I smiled. It felt good, really good. One of my arms was up around his neck. The other was around his waist, under the back of his shirt. I closed my eyes as my fingers ran over the hard lines of his back. My fingers found a thick, raised line. I stopped then ran over it again. Scar tissue? My fingers moved up his back and found a thick, deep, round scar almost the size of the tip of my finger. My heart ached as I found another long, thick scar not far from it. Did… did his dad do this to him? I slipped my fingers back down to the smooth skin of his lower back. I moved my other hand to the back of his neck and absently began massaging lightly. I floated there, content to simply be held by him.
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. His fingers moved over my back, sending warmth through me. His body stiffened against me.
He pulled his head back so he could look down at me. “I didn’t… I didn’t try to hurt you?” he asked, his voice still thick with sleep.
I pulled my hand from his lower back and ran my fingertips over his chin. “No, you didn’t,” I whispered.
He dropped his head back to the pillow and relaxed into the bed. Then his arms pulled me harder against him, his face buried into my hair. I relaxed against him and enjoyed his touch.
Eventually his grip eased, allowing me to breathe a bit easier. One arm stayed around me. The other hand ran down my arm, over my ribs to rest on my hip. “How’d you sleep?” Those sky-blue eyes ran over my face.
“No nightmares.” I gave him a small smile. “How about you?”
His lips twitched. “Better than I have in a long time.”
“Good,” I whispered as I became very aware of where his thigh was and where it was pressed. “Um… Tough Guy. Your leg…”
He cursed. He pulled away, carefully moving his thigh from between mine. “Sorry, you kept scooting down. I didn’t want to trigger you in your sleep.”
I pulled my leg off his hip and scooted to give him more room. He rolled over and turned the light on to its normal setting. I rolled onto my back and stretched with a small groan. Cold air brushed across my stomach. Looking down, I realized my cami was bunched up around my ribs. I pulled the hem down quickly and moved to sit on my side of the bed. I ran my hands over my face before getting up and going to the dresser to find something to wear today.
“I’ll come back to take you to breakfast,” Zeke told me.
“Okay,” I said, not really paying attention. I grabbed a new bra and clothes and hurried into the bathroom.
I quickly pulled on jeans and a slouchy hunter-green shirt after running through my morning routine. By the time Zeke was knocking on my door I was slipping my sandals on.
I stepped out into the hall and started moving. My mind was already on Isaac when Zeke grabbed my arm.
“Food first,” he ordered as he steered me to the stairs.
“But… what about Isaac?” I asked. “Those people were supposed to show today.”
“Eat first,” he repeated. He didn’t ease his grip until we reached the cafeteria.
Asher and Miles’ faces were dark when we reached Isaac’s door. My heart dropped.
“What happened?” I asked.
Miles came over to me and met my eyes. “He’s worse,” he said gently. “Dr. Zimmer has him on a heart monitor and oxygen now.”
My lungs grew tight. “Did those people show up yet?”
Miles shook his head. My eyes burned as I ran my hand down my face.
Fuck. Fuck. FUCK!
I took a shaky breath and tried to keep it together. I had to.
“Then they should be here soon,” I offered, trying to stay positive. “Get Francis to call them again.”
Miles nodded. His eyes were dark as they met mine. “Lexie, we need to understand that he might not make it—”
“No,” I growled, my heart hammering. “We are not losing Isaac.” I stepped around him and walked through the door into the smaller room. Craig was already there. I didn’t need his help to put on the microphone today as I fastened it then met his eyes. “If I suddenly look like I’m sleeping, don’t worry about it. But… don’t let me leave without splashing me with holy water.”
It was the only warning I gave before walking into Isaac’s room. My eyes immediately went to the bed and the machines. Isaac’s body looked wilted, as if he was empty. The demon grinned between hard breaths. Hades was staring at Isaac again.
Ethan looked like shit. His eyes were red, his face pale. He looked dejected. I squeezed his shoulder. “I’ve got him, Ethan.” He just nodded, got to his feet, and headed for the door.
