by Ali Vali
“I don’t think you fully understand their importance, my friend,” Bruik said, glancing at Rawney. “The Marmandes’ history is an interesting one, and when I came here, I started to understand better how something or someone altered their history to lead us to this day.”
“What do you mean by altered?” Rolla asked.
“Rolla, the Clan is ancient and its resources vast, but we don’t hold the only talent in the world,” Rawney said as she combed her hair back. “For each of us there is a counterpart that might or might not be working with us. That is our strength, I believe. We work always with good in mind, but more importantly, we work together.”
“You can see what Rawney means when you compare her gifts with those of Vadoma. If that’s true, then there’s no reason there can’t be someone as talented as me when it comes to sight. We’re witnessing it in Piper as she starts to understand her gift.” Bruik stood and walked to Rolla’s side. “When Piper lets go of her hesitancy and fear as to what the future holds, she will surpass me.”
“If that’s true, what does it have to do with her or the Marmandes?” he asked, knowing he probably wouldn’t like the answer.
“I asked Piper to show me the spots on their property she enjoyed the most as a child. Physically touching and standing in those places made some of my visions come into focus.”
Rolla smiled at Bruik’s habit of meandering around the truth when he thought it’d displease him. “What did you see?”
“The death of Piper’s mother was, by all accounts, an accident. The man blamed for her death was found in a trance, the police report said, and her death drove her grieving father to the brink of madness. He took his own life by ramming his car into a tree.”
“Asra told me Piper’s story when she came to be named an elder. Piper’s misfortune, I believe, ended when she met and fell in love with Asra. Together they’ll be an unstoppable team that will faithfully serve the Clan.” He took Bruik’s hand and led him back to where Rawney was seated.
“The first thing that changed Piper’s fate was the death of her mother,” Rawney said softly. “Her mother sacrificed her life to give birth to a beautiful daughter.”
“The sight of his child with the love he’d lost drove her father to his own death,” Bruik continued. “It left a shattered family that clung to what little they had left, keeping Piper exactly where Asra would eventually find her.”
“So what exactly are you two saying?”
“That what happened with Angelina DúPon dictated what Piper’s future would be. Angelina proved that Asra had weak spots, and Ora tried her best to exploit them for the future. Whoever she used to look for a way to defeat Asra with her soft heart found the one woman who Asra would have no choice but to notice. Piper was a gift from her greatest enemy to date, and the ploy would’ve worked had Asra not been the disciplined soldier she is.”
Bruik seldom had the ability to shock him with such an intriguing story, but he felt like a schoolboy waiting for the teacher to finish the book he’d been reading from. “She’s planned for every contingency except Piper’s life,” Bruik said, having Lenore tell him this chapter of Asra’s story. “Asra would’ve sacrificed everything to save Piper.”
“She can’t help who she is, Rolla, and that’s what’s kept her safe and our servant. The only weak spot in Asra’s talent as a slayer is those she loves,” Rawney said. “Ora’s seer was right about that, but they didn’t count on her love not only for Piper but for Charlie. She gave him what she’d dreamed of for centuries and let him kill Henri. The loss of the Marmandes will devastate Piper and, in turn, Asra’s ability to go forward.”
“Stop speaking in riddles and tell me what you mean.”
“That Kendal will give up everything to make Piper whole, and that could take a few lifetimes. It will be too late for what you saw today,” Bruik said, spreading his hands out.
“But Ora is dead,” he said, though the reality made him sigh.
“She is, but she left Piper as a shining beacon for anyone who wants and has the talent to look.” Bruik handed him a scroll with his visions and placed his hand on his shoulder. “Because of Asra’s threat, the Marmandes lost so much, and we can either do something about it or let the threat stand.”
“It’s never been done, Bruik.”
“No, but Piper is touched by the goddess, and Piper loves the wielder of our justice. To keep balance, we have no choice.”
* * *
“They found it,” Onai told Convel after she’d run home from Oakgrove. “I made it through the fence right ahead of the security forces.”
“Was she out there?” Convel stretched her hand out and grimaced as if Kendal had sliced through it in that moment.
“She was, but I didn’t stay to watch her. You said to stay out of sight.”
“Has Sepf returned?”
“Not yet, but I put out a call,” Lowe said, shaking her head. “Why put them in danger if we don’t have to?”
“Onai. Head back outside and wait for Sepf.” She put no anger into her tone, but when they were alone, she turned and glared at Lowe until she dropped her eyes to her lap. “I love you, but never question me in front of anyone again.”
“Something has changed in you since we got here, but it’s not a good thing.” Lowe stood defiantly and turned her back on her. “Your anger will get one of us killed, and you don’t seem to care.”
“You don’t understand.”
“You’re wrong. I understand perfectly. Your revenge is more important than me or anyone here. We joined you because you gave us a home and a family, but you don’t have the right to sacrifice us one by one.”
“We’ve hunted on her land and she doesn’t suspect anything, so stop giving her so much credit. The slayer’s only talent is to surprise her victims, but it won’t be that easy this time.”
