by Ruby Raine
"But to never tell me, even when I was grown?"
"You died young, too, Mathew," Lizzy reminded her friend. His poor father had to endure so much loss during his life.
"Well, if you are identical twins," Melinda started, "it makes sense that Markus might be a master potion maker too."
"I think the real question is, why no one knew of Markus?" William stated. "There is some evil afoot in him being erased, in a sense. If your elders are unaware of him?" he aimed at Mathew.
"You did say the demons have not been living up to the truce, which means they've not been playing fair," said Michael.
Mathew shook his head and breathed heavily in frustration. "So, what? Demons somehow hid the existence of Markus? Who died an innocent baby? We track our bloodline, I don't see how his existence wouldn't be known. But I cannot say whether my elders are aware of his existence or not."
"Is there any chance someone in your own ranks could—" Lizzy was cut off with an emphatic no, from Mathew.
"There is no possible way. It would forever taint one's soul. That sort of treachery could not be faked or concealed."
"Like a truce couldn't be broken without knowledge?" Charlie's tone was questioning, not accusatory, but Mathew's mouth slammed shut. This wasn't just a question of his twin brother's existence, but of his entire life, his purpose. The entire Guardian race, even.
Rae came to his defense. "A truce can be broken, but like Mathew said, personal treachery leaves a mark on one's true self that cannot be removed, even with the most powerful of magic. As per demons stealing an innocent child, I would not put this behind them—if they deemed Mathew as good, and Markus's fate was unknown, they might have taken him thinking they were owed an equal."
Mathew cringed. "One of us for each side. That's..." words escaped him.
"Disgusting and absurdly unfair," Lucas finished.
"And still doesn't answer how you don't know about him," Lizzy ended sadly.
Mathew's face took on a sickly pallor and Lucas moved to comfort him, but he pulled away, needing some space and clarity and to get some answers to questions he wasn't even sure who to ask. He'd never questioned his side before. He'd never had a single reason, in all his years of service, to question anything. And here he was trying to recruit Lucas into a life he'd always trusted.
"I need to talk with my elders. Something isn't adding up. I need answers."
Rae understood and nodded curtly at him. "I'll stay here, just in case. Go get your answers."
Mathew vanished in a halo of golden light without so much as a word to anyone, even Lucas, who shifted uncomfortably in concern wishing he could follow. It hurt that Mathew didn't confide in him before leaving because he got the sense that there was more Mathew wasn't saying.
Rae patted his arm. "He's questioning things he's never questioned before. He feels extreme guilt bringing you or anyone into a world he cannot one hundred percent support."
Lucas nodded, understanding, and yet still frustrated.
"What a mess," Melinda mumbled.
Rae nodded. "Mathew needs to find out from his elders if his brother was judged upon his human death, like all in the Garudian bloodline were meant to be. If not, if my grandparents did not know of Markus, if he was not judged and deemed a demon by both sides, it means the demons have been waging a battle to take control far, far longer than any of us believed. It means they somehow faked their way through the truce we lived by all this time. But not even for a moment do I believe this means there is any betrayal among the Guardians."
Riley scoffed, a disgusted scowl forming on his lips. "While I'm sure you're right about that part, it's really just a nice way of saying his brother might have been stolen and raised by the fucking devil."
That sentiment quieted the room.
Just when they thought things couldn't get sickening, scarier, or harder, somehow, they always managed to.
"And once again leaves us wondering where the hell do we go from here?" Michael huffed out dolefully. "How do we fight an enemy who's had so many years to prepare?"
"Who appears to have found a way to become immune to magic," said Melinda.
"Who can cast doubt, that if we let it, would tear us all apart," Charlie worried.
It was Rae that stepped forward with an answer.
"By saying yes to what I'm about to offer you, and to every good witch or supernatural human alive. I wasn't only brought into this world to destroy demons, but to give life to new Guardians."
"When you said that," started Melinda, "we assumed you meant, you know, the regular old-fashioned way."
"Babies..." Lizzy clarified with a grim smile.
Riley cleared his throat because that was the sense he'd assumed as well, and it had freaked him out a little that Rae had seemed so keen on it being his duty to help her do this. He so wasn't ready for that type of commitment.
Rae smiled. "Babies work, sure, but not in the numbers I'm talking about. I mean, geez, I don't want to be pregnant for the rest of my damn life." Riley almost choked over that idea, trying to agree—on behalf of himself. "I'm talking real numbers to make a real difference."
"We're listening," said Charlie.
"What I'm talking about is a global change," explained Rae. "A renewal of the Garudian bloodline to ensure future generations of Guardians will continue to be born, and our numbers will grow and keep the balance of power on the side of good."
"You have that ability?" questioned Michael, in stunned reverence. "To take a human, like us, and change them to this Garudian bloodline?"
"Yes."
"But just because you offer it now, to good people, doesn't mean their offspring will always turn out good," Lucas pointed out. "I mean, look at the situation with Lizzy and Charlotte. Names don't mean shit in the end, nor does blood."
