by J L Lawrence
“When the seal is broken,” Gregory went on, “only the Mystic can destroy the demon that opens it and reseal it. That’s why the Mystic is crucial, and why our Council sent us to bring you home.” He held up his hand and smiled. “Before you ask, the Ancient Council is kind of like your Congress. Luckily, with your career choice, you have already received a lot of training in fighting tactics at least. For now, please try to get some sleep.”
Kate wanted to argue, to throw things, to make him take back what she knew was truth. No one had the right to tell her when to sleep, or that she was responsible for saving millions of people. Angie had stayed silent, trusting her to work through the information and make the right decision. But sometimes Angie’s silence was more condemning than her words.
She tried to wait on Xander to return, because she still wanted to give him a piece of her mind, but the past twenty-four hours finally caught up with her. She drifted off, full of turmoil, hoping sleep would help clear her head and calm her nerves.
Kate woke with a start and tried to take stock of her surroundings. A man’s arm was across her abdomen. That hadn’t been there earlier. Where was she? She tried to put all the pieces back together in her scattered mind. She stretched slightly, flexing in Xander’s arms, and felt their immediate connection and the warmth in the pit of her stomach. The butterflies flew, and she inwardly groaned at her wanton desire. She felt safe and protected for a moment, like she could let her guard down and be herself.
She’d dreamed of having these feelings all her life, but what a package deal it had come with. A horrible destiny and a jackass. Just once she’d like to do things the normal way.
Fast as lightning, the memories of the night before caught up with her, and she knew it wasn’t a dream anymore. This was real. All of it. She didn’t want to open her eyes and face reality, or the man sleeping beside her, but she’d never been a coward, and there was no reason to start now. Okay, maybe I am a coward. She forced herself back to sleep.
* * *
Xander awoke to Xavier buzzing in his head. He was the only one that could break his sleeping spell. “Demons picked up your trail, and more have added to the search. They are desperate to find her.” Xander groaned inwardly. “No use moaning about it. You have until sunset at most, and then move quickly.” Xavier enunciated the last words slowly.
“How many are coming?”
“Too many.”
“Shit!”
“Yep, but I have a plan to slow them down. As for you, run!”
The demons had to be closer than he thought, if Xavier was already in position to spring the first trap. He’d have to wake everyone up soon and get moving. Now that Xavier was out of his head, he could focus on his current surroundings, and man, were they enticing. Kate’s sleeping face tugged at his insides and brought out his possessive instincts.
Her flawless skin held a scent all her own: strawberries and spice. Her mouth appeared to be smiling, like she was amused by his inner struggle for her. His gaze continued down her body, pressed so tightly against his own. The perfect fit. Even in a sweatshirt and athletic pants, she was the sexiest female he had ever come across. A small piece of him wanted to reject her for the ticking clock on his life, but he was becoming more and more intrigued by her. Plus, she was a means to an end, and love was way overrated.
His hand wandered down her arm and across her hip. He caressed her side and her abdomen on the way back up. Goose bumps arose in response to his touch. He wanted under that shirt so bad he could taste it. He was thankful they weren’t alone, or he might not be able to stop. Almost. His strong arousal had become painful in the confines of his pants. Damn tattoo. Damn destiny.
His gaze reluctantly went back to her mouth. A mouth made for his. His for eternity, or until she kicked him in the balls for lying to her. Though he shouldn’t, he wanted one taste before he woke her. Leaning down, he brushed her lips, but it wasn’t enough. The urgency to taste her was blinding. Oh shit, he had opened the floodgates. He wanted more. A lot more.
This time he held his mouth a little firmer, holding his lips to hers for several seconds. He moved to kiss the corner of her mouth. She opened her sapphire eyes and stared straight into his. He came apart. Losing control, he crushed her mouth. Her lips molded perfectly to his. As their tongues began an age-old dance, the temperature in the room skyrocketed. His hands grazed her sides, and his mouth plundered hers. His full erection strained against her pelvis. Her hips rose to get closer. A few more minutes, and nothing would stop them.
