by N M Thorn
“Mrak didn’t say to make you bleed. He said to make you cry,” objected Aidan stubbornly.
“Sorry, I’m not an actor. I can’t cry on demand,” replied Gunz, aggravation rising within him. “Please, Aidan. I appreciate your concern, and Mrak’s too. But what I need is time. I’ll be fine and back at work. I just need a few days to deal… you know?”
“Yup, and I promise, I’ll be out of your hair,” replied Aidan, rising. “But not before I see your tears.”
He held out his fist and covered it with his other hand. Rays of purple light broke through his fingers. Aidan approached Gunz and unlocked his fingers. A small stone shining with purple light was lying in the palm of his hand. “Inhale,” he ordered, moving the stone closer to Gunz’s face.
Gunz took a quick breath and staggered back, pressing his hand over his nose, tears running down his face. “What the hell, Aidan!” he shouted. “This stuff is worse than ammonia salts.”
Aidan ignored him. “Your tears, Gunz,” he said with a soft smile. “They’re clear human tears. Now I know that you’ll be okay. Call me when you’re ready.” He snapped his fingers and vanished.
Gunz approached the dresser and looked in the mirror. His face was covered in dirt and blood, but clear human tears were running down his cheeks, leaving wet traces behind. The folded yellow page and the watch were lying on the dresser. He caressed the paper with his fingers, sadness tearing him apart.
“I’ll be fine,” he said, locking the watch on his wrist, but then shook his head. “I’m never going to be fine, but I’ll have to learn how to live without you. I just need time.”
He stared into the mirror at his reflection for a moment. Then he screamed, pulling his arm back and plummeted his fist into the mirror. The mirror broke into hundreds of shiny splinters, dropping on the dresser and to the floor. Gunz stared down at his bleeding knuckles and then lifted his eyes. A long piece of mirror was still remaining in the frame. A lifeless, exhausted face was staring back at him.
“Screw it!” growled Gunz, slamming his hand into the pile of glass on the dresser. The pieces of mirror cracked under his hand, spilling on the floor. “Goddammit! Screw it all! I’m going to find out what kind of crazy spell you preformed, Angie. And I am not going to stop until I unbind you from Zmey and bring you back!”
Epilogue
One month later
~ Aidan ~
Modern day, Chicago
Aidan was pacing nervously in front of the door in the Assembly Hall. The Guardians summoned him just a few hours ago, and he had no idea what to expect. The former Head Mage of the Guardians Order was dead. She was also branded as a traitor, quite a few of her evil deeds uncovered since the Destiny Council launched their investigation. She was the one who mutilated the two Books of Words, trying to conceal Valeria Demidova’s connection with the Guardians Order and with her personally. Aidan assumed that since Ms. Bonneville was a traitor, his oath to her was now null and void.
It was the new Head Mage who summoned him. He didn’t know who the new Head Mage was and why he or she needed to talk to him. At least the summoning call was gentle and the tugging at his mind stopped as soon as he crossed the border of the Guardians Headquarters.
“Aidan!” He heard Tessa’s voice and turned around.
Tessa was walking toward him accompanied by Jamie, the guard. Aidan frowned. He didn’t like that Tessa was escorted by a guard. She halted in front of him and for a moment just stood there, searching his face with her deep eyes. Then she rose on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck, placing her head on his chest.
He hugged her, closing his eyes, but then pulled away. “Tessa,” he said softly, “are you in any trouble again? Why are you with a guard and why was I summoned?”
Tessa shrugged. “Well, since that night when I broke into the library, took a locked book without permission, summoned an Archangel and left the property without notifying anyone, I didn’t do anything else wrong.”
“That’s all?” Aidan threw his hands in the air. “I have a feeling that after all that, they’re going to put me in chains and enslave me for the rest of my life. One year of servitude certainly is not going to be enough to cover all your offenses.”
“Oh, don’t be such worry-worm, Aidan,” said Tessa, rolling her eyes. “They’re not going to enslave you. Although I must admit that the thought of you as a slave doesn’t bother me as much as it should. I actually like that idea. As long as I’m your only master.”
