by J L Lawrence
After several minutes of harsh battle, it was now four on four. But Fury had a surprise for them. Kate watched helplessly as he grabbed something from his back and flung it into the air.
“Watch out!” A strange orange powder surrounded his remaining demons. Their speed tripled. They seemed indestructible. What the hell?
She grabbed Angie’s arm and went on high alert. Lucia moved into position beside them. The strain of holding the shield was evident on her face.
She aimed her bow carefully. It had quickly become one of her favorite weapons, especially with arrows that turned into flames. It was time to provide assistance or at least a little distraction. She fired several arrows toward the demons.
A blast from one of the demons knocked Joseph down. His arm was nearly blown in two. Xavier flashed over to protect him while fighting off two demons closing in on them. He released a bright white ball of energy. He hit the target. The white fire engulfed the two demons and slowly burned them. Their screams were horrific, tearing through the night.
Kate couldn’t help but feel some satisfaction as they suffered. She pictured the demon they had tracked for months, and a little justice was earned for her victims.
Xander barked orders at Xavier and punched his shoulder. She took it as a warning that this was probably not a power that he should have used. She didn’t see the big deal. A dead demon was the ultimate goal.
Xavier brought Joseph back to the house. He returned to help Xander and Gregory dispatch the last two demons. Fury was apparently waiting until the end.
“Kate, Gregory is going to set up a distraction for the other two, and Xavier will help him. As soon as I say now, run to me. We will join powers and strip his armor. Once it’s gone, get the hell out of here.
“Xavier and I will handle it. If you stay, you will be a target and a distraction.”
Even though she didn’t agree, she didn’t want to mess with his plan. She knew better than most that good intentions don’t always work out well.
“Fine. I won’t argue for now, but you can’t keep me out of the fight forever. I have to learn and face my demons.” And didn’t that have the ultimate double meaning?
He didn’t respond, but she didn’t expect him to. He was used to being a one man show. Who was she to judge? She had been arrogant and self-assured once upon a time.
Patience was not her strong suit. She began pacing to soothe her nerves.
Xavier and Gregory conjured some sort of mist that disoriented the remaining two demons. It also blocked Fury’s view for a moment.
The time had come. Xander’s command thundered in her head.
She ran to meet him at full speed. It took only seconds to reach him and grasp his hand. Fury had already begun clearing the mist.
She transferred all the energy she could muster and sent it to Xander. Would it be enough? He literally glowed for a split second as she witnessed her power surround him.
Keeping the connection open, Xander sent a blast toward Fury. It was so strong that it shook the ground, and everyone flew at least five feet from where they had previously stood.
Fury roared with anger. “How dare you think that you can defeat me with your weak little parlor tricks?” He began throwing random blasts, so it must have done something.
“Did it work?” She was breathing heavily and too drained to move. Xander helped her up quickly.
“We didn’t destroy it, but it is deactivated for the moment. We have to hurry. Run.” Xavier killed one of the other demons as she was running, or more like crawling, away.
All at once she was thrown to the ground, and Xander was on top of her. “Stay down.”
He was throwing energy blasts at the same time Xavier joined him. They had Fury pinned. But he was still deflecting most of their power.
Kate noticed Xander’s blasts began to lose strength, but with her face in the ground it was hard to know why.
Fury began taunting. Desperation was leaking into his voice. “Poor Xavier. Setting up Lily wasn’t enough, now I get to kill your brother too. She was so gullible and sweet. She believed me when I said she would be safe. All she wanted was your eternal love.”
He sneered and wiped a fake tear from his eye. “She would have been better off to have killed you in your sleep as she was told.”
Xavier’s rage hung on him like a second skin. “She had my love. You manipulated her right under our noses. We never thought you would stoop that low and be the Omega’s puppet. That’s all you are. Killing you will be my greatest accomplishment.”
Xavier’s blasts were growing brighter and brighter as his eyes began to turn solid white. “You will not be taking my brother tonight, but you will answer the call of justice.”
A whirlwind appeared around Xavier. A strange roar began emanating from him as he directed everything he had toward Fury.
Xander lunged into the white tornado and connected with his twin.
Kate’s heart stopped. The two brothers merged into one being. It was insane. Terrified and confused, she could only stare at the scene in front of her.
For the first time, she recognized the pure fear on Fury’s face. He tried desperately to move around to his left and right, ducking the energy balls hurling his way. She finally realized he was trying to teleport, but they held him within the shield.
Then the merged brothers flung him into a tree. She could hear bones crack. Fury fought back. But wind from the storm surrounding him tore off his clothes and peeled his skin.
He fired back with all of the power that he had. It wasn’t enough.
Xander and Xavier’s combined power was absolute. A massive ice blue ball of flames hurdled toward Fury. He couldn’t block it.
Pale blue fire engulfed him. He didn’t die easy. The fire melted his skin until she could see the muscle and tissue underneath. Still, he fought. “I’ll find a way to come back and kill you all. You will never know the truth about her or the one you seek.”
His final words.
Fury was dead. All that was left was a pile of bones that quickly burned to ash.
