by Jane Cousins
What was the trigger? He wanted this thing out of his head. The tale Cara had reported to them mentioned Gap’gn using the blade to open Ixchel up to release her power. Bloody hell, did he have to stab himself in the head with the damn thing? Which begged a second question, if he did manage to get the Shard out, what was to stop Gap’gn from gobbling it down?
“Step forward.” Gap’gn commanded.
“What?” He looked into eyes that were black and bottomless.
“No.” Quinn protested, wincing as Gap’gn’s fingers dug painfully into the back of her neck.
“Step forward, onto the blade. Or I replicate what your brother did to Kristiah.”
“No, Matias. Don’t.” Quinn wanted to yell, kick and lash out, hating the idea that Matias had put himself in harms way because of her. Instead she forced herself to remain calm, controlled and practical. “The world-”
“Will still be here in the next minute.” Gap’gn taunted. “Your lady love’s future is much less clear.”
Matias took a deep breath, glanced at Quinn, before shifting his attention once more back to Gap’gn. “If you want the fucking Shard so much, then you’re going to have to work for it. I’m not another mindless minion.”
Gap’gn shrugged, but it was a learned move, perhaps picked up from Kristiah and looked a little awkward. “If that is what you desire.”
Quinn’s world narrowed in that moment. Watching the tip of the blade slice through Matias’s t-shirt like butter, the material around the slice glistening wetly under the moonlight.
Blood. Matias’s blood. No!
Chapter Twenty-Three
Quinn tamped down the urge to scream in sheer primal frustration. Here she was, held captive by the High Priest, Gap’gn. His hand gripping the back of her neck, threatening to snap her spine if Matias didn’t stand still whilst the Priest plunged a hollow blade - made out of obsidian and forged in the underworld – into his heart. It was like a bad dream or more accurately, a waking nightmare.
She thought about trying to shove Matias away. But he still had hold of Gap’gn’s wrist. The one holding the God-forged blade. The tip having already broken the skin, a small ring of blood soaking into his t-shirt. And yet Matias seemed remarkably unfazed by his imminent death.
Quinn wanted to close her eyes. But no, Matias deserved more than that, and he certainly wasn’t going to die here. She just had to come up with a plan, right this second. Behind her, she felt Gap’gn tense, releasing a harsh, frustrated grunting sound.
“Problem?” Matias enquired, all too casually.
“My arm, what did you do?” Gap’gn hissed out from between gritted teeth.
“Circulation problems? No, you’re too young for that. I know. Maybe someone scratched you with a substance that has temporarily shut down all the nerves in your arm. Check-Mate, asshole.”
Quinn released a slow relieved breath as the tip of the obsidian blade was withdrawn easily out of Matias’s flesh. Grrr, she should kick the man for letting things get as far as they did.
Gap’gn snarled low into her ear. “I promised you the moon-haired woman would suffer if you reneged on our pact.”
Quinn flinched as Gap’gn’s hold on her neck tightened abruptly, his fingers digging painfully deep into her flesh.
Matias thrust out his free hand and grabbed Gap’gn around the throat, squeezing hard. “You might want to re-think that plan. You hurt her and I promise I’ll rip your head clean off. My brother and I will use it to play football.” Deadly cold promise locked into every word. “Once more we seem to be at that impasse we keep hitting. Do you think perhaps someone up there is telling you to get a new freaking plan?”
“My followers are closer. Conchetta can open the moon-haired lady from neck to navel with a simple swipe of her claws.”
“Then why aren’t you telling her to do just that, asshole? Scared you might get hurt in the chaos? Now let the woman go.”
Gap’gn ineffectually tried to use his deadened arm, doubly frustrated because he could clearly see he still held the blessed blade in his hand but couldn’t feel it. “If I let her go, you will try to kill me.”
“If you don’t let her go, I promise I will kill you.”
Quinn wished she was free just so she could knock their two stubborn heads together. Hold on… she didn’t need to physically knock their heads together. “Matias, do you trust me?”
“Of course.”
