Authors: Tina Christopher
Behind him the door slammed.
Duncan cursed. Marius was on the run. He needed to follow.
He pretended to be distracted by the slamming door and
tilted his head. But watched Wally out of the corner of his eye.
The other Vampire took the bait and swung at Duncan’s head.
And straight into Duncan’s fist, the force of the impact racing up his arm.
Wally threw himself back and out of reach of Duncan’s kick. He shook his head,
blood splattering across the wall.
The Feral lifted a chair and hurled it at him. Duncan jumped
over a low table and out of the way. His bruised ribs protested the abuse and
the blood trickling down Duncan’s chest told him the laser cuts had opened
again.
Wally smirked and tried to pin Duncan into a corner.
Instead of obliging, Duncan attacked. He jumped forward and
went for his opponent’s balls. Wally managed to avoid most of the kick, but
enough got through for Duncan to wince at the squishy softness under his foot.
Wally cupped himself and stumbled back, working to find his balance. The pain
slowed him down. Duncan pushed through the Feral’s blocks and landed three
solid punches.
Blood dripped into Wally’s eyes. He didn’t see the ottoman
and fell to his knees.
Duncan stepped over him and twisted the Feral’s neck. He
really wanted a sword. Old Vampires could heal a broken neck, but he didn’t
dare give Marius more time to reach Tanasha.
Duncan dug through Wally’s pockets, searching for a sensor
or a chip, hell even a bloody key that would open Tanasha’s cell.
Nasha? Are
you all right? How did the Feral open the cell doors?
He waved his hand.
What’s happening?
And then her whole being was in his head, not just her
voice.
Hello, love. Not that I mind, but I believe Marius is on his way to
you. We can play with the bond as much as you like, but right now you need to
be in your body to protect it.
How in Jade’s name did I get here?
The bond. It allows lifemates to share bodies as well as
minds and thoughts.
Hmm, we’ll have to work on this. I keep jumping between
what you see and what I see.
Duncan chuckled as he searched the room for something sharp.
One of the smaller crystals had a cutting edge. He used it to dig the chip out
of Wally’s meaty fist.
We have all the time in the world. For now just focus
on what you see. Can you remember the direction the Feral walked when he took
you to the basement?
He hurried out of the room.
Yes.
May I see it?
Here.
She showed him her memory.
Duncan recognized the turn and backtracked until he found it
again. A few minutes later he stood before the door to the basement. He tore it
open and rushed down the steps. Stealth wasn’t really his priority right now.
Another door stood between him and Tanasha. He rushed
through and found the cells. Nobody else was with them.
He bent over, hands on his knees, and breathed deep for a
few seconds, attempting to tame the agony racing through his injured body. He’d
made it in time.
“Duncan! Jade, you look awful. Are you all right?”
He rose and strode toward Tanasha’s cell. “I’ll be fine,
love. The cuff’s nanites inhibit my healing. Once I have pint or two I’ll be
fine.” He nodded at the other cell. “How is Sydney doing?”
Tanasha stepped close to the flickering laser bars. “Badly,”
she whispered. “She needs a blood transfusion and liquid. Marius nearly drained
her dry.”
“Let’s get you out of there.” Duncan raised his hand, still
clutching the bloody chip, and waved it before his face.
Nothing happened.
He waved his hand again, higher this time.
Nothing.
The door behind them flew open and Marius stepped into the
basement, surrounded by a group of Naemas. He raised his fucking crystal at
them and gave one order. “Kill the three of them.”
Shit. Duncan had threatened Marius with his worst nightmare.
But right now he had his own before his very eyes.
Tanasha bit her lip and clenched her fingers together. She
studied the eight men surrounding Marius. “Duncan, they’re Sydney’s family.
They’re under Marius’ spell. We have to try and keep them alive.”
He snorted. “I’d love to, honey, but they’re out to kill
me
.
How am I supposed to defend myself?”
