First And Last (12 page)

“Ahh,” Azar stated. “I see.”

“You see what?” Okay, this was far past annoying. I felt like the third person here when being talked about. I didn’t like it one bit.

Azar leaned back a bit and crossed his arms as he studied me. “There’s something to you. Something I’ve yet to figure out. I truly believe for us to succeed in banishing Mammon, we’ll need to follow the witch Quinney has mentioned in the Diabolus Somes. The one who holds similar abilities to you. I suspect the level of magic you share is comparable. Since we’re unaware of who this was we cannot seek their assistance in this matter. Therefore, we must learn what we need to from you.”

I guffawed. “Good luck with that.”

“Have you ever tested her to see where this strength comes from?” Azar asked Zia.

“No,” she answered. “I didn’t want to push her. It has been…” she hesitated and smiled at me, “challenging for her to accept this new life and train in her new roles. We haven’t had much time to look into anything further. To be honest, I assumed it was her mixed heritage, but now,” she hesitated again and looked over at me curiously, “that you mention it, is there more to her mixed heritage, something that makes her so unique?”

“You know, I’m right here.” I said, irritation with both of them reaching sky-high limits. “Why are you talking like I’m not?”

Kyden chuckled, which he tried to disguise as a cough and failed.

Azar smiled. “It’s time then to discover who you really are and where these special gifts come from.” He reached forward and took my hands. “Close your eyes, Nexi. Settle yourself.”

“What are you doing?” I demanded, tried to rip my hands away from him.

He smiled, his eyes danced with laughter. “Just close your eyes.”

I glanced at Kyden and he nodded encouragingly. I grumbled something nasty, took Azar’s hands back in mine and shut my eyes, hoped to get this over with. The sooner I shut up, the sooner we could go on to something else. I seriously had zero idea what he was looking for. I was a Guardian and a Spirit Witch. That’s it.

“Quiet yourself,” Azar hummed. “Quiet the Guardian and the Witch within you. Settle those parts of you until there’s nothing left except empty space.”

Easier said than done. I was both entities. How do I separate those parts from myself? This was impossible.

Azar continued, “There’s more to you than what you know. There’s more beneath the magic that lives within you. Search for it. Define it. What is there?”

“Er…nothing,” I quipped.

Haven laughed loudly.

Zia touched my shoulder, and a blast of calmness spread through me. I sighed from the peace and comfort of it and went still.

“You know why you are so powerful.” Azar continued.

I did?

“You’re special. There are no others like you. You’re gifted by a source that’s something different. What is it?”

I tried to find answers for him, wanted to give them to him. I searched deep. Why was I gifted this way—stronger than everyone else and able to do things that no one else could?

After some time of searching deep, going through the layers of the Guardian power and my magic abilities, something filtered through. It was like nothing I’d ever felt before and was foreign to me. A sense of power coursed through my blood. It wasn’t an element or energy per se. It was light.

That’s exactly what it felt like, a strong beam of light that glowed bright within me and not like a happy light—the heaven above kind of light—just pure power.

Definitely something strong and real, but what exactly? I wasn’t sure what the source was or why it was there. I definitely would have a hard time describing it to Azar. If it wasn’t my Guardian power, or the elemental based magic, just what the heck was it?

Just as I pondered that, something caught my attention and had nothing to do with this power inside of me. A pull grabbed hold of me, yanked me forward, and even though my eyes were closed, they drifted over to Haven. Her outline glowed before me.

A shimmering white light surrounded her body, but centered low in her belly was a blue glittering glow. Warmth and happiness shot straight through me.

My eyes snapped open. “You’re pregnant.”

Azar gasped. “I’m what?”

I laughed, as did everyone else. “Not you, silly.” Then, I glanced at Haven. “You.” I pointed right at her stomach. “You’re pregnant.”

My hand twitched to smack myself in the head. How had I not seen it with Finn’s extra protectiveness? I felt abashed that I hadn’t noticed all the little signs. The pickiness over food, the glow in Haven’s eyes, and the way she kept touching her stomach. It just never occurred to me.

Haven’s eyes went wide the moment I said it. “Gosh, thanks for the letting the cat out of the bag.”

“Oops.” I put my hand over my mouth and said beneath it, “Sorry. It just…er…spilled out.”

She gave me a forgiving grin and the feeling rushed right through me. She was happy that I knew.

