The Willow (18 page)

“You have only begun to discover your powers, and look, you were almost able to defeat me. You will be a great benefit to me. Your blood will give me everything I have ever wanted.”

Behind him eyes began to glow in the darkness. Scratching sounds grew louder as claws scraped against the cement floor.

Fear held me frozen.

“Nexi. Now,” Kyden belted out, just as too many wolves to count emerged from the shadows.

“Dear God!” I bolted toward him. With a swipe of my sword sparks went flying.

“Get them,” Lazarus shouted.

The wolves ran toward us, teeth blazing. I raised my sword while Kyden stepped in behind me, leaning against my back.

The first wolf lunged. I stepped away slightly and stuck my sword deep into his side, twisting quickly. He hit the floor hard as another wolf was right on me taking a deep bite into my arm. Reciprocating, I slammed the blade to the heart. He quickly released my arm, taking a quart of my blood with him.

Two wolves began their approach on me, ready to attack.

Kyden grabbed my arm and threw me back. “Get to the wall.”

The move I understood perfectly. We couldn’t let them circle around us. If we did it would be game over.

A wolf quickly lunged at me with another following directly behind. I dodged the first wolf, but was unable to steer free from the second. He hit, and hit hard, sending me straight to the ground. I kicked out, hit his shoulder, forcing him back. He stayed right on me. His teeth snapped viciously as his razor sharp incisors were just millimeters from my throat. Without hesitation, I slashed his throat, drowning myself in his blood. I shoved him off just as the other wolf came at me again—snarling and spitting everywhere.

It was beyond disgusting. So disgusting in fact, I jumped to my feet and cut off his head, putting an end to that bit of nonsense.

Suddenly, the wolves retreated. Not to withdraw their attack but to change their approach. They weren’t as stupid as they looked. There was no way they would succeed if they attacked individually, but if they attacked together our efforts would be useless.

We backed up tight against the wall. Kyden reached out and took my hand. My gaze met his light green beauties that usually sent my blood racing. Now, they sent a rush of despair washing over me.

His eyes weren’t scared—they were heartbroken. We were going to die.

With that, anger began to send a warm wrath blasting into every particle of my body. My hands began to tremble as that fury raked me right to my very core. My mind swirled with this daunting situation. How could Lazarus win? The anger turned to rage. The warm feeling became hot as it raced through my blood. How could this be it? How could our lives end this way?

The rage became all-consuming. It filled me completely until I could barely think—barely breathe. My vision blurred. Drake couldn’t have been wrong. Life couldn’t be this unfair. Could it?

I loathed Lazarus to a point of insanity, despising him for everything he was and all he had taken from me. My rage kept building and the center of my chest began to tighten. The warmth concentrating there. My body began to shake—hate enveloped me with a need to detonate.

A breeze started to wrap around my body. My hair began to whip around my face as the air started to move faster. The rage settled momentarily and mixed with confusion. “Er—why is it windy in here?” I hesitantly asked Kyden.

He never answered. Just gave me an examining look.

The wolves weren’t moving. Their eyes wide with fear. My gaze lingered over to Lazarus. He didn’t look afraid—he looked intrigued.

The wind began to speed up as it whipped around the room. The wolves’ fur swayed in the wind. It kept building speed. Where was it coming from? I tried to yell to Kyden to find out what was happening, but I couldn’t speak.

Kyden’s eyes were frantic. He was trying to say something, but I couldn’t hear him. The wind was becoming too strong—too loud as it rumbled in my ears.

The wind was pushing me back. Stepping one foot forward, I tried to brace myself against the wind. I was unable to see the hand in front of me anymore. The wind made it impossible to see anything. Everything became a blur. My eyes closed tightly as the wind got faster. A loud tornado whipped around me.

Abruptly, pain tore through me. I screamed out at the intensity of it. It wasn’t on the outside that was hurting me; it was burning me from the inside. The pain grew—completely consuming me.

