by Claire Marta
Jasmine hung slightly back as they walked. She was chewing thoughtfully on her thumb nail. Quietly, she observed the four magic wielders. The cousins seemed eager to catch up with Twitch, and they genuinely seemed friendly. For once her friend looked completely at ease. He trusted these three.
Ella and Dane kept standing close to each other. Jasmine got the strange impression that something was going on with them. She hadn’t missed the furtive little glances. The way their hands or fingers would brush close when they walked side by side when they thought no one was watching. After what Twitch had told her about his parents becoming outcasts, because they came from opposite houses, it was no wonder his cousins wanted to keep it a secret if they were together.
It didn’t take long to reach a street Jasmine thought she recognised. The buildings were becoming more ornate.
“We’ll catch you later then,” Dane told them as they drew to a stop.
Twitch nodded with a mumble of agreement. The guys gave him a quick hug. This was more of a bumping of chests than anything else. Ella did hug the mage properly. Throwing her arms around his neck, she placed a kiss on his cheek. Twitch reddened faintly with embarrassment.
“See you around, Red,” Benedict called with a suggestive leer.
“Not if I see you first,” Jasmine muttered back, flipping him off. Deep boisterous laughter followed him down the street as he walked away.
“What’s with all the implants and metal?” she asked, as they watched them vanish into the swirling mist.
Twitch glanced at her with a contented look. “It means they have tech on them all the time. So they aren’t limited to relying on carrying stuff, or hoping there’s something near at hand so they can use magic.”
“But to alter your body so completely like that…” Jasmine murmured with unease.
“It’s not for everyone,” he admitted, turning back the way they were headed. “And if not done correctly, it can be dangerous.”
“Would you?” She asked, as they fell into step again.
“No, Gods no.” Twitch shuddered. “I like my body just the way it is…well apart from my scars.”
“What would happen though if someone set off an EMP?” Jasmine asked, as the question popped into her head. An electromagnetic pulse could disturb or damage technology. Somewhere like Avalon, the harm done by one would probably be substantial.
His eyebrows rose slightly as he shot her a sideways glance. “Nothing.”
“But wouldn’t it shut down all your tech?” She persisted.
“Fuck, you’re full of questions now, aren’t you?” The mage gave a raspy chuckle. “There’s too many spells and wards in place for that ever to happen. Plus the Jinn would stop anything like that.”
Jasmine was pretty sure the Jinn could stop anything. The amount of power she had sensed coming off them seemed to be ingrained in every fibre of their being. They were also more than a little creepy.
“So, what kind of magic do your cousins do?” she asked, dragging her thoughts back onto safer territory.
“Dane is a wizard, Benedict is a bard, and Ella is a witch.”
“Bard?” She hadn’t heard of that term before.
“Bards are rare. The magic isn’t easy to learn and you need to have a talent for music as they combine. That kind of thing can take years to perfect,” he explained.
“And Ella?”
Twitch threaded his arm through hers and pulled her close to his side. “Ella’s is linked to nature. She’s the only cousin I have on the Merlin side who talks to me and hangs with Dane and Benedict.”
Jasmine glanced up at him. “Your mother uses crystals.”
He nodded. “Yes and potions.”
“Why can’t you use both magic then?” she queried. This was something, which had been niggling her since he had told her his parents came from opposite houses. Their magic was very different. Yet Twitch was part of both.
“Both?” Twitch’s brow marred in confusion.
“Well, if your parents have different magic, can’t you use both types?” she explained patiently.
Twitch shrugged. “I don’t know. Tech magic was the one that manifested. I have never felt anything for my mother’s type of magic. I had enough trouble with what I have.”
Carbrey was waiting for them when they reached the imposing house. He didn’t waste any time ushering them into an elegant dining room. A sumptuous lunch had been prepared. Roast venison had been cooked in a rich herb sauce. Accompanying it were an assortment of boiled vegetables. Fresh baked bread lay sliced on a plate. The rest of the table was packed with cheeses, rolls, and bottles of fine wines. The smell was mouth-watering.