Azar interrupted our little blissful moment. “What did you feel?”

“Not now.” I waved him off and trotted over to Haven. “You’re really pregnant?” I glanced between her and Finn.

Finn nodded and smiled brilliantly.

“We are.” Haven answered, patting her stomach.

“Holy cannoli!” I glanced at Kyden, who was alight with happiness. “That’s so exciting.” Then a thought struck me. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

Haven shrugged. “I didn’t want to jinx it. I was waiting until I passed the two week mark, just in case.”

The two week mark?

Kyden stepped in next to me, obviously read my confusion. “Supernatural younglings are born within four months. The chance of a miscarriage usually happens within the first two weeks.”

“Oh.” I glanced at Haven, took her in my arms and hugged her tight. “I’m so happy for you guys. I didn’t even know you were trying.”

Haven hugged me back, sank right into me, and I felt the warmth of her hug. “We decided a little while ago and had Zia release the magic on Finn.”

Zia was the Otherworld’s birth control pill. A little magic went a long way. As Haven admitted that, a tinge of annoyance hit me. “Why would you not tell me this? We never kept secrets.”

Haven’s smile turned into a frown as she leaned in and whispered. “You’ve been through so much this past little while. It seemed so tiny in comparison.”

“This,” I stepped closer to her and placed my hand on her stomach. “Is huge, Haven. Promise me, you’ll
never
keep something like this from me again.”

She nodded in earnest. “Okay, I promise.”

My heart sank a little. It royally sucked ass that Haven felt she couldn’t tell me her happy news because my life is so chaotic. That something this important didn’t compare—didn’t matter. I gulped back the yucky feeling, desperate not to ruin this moment. I reached out to Finn and hugged him. “Ahh…you guys are going to have the cutest youngling ever.”

Finn chuckled in my ear. “Let’s hope so.”

“Of course we will.” Haven smacked his arm after I released him. “She’ll be the cutest.”

“She?” Finn asked with raised brows.

“Just a feelin’.” Haven smiled.

Azar cleared his throat, drew my gaze back to his. “How did you know she was pregnant?”

“It was kinda like a pull. As if I needed to look at her, and when I did, a bluish light glowed around her belly. I don’t know.” I shrugged, mildly embarrassed at his awed look. “I just knew.”

“I hate to interrupt, Nexi, but did you discover anything?” Misa looked to Azar as well. “We need to hear if you discovered anything else. Time is pressing.”

Oh, right, I’d totally forgotten about the whole search within yourself bit. “I definitely feel something I never did before. It feels kinda like…well…a source of power, but I have no idea what it’s from. It doesn’t feel like the Guardian power or the elements, it just feels different. Does that make any sense?”

Azar nodded, then took my hand. “Does it feel like this?” With his touch came a wave of darkness to slither through my blood.

I snapped my hand away and growled at him. “Yuck, no.”

Azar’s gaze was hard as he studied me. “So, it isn’t the Guardian power or White Magic. It has nothing to do with Black Magic.”

Zia’s gaze mirrored Azar’s. “So what is it then?”

After a long period of silence and the examining looks started to get on my nerves, I’d had enough. “It’s me! That’s what it is.”

Zia smiled softly and kissed my cheek. “Yes, Sweetie, it is you.”

Azar turned to Quinney, gestured toward the book she held in her hands. “Leave the Diabolus Somes with her. Let her read it.”

Quinney began to approach me, but I adamantly held my hands up. “I don’t want that thing.”

“You’re the best person to read this,” Azar said. “Study the runes. See if any of them call to you or make any sense to you.”

Quinney placed the book in my shaky hands but I held it away from my body. “We need to discover a rune to banish Mammon back to the Realm of the Dead and quickly. The longer he is on Earth, the more strength he will gain. We cannot allow this. If we do, he’ll begin to do these rituals himself.” She looked desolate. “This is not something we want to happen.”

“Yeah, no shit,” I managed.

“There are many unmarked runes in the Diabolus Somes. Ones that have been drawn, but unclaimed,” Tyde said. “By the look of them, they appear to be White Magic based, but their purpose is unknown. Kyden can translate the Latin if need be.”

“Keep an open mind,” Azar added. “Let the runes speak to you. I believe the right rune you need will show itself to you.”

I snorted. “You all seem so sure of that, but I just hope your trust isn’t misplaced.”

