by Tenaya Jayne
“I think you’ll like her. You two are quite alike, actually.”
“I don’t doubt I’ll like her. I’ve admired her for so long. I’m just worried, when I actually meet her, I’ll make a fool of myself by acting like a twelve-year-old fangirl.”
He laughed and caught her up in his arms and kissed her mouth sweetly, until she rested easily against him.
“Relax.”
She smiled. “Don’t you know it’s a bad idea to tell a woman to relax?”
He looked confused. “No. Why?”
She looked up at the cottage and didn’t answer. “This is really where they live?”
“This is it.”
“It’s really…special. Charming.”
“Yeah. It’s quickly become one of my favorite places.”
He squeezed her hand before knocking on the front door. A tall, and terribly handsome, vampire answered, giving them an easy smile.
“Shreve,” Syrus said, shaking his hand, then he turned his grey eyes on her. “So this is Sabra?”
She felt her nerves bounce in her chest and could only nod as he shook her hand as well. “Pleasure to meet you,” he said. “Come in.”
Sabra smiled unconsciously as they walked into the house, reality making her a little dizzy. The ex-prince and most powerful mage in all Regia had just invited her in. She wasn’t able to really absorb the warm charm of the living room before she was confronted by Forest.
Sabra stared at her. Strikingly beautiful, she looked much like Shreve. They had the same eyes. Forest was like the finest sword, exquisitely detailed with a deadly sharp edge. She didn’t shake Sabra’s hand, but pulled her into a welcoming hug.
“Thank you for coming. I can’t tell you how happy I am to meet you. Please make yourself at home.”
She released Sabra and gave Shreve a hug as well.
“Where’s my niece?” he asked.
“Dad has her. They’ll be here in a little while. Come, sit down.”
She ushered them to the couch. They sat, and Forest pinned Sabra with her eyes. “So, tell me all about yourself. I’ve heard about your impressive victory in the tournament.”
“Yes. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I guess I have you to thank for some of my success.”
“Oh?”
“I used your sword. I hope you don’t mind. Shreve gave it to me.”
Forest looked at Shreve and smiled. “He did, did he? I was wondering what happened to that.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize…I’ll be happy to give it back,” Sabra said quickly.
Forest waved her hand dismissively. “You keep it. I don’t want it back.”
“But surely you must. It’s a very special blade. So unique and beautiful.”
Forest smiled broadly. “Thank you for the compliment. I actually made that sword.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll be sure to give it back as soon as possible.”
Forest chuckled. “No. I seriously don’t want it. I promise. You keep it.”
“Why would you not want it?” Sabra was confused.
“Show her your new one,” Shreve said to Forest. “Then she’ll understand.”
Forest got up and left the room as Syrus came in. He set a couple of wine-filled flutes on the short table in front of them.
“Here,” he said. “Dinner is just about ready. Where did Forest go?”
“She’s getting her freaky sword to show Sabra.”
Syrus sat down. “Ah. Interested in weapons, Sabra?”
“As much as the next girl who grows up in a dumbass, misogynistic culture and has to kill to be taken seriously.”
Syrus laughed appreciatively and gave Shreve a meaningful look. “You do realize our women are going to be fast friends, don’t you?”
“Yeah. I’ve already thought of that.”
Forest came back into the room with her sword. Sabra stood up, coming close to get a better look, in awe of the beauty and originality of it. She’d never seen a hilt that looked like a tree. Or a blade made from glass, let alone glass that held lightning inside it. The sword was a lethal work of art.
“Careful,” Forest warned as she handed it to her. “It’s deadly.”
“I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“It’s one of a kind,” Forest agreed.
Sabra looked at her. “Just like you. It suits you.” She handed it back, and Forest slid it into its ornately carved wooden scabbard.
“Thank you.”
“Let’s eat,” Syrus said.
The four of them sat down at the table and enjoyed a fantastic meal and each other’s company. Sabra’s nerves were all forgotten. Her heart became lighter than it had been in a very long time. She knew everything about Shreve now, and it made her so happy to watch the way he interacted with his sister. The ease and the trust between them was amazing, given how new their relationship was. It seemed like Forest needed him almost as much as he needed her.
Sabra sipped her wine when her plate was clean. “That was an amazing meal.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Syrus said.
Forest smiled into Sabra’s eyes. “He’s good at everything, but he really is superior in the kitchen.”
“Lucky girl,” Sabra said. Then she turned to Shreve. “Can you cook at all?”
“No. But why would I need to? You’re the pack leader. Every time you’ve been hungry, I’ve seen you ring that bell and food appears.”
“How are you settling into all that?” Forest asked.
“So well!” Sabra exclaimed. “And everyone is really accepting of Shreve.”
“She may be over stating that,” Shreve corrected. “But it’s mostly true. I’ve only just decided that since I’m a shifter, I can do a good work by finding the shifters that were displaced by Aluka Circle and bringing them to the Lair.”
“We want to rebuild the ties wolves and shifters used to have and open up our community to them as a first step to ending the mindset that wolves should live apart from the rest of Regia,” Sabra said.
