Blood Chained (Dark Siren Book 3)

by Eden Ashley

  Seeing the rogue lying in the dirt with its mask splintered into separate halves and blood dripping from its mouth and nose, for an instant Rhane was confused. Then he noticed the faint throb in the knuckles of his right hand and realized he must have hit it—hard.

  The dizzy beta stirred up an impressive amount of dust as it struggled to its feet. Using their strange language of hisses and clicks, Cronus called out to the beta. Rhane didn’t understand the words, but the tone was clear. The beta was to stand down. Apparently a bit of a hothead, the rogue did the exact opposite and charged, firing the gun twice as it did so.

  Rhane twisted out of the way easily enough. The creature was in too blind of a rage to really take aim. Before it had time to register the miss of its intended target, Rhane had shifted his weight to balance on one hand, disarming the rogue by planting the heel of one boot into the base of the rogue’s skull. The creature crumpled to the ground, twitched a few times, and lay still.

  That pretty much put everyone in a tizzy. A dissonance sounded as all sorts of screeches, hisses, and wails erupted into the desert air. Several more guns and a couple of spears were brandished in near synchronicity as the rogues assembled into formation around him.

  Perfect.

  He tried to keep everyone calm. His eyes searched for Eris in the crowd but couldn’t place him. “Relax. He’s not dead,” Rhane said. To be sure, he honed an ear on the unmoving rogue. There was a heartbeat. “He’s not dead,” Rhane repeated more confidently. “I was only defending myself and have no intentions of hurting anyone else. The spears can stay if it makes you all feel more comfortable. But the guns really need to go away.”

  Taking two steps back, Rhane weighed his options. He could kill them if necessary, but it would be a tough story to sell the need for such extreme measures, especially since the rogues were supposed to have his full cooperation. And if the Primes didn’t believe his account of what happened here, War could end up paying the price. The beta had drawn first, said they didn’t need him anymore. That was troubling. Rogues hadn’t somehow found a way to the Heart, had they?

  “Guys—” Faint tremors travelled beneath his feet, negating the need to finish that sentence. With the rumble came the memory that had eluded Rhane before. But it was too late. “Okay. We’ve got bigger problems.”

  If the rogues harbored any ill thought or plan against him, both were without a doubt forgotten as the booming cadence of approaching footsteps shocked their senses. To make such a sound required a mass not possessed by any animal that currently walked the planet.

  Without looking, Rhane knew the Courtyard of Primes was missing at least one of its sentinels. The thunderous clap of stone pounding against earth came from a creature that did not live but yet had somehow come to life. Never a witness to the phenomenon firsthand, the legend of the sentinels was firmly instilled in Rhane’s mind from childhood, as it was with all Warekin younglings. The energy of a fallen Prime never truly died but lived on in any monument designed in his image. As long as the tribute remained, so would the Prime, always serving, always protecting the city.

  He watched as, one by one, each rogue’s gaze lifted upward. Rhane turned, and he too saw the massive head looming ominously above a partially disintegrated wall. An eerie blue light emanated from the eyes. In a glow of the same hue, symbols of the old language lined the legs and flank.

  Rhane clenched his jaw to keep his mouth from falling open. A part of him still couldn’t believe it was actually happening. “I suggest we run now.”

  But the rogues did the very worst thing they could have done when facing a fifty-foot wolf formed entirely of stone—they open fired.

  Wasting no more time not heeding his own advice, Rhane broke for cover. To a certain extent, he ran to avoid getting hit by a stray bullet laced with bane silver that would only serve to complicate an already deteriorating night. But mostly, Rhane reacted to avoid what would come next.

  It took the rogues a second too long to appreciate the futility of their weapons against the lifeless creature. Two of their comrades were pulverized beneath the giant pillar of the sentinel’s hind foot before the others scattered. Crushed rock and sand rained from above, cascading to the desert floor as the great stone mouth parted. Scooped up mid-stride, the beta met a gruesome end, smashed between the sentinel’s stone jowls. Rhane looked away as its remains spilled to the ground in pieces.

  He was torn.

  Only moments before, rogues were about to attempt to cause him serious bodily harm and he had been ready to defend himself at any cost. But somehow, sitting there, it was difficult to watch them be slaughtered like helpless livestock. Maybe a bond of fellowship had sneaked up on him during some point of their missions together, despite the divide in both species and cause. More likely, the pull he felt to help was because of Eris. Somewhere amongst the carnage was a creature he had never thought he could form any sort of connection with. But Rhane had come to empathize with the old soul and had possibly even befriended him.

  “Okay,” he said aloud as white fur rippled down his forearms. “Here goes.”

  The wolf was strong and it was immortal, but Rhane wasn’t sure how much damage teeth and claws could inflict on a raging monolith. He would have to find out soon. The surviving rogues didn’t have much time left.

