Kingdom Come Read online

  I stood up and walked to the door. “It is now. It became my problem when he risked his life against Jekyll and Hyde.”

  Dan slammed his hand over the door and leaned closer, almost too close. “I’m just trying to protect my girl…”

  “I’m not your girl. I never was, and I never will be.”

  He somehow got it into his thick head that this was the perfect moment for him to make his move. I was way out of my comfort zone when he kissed me, and if I could live it again, I would have hit him with his own crutch. Many times. Instead, I shoved him backwards and he landed on the ground with a yelp. Spitting in his direction, I walked out.

  I went to my room and slammed the door shut. My gut was in knots, and I thought I was going to throw up, but no one was around. The only person not still at the party that I could trust was Matt, and I didn’t want to drag him into this any more than I already had.

  I shouldn’t have been able to fall asleep, but after brushing my teeth for an hour straight and then climbing into bed with a knife in one hand and a pager in the other, I managed.

  Nine

  The next day, I returned to the scene of the attack in the market, hoping to find something left behind by Jekyll and Hyde or someone who witnessed the whole thing.

  Dan had obviously had the same idea.

  “Benji, are you here to help me investigate? This was where you were jumped, right?”

  I was momentarily floored. He had the audacity to speak to me?

  “Are you kidding me? Don’t act like nothing happened! Dan, I will smite you if I have to.”

  “Calm down, princess,” he started. I didn’t give him time to finish as I walked right up to him and slammed my knuckles into his nose.

  “Dammit!” I hollered as I shook my hand. Dan screamed profanities at me and held his face in one hand as he steadied himself with the other. I looked up in time to step to the side as Dan was shoved forward by a boot to the back courtesy of my friend Crow.

  Dan rolled over on the ground and looked up to see a very angry man standing over him, axe raised.

  “Soul! No!” I called to him, and he looked up with worried eyes. Dan shouted for backup and I started to tug at Soul’s sleeve. “We need to go.”

  He stepped away from Dan and gave me a look that said, “Aw, but I just got here!” Sure enough, a moment later, Randy, Ronin, and Jeremy showed up, ready to hit Soul with every weapon in their arsenal. He quickly hooked the blade back over his shoulder and started running. I did the same, struggling to keep up.

  “My fault… Should have waited!” Soul said, aggressively shaking his head.

  “Don’t beat yourself up about it … I think they got that covered.”

  He nodded, grabbed my arm, and pulled me into an alley, a shortcut to the base. We both dodged people as we ran and knocked over garbage cans and small stands in order to slow down our pursuers.

  We burst past security and down the first few halls. My lungs were on fire; I am not made for running. Soul, on the other hand, simply wiped two drops of sweat from his forehead and looked at me with remorse.

  “Stop doing that. How were you supposed to know it was a trap?”

  “Here, pretty puppy,” called Ronin mockingly.

  “And her pet bird… That guy creeps me out, Ronin,” Randy said.

  We silently made our way down another hall only to find Jeremy waiting for us, surrounded by a group of warrior wannabes. Sharing a look, we rushed past them, throwing a few to the side while dodging others. We turned a corner as they gathered themselves again, and I shoved Soul down one hall and waited for the grunts to find me. Once they saw me, I raised my eyebrows and bolted down a different hall. I was very close to collapsing, but I pushed as far as I could.

  This was the most running I’d ever done at one time. Halfway across town and a wild goose chase through the base? Would not do that again.

  I led them through any hall I knew wasn’t a dead end until I got back to the main corridor. Having made it to the entrance of the arena, I leaned against the gate for a moment to catch my breath before I realized Randy and Ronin had joined the larger group on our tails. I cursed my terrible luck and even more terrible decisions, then ran forward.

  Soul had reached the other gate. He was holding my swords. Fighting our way out seemed the best possible action at that point. We nodded at one another, silently agreeing to meet halfway.

