Kai

 

Isla’s trembling hand on my side reassured me she was okay. I’d given into pure instinct, sneaking up on the Parasite and leaping at him. His need for self-preservation and revenge had outweighed everything else. Triumph surged through me. Isla was back where she belonged.

“Thank you, Kai,” Isla whispered.

Glaring at the Parasite, I watched as he was helped to his feet by Hunter. Other SoA agents moved forward, as most of the TLO had been disarmed. Crane had been trussed up by me personally, his cruel whispers taunting me as I tried to run to Isla.

You don’t know, Kai, you and the Shifters of Anubis will never know, not till it’s too late…

“Surrender or face the consequences,” my sister said, her voice back to its normal crisp and clear tones. I glanced over at her to see she had a gun trained on Hunter. “Drop it, Hunter.”

I was glad she was back to normal, although I could still see the tear tracks on her face. The sound of her begging for them to take her instead of Isla had almost undone me. My heart ached with love for my big sister. She tries too hard, I thought. I’m going to make it up to her, though.

Hunter's face contorted as he gripped his gun. Piper laughed and a chuckle ran around the circle of SoA agents. “You’ll be okay, Hunter. Put it down. I’m not gonna ask again.”

At that moment, I heard a noise behind me and I turned to see a blur of white twirling away from Isla, holding up a bloody knife and laughing manically.

“Isla,” I said, my fingers going numb. I’d shifted back without realizing it. She looked up at me, mirroring my bewilderment and holding out one blood-covered hand. “Isla!”

Uproar broke out behind me again as gunfire exploded. Picking her up, I ran for cover behind a large rock. Piper and Balt appeared instantly.

“Get Isiah,” Piper ordered Balt and he took off.

“She got me in the side,” Isla gasped out, her face twisting in pain. “I didn’t hear her–”

Of course not. Lilian Frost was a silent and deadly killer. I should have known. I should have known. I should not have taken my eyes off her.

All I could see was blood and all I could hear was my heart. Isla was pale white and I wrapped my arms around her, rocking her and trying not to weep.

“You’re going to be okay,” I said in a choking whisper. “You have to be.”

“Kai, it’s not your fault,” she said fiercely. “Do not blame yourself.”

I almost smiled at the fierceness in her voice. “Shh, you’re fine. You’re fine.”

Isiah appeared at our sides a second later, a wild look on his face. “Damn, it’s crazy out there. Hunter is trying to mow people down – some of our people are hurt now.”

“Izzy!” Isla said and he blanched as he looked at her.

“Isla, oh no,” Isiah said, looking from her to me. His hat had come off and his dreadlocks were spilling across his face. “Here, help me take off – this is your sweatshirt – let’s get it off.” Together, we managed it. There was a lot more blood here.

Gently Isiah laid a hand on her stomach and closed his eyes.

Please let this work, I thought.

Isiah was a healer, a good one, too. But he could only heal shifters. There were some people who could do both, but they didn’t typically work for the SoA. However, since Isla had the dormant gene for shifting, maybe it would work…

His eyes opened and the look he gave me sent a jolt of pure agony down into my bones. I was breaking apart, everything was falling away. This isn’t happening. No, no, no…

“Why can’t I protect you, Isla?” I gritted out.

“Kai, I came here – I knew this could happen, it’s okay,” Isla whispered.

“It’s not working. She’s not a shifter –” Isiah was saying to Piper.

“No,” I said softly as I grit my teeth. “Dammit. No.”

I heard Piper shouting for Balt and Soraya. Isla was looking up at me, a gentle, hazy smile on her face. “Kai, I love you. It was worth it – I would do everything all over again to have met you.”

"Please, don't say that Isla," I said, my voice breaking as my throat burned. "Please don't leave me. You promised. You promised to stay.”

“I know.” She was shivering now. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” I said, trying to smile. “Just stay, please Isla.”

“Kai,” Piper’s voice dragged my eyes up to her face. Then to her open, shaking hand, where the needle Dr. Crane had been holding was. “I-I don’t know what else to do.”

