TIED (A Fire Born Novel) (16 page)

High pitched laughter chimed from the end of the hall. Panicked, I wheeled around to face a girl, clad in a short black mini-skirt meandering toward us. Dark sable hair fell past her shoulders, the yellowed light picking up hints of red in her eyes. Spiked black heels cut deep crevasses into the carpet as she sauntered forward, her skin shining like a beacon in the dim light.

“He won’t wake, Teine. Well, not
yet
, anyway.” She purred with a familiar accent but her face remained partially concealed by the low light. “That power belongs to me.”

“Who are you?” I shouted, eyes narrowing.

“Tsk, tsk. Should I walk a bit … closer?” The scrape of fingernails along the painted concrete wall sent shivers up my spine. “You know so little about our world. We tried to warn you, to give you and your
counterpart
, a chance at survival … but”—she sighed—”you made other choices.”

“Leave. Him. Alone,” I spat, burning from the inside out and trying to see who I talked to.

“Oh, I can’t do that. I have orders. We’ve waited a long time—to find you. My henchmen are having trouble, though. They can’t seem to touch you with your
protectors
around, so I am here to give them some help—to up the ante.” Her face swam into view.

“Dena?” I shifted my weight and took a step back.

“I knew you’d recognize your old friend.” She grinned, white teeth ending in sharp points behind her sneer. “Well … at least in body.” She laughed and batted long lashes, black fingernails glinting under the fading light.

A sickening shudder rocked me. “What have you done with Dena?”

“Her? Well, she’s right here.” She stretched her arms out to her sides and flexed her hands, admiring herself. “Beautiful, isn’t she? I couldn’t have found easier prey. Low self-esteem is such an … asset.” She chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’ll give her back. When I’m done with her.”

Bile rose in my throat. The realization of what she was—what she had to be, punched me in the gut. The Leanaan Sidhe. The Vampyre Fae
.
“Take me instead.” I raised my hands, palms out. “Leave Dena alone. She has nothing to do with this—nothing to do with me.”

The creature snickered. “That is not why I am here. As I said, I have orders to follow. I am here … for him.” She pointed to Max. “
You
are free to leave.” She swatted her hand at me. “I will not harm you.
Yet
.” Her head tilted to the side, an evil grin showcasing the tip of a single gleaming fang, contrasting bright red lips, and warping the features of her face.

“You won’t touch him.”

“Your presence here is of no concern to me.” She waved her hand again. “
You
are not aware of your power.
You
are weak. You cannot harm me any more than you can save your
Guardian.
He wants
me
now.”

She whisked passed me and ran her finger along the side of Max’s jaw. He blinked to life and smiled at her.
My
smile.

“Max?” I asked.

He didn’t acknowledge me.

“That’s right.” The Vampyress purred, placing her hand on his shoulder. “You are no match for us, but this one …” She grinned. “He is quite strong. Much more aware of his power. He protects you well. We simply cannot allow the two of you to remain together. It would ruin everything.” She shook her head and trailed a fingertip up his neck. “It is a sad waste, I admit, disposing of him. He is very beautiful.” A black nail swept across his lips, and my blood boiled to the surface, generating a trembling rage.

“He doesn’t want you. No one wants you. You’re cursed.”

Her nostrils flared. “Be careful what you say.”

“Get away from him.” Red blanketed my vision, bleeding up the walls and across the floor like watercolors on canvas.

A high pitched laugh carried through the hall as the creature shook her head, holding my gaze.

“Back. Away. Now.” Heat fed into my palms with a drumming rhythm, and I stepped in front of her, pressing my back against Max’s rigid body.

“And I thought you were smart.” She sneered.

“You’re not taking him.”

Teeth bared, gaze hardened, she lunged, her arm brushing across mine, reaching, cold and unyielding.

I backed Max against the wall, a singeing sensation tearing through my limbs as my hand clenched around her wrist, and a guttural growl crowded my ears.

Veins pulsed and strained against her temples. She shrieked and wrenched her arm away, a blackened ring encircling her wrist.

I flexed my fingers, clenched and opened my fists, and glanced down. Black soot covered my palms. A disorienting alarm leached into my brain.

The Leanaan Sidhe barreled passed me, nothing more than a fleeting blur from the corner of my eye, before her teeth sank into Max’s neck.

Something inside me snapped.

