Avenger: A Halflings Novel Part 11

"What can I do?" Even as he said it, the hopelessness pressed. All his work to keep her safe, only to see her body writhe toward darkness with no way for him to stop it.

"Keep her mind occupied on what is good - talk to her about anything that she loves or enjoys, anything you can think of that might remind her of the light. If you can get her focus on the goodness of G.o.d, that will help. I'm going to send you with an iPod loaded with worship music to maintain a heavenly atmosphere. Keep the music playing - at all times. It will help."

Raven took the gift, twisting it in his hand. "Thanks."

"Obviously, don't try to enter the midplane again. You have to find somewhere safe for the night - preferably behind water. And you have to watch her closely. Don't let her fall, Raven."

"I won't."

"I'll have the intercessors rest for an hour. Then we'll be in prayer, warring for you both. If she makes it through the night, she'll make it."

If she makes it. "But we can't stay here?"

"No. She needs to be somewhere beyond water so the seeker can't find her. By releasing poison into her veins, his ability to track has increased tremendously. But we can protect in other ways. Once Nikki is gone, the seeker has no authority here, and with it gone our intercessors can engage with full strength. We will battle, Raven. We won't let you down."

Raven believed him. The man had already shown his determination in protecting Nikki. He'd pray, he'd have the others pray - Raven could only hope it would be enough.

His gaze found the tall signage advertising the church. Did the people who attended here know what a warrior their pastor was? Probably not. In Raven's experience, most people chose to pretend there was no battle. If you only knew ...

Raven was just starting to turn from him when the door opened again. An old woman with a cane stepped out and pressed her hand to Raven's cheek. "She will not die," the craggy voice spoke with such certainty, with such conviction it almost persuaded him even though his eyes saw Nikki growing weaker, the grayed wound across her collarbones evidencing her spiritual slide. He tried to utter something in agreement with the old woman's statement, but the words died on his tongue.

"She will live and declare the works of the Lord." The crepe-paper-skinned woman held out a Bible to him. "When it looks desperate, read her this. The pa.s.sage is marked." She smiled, lines deepening on her face and wrinkling around her small, watery eyes.

As he held the worn leather, his destination became clear. "We'll be beyond the waterfall." Before he could change his mind, he added, "If Mace comes back, let him know. He'll know what I'm talking about." His hand smoothed over Nikki's matted hair. "He should be with her too. Especially right now."

"Wait and I'll pack some blankets and food for you," Layton said.

"No time. Thanks for everything, though."

Once airborne, Raven jettisoned toward Missouri and the falls, pretending he held Nikki so tightly because of her inability to hang on herself, instead of in a death grip as a promise to not let her go. He couldn't lose her, not like this. He'd rather lose her to Mace.

He pumped his wings methodically while Nikki lay in his arms. I should be thinking of ways to help her, not my stupid problems.

The landscape changed to the telltale hills and lush forest of the Ozark Mountains. When he spotted the river, he dropped alt.i.tude and drifted into the valley, where the sound of rushing water filled his ears. It was so peaceful, soothing. Safe. "We made it, baby. We're going to be -" Raven looked down, where Nikki remained quiet, still curled into his chest like a kitten trying to stay warm. Her breathing was shallow. Touching down at the foot of the falls, he looked around for something to cover her as he entered the cave so she wouldn't get drenched. "Nikki," he whispered. "I'm going to lay you in the gra.s.s while I look around."

Her head lulled to the side as he removed his arm from beneath her, and she didn't respond as he placed her on the spongy green earth. Raven's chest felt painfully tight. What if she didn't pull through? Would Mace have known what to do to help her? A small voice murmured, "Soon, you'll need to let go," and he bit his lip hard to focus his mind on that pain instead.

Remembering the iPod, he removed it from his pocket and gingerly placed the ear buds into her ears before turning on the music. "This better be some playlist."

