Silver Mortal (The Gracen Chronicles) (26 page)

“Another Rainbird?” I question, having to holler over the tornado-like winds.

“Yep,” Phoenix replies, keeping his eyes on the incoming threat. “Though it can't make it rain here. All it can do is stir up the trash on the island and cause harsh winds.” He gazes down at me, his expression serious. “They know we're here. It's time to pick up the pace.”

With those last words uttered, we start running up the mountain, pushing through the dust-filled air. I try my best to keep up with Phoenix, but with the Rainbird tossing all the deadness around, it's hard to accomplish. He stops and grabs my hand, pulling me behind him. My eyes can't help but look to the skies, the mega-huge Rainbird continuing its loud cawing and annoying windstorm.

Finally we make it to the base of the lair, only to find ourselves surrounded by Hell Hounds. There has to be at least a hundred of them. They're all growling and snarling, baring their vicious teeth. The smell of fire and sulfur fill my nostrils completely, causing me to gag. Phoenix and I stand back to back, walking in a circle, weapons raised. Whatever happens we're not going down without a fight.

“Phoenix, what now?” I question, trying to control the quiver in my voice.

Growling he answers, “Start swinging!”

And that's what we do.

We charge, taking as many Sniffers down as we can. With each swipe of my sword I take down as many as possible. But there's too many for a Silver Mortal and a Night Viper to handle. When the ground begins to shake and wing beats sound through the air, I know that we are in trouble. Something hits me in the back of the head, the sharp pain shooting throughout my body. As my world turns black I hear Zavebe's laughter and the beat of his wings.

***

I wake up on a hard, wet surface, my hands tied behind my back. Scanning my surroundings I see I'm in some sort of jail cell, complete with iron bars. It's dark and smells like mildew. I force myself into a sitting position, looking to my left and then to my right. Orange light from torches filter in through barred windows, casting an eerie glow all around me. That's when I realize I'm not alone.

In the next jail cell lies my mother, her hands also tied behind her back. Her clothes are ripped and bloodied. To my horror it appears that she's been whipped on her back. A slight moan echoes in the air, her shoulders trembling along with her weeping. I scoot closer to the bars, as close as I can get.

“Mom,” I say softly. “Mom, can you hear me?”

Her body stiffens at the sound of my voice. She turns her head, her silver eyes wide and searching, her emotions full of despair.

“Gracen?” she calls out, her voice bouncing off the rock walls. “Is that you, honey?”

“Yeah, I'm here, Mom,” I assure her. I try loosening the ropes that have my hands trapped, but whoever tied me up had to be a master at bondage. “Is there a way to get out of here?”

“Through the doors,” she answers sardonically, coercing herself into a sitting position. “But I have a feeling they won't let us leave.”

When I catch a glimpse of her face I inhale sharply, shocked by her defeated appearance.

“Mom, you look terrible.” Actually, more like deathly ill. There's heavy dark bags under her eyes, her skin is a grayish color. She's covered in dirt, grime, and bruises. She also smells of vomit. That certain scent reminds me that she'd been sick right before I'd left to go out with the Vipers.

She scoots closer to the bars. “I feel terrible as well.”

“You're still sick?”

“Yes,” she says, adding, “among other things.”

“Where's Jude, and the others?”

She lets out a deplorable sigh. “I don't know.”

A few minutes of worn down silence fills the space between us. She knows that I know the secret she's been keeping from me. Now was the time for me to get some answers.

“Why didn't you tell me?” I inquire, glaring at her. “Why didn't you tell me Alexander is my father?”

She grimaces at the sound of his name, then her lips draw into a frown. Her emotions drift over from her jail cell to mine, crashing me with feelings of regret, sorrow, humiliation, and pain.

“I didn't tell you because I wanted to protect you from the truth.”

“You still should've told me,” I mutter angrily. She releases a long sigh.

“When I was sixteen,” she begins, her eyes staring off into the empty air, “my father and I, your grandfather, came across a dangerous man. A Night Viper with white hair.” She pauses, her gaze wandering back to me. “You see, even at a young age Alexander had white hair, and eyes the color of the deep blue sea. The bluest eyes I'd ever seen—until you were born, that is.

“He'd had a group of loyal werewolf demons with him. Me and dad were outnumbered. We fought long and hard, taking as many of those bastards as we could, but I lost all hope when they got your grandfather.” She bites back a sob. “I kind of just gave up. That was when Alexander called off his pack of demons and took me away.

“We ended up somewhere in France, and he kept me locked up in his private villa. I was trapped there for three months, and in between that time he tried to woo me.” She laughs spitefully. “He thought he could trick me into falling in love with him, but I never did. I saw through all of his affections and tender lies. After all, us Silver Mortals can practically see the emotions rolling off of people.

“In the end, he only wanted one thing, and when I didn't comply, he took it anyway.”

A heavy stone falls to my stomach. “You mean he...” I didn't want to say the words.

Mom nods. “Yes. Gracen, he raped me. Over...and over...and over again. He took great satisfaction in taking a Silver Mortal's virginity, not caring what damage he was doing to my body. He would've kept me forever, or until he tired of me, until one day his cleaning service came to the villa and I escaped in their van.”

She shudders, her mind assaulting her with unwanted memories. “I made it back to America, got back to North Carolina, and six months later you were born on New Year's Day.”

Tears pool in my eyes. “Mom, I'm so sorry you went through that. Losing grandpa, then losing your freedom
… Y
ou are the strongest woman I know.”

A tear trickles down her bruised, pale face. “The past is the past, baby. And while it was torture at the time, I don't regret going through it. And I don't regret having you.”

“Wow,” I mumble, shaking my head. “The reason I'm here...I'm the product of rape. Fan-
freaking
-tastic.”