Pressure akin to an ignited flame thrower exploded, and my body erupted, fire engulfing the hall.

Max dropped to the ground, as the Vampyress scurried away from him, away from me, screaming while the blaze separated us in the smoldering hallway. “This means nothing! You cannot not stop them. They will come for you!”

“Let them come! I’m not afraid of you. Any of you!” My words escaped in a vicious snarl as if someone else had spoken them.

Dark shadows descended from the ceiling, one after the other. I fell to my knees, the fire inside me extinguished, and rubbed my hands on the carpet before wrenching Max beside me. I gasped for air as the uncontrolled blaze charred everything in my sight, smoke swallowing the narrow space. Alarms blared in the distance like echoes against the deafening roar of splitting wood and plaster.

“Layla!” Benny’s voice pitched above the noise. “Where are you?”

I raised my hand, unseeing, barely able to breathe, smoke penetrating my lungs.

Someone seized my fingers. “Stay here, don’t move!” Benny’s voice called out.

“Get. Max. Out!” I used the only breath I could muster, and covered my mouth and nose with my free hand.

“We’ve got him.”

Max’s arm slid away from my grasp. I squeezed him tighter.

“Let go, Lay, we’ve got him. It’s okay.”

I couldn’t let go. I couldn’t let him go.

“They’re coming. We have to get them out of here.” Benny’s rushed words rang near my head. “Layla can’t do this alone.”

Shuffling feet scrambled by. I heaved Max closer still, struggling with his mass.

“He’s going to take you both, Lay.” Benny placed her hands on my shoulders. “Try to relax.”

Someone I couldn’t make out squatted by me, leaned over Max, and our combined weight left the ground.

“Hold them tight!” Benny shouted.

Clean cool night air hit me like a swift slap, knocking away what breath I had left. Cold, hard arms cradled our bodies, and Max shuddered beside me, choking. My eyes stung like wasps had attacked the lids, water leaking from the corners in streams. The wind lessened, air warming, and I blinked frantically trying to clear my sight as massive indistinct grey shapes blurred into soft focus. Ocean waves crashed in the distance, feet shuffled on sand, and a slow continual flapping of an enormous wingspan swam into view.

15

I lay in the sand, gasping, Max stretched out beside me. Rolling toward him, I draped my body across his chest.

“Layla?” Benny scrambled close, breathless.

The fuzzy outline of her face came into focus.

“Layla? What happened?”

I racked my brain, trying to see her better, taking in her ashen face, her clear blue wide eyes. “The Leannan Sidhe … in the hallway …” I coughed, choking on smoke lingering in my lungs.

“What? How could you know that?” She whipped around. “Sam! Get them inside now. Scan the area! They’re coming.”

A shape took form in the distance. “Justice. Take to the skies. Move, now! Tristan. The boundary lines!” Sam directed them all.

What’s happening? Justice? Tristan?

Someone rushed over to Max and me, where we still lay in the sand. Horns protruded in odd, grotesque angles from the beast’s face.

I drew in a breath, hurling myself backwards.

“It’s okay, Layla. Sam’s with us.” Benny touched my hand. “Can you walk?”

Sam?
“I think so,” I said, head spinning.

Benny motioned for me to move. “We need to get Max inside. You can’t be out in the open.” She gestured toward the creature still standing over Max “Take him.”

Sam, with massive leathery charcoal colored wings rising to sharp peaks above his head, hovered over Max, and with gnarled taloned feet, gripped the sand and heaved Max off the ground.

I rubbed my eyes, refocusing, watching, as a
gargoyle
, with fangs stretched over its mouth, cradled Max gently against his stone body.

What in the …

The gargoyle took flight over my head with Max in his arms, and I scrambled up, racing to follow them, Benny running at my side.

Sam carried Max passed bleached Adirondack chairs, and seeing them, I realized where we’d landed: the back deck of Max’s house. A stab of fear pierced my spine, utter bewilderment anchoring my thoughts, as he lay on a chaise, unconscious.

Afraid to walk closer, I stood still. Benny stayed outside with me, facing the darkness.

“What’s happening?” I asked.

A second enormous stone form landed beside me, its wings closing against its body.

I took a cautious step away from the gargoyle and toward Max. “Benny?” My voice trembled.

“Tristan,” she said, glancing over. “You stay with Layla. Sam’s checking the interior.”

