Awakening, The

by Nicole R. Taylor

  She nodded, her entire body feeling numb.

  "I'll get Nye to take you and we'll meet you in an hour. I know it's soon, but we can't wait."

  "I know."

  "Don't worry about anything. I'll take care of it."

  Nye drove Gabby over to Regulus' house in Hampstead in silence. It didn't bother her, talking seemed to be too much effort right now. When the spy pulled the car into a driveway, she looked up at the house and it didn't surprise her in the least. It was a small mansion, Roman columns held up a small verandah over the front door, landscaped gardens stretched around the grounds and probably out back as well. It was two stories of red bricked, ivy covered, extravagance.

  Nye was around to her side of the car in a flash, opening the door for her. He held out a hand and she took it, grateful for the help. Their footsteps crunched up the gravel drive and they stood outside. Looking at the door, she still couldn't fathom the selfless thing Regulus had done.

  "I don't suppose you have a key?" she asked.

  "It's my home away from home." Nye stuck his hand in his pocket and produced a key with a flourish. Unlocking the door, he went to step inside, but he smacked into thin air. "Hey. What gives? What happened to Happy the Butler?"

  "Butler?" she asked, then understood. "Oh, vampire safeguard."

  "Only in the houses Regulus lived in," the spy said. "He had a lot of enemies, but it wasn't often that someone thought they were the bee's knees and acted on it."

  "I guess he split after Zac..." She couldn't say the rest, what with everything still hours fresh in her mind.

  "Then what's the deal?" He kicked empty air and his boot connected with the invisible barrier around the house.

  "I guess it's mine now."

  To her surprise, Nye flung an arm over her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. "As long as you invite me in, we're sweet."

  "If Zac trusts you, then so do I."

  "Just like that?"

  "I'm a witch. I know things."

  "What kind of things?" he asked, looking worried. "Because…"

  "No, nothing like that."

  The spy watched her for a moment and said, "Everyone believes they're doing the right thing. Even if the majority is against them. Regulus was doing what he believed was right. He brought order to the seedy vampire underworld. He may have been king of the thugs, but without him, shit would have been chaos."

  "And what now? Who's going to take over?"

  Nye shrugged. "It's still up for contention."

  Gabby glanced his way. She knew Zac wouldn't be interested. That wasn't his game anymore, but Nye…he seemed to be the kind of vampire who'd be up for the job. He was two parts honorable to one part diabolical.

  "Don't look at me, lovely," he said. "I don't think I have the stamina for that."

  She smiled thinly. "It's in there."

  "Bloody witches," the spy said with a laugh, "always causin' trouble."

  "Always trying to restore balance," she retorted. The spy hovered at the door, waiting for an invitation, but she wasn't done yet. "Consider it, Nye. You'd have my blessing."

  "The blessing of a witch?" he asked, letting out a slow whistle. "You know I couldn't do it without being at least a little bad, right?"

  "I understand. That's why there's a balance between light and dark. There can't be one without the other."

  "I still don't like it."

  "You're a good guy, but you have the right amount of fear. I've heard stories on the grapevine about Zac's short stint, but they also talk about you."

  "There's talk about me?"

  "Don't be modest, Nye. You know there is."

  "You going to invite me in, lovely?" he asked with a wink.

  "Come inside," she said with a small smile and the spy guided her into the foyer.

  Nye stopped by the door and let her wander the house as they waited for Zac. She flipped on light switches as she walked through room after room, running her fingers over the kitchen counter, over the dining table. Walking up the stairs she found his bedroom, still full of his things and her heart leapt to her throat again. Finally, she found the study and closed herself inside. It smelt of leather and scotch and ash from the cold fireplace. Books lined most of the walls, old leather-bound volumes, and knowing how old Regulus had been, she wondered the age of some of them.

  She couldn't believe he'd left it all to her. The wealth he'd amassed over his lifetime, he'd given it to her. All of this, his memories, his life, whatever his houses contained…it was all hers to do with what she wished.

