Lawked Flame (33 page)

She looked around the room. Her jaw dropped in shock
at the multitude of green bodies littering the floor. “What
happened?” she whispered. No one answered. Out the corner of her
eye she watched the fake Benicke and Lorenzo. Smiling, she flicked
her wrist and a blue glow started at the back of the room,
consuming those who had killed her father and attacked her
Lawke.

Benicke’s eyes widened. He looked at Khayden and
then at her.

She watched to see if he would run or
stand.
Trial by fire
asshole
. The real Benicke knew the fire would
not consume him. This one ran out the front door, leaving his fake
Kee, which told her the truth of the matter. Minutes later, the
flame consumed the old white and Hispanic men who’d masked
themselves as her relatives and she felt a spurt of
pleasure.

Once the area was cleared, she breathed deeply and
smelled the stench of the Geleet. There were many more in the
building. If they thought she would remove the enclosure before
Khayden woke, they were wrong. Snuggling into his side, she took
her position for the first watch. It would not take them long to
confront her again, time wasn’t on their side. Whatever they gave
Khayden would eventually wear off and he would wake.

The faint sound of conversation reached her. “Take
these to the new location; we will finish the testing there.”

She looked down at the tile. There was shuffling and
sounds directly below her. Did they plan to burrow up through the
floor? Would the bubble hold? She listened intently. They were
moving.

Shock rippled through her; those cowards were
leaving. On the heels of that revelation came another. They would
continue to be the proverbial thorn in Khayden’s side. Closing her
eyes, she released a deep breath. How could she fix this? She
needed to stop them, but how?

Rubbing his arm, she tried to remember everything
Khayden had said in his brief lessons before they came to the
hospital. She focused until she could see him in her mind.

He’d touched her heart and then her stomach.
“Whatever you want to create, see it in your mind and say what you
want it to do, you will feel movement here.” He touched her stomach
again. “Mix the energies together.” They'd practiced until she had
gotten comfortable creating bubbles.

Clasping her hands together, she imagined every
entry and exit shut tight within the building and beneath it. She
saw the tunnels beneath the structure collapsing in her mind’s eye.
Her body wavered sideways as her core convulsed and then pulsated
at a fast beat. The strange rhythm was different from her heartbeat
and initially threw her off balance. She realized she had taken
control of the energy Khayden spoke of.

Seconds later, the building shuddered. She winced
and moved quickly to cover her lover in case there was a need.
Lights in the foyer shut down and the emergency lights came on.
Shrieks, shouts, and slams echoed in the foyer. Doors snapped shut
down the hall from her. A loud click sounded behind her. Damn,
she’d locked herself inside as well; she hadn’t factored that
in.

Feeling more confident, she rubbed her palms
together. Now that no one could leave, she wanted everybody
aboveground and imagined the tunnels flooding with water. This time
the shouts and curses were louder.
Okay,
now what
? She opened her palm and sent the consuming
flame to the third floor, specifically commanding it to destroy
every Geleet or Minthian as it worked its way down to the basement.
It winked from her palm.

Out of ideas, she bent to kiss the top of Khayden’s
brow and missed seeing the row of Geleets who’d set up weapons
behind a half wall across the hall from her. She ducked as a volley
of bullets and maybe even a small rocket, bounced off the bubble.
Angry, she waved her hand from left to right, pleased when balls of
flame attached themselves to each creature’s head and spread down
their bodies until they were no more.

Before she could congratulate herself, it seemed as
though hundreds of Geleets rushed into the room, running straight
for the bubble. Those in the front died on full body contact and
became handles for those behind. Swarming around the front and
sides, they pushed the enclosure up against the wall, distorting
its shape. It wouldn’t burst, but it became narrower. They were
pushing her back fast. She lost her footing and fell. Pretty soon
they had the bubble outlined against Khayden’s body and one of the
Geleet kicked him, causing his chest to lift from the floor. When
they realized the bubble would contour around him, they piled on,
hitting and kicking him.

