Darkness Possessed (Order of the Blade) (38 page)

But even as he spoke, he felt it shudder in his hand, and he realized that they were barely holding it together, even with their combined efforts. "It was José's fire fueling it," he said. "I can't hold it corporeal for long. We gotta go!"

Together, they leapt to their feet, and began to race back toward the campsite. They tore through the jungle, the woods parting for them as they ran.

"Hey!" Eric suddenly appeared beside them, his body charred and blackened. "Where's Jordyn?" he shouted.

Shit. Jordyn!

"She's back there!" Rhiannon didn't even slow down as she pointed behind her. "Go get her!" she shouted.

Eric whirled around and vanished into the woods, calling for Jordyn as he ran.

The shrieking of the webbing grew louder, and the air became even thicker. Swearing, Zach grabbed her hand. He knew there was only one way they were going to get there in time, and it wasn't running. He was going to have to bring her into his fire.

She looked over at him, as if she'd heard his thoughts, and nodded. "You won't kill me," she said. "Do it!"

He gritted his teeth against the sudden flash of fear that he might hurt her if he used his fire on her, but he shoved it aside, focusing instead on the absolute trust emanating from Rhiannon, her belief in him. He nodded, double-checked to make sure they were still merged, and then he called his fire.

The flames erupted through him, a seething mass of destruction. He kept his connection with Rhiannon secure as he twisted the flames tighter and tighter around them both, amping up the power level with each twist, until they were a coiled bomb, ready to explode.

He tightened his grip on her hand, and then he unleashed it. The fireball exploded with a deafening roar, thrusting them forward. He caught the flames beneath his feet, and rode the wall of fire, surfing through the jungle with Rhiannon by his side, both of them encased in the flaming sphere.

The heat was intense, even for him, and he focused hard on keeping a wall of protection around Rhiannon. Faster and faster they went, hurtling through the jungle. Her hair was on fire, locks of flames streaming behind her. Fear hammered at him. "You okay?" He shouted the question, but his words were swept away by the roar of the fire. Frustrated, he resorted to the only other method of communication that would work.
You okay? Just nod. You don't need to answer.

She looked over at him, and smiled, and suddenly her voice filled his mind.
Every girl's dream is to surf fireballs, didn't you know? Life is good, Zach.

Relief rushed through him, intense relief that shook him to his core.
You spoke to me.

She smiled.
It feels right, doesn't it? I never spoke to José. It's really special.

Yeah, it is.

She squeezed his hand.
We can do this, Zach. Together, we can save him.

I know.
He tightened his grip on her and the staff as they neared the camp, turning his focus onto the staff in his hand. Ahead of them, the sky was pitch black, and a funnel cloud was forming just above the spot where Thano and Trevor were. The tip was heading straight down into the clump of trees, and the screaming was so loud he felt like his eardrums were going to burst.

Zach directed the fireball straight into Thano's prison. The flames tore through the blackness, and dumped them out into the clearing. Apollo was pacing restlessly, stomping his feet and swishing his tail, gnashing his teeth at the black cloud descending toward them. Thano and Trevor were hanging by their wrists, encased entirely in the black webbing, except for their mouths. Both warriors were twisting and fighting, and he realized it was
their
horrific screams he'd been hearing. He could see Thano's red eyes glowing even through the webbing. He was fully rogue and inches from death. Rohan was standing beside them, a sword in each hand. Blue electricity was crackling all around him, lighting up the clearing. He spun around as Zach approached. "Now, Zachary, now!"

Zach landed just as the tip of the funnel cloud reached Thano's head. "No!" He lunged forward and jammed the staff into Thano's chest, thrusting all the fire he had into the staff. Thano screamed again, and his body convulsed as smoke rose from the end of the staff, as it burned into his flesh, right through the webbing. Thano's howl ripped through his soul, and he gasped, driving the brand even deeper into his flesh as the funnel cloud touched Thano's head—

Then the red glow of Thano's eyes disappeared.

"He's back," Rhiannon yelled. "Stop it!"

