Chapter 21

21

Blood stained the water swirling down the sink's drain, the candlelight in the room flickering against the wooden walls.

Bridger wasn't sure whose blood he was cleaning off his face, from his hair, and scrubbing from underneath his fingernails. It could be his, the soldiers of Tolevarre's, Vega's father's, or the blood from the other three sharing the dilapidated cabin with him—the blood from their successful summoning of Remus.

There had been no way to prepare for Marlena's attack. There were rumors of an uprising within some of the families, but it seemed like their parents were handling it well enough. Little did they know, Marlena had been planning to give herself a promotion, and all it took was murdering her parents and anyone else who opposed her—all while betraying everyone who loved her.

Once the blood from their fight out of the capital was wiped from his skin, Bridger shut the water off and headed back into the main room slowly and silently. The others hadn't heard him approach, allowing him the time to overhear their conversation.

"Imber is on our side. Emil would never betray my father. That much I know for sure." Vega sat in the middle of the room, a fire crackling beside her. The fireplace might have once been gorgeous, but now the stone was caving in, and the chimney was falling through the ceiling.

A map sat in the middle of the floor. Vega's black fingernails pointed at the island off the coast of Solum. "They're going to be our biggest ally. This is where we start."

Khort leaned forward, motioning towards another spot on the map of Tolevarre. "Good luck getting through Littera. We don't need to hear from them to know Nero's going to follow Marlena." He tensed when he spoke her name out loud.

Arlet had her back to the musty couch, arms hugged around her legs to make herself as small as possible. Out of the four of them, she was most out of her comfort zone.

Arlet's family fled years ago when the Curia divide became more prominent. The Caelums took her in, shielding her from the outside world until she was ready to flourish on her own. Her eyes were tired, and her gaze was lost in the flames while Vega and Khort threw ideas out into the open.

Bridger wondered if this was the first time she'd been back in Vates—her homeland—since her parents had disappeared.

He made an intentional move, letting the others know he was in the room with them now. Vega's eyes shot up from the map, meeting with his. Bridger gave her a wink as he pushed himself off the door frame where he'd been leaning, uncrossing his arms. Her smile felt like a lighthouse, guiding him home when he felt lost and alone.

Bridger walked to Vega and crouched down next to her as he took in the map of their world—a map he could draw from memory alone. He'd spent most of his life studying all things Tolevarre; he knew this realm better than he knew himself. "There's a passage through the Solum hills straight to the Sea of Ros." Bridger ran his finger along the brittle paper, tracing the route.

Arlet had finally stopped staring into the fire. "Khort, do you still have shifter friends living in Solum?" she asked .

Vega rested her hand on Bridger's leg, then rubbed her fingers aimlessly along the lines of his muscles. Heat soared inside of Bridger at the simple touch. He placed his hand over hers, rubbing his thumb over the newly branded skin on the back of her wrist.

Khort shook his head. "I don't know. I can't bank on it, not when we've lost communication with Demuto. I'm assuming any shifter who was left in other territories fled, or they were killed."

Khort's family had been in Stella for Marlena's Curia induction ceremony tonight, but he'd been unable to find them when Marlena's attack on the capital and its people started. There was no telling if his family had made it far before being killed or captured.

"Then we need to get in touch with your family," Bridger stated evenly. "I don't think Marlena had the manpower to send armies all over the realm. This first attack was opportunistic, planned at the right time in the right setting. It could have gotten messy if she had her best men out searching for one lone family while the rest were infiltrating and overthrowing the Curia."

Bridger was right. He knew they knew it by the look in their eyes. The rest of them weren't trained for war. Bridger was.

Arlet let her legs loose, uncurling herself. "So we head to Imber?" Her voice was quiet as she asked.

"To get to Solum's boats, we still need to cut through Littera, and as I said, we all know that Nero will side with whoever he knows will keep him alive longest," Khort pointed out, looking at Bridger with unease.

Nowhere felt safe.

"No, we go through Oro," Bridger told them. "Their people won't side as quickly as Littera will. Gaia will do her best to stay in the middle as long as she can. Same with Pax. They're going to hold on to peace for as long as Marlena will let them. As for the Silvas and the people of Solum…" He paused, shrugging. "Our government just fell after over two thousand years of Curia rule. There's no telling what's going to happen next. "

The room fell into silence for a moment while the four of them mulled over what was to happen in the coming hours.

