Hadaen [The Marujan Brothers Series] Book One Read online

  "He's got men trailing us," Amelia said, her knuckles going white where she grabbed the leather of Gideon's seat. "I can feel them. And they are not mortals."

  "I can feel twenty separate energies. There could be more!" Esyth screamed, her eyes glowing golden again.

  "I can try to divert them for a while but it won't be long until someone catches on." Hadaen tapped into his mana and breathed sharply. The silvery red glow drowned out his eyes. He could sense the energy of the man leading the group; his was strongest and most unique. Hadaen sent a calming energy outwards, reaching into the mind of the leader. "I've got in," he said through clenched teeth. "I can hold him off track for an half hour the most."

  Sweat beaded his forehead. The men who were following them were at least fifty miles away but they were still too close. Kankul soldiers didn't possess the superhuman speed that Marujan nobles had. But they were still fast...and smart nonetheless. They'd figure out when someone was toying with their path sooner rather than later.

  "How far can we get before they catch up on us?" Amelia questioned.

  "Just about two miles outside the Hub," Esyth said, her eyes glowing brighter. Her body lifted slightly, gently levitated. "I'll try to create a distraction and set up a few dummy trails leading west. But from the looks of it, these men are smart. I'll have to make it look good."

  "What can I do?" Amelia felt hopeless. Although she'd somehow managed to regain her memories, she knew she hadn't exactly received a manual about how to use her mana. She'd only discovered her powers a week before her escape. She'd merely thought of her mother, wishing her to somehow rise from the dead and tell her how to endure it all. Her necklace had glowed brightly, her eyes blazing in the similar fashion.

  It was at that moment Amelia had known she was never mortal.

  "What can you do?" Gideon asked, steering wildly out of the path of a truck.

  "I don't know."

  "Well, think of something quick or take the wheel. I can help with distracting those assholes!"

  Amelia hadn't a clue. She suspected it'd be more of a gain to them if she took over the driving while she thought about it. "Pull over."

  "No time. We can't spare a second. I'll steady the car and keep press on gas until you take over!"

  Amelia knew that Gideon meant he'd use his powers to drive the jeep while they switched places. She nodded and watched through the rear-view mirror as his eyes glowed with the same silvery red as Hadaen's had.

  Gideon slipped with ease between the two front seats and landed on the back seat next to Esyth who held a poise which reminded him of deep meditation. Her energy was strong; the feel of it was almost scorching. Amelia squeezed pass him over his knees and slid into the driver's seat just in time to swerve around a blue pick-up truck.

  "I've got it!" she said, shifting gears. Gideon grunted and released his control over the vehicle.

  "Head straight north for a mile," he directed. "Then pull off the freeway at the second dirt trail. That'll take us to the Hub."

  Amelia nodded and concentrated on getting them there before the Kankul soldiers caught up. In ten minutes or so, she had pulled off the freeway and the jeep rocked hard against the rocky slope. But she didn't slow down. This type of vehicle was suited for these forms of terrains.

  The dark clouds had thickened immensely, almost gathering directly overhead. The soldiers were nearer. She glanced at Hadaen through the corner of her eye. His jaws were clenched so tightly she thought they'd break at any moment. A deep frown was plastered across Gideon's face, his face wet with perspiration. Esyth looked frightened out of her mind. Altogether, Amelia was getting the impression that they were screwed.

  "They are smarter than I'd thought," Esyth said, her expression worried as she fell out of levitation and the glow disappeared. "They are just a mile behind us."

  Oh shit!

  "Fuck!" came Hadaen's voice, hoarse and strained. "Get off the road."

  Amelia swerved off track and through the woodland, dodging trees and breaking branches. The jeep jerked roughly and bounced along the rocky land.

  "They've got a missile!" Gideon yelled. "They're about to launch. We need to get out. Now!"

  Hell broke loose.

  But not before all doors of the jeep was kicked open and the four of them jumped out without second-guessing it. They rolled and scraped against harsh stones and trees, sliding down a hillside. It was a full one minute later that a loud clap echoed through the sky, followed by the boom of an explosion. The jeep went up in flames, forming a massive cloud of black smoke. Debris fell everywhere.

