The Willow

by Stacey Kennedy

The realization of what was going to happen weighed heavily upon me. This was my only chance to save Kyden. No matter what happened I had to try. I jumped to my feet. “Come on then you fucking coward. Show me what you’ve got.”

  I ate my words quickly as he landed a punch to my jaw that snapped my head back, slices of pain along with it. Before I had time to recover, he pummeled me with a hard blow to my gut that tossed me directly in front of Kyden.

  “You are brave.” Lazarus laughed. “I will give you that.”

  I spat blood from my mouth. “Brave. Do you even know what that word means?”

  “Oh, my beauty, you are a breath of fresh air. I must say your mouth pleases me. It is almost a shame I have to destroy you.”

  My stomach heaved in pain. Kyden groaned above me. Was this it? Was this how he would die? He was so hurt. He needed me to help him and I couldn’t. My focus returned to Lazarus, defeated. He had won. He was going to take everyone I loved away from me.

  He stalked forward, making my breath catch. The long strides, the smooth glide across the floor and the fierce evil determined look in his eye. It was all the same. This is exactly how he looked when he killed my mother.

  My rage began to build, my hate for him deepened. I was the only one left. The only one who could defeat him. If he took me the way he planned the world would be ruined—evil would seep into everything that was beautiful. This couldn’t happen.

  Rage blasted through me as warmth began to spread along my body. Small electric currents began flowing through my veins. Something was happening.

  Lazarus was watching me curiously. “What is wrong with you?”

  “I—” I hesitated and glanced at my hands. They were shaking terribly. Within seconds, the rest of me was shaking too.

  The warmth began to grow inside me, filling my body entirely. Suddenly, it broke through. A surge of energy exploded painfully within me. My blood rushed through my veins as flames of heat blasted rapidly throughout my body. Wind began whipping around the room—dust flew everywhere.

  Kyden moaned loudly above me. Instinctively, I reached out to touch him. A flash of power shot through me, my eyes closing tightly as I screamed out in excruciating pain. Pain this bad should mean that you’re dead—it burned every part of me—singed me from the inside.

  When the torment ceased, my eyes opened to see Kyden staring at me, completely healed. It took only seconds for me to understand what had taken place—I discovered my magic. Spirit Witch.

  Nevertheless, seeing how much Kyden healed pleased me. He was, however, nothing but royally pissed off at that moment. My brows drew together in confusion. He arched a furious brow. “You better have a goddamned good reason for coming here alone.”

  “And here I thought I was going to have to wait,” Lazarus interrupted with his all too sinister grin.

  Kyden’s eyes seemed to throw daggers at him. He shook the chains, trying to break free of the hold. “Let me free of these and we will end this.” A rumble of fury deepened his tone.

  “You’re a sweet one and I have a date. I believe it is in my best interest to leave you where you stand.”

  Kyden’s fierce gaze shot to mine. “Don’t even think about it.”

  I stood, noticing a difference within myself. I was stronger. The release of my magic gave me something new, something better. Something I knew could kick Lazarus’ ass.

  When I began to circle him, his grin lessened. His annoyance showed strong. “We are going back to this, are we?”

  “Oh, yes. We are going back to this. You have taken everyone from me. My mother, my adoptive parents and just because you didn’t kill Drake directly doesn’t mean that I’m not going to make you suffer for it.”

  “Drake?” Kyden’s voice came soft with empathy. Then, he shook the chains with a fierce determination. “Nexi, do not do this. Break me free.”

  “No,” I shouted at him. Rage seething my bones, I dove toward Lazarus with a need to kill and landed a hard punch to his gut, blasting him a good twenty feet away.

  “Fuck,” Kyden bellowed. The chains rattled as he yanked frantically, trying to sever the hold.

  Lazarus stood and wiped his pants. “You have taught her well, Guardian,” he said, glancing at Kyden. Then, his gaze met mine. “You sure you want to do this?”

  “You prey on the innocent. You take lives of those who cannot defend themselves against you. I think it’s about time you face someone who could sorely kick your ass.”

  “You believe you are capable of this?”

  “I know it.” I lunged forward to blast him with a right hook, which sent him soaring through the air.

  Before he could land I was on him. He threw a punch. I blocked it without hesitation.

  “Your strength has grown,” he remarked as he mirrored my moves.

  “Noticed that did you?”

  He threw another punch. I blocked it with my left arm while using my right to pummel him across the jaw.

  Kyden roared, “Nexi, cut me free.”

  Ignoring him, I continued with my attack. This fight was mine.

  Lazarus came at me again and again, but it was pointless. My strength outweighed him, my blocks faster than he could hit. Almost as if I had a shield protecting me. A shield he couldn’t get through.

  Realizing his defeat, his lips drew back exposing his fangs. “I am getting bored of this. You will die now.”

  My temper exploded. I smashed my palm against the side of his head and kicked out. “There is no way in hell those fangs are coming anywhere near me.”

