Darkness Comes This Way Part 17

"There's not any affection there." She heard the doubt in her own voice. He laughed loudly and shook his head.

"I'm not that stupid."

Her emotions peaked thinking of him. She wondered briefly if he was alright. He had been caught in that fire at The Compound just before Ethan had drugged her and taken her away. Swallowing nervously, she watched Nathanial in silence as he glided around the room, playing with her vials of blood, no longer paying attention to her.

"And me? What are you going to do with me now that you have what you want?" she wondered out loud after an awkward pause. Pain snaked through her body each time she talked, and her head spun wildly, but she continued to fight to stay awake, afraid that if she fell into unconsciousness one more time she may not wake again.

He turned slightly, staring over his shoulder. No emotion showed on his face.

"You will die in the morning sun or given over to the humans. Whichever comes first." Then he shrugged.

She raised her head and that's when she noticed the small window at the top of the back wall. It wasn't big, not enough to have fit a body, but big enough to let in the outside light. At her angle, it would let in just the right amount of sunlight to hit and burn her to a slow death. She started to struggle against the restraints again.

"It's no use to fight. The drugs and silver poison in your system have made you too weak," he sneered.

"You can't even bring out your Elemental power, I made sure of that."

With that, he turned back to what he was doing at the table. She saw him take a vial, open it, and drink it down as her tired eyes widened in horror. Nathanial couldn't get a power. He wouldn't control it.

Through the chaos of her mind, she heard everything again. There was definitely fighting outside somewhere. Shouting. Shooting.

She heard him somewhere close by the closed door of the room she was in. Draven's voice. He shouted something intangible on the other side of the wall. It sounded distant, faint, but it was definitely him. She sucked in a sharp breath. Her hand slapped the wall in a weak attempt to pull herself up.

Strange warmth blossomed in her chest. Determination gave her an unexplainable strength, and before she could react, the silver cuffs broke silently from her wrists. Nathanial hadn't noticed. He was too busy frowning in confusion at the empty vial in his hands.

"Nothing's happening." He mumbled out loud to himself, still ignoring her, and then she knew. In order for a change to take place, one would have to feed directly from her or another Elemental. Not a tainted gla.s.s vial that had been diluted with air pollutants or metal.

She smiled slyly at her freedom and Nathanial's ignorance, approaching him with the grace of a cat. She could feel her power, immense and flowing in waves over her body. Her fangs extended in excitement.

She tapped his shoulder and he spun wildly. When seeing her he was dumbfounded, unable to find his words. She gave him no time to react, reaching out in blinding speed without a word, to grip him by his throat.

"Of course it won't work. You're not worthy," she seethed with clenched teeth. She saw that her body glowed again, this time a much brighter violet. She almost laughed in spite of everything when seeing the aura. It reminded her of neon. He choked on whatever response he tried to give.

She smiled, evil yet beautiful, and then tossed him through the door with such an extreme force it burst apart from the hinges and frame, sending chunks of wall plaster and twisted metal soaring out with him, before following his flying body out of the room.

Draven was in the midst of fighting, with Thomas nearby, when his attention was brought to the back of the bay after a large crash came tumbling through the door of the room where he knew Zarah was. A scream as a flying body landed through the rubble of concrete and steel echoed around them.

And then there she was.

Zarah stood in the doorway with a vicious smile curving her lips. A bright violet aura surrounded her body, and her eyes glowed vividly. He saw the faint cut on her cheek and could sense not only the silver poisoning in her system, but the intense power that fought around it through her emotions.

He looked down at the body in the rubble and his own enraged emotions boiled over upon seeing who The Commander had been. Nathanial. A low rumble erupted from his chest as he thought of the betrayal. A snarl escaped between his teeth and his lip curled up in loathing.

Zarah hadn't seen Draven. She only had her focus on Nathanial as she stepped over the rubble toward him. He struggled to stand. With a simple wave of her hand, she used a magical force to lift him in the air, causing him to shout in alarm. Wind began to howl around them, kicking up dust and debris into a cyclone.

Draven continued to fight through the attacking Rogues, using his own power and silver daggers as he slashed away or froze them with a single touch. All the while, his attention strayed to watch her.

The wind she had brought on whipped her long hair around her face and as she dropped the breezing cyclone around her, he could see through the falling dust that she was gripping Nathanial by his throat against the wall. She stood an arm's length away from him. The glow from her aura was even brighter than before.

He swallowed. Fear and admiration consumed him.

Zarah looked like a G.o.ddess.

