Deadly Beauties: Blood's Fury Page 7

  My heart melts, and if I wasn't in a complete panic over my mom, I'd probably say something really stupid right now.

  "Thanks," I squeak out as the first tear finally falls.

  He wipes it away, and then he kisses my forehead so sweetly before pulling me into a comforting embrace I don't want to leave.

  "Alyssa!" Frankie prompts.

  "I'm coming," I whimper out, and Kane follows me to the door as I rush to the car Frankie has apparently swindled from someone.

  Kane props up against my porch railing as he watches me disappear into the car with Frankie. We pull away, and I feel his eyes still on me, wishing he could help me.

  "What do they know?" I prompt, trying not to fall apart.

  "All they'll tell me is that she's missing. When there's a blood relative alive, the council won't release the details to anyone else. When we get there, keep your eyes low. Some of these council members aren't far from dark users. They'll consider eye contact an insult, and it won't faze them to strike. I wouldn't even be letting you doing this if-"

  "If you weren't secretly in love with my mother," I interrupt, making his breath catch. "I wouldn't let you not let me do this. She's my mother. She'd already be there if it was me. I wish you could vaporize me with you and get us there quicker."

  "I could, but you'd die," he sighs. "Just hang on. This thing looks like a family car, but I've replaced the engine with something a little… faster."

  The engine roars as he gasses it, snapping me back against the seat, and I close my eyes as we push forward.

  "Thank you for coming out, Ms. Coldwell. I'm sorry we're not meeting under better circumstances," the frigid lady sitting near the end murmurs very insincerely.

  I swallow the rude, foul thing I want to yell at her, and summon up my best cordial face, remembering to keep my eyes low and my tone humble.

  "Thank you for seeing me. Could you please give me what information you have on my mother so that I may ask for permission to seek her?"

  The arched table sits prestigiously in the place that resembles a gallant courtroom, with all of them being judge and jury. The prominent, stuffy asses behind the elongated table show no emotion as a man answers, "Her last whereabouts were in Tibet for the ceremonies, however, we believe it was a dark user she left with. We don't know if it was a nabbing or a simple disappearing act. Calypso has run off for decades at a time before, so it wouldn't be the first time. I suggest starting in Washington, near the Canadian border. Their roots of power are there, and if you're to find anything out of sorts, that's where she'll be."

  I get sick, but I try to keep a straight face. My mom has been around for a long time. The longer you live, the harder you are to kill. They'd need the magic their dark roots have in order to do such a thing, but the council can't acknowledge that, not without telling me they know she was taken and they're not going to do anything about it.

  "Calypso Coldwell is indeed very important to the light community. Without her, the ceremonies will have to stop until we can find someone strong enough to proceed. However, we cannot send you any means of help other than that of information for fear of sparking too much conflict. Light users are forbidden to travel around that area, so tread carefully."

  Meaning these sorry, stick-up-their-asses cowards aren't going to risk their own necks to save the woman who has saved everyone here at some point and time.

  I bite the inside of my jaw so hard the tang of blood strikes me.

  "Of course," I murmur through strain, trying my best not to snap.

  I bow, showing them respect they don't deserve, and then I walk out quickly to meet up with Frankie who's waiting by the door.

  "Have you called for plane tickets yet?" I mutter as we head down the hallway.

  "We've got the next flight out."

  "It looks like it's just the two of us. I've basically been forbidden to recruit anyone else."

  He scowls. "I heard. Don't worry though. We'll get her out of there."

  "We better, or else my estranged father will be getting a phone call."

  His eyes grow wide, and then he turns to me. "You can't be serious. You know how dangerous he is, Alyssa. You're mother would-"

  "I'm very serious. My mother would call him if it was me and she had to. He's dangerous, he's crazy, but he's also very protective of her. If he finds out, they'll all die, and I'll watch."

  Chapter Seven

  "I'm glad you called. I've been worried. Any word about your mother?" Kane asks.

