Boreal and John Grey Season 2 (25 page)

Then again, she’d also dreamed she’d stop seeing Shades, make up with her mom and be normal again.
Yeah, right.

Besides... She glanced again at Finn. He was kind, and he did have a dry sense of humor when he wasn’t being hunted to death. It was impossible to regret falling for him. No matter what it entailed. It just wasn’t fair if he was taken from her, if he was hurt or killed—

Stop. Dammit, stop.
She wouldn’t let anything happen to him. She’d do anything to protect him — even collaborate with Dave. And although she felt bad about telling her boss the issue with Finn’s dreams, she’d do it again in a heartbeat if it meant saving Finn’s life.

She’d tell Finn about it. As soon as she got her act together.

“Ella.” Mike waved a hand in her face.

“I need you to protect Finn if I’m not there,” she said.

Finn’s head snapped up, his eyes narrowing. Yeah, she hadn’t talked this over with him, didn’t think he’d accept.

“Protect him?”

“The attacks have intensified,” she forged on. “Through the Veil, through the Gates. They’re trying to pull him back to Aelfheim. I need someone I can trust to have his back if I don’t happen to be there, and that’s you, Mike. You and Scott. I wouldn’t trust Finn’s life with anyone else.”

Finn shook his head and looked away, his mouth flat.

Mike stared. “Any more extra-curricular activities you wanna pass on to me, while you’re in the mood? I mean, I thought after asking me to feed baby dragons you’d be done for the day, but girl, you sure know how to rock a man’s world.”

Ella sighed. “Can you do it? I’ll see if I can find someone trained in fight, someone who’s a voyant, but until then, I need to be able to look the other way without being afraid Finn will disappear into thin air.”

Mike shook his head, then shrugged. He lifted his hands and puffed out a breath. “Okay. Can’t promise much, but I will do my best, okay?”

“Okay.” She couldn’t ask for more. She’d have to ask Dave for back-up, for a permanent bodyguard for Finn.

Right on cue, her cell phone rang and Dave’s number flashed on the display, and for the first time since Finn’s arrival into her life she couldn’t wait to hear what Dave had to say.

The only issue would be deciding whether she could trust what he told her — and whether she could keep her temper until he was done.

***

“Change of plans,” Dave said, and it wasn’t what she’d been hoping to hear when she’d answered the phone.

She glanced at Finn’s stony face and cleared her throat. “Any answers?”

“No.”

No solution to their real problem — yet.
Damn.
“So what’s up?”

“Don’t come to the office. I have news.”

Bad news. A Gate had opened inside the city.

“We’ve got wolves,” Dave said, “and what appears to be a
Kyr
.”

She knew that word. “What, a
cow
?”

“Finn will know,” Dave said cryptically. “I hope he’s up to some action. Is he out of bed yet?”

Ella wanted to say she’d take care of it on her own but that would be nonsense, especially with an animal she’d never seen before.

Kyr
. It made sense there were animals other than the wolves, the flying snakes, the dragons and the white butterflies in Finn’s world, but she’d conveniently chosen not to consider this fact — until now.

“Ella.” Dave was humming so loud it jangled her nerves. “Are you there? Can the
aelfr
make it?”

“What’s a
Kyr
and why can’t you just gun it down?”

“We’re trying. It isn’t working, and launching rockets in an inhabited area isn’t recommended.”

Ella blinked. “Rockets?”

From the corner of her eye, she saw Finn limp toward the door and scoop up their Kevlar vests from the corner table.

“Finn, wait.” She shot to her feet and Mike did the same, looking puzzled. “We don’t have to go.”

“I do.” Finn also grabbed his extra set of knives, courtesy of the Bureau armory, passing them into the sheaths hanging at his hips, picked up his back holster and his gun, and headed out.

Ella swallowed a sigh. “Dave, you’d better have Finn’s bowie knives with you, polished to a shine.”

