Last Chance (DarkWorld: SkinWalker Book 3)

by Ayer, T. G.

  I slowed as she stumbled backward, arms wind-milling as she attempted to regain her footing. She was lithe and light on her feet, though. She skidded to a stop, the hood of her cloak finally falling off her head to reveal her features. I’d always considered Wraiths ugly, but the girl’s femininity seemed to give her Wraith features a certain elegance. Wide, almond-shaped eyes, an expansive forehead, a long aquiline nose in a face at least a third longer than a human’s. Silky white hair framed her face, falling all the way to her shoulders. A Wraith’s cheekbones were much higher, their cheeks more sunken than a human’s, making their faces look gaunt and corpse-like, but in this girl, the elongation simply contributed to the serene elegance of her features.

  Anger flashed in the dark pupils of her obsidian eyes and she clenched her jaws, muscles bunching in her neck. She bent forward and ran at me, and I could see her intention clearly. She intended to hit me shoulder to abdomen and use her weight to drop me onto my back, but I had other plans.

  I reached deep for my panther, accessing my ability to move with speed and agility. I ran as she did, straight for her, until she was about five feet away. I ran faster, reaching an optimum speed. Even as she reached me, I kept running, using the wall to keep moving. A foot low on the tunnel wall, I pushed against the rock, propelling myself higher and over the Wraith girl until I landed behind her. I spun around just in time to see her skid to a stop and stare at me, stunned.

  Lily crept up slowly behind her, her gun trained on the Wraith, but the creature remained unaware. Her attention was focused on me, and that’s the way I wanted it to stay.

  “What are you?” she asked, her voice vibrating. She squinted and reminded me it was still densely dark in the tunnels. Thank goodness for my feline sight. But I wasn’t stupid enough to assume she was blind in the darkness either. I knew nothing about Wraith physiology, but I had to wonder if they were born with the ability to see better in the dark than the average human, considering they lived all their lives in these burrows.

  I moved closer and she stilled, watching me with her strange black eyes, her whole body tense, waiting.

  Then Lily stepped closer, her foot scraping the stone floor ever so softly. But not softly enough. The sound must have been enough to draw the Wraith’s attention, and she spun around, forgetting I had my full attention on her.

  She moved smoothly. I watched her shoulders lean forward, her back tense, telling me she was about run straight for Lily. And I couldn’t let that happen. I grabbed her before she launched herself into a dead run, wrapping an arm around her neck, pressing my forearm hard against her throat. I held on to my wrist with the other arm, keeping her in a tight headlock, and although she struggled violently, she remained imprisoned.

  The more she struggled, the more pressure I placed on the lock. But something else was happening. I wasn’t sure if it was me being so close to a Wraith, but my hands began to glow. The skin on my fingers gleamed gold. I could hear the high-pitched sobs of the Wraith as she struggled for breath. The more she struggled, the brighter the glow became.

  Fascinated by the glow, I paid little attention to the Wraith girl and her ever-lessening struggles. Paid no attention to the advancing thunder of boots coming straight at us.

  A shout sounded, and it took me precious seconds to recognize what he said. “Kai, don’t.” The words were repeated, echoing around the tunnel and in my brain.

  “Anjelo?” I asked, peering beyond Lily, who spun on her heel, her spine stiff.

  “Kai, please don’t hurt her. Let her go.” Anjelo held out a hand toward me, his eyes begging me to stop, and I did. The Wraith dropped hard to the floor as I took a step around her and headed straight for Anjelo. I reached him seconds after Lily grabbed him and squashed him into a death grip of a hug. He laughed and squirmed, returning the embrace, his face revealing embarrassment as well as joy.

  Odd.

  Lily released him and glanced at me, her eyes and cheeks wet with tears. She stepped aside as Anjelo hugged me. There was a new strength and confidence in my old sidekick’s muscled arms.

  “Anjelo, how are you?” I studied his face, but a movement beyond him distracted me. A pair of Wraith guards stood stiffly behind him. “Who are they? Are they holding you? Is that why you haven’t come home?”

