Dance of Wings (Curse of the Guardians #7)

44. Scarlet

Chapter 44

Scarlet

S he barely had time to lift her arm up to protect her eyes before the circle exploded, a whoosh of wind that took out every candle within the room. Debris hit, her wing aching at the impact. Quickly checking it was still intact, she was relieved to find only a few feathers broken in the centre. Nothing too concerning internally if she still had feeling.

The ceiling was gone, as well as Gideon and Lucifer.

She turned to find large chunks of concrete had fallen, destroying the room. Walls had collapsed, the room whining, as if the structure had been compromised. Scrambling over a chunk of concrete, she reached down to pull Rae to her feet. The human’s arm was dislocated, her sniper broken in two on the floor.

“Fuck,” she cursed, trying to put it in herself before Scarlet helped. She screamed when it clicked back in, Titus rushing over to check on her. “I missed the fucking shot,” she hissed. More annoyed with missing Gideon, than dislocating her arm.

“Here.” Jax came over with a new gun, and with a grimace Rae began checking it with a precision that showed she knew exactly what she was doing.

“What happened?” Scar asked, her ears ringing. It felt like she was in a bowl, the shouts and surrounding crackles muted.

A roar was the only sound that finally broke through. A black beast stood on all fours, dark grey glyphs marking his fur.

A ripple of light along Jax’s tattoos before he seemed to burst at the seams, changing into a bluey/black beast with streaks of silver. Turning his large head, she noticed his scar matched that as the man. A single blink, his silver eyes holding an intelligence that surprised her before he prowled forward to nudge his brother on the shoulder.

“Get him off me!” came a high-pitched scream.

The black beast had pinned Blaze, his teeth clamping down on the Daemon’s shoulder. He was scrambling for the quartz, the crystal just out of reach. Instead Scar picked it up, the stone ice cold in her palm.

“He betrayed us,” Alice said, blue and green flames dancing along her palms. “He broke the circle.”

“He’s trying to cut Lucy off,” Kyra added, her eyes entirely black. “If the crystal breaks…”

“So does the syphon.” Scarlet glanced up, seeing two silhouettes against the moon.

Embers began to rain down, dying out before they hit the floor.

“Sythe!” Titus barked, aiming his gun at Blaze. “Back off.”

The black beast snarled, releasing his teeth, and Titus shot twice. Blaze wheezed as the bullets hit, the edges of his body shimmering as if he was trying to drift, but failing.

“Fuck you all! Zurz will burn you where you fucking stand!” he snarled, only for Axel to pin him to the floor face down. He began to convulse, his entire body jerking beneath Axel’s.

“Fuck,” Titus groaned, falling to his knees. His teeth were gritted, his hand clutched around his weapon. Rae went with him, her palms framing his face.

“Lucifer’s draining the syphons,” Kyra said, looking up just as the night brightened. Lucifer and Gideon fought, their power lighting up the sky.

Cars screeched, people screaming from the streets as the walls around them continued to crumble, the entire building ready to fall.

“Everyone needs to clear out!” Riley barked, his eyes swirling silver. His crystal was different to the others, a shattered grey that seemed to pulsate. He had it wrapped around his throat, the surrounding skin beginning to burn.

He was anchoring the syphons, grounding the power so it didn’t overwhelm Lucifer.

“Where’s Faye?” Kyra called, Xander running up to her side.

Scarlet whipped around, coughing at the dust that kicked up when another chunk of the ceiling fell. It came crashing down, rumbling the floor.

“Over here!” she shouted, climbing over a broken table. She found Faye on her back, bottom half pinned beneath concrete. Leo sat beside her, frantically trying to get her out.

Scarlet’s arm scraped against something as she rushed to get closer. “Stop!” she called, reaching out and touching Faye’s shoulder, only to feel the significant damage.

“It’s okay,” Faye whispered to Leo, tears clearing a pathway down her smudged face. “You’re going to be okay.”

Scarlet was struggling to control the damage, Faye’s pelvis and legs completely crushed.