  "Keep moving!" Hadaen shouted above the noise. "Amelia? Where are you?"

  Amelia blinked the toxic smoke from her eyes and struggled to her feet. She then felt his hand clasp on to hers, pulling her into a run. Ahead of them, Gideon and Esyth sped on through the woodland, with a bag in tow. Seemed as if he had managed to grab one of the duffle bags before they had been blown up to bits.

  Loot had darkened their faces and arms but it was better than being blown to scraps; far better than being drained to nothing by the Kankul soldiers if they caught up to them. Amelia did not protest Hadaen's grip on her. It was not the time to be foolish. Jumping over a fallen tree, she almost twisted her ankle and a shallow pain stabbed through her right leg. She whimpered.

  "Are you okay?" he questioned. "If you're in pain, climb on to my back. I can move just as fast with you."

  "I'm fine," she said, loud enough so he could hear but soft enough to not garner any unneeded attention.

  She was glad he hadn't questioned it. Instead, Gideon directed them along another path holding up a silencing hand at them. It was a warning that they should remain as quiet as possible. Their pace slowed and Amelia struggled to manufacture her oxygen debt. Hadaen pulled her down into a crouching position next to him as the four of them sat hidden behind thick bushes. He listened with his inner ear.

  The Kankul soldiers had found them.

  * * *

  Hadaen watched anxiously as four Kankul soldiers stepped out into view. Their identity could not be mistaken. The infamous Kankul tattoo stretched along the length of each man's arm, a thin and vicious black cobra. They were big men, equaling him and Gideon's height and built. He could sense the rest, twenty-five men, some half a mile down the slope.

  He felt Amelia's shaky breath on his back. His jump from the truck had ripped his shirt straight down the back. He was thankful they had managed to escape. Yet they were cornered. And she was horrified. He wanted to comfort her, pull her into his arms but the time for that was not this one. He was too busy with thinking up a fresh idea. A way to distract the soldiers away from them... or the best way to swoop in and fight it all out.

  He felt Gideon's touch on his arm and turned slightly. His brother gestured to the duffle bag that was sitting at his foot. Hadaen knew what he was thinking before he even thought it. Casting a reassuring glance at Amelia, he saw her pull in a deep breath. She was a strong woman, he knew it. Esyth moved in closer to her and rubbed her shoulder. It was a gesture that ensured him her safety.

  Without further hesitation, Hadaen followed Gideon silently away from the bushes, their feet barely hitting the ground. They were lithe creatures and could move with the grace of a cat if need be. They had succeeded a good distance between them and the soldiers before he spoke.

  "What's your plan?"

  Gideon grinned. He always had envied his youngest brother's good-naturedness. Hadaen just could not understand how the man could be so happy all the damn time. Gideon slid the zipper of the bag open. "Explosives, courtesy of Jacques. Enough to floor a whole damn city."

  Hadaen listened on with interest. "The other soldiers are at least a half mile down the hill. If we can get rid of them, the four that's left will be minced meat, no doubt."

  Gideon nodded and dug into the contents cautiously. "We got C-4. Half a pound of this can blow a whole fucking commercial passenger airplane to dust."

  "You've been mess
ing around with this stuff, haven't you?" Hadaen narrowed his gaze on him. Gideon had always had touchy fingers, even as a child. It was always a fault that had gotten him into a lot of trouble.

  "Maybe. We also have a few sticks of dynamite, TNT and some stuff Jacques called Semtex. Said it's great shit."

  "Okay." Hadaen nodded and listened outwardly. "Let's go. The others are catching up."

  * *

  Amelia couldn't tell if the soldiers had found their exact location but she was praying that Hadaen and Gideon would move faster. Her head was a bit tender from the blast and her limbs ached from fatigue.

  The last thing she had expected was to be cornered by the same kind of men who had murdered her mother. She had tried time and time again to not think about the past but now...it only felt as if time was destined to repeat itself. But she'd be damned if she'd let the Kankul soldiers sweep in and demolish; as was their routine approach. She'd be making her way to the Hub today and she'd receive the necessary training on how to properly use her powers. She'd help to destroy the insufferable Deorci once and for all.