“Hey, hey, hey, girl. Stop that,” Angie said loudly. “I’m going blind over here.” Kate’s trance had been broken by Angie’s interruption.
She hit him lightly on the chest, bringing him back to reality. His conversation with Xavier rushed to mind. He sat up and removed the protective spells sealing the room. “You up, Gregory?”
“In more ways than one thanks to your performance.”
Angie jumped away from Gregory. Her flash of desire at his obvious interest shone in her face, before she buried it deep in her mind.
“Good grief,” she grumbled. “Control yourself.”
Gregory smiled at her reproof and leaned in toward her red face. “Don’t lie to me, sweetheart. I felt your heart rate and breathing increase. Maybe you don’t know what that means, but I’m sure I could teach you.” He placed a quick kiss on Angie’s lips, while her eyes were still wide open at his remark. Before she could fire back, he popped out of the room. She rubbed her lips, trying to wipe away the attraction between them.
Xander chuckled, reading her thoughts. “Flash your behind back in here,” he called out to Gregory. “We have plans to go over.”
Gregory popped back in, making sure to stay out of Angie’s reach. Xander rolled his eyes. What a fiasco this had become.
“Earlier you mentioned other beings or realms that were different.” Kate changed the subject. A good thing. “If you take out those with powers like yourself, what else is there? Please don’t tell me you mean vampires, werewolves, and all the other stuff we dream up in movies and books.” She gave a half laugh then froze.
He diverted his eyes from her penetrating stare. Xander shifted uncomfortably and glanced toward Gregory for assistance. His friend was conveniently staring up into the ceiling, like he was getting a degree in construction.
Kate bowed her head. “Aw shit, I’m not going to like this answer, am I?”
“Actually, most of your human ideas have some grain of truth, because we were once part of the human population, and stories have passed down from generation to generation. Vampire is a human term, and so is werewolf.” Kate looked relieved, but he would change that. “But we do have sorcerers like us, gliders, shapeshifters, dream walkers, seers, elves, fairies, seekers, and many others in our world. There are more realms than you know.”
Gregory ran his hands over his face in utter irritation. “Right now, we need to focus on the demons trying to kill us. We’re never going to make it at this rate. As the number of demons increase, the less we can throw our scents and keep our shields invisible. Got any other friends, or do I pretty much round out the numbers?”
“We will meet up with more help later, but for now we need to get out of here and keep it simple. The minions are easier to kill, so you should both be able to hold your own. Their strength is still inhuman so you have to be careful. Decapitation always works best.”
“Not exactly what they taught in the academy, huh Kate?” Angie said dryly, stretching out her arms, psyching up for a fight. “But I’m down with it, how ’bout you?”
“Always. Who doesn’t get pumped up to go for the obvious kill by taking someone’s head off?” Kate’s voice was higher pitched than normal, and her overexcited cheerleader persona broke some of the tension.
Xander swiftly moved to the door and swore under his breath. “They sent a team in after us. I’m sensing eight to ten. We can’t fight that many and protect both of you. We may have to make a run for it. As so
on as we get in the car, we’ll drive to a protected location.” He decided to leave out the fact that they would be dropping Angie off at a safe house. The separation would not be easy. Angie was determined to see this through, and her connection to Kate was the strongest he had ever seen in humans.
They headed downstairs in a tight formation. They turned toward the lobby area. Minions surrounded them. With the sun setting in a matter of minutes, demons would be joining the fight, and they would really be screwed.
Xander tried to push the girls into a corner, while he and Gregory engaged in fighting. They weren’t hard to kill or very skilled, but even a second of a distraction, and Kate could be killed. He sliced through one after another, but eventually they successfully separated him from Kate.
