Regali (A Walker Saga)

by Jaymin Eve

  “She kept me on my toes. Unnaturally beautiful and the daughter of the Princeps, there used to be battles and balls to win her hand. I might have had to remind a few Walkers of their manners.” I could hear the smile in his voice.

  “If she’s dead, a piece of me will die with her, but I’ll eventually come to accept her fate.” His tone changed then as he bit out the final words. “But I can’t live with the thought that she’s alive, suffering the way that those in the dark mountain were.”

  “Is there no way to track the energy of a family member?” I snuggled in to him as close as I could, offering comfort.

  “There are a few things we tried, but there was nothing to be found. It’s so strange because even if she was dead her energy should still be somewhere. We decide what happens to our energy, but it’s as if hers is completely gone.”

  “What happens when you’re reborn? Do you remember your last life?”

  He shook his head. “No, I’ve been reborn once. I don’t have any knowledge of my past life, except that I had one.”

  My head shot up. I had no idea he had lived a past life. There were so many things I needed to find out about him. And I had been counting on an eternity to discover them, but who knew now what the future would hold. I had that feeling then, in my throat where the tears were trying to claw their way from my chest and burst out of my eyes. But I refused to let them. Now was not the time for crying; it was for loving Brace with every fiber of my soul.

  Hours later the rumbling of my stomach could not be ignored any longer.

  “Trying to tell me something, Red?” Brace’s chest shook with laughter.

  “I’m starving.” I groaned as I wrapped my arms around my stomach and rolled left to right on the bed. “Feed me or I’ll die.”

  He was out of the bed faster than I could blink and I was over his shoulder.

  “Never let it be said that I let my woman starve. You demand food and food you shall have.” He strode from the room, both of us naked as the day of our birth.

  “Uh, Brace, what about Lucy and –”

  I never got to finish before my tiny blond friend, who’d clearly heard our voices, was standing before us. I lifted my head in time to see her grind to a halt, mouth open and hands dropping to her side. And as per usual Lucy she didn’t avert her eyes.

  “Should I be blushing right now?” Brace asked, a grin curving the corner of his mouth.

  “Dude, you should be prancing around like the prize horse in a stud.” Lucy lifted her brows and smirked. “Abigail did not do … all of that,” she waved her hand at him, “justice.”

  “Lucy,” I huffed. “Try to find some decorum.”

  She cracked up. “Abbs, your bare ass is in the air at the moment. Maybe not the time for a lecture on decorum.”

  She made a good point.

  “Where’s Colt?” I asked, really hoping he wasn’t about to see me naked.

  “He just left to get us all some food. That’s why I was coming to find you.” She grinned again. “We figured you’d need some sustenance soon. Can’t live on love, you know.”

  I didn’t completely agree with her.

  “We’ll meet you in the main dining area in a short while,” Brace said as he turned and took us back to the bedroom.

  Over his shoulder Lucy caught my eye and mouthed one word – wow. I laughed to myself.

  He set me on my feet. “Sorry about that. I tend to lose all focus when I’m around you.”

  I stood on tiptoes and kissed him. “No girl is going to complain about that.” I dropped down. “And where are my clothes?”

  Brace opened an adjoining door I hadn’t noticed. Stepping through, I gasped.

  “Okay, now I understand why I didn’t need to bring anything,” I said, running my hand along the closest rack of dresses. “It’s a shop. In your house.” I looked at him. “Why do you have a clothes, shoes, toiletries, and homewares shop in your house?”

  He laughed. “Princeps get given a lot of things. Some has been gifted recently, but most are from Que and Lasandra, my mother. Take whatever you want.”

  I gave him the smallest grin. “Uh, when you get dressed you should tell Lucy to have a look.” This was her dream come true.

  By the time Lucy and I sat down for dinner, the wild beast and vegetable dish was pretty cold. We may have spent an unnecessary amount of time in the room of unwanted gifts. If I hadn’t been starving and threatening Lucy with death I’d never have gotten her out. I’d dumped my choice on the bed and hightailed it for food. After scoffing down the cold but delicious selection, my stomach finally stopped grumbling.

