Morning Rising (11 page)

“Hopefully it won’t come to that tonight,”
Baron said. “Is she here?” No one had to ask who he meant.

“There.” Ivy nodded to the curtain. Kara
spotted Dylan on the dance floor. Dylan wore the same rumpled
clothes as the night before. Her hair was a tangle of curls that
seemed longer than Kara remembered. As Kara watched, Dylan danced
seductively between the man, Kade, and a small fairy with black
tattered wings and pale skin. The fairy was not nearly as pretty as
Ivy. Kara thought she had been at the table with Dylan at Gravity
club the night before, but she couldn’t be sure.

“They’ve been pumping her full of bramble
wine and thorn,” Fay said. “I doubt she even knows where she is,
poor thing.”

“Thorn?” Kara looked to Baron to explain.

“It’s a hallucinogenic.” Baron grimaced.
“Messes you up real bad, and the fallout can be devastating if
you’ve had too much.”

“Fucking Dylan,” Kara said, simmering in
anger. It was so Dylan to get caught up with that sort of
thing.

“It isn’t her fault,” Lockler said. “She
can’t help herself here. Being a halfling, the Inbetween’s power
over her was already strong. It seems that living in the human
world has actually weakened her, not strengthened her as her father
hoped. It’s a shame that she couldn’t be kept safe.”

“She was like this in our world too,” Kara
said. She blinked, realizing the human world wasn’t really her
world anymore. She shrugged away the thought. “No matter what I
said to her, she did what she wanted.” Kara tried not to sound
angry, but Fay must have heard it in her voice because she patted
her hand. Kara’s anger paled, but she pulled her hand away. She
needed the anger, needed to know what she was fighting for.

“It’s not the girl she is meant to be,” Fay
assured Kara. “You will see that girl soon, I promise. She is
susceptible to the darkness of Inbetween, but your bond is stronger
here than in the human world. Once she trusts you, and the thorn
wears off, she will happily change her ways.”

“I hope so,” Kara muttered, still watching
Dylan as she moved against Kade.

“How can we take her?” Baron asked. “These
are all Kade’s people. We won’t even get close to her before they
are on us.”

“Leave it to me,” Ivy promised. “He trusts
me. He will allow me to dance with her. I can pull her far enough
away for Kara to get close. Take her then. Don’t wait for us, just
get her to safety.”

“But what about you three?” Baron asked. “The
moment we grab her it’s going to turn into a riot.”

“We’ll be alright,” Fay said, she reached for
Baron’s hand but he shook his head.

“I don’t want your false calm,” Baron said,
his voice apologetic as she pulled back. “I know the three of you
can take care of yourselves.”

“Better than that,” Lockler said with a
slight nod.

“I know.” Baron smiled. “But you will be
against everyone here. I just want you to know that I won’t think
less of you if you choose not to do this.”

“It’s never crossed my mind,” Lockler said.
His deep voice was as open and honest as any Kara ever heard.

“We will see this through,” Fay added. All
eyes turned to Ivy.

“What?” Ivy asked, eyes wide. “You all look
at the fairy because I am supposed to be on his side?” Kara felt
herself smiling at the look of pure annoyance that spread over the
girls delicate features. “I may have been born here, but I do not
hold with how my people choose to live. I’ll fight to the death for
that girl if it’s for no other reason than she is my ticket to the
Daylands.”

“I’ve always admired your honesty,” Fay mused
with a soft smile.

“It is refreshing.” Baron nodded.

Ivy rolled her eyes. “Just get her and get
out.”

“We will,” Baron said, quickly slipping back
into focus. “Go now, before she’s any further gone.”

Ivy nodded and left the cover of the booth.
Kara watched as she wound her way through the bodies on the dance
floor until she was standing beside Kade and Dylan. Kade smiled
when he saw Ivy and pulled her into a quick hug. She stood on her
toes to kiss his cheek. It was a wonder that she could pretend to
be his friend so effortlessly.

“Would you like to listen?” Fay asked kindly.
Kara wasn’t the only one to nod; all eyes were on Dylan across the
room. Fay pulled a small compact from her pocket and opened it on
the table.

It was as if Ivy were still in the booth with
them, her voice loud and clear even though she was across the room.
The sound of pounding music overhead faded to almost nothing.

“Ivy is wearing the other piece in her ear,”
Fay explained.

“I was expecting something magic,” Kara
mumbled as Ivy and Kade exchanged greetings.

