by Jaymin Eve
Tyson’s gaze zeroed right in on me, his hand tightening. Every thought fled from my mind. I forgot what I had just been saying, forgot we were in a potentially deadly situation, that my mom was missing and possibly in the hands of a demon-touched sorceress. I forgot everything but Tyson as he leaned in very close to me. “You have never let any of us down. If anything, we let you down. But that won’t happen again. You’re one of us. You should have always been one of us, and our pack … our family … we stick together.”
My free hand pressed against his chest, against his strong and steady heartbeat. “You are my family. My pack.”
Witches didn’t have packs, but I didn’t care.
A swirl of gold lightened his brown eyes, and his stare deepened. My emotions were reaching an uncomfortable level, so I turned back to the ruby city. “We should keep searching,” I said, my voice husky.
We were deep in now, and it felt like we were completely surrounded by red. Tyson concentrated on my face for a few more moments, before relenting. We started heading for a huge building that seemed to be filling the horizon. If I had to guess, it was a palace; judging by the shape.
“I’m just going to check something down here,” Jacob said, quickly ducking off the path.
Tyson cursed. “Jake, we shouldn’t split up.” His brother ignored him, and before I could add my own concern, I was being pulled along after the fey Compass.
Somehow he was already out of sight. Along here the houses were close together, awnings hanging over the sides, blocking their windows and doors. We found him a few houses in, standing before one of the larger structures. It looked like a tavern, and the front door was propped open.
“Did you find something?” I asked breathlessly, nerves getting to me. “My mom?”
He shook his head. “No, not your mom. Sorry. This open doorway caught my eye, so I decided to check it out. Only popped my head around the side but I think we might have been wrong about this being a ruby city. It’s … you both better look for yourselves.” He stepped to the side.
I knew without a doubt that Tyson would not let me go first, because he was protective like that, and since I didn’t care, I didn’t even push to be in front. As he stepped forward, I was happy to see his normal eye color was back, that deep golden honeysuckle. A sparkle of amusement was evident across his face and I was reminded of the younger Tyson again. His white teeth flashed at me when he said, “Jessa would have cut me if I tried to enter first, even if it was to protect her.”
I shook my head, a ghost of a smile crossing my face. “I’m no alpha, or leader. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with going first either. We’re equals, after all. But if it makes you feel better, then I won’t fight you.”
His lazy smile, teamed with sparkling eyes, were enough to have some very inappropriate thoughts crossing my mind. Sexy mage. Damn him.
He leaned in very close. “Where it counts, you’ll always be first.”
More swirls of intense heat lit up my insides and I had to clench my thighs together to ease some of the ache. I had no doubt I’d be more than satisfied after a night with Tyson. My body’s response right now was telling me that he already turned me on in more ways than should be legal, but … I had also almost been raped today. Probably would have been raped if Tyson didn’t show up. Which meant I was not ready, mentally. No matter what my body was saying.
That thought was enough to calm my unrestrained hormones, then I could again focus on the task at hand. Stepping cautiously into the room, I waited a beat for my sight to adjust. There was very little natural light, only a few beams able to penetrate the thick ruby windows.
Tyson released a mage light, and once the room came into clear focus, I let out a low gasp. My legs felt like lead as I took another step into the room. It was a tavern, one with a long bar running down one wall, and tables and chairs scattered across the large open floor. Stools were positioned across the length of the bar.
“How could this happen?” My voice was raspy with shock.
The room was filled with humanoid shapes. Sitting on the stools, standing around the tables. Every single one was completely sheathed in ruby, just as the statue had been outside. Tyson crossed to the center, staring down at a table occupied by four fey.
“It’s like they were just eating lunch, and then everything was encased in stone.” I was barely loud enough to be heard. It felt as if this was a tomb and I needed to speak quietly, respectfully.
A small tick in Tyson’s jaw caught my attention. He looked like he was fighting for control. “It has struck me as odd since we arrived that such a large city was carved from ruby. I figured it was simply for the magical properties of the stones, but why when there were no fey here to utilize it? Your theory makes more sense. This city has been spelled. The ruby holds them prisoner.”
“That’s why there’s so much magic in the air,” I breathed. “Shit! Could my mom be here, one of the victims? Would it encase her that quickly? Are we next?”
Tyson’s expression softened as he cupped the side of my face, and I pressed into his palm, needing the comfort. “I don’t think so. This has a feeling of age about it, like it happened a long time ago.”
From the start we’d all felt it was abandoned. “Are they all dead? Or could the spell be lifted and life restored?”
He dragged his thumb across my jaw, releasing me, turning back to the ruby fey. “I have no idea, and I don’t think there’ll be any answers here. We need to speak to someone who has more of an idea about Faerie and this magic. We also need to know what spell was used. Otherwise, I have no idea how to counter it. We need Louis’ help.”
Tyson sounded only a little annoyed, which was an improvement over the way he usually spoke about the powerful sorcerer. Louis was pretty much a god in our world. His power, teamed with all the mystery he exuded – oh, and those sleek model looks – was an intriguing package. It was almost crazy to me that Jessa was his friend.
