Читать книгу Reluctant Prince - Dani-Lyn Alexander - Страница 5

A rhythmic rocking comforted Ryleigh. She couldn’t open her eyes, but that was okay. She would just float in peaceful obscurity.

“Ryleigh.” A man shook her shoulder. “Ryleigh, can you hear me?”

Yes. She wanted to answer, but she couldn’t form the words. Humming, familiar, though she couldn’t quite place it. Something pricked her arm.

“Ryleigh, can you answer me?”

“Mmm hmm.”

Pressure against her head. Oww. Why did her head hurt so much? Why wouldn’t these people leave her alone? A flicker of memory teased her. Rocking, bumping, the floor moving. Was she moving now? She reached for consciousness, only to be dragged back into oblivion.

A bright light shone against her eyes. She lay still for a moment, enjoying the orange and black swatches of color that swirled behind her closed lids. The blackness began to take on shape, the oranges and yellows merging to form a halo around a human shaped silhouette. The silhouette of a guy with broad shoulders.

“Ryleigh.” The man spoke louder this time.

She struggled to respond. The dreamy image dissipated the instant her eyes fluttered open, but the memory plagued her, followed her into consciousness. Everything hurt, as if she’d been run over by a truck. Background noise intruded on her confusion, beeping, talking, footsteps, more beeping. Bright light burned her eyes, added to the already thunderous headache threatening to overwhelm her. Bile surged up the back of her throat.

“How do you feel, Ryleigh?”

“I hurt.” She struggled to sit up.

“Lie still, honey.” He pressed her back down, his deep voice comforting, firm, in control.

Why did that matter? Control. Everything was out of control. The memories poured over her in an avalanche of emotion, battered at her mind, threatened to suffocate her. She fought the restraining hands.

“Ryleigh.” Fingers tightened around her arms.

Longing to flee, she thrashed even harder.

“Ryleigh, you have to stop struggling. You’re going to pull your IV out.” The man’s voice was firm, but not unkind.

Sounds that had melded into a dull roar began to make sense. The machines beeping, moans and sobs, wheels clattering as a cart rolled across the floor. She was in the hospital. Was Mia here? Was she hurt? They would ask questions. Questions that were better left unanswered. “Ugh.”

“It’s okay, honey. Just relax.” An elderly nurse patted her arm.

Yeah right. She started to cough.

The hands that had worked so hard to restrain her now eased her up. Someone raised the back of the stretcher and tucked the torn sleeve of her blouse up to adjust the IV.

Once the coughing fit subsided, she fell back against the bed. She rubbed her chest, but it didn’t relieve her pain.

Someone adjusted a tube under her nose. Oxygen? Had she pulled it free in her struggles?

“Welcome back, Ryleigh. I’m Dr. Martin. Do you know where you are?”

The small cubicle housed a variety of machines, a tray holding an assortment of instruments and bloody cloths, the doctor, and two nurses. “I’m in the hospital.” Rawness scratched her throat. “What happened?”

“Why don’t you tell me?” The doctor had kind eyes, but his concerned frown hardened them.

Ryleigh licked her lips, but it did little to relieve the dryness. She tried to swallow, which led to another coughing episode.

A nurse pressed a paper cup into her hand.

Grateful, Ryleigh popped an ice chip into her mouth and moved it around, hoping to ease the worst of the discomfort and stall for time. Her stomach turned over, and she abandoned the cup on the counter beside her.

“There was an earthquake?”

The doctor nodded distractedly as he studied Ryleigh’s eyes.

“Is my sister here? I have to find my sister.” She sat up and tugged the tubing from beneath her nose.

“Hey, hey, hold on.” He stilled her hands, took the oxygen from her, and returned it to its place. “I’m not sure if your sister’s here, hon, but we can find out for you. Just lie back down so I can finish up here. What’s your sister’s name?”

“Mia.” She settled back down, tried to fight back the fear and co-operate.

“Her full name?”

Ryleigh dropped her head back without answering and reached for her head.

The doctor stopped her. “You have stitches in your head.” He pressed a piece of gauze against the injury and taped it into place. “Can you tell me what—”

“Please, doctor. I need to find my sister.” Pain hammered through her head. Her hands shook. Nausea threatened.

