Transformation (From the Embers Book 2)

by Jaliza A. Burwell

  “There’s nothing there,” he said in a low voice.

  “What? Like my arm is gone, nothing?” I looked down at my arm, expecting to see black flesh and scorched bones or for it to have been amputated. “Holy shit.”

  “The fire didn’t hurt you.”

  I grinned at him. “I’m indestructible.”

  “Only against fire.”

  Something else crashed in another room, reminding us why we stood in the middle of a burning building.

  “How about we argue the semantics after getting whoever is trapped here out?” I asked.

  Slade slipped by, making a run toward the stairs. A blast of flames came flying out of a nearby room, aiming right for us. I did the automatic response of raising my arm to protect my face.

  A whooshing sound filled my ears and a cool breeze slammed through the room with revenge. I gasped; it felt like something was being pulled out of me. The fire and the smoke receded. Slade barely spared me a glance before taking the stairs three at a time. I wasn’t as tall as him so I had to settle with taking them two at a time instead.

  At the top, I spotted Slade long enough to see him disappearing into a room down the hall. Damn he was fast. He was holding back on me during our runs.

  When I went into the room, I came to a halt, trying to take in the scene and understand what I saw.

  Slade held an older woman. She was so small and frail that I thought she would break in his muscular arms. She probably would have if Slade didn’t hold onto her with a gentleness that I rarely ever saw.

  “Let’s go,” he said.

  “Window.” I nodded behind him. “We’re back that way. I’d rather not have a fiery beam taking us out.”

  He nodded his agreement and waited while I went over to the window and tried to pull it open, but it refused to budge. With time wasting, I smashed my elbow through instead. The glass shattered and the summer heat tried to compete against a burning house and failed miserably. I cleared as much of the glass as I could.

  The smoke sent the old woman into a hacking cough.

  “Can you do something?” Slade asked, looking pained. He deeply cared for the woman.

  “Only because it’s you.”

  Focusing on my energy, I tried to send it out. I was probably the most surprised when it worked and cleared the smoke.

  “You first, then help me,” Slade said.

  I nodded and dove out. Turning around, I helped the old woman through. She felt as delicate as she looked. If I barely squeezed my fingers, she’d break.

  As soon as Slade squeezed through, he grabbed her, and we worked our way to the edge of the slanted roof.

  “I’ll jump,” I said. “Lower her and I’ll grab her, then you come down.”

  “I can jump.”

  “No. I don’t need you breaking a leg. I can’t carry the two of you. Even I’m not that good.” Refusing to give him the opportunity to argue, I jumped down the three stories, landing softly. Then I stood up, and raised my arms.

  Slade lowered her quickly and quickly followed. I barely had her in my arms for three seconds before he was already taking her back, a growl raising from his throat.

  “Stop that,” I snapped. “I’m not a wolf and I’m not going to eat your grandmother.”

  That shut him up. I left him there, looking for a way around. Problem was, we were in the backyard and the fencing that was surrounding it was on fire too. We were stuck here until help got through the gate on the side of the house, but at least we were out.

  “The fire is going to spread,” Slade said.

  “Then I’ll take my newly discovered awesomeness and protect you. Now go over by that tree and sit your butt down. Check on your grandmother.”

  “She’s not my grandmother.”

  “Girlfriend? I think Cecil calls that a golddigger?”

  He gave me a “be serious” look, raising his left eyebrow slightly and deepening his frown.

  “You treat her like she is,” I said undeterred by Mr. Grumpy Face.

  “She’s an elder.”

  “Whatever. Go be a grump somewhere else.” I shooed him away from me.

  His lip curled into a snarl, but at least he did what I said. He gently put the woman down and began checking her over. I faced the house, noting the massive fire as it consumed it. About a year before I came to civilization, I had gotten trapped in a forest fire. Two beings had decided to kill each other and the trees had suffered for it. Compared to that experience, this was nothing. In fact, it felt comforting to me, as if I could connect with it. My arm twitched as I fought against the instinct to reach out to the fire.

