Power of Rhythms

by Taige Crenshaw

  “Wanna watch some more Leverage?”

  “That’s what I was doing before I was attacked by some horny woman.” Zyric smiled. “Horny woman, feel free to have your way with me anytime.”

  “So noted.” She slid off his lap and leaned against his side.

  He stroked his finger along her arm. Pandora relaxed.

  * * * *

  She woke, her senses pounding at her, and looked at Zyric sprawled under her. She didn’t know when she had fallen asleep or that he’d moved her to lie on him. Pandora frowned as the sense of something being wrong filled her. Carefully she rose off Zyric so as not to disturb his sleep. Padding on bare feet toward the window, with a thought she clothed herself in a long dress. Glancing out, she didn’t see anything amiss but she reached out with her other senses. Still nothing, but Pandora didn’t trust it. She looked at Zyric, who still slept peacefully. A quick scan and she blew out a breath—nothing was wrong with him.

  Moving rapidly, Pandora went out into the hall and to the front door. She placed her hand over it and felt her wards pulse. They were still intact. Opening the door, she then went outside, checking the area. She descended the steps and searched as she went—there was still not anything she could find. She kept going and walked into the forest, seeking what was off. Soon she arrived in the clearing she and Zyric frequented. Deciding she was being silly, Pandora turned to head back to the house. In the next moment, she pivoted and flung her hand out, sending a ball of energy between the trees to her left. It stopped, hovering just between the braches then pulsed, rotating.

  A man materialized and he held the power between his hands, staring at her. He was gorgeous, yet in his eyes there was a sinister look that made Pandora ready herself for an attack.

  “A witch. It would figure the mutt would get involved with a witch,” he sneered.

  She assumed the mutt he was referring to was Zyric. Pandora didn’t bother to correct him. She had gotten very good at hiding what she was and also learning to use the strategy of using her other gifts to throw her opponent off if they tried to identify her being.

  “Nothing to say, witch?” The man advanced, rotating his hands and playing with the power he held.

  “I was waiting for you to introduce yourself, since you are on my land. Trespassing is not polite at all.”

  The man looked startled then he snickered. “Oh…a weak witch at that. If I trespassed on someone with any power’s land, they would not be so polite.”

  Pandora looked at her nails, feigning boredom, although she wanted to rip him to shreds. “I notice you have some burns on you left hand, right ear and cheek. Guess I’m not such a weak witch, since you got a bit scorched before you actually physically got through my wards.”

  His eyes narrowed. “I could incinerate you where you stand.”

  “You could try.” Pandora stared at him then smiled. She knew how it looked—cold and deadly. “You were only able to use astral projection to get through my shield before. It was you I sensed a few times.”

  “Yes. You have a weakness. That happens when you get lazy.” The man threw the energy at her then sent a blast of black lightning into it.

  It glowed before zooming to her. Pandora sighed then she flicked her finger and returned it. The man eyes widened and a moment later narrowed. He held up his hand and flung the ball away, making it come apart. In quick succession, he sent more and more power at her. She did the same thing as she had with the other then put her hand over her mouth, yawning. The man’s rage built to an almost palpable thing. He continued throwing power.

  “I’m going to kill Zyric and this time I won’t be fooled by his faking it.”

  The idea of Zyric dead made her still. Pain ripped through her and all else faded. I will not let anyone take him from me. She drew power and let it loose. The red, pulsing energy flowed fast and deadly then hit its mark. The man catapulted through the air then slammed into a tree before hitting the ground. The tree fell, dropping with a loud boom on top of the man, who lay motionless on the floor. Pandora waved her hand, blowing up the tree. Pieces of woods rained down. She knew the man was not dead—it would take more than that to kill him. Lifting her hand, she drew energy, building it into a ball of power.

  The man rose from the floor and brushed off his clothing. “You have more power than I assumed.”

  Pandora didn’t reply. She fired again at him and he dodged, laughing wildly.

