by Susan Reid
“Well, imagine what it felt like for Cole.”
“Thanks for reminding me, man.” Cole replied.
“Sorry. I’m just saying that I’m extremely proud and grateful that despite all of that…she’s still here with us. Now, when I get my hands on that scheming wench, that’s a different story.” Jax stated firmly.
“Get in line. I am going to flatten her ass over and over again first before I slay her.” Isis threatened.
Nailah.
Where was Nailah? Though I was angry with her, it was obvious that she hadn’t betrayed us…not like I thought she had. She tried to save me but I wanted an explanation about her connection to that Mara and it had better be a damned good one too. Whoever that evil witch of a Nocturna was, Nailah hated her enough to risk herself by attempting to kill her.
She even seemed afraid of her at one point.
Going by what they were all saying though, she must have ran off to who knows where and hid, terrified of retaliation because they thought she had been to blame. Wherever she was, I hoped that she would remain safe and unharmed until we did see each other again.
I had no idea the magenta-eyed, royal Nocturna were that damned powerful. It took all of us and we still couldn’t bring her down. If she represented what the top echelon of the Ascendants were made up of, it was no wonder that they managed to conquer so many races easily in so little time.
What would we do once they completely wormed their way into the human world?
The same thing that’s happened in our universe over the last few centuries, I suppose. Only now, there weren’t many of us non-humans left to fight against them. This had just been a taste of what was to come but it’s also what we as Hunters have been born and trained to be ready for all of our lives.
—And now, there was nowhere left to escape.
“I’ve been keeping an eye out for her on the mainland. She didn’t go through the gateway. She wouldn’t have. Kai said she mentioned something about heading to the United States, so she may have already arranged to head that way.” Gage replied.
“Well good riddance and if I ever see her again, so help me.” Isis threatened.
“I don’t know who the warrior was but she was obviously a very high-ranking, royal Nocturna. The thing is, when word gets back about her death, and it will, you guys may have to deal with severe retaliation. With Nailah running around, especially since she knows where your island and bar is located, it’s a very high risk to leave her alive. You’ll need to find and take care of her soon.” Gage then said.
“You’re right.” Cole agreed.
“We may need to think about relocating then. Kai is going to flip out. She’s not gonna go for that option at all.” Jax replied.
Cole sighed heavily. “I know but if it’s gonna keep her and everyone safe, then that’s what we’ll have to do.”
Like hell we will. I’m not running from anyone.
“Well, until then, the important thing is that we’re all safe and accounted for, the gateway has been closed permanently, and Kai is recovering well.” Clee offered.
The gateway is closed and they were all safe.
Thank you, Clee. Sweet words of relief that left me with peace as I slipped back into unconsciousness once again.
Chapter 40
My eyes slowly fluttered open. After a long, restful state of sleep, I was completely refreshed though still pretty sore. I could feel the firm binding of bandages strapped across my shoulder, chest, and upper back when I reached up and tried to stretch, only to wince at the effort.
I was in my own bed, thank goodness.
“Good evening.”
I quickly turned my head and smiled.
Gage was sitting next to me. He had been reading and the television was on low.
“Evening?”
He closed the book and set it on the nightstand beside him.
“Wednesday evening, to be exact.”
I painfully picked up my head to look around for some sense of verification, familiarity, and comfort.
“How are you feeling?”
I inhaled and exhaled and then shifted to try and sit up.
Another painful wince and Gage quickly came to my assistance, supporting me while propping a few pillows behind my back.
“Well done and close to charred.” I chuckled.
He laughed, getting my joke though it seemed to bother him that I would make light of it.
“Actually, I’m just a little sore like I pulled muscles in my chest and shoulder and a bit bruised on my insides but nothing major.”
“I’ll bet. Are you hungry?”
“Not really.”
“I didn’t mean for food. You’re healing nicely but you’ll need to continue consuming as much blood as possible to speed it up and regain your full strength. I’ve been giving it to you intravenously while you’ve been out.”
“How long have I been out?”
“Six days total.”
“Six days? Who’s been running the bar and feeding Twinkie?” I exclaimed incredulously and wide awake now.
“Relax. Your friends and your brother have taken care of everything from open to close, including your cat. In fact, he’s never left since you’ve been out. He’s been camped out on your couch the whole time.”
That didn’t surprise me.
“How long have you been here?”
“Every evening and since this afternoon today.”
His care and concern touched me and I wished I could move well enough to throw my arms around him for an appreciative and romantic hug.
I smiled to display my thanks.
“What about Isis?”
“She’s fine. She took a good stun but your ‘not boyfriend’ and another of his kind rescued and cared for her while it all went down. The gateway has been sealed and no one has seen or heard from that little Nocturna since then but we’re looking for her. We’ll need to find her soon in order to protect the integrity of the island and your bar, so if you have some sort of an idea where to look, it would be helpful.”
