Belador Cosaint

by Sherrilyn Kenyon

  His head would explode at any minute. He was locked too deeply to back out.

  Then white light blinded him to everything else and he landed on the ground, staring up at a black sky.

  Chapter 33

  --------

  Reese slapped Quinn's cheeks. "Don't you dare give up now."

  His eyes had rolled up so far she couldn't see anything but white.

  Daegan walked up, now in his human form and dressed like a medieval warrior. "How is he?"

  "He's going to be dead if he doesn't answer me," Reese said, trying not to show her panic.

  Fingers curled around her wrist. "Stop beating me," Quinn ordered in a rough voice, blinking and squinting until he could hold his eyes open.

  She stared at his beautiful blue gaze and felt her soul come back to life. She'd almost lost Quinn and Phoedra. "Don't do that crap again."

  "What crap? Kill a crazy witch?" He lifted his head and Reese helped him sit up. "She is dead, right?"

  Evalle walked up. "Yep. Dead, dead, deadski, as Beetlejuice would say. Looks like someone lit a cherry bomb behind Veronika's eyes."

  Reese looked up, smiling. "I've watched that movie with Phoedra. She loves it."

  Quinn lurched to his feet. "Where is she?"

  "Phoedra is safe," Evalle assured Quinn. "She's over with Storm and he's using his native majik to keep her calm, which is a good idea. I don't think she's ever seen any of this supernatural stuff before."

  Reese stood next to him. "She hasn't, but she's bright and intuitive, so she'll get there."

  Daegan said, "Devon, would you take some warriors and dispose of those bodies? Use the same procedure we do for witches."

  "You got it."

  Reese fell into step with Quinn, who had started for Phoedra, but he stopped and turned back. "What about all the other missing children?"

  Daegan answered, "Cathbad made good on his word. His warriors delivered them as agreed."

  "That's wonderful. It's unfortunate that we owe him a favor, but--"

  "I owe him the favor," Daegan clarified. "I have no issue with that as long as the kidnapping ends as well, which I believe it will. Just as we discussed, Cathbad stayed long enough to remove the ward when Veronika's ancestors dispersed as soon as she died."

  Quinn agreed, "When Cathbad claimed that had all been Queen Maeve's doing and that he would not stop the attacks, I had my doubts. But he didn't light up like a red bulb in the Tribunal when he made those statements."

  Daegan nodded. "There is still a price to be paid for those of ours she killed, and I will collect in full, but I wanted the children returned and to know the other families would be safe first."

  "One question, Daegan. How did you survive Veronika's attack? It appeared you had been killed."

  "As a dragon, I've always had the ability to go into a deep sleep that mimicks death. I've used it only when I needed to heal a serious wound."

  Quinn murmured, "Interesting."

  Reese asked, "Are we really done with Veronika?"

  Quinn appeared to ponder his answer. "Possibly. We were always worried about attacking because we had no idea what power she drew from her ancestral realm and whether she might be stronger after death."

  "That was freaky."

  "One way to describe it." He sighed. "To be honest, I think only time will tell." His gaze swept across the scene, taking in the field of warriors and the two dead bodies.

  If Reese had to guess, she'd say he was struggling between walking away to be with Phoedra and staying to supervise the rest of this operation as the Maistir.

  Quinn told Daegan, "If you don't need me right now, I'd like some time with my daughter."

  "Granted. Take all you need. I intend to continue spending time with our warriors for quite a while."

  "Thank you."

  Reese tried not to let her thoughts show on her face. She had a difficult decision to make in about twenty-five steps.

  Quinn walked with her, putting an arm around her shoulder and whispering close to her ear. "I was terrified when you walked out to face Ossian. I don't want you doing that crap either."

  "Somebody had to break up that party."

  Two more steps and he said, "You heard Daegan. I'm free to get to know Phoedra. I'd like for you to stay and help us transition. In fact, I'd like you to stay, period."

  Her heart thumped at a crazy pace.

  What was she going to do?

  When they stepped inside the tree line, Storm looked up from where he kept an eye on Phoedra.

  Quinn said, "Thank you for watching over her. You can release her from your majik now."