“Don't say that,” she orders me, narrowing her eyes. “Don't ever think of yourself as a mistake, because you have a purpose in this life.
No one
is a mistake.”

I can't contain the tears that fall down my face. “But you abandoned me. You left me with granny until I was thirteen—”

“I didn't know if you'd have any powers!” she states defensively. “I've never heard of a half Eagle, half Viper. I didn't know what to expect. I always thought that maybe, just maybe, you wouldn't have supernatural powers. I prayed night after night that you would be normal, that you wouldn't have to live life slaying demon after demon. I didn't want you to live life always looking over your shoulder, and wondering if your friends and family would stay safe and protected from the unseen world.” She pauses and takes a breath. “I didn't abandon you—I gave you a secure life, a safe life. Though as fate would have it, that life wasn't for you.
You
, Gracen, you are special. And Alexander knows it.”

“What about my brother, Ash?” I ask her curiously. “Did you know his mother?”

She shakes head. “I didn't, though I know she was a Night Viper. And knowing how Alexander treats women, she was expendable. He probably did away with her after Ash was born.”

Her answer makes sense. Alexander is not only the most evil and cruelest man on the face of the planet, but he's also a womanizing piece of crap.

“He wants me,” I say, recalling my last dream. “Why do you think he does?”

“I'm not sure,” she says, her tone soft. “But knowing him it's about power and authority. As far as I know, you're the only Halfling in the world.”

Another thought occurs to me. “If I'm a
Halfling
, or whatever, then why am I all Silver Mortal? I don't have the black eyes or the coiled viper on my face.”

“No,” she's quick to respond, “but you have major anger issues. Your anger makes you see red, the color of wrath, bloodshed, violence. Ever since you received the gifts of the Silver Eagle, you've had to deal with rage. I've always been able to calm you down just by talking to you.”

Deep down I know she's right. I don't like it, but she's right.

“You've always helped to calm me down, but lately it's been Phoenix who helped tame my fury.” A smile graces my lips as an image of him crosses my mind. “He can just look at me a certain way and I melt.”

Mom studies me a moment. “Your emotions, your feelings are telling me how you truly feel.” She tilts her head to the side, stating, “You love him.”

I think about her words, hesitating before admitting, “Yeah...yeah, I think I do.”

Mom doesn't say anything to that. Instead she gives me a sad smile, and again we find ourselves in strained silence, not knowing what to say, what to think, or what to do. Lightning flashes outside the bars, following with howling wind and rolling thunder. Sitting here in a darkened jail cell, knowing the truth about who I am, knowing my mom had been taken advantage of, makes my thoughts turn vengeful.

Mom isn't the only one who's been traumatized by Alexander Edwards. Phoenix had, too, as well as my brother, Ash. There's also the Vipers I've met—Jack, Reagan, and precious Tink, not to mention Jude, who has been like a brother to me.

“Do you have any idea where the others could be?” I ask, trying to control the volume of my rising voice.

A defeated sigh rolls off her lips. “I have no clue, but Gracen,” she gives me a pointed look, “there's something else you need to know.”

“W-What?” I query, not liking the weary tone of her voice.

She swallows before she replies, “They have Mark, your friend.”

I feel like all the breath has been knocked out of me. Mark. Why would they go after Mark? He's just an innocent, normal guy trying to make it in this big bad world. Why did Alexander think it necessary to kidnap an Untouched?

“H-How...”

“He came over to see you,” she says quietly, “at the same time we were being taken away.”

Nausea crashes into me and I cringe. If no one believed I was bad luck before, they sure as hell would now. The prove? Mark is here...because of me. Mom and Jude are here...because of me. Thankfully Bets hadn't been targeted.

A loud grating noise embraces the moldy air around us, the sound of keys jingling in our ears. When a nine foot tall red demon with coarse black hair and horns comes into view, along with two smaller ones, dread covers my skin like freezing cold water. As this demon grins maliciously at us I quickly recognize the monster from my dream.

“Good evening, ladies,” Alistor nastily spits out. “The master would like to see you now.”

chapter 23

A sense of déjà vu hits me in the gut as Alistor pulls me down a narrow hallway, the heavy chains around my wrists a constant reminder that this isn't a dream. Mom is being led by a lesser demon that has the body of a man and the head of a bull, reminding me of the mythical creature called a Minotaur. A third demon flanks us from behind and I have no idea what creature he portrays. He's stocky and short with pinkish skin, black beady eyes, and a pig snout. I would have laughed at the lesser demons, but I remember from my dream that the nine foot tall with black horns had not been one to joke around.

I decide to keep my mouth shut as we continue walking the downward slope, the only light coming from torches on the walls every fifty feet or so. And just like in the dream the ground crunches under our feet. I don't dare look down. I keep my eyes toward the front, staring right into the middle of Alistor's back. A loud rumbling can be heard above us, and as we get closer and farther down this tomb of death I can see an opening with a bright light spilling through. There's also many different voices shouting in Hell's language. The Silver Eagle in me becomes agitated, and I find myself clenching my teeth so hard I fear they will break.

“Gracen,” Mom says quietly behind me, “whatever happens in there, always remember that I love you and...I'm sorry for keeping secrets from you.”

“Mom,” I say back, “we're going to make it out of here. Alive. So shut-up and let me think.” A gruff laugh sounds in front of us.

“Silly humans,” Alistor mumbles deeply, yanking my chains so hard I go flying through the opening and onto the ground. He follows up by kicking me in the stomach, sending me another few feet. The crowd of demons roar with laughter.

Bright stars flicker before my eyes and nausea billows over my body. I shake my head in hopes of clearing my vision, and once I do I get an eyeful of Alistor's twisted face.