  Tension drenched through the air. Esyth crouched still by her side. If this woman was even the slightest bit scared, she did not show it. Her oval face was dusty gray and she stared intently out at the enemy.

  "Spread out!" yelled one of the men, his voice a hoarse rumble, the Kankul accent rolling nastily off his tongue. "They are somewhere around here, I know it. Move out."

  The three other men broke off into separate directions, combing through the bushes. Amelia got a closer look at the group's leader. He had long brown hair, snapped tight in a ponytail that stopped just mid-back. He was a big man, somewhere around Hadaen's built, she deduced. Dressed in dark gray cargo pants and a black vest, he could easily pass off as a mortal military man. But Marujans could effortlessly identify a Kankul soldier from miles away. Their energies stank with a wretched evilness that could bring tears to the eyes. And of course, there was the tattoo.

  Shaking her head, Amelia almost jumped out of secrecy when the man turn towards the thick bushes. Had he heard them somehow? Had he sensed their breathing? Esyth's fingers gripped around Amelia's wrist and squeezed tightly, attempting to calm her.

  His eyes narrowed to thin slits as he closed in on their position, one hand falling to his side where he retrieved a large knife. Amelia gulped, her heart thudding wildly. Esyth didn't even bat a lash. She was watching the man with nothing but pure hatred in her light green eyes, her lips curled in a sneer.

  An explosion shook the area. Then another. Birds scattered and the Kankul group leader spun around instantly.

  "Re-group!" he yelled on the top of his lungs, running down the slope and supposedly towards the explosion. "Move...out!"

  Amelia could see the thick black smoke rising in the air, could smell the toxicity of bloodshed.

  "What do we do now?" Amelia forced out, worried she would not want the answer.

  Esyth gave her a crooked smile, one that sported victory even though they hadn't quite won yet. "We fight."

  And with that she pushed herself up, her eyes glowing gold. A force moved around her as she walked slowly into mayhem. Amelia felt around her neck for her necklace and sighed with relief.

  She then followed out behind Esyth, tapping into her mana.

  They saw where the explosions occurred. About quarter mile due east. Three Trooper trucks were scattered across the ground, still burning. The earth around was burnt black, some trees fallen and ablaze as well. Amelia narrowed her eyes to zoom in on the scene. Hadaen--

  "They're down there!" Esyth screamed. "Let's go."

  The other woman sped off like lightening down the slope. Amelia nodded and followed behind, her eyes glistening as the blue glow crackled around her.

  The scene was a mess, dead bodies lying around everywhere. Gideon's plan had managed to take out 19 men. Amelia's eyes scanned around for Hadaen. She could not find him. Gideon held a man in a death grip, snapping his neck like a twig.

  Then a firm hand gripped her from behind. Hadaen. Blood gashed from a cut above his right brow. And another, supposedly where someone had slashed a knife across his left bicep.

  "You're hurt," she screamed above the yells and anguish of men.

  For a second he seemed surprised by her concern. "I'll heal in a minute. Now get behind me!" He hadn't waited for her to move. But had positioned himself in front her in one swift stride.

  "I'll fight!" she said.

  "Stay guarded. And don't leave my sight."

  Two soldiers decided to attack him at that point. Hadaen's energy vibrated around her as he braced for the fight. One man lunged at him with a blade, the poisonous Kankul fire blazing on it. Hadaen evaded the hit and kicked the blade from the man's hand. He then grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the ground with all the strength his anger provided at the moment.

  The soldier's head rolled limply to the side. Amelia was at his back, repelling the other. She ran like the wind and back as she sent a solid uppercut to the man's ribs. Hadaen smiled to himself. She fought like a damn man. Then she spun around and sent her mana coursing through a kick to his gut. Blood shot from the soldier's mouth as he went flying a good forty meters back before he hit ground.

  "Look out!" he heard her scream. Hadaen spun around just in time to slip out of a hold he knew would have left him crippled. The Kankul soldier smiled smugly at him as he sized him up. He recognized the energy. This was the troop's leader.

  Esyth blew past them in an instant, knocking the man off his feet. Hadaen heard Gideon's groan to his left as he rammed a knife through the heart of another soldier. The entire group was wiped out clean. Except for the leader who was now back on his feet like wildfire and glaring at him.