Kate stood up and ran to Xander. He separated from Xavier and fell to the ground. He had a gaping hole in his side.
She couldn’t stop the tears flowing down her face as she fell down beside him on the scorched dirt beneath them. Her heart in her throat, she prayed for a miracle. He couldn’t die.
Chapter 14
Son of a bitch, his side was killing him. Xander tried to hold onto the fact that at least they had killed Fury. His powers were gone, so he had no shot at healing himself.
He was going to die right here in front of Kate with her hating him for his deception. He wanted to tell her everything and nothing all at once. He didn’t want to leave her.
“Stop being so dramatic and listen.” Xavier started buzzing in his head as he faded into darkness. He could feel Kate’s hands on him, and she kissed his cheek. He was vaguely aware of her asking why he wasn’t healing, but Xavier ignored her. Brave man.
“Your powers are all but gone, so I can’t recharge you. I can absorb your injuries and return your body to normal. However, this will only give you a day at best. Aging will take over. You have enough time to get her to the portal but won’t be able to cross through it without her help. Tell her before it’s too late.
“Once I absorb your injuries, I will fade into the shadows. Zane will help me heal quickly. Tell her, Xander. Take it from me. Secrets destroy everything.” He faded back out of his head.
Pain like hot lava ripped through his side as his brother saved his life once again. He would have to find a way to repay him if he lived.
Kate was still rocking over him, and Angie had joined her. What would he tell her? They were too close now. He couldn’t risk deterring her from safety in the meadows. She would be safe and properly trained. Even without him, she would have a strong chance of winning.
If she ran away, she would die. His hole was too deep. He would tell her good-bye and let her cross over.
He knew that, if only for a moment, he had experienced her love.
For now he had to stop her fretting and get on track. “I’m okay. I’m okay. Help me up.”
She watched him closely. Her suspicions were getting stronger. She searched his mind, but he knew how to hide the truth. Luckily, she wasn’t trained enough to break through his barricades.
“What happened? Where’s Xavier?”
“When we merged, it weakened us. He took my injuries because he can heal quickly in the shadows, and I would have the strength to protect you and transport you to the portal. We need to get to the house and check on everyone. Once Xavier returns, we need to be ready for the Essence ceremony.” He tried to hide the pain so she wouldn’t question him further.
“They can wait a minute.” She leaned down and grasped his chin. She pulled his mouth to hers and kissed him hard. He responded instantly. How on Earth could he be on death’s doorstep and still want her more than his next breath? It was insane how much he wanted her every minute of every day.
When she was satisfied he was all right, she finally pushed herself up. Then she helped him off the ground. Both of them were still breathing heavily from their passionate kiss.
She continued to sneak glances at him all the way to the house. She knew he wasn’t being completely truthful. He guessed that she decided not to push. At least one thing had gone his way.
It was getting hard to keep up with the lies. He held on to her hand tightly. He had to think about something else. Kate provided the distraction.
“What did Fury mean by you will never know the truth about her or the one we seek?”
Excellent question. It would be even better if he knew the answer. “My best guess is that the first refers to Lily and the second to the traitor. Mostly, I think he was trying to distract us long enough to activate his shield. He may have known nothing at all.”
And now they would never know. But he didn’t regret that Fury was dead. The rest they would figure out on their own.
As they neared the house, he prepared mentally for the arguments that would come from their next adventure.
The essence blood ritual was going to be extremely weird for her. After the last week, that was saying a lot. He didn’t want her doubt to overpower her trust. One more excuse he was using to keep from telling her. Such a coward am I.
Once they were back in the house, he took stock of the damage. Joseph was healing quickly and would be ready to travel in a few hours. Gregory was checking and securing the shields. Little had escaped the double protection but the other demons would have felt the loss of Fury and want revenge.
They had to move quickly.
Kate was hovering beside him again. She was worried and afraid. When she had gotten his blood on her hands, the reality of death began to settle in.
He wanted to make hot passionate love to her one more time. To feel her body wrapped around his until the world disappeared. But it was not in the cards.
In a few short hours her love would turn to anger and pain. He would be saying his final good-bye.
He had to stay focused and get her to safety. The pity party was over.
An hour later, he felt Xavier return. Zane was damn good at healing.
Time for Round 2.
* * *
Xavier waved his hand to set up the room. Kate’s first thought was that he looked like a military commander ready to give his troops their orders. He had everything laid out and reviewed the spells and rituals to ensure everything was precise.
Kate was finding it difficult to share authority, but knew she was out of her league on this one. She could finally see what a power trip she’d been on. Now she might not ever get the chance to apologize to her team. In her heart, they would always be hers.
At least she had Angie. Although at the moment, the way that Angie was darting her eyes away from Kate’s meant bad news was coming! Great. One normal day was all she wanted.
With a wave of his hand, Xavier completely changed the room from a simple conference room to a magical haven. Lit candles of various colors were strategically placed, a pentagram was painted on the floor, and potions were on a table to the side. She noticed there was incense burning and a few crystals on the table.
