Going Thru Hell (13 page)

Chapter Twenty

A moan from far away sounded and I opened my eyes to find the source. Pain wracked my body as I realized the noise came from me. I felt hot, skin too tight, several places bound tightly. I heard the beeping of machines, and the soft sounds of people.

“Easy, Kylie, glad to have you back with us,” an unfamiliar voice whispered in the quiet.

A big hand gently smoothed the hair from my face. I tried to see, but my vision remained blurry.

“Going to give you a few more drugs, honey, to help with the pain. Go back to sleep.”

A heaviness pervaded my limbs and a curtain fell over the pain. I went back to sleep.

I woke again, throbbing all over, no longer overheated, and able to open my eyes. The hospital room was the standard sea-foam green, machines lining the walls, various outlets, a TV high on a wall. I tried to sit up, but a hand on the uninjured shoulder stopped the attempt.

“Easy, easy. Let me move the bed.” Aki's voice sounded like angels singing. The bed trundled slowly upwards, supporting my aching, worn body. He grabbed a hospital cup, filled it with water, popped in a straw and held it to my lips. I frowned, but grateful for the assist. I wanted to gulp the water down, but he prevented it, taking the straw away after short sips.

“What?” I croaked, fighting exhaustion. The small m
ovements akin to a major workout.

“You were too injured for Bru's help. Even the sisters tried, but you were dying and too far gone.” Worry lined his face, along with several days' growth of beard and purple stains under his eyes. “I tried to stop them, but they were too many. I'm sorry, Kylie. Please forgive us.” His voice sounded close to breaking as a
watery shimmer coated his eyes.

“Okay.” I sank into the bed, hiding under the guise of sleep.

I woke feeling better, the beeping gone. A glance showed Tiamat and Bru asleep on the floor, Aki in the chair by the bed, upper half leaning forward and resting on the bed. I reached and slowly put my hand through his thick hair. He needed a shower, but I didn't complain. It meant none of them left my side.

Ice blue eyes peeked at me through long hair and I tried to smile. It felt stiff and crooked. He gently pulled my hand out of his hair, grabbing the cup and another straw.

“How long?” I asked.

“Long time. Lots of breaks and injuries to heal. But it's okay.”

I nodded, keeping my gaze locked with his. “How bad?”

“Our asses were handed to us
, but everyone survived.”

I dared to peek down. The hospital gown covered my top half, but not the bandages rolling out of it, or my thigh in a sling, wrapped
in a cast. I reached up slowly, finding bandages on my head, shoulder and an arm.

“I guess I can't take on Artemis. I'm sorry.” It was all I could think to say.

“They haven't showed again. You blew up Zeus and Cronus. Luckily, Tiamat has mad fire-breathing skills and cleaned the mess.”

I chuckled, and touched my nose. It throbbed a little at the contact, but otherwise okay. Bru
, and Tiamat in her human form, woke and rushed to the bed. Each clucked over me like mother hens, and the next hour spent filling me in on the details.

While technically we did lose the battle, the immortal rumor mills filled with stories of the little mortal kick
ing ass and taking names. Debate over the Valkyrie allies, how the ancient goddess of chaos and creation stood by the young Braider. Yet, it didn't have the needed outcome. Many were trying to think of a way around the newfound blow-up-the-immortal-ability.

The days of healing passed quickly and I was released without ceremony. Tiamat had handy tricks to make the police leave me alone
, and Bru took us into the heart of Nashville for a hotel.

“I'm tired of the sticks, and frankly, want some of the wonders of modern technology.”

No one argued.

I was given a bed, fluffy, soft and clean. All of the new stuff unpacked
and neatly put in dressers. I moved slowly, the injuries leaving me stiff and sore. I still carted a cast and several wounds shone a bright pink. Luckily, the area of hair Artemis ripped out was covered by the rest of my thick, unruly mass. The worst was the huge scar on the left side of my chest. The sword sliced clean through my breast, leaving it horribly misshapen, and to my shoulder. My nose healed slightly crooked, another long scar formed on my left thigh and my right upper arm looked deformed from stab wounds. I sported several scars on my face, and I was having a hard time adjusting to the staring. I'd never been a beauty, only garnering “cute” comments, but now I refused to look in a mirror unless necessary.