The doctor nodded to one of the nurses, who turned and left the room. “Don’t worry, honey. The nurse won’t be long. If your sister’s here she’ll find her.” He sat back and studied Ryleigh. “There, you’re all done. How do you feel?”

Ryleigh breathed a small sigh of relief. A safe topic. “Everything hurts.”

“You’ll feel better in a couple of days.” He patted her knee. “Just sit tight, and I’ll be back in a few minutes. We’re going to do some x-rays and clean up your feet and legs.” He stood, pulled the curtain aside and was instantly swallowed up by the bedlam of the emergency room.

She hadn’t noticed the stinging before the doctor mentioned it, but now it stole every bit of her concentration. Her feet and knees were on fire. She turned one foot up to examine the bottom and dropped it back down just as quickly. Ouch. Would she be able to walk? Well, she didn’t have a choice. She had to find Mia and get out of there. The last thing she needed was a social worker breathing down her neck. She’d be eighteen in less than a year, and then she could be Mia’s legal guardian. In the meantime, they both had to lay low and keep from drawing attention to themselves.

She sat up and swung her feet over the edge of the stretcher. Everything swam in and out of focus, and she gripped the bed tightly. Sweat coated her forehead. She stared straight ahead trying to steady her vision.

A shadow moved toward her.

She squinted in an effort to bring the shape into focus. Was she hallucinating?

The silhouette moved toward her, the same figure that had emerged from the flames just before she’d escaped the building. The sea of people parted as he strode through the chaos.

Her breath caught in her throat, and she struggled to swallow.

He didn’t seem much older than her, yet he exuded confidence and strength, power even. His features became more defined as he moved closer. Shaggy dark hair, strong jaw, full lips, cold, hard, intense eyes that locked onto hers, sucked her in, caged her.

A jolt of fear shot through her. Who was he? And why was he here? Had he been hurt in the earthquake? Somehow she didn’t think so. His black jeans and long-sleeved black shirt didn’t have a mark on them, unlike her own tattered skirt and blouse. Not to mention the ruined panty hose shredded around her legs.

He elicited strong feelings in her, conflicting emotions that made no sense. Why was she so afraid of him? More importantly, why was she so inexplicably drawn to him? She ripped her gaze away and pushed her hair behind her ears with shaky hands, the movement breaking the hypnotic trance he held over her.

She pulled the oxygen from her face and dropped the tubing onto the counter but had no clue how to disconnect the IV. The thought of pulling the needle out of her arm sent bile rushing back up her throat. She forced it down again and searched the room for another solution. A pole on wheels stood in the corner. Perfect. She’d hang the IV bag from the pole and push it with her as she’d seen other patients doing.

She scanned the floor in search of her shoes. The pang of regret only lasted a moment when she remembered shucking the dreaded pumps somewhere in her rush to escape the building. “All right, here goes.”

Ryleigh sucked in a breath and held it as she pushed off the gurney and lowered her feet gently to the cold tile floor. The cool tile soothed the burn, but then she took her first step. Pain flared up her leg and into her hip. Her knee buckled, and she squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the fall.

Instead of hitting the floor as she’d expected, she crashed against a warm, hard body. Her eyes shot open, and she gasped, filling her lungs with a deep, rich, earthy scent.

“Whoa, are you all right?”

“I’m sorry.” She found herself face to face with the man of her dreams. “I…I…umm…”

He grinned.

Her heart skipped a beat.

“Where are you trying to go?” He looked down at her bruised, swollen knee and his grin quickly turned to a frown. “You shouldn’t be trying to stand.”

Heat crept up her cheeks. “I have to find my sister.” No way would she confide in this stranger, no matter how attracted she was to him.

“Can I help you?”

“That’s okay, thank you. I’m good.” She inhaled deeply, reluctant to leave the woodsy scent clinging to him and his strong arms surrounding her. It had been a long time since she’d had someone to lean on, someone to keep her safe.

She took a tentative step toward the corridor. Pain burned in her feet, but it was bearable. She cautiously shifted her weight to the other foot. She could do this.

His strong arms lifted her, cradled her against a solid wall of muscle.

“Hey! What are you doing?”

Dark, brooding eyes stared back at her. Dangerous eyes. “This is foolish. You’re going to hurt yourself worse.”

“Put me down.” She tore her gaze from his.

He dropped her back onto the gurney. “Wait here.”

