by M. R. Polish
Pieces of my true past clicked into place. I was born with one lie piled on another. “Does my mother know?”
“No,” Breen said. “No one does, except Torres and Davin.”
“Why would Davin keep something so significant from me?” I glanced at Jarak, who sat tensed in his seat.
“It wasn’t his deal to tell.” Tiffany motioned to the ball, this time it showed clips of me when I was an infant. “Adonia sent Bry to find you, and we led him to you. We helped place the ward around the house that kept you hidden for so many years. We knew you needed to grow into a young woman before becoming a pawn in the deal. Meadow knew nothing of our hand in your upbringing, or the spell used to keep her from running away with you.”
“So let me get this straight.” I gave each of them a once over look. “Torres made the deal that started the whole war?”
All three of them nodded.
“And I was born to be stronger than both Nicholas and my father, so I could defeat them?”
Again, they nodded.
I released a long breath. “So how long do I have before Torres’s deal is completed? I mean, in order for him to have the greatest power, what does he have to do?”
Holly frowned. “You don’t have a long time. He’s had to fight the urge since your powers emerged.”
“Fight the urge to do what exactly?” I asked.
Tiffany forced a smile my way. But it instilled more anxiety that comfort inside of me. “You are the one who holds the power.”
I gasped. “You mean he’s fighting the urge to kill me?”
Breen folded her hands on the table. “I’m afraid so.”
So this whole time, I’d been fighting the wrong bad guy. “Is there a way around his deal?”
“I can see what the future could be. But it’s always changing. I can see Torres living, but not in the same place as you.” Holly offered a smile.
Jarak pat my back, but said nothing. He must have been drowning in the new information as well.
“Why did you tell me all of this?” I asked in a near whisper.
“Because if you don’t succeed in fulfilling the prophecy then our world as we know it will be over. The power he wants is too much. Magic like that should only be had by those who are worthy.” Breen gave her sisters a worried glance.
“So was it fate that I am here for you to tell me all of this?” I could feel Luna getting riled up just as I was.
Tiffany pursed her brows together. “Of course it was. Had Julie not made the deal we wouldn’t have been able to warn you.”
Warn me, yes. But now I worried that I wouldn’t be able to warn those I loved most before it was too late. If Torres was ready to kill his daughter then he probably wouldn’t regret hurting anyone else who gets in his way.
Closing my eyes, I tried to send a message from my soul to Ian’s. If you can hear me, be careful. Torres isn’t who we thought he was. I love you.
Thirteen
Ian
W alking down the paths inside the Paris Hotel ripped the hole in my heart bigger. I should be walking the streets of Vegas with my wife. The replica of the romantic French city swarmed with lovers, tourists, and gamblers alike was made for people in love.
Buildings inside the casino complete with a darkening sky, made it feel as though we’d transported to the city of Paris.
“Tell me again what we’re looking for?” I turned sideways as a young couple oblivious to the world around them let go of their clasped hands to go around me.
“Le Boulevard.” Davin walked briskly, the crowd parting for him. I followed in his wake so I wouldn’t lose him.
I searched the nearest street sign directing guests to their paths. “Is that where Julie is?”
“There’s a hangout there that I met her at before. Maybe someone has seen her recently. Or better yet, maybe she’s still there.” He quickened his pace turning the corner onto the boulevard.
Davin went directly to a red side-door, rapping his knuckles three times on the solid entryway before opening it. He gestured with his head for me to follow.
A warm vibration crawled across my skin as I crossed the threshold. “What the heck?” I looked around trying to see what invisible force assaulted me.
“It’s okay, come on.” Davin walked to a bar near the back of the room. A few slot machines dotted the floor, but mainly it was furnished with playing tables.
A card dealer glanced up from her game, her red eyes flashed when she saw me. “Davin, where are we?” I knew that woman was not of this world.
