by Trina Bates
Walking into the large kitchen with Rhett, he pulls out a knife and holds his hand out, waiting for me to give him mine.
“This will hurt, but I promise, I really hate the sight of blood and it’ll probably hurt me more,” he says, his face turning a little green at the thought of blood.
“What?! The all powerful Warlock is afraid of blood? How the hell does that work?” It’s a serious question, but also a little way to poke fun at him.
“Shush you. It’s fucking gross. I’ve always hated the sight of it. I have no idea why.” He shrugs and looks at my hand. “Now hand it over.”
Sticking my tongue out at him, I give him my hand, turning my head to the side so I don’t have to see the cut.
“OOOOOOOOh, I got a big dick, and chicks love big dicks, lick the dick, suck the dick, fuck the dick, love the dick! Ooooh they don’t care they just love the dick!” He hollers out startling me.
Turning my head so fast when he first starts belting out his god awful song, he can hold a tune for sure, his voice is a deep baritone, but that makes me laugh more at his song. He isn’t looking at me, I’m sitting there too shocked to laugh, and I barely feel it when he makes a small cut on my palm. He turns my hand to the side and lets the blood fall into a small jar. All the while, still singing.
“They love my dick more, its so big and pretty, they can’t get enough, they keep coming back for more beggin for a taste of Rhett's big dick! OOOOH, I love my big dick.” He finishes with his song and jostles himself proudly, while he gets the last few drops of my blood in the jar.
“You’re so deranged. That was so fucking terrible. Please don’t ever do that again. I can’t believe you give Rhydian shit for his singing. You might have a better voice, but he sings real songs. Yours are… shit there isn’t even a word!” I snort out, trying to be serious, but its not working for me. His song was too much.
His mouth is open and his hand is holding his heart. His jade eyes fill with amusement.
“You sure do know how to wound a guy. That’s rude. I don’t think I like you anymore,” he says pouting and it makes the entire situation that much more hilarious. I pull my hand away, taking the offered towel, all the while laughing at him.
With my laughter subsiding, we both sit here smiling at the situation.
“You had better stay safe. I don’t know what we would do if anything happened to you.” Placing his hand on my stomach, he talks to our daughter. “Keep your mommy safe, Alyria, she gets a little crazy sometimes. I love you little one.” His last words, said into my stomach as he gets down on his knees, placing his hands on my hips and planting a sweet kiss to the center of my belly.
“I promise you, if anything funky happens, I’ll teleport home immediately, but I really don’t think there’ll be any need for that. I was going to go and teleport to Blue’s real quick and see if she wants to come as added protection.” The thought just now coming to me, but it’s a good one, and I‘ll be glad to see my best friend again.
“That is an amazing idea. Yes, hurry that sweet ass up and get on it. I will tell the guys while you do that. Think she will be able to drop everything and go? It’s the middle of the night,” he asks, his brows raised in question, and his eyes full of hope.
“Nah, she rarely sleeps and if she wants to come, she’ll send them a Link and tell her she’s going on vacation at her place by the ocean. I can teleport her back any time. Her security is a lot like yours, if anyone crosses her property line, she is alerted immediately, though hers is a magical line, not like ours where it’s electronic based.”
The jealous gleam in his eyes make me regret my words. They weren’t mean to offend him, but to encourage.
“I wish I was able to unlock my other side. If I could, there wouldn’t be a need for all the shit we have either.”
The anguish and concern in his voice make me take pause and really see him. He missed so much when he was abandoned. Maybe Blue can help him? I think, to myself.
“Blue is part Witch, maybe she can help you?”
His jade eyes light up at the suggestion.
“You think she would? The only Others that have mentored me had to stop. I was well beyond their powers and they couldn’t help me further,” he says, sadness in his voice as he looks to the ground, either in what seems to be shame or fear. I can’t tell.
“I’ll ask her, and I highly doubt she will say no to anything that has to do with giving me more protection.”
Giving him a quick hug, and saying my goodbyes, I race up the stairs to my room, and get under the hot water as quick as I can.
