Marcus hadn’t hunted me down yet, and Dex and Brogan had confirmed that he didn’t seem to be trying all that hard, but chances were he would come after us soon. But when? Would he wait it out over the winter, causing us to believe he didn’t need me anymore? Or would he come before the bitter cold set in and wipe them out?
I wasn’t prepared to fight him yet. I wasn’t even allowed to use my new powers for fear of becoming a signal, so I had no idea what I could do. But if I left now, it might save their lives. Then again, he’d hunted down both my adoptive parents and my birth parents and killed them even though I wasn’t with them. He’d hunted them because they’d done him wrong, and the way Marcus saw it, every one of my family members had done him wrong. I just had to end this before he got the opportunity to end it for us.
I followed a small creek until I crested a ridge, and the trees opened up to a clearing. It was filled with a sea of purple and pink wildflowers that ran down to the edge of a deep blue river. The wildflowers acted as the perfect backdrop to the majestic mountains shooting straight up from the earth behind them. The mountains were rugged and jagged, traces of fresh snow sat in steep crevasses, and tuffs of grey clouds lingered near the peaks.
This would have been someplace Colt would have found and brought me to. He would have wanted to share this simple beauty with me. For the first time since marrying Marcus, I felt warmth, real warmth spread through me.
I followed a narrow animal trail towards the crystal blue water. I lowered my hands and opened my palms, allowing the delicate stems to glide over them with their silky softness. The fragrance began to linger in the surrounding air, drifting higher and filling my senses. I inhaled and let my mind wander to happier memories.
A small smile traced my lips as I imagined my mom dancing through the flowers. She’d twirl and make small ballerina leaps, causing my dad and me to laugh at her foolishness. She’d pick a flower and place it in her hair…and if Colt were here he’d have made a crown of flowers for me. He’d have placed it on my head and called me his princess…
But all this was just a memory now, and it needed to be pushed back, put into its proper place, because that wasn’t my life now. Everything had changed the moment I found out I was Timeless.
I stopped in my tracks. Directly in front of me in the marshy grass of the slow moving river was a moose. It raised its head and glanced at me before it returned to its grazing. A snort left him as he moved to find juicier grass. I took the trail leading to the left to avoid the moose. We could both share the lake without bothering one another.
I stepped out onto the rocky soil, staring into the water, the sun reflecting off the surface. I used to be like that. I used to be my family’s hope. I hated the burden set upon me, but now I understood. How funny that it took everything I’d gone through to get to this point. All the failures, all the burdens, all the weight I carried on my shoulders...it was real. I was the Timeless race’s hope, and now they didn’t see it. They saw me as a threat.
My mind wandered back to my mom, to Sahara’s journals. Had there been more clues in her writing telling me what I needed to do? Had I missed something? Were there other pages of her journal in her room? Or had Marcus found them and destroyed them? Did he know what I was up to? Did he know my mother’s thoughts and plans?
I picked up a rock and skipped it across the rippled surface, watching it hop and skip till it came to a stop and sank. I’d hopped and skipped through life…and now I was about to sink. I had no clue what I was doing.
I brushed a stray lock away from my eyes and decided it was best I headed back. It wouldn’t be long before the sun would be setting over the mountains and darkness would fall upon me. Regardless of my family not understanding, I didn’t need to cause them worry, especially Lilly. I looked up and made note of my location so I could return.
I followed the trail through the wildflowers back to the forest’s edge. Soon the wildflowers would wither and die as the first frost came, and I wanted to remember it like it was, fresh and vibrant. I knew that, like these flowers, I too would fade away and become a distant memory if I managed to sacrifice myself to restore the powers Marcus had stolen.
A cool breeze whistled through the trees. Once the sun went down, the night chill would come, and my clothes were still damp from the rain earlier. It would take me a while to get back. A warm shower, as warm as the old water heater would allow, would be welcomed. No doubt Daniel and Colt would be hovering nearby. They meant well, but there was nothing they could do for me.
