Текст книги "Something Witchy This Way Comes "

Автор книги: Veronica Blade

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Текущая страница: 17 (всего у книги 19 страниц)

Chapter Thirty-six

Hayden

I showed up to fourth period, just for the test. My plan had been to leave immediately afterward, since Chait would be waiting for me in the school lot. Instead, I walked with Tessa to the cafeteria. “I’ll sit with the guys.”

“Whatever. It’s not like you’re required to sit with me, Hayden. You never were.” She picked up her pace and sailed through the entryway to the lunchroom.

“Fine,” I mumbled, but she’d already left. After getting my food, I took my usual spot with Brad, Skyler and the guys.

“What’s up with you and Tessa?” Skyler asked. “I’m not feelin’ the love.”

“There was no love to begin with,” Brad said. “Right, Hayden?”

Chait expected me outside. That’s where I should’ve been. But I couldn’t make myself leave Tessa. I picked up my hamburger though I didn’t feel like eating. “She’s still tutoring me but, yeah, that’s it.”

“You sure about that?” Skyler asked. “You don’t care at all? Because, you know, I thought I might ask her out if you’re sure you’re finished.”

“He doesn’t care,” Brad answered for me. “His leftovers are always a free-for-all. This one’s no different, right?”

“Nah, go for it,” I said. Tessa wouldn’t go out with him in a million years.

“Who’s that guy talking to Tessa?” Skyler asked.

“Looks like you’re too late, dude.” Brad chuckled and elbowed Skyler.

Chapter Thirty-seven

Tessa

“Chait, what are you doing here?”

“Came to get Hayden. He was supposed to meet me outside.” He grinned at Nadia and Corinne. “But since I’m here, mind if I steal her away a moment?”

“Not at all.” Nadia didn’t take her eyes off him.

“She’s all yours,” Corinne said as if mesmerized.

I rose from the bench and rolled my eyes. We took a spot near the garbage cans, the only place no one wanted to hang out. “So what’s up?”

“Boris called.”

“What? Why?”

“And I can guess how he got the number. David. Those two must be like this.” He twisted his two fingers together. “I trusted him.”

“I kinda did too.” In frustration, I let the air whoosh from my lungs. “I think David and Rena teamed up. She took credit for killing Zoe, so he’d look like a saint.”

Chait growled and ran his hand through his hair.

“So what did Boris want?” My palms dampened as I anticipated seeing Boris again, now that I knew so much more.

“To meet with us. Tonight. I figure Hayden’s house is the best place. We’ll make sure the cameras are on and the security guys are on alert.”

“Did he say what he wanted to talk about?”

“Would it matter? We can’t trust anything out of his mouth,” Chait replied. “We’ll have to prepare for the worst.”

“The worst would be that he’s going to kill us. How does one go about preparing for that?” I rubbed my temple to relieve the tension already working its way in.

“Hey.” Chait lifted my chin with his fingertips. “You guys are doing great, far better than any rookies I’ve ever seen. Between Hayden’s martial arts training and your extra powers, we’re as ready as we can be, considering our lack of preparation time.”

“Are you crazy? We’re nowhere near ready.” I choked back the fear.

He grasped my upper arms and looked into my eyes. “We never will be. Whatever happens, we’ll deal as it comes.”

Chait was right. I swallowed and closed my eyes.

“Arrange the babysitter for all night, okay?” His hands brushed my arm and rested on my shoulders, but I barely noticed.

I nodded, picturing Bree without me, an orphan. No matter what happened, whether the confrontation took place tonight or next week, leaving Bree all alone wasn’t an option. “Too bad you weren’t able to snag that book,” I said.

“Sorry. I tried. It’s too big to sneak out without anyone noticing.”

 “What’s going on?” Hayden asked, eyeing Chait who then dropped his arms to his side.

“What time is the meeting?” I asked.

“Eight,” Chait answered. “That gives us time to practice before he gets there.”

“Like that’s going to do us much good,” I scoffed. “I’ll see you guys later.”

