Heaven Sent (Lupine Bay Book 1)

by Maribel Fox

  “Is that so?” he asks innocently, fingers pressing tighter into my throat, making my vision blurry around the edges. Despite that, I find it in me to hold onto that anger and keep going, never looking away from his eyes.

  “Hell yes, it is,” I snap. “Some nerve coming into my B&B, harassing my family and friends — disrespecting my territory and my court,” I add, thinking at the last minute that might have more impact on him than the human aspects of my life he fucked up. Every other word is followed with a rasping breath, but I’m still alive. Still breathing, albeit barely.

  Despite my snarling tirade, the Commander is smiling, unfazed. Even some of his lackeys are chuckling to themselves, and it’s quickly obvious that none of them take me seriously.

  I look at Alistair, who wouldn’t even be here if I hadn’t insisted he be ‘at my center of power,’ and I see it in his eyes. I remember what he told me three years ago when I was struggling with Ian acting out. And I know this is the same. They don’t take me seriously as a queen because I don’t. And now it’s too late. Now I’ve failed everyone, just like I knew I would. I hang my head, defeated, deflated, but unwilling to sacrifice any of them. I won’t let anything happen to my guys.

  The Commander releases me, air rushing back into my lungs, and he stoops down to sneer in my face, so fucking smug and triumphant I want to punch him — I don’t think I’ve ever punched anyone, but I wanna punch the shit out of this guy. He’s got a punchable face, and he’s lucky my arms are being held back by guys that seem to be made out of granite.

  There’s gotta be two or three dozen of them crowded into The Shamrock — the most occupancy it’s seen in all my days as the owner. What’s that about being careful what you wish for? Life thinks it’s got such a good sense of humor. I’m over it though. I want my quiet life back. I want to be back to stressing about bills and repairs, not angels and armies. I don’t know what I have to do to make this all go away, but I’m ready.

  “So many grievances you have to list against me,” he says, clucking his tongue as his head shakes subtly side to side.

  “I’ve got more—” I start to grumble, but something about the look in his eyes stops me. Something about the curl of his lips tells me that he’s itching to to press me further. That really only solidifies what little chance I have. He’s not even concerned about provoking me.

  Who am I kidding?

  “Curious,” he says, stroking his chin in mock-thoughtfulness, “you didn’t seem fit to include your dear mother on the list. I had thought she’d be heading your objections.”

  “My… What?” I ask, everything in the world zooming in on a pinpoint, focusing on this man and this man alone, watching him, waiting for him to make sense of what he just said.

  “Oh, that’s right. You still think you were responsible for that fire, don’t you? Charming really, how that worked out. A small consolation for failing to kill the bitch’s whelps along with her.”

  The cold malice in his eyes is nothing compared to the ice in my veins. Everything inside me goes cold. My mind is nothing but rage. Pure, blinding rage.

  All this time, all these years, all that guilt. Lying to myself, locking a part of myself away — all of it — because of this douchebag?

  “Time to finish the job. I’ve been looking forward to this day. The day when I can eliminate you and that sniveling bastard brother of yours,” Onama says.

  In the back of my head, I hear Ian crying. I don’t even know if it’s real, and I don’t turn around, completely consumed by absolute wrath.

  The arms restraining me go limp, and I think that maybe these soldiers are appalled by their commander. Then I notice the glazed, slack-jawed look that each angelic soldier has, I realize that my feet aren’t on the floor, and there’s a shimmering, sparkling light all around me.

  “Ava?” Seamus asks, pulling the gag out of his mouth, stepping away from the soldiers carefully. He’s not in the weird trance they seem to be in. Neither is Raj, or Kush, Micah — even Ian, Rue, and Alistair seem okay. It’s everyone else that’s a zombie.

  I can’t process it — I can’t respond. I am ice and fire, rage and anguish — so much hurt dredged up all at once, but anger too. A thirst for vengeance. Need for retribution.

  “Ava?” It’s Raj asking this time, but the glowing light grows, until it’s all I see. Molten gold fire racing across my vision, clouding everything.

