Phoenix Ashes Master Read online

  I don’t know how they got the power going, but they worked miracles. There are negative connotations to that, but I don’t want to think about them right now. Let the elders worry about the enemy. I’ll do as I’m told, even when I don’t like it.

  Time is fading. The war has to end at some point and then maybe, just maybe, we can start rebuilding our world. Maybe it will be time for a Dairy Queen run. Hope does spring eternal.

  ***

  “Do you, John, take this woman as your wife, to love and to hold, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?”

  “I do.”

  “And do you, Cassidy, take this man as your husband, to honor and obey, to love and to cherish, as long as you both shall live?”

  Cassidy peered at John with a beaming smile, accompanied by a raised eyebrow. She obviously found the obey part amusing. Phoenix had to fight her own smile at the beautiful sight the two of them made.

  “I do.”

  “Then by the power vested in me by God, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

  John swept Cassidy off her feet, easily lifting her in his arms as he spun her around before bringing his lips to hers in an intimate kiss. It lasted until snickering could be heard from their audience.

  John eventually came up for air. His entire face lit up as he gazed into the crowd and met Phoenix’s eyes. Wiping tears from her face, she looked back at her big brother and mouthed, “I love you.”

  Phoenix was truly happy for her brother, grateful he’d found a woman worthy of his love. He was a good man, even though it was strange for her to think of him as a man — but he was indeed a man at the age of twenty-three.

  Time had seemed so slow their first years in the caves, and then the last two years had gone by lightning fast. First, Jayden had shown up, shaking Phoenix’s world completely apart. Then his sister had soon followed, shaking up John’s world.

  Finding out that good and evil really did exist had changed Phoenix. She’d never be that innocent young girl again. Before the war, nineteen-year-old girls were giggling about crushes and rushing to college dorms, but not now, not her. No, Phoenix rarely giggled anymore.

  She had moments of happiness, nearly all of them revolving around Jayden. She also had John, her brother she idolized, and of course, Sadie. She would’ve never made it through any of the hell she’d experienced in the last couple of years without Sadie by her side. She was her best friend, her confidante, and the one person she could always count on.

  Phoenix would gladly sacrifice her life for the people she loved. She’d almost succeeded in doing just that. She was eternally grateful she hadn’t had to — at least not yet.

  “Everyone’s distracted. Do you want to sneak away with me? I want to take you somewhere,” Jayden whispered in her ear as his arms wrapped snugly around her waist. Phoenix looked at the crowd, grateful her father, Larry, wasn’t watching, before she nodded. She’d take any chance she could to be alone with Jayden.

  When the two of them were together, it felt as if the war were over, with peace surrounding them. Jayden made the darkness fall away. Being head over heels in love with him, she hoped to never endure the pain of separation again like she’d gone through the year before.

  Thinking of those months in her life reminded her of Devon, and her heart ached for the boy who’d died for her. She’d hurt him so badly — not on purpose, but she’d leaned on him, leading him to believe the two of them had a chance, when they never had. Every other man had ceased to exist the day she’d met Jayden — she was completely in love, whether he was good for her or not.

  She hoped Devon was in the light, prayed he’d found peace and was watching over them. It was all she could do. Dwelling on the deaths of loved ones only caused deep depression, and there was nothing except darkness down that road.

  Jayden took Phoenix’s hand and led her from the wedding reception. Gathering her in his arms and quickly scaling the high fence, he made sure to keep her safe as he ran blindingly fast through the forest. It didn’t take long to reach the ocean, just in time to watch the sunset.

  “It seems like a year since we were alone. I prepared a picnic,” Jayden said as he gently set her down on a blanket covering the soft ground. Need burned in her eyes when she gazed at him.

  “It has been a while. I’m not hungry — at least not for food,” Phoenix said as she tugged on his pants, needing him to sit down. He quickly obliged, not hesitating as he pulled her into his arms.

  “I love you, Phoenix. I don’t say it enough, but you truly are the center of my universe. The thought of losing you is unbearable,” Jayden whispered as his mouth descended and he ran gentle kisses along her lips, cheeks, and neck.

  Moaning in pleasure as his hands pulled her closer, Phoenix welcomed the yearning warmth quickly invading her body. Why had they decided not to take things further? She didn’t want to resist the pull of her hormones anymore. She wanted him to relieve the aching he’d started.

  “I love you too,” she gasped as she tugged on his hair, not allowing him to pull away from her.

  “I really did bring you here for a romantic sunset dinner,” Jayden said as he stopped kissing on her neck and pulled her into his lap, slightly twisting her body, so she could lean back against him and watch the beautiful purples, pinks, and oranges splashing across the sky.

  “I’d much rather watch you,” Phoenix pouted.

  “A sunset could never compete with your beauty, Phoenix, but if I look into your desire-filled eyes for too long, I’ll forget I’m trying to be honorable. I don’t want to violate you or be responsible for taking away the pureness that radiates from your every cell. I’d also rather your father and brother didn’t hunt me down and try to kill me,” he said with a chuckle.

  He and Phoenix both knew that neither her father or brother could possibly harm him, but she loved that he respected them. Well, she didn’t love it too much at that moment . . .

