by Janelle Peel
Blaze nudged a glass of whiskey across the bar toward me. Taking it in both hands, I swallowed the amber liquid in one go.
Viv nodded from beside me and addressed Sora, “So what do we do? How do we even fight that?”
Jackson growled in agreement.
“It gets worse,” Sora answered. “All the reservoirs around us have dwindled over night to catastrophic levels. I believe Amadahy will be launching her attack with Èriu.”
My mind stuttered to a stop. Bex hadn’t even practiced her magic. Sure, she’d helped me break the curse, but I didn’t even know if she’d shift around so many people. Well, I mused, if anyone could convince her, it’d be me. Standing, I set the empty glass on the bar. “I’ll be back.”
“Where are you going?” Sora called after me.
“I’ll be back in a bit.”
Naturally, I found Bex in the kitchen hounding the cook for a treat.
Giving the flustered chef a sly grin, I addressed Bex, “Hey. I bet if you come back to our room, Georgia will give me a packet of jerky to share with you.”
Bex looked from me to Georgia and back again. Putting on her best puppy dog face, she chuffed in agreement.
Shaking her head, Georgia grabbed a plastic bag from the pantry. Her brown eyes met mine for a brief moment before she grabbed a second package. The soles of her black sneakers squeaked across the floor as she held out the jerky, “You’re too thin, Nat. Make sure you eat at least one of these.”
I looked down at my body. Hmm, I was losing weight. Nodding, I smiled my thanks and took the bags. “Come on, Bex.”
As Bex inhaled nearly half of her bounty on my grey duvet, I decided to broach the subject.
“So, Kane and Sora both know you can shift.”
She paused mid chew and swung her big blue eyes in my direction. Throwing me a snort, she focused again on her task.
“And… I was hoping,” I corrected, “am hoping, you would shift and join our discussion downstairs?”
Her ears flattened in response.
Encouraged she hadn’t completely refused, I pressed on, “The thing is, well… your father was Fae. He tricked your mom, Tris, into thinking he was a Shifter. Once she found out the truth, she sent you into hiding. They fought. He killed her, but not before she bit him. Her venom finished the job that she couldn’t. I know I asked you not to shift, Bex. But this is super important.”
Flicking one ear in my direction, she stubbornly continued to eat.
“He had a Mate, Amadahy…”
She growled low as her ruff stood on end.
“Right. I’m sure you remember some of what Kane and I talked about. Anyway, she’s a member of team psycho. Er, um. She’s joined with Èriu and wants to take us both back and force some evil magic on us to keep them anchored in this world.”
Lifting her head, she cocked it to the side with a curious expression.
Taking her que, I added, “They want to rule the world. Everyone we ever knew, everyone we’ve ever loved, will die. It’s already started. Amadahy-”
She bared her teeth.
“Yes. She has already drained most of the reservoirs in SoCal. My Mo-” I cleared my throat. “Èriu has killed every bit of plant life from here to the ocean.”
Abruptly, she jumped from the bed and pressed her nose against the door.
“You want to go outside and see?”
Throwing me a queer look that clearly said I was a slow learner, she barked.
Nodding, I hopped up and opened the door.
Kane
Nat had been gone for well over an hour before his Wolf alerted him of her approach. Pricking his ears, he listened as she made her way down the hall.
Mel’s eyes snapped to his. As per their agreement, it lasted for a count of three before they both shifted their gazes to the vacant entryway.
Nat’s appearance stopped all conversation as she stepped up to the pool table. Clearing her throat, she squared her shoulders, “Don’t stare. I want complete silence,” her eyes lit with a golden hue as she looked to Mel specifically.
Face turning red, he nodded.
A hesitant sigh met his ears as his attention shifted behind Nat.
Bright blue eyes fluttered around the room before settling on Nat’s back. Hair as white as snow, it fell down the front of her large hoodie in a tangled mess.
He inhaled; Bex.
Audible astonished breaths met the silence as the young female made her way to Nat’s side.