  I pull on my boots while slipping into my jacket, preparing to trudge through the rain, and then I sigh.

  "Well, we're in Washington right now. I think she just got a little crazy and ran off with some friends. It’s happened before," I lie, using the council's cop out. "They have a cabin up here, and right now we're trying to see if we can find it in this ridiculous wooded area."

  "What section of woods?" he asks curiously.

  I consider lying to him, but there's really no point. It's not like he can stop me from going in there, and I don't want to lie to him more than necessary.

  "We're in Fenshaw, it's mostly all woods to be honest. When I track her down, I'll kick her ass for scaring Frankie and me."

  At least I do well to mask my true fear.

  "Alyssa, those woods are too dangerous. Hikers go missing all the time out there."

  That's because they don't know what sadistic bastards lurk out here.

  The worry in his tone is genuine, and if he knew the truth, he'd never feel the same about the world he lives in.

  "Don't worry. Frankie knows a thing or two about the wilderness. I'll call you later. I doubt I'm going to have service once we get in there."

  "Alyssa, just wait on me. I'll come out there and help you."

  My heart sizzles in my chest. Knowing he'd do that makes the butterflies in my stomach ruffle.

  "Don't be crazy. Washington is too far away for you to have to come. I'll take care of it. Thanks though."

  He exhales loudly, and then he murmurs, "Well, if you need me, you know how to find me."

  Something about the way he says it… He almost sounds angry that I won't let him help.

  "Thanks. Really. I'll talk to you later, Kane."

  "Yeah," he murmurs, and then the line goes quiet.

  "You ready?" Frankie asks as I pull the battery out of my phone.

  "Yeah, you?"

  He does the same - pulling the battery out of his own phone - and then he puts the pieces on the table separately.

  "Dark users are too good with tech."

  "And black magic," I scoff while zipping up my jacket and heading out into the rain.

  "And these woods," he sighs. "Stay close. I really don't even want you in here. Calypso will kill me for letting you come."

  "She'll die if we don't find her."

  He tightens his lips, and lets out a breath of defeat as we start heading into the creepy-as-hell forest. It's daylight, but between the rain and the shadows cast by the thick, leafy limbs of the forest giants, it's dark as night.

  The wind whistles through a hollow log beside us, and Frankie evaporates only to reappear several yards in front of me.

  "Really?" I scold in a whisper.

  He shrugs and starts walking again until howling erupts from the far north, making Frankie evaporate once more only to reappear in a tree.

  "I'm supposed to be the one who's scared," I grumble under my breath.

  "Sorry," he murmurs as he reappears at my side.

  "No more evaporating just because the wind rustles too loudly."

  "Fine," he huffs, his body tensing as we slowly make our way through.

  "If you want to evaporate so badly, then do it and grab Mom."

  "You know it doesn't work that way. I can only travel short distances, and I have to see where I'm going and what I'm doing. If I could just pop in where she's at, I would have already done it. Not to mention, it'd make traveling a lot easier."

  "I was being sarcastic,
" I mumble.

  "Oh."

  We continue walking in silence, making sure to investigate every shadowy form we see. Suddenly, a large, white bird, resembling a hawk, shoots free from a tree and rushes by us, making Frankie squeal and evaporate simultaneously.

  Unbelievable.

  I walk up just as he reappears, panting for air with his hands on his knees.

  "That's it. Hand over your man-card. I'm having it revoked."

  He straightens up, adjusting his shirt, and then scowls at me.

  "I've been around a lot longer than you, meaning I've heard more horror stories about these woods than you."

  "Meaning you've lost your balls along the way," I add, mocking him further.

  He glares at me, but he doesn't come back with anything else as we continue on, warily checking over our shoulders with each step.

  "How far until we reach their holy ground?" I ask, swallowing when I feel a chill in the air.

  "At this pace? Three days."

  I groan inwardly, and then I pull out a bottle of water from my pack. The only way to get there is on foot, and since I can't evaporate around the woods, this is going to be one hell of a three day trip.

