by A and E Kirk
Logan waved an arm and most of the debris flowed over us as Blake raised a hand and slowed the mass enough so it wasn’t about to bury us alive.
“Sorry,” Blake said. “Almost missed those. Everyone keep going! Cristiano, how close are we?”
“I will get us there,” he said. “You keep working. You are doing well.”
“I’m not so sure,” Blake said. “There are people still inside. Miles of catacombs collapsing. It just keeps going on and on!” He shook his head. “Arg!”
“Blake,” Jayden said. “Don’t give up. I’m sure your geological calculations are accurate. As always.”
“We are almost there.” Cristiano pointed ahead to a series of metal rungs built into the wall. “Logan, the ladder leads to a manhole cover. Blow it open and we will follow.”
Logan and Jayden flew ahead and both disappeared. We barreled across another intersection and made it to the bottom of ladder. Ayden shoved me up first, he and Matthias following close behind.
From the top, Logan and Jayden each reached down a hand and shouted, “Hurry!”
As we climbed, a tidal wave of fallen catacomb debris crashed into the intersection.
“I’ve got this!” Blake yelled. “Keep going!”
He ran back down the tunnel, raising his hands, but as he did, a skull slammed like a brick into his head. He didn’t even wobble. He just went down. The wave of rubble rushed at his fallen form.
“No!” I cried.
Ayden and Matthias started to go back down the ladder. Still at the bottom, Cristiano ordered, “Logan! Bring them up, now!”
As Cristiano ran down the tunnel toward Blake, a tornado of wind caught Ayden, Matthias, and me and torpedoed us up and out. We thumped to the ground, then all five of us scrambled back to look over the edge of the manhole.
At first, there was nothing. Then, with a thundering crash, the wave of debris ravaged across the bottom of the ladder, and we had to dive away as dirt, rock, and skeletal parts shot up the tube and out into the night like a geyser. We were just barely able to avoid the boney shower.
But Blake and Cristiano were gone.
CHAPTER 117
“Where is he?!” Logan screamed again.
We were on a deserted street lined with businesses which were closed this late at night, so Logan wasn’t waking the neighbors. At least not yet. I was afraid if he kept this up, he’d huff and puff and blow more than a few houses down. Not that I blamed him. I was freaking out too.
Ayden, Jayden, and Matthias had been forced to hold him back when he’d tried to jump down the manhole and into the raging rush of broken catacombs and lost souls.
So instead, he’d started sucking the muck from the hole, tornadoing it up and out, which is why there was a mound of tunnel debris filled with the bones of the long dead piled twenty feet high in the middle of the street.
While Logan ranted, I hugged myself and felt numb. “His earth power will keep him alive, won’t it?”
Jayden shook his head. “Not unless Blake is conscious to activate his powers.”
“We’ll call the guardians!” Logan said. “Blake’s might have already saved him, but at the very least they can find where he is!”
“But I am here, my friend.” Across the dimly lit street, Cristiano stepped out from behind a car.
“You!” Logan shouted with pure venom. “This is all your fault! I should’ve been down there! I could have stopped him from getting hurt!” Logan’s bow materialized, and he shot an arrow right between Cristiano’s eyes.
At the last minute Cristiano swung out of the way.
Logan made a furious, frustrated sound and nocked so many arrows into his bow, they blurred together. He sent them flying all at once.
But his target gracefully dodged every one.
“Quit doing that!” Logan shuddered in a frenzy. “Hold still! On second thought, don’t!”
The bow dissipated, and Logan flung his hands forward. A blast of wind shot across the street. The cars on either side of Cristiano flipped into the air and smashed into the building behind them. Alarms blared.
On his feet and unaffected by the tumult, maybe his hair ruffled a bit, Cristiano glanced at the crashed cars, then back to Logan. “My friend, please do n—”
“I am not your friend!” Logan’s face turned a raging shade of red as he lifted his hands again.
“I regret that is the opinion you have of me,” Cristiano said. “But I believe we can agree that he is.” Armani dragged an unconscious body out of the shadows.
