“He’ll poop in your coat for that.” I nodded to his pocket.
“Not the worst thing I’ve ever done in or on a coat.” He shrugged. “Time to break it in.”
“Ugh.” I pinched my nose.
After rescuing a pissed-off sprite, I forced Croygen to go sleep in the breakroom, grabbing enough food to keep Sprig’s stomach quiet for at least a few hours.
Lexie woke up needing the bathroom, which was not easy. It wasn’t the first time I’d carried her. She had lost weight, but the limpness of her muscles made the task difficult. When I settled her back down, I tried to get her to eat and drink again. Ten minutes later she was vomiting. Her body shook, tears streaming down her face. I felt helpless, which kicked in my urge to fight. It was always my initial reaction. I did not handle powerlessness well.
When everyone got up they found me wound up like a fish on a line, bobbing around the garage at a constant pace. I acted as if I had eaten a dozen espresso beans again. By checking on Lexie so often I probably contributed to her already restless sleep. My anxiety saturated the air.
We had an unheated dinner of canned spaghetti, peas, and pineapple chunks. Not mixed together of course. Ryker even kept his tin cans from touching. Knowing what happened to him, what Vadik did, changed how I viewed his particular problem with food touching. The torment that little boy went through when all he wanted was to enjoy his birthday and eat cake like most kids do. I could also see how he related that night to losing his mother. It wasn’t just the food but the loss of the family, the life he knew.
“Amara and I are going to do a last look around the garage. Check to see that everything is fine.” He tossed his empty cans in the trash and proceeded out the door. Amara rolled her hair up in a messy bun and followed him. The more he called on her, said her name, the smugger her smile became. I wasn’t the only one who noticed.
“He says her name, and she acts like her kitty is about to get the cream.”
“Croygen,” I snarled, tossing my trash away. “Don’t need thoughts like that in my mind, especially when I’m stuck with the pair of them tonight.”
“He’d never go back to her.”
“Do you know that for sure?” I pulled on my jacket, zipping it up. “I know he told you he’s leaving.”
Croygen nodded stiffly.
“She’ll follow him.” I stuffed a knife into my boot. “We can’t be together. He’ll eventually move on. She’ll ensure it’s back to her.”
“You know he doesn’t love her, right?”
“Not sure if that makes it worse or better.” I rolled my shoulders trying to loosen the knots, my hands trembling. Damn, I was ready to fight. The stone buzzed in my heel, feeling angry energy pulsing off me in violent waves. I could almost hear its excitement.
“Zoey?” My name floated lightly to me. I spun to Lexie and moved to her side in an instant.
“Hey, trouble.” I brushed her cheek. “You’re awake.”
“Where are you going?”
Guilt twisted my heart. “I’m just going to be gone for a few hours. My friend Annabeth is being held by really bad men. She needs our help,” I whispered to her. “Croygen is going to stay with you. Is that okay?”
She nodded, squeezing my hand. “Be careful.”
“I will. Tonight we are only checking things out.”
She licked her dry lips. “I love you, Zoey.”
“I love you too,” I responded, but fear crackled through me. It sounded too much like a goodbye. “Hey, kiddo, what’s wrong? You’re freaking me out.”
“Zoey…You know…I’m dying.” She put her hand on mine. “I can feel it.”
“No, you aren’t.” My shoulders bristled. “I didn’t get you back to lose you again.”
“Some things even you can’t fight.”
“I’ll get you more painkillers. Maybe break into a hospital and get real medication.”
“It won’t help. They don’t have what I need.” Lexie’s eyes filled with sorrow, but it seemed like it was for me, as if she felt sad I couldn’t see the truth.
And she was right. I wouldn’t…couldn’t…accept it.
“Then what do you need? I will get you anything!” I could hear the shrillness in my voice. The desperation. Ryker was leaving. I would not let Lexie leave me too.
“Zoey.” Croygen touched my shoulder. “You know I hate to say this, but she needs whatever medication Rapava gave her and the daily blood transfusions.”