  Of a unit boasting over twenty members, fewer than ten rogues remained. Fully transformed, Rhane galloped toward the bloodshed and hoped Eris was still among the living. He put every ounce of power into the last bound, launching the great wolf into the center of the action. Literally. The wolf slammed into the pillar of a massive foreleg, knocking the sentinel off balance and off the course of obliterating a cluster of trembling rogues. The impact rolled through Banewolf’s body, pushing him back ten feet through the sand. Both wolf and sentinel recovered at once. The stone canine leveled its blue gaze at the white wolf as if assessing the new threat. Banewolf paced in the giant’s shadow, ripping free a ferocious snarl when the sentinel dared look away.

  Behind him, rogues were wisely using Banewolf’s intervention as an opening to flee. They hadn’t gotten far when the sentinel leapt over the wolf to cut off their escape. Caught off guard, it was a scramble to catch up. In about three seconds, the sentinel would get another taste of rogue blood.

  It doesn’t want me. It wants them.

  Not knowing what else to do, Rhane guided the wolf into its fastest lope and highest jump. Then he dug every claw into the stone hide and climbed. Aiming for a dinner plate sized left eye, he leapt from the sentinel’s back and onto its enormous head. He couldn’t have done better hitting the target. The sentinel roared. Stopping in its tracks to buck and rear, it whipped its head and shoulders to and fro. Not anchored deep enough to endure, the wolf’s claws slipped free. The sentinel retaliated, plowing into Banewolf’s side as he fell with a sweep of its head. The wolf rolled with the impact, minimizing the damage. Gathering his feet, Banewolf braced for the next attack. But the blow never came.

  The sentinel had moved on, faster than before, intent on overtaking the rogues. Rhane steered the wolf after it, thinking past his mounting frustration.

  This isn’t working.

  He caught up to the stone guardian with only a breath to spare before using his body as a shield for the next punishing swipe of the sentinel’s paw. The strike sent wolf and rogue flying through the air. They collided with a half-collapsed wall, finishing the ruin started by nature, time, and neglect. Banewolf rolled to his feet, forcing air back into lungs knocked windless. He stood over the fallen rogue, recognizing the scent and slanted shoulders all at once. Eris.

  Think.

  This would be his last chance to save the rogue. The sentinel was coming straight for them. Maybe it was adrenaline, but its eyes appeared to burn an even brighter blue.

  It doesn’t want me.

  Trust your instincts.

  The sentinels are guardians.

  Blood.

  Recalling the wolf, Rhane resumed human form
faster than ever before. He pulled the knife from his boot and quickly drew a thick slash on the underside of his arm, down past his wrist, and into his palm. Blood poured from the wound, dripping to the ground in copious amounts. He spread the warm splatter onto Eris’s fallen form just as the rogue began to regain consciousness and the sentinel lowered its head for the next assault. The creature charged and Rhane lunged sideways, trailing his palm down the stone head and withers. The long smear of blood, at first black in the starlit night, began to glow with a soft blue radiance. The light deepened in color, matching the symbols already illuminated on the sentinel’s body.

  The goliath slowed its charge. Then it simply halted.

  Eris still wasn’t moving, but the sentinel had stopped right above his body. Rhane waited tensely while his mind scrambled to construct a viable Plan C. What he came up with more closely resembled a Plan F. Rhane really hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

  Instead of attacking, the sentinel turned back to Rhane, and with an uncanny gracefulness, lowered its head. Stone became still again and Rhane could finally relax…until he heard movement behind him.

  Thinking the danger over, five rogues had come out of hiding. The sentinel didn’t look happy about it.

  Rhane spread his arms wide. “No,” he said. “No more killing.” Very carefully, he retreated to where the rogues were huddled, reeking of fear. The cut on his arm was healing fast, so he had to risk a few sudden movements to mark the clothing of the survivors with his blood.

  “No more killing,” he repeated. “Stand down.”

  Behind the sentinel, Eris had quietly gotten to his feet but wisely moved no further.

  After what felt like a human lifetime, the sentinel lifted one monstrous paw and stepped over them. Rhane stared up at its belly as the rest of the guardian’s towering form sailed past like a slow moving freighter. The thunder of each step receded, eventually fading as the sentinel reached the courtyard and settled into its resting place. With one final motion, it lifted its gaze to the stars.

  Stringing together a slew of swears and oaths that would make York proud, Rhane sank down into the fine sand. The night marked the first time in his life he had cared whether a rogue lived or died. The moment was kind of cathartic.

  Eris approached, but kept his head angled toward the stone monuments as if expecting them to be reanimated at any point. “That was incredible,” he said, offering a hand to Rhane. “You saved our lives.”

  Rhane shook his head, accepting the help as he climbed to his feet. “You would have done the same for me.”

  Eris nodded seriously. “It would be an honor to repay this debt. If you ever need anything, anything at all, just ask.”

  “Thank you.” Rhane surveyed the remaining rogues. He was unsure what would happen next. After the insane ordeal they had narrowly escaped, there was no way these guys could be sticking with the original mission to recover some mysterious stone. Rogues needed to clear out of the outpost as soon as possible. Rhane took a breath to tell Eris exactly that, certain he would be more receptive than the late Cronus, but the rogues fell back, suddenly raising their weapons again. Even Eris looked ready for a fight.

  Tensing, Rhane whirled and caught sight of what had spooked them so.

