Maven Warrior: Dark Warrior Alliance Book 20

by Brenda Trim

  Killian could tell that Zander didn’t miss the movement of the skirm as he pulled his phone out and dialed a number. Zander’s ear perked in the direction of the demons as he spoke into the phone.

  “Rami. ‘Tis Zander. I’m in the park. Bring Izzy, now,” Zander ordered.

  A second later Ramiel teleported to the park with a little being in his arms. Killian recognized Clarence right away and guessed the Brownie was ready to rip off the dress and wig and sink his claws into a demon. Zander had a close relationship with the small creature that monitored the entrance to the supernatural portion of Old Absinthe House, and that was why the male agreed to help with this mission.

  Before Zander put his phone away, the demons and skirm charged while Crocell took to the air. The archdemon swooped down over Ramiel and screeched loudly when he tossed Clarence away from his body then the creature followed the pink fluff ball as it tumbled through the air.

  Shouting, Killian ran toward the melee. Abraxos must have dropped their shield because several skirm yelled before they reached them. Zander stabbed and kicked a rage demon while Bhric tackled a hellhound.

  “Get the fuck back, you smelly, ugly mother,” Mack shouted then swung a broad sword. Killian hadn’t noticed the weapon strapped to her back. It must have been on Kyran because the female was tiny, hardly able to hide a claymore.

  Killian shoved his staff toward the enemy reaching for his shoulder and the wood embedded into the side of the Sheti demon snarling with demon slime dripping from its razor-sharp teeth.

  Abraxos held a flaming sword in the air and swung it at the demons as he flew through the air. The warrior angel was smiling as demon blood, and guts splattered everyone on the ground. Killian decided he needed one of those weapons of Light.

  Killian sent a flare of magic through the wood. When it reached the Sheti, flesh sizzled, and its side burst apart. The demon stood there, screaming in pain. The smell of burning, rotting flesh turned his stomach, but he didn’t stick around when he noticed Crocell headed for Clarence.

  Sidestepping a skirm, Killian ran toward the fight. Bhric froze a pus demon while Breslin threw her fire at it. The twins worked together as a seamless unit. In his haste to reach Crocell, Killian was hit from behind and went flying.

  A snarling hellhound jumped up and stopped his forward momentum with claws that sliced his face and chest open. Killian lost hold of his staff and sent it to its pocket realm, so it wasn’t destroyed in the fight. Suddenly finding himself underneath a hellhound, he grabbed the sgian dubh from the waistband of his pants.

  Stabbing through rubbery skin and into the chest muscle underneath, Killian shoved with all his might, hoping to slice through its heart muscle. On a whim, he added a touch of magic and was rewarded when a popping sound echoed right before a section of the hound’s chest exploded.

  Groaning when the black blood hit his open wounds, Killian crawled forward and rolled to his feet. “Bhric,” he called out. “Freeze the bitch before she reaches Clarence and teleports away.”

  Meeting his gaze, Bhric nodded and stabbed through the chest of a skirm racing toward him. Crocell was almost to Clarence and Zander was surrounded by rage demons and skirm.

  Mack raced by him and looked back over her shoulder. “You coming?”

  Killian watched in awe as the fierce female ducked and swung the broad sword as if it weighed nothing. She cut achilleas tendons and lopped off heads when she could, but she didn’t slow long enough to kill every enemy.

  Killian wasn’t as fast because he was much bigger than she was and less able to slip past. Not wanting the demon to get away, he ripped heads off with his bare hands. It was simple with them disabled by Mack’s injuries.

  Bhric roared from right behind him. A column of ice brushed over Killian’s shoulder a second later. A Sheti demon took advantage and raked through the frozen flesh. It was a good thing Killian didn’t feel the injury. However, his arm wouldn’t cooperate, and warm wetness poured down his back and chest.

  Without looking, he stumbled after Bhric. The sound of battle raged around him, and he nearly shouted when the ice slammed into Crocell, stopping her mid-flight. The screech that left her lips pierced his eardrums.

