“Yes,” they all answered.
As Brad’s parents had suspected, Valentin had used him. He’d used all the shamans. It was why they had to live at the Institute. Valentin fed them to Erlik. Erlik kept Brad strong. Then Valentin took Brad’s youth, though Livvy had managed to restore most of that.
Brad and Valentin had been brought to the hospital as well. The fire department had been called when someone in the neighborhood had seen the Institute struck by lightning. Her own wounds had nearly healed by then, but Valentin had suffered second-degree burns to his hands. And Brad… Livvy sighed. Brad was a mess. When his parents had arrived to pick him up, she’d explained everything. It was Brad who had brought the Stone back from the Altai. His first mentor had been renown, and the power of the Stone had been the reason. When Brad had learned the love potion, he’d used it on her and taken the Stone. For the first time in his life, he must have felt as though he fit in.
Livvy had tried to talk to him, but he’d bolted from the room. From the very beginning Brad had been caught up in forces he didn’t understand, and Livvy had been at the start of it. She would see to it that he found his way back to normalcy and maybe even happiness.
Sidirov, though, was already on his way out of the country. The Russian government wouldn’t acknowledge anything as unbelievable as a magic stone from Shambhala, but a rare meteorite fragment from the Altai was considered Russian patrimony. Smuggling a piece of it was bad enough, but being here illegally had compounded Sidirov’s troubles. Already a person of interest to the Russians, he’d probably wish he could’ve stayed in jail here.
“Good riddance,” Dominique said.
“Ursula couldn’t agree more,” she said.
They both hovered to either side of Min, all three facing the incubator. Though Livvy couldn’t see their faces, Min’s expression hadn’t changed since Caity had been born. Both she and Colin wore dazed smiles.
To Livvy’s right, Mamacita stirred.
“Well,” she said quietly. “Much as I’d like to dawdle and coo, I have a store to rebuild.” She paused with her hand on the door. “Besides, I’ll be seeing that one in the future, won’t I?” Mamacita gave Livvy a conspiratorial smile and slipped out.
No sooner had the door closed than it opened again. Though Livvy thought it might be Mamacita, maybe having forgotten something, it was the ICU nurse. There was no sign of Mamacita.
“Whoa,” said the nurse under her breath.
She was a battle-axe of a woman, despite the light blue scrubs decorated with teddy bears. She hesitated at the door. It had to be quite the sight: Ursula in her camouflage head wrap, Wan-li in a silk Chinese dress, Alvina with diamonds shining, Dominique in her black leather duster, SK in filthy jeans and a ripped t-shirt, and Livvy’s white hair.
Livvy smiled and then chuckled. Alvina joined her and then Ursula. Min caught sight of the nurse’s face and giggled but covered her mouth. Soon the whole room was laughing.
“Uh huh,” the nurse said. “How about if you all take the comedy show outside?” She jerked her thumb over her shoulder. “Like now.”
“Thank you, everybody,” Colin said as everyone moved toward the door.
“Yes, thank you,” Min said, but she craned her neck toward Livvy and held out her arm.
Livvy passed the other shamans on their way out. She bent and embraced Min as a spark popped between them. Min jumped a little but hugged her tightly.
“I guess I better get used to that,” Min said, and then whispered in her ear. “I know you saved Caity today,” she said, not letting go. “I know what that means.” Livvy could only nod. “I…I don’t know what to say.”
Livvy closed her eyes for a moment and rubbed Min’s back. She couldn’t find the words either. But in that moment when Livvy had moved between worlds, she had finally understood. Death and birth were necessary to all things. Even the death of her own mother was part of a larger puzzle that Livvy was only just glimpsing. It fit. It felt right somehow. And now, so did Caity. In fact, nothing had ever felt more right.
“Say you’ll be back to work soon,” SK said.
Livvy and Min separated to find him standing close. A wry smile played across his lips, and Livvy grasped his outstretched hand.
“Once word about the Institute spreads,” he said, “shamans will be in short supply.”
