Vala Heritage

by J. F. Jenkins

  ****

  Warmth surrounded her as she was lured out of her slumber. There were dreams, but she couldn't remember the details. They were fuzzy and left her disoriented. All thoughts faded away as she realized the heat belonged to a pair of lips. A kiss, one she was happy to reciprocate because even without opening her eyes she knew who they belonged to.

  “Anj,” she whispered, her eyes fluttering open. He frowned, letting out a soft sigh. He cradled her in his arms.

  “I told you if you kissed her she'd wake up. Happens all of the time in the stories,” Teague said from somewhere nearby.

  She tried to sit up, but the needle Lucien had injected into her chest was still in place. Fire shot through her veins, making her body go stiff from the pain. As much as she wanted to scream, no sound came out. It caught in her throat, which felt dry and swollen. The most she could do was clutch onto Anj's shirt so tightly it almost ripped in her fingers.

  “It's bad,” Zach said.

  “Jewl, can you hear me? Are you okay?” Anj asked.

  Do I look okay? She wanted to snap, but she could barely cry. Tears fell down her cheeks. She choked on her sob, the pain becoming more unbearable each second that passed. She became more aware of her surroundings. She was still in the cell. A couple of candles on the wall outside provided light for them to see by. Anj's eyes glowed as he used his magic to stare down at her. He never looked more intense and determined before. His brow deeply furrowed, his lower lip between his teeth.

  “How do we help her?” he asked.

  “Just a hunch, but I think we should start by taking the big pointy thing from out of her chest?” Denver's smooth, sarcastic voice said. Quite the cavalry came to rescue her apparently. Anj she had expected, though it made her mad that he would put himself into so much danger for her. Zach she understood. Teague made a little bit of sense but she was surprised he had the guts to come. Denver was not on her list though.

  “Ouchie,” Teague added.

  “It's not so simple. She's weakened from the process, pulling it out is going to hurt her more. And as soon as we do, they'll know. There's some kind of magic device ready to set off an alarm the instant it's out. It'll be game over from there unless you know how to get her more conscious a.s.a.p. Oh, and she'd need one of her gems to work with which will require even more of her energy. Or do you have a way out of here already figured out?” Zach asked.

  They didn't. She could tell by the way Anj's face tensed and he bit further down on his lip. What were they thinking? As much as she didn't want the teachers involved in her personal drama, she hoped he at least told one of them what was going on before charging in without a plan. They'd be having a talk later, hopefully at home.

  Denver groaned. “So that's why I'm here. Man your Momma owes me big time for this one, girl.” She heard footsteps, then she saw him standing next to Anj. She expected to see him in nothing less than a rage, but instead found his vibrant green eyes to be soft and almost sad, much too confusing.

  “I'm not sure I'm following,” Anj said quietly. One of his hands went to stroke her hair. The warmth from his skin helped ease the pain.

  “My blood, Mr. Magoo. It'll heal her,” Denver said, rolling his eyes.

  “Absolutely not. I don't know where you've been. Who knows what kind of disease lurks inside of you. No. We need to get her back to campus and—”

  “She might not make it that far,” Zach said.

  Anj groaned and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were still glowing with magic. Why was he wasting it looking at her?

  “It wouldn't be the first time,” Denver added, grabbing a pocket knife from his blue jeans. He wrapped his other hand around the blade and pulled it through, slicing open his palm. With the knife he pointed off to the side. “Whatever your name is, help me out here. You yank it out, I'll transfer. Someone else hold her still.”

  Her body lifted slightly. She clenched her teeth the entire time to stop herself from crying more. The pain was like nothing she'd ever felt before in her life. Anj put his hands on her shoulders, holding her firm and in place. She reached up to interlace her fingers with his, squeezing hard. Teague held her feet down.

  Anj smiled down at her. He had to know she couldn't take her eyes off of such a beautiful sight. Maybe that was the plan though? Keep her distracted.