It might be cold here, but it’s still hot as hell in Yggdrasil, so I dress for the weather there. I put on my leather sandals that I got while we were there, find a clean pair of shorts and a tank top. I pack an extra set, just in case, and throw some chips, water, and a few more protein bars in my pack.
I open my mind to Blue, hoping she’s in the bar, I aim for the loft so I don’t pop in and scare her in the middle of work. She still has no idea that I’m now an Other. Thinking more on it, maybe I should aim for the bar, scare the hell out of everyone there and her.
-God, I would finally be able to get one up on her!-
-Will your friend be accepting of me? It sounds like animals are not acceptable in establishments in your world.-
-Cynide, I don’t give a shit. If anyone says anything, they will come to regret it. I promise you that.-
-Wonderful.- If she could make expressions, she would be glaring at nothing, rubbing her hands together like an evil maniac. I love her so much.
-Hold on to me.-
I picture the bottles of alcohol behind the counter, the Link center where everyone pays, and the sticky wood floors that sit behind the bar. I pull the image to me and push.
Mira:
I feel slightly dizzy, but the floor beneath my feet changes into something harder than the soft carpet I was standing on moments ago, someone drops their drink, a few people gasp, and I hear Blue before I open my eyes.
“What the fuck?! Mira, what the hell? How are you here? What the hell is that with you?” Blue screams out, obviously talking about Cynide, who's still wound between my legs.
Opening my eyes, she puts her hand to her mouth and sucks in a sharp breath. I know what she’s seeing, my changed hair, and my eyes that are now red and silver instead of the deep blue they once were.
I smile sheepishly at her gorgeous face, she doesn’t say another word, but quickly pulls me in for a hug.
“I missed you. You totally disappeared! Where the hell have you been? Couldn’t you even Link me?” she exclaims, hugging me tighter than necessary.
Confused because I had sent her one, I know it went through too. “I did Link you Blue, but here really isn’t the place to talk about all that. Can you open your mind?” I ask in a whisper, trying to gauge her reaction to see if she knows what I’m talking about.
Her eyes go wide and her mouth is about to hit the floor if she doesn’t close it.
“Give me your hand,” she says, pulling my arm before I have a say.
Grasping onto her hand, I feel the slight tickle of her coming into my mind. There’s a resistance I hadn’t felt from anyone else before. I have to push into her mind and break down her barriers along with letting mine down at the same time. I finally feel the connection settle, and I tell her everything that has gone on. From me seeing Lyra and finding out I’m a Valkyrie and Death Demon, to finding all of my men and then my father, I send her images of everything, but the one that breaks her was the end. When I ascended and my father tried to take me, but my mother saved me.
“Shit!” she exclaims louder than I‘m expecting, making me wince and try to cover her mouth so she doesn’t go on in her high pitched yell again.
“Ori!” She hollers across the bar, “You’re taking over the bar, I will call in Keri. I am going to be gone for a few weeks. If you need anything, Link me, okay? If I don’t answer, don’t worry about it. Run shit right,” sh
e orders.
The young waitress looks from Blue to me a few times with fear in her eyes, but soon enough gives Blue one curt nod before turning back to sling the drinks she’s carrying like a pro in one hand, and handing out the receipts she holds in her other.
“Pack for hot weather. Believe me,” I tell her, wanting her to be prepared. “You want me to take you to your place?” I ask, not sure where she’s got all of her stuff, her house, or the loft.
-Shit yeah, let’s go to the back though, you made quite an entrance, I don’t want the Conclave getting word back about you.-
-Fuck, I didn’t even think of that! Shit!-
-Don’t worry, I got this.-
“I can't believe I was actually able to get you in here! Did it scare the shit out of you when you randomly popped in here?” Her words are loud enough for everyone in the entire bar to hear, and the smug look on her face makes her words more believable. Trying to follow along I go with it as best I can.