Now to find something to keep her dry. But after thirty minutes of searching, he'd turned up nothing but a small Ziploc bag with a few matches inside. The mouth of the cave mocked him, its waterfall doorway like a smooth sheet of gla.s.s. He needed to get her inside, beyond the wall of water, into the cave where the seeker couldn't see them.

And he couldn't waste any more time.

Raven tucked the Bible under his shirt and into the belt of his jeans then gathered Nikki in his arms. He tried to shield her with his body as he walked through the cascade. Nikki lurched as the cold water hit her. Still, Raven held firm and moved fully into the darkened cave.

The rushing sound of water echoed off the walls, its tone different, almost m.u.f.fled inside the domed s.p.a.ce. And in the quiet, Raven sighed and closed his eyes.

Safe.

He dropped his head to hers and let some of the anxiety melt from his muscles. But that was a mistake. The release of tension brought the first wave of the panic he'd staved off, causing his throat to hiccup. He squeezed his teeth so tightly, his jaw ached, but anything was better than considering the possibility of losing her. And as even the pain spread from his teeth to his neck and chest, that's what rushed his mind: a Nikki-less world. A world where he and Mace had failed in the only thing they'd ever teamed up to do. Or worse, a world where Nikki was a dark creature and their only option was to hunt her.

And then she'd truly destroy them. He and Mace both loved her too much.

Raven rubbed his cheek against her hair, wishing once again that he could take the pain away. She'd suffered so much already. If Nikki made it through this, it was time for the craziness to stop. Her entire world had been a whirlwind from the moment those h.e.l.l hounds chased her in the woods to the moment she realized Damon Vessler was at the core of Omega Corporation. He claimed he'd created Nikki. That without her, his plan had no purpose. Vessler'd done insidious things to Nikki, but sending this seeker to hunt her down, to change her so painfully and against her will ... It was inhuman. No matter what happened, Vessler would pay.

The hope Raven clung to was that for Nikki to be any good to her "G.o.dfather," she'd have to turn. If this attempt didn't work, the only way Vessler would succeed is if Nikki went to him willingly ... which of course, was laughable. She knew who Vessler really was now. In fact, she'd nearly killed him in the plane crash, shooting him twice out of vengeance. No, Nikki would never let herself be influenced by Vessler again.

Fatigue sliced through Raven's biceps, but he wasn't ready to relinquish her yet. He stepped deeper inside, shaking the water from his hair. Strands stuck to his cheeks and his stomach rumbled. He ignored both.

Scanning the oval-shaped ceiling of the cave, he noticed a thin streak of light sifting through the rock. He laid Nikki on the ground and gauged the width of the cave. Yep, just enough to snap his wings open. A few gentle beats and he was able to reach the thin crack in the cave ceiling. Dirt filled the crevice. He touched it - dry. No water directly above. He clawed and sc.r.a.ped at the small crack, quickly creating a hole and letting in a bit more light. "Perfect," he mumbled, arms now caked with bits of mud. At least it would allow him to create a small fire without accidentally asphyxiating them both. Before leaving to get whatever dead wood he could find, he checked the iPod's volume and battery. Still good. With a deep breath he disappeared through the waterfall.

Within an hour, he had a fire blazing, with smoke curling into the air and out through the escape hatch he'd constructed. His clothes dried while he worked, but Nikki was shivering. He moved her as close to the flame as he dared, but her lips remained grayish blue and her skin cold and clammy.

Raven fitted himself behind her so his chest rested against her back. With the fire in front, and him behind, Nikki's chills subsided. In another hour, she was asleep.

He opened the book and read, "The Lord is my Shepherd ..."

Chapter 11.

Mace stood in the open doorway of a farmhouse in southern Indiana, still reeling from battle. He had led the group here once the fighting had ended; after finally working his way out of their grip at the church, the seeker had all but disappeared.

Mace's fingers gripped the doorjamb so tightly, he wondered if he'd leave indented fingerprints in the wood.

