Wicked Waves: Solsti Prophecy #2 (36 page)

The metal glowed and pulsed with an eerie blue light.
Magic
. The demon tightened his grip on Kai’s chest. He drew his weapon hand back. Brought it forward with blinding speed—

“No!”
 
Brooke screamed. She lunged for Kai. His brown eyes met hers and his mouth formed words she couldn’t discern, snatched away by the wind.

He and the demon disappeared.

She landed in a heap on the forest floor. Anguish tore through her heart. “Kai!”

Something grabbed her.
No!
 
Have to find him. I don’t have time for this
. She stood and whirled. Raised her knee and connected with muscle.

Her body jostled and a soft
oof
echoed in her ear. The arms around her tightened.

“Brooke. Wake up. I’ve got you.”

Kai. She’d found him. “Are you okay?” she shrieked. She pushed back from him, peering at his arm. “You need bandages. Right now.”

Warm hands smoothed her back. “Sprite. I’m fine. You had another dream.”

Her reality snapped like a rubber band. “Dream?”
 
She clutched his shoulders. Her surroundings registered. Bed. Safe house. Kai had never left her side.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “More like a nightmare.”

A nightmare?
Unbidden tears flowed, her heart still caught in a web of subconscious emotion. “He was going to kill you,” she whispered. “I was so scared. I was trying to get to you.”
 
Sobs shook her body. She buried her damp face in his chest.

“Shh. No one’s going to kill me.”
 
He cocooned her in warmth, letting her ride out the adrenaline and fear.

She cried until she had no tears left. Each gentle stroke of his fingers on her spine soothed her. A huge shuddering sigh escaped her lungs as her muscles unclenched, but a healthy dose of apprehension filled her gut. And she couldn’t ignore it.

“Rosa said my dreams are foreshadowing. That means someone is going to try to kill you. Right?”

“If I had a dollar for every creature who’s tried to kill me, I could buy a realm.”

She frowned. “This was so real. He had a knife, or dagger, and it was magic. It glowed. He held it up to your—” Her voice caught in her throat. She couldn’t say the words.

“Brooke.”
 
Kai shifted back enough to cup her chin and tilt it up. “Look at me.”

She obeyed, losing herself in his warm brown eyes and the husky timbre of his voice.

“I survived Drant’s arena. I had no choice. I fought for my life every time I entered that ring. And I survived the abuse he doled out later, in his torture room. He took pains to make sure I didn’t get cocky.”

He stroked her hair.
So gentle.
After being treated with hatred and looked upon as an animal, he could’ve turned into a heartless killer. How had he retained his honor?

His mother.
A new wave of sadness rolled through her at his loss. One strong, brave female had influenced him with her love. Provided the roots for her child to grow into a worthy male. Gave him the noble heart of the warrior he’d become.

And the man I need
.

“I’m a survivor. So are you. I did what I needed to, even if it meant swallowing my pride and fighting dirty.”
 
His hand left her back, trailing around her hip to lace his fingers with hers. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “No one’s going to kill me.”

You’re not invincible
. But how she wanted to believe he was. “I know you lived through hell,” she whispered. “And I know how strong you are. The dream was just so real. I really thought you were…gone.”

“I’m not going anywhere, baby.”

His eyes took on a soft amber glow and her heart flipped at his words. She couldn’t explain how, but she knew they held more than one meaning. A frisson of joy shot all the way to her toes and back. Emotions radiated from him, embracing her as solidly as his arms did. As he gazed at her in the dark room, a bone-deep connection warmed the air around them.

Her earlier thought echoed in her head.
I need him
. And more than that, she wanted him. And he felt the same.

She didn’t know how she knew it. But the very essence of her being yearned for him. She belonged to him. His voice sounded in her head, clear as a bell.
You’re mine
.

Her sleep-addled, dream-fogged brain must be more tired than she realized. Pushing aside the last tendrils of fear, she snuggled against him and drifted back to the blackness, engulfed by feelings of love. His heart beat a slow, steady rhythm at her ear, lulling her.
Mine.

Brooke picked her way through the trees, following Mathias’ footsteps. He moved like a silent panther, while she crashed through the scrubby brush like a freight train.

