Salvation (The Guardian Angel Series Book 3) (21 page)

My brow furrowed. Was this all a show to get Mr. Aleksandrov, the higher power, to keep the relationship laws intact?

Lucian focused on Hunter. “I was wondering when you’d betray me. However, I’m surprised you’ve lasted this long.” Lucian ran his fingers through his hair. “Now!” he boomed, setting his sights on me. “Let’s get down to business. I’ve come to claim what’s rightfully mine.”

A growl rumbled in my chest. I was already mad, so referring to me as some kind of business deal got close to tipping me over the edge. Lucian turned to his minions, placed his hands on his hips and sighed. “Kill them all and bring me the Heelian.”

A loud roar broke out from the vampire crowd as they used their super speed to zip over to the surrounding guardians. Gunshots went off. I pulled the stake from my back pocket and staked a tall vampire as she lunged at me. Eli was beside me, fending of three ravenous vampires. As they got closer, I realized the vampires were starving and a lot of them were new—they had translucent skin, making it easy to see the thick veins that pulsed underneath. They weren’t worried about me—they were in a frenzy, driven by the overwhelming scent of the guardian angels.

Smoke entered my nostrils—Mr. Aleksandrov’s house was on fire and the vampires began tearing it apart. I realized Mr Aleksandrov and Mila were gone. I didn’t know if it was a good thing or a bad thing, but I did know Mila was the only edible goddess around for miles and that was
not
a good thing. Using my fire element, I pulled fire from the house and burned the vampires attacking Eli. We stood side by side as more vampires ran at us.

“You promised you wouldn’t do anything stupid,” he growled as he jammed his stake through the heart of a giant blond vampire.

“I haven’t,” I replied in a huff. Eli grabbed my wrist and pulled me close to him, staking the vampire to my right. “Not yet, anyway.”

He pushed me out to the right, keeping a hold of my wrist as he staked a vampire to my left. From another point of view, this probably looked like we were dancing some form of aggressive, murderous tango. There was a break in the wave of vampires and Eli brought me close to him once again.

“Now isn’t the time for a lect—” He cut my words off by pressing his full lips against mine. We broke apart and he dove into the thick of battle. I stood there staring after him, dumbstruck like an idiot. I wanted to worry about him, but I couldn’t. I needed to stay alive, inject Hunter with the serum, and kill Lucian—all in a day’s work.

I took a step toward the fight when something hard and fast slammed into my side. I dropped my stake as I hit the ground. I tried to spring to my feet, but the cold body had me pinned to the ground. My eyes were squeezed shut and slowly I opened them. Staring down at me were two bottomless, black eyes and blood dripping fangs. That’s all I saw, my fear wouldn’t let me see anything else. Pain seared over my scalp as he pulled my hair and yanked my neck to the side, exposing my throat. I thrashed underneath him, but he was too strong. A scream vibrated through me and caused my ears to ring… but none of that compared to the pain of his teeth sinking deep into my flesh. My scream turned into a gasp and my body started shaking—I was losing too much blood. I grew weaker and weaker as my life force drained from me. Through long tunnels, I could see him evaporate into a pile of dust on top of me. The pain was gone, replaced by a sickening nausea and a light head. I watched the cloud-filled sky as I felt cold arms scooped me up and the noise of the battle faded into the background. The moon was blocked by the canopy of the forest. I couldn’t see the vampire that had taken me. Around me, sticks cracked and dry leaves crunched. Cold leaves slapped my skin and twigs pulled at my hair and clothes. It had happened. Lucian had won and I was being taken away. In my lethargic state, I managed to pull the vial from my pocket and pop the cap off with my thumb. If Lucian wasn’t a vampire anymore, then I’d have a better chance at getting away. I stabbed him in the chest and he groaned in pain, dropping me on the hard forest floor. I expected he was going to drop me, but I didn’t have enough time or energy to position myself properly, so when the fall happened, I landed on my back. The wind was knocked out of me and I gasped for air like a fish out of water.

“What did you do?” the voice groaned. It wasn’t the voice I was expecting. “I’m trying to save you.”

I dropped to my knees and touched the vampire’s hair and face.

“Hunter?”

“What did you do?” he demanded fiercely.

My voice was soft and tired. “I injected you with a serum and my blood. It’ll cure you. You’ll be a god again…”

He rolled over onto his stomach and tried to get to his feet—he couldn’t.

