Immortal Transition

by K J Carr

  He nodded. “Speaking of attacks...”

  He moved towards me and put his hand on my shoulder, which was bleeding every time I moved.

  “Fuck and damn!” I hissed, the pain finally registering.

  Healing light appeared as he worked on the cut. “There.”

  “Thanks, Inias.” I moved my shoulder around a little. “Good as it ever was.”

  I walked out and went to my office, Ridwan trailing behind me. I stopped in the entrance and looked around this room that had been important for a good portion of my last six years.

  Ridwan didn’t disturb me, just stood behind me, letting me think.

  “You guys are right. It is time for me to move on. Everywhere I go, I cause people to get hurt.” I lowered my head, feeling like my heart was breaking. “They are not going to stop coming after me. He is not going to stop coming after me. Right?”

  I lifted my head and looked over my shoulder at Ridwan. He stared back, his eyes filled with compassion. He recognized the rhetorical question. I sighed and then moved into the room, my fingers lightly touching my desk.

  I opened a few drawers and then closed them. Looked at the things on my desk and then exhaled again. Picking up the picture of Marcus, Kaitie and I from one Christmas where we had gotten Marcus to pose with us in front of our Christmas tree, I turned and faced him.

  “There really isn’t anything here I need. Nothing that is important enough to take with me, except this.” I started to move to the door. “Let’s see if Sally had started the paperwork for my retirement. I’ll just sign it now and be done with it.”

  “Nica.” Ridwan stopped me with a hand on my arm. “I’m sorry.”

  “Me too. And yet, I will get to live forever.” Sarcasm was the only way I could deal with this.

  I really had no choice, once Achilah had targeted me. I either would die, become Tennin, or god forbid, become daemon. Because that is what I think Achilah really wanted — to change me into one of his monsters.

  Ridwan pulled me close, his breath warm on the top of my head. “I wish there was some way we could just transition you now, but we can’t. You must live your life. You must end this one before you can become a Tennin. There are reasons why it is part of the transition process.”

  I leaned into him, enjoying his warmth. I loved his clean smell — sunshine and fun, if either had a scent. He was a good friend.

  My mind took a short side bar and wondered how I wasn’t really attracted to any of these gorgeous Tennins, outside of those few times with Malak. They were masterpieces of male anatomy. They all cared for me, I knew, and spent a lot of time helping me and training me. Perhaps I was just flawed.

  A thought whispered through my mind. Perhaps you are not meant for them. Not human, not Tennin, but other. That thought felt almost like El.

  But then, it really didn’t matter. Right now, I needed to focus on keeping those around me from becoming victims of my daemon stalker. Because he was playing dirty.

  I pushed away from Ridwan and made my way back to Sally’s office. A Tennin I didn’t recognize was leaving, a daemon body over his shoulder. He waved at Ridwan, who was walking a step behind me, and then teleported.

  Inias was positioning Sally in her chair behind her desk. The room had been put to rights and all the bodies had been removed. I couldn’t see any blood, but I didn’t have one of those special lights to check either.

  “Did you happen to see some paperwork that might have involved me?” I tried to keep my tone light as I entered the room.

  “Didn’t look.” Inias gently laid Sally’s head on her arms.

  I went over and looked at some of the paperwork on her desk. I found my retirement paperwork under a couple of folders and pulled it out, reading it over quickly.

  “Do you think she will freak out if I just sign this now?” I kept my eyes on the papers.

  “Make a copy, sign that, if it looks pretty standard, and put it on your desk. Make it look like you were thinking of this before and had forgotten that you had already signed them and were going to turn them into her in the next few months. This way, it won’t disturb the story I implanted for tonight.”

  I didn’t even think but turned around and headed for the copy machine. I was tired, and I just wanted to get this over with. Making a copy, signing it, and placing it in a folder on my desk didn’t take much time at all. I returned the originals to the same place on Sally’s desk where I had found them, and then walked out on this phase of my life, the two Tennins trailing behind me. I could feel the weight of Inias’s gaze on me.

