I looked at the blade in my hand and then back at Isaiah. "Are you going to expect me to kill?
"No. Not in the DR."
I noticed he was still holding his blade. "Yours is the same?"
"Yes. They are a pair." He saw the confusion in my face. "Twenty years ago I made a promise to protect you. The blade is yours. It chooses you as much as you choose it. If you weren't the right person to wield it, it would not have accepted your magic. A blade such as this has few—partners. You are now bound together in magic, yours and the blade's. When you spill blood together, it will strengthen the bond, making you a better warrior every time you wield it. If one of your enemies steals it and attempts to use it, the blade with burn them down to the bone."
I thought about the advantage this gave me in a fight. "Thank you, Isaiah." I nodded toward in the demon way, showing him respect. He nodded back, smiling. "What's today's lesson?" I tried to keep my voice from shaking. Using this weapon was a scary proposition.
"Every day's lesson is the same. How to kick ass."
"I'm ready." I started to jump around like a boxer, trying to let go of my fear and psych myself up for a day of physical hurt.
He grabbed my shirt and brought me closer, misinterpreting my lighthearted attitude. "Today is serious. Your body with be bruised and your muscles will ache. You might even bleed. The good news is the faster you learn what I teach you, the less likely you'll be to bleed. Owning a magical weapon without the skill to wield it is the same as fighting in warrior form without the skill to use all that muscle. Did you eat?"
"Yes."
"Will you follow my instructions? Because if I find your mind drifting off to Garrett and Charlie land, I'll hurt you. If I hurt you often, you'll drop the blade. When you do, I'll take it back until I feel you're taking this training seriously."
My eyes narrowed as I removed his hand from my shoulder and spoke as calmly as I could manage. "Excuse my feeble attempt to boost my energy and my spirits, but I was up most of the night doing your homework assignment. I'm not a novice. I've been bruised and cut in the past. I've bled plenty, as you know."
To keep myself from shouting I walked over to the window and wrapped my arms around my body, turning my back on him."No matter what you think, I'm not taking this training opportunity lightly. Just try to cut me some slack once in a while and stop threatening me. I'm not one of your useless cousins and I won't be bullied." Staring through the window at the golden sea, I swallowed down my anger and wished once more that Garrett was here with me.
"Jacqueline, please turn around." He'd lost that annoyed tone so I did what he asked. "Your mother used to put me in my place all the time." He smiled at the memory. "And you're right. I was being a bully and I apologize. I'd rather spend three months training you or your son than three minutes with those sycophant relatives of mine." He walked closer and lifted my chin with a finger. "You'll tell me honestly if you need a break, yes?" I nodded. "Have a few sips of water and then we'll begin." A pitcher and goblet appeared on a nearby bench.
We stretched, warming up muscles I'd forgotten were cold. I'd done this many times as a runner and also working with Sasha and so found the routines to be comforting like old friends. Isaiah spoke as we stretched. "All four blades were created by an ancient master of the Arcane."
"Who was he?"
"His name has great power. I won't speak it."
"Was he a demon?"
"No. The legend is that he was an ancient fae, gone thousands of years ago into the world beyond the veil. He gave three blades to the seelie, three to the unseelie and three to our race."
"These are two of the three given to your people?"
"Yes. We're your people too, Jacqueline," he added wryly. "Try not to forget that."
"And Charlie's." Smiling, he nodded. "You'd have me use this magical weapon against the demon race?"
"Only against those who wish for war. Those who crave power and will harm innocents trying to gain it. That includes the queen and her court. You must understand this. If you take this blade to your world and use it wrongly, it will turn on you."
"How did you find out that Charlie had a blade?" Isaiah wasn't around when he'd gotten it and Liam had hidden it.
"He told me a tall fae showed up at his party and said he was his father, then gave him a cool knife. I saw Kennet in his mind and also a picture of the blade. It is one of the three seelie blades, as is Liam's. That's how I know that Caelen's family studies the Arcane."
"Who has the others?"
"Mother has one. She's been searching for these two." He smirked. "The queen has the last seelie blade. The Goblin King has one of the unseelie blades, but I'm not sure about the other two. No matter how drunk I get him, he won't tell me."
He paced around me, predator style. "Allow your claws to grow on your left hand and hold the blade with your right." He watched intently as I followed his orders."Do not attempt to clench your clawed hand into a fist."
"Duh."
"Think about it. You're in human form, not cheetah. You may still perceive the world in terms of your human body. Don't. You no longer have hands. You have claws and a blade."
"I understand."
"What is the most dangerous aspect of fighting with a blade?" He tossed his straight up in the air and then turned, gracefully catching it behind his back.
"Showoff." He waited for my answer. "You have to be close to your opponent."
"Making it much easier for your enemy to kill you. Especially if their reach is longer."
"I can throw it at them."
"If you throw it and you miss, it's gone, at least until you can call it back to you.
"Well, why should I even use it? I mean, isn't it better for me to attack from far away with my usual magic? There are plenty of other things I can do."
