The 13th Prophecy (26 page)

Our souls were floating freely, tantalizing my senses, and awakening the darkness that craved souls within me. At first the sensation frightened me, causing me to tense. I almost pulled away, but Collin slid his hand around to the back of my head, as his other hand lowered to the small of my back, pulling me even closer. Every inch of my body was pressed against his. When I stopped fighting what I was, his grip on me loosened, gently moving up my back, and cupping my face.

As Collin’s soul was called to me, like a butterfly on a breeze, I thought I could hear him. His voice brushed my mind gently, but there were no words for what he felt. It was a mixture so intense that tears formed in the corners of my eyes. He thought I was brave and beautiful like a Greek goddess, like the version of me on the goblet.
Confident and certain of what to do and when to do it.
Admiration and adoration thickly coated his thoughts. The thing that startled me most was that there was no hint of fear, no underlying thoughts of losing me. He was certain we’d always be together. He was confident that nothing would tear us apart.

As his soul floated past his lips, I felt him sigh in relief. The mental connection I’d had vanished, and the only thing I could feel were his arms around me, his lips against mine. I kissed him deeper, as his soul melted into my body like it belonged there. It felt like wrapping your body in a warm blanket after being frozen. I felt stronger as the piece of lost soul fit back into the place I’d torn it from. Afraid to break the kiss, afraid to pull away, my lips lingered pressing gently to his.

Collin was breathing hard. He held our faces close, gazing at me. His chest swelled as his ragged breathing slowed. Finally he spoke, “I’m still here—and I still love you.”

Eric’s voice pierced my ears, clanging annoyingly like someone beating the bottom of a pot, “Lorren, heal her before I hurl.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Having the remaining sapphire serum removed was somewhat humiliating. The only person who wasn’t watching was Jenna Marie. Collin held my hand, as I squeezed mercilessly. As Lorren spun the rose, it made the venom move through my body. The pain was the only thing that distracted me from having three guys staring at my exposed chest. My back arched off the table as I grit my teeth.

“Almost done,” Lorren said, swirling the rose so quickly that it was a silvery blue blur.

I gripped down on Collin’s hand, trying hard not to scream.

Eric said, “Why is it hurting her like this? It seems to be draining her.” But Lorren remained silent, working quickly to remove the rest of the poison. When no one answered him, his irritation became audible, “Lorren,” he snapped, “is the venom spreading? What the hell’s happening?”

“Don’t know,” Lorren replied. It sounded as if he couldn’t speak as he concentrated on what he was doing. “It’s close to her heart. She’s weak. The poison may be spreading.”

Another gasp of air and a silent scream ripped from my mouth, as I crushed Collin’s hand. I could feel the venom ripping through my chest. It was like a wave of ice burning through my veins as the sapphire serum moved. The voices around me started to sound distorted, like we were under water.

“Her grip’s weakening,” Collin said quietly. His fingers remained wrapped with mine. I could feel his gaze on the side of my face.

“
Awh
, fuck,” Eric growled. He hesitated, hovering over me as if he could do something but wasn’t certain if he should. In a second, I understood why. Eric leaned down, and before I knew what happened I felt his lips on mine. It wasn’t a kiss—it was a transfer of power. Eric infused me with some of his. As he did so, a cold rush of air filled my lungs. The trickle of power continued, and the pain that was shooting through me dulled.

Collin said to Lorren, “He’s drawing her pain into himself. Finish this Lorren.
Hurry,
or you’ll kill both of them!” Panic snuck into Collin’s normally controlled voice. His fingers pressed against mine.

As I lay on the golden slab with my eyes closed, I felt peaceful. The pain coursing through me seemed distant, like a memory. But it wasn’t the numbness that Locoicia taught me. It was better.
Something else.
Later I learned it was Eric, thwarting his curse, feeding me power and taking my pain for me. When his lips pulled away, I sucked in a gasp of air and sat up breathing hard. My hand flew to my racing heart, pressing it, willing it to slow beneath my palm. As my breathing slackened, my eyes focused again and I realized that I was sitting up half naked. And I didn’t really care.

Breathe, Ivy, breathe, I told myself. My gaze was turned down, not seeing much, but I did see him—Eric—sitting on the floor ripping his hands through his hair. He felt my eyes on his face and turned his head toward me, his eyes still downcast.

“Thank you,” I said softly, though I didn’t think he heard. Someone wrapped a blanket around my shoulders, and lowered me down on the table. My eyelids were drooping, heavy with sleep, as I felt
Lorren’s
hands pressing into the soft tissue on my chest. Collin’s familiar touch traced the path that the Guardian’s tooth left across my torso.

“Will it stay like that?” he asked. But I didn’t hear more. I blacked out into a blissful sleep.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

There were no dreams, only silence and security in my sleep. I felt his arms around me, never letting go. I was aware of Collin holding me and speaking nonsense, stroking my long hair. When I stirred, I breathed in deeply and peeled open my eyes. I was lying against Collin’s chest, and he was singing softly. I pressed my eyes closed to listen to his song, but he’d already seen I was awake.

“Hey,” he said quietly. “Feel better?” He was smiling at me.