"It's late." Arlet was the one to point at the ticking clock on the wall. "We need rest. We've been up for thirty hours. We aren't getting in touch with anyone tonight." She stood up, stretching her limbs.

Bridger looked up at her, giving her a slight nod along with a tight smile. "You're right. Let's clean ourselves up, get a little rest, and we can start again at dawn." He followed Arlet in standing, holding his hand out to help Vega off the dirty floor. He pulled her into his chest, wrapping her in a quick hug, and placed a kiss on the top of her head.

Dawn would be here in just a few hours, but at least they could try to get what fleeting rest they could. Bridger nodded to the back bedroom. "There are two small beds in there. You two take them. I'll take first watch out here."

Vega had already found an extra pillow and blanket in a closet filled with dust to set a spot up on the couch. This tiny home hadn't been lived in in what seemed like hundreds of years. Everything was dated, with no updated appliances from the modern era.

After setting up a makeshift bed on the couch, Vega hugged Khort first, his broad arms engulfing her. Bridger looked away, giving them their privacy. He distracted himself with a goodnight hug of his own with Arlet. "We're going to be okay," Bridger said as they pulled away from their embrace.

"I hope you're right," Arlet said, rubbing at the new brand on her wrist. "Did you hear what he told us?" she asked, whispering so that only Bridger could hear her.

Bridger's eyes grew wide. "You heard it too."

At the same time they both said, "I saved her. Do not waste this opportunity."

"What do you think it means?" Arlet asked.

Khort filed into the bedroom on heavy feet. Arlet's worry came apart when Vega walked up, her sister in every right but blood. She put on a fake smile for her. Bridger knew it was to protect her from any more worry.

"It's been one hell of a day, huh?" Arlet did a pretty good job deflecting, but Bridger was certain Vega would see right through her.

Vega slid into Bridger's side again, her arm snaking around his waist. "I'd say." Vega reached out her free hand and took Arlet's in hers. "Get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning." Without another word, Arlet squeezed Vega's hand before slipping behind the door of the bedroom.

Vega looked up at Bridger the second they were alone. He positioned her in front of him, and she wrapped her arms around his midsection. She was short enough to lay her head on his chest as he pulled her against him.

It was the first time they'd been able to have a moment to themselves since they found Arlet and Khort in Aeris. "How could she do this?" The question was spoken into his chest. Vega's ordinarily soft voice was filled with rasp, strained from the last thirty hours.

"I don't know," he replied honestly. Bridger had been asking himself that too. Marlena had him fooled. From the second he'd met her, she'd been calculating her attack like the spiteful creature she was.

Vega tensed in his arms as she held back a sob.

"Hey." Bridger's hand shot to her face, lifting her head by the underside of her chin. "Do not break down now."

Vega's eyes were clouded with tears. She had been so strong all night, but Bridger needed her to hold on to that strength for a little longer. He needed her to keep her head in the fight until he was able to get her to safety. Then she could break down, scream, kick—burn the whole fucking place down if she wanted. But not yet.

"You heard her. She's going to take everyone I love from me." Her promise echoed down the halls and still sat at the forefront of their minds.

"She'll never take me from you, Vega. Do you hear me? I am yours from now until my last breath." Bridger rested his forehead against hers.

Vega reached up, cupping his cheek in her palm. "Don't make promises you can't keep." Her thumb brushed over the stubble forming on his face.

"She'll have to destroy me before I give up on you. On us."

Bridger removed what little space was left between them, their lips meeting with such intensity the fire roared in response, reacting to the heat in the room. Bridger's hand tangled in Vega's dark hair. It fell down her back in loose, wild curls that were worn from the fighting, from the running.

She opened her mouth as he slid his tongue over her bottom lip.

Bridger was going to devour her.

His other arm snaked around as he picked her up with the ease of lifting a feather.

A tiny gasp escaped her lips, the sound muffled against Bridger's. Vega wrapped her legs around his body for stability, her back resting against the warm stone wall of the cottage as Bridger's hand detangled from her hair.

Bridger pulled his lips from hers only to place them on new parts of her body—kissing down her jawline to her neck, where he nibbled softly enough to elicit goosebumps on her soft skin.

Vega wiggled under his lips, arching into him with a soft gasp. "You better shield this room from sound if you don't want the others to hear the noises I'm about to make." Her voice was breathless, full of lust.

Bridger laughed, the sound deep and husky. "Way ahead of you, Kitten." He didn't take his mouth off her body, his lips continuing to explore the soft skin around the spot on her neck that he loved so much.

