The Compass (18 page)

Disbelief had Lugus staggering backwards. This shouldn't be. Finn had turned his back on the ways of his family—he had renounced his powers. Desperation had him forgetting, made him negligent—he rushed forward with an anguished cry, his sword raised above his head. In front of him, he no longer saw Agrona’s warrior. He saw the battered body of his son—his little boy.

Drenched with his power, Finn discarded his blade and thrust his hands forward. The force of the sonic push sent his enemy flying backwards. The elder warrior tumbled feet over head until he landed with a crash. The force of the hit should’ve been satisfactory, but Finn was not finished, he sent another wave, this one pinned the other man to the ground, preventing any movement.

Maintaining his hold on Lugus with one extended hand, obvious to the curses that were flung at him, Finn used the other to weave an enchantment in the air. From the ground, roots erupted and wound around the fallen man. They tightened, forcing screams of pain from him. Above them, the thunder continued to roll.

Cian, chest heaving, arms shaking, smiled. His cousin had found himself again. He let out a battle cry. The sound was chilling. Drake, having appeared in the thick of the battle, with his lethal short blades met Tristan’s satisfied gaze from across the clearing. “It’s about damn time.”

Tristan nodded. “This evens things immensely. We have to get to Ali.”

Drake smirked. “I love crashing a party.”

Ali's arms were shaking, her back ached from the weight of holding onto the branch, and her heart threatened to give out at any moment. The things she’d been smacking like piñatas didn't seem to be affected by the dozen or so blows she’d given them. They just kept coming. She knew that the woman was controlling them somehow, and she had a sick sense of humor. A few times, she had been vulnerable and they could've easily grabbed her, but they didn't. They backed off and gave her a chance to regroup. It was a twisted game to them. Blowing a lock of hair out of her face, Ali raised the branch again. She didn't know how much longer she would be able to do this dance. She had tried to send a message to Finn, but didn’t know if it reached him or not.

“Tired yet, mortal? My little friends here can do this all night.” Vega leaned casually against a tree inspecting her nails. She had seen Finn’s transformation and though normally she would get while the getting was good, the matter of the Fragment was too important to leave. She pushed off the tree. “As much as your desperate grapple for survival amuses me, it’s time to go.”

Ali backed up. Her chest hurt with every breath, her arms felt like rubber and she was sweating like she’d been in a sauna. The woman was walking towards her, and she had nowhere to go. Everything was all blurred together: sounds, smells, and people. She didn't know what to do. She couldn't even describe what she was feeling—it went beyond desperation. Day was night and night was day—everything was disjointed. The creatures now stood still. Weak, Ali dropped her arms. She saw the woman’s smile grow. Then, it slipped away, replaced by a look of rage. The cause of such a switch came strutting towards them, with twin blade rotating at his sides.

“Sorry I’m late, babe, but traffic was a bitch.”

Drake’s voice conjured up a weepy laugh. Ali released the branch a stumbled back until she bumped into a tree. Tristan came into view then, but his attention was on the woman. “Vega—it has been a long time.”

Furious that her window had been slammed shut, Vega turned on her charm. “Tristan of Bala—my projected time of your arrival was—off, it seems.” Her eyes flickered to where Drake was standing, his blades ready to mow down her demon puppets. “And you've brought the Dragon, how quaint.”

It had been centuries since he had last heard this voice. Tristan was having a hard time not letting affect him. Vega had brought death and turmoil to his people, his own family had fallen victim to her wickedness. “Mikel must be desperate if he went searching for the likes of you, demon.”

Vega clicked her tongue. “You weaken me with your flowery words, Tristan.” Survival—
her,
survival, had her backing away. Let Lugus and her demons deal with the warriors. Losing the Fragment was a blow she hadn't been prepared to take. However, she wasn't willing to put her life on the line. There will be other opportunities. “By the way, have you met my little pets? They're really quite extraordinary.” With a wave of her hand, the ground opened up and more green tinged creatures began crawling out. “Enjoy.” A swirling mist rose from the ground, taking the chaotic demon with it.

