Secrets of the Sky: Book Two of the Immortals in Alameda Series

by Jaye Shields

  At that moment, Melissandra and Morgana rolled up to the table through the crowd. “What a great idea. All that booze and you can just walk back to your room.” Melissandra winked at her sister. Sparrow giggled at the shake of her mom’s head.

  “You guys are without shame.” But Egret threw back her head and laughed. Her mom looked so gorgeous when she smiled.

  “That’s why you love us so dearly, sister.” Morgana clinked glasses with Melissandra across the table.

  “What a surprise. I walk by and the Reed sisters are talking about booze,” Ruth Trappier remarked as she passed the table with her nose in the air.

  “I don’t know why she even comes here,” Sparrow complained. She looked over at Michelle to explain, “We call Ms. Trappier the Nazi leader of the Conservative Coven.”

  “Which isn’t nice at all.” Egret glared in her direction. “Anyway, maybe in a few months when the height of selling season is over, we can all take a family vacation.” Egret smiled softly, but Sparrow knew her mom was disappointed.

  “Or we could just say screw it and go now.” She offered her mom a mischievous, please-don’t-deny-me smile, but she already knew her mom would remain firm. At the end of the table, Michelle was still seated in Duncan’s lap trying to convince him to take the stage. Sparrow noticed the vacant expression on Tera’s face. Obviously she missed her own man, who had still not returned from the fog. “Earth to Dryad.”

  Tera’s emerald gaze snapped back into focus, but without its usual sparkle. She watched her best friend begin to braid her long auburn hair, a habit when she became nervous.

  Finally, her Aunt Morgana spoke up. “Yes, Duncan, do go up there and sing something more lively since this girl is only succeeding in putting our beloved Tera into a depression.”

  Sparrow poked Tera from across the table, trying to tickle her a bit as she did so. “Quit looking so mopey. Why don’t you get us a round of scones?”

  She was surprised by the subtle bitterness in her own voice. She was supposed to be the eternally cheerful one, damn it. But honestly, she couldn’t fathom the vacant smile on her friend’s face — after all, she had found her soul mate. Was a few days without him really so impossible? Sparrow had plenty of nice flings, but no man had ever left her love sick.

  “Don’t be jealous just because you didn’t take your chance when you had it with that hot hunk of dragon demon.” Melissandra swatted Sparrow’s hand away.

  Morgana chuckled. “He did have a nice wrist, didn’t he?”

  “I don’t know. Rowen had nice wrists, too, did he not? Strong wrists to carry a load such as yourself,” Melissandra said, which earned her a pinch from Morgana. Clearly, Sparrow had been too passed out to appreciate the inside joke.

  Only her aunts would check out a demon while she was half-unconscious. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she sparred with them. “It’s a little hard to appreciate a good wrist-sucking when you’re on the verge of death.” She contained the smile that dimpled her cheeks as she teased her family.

  Finally, Tera smiled, too. Even Egret rose out of her chair to stand behind Sparrow and massage her shoulders. “Oh, my poor baby.”

  The crazy thing was, Sparrow might not have remembered the wrist-sucking on the island, but she still had very recent sucking memories from her dream. “P.S., who’s Rowen and why are we talking about his wrists?”

  But her aunts’ lips appeared to be sealed. Melissandra reseated her plump derriere on her chair, as if she could hardly contain her excitement. She watched Morgana wink at her sister through the darkened coffee house. “I can see you guys. What’s the big secret?”

  “Man, she’s gonna see him anyway; we can’t hide him for ourselves forever, dear sister.” Morgana threw back her head and a hearty laugh escaped her plum-painted lips.

  “Dibs then.”

  “Was his wrist really that nice?” Sparrow couldn’t help the curiosity bubbling within as she and her aunts shoved each other back and forth.

  “You had dibs on Duncan.”

  “Oh really?” Michelle poked her head closer to the fray from her comfortable place on Duncan’s lap. The handsome vampire smiled, obviously enjoying the show. His fingers massaged along Michelle’s lower back, part of the constant affection he showered her with.

  “Yes, home wrecker. You’re lucky that we love you and approve.”

