Shadow Touched (Shadow Roamer #1) (7 page)

THIRTEEN

“The Council awaits you, my Lady,” the words were softly spoken by Grey and yet they were like a resounding stroke of a gong inside her head.

Word about her blood hadn’t gotten out yet, but of course Grey knew. And even though she had asked him to drop
the my-lady’s he had refused, simply telling Stella her heritage was something to be proud of.

The
weeks had past in a blur and now Stella found herself about to head into what would probably be the hardest and dirtiest fight of her life. About to head into a room full of politicians who would decide whether she would live to see another dawn - or not.

Four week
s of harsh training. Four weeks in which she had found out more about herself than she had ever thought possible when Nero had promised her answers the night they’d met. Four weeks of tender love making in the bedroom and hot, mindless passion on the floor of the training room. Four weeks that had changed her life and carved out a new way. A way she intended to walk hand in hand with the roamer at her side who had changed her life.

Trying to calm down her thundering heart she looked at her anchor.
Her tall, dark, handsome anchor.

Nero caressed her face, his thumb running over her cheek.
“I’ll be watching, and I promise I won’t let anything happen to you. No matter what.”

The way he said it, made her breath catch and she searched his eyes, not sure whether this was simply a warrior’s statement or maybe more of a…claim. Seeing the intense heat flickering there, she knew it was the latter.

Her heart spilling over with joy and sadness, she rose on her toes and kissed him. Kissed him with all that she had. In all the time they had had together, they hadn’t once spoken of love. It had been clear in every kiss and every touch, in every laugh and every cry of despair, in the way he had pushed her during the training. Words weren’t always necessary, but this time Stella wanted to make sure.

“I love you,” she whispered into his ear before pulling away and striding into the room where the Council was waiting for her.

What Stella hadn’t known the first time she had seen the Tower was that it reached as far into the earth as it reached into the sky. The room she entered was buried deep, probably some ten floors into the ground and
big
, taking up the entire level. It was a rather posh and modern, blue-and-silver theater hall in the style of old amphitheaters – though in her case, arena seemed more appropriate. From the half moon that was her stage, row after row of filled seats rose all around her, making her feel like a bug under a microscope. All that was missing as far as she was concerned was some sand and blood and the games could begin. One look at the council, seated on a sort of private balcony above the others and beside the King, and she was sure blood would flow tonight. Probably hers.

She had never met the Council before, but just from what Nero had told her, she was able to recognize each and every one of them. On the far right was Council member Ash, he was the oldest of them all and it showed in his eyes which were by far the softest and relaxed of them all. Beside him sat
Chaaya; her hair the color of midnight, seemed to absorb the light around it, so did her eyes. Though was the word Nero had used to describe her and it fit; she hadn’t gotten her seat on the Council being all smiles and laughs, that was for sure. Further down the row was Muraco. He was easy to spot thanks to his long, dark hair cascading down onto his shoulders, but the rest of him wasn’t. His face was so guarded it was impossible to tell his thoughts. Dawn, another woman in the mix, was elfin grace personified and feminine softness in its purest form. She looked as if she couldn’t even hurt a fly and Stella wondered how she had come to be on the Council and thought it would be best not to underestimate her. Argento sat beside her and just looking at him Stella had shivers running down her spine. With hard eyes the color of gray, the lightest shade she had ever seen on a roamer, he appeared to be as cold as the metal he was named after. The last woman on the Council was Sera; she was the oldest among the females and looked about forty with intelligent eyes and hair that shimmered indigo. Just seeing the laugh lines around her eyes and mouth, calmed Stella’s thundering heart. However, that doesn’t long. Her pulse was back in unhealthy territory, the moment Stella’s eyes fell onto the last Council member.

Fosco
. The King’s uncle and fiercest opposition. Smirking inside, she took pleasure in the fact that he was rather short for a roamer, although she guessed he made up for it with his barrel of a chest and his eyes. There was something in his eyes beside a calculating sharpness that made her want to shake herself as if ridding herself of a bad dream.

Oh yeah, he didn’t like her alright. It was as plain as day. As was the fact that he would get a sick kick out of seeing her fall tonight.