  Storm nodded, whispered something, and stepped away from Phoedra.

  Until that happened, she'd been standing there staring forward with a relaxed look on her face. The minute Storm released whatever he had been doing to keep her calm, Phoedra turned into a panicked, hot mess.

  She started crying and screamed, "Reese!"

  Reese put a hand out to get Quinn to wait, and he did as she ran forward to hug Phoedra. The poor girl was shaking hard and not making sense. "What's going on? What, Reese? Did you ... I saw a dragon? No ... that's wrong. Cathbad said ... I don't ..."

  Reese held tight as Phoedra cried and started hyperventilating.

  People were running into the area, asking what was wrong. Someone used kinetics to lift a body. Phoedra saw it and started keening.

  Reese turned to Quinn, who looked pained, unsure what to do to help Phoedra. He took a step forward.

  Grabbing her medallion with one hand and keeping her arm around Phoedra with the other, Reese said, "I'm sorry, Quinn."

  His face fell, then the world shifted and blurred as she teleported away.

  Chapter 34

  --------

  When the teleporting ended, Reese looked around to see if this had worked out the way she'd hoped.

  Yes. She and Phoedra were on the sugar-white sand of Daytona Beach in Florida. If she hadn't screwed up, it was sometime between Wednesday and Thursday in the middle of the night.

  The sand glowed in the pitch dark, but she'd had few choices for teleporting somewhere safe to land in an open spot and she chose a place Phoedra had said many times she wanted to visit.

  Phoedra wobbled, then looked up and turned to the waves gently rolling into the shore. "Is this Daytona? Oh, crap, this just gets more insane."

  The girl had been close to hysterics when Reese had zapped them out of Atlanta, so she considered this an improvement.

  "Can we sit here and talk, Snook?" Reese asked.

  "Why not? Are we going to the moon next?"

  "No, silly." Reese had just sat down when Phoedra sat in her lap, hooked her arms around her and cried her heart out some more. Reese ran her hand up and down Phoedra's back, soothing her and telling her it was all going to make sense soon, but she was safe.

  At least Phoedra would be safe.

  Reese had burned her only teleport to come here, but everyone was so focused on what they wanted and what they thought should happen, that no one was paying attention to Phoedra.

  This little girl was tough, but she was still just a kid.

  Screw Yaahl.

  He'd jerked Reese around for years and hadn't told Phoedra anything. This child had grown up thinking she'd been abandoned.

  Not Quinn's fault. The shock on his face as Reese had disappeared with his child had said it all.

  He'd never forgive Reese.

  She couldn't blame him even if she'd do it again for Phoedra. She'd have to find a way to live with Quinn's anger, but just thinking about giving him up hurt.

  She still heard his last words. I want you to stay.

  Everything she'd ever wanted had been right in front of her, but Phoedra needed her more at that moment. Phoedra had been deprived of so much for so long, then put through hell for the past twenty-four hours.

  This child deserved a time-out from life in a quiet place with someone she knew and trusted. She needed a chance to ca
tch her breath and to figure out what was happening.

  Phoedra had no idea any of this supernatural world existed. She didn't know Yaahl and evidently Donella was one of his minions.

  Maybe this was why he'd put Reese in Phoedra's path.

  Had Yaahl known that at some point Phoedra would need an anchor in a violent world?

  At this point, Reese was the only one who Phoedra would trust to tell her the truth about who she was and what her future meant.

  When Phoedra finished sniffling and scooted off Reese's lap to sit beside her, Reese put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close.

  "I want to explain all this. Are you ready?"

  "I think so."

  "First, I have to admit that I've been keeping a truth from you, but only for your protection. I belong to a world of people who have supernatural powers."

  Phoedra lifted her head and Reese could barely see her face in the dim light from a dock down the way. "Cathbad said I was special. Do I have powers?"

  Reese didn't know whether to thank Cathbad or hurt the man for holding Phoedra hostage, but it appeared he'd treated her fairly. "You are special. You will have powers and abilities as you mature. I think some might have shown up under duress when the kidnappers complained about you hurting their heads."

