Wicked Flames (Solsti Prophecy)

by Sharon Kay

  “Hold on, baby,” Kai said. “Rhys said he went through them. Said there’s a lot of references to an LE.”

  “What’s LE?” Brooke looked at Gin. “Is that an element?”

  “Nope.” Gin shook her head. “Not on Earth, anyway.”

  Brooke shrugged and studied the items on top of Xavier’s desk. “That’s kinda morbid.”

  Gin paused as she passed on her way across the room. “It’s just a lily.”

  “A black one. And look at these leaves—they’re black and jagged, like they’re falling apart.” Brooke leaned forward, inspecting it. “It looks real. So he’s a weirdo kidnapper scientist who also collects black flowers?”

  “Lemme look.” Elegant, pointed leaves spread out from a midnight blue center, just like a stargazer lily. Gin touched a petal and a sprinkle of fine onyx powder transferred to her finger. “Calla lilies can sometimes be black, but the shape of these petals is all wrong…those leaves aren’t right, either.”

  “Kai?” Brooke didn’t look away from the flower. “Do black lilies grow on Torth?”

  Kai stopped rifling through a file cabinet drawer and turned to Brooke. “Black? No.”

  Ria turned from her position at the window, her blue eyes wide as she spoke slowly. “They used to.”

  A strange expression crossed Mathias’s face as he turned narrowed eyes on the flower. “Not on Torth. On Evena.”

  Ria fixed her eyes on the lily. “You don’t seriously think that’s—”

  “It’s possible.” Mathias joined them at the desk. “Motherfucker.”

  “You mean, the old story about the black lily?” Kai crossed his arms. “Some people stopped believing it ever existed.”

  “Either it started growing again, or someone genetically engineered a new plant that looks just like it.” Mathias rubbed the back of his neck.

  “You think someone resurrected an extinct plant species?” Gin asked.

  “Possibly.” Mathias held her gaze. “Too many strange things have been happening. I wouldn’t rule anything out at this point.”

  “Okay then…” Gin glanced from him to Ria to Kai, who all wore deadly serious expressions. “Tell me about this flower.”

  Mathias grimaced. “The speed-date version is, the extract can be ingested to give enhanced strength and healing abilities to the user. It died out after a war decimated the one place it was able to grow.”

  Gin blinked. A supposedly extinct magical plant? She looked at the flower. “How much time do we have?”

  “Rhys?” Kai asked. “You got a visual on Xavier?”

  “Yup,” Rhys drawled. “He’s at storage tank A. I’ll let you know if he moves.”

  Four pairs of eyes swung their focus to Gin. “I need to take a look at this.” She grabbed the lily and sat down at the big microscope. “Um, you guys can keep looking through his stuff while I do this. I have no idea what I’ll find, if anything.” Finding latex gloves and a knife, she quickly cut a cross section of the stem and slid it into Bertha’s viewer.

  “Whoa,” she whispered. The plant was healthy, hydrated, and teeming with internal activity. Like the grass Mathias had brought her, the channels used for hydration were much larger than in most plant stems. “The cellular walls are flexible and strong. And there’s an enzyme attached to them I’ve never seen before.”

  “What does that mean?” Mathias’s voice preceded his warm presence at her back. “What do enzymes do?”

  “They aid in thousands of different metabolic reactions. For example, they help break down food in digestion. But I don’t know what this one is. Its structure is unique.” She frowned. “Wait. Bring me those test tubes.” She pointed to the table she had zeroed in on when she first entered the room.

  Mathias complied, setting them on the table in front of her. She plucked one tube with today’s date and used a dropper to place one drop of liquid on a slide. She slid it into position and looked into the viewer.

  Shit.

  It was full of the mystery enzymes.

  Gin didn’t know what they were, but she knew what tap water looked like. And this was no ordinary tap water. “Guys? Whatever’s in that flower is also in these samples.”

  “What does that mean?” Mathias asked.

  “I don’t know. By definition, it either creates a reaction in living organisms, or it prohibits a reaction from happening when it should.”

  “So either way, that shit’s not supposed to be in there.” Kai crossed over to stand behind Brooke.

  “No,” Gin whispered. “I have no idea what this could do to people.”