Wrapping an arm around the gangly young teen, her green eyes flashed; conveying a fierce protection of the pup. Tightening her grip, she rumbled, “Everyone, meet Bex. Shifter, Fae,” her tone deepened, “and mine.”
Sora recovered first and padded over to the Wolf pup. Tipping her head to the side, she offered her hand, “Well met, Bex.”
Bex looked from Nat to Sora with a timid expression. At Nat’s nod, her small hand took Sora’s fingers. In a scratchy voice, she mumbled, “Well met, Mistress.”
Sora smiled softly and released her grip, “Such a beautiful young lady. We are truly blessed by the Goddess to have you within our family. Tell me Bex, are you happy here?”
Bex’s pale blue eyes widened as she pressed her small frame more firmly against Nat’s side, “Of course, Mistress.”
“Just Sora, little one,” she sang in an off-key voice. “We are family; there are no titles here.”
Lifting her pink bow shaped lips into a conspiratorial grin, Bex straightened her spine and nodded.
Blaze moved to his Mate’s side and offered his large palm, “Well met, pup.”
Bex blushed and moved her small hand to his.
Shaking once, Blaze let go and tousled her hair, “I was wondering if I’d ever see your other shape. My Mate is correct, you are welcome here and we are blessed; no matter what shape you choose.”
This is what Nat had been trying to tell him. They were one big happy family. His Wolf supplied the term he didn’t even realize he’d been searching for; Pack. Correct, he mused. He hadn’t even known what his own group of Wolves had been missing. Sure, he’d called them Pack, but he was sorely mistaken. The revelation only increased his desire to Mate with the raven-haired beauty before him.
Nat beamed at their acceptance of Bex for a moment. Sobering, she growled, “I have a plan, and Bex has agreed to help.”
Bex
While everyone got down to business, I made my rounds to every person gathered. The soft smiles, warm embraces… how had I missed all of this? I enjoyed my furred shape, but this was something else entirely.
Scolding myself for being afraid, I approached the one person whose rejection would sting the most; my Uncle.
His chocolate eyes flashed to amber as he took in my new height. Standing, he jerked his chin back toward the hall.
Glancing to Nat for reassurance, her nod reinforced my resolve as I followed the slap of his orange flipflops.
As soon as we were out of earshot, he stopped. Turning on his heel, he perused my new shape with a critical eye. Rumbling softly in approval, he lifted one large hand and tucked the snarled mess of my hair behind one ear.
Holding my breath as he inspected its point, I squeezed my eyes closed; fearing the look of disappointment that was sure to come.
“Hey,” he whispered, tipping my chin up.
Hiding behind the thick fan of my lashes, I peered up at him.
Where I had expected revulsion, there was only astonishment. Slowly, his lips lifted into a grin as he tapped my nose once and threw his arms wide, “Come here.”
Tears streaming down my cheeks, I threw myself against his wide chest. His arms crushed around my shoulders, just shy of bruising; but I didn’t mind one bit.
Inhaling near my crown, his Wolf purred; vibrating my smaller frame and eliciting a snorted giggle.
“I was so worried, Bex.”
Mutely, I nodded against his throat as he lifted me from the ground. Legs swinging, I hiccuped. This was exactly what I needed.
After a time, he slowly lowered me back to the carpet.
Ruffling my hair, he made a circular gesture with his index finger, “Now, give me a twirl. Let me get a good look at you.”
Turning in a slow circle, I ducked my head in embarrassment.
“Remarkable. Your mother would be so proud.”
Tears pricked my eyes for what seemed to be the millionth time as my chest pinched. I hadn’t realized how desperately I’d needed to hear those words.
A tremble began beneath my feet; signaling our time was up.
Faster than I could track, he pulled me against the wall and braced his massive body protectively over mine.
As the quake stopped, he stepped back, “Are you all right?”
Nat popper her head into the hall and took in the situation with a keen eye, “Is everyone okay?
Lifting a hand, I flashed her a thumbs up.
Grim determination thinned her lips into a hard line, “Good. It’s time.”
