“Over here!” A deep voice rumbled.
Trackers too!
“Forget the chains. Run!” Colt shouted.
He pushed me in front of him, and we sprinted through the forest towards the falls. Pine needles brushed my jacket and cheeks as we wove through them. I glanced up. It wouldn’t be long till nightfall. My thoughts turned to Daniel. He must’ve told Callon by now. I could only hope the Tracker patrol here wouldn’t find the others too quickly. Otherwise…
Colt stumbled, his foot catching on a tree root. I held out my arm to help catch him, but we both collided with the hard soil. Any air in my lungs escaped me as Colt landed on top of me. I winced.
Colt didn’t move quickly. I wiggled my way out from beneath him and helped him to his feet. He shook his head slowly. His footing was unsteady. My heart ached seeing him like this; this was not the strong Colt who’d carried me across the ravine. How much damage had these chains done to him?
The thundering footsteps were getting closer, and the panting breaths of the Tresezes weren’t far behind. I shivered as I remember their awful scent…dead rotting flesh. There were more than we’d anticipated. They must have been hiding.
Run! A familiar voice screamed in my head. Run towards the falls!
My eyes widened. There was no question now. It was Maes! Somehow he was able to speak to me through my thoughts. I’d have to figure out how later. Right now I just needed to listen.
I yanked harder on Colt’s chains and glanced back at him. He was breathing heavily, his face pale and his pace becoming more and more unsteady. He must have hurt his leg. Please, Colt, we just had to make it a little farther!
Suddenly Koda appeared. He shoved his shoulder under Colt’s arm and pushed him along.
“I’ve got him!” Koda barked. “Get to Brogan now!”
I nodded, running faster. Brogan came into view, just at the bottom of the small ravine. He pushed me behind him, pressing me against a boulder. Colt and Koda landed safely behind us, hidden from sight as well. Brogan’s back tensed. The Trackers had paused at the top of the ravine.
“This way!” one shouted. Their footsteps soon faded.
I stared at Colt. He lay on his side on the cold, hard ground, his chest heaving. Koda held onto his shoulder, his eyes filled with worry as he stared at the chains.
“Did you try and remove the chains?” Koda asked.
“I can’t. Colt said they’d drain me of my powers.”
“Maes may know a way,” Brogan said. “Let’s get him to the falls.”
Both Brogan and Koda helped Colt to his feet. I was surprised Brogan wasn’t angry that I’d rescued Colt alone, but maybe he was saving the lecture for later. First we had to get Colt free.
We set out quickly, checking the shrubs and trees for hidden movement. We wouldn’t have much time before the Tresezes picked up our trail. I kept my hand around Colt’s, squeezing gently.
Soon the roar of rushing water caught my ears. We were back. Callon and the others were sitting by the pool, looking tense. The second Callon saw us, he shot to his feet and bolted to Colt’s side.
Koda and Brogan eased Colt to the ground, and he sat against a boulder. I kneeled beside him, still holding his hand. Daniel appeared beside me and didn’t hesitate to wrap Colt in a hug.
“Chey and I knew we’d find you, Colt. We knew it!” His voice shook.
Colt didn’t reply, his head hung between his knees. He was still trying to catch his breath. What had become of him? Would he ever get his strength back?
“Can we do anything for him, Callon?” I pleaded. “Can you give him something, anything, so he’s not so weak?”
“There’s nothing we can do,” Maes said. He stood to the side of Brogan and Koda, studying Colt. “At least not here, not now.”
“We can’t stay here,” Brogan said. “We have to get moving.”
He went with Koda and the others to prepare the horses.
“Help get him up,” Callon said.
I leaned forward and pushed up under Colt’s arm while Daniel and Callon pulled him to his feet.
“Stay here, Cheyenne,” Callon ordered. “I can at least patch him up a bit before we go.” He nodded to Daniel, and they headed over to Bo.
I ran my thumb over the back of Colt’s hand.
“We’ll bring you home,” I said. “Then you can forget about this nightmare.”
Colt’s head slowly rose. He looked at me, a new brightness in his icy blue eyes. A smirk perched at the corner of his lips.
