Ana knew the answer and was angry she hadn’t listened to her instincts from the start. Derek may have been right to some small degree, but the truth was far worse than he’d suggested.
Ana closed her eyes and said, “Ryan. Ryan’s his host now.”
Derek swore and Gabby adjusted to look at him. Lifen stood up and said in a soothing voice, “Now let’s just calm down. There’s no proof of that, is there?”
Mac answered, “Well, no. There certainly isn’t, but it’s not something we can ignore. From what I understand, he interrupted Ana from pulling Daemon free of Chance. A burst of light was seen and we are pretty confident that neither Chance nor Ana are his host at this point, so that leaves the person who left without a word.”
Lifen stood speechless. She lifted her hand to her temple and said, “He’s my responsibility. I should have gone to check on him—I thought he was just being an annoying youngling and was licking the wounds of a broken heart.”
Batukhan got up and put his arm around her. “No one knows the future. You didn’t know what you do now. It’s what we do moving forward that counts. Mac, what are our options?”
For the last minute, Chance had been gazing at Ana. That same expression of determination came over his face that she’d seen so many times before. He rose to his feet and his fists clenched.
“Daemon can’t have her and I won’t let Ana die. How do we get phoenix form?”
“Enter our hero,” Mac said with a toothy grin. “The only problem we face is the fact that only shifter healers are able to take this form. That makes it harder to find someone who knows it, or has a relic from one. This is why the legends say the phoenix is reborn every thousand years.”
Everyone but Ana turned to Lifen, hoping the solution was at their fingertips. Ana already knew her mentor didn’t know the form, she’d already told her so.
Lifen answered their stares. “I wish I knew the form. I’ve only heard legends of the bird.”
Chance’s eyes were frantic, moving back and forth. “Okay, we need to find another shifter healer or a relic of the phoenix. And we need to keep her from Daemon while we look. How much time do you think she has, Mac?”
“I can’t be sure, but her energy should continue to expand. It could be months at best, but I really don’t know.”
Lifen’s gaze fell on Ana. “There must be something we can do to slow this process.”
Mac answered, “I think there may be. It’s beyond my abilities. There’s only so much I can do as a shapeshifter, but I think you and Gabby might be able to work together to help her. And Ana will have to stop using her powers altogether.”
Everyone was staring at her. She felt like a strange species on display at the zoo. Nothing was okay about any of it. Her skin crawled and heat flushed to her neck and face. She didn’t like being the subject of study. Ana didn’t like it when she was five in the cardiology clinic and she didn’t like it now. Any private cave would do, someplace dark and hidden from view. She needed the one thing that was always there for her.
With a gasp, she launched off the couch and ran down the hallway. Past the meditation room and the stairs leading to the lower level, she pushed her way into Lifen’s room. She didn’t let her eyes stray to the illustration on the wall of the colorful mythological bird, because she didn’t want to acknowledge it. Her feet padded up the circular stairwell to the glass-enclosed lookout and stopped at the top step.
The clear, onyx sky held a multitude of bright, white points, glimmering away, naïve to what was unraveling below them on Earth. Ana tilted her head back. A stream of wet tears poured from her eyes and caught in her hair. She clamped her eyes shut and balled up her fists.
It was too good to be true, she told herself. Cursed to die young.
Her breath caught in her throat, pain traveled from her lungs, to her extremities. Lightheaded and numb, she sank to the floor, but a pair of arms caught her before she hit the ground.
“I have you.” Chance’s voice brushed past her ear.
Whimpering sounds filled the room and she realized it was coming from her. Sobs and cries followed once she took a deep lungful of air.
Chance’s hand cupped her face and he lowered his forehead to hers. “I won’t let anything happen to you. You’re safe.”
Words like those were whispered to her when she was little. She’d gotten to the point when she didn’t want to hear it anymore, because it felt like a lie. There was no way he or her mother could make promises like these. She knew this.
But she held her eyes shut anyway and pretended he was right.