  “Colt and I have to leave for a council meeting,” Brace said as he shifted his chair back and stood. “I’d invite you, but I remember your snore-inducing love of these things.”

  I laughed. “Lucy and I will find something to do.”

  “If Red doesn’t have to go then neither am I.” Colton leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest. “I’m not in the mood and my wolf’s likely to rip the shit out of someone.”

  Brace kicked out the legs of his chair, landing him on the floor. “If I have to go then so do you.”

  “You’re the damn Princeps,” Colton grumbled, getting to his feet.

  “And you’re my second. Neither of us have a choice.” Brace reached down to pull me from my chair. “Trust me, I wouldn’t be leaving if I had a choice.” He kissed me twice, before setting me down and leaving the room.

  Colton sighed and gave Lucy and me a kiss on the cheek before slowly moving toward the door.

  “Move your ass, Colt, or I’ll break it.” Brace’s words had no visible effect on his friend’s speed.

  “So …” Lucy said, pushing back from the dinner table. “What ya wanna do?”

  “I think we’re overdue some girl talk.” I moved to link arms with her. “Let’s find ourselves a comfy seat.”

  Lucy laughed. “Oh, yeah, we have so much to discuss, like how the eff does that fit –”

  I cut her off with a hand over her mouth. “If you mention Brace’s naked anything I am going to hurt you.”

  She was pouting as I pulled my hand away. “You’re no fun.”

  I knew where the day room was from our previous tour. It was the one with the large squishy chairs. We threw ourselves back and I swear landed onto a cloud of beauty.

  “I think this is made from the hair of a Greek god,” Lucy said. “Have you ever felt anything so divine?”

  “So spill.” I turned my head to see her. “What the heck is going on with you and Colt?”

  Her features froze, and then I saw something on her face I’d never seen when she was with Samuel. Panic laced with pain.

  “Oh, eff, you love him.” I reached out and captured her hand. “Tell me everything.”

  “Well,” she said slowly, “I know why he thinks he’s broken, and I’m not sure there’s any future for us.”

  “Are you mates?” I asked. “Can Earthlings and Walkers be true mates?”

  She shrugged. “I thought what Samuel and I had was real, but now that Colt’s in my life I know that Sammy was just a drop in the ocean of real love. Colt won’t tell me if we’re mates. He won’t talk about it because he doesn’t think it’s safe for us to be together.”

  She laughed. “But we could be mates because I have some news. You don’t have to worry about my death from old-age.”

  My head shot up at these words. “What do you mean?”

  “I’m not from Earth,” she said. “I was born on First World.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “A vision,” she said simply. “I’m half First Worlder and half pixie.”

  I just stared at her for an extended minute. “Did you just say pixie? Is that why you can fly?”

  She laughed. “Yes, apparently that’s why I’m not leggy like the rest of First World inhabitants. The legend of the pixies is actually true. They’re one of First World’s oldest creatures. I asked Josian about it jus
t before we left, and he said that as far as he knows there’re no pixies left.” She shrugged. “But my visions tells me that they’re out there, hiding for some reason.”

  I hugged her hard. “Thank god. I’m so glad you’re not an Earthling. I need you to live forever with me. And I guess you’re right: you and Colt could be true mates. We know from my parents that there’s compatibility between our worlds.”

  “Magenta and Petal are the last of his family members.” Lucy whispered the words. “And he blames himself for the death of the others.”

  “What happened?” I asked. “What did he show you earlier?”

  “Graves,” Lucy murmured, her eyes staring off into space. “There were so many, spanning as far as I could see.”

  “Aren’t they Walkers?” I was confused. “How could they all be dead?”

  Lucy shook out her blond curls. “It’s complex but something to do with the wolf in their family tree. Apparently his father’s wolf went crazy and killed the rest. Colt said his wolf can kill Walkers.”