Her thoughts whirled through her head like a satellite
tumbling out of space. Everything happened so quickly she hadn’t had a chance
to process. As much as she loved Sydney and wanted to keep her friend’s family
safe, Duncan was her heart. “Forget it. I won’t tie your hands like that. We’ll
do what we have to.” She wanted to reach through the bars and touch him, but he
needed to focus on the Naemas at the door.
“Nasha, can you get into my head and see how I use my power?
Can you use it to get the chip to you and defend yourself?”
He hadn’t turned around, not taking his eyes off Sydney’s
family.
My white blood cells should be fighting against the nanites’
influence over my Gift, but I’m not sure how well my powers work right now.
Tanasha raced along their link until she was in Duncan’s
head. Her breath stopped when she felt all the bruises and cuts he’d suffered.
He pulled her away and showed her his memories of learning how to use his
telekinesis. She absorbed his lesson and floated the chip from his hand toward
her cell.
Why are they hesitating?
He shrugged.
I think for the first time Marius is asking
something that goes completely against their inner selves. He’s telling them to
kill a beloved family member.
“Look at me!” Marius roared at the other Naemas.
As one they followed his order and turned to him. Marius
raised the large crystal in his hand and shone the reflective glare into each
and every face. The Naemas froze completely.
Oh-oh, not good. Can you get the chip to work?
Tanasha swallowed and focused on the swirling chip. It
didn’t come to her in a straight line, but wavered up and down. Sweat stood on
her forehead. How the Jade was she supposed to get it through the narrow gaps
between the bars?
Just before the chip reached the outside of her cell Marius
gave his order again. “Kill them all.”
She lost focus and the chip dropped toward the floor. Just
in the nick of time she managed to regain control and raise it back to a little
below hip level.
The laser bars before her disappeared.
Tanasha quickly grabbed the chip and threw it through the
bars into Sydney’s cell. “Sydney, see if you can get your door open and then
run for help.” It was unlikely her friend would succeed, but Tanasha couldn’t
leave her without a way out.
Sydney labored to her feet and picked up the chip. She gave
Tanasha a soft nod.
Tanasha raced beside Duncan, her wings spread out behind
her.
He met her gaze for a moment and winked, but Tanasha felt
the pain sinking into every part of his body
She stepped close to him and tilted her head to the side,
exposing her neck.
Duncan, drink. You need to heal and maybe you can use the
extra power to keep Sydney’s family safe.
No, Nasha, the first exchange between lifemates is
sacred. I don’t want to just take a bite out of you and leave you with nothing.
She grabbed his tattered shirt.
I need you to live. And
you won’t leave me with nothing, I’d know a part of me is inside you. Please,
Duncan.
He cupped her cheeks in his hands.
Are you sure?
Tanasha threw a quick glance at Marius and the men
surrounding him. They appeared even deeper in trance and slowly turned toward
them.
Yes, Duncan. Drink from me.
Heat turned his gray eyes silver. His fangs snapped down,
but fear didn’t even come into the equation. This was Duncan. The love of her
life.
His teeth sank into her neck. Pain and fire raced through
her. Her blood filled him. His pain eased and with every swallow the fire
inside her grew. Much too quickly he stopped.
Duncan sealed his bite and kissed her.
Thank you, love. I
feel much better.
Amusement curled along the link.
Looks like there’s
something to this whole power-boost thing.
Tanasha wanted to capture and hold this moment, this moment
when they were one, forever.
There will be more, Nasha.
Duncan kissed her and
turned to their attackers.
His love and confidence filled her. They would get through
this. They were together.
Sydney’s brothers, uncles, father and cousins stepped toward
them like robots.
Duncan immediately sent two of them flying against the pile
of messily stacked boxes. They landed with a loud
clang
and numerous
boxes broke, burying them under crap. He gave no outside sign he used his
power. The two men just hurled through the air. Her blood wiped out any traces
of the interfering nanites.
Tanasha didn’t have the same skill level. She raised a hand
and pointed it at one of Sydney’s brothers. He lifted slightly but didn’t fly
like Duncan’s victims. She pushed more power into her thrust and the brother
slid along the floor until he bumped into another brother. Undeterred, both
climbed to their feet and continued to come toward them.