Twitch was stuffing the food into his mouth merrily. For someone so slender, he could pack it away. Carbrey ate at a more sedate, polite pace. Every so often he would dab his lips with a napkin, eyeing his Grandson, as if he disapproved of his manners.
Jasmine picked at her food. Her stomach was feeling a little delicate. Only a few mouthfuls had managed to make it past her lips. The rest of the time, she spent massacring and mashing her vegetables with her cutlery.
“Is the food not to your liking, my dear?”
In the middle of jabbing a piece of meat with her fork, the old man’s words startled her. “Oh...no it’s great,” Jasmine assured him earnestly. She quickly lowered her fork. “My stomach’s still a little upset from earlier.”
“She’s also nursing a broken heart.” Twitch interrupted with a sigh. With long nimble fingers he pulled a bread roll apart.
Any appetite that had been lingering abruptly vanished. Why did Twitch have to mention that? She really didn’t want to think of that arse hat of a vampire right now. He had screwed up her life so completely. She still didn’t have a fucking clue how to handle her vampire bite addiction. Maybe if she forgot about it long enough it would go away. All she could do was try.
“Hmm…a malady not so easy to remedy.” Carbrey murmured, smoothing his moustache down with a forefinger and thumb. “I hope it was not you who did the breaking, my boy.”
“No Grandfather, it was a vampire,” Twitch replied between shovelling bread into his mouth. “Chocolate,that normally does the trick with women, I’ve noticed, or alcohol, or ice-cream. She likes that a lot. It has to be the expensive stuff or she gets all huffy. Although, Jazzy isn’t a big eater. We have to practically wiggle food under her nose to remind her to eat at work.”
Carbrey’s white eyebrows had risen slightly in astonishment. Oh God, they weren’t going to discuss her love life now? Or her loss of work? Or her fucking eating habits? Not in front of Twitch’s Grandfather. Jasmine cringed. This was not a conversation she wanted to have. Why was Twitch doing this to her?
The old man chuckled, amused. “I am sure you are still filled with questions, Jasmine. Do not be afraid to ask them, child. Perhaps it will take your mind off other matters.”
Glancing his way, Jasmine saw his stern features had softened. Had he sensed her discomfort? Grateful for the change of subject, she jumped on the first question that leapt into her head.
“Are you all immortal?” Jasmine froze. Fuck. She was pretending to be a magic wielder, which meant she should probably already know. She wanted to face palm. The old man was sharp. It probably wouldn’t slip past him.
Carbrey’s lips twitched slightly with delight. “Not many of us are immortal. The magic must be extremely strong within for that to be achieved. We do live much longer than other mortals.”
Jasmine blinked, bemused. He knew. She could see it in his eyes. Somehow he already knew that she wasn’t like them.
Abandoning her fork and plate, she leaned back in her chair. “Longer?”
“Would you believe I am over seven hundred years of age?” He smiled faintly when he saw her stunned expression. “Some of us have been known to live for millennia or two.”
Jasmine twisted to gaze at Twitch. “How old are you?”
“Twenty four.” His grin was lopsided. Mischief t
winkled in his green eyes. “I left here at seventeen. Do you really think I wanted to hang around for another hundred years or so?”
“How old are you, Jasmine?” Carbrey asked, as he discarded his own knife and fork. Carefully, he dabbed at his lips with his napkin.
Pushing a hand absently through her short coppery hair, her attention returned to the old man. “Twenty two. I’m twenty three in September.”
“The founders were immortal,” Twitch murmured beside her. He had abandoned his food as well. He was playing with the linen napkin which was tucked into the high collar of his black shirt.
“What happened to them? Are they still around?” she asked with curiosity.
Twitch shook his head. “A few disappeared, others died.”
Jasmine’s forehead puckered as she frowned. “I thought you said they were immortal.”
“Being immortal does not mean you cannot die. Enough damage, or the correct strike, and it can end, even for them. Those with magic also fall prey easily to addictions,” the old man responded, as he poured wine into a glass.
Jasmine’s eyes slid to Twitch’s. She was well aware of that. The mage was addicted to caffeine drinks and anything sweet. He loved the sugar rush which could make him hyper and unpredictable.
