by T. G. Ayer
Not like you have much choice while you’re just hanging around in the air over here.
Then he laughed coldly. “Did you really think it was going to be that easy?” he asked, the cruel edge in his voice scraping along my spine.
And as I watched, frozen in mid-air, the shadowman’s face began to shift. His skin undulated, mouth widening, and slowly Celeste’s face tilted up at me. And before I could react her features melted, liquid now, and then reforming, skin and muscle slowly transforming into Kai.
He was a ShapeChanger too?
I should have been shocked, terrified, but I felt nothing as I stared down at him. Here was a man capable of inflicting untold horrors on anyone he chose to. And he was a being with immense, incontestable power. A dangerous hybrid that likely should not exist.
How did you fight someone like him at all, never mind actually surviving the battle?
I struggled, forcing every fiber of my being into defending against the onslaught of electricity. And in those few seconds of rebellion, I discovered something surprising.
His electricity may control my physical form, but my mind was free to respond however I chose to.
I entered the astral plane, surging around the shadowman and projected behind him, my fingers clutching a long jagged shard of ethereally formed glass.
I would have plunged it deep into his heart if not for the yell that rang out inside the room. “What are you doing to her?” a man yelled from my right.
I glanced over to find Joey, the reluctant guy from the attack on Kai, glaring at the shadowman. Joey didn’t wait for a response—raced toward my attacker arms held out, lightning already sparking at his fingertips.
And the shadowman merely laughed. “A little too soft-hearted aren’t you?”
“Stop this right now. This isn’t necessary. You have enough power to subdue her.” Joey’s voice trembled with both anger and fear. And that was a mistake.
Men like the shadowman-ShapeChanger before me could smell fear with shark-like accuracy. He shifted to face Joey, directing his right hand at the shorter man, the movement releasing my physical form a fraction.
Not freedom, but not quite total captivity either.
As I maneuvered my body within the grip of his electric hold, I watched with a ball of grief in my gut as he flicked his fingers and sent a stream of lightning bolts at Joey—who turned out was well capable of holding his own.
Joey returned the stream of lightning and the hold on me lessened a little more. And in the space of a blink, Joey was struck with a surge of power that rang in my ears, and I was free.
I sank to the floor, fumbling inside my boot for my real blade, then stumbled to my feet. I’d barely taken a step, fingers gripping the pommel of the Persian blade when the deafening sound of bones shattering filled the air. I stared up in horror as Joey’s head tilted to the side, his neck broken, as the shadowman let out a furious yell, having spotted me about to attack him.
Then Joey was flying through the air toward me, another horror-stricken voice was yelling, and I raised my hands before the impact.
I went down hard, struggling for breath, too shocked to jump.
Voices battled as I moved out from beneath Joey’s body, Seth’s grief-filled fury, the hybrid’s calm mollifying tone. My eyes widened as I registered that hypnotic sing-song undulation, my mind so shocked that I didn’t see Seth as he faced me.
I was too busy processing the fact that the hybrid was more than just shadowman and ShapeChanger, that he was also a MindMage. Then as lightning bolts made me wince and squint, I focused on the fury of a grieving lover—probably a grieving husband too from what I’d heard of their conversation.
I stepped away. “It wasn’t me. Joey tried to save me.” I tried to point at the hybrid and found myself raising a dagger dripping with glistening blood.
Oh fuck.
Nothing was going to help me now. I jumped to Celeste, grabbed hold of her and teleported out of the cell.
I managed to make it to the Veil before a stream of vicious power hit me as Seth attacked. And then, seconds later, a second stream of a more powerful energy—the hybrid’s no doubt—joined Seth’s to pummel into me.
My body was aflame, every muscle, bone, molecule, maybe even atoms too, were vibrating. And I began to lose my hold on Celeste.
That ain’t happening. Not while I have breath left in me.