Min brushed a few tears from her cheeks and laughed a little. She nodded.
“And intercessors?” Livvy asked him, smiling, but then she frowned and her voice took on a mock serious tone. “You know,” she said, gazing pointedly down at the rip in his t-shirt, “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about your wardrobe.”
Colin came up behind Min and laid his hands on her shoulders. She covered one with her own and looked as though she’d been about to say something, but then she cocked her head and stared at Livvy and SK’s hands.
“Your hands,” she said, fixated on them.
Livvy and SK followed her gaze. He lifted their hands a little and turned them slightly.
“There was no spark,” Min said.
“What?” Livvy asked.
“You’re right,” SK said, wonder in his voice. “No, there wasn’t.”
A chill raced down Livvy’s spine. SK tugged on her hand as he headed to the door.
“Colin,” SK said, pointing at Min and Caity, “you take care of our girls.”
Colin beamed and nodded. “I shall do my best.”
“Where–” Min started, looking from Colin to SK.
“They’ve got to go,” Colin said, knowingly.
“Oh,” Min said, sounding disappointed.
Livvy smiled and gave her a little wave.
Then Min stared at their hands again and her eyebrows flew upward. “Oh!” she exclaimed as the door shut.
CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIX
THERE’D BEEN LITTLE talk in the car, and the trip had been very quick. Livvy unlocked the door to her condo and SK followed her through, his hurried steps matching hers.
Something had changed.
In all her adult life, Livvy had never touched another soul without the spark. Though electricity had popped between her and Min, there was none between her and SK. They’d tried it over and over on the drive. Despite the mounting anxiety, the dread that it might not be true, Livvy couldn’t help but be excited.
Something had changed. She swallowed hard.
As SK led her past the coffee table, she dropped her keys on it and his landed next to them. He all but spun her into the overstuffed chair in front of the cat perch. Livvy landed and SK stepped close. Up above there was a little meow.
SK’s face hovered over hers, only inches away. The same apprehension tightening in her chest was painfully clear on his face. Cautiously, he laid his hand alongside her cheek.
No spark.
When they’d channeled lightning together, is that when it had happened?
Carefully, she covered his hand with hers.
Still nothing.
Despite telling herself she wouldn’t get her hopes up, that’s exactly what she did. Her heart pounded against her rib cage as she looked expectantly at his lips. They were parted, and his breathing was as hard as hers. Her skin flushed hot, and she was glad to be sitting. He drew closer, narrowing the distance. The need to know was killing her.
He paused. “If this doesn’t work,” he whispered lowly, “it doesn’t mean–”
She grabbed his shoulders and kissed him.
He froze and so did she. Though their lips pressed tightly together, neither of them moved. Eyes shut tight, she waited. A second ticked by and then another. They were both holding their breath.
Shouldn’t it have happened by now?
But there was no prefacing silence, no deafening boom, and no explosive backfire of energy. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Nothing horrible had happened. It wasn’t the greatest kiss in the world but…
SK opened his eyes. Gradually he drew back. As he stared at her mouth and then looked into her
eyes, a smile formed on his lips. Almost not believing it, she found herself grinning back.
“I think we can do better than that,” he said, as he leaned into her.
“I know we can.”
Then she kissed him–really kissed him. His lips melded with hers as he pulled her closer, and her arms circled around his waist. Emotions she’d never thought possible spiraled dizzyingly out of control. Love and passion welled up inside, and also a glimpse of what lay in store. But as she surrendered to her feelings, it wasn’t the future that filled her mind. All that existed was this perfect moment and knowing it never had to end.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
M. Terry Green is a full-time writer, former archaeologist, and budding minimalist. For more information about her and Livvy’s Techno-Shaman Multiverse, please visit mterrygreen.com.
If you’d like to know about new releases and only new releases, then the M. Terry Green Newsletter is for you. I loathe spam and will never share your address. Plus, the unsubscribe button is always just a click away.