  Chapter 16

  Home. It wasn’t safe anymore, but it was mine. I wanted to sleep for about two days, but I knew that wasn’t possible, either. Instead, I wished for eight hours of uninterrupted rest.

  As Ridwan and Inias accompanied me home, I wondered how other Transitioners handled this in-between time. Time between making the decision and when they died. Did it go smoothly for them? Or was it quick and violent? What did they learn about Tennins, and daemons and themselves?

  Sitting in the back of my car, I leaned my head against the window, looking out into the darkness. I suspected that they didn’t have all these issues; that their time was spent mostly just living their lives and doing a little weapons and physical training. Like always, I had to be different. Only I had to come to the attention of the evil, murderous daemon general. What was with that?

  For a second, I thought about praying, but then realized that this may all be someone’s plan. Perhaps God or the ultimate spiritual being was testing me. I snorted. I wasn’t an atheist, but my spirituality was on the casual side.

  Inias glanced back, a worried look on his face. “Nica?”

  Ridwan was more to the point. “Okay back there?”

  I waved a hand at them, keeping my gaze outside the car. “Yep. Just thought of something weird.”

  I could see the two men glance at each other out of my peripheral vision, but they didn’t respond. Which was good, because I didn’t know what to say to them right then.

  We pulled up at my house and I could see T’Koran sitting on the stoop as if he knew I might need his calming presence. I couldn’t remember when I had last saw him. Was it at the hospital? I hoped he forgave me for being such a bad host and friend. I wondered if he had found something to eat, since I hadn’t been home in over twelve hours.

  Ridwan and Inias left the car and followed me up the walkway. I stopped at the stairs, meeting TK’s alien gaze.

  “Will you be okay, Nica?” Inias’s voice was quiet, but I could hear the note of concern in it. I nodded. “In that case, let’s train tomorrow morning. You need sleep and it is already two a.m., so let’s say around ten.”

  I nodded again, not saying anything, not looking away from TK. I know my quietness made the men even more uneasy, but I just couldn’t care right now. They turned and walked away, teleporting once they had reached the end of the sidewalk.

  TK stood up and put out a hand. I continued to look at him a moment more and then I walked up the stairs and took his hand. We entered my house and went to the living room, both of us sprawling on my couch.

  Leaning my head back, I asked my daemon friend, “Hungry?”

  No, Nica. Not right now. Torry fed me today. He patted my shoulder.

  I sighed. Even the man I was the most uncertain about had taken care of what was mine better than I was able to. He was watching and loving Kaitie, helping with Vern, and feeding TK. A tear formed in the corner of my closed eyes.

  I felt two arms go around my neck and I automatically pulled him closer.

  I am sorry, Nica. I wish I could do more. TK whispered in my ear. When I am in this form, I cannot, though. In some ways, Achilah has control over most daemons in this area. The best I can do is keep you informed as to what he is doing.

  I sniffed. I really didn’t expect anything from the little daemon. He was more a victim than I was in this mess.

  “I am just glad you are my friend, TK
. You have no idea how much help you have been. If for no other reason, I know that all daemons are not the same. Some are actually good people. And that is something I need to hold onto. That I cannot judge everything based on what one does to me or to those around me.”

  I opened my eyes to look at him, ignoring the tears that trickled down my cheeks. He wiped my cheek nearest him dry, his eyes sad. You need sleep, Nica. Things will be better in the morning. His voice was soft in my head.

  “You are right.” I wiped my nose on my sleeve, not caring at this moment that it was gross, before running my hands over my cheeks to wipe away the wetness. I sniffed loudly. “Here’s hoping that El will not disturb me tonight. I have already seen her once today.”

  T’Koran just nodded at me. I got up and refilled his water bowl and put out a snack for him, just in case, before trudging up the stairs.

  Entering my bedroom, there was another pendent sitting on my pillow. It was beautiful and full of the lights one might see in the Void. I touched it, the surface smooth but an irregular shape. I could feel the power that remained in it.

  Sighing, I put it down on my bed and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I had almost slipped into bed, forgetting that I had been in a bloody fight only a few hours before.

