Crimson Dahlia (Book #3 of the Svatura Series)

by Abigail Owen

  Charlotte popped her head in. “I’m going to go help the others. Call Ellie if you need me.”

  “Nate, go with Charlotte. Ellie says they need you down there to break some chains,” Selene said.

  “Got it, boss.” And the two disappeared.

  Ramsey looked at Selene. “No alarms raised yet. It’ll be easier to get her out of here if she’s not dead weight. Can you wake her up?”

  Selene gave him a worried look. “I can try. But if it doesn’t happen in a few minutes, we get her out of here and try to wake her later. Okay?”

  Ramsey nodded. “I know you can do this.”

  *****

  “Lila, can you let me in?” Selene’s voice echoed through the trees.

  Lila glanced at Griffin, who was sitting close by. She closed her eyes and relaxed as she had the first time.

  “Good girl,” Selene’s voice sounded from right beside her.

  “Griffin’s been keeping me informed,” Lila said. “You’re going to try to wake me up now?”

  Selene nodded.

  “Okay.” Lila looked slightly skeptical. “How does this work, exactly?”

  Selene grimaced. “I’m not entirely sure. I wasn’t able to do anything with Talia. But I wasn’t able to get into her head like this either.”

  “Maybe we need Ellie,” Griffin said.

  Selene shook her head. “She and Charlotte are busy getting everyone out. We’re on our own for now.”

  She closed her eyes to concentrate. Using her power to access dreams, Selene explored the boundaries of the space that Lila seemed to be trapped in. The grey fog that she’d been surrounded by earlier was pushing in on her, trying to take her back under. Selene took it as a good sign that they’d been able to pull Lila out of that at all.

  She pushed against the fog hovering at the edges, but with no effect. She opened her eyes. “The mist is the key. I think. You know how it feels when you wake up from a dream? It feels like your brain is clearing fog out?”

  “Yeah. I hate that feeling,” Lila grumbled.

  “Well, we either need to make it go away or pull you through it to wake up. But if you get stuck in it again, then I’m guessing we’ll have to wait for you to wake up on your own like Talia did.”

  Lila gulped. She didn’t want to lose a whole year or longer of her life.

  “It’s up to you,” Selene said. “We try now and risk it, or we wait for reinforcements. But even then, I can’t guarantee anything. And we’re running out of time.”

  Lila took a deep breath. “Let’s risk it.”

  “Okay.” Selene glanced at Griffin. “It would probably be better if you left now. I wouldn’t want you to get trapped in here when I pull Lila out.”

  Griffin walked over and gave Selene a quick, hard kiss. He glanced at Lila. “See you in a bit.”

  “I hope so.”

  With that Griffin pulled himself from the dream.

  Selene took Lila by the hand. “Let’s go. And whatever you do, don’t let go of me.”

  Together they entered the fog at the edges of the dream. They started pushing their way through the grey mist. Lila could feel Selene holding it back by sheer force of will.

  “It seems endless,” Lila said. The mist started closing in on them. “Selene?” She felt her friend’s hand tremble. “Selene? What’s happening?”

  “I can’t hold it back,” Selene gritted through her teeth. “Move faster.”

  The two girls started running. As the fog got nearer, Lila and Selene ran together as closely as they could without tripping over each other.

  “We’re not going to make it!” Selene yelled.

  Lila thought about how close they were, about her family, about lying in a coma for a year of her life, about a pair of serious green eyes.

  Oh, hell no…

  She felt a power gathering inside her. She took every ounce of the iron will that she possessed and pushed with all her might against the approaching tendrils of grey curling around their bodies.

  “The mist seems to be thinning,” Selene cried.

  “Can’t talk, or I’ll lose it,” Lila answered, her jaw clenched with the effort.

  “Almost there, keep it up,” Selene urged.

  And then Lila gasped and opened her eyes as the sharp wail of sirens pierced the air.

  Chapter 12

  “Time to go!” Ramsey yelled over the blaring sound.

