Whatever. I’d face it like I’d faced the rest of it. Because I had to. My resolve to win was stronger now after those wankers had got into my head, tried to play with my so-called dangerous side, then mess me up in the whirlpool.
I’d been thinking about how that worked. I know my resistance hadn’t been enough to fight Caramel Man. G saved me from him. But I hadn’t killed G like the smooth-talking creep wanted me too. That was a win, right? Some resistance. Mega important resistance.
I was coming at this from a positive angle, that maybe the better half of me was stronger, that it wanted to be more prevalent than the scary arsehole side that whispered for me to destroy.
Being destructive wasn’t a life goal. That’s not who I was, even if I was capable of it with these soul-sucking blades. It was a proper deadly power, so catastrophic. In the wrong hands, like the scary me, it was. But in the hands of the me I wanted to be, it wasn’t. I wouldn’t let it be.
No way was I any kind of golden hero, but I knew what was right for the world. It started with the end of the curse. Then maybe things could heal.
I sipped some more cola, blinking away my thoughts as a fully dressed G entered the room.
Phase one done.
“Hey, sleepyhead,” I said, getting to my feet.
He yawned and smiled as I went in for a hug. “Hi, Aki. How are you?”
“Much better after sleep,” I replied into his chest, voice muffled. I came up for air. “What about you?” He still had the bandage on his head.
“I’m fine. I crashed an hour after carrying you onto the ship. Really knocked me out, but it was worth it.” A hand in my hair, fingers getting tangled. “Whoops.”
“Sorry, I forgot to brush it.”
He freed himself. “I think this bandage might be able to come off.” He yawned again. “Unfortunately, I’ll need more sleep for the second stage of recovery.”
“Stupid drug.” But it did help with healing and getting him back to kicking arse. Okay, not fully stupid. “What about the side effects?”
“One seizure and I spent twenty minutes hanging over a toilet bowl. But I’m fine.”
“You’ve seen the doc?”
“I have, Aki. Another round of sleeping, and I should be fighting fit without having to shoot up.”
“Awesome.”
“But food first to get me through.”
“Want some pizza?”
As I said that, a steak was brought out by the waiter who’d served us.
“Is that a whole cow?” I asked. “That’s some slab of meat. What’s the rest of it?”
“Steak, fries, green beans, biscuits, and gravy.” He licked his lips. “Reminds me of my mom’s cooking.”
The plate was plonked down in front of him, and my mouth watered. “Man, that looks good.”
“Want some?” he asked, picking up his cutlery.
“I’m stuffed. Can you cook that?”
“I can, but not like my mom.”
“Then, we need to get our arses over to see her when this is over.”
He smiled, cutting into his steak. “It’ll blow your mind.”
“I like being blown.” Here came the heat to the face. “Wait… That came out wrong.”
“It’s okay, Aki. I know you do.” He winked and popped the meat into his mouth.
Meat in his mouth… Ugh. Damn, my dirty mind and beetroot face.
“One thing,” I said. “They look like scones.”
“The biscuits? Yes. I know. But they’re biscuits.”
“Biscuits are biscuits.”
“Biscuits are cookies, Aki.”
“Okay, let’s not go down this road.”
He got on with enjoying his meal.
The grub really did look and smell proper yummy.
I sipped some cola, then spotted a familiar figure walk into the room carrying a black cat, wearing a white dressing gown. His white hair was slicked back and damp, his face clean-shaven.
Uncle Ryoka smiled and slowly made his way towards us with Shelly in his arms—kitty and daddy reunited.
I leaped to my feet, hurrying over to him. He opened his arms, and Shelly jumped to the floor. I hugged him tightly. “Thank the tenshi, you’re okay. Holy shit.”
“Language, Nephew.”
“Sorry.”
He chuckled and broke the hug, taking a step back. “Look at you.”
“Look at you. I thought I’d lost you.”
“I’m a tough man to defeat.”
A loud purring had my head turning. Might have known Shelly would’ve made a beeline for G. On first meeting, she’d fallen head over heels for him.