  Clarence turned and headed back toward the archdemon while Mack reached her at that second. Killian swore the archdemon was going to explode from how pissed she was when the wig was tossed at her, and she got her first good look at Clarence and his yellow teeth.

  Clarence grabbed something from the folds of Crocell’s dress, and Mack was swinging her sword as she launched through the air. Her weapon found purchase and tore a line diagonally through the archdemon’s chest. Her arm literally hung by a thread, and black blood poured from the wound.

  Killian shouted for Zander and Hayden,” Och, get the fuck over here and help end this.” They could kill the bitch, but they needed to act fast. The ice sizzled and began melting under the acidity of her blood.

  Killian used his good arm and flung the knife in his hand, aiming for Crocell’s head. It landed in her cheek, but she disappeared a second later. “Fuck,” he cursed and spun around. The Dark Warriors and C.L.A.W. were decimating the demons and skirm, but the archdemon was nowhere to be seen.

  “How did she manage to teleport away with that injury?” Hayden barked.

  “Damn, I was so close,” shouted Mack as she clenched her fists.

  “Nice try, Firecracker,” Kyran told his mate as he joined their group.

  “Thanks, bloodsucker. I greased my blade with holy oil from Araton. At least it’ll take a long time for her to heal,’ Mack replied with a wicked grin.

  Killian shook his head as he considered what this meant for his mate. They didn’t free her from the archdemon, but he wasn’t going to wait to complete their mating. He’d find a way to keep her safe.

  Killian looked at the Brownie who was holding a black orb in his hands. “What did you take from the archdemon, Clarence?”

  The brownie shrugged his shoulders. “Not sure. I saw something glint inside, and when Mack was attacking, I decided to go for gold.”

  “Shite,” Zander exclaimed as he took it from Clarence. “What the fuck is this shimmer inside?”

  Killian looked it over. “It looks like a shedim, but I can’t understand why she’d carry a communication device that’s only useful in Hell.”

  “Do you think this could be how she collects the power she’s taking from stripling?” Hayden asked as his hand hovered above the sphere.

  Now that the Omega mentioned it, Killian felt not only demonic magic but also, paranormal magic. It would be a major coup if they managed to steal her source of power.

  “Thank you for your help, Clarence. We owe you one. Let’s return to Zeum and see what the Mystik Grimoire says aboot it,” Zander ordered.

  Killian followed behind his friends, relieved the lower demons and skirm were nothing but ash and piles of black blood and rotting flesh. The Dark Warriors and C.L.A.W. would clean the mess while he got back to Teagan.

  He had a critical question to ask her. He only hoped his noble female agreed to complete the mating rather than walking away due to her fear of being a risk to the stripling.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “Are you serious?” Kari blurted. “That sexy guy at the door shifts into a dragon?” Teagan chuckled as her best friend returned to their room with her shoes. She’d left them in the car outside and had to retrieve them. She watched as her friend slipped the heels over her feet, happy that she’d taken the news of supernaturals so well.

  It took some convincing, but the council agreed that she could let Kari in on the secret. Kari was her only family, and there was no way she wanted to be without her on the most important day of her life.

  “Dead serious. And, don’t let him hear you say he’s sexy. He will hound you until he gets you in one of the bedrooms.”

  Kari waggled her eyebrows. “Will he have his way with me?”

  Teagan laughed, relieved that some of her
nerves were settling down. She didn’t want to be one of those women that cried as she walked down the aisle. “Don’t go there. You’re too much woman for him.”

  Elsie walked in with her sister, Cailyn, and both had nearly identical smiles on their face. “You look amazing, Teagan. You, too, Kari. We wanted to give you something old, borrowed, and blue for today,” Elsie told her.

  And that fast, emotions were clogging Teagan’s throat again. “I didn’t think they followed tradition in the realm.”

  Elsie waved her hand through the air. “They don’t, but it wasn’t that long ago that I was human, and I know it mattered to me. Plus, it’s our way of merging the two cultures, so to speak. I wasn’t sure what Kari brought you, but we want you to know we consider you our family now. We’d like you to wear our grandmother’s necklace. We lent it to Braelynn not long ago and wanted to continue the tradition.”