  He scooped Lila up off the table and turned to leave. They ran out into the hallway and headed for the elevator. Selene frantically pushed the button to call for the car, but the light didn’t come on.

  “They must’ve shut them down when the alarms went off!” she said.

  “Stairs?” Ramsey motioned.

  They tried several doors close by. No luck.

  Selene sucked in her breath.

  Lila could see her friend’s anxiety ratchet up a notch. “What?”

  “Griffin’s talking to me,” Selene told her. “He’s made it down there and is trying to help. They’re all fighting wolves. Charlotte can’t get everyone out all at once. She’s pulling them out as she can get to them.”

  “Someone’s coming!” Lila gasped.

  Without hesitating the three of them opened the closest door and jammed inside.

  “Can you turn off the wolves they’re fighting down there?” Ramsey asked Selene in a low voice.

  Selene nodded and began to concentrate. After a moment she blinked several times. “I got everyone I could feel. There may be some behind the blocker that are invisible to me.” Her shoulders relaxed a little. “Griffin says that worked. Charlotte’s getting them out of there. But she says more are coming.”

  “Then let’s give them something else to concentrate on,” Lila said.

  “That’s my girl,” Ramsey murmured.

  Lila frowned at him, but he merely shrugged. “I knew you were going to say that.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You can put me down now. I’m pretty sure I can walk on my own.”

  “Ready?” Selene asked from the doorway.

  They opened the door, but just as they stepped out, four wolves appeared at the end of the hall. Hackles raised and teeth bared and growling, the beasts slowly approached. Selene flipped the switch on their powers, and, suddenly, four men stood before them with bewildered expressions on their faces.

  Before they could make their next move, Charlotte appeared. They took her hand and were instantly above ground and in the woods.

  “I can’t take the time to get you to the castle yet,” Charlotte said. “I’m still getting people out. Everyone is here somewhere… try to find them while I’m getting the rest.”

  And she was gone.

  “Griffin’s calling me. They’re over here.” Selene took off at a run.

  Lila hobbled along slowly. Selene looked over her shoulder, but Ramsey waved her on. “You go and help the others. We’ll be right behind you.”

  Without another word he turned back to Lila and scooped her up in his arms again.

  “I told you I can walk,” she said, struggling to get out of his hold.

  “We keep going at your pace and we’ll get there around Christmas,” he said, and tightened his grip.

  “I—”

  Lila didn’t get to finish her thought. Ramsey jerked to a halt and then suddenly set her back down on her feet.

  She looked at his quizzically. “What?”

  “Griffin says a mass of wolves is closing in on them, but Selene has already gone back to the castle. She’s not there to turn them off. And Charlotte is busy.”

  “What do we do?”

  Ramsey glanced down. “I have an idea, but you’re really going to have to trust me.”

  Lila didn’t hesitate. “You do what you have to do.”

  Ramsey gave her an oddly intense look and then shook his head. “Based on what Griffin’s showing me, we’re between the line of wolves and our people.”

  “Okay…and…?”

  “And I’m
going to blaze a fire between us and them. Create a wall of flame those wolves will never get through. But in order to control it, I need to be right in the middle of it. And I can’t protect you from the fire unless you’re right here with me. You’re too slow to make it to Griffin and the others on your own. You’d die trying.”

  Lila’s eyes widened, but she stiffened her spine. “Can you control it?”

  “With you here, I can.”

  “From the fog into the fire.” She faked a brazen grin. “Guess it’s my night for the elements.”

  “Good girl,” he said.

  Ramsey pulled her tight into his chest and dropped a quick kiss on the top of her head. “I let Griffin know the plan. They’ll get everyone out. We’ll get in touch with them tomorrow after we get clear of this and they’ll come get us then.”

  “All right.”

  He turned and then pulled her arms tight around his waist, her body flush against his. “Don’t let go of me,” he warned. “I’ll keep the fire and smoke away from you.”