“Interesting choice of words, sweetheart.” His voice was low, gravelly. “But there’s something I have to tell you, first.” He pulled his arms taught and then slammed his wrists together. The chains clanked, and he caught them in his fist. I stood unmoving, my gaze locked on his face. “Is this my nightmare, or yours?” The sunken patches under his eyes filled in, the dirt on his clothes and cheeks disappeared. He rose up taller, the muscles bulging beneath his tight shirt.
“Colt…” I could barely speak, unsure what was happening. Why was he looking at me like that?
“I just needed you to come to me, and you did, like always. You’re so…predictable.”
He lunged forward, the chains wrapping around my waist and pinning my arms down. My skin tingled, and my head instantly throbbed. The chains began to illuminate a bluish hue…they were draining me of my powers!
“No!” I screamed.
He crushed me to his chest, my feet leaving the ground.
“No, Colt!” Callon bellowed and rushed forward, but he abruptly stopped as Colt tightened the chains around me. Daniel yelled, jumping to my side, but Colt smacked him away like a mere fly.
“Colt, stop it!” I cried. “He’s your brother!”
In seconds, everyone was back. Brogan, Koda and Maes surrounded us. Clayton, Andre and Nakari made a second circle.
“Colt, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Callon growled. I caught a flicker of despair in his hazel eyes.
I moaned. It felt like the very life within me was being drained away. Tears pricked the corner of my eyes. Why was Colt doing this?
“Let go of Cheyenne,” Callon said. “Marcus must still have a hold on you. You don’t want to hurt her.”
“No, Callon, no one has a hold on me. Not Marcus, not you, not our father. I’m free for once in my life, and I’m doing exactly what I want.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Daniel pleaded, wiping the bleeding cut on his face. “You’re hurting Cheyenne!”
“She’ll be fine.” His cheek pressed against mine, and he raked his fingertips through my hair. “She’ll be treated better with Marcus than with any of you.”
“He’ll drain her of her powers and kill her!” Brogan growled. “You’ve really overstepped the lines, Colt. You’re making yourself our enemy!”
“Ha, like your empty threats mean anything!” Colt shot back. “You’ve been fighting a losing battle for years. Now I’ve finally seen the light. Marcus has shown me the truth, and Cheyenne deserves to know as well!”
“The only truth Marcus knows is his greed and lust for power!” Callon shouted. I’d never seen him so angry. “Let her go, Colt. I won’t ask you again.”
Colt chuckled. “And still you keep feeding her with your lies,” he said.
“What are you talking about?” Callon’s eyes were livid.
“You know what I’m talking about. All the half-truths, all the history you’ve deliberately hidden from her since the start. All so you can control her, so you can take her powers just like you claim Marcus wants!” He turned my head towards Nakari. “Callon never told you about Nakari, did he?”
Nakari’s eyes grew wide.
“Colt…” Callon warned.
“You didn’t bother to inform poor Cheyenne that you were engaged to Nakari, did you, brother?”
Nakari’s lower lip began to shake, as her green eyes locked on me. I could only stare back, shocked. I knew they’d been close in the past, but…Callon
had been engaged to her? Is that why Nakari was so wary around me? Had she feared what I’d do if I ever found out? I’d already admitted to her once that I’d wanted to harm her.
The chains grew tighter, and my body grew weaker. I couldn’t even speak.
“What pathetic excuse will you give her, Callon?” Colt jeered.
Callon clenched his fists. His hazel eyes looked to me, filled with sadness, but also defiance.
“I didn’t tell you, Cheyenne, because I knew how you’d react. I knew you’d take it the wrong way, and you were struggling with your grief. I didn’t need to make it worse.” Callon’s eyes narrowed. “The past is the past. It can’t be changed or denied. Our future is what matters.”
Koda snarled; he’d heard enough. Without warning, he charged, his hand coming around my arm, but Colt jerked me sideways and slammed his elbow into Koda’s chest. Koda groaned, stumbling back.
“Marcus has brainwashed him well,” Koda spat as he regained his balance.
“No,” Andre spoke up. Callon looked to her.
“What?”
