by Trina Bates
I’m enjoying the brisk cool air and walk to a cliff side where I can see for miles. All the trees below me are capped in fresh snow and the entire valley looks like something off of a Christmas postcard. It’s so gorgeous. With a shrill whistle cutting through the air, I look back and see Merrick twirling his hand in the air trying to get everyone to load up. I don't want to leave this spot, I want to stay and enjoy it a bit longer, but sightseeing isn't on the agenda, sadly.
Back on the highway, through snow covered mountains, winding roads, and deserted streets, we finally turn down a long dirt road covered by low hanging trees and a massive iron fence that follows the path of the road. It feels eerie and after about fifteen minutes of driving slowly down the winding eerie path, we come up to a giant gate adorned with huge stone gargoyles on each side.
Merrick tells Ebbin through their minds a six-digit code that opens the gate. After another ten minutes of driving down the overgrown, dark, winding driveway, a huge wood cabin comes into view. I don't even know if you can call it a cabin. It’s all wood, sure, but it’s two stories, with wrap around decks on each level. Six windows overtake the top floor. You can tell there’s a room for every two windows since the blinds are open and you can see the surrounding walls through them. The bottom floor has two large bay windows on either side of the door giving it a ‘homey’ feel. I’m filled with jitters, thinking about tomorrow morning when I will sit in front of one of those windows, enjoying the falling snow with a hot mug of coffee in my hands.
Under one window, a set of rocking chairs sit with a small table between them, the other side has two large porch swings with three taller tables to accommodate the height of the swings. There are no potted plants or bushes to be seen. Only a walkway of broken pathway stones led to the house. Jumping out of the car, still in awe at the size and beauty. Rhydian comes around the side and bumps my shoulder.
“Nice ‘quaint little cabin’ huh?” he asks with a wry grin on his perfect face as he too stares up at the gorgeous house.
“I want to see what y'all consider a house, it's probably a fucking castle! This is insane. Who would ever need all of this room? Who would want to clean it?” He lets out a snort in reply, and walks away shaking his head.
“We have cleaners come every two weeks. We leave so they don't know what we are. They don't snoop or ask questions. They have yet to try and sneak a peek of the owners. I guess it's a good thing we pay them a truly obscene amount of money to do this, or I'm sure we would be outed. This is our secret getaway. Not even the Conclave knows about it and that's how we plan to keep it. I can’t imagine letting the Conclave know this is one of our properties. It's one of the reasons we’ll be safe here. I gave them the address of another property of mine four hours away so if they do come looking, they won't find us but we’ll be alerted to any suspicious activity on the other property and we have a plan laid out if they do come. Excuses to use when they don't find us there and start to question our whereabouts,” Merrick's words have me instantly relaxing. We won't be bothered or found. I can take the time to read up on Valkyries without worrying we might have to rush out.
When I do ascend, no one will see me flying above the trees, or disappearing when I figure out how to use the tether inside me to find the right side of the veil, so to speak.
With the guys bringing in all of our stuff, I wander off around the side of the house, very pleased to find a covered area that has a huge fire pit, stone seating and even a hot tub. It’s all surrounded by a lattice that’s covered in jasmine, though it might not be in bloom, I can still smell its sweet pungent scent before I even make it within ten feet of its vines.
Finding some cushions hidden inside a cabinet that’s tucked away by the hot tub, I lay them on the stone bench and grab the only book I was able to snag off of my shelf before Ebbin packed the rest away when we left.
It’s one of my favorites, re-written from years ago, so we are still able to enjoy it in our time.
It’s about a unicorn shifter, that tried all her life to overcome the pain of being left behind and find her place in a world full of assholes. She had been trying to get into a special academy for magic users and shifters like herself for years. Though every attempt is met with heartache and rejection with each letter of denial. Finally, when she was about ready to give up, she got her wish and was accepted. When she got there, she met six different men that changed her life.
