“The hard way sucks,” Antonio agreed. “But I can see the reasoning in it. Unfortunately, none of us were gifted with your mind.”
“Exactly. Not even Jessica is dreaming about this. It’s like we have to go about this in the dark. I don’t like being in the dark,” Jade thought out loud. Jessica had always had dreams that were helpful in situations like this. Not now. No one had a clue. They were flying a 747 through stormy skies without a navigation system.
A woman walked past the mouth of the alley and Rebel and Leigh widened their stance to block the woman’s view. She was wearing a scarf over her head and face, leaving only her eyes visible. Jade had read that women of the Middle East did this because of their religious beliefs. She could only imagine how out of place her band of misfits looked in this strange place.
“So, where are we exactly?” Jade asked. Her eyes took in the unusual shape of the buildings and the bland coloring.
“We’re on an island called Qeshm Island. It is just south of the mainland of Iran. The city is Salakh. This is as near as we could figure to where the Bible depicts the Garden of Eden.” He looked over at Michael. “Can I be absolutely honest with you?” Antonio asked.
“Of course,” Jade replied.
“I don’t know how long he can last like this,” Antonio said. “No one is meant to stay in Limbo for more than a few hours. He has been there for five days. Macy says it’s a desolate, lonely place. She went back to try to find him again, but he couldn’t see her. She could see him, though.”
“How is he?” Jade asked.
“To be honest, I don’t know. Macy said he was talking to himself and acted as if he couldn’t see or hear her. I’m afraid for his sanity.”
Jade watched as the lines etched across Antonio’s angelic face. His wings twitched as if he was fighting the urge to fly somewhere, anywhere, or to do something. Hell, she could understand. She was feeling it too. This waiting was getting old and the helplessness of the situation she felt was driving her to curse. “He’s strong,” she finally said. She didn’t know if she was trying to convince Antonio or herself, but it helped to voice it just the same. “I know he is going to be all right, so long as we hold up our end of the bargain. Macy told him we were coming for him, and I won’t stop until we get him back.”
“I have no doubt of that,” Antonio grinned, despite the situation at hand. Jade had grown up so fast and so well. She was strong of heart and mind. No wonder she mated to Phoenix’s only child. Only someone as strong as she was would be able to handle her. The notion gave him a bit of comfort and it gave him courage to move forward.
“Ok, it’s all ready,” Leigh announced. “Azerial says to bring Michael. Just focus on her.”
“Got it,” Antonio said. Then he turned to Jade. “I’m going to take him now. Meet you at the room.” With that thought, he laid his hand on Michael’s shoulder and they both disappeared.
Jade let out a frustrated sigh. “Well, let’s get going,” she grumbled.
“Azerial says to warn you, it’s not as big as we thought it would be,” Rebel warned her. He pulled the brim of his signature Stetson down lower over his face. “But what else would we expect?”
Leigh smiled up at her husband and linked her arm in his. Jade didn’t want to feel the stab of jealousy that she felt. But she did. Leigh had her man. Jade did not. Not really. She had the equivalent of sleeping beauty and love’s first kiss was some damned feather buried in a mythical garden. Of course it was. This was her life they were talking about. Nothing could just be easy, could it? she thought as she followed Leigh and Rebel around the corner and into the main street.
***
Michael jerked his head to his left. “Who’s there?” he demanded. No one answered him. “I can feel you here. Show yourself!” he shouted into the dark night. He stomped his way around the house that he couldn’t get into, to investigate the sound he thought he heard.
Somewhere in his mind, he knew he hadn’t heard anything. There was no sound. No traffic, no birds, nothing. That didn’t stop his feet from rushing around the corner and expecting to find someone hiding in the bushes.
“What the fuck is going on here?” he demanded of the invisible person. “Is this some kind of joke? It isn’t funny!”
But it is.
Then he whipped his head to the right. “What did you say to me?” He put his hands on his hips and spread his wings as far as the pain would allow. “You have no idea who you’re messing with,” he snapped. “How dare you talk to me like that?”
