Shards: Book One of the Anderian Series

Chapter 33: Survival

I came out of the echo with a tortured gasp. Bellamy and Kohl were mates. And... And... My fist thumped against my chest, forcing me to drag in a full breath as spots danced in my vision. A week ago, such a strong echo would have rendered me unconscious and the contents of my stomach would make an appearance the moment I woke up. Now, I fought against the wave of blackness, bleary eyes searching the room.

Kohl had June cornered. Blood ran down her chin and down his neck, and from the cheeky way she grinned at him, it was his blood—not hers. His sword poked out from beneath the sofa, forgotten during his tussle, and dropped by me the moment I entered the echo. Crawling toward it, I searched for a Bellamy's signature anywhere around it but centuries had passed since he'd used it to rip her soul from her body. It was nothing more than metal with a memory.

"You stupid bitch," Kohl spat, flexing his wings and swinging at June.

She contorted her body in a way that made me wince—and make a mental note to try later—in order to avoid his fists. It made him roar in frustration, and with the limited space in the small living room, I suspected he was only toying with her because he thought I was unconscious—a neat little package all ready for delivery.

Picking up the sword required the use of both hands. I hoped I would appear threatening enough holding it to buy us some more time, but if anyone looked closely, they would see I was on the verge of toppling over, with or without the heavy weapon, though I seriously doubted I would have been able to hold the blade for long if I was in peak condition.

"Leave her alone," I shouted, jabbing the point into his back directly in the blank canvas of skin between his wings. Blood welled up at once.

Kohl tensed, then pivoted slowly. Madness twisted his handsome features until he appeared more monster than man. Wings spreading and snapping, he took one step toward me. June fell against the wall and put an arm around her waist, and I could see her earlier show had been all false bravado as she paled with pain.

"Did you just stab me with my own sword?"

Turning it side to side, I shrugged and planted my feet more firmly against the carpeted floor to keep myself upright. "I suppose I did. Apologies. You were probably saving it to stab another mate."

"The fuck did you just say?" The madness cleared a bit, like a storm receding before the sun, and he stopped advancing.

"You killed Bellamy. You started all of this Shards mess."

"How... What..." He stopped and started, shaking his head. "Who told you that?"

"I saw it. I watched you. In the woods. She trusted you."

Kohl shrank before me, appearing chastened. Then anger rushed over him, hardening his features as he shouted, "She was a whore who fucked another man before she came to see me."

"So you killed her? A little if I can't have her, nobody can? You're a psycho."

This was good. I could trade insults and argue all day. Anything to keep this from turning physical while I regained strength. If only there was a way to draw the energy in the room inside of me, to heal and strengthen me instead of draining. There probably was a way, but I had no freaking clue what I was doing. Everything until now had been worked out on pure instinct.

"Does Cian know?"

"Know what?"

He walked a wide circle around me, forcing me to shift so my back faced June and he blocked the front door. A light brightened the hallway behind him for a second. Then it extinguished, washing the corridor with darkness. Could Jac be awake? My old partner would be pissed as hell at me, but I trusted the Amouri bond would motivate him to protect me against outside threats. If we survived, I would deal with the threat Jac posed later.

"Know that—" Oh gods, bile rushed up my throat. I might vomit. "You were her mate? That she didn't die trying to save him?"

The monster in front of me laughed. "No. I sent him to his grave with all that guilt."

"What about your guilt?" I asked, ignoring his jab about Cian being dead. He wasn't dead. I would be able to tell. Damn it.

"All the guilt will be gone the moment I make her whole again. She'll understand, and then we're going to return to Andarie and win the war. She will be queen, and I will rule at her side."

I retched. It wasn't just a little, either. It spewed forward, and Kohl leapt backward to avoid the foul liquid from splashing on his boots. If I didn't feel so awful and the situation wasn't so serious, I might find it funny.

"Sorry," I croaked, wiping my mouth while hunched over. Looking up through my lashes, I saw Jac materialize behind Kohl, a wicked blade raised above his head. "Your grandiose plans made me ill."

"I'm done with your mouth," Kohl said—then screamed when the knife plunged between his shoulder blades.

"Good, because I'm done talking," I replied, swinging the sword with everything I had left.

My first year on the force, I'd shot someone in self defense. The sound of the bullet penetrating the body had haunted me a long time afterward, but it had nothing on cutting into someone with a sword. The side of the blade entered his chest, lodging in skin, bone, and muscle with a jarring thud that reverberated up the hilt and down my arms. Blood sprayed. Hot and wet, it landed on my hands before I jerked them loose. Kohl howled, falling to his knees. Jac pulled out his knife and stabbed again. And again. The blood splatters were almost black against his dark face.

"Bria, come on," June hissed in my ear, pushing me forward with one hand on my back and the other latching onto my elbow.

I didn't know how long I'd stood there watching. Kohl fell to his hands and knees, his wings drooping around him.

"Bria!"

I dragged my eyes away from the bloody sight, and we darted around the men, escaping through the door. Cold air hit me, stealing my breath but washing away the worst of my fugue. I shoved everything that had just happened into a compartment in my brain and locked it tightly, knowing it would spring open sooner rather than later. Likely during the darkness of night while I was alone or asleep. It would never fully leave me, but for now, I had to focus on surviving.

"What now?" June asked as we slipped into a wooded area outside the house.

"Now, we find Cian."

Because he was alive. He had to be.