“Oh, yes, this one would burn like wildfire if ignited properly.” The sound of laughter and approval moved through the crowd. Anya couldn’t feel embarrassed because the Stag God’s power was still exploring her with warm curious fingers.
“This girl child has been appointed a guardian?”
Aramis stepped forward, “I am her guardian.”
“Do you swear to teach her our ways?”
“I swear, my lord.”
“Do you swear to be her teacher, her father, her lover, her leader, her light bringer, her healer and her protector?”
“With all that I am, I swear.” The Lord of the Forest’s eyes moved back to Anya and she struggled to keep her breath steady.
“Girl child, do you accept him as your guardian?”
“I accept.”
“Do you promise to protect the secrets and truths of our kind? To put the needs and survival of our kind above your own?”
“I swear, my lord.”
The leaves rustled as the Stag God rose to his feet and came to tower above her. He held out his hand and slowly raised her to her feet. His hands moved to take her face so she would have nowhere to look except his eyes. They were ancient, terrifying and endless. She could feel the kiss and burn of his power, as old as the world itself.
“Do you understand, little one, that if you break your vow it will mean your death?”
“I understand,” Anya whispered.
“Then release your power, girl child. Do not hold it back from me.”
Anya let go of a breath she had been holding and her power broke from her and rolled into him. The Lord of the Forest laughed deeply as their power mingled. He held onto her as her knees weakened.
“This one has the forest in her, one of my own!” he declared loudly, “and I claim her as such.” He placed a hand under her left breast and his power began to burn through her. It subsided quickly and she was fluid in his arms, his black eyes shining down on her. “Little girl child, there is great strength and great magic in you,” he whispered in her ear. “I see pain in your future. When that happens come to me for comfort, little one. Come to me and I will rise the Spring in you.”
He kissed her then, their power rolling and heaving between them. He tasted wild like rain and fire. Anya saw his white smile above her before her eyes slid closed.
Anya couldn’t remember leaving the forest but she woke being carried along one of the carpeted walkways.
“Søren?” she murmured. The lines of his tattoo stood out boldly on his chest that he held her against. “Why are you carrying me?”
“You passed out in the arms of the Groenn Skaer.” His long hair tickled her face as they walked.
“How embarrassing.” Anya covered her burning face with her hands. She was glad that it hadn’t all been a dream. She would remember the Stag Lord forever.
“Don’t be. He took quite a shine to you. His presence can be overpowering to humans. He kissed you and he claimed you. No one expected that.”
“Where is Aramis?”
“The Forest Lord wanted to speak to him about his duties so you were passed to me.” He didn’t sound pleased about it.
“You should’ve left me in the forest.”
“No human should be left there unattended at night, especially you. Besides, the Forest Lord commanded me and I obey his commands even if I don’t like them.”
“You mean you don’t like me.” Anya wasn’t surprised when he didn’t answer her. “Put me down. I can walk.”
“No you can’t. You touched something far older and more powerful than you can imagine tonight. You were granted an audience with one of the last Forest Gods. Believe me, you will be fine in the morning by the time you leave.”
“I don’t think I want to leave,” she said sadly. “I like it here. I don’t feel like a freak. Do you ever felt like that?”
“I am the Dauđi Dómr for the Álfr, what do you think?”
“Would you have killed me if they hadn’t liked me, Søren?” He stopped and looked down on her with his emerald cat eyes.
“Yes,” he said bluntly, “though I would have done my best to avoid it.”
“Do you like me, Søren?”
“I think perhaps one day I could. Unfortunate though it is,” he replied as they started walking.
“Why is that unfortunate?”
“Because I was rather intent on hating you.”
“Why? You don’t even know me.”
“Yanka was a murderer. She almost killed my brother and exposed the Álfr with her games. I needed to make sure you weren’t going to be like her. If you were, then I would have enjoyed killing you. Slowly.” Anya remained silent for the rest of the walk. Once in her rooms, Søren laid her carefully on her bed.
“I would like us to be friends, Søren. Don’t fight with Aramis anymore.”
“What is it about you? Why does your magic draw everyone to it?” he hissed angrily. He leaned over her if he was smelling her. “It oozes out of you and infects everyone around it.” Anya would have backed away if she could. The look his eye had turned dangerous. “My brother is besotted, the Illumination and Darkness hunt you and even the Lord of the Forest gives you some measure of respect. He even offered to fuck you, a worthless human from a less than worthless line. What is it about you that turns people’s minds? You aren’t stunningly beautiful, intelligent or astounding in your magical abilities, no matter your potential. And yet there is something…” He was crouched over her and Anya tried to move, but found she couldn’t. His long body was pressed down on her as he bent down and kissed her. Anya felt his power move out over him and felt her own rise to meet him. He pulled back, slowly drawing his magic with him.
“I can still taste the Forest within you,” he frowned. “He was right, inside of you tastes of the Spring.” He moved off her and she struggled to find something to say. There was too much strange magic in the air and on her lips, coursing through her. Søren disappeared through the shadows and Anya’s previous wish to stay amongst the Álfr changed rapidly. The morning couldn’t come soon enough.