My knees buckled at the sight.
“Blake!” Logan ran to his friend’s side.
“He is well.” Cristiano knelt beside Blake.
Ayden caught me so I could bury my face in his shoulder to hiccup a sob and shed my tears of relief.
“Oh, thank God,” Ayden murmured and gulped several deep breaths.
Cristiano kneeled on the other side of Blake. “He simply needs a moment to reassert his lungs to full function. He sustained quite the crushing blow as recompense for his courage.”
“How did you guys get out?” Logan asked.
“Another exit down the way,” Cristiano said as he brushed dirt off the big guy’s face.
Blake caught his wrist, and without opening his eyes, said in a groggy slur, “Babe, I know you’ve been dying for an excuse, being in the throes of battle and all, so go ahead. You can give me mouth-to-mouth now.” He puckered his lips.
Cristiano smiled. “I do not believe I am the ‘babe’ you are wishing to provide that no-doubt pleasurable as well as lifesaving feat.”
Blake smiled wistfully. “Cristiano, that you?”
“Yes, my brave friend, it is I.”
“Honestly, dude, you are so pretty, I don’t think I’d mind.”
Cristiano dropped his head back and laughed. We all joined him.
CHAPTER 118
Blake paced around muttering quietly, eyes swirling with power. When he occasionally stumbled, Logan helped him steady, but I was confident that around the city, crisis after collapsing crisis was being averted.
As Ayden and Matthias carried the cover over to the manhole, Matthias said, “Don’t know about you, mate, but I can’t wait to get home.”
“Yeah,” Ayden said. “This hasn’t exactly been the dream European vacation we’d always talked about.”
“Oh, jeez,” I said, horrified. “My parents. How long have I been gone? They must be going nuts. Probably called Interpol by now, which would normally sound crazy, but here I am in Europe, so how crazy is it that it’s not crazy? I am so dead.”
“Don’t worry,” Ayden said, letting the cover clang into place. “It’s been taken care of. You’re in the clear.”
“How is that possible?”
“I’ll tell you on the way home.”
Home. I had to agree with Matthias. It would be nice. My hand went to my throat.
“Uh-oh,” I said. “The umb—my necklace is missing.” I felt more than a little worried. “We should find it. It’s important.” I shot a defeated glance at the manhole, then headed toward the pile of dirt and bones. “Maybe it’s in here.”
Ayden took my hand and led me away. “Nothing’s as important as you. Let it go.”
“If it means that much to you, I will conduct a search,” Cristiano assured me. “It will be found.”
“Don’t sweat it,” Ayden said.
Had I ever seen Armani sweat?
“I am curious,” Cristiano said. “Where did you get an umbra stone?”
“From—” Oh crap. Now I was sweating. Profusely. “A…what?”
Cristiano gave me a look. “Do not play the idiot. Certainly not with me. I did not garner a close enough look before, but I did tonight. Where did you obtain such a rare artifact?”
“Eros,” Ayden said. “So, frankly, I’m glad it’s gone.”
“I see,” Cristiano nodded thoughtfully. “Thank you for your candor.”
“Can we get out of here now?”
Matthias asked, gesturing for Logan to steer a still shaky Blake our way.
“Of course,” Cristiano said. “The journey to our assigned rendezvous point with our undercover agent is not far.”
“By the way.” Logan put out his hand to Cristiano. “Thank you for getting him out of there. And, uh, sorry for trying to kill you.”
Cristiano gave Logan’s hand a firm shake. “It was my utmost pleasure. And that would include the attempted assassination. You are the nicest of individuals to ever try.”
And probably the only one still alive.
But instead of the coldblooded killer, it was the amiable Cristiano, the good friend and savior of Hex Boys, who led our valiant, triumphant group into the dark Paris night. Sounded grand, but we were a torn, tattered, and ragged lot. After I limped a few feet and made some odd, pathetic noises—because things I didn’t even know could hurt, did indeed hurt—Ayden picked me up in his arms.