It’s a lot like my life now. Having more than one man, defying the odds, I hope. Finding love when you least expect it, and learning to deal with the changes that life throws your way.
The author wrote about things that were yet to make themselves known. They have many words for each race, I just know them as Others, and now me. Though, I have yet to meet a Unicorn shifter.
Looking at the beautiful cover, full of color, and animals, we don't have anymore, the woman on the cover is stunning. With a long brown curly hair, mismatched eyes, and skin the color of spun gold. I’ve read this book several times, but it never gets old to me.
Before I can even open it to the first page, there’s a shifting in the bushes a few feet away from me. With no ominous sounds, I figure it’s a small rabbit trying to find warmth and shelter.
When the little beast scurries at me without warning, I squeak out a little scream and jump onto the seating. I stand on the bench looking down at the cutest baby lynx with a silver and black coat. It sits on its haunches, staring up at me with its head cocked to the side, every so often one of its ears would twitch and the long tuft of hair on the tips would sway side to side. With a sudden, adorable ferocity, it lets out a sound that I can only explain as a high pitched purr.
Slowly stepping down from my safe spot. I start to talk to it with my hand held out so it might sniff it and see I’m not a threat.
“Come here kitty, I won't hurt you. Come on,” making kissing noises and talking a little higher than I normally do, the lynx cocks its head to the other side without moving forward. I don't want to scare it, so I sit down on the cold ground and act like I’m ignoring it.
I start to read my book out loud, in a low soothing voice. The little lynx gets low on its belly and crawls over to me very slowly.
I’m so excited I almost go to grab it, but stop before I scare it away. Instead, I keep reading and wait for it to get comfortable with my voice and my scent.
Five minutes later and the little one has its head right by my knee, it keeps sniffing the air and looking back to me, turning its head from side to side and sniffing the air. Unsure of what it’s smelling, I turn my head and notice all of my guys standing far enough away so they don’t scare the lynx away.
“It's alright, they’re mine. They won't hurt you either. You're pretty small to be out here on your own. Where is your family?” I whisper to it. Looking back to me and away from the guys it crawls right to my hand and lays its chin right on top. My hands are cold from being out here so long already, but I’m not about to lift it off the ground when we have made it this far. I really want her to trust me.
“I wish you would let me pet you. Your fur looks so soft. Maybe after a little more time, you will let me take you inside to warm up and get a little meat in your belly. How’s that sound?” I ask it, trying to sooth it further, get more comfortable with my voice and scent.
Raising its head off my hand, it makes that strange high pitched purr again and surprises me by nuzzling me right under my chin.
Slowly, petting its neck and down the side of its body, it starts to purr like a real kitten. It puts its paws on my stomach, but jerks back before any real weight is put down. Lowering its head it starts to sniff my stomach. Laying down with its head now resting on my belly, I notice it is a little girl, but I’m still confused as to what has it acting the way it is with my belly.
“Well then little one, you're a girl! What should we name you? I haven't even gotten that far with my own little girl.” Hearing footsteps coming closer, I turn and watch as Merrick and Ebbin sit on e
ach side of me, while Rhett and Rhydian sit closer to my feet.
“What have you adopted now, Bugs? We can't keep wild animals,” Ebbin says as he puts his arm around my shoulder. None of them make a move to try and touch the lynx, but I can tell they all want to.
“She’s not wild. She is an Agathion or a familiar. She was sent here. Most likely for Mira since that's where she wants to be. I wonder what her second form is?” Merrick dares to reach his hand out and touch her. With her hair standing on end, she hisses at him making him snatch his hand back and making all of us laugh in turn.
“Shit, alright I get it you don't like me. That will come with time.” Feeling her body shake on my lap, I’m wondering if she’s cold, but looking down at her, she’s clearly laughing at him, her little tongue barely peeking out and her eyes are trained intently on him.