“He’s not under Marcus’s control,” Andre said, averting her gaze. She didn’t want to believe her own words. “He’s doing this on his own.”
She knows, Cheyenne, Maes’s voice rumbled in my head. She can sense when others tell the truth.
No…this couldn’t be…it couldn’t be!
“No,” I sobbed. “Colt, no!”
Dark forms moved in the shadows, and low growls erupted. Colt had laid a trap. He stepped back with me still pressed to his chest. The rescue party that had come to save Colt had fallen apart within mere minutes. They stood stunned, speechless as the Trackers and Tresez moved in.
“Colt, please,” I begged. “Don’t do this!”
“You’ll thank me later.” He turned, and we headed back towards the ravine.
“This is your family,” I murmured. “We love you.”
“You know nothing of love, child.”
His words cut deep. What had Marcus done to him? Marcus had him believing in his own lies to the point it was now the truth for him. How could I help him see…
“Kiss me,” I whispered. “Kiss me and tell me you don’t know what love is, that I don’t know what love is.”
He stopped. The muscles in his arms tensed, and he turned me around so I was facing him. His thumb ran over my lower lip as hard eyes stared at me. He leaned in closer, and my eyes fell shut. He was close enough that I could feel his breath on my cheek, and my heart began to race. Just a kiss, Colt, just a kiss…
His warm lips touched the corner of my mouth.
“The thing is, Cheyenne,” he murmured, “kissing you will change nothing.”
The heat disappeared as he lifted his head and began walking again. I didn’t bother to open my eyes as the tears fell. My Colt was gone, just like his Cheyenne was gone—too much had happened to ever restore us, to give us back what we once had.
“You got her?” a feminine voice said.
My eyes shot open. Raina! How had she caught up with us so fast?
“Of course I did. You doubted me?”
Her black mist drifted in front of my face, and a slender finger ran down my cheek. My skin hissed, and I screamed from the burn.
“Leave her be, Raina!” Colt barked. “Marcus said no harm was to come to her.”
“Psft,” she hissed. “Marcus isn’t here right now.”
I was dropped to the ground as Colt lunged forward, grasping Raina by the neck. She squealed.
“You forget who’s in charge.” She vaporized and reappeared a few feet away. “You’re not to touch her—ever.”
Raina’s blue eyes filled with rage. “Your time will come, Colt.”
“As will yours,” Colt answered. “Now leave.”
Her upper lip curled into a snarl, and she vanished.
Colt yanked me to my feet, and I gasped as the chains once again tightened around my chest. The blue aura had successfully removed my powers, and I felt weak, disoriented and confused.
How had it all gone so wrong?
Colt grabbed my jacket as he dragged me to a horse. He mounted, taking me with him, when something flashed across the way. He lost his hold, and I crashed into the hard ground, losing my breath. Seconds later I was off through the trees, a gentler pair of hands around me.
“Daniel!” Colt bellowed.
Wind whisked over my face and my head rolled back. Daniel…
“Hold on,” he said. A bruise was forming on his jaw where Colt had hit him.
Blurring flecks of red danced above me. Finally Daniel stopped, and green eyes came into view. Nakari.
“You’ve got to get the chains off her,” Nakari said. “They’re sucking the power out of her!”
I was rolled to my belly as they fought to remove the metal.
“I can’t. They’re too powerful,” Daniel moaned. “I’m not strong enough.”
“Brogan!” Nakari called, and a moment later we were moving again.
The pine trees began to swirl together into a single green mass, and then everything stilled. Brogan appeared, and grabbed the chains. I felt the change the moment they were broken. A surge of power returned so strong it rippled across my skin, threatening to tear me to bits. I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Instead a blue shimmering cloud lingered in the air above me, dancing with the sunshine, and then without warning it dove back down upon me.
A violent tremor raked me. My body jerked for a few moments before a peace settled over me. I blinked to clear my vision. Daniel was holding my hand.
“Get her up!” Brogan ordered.
Daniel and Nakari helped me to my feet.
“The horses are just south of the falls. Andre’s waiting.”
Once again, the forest whipped past us at lightning speed. Mandi started whinnying the moment she caught sight of me. I leaned on her for a moment.
