Ryder Read online

  "So…we'll work together?" I confirmed, taking a glance around the room— all of them nodding in approval as they smiled.

  "Teamwork is key," Hinotori replied.

  SOLACE ROTATION, VIII CYCLE 5023

  ~RYDER~

  "We'll be fine, stop worrying," I huffed, relaxing in the soft cushions of the carriage.

  "It's the beta test of the transport ships. What if it crashes or blows up?" Anya questioned.

  "It's not going to blow up. Trust me." I sighed, closing my eyes.

  "Hmph. If you die, I'm telling your star I told you so," she mumbled.

  "Uh huh. Please don't go wishing my agonizing death from the transport ship failing. The development will be successful. The same way we developed the newest iPhone that works across the galaxy and not only on Earthala," I explained.

  "Why are we only at One? They're at like iPhone 68," she inquired.

  "Because our model works everywhere. Theirs is only for their realm and let's admit it, ours is prettier." I winked, glancing at her new pink iPhone I bought for her birthday.

  "But you guys still have to get it from Earthala. What's the point of claiming it?" she asked.

  "We get it from Earthala cause Latelia is dead, remember? The other realms are iffy with technology and Heila’s working on gathering those shifters who survived the war and are willing to contribute their services. King Arthur and Father are in good relations with the president. It’s faster and more cost-effective if we get it made down on Earthala."

  "Boring," she mumbled, her hands tapping the screen.

  I sighed, opening my eyes to stare at her; a smile formed on my lips as I took her in. She'd grown so quickly in the last five cycles. Her demon shifter was just as stubborn, making me wonder if she'd get along with Rosalina if they ever got to meet again.

  I noticed her smile as she stared at the screen, causing me to raise my eyebrow at her.

  "Who are you texting?" I asked.

  She met my gaze, frowning. "Nobody."

  "Is that Xavier?" I asked.

  "No..." she mumbled, her cheeks beginning to flush.

  "Please Starlight. Don't let my sister fall in love with Xavier Mackenzie Heart, or save my soul from the battle ahead," I prayed.

  "Shut up." She uncrossed her legs to kick me.

  "Ow. I'm so telling Mother."

  "You’re sixteen. Start fighting your own battles," she scoffed.

  "Yup. You took after Father," I pointed out.

  "And you’re like Mother. Anyways, aren't you going to take a nap? You look tired," she pointed out.

  "Maybe. We'll see," I replied, resting my head on the window.

  We were heading back to Minato after spending a few rotations in Heila. Our parents had taken a separate carriage and it was an hour ahead due to a schedule delay. There had been a number of rogue attacks which contributed to delayed travel times across the realms.

  Now with the new transport ships, rogues would have a harder time jumping people. Their mission was to cause chaos and kidnap shifters to enroll in different facilities for experimentation purposes.

  Since Aspen's War, shifters had begun disappearing; later finding out about the existence of these facilities. Xavier and Kade, were now some of the youngest to be a part of the teams to shut them down.

  Normally teams consisted of twenty shifters, all from various realms that could contribute their skills and knowledge to infiltrating and successfully taking down the facility.

  What made the Heart's team so special was that there were just the two of them. They didn't have any other shifters to help them.

  The guys and I would be heading to our first mission next rotation, having proven to Karen, Matthew, and Winterlya we were more than ready.

  To think we'd been gathered together seven cycles ago; now, it was difficult for us to stay apart. Even now, I could feel them in my mind— zoning out in the conversation they were having in our knight bond.

  It was a pain in the ass to have mind communication, but we were learning how to zone it out until we got skilled enough to allow it to stay open or closed.

  "Ryder."

  "Yes, Anya?"

  "What if the world ended? What would be the last thing you'd say to me?" she questioned.

  I opened one of my eyes to look at her; those Tyrian eyes that reminded me of Mother stared back at me with a level of seriousness, I knew she wasn’t joking.

  "Are you reading an Earthala app that predicts the Apocalypse?" I asked.

  "Just go along with it," she grumbled.

