by Hart, Alana
The biting tone in Gran’s voice had Aria's palms sweating, and hands trembling. She took a moment to wipe her hands on her worn jeans before answering. Last thing she wanted was another shifter challenging the gods, fallen or otherwise.
"I got an answer." Sort of, she added silently. Gran's cocked head invited her to continue, so she did. "Faith's a throwback like we thought. But, throwbacks are strong enough to overpower the gods. And there was something about claiming my mate, guarding the guardian-" Aria pointed at her chest, and continued in a rush, "and averting fate.”
By the time she'd finished talking, Gran’s eyes were wide as dinner plates.
"Did you say guardian?" Gran's voice was low and growly. "As in, you're the guardian?" Gran's claws tapped the table in a precise one-two-three pattern. But the silver swirling in her eyes didn't change.
Aria swallowed another gulp of chocolate. Need more energy for this. Finally, she met her gran's gaze straight on and nodded once. At her gesture, all hell broke loose.
Gran yowled, her eyes flared green and then she shifted in a blur of silver. The giant red fox darted over to Aria and snuffled her from head to toes with a cool wet nose. Aria burned in reaction to the shifters’ magic. Gran’s eyes, blue and filled with worry, scanned every inch of Aria, indifferent to the fire consuming her from within. Finally unable to bear the pain any longer, Aria muffled a scream and fought to rise from her chair. Her movements were clumsy with pain.
A second and third set of roars added to the chaos. One deep and bellowing challenge, the other a smaller, higher echo. Fuck, Faith and Ben had shifted. Damn nosy old vixen anyways. Aria fought for relief with each breath she took. Her back arched and the chair toppled to the ground behind her. She'd have followed it if a large furry shoulder hadn't propped her up. Her body tingled in a whole new way at Ben's steady support. Aria tried to reach out and catch Faith but she was too slow.
Delilah chanted low and long, and the amber mist that rose at the witches call doubled the heat and pain coursing through Aria.
“No, Faith-,” Aria squeaked when her cub launched toward the witch, mouth wide, claws extended. Delilah was so intent on the adult shifters and the spell she wove that she didn’t notice the cub until it was too late.
Faith landed and chomped down on Delilah’s arm. Hard. The small white cub growled and shook her head ferociously, like a dog with a stuffed toy. Delilah’s chant tumbled out in one final pain filled breath. The chaos stopped cold with the end of the witches chant. Amber light transmuted to ash and coated the entire room, and everyone in it.
Didn’t think that worked anyplace other than the shop.
The echoing silence after Del’s monotone chant sent Aria tumbling back bonelessly into Ben’s steady support. She felt another hint of the same electric pain Delilah’s magic generated as silver flared in her peripheral vision. Then Ben’s strong arms hugged her tight to his chest, and supported her gently.
The cub glared at Delilah, and issued a low harrumph, almost a command.
The witch sat immediately, her face twisted in anger. Then she placed her hands flat on Gran’s table. Despite the blood pooling below her forearm, Del remained stock still, a living statue. Aria could just hear the witch’s whisper. “Why isn’t it working? The damn spell is supposed to be foolproof against shifters.”
Aria felt her eyes flare wide and her breath whoosh out when Faith turned that same command on Gran. It was evident from the shimmer, and the quicksilver flicker of human, fox, and then human again that Gran was fighting that command. Fighting, and losing.
Damn. How will I control her when she’s a teen? Despite that worry, Aria was grateful for the rescue. But she was the mom here, and be damned if anyone was going to behave otherwise. She forced her mouth to move, and after a few false starts spoke. “Faith. Stop terrorizing the grown-ups and come here” Aria backed up her command with a sharp look and wide arms, offering a hug.
The cub bolted into Aria’s embrace, changing on the run. By the time the she’d landed in Aria’s grasp, Faith was her sweet toddler self. Her pissed off, sweet toddler self.
Aria suppressed a laugh when Faith turned her curly little head and growled at Gran and Delilah. But that urge to laugh ended when the babe spoke. Her little voice was lower and growlier than Aria had ever heard it as she confronted the two powerful women in her toddler shape.