“Then brace yourself.” She already had the physical contact with Gap’gn. And given Matias’s proximity, it was all too easy to slam her palm flat against his scarred temple, open her senses wide, and at the same time project out. Levelling everything straight at Gap’gn.
The barrier in Matias’s head blazed with white light, searing and blinding. A cleansing fire eating away at the darkness. But it carried no heat. Suddenly their minds were full to bursting with all the promises that the light brought; purity, new life and new beginnings.
Gap’gn cried out in pain and terror. He might have gobbled down a part of Ixchel’s power in the past, but he’d never really understood the source of that power. Using it for only dark, twisted means. Shying away from the light, the purity.
Matias was blinded, but he still had all his other senses. Wrenching the blade away from Gap’gn, and thrusting it into the High Priest’s chest was an imperative that he was wholeheartedly on board with.
The hollow blade slicing into Gap’gn’s flesh almost eagerly. At the same moment Ixchel’s stolen power surged forward to meet the path of light that Quinn was acting as a conduit for. The power blasting its way out of Gap’gn’s cells. Racing back through Quinn, and into Matias.
The Shards wanted to be whole.
The light went from white, bright, and brilliant, to supernova searing.
Too much. Too much for one man to handle. Quinn heard Matias cry out in pain. No, her desperate plan was killing him. She tried to let go of him, stop the power from reaching critical levels but the light wouldn’t let her.
Quinn forced her eyes open, and it was like she was standing in the middle of the sun. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Squinting futilely, she had to rely more on touch than sight. First order of business, she shrugged off Gap’gn’s hold on her. Easily done since the High Priest was hanging onto this world by a bare, fraying fast thread. The only thing holding him upright was Matias and the blade he still had thrust deep in his heart.
Quinn turned slightly, her hand scrabbling frantically over bare - sticky with blood – flesh. Taking a chance, she slapped Matias’s hand away, and yanked the blade out. Gap’gn’s lifeless body slid to the ground, unnoticed and unremarked upon. With Gap’gn drained and breaking the connection, the white blinding light coalesced in Matias, beginning to pulse brighter and fracture.
No, no, she felt more than saw Matias’s body arch in pain, as if he were being torn apart. He was the epicentre now for all that power reuniting. A human vessel, without a God’s protection, he was unprepared to contain all that power. He’d wouldn’t survive, Quinn knew that instinctively.
No time to hesitate or second guess herself.
Heavens, she prayed this worked, letting go of him she swung the knife around, slamming the flat of the blade against his temple. The fracturing, searing light changed direction, radiating out of Matias, pouring into the flat obsidian hollow blade, the light of a billion blazing stars exploding across her senses.
One moment everything was too bright. Then Quinn was flying, hurtled backwards, the light, even with the connection broken, her mind was full of nothing but bright, searing light.
Then she was hitting the sand, hard, the breath leaving her body, the light gone… darkness. Deep welcoming darkness.
* * *
Quinn woke with a gasp.
Warm strong arms surrounded her, hugging her tightly to a masculine chest. “Hey, it’s alright. I’ve got you.”
Matias. He was alive. She released a deep sigh of thanks. Doubly so to find herself lying in his lap
, cradled in his arms. It was selfish of her, but she needed that contact right now. Needed to be reassured that Matias was whole and hearty. Problem was, she could get used to this way too easily. She tried to break his hold, to sit up, but his arms were like steel.
“Just give it a minute more, Quinn. Hell, I know I could use a moment.”
Quinn’s head shot around to check on him. “Are you alright?”
“My head is still attached, but it’s throbbing like a bitch. That was a foolish risk you took, opening yourself up like that.”
She stared into those rich toffee eyes. “Is it… is it gone?”
Matias shrugged, then winced. “You tell me? I probably won’t know until the stay awake potion wears off.”
Quinn looked down, she was touching Matias. His bare arms snug up against hers and she was getting… nothing. She revved her powers, tried again. Nothing. “I’m not getting anything. Anything at all. No light. No memories.” No visions of them having sex together.
“Is that good or bad?”