“Ha-ha, dream on,” muttered Aidan, feeling a flush creeping up his cheeks.
“A girl can dream, especially since dreams are free.” She laughed, patting his cheek. “It’s so cute that at your age you can still blush.” She hugged him, giving him a light kiss on his cheek and changed the subject. “On another note. How is Zane?”
“He’s fine,” replied Aidan, cringing inside. As much as Gunz was putting up a front, he knew that he was anything but fine. “He’s fine, but he’s not the same man you remember.”
“What do you mean?”
Aidan shrugged. “It’s hard to explain. When you see him in person, you’ll know what I mean. It’s like he is hollow inside. He was always a little distant and guarded, but I attributed it to his Salamander’s nature. He could never relax, always keeping his power in check. But now, imagine that but tenfold worse.”
“How is that?”
“He still didn’t go back to work. Agent Andrews came to me, asking for my help to bring him back. He had not gone back to the dojang either.”
“So, what is he doing? Do you know?”
“He spends his time between the Wardens Library, Riders Library in Kendral and any other library of magical books and scrolls he can put his hands on. Actually, Father Beaumont sees him a lot more than I do.”
“I think I know what he is doing,” whispered Tessa.
“Not hard to guess,” replied Aidan, shaking his head. “But Angel told me that there are no known ways to bring Angelique back. She fused her essence with Zmey’s and that can’t be undone.”
“Did Angel try talking to him?”
“Yes, of course he did,” said Aidan. “Many times. He listened to Angel, smiling politely, and as soon as Angel was out of his house, he went back to what he was doing. And the way he fights, Tessa… he scares me. It’s like he has no soul.”
“What do you mean? Zane was always an excellent martial artist. What changed?”
“He still is. Now better and scarier than he was before,” said Aidan with a sigh. “A few days ago, I saw him fighting a group of demons on the street. He didn’t even use his fire power, just basic hand-to-hand combat. He annihilated every single one of them, Tessa. I don’t think he even checked if human souls were still inside their bodies. He was precise, fast and cold. Don’t get me wrong, that’s the only way to deal with demons. But sometimes it feels like he has a death wish. He doesn’t care if he gets hurt. He’s like a perfect killing machine. Reckless, soulless and dangerous. And when he’s not researching or killing, he’s drinking. I’ve never seen anyone drink so much and not get a hangover.” Aidan pursed his lips, shaking his head. “Anyway, the truth is, he never recovered. Everyone grieves in their own way. Possibly, he just needs more time.”
“As soon as I get a chance, I’ll go back to Florida and talk to him,” offered Tessa. “Maybe I’ll be able to get through to him.”
Aidan chuckled bitterly. “Good luck with that.”
“Are you saying that he’s not going to let me in?”
“No, that’s not what I’m saying,” objected Aidan. “He’ll welcome you into his house and he’ll show you the best Russian hospitality you can dream of. But if you try to get into any kind of serious conversation, you’ll hit a wall. He is not going to talk, Tessa. Not to you, not to anyone else. And as far as I’m concerned, everyone needs to back off and give him some space and time to grieve. In his own way.”
Tessa nodded. “Aidan, what he said about Perun. Is it true?”<
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“Perun is your father, Tessa. There are no doubts about it. If he wasn’t, you wouldn’t have been able to use the full power of the Axe to lock the coffin,” said Aidan. “Gunz told me what Angelique said and I tend to believe her words. When you’re ready, we should start searching for your father.”
“If my father is a god, does it make me a…” Her voice died off as she stared down at her clenched hands.
“A goddess, most likely. Since your mother was a Reaper, not a human, you’re probably not a demigod. But I’m not sure,” replied Aidan. “In any case, you need to stay with the Guardians and learn as much as you can. Just like Angelique said.”
Before Tessa got a chance to answer, the door to the Assembly Hall opened and Jamie walked up to them.
“Tessa, Mr. McGrath,” he said, “the Guardians Council is ready for you both.”
Aidan headed toward the Assembly Hall with Tessa by his side, ready to fight if he had to. As soon as he walked in, he noticed that it wasn’t the full Guardians Council assembly. There were only three people inside—two women and a man. The man got up and walked around the table to greet them.
