by Gina Kincade
“I promise,” he spoke and looked to me, “I won’t.”
Releasing him, he immediately shifted and his Gargoyle stood in his wake. He shook his head and a loud roar escaped him. “Who are you?”
The creature laughed, assuming that was a laugh. “It is Kai.”
I blinked at what I could now see was his Oni. Taking a step back, my eyes widened. “But...you’re so big!”
Kai grinned. “So I’ve heard.”
I laughed. Having no idea what else to do, I laughed. “Okay, Kai, we’re here. What is this all about?” Reaching for Rowan, I laid a gentle hand on his stone body. He shifted his head toward me and lifted his griffin mouth in what looked to be a smile.
“Remember our assumption?”
I nodded, recalling the conversation about Samuel. “Yes?”
“The cavalry is coming, so to speak.” He pointed out toward the horizon and all I could only see blue sky. “You need to shift now, Jac. You need to accept what you are and fight along with us.”
I blinked. The stone in my pocket suddenly felt extremely heavy. If I pulled it out now, would I see through the portal? Shoving the thought aside, I shook my head. “It...it doesn’t quite work that way.”
“What?” Kai asked and his mammoth size stepped closer to me. I could feel the ground vibrate to his movements. “You need to make it work, Jac, right now!”
“She already told you, it doesn’t just turn on!” Rowan yelled defending me.
Kai roared and dropped to all fours directly in front of me. His anger rolled off him in waves and I could feel him, as if my body were absorbing him. “SHIFT!” he yelled once more, but this time, terror laced in his motives.
My eyes widened and when I went to take a step back, I stumbled onto the ground.
“SHIFT OR SO HELP ME I WILL STOMP ON YOUR PUNY FORM AND KILL YOU!”
“You will do NO such thing!” Rowan fought back and jumped in front of me. Then, everything turned hazy and I felt...drunk.
And it was blissful.
Fingers gently laid upon Rowan’s shoulders and when he turned to face me, he did a double take. Slack jawed, he bowed his head and took a few steps back.
Approaching Kai, the Oni pushed back on his hind legs and stood. He bowed his head and also took a few steps away from where I stood. I did not need an explanation to what had occurred, I knew what had happened. Jacquelin had been set aside and in her place, the last Valkyrie stood.
Chapter Eighteen
LIFTING MYSELF IN the air, my wings pushed against the air and I had never felt freer. Zoning in on what had been approaching, an army of humans, led none other than by the Incubus himself; Samuel.
Once my feet touched the earth, I turned to Kai and Rowan. “Form a line. Do not allow anyone to cross it, do not allow anyone in or out. Understood?”
They both nodded and retreated behind me. Raising my face toward the skies, I grinned. “You may come join us now, Michael.”
“You need only think of me, my lady, and I would have come.”
I turned to the sound of the Archangel, and in my shifted form, he appeared differently. The man, no longer in human form, but a God-like man. He stood tall, strong, dressed in a white battle dress uniform so brilliant, it was almost a shame to dirty it.
“You have your sword at the ready?”
He nodded. “Not that I plan to swing it on any humans, but if a certain demon were to get in the way...”
I grinned and looked back toward the oncoming army. “Did you know?” Glancing to Michael from the corner of my eye, “About Samuel?”
He nodded. “Yes, we always know for it is written.”
“Of course. And the stone?”
“It is alive and ready. You felt it earlier, I believe?”
I nodded. “Yes, I did.”
“Good, then it begins.” Michael withdrew his sword and held it in his right hand, his aura of red surrounded his body and the Archangel was beautiful. Glancing behind me, Rowan and Kai readied the line and both nodded, in which I returned it.
The line of humans reached where we stood; an army in green, blue, and other military colors I had become accustomed to seeing through the years. A few tanks brought up the rear of the squadron and Hum V’s with weapon ready gunners held their fingers over the triggers.
“Wow, all this just for me?” I asked with a smirk.
“Give us the stone!” yelled one of the older men, maybe their General.