Kai brought up the rear, just as stealthy as his comrade. She wouldn’t have known he was there, except for the curious new feeling in her heart that all but announced his nearness. As sure as she could see her right hand, she knew he hovered several feet back.

Too bad her warm thoughts were drowned out by warnings of dread. The images of her dream stayed with her, no matter how hard she worked to push them away. Her suggestion to abort their search for Cale had gone over like a brick. Both Kai and Mathias insisted on tracking down the rogue Lash before he kidnapped anyone else.

Mathias extended a hand in a silent command to stop. Kai came up behind her, one arm wrapping around her waist as they waited for their friend’s report.

Mathias shook his head. “Large group of Serus. Thirty or more. And three Lash.”

“Three?” Kai tightened his grip on her. “Who’s he got with him?”

“One is female, and one is…” Mathias’ brows knitted. “A Watcher. Name’s Raniero.”

“A Watcher’s with Cale?” Kai scowled. “What the fuck is going on?”

“Don’t speak too soon,” Mathias said. “Several elves are with them, too.”

“Jason’s brothers.” Hope flared in Brooke’s heart.

Kai shook his head. “Three Lash. One’s a Watcher. They’re potentially all armed. A shitload of Serus. And we may or may not get help from elf archers who probably don’t have their bows.”
 
He glanced ahead. “What do you suggest for this clusterfuck, old man?”

“That’s the last time you call me that,” Mathias muttered. “We need to get closer. See if they’re injured, get a look at their weapons. Thing is, when we get within eyesight, we’ll also be within their scent range.”

“Got it.” Kai’s other hand flexed on his holster, which held two short swords strapped across his back.

“What should I do?” Brooke asked.

“Don’t leave our side, for starters.” A smile twitched across Kai’s mouth, but his stare was pensive.

“What if this turns ugly?” The smoky chaos of her dream weighed heavily
 

 
on her mind.

“You have your dagger. And you know how to incapacitate a Serus.”
 
Kai rubbed circles on her lower back, a sweet comfort that she welcomed but did little to ease her agitation.

She stared at him, fear making her thoughts trip end over end. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“I’ll be okay, Sprite. Don’t forget, I’ve got this old m—” He grinned at Mathias. “This old bastard on my side.”

Mathias rolled his eyes and grunted. “Let’s go. They’re a half mile away.”

Kai held her hand and walked beside her on the path. His warmth and strength flowed into her skin. She sensed his confidence and drew from it, forcing her fears aside.
He can do this. He lived through hell and escaped.

Something else flared through their new connection. Energy. Bright and vibrant, dancing around her insides the way the sparks had danced across her skin when they’d first touched.
Does he feel it too?

They walked up a small hill. Mathias signaled for them to stop and crouch before they reached the top. Crawling forward between the two males, she peered through dense green shrubs into a chaotic scene.

Cale. She’d never forget the delighted gleam of malice in his eyes when he’d first captured them. His towering blond frame stood out in sharp relief against the ebony-haired female in his grasp. He held a knife to her throat.

The woman’s terror-filled gaze darted from the ground to the third Lash demon. He stood with his back to Brooke. Dark brown wavy hair cascaded past his massive shoulders and he held a sword. From Cale’s angry expression, she guessed the words they exchanged weren’t friendly.

She looked to Kai, who glanced at her before looking over her head to Mathias and mouthing,
What the fuck?

Brooke turned to Mathias.

He shrugged and mouthed,
Cale?

Kai nodded.

A wind ruffled the leaves in front of them. A foreboding chill shot down her spine.

Cale and the dark-haired demon stopped arguing. In the same beat, they both turned in the direction of Brooke’s little group. Cale’s face held a death glare. And the other demon—

Brooke sucked in a breath.
No, no, no
. She’d seen that face before. She grabbed Kai’s arm. “That’s him!
 
The demon from my dream. He’s going to try to kill you!”

“The hell he will. That’s Raniero,” Mathias said through gritted teeth.
 

“Fucking shit,” Kai cursed. “What’s he doing with Cale?
 
Did Arawn send him? And how’d he find Cale before you?”

Mathias swore and leapt to his feet. “Doesn’t matter now.”

