Darkness Unbound (26 page)

Javen’s eyes widened. No doubt he’d eavesdropped inside her head. He mumbled, “Nothing.” He cleared his throat. “Just do your thing. But be warned that Ashor might get really pissed when you do.”

“What does that mean? What does Ashor do when he gets pissed?”

“He gets mean.”

“Great. I’m feeling meaner today.” She stalked past the boys, several of whom threw her familiar skeptical looks. No highly trained male soldier believed a woman could kick his butt. He might profess he did or be amused by the thought, but realistically he thought himself superior.

You got this, Bella,
Kane encouraged.

Except Kane. God, she loved him. She had decided to stop denying the fact last night during her TV marathon. She granted him a weak half-smile.

As she marched toward Ashor, she reminded herself she’d kicked Kane’s butt more than a few times during training before he believed in her.

I’ve been wanting to kick Ashor’s ass for about eight months, ever since he punched me,
Kane said in her head.

He punched you?
With a smooth glide, the sword Seth gifted her slid from its scabbard. She tossed the sheath into the grass.

“Where’d you get that piece?” Ashor asked. His long hair was tied back. He wore workout pants and a T-shirt, which only highlighted the fact he outweighed her by at least two hundred pounds.

“Let’s just get this over with. Do we have rules? What exactly equals a win?” Heartburn fired beneath her ribcage. She inwardly cursed its bad timing and resisted the urge to pound over her ribcage.

Ashor eyed the sword again. “We are not allowed to kill each other. The last one standing wins, unless one of us surrenders.”

“Great.” Astrid faced off several feet away.

Ashor asked low such that no one else could overhear, “You sure, Astrid? I don’t want you to put yourself at risk.”

Anger disconnected her brain from her mouth. “What? You scared Amun-Ra will make another appearance and kick your ass if you cause me to lose my baby?”

Ashor paled. “Fuck, yeah. There’s also no way if Kira was…you know, pregnant…there’s just no way I’d let her do anything like this.” Ashor glanced to Kane.

“For Christ’s sake, I’m fine. I’m fucking fine. I don’t need Kane’s goddamned permission to kick your ass. He’s not my…why won’t any of you believe me?” She swallowed bile tickling the back of her throat. Okay, maybe she wasn’t in perfect fighting condition right now, but pride kept her spine rigid.

Ashor waved a hand at her. “You look—”

“Go to hell.” Astrid lunged.

By the time she reached Ashor he’d withdrawn his long black blade curved sword and blocked her thrust with enough force that her molars snapped together. She worried that she might’ve cracked one. She spun away, tongue swiping her teeth in relief that they remained intact.

Her forearm shrieked in pain. How were they supposed to fight and not kill each other? The wariness on Ashor’s face shot her pissed off into the stratosphere. He planned to toy with her. Fuck that. She ran at him, holding her sword two-handed and just as he began to swing she reached for the energy deep within. Everything around her super slowed. Now she had a few moments to think about her plan. Based on her brief practice with Javen, she could only do this slow-down trick about two or three times before it depleted her energy to the point she wanted a nap. Therefore, she needed to make this moment good. The fury pounding in her head pushed her to fight dirty.

Yet, that was wrong. She took a deep breath to clear the haze of anger. She could easily crush Ashor’s nose, break his arm, and stab him anywhere she wanted. Or kill him. This ridiculous exhibition was to prove that she
could
do that. Not that she would. If she proved herself to them, then perhaps they’d get off her back. With a frustrated snort, she dropped her sword onto the grass and dug her cherry red lipstick from her pants. She applied it liberally to her lips. Then drew a wide line across Ashor’s throat. Just to make her point she kissed him on the cheek. She snatched her sword and walked a few feet out of his sword’s reach, and returned the world to real time.

Ashor spun, his scimitar hitting only air. He regained his balance and circled until he located her.

Astrid picked at her nails and then glanced up. “Gotcha.”

Javen yelled, “You got a big red lipstick line across your throat.”

Khyan asked, “How’d you do that, Astrid?”

“I told you she was good,” Javen said. “She’s a zillion times faster than me.”

Ashor wiped a forefinger across his throat and examined the lipstick. He glowered.

Astrid pivoted, assuming this was over. She walked toward Kane, drawn by that indefinable magnetism.

Duck!
Kane yelled.

