First And Last (21 page)
I blinked slowly and gasped as the love around me grew. A love that was all too familiar. My family. They weren’t here in physical form. There was nothing in front of me or around me, but I could still sense them here, feel them all around me. Touching me.
Tears filled my eyes. “I’ve found you—you
are
here.”
I closed my eyes and relished how close their love and happiness surrounded me and touched everything.
But just as the euphoria within me peaked, I was blasted from below, pulled down hard enough that my breath immediately sucked back into my body. I entered a never-ending portal again. Moving fast through time, but also suspended. Moving, but not really. Bizarre couldn’t even explain it.
I hit the ground, hard. When I opened my eyes, everyone circled around Aaliya and me, the rune still glowed. In fact, it appeared to be brighter and even a little larger.
Kyden was close. His warmth and protection engulfed me. I glanced over my shoulder, and his smile filled me with so much love. I glanced around to see everyone else was around me too, safe. They were all here. Face after face of those who I’d come to love and consider family stood victorious and proud.
Those of the Underworld all bowed to the ground. Obviously, with the demise of the Demon Lords they weren’t feeling all that confident anymore.
Cowards!
Aaliya squeezed my hands, drew my gaze back to hers. “You know what to do.”
I nodded softly and focused on the power that this rune held, the magic that was born within it and what it represented. “You’ve guided this journey, haven’t you?” I shouted to the skies above. “Your big ole masterful plan. Well aren’t you lucky that it actually worked. I could have made a real mess of things.”
Laughter spread around me.
I returned my gaze to Aaliya just as she said, “Remember what I told you.”
“I’d never forget. I
will
never forget any of it or anyone.” I closed my eyes and began to invoke power from the magic that I not only knew was right, but my destiny. It was there bone deep, and I didn’t doubt the outcome for a moment,.
Just as the magic reached its full potential inside my body, I mentally sought out Misa, Quinney, Tyde and Azar, demanded that the power filling me grant my request. It didn’t deny me and reached out to search for them.
They weren’t difficult to find. Beings that were born within evil and darkness, but denied it. They stood out like a sore thumb. I grabbed onto their beings, brought them into myself, and provided a shield to protect them from the impending danger.
With Aaliya’s hand tight in mine, I shouted high to the heavens above. “
Primoris quod permaneo.”
It was only said once before the rune exploded and we were all blasted with wind, energy and just a rush of pure power. My entire body tingled as the power washed over me. I expected screams, sounds of pain, but it was so quick there just wasn’t time for that.
A millisecond later, the power that consumed me vanished.
Kyden groaned beside me and rose. “Álainn,” he shouted, then scooped me up in his arms and into his lap. “All right?”
I groaned a little. “Oww, that fucking hurt.” My body was exhausted, left with no energy whatsoever. Moving would have been nice if I was capable of such a thing.
“Zia,” Kyden called out.
A second later, she was there, her hand on my arms, and blasted me with a pure rush of Spirit.
I felt like a new woman again. “Ahh…that is much, much better.” I raised my head from Kyden’s chest and saw everyone begin to regain themselves.
As my gaze drifted along faces, it suddenly became aware to me that we were back in the Otherworld, resting just outside the castle. That shocked me. What stood in front of me made me jump to my feet. “Holy, fucking, fuck.”
My eyes went wide as my Guard of Demons had large feathery wings attached to their backs. Each of them shared an equally bemused expression as they stared at their new extremities and made them flutter through the air. “Er…what happened to you?”
Misa’s smile was so bright and elated. “You’ve done it.” She flapped her wings. “You closed the realm and saved us. God has freed us and given us back our wings.”
She flew toward me and landed right in front of my face. The move was so fast I didn’t have the chance to prepare for it. “Bah.” I swatted at her. “Slow and steady. I gotta get used to that.”
Of course, I wasn’t given the chance to. Zia ripped me away from Misa. “What have you done?”
Every gaze was glued on me. “Well…” I glanced over at Azar who was testing his magic. He had now gained White Magic and looked enthralled with his abilities to use the Elements. “Azar was right. I did know what I always wanted. It just took a little push from Aaliya to see it.”
“See what?” Zia urged me on. “What is it that you wanted?”
“The end of it all.”
Zia mouth dropped open and the rest of the crowd closed in around us. “So, what does that mean?” Her voice was breathless.
I couldn’t help but laugh at how ridiculous they all looked, wide-mouthed like that. “I banished the Underworld into the Realm of the Dead and locked it away forever.”
“The whole thing?” Talon gasped.
“Well yeah.” I shrugged.
