Valiant Heart (20 page)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The Mission

“Do me a favor. Before you sever our bond, give me the chance to get Kelly to safety,” Lance hissed in my ear.

I tried to keep any reaction from my face, not wanting to give him the satisfaction that he was hurting me with his jabs. Jabs that just kept on coming.

I closed my eyes, ready to lash back at him when Greer rounded the corner of the trail. I'd moved ahead of the group, determined to distance myself from all reminders of Lance, but he'd kept pace with me the whole way, muttering shitty little comments every few minutes. Not that I didn't deserve them.

“You two still bickering?” Greer gave us both a scathing look in turn. “You better lock it down before we get to the beast's camp or I'm going to pull you out of the game.”

I shook my head. Pull us out of the game? Idle threat. Or was it? She'd shackled Melonie and Ella both, essentially minimizing our strength as a tribe by taking out two warriors. I'd argued the sense of it only to be met with cold disdain, a look that said she'd shackle me too if she could think of a reason.

“Ella said the territory markers are just ahead. She believes her sister is holding alpha position over the tribe with Andrew's help, but it's a tenuous grasp of power. The beasts are restless, skirmishes frequent. Everyone wants to be in charge,” Greer said.

The rest of the warriors came into view, dragged back by Ella and Melonie, who were no better than human in strength and speed. Where Melonie walked freely, Ella was tied and gagged, nudged along at a quicker pace by the Huntress assigned to guard her.

“You both understand the plan?” Greer motioned for us to keep going.

The plan. Lance and I would continue west, skirting the encampment and coming from behind while Greer's group split in two, flanking east and south. Our numbers were laughable but we were organized, which was more than the beasts could say. At least according to Ella. We would use her bombs to distract, perhaps take out a few of the beasts if we were lucky. The goal was to get Kelly and Andrew away while Greer went for Saska.

“Wait for our move. Do not engage without us.”

Her words were meant for Lance, but I needed to heed them as well. Rushing headfirst into a battle with fifty beasts was not wise and could end up getting Kelly killed along with both of us.

“When I get Kelly in sight, I'm going after her,” Lance said over his shoulder as he walked away.

“Keep him locked down until we get there, Ariana.” Greer's eyes were cold as she watched Lance walk away. “If he becomes a liability, you know what you have to do. Remember our mission. If you are still a member of this tribe, that is, and haven't completely turned traitor.”

I flinched. Low blow. She meant kill Lance. Or at least incapacitate him. Whatever it took to get Kelly back. And Greer did mean it—whatever the cost as long as we got the Huntress with the power of prophecy. That had always been the agenda. Our mission, to bring Kelly back to the Queen so that we would have the power to portend. Now the stakes were higher but the goal was no different. At least as far as Greer's tribe was concerned.

I stuttered over that last thought. Greer's tribe but not mine? I gave my head a hard shake then turned and followed Lance into the denser part of the woods.

Lance was mad and hurt, wanting to smash his fist into the nearest tree and also grab Ariana and kiss her so passionately that she wouldn't dare think about leaving him. Wouldn't dare flirt with the idea of severing their bond. But he was always competing with something when it came to her. No easy match for him. No loving Order Huntress to warm his bed and fight by his side. No. That was never meant to be his destiny. He had to get the feral cat, the one with claws. Wild, untamed, and he loved her for it. Damn it.

Destiny or not, if he had to choose, Ariana was the only one he wanted.

But how could he fight against her unyielding need to be free of him? He thought he'd melted her enough. He thought he'd proven just how much he needed her. What could he do to prove to the stubborn woman that being together was the only way? He knew it in his gut, in his heart. How?

By proving that she can't live without you.

But she could live without him. She just shouldn't want to.

“There,” Ariana whispered as she pointed through a thicket of bushes. “Do you see?”

Lance snapped his full attention to the scene ahead, then had to stifle his urge to bolt through the makeshift cover to Kelly.

He crouched in lower, shoving past the first layer of branches and leaves, heaving forward to get a better look.

There were beasts everywhere. Lance counted at least twenty, but he was sure there were more out of view. The camp wasn't exactly a clearing, more like a conglomeration of pits, dead logs, hastily built lean-tos, canopies of leaves jutting in at odd angles where tree branches had been warped and twisted. There wasn't a completely clear view of the entire space, which didn't bode well for them in terms of straight attack.

The beasts themselves were grotesque as would be expected. Walking bipedally, as was Lazarus's preferred form. These creatures had all learned from him, presumably. Ranging in size from gigantic to monstrous, they were each proportionally unreal, with huge, fanged gaping mouths, and gnarled limbs that ended with deadly looking claws. The beasts were covered in coarse fur, long and matted in most cases, grunting and growling their way around the camp.