Chait touched my arm when I turned to leave. “Make sure you eat. Now is not the time to be hungry. Tessa, trust me and eat well, okay?”

I nodded and went back to my table. Moments later, Hayden and Chait took off.

When I sat with my friends again, their interrogation rivaled the Inquisition. For once, I was grateful for Nadia’s and Corinne’s interference in my love life. It kept my mind off the escalating feeling of impending doom.

* * * *

The boys decided that Boris probably wouldn’t make any moves on us before our meeting. Since Chait felt comfortable staying behind, Hayden picked me up after school by himself. We drove in silence and when we entered the guesthouse, the scents of garlic, basil and tomato welcomed us.

“Hey.” Chait grinned, holding a large spoon in one hand, wearing an apron draped over his front.

I laughed. “What are you doing?”

“I’m cooking dinner for you guys. Me too, of course. We need to be well fed for tonight. Italian sausage in a marinara sauce should work.”

“Dude, are you sure you know what you’re doing? Will it be safe to eat?” Hayden nudged Chait away and lifted the lid to the pot. “Smells edible.”

My phone went off. She’s awake again. Still very weak but wants 2 c u.

Zoe was on the mend. My eyes blurred. If only Boris was out of the picture, I could spend some quality time with her now. Boris will b here @ 8. Hayden’s. I’ll text u when he’s gone & make plans. I closed my phone and tossed it on the couch.

Grandma wouldn’t like the Boris situation. She would’ve been great as extra backup, and probably would’ve been more than willing to help. But I couldn’t take a chance on her leaving Zoe and something happening to either of them. I’d just gotten them back. “What’s the big deal over being well fed? And where did you learn to cook?”

“When I first joined up, they were afraid I’d get crushed, because I was so young and inexperienced. They gave me things to do around the house, but I needed more. Then I got to thinking. We use up so much energy in battle. Eating well can make all the difference between winning and losing. So I learned to cook and became very popular.” Chait chuckled. “Even after my training, I still cooked sometimes.”

“Spent all that time cooking, then trained with your mentor? You’re not really nineteen,” I said.

Chait wiped his hands on the dishtowel. “They found me younger than the norm. I was twelve.”

“Oh.” I cocked my head. “Where were your parents? That’s awfully young to choose sides, isn’t it?”

“Not necessarily.” Chait shrugged. “But that’s a story for another time.” He said it like the subject was closed.

I glanced at Hayden who’d been unusually quiet, which reminded me of the only reason we were in the same room together. “So, we’re going into battle, huh?”

“Hope not,” Chait answered. “Never met Boris, but I’ve heard stories. He’s in power, because he killed the previous ruler. Actually, the rumor is that the guy is still alive. Supposedly, Boris cut off all his limbs, cauterized them and cut out his tongue. Now he’s a decoration in Boris’s office.”

“That’s disgusting,” I said. “You think it’s true?”

Hayden glanced at me, his expression grim. “Doesn’t matter. It doesn’t have to be true for us to know he’s dangerous. Try not to think about it.”

“Oh, that’s gonna happen.” I rolled my eyes. “Let’s get some sparring in before we eat. There are some things I want to try out.”

Chait set the ladle on the counter and replaced the lid. “It needs to simmer a while anyway. What do you have in mind?”

“Training room.” I flicked a thumb toward the door.

We met Hayden’s mom on the way to the main house. She wore a black off-the-shoulder dress that stopped about three inches above her knee. Looked to me like Rachel’s newfound singlehood suited her just fine.

“Girls’ night out, Mom?” Hayden asked.

“Yes. Since I’ll be out late, thought I’d stay the night there. I already made the reservation.”

“Go easy on ’em. They’re only guys.” He chuckled.

She kissed him on the cheek and strutted out in her pink strappy heels.

“On a weeknight?” I watched her through the window as she climbed into her Jag. “It’s not even dark yet.”

“Happy hour,” Hayden explained.

“Hope she stays safe.” She looked way too hot to be a mom.