Clarity slammed down into his brain and Michael realized that he wasn’t actually hearing anything. He pressed his hands on either side of his head in hopes that the pressure would put things to right in there. He remembered where he was and that Jade was doing everything she could to bring him home. He just had to hold on a little longer.
“Hurry,” he said to her, hoping against all odds that she could hear him. “I don’t know how long I can hold it together. I want to come home.”
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
Azerial had been right. The room was smaller than expected. A shoebox would have been larger than the room this tiny hotel was calling a penthouse suite. Michael’s prone body occupied the only bed in the entire room. It did have a small kitchenette, a bathroom, and a sitting room. All of which would have fit nice and easily into Jade’s bedroom.
“Wow,” Jade muttered as she entered the tiny room. “Hope nobody feels the need to stretch out or sleep or anything.”
“I feel your pain,” Frankie agreed with her. “Remind me to swat Sebastian for this.”
“It was the only place available,” Antonio reminded them. “It will have to do. Besides, we are not staying here long. Just long enough to clean up and for our ride to get here.”
“What ride?” Jade asked, almost afraid of what nightmare was about to be thrust upon them.
“I got us some camels,” Antonio grinned. “And a carriage for Michael to ride in. We are searching in style.”
“Oh no,” Leigh groaned. “Fucking no. I am not riding a smelly, nasty camel.”
“Well you, Sweetheart, can fly if you want to,” Antonio replied sweetly.
“Actually, that might be a good idea,” Jade said, perking up slightly.
“Talk,” Rebel said.
“Well, Leigh can fly high above. She can see for miles. If she dragons up, she can scout out a few places for us to start, instead of us just sitting on our humps and hoping for the best.” Antonio smiled at her joke. Camel. Humps. Ha ha.
“We know we’re looking for a garden. Well, this place is covered in sand. We need a place with lush forest and greenery, water, and it has to be beautiful. The Garden of Eden was paradise. I don’t think it was full of sand,” Jade continued.
“You are wise beyond your years,” Azerial complimented her.
Jade rolled her eyes.
“She’s right,” Leigh said. “I’m going to go out now. I’ll find a place to change and start looking. Hopefully by the time you all get showered and ready, I’ll have something for you.”
Jade watched as her aunt and uncle left the room, closing the door softly behind them. Of course Rebel was going to go with Leigh. She was his mate. When they mated, they shared Leigh’s magic. Even though Rebel was still very much a vampire, he could now go out in the sun and do wonderful things like eat and fly. Almost. It was more like levitation, but he was good at it.
Jade knew how fortunate she was to be blessed with such a strong family. They all had their strengths. The members of her family that were the strongest were with her, by her side, fighting to bring her mate back. They weren’t even physically fighting, but mentally. They were fighting against their own ignorance. Fighting against what they didn’t know and what they couldn’t find. Hadn’t found, she corrected her train of thought. They would find it. They would bring Michael back. Where she couldn’t seem to help at all, they had taken the reigns and moved forward. They were strong, fierce, and loyal, and she
knew she would never be able to thank them enough when this was over.
***
Leigh found herself a secluded field to change into her dragon. It wasn’t that the world didn’t know she existed, because they did. But, if she could keep from drawing attention to herself it would be better. People had IPhones now and seeing the only dragon on earth flying overhead was very photo worthy. Or at least, she was before Toni was born. Leigh knew her daughter could handle herself, but she also felt some measure of relief knowing that Toni had gone back to school and was unaware of the situation they found themselves in. If Toni knew, she would be there with them, fighting by their side. It wasn’t a scenario that Leigh was comfortable accepting. She knew by the increase in pressure on her hand where Rebel held her that he was in complete agreement. But no, having a photo of her flying over Iran would undoubtedly alert that little fucker that they had left the house. It was better for him to think they were all still there, scratching their heads. He didn’t need to know that they had a plan.