A renewed determination surged through me, strengthened by my own grief for Joey, my fear for Celeste, my anger at Omega for what they’d done to both mother and daughter. I probably threw in some hatred for Saleem’s ass of a brother, a bit of grief for Samuel, too. I had plenty of pent-up emotions to spare.
Those dark recesses of my mind do come in handy sometimes.
I balled up all those emotions and flung them back at the energy aimed at me. And the hold on me snapped, sending me tumbling backward into the ether, grasp tightening onto Celeste.
I didn’t wait to think, just sped along the astral plane straight for the Elite HQ entrance. We did reach safety.
We made it within a hair’s breadth of the parting in the Veil when I sensed an intense force coming our way. I’d barely turned when the first waves hit me, forceful enough that I lost my hold on Celeste and felt her begin to drift away from me.
More out of instinct than quick thinking, I snapped a thin tether at her, attached her to my own life-thread, and sent up a prayer that she’d remain safe—everything happening within a fraction of a microsecond.
Then the force of the combined electricity of the two shadowmen plowed into me, sending me hurtling through the astral plane.
Chapter 14
In the astral plane, no one is ever corporeal so, not being able to feel my body wasn’t all that unusual for me. But what I experienced now was ten times stranger, partly because I’d never had a similar experience before, and partly because I had no control of anything around me.
I took one last breath before I faded away entirely, as terror rippled through me with the uncertainty of helplessness, the horror that I’d lost hold of Celeste, and the shock of the blast. I wasn’t even thinking about the shadowman-ShapeChanger-MindMage hybrid because my brain was fucked enough already.
Kai’s safety was thankfully no longer a concern, but even that came with its own measure of bitterness; it wasn’t as if I’d done my job. She’d hauled her own ass to safety, and I’d done nothing to help her,
But in the next moment, I didn’t have any time to think. Or perhaps, I was just unable to think.
Mind numbed, I blinked into nothingness for so long that I began to panic, immersed in a vacuum of blackness was not one of my most comforting of situations. No wonder those techniques were so successful when used in torture.
Just when things reached that pivotal point, where I was either going to go hysterical or turn in to a lump of numb mush, the space around me began to take shape and form again.
The vacuum disappeared, the astral plane blinked by, and I was solid and whole and staring around me in shock.
I’d been flung across the ether, but I was a little fuzzy on the destination.
What I did know was that the person I was staring at was dead.
Or rather, he should have been dead. I’d, only days ago, stood over his body, had confirmed with my own eyes and heart that Samuel had died.
Only days ago, I’d had to face a world and a future without my friend and mentor, and now, here I was, staring right at Samuel.
Right at a living breathing Samuel.
But as pleasant as it was to see him, to know that he wasn’t completely gone from the world, I found myself hit with a deep disappointment as my friend walked along the path in front of me, his gaze flitting straight past me without a flicker of awareness let alone recognition.
Samuel couldn’t see me. Nor could he sense me.
If he could feel my presence at all, he was certainly doing an amazing job of hiding his awareness from the woman at his side.
&nb
sp; I blinked, slowly taking in the idyllic scene around me.
Samuel and his companion walked a path within an orchard; to their left, the scent of sweet citrus from the orange grove spiked the air. On the left, dozens of trees hung heavy with fruit: apples, pears, peaches, persimmon, and even a crabapple here and there.
The woman at Samuel’s side let out a soft laugh, and I shifted my attention to the woman who was just about my height with hair as dark as mine, except for the blood-red streaks of color glistening amongst the near-black tresses. Her voice was low, almost husky as she spoke, her gaze sweeping the area around her as though she was soaking it all in as they strolled up the avenue.
My breath stilled as I looked beyond them at Samuel’s beautiful old home.
I faltered then, as it hit me what this place might be. An alternate reality, a dimension fashioned deliberately using powerful magic, a plane recreated in the image of a place that Samuel had loved so deeply.