“She goes to the nicest places, Tessa, not dives. Country Clubs and swanky hotels where there’s security. Her friends are all rich with grown kids. Her friends have nothing better to do on a Tuesday night. She’ll be fine.”

I caught Chait’s scent as he moved close behind me. “Maybe she’ll let us drive that tomorrow,” he said.

“Get away from the window,” Hayden said. “You guys look like stalkers.”

I glanced at Hayden who eyed Chait’s arm as it slipped lightly around my waist and guided me away. Hayden frowned. Maybe he was suffering from I-don’t-want-you-but-no-one-else-can-have-you-either syndrome. If that was going through his head, too bad. I’d date whomever I wanted.

If only I wanted someone other than Hayden.

“So what did you want to try out?” Chait asked as we entered the gym.

“I want you to try to hurt me,” I said, then looked behind him.

“Tessa, hurting you will tell us what?” Hayden asked, clearly not liking the idea.

I drew my wandering gaze to Hayden. “In the library at Chait’s when those women came in, I put up a shield and they didn’t know I was there. What if I could do that to protect myself, not just keep them from sensing me?”

“I’ve never heard of anything like that,” Chait said doubtfully.

“But I’m not a normal witch.”

“Okay. Who gets the honor, me or Hayden?”

“You do it,” Hayden told him.

“Okay. On three. One…”

Tonight could be life or death. If putting up a shield was possible, I’d do it. Wait… none of us could do anything until we knew it was possible.

“Two…”

I am untouchable. No one can break through the invisible barrier surrounding me…

“Three.” I flinched as his fist flew at me, but I strengthened the wall. Right before impact with my stomach, his hand slowed, almost as if he’d hit a wall of sponge.

Chait’s mouth dropped open. “That was amazing. It felt like I was moving through marshmallow or something. Awesome.” He grinned.

“Now I want you to assault Hayden,” I said, eager to discover more. “And make it good.”

“What?” Hayden groaned. “I can already tell you he’s going to whip me.”

“Not necessarily. I mean, he might. But this could work on others, too. Chait, go.”

I imagined a wall around Hayden that no one could break through, not even Boris. Chait threw himself into a kick that would hurt like hell if he made it past the barrier. I held the wall steady as Chait’s leg slowed before making contact.

Chait laughed as he chose a sheathed dagger from the wall of weapons. “That was wicked cool. Let’s do it again.” He assumed his fighting stance, legs spread, hands up.

I projected the shield over Hayden again and Chait leaped at him. Just before Chait made contact, he threw the sheathed dagger at me. My shield dropped from Hayden as I caught the knife and the guys tumbled to the ground. Profanity spilled from Hayden’s mouth as he dusted himself off.

“You need to learn to multi-task,” Chait told me with a smug grin. “Next time, you’re going to handle the dagger while still protecting Hayden.”

I threw the shield up around Hayden and signaled to Chait. The dagger flew at me and I forced it in a different direction mid-way while still protecting Hayden. As Chait kicked and his leg met the marshmallow effect, Hayden’s fist shot out and punched Chait in the face.

Chait fell backward to the floor, laughing. “That was beautiful. We’ll do that again. Tessa, hold that shield on Hayden and yourself and shoot that dagger at me. Aim it to kill, sheathed of course.”

Hayden was merciless, kicking Chait in the ribs as the dagger bounced off Chait’s heart.

“Nice job.” Chait rubbed his side and grinned. “Time to refuel.”

While the noodles cooked, Hayden spread garlic butter over the bread and I set the table. During our meal, the only thing I could think about was what else I might be able to do. Could I shield a group of people? Maybe my only limitation was my imagination. Maybe by believing more, I could do more.

“He’ll be here in two hours,” Chait said between bites. “You got extra security guys?”

“Yeah, we have a total of four,” Hayden answered.

“Good. If Boris arrives early or he does something else we’re not expecting, I want your security guys to see him before he gets to us. Cameras on?”

