The Everly Davis chronicles

by Amelia K Oliver

  This might be the end. But I’m not alone. I’m incredibly grateful for their support. The island Atlantis sits on comes into focus. The buildings inside the dome raise high into the sky. Poseidon`s oddly modern castle the largest. My time there altered me forever. Lifting my hand, I use the ocean to create steps up to the city. I ascend. My heart thunders in my ears as Poseidon himself appears from the ocean to my right. A whale in his hand.

  He throws the poor mammal at me. Its large body sails through the air and narrowly misses me as I jump out of the way. I fall to my side; the ocean stairs give way so I sink into its depths. Looks like we’re doing this in the ocean. I`m totally ok with that. The sea welcomes me into her embrace. I land on the back of a shark. I check to make sure its not Gordon then enter its mind and ask it to take me to Poseidon when I realise it isn’t him. I can't help but wonder where my brother is as I speed through the water on one of his brethren. Jumping off as we reach a twelve-foot Poseidon, I draw power from the silver trident in my hand. My body tingles and electricity flows through me. I grow. My body expands and elongates until I match the size Poseidon has adopted. Holy shit. I`m a giant! His eyes widen as he takes in the weapon in my hands.

  How? He asks, fear lacing his voice. I smile and thank Gordon in my mind. Poseidon swipes at me with his golden trident, slicing me across my stomach. The pain makes me stumble back. My shirt fell away when I grew but my hair covers my boobs. Thank the gods. But I`m horrified when I look down. My legs are gone. Panic makes me turn and swim away from my foe. Instead of legs, I have a tail.

  Mermaid. I`m a damn mermaid. I look up from my white, pearlescent scales just in time to watch a large group of sea creatures speeding towards me. From my back, more swim past. They clash in the middle. My side against Poseidon`s. Good vs evil. Pulling my shit together, I swim around the fighting horde and head straight for Poseidon. This mother fucker doesn’t care who gets killed in his pursuit for power. As I pass, I draw power from inside myself and shoot it out of the middle fork of my trident towards the sea creatures on my side. They glow with silver light as they grow twice their normal size. From the corner of my eye, I see a dolphin snap a shark in half with its massive jaws.

  So freaking cool!

  Passing them, I swish my tail hard. Propelling myself at Poseidon. I blast into him, my shoulder hitting his middle. We spin in the water, my arms around his waist.

  Argh! His yell of frustration enters my mind. Oh, great. I thought he wouldn’t be able to talk in my head. Shit. I hope he isn’t a talker. I roll away as we land on the seabed, spinning as I go so I land on my feet. I crouch, ready to pounce.

  You can`t win, you`re weak! A baby! I will kill you then I will destroy everything you have ever known. It’s a shame you won’t be there to see it.

  His words barely register as my power fires out of my trident and hits him in the chest. Doesn’t he watch movies? Monologuing during a fight is a bad idea. That shit`ll get your arse killed. My blow pushes him back and his blood mixes with the water. A slow smile spreads across my face as I do it again. This time he raises his trident and deflects the blow.

  Poo. I rush him while he is distracted with gloating about my miss and slide between his legs. I stand behind him and bring the handle of my weapon under his chin, using it to pull him towards me.

  Bastard, this is the part where you die. I say as I lay my palm against his heart and pour everything I have into it. I see inside him. It’s cold. Dark. Empty. He’s a shell of a being. I add my emotions to the mix of silver light. My fear. My anger. My love for my men, my daughter. My brothers. My friends. My hatred for him. I pour it all into his unfeeling heart. Distracted because of the icicles settling inside me, he manages to grab my trident and uses it to throw me over his head. I sail through the water and crash into the island under Atlantis. The impact pushes the city through the ocean. My head hits the rocks and pain explodes behind my eyes. Hot blood pours from a gash in my skull. I`m pretty sure the skin on my back is sliced because it stings like a mother fucker. I slump to the sand. My vision blurry.

  How dare you infect me with your worthless feelings? Poseidon kicks me in the face.

  My nose explodes and my head is thrown back, hitting shards of rocks against the island. I am a GOD. You cannot defeat me. Forfeit your life and I might spare your brat.