  “Remember when we first met, Jewl? Of course you do. It's almost impossible to forget. I mean, you knocked me out,” he said, laughing. It did help ease the tension. “You asked me how I know I love you, how I know it's real? It was in that moment. Not because of some kind of magical spell you put over me, but because you were the first person to stand up to me. The only one and—”

  Zach pulled the needle from out of her chest then and she screamed so loudly that the sound echoed through the stone walls of the prison for at least five seconds. Denver's hand slid up her chest from underneath her shirt and rested at the bottom of her ribcage. Instantly she was filled with new energy. The fire in her veins still pumped through her body, but the pain slowly faded as though it were being pushed out of her system completely by his blood.

  “Don't…” she whispered.

  “Don't cop a feel or I'm dead. Yeah, I know,” Denver said, groaning, then falling to his knees.

  “I was going to say don't give me too much. You have to get out with us.”

  “I've got some business to attend to here. Don't worry about me. I'm a big boy. I can take care of myself.”

  Once she felt strong enough, she forcefully removed his hand off of her. Teague let go of her feet and handed her a sweater.

  “There's shinies in here. The woman with the pretty hair said to make sure you get them,” he said.

  The cashmere sweater she had packed in her bag where she'd hidden all of her gems. She dug around for her pouch quickly, pulling out two of the rocks that would transport them back to the realm of the living. One she handed to Denver and the other she continued to clutch. He'd need help getting out whenever he was done with his “business”. She didn't know how much she bought it, but they didn't have time to argue. If he had a death wish and wanted to stick around, that was his problem. After a moment’s hesitation, she also gave him the large pearl she'd been given by the demons. Perhaps he'd be able to find use for it, or knew what it did. As much as he whined about school, he'd been great at their summoning course last year. Their magic was probably the only thing they had in common.

  Denver stared down at the stones in his hands, and then raised an eyebrow. “Do you know what you're doing?”

  “You know I don't.” She laughed.

  “Here's a tip, don't try to do it in the castle or you'll waste it.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Yeah, whatever. Save the gushy stuff for later when you pay me back hardcore for saving your life again.”

  “Out, now. They'll be here soon.” Zach opened the cell door and waved frantically for them to leave.

  Whatever made Denver's blood so special filled her with enough energy to jump off of the cot where she had been laying. Anj startled and she saw the glow in his eyes fade in and out. He was running out of magic. Idiot, why did he waste it? Taking his hand in her own, she led him toward the door, Teague following right on their heels.

  “I can't show you out. If they catch me with you, they could destroy me. Remember what I told you about oblivion?” Zach asked.

  She nodded. “I do. I know you said you'd go that far for me, but don't if it's not necessary.”

  “I was thinking the same thing. From here you want to go up. When you leave the prison, go left and take the first right you see. Get at least a hundred feet away from the castle before trying to use your magic. In fact, I would push for the gate if you can make it that far. Do you understand?”

  She nodded again, “Thank you.” With Anj and Teague in tow, she ran for the stairs.

  “And don't come back ever again,” Zach called after her.

  Jewl didn't look back at him. It
'd be too hard. She wanted to stay and help him. Goodbyes were not her thing, but she would see him again someday. Up the stairs, left, then right. She repeated the directions over and over again. The castle halls looked familiar from when Lucien had brought her in which helped. What she didn't count on was the demonic guards pouring into the hallway after them.

  “What's that noise?” Anj asked. His hand was starting to feel sweaty and it took extra effort for her to maintain a firm hold on him.

  “You don't want to know,” she said.

  “Yes, I do. That's why I asked.”

  “Bad guys!” Teague said.

  “Great.”

  The door to their freedom was in sight. “We are going to make it,” Jewl grunted, picking up speed. Together they plowed through the door, demons closing in and reaching to grab them. One pulled her hair, taking a few locks with it as she continued forward. Biting back a cry of pain, she was greeted with the heat of the underworld.