“What of your family, Jasmine? Your parents?” Carbrey enquired softly.
The sadness that always over shadowed her heart when she thought of them made her chest ache. It made her feel all the more alone.
“They died a few years ago in a car crash.” she told him, swallowing down the lump in her throat. “I was adopted. The Hunters were the best parents I could have asked for.I miss them.”
“Forgive an old man’s nosiness.” Reaching across, he patted her hand gently. “I did not mean to cause you any pain.”
Jasmine smiled wanly. “It’s all right.”
“Why don’t you tell her the tale of when our people first came to Avalon?” Twitch suggested, his expression concerned. “That always cheered me up.”
Carbrey chuckled. “Ah yes, the epic tale of the Houses of Merlin and Le Fey joining forces to battle a common foe.”
The mage bobbed his head. He was leaning back in his seat watching them with a little frown.
“Jasmine may not be interested.” Carbrey murmured, lacing his fingers between hers to hold her hand.
Strangely it didn’t make Jasmine feel uneasy. Instead it felt right on some level. “I am. Please, I would love to hear it,” she told him, squeezing his gnarled hand.
Again he seemed to approve of her interest. “There has always been a lot of distrust between the houses. Even today, to an extent, it still remains. Back when the treaty between us was first forged it was much more open, raw. We did not trust anyone who was not our own blood. And even that sometimes was not enough.”
“It’s always been a bit fucked up,” Twitch muttered under his breath. Jasmine was pretty sure Carbrey caught the comment, but he carried on with his story.
“It was a raven who first showed our people the way.” The old man continued as he stroked his neat white moustache with a thoughtful look. “For us, it is a symbol of Morgana, as they were her messengers. For Merlin’s kin; the bird was his familiar, afeathered minion he was rarely seen without.”
Twitch leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table and cradle his face in his cupped hands. “Can we cut to the shorter version? I don’t think Jazzy needs to hear about all the whining and bitching between the houses before they even got their arses in gear and through the portal.” He huffed, blowing a stray strand of hair out of the way.
Carbrey regarded his Grandson with a hint of annoyance as he released Jasmine’s hand and sat back in his chair. “Am I telling the story or are you?”
The mage rolled his eyes in answer. “Sorry, just get to the good bits, please.”
The old man cleared his throat. “Avalon was everything we could have wished for. A place our people could grow and live in peace away from mortals and their hatred of anyone with magic. But we discovered we were not alone here. Mystical creatures called this place home long before we arrived.”
“What kind of creatures?” Jasmine asked, becoming swept up in the tale.
“Those of fairy tales; trolls, goblins, satyr, faeries, elves...just to name a few.”
Her eyes sparkled with excitement as her imagination started to run wild. “Twi...Morgan mentioned something about this earlier. That they were happy to see you arrive.”
“Yes, they were.” The old man moved closer as he became caught up in her enjoyment of the legend. Once more, he gently took her hand in his. “They lived in fear you see. The ruler of the island was an evil creature. A vile dark hearted monster that preyed on them with his minions. They were powerless to stand against him.”
Jasmine glanced at Twitch for a moment and smiled. “So your people helped them?”
“We did and...” The gnarled fingers suddenly tightened painfully over her own. She gasped at the pressure. Then just as quickly, Carbrey let go. Crying out and slumping forwards, he grabbed his forehead. Shoulders hunched, he cradled his head.
“Grandfather?” Twitch’s voice was high with worry.
Jasmine felt the familiar jingle of danger. A jab of cold dread rushed down her spine. “Something’s not right.”
“Jasmine is correct.” Raising his head, Carbrey smiled at them weakly. “I do not have time to explain. You must go, both of you, and quickly now, before you are discovered here.”
Jasmines sixth sense was going into over drive. The pain was almost unbearable like hot needles jabbing through her skull. She had never felt it so intense before, like a force ten hurricane. Unease crept up the back of her neck. Every hair stood on end. Something was wrong.
Carbrey had shepherded them out of the house so fast, they barely had time to grab their coats. He seemed troubled. One of his gnarled hands had constantly been rubbing at his temples. Now Twitch looked agitated. Whatever had affected his Grandfather was troubling him too. They still didn’t know what the danger was.
