"Then what better reason to part? How silly would it be if Rania found all three of you together? How long do you think the Hunters can shield you from their brothers and sisters? If you were wise, you would let Natalie's Hunter boy spear her heart. He could keep her soul safe in his arrow. If you truly don't want Etlis to open, let the Hunters protect both sisters."
Her smile now cut through to his core. If Dax couldn’t be separated, would this be Halen’s fate? No, he couldn’t allow this idea to bloom. "This is not an option."
"I've overheard the whispers. This is what Natalie wants. She’s practically begged Emil to take her soul. She knows what's best for the realms. She may convince her sister to do the same. Come with us before they trap you—be with me."
Was it true? Or another one of Selene’s games? They had discussed this option once but decided against it. Natalie couldn’t possibly think they were better off in the Hunters’ arrows. She had fought for her life, begging Jae to save her from a fate within the gold rod. No, Natalie wouldn’t betray them this way. But the mysterious text messages and her shifting mood hinted otherwise. "I can't leave."
"You can't, or you won't?" She slammed her fist down, splitting the fissures he created even wider.
He dared not meet her furious gaze.
"If I allow the shifters to pass through the next portal, you won't have a choice. Why don't we call in Natalie and the Hunters—let's take a vote."
"You wouldn’t.” She would. She had protected him, but Halen’s presence only fueled her dark rage.
“Kye wants the Guardian boy. Hell, if I know why.” She waved her hand dismissively. “But the twin sirens are nothing to me.”
Even if he went with her, Natalie and Halen would still be tracked. “We need to stop Rania."
"Rania? I'm not going near that foolish Elosian and neither will you. Besides, it's Halen's head she wants."
"Don’t forget. This was Rania’s son’s body.” He touched his chest where Quinn’s heart beat. “We’ll never be free. Rania wants us all. This has to stop now."
She shook her head. "I’ll consult with my sisters about Rania, but you must decide. I’m not going after that Elosian and her Krull army until you choose me.”
He bowed his head. He vowed when he found Halen he wouldn’t place her in further danger. As much as he hated the idea, he had to think of the others. Selene wouldn’t hurt him; the portal would remain sealed.
Her determine glare locked with his.
This wasn't a negotiation he would win, and he feared she would take the offer off the table if he waited to answer. He nodded, turning away. "We'll leave tonight."
HALEN DANGLED HER feet over the bed, her toes barely touching the wood floor. She ran her hand along the velvet drapery, admiring the plush décor. The mounted animal heads with their glass eyes brought back memories of the desert, while the Renoir reminded her of all she had lost. She hopped off the mattress, approaching the painting slowly, as if the subject might leap from the wall. One day, Halen hoped to capture such beauty in her sketchbook. Art school was the dream, but now… She thought of the other sirens hiding in the desert, their dreams turned to nightmares with Danik and Pria’s experiments. She worried if they had found a safe place to sleep and food, or were they still running? She shouldn’t be here now, safe behind concrete walls and luxury.
She caught her reflection in the standing mirror. Her dark hair mocked her. She gathered the strands and twisted them back with one hand, cursing her cast for preventing her from braiding it away from her face. She wanted to tie the reminder back. Already her heart was heavy enough. Perhaps this was her weakness—feeling too much. Dax harnessed her emotions so easily. She had to toughen up.
A knock on the door sent her pulse racing. She spun on her heal, and her breath quickened. She wasn’t ready to face the Hunters on her own. She rushed across the room, wedging the door open.
"What's wrong?" Natalie glanced up at her.
"Nothing…" She peered behind her sister for signs of the Hunters.
"Well, you look much better." Natalie's tight smile said otherwise.
"You're lying, but I'll take it."
"Do you feel like eating, yet? Because Stephan made chocolate mousse. It's amazing."
Again, the guilt of having so much when the others had nothing tore through her. "You have a chef? Is that a good idea? How can you trust him?"
"We keep a staff of ten—marked by Vita or Emil."