Astrid dropped and rolled.
Fuck no, that crazy bastard did not try to strike my back.

She popped upward and slowed everything to a stop again. Everything around her halted, except her. She strolled up to Ashor, and face planted a direct crunch into his nose. She moved left and allowed time to resume. Ashor howled but to his credit didn’t stop coming at her. She slowed time again, nut kicked him and punched his face four times. Her fist hurt when she was done.

Ashor went to his knees. Anger revved deep and energized her. Without needing to slow time, she kicked his chest and punched his face one more time with a gratifying crunch. A final head lock cut off his oxygen, which he tried to shake but she didn’t release until he passed out.

Is that enough of an ass kicking?
she asked Kane as she stepped away from Asher.

Out loud Kane said softly, “Yeah, that oughtta do it.”

A flash in her periphery caught her eye. Seth stepped from an area of dense foliage a hundred yards away. He announced, “Just thought I would check in.” His eyebrows shot up. “It looks like you are not in need of assistance.”

“Unless you’ve got the cure for morning sickness.” She sauntered his way.

Seth held up a packet of saltines.

Astrid rolled her eyes. “Gee, thanks.”

Seth grinned.

Another flash of light and Mr. Blue-hair appeared. Astrid wondered if he was about to impart another whopper life-altering decree.

Amun-Ra scowled. “Seth, you were to give her a nudge, not…” He waved at Ashor. “Allow that.”

Seth smiled proudly. “She is a fast learner. Most of that she figured out herself.”

Amun-Ra signaled for her to approach. Once close, he latched onto her forearm with a crushing grip, and whirled to pull her such that the other magi could not see him speak. “You are not to kill the magi.”

Astrid peered at Ashor who was now attended to by Kira. “He’s in good hands.”

“Kira cannot fix that energy boost you shot into him.” Amun-Ra shook his head. “You did not even know, did you?” He clucked and addressed Seth. “How can I trust her in this realm? Out of control and unable to rein in her powers? She is too strong. Too wild and unpredictable.”

“What energy boost?” Astrid asked.

Seth asked, “Astrid, did you intend to kill Ashor?”

“No. I was a bit upset when he came at my back. That’s…well, that was bad form on his part.”

Seth raised his eyebrows at Amun-Ra as if that explanation was enough.

Amun-Ra waved at Ashor who suddenly sat up. “I repaired him. It is not his time to depart this realm. But I repeat, Astrid, you are forbidden to kill our magi.”

“If none of them tries to kill me or anyone I care about, then I’m not gunning for them. They pushed me into doing that Trial
thing.” Astrid gripped the handle of the sword tightly, but realized it would probably be useless against either of these gods.

Seth chuckled.

Amun-Ra asked, “Did not Ma’at make you vow to uphold her rules?”

What rules?
Astrid thought. She bit her lip and tried to recall that day. “She said some things to me, but we kind of skipped the rules part. I didn’t vow anything with regard to rules. I pissed her off and then she knocked me out after tattooing me.”

Seth mumbled, “Sounds like you got on with her about as well as I do.”

Amun-Ra scowled at Seth.

“What?” Seth shrugged. “She’s an uptight bitch who’s always lecturing me.”

Amun-Ra pointed at Astrid. “Do you understand the conundrum you have placed me in? A goddess trapped in this realm, now aware of her abilities but out of control. Yet, pregnant with a prophesied child. With my luck you will be like…” He waved at Seth.

Seth tied the laces on his billowy-sleeved pirate shirt. “I have not wreaked much havoc recently. Perhaps a few scuffles, a bit of cyber war, a few natural disasters. Humans need reminding that they are not gods from time to time, despite their best attempts to pretend they control their fate.”

Astrid said, “I am not out of control. I might need some pointers on how to contain whatever
power
you refer to. Right now I’m hormonal and sleep deprived. I wasn’t really in the best state to be doing this fight thing today.”

Amun-Ra crossed his arms over his chest. “Tell me why I should not kill you now.”

She laughed and patted her abdomen. “I have a feeling you’d like to see him born. Sounds like he’s got some sort of prophesy to fulfill. Care to fill me in on that one?”

Amun-Ra’s face mottled red. She waited, expected him to curse, but nothing came.

Seth laughed.

Kane asked in her mind,
Are those gods threatening you?

