City In Embers Page 8

  “You’re the one who grabbed my ass.”

  “I didn’t mean to.” I skidded forward on my knees.

  “Still your fault.”

  Maybe the toy in his cage was more than something he curled up with at night. “Am I going to have to get you a stuffed animal to be alone with?” I sighed, feeling the tunnel take a sharp curve upward. “Hell. It’s straight up from here.”

  Sprig stayed silent.

  “Sprig?”

  “Not. Talking. To. You.”

  “Again?” I shook my head. Standing in the vertical tube, my eyes tried hard to adjust to the pure darkness. All they could distinguish were strange shapes, which I knew weren’t actually there.

  “You insulted Sussanna at a time when I had to leave her behind. She will be so upset with me.”

  “Who is Sussanna?”

  “She was my companion for the time I have been here and always there to comfort me. Such a good listener.”

  I gripped the sides of the slick walls, found small edges to put my boots on, and pulled myself higher, making my way up the tube.

  “She has such big black eyes,” he continued. A memory made me think back to the toy in his cage. A bear.

  “Would Sussanna be considered alive?”

  Sprig climbed my back, settling on my shoulder, his tail wrapping my neck. “Alive is such a technical term.”

  I bit my lip, laughter bubbling up. “So... she’s a stuffed animal?”

  He sighed deeply in my ear. “In the most basic meaning, I suppose it’s what she is. But she has been my friend for more than five years.”

  That was actually sad and sweet—mostly sad. I was about to respond when I saw light gleaming down on me. Freedom. It was so close I could taste it. Trails of sweat etched my face as I forced myself forward. The vision of hope giving me newfound energy. My legs shook as I pushed myself higher, and my hands reached for the gap. Smoke and ash blocked out the sky, but raging fires from all around illuminated the billowing clouds.

  Sprig climbed along my arm toward the latches on the edges of the vent. That’s when I noticed it was bolted down.

  “Shit! No...” I felt tears pricking at my eyes. Of course they would bolt it. They wouldn’t want anyone to be able to get in. Or out. Once again, I was trapped. I couldn’t go forward and couldn’t go back.

  “Watch and learn.” Sprig’s little fingers touched the bolts. One by one they popped out of their holes, falling below.

  “How the hell did you do that?”

  “Magic.” Sprig touched the last one. “We sprites are very talented.” His little brown eyebrows went up and down.

  Right then I was extremely thankful for Sprig and his fae magic.

  Another first for me.

  I lifted the cover off and let it tumble to the side. Sprig jumped out, going beyond where I could see him. With a grunt, I gripped the sides and pulled myself over the rim. My arms trembled underneath me. They were giving way when a hand grabbed the back of my neck, gripped my hood, and yanked me out of the hole.

  “You’re not getting away from me again,” a man’s voice growled into my ear from behind and slammed me back on my feet. A slipknot captured my wrist before he wrapped the other end around his own. Normally, this would have been my first concern, but what was in front of me moved this problem behind.

  Lying on the ground at my feet was Sprig’s body, curled in a ball. This time I was sure he was dead. “What did you do?” I demanded. “Did you kill him?”

  Ryker snarled at the lump on the ground. “What do you care? It’s a fae. I can sense it.”

  “It doesn’t mean I want him dead. He helped me.”

  The Viking gripped me tighter and shoved me forward. “I didn’t touch it. It collapsed when it saw me.”

  A breath of relief came from me. I felt strangely happy the little monkey-fae wasn’t dead but sleeping. I hadn’t believed him about being narcoleptic. “He saw you and passed out.” I laughed, but there was no humor in my voice. Distance grew between us and Sprig. Ryker forced me to move quickly down the street.

  “It happens.” Ryker dragged me into an alleyway. “Now, shut up.”

  “We can’t leave him. He’ll be captured again.”

  “Not my problem.”

  My determination to struggle against him was nil. There was no point unless I wanted to gnaw my arm off, which I didn’t. Not yet anyway.

