Daughter Trilogy Bundle (115 page)

“
Do you think she’s talking about Pyrrha?” Jace worries.

“
I don’t know, but just because she saw us winning, doesn’t necessarily mean the outcome will be so shiny,” Devin cautions.  “She’s too young to know anything definitively.”

“
I know.  I’ve only ever met one dreamer, but that was the first thing they told me,” Jace sighs.

“
Huh?” I pop out a little too loud, but Nadia is so hungry she doesn’t acknowledge my accidental slip.

“
Dreamer’s visions are set futures, as I said, but they can mingle with real dreams.  Only the seasoned dreamers know the difference.  Children have an optimistic outlook on life, and occasionally they tend to steer the results where good prevails over evil.  It’s important to not be overconfident,” Devin asserts.

“
Great.  Just when I thought we had an edge,” I grumble.

“
We do.  We know there’s more to come, and now we can at least be on guard,” Jace adds.

“
Can I have another?” the hungry child asks, and I look down to see only crumbs remaining on the plate.

“
Of course,” I say kindly, and then I see a woman flashing in to wrap her arms around the child.

“
Momma!” Nadia squeals.

“
My baby,” Gloria chokes out.  “I’m so glad you’re okay,” she says with more rattled relief.

I hand Nadia another sandwich, and she rips free from her mother to start her hungry venture.

“Thank you so much,” Gloria whimpers as she strokes Nadia’s hair.

I nod slightly, and then she kisses the top of her child
’s head. 

“
Her father?” I whisper.

Gloria shakes her head with tears in her eyes, and I feel horrible for even asking now.

“Sorry,” I murmur.

“
It happened years ago.  She was just an infant,” she adds, and then her eyes sadden as she looks back up at me.  “She can’t be here right now.  I almost lost her today, and I couldn’t bear such a thing.”

“
I know a place where she’d be safe,” Jace interjects.  “She’s still mortal, so she shouldn’t need to live by the sea,” he adds.

“
Could you take her there?” Gloria asks.  “I can’t travel too far inland without it killing me,” she whines.

“
We can,” I interject.

“
Thank you,” she cries, and then her arms wrap around Nadia just as she finishes her second plate.

“
What’s wrong, Momma?”

Gloria squats down to stare the child in the eyes, and she takes a heavy, exhaustingly painful breath.  It
’s almost bringing tears to my own eyes to see her suffering something like this.

“
I need you to do me a favor,” Gloria forces out with a less tearful voice so her child doesn’t feel the obvious anxiety.

“
What?”

“
Can you go with these people to stay somewhere new for a little while so I can help Ms. Nina and the others out?” Gloria asks.

“
I don’t want to leave,” Nadia objects.

“
I know, sweetie, but I think you’ll have fun.  I promise it won’t be for long,” she adds.

Nadia sighs, and with maturity beyond her years, she answers,
“I’ll go.  I love you, Momma.”

Gloria
’s eyes tear up, and I see her trying to hold herself together for the sake of her child.  Devin gets on his phone, and I hear him talking to the pilot.

Jace joins him to tell him of our destination, and concern for my own family sets in.  The last time someone came after me, it wasn
’t just me who had to endure the wrath.

I pull out my phone and walk away from the room to call Persia.

“Adisia, is everything okay?” she panics.

“
You always sound so worried when I call,” I answer, and my eyes trail over to the immortal mother fearing for the life of her still mortal child.

“
It’s a mother’s prerogative,” she jokes.

“
I see that,” I murmur vaguely, and then my eyes break away from the heartwarming moment.  “I need a favor.”

“
Anything,” she answers immediately.

“
I need to get my parents out.  There’s something coming for us, and I don’t want them in the line of fire again.  Also, Jane and my brother, along with Clara and Henry need to be moved.”

“
What’s coming?” she worries.

“
We don’t know, but I don’t want to take any chances.  We have a dreamer among us, and she’s witnessed a shadow at war with us,” I answer vaguely.

“
Oh my.  Yes, I’ll get them out one way or the other,” she promises.

“
And Persia,” I sigh.

“
Yes?” she says with hesitance.

