I flinched at the cold truth of his words. He was right. Well, he had been right up until tonight. Watching him stand in the middle of a village that he had destroyed, houses burning around him, innocent people being beaten or worse and displaced from their homes and life… yeah, I could let go of the boy I loved and kill the man before me now.
Easily.
I took another step forward and sliced at his chest. He swayed back just in time for my sword to nick the fabric of his black t-shirt. When he came fully upright again, he drew his sword and brandished it in front of him defensively.
At least we should be wrapping up the small talk now.
“Don’t start something you can’t finish, Little Girl.”
“We’re the same age,” I reminded him impatiently.
He shrugged. “But we’re light years apart in life experience. You haven’t seen anything. You’ve been sheltered and pampered your entire life. You’re untested. You’re inexperienced. You’re a lifetime away from where I am.”
It was my turn to shrug. That was true, too. Even before he’d given up his soul, Seth had watched his parents murdered in front of him, and then he watched his sister betray him. And I had no idea what Aliah had put him through since he’d been soulless, what he’d been forced to watch or take part in. He knew horrors I, hopefully, never would.
But that didn’t make us unmatched.
And that didn’t make his life anymore safe from me.
I swung out and clashed with his hooked sword. “Let’s put that theory to the test.”
He chuckled again. “Oh, no. You’re serious! You really want to fight me.”
“Nope,” I hit his sword again and this time I knocked his arm back and to the side. He recovered too quickly for me to advance forward. “I don’t want to fight you, I want to kill you.”
He never stopped smiling, a new fire burning hot and bright in his eyes. Bloodlust gleamed at me from his crazed mask of excitement and I felt the first tingles of nerves quiver in my limbs.
I forced courage into those same weak places and mentally prepared myself for whatever awaited me tonight. Victory or defeat, I was ready.
And it was a good thing too, because just then, Seth stopped letting me attack. And instead… attacked me.
Where my hits had been the initiators before, I soon could only block his aggressive blows. He came at me with a fast, aggressive approach and it was all I could do to meet him before he found an opening. I stumbled backward and, would have kept going, but a wall of ice-cold evil stopped me before I could stumble off the main road of the burning village. Shadows were everywhere and as interested in our fight as anything they were capable of showing interest in.
I stumbled forward and reminded myself to watch out for them. They could manifest anywhere and seriously tamper with my advantage… or defense in this case.
“She’s mine,” Seth snarled at the little beasts. “Do not take that from me. Let me kill her or I will vanquish you all back to the tar pit you crawled from.”
I liked that.
I didn’t like that Seth hated me so deeply that the thought of anyone else killing me enraged him beyond reason. That wasn’t exactly comforting. But at least I wouldn’t have to consider every possible step or maneuver as a booby trap. Making sure this battle went one-on-one helped me out just the slightest bit.
Seth managed to slice the top of my shoulder and I almost collapsed to my knees under the weight of his hit. Blood trickled down my side and soaked into my shirt. I ignored the biting pain and glared at him. His smile stretched maniacally as far across his face as his skin would allow it. He looked crazed. And hungry. And not the least bit remorseful in anyway.
I probably would have been toast in that exact moment, with Seth’s blade turning to cut across my neck, if I hadn’t decided that maybe it wouldn’t hurt to give into him.
Instead of fighting his pressure, I let him accelerate me into a drop and roll maneuver. I dove at his feet and turned my body to roll like a log underneath him. With his ninja-like reflexes, he leapt over me just as I was going for his shins.
He might have gotten out of my backup plan, but not my backup-to-the-backup plan. As I was rolling under Seth, I came to rest on my back. Seth’s legs were right above my head when I jabbed the sword up and cut into his thigh. I dug in deep and made sure to drag the blade through as much flesh and muscle as I could.
Blood immediately sprayed all over my face from above. Seth let out an ungodly cry of pain and dropped to his knees when he finally landed.
I turned over and hopped into a crouch, holding my swords toward him again. “Come on,” I goaded. “This new version of you is losing his touch. That’s a Week One Jupiter lesson. Maybe you should let the old guy come out and play every once in a while. Let him help you brush up on your training. Unless you like being bested by a girl?”
He spun on the ground and lunged into standing. His leg would heal quickly, so I had to take the advantage while I had it.
I went after him with a quick succession of hits. Our steel clanged together in a cacophony of wills and fury. He met me, blow for blow, but I’d cut the artery and he swayed and stumbled from blood loss.
He pushed into me, so I gave him my back and spun past him. On my way, I got a long slash to his left side and another from shoulder blade to his bottom vertebrate.
He shouted into the sky and whirled around. “Didn’t anyone ever teach you not to poke the bear?”
“Didn’t anyone ever teach you that it’s not polite to gang up with militant rebels and burn innocent villages to the ground?”
“You’re such a bleeding heart.”
“Funny,” I smirked. “I was going to say the same thing about you.” Then I tried to gouge out his heart.
I only got to the surface of his chest before he blocked my blade. He pushed me back again, but not before I landed a really nice gash around his nipple. Men didn’t really need those anyway.