Zia laughed loudly, then everyone else followed suit.
Zade shook his head at me. “She just sent an entire world there and closed off the gateway.” His shrug mirrored mine. “You know, not a big deal or anything.”
“What?” I snapped out, a little irritated at his very bad impression of me. Or I hoped it was a bad imitation. “It was the right thing to do.”
“You’re right.” Zia still laughed, but kissed my cheek. When she backed away, her eyes were brimmed with tears. “It was the right thing to do.”
Kyden took my chin, drawing my gaze to him. “Why were the Fae with you?”
“Oh yeah, that was just another shit-kicker. You’ll never guess where this special power in me comes from…”
Zia had an
ah-ha
moment and it showed clearly on her face. “You’re Fae?”
Kyden arched a brow. “Are you now?”
“Part Fae, well…Fae, Guardian and Witch.” Quickly, I gave the short version of my conversation with Aaliya, and the truth of my past. Everyone was stunned silly by the end of it and mouths formed a giant O.
I burst out laughing, unable to hide how stupid they all looked. “Yeah, that was exactly my reaction too.”
“A nice thing, no? “ Zia finally said after a few long moments while everyone processed the news. “To finally know your true heritage.”
“I guess it’s good to know the why’s now, but I’m not sure it really changes anything.”
Kyden chuckled, brushed a hand across my cheek. “Knowing this changes nothing?”
“Not really. Just explains the power I guess. But I’m still me—just plain old, Nexi Jones, bonded to Kyden.”
That caused another sound of laughter.
“Do not move.” Zia moved. “I want to hear everything that happened in the Realm of Dead, every single juicy bit of it, but I’ve got something to attend to.” I’d never seen her move so fast, as she ran like a bat out of hell to wherever it was she was going.
Kyden wrapped his arms around my waist, brought my gaze back to his and leaned down to kiss my lips softly. Just before our lips touched, he said, “Álainn, you’re anything but plain.” He claimed my lips and I melted into a big pile of lustful Nexi.
When he pulled away, I could barely breathe. My eyes slowly opened, and his stared deep into mine as his emotions ran high. Pride, lust, happiness, the list was endless. Too many to even say. He gave me his devilish grin. “You do know you’ve done it, don’t you?”
“Done what?” I whispered close to his mouth.
He brushed his thumb over my lips and I kissed it as it went. “You’ve gotten your wish.”
“My wish?” I repeated.
“Peace.”
I smiled softly in the truth of that. He was right. Sure, there would always be thirsty vampires or naughty werewolves that would face my sword or burn under my magic, but that, I could handle. No, scratch that—Kyden and I would handle it together.
As long as I had him, this unexpected family who bore no blood relationship to me and memories of the family I’d lost—I could get through anything. “So, where do we go from here?”
“We do what we always do.” He brushed a finger across my cheek. “Remember you’re the one who said to me once—we can’t leave the Otherworld and have a responsibility to make the world a better place.”
I laughed softly. “I did say that didn’t I?”
“You did and you were right. We have a duty not only to humans, but for our future and any little ones that come along in our life to fight against evil that threatens to corrupt the worlds.”
The one line said it all. Kyden had our life and future in his mind and for the first time since I stepped foot in the Otherworld, I could see the possibility of all that was to come.
Kyden continued, “You’ve gone through so much, but there you are…the same woman I met and fell in love with. Your family would be so proud of you, Nexi, as am I.”
“I know.” My voice came out a little taut, as I was flooded with the feeling of being touched by them. “It’s been quite a ride. You know, I never thought I’d be happy to face thirsty vampires, or naughty werewolves, but honestly, for all I’ve been through it’ll be nice to go back to a good ole fist fight.”
“And I’ll be there, right beside you.”
I leaned forward, brushed my nose against his. “Which is exactly why I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
Just as the swell of happiness filled my soul with the knowledge that the dark days were over, Haven’s loud scream ended my happy reprieve. “Nexi Jones, you’re in so much trouble. Don’t you ever do that again!” She stomped her foot, royally pissed and hands on her round hips as she leveled me with a stern gaze that just looked simply cute coming from her. “Ever, ever again!”
All I could do was laugh. This was all behind us, we were all safe and life would return to normal.
Well, Nexi Jones kind of normal, that is.
The End
About the Author:
Stacey Kennedy is an avid lover of the paranormal romance and urban fantasy genres. If she isn't plugging away at her next novel, tending to her two little ones, she's got her nose deep in a good book. She lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband. Be sure to drop her a line at www.staceykennedy.com, she loves to hear from her readers.
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