Kai followed suit and dragged her up next to him.

Cale’s mouth moved in a command she couldn’t make out. His dark eyes sparked with rage.

 
Twenty Serus charged them, their heavy feet thudding on the spindly gray grass.

Mathias flung a throwing star at the nearest one, which howled as the metal pierced its eye. It fell to the ground clutching its sizzling face. Smoke drifted from between its fingers, filling the air with the scent of burned flesh.

“Dipped in Viper venom. Nice.” Both swords drawn, Kai blocked Brooke from the onslaught of gray demons. He thrust at one, slicing its bicep open before darting back. The demon snarled as blood spurted from its arm.

Mathias grunted behind her. Another thud shook the forest floor. “That’s two!” he yelled. “Did you axe that maggot yet, boy?”

“Fuck you, old man. Keep throwing shit while you can. Arthritis is next.” Kai glowered over his shoulder.

Ignoring their ridiculous male banter, Brooke’s eyes darted among the Serus. Dread barreled through her as she stood between the two Lash. Kai and Mathais worked fast, but there were so many Serus. None had belched their toxic clouds.
What are they waiting for?

They were outnumbered. In a heartbeat, the Serus surrounded them.

The trepidation she hadn’t been able to shake slithered up her spine. Realization dawned. Cale must want Kai alive. Or her.

Cale’s voice rang out through the trees, his voice reverberating to her bones. “Bring him!”
 
His glare was fixed on Kai.

Brooke grabbed Kai’s hand. “No!
 
You can’t. They’ll kill you!”

“Sprite, I told you it’ll take more than this to kill me.” He nodded at Cale and the dark-haired demon.

“But my dream—”

Kai yanked her close. His voice was hushed, lethal. “I’m going to him. They have no idea what you are. What you can do. Your life is too important.”
 
He pulled out of her grasp, eyes hardening, and raised his voice. “I’m the one they want.”
 
He met her eyes for a brief second, before he turned away. “Stay with Mathias.”

She may as well have held onto the wind. He strode from her, dropping his swords on the ground.

Disbelief chilled her from the inside out. She couldn’t speak. Couldn’t move her limbs. He was walking to his death. And he wouldn’t listen to her.

No!
 
Finding her voice, she called, “Stop!”

He didn’t turn around. Two Serus demons flanked him, grabbing his arms. They yanked him away from her, toward Cale and the demon from her nightmare.

Mathias placed a hand on her arm. “Don’t panic, Brooke.”

She whirled and stepped closer to him, wary of the cluster of demons still surrounding them. “He could die!” she said through clenched teeth.

“Have faith in your man.”
 
Mathias gave her arm a gentle squeeze, then they were pushed forward by the Serus demons.

Brooke walked next to Mathias, the two of them surrounded. She peered between the backs of the demons in front of her, straining for a glimpse of Kai.
Her man.
She blinked. She’d call him anything right now, if she could get him free.

Ahead, the two Serus holding Kai halted before Cale, who still pressed a knife to the female’s throat.
Who is she?

Brooke’s group came to a stop. Confusion and panic buzzed in her veins, along with the niggling sense that Kai had a plan.
But what is it?

A roar split the air, making her jump. A flash of light lit the gray landscape like a starburst. Two pops sounded from somewhere in front of her. A strangled cry was cut off. She stood on her tiptoes, craning her neck to see over the Serus demon’s shoulders.

Smoke surrounded the space where Kai had stood a second ago. On the ground lay two smoking lumps. What the—

A blur moved toward Cale, too fast for her eyes to process. Her heart skipped. She didn’t know how she sensed it, but the blur was Kai. Danger howled in her ears.

“No!” she screamed. He needed to stay away from that dark-haired demon. Heart crashing against her ribcage, her eyes and brain struggled to keep up with the flooding panic.

Kai loomed next to Cale. The gleaming metal of his curved Neshi knife pressed into Cale’s shirt.
You use it to carve the heart out. Shit!
 
Would he?
 
Brooke’s eyes riveted to her demon. His words rushed back to her.
I did what I needed to, even if it meant fighting dirty.

Ignoring the threat, Cale clutched the female closer. A few drops of blood trickled from the sharp point biting into her neck.