Ali watched in horror as more of those—things, clawed up through the gorge Vega had created. “Um, guys? What are we going to do about these things?”

Drake swung his swords, taking off the limbs of one of the strange looking creatures. But instead of stopping it, it continued to attack. Cursing, he swung again, this time taking out its legs. Another came at him from behind, whirling around, he skewered it with a blade, then using a foot, he shoved it backwards into yet another. They were like damn parasites. Again and again he cut them down. But they still kept coming, nothing seemed to deter them. He shouted at Tristan, “What the hell are these things?”

Blasting three with a mental wave, Tristan answered, “Demons.”

“Fucking great.” Drake watched as one crawled towards him. It was missing an arm and had a gash that nearly had its innards spilling out. Grumbling his frustrations, he took a blade and severed its head. It tuned to black ash. “Now we’re talking. Tristan, take their heads.”

With their secret discovered, the demons began to attack with earnest. They swarmed the warriors, slashing out with their claw like hands. One by one, the demons were relieved of their heads. But the sheer number of them had forced Tristan and Drake back until they were shoulder to shoulder, Ali behind them. The ground was soaked with the spilled blood of those who had lost limbs; the air filled with the screeches as others were turned into ash. Still they came.

Ali squeezed her eyes shut. In her mind, she screamed for Finn. The wind howled, rising until it bent the trees, and kicked up dirt and debris. She watched in stunned horror as the demons froze—as if time itself had stopped. Then, there was a great rush of air and a muffled
boom
. The demons began sliding backwards, they fought, but it was no use. It was though there was a giant vacuum and it was slowly pulling the danger away from her and the others. She didn't know how such a feat was possible. Deep inside, she knew that Finn was the one responsible.

Tristan shouted to her over the wind. “Ali, get ready, Finn will come straight for you.” As the wind rose, he and Drake crouched lower, their weapons at the ready.

The ground beneath her feet shifted and rolled. Her arms shot out for balance. The demons struggled against the pull. Their outraged screams rang in her ears. She covered them, but it did little to block out the sound. Then, another sound joined it. At first, she couldn't make out what it was—it came again, a little clearer—her name. She dropped her hands, Tristan and Drake each took a step to the side, leaving her open. She wanted to shout at them, but her attention was on the streak of light heading straight for her. Before she could utter a sound, she was being lifted. Her mind may not understand what the hell was going on, but her heart did. Finn’s scent assaulted her and with a sigh, Ali wrapped her arms around him and held tight.

Finn held fast to her, with a single thought—to get her out of harm’s way. He had accepted his legacy. The heat of it pulsed through his system. It was as confusing as it was thrilling. For so long he held the two sides of him separate, embracing the blade and the life of a warrior because it was something tangible. Both sides, separated for so long, now fused together. He made peace with his past. Ali moved against him. He tightened his hold on her, breathed her in. They would win this war. His house came into view. They landed gently, Finn continued to hold Ali, not wanting to let her go.

Ali felt her heart thumping against her chest, it was a wonder that it didn't burst out of her. She could feel Finn’s heart reply in kind. Giving him a hard squeeze, she stepped out of his embrace. Her eyes roamed over the lines of his face, settling on his eyes. He looked—different. There was a new awareness there, a light that shone bright. Something, deep inside of her, responded to it, to him. She had felt the click, the rightness of the two of them before, however, this was different. It was though whatever lay inside of her, melded to what was now alive within him.

Finn studied her, watched as her face twisted in deep thought. He could practically hear the questions she wanted to ask. And she deserved them, but they both had exerted vast amounts of energy and needed to regroup. Not able to resist, he reached out a fingered a stand of her hair, fascinated by how the lock curled around his finger. Then, he gave into temptation. He saw her eyes widen before he captured her mouth.