Leigh let go of Rebel’s hand and pulled on her magic. In a matter of seconds, her human form was replaced with her dragon. She was twenty feet tall with wings and a tail. A tail with spikes. Her scales were shiny onyx, with golden trim. She looked down and saw Rebel looking at her with the same awe he had the first time he had seen her dragon. God she loved that man. She huffed at him and he climbed up her hind leg, settling on her back by the base of her massive neck.
“Ready,” he said, laying his hands on her neck and leaning in to press his cheek against her scales. The love he conveyed in that simple gesture had Leigh’s heart pounding. She didn’t want a mate when they met. He had irritated her to no end and finally, she gave in and opened herself to him. Now, she couldn’t imagine her life without him.
And that reminded her of why they were there. Jade’s mate was in trouble. How could she not help her? With determination and anger for the actions taken against her family coursing through her veins, Leigh spread her wings and forced herself into the sky. She climbed higher and higher until she was sure no one from the ground would be able to tell it was her. Then with Rebel holding on tight, she shot forward. She made big, sweeping circles around the island, increasing the radius of each pass. She saw little patches of trees and growth, but nothing paradise-like jumped out at her.
“Maybe we should extend our search to the mainland,” Rebel offered from the back of her neck.
Leigh didn’t have to answer him. Even without the mental connection, they were so close that their brains tended to think as one anyway. Leigh huffed and climbed higher in the sky, making her way to the mainland.
***
Jade stroked Michael’s wing gently, enjoying the feel of the soft feathers under her fingertips. Frankie was setting up a perimeter spell that would cloak their magic from the rest of the world while they were away from home. She didn’t know if Stephan could sense such things, but she wasn’t taking any chances. They were going to stay hidden. She was surprised that Jacque let Frankie go at all. Their main argument was that they would have to search during daylight hours, but Frankie had insisted they needed her magic. She would not be able to go out in the sun with them, but she could stay in the room or even ride in the carriage with Michael. Jade was happy to have her there. Frankie was powerful and they needed that.
She watched as Serena flitted around the room, getting whatever Frankie asked her to, helping in any way she could. She was setting blessed crystals around the four corners of their room, making a boundary with them. No one and nothing that wasn’t supposed to be there was getting in.
Leigh surprised the hell out of her as she burst through the door. “We can’t find it,” she huffed. “We looked everywhere for a hundred miles. Are you sure this is the place?”
Azerial stepped over to her and placed her hand on Leigh’s shoulder. “I’m sure. I don’t know why you couldn’t find it.”
Jade rolled her eyes. She was positively disgusted with herself. “Oh damn, I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before!”
“What?” Frankie asked, coming to sit by her side.
“Well, it’s been hidden for thousands of years. Whatever made us think we could just see it? No, God would have protected such a special place. Frankie, you need to do a spell. One that allows us to see what we can’t see. A location spell mixed with a sight spell, maybe?”
Frankie grinned. “You are a genius,” she said as she moved quickly to set up the spell.
“I’m sorry you went out looking for no reason,” Jade said softly to Leigh.
Leigh shook her head. “I’m just sorry we wasted the time.”
“Ready,” Frankie announced. They all gathered around her while she lit a candle.
“Goddess of Light, we beseech you,” Frankie started. “Goddess of sight, sister of our sister, we call upon you.”
“Calling Oracle?” Azerial said, her eyes widening. “No one has ever done that before.”
“Shhh,” Jade ordered her.
“We seek to see what we cannot find, open our hearts and open our minds. Show us where to find our salvation, show us the way to our freedom, show us how to find the Garden of Eden.”
At first, nothing happened. Everyone waited with bated breath for something, anything, to happen. The room remained quiet.
“Well, it was worth a try,” Jade said softly, defeat coloring her tone.
“I’m sorry,” Frankie whispered.