• • • • •
LETTER FROM THE AUTHOR
Dear Incredible Reader,
It’s my fervent hope that you enjoyed Shaman, Lover, Warrior. This novel, the last in Livvy’s techno-shaman series, has been a happy kind of sad. Readers had already let me know that they dreaded the approach of the end. As I sat down to write it, a couple of things happened.
First, I realized I’d been writing to this climax since the beginning of the series. This story was always how I saw life working out for Livvy and SK. That intimate knowledge had this book pouring out so fast I almost couldn’t keep up. But the second thing that happened was a pressure to deliver that was intense. I felt reader expectations were going to be high. I thought that a faulty ending would ruin the entire series, and years of work would be for naught. With that in mind, I wrote like there’d be no tomorrow, and I didn’t hold anything back.
Now that you’ve stuck with me, and we’ve come to the end of the series, I’d really like to know what you think! Drop me a line or contact me through social media. I’d adore hearing from you. You can write to me at [email protected] and you can find me on the web at http://mterrygreen.com.
If you haven’t left a review for the other books, please consider leaving a review for this one. All it takes is a sentence or two to let other readers know what you thought. I can’t tell you how much I’d appreciate that.
Thank you so much for reading Shaman, Lover, Warrior, and for coming on this long, wild ride with me! It’s been my privilege and my pleasure.
Warm regards and see you on the flip side,
Terry
BOOKS BY M. TERRY GREEN
Shaman, Healer, Heretic: Olivia Lawson Techno-Shaman Book One
Shaman, Friend, Enemy: Olivia Lawson Techno-Shaman Book Two
Shaman, Sister, Sorceress: Olivia Lawson Techno-Shaman Book Three
Olivia Lawson Techno-Shaman Series: Books 1 − 3
Shaman, Priestess, Pawn: Olivia Lawson Techno-Shaman Book Four
Shaman, Lover, Warrior: Olivia Lawson Techno-Shaman Book Five
AUDIOBOOKS
Shaman, Healer, Heretic (Book One) at Audible | Amazon | iTunes
Audiobooks Two through Five Coming Soon!
DEDICATION
For Cheese.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Writing a series is like flying a plane. The takeoff is easy. Trimmed correctly and given enough speed, the aircraft will nearly take off by itself. But the landing? That’s an entirely different thing.
My series editor, David Drazul, went above and beyond the call for this last book. At times I felt he knew the characters better than I did. He certainly cared for them as much. Most importantly though, his even but honest critiques pushed me to try harder and ultimately elevated the story. I treasured his clear and practical advice as he straddled the worlds of developmental and copy edits. Part mechanic, part navigator, I like to think of his work as DED reckoning. Before you land the plane, you have to get to the runway.
Cover designer Keri Knutson finally put a face on the character I lived with for so long. She tackled mission impossible with real artistry, as well as capturing the feel of the stories and the series arc. Like the most fabulous nose art, even when the plane is parked it looks great.
The feedback of beta readers has always been critical for me. By the time I’ve hurtled through the first draft and then revised it twenty times, I haven’t a clue about whether reveals are working, the pace is just right, or if characters are still compelling. The whole series depended on this story delivering on promises made and tying up every loose thread. Only beta readers can tell me whether or not I’ve succeeded. I’m so fortunate to have a flight crew of readers and writers who aren’t just supportive but also thoughtful, approachable, and perceptive. I’d like to thank Ian Chinich, Norine Jameson, Jack Johnson, Craig Robertson, Kendra Schmucker, and Jan Staniec. By the time I’m worrying about trim, speed, angle of approach, altitude, flaps, crosswind, and stalling, I’ve lost track of the actual landing.
It sometimes seems to me that writing is the majority of my life. Even so, it is only one part. More than that, it’s one part of a very shared life. My husband has contributed in every role imaginable. But as I look back on the series, I realize it’s not the writing help that I cherish–it’s the one life we live together. I never fly solo.
Copyright © 2014 M. Terry Green
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, in the real world or the Multiverse, is coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written consent of the copyright owner.
The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the copyright owner is illegal. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
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