  "I'd tell you how beautiful you've become. How each day that passes, I watch you grow stronger and can see the determination to make a difference within our realm in your eyes as you help Mother and Father with political dilemmas that arise. I see you kick those bulky bear shifters butts when they try and pick on you and...I watch you fall in love, even though I ninety-nine percent despise the person you like. But...the one percent hopes he'll make you happy. Most importantly...I'd tell you I love you and you're the best sister I could ever ask for."

  She blinked; a small smile formed on her pink lips as she blinked back tears, looking out the window.

  "You suck."

  "For making you cry?"

  "For being so bloody honest," she sniffed.

  "You love my honesty."

  "That I do. You will make Rosalina happy one day. If only you'd deal with that sleeping problem of yours." She grinned.

  "I don't have a sleeping problem," I mumbled, closing my eyes.

  Even if I didn't want to admit it, I was struggling to sleep lately. Maybe I had what Daniel called insomnia? Who knows? But I'd sleep for a little.

  "Ryder."

  "I'm sleeping."

  "I love you too and I'd never ask for anyone else to be my big brother."

  I smiled, letting my mind drift.

  R-der.

  Ryder! Wa...up...Any....danger

  I tried to concentrate on the thickness of sleep that plagued me. Who's talking?

  "RYDER! Anya and you are in danger!" Kai screamed through our bond.

  I jolted awake, shaking my head as I tried to ignore the flood of fear coming from the others.

  "Ryder? What's wrong?" Anya asked; her worry only adding to my confusion.

  "I don't know. One sec." I needed a moment to focus.

  "Kai? What are you—" I began to ask when something crashed into the carriage.

  Everything felt like it slowed down— Anya and I tumbled around the inside of the carriage as we rolled down some type of hill. Anya crashed into me; my arms wrapping around her as we both fell to the ceiling of the carriage that had come to a stop.

  "Fuck. Mother fucking, ow." I tried to move, flinching at the pain in my head and leg.

  "RYDER! Shit are you and Anya okay? I'll try to teleport as close as I can, but I need to see where you are.”

  "Does being in a fucking carriage count?"

  It took me a few times to open my eyes. I took a deep breath as I noticed the sharp rod that missed my head pinned next to me.

  I was going to stay still until I heard a moan. Fuck! Anya!

  "Anya? Hey, you okay? Anya?"

  I shook her softly, hoping she hadn't hurt her head like me. She opened her eyes— her Tyrian purple eyes bleeding to black.

  "AnneMaria?” I asked, using my hand to stabilize her head.

  "What the fuck happened?" she groaned.

  "I don't know. We need to get out of the carriage. Can you move?" I asked.

  It took her a few moments before she was able to lift herself out of my embrace. She inspected my appearance, looking pissed.

  "You shouldn't move. You hit your head pretty bad. I'm sorry," she apologized.

  "Not your fault. I'd protect you any day. I'll be okay. Get out of the carriage. I'll follow," I reassured her.

  She nodded, beginning to make her way to the door that was broken. She placed her hands on the space between the fractured door and the frame, lifting her low
er half to kick it before slowly lifting herself up and out the carriage.

  I struggled to move, taking a deep breath before sitting up. I cursed; my leg was in bad shape. At least it's not broken.

  "Don't fucking touch me!"

  My eyes grew wide at the sound of AnneMaria's shrill voice— my body moving as I ignored the pain that tried to cripple me. I jumped with my good leg— gripping the door frame and lifting myself out.

  I scanned the scene before me— five shifters surrounding AnneMaria who'd created a blade with her magic. She moved into action, ducking as the shifter one tried to get a hold of her.

  She was able to kick him in the gut— dropping to the ground as shifter two tried to tackle her. She rolled before maneuvering herself back up, back-kicking the shifter three before somersaulting and kicking shifter four in the chin.

  She tried to avoid the shifter five’s grasp, but shifter two tripped her with his leg, causing her to lose balance.

  "Son of a bitch! Let go!" she screamed, fighting off their hold as shifter five struggled to keep her in his arm lock.

  "Don't fucking touch her!" I screamed, launching myself off the carriage, aiming my dark flames at shifter two who was trying to keep AnneMaria from moving.

