“I think it's time we go,” I walked with my arm around her waist guiding her to the balcony.
She was half turned like she wanted to actually fight the guy as she walked. “We are not finished here, brother. I’ll have my girl ass back here to have it out with you.” She yanked out of my arms.
He stormed over to her.
I couldn’t decide what was the bigger threat, Stace the killer goddess girl or sister to Szar. The look on her face just now was more menacing than her sparring face alone.
Is she as big a threat as the enemy says?
“That's. You have had your say. I have lived with being your damn twin brother all my life. I had to hear my whole life how you were the golden girl. You had to be reserved, preserved, served, and without a worry in the world. And now that the cat is out of the bag, you are pissed that you were left in the dark. Sis, you have no idea how wonderful you had it living your lap of luxury life and not knowing what would happen. I knew. I friggin’ knew. And now that I have the turn of the hat a little, you feel wronged. I was wronged. You are still the spoiled brat who wants her way. And by the gods, you are gonna get it anyway. Because that is the way the cards were going to fall. I just want my life separated from you and in control of my own destiny. Not yours. Not his. Not anyone’s but my own. And you will stop telling me what went wrong in your life because it is you who ruined everyone else’s.”
I stood between them to keep their skin intact. The words hurt though. She may not be showing it, but she was dying inside.
“MINE. HOW IS IT MY FAULT?”
They took turns looking around me.
“Because dear sister everything has always been about you. Why I was born, he was born,” he pointed to me, “Calum was born, and the other damned one you have not had the pleasure of. We had to be here all for you. We were just the afterthoughts. You were the prized possession, the cynosure of our existence.”
Is he nuts? How could they only have been born for me?
I cringed at her learning this way. Szar was so hotheaded. He is right, Stace. He is telling all truths, just in a very crude unconventional way.
“STOP. YOU TWO JUST STOP TALKING WITHOUT ME.”
Szar’s fists were balled up and looking for a place to expend the energy. I knew it well.
She didn’t even know she blew hot air in my face she was so angry. I tried foraging into her mind for answers, but she blocked me somehow for the moment.
“Well, I don’t want it.” Stace whispered under the still hot breath.
“Too late, sis. It is all about you. Or didn’t you hear? The only way to stop it is to off you and the whole thing falls to pot. But then, father would off me for sure because his precious little goddess of the sun will drive him insane with grief and then there will not be a lord of anything anymore. Heck, Cas here will off himself because he lost you and Calum probably already offed himself because you cut him loose. Wait till you see the pining for you OTHER one. He can follow suit. Then we will all be happily ever after.”
They were bobbing heads around my frame again like I was the obstacle.
“I do remember that your monologues used to bore me. However, dear brother, your drama has run out. All this offing each other could get messy and see as how I am the ruler of the both of us it seems, I will just have my way and let you lie in your misery. If it is as you say, it will happen anyway. So if that is how it is, then I will leave you to wallow in yourself pity. When you are ready to work as a team on this, let me know and I will return. I can’t help what I didn’t know. You never bothered to tell me, did you? So quit blaming me and blame you-freaking-you!”
She walked away so fast from the fight that I lost my sense of direction. She made me crazy with this anger she held pinned up inside. Her emotions were through the roof.
In the air away from the court, I attempted to defuse her, “Remind me to never ever cross you.”
She didn’t smile or laugh. She did bite me with her words, “You knew everything all this time. I am trying not to be mad at you to, but I am the only one who still gets surprised with heart stopping shockers. How did you cope with such a head full of what if’s?”
“I only did what was asked. I had no way and still don’t know if any of it will come to pass. You are the only sure thing that has ever happened to me.”
Wrong, you were a Valkyrie turned Vampire.
I told her more truths with the hurt she filled me with that was her own hurt too, “Your father knew our connection was strong because he caught me one time telling a few things that I couldn't have known. After the connection we had at our births, the run-ins with the dreams, and my need to not stay to far from you, he met with Dr. Green to assure the course was still in motion. That was the first time I realized that another person knew about you and me. They've tried very hard to comply with what the mothers wanted. And so far, Lee was the only monkey wrench in the box of truth mixed with lies.”
Lee Dyer. The screwed up boy who was sent to protect and spy on her. He was young, as was I. He was misled, as was I. I was told he was to protect her. He never told me about having to search out her secrets and report them back. That was how Borgon knew so much. It made me angry to even think about the craphead her father allowed to be near her for her safety. Look how that turned out. He was consorting with the enemy. He would be dead by now if it didn't mean it would hurt her.
I am the sun, the Hunter is the stars, and you are element who pulls us either into day or night. So you have the choice to become day or night. That leaves Szar the ruler over this court.