“Good evening, shadow touched Stella,” it was Ash the eldest who rose from his seat to greet her. His voice was calm and filled with patience, and went a long way in soothing her nerves.

“Good evening, sir.”

“Am I right in assuming that you know why you’re here before us tonight?”

Stella gave a sharp nod,
“To be tested.”

“Since it has come to our attention that you have been out on the streets and trained as our patrollers are, we have decided to test your abilities as such. Being a patroller is an honor, a position that demands our respect for the dangers that come with it. Patrollers do not only police the twilight our, securing the races, but also protect us. It is position of honor that demands control.”

“I understand.”

“Well then, let’s test yours, shall we?”

Her eyes went to her team. Scuro, Nebbia, Trevas and Ombra were seated to the side, their eyes and faces filled with support. And there was Nero. He stood to the side, probably not able to sit while she was fighting for her life, for her right to be considered as one of them. His eyes were hard, filled with anger against the Council, and yet soft and filled with love that gave her wings. Taking a deep breath before forcing it slowly back out of her lungs, Stella nodded. She was ready.

The light dimmed and a
thick wall of glass descended from the ceiling all around her half-moon stage, protecting her audience and making her feel like a bug caught in a jar. Lovely.

Hair pulled back in a braid and tugged beneath her top, dressed in black pants
, long-sleeved shirt and a leather corset that Nebbia had suggested for her to wear since it also served as a kind of armor, Stella stood light on her feet and waited. Her heart beat a gallop inside her chest, but she calmed it with her breathing and let her senses stretch.

A door in the floor opened
. She whirled to face the bloodsucker jumping out of it, and at the same time noticed another one dropping from the ceiling in her periphery. She had been good at using the shadows when in danger, and after four weeks of training it had become second nature to her. Not even much of a thought was needed and a blade made out of darkness was writhing in each of her hands. She went after the first demon of blood, and then ducked, sensing the other’s attack, sending him into his colleague. The time they needed to entangle each other was enough to cut first one head, then the other.

Good. Now what?

The thought had barely registered when three more doors opened up and spit more creatures into the arena. A reptile. Okay, she had to stay away from his poisonous fangs. And a wolf. She had never encountered one but the hybrid creature was easy to identify with his tall and broad stature, the wolverine, glinting yellow eyes and snout that would have made every little red riding hood given a run for her money. However, the last creature she had couldn’t place, which meant it was probably a demon of the mind. Smaller than any other demon she had come across so far, it reminded her of fairy tales and imps, with too long arms and all-black eyes. It laughed and disappeared right in front of her eyes, rendering itself invisible. Shit. Now she really wished there had been sand on the floor so it would have been easier to track the thing. But she had to take care of the demons of prey first. They attacked to kill, to eat. Ghosts liked to play since it produced the energy they fed of.

With a hiss and growl the reptile and wolf ran at her and she ran straight at them.
But the ghost went for her leg, cutting her thigh and made her stumble. She managed to use the movement, skidding along the floor and between the two demons and cut. Their legs buckled.

Feeling
the slightest hint of a breeze at her side, Stella quickly rolled away, but wasn’t fast enough. White-hot pain flared in her shoulder. Probably from a claw.

Suddenly
harsh UV light flooded the arena, destroying most of the shadows around her. Taking her weapons, making her eyes water and her skin crawl. Bet this one was Fosco’s idea, Stella thought as she grit her teeth and tried to come up with a plan. No matter what the Council said, she was a roamer. Her body had forsaken the light a long time ago, without her knowing, but now her mind and heart had followed into the soothing dark.

Now, how to get out of this arena? She had a shadow
, even if small and her enemy had one, even if hidden - it would have to be enough to work with. She had never used the moving shadow of a living being, only those of objects, the ordinary stationary ones in her surroundings. But this time she had no choice.

Pulling at the shadows with all her might she made them gather in her hands, forming small blades. But at least they were blades, as long as the edge was sharp she could make do.
Closing her eyes, since they weren’t of much use in the harsh light anyway, she concentrated on her other senses. Let the shadows in her hand scent the air. Tried to feel or hear the ghost before it got to her.

Move
ment in the air. She struck, the ghost squealed and then silence settled.

