The Ravenous Dark, page 44
A flash of approval scored his features before Kane launched himself into the air, body transforming into its other form. Bailey didn't bother to stick around and watch. She spun on her heel and sprinted to the greenery.
Kane's claws scraped and scratched against the checkered tiled floor to gain purchase. It clashed with the thud of her boots and heavy breathing and sounded closer with every third step she took.
He would be on her quickly if she didn't do something soon but shifting was out of the question now. The act would lose her precious seconds she didn’t have. Bailey cursed herself.
What she needed was backup.
Adrenaline fed her muscles as the threat of death nipped at her heels. And then, unexpectedly, a sense of triumph washed over her. It boosted Bailey's momentum, Ronan's sudden confidence inspiring her own.
He did it. They warned Valdora and the Vranas. He—
A strangled gasp of pain shot past her lips as she went tumbling to the ground a few feet shy of the greenery.
Searing pain scored her shoulder blades. The force of the impact was there and gone before she could let out a proper cry. Bailey didn't stop moving once she hit the ground. Her momentum was too great.
With a grunt, she crashed through the greenery.
The landscape dropped almost immediately out from under her into a steep hill. Fresh panic seized Bailey as she rolled with dangerous speed. There was little to slow her descent beside the odd shrub and sapling. And all attempts to latch onto the sodden earth failed.
She was going too fast.
The world flew past her eyes in a blur of greens, and blacks, and browns. Magic skewed her other senses. It vibrated against her skin and filled her nose. Her only consolation was Kane's raucous snarls and roars.
Apparently, he hadn't anticipated the sharp drop either.
As the vegetation became more verdant, Bailey's momentum began to lessen. She twisted as best she could, aiming her feet in front of her and digging her heels and elbows into the ground.
"Argh!"
Bailey came to a sudden halt as she slammed into a tree trunk and its tangle of sprouted roots. Her body throbbed all over.
With a groan, she forced herself to take in her new environment and dragged herself to her knees. Bailey's breath came in heavy pants as she eyed the near vertical hill she'd fallen down, and the unnatural valley she’d landed in. Hearty trees and lush vegetation surrounded her, and the backdrop of a cerulean sky peaked through the canopy.
But there wasn't a sound of life to be heard. No birds or insects. No breeze to rustle the leaves.
"What the fuck?"
Bailey rose to her feet gingerly. A hiss broke past her lips as her side screamed in protest. Broken or bruised? She prodded her lower ribs, losing touch with her surroundings as pain blossomed across her midsection.
Broken.
Bailey gritted her teeth and eyed the valley with apprehension. Kane's snarling had stopped, but she didn't know when. He could be anywhere.
A crack sounded somewhere from behind her. She stiffened.
A heartbeat later, Kane broke through the dense foliage. Bailey dove to the side to avoid his swiping claws. Her shoulder blades and ribs did not appreciate the decision, but there was no time to dwell on the pain they radiated as Kane had doubled back using his supernatural speed.
Bailey uttered a curse and took off, aiming for the nearest tree. She scaled it with a grunt, hoisting herself onto a sturdy branch.
A claw raked over her dangling ankle and boot, slicing through fabric and flesh with astonishing ease. Bailey cried out and then kicked. Her foot connected with Kane's face three times before he retreated with a snarl.
Bailey didn't waste any time in hoisting herself up another branch.
"You don't really think you're safe up there, do you?" Kane called up. Bailey's gaze snapped down to him, surprised to find him back in his human form. "My kind is prolific at navigating terrain high and low. Why don't you come down here and face me? There's no need to die a coward."
Irritation mixed with rage. "I'm not going to die!"
Kane's head cocked to the side, and then he flashed her a menacing smile. In the next instant, he was jumping and using the tree's trunk to help launch himself higher. Bailey couldn't move away fast enough.
His hand locked around her injured ankle and let gravity do the rest.
They came down together in a flurry of flailing limbs. Snarls and growls ripped from their throats before they hit the ground with jarring force.
"That's better, don't you think?" Kane breathed. He was crouched at her feet with his hand still wrapped around her ankle.