Can’t say I blamed her for being so smitten.
She wove in and out of his legs as he ate with one hand, the other scratching that sweet spot on her back next to her tail.
“Come and sit,” I said.
“Zach,” Uncle Ryoka replied.
My brother was standing a few feet away.
“My nephew,” Ryoka said.
Zach was hesitant, shy, but stepped closer.
Ryoka offered his hand, and Zach took it, shook, then went in for a hug in an unexpected move. My uncle closed his eyes, embracing him, patting his back.
It was beautiful to see. I wanted to dive in for a group hug, went to but thought better of it. Let them have their moment. This was another family meeting long in the making, just like when I’d met him.
Family…
Ryoka opened his eyes, meeting mine. He beckoned me over, Zach turning his body to make room for me.
Okay. Family group hug it was.
Chapter Nineteen
Gabriel
Dinner and a truly amazing show.
My heart swelled for Aki, for the family he’d found. Tenshi, there was so much hope waiting for him. A truly bright future.
For all of them.
It was amazing to see Ryoka again. Alive. I never gave up the hope we’d get him back, but there was always that fear we wouldn’t, especially considering he had been a prisoner of the elves and they had managed to steal his thoughts from him—all the information about Akira heading to Mount Tate—with their slippery magic. With it, they’d been able to trace Aki’s moves, pinpoint him to the hotel and attack it.
I let them hug and talk, Zach and Ryoka communicating with hand gestures and pen and paper until Ryoka’s attention found me.
“I’m so sorry, Gabriel,” he said. “I’ve completely ignored you.”
“No problem there, Ryoka.” I patted my lips with a napkin, lifted Shelly into my arms, and went over to shake hands. “How are you?”
“Much better now, I’m free,” he said. “And yourself?
“I’m good, thanks. In need of a coffee.”
The waiter came into the room, and I ordered us all a beverage. He cleared the plates, and we all gathered around the table, Shelly licking at my fingers.
She was such a cute cat.
“So,” Ryoka began, “we’re heading for Taiwan.”
“That’s right,” I replied.
“My brother is limited with his information sharing, isn’t he?”
It was always strange to hear him refer to High Alpha as his brother. It softened my master further.
My former master…
“Security is imperative, though,” he added.
I nodded. “I think we can all assume a flight is waiting for us.”
“Yeah,” Aki said. “Defo.” He leaned forward, sandwiched between me and Zach, his uncle opposite. “Uncle? How do you feel about leaving Tokyo?”
The waiter returned with coffee and a steaming bowl of noodles for Ryoka.
“Thanks,” I told the guy.
“You’re welcome, sir. Can I get anyone anything else?”
We all refused, and he left cheerily, the ship bobbing slightly.
The story of our time in the dead city was shared, and all the details that followed up to now. Ryoka was wowed by the development with the new katanas he had forged
for Aki after being told to in a dream.
“The tenshi said it was to do with my blood? Both pairs of katanas I made you? That’s what gave you your power?”
“Yeah,” Aki replied. “Crazy, right?”
“Indeed, it is. But of the excellent sort.”
That had Aki smiling. “Defo.”
“I’m happy to have my blood help, that all of our blood has helped in some form.” He scratched his chin. “Everything is connected, it seems.”
“In a wonderfully bizarre way,” I added. “Thank the tenshi for that, even if they are cryptic. This blood connection saved Aki.”
Ryoka lifted some noodles with his chopsticks, enjoying the bite. “Delicious. Yes, I am glad of it. And I think we should all remember those words from the tenshi regarding blood. Something tells me there is more to it. I wonder if I made more blades, would they do something else?”
“Like give power back?” Aki blurted.