  “Ava, breathe.” Micah. His fingers brush my arm and it’s like I’m being jerked back into my body by a fishing line. The gold light fades, and then there’s floor beneath my feet again. I’m dizzy, and I can’t stop blinking, every time I try to open my eyes, the light hurts, my head spins.

  “You back with us, doll?” Kush asks, and I feel his warmth coming close, even though we’re not touching. My hands come up to cradle my head, shaking like that’s going to clear this strange fuzzy feeling.

  “’Ere, have a drink,” Seamus says, pushing a glass in my hand. I actually manage to open my eyes finally, arching a brow at him. He grins.

  “It’ll help,” he assures me.

  Slowly, I take a sip, hands shaking, my four guys surrounding me, there to catch me if I fall. The liquor — whiskey, I’m sure — burns through me, spreading warmth to chase away the arctic chill.

  “That was incredibly impressive,” Raj says, nodding, his devilish eyes pleased in a way that makes me slightly uneasy.

  “What was?” I ask, looking between them all confused. “The zombie thing? What is that?” The denizens of Heaven are still in some kind of unresponsive trance-like state that doesn’t make any sense. But other than that, all I did was get really angry and float for some reason?

  “Ye did no’ listen to me at all, didya?” Seamus asks with an exasperated sigh. “You have the power to enthrall in yer domain, love. He never shoulda come here, the daft fool.”

  “And also…” Kush says, making a weird face as he steps aside to reveal the Commander — not under a trance, but dead. Very dead, still purple from the suffocation, I assume.

  “Holy shit,” I whisper, the cold rushing back in momentarily. I killed a guy? I didn’t… I’ve never… I don’t even know what really happened!

  I can’t say I’m really sorry for it though. The Commander admitted to killing my mother, he threatened Ian, tried to kill Kush multiple times— I don’t feel bad that he’s dead at all, but it’s a weird feeling to know I’m responsible for it.

  The ivy came through for me; it’s wrapped tight around his neck, the imprints of the stems in the bruising left behind. It’s happy to retreat, as I mentally give it permission to. Somehow, we’re able to talk pretty well now. I’m not even thinking about it as I just picture the ivy going back to where it belongs, and it does. It seems eager, which I think has something to do with it.

  “I didn’t mean to…” I mutter, frowning. Looking at Kush, then Micah, my chest tightening at his troubled expression. Murder’s not really something that’s okay in any case, no matter how bad the person is. This was self-defense though. Ish.

  “I believe there will be few tears shed for the loss,” Micah says, grabbing my hand, squeezing firmly. Him not being upset is what matters here. Onama was practically family to him, but even Micah seems oddly relieved the other man will no longer pose a problem.

  “I still don’t really know what happened there,” I admit.

  “You were like some hot Fae version of Storm,” Kush says.

  I frown.

  “From X-Men?” he offers.

  “I know who Storm is, Kush, I still don’t know what you mean,” I say, chuckling.

  “Your eyes went completely gold and you started floating, your hair was all billowy… I’m pretty sure you were glittering too—”

  “Aye, the Queen’s Command,” Seamus says.

  “It was dope,” Kush adds, grinning. “Super-hot, for sure.”

  “Are you serious right now?” I laugh. “We all nearly died, and you—” I sigh, more bemused than anything.
These are my guys, that’s for sure.

  “Uh… Is anyone going to tell me what the hell is happening?” Rue asks, suddenly breaking into our happy little moment.

  Whoops. Yeah, she should probably hear about all of this; I’m sure she’s got a billion questions.

  “Don’t worry guys, I got this,” Ian says confidently. “You need a drink, Aunt Rue.”

  That gets a laugh out of everyone, relief washing through us all. After a few beats, Raj starts looking around, his expression wary.

  “It’s great that you’ve got these Celestial scum enthralled, dearest Ava, but I think I would feel much better if we were to escort them back to where they belong?” he offers, standing behind me, his finger tracing the line of my spine, sending shivers through me before he bends to kiss the nape of my neck.

  That just makes me shiver again, and suddenly Kush isn’t the only one with his mind in the gutter.