Rohan slashed through the webbing instantly, ripping Thano from the cocoon. Thano's limp body fell out of it, shriveled and pale as he collapsed across Apollo, who had dropped to his knees just in time to cushion his master.

"Trevor!" Rohan shouted. "Do Trevor!"

Zach wrenched the staff from Thano's body and jammed it into Trevor just as a second funnel cloud descended toward him. The warrior screamed and convulsed, his eyes glowing vicious red through the webbing. "Come on!" Zach called upon every last bit of flame remaining from his battle with José, and thrust it into the warrior.

His eyes still glowed red. "Rhiannon!"

She grabbed the staff, and vines shot along it and plunged into Trevor's chest with Zach's fire. The tremendous force of the impact tore the staff from their hands and flung them backwards. The staff shattered into a thousand fragments as Zach caught Rhiannon and cushioned their landing. But as they fell, there was a roar of triumph from Rohan and he sliced through Trevor's webbing.

The warrior fell out of the cocoon into Rohan's arms, sagging against him, clearly unconscious.

Zach leapt to his feet and raced over to Thano, who was sprawled across his horse's back, his body limp. "Thano?" He crouched in front of him as Apollo turned his head, twisting around to nudge his nose against Thano's head.

Thano didn't move.

Rhiannon knelt beside him, and put her hand on Thano's shoulder. A white flower appeared beneath her palm, the same kind that she'd put in his chest after impaling him on the tree. It glowed bright white, and then sank into his body, disappearing from sight. She set another one on him, and then another, and still they kept disappearing.

"What are you doing?"

"The Junto flower has healing properties," she said. "I asked the blossom to share them with Thano, and it agreed he is worthy. There is much damage, which is why they keep disappearing." But even as she spoke, one finally remained on his shoulder, not sinking into his body. "That's all they can do. The rest is up to him."

Zach bent forward, putting his head beside Thano's. "Come on, Thano," he urged. "We need you in this world."

Again, no response, and he felt his throat tighten. "Fuck!" He bent his head, sudden grief overwhelming him. "I was too late."

"Are you gonna cry? I think you should cry." That familiar, cocky voice broke through his grief, and he jerked his head up.

Thano's green eyes were open, and he was grinning. Apollo whinnied, and Rhiannon let out a cheer.

"Thano!" Zach dragged him off the horse, but Thano's legs collapsed, dragging them both back to the ground. Zach had a split second of anguish as he realized that Thano was still paralyzed, despite that brief moment of movement, but then decided he didn't give a shit. Thano was alive and sane, not dead. That was what mattered. He immediately wrapped him up in a massive hug that was so not appropriate for manly, badass warriors. But he didn't give a shit.

And when he felt Thano grip him back, he knew that his friend had been through enough hell not to care either.

He was happy.

Six hours later, as Zach leaned against a stump with Rhiannon in his arms, watching the flames of the campfire for their last night in the jungle, he was happy for the first time since he'd lost his family. Not just happy. At peace. He rested his chin on Rhiannon's shoulder while she chatted with Thano, basking in the feel of her body nestled against him.
You saved me,
he said.

She squeezed his hand.
Mutual saving. I love you.

I love you, too.

"Stop with the lovey dovey," Thano said. "Have some mercy on us single guys, you know?"

Zach raised his eyebrows. "You don't want to be single?"

Thano met his gaze, his cheeks still gaunt and pale. "Dude, when you've danced in hell long enough, it gives you some perspective." His focus settled on Rhiannon. "You got a good one, and I have to say, I like that she's not a
sheva.
It's good shit between you two. I can feel it." His gaze darted across the clearing to where Jordyn and Eric were in a hot debate about something. "Unlike those two, who are probably going to kill each other before they find his brother."

Zach grinned. "Yeah, she didn't seem all that impressed with his offer to put lotion on her back to soothe her burns."

"I like her. She's got spunk." Thano watched her. "Eric's kind of an ass who needs a woman who will shut him up. I think it's good. Maybe I'll offer to go with them. Might be fun. I heard them mention vampires, and I'm sort of curious to see what they turn up. I've heard some bad shit about those things. I'd like to see Jordyn go head-to-head with one of them. She'd win, you know."