I lifted a brow. “Why do you come here with your weapons? Why do you wage a war on something you cannot see nor understand?”
“Our scientists have been experimenting on your kind for some time now. We have evidence of what you are.”
I smiled and tilted my head, the Valkyrie grew stronger as I absorbed the anger in the air. “What evidence would that be?”
“Evidence to prove you’re not human at all.”
“Oh, so I see.” I stepped forward and Michael gingerly grasped my shoulder. He shook his head to me, and I patted his hand. “It’s okay,” I whispered and he pulled his hand away. Turning back to the military facing us, “So tell me what is it exactly you found that threatens you? As I see it, right now, in front of you, I am human, am I not?”
“You appear that way, yes,” the man started, “but that is not what you are.”
“Right, and so many out there now with our DNA, do you plan on destroying those who are innocent in all this?” I shook my head. “You are the monster here, not me.”
He motioned to Samuel. The Incubus demon stepped forward, Ana right behind him. He leaned into the general and whispered something. The man’s eyes suddenly darkened and his mouth went slack.
“I...I can see her. I can see all of them! I see them!” As Samuel took a step back, the man’s eyes softened once more and he shook his head. “No! No wait, bring it back! I need to see who I’m targeting!”
“Now why would I do that?” Samuel asked and stepped out in front of the general. “Why would I turn on my own people, my own kind?”
“You are not our kind,” Rowan yelled from behind me. “You are a worthless Incubus demon who gave us over to the ones who wish to destroy us.”
Samuel’s eyes flashed red. He snarled and fangs descended from his mouth. My brow lifted in surprise. “You know nothing of what you speak, Gargoyle!” Samuel shifted his gaze to me. “Jac, offer them to the stone. Offer the evidence of the world they know nothing of. Allow them to experience it for themselves.”
“What?” I whispered. Michael grasped my shoulder once more.
“No, Jac, don’t do it. Samuel is scheming them. He wants a massacre to take place. Think of it as an all you can eat buffet of souls.”
Meeting Samuel’s eyes, I saw the truth in what he sought and disappointment weighed heavy. “No,” I whispered, “I will not do it. Not like this.”
When he snarled again, he motioned to someone who in turn, lifted a gun and a shot fired. A scream emitted and when I looked to my left, Kai dropped to his knees. In this moment, everything shifted to slow motion.
My head turned back to Samuel as he dove toward where I stood. Another bullet released and Michael dove toward the Incubus. More bullets released and another scream sounded.
“Enough,” I whispered, then closed my eyes. My body felt weightless and a rumble vibrated in my chest. Something hit against my body, no, many things hit my body, but nothing penetrated me, nor hurt me.
“ENOUGH!” My arms swiped out on either side of my body as if wiping residue from an invisible table. Silence enveloped my ears and curiosity had me open my eyes. The humans before me stood mute and silent; their mouths wide open, as well as their eyes. No emotion, no expressions, just still. It were as if they had died with their eyes open, except their bodies stood erect.
I looked from the left, all the way to the right side of where the humans stood. No one moved. Everyone had the same blank expression.
“Don’t let go, Jacquelin, don’t let go,” came Michael’s voice
. “You have their souls within your grasp. If you let go, they die.”
“What do I do?” I asked and continued my hold.
“Hand them to me,” came Samuel.
“No!” I screamed and the Incubus fell to his knees screaming.
“Don’t kill Samuel, Jac. Be careful with him.”
“What do I do?”
“You need to relax. You need to let them know, as a whisper in their mind, we are not their enemy. Allow them to leave, but remove the memories of what has happened here, what Samuel may have told them, anything you feel they need removed.”
“I can do that?”
“You would be surprised at what you’re capable of,” Michael reassured me with a smile. “Now focus on them. You can do this.”
“And how does the stone play in all this?”
“Once they’re released, we’ll discuss the stone.”
