by Ford, Lizzy
“Jenn!” he shouted, rushing up the stairs. “Jenn!” He shoved the door open.
The bed was empty. Darian froze, listening for a moment for any sign she was somewhere else in the house.
Jenn was gone.
A new kind of fury rose within him.
“What did you expect?” Charles called. “That you could run around killing and threatening them without any kind of retribution?”
“They wouldn’t do this unless …”
… they thought the same as Jonny, that Darian was getting ready to destroy their world. If that was what they thought, they’d hold his family hostage in the immortal world. Or maybe Charles was right and they just wanted revenge for picking them off.
Darian’s mind worked fast as he rejoined Charles in the living room. He’d want Damian and Jonny with him if he went to the immortal world to take on the Others. Hell, he might even need the pesky little Watchers.
“If you touch a hair on Yully’s body, I’ll slaughter you. Got it?” he said. “Go back and wait with her. Tell them I’ll be there soon. I’ve gotta corner me a Watcher.”
Charles growled. He Traveled and Darian closed his eyes. When he opened them, he stood in the cold cave where the Watchers entered the world. One awaited him.
“I thought you would come,” the small creature before him said.
“Where is Jenn and the rest of my family?” Darian demanded.
“Safe in the immortal world, for now,” the Watcher said. “That can change pretty quickly. It all depends on you.”
“Why were they taken? Others didn’t like me picking off their kind on earth?”
“You were destined to close the gates, Darian. You had a chance to do it in Ireland.”
“I had no idea what I was doing in Ireland!” he retorted. “I had no real power and absolutely no guidance from you or anyone else on what my role was.”
“You missed your opportunity.” The words were cold, unaffected by Darian’s anger.
“And what? This pissed your kind off while killing Others pissed them off?”
“There were two potential fates when you went to Ireland and one when you left.”
“If I could close them then, I could do it now,” he reasoned.
“It would take the magic of the Original Beings and Gods to do it. You were almost to that point in Ireland. With the Magician and the Other, you could’ve done it. Before Ireland, there was one gateway into the mortal world. Now, you’d need double that magic to close both.”
“Wait a minute. You told me you had one gateway and the Others had their own. Are you saying you share gateways?”
“I think you call it a gentlemen’s agreement. The immortal world has suffered enough. There, we are at a truce.”
“And you come here to fight,” Darian finished darkly. “I saw what you did to the immortal world. There’s nothing left.”
“There’s magic. That’s all we need. The mortal world has nothing we need.”
“And the immortals stuck on earth?”
“They can choose to go home, before the Others destroy the mortal world.” The Watcher trailed off. “Unless you beat them to it.”
Darian’s head began to pound. Damian would’ve exploded by now, probably decimating everything in the vicinity. Darian, however, drew a deep breath.
“It is your destiny to choose which world survives. You failed to close the gateways,” the Watcher said.
“Why is it so absolute?” Darian questioned. “Why can’t you go back to the immortal world, fight each other there, and leave us alone?”
“Our war will claim a world.”
“So you’re keeping my family hostages in the immortal world,” he said.
“And locked up your brothers in this one to protect them. The Others were getting ready to act against them.”
“You didn’t hurt Damian.”
“No.” The Watcher took a step back at his lethal tone. “You must choose, Darian.”
“I’m not going to choose a world. But I am going to slaughter any of your kind involved in this insanity. I’ll do whatever it takes to get my family back!”
“We’re counting on it.”
Darian’s temper snapped. He reached out to snatch the Watcher’s neck. It disappeared before he could grab it. His power surging within him, Darian closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. He’d managed to control his magic for a while now, but he had to stay calm.
Damian, Jenn, Sofi, Bianca, Dusty … all of them were trapped somewhere. All but Yully and …
Jonny, who had told Jenn that Darian was going to destroy a world. Darian Traveled to Jonny’s, appearing in the Black God’s chambers. Clad in boxers, the startled Black God looked up from his computer. He rose, his magic rising around him like a fog.