Chapter Thirty-Two- Dreams and Decisions
Aleksandra opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was Mychal. It was still dark but he wouldn’t even attempt trying to sleep without a lamp on. Large curls, black as pitch, fell over his face and shielded the half-moons of his eyes and long lashes. There wasn’t much of his long body that wasn’t scarred up in some way and he was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
All was not well behind those sleeping eyes. His murmuring had awakened her. He was talking in his sleep again and the conversation was getting heated.
Aleksandra moved back from him a little, as he started to reply to unseen companions. He was speaking rapidly and passionately in a language she didn’t understand. The delicate lilting tones flowed out of him as quick as water and it made all the hair on her body stand on end. Even though she didn’t know what the argument was about, she could feel Mychal getting angrier by the second.
“Mychal,” she whispered, “come back to me.” As she touched his face, images slammed into her mind. She saw a man with long golden hair tied back from his face with fine strips of leather. His features were so striking that it was frightening. He was carrying a shield with one hand and a sword strapped to his back. Aleksandra snapped back into her body with a force so strong that it made her bones hurt. She carefully put guards up in her mind before she attempted to touch him again.
“Wake up, Mychal.” She pushed the hair back from his sweaty forehead. The mumbling increased so she kissed his lips softly. “I need you to wake up, Mychal.” His whole body shuddered and then went still.
“Aleksandra?” he said sleepily. His onyx eyes opened and in his eyes was a look of such vulnerability in them that she wanted to draw him close.
“You were dreaming.”
“Did I hurt you?” She heard the panic in his voice so she took his hand.
“Of course you didn’t. Wh
y would you think that?”
“I have thrown Vadim across the room a few times when he tried to wake me.”
“I will buy a big stick that I can poke you with then,” she teased. He didn’t even smile. “You didn’t hurt me, Mychal.”
“Not this time.”
“Do you want to tell me what the nightmare was about?”
“No.” Mychal got out of bed, pulled on his jeans and disappeared out to the balcony.
It had been a busy couple of days since Anya had left. Plans had been finalised and Isabelle had organised, bought and illegally “acquired” all their equipment. Aleksandra’s main input in the whole thing was to provide Mychal’s expertise and cook for everyone. She didn’t mind. She had no idea what the best way to attack anything was.
All they had to do now was to wait for Anya and Aramis to return. Yvan was spending a lot of time as the firebird, especially when Trajan was around. Aleksandra didn’t know what had passed between them but she suspected Anya had something to do with it.
After forty minutes had ticked by, she got out of bed and wrapped a nightgown around herself. She was sick of her head turning over and over. Walking out onto the balcony, she spotted Mychal sitting on one of the white cane chairs. He had his head in his hands and didn’t look up as she approached.
Having no words to say, she ran her hands through his hair, down his neck and gently massaged her way down to his shoulders. He was naturally a bundle of wound up energy, tightly reined in but this was different. Aleksandra continued her massage, liking the feel of his strong muscles under her hands. He dropped his arms from his face and wrapped them around her. She hugged him close and dropped a kiss on his curly head.
“I saw the creature you were arguing with,” she said softly. “When I touched you, I saw him. Who was that?”
“I can’t remember,” he said finally. “I usually don’t after I wake up.”
“I’ve seen some of your night terrors. It’s probably a good thing you can’t remember them.”
“God, I’m a freak,” he groaned.
“True, but you’re a kick ass one. There’s a silver lining right there.”
“Kick ass? Sounds like you have been hanging around Katya too long.”
“If that was the case, I would have said fucking kick ass,” Aleksandra pointed out. Mychal managed a smile.
“It’s nice of you to think I am,” he said.
“You know you are. Katya and Isabelle are still bitching about how you killed that Nehemoth. Silvian said you did it with a blessing for fruit.”
“Did I? It was probably the first bit of Hebrew that popped into my head. It confuses them when you speak in Hebrew because they remember it from when they were human.”
“They have been thinking it was some special demon hunter magic,” she said as she laughed. “They are going to be really disappointed.”
“Don’t tell them, it will ruin the air of mystery. Besides, your sister already thinks you are too good for me. She is right, but still I need to stay a little impressive.”
“You have it completely backwards. She doesn’t think I’m good enough for you. You’re the scariest hunter she has ever seen and by a weird twist of fate, you like her soft, chubby sister. It’s a bit extreme for her thinking. She and Izrayl are cut from the same cloth. You and I…”
“You really undervalue yourself,” Mychal said as he pulled her onto his lap. “You’re so recklessly brave. True, you aren’t as rough as Katya but that’s her strength not yours. You could be like that with a bit of training as well. You followed me into a church potentially full of demons. Katya wouldn’t have done that.”
“Only because she’s not that stupid.”
“You still went in to make sure I was going to be okay. You were trying to protect me. Laughable but courageous.”
“If I had known that you’re a friend of the angels, I would have thought twice about it.”
“Does that scare you?”
