No matter what she had to do to avenge her family, she’d do it—simple as that. “Yep, I’m ready.”
Kyden winked. “Atta girl.”
Nexi watched him stride toward the Council’s Hall, spotting his tight posture, and she wondered what made him so tense. Wasn’t she the one about to get her butt whooped? Inhaling a long and slow breath, she found that bit of bravery deep inside her, then she followed Kyden.
When she cleared the Council’s Hall doorway, she groaned. Within the cathedral were at least fifty male and female guardians, as well as the Council and plus Haven, which didn’t surprise her. Even if they told Haven she couldn’t come, Nexi suspected she’d still be there.
The crowd had quieted as Kyden approached Talon, who stood in the center of the room. Nexi quickened her steps and nervousness dried her mouth.
Once she reached him, Talon gave her a long look, then he turned to the crowd around the entrance. “Tonight it’s our duty to witness Nexi’s challenge.” To Kyden, he asked, “Do you pledge her ready?”
Kyden inclined his head. “I do.”
“Very well.” Talon clasped Nexi’s shoulder. “Fight hard.” Then he left the center and joined Zia off to the side of the crowd.
She looked at Kyden as he said, “Stay strong.”
He turned to join his father, and he didn’t have to tell her what he was thinking, as it was written all over his face: this wouldn’t be easy for him to watch. Now she realized why he’d been so tense, also telling her how bad this challenge would be.
“You’ve got this,” Drake called from the corner of the room with a quick nod of encouragement.
Beside Finn, Haven pumped her fist. “Kick some ass.”
Nexi chuckled, unable to help herself at cute Haven looking so serious. However, when she heard a deep growl behind her, her amusement vanished. The rich scent of woodsy werewolf filled her nose, and her heart hammered.
She spun, instantly facing a snarling wolf barreling toward her. In the same reaction she had with Jaxon last night—before she wised up and killed him—she froze. The memory of the wolf charging her at her house paralyzed her in fear.
A blink of an eye passed before the wolf smashed into her and sent her flying. Before they’d even landed, the wolf’s teeth latched onto her thigh, biting deep into her skin, and she screamed out in pain.
The agony ripping through her snapped into focus and her mind became clear. Her fear vanished and the odd sense of strength she’d experienced last night rose within. How dare he—and the other wolves—strike against those unable to defend themselves?
Drawing on the burn of fear from the night the wolves attacked her family, she fed the fire with the desire for vengeance. She bashed the side of his head and kicked out, hearing bone crack. The wolf howled loudly before he dropped to the floor.
Jumping to her feet, she grabbed the sword from her back in a motion more natural than she expected, and stabbed his chest. The tip buried into his fur, blood pouring from the wound. That wasn’t what bothered her.
How the wolf lay on his side removed a smidgen of the hot anger in her veins. She hadn’t fought anyone but Kyden, and with Jaxon, it all had happened too quickly to realize her own strength. She hadn’t taken the sheer power contained in a guardian into consideration. When she hit Kyden with the force she had used against this wolf, she’d barely hurt him. Now the wolf’s body was contorted as if his back were broken.
“Oh, shit,” she gasped. “I’ve killed him.”
The wolf’s sudden whimper jarred her away from her own personal horror, since the test hadn’t included murdering an innocent wolf, only beating him down. Sheathing her sword, she knelt in front of the wolf. With guilt driving her on, she ran her hand through his fur to comfort him. “Zia.” she called.
Zia knelt next to her, and whispered, “You’re doing well. Actually, I’m surprised at how fast you were able to defeat him.” She rested her hand on the wolf’s head, and he yelped before he shifted.
Nexi blinked at the sight of the man lying on the ground—fully clothed—before her. She was sure her mind was playing tricks on her, but even after two more blinks, he remained. “Holy crap.”
Holten, Master of the Werewolves, smiled. “Outstanding.”
Talon happened to leave off an important detail to this test. She was sure as shit shocked they had put her up against the top dog where it came to werewolves, making her wonder if that’s why Talon didn’t tell her. Would she have agreed? “The test is my fighting against the Council?”