"Yes, of course. Never go in close against an enemy unless you're forced to." He reached for my wrist faster than I could track, immobilizing the hand holding the blade. "This is your ace in the hole. No one will expect you to have such a deadly weapon."
His voice softened, becoming almost seductive. "Your opponent will block your magic and pull you in close for the kill—that's how my kind like it the best. Then you'll stab him in the heart," he positioned the point of my blade at his chest, "or the throat," at his neck, "or the eye." He moved it up his face to rest beneath his eye. A single drop of blood ran over his cheek and I watched, fascinated. " Can you do this? Can you kill close up?"
He was playing with me, always looking to shock or surprise. I could play that game too. "I have, with Antoine. I know I can." I caught the drop with my finger and put it in my mouth, grinning.
Isaiah laughed full-out. "Adele is somewhere laughing at me. Come, let's begin."
He demonstrated several stances and foot movements, defensive moves, then conjured up an animated dummy. Moving close behind me, he reached around my shoulder to hold out the wrist of my knife-bearing hand. With the dummy, we practiced forward attacks, upward attacks and hooking attacks, giving me a general idea of what would work best for me against different sized opponents.
"What about a demon in warrior form?" I asked.
"Bring him down to your size. Hamstring him, then go in for the kill. Unless he's a demon of the highest levels, this blade will block his magic. Then you can end him. You may have to use your legendary cheetah speed." He actually made the quotation marks in the air.
"I could beat you in a race."
"Why should I run when I can just do this? He disappeared and reappeared behind me. I did the same thing and then it became a silly game as we dissolved and reassembled in different rooms in the compound, the training continuing in different spaces.
We indulged in an early dinner break, then worked out well into the night. He was taking it easy on me, but I was holding my own.
"Rest. When you wake up, I'll send you home."
After a quick shower, I collapsed and slept like the dead.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Instead of smiling, Charlie looked at me with such fury that I lost my balance and ended up on my butt in the grass. Without a word, he took off the catcher's mitt, threw it on the ground at his feet and turned his back on me, moving toward the kitchen door with quick but heavy steps.
Charlie's reaction stunned me. I'd expected him to run into my arms like he always did when he saw me for the first time each day. I dropped my arms limply and stood, watching him stalk off toward his room.
I looked at Noriene for answers. "Except to ask where you were the first afternoon, he has not spoken of you the entire time you have been gone. When we mention that you will be back soon, he acts like he has not heard. Garrett tried to encourage him to speak about his anger, but he is stubborn." She looked amused, probably thinking that he was just like his mother.
Garrett would be resting now so I reached out with my mind to Liam, only to come up blank. "Where's Liam?"
"Garrett, Liam and the Rogues team have all gone on assignment to one of Aaron's packlands."
"They're all gone? Without me?"
"It could not wait. The vampires are resting in a special room Aaron has made ready for them. They are guarded at all times as they rest."
"He left Charlie?"
"Aislin, Farrell and I are staying here together, so you will have all three of us to protect you and Charlie if the need arises. We have taken the rooms upstairs when we are not on duty."
I straightened my back and smoothed down the tunic I'd worn home, trying to appear unconcerned. "Thank you, Noriene. I'm going to shower and then I'll talk to Charlie in private. That will give him some time to calm down."
"Of course. I will stay with him until then."
Twenty-five minutes later I knocked on his door. Noriene answered, nodded and left. Charlie was curled on his bed with his back toward the door, reading one of his favorite books, Robin Hood.
For my own comfort, I sat in the rocking chair I used to sit in when I nursed him. That tiny baby had never looked at me with hate in his eyes. Charlie's anger had hurt, but I had to get over it and find out what was up.
I took a quiet breath and braced myself for more of the same. "You're very angry. Could you tell me why?"
"No," he snapped.
"You can't or you won't?"
"Won't."
He turned another page, keeping his back to me. "Do you want me to tell you about the Demon Realm?"
"No." That one was louder.
I struggled with finding a way to start him talking. "Do you want to ask me any questions?"
"No."
"Will you turn around and look at me at least? I've missed you and I'd like to see your face."
"No." Slightly unsure that time.
"Then I'll just sit here until you do. You can't stay like that forever."
"Can too," he muttered.
I took a Harry Potter book from his shelf and then sat on the small couch in the corner, curling up to read. Two could play this game. We both pretended to be reading, the sound of turning pages filling the silence. When I hadn't heard him turn a page for a minute or two I looked up.
He was watching me with a thoughtful expression. I smiled, but his face remained neutral. Playing Garrett's waiting game, I didn't speak, hoping he'd start talking soon.
I didn't need to wait long. "You left me and Daddy." His eyes had narrowed again.
"You knew I was going and it was only for three days. I won't be going back until next month."
"You didn't say goodbye."
"I can't. I never know exactly when I'm going." He looked angry again. "Come and sit next to me, Charlie."
"I couldn't feel you in my mind." I should have thought of this. Logically, he'd understood, but when he couldn't feel my presence in our world, he'd gotten scared. He and I'd always been connected in that way. We hadn't tried to speak mind to mind because Liam felt he was too young and it could confuse him, but we were always aware of each other.