Horrified, she looked on as blow after blow landed
on her lover. She had utterly failed to protect him. Releasing a
stream of air, she pushed them back. Those on the bubble flew back
and hit the wall. Her heart broke at the bruises on Khayden’s
flesh. Anger, ripe and boiling hot, rose up as she glanced at the
lizard creatures.

A loud swooshing sound spread through the room as a
roar of blue fire covering from floor to ceiling sprung up behind
them and quickly encircled the remaining creatures. A few tried to
run through it and died immediately.

Static shot up her fingertips and whirled around
inside her before it settled. Her skin itched before feeling as
though it had expanded. A click resonated in her chest, slowly at
first and then picked up speed. A low hum shot through her mind.
She could hear muted conversations. It startled her, to the point
she jumped and looked around. The only ones in the foyer were her
and the Geleets, and they weren’t talking.

Her heartbeat raced as her skin grew hot, as though
someone was pouring liquid fire over her. The unusual feeling
flowed from the top of her head to her feet. Small whirlwinds of
air surrounded her, sending a cooling breeze to her heated skin.
Her eyes flew open. She felt fucking amazing, alive and vibrant as
her body hummed with energy. A loud cry drew her attention. One of
the Geleets had stood too close to the flaming cage and was
consumed.

The creatures stood listening to the cries and
screams of their comrades in other parts of the hospital. Their
demise fed her demand for retribution, but she needed more. These
in front of her had killed her daddy and dared to strike her Lawke.
They would pay for that.

Glancing outside, she saw the real Benicke and his
teams arrive. They would have to wait until she exacted her
vengeance. Soon the building became deathly silent and she stepped
outside the bubble, shrinking it to protect her Lawke. Every yellow
eye watched as Alayna opened her palm and slowly closed it. As her
hand tightened into a fist, the circular wall of fire moved inward
consuming everything in its path, until finally she stood alone in
the middle of the room.

She glanced at Khayden, her father, and nodded;
satisfied that she had done something to atone for her previous
error.

She glanced at the door behind her. Benicke stood
outside, his mouth agape as he watched her recall the blue flame.
It was time to get Khayden out of here. She released all the doors
and commanded the water to recede in the tunnels. The front doors
opened in a whoosh.

Without waiting for him to ask questions, she
pointed to her father. “Please make sure to wrap my daddy up
carefully, we’ll need a plan for his discovery.” Her heart broke
for all the suffering her father went through at the hands of the
Geleet. “Also, you need to check the building, see if you can find
the portal. I heard them talking about one earlier.”

Three Lawkes headed for Khayden. She waved them
away. “No. I’ve got him.” They stared at her for a moment before
stepping back as she bent down and picked him up. “Check the
basement and tunnels, the portal is probably somewhere nearby. They
were trying to escape that way.” She turned as Benicke jogged off.
“Be careful, it’s wet down there.”

Gently, she carried Khayden to the truck and placed
him in the passenger seat. She stared at him and placed a kiss
against his lips, pleased they were warm and soft. After buckling
him in, she ran to the driver’s side and sat down. The first tremor
shot through her as she reached for her seat belt. Then another hit
and she dropped the buckle. Her body shook so hard she couldn’t
grasp the key from Khayden’s pocket. Fat, messy tears fell, hot and
fast, saturating her shirt.

Desolate, her head dropped to the steering wheel as
she cried. She’d been scared shitless. Her heart had nearly beat
out of her chest as those creatures pressed in close. Since when
did lizards have sharp pointed teeth? Those animals had gone
ballistic trying to get to her and Khayden through the bubble.
Blindly, she reached for his hand, needing the comfort of his
touch.

She made a vow, that for this space in time, she
meant with all her heart. “I promise I won’t interfere again. That
was too scary.”

She sobbed as the reality crashed over her. “I…I
almost lost you.” The thought stripped the air from her lungs. She
wouldn’t have survived if they’d taken him from her. Hatred tore
through her and she wanted to destroy them all over again.