“Hey.” Mike reached for Ella as she disconnected the call. “Just a sec. You need to explain more about this dragonet business. What am I supposed to—”

“Later, Mike. Sorry!” Ella all but shoved him out of the apartment and clipped on her knife sheaths and pistol holster. “Really sorry, but we have to run.”

“But I don’t know how to feed them.” Mike protested. “The dragonets...”

“I’ll call you.” The elevator doors dinged open and Finn stepped inside, so Ella had no option but to wave at Mike and hurry after him.

She squeezed through just before the doors closed and turned to face Finn. “Are you sure you’re up to this?”

“Yes.”

Yeah, right
. They rode the elevator down in silence. She couldn’t help thinking he’d had that freaky seizure the day before, and had been unconscious for a while, not to mention the fact he’d been barely able to stand afterward, though that hadn’t stopped him from digging the transmitter out of his own flesh, fighting the spiders, using the vampire gadget from hell and closing the rip in the Veil.

Even for Finn, that was a whole damn lot.

It was snowing outside, when the forecast had predicted sunny skies. Coincidence or a side effect of the Gate opening?

Passers-by hurried along the sidewalks, their heads bowed against the swirling snowflakes. Her car was a white shape, its color barely showing. Finn limped across the street.

“Finn, slow down.” Even limping he was hard to catch up with. “Hey, how come you now open Gates so far from where you are?”

Finn didn’t break stride — or reply.

Joy
. “Okay, so what’s a
Kyr
?”

“Animal.” Finn got into the car and slammed the door shut.

Ella rolled her eyes and took her seat behind the wheel. “I figured as much, thanks. What sort of animal? Anything I should know about — poisonous fangs, spines, camouflage?”

Finn put both hands around his knee to straighten his bad leg. His face was blank, but his gaze shifted from his leg to the dashboard and then outside; the only indication his mind was busy.

She revved the engine. “Is the animal big? Why do you call it a cow? Does it look like one?

Finn’s eyes slid toward her. “Makes good steak,” he said and Ella blinked.

Was he joking? He didn’t seem to be. His focus was back on the street ahead and he hadn’t even cracked a smile. In fact, he’d fallen back to his default expression — a glower that could cut through glass.

Shaking her head, Ella set off. Her imagination was flashing her images of a worried-looking cow next to a table with dishes stacked high with juicy steaks, while Aelfheim wolves, beaked and scaled, screeched around her.

Whoa, would you look at that.
Sleepless nights and ulcer-producing stress could have a fun side.

“Why can’t they just shoot the beast and be done with it?” she muttered, watching the wipers pushed the snow around on the windbreaker. “Finn?”

“It’s hard to kill,” he said, his eyes dark. “And is easily angered.”

“Like a rhino, sort of thing?”

He didn’t answer, which could mean just about anything.

Fantastic.

She pulled into the street and sped toward the posh upper town museum quarters. The area was beautiful and so expensive only old families and the newly rich could afford a house there.

Oh, and Ella’s mother. Ella still wasn’t sure how she’d managed that — it wasn’t like their family was ever rich — but it might have had something to do with a big shot businessman she’d dated a few years back.

Quite a few of the city’s museums were located there — the historical and the science museums, as well as a botanical garden and the Astronomy Society Cupola — and the area boasted expensive high class cafes, bistros and restaurants.

She winced, thinking of the ice wolves and the mysterious
Kyr
animal on the loose, roaming those well-manicured lawns and elegant streets.

The street shook. Frowning, she slowed the car. “Was that a tremor?”

“
Kyr
,” Finn hissed, and yeah, that sounded freaking bad.

“Just how big did you say this animal was?” Because a hulking shape lumbered behind a cafe, so tall it was visible. “Jesus.”

“Stop the car.”

Okay, no, this was ridiculous. “You can’t. Finn, please. You can hardly walk, and that thing’s big like a house. Let Dave handle this.”

“Tell them to stop shooting at it.” And fuck it, Finn was already opening his door.