  The Capitol neighborhood of Seattle, above where DMG headquarters was stationed, survived only marginally better than downtown. Buildings still burned, and many were collapsed into piles but more sporadically here. Clusters of people roamed the streets, looking lost and terrified. A pregnant silence held an eerie absence of voices—the dead filling the vacancy with their silent screams.

  The sound of helicopters came from above, their spotlights the only thing signaling their location, like the Bat-Signal. The smoke and debris clotted in a dome over Seattle.

  My arms were jerked forward, tearing the skin at my wrist. “Hurry up, human,” Ryker growled, glaring over his shoulder at me with glowing white judgments of hate. “You are testing my patience.”

  “You have patience?” I countered.

  I tried to escape him when we came across others, but quickly I gave up screaming and fighting him. No one looked. No one cared. My energy was being wasted. There was so much yelling and commotion going on in the streets mine got lost in the sea of turmoil filling Seattle.

  His scowl only intensified before he yanked harder on the rope, dragging me forward. A couple of choice words were mumbled under my breath, while my feet tried to speed up enough to keep up with his pace.

  EIGHT

  Time wore on, and Ryker kept up his punishing speed. My feet and body ached. The tiny bit of energy I had left kept one foot moving in front of the other but didn’t stop me from stumbling and falling.

  “Get up,” Ryker barked, tugging on the cord linking us. “Or I swear I will kill you, human.”

  I swallowed, my throat dry and coated with the grime of the burning city. “Then do it.” I crawled to my feet and peered up at him, with no fear or doubt. “I beg you. Do it. I have nothing left.”

  His lips pinched. His eyes searched mine, seeing the resolve behind my words. He breathed out methodically and looked up at the sky. He shifted his feet and turned and yanked me forward. “Keep moving.”

  “No.” I stood my ground and almost went into the pavement when the line pulled up short. “I have to stop.”

  “Not yet.” He faced me.

  “Yes, now.” I gritted my teeth, trying not to feel the intimidating way he loomed over me. He could snap me in pieces.

  His chest puffed out as he drew in a huge gulp of air. Heat radiated off him, directed at me. We stared at each other for a good minute before he finally spoke. “We’ll find a place to stay for the night, but you’re gonna have to keep going until I find one.”

  I nodded.

  We were far from the heart of the city in the north suburbs when Ryker finally found us a sketchy motel. Not as much was destroyed this far, but all electricity was off. I wondered how far the effects of the storm actually went.

  There was no one at the desk, although I doubted it would make a difference to Ryker. He didn’t seem like the pay for a room type. He carted me off to a room farthest from the street and office. He only nudged the door with his shoulder, and it cracked open.

  Damn! He was either extremely strong or the quality of the building materials was poor. I voted for both. He towed me into the small, dingy bathroom. No lights made the room even more horror-movie ready.

  He unwound his arm from the rope and marched me to the bathtub. “Get in.”

  I was beyond tired and only wanted to stop walking and sit. So I did. He tied my wrists together, then took another rope from the handle of his axe and tied my wrists to the metal spout. He tugged on it a few times, making sure it was secure before he walked to the bedroom. There was a sliding sound, like he was dragging a piece o
f furniture across the room. A bang on the door confirmed my theory as the dresser blocked the broken door—trapping us in.

  Heavy boots stomped back to me. “Now, go to sleep. If you try and escape, I will tie the rope around your neck tomorrow and drag you.”

  “Like a slave.” I frowned.

  “No.” He grabbed the knob of the door. “Like livestock.” He slammed the door, encasing me in darkness.

  I called him a few names but very halfheartedly. My lids no longer wanted to cooperate nor listen to me. Most of my body was rejecting my orders. It demanded sleep and food. Food seemed out of the question for now. Leaning my head against the tile, I surrendered to the other demand before my body went on strike. It needed to shut down, to leave the trauma of the day behind for at least a moment.

