First And Last (13 page)

* * * *

Not long after, I had stripped out of my gear and snuggled into bed next to him. He ran his finger down the length of my spine. “That makes you happy, does it?” he asked.

“Very happy.” I lifted my head from his chest and looked at him. “I’ve waited a long time for you to come around and stop being such a jerk.”

He arched a brow. “A jerk?”

“Yes, a jerk. It’s about time you put some trust where it belongs.”

He tapped the end of my nose with his finger and grinned. “If the roles were reversed would you behave differently?”

I considered it. Would I allow him to fight without me? Especially if I knew he was in danger. Dammit! I hate it when he is right.

He chuckled and pulled me closer into him. “As I thought.” He resumed running his finger along my back. “We’ll test this shield against Quinney to see if it will hold. Then, we’ll go from there.”

“Look at us, Kyden, we’re compromising.” I really was quite astonished. “Whoever thought this would happen.” I sure as hell didn’t.

“I don’t want to upset you. You’ve enough to deal with. I can put my wishes aside to stand behind you. That’s not a concern.” He gave my butt a little pat, then sighed. “We need to get back to the book.”

I groaned. There was no putting off. “I’ll go.” I quickly jumped off the bed and headed for the door.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Kyden demanded.

“Getting the damn book.” I reached for the door handle.

“Not like that, you’re not.” Kyden’s curt tone stopped me in my tracks.

“Like what?” I looked down and realized I was naked. “Yikes.” I burst out laughing. “I totally forgot we weren’t alone.”

I grabbed the bathrobe off the door, then went out to grab the evil thing. After taking the book off the coffee table, I returned to find Kyden had clicked on the night table lights and was just finishing putting up our pillows. I dropped the robe, jumped into bed beside him and ran my hands over the thick cover of the book. “Tell me, what does Diabolus Somes mean?” Since my skill in Latin was non-existent, his help in this department was very necessary.

“Devil’s Remains.”

I should have expected it to be something creepy, but wasn’t prepared since I shivered. Ignoring that, I opened the book and looked at the first page. It was so cryptic. There was some writing on it, but there wasn’t any sense of order. Just scribbles here and there. “What does this mean?” I asked, pointing to the words,
Ego sum totus.

Kyden leaned forward to look. “I am all.”

Fear ran cold through my blood. The devil probably wrote this himself. I skipped through most of the literature part. I wasn’t interested in what he had to say and it would probably just scare the shit out of me anyway. I wanted to be able to sleep in the next year.

Finally, some runes appeared. Page after page, runes with descriptions underneath flew by in front of me as we flipped through the book. I stopped at one that nearly jumped right off the page at me, and not in a good way either. A classic Pentagram, but had a goat’s head in the center.

“What does that say?” I whispered pointing to
occultus unus.

“The hidden one.”

I gulped and looked up at him. “This is very, very evil.”

His gaze turned curious. “What makes you think that?”

“I can just feel it. Something is very wrong with that rune.” I shook my whole body to rid it from the hebejebes and flipped the page, anxious to put that bit of horribleness to bed. Soon, I came upon a Pentacle. It looked normal enough, except this one was inverted slightly, and it practically glowed off the page. I looked at Kyden. “Does it glow to you?”

“No.”

“Weird. It’s glowing so brightly it’s hard to look at.” It really was that bright and hurt. My eyes squinted to adjust to the brightness. I ran my fingers across the rune and it tingled beneath my touch. Just as the rune before felt wrong, this one felt completely right. Looking at it, touching it—warmth and power spread through me.

“That is an odd feeling you’re having, and one I have never felt from you before.”

I examined the rune closely, unable to look away from it. “This must be what Azar meant when he said it would show itself to me.”

Kyden nodded. “Let’s try something.” He jumped up and knelt in front of me.

I burst out laughing.

He arched a brow. “Problem?”

“Er, yeah, look at your dangly bits. They just look so funny with you sitting like that.”

He gave me a chastening look. “Will you focus?” He jumped off the bed, threw on his shorts, and knelt back down beside me.

I laughed a few more times, then settled myself. Inappropriate I know, but when the funnies grab hold, sometimes they’re impossible to contain. “What exactly do you want to do?” I asked once I stopped smiling.