Stella
stood, awaiting more.

But then d
im, cool darkness flooded the arena once more and with a soft whisper the glass wall disappeared. She opened her eyes, calmed her thundering heart and faced the council.

Once again it was Ash who rose.
“That was quite impressive, Stella.”

She noticed he had dropped the shadow touched distinction. “Thank you, sir.”

“Well, I for one think you passed the test.” She was pretty sure she didn’t imagine the little wink.

Fosco
cleared his throat in order to gain his colleague’s attention. “Yes, her skills are quite impressive, I agree Ash. But we’re here to decide about her
nature
, and who could tell how long it would take for the shadow touched insanity to take hold?”

“It won’
t take hold. Not now that her body and mind have claimed the shadows as a part of her.” The King Vago’s deep voice had no trouble reaching every corner of the room and he didn’t even raise it that much. “And because her blood is stronger than that of any other shadow touched.”

Ash looked at him. “What are you saying, my King?”

“That she is of royal blood. She’s Alba’s daughter and my niece.”

Surprise was an audible wave sweeping through the room. Even Ash needed a moment to find his words again.

“How is that possible?” Fosco demanded but was ignored.

“It’s not that I doubt your word my King, but the Council does need proof of that.” After the King gave a wave of his hand, Ash’s gaze flicked back to hers. “May I taste your blood, Stella?”

Um. No one but Nero had ever taken her blood. Sensing her hesitation he assured her. “It’ll be quick. Come here.”

In a blink of an eye she was up in the balcony, having jumped the shadows.

“Give me your hand.”

She did, and then, before it even registered, he had taken her finger and nicked it with one fang. Stella barely felt the
swipe of his tongue. Quick and clinically. No emotion whatsoever.

FOURTEEN

Nero’s jaw clenched as he saw Council member Ash leaning forward and taking Stella’s finger into his mouth. He did it quickly, without any
ulterior motive but finding out the truth, but Nero simply didn’t like seeing another man take her blood. Even if it was Ash, even if it was just her finger – he didn’t like it and that was it.

She was…
his
.

When he had seen her for the first time, she had stunned him.
With her fire, with her hunger for life and her will to fight. It shouldn’t amaze him that they were so good together - in all manners, be it in the bedroom or just their personalities. The way they could agree without words or butt heads and then laugh about it.

Though they would butt more than just heads for what she had done to him before heading o
ff into that arena.

It had been the kiss of all kisses and then she
had whispered those three words into his ear. Words he had heard before but had never returned. Words that had hit him like a freight train, as had the need to say them as well.

He had wanted nothing more than to run after her
, but Vago had stopped him, physically stopped him of doing so.

While
Vago had talked him down, Nero’s mind had been busy coming up with all sorts of ideas of how he would make her pay for doing that to him. His mind had imagined hours of pleasurable torture in bed…
their
bed…for he knew that he would never want anyone else there.

But then reality had come crushing back. Seeing her fight and not being able to help her had been the hardest and proudest moment of his life. She had nailed those suckers – the demons and the Council. Never once had she backed down, never once had she wavered. She had been the fighter, he had glimpsed inside of her four weeks ago.
His
fighter. He didn’t care if his smug smile was as radiant as the sun.

Stunned, Ash announced, “It’s true. She’s of Alba’s blood.”

Murmurs from the balcony above them, and Nero was glad when the King interrupted them. “I don’t know the hows or whys surrounding Stella’s heritage, but one thing is for sure, it cannot be ignored. Neither can the fact that she passed your test. Quite impressively as you have said so yourself. So how about we let her go so she can take care of the wounds she has sustained?”

“Of course.” Ash turned to Stella, murmuring something Nero couldn’t hear. But he did see the flicker of respect in the man’s eyes.

Stella nodded her thanks and headed out of the arena.

B
efore anyone had even started to rise from his seat, Nero was walking shadows and caught her in his arms in the next instant.

Her arms came around him and they simply stood there in the lone corridor where only a mere twenty minutes ago she had told him that she loved him.

“I love you. I’m proud of you. And I’m going to spank you for what you did to me the minute your cuts and bruises are healed.”