  “Is that the best you’ve got?” He held out his arms.

  She again went still then smiled as it dawned on her the man was deliberately goading her. Pandora stared at him and anger filled his gaze. He narrowed his eyes then a moment later, he faded into the shadows. Reaching out, she found no trace of where he’d gone. Instead she tracked where he had entered. Scowling, she re-laid her wards.

  Anger coursed through her then she pivoted, before rapidly going back toward the house. She let herself fade then came to form over the bed and stared down at Zyric. He blinked opening his eyes and smiled then it faded.

  “Do you have something to tell me?”

  “What?” His confusion was plain.

  “Don’t what me. Why did you fuck with my wards? Wait I know…you were trying to lure the man who just tried to kill me.”

  “He what?” Zyric sat up. “He was supposed to—” He stopped and rubbed his hand over the back of his neck.

  “Come after you. Why would you set yourself up as bait? And more importantly, not fucking tell me?”

  “Pandora…I did mess with your wards but not too much. I had to make it seem like he could get in. I knew someone was stalking me but I don’t know who. Describe him to me.”

  She did and his eyes went cold.

  “Herthum, Blagden’s right-hand man. The man who tried to kill me all those years ago. I had hoped it would be Blagden himself, but I’ll take Herthum instead.” He smiled fiercely.

  “Why did you not tell me you were being stalked?” Pandora inhaled. “Why won’t you let me in?”

  “I don’t want you near the danger, Pandora. This is my fight. I—”

  “Fuck you, Zyric. I’m not some woman you need to protect.” Pandora stepped toward him. “I’m a Siren and I can fucking rip your heart out before you could even try to move.”

  “Pan—”

  “Shut up, I’m not done. Messing with my wards is bad enough. But doing so and not telling me about it is worse. And all for some stupid fucking reason of trying to protect me. Saying to me this is your fight is…” She clenched her fist. “Unacceptable. You came to me asking for shelter that means a lot to my kind. You know that—”

  “Pan—”

  “And you still did it. I might not have said it but my actions of giving you shelter then letting you into my life says more than words. I believed you were real about us finding out if we had something, but now I know that wasn’t the case. Get out, Zyric.”

  “You’re revoking offering me shelter?”

  “If you leave my house, I will hunt you down and bring you back here. Don’t make me have to fucking come to find you. It won’t be a good thing.” Pandora walked to the window. “You can be in the house but keep away from me.”

  “Pan—”

  “No, I don’t want to hear it. Your excuses don’t matter. You did it, Zyric. You.” Pandora wrapped her arms around herself. “Get out.”

  She listened to his footsteps as he walked away. Pandora stared out into the night, willing herself to calm down but the rage kept building. She pivoted then stopped, surprised to see him standing by the door. Pandora narrowed her eyes. She hadn’t sensed him in the room.

  “I didn’t leave and I won’t. I’m not going to walk away—not going to let you shut me out.” Zyric crossed his arms over his chest. “You want to curse or rage at me, go ahead, but asking me to go will not cause it to happen.”

  The anger inside her welled up. She ran across the room then jumped. In moments, she was in his arms with her legs wrapped around his waist. She yanked hi
m off his feet with her power. He dropped to the floor on his knees and she went with him, straddling him. Pandora grabbed his arms and held on tight, staring at him.

  “Don’t ever shut me out. I can’t lose you.”

  “I can’t lose you either,” Zyric countered. “I will do anything to keep you safe.”

  “Try to keep me safe but don’t hide from me. You have to trust me.”

  “I trust you, Pandora. This isn’t about trust.” He shook his head. “I’ve lost a lot because of Blagden and I won’t lose you too.”

  “Your lack of faith in my abilities is pissing me off.”

  “It’s not that either. I—”

  “You need to realize that I’m your bond shadow. If you die, I will too.”

