Deva stared between the three figures, hating their stricken looks. They didn’t know any more than she did. Whatever she was, they were not equipped to understand how she worked.
A “chimera” they called her, but despite spending weeks in the Sanctuary libraries poring over ancient tomes supposedly written by gods, Deva could find no more than theoretical explanations of her nature. They claimed she had the potential for immense power, yet offered no discussion of how to tap into that power.
“I’m just tired of waiting,” she sighed, then closed her eyes and drifted away.
The gut-twisting rush of that small bit of magic left her swaying with vertigo when she landed, and she nearly toppled off the edge of a cliff when a big hand grabbed her.
“Whoa there, kiddo. What’s with the angry drifting?” Her uncle Naaz kept a tight hold on her arm, leading her down into the sunken living area of the cliffside house he shared with Deva’s sister Asha.
The room swam and she crumpled onto their comfortable sofa, holding her head in her hands.
Deva groaned and accepted the glass of water proffered by a pale, delicate hand.
“Did my brother say something mean? I’m happy to go kick his ass,” Asha said, settling beside her and rubbing her back while Naaz crouched in front of her.
Deva let out a rueful laugh and took a sip of water. “Just the same platitudes. ‘It takes time, be patient.’ I know I’m not strong enough yet, but I’m never going to be strong enough if I don’t test my boundaries.” Looking at Naaz, she said, “How many people can you drift at once?”
Naaz lifted his brows and gave her a calculating look. “Well, it depends . . .”
“Dammit, I want a straight answer. Don’t be diplomatic to avoid pissing off my parents. I’m honestly starting to believe it’s a sex thing.”
Naaz blinked and gave Asha a helpless look.
“What do you mean ‘a sex thing’?” Asha asked.
Deva met her sister’s wary gaze. “Please don’t treat me with kid gloves, Asha. I need at least one ally here. Someone who understands what it’s like to come into the world with three thousand years’ worth of power and knowledge knocking around inside your brain. You were a virgin when Naaz woke you, yet that was no big deal.”
“I’m going to go finish packing,” Naaz said, practically running from the room. Asha moved to sit across from Deva on an oversized hassock and took her hands.
“I think I’m going to need you to elaborate just a little,” Asha said.
“Everyone treats me like I might break if I start acting like a fucking adult. But I think I need more magic to reach the next stage in my training. Dragon magic. You know, the kind you get from fucking.”
Asha’s brows lifted and she smiled. “I see. But Deva, you are more than just a dragon. So much more. I know I didn’t have a typical dragon childhood by any stretch, and yes, I was a virgin when Naaz and I mated. But I knew how things worked and was completely sure how to use my powers by the time Naaz awakened my body from hibernation. I’d had eons to mentally prepare. You’re kind of the opposite.”
Deva lifted her hands and let them drop to her lap in frustration. “That’s where you’re wrong, though. I remember every single second I spent in that tank Meri kept me in. Every experiment she did, testing new cocktails of blood in the infusions that kept me alive. It may have only lasted months, but there were eons of history carried in all that blood, especially in the satyr blood that sustained me for the entire time. And then when Vrishti became my mother . . .”
She stopped to swallow and shake her head, overcome by the memories that were still raw after a year. The room had gone blurry, but she could see that Naaz had crept back in and leaned silently against the sofa across from her.
“You remember all that?” Naaz asked, his voice gruff. The smudge of his aura flared with an old hatred.
Deva wiped her eyes and nodded. “Yes. I didn’t think it would be productive to share that particular ordeal. It hurts just thinking about that vague memory of safety, then having it torn away. But I felt that safety again with Vrishti. And then when she changed just a few hours before I was born, I felt it even more—the Summer Spirit held me in her arms, cocooned me in her power for only a little while before I had grown too much to stay.
“Now I’ve outgrown the higher realms the same way I outgrew Vrishti’s womb. Maybe not physically this time, but definitely mentally. I need more than this. And it isn’t like I can just lie around and wait for my soul mate to come unlock my true potential. I don’t have a soul, so I know that can’t happen.”