“
I love you,” I say without any other reason than I want to, and I hear her tears dripping to the phone.

“
I love you too,” she whimpers in relief.

Tears fill my eyes as well, and it
’s all I can do to keep from choking up. 

“
Thank you for taking care of me.  I know it wasn’t easy for you to give me up and then have to watch me grow up loving someone else as my mother.  I know it was hard on Kahl too, and I’m sorry I’ve been so resistant.  I see things a little better now, and I understand completely why you made the decision you did,” I stumble out with a terrible ball of emotion choking me.

“
You just don’t know how good it feels for you to say that,” she cries, and the tears staining her unseen face pronounce themselves as tears of joy.

“
I need to go.  We’re taking our dreamer somewhere safe because the water nymphs can’t leave the sea,” I mutter through my own abundance of tears.

“
Water nymphs?  Nina’s there?” she stammers.

“
Yeah.  It’s a long story, but Devin only has one shadow so I’m not worried.”

“
I don’t know how Aphrodite hasn’t surged free to finish the job she started,” Persia gasps.

“
I don’t know either, but so far so good.  If she does break free and kill her, oh well,” I casually snark.

“
Adisia,” Persia admonishes, and I chuckle at her motherly tone she rarely uses on me.

“
It was a joke,” I sigh lightly, and then I add, “I’ll talk to you later.”

“
Okay, dear.  Be careful, and call me as soon as you can,” she asserts.

I hang up, and then I wipe the tears from my face.  Devin walks over to inquire about my waterworks, but my lips fall on his before he can.

His hands grip my sides, and the wall is suddenly cracking behind us.  His fiery touch slides up my sides as his hips pin me firmly to the wavering wall.  I can feel every bit of his lower half calling to mine, and the throbbing is merciless when I do.

“
Adisia.  Devin.  We’re ready when you are,” Deacon blares.

Damn spoiler alert.

Devin’s breath is shaky, and he almost growls at the interruption.

“
I’m going to go mad if I can’t have you soon.  All this teasing is miserable,” he gripes.  “I’m ready to have just a few hours alone with my wife,” he smolders, and his lips almost touch mine again before a closer voice interrupts.

“
Devin, let’s roll,” Kry insists.

Devin slaps the wall behind my head, and I giggle lightly at his tormenting frustration - even though I
’m experiencing the same torture.

“
You’ll have your few hours soon,” I dare, and then my hips circle against him just before I climb free from his trapping stance.

“
You’re so cruel,” he groans, and my eyes flash a menacing green for a brief moment.

Aphrodite
’s excited too.

“
I just love to play, and now I have the opportunity,” I taunt, and he’s forced to adjust the collar suffocating him now.

“
That’s not going to end well for you,” he smolders.

“
On the contrary, Mr. Cole, I think the climax will be glorious,” I dare with heavy innuendo.

“
Stop that,” Hale grumbles.  “We can still hear the whispers even though the child can’t,” he continues with a strained tone.  “And it’s pretty damn hard to deal with.”

“
Yes it is,” Devin murmurs, and I can see the frustration only building.

“
At least you know you’ll be rewarded for your patience,” Hale murmurs with distaste.

“
Or punished.  It depends on how my Aphrodite feels at the moment,” I daringly add.

“
Oh my goddess,” Kry exasperates with a heated tone.

Devin
’s smirk becomes all the more menacing before slamming me into a shattering wall.  We crash through it, and I feel a new wall behind me as his body presses against mine without offering a moment of retreat.

My legs grip around his waist when he lifts me, and I hear the sound of tearing fabric just before a child
’s voice.

“
Angel?  I’m ready.  Where are you?”
Devin groans and grumbles in complete agitation, and I giggle a little louder while he lowers me to the ground.

I fix my shirt, and I realize Devin
’s had been the one tearing.  He shakes his head again at the clawing seduction we just endured before the heavy ice dropping from her innocent voice doused the still vicious flames.

“
I’ll go grab another shirt and our bags,” he huffs, and then he flashes from the room.

“
You’re incorrigible,” Camara playfully scolds when I emerge from the room, and Hale is glaring at me in contempt.

“
What happened to your blond?” I tease.