Isla was also looking at the needle and I saw desperate hope flash into her eyes. “Do it.”

“Isla, it might not work – it could–” I swallowed those words. “Are you sure?”

"Yes," she said and forced a smile on her face. “I don’t want to break my promise.”

I stared down at her and Isla nodded, that fearless and reckless courage brightening her eyes. She’d never looked more beautiful to me.

“Hurry,” Isiah said. “We’ve got minutes – if that.”

Cradling Isla against me, I stood up and ran to the sacred circle. It was blurry, but still there. Piper and Isiah flashed in after me, Piper asking Isiah to help her find the right spot for the needle. Balt and Soraya prowling and holding guard. Holding Isla against me, I lifted up the back of her shirt and Isiah guided Piper’s hand.

“There,” he said. “You said the spine was pierced, right? That’s where you want. L1-L2 vertebrae – spot for a lumbar puncture.” Isiah swallowed and looked at me. “Is this what they did to you? I-I didn’t know you were a shifter, Kai.”

I nodded as Isla tightened her arms around me. “Hold on, kid,” I murmured.

Piper took a deep breath and then pressed the needle into Isla. Her body went rigid, muscles and bones trembling under her skin. I clutched her, helpless and filled with a sense that we'd made a mistake, we'd put her through this pain for nothing. Soft whimpers were escaping her, then a cry and finally a scream that cut itself off abruptly.

I’d stopped breathing, staring down at her.

Energy seemed to surge through her, turning her red-hot, then ice-cold in my arms. But I held on, willing it to work – willing this insane plan to save her life.

Then it was over and a strange, clean smell like wildflowers filled the air. Looking down, I saw the sacred circle had altered. No longer were the blasphemous symbols there – only the sacred ones, pure white, speaking of connection and consciousness.

Shaking even harder, I looked down at Isla. Her eyes were closed and I tried to speak, but couldn’t manage to get the words out. Then she stirred, eyelids fluttering and I saw a flash of silver.

“It worked,” I breathed.

Suddenly she twisted out of my arms, arching up and shifting. Then a pale gold lioness stood in front of me, turning in a circle and shaking herself. She stared at me, before shifting back and letting out a shuddering gasp.

“Woah, woah. Okay, that’s weird,” Isla said, panting hard.

Isiah ran forward and caught her before she could fall. I was there second later, holding onto her as he looked at her side. Her shirt was still bloody, but the wound was gone.

"Damn, hell of a ceremony," Isiah muttered, pressing his fingers on her. “Everything is healed. No internal bleeding. You’re fine, Isla.”

Reaching out, I pulled her against me and buried my face in her neck. My entire body was still shaking, filled with relief and something else. Gratitude.

“Always taking me by surprise,” I whispered in her ear.

“So, are we broken up?” Isla asked, her voice teasing.

Pulling back, I bent her backward and kissed her. Isiah let out a whoop, Balt a bellow of laughter and Soraya a happy screech.

Piper sighed irritably. “Kai, this is not the time to make-out, we have a lot to do.”

In response, I bent Isla over more and kissed her harder. I heard the rest of them move away and I grinned into the kiss, Isla smiling back.

“Didn’t think so,” Isla said as I broke away for air a minute or so later. “Never hurts to check, I guess.” Her eyes were twinkling and then they became pensive. “Kai, that was…” She shuddered. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

“Never mind about me. Are you okay?” I asked, brushing her hair back from her face. “Anything hurt?”

“Honestly?” Isla gave me a bewildered look. “I feel great. It’s weird.”

“You’ll get used to it,” I said.

She closed her eyes and laid her head on my chest. “Now you have no excuses not to trust me or think about our futures.”

“I’m sorry about that, Isla. And I found your list.” I paused and murmured, “I know after everything maybe you don’t want to hear this – but I was scared – scared you’d turn on me, scared of myself and I think,” I winced, “scared of commitment.”

“Oh, no, not Mr. I live in the moment,” Isla gently mocked, snuggling closer.

“Trust me, I know what I want now,” I murmured in her ear. “And I can’t wait to tell you all about it – for the rest of our lives.”