From Burning Ashes (Collector Series #4) Read online

  How easy it would have been if I could still jump. But Ryker had the magic back. Didn’t he? If it did go back to him, why did I feel a coil of energy lashing against my spine, giving me that tingle like it wanted to jump?

  A growl came from behind me, and I shot a glance over my shoulder, Ryker’s face twisted with fury.

  “Can you jump?” I yelled back at him.

  He shook his head, his features darkening.

  “Can you guys see me?” Croygen asked, cuddling Lexie close to his chest. Sprig curled on her stomach.

  “Yeah? Aren’t we supposed to?”

  “No,” he growled. Croygen was a chameleon type of fae. He should have been able to blend so well into the background he would disappear. It made him an excellent thief and pirate. Several bullets whizzed by us. Croygen swore. “Why can’t we use our powers? We’re out.”

  Escape was the first item on our agenda. We’d worry about everything else later.

  “We need to get off the streets and find a place to hide,” Ryker called over his shoulder as he ran faster.

  “This way. I know a place.” Croygen made a sharp turn. We ran, twisting and turning through lanes, alleys, streets, and vacated buildings. I knew we had lost the soldiers, but we kept up our speed, wanting to put as much distance between us and DMG as we could.

  We had done it. We’d escaped. Croygen, Sprig, and I had gotten Lexie and Ryker out. I knew we had a long, hard journey ahead, but right then I let my heart feel the happiness, the relief. Even if Ryker still wanted to kill me, he was alive, and Lexie was here. We were all okay, though my gut sensed a catastrophe coming, like it wouldn’t be long before danger came calling, smashing us into little pieces.

  THREE

  Croygen led us to a gutted storage warehouse under the bridge in the Fremont area, a rough-around-the-edges place. Before the big electrical storm, the region was being transformed by the twenty-something artists and computer geeks and, like in so many expanding cities, it had started to show signs of becoming hip. Now it was back in the hands of the homeless reclaiming their territory. All were fighting for space under the bridge next to the famous Fremont Troll, a stone carving, which once brought tourists to the spot by the droves.

  Now people left us alone as we ran through the streets covered in blood, holding what probably appeared to be a dead girl wrapped in a blanket with a monkey sleeping on her chest. You know, pretty normal stuff. Sadly, they had probably seen worse. Everyone kept to themselves, as though too scared to get involved.

  When we finally stopped, Croygen walked around to a side door, Lexie still sound asleep in his arms. Sprig curled up, snoring. “It’s a safe house I used a while ago. Lots of room to hold any money or loot you want to hide until you can launder it.”

  “How long ago was awhile?” I asked.

  “Uh…when was dropping acid the rage?”

  “The sixties.”

  “Then somewhere around there.”

  My mouth gaped. “How do you know it’s even a safe house anymore and not used by humans or other fae?”

  “Because there’s a spell on it. Humans will look past it. Other fae will feel a spell on it and move on.” Handing Lexie to Ryker, Croygen went to the door and typed a code into the access buttons. “Hope this still works.”

  I moved closer to Croygen, watching his fingers move over the buttons. “It’s been over fifty years, you really think they are going to have the same code?”

  The door released from its hold, swinging open. “You were saying?” Croygen’s lips turned up in a smug grin. “Remember, fifty years to a fae is like a few weeks to humans.” He opened the door wider, allowing Ryker and Lexie through, then motioned for me to enter. “My lady.”

  I stepped inside. The two-story, rectangular-shaped building stood mostly empty except for two chairs, a table, and bare storage racks, which dotted the vast space. A filthy mattress with bunched-up blankets sat by itself like an island against one long blank wall. There were a few doors off the main room, but all opened to vacant offices, holding no more than unoccupied shelving.

  No bathroom. No kitchen.

  “Nice.” I rubbed my arms, goosebumps rippling over my skin. “Very homey.”

  “Someone’s a bit of a snob,” Croygen mocked.

  Ryker moved straight for the bed, set Lexie down, and covered her with the blanket, then placed Sprig next to her.

  “Stop that…it tickles,” Sprig giggled as he stirred awake.