“Why would I listen to you? I don’t even know you.”

“Look.” He shoved his hand through his hair. “Do you want to get out of here or what?”

An image of Mia flashed through her mind. “Yeah.”

“Then you’re going to have to trust me.”

She lifted an eyebrow, using the skeptical glare she usually reserved for her sister. “Why would I do that?”

His crooked smile sent her heart racing.

“How far do you think you’re going to get with your feet all cut up? Besides, you don’t want germs from whatever might be on this floor to get in those cuts, they’ll get infected.” He held his hands pressed to her leg, an intense scowl marring his perfect features.

“Hey. What are you doing?”

“What? Oh, nothing. Just checking how bad your injuries are.” He glanced over his shoulder, studied the busy corridor for a moment. “Wait here, okay? I promise I’ll come right back.” He hurried into the melee of the emergency room.

She swung her feet off the edge of the gurney. Would he come back? How long could she wait? Maybe she should let them tend to her feet before she left. She wouldn’t be any good to Mia if she couldn’t even walk.

“Look what I found.” The nurse’s singsong voice pulled her back from the brink of indecision.

“Mia.” Tears sprang into Ryleigh’s eyes. There was no way to contain them. A sob tore through her as the floodgates opened.

Mia pulled her hand from the nurse’s and ran to her sister. “Ryleigh.” She threw herself into Ryleigh’s arms. “Are you all right?”

Hugging Mia tight, Ryleigh helped her onto the gurney. The smell of smoke clung to the younger girl’s hair and clothes, burned Ryleigh’s eyes, but she only pulled her closer. “Are you all right? Are you hurt?” She held Mia at arm’s length. Torn clothes, tear streaked soot covering her face, matted hair. No injuries she could see. Oh, thank God.

Mia collapsed back into her arms.

Ryleigh curled protectively around her.

“Come on, dear.” Tears filled the nurse’s eyes, but she wore a kind smile as she helped Mia move from Ryleigh’s grip. “Why don’t you sit right here next to your sister, while I clean up her feet?”

Mia clutched tightly to Ryleigh’s hand but inched up to sit beside her, allowing the nurse room to work.

“Where have you been?” Ryleigh brushed Mia’s hair behind her ear. “I was so scared.”

“They brought me in the ambulance with you but took you away as soon as we got here.” Mia choked back a sob, sniffed. “They wouldn’t let me see you.”

“It’s all right, baby.” She hugged Mia awkwardly. “You’re with me now. Everything is going to work out.” A sharp pain in her foot made her flinch.

“I’m sorry, dear. I’m going to give you something for the pain, so I can clean these wounds.”

Ryleigh nodded. “Thank you.”

The nurse prepared a syringe and injected it into Ryleigh’s foot, then went to work.

Ryleigh tried to keep her mind off the pain, occupying her attention by staring into the turmoil of the emergency room. An orderly pushed a stretcher past her cubicle. An elderly man, bleeding profusely from a head wound. Maybe he’d been caught in the earthquake. A woman stormed past, obviously angry. High heels clattered. Someone screamed. The odor of antiseptic clung to everything.

Her gaze traveled past the stranger, at first, but shot back to him almost instantly. She held her breath. He was big, his dark hair pulled back and tied at the nape of his neck. Sort of like her stranger, but different, older, his gaze harder, more intense. Dangerous, for sure, but so much more. His eyes held something…evil, something that made her skin crawl and the sweat creep down her back. She tried to turn away, but his gaze pinned hers, and she froze.

“Hi.” A woman dressed in a business suit entered the cubicle pushing a computer on a cart. She only blocked Ryleigh’s view for a second, but when she moved out of the way, the stranger was gone.

Maybe the pain made her imagination run wild.

“I have to ask you a few questions.”

Uh…oh. The words splashed over her like ice water. Ryleigh no longer had a legal guardian, nor did she have medical insurance. “Ouch,” she screeched and pulled her foot away from the nurse.

“You have to stay still.”

“It hurts, though.” Ryleigh squirmed, more from fear of answering questions than pain.

“I know, but the quicker I get it done the sooner you’ll feel better.” The nurse smiled at her.

A small niggle of guilt tugged at Ryleigh’s conscience. “Please.” She let the tears flow freely down her face as she addressed the woman with the computer. “I’m in so much pain. Can’t you come back and ask questions later?”