  His words stir so much anger in me it explodes from my skin and ripples out into the ocean. The ground below me rumbles and I will myself to get the fuck up.

  God, meet your goddess of the sea. I snarl as I stand. My eyes on the ground as my whole-body glows, tail and all, as I let my rage take over me. I grow bigger. Pain slices through me as power builds inside. Threatening to take me out with it.

  Goddess, ha. You`re but a puny little whore! He screams at me.

  But I sense a hint of fear in his words. Without lifting my head, I look at him. A smile spreads across my face as I let the power flow through my trident. It pours into his chest. Freezing him on the spot. I tense my whole body and send my trident into his chest.

  This is for everyone on the planet. I push forward until the longest tip pierces his skin. The look in his eyes is priceless. I wish I had a camera.

  For my daughter. For my consorts. I lean into it and feel the metal grating against his ribs. For Darcy. For Leyland. For my mother. I know the moment it pierces his heart because his eyes widen and his body shakes. You are nothing but a little bitch. I snarl. The trident heats up as silver, wine red, electric blue and moss green light flows through it like a tidal wave.

  Leyland

  I fly over Scarborough and land on the cliff where so much has taken place. Below me the battle rages on. I spot Karl amongst the strangers who came to help. Aphrodite, my mother and Asia explained that today I will lose one of my family forever. How this loss will cause the destruction of earth. The only way to stop it is to sacrifice myself in place of their life. I was more than willing to go through the agonizing pain that followed. An angel descended from the sky and tore off his wings. They were then spliced onto my back using magic so old, it left a mark on the world. I gritted my teeth and welcomed the pain it caused. I take a moment to watch Garrot bravely take on multiple Selkies. His fearlessness has always been something I looked up to. He’s beautiful in the heat of the battle. My heart weeps over the fact that I will never get to tell him how much I love him, to show him I am worthy of love, too. I love them all. With every ounce of my being.

  They are my everything. I will give them the only thing I have. My life.

  The ocean a few miles out turns dark with blood. The surface bubbles and the waves crash onto the beach. Sweeping away the blood from our enemies. The sky lets loose so much rain the sand is almost like a river of blood. It splashes up as the beings pit against each other. A single creature swims on the surface of the ocean towards the beach. This is it. I think as I free the borrowed wings and swoop down. Karl, Garrot and Victor stand with their backs to the ocean, they do not see the danger approaching. I dive headlong at the danger. The glowing blue sword in my hand raised, ready to strike.

  Everly

  Cracks appear in Poseidon`s skin and black inky light pours from them. With one last effort, I put the last of my soul into the trident. My daughter’s face in the front of my mind. Poseidon bursts like a popped balloon. His dark soul extinguishes. The ocean falls silent.

  Concentrating on my body, I will myself to shrink back to my normal size. Though, I leave the tail. It`ll help me get back to land quicker. I head towards home. Passing the group of sea creatures. They’ve stopped fighting and bow their heads as I pass. I send out my thanks for their love.

  You`re welcome, Queen. A dolphin says inside my mind and swims alongside me. Holy shit. We will stand by your side for eternity.

  Thank you. Were many hurt? I ask. Going along with it. My body and mind feel exhausted. I can talk to the creatures of the sea. Cool.

  No. your blessing aided us. We are all uninjured. He answers. His voice deeper than I th
ought would come from a dolphin.

  We speed towards Scarborough in silence. My head pounds and my body aches. We need to get rid of all the Selkies, otherwise they will keep coming for us.

  GORDON

  The Other kind on the beach all look at me as I stand in front of them, my shark form melting away. The enemies are all dead, the battle has been won. But has the war?

  “Has anyone seen Everly?” I ask when I`m human again. “Darcy?” My question is met with resounding `no and shakes of their heads. Karl offers me his shirt. I take it gratefully. Several screams ring out as I pull it over my head.

  Karl

  A shadow casts across my face and the flutter of feathers reaches my ears moments before screams ring out. Fear strikes me like lightning. I look around, trying to find the threat. But as I turn, I realise the reason. My heart sinks and bile rises in my throat. Everly has emerged from the ocean behind us. Her skin is pale, and her legs shed white scales as she stands on the edge of the water.

  Leyland is behind her. A sword in his hand. Dripping blue blood. A horrified look on his face.

