by Gina Kincade
She blinked slowly. “Lily.”
“Hi Lily. My name is Jac.” My eyes scanned her body and I felt a pang grip my heart. “Are you a Harpy?” She nodded. “What did they do to you?” She tried to sit up, but fell back over again. “Lily, please, don’t. It’s okay to lie down.”
She nodded once. “They experimented on me, Jac. They cut me open in an effort to see how I work. They have been for a very long time.” She paused to catch her breath, which I was grateful. I closed my eyes and lowered my head as she continued. “Others have been here even longer, some shorter. They want to see how our DNA works, they want to try to manipulate our genes in an effort to make serums, cure plagues, and cure infectious diseases.”
A tear slipped from my closed eyes. “Lily, I am so, terribly sorry.”
“Why, Jac? You did not do this.”
“No, I did not do this, but the humans we share this earth did.” I sat up and wiped my tears away with my palms. New determination settling in, I glanced around the room, cataloging everything I saw. Entries, exits, mechanical systems, even the locks on the cages. “How do we get them out?”
“We need to override the system so the cells will open,” Kai started, “or find a way to break down the barrier and free them.”
I nodded in agreement, then met the gazes of the ‘sups in their cages. Every one of them looked upon me as if they knew me, or knew who I was. I shook my head with curiosity. “Why...why do they all stare as if they know me?” I noticed a few bowed their heads in my direction. I finally met the gaze of Kai, who simply smiled to me.
“Because, Jac,” he started, “you are the Valkyrie. You are the one that will save them from this world, and help us return home.”
Chapter Ten
I BLINKED, DUMBFOUNDED. Never, in my life, had I been prepared for those words. I shook my head. “No...no you’re mistaken. I can’t...I’m just...no, not me.” I took a step back. “How in the world am I supposed to save people from a world when I have no idea what it is we’re fighting against? I barely even begin to understand what the hell it is I am!”
“Jac,” Rowan’s voice called to me.
I turned to face the one person who I thought I trusted. Did he break my heart? Hell yes. Did he have my trust, otherwise? Absolutely. Out of everyone here, and in my life, Rowan is who I trusted most to keep me safe. Lowering my gaze, I found myself walking closer to him, needing solace in the one person on this earth that knew me, that understood me.
“Rowan,” my voice soft as I took my place next to him. “Please tell me what he’s saying isn’t true.”
Rowan met my gaze and something seemed off. His brows pulled together in torment and the vein in his neck pumped hard, the one that would usually show when he stressed about something.
I recalled the first time I remembered seeing it, and teased him about it. He was stressed when Samuel was attempting to seduce me. Samuel knew I was Valkyrie.
“Something to add to my bucket list.” Samuel, the fucking dick.
“What is it?” I asked him softly. Closing my eyes, I lowered my head. “Please tell me you didn’t know.”
“Jac,” he whispered.
My eyes pressed harder together and I shook my head. “Please,” my voice broke, “Rowan, tell me you didn’t know.”
“I had my suspensions but when your powers never came to be, I assumed...”
“You knew and didn’t tell her?” Kai openly accused. “Why would you keep something like this from her?”
“You know not of what you speak, Oni,” Rowan growled in his older dialect, the one he typically reserves for when he’s about to shift out of anger. “Remove yourself!”
I glanced up to Kai and found his body had begun to shiver. I knew his change was coming and when his eyes made contact with mine, he suddenly softened. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, then slowly released it.
He betrayed me. Again.
As I reopened my eyes, Kai gasped and took a step back. He shook his head and raised his brows. “Brother, you better step back.” Kai’s words meant for Rowan, this much I knew.
My wings expanded behind me and as I turned, Rowan took a couple steps backward. His head shook back and forth and he held up his hands.
“Jacquelin, now listen...”
“No.” A voice boomed throughout the tunnel, but I did not recognize it. I felt a vibration from my chest as the voice sounded. “You listen.” The vibration and the sound occurred again and this time, I realized, that voice came from me.