“What the fuck do you want?” Jonny asked.
“The Others took Jenn.”
The Black God’s face flushed. “That bitch made her choice.”
Darian’s magic threw him against the wall. Jonny broke loose, dropping to the ground. Darian squatted beside him.
“That bitch is my mate. When this is over, you and I are going to have a little talk about how shitty you treated her,” he said with calmness he didn’t feel. “And she’s not the only one missing. They took Bianca as well.”
Jonny’s anger faded. “My sister … made her own choices as well.”
“Bullshit. You gave up everything for her. You can’t tell me you don’t give a shit now.”
“You fix it.” The Black God shoved him away and rose. “Who fucked up the balance in the first place? Or do you think me the ignorant idiot Jenn did?”
“Jenn respects you. Way more than you deserve, in my opinion,” Darian replied. “If I’m not mistaken, you’re as responsible for this mess as I am. Got suckered into a deal with the Others, Jonny? You really think they’d trade an entire world for one Guardian? They took you for the fool you are.”
The Black God’s magic swirled around him in fury and agitation. Jonny looked away finally and strode to his bedroom. Darian followed close enough to make sure he went for clothing and not weapons.
“For the record, Darian, I hate you most of all.”
“Understood. I stole your woman,” Darian said. “You realize by cuffing her, you made her—and your sister—vulnerable? She can’t protect anyone like that.”
“I had no way of knowing this would happen. She betrayed me. To let her go free would’ve been a mistake.”
Darian paced, mind on Jenn. She was the most resourceful Guardian he knew. If she could find a way to escape, she would. He carefully tucked away the reality that—if Jonny hadn’t crippled her—she wouldn’t have been taken.
“Why take Bianca?” Jonny asked at last. “I had a deal with them! They know who she is!”
“They used you.”
“Where the fuck is Xander in all this?”
“Can’t think for yourself?”
“Czerno should’ve finished you off.”
Darian paused in his pacing, savoring the words. He’d love a battle with the god that enslaved him. As Grey God, he had access to magic Czerno didn’t. The fight would be long, and chances were, it’d end as a draw. Jonny was born a god-slayer, the only creature that could take the place of a Black God. Still, Darian would relish the battle.
“You have a plan?” The Black God emerged from his chambers at last, eyeing Darian.
“I think I do. But I need to know everything the Others told you about blowing up a world.”
“You wouldn’t … I wouldn’t even do that,” Jonny said in a quiet voice.
“You’re not the Grey God.”
Jonny paled. Darian smiled.
Chapter Ten
Jenn picked herself up off the floor, sensing the swirling magics of her prison in the immortal world. They were there, just beyond her reach. The cuff around her arm warded them off, and they flowed around her instead of through her. Her head pounded. She recalled waking up and searching
the house for Darian. Too late, she’d heard the footsteps behind her and felt something smash into her head. If she had her magic …
“Jenn?” Sofi’s voice was quiet.
“Ikira? What’s going on?” Jenn asked, not expecting to hear the soft voice. She shook her head and twisted to face the corner, where the blonde Oracle and brunette Healer sat together.
If Sofi’s eyes glowed in the mortal world, they blazed here. She radiated power that surprised Jenn. She knew the Oracle was powerful, but seeing her in the immortal world drilled home just how strong her power was.
“Watchers,” Bianca said.
Jenn took in her aura, just as surprised. Where Sofi’s magic was cold, Bianca’s was cool, and the air around her shimmered as if with sunlight.
“Welcome to the immortal world,” Jenn said and rose. Her body felt heavy and her senses dull without her magic.
“It’s not what I expected,” Bianca said. “Are you okay? Anything I can do?”
“Just pissed,” Jenn replied. “Unless you can get this fucking thing off.” She held up her arm to reveal the black cuff.