  “Yeah, let’s get them the fuck out of here,” I say, gasping and covering my mouth, eyes darting to Ian. He scoffs, rolls his eyes.

  “Oh, come on. Do you have any idea how much Rue cusses?”

  My best friend looks sheepish at the accusation, but I can’t even be upset. I love her, and she’s alive. What more can I ask for? A couple bad words aren’t going to hurt Ian. All this has really put into perspective what’s important, what matters. What matters is being with the people I love, taking care of them, enjoying every minute we have available to us.

  And crazy as it is, I love all of them. Every single one of these wacky people in this room right now. I guess that’s why they’re all in my ‘court,’ even the ones that haven’t sworn any kind of oath. In my heart, these are my people, and I will do anything to keep them safe, happy, and feeling just as loved as they really are.

  32

  Kush

  “Dude,” I shudder, looking at the portal as it rips open at Micah’s behest. “I hope I never have to go through one of those things again.” It’s useful that he’s still able to do it, since it lets us send our POWs back without much of a fuss.

  How Micah feels about the portal’s another matter. I dunno what’s going through his mind, how he feels about never going back to Heaven. He looks at the portal with a strange mixture of emotions I can’t identify.

  “All right move it along,” Raj says, shoving at the soldiers who we’ve bound in a chain. We couldn’t count on Ava being able to hold them in thrall, so we made quick work of restraining them all — Seamus has an alarming number of shackles and chains and things in his little treasure trove, but I’m definitely not asking what that’s all about. Not after hearing that he’s killed fifty-four of Heaven’s assassins.

  Fuck, I’m lucky as hell I didn’t want to kill him. Even with Micah, two against one, he might have wiped the floor with us. Of course, no one would know it, looking at him now, enjoying a beer and singing some old Celtic ditty to ‘encourage’ us. I don’t know if he realizes what a fruitless endeavor it is to annoy us — any one of us, I think, really — doubt it’ll keep him from trying though, the bastard.

  The Celestial soldiers throw all kinds of shade at me and Micah for being traitors and yadda, yadda. Raj is antsy to keep fighting on our behalf — or so he says — but we just hurry them along, ignoring all the bullshit coming out of their mouths. They’re the ones that are brainwashed. Almost feel sorry for them if I’m honest.

  Almost.

  Seamus starts levitating the few dead — including the Commander — through the portal, and it makes me do a double-take.

  “Dude… Did I know you could do that?” I ask, kinda surprised there’s something about his powers I don’t know after all this time, all those nights spent drinking our weight in liquor.

  Seamus shrugs, casual as ever, practically flinging the fallen Angels through the portal. “Dunno, didya?”

  I shake my head. How many times did we flip a coin to see who would get the refills?

  How many times did he use a trick coin?

  And the whole thing was pointless anyway because he could have levitated the beers…

  Fucking Fae, I swear.

  “No, I didn’t. Why is that in your set of skills?”

  Seamus pulls a face, one brow arching. “Come now, don’t be daft mate. Levitation’s a grand power for treasure hunting.”

  Of course it is. I chuckle, shaking my head. “Fair enough.”

  “What is it lad?” Seamus asks, nearly through sending the last Angels through the portal and Ian’s tugging on his sleeve.

  “Could we… Um… I mean, I was wondering… Because you said it would like…”

  “Out with it now,” Seamus says, not as impatient as I’d expect to be honest. Guess he’s got a soft spot for the kid like me. It’d be damn hard not to. His Fortnite skills could use some work though.

  Ian waves his hand down, and Seamus smirks before bending his ear so the kid can whisper in it. His eyes go wide, and he barks out a laugh.

  “No, no. I like the way you’re thinkin’, but ya don’t want them to get a taste o’ flesh — even that o’ the Celestials,” Seamus says, and I cock my head to the side.

  “What?” Ava beats me to it, looking at her brother with hesitant horror, hoping she’s wrong about what she heard.

  “Seamus said the boobrie chick would like to nibble fingers if we let it…” Ian says, shrugging, looking down at the ground shamefully.

  “You wanted to feed them to your pet?” Ava asks, aghast.