  Lila buried her head in his back.

  “Here we go.”

  Chapter 13

  Flames erupted from his body, blasting from his hands toward the forest. Lila watched in horrified fascination as the trees around them exploded with a deafening roar.

  Her heart raced as she and Ramsey were instantly surrounded by the inferno. At first she didn’t want to take a breath, afraid of smothering in the smoke. But lack of oxygen eventually forced her to inhale. To her surprise nothing but clean air entered her lungs. She felt warm but not hot. In fact, the heat from the fire didn’t seem to be touching them at all.

  She closed her eyes as the blinding light from the blaze became too much. With her eyes shut, her power to sense emotion caught her attention. She could feel the volatile emotions that came with his power swirling around inside of Ramsey – hate, rage, and so much more – but she could also feel the ocean of serenity that kept them in check. He truly had gained control over his power.

  “We need to extend the line!” Ramsey yelled. Lila had no idea how she heard him over the raging noise, but she patted his stomach so he’d know she understood.

  “Right foot first,” he called. And together they made their way to their left. Away from where Selene had run off to meet their people.

  Fire continued to pour off Ramsey’s body, although it never touched any part of Lila. They walked through the conflagration of flame, almost as if they were leading a slow march of death and destruction through the trees and brambles.

  Lila felt the fear and desperation of Maddox’s wolves as Ramsey pushed the massive wall of flame their way, using only his mind.

  And they kept walking. Lila just figured he was making the barrier long enough so they’d never get around it. But after a while, when he didn’t stop, she started to wonder...

  “Ramsey!”

  But he didn’t respond. And he didn’t stop.

  “Ramsey!”

  He kept moving. Lila’s heart started to race.

  Lila maneuvered herself so that she was positioned in front of him, walking backwards.

  “Ramsey, stop!”

  He kept going.

  Lila knew what she had to do. Taking a calming breath, she closed her eyes and pulled on every ounce of the power within her. She pictured a mountain stream, peaceful, cool, and soothing. And then she pushed those feelings into Ramsey. She felt his steps falter and then stop.

  Underneath her hand she could feel the frantic beating of his heart. She reached up and took his face in her hands. Ramsey looked down, and recognition lit his eyes.

  “Lila,” he gasped.

  Relief flooded through her, but she could tell he was still struggling. She had to distract him. Get him to focus solely on her.

  She closed her eyes, got up on her tip toes, and pulled his head down. Then she gently lay her lips on top of his, pouring all her emotions into the kiss.

  At first he didn’t move. Then he wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up so that her feet no longer touched the ground, his lips eagerly responding to her scorching kiss.

  Ramsey pulled back and gazed into her eyes. Lila wasn’t sure if his eyes were blazing with desire or just with the reflection of the fire still surrounding them.

  And then he smiled. And Lila’s heart stuttered in her chest. His smiles – rare as they were – always had that effect on her. With a rushing sound, the flames around them all extinguished. There was silence.

  “Thank you,” Ramsey whispered as he gently lowered Lila back to the ground.

  Lila simply nodded, unable to speak.

  Ramsey frowned. “You okay? I didn’t burn you, did I?”

  She managed to nod and break from his embrace. “Didn’t feel a thing.”

  He gave a relieved smile. “Good.” He glanced around, and then up into the night sky. “It gets pretty cold here at night. We need to double back. Find my gear.”

  “Will it be safe?”

  “Yeah. I left the line of fire burning everywhere but here.”

  “You’re keeping it contained?”

  Ramsey nodded. “It won’t go anywhere other than where I’ve told it to go.”

  “Oh.”

  “Well… we should get going.” Ramsey reached down to pick her up, but Lila pushed against his chest and stepped away.

  “I can walk.”

  He looked as if he wanted to argue, but he held his tongue and nodded. He started away, Lila following at a slower pace. He kept the wall of fire to their left stoked. “The sound of the fire should be enough, but we need to try to be as quiet as possible.”