Dax bore the Hunter’s mark etched along his forearm. Otho marked him to track her down using the Guardian connection against Dax. It hadn’t ended well. And she always feared if Dax woke, Otho would use the mark to control him once more. "And you trust the Hunter's mark?"
"Absolutely, plus we added one other…" She coughed into her sleeve, turning away. "So, are you hungry?"
"Um, yeah, but you were about to say something." Halen stepped beside her.
"Nope." She shook her head, her eyebrows raising.
Halen touched her shoulder. "Look, you can't protect me with secrets anymore. We have to be straight up with each other. I need to know everything."
"You're right. I just wanted to give you a little time to adjust to all this. The fortress can be overwhelming at first." She wheeled forward and the camera followed.
Halen shut the door behind her. "Are the cameras necessary?"
"We need as many eyes as possible right now. I know they're a pain in the ass. Believe me, the last thing I need recorded is Emil sneaking into my room at night."
"So, it's not all doom and gloom around here." She nudged her sister smiling.
"Let's just say, I'm happy cameras aren't recording everything."
"At least you're happy." She meant it, though she had to admit a part of her was a little jealous. With the burden of the water stone and Dax meddling with her magick, she wasn’t sure happy would ever come back her way.
"I don't know what I would do without Emil. He understands me." Natalie continued down the hall.
"And his sister? She can resist on a little of your blood as well?" Halen didn't quite share the same confidence they wouldn't try to spear her.
"Vita has more self-control than all of them."
"Yeah, but when I faced the Hunters in the forest, they didn’t look a year over twenty. Some sirens weren't as fortunate. Did you know they built the fortress because a lot of sirens used to be in this area? They moved here to kill."
Natalie paused to glance out the tinted window.
As old world as the fortress appeared on the inside, the outside was a shield of concrete and glass. There were hidden rooms, places where horrible things happened, and a place where her mother died, and Tage bled to death.
"They aren't perfect." Her words were clipped.
"Hey, I'm sorry. I just have a hard time understanding how a siren ended up loving a Hunter. Or how it's even possible?"
She broke her gaze from the window and continued down the hall. "When Aurelia captured me, she wanted to learn my powers and the spells Lina taught me.”
“Lina?” Tasar had once mentioned Natalie and Lina had been close, but that Natalie had abused her powers.
Natalie shook her head. “Lina taught me spells only Etlins should cast. Only, when Dax abandoned me in the seam, I craved a new kind of power. I cast some spells I’m not very proud of.” She gathered her hair to the side.
Halen nodded, understanding their identical hair color wasn’t because of genes.
“Aurelia’s been trying to find a loophole around the Hunter’s curse. She’s searching for a way to live even after Etlis opens.” She bowed her head. “I couldn’t help her, so she chained me in a cell and left me to rot.”
“Emil saved you?”
“Emil and Vita aren’t like the others. He set me free and protected me from his sister. He's a good person.”
“Our mother is dead because of them.” Halen’s mind swirled with the horrific afternoon in the hotel when the Hunters stormed their room; how her
mother was tossed in the wake of magick, hit her head, and collapsed to the ground.
“We came for you in the hotel to protect you from the Tari. No one wants the portal to open, but no one wants to spend eternity in flames either. The earth is still so fragile. We have to work together."
They passed a row of oil paintings; each Hunter was poised for battle. She swallowed hard when she met the painted stare of the boy Lina had turned to stone—the boy whose soul now inhabited Ezra’s body. "Where did they keep mom?"
"In the cells." Natalie all but whispered.
"And where are the mermaids?" Her arm ached just asking.
"The reservoir. It's cramped, so they're a little testy."
"Yeah, I know." She lifted her cast.
"Selene would do anything for Asair," Natalie said. "Stay away from the reservoir, and really, until this whole thing is over, you should stay away from Asair. Let him work things out with them."
"I’ve told him what I think. Selene is dangerous. We can protect ourselves. Our magick is stronger. He needs to let the mermaids go. We’re better off without them.”
“I agree, but Asair feels obligated to them.”
“Like he does to me.”
“That’s different. He cares for you.”
