Vanquished Page 4

  Snapping out of my solemn state, I opened my eyes and turned toward his voice. “Why are you following me?”

  “Because Athena is taking a nap,” he said, a hint of annoyance in his tone. “You can’t be wandering aimlessly by yourself.”

  I stopped in my tracks and sized him up, dismissing the way his determined eyes made my heart pound wildly in my chest. Now wasn’t the time. “I can take care of myself.”

  “Yeah?” he asked as he flashed an alluring grin. “Prove it.” He dropped to a defensive stance, his copper eyes never leaving mine.

  “You’re serious?”

  “As a heart attack. Which is a lame saying since we’re too awesome to suffer of such… misfortunes.” He smirked.

  I glowered at his words and prepared myself, reading into his emotions to gauge his motives. Fury bubbled through my core when I realized he was enjoying my reaction.

  “Ooh, you get so feisty! I love it.” He chuckled, excitement lighting his eyes.

  “What exactly do you have against humans?” I snapped, throwing a punch to his ribs. He checked it with his wrist.

  “What makes you think this is about humans?”

  Moui’s words echoed in my mind. Pulling in a deep breath, I united the strength from my mind and body and willed my abilities to merge together. Delight flowed through my veins as my movements became more swift and agile. I twisted my body around and threw a leg kick that surprised him.

  His expression grew more severe, and the clouds darkened overhead. He lowered his stance with a snide smirk. “Keep going, sweetheart. You haven’t quite gotten there yet.”

  Scowling, I threw a menacing counterpunch. He dodged one strike to his abdomen but graciously took my punch to his jaw. My knuckles cracked, and a dull ache ricocheted through my hand from the force — he remained unfazed. Huffing, I licked my dry lips. “Why aren’t you fighting back?”

  A wicked smile spread across his features, and his copper eyes turned dark. “If that’s what you wish.” Not a second later, a sheet of rain slammed against the ground and everything turned deafening. All I could do was constantly wipe the streaming water off my face. I couldn’t see my surroundings – my vision and hearing were blinded by Nicholas’ rain.

  “Ah, c’mon supremacy. You’re letting a bit of rain get you down? I thought you were the invincible one. So advanced no Valens gift can hinder the golden girl. Everyone can achieve this — it’s imbedded in all Valens,” he said in a deep tone from somewhere behind me. I turned toward his voice but remained blind, the rain puddling rapidly around my feet. I pushed out my senses to read his emotions, testing my boundaries to see if my abilities would guide me. He’s everywhere.

  He’s in the rain, the air, the ground… within me. I realized every time I was comforted by the weather, it was him all along. He was my captain, and I was his ocean.

  “That’s right… you’re getting warmer,” he crooned close by.

  I stepped to the side and looked where he once was. “You can see me? How come I can’t see you?”

  “I’m stronger than any other Valens you’ve met.”

  “But I’ve mastered my gifts — I’ve reached supremacy. You only have two gifts. This shouldn’t be possible. I should be able to overcome your gifts without trying,” I said with tight lips through the rain. Soaked to the bone, my hair and clothes clung heavily to my body, making it hard to move.

  “Mind, body, soul. Join them together,” he directed.

  “But that means —“

  “Yes. You must feel what your soul is telling you.”

  I licked the cool water running over my lips, willing myself to focus through my fears. Will I become vulnerable to him again? Will I be able to tune those feelings out like I had before?

  “Let it happen, Abby. Breathe,” Nicholas directed.

  Wicked thunderheads crashed like a freight train above me, the ground quaking gently in turn. Squeezing my fists, I lifted up my chin, opened the closed chambers of my heart, and attempted to piece it all together.

  Light started to peak through the rain droplets, I was finally able to take in my surroundings.

  “Almost there,” Nicholas said quietly. So quiet, I knew I wouldn’t have been able to hear him before.

  Turning in the direction of his voice, the outline of his stature came into view. Next came the blurred image of his dark hair and drenched clothes, leaving little to the imagination as his defined muscles cut through his apparel like a carved statue. He lifted his chin and the rain came down in a solid sheet of water to challenge me even more.