I knew, from what Samuel had told me of the history of their plantation, that his forefathers had razed the cotton fields and replaced them with orchards filled with fruit trees.
Then I paused. Was this my own imagination, my own mind desperate to cling to something of my past that was good and pure? Or was I truly seeing Samuel in this replica world?
I slowed my breathing and forced myself to think. Nothing about the scene made me believe it was my fanciful construction. The details were too…well detailed. Not the kind of knowledge I’d be able to draw merely from stories he’d told so long ago.
Which meant this was his place, his creation.
Then who was Samuel walking with, and was she also a recreation from his living memories?
With that thought in mind, I paid closer attention to the pair, increasing my speed to catch up. But when I’d become convinced they had no idea I was there—and I’d begun to entertain the idea that maybe the electric jolt had done something else to my abilities—Samuel’s dark-haired companion turned to face me.
She wore a long gown, sewn to hug her shapely curves and fall to the floor in silken waves. The deep red of the fabric seemed to pulse with life, echoing the red in her hair, and I had to blink hard to pull my attention from her mesmerizing gaze.
“Ah, so at last we meet,” the woman said, her smile bright and cheerful.
I swallowed as I met her intense gaze, wondering how long she’d known I’d been following them. She was good. She hadn’t even batted an eyelash in my direction.
Almost as though she’d heard my thought she said, “I’d hoped you’d gather up the courage to reveal yourself when you were ready. I didn’t want to rush you.”
I gave an awkward shake of my head, treading uncharted territory now. “I apologize for intruding, I’m not entirely sure how I got here.”
The woman fluttered her hand, waving off the need for an explanation. “Oh, that’s not a problem. We often receive visitors, and we love having unexpected ones, don’t we Sam?”
She glanced over at Samuel, and I could have sworn she’d batted her eyelashes at him.
Okay then.
Samuel looked over at me, then gave a lukewarm, disinterested smile before shifting his attention back to the woman.
I took a breath, unsettled as to the lack of recognition in Samuel’s eyes, and to the woman’s overt familiarity with me—a complete stranger.
Then she let out a soft laugh. “Oh, do forgive me, I’m Aria.”
I struggled to breathe as a rush of darkness filled me, and I heard voices singing in my head.
“Arianne, Ariella, Arabella. No.
Arianne, Aria, Ari. Yes.
But no, Daddy. I’m Aria, Aria, Aria.”
I forced myself to give her a neutral, polite smile. “Nice to meet you. I’m Claire.”
The words tripped off my tongue so naturally that I almost believed myself.
Aria gave me a glowing smile. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Claire. Now, you really must join us for our evening meal.”
I glanced up at the sun, which appeared to be low in the sky as sunset approached. Still, evening meal here would mean waiting hours. With no clue as to where I was, and even less of an idea of how I would return home, I couldn’t afford to waste time at dinner parties.
I tested the ether, reaching out beyond the Veil around this plane, and found nothing, just a vacuum. A vacuum with no way home.
I schooled my lips into a smile, swallowing back the fear that flared inside me. My heart raced though—clearly, nothing I was able to do about that—as I watched Aria move, the languid grace of her steps, the fluid movement of her hand as she tucked it into the crook of Samuel’s arm and whispered something in his ear.
Arianne.
Years of believing she was dead. Then more years of believing she was alive, which led to years of searching and hoping and praying.
Had Samuel been protecting her all this time? Until I’d set eyes on her only moments ago, a small part of me hadn’t really believed him when he’d revealed she was still alive. But he’d sacrificed his life for my sister, and now I had to wonder why. Was it because he cared for me? Or had he become embroiled in something that he wasn’t able to reveal?
At this point, I wasn’t sure.
Besides, what the hell was I supposed to think about Ari? My sister had turned out to be nothing at all like I’d thought she’d be. But then, had I really spent any time at all truly thinking about what kind of person she would have turned out to be? If I had to be honest with myself, I would say no. I hadn’t given it much thought at all.
