“That was different. I enjoyed that, plus I got paid for it. You lot expect me to do all this for free,” he said in a low grumble.
“Just think, it’s a lot easier,” Victor said with a laugh.
“Oh, and on December 20th, just to let you know, I’m not going to school,” Mickala said, leaning against the counter and crossing her arms.
“Why?” Victor asked.
Philip’s voice was quiet. “That’s the day Xiden came and killed you, the same day she unleashed hell on downtown Atlanta.”
“Like I said, I’m not going relive the same mistakes. I never really forgave myself for not protecting you the first time. By the Gods, I will this time.”
It was Nehela’s turn to groan, and Ian asked what was wrong. “This means we have to deal with Kira again?”
Mickala burst out laughing, and Aiden raised his eyebrows. “What’s going on?”
“Kira, Mickala’s former best friend that he made me sleep with,” EJ said with a shudder at the memory. “Let me just put it this way, she’s going to be after you hard.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll deal with her,” Mickala said.
Victor looked at everyone. “How about we go out for dinner? And everyone can just stay the night tonight. It’s been a long and strange day for all of us.”
“Where are we going?” Travis asked.
He thought, then grinned at Mickala. “Chaz’s?”
Mickala grinned, then looked down. “Um, I think we might want to change clothes, though.”
They went to their rooms, and Ian frowned as he realized he and Nehela had separate rooms. “We’re back to this?” Nehela just laughed, taking his hand.
* * *
Michelle ended up borrowing some of Mickala’s clothes while Victor loaned Travis and Ari jeans and shirts. Mickala looked around as Aiden changed. “It just feels so strange being back in this room, but it’s so weird when I think about how for you, it was just this morning, but for me? It’s been ten years, yet here we are.”
He took her hand as they went outside on the balcony. “No, what’s strange is I can almost see the life we had, like someone who had amnesia, but can almost remember what they forgot. The New York apartment you told me about, I can almost see it, and something about…Paw Patrol? Whatever that is, and a lot of pink.”
Mickala gaped at him. “It was Selene’s favorite show. Her rooms in New York and here were covered in it, but that show doesn’t even exist yet.” She took his hands. “Anything else?”
“Our wedding. It wasn’t in the States, but out in the countryside. There was a necklace with diamonds and sapphires. It looked like your star, but it wasn’t the first time I’d seen it before.”
She nodded, stunned. “The first time you saw it was at prom, and our wedding was in Paris, but out in the countryside.”
“I proposed with a lot of people, but they were strangers, right?”
She couldn’t believe it. “Right. We had just finished the last show on our first head-lining tour right here in Atlanta. You called me back onstage and asked me to marry you in front of about thirty thousand people.”
He felt her hands trembling in his. “Mickala? Why in the world are you shaking?”
“Because, none of this has happened yet. You shouldn’t be able to remember. I have to ask Mother, because I have no idea how you can know this stuff.”
Aiden was thoughtful, then grinned suddenly. “You and I flew, and it was dark. I can still feel the air.”
She laughed, tears in her eyes as she nodded. “It was the last night of our honeymoon in Jamaica. I never told anyone about that. It was always our special moment.” She flung her arms around him, then took his hand and went back into the living room, where everyone else was ready.
The night was a blast, and it seemed to end far too soon. Mom, I have a question. Even though Aiden was gone when we came back, he’s remembering things, the Paw Patrol in Selene’s room, our wedding and even how he proposed. How?
I’ve been thinking about that ever since he first mentioned he could almost remember, but I don’t have an answer. Just speculation.
Well, please speculate, if you don’t mind? Mickala asked.
Michelle was thoughtful for a minute. The only thing I can think of is that your spirits are so connected, so tightly bound, that when Aiden died, his spirit didn’t pass on like it should have. Instead, it might have latched onto yours, she said.
And it came back with us?
Maybe, then reattached to Aiden in this time.
So, he’ll get back the memories of what happened? The possibility dumbfounded Mickala.