  Never losing sight of his frame, his cheekbones and lips eventually came into view. Pushing myself harder, I narrowed my eyes as a heavy breath of exertion escaped my lips.

  Several minutes passed as I patiently explored this new unified ability. Like a disarranged Rubik’s Cube, I knew everything could be pieced together. I just had to find the perfect placement.

  Like the flip of a switch, time stood still, and the sound of the rain was gone. I no longer felt the discomforts of the cold, and the heaviness from my sodden clothes diminished. Glorious, ethereal copper eyes appeared in finality as they shone through the pouring rain. The all-too-familiar hum from our connection buzzed awake like the morning sun in my body. “I see you,” I whispered, a genuine smile spreading across my lips.

  Nicholas’ eyes bore into mine with a hunger I’ve always seen but tried to deny. “I’ve never lost sight of you, Abby. Not once.” And with that, he charged me.

  I dropped into a ready stance and felt my heart flutter as I took in the beautiful sight before me. Every lethal step he took was both terrifying and magnificent. Sensing his fortitude and wariness, I knew his motives were a bluff.

  Smirking at him deviously, I waited unmoving as he neared with every tenacious bound. At the perfect moment, I jumped into a backbend and used the momentum of my legs to hook under his arms, throwing him up and over me. Before my ankles released his torso, he grabbed hold of my waist and pulled me with him. We hit the ground together and bounced gracefully to our feet like parkour.

  Lifting an arrogant brow, he tucked his shoulder in and drove it toward my stomach. I spun away, my back grazing his shoulder as he spun the opposite direction to keep in proximity. I ducked down and swiped my leg out in a spin to try and trip him up, but he hopped over my move and used his left arm to hook mine. Straightening my arm out and turning on my heel, I easily averted his grasp.

  We were dancing. Always aware of what the other was doing. Terror and grace interlaced with each cunning maneuver; our bond told a beautiful story as we eluded the other time after time.

  It wasn’t until the bright colors of three defiant rainbows arched up and over us that I lost my concentration. Just like when we first met, I gazed up at them in awe. Such beauty rests in the simplest things.

  Nicholas grasped my shoulders, pulling my attention back on him. His touch sent a warm zing straight to my heart. “It’s you.”

  I frowned at him and stepped out of his hold. “What?”

  “These rainbows — it’s you. It’s how you affect me, Abby.”

  I peered into the eyes I felt like I’d known my whole life. Our bond was undeniable, and I knew I loved him, but a pair of emerald green eyes pierced through my thoughts. I pursed my lips and swallowed hard. “But Miles.”

  His features dropped into an emotionless expression. I could see his mind calculating his next words, and I placed my hands on my hips while I waited. “Sometimes love isn’t meant to be forever.”

  Like a strike from a cobra, I slapped his face with such force a red mark on his cheek immediately welled up in the shape of my fingers. “And never forget it,” I seethed as I stormed off.

  6

  I was seeing red. As I barged through the front doors of the house, I sailed to the right and punched the elevator button. Nicholas had remained in the woods which slightly settled the fury blazing within me.

  I stepped through the elevator door and waited
for it to close before selecting the floor. So many levels… I wondered where they all led. But one was most important, and it was the floor where my best friend lay clinging for his life. I pressed the button and gripped the railing as the elevator plunged into the depths below. As the elevator slowed and the door opened, a dull yellow light gleamed in from the fluorescents.

  I made my way down the hallway and paused outside his door. Taking a calming breath to prepare myself, I cracked open the door and found a very groggy Dara slumped in her chair next to Miles’ bedside. My eyes drifted to him, and I smiled as I noticed he was breathing without assistance.

  Reaching his bed, I noticed a light pink touched his cheeks. “He’s getting better,” I noted as I glanced back at Dara.

  She smiled through her exhausted features. “Slowly, but yes.”

  I frowned. “When was the last time you got some rest?”

