“Not if I can help it.” Gregg grinned wickedly, towing her over to what she secretly referred to as his toy box. Otherwise known as the weapons room.
“I don’t want new weapons,” she whined. “I can’t manage the ones I have, you crazy Scot!”
“Relax, Red, I got you covered.” He winked as he strapped a belt around her waist and holstered a ridiculously long serrated dagger at her hip, along with a dozen throwing blades.
“You do remember how dangerous I am with those?”
“Aye, that’s the point. Everyone will duck and cover if they see you wielding these.”
“Even my teammates?”
“Especially your teammates,” he snorted. “But I think you’ll like this one, although something tells me you’ll just think it’s pretty.” He produced a slinky sliver whip disguised as a bracelet.
“Aw, it matches my new shoes…er dagger, matches my new dagger.” She pulled the loose coil over her wrist.
He growled something in Gallic—probably a prayer for patience. “When you strike the whip, the tiny barbs expand and if you catch bare skin it will do some serious damage.”
She couldn’t imagine using any of these weapons on her friends, except maybe Aidan, but he could take it and actually kind of deserved it. No matter how many times they told her, “we heal fast,” she knew she would never willingly hurt anyone for the sake of a stupid game.
“I know you think we’ve all lost our bloody minds, but I promise this will be fun.”
“Before or after I’m cut to ribbons?”
“Put these on, kid.” Jin tossed her a set of gear. She ducked out to change into her fatigues. They were oddly heavy; lined with some kind of mesh that made the fabric like armor. When she added the steel-toed boots, gauntlets and greaves, she realized she would be well protected from injury. She cinched the belt at her waist, holstering her collapsible quarterstaff and the nasty looking dagger at her hip. She finished her new ensemble with the shiny whip snaked around her upper arm.
“How am I supposed to walk and not fall down under all this crap?” She sneered. “Not to mention the fighting part?”
“We’ll spend the rest of the week practicing, don’t worry,” Jin said. “You’ll be on Liam’s team with Daniel and I. I promise we won’t let you get into anything you can’t handle.”
Allie just wasn’t sure she trusted his definition of what she could or could not handle.
<><><>
CHAPTER
TWENTY-NINE
Allie screeched to a halt when she approached Naeemah’s house Saturday evening. It took her a long moment to lift her foot off the brake. There were some very old Immortals waiting to meet her.
She forced herself to cross the courtyard, but when the door opened, she sank into a reflexive crouch.
“Allie?” Sasha called, bolting to her side, her ever-present Highland dirk in her hand. “What’s wrong?”
“Sorry.” Allie flushed.
“Old people freaking you out?” She shoved the dirk back in its sheath under her dress.
“Just a bit.”
“Well, you’re kinda freaking them out.” She giggled as they entered the kitchen.
Allie’s eyes immediately sought Aidan’s, an impulse she couldn’t seem to control these days. She felt a pang of loneliness when he ducked into the living room.
He should be the one introducing me to the family he loves.
“This is the little rug rat you guys brought home?” a dark, ruggedly handsome man said with a familiar grin. “She is a little firecracker, isn’t she?”
“Aye, be nice, little brither.” Gregg punched him playfully. “Our little firecracker has bite.” He swept her into a massive bear hug. She suspected they’d been drinking…a lot. The Socts in him was out in rare form tonight. “Allie, this is my baby brither, Aidan Sr. If you cannae see why I named me son after ‘im, ye will before the nicht’s over.”
“There’s three of you grinning, winking McBriens?” she smirked. She could definitely see the family resemblance between uncle and nephew and found it remarkable, considering there were no actual blood ties between them.
“Sarcasm, love? You wound me.” Aidan Sr. grinned with a wink that made her giggle like an idiot.
“Everyone calls me Uncle Aide to avoid confusion. Come, you have several more McBrien boys to meet.” He carelessly draped his arm around her.
“Nephews!” he called as they entered the living room. “And of course, Imogen, my elderly niece. Meet Allie. I found her wandering around the kitchen.”