“Thanks,” I said as we traipsed through the quiet, cobblestone streets. In the distance, the Eiffel Tower twinkled with white light. “This is all very romantic.”
“Well,” he smiled. “We are in Paris. And I am the coolest boyfriend.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” I kissed his cheek. Thick stubble scratched against my lips, but I didn’t mind. He hadn’t shaved in a while and the scruff gave him a rugged look.
As we made it to an empty street that ran along the river, an SUV screeched around the corner and tagged us in its headlights.
A tinny voice boomed from the vehicle’s loudspeaker. “Don’t move! We’ve got you surrounded!”
CHAPTER 119
Cristiano pulled out a gun as the Hex Boys readied their powers.
No, no, no! I was finally free of Dubois and now this? I thought I was too tired and sore to do anything, but panic flooded past the hurt.
The driver’s door opened. I flung out a hand and a thin line of jagged blue light sizzled forth. It hit the center of the door with a mighty crack. In a moan of crinkling metal, the door ripped from the hinges and spiraled backwards, then crashed and tumbled, taking out a few trash cans before vaulting over a wall and splashing into the river.
I heard a girly scream.
“Crap,” I groaned.
“Stand down, stand down! It’s me!” Tristan yelled from inside the car. He peeked his head out before stepping onto the pavement. “Man, you guys look like crap.” He strode forward. “Does someone else want to drive? Paris traffic sucks.” Sirens blared in the background. “We’d better hurry. Did I mention I’m being chased?”
Hurry? Sure. Just after my nap.
We piled in the car, and following Cristiano’s directions, Logan ditched our tail and raced us to a private airstrip outside the city where Horus waited with our ride. I dozed in and out on Ayden’s shoulder while the guys chatted.
“So is Dubois dead?” Tristan said, he seemed hyped up.
“It appears so,” Cristiano said. “Although there will be a thorough search for her body.”
“Oh, your mom’s gonna be ticked off,” Tristan said. “She was really looking forward to interrogating Dubois personally. They found Renard dead. Figured Dubois murdered her to keep her quiet and tie up loose ends. Oh, and Aurora, she really wants to talk to you.”
“Great,” I said without enthusiasm. The thought made me shiver. Or it could've been my system going into shock. “Cristiano, you’re not—”
“Going to inform my mother of what I know of ‘the girl’?” Cristiano said, then shook his head. “No. You have my word. But you know now she is not trying to kill you so…” He let the sentence hang.
“I still need to stay away from her. Please.”
There was a quiet moment of tension, then he said, “As you wish.”
Ayden stroked my hair and pressed his lips to my forehead. “It will be okay. I promise.”
“Sure,” I murmured, wanting to believe him.
As we pulled up next to the jet and got out, Horus bounded down the steps, waving and smiling. “Got here as fast as I could. Even brought reinforcements.” He pointed at a plane roaring low over our heads, coming in for a landing, its lights illuminating the fine drizzle raining down. “I called in the rest of the team for help.”
I gulped. “Your Sicarius team?” Goodbye frying pan, hello fire.
“Yes,” he said proudly. “Out of emotional concern for others, I am acquiring assets to come to y’all’s aid.” He saw the looks on our faces, and his fell. “That was wrong? Dang it. I thought I nailed it this time. I’ll go stall them.”
He kicked a toe into the ground, then launched into the air, flew to the pilot’s window on the other Sicarius plane, and started banging.
Sirens wailed not far away. So much for ditching our tail.
Matthias said, “We need to go. Now.”
Tristan was already halfway up the steps to the jet’s entry, waving over his shoulder. “Thanks! Tell your mom I said bye. I think we really bonded! She even invited me to your place on Lake Como. Although, she thinks I’m out getting her coffee. You’ll cover for me, right?”
“Of course,” Cristiano told him.
“Thanks!”
Ayden helped me gimp up the metal stairs which were slick with a layer of rain. “Blake, help her into a seat. I’ve got to talk with the pilot.”
“Hang on, babe, I’m checking their fridge.”
“Excellent idea. I am gastronomically parched.”