Her head lay back against the wall, giving in to Bridger entirely as he continued to move his way down to the collarbone that peeked through her tank top. Vega arched forward, yanking her shirt off with one swift movement, and the garment flew across the room.

Bridger's length bulged, pressing into the apex of her legs. He thrust his hips into her, giving her the friction she craved.

"Oh gods," she sang, the need inside her building with the darkening of her gaze.

Neither spoke it out loud—they didn't have to. Both knew this might be the last time they ever had a moment like this together. Their fear, want, need, hope, and despair melted altogether.

Vega worked Bridger out of his shirt, her hands running down his toned chest.

His lips only left her body long enough to slide his shirt the rest of the way off. Bridger met her lips when his shirt hit the floor, the kiss deepening with desperation he'd never felt before.

Their tongues fought for dominance as Bridger slid his hand into the front of Vega's skintight pants. His thumb found her clit, rubbing tight circles while he slipped two fingers inside of her. Her nails dug into his back hard enough to break the skin.

Her tight walls constricted around his fingers as soon as he pressed into that little spot that would make her lose control in three, two, one…

"Bridger, I'm gonna…" Vega's breath hitched, her eyes fluttering with the promise of release.

"That's it. Eyes on me while you come undone for me, baby." Bridger pressed a quick kiss on her whimpering lips. She was right there. So close.

"I hate to break up this moment, but I'm going to need to talk to Bridger."

Bridger's shield hadn't only kept those on the outside from hearing them, but it'd distracted him from paying attention to what was going on outside of it too.

Vega gasped, her eyes jolting open with panic. Gods, she'd been right there—so close Bridger could almost taste her pleasure on his fingertips… and he would have if it weren't for the intrusion.

Vega slid down the wall, feet meeting the floor as Bridger turned at the familiar voice. His dark gaze landed on the golden eyes of his best friend. "Meyer." Bridger would have sighed in relief if it weren't for the flames dancing in Meyer's free hand, the other wrapped in Arlet's hair to hold her in place next to him.

"Let her go!" Vega lunged forward, wasting no time with crackles of lightning sputtering to life in her palms. Meyer used Arlet as a shield, putting her between him and Vega.

"Call off your shirtless guard dog, B." His voice gave away the smile forming on his lips.

Bridger bent down, grabbing his black shirt off the floor to toss to Vega. "Let her go, Meyer." Bridger stepped forward, shifting closer to Vega in case she decided to lunge for Meyer's throat next. It wouldn't be the first time.

"I just came here to talk, and this little bitch"—he spat the word—"stabbed me."

Bridger finally noticed the blood on his shirt, right under his ribcage. The wound was almost completely healed already.

Pride swelled in Bridger's chest at the idea of Arlet using the skills he'd been slowly training her in over the last few years.

"And I'd do it again for what you did to Khort," Arlet yelped, twisting in his grasp. Her hands were around Meyer's wrist, trying to pry his grip off.

"Oh, relax, I just knocked him out. He'll be back up and ready to choke me out again in no time." Meyer tightened his grip on her hair.

Vega moved with such swiftness Bridger had no time to react, making his move closer to her completely useless when it mattered. Bridger didn't reach for Vega first; he knew that would be superfluous and Meyer could hold his own for a bit. Bridger helped steady Arlet, who'd been dropped like a ragdoll in Meyer's attempt to get ahead of Vega .

A bolt of Vega's ice-blue lightning shot across the room and burned an already ragged curtain to ash. Meyer ducked with less than a second to spare.

"Go check on Khort. I've got these two," Bridger told Arlet after assuring she was unharmed. He turned to the scuffling fools in the living area, the room heating to an uncomfortable degree from the swell of Meyer's ability. "Meyer, you better apologize, or she's going to kill you." Bridger crossed his arms over his bare chest lazily.

The two had never seen eye to eye, differing on too many topics to keep track of, but recently, it felt like Vega and Meyer might be turning over a new leaf—that had gone to Hades quickly with Meyer's surprise visit.

"I don't want an apology. I want to stab him too." Vega had turned into a vengeful little thing over the last thirty hours. Bridger smiled, watching her in awe.

"Bring it on." Meyer didn't know when to stop sometimes.

Vega ducked to the floor, her leg sweeping out in front of her with a spin, knocking Meyer onto his back. Vega stood over him, her control of storms cracking a thunderous rumble through the cabin, mixing with Meyer's blaze. Their powers made the room feel like a summer day before a thunderstorm.