  "Yeah." Phoedra curved her shoulders in, acting self-conscious. "I knew something was happening, but I'm not sure what I was doing."

  Reese rubbed her arm. "I know, Snook. Once you understand what's going on and more about my world--your world too, now--you'll have a chance to train."

  All of a sudden, Phoedra got that hero worship look in her eyes like she did when Reese showed her a new defensive move. "What all can you do?"

  Reese mentally crossed her fingers and hoped she was doing this right. "I can zap a demon."

  "Are there really demons?"

  Reese hoped showing up out of the blue in Daytona would buy her time before any local demons found their way to her. "Yes, but don't worry. You're related to one of the most powerful preternatural groups in the world known as Beladors. An army of them showed up tonight to rescue you and save the world." Reese smiled, hoping to keep this on the lighter side, but that was asking a lot when she had to tell a girl she was not really human.

  "Related? Do they know anything about my mother and father?"

  "Yes. I know, too. But I only figured it out after you got kidnapped, so I promise I haven't been hiding that from you." Well, she had been pretty damn certain Kizira was Phoedra's mother after the psychic event, but there was no point in complicating this by getting picky on a timeline. The information was all that mattered.

  "Tell me," Phoedra begged, her voice jumpy with excitement.

  "Your mother has passed away," Reese began, because she wanted to get the bad news out of the way.

  "That's what Madame Salina said."

  "Eh, I guess," Reese allowed, debating on if she should warn Phoedra not to take too much of what Madame Salina said to heart. Later. She went on to explain who Kizira was, who the Medb were, and how bad they were. She wanted Phoedra to know that Cathbad was not just part of the Medb, but dangerous, so that the girl wouldn't let her defenses down around him in the future. Reese explained the Beladors the best she could and how they were actually enemies of the Medb, then she finally got to the point of Phoedra's father.

  "Do you remember the man who walked up with me right before we left?"

  "You mean right before you had Scotty beam us here?"

  Reese smiled, happy to see shades of Phoedra coming back. "Yes. His name is Vladimir Quinn and he's the Belador Maistir over all of North America. He's also your father."

  That stole the words from Phoedra, whose mouth moved silently.

  Rushing ahead, Reese said, "He has faced every battle you can imagine to get to you. He never knew about you until Kizira told him on her deathbed, but she died before she could tell him how to find you. He offered his life in trade for you today, but in the end he was able to save you and stay alive. He wants very much to get to know you and to take care of you."

  For the next few minutes, Phoedra stared out at an ocean that vanished into the black night. "What about Donella?"

  "She was raising you for your guardian, but she clearly cares for you."

  "Is she, uhm ... "

  "Like us?" Reese filled in. Nearby flapping caught her ear. Please don't let a seagull poop on us.

  "Uh huh," Phoedra said, encouraging Reese to explain.

  "Yes, I think Donella is not entirely human, but I really don't know what she is. Maybe some form of earthly angel." That sounded ridiculous to Reese's ears, but no one had given her a bio on these players.

  Blowing out a weary breath, Phoedra asked, "How is all this possible?"

  Reese had heard a steady beat of wings and looked up. Even with the night as black as a tar pit, she made out a circle of crows zooming around them.

  "Reese?"

  Lowering her gaze, Reese said, "What?"

  "I don't understand how all this is possible."

  "Actually, at your age I didn't either. But once you've had some time to become familiar with it, I think you'll do just fine."

  Phoedra looked up. "Are those crows?"

  "Yes." Lifting the medallion, Reese said, "I know you're watching. You might as well show yourself."

  "Who are you talking to?" Phoedra asked.

  "Your guardian."

  "Does he know where we are?"

  "Yes, I do," Yaahl answered from behind them.

  Reese didn't turn around. She gave him her normal Paula Deen greeting. "Hey, Yaahl."

  Phoedra had twisted to look up at him, then turned back. "When did you get a Southern accent, Reese?"

  "Yaahl is his name." She spelled it for Phoedra, then took a look at him all dressed up in a suit. If he didn't want Phoedra to know his identity, he shouldn't have appeared right now.

  Reese asked him, "Why can't you just show up like that the other times?"