  The sunlight in the arena was mocking me. The dull glow of the dirt was almost blinding as I ran out into the centre of the Pit, which was crammed full of people. The crowd started to shout in surprise, disappointment, and even delight the second they realized that this wasn’t the fight they were here to see. I pushed my boots into the dirt as hard as I could, but I still couldn’t move fast enough.

  I had my hand on the hilt of my broadsword when a gunshot rang out. I felt my abdomen burn. Soul and I fell into each other a second later. I placed my hand over my stomach, my breathing becoming increasingly painful. I cried out again and rested my forehead against his shoulder, biting my lip to hold back any more screams. His breathing was just as ragged. I felt him slide his arms over my body, only pulling his hand away for a moment to stare at the blood.

  On one hand, I could still feel my legs; on the other, I was starting to shiver so aggressively it felt like I was going to throw up. I was terrified.

  Soul squeezed his arms over my shoulders again. I winced.

  “K9?”

  “Soul, you need to go—”

  “N-no! … If the bird leaves…” He started trying to calm his breaths, reverting to whispering. “I don’t want the dog to die…”

  I breathed against his shirt. I desperately wanted to let go of my stomach and hug him back. “They will kill you, Soul. I can’t … I wouldn’t be able to stop them.”

  “No … no, it’s not fair…” he whispered. I could feel him start to shake. “K9…”

  “Please…”

  I could feel his body slowly start to stop shaking as he inhaled sharply. He practically radiated with the pain of it. “For K9?”

  “Who else?”

  He nodded to himself and whimpered one last time as he started to sit back. I touched his face and quickly kissed his cheek, much lazier and sloppier than I intended, but it was getting so hard to use any fine motor functions, I was happy I could even do that much.

  He gently put me down and I sat on my hands and knees. He stood up and fearfully started to turn his back and run, only to realize Dan was on one side and Josh was on the other, perched above the gate, holding a gun.

  “Take the shot! Take it, kill, do it!” Soul shouted, his lip shaking as he held out his arms.

  Dizziness hit me as I fell onto my stomach, feeling blood drip from my mouth into a pool that was forming next to my cheek. I inhaled a bit of dirt as I started to cough, bracing myself for the gunshot … but nothing happened. He gave me one last terrified look, then unclipped his axe from his back and got ready to start swinging.

  “That’s my Crow,” I solemnly muttered before closing my eyes.

  “The flames that singed my torso

  Now burning back again

  Not for me this time

  But for a former friend.

  “If the K9 dies, then so will you…”

  I opened my eyes slightly to see him standing protectively with his weapon raised and the most anger I have ever seen in a pair of eyes. A sudden and merciless surge of pain ripped through me again. I let out a scream before I blacked out.

  Ten

  “I’m so sorry…”

  A raven is a raven, but a crow is more.

  My friend didn’t believe it, but he was far more like a crow than a raven. They are pretty much the same bird, but ravens are prideful, bitter towards the world, and pampered. Very proud birds.

  Crows, on the other hand, seem to exist to do their jobs, whatever those may be. They are like people: they become what the world wants them to be, despite being such beautiful and intellig
ent creatures. They do their jobs and they do them well because they are strong and know that, one way or another, they have to keep surviving.

  Crows and ravens are not the same bird; the crow is okay with what they have become … and I knew that, someday, my friend would be too.

  Eleven

  Light pierced through my eyelids as I woke up.

  I held my right hand against my face. I immediately noticed that something was off, but my mind was too scattered to think of what it was. All I could focus on was the quick pain that shot from my back to my front. I opened my eyes fully, gasping, and noticed that I was lying in a hospital bed. I sat up and lifted my shirt slightly; blood-splattered bandages covered my entire middle.

  The window to the right of the bed reflected the small room. To my left, Soul was asleep in a chair with his arms crossed. He couldn’t have been comfortable. After a few seconds of painful silence, Louis walked around the curtain, his bony face twisted into shock when he saw me.

  “I-I thought you were in a coma… How do you feel?”

  “What in god’s name happened?”

  Louis quickly managed to compose himself. He gave a sly smile and tilted his head. “You don’t remember?”

  “I remember running and then…” I scowled and smacked the bed. “Some ass-clown shot me!”