"Fuck you," she spat.
Using her free leg as a battering ram, she aimed a kick between his thighs. Kane leapt back with a disgruntled snarl as he angled his body to better protect his manhood. Bailey scrambled back as well, deadly anticipation building in her stomach, even as Ronan's steady reassurance tried to calm her through the soulmark.
"You want to fight dirty?" Kane's eyes flashed with glee. "I'll fight dirty."
Kane's threat lost weight as a loud caw broke through the air followed by another, and then another. He went rigid before his top lip curled in disgust.
"Sorry we're late," Ana called.
She jogged down the steep slope of the valley. Flanking her was Callum, whose gaze bounced between Bailey and their brethren in the treetops. "You okay, Bailey? Not too worse for wear, I hope. Ronan will have my head—"
"How the hell did you get past the Lunar Court’s wards?" Kane stood slowly. His features were twisted in fury.
Ana's eyes narrowed as they focused on him. "We have our ways," she replied. "Bailey? Are you all right?"
"I'll survive," Bailey said and stood with effort. She tested the weight of her ankle. The pain was bearable but climbing up the hillside would hurt like hell. Kane shot her a contemptuous glare that tugged a smug smirk to Bailey's face. "I told you so."
Kane shifted back, his regard assessing. "An injured lycan and two shifters? I can take all of you."
"Five shifters," Callum said stoically. He glanced to the three ravens perched on a branch nearby. "And I'm certain we can hold our own against you."
"Bailey, why don't you get out of here?" Ana said. She never took her eyes off Kane. "We've got this covered."
"Are you sure?"
"Oh, yes. We have some unfinished business with Mr. Fawzy that my family and I are eager to settle." The three ravens flew down and landed in their human forms behind Ana and Callum.
"Ana…."
"Go, Bailey." Ana produced a truncheon from behind her back, letting the thick club hang at her side.
Indecision made Bailey hesitate, but ultimately, she nodded in agreement. She would only get in the way of their fight.
"Meet me in the Styx when you're done," Bailey instructed as she started limping toward the hill. "The Wildings have been helping the Circe clan deal out the rabidus curse." Ana's eyes widened. "And they’re not planning on stopping. They’re going after Stella and Irina. Tonight."
The two women looked at each other in silent understanding. They both knew if the clan succeeded, a chain of events unlike the court had ever seen would unfold. It wouldn’t be chaos unleashed on the court, but hell.
"Go," Ana repeated.
Bailey's jaw locked tight in a grimace as she scrambled up the hillside, leaving Ana and the others to deal with Kane.
XXVIII
Several people stopped to stare as Bailey came barreling through the ward of the Lunar Court and into the large hall of the courtier wing. Bailey did her best to ignore them, and the uncomfortable squish of blood that had pooled in her boot.
"Looking for a good time?" A male yelled after her. "I can give it to you rough too!"
A cackle of laughter followed as she jogged on with a worsening limp. Halfway down the hall, she came to an abrupt halt.
Bailey gasped as a shock of pain collided with her lower abdomen. She bent over at the waist, momentarily overcome by its intensity. Someone laughed.
Immediately, Bailey straightened. A vicious growl tore from her throat as she scanned the room for the culprit, turning this way and that. Curiosity painted some faces, but the majority had already gone back to their previous conversations. She swallowed thickly, reluctant to believe someone hadn't been laughing at her.
Discreetly, Bailey inspected her stomach. There was no visible mark, but the pain, while lessened, was still there buried beneath her skin.
Dread engulfed her.
Ronan.
"Fuck," she muttered under her breath and hurried out of the wing straight into the Styx. The gambling hall wasn't packed, but it would be soon enough. Bailey stopped short of ascending the grand staircase.
Her heart pulled her toward Ronan.
Her head to find Stella and Irina.
Fear unlike she'd ever known before, clamped around her chest like a vise she couldn't loosen. She didn't know what to do.
A shrill scream tore through the air.
Bailey's heart skipped a beat as she whipped her attention in the direction it came from. Nobody else in the hall seemed bothered. Bailey soon understood why. The scream had come from a celebrating woman.