“Have you read none of the letters from your family?” Lowe placed her hand on the side of the window frame and seemed to be holding herself up. “You met her as Erik Wolver, but the slayer has killed Ora and a slew of others. The old queen of the vampires was a formidable enemy, and she’s dead.”
Convel slammed her fist against the desk and growled. “So you want me to run and hide? If that’s what you’re after, you don’t know me at all.”
“I want you to wake up before it’s too late.” The softness of Lowe’s voice almost cut through the anger, but Convel didn’t get up until Lowe gasped.
“What?” she demanded.
“She found what you left, and it’s led her right to you.”
Convel stood and shook herself with a smile. The others could think whatever they wanted, but she intended to enjoy ripping pieces out of the slayer and watching her bleed. She stepped outside and stood in the circle the others had made after they’d shifted. Their growls and snapping jaws didn’t seem to faze the large horse the slayer was riding.
“Hello, Convel.” The voice and those eyes were the same, but this wasn’t Erik Wolver. “You want to call off the puppies before someone gets hurt.”
“You’re not welcome here,” she said, not about to do this woman’s bidding. “I know how much you respect boundaries and rules, so leave.”
In a fluid, smooth motion the slayer drew her sword and cut the bag hanging from the saddle. The bloated deer head dropped close to Onai and was immediately covered in flies. “You come to my home and do that, and you expect me to respect your boundaries? Have you learned nothing since I saw you last?”
The man with her dismounted, took something from his belt, and started to swing it over his head. She was about to laugh at the primitive weapon until it left his hand. The bolas wrapped around the circling hawk’s feet and knocked it from the sky. Just as quickly, it was in the man’s grasp with a knife against its neck.
“Should we start with her before I pile the rest of your family at your paws?”
“Let her go,” Convel screamed.
“Yield, and I’ll let you all go, but if you c
hoose to fight, I’ll kill every single one of you.”
“Our queen would never allow it,” Lowe said, sounding almost urgent.
“I know your queen.” The slayer took something from her belt and held it out as if daring Lowe to take it. “She and I have an understanding.”
Convel glanced back at Lowe and nodded. “What understanding?” Lowe asked.
“You choose to live outside the authority and reach of your queen, which gives you the freedom to do as you please. When that freedom brings you to my home, close to my family with the intent to harm, I can kill you without breaking the Clan’s truce with the were queen.”
Lowe took the scroll, signed by Queen Tala Bashar and addressed to Asra, and handed it to Convel. “This might be true, but does the word of Rolla mean nothing to you?”
“The word of Queen Tala is favored here. Make your choice, Convel.”
“I choose to accept Rolla’s invitation, so let my pack go,” Convel said and had Lowe hand her the invitation. “He gave his word, which forbids harm to any of us. You do otherwise and you go against the great Rolla.”
“Let’s find out if he knew about your trespassing, so bring only one with you. You try to trespass again or have anyone try to watch me,” Asra pointed to the hawk, “and I’ll respect only your queen’s wishes.”
“Until I’m on your doorstep, Asra,” Convel said and laughed.
“Or hanging from the end of my sword.” Asra smiled. “In either case I see you’ve wasted your years, since you still need the pack to make your threats. I faced you alone and with honor, but you need all these pups to prop you up.”
Convel tensed in anger, feeling the need to shift. “You know nothing about me.”
“I know enough.” Asra mounted again, along with her companion, after he released Sepf. “I’ve wasted enough time here, so remember what I said. Come with only one or risk everyone.”
Chapter Six
Kendal rode back silently, furious that Rolla hadn’t bothered to tell her he’d invited Convel Lupo to her home. That wasn’t his place, and it never seemed to bother him that he never cared about the enemies she made in his name. People like Convel wanted to take their pound of flesh from her, not the man who sent her to do his bidding.
Morgaine was waiting in the barn when she returned and stayed there until the grooms led the horses away. “Rolla will be here tomorrow, but he wants to see you before he meets with all of us.”
“I’m in no mood for Rolla and his minions,” she said, starting back to the house.
“He apologizes for reaching out to Convel first, but he wants to talk to you about Piper.”
That stopped her. “What about Piper?”
“He said his words are for you only,” Morgaine said.
“They may be, but I’d like to come with you,” Piper said when she joined them in the yard. “He’s afraid of how to tell you something without pissing me off.”
“What?” She was getting angrier that the birth of their daughter was getting mired in all this crap.
“Hali’s too young to know everything you’ve faced today, so lose the frown and take me into the city.” Piper got close enough to tap on her sword hilt and shake her head. “Leave the hardware. You won’t need it.”
“You can read my mind now?”
“Not very often, but I get lucky every now and again.” Piper waited until she handed Morgaine the sword, then hugged her. “It’s how I know how much you love me, so don’t forget that.”
“I guess you know what he wants, then?” She kissed Piper, then walked with her to the closest available vehicle and helped her inside. “Morgaine and Charlie, watch over my family and yours until we get back.”
“You have our word,” Morgaine said.
“Do I get any hints before we get there?” She waved off the driver and faced Piper before she took off.
“It just popped into my head when I was feeding Hali, and I think Rolla wanted to tell you first so you could soften the blow. I should’ve known when Bruik took me on a few walks and asked a lot of questions. He figured it out at the tree swing next door, since it’s the one place I have the most vivid memory of my father.”