“I can try,” the Healer said doubtfully. She rose from her corner and strode to Jenn, the air around her filled with glitter. Jenn watched, fascinated. As a low-level servant, she’d never seen any of the powerful immortals. She’d never even seen Damian prior to the Schism, when the Guardians exiled to the mortal world were a small band struggling to stay alive.
Bianca held out a hand. Her healing magic whipped through Jenn. She took a step back at the flash of heat. The cuff didn’t move.
“No. But I got rid of your body aches,” the Healer said, plainly disappointed. “Sofi?”
“I don’t think so,” the Oracle said. “I take it there’s a story behind this.”
“Not a good one,” Jenn said with another look around their prison. “Bianca, I know Dusty won’t let you out of the house without a weapon. Cough it up.”
The Healer reached down, rolling up the leg of her jeans to reveal a small sheathe with a knife. She pulled it free and handed it to Jenn.
“Sofi?” Jenn prodded.
“Caught me napping,” the Oracle said sheepishly. “Hormones make me forget everything.”
Jenn’s gaze went to Sofi’s protruding belly, and she was hit with both urgency and fear. The lives of the White God’s mate, and her best friend’s mate, were in her hands. The women weren’t trained to fight as Jenn was, yet she was the only one of them without power. She stripped out of her long-sleeved shirt, leaving just her T-shirt on, then pulled out everything from her pockets she didn’t need.
“I see he figured it out,” Sofi’s said, eyes on Jenn’s neck.
Jenn glanced down self-consciously. She tucked the necklace back into her shirt. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know what to think, except that last night, something she never thought would happen—did. She’d let down her guard to Darian after thousands years of rebuffing everyone else and had woken up feeling recharged, confused.
Hopeful.
“Work in progress,” she said at last and turned away from both. “Won’t matter if I can’t get us out of here.”
“They come by every two hours, that we can tell,” Bianca said. “They’re not Others or Watchers. Some sort of … soldiers, maybe?”
“Guardsmen,” Jenn supplied. “On this side, Others and Watchers keep guardsmen. They can’t evade each other the way they can in the mortal world, so they use bodyguards. This is actually really good for us.”
“How so?”
“I can kill a guardsman in the immortal world. You just have to keep me alive, Bianca. I’ve got no magic, so chances are I’m gonna get myself killed a time or two.”
Bianca was silent. Jenn scoured their cell. It was made of solid rock, even the heavy door. One small window was high up against the nine-foot ceiling, barely wider than the span of her two hands. There were no weaknesses to the cell.
“The door hinges are on the other side,” she murmured. “Could be a good thing. Door opens out, not in.”
“They usually come in pairs,” Bianca said. “We got here … yesterday, I guess. It was evening in our world but dawn here. Their schedule seems pretty consistent.”
“Ikira, any advice?” Jenn asked.
“Block low.”
Jenn glanced at the Oracle. “I can do that. Anything else?”
Sofi appeared relaxed in the cell, her head resting against the wall and her brilliant eyes focused on Jenn.
“Jonny’s not the only one who can get that thing off you,” Sofi said.
“Fucking Black God.” Jenn stopped. Bianca tensed at the mention of her brother. “Sorry. A little bit of bad blood there. Who else, Sofi?”
“If he feels like showing …”
“Gods, not Xander. Bianca, let me die if that happens,” Jenn said with a grimace. “I’d rather face ten guardsmen than one Xander.”
“Jenn, where do we go if we escape?” Bianca asked.
Jenn considered, her gaze going to the small window above them. She could smell the sea; they were probably somewhere in the destroyed city. How far from the gateway, she wasn’t sure. Her gaze went to Sofi. At around four months pregnant, the Oracle barely showed in the mortal world but looked closer to nine months here. She was the most vulnerable of them.
“I can run,” Sofi said with some level of offense. “Pregnant doesn’t mean crippled.”
Jenn cleared her throat and looked away before the Oracle saw her smile.
“Yeah, don’t go there,” Bianca advised in a whisper. “Damian said he’d need to buy a wheelbarrow to roll her around in soon, and she tore him to shreds. That was a rough day.”