The knowledge only heightened her indecision.
What do I do?
Bailey climbed the stairs, stopping after a few steps to better scan the crowd. She used the banister for support, her adrenaline waning even as her thoughts raced. Kamara was expecting Kane to complete their drop-off, and Bailey had a terrible feeling that the drop-off was meant for Stella.
Or maybe Irina.
Bailey winced and scanned the Styx in earnest. Stella was always easy to find in a crowd. Her white hair was a beacon among the supernaturals who all prized their youthful appearance. Seeing no hint of snowy hair among the gamblers, she turned her scrutiny to where the Commons resided at the other end of the hall.
"Thank the Gods."
Bailey's grip tightened on the railing as she spotted Stella. She stood awkwardly next to a tapestry. Bailey squinted at her friend. She was clutching something close to her chest.
Icy fear doused her bloodstream.
It looked like an invitation.
"Hey, watch it!" A woman cried as Bailey practically threw herself back down the stairs.
"Move!" Bailey commanded, pushing past courtiers who didn't move out of her way fast enough. With every harried step, pain pulsed up and down her body. She clenched her teeth and breathed deeply through her nose.
As Bailey navigated the tail-end of the crowd, another shriek pierced the air. The scream was swallowed up by a resounding cheer. Bailey bristled but didn't stop. She couldn't afford to.
"Out of my way."
Using her shoulder, she barreled between the last cluster of bodies until she hit open space.
"Excuse me, generally works," some courtier commented snidely as Bailey's eyes locked on Stella.
Bailey tossed the woman a brief scowl. "Whatever."
"Hey!" Bailey made it no more than two steps before the woman's cold hand latched onto her upper arm. She spun Bailey around to face her as if she was a paper doll.
"It was you." Jasmine glared at Bailey. She stepped into Bailey’s personal space and sniffed the air around her. "You were in my room—"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Bailey glared right back at her and miraculously yanked her arm out of her hold.
Bailey glanced back to Stella. She was still in the same spot, but the tapestry was moving. The color left Bailey's face. The tapestry concealed a passageway, and someone was coming out.
"You were in my room," Jasmine persisted as Bailey started once more on her path to Stella. "You and someone else trashed it."
The petite vampyré zipped in front of Bailey, forcing her to stop. Her expression was a riot of emotions, torn between anger, despair, and a hunger that set off warning bells.
Bailey took a half-step back and crossed her arms over her chest. She winced as the cuts on her shoulders protested and her ribs seized in pain.
"Like I said, I don't know what you're talking about, Jasmine."
"Does the last full moon ring a bell?" She asked snidely. "You were in my room with someone else fooling around. I recognize your scent," Jasmine accused. Bailey strove for indifference, but inwardly groaned. "Do you think because you have the Vranas backing you, you can do whatever you want? There are consequences—"
"Oh shit," Bailey breathed, looking past Jasmine at Stella.
Her friend wore a tentative smile, and a pretty blush decorated her cheeks as she held up an envelope for her companions to see. Horror locked Bailey's muscles as she watched Irina take the envelope. River smiled in encouragement at her aunt's side.
"I have to go."
"I don't think so," Jasmine bristled, keeping in step with Bailey to block her. "I won't let you get away with this."
Bailey growled. "I don't have time for this," Bailey snarled. "You're drunk, as usual, and looking for a fight. I suggest you look elsewhere and stop wasting my time."
The shock on Jasmine's face quickly morphed to hot embarrassment as a titter of laughter came from behind Bailey. Guilt sliced at her, but it was small in comparison to her mounting fear. She maneuvered around Jasmine's frozen form and made a beeline for the women.
"Wait! Stop! River, don't let Irina open that!"
Bailey's warning was muffled by another spontaneous uproar from the crowd. This one was accompanied swiftly by more screams. The thundering of feet sounded. Bailey glanced over her shoulder to see the crowd rushing to and up the stairs.
Their panic was infectious.