Gasps sounded behind me, someone cried out softly, another one squealed in what sounded of joy. As I glanced over to where it came from, the sprite from earlier, a small sized elf with white hair smiled a grin so wide, I thought it would break her head in half. As I glared in her direction, her smile faltered and she stepped back into the darkness of her cell.
“Jacquelin...”
“No,” my voice echoed again, and this time, I took a step toward Rowan. “You do not get to call me that, Rowan.” The wall behind Rowan met his back and my lips twitched into a sneer appeared as I stepped closer. My fingertip touched his chin and I lifted it up to meet my gaze, realizing, in this moment, I hovered above him. “You will never again call me by my given name. You will never again look upon me as a friend. You will never again gaze in my direction with a ‘what if’. Rowan, you have cut me for the last time.”
“Jac, please understand. I did not say anything for your own protection! You must understand this!”
“Jac?” Kai’s voice sounded behind me and when I whipped back to face him, he took a step back. “Whoa there, girl. Your fight is not with me. Not today. But you should listen to him. Give reason to why he kept it from you.”
“Are you defending him?” The voice coming from me was definitely mine, but in the same breath, it was not me. It was something inside of me talking for me. The Valkyrie? Most definitely. Could I control it? Not likely.
“Not exactly, but if you destroy him, how does that make you any better than the ones who did this?”
I flinched. My feet suddenly touched the ground, as well as my palms. My eyes closed and my head felt as if it were to swell. When I opened my eyes once more, the Valkyrie became dormant once more. My vision blurred and my eyes burned as tears welled. Warmth streaked my cheeks and a firm hand grasped my shoulder.
“Do not touch me,” my voice came soft, but firm. The hand, Rowan’s hand, slowly removed and his feet shuffled back behind me.
“Jac,” he whispered, “I’m so, so very sorry. I was only trying to protect you.”
My hands covered my face and I sobbed. I’m not the key to anything, I’m no one special. I’m a girl who grew up adopted. I had no parents to ask about my abilities, but I did have humans who cared for me.
There was no way in hell they would understand any of this.
Pushing myself to my feet, I swiped at my tears and lifted my gaze to Kai. He did something I was not expecting, nor did I see coming. Kai dropped to one knee and pressed a fisted right hand over his heart.
“I pledge myself to you, my Queen.” He lowered his head and soon, the others began to follow suit.
“No, no, no, no, no. Stand up, right now. No one is pledging anything to anyone.”
“You are their rightful Queen, Jac,” Rowan spoke.
Glancing over my shoulder, I sneered. “Fuck you.” I turned back to the crowd now all on bended knee. “Seriously, everyone stand up. I am not your queen, nor am I a queen.”
“You are the last Valkyrie,” came a soft, dainty voice. Of course, it belonged to the man-eating fairy, Rainey. At some point she managed to join us. “It is foretold. You would be found.”
“How is it I am just hearing about all this?” I glanced back to Rowan once more. “Double fuck you.”
“Jac, come on! How could I tell you? You hadn’t come into your powers! Imagine trying to tell you this information if nothing happened to even trigger the effects!”
“Wait, effects? What
effects?”
He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “It was foretold when the last Valkyrie came into her power, the portal would then reopen and allow safe passage for all those in need.”
Plaster suddenly exploded around Rowan. It wasn’t until a second later I realized I had thrown his body against the wall. “You seriously knew all this and did not think to tell me about it? Who the hell are you? No wait, never mind. I really, really do not want to know.”
Turning away from Rowan, I worked hard to keep the Valkyrie calm as I lifted my gaze to Kai. “Fealty, is it?”
“Yes, my Queen. Whatever you need, I’ll be happy to oblige.” He bowed in response.
“Good. You’re taking me home tonight. Now, as for the others, let’s work on getting them out of their cages and into a safer place.”
Chapter Eleven
“YOU GOOD?” KAI asked as he walked me to my door.
I nodded once, then hesitated. “I...I don’t know.” My head shook no. “No, I’m not okay.”