It’s possible. He already seems to be regaining some of them. I really don’t know. I don’t know if anything like this happened when Mother turned back time. We’ll just have to wait and see, Michelle said.
Once they got home, they were all sitting in the living room. Sometimes, they talked, and sometimes, they just looking at TV. It was almost midnight before Victor went to bed. “Please, stay as long as you like,” he said, holding back a yawn, then disappeared into his room.
Nehela couldn’t help but comment on how odd it felt, and Aiden shook his head. “I know what I know, but I keep getting flashes of this other life you keep talking about.”
“What else?” Michelle asked.
“It’s mainly just flashes. Playing on stage, hanging out with all of you, just different things.”
“Well, Mickala and I talked about this briefly while we were out,” Michelle said, explaining her theory. “By no means is this anything but an uneducated guess.”
Ian was quiet. “It makes sense. Your death was so sudden and violent, and it very well could have attached to Mickala before it passed on,” he said.
Mickala shifted uncomfortably, and Aiden asked what was wrong. “I hope you never see that part.” He asked why. “Because I went out of my mind for a little while.” She sighed. “Basically? I tried to destroy myself.”
“Right. You said Ian talked you out of it, but you didn’t want to go into detail earlier. What happened?” Aiden said.
She shook her head. “I tried to turn my power in on myself. I almost succeeded, but Ian stopped me and reminded me you had died to save me, and if I killed myself, it would’ve made your death completely pointless. It snapped me out of it.”
* * *
They were sitting on the couch, Mickala curled up under his arm, and she felt it tighten around her. Without even realizing, she fell asleep, and Ian smiled, then sighed. “I never want to see her like that again.”
Aiden frowned as he got another flash of memory. “She broke Philip’s arm, and it wasn’t just that suit that got cut up bad.”
Michelle’s mouth dropped. Aiden was seeing things that had happened after he’d died, and it confirmed her suspicion that he’d never really passed on after his death.
A shudder ran through the fox demon. “I feel how she felt, and it’s…indescribable.” He looked at his best friend. “I can’t believe you could break through all of that. It’s just this black, swirling vortex of nothing but despair and pain surrounding her heart and working its way inside her mind. It’s no wonder she tried to destroy herself to escape it. There’s no way she would have been able to survive that.”
“Your spirit had to have connected with Mickala’s,” Michelle said. “I can’t think of any other way you’d know that.”
“Do you really think this ruse with Trey will work?” Ari asked.
“Honestly, I don’t know,” EJ said. “But we have to try. I would rather die than see Mickala go through that again. We could all see her spiraling out of control, but she was trying so hard to act like she was keeping herself together. It was so painful to watch, we all hurt for her.” They eventually all went to bed, and Mickala never woke up completely, but she wouldn’t let him out of her reach.
Thirty Seven
Here We Go (Again) And Other Untold Lies
The next morning, the alarm went off,
and Mickala hit it without opening her eyes. “What year is it?” she asked.
There was a low chuckle from beside her. “It’s 2017, and you’re about to go through high school. Again.” She sat up and saw Aiden lying next to her, grinning. “You thought it was a dream?”
“Honestly? Yes,” she admitted.
They got up and started getting ready, and Aiden chuckled, hearing Ian swearing from the down the hall. “He hasn’t changed at all, has he?”
She smiled. “In some ways, no. But being with Nehela, and finding out he really has family, has changed him completely in other ways. I think before Trey killed Selene, he was going to ask her to marry him.”
Aiden’s eyes widened. “It was that real?” She smiled, thinking of the love that shone in Ian’s eyes every time he looked at the elf, and nodded.
She stifled a yawn, then groaned, shaking her head. “I didn’t miss this at all,” she muttered, and Aiden laughed. They went downstairs, where Ari, Travis, Michelle, and Victor were cooking breakfast and making coffee. Mickala laughed. “You’re all a bunch of mind readers.”
Victor laughed. “Hardly. We heard Ian cussing and thought we’d better get ready.”