“Deva . . .” Naaz cautioned and she saw the hurt look on her sister’s face.
“I’m so sorry. I know you didn’t have a choice, but I’m feeling like I don’t either, when I should, don’t you think? If it had been in your power to go find him, wouldn’t you have done that?”
“You bet your ass,” Asha said, then sighed and squeezed Deva’s hands. “I know you’re probably sick of hearing this, but please be patient. I know it’s easier said than done, but coming from someone who had no choice in the matter, trust me, just give it a little more time. Don’t force the issue or you’ll wind up making a mistake.”
Deva’s shoulders sagged and she stared down at her sister’s pale hands that stood out in stark contrast to her own darker skin. Vibrant multicolored fire sparked through the veins beneath Asha’s skin, reminding Deva how much raw power her sister possessed. But her sister was also more than three thousand years old, while Deva was technically only a year old. In fact, the next day would be her first birthday. Which seemed completely absurd, because Asha looked the same age as Deva felt.
“What about the party?” Deva asked. “It’s the Haven. I may not have joined in for any of the fun the nymphs like to have, but I know what goes on there on special occasions like this one. What’s the point of me even going if my parents are dead set on keeping me from behaving like an adult?”
Asha regarded her with a careful look. Her rainbow gaze was one of the few features they had in common. She finally lifted a pale eyebrow and smiled. “Do you feel a need to dive into that kind of thing? Listen to your body. You already have the ability to recognize the magic when it clings to others. Like when I think of Naaz . . .” Asha closed her eyes and a small smile spread across her lips. Her aura flooded a deep crimson and she bit her lip. At the same time, the magic flowing through Asha’s veins made her skin brighten to a more human shade and the brilliant tether that joined her soul to Naaz’s lit up to the point that it almost appeared solid.
Deva studied her sister, her heightened senses able to pick up the increased pulse and the push of Asha’s hard nipples against the snug top she wore. A sweet aroma filled the air, and a second later Naaz stood up straighter, his nostrils flaring and his brows drawing together. He stared between the pair of them for a beat, his own aura flickering with faint arousal tinged with uncertainty.
“Asha?” Naaz asked.
Asha opened her eyes and grinned at Deva, then glanced at her mate. “Just proving a point. We’ll be ready to go soon.”
Naaz left the room, shaking his head and adjusting his crotch. Asha bit her lip and lifted her eyebrows at Deva.
“See what I mean? Even just strong attraction can flood your body with power. But I get infinitely more power from Naaz than I would from someone I’m not bonded to.”
Deva forced herself to shut off the part of her eyesight that saw those cues, particularly the brilliant magic that linked their souls. She’d never told anyone she could see their souls, once she learned it wasn’t a common ability. But she’d become painfully aware over the past year of how powerful the bonds were between the souls of her family and their mates.
Everyone she loved had found their match and liked to throw around the words “soul mate” when they talked of their relationships. She firmly believed her lack of a soul was the thing holding her back, and no amount of physical, mental, or sexual awakening was going to give i
t to her.
Her throat tightened with frustration and sadness. “Asha, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I know it’s probably not sex that I need. It’s a soul. But nobody knows how to fix me. I’m never going to have what you and Naaz have. Why should I even try?”
Asha pulled her into a hug. “Oh, sweetie. Stop thinking like that. You’re a brilliant, beautiful, talented person. There’s bound to be a place for you somewhere. Spend some time with Dion after tomorrow’s party and pick his brain. He might have some ideas.”
Deva sniffled and wiped her eyes again. Her family was nothing if not caring and understanding most of the time. Perhaps Asha was right—she could take advantage of the wealth of power and knowledge her various aunts and uncles shared. She had immortals among the ten individuals who she called her parents. Someone was bound to have some ideas to help her push to the next level in her power, even if they couldn’t help with her other problem.