“Then I’ll get them.” I stood, swinging to Croygen.
“You can’t get blood for her.”
“I’ll get her the medicines. We’ll start with that.”
“How?”
“I will break into DMG and get them.”
“Break in? Are you serious? If they catch you, you’re dead.”
“Then I won’t let them catch me.”
“Do you hear yourself?” Croygen placed both palms on my shoulders, slightly shaking me. “Don’t be stupid. The place is lined with alarms and goblin metal. We barely got out the first time.”
“Then what? I’m not going to let her die.” I jerked away from him. “I am getting her this medication, Croygen. You can’t stop me.”
“No.” Lexie cried, barely able to get words out. “They…they will capture you. He won’t let you leave. He will kill you, Zoey.”
“I am a lot harder to kill than you think.”
“Shit. You are not invincible!” Croygen threw up his arms in frustration. “You will crumple to your knees the moment he cuffs you with goblin metal. You’ll become his pet again. And I promise you, death would be the easy way. He will make certain you can never escape again and be forever his test monkey.” Anger flared through Croygen’s expression. “Then we are left with no medication. And no you. Ryker will go after you, you know that.”
“I have no choice.” I shoved my hands onto his chest. “You may be willing to let her die, pirate, but I’m not.”
Rage burned in his eyes, his whole frame filling the space as he went motionless. “I am trying to keep both of you alive.” He said it so slowly and determined a chill ran down my spine.
The door swung open as Amara and Ryker came into the room, armed and ready to go. I looked at Croygen. “I appreciate everything you’ve done. I seriously couldn’t have gotten through this without you. But she is my sister. This is my choice.” I walked over and gave Lexie a kiss on the head. “I’ll be back later.”
She watched me, her body quaking with fever.
“Sprig?” I patted the sprite’s head as he sat on Lexie’s shoulder. “Stay close. Take care of her for me.”
“Eye-matty.” He saluted me while petting Lexie’s curly hair. “On Leanbh duty.”
I gave him a smile then turned back to Croygen. “Thank you.” I squeezed his arm, walked around him, and joined my teammates for the night.
I was ready to fight. To battle for the lives of both my girls. Lie, cheat, steal, torture, kill.
Whatever it took.
TWELVE
The hike felt like it went on forever, and my feet ached. I wanted to ask Amara if she was taking us someplace or if she was making us walk till I was too tired to strangle her. She weaved down streets and roads until we hit the industrial district. The streetlights thinned to only one every so often. It was not the nice part of the city and the dark only increased the creepy, seedy factor.
Finally she turned and went around to the side of a building and climbed up the fire escape. Ryker silently followed her, bristling at my nearness as I grabbed a ring and pulled myself up behind him. I sensed the anger increasing again, building under his skin, like lumber doused in gasoline ready for a spark to become flames.
He got to the roof and quickly moved to Amara. I came up on the other side, letting her buffer the tension vibrating off Ryker.
“There.” Amara pointed at a large building. “He’s keeping them in there.”
My eyes scanned the structure. No lights shone outside. Only a dim glo
w from inside hinted at life behind the walls. It was surrounded by identical structures, making it even more invisible. Not that it mattered. It was tucked against a hill and so far off the main street that no one would come back here. The structure built right next to it looked to be a victim of the storm or maybe just time and decay. All the windows were busted, and the building sagged with neglect.
Only Vadik could keep his shady business protected from sight right in the middle of Seattle. With the downtown and outer areas rebuilding and property owners returning to their vacated places, people were everywhere. He was smart to leave the other warehouse near the stadium.
My gaze caught on a dark figure moving along the building. A guard. Fae. My sight picked up a semiautomatic rifle over his shoulder and a knife in his belt. More fae moved around the building. These weren’t the old security Marcello or Duc had. No little boys playing dress up, but fae who were trained to kill.
Shit. This did not look good for us.