A look of sympathy crossed the woman’s face, and she squeezed Ryleigh’s hand. “Sure. I’ll be back in a little bit.”

Ryleigh finally took a deep breath. “Thank you.”

Just as the woman pushed the clattering cart into the hallway, Mia coughed.

Using the sounds as cover, Ryleigh buried her face in Mia’s hair. “Did you tell them anything?” Unsure if the soft whisper of sound had reached her sister, she held her breath and waited for an answer.

The quick, discreet shake of Mia’s head allowed her to relax. She dropped back against the stretcher. With Mia’s weight pressed firmly against her and the knowledge that they were safe for the moment, she allowed her eyes to drift closed.

The kind nurse kept up an incessant stream of chatter, the sound merging with the background noise of the emergency department and creating a steady buzz in Ryleigh’s already pounding head. She tried to block the racket, the pain, the fear.

Letting her mind drift brought visions of the tall, dark stranger who’d disappeared once again. Had she imagined him?

Images of the second stranger intruded, ratcheted up the tension level, tightened her muscles,

Mia shifted.

The movement sent a bolt of pain through Ryleigh’s head. “Ugh.”

“You okay?”

Ryleigh caught the raw fear in Mia’s eyes.

“Of course, I’m okay.”

The tears spilled over and poured down Mia’s cheeks. She turned her face into Ryleigh’s chest and wept.

“It’s all right, baby. I’m fine.” She rubbed Mia’s back, smoothed her hair. Poor baby.

“I…was…” She sniffed, struggled to gain control. “I was so scared.”

“Baby, calm down. I’m here, everything’s all right now.”

“I thought you wouldn’t find me. Then I thought you were going to…” Sobs shook her tiny, fragile body.

“Oh, honey.” Ryleigh used her sleeve to wipe away her own tears. “I’m sorry. Nothing’s going to happen to me.”

Mia lifted her head, her eyebrows drawn together, anger coloring her cheeks. “You can’t know that, and you can’t promise me that.”

Ryleigh grabbed a box of tissues from the counter, pulled out a couple, and handed the rest of the box to Mia. Her parents would have done anything to stay with their children. Her grandmother’s fight had been desperate, but futile, as she struggled to hold on until Ryleigh was old enough to be Mia’s guardian. She sighed. “Look. I can’t promise you nothing will ever happen to me, but I can promise I’ll be here for you as long as I live. Always. I’ll never leave you, baby, and there’s no way I would have left that building without finding you first. So no more worries. Deal? It’s just you and me now. We’ll always take care of each other. Right?”

A half smile almost reached Mia’s eyes. She nodded and threw herself back into Ryleigh’s arms.

Ryleigh kissed her head. “Love you, little sis.”

“Me too, big sis.”

* * * *

The sisters’ conversation touched Jackson in a way he couldn’t possibly comprehend, and raised protective instincts foreign to him. He had little experience with emotions, much less the barrage threatening to drown him. He leaned his head back against the wall and swallowed the lump blocking his throat. What was wrong with him? Perhaps his father had been right to banish him. He was weak.

A nurse hurried past.

He shoved away from the wall and pushed the wheelchair into the cubicle she had just left.

The two girls lay tangled together on the gurney, eyes closed, vulnerable.

Anger crushed the self-pity he’d allowed to take root. No one had the right to take either of these girls from the other. He had to get Ryleigh out of there and figure out how he could save her, if she would even go with him. She’d been in such a hurry to leave before, but now she’d found her sister, her urgency had probably lessened or disappeared completely.

He cleared his throat, loath to disturb them yet desperate to get them to safety.

Ryleigh’s eyes fluttered open. “Hi.” Her smile filled her eyes. “Nice outfit.”

His heart stuttered. He’d forgotten he’d snatched a set of scrubs from a utility closet and thrown them over his clothes. “Thanks.” He grinned and pushed the wheelchair to the side of the stretcher. “Is this your sister?”

Even in sleep, the young girl whimpered and stirred.

“Yes. This is Mia.” She studied the girl with affection, smoothed her tangled hair.

“Is she all right?” His level of concern for the child surprised him.

“Yes, thank you. She wasn’t hurt, just scared.”

