Flight (41 page)

I push my fear down and go into him and find the damaged carotid artery but all I can do is kneel down next to him and pray for help. He needs to be sealed up and I'm no surgeon.

I let his head drop in my lap and prepare myself for yet another loss as his blood soaks my uniform and makes my hands sticky and hot.

I will do anything, God.

Anything.

Just save my friend.

The blue lights appear and warriors rain down on me from above while others are picked up across the compound.

Tier is next to me, pulling me back towards the light, yelling in my face as the voice counts down from twenty-five seconds.

"Junco – come with me now!"

I look at him and shake my head. "I won't leave Gideon here."

He pulls me away but I take out my SEAR and force him to step back.

"What the fuck are ya doin', Junco! What the fuck–"

He's cut off by a golden light and I have to turn my head to avoid the blindness. It subsides and I turn back to see what's happening.

"I'll save him, Junco. But you will come with me." Her smile is smug and I know what she's done. Lucan might get me in the end, but she took Gideon, just like she said she would.

My body overflows with rage. Pure hate for this woman and everyone else whose sole purpose for existing revolves around destroying every good thing that ever enters my life.

"Junco, goddamn it!" Ashur is down in my face, pulling Gideon off me. I let him as Tier kicks the SEAR out of my hand and grabs me by the arms. I reach out and grab my weapon and stow it away as I stare up at Inanna's glowing form. Tier pulls me towards the blue light while Ashur takes Gid. "You will not make a deal!" Ash screams down at me. "Do you hear me, Junco? You will not make a deal. Layla will save him."

I stare up at Ashur and nod just before he and Gideon are swept up to the ship. Tier's foot enters the light but he stumbles sideways and his grip on my armor is lost.

"Ten seconds to complete core meltdown."

Inanna walks calmly towards me as Tier scrambles to right himself.

"Junco, you are mine."

I stare at her and find my voice. "I was never yours. Ever. And I'm gonna teach you a fucking lesson in hate right now. I don't care if you take everyone I've ever loved and burn them alive, I will never go with you. Because I'd rather be rotting in Hell, responsible for all their pain and suffering, than spend one more fraction of a second looking at your face."

"Five seconds to complete core meltdown."

"That can be arranged, Junco. But I'd prefer to do it the easy way."

I lift my chin and stare her down as Tier grabs my foot, yanking me backward into the transporter with him.

Something tugs on my arms just as the white light from the explosion blinds me. But it's the darkness that surprises me.

And Inanna's laugh in my head as it all fades away.

"I've got you, Junco. And there's no demon to save you now. Sleep well, my daughter."

Chapter Thirty-Eight

I swim in the darkness for eternity. Floating back and forth as my hair sways in front of my face. I can see it because my eyes are open. Sort of. My facial skin is being reformed and eyelids simply don't exist at the moment. The viscous gel solution clings to my body even as my back buckles up into the air, writhing in the pain they inflict on me.

My bones crack and mend so many times I lose count. My muscles shrink and grow as my skin peels back and then regenerates in a sea of agony, every nerve ending exposed for the weeks and months it takes to make it smooth and strong again.

I have no idea how long I've been in the tank or what they are doing to me.

But I am afraid for every second of it.

Finally, after what seems like years, they stand over me talking in distorted voices that haven't got a chance of fully penetrating the barrier of gel that surrounds my ears. They inject me with something. I cry inside with relief as my world blackens again.

I don't burst out of the tank this time. A single set of strong hands pulls me up as I choke and vomit up the gel. It seeps out of my ears and allows the wailing of security alarms to invade my muffled existence.

I am lifted up and cradled, then the soothing words make it inside to my hearing receptors. "You're with me now, Junco."

I recognize the absence of air that comes with Lucan's transporter trick and then the light no longer seeps through my new eyelids. We are in a dark place. I can hear the soft sound of water dripping echo through a large chamber and feel the wetness of the humidity that permeates the air, reminding me of my HOUSE back in Council 3.

My chin quivers and I let the tears seep out as I remember everything that's happened.

It's all gone. Everything has been ripped away from me. My Isten. My Aren, Braun, Charlie, Mish, Kush, Isec, HOUSE.

I cry as he lowers me into the hot spring and walks over to the other side of the pool. He settles down on the ledge where Tier and I sat and I first heard of that bitch Inanna. If I had known then the evil she was capable of, I would've avoided everything about her right from the very beginning.

Lucan washes the gel off me as best he can without letting me slip into the water. I can't control my limbs and my breath quickens with my pounding heart as I wonder if they paralyzed me.

"Shhh. You'll be OK, Junco. In time. I pulled you out a little early, but it will complete soon. You'll be OK."

I turn my head into his chest and feel the small metal scales that make up his ancient armor pinch against my cheek. But I don't care because I can hear it loud and clear.

His heartbeat.

And I count until the pain leaks out of me and the memories slip in to fill the space.

When I wake up I am in a soft bed. I open my eyes and see Gideon and Lucan staring down at me. I want to say thank you to Lucan even though I struggle to come to terms with his new look. Or express my relief that Gideon is alive and appears fine except for an aging white scar that runs across his neck.

But I can't.

I can only cry.

Gideon loses it and turns away to hide his reaction.

My limbs are working now and I lift my fists up to drag the water away from my eyes. It is only then that I notice the difference in how my muscles respond. My hand darts to the back of my shoulder and Lucan's face is a sea of sadness.

"She took my wings. She took my wings away!"