A large yawn escaped me, and I sighed. I needed sleep too. As each day passed, it was becoming harder and harder to resist. This was by far the longest I’d gone, and it hadn’t been easy. Even as a Timeless, I required more sleep than the others, who could sometimes go for a week at a time. I’d seen Colt’s concerned stares; he’d seen the dark circles under my eyes, but with sleep came nightmares. I couldn’t handle the visions of my family dying, or the emotions it stirred inside me.
As it was, it seemed as though only Daniel, Colt, and Maes had concerns. They had been the ones that had woken me. The others likely thought I was getting what I deserved, that it was Marcus tormenting me…and they were probably right.
But how? How could Marcus come to me in my dreams, let alone send a vision? We were hundreds of miles apart; surely he couldn’t reach that far? No, I shook my head. This was all my wild imagination taking over. These were my fears manifesting themselves. The fears I had of losing everyone, nothing more.
A branch snapped in the distance, and I stilled. My gaze roamed the ever-darkening forest, searching for the cause. I flexed my fingers, ready for just about anything. It was probably just a deer or elk. I’d seen plenty wandering around, and it was rut season. I certainly didn’t want to run into the moose in the dark.
I continued on. The forest was growing gloomier by the moment, and I rubbed my arms. The night chill was setting in, and I picked up my pace. I could picture Lilly pacing before the enormous fireplace, the worry in her blue eyes. She’d blame herself that I’d run off, thinking that she should have been there for me. And Colt, he was probably already out searching for me.
A flash of white caught my eye, but it wasn’t the white from a deer’s tail or a rabbit. This was the white from something I knew too well. At the same moment, the scar on my back began to ache. Tresezes were here.
Low growls began to emerge from the forest, but I couldn’t see them. The cloud cover had returned, and there was no moonlight to show me their location. I’d have to wait till they snarled and showed their teeth.
I took slow, deliberate steps forward. I inched closer to a fallen tree that had wedged itself upright against another. I needed the advantage of higher ground.
I heard the sound of movement on the right, then on my left. They were stalking me, most likely trying to circle me. I just had to make it to the log first before they blocked my path, and then I’d know what I was dealing with…how odd Marcus had waited so long before sending them. I was surprised they hadn’t made any moves earlier, unless they’d been watching our camp without our knowledge. No, Maes would have known. He was out scouting all the time. These had to be new arrivals, and they’d found their target—me.
I took off in a sprint towards the log when the sickening smell reaching my nose. Tresez reek of rotting flesh, and I didn’t need them to be close to smell it.
Sharp claws sliced into the back of my jacket, grazing my skin, just as snarling fangs lunged towards my leg. I tumbled to the ground, barely missing a large pine as the Tresezes came to a stop, circling me. I looked up; Marcus had sent three massive ones, unless more waited in the shadows. Coal black eyes stared me down as razor-sharp teeth snapped the air around me.
I was flat on my belly, my hands pressed into the cold forest floor. I needed to be standing to battle them. I crawled to my knees, my fingers tingling with the power that ran through me. There was no way I could fight these creatures off without the aid of my powers. Despite M
aes’s order, I had to use them or die…and dying wasn’t an option. Dying meant Marcus would receive all my powers—it wasn’t going to happen.
Without warning, the Tresez to my left reared up on its hind legs and crashed its paws into my back. A choked scream left my lips as the air escaped me. Instant pain shot up my left arm. I looked back to see it rearing up once more, and scrambled away before it landed another blow.
Within a second, fangs sunk into my left shoulder, tearing at the flesh. I rolled over, ignoring the pain, and clawed at its black eyes, releasing a small pulse of power. The creature yelped and jumped back.
I’d done it with one hand, whereas in the past I always had to have both! I didn’t have time to enjoy the small victory though.