  It was Jethra, but she looked nothing like the proud and regal Mother Rhane knew. Her clothing was torn and muddied. She was covered in blood, only some of it hers. And another scent came from her wounds, one Rhane did not recognize. Whatever had done this to her was bad news.

  “We do not have much time,” she said as if to confirm the thought. Circles of pulsing light charged in both of her hands. “They are not far behind.”

  Rhane looked uncertainly at Eris and the rogues standing behind him. Their weapons were still pointed at Jethra. “Is this going to be a problem?”

  “No. These men belong to the original unit I commanded. They are loyal to me.” Raising a closed fist, Eris addressed his company. “Lower your weapons.” The rogues obeyed immediately.

  “Eris, something bad is coming. You and your men really need to get out here.”

  “I meant it when I said it would be an honor to repay my debt to you. If that time is now, so be it.”

  Rhane placed a hand on the rogue’s shoulder. “And it would be an honor to have you repay it. But not like this. I just saved your life. It serves no one for you to turn around and sacrifice it now.”

  After a brief consideration, Eris accepted that. Though he gestured for the unit to move out, the reinstated commander lingered at Rhane’s side. “When you need of me, ask for Eris, the priest’s son. Any rogue will know me.” A hint of scorn shaded his voice. “My father is pretty infamous.”

  “Thank you, friend,” Rhane said warmly. “Now go. Please.”

  As soon as the rogues had disappeared from sight, Jethra all but collapsed in Rhane’s arms. “Help me,” she said weakly. “Rhane you must…help me.”

  Chapter 38

  Kali stretched across the sofa with a thawing ice pack on her shoulder. Resting her head against the pillows, she listened to the nonstop barrage of gunfire punctuated by the occasional explosion while trying not to focus on the throbbing pain that seemed to reach into her marrow. Matthias sat near her feet, completely absorbed in one of War and Rion’s beloved first person shooter games. That afternoon he played alone. Rion had shown little interest in video games since War’s abduction. He’d made the effort to teach Matthias the basics, gaming with him a few times to hone new skills. But after that, he’d practically abandoned virtual battlefields.

  Rion entered the living room now, armed with a fresh ice pack to switch out for the old one on Kali’s shoulder. He was recently showered and dressed in sweats and a black t-shirt with “Fur Is Sexy” printed in block lettering

  “Here ya go,” Rion said with a grin that was both apologetic and self-satisfied.

  “Thanks.”

  “I really am sorry about the shoulder.”

  “No you’re not.” Adjusting the pack, she scooted up higher on the sofa to make a spot for him. “But you don’t have to be. We were sparring, and you got a lucky shot. It happens.”

  Rion practically jumped on the sofa. “That was not a lucky shot. I kicked your ass all afternoon.”

  Opening her mouth to protest, Kali snapped it shut. He was right. She’d been completely off balance today.

  Rion nudged her. “Still worried about your sister?”

  She nodded. “But it’s more than that. The fight we had yesterday was the worst in years. Plus…” Kali bit her lip.

  “What?”

  She looked at Bailen meaningfully. She couldn’t stop worrying about him.

  “Right,” Rion said, understanding immediately. “That goes without saying.” He patted her leg.

  “And this waiting is driving me nuts. I just don’t know if I made the right decision.”

  “It’s not all on you. We all agreed that giving the statue to rogues was the best chance we had at getting our people back.” Fishing through the cushions, he dug out a fist-sized rubber ball lined with suction cups on all sides. “I’m sure we’ll be hearing something soon. Rogues wouldn’t waste time using what could end up being the keystone to all this mess.” He studied the ball thoughtfully. “You know what does bug me though?”

  “What’s that?”

  “I went back and plotted the coordinates we skipped in order to catch up to the rogues in Asia. The first set of numbers, rock, is located in the ruins of the Gobi outpost—the same one where Gabe tried to capture you, and in escaping, you guys managed to devastate the only part of the city untouched by the decay of time.”

  Kali smirked. “Thanks, Rion.”

  “And the location of mountain, get this. An actual mountain sits right on top of the plotted coordinates. Between Pakistan and China.” With a flick of the wrist, he launched the rubber ball straight at the television. The suction cups did their job and stuck fast to the screen.

  “Hey!” Matthias protested
as the ball “walked” down the face of the television. Before their eyes, his skill disintegrated with the obstruction. There were bursts of gunfire, followed by flashes of red that filled the entire display, and Matthias’s avatar fell dead onscreen. He tossed the controller to the floor in disgust. “You’re a turd.”

  Rion grinned. “We have taught you well.”

  Kali kicked him lightly with her foot. “You’re awful. Now tell me what the name of this mountain is and what’s so interesting about it?”

  “It goes by many names, but K2 is the most common. Everest has a higher summit, but K2 is way more deadly. We’re talking a five percent death rate vs. an almost twenty percent death rate in climbers.”

  “That isn’t exactly riveting.”

  Rion rolled his eyes. “C’mon. We were all assuming that only one set of coordinates mattered…well, maybe two. That submerged island seems a bit shady. But what if there is something else to be found out there? Another piece of the puzzle that we’re missing.”