“Oh, gods, we’re done for!” Darcy yells as she stands and throws herself at me like a monkey on a tree.
“Calm down, Dar, it isn’t over yet.” I step up to the glass and lay both my hands on it. It's oddly warm. I let my emotions take over me. Just like Gordon said, my powers seem to stem from how I feel. I try to broadcast our need for help out into the ocean beyond. I think of Leyland`s face when I last saw him. So afraid, so broken. I picture Victor`s limp body in the oil-like creature`s hands. His blue blood mixing with the ocean. I see Karl`s hiding place inside his own home. His need to be alone stemming from always being alone. I think of Garrot and his zest for life. I try to pour all of that into the sea in the hopes something will hear me. The pod rocks again, this time harder. My fingertips barely miss the chair and I land on the opposite wall in a bone breaking fashion. Darkness takes over my vision. Its lights out.
Chapter Thirty
MICKEY
Standing over Karl I chew my nails. He looks so pale laid on the dining table. I pick up the glass from beside him and pour more healing potion into his mouth. His throat works to swallow it but it's little more than reflex at this point. All of his vital signs are dangerously low, his breathing is shallow and blood continues to drip from his ears. If William was here, he would know what to do, I'm sure. Laying his head back down on the pillow, I take my phone out of my pocket.
No new messages.
Not that I expected there to be. I haven't heard from Will in days. My gut tightens as I recall the last time I saw him.
"Oh, look at you, all decked out in black." I commented when he walked into my front room. "What's with the ninja outfit?"
"Just something I'm trying out. Listen, Mickey, we have to talk." His expression was glum and his body language told me whatever he had to tell me wouldn't be good.
"You're breaking up with me in the middle of all this shit?" I'd said. I could hardly believe it. I thought everything was fine. More than fine.
"What? No, god's no." He shook his head and took my hands in his. So many emotions played across his face I couldn't begin to name them all. Except one. It stood out so vividly I'd have to be blind not to see it.
Love.
Pure, unadulterated love shone in those deep green eyes that I felt the prick of tears behind my own.
"What's wrong, Will?" I could barely hold on to my emotions.
"I love you, Mickey."
That was when my tenuous hold on my tears broke and they fell in rivulets down my cheeks. When I first met him, Will told me how it would go. We'd fuck, maybe have some fun. But that was all. He swore up and down he didn't have a heart. He never knew love so couldn't give it. Wouldn't allow himself to receive it. That was a year ago. To the day.
"Say something." his cheeks were flushed and sweat beaded his forehead. I stared at him for a long time. My own feelings waged a war inside of me. I promised myself I would never fall for a man like William. For twelve months I told myself it was a fling. Some fun but that was all. Even when I knew it wasn't true. That I already loved him.
Karl's moans break me out of the memory. I lay a cold cloth over his head and sigh.
I have no idea where the man I love is. He could be laying at the bottom of the ocean for all I know.
I didn't tell him I loved him too. Now, I might never get the chance.
Victor
Selkie attack me from all angles as Garrot tries his best to pull them from the water, out of reach. They try to bite and scratch me, their teeth milimetres from my flesh. But I won't give up. I'll never give up.
"Fuck, there's too many!" Garrot yells as he floats himself above me.
"Go, get Everly to land. I've got this." I bellow while snapping a Selkie in half in my tentacle.
"Okay, stay safe, brother." His words barely register as I fight for my life. Our lives. Everly's.
Garrot
The Selkies surrounding Victor breathe their last breaths as he pulverizes them. He was born to be a kraken, that much is clear by the body parts floating in the ocean. The glass ball moves around on the choppy water as I float above it. The glass is fogged up so I lower myself to get a better look.
As I cup my hands around my eyes, resting them against the glass, the breath is knocked from my lungs.
Everly.
She lies on the floor, unmoving. An odd woman stands over her. Her long, blonde hair catches the light, almost blinding me.
"Hey!" I yell as I bang on the glass. The woman looks up at me, her already big eyes grow larger. Her mouth opens wide as if she is screaming, but I can't hear a thing. Then, a light seems to switch off in her eyes and the fear and panic disappear. It's fucking freaky. She looks up at me and begins walking.