I just needed to hear all of this again for my own confirmation.
“I don’t know. If she thinks she pissed us all off, chances are we’ll never see her again. But I don’t want anyone to harbor any hard feeling against her until I hear her story. I have a feeling that whatever she planned or thought would happen, wasn’t because she was trying to betray us.”
“Really?”
I nodded. “She tried to protect and save me from her.”
He thought for a moment, a surprised look on his face.
“Well, I still think finding and taking care of her is highly necessary but it’s your call.”
It was silent and I stared mindlessly at the images on the television with no particular interest.
“Thank you for coming to my rescue and risking yourself like that.” I whispered, looking up at him.
“You did the same for me. In fact, you did it for the good of everyone. You, having singularly taken her on, allowed everyone else to take down the rest of the Nocturna and the other malicious beasts that were fighting with them easily. Once they were without her direction, protection, and power, it was easy. When it comes to you, there’s no question or hesitation on my part.” He leaned down to kiss me softly.
Then, he took my hand and opened it gently, placing something that shone and sparkled in the middle of my palm.
My eyes grew wide once I realized what it was.
A Phantom Jaguar crest pin.
I softly gasped and my eyes flicked up to his. He was smiling.
“It’s mine — and it’s authentic.”
I couldn’t help but smile, remembering the fight that ensued over the replica that I had and where that altercation ended up.
“It’s beautiful.” I whispered, examining the details. This one was definitely way different from the replica one. It was even more expertly crafted with attention to fine detail and set with real jewels. There were really small, r
unes inscribed in between the silver spaces of the black gems that you could only make out with a super magnifying glass.
“Those are real black and white diamonds by the way but their value is nowhere near the significance of the crest. Each one is made specifically for each of us. It’s meant to be held up to the light of the moon or the sun, and the reflection reveals my personal code that only all other Phantom Jaguars anywhere in the universe can see and decipher in order to locate and teleport to me quickly, wherever I am.”
I listened in awe. I didn’t know that. That was a unique and cool communication system.
“Kind of like the Batman symbol?” I joked and laughed.
He laughed softly. “I suppose it’s similar. Anyway, I haven’t used it in a very long time and I want you to have it, not only because you already know that it means a lot to me but it’s also for your protection.” He said softly.
Protection?
This crest was all he had left of his homeland, his identity, and it was who and what he is, I couldn’t take it. I held it out for him to take back. “Gage, this is incredibly generous and sweet but I can’t take…”
He folded my fingers closed over it and gently pushed my hand back towards me, clearly not intending to take it back.
“Yes, you can. Giving it to you is giving you a piece of me. It will come in handy, trust me. If anything, I’ll always be able to find you as well as others from my class.”
“Your class? What kind of reaction or confrontation should I expect from them if I do ever use it and they come, thinking it’s you?”
“I’ll probably be there before anyone else and I’ll both explain and introduce you, so don’t worry about that. I do admit I was probably exaggerating just a little bit before though.” He scratched his ear and looked away with a playful grin.
I eyed him. “Oh?”
He was smiling when he looked at me again. “Phantom Jaguars can be cold and very tough but we’re definitely not without heart and loyalty.”
I couldn’t help but smile at him.
“Now that, I do believe. I don’t know what to say.” I was still shocked that he was giving me such a huge and private part of himself and his garde.
“Say that you’ll accept and keep it protected, always.”
“Of course I will but I don’t understand, you’re talking as if you plan on going somewhere.” The thought of that made me panic emotionally when I searched his face for hidden meaning in his unexpected gift.
He smiled. “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere anytime soon, not without you anyway. Wherever and whenever you want to get away for a while, just say the word.”
I gazed up at him with deep admiration. “Thank you. I know this is more than sacred to you, so I’m honored that you trust me with it.” I pushed up to kiss him lovingly.
When we parted, his arm slid around me and held me close to him while I admired the gorgeous crest once again in deep thought. The significance of what I must mean to him by giving me his personal crest was beyond touching and sentimental for me. It made me care for him on a different level than before. Was I falling in love with Gage already?
That’s what it felt like.
“Why so silent?” Gage asked, stroking my hair.
I shook my head. “Just thinking.” I look up at him, marveling at his perfect face. I paused before speaking again, “You know, it was weird.” I trailed off.
“What was?”
“I seriously thought that I was going to die while she was shocking me. I mean, I know I was going to die, my heart stopped beating and I was aware of it.”
Gage gave me his undivided attention, a look of alarm in his gorgeous hazel eyes as he held me tighter against him for reassurance and support.
Feeling his arms around me and his body against mine was more than comforting. I leaned my head against his chest as he stroked and massaged my back. His touch was magical, making me sigh in relief.
“Apparently, your will to fight and live overrode what your body was trying to do.”