Nat
The ground bucked violently as we trooped across the lawn to the gate. “Shh,” I whispered. The earth immediately settled at my command as I took Bex’s small hand in mine.
Her rounded blue gaze took in the desolate landscape with a shocked expression. She’d seen it before from the roof, but this close, it was far worse than even I’d imagined.
Dried husks of sagebrush speckled the ground surrounding the fence line as if they’d been baked inside an oven right where they stood. Dirt devils kicked up in the distance; further highlighting Èriu’s destruction as the dried grass ripped from the soil and was spun high into the air.
The wrought iron gates slowly swung open on well-oiled hinges without a sound.
Bex tightened her grip and squared her shoulders. Squeezing my fingers, she signaled her readiness.
A noticeable hum buzzed against my skin as we passed through the ward and stepped outside its safety.
Between one moment and the next, Èriu and Amadahy appeared a short distance away on the paved lane.
In unison, they grinned.
“I see you’ve found my anchor, Tuwa,” Amadahy called. “I admit, I feared the worst when you broke the curse. Now I see you’d only done it to return her to me. Tricky little Fae.”
Èriu’s grin turned into a full smile, “Yes. I told you as much.” She turned toward me, “Apologies, Tuwa. I too, fell for your elaborate ruse. You truly are your Mother’s daughter.”
My stomach rolled with the thought of being related to the crazy bitch in front of us. Little did she know, all was going to plan. Swallowing hard, I replied, “Of course. How could I refuse such a generous offer? To rule the world? Naturally, I knew we needed Dalis to complete the ceremony.” Sticking out my lower lip, I pouted, “It was supposed to be a surprise, but now it’s ruined.”
Èriu snapped her gaze to Amadahy, “Apologize this instant. You have offended my Daughter when she only had your well-being at heart.”
Internally, I thought, this was good. Perhaps I could get them to take each other out.
The grin slid off of Amadahy’s face. Her blue orbs flashed to crushed shards of ice before she bowed her head and released an irritated sigh, “Apologies, Tuwa.”
Dammit. I nodded, “No harm done, Amadahy.” Tipping my head, I addressed Èriu with a hopeful expression, “Are we going to the onyx stone now?”
Gleefully, she clapped her hands, “Yes. Come closer darlings, the journey will be short.”
As Bex and I took the last few steps to stand beside them, I threw one last prayer to the Goddess that our ruse would work.
Within the blink of an eye, we arrived inside the ring of rocks surrounding the black ceremonial slab.
Turning my head, I gawked at the trees that were even taller than before as my gaze followed their rough trunks over 150 feet into the air.
Noticing my stare, Èriu filled me in, “Beautiful, aren’t they? In preparation for your arrival, I have been shoring up my magic and storing it on this plane. Our people will require sustenance as they awaken.”
My brow furrowed in confusion, “How much power will their awakening require?”
“With so few, I am nearly ready. As we join, it should take care of the rest.”
I injected a note of worry into my voice, “What if we don’t have enough magic, Mother?”
“Tuwa, always with the questions,” she tutted and shook her head. “Do not worry. If our magic is not strong enough, they will simply remain asleep until we can gather more power to wake them.”
Filling my face with wonder, I looked to the towering trees, “So, we have to wake them.” Which was so not happening. Mentally, I crossed my fingers and hoped she would answer my statement.
“Correct,” she nodded to the onyx platform. “Shall we begin?”
Knowing it was time for the big show, I put on my most enthusiastic expression, “Mother? I know you are eager, but may I explore the stone’s magic, first? It would be such an honor.”
Her face softened. Lifting one graceful arm, she gestured toward its polished surface.
Pulling Bex along with me, we stepped onto the shiny platform. Lowering to our knees, we faced one another and placed our palms directly onto its oily exterior and closed our eyes.
Using the stone as a conduit, I showed her the knowledge I had gained from the memory Èriu had hidden-
The slab was created with a good portion of each Element; Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, as a truce among their factions and placed where the four corners of their lands touched. Someone had stolen the stone; that was the true cause of their war.