“Th-that’s impossible.”

“It might not be.”

His brows knitted together. “Might? You mean you don’t know for sure?”

I shook my head. Hunter tried to get to his feet, but he couldn’t.

“What happens if it doesn’t work?”

“…you die.”

“Jesus Christ.” He slung his arm over his face and I knelt beside him. From my pocket, I pulled out my phone and put it on his chest.

“I’ll come back for you once this is over. Here’s my phone.”

I turned around and crawled away. I had barely enough energy to stay on my hands and knees, but I pushed through it, forcing myself to carry on. I stumbled uneasily through the forest until I made it back to the clearing. I wasn’t in any shape to fight. I’d lost too much blood and I felt dizzy.

“I thought I’d lost you for a moment there,” a cold, emotionless voice said in my ear.

My lack of strength interfered with my ability to stand properly and my knees buckled.

I started to fall, heading straight toward the hard ground, head-first. I squeezed my eyes closed, it was going to hurt. Only, I never made contact with the ground.

Lucian had me by the shoulder, keeping me upright on two legs. He grabbed my hair and tugged my neck to the side.

“Sorry about that. When battling against newborn vampires with bloodlust, orders can only go so far.”

I slumped down. It was over. Lucian had me. He wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for that stupid vampire that bit me and almost drained me of my blood.

Lucian began pulling me toward the forest, but I dug my heels in. He pulled harder and harder, dragging my feet through the dirt. I kicked and thrashed against him to no avail. While I struggled with Lucian, I pulled Eli’s whistle from my neck and blew it hard. I watched the battle, and as we got closer to the forest line and I thought all was lost, Eli sprinted toward us, moving faster than I’d ever seen him move before.

Lucian dropped me and squared off with Eli. I crawled onto my hands and knees, I needed to get away, but Lucian kicked me hard in the ribs, forcing me back down to the ground. A searing pain shot through my chest and it hurt to move. Even the slightest breath caused me pain beyond anything I’d ever felt. Eli took Lucian’s distraction as a chance to attack. He dove at Lucian, but he evaded Eli’s attack by mere inches. Eli growled in frustration. I watched as a wry smile spread over Lucian’s face. He pursed his lips together and whistled. I lay on the ground, clutching my ribs and whimpering as four vampires joined the fight, outnumbering Eli. Lucian took a step back and the four vampires dove at Eli. With one swing, Eli managed to stake two of the creatures at once, leaving nothing but dust to blow in the slight wind. Vampire dust went into my mouth and I coughed. I clenched my ribs harder as the need to cough increased. As I coughed, I cried, praying my ribs weren’t broken.

Lucian grew angry as Eli killed another vampire, leaving only one. Lucian re-entered the fight and I knew Eli was in trouble. He seemed injured. His left forearm had a huge gash. In the moonlight, the dark liquid trickling from the injury glistened. To my left, a thick stick lay on the ground. I grabbed for it, gritting my teeth against the pain in my ribs. I forced myself unsteadily to my feet. Eli saw me and knew immediately what I wanted to do. I held the stick out in front of me and braced myself for impact. Lucian dove at Eli, but Eli dodged him, shoving the fourth and final vampire into me and onto the stick. I thrust forward and pushed the stick right through the vampire’s chest. With an ear-piercing shriek it disintegrated...

Lucian laughed hysterically. “You two… you two just don’t know when to quit, do you?”

He whistled again. This time five more vampires came. My hope died. I had no energy left to fight and by the way Eli sagged and breathed heavily, I could tell he was spent as well. But regardless of how he felt, Eli stood in front of me, protecting me. He crouched slightly, ready to attack.

Lucian launched himself at us and Eli copied. They exchanged punches and kicks that were too fast for me to see. I felt a cough building up in my throat.
No, no, no, no.
I willed myself. I tensed my muscles as the cough exploded out of my mouth. In response, I grunted in pain and fell to my knees.

That was all it took.

Eli was distracted by my grunt and Lucian grabbed him and threw him into the five ravenous vampires.

“No!” I squealed, ignoring the pain of my ribs. Suddenly, my heart hurt more.

Lucian pulled me to my feet by my hair and I watched as Eli thrashed under the five vampires.

“Do you plan on causing any more delays?”

My sobs were loud.

“Good.”

Rage built up in my body, and I felt all warm and tingly. It was a feeling I hadn’t felt since the night Hunter broke into my apartment and I was going to kill him. It was my sun power. My body felt it, recognized it. I glanced down at my wrist.
Was the power of the bracelet wearing off?