“Sometimes a little technology from your
world can be just as effective,” Baron said. “Not much makes it
across, but what does is put to good use.”

They leaned in closer to the compact,
listening as Ivy spoke.

“She’s gorgeous, Kade,” Ivy complimented. She
looked appreciatively at Dylan as she danced with the black winged
girl. Dylan was oblivious to everything else around her. “How did
you lure her here?”

“It was simple enough.” Kade shrugged with a
smirk. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a black button down
shirt. He looked human, but his black eyes betrayed his dark
nature. At the moment he wasn’t taking those eyes off Dylan.
Watching him from across the room, Kara knew he was the one
responsible for Dylan’s current state. It might have been Demitar
calling the shots, but Kade was the one pumping Dylan full of
drugs.

“Simple? It was simple enough to catch the
most powerful girl in the Daycourt?” Ivy raised an eyebrow and put
her hand on Kade’s arm. “Don’t act so modest, it’s never suited
you, Kade.”

Kade threw back his head and laughed. “Fine,
fine,” he said with a smile. “Getting her away from the Guardian
was the hardest part. Morning needed to come to Inbetween of her
own free will. If I attempted to take her with the Guardian around,
the Guardian would have talked her out of it without knowing why.”
Again Kara felt a stab of guilt, knowing she could have stopped
Dylan. “Morning herself was easy. The human world has left her a
shell of what she should be. Though I believe she is much more fun
this way.” He turned a leering smile on Dylan as she danced
seductively against the fairy. “Don’t you agree?”

“Looks fun to me. Can I have a turn with
her?” Ivy asked. She leaned up against Kade, eying Dylan as she
danced. “You’re letting Izzie have all the fun.” Ivy pouted,
staring up into Kade’s eyes.

“You’ll be gentle?” Kade asked. There was a
note to his voice that made it clear that Ivy did not have to be
gentle. “Demitar wants her in one piece when the Guardian’s time is
up.”

“She’ll stay in one piece.” Ivy grinned so
maliciously that Kara wondered whose side she was really on. Kade
returned the grin.

“Take her then, but don’t stray far. You must
keep her with you at all times.” Kade waved Ivy towards Dylan.

Kara fumed. Kade had less respect for Dylan
then most people had for their pets. She was an object to him, a
plaything to keep drugged out of her mind until she was needed. Ivy
stepped in between Dylan and Izzie. The black winged girl backed
away without a word. Dylan wasn’t so quiet.

“You’re pretty.” Dylan ran her hand over
Ivy’s silken black hair and giggled. “Much prettier than Izzie
is.”

“Better not let her hear that,” Ivy said with
a small smile as she leaned in close. “You’re going to come with
me, alright?”

“Anywhere,” Dylan said and took Ivy’s hand.
It made Kara sick to see her act that way. It reminded her of when
she first met Dylan. Back then Dylan would go with anyone who told
her she was pretty. If they had some sort of pill on them, all the
better.

“Go to her,” Lockler urged as Ivy brought
Dylan to within a few feet of the booth. “Make her remember, we’ll
cover you.”

Heart hammering, Kara slipped out of the
booth and went straight to Dylan. Ivy put Dylan’s hand in Kara’s.
Kara held it tightly. It took Dylan a few seconds to notice she had
switched owners. It didn’t look like she minded. Her eyes drifted
lazily over Kara, finally resting on Kara’s eyes. Dylan smiled. It
was a smile Kara had fallen in love with almost instantly. Kara
resisted the urge to pull Dylan into a tight embrace.

“Hey, I know you,” Dylan said with wide eyes.
Her pupils were dilated so much that her eyes were almost black.
Kara missed the way Dylan’s green eyes would sparkle when she
wasn’t high. “You’re the changeling from the club last night.”
Dylan laughed.

Kara leaned close to Dylan to be heard over
the music. “I know you better than that,” Kara said. She tucked a
stray piece of Dylan’s hair behind her ear. It was something Kara
had done often over the last few months, and she did it without
thinking. The effect on Dylan was immediate.

“Who are you?” Dylan asked, squinting at
Kara. Something in Dylan’s eyes was more alive than it had been a
second before. There was fear in her eyes as well. Dylan hesitated,
and then took a small step back. Kara held tightly to Dylan’s
hand.

“The Guardian!” Kade’s voice roared over the
music from across the room.