“Yes.”

Two hours. Not enough time. Hopefully, there would be no battles tonight and everyone would leave alive. But what if Boris turned ugly? There were only three of us to his… twenty? Thirty?

“Eat,” Hayden said. “And stop thinking. If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen. So what if he forces us to join him, like uses blackmail? We’ll go along with whatever, right? So long as we keep our cool, we’re okay.”

I nodded. “We’ll be fine.” Maybe.

“Have another bite. You need to be prepared for anything.” Hayden snagged my fork, piled it with pasta and floated it near my mouth. I opened and he fed me. “That’s a good girl.”

I chewed and made myself swallow. “Is there anyone you trust back home, Chait? Anyone we could recruit to be on standby? I know it’s short notice…” I forced another bite when Hayden handed me the fork.

“Or maybe you’d like to go back home?” Hayden asked Chait. “It’s gotta be safer there. It’s our fight, not yours.”

“I trusted David completely, more than anyone else. Turns out he’s the least trustworthy.” Chait looked down at his food and took a deep breath. “You guys are real. I’d trust either of you with my life. I’m in this for the long haul, live or die.”

We ate in silence, his words weighing on us.

“Hayden,” I said. “Boris wants me. You could bail and save yourself. I’m not sure this is your fight either.”

He pointed a fork at me. “After Chait’s speech, are you kidding me? I’m not going anywhere. Besides, I lost my tolerance for bullies. If Boris tries anything, I’m gonna want to kick his ass.”

The old Hayden probably would’ve bailed, like he tried that first day in the principal’s office. The old Hayden would just stand by and watch while a smaller kid got pushed around. Hayden had grown a lot since then. And as much as I didn’t want to love him, I couldn’t help it. He still needed work in the relationship department, but he’d learned honor and team spirit. He was even getting along with Chait. But, most likely, that was only because he no longer wanted me and was no longer jealous.

He still cared a little though. That was obvious by the way he tried to make sure I stayed well fed. And sometimes when he looked at me, I could almost see the same desire for me that I’d seen before. My imagination, of course. Even if it were real, it wasn’t enough. Hayden was right. I’d probably be better off with Chait. I liked him and I certainly didn’t mind looking at his pretty face. Maybe one day, I’d forget about Hayden and have those same feelings for Chait.

“Tessa, eat. Only a few more bites.” Hayden loaded the fork I’d absentmindedly set down, and thrust it at me.

I scarfed the last of the pasta and garlic bread then put my plate away. We practiced the next half hour, Chait and Hayden sparring while I amused myself by interfering with them at random. They never knew if they would hit their target or hit marshmallow.

“Let’s take a break. Hayden, check with your security guys one last time and I’ll make sure the cameras are on.” Chait left the gym while Hayden worked the intercom.

I waited for them to come back, tapping my fingers on my thigh. A few minutes later, they returned with a duffle bag. Chait rifled through it and tossed Hayden a dagger, then tossed another one to me. He threw Hayden a second one and placed his own two in his waistband.

“I only get one?” I asked.

“You can’t multi-task, remember?” Chait smirked. “Just kidding. I only brought five and we don’t have your advantages.”

“Yeah, Chait and I need all the help we can get,” Hayden added, chuckling.

“Aren’t you guys nervous?” They’d been joking around all night and laughing like they didn’t have a care in the world.

“Of course we are. Who wouldn’t be?” Hayden closed the distance between us and stroked my arms, but I didn’t allow myself to respond. “We can do this. You can do this. Keep your cool. That’s the most important thing. Stay focused.”

“He’s a powerful guy and he’s terrifying.” Chait nodded solemnly. “But you’re scarier with what you can do. I wish we had more time to discover all your abilities. You have to keep your confidence and believe he can’t beat you.”

 “Let’s get some chairs. If he’s bringing a ton of men, this room will hold them. And it’s the best place for battle if it comes to that,” Hayden said.

Hayden found some wooden folding chairs in the storage shed and we placed them near the door.

