Darkness Awakened (Primal Heat Trilogy #1) (Order of the Blade) (37 page)

Kane’s shoulders flexed, making his scars dance, but he nodded.

Ryland cursed. “He’s mine.”

“And mine.” Kane met his gaze, the two men who had been most connected to Dante, who owed him the most. “We kill him together.”

After a tense moment, Ryland nodded.

Quinn looked around. “Who wants to go with Zach and make sure we don’t lose him?”

Gabe stood up, his hands still covered in Zach’s blood. “I will. I owe him after almost killing him.”

“You’re prepared to convince him you don’t trust us?”

Gabe snorted. “Of course. You’re a slippery bastard with an ego and a
sheva
. What’s there to trust?”

Quinn grinned. “Watch it or I’ll have to cut off your head.”

“See? Slippery bastard. As I said.”

Quinn nodded. “Ian, you still go to Ezekiel’s prison and check it out, but I’m keeping Ryland here to read Dante’s
mjui
instead of Gideon.” He looked around. “Thano, Kane, Gideon and I will stand guard while Ryland enters the sleep of the
mjui
. Once he awakes, we’ll make decisions based on what we’ve learned.”

“That’s it?” Kane swung his double-spiked flail restlessly, the spiked balls at the end of the metal chains whizzing though the air. “You want us to sit around for eight hours while Ryland reads the
mjui
? Screw that. I’m going with Ian. We’ll hit Ezekiel’s prison and find out what’s going on.”

“Good.” Quinn liked the efficiency of Kane using his teleporting abilities to get Ian to the prison more quickly. “That way you guys can get back fast if you find anything.”

There was no hesitation as the warriors got to their feet, all except Zach, who continued to lie in the mud, unconscious. Weapons were sheathed and the night began to hum as they all opened their senses to search for Dante’s
mjui
.

Grace walked over and sat down next to Zach as Gabe headed over toward them to guard Zach. “I’ll watch him and let you know when he starts waking up.”

Quinn frowned. “I don’t want you close to him when he wakes up. He’ll be coming for you again if the illusion is still active.”

Grace pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them. “I’ll call you in plenty of time, but I can’t help find Dante’s
mjui
.” She nodded at Gabe. “He can.” She looked at Quinn. “I can’t stand sitting around doing nothing while Ana’s in danger. It’s a waste of time to have Gabe guarding Zach. I’ll do it so he can be productive. I’ll be fine.”

Quinn cursed at the thought of leaving her, but he knew she was right. The clock was ticking, and they had to be efficient. He crouched before her and cupped her chin. “Be safe,
sheva
.”

There was a weariness in her gaze he didn’t like, but she smiled. “I’ll do my best.”

“Not enough. Promise me.”

Her eyebrows went up. “I can’t promise that. Being safe isn’t my priority right now. You know that.”

“Even for me?”

She hesitated. “Yes.”

“Damn you, woman. Just when I was starting to like you.” He sighed and kissed her softly. Then he stood up and turned to Gabe. “Let’s go.”

Quinn made it all the way to the edge of the woods before he succumbed to the need to look back and check on her. She was already leaning over Zach, using the hem of her shirt to wash the blood from his face.

“Come on, man. Let her go. She’s just a woman.” Gabe nudged his shoulder.

Quinn scowled at Gabe, clenching his fists against the urge to lay Gabe out for dismissing her. “Just a woman? She’s a woman taking care of Zach even though he tried to kill her. She’s a warrior and she deserves a chance to live.”

Gabe raised his brows in surprise, a thoughtful look on his face. “That’s your only response? No call to arms?”

Quinn gritted his teeth. “The bond is under control.”

“Glad to hear it man. She’s awfully damn sexy to have to kill.” Gabe slugged Quinn on the shoulder then headed off into the woods.

Quinn glanced at Grace one last time, his heart tightening as she smiled up at him, her eyes tired but determined. Then he turned away, breaking into an easy lope as he followed Gabe into the woods, his stomach burning as he left his
sheva
behind with a man who wanted her dead.

* * *

Ana was surprised by how much Lily jumped when the door slammed open. Where was the calm, focused woman she’d met the first time? Now, Lily was on edge and stressed, making Ana feel like the one who had it all together. Given Ana’s state of mind these days, it was just not a good thing if they had to resort to relying on her, was it?

Nate walked in, his eyes smug and satisfied when he saw both women in the cell. “Lily, what a pleasant surprise. I thought you’d be in bed by now.”

Lily lifted her chin. “I’m fine, Nate, thanks for asking.” But Ana could feel Lily trembling. With fatigue? With fear? With pain? Anger began to build inside Ana, fury at these men who thought it was all right to hurt Lily. “Though I must admit,” Lily added, “I’ll feel that much better when you’re dead.”