Chapter 14
Chance tiptoed out of Ana’s bedroom, pulling the door shut behind him. He could still hear her rhythmic breathing from the hallway, although he was searching it out. Tears had sealed her eyes shut as she fell asleep just minutes before. It was his turn to soothe her, a task he’d taken seriously. After so many nights of her calming his energy, their roles were now reversed.
Lights were on in the living room so he knew someone was up. At that moment, he’d take anyone, because there was a long list of people he needed to talk to and everyone in the house was on that list. Although Mac was on the top of it.
Chance rounded the corner into the lit room and found everyone grouped up there, having their own animated conversations. He held his breath to push away the emotion that filled his heart. He’d expected most of them would have gone to bed since it was well after one-thirty in the morning.
Mac was talking with Lifen and Gabby while wearing a pleasant grin. Nothing much seemed to affect his mood, even serious topics such as death and evil superpowers. When he saw Chance, Mac lifted his head. “How is she? Sleeping, I hope?”
Chance combed his fingers through his hair. His voice came out gravely and rough. “Yeah, she’s out.”
Derek was sitting cross-legged, spinning his phone on the carpet. In a quick motion, he swiped it up. “I could just give the guy a call. It’s New Years—he’s gotta be up. I can ask him where he’s at and let him know you all are getting married. See if he bites.”
Obviously Derek had been waiting for his opportunity to speak. Jordan was lying on his back beside Derek and he nodded in agreement at the suggestion.
Mac touched Lifen’s and Gabriella’s elbows and muttered something to them. The women walked down the hallway together and the meditation room’s door slid open, then shut.
An innocent glass sculpture, sitting on the side table, was palmed by Mac. He began to roll the orb over his hands in a fluid movement like Chance had seen a magician do when he was a child. Mac answered Derek, “I love your enthusiasm, but that’s not the best route at this point. We don’t want to alert Daemon, plus there’s no real way of knowing if he’s in Ryan unless he makes a move for Ana. I don’t think he’s going to tip his hand unless he’s gloating, like he did the last time we met.”
Jordan rolled onto his stomach and sat up. He frowned. “But how do we know where he is and if Daemon’s really in Ryan?”
The glass sculpture arced through the air and Mac rolled it down his arm, into his hand. He winked at Jordan. “I figure there’s two ways. One, we wait for Ryan to contact us to see how Ana’s feeling. If he’s got Daemon in him, he’ll be itching for another opportunity to hop into Ana before anything happens to her. Although he could be prowling around the mountains trying to get that information himself.”
Chance went to the windows and scowled at the inky panorama outside, anxious and on edge.
Mac called over to him, “Don’t worry. Batukhan’s outside keeping watch. He, Lifen and I will be taking turns to make sure Ryan doesn’t sneak in.”
That only gave him a small amount of consolation. He continued to search the landscape outside. He prompted, “What else? You said there were two ways to find out about Ryan.”
“Right.” Mac stopped playing with the sculpture and went to place it back on the table. “You may not like this one though. It requires Ana using her powers to try to home in on R
yan like she’s done before. From what I hear, she found Lifen that way? And you? If we can have her try to reach out to him she might get confirmation about Daemon and where he’s hiding out.”
Chance stared at Mac’s reflection in the glass before spinning around to face him. “I thought you said she shouldn’t use her powers anymore? So, if that’s the case, then why would I want her to do something that could shave days, or weeks off her life? No, not gonna happen.”
Derek and Jordan shared a look. Derek was the one who ventured to speak. “We only want to see Ana safe, man. But if it could help us know about Ryan, that could help protect her in the long run. Right?”
The tendons in Chance’s neck were pulled so tight, they actually hurt from the strain. When he spoke, every word was said with conviction. “I don’t care about Ryan. I don’t care about Daemon. I only care about finding a phoenix feather so I can save her life. Feel me?”