“Mychal, I don’t care. It’s not going to change how I feel when I’m with you. It isn’t going to change anyone’s admiration for you either. Although, it would be nice if the girls at Harley’s would stop eye raping you all time. I swear the way they react sometimes…” Aleksandra quickly realised what she was doing and snapped out of her rant. “The point I’m trying to make is that nothing has really changed so how could I possibly feel any different?”
“I can’t believe you are jealous of some girls.”
“I can’t believe that you haven’t noticed.”
His mouth was very close to the back of her ear and she was trying to ignore it. He kissed the base of her neck.
“You know you’re the only woman for me. You make me feel hope.” She turned around sharply to see if he was teasing her, but his black eyes were so sincere that her breath caught.
Aleksandra kissed his temple, his eyelids, tip of his nose until he took her face between his hands and kissed her lips. She felt it to the very core of her being and it burnt her up inside. She rested her forehead gently against his when they finally pulled apart.
“Do you feel that when it happens?”
“Yes, I feel it.”
“I’m going to miss these quiet moments. Anya and Aramis will be home today and all will be chaos once more.” He tucked her dark hair behind her ear, his fingers lightly brushing her scar.
“As long as I can keep my eyes on you I will be satisfied. What is bothering you? Your eyes are troubled.”
“I’m not sure. Nerves, I suppose. We are going to be spitting in the faces of the Illumination by taking Yanka from them. I know that it’s not right what they are doing to her. I am uneasy. Why do that to her to begin with?”
“We will find out when she wakes up. I can understand Aramis’s obsession to free her no matter what. If someone had taken you, I would had pulled the place apart brick by brick.” Aleksandra rested her head in the groove of his neck and breathed him in. She knew he meant it literally.
“I am not going anywhere.”
***
Anya breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped off the plane and into the warm New Orleans night. She had barely spoken a word to Aramis since they left the Álfr. Her heart was heavy once more with the responsibilities of what she had to do and the safety of those around her.
Aramis had attempted conversation a few times and had eventually given up. She couldn’t help wanting to go back to the serenity that the Álfr offered her. She wasn’t in any way unique when she was around them.
Ruthann had embraced her as she left and had been unfailingly kind to her. “You’re immortal now,” Ruthann had whispered to her, “You have plenty of time to think about your choices.”
Søren had slipped her a letter as he kissed her cheek good bye. Aramis hadn’t seen the letter so Anya hadn’t even attempted to look at it. He watched her as if she was going to cut and run at any minute. If she had somewhere to go, she probably would have.
Now that they were back in New Orleans, she could get some space from him. It wasn’t his fault, but after the previous night, she wanted to see Yvan and be quiet with him. He understood the value of silence. Anya left her bags with the doorman, and when Aramis stepped into the elevator, she ducked into the fire escape. She took the stairs two at a time until she got to the floor she was looking for.
She crept down the hall to room 506 and knocked on the door. No answer. She could feel a magical presence inside so she tried the door. It was open so she went in. The firebird was perched on the bed end and watched her enter.
“Hello there,” she smiled softly as she collapsed on the couch. “I’m surprised to see you. I’m glad though. I have missed you too.” The bird watched her carefully. Yvan was in there somewhere.
“I had a pretty interesting time with the Álfr. They told me a lot about being an Álfr friend. I met the Lord of the Forest. Søren is still frightening but he is lightening up a little. They gave me this.” She flashed him the beautiful jewel that was still
around her neck. “I was completely wrong about them. The reason they were so concerned was because the elvianth, well, they say it makes me immortal.” The firebird cooed sharply, making Anya jump.
“I know it’s crazy. I think that one day I would like to spend time with them. They tell me that my enemies would never find me there. I don’t know how true that is but I would enjoy spending more time with them. I feel…better when I’m with them. Safe. It was good being away from everything. It helped give me time to think. Yvan, are you in there?” Anya was feeling stupid talking to a bird. She was tired from flying so she kicked off her shoes and lay down.
“I am really sorry if I hurt you, or disappointed you. I want to give friendship with Trajan a chance again. I haven’t been fair to him, cutting him off the way I did. I thought it would make it all hurt less. It can’t go back to the way it was but maybe it can be different and still great. I’m going to tell him and hopefully we can learn to be friends first. I don’t even know if you’re in there listening. I hope you are,” she rambled. When she still got no response, she let out a long, tired sigh. “Okay, Yvan, you can stay in there. I’m not going anywhere though, except to sleep. Come and talk to me when you’re ready.”
Anya woke hours later to the smell of hot chocolate and beignets. She opened her eyes and saw Yvan lowering a tray onto the coffee table. His black hair was still wet from his shower. The firebird shimmered on his chest, its wings stretching out and wrapping around his biceps. Anya couldn’t think of when she last woke up to such a nice sight.
“Hey,” she said sleepily. He sat down opposite her and watched her sit up to rub her neck. “How long was I out?”
“Few hours, not long.”
“I went to an Álfr party in the forest last night. Beware the summer wine and wild magic. So, how are you?”
“Disorientated. I have been the firebird a lot in the last few days.” He picked up one of the hot chocolates and handed it to her.
“Why? Has it been making demands on you again? I thought you two were getting along.”
Ashes of the Firebird (The Firebird Fairytales Book 2) Page 36
