More screaming came courtesy of the pain she endured. Tears streamed from her eyes as Haley picked a few more places to put the knife.
Blake didn’t say anymore, just leaned against a wall and watched.
“What was that?” he broke in after numerous cuts.
Haley looked at him. “What?”
“There was some sparking by her fingertips.”
Haley turned back and shrugged. “Don’t see anything.”
Taylor drifted in and out of consciousness as her pain threshold was surpassed. She moved her head to peer up at her fingers, praying for a spark.
Cale.
A wave of them alighted along her fingertips.
“Did you see it?” Blake approached, pointing.
“Shut up, Blake, before I decide to kill you.”
I didn’t imagine it. Cale, please. Hurry.
The knife sank in again and she welcomed the pain-free darkness.
Chapter Sixteen
Cale ran like he had everything to lose. He did. Taylor Kenyon. Drawing on every drop of speed his power gave him, he nearly flew through the trees and covered those fifteen clicks in a short time. In tune to his sign, he slowed at the trickle of warning it gave him.
Overhead, he noticed he’d caught up to the storm. Thunder rumbled and deadly lightning jagged through the clouds. He climbed a tree and scouted the area. The house was surrounded by armed guards and dogs were patrolling the perimeter.
He spied a small, unmarked door on the first floor and looked up from that position. There was a way for him to get in the building. Leaping to the ground, he landed then took off again. When the skies opened up, he went back up in a tree and waited as the closest patrol went by him.
Sprinting through the grass, he listened to his sign as it directed him around booby traps. It took him seconds to pick the lock and slip through the door.
“I’m in his house.”
“We’re almost there.”
Tiarnán didn’t tell him to wait or be careful, and he was grateful for that. He wasn’t a little boy anymore.
Cale took off and went to the top floor, searching for Blake. Time ticked down for him and he didn’t like it. He had to get to this man and find out where they were holding Taylor. Back on the first floor, he spied another door and went to it. Once he’d passed through it, he pressed tight to the wall as he heard people and smelt the stench that accompanied demons.
Why would this man have demons at his home? Cautiously, he made his way down. It wasn’t steps, but a smooth path. Beneath his feet, he could feel some grooves that indicated to him they often rolled heavy items up and down this path.
The sounds of feet thundering up towards him had him hiding. Men, women and even demons streaked up past him and out of the door. Alarms blared and were cut off when the door closed again. He understood what it meant—his brethren had arrived and were causing a distraction.
Soundproof door.
He breathed out and began to move from his spot high up on the wall, only to find himself face to face with a fire breather. It slowly opened its mouth, a hiss escaping. Dropping to the ground, Cale threw four stars at it.
It joined him on the floor, dead. He kicked it to the side and was preparing to carry on when sparks burst to life along the back of his hand.
Electricity ran along his skin. Taylor. “
She’s here!”
He moved out.
“You see her?”
“No, Roz, but I see the sparks she gives me.”
When he reached the bottom, there was more commotion and three directions to pick from on where he should go next. He bolted straight. Torches lined this passageway and he ran fast, needing to find her.
The corridor spilled out into an old dungeon. “
There’s an old dungeon beneath his house. I haven’t found Blake yet either, but I’m looking for Taylor now. I know she’s here.”
He didn’t wait for any response, just went cell to cell. They were empty until he reached the end on one side. That one had a large body lying dead inside, and maintained the scent of Taylor, but she wasn’t there. The man, or creature, wore all black and lay in the middle of the floor. Cale repositioned himself to get a better look at who it was.
“Tryvek is here.”
“Where?”
Tiarnán’s question snapped with the force of a bullwhip.
“Dead in a cell.”
“Someone killed him?”
“Yes. Not sure who, but he’s dead.”
“Once Hara finds out about this, it will get ugly fast. Find her and get the fuck out.”
“On it.”
Cale went back, double-checking the cells to make sure he hadn’t missed anything. Out where it split, he went to his right and checked there. Nothing but more cells, this time they were holding demons, who set up a raucous cry when he walked in. With the few explosives he had, he set them to go off then went to the third opening.