Jackson wanted to reach out to the little girl and smooth her tousled hair as well. He ignored the instinct. “She’s had a hard day.”

Her soft, husky laughter filled the room, flowed through his body, teased his very soul. “You don’t know the half of it.”

He shook off the urge to climb onto the bed beside them and wrap them in his protective embrace. “Well, I guess I’m too late to help you make your escape?”

She scowled. “Well, actually…” She chewed on her lower lip.

A shiver coursed through him. He resisted the impulse to smooth her brow.

“I was still thinking of taking Mia home,” she whispered and looked past him.

Relief flooded him. “Do you want a hand?” Goose bumps prickled along the back of his neck, and he glanced over his shoulder. He had to get them out of there, now. Why, though? There should be no immediate danger, yet…

She shrugged, searching his gaze, and pulled her sister closer.

He hadn’t even told her his name, didn’t know her name. How could he expect her to trust him? “I’m sorry, I haven’t properly introduced myself. I’m Jackson Maynard, and you are?” He extended his hand.

“Ryleigh Donnovan.” She placed her hand in his, and it sizzled. A small shower of sparks ignited. She flinched back. “What the…”

A pleasant warmth spread through his palm and up his arm. What the hell was going on? He forced a laugh and answered with a shrug. “Static electricity? Weird, huh?”

She stared at him, searched his eyes, probed deeply, and then shrugged. “Yeah, weird.” This time her laughter was more nervous than genuine.

“Anyway, why do you want to get out of here so badly?” It didn’t matter to him either way, as long as she wanted to go, but he wanted her a little more at ease with him so she wouldn’t bolt the minute she got the chance. He also hoped she’d ignore the whole sparking incident.

She looked past him again, put a shaky hand to her mouth, and chewed on a fingernail. “I’m exhausted, and I just want to go home.”

“Will the doctor release you?” He moved the wheelchair aside to study the IV set up.

“Probably not. He said I still need x-rays.”

He gestured to the IV. “I’m going to have to remove this if you want to get out of here.”

She nodded and held her arm out, her eyes continuously scanning the emergency room. What was she looking for?

He angled to allow himself a view of the doorway as he pulled the tape from her arm, slid the needle free, and grabbed a fresh gauze pad from the tray. “Here press this against your arm. We’re going to have to hurry.”

Her gaze shot to the doorway as she straightened. “Mia, you have to wake up now.” Ryleigh shook her sister’s shoulder.

Mia jumped, startled.

“We have to go now. Stay quiet.”

“What’s wrong?” She rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

“Nothing, it’s just time to go.”

“So why do I have to be quiet?” She tilted her head and glanced at Jackson.

“Mia.” Ryleigh whispered fiercely as she guided Mia off the bed. Her attention briefly flickered to Jackson, and she lowered her voice even more. “The lady with the questions is going to come back.”

Understanding dawned in the younger girl’s eyes. She clamped her mouth shut and stared at Jackson, fear deepening her scowl.

“It’s okay. This is Jackson. He’s a friend.”

A friend? Jackson’s heart stuttered and warmed. He smiled. “Hi, Mia. It’s nice to meet you.”

She nodded and glanced at Ryleigh for approval then extended her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Jackson hesitated for only a fraction of a second before he took her hand. Her tiny hand appeared even smaller when swallowed up by his larger one, but at least there were no sparks to explain.

Ryleigh huffed.

So, she’d been worried as well. He grinned at her, grabbed the wheelchair, and pushed it to the side of the gurney. “Your chariot awaits, my lady.” He bowed, with an over-exaggerated flourish.

A small giggle escaped Mia, and she slapped a hand over her mouth.

“What?” Jackson laughed. There was something about this kid. “Too much?”

“Too corny.” Laughter danced in Mia’s eyes.

“You think?”

“Yup.” She nodded. “Ryleigh’s too grounded in reality to fall for such an obvious line.”

Jackson laughed harder. Thoughts of Cymmera filled his mind. Elijah, the prophecy, the constant threat to his people. Unfortunately, Ryleigh’s firm grip on reality did not lie in the same direction as her destiny. Oh, man was she in for a surprise.

A cramp tightened his side. What the hell? He rubbed it but still couldn’t control the laughter. Tears ran from his eyes. He had never laughed so hard.

“Are you all right?” Ryleigh raised an eyebrow.