  But, yuck. Even I couldn’t stand to do something so…gross. I walked back into my bathroom. The shower was a definite, but I didn’t linger in the hot steamy water either. I think it must have been one of the fastest showers I have taken in a while. I even washed my hair, braiding it up quickly afterward so that it would dry in waves.

  Slipping between the sheets, I held the pendent and then stepped into the Void.

  “El.” My voice sounded wary, even to my ears. Surprisingly, she appeared immediately.

  “Nica.”

  I lifted the gift. “What is this?” Well, that sounded exhausted.

  “A protection stone pendant, Nica. Achilah is coming after you, attacking first those around you and then trying to get you. This will help to slow him down so others can get to you and help you.” She paused and then hurriedly added. “I had given it to you on your birthday, but you had left it here.”

  Huh, I had forgotten.

  While that sounded like the truth, there was something in the way she didn’t quite meet my eyes that set alarms ringing in my head.

  “What else does it do? Remind me.”

  She didn’t want to look me in the eyes, but I wasn’t going to let this go.

  “El’noviria.” I insisted.

  She finally looked up at me, her face a little defensive. “Okay, it is also a tracking device. For me. I need to be with you when you die.”

  That surprised me. “Why?”

  She crossed her arms in front of her. “I cannot tell you. Just know that we are tied, that our destinies are intertwined.”

  Well, that was interesting. I never really wondered why El was so focused on me, but this explained a small piece of that.

  I was about to ask her exactly how we were tied together, when she pushed me out of the Void.

  Angry, I was about to step back in to confront her, when my tiredness overcame me, and I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

  ∞∞∞

  I could feel the warmth of the sunlight on my face when I woke the next morning. TK was snoring softly at my feet, making them almost too warm. Damn El, she had pushed me into sleep, but I couldn’t really be angry with her because I had needed it. I stretched, disturbing TK for a moment before he shifted and went back to snoring.

  “Up and at them, sleepy head.” Ridwan slouched in my doorway, his wry grin smeared across his face, his arms crossed over his muscular chest. What a yummy way to wake up. Too bad I wasn’t going to play with my trainers. I yawned.

  “Is there a particular reason…?” I quirked an eyebrow at him.

  “Morning run. You have been getting lazy. I saw how you were huffing and puffing yesterday while we were fighting. Ten minutes, downstairs, ready to go.” He smirked at me before turning and stomping back down the stairs.

  I groaned. “Ha! I wasn’t huffing anything.” I mumbled this under my breath, but TK chuckled sleepily.

  Blond Tennin will pull you from the bed, Nica. You know that. He lifted his head and blinked at me.

  “I know.” Grumbling, I started to get up when TK stood and scrambled up to my shoulders. Wrapping his arms around my neck, he kissed my cheek and then hid his face in that pocket between my neck and shoulder. Startled, I hugged him with one arm. “What’s wrong?”

  He shook his head and then stood. Just be careful, Nica. Achilah is mad at you.

  I stared at him for a minute, before gently pushing him aside and swinging my legs out of bed. “And I am mad at him, T’Koran. He is attacking my family. That should be a Do-Not-Do law in some rulebook for evil villains.” I stood and stretched again, reaching for the ceiling. “Ugh!” My back cracked loudly.

  He not see that. TK’s voice was sad and soft.

  “I know that, little guy. But he needs to learn.” I quickly got dressed in leggings, a sports bra and T-shirt. I ran down the stairs while pulling my hair back with the hair tie TK had handed to me as I left the room.

  “Laces, Nica.” Inias stood near the bottom of my stairs, dressed to accompany us on the run. Darn, he rarely came along.

  Rolling my eyes, I squatted to tie them. “Why the join, oh wise one?”

  I heard a snort. That had to be Ridwan. Inias wouldn’t do something so uncultured.

  “Both of us will be accompanying you as much as we can for now on. Achilah is stepping up his game.” Inias didn’t even crack a smile.