“
I don’t stick around the same one for long.  They tend to fall in love,” he grumbles.  “Though right now I’m regretting sending her away.”

“
Perhaps a water nymph could distract you,” I tease.

“
Hell no.  I’m not getting involved with anyone sticking around,” he chuckles.  “Don’t you worry, I’ll get mine,” he crudely jokes, and my face actually blushes.

“
Okie dokie.  On that note, I think I’ll help Devin with the bags,” I joke.

“
Oh hell no,” Kry gripes, and then he starts urging me toward the door.

“
You two can’t be alone in a room for any amount of time without trying to burn it down to the ground.  Devin can’t focus for two seconds around you,” he grouses, and I can’t help but chuckle.

“
Can you blame me?” Devin smolders as he returns to the room with a bag over his shoulder.

Kry rolls his eyes in response, and Devin wraps his arm around my shoulders before Nadia comes over to take my hand.

Nina walks up with her arms crossed in front of her, and she deliberately avoids looking at the two of us.  Gloria kneels in front of her daughter, and then she strokes her cheek affectionately before kissing her forehead.

“
I’ll get you as soon as I can,” she promises, and Nadia drops my hand to hug her mother’s neck.

She rejoins me at my side, and I scoop her up to flash down the fire escape.  We disappear into the waiting SUV, and Kry takes over the driver
’s seat.

Nadia rests her head in my lap, and Devin
’s arm snakes across my shoulders to pull me to him.  I only hope Jace’s friend will be up for taking care of a small mortal girl.

Chapter 10

Confusing Threats

The lush green grass competes for attention with the adjacent moss carpeting the rocks that rest beside the trickling creek singing beside us.  Nadia
’s hand holds mine as we walk down the trail a car couldn’t attempt.

The long flight has taken us to the heart of forest inside Wisconsin.  The cooler air that doesn
’t affect me like it does when it strikes the summer dressed girl clinging to my hand, and she shivers in response.

I pull her bag from Devin
’s shoulder, and I find a jacket inside.  She’s grateful for the warmth it provides, and now her legs are the only limbs dealing with the chill bumps.

“
We’ll change your clothes when we get inside,” I comfort, and she grips my hand a little tighter. 

I feel something odd striking me in the gut as though something
’s warning me to stop.  I smell danger intertwined with the dank air, but I don’t see anything.

“
What is it?” Devin whispers.

“
Something is wrong,” I answer while my eyes scour the landscape.

“
What?” Jace prompts.

“
I don’t know.  Get Nadia,” I murmur, and Camara takes her in her arms as wolves under her control emerge to encircle them protectively.

“
See if you can get eyes on the house,” I say when her animal friends give me an idea.

She nods, and a hawk screeches as it swoops down and takes lead.  It glides down the trail until it disappears, and Camara
’s light blue eyes shine to show her power at work.

“
It’s quiet… too quiet.  The house smells foul, and-” she stops short, and the hawk screeches loudly as it retreats.  “We’ve got trouble.  Hellhounds and harpies together,” she panics.

“
Together?  They hate each other,” Jace gasps.

“
Keep Nadia safe,” I command, and Camara rushes away with Nadia firmly strapped to her waist. 

The wolves follow them, and Devin takes my hand in his while we await the inevitable fight.  The fiery growls are getting closer, and the hissing, bright-haired bitches can be heard even clearer.

“I hope that creek is all you need,” Jace mutters to Devin.

“
It will be,” Devin menaces, and the water lifts up to threaten the unseen stalkers. 

The hellhounds emerge first despite the growls that had sounded more distant and lightning crashes to the ground in front of them as I part the skies.

A girl with pink hair flips toward us, and her hissing threatens us while her claws emerge from her hands. 

Jace strikes the hounds over and over, and Devin begins his watery attack.  Orange and green hair flash toward me, and I slip between the charging beauties and their deadly intent.

Devin grabs them up, but my mouth almost drops to the ground when I see the hoards of them showing up now.  There’s so many… too many.

Why did I block my damn powers?

“Damn it.  This is a fucking ambush,” Jace yells, and Deacon is charging them with his conducting staff flinging his attacks.

