Wicked Wind (Solsti Prophecy #1) (22 page)

All the nymphs were fully dressed today, though for the females, the
usual clothing
was nothing more than a short, clingy tunic. The males all wore tunics and pants, mostly in shades of brown. Everyone they passed greeted them warmly.

They found Taszim deep in conversation with one of his sentinels, hand on his jaw as he listened to the other man. As they approached, he smiled and gestured for them to join in his conversation. He took Nicole’s hand and kissed it. “Well, don’t you look as content as a cat relaxing in the sun, my lovely. I trust you slept well.” He winked at her.

Nicole smiled and bit her lip, feeling heat rise in her cheeks. She looked up at Gunnar, who stroked his hand down the curve of her spine. From the way they had left Taszim and Larissa, she guessed the nymph leader’s night had been spent in a similar manner.

Taszim clapped Gunnar on the back and nodded to his man. “Tomas here was just giving the morning’s report. Things are quiet…unusually quiet.” He frowned and turned to his sentinel. “Keep me updated. I’ll be in my study.” The other nymph nodded, shaggy brown hair swinging around his head, and walked back toward the colony’s entrance.

Taszim offered Nicole his arm and she took it, then the three of them walked a short distance to a low building near the center of the colony. Taszim’s study was paneled in dark wood and contained several pieces of mahogany furniture and two overstuffed armchairs.

“So, my friends.” Taszim swept his arms wide. “What can I do for you?”

He leaned against the edge of his desk and indicated that Nicole and Gunnar should sit. Nicole settled into one of the cozy armchairs while Gunnar stood near her.

“You have something that will be of great use to us against one of our enemies,” Gunnar replied. “We have reason to suspect a Domu on Earth has organized a number of Skell demons to commit crimes for him.” Gunnar then related the details of the attacks in Chicago and the coins they had found on the two Skells. “We still don’t know what he plans to do with the blood he’s collecting, but we need to stop him before his plan can be fully realized. We need Xarrek’s ashes.”

Taszim’s brows furrowed. “For what purpose?”

Gunnar folded his arms across his chest. “Rosa said it will help defeat him. She didn’t go into specifics.”

“Rosa.” Taszim huffed out a breath. “Of course, the witch knows we have the ash. She–”

The door burst open. “My lord!” The sentinel from earlier gripped the sides of the doorway, out of breath. “Vipers, my lord Taszim! We are under attack!”

Both Gunnar and Taszim raced for the door. Gunnar looked back at Nicole. “Stay here!”

“No way.” Nicole stood. “I want to help.”

He gripped her upper arms and glared down at her, but she didn’t miss the flicker of worry that crossed the blue fire in his eyes. “You could get yourself killed.”

“If they use arrows, I can deflect them.
All
of them. You know I can.”

“Goddamn it, Nicole!”

“We don’t have time for this, Gunnar. There’s a reason that I’m here. Maybe this is part of it.” She marched out of the study.

He reached out to grab her arm.

“If you try to stop me, I’ll just find a way to get there. I am a Solsti. I
will
help.”

He growled but didn’t stop her as he jogged beside her. “Just stay back. Use the trees to protect yourself. Or stay behind the nymphs’ archers. I don’t like this, Nicole.”

“I’m not crazy about it either, but I’m not going to sit back and hide when I could be helping.”

Gunnar looked at her as if he wanted to say more, but they were almost at the edge of the trees. He hauled her close and placed a searing kiss to her lips. “Don’t you dare get hurt,” he warned, and then he charged toward the front line of nymphs.

The scene before Nicole was so different from the previous day that she barely recognized the field in front of Rivkin. Battle cries and the clang of metal rent the air. The near side of the river was filled with nymph archers launching their arrows from behind rocks, trees, and shrubs. On the far side of the river stood dozens of Vipers. Most had bows, and she assumed they were using the poison-tipped arrows. But she realized that at least half of the archers had arrows tipped with flames.

Flames
.

Anger heated her blood. The vipers would burn the nymphs’ home and then, once getting them out in the open, poison them.