Jade broke the circle and flopped back down in her chair beside Michael’s sleeping form. She had to tell herself he was sleeping. She couldn’t process the idea that he might be alone and scared, slowly going insane from being stuck in Limbo. She took his hand in her own and told him, “I’m sorry, Baby. We will find another way. I swear to you. I will get you back.” And she meant every syllable.
That was when it happened. Jade felt a pressure in her head, as if someone was trying to break into the fortress of her mind. Her hands flew to her temples and she cringed under the onslaught of pain it brought with it.
“What’s happening?” Serena screeched, afraid for Jade.
“Someone is trying to get in,” Jade managed in broken breaths.
“Oh no,” Frankie whispered.
“Yes,” Azerial said. “Jade, I know it goes against everything you have ever learned, but I want you to let it in. It may be the answer we have been waiting for.”
Jade shook her head. With everything that was going on, how could she open her mind? How could she take that chance? Her eyes found her mate’s face, and she knew how. Because she knew in her heart that she would do anything for him, even if it meant her own demise. Slowly, she brought down the barriers of her mind and let the force in.
She was overwhelmed immediately of images of a strange land. They flashed through her mind in a whirr of images, as if whoever was showing them to her had severe ADHD. Then they settled on a place, a beautiful place, with trees of every kind, flowers, and a waterfall. Exotic birds, long thought extinct, graced the branches of trees and animals scurried across the ground. Whoever it was, they were showing her paradise. They were showing her Eden.
When the rapid fire slide show stopped, Jade took a deep breath. She didn’t exactly know what she saw, only that it was what they were looking for.
“Jade!” Frankie yelled, coming to her and wrapping her in her arms. “Oh girlie, what was that?”
Jade looked up at Frankie’s face. Her whole head was surrounded in light. As her eyes traveled over the rest of her family present, she found that all of their heads were surrounded in the same, pure light; especially Azerial and Antonio’s. She knew in her heart that she was seeing their souls. Good, pure souls. Why would her family have anything else?
She didn’t realize she was crying until Frankie wiped a tear from her cheek.
“It was beautiful,” Jade finally managed to say. “So beautiful.”
“Did they show you the garden?” Azerial asked.
“And how to get there?�
�� Antonio asked.
Jade shook her head. “I don’t know the directions,” she said. “But I can get us there.” And it was true. She felt it in her chest like a homing beacon. “Pack it up, people; we have no time to lose.”
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE
Jade waited patiently outside the carriage while Antonio transported Michael’s body from the room to the ride. It reminded her of something out of an old Dracula movie. The carriage was made of wood, the windows covered with heavy black fabric. Inside, the same heavy fabric covered the walls, ensuring no sunlight could get in. The image in her head would have been complete if the carriage was pulled by horses instead of a smelly camel.
As if the animal could sense her disdain, he snorted in her direction. “Shut up,” she grumbled at the animal. It huffed and then hacked at her. A wad of snot and goo flew in her direction and Jade jumped back out of the way–just barely. Jade grumbled some more as the camel held its head high, as if it were proud of itself.
She was contemplating the merits of choking the cocky bastard when Antonio stuck his head out through the curtain. “All set. Frankie is in here too. I’m getting out and you are getting in,” he said. He unfolded his long body as he climbed out of the carriage then stepped aside so that Jade could get in. As soon as the curtain closed, she was plunged into complete darkness. It took only a moment for her eyes to adjust and then she saw her mate. He was lying on a mattress that was centered on the floor of their ride. Frankie was sitting in the corner with her knees drawn up to her chest. The air was thick and hot, burning as it entered her lungs.
“Dear God,” Jade said quietly. “We’re gonna roast in here.”
“No we’re not,” Frankie said. “As soon as we are far enough away, I’m casting a cooling spell. This sucks. Immensely.”
“I agree.” Jade moved her nose closer to the window. Even though it was covered, she could almost feel fresh air coming through if she got close enough. She heard the sounds of her family mounting their camels and Jade reminded herself that she was grateful for the inside ride instead of having to get on one of those beasts.
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