And amongst all of the beasts, was Kelly, gagged, her screams muffled, eyes wide with terror as a beast loomed over her. The monster ran a distorted, taloned finger down her cheek, not hard enough to draw blood, but enough to send the message home. Kelly's screams grew more frantic. She writhed against the bonds that held her in place, bound to a pole, arms latched behind her, legs tied at the ankle.

“She's fucking terrified,” Lance growled. “I need to get to her.”

Ariana slipped her hand over his shoulder, hauling him back an inch so she could cram in next to him. “You'll do no such thing, Hunter,” she hissed. “You know the plan. If you charge in there, you'll ruin everything. Possibly get Kelly killed. Is that what you want?”

Lance grumbled to himself. She was right of course. Greer's plan wasn't one he would have come up with but it had sound reasoning, in theory anyway. At least if Ella's bombs worked.

“Shhh,” she hissed again as another woman came into view.

Short, stocky build, her profile suggesting a similarity in appearance to Ella.

“Saska,” Lance whispered.

It had to be. There was no mistaking the family resemblance, even more so as she faced them briefly while moving around Kelly and the pole. She was Ella's twin but with marked differences. Long flowing hair for one, a scar running from forehead to chin, straight along the contour of her brow, cheek and chin, bubbled and white, an old wound that hadn't been healed properly. Worse, though, were her eyes. If the eyes were the windows to the soul, Saska's was all corruption and evil. The look she had for Kelly was pure malice, the sneer she wore only adding to the effect.

“What's the matter, Huntress, is your beast not to your liking? Should I cut you down from here and give you to him?” She cackled when Kelly's screams grew more frenzied.

“That can't be Andrew.” Lance fisted his hands before reaching awkwardly to pull his sword, his brain refusing to accept that he was seeing his old friend.

Ariana nudged him to stay still. “Calm yourself, Hunter. It's almost time.”

“Beast, return to your human state. Your Huntress can't handle this transformation. You'll get no prophecy from her when she's this scared,” Saska said with a wave of her hand.

The beast grunted, bared its fangs in Saska's direction, but ultimately did as she asked. In a blazing flash, the beast disappeared and there stood Andrew, a little disheveled, hair longer, a beard growing wildly, but Andrew all the same. Well, at least until he shifted so Lance could see his eyes.

And what he saw there made him shudder.

“Kelly,” Andrew cooed, his tone bordering on taunting. “My sweetest treasure, do stop your screaming.” He moved toward her, hand raised as if he was going to caress her face, but instead slapped her so hard her head snapped to the side and a spray of blood splattered through the air.

Lance jolted; once again Ariana held him in place. “Soon, Lance, soon.” She pointed toward the opposite side of the encampment, directing him to see movement he hadn't noticed before. Greer and her women, ready, waiting.

And a good thing too because Lance was set to take Andrew out and end this shit once and for all.

“Andrew,” Kelly moaned as she pulled her head back. “Give me a chance, let me help you.”

Andrew's smile was sick and twisted. He moved closer to Kelly once again, this time caressing her face, a thumb rubbing over her brow. “You can help me, sweetheart, if you let me into your head.” He tapped her forehead. “We've talked about this already. You stop fighting me, let me in and you can help me.”

“Andrew, I—”

He tapped her forehead again, harder this time. “No, Kelly, no more talking.” He gripped the sides of her face, squeezing so her features compressed and she let out a strangled scream. “Let. Me. In,” he bellowed.

Lance rose from his crouch with a yell of his own, his sword in his hand as he barreled through the brushes.

He heard Ariana swear from behind him as she crashed through as well.

“Get your motherfucking hands off her, Andrew!”

Everyone looked at him—Saska, Andrew, and Kelly. Each with their own expression of mild shock.

Andrew was the first to recover. “Lance, old friend, I can't say this is totally unexpected, nor that it's a pleasant surprise.”

“Boys, you know what to do,” Saska yelled.

The beasts in the vicinity turned full attention to them, stalking like it was a game. Lance braced himself for the defensive, his hand going back to make sure Ariana was behind him. When he met only air, he shifted to find her, only to see that she had come up next to him, her own sword in her hand.

“You just had to be the hero, huh?” she said as she, too, braced for attack.

Lance whipped his head back to the beasts, ready as they launched.

“Hold!” Saska held her hand up and the beasts froze. She cocked her head to the side, eyeing Ariana intently. “You have my sword.” Although her tone was calm, her eyes blazed with barely contained fury.

“It's not your sword anymore,” Lance said as he shifted closer to Ariana.