  Helicopter beams flashed through the bathroom window, forcing my lashes to rise. It felt as if I only closed my eyes an instant before. They burned with the need to shut and continue sleeping.

  Another flash of light reflected through the frosted window. The low vibrating pattern of the rotors advanced close above the one-story rat-infested lodging. I figured they were out in response to the storm, but my paranoia fused a tiny flame in my brain. What if it was for me? The probability of someone or something out there hunting for one of us was high. I couldn’t fathom I’d be worth enough for the DMG to get a search party so advanced looking for me, although the little voice in the back of my head still nibbled at the idea.

  Sounds from the other room revealed the Viking was awake. The bathroom door squeaked open. His outline encompassed most of the doorway. I could not make out his face in the shadows, but his eyes glowed in the darkness. It seemed to be a fae trait—very bright, unnaturally colored eyes. I stayed silent as he continued farther into the room, fear spiking my adrenaline.

  No fae would go out of his way to save humans if he were only going to kill them. Right? I really hoped so. At the moment, logic told me I would be all right—until he found out I didn’t have what he was seeking. A part of me wished he would end the pain that strangled my heart and soul and stop the image of Daniel’s dead body at my feet, his eyes staring blankly at me.

  He had almost kissed me for the first time barely a few hours ago. So much should have been ahead of us. He wasn’t supposed to die. He was the man I was meant to grow old with. My heart crushed under the weight of the knowledge we would never be. Then my mind tormented me more, creating Lexie’s voice, calling my name as the flames overtook her.

  “Stop,” he said, his tone angry. I hadn’t made a peep. “They’ll be able to sense you a state away.”

  “Who?” I spit out. “I didn’t say anything!” Sirens and helicopters howling through the streets muted my cries to nonexistent.

  “I didn’t say hear. I said feel. You humans broadcast your emotions like radio.” He paused, his jaw clenching. He really hated humans, which was amusing since the feeling was mutual. He paced the tight box, his figure stiff and anxious.

  “Are those guys still after you? The ones who took your girlfriend?” I asked. “Garrett, right?” A muscle twitched at his temple. His white eyes appeared turbulent with guarded rage. Tattoos down his neck flickered with sparks. Instinctively, I leaned back. He was a terrifying sight. “What the hell? Your tattoos...”

  Ryker gripped his fists tighter. “They are my birthmarks. I was born with them. They’re attached to my fae magic. Or they used to be.”

  “Do they flicker when you use your powers?” My geek brain kicked in, fascinated by this new species of fae. Nothing like him was in our training books.

  He moved to the window, ignoring my question. Finally, a deep grumble came from his throat. “You do not speak of Amara. Am I clear, human?”

  “I have a name, you know.”

  “I don’t care what your name is. All you humans are no more than a group of imps to me.”

  “A fae way of saying I’m scum?” Ire spewed from my lips.

  He snapped his head to stare down at me. “Are fae anything more to you? You experiment and run tests on us. How many of my kin have died for your research?”

  “At least we act for the greater good. What do you do it for?”

  “Good for who?” he snapped at me with condescension.

  “We are trying to define the DNA of faes and clone them. We are saving lives, fighting against diseases and disabilities. Children with cancer, people with severe disabilities. What we do is beneficial. If some fae die in the process, I am sorry.”

  “You’re sorry?” He gripped the tub, leaning into my face. “How many of us died so one of you could live?” He took a long drag of air through his nose. “Don’t get high and mighty with me, human. You think of fae no better than I think of humans.”

  A chill filled my belly. There was truth in his statement. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I did consider fae inferior. Testing on another species to help my own, even if it caused pain to one, benefited mine. Human life, especially with having a disabled sister, was worth more to me than a species I had been trained to despise. But we tested; we did not seek to kill. When we went on hunts, we packed stun guns. We only had guns loaded with fae bullets for backup. I used them several times but had never killed a fae. Daniel killed one, but it had been about to tear into my neck. The memory of Daniel clogged my throat. I pushed the incapacitating thought of never seeing him again deep inside.

