“She’s back!” Big Mike’s declaration rang with noticeable irritation as his heavy footfalls pounded in my direction.
“If she’s not maimed or dying I’m gonna kill her!” Gabe snarled as he rounded the corner into the foyer trailed by Big Mike and Gram’s. The trio came to an abrupt halt when they saw my bloody, battered cargo.
“Sakes alive, Celeste!” Gram’s hand flitted up to cover her mouth. “If you have an issue with someone you use your words. Talk that stuff out! Ya don’t act out a Miranda Lambert song on the guy!”
“I wouldn’t do that!” Funny how all three of their doubtful expressions could be so shockingly similar. “All right, I would do it, but didn’t this time. This was the Countess in a big, bad, bloody way.”
Whether Grams believed me or not—and the look on her face hinted toward the latter—her nurse’s instincts took over. “Gabe, go get towels from the bathroom. Under the sink there are bandages and antiseptic, bring those, too. Michael, go to the kitchen and get me a big bowl of warm water. Celeste, bring him in the living room and lay him down on the couch … as soon as Gabe lays a towel down. The couch is leather and that boy’s bleeding like a stuck pig.”
A flurry of activity later found Grams ripping the tattered remains of Rowan’s shirt off and inspecting his wounds. Big Mike, Gabe, and I hovered over her shoulder as she dabbed at the hole in Rowan’s stomach. With each gentle wipe she removed blood but revealed more torn, mutilated flesh.
“I can’t work with you three panting in my ear,” she snapped over her bathrobe clad shoulder. “Head outside. You’ll know more when there’s more to know. Now git.”
I didn’t bother to wait for Mike or Gabe. Running my blood encrusted hands through my hair, I strode outside. Only then did I exhale the breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Bracing for the blow up, I turned on my heel when the screen door banged shut behind me.
“The butt kickin’ you so desperately deserve for running off like that is only being paused long enough for you to explain what the heck happened out there.” Gabe folded his arms over his chest and glowered down at me.
I stared at my brother and tossed around where I could even attempt to start. Barnabus? Alec? Rowan? Explanations seemed inadequate. My gaze dipped to the ground as the words I loathed uttering came tumbling out, “Mike, I need you to go back to the Spirit Plane. Bring back our entire team … and the Grand Councilwoman. Tell her I’m ready to meet her terms.”
Even through the fabric of his T-shirt, the outline of Big Mike’s massive pecs were clearly visible as he stuffed his hands in the pockets of his faded black jeans. “Terms? Why do I feel I missed a step, or six, somewhere along the way?”
“All you need to know is that war is coming. We need able bodies to fight.” The weight of my words registered with my Guide and Guardian. They exchanged concerned scowls, both of their chests swelling at the impending threat.
Big Mike slid sunglasses over his slate eyes then marched toward the backyard. The heft of his stomps caused boot-shaped divots in Gram’s lawn. His transforming glow began before he even rounded the house.
“Wait!” I called and jogged after him. “You can’t go through the Gateway. The Countess may still be there.”
“No worries.” He let one massive shoulder rise and fall. “There’s a back door.”
My mouth fell open in confusion. “The workings of your entire organization baffle me.”
“I know.” He almost grinned. Almost.
Chapter 14
“What is she doing here and why are her goons standing in my freshly planted mums?” Grams came out of the house wiping her hands on a towel, but froze as soon as she caught sight of her arch nemesis—the Grand Councilwoman—daring to breathe the air in her backyard.
Their mutual leers of distaste bought me a few minutes to scan the group. The snooty Councilwoman brought six of her foot soldiers along. I assumed it was under her orders that they positioned themselves to block our access to Kendall and Alaina, but the two Garrett women appeared to be fine. Enough so that Keni gave me a beaming smile and an overly enthusiastic wave. Alaina’s moss green gaze immediately scoured the yard for Gabe. Doubt drained from her tensed features as soon as their eyes met; his longing stare matching hers in intensity. Tears flooded Alaina’s eyes as Gabe mouthed the words ‘I love you.’