“Hell yeah! I was getting ready for bed and poof! I know you haven't seen me in a couple weeks, but a little notice would have been nice!” I mock punching her in the arm to try and drive it home better.
-I hope that worked.-
-Oh, it did. I also spelled the rest of the drinks with a memory wipe, even the water on tap will be good for an hour. Should take the memories of you being here away.-
-What about Ori?-
-I kept you out, but left in that I was leaving. Easy enough spell on such an easy open mind like hers.-
-Alright, you ready? Hold on.-
I think of Blue’s house, the front living room. Black carpet, white furniture and nothing else. She never spends her time here. It’s more like a hotel room with how sparse and unwelcoming it actually feels.
Unsteady on her feet, I have to pull her up and to me, so she doesn’t fall when I teleport us in.
“Sorry, I forgot how bad the vertigo can be the first time. I’m still not used to it, and I hate to say it, but it does get better.”
The glazed look on her face is one of wonder, but the dazed sheen in her eyes has me a little worried. She tries to shake off the feeling, but has to go sit down before she starts to feel better, enough to be able to walk straight without face planting into a wall.
“I don’t think I could ever get used to that! Nifty trick but damn.”
Smirking at her, I shake my head and smile, slightly embarrassed, but more so, glad I’m back with her.
“There are a lot of things I can do now.” Without out warning, I find the calm I had before, and hear the tear of fabric before I feel my wings expand from my back. It’s so sudden, Blue flings herself further back into her seat and yet again has a look of astonishment and surprise on her face. I had a feeling this was going to happen, a lot. This isn’t even touching the tip of the iceberg of things I can do.
“Shit, Tatts! Are those yours?! I mean, yeah, I see they are on you but fuck! Can I touch them?” she asks, eyes wide and filled with wonder and anticipation.
She stands up and comes closer with her hand outstretched.
“Of course you can,” I tell her, waiting to see how she’s going to react.
I can feel her hesitation when she first puts her hand on my right wing, but soon enough she’s petting my feathers and running her hands through them.
There isn’t much feeling for the most part but when she puts her hands between the feathers it almost tickles. It feels like someone’s playing with the baby hairs on the back of my neck making me shiver.
“This is amazing! I’m so jealous of you right now. When I brought you in from the conclave, I had my doubts that you were a Hollow, but once you hit twenty-one and never seemed to feel anything towards any of the alphas that I brought into the bar, I gave up thinking you were an Other. How are you handling all of this?” Her words come fast and she’s nearly out of breath when she’s done explaining everything. My heart is racing and I’m slightly confused.
I’m taken aback when she admitted she thought I could be Other and that she had brought in shifter alphas to see if there was any sort of connection. I think at one point I might have had an idea what she was doing, there were men and a couple women she made a point to introduce me to, we were cordial to one another but nothing ever came of it and I didn’t think much about it after.
“Well, you were right, and I’m a pretty powerful Other.” I push my point home when I flex my wings at her causing her jump and making me bite my lips trying not to laugh.
“As to how I’m feeling? Day by day it gets easier. I’m good with it for the most part. The Demon half is scary, the knowledge I have evil in me, the powers that come with it and the fear of who I come from, that sucks, but the Valkyrie side? I fucking love it. I’m stronger, faster, the wings, I can pull myself and others to my ancestors’ home realm, and apparently, I’ll be able to get fighting down super quick when I start to train. Other than that, I still am a little lost as to what all we can do. I know I can take souls, but that’s both of my halves. I’m glad Alyria will be okay, and so will I.” I strain out, trying to keep my thoughts on the good aspect of everything.
“Alyria?” she asks with a befuddled look crossing her face.
“Shit, I forgot. Okay, you know I am pregnant, but she is a girl. The Fae told us, she is Rhydian's, so she will be part Black Shuck along with what she gets from me,” I tell her, cradling my stomach in my hands.
Blue’s staring at my belly, where I absentmindedly start rubbing small circles with my thumbs.
“I hate to cut all of this short, but we really are on limited time. I need you to change, and pack a bag with an extra set of clothes that will work in hot weather,” I say to her, hoping we can get going.