He rushed to get to her, but there were too many. She and Angie were surrounded. They were fighting back. Angie went flying across the room, and Kate dodged a minion blocking her path to run after her. She helped her up, but there was nothing left for them to do. Xander killed everything in his path. He wasn’t going to make it.
He called out to her. She threw out her arm, and an energy shield emerged. If she could hold the shield, they might have a shot. He sent the message to her, but she struggled to maintain it. Gregory was nearly there. The shield began to weaken.
Within seconds, the cronies would have a direct shot at Kate. Angie threw her arms around Kate to protect her. As Kate grasped Angie’s hand, the shield emitted a solid white light, knocking the minions back at least fifteen feet. Xander and Gregory worked quickly to kill the rest.
“Xavier intercepted several more, but they are pouring in. We have to get out of here. I’ve never seen an organized effort like this before.” Fury had to be training more than his demon followers. He was building an army.
He glanced over at Kate, still huddled with Angie. Both were still feeling the shock from Kate’s new-found power. Angie had amplified Kate’s powers threefold. Plus, the demons would definitely have her scent now. Whether he liked it or not, Angie would have to go to the portal with them. She might not be able to cross into the Meadows, but that was a problem for another day.
* * *
After a few minutes of sneaking through the brush, they neared the parking lot where they’d left their car. Kate and Angie froze. The minions looked like normal people, except their eyes were black and soulless. Their faces twisted into a look of torment and evil. They were all pacing and scanning the woods, waiting for a fight.
Xander stood in front, motioning them closer to the edge. “A few more moments, and we make a run for the car.” He projected the directions to their new location into their minds. “Gregory will drive. Ladies, you will jump in the back while we hold them off. We’ll have to fight our way there, so have your weapons ready and stay focused.”
Gregory came alert and stepped forward. “Shit, what are those dickheads doing to my car? That is a one-of-a-kind model I had special ordered. They better get their hands off!” All of them leaned forward, squinting to see the car clearer. The minions were looking into it and doing something Kate couldn’t see clearly. They continued to watch, not wanting to get trapped. That vehicle was their way out of here and to their next destination.
The noise of the explosion came first, and pain erupted in Kate’s eardrums. Then, she went flying backwards, hitting the building, the incredible heat scorching her skin. All of them landed several feet back from where they’d stood only a few moments ago. Shaken and injured, they scrambled to their feet and sank deeper into the trees, before being seen. Staying quiet was a challenge, when all she wanted to do was groan and cough up a lung from all the smoke.
Once they were a safe distance away, Xander pulled her into an embrace, so tight she thought her ribs would crack. They were covered in cuts and bruises, but nothing too serious. He exhaled roughly in her hair, full of fear and relief. “Everyone okay?”
“Hell no!” Gregory roared. “They blew up my car, so no, I’m not okay. That was my baby. My perfect car. Do you know how hard it will be to replace it? Screw that, they’re all dead.” He started back toward the lot, but Xander tackled him from behind and used magic to subdue him, until he calmed down.
Kate was amazed at his reaction. Good grief, it’s a car.
Angie’s eyes were wide and her breathing heavy. She looked at Kate, and then turned to Xander. “They blew up the car. They blew up the damn car! What now, O fearless leaders?” Kate had thought modern weapons were out of this. Guess not.
She stepped forward and wrapped her arm around Angie’s shoulders before everyone got out of control. She didn’t want to die here tonight, so someone had to figure out an escape plan fast. To say they were all shaken was a severe understatement. On a good note, most of the idiots had blown themselves up in the blast.
With a lot more calm in her voice than she actually felt she asked, “What do we do now? Anyone got a Plan B? Cause Plan A just went up in smoke.” She added the last part to try and inject some humor in the situation and relieve some of the tension permeating the air. Gregory groaned and buried his face in the ground. What a baby. She met Xander’s eyes. His mind raced to find a solution.