Zach threw a rock at Thano's shoulder. "Dude, don't go getting hung up on a woman. Take a break from that. The last one sent you rogue, and we lost the staff, so stay solo for a while, will you?"

Thano looked over at him, and the amusement went out of his eyes. "I asked Rohan to put the
sheva
wards on me," he said. "I'm not going through that again. It's not worth the risk. It's fucking hell to lose your mind like that. Trust me."

Zach nodded. "It's too bad the staff is gone."

"Yeah, it would have made the Order's job a lot easier." Thano glanced again at Eric and Jordyn, and Zach sensed a restlessness in him.

He frowned, watching Thano more closely. "You're really thinking of going with them to Louisiana? What about the Order?"

Thano looked at him. "When I was rogue, I knew what I was doing. I knew what was happening. I felt like I was so close to being able to reclaim my mind, but I couldn't do it. I didn't want to die. I wanted to beat that curse. If I go back to the Order, every time I kill a rogue, I'm going to know what's going on in his mind. He's not a monster. He's me. How can I kill them, knowing that they're sane inside their heads? I don't want to do that shit anymore."

Zach went silent for a moment, then finally said, "They can't do it without you. You're the glue. You're the one who holds them together. Now that Dante's gone, there's no one else who can keep them balanced."

"I know." Thano looked away again. He reached down and grabbed his foot, shifting his leg to a new position. Clearly, his time in the cocoon hadn't gotten his legs working. One of the best warriors alive, and the only way he could walk was on the back of his horse. "I can't return to the Order and their mission. Not right now."
And you know exactly what I'm talking about because you're not going back either, are you?
He didn't look at Zach as he said it, but the words were clear.

And Thano was right. He did know exactly what Thano was feeling. He took a deep breath.
Rhiannon.

Her love flooded him.
Yes
.

Have you changed your mind?

She turned in his arms to face him. Her eyes were dark with emotion, and full of love. "I can't, Zach. This is my jungle. I'm the only one left to protect it. I have to rebuild my tribe. It's what I was created to do. I can't go back to Oregon with you. I have to stay here."

He nodded. "I know." He ground his jaw, and saw Thano watching them.
I can't walk away from the Order, Thano.

Thano shrugged.
Of course you can. The mission of the Order is to protect innocents from rogue Calydons. You just saved an entire jungle from rogues. You will still fulfill your mission. You'll just transfer to a more exotic locale.

Zach went still, sudden hope beating through him.
I hadn't thought of it that way.
He thought of Dante, and how they had once traveled far and wide in search of rogues. Settling in the Pacific Northwest had come later, when they realized that there was a very high concentration of rogues in that area. He looked across the clearing at Rohan, who was sitting beside Trevor, talking to him in low tones.

Rohan was the only one with his hood up. All the others were in jeans and tee shirts, regular warriors, not the hidden, mysterious commandos that Rohan led. They looked so normal, like the guys he had teamed up with for so many centuries.

He thought of his team. Could he really walk away from the teammates he'd been with for so long? He thought of Gideon and Quinn. Elijah. Ryland. Kane. Gabe. Ian. Even Drew, the young kid. He'd been a part of a team for so long, he didn't know how to be alone.

Except that the only time in his life that he'd been truly happy was when he'd walked away from Dante and the Order and set up shop with his wife. And he had that chance again?

He tightened his arms around Rhiannon, inhaling the delicate scent that was so her. What was the right choice?

Rohan suddenly stood up and walked over to them. Apollo shifted restlessly, moving his sleek, black body between the warrior and Thano. Zach stood up, pulling Rhiannon with him. "Rohan," he said.

"It is time."

Zach frowned "Time for what?"

"For you to fulfill your destiny."

Zach narrowed his eyes as he held Rhiannon's hand. "And what destiny would that be?"

"My apprentice. You will join us."

"Whoa." Zach held up his hand. "What are you talking about?"

Rohan cocked his head. "Did Dante never tell you?"

"No...what?"

"He pledged you as my apprentice. I thought you were dead, but you're not, so it begins now. We leave in five minutes." He turned away and began to stride back across the clearing, message delivered.