She braked so hard the belt cut into her chest. “Wait!”

He had one foot out already and his features were locked in a scowl. Bright lines flashed on his face and hair.

“You don’t have to do this,” she said, reaching for him. “You don’t have to save everyone, Finn.”

“I open the Gates. This is my fault.” And with that, he shot outside, turning into a blur among the falling snowflakes.

Just... shit.

Chapter Three

Hope

Ella squinted into the falling snow, checking her knives were in their sheaths and her gun loaded. “Finn! Where are you?”

The ground shook again, and she heard the rattling of gunfire.

She started moving, blind as a bat. Find the beast and find Finn. Couldn’t go wrong there.

Only a hand grabbed her arm, stopping her floundering progress. “Ella, wait.”

“Dave. What exactly is going on?” She could now make out his face, drawn in a frown.

“We’re taking care of the wolves. But the
Kyr
is on a path of destruction and—”

“Are you shooting at it?”

“Damn right we are.”

“Stop. Finn said to stop.”

A pause. Dave grimaced. He pulled a walkie-talkie from his belt and barked, “Stop shooting at the creature. Cease fire.” He turned to her. “Where’s Finn?”

“Where do you think?” She had a sour taste of fear in her mouth, one she was becoming accustomed to. “He went after the
Kyr
.”

Dave nodded. “He’ll take care of it.”

“No, dammit.” She grabbed the lapel of his coat. “You don’t understand. He’s weak and exhausted. We must help him. He’s only here because he feels guilty.”

“For what?”

“For opening Gates. He feels he’s supposed to fix everything.”

A bellow sounded, making her chest clench.

Cursing, he started off in what appeared to be the right direction and she hurried after him, wiping snowflakes from her face. She rushed across another street, trying to see through the drifts.

Another bellow shook the ground and she broke into a run. That had been close, just around the corner. She drew a knife as she raced around the bulk of the Science Museum, cursing the snow and the creature and Dave as she did.

And stopped. Oh good lord, was she seeing this right or was it a nightmare?

The
Kyr
was standing on its hind legs, exposing its pale underbelly, and its body cast a huge shadow on the ground. It was huge like a truck.

The shadow was growing. The
Kyr
’s four legs were coming down.

Ella dived off the street, toward the museum, hoping Dave was close behind. She fell and rolled onto the sidewalk as the massive paws came down with a sound like thunder, rocking the world.

Ella lay stunned on the snow, staring. The
Kyr
was a dirty white, its skin hanging in fleshy folds. Antennae jutted from its frog-like head with the wide slit of a mouth and the bulging eyes. It had to be the ugliest specimen from Aelfheim she’d witnessed so far. But apart from its size, she really couldn’t see why one couldn’t just shoot it dead.

The
Kyr
bellowed, a deep rumbling sound that made her teeth rattle and charged. Breath left her lungs and she tried to roll away, then a hand was hauling her to her feet and swinging her toward the doors of the museum. Dave. He lifted her, threw her over his shoulder and ran inside the grand hall.

“Put me down.” She’d seen someone on the creature’s back as Dave had swung her around and it could only be one person. “Finn is there, I need to help him.”

“He can handle this.”

“And how the hell do you know that?” She twisted and kicked until Dave let her down. She pushed off him, stumbling backward. “You compromised Finn by implanting a transmitter
and
a tracker — I mean, hell, wasn’t one device enough for you? He can barely walk and his arm’s still stiff.”

“Transmitter. You’ve said this before, and I’ve told you I never implanted any—”

“Enough lies.” She spun toward the glass doors that vibrated in their frames. She pushed the door and staggered out. The creature was stomping down the street, away from the square, shaking its grotesque head, trying to dislodge Finn who crouched, a blade glinting, held mid-air.

The
Kyr
veered into the trimmed trees lining the street, crushing them, and Ella broke into a run. The creature was too damn fast and the snow hampered her progress.