"No hurt mommy." That voice was all bear cub, as were the swirling silver eyes, and the claws resting lightly on Aria's shoulder. Despite the timbre of Faith's voice, and the hints of shifter peeking through her human shape, Aria did not feel threatened at all. But from the wide eyed, hands up stances Delilah and Gran were taking, they felt more than intimidated.
"My mommy." Aria flinched as those formerly gentle claws pierced her skin. Aria gasped, but refused to cry out. She could feel hot blood welling up and trickling down her arm. Damn, why'd she do that? Faith had never marked her before. And now, this was obviously done with deliberate intention.
"Say sowwy," Faith demanded. The low growl was gone, but the direct stare the girl-cub leveled at the older women had an effect. They damn near stumbled over themselves to apologize to Aria, to Faith. Hell from the little Aria could understand, they were apologizing to everyone, even each other and Arcos.
Aria never thought she'd see the day that Gran was intimidated by anyone or anything. The fact that tiny Faith had put the fear of the gods into Gran struck Aria as both appropriate and ironic. She giggled a bit under her breath, glad that things seemed to be calming down. She kept her arms wrapped gently around Faith, and smiled when her girl turned back to give her a kiss on the cheek. The tot’s whispered I love you was enough to ease the shock of the marks that still oozed on her shoulder.
Aria started in surprise when she felt Faith shiver in her arms. Before she could move, the child had shifted, stood and lapped the wounds on Aria’s shoulder then shifted back to sweet, cuddly babe. Aria shivered as fire coursed through her veins, trailed by ice and a soothing peace. Had her girl done all that with a bear kiss? Curious, Aria glanced over at the marks on her shoulder. She gasped as she realized that the wounds had completely healed. How the-Faith? Faith healed me?
Aria leaned back into Ben’s embrace, and snuggled her girl. She felt a low rumble against her back where she rested against Ben’s solid chest. But that rumble didn’t feel intimidating. It was more content. Aria couldn’t help it, she had to turn her head and see just what thoughts were written on Ben’s face.
She almost melted when she saw the look in his eyes. Ben’s soft gaze followed every move Faith made. His luscious, upturned mouth and the mischievous dimple on one cheek suggested he was damn proud of the cub. And he had every right to be. Hell, Aria was damn near bursting with pride. But the aftereffects of Faith’s kiss still flowed like a cool drug through her veins. Aria was damned proud.
Proud, and scared.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Aria just relaxed and enjoyed the cool peace of the moment, snuggled between Ben and Faith. Then a loud clap shattered the silence.
Arcos voice boomed through the house. "Well, what have we here?"
Aria clamped her hands over her ears, trying to ease the sharp pain that pounded through her head. Since when has his voice had that deafening undertone?
The shifters heavy footsteps echoed almost as loudly as his words had. Aria shut her eyes, and clamped her hands tighter over her ears. If Arcos got much louder, she'd be begging Ben to knock her out and tuck her in until the older man was gone.
Large hands clamped gently around her wrists and prized her hands off her ears. From the soft vibration against her back, Aria was convinced Ben was laughing at her. Silently laughing, but still laughing. She stiffened when she felt his breath caress her neck. Surely he wouldn't-nope.
His whisper was soft, but still plain as day. "You okay?"
Aria honestly wasn't sure. She felt okay, except for her ringing hears. As the weight of everyone's concerned gaze hit home, sh
e started to think maybe something really was wrong with her.
"Dunno. I feel okay. Except for my ears. They're ringing off the hook because somebody-" Aria glared at Arcos, surprised to see how close he was to her spot on the floor. "doesn't have an inside voice."
"He used his inside voice, love." Ben's comment sent Aria's stomach to twisting like a dervish. Then why do my ears ache?
“What’s wrong with me?” Aria’s heart galloped halfway up her throat, and swallowing didn’t seem to restore it to its rightful home. Don’t panic. Despite her command to stay calm, Aria’s body was determined to keep revving on all cylinders.
Ben’s gentle huff, and the jolt she felt course through his body as he shrugged didn’t instill confidence that Aria would be getting answers from him. She glanced at Arcos, and arched an eyebrow. His echoing shrug didn’t bode well either. If the ancient bear didn’t have a clue then who would? Aria couldn’t help but looking at everyone in the room in turn, studying their posture for clues.