He used a two-handed grip to put extra muscle behind his parry and flung me off him. He actually lifted me off the ground and back at least ten feet before I landed so fast my knees buckled and my entire body jarred by the impact. I stumbled back several more paces, flailing my arms and trying to regain my balance.
He was already in my face and I threw my sword up just in time to catch his latest attack.
“Still in love with me?” He grinned but it was wrong… evil. It wasn’t Seth at all.
“Yes,” I said despite my anger. “Always.”
His scowl darkened and his sword came faster than lightning. He got me right in the bicep and I swore the blade went all the way to the bone before I pushed him back. Pain that blazed like fire burned through my entire arm. It spread over my chest and ate like acid at my lungs. Black dots danced in front of my eyes but I forced myself to stay focused, to stay conscious.
“You’re crazy,” he snarled.
“I tell you, I love you, and you try to kill me. Who’s crazy?”
An animalistic growl vibrated in his throat. His eyes danced too brightly and his body hummed with an energy that singed the air. He was deadly. He was beautiful.
Two Lights fell from the sky behind him and I gave a weak nod to Serena and Nate as they landed in the middle of our chaos. The rebels fell on them immediately and I saw the insurgents for who they really were- more Fallen. Seth hadn’t been leading guerilla warfare. He’d been acting on Aliah’s orders.
Seth glanced over his shoulder and when his focus returned to me I was very tempted to Light up with my full force and burn this entire hemisphere to ash, just to avoid whatever he was planning. A sinister presence inhabited his body. He promised pain with that look. And I didn’t really feel up for his entire gamut of death and destruction.
“You called for backup?” he demanded.
At least I could answer honestly. I laughed impatiently. “No! I don’t need backup.” I took six fast, powerful swings at him before I let myself speak again. “You attracted them wit
h all your evil!”
“I’ve done plenty of evil before and never had to deal with them. Suddenly you show up, the wet blanket at my formerly-thrilling party, and now I have to deal with three nightlights. Next time you want to feel me up, Stel, just ask. I’d be happy to erase all that innocent purity. It hurts my eyes.”
I screeched something profane at him, that I wasn’t even sure made any logical sense, and attacked with a viciousness I didn’t know I was capable of. We entered into one of the most vigorous fights of my life. I swung and he blocked and then swung back at me. My arms and legs moved as fast as they could but it still wasn’t enough. I didn’t know if I would ever be enough. He was better than me in every way.
While we fought, Serena and Nate also fought. The sounds of their battle mingled with mine and the air felt thick with blood and death.
We fought tirelessly, endlessly until the sky opened up and rain began to fall in a heavy monsoon. The fires began to die under the weight of the rain and the dirt beneath our feet transformed into sticky mud. Still, with the huts no longer on fire, I felt our situation improve somewhat. Just when I thought we had finally moved from Code Red to a mere fatal Code Orange, more Fallen started dropping from the sky.
If possible Seth’s expression turned even grimmer. “You ruined my fun.”
“Not yet,” I told him and took the advantage by pushing him toward the smoldering remains of a building. “There’s still a little more fun to ruin.” Then I took a shot at his head.
He ducked just in time. My blade snicked over his head, the whoosh ruffling his hair even in the rain.
“Not going to happen,” he stated. “In fact, I’ve decided since you took this fun,” he gestured around at the smoking village, “I’m going to take all your fun. Eye for an eye.”
“Good luck with that.” I took another swing but he shifted and bobbed again.
“Thank you for the luck. Just for that, I’ll give you a gift, too.”
“Oh, yeah?”
He nodded. Then he stepped into my next swing and disarmed me.
Completely.
One second, I was holding two very strong blades and then I wasn’t. He’d been almost at my mercy and then he wasn’t. And by that, I mean, with a succession of swift moves, he’d launched my blades out of reach and left me defenseless.
Damn.
The rain beat against my back and poured over my face. Seth stood just a few feet from me, the rain soaking him completely. His shirt stuck to his muscled chest and clung to his arms. He didn’t even acknowledge the discomfort. He was too busy imagining his blade running through my neck.
“What’s your gift?” I whispered through a trembling voice.
“A three second head start.” His lips curled. “So run. Fast.”
Chapter Thirteen
I didn’t immediately move. Part of me couldn’t believe that he was serious, even after everything we’d been through. Part of me didn’t want to believe him. I internally demanded that he remember what he used to be like with a soul.
But I couldn’t even reconcile that person with the evil man standing in front of me.
I raised my eyebrows at him but what he was offering started to make sense in light of the fact that he planned on killing me. In three seconds.
“Stella, go!” Serena yelled. “Get somewhere safe! Now!”
Suddenly, the reality of this moment clicked. I didn’t need to be told twice.
I took off into the sky with a powerful burst of Light and energy. Once again, I sped over tall, grassy plains, dry dessert, long stretches of ocean, crops, Westernized houses. I flew through the dawning Sun and back into the dark of night. I raced as fast as I’d ever gone, allowing myself the freedom to be as reckless as possible.