“So if we figure out how to save Louis, maybe we’ll figure out how to save them all?”
I had to hope for that. It was incomprehensible to think someone sent out a spell to bury this town alive. That all of the fey here might be dead. Or worse, alive and trapped. My pulse was racing and I struggled to suck air into my lungs. I wasn’t normally claustrophobic, but that thought would have anyone hyperventilating.
Tyson started ushering me out, and with one last glance around the tavern, I exited the building. Jacob was leaning against the house, looking unruffled, except for his eyes, which were no longer bright grass green, but a dark mossy color, tension vibrating through him.
“We might have a problem,” was the first thing he said. “I’ve been watching those waves of energy flow in and out, and even though it’s only a fraction, they’re increasing in strength each time. I’m worried about what might happen at the pinnacle of whatever cycle they’re on.”
Nothing more needed to be said. We all understood how magic worked. Especially now that we knew there was a spell across this town. Who knew what it would do once it realized we were trespassing. I, for one, definitely did not want to end up as a ruby statue.
My bare feet felt like an advantage as we took off running toward the front gates. The ruby was soft and I didn’t sink deep. I had always preferred to be barefoot, to feel the natural reverberation of the land. The gate opened easily at my command, and none of us stopped, exiting from the city in a matter of seconds.
“We should go around, put some distance between us. Away from the direction the wave moves.”
No one argued with Jacob. We all just picked up the pace, sprinting across the shifting ruby sands. The city was the only structure in sight. The rest was just one long plane of red.
“Do you think the reason all these gems have been crushed to fine particles was so they could easily be turned to liquid and encase the city?” I asked, keeping my breathing rhythmic.
Tyson’s reply was smooth. “Definitely possible, but what I really wa
nt to know is why the door responded to you? Almost like it was connected to your magic.”
“If it was connected to my magic, that could mean this spell was connected to my magic, right? But … how? I’ve never even been to Faerie.”
Before anyone could answer, another wave of energy washed across us. This time it was strong enough to slap at me, stinging across any exposed skin.
“That one had some bite,” Tyson muttered through clenched teeth. “I have no idea how all of this is connected to you, but since you did open a doorway here from Earth, we have to at least entertain the thought.”
He was right, but there was no time to worry about it now. My sense of urgency was growing. The boys had much longer legs than me, but I enjoyed running. It was an activity I’d lost myself in since I was young. There was something so soothing about the pounding of feet on the road. Just me and silence. Me and nature.
“Shame the quad bond didn’t decide to share some dragon shifting abilities,” Tyson muttered.
He didn’t sound like he was joking, and I had to ask: “So there’s really a chance you might be able to shift one day?” I just couldn’t imagine it.
His powerful legs pounded along next to me, I forced myself to run faster to keep pace. I was starting to feel the slightest burning fatigue – it had been too long since I ran, but nothing to worry about yet.
“There’s definitely a chance,” Tyson confirmed. “Max and Misch can hear each other’s thoughts. Their mate bond is like a dragon shifter’s.”
What the hell? “So why can’t we hear each other’s thoughts?”
Part of me was relieved. There was a lot in my head I needed to stay locked down, but a bigger part of me wanted that sort of bond.
Tyson’s rigid jaw told me he might feel the same way. “I have no idea. Maybe I don’t have enough shifter yet? Or maybe I won’t get that particular trait.” He tilted his head, his expression relaxing as he shot me a dimpled smile. “Our bond is very new, and both of us are dealing with an overload of emotions and stress already. You were being held captive, I just ascended to sorcery. I think … we might just need time.”
“Did it happen straight away for Max and Mischa?”
“No, it didn’t.”
For some reason, I felt a little better about it then. If we got the mental dragon connection, it would happen when the timing was right. When we were both emotionally ready to handle it. And if we didn’t, we would deal.
Tyson Compass
I braced myself for the next wave. We had been running long enough to be hit by three, and with each the power had increased substantially. This next one, which I could see rolling across the red landscape toward us, was going to slam into us with the force of a goddamn freight train. I might actually lose control of my sorcery side this time, because whatever was happening here, it was energy that mine reacted to.
As it closed in, all of us stopped and reached out to link hands. We needed a full wall of strength to stay on our feet. With a deep breath, I locked everything down and waited, somehow managing to keep my groan from emerging as the force jolted me backwards. That one stung like a bitch, which didn’t bother me as much as the thought that Grace was being hurt again. My first instinct was to send some healing energy into her, even though she was the natural born healer, and would probably laugh at my shitty attempt. I mean, I knew a little; all magic users knew the basics, but she was spectacular.
“I’m fine.” She smiled up at me. I’d been unable to hide a single emotion from her since our bond kicked in, even when I was trying to. “After the last few weeks, that was nothing.”
I had to start running then or I was going to say or do something I regretted. I really needed someone to punch the shit out of – preferably one of the ones who had betrayed Grace – but since there was no one around, I would have to focus on the running.