She gritted her teeth.
That won’t happen today. I won’t let it. No way
. She crept closer to a group of nymph archers that were concealed behind thick shrubs. Other nymphs engaged the Vipers in swordfights as they tried to protect the bridge. But because of the nymphs’ much smaller size, not many of them succeeded. She cringed as one nymph tumbled beneath a Viper blade, then another.

She looked for Gunnar. In the center of the chaotic field, he fought one Viper with his sword while flinging a ball of demonfire at another. His size made him an imposing figure on a normal day; now, in the midst of battle, he looked ferocious. He moved like a savage god, in control of his opponents, lethal and powerful. His strikes were calm and precise, years of experience and training having forged him into a bastion of insurmountable force. She marveled again at his hands, so tender this morning, now dispatching the evil demons with ease.

Nicole focused her energy. She directed a gust of wind at the next volley of arrows, sending them all into the river with a sharp hiss. The Vipers bellowed and reloaded, glancing around. She guessed they sensed her energy. Calling up a gale force wind on their side of the river, she sent loose twigs, rocks, and leaves into it to throw them off in any way she could.

She raised one hand to steady her power as she maintained the furious wind on the opposite side of the river. Manipulating an air current from the nymph side, she put extra force behind the nymph archers’ arrows. The arrows flew toward their targets with a velocity that stunned both sides. The Vipers fell as the nymphs whistled their approval and reloaded. Nicole helped them do it again, and again.

With a hiss and a thud, a flaming arrow sank into the trunk of a tree next to Nicole. Slivers of bark shot into the air and a tendril of smoke curled skyward from the licking fire.

“Oh, yeah?” she whispered. Extinguishing it with a forceful draft of air, she refocused on the incoming round of arrows. She blasted them end over end flying backward toward their source. A Viper howled as an arrow landed in his eye. Others slumped to the ground, their own weapons protruding from their thick necks. As the Vipers’ scaly flesh burned, a stench like burning rubber drifted across the river.

Nicole’s power surged through her blood. She felt oddly detached, as if watching herself from afar, feeling no remorse for the taking of lives. The Vipers intended to kill the nymphs—she was glad to defend them. And at the same time she felt exhilarated. She felt like she had found her true purpose. She wasn’t odd, she was rare and helpful and
needed
.

The Vipers’ strength waned. Gunnar had slain a dozen at least. Because of Nicole’s talent and the skill of the nymph archers, scores more lay lifeless on the ground. The handful that remained fell back into a tight group and unleashed one more round of flaming arrows, which Nicole easily sent into the water. The snake-headed beasts turned and fled.

The nymphs standing next to Nicole turned to her and let out a joyful whoop. Then they sobered and murmured, “My lady.” They all knelt before her.

Surprised and a little uncomfortable with the display of gratitude, she whispered, “Please, stand.” She looked for Gunnar and saw him still on the field, walking among the Vipers, making sure they were truly dead. “Nymphs.” Nicole looked at the grassy expanse. “Your work is not quite done.”

They stood and rushed to aid Gunnar in his grisly task. She leaned against the nearest tree, muscles wobbly. Whether it was from the extended use of her power or from the adrenaline rush of the battle, she wasn’t sure. Letting the trunk support her, she watched her big demon as he handled the aftermath of the attack. Even now, he made sure they were safe. Her heart swelled with the knowledge that he would stop at nothing to eliminate every potential threat to her.

The bright flash of his blue eyes swept the tree line, searching for her. His gaze locked with hers across the field and he charged toward her, a blur of churning muscles and raw male power. In a heartbeat, he crushed her to his warm chest, caressing her hair, murmuring sweet words. He pulled away to look into her eyes, a range of emotions flickering across his own. Admiration, possession, relief, and something more that she couldn’t name.

Leaning down, he covered her mouth with his, tenderly at first and then more urgently. He gripped her upper arm with one hand and wrapped her hair around his other one, kissing her senseless.

He finally let her go and looked at her. “You’re safe.”

Gasping from his kiss, she managed to speak. “I stayed behind the trees, just like you ordered me to.”

“I gave you orders because I need to protect you. But Nicole, today…” he shook his head. “You were amazing. You turned the tide of the attack.”

“I don’t need to be protected anymore?”

“You’re not getting rid of me that easily. There are many other foul creatures out there that may not be as susceptible to your skills.”