“He owns this whole space,” Amara whispered, waving her hand in a wide arc. “And every bit of it is under surveillance.” As much as I hated to admit it, her knowledge of Vadik’s business was helpful. At least I didn’t feel we were going in completely blind.
“Remember, this is only a surveillance mission, Zoey,” Ryker stated. “We need to see what we’re up against: number of men, changing of guards, weaknesses.”
I pressed my lips together, not answering either way. I didn’t know if I resented him treating me like a child or that he had the right to. My need to slam the fae guard against the wall and run in and rescue Annabeth twitched from my toes up to my fists.
Fighting had been easy for me. I stayed cool, calm, rational, and quick to pick up on others’ weaknesses and emotions. I hurt people all the time, but they stepped into the ring knowing what they were getting into. They chose to be there. These girls had not chosen this. When it came to people I cared about, I became a loose cannon, reacting before thinking. I shoved my shoulders back, clinging to the vacant coldness I knew well.
“Well, I’m out of here. Have fun guys.” Amara stepped back.
“What? Where are you going?” Fear painted Ryker’s words like an Easter egg. His gaze darted to me then back to her.
“I’m not going to hang out on the roof all night. Boring.” She walked backward. “This is not my thing. I couldn’t care less about these girls. I showed you where they are, now I’m leaving. Maybe I’ll stop at a bar on the way back. Get laid.”
“Amara,” Ryker growled. “You can’t.”
“You’re not screwing me. So, yes, I can.”
His jaw sawed together. “Not what I meant. You can’t be seen either. You are being hunted just as much as we are.”
“Well, I need a drink and sex. Unless you’re willing to change your sudden stance on abstinence, I’m going.” For a moment I could see the hope in her face.
Ryker clenched his fists but did not respond.
“That’s what I thought.” She tipped her head with attitude and whirled around. “I’m not stupid. I know how to keep under the radar. Have fun up here.” She slipped over the railing and down the ladder.
“Fuck,” Ryker swore under his breath and went back to the edge of the roof, staring at the building.
I didn’t know what to say. His anger appeared palpable. But he stayed here. For me. This wasn’t his quest either, but he stood here because he knew how much Annabeth meant to me. My hurt was temporarily quelled. I faced the building, both of us staying quiet.
Time ticked by. We watched every detail, every new guard, and only talked when we had to. It was boring and extremely uncomfortable.
I was about to throw myself off the roof when a guard walked out of the front doors, standing at taut attention, like a soldier. Only a few seconds later the sound of a car rumbled up the lane. Ryker and I dropped behind the wall, gradually inching back up, peering over.
Voices spoke from below while the car idled.
“Take her upstairs. Another one at the club strung up on heroin and getting out of control. I have to stay under the radar.”
Ryker stiffened next to me, his gaze drilling into the man below.
Vadik slipped out of the town car and dragged a girl behind him.
“Shit,” Ryker mumbled. The anxiety in his voice snapped my eyes to his. “Being this close, he might sense me.”
Great. I worked my jaw and glanced back over the top. The chances of Vadik sensing him were good; Ryker was part demon, extremely powerful, and Vadik’s son after all. Right now I hoped our abilities were still mostly sequestered by Rapava’s magic-dampening medications.
“I’m endangering you,” Ryker muttered. My hand came down on his, and he flinched.
“Too late now.” I withdrew my hand and stared down at Vadik.
Vadik walked toward the front of the building, his hand clutched around a girl’s thin arm. Her overly dyed, black hair was ironed straight and left scraggly at the ends. She stumbled in her six-inch heels. The tiny, skintight black dress she wore made her resemble a skeleton. Her eyes appeared sunken, her skin a greenish-blue color.
“Give her just enough to keep her going. Soon she will find that fae feeding off her is far more powerful than any drug humans can produce.”
Fury filled my mouth with the taste of bile. I knew humans were capable of this and worse, but Vadik’s cruelty inspired a deeper hate and disgust.