This one was different. About fifty feet in, he reached another door. Thick. Steel.
Sparks flickered then died away and he searched for a way in. No discernible way he could find. He cursed fluently that Billy wasn’t here, for that man could get into anything or anywhere.
“Billy?”
“Cale?”
“No time, man, I’m facing a thick door at least two feet with no way I can see to get in. Ideas?”
“Is there a window in it?”
“No.”
“Check the hinge side. Where does it lead to?”
“Into the wall. It’s in an underground place. Used to be an old dungeon. So the rock is a mix of kinds.”
“Get through the rock, you’ll find the electronics to it. Or go in on the other side and get a small hole so you can work the code.”
“I don’t have time, Billy. I need in fast. I don’t care if they know I’m coming or not.”
“Then don’t go through the door. Can you get to something along one of the sides of that area?”
“There’s another tunnel next to it, yes.”
“Go in through that way. Blow your way in. It is less likely to have been reinforced than what’s holding the door.”
“Thanks.”
“You okay?”
“They have my woman.”
“Kill the bastards.”
“I plan on it.”
He whipped around, running back into the middle tunnel to one of the cells. That he got into easily and within seconds, he was ducking as the charge was set to explode.
As Billy had predicted, it made a hole and he burst through into a room that was something out of a torture movie. The types of devices he saw lying on tables were horrific. The person he saw laying on one sent him over the edge.
Cale roared in fury, releasing weapons at the demons who flew at him and raced down towards the table that held Taylor. He saw the woman who delivered their mail and another male near Taylor.
Then he had a wall of demons to deal with. He sliced, kicked and fought. His sign added in its own assistance. More demons poured in and explosions rocked the place, sending them to the floor.
Their bites burned like hell and the fireballs they launched at him were no picnic either. Out of stars, he went to his daggers.
“Should have just given up the pendant,” a male spoke and the demons parted to let him through.
Daggers returned to their place and Cale drew a sword as he stared at the man before him. “You’ll never get it, Kuruk.”
The man stood over eight feet tall and had muscles that never seemed to end. “We always get what we want. Imagine, all of you here and leaving it unprotected.”
Cale gave a feral grin. “Oh, damn. If only we’d thought about that. I saw your dead brother. Who killed him? I’d like to buy them a gift.”
His gaze narrowed. “Tryvek was—”
“Shit of the lowest order, like you.” He swung his sword as they continued to circle one another.
Kuruk yowled and attacked. Cale stepped up and met the strikes. Thrusting, parrying and delivering kicks, they battled. Each time he moved to where he could see Taylor, Cale faltered and Kuruk never failed to press his advantage.
Eventually, Tiarnán’s words came back to him. About how he needed to focus and not think about her. He’d be no good to her dead. Power surged up through him and sparks lit him and the sword as he swung it again and again, driving Kuruk back.
A demon—one of the few who remained, most of them had vanished out another door to the back of the room—rose up and launched fire at him. His sign took the blunt of it, dissolving the flames.
Kuruk knew what he was doing and Cale had to concentrate. He spied a demon nearing Taylor. “No!” he cried, reaching for a dagger to send when the creature fell into a heap by the table.
Tiarnán flowed from invisibility to visibility and back again. Cale focused back on Kuruk, knowing that Taylor would be safe from any other attack.
“You need his help always, Cale. You’re not strong enough to defeat me.”
The explosion sent flames pouring in. Kuruk took a few seconds and stared at it. Cale swung, knocking free from his block for another attack and spinning in close where he flipped his hand grip and drove the sharp metal directly up. It penetrated Kuruk beneath the chin and didn’t stop until it burst through the top of his skull.
He dropped, but Cale already had set his sights on the woman he’d come for. The fire was spreading exponentially fast. He went to lift her and saw she was chained there. Calling forth another weapon, he cut through the links holding her arms and legs then replaced the weapon all in one move.
