by C. L. Roman
“Once I’ve seen it, I’ll open my wings for Pat to know and he’ll drive in. Cecily, you and I will need to find a place to hide while everyone is watching Pat’s car. Pat are you sure your cousin doesn’t suspect anything?” Kai said.
Pat nodded.
“What am I going to do?” Seth asked.
“I don’t know, Hot Pants. Don’t die, I guess.”
“Uh…”
“Well, don’t die again,” Kai said.
Seth winked at Kai. “I’ll do my best.” He dropped an arm around Kai’s shoulders. He bent his head close and whispered, “Whatever happens, nothing else on my bucket list compares to you. I wish we had met at another time and place. Thank you for all of this.”
A sob stopped in her throat. How could she do this again? Maybe Dahlia should keep the key and step into her shoes. Too many years alone. Would Odin take her into Valhalla? If it ended tonight, could she deal with whatever came next?
Nate grabbed the case with the pretend magical artifact and sat in the back of Pat’s cab. Pat pulled away into the night. Cecily, Kai, and Seth followed shortly. Kai’s nerves tingled as if she’d mainlined an entire pot of black coffee. Driving was the only way she stayed focused. Seth’s reflection in the rearview mirror distracted her. He laid his head on the headrest and closed his eyes. His arm hung limp in his lap and she wondered how much pain he hid. Fighting was not an option for him tonight.
They parked a hundred yards behind Pat’s car. The three of them sneaked closer to the entrance in preparation for hiding.
From where she waited, Kai saw her sister in front of Winston and Liberty. Winston’s bald head gleamed in the headlights from his car. Liberty’s alliance with Winston made no sense. She would only align herself with a demon if she benefitted more. What was she getting out of all of this?
Kai looked around for her sister’s bodyguards. Strange they weren't here.
“Why are you here, Dahlia?” Winston asked.
“I’ve been following you and I want what’s mine,” Dahlia whined like preteen caught kissing a boy after curfew.
“I received a better offer,” he snarled.
“Then I want my money back.”
Winston snapped his fingers and a gargoyle threw a duffle bag at her feet. “I never took it out of the bag.”
Dahlia bent down and examined the contents. “Can I at least see it?”
“Why torture yourself?”
“That key may mean nothing to you, but it has been in my family since its creation. It doesn’t belong to you. It’s my right.”
“But your sister’s not dead yet, is she?” Winston and Liberty chuckled. “You failed in that regard.”
“Kai will be dead before the sun rises.”
Cecily and Kai exchanged glances. What did she mean?”
“Well, then I guess there’s no harm in letting you see it,” Winston said.
Liberty took out a case from the back seat and held it while Winston opened it. Dahlia inspected the contents and opened her wings. “It’s beautiful.”
Pat nodded to Kai and drove into the warehouse. Kai, Cecily, and Seth sneaked in and hid behind a stack of crates off to the side.
“Here comes our esteemed guest,” Winston said.
Pat got out of the car and opened the back door. Nate slipped into his role like an award-winning actor.
Pat started to introduce the two, but Winston interrupted, “I don’t need an introduction. I would recognize a fellow collector anywhere. You work for Mr. Alabaster, I presume.”
Nate answered, “Yes. My employer granted me permission to handle this transaction on his behalf. He had another, more pressing engagement.”
Winston circled behind Nate and Pat. “Oh really? More pressing than this? You don’t say.”
“Something is wrong,” Seth whispered to Kai. He shifted closer to the edge of the crates.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s a cop thing. Trust me, something is wrong.”
Kai and Cecily nodded. Both dropped their glamour and armed themselves.
“May I see the key?”
Kai watched as Seth moved to the other end of the crates. She followed his pointed hand. Two shadows moved along a walkway. Seth returned to her and Cecily.
“Who are they? I didn't sense anyone up there,” Kai said.
“That’s because they’re human.”
Cecily twisted her head to see around them. “He has human guards?”