There was only one person who her instincts told her could help with that. One man who had ever made her body respond the way Asha’s did at the mere thought of her mate. Yet she didn’t know if she could find the courage to even utter his name to catch his attention. Because despite her ache for Ozzie West, he had only ever looked at her like a child, and had only ever touched her like a woman in her dreams. How could she confess to him that she believed he was her answer to finding a soul? She supposed she wouldn’t really know unless she tried, and the Haven’s festivities might be her best chance to get him alone.
She took a deep breath and released Asha from the desperate hold she had on her hands.
“Feel better?” Asha asked, studying Deva’s face. “Your aura’s brightened with purpose. It looks good on you.”
“Yes. I am going to see what I can learn in the Haven. No more brooding.”
“I’m always here for you if you need me,” Asha said. “Naaz too.”
“Thank you for not babying me like my parents do,” Deva said. “I needed that.”
“We all love you and want you to be happy. But don’t let their cautious nature stop you from going after what you want. You can trust your instincts too.”
Deva smiled and stood. “I will. Are you guys ready to go?”
Naaz entered the room again with two satchels slung over his shoulder. After Deva drifted to her own room to collect her things, she met them in the center of the Glade where they waited for the others.
Deva relaxed, relieved to have even a glimmer of a purpose, no matter how unrealistic it might be.
Chapter 6
Energy was high in the Haven when they arrived, the place inundated with excitement. In the great hall, Deva found the rest of her throng of parental units together. Ever vigilant, Nikhil was the first to spy their entrance, and she and Asha rushed into his outstretched arms.
Deva adored all her fathers, but there was something about this severe, often frightening man that endeared him to her more than the others. Despite being her biological father while the others were merely the mates of her three mothers, she hadn’t met him until well after the war had ended and the Haven was declared safe for her to return to from the Realm of the Gods.
Nikhil doted on both her and Asha in a way none of her other fathers did. She recognized the love in all their auras, so there was no mistaking how they felt, but Nikhil always hugged her with a ferocity that suggested he would move mountains for her happiness if she asked.
“My beautiful daughters,” he said, releasing them and touching their cheeks with each of his strong hands.
“I missed you, Daddy,” Deva said, her heart swelling with love. “I wish I could have visited you in New York. You should come to the Glade more often.”
“You can come see us more often soon,” Belah said, slipping in beside Nikhil. “We’re moving to the turul Enclave after Equinox. It’ll be safe for you there.”
Deva bit her tongue, grateful for Asha’s interruption to say hello to her mother before moving on to greet the others. Deva’s safety had always been their chief concern, which she’d understood, but it had gotten old.
“I would like that,” she said, though she couldn’t snuff the tiny spark of resentment at the reminder of her need to be kept “safe”—from what, precisely, was still unclear. There had been mention of a vague threat of their old enemy still remaining, even though the head had been severed from the proverbial snake a year ago.
The mention of the turul Enclave reminded her of her mission and she glanced around the massive hall, now thronged with nymphs and ursa who had arrived a day early in anticipation of the party to come. Iszak and Lukas beckoned with a whistle, and she went to greet them with quick pecks to their cheeks. Of all the men she claimed as parents, they were the least overbearing—she guessed it was in deference to Nikhil, who likely did the bulk of the worrying for the three of them.
“I wrote a new song!” she exclaimed when she pulled back. Music was her greatest joy, unlike any of the other skills she’d attempted to perfect over the past year, but it wasn’t as though it were a power . . . not like the way her turul fathers could harness the wind and lightning in a fight, or so she’d heard.
Iszak’s eyebrows lifted and Lukas grinned. “Excellent! Let’s hear it,” Lukas said.
Deva darted another glance around the room, wondering where the true target of her new song could be, but Ozzie was nowhere to be seen. Tamping down her disappointment, she took a deep breath and launched into the song. The room fell completely still as the words and notes floated into the air, an almost melancholy ode to her sequestered life and the longing for more outside the shelter she had within the worlds of her birth.