“Something like that but I can only explain it as a generator or a computer that shuts down unexpectedly, and then another source of energy or power quickly kicks in to compensate and recharge it.” I described, tilting my head back to look up at him for his response.
This time it seemed as if he were pausing to digest and think about what I said.
“I think I know exactly what you’re referring to. I saw your face right before you tackled and killed her.”
My brows furrowed and I sat up straighter, waiting for him to explain further.
“What do you mean…you saw my face?”
He looked down at me with admiration glinting in his eyes. The way he was stroking my messy hair away from my face and gazing into my eyes was beginning to make me feel as if something were truly wrong with me.
“It was you but it wasn’t. Calling you Tigress, even for the obvious, became justifiably fitting at that precise moment. You were even more captivatingly beautiful to me then. But to someone who didn’t know you as a Hunter, you’d have been seen as extremely terrifying and ferocious, which was why she tried to scream but didn’t get the chance before you took out her throat.”
“What are you talking about, Gage?” I was persistent this time and my heart began racing.
He looked at me endearingly before speaking, “You snarled and roared with a primal rage that sounded exactly like a rampaging Tiger, and your eyes were shining like burning golden embers. For those few seconds, your entire face had completely morphed into a ghostly mirage of a fierce Tiger with the markings, stripes and all.”
If Gage was trying to decorate the facts with flattery to keep from shocking and completely rendering me speechless or fainting…he failed miserably.
Chapter 41
Gage’sdescription of what happened to me definitely left me stunned but not because I was afraid of or repulsed by it, it was just new and freaky to me.
It was something that my uncles, aunts, and the two monks that cared for us when we first entered the human world had tried to explain to us. It was to prepare us for our future as Hybrid Hunters but I never gave it much thought, in fact, none of us did back then, until now.
Memories of their words resonated with me when Gage described it, and now it all made sense. Now I understood what that flash of distortion was on his face was too. The mirage had appeared when the fight had been just me and him. He attacked those Nocturna with the fate of certain life or death hanging in the balance.
That Jaguar that was a large part of him as a Hunter, just like the Tiger was for me.
With no fear or confusion, I came to accept it proudly. It was who I was now, what we are as Hunters, and what we were meant to be with the spirit of Guardian Tiger Gods in our genetics.
It had taken over and kept me alive so that I could ultimately defeat my enemy.
It was the end of summer and we threw a huge barbecue feast on the beach with food, magic, and games for the kids one last time until next summer. It was one of my favorite times and even Fin showed up with her kiddos to see everyone and catch up.
While everyone else enjoyed the festivities, some of us adults spent it working. We had to redo the wards and runes to better mask the island from whoever wasn’t already a patron. The new rule was, if you weren’t wearing the runes somewhere on you, much like a club stamp, then you wouldn’t be able to see the island at all let alone get into the bar.
Not having the required rune sequences somewhere on you would completely redirect any would be boaters or travelers, causing directional confusion. As far as any navigations systems, those would be totally rendered useless.
We weren’t sure how well it would work but it was necessary with the possible threat of retaliation from the Ascendants. We have no idea who all and how many might have gone back through the gateway to avoid being killed.
I didn’t do much but I helped a little. I was still healing and bandaged but I was alive because of my fr
iends and our commitment to always have one another’s back.
No word or sight of Nailah, which really bothered me because she was just in as much danger as we were now. For now, I pushed all of that and everything that’s happened aside, simply wanting to enjoy the food, drinks, and the rambunctious company of all our friends and their families.
It was long past sundown after cleaning up the remnants of the celebration and everyone had retired either back home or back to the bar to hang out as usual.
Syhenna and her friends showed up but Marq was nowhere to be seen. I felt horrible and I wondered if he felt as if he were no longer welcomed with Gage around.
Walking along the beach with nothing but the light of the clear, night sky, along with the gentle sound of the waves, I wistfully glanced out over the moon reflected ripples of waves blanketing the ocean. The sky was quickly fading into a darkening purple-blue color at the horizon.
Barefoot, I stepped into the water letting the frothy tide roll in and rush past my legs in a cool bath that made me shiver momentarily.
“Are you okay?” Gage lingered, noticing my reluctance to join everyone inside just yet.
“Yeah. Just taking a minute to savor the last summer evening of the year.” I sort of lied.
“I see.” He came up behind me, his hands were warm on the sides of my arms when he stroked them comfortingly.
“Marq didn’t come to the barbecue, he always has for the last four years. I just wanted to talk to him.”
I felt my gut clinch, wondering what Gage would think or say to my honest statement.
To my surprise, he leaned down to kiss my neck tenderly.
“I’ll wait for you inside then. You know what to do it if you need me.” He said softly and then he was gone.
Wow. Gage had no problems or any feeling of insecurity over Marq. I guess I shouldn’t expect anything less than that level of maturity from one who used to rule over an entire city. It made me smile thinking of him and how lucky I felt right now.