A lesson learned the very difficult way, but learned, nonetheless. And Lizzy grinned widely that it was Lucas saying it. He had finally moved beyond the blood running through his veins and accepted it didn't have any sway on who he was as a person. It was his own actions that mattered. Not those of his ancestors.
"There is always a chance that new demons will be born," Rae conceded. "And what kind of system we have in place to control this in the future is yet undetermined because of the impending war and the end of the truce. But we cannot let the bloodline fail, or ebb toward evil. And rebuilding the bloodline starting with truly good souls is how we make sure this does not happen."
"While this all makes sense in theory," began William, "and setting aside the many questions and connotations of what your offer alone means for anyone... let's say you use your gift to change someone's bloodline and make them Garudian... how does this help in the here and now? These hypothetical people we're speaking of are not yet finished their human lives, they wouldn't be true Guardian's until after human death?"
"True. Yes." Rae grinned, the corner of her mouth upturning into a confident smile. "But this is why it must be living witches and supernatural beings. I can connect my magic and your magic and make you like me. Not just any human would work, you must have the supernatural gift already in your veins for me to give you my gift."
She let that sink in.
"We would all be demon killers." It was Melinda who spoke the words after a long measure of silence.
"It's a choice each person offered would need to make," Rae returned. "But yes, my abilities allow me to turn other supernatural beings into demon killers and future Guardians. Which is why I can only make this offer to supernatural beings who've already proven they are good of heart." She gazed at Riley. "This is why I need your gift. You may think you only fix things, but your feeling, your gift, will also lead us to those who deserve my gift."
Riley had no response other than it made perfect sense, because his gift was telling him so.
Annie saw the looks of awe and shock and the rise of questions coming on.
"Well, being a member of the walking dead, I'd say this is my queue to leave. Courtney,
want to join me for some security checks?" It was overdue, plus she imagined Courtney had some energy to burn after finding out demons were responsible for her covens' demise. But she saw right through Annie's intent and tried to stall their departure. She wasn't ready to talk about it or face it yet. But Annie wasn't having it and dragged Courtney with her anyway.
Melinda stepped closer to Rae a settled decision in her gaze.
"I'll do it. I'll take your offer." Her brothers opened their mouths to protest, but realized it was merely out of habit and they had nothing to actually argue. This also had them realizing how much they tended to instantly argue anything Melinda suggested. They were the epitome of big brothers overprotecting their younger sibling. But it was time for that to stop.
Melinda eyed William, not so much for his approval, but his opinion, which she already guessed before he even started talking.
"I don't want you to make this choice because—"
"Zip it," she cut off what was sure to be a long tirade of don't do this for me's... Lizzy chuckled, but Melinda continued. "I'm not doing it because it's a solution for us, William. I want to do this because it's the right choice for me. When I realized what Dominic had stolen from me and why, I wanted to revert right back into being the powerless Melinda Howard I spent too many years being. I'm not her anymore. I'm not going back there. I'm not doing this out of fear. It's not that. But if I can make sure even one demon doesn't have the chance of ruining someone's life, then why not take it?"
"Me too," agreed Riley. "I'm in."
Rae winked at him as if she'd already known his answer.
Lizzy had questions though.
"What about the rest of our human lives? What changes?"
"Nothing and everything," Rae replied with an understanding smile. "Think of it like another magical gift waking inside of you. Nothing about who you are now will disappear. But inside of each of you will awaken the Garudian bloodline, as well as my gift—you'll know, like pure instinct that has always been inside of you, how to destroy a demon. And when your human life ends, you'll be called into service."
An intense hush fell upon them. It was a hell of a thing to be offered such a gift. And to be trusted to use it wisely.
Lizzy still had questions though.
"So, really, not only would we have the gift of killing demons, but we'd be able to continue helping people and looking out for our future bloodlines?" Lizzy needed to hear this confirmed. "And we'd still be able to have babies."
"Yes. As many as you want, the more the better."
She and Charlie gazed at each other, their mating bond connected in a flurry of conversation no one else could hear. Michael and Emily were sitting close, hand in hand, deep in thought. It was an overwhelming offer, but for none more so than Lucas who found himself once again conflicted when he'd been so sure of his path only hours before.
Shouldn't he want to do this? To take this offer?
But his own mind argued against it because he'd been ready to move on with Mathew, and become a Guardian now, on his own terms, rather than wait for his natural human death. But wasn't it the right thing to do, to stay human longer, take this gift, and help make the world a safer place for all humanity?
Rae approached him, knowing his concerns as they'd spoken about his future with Mathew already.
"This isn't an all or nothing offer, Lucas. You're already Garudian, but I can still give you my gift. You can take my offer now, for this battle to come, and still claim your future with Mathew and the Guardian's as planned."
"What?" a few voices called out, in shock of this news. Lucas hadn't told anyone but his brother.
"Is she saying what I think she is?" asked Lizzy, approaching Lucas.
"Yes. My intentions are to give up my human life and enter my Guardianship of my own free will. It's what I want, and I don't want to wait until nature decides my human life is over."