  "Would that help Phoedra?"

  "Guess not." Reese said, "Phoedra, this your guardian."

  "Are you two ready to return home?" he asked.

  Phoedra had that caught-in-the-headlights look.

  Reese told Yaahl, "No. I think Phoedra has been yanked around enough."

  "I have a commitment," Yaahl started.

  Reese jumped up. "You did what you said you'd do, but Quinn is her father and he deserves to get to know her. She deserves a parent who loves her. Quinn has fought unbelievable things, deadly things, and crazy beings to protect her. He doesn't sit on the top of a mountain passing out decisions and letting his minions handle his dirty work."

  Yaahl didn't argue with her, but he was clearly angry. He politely asked Phoedra, "Would you mind sitting there for a moment so I might have a private word with Reese?"

  "Just don't leave me."

  "I won't," Reese said before Yaahl could reply. She still had the medallion. She doubted he'd kill her in front of Phoedra, which meant she'd get in one good shot.

  Reese followed him twenty feet away, downwind from Phoedra so their words would be carried away from the girl on the brisk breeze.

  Still, she couldn't take her eyes off Phoedra.

  "My minions will watch over her, Reese," Yaahl said.

  She faced him. "That girl needs more than minions."

  Ignoring her comment, he said, "Yet again you defy me. You did not return with her as you were instructed."

  That was the final fucking straw.

  "You know what, Yaahl? I'm not the person meddling in other people's lives. You are. I'm just the one stuck trying to fix the mess. I did what I thought was right for Phoedra. I even yanked her away from Quinn and left him panicked, because Phoedra needed a chance to process all of this with no one in her face. I did that for Phoedra. Not you. Not Quinn. Not Kizira. It's time people put her first. I can't live like this, Yaahl. Quinn's a good guy and I hated screwing him over."

  The bane of her existence s
tudied her a long moment, as if he could see all the way inside and found something she didn't want him to know.

  She finally snapped, "What?"

  "This man Quinn is more than a friend?"

  Reese scoffed. "Don't change the topic. We're talking about Phoedra."

  "Why are you fighting your attraction?

  "You don't know I'm attracted to him."

  "You just admitted it."

  Wind swatted hair in her face. She grabbed a handful and shoved it behind her ear. "I didn't say that, I was saying you can't know ..." She realized how it kept coming out and gave up. "Yes, I like Quinn. He's ... a very good man, but it doesn't matter what I feel for him. I'm a demon magnet with blood that kills babies. I am the last person he needs in his life. He's already been through hell and back with another messed-up woman. Now that you made me bare my soul, can we get back to Phoedra? What are you going to do? I want to know so that I can have time to explain it to her."

  "What about you?"

  "Me? Really? I've given up on ever getting my powers back, because you give me impossible tasks."

  Yaahl tapped his chin. "Are you saying you've realized you can live a full life without your powers?"

  She slapped her forehead. "Yes. If that's what you've been waiting to hear then this is me admitting that you win. I'm not hunting demons and I have things to live for, Phoedra being one. I want to stay around her so she has a friend since she's just found out Donella was not a real foster mother."

  "On the contrary, Donella was an excellent one." He sounded insulted.

  "I didn't say she wasn't a great person for raising Phoedra, only that Phoedra knows Donella was doing a duty. There's a big difference between someone who fosters because they want the child and someone who just does a good job of keeping them alive."

  His silence bothered her.

  A blue fog of energy formed next to them. It wavered in the air. Yaahl angled his head as if he were listening to someone. After a moment, he said, "Kizira wants me to make good on our agreement."

  "Kizira?" Reese said in a low hiss, leaning forward to hide her words from Phoedra. "Where was she when Phoedra was being dragged around by kidnappers?"

  "She should not be here at all. That she took a spirit form when you saw her in San Diego, probably cost her all the power she could muster, since her ashes were salted and scattered. She's hanging on to this plane by threads."

  Reese straightened and looked at the blue energy trembling as if it were straining to do something. That had been one powerful woman. "Tell her I'm sorry she isn't getting to raise her daughter and that she has a lovely child."