“There are still a few secrets left in the supernatural world, and even fewer places where we can go and be ourselves without mortals noticing. This is the only casino in Vegas who has a contract with the B.O.M.B. to help people like us have a good time.” He seemed unfazed by multiple sets of eyes following us.
“How did I not know places like this existed? I’m damn near ninety years old.” Anger fused with my grief, boiling inside of me like molten lava.
Davin stopped, turning to me, his finger in my chest. “And right now you’re acting like a kid. If they see that you’re more than a warlock you they might kick you out. There’s a reason you didn’t know about this place. Guardians aren’t welcome. The other supernaturals of this world think because you were created out of a deal that you aren’t one of them. So if I were you I’d keep your voice down and your questions to a minimum.”
Taking a peek to my left, there was a guard walking our way. “How will they know otherwise?” Wait. Did he say we were made from a deal? A hundred new questions opened up in my mind but the guard stopped them from leaving my mouth.
The guard nodded toward Davin. “I see you brought someone with you this time. Can you vouch for him?”
Davin chuckled. “Since when so I need to divulge my business with others with you? I thought this was a safe place.”
The guard glared at me. “It was until you brought someone with a wolf in here. We have detectors at the door.”
So that was what that vibration was when I walked in.
The noise level dropped to a bare minimum, with only hushed whispers floating across the floor to my ears.
Davin held his hand up. “As you can see, he’s a warlock.”
He looked at me expectantly, almost willing me to prove to the guard he didn’t lie.
Being put on the spot wasn’t easy. Show the man I had magic, that’s all I needed to do. I could do this. Keeping a straight face, and my jaw clenched, I summoned the magic inside of me, never letting my stare waver from the man’s golden flaked eyes.
But, if I was going to do this, I was going to do it Es’s way.
The changing sky painted on the ceiling darkened rapidly, rolling in black clouds. Thunder boomed, shaking the floor. Lightening cracked its whip across the room hitting an empty slot machine. Rain poured, soaking everyone in seconds.
Lifting my hand, theatrically, I snapped my fingers. Instantly the sky was how it was and the storm vanished.
Carving his hands through his wet hair, Davin laughed. “Was that proof enough? You know there is no Guardian with that kind of power.”
The guard flung his hands out, and drops of water sprinkled my face. He glared at me, but this time for different reasons. “There’s one who has that, but from what I heard she’s not in this world anymore.”
Davin splayed a hand across my chest, stopping me before I’d even started toward the man. The guard’s comment drilled right through to my ‘I’m gonna kick some ass’ layer, and the look in his eyes was that he knew it.
“Actually,” Davin started. “That’s why we’re here. I’m looking for Julie, and since you’ve heard so much already, I’m assuming you know which Julie I’m referring to.”
The guard shifted his stance, letting his eyes stray from me to Davin. “I don’t have to give you answers.”
Davin grinned before grabbing the guard by the collar and pulling him close enough to whisper in his ear. The man’s face fell a
shen, and his eyes widened as he listened to whatever Davin told him.
Pushing him back, Davin let go. “So, now, I’m going to ask again. Have you seen Julie?”
Rubbing at his neck and pulling down on his collar, the guard nodded, and hoped swelled inside of me. “Yeah, I saw her. She was here this afternoon, telling everyone how she made a deal with the Death Keeper, and the powerful Guardian was now in the Underworld. She bragged until we all got sick of hearing her. You know Guardian’s aren’t allowed here, but Esmerelda is half witch, that means she’s family. It’s not her fault she has a dog for a father. A couple of patrons got mad and tossed Julie out about two or three hours ago.”
Two or three hours ago? Julie could be anywhere by now.
“Thanks,” Davin said, turning back toward the door.
Turning to follow him, the guard grabbed my arm, stopping me. “Where are you going? You made this mess.” He swung his other arm out wide, sweeping across the room.
“As far as I can tell it’s your mess now,” I said, shrugging out of his grasp.