Seth nodded. “And from what I can see they are well armed, too. Those are military grade weapons.”
“This doesn't make any sense,” Cecily said.
“It does if this is a trap,” Kai said.
Cecily’s jaw dropped. “You’re shittin’ me!”
They all watched as Liberty presented the case for Nate to open. He set his case on the ground. His eyes widened as she lifted the lid. He looked over his shoulder. Kai saw resignation and fear on his face. She locked eyes with her sister. Cold fear filled her as she watched a slow smile form on Dahlia’s face.
“It is a trap.” Kai extended her wings and flew across the floor. Both feet landed firmly on the ground.
Winston grabbed Nate’s neck from behind. “Did you really think you could fool me? I'll admit I was very impressed with your work.”
“Dahlia, this is between us. You want the key? Then it's yours. Tell your partner to let Nate go.”
“Where’s the fun in that? I want you to understand exactly the kind of pain you've caused me. Do you know what it’s like to face Odin and Frigg with the shame of your sister hanging over your head?”
“No, I don't. I was cast out of my home.”
Nate twisted and growled as his body began shifting. Before the final transformation, Winston twisted his neck. The crack of breaking bones deafened Kai. Nate fell limp on the ground.
“No!” Kai and Cecily ran to his side.
Liberty and Winston walked to their car. “I’m more of a cat person. What about you Liberty?”
“I actually don't care for hair in my food.”
“Dahlia, come now. My men will take care of them.”
Dahlia stepped over Cecily, who held Nate's head in her lap. She bent low to Kai and said, “You will never see the gates of Valhalla again.” Winston shut the door after she joined him.
Kai stood to fly after them. Streams of hot bullets fell on the floor. They scrambled to find cover.
“Where's Seth?” Kai asked.
The ladies scanned the walkways and couldn't see him. Four men continued attacking.
“What do we do?” Cecily asked.
“I don't know. Where's Pat?”
Without anyone noticing, Pat managed to get into his car, start it, and used the car to block the bullets.
“Get in,” he said.
The ladies reached for the back door. Two consecutive thuds drew their attention. Two of the guards fell to the floor and the other two stared as Seth shot them.
“That’s right. They can't see him,” Kai said.
The other two men fell in front of the cab. Seth stood on the walkway with a slight smile holding the gun. He took a step forward, lost his balance, and fell over the railing. He landed with a muffled grunt and didn't move.
Chapter Fifteen
Pat helped the ladies put Nate's body in the trunk and Seth laid in the back seat with Kai. His shallow breathing and slow heartbeat concerned her, but the black patch of rotted flesh stretching from his shoulder to his hand worried her more. His body was dying. There was nothing she could do. Desperation gripped her heart and mind. No matter how many years had passed, she still paid for her mistake and now Seth would pay too.
Cecily arranged for Nate’s alpha to meet them at the garage. When they pulled the car in, all the drivers and six shifters stood waiting for them to stop. Cecily met with the alpha and explained what happened. Pat hurried out of the car and disappeared. Phil and Bill stood together in the corner not making eye contact with anyone. Two drivers sobbed quiet
ly in the shadows. Kai stayed in the car, afraid the slightest move would damage Seth.
The alpha continued talking to Cecily as the others carried Nate's body out of the garage. They shook hands and Cecily sat behind the wheel. Sadness filled the car. Kai struggled to breathe. Her heavy chest rebelling with each inhale.
“I know what you’re going to say.”
Cecily adjusted the rear-view mirror so they could see each other. “How do you know what I’m going to say, when I don't even know what I'm going to say?”
Kai shrugged. “He’s dying.”
“I know, honey.”
A single tear escaped Kai’s eye. “You were right. Dahlia played me the whole time. I wanted to believe her. I wanted to have some connection with home. I needed that.”
“I know. We all need family and connections.”
“I don't know anything about your family. You never talk about them.”
“It’s a typical story. Family wants girl to marry someone she can't stand. Girl runs away. Family disowns girl. She never sees or hears from them again.”