He told her he couldn’t contact Xavier, so he didn’t know where the demons were. They all knew they were out of time. The sun was fading, and now it was time for the real demons to come out and play. At least Gregory finally seemed to be coming around, since he was now sitting on the ground sulking, but calm. The demons had to be closing in by now, and they had to move fast. The car was out. She could only hope Xander would think of something.
* * *
Xander ran through all the possibilities in his mind, which were pretty limited with two humans. If they tried to flash out, they would be easy to follow with the women in tow. Kate and Angie would be sick at least a day, recovering from the shock it would cause their human bodies. At this rate, they didn’t have any recovery time to spare. They needed a miracle to swoop down and take them away. Wait a minute.
His pacing slowed, as an idea formed in his mind. It might work. Micah, the Council Seer, had said to travel and use limited magic, but he didn’t give the exact mode of transportation they had to use. He couldn’t help but grin and sent his idea to Gregory.
“You can’t be serious,” Gregory muttered, looking straight into Xander’s eyes. “They don’t even exist here. Stop thinking about it right now. Xander, I mean it…. no!”
Xander clapped Gregory’s shoulder, with an even larger grin.
Chapter 5
Xander turned toward Kate, flashing a smile. “How do you two feel about animals?”
“Depends on the animal I suppose.” Her response had been hesitant. Xander had to admit he loved the Southern drawl that seemed to deepen whenever she became suspicious or angry.
“I’ve always liked puppies.” Angie added. She grinned mischievously and winked at Kate.
Xander braced himself for the arguments to come. “Look, we have got to get out of here now, and our ground transportation went up in flames.” He ignored Gregory’s groan at the reminder. “Gregory and I can shapeshift and get you out of here, but you will have to trust us unconditionally.”
Angie snorted. “That’s easy for Kate, since she’s the chosen one and all, but not so much for me.” She glared. Gregory nodded in agreement with her. “Exactly what kind of animal? A horse?” She tossed a look over her shoulder toward Gregory. “Or a jackass ... if we’re staying in character?”
Xander cleared his throat. “Not exactly. We can’t travel on land. We’d be too easy to catch.”
Kate stomped her foot. “Then what? Quit dragging out the inevitable and wasting time. What other way is there?”
Xander knew she regretted the question as soon as it left her mouth.
* * *
“A Dragon,” Xander said, and with a snap of his fingers, he disappeared, and a beautiful golden dragon stood in his place.
Kate’s heart stuttered, and she gasped, watching the trans
formation. The huge beast had to be close to ten feet tall. The scales covering his body were a glittering gold, but the head and tail were a deeper bronze. The tail was over eight feet long and had small spikes.
Turning his head, the dragon came nose to nose with her and nudged slightly.
His bright blue eyes had green rings around the outside. Then, he licked her, and she finally came out of her stupor. Just as quickly, he turned back into human form.
She had to wake up from this nightmare, but no poke or pinch was working. This can’t be real. It can’t be my life. She shook her head hard, to get control. Thank God for her mental compartments, or they’d be dropping her off at the nearest mental institution.
She hated heights, but she’d be willing to bet she’d hate what the demons would do to her a whole lot more. “Tell us what to do,” she said, gathering her courage and sucking in a sharp breath. “I don’t want any of us getting hurt tonight.”
Xander nodded. “Once we shift into dragon form, climb on, and we’ll head out of here. We have shields to block from human eyes, but the demons will be able to see us, and will probably fire some weapons, since they can’t reach us physically. We will have to climb high, fast.” Kate could sense the urgency building inside him. She gulped and nodded agreement.
Gregory shook his head and flashed into his dragon form. His was more of a silver color that glistened even at night like lights bouncing off a mirror. It reminded her of ancient armor worn by warriors. His eyes were swirling silver with rings of blue around the edges. He looked at Angie and lowered his front legs to the ground, to allow her access to his back.
She climbed on and glanced back at Kate. “Well, Kate, we sure as hell ain’t in Kansas anymore,” she quipped with a heavy southern drawl. Taking a deep breath, she wrapped her arms around the dragon’s neck.
