Torn From Stone (The Phoenix Series Book 1)

by Sarah Rockwood

  The only thing I hadn’t put in the bag was my bat. I knew I couldn’t swim with it, but it seemed like a good idea to have it within reach when I got back. I worked a small hole in the ground behind the tree with the end of the bat and then jammed it in. It would be easy to pull out when I got back.

  I looked out at the water, it looked so clear and inviting. It had no idea what dangers lay ahead of me. All it knew was it was warm and clear and would feel great on my body. I didn’t want to wear my jumpsuit as I swam, but I really didn’t want to end up at Cosima’s half naked. I rolled the pant legs up to my knees, folding the material carefully so they would stay up and not hinder me, and then I stepped out onto the sand.

  It felt so good to have the warm grains of glass move between my toes and around my feet. I rushed to the edge of the ocean and let it lap over my toes; it was cooler than the sand but still pleasant. I ventured into the water taking giant steps in an attempt to cover a lot of ground. It was quite shallow, and I had taken a good hundred paces before the water reached my waist and I was able to swim. I had kept my eyes focused on Cosima’s home looking for any flash of movement and still there was none. It was harder to keep an eye on the compound as I swam. The buildings weren’t too far from shore but the farther out I got, the stronger the waves grew. They were the type that made you grab a flutter board. Not rough enough to knock you around, but enough to bob you up and down. After taking a few mouthfuls of salt water, I gave up watching and focused on swimming as quickly as possible. In no time I had reached the steps

  The steps went down into the water, so when I climbed on the first one, I was waist deep again. My ears strained for a sign of life, but the only sound was that of the waves slapping gently against the wood. I stayed where I was and scanned the buildings, searching for Cosima. Still, I couldn’t spot her, even the lookout was empty. I took a deep breath and started up the steps. I had made it up two of them when I hit a patch of algae. Before I could throw an arm out to stop myself, I had fallen hard on my side. I cried out briefly in pain and then squashed it down, hoping that the splash had covered the sound. I sat on the step and rubbed my hip trying to loosen the bump that was already forming. I had also scrapped my right calf as I fell. It was pretty bloody, but I could do nothing about that now. Fearing another fall, I crawled on my hands and knees, the rest of the way up. I really hoped that Tegus and Boaca weren’t watching, I looked like an idiot. I could just picture the two of them hissing away, crawling over each other with mirth at my expense.

  I made it to the top. Fortunately, the buildings were on solid supports, so I got to my feet easily. This first structure was incredibly tranquil. It was around open space about the size of an average living room. There was no roof, but a large sail had been draped to shield half of the space from the sun. In this shady spot about half a dozen man-sized cushions were scattered, ready for lounging. I quickly crossed the platform and headed for the bridge. It was a series of broad planks lashed together with heavy rope and attached at each end to a platform. There were no handrails, and the thing bowed in the middle towards the water, looking like some sort of fun house ride. After falling on the stairs, this bendy structure was not appealing. Fighting against instinct I put a foot tentatively of the first plank. The bridge groaned softly. I brought my other foot to join the first. The bridge sighed. I started to walk forward, staying as close to the middle as I could. With every step, the bridge made a slight moan that was barely audible over the movement of the water. As I shuffled across, the ropes bent to my weight, making wherever I was the lowest point on the bridge. I had seen Cosima dash across this thing, barely making it move. At first, the universal reflex of ‘I’m bigger than her!” reared its ugly head. This was quickly followed by ‘if I’m bigger, I can kick her ass’ which won out. Let the skinny bitch have the bridge, I could rough her up if necessary. Although in a fight it’s usually the craziest person who wins and Cosima made crazy look like a lifestyle.

  I grabbed the half wall on the other side to help me off the bridge and onto the next structure. This was the largest of the three, a two-storey building, each storey having a half wall that wrapped around the entire floor. Each level was shaped like a giant doughnut, the centre being open to the ocean below. One could dive from the second floor straight down into the water. A stairway wrapped around part of the atrium connecting the two floors. The décor here was an extension of what I’d seen on the deck, more sumptuous pillows and mats, ornate side tables and woven chairs that twisted and turned, suspended from the ceiling. As I looked closer, I could see lengths of ribbon and fine gold cord, as well as sleeping masks and small paddles, stashed discreetly amongst the chairs and cushions. It looked like a posh S&M lounge, the perfect place for a large group to get comfortably kinky.