“Ella, wait!” Dave was racing after her. “Finn’s a hunter, he knows what to do. There’s a vulnerable spot behind the head. Once he hits it, it’ll be over. The
Kyr
won’t even notice him.”

“Shut up.” She had a stitch in her side and her lungs were seizing, but the stubborn elf was hers to protect and she wasn’t about to sit back and do nothing as he fought.

Gunshots rang from her right — hadn’t Dave told them to stop? — and a white shape streaked from between the buildings and into the street.

What the fuck?

A wolf. The beaked, sleek animal loped up to the
Kyr
and jumped — right at Finn.

“No!” Ella sprinted, then skidded, trying to stop, as the
Kyr
roared and swung around, smashing through fences and more trees, the white wolf attached to its flank like a leech.

“This way!” Dave made a grab for her but she sidestepped him and pulled one of her shuriken, aiming at the wolf.

She let the shuriken fly, and the wolf tumbled off.

“Ella, move!” Dave shouted.

Hm? Oh, right.
The
Kyr
was still heading toward her, looking pretty damn pissed.

She drew another shuriken and threw it. It struck a massive leg, ricocheted and flew in another direction. The
Kyr
slowed, planted its claws and turned its head, snapping at Finn.

He swung his blade backward, striking the fanning crest rising behind him, striking sparks off it — but suddenly a crest sprang up from the creature’s back, fanning over Finn, glittering like metal. He jerked, his body stiffening.

“Finn, look out!” Ella didn’t wait to see more. She drew her other knife and ran toward the creature.

“Strike the left leg,” Dave was shouting from behind her. “Above the knee!”

So she raced right at the
Kyr
, pounding between the massive legs, and jammed her knife into the leg. Using it as leverage, she pulled herself up, climbing the moving limb like a tree trunk, pulled her knife free and shoved it right over the knee, hoping Dave was right.

The animal roared.

“Pull the knife out!” Dave yelled, damn him.

“Why don’t you do it,” she groused, pressing her lips together as she tugged on the knife that was well damn stuck. “You lying bastard robot, you...”

The blade slid out and she barely had time to duck her head as blood jetted out in a fountain.
An artery? Wow.

Another hot spray hit the back of her neck and she glanced around to see Dave attached like a leech on the other leg, holding his bloody knife, his face spattered with crimson.

“Jump,” Dave said and she obeyed without a second thought.

She hit the ground hard and her head slammed on the asphalt. Nothing made sense for a moment, then Dave was again dragging her away and it was a good thing as the
Kyr
folded down and its head thumped down between its bent legs, spraying snow in all directions.

“Christ,” she whispered, trying to clear her blurry eyes. “Is it dead?”

“The
aelfr
finished it. It’s bleeding out,” Dave said.

Wordlessly he lifted her up and dragged her backward. She dug in her heels — until she realized he was leading her toward a dark shape in the snow.

That cleared her head and she went along, helping Dave lift Finn up. He hadn’t put on his Kevlar, and his jacket and sweater were torn to shreds. Blood glistened through, turning her stomach.

At least he seemed conscious when they pulled him to his feet. And in pain. He groaned when she pulled his arm over her shoulders to take on some of his weight.

“Finn?”

“No more,” he grunted. “No more.”

“He’s hurt.” Her heart banged. She tried to catch Dave’s gaze over Finn’s bowed head. “Is this thing poisonous?”

“No. He’ll be fine.”

“My back,” Finn hissed, his feet dragging.

Ella slowed, her heart in her throat. “Told you he’s in pain.”

“You promised.” Finn’s voice dropped to a raspy whisper. “Let me go. Let me—”

He struggled weakly in their hold, not lifting his head. Bright lines flashed on his skin and his hair gave a faint glow. “Let go.”

Oh god.
He was flashing back to the cave.