“You are beautiful,” Aki whispered as I paused to go into the bathroom, knowing the wall behind the sink would be lined with a huge mirror.

“Lying doesn't become a person.” I took a deep breath, preparing for the sight.

“I think you are and it's my opinion that counts.”

I looked over a shoulder, finding him grinning. I returned the smile. “Whatever, Berserker.”

I took a bath,
bound leg hanging over the edge of the tub. I scrubbed the rest of my body a bright pink, unable to get the visual of blood out of my mind. Bru helped me dry and dress, and they maneuvered me into bed. The combination of hot water and exertion was exhausting.

I slept without remembering the dreams, although the smell of apples filled the air. It jolted me awake, my sleep addled brain confused and unable to figure out where I was or why I slept on something soft.

“Calm down, Kylie.” Bru's whisper broke the silence while the feeling of concern flitted down our bond.

“Did I scream?”

“No, but I felt panic threaten.” Her hand covered mine.

We sat still
, her presence comforting. I lay back, closing my eyes. The bed dipped again, followed by Aki's body heat. He grabbed my other hand. For long moments, we sat in the darkened room, soft emotions buffeting my tattered soul, cauterizing the wounds.

“I wanted to stay away from you, Kylie. I can't do it,” Aki whispered.

“You should. For both our sakes,” I answered, groggy. I wasn't embarrassed Bru witnessed our words, she'd feel my emotions anyway. The feeling of sadness gently rolled from her. She knew how stunted I'd become, understood I wanted to feel more and couldn't. She could see the blazing emotion only for Riot.

The Valkyrie bond remained strong, helping keep my sanity.

“I'm sleeping with you from now on, Braider. I need to be close.” The sound of clothing falling quietly to the floor rippled through the room. The bed moved up before dipping again as he lifted the duvet and slipped behind me, his arm going around my waist as his body pushed against mine.

“I'm going back to bed, Kylie. We are here for you.” Sorrow at my Arctic interior evident in her voice
and through the bond.

The heat rolling off Aki lulled me to sleep. I dreamt no more.

Chapter Twenty One

“Child. Did you miss me?”

The voice, as familiar as Tiamat's, woke me with mixed feelings of joy and betrayal.

Anahita.

I sat up slowly, wondering if the dreams evolved into hallucinations. I opened one eye. Her beautiful face, dark brown eyes, and proud carriage brought memories of teenage years and laughter. My heart pounded, conscious of her betrayal.

“I see you fear me now, Braider. I tried to warn you what I
would do to survive.”

“Why have you returned, Anahita of the Persians?”

“I am here to give you a choice, Braider. It is my love for you that gives you the opportunity.”

I frowned, unsure of her meaning. No plans were in the making, least of all any she'd know about. “What choices are you talking about?”

“You will join the Persians, and any ally of my choosing, Kylie.”

“No. What's door number two?”

“I tell everyone about the child you sired with Modi the Norse.”

Rational thought disintegrated
. Surging from the bed, hands reaching for her, I yelled. Terror filled her features and she disappeared. I landed on the floor, the smell of burning carpet sharp and thick in the air.

“What the
...?” Bru's feet appeared in my line of vision, confusion and surprise pulsing through the bond.

“Anahita,” I growled. Her threat against Riot
made the room disappear and rage hammered my senses.

“Oh crap. Aki!” Her hands rubbed
lightly against my shoulders, “Easy, Kylie, take it easy. Calm yourself. We'll work through this, but not if you blow us all to hell and back.”

Riot, Riot, Riot, Riot
. I stood, concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. I was swept into powerful arms, held against a warm chest, a softly bearded face rubbing lightly against my cheek.

“Kylie, honey, listen to me. Calm your thoughts, we
will
figure it out. Pull back, Kylie, don't burn me to a crisp.”

His deep, whiskey roughened voice relaxed my shoulders.

“Tiamat.”

Aki nodded as he ran out of the room, refusing to let me
walk. He carried me to the roof, the cold winter air clearing my thoughts.

“Hand her to me, Be
rserker.” Claws pulled me to a leathery chest, “Let it go.”

I released, the heat of the secondary ability swallowing us whole, burning my skin and causing us to moan and shudder.

