The Portal to Sidhe: Book 2

by Kelsey Schaeffer

  “What do you think?” I asked as he stared at me blankly without a single response.

  “I don’t know Miranda...this is a tough subject for me.”

  “But I have no one else to talk to. Damon thinks it’s a bad idea. I can’t ask my parents...you know what Taylor did to them. He is my blood through. I just want to know him. I feel so twisted inside Roger.”

  “Blood...is just blood,” Roger said, “My mother is my blood. She’s your blood too, but look what we had to do with her. My mother was crazy and evil...we had to kill her. Just because he’s your… your father doesn’t mean he’s…worth saving.”

  A tear swept across my eye as I remembered how Desmorelda killed Ben. Roger was right, just because Taylor was blood, didn’t make him worth saving, but I was a very determined person. In the seven years I was able to get to know Taylor, he seemed reasonable. Taylor wasn’t like Desmorelda—at least I hoped. But my experience with him was much different than that of my parents.

  “But what if there is hope for Taylor?” I asked. “My father wanted you dead…and in the end, you helped us.”

  Roger didn’t know what to say. He knew I was right.

  “Roger, please help me. He might not change. But what if there is a chance?”

  “Miranda, your step father is so wonderful though. Why don’t you just leave Taylor in the dungeon to rot, and be happy with the parents you have.”

  I began to cry. Roger didn’t understand how horrible I felt inside. Somehow he was able to accept his blood was evil—but I couldn’t accept that malice ran through my veins. I had to believe that Taylor could be good.

  As soon as I began to sob, Roger melted. “Well...okay. If you think this is what’s best...I’ll help you?”

  My eyes started to dry as I wiped the tears away in excitement. “Do you mean that?” I asked as a sense of hope washed through my mind.

  “Yes.” he sighed. “I’m going to be honest; it’s a terrible idea…but if you think he is redeemable...I’ll help you. But...you need to tell your parents. Have the decency to let them know”

  “I will! I will!” I cried.

  I left Roger’s room feeling hopeful. It was time to visit my parents.

  I quickly told Damon I was going to visit my parents and said goodbye to the boys. Going through the portal was less traumatic now that it was permanently placed between Earth and Sidhe. Several of the best fairies used their knowledge and skills to build a portal that would constantly remain open between the two worlds. The new portal landing was much easier on our bodies as opposed to being slammed onto concrete or marble.

  Traveling through a portal to another realm was still hard on our bodies, and the fairies had yet to fix that problem. Travel was only recommended once per day, and after each passage we were expected to visit the castle infirmary or Doctor Glintin’s office on earth. It was forbidden for pregnant women and children under the age of thirteen to travel through the portal. One exception had been made when Benny had been sent through in order for our family to return to Sidhe. After Benny’s only passage through the portal, neither he nor Luke would be allowed to visit Earth until their thirteenth birthday.

  The Sidhe portal was located near the grand hall and my suite. As soon as I said goodbye to Damon and my sons, I quickly stepped through the portal, looking forward to visiting my family. I had not seen my parents in several weeks. As always, I felt crushing pains as my body was zapped to Earth. I landed on my feet in a padded area nearby the mansion safehouse and headed up the stairs to find my parents.

  As I headed through the public portions of the mansion, my parents were nowhere in sight, so I headed to their private room. I knocked on their door and my mother answered with a smile on her face. My mother was still very beautiful, looking more like my sister than my mother. When she had been resurrected from the dead only a few years before, her body had not aged since the day she had died. While my mother was nearly fifty years old, her body was only thirty—only a few years older than I.

  The moment she saw me, she instantly embraced me, “How are the boys doing?”

  “Great!” I said happily.

  “That is wonderful!” she cried.

  “Where is Dad?” I asked, “I need to talk to you both?”

  “He’s in his office. Is everything okay?” Concern swept across her face.

  “Yes. But I need to talk to you both. It’s important.”