  Anjelo shook his head and placed a hand on my arm. “Kai, it’s okay. I’ll explain everything.” Then he walked around me and headed to the girl Wraith. Lily’s eyes flashed, and I knew a little of how she felt. I turned to watch Anjelo as he hurried to the fallen Wraith. She sat there, hand to her neck, leaning against the stone wall. Anjelo reached her side and hunched down, the wide swathe of his cape billowing around him. He knelt beside her, spoke words we couldn’t hear, then held out a hand. After helping her up, he waited while she steadied herself. She seemed well enough as she began to walk toward us with Anjelo at her side.

  I didn’t miss the small fact that Anjelo walked a few inches behind her. A little bit of deference that made me tamp down any concern that Anjelo’s heart may have moved owners.

  The Wraith girl was in charge it seemed.

  Anjelo whispered something in her ear, and she gave him a swift nod. Then she stopped in front of me.

  “Few people would be allowed to survive after doing that to me. Consider yourself fortunate that Anjelo has spoken for you.” Her eyes sparked angrily, and I understood her position. She’d had her ass kicked and she didn’t like it. I wouldn’t like it either.

  “Thank you, I guess.” I had to respond and couldn’t think of anything else to say.

  Anjelo cleared his throat. Clearly he hadn’t lost the ability to tell when my anger levels were rising. “Kai, this is Illyria, leader of the Rebel army. Illyria, this is my alpha, Kailin Odel.”

  I held out a hand, and the Wraith girl stared at it for a moment as if watching for any sign of a golden glow. Then she glanced up at me and grasped my hand, her grip strong but not macho.

  “Good to meet you. Sorry about the whole near-death thing,” I said, although I wasn’t entirely sure I was sorry. She was a Wraith, and I found the fact the Anjelo deferred to her a little disconcerting.

  She laughed softly. “I’m not that easily killed.”

  “You are when Kai gets all glowy hands on you. No Wraith has ever survived her golden touch,” said Lily, her voice holding a faint tightness as her gaze went from Illyria to Anjelo. I wanted to tell her there was no need to be jealous. Not that I could see anyway. Sure, Anjelo seemed attentive to the great leader. But that could mean any number of things.

  Illyria stared at me for a moment, her eyes studying my face a little too long for my comfort. Not that I felt threatened. “How long have you had this power, Kailin?” asked the Wraith leader.

  Although I really thought it was none of her business, I answered, “Just over a year now.”

  She turned and glanced at Anjelo over her shoulder. “Is she the daughter of Celeste?” she asked, something in her tone implying she knew my mother personally.

  Anjelo nodded. “And if she’s here now, it means she’s looking for Celeste.”

  A hint of shadow passed over Illyria’s face, and a shiver ran down my spine as I wondered what that expression meant. “Why, what’s wrong? Has something happened to my mother?”

  Anjelo and Illyria exchanged worried looks. Then Anjelo said, “We’ve been keeping track of Celeste’s movements. As far as we know, she’s being held captive by Widd’en’s followers. They blame her and you for his death.”

  I frowned. “So how did you get away from them?” I still found it odd to see Anjelo unharmed, unaffected by his stay in Wrythiin. Especially the fact that he seemed comfortable here.

  “Illyria’s army attacked Widd’en’s compound. In the confusion, I was saved, but Widd’en’s men managed to get away with your mother. We have a mole within the army. But the information we get from them trickles in a little at a time. The problem is we only get the information after the fact.”

  “
Have you considered the possibility that perhaps the mole is manipulating you?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

  Illyria gave me an admiring glance. “Yes, we have considered that, but unfortunately we have little choice. We have to ensure your mother is safe. She’s a very valuable part of this rebellion.”

  I shook my head, frowning at the girl’s words. “What does my mother have to do with your rebellion?”