  Nye found her sitting behind Regulus' desk, leafing through a book that had been left facedown on the antique mahogany. He rapped lightly on the door to get her attention. "They're here."

  Glancing up, she sighed. "Okay."

  Following him down the stairs and into the garden out the back, she found everyone had assembled on the grass, the Three to one side and everyone else on the other. Aya was standing behind Tristan, her gaze cast away and Gabby could only shake her head and keep moving forward. Zac was the only one who stood between the groups of vampires like some kind of symbol of friendship. When he saw her, he came forward.

  "There's a grove towards the rear," he said, taking her hand. "Full of all kinds of roses and daises. It isn't much to look at right now, but come spring it will be something else. I've put him there…"

  "No, it's fine," she said, picking up on his hesitation. "It's perfect."

  He led her down a path paved with grey pavers to the spot he'd described and to her relief, he'd already buried Regulus' body. If she saw his withered, desiccated features, she just might've snapped. She couldn't handle that.

  Standing there, oblivious to the group behind her, she thought about the past few days. They were all she had and it would never be enough. Gazing at the disturbed earth she thought she should probably say something, but there weren't any words that could do Regulus justice. She'd only known the smallest past of him, but the part he had given was the most sacred. Nobody came forward as she stood there amongst the miss-matched group of vampires, so she stepped forward, crouching by the upturned earth where Zac had buried the founder.

  Calling on her earth sense, Gabby held out a shaking hand over the fresh earth. She'd seen her grandmother, Sofia, do it, so there was no reason why she couldn't as well. Remembering where Regulus wanted to spend his last hour on earth, she thought about the olive grove by his childhood home.

  It was like planting a seed with her mind and she felt a tiny spark as it struck. The earth began to shift beneath her hand and the tiniest hint of green sprouted from the soil, curling upwards and finding its way towards the light of the moon.

  As the sapling grew taller, she rose with it, standing to her full height as the trunk grew thicker, branches multiplied, and a canopy arched overhead. When she was finally done, the tree was fully grown, laden with olives ripe for the picking. It was out of season, but somehow the notion fit with what Regulus' and her relationship had been. Out of place, but right.

  Without a word to the assembled vampires, she walked back inside, just utterly tired of missing him already.

  Zac sat on the roof of Gabby's house in Hampstead, Aya beside him. It felt strange calling it that. Gabby's house. He still couldn't understand how the Roman could have been so selfless after all the terrible things he'd done. He must have really cared for her. The clear night sky stretched out above them, dotted with thousands and thousands of tiny stars, some with slight imperfections in color and he wondered if they were planets or satellites he was staring at.

  Glancing at Aya, he saw that she was staring at the newly grown olive tree in the backyard. He couldn't read her expression, but he didn't have to. None of them had seen this coming, least of all her and he knew that her pride would have one hell of a dent right about now.

  As he slid an arm around her, she looked up at him and said, "Aren't you angry?"

  "No." Because he wasn't. "I have every right to be angry with Gabby, but I'm not. I don'
t want to be. I know she did what she had to for the greater good and if that meant making me believe I was going to die, then so be it."

  "I can't believe you're not in the least bit annoyed."

  "If someone as pig-headed and selfish as me can decide to sacrifice myself for the ones I love…." He shrugged.

  "Regulus used you too, Zac. Don't you hate him for that?"

  "Maybe I should. But maybe I just need to get past it and go on living."

  "You don't want to do anything about it?"

  "Maybe you need to learn how to forgive." He felt her stiffen beside him, her hand clamping down on his. "Two thousand years of revenge and hate. Aren't you exhausted?"

  "Zac, I'm not above hurting you."

  "And that's your answer for everything."

  "I can see you've learnt a thing or two about life."

  "I know that you can't see clearly where the Romans are concerned."

  "Perhaps not, but I cannot overlook the fact that he sucked Gabby in. He made her..."

  "Stop it, Aya." He gave her a look.

  "He was a master at manipulation. Victoria was a prime example."