I continued out loud, “If my dad hadn't changed me, either I would kill Szar or he would kill me. Szar was insane with the fact that I could hear you, hear your dreams, know you without knowing you. He was an overprotective brother just like he was a few minutes ago. I stayed quiet because it is his place though his language around you is less than admirable. It just wasn’t meant to be. My father was a Valkyrie. My father in this life took care of the problem. He confronted Lord Hathown after he had changed me, told him the dilemma (that Hathown knew about anyway), and changed me to save both me and your brother. Calum is a Hunter and would come into your life at the same time as I and one other. At your coming of age. That is now. And for you...you are destined…you are a true goddess.”
“A what?” She had heard it said, but now she was asking.
After a heavy sigh I told her, “You are the direct descendant of the mothers created by them and placed here, on earth. They put you here.” I closed my eyes in wait. Damn Szar for doing this. He did it on purpose because I let him see how close we had become so fast. He probably called himself helping me out.
“I’m a Valkyrie. Knowing all this does not change who I am to me?”
“Essentially, but not really. You are not human either. And you can't…die.”
“How in the he…how do you know that?” she was astounded at me knowing yet something else she didn’t, or rather didn’t share with me.
“Because you told me.”
Land NOW.
At a meager thirty mph or so I landed us in the park below. It was dark enough to stay hidden from any human sight. If not, other devices could be used. In front of her would be the hard part. Erasing thoughts was exhausting.
She actually hit a tree with her delicate and deadly hands. Now, I was the shocked one.
Blood trickled down her hand.
“I’m not Valkyrie. Then why do I bleed?” She held up her hand in my face.
My mind went blank. I turned away from her. I walked a good twenty steps away.
Oh my God. I just held up blood in your face. I am sorry.
When I couldn't get the smell of her honey sweetness out of my head I walked further. When it finally subsided, I saw her rubbing her hand in the grass trying to remove any trace of it. After it was sealed I returned to her, held up her hand strenuously, and showed her the power she held. The smell was on her, in her, on the grass inches from where I stood.
“You bleed Stace. You hurt, you heal. But it is more than that. I've seen it.”
“When?” How did he know? she thought. Did he look differently when he was hungry?
She watched me too closely still afraid of the Vampire in me.
“Several times. Calum knows now too. So all of us do. You can’t die with the exception of one removing your head,” I admitted. Technically, but needed to be objectified. Get it over with already. You knew, didn’t you?
She nodded.
“Once when you were thirteen you were sparring with your teacher and missed a parry. He struck your head. You went down so fast. The doctors suggested you were in a coma. After a week, you just got up and went back to your everyday routine. Everyone was in so much awe they just called it a miracle and moved on. But your father knew what it meant and he told my father one night while l silently pretended to sleep.”
You don’t need sleep.
How perceptive you are. But I choose to sleep when I have need or want to.
The second time at the garden with the spy boy. He hurt you, but couldn't finish the job to see with his own eyes if you healed. I watched in silent desperation to make it damn well disappear. Sorry for my anger and language. I paused and spoke aloud, “And the third is when you were there with Szar at the warehouse. You threw the knife at me. I saw the glass slice through your hand. And in a minute it was gone.”
“But that doesn't explain how you just know,” she was completely taken aback.
I ran my fingers through my hair again wanting to retreat from the conversation, but in the end I told her, “Both times you told me in your dreams that it wasn’t real. That they can’t hurt you. And that your mother would protect you from death.”
“That is not possible.”
“But it is. Don’t think I am crazy. I couldn't tell you all this before. You’d have thought me mad.” No doubt, she was thinking it even now.
“I do now.”
See!
She smiled deviously, “I think you’re insanely mad, that is. And what is crazier, I remember those dreams. Vividly! But they were just dreams then and there wasn’t a gorgeous dark haired angel in my dream giving me shivers every time he looked at me.”
I was now the one taken aback with her blatant flirting and what it could mean, or what I wanted it to mean. I have never seen this side of her until now, but then again she has not had the opportunity. The thrill that shot through me at the idea that she was affected by me in such a way that made her react like she had never done before made my heart skip a beat and even crave my long time need for blood that she didn't seem totally disgusted by. Not because of her, but the undying urge of what goes with the desires of my heart. She didn’t need to know this yet.
Yet, she was affected enough to act out of character for her...with me.
“What?” she asked now as if she had just forgotten what she had signaled with her little suggestive talk.
“Gorgeous huh?” I smirked.
Oh don’t go getting a big head. You know you are gorgeous.
Am I to you?
You sat there and left your shirt off just to torture me the other day. You know what you’ve got.
Does it affect you?
She blushed even through the dark night I have lived most of my life in. I could see as clear as day with her in my sight. I had the most idiotic idea, but with her my idiocy was sometimes overlooked. She seemed to accept my crazy life (for what she knew) and accept the things she can’t know. Why?
I reached up and pulled my shirt off over my head.
“What are you doing?” she spiked in desire.
“An experiment.”
What are you doing Cas?
Her eyes slid slowly down to my sun. She popped them back up so fast to ask for permission. I grinned enjoying the solid readable reaction she gave. She traced it several times using a different finger I guessed trying to memorize the details. She wasn’t afraid to take it a step further and follow her finger up my stomach to my chest. She was so curious and unafraid with me, yet fear rolled off her in waves. I wanted to ask her why she was afraid and why she wasn’t at the same time.