  Kai’s hands dropped to Brooke’s shoulders. “Baby?”

  She turned to Gin. “Can you show me?”

  “Yeah. Come here.” Gin gestured with her hand. “Okay. Let me draw it first. You need to see what normal water looks like, and what this looks like.” She grabbed a pencil and started sketching.

  Kai took Brooke’s place at the computer. “How far did you get here, Sprite?”

  “I looked through all the Word docs. Didn’t get to Excel yet.” Brooke stared intently at Gin’s paper.

  “See this?” Gin tapped her pencil on one of the images she’d drawn. “This shouldn’t be there. Now look through here.” She hopped up to trade places with her sister, vaguely aware of the others talking but too caught up in the moment to stop and listen.

  Brooke peered into the scope. “I see it.”

  “Good. Okay, um…” Gin paused, feeling stupid. “I don’t know what to ask you to do. What can you do?”

  Brooke looked at her and squeezed her hand. “I can fill you in on all the details later. But I have had success with manipulating molecules in water.”

  Gin’s jaw dropped. Her own sister? No time to ask for an explanation now. “Okay, see if you can separate that enzyme from a cell. I guess start with just one.”

  Brooke peered into the scope. “Done.”

  “What?” Gin asked. “Just like tha—”

  “Oh, dammit. It reattached. I’ll try again.” She paused. “Okay. And I got the other cells to attack it. But it’s still there. Like it’s resisting them or something. And—shit. It just attached itself again! What the hell?”

  “Is there a way to get that enzyme out of the water before it latches back on?” Mathias asked.

  “Hey, I found something,” Kai spoke up. “He’s got a spreadsheet with what looks like daily test results, from…looks like three storage reservoirs. It’s updated as of this morning.”

  “These are from this morning.” Gin stared at the test tubes in front of her. Now the markings made sense. A, B, C. The three massive, warehouse-sized holding tanks.

  “Do we assume this stuff is in those tanks?” Ria asked.

  Silence hung in the room.

  Gin and Mathias locked eyes and spoke at the same time. “Yes.”

  “We gotta get it out before it goes to the public.” Kai stood up.

  “How do you destroy an enzyme?” Mathias asked.

  “It’s not alive, so you can’t kill it. But they can be neutralized by changing the pH or by heating.” Gin spoke quickly. “I don’t think we should mess with the pH. We’d have to reverse it before it went out to the public.”

  “But heating it is right up your alley. Right?” Ria asked.

  “Well, I guess…but those tanks hold thousands of gallons.”

  “How hot are we talking? Boiling?”

  “No, just sixty degrees Celsius,” Gin murmured, tapping a finger on her chin. How can I do this? She was met with blank looks. “Oh, um, that’s 140 Fahrenheit. Still, it would take a long time to heat that much water.”

  “Maybe I can separate the enzyme long enough for you to heat just that part of the water?” Brooke asked.

  “Yeah.” Gin nodded. “That might work. But there’s millions of these buggers. We may have to sacrifice some water. What if you separate them all and keep them isolated. Keep some H2O molecules around them, like a barrier for them to attach to.”


  “Okay.” Brooke nodded, excitement creeping into her voice. “Yes. Then I could even move the water—the section with the enzymes—out of the larger tanks. I could dump it on the ground—”

  “And Gin can set the ground on fire?” Mathias shook his head. “Is starting fires here a good idea?”

  Rhys chimed in from the phone. “Sounds like a good time for a fire drill.”

  Kai rubbed his hands together. “I like this plan.”

  “We still need to find Xavier,” Mathias said, a growl starting low in his throat.

  “Okay, but this isn’t the only plant he’s been to. What if this enzyme is in water all over the state?” Ria asked.

  Shit. Gin swallowed. “Brooke and I will have to go to every place he visited and check every sample.” Oh God. How long will that take? Will we be able to correct it in time?

  Mathias paced. “Agreed. But for now, we need to fix this plant. And catch the bastard.”

  “He’s on the move.” Rhys’s warning had them all staring at Kai’s phone. “He’s getting in his car.”

  “His car?” Brooke asked. “I thought he was at one of the reservoirs?”