His guilt was still rife, a thickness in the air that wafted off him. I didn’t answer. I didn’t want to think about it. Learning to be human was my new journey, and I didn’t want to place rocks in the way. If I clung to the idea of getting my werewolf abilities back, then it would hold me back, wouldn’t allow me to fully embrace this change. And I had to do that to survive, to function. Anyway, the two times Ryoka had made swords for Aki had both resulted in a form of taking power. The latest pair, to me, seemed to be the perfection of a concept. The first took the energy but ran the risk of driving Akira crazy, him needing to cleanse them. Now they stored the energy for him to use as an additional tool. I didn’t claim to understand the workings of this, but I didn’t believe a third round of forging would make a difference.
Akira had the perfect weapons to complete his mission. Once we were back in London, he could release the death power at the moon, and that would be that.
“Maybe that is something we can try,” Ryoka answered Aki.
We looked at one another, Aki and I. All I could do was smile, then add sugar and cream to my coffee. Saying nothing was the better option right now.
Aki was relaying this back to Zach as best he could via paper.
Zach nodded and wrote: They defo work in mysterious ways.
Aki shot upright. “You said defo! Like me!” He wrote it down.
Zach laughed silently, his shoulders vibrating, his face reddening.
“And he goes as red as me! This is my bro!”
The two of them collapsed against each other in giggles, sharing their brotherly bond, Ryoka struggling to eat his noodles through laughing.
It was nice to have some warmth like this.
Really nice.
I watched Aki. He seemed lighter, despite the burden on his shoulders. The pressure was still there, as well as the fatigue on his face in tired lines, but his smile was so bright.
It was stunning.
“I’m gonna pee myself!” Aki declared and got up. “I’ll be back.” He hurried out of the room, Zach wiping at his tears, then hurrying after him—his bladder clearly failing too.
“How is the coffee?” Ryoka asked once we were left alone.
“It’s great.”
“Good.”
He hesitated.
“You want to ask me how I’m doing after losing my wolf, aren’t you?” I stroked Shelly’s head, really giving her some joy behind the ears.
“I am. Ridiculous, isn’t it?”
“Not at all. I’m adjusting as best I can.”
“And Akira feels dreadful about it.” He drank some of his black coffee. “That is good coffee.”
“He does and shouldn’t. But I know what he’s like. He’ll need to work through this, come to the understanding that it’s okay. He had take my power. There was no choice.”
“The tenshi knew this,” he replied.
“That’s right.”
“You are both their instruments.”
I nodded.
“For the greater good,” he added.
“Yes.”
He sighed. “I’m not sure forging new weapons will do what Akira wants.”
“I know. I’m fine with that. At least, I will be with every passing day. He needs to accept it for himself, though.”
“That’s not say I won’t try,” he said. “Now the idea is there, I have to at least make an attempt.”
It was my turn to sigh. “And what if it doesn’t? It could make things worse.”
He frowned, white brows crossing. “It just doesn’t seem fair. You and Zach have both lost out because…sorry. You do not need to be reminded of the fact.”
“It’s fine.” I knew Aki also carried guilt over what had happened to Zach. Again, it wasn’t his fault.
“The afterlife wasn’t fair either,” I said. “I helped Aki bring down the king. That’s more than enough for me.”
“I see.”
“Not that I haven’t got a heart, that I don’t ache for my wolf. That would be a lie. But I lost it for the greater good. It’s a dangerous term, but in this case, it was the best course of action. I truly believe that.”
His forehead un-creased. “I admire you, Gabriel. I really do. I’m not sure I could be as strong as you’re being now.”
I gulped back some more coffee. “I don’t always feel so strong. But Aki helps.”
“That’s wonderful to hear.” He shook his head. “I wish my brother had been kinder, a much better father than the beast he was.”
“High Alpha has been…softening. And I don’t mean that as an excuse.”
“Softening? Hitoshi Murakami? Are my ears deceiving me?”
I shrugged. “When you talk to him, you’ll see it.”
“Well, he did have me rescued, so there is that. I wasn’t expecting him to waste manpower on me.” He cast his eyes downward. “Maybe you’re right.”
High Alpha hadn’t been in touch yet.
“You love my nephew, don’t you, Gabriel?” His eyes moved back up. “More than a friend.”