Dave tightened his grip on Finn’s arm. “He’s remembering something. It’s as if the pain in his back has triggered his memory.” He gave Ella a long, measuring look. “What if we—”

“We can’t,” she snapped, tugging on Finn’s arm, pulling him through the swirling snowflakes toward her car.
Oh hell no.
“We won’t.”

“Won’t we?”

She opened the door and Dave guided Finn inside. “No, we won’t hurt him to jolt his memory. No way.”

“But what if it’s the only way?”

“It doesn’t work like that.” She chewed on the inside of her cheek. “It’s a flashback. He won’t remember it afterward.”

“But while he’s inside memory lane, he does. Doesn’t he?” Dave leaned into the car where Finn sat hunched forward, ash-blond hair falling forward, hiding his face. “Hey, Finn. What do you see?”

“She’s here,” he rasped. “Adramar.”

“The queen?” Dave’s brows lifted, clearly caught off guard. “What for?”

“Checking.” Finn let out a shuddering breath. “If I’m the one. She promised...”

“Promised what?”

“To let me go.” The words came haltingly, painfully. “I can’t.”

“Can’t what?”

Ella pushed Dave aside. “Enough. This isn’t helping him remember his dreams. It’s useless, Dave.”

“And what are his dreams about?”

Ella shook her head. She wasn’t sure she could trust Dave with more. She wiped snowflakes from her lashes. “There must be another way to do this.”

“Then find it, Stabilizer, and do it fast.” Dave leaned against the car, folding his arms over his chest. “A little pain is a small price to pay compared to what will happen if the
aelfr
doesn’t find his strength. He’ll destroy your world, or don’t you care anymore?”

“Now you want to play off
my
guilt?” Heat rose up her neck. “Back off, Guardian. Guilt is a strong emotion, something you’re not acquainted with. All this isn’t my fault, or Finn’s.”

He smirked. “Emotions have never been my forte, I’ll give you that.”

“But you’re full of brilliant ideas, instead.”

“Recreating the conditions of the repressed memory to trigger his memory? That wasn’t my idea. Sarah was the one who suggested it. And it seems to work.”

“Piss off.” She was so furious she could see Dave’s glittering seam, running from the top of his head to his shoes. “If you can’t help, then at least back off and let him breathe.”

Dave grumbled something but turned and left with long strides.

She exhaled and lifted a shaking hand to Finn’s face. “Hey. You’re not in that cave anymore, okay? Look around you. You’re with me.”

“Ella.” He reached for her hand and clutched it so hard she had to clamp down on her lower lip not to whimper. “Is it over?”

“Yeah.” She nodded. “You’ve done more than enough. Let’s go home.”

***

“Dave’s such a bastard.” Ella threw her backpack at the sofa. She missed and it crashed against the coffee table, sending a mug to the carpet where it spilled cold tea. Finn’s knives rattled inside, courtesy of a grumpy Dave right before they left. “I mean, anyone can see you’re trying, and I’m trying, so what more does he want?”

To fix the mess. To change Finn’s dreams. To help him reach his full potential.

She rubbed a hand over her face, realizing her anger wasn’t directed at Dave.

Well, not all of it.

She didn’t want to say it out loud, even less since she’d opened her big mouth and spilled Finn’s secret to Dave — but Dave may be, after all, the only one who might know what she was able to do. Yet all he’d thought up so far was another reason to hurt Finn — and he was still lying about the transmitter.

Finn limped inside and shrugged off his shredded jacket, saying nothing. His brow was creased, his eyes dark. He winced, and she stopped, taking a better look at him as he took a staggering step toward the sofa.

“Whoa.” She rushed to catch him around the waist as his knee buckled. “Steady there.”

His face was white as milk. She pushed him down on the worn velvet cushions and knelt by his feet. She’d already cleaned the cuts in his back with the medic kit in the car, and Dave had been right, they didn’t look too bad.

But between not sleeping and waking up from night terrors, fighting the Shades and getting beaten up to hell and back, he was bound to crash sooner rather than later.