Arcos was a solid, immovable hulk crouched on the floor just beyond her feet. Aria could feel his attentive gaze seeking answers she didn’t have. Gran perched on the edge of the bench, nails tapping on the table in counterpoint to her shuffling feet. Damn, was Gran nervous? Aria looked closer, pinched lips, narrow eyes, flaring nostrils. Gran was either nervous or panicked. Delilah sat next to Gran at the table. From her unruffled expression, Aria figured the witch hadn’t moved at all since she took that seat. Still, slumped shoulders and a slightly cocked head suggested she was just as puzzled by this turn of events as everyone else in the room. “What did you do, cubling?" Arcos whisper was almost too soft for Aria to hear.
Faith sniffled a bit, then twisted in Aria's arms to face the ancient shifter. "Me fixed owie. Mommy better." Then the tot turned back and wrapped her arms tight around Aria, patting one shoulder gently.
"Fixed, huh?" Ben's voice was low, but still borderline too intense for Aria's oversensitive ears. "If we fix everyone the way you fixed mommy, pretty soon this place will be quieter than a ghost town, kiddo." Ben reached around and ruffled Faith's curls gently.
"Will my ears work right eventually?" Aria asked, watching Arcos closely. His slumped shrug didn't exactly inspire confidence in the answer.
"Maybe. Depends on just how she fixed you."
Soft footsteps slicked across the floor, and Delilah crouched shoulder to shoulder with the older bear. Her gaze was sharp and professional, as were her hands, as she carefully checked Aria's shoulder. Aria tried to keep still, but Delilah's hands were cool, almost icy cold. Aria couldn't help but noticing Delilah's tense jaw and stiff movements as she gently tucked Aria's shirt back over her now healed shoulder.
"What's wrong with me?" Aria’s cheeks heated and butterflies rose in her stomach. All this attention was becoming overwhelming, fast.
The fact that four sets of powerful, supernatural eyes were locked on her, studying her in minute, embarrassing detail only made her nerves worse.
"Victoria, could you come here?" Delilah’s voice was sharp, more command than question. The soft smile Gran sent to Aria as she settled in beside Delilah wasn't enough to offset the feeling of claustrophobia and nervousness slowly consuming her from the inside. Aria never thought she'd meet somebody with enough guts to command her gran. And yet in the span of five minutes, she'd discovered two people who wielded that level of influence.
Gran looked over at Delilah, eyebrows raised in obvious question. That's where I got that trick. Aria was glad to find she had at least some small traits in common with her grandmother.
"May I have your permission to cast a spell inside these walls and wards, Victoria?" Odd, that the witch was asking now, when it had been her flinging of spells that exacerbated the situation they were all in, and put Aria flat out on the floor.
"Provided no harm will come to me and mine, cast away with my permission and blessing, witch." Gran's reply was just as oddly formal as Delilah's original request had been. Aria wondered if maybe there was a hidden ritual going on in front of her. She also wondered how getting permission would prevent a repeat of the all-consuming fire she'd had running through her body moments ago.
Delilah's chant was soft, repetitive, almost like a meditation. Aria’s eyes grew heavy and her head nodded. Is she hypnotizing me? Fear flickered in her chest, but it was quickly dampened by the need to relax, and listen to the witch. Aria sensed magic building all around her, like a tsunami waiting to crash, but something held the giant wave back, leaving Aria basking in the warmth and comfort of controlled power. The moment the chant ended, Aria snapped out of her relaxed state, only to confront five pairs of equally wide eyes and o-shaped mouths in turn. What the hell?
Despite the evident shock etched onto everyone's faces, Aria felt good. Great actually. Her body tingled with repressed energy, and she bounced to her feet. If she was still in running form, she'd happily sign up for the longest race available, with confidence in her ability to outlast all competitors.
"What. Did. You. Do. To. Me?" Aria punctuated each word with a sharp jab at Delilah's shoulder. The witch rocked back with each poke, but didn't complain. Just stared, eyes wide.
Nobody answered Aria's question for what felt like forever. Aria felt a gentle tug on her hand, and glanced down to see Faith beaming up at her.
"Fixed you mommy. Fixed you all better. Never hurt again."