Boris showed up a half hour later – an hour early – undoubtedly to throw us off and catch us unprepared. Hayden greeted him graciously, as though he were an old friend.

Ten bodyguards followed him into the gym. I thought it unlikely that he’d only brought ten. The others were probably outside keeping an eye on Hayden’s security guards. Boris’s men fanned out several yards away and settled into their positions. I wondered what I’d do if I were Boris. For one thing, I would’ve already neutralized the guards. And the cameras. Boris didn’t get where he was – and stay there for a hundred years – by being stupid.

If we got into trouble, no one would see and no one would be alerted.

“Have a seat.” Hayden motioned to one of the chairs.

Boris sat and I took the seat across from him, the one between Chait and Hayden. “So Boris, what’s the occasion?”

“I wanted to check on your progress.” He smiled. Not an open-mouthed one but rather one that caused a subtle curling of his lips, like he could change his mind at any second.

I shrugged and kept my tone carefully neutral. “It’s been two days and I have school. How much progress do you think I should be making?”

“You’ve barely been in contact with Frank or Lila, but you’ve been with him an awful lot.” He didn’t define him or even look at Chait, but we both knew.

“He saved me from Rena. He’s not sure why he should remain loyal to them. What’s the problem, Boris? You think he should be completely unfazed by his own partner betraying everyone? Why are you really here?”

“You’re an intelligent girl, so I’m going to be straightforward with you. You’re becoming a potential… liability. The longer you remain undecided, the more uncomfortable I get. You’re going to have to take a side. If you choose us, I will provide round-the-clock protection while you live with your parents the next few weeks. In exchange, you’ll have no contact with any of Jane’s people. Once you turn eighteen and graduate, you’ll join us and I will make sure you are rewarded.”

“And if I don’t choose you?” I made a conscious effort not to curl my hands into a fist.

He lifted a shoulder and his eyes gleamed. “That would be a shame.”

“So, basically, what you’re saying is choose you now – or else?” I folded my arms over my chest to steady my trembling hands.

“Take it however you like, Tessa.” Boris crossed his legs and leaned an elbow on his knee as if he hadn’t just threatened me, but his eyes were on guard and ready for battle.

“You’re not trying to win me over with your charm anymore or trying to convince me you’re the good guys. You’ve moved straight to intimidation. What changed? Why the rush?” I reminded myself that Boris’s tactics were exactly what I’d expected. I needed to stay levelheaded, but that was difficult to do when his attitude disgusted me. As if I’d bow down and let him be boss over me. I rose from my chair. I let the fury take over and my adrenalin pumped through me. Anger was good. It was either that or be swallowed by terror.

“Tessa.” Hayden stood next to me. “Have a seat. We’re still talking.”

“We’re just talking,” Chait echoed in his smoothest voice.

“Listen to the boys,” Boris said, eyes narrowing to slits. “Sit.”

They were right. I was coiled too tightly. A quick glance at Chait told me he was ready to spring. Hayden looked more than ready to fight too.

Boris would never own me. Now was not necessarily the time for battle though, if it could possibly be avoided. Taking my seat again, I crossed my legs to appear relaxed though I was far from it. My limbs quivered and my mouth was void of moisture. Still, I spoke up.

“I don’t have a problem making a decision. We told you at dinner how we felt about Rena and David. Out of all of them, Chait’s the only one we like.” Taking a deep breath, I continued. “We can’t make a formal decision. I’m still living at home. I’m vulnerable there. You might have your men watching me, but someone could still get through. You can’t guarantee our safety. That was proven when Rena kidnapped me and later when she tried to kill me.”

As the words left my mouth, I realized that no matter how convincing my performance, Boris wouldn’t settle for anything less than a commitment right then. If he had his answer, he’d go and we’d work out the details later. It would give Hayden and me time to gather our strength and skills while we finished school. But could Boris keep us safe from anyone with their own agenda, like Rena? Unlikely. Besides, something about agreeing to Boris’s terms felt like selling my soul, even if I knew I was lying. If I could stall him…

“We’ve already discussed it and we’ve decided to choose you. I’m going to have to insist on more time before announcing it officially though.” As I faced him squarely, and lifted my chin, I noticed his expression change.