Leo remained silent, his shoulders hunched as he tried to lift the concrete once more.

“Wait!” Scarlet stopped him. “Lifting it will kill her.” Her head ached, and it was taking a lot to keep Faye going for as little time as she could.

“You know there’s a way for her to be with you,” Kyle said, coming over to whisper softly to Leo.

Leo began to shake, red eyes glowing.

“Please,” Faye whispered, her voice barely holding on.

“We’ve got to go!” Xander shouted, cracks appearing around them.

Someone grabbed Scar’s arm, but she shook them off. “We need a minute!” If she let go, then so would Faye.

A flicker, and Scarlet immediately forced her heart to continue to beat.

“Oron,” Kyle barked, and Leo looked up with a snarl. “Make a decision. Don’t let Gideon take her from you.”

Leo’s nostrils flared, but it was only Faye that calmed him down. She managed to lift her arm, cupping his cheek with a shaking hand.

Scarlet continued to keep her alive, her heart stuttering even beneath her abilities. She was fading, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

“I was supposed to die, that was my fate. But you saved me,” Faye whispered. “Now, let me save you. Take it, please.”

“ Meu amor… ” He leaned down, his lips touching hers.

Faye’s heart stopped, unresponsive even with her magic. Leo removed the concrete, his muscles rigid as he threw it across the room.

He didn’t look at anyone, his face empty. Broken as he lifted her into his arms.

“Oron…” Kyle began, but he was already gone.

Leo drifted away, Faye held tightly against his chest.

His crystal dropped to the floor where he once stood, shattering on impact.

Panic coursed through her veins, her eyes immediately searching the sky to find Lucifer.

“Look out!”

Scarlet twisted, the blade meant for her face nicking her wing instead. The Skull was knocked back by a blast of arcane, and she immediately drew her bow. It hit the Skull’s head perfectly, piercing straight through.

Kyle grabbed Scar, drifting them outside.

Someone ran into them, weeping before they managed to scramble past, clutching a child tightly. Others were screaming, running in the opposite direction as Gideon and Lucifer fought above.

“What happened?” Riley asked, coming over with Alice on his heel. A large crack had appeared in his crystal at his throat, the surrounding skin beginning to split.

“Faye’s gone,” Scarlet said, looking around to see the damage. Surrounding buildings had been hit, glass shattering and metal bending beneath the weight. The sky continued to light up, balls of arcane destroying everything in their paths.

“And so has Leo,” Kyle added, his teeth clenched, sweat dripping from his brow.

“Fuck.” Riley dragged a hand down his face, his tattoos still glowing, but not as bright now Leo was gone. “Blaze is out cold, and Ti’s shifted to better deal with the power surge.”

A prickle of heat at the back of her neck, and they had just enough time to jump to the side before a dark ball of arcane hit, smashing into the building opposite.

Her palms scraped against the floor, hair falling from her braid when she looked up. The arcane had shattered on impact, but little wisps of orange flame were spreading, the heat growing with intensity.

“Gideon’s setting more hellfire,” Xander said, wiping the blood from his face. He was the last Guardian to remain a man, except for Riley. “The boys have found a swarm of Undead, and it’s only a matter of time until the Shadow-Veyn break through.”

“Unhallowed have already broken through,” Kyle growled, throwing a ball of arcane at a hound over her shoulder. It landed on its snout before one of the Guardian beasts attacked it.

Kyra was tight to Xander’s side, watching the fire move closer. “Gideon’s collecting souls, I can feel it in the flames.”

Xander’s eyes widened, looking over his shoulder. “She’s right.”

“The hellfire,” Kyle added. “That’s what he’s using to collect souls. If he collects enough, nothing will be able to destroy him. He’ll be able to heal all damage, everything in seconds after it’s inflicted.”

“We’re not going to be enough,” Riley said. “Lucifer’s going to need a Ley line.”

Scarlet whipped around at a noise, another of the Guardian beasts attacking a man with the face of a Skull. “What’s a Ley line?”