“It isn’t,” they all said in unison.

Back in the Otherworld, we’d said goodbye to the others and walked Finn and Haven home to the Witches House. After another round of congratulations and hugs, they went inside. Kyden and I made our way to Sabi’s.

Just a few doors down, I read
Sabi
written in calligraphy on her door. I’d always been grateful for the mark of names on doors or I’d never find anyone in this place.

At her door, I turned to Kyden. “I just hope she doesn’t mind.” Moving into our place for a little while probably wasn’t on her to do list.

“It’s her duty.” Kyden gave a hard knock on the door.

A moment later, Sabi answered and looked a little disheveled. Her long dark hair was a complete mess, her cheeks flushed, and her amber eyes, with cat-like pupils were a little wide. “What is wrong?” Her tone was urgent.

“Er…” I laughed nervously. “Are we interrupting you?”

She blushed and opened the door a little wider. Ryker appeared wearing nothing but a towel.

My eyes widened. When did they get together? I hadn’t heard they were a couple, or even held the slightest bit of interest in each other. This little revelation surprised me.

Ryker cleared this throat, tucked the towel in tight around his lower half. “What’s going on?”

“We must talk with Sabi,” Kyden answered. “Is it all right if we come in?”

“Of course,” Sabi replied, looking down her body. “Just give me some time to…ahhh…”

“Pull yourself together,” I finished for her.

She giggled and nodded. “Be right back.”

As they headed off to the bedroom, Kyden and I sat down on the sofa. Sabi’s place was a Japanese marvel. Gray slate walls, gigantic painting of dragons on the wall, with low black couches. The look wasn’t my taste, but it was still nice nonetheless.

Less than a minute later, Sabi joined us, looking much more appropriate for guests. “Sorry about that.” She sat down in the couch next to us.

Oh, this I couldn’t hold in. I leaned forward a little and whispered. “I didn’t know you two were a couple.”

She shrugged. “It’s new.”

New usually meant dating not romping in the sheets. What kind of new was this? Love new or just friends with benefits? I was going to get to the bottom of this, but right now, we had more important matters to attend to.

Ryker finally joined us, took a seat very close to Sabi. Surprise tickled a little. Since knowing him, he never seemed attached to anyone. Usually, it was a friend with benefits kinda thing. He seemed to want to stay close to her, needed to be near her.

Kyden took my hand, and smiled, obviously sensing my happiness for the two. Sabi was a downright cool chick and Ryker was, well, just Ryker. A lot like Kyden. But he had become a close buddy.

“What’s going on?” Sabi said, drawing me from my thoughts.

I gave my head a shake, back in the moment, and got down to business on filling them in about everything.

When I stopped, Sabi looked mildly frightened. “They’re summoning the Demon Lords? Like bringing them back here?”

Ryker wrapped an arm around her and drew her in close to his side. It appeared to ease her slightly.

“It appears so,” Kyden replied.

“And you want me to what—stay with you?” She chortled.

“It’s really the only way,” I told her. “We need to act quickly so that I can stop them but because your premonitions don’t give us much time this seems like the best option.”

She looked at Ryker, then back at us. “Where am I going to stay?”

Shit, I hadn’t thought of that. Not the couch. What kind of invitation would that be? Kyden burst out laughing at the horror flaying through me. I smacked his arm. “Shut up, you.”

He winked at me. “We’ll have a room set up for you.”

“How do you expect we do that when we only have one room?” There was no way I was sleeping on the couch. I needed space, thank you very much.

Kyden arched a brow at me and Sabi and Ryker laughed. Then, I remembered, like a smack in the face, what exactly would take place. Oh, wasn’t I the stupid one now.

“Oh, right.” I squirmed, a bit embarrassed. “Magic.”

“All right,” Sabi said and stood. “Let me pack a few things and we can be off.”

She took no time to get her things together and we all ventured over to gather Haven before going back to our place.

Twenty minutes later, I stood in my living room, looked at Sabi’s bedroom that was now just off our living room.

“There,” Haven said proudly, examining her masterpiece. “Looks nice, don’t you think?”

Her ability with the Earth Element gave her the strength to manipulate anything attached to the earth. She could make stuff appear, or change, if she needed to. I gave my head a good, hard shake. “That’s so bizarre, I don’t even have words.” Seeing a room appear before your eyes takes a bit to get used to no matter how much magic I’d been around lately.