  Hours pass, leaving me exhausted and Frankie so tense that he's stiff as a board. I shiver as night really does descend, making me realize how much darker these woods can get. Frankie collapses to the ground, showing his own exhaustion - proving immortals aren't immune to being out of shape.

  "We'll set up here for the night. I'll take first watch," Frankie says. He turns his jacket into a pillow for his back and props it between himself and a tree.

  Reluctantly, I plop down. We can't see two steps in front of us right now, and we'll get lost if we keep trying to cipher our way through here.

  "Wake me when you get tired." I yawn while resting my backpack under my head, praying the night doesn't hold any surprises.

  A chill slithers up my back, and I wake up to the pitch black to see Frankie’s eyes closed and his body limp as he snores.

  Way to keep watch, Frankie.

  I pull my jacket around me a little tighter as I stare at the streaks of moonlight escaping through the veil cast by the trees. My heart beats too quickly when I see several shadows appearing and evaporating in the distance.

  Dark users.

  "Frankie," I whisper while tugging at his jacket, but he doesn't move.

  I slowly stand to my feet to kick him in the stomach, but still he doesn't move. It's then I realize his snoring is too deep. They've put him to sleep because they want me alone.

  Fuck!

  "Alyssssaaa," a phantom voice hisses too close, and I whip around just as the shadow turns to nothing.

  They're playing with me.

  "How do you know my name?" I demand, trying not to sound as terrified as I am.

  "Alyssssaaa," the voice hisses again, and then suddenly I feel the air being knocked out of me as I'm thrown backwards, my body thudding hard against the ground as I collide.

  "That's gonna leave a mark," I mumble under my breath while trying to stand up.

  I feel another strike just as I stand, and I'm knocked backwards again. This time, I hit so hard my tongue gets chomped between my teeth, drawing blood.

  I spit it out, steadying my breaths as I search for something to use my magic on. But it's hard to fight back when I can't see them coming.

  I scream as my body gets lifted from the ground by a force I can't see, and then I get whisked up to nearly the tops of the trees just as several other shadows rush into the party from behind us.

  Just when I accept my fate, I realize these shadows aren't evaporating, they're just fast as hell.

  Screams erupt, and I'm dropped from the monstrous height, screaming all the way down. I brace for impact, but I feel swift, gentle arms catching me and then gently dropping me to the ground as the figures emerge more obviously.

  Dark-hooded silhouettes rush from place to place as the dark users scream out their pain. The mystery people don't speak or slow down. Instead, they work together like a band of choreographed dancers fighting against my attackers.

  Then I see it. Their faces are masked and their heads are covered, but I see the glowing blue eyes as they drain the dark users of their energy with the ease only one creature can hold.

  Night stalkers!

  Here I was, foolish enough to think I was being saved, only to find out I'm someone's next meal.

  I slide over, and then kick Frankie's foot, trying to stir him awake, but it's no good. I watch in horror as the night stalkers continue to drain the dark users, deflecting their attacks as they feast, never fazed by their outnumbered circumstance.

  Then I squeal as two lycans crash through the trees, roaring and shredding the dark users who were trying to rush the night stalkers from behind. One of the lycans spots me, and it snarls as it pounds the ground with its heavy paws.

  The beast I've only ever heard about but never seen is far more terrifying than I imagined it to be. It's head is the size of seven human heads, and it stands six feet tall on all fours. I cower back, covering Frankie, offering myself as sacrifice.

  The rabid beast snarls and rakes the ground with its dagger-like claws, readying itself for a charge as the battle behind it rages on. A pair of glowing blue eyes offer me a glance before a silhouette leaps over, kicking the beast in the stomach, sending it sailing.

  I squeal, and shield my eyes momentarily. When I look up, I see the lycan is licking its paw, and then it charges back into the fight, no longer acknowledging me as it returns to shredding the dark users.

  "Frankie!" I screech desperately, and he finally stirs just as the last of the dark users retreat.