Unable to resist, I join her in her joke, laughing at Merrick as well. With all of them looking at me like I’m crazy, I’m out of breath and tears were falling from my eyes. I laugh longer and harder with the looks of confusion they have for me.
“She’s laughing at Merrick! I can't help it!” I say in between breaths, trying my best to stop laughing, but the more I think about it, the more I laugh.
“Sent here by who? I know what a familiar is, but what is an Agathion?” Remember his words on that, I stop laughing. I feel like all I have been doing lately is asking questions. It's getting pretty fucking annoying.
“They’re a spirit that either comes in the form of a human or animal. Before, from what I know of them, they are only granted to those with Demon blood. They didn’t stay, like this little one here,” Merrick says as he points to the lynx once again, the little thing looking at me with a small smile, if cats can do that. “They would only show themselves at midday, leaving at night, and returning only when their masters needed them. That doesn't seem to be the case here,” Merrick says leaving me more stumped, but looking at me with pride in his eyes.
“That’s you, love. She was sent here from their realm, Hell. Once a Demon manifests, an Agathion is sent,” Rhydian’s the one to answer my questions this time, but he leaves me with more instead of relieving my mind.
“I haven't manifested any Demon shit. So how exactly does that make sense? Second question out of the million I have asked recently, what do you mean her ‘second form’?” Without waiting for any answers, knowing they will follow, I get up with my little lynx following close behind and head for the cabin. I want to get warm and feed my new Agathion.
Walking ahead of everyone, Rhett catches up to me putting an arm behind my back as we walk. His body heat seeping into me, making me feel more comfortable.
“You did manifest, love. While you were asleep, you sent us all images of what you would do if anyone ever hurt what was yours. The second day when we kept getting them, we came into your room and found a bird pecking at your window. You might not have been awake, but it annoyed you, and with a flick from your wrist, a few groans and the bird was lying dead on the sill. It was the first and only time you moved while you were out.”
Those words stop my dead in my tracks. Again, no one fucking told me. Not understanding how an annoying bird could have triggered something so volatile, I put my hands up to let all of them know I want to be alone, and walk into the woods.
“Why the hell can’t they just be honest with me? All I ask of them is to be one hundred percent up front and open with me. Why is that so fucking hard to do? I don't want to hear any of them say, ‘It never came up’ or ‘There wasn't time’ or even ‘We didn't want to worry you’. I’m so sick of being left in the dark.” Huffing out a breath, I stop for a moment and listen to see where they were. I can hear them lightly traipsing through the woods after me. They keep their distance which is smart of them right now. I doubt I’ll be able to hold back any of the anger I carry inside me right now. I feel like boiling kettle, ready to scream and flow over.
The little lynx is the perfect companion to vent to in the quiet cold, she might not be able to reply, but she seems to listen. Her little ears flicking back and forth with my words and she looks up to me when I speak.
We walk in silence, taking in the snowy landscape, appreciating the darkening sky and the smell of snow and rich pine that wafts through the air. The lynx keeps stride with me but stops abruptly when we get to an open grove where a single stone bench is placed before a huge boulder. There isn't anything around us except woods. Out here, in the middle of nothing but trees and an open sky, in the middle of nowhere, was a giant rock, with a bench.
-Well, this is strange?-
I think loud enough to get worried responses from all my guys. They’re rushing towards me, asking what was wrong in my mind.
-I’m fine. Just… here look.-
I send them all the image of what I’m seeing.
Stepping closer, my lynx starts to growl deep in her throat. Not seeing the threat, I get right up to the rock and don't find anything out of the ordinary. I step back and scratch my head wondering just what the hell this thing is.
Soon enough, I’m surrounded by my men, everyone walking around the boulder to see if they can figure out what it was, just like I did before they got here.
“It’s a fucking rock. What else can it be? Maybe someone has a thing for rocks?” I say shrugging my shoulders, rolling my eyes at their actions. They still don’t listen to me, and that is getting me on edge again.