“I'm sorry. I didn't know all of that. How long have you been in this world?”
“Not quite as long as you have, but long enough.”
Phil and Bill stomped to the back door and assumed a fighting stance.
“Now what’s going on?” Cecily wiped her tears and left the car.
Kai couldn't see what caused the concern, but before Cecily reached the angels, both men flew against the wall and an older man dressed in jeans, a gray wife beater, and a flannel shirt rolled to the elbow exposing a collage of tattoos strolled up the ramp. His silver close cropped hair and boxed beard made him look like a retired hipster. A beanie sat on his head. Cecily stopped and bowed before him.
“Forgive me, I do not know how to address you.”
He put his hands on her shoulders and helped her up. “You can call me Woody.”
“Excuse me,” she faltered.
He posed with his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest. “I think it goes with my lumberjack style. Don’t you think?”
“I think you’re Odin. You can call yourself whatever you want.”
“True, and what do they call you djinn?”
“My name is Cecily. May I offer you a cup of coffee?”
“That would be great. I would like one with foam and glitter.” He took out a chair, turned it around backwards, and sat at a table.
“Glitter?”
“Yes, I had one yesterday and I enjoyed it.”
“Um, I can make you something black and hot. That’s about the best I can do.”
Odin, Woody, stuck out his bottom lip a little. “Could you find something stronger? Maybe something barrel-aged instead?”
Cecily brightened. “Now that I can do for you.” She looked around the garage. “Pat? Where are you?”
Pat shuffled to the table, then turned to leave when he saw their guest. “Pat, bring me two glasses and my hidden bottle.” Pat looked confused. “You know, the hidden one in the safe?” He nodded and went to retrieve the bottle in question.
“Thank you,” Woody said. “I understand my daughter is here.”
Kai watched the exchange from the car, but knew she needed to face her father. She connected the pedestrian she almost hit, the man she ran into on the sidewalk, and the jogger. Odin had been following her. Gently placing Seth’s head on the seat, she slipped from the back seat.
“I am here, Odin.” She knelt before him.
“Please call me Woody. I insist.” Woody reached out cupping Kai’s chin in his hand. “Sit next to me. Let me see you.”
Kai obeyed. She dreamed of sitting with her father, having him acknowledge her as family, but this felt wrong. She pictured a reunion with her whole family, with Odin and Frigg on their thrones and a feast. Every proper celebration had a feast.
Pat fumbled with the glasses when he returned, confused as to how to serve three people with only two glasses. Cecily took the bottle from him. “Thanks, Pat.” She poured the amber liquid in the glasses then toasted them with the bottle. “Is there some fancy Norse toast we should say?”
Woody stopped, the glass just shy of his mouth. “Oh of course. Let me think.” He mumbled a few hmm’s and uh’s then finally held out his glass. Cecily and Kai waited with reverence for a blessing from the God. “Here’s to beautiful women—” he motioned to the ladies, “—fine horses, and the men who mount them.” He slammed back the drink as Cecily and Kai stared flabbergasted. This was Kai’s father, the mighty and powerful Odin?
“Why are you here?” Kai asked.
“Can’t a father come visit his daughter?”
Kai held out her hand for the bottle. She filled the glass, emptied it in one gulp, then slammed it down on the table. Had this been a night out with friends, she would have impressed all of them with her drinking skills. However, this was not that kind of night. Instead she sat in a stinky, mold-infested taxi garage with a handful of paranormal beings trying to pass for human, the man she loved lay dying in the back of a car, a friend she didn’t even realize she had died, her sister was a crazed bitch out to kill her, and her over-zealous, egotistical father had the nerve to ask her if he could visit.
“How am I supposed to answer that? You are Odin—” he started to correct her, “—Woody. You can do anything you damn well want to do. I am one of your servants. I messed up, you sent me here, and forgot about me.”
“I never forgot about you. I have watched you grow into the warrior you are today.”
“You left me here.”