“I do.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For loving him. If anyone needs all the love he can get, it’s Akira.”
“Happy to love him.”
He held up his cup, waiting. I picked mine up.
“To love,” he said.
“To love.”
Our cups clinked.
Shelly purred loudly in solidarity.
* * *
A surge of tiredness rose up to claim me. I was back on the bottom bunk, this time entangled with Aki who was already asleep, heading resting on my chest.
We’d all sat talking for a few hours until phase two of my recovery beckoned. Aki had insisted on coming with me, to chat me to sleep—his words—and cuddle for a while and then he’d go back to the dining room.
He hadn’t lasted a minute once we’d become horizontal.
I closed my eyes, wrapping my arms around him, then fell into sleep, happy to be get the chance to curl up with him again.
Chapter Twenty
I was gently shaken awake by Zach.
Bleary-eyed, I lifted my head up from G’s bare chest, my hair plastered to the left side of my face.
“What’s up?” I asked through a yawn
He held up the notepad: Your Our dad is video calling.
Bolt to the senses. “Shit? Really?”
He nodded.
I climbed off G, leaving Sleeping Beauty to recover, and threw on my clothes, hurrying after Zach back to the dining room.
Uncle Ryoka was sat at the table where we’d eaten and reunited, with a tablet resting on its stand.
He was talking to Dad.
Whoa.
He looked up as we came into the room. “Your sons are here now.”
I hurried round to sit next to the right of my uncle, Zach, on his left.
I couldn’t hide the gasp as I looked at the screen.
Dad and Sarah and my baby brother, Riku. Holy shit! There he was, the tiny thing swaddled in a white
blanket in Sarah’s arms, a shock of dark hair on his small head, sleeping, so peacefully, so protected from the world.
My other brother.
“Hello, sons,” Dad said, using sign language as he spoke.
Zach signed back.
“Hello,” Sarah added, looking as pretty as ever, her blonde hair set in loose curls, her almond skin flawless, blue eyes radiant.
Step-mum…
“It’s nice to see you, Akira,” she added.
“You too.”
How long had they all been talking before we got here?
“Riku might be asleep and not able to speak yet,” she said, “but he says hi.”
My dad actually fucking smiled. He turned his head, leaned in, and kissed her lightly on the lips.
One day, maybe that wouldn’t make my stomach churn so much. I mean, my mum had talked about healing. I just had to embrace it.
Every word spoken was signed by my father.
“You will arrive in Taiwan within the next hour and a half.” Serious Dad was back. “I have a crew waiting there to take you to Taoyuan International Airport. A flight is waiting, hidden better than the one before.”
The one that blew up the hospital…
I waited, let him speak.
“I am pleased to see you are all well, still fighting, that Gabriel is making an impressive recovery from Formula GX, and from his injuries as a whole.”
I nodded. “He’s a tough cookie.”
“That he is, Akira. Now, listen. I am communicating with you all now over a fully secure network. It has taken a considerable number of hours to make sure it is fully clean from an increase in outside interference. Now it is.” He paused for a few seconds, no sign of him taking a breath. Man, the geezer was made of rock, I swear. “I must update with this piece of news. Those who had vanished while looking for Ryoka at Imperial Palace have not been found. It leads me to fear that they were cast into the whirlpool.”
“Shit,” I said softly. “That’s awful.
“Their families have been informed, but the search is not at an end until all avenues of possibility have been exhausted.” Then he moved on from that point. “As you are now aware, I have launched my attack upon the elves. This lessens the threat considerably, though the verbal threats have intensified. They can threaten us as much as they like, just as any elf is welcome to venture outside and dance in the iron shower. It will not stop until I say it stops.” Another pause. “Once you arrive back in London, you will be taken to Gabriel’s residence in Hackney Wick to prepare to head to Bow. It is a better stopping point than coming to The Spire. Once you are ready, I will meet you in Bow at a place that will be communicated to you when you arrive at the apartment.”
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