“That’s an excellent plan. I’m going back to work next week for the first time since Tesla was born. We should confer on this in a professional capacity. Could you come by Fortress soon? Both of you?”
Sabra smiled brightly. “Yeah. Of course.”
“Great!” Forest looked out of the window. “It’s dark now,” she said to Syrus.
He got up from the table. “I’ll go make the fire.”
“What’s going on?” Sabra asked.
“Family initiation.” Forest smiled. “It’s time for s’mores.”
When they were all outside, standing around the heat with wire pokers in the fire, a portal opened, and Rahaxeris and Tesla came through.
Sabra was spellbound by Tesla. It wasn’t shocking that someone with such gorgeous parents was gorgeous as well, but aside from her beauty, she was so strange…exotic and frightening. The girl pinned her with her eyes, and there was an unmasked animosity there. She looked Sabra over thoroughly before running at Shreve and hugging him.
The two of them were thick as thieves. They signed animatedly at each other, and Shreve laughed at a few things she said. He redirected her attention back onto Sabra.
“Tesla, this is Sabra. My destined life mate. She’s the leader of the werewolves.”
Tesla signed something at her. The movements of her hands were abrupt, harsh even.
“Tesla!” Shreve chided.
“What did she say?” Sabra asked.
“She said, If you hurt him, I’ll make you pay.”
She would have laughed. She wanted to, but she could tell the girl was totally serious. “I’ll remember that. But I would never hurt him. I promise.”
Tesla narrowed her large grey eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, scrutinizing Sabra again, possibly even closer than before. Her face smoothed out, and she nodded once at Sabra before turning on her heel and striding into the house.
&n
bsp; “I’m sorry,” Forest said. “She’s never acted like that before.”
“No, no. That’s fine.” Sabra smirked, thoroughly amused. “Since she’s not easily won over, I’ll know when I really have her affection, if I ever do.”
“After she saved my life, before I came back to you, she started treating me like her pet,” Shreve said.
“She claimed you as her pet before that,” Syrus said. “Remember the fuzzy blanket?”
The two men laughed.
“I’m going to go talk to her for a minute.” Shreve went back into the house as Rahaxeris came up to Sabra.
“Welcome to the family,” he said, taking one of her hands in his long sharp ones.
She swallowed, trying not to be afraid. He was the first Rune-dy she had ever seen. Shreve had told her about him, and not to be scared, but it was difficult. He took a step back from her and walked over to Forest. She handed him a poker and a marshmallow. Sabra’s fear of him faded as he took the silly thing and put it in the fire.
She smiled bemusedly, her heart lifting again. She had a new family. A mate, a sister, a brother, a father, and even a temperamental tween niece. Life felt pleasantly full.
****
“What’s wrong, Tesla? Why were you rude like that?” Shreve asked.
Sorry. She signed. I shouldn’t have acted like that. She’s very beautiful. I’ll be better the next time I see her. Do you think she hates me?
“Of course she doesn’t hate you. Just give her a chance—you’ll like her.”
I just kind of liked having you to myself, but once she has the baby, you won’t have time for me.
“Baby?”
Tesla rolled her eyes and made a little snorting sound. I saw it inside her. The embryo is only a few hours old. A girl.
Shreve felt dizzy. He and Sabra had made love a few hours ago. He tried to focus his attention back on Tesla.
“No matter how many children I may have, there will only ever be one of you. You saved my life. I will always have time for you.”
She smiled and hugged him around the neck. I’m sorry for being rude.
Late that night, after they’d gone home, Shreve lay in bed stroking Sabra’s arm, still dizzy and marveling at the change in his life. He hadn’t told her about the baby. And after he’d loved her thoroughly, she was sleeping soundly on his chest. He thought his heart would burst. He swore he would do everything right and never take even a day of his life for granted. And he would be the best father any kid ever had, that was a must. He found he couldn’t wait any longer. He kissed her forehead.
“Sabra, wake up.”
“Hmm?” She nuzzled against him softly. “What is it? You want some more?”
He chuckled. “Always.”
She yawned. “All right then.” Her voice was still sleepy, and she rolled over on her back. “Do your worst.”
“I think I already have.”
She blinked, coming more awake. “Huh?”
He placed his hand on her stomach. “We’re going to have a daughter.”
Sabra sat up, now fully awake. “How would you know?”
“Tesla told me. She saw the baby inside you. We conceived her this afternoon.”
She blinked a few times. “That’s sooner than I anticipated…I…I don’t know how I feel.” She put her hands on her stomach, looking down and then back up at him. “Really?” A timid smile pulled at her lips.
“Really. I think we should name her Sophie.”
Tears sprang to her eyes, and she sank back down against him, her head on his chest where it was before. “Damn, I love you, Shreve.”
Chapter Twenty One
Journey’s hands trembled as she held the tesseract, approaching the Heart. The flames sparked around the top. She lay the cube on the ground and sat behind it, placing her hands flat on the dirt. The white light slid along the ground toward her, pooling under the cube for a moment and then stretching to her. It grabbed onto her hands.
