Page 74 of Aleko
“I wish you couldn’t speak,” said Lia.
His lips twisted as if he were trying to speak, but his lips were stuck together.
“Heh,” said Anuket. “That’s funny.”
Seth wheeled on Anuket, his gray lips, twisting and pulling. Then he reached into his shirt and brought out a knife. There was a crackle of magic about it, but instead of lunging at Anuket as Lia expected, his hand flicked out and sliced across Lia’s hand.
Lia gasped and nearly dropped the wand. Seth stretched out his other hand, and the blood dripping from the wound formed a bubble that floated into his outstretched fingers. He rubbed one bloody finger across his mouth even as more blood streamed from her hand toward him.
“I will take both of you,” he said, smiling in a bloody grimace. “Power is my destiny.”
He raised a hand and Lia, tried to think of her next wish. The blood streaming from her hand made her feel weaker than itseemed a little cut should.
Episode 38
The Heir Apparent
Alex
The pack reached the beach just as Yazmin was sent tumbling across the sand. Hudson moved, but Alex snatched him out of the air and pulled him down. Alex, heard the deep rumble coming out of Hudson’s chest, and matched it with one of his own. Pellos grabbed his legs and Sebastian added his weight to the pile.
“Stealth,” whispered Alex. “We can’t go head first on this.”
Hudson slowly relaxed but his angry glare said that he did not like this philosophy.
“I know,” whispered Alex, glancing over his shoulder. Lia was standing between Seth and Yazmin pointing a stick at him. What the fuck was she thinking? Was she trying to get herself killed?
“Pellos, go over the rock. Get under water and make some noise. See if we can’t roust the Greens.”
Pellos nodded, and moved, but turned back a half second later with a grin. “I need your watch. The alarm should do the trick.”
“And it’s waterproof for up to fifteen meters,” said Alex, matching the smile. He took his hand slowly off Hudson and held it out to Pellos. Pellos slipped the watch off and disappeared into the shadows. Alex turned back to Hudson. “You and Killian stick the shadows. Get Yazmin to safety and wait for my signal.”
Hudson was up and moving before Alex finished the sentence.
“And what are we going to do?” asked Sebastian, a feral look flickering in his eye.
“He killed Howell. He shot Pellos and he just called Lia a broken dolly. I’m going to rip his fucking head off.”
“So thedon’t go in headfirst was advice for the others?” askedSebastian.
“I’m not going in head first. I’m going in teeth first,” said Alex. “But we need to time this right. One on one, he’ll take us a part.”
“Wolves hunt in a pack for a reason,” said Sebastian. “I’m with you.”
A yellow glow was beginning to build around Seth, warming the strange grayness of his skin. Anuket said something, sharp and angry, but as she took a step forward Seth stretched out a hand toward her and the light began to envelope her.
Anuket brushed the light away as if she were brushing at an annoying plant. Seth snarled something in Latin and the light redoubled, wrapping around Anuket like a vine. Lia screamed and tried to pull away, but it was as if Seth and her on a string. He yanked his hand and she lurched toward him and into the cold fingers of the incoming tide.
Alex and Sebastian kept to the shadows of the rocks for as long as possible. Further back, he could smell Killian and Hudson. A quick glance assured him that they were hiding Yazmin behind some boulders. He reached a moment of indecision. His next steps would be out into the full moonlight. Sebastian tapped his arm and Alex followed the direction of Sebastian’s pointing finger and saw heads bobbing in the surf. It was time.
Alex stepped out, felt Sebastian tense, but stay put as he directed.
“Seth!” Alex yelled, trying to distract the man from seeing the Greens.
Seth chuckled nastily and flung Lia sideways like a rag doll. She staggered but managed to stay upright. Alex flicked a hand toward the ocean and she stumbled into the surf.
“Here to save the day? Just like Howell. And just like Howell, you’re going to—”