“I believe Azar is onto something. I could feel it within you earlier. Something was there.” He examined me, typical show-nothing-on-your-face Kyden, but with the bond, I could sense he was completely enthralled. “Yet, it couldn’t come through. There’s a reason this rune shows itself to you.”

Just as he reached for my hand, our door flew open and Ryker stormed in. I gasped and drew the covers up. “Knocking would be nice, you know.”

“Come,” he stormed forward, pulled me from the bed. “It’s Sabi.”

“Let go of her now,” Kyden roared.

I ignored him, as did Ryker. Panic filled me. She had a vision. The urgency of this situation hit me. I dropped the sheets and ran to Sabi, who was slumped over the couch.

Christ, that was fast! I wasn’t expecting it be so soon. I reached out to her instantly and gave her a boost. She jumped to her feet dressed in a
Hello Kitty
nightdress. Who knew she’d wear such a thing? It was almost comical. Nothing in me could laugh and if I didn’t act now, another Demon Lord would be summoned. Oh, hell no!

“We must go,” Sabi grasped my hand, and we ran toward the door.

“Nexi!” Kyden shouted. “You’re…”

His words were lost to me—totally tuned out. I didn’t have time for him. We had to get to the scene or we’d be too late. Having one Demon Lord here was enough, and seriously didn’t want two.

“Listen,” I said to Sabi as we ran down the hall. “Once I get there, come back immediately. It’s not safe for you there.”

She nodded, breathless. “Gladly.”

We hit the Foyer, slammed open the door to the portal, and when the world returned to me, we stood near an old farm house, obviously long ago abandoned. The smell of old rotten wood hung in the air. The house was barely standing. The windows were bordered up and the door creaked as the wind brushed by.

“He’s there.” Sabi pointed to the left.

I followed her gaze and saw the Demon nestled in between some apple trees. Shadows from the night gave the view an entirely ‘shit yourself scary’ kinda vibe. “Go Sabi, go now.”

“Be safe.” Then, she vanished.

“Quinney, Tyde,” I whispered.

My Demons shimmied into view. “What do…” Tyde’s eyes went wide, then his words died by his laughter. Quinney put a hand over her mouth and shook from laughing.

“Am I missing something?” I snapped. “What in the hell is so funny?”

Tears rimmed Quinney’s eyes and Tyde held onto his stomach while he laughed so hard, he nearly fell to his knees.

“Nexi…” Quinney leaned forward, “where are your clothes?”

I glanced down, suddenly mortified. “Oh shit, I’m naked.” I wrapped my arms around my chest and crossed my legs in sheer embarrassment. Not like it really helped, it was hard to hide everything. “Well, there’s not much I can do about it now, and a demon is doing the summoning ritual. Let’s go and stop this.”

Quinney nodded firmly, but Tyde hadn’t stop laughing. Not for a moment. In fact, he was now on the ground dying with laughter. Who knew a demon had the ability to laugh like that, but he did, and he could hardly contain himself.

“Tyde,” Quinney chastised. It didn’t help any, he still went on and on. She gave a little glare, then grabbed my hand. “Excuse the imbecile.”

I really couldn’t blame him. In any other situation, I would find this way too funny, but now, all I could do was focus on the demon and hope I could stop him. The breeze was warm, but even still, goose bumps rose along my skin. Walking was slightly difficult as I was doing my best to hide my female bits and pieces and cover my ass at the same time so Tyde couldn’t see it.

When I heard his laughter grow louder, I glanced back and gave him
the look
, which only made him laugh harder.
Ass!
I focused back on the scene. Luckily, the demon had just finished the circle. The human hadn’t been sliced open yet, and even better, he was still alive. Asleep but alive, his stomach was cut open, but somehow he had survived this.

Only a foot away, I screamed out. “Oh no, you don’t.” The demon spun around and froze. His eyes went wide as he ran his gaze over my naked skin. “Keep your eyes to yourself, you bad demon. Just because I’m naked doesn’t mean it’s a free show.”

“Drachan, you will stop this,” Quinney said firmly.

He smiled slow and easy. “You’ll never be able to stop what has been started. I’m just a mere part in this. Destroying me will stop nothing.”

“Nonetheless,” I retorted. “We
are
going to stop you.”

He glared at me. “You don’t speak to me.” His voice was so callous, so cruel. “It’s an insult and one that I won’t have.”