Piper told her what she’d seen in her vision as Ora put her plan into motion. The face from Kendal’s past that would make such a difference to her future was no coincidence. “I was supposed to be your weakness, baby, not your wife. If Henri had succeeded in turning me, you would’ve been easier to bring down. That was the vision the seer gave Ora when she demanded it. You were getting too strong and good at your job for her not to try to destroy you.”
“Her seer was wrong, then?”
“Not necessarily.” Piper closed her eyes as they passed the spot where her father had died. “Her seer and I have something in common.”
“The visions and their outcome can be changed,” she said, placing her hand against Piper’s cheek.
“It seems to be a family flaw.” Piper kissed her palm. “If given the power to change that about this gift of mine, I’d keep it the same. I think, though, I won’t have a choice, and this will be how it always is.”
“That’s something I can accept if you can.” She turned onto the interstate and relaxed when Piper took her hand. “But what do you mean by family flaw?”
“I’m not the first seer in my family, and my distant grandmother is who expanded her sight for Ora. But I don’t know if she got it wrong because of me, or she didn’t mention the vision could have another outcome.”
“What does your gut tell you?”
“That it was both. She tried to protect me by omitting enough to keep me safe and leaving out the part that it could end differently.”
“So because of me, you had to grow up without your parents,” she said, and some of her anger returned. “I’m so sorry, Piper.”
“Don’t say that. This, not any of it, is your fault,” Piper said passionately. “Ora was a sick bitch that stole something precious from me and my grandparents, but I choose to not see it like that. You are my fate, but your love for me is real. It’s not because of some spell or magic. All that pain that at times almost drowned me brought you to me. That seer saw it, and so did Aphrodite, so you should be angry that your life was planned out for you in a way.”
“I’m under no one’s spell but yours, my love. My feelings for you are mine, and they’re real.”
“That’s true, so how can I be anything but happy about that. You gave me a child and a life I didn’t think possible, so whatever comes next will be more than I deserve.”
“You deserve every bit of happiness I can give you, and I’m going to do that every chance I get.”
“Then don’t be mad about Rolla and the rest. He might be aggravating, but he really cares about you. It’s one of the reasons he’s forgiven you every time you’ve broken a rule. His world is more complete with you in it, even if you never raised another sword.”
“You might be overestimating his fondness for me.”
“You’ll see, so I’ll keep telling you until you believe me.”
They kissed when Kendal arrived at the Piquant, and Piper held her for a moment before they got out. “Will you believe something for me?” Kendal said as she looked into Piper’s eyes.
“Name it.”
“You are my fate, that’s true, but you’re also my love. You own my heart, and there will be no other for me no matter if my days are short or long.” She framed Piper’s face with her hands before she kissed her. “I fell in love with you because my heart couldn’t survive without you.”
“Did you hear what I said?” Piper finally seemed to let loose some of her insecurity. “If I hadn’t looked exactly like Angelina, you wouldn’t have ever noticed me.”
“Give me more credit than that. You’re not a replacement for Angelina. You are the woman I waited lifetimes for. For so long I’ve been taught that for everything there is something out there that balances it. For all the bad there is equal good, and my job has been
to try to tip the scales for good.” She kissed Piper again, and it broke her heart to see her tears. “If that’s true, then the gods have finally taken mercy on me, and they created someone who balances me.”
“I’m sure you’d survive without me,” Piper said, but she sounded like a woman who wanted desperately to be convinced.
“I’ll keep telling you until you believe me,” she said, repeating Piper’s words. “You are my wife, my love, and the one person in my life who knows all of me. I love you for that, but especially for standing beside me.”
“I’m starting to believe you, so forgive me for being such a dope. I think it’s the hormones the sun couldn’t take care of.”
* * *
“Piper.” Bruik took both of Piper’s hands and kissed her forehead. “Do you finally see it?”
“Took me by surprise, but it’s a new concept for someone to be able to plan this far ahead.” Piper hugged Bruik, then held her hand out to Kendal. “Immortality has been something so many have searched for, but it finally hit me today what all of you have seen and been through. It’s just as shocking that someone would’ve seen me or my family that far back.”
“The time period we’re talking about is just a blip in time, but your family’s talent seems to be strong, so I hope you can forgive your distant grandmother for what she did and the reason Ora went through such trouble.” Bruik kept them by the door, and Rolla seemed not to mind waiting.
Piper nodded and kissed his cheek. “To condemn her or Kendal for something they had nothing to do with would be like holding Hali accountable. I love her too much to blame her for Ora’s evil nature.” They followed Bruik into the main room of the large suite and accepted Rolla’s embrace.
She smiled as Rolla kept his hands on Kendal’s shoulders, smiling up at her. Kendal liked referring to Rolla as the old man, but he actually looked like a young, nerdy college professor. His appearance definitely gave no hint of the thousands of years he’d roamed through time. The woman with him in a way reminded her of Vadoma, which put her on high alert. The main difference was the light-blue eyes, marking her as part of the Genesis Clan, and her being here with Rolla wasn’t part of a friendly visit.