  Louis jumped back and started to chuckle. He cast a look over at Soul as we both settled again. He pointed his chin at Soul.

  “He’s been here every night, you know. I keep trying to send him back to wherever it is that he came from, for proper sleep, but he keeps telling me he needs to be here in case you wake up. Sometimes he’ll say ‘one more minute,’ then lose track of time and fall asleep. He did that tonight.” Louis’s hoarse voice was calm for once, a little more nasal than usual.

  Watching Soul, I smiled softly. This was the most peaceful I’d ever seen him.

  “Is it true you can hear someone talking to you when you’re in a coma?” Louis asked. He always had been morbidly curious — some of us joked that he was secretly a mad scientist, experimenting on poor saps in the basement. I gave it a thought. “I do remember hearing something, but it might have been a dream.”

  Louis nodded. “It is possible. You never know what the body’s capable of.” He raised an eyebrow. “By the way, the boss has decided to let your friend join the league. Dan and his men have been all up in arms about it, trying to turn the public against him. Frankie, Chrissy, and Matt have headed up the retaliation, though. They aren’t having an easy time with it, but they’re trying to have your back. You might want to keep them around. Do you want me to call them down?”

  “No, that’s okay. I’ll talk to them tomorrow. Thanks.”

  Louis nodded and went to his desk. I wondered if he ever slept; he always seemed to be busy with paperwork.

  I swung my legs off the side of the bed and whispered to the sleepy bird, “Soul, wake up…”

  He stared to shift his weight, then slowly rubbed his eye with his knuckle, pouting like a small child.

  “Wake up, oh protector of mine…”

  Slowly, he opened his eyes, then, startled, he jumped up and bit his lip. He looked relieved and remorseful at the same time, but mainly surprised. Before I knew what was happening, his arms were around me and I had a face full of his matted hair. Chuckling, I slowly slid my hands around his muscular shoulders and he nuzzled into my arm. I felt safe.

  Ordinarily, I would put on a tough face and tell you I didn’t need it, that I let him hold me for his benefit and not mine, but that wasn’t true. This time it was nice to know someone was there, that maybe I wasn’t on my own for the first time in a long time.

  His breathing started to slow and he slipped to an arm’s length away, keeping his hands on my shoulders.

  In truth, I wasn’t done with that hug.

  “How long was I out for?”

  He looked at the ground, then kicked the toe of his boot against the floor. “Eight days.” His voice was raspy like he had been yelling, and his eyes were red.

  “How are you?” I asked genuinely.

  He shrugged his large shoulders. “Better now … but tired. No … worse; worried, scared…” He put his head down and I wrapped my arms around his neck. He rubbed his face against my hair, and I stroked his own blue-black mess.

  “All my fault…”

  He shook his head back and forth, looking distressed, but all I could do was laugh. Stepping back, he stared at me.

  “Soul, none of this is your fault. It was just a wrong-time, wrong-place kind of thing. All of it.”

  Tilting his head, he sniffled.

  “It’s not your fault,” I insisted, straightening. “And we’re going to win this. We’re already winning!” I twisted a piece of his hair around my finger, and he gave a sheepish smile and a nod.

  “What next?”

  I thought a moment. I really didn’t know but I was kind of hungry. I looked at the clock and saw it was 5 p.m. I slid off the bed, grabbing the clothes, changing—maybe getting a little motion sickness — and then going in search of my boots. I looked at the side of my bed, then the end of it. I even checked under it. And where on earth were my shoes? I swear, if Jeff tossed them to get me “upgrades” again…

  I stood up and crossed my arms. “Shoes. Now.”

  “Looking for these?” Louis was holding them up, smirking. “No arch support at all.” The medic clicked his tongue. “You really should think more about your lower back.”

  “Ya, ya.” I jumped up and snatched them from his hand. “Thank you,” I said, scowling.

  I couldn’t lie. I wondered again if he had anything to do with Frankenstein and those demonic brothers.

  “Why are you here helping us anyway?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. “I thought you hated this side of the base.”