"I can't hear you," I try to tell her. Obviously, she can't hear me, either. Pointing to my ear then to my mouth and shrugging seems to get the message across. She scowls at me as if it's my fault then bends over the control panel at the front. She presses some buttons and a hiss from the rear draws my attention.
Using my power, I float over the ball to see a door has opened. The blonde blocks the way in.
"That's my girlfriend," I say, unwilling to make the first move and risk Everly's life. The pink skinned woman could be the enemy, she might not be.
"I know, but tell me Garrot, are you well?" She asks. Confused, I tell her to move out of my way, "I think not, now, tell me, are you well?" Something about the way she speaks is familiar, but I can't place why.
"Err, yeah, I am." I reply, hoping my answer will make her move. I don't want to make her move, but I will. I can smell Everly from here. Sunshine and home.
"Oh, is that so? Do tell me why it has taken you so long to rescue Everly? Hmm, or rather not rescue her." she looks at me with her nose in the air. I'm half tempted to smack her in the face.
"Listen, lady, you either move aside, or I will move you." I growl, sick of this bitch standing between me and my woman.
"Good. Good. She needs medical attention," I push through the small gap she leaves and my feet land on the wet floor, she is leaking.
"Everly," I gasp and bend to kneel beside her. There is a large gash on her forehead that oozes blood but other than that, she looks fine.
Except for the fact she’s very pregnant.
"We need the other one, what was his name? Creature of the sea, large man."
"Victor," I provide distracadly.
"Yes, him. Call him to push this thing to land." The woman demands. The desire to throw her out of the door almost over takes me.
"Everly?" Victor pops his big green head through the door and stares at Everly as though he’s seeing a ghost.
"Did you not know she was pregnant?" The pink woman asks, almost sounding bored.
"Yes, but not this pregnant. I, um," I say , not really having the words to explain why I'm so shocked she looks around eight or nine months pregnant when she should only be four, five, max.
"Take us to land, kraken, quickly." She tells him as she lays a towel on the floor. It seems there was a leak on the way here. Victor looks at me in question. I shrug and remove my t-shirt and place it over the cut on Everly's head.
"Are you ok to push?" I ask him, but when I look up he is already gone. The ball jerks and we glide across the ocean as fast as a speedboat. The woman stares daggers at me the whole time. "Who are you?" I ask when we butt heads as we bend to pick Everly up.
"Her mother, of course."
Her reply makes my jaw drop open.
Everly
Hmm. It's a bit of a bumpy ride, this train. I wonder why it's so... wobbly?
"She needs stitches and maybe an IV, her eyes are..."
The male voice from somewhere behind me distracts me from the book I'm reading. Heart of Fire by, Eileen Troemel. I do love a bit of dragon romance.
"Shit, why isn't she waking up? Wooah!" Another man yells. Sighing, I turn around to tell them to shush, only, when I look behind me the carriage is empty. Hmm. Odd.
"Is her stomach m
eant to be doing that?" The deeper voice asks.
"I dunno, I've never been around a pregnant woman!" The other replies, clearly scared. As he says stomach, my own rolls like the waves of the ocean. It's a strange sensation. One that’s becoming painful.
"She's leaking. I told you." A harsh woman's voice reaches me. I almost recognise it, but can't put a face to the voice.
"You mean the sea water is dripping from her clothes?" One of the men asks. The bumpiness slows down and my seat becomes colder. Goosebumps rise on my skin. Someone must have opened a window.
"No, I mean she is leaking amniotic fluids." She scolds. The woman doesn't seem very nice. Clearly, the men are having trouble with a woman they both clearly love.
"What the fuck is that, pinky?" Oh, he sounds angry. I bet it's because of the grumpy woman.
"She’s in labour." At the woman's words, a bright light assaults my eyes and pain, unlike anything I have ever experienced rips through my belly. Yet, it kinda feels familiar. Moments pass in silence as I bite my tongue. Calling out would do no good, I'm all alone. No one can help me.
