The Travelers: Book One (13 page)

Ty reached the top of the stairs and found the giant black lion pinning his friend to the ground, his massive claws extended and poised for a swipe.

<<< >>>

Gemma walked to her bedroom after finishing coffee with Izzy. It was so nice to have her friend back safe and sound. It still seemed surreal.

Izzy heard a sharp gasp followed by a thud.

“Gem? Are you okay?”

She cautiously stood from her seat and tip-toed toward Gemma’s bedroom.

“Gemma?”

She peered around the corner and saw Gemma perched over her brother, the sheets on Gemma’s bed wet with blood.

“Oh my god, what happened?” she rushed to Gemma’s side, but the other woman was unresponsive.

Gemma’s hands rested on Carson and she steadily fed him more and more energy, urging him to heal his wounds.

Tears streamed from Gemma’s eyes, but she ignored them in favor of healing Carson’s battered body.

“What’s going on?” Izzy asked again, suddenly concerned for the brother she’d all but forgotten.

“Whatever happens to his wolf happens to him. I can heal him, but only so much,” she sniffled, swiping at tears with blood-soaked hands.

Izzy watched with wide eyes as Carson’s skin grew and knitted itself back together. The gaping slashes across his chest were completely gone.

“That was amazing!” Izzy exclaimed.

Gemma gave her a weak smile; Izzy didn’t remember her complexion being quite so gray before.

“Are you all—” she cut her question short as a fresh trickle of blood seeped from Gemma’s nose.

“You are
not
okay!”

“I’m
fine,”
Gemma argued, already setting to work on the next crop of injuries Carson was acquiring.

“Gemma!” Izzy cried as her friend poured more and more of her life and energy into Carson. She reached her hand out to pull Gemma away, but the school teacher swatted her away.

“Don’t try to stop me, Izzy. I’m not going to let him die.”

“Yeah, well, he’s going to kill
me
if something happens to you,” Izzy answered.

Gemma wiped another trickle of blood from her nose and shook off the fresh wave of dizziness she felt.

“Please, Izzy, I have to do this. I can’t help any other way.”

Izzy nodded and rested a hand on Gemma’s shoulder, trying to funnel her own energy through her friend. She felt her knees get wobbly and she felt suddenly light-headed, but she stayed with Gemma, refusing to let her go it alone.

<<< >>>

“How the hell are you still standing?” A recently-transformed Preston Waters growled at Carson, slowly backing away from the wolf.

Waters didn’t know that Carson barely had the strength to stand on his own. Waters didn’t know that Carson’s vision tunneled in and out as the scene before him receded from view. Waters didn’t know that Carson was on the verge of giving up. But because Water didn’t know any of that, Waters was frightened. He’d given the fight everything he had, but every time he thought Carson was down, the bastard got back up again. 

Carson didn’t know where the reserves of strength and energy came from as he fought the beastly lion that was Preston Waters. He just knew that he had to keep the guy distracted. As Preston fled the scene, Carson’s legs gave out from under him.

Ty reached the other side of the catwalk only to find something more puzzling.

“Uh… Aaron, small problem?” He called over the railing, holding up a baby monitor.

“Please, someone, help,” a defeated cry came from the other side.

Aaron cursed, feeling like the whole operation had gone to shit.

“Fall back!”

Trick and Dez were each trying to take on a couple of men, Carson looked like he was getting his ass kicked, and now they’d botched extraction. It was FUBAR from the moment they’d set in.

No one had to tell Ty twice to get down from the catwalk; he didn’t mind the heights, it was the giant snarling beasts that he wasn’t overly fond of. He tossed the baby monitor to Aaron as he bolted down the stairs.

Trick managed to skate past the gleaming knife of one of his assailants and took the opportunity to haul ass.

Aaron glanced over at Desmond who refused to give up his fight. He laid another guy out before turning to his last.

“Get out of here, big guy, I’m going to help Carson.”

“Fuck you, I’m not leaving without her,” Dez said.

“What are you talking about?” Aaron asked, shouting over the cacophony of echoes in the enormous building.

Desmond’s meaty fist connected with another man’s temple and the man crumpled to the ground. His eyes fell to the baby monitor in Aaron’s hand.

