Werewolves Be Damned Page 20

  His lip lifted in a snarl, his fangs gleaming in the moonlight, then he appeared right in front of her. Before she could anticipate what pain he might inflict, he hit the side of her head with his open hand and she flew into the air.

  Dizzy, she couldn’t tell how high he’d thrown her, and she fought to remain conscious as the warm air rushed across her skin. Lazarus’s strength and speed outdid her. He had the ability to pulverize her in two seconds flat and she knew—without a doubt in her mind—he planned to torture her.

  The reality of her situation weighed heavily upon her, even as she fell through the air. She only had one chance to save Kyden, and no matter what happened, she had to try.

  She finally hit the ground, her head smashing against the grass where she once picnicked with her parents, and her back followed. Regardless of the suffering her body endured, she jumped to her feet. She couldn’t stop fighting…not yet. Narrowing her eyes on the vampire who stalked her, she yelled, “Come on, you fucking coward, show me what you’ve got.”

  A single breath later, Nexi ate her words. Lazarus landed a punch to her jaw, snapping her head back. Raw agony sliced through her and blood rushed down her face to drip onto her chest. Not as if that stopped him, or made him pause to let her recover, he pummeled her with a hard blow to her gut tossing her several yards.

  The world, for a few seconds, faded away, her head spinning and her vision blurry. That was, until Lazarus’s snicker cut through the haze. “You’re brave. I’ll give you that.”

  Pushing herself up onto her hands, Nexi spat blood. Her entire body throbbed with an anguish she never believed one woman could survive. A low groan sounded above her, and she now realized Lazarus had sent her directly in front of Kyden.

  She lifted her head, staring up at the guardian who had put himself in this situation for her. His proximity somehow strengthened and comforted her. She drew confidence knowing they were a team. It was them against Lazarus. He’d trained her for this moment, but now his words to her held more weight—the fight had gone on too long and now she was weakened. A few more of those blows and he would knock her out, kidnap her, and do god knows what with her.

  What troubled her more than her own safety were thoughts of Kyden’s life. Would someone else she cared about die because of her? He needed her to help him and she had failed. Defeat sank in and she could’ve cried, if she weren’t so angry.

  Turning to Lazarus, she found him approaching her, and his superior expression made her blood boil. Anger so rich and raw filled her, making her hands quiver. Time slowed around her, each second more drawn out than the last.

  If Lazarus held her captive until her magic came in, and took her the way he planned, evil would seep into everything that was good. No matter that she truly didn’t understand the details, she understood well enough that Lazarus as a leader would mean full destruction of the worlds.

  She couldn’t allow this to happen.

  But how could she stop him…

  Her heartbeat raced. Heat rushed through her veins. She shook her head trying to clear her vision, as darkness threatened to overtake her. The view in front of her faded, but somehow she knew she wasn’t blacking out.

  Her backyard had morphed into a forest she’d never seen before, as if she were drawn into a memory. A memory that didn’t belong to her, which was similar to the magic Haven produced to recreate murder scenes. Nexi realized, though, it had to be different, because for the oddest reason, she knew with certainty Lazarus couldn’t see what she did now.

  A woman ran through the forest, weaving in and out of trees, while a baby cried in her arms. She tripped over stones and branches, but she continued to get up and run from the vampire hunting her—Lazarus.

  “You can’t run from me,” Lazarus called, stalking forward with a speed slow and unafraid. “You’ve got no one to save you and nowhere to hide.”

  The woman tripped again and this time, fell to her knees. Her warm blue eyes were filled with tears, her blonde hair curtaining her face. She lowered her lips to the baby’s face, and whispered against the screaming baby’s forehead. “Go, Nexi. Be safe, my love. Always remember, I love you.”

  The baby vanished from her arms and she turned to face Lazarus. The witch looked drained and utterly exhausted, her movements slow and appearing forced. Her eyelids lowered as she panted while he closed in on her. She raised her hands to conjure magic, but none came.

