Blood Trinity (Belador #1)(112)

Pain seared her neck, her back and her legs. Evalle hung from her wrists, bound by invisible threads to the ceiling of an old downtown Atlanta school auditorium that hadn’t been used for years. With all the windows broken, the night air she breathed should have been fresh and not clogged with the sickening smell of Medb evil.

Blood covered the walls. This placed looked like a Freddy Krueger horror flick stuck on replay. Whatever the Medb had been doing had backfired a few times, exploding bodies. Hideous creatures that had probably once been Nightstalkers crouched everywhere on the walls, floor and ceiling with various parts of their bodies in solid form and the rest translucent.

Sweat poured down her face and stung the cuts on her neck and shoulders. One eye was swollen from where a Nightstalker she used to take gummy bear candy to had backhanded her.

She forgave the poor creature with soulless eyes who hadn’t recognized her.

As if life wasn’t enjoyable enough, daylight would hit in less than an hour, and the wall of broken windows faced east.

Tristan stood at the side of the cavernous room with the Medb priestess and a group of warriors that had to be the Kujoo Mount Meru escapees.

Tristan had shocked her by intervening when Evalle had taken the first blow to her head, but Kizira had locked him in place with majik.

Kizira had her head close to Tristan’s, speaking to him as though coaching her number one player. Her sharp fingernails were still extended, trailing along the floor next to her as thin razor-sharp strips she’d used as a cat-’o-nine-tails.

Where had Kizira gotten that nail job?

Evalle’s skin burned from where those nails had left strips of Noirre majik eating into her body. She’d doubted anyone would find her here, not even Storm. She tried to shift once, hoping to fight her way out even if it meant exposing her beast side to the world.

Kizira kiboshed that with a spell.

“They wait for you to call your Beladors with your mind,” a feeble male voice said on her left.

Evalle turned her head to where Vyan hung near her. At least he was on the side with the eye she could still see out of. Her glasses were gone, but the candles burning below were far enough away that they were not blinding her. “They waste their time. I will not call the Beladors into a trap. I am not a traitor. Why didn’t you come to us, Vyan?”

“Beladors want only the Ngak Stone. I want my people to be free of their cursed lives.”

She couldn’t really argue with that and noticed he hadn’t included himself in that wish.

“Evalle?”

She heard her name called softly from below her where captive Nightstalkers were clustered inside a circle of power.

“Grady?” She whispered to keep from drawing the attention of their captors. He was here. Just as she’d feared. “Why’d you do this?”

His weary eyes had never sagged as much as they did now. “I wanted an hour of human form tonight.”

Grace be to Macha. Evalle couldn’t have given him an hour, but she might have stopped him from being caught by the Kujoo if Isak hadn’t kidnapped her.

We’re coming, Evalle, she heard in her mind.

Trey? Is that you?

I’ve been trying to reach you for a half hour but I had to find a way through a barrier.

A witch spell. She’s not paying me any attention right now. Must be how you got through.

Nah. I’m just that good.

She rolled her eyes.

Trey said, We’re outside. Tzader and Quinn are with me.

She didn’t know how they’d found her, but she couldn’t let them march in here to save her. It’s a trap. Don’t come in and don’t let Brina show up. They’re waiting for her.

Tzader’s got an ace to play when we come in. He won’t lead our tribe into a slaughter or let anything happen to Brina. You have to learn to trust us. You can’t save the tribe alone.

I hear you. She let out a raw breath. Thanks be to Macha. Tzader had found her and had this under control. Did he get the stone put somewhere safe?

It’s safe enough.

It has to be absolutely secure. Tell Tzader the Kujoo plan to send superwarriors back in time to wipe out the entire Belador race. All of you would die.

All of us would die, Trey repeated, emphasizing “us.” We’re prepared for them.

She swallowed at the show of support from a fellow Belador. She wouldn’t die in vain. Her tribe would continue.

The grotesque Nightstalker halflings started howling.

Down below, Tristan’s head jerked up. Kizira swung around. The one Evalle now knew as Batuk roared and his men drew swords, then spread out around the room.

Heavy double doors hanging at the end of the building appeared to be new. Kizira had taken time to do a little remodeling, eh? The doors burst inward. Tzader and Quinn marched in first with Trey, Storm, Casper and twelve more men who were Beladors.

Evalle could feel her body welcome their power.

Then Laurette stepped up next to Tzader.

With the Ngak Stone in her hand.

Oh, no. That’s how they found me.

Tristan laughed. “I knew they’d come for you, Evalle.”

What are you doing, Z? Evalle yelled telepathically at Tzader. Get Laurette and that stone out of here.

She wouldn’t leave or hand over the stone until you and Vyan were free.

“This is how you take care of the innocent?” Vyan snarled at Evalle.