Outside the room and back onto the Boulevard, I caught up to Davin. “Hey, I have a few questions.”
Davin chuckled and shook his head. “Alright, I figured you would.”
“Back there you said that Guardians were created out of a deal. I don’t get it. Legend says we were created out of love. The spirit wolves felt sorry for Torres and gifted him their spirits to use as a companion.”
Davin slowed. “Ian, the gift of the Guardian came because Torres made a deal to be all powerful, but before that happened Nicholas got to him, almost killing him. The wolves intercepted for me because Torres had fallen in love. Hela gave him his power because he thought he could help change the deal. I had nothing to do with that magic. But you see, he nearly died because of the deal. A fight for power can make you greedy, and Nicholas was a very gluttonous man.”
Torres made a deal? The thought hit my stomach like sour milk.
Slowly, points of the story turned in my head. So many things started to make sense. “Wait. What about Es?”
Davin stopped and looked around before answering. “She’s the loop hole. I never make a deal without one. She was born with more power, enough to end the tyranny.”
“You mean the prophecy wasn’t to kill just Nicholas like we were told. She has to kill her father, too?” There had to be another way.
“Power was his deal, love was his undoing. To have the deal finished, he must claim her power. This is why he never told anyone of his deal. He told everyone it was Nicholas that Es needed to destroy, hoping he could find a way out of his deal.” He grabbed my forearm. “Torres doesn’t want to hurt his daughter.”
My heart stopped. “But he doesn’t have choice.”
How was I going to help her? If I brought her back from the Underworld her father would kill her, but if she stayed where she was Raya would. Either way she was dead.
Fourteen
Esmerelda
“N ot to sound all whining or anything, but seriously how much farther did the Fates say Lauren was?” The muscles in my calves begged for me to stop walking.
The three Fates had thankfully told us where we could find Lauren, but declined to tell us why she was here in the first place.
The Underworld was for the dogs. I always thought when someone died they went someplace with fluffy clouds, or at least indoor plumbing. This hiking through the dead forests of what I’d like to call hell was grating on my last nerve.
I wasn’t made for camping, or hiking, or the outdoors without beaches, period. At least when we stayed at Jarak’s cabin there was running water and electricity.
Stopping to catch my breath, I watched as Jarak stepped over a fallen tree. This was his element. Nature—dead or alive—was his place of comfort.
He laughed. “I think it’s just up ahead. I can see an opening to a cave.”
Thank goodness, because I was about to go all voodoo crazy witch if I had to traipse through one more mountainside.
Following his footsteps, I climbed the steep grade. Thoughts of Torres flooded my mind, taking my focus away from the forest floor. I became oblivious to it all.
The prophecy wasn’t just about ending the war with Nicholas, it was about ending a deal that should never have been made.
How would I do it? Just the thought of killing yet another person in my life destroyed a part of my soul.
“Es, up here!” Jarak cried from about fifty feet above me.
“I’m coming,” I said, grabbing onto a low branch to help me pull myself up on a small ledge.
Snap out of it, Es. I needed to focus, and thinking about Torres and his deal wasn’t helping.
A quiet whimper echoed from the mouth of the cave before silencing. Jarak stood rigid, his hand on the rock facing, bracing himself.
“Do you think it’s her?” I asked, straining to hear anymore sound.
He nodded. “Yeah.”
I looked at him, then the cave. “Then what are you waiting for?”
“Es, wait. What if she’s changed? What if she’s of this world now?” His eyes sent a silent plea for answers, but I had none.
Reaching out, I touched his arm. “We won’t know until we find her.”
Without hesitating any longer, I submerged myself into the mouth of the mountain. I didn’t have time to waste. Ian was waiting for me.
The back of the cave was dim, but not so dark that I couldn’t see the outline shape of Lauren and Kara, her spirit wolf.
I pushed a light orb up into the air to hover over us. “Lauren?” I whispered cautiously.