“Elderly? By barely half a century, you worthless cad.” Imogen rolled her eyes.
Allie gasped. She recognized the stunningly gorgeous woman with eyes that glowed like a ring of fire.
“I see Mom has shown you how I came to join this family. Not my finest hour, but lucky for me she is a forgiving woman.”
Allie couldn’t believe what an amazing person Naeemah was, to adopt the young girl who attacked her on that mountainside so many years ago.
“This is my husband, Lucian.” She introduced the young man seated beside her.
“We’ve heard so much about you.” Lucian smiled in a way that oddly reminded Allie of her father.
“Yes, little Aidan has been telling us all about you.” Imogen smiled.
“Gen!” Aidan flopped down beside his big sister. “Stop. Please, I’m begging you!”
“Aw, baby brother.” She ruffled his dark hair playfully.
“You were right, little bro.” A burly young man with wavy brown hair vaulted over the sofa to sit beside Allie. “She’s hot.” He winked. “I’m Darius and that’s Seamas and Fitzie. We’re little Aidan’s older, more attractive brothers.” He dodged Aidan’s swing.
“Darius!” Aidan glowered, and the two were off, chasing each other through the living room.
“I prefer Scott.” A gentle voice sounded behind her.
“You must be Fitzie.” Allie giggled at the look of chagrin on the slim man’s face.
“A nickname referring to my past in the limelight. Darius was forced to actually read a book in high school and made some discoveries about his big brother back in the Gilded Age. Thus ‘Fitzie’ was born and unfortunately it stuck.”
“So you’re—”
“Darius! Leave the kid alone!” Seamas roared as the boys flashed past him.
“Allie, I already feel like I know you.” He smiled graciously, sweeping her into a familiar hug. “This is my husband, George.” He introduced the tall, muscular black man with impressively long dreads and a huge smile.
“Lovely to meet you,” George said, dodging Darius.
“Not in the house, boys!” Naeemah snarled.
“Sorry, Ma, the little punk started it!” Darius returned to his seat after besting Aidan in the short wrestling match, leaving him behind to bear the brunt of Naeemah’s wrath.
“I’m sorry, George.” Allie smiled. “I have to ask—”
“Nearly five-thousand years old,” he said.
“Wowsa.”
“He was born as Gilgamesh,” Seamas said proudly.
“Seriously? You have to show me your story sometime!” she begged. “I know that’s probably rude, but I don’t think I care!”
“Hey, she’s smart too.” Darius grinned. “I always thought Gilgamesh was that dude from the smurfs.”
“That’s Gargamel, you idiot.” Seamas rolled his eyes.
Allie watched the brothers in wonder; Seamas looked like a taller, blond, paler twenty-year old version of his much younger brother.
“How is it—?”
“That I am so marvelously young and handsome, when my younger brother is so old and decrepit?”
“Er…sure.” Darius didn’t look old, really. He was maybe twenty-five or six.
“Watch it, big brother.” Darius frowned. “Just remember, I am much more interesting.”
“And I’ll always be younger, and older than you,” Seamas added to Allie’s complete confu
sion.
“Sorry,” he laughed. “I am one-hundred-and-fifty years older than Darius but I look like his little brother. A few months before my sixteenth birthday, my first love died and I struggled with the loss. I suffered a terrible early Awakening that lasted nearly a week—not because I am extraordinarily powerful, but because I wasn’t ready. My progression into adulthood was greatly affected by my experiences. In my teens, my power was nearly impossible to control, but I eventually found my footing and I began progressing rapidly. The slowing started almost immediately, and my Proving came far too early. It was almost as erratic as my Awakening. Mom and Dad were afraid you might suffer similarly and I advised them to do everything they could to avoid telling you until after. For that I am deeply sorry.”
“It worked out for the best,” Allie said.
“Allie!” Sasha called, “come meet my cousins.”