  She shook her head and leaned forward, squeezing my shoulder. “I’m a mother. Of course I don’t rest. Especially when my kids need me most.”

  I pondered her words. Maybe one day I’d know what that meant. “I can man the battle station for now. Go have a warm meal and a shower.”

  Her tired eyes grew bright. “That sounds amazing. Thank you, Abby.” She stood and stretched her back then glanced between Miles and me. “You’re really good to my son. It makes a mother’s heart happy when she sees her children surround themselves with good people.”

  My heart squelched with guilt in my chest. “With all due respect, Dara, your son took a bullet for me. I have a lot to learn from him. But thank you for seeing me in that light. Makes me think I’m doing something right.”

  She nodded and kissed my temple. “Of course you are.” Without pause, she made her way out the room.

  All was quiet. I gently sat on the edge of his bed and watched him sleep. His breaths were shallow, and I could tell by his sunken cheeks that he was losing weight. Pulling the sheet up, I slid in next to him and rested my cheek on his shoulder, assuring I wasn’t touching his wound or any wires.

  I sighed and ran my fingers through his soft, brown hair. “You know, I didn’t really like you when we first met,” I murmured, breathing in his alluring scent of sea and leaves. “And I’m not talking about high school. I’m talking about when we were kids. Memories of all sorts came back when I reached supremacy. Did you know that?

  “You used to pull my hair a lot when we were little. You always watched me… I thought you were kinda weird.” I laughed then my features fell. “Then dad’s drinking picked up and those happy memories were overshadowed by bad ones. I had forgotten the good things because the bad grew too heavy.

  “Then he died, and you came back into my life. You were stuck picking up the pieces he left behind. But I know now it wasn’t because you had to — you wanted to. And you did, Miles. You helped me move on and find peace. And now it’s my turn to help you.” I leaned in and nuzzled my nose to his neck.

  “Please wake up, Miles. Ray can heal you the second you open your eyes. I know you can hear me. Please…” A tear escaped from the corner of my eye and rolled down my cheek.

  I watched as he remained unmoving and I sighed. “I guess things got pretty nasty after you and I were shot. The military scraped me off the street and tried to abduct me. Athena said there’ll be no redeeming ourselves from the lengths they had to reach for our safety.

  “But I saw Brittney today, and I thought we could use her to wrangle information outta her brother, Cade. We just need to find a way to track him.” I smoothed my hand gently down his arm. “This is why we need you awake. Not only to get a lead on this war, but because I need you, Miles. I can’t do this without you. Did you know that? I can’t do this without my best friend. And I love you.”

  I nestled into his shoulder and let my tears fall steadily. Listening to the beat of his heart and his shallow breaths, my body eventually grew heavy. The last thing I saw was my hand resting on his chest before I drifted into a deep sleep.

  A shake of my shoulder jolted me out of my dream. Emotionless lavender eyes peered into mine. “They’ve come up with something,” Athena said.

  Careful of my movements, I sat up and wiped my mouth. “Who?”

  She leaned over and scoffed. “You just left a puddle of drool on his shoulder.”

  I lifted the sheet and swung my feet onto cool the floor. “Who came up with what?”

  “Damian and Edmund. They’ve been up all night.”

  “Really? Do you know what it is?” I asked as she closed Miles’ door. We started down the hallway.

  “I was just told to collect you. Sleep well?” Her question was dripping with sarcasm.

  “Depends. Is it morning?”

  “Yes,” she quipped dryly.

  “Then yes,” I said with a big grin. “Was having a good dream, too, before you rudely woke me,” I lied as I nudged my elbow into her side.

  She grimaced. “Eww.”

  We walked in silence down the dimly lit hallway and into the elevator. Mixed emotions of jealousy and skepticism were melding together from Athena. I watched as she pushed the main floor button and avoided eye contact. “What’s up with you?”

  Her beautiful features shifted into an intimidating scowl. “What?”

  “You’re all worked up over something.”

  “That’s none of your business,” she snapped.

  With faux arrogance, I crossed my arms. “If my guard is distracted by personal matters, then yes, it’s my business,” I said with a twisted smirk.