  Lazarus cackled. “Used all your strength to send the child away? Now you are mine.” With a speed that seemed to surprise the witch, since her eyes widened, he lunged toward her and sank his fangs deep into her neck. The witch’s eyes shut tight as she tried to fight him off, but her strength couldn’t match his.

  Then…she screamed…

  Nexi gasped, the present returning. Lazarus approached as if no time had passed and the sound of her birth mother’s screams echoed in Nexi’s mind. Her body shook from the inside out, torn up about what she’d witnessed. Tillie gave up her life to protect Nexi. Kyden was willing to do the same, and now he would die, too.

  Tears rushed down her face for so many reasons it was impossible to pinpoint the cause, and raw emotion filled her. Heat and electric currents of rage burned within. Glancing down at her hands, she noted she didn’t only tremble on the inside, but on the outside, too. In fact, now aware, she realized her whole body quivered in absolute horror. The warmth coursing through her grew rapidly, filled her entirely, and sweat coated her skin.

  Lazarus stopped his approach, regarding her with a cautious look. “What are you doing?”

  His surprise made her take further notice of her body and she discovered she wasn’t experiencing emotionally charged reactions. This was a physical transformation. And it so happened, the moment she acknowledged the force swirling within her body, all that power concentrated into the center of her chest, when suddenly the energy burst wide open.

  A surge so intense exploded within and the pain Lazarus had delivered was no comparison to the sheer brutal force ripping her apart. Her screams morphed together as flames flickered through her, building more intense as the seconds drew on.

  Above her, Kyden moaned and on instinct, Nexi grabbed his ankle. Her fingers wrapped around his bloody skin, not caring if she hurt him now. She needed the connection. As her fingers tightened around his wet flesh, her only thoughts remained of him, and a sudden flash of power stormed through her body, which glued her hand to his ankle.

  Terrified and confused, she shut her eyes and screamed against the force wrecking havoc on her body. Anything this painful should mean she was dead. Minutes—feeling like a lifetime—passed. The burn built to an intensity she doubted she could survive, when suddenly, a waft of power caressed over her, removing the heat and instead sending it outwards.

  She experienced a relief so exquisite she wept anew, smiling as though the sun had kissed her face for the first time. With a gentle wash of energy sweeping over her like a warm bath, all sensations vanished, and she snapped her eyes open.

  Lifting her head, she looked up, and her breath became trapped her in throat at the face staring down at her. Bewildered, she could only blink in wonderment, unsure if her trauma made her eyes play tricks on her. However, the sight in front of her remained.

  Kyden arched an eyebrow, as ire burned in the depths of his eyes. He glanced to Lazarus, who stood statue-still, and then he scanned the area in haste before his fiery gaze returned to her. “Your reason for coming here alone better be good.”

  Her reason for showing up to face Lazarus was only half of her concern right now. “Holy shit,” she whispered in shock. “I healed you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Experiencing her magic lacing her veins, indicating she was a Spirit Witch because of her healing powers, stunned her. What also horrified her was that her magic did lace her veins. Now Lazarus would kill her instead of simply keep her. Fear consumed her in a horrible heat wave of panic. However, once she pushed past the swell of hot emotions, Nexi re
alized a new sensation brought a sense of immediate comfort.

  Strength that hadn’t been there before rested in the center of her chest, almost like a pulsating glow fueling a confidence she’d never known. The release of her witch powers had given her something new, and to her pleasure, something powerful.

  A low, evil chuckle dragged her attention from the incredibly angry guardian above her to Lazarus. He grinned at her, practically salivating for her magic. Now, though, she was no longer defeated. No longer afraid. No longer a victim.

  Truth was, Lazarus hadn’t been wrong either—the magic in her blood was rich with power. He should crave it, because it would make him nearly invincible. It gave her that same sense of haughtiness, too.

  Pushing off the ground, she didn’t take her eyes off the leech. The release of her magic hadn’t only healed Kyden, but healed her wounds as well. A cracked rib didn’t hinder her any longer, and she watched the vampire’s every move as he paced in front of her. She drew in a deep breath, then she mirrored him.

