A Destiny Revealed (16 page)

'You won't lose your family, Bron. I swear it.'
Zahra’s
soothing touch moved through his mind.

'Thank you.'
He nodded without turning back. He
prayed again that everything worked out.

Chapter 15

"You've got to be kidding me." The bouncer shook
his head.

Saleem stepped forward. "We're here for a meeting."

Power spilled from the male, his scowl showing his
displeasure. "No, you're here to make my job harder. We can't protect you
once you leave this club, you do understand that right?"

"We didn't ask for protection, Cagyn. Simply a neutral
meeting place." Saleem shrugged.

The bouncer snorted and spoke into his earpiece. He smiled
and shook his head. "Lucien's getting a private room for you, if you'll
step inside." The bouncer moved aside.

 A moment later a male in leather pants, a silk shirt
and nasty attitude came out and stared. Bron barely held back the growl at the
insolent look the male raked over them.

"Ok warriors. For those of you who don't know the
drill. There are a few Ajo here, so I'll give you the speech. No weapons, no
maiming and no killing within the walls of Haven. Fighting is allowed, so long
as no body parts are missing when you're done. Have we an understanding?"

Everyone nodded.

"Oracle, I offer our protection to you, but it doesn't
extend to your warriors, so keep that in mind as you move about Haven."
Lucien circumvented the dance floor and escorted them down a corridor with
glass on one side showing the writhing bodies on the dance floor. They followed
him up one flight of stairs and down a hallway of doors.

"I'm not a trouble maker."

Bron coughed to hide his laugh of disbelief. Zahra shot him
a nasty look.

"Here is the room.
It's
sound
proof, no one will disturb you here." Lucien nodded and left them in
silence.

Bron walked to the floor to ceiling windows that looked out
onto the dance floor. He saw the glimpse of tattoos scattered through the
crowd. His beast moved, his fingers ached and he had to suppress the need to
give chase. He paced the suite.        

'Quite fidgeting,'
Zahra scolded him.
'It will be
fine.'

Bron smiled blandly at her, keeping his eyes pinned to the
front entrance. His breath hitched when Dalia walked in minutes later. She was
in full battle gear. Her leather pants hugged her slim thighs and were tucked
into leather boots that reached her knees, her green t-shirt was snug, clinging
to her curves, damp in some places,
testament
to the
August heat that gripped the city. The boots didn’t have a heel but her five’
ten frame towered over the other dancers. He could hear the other warriors
communicating telepathically, but could not make sense of the words. His beast
was moving through him blocking out everything but the sight of his mate. His
hands itched to touch her and he had to restrain himself from going to her.

“Down boy,” Fynn whispered to him.

The other warriors laughed nervously in his head. Dalia’s
steps were confident as she moved through the crowd in the club, her presence
preceding her and causing the patrons to stare in curiosity. He lost sight of
her at the stairs and turned to the door. She opened the door and raised an
eyebrow. Bron went over and kissed her lightly on the cheek.

“This is quite an entourage you’ve got here, princess.” She
commented flippantly as she sat. “I gotta say though, from the reverent way
people talk about the oracle I expected an old lady in a muumuu and a tiara.”

Fynn growled low in his throat at the insult to his mate.

“Well, from the way these guys talk about Ajo, I expected
you to be foaming at the mouth.” Zahra shrugged nonchalantly. “
or
worse, from the way you talked to me these past months, I
just knew you’d be a hoodrat. I guess you can’t go by assumptions.”

Dalia’s lips turned up in a reluctant smile.

'What the hell is a hoodrat?'
Fynn asked dryly.

'Ghetto girl,'
Aren
answered,
a smirk in his voice.

Bron silenced the chuckles that followed with a growl of his
own.

“Now that we’ve peed on our respective trees we can start
this meeting,” Zahra announced smiling.

Dalia barked out a startled laugh. "What do you need
from me?”

Zahra leaned back in her chair. "I only want you to
claim your destiny, Dalia.”

Dalia scoffed. “I don’t need pretty words princess, you’re
going to have to spell it out for me.”

The Ijoye sputtered. “You should check your tone, little
girl.”