  He shrugged, then looked up, his eyes searching every corner of the room. He was looking for drone cams, I realized, but there were none.

  Louis sneered back at me and spread his arms, letting his dark hair fall in his eyes and speaking much more urgently than his ordinarily bored tone would allow. “This is all a show. The name, the attitude. Why do you think I proudly display this instead of hiding it?” He ran his thumb along the grotesque star that tore across his throat. “Look, I know I take too much joy in the violence. I’m the Headless Horseman! But I’m not one of them. I’m not like Jekyll and Hyde.”

  “We’ll see,” I said coldly. I didn’t want to, but I believed him.

  “I’m with you,” he said, adopting his usual neutral expression. “I’ll process your release, but I suggest that you take the rest of the week to rest.” He paused a minute before opening the door, as if he wanted to say one more thing, but instead he slid out of the room.

  I hopped into my shoes and strapped my two broadswords to my waist, fastening them with buckles on either side. I stomped to the medic’s door and threw it open, hurrying out into the hall. Someone had hell to pay. But first, I needed one or five of whatever kind of baked goods I could smell coming from the cafeteria. Soul trailed a few steps behind me as we walked, seeming very quiet.

  “What’s been going on around here while I was out?”

  “The dino wanted to fight with the bird … all in good spirits. Stay out of sight when not in a fight; they don’t like the bird.”

  “Beanie did? How did you figure?” I asked.

  “Quiet avoidance … threats, silence.” He shrugged his shoulders and put his hands in the pockets of his worn jeans. “Birds don’t do well alone, but the dog knows… The dog can help.”

  I smiled as I cast a look back at him. “I thought Chrissy and Matt were helping?”

  “Bobcat doesn’t trust the bird… Blames him for what happened to the dog. H-he needs to do better. Needs to prove he is good to K9’s friends… Will the dog help?”

  I stopped walking and turned. Then I gave him a soft smile and nodded. “For Crow?”

  “Who else?” He grinned. We started walking
again, and I pushed open the door to the cafeteria. People stopped and turned to look. I guessed Soul didn’t really hang around here more than he had to, but he stood tall anyway. I appreciated that. I spotted Chrissy, Angel, and Frankie at the back of the room and tugged Soul along with me as I made my way to them.

  “I heard you were on our team?” I slid into a seat across from Chrissy.

  “Benji! Are you even supposed to be up right now? How are you feeling —”

  “Because you look like crap,” Angel said, giving me a playful smirk.

  “Anyway…” Chrissy elbowed our friend. “Are you okay?”

  I snatched her muffin. “You know … I’m just so hungry.”

  She shot me a disgruntled look, then turned to Soul. “I’m Chrissy, or Bobcat. Whatever you want to call me.”

  Soul nodded sheepishly.

  “F-Frankie…” The pink-haired guy gave a small, nervous wave. “I think Eloise is still cleaning up from her and Angel’s last fight against Carmel and Sugar. She got a bit beat up. Those two are mean.”

  I nodded to Frankie’s words and then felt myself get shoved into Soul’s side by someone to my right. Soul calmly raised his eyebrows as he pulled his arm out of my way and watched me elbow the girl beside me. When I looked up, Juno was grinning like a cat, and her brother was doing the same on the other side of Soul.

  “Jun, Bean, how nice to see you…” I shoved her off me and rested my head against the table, clutching my stomach and trying not to be sick. I glared at her, and she grinned again and ran to the other side of her brother, mouthing an “oops.”

  “Those two are Juno and Beanie, or the Dinos,” I explained to Soul.

  “So, why don’t you introduce the guy you’re willing to risk not only your life but your job for?” Juno asked teasingly.

  “Everybody, this is Soul Ravin, otherwise known as Crow.”

  He quickly put his head down and avoided eye contact.

  “I really don’t care who he is. I just want to know what the hell is going on,” Angel said.

  Soul looked at me, then unbuttoned his shirt a little bit to show her the burn. “Need to find them, and Dr. Frankenstein.”