Lucian glanced at my bracelet. “It’s good to see Hunter came through on that, otherwise this’d be a lot more difficult.”

He let go of my hair and grabbed my wrist, yanking me toward the forest.

“Let me go!” I shouted, unable to keep the panic from my voice.

He tugged harder. And I snapped. I screamed so hard that it burnt my chest and I lit up like a Christmas tree. Lucian shrieked and dropped my arm. I wasted no time in jumping at him. I knocked him to the ground and he writhed in pain beneath me. His black eyes watched me in fear and pain… and I liked it. I liked being the one to bring him pain, to be the reason for his death. I watched as his skin began burning. Before long, he disappeared into a pile of dust beneath me.

Still running on adrenaline, I jumped to my feet and ran to Eli. He didn’t need my help. Three of the vampires took off when they saw that I had used my Heelian power. The other two stupid enough to stay were staked by Eli. Somehow. A few bite marks adorned his arms and he seemed a little bit dazed.

“Ruby?” he asked cautiously, more worried about me than himself.

He seemed unnerved by the fact that I was still glowing. I didn’t want to stop. While I used my Heelian power, I felt no pain.

“You can stop now,” he said, taking a few steps towards me.

Something broke inside of me. I don’t know what it was. Fear? Anger? Pain? Blinking back tears, I said, “I can’t. If I stop…I’m afraid I’m going to die.”

“You’re not going to die.” He extended his arms to me. “I’m right here.”

“It hurts.”

“I know, let me help you.”

He took another step toward me. I was afraid I’d burn him, so I turned my power off. The pain came back instantly, knocking me to my knees. I bent over in pain, clutching my ribs and my neck. Waves of darkness tried to overcome me, but I fought them off. Eli knelt beside me, careful not to move me. He stroked my hair and planted kisses on my head.

“You did it,” he murmured. “Lucian is gone.”

As his words hit me, a new kind of feeling rushed over me. A feeling of freedom.

Free

M
y eyes opened to a bright, white light. I was in a large, semi-familiar room. Over my head, the glaring lights blinded me. Nearby, there was an annoying beeping sound that brought a headache on instantly. I lifted my hand to rub my temples, but stopped when I noticed the mess of clear tubes and cords that were attached to my right arm.

I exhaled and attempted to sit up. The sharp pain that shot through my chest turned my exhale into a brief, painful yelp. I stayed locked in place until the pain subsided and then I slowly relaxed my body.

I took in my surroundings. The Gothic styling and high ceiling was familiar. The walls were stone and the carpet red. I clicked my tongue against my teeth, trying to figure out where I was and then it hit me. I was in the teachers’ medical building. I’d been here once before, it was the day after Hank had attacked the cabin I’d been staying in. Nothing had changed.

The door creaked, pulling my attention. In stepped a short chubby wizard in a lemon yellow robe. I couldn’t have been more happy to see him. I managed a wave without putting myself through too much pain.

“How are you feeling?” Gwydion asked, walking over to me.

“I’ve been better,” I croaked.

I licked my lips to moisten them, but my tongue was just as dry, if not more. Gwydion picked up the glass of water on the bedside table and handed it to me. I took a big mouthful and handed it back. He sat down on the small armchair beside my bed.

“How long have I been out for?”

“Two days.”

“How is everyone?” I asked, praying for no bad news to come my way.

“They’re fine.” He picked the bracelet that blocked my powers off the bedside table. He examined it closely.

“It stopped working,” I said.

Gwydion chuckled. “Yeah, thanks to me.”

I frowned, confused by his comment. “How so?”

“When we met again in Aleksandrov’s sitting room, I took some of your hair and mixed it with a few potions and spells.” He flicked his hand open, exposing his palm. “Voila. And there you have it—the bracelet no longer binds your powers.”

Subconsciously, I stroked the wrist the bracelet used to sit on. I recalled the day in the sitting room when I had hugged Gwydion. I assumed my hair got caught on something. What a sneaky little wizard.

“You’ve had your Heelian power back for a few days now,” he tapped his chin. “Since Tuesday. You would have felt it.”

I thought about Tuesday and tried to recall anything strange. I remembered spacing out in Mr Aleksandrov’s office—my vision blurred and a strange warm sensation accompanied it, but it only lasted a few moments.