  Anj let out a yelp. “Teague please tell me that's you clinging to my back.”

  “It is,” the boy whispered.

  “If you feel claws, worry,” Jewl said.

  A loud crack of lightening went off behind her causing Anj to suffocate her in his arms. When she glanced back at Teague she saw he was the source and a number of demons in the door were twitching while smoke rose from their bodies. Ask questions later, run now. Ahead of them demons began coming in through the gate, from the sides and every direction to be found.

  “One hundred feet will have to do,” she whispered, grabbing both of the young men close. Holding each of their hands, she focused all of her energy on the stone, chanting the words used to invoke its power over and over again. Her eyes squeezed shut. If this didn't work, she didn't want to watch the eventual fall out of them being captured.

  Cold air filled her lungs and nipped at her skin. When she opened her eyes, she found herself back at the school in the middle of the forest. Both Teague and Anj still clung to her hands.

  “We're back,” she said.

  Teague stared up at the sky looking through the dead branches of the trees. “It's snowing and pretty. Look at how big the moon is.”

  Sure enough the first snowfall of the season was slowly floating from the sky in big, fluffy sparkling, flakes. She didn't stop to stare at it though. Instead, Jewl moved to Anj, wrapping her arms around him tightly. “You're an idiot.”

  “Do you want to be the pot or kettle tonight?” he teased.

  “Makes little difference to me.”

  He leaned in as if to kiss her, but she turned her face away. His face rested in her hair. “Let's go home now.”

  Nodding in agreement, she motioned for Teague to join them. “You coming?”

  The boy hesitated as he hugged her sweater to his chest and continued staring at the moon. “It makes me feel less far away from home. Like that song you know? We all are under the same sky.”

  “Sweet,” Anj said, dead-panned.

  Jewl gave him a sharp nudge in the side. “Be nice.”

  Teague gave her a small smile. “It's okay. I'm going to stay here, but can I come see you on Christmas? I got you something.”

  With a sigh, Anj reached out to touch the other boy's arm. It took him a moment to find it, and a little stumbling in the foliage. “You can come to my house any time you wish over break. We wouldn't be here without your help. Thank you.”

  That was as much of an apology as he'd get. Anj was never one to use the words “I'm sorry.” Teague's smile grew, and he handed over Jewl’s sweater.

  She shot Anj a glare. “Don't say anything or I'll punch you.”

  He laughed, “I'm just happy you're back to normal.”

  Together they went back to the main campus. From there she and Anj took a cab back to his place. The two snuck back inside. While he had said his mother would be gone for the weekend, there was still his brother to deal with. Zes hadn't gone on the adventure. She wasn't sure if he even knew it had happened. The fact that he wasn't sitting up and waiting for them, was a good tip off he didn't. In the hall she found the bag she had packed.

  “When did you bring my stuff?” she asked with a yawn.

  “I didn't,” he whispered. “Can you tell me the time?”

  “Almost midnight.”

  “Wow.”

  “I'll say.”

  “Come to my room,” he said, waving in the general direction of the stairs.

  “I'm not sleeping in the guest room?”

  “Cheyenne is already in there, and I don't want to wake her. You know she'd ask you a lot of questions. It'll be easier for you to stay in mine. I'll sleep on the couch or even my mother's bed. She's not home, remember?”

  “Right,” she said, pausing. “How did you get there?”

  “Do we have to do this now?”

  “I was just curious.”

  They went up the stairs to his bedroom. It still hadn't changed since the last time she had been there. On his walls were a few posters displaying famous art masterpieces, his bedspread still had the solid navy comforter she remembered from a year ago and it was still meticulously clean. Every piece of furniture had a proper place and nothing was on the floor, not even a sock. She lay in the bed and took in his ever-familiar smell that lingered on the pillows and sheets. He carefully tucked her in, and then lay beside her staying on top of the covers.