“It was a lot to take in.” Kai brushed a few strands of my hair away. When I glanced up to him, he smiled to me. “You’re an amazing person, Jac. Never under estimate yourself.”
I smiled, then shrugged. “I guess,” lowering my gaze, “do you...would you come in for a while?” My gaze lifted to his and Kai raised a brow.
“What about Rowan?”
“What about Rowan?” I huffed and unlocked my door. “He’s had his chance for a while and he’s made it quite obvious he feels nothing for me.” Pushing the door open, “After you.”
“Don’t mind if I do,” he grinned as he passed me. “Are you sure about that? With Rowan that is?”
Shutting and locking the door, I headed toward Kai and set my bag on the nearby entry table. “Am I sure about what? Am I over him? No, honestly, I’m not. I can’t just turn off feelings like that,” I snapped my fingers for effect.
He nodded. “Understood. So, if I may ask, why am I here, then?”
To his question, my face quickly blushed. I turned away from him and headed to the den. “To keep me safe? Help me relax? Drink yourself silly and make out with me?” I glanced over my shoulder to him with a grin. “All of the above?”
He chuckled. “Of course, doable, and quite possibly. In that order.” Kai took a few strides to where I stood and rested his hands on my arms and squeezed gently. “Let’s just have fun tonight, okay? It was a big day for all of us. We rescued the lost ones. All we need now is the key.”
I nodded. “What happens if Samuel finds it before we do?”
“Nothing,” Kai answered dryly.
Tilting my head, “Explain, please.”
Kai released my arms and took a seat on my couch. He seemed too large for my small condo. I thought my condo was descent size till his presence took up most of the space. Leaving enough room on the couch for one more person, I took a seat.
“Samuel thinks he has the key to endless power. It is nothing more than a portal to and from our worlds.”
“And he could control who comes and who goes, right?”
Kai grinned. “Not exactly.” He adjusted himself on the couch to face me. “He could very easily entertain the idea of using the key to his own benefit. He can even attempt to put it to use. But nothing would happen.”
“Wow, okay so how do you know all this?”
He lifted a brow and the corner of his lip pulled up. “I tried it once.”
“Seriously?” I felt a sense of relief wash over me. “So if he does find it, and he tries to use it, nothing. Well that’s good news.”
“There is one side effect though.”
I sighed and shook my head. “Of course there is. What is it?”
“If he has touched your soul, he can use that to his advantage and open the portal.” The blood drained from my face. Kai became silent and his brows lifted, then his eyes widened. “Jac, are you okay?”
I felt as if I were going to be sick. Shaking my head I went to stand and my stomach wretched. Never have I moved as fast as I just did. Making it to my bathroom just in time, I emptied anything I had in my stomach.
Strong hands lightly touched my back and I felt Kai behind me. He rubbed his hands over my back and I heard him sigh. “Jac, please, tell me you didn’t.”
I wiped my mouth then stood. “I have nothing to say about it. It is not your concern.” Squirting toothpaste on my toothbrush, I made quick to brush and rinse.
Kai stood and nodded a few times. “I’ll see myself out.”
He walked past me and just as he reached my front door, I called for him. “Kai, please don’t leave, not like this.”
“I don’t know what else there is to say, Jac.”
“Wait,” stepping out of my bathroom I met him in the entryway. “Are you upset I slept with him or are you upset that you found out this way?”
He held his hands up and shook his head. “Like you said, it’s not my business.”
“Dammit, Kai!” I grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “Stop being a little bitch about this. Do you think I really had a choice?”
“Did you seriously just call me a bitch?”
“No,” I crossed my arms over my chest. “I called you a little bitch.” I stood on my toes and pointed my finger in his chest. I did not even come close to his eye level. “You cannot play this kind of game with me, Kai. Now answer my question. Are you mad because I slept with him, or are you mad you found out about it, at all?”
He sighed and lowered his gaze. “I don’t like the fact you slept with him, but honestly it is not my business.” His gaze met mine. “I’m not judging here.”