"We have to get her home, Mickey might know what to do." A brief pause. "Shit, Karl."
The name sparks something in me.
Karl. Garrot. Leyland. Victor.
Something isn't right. This is not where I'm supposed to be.
I come awake with a gasp. Three familiar faces greet me.
"Oh, my god! Garrot, Victor!" Sitting up I throw my arms around them.
Karl
A marching band the size of America is trying to lodge itself inside of my mind. The drums vibrate against the inside of my skull, making me want to vomit. I don't know where I am, but it's cold. So very cold. My teeth chatter and the tips of my fingers bite with pain. My eyes flutter open against my will, a blinding light makes me throw my arm up to shield my eyes from it. It makes no difference. The light is just too bright.
"Hello, baby boy." A voice echoes around me. One I recognise.
"Mum?"
"Yes, it is nice to see you again. It is a shame it has to be under such circumstances." She replies. I can't tell where she is because of the echo and the light.
"What’s happening?" It's the only thing I can think of to ask. I know I'm meant to be doing something. But I can't remember what.
"I'm sorry, my love, but you are in the afterlife."
Garrot
"Can you walk?" I whisper in Everly's ear. A big part of me doesn't want to let go. There's nothing more I'd like than to curl up with her in my arms on top of this cliffe that has become the feature in all of my nightmares.
"Not yet." She manages to say between sobs. I slip a hand under her and shift her so she lays across my legs. Victor moves so we are hip to hip, her calves and feet on his legs. "I missed you guys so much."
"We missed you too, babe. Gods, we did." I manage as a frog blocks my throat.
"Everly, my Everly," is all Victor has said since she woke up. I think he’s in some kind of shock.
"Karl? Leyland?" She asks and my body goes stiff. The mention of their names brings a new wave of tears from my eyes.
"There is so much we need to tell you," I begin but she cries out and pulls away. The sound tears at my heart. "Are you hurt?" I ask, dumbly as I search her for visible injuries.
"No," she gasps. "The baby," Her face scrunches up in agony, "It's coming!"
Shit a duck up it's arse.
Ari
The smell of death hovers around the Queen's house, it offends my nose it's so thick. Sneaking around the back, I smash my hand through the glass panel on the back door and reach it. Pitiful security for a Queen's residence if you ask me. I know there are two men here, I can tell by their heartbeats. Men's are always slower than a woman's.
"Karl, oh, gods, no!" A male shouts and the sound of a fist hitting flesh reaches my sensitive ears. I'm half tempted to go upstairs and plunder anything I can sell. That is why I came here after all. But the soft crying intrigues me. As a blood drinker, I'm not exactly inclined to help other people. But then I remember whose house this is.
Walking into the dining room, I almost laugh. Karl, one of the Queen's consorts is sprawled out on the table, clearly dead. The witch sits on him, smacking the shit out of Karl's chest.
"That aint how you resuscitate someone, buddy." I say casually, leaning against the door jamb.
The guy on Karl screams, high pitched and petrified. My demon half fucking loves the sound. She throws herself to the forefront. My fangs elongate and my body crouches into a fighting stance. A mother fucking hiss escapes my lips.
"Jesus Christ, Ari. You scared the crap out of me!" The witch yells and jumps off Karl but he doesn't approach me. My demon begs to rip his throat out but his next words stop me.
"Karl raised Atlantis. Everly will be home soon and he's," his voice breaks and tears pour down his face.
The show of weakness disgusts my demon and she retreats.
"He is dead."
Chapter Thirty-One
EVERLY
"Holy shit. A bus is trying to push itself out of my vajayjay!" I scream to the sky as wave after wave of white hot agony spikes through me. Darcy or my mother, I can't tell right now, stands off to one side. Her arms by her sides.
"Err, should we take off her pants? Call an ambulance? A fucking priest." Garrot asks Victor over my head. All I can concentrate on is the pain. It's nothing like what I experienced in the vision my mother gave me. Not even close. The thought of her makes me look up at Darcy. The pain backs off and I'm able to concentrate.