Dalia stared at him for a moment; Bron sensed her choosing
her words. He reached out to touch her hand. She grasped his hand with no
hesitation.

'
Behave,
mi ôkàn.'
He lifted
her hand to kiss her knuckles. She turned her gaze to him and Bron’s heart
picked up at the heat in her chocolate eyes.

“Oh, all right,” she muttered. “Why have you been searching
for me, Zahra?”

“We are part of the Aje tribe, a small tribe created by the
goddess Oya to protect her temple on earth, and to stop the thefts that were
happening in her temple beyond the veil.” Zahra started.

“Bron has explained that to me. He explained that I'm one of
those vampires responsible for the thefts. What he hasn't explained is why
you'd deliberately seek out someone you have declared your enemy.” Dalia’s
eyebrows were bunched in concentration as she leaned forward to hear Zahra’s
answer.

“You're not just vampire, besides we were told you were not
voluntarily turned,” Saleem, stated from his spot in the corner of the booth.

Dalia’s eyes hardened as she turned to him.   “What has
that got to do with anything?”

“It makes a difference to some,” he said in answer.

Zahra spoke up to try and ease the tension. “Dalia, the
tribe practices what's called a
basíkùlú
, a cycle. There are three women
in that cycle, vital to that cycle. You're one of those women.” Zahra paused
and watched as Dalia digested the news.

“What's the cycle for?”

Bron’s heart kicked up as the Ijoye tensed next to him. Fynn
sat straight, tension radiating from him as well and Bron came to alert.

'What has happened?'
Bron asked Fynn.

'Ajo are gathering outside.'
Fynn reported.
'We'll
wait it out to see if they disperse.'

Zahra looked to her husband, at his nod she continued. “The
cycle is used to purify magic. In our case it's used to purify the corrupted magic
stolen from Oya’s temple.”

“How could I possibly help, if I, myself, have stolen magic
from Oya?” Dalia's brows frowned in confusion.

“You are the
álà-írín
.” Zahra told her.
“The dream-walker.”

“I've heard that term before.” She raked her hand through
her thick hair.

'The oracle needs to leave. There
are
more Ajo gathering. They're lying in wait.'
Ajani reported.

Bron's heartbeat drummed, his beast clawed at his chest. His
only thought to get his mate to safety. He stood and grabbed Dalia's arm in a
tight grip.

"What the hell, Bron." She stood and snatched her
arm away.

'Do not engage. The Amanda won't allow it. Keep watch
until Zahra and the álà-írín are out safely,'
the Ijoye ordered.

“We must leave here,” Fynn grabbed his mate as well. He headed
for the door dragging Zahra behind him. Zahra pulled her hand from Fynn’s and
ran back to Dalia.

“Wear this when you sleep tonight,” she rushed out and ran
back to join her husband. 

Dalia tucked the small velvet bag into the small of her
back. Bron caught the hurried reports Aren and Ajani were shooting at the
Ijoye. The Ajo gathered at the entrance, along with the Amanda. The situation
was quickly escalating.

"We can't teleport inside, there is magic blocking
it," Saleem said as he and the Ijoye surrounded Zahra. "We have to be
outside."

Bron shoved Dalia in the circle of guards. She backed away.

"I can take care of myself. This is aimed at the
oracle. Get her to safety first." She rushed from the room.

“Damn it!” He chased his mate. Bron felt the compulsion in
the air. The patrons were being called to leave the club. There was mass
confusion as the humans and Demi moved to follow the Ajos’ compulsion, blocking
the exit. He moved her quickly through the club pushing through the throngs of
people gathered at the door.

"Dalia, wait." He caught up with her at the door.

“What about the oracle?” Dalia asked. She grabbed Bron's
hand and ran.

“She'll teleport back to the safe house.” Bron rounded the
corner and Ajani’s voice stopped him.

'Take the next corner, Bron, they have spread out. Once
Zahra is safely at the house she can teleport you and Dalia.'
Bron quickly
turned and headed to the other side of the building. The alley was empty.
Checking to be sure it was not a dead end, Bron continued.

“We don't have to wait on the oracle. I can transport us.”