I laughed. “Hardly. Go ahead and leave. We’re done here.” Turning my back on him I crossed the room to my balcony door. My arms crossed over my chest and I let out a long sigh. When I didn’t hear the door open or close, I shifted my gaze slightly and in the reflection, I saw Kai watching me.
Looking back over the darkness of the grounds, faint lights shown from the street lamps. Stars twinkled in the clear sky tonight. Far cry from the storm the other night, for sure. “He targeted me because I’m Valkyrie. He’s never had one and think of it like a check list. Check!” I emphasized the word by doing an air mark. “His lust did not allow me to think straight. I found him attractive; I mean who wouldn’t? He is the Samuel!” Lowering my gaze to the ground, I shrugged. “As soon as he had me, it was over. He left and that was it.”
Warmth caressed my backside and fingers lightly touched my arms. “I am so sorry he did that to you.”
I shook my head. “Doesn’t matter now, does it?”
“It is behind you,” Kai whispered close to me. His right arm stretched across my body and he pulled me flush to his chest. His lips lightly touched the side of my head. “How about that drink?”
A smile perked my lips. “I can use a drink.” As if reality had just struck, I realized I was in Kai’s arms. My eyes shifted to the left, then the right, as if looking for someone spying on us; that someone being Rowan. Most likely he was outside somewhere, and he was watching.
I am many things, but a cold hearted bitch is not one of them. Reaching for Kai’s arm, I pulled it from my body and stepped out of his grasp. Smiling to him, I took a few steps around him to my kitchen and pulled down two glasses from the cupboard. Grabbing a few ice cubes from the freezer, I tossed them into each glass, then unscrewed the cap from a bottle of Jack Daniel’s. I glanced over to Kai, “Straight or do you want a coke with it?”
“I’ll take it straight.” He met me in the kitchen and took the glass from me.
Tapping my glass to his, “Cheers, bitch.” I grinned and he chuckled. Taking a sip of the whiskey, the burn hit my throat and the warmth slipped down my chest. My belly felt warm.
Kai took my hand and before leaving the kitchen, I grabbed the bottle of Jack.
MAYBE AN HOUR OR SO had passed. Kai remained at my condo and we continued drinking. I felt pretty inebriated. He just laughed at almost everything I said
.
“I haven’t been this drunk in a while,” I groaned, then stretched.
“I’m barely buzzed,” he mumbled.
“Right, stand up, bitch.”
“Who are you calling a bitch, bitch?” Kai grinned and stood to his feet. “What do you want me to do now?”
“I want you to dance for me.”
“Fuck, Jac, I can’t dance to save my life.” Kai plopped back down on the couch, his long legs out in front of him.
“Fine. But we need music. My ears are ringing or something.” I stood and made my way to the laptop. Pulling up Spotify, I set it to my favorite station and smiled. One of my favorite songs played. My elbows on the desk, my hips swayed to the beat of the music. For a moment, I completely forgot Kai was behind me.
That is until he was behind me. I gasped and stood straight, then wobbled. He slipped his arms around me with a chuckle.
“Whoa there, girl. You good?”
I nodded and turned in his arms, then pressed my palms against his chest in an effort to put space between us. However, upon feeling his chest, I wanted to remove his shirt and feel just how strong he really was. I licked my lips and held my breath.
“Kai,” I whispered his name and looked up to him.
“I know,” he whispered back and led me to the couch. “Hands off.”
My brows raised and I grinned. “Oh, I never said that.”
He chuckled. “It was insinuated earlier. Trust me, I’m not that guy.”
“Maybe I want you to be that guy tonight.” What the hell did I just say?
“Jac, you’re fucking beautiful. I love your eyes, and damn your lips.” He shook his head. “I want to kiss you, but...” He trailed off and shifted his gaze across the room.
“But what?” I asked and leaned forward. We did not have much room between us so he could not turn away from me, unless he stood up. Right now I would not be too desperate to run after him. My God he is hot.