They didn’t speak, but nodded. Derek and Jordan watched Mac with wide eyes, obviously hoping he knew how to resolve the problem. Chance didn’t expect much, if anything. This guy had wormed his way into Chance’s good graces, helping him get past the trauma of his shifter sickness that turned out to be more like possession. Now it was becoming clear that he was just like every other mentor he’d had. His past was buried under layers of secrets and Chance was sick of it.
Before Mac could say anything, Chance added, “You’d better not tell me anything that’ll make me want to club you on the head again. This time it’ll be me—no ancient freak forcing me to. I’m tired of this crap. If you’re going to say anything, it’d better be helpful.”
Mac glanced at the other boys. “You guys had better head to bed for now. There’s nothing you can do just yet, plus I need to talk to Chance alone.”
The guys looked at Chance. Jordan jumped up and wandered from the living room. Derek took his time. It was obvious how much he wanted to stay to hear more, but with a backwards glance, he disappeared down the hallway.
“Why don’t we sit down?” Mac held his hand out to the couch.
Chance didn’t want to be told anything right now except how to help Ana. He crossed his arms and remained standing. “Can you just tell me what I need to know?”
Mac lowered himself onto the sofa cushion and laid his arm across the top of the couch. The light expression on his face receded. “Those memories you told me about, the ones with Daemon, they’re very old.”
“Yeah, I kinda figured that out.”
“Like I said before, the memories Daemon shared with you hold dangerous knowledge. You saw what can happen when the wrong person uses it for the wrong reasons. My ancestors knew of the power to move into a host body, extending one’s lifetime. They tried to unleash the kind of power that Daemon seeks, but in the end it’s what destroyed my civilization. Since then, it has been my post to protect the world from this knowledge and the ones who wish to use it as a stepping stone to immortality and ultimate power.”
“I sense more good news,” Chance said dryly.
“It is true that Daemon is going to be hard to get rid of, but that task will not fall on your shoulders. It is my responsibility and duty to deal with him.”
“And there’s nothing I can do to protect Ana from him?”
Mac grinned. “I can see how much you love her. This is why I have lived so long, traveling alone through this world—to fight for humanity and innocence. If you think about it, innocence is really a beautiful thing. Everything’s fresh and undiscovered. The journey lies ahead of you.”
At that moment, all Chance wanted to do was wipe that stupid smile off Mac’s face. Chance couldn’t stand how pleasant he was being. Ana’s life was in danger and meanwhile Mac appeared to be taking it all in stride, like nothing major was happening.
“How can you smile like that?” Chance spat.
Mac tucked a long, dark strand of hair behind his ear. “Because love is worth fighting for and I’m happy to have known you, Chance.”
Chance sighed. “Whatever. I don’t think I can stand talking about this anymore. I’m going to try to get some sleep, or at least I’m going to keep an eye on Ana. I want to be there for her if she wakes up. See you in the morning.”
He didn’t wait for a response. Instead, he lumbered down the darkened hallway. Lifen’s soft voice whispered instructions from behind the meditation door and he wondered how late she would keep Gabby up. At least they were working hard to try to help Ana in some way.
His hand rested on Ana’s door and he let himself in, trying not to disturb her sleep. Chance stood beside the bed for a while just gazing at her. Hair tangled around her face, she seemed sad even in her dreams.
Climbing in beside her, he wrapped his arm around her waist and nuzzled his face into the back of her neck. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. For hours, his mind raced, thinking about all the things that could go wrong and how he could possibly protect her. Frightened and exhausted, he fell asleep before the sun came up while he held her tightly against him.
Chapter 15
Silence woke her. Ana’s eyes opened and she stared at the dresser opposite her. The first of the morning’s rays crept in through the high windows and bounced off the white walls. She would have preferred the weather represent her mood, dark and gloomy, but instead, Mother Nature had other plans.