  Cailyn held out her palm with the chain in the middle of it. There was a large sapphire hanging from it. “Oh, that’s perfect,” Kari told the women. “I bought her a garter belt with a blue ribbon, but I didn’t have anything old.”

  “I love it. Thank you,” Teagan managed past a throat that was tight with emotion. “I don’t know what to say. You’ve all been so good to me.”

  Breslin breezed through the door at that moment saying, “I’m sorry to interrupt, but the guys are ready. I wanted to make sure you had everything you need.”

  “To translate Breslin speak, she wants to make you sparkle…from head to toe,” Mack said, surprising Teagan. She hadn’t seen the snarky female enter.

  “Every female must sparkle for her mating ceremony, and I knew Elsie and Cailyn were bringing the necklace. This is from me,” Breslin announced as she retrieved a wrapped present from her bag along with a beige stick of something. “Open that while I add some shimmer.”

  Curious, Teagan tugged the bow and paper off the present and opened the distinctive blue box. A gasp left her mouth at the moment Kari snatched the jewelry from her hands.

  “Can you adopt me on my wedding day? I want diamonds, too,” Kari announced. Teagan was too shocked to speak as she gazed at the earrings and bracelet. The setting was delicate and the stones the biggest she’d ever seen.

  “I told myself I wasn’t going to cry, and then you guys go and do something like this,” Teagan wept. “Thank you seems inadequate, but it’s all I have. You’ve made this day the best.”

  Breslin chuckled and lifted her arm then rolled what looked like a sparkly deodorant stick over her skin. Kari put the earrings in, followed by the necklace.

  “And, now you’re ready,” Kari said after Breslin stepped back. Teagan couldn’t answer, or the tears would flow, so she nodded. The new sisters she’d found, thanks to Killian, all wished her well and left the room.

  Kari was right behind them but paused to look back at her. Teagan smiled at her best friend, ready to meet her destiny. The second they stepped into the hall of Confetti Too, her stomach fluttered, and her pulse raced. It was really happening. She was getting mated. And it went way beyond marriage.

  As they entered the central part of the bar, she noticed the tables Killian loved so much were set off to the side, with candles in the center. Flower arrangements with stunning pink hydrangeas were everywhere, and twinkle lights glittered on the walls.

  Standing on the dance floor were all of Killian’s family and friends. The sight of everyone milling about was odd to her. She expected to see them sitting, like at weddings. The crowd parted, and Killian was standing next to Evzen and Zander.

  The sight of him made her heart skip a beat as she and Kari crossed to his side. He wore a black tuxedo with a pink tie. Suddenly she felt inferior in the simple white gown. She picked a dress with a fitted top and full skirt. It was made of silk with no lace or gems, and suddenly she wished she’d selected the one with elaborate beadwork.

  When he winked at her, and she saw his jade green eyes start to glow, all doubt fled. He loved her, and she knew he was barely holding back his desire for her. That knowledge settled in her soul. She was exactly where she was supposed to be.

  Killian wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. In the next breath, he lowered his head and took her lips in a passionate kiss. From a corner of her mind, she heard Kari mutter, “And, there goes the lipstick,” but Teagan didn’t care. When he broke the kiss several heated seconds later, she lowered her head to his chest to regain her equilibrium. It was then that she saw an image on the concrete floor.

  She couldn’t see it all, but she guessed it was of the Triskele Amulet. The symbol that represented their Goddess. Teagan never attended church and wasn’t particularly religious, but at that moment she felt connected to a higher power and silently vowed to serve the Goddess Morrigan for the rest of her life. It was reassuring to know that someone had looked out for her all those years, after all. And, her struggles brought her to Killian, so she refused to complain about her upbringing ever again.

  “Friends and family, please form a circle around the couple,” Evzen instructed and motioned for them to step forward.

  Teagan looked around and watched the Vampire King, who wore a kilt, and Elsie as they formed a circle around her and Killian. She was relieved to see Elsie grab ahold of Kari’s hand and guide her to a spot next to them.