She got to the final verse, but rather than sing it, she carried the last note a few moments longer and stopped. That last part had been written with Ozzie in mind, and she couldn’t bring herself to sing the complete song without him listening. Was it foolish of her to adore the man so completely? Probably. But she couldn’t help it. Her earliest memories were of Ozzie’s voice easing the pain of her transformation from a child into a woman, and the singing helped her forget her lack of control over her life. He’d been there for her during the most frightening part of her life but had been disappointingly absent since.
When she grew silent and took a small bow to the gathered crowd, everyone cheered.
“Sounds like your turul side is blossoming,” Lukas said. “That was beautiful, Deva.”
“Thank you,” she said softly and hugged him. She let out a deep sigh into his shoulder and blurted out the question she longed to know the answer to before she could chicken out. “Where’s Ozzie?”
Lukas and Iszak shared a pained look. “He’s not coming to the party this year. I’m afraid he’s holding a grudge over us leaving the band. Evie too.”
Deva’s heart fell. “Oh . . .” she said lamely, and was about to make some useless excuse for her disappointment when a booming voice carried through the room, calling for the Quorum of Immortals to gather in the council chamber for business. What business could they have besides tomorrow’s party?
“That means us too, brother,” Iszak said. “See you later.”
Deva smiled after them as they filed through a big door at the back of the room along with all her other parents and aunts and uncles.
When the doors closed, Deva slipped around the room, accepting warm greetings from the nymphs and ursa she had befriended over the past year. Several dragons and humans clustered together, and she recognized the group as the Court dragons and their mates.
The back of her neck prickled when she paused to take advantage of the table of refreshments that had been laid out along one long wall of the great hall. Glancing behind her, she caught the gazes of the four Thiasoi satyrs who stood to one side engaged in low conversation. Nymphs hovered around the edges of their group, subtly seeking attention, and Deva felt all the more conspicuous for having captured it.
One of the satyrs broke away and approached her. Her heartbeat quickened and she
fumbled the pastry she held, then put it down, plastering on a smile to cover her nerves when the big man stopped and bowed deeply in front of her, his luxurious, dark waves falling over his handsome face.
“Lady Deva,” he rumbled. “I am Llyr.” When he stood again, he reached out and took her shaking hands in his and bent over her knuckles, kissing the back of each hand softly. “You don’t remember me, do you?”
“I . . . can’t say that I do,” she said, even though it was a blatant lie. She couldn’t have identified any of the four Thiasoi by name, but she felt the link to them all thrum in her veins. Which was what made it so damn difficult to even look this one in the eyes.
“Come walk with me.” He kept hold of one of her hands, gesturing with the other to one of the arched doorways that led out of the great hall into one of the many ornamental water gardens that surrounded the palace.
Something about his bearing, with his head dipped slightly in deference, gave Deva a sense of value she rarely felt among her parents and extended family. The light squeeze of his hand sparked a tiny flame of rebellion and amplified her wavering confidence. She smiled up at him and nodded. “A walk sounds wonderful.”
Llyr kept hold of her hand as they strolled around the bridges and vine-covered platforms that arched and twisted around the water garden. The Source-infused water flowed around moss-covered rocks forming small waterfalls that meandered among reeds and papyrus. His palm was warm and dry against hers, and the longer he held her hand, the more conscious she became of the intimacy of the contact. She couldn’t decide whether to be elated or frightened. This was something lovers did—holding hands. Did he want to be her lover? Did she want to be his?
Eventually he paused in one of the few sunny patches of the misty garden and turned to her.
“I was with you from the beginning, as were my brothers and Nereus. My brothers and I have longed to speak to you since we came home, but it never seemed the right time, and things are more complicated now than when we were captured and imprisoned.”
Dragon Avenged: Immortal Dragons Epilogue Page 4