  “Yeah, well, they’re spread out far and wide. This place is crisscrossed with access roads to get from one point to another. He could walk, but it’d be a long trek in the winter.”

  “That works in our favor,” Mathias said. “If we can get him isolated in a building without humans.”

  “Let’s go.” Kai walked toward Brooke. “You good, Sprite?”

  She gave him a quick kiss. “Absolutely. Gin?”

  “I’m good.” The words tumbled out before she could think. Butterflies fluttered in her belly. This is it. I’m really going to do this.

  Mathias was at her side in a heartbeat, his physical presence reassuring. “You’re gonna do great.”

  She blinked up at him. How’d he know what I was thinking? “Thanks.”

  They filed out of Xavier’s office, with Mathias leading the way and tossing affable hellos to anyone they passed. In less than a minute they were in the SUV, following Rhys’s directions toward Xavier’s location. “Ugly Deserati ahead, in three, two—”

  A small blue sedan rounded a curve in the road. “That’s him.” Mathias growled and angled their vehicle sideways across the middle of the road.

  The blue car slowed and honked. Gin shrank down in her seat, wishing the windows were tinted. What if he recognized her?

  He stepped out, and her reserve faltered. His dark eyes glittered with irritation. He looked like an ordinary human, but she knew better. Dread churned her stomach as she remembered the brute strength in his arms and vicious tail. She couldn’t suppress a shudder.

  “Hey.” Mathias laid a gentle hand on her leg. “It’s gonna be okay. You stay here with Brooke and Ria. I can take him. Maybe I’ll even let Kai help.”

  “I heard that, old man.” Kai’s hand was at the door. “Ready?”

  “Hell yeah.” Mathias opened his door and swung his long legs out.

  CHAPTER 37

  THE DESERATI’S SCENT ASSAULTED MATHIAS’S nose, reeking of that shit shack where he’d tied Gin up. The demon’s eyes flared with recognition as Mathias approached, no doubt realizing he’d been the one to break into his home. His scent, as well as Ria’s, would have lingered there.

  “You,” Xavier growled. “You took something of mine.”

  “Wasn’t yours to take.” Because she’s mine. Mathias forced his hands to remain loose and open at his sides, when all he wanted was to punch the shit out of Xavier’s pansy ass. The Deserati’s scent was bad enough. Looking him in the eye, knowing he’d put his hands on Gin—rage built in his every muscle. With the tactical part of his mind, Mathias fought for a thread of reason. This was the Watchers’ chance to learn more. Extract information, then pulverize this asshole.

  The Deserati inhaled. “She’s here. I’d know that scent anywhere. And with friends.” A depraved gleam crossed his eyes.

  “Don’t even fucking think about it,” Kai warned, his heavy footsteps sounding behind Mathias.

  “Tough talk from someone who’s about to die. Two Lash against me? Hardly a fair fight. For you.”

  “What are you putting in the water, Xavier?” Mathias drew out the demon’s name sarcastically.

  “If I tell you, I’ll have to kill you. Oh, wait—I’m going to do that anyway.” His tail snapped forward, cracking above their heads. Lightning fast. Faster than a Deserati should be able to move.

  Both Watchers responded with a fast duck-and-straighten, avoiding the tail. Mathias teased apart the scent molecules around Xavier. Something was different…

  “Who’s Elegia?” Kai asked.

  “The Watchers have done their homework.” Xavier stepped closer, his mouth pulled into a snarl and his eyes darting back and forth. “But you can’t connect the dots, can you?”

  “Stop with the bullshit. We can do this with you dead or alive.” Fury pounded a slow beat in Mathias’s ears. No more games. He lunged.

  Xavier dodged him, too easily.

  Kai lobbed a ball of demonfire at the Deserati, who danced to the side with a burst of speed.

  Mathias exchanged a quick glance with Kai, whose face bore a similar expression of what the fuck?

  Mathias charged forward, pouring all his rage into his strides. He reached Xavier, who ducked low at the last second. Using his arms, the demon reached up and flung Mathias to the pavement.

  A grunt escaped him as his back slammed into the concrete. Mathias shook his head and scrambled up in time to see Kai unleash a barrage of demonfire. Xavier dodged every one of them, his movements fluid and seamless.