  “Your mother has spent many years among us. She’s one of the very few non-Wraiths who understands what we’re going through. We can never repay her for the amount of help she’s given us over the years. And now we have you, her daughter, to thank for killing one of the most notorious Wraiths in Wrythiin.” She smiled at me, but before she removed her gaze, something flickered in her eyes. Something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

  I brushed away the thoughts and said, “I only did what I had to. My sole purpose in entering the Wraith world was to retrieve my mother and Anjelo.” I kept my tone measured and clear of emotion. At this point, I wasn’t entirely sure what I felt, but looking at Anjelo now was beginning to annoy me. “Why did you not come home as soon as you were freed? You must have known we’d be worried about you all this time.” I glared at him, not giving him a chance to avoid the question.

  He had the grace to flush, but his features remained composed. “I knew I should return, but I owed Illyria and her army for saving me. I couldn’t just let her down and leave.”

  “But it was okay for you to let us wait back home, month after month, not knowing if you were alive or dead?” asked Lily, her tone devoid of emotion. I had to admire the girl. I’d have been vibrating with fury at that point, and my voice would have shown it.

  Anjelo turned his gaze to Lily, touching her arm as he spoke. “I didn’t only stay for the Rebels. I stayed because of Celeste. As long as Widd’en’s army had her captive, I couldn’t leave. I had to find a way to free her, and Illyria and the Rebels have been helping me.”

  “Twice now we have attacked their strongholds, and twice we have almost saved her. The one thing we do know is she is alive and healthy. During the last raid, she looked well, and I am hoping she remains so. One cannot trust Widd’en’s men. Without their leader, they are lawless, unruly, and at times vicious. Who knows what they are up to right now?” Illyria’s voice was musical, the lilt a bit unsuited to her odd looks. But it seemed to work.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Anjelo sidle up to Lily and take hold of her hand. Lily tensed for a moment, her arm going stiff. Then she looked at him and relaxed. Good. There was no trouble in paradise that couldn’t be repaired.

  I nodded at Illyria. “Thank you for keeping Anjelo safe, but right now I think the best thing is for me to take him and Lily back home. I will return immediately to search for my mother.”

  “Kai,” both Lily and Anjelo protested together.

  ***

  Chapter 10

  “No way,” said Lily.

  “Hell no,” said Anjelo.

  They both spoke together, their anger almost tangible, enough for my panther to raise her head and give them a tentative sniff.

  Illyria remained silent as she watched the conversation progress with a small smile. I stiffened. I was sure her own army didn’t rebel against her instructions the way these two half-wits were. I glared at them. “I can’t have you two hanging around just so you can get hurt.” Couldn’t they see, in the end, I was responsible for them?

  “I’m not a baby,” Lily whined as she folded her arms angrily against her chest. Fury had darkened her honey eyes to a warm gold.

  Anjelo cleared his throat. “Kai, I’ve been in Wrythiin long enough to know my way around and to know how to defend myself and fight back. I haven’t been sitting on my hands these last few months.” There was a confidence in his voice I hadn’t heard before. Even so, I wanted to cut him off and say that was all irrelevant because I was here now. But something in his expression made me realize doing so in front of Illyria and the two Wraith guards would demean him in a way that would be irreparable. I let him speak. “Illyria’s guards have been teaching me hand-to-hand combat,” he added, as if that would impress me.

  “I’m impressed,” I said, allowing a grin to curve my lips. As much as I worried about Anjelo, I really couldn’t demand that he return home. “Looks like I really shouldn’t have been worrying about you all these weeks.”

  Anjelo’s teeth flashed a smile. Then he ran his hands through his hair. A bloom of pink tinged his lips, and I thought it was so cute how he was embarrassed to be complimented. I wondered what sort of treatment he’d been getting down here. Sure, he’d said the Rebel leader’s guards were training him, but he could still be a captive without looking like one. I needed to tread lightly, and I hoped Lily wouldn’t put her foot in it too quickly.

  I glanced at the lynx, but she was still staring at Anjelo with that adoring look in her eye. She wasn’t holding back how she felt, and I could tell it was making Anjelo uncomfortable, which in itself was odd since he’d always doted on her. I studied Illyria for a moment, but she seemed unaffected by Lily’s mooning. Either she didn’t give a damn or she was way confident. That was if, and only if, there was something going on between the two of them.

  Now that we got the fight to stay part out of the way, I knew we had to get on with it. “Okay, Anjelo. Is there somewhere we can go to talk? You and I need to figure out a few things.”