Aria oomphed, and doubled over. Her arms wrapped around Faith like a drowning man hugging a life preserver. When she finally gathered herself, she stood, slow and straight, with Faith snugged tight against her hip, tiny arms clasped around her shoulder.
"Fixed me how, baby?"
Faith's vigorous nod set every delicious curl on her head to bouncing. Aria couldn't help the small grin that won out through her worry.
"Somebody above the age of two please explain how a toddler can 'fix' me, and just what that means." Aria met each pair of eyes in turn.
Arcos dark blue, stormy gaze was steady and calm. But his slow shrug suggested he didn't have any answers, or if he did, he wasn't sharing. Delilah's hazel eyes were equally as direct as Arcos, but her furrowed brow convinced Aria the witch was as puzzled as Aria. Ben's baby blues were filled with confusion and worry. But Gran's blue eyes were soft, and Aria took the slight upturn of gran's mouth as a good sign. Aria glowered at gran in a silent demand for answers, explanation. Hell, she'd even be happy with wild ass guesses at this point.
"I don't know for sure. But I've got a few guesses." Gran's words were full of cheer. And her smile blossomed further with every word she spoke. At least it was good news. Aria hoped.
"Option 1. Faith has healing powers as the whole part of being a throwback." Aria liked the thought, but it scared her at the same time. What if others discovered said powers and tried to use the child against her will. Besides, if the tot had healing powers, they were super healing powers because Aria felt better than she'd ever felt in her life. Despite her super-sonic hearing.
Ben's grunt and the way he twined his fingers with Aria's and squeezed tight suggested the first option was highly unlikely.
"Option two. Something about the past couple days has edged Aria closer toward hershifter side, and this is the result." Delilah's snort and the skeptical squint of her eyes suggested otherwise.
"Option three. Perfect storm. Some combination of Aria's mixed heritage and Faith's kiss has for lack of a better word, transformed Aria."
Absolute silence reigned after gran's words. Time seemed to stretch forever before someone spoke.
"None of those options make any mention of exactly what happened though." Ben's gentle squeeze of Aria's hand as he commented was just enough to keep her from blurting out her worst fears. "Nor do they answer the most pressing question. If Aria's not human, what is she?"
Aria heaved a sigh of relief when Gran grinned at everyone in the room. That grin promised no matter what she was becoming, things would be alright. Maybe even better than alright.
&nbs
p; Arcos' booming laugh echoed through the log cabin. He rose up in one smooth motion and stood, hands on hips. From Aria's spot on the floor, he looked like a triumphant general snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
"You have no idea what that cubling just did, do you?" Arcos had gone from laughing general to serious statesman in the blink of an eye.
Aria shook her head, wordless. She wasn't sure whether she should take his actions as a good sign or a bad sign. Her heart clung to hope, and the positive potential of the situation, while her gut screamed at her to run far and fast from the demented wannabe god.
Arcos met everyone's gaze in turn, his storm-filled eyes serious. One at a time everyone else echoes Aria's headshake. Everyone but Faith.
Pride bubbled in Aria's chest as her girl stood tall and stepped forward. Her baby stood toe to toe and nose to knees with one of the most dangerous individuals Aria had ever met without flinching. Instead she tilted her curly head back, until her gaze bored into the older mans' and replied slow and clear. "Magic hurt mommy. Magic try smash mommy. I move magic. Kiss mommy. Now mommy move magic."
Aria usually understood Faith easily, but she was damn confused by the explanation the girl had given. Also, damn impressed. That was probably the longest idea she'd ever heard the tot try to communicate.
"Anybody care to translate?" Ben glanced at Aria as he spoke. All she could do was shrug. She didn't know enough to know what she didn't know, much less be able to make sense of that.
"I think she's saying Aria really is a guardian." Delilah's voice was soft and hesitant. Even so, the last word slammed Aria like a punch to the gut.
Guardian? Me? No fucking way! What the hell was she supposed to do with that? How was she supposed to fill Gramps’ shoes if Del’s hunch were true? After giving in for a moment to the blind panic and what if’s, Aria steeled herself. She sat up straighter on the floor, then levered herself up to her knees, and reached for Faith.
