She explained everything that had happened, and the director sighed. “I’m so sorry for everything you went through, Princess.”
She shook her head. “I was the happiest I’d ever been, Mr. Thomas. It was only the last two months that were hell on Earth.”
“Well, I wish you luck, Mickala,” he said, getting up and giving her a formal bow.
She grinned, returning it. “Oh, and a couple more things. Aiden’s Connected with a Delling, and Ian? He’s King Ari’s grandson.”
The Elagonian was completely shocked. “But, we all thought James and his family had been killed.”
“That’s what we thought until we all went to New York. Ian and his sister, Tianna, had survived, but she unfortunately was killed about three hundred years ago,” she replied.
“So, my new drummer is the Crown Prince of Elagon?” Mr. Thomas asked with a smile. “Does he know?”
“Yes, and it was difficult for him at first, but he’s come to terms with who and what he is, and he’s fully aware and well learned regarding both planets. Mother, Uncle Ari, and myself had helped him, but once he realized you were an Original, I think he talked to you more than he did us.”
Mr. Thomas laughed. “Well, I’m glad that my future self was of some good use to you. Go on and get stretched out. Because I know of the enormous toll it took, I think we’ll definitely stay inside today.”
* * *
After school, they headed home, and she called Chad and Philip to tell them to get their instruments. Michelle, Victor, and the others were sitting in the kitchen. She looked at her daughter closely. “How did it go?”
“Better than I expected,” she admitted, tossing her bag by the door where the others quickly added theirs to a growing pile. “Trey totally bought it. I see now why I fell for his act as long as I did. Even though I knew he was lying, right to my face, he sounded so sincere. If I hadn’t known? I would have believed him.” She looked at EJ. “You’re dead to him. He completely threw you under the bus, which isn’t anything less than what I had expected, though. He still thinks we’re friends, so that’s what’s important, and I nipped Kira’s bloody ass in line, so hopefully, there won’t be a repeat of Nehela getting stabbed.”
“We didn’t, either,” Victor said. “That’s why I already told him the apartment over the barn was his. Again. Chad and Philip coming over?”
“As soon as they get their gear,” Ian said, sitting down. “They already dropped their ‘dead weight’, I think was the term they used, to make room for us.”
“Good, cause I have something for you all,” Ari said, opening a large folder. “I had these faxed from my office this morning. I’ve already had Victor sign where he needed to, since you aren’t eighteen yet. Again?” He shook his head with a laugh. “I’m so damn confused. Anyway, I just need you guys to sign, and I’ll get Chad and Philip’s when they get here.”
Victor grinned. “EJ said I’d built you guys a studio beside the garage?” They all nodded. “I’ve been calling around, and I got the building permits fast tracked. It should be able to get started sometime next week.”
Ari handed Mickala, Ian, Aiden, Nehela, and EJ contracts that were identical to what they’d had before, down to the royalties and expenses. They all signed eagerly, and Chad and Philp signed as soon as they got to the house, and they all went out to the garage. After a few minutes of messing around, all music cut off, except for one guitar.
* * *
Everyone looked at Aiden, his face in a thoughtful frown. He was playing the intro to ‘Fallen’, their first hit, and Mickala’s mouth dropped. More and more of his memory was coming back. Eventually, everyone joined back in, and they played for most of the afternoon, and Aiden had remembered almost all of their songs they’d come out with, and Ari was beaming. “Now, I know how important school is,” he laughed as they all rolled their eyes. “The fact you’ve done it a hundred times notwithstanding, so I won’t interfere with that, but over the summer? Get ready to get to work. After the wedding, of course,” he said, grinning at his great niece.
She laughed, and it was a real, full laugh, the first most of them had heard since before Selene had died. “Well, I won’t have John Legend at this wedding, but I’ll have both my dads and my family, so it’ll still be amazing.”