Jenn almost choked on her laugh. The Oracle was staring at them, displeased.
“So where do we go?” Bianca asked again.
“To the orchard. The Others have a gateway to the mortal world there. If we can reach the orchard, we can get back home. If we get separated, go toward the ocean. The orchard is right there on the edge of the city,” Jenn answered. “In the middle is an apple tree marked with a ring of stones. Walk around it, and you’ll end up in the mortal world.”
“I never knew the worlds were so different,” Bianca said, fascination in her voice.
“Don’t get used to it,” Sofi said, rising.
Jenn looked at her closely, uncertain how to take the words. The Oracle probably knew how this day would end, which world would survive.
Darian would swing through here like a wrecking ball. Jenn shivered at the idea. As powerful and patient as he was, he wouldn’t hesitate to lay waste to anything between them. She suspected even his promise to sacrifice her if it meant saving their world would melt in the furnace of his fury. He’d been sweet to her last night. He meant what he said: if she wanted him, she could have him. If she didn’t, he’d accept her decision.
She’d never had much of a choice before. Sex was a weapon, her body a tool. She wielded it well, but it usually meant the choice was never really hers. Darian had given her the power to choose. He treated her as an equal, a partner in a relationship with a wild god, one who respected her enough to let her decide.
“Not so bad, is it?” Sofi said.
Jenn shook her thoughts away, her heart hammering with both anticipation of seeing him again and fear. Her hand was clenched around the necklace.
“I think hell is a good word for it,” she said.
“At first, maybe,” Bianca added. “It’s worth it, though.”
“Everyone in this fucking room can read minds but me,” Jenn said with a snort.
“We’re sisters now. Get used to it.” The firm words came from the Healer, not the Oracle, who smiled in agreement.
“I guess we are,” Jenn agreed uncertainly.
After thousands of years alone, she inherited a mate and a family over the course of a single night. Her gaze lingered on the two women. Despite being polar opposites, they were both honorable to the core and two of the most pow
erful Naturals ever discovered. Yully, the third woman who would become her sister, was just as unique with a heart equal to that of any of the women.
She didn’t expect her life to change quite so fast or to be accepted into the White God’s family with such ease. Of course, none of that mattered if she couldn’t get them out of there.
“They should be back around soon,” Bianca said.
“Do they come in?”
“They’ve just opened the door. They don’t come in.”
“Door opens out,” Jenn said. “This will work. Stay back, unless I get my ass kicked. Dusty will kill me if anything happens to you.”
Bianca retreated to the far wall where Sofi stood. Jenn paced and stretched, edgy. She had one knife on her, plus Bianca’s. It’d have to be enough; there was no back-up this time. Her fingers swept over the cuff, and anger swirled through her again. Jonny or Xander. The two people she wanted to see least of all. She’d have to approach one of them eventually if she ever wanted her powers back.
She grew impatient waiting for the guardsmen to return. At long last, she heard the sound of boot soles against stone as people walked down the hall.
“That’s more than two, Bianca,” she said, listening. “Sounds like four. Ikira, I think it’s time for you break the rules. No one’s playing fair anymore.”
Sofi’s gaze swirled. “Bianca, stand in that corner. The third one’s gonna kill Jenn. Blast her when she falls.” The Oracle strode forward, hand held out.
Jenn took Sofi’s hand and staggered at the vision the Oracle implanted. Sofi released her. Jenn’s closed her eyes, running through the motions in her head that Sofi directed her to take.
The sound of a key scraping against the door drew Jenn’s attention outward again, and she moved to the side of the door, flattening her back against it. In order to find her, the first guardsmen would have to enter the cell.
Steadying her breathing, Jenn gripped her daggers and waited.
The heavy door opened with a grating sound. She held her breath as the guardsman on the outside hesitated, seeking out the two prisoners he couldn’t see. Only Sofi was visible from the door.