  “Nyssa?”

  “Yeah?” I turned to face them.

  Slade looked pale and I rushed to his side.

  “What happened? Are you hurt?” I asked.

  “I’m fine. Listen to what Lady Monraya has to say.”

  The old woman looked up at me. “He’s looking for it.”

  I frowned. “Looking for what?”

  “All the ingredients to a curse. He’s going to end us all.” She looked so frightened as she spoke, her eyes wide and bulging. She grabbed onto me, her grip stronger than I expected. “Do not let him find it. Stop him. You need to hurry.”

  Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she slumped forward. Slade scooped her up and checked her over quickly.

  “She’s fine. Just exhausted.”

  “What the fuck was she talking about?” I asked.

  “I don’t know.” Slade looked worried as he glanced around the property. “Lady Monraya is rare. She’s a feline shifter, but she has magic too, her blood having mixed with shamans at one point. She knows shit, Nyssa. If she says we need to hurry and stop him, then we need to.”

  “Let’s focus on getting out of here first,” I said.

  “Think you can make use of that wind thing?”

  “I can try. Grab her. If this works, we need to move fast because I don’t know how long it will last.”

  He nodded and picked up Lady Monraya. She curled into him, still out of it. I approached the fire, a little wary. Sure, I didn’t burn the first time but it didn’t mean I wouldn’t this time.

  I focused on the energy thrumming through me, the way the air felt against my skin. I knew basic spells and ways to manipulate energy—just enough to aid me in a good brawl. But to use it to this extent was foreign. I didn’t have a frame of reference on my approach.

  So I did what made sense to me. I imagined the energy around me spinning in a bubble. Slade’s presence pressed against my back as he moved as close as he could. The air stirred and I opened my eyes, not even realizing I had closed them.

  Wind whipped around us.

  I blew out a breath. “Ready?”

  “Go. I’ll be on your heels.”

  “Let’s make sure this works before we sprint into the flames,” I said.

  Slade did stay on my heels as I approached the burning gate. Fire tried to burn us, but the wind around us took care of the issue. It was working. I was impressed with myself and I didn’t even realize I could get more impressed.

  “Okay. Let’s make a run for it.” I ran for the gate, not needing to look back to know Slade was with me. The mental image of our wind shield stayed in my head as I popped the lock off the gate and shoved it open. I ran through, the flames from the house trying to reach us. We broke through the front, where everyone was.

  Yelling erupted and as shifters sprinted our way, I released the wind, not knowing what it’d do to a person. They surrounded Slade and his charge. I stepped out of their way, not wanting to be mowed down by the mob of shifters.

  “Are you okay?” Landus was at my side.

  I frowned at him, a different kind of wariness taking me over now. He was looking at me with concern.

  “I’m fine.”

  His eyes slowly looked me over before he nodded and joined the others. I stared after him wondering what the heck was going on. He was confusing me.

  I t
hought he wanted nothing to do with me. Asking if I was okay was the opposite of that. And it fed into my hope.

  My lungs tightened and I went into a coughing fit. I turned away from the crowd. My lungs burned.

  “Smoke inhalation?” a man asked.

  I shook my head and waved him away. “I’m fine.” I cleared my throat. “Just a lot of excitement is all.”

  “I can check you over.”

  “She’s fine.” Landus was there again, this time holding the woman.

  The man paled, nodded, then scurried away.

  “Slade told me what she said. We need to gather everyone for when she wakes up.”

  “She should rest,” I said.

  He shook his head. “She’s fine. She isn’t as weak as everyone treats her. She hasn’t become the oldest shifter by being weak. Don’t let her trick you.”

  I thought about how strong her grip had been and nodded. “Fine. I’ll give Cecil a call. She’ll update everyone. I’ll find a neutral place for everyone.”

  “There’s a house near here that isn’t claimed. We will meet there.”