  “How is that Colt’s fault?”

  “I was off being an arrogant dick on another world,” Colton’s voice sounded from behind us, “when I should have been here protecting my family and stopping my father.”

  “You know that’s stupid, right?” Lucy stood, hands on her hips as she faced him. “You are not responsible for someone else’s actions. You couldn’t have known what was happening. And you at least had Magenta with you.”

  Brace stepped in behind him. “Sorry, baby, we just forgot a few things. We have to go again.” He laid a hand on Colton’s shoulder. “And I was on First World when this happened. Que stepped in and saved Petal, but it was too late for everyone else.”

  “He saved Petal because she was a child,” I guessed.

  Colt laughed; it was strangled and rasping. “He would never admit that. He just said he didn’t arrive in time to save any but her. But really Que cared for no one but himself, so probably he couldn’t be bothered to save the rest.”

  “And I still don’t understand how this misplaced guilt you carry means we can never be together?” Lucy challenged him again.

  Colton strode across to her, getting right into her face. He was almost bent in half to meet her gaze.

  “My father was a good man. The wolf tore through that, and then with no thought for those that the Walker loved, it killed everyone. I can never trust my wolf.”

  Lucy snorted. “You have loved ones already, dumbass. Magenta, Petal, Brace. There’s no difference. And anyone could go nuts and start offing people. Shit, it could be me who snaps next. I do have an awful lot of voices in my head. I know the danger, I accept it, and it’s my choice to make.”

  “No.” Fear darkened his features. “I will never risk you.” He strode from the room.

  “Come on, Brace,” he yelled as the front door slammed.

  “I’ll talk to him,” Brace promised as he touched my face once and left.

  Lucy stared out at the empty doorway for a moment. She might have wiped away a tear, but by the time she faced me her expression was calm.

  “It’s for the best,” she said before I could open my mouth. “You have to break the melding bond, and it would be better if I didn’t have ties to Colt. You’ll need the distance.”

  I huffed. Her drama had allowed me to temporarily forget about my future, and then back it came to kick me in the butt.

  “Two days,” I said to Lucy. “We have two days with the boys that are free from our problems. Let’s take this time for all the moments we’ll have without them.”

  She stood straighter and nodded once. “Yes. I vote for two days where we don’t mention any of our problems.”

  “They don’t even exist.”

  “Hey, Abbs, did I tell you I can fly?”

  I laughed. “I can forget some things, but that is permanently burned into my memory.”

  When Brace and Colton returned they had Petal with them. She was a ball of energy running around the room, dancing to music only she could hear and jumping all over her Bwacie and Cowt. I couldn’t remember laughing so much in my life; she was a true delight. So much innocence, untouched by her family tragedy. And then when her eyelids grew heavy she crawled into my lap. My heart almost burst as she snuggled her head into me and fell asleep.

  As I stroked her hair I looked up to catch Brace’s eye. He smiled gently, his entire face softening. He took the seat next to me and the three of us cuddled together for a while.

  “Who does she live with,” I asked Colton softly, “when you and Magenta aren’t here?”

  He shifted from where he was sprawled on the floor. “Petal lives with her father. He was never mated to my sister. He was her friend, so when she wanted a child he volunteered.”

  I’d assumed he’d also died in Colton’s father’s attack, so it was nice to know Petal still had her dad.

  “He’s a good man. Which lets me rest easy when I’m not here for Pet.”

  After a while I started to drift off, the warmth and sweet smell of Petal lulling me right to sleep.

  I tightened my arms as I felt her weight shift.

  “Let Colt put her to bed, love.” Brace’s voice calmed me.

  I opened my eyes long enough to see Colton take Petal into the first bedroom. He was back in no time as he gathered Lucy into his arms.

  “I’ll watch over them tonight,” he said. “You two get some rest.”

  Brace hauled me into his arms.

  “I can walk,” I mumbled sleepily.

  Of course, as I said that, I was burrowing in as close to him as I could.