  Zac let out a long sigh, allowing his eyes to search Aya's icy blue. Who knew what he was trying to find, but something inside him wanted to make her understand. Gabby's feelings weren't wrong. Not by a long shot. "There have been so many times that I thought I'd never get to kiss you again," he said. "When I thought you'd died was the worst pain I'd ever felt. The thought of never touching or arguing with you again was too much to bare. So, I more than anyone understands what Gabby is going through. Completely."

  "Zac, please," she began to argue.

  "You have a horrible history with Regulus, I get it, but you can't choose who you fall in love with. Gabby needs us right now. All of us. She doesn't need to be told how horrible the man she fell in love with was. She needs her friends."

  "I don't think I can, Zac. This has been my whole life. How can I change that? How do I even begin to understand?"

  He sighed, looking up at the stars and wondering if that's where Aya'd really come from. "Why does anyone love anyone? It's one of the great mysteries of the universe and fucked if I know how it works."

  "Who are you and what have you done with Zac Degaud?" she breathed.

  "Ironically, the thing I was looking for was just under the surface all along. I was too fixated on being the monster and getting rid of it, rather than making peace." Aya pressed her forehead against his, her thumb stroking the edge of his jaw. "I was always me. I just didn't know the way back."

  He watched her thoughts play across her face and for the first time, she didn't guard anything. Confusion, anger, love, exhaustion. It was all there and he didn't even try to understand how anyone could feel all of that at once.

  "I know I need to make my peace," she said after a minute. "I've started but…"

  "The Romans are gone. Katrin is banished to the other side. You had your chance to say goodbye to your family. The last peace you need before we face Aed is with Gabby."

  Aya pulled back and sunk into her hair. "I know and I will. I think I should leave her be tonight."

  What Zac didn't want to talk about was the fact that they had nothing to use against Aed. No weapons, no secret plans, no spells. Regulus was their only chance at killing the hybrid forever and now that he was gone, they had a big fat zero. No one even knew how to bind him.

  "What are we going to do now?" he asked with a grimace. "We're screwed, right?"

  "I don't know," Aya replied. "We need Gabby."

  "We do, but there's no one alive who knows about the Tuatha other than the fairy stories. What about the Celestines? Isn't there something in your history that could help?"

  "Our answer may have something to do with the Celestines, or it may not. Anything I have to contribute might just make things worse. My power won't work against Aed. I just...I don't know."

  "We'll think of something."

  Zac hoped they would, because if Aya couldn't see the way forward, he sure as hell couldn't. Their answers weren't going to come all at once and this fight might take weeks, months or even years to end. That was a thought too much to handle. He longed for home. He wanted to see Sam and Liz, but until this was over he'd stay as far away from them as he could.

  Aya left Gabby alone for three days. In fact, nobody had seen her for that long. The witch had locked herself away in Regulus' study doing god knows what and all of them were beginning to worry.

  The Three had gone back to the apartment in Camden, but she'd stayed behind with Zac, Tristan and Nye to look after Gabby and think about their next move, which they sill had none. Aed had all but disappeared for the time being and that was hardly a surprise. Perhaps he was mourning his dead sisters.

  Aya hovered outside of the study and after a moment of hesitation, she opened the door and walked right in unannounced. Gabby sat in the leather armchair, curled up in a rug, leafing through a leather-bound book. Her grimoire, along with Alisandra's, sat on the desk, unopened and untouched.

  "Gabby?" Aya asked, closing the door behind her.

  The witch looked up and scowled when she saw who'd interrupted.

  "We're worried about you," she said. "I'm worried."

  "I'm busy," the witch replied.

  Aya walked over to where Gabby sat and glanced at the book in her hands. "It's a grimoire," she said, surprised.

  "There's a whole case of them," Gabby said, her voice betraying how tired she really was. "This is Victoria's."

  Aya frowned, looking again at the grimoire in Gabby's hands. She had no love for the witch turned vampire who ruined Zac's life, but found herself curious as to what was in that book. Especially since Victoria was a cast off of the Coven.

