Stone Cold Touch (The Dark Elements #2)(51)
Author: J. Lynn

Roth stood in his true form now, legs spread wide and shoulders back. I’d forgotten how he looked when he shifted. Fierce. Scary as Hell. His skin was shiny like obsidian and his wings reached farther than any Warden’s, arcing gracefully in the air. His smooth head was thrust back, fingers lengthened into claws.

Again, I was struck by the similarities between demons and Wardens. The only difference was their coloring and the lack of horns on a demon’s head.

Roth smiled in a way I’d never seen him smile. Malice and righteous anger rolled off him in waves. An avenging angel came to mind, one that was ready to do some major ass kicking.

He took a step forward, his eyes starting to glow orange. “Get ready, I’m about to rain down some brimstone and fire on your asses.”

And he did.

A smell of sulfur poured into the warehouse, and then the balls of orange light surrounding Roth’s hands shot up, slamming into the Warden closest to him. The Warden went up in flames, screaming as he tried to stop the fire. Within seconds, it engulfed him. He staggered back against the warehouse. The fire spread.

Cayman intercepted two Wardens as Roth shot forward, slamming his fist straight through the chest of another Warden, pulling out what looked a lot like a heart. Cringing, I saw him toss the organ and whirl on the next, catching a Warden with a brutal jab to the throat.

Roth was a badass, a…scary badass.

A fierce wind kicked up, spreading the flames as a loud crack shook the warehouse. The roof groaned and shuddered, then peeled off as if someone had opened a can of sardines. Clumps of charred rock mowed down two of the Wardens, taking them out of the game.

Good God, was this all Roth?

Roth was cutting a clear path toward me. Intent on that, he didn’t see the Warden coming up behind him. I shot forward, my legs shaking. “Roth!”

He turned as Donn spun toward me. He threw out his arm, catching me around the neck before he tossed me back several feet. I hit the floor with a grunt and lifted my head. The fire was climbing the walls inches from my face. I jerked back, pushing against the floor with my bare feet.

Hands suddenly gripped my shoulders, hauling me to my feet. “I got you,” Dez said. As he turned me around, I saw Donn lying facedown. Dez snapped the chains, releasing the collar around my neck and wrists.

A Warden let out an ear-piercing scream as I met Dez’s gaze. “Th-thank you.”

He nodded. “You cannot go back to the compound. Do you understand?”

I thought that was pretty evident. “You’ll b-be in so much trouble. Jasmine and the twins—”

“Don’t worry about us.” Dez’s eyes narrowed and he launched into the air, landing beside Nicolai. Together they forced the other Wardens back.

Roth was heading straight for me, but there was one Warden between us.

Abbot dropped down in a crouch, and Roth shot up, his wings spreading out. I didn’t know what provoked me, what pushed me forward, but the last bit of energy burst through me.

I threw myself in front of Abbot, coming between him and Roth. Chest heaving and face covered in ash, I raised a shaking hand. “No.”

Roth landed no more than a few inches in front of me, the edge of his razor-sharp wing narrowly missing me.

Air stirred behind me. Abbot was rising, his expression mirroring that of Roth. My eyes met his for an instant, and even surrounded in heat and fire, my insides went cold. I knew why I had intervened, most likely saving Abbot’s life. In his rage, Roth would’ve taken him out, but Abbot had raised me and that…that meant something to me.

Even if it meant nothing to Abbot.

Ignoring the pain in my chest, I staggered back a step, colliding with Roth. His arm circled my waist, steadying me.

“You’ve been touched by the hand of God,” Roth spat at Abbot as his arm tightened around me. “It won’t happen again.”

Powerful muscles in his legs pushed us both into the air. We flew up high, so high that when my gaze dipped down, nothing remained of the warehouse but a shower of sparks and flame.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Things really stopped tracking once we were in the air, leaving the warehouse behind. I was flickering in and out like a bad lightbulb.

Roth landed at some point on a rooftop, quickly followed by Cayman.

“We can’t go to the Palisades,” the infernal ruler said. Over his shoulders, the city twinkled like a thousand stars. “They obviously know where you live.”

“Yeah, I’m going to have to agree with that.” Amber eyes locked on to mine like a lifeline. “I need you to hang in there for me. Okay, shortie? I’m going to get you fixed up.”

“I see…souls again,” I announced, because for some reason it seemed important to point that out.

Roth’s smile was weak and all wrong. “You do? That’s real good to hear, baby. Real good. We’re going to get you comfortable in a few. Just hold on.”

I was vaguely aware of wind rushing over me once more. This time it didn’t feel like seconds to get wherever we were going. It was an eternity and then two more years before we landed and then were inside a toasty warm home. I wanted to ask where we were, but my tongue was lazy.

Roth’s heart was pounding as he strode across a dimly lit room and then he laid me down on a bed that smelled of lilacs. As soon as he straightened, a shadow moved off his arm and onto the bed, dots forming together.

Bambi slithered up the bed until she reached my hip. She raised her head, resting it on my thigh. Something tender pulled at my heart when her forked tongue whizzed out, her way of saying hello.

“Open your eyes, Layla.”

I thought they had been. I blinked them open.

“How are you feeling?” Roth asked, smoothing a hand over my damp forehead.

I took stock of how I felt. “I don’t…hurt so much.”

His features tensed as if he’d been delivered a blow. “That’s good.” Pulling back, he looked over his shoulder. “Cayman?”

The other demon stepped forward, easing my arms to my sides. The humor that usually danced in his eyes was absent. “Bloodroot,” he said, running his fingers over my hands. “It’s still in her system and it’s why she’s stuck. She won’t be able to shift either way until it’s completely out.”

How had he known?