His eyes narrowed and his fury washed over me. He knew I’d already made my choice and it wasn’t him. It was over. He and his men weren’t leaving until Chait, Hayden and I were dead.

Not if I had any say about it. Boris’s ignorance of the extent of my abilities would work in my favor… maybe. I had to try. Closing my eyes, I gathered my strength. Another adrenalin rush hit me and I threw up a shield around Chait, Hayden and myself. I stood, interlocking my arms with theirs. We kicked our chairs aside and backed away from Boris.

In an instant, Boris stood in front of us. “What the hell is that?” He pushed out his hand then withdrew when he couldn’t go any further. “Fascinating. Such a shame you won’t need that talent after today. I’m going to give you one last chance. Choose me now and announce your decision to both sides tonight. Or watch Bree die. She’s here in the house now.” He sneered.

When I looked for her presence, I felt her close by. My insides trembled. Putting myself in danger was one thing. Risking Bree’s life was another matter entirely.

“They have orders to kill her if you fight me.” A corner of his mouth lifted.

I could drop my shield from Hayden and Chait, in favor of Bree, but without their help, all four of us would be dead. Maybe there was another way. I couldn’t imagine Boris hurting Bree after what I had to say.

“That would be stupid,” I said. “She’s like me. If you got rid of me, you could gain her trust while she’s young. She’d be loyal and very useful.” I could stall Boris, but how long could I hold up our shield? Beads of sweat formed over my brow.

He kept his expression neutral, but it was obvious by the gleam in his eye that I had him at ‘She’s like me.’ He wouldn’t kill her. But it was too late for me. I’d blown it. Boris would never believe I’d choose him, even if I dropped to my knees and begged forgiveness.

“You make a very compelling argument. I’ll try to keep her alive. However, that depends on you.”

“I don’t get it. You would’ve had me on board if you’d been patient. By pushing, you’re losing me. Why the rush?”

His stance stiffened. “It seems that Her Majesty Jane has disappeared. That troubles me. I’ve known for years that there’s something different about your family. What are you exactly though? Does Jane know? Does it have anything to do with her disappearance? I wasn’t worried about any of that until…” He tapped his chin, still looking at ease, as if completely confident that his ten men could handle one little girl and two young guys.

Pins and needles. If only he’d spit it out.

“Now I’m wondering if your uniqueness and Jane’s disappearance could be related to your sister Zoe digging herself out of her coffin. Strange, huh?” My face must have given me away, because Boris’s brows shot up. He leaned toward me. “You already knew.”

My hand shot out, sending a ball of fiery energy straight into his gut.

He gasped and fell back, clutching at his stomach. “Kill them!”

His men charged, but I strengthened my shield.

Boris popped up, face flushed with rage and twisted into a remnant of its former self. “You stupid little bitch. You’ve just assured your demise,” he scoffed. “While you’re using all your energy, I’ll send a man out for food. When you’re too weak and can’t refuel, which boy will you cut loose first? Hayden? Or Chait?”

“Tessa, let go when you need to,” Hayden said. He and Chait exchanged a nod, then pulled out their knives and struck out, their bubble of safety protecting them while they kicked ass on Boris’s men.

Which left Boris for me to deal with. He’d never let me out of his sight. Not until I was dead. If he suspected Zoe was alive, he’d kill her too. He’d make sure it was done right this time.

I remembered the logs and imagined his heart as a hunk of wood – which wasn’t much of a stretch. In my mind’s eye, the spark grew to a blistering heat. “Bring out the little girl!” he screamed, twitching in pain.

Bree appeared, shaking and sobbing as Kyle held a knife to her throat. My shield went down and Boris lunged, a large knife in his hand. We tumbled to the ground.