  "There's nothing in here," Gabby said with a sigh. "I've been reading them all."

  "So, there's nothing about the Tuatha, but what have you learnt?"

  "A great deal about other things. None of which we need right now."

  "That's not the point," Aya said, sitting across from her in the other leather chair. "You've come a long way since I first met you. Growing trees from nothing. Glamours. Glyphs. It's impressive."

  "So, now you pretend to care? Now you see how powerful I really am, you come crawling back? After you refused to help him? I can't believe you."

  "I'd never use you, Gabby. You have to know that I would never..."

  "You'd used and abused for the greater good, Aya. Don't deny it."

  Aya grimaced. She had her there, but it was never without regret or shame. "The Celestines legacy is my priority. I am the last, even though I'm no longer complete. It's my eternity. You know it. Zac knows it. I've always been up front about that."

  "You only showed me your true form because it was convenient for you," the witch snapped. "If Katrin hadn't of revealed herself to you that night at Alex's, you would never have revealed anything to us, let alone me."

  "If Katrin hadn't cursed Zac, if the Coven didn't…I wouldn't have revealed myself to anyone else but you. You know I can't compel you to forget. I wouldn't even if I could. I doubt I would've told Zac willingly and what does that say about me?"

  Gabby eyed her suspiciously.

  "I've never trusted easily," Aya said. Casting her gaze to the ground she hesitated. She'd never had to explain her motives to anyone before. Forever cold and calculating. "I've kept myself secret for so long, sometimes I have trouble finding the right words."

  "You think I'm a fool for loving him," she said. "You think I somehow changed sides. Betrayed you and the Five's legacy."

  "No, I don't. I don't claim to understand it, but I don't think you are a fool."

  The witch looked up at her like she was mad.

  "My feelings towards Regulus will never change. I cannot apologize for that and I hope you understand why. And my feelings towards you will never change, either."

  Gabby sighed loudly, shifting uncomfortably. "And what are those?"

  "You really have t
o ask?"

  "I wouldn't ask unless I wanted to know the answer."

  "Respect," Aya said firmly. "Love. Loyalty. We may disagree on many things in the future, but know that I see you as a sister. Not because you're descended from Ismena. Not because my mother gifted your line their power. Not because you are probably one of the most powerful witches alive right now. It's because of who you are. Never forget that." The witch's emotions were all over the place and she had a hard time keeping it together as they washed over her. "I get it. Love is a wonderful and terrible thing all at once. If I lost Zac…well, I would understand how you feel right now. But we need you Gabby. I need you."

  Gabby set Victoria's grimoire aside and sat up straight. "I haven't given up," she said. "I've been trying to find the way forward. I love Regulus. I don't make excuses for it and I will not talk to you about it. I won't entertain any negativity from you about him, so don't even mention his name around me."

  "Understood."

  "If you hadn't of turned up I would still be a small town witch whose power could only light a candle. You've taught me so much just by consequence. If you hadn't of shown up with your crazy as fuck blood feud, I would never of found my grandmother. I would've come back eventually, you know. I'm not the same witch anymore and I never will be. I'll probably be sore at you for a while yet, but we have a problem that needs fixing for the greater good."

  "That I can understand," Aya said wryly. "Truce?"

  Gabby looked her up and down with a shake of her head. "No truce, Aya. We never needed one."

  The hybrid smiled thinly at the witch and reached out for Victoria's grimoire. "Then let's get to work."

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Gabby read over the letter that Regulus had left her again like it was holding some secret message she'd been unable to find. All it had contained was his wishes for her to inherit his assets and one word that meant everything to her. He'd signed it 'Your Love, Marcellus'.

  Love. That was the word she'd wanted all along.

  She ran her fingers over his spidery handwriting with a sigh. He didn't want her to call him by his first name, but maybe he would've in time. Sliding the paper back into the envelope she set it on the desk and turned back to Aya. The hybrid was sitting in one of the leather armchairs, a pile of grimoires beside her and another in her lap.