  Sparrow watched Michelle’s eyes light up. She was a new addition to their group, and the young woman had divulged to Sparrow that her own family had abandoned her when they had realized her secret ability.

  “I’m gonna go get those scones.” Tera stood up, her long frame navigating gracefully through the open-mic crowd.

  “Poor Tera misses her man. I’m glad at least one of us found love,” Melissandra sighed.

  “Yeah, she’s been living in this sort of sorority of ours for too long. With Egret having sworn off men, Melissandra scaring them away, and my dear Sparrow enjoying her twenties, it’s been quite the estrogen-fest,” Morgana chuckled.

  “I have not sworn off men. Please don’t make me feel like an old cat woman,” her mom mumbled.

  “A very sexy cat woman,” Melissandra amended.

  “We don’t even have any cats, Mom. Don’t worry.” She turned to hug her mother who still massaged her shoulders. Her mom’s affection made her wonder if she’d been even more hurt by her disappearance than Sparrow had thought.

  Suddenly, the song ended, and the bells above the door jingled, signaling a fresh entry. Although the coffee shop was dark, Sabin’s handsome form couldn’t be ignored. Sparrow tried not to giggle as everyone turned to appraise the otherworldly looking man. Although the Knights of the Fog, or at least those she had seen, had always been shirtless, Sabin wore an Alcatraz souvenir T-shirt that just barely stretched over his thick, muscular chest. His long legs were covered in leather, and she knew there were plenty of weapons stashed underneath them.

  He must have noticed that he caused a disturbance, because he held up a palm and said in a commanding voice, “Play on.”

  Sparrow looked back through the crowd at the coffee bar to admire the smile that lit up her best friend like a Christmas tree. Nothing made her happier than seeing Tera so blissful. She couldn’t help but hope that she found the same thing one day.

  Maybe in five years — yes, that’d be good. For now she was content with being sexy and single in her twenties, accompanied only by sensual one-night stands and intrusive, yet erotic dreams.

  A couple minutes later, Tera returned to the table with Sabin. As usual, Sparrow’s aunts teased the warrior with catcalls and blown kisses. But since he had known them for a few weeks now, he took their antics in stride.

  “Good to see my favorite ladies once again.” He set the scones down and prepared a bite covered in thick Devonshire cream for Tera.

  Is he really feeding her? Sparrow was mildly jealous. Maybe being treated like a goddess by your soul mate was worth giving up being young and free after all. One problem. What kind of soul mate was gonna be cool with a chick who could turn into birds, and whose aunts might hex his wiener if he ever mistreated her? Well, then I guess it wouldn’t be a soul mate.

  “I fear we must eat these scones quickly though, and be on our way.” Sabin’s masculine entreaty broke her pessimistic train of thought.

  “What?” She looked at the warrior, but didn’t quite have his attention since he still gazed adoringly at Tera.

  “Why?” her aunts chimed in.

  Finally, he shifted his gaze, and smiled gallantly at them. “I would like to take you on a journey through the fog if you are up for it. And I would definitely recommend being up for it.”

  He glanced at her mother, who didn’t seem to know quite what to make of the situation. She sat, as usual, with perfect posture, her hands folded over her lap.

  Sabin a
ddressed her mom, “I hadn’t thought of Ms. Reed, but you are welcome to come as well, of course.”

  Her mom looked very pleased, but then her smile retreated. Sparrow had the sinking feeling that if her mom didn’t want to ditch work to go on a cruise, she definitely wasn’t going to go through a mystical portal into another realm.

  “That’s very kind of you, Sabin, and you can call me Egret.”

  “C’mon, Mom, you’ve got to come.” But disappointment was already settling in. “This will be our first journey into the fog.” For a fleeting moment, Sparrow saw a flicker of excitement in her mother’s gaze. Her aunts had always told her that Egret loved to travel and have adventures, but she had not seen it much first-hand.

  “Thank you very much for including me, but I have to work.”

  The next couple minutes were spent scarfing scones and trying to convince her mom to come to no avail.

  “Don’t press your mother,” Morgana chided her. “We can’t all spend our time battling flying demons and wrist-sucking handsome half-dragons.”