Dean and Erin were Aide and Hélène’s children. Dean could easily have passed for his Uncle Quinn’s twin. His older sister Erin was tall and slim like Sasha, but with pale skin and short spiky blond hair. Her plethora of tattoos and piercings gave her a hard edge, but her exuberant smile won Allie over immediately. She was busy giving Aidan a new tattoo—somehow removing a portion of an older one and replacing it with something Allie had drawn for him weeks ago.
“Well, that explains his morphing tats.” Allie stared at his chest as the girl worked with her unusual gift.
“Holy crap! You are strong!” Erin looked up from her drawing.
“Um, that’s what they tell me.” Allie flushed.
“Don’t mind me. You excited for tomorrow?”
“Yeah, sure.” Once again reminded of the approaching morning, she felt her fears of inadequacy rise, and excused herself.
“You must be Allie.” A deep voice sounded behind her.
She felt a chilling jolt hit her at the weight of his lifeline.
“Liam.” She looked up and up….and up. She’d seen him in Gregg’s memories, but she marveled at his sheer height and blond Norse coloring. It was like meeting a Viking straight out of Valhalla.
“I’ll be your team captain tomorrow.” He tossed back a glass of brandy marked with an odd yellow label. When he took her hand, she felt a warm vibration spread up her arm and immediately resisted the influence of his gift.
“Sorry, bad habit. Once I touch you with my gift, I will always be able to find you. It’s kind of like an internal GPS. May I?” He reached for her hand again. This time she allowed the intrusion.
“I know you must feel like we’re throwing you to the wolves, but I promise it will be fun. Just stick close to me tomorrow.” He winked.
“You may live to regret that,” Allie laughed. There was a quiet, deep sadness in his eyes, and she was strangely calmed by his assurance.
“You seem oddly familiar to me. It’s like I know you.” He poured another drink and smiled wryly. “At my age anything new is a reason to celebrate.” He raised his glass. “Cheers to that, little one.” He grinned with a bright smile that transformed his face.
“Liam, she’s just adorable!” Naeemah said, coming around the corner with a sleepy toddler on her hip.
“Allie, this is Liam’s daughter, Kahlynn.”
“Are you ready for her?” she asked carefully. He took a deep breath and reached for his daughter.
“I found this little peanut last year when I was up visiting Hélène and Aide. She was sleeping in an old barn on their property and I was a goner the moment I saw her.” He hugged the sleepy little girl to his chest. “Never in a billion years would I have ever attempted raising a little girl on my own, but here I am, a two thousand year old Viking, scared to death of a baby—”
“And loving every second.” Naeemah grinned.
Allie’s heart suddenly leaped into her throat and the color drained from her face.
“Relax, it’s just my parents,” Naeemah said in her lilting cadence.
“Allie!” Nadira smiled brightly, “we’ve so been looking forward to meeting you!”
“Oh my, you were right, Daughter,” Sayid said reverently. “She’s extraordinary.”
“This is totally surreal!” Allie giggled, trying hard not to make a fool of herself as she eagerly greeted the real live, positively ancient, Senmut and Hatshepsut.
<><><>
CHAPTER
THIRTY
“Remind me again how this is supposed to be fun?” Allie gripped her seat as the helicopter lurched and she was suddenly looking down into the choppy water below.
“Enough with the tricks, Jin! Fly this thing straight!”
“Buck up, Red.” Liam stood to address his team. As captain of the red team, he would lead Jin, Daniel, Imogen, Hélène, Scott, Darius, Quinn, Sasha, Allie and Aidan. Ming Lao would lead the opposing blue team, and Gregg was head of the judges.
Allie contemplated jumping from the helicopter and taking her chances with the frigid lake below, but she was pretty sure they’d just fish her out, dry her off, and put her back in the game. She was just going to have to suck it up.
How bad could it really be?
When they landed on the small island, she couldn’t help but notice how much it had changed since the last time they were there. It was almost unrecognizable, more like a jungle than a forest.
“Hélène, you’ve been busy.” Gregg admired the new landscaping.
“Yeah! Awesome job, big sister, but let’s get this thing started already!” Quinn said eagerly.