“He feels guilty. If I can feel it, I’m sure you can. His guilt is one of his weaknesses,” Halen said.
“It’s all of ours,” Natalie said.
Voices filled the hall as they approached the dining room. Her sparks flickered when she spotted the two Hunters at the table. Their complexions were smooth with plump rosy cheeks as if they had killed seconds before her entering. When Emil stood to greet her, she stopped still as a deer sensing footsteps in the forest.
"It's okay," Natalie urged. "They won't hurt you."
Flashes of gold arrows cutting through the trees and her hands slicked with her sister’s blood plagued her thoughts.
"Welcome." Emil remained standing until Natalie was by his side. He kissed her cheek, then took the place to her left.
The Huntress stood. She wore a royal blue silk top tucked in on one side of her black leather pants, a holster of daggers at her hip. "I'm Vita. We met in the forest. We mean you no harm. Please join us."
Halen searched the faces for Asair and Jae, but two empty place settings remained.
"Jae is still hunting." Natalie looked to Emil. "Where’s Asair?"
"I haven't seen him. He’s probably still with the sea witches," Emil said.
"You can sit by your sister." Vita shifted to the seat across and sat.
Halen swallowed the hesitation clawing at her throat. Each step she took felt like a lock fastening in a trap, but she wanted to make this work. At least for Natalie, she would try. She sat with her hands folded in her lap, sparks trailing her fingertips.
A young man with a red goatee tied with a little green ribbon at the tip entered the dining room. He balanced a large silver tray on his shoulder. Her gaze darted to the thick scar forming a cross along his forearm. Marked, she inhaled a sharp breath. He wouldn’t harm her unless the Hunters commanded him to do so.
Natalie leaned close, whispering, "Breathe. He's compelled to obey."
Obey who? She didn’t think he would follow her command. But if he was a threat, her sister showed no concern. Still, Halen couldn’t shake the feeling danger loomed, watching, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce.
The young man served Vita first, setting the china plate overflowing with a stuffed filo pastry, roasted potatoes, green beans, and carrots in front of her. Even though Halen's gut turned with suspicion, the meal smelled delicious. He then served Emil, next Natalie, and Halen last. Hunters first, then sirens, Halen noted. It was clear where his allegiance fell.
"Will master Asair be joining us this evening?" He stared longingly at Asair's empty chair as if his absence pained him.
"We're not sure." Vita waved, then stabbed a carrot with her fork. "Please keep his meal warm in the kitchen."
He nodded and headed back through the door.
"I swear Asair's blood is stronger than our mark." Emil snorted, as he stuffed a roasted potato in his mouth whole.
Natalie elbowed him.
"What? If she can’t handle the truth, then she’ll never face Tarius." His dark gaze slipped to Halen. “She held her own with those creepy owls. That’s something.”
"That's the second measure, isn't it?” Halen shoved the plate away. “The staff drank Asair’s blood."
"Eat." Natalie nudged her. "We had to be extra sure no one would go rouge on us. It's just a safety precaution."
Halen recalled the desire that overcame her with the taste of his blood. How if not for Dax, she may still be wrapped in Asair's arms in his dimension. She would have given him the world, each planet and star in every galaxy and beyond. "Your entire staff is in love with him?"
"I think they would be even without his blood. He’s quite the charmer." Vita glanced up from her plate. A soft smile played on her lips. She was marble sculpture come to life, perfect and stunning in every way. Even her scarlet hair draped her shoulders in soft waves, not one strand out of place.
“Eat up, Halen.” Natalie broke the awkward silence. “Vegetarian, I’m afraid, but it's still bearable." She cut into her pastry releasing the steam.
Halen ran the fork over the potatoes, hunger no longer on her mind. How could Asair allow them to drink his blood? Did he really think having the entire staff swoon over him was a solution? Would they also try to attack her like the mermaids?
"There's been a development." Vita swished the wine in her goblet and took a sip before speaking again. "How much have you told your sister?" Her gaze rested with Natalie.
Natalie swallowed, then patted her napkin along her lips. "We haven't had much time to talk. I think it's best if we wait a day or two."