  Lazarus’s grin slowly faded. “We’re going back to this, are we?”

  “Do not even think about it,” Kyden practically growled behind her. “Do you hear me, Nexi?”

  Ignoring him, Nexi remained fixated on the vampire who had destroyed lives without a second thought. He might want this heady power she had, but it wasn’t his for the taking. This magic, the power, it belonged to her. “You’ve taken everyone from me. My mother, my adoptive parents, and even if you weren’t directly responsible for Drake’s death, your actions were.”

  “Drake?” Kyden shook the chains at his wrists to break free and the sound echoed through the night sky. “Nexi, let me help you.”

  “No,” she yelled, never taking her eyes off Lazarus, as the evil bastard continued to pace in front of her. Rage burned wicked in her blood. He was all hers to kill and he’d pay for all the despair he caused her…for every single life he took.

  Waiting and watching, she noticed he slowed to turn, and she didn’t hesitate. With a brutal and fierce attack, she landed a hard punch to his gut, sending him soaring a good twenty feet away.

  “Nexi,” Kyden hollered. “Fuck.”

  Loud clangs of the chains against the branches filled her ears, as she knew Kyden tried to break himself free. Her attention held strong on Lazarus as he lurched to his feet. This fight belonged to her. His death needed to be by her hand.

  That, she deserved.

  Lazarus eyed her as she circled him, almost incredulous. “Two ways this can end: painful or quick.”

  She ignored his weak threat, narrowing her eyes. “You prey on the innocent.” Continuing to circle him, she patiently waited for her opportunity to attack. “You take lives of the defenseless. You steal power that’s not yours to take. Now it’s time to face your equal.”

  His dark, menacing stare held intent on her, the side of his mouth curving slowly. “You think that’s you?”

  Instead of answering him, she dove forward and used all of her strength to deliver a right hook to his jaw. The moment of contact, he went skidding along the grass and before he could stop, she threw another hit.

  He pounced again, this time increasing his speed. She dodged his blow with her left arm and used her right to pummel him across the jaw. All of her rage and hatred for this vampire gave fuel to her muscles. Her hits were hard, and his body became her outlet, a way to ease the raw pain inside.

  “Cut me free.” Kyden’s roar soared through the yard around her.

  Nexi stayed focused and continued with her attack. Lazarus would die tonight. This would end. Here. Now.

  Lazarus came at her again, but she held her ground. Kyden had trained her well, gave her the skill to deliver injury, but her magic provided the extra strength behind it. He couldn’t get past her and she was faster. Almost as if she had a shield protecting her, one he couldn’t get through.

  Within mere minutes of the fight, Lazarus resembled Kyden’s beaten and bloody face when Nexi first entered the backyard. Loving that look on him, she delivered another blow to the side of his face. He recovered, his head snapping up, and he drew his lip back exposing his fangs.

  Smashing her palm against the side of his head, she delivered a swift kick to his stomach, sending him to the ground with a grunt. Lazarus rolled to his feet, and she sprang forward. Thought ceased to exist. All that remained was the need to inflict justice. To pay retribution for every life he had taken, for every tear she’d shed, and for the loved ones he’d stolen from her life.

  Her hits were hard and fast, absolutely ruthless. He stumbled around, trying to keep his balance as she attacked him with a vengeance. Drawing on every skill Kyden had taught her, she unleashed the full weight of her power on the vampire who deserved death.

  With her final hit to his chest, he flew backward to land hard on the grass with a loud thud. He flipped over and crawled away on all fours. “Look at you.” She stalked forward, breathless with a rage she couldn’t control. “You’re such a fucking coward.”

  Nexi pulled her sword from her scabbard as Lazarus continued to move away spinelessly. Hairs raised on hers arms and adrenaline pumped through her veins. Revenge now belonged to her.

  As she stood over him, Lazarus flipped over and she saw a distinct fear in his eyes. Proud of herself for putting it there, she lifted her sword in the air. With a battle roar that mirrored the pain in her heart, she swung.