FALLING TO THE GROUND, exhaustion set in and I panted to catch my breath. Kai shifted into his human form and held me to his chest. Rowan stood on the other side and sat on his knees.
“Whatever you need, tell me, I’m on it,” Rowan offered.
“I appreciate that,” Kai told him. “Maybe some water?”
“On it.” Rowan sprinted off immediately into the distance. Michael squatted down next to me and took my hand. He closed his eyes for a moment and whispered something I could not make out.
Suddenly, I gasped and sat up, my eyes wide. “What did you do?” I exclaimed.
Michael grinned. “Healed you, of course.”
“Well, warn a girl next time.”
A moment later, Rowan came running back with a few bottles of water. He handed one to me and I thanked him, then took a drink.
Everyone had returned to their homes, forgetful any of what had about to go down, occurred. They would wake up tomorrow and focus on a new initiative; better work ethics, supporting their fellow man, but otherwise, none the wiser. As for Samuel, he and Ana became scarce soon after.
I pulled the Hag stone from my pocket and handed it over to Michael. “Explain.”
He smiled and handed it back to me. “Hold it up to the full moon tonight and look through it. Then you will see Valhalla. You will see the other world in which your kind came from.”
I blinked, then looked to Rowan. He shrugged. “Honest guess. I had no idea.”
Shaking my head, I turned back to Michael. “And if I choose to leave and go to this Valhalla?”
He smiled and helped me to my feet. “Then you shall go and never return to earth.”
My eyes widened. “What?”
“This world and your world existed together and at one point, Valhalla could venture to Earth, but Earth could not venture to Valhalla. Now with this stone, you can change all that, but only once.”
This was too much. It sank in on my chest as if a ton of weight were tied to me and I began to sink to the bottom of the ocean. I shook my head, “No, no, no, no...I can’t, no, no, it can’t be this way. Why? Why can I not come back if I were to go?”
He smiled. “That is the question, is it not? If you were to go?”
“Michael?” Rowan finally spoke up and broke the anxiety plaguing me. “Would it only be Jac who traveled?”
He shook his head. “Not at all. If you wished to join her, you would be welcome into their world. You understand what Valhalla is, do you not?”
Rowan nodded and a smirk presented itself upon his lips. He looked to me and smiled wider. “We should really consider this, Jac.”
“We?” I asked.
He nodded. “Yes, we. If you go, I go. No getting out of it.” Rowan pulled me to him, hugged me tight, and then whispered, “I love you.”
My eyes closed and a tear slipped down my cheek. “I love you, too.” Rowan holding me held me grounded. I needed him more than I had realized. I looked to Kai who offered an encouraging smile. Shifting my attention back to Michael, “What is in Valhalla?”
Michael grinned. “More than you could ever begin to understand.”
Epilogue
JAC
The clock struck midnight and I stood in the park by near the beach with Rowan and Kai; both of them my lovers, but only one choosing to make the transition with me.
The moon stood clear in the sky, full and bright. I stared at it for a moment, then lowered my gaze to the ground. “What about the others?”
Kai touched my shoulder and when I looked up to him, he smiled. “They are free. They will live out their lives, just as I will, as soon as you cross over the threshold. Once the portal is closed, all will return to how it had been two hundred years prior.”
I shook my head. “How? I don’t understand?”
“It took bringing you into this world, having you understand your powers, and getting the right Hag stone in your hands.”
We all turned to the new person joining us, or in this case, persons. The Archangel and the Incubus. My eyes widened.
“Whoa, what? Are you serious? You two both played me?”
Samuel chuckled. “You honestly think I would allow the human race to be destroyed?”
“And you think I would have allowed Samuel to turn sides like that?” Michael offered.
Samuel glared at the angel. “Like you could stop me.”
Michael chuckled and approached me. He held his arms out and waved me over. I walked slowly and shook my head. “I should punch you for deceiving me.”
He grinned. “It worked though, did it not?”
I rolled my eyes. “Earth has no idea what they have in store with you, do they?”
“With who? Me or him?” Samuel asked.