He stopped a few feet away from Aidan and bent forward in a light bow. “Aodh mac Lir, it’s an honor to finally meet you. My name is Quinn Allerton and I’m the Guardians Order Archmage. I’ll be taking over the position Ms. Bonneville used to hold.”
“My lord,” said Aidan carefully, bowing slightly to show his respect.
“Before we get into a conversation, please allow me to discuss a small matter with Therasia,” he said, turning to Tessa. “Ms. Donovan, I’ve heard mixed things about you, young lady. And I believe that we owe Mr. McGrath’s presence in the Order to your previous misdoings.”
“Yes, my lord,” replied Tessa, throwing a wide-eye stare at Aidan.
“In the last month, you managed to add to your already impressive list of broken rules,” continued the Archmage. “Breaking and entering into the Guardians library, wrecking a few locks in the forbidden section of the library, summoning a high-level divine being, and leaving your duty at the Guardians HQ without notifying your superiors. All these are serious offenses, young lady.”
“I’m truly sorry, my lord,” mumbled Tessa, “but I swear I had a good reason!”
“That you did,” agreed the Archmage, smiling. “You did all that and we owe you our gratitude for saving our world. To all of you who valiantly fought the Lord of Chaos at Mount Karasova.” He bowed to Aidan again. “Having said that, it still doesn’t excuse your breaking of the Guardians Order rules.”
“Please don’t expel me,” pleaded Tessa, pressing her hands to her chest. “I need to learn. I must know how to use my magic and power, now more than ever.”
“I had no plans to expel you, Ms. Donovan. The Guardians Order needs talented members like yourself,” said the Archmage, “but the term of your probation will be extended by another year.”
“Thank you, my lord,” said Tessa, happiness twinkling in her dark eyes. “I won’t disappoint you.”
“I’m glad to hear it, Therasia,” replied Archmage, patting her on her shoulder. “You may leave now. I need to have a few words with Mr. McGrath. You can wait for him outside. It shouldn’t take long.”
As soon as Tessa left, the Archmage turned to Aidan. “Mr. McGrath, I was told about the way Ms. Bonneville treated you and I want to extend my apologies.”
“Apologies accepted,” said Aidan. “Ms. Bonneville was a traitor and everything she did was done to benefit the Lord of Chaos. Now that we know that, I assume I’m no longer held by the oath I was forced to give her.”
The Archmage cleared his throat uncomfortably, shifting from foot to foot. “I’m sorry, but no,” he said, calmly looking at Aidan. “You pledged your fealty not to Ms. Bonneville personally, but to the Guardians Order for the duration of Ms. Donovan’s probation. And as such, your oath still stands.”
He came closer and touched the pendant on Aidan’s chest, sending a small amount of magic through it.
“Does it mean that because Tessa’s probation was extended by a full year, so was my service to the Guardians?” asked Aidan, working hard not to show his aggravation.
“Yes,” replied the Archmage. “For now, you’re free to go back to your life, Mr. McGrath. But as a sworn member of the Guardians Order, you must return any time we summon you. Do you have any questions?”
For a moment, Aidan was just staring down at the Archmage, fighting with the internal need to wipe him out of existence. Then he turned around and silently walked out of the Assembly Hall.
~ Zane Burns, a.k.a. Gunz ~
South Florida
Cold water washed over him, abruptly ripping him out of his sleep, turning every cell in his body into a separate tiny chamber of torture. Gunz rolled over to the other side of the bed, his back pressed against the closet door, ready to pounce on whoever assailed him.
“Dammit, Akira,” he growled, his lip curving into a feral snarl as he saw the Scarlet Queen standing by the side of his bed with a bucket in her hands. “What the hell are you—”
He didn’t get to finish his statement as Akira picked up the second bucket and drenched him with another shot of freezing water. Gunz cried out, covering his head with his arms and slid down to the floor. His clothes got soaked instantly, clinging to his body, and that added to his misery.
“Akira, why?” he panted, struggling to get up. “What did I do to deserve this?”
