Crown of Smoke and Blood Page 8

  But he has. I can feel his imprints on our flesh. She moaned as she writhed, dragging our body over the hard floor and back into the iron of the cage that surrounded us.

  The single thing that saved Koehn from us.

  Gathering what strength I had, I held myself against those bars. Forced all the different creatures within me back. Even if it killed us, I would make sure to save these two brave men who’d given me sugar water and a feast fit for a queen.

  Shoving one of my broken legs through the bars, I reached down and threaded it through the cage. Each shriek of agony was a saving whimper for Koehn and Tavis.

  Kill me if you have to, but don’t let me out, I sent to Koehn. The pathway was already established. It required half a thought to open the connection between our minds.

  Vari! What the hell is going on?

  He lied to me. To us. To all of us.

  Who? What the feck is happening?

  Whatever you do, you cannot let me out, Koehn. Vow it.

  Vari, answer the fecking question.

  KOEHN. VOW IT!

  I vow it. Just, please…don’t —

  He is mine, she screamed as she tried to force her way down the mental pathway.

  I snorted as rage and jealousy ate through my ability to speak. With the last of my strength, I caught the last wisps of her magic. Threaded them through my fingers and shoved them deep inside my belly that had been eviscerated. No, bitch, he’s mine to save.

  The room crackled and shook as portals opened from every direction. Tavis came rushing in, a handful of Fae warriors with him.

  Good. My bruised mind could only smile. Good. They would save Koehn.

  Vari!

  Stay safe, Koehn. Make sure you smile for Tavis every once in a while. He says you’re a Grumpy Gus.

  I surrendered myself to the inevitable. I had always known I would die in a cage. Granted, I’d thought it would be in Faery. But this would do just fine.

  Vari, we can still wi—

  Chapter 12 – Koehn

  I watched as four men in armor rushed through the basement from out of nowhere. They surrounded the cage that held Vari. Their swords held high.

  One old woman came in with Tavis. Bent and crooked, she rushed forward. Seemed to move straight through the bars I knew to be iron. As she rematerialized inside the cage, the thing that had to be Vari shuddered and screeched as if demons were pouring from her very soul.

  “I need the mate’s blood.”

  Tavis rushed over. A knife in his hand. “Give me yer arm, Koehn.”

  I stuck it through the bars of my own silver cage. He could take whatever he needed. If it would save this weird, wonderful woman, he could take it all.

  Barely even feeling the pinch of the blade in my flesh, I kept my eyes on the creature with too many heads. One of them that looked more human than the rest stared at me. Her purple eyes were bright with lust as she writhed and moaned against one of the others.

  “Yes. Give him to me. He’s mine. Give him to me.” Her eyes rolled back up into her head when one of the warriors shoved his sword through her neck.

  “What the feck?” I whispered in horror as another grew back in the same place.

  “Don’t try. They are immortal,” the old crone said. “You just anger them when you cut them down.”

  “Hurry, Tavis. We are going to lose her,” another woman called.

  I looked down, my head whooshing as my vision fuzzed, to see that Tavis had essentially opened one of my veins and was using it as a spigot. The cup I hadn’t seen him bring over was almost full.

  He handed it off to someone without looking at them. Taking my arm between his hands, his frosty magic sealed the wound with a tight burn.

  When I was no longer leaking, he pulled his shirt up, dug a bag of blood from his pants, and tossed it to me. “All of it. I don’t care if it tastes like death itself.”

  I nodded, ripped through the heavy plastic with a fang. Upending the bag, I felt my body and mind return to normal as the cold blood revitalized me from the inside out. I kept an eye on what was happening across the room. Once I was through, I tossed it aside.

  The burn of silver against my scalp told me to duck, but I had to watch what was going on. “Move, damn it. Move.” I screamed.

  Tavis moved people out of my way as the old crone lifted what was left of Vari’s head. She splashed a dab on the ruined throat until it was once again whole. Then she pulled Vari’s upper lip back down and situated her bottom jaw back into place. Once Vari’s face was back in some kind of normal condition, the old woman set the cup of my blood against Vari’s bottom teeth.