There’s nothing you could do if they were, but I’ve got this.
She met Kane’s gaze where he knelt with the other guys. His cheek spasmed, indicating he was holding onto control, but not by much.

Astrid thought to him,
I’m fine, calm down.
She addressed Amun-Ra. “How about I just focus on eliminating daemons and use my abilities for that? Isn’t that what I’m supposed to do as a Scimitar soldier? I’m not going to go on some sort of killing rampage like Zannis did.” Pain pierced her heart for an instant at his memory.

Amun-Ra nodded. “If you lose control or begin to do such, I know how to eliminate you.” He shifted his gaze to Kane.

“You fuck with Kane, and I will fight you and any one of your friends that threaten him.”

She stepped back when Amun-Ra glared. Horrifying images of Kane tortured consumed her mind.

Pressure vise-clamped her chest. She wheezed out, “I get it. I’m sorry.” The pressure released.

Amun-Ra ordered, “Your parentage is not to be common knowledge.”

She fought her urge to drop to her knees and mumble assent. “What about Kane? I want him to know so that he will understand.”

Amun-Ra nodded, which Astrid assumed gave her permission for that.

“She is a handful,” Amun-Ra said to Seth. He released a long and hard sigh.

Seth nodded. “She was the right choice for this.”

Both gods disappeared.

The right choice for what?
Astrid strode back toward the magi, most of whom other than Kane still remained kneeling with fixed stares on where the gods had been.

“What the hell was that?” Ashor thundered as he struggled to a wobbly stand. “What’d you do to me? And then you have a little private meeting with gods?”

Astrid put her hands on her hips. “You owe me an apology for attacking my back.”

“Daemons don’t care to follow rules,” Ashor growled.

“Asshole,” Astrid mumbled. Loudly she said, “A little heads-up on the rules or lack thereof before we started might’ve been helpful.”

Ashor stepped forward and towered over her.

Kane stepped forward, but Astrid held out her hand to ward him off.
Let him,
she thought to Kane.

“I repeat, Astrid, what was that? A friendly chit-chat with two gods? Did you summon them or did they just…show up?”

“I don’t know how to summon a god. They just showed up. They seem to like popping in and out of my life all the time. That’s not common?”

“Hell, no. They’re not known for appearing in our lives frequently, if at all. Had any of us spoken with such disrespect to them, then we’d be struck down where we stand. The same with Ma’at, who miraculously left you alive. So, I repeat, what is going on with you and
them
?”

Her gaze slid to Javen, who knew about Seth’s last visit. He stared at her as if stunned. Beside him Christian gaped and ran a hand through his spiky hair. The other guys also gazed at her as if she was an outsider.

Astrid pinched her nose. “Honestly, I’m on thin ice with Mr. Blue…uh, Amun-Ra. He won’t kill me because I’ve got his grandson on board who apparently has some sort of prophesy he’s destined to fulfill.”

“Who was the other god?” Ashor asked.

“Seth.” The sweat dampening her underarms and back worsened as the morning sun, now higher, beat down on them.

“As in the god of war? You are on friendly terms with the most unpredictable of the gods?” Khyan asked.

Astrid nodded. “I just met him. He’s my father.”

Khyan pointed at the sword at her side. “Did he give you that? It’s not like any sword I’ve ever seen.”

“Let’s accept that there’s weirdness with me and those two gods, and leave it at that. They were pissed that I…that I hurt Ashor. So consider their visit done out of concern for you. Did I prove that I can hold my own?” Astrid asked, losing patience with twenty questions.

Everyone stared at her in uncomfortable silence.

Ashor asked softly, “You were an insolent soldier, weren’t you?”

Astrid rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t ever in the military. I was never a soldier. Intelligence only. CIA. They tried to ingrain subservience to authority into me. Didn’t take. Are we done?” she asked Ashor. “I need a few hours of sleep.”

Ashor nodded.

She forced herself to stride past all the piercing stares, not daring to glance Kane’s way. One hint of disapproval or a glimpse of him giving her the
you’re-not-one-of-us
glare and she’d fall apart.

She moved as if on autopilot. Minutes later she glanced around, disoriented. She’d ended up in her bathroom. Her subconscious desire to wash off the nauseating sweat must’ve brought her here. She turned on the pulsating shower jets and stepped into the spray, not caring that the water hadn’t warmed up yet. The water warmed to blazing hot, and streamed over her body long beyond the finger pruning phase.