Blood ran from her and he cupped her cheek. “Taylor.” The smoke thickened and made it difficult to breathe.
“Move!” Tiarnán cried.
Scooping her up in his arms, he grabbed her batons as well. “
There is another door towards the back.”
“Get moving then. I’m almost there.”
The tunnel wasn’t smooth, but it was wide enough that it was easy to move through. They burst out into the rainy night and he turned in time to see the house’s final collapse. The faint sounds of gunfire reached them and he also heard dogs barking. Over it all however, he identified the familiar sound of a chopper.
Together they ran to an opening and waited. Out of the clouds and rain she appeared, handling it like it was nothing. Aminta lowered and they hopped in. She never actually touched the ground, more hovered. The second Tiarnán joined them, she lifted off again and he turned his attention to the woman in his arms.
She lay there, unresponsive.
“Come on, babe.” He sent what healing he could to her. Placing his head against hers, he grabbed her close to him.
Don’t leave me.
Her heartbeat was slow and sporadic. He pulled back and stared at her beneath the soft, interior helo lights. Blood mingled with her rain-soaked clothing and the anger began anew. The sparks danced along his skin, however when they moved to her they began to fade.
Not a good sign.
He lifted her shirt and growled low at the sight of her injuries. These were only the ones he could see now—he knew there were more. Tiarnán unfolded a few blankets and laid them out. Reluctantly, he placed her there.
“Arm.”
He moved to Taylor’s other side and grabbed her arm.
Forgive me, babe.
With a sharp move, he straightened out her broken arm, wincing at the sound of the bones grating before settling into their proper place. She remained lifeless.
Through eyes blurry with unshed tears, he gazed to Tiarnán. The unreadable mask was in place, but it was then Cale noticed a gaping wound on his side.
“You’re injured.”
The man hadn’t said anything to him about it.
Tiarnán followed his gaze to the open injury and shrugged. “Tend her first, she’s your mate.”
Yes, she was and would be forever. However, they also needed all the Guardians. Tiarnán took the choice from him by moving to the front and sitting in the co-pilot’s seat as Aminta flew.
Cale lay beside her, wrapping her in his arms as well as the mist of his sign. Pressing his lips to her temple, he healed her best he could. It wouldn’t be enough, but it would keep her alive until they got back.
No more pussy-footing around, he was making sure she knew how much meant to him.
* * * *
She stirred and opened her eyes. Today there was more energy in her and she had the urge to get up and move about. Glancing around, she recognised her location—Cale’s room. She’d spent enough nights in here to know what it looked like. What was odd, was the fact she identified some of her personal things in there.
When she’d woken, she’d always been alone, but she knew that Cale had been near. His scent surrounded her, calmed her, soothed her. She glanced down and smiled at the sight of one of his grey shirts covering her.
“Welcome back, babe.”
The man she’d just been thinking about strode into view, carrying a tray that he set down at the foot of the bed. She licked her lips as she took in his appearance. His tight shirt and jeans that rode low on his lean hips did things to her that informed her she was well on her way to recovery. His dark brown hair hung forward, shielding one eye. She wanted to get up and brush it back so she could see both. Then kiss him. Run her fingers along his physique and relearn the feel of his body.
He stood alongside her and cupped her upturned face in his hands. She held her breath as he moved closer. When their lips met, she opened beneath his quest willingly. His tongue slid along hers, engaging her to tangle with him. She leaned into his touch, plastering one hand against his chest, taking comfort in the steady beat of his heart thumping beneath her palm.
Cale ended the kiss and captured her chin in one hand. “I have something to tell you.”
A moment of panic set in. “Who’s hurt? Did they get the pendant? Did—”
He covered her mouth with one hand. “Everyone’s fine.”
She dodged free, feeling much better. “Of course. X-Men win, it’s what they do.”
He arched an eyebrow and she made the motion of zipping her lips. He shook his head but didn’t hide the smile. “I moved you into my room, which I’m sure you can tell. I am so sorry, you were taken, Taylor. I wish—”