  A heavy tension flooded the room as soon as my blood hit Vari’s skin. It danced along my skin, skated under to flutter around my organs. As my blood soaked through Vari’s body, I felt like I could trace its course with each beat of my heart.

  I had no idea what the hell was actually happening, but the beast that lived deep inside of me was eerily satisfied as we monitored the progress of Vari’s healing.

  And she was healing. Fast. Almost too fast. Some of the creatures that had sprouted from her body weren’t shrinking fast enough to be readily absorbed by her.

  “Slow it down. You’re going to kill her,” I shouted.

  The crone looked at me over her shoulder. Her milky white eyes that matched her hair and crepe like skin told the tale of her age. But she nodded. Slowed the flow of my blood between Vari’s lips.

  One of the creatures, a…lamia, if I wasn’t mistaken?...was trying to disconnect from the body and slither away.

  “Watch out.” I pointed, hoping someone with a weapon would be able to stop her. “Vari demanded we—”

  The tip of one of the guards’ spears slashed through the snake woman. Vibrant blue blood splashed over everyone in the room.

  As a few drops fell on me, it burned with the heat of a thousand suns. Without thinking, I raised my hand to lick the heat away.

  Tavis caught my wrist. “Don’t.”

  I hissed at him and tried to regain my hand. Snapping my jaws at him, I froze when he lifted the AgNo gun once more.

  While I was stalled out, he reached out and wiped the blood away. The pain immediately subsided, and my fangs pulled back up where they belonged. I stared at him, my mouth working, but no sounds coming out.

  He shook his head as he dropped my hand. “This is bigger than we thought. We better pray she survives.”

  The last creature melted back into Vari’s small body. Her flesh turned golden once more. Her black hair was no longer greasy strings, but a shiny blue black that reminded me of a raven’s wings.

  Now I just needed to see her amber eyes. Even just a glimpse of them. “Tavis, let me out. I need to see her.”

  He shook his head, held up a hand for me to shut my mouth.

  I bit my lip to keep from yelling at him, but he was right. There was too much magic left for something else not to be going on. The breath backed up in my lungs.

  The old bent woman leaned down, cradled Vari’s head against her breast. I saw her lips moving, but couldn’t hear any words.

  The pressure was building inside me. The urge to go to her. Hold her. I didn’t know this woman from Eve, but by some weird twist of fate and magic, she was mine. And I was stuck in this fecking cage.

  “Tavis!” I hissed at him.

  He turned to look at me, a thunderous glare on his face. “Shut it til she’s done, mate.” He turned back without waiting for a reply.

  Fine, if I couldn’t get to her physically, I’d try her mentally. She’d reached out to me twice. I had to be able to connect with her.

  Feeling around in my mind, I searched for that spot. That distinct Vari hole in my brain that really shouldn’t be there, but was anyways.

  When that didn’t work, I followed the feeling of my magic through the air. Sank with it beneath her skin, into her very bones. From there, I followed the ebb and flow of my blood through her fragile body. Finally, it deposited me in her
mind.

  It was still sewing itself together. Righting the wrongs that had been shoved through her skin and bones like a horror magic show.

  Do not reach her, yet. I am protecting her until I know it is safe, a voice said to me. I recognized it.

  Roarke?

  Yes. Do not disrupt her or we will all lose her.

  Feck. I huddled quietly in her body, aching with everything inside me that she would wake up. Talk to me. Ask me for fecking chocolate and hot dogs.

  Anything. Right now, I’d take her yelling and screaming at me.

  She is important to more than just you, Nightwalker. Her magic, her very soul, chose you. But you have not yet earned the right to call her yours.

  I snarled mentally. She is mine. I’ll kill anyone who threatens to take her from me.

  I blinked at the vehemence in my voice. I truly didn’t know anything about this woman except she left me to die in the sun in my own front yard, she was pushy and demanding, her blood was the sweetest thing I’d ever tasted in my entire life, and she hosted at least five creatures inside her little body.

