance. Only sent his minions.

Where might that sneaky demon be?

What did Richard and Nicole know that could be so damaging? How was that ring connected to everything?

“I’m okay, I think,” Sadie said. Her voice was still raspy, but at least the wound had closed. “Enough for now, anyway. We need you strong.”

True. He was a bit tired from healing Richard. And now Sadie. He pulled her shirt closed. “Sorry.”

“Ripping my clothes off, I see.” She smiled, clutching the fabric. “Good thing I’m a sports bra type of girl.” She sat up, looking around. “Dash, you okay?”

Her friend nodded, then looked at Ramos. “He’s got me.”

Theo stood, offering Sadie his hand and pulling her to her feet. A shiver rattled her body.

“Here.” He yanked off his shirt and slid it over her head. The breeze slapped against his bare torso, but it didn’t matter. Only Sadie’s well-being did.

She threaded her arms through the sleeves and hugged it to her. “Thanks. Can you sense Justin and Halena?”

He closed his eyes and drew in deep, pine tree–tinted air and caught a blip. At least three miles away. They were battling. He flinched at a punch to the gut.

“What is it?” she asked.

“There’s trouble.”

“Go,” she said. “Help them. I need that envelope.”

“I won’t leave you.”

“Ramos is here. I’m healed enough to fight if needed. Go. Nicole said that ring was my mother’s. We need it.”

“I vill protect your Mate,” Ramos said as he approached. “Vith my life.” He jutted out his chin.

Theo looked down at Sadie. Blood matted her hair, dirt dusted her fine skin, yet she told him to go help the others.
Amazing.

That ring was the key. Theo felt it in his gut, but he didn’t want to leave Sadie. She wasn’t fully healed, but he could tell Halena and Justin were in a good-sized fight.

“Hurry,” she said.

“Get Nicole and Richard. I want you all in the SUV with Ramos, heading to the rendezvous within five minutes.” Theo glanced at Ramos. “Good?”

Ramos dipped his head.

Theo leaned forward and placed his lips on Sadie’s. She instantly opened, letting him draw in her energy. Her warmth. Her strength. Heat swarmed through his muscles as a renewed vigor stampeded through his gut.

I love you, Ahavah,
he whispered to her mind.

And I you.

He broke the kiss and held her close. Had he heard that? Really? She loved him? That thought alone was enough to energize him. “I’ll be right back.”

And with that, he sped away, vowing to return with her mother’s ring.

Chapter Forty-two

“You okay?” Dasha put her arm around Sadie. “I can’t believe I just saw you get stabbed. I’m going to need some serious therapy after this shit is done.”

“I’m fine.” Sadie drew in a deep breath. Theo had gotten most of her injury healed, but she felt depleted. Heavy. “Let’s go get Nicole and Richard and get the hell out of here.”

The gun clicked beside her, and she looked at Ramos. He stood, weapon poised, ready to take on anyone who dared encroach. She smiled at him and dipped her head. Sadie and Dasha shuffled toward the door, Ramos close behind them.

At the moment, the five stairs leading to the front door may as well have been five hundred for how heavy she felt. Maybe she should have had Theo heal her a little more.

“How’d you know those words? That’s another language, right?”

“Seems I know a little Latin.” Sadie chuckled, but that wasn’t such a good idea. “Ouch.” She clutched her chest.

“Did Theophilus not heal you?” Ramos asked from behind.

“He did enough.” She couldn’t ask for a full healing when Theo had to be strong to help Halena and Justin get that envelope.

The first two stairs went by uneventfully, but Sadie paused to catch her breath. Focus. She was strong. Tough.

Another three steps.

A cough from inside the room spurred Sadie into motion. Though it felt like moving through molasses in January, she made it through the splintered door and saw Nicole and Richard lying prone on the floor. Holding hands.

“No.” Sadie pushed away from Dasha. “Nicole.”

The old woman shifted and let out another sputtering cough. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Sadie skidded to her side, Ramos to Richard’s. He placed his fingers on the man’s neck and shook his head. “Gone.”

Nicole let out a whimper. “Richard.”

“Nicole.” Sadie grasped the woman’s shoulder. “What happened?”

“Monsters. After you left.” She coughed, and Sadie eased the woman to her side to let the blood run onto the floor. The room was trashed. Tables overturned, cabinets opened and their doors hanging crooked on the hinges. “They’re looking for it.”