  He rolled to his feet. “Your power is more than I expected. This pleases me.”

  “You still think you can kill me?” I clucked at him. “I think it’s about time to show you just how wrong you are.” With that, I sprang forward.

  Thought ceased to exist in my mind. All that remained was my need to inflict justice. Justice for every life he had ever taken, for every tear I had ever shed. My hits were hard and fast. He never stood a chance. He stumbled around, tried to keep his balance as I attacked him with vengeance.

  With one final hit to the chest, he soared backward to land hard on his back. He instantly flipped over and crawled away.

  “Look at you,” I spat, “crawling away like the coward I took you for.”

  My gaze never left his pathetic body as he continued to move away spinelessly. I pulled my sword from behind my back as he quickly flipped over to face me. I raised my sword, swung hard and fast.

  It never hit.

  When I discovered him on the other side of the room, I sighed, “Shit, I forgot you can do that.”

  “You have only begun to discover your powers, and look, you were almost able to defeat me. You will be a great benefit to me. Your blood will give me everything I have ever wanted.”

  Behind him eyes began to glow in the darkness. Scratching sounds grew louder as claws scraped against the cement floor.

  Fear held me frozen.

  “Nexi. Now,” Kyden belted out, just as too many wolves to count emerged from the shadows.

  “Dear God!” I bolted toward him. With a swipe of my sword sparks went flying.

  “Get them,” Lazarus shouted.

  The wolves ran toward us, teeth blazing. I raised my sword while Kyden stepped in behind me, leaning against my back.

  The first wolf lunged. I stepped away slightly and stuck my sword deep into his side, twisting quickly. He hit the floor hard as another wolf was right on me taking a deep bite into my arm. Reciprocating, I slammed the blade to the heart. He quickly released my arm, taking a quart of my blood with him.

  Two wolves began their approach on me, ready to attack.

  Kyden grabbed my arm and threw me back. “Get to the wall.”

  The move I understood perfectly. We couldn’t let them circle around us. If we did it would be game over.

  A wolf quickly lunged at me with another following directly behind. I dodged the first wolf, but
was unable to steer free from the second. He hit, and hit hard, sending me straight to the ground. I kicked out, hit his shoulder, forcing him back. He stayed right on me. His teeth snapped viciously as his razor sharp incisors were just millimeters from my throat. Without hesitation, I slashed his throat, drowning myself in his blood. I shoved him off just as the other wolf came at me again—snarling and spitting everywhere.

  It was beyond disgusting. So disgusting in fact, I jumped to my feet and cut off his head, putting an end to that bit of nonsense.

  Suddenly, the wolves retreated. Not to withdraw their attack but to change their approach. They weren’t as stupid as they looked. There was no way they would succeed if they attacked individually, but if they attacked together our efforts would be useless.

  We backed up tight against the wall. Kyden reached out and took my hand. My gaze met his light green beauties that usually sent my blood racing. Now, they sent a rush of despair washing over me.

  His eyes weren’t scared—they were heartbroken. We were going to die.

  With that, anger began to send a warm wrath blasting into every particle of my body. My hands began to tremble as that fury raked me right to my very core. My mind swirled with this daunting situation. How could Lazarus win? The anger turned to rage. The warm feeling became hot as it raced through my blood. How could this be it? How could our lives end this way?

  The rage became all-consuming. It filled me completely until I could barely think—barely breathe. My vision blurred. Drake couldn’t have been wrong. Life couldn’t be this unfair. Could it?

  I loathed Lazarus to a point of insanity, despising him for everything he was and all he had taken from me. My rage kept building and the center of my chest began to tighten. The warmth concentrating there. My body began to shake—hate enveloped me with a need to detonate.

  A breeze started to wrap around my body. My hair began to whip around my face as the air started to move faster. The rage settled momentarily and mixed with confusion. “Er—why is it windy in here?” I hesitantly asked Kyden.

  He never answered. Just gave me an examining look.

  The wolves weren’t moving. Their eyes wide with fear. My gaze lingered over to Lazarus. He didn’t look afraid—he looked intrigued.

  The wind began to speed up as it whipped around the room. The wolves’ fur swayed in the wind. It kept building speed. Where was it coming from? I tried to yell to Kyden to find out what was happening, but I couldn’t speak.

  Kyden’s eyes were frantic. He was trying to say something, but I couldn’t hear him. The wind was becoming too strong—too loud as it rumbled in my ears.

  The wind was pushing me back. Stepping one foot forward, I tried to brace myself against the wind. I was unable to see the hand in front of me anymore. The wind made it impossible to see anything. Everything became a blur. My eyes closed tightly as the wind got faster. A loud tornado whipped around me.

  Abruptly, pain tore through me. I screamed out at the intensity of it. It wasn’t on the outside that was hurting me; it was burning me from the inside. The pain grew—completely consuming me.