Chapter Nineteen

Lugus leaned heavily against the tree, his body battered. The roots Finn had called upon had slithered back underground. Around him, the ground was covered in black ash. Smoke rose from the hole that was created by Vega, and sealed by the warriors. The air was still, and thick. His breath rattled in his chest. Finn had finally embraced his magick and had used it as effectively as his sword. His legs felt as weak as an old man’s, his chest—even worse. The pressure that had held him to the ground had nearly crushed him. But he lived, and he had failed once more. The defeat lay bitter in his mouth.

“Well, that was fun.” Vega shimmered into view a few feet from the moldering ashes.

Lugus detected the barely contained amusement in her voice. With a grimace, he pushed away from the tree. “And what use were you, demon? You fled as soon as the warriors arrived.” His voice, laced with pain, vibrated with his anger. “I should kill you where you stand.”

Unaffected, Vega tisked him, and surveyed the ground. “Your threat carries little weight, Lugus—at the moment, you could no more than kill me, than pull a rabbit out of your hat.” Her voice was cool and smooth. Turning to him she said. “I wasn’t gone, just hidden. My pets have given me the information we need to use for our next strike.”

She was insane. There was no way they would be able to get close enough for another attack. But the gleam in Vega’s eyes gave him pause. “What do you know?”

Clasping her hands behind her back, Vega continued to stroll around the scarred area. To Lugus, she looked like she had all the time in the world. It irritated him. “Finn embracing is legacy does present challenges—however, by doing so; he has given us the perfect cover. Mikel would have detected the change and will be focused on that.” She held up a hand to stop Lugus’ words. “Finn carries old magick, and that is more than a passing interest for the dark lord. His dismissal of Finn has come back to—what do the mortals say? Bite him the ass?”

Growling, Lugus took a few unsteady steps towards her. “So what of it—the Fragment is more important that some warrior playing with his powers.”

Her laughter rang out. “You are vastly entertaining Lugus, how fortunate that you and I have joined together. We’re not going after the first Fragment—we’ll let them think they’ve won.” Her smile was slick. “We’re going to go for the second—or at least, where the second Fragment can be found.”

Few things shocked him. He regarded the demon with scepticism. Her smugness was thick enough to choke him. “And you know the whereabouts of the second?”

It never got boring, having an ace up her sleeve. She told Lugus what she knew. “The puny mortal has been—stretching her wings—taking a solo flight. While she had some protection, containing that amount of energy takes a great deal of discipline. The mortal is grossly lacking.” Understanding lit Lugus’ eyes, Vega’s smile grew. “We’re not out of the game yet.”

*****

Ali sat on the edge of her bed—stunned. Finn had kissed her—again. And not a chaste kiss either, he had
consumed
her. She touched a finger to her lips; they still zinged from the experience. Her body tingled as she relived it. His lips had been firm, confident, and she had been helpless—all she had been able to do was hold on. Then, he had ended it, telling her gruffly to go inside. How her legs had managed to carry her she would never know. She was in deep trouble now. She was going to crave him.

On a groan, she flopped back onto the bed. Her body ached for him even now; she wanted to call him to her so she could experience it all over again, maybe even more. Placing a hand on her chest, she felt the unsteady rhythm of her heart. Yup, she was in seriously deep trouble. Funny, she should be concerned, panicking even; getting involved with Finn could break her heart. Ali found she wasn’t. If anything, she wanted to throw caution to the wind and see what happened.

In his living room, Finn stood, his eyes staring, seeing nothing. The taste of Ali smouldered on his lips. Kissing her had been rash, yet unavoidable. Once again, she had come to his aid. This time, she led him to what he had been desperately trying to grasp—his magick. Having her in his arms, feeling how perfect she fit there, was too much to ignore any longer. He had meant the kiss to be brief, like before; but the instant he touched her, when she had sighed into his mouth and went pliant, it sent him over the edge.