  “But…” Zyric stared at her shock on his face. “You said that even if you were my bond shadow, you’re a Siren and it wouldn’t affect you if something happened to me unless…”

  “I love you. I didn’t realize it until earlier when Herthum said he would kill you. If anyone is going to kill you, it’ll be me.” Pandora glared at him. “I love you but at this moment, I don’t particularly like you.”

  “Ahhh, my violent woman, I longed to hear you say those words.” Zyric smiled. “And somehow I knew if you ever did, it wouldn’t be typical, but unique, like you are, when you said it.”

  She rose then stepped back. Suddenly the anger drained from her and she sighed. “Equal partnership. That is what I want and I won’t accept anything less.”

  Zyric stood then reaching for her but she moved away from him. Studying her, he lowered his hand.

  “I love you, Pandora.”

  “Then act like it.”

  “I have been. Protecting you and keeping you safe.” Zyric lifted his hands. “I don’t know of any other way to be.”

  “In your view, what you did for your family was the right thing but you were wrong, Zyric. You were supposedly dead and Lethra made to look like he had left while Sin and Savage were banished. If you had stayed, even despite Blagden having tried to kill you, that would have been better.”

  “How would that have been better? Blagden wouldn’t have given up—he would have kept at it. He would have used my family to get to me. Destroyed us all.”

  “Or, if you had stood up to him and told your family, they could have joined with you and eliminated him. Many scenarios could have made things different. Through all of them, the most important would have been standing together with your family instead of going it alone.”

  “I had Aldis, Kyrian and Taye.”

  “And they would have added to those who would stand with you. But I heard about your leaving them to track down a lead. Zyric, you have a tendency to go off and do things that could possibly kill you and leave those who care about you behind. You need to stop that.”

  “I… What I did then and now… They are to protect those I care about.”

  “And those who care about you want to be by your side. To help you and have your back. You are not in this alone.”

  Zyric stared at her with a contemplative look on his face. He shrugged. “It’s what I do. I don’t know if I can stop protecting people I care about.”

  “You don’t need to stop. You just need to trust them and share with them so you both can be on guard.” Pandora crossed her hands over her chest. “For example, if you had told me about feeling stalked or that something was out there, I would have told you I sensed it too and even thought I saw something in the window, as well as in the forest a few times on my way to visit the guys. That would have led to us discussing it and us possibly realizing you’re not the one Herthum is stalking, I am.”

  “What? Why would you think that?

  “Because when I was fighting with him earlier, he was doing everything to lure me close to him. Lure me so he could take me.”

  “Why would he want to take you?”

  “To use as bait for you. With your being back, he realized he didn’t actually kill you, which means he underestimated you. If that was me, I wouldn’t do it a second time and would make sure I had a way to even the odds. Herthum has been watching us and realized I am important to you. He figures I am your weakness and capturing me would give him and edge.”

  Zyric narrowed his eyes. “That’s stupid of him to think. Taking you would ensure he would die—either by my hand or your own.”

  “Yes, but he doesn’t know that. He doesn’t know what I am, since you all taught me to shield it. He thinks I’m a witch—and a weak one at that.”

  Zyric blinked then laughed. “A weak witch. That’s priceless.”

  “His stupidity will be in our favor.” Pandora smiled fiercely. “It will be too late when he realizes what I am.”

  “It will be.” Zyric ran his hand over the back of his neck. “Pandora, I need to think of what you said about my accepting help and not going it alone.”

  “Okay.” Pandora turned, stripping off her clothing with a thought. She looked over her shoulder at Zyric. “Are you coming to bed?”

  “I th—” He didn’t finish what he was about to say. He shucked his pants and went to the other side of the mattress.

  She slid in and turned to her side. Zyric lay beside her and reached for her.

  “Don’t.”

  He ignored her and pulled her back against his body. Zyric snuggled behind her, holding her.

  “My asking you to bed doesn’t mean I forgive you, Zyric.”

  “I know.” He went silent.