  She drops to her knees in the icy water as the storm above us fades away. The world falls into silence. My mind stutters at the sight before me.

  A masculine scream rents the air.

  A flash of red hair in the corner of my eye.

  The breath leaves my lungs and body goes cold.

  “Noooooooo!” Leyland yells so loudly, it echoes off the cliff behind us.

  Victor

  A selkie with black eyes rises behind Everly, a golden trident raised in its hands. Poised to strike her. In a flash of movement, Leyland wraps his arms around the creature and chats a spell in Latin. A soft, pink light emanates from his skin and surrounds him and the Selkie. I bring my arm up over my eyes to shield them from the light. When the light fades, I open them again to find Leyland and the Selkie gone. Everly floats in the ocean face down, her blood colouring the water around her.

  Gordon

  “Goodbye, son.” Darcy stands beside me and takes my hand. Her body crumples in on itself. I catch her before she lands on the sand.

  “Darcy?” I cup her face in my hand. Her skin feels cold and clammy. Her eyes flutter and she looks up at me.

  “Is it over?” she asks. I know my mother has left Darcy`s body. I lean down and kiss her with passion.

  Epilogue

  Karl

  “Daddy, daddy!” Lorelei shouts from the garden, the giggle proceeding her words tells me there’s no emergency, so I set down the knife I grabbed from the counter and stroll to the back door.

  “What, baby girl?” I ask the preteen in Victor`s hands. He holds her above his head, and she’s laughing as he spins.

  “I did it!” she exclaims, the excitement in her voice palpable. Walking out into the sun, I look around them to the tree in the middle of the meadow. Its trunk is thin, and its branches are bare, except for one single leaf.

  “Well done!” pride warms my heart. She has been practising her powers for a couple of weeks now and this is the first time she has been able to produce anything. “I`m so proud of you, Lore.” I walk up the tree and place my hand on its body. “He is a happy tree, if a little lonely. How about tomorrow we try to give him a friend?” I ask her. Victor sets her down and she makes her way to me. Garrot intercepts her and lifts her into the air with his telekinesis. Her squeal brings Alan from the house.

  “Dad, put me down! Argh!” Lorelei yelps as he spins her. “Faster!” she begs.

  “Ok, but then you’ve gotta spin me!” Garrot jokes as he spins her faster. After a few seconds, Garrot joins her in the air. “Nice, you`ve got this down.” He beams as she spins him. Her hands glow blue. The tendrils play with her bright red hair, lifting them around her like a halo.

  “Bloody hell,” Alan says as I walk across the lawn to stand next to him. “She’s powerful. I wouldn’t be surprised if she out does us all and she`s only nine.”

  “She already has,” Asia comments behind us, drying her hands on a towel. “Yesterday she got a shark to bring her fresh seaweed to eat.” Her tone full of affection. Alan wraps his arm around her shoulders and kisses her hair. They decided to stick around after Poseidon was killed. They’ve got a second chance at life thanks to my mother. She gave their bodies life and Aphrodite brought back their souls. Watching the two of them together is a joy I never thought we would get to experience.

  If only everyone was here.

  Gordon

  “No, absolutely not.” I warn Darcy from across the table. She raises an eyebrow at me in challenge.

  “And what,” she lays down her knife and fork and laces her hands across her swollen stomach as she leans back in her chair. “Will you do stop me, dear husband?”

  “I could lock you away,” I joke, accepting her challenge. I push my chair back and pick up Maggie from the floor, her pink skin coupled with bright red hair make her the most adorable one year old in the world. “Either that or I could just have the kids beg you to stay.” I tease. The kids all laugh, the three of them, Grace, Natasha and Karl adore their mother enough to never let her leave the castle. As do I.

  “Is that so?” she takes Maggie from me and allows her to latch on to her breast. “I could take them with me, you know. Leave you all on your own here.” My heart sinks and the smile falls from my face. “But then again, we would miss you too much,” she adds with a soft kiss. Joy courses through my veins. I’ve never been happier in my long life. Darcy and I married the day after my coronation in a beautiful ceremony on Scarborough`s beach. The whole north side was filled with so many Other kind, we had to wait until low tide to fit them all on the sand.