“This magic is hardcore,” Jacob said with a grunt. “The increases were small to start, but those last two waves were a big jump. It’s building quicker than I expected.”
He was right. These waves of magic were worrying me on a few fronts. Not only could they be connected to the ruby spell encasing this land, but they were also designed to stir energy, to create more energy, and it was working. My magic was bouncing around inside of me again, and I could see no end in sight. At this rate, the next magic wave would probably knock us all the way back to the city.
Grace kept easy pace with us. She was a runner. Even when we were younger, she would run through the forest for hours, often followed by a train of animals. They were drawn to her, and I couldn’t blame them. I had considered following her more than once, but usually managed to stop before I made a complete idiot out of myself.
Dark eyes met mine, widening as we locked gazes. “Do you think the next wave will be the last before the spell completes this cycle?” she asked.
I gave a nod. “It felt like that last wave was teetering on the edge. The next one could definitely be the final for this cycle.”
I didn’t want to worry her, but I also wasn’t going to lie … if I could help it. I faced forward again, wanting to see any danger before it jumped us.
“Sorry I dragged you both into this mess,” Grace murmured, her tone flat.
“You didn’t drag us into anything. And we’re going to be fine...”
A shimmer of green distracted me and I trailed off. I found myself scanning the red horizon, trying to figure out what I’d seen. As we went down and then up another small embankment, I saw more green, and then some blue. The moment Grace and Jacob spotted these new bursts of colors, their pace increased. As did mine. We all knew we had to get out of the red lands before it was too late. Finally, there was a shred of hope.
“The wave is building again,” Jacob bit out.
He was right. About twenty feet from us, a swirl of red energy was beginning to form. This had to be the initiation point, and we were going to see the first build-up. A roar drowned out everything else as red sand swirled and crashed together.
Calling on whatever new strength resided inside me as a sorcerer, hoping that maybe some vampire speed would slip through also, I wrapped an arm around Grace and flung her across my shoulder. She let out a disgruntled grunt, and I knew I was going to be in trouble if we lived through this.
“Your legs are too short,” I bellowed. Jacob and I were full-on sprinting now, our strides smooth and even.
She shouted something back to me, but I missed what it was as we closed in on the initiation point. We had to make it through before that wave released. If it hit us at this close range, we would be dead, either because the lifting ruby sands would cover us, like those in the city, or because the force of the wave would smash our bodies to pieces. Either way, I didn’t want to find out.
“Shit, move faster, Jake.” We weren’t going to make it. The wave’s gaps were closing, and soon it would release.
It crested high, and we were still too far from freedom. With a jolt, the bond between Jacob and I clicked into place without any real thought or effort. Somehow our energy sensed that we needed an extra boost and had connected us. A shocking buzz shuddered through me. I felt the cold metallic energy of the vampire intermingling with my own, and the fiery power of dragon. Both were predators, and fast, and with those strengths I became so much more than a magic user.
With a final push, I made it close enough to toss Grace through a small gap in the wave, before diving after her. My arms and legs brushed the energy; I tucked them in close to my side. That brush had been enough to tell me that whatever this spell was, it was dark. For the first time the wave was filled with shadows, looking like a stream of angry storm clouds about to roll across the red plains, demolishing everything in its path.
I tumbled once, jumping to my feet at the same time as Grace.
“Where’s Jake?” I shouted. He had been right beside me when I dove. I stepped forward, looking for another gap in the wave. The roar was almost deafening as the wave prepared to release
.
As I closed in on the dark wall, a hand busted through, and with a leap I caught hold of it, yanking with all my strength. I would not leave Jake on the other side, no matter what happened. More of his arm appeared, but no matter how hard I pulled I could not bring all of him to our side. The spell was holding him.
Grace stepped in beside me, wrapping her slender fingers around Jacob’s forearm, adding her strength to my own. He moved another inch as the wave let out one final roar and came crashing down, pouring out across the red lands.
Grace and I tumbled backwards, Jacob’s hand still firmly in mine as he came with us. Jerking my head up, I watched as that dark wave swept out across the land and out of sight. The roar echoed in my ears even as it died off. I turned all of my attention to Jacob, recoiling as I saw what had happened.
God damn fucking hell!
Every part of him, beside his right hand and three-quarters of that forearm, was encased in ruby. “Jake, hang on, man. I’m going to get you out of there.”
Grace fell to my side, reaching for my brother, latching on to the one part of him not encased in stone, pressing her fingers to his pulse point.
Her eyes fluttered closed. “He’s still alive,” she said almost immediately. “But all of his vital signs are abnormally low.”
“What does that mean? He’s dying?” I tried not to let my anger and fear spill out. It wasn’t Grace’s fault this had happened, but there was no controlling the rough nature of my tone. This was my brother. I was not living in any goddamned world without him, so him dying was not an option I was accepting.
My breath shuddered in my chest as I waited for her answer, and I was about to explode when she finally said, “I don’t think so. The decline is leveling off ... it’s no longer dropping. It’s low but stable now, like his body has gone into a comatose state.”