Thirty Eight
Brotherly Un-Love (Reprise)
The next several weeks were just as peaceful as they’d been before, ‘The Demons’ quickly rising to their formal glory as they began playing locally, then extending their reach. It didn’t take them long to finish building the studio, and despite Ari’s willingness to wait until the next summer to work on the album, they dove headlong into it, with EJ resuming his position as their producer. As the album got closer to completion, Ari flew Mark down, their producer from New York. Everything seemed to get fast tracked, and they released ‘Fallen’ as a single just before Thanksgiving.
Aiden also regained more and more of his memories, and it wasn’t long before he had remembered almost everything they’d gone through. She was on hand when he remembered what it felt like when he died. They’d been talking, and his face suddenly drained of all color, and he crashed to his knees in the middle of the kitchen. His hands covered his face as his back arched so sharply, he almost bent back completely. A bone chilling scream tore its way out of his throat, and she’d never heard him sound like that before. She got on the floor beside him and took him in her arms, much as he’d done for her the day she turned time back, whispering everything was okay. Everyone had come running, thinking someone was attacking them, but they froze when they saw both demons on the floor, Aiden sobbing and Mickala holding him. He’s okay, she reassured them, sensing their panic. I think he just remembered his death, and it wasn’t very pleasant. He’ll be fine, though. Just give him some time.
It took him a few days to recover completely from that particular memory, and they began feeling the first faint tendrils of Xiden’s power, but Mickala was no longer afraid. They were in the living room just before Thanksgiving when Victor came running in, and he muted the TV before turning on the radio. They all laughed to hear their song playing. “This is just the beginning,” Ari said when Mickala and Ian talked to him that night. “You had just caught the tail end of the rock wave before. This time, you’re going to ride the whole bloody thing.”
Alex, Michelle, Travis, and Ari all came to Atlanta for the holiday, and they showed them the video for ‘Fallen’ the very first time on TV. They’d shot the video in Atlanta instead of LA this time, but that was the only difference, and Victor’s mouth dropped. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered, and she hugged him tightly.
They all dug into the food they’d all helped with, then the guys either slept it off or watched football while the girls were saving their strength. Only Aiden was brave enough to face the throngs to go Black Friday shopping with them, and they all had a blast. They got home about six in the morning with two cars and a truck full of things they’d gotten at amazing deals.
* * *
When school started back, they started dress and venue hunting for what would end up being a summer wedding. Only a couple days after getting back in school, they began decorating the enormous house for Christmas, and it looked like something out of a magazine. At night, it was lit up beautifully. Finally, Mickala could say she was truly happy again. Even Selene’s death no long hurt with the same intensity, knowing her daughter would soon be back in her life.
Everyone was on hand again for Christmas, and they felt as if Ari gave them the best gift ever with a platinum record for their self-titled album, and their single hit number one. Shortly after, invites and nominations for the awards show season began coming in.
The day after Christmas, Aiden looked at her. “My brother, he’s behind schedule, isn’t he? You said December 20th was when he attacked the first time?”
She nodded. “But he’ll be here before January. I can feel it.” They already had their plan in place. They were go
ing to make it look like they’d gone to school, but they were going to wait at the bottom on the driveway, and as soon as Xiden arrived, Ian would pop them all back into the house. Victor’s car was going to be there, but Mickala didn’t want him to even be in the state. Instead, he was going to Miami with Travis and Michelle. EJ was going to be watching from the barn, and as soon as he got a signal from Mickala, he would trap Xiden’s powers. “Remember, he’d said they paid him for me. I want to find out for sure if it was Trey or not,” she told them all.
It was New Year’s Eve, and Mickala’s feeling was getting stronger. “I have a feeling it’s going to be today,” she said. Victor had left Roswell the night before. They were out of school, but they left the house in the pretense of going shopping, and it wasn’t just a few minutes after leaving when Mickala felt the power burst signaling Xiden’s arrival. “He’s here,” she said in a low whisper, and they got out of the car and laid their hands on Ian’s shoulders. They closed their eyes and vanished, only to reappear in the library. They kept their energy under control, even as they turned to their halfway forms, and Nehela had her bow and arrow. Now, EJ.