  My mother raised her eyebrows and looked a bit alarmed, but we headed to my father, who was actually my stepfather’s office. He was talking on the phone, but as soon as he saw me, he quickly ended his conversation and ran to hug me. As soon as we embraced, and I told him how my family was. I didn’t hesitate before I quickly asked my mother to close the door so we could all speak.

  My father took a seat at his desk looking anxious, as my mother and I sat down in front of him. “What’s wrong Sweetheart?” he asked.

  “I need to talk to you both...and I know you’re going to get mad, but it’s important to me. Please hear me out.” My father’s face turned somber, and he gazed at me with his dark brown eyes. I continued, “I want to remove the vile from Taylor. I think he’s redeemable.”

  My mother gasped and looked like she was going to faint, while my father just gave me a blank stare. Neither of them spoke for several moments. Finally, my father spoke up. “If that is what you want,” he looked at my mother nervously, “we will respect your wish.”

  My mother looked terrified and I immediately wondered if I was making a bad decision so I said, “Mom, if it’s too much for you. I don’t have to do this.”

  My mother took a deep breath and sighed as she finally spoke up, but there was no confidence in her tone, “Sweetheart, if it’s what you want...I’m okay with it. I completely understand how you feel.” Her face softened, and she looked more confident as she continued to speak, “Imagine my surprise when I came back from the dead, only to meet my biological father. He was horrible to your grandma Lauren, and I heard nothing but bad things about him, but you were the one who convinced everyone he was redeemable. It’s what’s special about you Miranda. You see good in even the worst of people.”

  “But he isn’t good. He isn’t really like Roger.” I said, “I just hope we can give him a chance to be good. I don’t want to upset either of you.”

  “You won’t upset us,” my father cried. “You don’t know how proud we are of you.”

  “Can you return to Sidhe with me? I want to get started right away. I need your support...and the boys miss you.”

  “Of course!” my father cried, finally a smile sneaking across his face. “Let me find someone to stay at the mansion for a few days, and we will go to Sidhe with you. I miss my grandsons anyway!”

  My father called Nathen, who agreed to stay at the mansion and take care of the town while they were away. I spent the night with my parents to allow my body to rest for the trip through the portal, but we would return to Sidhe immediately the next morning.

  When we returned to Sidhe the next day, we immediately went to Roger’s suite to bring him the news. Roger was happy to see my parents as he longed for a relationship with my mother. I went to fetch Damon and see my boys, while my parents caught up with Roger.

  Damon did not seemed pleased that we were going forward with the spell on Taylor, but he agreed to help. Damon and I grabbed Sadie, Elona and Emerlee before returning to Roger’s room. We knew we would need their help for this powerful magic.

  When we returned to Roger’s room, my father took off to see the boys, while my mother stayed to offer her help. After I killed Desmorelda, my mother had her own emerging ceremony and discovered she was a star fairy. Before my mother had been resurrected and even before she had been turned to a vampire, I heard stories of how powerful she was. Similar to me, her combined superhuman power and fairy star magic, gave her a powerful and deadly weapon. She had spent the last several years perfecting her very powerful magic.

  The seven of us spent sev
eral hours discussing the magic we needed to take away Taylor’s powers, and by the end of the night, we had a plan in motion. We would start the spell early the next morning, as it had been a long day.

  As I lay next to Damon later that night, I had trouble falling asleep. My mind was spinning in a thousand directions, and my emotions were raw. I wanted to badly to believe I was doing the right thing, but something sour lurked deep inside of me. After what seemed like several hours, my mind finally drifted off to sleep. Unfortunately, sleep did not bring the peace I strongly desired.

  As the world went dark, visions of Ben danced through my brain, haunting my peaceful rest. At first the dreams brought revisions of his heart flying through his chest, blood splattering across the wall. Each time I saw the Queen’s evil grin, I envisioned the horrifying moment again and again. After Ben’s gruesome death replayed in my dream several times, his body finally rose from the ground, blood dripping down his chest.

  “Miranda,” he said as he smiled.

  “Ben. You’re alive!” I smiled and tried to stand up, but my leg was still broken.