I stopped walking toward her, just in case Jarak’s fears were confirmed, and she had indeed turned into a night watcher.
Lauren’s head snapped up and her eyes widened. Jumping to her feet, she ran to me, flinging her arms around my neck. “Esmerelda.”
Her body jerked as she choked on tears that flooded my shoulder. She buried her face in the crook of my neck.
“Is it her?” Jarak’s weak voice echoed off the walls.
I nodded. “Yeah. We found her.”
Lauren’s head popped up. “Jarak? Jarak!” She ran to him and held him in the same tight embrace that she clung to me with. “I called to you when they took me. I didn’t understand why I was taken. I can’t believe you found me.”
“Shhh.” He wrapped his arms around her, and ran a hand down her hair, in soft petting motions. “I know. That’s why I’m here. I heard you.”
Maztic’s white coat almost illuminated with a soft glow near the back of the cave. He nudged Kara’s nose, but she refused to get up.
“What’s wrong with her?” I asked, watching the interaction.
Lauren sniffed and ran over to her wolf. “I don’t know. Every day she gets weaker. She’s not talking to me much today. It’s like she’s distant.”
I knew what was wrong, and glancing at Jarak, his look told me he did too.
“Luna, I need you to talk to Kara. She’s being pulled into this world. We need to stop her before Lauren loses her forever.” I hoped Luna would be able to bring Kara out of her funk.
Jarak walked over to where the small wolf lay and Lauren squat down next to him. “Why are you in a cave?”
She folded her arms looking back down at Kara. “Because I can’t leave. Every time I try there’s something waiting for me.”
“Lauren,” I said. “You have you to hide your fear here. The Watchers feed off it, using whatever you give them to their advantage. They’ll thrust you into your own nightmares. I know. Trust me I know.”
“It’s so hard.” Her eyes widened even more. “No! I told you they’d come. Just talking about it made them come.”
I couldn’t see what she saw, but that wasn’t the point. Whatever she saw was real to her, and that mattered.
“Lauren, it’s not real. It’s just a…” Jarak trailed, his jaw slack.
I didn’t want to turn around to see what he looked at, but my inner Guardian p
ulled at the urge to know how to protect my friends. Luna’s spirit meshed with mine, and I couldn’t refrain any longer.
Slowly, I turned on my heel. A black cloud of swarming creepy insects hovered near the entrance waiting to attack. Each bug was about the size of a quarter, if not bigger, and had red glowing eyes. Their frail wings flapped so quickly that they buzzed.
My light orb went out, enveloping us in the dark, not knowing where the bugs went. “Jarak? Lauren?”
“Right here, Es. Do you see those things? What are they?” Jarak asked.
“I don’t know, but they didn’t look friendly.” Standing completely still, I waited for any clue or sound for the insects.
Lauren’s screams filled the small area.
“What’s going on?” I cried over her loud wails. My heart plummeted as I remembered my own dealings with terrors in the dark. Her nightmare was causing mine to resurface.
I could do this. I was stronger than the dark.
Fighting outside the cave had me rushing to the entrance, ready to defend, regardless of whatever creepy thing stalked us from there.
Gradually, my orb began to restore light around us.
The bugs were gone, but Luke stood in their place. His face possessed a scratch that ran from under his left eye down to his chin. His breathing labored, raising his shoulders with each new breath.
“Luke?” Warily, I looked behind him for more Watchers. “What are you doing? Was that bug show your doing?”
He held his side as he walked. “Hey, nice to see you too. Oh, by the way, thanks for fighting off a dozen Watchers so we could escape.”
Lauren huddled into the corner, half lying on Kara. “You made it stop?”
“Yeah,” he said with a small wince. “But we need to leave. It’s not safe here. There will be more Watchers sent soon. I think I saw Raya watching.” He looked at me. “Whatever gift you have must be special because even she’s taken an interest in you. That’s never good.”
