Promises (40 page)

I closed my eyes. Every word, every warning Callon had given me, had come true. He’d told me not to trust Maes, life debt or not. But I’d been too stubborn and self-absorbed to listen.

“
That’s right,” the blond sneered. “How are you ever going to live with yourself, knowing you’re the reason your friends are going to die?”

Fury burned through my veins, and I glared at the smarmy Tracker. I lifted a finger, sending a spiral of fire upward, knocking him back. He cried out, but he was back on his feet in seconds, about to lunge. I leapt to my feet and dodged his outstretched hands. I wasn’t going to be the victim again. The other two joined their companion, trying to box me in. I twisted my wrist upward, and a large inferno shot into the darkness, forcing them to retreat. Without a second thought, I bolted for the forest.

The commotion grew as I wove in and out of the tents. I kept my focus forward, forcing myself to run faster. I made it to the edge of camp, mere feet away from the forest. Heavy footsteps thundered behind me, and I twisted around, breathing heavily. The number chasing me had grown.

I began rotating my hands above my head, setting off a circling wind filled with dirt, rocks and brush. I closed my eyes, felt the intensity building—the hurt and anger flowing freely—pulsing out raging currents of air. My fingers began to produce that now familiar tingle, and I opened my eyes. The tornado was in full swing, snarling around me and sweeping tents, trees and men in its path.

Suddenly a shadowy figure started to walk towards me, seemingly unaffected by the gale. I growled and increased the velocity. Still he continued, as if walking through a summer breeze. I shut my eyes once more as the air seemed to be sucked out from around me. I began to tremble as I felt my power growing—it wouldn’t stop. That horrible feeling intensified, and I screamed. It was going to destroy me!

Two hands held my face. “Cheyenne, stop this,” Marcus said. “You’re safe. They won’t harm you.”

I fought to suck in air, the dizziness about to overtake me.

“
You need to stop the wind. Look at me.” I opened them to see his steely eyes willing me to end it. “Stop the wind.”

I shut my eyes again and released the wind. It ended as suddenly as it had started. Just as before, my head began to ache, and all my strength vanished. Marcus caught me as I collapsed and held me as I began to cry. Every emotion I’d tried to hide came to the surface. All I wanted was to be in Colt’s arms. I needed my light when I was drowning in such darkness.

“
I’ve taken care of it, Marcus,” Maes said.

“
Good,” Marcus replied. “Help me get her back to the tent.”

They helped me walk back to the tent. The army of onlookers stared, taking in the destruction. Marcus laid me onto a bedroll, and I curled up into a ball on my side. Marcus covered me with a blanket as Maes departed.

“
This takes a lot out of you?” Marcus asked.

“
Yes,” I replied faintly and shut my eyes.

“
The last time it seemed to take a number of hours before you recovered.” He patted my shoulder. “It’ll get better.”

How did he know that?
Had he been watching from afar as Matt? Had Maes told him? Or…

A dull ache settled in my stomach. All those chills I’d felt when I thought situations seemed to be off…

Marcus had been watching me from the start.

“
The first time you saw me was at Dex and Lilly’s cabin.” My voice shook. “You were outside in the storm. You were watching me through the windows.”

He didn’t reply, but as I rolled over to look at him, his eyes told me everything.

“
The Trackers told me you’ve been following me since that day at the river.”

Once again, he didn’t confirm or deny.

“
Did you send Maes in after me?”

“
No, he did that on his own.” He brushed the hair from my cheek. “I’m grateful he did. He told me you wouldn’t have survived.”

The pieces of this mystery were slowly falling into place. “You knew I was with the O’Shea’s at their cabin. You were waiting for me that day in the alley?”

“
I knew you were with the O’Shea’s, but I wasn’t waiting for you,” he replied. “That was sheer luck. I was actually waiting for Maes. We were supposed to meet up, and he was going to update me on your progress. Neither of us expected you to make a run for it, although we knew it would’ve been soon.”