  You see, you also struggle. You at least are aware of it. Many things have been kept from her. His presence vanished from my mind for a moment.

  Roarke?

  Nothing but weighty silence.

  Fecking feckers feck!

  She wakes. Do not mention me. Vow it, Roarke’s voice was soft, distant.

  What was with these two and their demanding vows all the freaking time? I vow it. As long as she wakes up, I vow it. I tripped over the words, I tried to agree so quickly.

  Just as before in the dining room, I could feel the retreat of the magic that signaled Roarke had left. But different from the previous incident, a new tidal wave of power came to fill the void.

  Vari? I called out softly into her mind.

  The magic broke over the basement room. Everyone stumbled back.

  I crashed against the silver bars of my cage, flesh sizzling at the contact. I tried again. Vari?

  Koehn? Her voice was weak.

  I slumped down to the floor, angled away from the bars. I blew out my first steady breath. She was going to be okay. Yeah, it’s me. Welcome back.

  You didn’t have to kill me.

  My mental laugh was strained. No. Not today. Hopefully, never.

  That’s good. She waited for a beat. Hey, Koehn?

  Yeah?

  Did you see if my chocolate survived?

  A hard laugh burst from my mouth, drawing everyone’s attention. I waved away their glances. “Sorry.”

  When everyone had turned back to watch the woman in the other cage, I got to my feet. “Tavis, let me out.”

  He looked at the old woman holding Vari.

  When she nodded, he turned to me and walked over. Typing in his personal code, the door popped open with a soft sigh. I strode out and headed towards Vari.

  “Open it.” I pointed at the lock, just in case someone was too stupid to live.

  No one jumped forward.

  I bit back the snarl. “Tavis.”

  No movement sounded behind me.

  I looked over my shoulder. Saw him standing there, his big arms crossed over his chest. He shook his head. His long blonde hair danced over his shoulders. “Not happening. Not until we have some fecking answers.”

  My top lip curled up as my fangs descended. “Ta—”

  The guards turned their spears and swords in my direction.

  I braced myself for their attack. They were standing in the way of what I wanted. No one got to do that.

  “He’s right, Koehn,” Vari said softly.

  Didn’t fecking matter if he was right or not. They were in my way. In my own home.

  Tavis sighed. “Everyone...give us some space, please.”

  Most of the guards looked between themselves before they decided to follow his directions. A couple portals opened and three of them evacuated my basement.

  I shifted to watch the remaining handful stow their weapons in what looked like empty air. But they bowed to Tavis and made their way up the stairs.

  I raised an eyebrow as Tavis’s cheeks heated at their deference. He refused to look in my direction as he walked by me towards the cage Vari was still lying in. “We’re going to chat about that.” I made sure my voice was low.

  He nodded, but kept moving. Taking a seat on the floor outside of Vari’s cage, he waved me to sit next to him. “Vari, Koehn, I’d like to introduce you to my friend.”

  The old woman helped Vari to her feet, then managed to get both of them to the bed. They were both breathing hard as they sat down.

  “I’m Magda. I go by many titles, but the one you’re probably most interested in is Elemental Priestess.”

  My brain stuttered for a bit. An elemental priestess? I’d thought them nothing but fairytales of the supernatural world.

  Magda smiled briefly.

  Vari turned to her. “Thank you for helping me.” Her face squeezed down into a depressed look. “Really. I can’t thank you enough.” She bit her lip.

  “What is it, child?”

  Vari shook her head, shot the priestess a sad smile. “Nothing. Not really.”

  “Tell me.” Magda smiled like a favorite grannie indulging her grandbabies.

  “You’re sitting on my chocolate.” The words sounded ripped from Vari’s soul.

  Magda’s face erupted in smiles as she got to her feet.

  Vari’s hand darted out and then cradled back in her lap, a look of such relief on her face I’d have thought it was a child she rescued. Not a treat.

  Vari’s cheeks were red as roses as she stared at her hands. “Thank you.”

  Magda chuckled as she settled back down next to the odd woman of the hour. “Chocolate should never be a casualty of war.”

