by Deanna Chase
“Do that again. I dare you.”
“Same goes to you,” I threatened.
We hit a hard turn and I lost my balance, falling onto his lap. Revolted, I tried pulling myself away, which was not easy to do with my hands bound behind me.
“Remain where you are!” He held my head against his lap, curling his fingers tightly in my hair. “This could be enjoyable.” He laughed darkly.
I bit his leg.
He stopped laughing.
Samil howled and I sat up against the door. While he cursed in another language, I noticed that my pendant had broken free and was lying on the seat between us. It was only a few inches away.
I didn’t have time to waste because if he spotted it he might toss it out, or it might slip from reach. The chain moved a little more, sliding into the crevice of the seat, and panic washed over me.
Without thinking, I put my back to him, swung my legs up and thrust my bare feet at the window. On the second kick, I grasped the necklace tightly in my fist and the window shattered, spraying a shower of glass. A blast of cold air rushed in and I pulled myself up. Had I just bent over to grab the necklace, he would have suspected something. So as stupid as it might have been, a distraction had to be created. Samil peeled off of the road and threw the car into park.
“This place will have to do,” he muttered as he stepped out and circled around.
I pressed the necklace in my hand and focused, pulling out the power. I’d never done anything like this before but there it was—a heat stirring in my fingers. With an audible snap, the energy was unlocked from the metal and flowing in my veins like a drug. My door yanked open and I was shoved to the ground.
“You know, Silver,” he said with his knee pressed into my back, untying the rope, “it is my sincere regret that I have to do this.”
“I’m sure it is.” I grunted, spitting out a mouthful of dirt. Another tug and the rope loosened.
“Sometimes fate has a sense of humor. You are too much of a liability.” He turned me over to my back and straddled me as he locked my wrists over my head. “I think I should like to have a taste before we end this.”
“Why go through all this trouble creating me, just to haul me off and dump me in the middle of nowhere? You’re a lunatic!”
“Maybe so, little girl.”
“Too weak to kick his ass?”
His hand went around my throat and he bared his canines, lips peeling back angrily, and those green eyes looked as if they were on fire.
“You are too stupid to waste time explaining what you’ll never comprehend with that puny little peanut brain of yours that is freshly human.”
His thumb ran down my neck and I seized the moment, shoving my fingers into his eyes and blinding him.
I stumbled over my bare feet as I watched him shaking and moaning in pain. While you should never put your power into another Mage, I did discover that pushing it directly into the eyes causes temporary blindness. A split second was all I needed to decide what to do next: run like hell.
The icy wind burned against my skin and my lungs were on fire from the frostbitten air. My bloody feet ran on patches of snow and twigs, moving on a current of newfound energy. I felt his presence gaining on me. There was an open patch of sky as I emptied into a clearing. Samil was standing at the tree line and I knew I could no longer outrun him—it was time to face my maker.
The faint light of the moon illuminated a fog around me; my breath stirred heat in the crisp air. I thought about my sessions with Justus and knew I had to listen to everything he had taught me. There was no more running. I swallowed back all of my pain until I was numb to it.
“Come out and face me, you worthless piece of shit!” The hatred inside of me was bubbling like an inferno, fueling the spit and fight I had left in me. I was going to need every ounce of energy I could get.
“Strong words from a weakling.”
“You can either keep running that mouth of yours or come out here and get your ass kicked,” I called out. I needed to do this while I still retained the energy.
Samil edged out of the dark, his long stride more pronounced as he stepped into the moonlight. Black hair obscured his face, but through the strands I could see the power within his eyes. Eyes like mine. I hated that the power in me came from him, that no matter what—I would always have a part of him in me. He stalked toward me, amusement touching his lips. That was the moment I realized help would never come.
“You are a brazen one, I will give you that. Come on then, show me what you can do.”
He crouched and sprang, flashing forward. I used my senses to detect his movement and flipped to the side, kicking my leg out, which knocked him off balance.
Score one for the weakling!
I changed position before he could check himself and flashed behind him, stomping his head. He reached for my ankle but I moved to his other side.
Our bodies became pure reaction, slicing through the air as we gave attack and defense, until we were nothing more than rhythm.
His face crunched when I kicked it with my bare foot. A glimmer caught my attention and I glanced down at a knife he kept strapped to his lower leg. My hand touched the handle and I hesitated.
It was long enough for him to knock me to the ground.
It was over.
Samil suffocated me with the weight of his body and I wondered if there was ever a time in his life he had reason, sanity, or compassion. Was this man ever truly human?
I struggled against his punishing grip, Samil’s savage eyes bore into mine, and he roared with the knife at my throat. The knife sailed into the ground all the way to the hilt.
“I will take what is rightfully mine—I have waited long enough!”
From my open hands, he pulled every drop of light he could get until I was as fragile as a dandelion in the breeze. I cried so loud that any living thing that heard me would have wept, but my screams were absorbed by the cold night.
His green eyes blazed as he bathed in the rush of my power—the power he had not been privy to. I was taken back to the moment of my death, which was replaying itself.
“A Unique—no wonder.”