Her eyes are flat, devoid of the spark Darcy has when she is in charge of her own body. I look at my mother.
"In Atlantis, when a woman gives birth, they do so at home. In a pool of water." Victor pauses. The air is thick with tension. There is something they're not telling me. Again. "Should we get her into the sea?"
"No!" I yell, I know what lays in wait for us out there. It's not safe.
"Okay, okay," Garrot lifts my bum and pulls down the threadbare knickers I have washed every night while in Atlantis. I'm almost embarrassed at the fact that they are more holes than fabric, but another contraction burns through me and I forget all about them. "Well," Garrot pops his head between my legs and quickly looks up, his deep green eyes meet mine. "An ambulance won't get here in time, I don't think." His cheeks are bright red and sweat beads on his upper lip.
"What? Is something wrong?" I sit up a bit more to look at him. Victor is behind me, his legs either side of mine. His presence is comforting. As is his warmth. In fact, I want to take my tunic off, I'm so hot.
"No, no. It's, um, the baby's head, is," he points between my legs, "there."
I almost laugh at his reaction.
"Also, your baby has your hair." He smiles, trying to... I don't know, lighten the mood?
I smile softly at him.
"A royal, like Mummy." Victor's words rumble against my back.
"Where is Leyland? Argh," I lean back and try to relax, "Karl, too, they should be here."
Vic wraps his hands gently over my stomach, the pain lessons when he touches me. Garrot doesn't say anything, he pulls the hem of my tunic over his head and takes another look.
"Give me your phone." I demand.
"Ever," Garrot starts, but I stop him.
"No, I am not giving birth on this damn cliff without you all here!" My fingers dig into Victor's legs, but he doesn't complain, "Give me your phone, Garrot " I all but growl.
He rushes to get it out of his pocket. It falls on the ground as he hands it to me. I grab it and speed dial Leyland first.
Leyland
I fly over the ocean, the wind whips my hair off my face and makes my eyes water as I flap my wings harder. Faster. Trying to escape the waves of magic coming from the cliff in Scarborough. My own magic recognises it as Everly. She's back. She's home. I couldn't give a shit. She's safe. Not that I care. I don't.
Everly Davis means less than nothing to me.
T
hen why are you running away? A small, treacherous voice asks in my mind.
Why am I running away?
If she means nothing to me, then why does every fibre in my being demand I turn around and take my place by her side?
A buzzing interrupts my thoughts. It takes me a few moments to realise that it's my phone.
Garrot.
"What?" I answer. The wind almost taking my voice away with it.
"Le?" Everly's voice on the other end of the line almost breaks me. My wings falter, and the ocean rushes up to meet me.
Ari
"Bloody hell, you've got to be joking?" I ask the witch. Karl is dead?
This cannot be good.
"Yeah, I tried," he hiccups, the sound grates my nerves. "I couldn't heal him. The potions," he motions behind him, where glass bottles lay discarded on the floor. "They wouldn't work." He covers his mouth with his hand as another sob threatens to break out.
Beelzebub on a bobsleigh. This guy is an emotional wreck.
"Okay," I step closer to the table and look down at Karl. I've seen many, many dead bodies in my time. I'm a killer. I've seen death more times than I can count. But when I look into Karl's face, tears sting the back of my eyes.
My whole life, which has been very fucking long, three hundred years, not a single person, human or other, has ever given a shit about me. A halfbreed, my kind are considered the dregs of Other kind. I've always been alone.
Until I got on that plane. Karl knew, instinctually, what I was. Other kind always know. Yet, he let me help save lives. Then, he protected me when they thought an enemy was at the door. The Queen's consorts protected me. A halfbreed. A demon bloodsucker. A vampire. No one has ever done that before.
"Oh, poor Everly." Witch boy gasps. I look over into his cyan eyes, the darkness in the room doesn't dull their glow. He's pretty, for a human male. His emotions roll off him and press against me.
"I can help," an idea, no, a memory pops into my head. One I thought was long forgotten. "I'll need a knife, and a hail Mary if you've got a spare one."
The Everly Davis chronicles Page 56