  Anjelo glanced at Illyria, waiting for her response, and all the while I watched. She gave him a curt nod, her eyes still masking her emotion. “You can use the small war room.” Then she flicked her fingers at the guard behind her. When he scurried over, she said, “Have quarters prepared for the ladies, please, and make sure they are comfortable.”

  I inclined my head at Illyria, and despite my reservations, I felt myself slowly warming up to her. Of course, I had to remind myself that a show of hospitality was merely that. It could even just be a ploy to entrap us. Then I wanted to laugh. What in Ailuros’s name would they be wanting with me? “Thank you, Illyria.”

  “No thanks required.” She smiled as she moved to leave. Then, as if on an afterthought, she turned to look over her shoulder. “After you speak with Anjelo, I would like to talk to you about your golden hands.” The smile she gave me must have been meant to be neutral, but it did nothing to hide the glimmer of fear in her eyes.

  My stomach hardened. “Of course, Illyria, it would be my pleasure.”

  She seemed happy with my response, and I watched the stiff hold of her shoulders as she moved down the tunnel. She was afraid of me. That was all I needed, for a woman in a powerful position to see me as a threat when my sole purpose here was to find my mother. Then I gave a mental shrug. All I had to do was convince her I was no threat to them, maybe try to win her over to my side.

  Well, that was the plan anyway.

  After Illyria departed, leaving behind one of her guards, I turned to Anjelo. In time to see him watch the Rebel leader’s back as she disappeared into the shadows. There was a strange look in his eye, a look that caused me to frown and glare at him. He must have felt me stare because he glanced over at me and asked, “What’s wrong?”

  Lily moved away to retrieve our bags from where they’d fallen a few yards away. I watched her go for a moment, then pinned Anjelo with a cold glare. “I saw you looking at Illyria. What’s going on between the two of you?” There was a long pause, in which Anjelo remained silent while his jaw tightened. “Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for her. What about Lily?”

  Anjelo did a double take, then stared at me, amusement sparkling in his eyes. “What? Are you insane?”

  I lifted my chin, now more than a little embarrassed for my assumption. “You can hardly blame me considering your eyes have barely left her in all the time we’ve been here.”

  He shook his head, the short buzz cut now gone, replaced by shaggy blond curls. “It’s not what you think.” He stopped short as Lily hurried back, then grabbed me
by the elbow. “Let’s talk when we get to the war room.”

  The guard watched from a few paces away, his Wraith features inscrutable. I sighed. “I guess I’m going to have to find an excuse so you and I can talk privately?” His shoulders rose and fell in time to his sheepish smile. “She’s not going to like it.”

  “Tell me about it,” Anjelo said dryly as he fell in beside Lily.

  He took the bags from her and threw them over his shoulder. Lily smiled and slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow, and they walked off, leaving me to trail behind as if I were the sidekick. I swallowed my laughter. Whatever Anjelo’s current issue was, I was glad I’d finally found him safe and healthy. And it certainly pleased me to see the sheen of joy on Lily’s face. Whatever was wrong with Anjelo could wait until I found a way to get Lily out of the way.

  Now to figure out what that way was.

  ***

  With the ever-silent guard in tow, Anjelo led us quickly through dark tunnels whose walls gleamed with moisture, and we soon reached a set of double doors made from unbroken pieces of a wood so dark it gleamed like black pearls. The hinges were as thick as my arm and made from twisted black metal. Anjelo pushed on the door and it swung open soundlessly. We entered a gigantic hall filled with trestle tables and long wooden benches. The stone roof hung low, just high enough for the tallest Wraith to avoid bumping his head. The entire hall was carved out of solid stone, no mean feat.

  I looked around and saw no hearths, no fire, and I wondered how the Rebel army kept warm. Then I snorted. They were Wraiths; they didn’t need warmth because no blood ran through their bodies. I’d killed enough of them to know.

  “Follow me. The war room is through here.” Anjelo waved a hand at another doorway set into the left wall. His boots tapped on the stone beneath his heels as he strode with raw strength and confidence into the next room.