It grew in Bailey like a wildfire and sparked new terror as the pitch of their screams resonated. She knew without having to see what had caused the stampede. Then she spied Franklin among those fleeing up the stairs.
As if sensing her gaze, the owl shifter caught her eye.
Surprise flashed across Franklin's face before the owl shifter donned a wicked smile. Bailey didn't return it. Heart pounding, she broke into a run toward her friends. Her ankle and ribs threatened to revolt and give out.
Stella spotted her first.
The warmth from her face had already vanished as she stared in shock at the frantic exodus of courtiers. River was scowling at the scene as well, but Irina's focus was only for the invitation in her hand.
"Don't!" Bailey cried.
Irina's copper eyes snapped to her. But her fingers had already broken the seal and was mindlessly opening it.
"No!" Bailey screeched. "Stop her!" Bailey's ankle buckled as she thrust a pointed finger at the envelope in Irina's hand.
She went down hard, slamming to her hands and knees. Bailey tossed her head back, her hair flinging off her face to see if her warning had reached them. River was swiping for the letter, but she was no match for Irina's hybrid reflexes.
Bailey scrambled up and heaved toward them.
"Manners, River? What has gotten into—dear, Gods!"
The blank letter fluttered from Irina's hand to the ground just as Bailey arrived at their side. Irina's hand trembled before her. A leech-like black spot fusing onto her palm.
"No, stay back!" Irina barked as River reached for her.
River's panic-stricken face morphed into cold determination.
"I can help," River insisted, though she did as Irina asked and remained where she was.
Irina staggered away, neatly sidestepping Bailey. She shot her a pained look. "Go. Leave." she growled. "Now."
The blackness was beginning to creep up Irina's forearm, and the bedlam from the Styx was drawing closer. Courtiers were fleeing every which way, including their direction and the concealed passage they stood in front of.
"We need to move to some place safer," Bailey panted, already guiding Stella backward toward the mouth of the Commons. River and Irina didn't follow. "I have a plan," she told them, drawing both females' wide eyes. "Come on."
The four fled to the library and took refuge behind the farthest stack. "What's your plan?" River questioned.
"Yes, I'd like to know as well." Irina leaned heavily against the adjacent book stack. Her body shook as the blackened veins scored more and more of her body.
Bailey turned to Stella. "I need you to sing."
"But, Bailey—"
"You have to, Stella. Irina is too strong for me—for both of us." Bailey gestured to River. "You have to use your gift and immobilize her. Then River can cast whatever spell she needs to."
"Wait, what gift?" River looked between the two wide-eyed.
Bailey ignored River to clasp Stella's hands. "You can do this. You're so much more than you realize you're capable of. Please, Stella. At least try." Stella's chin wobbled, but after a moment, she nodded. Bailey breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. Irina, lay on the ground. River, do you think you can compel it out of her like you did for Cirian?"
"Yes."
"Absolutely not."
Niece and aunt glared at one another.
"Please, Aunt Irina," River pleaded. "You have to let me try."
Irina slid to her knees as a vicious tremble rocked her body. "Fine," she growled, her body twisting and contorting at sharp angles. "Do it. Do it fast. I can't hold it back much longer."
Bailey gave the girls a reassuring nod and then began to leave.
"What the hell, Bailey?" River's terror spiked tangibly. Bailey didn't have the wherewithal to fight it, and her heart began to race. "Where are you going?"
Bailey glanced over her shoulder. A mixture of doubt and fear stared back at her from Stella and River. "I'm going to buy you time and hold off whatever might come this way." Their doubt and fear increased. "Everything's going to be okay," she reassured them. "But we can't waste any more time."
A crash and scream sounded close by. Too close.
Bailey left her friends behind without a second glance.
"Everything will be okay," Bailey chanted under her breath as she limped toward the entrance of the Common's library. Anticipation corded her muscles as the lights above her flickered and the walls gave a shudder. Ethereal smoke pooled out from the aisles ahead.
Bailey came to a slow stop as her supernatural senses prickled with awareness, including her soulmark. A moment later, Ronan emerged from the smoke as the shadowmancer.