I’m so not ready for this! Allie was nearly frantic when the judges piled into their jeeps and Gregg turned to address the group. “On Chloe’s count the game will begin. Follow your respective paths to find your first clue. Play smart and have fun!”
At the sound of Chloe’s whistle, everyone surged forward. Allie shuffled unsteadily beside Liam.
“There!” Sasha pointed down the narrow path. A large frozen pool was just barely visible with their first clue trapped inside.
“Can you manage it?” Allie asked. The others were already circling the pool, chattering away with different ideas.
“Sure, if I had a few hours and a pizza.” Aidan shrugged, rolling up his sleeves to give it a shot.
He carefully placed his hands on the ice and tiny beads of water puddled on the surface.
“This could take all day!” Quinn huffed impatiently.
“Give him some space!” Allie snapped. “Let him concentrate.”
Aidan pushed himself too hard, the color draining from his face. He was demanding far too much of his gift.
She placed her hands at his back and he tensed, resisting her influence.
“Let me help you.” She gently massaged his shoulders until he relaxed, finally allowing her to revitalize him with her peculiar gift.
“Is she helping him?” Hélène gasped when the ice began to melt faster.
“She’s lending him strength,” Daniel said proudly.
“They’re so young and so very extraordinary already,” she whispered in awe.
They worked together silently until Aidan managed to reach the large wooden block.
“What is it?” Allie asked.
“No idea.”
“Is it Norse?” she asked Liam.
“Yes, but it’s a dead dialect. My mother spoke it when I was very young.” He paced as he puzzled over the translation.
Finally, he gathered everyone around. “These are the rules of the game, people! It’s simple; we need to capture the majority of seven flags. Each side will have an opportunity to earn two flags, but we will be competing against blue for the remaining three later in the game. Our first challenge is up ahead, which I’m certain will be an ambush.” He grinned in anticipation. “I’m guessing we’ll earn our first flag when we’ve beaten the judges.”
Allie’s panic surged to new heights. She carefully stuck to Liam’s side while Imogen and Hélène moved ahead, taking point.
“Stop freaking, little one. I got your back. But you might want to
draw your weapon.”
“What’s happening?”
“You see that flag up there?” He pointed into the vine-covered trees. “We’re going to need that, but I’m thinking the judges will be attacking any second now.” His piercing blue eyes searched the trail for the enemy.
“Aw, crap.” She took another step closer to his side.
The forest grew darker and more menacing the further they ventured along the path. Allie felt like she was back in the Amazon.
Just as the path began to widen, Gregg and Lou materialized from the trees above, attacking Imogen and Hélène who reacted without breaking stride.
Liam shoved Allie behind him when Gabrielle attacked wielding a wicked two-handed sword. He reacted in a flash, pulling a double-edged Jian from the sheath at his back.
Quinn was already battling Lucien while Aidan and his namesake uncle eagerly grappled in hand to hand combat, both grinning like they were having the time of their lives.
Sasha was engaged in a fencing match with Emma, and Allie suddenly found herself on the ground with her knee throbbing. She looked up just as a quarterstaff came whistling at her head. She rolled aside and leapt to her feet with her own quarterstaff unsheathed and extended to block the attack.
“Nice one.” Chloe grinned. “You think you might actually beat me this time?”
“Cheap shot, Chlo!” During their shared sessions, Allie tried very hard not to hurt her little friend, but she wasn’t feeling quite so benevolent at the moment.
“I knew it! You’ve been holding back!” Chloe glowered when Allie pinned her to the ground in record time. “But I hope you win.” She hopped up to retreat to the sidelines.
“Now what?” Allie turned to face the melee. Sasha was fighting a losing battle against Emma, while Quinn and Aidan were working together against Aide, who was bleeding, but seemed happy about it. She winced as uncle struck nephew with a loud crunching blow and Aidan spat several bloody teeth to the ground. His raucous laughter didn’t fit the situation at all.
“This isn’t a spectator sport!” Sasha shrieked. “Get your butt over here!”
Emerge: The Awakening Page 20