Taszim jogged off the field and bowed to her. “My lady, we are in your debt.”

Nicole smiled, unsure of what to say.

Gunnar wrapped an arm around her shoulders and spoke to Taszim. “Let’s meet in one hour. Bring any of your men that need to be there.”

“Of course.” The nymph turned to walk into the colony.

Nicole spied Larissa hurtling headlong down the path and into her husband’s arms. Their passion and devotion to one another touched her heart, and she looked away, not wanting to stare at their intimate moment.
Why does this seem more private than what went on last night?
She looked up into Gunnar’s piercing blue gaze as he tugged her toward the elevator basket and saw the same mix of emotions crossing his rugged features. She longed to dig deeper, but at this minute it seemed there were more important things at hand.

C
HAPTER
15

G
UNNAR
DIDN
’
T
BREATHE
until he had Nicole behind the closed door of her room. He hadn’t let go of her as they walked through the colony. They’d offered to help move the wounded nymphs to the infirmary, but Rivkin’s healer insisted that she had more than enough volunteers. Some nymphs looked dazed, and others looked at Nicole with a new, awe-filled adoration.

He didn’t want to think about what could have happened to Rivkin if he and Nicole hadn’t been here today. Her display of power had astonished both sides of the battlefield, and word of her existence would spread like wildfire. That was one more reason to not let her out of his sight. Although many would not believe that the Solsti had returned, others would jump at the chance to capture a creature as rare as she.

He hated knowing that she was close to the action on the field, but his strategic battle instincts won out over his protective instincts. Though she had yet to develop her ability to its fullest potential, she could still help the nymphs. And as he had stated before, she wasn’t defenseless. Having only watched her tussle with a few ignorant criminals in tough human neighborhoods, he never imagined how much power she could wield in a true battle. Seeing her courage today, her utter determination to help the nymphs only heightened his feelings for her. When she had turned the Vipers’ own arrows against them, the creatures weren’t merely shocked, but were confused and afraid. And that had sealed their fate.

Still holding her upper arms in his hands, he gazed down into her green eyes. “I am so proud of what you did today.”

She smiled. “Me, too. I mean, I’m glad I could help. I...I didn’t know exactly how things would turn out.”

“With Vipers, you never do. Remember that.” He cupped her chin and tilted her mouth up to meet his lips. She kissed him hungrily, no doubt the heat of the battle still flowing in her veins. He indulged her for a minute, then pulled back reluctantly and studied her. “You looked a little pale out there. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m always pale,” she murmured. “But if you get me all revved up, I won’t be pale anymore. I’ll be nice and–”

“Stop, vixen.” He laid a finger on her lips, and then remembered the things she had done to his fingers with that mouth. He caressed her silken cheek instead. “Have you ever used your ability for so long, and in that capacity? Directing multiple air currents at the same time?”

“Not really. I did it in practice a few times, but only for a few minutes.” She pouted at him. “I’m fine, Gunnar. More than fine.” She started to trace circles on his chest with her fingertip, and then stopped and made a face. “What on earth is that?”

Some Viper’s blood and a bit of tissue was stuck to him. Well, he thought wryly, he did want to change the direction of her thoughts, for the time being anyway. There would be time later to thoroughly examine his Solsti and make sure she was truly okay.

He looked down at his chest and frowned. “I need to get cleaned up and make a call.”

“You have a phone here?” she asked in surprise. “Cell phones work on Torth?”

“Not a cell phone.” He pulled a small device from his pocket. “On Torth, we have gem phones.”

She held out her hand and he gave it to her. “Wow.” She gazed at the small device. “I don’t remember seeing any cell phone towers around here.”

Gunnar chuckled and kissed the top of her head. “Ley lines, my dear.”

They had been so occupied in the last few days that he hadn’t thought to show it to her. The gems were, like their namesake, saturated with deep colors. His happened to be a rich garnet. Any creatures on Torth could find them, usually in the cities, and always for a price. They were used in much the same way as cell phones were on Earth, but his had the addition of an energy-recognition feature. With hundreds of different species roaming around, it helped to have a virtual encyclopedia on hand to identify different creatures’ strengths and weaknesses.