Akira walked up to him, seized his wet shirt, and easily yanked him up. She observed his wet disposition and wrinkled her nose.
“It’s not what you did, Zane. It’s what you’re not doing,” she said, shaking the water off her hand, like a cat who stepped in a puddle. “Undress and take a shower. Now! God knows, you need it.”
Gunz sighed but didn’t argue. Silently he headed into the bathroom. Once the door was locked, he quickly shed all the wet clothes on the floor and turned the hot water to the maximum. He stepped into the shower stall and let the firm jets of heat run down his body, caressing his skin. For a few minutes, he just stood, enjoying the hot shower.
He wanted to stay like this forever, not moving, not doing anything, but most importantly—not thinking. Thinking brought back the memories. And he didn’t want to remember. Memories were painful. They were gnawing at him from the inside, day and night. He couldn’t eat, he couldn’t work, he couldn’t do anything.
But the worst of all were the nights. Those endless, dark, lonely nights, when he would lie in his bed, unable to sleep. As soon as he would shut his eyes, he saw Angelique. Over and over, he relived that night at Mount Karasova, blaming himself for what happened to her. She loved him and trusted him, and he failed to protect her. And the thought of it was tormenting him worse than any physical torture.
Every evening, when he was coming back from the Wardens Library, walking through the dark city streets, he was hoping to meet a few demons or any other monsters, so he could fight. Physical confrontations were awakening some primal instincts in him and with adrenalin rushing through his system, he was able to give some release to the anger and pain that were boiling inside him. Fighting was making him forget everything else. So, he was walking the dark streets, deliberately searching for trouble.
Drinking was helping to numb the pain to a degree too. He would drown his sorrows in alcohol until he could think no more. Only then could he fall asleep, sometimes right there, on the kitchen floor.
Gunz sighed, remembering that the queen of vampires was still in his bedroom, waiting for him. As much as he wanted to tell her to beat it, he knew that it wasn’t a good idea to get Akira angry. He quickly finished his shower and toweled his body dry. He wrapped the towel around his hips and walked into the bedroom.
Akira took in his appearance, her angled eyes stopping on the towel and smirked. “As much as I enjoy the view,” she purred, “I need you to slip into something less comfortable.”
“Why? Are we going somewhere?”
>
“Yes, I’ll tell you on the way,” replied Akira, heading out the door. “I’ll wait for you downstairs.”
Gunz changed into jeans and a t-shirt and went downstairs. Akira walked him to his car and started to drive.
“Akira,” said Gunz after a few minutes of silence, “care to explain where you are taking me? I’m not in the mood to play games.”
“You’re not in the mood for anything. All you do is drink!” barked Akira, her eyes sparkling with anger. “You forgot who you are, Mr. Burns. You forgot that as the Great Fire Salamander you have obligations to this world—”
“I had obligations!” shouted Gunz, his body locked with rage. “I failed! I failed everyone who loved me and trusted me!”
Akira sighed. It seemed that his furious outburst wiped out her own anger. “Maybe you did, maybe you didn’t. It’s a matter of opinion and as much as I disagree with your statement, I am not going to argue with you,” she said quietly, staring at the road. “Nevertheless, I trust you and I desperately need your help. And you have your chance not to fail me. So, what is it going to be, Zane?”
“You need my help,” repeated Gunz, leaning back in his seat. “What could possibly happen that would make the almighty Scarlet Queen seek the help of a drunk Fire Salamander.”
“Zane!” yelled Akira, throwing her hands in the air. The car swung to the right and someone honked at them. “Zane, my son is missing! I need your help to find him.”
Gunz stared at Akira, shocked. “Yaroslav is missing? Since when?”
“Two weeks,” replied Akira quietly.
“He’s a big boy, Akira,” said Gunz, shaking his head. “He probably met a nice vampire girl and wants some time away from his mommy. Plus, you have nothing to worry about. Yaroslav can hold his own.”
“No, Zane, you don’t understand,” said Akira, and true worry made her grip at the wheel harder. “Yaroslav is my son and we are psychically connected. I can feel his distress, but I can’t sense his location, which never happened before. Something is wrong.”
