Renegades (Hotbloods #3)

Taking my own gem, I pulled down the collar of my t-shirt, stretching it all the way across my collarbone, until I had enough flesh exposed that I could place the gemstone where Navan had placed his without having to lift my shirt completely. I wasn’t quite as much of an exhibitionist as Navan, though he seemed disappointed by my discretion.

“I’m not going to lift my shirt up for you in public, so you can get that thought out of your mind,” I joked as I fitted the gem into place. Weirdly, it seemed to sink into the skin, gleaming there. I couldn’t take my eyes off it, and neither could Navan.

He stepped closer and put an arm around me. His other hand came to rest beneath my chin, tilting it upward. I smiled, my eyes gazing into his, relishing the closeness of him, and not caring in that moment who saw or tutted.

“May our light never go out,” he whispered, leaning in to kiss me deeply.

“I hope it never does,” I breathed, smiling against his lips as I kissed him back. My arms looped around his neck, pulling him closer to me.

Not for the first time, I wondered what it would be like, if the moment actually came for us to make love. If we were committing ourselves to one another like this, then surely that had to be in our future somewhere? I wanted to know what I was in for, on a physiological level more than anything else. I mean, what if Vysantheans had different equipment that I had no idea what to do with? Not that I exactly knew what to do with human equipment, either, but even so, I couldn’t help worrying about it. We existed on opposite ends of the universe. We probably weren’t ever supposed to meet, fall in love, and reach those kinds of desires. What if we weren’t… compatible?

As I broke away from Navan’s kiss, knowing we had to leave soon if we were going to reach the Fazar Mountain Range and get back before dawn, I felt an impulse to talk to him about it. I wanted to broach the subject we had been skirting around for weeks, but, once again, it wasn’t the time. It was going to have to wait.

“We should go before it gets too late,” he said, clearing his throat.

I nodded, catching his hand and leading him out of the magical square, with its fairy-glen lights and beautiful music. Taking one final look around, I bade the band goodbye, knowing it would be the last warm sight I’d lay eyes on tonight.





Chapter Eight





As we took to the skies once more, the landscape of Nessun disappeared beneath us, rushing away into the distance. There was a gap in the mountains on the far side of the city, where it gave way to the rest of Northern Vysanthe’s territories, the sparkling lights of the city dimming as we passed through.

The temperature dropped as we flew through the crevasse between the ragged peaks, and I was immediately grateful for the emberstone Navan had bought me, feeling the warmth ripple through my veins as I clutched it in my hands. It was strange to fly so fast and so far, considering the last time I’d done this I had been confined to the training fields. It felt nice, like I could go anywhere, if I wanted to.

Beyond the mountains, our winged bodies weaving in and out of narrow cracks and fissures, the terrain shifted, giving way to vast expanses of flat darkness. With the temperature dropping, we sank lower to the ground, skimming across it, in case we suddenly needed to land and rest. Now and again, I’d see the glint of lights in the distance where a township was clustered, or a hamlet lay on the outskirts of a barren field.

Almost two hours into the flight, a dank, pungent scent crept into my nostrils, smelling of death and decay. I lifted my hand to pinch my nose against the overwhelming aroma, the emberstone tumbling from my hand as I did so. I watched as it fell to the ground. Cursing under my breath, I swooped down to retrieve it. I knew I probably needed to take more of the wing serum anyway; I could feel the strength in my wings ebbing, alongside a dull pain that throbbed beneath my scapula—a sure sign that the serum’s effects were fading.

As my feet touched the ground, I heard Navan call out.

“Riley, no! Get back in the air!” he yelled.

But it was too late. My wings no longer felt strong enough to fly, and while I was down here, I really needed to grab that stone. I scrambled over the dirt and grime, the rancid stench getting worse the closer I knelt to the ground. Just then, something rose from the earth, moving toward me at a rapid pace. At this distance, it looked like a black mist or a fog, flitting through the air. My mind jumped to the monsters the horticulturist had spoken of in Lauren’s book—shadow creatures that crept in the darkness. Only, there was a noise too. It sounded like paper flapping wildly in a breeze.

“Riley, get back in the air!” Navan bellowed again.

“I can’t!” I shouted back. I caught sight of something smooth and shiny in the dirt. Reaching for it, I plucked up the emberstone, just as Navan swooped low, grabbing my arms and lifting me back up into the air.

All around us, the black fog swarmed, the fluttering sound growing louder. I squinted into the darkness, determined to see what was crowding us, though the light was dim. It was only when a strand of the black shadow touched the side of my hand that I realized what it really was—a column of tiny, navy-winged butterflies, all working together like a hive to surround us. When the first fluttering creature bit into my flesh, realization dawned on me.

“Horerczy butterflies?” I gasped, snatching my hand away from the biting insect.

Navan nodded grimly, his arms gripped around my waist. “If we don’t get out of here now, we’ll be bones in five minutes flat,” he said, his eyes turning upward as I struggled to keep my hands and limbs away from the biting butterflies. I could feel their tiny teeth sinking into my skin, each one like a pinprick.

“They’re biting me!” I hissed, and I flailed wildly, hoping it would do some good.

“Stop wriggling, or you’ll fall!” Navan barked, readjusting his grip on my waist. It took me a moment to realize, but I couldn’t see my wings stretching out behind me at all anymore. They were retreating.

Thinking fast, I reached my free hand into my pocket and pulled out the two-thirds-empty vial, trying to juggle keeping the vampiric butterflies away, holding the emberstone, un-stoppering the vial, and not flailing around. I took a deep sip, draining it down to the last drop. Immediately, I felt the burn of it in my stomach, though the pain wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been before. Even so, I knew I wouldn’t be much use against the butterflies for at least a couple of minutes, until the searing agony subsided. It was all I could do just to cling to the emberstone, and not get eaten alive by the insects.