I had been completely confident I could kill Seth tonight. Right up until the end… up until he threw away my swords with a flick of his wrists and the ease of a master predator. He told me to run because he’d decided to be gracious. Obviously, I’d been delusional thinking that there was even a shadow of his former self left.
I mentally berated myself as I ran for my life.
If I could just get home. If I could just get over the property line.
Seth’s laughter echoed through the clouds and chased me through the darkness. I had to get home. I had to get home. I had to get home.
“Run faster, Starling.” His voice pierced and rattled through the vast sky. It shook the foundations of the earth and twisted my insides with the greatest fear I’d ever known.
I felt a presence at my side as I fled for my life.
Jude.
He didn’t have any trouble catching up with me. His Light burned as bright as mine and we soared through the sky with equal purpose. I felt his silent encouragement as he challenged me to fly faster.
When my farm came into sight, we dropped quickly. I hit the ground hard and rolled to a stop. I pushed up earth as I flipped over, the force of my speed digging in deep. My clothes had dried in the air from all my heat, but I still caked myself in dirt and gravel as I tumbled to a stop.
Jude didn’t have the stopping problem I had and stood gracefully over me with a stupid I-told-you-so look plastered across his arrogant face. I just shook my head. I so did not want to hear about it from him of all people.
I could feel Seth’s presence all around me. His malicious aura wrapped around my skin and set the protons and atoms in the air on edge with aggressive electricity. I could feel his sinister evil carry across the breeze, whispering his deadly plans to end my life.
“Stella!” he shouted from somewhere beyond me. “Stella!”
Jude chuckled darkly. “Is this where I make a Streetcar Named Desire joke?”
I ignored him and raced for my house. I knew Seth couldn’t cross my property line but I wouldn’t feel safe again until I had weapons in my hand.
Jude followed me but I wasn’t going to argue. As much as I hated Jude and everything he stood for, I knew his first objective was to keep me alive, if only to save his own neck. So even if we differed on a molecular level, at least we could agree on that.
I left Jude in the living room to race through the house and track down swords. My parents had their major weapons with them but Jupiter had left some training blades in the basement. I sprinted down there and threw on all the lights before searching them out.
Most of the selection was made up of blades I hadn’t really cared for or were insufficient for a night like this. I quickly chose two longswords that would have normally been too heavy for me. Right now though, I was pumped full of adrenaline-packed fight and even my clumsiness with these weighty weapons wouldn’t stop me from protecting myself.
Or doing whatever was necessary to defeat my enemy.
I flew out of the basement. I hated being underground in general, but tonight it felt especially terrifying down there.
Jude met me at the top of the stairs and eyed my weapons with approval. I was just about to suggest we walk the perimeter line to see how many Fallen had followed Seth back here when the kitchen door burst open with a crash.
We took off through the house with our swords raised and our sides tightly pressed together. I didn’t know how Seth managed to break in here but I was done playing around. I would kill him tonight to save us both if I had to.
Rounding the corner, we came face to face with the last person I expected to see tonight.
Jupiter stood in the doorway looking like a mad man. His white hair stood on its ends and he hovered in the doorway panting and heaving. He hugged something to his chest and glanced around wildly.
He looked insane.
And I was so happy to see him!
“Jupiter!” I breathed a huge sigh of relief.
“There’s an army outside,” he growled. “An army of Fallen. I leave for a few days and I come back to this. Starling you’re under siege.”
I swallowed against the aching lump in my throat. “Really? It’s that bad?”
“What did
you do?” he demanded. Before I could answer, his gaze swiveled to Jude and, if possible, his expression grew even more strained. “And you! You!”
“What?” I shouted.
Jupiter growled angry sentiments in a different language and stomped over to the table. He slammed what was in his arms down on the glossy wood surface and the table wobbled precariously. I recognized his cargo as the Alpha Hieros now- a sacred book usually kept safe in the Lower Realm. It was the history of my people and the war we had been fighting with the Darkness since the beginning. It was a very revered book, sanctified and held with the utmost reverence. I was still unclear why it had been entrusted to Jupiter. Especially now since he was slamming it around and treating it with such disrespect.
“Verity and Honor.” Jupiter held a bony finger at Jude. His words sounded like a curse and an accusation all at once. “Verity and Honor?”
Jude absently rubbed at the tattoo that sat just over his left collarbone. It was two swords crossed with those words on their blades.
The thing was, Jude was stolen as a child, so the tattoo had been there before he had been taken. The outlines of the blades were big on this full-grown size of Jude. They had to have been huge on a small child. And I assumed that it was his parents that had given it to him before someone had taken him. I highly doubted the Fallen upheld principals like truth and honor.
“Old man, you don’t know what you’re saying,” Jude challenged Jupiter.
And he was probably right. Jupiter was weird on a normal day; right now he looked completely bonkers. He looked like someone needed to hand him a Dixie cup full of multi-colored pills and send him back to his padded room.
“You’re not at all what you seem,” Jupiter shot back. “And I’ve finally figured it out. Third party my ass. Calisto! Nobody in their right mind takes that job. And especially not when it’s the devil himself designing the contract! I’ve wondered what sort of man would give up his name, his life, to save someone he should hate. Now I know.”