  Suddenly, the wind stopped and the fire inside me now doused. My eyes snapped open. Kyden stood in front of me holding onto my shoulders while the wolves were on their bellies, shaking with fear. “What the hell was that?” I gasped.

  Kyden face twisted with emotions. “Are you…” His words quickly cut off as the earth below us began to rumble.

  At first, a soft quake sending small vibrations shuddering beneath my feet. Then, it changed as the ground rattled angrily causing the building to shake against its beams. Dust flew through the air as the walls began to lose pieces of its plaster.

  Kyden fell to the floor as the wolves braced themselves against the trembling structure. Everything was in complete chaos.

  My gaze fell on Lazarus. His expression was now alarmed. Shock instantly engulfed me. Why was he staying here? He had the ability to vanish. Why wasn’t he?

  Instantly, it became evident that I wasn’t moving. Why was I the only one still standing? What the fuck?

  Then, a bright blue light flashed before my eyes and a blood-curdling scream echoed throughout the room, which just so happened came from my mouth.

  Chapter Seventeen

  I’d been charbroiled with a side of burnt to a crisp. My body scorched to a point where I could swear smoke still lingered in the air. Slowly the pain gripping me began to ease. The fire blessedly extinguished when a sense of my mind came back to me when I felt someone’s hands on my head. I cracked open an eye and with a little effort it focused. “Zia.” I forced the other eye open.

  She was kneeling beside me, drenched in sweat, convulsing terribly. Probably would have been more inclined to help her if I hadn’t remembered what happened. “Kyden,” I screamed.

  “I am alright, Álainn. I am here,” he shouted from a distance.

  Hands squeezed mine. I followed them up to discover Haven. She smiled softly. Even if I couldn’t feel her emotions, I’d still see the worry hidden behind that smile.

  When I looked back, Zia wasn’t convulsing anymore. She now panted heavily and wiped the sweat from her face. She gave me a quick wink as she attempted to fix her normally perfect hair that now looked like something from the eighties. “That was much harder than I anticipated.”

  A loud howl startled me. I lifted my head. Was I seeing things right? A mini-tornado whipped around his body, caged him where he stood. Kyden stalked toward the wolf with a determination that was more than duty. It was revenge.

  In fact, every wolf in the warehouse was frozen still and Kyden wasn’t the only one offing them. Talon and Finn were here too. “What happened to them?” I asked Zia.

  “That is your magic, sweetie.” She gave a sweet smile. “Anger can trigger magic. By the looks of things, you were very angry.”

  She couldn’t be making jokes right now. There was nothing funny about any of this. My body would be better off dead. More than exhausted—I was utterly drained. Resting my head back on the hard cold cement floor was my only recourse.

  Moments later, Kyden approached me. He knelt down, then handed my sword to me with an expression that screamed victory. “Finish it,” was all he said.

  When I raised myself up his words were perfectly clear. There wasn’t a single wolf left in the warehouse. All that remained was Lazarus.

  As I struggled to my feet, Kyden reached down and helped me up. “Man, this is worse than a hangover,” I grumbled.

  “Your magic has drained you, that is all,” Zia said. “You’ll feel better once it’s restored. Here, I will help you so you can deal with Lazarus, but you will likely pass out soon so be quick.”

  “Passing out doesn’t sound all that bad right about now.”

  She took my hand and with it came a jolt of energy. Immediately, my strength returned. I stepped out of Kyden’s arms and began approaching Lazarus. Halfway there I stopped. He looked so weak—pitiful standing frozen, unable to move. It was all wrong. “I won’t end his life this way. Is there a way to unfreeze him?”

  “You can withdraw the magic, but you need to relax,” Zia said. “You will not be able to release the hold you have on him if you don’t.”

  “The hold?” I repeated.

  “Your emotions are so tightly wrapped around him you need to free yourself from him before the spell will break.”

  “Well, since I have no idea what I did in the first place I sure as hell hope you can tell me how to do that?”

  “How you were capable of this,” She shook her head, and laughed. “without a single knowledge of what you were doing.” She hesitated. “Is brilliantly amazing.” She shook her head again. “We will try meditation. It should do the trick.”

  Kyden grasped me by the arms and arched a brow. “I have a better idea.” He drew me into a kiss that was all consuming.

  Nothing else mattered except that we were reunited, safe, and belonged to each other.
When I drew in closer, allowed my body to cradle intimately with his, Talon cleared his throat loudly. “She looks relaxed enough, Kyden.”

  He drew away only to come back in to lightly kiss my lips. Then, he leaned in and whispered in my ear. “That may have relaxed you, Álainn, but it definitely had another effect on me entirely.”

  When he stepped back, he’d never looked so hungry, and it wasn’t a cheeseburger and fries he wanted on the menu. I groaned, wishing we were in a different place—alone and very much naked.

  Talon grabbed my arm and pulled me away. “Focusing would be better suited if you were over here I believe.”