"Okay, Kitten. I think you've proven your point." Bridger moved forward, standing behind her, his hand hovering over her shoulder. He didn't dare touch her while her lightning prickled over her skin—she was a live wire.

Vega looked back at Bridger. "You heard what he said he did to Khort, and he called Arlet a bitch." She talked through gritted teeth.

Meyer sat up, rubbing the back of his head where it had knocked against the wooden floors. "That's because she is."

"You're pushing your luck," Bridger said, holding his hand out to help his friend up. Vega's death glare had yet to fade. "You better get to talking before she fries you, or worse, stabs you and leaves you to bleed out this time. "

Vega sported a promising smile at Bridger's words.

"I'm not going to be the only one gutted if you don't cut this shit out, Bridger." Meyer kept his eyes on Vega, only shooting his attention to Bridger once her sparks of lightning fizzled out.

Khort and Arlet started stirring in the bedroom, and Vega gave in—for now. "You better hope he's okay, or I'll feed your corpse to the wolves." Her eyes flicked to Bridger, who nodded for her to give him and Meyer a minute alone.

"What do you mean?" Bridger asked, still standing with his arms crossed.

"You know where you belong during a war, and it's not with them," Meyer scolded.

Bridger's eyebrows rose, jaw dropping slightly. "You can't be serious."

"We've been training for this our entire lives. We knew something like this would happen. We knew the role we would play."

"This is not what we were training for. Not for the slaughter of good people," Bridger scoffed.

Meyer blew a laugh from his nose. "You think becoming your father's replacement would come without bloodshed? You think he'd give up his position, step down, to what? To live out the rest of his life in peace? Come on, Bridger. You know he wanted more power. Don't tell me you didn't see this coming."

"Not like this." Bridger's response sagged out of his chest, remorse rising.

A crash echoed through the cabin, glass shattering in the back bedroom. Bridger spun around just in time to see Arlet standing in the bedroom doorway, her eyes wide, face painted in horror. "Run!"

The front door blew open seconds after Arlet's warning, splintering wood soaring through the room. Meyer dodged a shard before it could pierce through his eye.

"And how would you have preferred I handle this situation, son?" With his sword drawn, Lucius Dimico strode into the cabin with his blond hair full of ash from the burning capital.

"Father," Bridger said with a deep breath.

Bridger awoke with a pounding headache, his vision blurry from the pain and his skin tingling from the memory of Vega's body against his. He sat up in his bed, rubbing at the ache between his temples. "When will this shit end?" he asked himself.

He'd been searching for Vega and the rebels for almost an entire week. Bridger took his troop of soldiers to Imber multiple times, sniffing around the ruined territory for any signs of life. They found nothing, and neither did anyone else who Bridger tasked with finding Vega.

Marlena was eerily quiet during his search, staying out of his way like she knew it was best to leave him alone.

Vega's touch wasn't the only thing that stuck with him when he woke from the dream. Seeing the ghost of his father was also the reason Bridger couldn't allow himself to fall back asleep tonight—because he knew what dream was up next, and he wasn't sure he could stand to relive it.

Bridger groaned in frustration at the exhaustion setting in, throwing himself back against his mattress with a thud. The brand on his wrist itched, and no amount of scratching would sate him. Bridger snagged one of the extra pillows from his bed, pulled it to his face tightly, and screamed. He could've just put a sound shield up around the perimeter of his room, but this felt better.

He longed for the days he slept through the night, waking before his alarm, well-rested and ready to take on whatever challenge the day threw his way.

A beep from the comm-phone on his bedside table caught his attention. Bridger rolled to his side, peeking out from under the pillow to bring the small device to his face. A message rolled across the dull screen:

Commander, we've received word back from Halo Apsens. He will be here tomorrow morning to meet with you.

Bridger breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally."

He dropped the handheld back on his nightstand and rolled onto his back. Bridger hadn't heard from Halo since returning to Tolevarre from Earth, assuming he was lying low after getting caught by Arlet at the portal.

Tomorrow, he could finally end this hunt and work on returning to his normal life, focusing on rebuilding his shields and ridding himself of the memories he didn't want to remember.

If he couldn't return his shields, Bridger was sure the dreams would be his downfall—that Vega would be his downfall, like she'd always been.

The memories of her, the love he'd once had, would end him… but Bridger wasn't going down without a fight.