Quinn shook her head. “I don’t know.” She looked around. Noting the others were keeping busy. They’d captured the remaining Jag-offs, including a clearly seething Conchetta, who was snapping at her captor, one of the Israzidi warriors.
Copper was standing between Nico and Elijah, listening to them talk but her attention was fixed upon Matias. No, not on Matias. Quinn looked down and saw the black obsidian blade lying in the sand next to Matias. Its surface glinting dully under the light of the full moon, the gold inscription glittering.
Had they been successful? Had they really managed to transfer all of Ixchel’s power into the blade? And if so, what did they do with it now? Did Ixchel expect it back?
“What are we going to do with that?” She queried, pointing at the blade. Perhaps Matias had some thoughts.
“I guess since I’m the Guardian, it stays with me. Though I’m not sure I want to be responsible for watching over a Goddess’s power for the rest of my life. It’s been nothing but trouble since the get go. And every bad guy megalomaniac is going to want to get their hands on it.”
“If you like you can store it in the vault in Darcy’s office. She’s the Southern Sanctuary Liaison. She quite literally lives to kill bad guys, so she’s always trolling for more bait. Her security is flawless and she won’t bat an eyelid at adding one more God powered trinket to her collection.”
“Can she be trusted?” Matias reached up, absently scratching at the dark stubble clinging to his jawline.
“No, not one little iota. But with this sort of thing, absolutely. She got over her desire to rule the world in her early teens when she decided it would be too much of a pain in her ass.”
“Reassuring.” Matias’s tone was as dry as the Sahara.
“Trust me, it is.” Quinn squirmed free of Matias’s embrace, sitting up, already missing the feel of his arms around her. See, that’s why she couldn’t indulge herself, it just made it that much more difficult to resist him. Together they stood up, Quinn brushing sand off her yoga pants. “Now what happens?”
“Copper and her people are going to take charge of the remaining Jag-offs, and she mentioned a big party to celebrate Gap’gn’s death.”
“Is she okay with you taking the blade?”
“I think so, she’s not happy about it, says it’s her responsibility to protect Ixchel’s power but her warrior guard have taken to calling me the Guardian, so I think it’s been settled.”
“And she still wants to stay here?”
Matias looked grim all of a sudden. “Apparently.”
“Are you okay with that?” Quinn fought the urge to touch him, provide support.
“Not really. But like you said, she’s a grown woman, who’s entitled to make her own choices.” Matias looked none too happy with that reality.
“What about Nico, does he feel the same?”
“Yes, not happy but he seems resigned.”
Quinn didn’t know what to do with herself suddenly. Gap’gn was dead. Kristiah, likewise. The remaining threat was contained. And all she had to do was stand here and not give in to the urge to wrap her arm around Matias’s waist and snuggle in close. So tempting. “What now, are we staying for the party or heading home?”
“I spoke to Elijah while you were still out for the count, we think we should head home. I can feel Ixchel’s power emanating from the blade, but now that I am no longer potentially carrying around the Shard in my head, that could change at any time, we might end up getting stuck here.”
“Home it is then.” She should be feeling relieved. Back to her life. Work. Her schedule. Her rigid exercise and eating plan. No more surprises. Nothing unexpected. Just the promise of routine and normalcy.
Which did not sound dull or boring at all. It sounded dependable. Practical. Smart.
And of course once they returned to their lives, no more Matias.
She tamped down on the sudden yawning emptiness that made her stomach roil. Okay, so it was bound to hurt a little, understandable, given the amount of time they’d spent together over the past few days. But it was just like a band aide, you ripped it off fast, made a clean break, and the ache would quickly fade.
She would reinstate the no-go zone around the Five Alarm Bar and return to her regular – avoid Matias Yanez at all costs – scheduled life.
Sweet Merciful Lady, she prayed that the pain would fade.
Quinn chuffed a half hearted laugh. “I can’t say the last few days haven’t been… interesting.”
“Yeah, that’s what I was aiming for, interesting. Quinn, I-” There was an intensity in his tone that sent a shiver of warning down Quinn’s spine.