Suddenly, the wind stopped and the fire inside me now doused. My eyes snapped open. Kyden stood in front of me holding onto my shoulders while the wolves were on their bellies, shaking with fear. “What the hell was that?” I gasped.

Kyden face twisted with emotions. “Are you…” His words quickly cut off as the earth below us began to rumble.

At first, a soft quake sending small vibrations shuddering beneath my feet. Then, it changed as the ground rattled angrily causing the building to shake against its beams. Dust flew through the air as the walls began to lose pieces of its plaster.

Kyden fell to the floor as the wolves braced themselves against the trembling structure. Everything was in complete chaos.

My gaze fell on Lazarus. His expression was now alarmed. Shock instantly engulfed me. Why was he staying here? He had the ability to vanish. Why wasn’t he?

Instantly, it became evident that I wasn’t moving. Why was I the only one still standing?
What the fuck?

Then, a bright blue light flashed before my eyes and a blood-curdling scream echoed throughout the room, which just so happened came from my mouth.

I’d been charbroiled with a side of burnt to a crisp. My body scorched to a point where I could swear smoke still lingered in the air. Slowly the pain gripping me began to ease. The fire blessedly extinguished when a sense of my mind came back to me when I felt someone’s hands on my head. I cracked open an eye and with a little effort it focused. “Zia.” I forced the other eye open.

She was kneeling beside me, drenched in sweat, convulsing terribly. Probably would have been more inclined to help her if I hadn’t remembered what happened. “Kyden,” I screamed.

“I am alright, Álainn. I am here,” he shouted from a distance.

Hands squeezed mine. I followed them up to discover Haven. She smiled softly. Even if I couldn’t feel her emotions, I’d still see the worry hidden behind that smile.

When I looked back, Zia wasn’t convulsing anymore. She now panted heavily and wiped the sweat from her face. She gave me a quick wink as she attempted to fix her normally perfect hair that now looked like something from the eighties. “That was much harder than I anticipated.”

A loud howl startled me. I lifted my head. Was I seeing things right? A mini-tornado whipped around his body, caged him where he stood. Kyden stalked toward the wolf with a determination that was more than duty. It was revenge.

In fact, every wolf in the warehouse was frozen still and Kyden wasn’t the only one offing them. Talon and Finn were here too. “What happened to them?” I asked Zia.

“That is your magic, sweetie.” She gave a sweet smile. “Anger can trigger magic. By the looks of things, you were very angry.”

She couldn’t be making jokes right now. There was nothing funny about any of this. My body would be better off dead. More than exhausted—I was utterly drained. Resting my head back on the hard cold cement floor was my only recourse.

Moments later, Kyden approached me. He knelt down, then handed my sword to me with an expression that screamed victory. “Finish it,” was all he said.

When I raised myself up his words were perfectly clear. There wasn’t a single wolf left in the warehouse. All that remained was Lazarus.

As I struggled to my feet, Kyden reached down and helped me up. “Man, this is worse than a hangover,” I grumbled.

“Your magic has drained you, that is all,” Zia said. “You’ll feel better once it’s restored. Here, I will help you so you can deal with Lazarus, but you will likely pass out soon so be quick.”

“Passing out doesn’t sound all that bad right about now.”

She took my hand and with it came a jolt of energy. Immediately, my strength returned. I stepped out of Kyden’s arms and began approaching Lazarus. Halfway there I stopped. He looked so weak—pitiful standing frozen, unable to move. It was all wrong. “I won’t end his life this way. Is there a way to unfreeze him?”

“You can withdraw the magic, but you need to relax,” Zia said. “You will not be able to release the hold you have on him if you don’t.”

“The hold?” I repeated.

“Your emotions are so tightly wrapped around him you need to free yourself from him before the spell will break.”

“Well, since I have no idea what I did in the first place I sure as hell hope you can tell me how to do that?”

“How you were capable of this,” She shook her head, and laughed. “without a single knowledge of what you were doing.” She hesitated. “Is brilliantly amazing.” She shook her head again. “We will try meditation. It should do the trick.”