Belatedly, I realized I was being held against a giant dragon, held by razor sharp claws, in the middle of a Nashville winter, with bedhead and not a stitch of clothing.

When had I lost my pajamas?
I glanced at my body, finding several burns forming blisters, and around my neck hung the charred remains of a t-shirt.

“What happened?” I looked at Aki, hoping for a few answers.

“Kylie, um, the power exploded over you. Burned the fabric, and as you can see, some of your skin.” He gently pulled my arm upwards, showing a large burn on my forearm bearing several blisters the size of quarters.

I examined the wound, wondered how large a scar it would leave
, and shrugged.

“Can I borrow your shirt, Aki? My nipples are starting to hurt in the cold.” I held a hand out.

He gently pushed my arms above my head, sliding his t-shirt on, carefully avoiding the burn injuries. Standing less than a foot away, I met his gaze. I could see subtle emotions fill his eyes and wondered what they meant. I wanted to know, but not enough to ask. His body language yelled his heartache, something in the emotions I sensed said he wanted desperately me to return his love.

“I can't feel it anymore, Aki. Why?”

Tiamat answered, “What little you have left is reserved for the child, Braider. You have none to spare for others.”

“I feel something for you, Tiamat.” I met her shining black eyes.

“Yes, child, born of long years together. But the Berserker is new, the emotion fresh. It has been burned away. Only the Valkyrie can restore some of it, if the bond wasn't broken with the rage at Anahita.”

I met Aki's eyes. “I'm sorry.”

He lifted me, going to the room. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, buried my face in his neck. The musty smell of bear, growth and decay of forests, mountains, snow and fresh air, the Axe soap he used, brought memories, and the tiniest spurt of emotion. I buried my nose in his neck, inhaling deeply. A weak emotion was better than the ice where my soul should have been, or so said my brain.

He put me to bed, spooning and running his fingers through the curls of my hair.
The hangover gave me a headache, making the light painful, and I snuggled under the covers in an attempt to hide.

Hands gently shook me awake. I could see a blurry outline of Bru, felt more than saw her sense of urgency.

“Kylie, you have a phone call. Wake up. Come on, Braider. It's your parents.”

I jumped out of bed,
hopping on my good leg for the phone, the first strong surge of emotions in weeks making me shaky. “Give it to me.”

She handed over a small cell phone. “We are here, Braider. Control yourself as much as possible.”

I needed several attempts to put the phone to my ear, fumbling and almost dropping
it. “Mom?” It hurt to swallow past the lump
in my throat.

“Oh, honey. You have to come home, Kylie. Now. I don't know how, but they found Riot.”

“Where is he? What happened?” I lodged the phone between my ear and shoulder, hopping around in awkward movements, getting dressed and throwing everything in a suitcase.

“Modi showed
and tried to protect him. Artemis, Thor, Magdi and Anahita overpowered Modi, took Riot. I don't know where. They only said when you show up, they would talk.”

Her voice broke several times, until Dad finally took the phone.

“Come home, now, young lady. Send Tiamat ahead.”

The line went dead. Dad was mad.

I headed for the door. A hand on my shoulder in mid-stride made me stumble, and twist to find Aki.“Kylie. I'll send Tiamat ahead, get everything together, meet us downstairs. Bru will have a vehicle ready.”

On one hand I wanted to shrug him off, but I also knew I wasn't in the right headspace to think of strategy.

I nodded once, “As you say, Aki.”

Bru
removed the cast on my thigh, tossing the pieces of plaster out. My leg was weak, but held my weight. I could move without the awkward movements, making the running around like a chicken with my head cut off a little easier.

We
cleared the hotel room, paid the bill and made our way to the parking lot.

I stopped and stared. My truck sat in a
parking spot, sparkling clean and beautiful.

“Didn't think we would allow your favored possessions to be taken, did you?”

“Why show me now?”

“Too much has happened, Kylie.” She pointed to the space in front of the truck. I followed her arm and
gasped. Out of sight of most mortals, hiding off plane, were the sisters of Bru, dressed and ready for battle. “None of us will allow them to harm an innocent. Or use you.”

In those words, I understood. If we couldn't win, if I was taken, they would rescue Riot and kill me. They knew I'd rather be dead, wanted my son safe, at all costs. Riot was the only reason I still had a soul.