  She stared out of the windows. Zyric had said he needed to think and so did she. What he’d done by not telling her could have gotten either one of them killed. She needed to decide if she could believe he would not do so again in the future. At this point, she didn’t know if loving him and being his bond shadow would be enough for her to stay with him.

  It’ll devastate me to leave him but I will if I have to. I cannot accept anything less than being his equal. Pandora held in the pain knowing nothing could be gained by giving in. She could not change the outcome of what happened, only Zyric could.

  * * * *

  Pandora dropped down into a crouch then sent a blast of power. She ducked as one came back at her and returned it. The sounds of battle surrounded her and Pandora sighed then sat down. She put her head back against the bark and thought of the last few weeks. Since Herthum had come by, Zyric had changed. They hadn’t heard, sensed or seen Herthum again. Although they hadn’t, Zyric had once again become the man he had been when she’d first met him—aloof and cold. Until he had reverted to his old self, it hadn’t dawned on her the change. Finding his family and reclaiming his life had brought out the Zyric she remembered from when they were kids. The one who was open, loving and playful. She hadn’t realized he had been until it had gone away. They had barely touched since that day and she missed their closeness.

  “What’s wrong with you?” Grayson stooped down in front of her, taking a seat and crossing her legs under her. “You’re not even taking part much and you’re the one who suggested we do these training exercises.”

  The other women involved in the training exercises joined them.

  “She probably wanted to escape from being around Zyric,” Taye said then rolled her eyes. “If he’s been acting as he has at work, I would need space too. When Zyric gets all closed off, it’s frustrating.”

  Pandora clenched her fist, not liking the familiarity with which Taye spoke of him. She knew they were best friends but Taye had been around him for centuries, while they’d all thought him dead. Taye knew things about him none of them did. She thought for a moment of asking but dismissed it. She wanted Zyric to tell her about that stuff, about everything he’d gone through and his plans, especially when it included things that could affect her.

  “Lethra has been brooding,” Grayson said. “He’s staying with Sin. Savage and Sin have been talking about both he and Zyric. They want to do something to help their brothers but don’t know what. The rest of their siblings and parents are giving Sava
ge, Sin, Zyric and Lethra time so they can get used to them again. It is so painful to witness them together. Thinking of all those lost years.”

  Pandora had seen the family together too and agreed with Grayson. There was love between them but they were having to get to know each other again after so many centuries apart.

  “What’s up with you, Pandora? Something is bothering you, so spill?” Sabra asked.

  Grayson glanced at Pandora sharply. They had talked out what had happened with Zyric. She’d needed a sounding board and Grayson had helped and understood she wanted to be equal.

  “I’m fine.” Pandora changed the subject. “Has Ryssa realized Lethra is here in Blackstone and he is the one who killed so many of the Blackstones?” Pandora hadn’t yet met the second oldest Blackstone. She was in town but shielding herself. Her family didn’t have a clue what was going on and why she was, but were abiding by her wishes. Pandora only knew Ryssa was there because of Grayson.

  “No, she doesn’t know.” Sabra’s eyes narrowed. “I’m blocking her from that knowledge. I don’t know how she would react and I can’t allow her to hurt Lethra.”

  “Then how did you get the council which Ryssa was a part of to give him temporary haven?” Taye asked.

  “She thought he was someone else.” Sabra shrugged. “I did something to make it so.”

  Pandora looked at Sabra, surprised. She could feel the energy of those around her but if she had to judge them, she would not think of Sabra being that powerful. Even when she had touched her in the past, Pandora hadn’t gotten a sense of anything that powerful from her. Yes she was by many beings’ standards but not by those of her family or the higher level of beings’ scale. Curious, she held out her hand to Sabra.

  “May I touch you?”

  Sabra looked at her and knew her asking was so she could use her abilities. She nodded and held out her hand. Pandora placed her fingers on Sabra’s palm. She frowned as she again didn’t feel anything.

  “I don’t get it. No offense, Sabra, but I don’t get that much po—”