Kyden grasped me by the arms and arched a brow. “I have a better idea.” He drew me into a kiss that was all consuming.

Nothing else mattered except that we were reunited, safe, and belonged to each other. When I drew in closer, allowed my body to cradle intimately with his, Talon cleared his throat loudly. “She looks relaxed enough, Kyden.”

He drew away only to come back in to lightly kiss my lips. Then, he leaned in and whispered in my ear. “That may have relaxed you, Álainn, but it definitely had another effect on me entirely.”

When he stepped back, he’d never looked so hungry, and it wasn’t a cheeseburger and fries he wanted on the menu. I groaned, wishing we were in a different place—alone and very much naked.

Talon grabbed my arm and pulled me away. “Focusing would be better suited if you were over here I believe.”

Laughter spread throughout the room.

I closed my eyes to break the connection and focused my mind outward instead of inward where my blood had pooled in one special place eagerly.

After a few focused breaths, my body felt warm again only this time easier to manage. The energy flowing through my veins wasn’t overwhelming. It was balmy. My skin tingled slightly as my magic started to build and filled me completely.

When my eyes opened, my gaze instantly hit Zia and Haven. “Er—why are you glowing?” Each of them had a shimmering light that danced around them. Probably best described as an aura—since I’m not clairvoyant I assumed it would look something like this.

Haven ran forward and threw herself into my arms—a perfect Haven hug. “You’re one of us now. I feel you in the sisterhood. Zia, she’s part of us now.” She squeezed harder and bounced up and down. “Oh, I’m just so happy, Nexi. I mean I didn’t care when you weren’t in the sisterhood, but now that you are everything is just so perfect.”

After I let her hug me a little longer I tapped her back. “Ahh…Haven, I think you have to let go so I can deal with this.”

“Oh right, save the hugs for later I guess.” She stepped back into Finn’s arms.

It was then that someone else appeared. Valor stood off to the side with Briggs. When I met his gaze, he said, “I am glad to see you safe.”

Without thought, I rushed toward him, wrapped my arms around his warm body. “Thank you, Valor. Without you none of this would have been possible.” He tensed at first, then softened, wrapping his arms around me. “The wolves never would have told us anything.” That was a fact. “I will be forever grateful to you.”

He chuckled deeply. “I accept your gratitude. It brings me much joy to see happiness returned to you.”

I stepped back a bit. “Anytime you need my help you only need to ask.”

He responded with a gracious nod.

Briggs did a little
ahem
, and when I met his gaze, he wore his usual mischievous grin. “Come on, you know I’m owed it. Pucker up. Let me see if those lips taste as good as they look.” He smiled big.

Kyden threw himself at Briggs, which sent them rustling around playfully like a bunch of school-aged boys.

I shook my head at them and glanced around at our group. They were all laughing. All filled with joy that we had won—we had all survived.

Why wasn’t I?

When I searched the group again the answer was clear. Someone was missing.

Maybe down deep I’d hoped it was only a bad dream. My stomach gripped as horror clenched my muscles with a need to bury myself underground and just die.

Haven’s laughter immediately ceased to a long deep shudder. “Hold me tighter, Finn.”

Poor Haven—she just wasn’t made to deal with the dark emotions filtering through my soul.

Zia reached out to me. Tears rimmed her eyes. “Nexi…”

Kyden’s gaze immediately snapped to mine.

The others, except Zia and Haven, all looked dreadfully confused. It took one word for them to understand perfectly. “Drake.”

Kyden lunged forward to wrap his arms around me protectively. “I had hoped this would not hit until we had left this godforsaken place.” He ran his fingers lightly down my cheek. “We need to finish this. You need to do this. Go end it. Then, I will take you home where you can mourn him properly.”

I nodded and gulped back tears. It came as a bit of a shock, but I had forgotten Lazarus was even here. Kyden was right about something else too, it was time to end this—time to put this all behind me.