If we don’t die horribly at the hands of the Countess, those two crazy kids might actually stand a chance, I thought to myself.
The Grand Councilwoman linked her hands behind her back and pivoted her upper body to regard Grams. “This is a business discussion. The input of the elderly and complacent isn’t necessary.”
“Elderly?” Grams lips disappeared in a thin line of irritation. “You’ve got a few centuries on me, honey. I’m a teenager compared to you.”
With a bird-like twitch, the Councilwoman cocked her head. “This is not a competition. However, if it was any visually capable person could attest that my years clearly didn’t march straight across my face as yours did.”
Grams wrung the hand towel in a white knuckled grasp as she fought to keep control. “Ya know, my grand papi used to have a saying, ‘never kick a sleeping bull. But if he charges for ya hit him with whatever you’ve got handy.’ Papi meant it literally, but I’ve found it to be a great metaphor for life.”
“Is that lower-class agricultural humor or a threat?” The Councilwoman nodded at her soldiers, who immediately snapped to attention. “Because, I must warn you, my guards are prepared to deal with any potential threats.”
“By the looks of your ‘guards’,” Grams bitterly laughed as she air quoted the word, “I could take after these boys with my fly swatter and have them all cryin’ like me after a bikini wax.”
Beside me, Big Mike’s normally stoic face screwed up with all the disgust of a toddler staring at a plate of Brussel sprouts.
Gabe slapped him on the back and nodded in camaraderie. “Welcome to the club dude. That just became your mental cold shower image; just as effective as the real thing, but miles more jarring.”
“They are so much more fun than the Dark Army!” I heard Eddie whisper to his friends behind me, therein breaking the one rule I set for them when I agreed they could be present for the meeting: Be quiet as the dead or I will make you dead.
“Better dental plan, too,” Red muttered.
“Really?”
“I would assume so, one of them has fangs.”
“Enough!” I barked as my pulse drummed a loud chorus in my ears. I loved a good witty barb as much as the next gal. Heck, that was my go-to defense mechanism. However, now was so not the time.
“None of you were there last night. You don’t know the severity of the situation.” I turned in a slow circle to ensure my message reached each and every one of them. “Let me spell it out to you; the only person that went with me is currently unconscious and fighting for his life. That doesn’t equal sunshine and puppy dogs. Up until now, the Countess didn’t deem us worthy of anything more than an occasional visit by one of her demonic minions. Last night I showed her what kind of threat we really are.”
“So you can be blamed for what’s to come?” The Councilwoman’s heels clicked together as she snapped her posture upright and pursed her thin lips in contempt.
Slow and deliberate, I turned and cast a pointed glare over my shoulder at her. “I’m covered in the blood of an innocent—a friend—that died because of the mess your organization made. I’m fairly certain you don’t want to nitpick this issue with me.”
Kendall gasped, her wings involuntarily sliding out from her shoulder blades.
With a brief shake of my head, I assured her that conversation would come later … when I could break down behind closed doors. I turned away before the sadness on her face made my warrior façade crumble like the flimsy sham it was.
When the Councilwoman didn’t argue further, but lifted her chin in arrogant defiance, I pressed on. “The Countess is tired of waiting. She’s
through biding her time. Starting now she’s going to come at us with everything she’s got and we have to be ready … or prepared to die.”
“The Council still demands your compliance.” This chick never seemed to tire of wielding her authority with all the finesse of a mallet. “There is the matter of the blood oath and the discus.”
“It was shattered in The Gateway. You can sweep it up there. As for the other,” I closed the distance between us in a blur of superhuman speed. “If that’s what it takes, that’s what I’ll do.”
She glanced over her shoulder to the brunette Ken doll on her left. “Prepare the dagger.”
With great flourish, he drew a bundle of navy blue velvet from the pocket of his robe and peeled it open to reveal the most magnificent piece of weaponry I’d ever laid eyes on. On one side of the hilt was the Gryphon, his head flung back in a mighty roar as his wings curled up around the base of the blade. The opposite side held a burnished brass Phoenix; its flames arcing up to balance out to the Gryphon. Nameless Pretty Boy turned the blade to offer the hilt to his extremely unpleasant boss.