  “We have gathered here in this beautiful place, under the eye of the Sun and the glow of the Moon. Let the circle be blessed and consecrated with Fire and Water,” Evzen recited in a clear, deep voice.

  Breslin, and her twin brother, Bhric, stepped forward. Kilian prepared her for the parts of the ceremony she wouldn’t be familiar with and explained that the twins always performed the fire and water segment because they had power over fire and ice.

  She had no idea exactly what was going to happen and couldn’t help the yelp that left her throat when a flourish of fire shot forth from Breslin’s outstretched palm to flow around the outskirts of the circle.

  Teagan was concerned something, or someone, was going to catch fire, but Breslin retained control over the flames. With a wave of her hand, the flames rose from the floor to the ceiling tiles. Bhric raised both hands as soon as the fire touched the ceiling. Immediately, water cascaded down in a sheer waterfall, extinguishing the fire.

  Glancing up, Teagan looked at Killian who had a broad smile on his face. She wasn’t sure how much more she could take. Her nerves were on edge, and her arousal was off the charts. One look and she knew she would endure anything for her mate. He was her everything.

  Going on tiptoes, she grabbed Killian’s face and planted her lips on his. Rather than sinking into the kiss, Killian pulled away with a chuckle. “Let’s finish this, Dimples.”

  Her face flaming, she nodded and turned back to Evzen, who held a rock in one of his hands. She thought she remembered Killian saying something about a mating stone, but this didn’t look like a precious gem capable of protecting their bond.

  “We call to the Goddess Morrigan and invoke her to bless this Mating,” Evzen called out then placed their mating stone in Killian’s outstretched hand. Killian lifted her hand and put it over the one he had the rock in. Immediately, electricity raced up her arm and spread throughout her body as they twined their fingers, trapping the rock between their palms.

  The air in the room reminded her of what it felt like to stand outside during a lightning storm. Evzen continued the ceremony as she pondered what caused the shift in the atmosphere from a moment ago.

  “We call upon the spirits of the East, of Air, Spring and new beginnings. We call upon the spirits of the South and the inner Fire of the Sun, Summer and personal will. We call upon the spirits of the West, of Water, Autumn, and healing and dreaming. We call upon the spirits of the North, of Earth, Winter, and the time of cleansing and renewal. Join us to bless this couple with your guidance and inspiration.”

  Invisible arms wound around her waist and extended up and down her body. It was as if she was snuggled in a blanket wit
h Killian. The connection she had with Killian from the first time they kissed somehow became stronger. The sense of completion made her wonder if it was going to change again once the ceremony and blood exchange was complete.

  With her stomach churning, she wasn’t sure she could do the whole blood thing. She hated the idea of it. She could just imagine throwing up all over Killian and not being able to finish their mating. Her DNA would change after that, and she would live as long as him. It was overwhelming to think of living for all eternity.

  The feel of Killian placing his palm over her heart startled her out of her musings. No time to get worked up now, she amended. She would do whatever it took to spend the rest of her life with the man she loved anything. Teagan followed his example and placed her free hand over his heart. He was as nervous as she was, Teagan realized when she felt his organ pounding under her palm.

  “I bless this Mating under the Sun and the Moon. This circle of love and honor is open and never broken, so may it be,” Evzen recited as he continued with the blessing.

  Gasping, she tried to pull her hand away when she felt the rock heat. Killian squeezed her fingers and shook his head. Keeping her gaze locked with his, Teagan took several deep breaths to calm her fear.

  She nearly lost her mind when a second later, her chest felt funny. She was panting when her soul surged from her body. Something wrenched inside her body. With wide eyes, she worried she was going to die.

  “Relax, Dimples. Our souls have temporarily entered the mating stone. This is where you give me back the portion of mine that you’ve been keeping safe.”

  She nodded to him and felt a smile creep over her lips. At first, Teagan thought Killian was telling her a romantic story when he said she carried part of his soul. It was impossible to understand the depth of the Goddess’s magic. Morrigan gave them each a part of the other’s soul to keep and protect. She wondered what she would feel like when she had her entire soul return to her body.