  I stepped to them, bending down to check on my sister. Ryker scurried away, putting distance between us. I tried to ignore the stabbing in my chest and focused on my sister. She breathed deeply, still under heavy sedation. Croygen’s suggestion that Rapava used an elephant tranquilizer on her wasn’t far off. She had barely stirred the entire struggle, her eyes opening only once. She would have a shock when she woke up. I touched her forehead, feeling the warmth melting my cold hands. She felt hot but her body trembled with chills.

  The place being full of metal and concrete gave off no warmth, and the crispness in the air told me fall was right on our heels. I had no idea the month or how long I had been in the DMG hole. But if I went down in the summer and came out in fall, it had to be more than two or three months.

  “We should be safe here.” Croygen glanced through a small opening at the side of the opaque windows, looking out at the street. “At least till we figure out our next steps. This place saved my ass a lot back in the day.”

  “Do I ask?” I stood from the thin mattress.

  “No. Better not.” Croygen winked.

  Ryker moved through each room, his eyes taking in every nuance, like a trained warrior.

  “Wh-where the hell am I?” Sprig popped his head up, glancing around, his eyes glazed. “Oh no. The raccoons have me again! Scary bastards. Tell them I’ll pay up this time.”

  “Sprig, calm down.” I stroked behind his ear. He took a breath, waking up more.

  “Why are my nuts tingling?”

  I snorted. “Welcome back, buddy.”

  He sat up, taking in the space. “We couldn’t have chosen a diner or a grocery store?” Sprig huffed, rubbing his eyes. He crawled over Lexie to me. “Was that too much to ask?”

  Our protection remained priority, but I had to admit a place with food, a bathroom, and a shower would have been nice.

  I searched the area and found another filthy, scratchy blanket. In times of need, you couldn’t be picky, but I still shook out the blanket. I went over to Lexie’s sleeping body and laid it over her. My fingers weaved through her naturally kinky hair. Dark and wavy and streaked with caramel, it had grown past her shoulders, but it was knotted and frizzy from lack of care.

  Her eyebrows smoothed out as I stroked her face. She was such a beautiful girl. Half Puerto-Rican and half African-American, her features were striking. Even at twelve, almost thirteen, the boys had started to notice her. Though, I could only see now how scrawny and sickly she had become. Her eyes were sunken and her normally milk-chocolate skin looked ashen.

  Lexie’s lips parted and a small groan drifted out.

  “You’re safe now.” I leaned over and kissed her head. “I will never let them hurt you again. I promise.” I tucked the blanket tighter against her body. I heaved a sigh, stood, and turned to face the guys.

  “We need to get food and water and some painkillers for her eventually.” I walked to them. Ryker had settled on the windowsill, keeping sentry. Sprig sat next to him on the ledge. Croygen stood nearby. Ryker glanced over briefly, then turned back to watch the street.

  “This is just for tonight,” Croygen spoke, filling the painful gap between Ryker and me. “Jesus, what’s up with you two? We just escaped! There should at least be a few smiles, some cheers…or undying gratitude to me.” He held out his arms in wonder.

  “Undying gratitude?” I lifted my eyebrows.

  “Worship. Adoration. Devotion. I’m open to any one of your choosing.”

  “How about I don’t smother you in
your sleep,” Ryker snipped.

  “Or poop on your face,” Sprig added. “Oh no, forget that. I will probably still do that.”

  “That’s the spirit. See, Zoey. They’re getting into the festive mood.”

  I smiled and let myself laugh. Croygen always improved my mood.

  “I’m going to make a sweep around the building.” Ryker abruptly bolted to his feet, his arm reaching over his shoulder for his axe, then stopped. A pained scowl crept up into his features. “I’ll look for a vending machine while I’m out.” His voice sounded gruff as he slipped by me, heading out with set determination in his shoulders.

  “Wait!” Sprig scrambled after him. “I’ll help. With the food thing at least.”

  Sprig had to work hard to catch up with Ryker but climbed up his body and settled on his shoulder. Ryker didn’t respond either way to his presence. He just pushed through the doors. I opened my mouth to say something, stop him, but nothing came out as the door closed behind him.