  I crossed to the stairs, trying to ignore the luxurious scene. Some of it looked rather inviting, under the right circumstances. I took the stairs slowly, bringing each foot onto the stair before I proceeded to the next. It was tedious, but I needed to be sure the wood wouldn’t creak. There were still two more areas to check before I knew I was alone. I stopped as my head broke through to the second floor. I turned quietly on the spot and looked around. This level was sparse like no one really spent time here. A table and chairs and a couple of cushions were the only furnishings. Silent as a mouse I crept onto the second floor and located the next bridge. The distance between these two buildings was smaller than before, but the structure of the bridge remained the same. Not wanting to repeat the drawn out agony of my first crossing I decided to take a page from Cosima’s book. I took a deep breath and dashed across. Surprisingly the bridge did not bend as much, and the only sounds were my soft footfalls against the wood. I arrived on the other side with a big grin on my face that was quickly smacked off.

  Cosima was here. She lay sprawled across her bed in a deep sleep. I could see her clearly through the open spiral staircase that stood in the middle of the room and led up to the lookout tower. Her bed was built into the curved wall of the building; the head of the mattress bent to accommodate it, and the end was round. Cosima’s lovely red body was a languid splash against the creamy linens that covered her bed. She was partially on her side, the curve and swell of her hips draped gently with a sheet. A twist at her waist allowed her back to fall against the mattress. Her arms stretched above her, arching her back and emphasising her firm, ample, chest. She really did have an amazing body, like Noiryn’s blue, her shimmering red scales accented all the right places. It’s strange; she spent most of her time naked but slept draped with a sheet.

  I pulled my eyes from her and scanned the room for the skin. I was hoping it would be out in the open, but when I couldn’t immediately spot it, I began to carefully search. There was a small chest on either side of the room. The first contained more of the items I’d seen downstairs, it seemed that Cosima was very into tying people up. I suppose she could have liked being tied up, but somehow I didn’t think so. I moved to open the second chest. It had a lid as well as interlocking doors in the front, and I fumbled as quietly as possible with its many parts. It opened like a three petal flower, the lid rising and the doors opening wide like waiting arms. The inside was lined with a padded cloth, more burgundy, like blood by moonlight. There were beautiful pieces of jewellery hanging from delicate hooks mounted on the doors of the cabinet, strings of pearls and links of heavy gold. In the body of the chest were larger pieces. A sword lay on its side, the ornate handle glittering. Beside it, a broad-brimmed hat made from dark felt, and an old-fashioned pistol. There were two traditional sailor hats, each embroidered with the name of the same ship. Next to those, covered in a fine layer of dust, lay an eye patch and hook. Here were the many trophies of Cosima’s conquests.

  I was very tempted to run my hands over these objects. Inanimate though they were, they each radiated a palpable story. I knelt there and swayed with the desire to touch, but before I could wrap my hand around an ivory boned corset, I saw it. It lay on its side just b
ehind the sailor hats, had I not made a move for the corset I would never have seen it. A lavender feather. My feather.

  It was the one she had taken from me before The Guard had Bound me. I reached for it with greedy elegance, careful not to damage the delicate thing. The feather was about ten inches long and almost as broad as my hand. It was a beautiful shade of lavender, and I trailed it down my arm absorbing the softness of the plume. I definitely wasn’t leaving it behind. I tucked it down the front of my suit, deep, so it rested in the waistband of my panties. It wasn’t perfect, but at least I could save it from Cosima’s horrible hands. I stood and closed the chest.