“Ah, man, Jayden you’d better not stink up the plane, it’s not like we can open a window.”
“Hey, Jayden, would you make me those cookies I like? Now I wish I’d gotten that coffee for Sophina and brought it with me. Did I tell you she and I are on a first name basis now?”
“Do you think they’d let me fly the jet?”
“I’m sure they would, dude…if your feet could reach the pedals! Ha! Ow!”
“There are no pedals! And if there were, I could reach them.”
Matthias came up the steps. “Blake, get the door.”
“One sec, dude. Is no one else starving?”
“I already communicated that I was—”
“Full of gas. Dude, please, don’t need to hear it again. Pew. I can smell it already.”
“Wait,” I told Matthias. “Cristiano’s not here.”
“He’s not coming.” The Aussie followed Ayden into the cockpit.
I felt a pang of...not sure what, but it didn’t feel good. “Wait.”
I stepped outside. Trouble was, the stairs were gone. Well, pulled away a foot or two from the plane. My first step landed on nothing. I lurched forward and managed to catch the railing and get the toe of my second foot on the edge of the stairs, but it was slippery, and I started to go down. Strong hands hauled me up.
Cristiano gave me a stern look. “That was very dangerous. Why would you do such a thing?”
“You’re not coming with us?” I said, breathless.
Several emotions flitted across his features too fast for me to decipher. Then his expression became casually neutral. “There is far too much to do here. I plan to lead the search for Dubois’ body myself and confirm her death.” He offered a small, almost shy smile. “Did you think I was joining you?”
“Yeah,” I shrugged. “I, um, not sure why.”
The engines revved, the winds picked up, bringing a sharp smell of gasoline. I blinked droplets of rain off my lashes as a hearty gust wobbled the stairs.
Cristiano’s hands gripped my arms tighter as he whispered in my ear. “Take care. You are precious cargo.”
His touch triggered that warm feeling, sliding over my skin. Comforting. And actually easing my aches and pains. I looked into his eyes, but the pupils were clear, pale green. No swirling colors bringing his power to life. Hmmm. And now he was staring back into my eyes, his own darkening, not with supernatural powers, but with an intense emotion that caused me to blush.
“Right.” I cleared my throat. “I’m just, well, thank you. For everything.”<
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“It has been my pleasure,” he murmured. The wind tossed damp, red curls across my face. He gently tucked them behind my ear and moved in to kiss my cheek. It was a chaste touch of his lips that felt way more good than it should. “I have no regrets other than I must leave you.”
“Me too.”
He smiled broadly. “This is true? I am most flattered.”
“Oh, it’s true,” I said. “Because with you gone, I lose all that extra credit for being your liaison.”
He blinked. Then his head fell back, and he let out a belly laugh. He placed his hand over his heart. “You wound me deeply, like no woman has ever done.”
“I think you’ll—”
“Survive? Unfortunately, I must,” he agreed good-naturedly. “But it will be excruciating.”
“Hey, Honcho!” Horus yelled from on top of the other plane. “Could use a little help!”
Matthias snapped, “Come on, moron, get inside or I’ll leave you too. Logan, get her in here.”
Cristiano kissed the knuckles of each of my hands. “Goodbye the never-boring Aurora Lahey, I will see you again.”
“Not if I see you first.”
As he laughed, air flowed around me and carried me in through the plane’s doorway.
Then I will not allow you to see me first.
CHAPTER 120
I spun around, but Cristiano was already gone, running and leaping, catching a draft of air as he somersaulted several times before landing next to Horus on the top of the plane.
Had he spoken out loud? It was more like I heard it in my head. But that couldn’t be. Or I guess with whatever his power was, it could happen. I’d ask Tristan since he did the mind-trick thing.
I heard sirens through the closed door, saw flashing lights on the tarmac.
Ayden buckled into the seat next to me and studied my face. “Something wrong?”
I shook off the weird feeling. “No. I’m good.”
Jayden shoved a small paper cup in my face. “Drink this. It will assist with the pain of your injuries.”