As I glanced up into Collin’s face, my eyes widened in horror. His mark! I darted up in his arms, and twisted toward him, “Its red! You’re a Valefar again!”

But Collin calmly took my hands and said, “yes, but I’m your Valefar. You made me this time... not Kreturus.
It’s
okay, Ivy.”

Licking my lips, I tried to stop staring, but couldn’t. Eric’s breath in my ear made me jump when he spoke, “Ivy’s second Valefar is much tamer than her first. He seems the same.” Eric sounded disappointed. I glanced at him, and he shrugged. “What? I had to make sure the guy wasn’t still commanded by Kreturus.
Couldn’t have him fucking with you when you go to kill the bastard.”
Did they fight while I was asleep?

I bristled, but Collin turned my face toward his and away from Eric, “It’s better this way. You have your soul back. I’m still me. And he’s still...” he jabbed his thumb at Eric, “him. Only one thing is different. Your scar from the tooth—it has healed but drawing out the venom seems to have changed it. Look.” Collin
unwrapped
the blanket that covered my shoulders. I looked down at my skin and saw the arch of pale blue vines tattooed on my distorted flesh. They spanned from my shoulder to the center of my chest, following the line of the scar across my torso. My jaw hung opened as I stared.

“I’m sorry,” Lorren started to say, but I tugged the blanket around my body, suddenly aware of the gender of the eyes on me. “The magic I used to heal you left a mark and the scar from the tooth will always be there. I tried to remove it, but
…
 
”

I hushed him, “Don’t apologize. It doesn’t matter. And it’s better than demon scales and snake hair. Thank you, Lorren.” I smiled at him, hesitant to meet his gaze and was surprised to see him smile back. What’s another scar?
Another marking on my body?
In a few moments it wouldn’t matter much anyway. I’d fight Kreturus and kill or be killed. Living was the only thing that mattered right then. Living and having this strange collection of friends I’d gained since the night Jake attacked me. We were such an unlikely match that I knew it had to be fate that brought us together.

All eyes were on me, waiting for whatever was next. I cleared my throat, “So, somebody give me a shirt ‘
cause
I don’t care what the artist of the Thirteenth Prophecy thought—I’m not killing Kreturus half-naked.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Shannon’s dagger was clutched tightly in my fist. We walked the frozen earth with the wind howling, looking for the demon. After much debate, we decided that Eric and Lorren couldn’t free the stone in the hilt because they’d already used it. Collin couldn’t remove it because he wasn’t me. And that was true. When I touched the polished black stone on the bottom of the dagger’s base, it slid out in my hand. Satan’s Stone was identical to the pendant around my neck, except the center flowers burned like they were on fire. I’d pressed my finger against the glowing rock, surprised that it didn’t burn. The tips of the intertwined peonies flamed white hot, with the centers burning deep reds and oranges. This part of the stone was alive. The flames moved within it, pulsating, and waiting to be used, waiting to unveil a surge of power so vast that it all but destroys the one who uses it.

Before going topside, I inserted the stone back into the dagger. It ensured Kreturus couldn’t use it if something went horribly wrong. My feet were frozen as we trudged through ankle deep snow. The ground was covered with flecks of dirty sleet, the sky was bright and still stained red. Snow clouds drifted lazily above, unaware of the turmoil below.

Collin and I walked shoulder to shoulder. Eric trailed behind. I asked, “Do we need to worry about the dragon? Omen or not, I thought it was Kreturus’.”

Eric spoke, “The Omen doesn’t belong to anyone, if that’s what it is. He may appear and interfere. But we won’t know what that interference will look like until he does.” Eric smacked the front of his pants, breaking ice off his thighs as he walked.

Collin lifted my hand to his lips, and pressed a kiss onto the back of my hand. Turning toward him, I could see him smiling. The boys seemed more stoked for this than I was. Killing stuff didn’t make me giddy. I did it because I had to. I smiled back, enjoying his company until we heard a grackle screech in the distance. I stopped and turned. My jaw dropped in slow motion as my eyes widened. The horizon that had been blood red seconds ago was turning black. The bodies of grackles poured over the edge like hot tar. They shrieked through the air, intense and angry—and headed directly toward us.

My heart pounded in my chest, ready to run, when Collin grabbed my wrist and shook his head. “You don’t need to run anymore. This is nothing for you. Blast them out of the sky.”

Uncertain, I glanced at Eric and could see that he wasn’t running either. He stood there with his arms folded, nodding in agreement with Collin. I was overruled. I huffed, “You both suck.”

Collin smiled at me, “With any luck, you’ll draw Kreturus out.” A grin twisted across his face. But the only thing I could watch was the sky filling with grackles, pouring closer and closer in an endless stream. They covered the red sky like spilled ink. My throat tightened and my heart pounded in my ears. We were going to let them come. It would draw out Kreturus. It would end this battle once and for all. Knowing that, however, didn’t erase the visions of these birds destroying Collin, plucking him apart piece by piece with their pointy beaks.

Eric turned away from us, watching the screeching birds flying closer and closer with fascination. He finally spoke, without turning around to meet my gaze, “These creatures terrify you, Ivy. I can feel your fear... Mute it. Now,” he growled.