  I closed it more quickly than I had intended and the wood made a sharp clack as it shut. My body froze as I cast a hasty look at Cosima. She made a soft moan and rolled completely onto her right side. I let out a silent sigh of relief and assessed the situation. I had not found the skin. I had looked everywhere, and I had not found the skin. ‘Well’, I thought, ‘that’s not true, you haven’t looked everywhere.’ ‘Oh yeah?’ I replied to myself. ‘Where haven’t I looked?’ ‘You haven’t looked under the bed.’

  Sometimes I hate being right.

  The bed was higher off the ground than a normal mattress would be, so there was probably storage underneath. I got down on the ground and tried to see under the bed. The covers had moved around as Cosima slept and I could not get a clear look underneath. I crawled slowly to the end of the bed. I figured if Cosima did wake up she wouldn’t see me immediately, I might have time to crawl under the bed and hide. When I got to the foot of the bed, I gingerly lifted the sheet and put my torso as low to the ground as possible. There was nothing under the bed. Nothing. Not even a dust bunny. I rested my forehead on the wooden floor and let my heart sink. Mastyx had said it would be in the bedroom, but it wasn’t here. I had had a pretty good look around the rest of the compound and hadn’t spotted it. What if she didn’t have it anymore? Or worse, what if Mastyx just sent me here to get my ass kicked. That thought sobered me up. If the skin wasn’t here, then I’d best be getting the hell out. Cosima let out a long snore.

  I straightened up. Sitting on my heels, the bed was at eye level. Cosima was still; the only movement was her ribs fluctuating with her breath. Relieved, I began to turn. As I moved to my right, I caught a shape on the bedspread. It was almost the same colour as the sheets so I would only have seen it this close. The skin. It looked like a child-sized translucent plastic suit. I reached out for it, barely letting my hand touch the sheets as I moved to grab it. When my fingers made purchase, I pulled it towards me as gently as I could. It was much softer than I imagined, it had the move and feel of rough silk. I pulled it from the bed and folded it; my hands began to tingle slightly as I worked. Gently I manoeuvred the skin into a shape resembling a thick postcard. I didn’t want the skin touching my feather, so I slid it down my back to rest snuggly in the strap of my thong. As I manoeuvred things, the feather shifted and tickled but remained in place. I wiggled, making sure the skin was secure, and my low-back began to tingle. I ignored it and started crawling away from the bed. I waited until I was half way across the room, at the foot of the stairs, before I stood. From here it was a clear run to the bridge. I was almost out of there, and I had the skin. I started to feel a bit cocky as turned around to survey Cosima one last time.

  “Hi, Phoenix.”

  21

  She was sitting up in bed, smiling at me. Her curvaceous body was a naked red slash against the sheets. The shock was so big I screamed.

  “Ahh!” Wow, so much for cocky.

  “I’m afraid I can’t let you leave with that.”

  “With what?” When in doubt, play dumb.

  “Tut, tut, sweet Phoenix.” She began to move languidly towards the end of the bed, her third eye moving up and down my body, independent of the others. Instinctively I took a step back. “You have one of my trophies pressed gently against your ass, and I must insist you return it.” She smiled. It was a lipless twist of her face. “Or I could take it.” I took another step. “Yes. That’s what I’ll do.”

  She leapt off the bed towards me. I was already at the bridge by the time she passed the stairs. I was half way across when I felt the whole thing buckle as Cosima cackled.

  “No wings to help you now!”

  She had loosened the ropes that held the bridge to the bedroom. As the bridge swung down like a pendulum, I struggled to stay on. I managed to get hold of the wood rungs and ride the painful jolt as the entire concourse smacked against the main building. My body snapped forward and back, hitting the boards with the force of my weight and a downward trajectory. I could feel fresh scrapes form on my forearms as the bruise on my side got worse. From the structure above, Cosima’s dumbfounded screaming filled the sky. I had to keep moving. I inched my way along the boards and got one foot on the half-wall of the bottom floor. I moved both feet onto the ledge and looked back at Cosima. Rage burned in her three eyes. She took a deep breath and jumped into the water.