It was only a few seconds later when EJ came back. You’re good to go, Mika.
They heard Xiden going through rooms, muttering to himself. “He said the human man would be here, but this damn place is empty.”
Mickala stepped out into the hallway, directly in front of Xiden, her ears flattened against her head, her lips twisted into a snarl. “No, Xiden. The human isn’t here, but I am, and aren’t I the one you’re after?”
Aiden stepped forward, golden eyes narrowed. “And me?”
Ian appeared on Mickala’s other side, then Nehela, and Xiden smirked. “My, my, aren’t you a bunch of little sneaks? You’re quite right, though. The man was just a little bonus for me.”
He held his hands out, but nothing happened, and Xiden looked confused. Mickala smirked, but Aiden laughed outright. “What’s the matter, big brother? Are you having problems?” He, Mickala, and Ian held out their own hands, glowing red, white, and blue energy balls forming. “Our powers, however, seem to work just fine.” His energy ball vanished. “However, we don’t need them to rid ourselves of you, once and for all.”
Xiden backed up slowly, his eyes wide as they advanced on him, Ian’s sword and the tip of Nehela’s arrow giving off a wicked gleam in the sunlight. Xiden’s eyes were shifting constantly, and they could sense him struggling to get to his powers. EJ’s shield continued to hold rock steady. “You won’t win this fight, Xiden. I’ve known for ages you were coming. I just want to know who paid you?”
“I don’t know the demon’s name,” he said.
“Okay. What do they look like?” Mickala asked again.
Xiden spat at her feet, and Aiden’s ears went back, a snarl coming from a feral grin. He jumped for his older half-brother, and Xiden was no match for Aiden, even when he wasn’t using his powers. His speed and strength were equal to what it was when he died, and Xiden was completely unprepared. He held him pinned up against the wall he’d just slammed him into, golden eyes glaring into almost frightened grey ones. “What did he look like?” he asked, spacing each word out slowly.
“It was a fire demon, red skin and eyes. He had black hair with red ends. He said he’d wanted you dead for centuries,” Xiden said, gasping for air around his brother’s crushing hand. “Nothing had worked so far. The fact it was your girlfriend was just an added incentive for me.”
“And the human you’re looking for?” Mickala asked, coming to stand beside Aiden, her expression mirroring his.
“Your adoptive father. This demon said the human had never trusted him, and if I killed him, too, I got a bonus.”
“Why?”
“Because, he said you loved the human, and you’d be easier to take out because of your grief,” Xiden said, his face turning an unsettling shade of blue. He struggled to break Aiden’s grip, but the fox demon was unmovable.
“And now, you’re going to die,” Mickala said calmly, then nodded at Aiden.
* * *
Aiden dropped him, then stepped a few feet back. Reaching inside his shirt, he pulled a small seed out. The Amanganza Plant burst forth, and it was just a few minutes before it slowly retreated, Xiden’s screams still echoing through the house, only scraps of bloody cloth remaining.
The plant nuzzled Aiden’s cheek, making the odd purring sound it had after devouring Valez, but instead of returning to its shell, the remaining vines and flowers turned to Mickala. The purring seemed to intensify as it stretched toward her, wrapping gently around her arm. She stood still as stone as it creeped up her shoulder but couldn’t help the giggle as leaves tickled the side of her neck. The plant jerked, almost as if in surprise, then the purring resumed, and the tips of the plant traced her cheek, and she gently stroked the petals of the flower. The plant seemed content in the interaction and withdrew back into the shell.
“Well, that was interesting,” Nehela said, her eyes wide. “I never knew the plant could actually like someone.”
“Well, Aiden said after using it on Valez that it seemed to like him, which was one reason he could control it so easily,” Mickala said, stunned. “But I think it likes me, too.”
They all burst out laughing, and she called Victor as EJ came from outside, grinning. “Dad? It’s over. You can come home.”
“Really? That quick?”
She laughed. “Yeah, that quick.”
“All right. I’ll be home soon.”