  Irritation rose up. “Fine.”

  “Fine.”

  I huffed and walked away.

  What the heck was Landus doing? He was confusing me and I hated being confused.

  Chapter Fourteen

  I remember an older woman. She had brown cracked skin and wispy white hair. Her frailty was her illusion. I remember she reached for the beast and with a smile and eyes trained on me, broke its neck. Her smile and the crunch of a broken neck echoed through my mind for weeks after.

  —Nyssa’s Journal

  It didn’t take long to get everyone gathered. Since the vampires were still sleeping, Jamal came with Mr. Sharo. I still didn’t know who Mr. Sharo’s vampire was, but he looked good for a hundred-and-fifty-year-old man with sandy brown hair and green eyes. I spotted Sarina hanging around, though she didn’t come into the meeting with us. She hung out in the backyard of the old house.

  I did get to see a brief conversation between her and Cecil. I was excited for Cecil having interest in someone, and at the same time I wanted to yank her away from the human servant while hissing. At the end of the day, Sarina belonged to the vampires, and it looked like she belonged to a very scary one at that. I didn’t want them thinking because of her relationship with Cecil, that Cecil belonged to them too. I’d fight tooth and nail for her. She was probably the only person I’d willingly burn the world to protect.

  Hopefully, it didn’t come down to the vampires learning about that.

  Everyone crowded into the open space that was a combination of the living room and dining room. Lady Monraya was on the couch, Slade nearby. He hadn’t left her side since getting her out of the burning building.

  “How long until she wakes up?” Aaron asked.

  “Now.” Landus went up to her and touched her forehead with his forefinger. My skin prickled at the zap of energy that went through the room.

  She began stirring awake right away and a moment later her eyes popped open, confused.

  “Lady Monraya,” he said in a soft, gentle tone.

  She blinked and looked at Landus. She tried to sit up but her shaking limbs refused to hold her weight. Slade helped her to a sitting position and then stayed at her side to support her.

  “Prime,” she said respectfully, with a slight tilt of her neck that was enough to show more of her neck.

  Landus smiled at her. The soft, loving expression hurt to see. I actually missed having it aimed my way. I didn’t even realize he had looked at me that way until I saw it in that moment as he stared at the shifter.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “I’m okay.” She rubbed her hands along her thighs and sighed. “It looks like we need to talk. I had hoped it would never come to this, but that attack…” She shuddered. “I didn’t know. I really didn’t.” She shook her head, growing upset.

  “It’s okay,” Slade said. “It’s fine, Lady Monraya. Be calm. No one blames you for anything that has happened.”

  “But you will. Once I tell you, you will.” Her gaze moved around the room, taking everyone in. She frowned and froze when she landed on me. Her mouth popped open before she snapped her mouth shut and shook her head. “You all will.”

  I stepped forward since her gaze was still on me. “How about you tell us and let us decide if we wish to condemn you or not?”

  “Nyssa,” Landus said with a growl.

  I rolled my eyes. “No one is going to take their anger out on her. Look at her. It looks like just breathing on her will break her. It would take a different kind of cruelty to hurt her. And if anyone tries,” I sent a warning glare at everyone, “they’ll need to go through me.”

  Landus finally switched his focus back onto the woman. Right away, I missed having his attention and that only made me angry. I hated reliance. Reliance got people killed.

  “We will listen,” Slade said. “And no one will hurt you.”

  “We’ll judge you, but we won’t hurt you,” I said.

  “Nyssa,” Slade said.

  I shrugged.

  She thought it over before nodding.

  “It’s not a happy story. We were young and foolish. We wanted... I’m not even sure what we wanted anymore. We just thought it’d be a good idea and so we did it. There was a group of us, friends, close friends, despite our differences. People mocked us, called us silly, but we didn’t care. This city did not like that a mage, witch, vampire, and shifter were close friends. There’s too much animosity between the factions. We wanted to prove them wrong. This was before you moved here, Landus. About a hundred years ago. I think it was just us trying to prove that all four factions could co-exist together peacefully. We just did it in a roundabout way.”