During his lapse of attention on the surrounding fight, he felt a sharp pain in his arm and looked down. A Rogue had managed to get in a strike, making a small gash at his shoulder. He let out a hiss before he charged and threw his weight into the monster. When he did, he placed his hand on the Rogue's chest, and in a matter of seconds, ice formed beneath his fingers, spreading rapidly until it covered the length of the body. The Rogue continued screaming until his last breath was sucked out by shards of ice in his throat. In a final gesture, Draven raised his silver blade and brought it crushing down upon the frozen body to shatter it into a million tiny pieces, skittering across the concrete floor by his feet.

The fight with the rabids inside was done. The group was destroyed. He didn't know how the fight fared outside with the other Guardians and the Fallens that had arrived to offer their services.

Turning again, he saw that in the moment, Zarah was close to Nathanial's face. She was saying something, but he was too far away to hear. Then her power swelled, electrifying the air around the entire base. Nathanial began to scream, choking from her grip.

Thomas approached and stood by Draven as the two watched from a distance, cloaked in the shadows and the destruction of the slaughtered Rogues, as Zarah began to slowly destroy Nathanial. Despite the poison in her system, she didn't lunge for his neck to have his blood. He didn't have enough honor for that kind of easy death. Draven didn't blame her. He wouldn't have done it either.

He swallowed a forming lump in his throat.

Nathanial was burning from the inside out. Smoke curled in a slow dancing rhythm toward the ceiling, before the fire erupted along his pale skin, leaving a stench that burned Draven's senses. In seconds, ashes of their former mentor and boss fell softly through her slender fingers before floating through the air. It was apparent her "gift" was fire...but was it everything? Zarah stared down at her hands questioningly.

She turned and saw him then, the violet glow immediately fading and exhaustion taking over her features. He took a tentative step toward her when she started toward him. But when she began to collapse, he ran, catching her before she could hit the concrete.

"Draven," she whispered, realizing he had caught her.

"I'm here. You're okay. We got you." His voice came out in a rush, and he pushed her hair away from her face.

All of the power had drained her completely. The poison in her system was doing its work again. The only way to combat it would be to feed. Draven was hugging her and she could smell him. It made her lick her lips. That glorious scent-cherry and rich spices that were like no other-filled her and she had to suck in a deep breath to keep her hunger down.

Draven must have sensed it though. He pulled back and stared deeply into her eyes, tracing a finger over the thin cut on her cheek, before glancing back to where Thomas has been. She followed his eyes. Her brother was no longer there, probably having gone out to check on the fight there.

Quickly, he pulled her back against him and turned his head.

"Go ahead," he whispered. "You need it."

"You told me if I ever fed from you, you'd kick my a.s.s," she tried to joke. Her voice came out weak and slow.

"We'll deal with that later," he replied, his voice carrying a smirk that she couldn't see. His fingers tenderly played through strands of her hair. She smiled at his touch.

"Wow, if I'm getting this lucky, maybe I can get you to cross-st.i.tch with me sometime, too." He tensed and quickly shook his head.

"No, that's all yours."

She softly laughed, but it ended on a cough. He pushed her into the crook of his neck further to entice her.

Zarah leaned into him. His scent grew heavier as she neared the hollow of his throat, and beneath her hand on his chest, his heart beat rapidly. It was a funny thing to feel it, knowing that they were a supposed risen-from-the-dead race of creatures. Yet they still had beating hearts and emotions. Perhaps even a soul. A human female and vampire male could bear children.

She closed her eyes and listened to his pulse for a few beats before her teeth finally sank into the soft flesh.

Draven emitted an automatic low growl and gripped her tighter against him as she fed. She savored the glorious flavors that danced over her taste buds, already beginning to return her strength. The rush of his cold blood tasted rich and electrifying. Her eyes sprang open, and her hand tenderly found a grip in his hair. Only seconds pa.s.sed before she pulled away again, not wanting to overtake his offering, and the exhaustion continued to wear her thin. Still, it was enough to start healing the poison in her body.

She pulled back and looked into his eyes again. That's when she noted the change. The silver and violet flecks that sparkled within his irises shone back down at her and she groaned.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, turning her head in shame.

"For what?" Draven sounded confused.

"Everything, but mostly, the change that's occurred within you. Because of me, you're different. A new species so I've been told."

He turned her face gently back toward him.

"I'm not sorry. We'll get through this okay?"

Slowly, she nodded and sighed. Her eyes were drooping. She heard sirens and the helicopter again.

"Am I hearing things?" she asked quietly, confused, focusing on the sounds.

"No. Those are humans. They're close. We need to get out of here soon."

"It's too late, Draven. I have a feeling they already know."

With that, she closed her eyes and breathed deep. He knew she was likely right and uneasiness creased his eyes. Standing, he cradled her in his arms and began to trek back across the bay to meet the others. Except when he turned, he saw them standing at the large rollaway doors already waiting on him. The ma.s.sive forms of the Fallens took up a lot of the s.p.a.ce. Seth was frowning, holding a large golden sword, as he looked around the bay at the destruction. And then his eyes landed on Zarah.