"We don't have a day or two." Vita waved, and a young woman stepped from the shadows. She wore the same crisp uniform as the male server, yet her top stretched tight over her curves. Her long ebony hair was woven in a braid; her shimmering gaze skimmed Halen as she poured more wine for Vita.
This goddess loved Asair too. Halen clutched her fork. "I may look beat up, but I'm fine inside. You don't have to hide the truth from me. I can handle it."
Vita eyed her as she sipped her wine. "Good. We need action, not little mice running from the cats. Rania was spotted on the Californian coast. This is too close. Now that you are reunited, I say we act now."
"She can't touch us out there." Emil huffed.
"No, but if a shifter helps spin a portal, then it might be a different story. Our reservoir is full of salt water now, thanks to Asair’s pets. She could easily penetrate our fortress."
"Asair won't let that happen. The mermaids listen to him." Natalie's hand shook as she reached for her water goblet.
"Are you so sure?" Vita tilted her glass toward Halen's cast.
Natalie pursed her lips.
Vita continued, "Let's just say, for a moment, Asair didn't have control, and those crazy mermaids decided to let Rania in; our sanctuary would be your tomb."
"Vita’s right. We should go to California." Halen shifted in her seat. “We can’t sit here eating while others are fighting for us. We have to defend our own lives instead of letting others die for us. I won’t live like this.”
"We can’t." Fear flecked Natalie’s voice.
Had she grown too comfortable in the fortress? Had she lost her edge to fight? This wasn’t a time to hide. "How else do we stop Rania? She won't expect us to come to her."
"She has an army." Emil placed his hand over Natalie's.
"And we have the magick of three blue moon sirens." Halen smiled.
"Brilliant idea." Asair stepped in the dining room and took the seat across from her.
He looked worse for wear, his button-down shirt untucked and his eyes puffy; not a siren who possessed the force of nature at his fingertips. She regretted her suggestion to take him from the fortress.
<
br /> "The element of surprise has won many battles. I agree with Halen; we stop hiding," Asair said.
The young woman was at his side within seconds, filling his goblet and placing his napkin over his lap. She leaned in close, her bosom brushing his arm. He met her dark gaze and smiled.
Halen knew that look all too well. Even in this new body, she spotted his intention just the same. She had seen the same look in his orb when he tried to seduce her.
"We can't risk your lives.” Emil’s stern tone broke her from her jealous thoughts. “The portal must remain closed. If you die, then Rania will be the least of our troubles."
"I'm not suggesting we all go." Asair waved the woman away, then folded his hands on the table. "Just me."
"You're not going anywhere alone." Halen's voice cut with anger.
"I'm not going alone." His jade gaze narrowed. "I'm taking the mermaids."
"I like it." Emil jabbed another potato, then stuffed it in his mouth. "Best plan so far."
"I hate to see your other plans, because this one is tragic." Halen glanced at her sister, but she wouldn’t meet her gaze. "I'm the one with the water stone. Together, we can end Rania."
"And you’re the one Tarius wants.” Asair tapped the table. “Besides you aren't free of old Daxy boy. You don’t have a handle on your magick. You’re out of control."
Her teeth gritted. She couldn’t believe he was speaking to her this way. "Are you serious? While you’re all playing house and eating meals to feel ‘normal’, I’ve been running for my life. Light or dark—my magick is the only thing that saved me—saved us. Magick is the only way to stop Rania.”
"You’re thinking of those sirens again. You don’t have a debt to them.” His tone held challenge.
"They were there for me—Catch is my friend.” The dishes rattled with her rising tone. “I can’t just blow off everyone. At some point, being born a blue moon siren has to mean something.” She stood, her sparks trailing her arms. The glasses slid along the table.
Vita grabbed her goblet, shooting Natalie a pointed stare.
Natalie's grasped her wrist and a calm wave of magick rolled up her arm, cooling her sparks. "Please, let's not fight. Please sit. Catch was my friend too. Believe me, I want to do all I can to help. We all do."
Smoke and Ruin Page 10
