The Darkness in Dreams (Enforcer's Legacy, #1)(85)

“Breathe. Push up to your feet and run, cara.”

It was Christan’s voice. Lexi heard him clearly, and it was enough to break her immobility. She pushed to her feet, slammed both palms against the double doors so hard one swung open and then back, crashing into her shoulder. Pain was instantaneous. Lexi forced herself down the concrete steps to the grass slick with dark patches that weren’t caused by rain.

The larger man followed and tried to circle her shoulders from behind. He was the one who spoke with rough Italian-accented English. He smelled of stale garlic and tobacco. Lexi twisted to the side, turning into him instead of struggling away. She blocked his arm, hit him hard beneath the nose, shoving up with her open palm. Cartilage crunched and the part of her that was Gaia smiled at the piercing scream.

Around her, the noises and bodies and memories of the alley raged. The vineyards had been trampled into blood and mud. The defensive perimeter had slowed the assault, but not long enough to contain the enemy. Now the fighting had reached the open terrace in front of the villa. It was hand-to-hand, warrior against warrior. Lexi stared at the destruction and a sob caught in her throat. She wondered if she could ever live in this place again, if Christan would ever ask her to live here. Despite the bitterness, they had loved each other here. Now there was violence and death.

“Go to the trees, cara.” Urgency in that mental voice. Christan was there; she could feel his energy, pulsing and wild, but he was lost somewhere in the churning bodies. “Now. Darius will meet you there.” It was an order, followed by a grunt of pain.

“I’m not leaving.” Lexi wasn’t sure if she was doing the telepathy right. It could be a one-way transmission, where Christan could talk to her but she couldn’t talk to him. Besides, she was more Gaia, now, fighting the lions. She saw a discarded staff on the ground, thought it should fit her hand. Picked it up without thinking beyond how naturally the wood fit against her palm. “I won’t give up on you.”

A scream broke above the sound of bodies and the air vibrated. Someone had shifted. Then another. Both blacker than the night, larger than any natural predator, reaching back into prehistoric nightmares of violence and blood. Moonlight silvered massive shoulders. The eyes of one predator glinted with the killing-edge of obsidian, while the other animal vibrated with the sin-dark eyes of a fallen angel, broken and profane.

Two enemies began a death dance, matched for size and strength. Blood was running freely. Pelts were ripped and bones exposed. Night sounds surged and then receded. Another warrior approached, shifted and was immediately sent to the ground. An area widened in the blood-soaked grass as men fell back. The two remaining combatants circled. The meaning was obvious. There would be no other interference. A cry rose in Lexi’s throat, but she choked it back. It was enough, though, even with the sounds around. Both massive creatures turned in her direction.

The shape of the battle changed, sharpened with lethal urgency. One primal creature struck out with vicious claws while the other stood in its way. The severity of the attacks increased as if everything depended upon winning.

Lexi was wrenching at the throat of her sweatshirt, tears blinding her eyes. Arsen was screaming at her. She didn’t seem to hear him. Her vision had narrowed down to a single focus. One creature leapt into the air. The other intercepted with a devastating demonstration of power and the air ripped in two. White-hot energy slammed Lexi toward the ground. But the assault was not against her; the motionless body at her feet shimmered once before shifting into a man. Three feet away, Kace flashed into human form, holding out his hand.

“Come,” he ordered.

He forced a wave of energy toward her. Lexi slammed the power back in his face. She thought she was screaming as she did it, calling him Wallace and Nico and all other names he’d ever used when he’d lied to her.

He stepped back. Lexi ignored him, concentrating on the man lying by her knees. She dragged the sweatshirt over her head. Balled it up and pressed the fabric against the gaping wound in Christan’s side. Felt the blood hot against her palms, the flow between her fingers that wouldn’t stop.

“Christan,” she said sharply, “stay with me.”

His eyes remained closed. She gripped the sweatshirt pressed into his side, her other hand against his ribs, holding on to him through sheer will alone. Her hands were slick with the essence of his life, and it hurt so damn much she couldn’t breathe. But she held on, held her hands tight against the wound in his side as she poured every bit of energy she had into him, her mind screaming while blood still ran on the ground.

Men were running toward her. Others were running away. The night was tumultuous and hot with immortal fire. Out of the corner of her eye, Lexi watched as Kace took another step backward. The air vibrated violently around him, scattering bits of grass. In an instant, he disappeared.

Beneath Lexi’s hands, Christan arched. Hot heat vibrated. Something was tugging him from her grasp. And then he was he was gone.





CHAPTER 36





“What the hell did you do?” Arsen was struggling to contain his rage. Lexi looked up into his face “Goddamn it, Lexi, did you fucking do it?”

Arsen was in the mud with her, his fingers gripping her arms but he didn’t pull her to her feet. He was on his knees where Christan should have been. Blood spatter marred the side of one cheek. An angry red wound in his arm gaped wide. Lexi bent beneath the swirling force of the one word she never wanted and had once used. She looked at the bloody shirt still gripped in her hands, unable to answer him.