Once she got her emotions under control, she made
her next move. They needed information. “Murlins!” she called as
she wiped her eyes.

“
Mistress?” The voice questioned
hesitantly.

She inhaled before answering. “Yes, Khayden and I
are leaving the hospital, but could you send a small team over to
look at the equipment our enemy was using, as well as to retrieve
their notes. They released something in the air that put Khayden
asleep and we need to know what it is.”

“
So that is what happened,” he whispered.
“Very good Mistress, I will head up a team and meet Benicke there.
Thank you. Thank you very much.”

Next, she informed Benicke that the Murlins where on
their way. Her hands steadied and she retrieved the keys. On the
way to the Harven, she called Clotho and told her what happened.
The woman ended the conversation with loud congratulations. She was
too exhausted to ask a follow-up question.

Alayna swiped the tears from her eyes. Everyone was
all pleased now that she was headed home. But when they discovered
how bad she'd messed up, they would probably want to run her out of
town. She took the direct route and drove to the underground garage
beneath Khayden’s house. She had no desire to encounter anybody.
Her feelings were too raw. Should she carry him? How would he feel
about that later? Unsure, she accepted the House Master’s
assistance, but supervised as he and another servant took Khayden
to their bedroom.

As soon as they placed him on the mattress, she
shooed them away. Taking her time, she undressed him, checking
carefully for bruises. His shirt lay on the floor while she stared
at his unmarked flesh. It was perfect. Her fingertips grazed the
areas that were battered and bruised just thirty minutes ago. There
was no sign he’d been brutally beaten.

Relieved, she laid her head on his chest and stroked
everywhere her hand could reach. He was safe. She was safe. Their
baby was safe.

Chapter 23

Khayden sat at his desk, staring at the monitor in
front of him. Initially, when Aspen had told him what happened in
the hospital building, he was reluctant to believe Alayna had
destroyed hundreds of Geleet and Gigi single-handed. Leaning back
in his chair, he watched the blue blaze surround his enemy, saw
them die as the circle grew smaller, and was impressed. It was
brilliantly staged.

His eyes closed in memory of her father. He knew
seeing him in that condition had been torture for her. Yet, she had
single-handedly saved him, his people, and found the portal. Right
now Lawkes from all over were preparing to return to Lawkmeria and
bring the Geleet occupation to an end.

There was one bleak spot. Alayna. She blamed herself
for what she called the fiasco at the hospital and had been lying
in bed since their return yesterday. Nothing he said or did helped
her realize how proud he was of her. When he told her she had saved
him from deportation to space—he shivered at that nasty thought—she
claimed it was her fault he was in that situation in the first
place. When he told her it was her fast thinking that led them to
the portal, she blew it off, saying she was trying to repay some
debt. His Kee had sunk into a dark depression and he did not know
what to do.

She had been so happy when he woke from the deep
sleep, she had placed random kisses all over his body. Her lips had
latched onto his erection and she'd worked him over with unmatched
enthusiasm until he erupted. But she refused to allow him to make
love to her, telling him she was tired and was glad he was all
right. Swiveling around in his chair, he studied the calendar
pinned to the wall.

He grimaced at the ever present hardness between his
legs. A whole twenty-four hours had passed and he had not made love
to his Kee. Not because he had not tried. She had pushed away each
of his advances with one excuse or another.

He was close to losing his mind. As a newly unlocked
pair, he ached to be one with her. To taste her essence and release
himself in her tight velvet sheath. Eyes closed, he inhaled deeply
and dipped into his limited well of patience.

Besides, he was unsure what role, if any, the baby
had on her behavior. No one could answer his questions, because she
was the first human Kee. Frustrated, he returned to the paperwork
on his desk, intent on immersing himself in work, since that was
the only option available right now.

“
Master Khayden.” Aspen, the head Murlin
requested an audience.

“
Come.”

Aspen bowed and awaited instructions. Khayden waved
to the empty seat in front of the desk and waited for him to sit.
“Do you have any more information on the drug they used to put me
asleep?”