She made no attempt to stifle her cringe as she picked up the stunning dagger with two fingers as if handling garbage. “Drag it down the length of your palm—”
“No,” I interrupted in a harsh tone that left no room for discussion.
“I beg your pardon?” She jerked back, the feathers of her makeshift bun ruffling then smoothing.
I snapped my hand up, palm open and on a course with her smug face. Shocked gasps chorused through the yard as my hand stopped short, not even two inches from her cheek. Fear widened her eyes to bulging Os, but she fought to appear unfazed.
I wet my lips, allowing the silence to grow good and heavy before I broke it. “You do it. Drag that blade across my hand and get me back under the Council’s thumb. Right where you think I belong. Even though we both know you can’t deny me my team or the Gryphon’s aid, because if you do and I die the most wretched of Hell beasts will come crashing through your gates. But if you feel you have to do this then go ahead. Cut me.”
My posture, the set of my chin, every fiber of my being dared her to make a move. A mix of indecision and genuine distaste swirled in her avian eyes. Our stare down seemed to last an eternity until she broke it by turning with a jerk and depositing the dagger in the waiting hands of her foot soldier.
“Perhaps this once we’ll make an exception.” She brushed her hands off against each other, purposely fixing her interest on that act and not me.
“Perhaps.”
“If everything is in order then I suppose we can—”
“There is one more thing,” Again, I interrupted her—mostly because the first time was so much darned fun. “I asked for my team. My entire team. I need to know that the Gryphon has been released.”
The corners of her mouth pulled down, yet still she avoided eye contact. “His confinement was short lived. It seems the Council underestimated the bond between him and the Phoenix. There was a bit of an uprising that prompted his immediate release … and the fiery loss of one wing of the Grand Hall.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.” My lie was made even more hollow by the audible amusement that seeped into it. “Caleb and Terin, I’m going to need them, too.”
Her hands fell to her sides as her head whipped my way. “Absolutely not! The Conduit of the Phoenix is needed on the Spirit Plane as our second line of defense if you fail. And the boy … he’s human! He’s of no use to you. You’re decision to side with their kind,” she flicked her hand in the direction of the Glee Clubbers, who happily waved back, “would lead to his immediate demise as it will for any humans that are naïve enough to linger here. You sent Caleb away for his protection, and for that same reason he must stay put.”
I stepped closer and bowed my head to whisper to her like co-conspirators, “The war I’ve been preparing for since the very day I was called is coming. If our side stands a chance at all, we need to be fully armed with all able bodies. The Gryphon and Phoenix are meant to protect the Spirit Plane. Let them. You know Terin’s power and what she’s capable of. I need her beside me. As for Caleb, I could argue that he grew up in a demonic dimension and could teach us all a thing or two about hand-to-hand combat. But the truth is, if this is it—if I’m gonna die with my boots on—then I want him beside me. Think of it as my last request.”
She chewed on the inside of her cheek and mulled it over. “I’ll take it before the Council Master, that’s the best I can offer.”
“That’s all that I ask.”
Chapter 15
One week later
“Grams, that’s a pretty effective head lock, but most demons don’t actually have hair. Which renders the hair pulling unnecessary.”
“Whatever it takes to win!” Grams hollered and switched tactics to a vigorous noogie.
“I think we can ring the bell on this round,” I interjected for my sister’s sake. “Keni’s face is turning purple.”
With a shrug, Grams released her hold and did a Mick Jagger victory strut around the garage. I tried to force a smile at her zany antics but the weak effort couldn’t break through the stoic mask fastened on by life’s recent torments.
Keni righted herself and soothed her ruffled hair. The color quickly rushed back to her face. “We need to switch trainers. Terin is teaching me the fundamentals of tae kwon do, while you’re teaching Grams bar room brawl.”
From my position at the edge of the sparring ring I raised one hand in a three-finger Girl Scout salute. “Keni, she didn’t learn the bite and scratch method from me. I promise.”