  Ben came to my side and pressed his lips against mine. As our lips touched and our kiss grew intense, the pain in my leg began to diminish. Our kisses continued to grow more passionate, and I could feel my leg was beginning to heal. I pulled away for only a moment and said, “Ben, I missed you so much. Don’t leave me ever again.”

  “I will never leave you. I’m always here.” he smiled and pressed his lips against mine.

  After we kissed again for a few moments, I realized my leg was completely fine and Ben’s blood had miraculously disappeared. The two of us were kissing on the dungeon floor as if nothing bad had ever happened. Suddenly Ben picked me up and carried me to his bed, but it was not the same disgusting cot as before. It was a full size bed with a plush red comforter. I smiled as he lay me down.

  He slowly pulled off my shirt and bra, exposing my breasts as he slowly undressed himself. Once he was undressed I stared at him, taking in his beautiful body. It had been eight years since I had seen him, and I missed him dearly. I reached out to touch his skin and felt it’s very real warmth against my fingers as sparks shot through each vein in my body, and a chill was sent down my spine.

  Ben slowly pulled off the remainder of my clothing and climbed on top of me. As we slowly made love, every movement was methodical and perfect in every way. I moaned in pleasure as I felt a euphoric sensation, which had been absent for many years.

  “Ben!” I screamed in pleasure as I held him tight. “Ben!” I cried again as I pressed my fingers into his hot flesh.

  Everything was complete bliss, and for a moment I thought I was in heaven, but suddenly the feelings of pleasure began to diminish and fade away. I soon realized I was only holding air, and the essence of Ben faded away. I looked to the floor and saw Ben’s dead body lying on the ground covered in blood.

  I screamed and began shaking. “Ben!” I shrieked, “Ben! Don’t leave me! Ben!” But he was dead. I screamed and trembled in agony for several moments until I suddenly heard the sound of his voice once more.

  He was still lying on the floor, but I could hear his voice travel through my mind, “Protect our son, Miranda. Protect our son.”

  “Ben!” I screamed, “BEN!”

  Chapter 2

  My eyes shot open as a pair of crystal blue eyes were gazing my way, but they did not belong to Ben. I was sobbing and shaking as Damon held me tight.

  “Shhhh...shhhh,” he whispered as he rocked me. But when I realized that it had all been a dream, I instantly jerked away.

  “What happened?” I cried, realizing I was soaked in sweat.

  “You were screaming and yelling for Ben. At first it was just whispers and moans, but then it turned to screams. Are you okay?”

  “I was just having another nightmare...envisioning Ben’s death.” I said, but I didn’t mention anything else.

  “Oh babe, I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I would send you pleasant dreams if you’d let me.”

  “It’s okay. It’s just a dream,” I said. It wasn’t the first time I had a nightmare about Ben, but it was the first time the dream had turned pleasant. It seemed so realistic, as if the two of us were sharing an intimate moment together. The warmth of Ben’s skin felt so real.

  “Won’t you let me use my magic to help you back to sleep?” Damon said softly as a frown grew across his face. I knew he felt helpless.

  “Okay,” I agreed.

  Damon used his fingers to massage magic into my shoulders. Like a powerful sedative, I instantly fell back to sleep.

  I awoke the next morning to the sun shining through the windows and a renewed feeling of bliss. I lay in bed for a moment with a smile on my face before I realized I had slept in. I shot out of bed and quickly threw on some clothes. I ran out of the room to find my parents, Damon and the boys sitting around the table eating breakfast.

  Luke smiled and reached his hand towards me, and Benny said, “Good morning, Momma.”

  “I’m sorry!” I cried as I kissed my boys, “I’m so sorry I slept in.”

  “It’s okay,” My father said, “Damon told us you weren’t feeling well last night, and he used magic to help you sleep. I figured I’d make breakfast for everyone.”

  I nodded my head and gave everyone a hug and kiss. I quickly shoved a piece of bacon in my mouth before heading back to the bedroom to get ready for the day.