“We came here to save her. She needs help, Aaron!”

Aaron shook his head, “It was a trap you dope! Don’t you get it?”

Dez shook his head, “She’s out there.”

Aaron didn’t have time to fight with him; he had to get Carson out of there. Preston Waters may have given up for the moment, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to come back with a vengeance. He didn’t exactly know how he was going to transport Carson, but his main concern was getting the hell out of dodge.

Chapter 17

Carson awoke in his own body with Gemma on top of him. For a moment, he was content to soak in her warmth and pretend that everything that had happened was just a dream.

Only for a moment though.

After that initial moment, the foggy bliss that clouded his thoughts cleared and he was thrust into the middle of the chaos around him.

“
What the hell happened to him
?
”

“
Why are you asking me? I was
n’
t allowed to go with you
!
”

“
You know that was for your own protection
.
”

“
Because staying here did
so much
for his protection
,
” Izzy yelled back.

The back and forth bickering between her and Aaron gave Carson a splitting headache.

He opened his eyes to find an ashen Gemma resting on his chest.

His heart leapt to his throat and he sat up, cradling her in his arms. She seemed so still and quiet. So cold.She could
n’
t b
e
… not after everything.

“
I tried to stop her
,
” Izzy said to him, her eyes watery.

“
She would
n’
t stop healing yo
u
… I do
n’
t kno
w
…”

Carson pulled Gemma close and felt the faint murmur of her heart beat in response to his. With each
thumpthump
of his heart, Gemm
a’
s answered with a feeble
thump
of its own.

He wanted to be angry with Isabel for letting Gemma get to this point. She looked so frail and fragile in his arms. He hated himself for putting her in this position but he was so grateful for her sacrifice.

Izzy and Aaron resumed their bickering, but all Carson cared about was the delicate flower in his arms. The color started to return to her face the longer he held her and soon, her eyes fluttered open.

“
Hello, beautiful
,
” Carson whispered, brushing a kiss against her lips.

A weak smile turned her mouth.

“
You made it back
.
”

“
I told you I would
,
” he said.

It was then that Trick burst through the front door, out of breath.

“
Hey asshole, way to leave me behind
,
” he called to Aaron before walking into Gemm
a’
s bedroom where everyone crowded together.

“
I was kind of worried about more important things than you having tired tootsies
.
”

Trick elbowed Aaron and then turned his attention to Carson.

“
How yafeeling buddy
?
”

“
Where are Ty and Dez
?
” Carson asked.

“
The
y’
re not back
?
” Trick answered with a look of confusion.

Aaron shuffled from one foot to the other.

“
Dezsaid he was
n’
t going to leave without that girl
.
”

“
Well,
I’
m glad
someone
remembered why they were there
,
” Izzy spat at Aaron.

“
Look,
I’
m sorry about your friend, but we were vastly out-numbered. It was a suicide mission from the get-go
,
” Aaron said.

“
Yeah, well, I used to know someone that thought helping innocent people was worth that sacrifice
,
” she said, crossing her arms in front of her.

Gemma watched the exchange but did
n’
t have enough energy to add anything. She barely had the energy to keep her eyes open anymore.

“
Hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but that guy is long gone
.
”

Izzy bristled at the endearment and took a step towards Aaron, her finger pointing into his chest.

“
Do
n’
t you
ever
think you can get away with calling me that
,
” she hissed.

“
Enough
!
” Carson commanded, his voice attracting everyon
e’
s attention.

“
W
e’
re still missing two of our friends;we do
n’
t have time for this shit
.
”

Aaron looked ashamed of himself, but he gave Isabel a look that clearly said they were
n’
t through yet.

She met his glare with a challenge of her own.

A shrill whistle from Gemm
a’
s front lawn caught their attention.

“
Make that one friend w
e’
re missing
,
” Trick amended recognizing the call. He and Aaron bolted out of the house to greet Dez.

Carson patted Gemma on the arm and she groaned.

“
But I do
n’
t wanna go to school today
,
” she muttered.

Carson grinned and gave her a kiss on the forehead
,“
Come on, le
t’
ssee if anyone else needs your super powers
.
”

She yawned and snuggled into him once more before finally convincing herself to get up.