  Sparrow watched her youngest aunt run a hand through her mom’s white-blond hair. “Don’t worry sister; I’ll bring you a souvenir in the form of one of those handsome Knights of the Fog.”

  A giggle escaped Sparrow as she watched her mom blush and swat away Melissandra’s hand. “I’d settle for a key chain.”

  While a wry smile danced on the edge of her mother’s lips, Sparrow pondered the idea herself. Morgana’s mention of the Knights of the Fog had her stomach flip-flopping at the thought. Sabin himself was a dashing male specimen, but the other knight she had seen for only a fleeting moment? Now he had made her heart stop. A voyage into the realm of eye candy would be fun indeed.

  Michelle and Duncan had remained quiet after the announcement, but now Michelle addressed Sabin. “I thought vampires weren’t allowed to travel through the portals.”

  “I have discussed Duncan’s gallantry with my order and my king, and he is important for this journey as well.” Sparrow watched the two shake hands. “Know that I think of you as a comrade for protecting Tera while I was gone. Know that I would always do the same for you.”

  Duncan smiled with no visible fangs since he was at ease. “I have grown to love these ladies, but I am definitely grateful to have another man in our midst.” He winked at her aunts. “Another target for Melissandra’s butt-pinching perhaps.”

  Her aunt grinned wide, obviously proud of her antics. The laughter became infectious, and Sparrow’s heart raced with anticipation.

  Sabin stood, and the gang looked up at him. “My ladies, gentleman vampire, we really should be going now.”

  Sparrow inhaled. God she loved a good adventure.

  • • •

  They waited until a midnight sky fell over the Bay Area, and the last of the Alcatraz Ghost Tours were over. Only then did they commandeer a boat to take them to the island site of the portal. Chanting in a guttural language, Sabin summoned the fog already lingering on the San Francisco Bay to crowd the island, granting them cover.

  Once the group stood on the roof of the prison, Sabin opened the portal, and Sparrow eagerly stepped into another world. Or technically, a realm in between worlds.

  Immediately, she was assaulted by a variety of scents. Sulfur burned in her nostrils only to be replaced by wafts of floral: sweet roses and gardenia on their best days. The realm was thick with fog, so she could barely see but could still make out the flurried motion of travelers. Through the thick haze, a small cloud of fire billowed, turning the fog orange. A tall, muscled man was at the spot in the blink of an eye and the fog parted, allowing her to see for the first time what exactly happened in the Realm of the Fog.

  A short man with wiry hair covering a wrinkle-skinned body stood with a flaming red gargoyle creature on a leash. She recognized the tiny beast immediately as the kind of demon that had taken a chomp out of her leg during the battle on Alcatraz.

  A voice whispered suddenly from next to her ear. “You know it is the law to keep a muzzle, or binding spell on that creature, rumpled one.” The muscled male towered over the gargoyle-walker. It was obvious that the large male was a knight, easily recognized by the electric silver hair and determined crystal-like gaze. The knight beside her was equally tall, muscled, and simply divine in a let’s-do-bad stuff-together sort of way. So far, every knight she had seen had eyes both full of color, and clear like gemstones. Gorgeous.

  “I love this place already,” Melissandra’s voice sounded behind her. The rest of the group had arrived.

  “Allow me to introduce Sodor, whom you may remember from Alcatraz,” Sabin spoke about the knight who had appeared at Sparrow’s side. “And that,” he motioned toward the knight who had issued the mystical ticket to the demon-dog walker, “is Stryon.”

  She kept her eyes on the knight dealing with the gargoyle-walker. Using a strong arm, the knight held the short man’s head in place while pressing a thumb against its forehead. A mark burned there and then disappeared. The knight’s voice low, but not cruel, speaking in a language she didn’t recognize, although it sounded like a lawful warning.

  Upon hearing his name, the knight walked toward them and immediately took her palm within his own. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. We have heard much about you here in the Realm of the Fog.”

  As if by magic, more knights appeared from out of the fog to crowd around her. She was surrounded by mystically enhanced knights, each boasting gorgeous, well-muscled forms. The level of man-candy wasn’t lost on her aunts, who were nearly drooling over the bare-chested warriors wearing nothing but leather and artillery.