  “Why?”

  “Maddox has a powerful teleporter who he might use to hop the flames. If he hasn’t already.” Ramsey levered himself up a series of small boulders and then turned to offer her a hand.

  Lila grasped his hand and let him pull her up. For a moment they were chest to chest. Lila didn’t look up into his eyes. She just focused on his well-developed pecs until he turned and started walking again.

  They had quite a bit of light and warmth from the flames to their left. Despite the circumstances, Lila was grateful to be outside after over a month stuck in that dark hole in the ground that had been her prison. As they trekked along, she tried to ignore her growing need for water and the raging headache that was settling just behind her eyes. She forced herself to relax and let her mind drift, trying not to think about the fact that she was in the middle of nowhere. Alone. With Ramsey.

  After a while, Lila no longer needed to ignore Ramsey. She was so parched and so exhausted all she could think about was getting to wherever they were going so that she could rest and get something to drink.

  When she stumbled for the nth time, Ramsey abruptly stopped. “This isn’t working.”

  She looked at him through a haze of misery. “What’s not?”

  “You’re shattered.” He held up a hand when she tried to protest. “Don’t deny it. I can see for myself.” He looked around. “Okay, here’s the plan. We’re going to get you up into the woods over there. And then I’ll go get my gear and bring it back here.”

  “But…”

  “We’d have to come back anyway. We can’t stay where my gear is, in case they’re searching the area for us.”

  Lila dreaded the thought of having to backtrack. She gave a frustrated nod. “Okay.”

  “Don’t call out for me,” Ramsey said as he turned to leave. “I can find you. If you hear something, get up in that tree.”

  “Got it.”

  “Don’t go to sleep either. You need to stay alert.”

  Lila nodded. “Yup.”

  “Are you sure you’ll be okay here? Maybe I should—”

  “Ramsey, this was your idea. I’ll be fine. I’d rather sleep in a sleeping bag tonight if it’s all right by you.”

  Ramsey looked at her for a moment and then gave a single nod. But he didn’t move away. Lila raised her eyebrows.

  Suddenly, Ramsey squatt
ed down in front of her and took both her hands in his. “I’m glad we have you back safe and sound, Lilliputian.”

  Lila chuckled. “You haven’t called me that silly name in years.”

  The corners of his mouth turned up. “Don’t go making me worry again. You got it?”

  Before she could say anything, he lifted her hands and placed a tender kiss on each one. Then, as abruptly as he’d taken them, he dropped her hands, stood up and walked away.

  Chapter 14

  Lila was fighting sleep when the snapping of twigs caused her to jerk her head up.

  “Lila?”

  She relaxed at the sound of Ramsey’s voice. “Over here,” she called back softly.

  He moved into her sight, his large pack slung across his back. He hefted it to the ground and then immediately started pulling things out.

  “Can I help?”

  “Nah. I’ve gotten fast at this over the last month.” He handed her a bottle of water and a bag of trail mix. “This should help.”

  While Lila gratefully gulped down the food and water, Ramsey got to work setting up camp. By the time she’d inhaled her little meal, he had their tent up and everything else put away.

  “It’s only a one-man tent and we’ll have to share the sleeping bag,” he said.

  Lila shrugged, too exhausted to care. “Okay.”

  Ramsey wasn’t quite so apathetic. He wasn’t entirely sure he’d be able to sleep with her so close. He gave her a pair of sweats and a t-shirt from his pack, opting to stay in what he was already wearing.

  Once she was changed, he lay down in the sleeping bag on his side, and then had her slide inside with him, her back to him. He wrapped an arm around her middle and pulled her in close to him, and then tugged up the zipper.

  “You good?” he asked.

  “Yup. Snug as a bug,” she murmured.

  Ramsey closed his eyes, but sleep wouldn’t come. Instead, a long suppressed memory insisted on playing through his mind. It was the scene he’d witnessed in Lila’s dream. The one that he’d lived out with her a long time ago…