I picked up the chair and moved it closer before I sat down next to the bed.
“Oh. Getting… cocky… are we?” he taunted.
I met his eyes and said nothing. He cackled. His heart rate was a steady beat in the room.
“I was waiting for you,” he said. “You, out of all of them… it would hit you the most… to watch him die.”
“Isaac isn’t going anywhere,” I growled.
He laughed, then coughed and gasped for air. The beeping continued. Tonight, he didn’t taunt me. Tonight, he just watched me and smiled. The beep of the heart monitor became loud in the room. I started tapping my foot to the beat. Help was going to be here any minute. I started talking to Isaac, hoping he'd hear me. I started with gossip, then moved on to fairytales. They'd be coming through that door any minute... My throat hurt, my voice began cracking. Any minute...
We sat there for… I don’t know how long, before he smiled a big smile. The beeping skipped a beat. My stomach knotted. I kept the rhythm with my foot. The monitor was slowing.
“Enjoy… watching… him die,” It told me before closing his eyes. Isaac’s body became covered in ribbons of blood.
No. No. NO!
I reached out with my will and drove that gold ribbon into his chest. I followed it down and my insides shook. I landed in the dark and threw a light into the air.
“Isaac!” I screamed as I started to run. My heart was pounding in my ears when a scream shot through the dark. I changed direction and followed the sound. I wasn’t going to lose him. We weren’t going to lose him!
I broke into the outcropping. Isaac was lying in the dirt, a large shadow creature standing over him. I threw a fireball. It hit. The demon roared as it was forced back off of Isaac. I threw another and another, shoving the fucker back into the trees. I lit a ring of fire around us and threw my light into the air. It screeched as it retreated.
“You won’t be here long!” it hissed.
I rushed to Isaac. His body was a network of slashes and blood. I dropped to my knees and brushed the hair from his face. “Hold on, Cookie Monster.”
His eyes met mine. They were dark and so empty it made me catch my breath.
“Is it even worth it?” he rasped.
“What?” I asked gently, my fingers cleaning the blood from his face.
“Life?”
My heart shattered. “You haven’t lived your life, Isaac,” I told him. “You’ve been in the shadows so long that you’ve forgotten the good things: Ethan, your mom, your friends.” He shook his head.
“You’d all be better off without me anyway,” he mumbled.
“No, we wouldn’t. Losing you would break us,” I whispered, tears filling my eyes. “We’re all here. With you, fighting for you,” I said.
But even I could see he was tired. He was bone and tendon now, his hair almost gone. His cheekbones stood out on his face in harsh contrast. He was so tired… He really didn’t have anything left. This was it.
Resolve filled my heart. I held his face and forced him to look at me. “I love you. And I’m not about to lose you to this fucker. I'm sorry.” I kissed him before getting to my feet and running into the tree line.
“Lexie?” Isaac called out to me.
I ignored him and went hunting. I ran through the stone outcroppings, over desert ridges looking for the darkest parts and heading for them. It began to rain. The clay turned to mud, the rain plaster
ed my clothes to me. Lightning flashed somewhere off in the distance.
“You want a soul? Come on, fresh meat!” I shouted as I ran further into the darkness. Chilling laughter came from every direction, reverberating off the rocks. I conjured a small light, just enough to see by, as I stepped into a large, flat clearing.
It finally came out of a dark cave, tall and long-limbed with a grotesque face and pointed ears. And I wanted its blood. It stalked towards me slowly, a frightening grin on its face.
“Oh, so the Necro wants to play.” It licked its lips. “I wonder how your soul will taste.”
I gave him my not-pleasant grin and dead eyes. “You might eat it, but I’ll make damn sure you choke on it,” I growled as I dropped my barriers. Energy rolled through me, brushing every party of my mind. Limes surrounded me as I focused that energy into my hands. “Let’s dance motherfucker.” I conjured gold light around my fists a heartbeat before I ran at it. It cackled and ran to meet me.