Cayman must’ve read the question in my stare. “I’ve been around a long time, sugar, and I’ve seen just about everything.”

I was going to have to take his word for it.

Roth’s fingers brushed over my cheekbones. “These are claw marks. Cayman, these are claw marks.”

“I know, bud, but not the most important thing going on right now.” He peeled the hem of my shirt up. “This…this is problematic.”

A hiss radiated from Roth. “Iron.”

“Yeah.” He pressed down with hands I barely felt.

I took a shallow breath. “I think…I think I’m dying.”

“No,” Roth said fiercely, as if his words alone could prevent the inevitable. “You are not dying.”

“She’s in bad shape,” Cayman said. “The bloodroot has been in her system for a while.”

Wrapping his hand around mine, Roth shifted closer to me. As he spoke to Cayman, he didn’t pull his gaze away from mine, and that was good, because somehow it was anchoring me there. “I hadn’t been able to get in touch with her for three days. I thought she was avoiding me again.” He looked stricken. “I texted and called but…”

I wanted to tell him that there was no way for him to have known, but it was Cayman who spoke those words as he withdrew his hands. “This isn’t good.”

“No shit,” snapped Roth. “I know that, but we need to fix this.”

He shook his head. “She can’t heal, Prince. Do you understand what that means? This wound is deep. She may only be part demon, but the iron is doing its thing, and if she were human, she’d be—”

“Don’t say it,” he snarled, his golden eyes becoming iridescent. “There has to be something.”

Cayman stood, retreating into the shadows as if he was giving us space…giving Roth privacy. I opened my mouth, but blood seeped out. Roth was quick to wipe it up and then he cupped my cheek carefully.

“I won’t let this happen. There has to be…” His eyes flared bright and then he looked over his shoulder. “What if she feeds? Could that help?”

“I don’t know.” Cayman’s voice reached us. “Couldn’t hurt.”

“Find me someone. Anyone,” he ordered. “I don’t care who, just do it now.”

“No,” I croaked. Drawing on energy, I forced my lips to move. “I’ve already done enough damage. I won’t…feed. No matter…what.”

Frustration twisted Roth’s face. “You need to. You’re going to. I don’t care how much you object. I won’t let you die.”

It seemed weird that he’d fight this so much considering he’d been sent topside to take me out if I proved to be the cause behind the mess, but now wasn’t the time to figure him out. My chest rose sharply. “Don’t do this to me. Please. Please…don’t make…me do this. Please.”

He shook his head. “Layla—”

“Don’t…do this to me.”

His face contorted, skin thinning, and I realized he was close to shifting. He leaned in, pressing his forehead against mine as he took both of my hands in his. “Don’t make me sit here and watch you die. You don’t do that to me.”

Sorrow rose in my throat, nearly overcoming me, and although his words knocked me off-kilter, there was nothing I could do. I may not know how I’d taken the other souls, but I was not going to actively harm anyone else.

“Do you want to die?” he asked quietly. “Is that what you want?”

“No. I don’t want to, but I won’t damn another…person to Hell…so I can live.”

A shudder rocked through Roth and he drew in a ragged breath. “Oh, Layla,” he said sadly. “I can’t let this happen. You can hate me when all is said and done, but you’ll be alive.”

My heart tripped and I started to protest, but Cayman spoke. “Wait. There may be something else.”

Roth straightened, looking over his shoulder. “Details. Make it fast.”

“What about the witches?” he said, coming closer to the bed. “The ones who worship Lilith. They may be inclined to do something to save her daughter.”

Roth’s eyes widened. “Do you think they’d have something?”

“Who knows what those freaks are capable of, but it’s worth a shot.”

“Go,” he said hoarsely. “Give them anything they want if they can help her. Anything.”

Cayman hesitated for a moment. “Anything?”

“Go.”

And then Cayman was gone. Poof. No more. Roth turned to me. “If this doesn’t work, I will bring someone in here and you will feed.”

I started to argue, but as my eyes met his, I knew there was no point. So did Roth. If the thing with the witches failed, there wouldn’t be time to do anything else.

Roth’s chin lowered and he drew in a breath as he raised my hands to his lips, pressing a kiss against each knuckle. “Your hands are so cold.”

I blinked slowly. There were so many questions I wanted to ask him, but each breath I took required a lot of energy.

“How did this begin?” he asked, raising his tortured gaze to mine.

“Zayne…Zayne kissed me,” I whispered, and watched his eyes dilate. “He’d done…it before, and nothing happened then, but…”

His mouth worked. “So because the idiot kissed you, they accused you of attacking him?”

I closed my eyes, focusing on my words. “It’s more…than that, but Zayne…he’s okay. Now.”

“To be honest, I don’t give a shit about him right now.”

I would’ve laughed if I could.

“Open your eyes, Layla.”

It took longer this time to do that. “I’m…tired.”

He swallowed hard. “I know, baby, but you need to keep your eyes open.”

“Oh…kay.”

A small smile appeared, more like a grimace than anything. He brought my hands to his lap, holding on tight. “You said he kissed you before and nothing happened?” When I nodded, he swore under his breath. “I should’ve known.”

I wasn’t really following that part.

“Bambi.” Understanding flickered across his face as he glanced to where the snake was curled beside my hip. “I knew she had bonded with you as a familiar. That’s what I wanted from her, so she could protect you if necessary, but I didn’t know she’d do so on that kind of level. But it makes sense now. You can see souls again, right?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s because of her. She’s not on you now, but when she was, she bonded with you, she changed your abilities and affected them. Familiars can do that, and I imagine even more so for half demons. I thought she would only make you stronger. I didn’t know she could affect your ability to control taking a soul.”