Before I could react to that verbal attack, Quinney snarled and then shimmed into her black fog, but so did Drachan. High piercing screams came around me as the two battled. God, they were so loud. I couldn’t help notice that I had become used to their screams. They weren’t so sharp, just more of an irritation. Like an annoying mosquito buzzing around my ear.

But now, I was in a serious dilemma. I couldn’t banish Drachan with Quinney so near. If I did, she’d be banished to the Realm of Dead also. My shield held strong around me, as if I even needed it. Quinney did an amazing job keeping Drachan away from me. She’s powerful indeed. He couldn’t even get close.

Finally, I huffed in frustration. “Quinney, you need to get back. You can’t be in the rune.” She either ignored me or hadn’t heard. I only had one card to play. As much as I hated to use it, what choice did I have. “As your Lady, I order you to cease this battle.”

In a millisecond, she shimmed back and bowed before me. “Oh, God.” I reached down and pulled her up. “Stop doing that.”

Drachan took the chance to attack me. His black empty soul searched for a way into my shield. It wasn’t painful or distressing but flat out irritating.

“Stop that,” I swatted at his ghostly form. Of course, he didn’t

This had to be over now. More annoyed than anything else, I drew on my Air Element and send a wisp of air out to Quinney, sent her back with Tyde, and raised my hand quickly to draw the rune.

The moment I closed it, it glowed before me, then just as before I said, “Banish thee,” I was leveled with power and flown back on my ass as wind poured around us and white light blasted the skies. With a loud bang, it ripped away and the night sky drew dark once again.

When I glanced over my shoulder, Quinney had somehow managed to remain kneeling, her head bowed. “For Christ sakes, Quinney. Get up.”

She stood. “As you wish.”

My irritation ran higher as I heard Tyde’s loud banter. I glanced at him, he hadn’t moved an inch. “Would you stop laughing?”

He took a deep breath. “You’re…” He looked up at me, then back down my body, and burst out laughing all over again. “You’re buck naked.”

I sighed, ready to blast him one. “It wasn’t a thought, jackass. Sabi had the vision and I came.” I looked to Quinney. “Can you go and get me some clothes?”

She nodded with an equally amused smile. “Of course. Tyde, gather up the human, it’s still alive. The Otherworld will know what to do with him.”

Tyde nodded, still smiling.

I glared at him. “Some guard you are! You did nothing but laugh. I should fire your sorry ass.”

Furious, I went to hide behind a tree until I had some damn clothes.

The door closed behind me. Kyden grinned up at me from where he sat on the couch. “I’m glad to see
less
of you.”

“Look who’s home, the idiot who stormed out of here naked,”
Willow said at nearly the exact same time.

“Hush you,” I snapped at Willow, then met Kyden’s gaze. “Okay, so I forgot I was naked. It sure gave Tyde a good laugh.”

“I bet it just did.” He gave his devilish grin, stood and approached me in lengthy strides. When he reached me, he took me in his arms and his lips met mine violently.

Now that we were bonded, being away from each other was difficult, or so I heard. Since it was only a short time, I hadn’t really had the time to miss him. It obviously tore at him—maybe due to the element of danger involved—his concern for me.

I could feel it in the hard edge of his lips and the tight grip around my back. Even if his tormented emotions weren’t telling me as much, I reciprocated his force with one of my own. Just as the sensual energy ran high, Kyden slid his lips to my neck and that was when the damn book came into my line of vision.

Fuck, I should’ve left my eyes closed. I sighed deeply and pushed Kyden back.

He groaned and met my gaze with his usual arched brow. “Problem?”

“Oh, no. No problem at all. Just a bunch of demons summoning Demon Lords. You know,” I waved my hand dramatically, “nothing out of the ordinary.”

He chuckled. “Back to work then?”

I nodded, not a very convincing one, but did follow him back to the couch. Just as I was about to sit, I scooted toward the bedroom.

“Let me change first.” Not that I minded the jogging suit Quinney brought me, but I always felt so peculiar to be out of my Guardian gear. I’d become fond of the little kilt and bra, it was like my second skin now.

“I assume you got there in time?” Kyden shouted from the living room while I changed.

“Yeah.” I came back out into the living room and sat beside him. “We brought the human back here. I healed him and Zade gave him a new memory.” The convenience of having vampires around, all their mind-warping abilities came in handy.