The house belonged to a Xian Pastor Layton knew, who'd offered to let them rest there awhile, as well as tend to the cut on Glimmer's cheek. While the hospitality was welcomed, Mace had found it difficult to find any respite since they'd arrived. His throat now constricted, angry with himself for letting the seeker slip from them.

His thoughts also lingered on Nikki. She was out there somewhere and injured much worse than Glimmer, the deep gash on her collarbone likely robbing the life from her body. And here he stood, surrounded by the long, rolling hills and the aura of perfect calm.

But that was what was meant to be, he supposed. Raven there with her and him here, constantly trying to catch up, always arriving as the cavalry and never the dashing hero. And he couldn't be angry with Raven for his actions - they had kept Nikki alive, and his results gave him every right to be the one who continued to run with her. Whatever kept her alive was what was best for her. In the time they'd been following Raven's trail, he'd had quite a bit of time to consider that very thought. Whatever kept her alive was best for her.

Or maybe whoever kept her alive was best for her.

He started when a cold hand touched his.

Winter smiled, dropped her fingers. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you. Feeling okay?"

Mace glanced over at her. "Yeah, just thinking."

Winter's hair lay in long dark sheets around her face, every strand still in place even though she'd fought as hard as any of them. Only the weariness in her eyes gave any hint to the events she had faced hours before. "Mace, thinking can be dangerous at a time like this."

"Tell me about it."

She quirked her head to the side. "Why don't you tell me?"

"Nikki's alive because of Raven. He's watched out for her and done everything right ever since they left Viennesse."

"And you think you wouldn't have done the same?"

"I don't know." He focused his attention outside, where a lone horse nibbled hay at a fencerow a few hundred yards away. "I don't think like Raven, that's for sure. I probably would have done the exact opposite and -"

"And how do you know that wouldn't have worked as well?" Winter brushed at a smudge on the hem of her white T-shirt.

"How do I know either way?" Mace turned to face her. "I've never doubted that Nikki and I are supposed to be together. Never. Until now."

Winter stopped working on the stain and looked up. "Mace, you and Nikki love each other. Anyone could see that. When all this is over -"

He cut her off. "Over? This is never going to be over. Even once we find a way to beat the seeker, Vessler is still out there. He still wants Nikki, and everything he's planned hinges on her. Right after this battle, another will be on the horizon. This isn't even close to being over, Winter."

Tiny lines framed her mouth as she smiled. "Mace, you know in your heart that you are supposed to be together. Don't let your head get in the way."

"We'll see. She's okay, right?"

Winter tilted her head back. "It was a deep wound, but yes, I have faith that she's going to be fine."

"Me too." He placed a hand over his stomach. "Deep inside, I know she's okay. How's Glimmer?"

"She's good. Resting, doesn't want us to leave without her."

"Is the cut going to leave a scar?" They all had their battle wounds, and for the most part they wore them proudly. But a scar on Glimmer's face ... Mace didn't figure she would like that.

"No. I don't think it will leave a mark. It was superficial." Winter pivoted and looped an arm through Mace's. "Come on. Let's get you some food, then we can rejoin the fight."

He pulled from her. "You go ahead. I'm going to leap back over to the church in Philadelphia and talk to Pastor Layton again. See if he can remember anything about where Raven was planning to go next."

Winter stepped away from him. "Be careful out there."

He was halfway down the steps when she called to him again.

"And Mace?"

He turned to face her where she stood framed by the front door.

"Follow your heart. Not your head."

"You're awake," Raven said when Nikki stirred and rubbed her eyes with her hands. The fire had died down to glowing embers, with only a faint flame in the center of charred bits of lumber.

"Yes." Her voice was weak, but she was a fighter. She'd get stronger. "How long was I out? What happened?"

His arms and legs were asleep and aching because he hadn't wanted to move for fear of waking her. But now they screamed in protest as fresh blood raced to his extremities in a rush of needle p.r.i.c.ks.