  “I am nineteen . . .” she offered.

  “And we aren’t married,” he responded as he carefully removed her from his lap, so he could pull out the basket he’d packed for them. Reaching inside, he took out a sandwich and offered it to her.

  Her appetite was all but gone, however since he’d taken the time to do all of this for her, she forced a bite down. At the first taste, her mouth exploded with flavor, and she moaned.

  “You are in big trouble, Jayden. I was thinking how romantic and sweet you are, but this sandwich is so not made by you. I can taste Sadie’s special egg salad anywhere!”

  “I never said I made it — I just never said I didn’t,” he responded with a chuckle.

  “Mmm-hmm.”

  “All right, I’m busted, but I wanted it to be right. I have to leave tomorrow, and I needed one perfect night with you.”

  “You’re leaving again — so soon?” Phoenix complained.

  “I’m sorry. If we ever want to get out of here and live free, we have to go on these missions.”

  “I understand that, but I think it’s crap that Sadie and I don’t get to go.” Agitation was making her body tense.

  “You almost died, Phoenix. It was indescribable having to witness that.”

  “Almost is the key word. You need to fix this, Jayden, or I swear I’ll stop talking to you. Sadie and I are both getting tired of being left behind. For that matter, Leah is too!”

  “I’ll speak to your father, but I can’t make any promises. I’m not his favorite person right now.”

  “I have the utmost faith in you,” Phoenix said as her body relaxed, and she scooted over so she could lean back against him. As they finished watching the sunset, they ate their dinner and visited.

  Too soon it was time to head back to the safety of the base. Phoenix was reluctant to go, but didn’t fight Jayden when he stood and held out his hand. Hopefully, someday soon, the war would be over and she’d have every night with him instead of only stolen m
oments.

  The mention of marriage made her heart thud. She was young, but many younger girls were getting married. She knew the elders said they would change a lot in the coming years, that most teens wouldn’t even recognize the adult they’d become. But she’d already been through so much more than the average teenager.

  Didn’t that age her more? Didn’t that assure her she’d be happy with her decision to marry Jayden even in ten years or fifty? Her grandparents’ generation haven’t gotten nearly as many divorces as the current generation has. That had to mean something. They married young too, and they stayed together for life.

  Was that because the vows had actually meant something to them, or was it because it hadn’t been an option for them? She wasn’t sure. What she did know was she couldn’t imagine a life without Jayden. She wanted to be his wife. She didn’t want to be away from him anymore.

  Would she get what she wanted? Only time would tell.

  Chapter Two

  *** Jayden ***

  The misty waves of fog made it seem as if they were walking on clouds. Thinking about the time when he’d once soared above the horizon made Jayden smile. It had been awe inspiring, but something he’d taken for granted — he never truly had appreciated it as he should have.

  It was about an hour before dawn, that incredibly still morning hour when silence was a prequel to the coming day — no crickets chirping, no owls hooting, the birds not quite awake. Soundless — nothing but unbelievable silence surrounded them from all sides.

  Feeling as if his earlier sense of security had been nothing but an illusion, Jayden knew something was out there — he just didn’t know who, or worse, what it was.

  The freezing cold and slight hint of white frosting the ground were causing them to move slowly as they pressed forward. Empty buildings surrounded them — but were they really only walls of wood, brick and glass, or were enemies lurking inside their deceivingly hollow shells?

  Jayden and John were on point, a crew of men behind them, highly vulnerable mortal men who could easily be killed by one tiny little piece of metal arcing through the air, aimed at their hearts.

  The task of keeping the mortals alive was a huge burden for Jayden and John to carry. Not long ago, John had been one of those fragile mortals, only there with them now because Josiah had saved him, allowing him to stay and guard his sister and all those he cherished.

  The survivors were starting to feel a sense of security since living at the military base, but Jayden knew it was only a matter of time before the walls came crashing in on them. Vyco wouldn’t rest until the war was over or he was stopped.

  Enemy soldiers still controlled most of the country, and Vyco’s demons whispered tantalizingly in their ears, encouraging them to destroy everything in their path. What frightened Jayden the most — the demons were no longer content to lurk in the shadows. They’d started openly attacking mortals. Day and night Jayden could fight the mortals without any problem — they were puny. But Vyco’s demons weren’t as easy to defeat. Jayden had been one of many among Vyco’s forces not so long ago, and he knew the power held within the dark realm.

  It was unlike anything the mortals had seen so far. If Vyco truly emerged within the battle, there’d be catastrophic waves of people dying, and Vyco would take as many of their souls with him to the depths of hell as he could.

  “We’re getting closer to our target,” John whispered, scanning the quiet streets.

  “Something doesn't feel right. I don’t like it,” Jayden whispered back, his entire body readying for attack.

  “We have to do this, Jayden. We have too many people to take care of and we’re running low on supplies. We haven’t gathered enough lately, and we need to finish this mission,” John urged.

  Jayden sent an irritated glare John’s way. He knew his friend was right — he just didn’t want his team to be in danger. Larry had insisted on teams of eight. He felt that was a strong number. Two to take point, two to watch their backs, and four to hunt. They’d lost very few men on the scavenging missions so far, but even one life was too many when 95 percent of the world population was already gone.