The man Ana assumed was Frank laughed softly. “Enjoy your spirit, Lily. It won’t last.”

Lily tensed, and fear rippled over Ana. Beneath the pleasant tones to his voice was a promise of his willingness to do terrible things to get what he wanted.

“Step aside, Lily,” Nate said, “Frank wants to meet Ana.”

Lily squeezed Ana’s hand, then moved to sit on the cot. She sat regally, giving no indication of the traumatized state she’d been in when she’d walked in. How could she give off such a powerful aura when she was hurting so much inside? Ana admired her for that courage, and it renewed her determination to find a way for both for them to get free.

“Anastasia Matthews,” said Nate’s cohort thoughtfully. “My name is Frank Tully.” He had hard lines on his face, too much weight in his jaw. He looked like he was in his early fifties, but it was difficult to tell. He was studying Ana intensely, as if he were dissecting her, tabulating her weaknesses and strengths, preparing his plan for her. Thoughtful and calculating.

Ana stiffened, bunching her fists. She’d had enough of men making plans for her. “What do you want?” She shoved her hair out of her face and gave her haughtiest glare, trying to mimic Lily’s confident stance.

Frank’s thoughtful visage turned deadly, and his mouth twisted in an enraged line as his gaze settled on Ana’s temple. “You’re hurt?”

Ana touched the bruise he was looking at, wondering how purple it was. “Of course I am. Nate beats me up to get me to do dark illusions.”

“What?” Enraged, Frank strode across the cell toward her as Nate slithered back toward the door. She recoiled from Frank as he reached for her.

He held his hands up in a sign of peace. “I want to see your injuries.”

“I’m fine.” Ana glanced at Nate, and her gaze went to the gold chain around his neck. Was the stone on his necklace? She hadn’t seen him fancied up like that before. What an ass, to be dressed in elegance when they were suffering. She knew it was to mess with them, but it disgusted her.

Lily followed her glance at the necklace, then shook her head. She’d already checked the chain. There was no stone on it.

“You’re not fine.” Frank grabbed her wrist and Ana couldn’t stop from yelping in pain. Frank shoved her sleeve up and looked at her arm, ran his fingers over the bruises. “Nate did this?” His voice was low, boiling with anger. “Nate
hurt
you?”

Did this man have control over Nate? “Yes, he hurts me all the time,” she said, intentionally goading him, wanting to see his response. Was he her secret ally? Was he the one who could help her? “Lily, too.”

Nate’s eyes narrowed and he tapped the brand on his forearm in a silent threat to tell her to stop talking. Her gaze involuntarily went to the image of the knife...the knife with a stone handle.

Her heart caught. Was that it? Was that what Lily was talking about? The stone was his knife?

Frank glared at Nate. “You were supposed to help Ana develop her dark illusions, not beat her.”

Nate shrugged. “That’s what it takes.”

“You should have told me. We would have found another way.” Frank frowned at Ana’s bruised arm. “I’m sorry, Ana—” Then he stopped and peered more closely at her arm. “What’s this?” He ran his finger over her skin.

Ana frowned when she saw what he was looking at. On her forearm were the faintest hint of several silver lines, thin and delicate. They were barely visible through the bruises, but there was no mistaking them. What were they? “I have no idea. I’ve never noticed it before.” They looked familiar, though. Where had she seen them before?

Frank grabbed her other arm and yanked up her sleeve. The identical image was on that forearm.

“She’s been marked?” Nate moved up to stand beside Frank, peering at her arms. “They’re not mine.”

Marked? Marked by what? Ana looked at Lily, whose eyes were wide as she, too, looked at Ana’s arm. Wide in a “holy shit” kind of way that made Ana tense. “What are you talking about?”

“Calydon brands. You’ve bonded with a warrior. One of the ones you killed?” Frank gave Ana a speculative look that made her skin crawl. “They look familiar,” he mused. “I’ve seen them before, but where?”

Calydon brands? Ana knew instantly who they were from. The marks on her arms matched part of the design of Elijah’s throwing star. The brands on his forearms were now on hers? She had no idea why, but Elijah was her private memory, not to be tainted by men like Frank and Nate. She’d rather stay in the dark than engage them in discussions about it.

She yanked her arm back, not wanting Frank to figure out who the marks belonged to. “What do you want from me?”

He gave her a speculative look, displeasure wrinkling his brow. “I wanted to make sure you were all right.” He glowered at Nate. “I’m not pleased.”

Nate shrugged. “It’s not your problem, is it?”

Ana watched as Frank slowly turned and faced Nate. He was smaller than Nate, but he carried an aura of power. Of utter and complete confidence.

A faint feeling of recognition fluttered through Ana. She recognized that stance. The way he leaned slightly to the left, as if he was trying to keep his weight off his right side. She’d seen it before. She
knew
him. But how?