  She went into a coughing fit and Slade passed her a glass of water. She drank half it before clearing her throat.

  “Thank you, hun.” She patted his thigh before continuing with her story. “We found a dying man. We’d never do such things to someone healthy. So we found a dying man and we changed him. We genetically mutated the cells in his body. Introduced strains of all four of our DNA.”

  People gasped around the room. She was telling a horror story and I saw where this was going right away.

  “And so that... creature was born. He shouldn’t have existed. We saw the error right away and tried to destroy him. It didn’t work and he had escaped. We hunted him for a long time.”

  She glanced around the room. “I’m the only one left. The other three, they’ve been killed throughout the years. I can’t prove it was because of him, but I know he orchestrated their deaths in some way.” Sadness took over her expression and she blinked back tears. They still escaped, trailing down her cheeks.

  The others in the room gave her pitying looks, empathizing with her. This was a moment of sensitivity, a moment where we were expected to let her grieve.

  “And now Baron wants his revenge, not just against the four of you, but against all the races,” I said, not even pretending to know what tact meant. I’d take the lecture from Cecil later. “How does he plan that?”

  “I saw him at the house. He was the one burning it down, and as soon as I saw him, I knew right away. He wants to wipe out our races. He blames all of us, collectively, for what happened to him. We were not kind after we created him. We were trying to find a way to end him, but our races are strong, and we put the best of us into him. He’s immortal. He isn’t so easy to kill.”

  “What does he want to do?” I asked.

  Her eyes met me. “He’s collecting the ingredients for an impossible spell, but I think if anyone were capable of pulling it off, it would be him. That artifact he’s looking for, it’s a fertility one. If he can curse that artifact, it’ll spread it’s curse out to the races that he wants, not just the people, but the races themselves.”

  Landus pieced it together before anyone else. “Make all four of the populations infertile.”

  �
��Yes.” The woman hissed. “No more children, no more history. He can just release that curse and be done.”

  “But he’s too brutal and set on revenge to stop there,” I said.

  She nodded. “I believe so. He’ll make everyone infertile and then go on a hunt.”

  My eyes widened. “And he’s building a powerful army to do this for him too. He’d be able to lay waste to entire cities in a blink of an eye with the power he’s gathering. Damn.”

  “Don’t sound too impressed,” Landus said, iciness slipping into his tone.

  I shrugged. “Even if I don’t approve and would never do it, I can still be impressed.”

  “What does this spell entail?” Cecil asked, knowing better to just ignore me.

  “He needs the blood of something ancient, something impossible, and something precious. Those with fresh blood and the ancient artifact are enough to hold it all. With all that, he will be able to activate the old curse.”

  My eyes widened as they met Cecil’s. “He took Landus’ and my blood. Landus is a Prime. Isn’t that ancient blood?”

  Cecil nodded. “And you’re something impossible, a myth.” She forgot we were in company, but no one seemed to zero in on what she said, at least not yet.

  “What about the blood of something precious?” I asked, wracking my brain for an answer.

  “The children?” Slade asked.

  Lady Monraya shook her head. “They would be the fresh blood. To help target those who are fertile.”

  Cecil’s eyebrows furrowed in that adorable way that made her cheeks expand and look like she was pouting. “Mates? Lovers?”

  “What about that human servant Nyssa saved?” Maura spoke up. “He’s the human servant to the queen.

  “Christopher,” Jamal said.

  “Yes, him,” I said.

  “That will be enough,” Lady Monraya said, now looking worried.

  “How did Baron get his blood?” Landus asked.

  “I had to save his ungrateful ass. It was my first run in with Baron.” My eyes widened. “That means he only needs the kiddies and the artifact.”

  “He already proved he could get the kids and had no trouble doing it,” Cecil said.