  I stood and started doing a few standing stretches. “Even in the Ladies room?” I was facing the wall, one of my legs in my hand as I stretched my quads.

  This time, Ridwan did a full out chuckle. I glanced quickly at Inias, a small smile on my face. Not even a twinkle in his eye. Hmmm...

  “If need be.” Man, he was serious about this. Then again, hadn’t he just entered a Ladies room to save me recently, as well as come to my workplace to fight daemons? I guess he had a right to be serious about my protection. I turned and looked at him.

  “I am not stopping my life because of him, Inias.” Perhaps I was being stupid, but I also didn’t think that jumping at shadows was any way to live. “I don’t plan on being careless, but he will come after me if I sit in this house or if I go about my business. Achilah is an asshat with a boner for me, for reasons he can only say.”

  This time it was Ridwan who answered. “You are right, Nica. But remember, if you die, we need to be there with you. We need to help you Transition. If we are not, or even if only one of us is with you, you will not Transition.”

  I was going to say something flippant like “So what? Then I will die.” Until I remembered that that is not what Achilah wanted. He wanted me under his thumb, using my supposed powers to do his bidding. And becoming daemon just may be a fate worse than death.

  I walked towards the door. “Okay, deal. Let’s get this over with. You know I hate running.”

  Ridwan pushed in front of me, opening the door and doing a quick scan of the area. “Well, at least until the third mile. Then you seem to be able to run forever.”

  I snorted, as Inias locked the door. “And let the torture begin.”

  Chapter 17

  We were finally on our way to the hospital to see Marcus, after our lovely, but painful eight-mile run, when Kaitie called me, hysterical.

  “Nica! They hurt Torry! I think he is dying. Please help him!”

  “Kaitie! Where are you?” I panicked, but Inias reached over the seat and took my cell phone out of my hand, putting it on speaker. I turned to look at him, while Ridwan accelerated a little faster, looking for a way to change direction.

  “I am at home. I am not sure how I got here, but these people attacked us when he was bringing me home from my doctor’s appointment. They first went after him, stabbing him with something.” She paused and
then continued. “I know this sounds crazy. I am not exactly sure what happened next because I found myself here at home and I can’t seem to get out!” Kaitie rushed her words, her voice high and squeaky.

  Inias frowned. I waved my hand at him, figuring it was the fact she had been teleported home that he didn’t understand. That was minor compared to the attack.

  “Where were you attacked?”

  “I don’t know! Somewhere around Eighth and…” her voice cut off for a moment before coming back higher. “These… things – I don’t think they are human… are outside now and are trying to get in the house!”

  We heard a loud bang and then Kaitie shriek. There were shouts and bellows, but we couldn’t understand what was being said because they were outside of the house.

  I looked at Inias. He took over the conversation. “Kaitie, first of all, are you okay?”

  “Y-y-y-yes.”

  “Great. Stay in your house,” he continued. “We will send Malak to find Torry. I am sure he is okay, but we will let you know as soon as we find out. Ridwan, Nica and I are on our way to your house now. We should be there in…?” Inias looked at Ridwan.

  “About ten minutes.” Shit.

  “Ten minutes. Please find somewhere to hide, just in case.” Inias’s frown deepened. He didn’t say in case of what, but I was sure Kaitie could figure that out.

  I thought quickly. I hadn’t told anyone about the Void stones I had placed around Kaitie’s place, nor the Void bracelet I had given her and told her to wear always. I figured that since I could teleport through the Void, it must have teleported her back to the place where the stones had the heaviest concentration for her – in her house.

  “You should be okay, Kaitie. I have added a special security device to your house. I don’t think they will be able to get into your house easily. We are on our way.” I reached over and hit end call button on my phone.

  “That was unusual.” Inias started.

  “No, it wasn’t,” I interrupted. “She had a Void bracelet that I had made and there are tons of Void stones in her house. I have been placing them there over the last five years. The bracelet must have been keyed to the stones and had taken her to the place it deemed would be safe. I doubt the stones will allow the daemons to enter her house. At least, I hope not.” I turned to look out the windshield, sitting back in my seat.