  My street reflexes wanted me to fight this jerk, but what I learned in my psychology classes told me to familiarize myself with my kidnapper. Become more than a faceless target. Wasn’t sure if this theory worked on fae, but I was willing to give it a try. “My name is Zoey. Zoey Daniels.”

  He pushed away from me, going to the sink area. “I don’t give a fuck.”

  “You kidnapped me and say I have something of yours. It seems we’re together in this. I’m a target now, too,” I said. “It will help if I know what is after you. Why did they take Amara? What is it you have they want so badly?”

  “Let’s say I have something many people want. Desperately.”

  I shifted to face him, needles of numbness prickled at my rear. Bits of conversation from my earlier encounter with him came back. “This stone... it’s what you think I have, right?” He tilted his head as if I were the stupidest person on the planet. “So what is it you think I have if it’s not the stone?”

  A frustrated growl gurgled up from his throat. He squatted next to the bathtub. “I never said you had it.” He rubbed at the loose hair on top of his head. “Let’s see if you can keep up...”

  My lashes lowered as I glowered at him.

  “You understand I am fae, right?” he mocked.

  My glare narrowed with more contempt.

  “All right. We’re together so far.” His condescending tone made me want to slap him. Hard. “I am what you call a Wanderer. I have certain powers. Or at least I did till you took them.”

  “What? I—”

  He held up his hand, interrupting me. “You recall lightning hitting me?”

  A patronizing smile grew on my mouth. “Yeah. Best part of my day so far.”

  He did not find me amusing. “This.” He tapped at the ropes holding me prisoner. “Is the best part of mine.”

  The raw hatred and disgust I felt for him shook me to my core.

  A glint flickered in his eyes as my shoulders hunched tighter. “The lightning went through me and went into you, taking my powers with it.” He nodded to where I was struck. “You carry them now.”

  “Excuse me?” This guy had lost his mind. “You’re saying they were transferred into me?”

  “Yes.” He nodded, using the side of the tub to push himself up.

  “You’re crazy.” A strange laugh erupted from my mouth. “I’m talking padded-walls loony.”

  “I can sense them. How do you think I was able to find you both times? I know my own magic. It calls to me.”

  My mouth opened and then shut. Was this even possible? Was it what Sera saw? Why
Dr. Rapava claimed I was “carrying” a fae baby? And what about the fact I couldn’t go through the fae-blocking door without the alarm going off? If I were human, I should have been able to walk through without a problem.

  “I don’t know how it’s possible. I’ve never heard of anything like this happening. But it has. I first thought it was something your group did, but now I realized you humans aren’t smart or skilled enough to pull something like this off.” He began to walk in circles, his hands on his hips. “The storm was carried out by a fae. I have been around for a long time and never felt anything like the magic in that lightning.”

  I kept silent, wanting to hear what he thought about the storm, and if he knew more than the DMG did.

  “It was not a storm from the Otherworld, but it was fae-made. Whatever or whoever created it possesses capabilities unheard of in our world. No fae should have the amount of magic it took to transfer powers to another, especially a human. It shouldn’t be possible.”

  “Well, I’ve learned with fae never to doubt what they are capable of.”

  He pinched the bridge of his nose.

  “What are these abilities I’m holding?” Not that I believed the insane man, but it was good to humor crazy people.

  He pressed his mouth together. He didn’t want to tell me.

  “Look, if I have these powers, then I need to be aware of what they are and what I can do.”

  “Believe me. You would have used them already if you could.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Fae’s powers are instinctual. They are not always something you can control when you first start learning them. They tend to come out in extreme emotions. If you were able to use them, they would have gotten you out of the building... or out of here.”

  I glanced down at the rope binding me to the tub. Closing my eyes, I willed these powers to do something. Nothing happened. “Tell me what you... they can do.”

  He stared out the window for so long I thought he was ignoring my plea. “A Wanderer is a jumper. We can blink in and out of time and space. Travel anywhere we want in the world in an instant.”