He struggled to gain control of his runaway emotions.

“I’m sorry.” He took a deep breath, filled his lungs, and tried to subdue the joy that filled him. “She’s blunt, I like that.”

Mia’s face reddened, but she smiled.

Ryleigh tousled her sister’s hair. “Yes she is, and honest to a fault.”

“Come on, let’s get out of here.” He grasped Ryleigh’s arm and guided her into the wheelchair. “Do you have anything with you?”

“Just my purse.” She gestured toward the counter.

He grabbed her purse and handed it to her.

“Let’s go. Mia, I want you to walk on the left side of the wheelchair. Stay right beside it, all right?”

She nodded again and grabbed her sister’s hand. She chewed on her bottom lip, much the same as Ryleigh had done earlier. Tears pooled in her big, blue eyes.

What was she so scared of? To his knowledge, they knew nothing of the danger that awaited them, and yet they both exhibited the same fear. His tension level increased.

“Don’t worry. I’ll get you out of here. I promise.”

The plea in Mia’s eyes touched his heart. A small flicker of trust lit her eyes.

He braced himself and searched the crowded ER for any sign of danger.

The girls scanned the room as well.

He pushed Ryleigh through the crowd and into a fairly quiet corridor lined with doors. Some stood open, others closed, but darkness lay beyond most of them. He moved quickly. This was one of the most dangerous points in his escape plan.

Ryleigh gasped. She lowered her head and lifted a hand to her hair, effectively covering her face. She pulled Mia closer.

Jackson tensed, slowed, braced for the attack.

A woman walked toward them. The clicking of her high heels echoed through the hallway, covering any small sounds that might warn of impending trouble. Jackson released his grip on the wheelchair, freeing up his hands, ready for a fight. It had been centuries since he’d fought without using any of his powers, and the loss weighed heavily, but he still retained considerable skills in battle.

“Oh, hi. Are you feeling better?”

Ryleigh swallowed hard. “Yes, thank you.”

“I’ll be in right after you’re finished in x-ray.”

“Umm…sure.”

The woman nodded to Jackson and continued on her way.

Ryleigh laid her head back and closed her eyes.

Mia looked at him with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Even though the click, click, click followed the woman’s retreat, he glanced over his shoulder to be sure she’d gone. Relieved he’d avoided trouble, though unsure what that trouble might have been, he picked up his pace.

They reached the far end of the hall without incident. He’d already disabled the alarm on the fire door at the back of the hospital but held his breath as he shoved it open, hoping no one had found and repaired it. No alarm. Good. Breathe.

He stuck his head out. No one, which didn’t mean much since a soldier could appear from Cymmera or Argonas wherever he chose to open a gateway. A brick wall lined with a thick row of bushes surrounded a large courtyard. Three entrances opened up to the empty space, the door he now occupied, a walkway leading between the bushes and around the building, and the service alley, which led to the parking lot.

Jackson trusted his father to honor the three-month reprieve he’d agreed to, but what of their enemy? Daygan possessed his own seer. Would he know to send someone to retrieve the girl?

He returned to Ryleigh. “I’m going to carry you outside. Stay hidden in the shadows until I pull the car up.”

“Do you really think that’s necessary?”

“Do you want to get caught?” Urgency beat at him.

“I’m sure I can walk.”

“No time. It’ll be quicker if I carry you.”

“Can’t you just push me in the wheel chair?”

“No ramp.” Ignoring her protests, he lifted her from the chair. “Come on Mia, stay right with me.”

She practically glued herself to his side as they maneuvered through the doorway.

He lowered Ryleigh to the ground. “Stay here, don’t move and keep your heads down.” A small lamp shone on the opposite side of the door, and he reached for the well of energy within him. Concentrated. He searched for the ball of light in his core, desperate to extinguish the light with a burst of energy. Nothing. Damn. Fairly certain the girls remained concealed in the shadows, he abandoned his efforts. No sense wasting time. He ran down the alley, staying as close to the building as possible. Fear consumed him. He had to get back to Ryleigh and Mia.

He flattened his back against the wall and peered around the corner. It would only take a few seconds to reach the first row of cars before he’d have at least some cover again. He searched the empty parking lot. Quiet. Too quiet. He tried to reach out with his extra senses. Nothing. He had to get used to being stripped of his powers. He inhaled deeply and ran.