"I was in the Demon Realm. I couldn't feel you or Daddy either. I missed you very much." I patted the seat next to me.
This time he ran to me, only he didn't crawl into my lap. Instead he sat next to me like a grownup. "Don't go again." He crossed his arms and pouted. It was an order. My young son was feeling protective in a very male way.
"I don't have a choice. I made a bargain with Isaiah and I have to keep it."
"But I can't make you safe if you aren't here. Daddy can't make you safe. Or Uncle Liam." There was an edge of panic in his voice.
"I'm safe with Isaiah. He makes sure no one hurts me."
He finally crawled into my lap, then looked closely at my eyes. "You came back different."
"Really? Different in what way?"
"More orange."
"I used my demon magic together with my shifter magic. It was cool."
He seemed to accept that. "I'm hungry."
"Me too." He held my hand as we walked into the kitchen and then put together some lunch for ourselves. When we were almost finished eating our sandwiches and sweet potato fries, his favorite, he said, "Daddy left last night to help Uncle Aaron."
"I'll probably join the team tonight." I'd have to call Aaron first to find out what was up.
The look on his face stopped my breath. He shouted at me, furious. "No! You're not going." He threw his fork, the utensil passing only inches from my face before flying toward the sink and smashing into an empty glass on the counter behind me. The loud sound of shattering glass got Samson up and barking, distressed by the noise or maybe by Charlie's anger.
"Charles. You will show your lady mother respect." Sinlae was in the room buzzing around his head, but he only had angry eyes for me at the moment. Noriene ran into the room, looked at the damage and waved her hand, all evidence of the broken glass disappearing instantly. She started to say something, but I shook my head.
"Sinlae, Noriene, thank you for coming, but Charlie and I need to talk this out privately."
"Of course." They nodded and disappeared.
We stared at each other for another few seconds. Samson sat by my chair with his head in my lap. I patted his head to calm myself before speaking. "The fork came very close to my face. It could have hurt me. Did you want to hurt me?"
"No." His lower lip was trembling.
"Why did you throw it?"
"I don't want you to go." Charlie answered.
"Do you think throwing a fork would make me stay?" I asked.
"No."
"What do you think you could have done instead?"
He glanced down at his hands, not wanting to meet my eyes. "Talk?"
"Always try talking first. Please put your dish in the sink and go sit on the couch in your room. You're not to read or play or listen to music. What you did was dangerous and inappropriate and I'm giving you a fifteen minute time out to think about what just happened. Then I'll come in and we'll talk."
He got out of his chair and put his dish in the sink. His eyes had filled with tears but he somehow managed not to let any of them fall. "I'm sorry, Mommy." He walked to his room and shut the door.
I took another sip of coke and wished that Garrett was here. He was off working with the team, solving crimes or saving lives, whatever the job was this time. I felt my own stab of hurt and anger. Fortunately there was no one around who I could throw a fork at.
Fifteen minutes later, I was sitting next to Charlie. "When I was younger, I used to get really angry too. I'd go out running where no one could find me. It made me feel a lot better."
"I can't go anywhere." He fisted his hands in frustration.
"That's part of the problem, I think. " I had an aha moment. "You and I are going to start exercising together everyday. We can go running or we can swim. You get to choose. Both are great ex
ercise. It'll give you a chance to think about things."
"I don't swim that great."
"I'll help you. You have long legs and arms for your age. You'll be good at both." The vamp villa had an indoor pool.
"Okay, I'll try."
"Good." I rubbed his back and thought about the danger he was in. "Maybe you'd like to go to Faerie when you get angry at me or Daddy? Sometimes when you separate from the person you're mad at, it gives you a chance to think about why you're angry. Sometimes you find out that you're not mad anymore."
"But I can't get there by myself. Someone would have to take me."
"I'm going to show you a secret that you can't show anyone else, okay?"
"Okay. I promise." My son, who always wanted to learn new things, was bouncing with excitement.
I opened his closet and showed him the special painting that looked like a cave. "This is a gateway to Cascade. It'll take you to Ashlyn's house, Philladre's sister. She's the artist who painted this beautiful mural on your wall. She said you can come anytime, but you have to take a fae guard or me or Daddy with you. If you take off without letting anyone know, you'll be forbidden to use it. When you're older I'll let you go on your own.
His eyes were wide with wonder. "This has been here the whole time?"
"Yep."
"Coooool."
I crouched in front of him so he'd pay attention. "There's one more thing. If you think you're in danger, and you can't get to an adult, then use it to go to Faerie. Do you understand?" He nodded. "This is very important. You won't get into trouble if you really think you're in danger. The rest of us can travel the lines, but you can't. This was put here so you can get somewhere safe, quickly."
He ran an index finger back and forth over his bottom lip, deep in thought. "Jay and I can visit Faerie if we take Farrell, right?"
"No. Only someone with permission to go to Faerie can go with you. Only you, me, Daddy or Samson, or a fae, of course."
"I can take Samson, too?" I nodded. "Linn can go, right?"
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