  Sparrow took note of the tight hold Duncan kept on Michelle. Clearly, the vampire wanted to mark his territory. The good news was, she was left to get all the attention, since Sabin had also made it clear that Tera was his.

  “My name is Melissandra. Who wants American citizenship?” Her aunt held out two hands, then giggled bashfully as two of the knights took her palms and kissed them with the chivalry found only in lost worlds.

  “I hate to put an end to the excitement, but I am going to stop the travel in the realm while we make our way to the ferry.”

  “As long as I remain coherent enough to count the ripples on every stomach that passes by,” Melissandra quipped as she continued to gaze around at the chiseled warriors.

  “I second that.” Morgana nodded.

  Sabin had already begun chanting once more in that guttural, sing-songy voice. Sodor looked down at her and smiled. “He’s ensuring that the narcotic qualities of the fog will not affect you. After all, we’d hate for you to fall unconscious every time we meet.”

  “Yes, I’d hate to look like a lightweight.”

  “Most humans are, don’t worry.” The knight joked with her, and she tried not to stare at his hard pectorals, although they were at eye level for her. “Besides, we’ve seen your badass side taking to the sky.”

  “Thanks, um … I’m sorry, what was your name?”

  “Sodor,” Morgana’s voice chimed in. “My niece may be able to turn into falcon, but I’ve got a mind like a hawk.”

  “Okay, let’s begin making our way, shall we?” Sabin finished his chanting and took Tera’s hand. Her friend relaxed as if his palm was made of liquid comfort that melted into her body. “As we make our way through the fog, try to stay behind Sodor and I. It will be impossible for you to see the ground in this fog, and there are many bodies that you could stumble over.”

  “How romantic.” Tera winked at him before he pressed a long, slow kiss to her lips.

  “Bodies?” Sparrow questioned, unable to see anything in the dense fog. The knights stepped closer to her.

  “There is nothing to fear milady. Sabin has taken care of the crowd, and we will not be far behind to ensure your safety. Your family’s smooth passage is our
utmost goal,” one of the knights spoke up.

  Sparrow nodded. “Sounds good.”

  “Sound really good,” Morgana added.

  “I like you.” Melissandra patted the knight’s defined bicep. Sparrow wasn’t sure whether to be entertained, or mortified by her aunts. But then, that was usually the case.

  Sabin dragged his lips away from Tera, his hungry gaze still lingering on her. He cleared his throat. “Ladies and gent, the tour of the Portal Realm begins.”

  Chapter Seven

  Standing aboard the Skíoblaonir, the only sea vessel capable of traveling to the magickal kingdom, Rowen prepared for the travelers’ arrival. The island’s founder, King Breasal, was once the High King of the world. But times changed, and Brennus Hy-Breasal and his people were retired to the magickal kingdom, closed off to modern traffic. Because King Breasal had become the leader of the Knights of the Fog, only the knights possessed the ferry to reach the island.

  They had made a special trip to visit the king to inform him of the strange events after the Goddess of Chaos had unleashed demonarchy in the human realm. The High King could see that she was properly punished. But when Sabin had talked about the mortals and his own Dryad lover who had helped contain the violence, the king had decided to invite the unique humans to his kingdom to be recognized for their bravery. This was unheard of. No humans had ever been able to travel to Hy-Breasal, save for one every seven years when the mystical barrier between lands faded.

  He had to admit, he was thrilled to see the group once again. Especially the girl.

  After he finished cleaning the above deck, Rowen descended the stairs to the bottom level. The boat appeared small on top, but in reality, the below deck was an elaborate maze of hallways leading to luxurious rooms, a library, dining hall, and kitchen.

  Now he paid special attention preparing the accommodations for their guests — after all, usually it was knights who traveled to Breasal, not ladies and a vampire. It still shocked him that a vamp had become their ally. In many realms, the creatures were frowned upon for their leech-like, blood carrying diseases. The vamps had been banned from traveling after a fateful incident wiped out half the population of a realm.