His body slid over mine in a declaration.
“Not yet, little girl; we’re not done by a mile. Why the fuck didn’t you tell me you were a Unique?”
His gaze lingered on the marks he left on my body as his eyes claimed ownership. Ownership I didn’t want and would rather be dead than have to endure. He groaned, rubbing at my breast—he stank of maliciousness. I opened my mouth, but the only word that came out was Justus.
The hammering of my heart against my chest became a battle cry. Now it was up to the stars if they would allow such an atrocity. I looked at them pleadingly, begging them to fall down and smite us with their power, but they only blinked indifferently.
As they had once before.
With my free hand, I weakly hit him in the face, unleashing the last remaining ounce of fight I had left in me. I clawed, scratched, and snapped my teeth until he smacked my face so hard it sounded like a whip crack.
I thought about how I had always wanted to visit Italy, Greece, even Paris, and travel on a train cross-country. What was Adam doing at that exact moment? I missed Sunny and wanted to know if she’d ever find love. What did an apricot taste like? I wished I could pet Max one last time and kiss his nose. It’s funny the things that run through your mind in the end.
“You are unlike anything I have ever made,” he whispered, high from the power he was juicing himself up with. His throat cleared. “I will find a way to keep you from him and build my power source. The light is so… strong.”
There was a brief moment it seemed as though the earth was shaking, but it was only me. I was sick with fear, cold, and overwhelming sorrow. I was ready to die in that moment, but not ready to live if it meant staying with Samil. His hand pushed painfully against my thigh. There was the metallic sound of a zipper and my legs struggled against the horror of it.
“Please don’t do this,” I cried.
“It’s customary, don’t take it personal.” He laughed. “A female Mage holds no value but to service the male.”
The moon gleamed off the patches of fresh snow, and in the distance, I imagined Justus standing there, armed to the teeth with daggers to save me. His stance was fierce, as a warrior. I watched the light in his eyes pierce the darkness until they found me. In a flash, the image of my Ghuardian disappeared.
Dreams are cruel.
“Are you ready to beg?”
Violence exploded above from an impact of muscle. There was a surge of power all around me like a halo… and a battle cry so primal it was deafening.
But it wasn’t mine.
Chapter 24
“Silver.”
Something warm and inviting moved through me—the soft touch of consciousness. But I was swimming in the deep waters, only noticing a faint glimmer of light above.
“Silver,” the voice called again. Was that my name?
Emptiness anchored me to the cold waters, pulling me down. I fought against it and surfaced through the hollows of my eyelids. When they opened, they heavily drank in the images that swirled and blurred before they closed again.
“That’s it, come on. Wake up, love.”
“Is she alive?” another one shouted from a distance.
Familiar voices.
Warmth penetrated through soft fabric against my cheek. Miles of arms wrapped around me. I smelled cinnamon, tasted blood, and felt the sharp sting of winter’s breath on my skin. A deep inhale reminded me that I was alive, and I shook in violent upheavals from coughing. Slivers of pain welcomed themselves back into my body, so I closed my eyes… anchors away.
“There now, you’re safe. Silver, open your eyes.” The voice was worried and demanding. A finger pulled at my lid and I turned my head, moaning. “Open your eyes and come back to us. That’s not a request, it’s an order.”
A hand combed through my bloodied hair, pulling it away from my face. Shivers rolled through me as the world fell into focus. As Simon came into focus.
“Justus!” he shouted, the sound vibrating against my ear. “She’s awake.”
My neck turned left slowly until I saw Justus kneeling on top of Samil with his hands gripped onto something directly over his chest. A knife. Samil moaned and Justus twisted the knife in violent movements, provoking another scream.
It wasn’t a dream.
Simon knelt with me in his arms. “We’ll fix you, I swear to it.”
He carefully rose to his feet. Justus also rose, placing his foot on the handle of the dagger, and another long moan escaped Samil.
An icy breeze caressed my skin, as did the sudden awareness that I was mostly naked. I twisted uncomfortably.
“Justus, she needs to be cared for. I will take her,” Simon urged.
The snow crunched underneath Simon’s feet as we neared my Ghuardian. His face was cut, although the bleeding had stopped, and his sweater was stained with blood. I lowered my gaze, unable to look him in the eye. My body shivered and I pressed against Simon.
Justus caught Samil’s eyes lingering on me and anger flared as he forcefully kicked him in the face, knocking Samil’s head in the other direction.
“You do not look at her!” He pushed the knife in, as if it could possibly go in any farther.
Justus peeled off his thick sweater in one swift movement. Neither was dressed for the cold. Justus did, however, have time to strap on weaponry. His muscles flexed as he inched near enough that he could gently tuck his sweater over me and it was searing hot, a welcome warmth. A worried expression blotted with anger spread over his face and I closed my eyes. The richness of spice and smoke from the fabric filled my nose.
“I’ll take care of her. You take care of him,” Simon growled. “Call the Council and have him detained.”
Justus looked at me with regard and once again, I averted my eyes.
In a low whisper he asked, “Why does she refuse to look at me?”