  He laughed. “I got you, Red, go to sleep.”

  “Whatever you say.”

  It’s a rare gift to feel so safe that you could sleep soundly.

  Brace woke me early the next morning. Normally I’d have had to punch him for that, but his delicate kisses were so delicious that there was nothing to complain about.

  “Get dressed,” he whispered to me. “There’s something I want to show you.”

  I didn’t hesitate. Brace could lead me through the gates of hell and I’d be the one throwing shoes and sunscreen in my bag. I didn’t care where he took me. I shimmied into a pair of jeans, then threw on a white long-sleeved ribbed tank, my trusty boots and a jacket. It took me less than a minute to braid my hair.

  Once I was finished I spun around only to find a naked Brace sprawled on the bed, his dark eyes locked on me.

  My hands flew to my hips. “What are you doing?”

  The slightest grin crossed his lips as he pulled himself to stand. I lost my train of thought for a moment as I watched him. All grace and muscles. It took him no time to dress.

  “I couldn’t miss the show,” he murmured as he gathered me into his arms.

  I snorted. “I hope that wasn’t the reason you woke me at the ass-crack of morning.”

  His chest shook with laughter. “You have such a way with words, Red. And no, you have to see the sunrise on Abernath.”

  It was dark and cold outside. The only lights to break the surroundings were those from a few stray windows. Electricity worked here in the same manner as on First World; energy absorbed from the sun was stored in the buildings and used for power. Walkers could use their own energy, but this was easier.

  We hiked for a short distance to one of the edges of town and then out into the forest. As we moved on a path through the trees, I noticed a steady incline. By the time we cleared the forest and made it to the peak of the hill a huge ball of light was starting to crest the horizon.

  “Oh, my god.” I breathed in the early morning air, so crisp and tart. “I can see the whole city.”

  I was able to really observe Abernath: the main town and then so much of the natural habitat around it. The sun continued to rise. It was so close I felt as if I could reach out and touch its burning surface.

  “Turn around,” Brace said at my back.

  I spun slowly and more gasps fell from my mouth. There w
ere four suns. I’d thought that the sky was a strong yellow with one sun, but in reality four globes filled the sky and produced the yellow color.

  “I’d hazard a guess that they’re a mix between an Earth sun and moon. Not very hot, but providing life-giving energy,” Brace said.

  I turned my face from the wonder of watching the four suns rise right before me to stare at Brace.

  “We’re so close to them. And damn they move fast.”

  The orbs were already halfway into the sky.

  Brace didn’t remove his eyes from where they were locked on my face.

  “Is there something you want to tell me, Abigail?”

  Oh, shit. Clearly I hadn’t been as good at hiding my plans as I thought. Lucy was going to kill me. The question was how much did he know?

  “What do you mean?” I was proud that my voice did not waver.

  He took a step closer to me. “I get the distinct feeling you’re about to do something stupid.”

  Huh? Ass.

  “Something which you think is noble and brave and that you have to do alone. But in reality it will be stupid. Because we’re stronger together, as a pair, and I know when you don’t confide in me it’s because you’re either protecting me, or worried about how I’ll react.” He gripped my biceps gently. “If it involves us, then I think I need to know.”

  I sucked in a breath. Lucy was wrong; I had to tell him. It wasn’t really my place to make this decision for Brace. For us. I was just opening my mouth to spill everything, when a shout distracted us.

  “There you are!” Lucy and Colton scrambled up the last of the hill. “How amazing is this?” Lucy continued to chat in a frantic and friendly tone, but I could see the panic in her blue eyes.

  Once she reached me she took my hand, pulling me a little from Brace. My eyes narrowed; she never did things like that. What was going on with her?

  “Mind if I borrow Abbs? Need a quick girl chat.” She grinned at the boys and tugged on my arm until I followed her.

  Her smile never wavered as she leaned in close. “Can they still hear me?”

  I could barely hear her mutter. I shook my head.