Angie stepped up beside him in support, ignoring Gregory’s death glare. “I ran all the scenarios with him. No other options gave near the chances for success as the Essence Exchange.” Staring into Kate’s eyes, she said, “You know I would never have chosen this path if I didn’t truly believe in Xavier and this being our best shot.”
That said it all. Kate knew Angie was an excellent strategist and so was Xavier. Angie knew all the risks and still believed this was best, even though it meant putting Xavier at risk. She could feel that particular part of the plan was eating Angie up, but still she believed this was their best bet. Trusting her friend, Kate smiled and nodded her head. “Let’s do this. How do we start?”
“What?” Gregory shouted. “I thought that at least you would use reason. Do you not realize the dangers of a blood exchange?”
“Actually, I’m beginning to. I read them in Xander’s mind as he was processing this plan.” Xander raised his eyebrows, but Kate ignored him.
“And I don’t like putting anyone’s life in danger, especially to save my own. But do you have a better plan that will work like this one? I’m willing to listen to any other options you have?”
Gregory’s silence said all that was needed. There was no other way.
Turning back toward Xavier, Kate held her head high and gave a definitive nod. “So, how do we do the ritual?”
Xavier motioned to the pentagram in the middle of the floor. “I don’t have time to explain all the components right now. You will learn all that in the Meadows. For now, I’m going to use the easy to understand version so follow my instructions. We will sit inside the pentagram and drink the potions Zane and I prepared.” She ignored Gregory’s muttering in the background and tried to focus.
“After we drink the potions, Xander will use an athame to cut identical cuts on both of our hands. We will then latch our hands together to transfer blood. The potion helps the blood move rapidly into each other. Then I’ll begin to chant an ancient spell to exchange some of our energy to completely swap our essence or energy fields. Questions?”
“Loads, but they’ll have to wait or we’ll be here all day. It sounds pretty simple to me. Let’s get on with it before I lose my nerve.”
“Slow down, I need to go over the rest of the plan first because we are going to feel slightly disoriented after the change. I will need to leave soon after to pull the demons and get them away from you, so you can make your move. Angie should be able to give you any more details or answer questions once I’m gone.”
Despite the confidence in his voice, Kate had no doubt that Xavier was as nervous as her. He had spent years avoiding people, and now he would have to exchange blood and energy with her. But it appeared no one would be spared any feelings today.
Xavier went to stand by Xander. “Once I’m sure the demons are following me, I’ll send a message to Zane who will then send a message to Kate. You will drive outside the city limits to an abandoned farm. Gregory has made the transportation arrangements.”
Gregory grunted and turned back around. “I still say this is ridiculous and risky.”
“We have no choice but to make a run for it now. I’m not buying you hours. Only a few minutes. When you arrive, go through the portal.” Xavier laid out all of the ingredients and lit some more candles.
“How dangerous is all this?” Kate was sure that as the Mystic she would survive, but what about Angie?
“If you are not tracked, it should be completely safe. That’s why I have to ensure the demons follow me first.”
“What happens if I can’t get through the portal?” Angie asked the question on everyone’s mind.
“I won’t go without you.” Kate met Xander’s eyes in a challenge as he started to say something.
Xavier reached down and took Kate’s hand, no small feat for him. “In the worst case scenario, we won’t leave her unprotected. Gregory and I will ensure that she stays safe from the demons.” He looked toward Gregory, who nodded emphatically.
“I promise you that if Angie can’t go through the portal, I will keep her safe until you have your full powers and find a way to bring her into the Meadows.”
Looking deep into her eyes, he spoke into her mind, and she knew the pain it cost him, “I swear to you, we will find a way to get her there. If anyone can find a way around the rules, it’s you. Remember to listen to your heart.”
Kate still felt uneasy. She knew in her heart that all this happened for a reason and Angie was meant to cross over with her now. But how? She had to figure it out. Until then, she nodded so the guys would think she was agreeing with them.
She met Angie’s eyes. Angie didn’t believe that for a minute and knew she was up to something. They exchanged a quiet nod.
Thinking that point was now settled, Xavier continued, “Now, have all of you already discussed making it through the portal? You need to be mentally prepared to go through and exit the portal with limited pain. There are also several techniques you need to consider to heal faster once you arrive, especially if Rowena isn’t there to heal you. She probably will be though, maybe.”
“Pain? What pain?” Kate groaned warily. She was greeted with silence.
“I’ll repeat. What pain?” Kate glared back at Xavier as Xander was looking artfully away. He had a bad habit of that when he didn’t want to tell her something.
Angie rolled her eyes. “Have we managed to do anything yet from their world that didn’t involve some degree of pain or danger?”
“Come to think of it, no we haven’t. By the way, this can’t be good since Xander is avoiding me.”
Xavier frowned and shook his head. After a final glare at his brother, he answered. “The portal uses energy and magic to transport. As you’re going through, it will forcefully change your body composition to allow you to move between the realms. When you exit, it returns you back to normal. As a human this will be intensely painful, and you will probably be sick and have a killer headache.”