Lizzy caressed his arm lovingly, the determination and assuredness at the forefront of his features. Lucas had come a long way since they'd first met.
"It won't be the same without you here."
"I won't always be gone. Think of it as traveling a lot for my new job." Lizzy chuckled at that. Lucas eyed Rae. "I'll take your offer and stay and fight in this battle as I'd planned to do, and after, I'll join Mathew and start my Guardianship."
She nodded.
Lizzy returned to her mate's side.
"We're in too." Charlie squeezed his mate's hand. "If we can help beyond our human years, this is not something I can say no to." He glanced at William. "Looks like you might be stuck with us for a really long time."
William swore his skin flushed with a flash of heat at the very idea of not losing them.
No, it would not be the same. It would not be every day, like it was now. But it would mean he would not lose them permanently, nor future generations, and this possibility was like a mountain of built up sorrows lifting from William's spirit.
But it left just two people to voice their decision and all eyes slid to Michael and Emily. She would not be left out of this offer either, seeing as she was a supernatural as well, being a spirit vessel. The two of them were whispering to each other and it sounded like they needed some time to talk it out.
Emily's face was pinkish, and she urged Michael to leave the room with her so they could talk in private. He sensed a serious concern in her voice, but it had nothing at all to do with the gift Rae was offering, but rather something else he could not sense because her emotions were all over the place.
Lizzy was about to offer to give them the room, so they could talk, when Michael jumped out of his barstool and sucked in.
"No." He shook his head at Emily, completely stunned.
"Yes," she said back, which explained nothing to anyone else. Her senses were all narrowing in on one thing—a protective motherly worry. "It wasn't what we planned on, but it is—happening." And whatever it was, she didn't sound overly excited and mostly like she was freaking out a little.
"For sure?" Michael asked her.
"Very sure. Confirmed this morning. Hadn't found the right moment to talk to you." Emily's eyes grazed Melinda's and Emily's previous deflection at the café made sense now.
Michael pushed his hand up through his hair, leaving it a mess.
"Okay—um—okay—right—so—um—" He plunked down on a stool, pale and in shock.
"What's going on guys?" Charlie asked, growing concerned.
Melinda smiled, then grinned, and then full on shrieked in giddy laughter.
"What am I missing?" Charlie sought out his mate, who'd sunk into herself a little. Why did everyone seem to get what was happening except for him?
"We're having a baby," Emily finally revealed. Though, she didn't sound confident about it at all.
Michael sat there, frozen, but after a long while his eyes landed on Emily's and a watery gleam bubbled in his eyes. And like a switch flipped his features evened out and this fatherly aura settled over him like it had always been there.
"We're having a baby." He found his legs and balance again, got up and reached for his new bride and slid his arms around her, but before everyone could leave the room and give them some time, Michael landed his gaze on Rae.
"It won't hurt your baby," Rae allayed their fears. "It'll do the same to your unborn child as it will for any future children you might have."
"Then we're in," sobbed Emily happily.
They were cascaded in a sea of hugs and congratulations, although admittedly, Charlie both noticed and felt the disappointment in his mate's forced smile. She was happy for them, truly happy, but she wanted a baby for herself and they'd been trying, and not succeeded. And here Michael and Emily hadn't even tried or wanted a baby yet. It had been a total accident. But this was followed up with her feeling stupid for even caring about such trivial things with what troubles awaited on the horizon.
Charlie took her aside.
"Don't pass off your feelings like they don't matter, Lizz
y. They do, especially to me. This will happen for us. We haven't been trying all that long," he reminded gently. "And we've had a lot of fun trying."
She smiled. He always knew the right words to set her straight.
"Life is just so—damned ironic, sometimes. But we should be focused on the important stuff."
"And while that's true, don't ever discount your feelings because you think they're not just as important. They always are. We are both human and witches. Not just one or the other. A lesson it's taken forever to learn."
"Geez, make a wolf fall in love with you all over again why don't you?" Lizzy kissed her mate and they returned to the kitchen. But the sadness refused to leave her fully.
"So how does this transformation go down?" Charlie asked Rae.
"It's a two-step process. First, a potion I've had Mathew working on. Second, I have to use my magic on you."
They spent an hour discussing timing and security, and how Rae planned to make the same offer to other good covens, in time. The kitchen buzzed with plans being made, except William grew distant and quiet and this had Melinda worried as the vampire stealthily moved out of the kitchen and into the frosty back yard.
CHAPTER 9
THE GARGOYLES WERE still in statue form being that it was only heading on afternoon. It was a strange mix of heavy and light—William had a tremendous weight lifted off of his soul and yet the dark and stormy skies overhead claimed anything but light and happy.
Melinda shoved her arms into the light jacket she'd grabbed and found William near the very back around some apple trees. Most still held onto their leaves, they had only just started to fall with any speed.
He plucked an apple from the tree and held it to his nose as if trying to recall some distant memory.
"I don't remember what apples taste like." He rolled it around in his hand. "I can see it and feel it and smell it. But even the sweet smell does not remind my tongue of the taste of it."