“You’re a bloody fool. Do you treat her as a Mage with value? Do you talk to her, or at her? I know what it feels like to be treated as a dog; it doesn’t take a beating to instill that. It merely takes a word. You have locked her away, taught her only to protect herself, not valuing her worth as a fighter. What hopes have you given her for a future other than victim? This is not the dark ages, Justus. Females now have a place.” Simon turned when Justus gripped his arm.
“Do you not think I respect her? Remember, I chose to be her Ghuardian. She called my name… I heard it.”
“And we can argue about this later. She is suffering.”
The grip loosened and we quickly moved away. A moment later, I heard Samil’s screams slice through the night, one I had longed to hear, and one that went on and on as Justus exacted his punishment.
***
My lips parted and a biting scent filled my nose, settling on my tongue like candy. A soft pillow cradled my head and my eyes drifted open.
A dim light illuminated the corner of the room from a small lamp with a red shade. Scattered across the bed were soft fur blankets over black sheets. There was a small writing table that held a stack of books that were precariously close to tipping over. The door ahead was slightly ajar.
Simon slept in an oversized chair near the bed with his hair obscuring his face. His breathing was heavy and I could see one part of his face that gave the most peaceful angelic expression. His jeans were dirty and wet at the bottom. As I leaned over even more, I saw his feet were dirty and bare.
The sheet was pulled aside and I looked down at my healed body. Each mark had been individually tended. I still felt exhausted; no amount of energy could possibly restore what I had lost.
I wore a long, white T-shirt and thick socks pulled up almost to the knees. I still had blood matted in my hair and caked beneath my fingernails. I started to push myself up when a hand reached out and settled me back down.
Simon’s warm eyes scolded me. “Not so fast, you. Stay as you were, you need to rest.”
“Where am I?” My voice came out broken and raspy, so I cleared my throat.
I watched Simon’s face harden. His eyes were locked on my thigh where there were bruising fingerprints. One he had missed, as it was in such a personal area he must have avoided looking while he dressed me.
“Simon, just leave it. It doesn’t matter anymore.” I sighed.
Something dark unleashed behind the depths of his glowing eyes as he pulled in a long breath through his nose.
He did not wait for a response and touched my leg as his eyes never moved away from mine. Within a few moments, the bruises were gone. All evidence was erased.
Simon retracted his hand and his features softened. “This is my home I always keep open. It was the closest place we could bring you, and you’re safe here. Nothing to worry about, I’ve got alarm systems that go out to the bloody street. I just want you to rest.”
“You healed me?”
He nodded in the affirmative and reached for a glass of water, bracing my neck as I took a sip. I nearly lurched at the glass, not having realized until that moment the intensity of my thirst. It rushed into my empty stomach, cold and uninviting, and burned my dry throat. I stopped to allow it to settle. My stomach did not protest so I took more sips.
“He did not feed you?”
“Where is Justus?”
The glass tapped on the wood table and he turned away. “Calling the Council. What he did…”
“Is Samil dead?”
Simon let out a long, heavy sigh. “Not yet. It is against our laws to kill another Mage—justified or not—everything must go through the Council. Justus wants Samil’s death, do not doubt it. He is very clever and we will find your justice. It is not against our law for a Creator to control or even use their Learner, we have to prove the intent was more.”
“He wanted to kill me.” My eyes went blank as my mind recalled those moments in the field. �
�I fought him, Simon. I knew I couldn’t beat him, but I fought him with everything I had left.”
“You fought as well as any Mage could be expected to in their first year of being. I’m impressed, and one day you will be a strong warrior.” When Simon looked at me, I saw anger on his face. “Don’t you ever doubt yourself; you must always do whatever it takes to survive.”
“What is a Unique?”
He stared at me pensively. “It is Justus who should do this.”
“I have a right to know what I am.”
He turned away, placing both of his feet on the floor and leaned forward on his elbows.
“A Unique is a rarity of our kind. We know very little of them. Your power is different, taking it gives a feeling like no other. It does not make you stronger, but you have the potential to become a powerful Mage. I have only seen one Unique come to full potential in my lifetime. I don’t know enough to tell you what you are, only another Unique could do that. Some consider your kind… dangerous. If your identity is discovered while you are still so young, you would be used as Samil had intended, or killed out of fear.”
“So my power gives an extra kick, but why is that worth anything?”
“If another takes from you, their energy is fueled and some of it becomes part of them, and over time it could increase their power, if they are able to control you. A Unique is a coveted thing by the wrong people. That is why I only know of one; they either stay hidden in secret or they are taken and used.”
“Samil made others like me. I don’t know if they were Uniques, but he’s trading his services for making others. I still don’t understand why I was different; do you think being a Unique has something to do with why my appearance changed?”
“I can’t be sure. We do not know what it is that makes a Unique; is it just a random assortment of light during your creation, or does some of your human genetics play a role?”
I leaned forward and placed my hand on the back of his neck, sweeping his soft hair to the side so I could get a more intimate view of the tattoo on his neck.
“What does this mean?” It was a series of four symbols I ran my finger over.