  I jumped down from the wall into a pile of cushions. Cosima had not yet emerged, but there was no way I could get to the stairs before her, besides, I didn’t fancy my chances against her in the open water. I scrambled into one of the suspended chairs and disappeared into it. My weight kept the solid wicker side turned to the room. When Cosima broke from the water of the central atrium to land on the worn wooden floor, I was well hidden.

  “Come out, come out, where ever you are!” She was barely out of breath. Shit. “Dear, sweet Phoenix, did Mastyx charm you? Did he convince you that you were up to this task?” I could hear her footstep as she made a circuit around the room. She had chosen to walk away from where I was, but the circle would bring her back to me. “No one takes from me, Phoenix. No one. Not Mastyx and not you.” Her voice got wild as she bellowed. “I have heard men scream my name as they drowned! I have felt flesh tear under my hands! I move with the cunning of a shark and you! You! The one we Banished! You think you can escape me?” She was getting closer now. I could hear her smacking at the other chairs suspended around the space. “I have tasted your blood, Phoenix.” She was right behind me. “And I will taste it again.”

  I couldn’t resist.

  “Fuck you.”

  She screamed and spun the chair around. I was ready for her and kicked out as she dove towards me. The kick caught her right in the mouth, and she rocked backwards leaving a spray of blood in the air. I threw myself out of the chair and slammed down on top of her, straddling her. I was in a perfect position to punch her. So I did. Several times. As I swung for the fourth, she recovered and grabbed my hand and flipped me. We rolled over each other a few times and ended up in a pile of cushions. She was on top of me, between my legs, her pelvis pinning mine, my arms caught above me. She held me still as she drew back to look at me.

  “Such a pretty thing. I like you better without the wings.” Her third eye travelled down my chest. “It’s much easier to put you on your back.” She ground her body into mine and lowered her face towards me.

  As she moved, her grip on my hands loosened. I didn’t hesitate and was able to flip us again. Once I was on top, I wrenched my arm free and punched her in the solar plexus. The force of it made her gag. I crawled off of her as a spurt of saltwater spewed from her mouth. I scrambled forward on my hands and knees trying desperately to put space between us. Before I got too far, she was on me again. She used her body to hold me down against the pillows. The skin began to tingle, sending waves of pleasure along my spine.

  “Can you feel it?” I was not going to answer. “The skin? It’s against your bare flesh. I know it is. I can feel it pressed against us both. Separated by a thin bit of cloth.” She undulated her frame along mine. “Let’s see if we can wake it up.”

  The tingling from the skin increased. A warm sensation began to pulse out from the skin to my pelvis. I could feel its energy move and caress the deepest parts of me. Cosima’s body rocked against mine as the skin reached out to her.

  �
��That’s why he wants it back. Can you feel it? Who would give up such an amazing trinket?” She moaned. “Give into it, darling. Let me show you the edges of pleasure.”

  Images flowed through my mind. Snapshots of the two of us, of what could be. In her bed, in the water, under the full sun, here on the padded floor. Ropes, blindfolds, paddles, pain, joy. Through our bodies, we would ride the knife-edge of endless pleasure. I couldn’t help but arch into her body. Cosima laughed.

  “That’s right, Phoenix. First your wings and now your body.” She whispered in my ear, “I will make you my slave.”

  That one word sliced through all the images, through my body, to my heart. The place where my wings once were blazed with pain as my power flared.

  “No!”

  I used all my strength to throw her off. She flew back into the cushions, dazed by my sudden outburst. I got to my feet and kicked her in the gut. She vomited saltwater. I could smell the brine hit the floor. I stepped back from her and watched her writhe on the ground. I was so done with this.

  “Get up,” I whispered. She made no move to get to her feet. “Get up!” I bellowed at her, but she continued to grope around in the salty mixture she’d spewed on the floor. “I’ve had enough of this.”

  I moved to pick her up off the ground. I wanted her on her feet before I knocked her out. I swept my wet, salty hair off my face and put one hand on her shoulder, the other went to the base of her neck. I gripped and had started to pull when she released the spines. I had forgotten they were there, but the pain quickly reminded me. I screamed, and she retracted the spikes.