She could sense them, causing her eyes to open again.

"Are those-" she started in awe.

"Yes. They're Fallens. They came to help as a favor to fulfill from your mother's last request."

Zarah almost dropped from his arms from the shock at the mention of her mother, but didn't say anything else. Instead she just held her arms around his neck as he continued to carry her toward the group, resting her head against his shoulder, and stared at the Fallen in the front with curiosity.

"Everything in order?" Draven directed toward the group at no one in particular as he approached closer.

"Not quite," Thomas replied.

"Humans are at the fence line. Police, military, media. 'Copter is circling around, and it's a news reporter. So everything has been caught on camera. We can get out of here through the back, but our species is definitely public now. It'll be world news within forty-eight hours."

Zarah heard and while she was concerned, she was also busy staring at the Fallen. She didn't know much about their kind other than some never-ending war between them and Vampires. They did not seek each other out on the streets for battle though; most lived in secret as humans. Seeing them there to help on behalf of her mother filled her with curiosity, and her eyes wandered tiredly over each of them.

Then the one in front gazed down at her after looking over the destruction behind them, his face stern and his gold eyes stormy.

"She should be destroyed," he rumbled.

Twenty-Eight.

"What?" Draven and Thomas both shouted, facing the Fallen. Zarah hunkered down more into Draven's arms as he pulled in more tightly, protective, and her brother stepped in front of them.

The band of Fallens stepped forward, still holding their strange swords. They were large, their wings intimidating. Zarah saw the other Guardians, the surviving ones from the Compound, quickly step beside them, holding their weapons as well.

"I don't understand, Seth," Thomas finally spoke through gritted teeth. Zarah realized he was addressing the leader.

"I thought you were on our side."

The Fallen rolled his eyes and sheathed his sword. Zarah noted his eyes were brighter, a brilliant gold that shone against his ivory skin. His long strawberry-blonde hair brushed his bare shoulders in waves. All of them had gold eyes, but their own differences. Unique hair colors, skin tones, body builds. But they were all bare-chested and wore black, baggy military style pants with boots.

"I'm not on your side. We are never on your side," Seth said with a dark laugh, causing her thoughts to be interrupted as she turned her attention back. She eyed the scene nervously, wondering if this was how she was going to really die. Surely they wouldn't be able to defeat a band of Fallen warriors.

They were running out of time standing around. Either they had to leave before the humans started storming the abandoned base, or before the sun started rising, which would be soon for both situations. Tired of waiting around, Zarah shifted her position so she could get a better view of Seth.

"Why are Fallens and Vamps at constant war anyway?" she blurted. She felt Draven's arms tense around her, and his fear that they were about to be in another battle-one they were sure to lose.

Seth gazed down at her with narrowed eyes, his look sending shivers down her spine.

"You'll find out one day."

"So, are you going to kill me or not?"

Everyone held their breath when she asked the question, not wavering as she continued staring up at him.

He stepped forward. Thomas and Draven started to stop him, but his warning glare faltered their steps.

"No, I'm not."

Then he reached forward and placed a large warm hand on her cheek where the cut was still trying to heal. Her body was still fighting some of the silver poisoning, despite having fed from Draven, because she didn't take enough and the use of her power had drained her. Warmth spread through her cheek and down her neck into her chest. She almost gasped. It wasn't uncomfortable; it felt beautiful and tender. He took his hand away too fast for her liking and she almost tried to grab it back. Draven frowned slightly at the reaction, but dismissed it when he saw Seth's hand pull away.

"You healed her?" He looked incredulous.

She looked at the Fallen, who was still staring down at her, and instinctively reached up to touch her face. The cut was gone, and she could feel the silver also healed completely from her system. So, why was she still so tired?

As if reading her mind, Seth nodded.

"Yes, the poison is erased. But exhaustion is still prevalent because of the extensive use of power she used."

"Why?" she asked through tired eyes.

"Why help me if you think I should be destroyed?"

He shrugged and looked around the base again.

"I guess you can say our band of warriors are rebels. Your world's version of Rogues perhaps? Your mother was one as well. Not the type that you obviously eradicate, of course. But we go against our Masters. You are granted to live from us, but you won't be so lucky should you meet any Fallen Warriors that follow the Masters. They will destroy you and any that follow you."

"I want to know more about this. About my mother, too," she whispered sleepily, yawning.

"You will in time, I'm sure. For now, we should go," he instructed, looking at the others. Everyone nodded in agreement and began making for the back exit as they heard human shouts coming from outside drawing closer toward the buildings.