“I’m scrappy!” Grams giggled and threw a couple of air punches that made the loose skin under her arms wobble.
“She could’ve learned it from you,” Keni huffed. “You bit the Kaznaj demon.”
I thought back then slowly bobbed my head in confirmation. “Yeah, but it bit me first.”
Kendall’s eyebrows rose in smug victory. “See?”
Terin’s feverishly hot arm brushed mine as she stepped beside me. “Uh, I don’t mind working with your grandmother …”
The hesitation following her statement was long enough to be noticeable. “But?”
“But, you know with my Phoenix nature I can occasionally lose control and … erupt?”
“I do remember that from the gnome-fetti it led to, yes.”
“If she bites me I’m going to smoke her like a brisket.”
“Hear that Grams?” I called with a slight lift of my chin.
“Smoked like a brisket.” Grams slammed back a swig of her water bottle before adding, “Got it!”
“I feel better having a disclaimer established.” Terin filled her lungs to capacity and exhaled slowly before crossing the garage to pair up with her new student.
That left Keni free to mosey to my side. Nervously, she fiddled with the hem of her PINK tank top. “So, about this intense daily training stuff …”
“If you’re coming over to whine, save it.” I stretched one arm over my head then switched and did the other. “You know why we have to do this.”
“I know why you think we have to do this, but it’s been a week, Cee.” Keni shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Guilt forced her gaze to the dirty cement floor. “I wasn’t there that night. I really wish I had been, but maybe you read the signals wrong? Maybe things aren’t quite as dire as you thought?”
That simple sentence provided my memory all the provocation it needed to reload the snuff film of Alec’s final moments. That reel was already worn and frayed from frequent, torturous viewings. A crimson slash. Warm stickiness dripping down my arm as I held my friend tight, powerless to stop life from severing its hold on him.
I bent in half and grabbed my ankles in a deep quad stretch, mainly to hide the pained grimace I couldn’t hold back. “You’re right. You weren’t there. If you had been, you wouldn’t be able to ask that. Training is mandatory.”
Any further argument died on Kendall�
�s lips. Her joining me for a few ballistic stretches acted as her wordless consent. Yet, before either of us could throw the first jab in a fresh round of sparring, the side door of the garage creaked open. Morning light flooded in, illuminating the new arrivals with heavenly radiance. Hair like raven feathers, casting shades of blue under the light. Spun gold that glistened with an ethereal brilliance stolen from angels. Alluring ebony. Glistening platinum. Separately, Caleb and Rowan could make any girl swoon. Together they were a symphony of lethal seduction. Dark and light. Mystery and intrigue. Danger and promise.
My breath caught as Caleb’s gaze locked with mine. Need and longing flashed in his eyes, but only for a moment. Quickly, he averted his stare. The rake hanging on the wall suddenly seemed to require his full attention. Rowan, on the other hand, cocked one platinum brow and peered directly at me. No trace of emotion to be found.
“Sorry tah interrupt,” Caleb muttered, shifting his stare slightly to the shelf full of old paint cans. “Din’t know anyone was in here.”
“We’ll be done in a minute,” I said tightly, whilst pondering if they could actually hear the hammering of my heart at this distance.
“No rush, we were just gonna train with the glee lads a bit.” Rowan smirked and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his khaki pants. “That red-headed one has the upper body strength of a toddler.”
Keni, Grams, and even Terin chuckled. I ignored his attempt at charm and simply stated, “Give us a half an hour.”
Caleb dug his phone from his pocket and clicked it to life, “So, we can plan for 0800 hours?”
“If that’s a half hour from now, then sure.” Leave it to military time to threaten my steely façade.
“Very good then. We’ll leave ya to it.” Cal nodded to Row and they ducked back out.
I winced as the door banged shut behind them, then wordlessly busied myself retrieving the punching bag from the tool bench it leaned against. Stretching up on my tiptoes, I secured it to the chain.
Ascension (The Gryphon Series) Page 11