“That might have been a good idea,” she agreed as Ian came in muttering darkly under his breath, while Nehela’s face only held a gentle acceptance. Their bookbags were lined up by the door, and Ian glared at them hatefully, then swore again. They talked as they ate and cleaned everything up.
They got ready to leave, but Aiden took her hand. “Hold on a second,” he said, and Mickala raised an eyebrow. “I don’t remember everything, but I know enough to know not even death could separate us. We were already married once, and I can’t believe I would have waited even longer before doing this.” He knelt down. “Mickala, will you marry me? Um, again?”
She laughed, tears in her eyes. “Of course, Aiden.”
He pulled a ring box out. “Now, I told you yesterday I had already bought a ring before we even left Miami, but then, I apparently get remarkable taste in the future. If it’s alright with you, I’ll leave the ring you came back with.” She nodded, and he slid the ring he’d gotten her just a few weeks ago onto her right hand along with her wedding band, then kissed them both. “Here’s to the past, the present, and the future,” he said with a grin, then jumped to his feet and kissed her, picking her up and spinning her around as everyone cheered. Even Ian’s scowl turned into a grin.
They got in her car, and it felt funny driving her ‘Vette again. Fortunately, she remembered how to get to the school, and they all seemed to sigh as she parked in the crowded lot. “Well, here we go again,” Nehela said.
* * *
They went to their lockers and into their first class. They all saw Kira turn, her beady eyes lighting up, and Mickala smirked. “Don’t even try it, bitch. He’s mine, and there’s nothing in this world that’s going to change it, so do us all a favor and don’t waste our time.” She pointed to Ian. “And he belongs to her,” she indicated Nehela, “so, don’t fuck with him, either. They’re my family, and hell is a playground compared to what I’ll do to you. Do you understand me, Connelly?”
Kira’s mouth dropped and her eyes widened, but she saw their other classmates laughing, and she turned her nose up, trying to save face. “Whatever, Clarkson.”
They all took their seats, and Aiden looked at Nehela, an eyebrow raising. You and that girl had gotten into a fight, right?
Nehela’s own pale brows rose. Yes, after the fight with Xiden. Mickala was in a coma, and that… she almost swore, but controlled her thoughts, girl…said some things she shouldn’t have, and I’d had enough. I put her in her place.
But you got hurt, though, right?
It was nothing. Ian was probably going to hurt her badly, but you got in her face and literally almost made her pee herself. It was actually quite funny, given the circumstances, she said.
I remember. Mickala woke up the same day, Aiden said.
The first two classes went by quickly, and they were getting ready to head to lunch. Now, remember. I’m supposed to still be his friend, so you lot chill out. She looked hard at Ian in particular, then she turned her gaze to Aiden, and his eyes seemed to harden. She laid her hand on his arm. “Please, Aid, let me try this my way first.”
He gave a brief nod. “But, at the first sign of trouble, I don’t care where we’re at, or who’s around, I’m going to kill him.”
“And you will have my blessing,” she said.
They went into the lunchroom, and they saw Chad and Philip waving. We just dropped our dead weight, Chad said with a grin.
She laughed, shaking her head. We’ll see you at our place after school.
They were fixing to sit down, but they all saw Trey coming toward them, his face all smiles. He hugged her before she said anything. “God, I’m so glad you’re okay, Mika,” he said. It amazed her at the amount of pure force she had to put on herself to hug him back, but she had to remind herself that this was her plan. He let her go, and her arms dropped to her side like lead. He saw the frown on her face when he straightened. “What’s wrong?”
“Why didn’t you tell me the truth after EJ attacked me the first time? Do you realize how much it would have explained? And why in the hell didn’t you tell me they had released him? You knew I was with my mother in Miami. I might have been able to protect myself. He’d been obsessing with me for months. You really thought a couple of years was going to change that?”
He looked deeply apologetic, his eyes down. “I didn’t know how to tell you about us, to be honest. We obviously knew who you were. I mean, damn near every one of us knows your and Michelle’s name, but I didn’t know how true the stories about you were, and I didn’t know how you would react. As for this last time, Mika, I swear to you, I didn’t even know he was out. He didn’t contact me or anything.”