  As I quickly showered and dressed, the smell of bacon loomed the air and drove nostalgic feelings through my mind. I recalled many days when life was normal, waking up to the smell of bacon in my father’s home. Many times I would go downstairs to see my father and Damon enjoying breakfast together.

  While I never had intimate feelings towards Damon growing up, part of me always pictured myself married to him with children. Damon was my greatest and most loyal friend, who was more like family than anything else. I always knew it was my father’s dream for Damon to be his son-in-law. My feelings towards Damon puzzled me many years ago and still puzzled me to this day. I loved him, but after eight years, I was still fantasizing about Ben. As much as I loved Damon, my mind was constantly twisted with confusion.

  When Damon and I returned to Sidhe a year after Desmorelda’s death, I was emotionally raw. I was far from prepared for a relationship when the three of us moved into the Queen’s remodeled suite together. I took the master bedroom and Damon took the room next to Benny. For years Damon and I lived together, side-by-side as friends and parents, but one night our feelings for one another arose.

  Benny had finally gone to sleep for the night, and Damon asked me if I wanted to watch a movie with him. It was not uncommon for the two of us to spend time together since we were good friends and we were raising my son together. This particular night, the television began acting up, so I innocently asked Damon if he wanted to watch it in my room.

  “That’s fine,” he said.

  The two of us headed to my room, and I casually hopped in bed, propped up against my pillow. Damon looked around the room as if he wasn’t sure where he was supposed to sit. I had a small couch, but the bed was directly in front of the television.

  “You can sit with me,” I said as I patted the bed indicating for him to join me.

  He seemed incredibly nervous, but he sat down on the other end of the large bed. I clicked on the television, and we began to watch a movie. As the movie went on, the two of us grew more comfortable on my bed. By the end of the movie, I realized we were both under the covers, and I could feel the warmth of his skin radiating onto mine. The room was silent and only lit by the glow of the blank television.

  Neither of us spoke or moved for several seconds until Damon nervously said, “Remember that night up in your room a few years ago? We were...eighteen then.”

  “Yeah,” I said, “weird how things turn out.”

  He smiled and then said nervously, “Would you ever consider...try...trying...again?”

  “Having se
x?” I responded much too fast and felt embarrassed by my response.

  Through the dim glow, I could see Damon’s face turn bright red. “I didn’t mean that...but would you?”

  I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks, as I didn’t know what to say. I missed Ben dearly, but I still had feelings and needs. I longed for love and the touch of another being. Something unfamiliar inside me made me blurt out “Yes.”

  “You would have...have...sex with me?” he seemed shocked.

  I paused as anxiety washed through my body. It had been so long since I had been intimate with anyone, and Damon was my best friend, but my mind was twisting in a million directions. I loved Damon, and I wanted to be so much more than friends. I could feel the heat emitting from his skin, and the glow from the television gave him an alluring radiance. I was hesitant, but I said, “um…uh...yeah.”

  Suddenly as if my answer had turned a dial in his mind, he pulled me on top of him and began kissing me hard as if my lips tasted like candy. He didn’t hesitate before tearing off my shirt and bringing his mouth to my chest. I was in shock by his aggression, but my feelings were so twisted that I didn’t complain. I knew that Damon had wanted this for so many years, and his excitement was visible in his actions.

  He unsnapped my bra as quickly as he could and laid me on the bed. Once I was lying down, he didn’t hesitate before pulling off my bottoms. He quickly stood up and tore off all his clothes, then climbed on top of me. He began to kiss my neck as delightful sensations traveled down my spine.

  “Damon,” I moaned as his kisses fluttered across my skin.

  I could feel his lips trace my skin as he kissed down my breasts and across my stomach. I moaned from the pleasure of his lips caressing my skin. He began to kiss my lips once more before he pulled away and looked deep into my eyes. His blue eyes sparkled in the dim glow as he whispered, “I love you so much. You don’t know how long I have wanted this.”

  I didn’t respond. It had been so long, and I needed him so much, so I pulled him into me.