By the time she reached her living room, Dez, Trick and Aaron were all gingerly hoisting a young woman onto her couch.

“
Alina
!
” Izzycried, rushing to the gir
l’
s side.

“
Oh my god, I ca
n’
t believe you got her out of there
,
” she gushed.

“
Nice job
,
” Carson praised.

Desmond did
n’
t like having all eyes turned on him, so he was thankful when Alina groaned and winced.

Gemma hovered her hands over Alin
a’
s body, looking for any signs of damage. Carson admired her dim purple shimmer and was happy to see that she looked free from shadows.

“
I think sh
e’
s okay
,
” said Gemma.

“
You on the other hand
,
” she turned to Dez who blew her off.

“I’
m fine
.
”

Normally, she would have argued with him, but healing Carson through the fight had taken a lot out of her. She decided to let him be stubborn if tha
t’
s how he wanted it.

Alin
a’
s eyes opened and landed on Izzy first.

“
Isabel! Oh no! They got you again
?
”

Izzy smiled and stroked a lock of auburn hair from her face.

“
No, sweetie.W
e’
re free. My brother and his friends got you out
.
”

Alin
a’
s gold-green eyes roamed over the other faces surrounding her, looking for affirmation. They finally settled on Dez and her lips parted on a silent gasp.

“
It was you, was
n’
t it
?
”

Dez grunted and shrugged, stepping away from everyone else.

Alinafrowned, confused by the ma
n’
s reaction, but she was grateful to be free of Presto
n’
s evil clutches at last.

“
I told them that you know more about all of this than I do
,
” Izzy said.

Carso
n’
s phone buzzed in his pocket and he excused himself to answer it.

“
Hey, I need to talk to you
,
” Ty said.

“
Holy shit!Yo
u’
re okay! W
e’
ve all been waiting for you to get back. Dezsaved the girl
.
”

“
Really? Awesome.Anyway, I need to talk to you about somethin
g
… in private
.
”

Carson did
n’
t like the sound of T
y’
s tone, but he promised that he would be back to the clubhouse as soon as possible.

“
Better yet, come to my place. I do
n’
t want anyone listening
.
”

Carson agreed before rejoining everyone to let them know that Ty was safe.

“
He needs my help with something, so is everyone good here
?
”

Gemm
a’
s eyes said that all she wanted was a worry-free night to snuggle with him, but they both knew that was
n’
t in the cards.

“
Hopefully Alinawill be able to fill in some of the details for us and
I’
ll catch you up
,
” she said.

Carson gave her a quick kiss and a pat on the bottom before heading out.

The other guys excused themselves as well, leaving the women to chat and catch up on everything alone.

“
Yo
u’
re an Evoker
?
” Alina asked, her voice suddenly filled with life.

“A
… what
?
”

“
An Evoker?And that man, h
e’
s your Traveler, yes? Wha
t’
s his transport
?
”

Gemma glanced from Alina to Izzy, relieved to see that Izzy was just as confused as she was.

“
Is tha
t
… English
?
”

Alin
a’
s eyes grew wider, the gold flecks within catching the faint light from a table lamp.

“
You mean, you do
n’
t know
?
”

Gemma shook her head.

“
Wow. So, you guys learned how to do everything without guidance
?
”

“
I do
n’
t know what yo
u’
re talking about. You mean the wolf thing and the healing
?
”

“
A wolf?!Tha
t’
s an exciting transport. And you can heal? Amazing
.
”

“
What does all of this mean though
?
”

“
An Evoker and a Traveler are bonded by their powers. The powers are dormant until the couple meet
.
”

“
That explains why this all started after Carson and I met
,
” said Gemma.

“
An emotional bond is tantamount to honing the abilities and making them stronger bu
t
… physical intimacy can accelerate the process
.
”

Gemm
a’
s face reddened and Izzydid
n’
t even try to hold back her snicker.

“
You dirty girl
,
” she teased
.“
Also, ew
,
” she added when she remembered who the guy in question was.

“
And Izzysaid this magic is like a drug to normal people
?
” Gemma asked, trying to shift the focus away from her.

“
Yes, and unbondedEvokers and Travelers are susceptible to the frenzy to
o
…” she glanced at Izzy, but seemed wary of saying anything.