I struggled to my feet, my left arm dangling at my side. I couldn’t even move it. The three beasts were circling me again. Raw adrenaline consumed me, and I swung my right arm at the closest beast. A blue light grew in the palm of my hand, and I released the surge of power. The Tresez was crushed against a pine, and lay there without even a whimper. It was still, lifeless on the ground. A small stream of smoke rose from its head, and the smell of burnt hair lingered.
My vision grew blurry for a moment and then cleared as I blinked. It was as if I could see these night creatures clearly now, could hear their heartbeat, their breath in my ear. All my senses were suddenly heightened.
Slow heavy breaths filled my ears, as the hair began to rise on the backs of their necks. I blinked. It looked different somehow than what I’d seen in the past. The clumps of hair were forming spikes. Was this something new, or was it just because of my heightened senses?
Simultaneously, low growls grew as they revealed white fangs emerging from pink, fleshy gums. They both began slowly stalking forward. Which one would leap first, I didn’t know, but I kept my palm up and out.
I took cautious steps back. I had no idea if a tree, stump, or fallen trunk would cause me to trip. I needed to remain on my feet with these two and stay away from those spikes. They obviously hadn’t shown them till now, and I assumed there was a reason.
I could feel warm blood running down my back. The Tresez’s teeth had sunk deep. I tried to pull my left arm in closer to my body. I didn’t need it to be something they could latch on to easily.
Without warning, one leapt straight for my chest. I aimed a surge of power at its own chest, knocking it to the ground. I searched for the second one. It had disappeared, and the one on the ground was now rising.
I was suddenly flung into a tree as the missing Tresez collided into my back. Pine needles and branches scratched my face as I struggled to right myself. I didn’t have time to try to push myself up as razor sharp teeth caught my calf and dragged me out.
My right hand ignited with power and a yelp escaped the Tresez as I made contact with its nose. I jumped to my feet and met the other black creature head on, latching my arm around its throat. A barb from its neck embedded itself into the back of my right arm, and I wanted to scream as a lightning bolt of pain traveled up to my neckline. I pushed it back. I needed to end this now.
I threw more of my weight on to its back, enduring the sharp barbs as I focused my power into the palm of my hand. I made contact with its throat and released the growing surge. A strangled gurgle left its lips and then it fell to the ground, taking me with it.
I frantically kicked at its neck, shoving it away and setting myself free. The lone Tresez didn’t waste any time as it ran by and latched on to my left arm. A blood-curdling scream left my lips, and it took a few moments for me to realize I was being dragged through the forest.
I tried to right myself, my right hand reaching out to grasp anything, but the creature was moving too quickly. It was darting in and out of the trees, jerking me back and forth, so I couldn’t touch it.
I fought to see what was coming, where he was taking me, when I spotted a fallen tree. He was heading straight for it. I braced myself, curling my legs behind me. Just as my back and thighs hit, I used my legs to propel myself into its side.
The moment I made contact with my hand, I released a surge so powerful it blasted me away. I hit the ground hard and searched for the creature. It lay completely still on the forest floor. Blood oozed from its chest where my hand had touched. The large incision was still smoking. A gooey red substance began to ooze out and I heard the faint sound of a heart beating.
I remained motionless, watching the unmoving creature and listening as the heartbeat began to slow and finally stopped. I laid back on the pine needles and took a breath. It was done. The Tresez were dead, but I’d used my powers.
I rolled to my belly and began panting. I may have won, but I’d sustained heavy injuries. I needed to get back, to warn the others—there might be more here or coming. I scooted close enough to a lower branch and pulled myself up to my knees. I bit my lower lip as the jolt of just standing nearly sent me down again.
I tried to pull my left arm closer, only to have a different kind of pain lodge itself into my neck and then run down to my thigh on my right side. I leaned against the tree for support as I tried to catch my breath. I glanced down; a barb was protruding out of my right thigh. With all the strength I could muster, I yanked it out.
A scream escaped me, and I fell harder into the pine tree. It almost felt worse after pulling it out. It was as if the air alone were causing a reaction. I had to get out of here…I needed help.