* * *
She couldn’t believe at how easily the lies were coming from him. “So, I guess, I owe you an apology? You know there wasn’t any chance of him getting away after doing what he did. It’s a miracle Nehela’s as skilled a Healer as she is. Otherwise, I would’ve been dead.”
Trey sighed. “I had a feeling it would come to that after he attacked you the first time. He never liked to let anything go, and after you broke up with him for cheating, he began going crazy. I don’t know how else to describe it. It may have been my brother’s body, but EJ had been gone long before that happened. Of course, I forgive you, and your friends. You did what you had to do to survive.”
Mickala made herself smile, then she smacked herself in the forehead. “Gods, I’m forgetting my manners today. This is Aiden Miller, my boyfriend, his best friend, Ian Sands, and this is Nehela Woodley. Aiden and Ian are going to be in band with me, and Nehela’s on the dance team.”
He nodded his head. “Nice to meet you all, and again, I’m so sorry about what EJ did.” He noticed the ring on Mickala’s finger. “Holy shit, nice rock.” His eyebrows raised. “So, you’re already engaged? Didn’t you just meet each other?”
Aiden nodded, struggling to keep his voice calm. The more Trey talked, the more unpleasant memories he was getting back, and he had to force his hands to unclench from the fists they’d gone into when the other demon had touched her. “We did, but I don’t see any point in wasting time. I’ve already almost lost her twice in just a few days. I don’t want to wait and have something happen to her or me. Besides, as long as I’ve been alive, I’ve never met anyone like her, and I don’t see anyone besides her in my future.”
“Wow, that’s deep,” Trey said with a grin. “Well, in that case, congratulations, you two. She deserves happiness.” He saw Ian’s eyes cut to him, and his eyebrows. “You okay?”
Mickala laid her hand on Ian’s shoulder, hard. “Sorry. I told them you were EJ’s brother, and Ian here, despite being my long-lost cousin, isn’t too far removed from the demon realm, so he isn’t exactly the most trusting individual you’ll meet.”
T
rey nodded, seeming to understand. “I get it. Really, I do. I just hope I can change your opinion of me.”
Nehela gave a smile, but it was cold and didn’t reach her eyes. “We’ll see, Trey.”
He excused himself a few minutes later, and they all sat down. Mickala let out a breath she didn’t even realize she’d been holding, her eyes closing. “Gods, but he can lie his way out of anything.”
“Do you think he bought it?” Aiden asked, resisting the urge to look over his shoulder.
“Oh, yeah. He took the bait, hook, line and sinker. He thinks you killed EJ before finding out anything, so he doesn’t have any reason to believe that we know anything besides what he tells us.” She took Aiden’s hand and squeezed. “That was the hard part, seeing him face to face.” She saw Ian rubbing his shoulder, grimacing slightly. “Sorry, but I could see you getting ready to say something you didn’t need to.”
“You’re right, of course, but damn, that hurt,” he said, rotating it a few times.
* * *
She’d completely forgotten she’d passed out in practice the first time until a mob of bandmates surrounded her. After a couple minutes of promising that she was okay, Mr. Thomas called her into the office. They sat down, and he crossed his arms. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay, Mickala. You still look pale.”
Mickala smiled, bowing her head slightly. “I’ll be fine,” she replied in Elagonian. “It’s just, a lot has happened since I saw you last.”
Mr. Thomas’ eyes seemed to take up his face. “You know about me? How?”
“You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.”
He smirked. “Try me, Princess.”
“You’re an Original, right? A bard who survived when Ciera destroyed the planet, then was sent here by my grandmother?” Her band director nodded. “So, you were here when Angel turned back time to save the planet?”
He nodded again, and Mickala arched an eyebrow meaningfully. Mr. Thomas’ hand went to his mouth. “You did it, too?”
“Yesterday. Not that far, though. Only ten, eleven years. I’m trying to remove a threat to my life, and perhaps more importantly, my sanity.”
Releasing the Demons: Solarian Chronicles II Page 33