It was Alice who answered. “They’re natural energies that connect to ancient sacred sites around the world. Druids are able to harness the energy like an electrical socket.”

“What about Daemons?” Scar asked, turning to Kyle.

He shook his head. “It’s not the same once you ascend.”

“I have an idea,” Kyra said, speaking to Riley. “But this only works because your beast is the Alpha.”

“You want him to syphon?” Xander asked. “Then who will anchor?”

“I will,” Alice said, rolling her eyes at Riley’s protest.

Xander shook his head. “I’ll do it.”

“No, this idea only works because Riley’s connected to all the Guardians,” Kyra said. “So when he touches a Ley line…”

“It will spread across us all,” Xander finished for her. “You think it will work?”

“We don’t have a choice.” Alice touched Riley’s crystal, her hair lifting as if in zero gravity. “Together.”

“Together, sweetheart.” Riley held her against him. “Kyle, take us to the north side. Let’s connect to the Ley line, and destroy the cunt once and for all.”

“We’ll hold it down here.” Xander gripped Riley’s shoulder. “See you on the other side, brother.”

Riley smirked, both he and Alice disappearing along with Kyle.

Scarlet gripped her bow, the hellfire burning against their backs.

“We need to keep moving,” Kyra said, having to shout above the flames. “We’re –”

“Move!” Xander barked, gripping Kyra around the waist just as the first brick fell. The wall beside them buckled, windows shattering as it collapsed between them. Scarlet managed to scramble back and fall, the structure knocking against the opposite side. It hit with a crash, brushing up dust and debris and leaving a gap only a few feet above the road.

The structure creaked, clicking as gravity threatened to pull it down.

Scarlet panted, looking up at the building that had just fallen. Bricks continued to tumble down, breaking on impact around her.

“Scar! Fucking move!”

Climbing up from where she fell, she ran, pushing past the crowd who were trying to get away. Many people had tumbled, crushed beneath debris, or been attacked by the Skulls that moved with a mechanical slowness. They didn’t seem to feel pain, walking with limbs on fire and rubble penetrating their chests.

Nothing seemed to stop them.

Except an arrow through their head.

“Fuck,” she cursed, realising she only had a few left. Her quiver was getting lighter and lighter.

Fire was beginning to surround her, eating at everything in its path.

“Hey!” Thea waved her over, Ruhne sitting on her shoulder. “Are you okay? You’re bleeding.”

Scarlet touched her face, finding her fingers red. She must have been scratched by some of the flying debris. “Fine, what’s happening?”

“Rae can’t get a good shot at Gideon,” Ruhne said, glitter fluttering from his wings. “Axel’s taken a nasty slice to the side, and Kace keeps eating Skulls.”

“I can’t feel Thunder,” Thea said with panic. “It’s like he’s been cut off.”

“Thunder?”

“She means Jax’s furry side,” Ruhne chirped.

“Oh, Riley’s trying to syphon through the Guardians,” Scar explained.

“Does that mean we’re losing?” Ruhne said, only to be flicked off Thea’s shoulder. “What? It was a joke. I use humour to hide my feelings like an adult.”

Thea whipped around to face him. “That’s not –”

Lightning shattered the sky, the flashes of light splitting the night to strike Lucifer with a deafening screech. She watched with horror, Gideon closing the distance until he gripped her mate by the throat.

“Lucifer!” she screamed, reaching up as if she could catch him.

She tried to feel for her mark, concentrating on the warmth that radiated around her heart. Celestrials didn’t mate like other Breeds, her culture preferring to choose the best genes to procreate. But that didn’t mean she hadn’t romanticised the idea that there was someone out there that was always meant for her.

Lucifer asked her before whether she believed in fate, and she grew up knowing her path was set because of her birth. That it was her destiny to become a medic, marry someone picked for her and continue her family line.

Fate was something she’d always resented because it took away her choice.

She refused to believe in fate.

She chose her own path.

She chose him.