  The flames hit their target— shifter two screamed in agony as he dropped to the ground, beginning to seize as the flames burnt his flesh. Shifter one and three glanced my way— both charged toward me. The flames that lingered in the palm of my hand began to take shape— a cobra with purple fangs hissed as I avoided shifter one's attack. Shifter three got me in a headlock, injecting something into my neck.

  FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!

  "RYDER!"

  I struggled to fight whatever was beginning to take effect in my body. The numbness in my feet quickly became apparent, but that was the least of my concern— my eyes landing on Anya who was being pinned by shifters four and five who were injecting the same thing into her neck.

  Her Tyrian eyes met mine, AnneMaria having retreated. I cursed, falling to the group with both shifters trying to pin me down.

  Dammit! STRYKER!

  ~STRYKER~

  Stryker took over immediately— giving us a wave of energy to push both shifters off us. Before they recovered, the cobra that had wrapped around my arm unraveled itself— going straight for shifter three who was closest. He gasped as the cobra’s fangs sunk into his throat, pulling back to avoid the slash of a blade from shifter one.

  He was too slow to pull off a second attempt— my cobra already sinking its fangs in his throat. He struggled to fight the sizzling flames that entered his body. He slowly dropped to the ground before the flames dispersed on both of them— doing their sole purpose of burning their flesh to ash.

  I was all ready to face shifter five when something tackled me to the ground— shifter four injecting another vial of something into me. I cried out in pain— this fluid making my blood burn. I struggled to stay in control; wrestling with the shifter as we rolled in the dirt.

  Ryder...I'm struggling.

  I was failing with whatever was in my system. I felt disoriented as I tried to fight off the grip around my neck— fighting for air. I allowed Ryder to take over.

  ~RYDER~

  I gasped, struggling to use my feet to kick at shifter four.

  "RYDER! Ryder, don't die! Brother, please!"

  I shifted my gaze, everything slowing as I watched Anya headbutt shifter five, causing him to drop to the floor. She scrambled to her feet, lifting her hands.

  "DARK FLAMES!" she commanded. Her eyes glowed a bright purple as the flames appeared in her hands— morphing into what looked like a cat.

  The flaming cat leaped forward, having enough force to knock shifter four off me. He cried out in agony as his body was consumed in the flames, rolling back and forth until his form stilled, becoming a pile of ash in seconds.

  Anya sighed, falling to her hands and knees as she struggled to breathe. I crawled toward her, scanning my surrounds as quickly as possible, even though my vision was blurring.

  Anya looked up, giving me a relieved smile. Then my eyes locked on the shifter behind her, noticing the dart in his hand.

  NO!

  I pushed myself off the ground with all my strength to reach her, pushing her to the side as the dart landed straight into my chest.

  I fell onto my back, crying out as the liquid began to seep into my body.

  "Ryder! No, no, no. Ryder! Look at me, help is coming!" Anya tried to console me, but I was struggling to breathe, my body beginning to convulse as pain flooded my body.

  "Run...Anya, run...please. I love you. Go!" I urged, my body locking up as I hit with a seizure. Everything began to go in and out— my hearing muting entirely before returning; Anya's cries brought me back to my senses as the seizure stalled.

  My eyes darted for my sister, my mind needed to ensure she escaped.

  But as my eyes locked onto her image, they widened— Anya struggling to get out of shifter five's lock.

  "I'll fucking kill you! You killed my brother, you fucker! Let go! RYDER! Don't die! I love you! Tell Xavier I lo—" she didn't finish— shifter five stabbed her in the neck with the same dart.

  She froze, her eyes locking on mine before they rolled back— her body dropped to the ground before she began to convulse.

  "No...An-ya. No...help," I whispered, reaching my arm out to try and reach her. She was so far. Why couldn't I reach her?

  I watched as shifter five picked her up, putting her limp body over his shoulder before sprinting forward— his image getting smaller and smaller.

  "No...help...Anya...no."