  “One day,” I warn her. “And then you come right back. Make sure you carry a weapon at all times.” She looks up at me, her big, beautiful eyes so full of love.

  “I will. I’ll say hi to everyone for you. Right kids, bedtime!” She stands and gathers them all up. I adore my children, I really do. They are the joy in my life. Every day with them is a gift. But the nighttime is for me and Darcy. I cannot wait for them to fall asleep.

  Garrot

  “Dad?” I risk interrupting my parents making out on the sofa. “Kathy is hungry.” My little sister wiggles in my arms, her cries pull on my heart strings. I could have made a bottle, but I kinda have my hands full.

  “Oh, baby, come to mummy.” My mother takes her from me and carries her off into the kitchen. I smile down at my dad as he watches my mother leave.

  “You dog you.” I tease, noticing him watching her arse. He laughs and shrugs. Unashamed.

  “What time are you leaving?” he asks, turning off the telly.

  “In about twenty minutes. Karl has things under control and Victor is going to drive. I`m nervous. Should I be nervous?” I chew my fingernails and sit next to him, only to stand again after a couple of seconds.

  “It`s ok to be scared, son.” He bends down and picks up a stray feather from the floor, “I was. Still am, every day. But I know you, you’ve got this.” He rises and pats my back then follows mum into the kitchen. I turn to the backpack on the chair behind me and double check I have everything. Finding I have, I make my way outside to the others. I stop in the doorway and watch my family bonding and having fun. Love swells in my chest. Threatening to spill over. Everything is almost perfect. Almost.

  “Are you ready?” I ask while gathering the last of our things and shoving them into my bag before slinging it over my shoulder.

  “As I’ll ever be.” Everly sighs behind me. “It was nice to have a little peace.” She giggles when the baby in her arms yawns. “Never gets old.”

  “I agree. They’ve all been so bloody cute. But I think Renee is the cutest. But I may be biased. sSe is mine.” I say as I extract my daughter from her arms. Her shocking red hair brings out the green in her eyes.

  “Can’t have favourites, Gar,” she mildly tells me off. Strapping Renee into the car seat I wrap a blanket around her.

  “Daisy
, Lisa and Lorelei are going to love you, little blossom.” I tell my daughter. Daisy is Karl`s, Lisa is Victor`s and Lorelei is Leyland`s. But we are all their dads and treat them all the same. With the same love. Everly claims this is her last baby, but never say never is my motto. “Wait until they see those cheeks, get ready for hours of pinching.” I drop a soft kiss to her head and carry her out into the hall. An orderly pushes Everly in a wheelchair behind me. I get them both into the car and set off for home.

  A complete family.

  Leyland

  “Should I send these arrows now, or tomorrow?” the mail cupid in front of me asks. My fingers pause on the keys as I type.

  “Now, please. They need to RSVP by the fourth. Otherwise we won`t have enough seats. Lorelei`s school friends are coming and so are the kids from Atlantis.” I tell him then continue to write. I want to get these reports done as soon as possible so I can get home in time to meet Garrot`s baby.

  Everly

  Standing at the back door with a cup of tea in my hand, I watch my family play in the sun. The barbeque sends smoke up into the sky while Garrot cooks burgers. He’s in his element. Karl tends to the plants at the back of the porch with Lorelei. They grow them together with methods a little less awful than using their blood. She has powers from each of us. Telekinesis, earth magic, she can sense love inside of people and she is a mermaid like me. The rest of the kids are “Normal.” With no powers of their own. It’s been nine years since I killed Poseidon and his soul entered a Selkie. Leyland destroyed it with his new power. The Other kind community call him a god killer. I don’t quite know what that means. Victor sits with Mickey and William. Their adopted twin boys play tag. Their joyful laughter fills the air and warms my heart. Gordon’s in Atlantis. He took over as King shortly after what happened. Their children are adorable and all have bright red hair. They are the next heirs to the throne. Ari lives in the extension we added to the house, she saved Karl`s life by draining herself of blood. She’s like family now. My mother was never seen again, .ill and I think she moved on to a higher plane. Leyland is now the leader of the cupids. He runs the whole show and loves it. We don’t get to see him much, since he doesn’t live with us.