The impact came from his right side with no warning. He went down hard, dragging his attacker with him as he rolled. He circled his right arm around his opponent’s throat, threw his weight back and snapped the other man’s neck. In one fluid motion, he dumped the lifeless body to the ground and sprang to his feet.

Ryleigh.

Even without use of his powers, his speed surpassed that of any human. The alley sped past him in a blur, and seconds after he’d disposed of Daygan’s minion he stood at the back entrance to the hospital. Face to face with Kai.

“What are you doing here?” Jackson forced his strained breathing to slow.

Kai laughed. “Babysitting, of course. Someone has to keep an eye on you, so your father sent me.” He held Ryleigh’s back pressed against him, his arm draped across her neck, one hand gripping her shoulder as he stroked her hair.

“Let go of me!” Ryleigh gripped his arm, struggling to loosen his hold on her.

“Release her, Kai.” Jackson wanted to tell her to save her energy, wanted to scream for her to wait for his signal before moving. Instead, he remained silent, watched, waited, searched for an opening. He took one step closer.

Kai’s grip tightened. “And why would I release her, My Prince?” He spat the last out with bitterness and contempt. “Because you ordered me to? I trained you for hundreds of years to take my place. And how do you repay me? You fail. Did I teach you nothing? If my king demanded I retrieve the girl, I would have followed his orders.”

“I said, release her, Kai. Now. That’s a direct order.”

Kai laughed harder. A vicious laugh that held no humor, only hostility. The warrior could already have escaped to Cymmera. Could have easily snapped Ryleigh’s neck and taken her. But his arrogance wouldn’t allow it, nor would his respect for the king. He only wanted to torment Jackson, flaunt his superiority over his young protégé.

That would prove to be a critical mistake, if Jackson could just get Ryleigh out of harm’s way.

“I thought you might enjoy watching how it’s done, thought maybe I’d man you up a little.” He tightened his grip on Ryleigh’s shoulder, took her chin in his other hand. “Ah…but there’s no reason to toughen you up now, is there? You see, my young friend, your father might be too weak to impose the proper punishment on you, but be assured, I am not.” He forced Ryleigh’s head to the side, twisted her neck, slowly, drawing out the drama of the moment. Reveling in it. “I could escort the girl to Cymmera and properly enslave her then return for you.” A vicious grin lit Kai’s face. “What do you say, boy?”

A movement in his peripheral vision drew Jackson’s attention. He forced his gaze to remain fixed on his adversary. The weight of the dagger in his sleeve called to him. There would be no second chance. He inhaled deeply. Held his breath. Waited.

Mia sprang from the darkness, swinging a large, dead branch as she pounced. She couldn’t move quickly enough to land a damaging blow, but forced Kai to release Ryleigh’s chin to block the impact.

Ryleigh flung her body to the side, revealing just enough of Kai’s chest to make a target.

Jackson attacked. He plunged the knife deep, but avoided Kai’s heart. Maybe the crazy bastard didn’t have one. Jackson pulled back.

Kai swung his arm, flinging Ryleigh aside.

“You would dare attack me?” Spit flew from the warrior’s mouth as he screamed. Rage colored his face. “Over a girl? A human? Do you forget I taught you everything you know? This is how you repay me for all the years I’ve spent training you? For that I will see you tortured before you’re executed.”

Jackson let him rant. He tried to keep track of the girls from the corner of his eye as he and Kai circled one another.

Ryleigh grabbed Mia and dragged her beneath the cover of the bushes.

Kai and Jackson circled around.

With Ryleigh and Mia out of the way, Jackson turned his full attention on his mentor.

“Why would you kill me, Kai?” Jackson tilted his head, teased his tormentor. “As punishment for my sins? Or, perhaps…” His voice and expression hardened. “You are not willing to relinquish your position as second in command.”

“Don’t be a fool. I’ve been training you for that role since you were a child, but I should have realized your cowardice before now.” Kai appeared thoughtful, but Jackson knew him too well to be fooled. “Hmm…Perhaps your brother would be better suited to stand beside your father.”

Jackson stepped forward, dagger raised.

A bolt of pure energy exploded from Kai’s fingers.

The fireball slammed into Jackson’s chest and catapulted him into the wall. His head smashed into the bricks. Hard.