Crusade ~ World from Ashes {Complete}

12

As it turned out, Valkyrie was a terrible idea. He got angry at me, told me that what Ryker said goes. Much like what Tristan said goes too. With that plan backfiring, I was confronted by Ryker who looked utterly livid. I wasn't sure how I got through that encounter alive, but I finally convinced him that he didn't need to leave me a body guard in order to make sure that I stayed. How in the hell I did that, I was still trying to figure out.

"This fucking sucks..." I muttered to myself as I lay stretched out on one of the bed in the hotel that we had commandeered for our own. I wanted to go still, but I wasn't sure how exactly I was going to do that. They had already left, they'd been gone for a while and I wasn't sure I could find them again. Maybe it's better if I just stay anyway... I thought to myself. The way Ryker looked when I told him I wanted to go. It was like I'd put a hot bar through his chest. The fear in his amber eyes... He was afraid that I would be killed just like Killian.

I wasn't about to let that happen so easily though.

Still, I wasn't able to convince him. Besides, he had Jace, Zak, Tristan and Valkyrie all on his side. If I went, I would have probably just gotten in the way. So, I resigned myself to staying on the bed that I'd been left on when Ryker had threatened to tie me down if he had to. Rolling over onto my side, I curled up into a ball and closed my eyes.

Maybe if I slept, they would come back sooner.

I wasn't sure what time it was or how long I had been asleep but loud sounds in the halls of the hotel woke me. Sitting up, I looked around the dimly lit room in a sleepy haze. What the hell is going on? I thought groggily as I pushed myself up off the mattress. I had gotten about two feet to the door when it burst open. Shouts and screams filled the hall, one voice in particular I recognized as Kilia's.

However, it was who came through the door that had my complete and utter attention. Caddac waltzed right in, his dark eyes glowing as he set his gaze on me. I narrowed my eyes at him and was about to invoke Crusade to retaliate against him. However, he was much faster and having the drug already turned on, he had the advantage over me. My body was lifted off the floor and flung across the room. Slamming into the wall, I let out a sharp cry before I crumpled to the floor in a heap.

My vision wavered in and out, tunneling into darkness as Caddac walked over to me. A wet cloth was pressed against my nose and mouth. A sickeningly sweet smell filled my nostrils and I nearly threw up from it. My head pounded hard as I slowly fell limp against him. Everything felt like lead as I slipped into darkness. I was startled and a little terrified by how easily he'd taken me down.

I had never stood a chance to begin with.

***

"...ye... kye!... Takye!"

I groaned heavily, wincing at the dull pounding in my head as I was being shaken. The throbbing pain became fully apparent as I opened my eyes and instantly regretted it. I was blinded by white light overhead. Reaching up, I pressed the palm of my hand into my forehead.

"Takye!"

"R-Ryker...?"

He sighed heavily, "You scared the hell out of me, again," he growled.

I peeled open an eye a second time to see where he was. I found that he was right next to me. He'd been nudging me with his leg, I could feel the boot pressing into my side a little painfully. I shifted and pulled myself up to see him properly. The pounding nearly kept me on the ground, but I took a deep breath and forced my body to move anyway. Once I was up and oriented, I took a good look around.