A moment before we would have hit, I kicked out one leg and slid under the demon, the light around my hands changing to a pair of short swords as I slid in the mud. I struck as it missed me, slicing the blades along the inner thighs of the demon. It roared. I kept sliding until I dug a foot into the mud hard, my momentum popping me back up to my feet. I turned back to the creature as he snarled and swiped at me.
I blocked with one blade, dissolved the other, and blasted the fucker back with fire. It screeched, the scent of burnt hair filling the clearing. I didn’t stop. I pushed after it, throwing fire, lightning, everything I had at it.
As the fight went on, my focus broke. My blade disappeared as I went to block. There wasn’t enough time to move. I ducked one claw only for the other to catch my ribs. I hissed and tried to back up as blood ran down my side. It wouldn’t let me. It bore down on me. I dodged and struggled to focus enough to make a weapon. I was hit again and again, each blow more painful than the last. A surprise kick from his clawed foot sent me flying. I dropped in the mud and slid several feet as I tried to relearn how to breathe. Its large foot pressed down on my chest, keeping me pinned in the mud. Weary, I lay limp under its clawed foot.
I tried to focus as the jaws came closer, but pain racked me as it continued pressing me into the ground. This was it. I was done. I was so tired of hurting, so tired of being exhausted...
“Too bad,” it taunted. Its jaws opened.
“Wouldn’t you rather possess a Necro than an ordinary human?” I pointed out as he pressed down even more, making it harder to breathe. It paused. “Think of the damage you could do with my body.”
“Is that an offer?” It eyed me. I was going to die anyway, might as well do it for a good reason.
"If you leave Isaac alone," I muttered as raindrops landed on my face. Its eyes glowed.
“Deal," it hissed. One of the talons on its foot lifted and then drove through my shoulder. I cried out as the talon dug into the mud under me. I gasped as pain flooded every nerve of my body. Its face moved closer. Smoke moved over its skin and ran into my body through the talon.
That boiling, tar-like goo ran through my mind as smoke moved through me, spreading along my veins, infecting me. I shook as it seemed like blades were dragging through my veins. That blackness drew closer to my Center. Everything grew darker... Sorry, Isaac… That ice-cold black surrounded my Center. My vision faded... Everything slowed.
Images of my life flashed before me, as if a movie was on fast forward. I saw it all again, felt it all again. Dad.… Rory… the guys… my True Self. No. This wasn't me. I wasn’t done yet.
Half conscious, I blasted that fucker off me. It flew across the clearing and slammed into the rock face. Pain racked me as I somersaulted backwards to my knees, but I didn't care. I wasn't done. I wanted my life, no matter how little I had left. Adrenaline surged through me, pushing the pain back as I got to my feet. I was still bleeding, still tired, still out matched. But I wasn't done fighting. I wasn't going to die here. My will burned strong and solid in my chest.
"We had a deal,” it hissed as it got to its feet again.
I smirked. “If you want a Necro body, you’re gonna have to earn it." I pulled energy into my hands again, forming a long blade. I brought it up.
It charged. I ran to meet it.
It swiped. I dropped to my knee and swung. My blade sliced through its leg as I slid through the mud. I scrambled to my feet and brought the blade up just in time to block.
It wasn’t long before my adrenaline was gone. I was gasping, my arms shaking, the pain coming back. Its face twisted. It reached for me again and I dodged, only for its other claw to get me. Fire burned up my back as I was knocked across the clearing.
I slid across the clearing, face down through the mud. I struggled to breathe without whimpering as I stopped. Gritting my teeth, I tried to push myself to my feet. My arms gave out, dropping me back into the mud. Fuck! I managed to move to my side to watch the demon stalk toward me.
Shit, shit, shit!
Before it could reach me, a bolt of lime green light blasted the demon away from me. I scrambled back out of reach before I turned.
Isaac strode into the clearing, still bleeding but no longer looking near death. “You don’t touch Red,” he growled, his body tense as green light moved around him. I pulled myself out of the way as much as I could.
The demon turned to bolt. I threw up a barrier of gold light that circled the area, blocking him from escape. “Oh, you’re not going anywhere, motherfucker.” I had nothing left to help Isaac, but I could stop the fucker from running.