  Vari’s chin darted up. Her dark brows high, her amber eyes wide. “Right?”

  I cleared my throat. “I’ll buy you a lifetime supply of chocolate, Vari. Can someone please tell me what the feck is going on?”

  Tavis growled low in his throat next to me.

  Magda patted the air. “He’s every right to be confused and angry, Tav.” She turned to me. “Well, I guess I should start at the beginning.”

  I shook my head. “No. I think Vari should start at the beginning.” I shifted to catch her gaze with my own. “Are you okay?”

  She blinked rapidly, nodded after a moment. “Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?”

  Incredulity smacked me in the face. “Are you kidding me? We just had Fae warriors in here trying to keep from killing you. You had creatures coming out of your little body. And you were mostly unrecognizable. All of those things piled up would usually mean ‘not okay.’ Are you honestly asking me that?”

  She jerked back, bit her lip. “Oh. That.”

  The hard laugh caught at the back of my throat, choking me for a moment. Coughing up a lung, it took me a few seconds to speak. “Yes. That. I want to know about that.”

  “Umm…” Vari looked around the room as if trying to find something else to talk about.

  “Child, you’re safe here.” Magda reached out, patted Vari’s arm.

  “Of course, she’s fecking safe here. Who said otherwise?” I was about to jump to my feet and go on a killing rampage if someone thought to hurt this crazy woman.

  Vari’s shoulders hunched up towards her ears. Then, as she stared at me, her gaze softened and her shoulders relaxed. “Thank you, Koehn.”

  My cheeks heated as she stared at me, but I nodded. “Please start at your beginning.” I settled back down on the hard floor. I hoped this didn’t take very long. Two hundred and thirty-five-year-olds shouldn’t be sitting on cement floors like we were kids.

  Vari nodded. She gave a small wave. “Hey, I’m Vari. I’m from Faery.” She looked at Tavis. “Or what I thought was Faery.”

  “So you’re Fae?” I asked.

  She nodded. Then shook her head. Tipped it to the side as her brows furrowed. Straightened. “Kinda?”<
br />
  I suppressed the smile. “Perfectly clear.”

  She narrowed her eyes at me. “Rude.”

  I laughed. “Sorry.” I barely caught the words that sat on the tip of my tongue. I cleared my throat again. “You were saying.”

  Her face cleared in an instant as she smiled. “You’re forgiven. Honestly, I thought I was from Faery until Tavis showed me the portals.”

  Magda sucked in a noisy breath as she looked at my best friend. “Tavis Ian MacDougal!”

  He ducked his head. “I had to. What she was saying didn’t make sense…and then it did. Which was worse.”

  “It’s not his fault, Magda Priestess. Truly.” Vari jumped up and stepped between the two oldest people in the room. “It was mine. If there is punishment, take it from me.”

  My mouth dropped open at her sacrifice. She barely knew us, but was willing to put herself on the chopping block for Tavis’s misstep?

  Magda jerked back. “There is no punishment, child. I was surprised, not outraged.”

  Vari looked at Tavis over her shoulder. Studied him for a moment.

  He nodded at her.

  Vari blew out a big breath and then took her seat again. She nodded. “But if I’m not from Faery, where am I from?” She looked directly at Tavis.

  “Can you open portals to other dimensions?” I asked him.

  He shook his head. “It was Faery, but not.”

  Magda chuckled softly as both Vari and I growled at him.

  He held up his hands. “What? It’s the truth.”

  “Then explain it more,” I demanded. “And I swear to your saints that you better make sense.”

  “A bit of history, then,” Magda interrupted. “MacDougals are portal keepers. Their domain is Faery. All existences of it.”

  I opened my mouth to bitch at her non-answer. Tavis shoved his axe pick of an elbow into my side before I could utter a sound.

  Magda smiled at me. “What most people know as Faery today is not the only Faery in existence. Have you heard the stories of the Old World?”

  I nodded. Most supernaturals did. “Faeries left the Old World because it was dying. They came to Earth millennia ago. When the humans grew too numerous and powerful, they retreated back to Faery.”