Saska flashed him a sneer before returning her gaze to Ariana. “It's not her sword yet either. She hasn't committed herself to it. Bring it to me, girl, and I'll spare your life.”

“There is no fucking way I'm giving up this sword to you,” Ariana said with a hard laugh. “Let Kelly go and I'll spare
your
life.”

Lance heard the lie in her words.

Apparently, so could Saska. “It seems we're at an impasse.” She moved back a few paces, her proximity to Kelly making Lance tense all the more. “Unless I motivate you in a different way.” She pulled a blade from the folds of her shirt and moved so that she could press it to Kelly's throat.

“No!” Lance took a step toward them, stopping in his tracks when Saska made a quick slicing motion with the knife, barely cutting skin but the message was received.

“If I give you the sword, you'll spare Kelly's life?” Ariana held the sword out.

“Ariana, she can't take the sword from you unless you give it willingly,” Kelly's trembling voice burst out. “Don't give it to her. She'll use it to find more Huntresses, and it's the Huntresses' deaths that give her the power to open the portal to Tartarus!”

Lance held his arm out to stop Ariana's movement. She snapped a look at him that was part
what the fuck
and part
oh fuck
.

“You keep your mouth shut!” Andrew slapped Kelly so hard her head snapped to the side, effectively removing her from Saska's blade.

Lance charged Saska, his sword leading the way, hoping that Ariana would take his cue and head for Andrew.

Caught up in the moment, he was almost at Saska, his blade mere inches from her chest when the first bomb went off and Lance went flying backward to thud against a tree.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Locked In

I scrambled to my feet, Lance closely following, twirling around in the dust storm created by the bomb, trying to find my bearings.

I was expecting to hear shouts, war cries, bellows. But instead I heard grunts, groans, and not in the dying kind of way.

The dust cleared and panic hit.

There were beasts down, to be sure—eyes gaping, mouths open, blood coated and dying—but not as many as I'd hoped.

Out of the woods came my tribe, weapons in hand, ready for battle.

But that wasn't the whole scene.

The pack came charging from all directions. More beasts than we ever would have guessed, double the numbers of those who lay dead. For every Huntress there were at least four, and they took advantage of the surprise.

Greer and the tribe were corralled between beasts and trees, facing Saska and Andrew. Greer caught my eye, gave a minute shake of her head as she gripped her sword tighter. Ready to fight despite the unfavorable odds. The air was thick with tension. Muscles twitching, fists clenching, fangs bared.

“Oh, Thia, you always do have to make a grand entrance, don't you?” Saska cackled as one of the beasts pushed Ella forward. She'd been untied and ungagged, presumably on Greer's orders before the attack. Now she stood facing her sister, no weapon in hand, looking pale, her body trembling.

Was she scared?
I frowned. She was evidently weak, the shackling that Greer had given her hours earlier still in effect.

“You've gotten what you want, Saska. The Huntresses are trapped,” Ella growled, her voice hoarse. “And you've got Kelly. Your plan is playing out to perfection.”

Saska frowned, tilting her head to the side as she studied her sister. “You've betrayed me haven't you, Thia?” Her tone was laced with poison but not surprise.

A chill skittered across my nerves.

“No matter, dear sister.” Saska stepped closer to Ella. “I've learned something since you've been gone.”

I snapped my gaze to Greer who flexed her fingers, raising her hand as if to tell me to hold for a moment, her eyes riveted to Saska.

“I've learned that what makes you a Huntress, gives me what I need to fuel my spells. Call it a soul, life essence, magic, whatever. When a Huntress dies, I have enough power to open a portal and release more beasts.”

One of the beasts moved in a flash, gripping Ella by the hair and yanking her head back as it ripped into her throat with its massive fangs. Blood jetted in an arc as the beast released her neck with a roar.

Saska moved in then, taking her sister's face between her hands as the beast held her in its arms.

I made a move, a slight shift. I could mend that wound. I could save Ella from bleeding out. Why wasn't Greer doing something?

I raised my sword, readying to launch.

Greer beat me to it. She hit the beast that was holding Ella with some kind of blast, a surge of power that boomed. Knocking it on its back, taking Ella down with it.

She was wielding power. Ella's power. She must have taught Greer how to cast a spell.

The blast caught Saska off guard, pushing her back, her surprise making her wobble, undefended when Greer tossed another blast her way. The brunt of it appeared to hit Saska's shoulder, burning her as it arced from Greer's fingertips to Saska's flesh.

The woman cried out, fury evident as she stumbled back a few more steps. Her other hand came up to touch the burning wound on her shoulder, the clothing frayed and blackened. She glared up at Greer, hatred burning in her eyes.