He emptied Cecily’s bottle into his glass. “I needed you here. There’s a difference.”
“Ha. Needed me? Frigg needed me out of her life. I reminded her of your infidelity.”
“Daughter, she calmed her anger since then.”
“That was a lifetime ago. Is she that hot-headed?”
He chuckled. “You have no idea.”
Kai was not amused at his joke.
“It was never my intent to cast you away for so long. You needed to be punished. Your job is sacred. There is no higher calling than what your kind does. When you came here, I never expected this realm to have the caliber of warriors you sent me.”
“You called them.”
“Some. But there were some you sent based on your judgment.”
Kai stood up and paced alongside the table. “But I always smelled the roses.”
“Have you not noticed the strength of that smell. You are coming into your own power.”
“What do you mean?”
“Very few Valkyrie’s rise to the level of power you have. Many stay followers, but you are different. Left here on your own, you had to develop a will to survive. You stopped being a follower the minute you pushed your warrior through the gate with no regard for yourself.”
Kai stopped. Her eyes burned with anger and her heart raced. Nothing he said made sense. “And now he will die an eternal death because of me. That is what a leader does?”
“It is your strength that has kept him alive.”
With her hands braced on the table, she screamed, “I don’t understand.”
Woody used his long leg to move her chair closer and motioned for her to sit. “If you’re done yelling at me, I will explain.” Kai took a slow, deep breath and blew it out. “Your warrior crossed the gates. He entered Valhalla. I sent him back to you.”
Kai tilted her head in question.
“He isn’t dying. He’s transforming. Your job is to bring those who have been called. You have never been through the gates. My soldiers have to die in order to be reborn for my army. Unfortunately for him—” Woody nodded to the car, “—it’s been a harder process for him on this side.”
The garage fell silent. No one moved. This revelation shocked everyone.
“Shut up,” Cecily broke the silence.
“I will not. What do you mean by insulting me like that?”
She fumbled with an apology, but Kai said,
“If you’re going to dress like a hipster, you need to know how to talk like one too.”
Cecily held her breath until Woody smiled and laughed a full belly laugh that relaxed everyone’s tensions.
“I suppose you’re right, Daughter.”
“So, you’re telling me that you sent Seth to help me?”
“Yes. I learned of Dahlia’s betrayal but was unsuccessful in stopping her. I knew you needed help when I learned she crossed realms seeking help from a demon.”
Cecily walked around the garage assuring the drivers that they were fine. She brought three cups of coffee back to the table. “But we have a problem. Dahlia has Kai’s key.”
“Yes, I know.” Woody grimaced as he tasted the coffee. “Are you sure you can’t find the glitter I mentioned?”
Cecily shook her head.
“Fine,” he grumbled. “Show me this warrior.”
Kai led him over to the car. He opened the back door and checked Seth’s condition. Kai held her breath waiting for his response. “The transformation is almost finished.” He reached in and scooped Seth from the back seat, leaned him against the car, and tapped his face until he opened his eyes.
“Kai, you have the power to end his suffering and further the transition.”
“How do I do that?”
“Hold him.” Woody brought Seth away from the car and helped him stand.
Kai wrapped her arms around him, but she slipped to the ground.
“It’s not working.” She stamped her foot like a toddler.
“Hold him the way only you can.”
Kai erased her glamour and opened her wings. She pulled Seth into her arms and cocooned him. Energy burned against her face. Her wings held him tight as he pulled to gain freedom. He moaned and pushed against her. A soft whisper in his ear and his eyes found hers. Seth’s heart beat in rhythm with hers. His blood rushed through his veins. His muscles and bones repaired themselves. The small heat in his core spread over his body and burned her soul. When she couldn’t bear the pain, she opened her wings and he tumbled out, with bright healthy eyes and glowing skin.
“What did you do?” he asked.
She ran her hands on his arms feeling his firm muscles. His hand clasped hers with strength she hadn’t felt before. He picked her up and held her tight against him. This was the strong hero she first met.