“
You followed me after I left you…that was your truck at the motel.” I stared at the tent ceiling. “Did you send the police officer too?” I’d wondered how he’d found me so easily.

“
Yes.”

“
If I hadn’t walked away, you still would’ve come for me, wouldn’t you?” I met his grey eyes.

“
You belong with me, Cheyenne, not them. They’ll never be able to teach you what I can.”

“
But aren’t you teaching me that vengeance is right?”

He touched my cheek. “How did one so young become so wise?” He smiled faintly. “It was prudent on your parent’s part to have Gene and Alexis raise you. They’ve taught you well.”

“
Hate begets hate, Marcus. Killing won’t bring back those who’ve lost their lives.”

“
It won’t bring back their lives, but it sure makes me feel like I’ve avenged them, and sometimes that’s all a man needs to survive.”

“
I don’t want to just survive anymore.”

“
Nor do I. I want this war over, and I want you with me.” He lowered his head so I couldn’t see his eyes. “It’s taken me some time to figure it out, but after spending time with you, it’s become clear.” His eyes met mine, and for a brief moment I saw his vulnerability. “You’re the only one who’s ever brought me some peace, and I don’t intend to lose it—ever.”

I closed my eyes as the pounding in my head grew worse. I brought him peace…but the only thing he brought me was misery. I began to play with the ring Callon had given to me at Christmas. The braided ring reminding me we were all bound together. If only I’d listened to Callon, I would be in the arms of the two people I loved the most.

Marcus moved beside me and lay on his back, his arm pressed up against me. “Rest, Cheyenne. Things will look different in the morning.”

The saturation of sleep came without my consent. I would rest, and I was sure that tomorrow would look differently—it would be bleaker and darker. I felt that twinge of the unknown stirring once again in the depths of me. That thing I couldn’t describe, but knew to be filled with nightmares yet unseen.

Callon, Colt and Daniel floated through the haziness of my dreams. Just twenty-four hours ago, I’d been with them. I had everything I needed right in front me, and I hadn’t even seen it until now. Destiny was once again toying with me, showing me what I could have, but never would.

A loud cracking of the fire woke me, and I jumped. I rolled over and peered out the open tent flap as night hovered over the camp. I was alone.

Shadowy figures moved around the fire, one of which was Maes. As if on cue, his head turned towards me. We stared across the darkness, my bitterness reignited. He rose and quickly came to the tent flap.

“
May I come in?” Maes asked quietly.

I didn’t reply as I rolled away from him. He’d enter either way, I was sure.

He released a heavy sigh and sat down beside me. “I understand your anger, Cheyenne.” His French accent rolled across his tongue. “I would have felt betrayed as well.” He shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t expect you to forgive me, mon espoir, as I have no right to ask for it.” He moved slightly. “I can only hope that you believe in me as I believe in you.”

He grasped my fingers and placed his ruby-stoned necklace there.

“
This is yours, forever and always.”

I tried to drop the stone, but he wouldn’t let me. Why was he doing this to me? It was a false hope. I was trapped, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. If I fled, my guardians would die. If I stayed, I’d barely survive…

He left the tent when I remained still. Why did it have to be this way?

All of this—the fighting, the killing—was over who was right and who was wrong. It was a blood feud, plain and simple. Marcus had murdered my father because my father had murdered his. Callon and the others were fighting because their own clan had suffered at his hand, too. It didn’t even matter who started it. There would be no end unless I did something to stop it, but how?

My mind whirled for a solution but found none.

I turned towards Marcus’s voice at the entrance of the tent. The sun had risen, and he was crouching by the flap. Moving closer, he placed a bag in front of me. “I got some clean clothes for you and other items. We’ll be leaving soon.”

I didn’t reply, but I grasped the bag as I sat up.

He exited and zipped the entrance closed.

I opened the bag and pulled the contents out. A pair of jeans, shirt, underwear, and personal hygiene items were before me. He’d gone into my room and picked things out…

I left the swimsuit on as I changed and slipped the clean clothes over the top. There was a brush and hair bands I used to comb through my tangled mess of hair and secure it in a ponytail. The morning air was cool, and I pulled the long-sleeved shirt on as well. I threw the dirty clothes in the bag, unzipped the tent and stepped out. Marcus was waiting a few steps away.