Lucan sits down next to me as I cry again. This time my whole body shakes and I cannot hold it in. I told Ashur I was gonna give them back, and now look. Everything I say always comes back to haunt me. Careful what you wish, careful what you say? Isn't that how it goes?

Lucan pushes back the hair on my face and Gideon turns back around, his emotions back under control.

"She didn't take them away, Junco. She morphed you to the next level." He waits for me to look him in the eyes. They are blue now, not red. He takes my hand and slips it under the collar of his armored shirt until it comes to rest on his shoulder blade. His wings are gone as well. My fingertips trace along a row of bumps underneath his skin. He shivers from my touch and I withdraw my hand.

Gideon whips his t-shirt over his head and turns around so I can see his back too.

The bumps come with scars that run the entire length of his upper back then fall to an apex, to the tip of a triangle that ends just above his waist.

"You're an Archer now, Junco."

Gid tugs his shirt back on and sits on the bed next to my feet.

"Where am I, Lucan? Am I home?"

He shakes his head at me. "No, we're at Gideon's house. You can't–" He stops and turns his head away. "You can't come home, Junco."

"Why? Did they kick me out? I'm sorry, I'll do better, I promise! Please, don't let them–"

He puts a hand over my mouth to stop my words. "You're not kicked out." He laughs a little, like this is a ridiculous notion. "Inanna took your SEAR knife. You can't leave Earth without it, Junco. It's bound to you, we tried to remove it when you first came to Amelia. There are significant consequences."

My heart feels like she's got her fist wrapped around it, squeezing the life out of me. She's still winning, even after all this, she's still winning because I can't go home.

"I'll find it for you." He slips his fingers under my chin and lifts it up so I have to look at him, then lets his hand fall along my cheek and come to a rest behind my head as his thumb traces my jawline. "I promise you, Junco. She will be punished for this. I have everyone behind me this time. I am sanctioned to do whatever it takes to make it right. I'll find your SEAR and you will come home."

I nod and turn my head to the window. I can only see sky so we must be high up somewhere. "How long? How long did she have me?" I turn back just in time to see him swallow down the dread.

"Two years."

I let out a sob and a new wave of tears. "Was I pregnant?"

Lucan plays with my hair. "I don't know, Junco. I have no idea."

If so, then that's number two now. Two children stolen from me. My face hardens as I think of what I will do to that bitch when I see her next. "And Tier?"

"He's running Aves back in the Band. I've been here," he points up, "on ship, since she took you."

"And Isten?" My chest heaves just uttering his name. "What happened to Isten?"

Lucan's face changes from neutral to painful and I turn and wail into the pillow.

He leans down and kisses me on the forehead. "Sleep, OK? I'll stay until tomorrow."

These words snap me out of it and I clutch his arm so he can't move. "Stay? You're leaving?"

"We'll talk about it later, Junco. Just rest now."

I want to say no, but I'm exhausted and as soon as I close my eyes to blink, I drift off.

My sleep is not peaceful, but every time I begin to stir I feel Lucan's words dance across my cheek. They talk me down and I allow him to do it. His arms circle my body the way wings would. His muscles feel powerful and this draws me into him just a little bit more as I fight the urge to toss and turn.

When I wake for real his face is buried in my hair and his breathing tells me he is asleep. I've never seen Lucan sleep. I always figured Archers didn't need it, but I need it and I'm an Archer. I look down at myself and realize I'm wearing a human t-shirt and some man-sized boxer shorts. I hope they are Gideon's because I can't even begin to picture Lucan in boxers.

I turn and Lucan's eyes open. "Thank you."

His Earth features are so much more expressive than his Band ones and his mouth twists into a little grin. "What for, Junco?"

"You know what for. The whole rescue thing." I stop and watch his eyes and I realize I've never been this close to him before.

"I told you, I will not leave you here. I told you that and I meant it, Junco. I cannot leave without you."

"Because you need me for the genetics to work?"

He throws his head back a little and laughs. "Junco, we fixed our genetics years ago. That problem was solved. Every clutch is full with beautiful little avian children. You know that's not why I'm here. You must know."

I don't know what to say to this, so I figure questions should buy me some time. "Why do you look different here?"

"This was what I looked like when I lived on Earth like a man. Do you like it?"

"You're…" I pull back and look him over a little. He's nothing like the Lucan back on Amelia, really. But he's nothing like that demon thing that I summoned either. He's definitely naked under the covers and I get a little lost in his chest for a few seconds. "Very nice." He leans in a little so I continue talking to slow him down. "How long ago did you live on Earth, Lucan?"

He turns away and sighs. "A very long time ago, Junco. Does it matter?" He turns back. "Thousands of years ago. Does it matter?"

I shake my head. "No, it doesn't matter. But
what are you
?"

"I was counting on you avoiding the questions but all of a sudden you want answers?"

I wait it out.

"I am not human. I am not avian. I am not even really an Archer, I'm a few morphs above that. Several levels. Many, really. I'm many hundreds of levels above what you are right now." He stares at me. "OK?"

"OK."

"And I can't stay here, Inanna is correct, I am not allowed to be here. A few days here and there and it goes unnoticed, but any longer and it sets off – alarms. Alarms I cannot afford to set off right now."

"Are you guilty? Of those crimes Inanna talked about?"

"Yes." He doesn't even hesitate. "I am."

I keep my silence.

"But I will get that SEAR knife back and then we can leave."

My smile stays sweet but the words I form are ugly. "I'm gonna find a way to put an end to her, Lucan. I swear it. As long as I am stuck on Earth I am going to kill a lot of people. I know what my one true purpose is now."