“That was not playing fair, Huntress,” Saska growled.

“If it's a game you're after, trust me, it'll soon be over.” Greer lifted her hand as if to launch another spell, a nod in my direction at the same time.

Her voice was in my head.
“Get to Ella, Ariana, stop the bleeding. I'll take care of this bitch.”

In that moment of distraction, while Greer was talking to me, Saska swept her hand, fingers splayed and Greer went from standing to flying through the air like she weighed nothing. She landed with a hard thud and a groan against a nearby tree. She collapsed in a heap, eyes closed, body crumpled up. I could make out the rise and fall of her chest and breathed a sigh of relief that she wasn't dead.

Saska smirked. “The game isn't over until I say it is.”

She moved to her sister's prone body. Kneeling next to her, Saska then pulled another blade from her waist sheath. “It's a worthy sacrifice, Thia, trust me. You'll be reunited with your beast once again.”

Ella's eyes widened as Saska angled her blade against Ella's neck, slicing deep, cutting through the wound that the beast had made.

“That was taking too long,” she mumbled before she rose.

I wanted to run to Ella, wanted to scream, to stop it but I knew it was no use. She was dead within a minute, the light from her eyes extinguishing as I watched. Anger burned within me. But one look at the scene made me hesitate again. Every Huntress had at least four beasts surrounding her, all with blood-thirst in their eyes, fangs dripping, claws raised. Lance glanced at me briefly, his eyes telling more than words could.

We're fucked.

When Saska stood fully, she stretched her arms out wide, seeming to breathe in all the air around her. I felt the spark of magic there, felt it like a jolt in my blade, from tip to handle and coursing through my body. Ella was dead and Saska had taken a part of her essence… I looked down at my blade and saw a pulse of light, a subtle flash. Saska had taken Ella's essence, but not all of it. I'd gotten some too. What that meant I didn't know. Maybe we weren't fucked after all.

“Retrieve the prophecy, Andrew. I have a date with Lazarus that I mean to keep,” Saska said.

“Kelly, my sweet,” Andrew coaxed. “Let me in, baby. Just like the old times, let me in.”

“Will you let Lance and the Huntresses go?” Kelly's voice was shaky, tears streaming down her cheeks as she stared into Andrew's eyes.

“No, Kelly! Don't make any deals!” Lance bellowed. “Don't let him in! Whatever he agrees to is a lie!”

“Open the portal, Saska. I'll get the prophecy one way or another.” Andrew nodded, a subtle gesture that was barely noticeable.

“Kelly!” Lance flung himself forward, intent on stopping Andrew.

With a cruel laugh, Saska spun, launching her blade so that it impaled Lance's leg, halting him in his tracks as he crumpled down on one knee. As if it were on some kind of elastic string, Saska pulled the knife out, making it fly back to her hand in a spray of blood. Before I could get to him, the blade hit again, this time in the gut, only to be once again yanked back by that invisible thread. Lance groaned as he slid to the side, hands clutching his abdomen.

“I can do this for hours,” Saska laughed.

“It's all a game to you.” Greer was on her feet, her own blade in her hand, and it seemed to be shimmering with power.

Saska let out an exaggerated sigh. “Will someone please take this bitch out for good?” She motioned to the beasts.

Greer raised her weapons, blade in one hand, sword in the other. “Bring it on, beasties.”

I ran to Lance, skidding on the dirt as I slid to my knees. “Fucking hell!” My T-shirt was filthy, and tangled up under my various sheaths and holsters. “I don't have anything to tie this off with. I need to mend these wounds before you bleed to death.”

“No, save Kelly,” Lance said as he pulled his shirt off with a grunt. He ripped a strip, moving to tie off his leg wound. “I'll mend myself. Go and get Kelly out of danger.” He nodded behind me.

I followed Lance's line of sight and immediately made eye contact with Kelly. She shook her head and then turned back to face Andrew.

“The prophecy is there for the taking, Andrew, I can see it forming.” Kelly closed her eyes. “Come and get it.”

“Saska, sheath your blade and get that portal open,” Andrew shouted.

Lance shoved me back, forcing me to rise. With my sword still in hand, I was unsure what to do.

As Andrew placed his hands on Kelly's head and closed his eyes, a glint of something caught my attention I turned my head, watching as something shimmered through the air. I trailed its arc, confusion making me question what I was seeing. It looked like a…water balloon? When it hit the ground, just at Greer's feet, it shattered and a fine mist of liquid coated the beasts surrounding her.