The Fire Queen lured Èriu’s Mate away to find out what had happened. In his failure to provide the information she sought, she killed him. Èriu was livid. Seeking revenge, she joined with Amadahy to take vengeance on the Fire Fae.
Air had seen the entire exchange and knew the truth of what had happened. Earth and Water had stolen the stone. They came to Fire’s aid.
War ravished their land to nearly uninhabitable levels and caused their magic to dwindle.
As Earth and Water were losing, they created the Rune Gate and traveled to our world with the artifact in tow.
The stone itself was nothing special, but since their magic was tethered to it, without it, Fire and Air would die. Left with no other choice, they followed them to our world. As long as all four Elements resided on the same plane with the stone, they would live.
Bex returned feelings of confusion as she digested the vision in its entirety.
At this point, I pushed the memory of what Sora had done with me when she’d seen the memories of my time within the LA Clutch.
Triumph swelled through our bond as a white door took shape within my mind’s eye. Slowly, it swung open to reveal her power. The giddy flames flickered in random shades of blue intermixed with liquid mercury.
Lifting one silver and gold tendril, I touched her well. Her magic stilled for a brief moment before latching onto mine. Love radiated through our connection, followed by acceptance and a determination to protect what was ours.
As our magic merged, we directed our attention back to the stone.
Four varying hues of magic burst into sight. Blue for Water, red for Fire, gold for Earth, and white for Air.
In tandem, we each threw a tether around our Elements; the golden strands of Earth for mine, and the multitude of blues for her.
Then together, we pulled.
CRACK!
A sonic boom met my ears as I was forcefully ripped away from Bex.
Flying through the trees, my magic responded and lifted a bough to slow my descent as I plummeted back toward the ground. My ribs ached as they made contact with the limb and I bounced off. Another branch shot out; bruising my rear as I flipped over its rough surface backwards. Vines shot from the soil and snatched me from the air. Wrapped in their silky embrace, they slowly lowered me to the forest floor.
Pure mayhem greeted my disoriented gaze as I wondered what the hell ha
d happened.
Blue and golden light showered the area around the cracked onyx stone as our side rushed Amadahy and Èriu from their hidden positions within the forest.
Wave after wave of silver fire scorched a path from Sora’s lit hands toward the Fae as Amadahy called rain from the sky.
Mel fused and joined the fray. Èriu waved a hand, instantly drawing a rock wall rumbled from the ground. He slammed into it with a sharp yip of pain.
A large Bear roared as he lumbered forward to check on his Alpha.
Daisy and Justine linked hands and called lightning from the gathering storm. In a flash of light, it struck the spot Èriu had recently vacated.
Justine reached into a pouch at her side and tossed a glass bottle at the stunned Fae. Èriu vanished just as it hit the ground.
The scent of Enhanced Nightshade met my nose as I frantically stumbled to the edge of the fight in search of Bex. Falling to my knees, I slammed a fist into the soil, “Help me!”
The tall grass instantly parted to reveal a crumpled mass in a grey hoodie. My ribs ground against one another as I stood and rushed toward her still frame. Gathering her limp body in my arms, fury boiled through my core.
My voice boomed, “STOP!” Instantly, the trees bowed and began plucking Shifters, Mages, and Vampires alike from the ground. The ground rumbled as it opened a massive cavern. The boughs quickly began dropping every person they caught inside its dark depths.
Tenderly, I lowered Bex to the ground. Storming toward the Earth and Water Fae, my fury reached a fever pitch. Using every ounce of magic in my possession, I shifted.
The tips of my leathery wings stretched high into the sky; knocking trees aside that weren’t fast enough to move. One massive talon raked the ground as I stepped forward. The ground shook, bucking as another followed. Filling my pool sized lungs to the brim, I roared; spitting a stream of pure dire-fire at the Fae that had killed my friend.
Their anguished screams rent the air in an agonizing wail that was music to my ears. As they fell to the ground, their ashes lifted away on an unseen breeze. Turning on one silver and gold scaled back leg, I torched every tree I could see.