I glared at Samuel. “You really need me to answer that?”
He laughed and shook his head. “Nope.” Turning on his heel, he left me alone with Michael.
“Once you accept Valhalla as yours, there is no coming back. You need to understand what this means for you.”
“Is this something I’ll learn over there?”
He nodded. “Absolutely.”
“Any idea what I’m walking into over there?”
“Not a clue.”
I grinned. “Wow, you’re very helpful, aren’t you?”
“I do what I can.” He winked, then hugged me. “You’ll be great. You may be surprised, in a good way, to what is waiting for you.”
“Always for the surprise endings.”
He grinned, then kissed my cheek. “Always. Now go, Jacquelin, and do good things.”
KAI
As soon as Jac released Michael, she stepped over to me with a smile. Her eyes wet with unshed tears, she wrapped her arms around my neck and squeezed.
“I’ll miss you so much.”
I pulled her close, holding onto her as if life depended on it. “Go with Rowan and experience your new life.” Reluctantly, I released her and a pain ripped through my chest. I was choosing to let go the one woman who touched my heart.
She pulled back and smiled, then kissed me softly on the lips. “I love you, you need to know that. You’re one of the best persons I’ve ever had the chance of sharing my life with.”
I grinned to this and cupped her face. She pressed her cheek into my palm. “And you’re mine.”
“What about me? Damn forget me already?” I turned to Gretchen’s squeal and lifted a brow. I did not personally approve of her relationship with the blood demon. If I didn’t know better, the demon had been using her like his own personal blood bank. Just because Nymph’s were immune to the effects of the demon did not make it right to enjoy the feasting.
Jac hugged her friend and they exchanged a few pleasantries. Once she said her good byes, Jac took Rowan’s hand and they turned to face one another. She pulled the Hag stone from her pocket and looked to me one last time.
I smiled to her and winked. Damn, I’ll miss that girl.
Jac held the stone up to toward the moon, then Rowan pulled her close. The two clung to one another as a bright white light erupted from the center of the stone and s
hown upon their bodies. A second later, the light disappeared, as well as Jac and Rowan. The stone dropped to the ground and bounced a few times, then laid still.
I looked to Michael, who nodded to me. Taking a few steps near the stone, I picked it up. The stone, hot the touch, slowly began to cool. “Will it ever work again?”
“Yes, one day, when the next warrior is ready to return to Valhalla.”
I nodded and stood, then held it out toward the angel.
He shook his head. “No, you keep it. Who knows, maybe one day it’ll work for you.” I closed my eyes tight, keeping the unshed tears in.
JAC
Once the light faded, a light breeze blew against my skin and I inhaled deep. My eyes opened to a view of a mountainous area so beautiful, so exotic, I gasped. “Rowan! Do you see this?”
I turned to the man I clung to and he nodded, smiling. “We’re here, we are actually here.”
“Welcome to Valhalla.”
We both turned to a woman who came quickly through the meadow we stood in. Her hair flew long behind her back in a blond so light, it was almost white. Her wings showed behind her and when she smiled something about her seemed familiar.
“Jac?” Rowan asked.
“Who is that?” I asked him.
“Jac, do you see what she is?”
I looked to him and blinked, then back to the woman. Then I gasped and my eyes widened. “Oh... are you... Valkyrie?”
She smiled with a nod. “Yes, I am, and we have been expecting you, Jacqueline. Please, join me, won’t you?” She smiled and held a hand out toward me. “My name is Raeleetha. Please, call me Rae.”
“Who has been waiting for me?” I smiled and took her hand, than flinched. As soon as we touched, I could feel her essence, feel her life, feel everything that she was and would be. “What was that?”
“We all have gifts here, Jacquelin. What did you feel?”
“It is not so much what I felt, but what I saw. Of you and your...”
She cut me off. “Please do not tell me. We shall discuss later. I have the ability to touch objects and know their history.” She shifted her gaze to Rowan. “That includes people.”