Kry slices through the hounds, but their skin regenerates quicker than he can slice again.  We
’re outnumbered, and Devin’s tangled up with too many at once.

I feel my power stirring as the protective instinct kicks into overdrive, and something springs free as I stalk toward the mass of killers.

Yelping whimpers emerge from the trembling mutts dripping fire from their mouths, and screams take the place of the hissing predator bitches as they drop to their knees.

Devin seizes the opportunity to wrap them up in the water while they
’re crumbled to the ground and writing in an unexplainable pain.  I’ve taken down an army, and I don’t even know how.

Jace flings free the electrical bounds from his body, and the hounds squeal out their pain before ashing into the air.  Devin grabs my hand just as the battle is brought to a screeching end, and we all flash to the vehicles.

“What the hell?” Kry growls as soon as we jump in, and I motion for him to lower his voice when Nadia whimpers.

“
You want to watch a movie?” I ask softly while grabbing the noise-cancelling headphones.

She nods, and Ther sets up the movie while I cover her ears.  She instantly starts smiling as a cartoon plays from the DVD provided by her mother.

“They obviously found out where we were going,” I say to answer.

“
Yeah, I figured that part out.  I’m talking about this crazy ass power you keep dispelling.  You just brought them all to the ground, Adisia.  What is it?” he urges.

“
You expect me to know?” I mumble in bewilderment.

“
I’ll call Persia,” Jace growls.

Devin pulls me to his chest, and a dizzy spell sinks in.  I grip his leg as the light bounces around the circling shadows, and Devin
’s anxiety materializes as it rolls over his skin.

“
Adisia?  Baby, are you okay?” he murmurs.

“
Just dizzy,” I murmur with a bit of breathlessness.

“
Voicemail.  They must be moving Adisia’s family,” Jace gripes.

“
Find out where they’re going.  We’ll take Nadia there,” Devin counters.

“
I’ll try Theia,” Jace sighs, and then I feel his hand on my shoulder to help steady me from the other side.

Camara scratching at her ears like a flea infested mutt is the first thing I see when the dizzy spell finally passes.  She
’s still linked to the wolves apparently.

I assume she
’s keeping an eye on our tails to make sure we didn’t miss any of them.  I almost laugh, and then curiosity interrupts the humor.

“
You can’t see them?” I ask Devin.

“
I asked Mom and Persia to block me from your parents.  I didn’t want to risk there being a lingering trace of Pyrrha left in me,” he murmurs warily.  “Now I think I was right to take precautions.  There’s no way the hellhounds and harpies would have known where to look for us.  I need to separate from everyone.  It’s possible she’s still attached,” he mutters, and guilt is striping his face.

“
I’m going with you,” I quickly insert.

“
No.  Adisia, it’s not safe,” he counters, and I slide into his lap to force my eyes to burn into his.

“
I’m never leaving your side again,” I assert, and my eyes tell him I’m not taking
no
for an answer.

“
Adisia, I-”

He
’s interrupted when Camara rips Jace’s phone from his hand and snaps it into while still clawing at her ears.

“
What the hell?” Jace exclaims.

“
It’s not you, Devin,” she barks.  “It’s bugs.  Our phones have bugs,” she growls.

“
Who the hell could have bugged our phones without our knowledge?” I question.

“
Not electronic bugs,” Camara hisses, and a small brown beetle emerges from another broken section of the phone once she cracks it open again.  “Real bugs.”

I screech as she crushes the crawler in her hand, and Devin
’s eyes gape wide.

“
Dextro beetles?” he gasps.

“
Those have been extinct for centuries,” Jace adds with the same shock.

“
It has to be the witch,” Kry interjects.  “How the hell did she bring back an ancient, dead bug, and why?”

“
She wants to keep an eye on us, and these bloodsuckers do just that.  They link to a host and send them Intel like six-legged spies.  We all need to keep quiet until they’re gone.”

Devin pulls out his phone, and despite Camara
’s demand, he makes a call to Theia.