  “He’ll come around.” Croygen had sidled up next to me.

  “Will he?” I continued to stare after him. “Should he?”

  Croygen tilted his head.

  “The things I did to him, Croygen… How can he ever forgive me? I can’t forgive myself.”

  “He understands you had to do it.”

  “Doesn’t matter.”

  “Look what he did to you.” Croygen motioned to my neck. “He killed you. Well, sort of. And I’m still waiting for that perpetual devotion and thanks for saving your life.”

  I swiveled around to face Croygen. “You did save my life.”

  “Think I just said that.”

  “No.” I shook my head. “I meant, if you saved my life…”

  “I am no longer duty bound to you.” A smirk curved Croygen’s mouth. “You would be right.”

  “It’s broken?” My eyebrows shot up.

  He stayed silent for a moment before nodding, and his smile grew bigger.

  “But you told Ryker if he killed me, he’d kill you.”

  “I’m too pretty to die.” He cupped his own chin. “I mean, look at this mug. Be a waste.”

  “B-but I died. He wouldn’t have gotten his powers back if I didn’t.” I rubbed my forehead. We finally had a moment so I could really concentrate on the energy I still felt inside. The more I focused on it, the more I could sense it, energy dwelling deep inside. It wasn’t as strong, but it was there. His magic still resided in my core.

  I tapped at my stomach, my mouth falling open. “I still have some of his powers. I can feel them. They didn’t all leave me.”

  “Really?” His brow corked up, then bobbed his head. “Actually, that makes sense. Magic has its own will. Some of it must have grown devoted to you. Liked its new home better.”

  Relief settled into my heart at the thought. I had the power for a short time but had gotten attached to it. Once I hated fae, now I hated the idea of not being partly one.

  “What I think is some of your human body died, but the fae magic brought you back.” Croygen’s smile wouldn’t leave his face. “Either way, I am no longer obligated to either you or that brute. I’m free.”

  “Oh my god.” I threw my arms around Croygen, hugging him. “That’s awesome. How does it feel, after centuries?”

  He closed his eyes as if he were considering what I asked him. “Amazing.” He hugged me back.

  “You’re free to go.” I leaned back, his arms still around me. “You can go back to your ship. Get away from all of this.”

  The smile dropped from his face. “I might not be duty bound, but until he no longer has the urge to kill you, I should probably stick around.”

  “Why? You can get out of here. Nothing’s keeping you here.”

  “Yes, something is.”

  “What?”

  He turned his gaze to mine, his dark eyes intense. “You.”

  “Me?”

  “Whatever you do to us fae men…” He smiled. “I’m not going to just leave you, Zoey. Not until you and your sister are safe. It would feel wrong.”

  My eyebrows hit my hairline.

  “I know. I know.” He shook his head. “This is a first for me.”

  I pulled him into another hug. “You know what I think?”

  “Not sure I want to.”

  “You might fight us, even Ryker, but we’re your family, Croygen, your friends. And deep down that’s something you want. A place to belong.”

  He scoffed.

  “Pretend all you want. But you belong with us. With me.”

  The door slammed, and Croygen and I jumped apart. Ryker leaned against the doorjamb, watching us. His eyes narrowed. Sprig sat on his shoulder, his neck revolving to the three of us, his eyes wide.

  Ryker’s folded arms and stone face caused my mouth to blather. “It-it’s not what you think.”

  “What do I think?” He stood straight, walking over to us. Sprig leaped off his shoulder, climbing up on the window ledge. “I’m curious. Tell me what I think.” Ice started to form around the wall he set between us.

  “Don’t.” My jaw tightened. “Don’t be that guy again.”

  “What guy?” He fastened his arms over each other, leaning into me. It was threatening.

  I would not be bullied or intimidated. “This guy.” I stepped into his face, poking at his chest. “The asshole who hated me only because of his fear of feeling, of letting someone in. We’ve been through too much to start at the beginning again.”