The club spun into chaos. Kade was beside
Kara, throwing punches almost before the words left his mouth. Kara
was glad she’d trained so much with Baron. She found it easy to
deflect Kade’s fists. He was sloppy at first, not expecting her to
put up much of a fight.

As Kade’s punches grew more focused, Kara
found them harder to deflect. Frantically, Kara tried to keep Dylan
behind her, but it distracted her focus. Kade landed a brutal punch
to Kara’s cheek, splitting the skin over her bone and knocking her
senseless for a moment. She stumbled back, trying to gather her
focus as quickly as possible, fending off more of Kade’s punches
even as they came faster, but she was losing energy.

Lockler appeared behind Kade; he punched him
hard in the back of the head. Momentarily forgetting Kara, Kade
spun to attack the new threat. He was small and pale beside
Lockler’s bulk. Kade punched Lockler in the stomach, but Lockler
barely flinched. While Kade was distracted, Kara backed away
quickly, pulling Dylan with her.

“What’s going on?” Dylan asked, clutching
Kara’s arm painfully. Kara wiped blood from her face and cringed in
pain as her fingers brushed her wound. She wasn’t sure how to
explain to Dylan, but she had to try.

Before Kara could think of what to say, a
ball of light sizzled past, inches from her head. It crashed into
the wall, shaking the foundation of the church before melting the
stone and sending it puddling to the floor. Kara’s head whipped
around, trying to see where the attack was coming from. She spotted
the black winged fairy girl standing on top of a table, a second
ball of light burning in her hand. She let it fly at them. Kara
deflected it and sent it shooting right back at the girl. The girl
leaped from the table, unharmed and ready to attack again.

Ivy jumped on the black winged fairy as she
landed. The fairies rolled across the floor, each fighting for
dominance. Ivy got a moment of leverage and opened her wings. They
spread out magnificently behind her, more solid and capable looking
than Kara expected. Ivy lifted the dark fairy. Before Ivy could
drop her, the fairy spread her wings and they were locked in battle
fifteen feet above the fight below.

“Dylan, come on.” Kara pulled Dylan to the
side as a man with a hard, spiked shell over his back crashed into
the wall where they had been standing.

“Guardian,” the man growled. He leaped at
Kara and Dylan. They were backed in a corner. Without thinking,
Kara ducked. She covered Dylan with herself and pulled a wall of
energy around them. As it formed, she hoped it would be strong
enough to protect them. The man landed with a crash against the
invisible barrier and fell to the floor unconscious.

Still crouched low on the ground, Kara lifted
her head and looked around, trying to find some opening for escape.
She was afraid if she stood, the barrier would break. At the
moment, it was the best defense she had. The shield was easy to
hold in place, wasting none of her energy. A chair sailed toward
them, hit the shield, and bounced off.

“Kara,” Dylan said. Her fingers ran
tentatively across Kara’s jaw, distracting her enough to look down.
The shield dropped. Kara had never seen Dylan look so confused.
Kara pulled her eyes from Dylan, taking in the chaos that roared
around them. Everyone was fighting, though Kara wondered how many
knew just what they were fighting for.

Another beam of light shot their way. Kara
instinctively dodged it, no longer sure who was attacking them. She
pulled Dylan down on top of her and rolled out of the way as chunks
of stone and mortar rained down from the wall.

“We have to get out of here,” Kara told
Dylan. She shoved herself to her feet and helped Dylan up. Dylan
nodded, looking too lost to understand any of what was
happening.

Kara saw an opening and took it. She ran
through the fight. With Dylan at her side, they dodged flailing
arms, weapons, and enchantments as they ran for the door.

“She isn’t yours.”

Kara was jerked to a stop as Kade grabbed
Dylan’s free arm and held fast. Dylan looked in panic from Kade to
Kara.

“Morning, come with me,” Kade barked the
order. Dylan looked at him with confusion, but seemed compelled to
do as he said. Her body faltered toward him.

“Dylan,” Kara called. Dylan’s attention
snapped back to her. “We have to go.” Kara used her most reasonable
voice, the one she always employed to get Dylan out of bad
situations. It didn’t let her down.

Dylan nodded. She started to fight feebly
against Kade’s grip. It was pointless. Kara could see he was far
stronger than Dylan and her entire will wasn’t in the struggle. It
was enough to keep Kade distracted while Kara searched the room for
a weapon. Her eyes landed on a large piece of rock that had been
blown out of the wall.