Now, his body was stung tight, wanting more. Cursing, he closed his eyes and tried to rein in his desire. There was no erasing what he had done, not that he wanted to. Ali was his, and he had staked his claim. The rest will be up to her, he would not push her into something she didn’t want.

At least he didn’t have to deal with the smug satisfaction of Cian or the other two. Once they had made sure all of Vega’s demons had been dealt with, they all made up one excuse after another to be somewhere else. Of course, he’d known it was their sorry attempt to give him and Ali privacy, although Drake seemed a bit put off over the fact they weren’t staying. Whatever the case, he was glad for it. He had to get control over his emotions, and with his newly restored magick, it would take some time. The back of his neck prickled with awareness. Turning slowly he saw Ali standing on the other side of the room. It was a punch to his already over sensitive system. All he could mange was her name. “Ali.”

“I don't know if what I’m feeling is because of the situation.” She drew a shaky breath. “Between the visions, the bad guys, and the overall craziness, there’s this intense feeling of belonging. It’s all jumbled up inside of me.”  Her legs wanted to give out, she ordered them to steady.

Finn closed the distance, his hands came up to frame her face. He leaned in, inhaled the scent that had become as vital to him as breathing. Her hands came up to grasp his wrist, as if to hold him to her. They were a breath apart. “Tis jumbled up inside of me too, lass. I have told myself not to push a claim over and over, but it’s no use. You’ve crawled inside of me.”

Her eyes flickered up to meet his intense gaze. “It shouldn't make sense.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “Two days ago, I had a normal life—one that I had worked hard for. Now, I'm dealing with magick, warriors, dark lords, and—you.”

The darkening of his eyes made her shiver. His fingers massaged her temples and felt wonderful—and intimate. “Does it have to make sense Ali? I have been here for more years than I care to count. And with all honesty, I can tell you, no other has captured me as you have; mortal, or otherwise.” The confession should have been hard to make, but it wasn't.

His words washed over her, wiping out the last of her resistance. No, it didn’t have to make sense; she shouldn’t keep looking for ways to make it make sense. All of her life, she tried to do her best to fit in, to please, to be normal. When he was about to say more, Ali placed a finger on his lips. Time for talking was over.

“Kiss me again. I can’t wait anymore.”

He hesitated. He wanted to make certain she knew what she was asking, what she was offering. “Be sure, lass, for once we cross this line; there will be no going back.”

The intensity of his stare, the underlining demand in his words should’ve made her back down—regroup. She moved in closer instead. All she wanted was to feel Finn’s lips on hers. There was a flash of heat in his eyes, and she had a second to revel in it before she was caught up in a new storm.

He ravished her, yet he was gentle, cherishing her as if she were a fine piece of china. The tenderness was more earth shattering than if he had plundered, which she gladly would have surrendered to. His lips were firm and sure, they took command of her, and all she could do was go under. Slipping her hands off his wrists, Ali did something she had been dying to do—she tunneled her fingers into the thickness of his hair. She heard, and felt, his growl of approval. The move brought her body even closer to his and the heat threatened to engulf them. She held him to her; he had rendered her completely helpless. All that ran through her mind was, yes. Finally, she had found something to fill in the empty void. A yearning she had come to accept may never be satisfied.

Finn felt her surrender. There was no going back now, the line had been crossed; he found that he couldn't feel shame in it. His duty had been to find and protect the Fragment, and he had been fully prepared to do so at any cost. But Ali was his match, his other half—there was no defense against that. She filled every dark corner of his soul. Tiny little strands, like silk, wove through them, between them, connected them. Finn felt them, knew what they meant, and still, he could no pull away. Ali called to him, her energy flowing into him. Tearing his mouth from the haven of hers, he cruised over her porcelain skin. He trailed hot kisses along her jaw bone, murmuring approval when she dropped her head back, allowing him access to the long line of her throat.