Frank’s eyes narrowed at Nate. “I gave her to you because I wanted her trained, not beaten.”

Gave her to Nate? What? Nate had been the one to abduct Ana off the street when she’d been going for a morning run. She’d never seen Frank Tully before in her life. Or had she?

She had. She
knew
she had. But where?

He must have sensed her watching him, because he smiled at her.

She knew that smile. It felt...familiar. Scary. And comfortable. Right. And wrong. “Who are you?”

“In due time, my dear.” He turned back to Nate. “They’re bringing the young Calydon to you. I’ll provide enough men that you won’t need Ana’s illusion. No more beatings. Now that you’ve gotten the dark illusions out of her, I can help her develop them.” There was distinct pride in his voice as he glanced at Ana. “You’ve always been special, Ana, even if you didn’t believe it.”

Ana frowned at him. “What are you talking about? How do you know me?”

“Beating is the only way,” Nate interrupted. “I need to do it for this last illusion—”

Frank’s hand moved so fast Ana didn’t even see it move. One minute Nate was standing there looking smug, and the next minute he was flying across the room. He crashed into the wall so hard the cement cracked.

Ana scrambled backwards as Nate slid down the wall, blood trickling down his cheek.
God, please let them kill each other.

Nate called out his knife with a crack and hurled it across the room. It sank deep into Frank’s shoulder, and Ana gasped as he dropped to his knees with a groan.

“Don’t challenge me,” Nate snarled. “Bring your men with you and do what I tell you to do, or you get nothing. We both get nothing. How many times do I need to remind you what we’re dealing with? The ultimate power doesn’t come without risk, and we can’t afford to displease him. He deserves our loyalty and our precision.”

Frank yanked the knife out of his shoulder and tossed it behind him. It landed with a clatter on the floor of the cell. Lily lunged for it and swept it up as Frank faced Nate, who’d called out his other knife and was twirling it around on his finger. “You underestimate me,” he told Nate. “With Ana properly trained, I’m strong enough to—”

“No. You underestimate who I’m working for. Big difference.”

Trained for what? While the men continued to argue, Ana glanced at Lily, who was studying the knife. Ana hurried over to Lily, who held it out to her. The blade was metal, but the handle was stone. There was writing inscribed on it in an old language Ana had no hope of deciphering. Ana knew instantly that this was the stone they’d been looking for. “I can’t read it,” she whispered to Lily.

“I can. I just need a few minutes—”

There was a hum and the knife snapped out of Ana’s hand and slapped back into Nate’s palm. Lily groaned in frustration.

Frank was staring at the knife, a look of surprise on his face. “You had the tablet inscribed on your
weapon?”

Nate sheathed the knife inside his arm. “And poof, it’s gone.” He spread his hands. “You’ll never get it from me, so don’t bother to try. Just play nice and we’ll all get what we want.” He jerked his head toward Ana. “I assume we’re finished here.”

Frank glanced at Ana, and his face softened. “For now.” He crouched in front of her and touched her forearm where the marks were. “I’ll be back for you, Ana.”

She knew that would be a really bad thing, but something deeper inside her yearned for him to do exactly that. “Who
are
you?”

He patted her cheek, then stood up and strode out of the room.

Nate walked over to Lily and grabbed for her, but she ducked out of his grasp. Displeasure darkened his features. “Come on, darling. It’s time to go back in your play pen.” He strode to the door as Lily stalked after him, her gait regal and poised, a woman to be reckoned with despite how Ana knew she was crumbling inside. Just seeing Lily’s courage made Ana stand a little straighter.

Lily glanced back at Ana as she walked out. “You can do it,” she whispered. “I’ll be waiting.”

Then the door shut behind them, leaving Ana alone in her cell once again.

Ana’s forearms began to burn, and she pushed her sleeves back to study the marks. Somehow, just having the marks on her arms gave her confidence. They made her feel stronger because they were her connection to a warrior who had lived and fought for centuries. She knew she could do it. She’d find a way.
She would
. Elijah might have fallen to Nate’s blade, but he was still with her. A part of her. Giving her his warrior strength. With him, she could do it. After having too many people dying to save her, it was finally time for her to repay the favor. This time, she would do the saving. This time, no one would suffer to keep her safe. “I’ll get free, Lily,” she said. “And I’ll come back for you.”

Adrenaline and fire rushed through her, and Ana grinned. For the first time since Nate had taken her, she was looking forward to their next outing. This time, she wasn’t going as the victim. This time, she was going to be the victor.

Ana tucked her arms against her chest, and curled into a ball on the cot, knowing she needed to sleep, to gather her strength. With the marks on her arms pulsing with reassurance, she fell into a true sleep for the first time since Nate had kidnapped her and thrust her into this nightmare.

She dreamed of a warrior in black leather. One who hated her, but saved her anyway.