  I struggled to breathe, tears rolling down my numb cheeks. Everything was losing feeling as I tried to breathe, my lungs begging for oxygen that surrounded me, but felt out of reach— just like my sister who was but a small dot.

  "Ryder! We're coming! We're almost up the hill. Ryder?"

  I tried to focus on Kai's voice, my eyes lingering in the direction of where Anya was taken.

  “Come back.” I mouthed.

  No...I have to save her. I'm supposed to protect her.

  I have to try. I have to get to her. She's expecting me to save her. I'm coming, Anya...baby sis I'm coming. I'm trying...Anya...AnneMaria...someone help...

  I lost all feeling — my inhales slowed as my hand dropped to the ground. Darkness began to swarm my vision — narrowing as if I'd entered some type of tunnel, the light getting smaller and smaller.

  Till my vision was pitch black.

  Anya...I'm sorry....I...love...

  I stopped breathing.

  "Daniel! Can you keep him from declining?"

  "I sure as hell can try. He can't decline again. He needs oxygen!"

  "It's the poison in his blood. One of the vials had Nephilim. I can still the poison's progress long enough for Karen to get here."

  "Eli, create a cylinder of air. Marcus, create something similar to a mask with a tube for the air to flow into. Then, calm him down or he'll go into shock. I'll keep him warm...Ryder? Listen to me. I hope you can hear me, but just focus on breathing. You have to remind your body to breathe until Karen gets here. You're going to survive, just listen to my voice," Kai urged.

  I didn't know how to respond that I understood. I could barely feel anything but the burning sensation in my lungs, making it painful to breathe. I wanted to, but it was so hard.

  "C'mon, Ryder. Breathe...that's it. Daniel! Is there any way to make it easier for him? He's struggling."

  "Hold on," Daniel stated.

  In a few seconds the burning reduced immensely, making it easier for me to take larger breaths of air from whatever had been placed on my face.

  I could feel the warm air flowing through my nostrils, making the fear that gripped me lessen. Did I die? Was I dead? What's happening...Who am I?

  "Just take deep breaths. That's it, Ryder.”

  Ryder...that's me right...am I Ryder?

  "Dammit! Where's Karen! I can't last long. And
he's beginning to get delirious," Daniel cursed.

  "Marcus! Make sure he breathes. I'll get Winterlya."

  "She's not in the fucking realm, Kai! She's in Japan!"

  "I don't fucking care if she's on the other side of the fucking galaxy! We're not losing Ryder! I won't lose my best friend!" he yelled.

  Best…friend...Ryder...me?

  "Fine, but if you die I'm kicking your fucking dead ghost ass!" Marcus yelled.

  "Ryder, breathe!" EliaseAnne urged.

  I'd forgotten, needing to take a big inhale.

  "Thanks, Eli. Alright Ryder, you’re getting instruction from me and I suck at this so bear with me. Now breathe," Marcus whispered.

  I followed his commands— breathing in and out, pondering who I was and how I’d gotten into this predicament.

  Why am I dying? Did I do something wrong? Who are these people? No, wait...I know them. Friends...right? My friends...my team.

  "Ryder, stay with us," Daniel urged.

  I wanted to, but I felt exhausted, my mind beginning to drift in and out.

  "Kai! Winterlya!"

  Winterlya...who is she? Winter...what a pretty name.

  "Daniel, EliaseAnne, withdraw your magic. I'll take over," a woman announced, her soft voice seemed far away.

  "KAI!" Marcus yelled.

  I tried to figure out what was going on— my hearing fading in and out.

  "Kai, c'mon. Breathe!"

  "Compress his chest!"

  "Karen! Matthew! Help!"

  I didn't want to fight anymore. I felt tired...so exhausted. I just wanted to sleep. Yes, to sleep and never wake up. When you slept, there was no pain. I could just sleep...yes.

  "I love you too and I'd never ask for anyone else to be my big brother."

  Who was that? I know that voice. Who is she? I care about her.

  "No matter what...you’ll always be mine."

  It was a different voice this time. Rose? Was that her name? I cared about her...or was it the other me?

  "Rydey?"

  "Yes, Rosalina?"