She exhaled.
They’re not staying down.
His lips touched hers without him taking a step closer.
We’ll
have to use more force and hope for the best.
You do that. I’m going for the source.
All the anger, fear and frustration she’d built up since
Sydney’s disappearance exploded from her in one strong move. A move that picked
up Marius and threw him against a wall.
Duncan pushed the approaching men back again and again, but
she knew he didn’t want to harm them, so he held back. They stalked closer and
closer, their hands coming up like in an ancient zombie vid.
A shiver ran down Tanasha’s spine. Their eyes were blank.
Nobody was home. They only followed Marius’ instructions. Five of them
surrounded Duncan, grabbing his arms. He managed to push two back with his
power, but the other three began pummeling him with their fists.
Each slap, each punch made Tanasha flinch.
It’s all right, love. Their puny slaps hardly hurt and
your blood inside me heals me. It keeps them occupied. Get the crystal before
the others get to you.
She took a couple of steps back and to the side. Marius
still lay against the wall but now he grinned, watching Duncan’s beating with a
smile.
Scecxi.
Tanasha grabbed the crystal and pulled it to
her. Or at least she tried.
The crystal jerked in Marius’ hands, but nothing more.
Marius sat up and tightened his grip. He looked around and saw her. He turned
bright red and cursed. Then he directed an uncle and two cousins toward her.
Instead of running away her fury swamped her. Marius had
broken one of their most sacred creeds. He’d sold Naema blood to a Vampire,
even worse, a Feral. He’d tortured Sydney. He’d made Tanasha doubt herself,
made her run around like a headless Gota Chuck looking for Sydney. He was going
to kill Sydney, Duncan and her.
And all of it for money, for prestige.
She stretched her arms out as if she could grab the crystal
with her own hands. And pulled. Pulled with everything in her.
Something clicked.
Tanasha ripped the crystal out of Marius’ arms.
It raced to her in a straight line. One of Sydney’s uncles
pulled a laser gun from his belt and aimed it at Duncan. With ease she directed
the crystal slightly off course and knocked the gun out of his hand. She
managed to grab the crystal when it reached her, but its velocity pushed her
another two steps back.
“No!” Marius was on his feet, running.
Tanasha thrust another cousin away with her wings, hating
the touch on her sensitive feathers. She didn’t let Marius out of her sight and
threw the crystal against the flickering light of the laser bars surrounding
her cell.
The laser flickered. Sparks flew. The crystal bucked in
Tanasha’s mental grip.
Nothing happened.
Marius laughed. “This crystal has the highest density of all
elements in the galaxy. One puny laser isn’t enough to damage it.” He reached
her. His hand cracked across her face.
The force of the slap threw her around and away from him.
Tanasha stumbled but remained on her feet.
Marius picked up the crystal. Triumph sparkled in his eyes.
He will not get away with this.
With no clue how she
did it, Tanasha focused on every shred of magic in the room and sucked it into
a ball of swirling, whirling power, hovering just above her hand.
Marius stood only a few meters away.
She thrust the energy ball into the crystal.
At first nothing happened.
Again.
Marius reached her and pushed her back. Duncan caught her
hand before she could fall into the flickering lights of the laser bars. He pulled
her close.
Marius held his crystal, gloating and directing the rest of
his forces. Four Naemas still stood and approached Duncan and her with their
zombie walk.
Then it happened.
The energy bullet cracked the crystal from the inside out.
Its fragments exploded outward. The shock wave pushed everybody to the ground.
Duncan flung his body across hers.
Silence hung above them.
Duncan moved off her with care, watching the other men
around them.
Is it over?
she asked.
I think so.
He pulled her to her feet, his arm around
her waist.
Slowly the men grew conscious. Groaning and moaning started.
Questions wavered between them.
And amongst them Sydney walked laboriously. She paused next
to her uncle and picked up the dropped laser gun. Then she continued on.