They hung up, and Mickala let out a deep breath, and her eyes narrowed. “Well, I guess we’ve known all along Trey was behind Xiden, but to know it for sure? I’ve got another reason to hate him.”
“And you still want to play nice with him?” Ian asked, an eyebrow raising.
“It’s getting harder as the days go by,” she admitted quietly, and Aiden and Ian looked at each other with a barely concealed grin. Victor made it home in less than two hours, then they got back on the jet in order to get to New York in time to see the ball drop on Times Square in person.
The start of the new year was incredible, with one major hurdle behind them, and only one left in front of them. They missed four days because of the Grammys, the AMAs, the People’s Choice Awards, and the Billboard Music Awards. They cleaned house each time, and Victor eventually added an addition onto the library to showcase their trophies and plaques. Mickala was still playing nice with Trey, and any time he made it to the house, EJ made himself scarce. If he had any reaction to Xiden’s failure, he never showed it beyond being in a slightly ill mood for a couple days right after school started. They relived Prom, and it felt just as magical as it had the first time. Finally, their graduation came around, and they had everyone there, and Mickala felt as if it was how it should have been from the beginning.
Thirty Nine
Dragon Flights and a White Christmas
Despite what she’d said months earlier, John Legend was still on hand to sing at her wedding, even if Ed Sheeran was still just getting on his feet. They had the ceremony at the Botanical Garden, but Victor insisted they have the receptions at his house. Her dress was very similar to what it had been before, and she still wore her grandmother’s necklace, as a requirement for the ‘something old’ and ‘something blue’.
Travis grinned as she hugged him. “Don’t worry, Mickala. I don’t feel slighted in the least. If Victor had been alive, he would have walked you down the aisle the first time. I’m just honored I got to do it once and thank you again for that.”
She smiled, kissing his cheek. “I love you, Travis. I really do.”
They’d decided against going to Jamaica this time, instead opting to do a vacation to Hawaii for two weeks. They flew together every night, and his amazement never seemed to cease. While they did everything from hiking to dolphins, but she absolutely loved the luaus. Aiden had to admit, he loved them, too, but as he watched her dancing with the islanders, he loved them for an entirely different reaso
n.
Time seemed to pass quickly, and Mickala continued to deal with Trey as they began touring, which was every bit as fun as it was the first time. For almost two years, while Mickala didn’t forget why they came back, she was content in living her life.
It had been almost three years since coming back, and Mickala was in the living room with her family. She had been thoughtful for a few days, and she finally sighed. “Are you okay, Mika?” Aiden asked, taking her hand.
“Yeah. I just…” she shook her head. “I just was thinking, I guess it’s time we did what we came to do.” Aiden and Ian’s eyes lit up like they were little kids at Christmas, and she couldn’t help but laugh. “I mean, he’s as off guard as he’s likely to get,”
“How do you want to do it?” Nehela asked.
“That’s what I’ve been thinking about these couple of days. I want him well away from anyone. I don’t want him trying to use someone as a shield.”
“I know you’ve got a plan, wolf girl,” Ian said with a grin. “What’s that evil little mind of yours thinking?”
She laughed, throwing a pillow at him, and he easily caught it, sticking his tongue out at her. “As a matter of fact, fire-breath, I do. I want to get him out into the woods, so I’ll just tell him I want to talk. I haven’t spoken to him for a while, so it’ll ‘be to catch up’, and I’ll eventually get around to Valez and Xiden. He doesn’t know I can turn back time, does he?”
“I don’t think so. I mean, I didn’t know, so I don’t think he would.” He went blank faced as he went into Trey’s mind, being the only one who could without him knowing. After a couple of minutes, he blinked, shaking his head. “He doesn’t have a clue, but I feel like he’s trying to plan something else. He’s growing tired of being your friend. Do you want me to do what we did before?”
“Good. The feeling’s mutual, and yes, but like before, I want you well away from him. You already know he’s stronger than Xiden.”
Releasing the Demons: Solarian Chronicles II Page 34