“It’s okay, Mandi,” I said. “I’m here.”
Daniel helped me mount.
“You’re gonna have to ride, Chey. I’m sorry,” Daniel said.
I nodded.
He smacked Mandi’s backside, and Andre, Nakari and I disappeared into the forest. My hat flew off, but I didn’t have time to care. My heart ached for the one I loved. It would have been better for Colt to remain dead than for me to see him like this. It would have been better for me to mourn him than fight him…I didn’t know if I had it in me to hurt him.
I hung low to Mandi’s chest, allowing my fingers to intertwine with her mane.
“Keep me safe,” I whispered. “Keep us safe.”
Mandi’s body rippled with strength, my words empowering her.
I heard them first, the thundering paws. A flash of black streaked by, then another and another. The smell of wet matted fur stung my nose. They were surrounding us, the Trackers, Tresezes, and Colt. Where was the rest of our group? Had Callon and the others already fallen?
We’re here, Maes said in my thoughts. Circle to your left. We’re just ahead.
I pressed Mandi on, moving past Nakari and Andre, pushing them to where Maes and the others were. They came into view. They’d formed a barrier with the horses and their bodies leaving just a small opening for us.
Mandi knew what was going on. She ran full speed until we were within the safety of the circle and then stopped abruptly. I fell off from the sudden halt.
Daniel had me up almost instantly and jumped me beside Callon and Koda. Callon’s chest heaved. He’d been fighting. Dirt and mud covered his jacket, and a twig was stuck in his hair. Relief passed through his hazel eyes as he hugged me.
“I thought we’d lost you,” he said.
I fought to push back the tears and sorrow. Now wasn’t the time, not when we were surrounded, and Colt had his eye on me. I knew what I needed to do.
I pushed Callon away and slid between the horses before they could stop me. Trackers on horses and foot were just ahead. Tresez milled about, snarling and snapping. Colt slowl
y walked his horse to the front of the line, a smirk building on his lips. The rest of our rescue party stayed behind me.
A lone Tresez, one with a white streak running from his eye to his jaw, moved towards Colt. He shifted…Conall.
Together they stood, just a mere thirty feet in front of me.
I widened my stance and removed my gloves and scarf, dropping them to the ground. If they wanted a fight, I was sure as hell going to give them one.
“You going to fight us alone, little one?” Conall snickered.
I said nothing, but kept my eyes focused on him. My fingers began to tingle as the power grew in my chest and hands.
He’s going to trick you, drawing your attention elsewhere before he attacks, Maes said. Keep your eyes on him at all times. Don’t watch Colt. It’s Conall who’ll have the lethal advantage.
I nodded to show Maes I’d heard his thoughts. Conall’s head tilted in curiosity and a brow rose.
“Are there other talents we don’t know about?” He began pacing back and forth. “Marcus would be pleased to know you’ve undergone some additional training. You were sorely lacking in that area.”
I still made no movement and no reply. Their horses grew restless, but I kept my attention on Conall.
“You know you’re no match for me, little one.” A sly smile rose on his lips.
“Awfully big words for someone who hasn’t moved yet,” I replied.
A fire lit his gold-rimmed eyes, just as a fire lit within me…a crimson-eyed fiery beast that had been itching for a release. Conall shifted mid-air, and I threw my hands out as an all-out attack began.
A wall of air hit Conall sending him flying backward into Colt. But I didn’t stop until the group of Trackers and Tresezes had also been knocked out of their formation throwing them back into the forest. I swung my arms to the right and scooped up trees and branches, using them as lethal weapons, fastening some of the Trackers and Tresezes to trees. I twirled my hands above my head and then threw them down as the gale-force winds pinned the rest to the ground.
Behind you! Maes yelled. Duck and spin to your right!
I did as he said and caught a Tresez in its side, sending it flying. I stepped back, closer to our group, and twirled my hands above my head again. I slowly lowered them, creating an invisible barrier between them and us. They may have gotten Colt, but they sure weren’t going to get the rest of my family.
Daylight, a Timeless Series Novel Page 28