“It would be better for us to be transported to the safe
house. We need to move as far away from there until Zahra is able to teleport
us …"

Damn, he couldn't catch a break. Bron stopped as two of the
creatures cut them off. He turned to go back the other way and found one
blocking him from that side.

“Well now isn’t this quaint,” Dalia released Bron’s hand to
shift her body into a fighting stance.

 
'I'll take the two in front of us,'
Bron told
her.
'Stay behind me.'

Dalia snorted and reached down into her boots. The slim rods
she pulled from her boots clicked loudly as they extended into two batons.

“I'll stay behind you, but only to get rid of the douche
blocking our exit.” She promised.

Bron let out a curse as the Ajo charged them from both
sides. He kicked out at the Ajo coming at him, sending it flying against the
alley wall. He charged the other and felt the satisfying crunch of its jaw
under his fist.

Cursing his lack of weapons, he used the Ajo's surprise to
reach and break his neck. The Ajo slumped to the ground in a crumpled heap. He
hissed as claws raked across his shoulder. He turned around and faced the other
one. The Ajo was shorter but well
built,
his black
hair long past his collar. His hair did not hide the tattoo on his neck Bron
smiled evilly, relishing his power coming to the surface. 

The familiar tingle and the warmth flowed through his
muscles signaling his barely restrained beast. The creature answered Bron’s
smile with a quirked eyebrow and a challenging smile of his own. The Ajo
gathered himself into fighting position. Bron roared and shed his human form in
a single and fluid leap toward the creature. They met head on, the slash of
claws and growls loud in the deserted alley. Bron used his massive jaws and
went straight for the creature’s throat. His jaws slammed shut on air as the
Ajo quickly darted to the left and raked his claws down Bron's side.

Now beyond angry, Bron grabbed the Ajo in his massive claws and
slammed him to the ground. He used his momentum to quickly swipe his paws
across its throat, severing its jugular. He paced around the vampire in his
lion form his sides heaving from the pain of his injuries. Bron used his muzzle
to nudge the Ajo to assure himself the wounds were not knitting themselves too
quickly.  Three diamond pendants swung from his necklace as he nudged a
little harder a second time.

Seamlessly changing back into his human form he cursed at
the answering burns and cramps as his body rapidly repaired the damage caused.
He bent naked next to the vampire and removed the necklace from his neck. He
grabbed one of the diamonds and placed it over the vampire’s heart. The heat
seared his hand and Bron inhaled sharply in response, keeping his hand there
until it cooled. Removing the pendent he checked that it was now red and
slipped it back around his neck. With a thought, a new pair of jeans and
t-shirt covered his body.

The sounds of the shuffle from Dalia’s fight spurred him and
he roared in anger. He turned around to check on Dalia and stood stunned, his
mouth agape. She was awesome, her movements fluid and graceful. The other Ajo
didn't stand a chance. Bron watched as she fought with him, respect and fear
both fighting for possession of his mind. He grimaced when she hit the ground
and was about to rush headlong into the fray when she kicked out, taking the
vampire down. Once he hit the ground she quickly overtook him breaking the
male’s neck.

“We need to go, Dalia, before their back-up arrives.”

She rolled over and stood quickly, her eyes shining with the
rush of the fight. She grabbed his hand and Bron felt himself wrenched a moment
later.

He released her arm and turned in a circle. The apartment
where she transported them was spacious. Wood floors ran the length of it, and
an eclectic collection of art covered the walls.

“Where are we?”

“My apartment.”
She moved to sit at
one of the stools at the island in her kitchen. She reached down and removed
her boots. “You may want to tell your boys you’re safe.”

'Are you safe?'
Zahra’s voice called telepathically.
She used the link common with the tribe so they both heard her worried
question. 

“Speak of the devil.” Her boots landed with a hard thud.

'We're fine princess. I thought I told you to stay out of
my head.' 

'Quite calling me princess, Chonga.
Give me your cell phone number and I'll call.'

Dalia laughed aloud and gave her the number. Moments later
her cell phone rang. She picked it up, smiling. She waved off Bron’s frown as
she spoke with Zahra a moment to reassure her they were safe. He laid his head
on the back of the couch and breathed deep to calm his beast. Left over
adrenaline swam through his system and his body heated searching for a release.