  I can’t stop laughing, and she glares at me.

  “It’s not funny! It’s horrifying!”

  “It’s resourceful, and sustainable,” I counter. “Kid’s trying not to be wasteful. ‘Sides, he was smart enough to ask first, give him credit.”

  Ian grins at me, and I give him a thumbs up. Ava groans, shoulders slumping.

  “You people are impossible,” she says, but there’s no heart in it. She’s as relieved as the rest of us when Micah wraps up the portal and we’re left with only the people that belong here.

  Ava looks around at the mess the Angels have left of the bar — even before we were fighting with them, they came in and started trashing the place — and sighs, letting Raj wrap his arm around her shoulders, sinking into his embrace.

  “This is going to take forever to clean up,” she whimpers.

  “Well, Seamus has got his levitation powers, apparently,” I say, still kinda annoyed I didn’t know about that. I thought we were friends. “So that helps.”

  “I can help too,” Rue says.

  Ava smiles warmly. “That’s sweet, but I’m sure you wanna get to bed after all this craziness.”

  Rue makes a face. “A… There’s something I need to tell you—”

  Oh boy. Should I be here for this? I’m not the only one wondering that — Raj and Seamus are both looking like they wanna sink into the shadows, Micah’s the smart one, already busy at work inspecting locks on all the doors and windows.

  “You need to… What now?” Ava asks, blowing out a heavy breath.

  Ian’s looking at Rue expectantly. “Are you going to tell her about—”

  Rue groans, trying not to laugh and having obvious trouble with it.

  “I had no idea all this was going on with you, or I would’ve… Well, I don’t know if I would’ve told you about it because it’s kind of crazy, but it seems like your thing is crazier, so…”

  “Rue, I swear—”

  “I’mlearningmagic,” Rue says, all in one fast rush of words.

  “You’re… what?”

  Rue sighs, looks to the bar, and gestures. A rag picks itself up and begins mopping up the mess the Celestials left behind.

  “I knew it wasn’t a trick candle,” Ian says triumphantly.

  “I’m so confused… How?” Ava asks, clutching her forehead.

  “I met a teacher,” says Rue. “She moved to town recently, said that it had never been so appealing before, but the magic had changed — that’s you, isn’t it?”

&nbs
p; “I guess?” Ava says, hugging herself. “It’s all a little crazy, but throwing that sword seems to have meant something.”

  “From what I gather, you activated its power,” says Micah.

  “Ye made a bridge to Underhill,” Seamus adds. “Whether or not ye meant to.”

  “I still don’t understand what happened to the sword,” Ava says, frowning, the wrinkle in her forehead so damn cute.

  I wasn’t kidding about her display earlier — it was hot as hell, seeing her alive with power like that, a shining beacon to illuminate the shadows. I can’t stop thinking about how amazing it was. How amazing she is. I feel so freaking lucky to have a claim to her, to be in her inner circle. And there’s no other guys I’d rather share that circle with. Micah’s like a damn brother to me, and Seamus isn’t far off. He’s one of my oldest friends, and the only one that still talked to me after I lost my wings. Raj and I have had plenty of good times, and after all this, not having him around would feel wrong.

  “I think I may know the answer to that,” Raj says, looking out the windows of the bar toward the forest.

  Ava frowns, looking down at herself. “If we’re going out there, I’m getting dressed.”

  “Do you have to?” I ask, always forgetting Ian’s around until she gives me that shocked-horrified look and her eyes dart over to him.

  “Ian, you wanna help me clean up?” Rue asks, righting chairs that have been knocked over, still casually mopping the bar with the rag sans-hands.

  Seamus and Micah both go off talking about security and installing some kind of alarm system, double-checking every lock they encounter along the way.

  Alistair looks very serious as he leaves the bar, but I think that’s just how he looks, and who knows how he’s feeling after all this. He might just wanna be alone at home. Can’t say I’d blame him.

  Raj and I start straightening up without a thought or word, him doing the same as Rue, picking up chairs and tables that have been toppled. I grab a broom and start sweeping up the mess of broken glass and feathers littering the floor.