Revenge

by T K Eldridge

  Tina followed the raven into the command center and listened as he relayed the information.

  “Scatha, tell him that Connor is still alive but I don’t know how long that will be the case,” Tina said.

  ~Cullen, Miss Tina says that Connor is still alive but she doesn’t know for how long. He is gravely injured.~

  Cullen yelled into the microphone. “He’s on the second floor, next to a column with a C on it, which means you already called it cleared! Get back up there and get my brother.”

  It took about twenty minutes before they got the call that they’d found Connor and were working on getting him out. Another thirty minutes and they got the all clear that he was being transported to the hospital.

  Tina went up to Emlen and woke her up to let her know that Connor was alive and rescued.

  “Oh, thank you, Tina,” Em said as she tugged her into a hug. “Thank you so much. You saved us all. Imagine if Connor was killed the day the twins were born.”

  “It’s also my birthday,” Tina said. “Valentine’s Day, which is why I was named Valentina.”

  “How old, Tina?”

  “Older than fifty and younger than sixty,” Tina laughed.

  “Well, happy birthday, Auntie. Thank you again. I love you.”

  “I love you, too, Emlen. Go ahead and get some rest. I’ll hang out and watch the kids and wake you if they fuss.”

  Em burrowed down into the covers and sighed. “Thanks, Tina.”

  Chapter 21

  Connor had been released a little over two weeks after the explosion, but he needed rehab and care, so Cullen had him flown back to Boston and they set up a room for him in the manse. Brenna flew back with him and had canceled her Philharmonic engagements until he could be up and around once more. Both legs in casts, bandages in various places, and issues with vertigo that were predicted to clear up once he’d had time to heal, kept Connor propped in a recliner or in bed.

  At the moment, he had settled in the recliner and cradled his namesake in one arm, a bright green stuffed dragon in his other hand. Zooming the dragon around while CJ tracked it and waved his fists made Brenna laugh. Em sat beside them with Cami asleep in the swath of fabric tied around her torso.

  “I wish you’d let me hire the planner Edmund and I used. I’m not good at this wedding planning crap,” Emlen said.

  “But we don’t want anyone to know other than you and Cullen until it happens. We want small and under the radar,” Connor replied.

  “I’m fine with being on stage with a hundred other musicians, but I am not so good with being under the spotlight on my own,” Brenna said.

  “Well, you wouldn’t be on your own. Connor would be there, too,” Emlen said.

  “It’s going to be a circus, either way, Brenna. The ceremony can be small and intimate, but we’ll have to have at least one reception for all of the people I have to play nice with on a regular basis.”

  Brenna sighed, “I know. But the wedding day itself, that can be kept small and comfortable, right?”

  “Yes,” Emlen said. “You’ve got about twenty-five from your family and between blood and chosen family, we’ve got about forty or so. We can do that at St. Anthony’s and then the reception here. With the makeshift command center moved out of the ballroom, there’s plenty of room.”

  “Where’d they move it to?” Connor asked.

  “They built out part of the storage in the underground and put it there. Apparently the cooler temperatures are better for the systems,” Em said.

  CJ started to fuss and Brenna reached for him. “Oh, someone needs a change. I’ll go do it, Em. You stay here and let Cami sleep.”

  “Thanks, Brenna,” Em said and watched her leave before her attention was on Connor. “Okay, time to talk about the thing we’ve been avoiding. Your ghost or spirit or whatever, showed up here. Scared the everlovin’ crap out of Cullen and I. Did the doctor’s say whether you’d actually died or not?”

  “They said I had been slipping in and out of consciousness and had been on the border of a coma. Maybe that’s what happened?”

  “I did read that coma patients could spirit walk if they were focused enough,” Emlen said, then reached out to squeeze his hand. “I’m just glad you’re here. Now, you sure you want to get married before you’re able to walk unaided?”

  “Yes. I get the plaster off and the braces on to help with therapy two days before St. Pat’s. I know I’ll need a walker and a chair, but I can stand with a walker and Cullen’s support and use the chair the rest of the day. I’m done waiting. Brenna’s done waiting. We want to start our lives together before something else threatens to take it away.”