  "What?" he murmurs through sleepy yawns, and my eyes look up once more to see the glowing blues fade before the unlikely rescue team darts away, disappearing from sight instead of coming to drain me dry.

  Both of the lycans disappear, leaving us behind in the darkness without a threat.

  "What the hell just happened?" Frankie gushes as he rises up to see the bodies of the dark users lying around like limp, drained rag dolls.

  "Believe it or not, night stalkers and lycans just saved our lives."

  "Night stalkers and lycans took down a flock of dark users to help us?" he asks in disbelief.

  I look around, understanding his shock. I watched it happen with my own eyes and I'm still struggling to find it true.

  "Yeah. These dark users were apparently fairly new to their abilities, so they died easier."

  "Those had to be some badass mother fuckers to do all this even if they were new to the change," he murmurs to continue our very whispered conversation.

  I step over the bodies of the men and women shriveled up, their eyes glazed over with death's glare.

  "That's creepy," Frankie shivers out.

  "What's creepy is watching the dark ones of our kind trying to tear us apart and then watching our heroes be night stalkers and lycans."

  Frankie shakes his head, still reeling from the absurdity of it all, and we continue to trek through the woods, not risking getting still again.

  "How about casting an awake spell?" I whisper. "I'd prefer to have a little backup the next time they attack."

  "Good idea," he mumbles before he starts chanting under his breath.

  "There it is," he whispers as we stare through the thick brush at the black tree in front of us.

  My clothes are filthy, my hair is a tangled mess, and we've been on foot for two days - no sleep since the attack - for this?

  "How is this supposed to help us find Mom?"

  "Like the Tree of Gaya - the root of the light - this is the tree of Tartarus, the root of the dark. If Calypso is close by, this will lead us there," he whispers, careful not to draw any unwanted ears our way.

  Suddenly, a white hawk zooms down from the sky, barreling toward us as it screeches in protest.

  "Get down, Alyssa! Changer!" Frankie yells.

  I squeal and duck, but the haw
k doesn't attack. Instead, it disappears behind the tree. I pull my hands up, ready to go on the offense, when I'm startled from behind.

  "Don't use that tree. You'll awaken a thousand souls and yet you'll only have a riddle for what you need to know," a smooth voice says, and my eyes fall on his face in disbelief.

  "Thad?" I gasp.

  His lips thin, and then he nods while tossing a pair of pants beside the tree. I look over my shoulder to see an a guy pulling them on, his bare body making me blush, and then I whip my head back around.

  "I'll tear you apart if you try to touch us," Frankie threatens.

  "If I wanted to harm her, I would have already done so. I moved in next door to keep an eye on her once I found out she was living in a town full of night stalkers."

  I tilt my head, still stunned into near silence.

  "Why? You're a-"

  "A vicious killer with a taste for blood?" he laughs out. "Not exactly. Just because I'm a changer, it doesn't make me a killer. I've only killed when necessary, never for a meal. They have blood banks these days. I happen to own a few. Before then, I learned when to stop before I killed someone."

  His smug tone doesn't match the sweet boy next door I thought he was, but at the same time, he just got a hell of a lot sexier.

  Stupid bad boy complex.

  "Changers don't stop, they kill for fun," Frankie objects, his eyes narrowing in scrutiny.

  "It's amazing you say that, considering the same was once said about witches and warlocks. You think you're the only ones who've evolved?"

  Three girls and two more guys walk up to join him, all of them hiding their secret. Then one girl's eyes glow blue, making me sick.

  "Night stalker," I shiver out.

  "She's not going to hurt you. She's here to help," Thad says as he walks toward me. "Your mom isn't here - never was. But someone wanted the council to think she was."

  "And we're just supposed to take you at your word?" Frankie scoffs.

  "No, but a thousand souls really are tied to that tree. That's what the dark ones used to bless it. If you use your white magic on it, you'll release more hell on earth than Pandora's box ever thought about, and you'll have nothing in return."