Chance’s arm hung over her waist and his rhythmic breathing filled her ears. She wasn’t surprised to find him there with her. She was glad he’d remained with her through the night. Strange dreams had filled her sleep, bits and pieces filled her thoughts, like images of her mother and sister, laughing and talking around the Christmas tree while opening presents, and Chance slipping his grandmother’s wedding ring onto her finger. All memories of things that never would have happened if she’d died that night on the mountaintop. All of them, gifts.
Ana slid herself toward the edge of the bed and felt Chance’s hand slip from her body. His breathing remained the same. She didn’t want to disturb his sleep. Knowing him, he was likely up most of the night trying to find ways to help her. He was her valiant protector. He’d saved her life countless times. But this time . . .
As quiet as she could she pulled on a sweater and jeans and walked barefoot out of her room. Her stomach growled. A pain echoed through her belly, sending a clear message. Her mind was numb; food was the last thing she cared about. Just the same, she walked down to the kitchen to rummage for breakfast.
A dinged-up banana seemed as good as anything, so she picked it out of the fruit bowl on the counter. She peeled away its skin and took bite after bite until it was gone, never tasting its flavor or enjoying its sweetness.
“Good morning, Ana.”
She jumped, startled. Ana spun around to find Lifen in the doorway. Her hair was pulled back into a neat bun. Faint circles hung below her eyes, although nothing could mar Lifen’s pristine beauty.
“Morning,” Ana responded. “You look tired. Did you get any sleep?”
“Oh, some,” Lifen said, her cheeks lifting into a melancholy expression. She entered the kitchen and put the kettle on the stove. “Would you like some tea? It looks like we both might need it.”
“Sure.” Ana was devoid of the ability to make or continue conversation.
Sensing that, Lifen continued, “Are you up for some activities today?”
“Um, I thought I wasn’t supposed to use my powers anymore.”
“Yes, that is true. We do not want you using your powers, but that does not mean Gabby and I have to stand idly by. We would like to try some things to see if they help slow down the process.”
“Fine. I didn’t have anything else on my calendar for today.”
Lifen rested her hand on Ana’s shoulder and immediately following, a sense of calm filled her. A soft glow emanated from Ana’s exposed skin and Lifen withdrew, her eyes wide.
“Thanks anyway,” Ana said while tears threatened to pour out.
Lifen looked like she wanted to hug her. H
er voice was choked up when she responded, “I am so sorry. Would you look after the water on the stove and I’ll go wake up Gabby. We can get started right away.”
Ana nodded. She watched Lifen turn from the room in a hurry. Ana wondered if she’d left because she didn’t want Ana to see her emotion or fear.
Standing alone in the kitchen sipping her tea, every mouthful scalded her throat as she swallowed it down. A good ten minutes went by before she heard footsteps come down the hallway.
Gabby rounded the corner with a brush in hand. Her makeup hadn’t been ignored, eyeliner traced an arc along her upper lids and thick mascara coated her lashes. Fuchsia lipstick made her lips stand out. There was nothing about Gabriella that didn’t stand out.
“Late nights and early mornings,” Gabriella grumbled. ”How am I going to get my beauty sleep? This does not help with puffy eyes. I do not know how you always look so good.” She rested her hand on her hip. “I take that back. You look like hell, no offense. How are you doing today, sweetie?”
Ana just stared at her reflection in her mug and her cheeks began to quiver. Before she could say anything, Gabby came up to her and gave her a hug.
“It must be hard being told you are dying. But you were not around last night while everyone was making plans and working things out. We will do everything we can. You better believe me, because I am no liar.” She squeezed Ana’s shoulders and pulled away. “You going to offer me some of whatever you are drinking? Please tell me there is caffeine in it.”
Ana laughed and shook her head. “Yeah, there’s caffeine in it. Thanks, Gabby.”
“Well, Lifen said to meet her in the mediation room in a couple minutes. That gives time to eat something quick. Have you seen Derek today?” Gabby said as she opened up one of the cupboards.
“No, I haven’t seen any of the guys.” Ana took another sip of tea and said with a smirk, “Looks like you two are getting close.”
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