I struggled out from under the tree and looked around. I wasn’t even sure exactly where I was anymore. I hobbled around, searching for where I’d first encountered my attackers. If I found the spot, I’d have a better idea which way to go. As I walked, the patter of raindrops began to echo around me. The rain had returned.
My clothing was soon soaked through as the rain grew heavier, and I couldn’t control the shivers quaking through my limbs. I spotted the first dead Tresez in the darkness, still slumped over on the ground. At least now I knew where I was.
Every step was excruciating. Each and every jarring movement brought me closer to my knees. I walked for hours, willing myself to keep going. This was survivable…unless I succumbed to hypothermia.
A break in the trees told me I’d finally made it back. I stepped into the meadow and saw the beacon before me. Light was emerging from the large windows, and then the steel doors opened.
I fell to my knees. I didn’t have the strength to push on. Steam poured from my mouth as I panted. A large black Tresez was racing towards me. Maes had seen me. Colt and Daniel ran after him while a few others gathered on the stone steps.
Maes shifted right in front of me and caught me as I collapsed.
“What happened?!”
The word barely escaped my lips before my eyes rolled back. “T—Tresez.”
*****
Voices whispered around me, tickling my ears. Warm, tender fingers brushed my hair aside and dabbed my temple with cool water. I inhaled and took in the woodsy scent. He’d come back. Colt had brought him back as he promised.
“Callon,” I whispered.
“Rest, sweetheart,” a low voice rumbled. “You’re safe now.”
My lashes fluttered open. Colt was sitting on the edge of the bed, stroking my cheek, and the early morning sun was streaming through the windows. Callon hadn’t returned. My chest tightened. I began to realize he might never come back, at least as long as I was here.
“Cheyenne,” Daniel said, grasping my fingers and pulling my hand to his chest. He sat on the other side of the bed. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I was run over by several semis,” I replied. I ached everywhere, but ache was far better than the pain that I’d been in.
A worried smile perched on his lips. “Well, from the looks of things, that seems pretty accurate.”
I glanced around the room; this wasn’t the bunkroom I’d been sleeping in before I escaped to the shed. This was the room Maes had wanted me to take, the one I’d refused. A real shiver escaped me. I could feel Marcus’s presen
ce here.
A door creaked open and several heavy footsteps neared. Maes, Koda, Dex, and Brogan circled the large bed.
“I need you to tell us exactly what happened, Cheyenne,” Maes said, his arms crossing and his jade-rimmed eyes focusing on me.
“Every single detail,” Brogan added.
I met his hard stare as he crossed his arms as well.
“I met up with some Tresezes,” I said. “We fought, they lost. The end.”
“Where?” Koda moved in behind Colt, his hand resting on his cousin’s shoulder. “Did any get away?”
“No, none got away, and it was about five miles from here.” I looked towards Maes. “Didn’t you already go out and find their bodies?” I knew he would have searched; I also knew I hadn’t been out that long.
He didn’t reply, but looked at Dex.
Dex stepped forward. “We pulled some barbs from your back and thighs. If they’d been left in, you’d be close to death right now.”
“You should have left them in,” Brogan said under his breath.
Colt jumped to his feet, his chest puffing, anger blazing in his icy blue eyes. Koda pushed him back.
“If I die, Brogan,” I said with icy coolness as I forced myself to sit up, “then Marcus gets all my powers. How much better will that be for you?”
Daniel scooted closer, his arm coming around to support me.
“Enough,” Maes growled and stepped closer. “You used your powers.”
“I had no other choice,” I replied.
“You’ve just brought Marcus to us, Cheyenne!” Brogan growled.
“Brogan, I just overheard you telling Dex that Marcus’s army hasn’t been around. Besides, if it bothers you that much, then I’ll leave.” I made a moved like I was getting up, even though I didn’t know if my thigh would support my weight.
Awakening: A Timeless Series Novel, Book Four Page 7