Tiamat and the Valkyries went ahead to Wyoming. Aki, Bru and I drove my beloved truck. From Nashville to Rawlins, Wyoming was a long drive, more than two days. I hoped Riot remained safe until our arrival, but I had no other choice. Flying by Tiamat was out, and I'd used too much power. With little soul left, at most, I'd have two good braids left before insanity ruled.

During those two days, I rocked myself to sleep in the cab of the truck, talking to myself. Aki or Bru would hold me. Bru performed the bonding ceremony again as we entered Little Rock and the emotions running through the bond helped to restore some semblance of calm.

We stopped in Oklahoma City. As I slept, sandwiched between Aki and Bru, I sensed extra visitors. For the first time since November, my spidey senses alerted me to the presence of Amun and Khnum. Their strong Egyptian vibes tingled along my skin.

“What can I do for you gentlemen? Taking my son isn't enough?” My hands clenched in
to tight fists, trying to contain the heat of my palms.

“We would never
take your offspring, Braider,” Amun sounded as if I'd insulted him in the worst possible way.

“Kylie Rippons, it is as you have seen
, yet ignored. Will you follow the string in your visions?” Khnum's voice quiet, yet strong and commanding.

The three of us sat up, but I kept a hand on Aki's leg to help remain calm. The touch as necessary as the need to breathe. “Khnum, I will do everything possible to avoid that outcome. I deserve more than a fate such as that.”

“My child, even with your ability, sometimes fate must be appeased.”

“It doesn't matter. If I'd known my actions would lead to this place, I would never have made contact.” Amun's body language spoke volumes, carrying far more weight than his words.

“Kylie, your soul is almost used. You have little left to squander. It will take a great amount of fuel to do as you must.”

“She has a destiny even you do not see, Khnum
,” Aki spoke loudly, as if he knew more and held the information close.

Khnum moved close to Aki and they stared at each other. Khnum nodded once, turned away and disappeared, taking Amun with him.

“What was that about?” I stared at Aki. I'd missed something, I knew it.

“It is never good to know everything, Kylie.”

“Let it go, Kylie. It's four a.m., time to go.” Bru pulled my hand.

Two ideas, once separate, began to form into one answer. But I was being pushed and pulled to get up and moving. There was still another day's driving before arriving in Rawlins.

I took no pleasure in the landscape. Moving as little as possible, I sat between my two friends, thoughts coming and going like a butterflies on the breeze. I couldn't center my thinking, the only emotions from Bru through the newly remade bond. Even the normally explosive attraction to Aki wasn't in residence.

I spent the time from Kansas to Wyoming in memories of Riot. The day he was born
with medical complications, his first deep breath and cry, watching him learn to sit, crawl, walk and talk. His laughter and innate power. As a demi-god, Riot could braid without losing his soul. An evolution of our lineage. Making my son an exceptionally powerful mortal, one the gods would fear.

Modi was proud of our son, hating he couldn't show him off in Asgard. But he, more than most, understood why hiding Riot, and his abilities, had been the only way to go.
It was likely Modi would pay a terrible price for keeping the information from his father and grandfather.

“Kylie, we're almost to Rawlins, give me directions.” Bru pushed against my shoulder, breaking me out of the reverie.

“Oh, sorry. Here already? Um, go north on state highway 789. I'll tell you where to turn.”

My parents sold their place in Laramie long ago, moving west and into the
Red Desert of southwest Wyoming. It's a lonely, wide open space, with subzero winters and warm summers.

I directed Bru along the dirt roads. The house could be seen on the horizon, backdropped against the mountains. They'd chosen a place in the open. It would make them easier to see, but also hell to sneak close. As we approached, I whistled low in appreciation. My parents were genius.

The house was merely a decoy. It looked like any low slung ranch home, cedar siding, green roof, wrap around porch. To those who didn’t know what to look for, they’d miss it. The house sat on the true entrance, an old military missile silo site, a relic from the cold war. Under the land, a myriad of tunnels, rooms, kitchens, conference rooms and storage facilities branched out like roots in every direction. Technically, my parents could live comfortably for decades without ever coming into the light.

Anahita wouldn't know of the new place.

So how in the hell did Modi and the others find it?