I knelt down beside Max, shaking from head to foot, stacks of questions assembling one on top of the other as I inspected his face, covered in black soot and ash.

“Give him time, Lay. He was under a powerful curse,” Benny said.

I gently wiped his neck where red streaks stained his skin, and the blood began to flow freely. Pushing my hand against it, trying to stop the stream, my tears welled up. Blood leaked through my fingers, pouring from two holes in the side of his neck. “Benny!”

“What?” Her gaze locked with mine before sweeping toward the blood covering my hands, Max’s neck, and the chaise.

“Help me!”

The gargoyle lunged in one step to my side, fangs and horns receding as he swiftly morphed back into his human form.

Tristan, I guessed, raised Max’s head higher on the arm of the chaise. “Come on, man, don’t do this.” He shoved cushions under his head. “Benny! Water. Rags.”

She ran from the deck.

“What’s happening?” Heat raced through my veins, throbbing in my temples.

Benny hurried back outside, glass in hand and poured the water on Max’s wound, cleared the blood away with a rag, and revealed not two, but several bites down his neck.

I rose to my feet, panic, fear and confusion, flipping to anger. Anger to fury. Simmer to boil. “Benny!”

“You started the fire.” Her words were not a question; they were stated as fact.

“I …” I shook my head, unsure if I should admit it, my eyes cast away, body trembling.

Her face was in mine faster than I could blink. “You can’t help him like this. Calm down.” She gripped my arms with sweaty palms and more strength than I would have dreamed possible.

“Tell me what’s going on. What’s happening to me? What’s happening to Max?” I lashed at her in a growl, my pulse speeding and receding with the beat of my pounding heart, palms searing under her grasp.

She eyed me.

My jaw clenched tighter.

“The Scaths of the Underworld have been sent.”

“What does that mean?” My teeth made an audible grind as I rocked back and forth under her grasp.

“It means …” Her gaze caught mine.

“Tell me!”

“It means The Shadows have come for you. The Fomore have come for you.”

I couldn’t breathe. “What about Max?” I spit through clenched teeth, rage bubbling in the pit of my core.

“The Leanaan Sidhe bit him.”

“I know that!” My body shook so badly I could no longer stand still.

She raised an eyebrow. “An order must have been made to kill Max. To kill you both.” She didn’t loosen her grip on me. “They must believe you’re the two of Legend.”

Prickles trailed up and down my arms in shivering convulsions. “What’s happening to me?”

Benny’s eyebrows crunched; her gaze swept over my arms.

“Tristan. Take her. Now.” Benny’s voice was measured, her glare sinking in and holding mine. “Tristan, now!” She let go and in a flash of grey, he wrenched me from the ground, speeding through the night air, in hard, cold arms. The beach rushed past in a white blur, the ocean glinting below my hanging feet.

“Hold your breath!” he said.

Before I could even take one, the gargoyle forced us under water. We streaked toward the bottom of the ocean. Salt stung my nose, my eyes, and I struggled to break free of his grasp. What seemed like eternity but couldn’t have been more than seconds, my head broke the surface, the gargoyle’s beside mine, in his human state.

“Damn, you’re strong.” He laughed. “Feel better?” He raised an eyebrow, his mouth curling into a small smile. “Not going to set me on fire now, are you?”

“Who are you?” I squawked, swimming as fast as I could toward the shore.

“Me?” He followed suit. “I’m Max’s roommate. Well, one of them.” Mid-swim-stroke, he stuck his hand out to shake mine. “It’s Tristan. My name.”

I didn’t have time to respond or even think before he pushed me under the surface of the water, and held me there. Clawed gargoyle feet and hands wrapped around my body in a stranglehold. Wings spread out on either side of us, tense as wires, and we shot like a bullet from a gun out of the water, moving so fast through the night sky, shimmering in an eerie silvery light, I almost missed the shadows surrounding us, glowing, iridescent and unearthly, suspended in midair like haunting ghosts.

Scaths.
How I knew, I didn’t know, but I knew.

Tristan, in his gargoyle form, held me tighter and rolled like a torpedo searching for its target, speeding toward Max’s house. Two more grey bullets, Sam and Justice, I presumed, fell in beside us in a grey haze. I closed my eyes so I wouldn’t get sick from the lurching speed, but that only made my stomach heave.