  He bristled. “This is who I really am.” Ryker lifted his top lip. “I’m a demon, little human, born to hate and destroy.”

  “Bullshit,” I shouted.

  “Whoa, you two.” Croygen tried to step between us, but neither of us budged.

  “What do you want from me, human?” Ryker’s nostrils flared.

  “I want Ryker back,” I seethed. The tension filled the little space between us, closing the world down to the two of us.

  “He’s no longer here. He died back on the table where you cut him up into pieces.”

  I sucked in a breath, his hurtful words hitting home. “You don’t think I hate myself for that? What I had to do to you to keep my sister alive?” I tapped at my chest. “Every time I cut into you, torturing you? The game I was forced to play? The revulsion I feel for myself is infinite.”

  “Then multiply that by seven,” Ryker snarled, inching even closer to my face. “I’m the reason anyone I ever cared about died. Because of me my adoptive mother, father, my sister, the girl I loved, my unborn baby, my real mother are all dead.”

  His real mother? Right before he killed me, he had told me his father was Vadik. But he didn’t mention his mother. Did he learn who she was too?

  That came only to six.

  “And you,” he continued, anger bursting off his skin. “I destroy everyone I love.”

  I felt my lungs spasm, a silent gasp choking my throat. Did he just say…?

  “Do you want to hear how good it felt to sense your life draining away between my fingers? It makes me sick, but I wanted it like nothing before.” His arms trembled with his fury. “The desire is still there.” He stared down at his hands as his fingers knotted into tight fists. He sucked in a breath, shook out his hands, and stepped away from me.

  “But you killed me. I know I was dead. And I saw you heal. You have your powers back. The promise should be broken. You fulfilled it.” I watched for his reaction. Nothing.

  Croygen’s oath broke by saving me. Why didn’t Ryker’s end by killing me?

  “Can I step in here?” Croygen cleared his throat, holding up his hand, stepping back into our world. “Like I said before, maybe some of your human part died, but the fae part kept you alive. It’s probably why it broke and didn’t break at the same time.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Maybe you didn’t die enough. Or long enough.” Croygen shrugged. “This isn’t something we know. There’s not a manual or anything on this. I’m most likely talking out
my ass.”

  “Understandable. It’s where your brain is,” Sprig quipped. We all looked at him. He grabbed his tail and stuffed it into his mouth.

  “You still aren’t doing that right.” Croygen sighed. “Next time try tying it around your neck.”

  Sprig pulled his tail from his mouth like he was going to speak but then flipped off Croygen instead.

  “Guys, back here.” I waved at the three.

  “What Croygen said sort of makes sense. I felt the powers go back into me. Hurt like a bitch.” Ryker shifted as if uncomfortable remembering the incident.

  That had to be the pain I felt, the magic being torn from me. But what if it had just been tearing in half? They were still in me.

  “I didn’t get them all back.” Ryker’s white eyes fell on me. “Some of my powers have stayed with you, adapted to you. This might be the reason the oath doesn’t feel completely out of my system.”

  My hand drifted up to my forehead, rubbing fiercely. Why could nothing be easy with us?

  “I can feel them inside me, but when I tried to use them outside of DMG, nothing happened.” Ryker’s lids narrowed.

  “Me too.” Croygen nodded.

  My fingers continued to knead my temple. “All I can think is Rapava has been playing with goblin metal so he can control fae. I thought it only sedated us, but what if he has designed it to affect the powers themselves?”

  “You mean to keep us from using them ever again?” Croygen exclaimed.

  “If he can’t actually control fae, what better way than to at least put them on the same playing field as humans?” The idea struck me with force. Oh my god, no doubt this was exactly what he was doing. Or seeking to do. “I don’t know for sure, but I got to understand Rapava’s mind a bit more. This would be something he would try. While he’s attempting to create humans with abilities, he would also be aiming to take away the opposition’s.”

  “This doctor is seriously fucked up.” Croygen placed a hand over his eyes.

  “I agree, but it doesn’t mean there isn’t genius in it,” I said.

  Croygen dropped his hands. “True. Look at me. Screwed up and a genius at it.”