“This isn't a random rock Bugs, the bench, the fact that your furry little friend won't even step inside the line of the field here. Something's not right. Rigar is saying animals sense more than we do. He, Enbarr, and Caius all want you to go back by the lynx,” Ebbin says still looking the boulder over.
“Kigiree agrees, so do the rest of us. Something doesn't feel right,” Rhydian's worry cuts through my confusion. I move back beside my little lynx and wonder why the guys were still surrounding it when they made me move away.
-Little lynx, I wish you can talk to me, tell me what you're thinking and feeling.-
I think to her as I scratch her behind the ears.
-It is a Dragonstone, my Harbinger. It takes you to that which you seek the most. Though they are known to betray and send the user to the place you fear the most instead of taking you to your desired destination. They are not good. You must stay away. I cannot follow you through one unless we are touching. It would take me a very long time to find your essence and make my way to you if you went through without me.-
“Wait, you can understand me? Hear me and talk to me? Why didn't you before?” I almost shout, making the guys stop their assessments of the stone and walk over to me. All with quizzical looks over their own sent to me and the lynx.
-You did not speak into my mind, I did not think you have that ability, I am sorry. I can understand you when you speak, but I cannot reply back the same. You must touch me once while you speak to me to cement that bond. That is what you just did.-
Tired of questioning everything, I take it for face value. Truth.
“Do you have a name?”
-I do, it is Cynide. Close to the poison you have in the world. I picked it because that is my ability. My fur is poison, I also have the power to poison someone's mind with a thought. That is why I didn't want your brutish mate touching me. I must accept someone before they are able to comfort me with touch.-
-Handy.-
I tell her. Which makes her look to my hands and then her own paws in confusion.
“This is Cynide. She can talk in my head just like all of you. Merrick, she can only be touched after she accepts someone. If you touched her before, her fur would have poisoned you.” Merrick’s eyes widen with surprise and intrigue all at once as he looks to the lynx with an appreciative smile finally gracing his face once more.
“Just like her name,” Merrick grins at her. “Thanks for that Cynide. I hope we are all able to gain your trust at some point,” he says to her as he turns and starts walking back to the cabin.
-They a
ll have. When they told you, Harbinger, to come back with me and stay safe. Just don't tell them yet, I would like to make a few more assessments of them.-
-I won't.- I think to her with a hidden grin. -And what's up with you calling me ‘Harbinger’? It's a little strange. Please just call me Mira.-
-It is who you are, and what you are. You are a Death Demon; a Harbinger. I will accept calling you by your name and thank you. Many of our kind are taken advantage of and used more as slaves than as companions, protectors, and equals. I am lucky to be sent to you.-
Saddened by her words, all I can give her back is my thanks and show her I appreciate her. I will have to figure out different ways to do that and often.
-Shit, they don't know what it is.-
Remembering what she told me about the Dragonstone, I yell to Merrick to come back.
“I already know what it is, love. I need to get to the study in the house, find the maps for this property and see if I can find anything about it with the books my father left behind.” His back is to me as he still stalks back to the house without a glance back my way.
The others all look at me with an expectant, yet stumped expression. I don’t know what to say so I too turn away and follow Merrick. The need to be alone is ebbing away, so I start explaining everything to them as we walk back.
“Cynide told me it is called a Dragonstone,” Rhett and Rhydian whistle in surprise, but Ebbin stays quiet. “Apparently, they can take you to the one place you desire, but she also said that they are almost sentient, and will betray you, sending you to your own personal hell. She said it a lot nicer, but you know me… I'm blunt,” I say the last part pointedly and glare at them all before quickening my pace, trying not to start a fight out in the open.
Walking through the front door with Cynide hot on my heels, she races up the steps leaving me alone to take in the beauty of this place. Looking to my left, there’s a large wide open kitchen with gorgeous marble countertops. The only thing on the counters is a few cooking machines, of which I have no idea what they did. It’s a baker's dream kitchen.