  "You think you've won, don't you?" he said, spitting at Hadaen's feet. "What Deorci has planned for you is nothing compared to anything you've ever seen."

  "Tell your Deorci to come kiss my stinking ass," Gideon muttered, dropping the bloodstained knife to the ground. Esyth slithered towards Gideon, her hair going wild around her head and glowing green when she reached him. Hadaen wondered what the reason was for that but decided this was not the time to question it. Amelia's presence behind him was the only thing that kept his control from breaking loose.

  The man laughed. "Tell him yourself when you see him. And trust me, you'll never know when Deorci approaches."

  As far as he was concerned, Hadaen was growing tired of this man mouthing off. Taking a step forward, he grabbed the man by the neck. The soldier grabbed him back and they both started off in a frenzy of face punches and uppercuts. He had to admit, the soldier was good. But he was better.

  Red fire blazed around Hadaen as he knocked a few teeth loose and kicked the man across the field, watching as his boots dug into the ground along the way.

  Silence and tension stretched between them…. until the soldier blazed past him suddenly. Gideon tensed and pushed Esyth behind him. Hadaen snarled furiously, blood rushing to his head as Amelia's agonized whimper echoed in his ears.

  Turning slowly on his heel, he took in a shaky breath as the soldier held his woman slapped up against his frame. He held one slender hand twisted behind her as he pressed a blade by her throat. Hadaen was pissed out of his mind. It was only by reflex that he edged forward.

  "Uh uh!" The soldier clicked his tongue. "Let's just get to know each other for minute here."

  Hadaen exchanged glances with his brother. "Take Esyth and go."

  "I'm not leaving!" Gideon grounded out. "Let's kill this bastard."

  "Cocky family, aren't you?" the soldier cackled. "It's a shame, really."

  Hadaen nodded at Gideon. "Go get the others. I'll handle this."

  His youngest brother let out a sharp hiss before he grabbed on to Esyth and sped up towards the mountains.

  "Charming display," Hadaen heard the enemy say. "The name's Xavier, by the way." He then brushed his rough face against Amelia's neckline. "Beautiful bitch you have
here..."

  "Let her go, dammit! Your fight is with me..."

  "Don't know...," he continued. "Maybe I should sample her first."

  "Not unless I'm dead and rotting in the deepest trenches of hell."

  Amelia's gaze held his strongly at that point, her eyes slightly damp with unshed tears. Her left hand gripped the enemy's tightly where he held the knife at her throat.

  I'm sorry. Her thought drifted into his head like a silky lullaby. His heartbeat raced. She had trusted him with her mind. If that didn't give him all the strength he needed, he didn't know what would.

  "Don't be making wishes too soon," Xavier taunted. "Perhaps I could let her join you in your trenches after I savour her sweet Marujan body. It's not like I haven't done it before."

  The fire blazed in Hadaen's eyes. The man saw it, no doubt the reason he flinched.

  "Move one inch and the girl loses her head," Xavier yelled, yanking Amelia's head back by her hair.

  Hadaen centered his mana and worked on invading the man's mind. He smiled at his own success when Xavier's hand unwounded from Amelia's neck reluctantly. It was obvious he was fighting it. But Hadaen was far stronger. Xavier's frightened glare connected with his at that point.

  The man knew his loss.

  Hadaen knew just the right time to make his attack. Releasing a deep growl, he broke off in a rapid pace, the heat of his energy scorching whatever came in contact with it. In a second he had Xavier by the throat, his other fist ripping through the man's abdomen like a spear.

  Amelia broke free and held her hand up to her throat, breathing hard. Xavier's eyes widened, bloodshot and pulpy before he fell to his knees, his bowels falling in a sticky mess on the ground.

  Hadaen heard Amelia gag twice before her scream rang like a siren in his ears.

  "You're bleeding!"

  Hadaen shifted his footing and it was then that he felt the pain in his gut. He looked down to see Xavier's knife wedged in his flesh. And then everything else became a haze. He knew he'd heal and even as he felt himself falling heavily to the ground,

  he never took his gaze from the expression that rode her beautiful face.