  “As you wish,” Emlen smiled. “Now to see if Edmund and Patrick can make it down for your nuptials. They said they’d do their best. Mira will be here in a few days, so she can stay over and the rest of the gang will show up the day before the ceremony.”

  “We’ll do the ‘everyone else’ reception in June or July when I can actually dance with my bride. The best of both worlds, eh?”

  “Definitely,” Emlen said before she shifted Cami in the sling. “I can’t believe they’re here, sometimes,” she whispered. “I’ll be doing something else and suddenly it hits me that I’m a Mom.”

  Connor cleared his throat and glanced at the doorway before his gaze returned to Em. “Give it about seven and a half months, and I’ll be a dad.”

  “Connor, that’s fantastic,” Em said, tone kept low so as not to wake Cami. “Our kids will be close in age, like you and Cullen. Did you tell your folks yet?”

  “No, we were going to tell everyone tonight, but I had to share with my sis, y’know?”

  Em leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Congrats, big brother. I need to go get CJ, it’s almost feeding time. Don’t worry about the wedding, everything will be perfect.”

  Dinner that night was decidedly celebratory with the wedding plans finalized and the impending addition to the family being announced. The daily routine of the house settled into a pattern with the twins’ schedule and health care professionals in and out. PLEA rented a new office space in New York city while the debris was cleared and rebuilding at the UN had begun. Their resources had focused on taking down any last remnants of Wolfe’s organization, but it seemed to have crumbled once the money dried up. Thomas and Evelyn were at the NY townhouse for the foreseeable future while Connor and Cullen worked from Boston.

  Mira arrived and once her bodyguards had helped put her bags in the guest room, she didn’t want to rest but to see the twins right away.

  Emlen brought her into the nursery and over to the crib where they both lay together. “Mira? This is Connor James, or CJ, and Camille Eileen, or Cami. Kids? This is your Auntie Mira and godmother to one of you.”

  “Oh, Em, they’re beautiful,” Mira whispered as she leaned over the crib. Bright blue eyes peered up at her from both babies as they examined this new person. “Hello, CJ and Cami. It’s truly an honor to meet you.” Mira’s hand reached down to them and each twin grabbed one of her fingers. A soft gasp from Mira had Em concerned. She stepped close to the older woman in case she got unsteady before she asked, “What’s wrong, Mira?”

  “Nothing’s wrong,” Mira smiled, eyes shining as she looked up at Em. “Nothing at all is wrong. You have two healthy, perfectly un-cursed Descendants here.”

  Emlen hugged Mira, then pulled back and wiped at her eyes. “I’d hoped. I mean, hell, only took a thousand years before someone figured it out—but you did it, Mira. Thank you, from the bottom of all of our hearts.” Em sniffed and then laughed. “I have to call Aine and her grandmother, and tell them it worked.” She darted out of the room to make the call while Mira stood over the crib.

  “I predict great things from you two and the rest of your family to come. Grow in love and light, little ones.”

  Epilogue

  Ten months later

  CJ and Cami sat in the play area, using telekinesis to build a tower with their blocks. Cas
sidy, Brenna and Connor’s son, was in a bouncy seat near them, cooing at the brightly colored blocks as they swirled nearby. Nana Camille sat in the fenced area with the twins and handed them blocks from the box as they used up the ones already out and Joel clapped whenever they got one placed just so.

  Emlen stepped into the room and smiled at the scene before her. “How’s everyone doing?”

  “Mumma,” Cami squealed and held up her arms. Camille scooped up her granddaughter and handed her to Em, then paused. “I think she needs a change. CJ got changed a few minutes ago, thanks to Joel.”

  Emlen took her daughter and went to the changing table area and took care of things. “I can’t tell you how wonderful it is that the little ones can see and interact with you. I just wish Simone could have spent more time with us.”

  “Well, she left that message in that box for you. At least you know and aren’t wondering any longer,” Joel said.

  “True. It helped Tina too. That, and the amulets Patrick and Mira came up with that allow Brenna and Connor to see and hear you all. Now Tina can go work with Connor and Cullen and she loves what she’s doing,” Em said.

  “I can’t imagine how Simone felt, sacrificing her eternal peace to make sure her son’s ghost couldn’t continue to spread evil in the world,” Camille said.

  “I feel bad that I didn’t notice him lurking around,” Em said, setting little Cami back in the play area.