“Yes, sir.” The guard who came out to meet him nodded. Vadik pushed her toward the man, her boney figure flying into the man’s chest. Vadik turned back to the opened car door. He took a step then stopped. Cold navy eyes zipped up to where we were hiding, sealing off my lungs.
Ryker and I ducked, hiding behind the wall. My muscles seemed to turn to ice, my spine a rigid pole. Ryker’s lids squeezed together, his lips pinched.
“Sir, is everything all right?” the guard asked.
It was just a moment, a glitch in time. But it felt like the entire world stopped, waiting for him to respond. My heartbeat throbbed in my ears.
“Yes,” he said slowly. “Fine.”
The closing of the car door echoed through the air before the expensive town car rolled away.
I leaned my forehead against the cement partition. “That was close.”
“Too close.” Ryker still didn’t look relieved, a frown lining his forehead.
“You think he knows we’re here?”
Ryker lifted his head, staring over the wall, and I followed suit. The guard and the girl were gone, already deep inside the structure.
“I don’t know, but it’s time to get out of here.”
“I just want to look in, see what’s going on. See how many girls he has in there, how many guards.”
“Zoey, we almost got caught.”
“But we didn’t,” I retorted. “We’re here. I’m not going till I know what we are dealing with.”
“You mean see Annabeth. You understand even if we see her, you probably won’t be able to get her.”
A snarl clipped at my lips. “How do you know?”
His mouth flattened, and he tipped his head. “Because I know Vadik. He’s going to be sure it’s pretty much impossible to get in or out.”
“But not totally impossible.”
Ryker rubbed the creases between his eyes. “I want you to be prepared that she might not be here anymore.”
My head snapped away from his. “Yes. I’m prepared.” It was a lie. My heart was riding a wave of hope, gripping it with all my might. Before he could say anything else, I scampered for the ladder. The only place I could get a look through the top windows appeared to be from the crumbling building next to the warehouse.
Ryker silently followed me, but I could feel his resistance like a band pulling me backward. Slipping around the building, I watched a guard stroll around the front, his gun in his hands, ready to discharge. During the hour, I watched the handful of security pacing around the property and realized they had a pattern. One would t
urn a corner and in five seconds another one would walk around the front of the building. They moved in sync, one or two always had eyes on an area. That left me with only a few seconds to dart from my location to cross the lane before a guard would come.
Ryker pressed against the wall beside me. His breathing grew heavier. I glanced over my shoulder at him. He gripped his knife so tightly his knuckles were white, his eyes closed.
“If it’s too hard for you to be near me, you can go.” I clung to my own knife. It would be a lie to say I didn’t miss having a gun.
His lids barely opened and his eyes slid to me, flashing bright with anger. “I am not leaving you.”
“You’d rather stay to make sure I’m all right so you can kill me later. Love the plan.” I waggled my head. “Stubborn ass.”
“I’m stubborn?” he scoffed.
A guard strolled down the street, nearing us. I slammed my head back against the wall, wanting to blend in with the shadows. He passed us and curved around the opposite building.
“Now.” I sprinted across the way and headed straight for the fire escape. This building stood at least seven stories, a floor taller than the one next door. From the top, we could look into the windows of the other.
We had a lot of rungs to climb before we were safely out of view. My heart thumped, adrenaline sweat dampening the back of my neck. Any second a guard could come around and spot us. My back prickled, waiting for a bullet to find its way into my spine.
I hauled myself over the top and, without looking, leaped over the wall, rolling to my knees on the roof floor. A shrill chirp of fear tried to exit my throat, but unease locked down all my muscles.
Ryker dropped beside me. “Holy shit.”
Both of us gawked in alarm at the colossal gap only a few feet away from us. It looked as if someone dropped a bomb on the building. A massive hole was ripped through the metal and concrete, leaving the roof buckling.
Slowly I edged back, pushing my back up against the roof wall.
Ryker moved to me; his gaze on the ground far below.
“Looks like they use it as a fight ring.”
From Burning Ashes (Collector Series #4) Page 14