“Tessa, don’t worry about us. Protect yourself f—” Hayden stopped mid-sentence but Boris kept me too busy dodging the blade to see what happened. We tussled over the hard laminate floor, my limbs thrashing at him. He trapped me beneath him, grabbed a chunk of my hair with his free hand and smashed my head against the floor. Searing pain speared my skull.

His strength unnerved me. If he hadn’t been damaged by my fire and weakened, he probably would’ve already killed me – which he could still do if I didn’t get him off me and turn my shield back on. If I put it up while we were touching, would he be included in my protection?

I wrenched his hand away and he thrust the dagger at my chest. I clamped a hand onto his wrist while his fist pounded my throat and knocked the breath out of me. As we rolled over, his dagger flew at my neck. I jerked to the side but the metal still grazed my skin.

Boris landed on top again and I recreated my shield. His next hit bounced off. My hands stretched up to choke Boris. He tried to break my hold, but couldn’t pierce through the shield. I couldn’t keep my wall up indefinitely though, not while I fought him too. My power would be depleted before I could kill him.

At superhuman speed, I pulled my knife from my waistband and aimed at Boris’s throat. I thrust the pointed end through his flesh as hard as I could. Blood spurted from his neck. He slowed, but didn’t stop.

I concentrated on my protective bubble again while building a blaze beneath his chest. His face flushed and he shrieked, his eyes bulging. I felt his power wane and took that opportunity to roll us over, pinning him to the ground.

A man had Hayden in a headlock, a knife to Hayden’s throat. Protecting him while keeping my own shield intact used too much energy. I sent his attacker a little heat, enough to give Hayden an advantage. Hayden seized the moment, sending his opponent a hard elbow in the face. Hayden followed that with a blow to the groin and a kick in the gut. The guy dropped. Beyond him, Chait retrieved both daggers and took out two guys simultaneously.

With my thighs straddling Boris, I locked his arms against his sides, giving me a huge advantage. Oddly enough, he didn’t resist at all. We remained in a draw – motionless, while I helped Hayden kill another guy and Chait took out two more.

I felt a new surge as power welled within Boris. He’d healed. So that’s why he hadn’t made a move to break free. He’d been recharging while I used valuable energy helping Chait and Hayden. My strength was fading, my shield weakening.

No more waiting. Hayden and Chait were on their own. I dropped my assaults on their enemies and focused on Boris.

Boris smiled as if sensing the shift in energy and welcoming it. In one swift movement, his knee slammed into my back, thrusting me forward. I hadn’t realized my shield had weakened that much or I would have disengaged earlier.

He gripped my wrists, twisting them as though trying to break through the remainder of my shield to snap the bone. Pain threw me and my shield fell entirely. We wrestled, Boris using brute strength as his hands squeezed my throat and I gasped for air. My limbs tingled as my air supply dwindled.

Boris had to be neutralized now. Mustering all my power, I moved the atoms around Boris, faster and faster until the heat became a ball of fire so intense it blinded me. I closed my eyes, then I pushed the flames into his face. He screamed, his hands releasing me as he covered his eyes. I jumped on him, gripping my dagger and pressing it into his neck.

Boris froze. Checkmate.

“Stop!” I screamed. “Everyone stop.”

There were only two guys standing but a couple others looked as though they were getting ready for another round. At my words, they hesitated but didn’t surrender their arms.

My breathing came in shallow breaths and my trembling hands itched to kill Boris. I scanned the faces of everyone in the room, trying to ignore Bree’s terrified eyes. I couldn’t let her distract me. This was no time to allow emotion to rule.

 “Cease fighting and throw down your weapons,” I ordered, my knife bearing down on Boris’s neck.

A new stream of crimson decorated the edge of the blade.

“Boris is no longer your leader,” I announced. “You can’t save him, but you have an opportunity to save yourselves. Drop your weapons now. Those of you who don’t surrender will have to deal with me.” It was a bluff. By the time I killed Boris, I wasn’t sure there would be anything left of me to battle anyone else.