  “I’m telling you, something’s not right. Can’t you feel it?”

  “I always feel it, Jayden. Demons are lurking in every shadow we pass; men with guns are just around each corner. Unspeakable forces are coming after my sister, parents, and the many other people I love. If I stop and think about all of that, I can’t go on, which is why I have to push it aside. Don’t take my attitude as being lax in my work. I’m not. I just won’t let fear hold me back, because if I did, Vyco would win, eventually getting his hands on Phoenix, Sadie, even on you again. I won’t let that happen.”

  “You’re right,” Jayden conceded with a sigh. He had to continue the mission and stop letting fear overtake him. It wasn’t his own life he was worried about. Loving people had made him weak — but now that he’d felt true love, he could never turn back.

  Five men and one woman were less than ten yards behind him, and he’d grown attached to each of them. They were strong, fighters to the very end, and he couldn’t imagine how he’d feel if something bad were to happen to any of them.

  Cautiously, they approached a building. John looked at Jayden before he stealthily disappeared to do a perimeter check. Jayden motioned for the others to move forward, which they did quickly and quietly.

  “John’s securing the building now. Once he gets back, Martin and Jacob will go in and check for supplies.”

  “What about the rest of us?” Marcy asked.

  “Ben, Steve, and Todd will cover the outside. Marcy, I want you inside the doors where you’re safe. We can’t take any chances on our medic getting injured.”

  “I can do more than hide in a dark corner, Jayden,” Marcy snapped, her brows furrowing as she glared at him. She’d been fighting the men on their overprotective tendencies since the beginning, but she was a registered nurse and worked magic with her hands. They needed to keep her safe, because she was the mortals’ sole chance of survival if and when they were hurt.

  “I know you’re perfectly capable of holding your own, Marcy—” Jayden started to say when she interrupted him with a sharp jab to his chest.

  “Listen here, Jayden. I grew up in the backwoods of Oregon. I got my first hunting rifle at the age of ten, shot my first deer at twelve, and served for four years in the reserves, where I was top in my class in marksmanship. I can shoot an apple off your head before you can blink. You asked me to join your team, and yet you don’t let me do anything but patch a few minor wounds. It’s not even like I get a chance to do much medic work because you and John are freakish superhuman soldiers, and before anybody has even the slightest chance of getting injured, you’re swooping in to save the day!”

  Jayden patiently waited while Marcy got it all out. John had returned but was standing back, letting Jayden take the brunt of Marcy’s anger. The other men had also taken a few retreating steps, not willing to draw Marcy’s attention and risk incurring her wrath.

  Jayden waited a moment, making sure she was finished, before he risked answering her.

  “Marcy, I’m absolutely not questioning your skills. They’re the reason I wanted you on our team. You are talented, both in shooting and healing. I’m sorry if we’ve all been a little overprotective; it just seems to be the way each of us was taught — to protect women and children. I feel safe in saying none of us have meant in any way to demean you. I promise to back off as much as I can,” he said as she started to open her mouth.

  “Wait. I’m not finished,” he said with a gentle smile. She closed her mouth. “I promise to back off a little if you’ll give us some leniency in caring about you,” he said, looking her in the eyes.

  She glared for a moment longer before her shoulders relaxed. Relief coursed through him because he knew the battle was over.

  “Okay. I can live with that,” she agreed with a slight upturn of her lips.

>   “Good. Now that we’re all on the same page, the building’s secure and just waiting for some magic hands,” John said.

  Jayden sent him a glare. It was so nice of John to join them after the danger of Marcy’s quick temper was over. Nothing scared Jayden more than a woman with fire in her eyes — especially when those eyes were focused solely on him. He’d rather face a hundred of Vyco’s demons than one emotional woman.

  “Right. We’re going in,” Martin said while avoiding eye contact as he and Jacob briskly made their way to the open front door of the old warehouse and hastily disappeared inside.

  “What are the chances of this building having anything left?” Ben asked as he continued scanning the area. All of them trusted John’s judgment. If he said the area was clear, they knew it was clear, but that didn’t stop someone from sneaking up on them. The minute they became lax one of them would end up with a bullet through their head.

  “Any chance makes it worth trying,” Jayden replied.

  Jayden watched the lights from Martin’s and Jacob’s flashlights bouncing off the inside windows. Shadows moved swiftly through the large interior.

  As he looked across the horizon, the morning light began to slowly overtake the blackness of night, starting to reveal little details on the streets. Torn pieces of paper blew down the empty sidewalks, getting trapped against rusted garbage cans, damaged light poles, and broken fire hydrants.

  Empty cans rolled against the gutters, and debris gathered in every corner. With no one cleaning the city streets, the town looked old and wasted, and the smells . . . the smells seemed to crawl along the roads, creeping up around their legs and drifting straight to their noses.

  Luckily, it rained often enough that the smells weren’t nearly as bad as Jayden imagined they were in drier climates. They’d managed to clean up most of the bones from bodies that had been left where they fell, whether in the streets or their homes or cars. It was a devastating job to handle.