So this is the blood lock? The heart asked inside her head with its ethereal voice.
“Yes. Will you accept it? Will you protect yourself and all of us from this coming threat?”
The Heart was silent. She held her breath, waiting for its answer. The light on the ground swirled around the cube and caressed the sides of it.
You may place it in the flames. I will generate the power to run it, but whether it ultimately works is no doing or fault of mine, but rests with those who created it… The girl, have her come to me… Alone.
“Yes. Thank you.”
The light slid back, releasing Journey’s hands. She picked the cube up and brought it to the flames. The flame reached out and enveloped the tesseract, taking it from her grasp. The cube held steady, suspended in the middle of the manifestation, as if it hung from an invisible wire.
Journey backed up and walked to where the rest of the group waited a distance away. All of their eyes were bright with anticipation for the news.
“The Heart has accepted the cube and will power the blood lock.”
Everyone sighed in relief. Journey’s eyes sought out Forest, her daughter clasped to her side.
“Tesla, the Heart wants to talk to you.”
****
Tesla swallowed as she walked toward the flames, the fear of punishment, or worse, discovery, writhing in her stomach. How was she to talk to the Heart? Could it see her hands?
A voice came into her head, halting her in her tracks.
Don’t be afraid of me, Tesla. I will keep your secret. You can answer me in your mind, the voice said.
She clenched her hands together. What secret? She thought.
Hope is an important element to survival. You’ve given them that. But you and I know the blood lock will not hold for long. You have deceived them very skillfully. Even the two others who created the lock with you don’t know.
I’m not finished, Tesla insisted. I just haven’t yet found what I need to make it what the others believe it to be. I’ve been searching other worlds. I know the answer is out there, somewhere.
A terrible crashing noise tore through the sky. Tesla cowered, covering her ears, as the first alarm Merhl put in place was tripped. She rushed forward, reaching into the flames, opening the tesseract and turning it on. A blood red shockwave shot out from the cube, stretching over the whole of Regia. The barrier solidified on the tail of the shockwave.
The flames sparked. You better hurry, girl. I will use what you’ve made to hold them back as best I can, but they are coming, and they will crash against this wall like the ocean.
The End
Lightning Flower
Copyright © 2017 by Tenaya Jayne
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without the written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.
This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue are the products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.
ASIN: B01N11GB7D
Edited by Valerie Hatfield
Proofread by Ally Robertson
Cover art by Erika Doucesse
Cold Fire Publishing LLC
Prologue
I am Tesla… but I cannot speak my name aloud. Technically, I am only two years old, but inside I am infinite, ageless. I have two loving parents, but I am alone. Like an island in the sea. There is no one else like me. I am totally, uncontested, and damnably unique. My body is the distilled perfection of pain. Even in my mother’s womb, before I took my first breath, there was pain. Don’t scoff, I remember it.
How can it be that I am the merging of two people, and be so different from them? The poison that entered my mother invaded me. Poison and magic became reactive agents that twisted me before I was born. So, I am screwed up, probably more than anyone else you’ve ever met. They tell me I’m beautiful, but when I
look at my reflection, all I see is the chaos of the tempest of magic inside me. My skin is the paint. I am the portrait of agony.
No one sees what I see. Their eyes only perceive the surface. Even those who can see the layers and use them, my grandfather, my friend Merhl, even they cannot see past the second atmosphere. They don’t know about the currents and moods of the dark elements. They have never felt the wind in the dangerous grey of the Everpath. I walk alone through maps of other worlds. Searching for the answer… Hunting the last puzzle piece to make my machine of safety impenetrable.
I carry Regia on my back. If I fail… we all die.
Chapter One
The ground under Tesla’s feet was neither solid nor liquid, and she lost her balance as she ran. Crying out in pain, she went down on one knee as an arrow coated in foreign poison sank deep into her shoulder. The army behind rushed closer, more arrows flew around her. She had to get out. She had to find the door. The toxin on the arrow was already making her head swim. She grabbed a handful of the alien ground and shoved it into her pocket. Focus, focus… She took a deep breath. She didn’t have time to find the door she snuck through into this world, more arrows whistled past her. She would be hit again if she didn’t get out now. There was no choice; she would have to punch through the wall.
The bones of her fingers rattled as she shoved her hands through the atmosphere and tore it open. Blinding light stabbed her eyes as the wind of the Everpath wrapped around her and pulled her into its cold grey nothingness. Her heart thundered, sweat poured down her back, and she was on the verge of hyperventilating if she didn’t ease her breathing.
She quickly looked down one side, and then the other, of the endless hallway in that dangerous place that was nowhere. She was alone. Nausea churned in her stomach as the poison continued to invade her blood. She reached around and grabbed the arrow, but it was at the worst possible angle. She let go of it, realizing what she would have to do.
Damn. This little mishap was going to blow her cover. At least partly.
She walked down the row of doors to the one she needed and opened it. Sickness, like she had never felt before, hit her hard as she landed in the Rune-dy’s headquarters. The antechamber was empty. Rahaxeris was probably asleep, seeing as it was the middle of the night.