Lazarus hadn’t moved an inch. My wind still encaged him. “I’m confused,” I said to Zia. “I thought you said if I relaxed it would release him?”

“No, I said you needed to relax first, then you could release him,” she corrected.

“What do I do then?”

“It is very straightforward. You had the power within you to freeze him. Therefore, you have the power within you to undo it. Trust yourself. You will know what to do.”

“This isn’t something I have to learn?”

“Apparently not.” She looked incredulous. “Since you’ve already done it.” Just as I closed my eyes, she grabbed my arm tightly. “Remember, he has the ability to vanish. Do not let him.”

“Right, thanks for the reminder. I don’t want to make that mistake again.”

Shutting my eyes, I took a deep breath. What the hell was I suppose to do now? Where’s an instruction manual when you need one? Hoping this would work, I focused on what I wanted. Unfreeze him enough so he could move, but keep him bound to the building.

The warmth grew steadily within me until it busted wide open. Wind ripped around me as power engulfed me.

This time, it was easier to control. The sense that I wasn’t using half of my ability here was strong, which made me extremely grateful Zia had put some sort of control on me. I definitely
didn’t
trust myself.

When Lazarus’ deep intake of breath came loud I smiled, knowing it had worked. Ask me what I did and you get a big fat “
I don’t know”
as my reply. Not like it mattered—the why and how weren’t important.

My eyes fluttered open, Lazarus was scrambling back. “Take some pride would you,” I snapped. “For Christ’s sakes, you’re supposed to be the big bad villain here. You’re making the cowardly lion look mean.”

Kyden laughed briskly. “The cowardly lion?” He glanced to Briggs. “You know what that is?”

Briggs shrugged. “Haven’t a clue.”

“When this is over we’re watching some classic movies. Who doesn’t know who the cowardly lion is, geesh,” I told them as I stalked toward Lazarus.

He’d curled into a ball, terrified. If he could have pissed his pants, he probably would have. Kneeling next to him, I reached down to cup his face, forcing his gaze to mine. “There’s nothing special about you. You’re just a normal vampire who has done some seriously cruel things. Things you can never give back and things you can never be forgiven for.”

Releasing his face, I dragged him up so he was standing. I needed to look into his eyes when I destroyed him. “I thought when I had you here I would want you to suffer. To make you pay for everything you had done to me. For everyone you had taken from my life and all the pain you’ve caused me. But now, I just can’t find it in me to do it.”

Lazarus’ face lit up with surprise. “You are not going to kill me?”

“Oh no, I’m going to kill you.” The light in those dark depths faded instantly. “It’s just my reasons behind it have changed.”

There were too many emotions running through me at the moment to even care about Lazarus. He was nothing in my world. He was a thorn in my backside, one I needed to remove quickly. “I’m not doing this for me. I am doing this for Tyrianna, Drake, Gloria, and Frank, those lives you ended when they shouldn’t. My only hope is that wherever you go from here they will be there waiting for you.”

Drawing on my power, I set to end his life as it should’ve ended years before.

My strength grew as fire acknowledged its presence, growing warmer in my body. Pulling on it, the heat began to warm my palms as it guided me to use it. I dropped my sword, raised my hands and released the fire from my body.

The group behind me gasped.

It was an odd sensation. The heat didn’t burn me as the fire rushed from my palms. It actually felt mildly erotic. It began as blue flames, heightened by orange swirling lines. The moment it hit Lazarus, purple flames erupted. Then, it consumed him completely.

Until all that was left was dust. “It’s done.” I sighed in reprieve. “He’s dead.” When I turned around I met stunned expressions of disbelief. “What’s wrong?”

“You killed him?” Haven gasped.

“Er—wasn’t I supposed to do that?”

Zia shook her head, looking completely stunned. “You killed him without touching him.”

“Well yeah, I figured Tyrianna would have done something like that so it seemed only right to end his life that way.” Kyden looked about as shocked as everyone. “For heaven’s sakes, why are you all looking at me like that? Did I do something wrong?”