Isaac grinned a heartbeat before he went after it. I’d seen Isaac fight in the ring, but this was a totally new and different Isaac I was seeing. This one was relentless. And patient. Isaac landed blow after blow with the light covering him. The demon howled and snarled. It tried to hit Isaac, but Isaac simply wasn’t there anymore.
“You cut them off, you kept throwing the past in my face, you lied!” Isaac shouted as he landed strikes against the demon. He lasted longer than I did, but eventually the demon got through to him. He dropped to his hands and knees. Blood poured from slashes across his chest. The demon cackled before coming towards me. Isaac crawled to me, placing himself between me and the demon.
“Isaac… don’t.” I tried to move around him but his arm kept me where I was.
The demon towered over us.
“I’m sorry...” he whispered.
An explosion of light ripped through the sky. I closed my eyes against it. The demon screeched and burst into flame.
When my eyes adjusted it looked like day. The faint scent of lime and flowers drifted on the breeze. The sky turned blue, the mud turned to grass. A swath of desert turned to ocean. The transformation was breathtaking.
Isaac turned around and started to look at my injuries. He pulled up my bloody shirt and cursed. Three long gashes ran from the back of my hip up to the front of my ribs along with other smaller gashes. But I didn’t care. Isaac was alive. My eyes burned as I examined every inch of his face. The shadows were gone, his cheeks were filled out again, his wounds were disappearing… Tears poured out of me.
He pulled me against him and hugged me tight. “You’re fucking crazy,” he snapped.
“Just figuring that out?” I countered dryly, ignoring the blood and pain. He smiled as he pulled back to look down at me. His chocolate eyes glowed with light, making them an amber that was distinctly Isaac. But I wasn’t done. “No more blaming yourself. No more stupid risks.” This wasn’t up for negotiation. I wasn’t going to put up with this shit anymore.
His smile faded. “I’ve been doing it so long…” His eyes met mine. “I can’t tell the difference between a challenge and a stupid risk anymore.”
I reached up and held his face. “Then ask. Ask me, ask one of the guys, until you can tell the difference again. Trust us.” His eyes grew shadowed again. I knew exactly what he was thinking. “She did not blame you,” I growled. “She wanted you to be happy. And
if that doesn’t convince you that it wasn’t your fault, I don’t know what will.”
His eyes were filling when he nodded. He lifted my upper body off the ground. “What happens now?”
I smiled. “You wake up and heal.” I kept my voice soft.
“How?” I still sounded lost.
“I think you have to want to live again. You have to want to come back.” I swallowed hard. “And I can’t help you with that.”
His eyes ran over my face. “Yeah, you can.”
Before I could blink, his lips were on mine, one of his hands holding my face as he kissed me gently. Light burst through me as I kissed him back. I was jerked from him and thrown out.
I woke up struggling to breathe through the pain. My clothes were soaked with blood and it wasn't getting any better. I took deep breaths as I slowly turned to Isaac. He still didn’t look great, but he wasn’t bleeding anymore. In fact... there were only scars remaining.
“That was impressive,” a woman’s gentle voice announced. I tore my eyes from Isaac to look at the woman standing over him. Her dark chestnut hair was back in a braid, cognac eyes watched me from a stunning oval face. Her frame wasn’t large, but she had to be taller than me by a few inches. Her rather pregnant belly pushed against the fabric of her white sundress as she scratched Hades’ ears.
“You two put up quite a fight,” she said, her voice impressed. “But you almost got yourselves killed.”
“Who the hell are you?” I snapped, my hands going to my side to try and stop the bleeding. It wasn’t working. Pain continued to roll over me.
Her eyes ran over me, growing concerned. “I’m Evelyn. I’m the back-up you’ve been waiting on.”
Chapter 17
“Huh?”
Before I could answer, the door slammed open, making me jump. Pain had me doubling over as a tall, white-haired man in an immaculate suit came in. His elfin features were furious as he strode straight to the woman.
When Evil Comes To Play (The Veil Diaries Book 5) Page 31