  “And we feel bad that we didn’t see him either,” Joel said. “But Simone luring him into the Between was both brave and loving. She may be in the Between for a while, but Jackson will be sent into the dark and she will go into the light. That’s how these things work.”

  “I really wanted her to get to meet her grandchildren, though. I know, it’s selfish. I’m blessed that you two and Tina get to know them – and that they get to know you.”

  Camille rose and moved to hug her daughter. “And we’re blessed that we get to be part of their lives.”

  The fluttery ends of Camille’s sweater dangled near Cassidy and he reached up to grab at the soft cloth. Joel called out, “Ladies, look at Cassidy.”

  Emlen’s eyes went wide as she realized Cassidy could see the ghost. “Well, that’s new. He’s not a Descendant.”

  “No, but both of his parents are Bloodlines. Times are changing, Em. Maybe for the better,” Joel said.

  “Right. Finding out that Aine’s grandmother, Cathleen, was Brenna’s mother’s aunt, now that made things interesting. Small world, eh?” Em said.

  “Very small world. And did you see Aine and Kian at the second reception? He dances pretty well with those prosthetics of his. Technology is amazing,” Joel said. “I’m also glad that he’s going to stay in Dublin and help rebuild PLEA there.” Joel winked and added, “I’m sure Aine has a lot to do with that decision.”

  “Wasn’t that a beautiful wedding? I loved the Irish step dancers at the first reception,” Camille said.

  “And the second reception this autumn just after Cassidy was born was so much fun.” Em got a bottle of water out of the mini fridge and sat next to Joel. “So, do you know what the rules are for having ghost godparents?”

  “I don’t know, why?” Joel asked.

  Em rested a hand on her belly. “Because we’re going to need another set of godparents in about eight months.”

  Joel hugged her tight. “That’s wonderful news. Congratulations,” he whispered to her. “More magic in the world is a good thing.”

  Camille cupped Emlen’s cheek and looked into her eyes. “Are you sure you’re ready for more?”

  Em smiled at her mother. “I’m ready, as is Cullen. We want a big family to love and support each other. Besides, it just adds more magic to the world, right?”

  “More magic, yes. I couldn’t have wished for a better life for you.” Camille said.

  “I remember before I could see you, that all I wished for was to know if you were proud of me,” Em told her mother.

  Camille kissed her daughter’s cheeks. “I’m very proud of you. You know they say the best revenge is a life lived well? Your life is being lived well, my daughter.”

  Acknowledgments

  Of course, my love and thanks to my Mumma for telling everyone at bowling, Classic Pizza, church and the post office about my books. You’re the best!

  Thanks to my family for supporting and encouraging me - and brainstorming on the porch over coffee about how best to kill some of these characters.

  My author friends and my Dizzy tribe - I swear, one of these days the firehose of questions will become more like a garden hose. Thank you

  As an author, the best way you can support us is to talk about our books and leave us reviews. Reviews and sales go hand in hand and help us get more recognition. If you have a moment, leave a line on Amazon or Goodreads. It helps us more than you know.

  About the Author

  T.K. Eldridge writes paranormal, supernatural, and urban fantasy. When not writing, they are enjoying life in the Blue Ridge mountains of western North Carolina. Two dogs, two cats, a garden, a craft hobby and a love of Celtic Trad music keep them from spending too much time at the computer.

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  Also by T.K. Eldridge

  “A murder mystery with ghosts and magic…”

  “The books make you think there may be some reality to magic.” - D. Felts

  Remembrance - The Descendants: Book One

  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TN81LL9

  I was three when I watched my mother die.

  Now I’m back in Muckle Cove digging into her murder.

  They say coming home is never easy, but what I’m finding goes so much deeper than anyone could have imagined.

  Ancient magic, modern politics, and my mother’s ghost all point to some truth in the past that could change my present forever.

  If it doesn’t kill me first..

  Revelation - The Descendants: Book Two

  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VR321N4

  I was three when I watched my mother die.

  Now I’m back in Muckle Cove digging into her murder.

  They say coming home is never easy, but what I’m finding goes so much deeper than anyone could have imagined.

  Ancient magic, modern politics, and my mother’s ghost all point to some truth in the past that could change my present forever.

  If it doesn’t kill me first..