  I could tell by the way her brows lifted slightly that it worked. “I’ll… tell you later,” she said as the elevator door opened. Morning light poured in, and the delicious aroma of fried foods made my stomach growl.

  “Mmm, food,” I muttered as we turned down the hallway. Upon our approach, we found Edmund as he stared out the north window. Navi, Brittney, and Tara sat quietly adorned with blankets and messy hair, and Damian was stuffed in a corner nose-deep in a laptop. Dark circles from lack of sleep rested under his eyes as he continued his work, his intent focus staying on the screen as we stepped into the room.

  “So you figured something out?” I asked, folding my arms and rocking on my heels.

  Edmund turned around, the deep creases on his features appeared more severe with his exhaustion. “We believe so.”

  “I downloaded hacking software,” Damian said with a dry, crackly voice. “I’m not Miles, so it took me a while. But I think I did it right since the authorities haven’t showed up…”

  “You downloaded hacking software?” Athena asked in a salty tone.

  He peeked his dark brown eyes over the screen. “Did I stutter?” He shifted his gaze back to the screen and continued typing. “All we need now is his number. The SS7 software can track his location from the GPS on his phone.”

  “Will he know what we’re up to?” I asked.

  “Nope. We’re basically the middle man between his phone and the cell tower.” He stretched his arms up over his head with an accomplished grin. “You’re welcome.”

  “So is it a one-time thing? Or will we know his every move?” I asked, ignoring his haughty remark.

  “Oh, we’ll know his GPS location, each message he sends and receives — we can even tap into phone calls.”

  “This is amazing, Damian!” I clasped my hands and held them over my mouth. “So we’re going after him?”

  “Isn’t that what you wanted?” Edmund asked me dully.

  Dropping my hands, I met his gaze. “It’s what I think is best.”

  “Alright then. Brittney, can you give me his phone number? My bed longs for me,” Damian said as his tired eyes focused to her.

  She shifted in her seat. “You’re sure he won’t know?”

  “Positive,” he said with relaxed features. She sighed deeply and relayed Cade’s number to him. Damian entered it in and waited. After a long moment, his jaw dropped and he raked his hair. “He’s here in Washington. In the outskirts of Sea
ttle.”

  My ears began ringing in shock. Pulling in an unnerving breath, I placed my hands on my hips and repositioned my feet. “Why would he be here?” I asked looking at Edmund. “Do they know we’re here?”

  Edmund clenched his jaw. “If he did, they’d have been here by now.”

  I shook my head. “There are no coincidences. They have to know.”

  “He’s looking for me,” Brittney whispered as she hung her head. “I shut my phone off before going to Alaska. So he’s here in Washington because of me.”

  I frowned at her as I tried to piece everything together. “Why would he look for you here?”

  Her tear-stricken eyes met mine. Her bottom lip trembled, and she unnervingly smoothed her palms out over her blanket. “He must have found my parents’ house.” Her expression turned grave, and I didn’t need an ability to know where her thoughts rested.

  She feared for their lives.

  7

  “Are you ready, or are you gonna lollygag all day?” Athena asked as she pulled on a sweater.

  “I need to do something first.” I stepped around her and turned down the hallway. They had placed me in a room with Athena a few levels above the hospital floor. Just like the hospital wing, our hallway was dark and drab. Pushing open the stairwell door, I started down toward Miles’ floor.

  Shoving the door open, I padded down the hallway and sighed before turning into his room. Every day he looked more like himself, but my stomach twisted more and more with every waking day he lay in this position. He’s here because of me.

  Making my way to his bedside, I gently sat next to him and clasped his hand. “We’re going on a mission to retrieve Cade. I can’t believe I’m doing this without you.” Athena appeared in the doorway with her arms crossed, watching with piercing eyes.

  Swallowing hard, I shifted my attention back to him. “I love you, okay? No matter what happens. Remember that,” I whispered, pressing a delicate kiss on top of his head. Moving his hand to his chest, I released my fingers from his and stood.