“Good.” Kyden glanced back to the book. “Where were we?” He shuffled through the pages. Apparently, he had done some light reading while I was gone, since he seemed to know exactly what he was looking for.

Why did he have so much interest in that damn thing? I’m no history buff. All I needed to know is which rune would send Mammon back. That was it. All the rest could stay in the past as far as I was concerned.

“Right, here it is, the rune that reacted to you.” He glanced at me. “Is it still glowing now?”

I leaned forward. “Yup.”

“All right, then.” He took my hand and placed it flat down on the page. I giggled a little as the rune tickled my skin, warm and tingly. He placed his hand over mine and took my other one tightly in his, keeping us connected. “Now quiet yourself, Álainn. Rest your mind.”

I sighed once, then again, to let my mind go blank. Focusing in, I released the elements around me. I let go of Air, that’s cold and wispy, let the burn of Fire within me subside, and focused on the odd new sensation that sat deep within me.

Suddenly, the rune beneath my hand began to warm. The feeling of power began to come forth.

“Yes,” Kyden whispered. “Focus on that. Let the power fill you. Speak to you.”

The light within me began to glow deeper. My blood slowed as calmness spread throughout. The feeling was all the same, the sense of light remained, and I knew this was fueled my magic. What made me different? I’d never felt anything like it or seen it in anyone else for that matter. I still couldn’t indentify or explain it. I was back to square one.

Just as I was about to open my eyes, the rune began to burn. “Ouch,” I screamed as I tried to yank my hand way, but it was glued to the page.

“What…” Kyden started, but then his words faded away as I was pulled into a memory. I knew exactly what it was because I’d been in Zia’s before and it looked just like this. Almost as if I were watching a movie, but was in it and could see everything, hear words. Yet, not interact with anyone.

A witch stood in a dark forest near some large apple trees with the run
e I’d just seen drawn in the air, but this one was a little different. Within the inverted pentacle was another symbol. Á Ù.

Six demons surrounded her and I could immediately sense their power. But even more shocking, it was hers that astounded me. Her strength was unparalleled.

She was a White Witch, that I could tell, but I’d never met a witch this powerful before, not even Zia. I couldn’t see her face since her back was to me, but she wore a white cloak with a hood. All I could hear was the sound of her soft voice but was unable to make out anything.

Swiftly, the demons shifted into their black form, and just as they did, she began to chant in Latin,
Primoris quod Permaneo,
over and over again. Her words smoothed together as she stood strong against the earsplitting shrieks around her.

Suddenly, a blast of white energy erupted, and with loud piercing screams, the demons evaporated into thin air, then it all went quiet. The witch repeated the line again, but she sounded so sad, like she failed. It didn’t look like she failed to me. The demons were gone, shouldn’t that be a cause for celebration?

As quickly as the vision came, it vanished, and my eyes opened to Kyden. He looked beside himself, to say the least, which only told me one thing. “You saw that?”

“Indeed I did.” His voice wavered, not in fear, just incredulous, and that coming from him meant he was very shocked.

“What the hell was that?”

He shook his head slowly. “I haven’t a clue.”

“Holy shit.” I could barely breathe, confused as to what had just happened. “The rune was like this one,” I pointed at the book. “There was an Alpha-Omega symbol in it. Did you see that?”

“I did.”

It was hard to get a grasp on anything, to understand what this meant. It didn’t take a genius to know that the witch in the vision was the one who Quinney and Tyde spoke of. The one who held the same magic I did. Who was she? How did she attach the memory to the rune so I would see it? Why did she act as if she failed?

I had no answers. To focus on these things was pointless, so, I stuck to the stuff I could find out. “What was she saying?”

“First and Last.”

Right then, our door flew open and Zia stood, breathing heavily.

“I saw that.” It didn’t surprise me that she had, our connection was wide open right now, in case I needed her. “Come quickly. I know of someone who might help us here.”

I jumped to my feet, as did Kyden. Zia stopped him with a hand in the air. “No, Kyden, you must stay here. We don’t want to scare her off by bringing too many. Nexi will be safe. I promise you that.”

Kyden nodded firmly. As I took off, he gave my ass a hard slap.

“Ouch.” I hurried to the door, rubbed my butt the entire way. Just as I stepped out, I quickly glanced back over my shoulder. “But I liked it.”

Kyden winked.