Sitting up, Holten gave his head a quick shake, his dark hair fluttering around his face. “If you can fight against the strongest werewolf in the Otherworld, you can do well as part of the Council’s Guard.” He cleared his throat, his grin bashful. “It’s been quite some time that I’ve been defeated that quickly. Impressive.”
No, actually, it wasn’t impressive. It was the desire for revenge and hot anger that made her fight as strong as she had, but shoving that thought away, an alarming suspicion rose. If she had fought Holten, and she still had to defeat a vampire, did that mean…?
Before she could process the dread of where her thoughts had taken her, the Master of Vampires, Zade flew down at her from the fancy ceiling above.
Vampires can fly?
Her amazement lasted a mere second before he crashed into her and the world, for all of a couple seconds faded away. She landed against the hard floor with a groan, but forced herself not to give into the blackness.
Drawing on every skill Kyden had taught her, she lunged forward with the intent to inflict the same amount of pain onto Zade that he had not so kindly delivered to her. Each hit he offered, she blocked, and moved quickly as she looked for any opening.
One didn’t present itself.
Defeating Holten had been obtainable. With Zade, she quietly began to panic, even as she held her own as best she could. His hits came at impossible speeds and each one nearly broke her. As time drew on and the fight continued, she merely defended herself against him and had yet to strike back.
What seemed like a lifetime later—which was probably only minutes—she was soaked in sweat, and breathing heavily, but Zade had yet to weaken. She needed to end this. As strong as she was right now, that wasn’t going to last.
Shouts of encouragement filled the air around her. It did nothing to offer her a greater strength. However, between the hits, past the pain he issued, an idea formed. She couldn’t defeat him physically. The Master of Vampires had her beat, but he was a vampire, and that she could use to her advantage.
Before he issued another hard kick to her gut, she pushed him away with a grunt of effort, grabbed her sword and without a thought, slashed her own arm. The pain blasted right through her, a scream ripping from her throat as the warm rush of blood trickled down her arm and the metallic scent coursed through the air.
Zade’s eyes darkened, his nostrils flared, and he stopped dead. He looked at her with hunger raging in his expression, his fangs out as his lip lifted. In that hesitation, she swung with every ounce of strength within and screamed right along with it.
Kyden had been right—the move did feel natural and she’d never experienced such power, as if her destiny had arrived. A wave of warmth rushed over her and for the first time—maybe in her entire life—her purpose became all too clear. No questions filled her mind. Certainty lived in her soul. The doubt she’d suffered since she arrived in the Otherworld vanished, replaced by the knowledge that she was a guardian.
If the sword had been sharp, Zade’s head would have toppled off nicely. Since it wasn’t, it left a deep cut, which started healing before her eyes. His dark, wild eyes held hers as he took a step toward her, then, with a speed she could hardly register, he stood on the other side of the cathedral.
Nexi spotted the fight in his features, knowing he’d put distance between himself and her blood. It surprised her how difficult it seemed for him, as his internal struggle was obvious. She’d think he’d have more control than that.
Zade grinned, even if his posture remained tense. “Interesting approach. Well done.”
It appeared her idea had shocked him and she wondered if no one had tried that before. Desperate measures, she supposed. Dropping the sword to the ground, she exhaled, exhaustion making her feel a thousand pounds heavier. Silence drifted around her and she tried her best to catch her breath.
She glanced around at the silent crowd, then after a long pause, everyone in the room erupted into loud praise. First, she found Kyden in the crowd, and he gave her a tight nod with pride shining in his eyes. Yet, something else held in his features, too—something intense. And at a quick look, his posture was more tense than when she entered the Council’s Hall, almost as if he restrained himself.
Trapped in his fierce stare, she’d never been so grateful. His training her made her succeed tonight. Now she could hunt the wolf that killed her family. She owed Kyden more thank yous than she could possibly give.
Before she had the chance to understood his look, Talon approached her and dragged her focus away from Kyden, as he held out a silver sword with both hands. “The Council welcomes you, Nexi.”