The mist had thickened and darkened ominously into a dense fog on the street. This made it almost impossible now to see your own hand in front of your face. Jasmine could taste rain in the air. There was a pressure that hadn’t been there before, like a storm was brewing.
“Is it normally this thick?” Jasmine asked, pulling her goggles over her head.
“No, not in town,” Twitch muttered. His purr was heavy with worry. “It should have dissipated by now.”
Jasmine slid the goggles over her eyes. The whiteness became lit up in green. Piercing beyond the veil of mist, forms took shape. They were moving slowly. The grotesqueness of their masks let her know they were Jinn. Their movements were unnaturally silent. It was zombie like. Ambling and swaying from side to side, they drew closer. A strangely marked difference to the way they had walked before. They seemed almost entranced. Magic was snapping through the air. Jasmine could feel it on the breeze. Aggressively, it bristled against her sixth sense. She could feel it building.
“What the fuck is going on?” she whispered, leaning close to her friend. Nervously, she began to chew on the corner of her thumb nail.
“I don’t know,” Twitch muttered back, sweeping a disarray of curls from his goggle covered features. “This doesn’t feel right.”
BOOM.
An explosion ripped through the silence. The flash was blinding. Mist lit up in a rising fireball of orange and yellow further down the road. Jasmine saw the flare through the green glow of her goggles. Noise reverberated through the street.
The mage jerked back. Arm whipping out, he shielded Jasmine with his body. Gasping with shock, Jasmine gripped the back of his velvety coat. What the fuck had that been? A bomb? Screams could be heard. A rising chorus of frightened pain filled voices. Black smoke billowed through the fog, darkening it further. It was so dense they began to cough. The heavy odour of burning wood filled Jasmine’s lungs with each breath.
BOOM.
Another deafening flash rocked the city. This one was much closer. Heat tore in a blast wave, pushing them backwards. The ground shook violently with the detonation and almost took them off their feet. Jasmine clung to her friend for dear life. Heart leaping in her chest, she peered around him. All the goggles picked up was blackened fog.
Shrapnel and debris rained down from the sky. Flinging his arms up, Twitch’s magic leapt to life. A smart phone was clutched in one of his hands. A blue, shimming, transparent barrier sprung from his fingertips to shield them. Jasmine felt the brush of the spell against her senses. Everything had become fearful and chaotic.
“Fuuuck,” the mage gasped in shock.
Different magic roared around them now. Jasmine tasted it in her mouth as it smothered her sixth sense. Thick with ash and smoke, the feeling hit her hard. She was choking on it. The pain in her head began building to new heights.
Not a bomb. Magic had been used to cause the explosion. The Jinn. Their power she could feel saturating the air and fog. They were looming closer, moving in that nightmarish lumbering shamble. Dread. With icy fingers, it gripped her spine. She was squinting from the pain in her head.
“Twitch...” Jasmine managed to say right before the shit hit the fan.
A spell slammed into them so fast the breath whooshed from her lungs. Feet going out from under her, she hit the floor. Hard. Pain radiated through her arms and legs as they took the impact against the pavement. She was momentarily blinded by the sensation. For a moment she felt numb.
Hissing through her teeth, she felt the burning throb starting in her knees and palms. Jasmine could feel the scraps and lacerations. Glancing at one hand, she realised she had lost her goggles. Yet, she could still see blood oozing from her skin. Fuck it stung. Remembering the vial Glenna had given her, she desperately felt her pocket.
Fuck. She needed the potion for her vampire bite addiction. Without it, she would be screwed. The vial felt intact. There was no wetness and the glass was unbroken. Jasmine released a shaky sigh of relief.
Adrenaline was coursing through her. The instinct for fight or flight had leapt to life. Her heart was doing double time behind her ribs. Raising her head, she searched for Twitch. She glimpsed him through the smoke. Every ache and pain was suddenly forgotten. He had hit the wall of a building. Slender limbs sprawled, it looked like he had recovered much quicker. His backpack was gaping open beside him.