He moved to sit beside her and used one foot to kick at the fire. A flame erupted almost immediately, throwing dancing orange light onto the cave walls. "The seeker caught up to us at the church in Philadelphia."

Her breath quickened. Shallow, fast, each inhale growing deeper until her whole body shook.

"Calm down," he soothed. "It's okay. I got you out of there. We're safe here."

Her eyes darted around the cave wildly and she tried to rise to her feet. A moment later, her hands flew to her throat, grabbing at the healing wound until her hands became like claws ripping at her flesh.

Raven stared in shock at the nightmare in front of him. He finally fisted his hands over hers, wrestling her arms to her sides. "Nikki! Stop it."

She fought him, her spine twisting against his chest. "No! It's in me! I have to get it out, Raven!" Her tone rose to a shriek.

Talk about a fast recovery. For someone who was so weak moments ago, she was fighting - and slipping - from his grip in ways few opponents had ever managed to do. Frustrated, Raven clamped his legs around her lower half in an attempt to stop her momentum. To his amazement, it worked.

"There's nothing in you!" he yelled, but even he knew it sounded false. If Nikki could feel the poison, sense it, it meant she wasn't out of danger. Pastor Layton had given him some instructions. But right now, battling with Nikki, he couldn't remember a single word.

He dragged one of her wrists to the other and clamped her arms against his side, leaving his other arm free. "Nikki!" His free hand smoothed the hair from her face, where it had whipped across her cheeks and forehead. "Nikki" - softer now -"talk to me."

She bucked once more, but soon she calmed.

He pressed his mouth to her ear. "Talk to me, Nikki. Tell me about ..." About what? What had the pastor told him? Get her to talk about things that bring her joy. "Tell me about your artwork. You love to draw, don't you?"

The pause lasted for what felt like an eternity. Her eyes darting again, but not looking at the cave. This time they were searching for the memory he'd requested. Finally, she said, "No, I can't draw anymore. It hurts people."

Raven's heart stuttered. "Okay, well, um, tell me about ... your motorcycle."

"It's gone. Damon Vessler took it away, along with everything else I owned. He wants to turn me into a monster. But I think the seeker beat him to it. I can feel it, Raven. Something evil is moving through my veins." Her voice had dropped several octaves, as if she'd submitted herself to the transformation.

He needed a safer topic. Maybe concentrate deeper into the past. "You grew up with a great dog, didn't you? Bo. Tell me about Bo."

"A h.e.l.l hound killed him while he tried to protect me."

Raven's heart sank a little more. At this rate, I'll turn her in a few minutes. He dropped his head against hers. G.o.d, isn't there something in Nikki's life that doesn't cause her pain? "Nikki, tell me about something that makes you happy."

Her words were a faint whisper. "There isn't any happiness for me."

He began to grind his teeth in frustration. "That's not true." Though much hurt, so many wounds had marred Nikki, maybe there really wasn't anything that could make her happy. Not that it would stop him from searching. "Come on. Let's talk about the night we met at the ruins. Remember? We rode my Harley all over Germany. I know it was a good night for me."

"I hurt Mace. He was so mad, and I lied to him about you."

"Something else, then. You're a Halfling. Tell me about that."

"If I was a Halfling, I would have wings. Do you see wings? No? Me neither. It doesn't matter what Will says. I'm still just a freak."

"You'll get your wings soon. Vine got his at a rock concert just a few days before Mace, Vine, and I showed up to protect you. You're worth protecting, Nikki."

She tilted away. For a moment he thought she'd closed him out, but Raven quickly realized the truth. And it caused the backs of his eyes to burn. Please don't make me do this, he pleaded. But he knew it was the only way. This time when he spoke, there was a new authority in his voice, in part to mask the pain. "Nikki, tell me what makes you happy."

She shook her head, as if speaking was too great an effort.

"Tell me," he insisted. He clamped his hand on her chin and tilted to look at her profile. Her eyes were visibly darker, jolting him with alarm. "Tell me."