He locked his fingers around my wrist and pulled me forward. “I think you caused enough excitement yesterday. Let’s try and behave today, shall we?”

I pretended I wasn’t listening.

We went over to the horses, and I realized the camp had already packed up and was waiting on me. We approached Maes, and I stared at the ground. I’d put his ruby necklace in my pocket. I couldn’t bring myself to wear it, but neither could I throw it away again. I had to hold on to something when everything looked so bleak.

Marcus and Maes began speaking in French. I wished I’d listened to my father about taking the courses, but I’d refused because I didn’t think it’d be useful. I only knew a few words he’d taught me, but I caught enough to know we were traveling through a mountain pass. The word dangerous had come up too.

I glanced at the waiting men. It made sense to travel through the backcountry with such a large group. Customs would’ve been a nightmare, for one thing.

A twig snapped, and I looked around. The three Trackers from the night before were back at my side. The blond Tracker was frowning, meaning to frighten me. I flashed him a bored look and turned away. He would have to try harder than that.

“
Ryder!” Maes growled. He pushed him back and began speaking in French. At least now I knew his name. Not that it mattered. Ryder still shot me dark looks, until Maes barked something, and he slunk away with his companions.

Marcus nodded at Maes before he took me to his horse. We mounted simultaneously; apparently Marcus felt the need to ensure I didn’t get away from him, regardless of the fact his army surrounded us.

He pinned both my hands together, before he wound a thick cord around them. He held so tight, I knew if I showed even a bit of resistance, he’d snap both my wrists without hesitation.

“
This is just a bit of insurance. No more falling trees or flying boulders. Just a nice, quiet mountain ride. You did tell me you loved those.”

I stared at the ground.

I was truly a prisoner now.

The high mountain ranges towered in the distance, while the valley spread out before us, its edges flanked with forest. This trip was going to take some time—time I desperately needed.

We’d been riding for hours, and I was growing uncomfortable. The men were also growing edgy. They were checking our surroundings more often and fiddling with their weapons. They were waiting for something.

“
This hurts, Marcus.”

“
You should have thought of this before you knocked a tree into the river.”

“
I didn’t do it!” I snapped. “And anyway, if you’re so convinced it was me, why didn’t you stop me?”

“
Because by then you’d already crushed a few Trackers,” he replied. “Now stop squirming and enjoy the scenery.”

I rested my hands on the saddle, watching the trees. I tried to think of other things, particularly of my guardians. I wanted to believe that they were still alive, but without proof, and with Marcus’s army surrounding me, it was hard to keep my faith. Still, the thought of them dead would truly finish me off. My life had become a black vortex, which sucked in everything and left a whirlwind of destruction in its path.

I wiggled my wrists, attempting to ease the discomfort of the cord. Marcus saw the movement and scowled. Thinking I was trying to free myself, he smashed my wrists into the saddle horn. I screamed as pain shot up my left arm. My left wrist flopped aside, and I sucked in a breath.

“
Damn it, Cheyenne, I told you to behave! I didn’t want you to get hurt today,” Marcus snapped.

“
Then stop treating every breath I take as an attempt to escape!” I retorted. “Are you that stupid? What could I do? Where would I go?”

The pain was growing, feeding my fury. I was shaking, trying to contain my emotions, while the valley under our feet began rumbling. The earth was mirroring my emotions. Marcus loosened his grip, shouting orders at his men. That was the distraction I needed. I pulled free from his clutches and crashed to the ground. Pain meant nothing as I closed my eyes and focused on directing all my anger into the land. I was a fuming volcano, the pressure building inside, about to explode. The cord binding my hands couldn’t contain my fury, and it snapped like a rubber band stretched too tight. They believed I was a weapon, a power they could wield to destroy the clans. I was more than willing to give them an example here and now.