  What the fuck is going on? Xavier shouldn’t be able to throw a Watcher to the ground, or move that fast. It was like he had super speed. Like the way Ria could spin. But this bastard was road-runner quick in every move he made.

  Wait. A thought tugged at his conscious, pushing through the rage. The black lily. Gin’s voice echoed in his head. Enzymes in the water. The lily gives strength...had Xavier consumed it? The antiseptic, clinical scent from the ground outside that first treatment facility was also present here. Mixed with Xavier’s scent. That was the difference. Fuck.

  Kai unsheathed a dagger and flung it at Xavier. He twisted to avoid it, but the blade sunk through his dress shirt and into his bicep. Not a fatal wound, but one that would bleed out. Red blood welled, turning the white cotton into a crimson mess.

  Kai stalked forward. “Time to—”

  Xavier yanked the blade out and inspected it. “Nice. I may keep this.” He extended his arm, blood dripping onto the road. The swift dripping slowed as Mathias and Kai stared. Drip, drip…and it ceased.

  That was too fast, even for a Deserati demon. Hyper-speed healing? Shit.

  Mathias tackled Xavier from behind, this time succeeding in pushing him to the ground. But that damn tail grabbed him, latching like a leech onto his neck. It wound around and yanked him up like a ragdoll. Flashes of white snow and gray sky blurred together, the horizon tilting back and forth. Xavier got to his feet, and the tail began to constrict.

  The slam of car doors echoed on the empty road. No! A curl of cinnamon-scented air carried to him, confirming his worst nightmare. His mate was out of the car. Within sight and reach of the enemy.

  Vulnerable.

  Gin! He had to protect her. She’d trusted him this far. He had to uphold his promise. I will always…protect you…always find…you. Black swirls danced through his vision. He fought for air. Gin…

  Gin’s boots hit the pavement with a thud far more solid than her confidence. But the sight of Mathias in trouble had her jumping out of her skin. There was no way she was letting this sick demon get the best of him.

  “Gin!” Ria called sharply, behind her. “Wait. Let me do this.”

  Brooke dashed over to Gin, grabbing her hand. “Maybe you should listen to—”

  “No. I have to stop him. No one does that to Mathias.”

/>   Ria stepped close. “You’re not a warrior—”

  Gin whirled to Ria, anger and concern biting through her tone. “He said if I had a shot, take it. And I will.”

  “There you are,” Xavier called out, a sneer on his face. “I’ve missed you. You caused me a lot of trouble, running off without saying good-bye.”

  “Let him go.” Gin glared at him.

  “No. The realm will be minus two Watchers today. And you and your friends are coming with me.”

  Kai circled Xavier. “Like hell you are. You picked the wrong females to fight.”

  In a blur of motion, Xavier grabbed Kai’s arm and wrenched it behind his back. His knife was poised at Kai’s throat. His tail still choked Mathias.

  “Shit, Gin, this isn’t the time to argue,” Ria hissed. “Fine. Attack him. Target weak spots.”

  “Weak spots?” Gin whispered.

  “Eyes, throat, groin, belly. Send the fire into his body.” Ria rapid-fired her answers. Totally calm and professional.

  “Eyes, throat…” Gin’s disgust dissolved, crushed by the need to help her man. “I—”

  Gin! Mathias’s voice sounded in her head, crystal clear.

  Clarity exploded in her mind and heart. I have to help. I have to do whatever I need to. Now. Mathias was a fighter. A badass good guy. And he was hers. “I need fire.”

  “Kai.” Brooke’s one word had her mate shooting a wary glance their way.

  “Oh no, you don’t.” Xavier hadn’t missed it. He wrenched Kai’s arm higher. A sickening pop came from Kai’s shoulder.

  Kai gritted his teeth but didn’t yell out. “That the best you got, motherfucker?” His free arm was gripped by Xavier, but his hand had full movement. In an instant, he held a ball of demon fire.

  With her mind, Gin plucked it from his hand and brought it into the air between her and Xavier.

  “What the fuck?” Xavier choked.

  She pushed aside his voice. Shut off the old fears circling like vultures at the edge of her mind. She concentrated only on her power, and her body surged with energy.

  You’re mine to command, she thought to the fireball.