“Right okay, we can finish the rest later. I’ll be right back.”
Watching her race down the hall to her room, I pull my wings back inside myself and sit down with Cynide at my feet.
-She seems… interesting. I have only accepted her since she is family, she may touch me, but be warned, there is something dark within her, I can feel it. There is a self-disgust and torment that are starting to push the way to her surface.-
Blue has always been a little dark, but I never imagined her as evil. And I’m not about to start.
-She grew up happy from what I know, her parents are amazing, but she is different than all the Others I have ever met. She’s a Blood Fae and Witch. There has to be a little bit of darkness inside anyone with those powers.-
-Be careful. I sense something is going to happen, and soon with her.-
Scratching behind her ears, I promise her I will.
Blue comes back out wearing white lace shorts, showcasing her gorgeous long golden legs, a pink tank top that’s low cut, showing off her ample chest and a pair of white sneakers that makes me think she seems more like a young teenager than a powerful Other.
“Since when do you wear anything other than black?” I exclaim, surprised at her ensemble.
“Since you told me we were going somewhere hot and this is all I own that’s suitable for hot weather. Shut up and beam us up, ya shit.” she grits out, glaring at me while trying to pull her shirt down.
“Fuck you, Witch,” I say playfully back to her raising my eyebrow to her when she picks a wedgie from the short shorts she’s wearing.
“Hold onto me. This one will be a little worse than teleporting. Keep your eyes closed and hold tight,” I explain, grasping on to her arm.
“Fuuuuuck, okay,” she huffs out, holding on to me and clenching her eyes closed so tight, it makes the rest of her face scrunch up.
Finding my tether, I call to Alyria, my ancestor and ask for her guidance in getting back to Yggdrasil and push all of my wants and needs until I feel the ground beneath my feet drop away.
“Shit! Mira! What the hell is going on?!” Blue screams.
“Don’t open your eyes! It’ll be over in a minute. Hold on to me and keep your eyes shut!” I yell back, knowing we’re in the void, and if I open
my eyes, I’ll be the one to fall and puke.
“I think I’m gonna puke!” shes says, making me laugh.
“It’s almost over, puke when we get there,” I manage to grit out.
She groans out her reply, and a second later, I feel my feet give out and fall on my ass.
-Well, that hasn’t changed.-
-Miss Mira! You are back so soon, I have been worried about you. Come see me when you can.-
Grunwald's comforting, fatherly voice has me smiling immediately.
-I promise, I will. Are you able to tell Torunn we’re here? I’m still at Alyria’s statue and need her help.- I ask him.
-I am, she came to me hours ago when you left and we sat for a good while telling stories about you.-
-Oh no, you two cannot conspire against me!-
I’m teasing and he can feel it.
-We were unsure to when we would see you again, you can’t fault us for missing you, even if it was so soon.-
-I can’t and won't. I missed you too.-
-Let me call to her, I will tell her where you are and she will be there very soon, I would assume.-
-Thank you, Grun, I will see you soon.-
-Goodbye Miss Mira.-
“Grun is sending for a friend of mine, she should be here soon,” I tell Blue, helping her up off the ground after I dust myself off.
“Mira, where the hell are we? Why does it seem like we’re in the middle of ancient Grecian times… What the hell is everyone wearing? Where are the houses and how the hell do you know your friend is about to be here, and who the FUCK is ‘Grun’? This shit is not what I was expecting at all.” Blue is terrified, intrigued and shocked. I feel bad for not explaining further, there just isn’t the time, especially with her rapid fire questions I can barely keep up with.
“Slow down, okay, so like I said before, this is my ancestors’ world. This is where the first Valkyrie in history came from. They are a little dated here, for sure. Don’t get me started on their bathrooms!” I try to play it off as a jest, which she doesn’t like, she looks more perturbed. “Grun is a Spriggan, a tree spirit and a friend of mine. We melded.” She shakes her head quickly in succession and stares at me with her mouth hanging open.