  The blade hit air before the tip of her sword buried itself in the dirt below.

  She cursed, spun and discovered Lazarus on other side of the yard, wearing a shit-eating grin. “You’ve only begun to discover your powers, and look at that, you were almost able to defeat me.” The open gashes on his cheek sealed before her eyes. “Your blood will give me everything I have ever wanted—and needed—to finally set into motion a new world.”

  Over his shoulder, eyes glowed in the darkness by the trees and scratching sounds drew near. Fear held Nexi frozen as too many wolves to count emerged out of the shadows, all snarling at her. Awareness filled her and she felt foolish that she hadn’t considered more werewolves than the two out front would be at the house, that Lazarus would have protecting him.

  A slow horror settled over her. Lazarus she could kill. A pack of wolves, she could not. Not even the magic flowing through her had the power to stop the force of this many wolves intent to kill.

  “Nexi.” Kyden had the same urgency and worry dripping from his voice. “Now.”

  Turning on a gasp, she ran as fast as her legs would take her, and, with a swipe of her sword, sparks flew through the air as the chains broke free. Kyden latched onto her wrist and shoved her behind him so they stood back to back when the wolves pounced with teeth exposed.

  Nexi raised her sword and waited for the attack. It came a second later when the first wolf reached her. She stepped away, sinking the blade deep into his side, then twisted it savagely. The wolf dropped to the grass on a loud howl, as another wolf took a bite into her arm. She slammed the blade into his heart and as he released her arm, he took what had to be a quart of her blood with him.

  “Get to the tree,” Kyden shouted.

  She saw his motivation and understood his plan—they couldn’t let the wolves circle around them. If that happened, it’d be game over. She pressed her back against the rough bark as a wolf dove toward her, with another following behind. She dodged the first wolf, but was unable to steer free from the second.

  He hit with a hard impact and knocked her to the grass. She kicked out, pushed against his shoulder, and forced him away. In a flash, the wolf returned and his teeth snapped viciously, his razor sharp incisors only millimeters from her throat.

  With a battle roar drawing on her strength, she slashed the wolf’s neck, drowning herself in his blood. The pungent scent of his rich, thick blood filled the air around him, and she shoved him off as another wolf dove toward her, snarling and spitting, disgusting her.

  So repulsive in fact, she jumped to her feet and cut off
his head with a quick swipe of her sword, putting an end to that bit of nonsense. Breathless and shaking from the adrenaline, she waited for another wolf to attack, only to discover they had retreated.

  For a split second, she reveled in the notion the wolves had withdrawn their attack, but she knew better. They weren’t stupid. They were changing their approach. The dire situation she and Kyden now faced engulfed her mind. The wolves were about to attack en masse.

  Horror caught Nexi’s breath and fear erased the adrenaline. There was no way the wolves would succeed if they came at them individually, but together, Kyden’s effort and hers would be useless.

  More than six wolves lay dead at her feet, before half of them vanished under the magic of her sword. Pride filled her that Kyden had killed three wolves with nothing other than his bare hands—powerful fingers currently reaching for hers.

  Tugging on her, he backed her up against the tree trunk, putting himself between her and the stalking wolves. He gathered her other hand, holding both of hers against his chest, and warmth slid around her.

  Nexi prayed for a miracle, and she hoped that Valor and Briggs, and the Council, would show up in time to stop the horrific fate looming over them. She looked to Kyden, discovering he was gazing at her intently. His intense stare usually made her melt, but now sent despair washing over her.

  No fear was held in the depths of his piercing eyes, only heartbreak. There, in his pained expression, she saw their fate: the werewolves would kill Kyden, then Lazarus would drain her dry.

  The gravity of the situation overwhelmed her and with the cruelness she faced now, all her sadness washed away to blistering hot wrath. How could this be? Her hands trembled as fury shook her right to her bones. How could Lazarus win? Her mind swirled with the daunting situation, uncontrollable rage consuming every molecule in her body.