“
Devin, son, we’re busy right now.  We’re taking Adisia’s parents to-”

“
Don’t tell me,” he huskily interrupts.  “Dextro beetles have been planted in our phones.  I don’t know when so toss yours too.  Break them open first and see if you can find the damn bugs so we know for certain.  Unblock me so I can find you,” he continues.

“
Oh my gosh.  Dextro beetles?” she gasps.

“
Just do it,” he prompts, and then he dials someone else.

“
Devin, I was hoping you would call.  I wanted to talk to you about the whole shadow of doubt deal.  I need to know how much of it was you, and how much of it was the witch.”

I get sick when I hear Nina
’s voice, and my heart flutters as I await his answer in silence.  Everyone else seems so relaxed compared to my rigid posture.

“
It was all the witch, Nina,” Devin curtly answers.

“
She’s there, isn’t she?” she grumbles.

“
If you’re referring to my wife, of course she’s here, but that’s not why I’m saying that.  It was never me, not even for a second,” he reports, and I hear her sigh.

Why did he call her?

“Devin, we can talk about this later.  It’s obvious you called me for another reason since she’s sitting beside you, so what is it?”

“
We won’t talk about this ever.  That’s all I have to say on the subject.  I’m calling because we have a beetle infestation of the dextro variety.  Break open your phones, and kill the beetles.  Then get the hell out of the house.  Don’t take anything they could be dwelling in, and find a safe place to lay low until I come find you,” he instructs.

“
Holy shit.  How in the hell-”

“
We shouldn’t be discussing it now.  Just do as I said.  I’ll find you later when we’re done,” he snaps.

“
Okay, I’ll see-”

She
’s cut short when Devin snaps his phone in half, and then the bronze beetle emerges to try and escape.

Devin smashes the bug, and then he grabs my phone to repeat the action.  The sound of cracking phones rattles across the vehicle, and Hale
’s beetle jumps to my lap before he can squash it.

I screech uneasily as it scammers across my leg, and Jace swats it before it disappears up my shorts.

“Damn it.  I hate bugs,” I gripe as the crawling sensation sends disgusting chills up and down me.

“
Is that all of them?” Devin inquires.

“
That’s all the phones, but who knows if it’s all the beetles.  They can hide in almost anything.  We need to leave everything behind and then set the damn car on fire,” Hale grumbles.

“
The jet is just ahead.  Camara, you can hear them, right?” Devin inquires.

“
Yeah.  They drive me crazy.  I hated the entire three centuries they lived in masses.  Just consider me a bug sweeper for the time being,” she scoffs.

“
Do you hear anything right now?” Deacon questions.

“
They most likely infected our phones back in Miami.  I started hearing it very dully there because I wasn’t linked to an animal.  The moment I hooked up with the wolves it worsened.  It gradually became unbearable during the attack, and Jace’s phone right in my face made it all the more obvious.  They had to have crawled on us somewhere between the house and the plane,” she gripes.

“
Gross.  Bugs were on us?” I shiver out in disgust, and now my skin feels to be crawling even more.

“
That’s the least of our concerns.  Why would hellhounds and harpies team up?” Jace asks with a flustered tone.

“
It has to be related to Pyrrha.  Though the reasoning is beyond me,” Devin grumbles, and he pulls me closer to him.

“
I love you,” I murmur while my lips graze his neck.

“
I love you, baby,” he murmurs back softly, and then Kry groans a little when he worries about our close proximity.

Devin chuckles lightly, and the car behind us grows closer as our second team catches up.

“Pull over.  We should have called them before smashing our phones,” Jace murmurs.

Camara hops out to inspect the crew, and Jace follows her.  I see Faith wrapping her arms around him when they explain the battle we just stumbled into, and then Gemma rushes over to our car.

“Ther, I’ve been worried to death.  What the hell?” she scolds, and tears start to stream down her cheeks.

“
I’m sorry,” he says bemused.  “I didn’t think about you being worried,” he answers innocently.

He climbs out and pulls her into his arms to comfort her.  His lips graze hers, and I look away before it gets too heavy.

Ambora walks over to our car, and Hale leaps over the seat to greet her.

“
We saw the destroyed remains of our destination, and there was some panic among the others,” she says with a bit of a rattle.