Life had certainly been hectic in the last few weeks, and even when Samuel had confirmed he’d found Ari, I hadn’t envisioned her in any way other than the little girl I’d lost all those years ago.
And now, the young woman who strolled ahead of me, arm-in-arm with my mentor and dearest friend, was nothing at all like the sister I’d hoped for, longed for.
My mind stilled at the admission.
Was I that mean?
Perhaps it was the fact that I had Celeste to think about. Her safety was at this moment, the most important thing, and I didn’t have time to be dawdling in some unknown plane manufactured from the remnants of Samuel’s glorious past.
But how in the heck was I meant to get myself out of here when I had no control of my journey here in the first place?
And Samuel?
I no longer entertained even the slightest hope that he’d aid in getting me out of this place. No, that hope had been flushed away when I’d seen the stark truth in his golden eyes—Samuel remembered nothing.
Not of who I was to him, and perhaps even nothing of what he’d sacrificed to be here. Where ever here was.
Ari led us back through the orchard toward the great house glancing over her shoulder and smiling every now and again, her behavior strange, unusual, as though she wasn’t all that used to company and she was slightly unsure of how to behave.
And yet beneath that hesitation, I could see the edge of steel, the cool shimmer in her expression that confirmed she knew very well what she was doing.
Which only confirmed that I was in deep shit.
Still, I had no choice but to follow in their wake, dragging my feet to put some much-needed distance between us.
Ari was already at the top of the stairs and heading to the door when she called out to me, “Hurry, we need to wash up, or dinner will be spoiled.” She pouted then swirled around and hurried off inside, leaving Samuel alone on the porch.
I rushed up the stairs toward him. “Sam-sam, please, you must—”
I didn’t get anything more out.
Samuel turned around, his eyes flashing with fear and anger. “What are you doing here? You want to die?” he growled, his arm raised as though he intended to hit me in the face.
“But I—”
“No!” he whispered his voice ragged, harsh, desperate. “It’s too soon. Stay away, Mel. You’re not ready yet. Only when you’re ready.”
Then, as
I was struggling to process his words, he did land the blow I’d known was coming.
Only there was no physical impact.
Samuel’s hand had impacted my aura, splintering the protective veil around me. The blow shattered more than just my protection. It also shattered whatever force had kept me tied to his make-believe dimension, and it sent me hurtling back into the astral plane, Samuel’s words echoing in my mind.
You’re not ready yet.
Chapter 15
I tumbled into the ether, the familiar feel of my life-thread still throbbing in the distance. I rushed onward, praying that Celeste was okay. I’d never taken a physical body into the astral plane, and I was pretty sure there would be some serious repercussions—more likely Celeste would be paying for that more than I would.
I skimmed along her feedback thread, comforted by the knowledge that I’d tethered her to me, so it was simple enough to follow the link all the way to her side.
Her aura was clearer now, though she still appeared weak—and I was trying hard to ignore the fact that she was physically here. Besides, I was also a little distracted as my mind, also still on Kai, reached out for her feedback.
If it were possible to jump for joy inside the ether, I would have done so. I was filled with relief as I watched Kai making her way down a deserted corridor, the mysterious redhead close behind her. A scan of the premises confirmed the pair were alone and their journey to the exit would remain unchallenged.
I did still feel that little spike of bitterness, I knew that I should have saved Kai myself instead of leaving her to save her own ass. Nevertheless, I was comforted by the knowledge and focused on Kai’s mother who needed me far more now.
I glided to Celeste’s side and whispered in her ear, “It’s Mel again. I’m getting you out of here. Just stay calm.”
Celeste blinked hard, and a small muscle pulsed near her jaw as she floated, weightless in the ether, unaware of where she was. Her last memories would have been of her imprisonment and torture, of her daughter being held captive, too. She was a mother, and she was going to resist, still believing her daughter was two floors up, also in need of rescue.