Haven smiled big. “Who needs a designer when you have Haven the Extraordinaire?”

I laughed. “Touché.” I reached down and touched the little bump on her belly. “So, how does it all work? I mean, you’re not even showing and you only have a few short months left. God, humans would envy you.”

She glowed. Health exuded from her. Rosy cheeks, radiant skin, even her eyes seemed a deeper blue. “She’ll grow quickly. Give it a week or so and I’ll be out to here.” She made a big circle with her arms and even puffed up her cheeks to insinuate just how big she expected to get.

“Let’s go, Haven,” Finn interjected. “You need your rest.”

She grumbled something, then met my eyes. “He’s become more and more like Kyden every night.” She gave me a knowing look. “It’s very annoying.”

I burst out laughing. Now, she knew what I went through. Looked good on her.

After Finn and Haven left, I knocked on Sabi’s door. She answered it with Ryker sitting quietly on the bed. Talk about uncomfortable. “Er…do you have everything you need?”

She leaned against the door and smiled. “Yes, thank you. If anything comes up I’ll come and get you.”

“Okay, that works.” I was about to turn around, but said quickly, “The fridge is full—help yourself to anything.”

She was already shutting the door before I even finished the words. She obviously had more important things to do than talk with me.

“They need to leave,”
Willow griped at my feet.

I glanced down at her and gave her head a scratch. “It’ll just be for a little while, Willow.”

She squinted her fluffy face and looked very unhappy about this situation.
“Fine, but if that idiot—the Guardian—says one word to me, I’ll piss on his pillow.”

Her threat was serious. I should know, she’d done it to me. I had other things to worry about right now so I ignored her little statement and looked back at Kyden.

I sighed deeply, wanted desperately to have more time to put off this conversation. I’d dreaded this moment all night, but knew Kyden and I needed to have it.

He was enthralled with the Diabolus Somes. His nose buried in the book. Sucking in a breath for bravery, I sat next to him on the couch and touched his hand.

His gaze snapped up to mine and he leaned back, laced his hands behind his head. “Interesting read.”

I eyed the book like a sworn enemy. “I’m sure it is.” Then, I took another deep breath, prepared for the fight ahead. “Listen, we have to talk.”

His brow arched up. “We do?”

I nodded slowly and searched for words to put this to him. “Okay, so…you know how Sabi is going to come get me when she sees something?” He nodded, intrigued. “Well…I think it’s…it seems like a good…”

Kyden laughed. “What is it, Nexi?”

“You should stay back.” Kyden’s brow arched, a bold look crossed his face, so I continued quickly, “Just until we know what we’re dealing with. We don’t know if my shield works against demons and you could get hurt.” I tensed and waited for the storm to hit.

Kyden studied me a moment, then reached out to pick the book back up. “Makes sense.”

I sat there dumbfounded. What the hell? No yelling? No demanding that he come? No punching holes in walls? Wait…what? “You’re okay with that?”

He didn’t look up from the book. “I am.”

“But why?”

He laughed and met my gaze. “You get upset that I demand to join you, and when I say I agree with you, this upsets you too. Make up your mind.”

“I’m not upset, it’s just so unlike you.”

He cupped my cheek and ran his thumb across my lips. “I trust in you, Álainn. Besides, you’re right. My impulse to save you cannot be controlled so it’s best not to put ourselves in a situation like that again. Until we know if I can be shielded, I will yield.” He looked back to the book. “Be sure to call on Quinney so that you’re not there alone.”

I sat there in silence and watched him.
Holy shit.
It happened. This never-ending battle between us finally reached its end and the biggest surprise of all was that he was the one succumbed.

Of all the times I dreamed of this day, I expected to feel elated that he was the one to give in and I would be declared the winner of the never-ending fight. I felt none of that within me now.

Only one thing captured my thoughts.

A second later, I acted on that line of thinking and threw myself onto him. It surprised him, which showed just how quickly I acted. He hadn’t had time to even process my emotions, but it didn’t take long for him to grasp my intention. He lifted me up, carried me into the bedroom and slammed the door behind him.

He reached for my kilt, but I stopped him and sank to my knees in front of him. “Oh no, this one is all for you.”

It took him a second to free himself from his kilt, and the moment he did, I took him in hand, then into my mouth. Reward for good behavior, right?