Tears burned behind her lids. This was right, it had to be. Nothing this pure, this—magical, could be wrong. Her body was drawn tight and she was afraid that if he stopped, she would shatter. But he didn't stop. His hands had pulled her shirt free from the waistband of her pants. The instant his fingers grazed her skin; the last reasonable thought fled her mind. She was his.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Finn thought perhaps he should slow down, but he could not. The silky feel of her skin, the way her breath hitched just so—it belong to him—she, belonged to him. He no longer cared that what they were doing complicated things. Didn't care of what the others may think. The urge to claim her overrode any sensible reason. Breaking off the kiss, Finn took her hand and blinked them to his room.

Ali was filled with a million butterflies. She kept her gaze glued to the wide expanse of Finn’s back as he led her to the bed. Watching his muscles flex and flow under the material of his shirt, did funny things to her insides. There was no way she could voice what she was feeling, so she did the next best thing. She flooded her mind with what she wanted him to do to her. And when those muscles tensed, she knew he got the message loud and clear.

His hands were shaking—bloody shaking. How could they not? Stopping at the foot of his bed, he turned and just stared. Ali stood before him, her eyes clear of any fear, of doubt. Only desire burned there—for him. “You make me tremble—not an easy admission for a warrior.”

She smiled and took a step forward. She ran her hands down his chest, felt the way his heart fluttered, the way his lungs filled with air as he dragged in a breath, it made her feel powerful. All thought of this being a mistake, that a future would be impossible, were wiped clear from her mind. She didn't know what tomorrow would bring. But right now—they had this. No running, no battles, no crazy dreams—just this. “I’m trembling too.” Going up on her toes, she scraped his chin with her teeth. “Let’s tremble together.”

Triumph lit up his eyes and his nostrils flared with pleasure. He yanked her to him and once again took her to that place that belonged to only them. Without breaking the kiss, Finn steered them towards the bed, turning so that it was Ali who fell upon it. He saw the impatience in her eyes and he chuckled. “There’s no hurry, lass.”

Oh, that accent! Ali pulled him down to her and rained kisses along his jaw line. He was driving her mad! The roughness of his clothes was creating a firestorm of need in her. Pushing against him, Ali fought with his shirt. She flicked her eyes up to his. “Sorry, it’s been a while for me.” She yanked at the bottom of his shirt, pulling it free from the band of his jeans, “A disappointing experiment.” She nipped at his throat, “Clothes. Off. Now.” She peppered her demand with kisses.

Moaning through a laugh, Finn complied. With a thought, their clothing vanished and they were skin to skin. He ignored her omission, nothing or no one else, mattered. He pulled back, needing to see her. Her body lay open to him. She was perfection. Her skin glowed like alabaster and her hair was fanned out over his pillows. He took his time, exploring every curve and crevice. There was a tiny mole on her hip that held his attention until she squirmed beneath him. Chuckling, Finn licked it once more before moving on. When he reached her mouth, the kiss was opened mouth and hot. He fed off of her.

Was it possible to die from pleasure? She was certain people must have. She sure as hell felt like she was going to the moment they were skin to skin. His body blanketed hers; she cradled him with her legs, the position creating a more intense kind of heat. Her body throbbed, aching for his invasion. This was madness; she had never experience this before, never craved so much. All the clichés, the hoopla, she had heard about—that had fallen flat for her before, came to light. This was what she had been searching for.

She deserved tenderness but Finn wasn’t sure he could give it to her. The urge to claim her, to possess her was so strong. He got the feeling that if he didn't, she would be taken from him, that the only way to keep her was to unite them in the most primal of ways. He shifted, he felt the heat of her body, knew without having to touch, that she was wet, she was ready. He rolled his hips, halting at her entrance.

Ali wanted to scream. “Don't tease me, Finn.”

Her plea broke his restraint. He surged forward, burying himself to the hilt. He heard Ali’s cry of pain. Swearing, he began to withdraw, but she locked her legs around him and dragged him back. “Don’t you dare, like I said, it’s been a while. I’m okay.”

It was all the encouragement he needed. His thrusts were strong and sure, the bed rocked with each one.