“Don’t, we agreed, remember? Vegas rules.”
Matias ground his teeth together. Damn. He didn’t know what the hell he’d even intended to say. He still wasn’t sure he was cured. They were still standing on a beach, stranded some five hundred years in the past. And they had an audience not twenty feet away. Not exactly the right time and place for a conversation.
Fuck, when would Fate give him a break?
He watched as Quinn walked across the sand to join the others. He hated that, hated with an astonishing passion the sight of her walking away from him. Huh, and to think he’d been so bloody minded that he’d believed that once they found Copper, and killed those responsible for his parents’ death, that his world would right itself. All his problems would be solved.
Man, he was a fool.
They gathered together, this time at the water’s edge for their second lot of goodbyes. The Israzidi warriors, the three that could stand anyway, stood back a little, guarding the Jag-off prisoners. Copper hugged Quinn tightly, before doing the same to each of her brothers, warning them to be safe.
Taking a few steps back, Copper looked strangely out of place, the cracking layer of mud and leaves coating her from head to toe looking outlandish against the backdrop of the black sand. Her eyes shimmering golden bright by the light of the blazing, clear skied Heavens above.
Matias sighed, gripping the God forged dagger tight in his right hand, he couldn’t stand to leave his sister here, but he had no choice. Everyone linked up behind him, Elijah bringing up the rear.
Quinn looked back, smiling. She could only pray that Copper knew what she was doing. There was no guarantee that they would ever be able to return here.
With Gap’gn dead. And Ixchel’s power rebalanced and gathered in hopefully one place, the hollowed blade, the link between this place and the future, with Matias, should be severed. Though perhaps with training, Jodie’s three second visits could be extended somehow.
Two more steps forward, a small frothy wave raced up the beach to meet them. Perfect timing. Quinn glanced back for one last look. A gasp catching in her throat as she witnessed Elijah’s right fist dart out, tapping Copper’s jaw, the woman’s head snapping back. Copper’s body crumpling towards the sand. Lightning quick, Elijah bent, smoothly draping an unconscious Copper over his shoulder.
Oh Sweet Merciful Lady. What had her Cousin done?
The Israzidi Warriors reacted too slowly. Barely having moved a step in an attempt to save their Goddess K’in when Matias’s sneakered foot dipped into the balmy salt water.
Copper’s guards were too late to save K’in. And too late to stop Conchetta who used the distraction to leap upwards, those muscular thighs like springs as she bounded across the black sand to hit the water at the exact moment the magic ignited and the travellers were hurtled forward through time.
Quinn blinked, linoleum beneath her feet, fluorescent light overhead, the tang of antiseptic and herbs assailing her nose. They were back. She breathed out a deep, relieved sigh. Releasing her hold on Matias as Nico, likewise, broke contact with Quinn, moving forward quickly to help Elijah lay an unconscious Copper across the empty bed that had once been occupied by Jodie. Housekeeping were going to chuck a fit, as flakes of mud and leaf particles fell on to the once pristine sheets.
Taite, Adrian and Jodie had already vacated the room. Probably heading off to search for Conchetta, or perhaps just wanting to get well clear of the blast zone when Copper regained consciousness.
Actually that sounded kind of prudent.
Quinn slipped out into the empty corridor. It appeared to be early morning here, the patients were asleep and no staff were in sight. Perfect. She hurried down the corridor, feeling tired, dirty and a bit of a coward. No, not cowardly. Realistic. There was nothing further to say to Matias. They were done, over. Besides, he had bigger concerns now. Copper was back. And his sister would certainly need help in re-adjusting to the modern world.
So yes, she was leaving. Not running away. No, she was just exiting at a very brisk walking pace. Good for the heart. Thank Goddess, she could see the Transportal door at the end of this corridor, she was almost there. Twenty feet away. Fifteen. Now ten.
“Quinn.”
Damn, so close. She inhaled and exhaled slowly. She was calm. She was the ocean. She was cool and in control. Bloody Hell, no she wasn’t, but she intended to fake it like crazy.