  His arms surrounded her, pulling her in close to him. “Don't ever scare me like that again.”

  “I'm sorry,” she whispered.

  “When the phone disconnected, I freaked out. Zes told me not to worry, of course. He said we could check on you on our way out, so I'd be able to see for myself that you were fine. But you weren't there. No one was. I didn't know what to do. He still insisted everything was fine, and brought me home. After supper I tried to call you again, and a woman answered your phone, your mother, Aphrodite. Next thing I knew, she's in my bedroom. To keep things short and simple, because I'm exhausted and want to go to bed, she brought me there with the others.”

  She didn't question her mother's motives for wanting to save her. The woman had to have known Lucien's plans. What Jewl didn't understand was why Aphrodite hadn't come to the rescue herself.

  “Can you tell me why this happened in less than ten words?” he asked, burying his face into her hair.

  “Lucien wants my divinity.”

  “Not allowed. That's mine.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Are you even listening to me?”

  “Yes, sorry. Why?”

  “Because I don't think he's really Divine.” She yawned.

  “This is too complicated for me right now. Just tell me one more time you're okay, and then we can sleep.”

  “I thought you were going to lie on the couch.”

  “I changed my mind. What if they try to take you back or—”

  She exhaled deeply, too exhausted to argue with him. If they were going to come, they would have already. That was the logic putting her mind at ease. But if his mother wasn't coming home at all that weekend, and he wanted to hold her all night, who was she to say no? His arms were strong and warm, safe. She allowed it just once. Part of her had always wondered what it felt like to fall asleep next to her one true love. That night, she indulged in the fantasy.

  “Tell me you're okay,” he said.

  “Finish the story you started about how you knew I was it for you?”

  He sighed. “A hole that had been left empty in my heart for a long time was filled the day we met. Satisfied? Now please-”

  Trembling, she tilted her head to kiss his cheek. “I promise I'm fine. Good night.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Anj was still next to her when she awoke the next morning. He was sleeping soundly with an arm loosely draped over her, but he was still outside of the covers. She felt a little bad because he probably wasn't comfortable seeing as how the room was cold when she lifted the comforter off. The instant she moved, his arm tightened around her.


  “Do you want me to pee in your bed?” she whispered.

  “It'd be one way to mark your territory,” he mumbled.

  “You should probably get up anyway it's…” She squinted to read the clock on his nightstand, but the numbers were blurring together. She wasn't awake enough yet. Anj reached over and slapped the top of it.

  “Eleven fifty-five a.m.,” an automated voice said.

  “Almost noon,” she said.

  “So?” He groaned. “No, you're right. I am a little hungry and I'm sure Zes and Cheyenne are wondering where we are.”

  Or what we're doing. Or what we did. Jewl pinched the bridge of her nose, not sure if she wanted to know what they were imagining.

  He stroked her hair. “I'll make us something. You still like your eggs scrambled with cheese?”

  “Yes, and no ketchup. I don't know how you can defile yours like that,” she said, relaxing under his touch. He could put her back to sleep if he kept that up.

  “Shower and get ready. Try not to be too long or I'll worry.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Fifteen minutes at the most. In the shower, at least.”

  He nodded and yawned, climbed out of the bed, and left the room without another word. She'd forgotten how quiet and withdrawn he was upon first waking. With a sigh, she got out of bed and went to gather up her things to take with her into the guest bathroom.

  Soon the warm water of the shower was beating down on her skin. It felt amazing to finally be clean of everything that had happened down in the underworld. Outside of a small scar below her rib cage, the whole thing would just feel like a bad dream once the sweat, dirt and blood was washed away. If only it could have been a bad dream.

  Once she finished getting ready, she went back to put her dirty clothing away in her bag, and there sitting on Anj's messy bed was her mother, Aphrodite. It'd been such a long time since Jewl had seen her in person, she wasn't quite sure how to react. The two interacted every year, only for small amounts of time. She must have been due for another visit.