The beasts screamed, clawing at their fur and flesh as the liquid dripped from their bodies, sizzling with whatever that ball had contained. It didn't have the same impact on Greer, though. And with a wicked smile, she lifted her sword and brought it down on the beast in front of her. Poisoning it with the slash of her blade.

More glassy balloons began raining down. Greer caught my eye and motioned for me to go for Saska, to take her from the flank while Greer came at her from the front.

I looked at the woman, too busy with her spell to realize that she was in imminent danger. Too cocky to see what was going on around her. Oh yeah, that bitch was going down. I nodded back.

We launched ourselves in unison, swords in hand, and I was certain this battle would be wrapped up in seconds. Just as I was within a foot of Saska, my body hit a wall that seemed to envelop me like a cocoon before shooting me back out again. My ass hit the ground for the second time that night.

“What the fuck?” Greer and I both grunted at the same time.

Saska had cast some kind of protective cover over herself. No wonder she seemed unfazed by the raging battle.

“Greer!” I shouted, my eyes growing wide as a black hole opened just behind Saska, growing in size as she continued to wave her hands and mumble her spell.

Greer scrambled to her feet, taking another charge at Saska only to be halted mid-leap by the outstretched arm of another beast.

She cut it down just as Andrew stumbled away from Kelly, unable to keep himself upright as he moved toward Saska.

“I have the prophecy!” Andrew yelled triumphantly.

And with the portal open, Andrew on his way to Saska, I charged, pummeling Andrew with the full force of my body so that he staggered to the side, his balance precarious. I righted myself and then hit him again, pushing him right into that gaping maw of a black hole that Saska had opened.

Andrew's eyes grew wide with shock and then, in a flash, he transformed into his beast, clawing desperately to stay out of the portal. I stepped back, lifted the sword and then slashed his paws away. He yelped, snarled, tried to bite, but it was too late—he was getting sucked in. The portal was apparently two-way and it was hungry for bodies. I stepped back a few more paces, not wanting to get sucked in as well.

In a blink he was gone, and then Kelly began to screech in terror.

There was too much, a frenzy of things going on.

Greer looked at me, sword in hand, and then dove for Saska once again. This time she burst through whatever protective bubble Saska had, knocking Saska back before embedding her sword right in the spot where Greer had burned her earlier. She screeched as she pulled back, removing herself from Greer's sword and fell to the ground. The moment her chanting stopped the portal began to close and Kelly's screams grew more frantic.

I cut her down from the pole.

“Stop!” she screamed. “Make it stop, make it stop!” She clenched her head, her eyes squeezed shut.

“What is it, Kelly? Make what stop? Tell me what to do!” I didn't know if she could hear me, her screaming so frantic that she was hysterical.

“I can feel him, he's trapped. He's calling to me.” Kelly snapped her eyes open, seeming to choke on the last scream. “Andrew is pulling me in.”

And her body began to slide, like she was being yanked by an invisible rope, straight toward the portal.

“Cut the bond!” Greer shouted. “Use the sword and cut the damn bond, Ariana!”

I snapped my gaze from Kelly, her slide toward the portal slow but steady and then to Lance, who tried to stand, his sword in hand, only to be struck down by a beast that was taunting him.

No!
I jumped up, took a step toward him.

“Ariana!” Greer yelled. “Save Kelly!”

With eyes wide I looked at Greer. Her order was clear. Save Kelly was the mandate. No matter what the cost.

And so this was my choice.

The time to decide is now. Sacrifice your heart. Choose between your tribe or your mate. Condemn someone to death.

I turned to Kelly, my feet moving so slowly, like they weighed a million pounds.

Sever the bond. Keep Kelly out of Tartarus.

Keep her away from Lazarus, who was no doubt waiting for her in his hell dimension with Andrew now at his side.

Be the champion.

Sacrifice.

Greer spun, cutting down the beast she fought, one who'd stepped in to protect Saska, unprepared for the second one at her back. I jumped forward and slashed it down the middle with my sword. The blade sliced through his flank like it was made of butter. I was a warrior, a Huntress made stronger by the bond of my Hunter.

Blood splattered over me. Washing my face in gore as Greer cut down yet another beast headed our way.

Greer met my gaze. “You know what the right choice is.”

I gave a hard nod. “I've made the choice.” I held the sword up, offering the hilt to her. “You are the champion, Greer, not me. This role was meant for you.”

Greer stared down at the weapon, eyes blazing as she curled her fingers around the hilt.

“You make the choice,” I said before turning away, moving toward Lance as if in a daze.

I could be an Amazon Huntress
and
bonded to Lance. I could be the beacon of unity. I could do these things but only if Lance was at my side.

I pulled my sickle once again. My old familiar weapon of choice. The one that had served me well for decades.