She liked my body quivering when she moved up. How I would ever stay sane and keep my hands off her was still in question.
Standing it no longer, I led her into what I knew would be the longest kiss we had ever shared. I didn’t want to stop, but remembered my reason for doing this and anxious to see if my experiment was all telling. I broke the connection and pulled my shirt back in place after establishing the time needed.
“What are you doing?” she barked mad that I cut her off. Score!
“Confirmed,” I watched her own eyes dance with what she described mine as except hers were a darker green and glistened a little like she was near tears, but I knew that was far from her feelings right now.
“What is?” she watched my lips and licked her own.
Holy heck! Maybe I could go for a little longer on the experimentation. “That you made a point to notice my eyes when you have spiked my desire.”
She blushed brightly.
“And your eyes glaze over. A shiny dreamy look. I have seen it several times this week, but I didn’t appreciate it till you pointed out my symptoms.”
“Symptoms? We are catching this from each other. Like the flu?”
I laughed at the analogy, “I think I caught whatever you are giving and I am willing and able to take regular doses on a daily basis.”
“Sounds permanent.”
“Hoping for it anyway,” I shrugged, but was way more serious and she knew it.
...I'm going to explode with emotions.
Let’s get you home, I told her.
Not home, just a place to go. I have no home.
I smiled at her knowing she knew very well my standpoint on the subject and how it could be remedied.
Chapter Twenty One
Twenty-four hours wasn’t quick enough passing to see her next. I was overly excited and unfocused knowing she felt the same. I had read her thoughts just as we returned to the Hunter school.
She even mentioned leaving the ring far from her to allow our dreams to intermingle. I smiled for the zillionth time in the night at my forwardness and kissed her good night. I hadn’t smiled as much in over a year since knowing this day might come. And it had.
It didn’t pass us by.
Her mind went on as she passed the manicured grassy field back to her dorms. She thought of her favorite book and the characters involved. For years she compared herself to the main characters and their ideas on love. She claimed that I was “pushing the ice out of her heart” yet it was her doing the same for me. When her mind went off on falling in love...when you know, you just know...Did she know? Is that what she was telling herself?
Where was she going? I caught the tail end of her ducking around a corner and watching someone. Spy boy!
Ironic since I seem to do just that on her lately. I could rationalize it for her safety, but she would see it differently.
“What are you doing out here?”
“Same to you princess,” the rude ass taunted her.
“Do you think you could call me by my name?” Tell him Kissa.
She shot a look in the direction of where she left me two minutes ago. Crap!
Spy boy shrugged in open defiance and contempt. How could he say he loved this girl if he treated her this way?
“Repeating my question is not important here, the answer is,” she hissed at him like I had seen her do with Szar but with open hatred. She really didn’t like this Lee fella.
He begged her without revealing a single sinful deed, “I had a job.”
“Anything like spying on me for years?”
“Yes, I ferret out information to other factions. It is good money.”
“You're a narc?” She was disgusted with him. Good!
“Well, that's so yesterday. Information handler!” his mocking voice was just plain rude.
“You are serious.”
“Very. Interesting news tonight. I was beginning to think this Valkyrie Princess was a myth. Or rumor. But I know the truth.”
Did she not see the way his eyes shifted? That was the sure sign of a liar.
“Who was asking?” Anastacia asked suspecting he knew something more. He was a damn liar.
Right on. That’s my girl!
Dogface continued his little lie dance, “I can't tell you that now, princess. That would put me in a place where I might not get paid. And I don’t have parents to pay for my school. I'll make it known that I want you to stay far away from Quinn. No matter what.”
Her face changed. Then, her voice changed with it. “Why won’t you tell me more? Do you not care at all what happens to me?” Her charm chimed in. That wasn’t what I cared for her doing to get her way. Yes, I understand life happened for her before me, but she was with me now. Flirting shouldn’t be a weapon.
She knew Quinn was in on it now too. He wasn’t the good guy just yet. He had yet to chose which side of the fence.
“Don’t play that card with me. We both know you don’t care one ounce about what happens to me,” he barked at her and I almost came undone.
She made me honest and returned, “That is not fair. Everything you ever said was a lie. And I have to solve whatever I can about myself because until recently I was playing the same game you are and didn't know it. At least my hidden life was kept from me. You chose to be a traitor.”
“Traitor?” The dude started to cry. Pansy. He let his voice get louder again, “You think me a traitor?”
She thought he was too. Good for her.
“I loved you,” he started off next. Oh, brother. “I have loved you longer than any other who claims so perhaps. I have done everything I could to steer all of them away from you. You call me a traitor, but this position keeps you alive.”
Not this. Anything but this. Why is everyone confessing their love for me suddenly? She thought and rolled her eyes.
“I do this for you. I know exactly who and what you are. Do you remember the night at the garden? By the water?” He wouldn’t stop. Didn’t he see she could care less for him?
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