Blood of Retribution

by Bonnie Lamer

  A light so bright shines through the cavern that Hades lets out a scream and covers his eyes with his hands. At first, I think it’s my wings come to save me at last, but there’s no telltale pinches on my back, and when I reach my arm around, I find only back, no wings. Who is this? Did Rashnu only say she couldn’t save me in an attempt to keep me from going?

  “Hades,” a voice says softly, “I have come to claim what is mine.”

  Hades says something in Latin or Greek that I don’t understand. The way he spits it from his lips makes me not want to know what it means. “You have no right to tread here. You have no rightful claim on these souls!” he shouts to the light. “They came upon this place voluntarily.”

  “My claim is of blood,” the Angel says and I finally recognize her voice. But it couldn’t be her. It couldn’t. She’s Fallen right now.

  “Your claim is false, there are none of your blood here,” Hades counters. “Be gone from this place before I rise against you.”

  Angels don’t really like to be told what to do. The light in the cavern becomes even brighter and I really, really hope Kallen’s retinas survive this. I don’t care about Hades’. His can fry in his eye sockets for all I care. Mine can take the light because of my Angel blood. The blood I received from my grandmother. The one who has come to claim me.

  “You dare hold captive one of us and then you threaten violence. You will answer to Zeus for this,” the beautiful Angel voice says. Why didn’t I get Grandma’s voice? And, whoa, Zeus really exists, too? I don’t know why that surprises me if Hades is real, but it still does.

  A snarl leaves Hades’ mouth. “My brother has given me full dominion of the Underworld. I do not answer to him for anything that happens here.”

  “When your actions jeopardize a treaty made eons ago, little brother, I will hold you responsible for your actions.”

  Oh. My. God. It’s Zeus. In the flesh. The gorgeous, bronze flesh that serves as the model of perfection in a male. It’s no wonder he was able to seduce all those women in ancient Greece. I had better look away before my thoughts begin to wander that way.

  “You believe this Angel’s false claims?” Hades spats.

  “Are you holding in your grasp the soul of the young Witch Fairy?” Zeus demands. The words Witch Fairy have never seemed as powerful as they do when he says them. His voice is chocolate wrapped in pheromones. Good thing Kallen’s here to keep me grounded.

  “You know I do,” Hades rumbles. “She has brought her soul to me without persuasion. Therefore, I am free to keep it within this realm.”

  “Hey, that’s not true. You tricked us into coming here,” I say, sounding like a two year old. Okay, so we could have chosen not to come, but Zeus doesn’t need to know that.

  “Hades, you will release your hold on the Witch Fairy and her mate, or I will allow the Angel of Love to do as she will with you.” She’s that tough? Go Grandma!

  Hades is quiet for a moment. A long, long moment. I wish I had a watch so I could look at him and tap on it. Finally, he relents. “Take your blood but beware. If she or her mate returns, they will be mine forever.”

  Grandma doesn’t waste any time. We’re out of the Underworld in the blink of an eye.

  Chapter 21

  “Grandma!” I say when my soul thumps back into my body. I’m out of the reclining chair and hugging her tightly. “Thank you!” Kallen’s soul is back in his body but Grandma is keeping him unconscious so her true form doesn’t kill him.

  She laughs and envelops me with her arms, holding me close. “You are welcome, child,” she says.

  Stepping out of her embrace, I say, “How did you even know I was there?”

  Grandma smiles broadly. “You have powerful friends amongst the Angels.”

  Rashnu. “Rashnu called you back so you could save me? But she said I couldn’t be saved if I went there.”

  “She could not have saved you,” Grandma says. “You are not of her blood.”

  I shake my head in wonder. “You gave up your life on earth to save me.”

  Grandma shrugs her now slim shoulders. She has once again returned to her Angelic form and she looks younger than Mom. With her blonde hair and blue eyes and delicate bone structure, she is the picture of beauty. Aphrodite wouldn’t hold a candle to her.

  A shadow crosses her face. “The life I led in the Cowan realm was not a happy one,” she says sadly.

  Why did I bring it up? “I’m sorry.”

  Her smile is back, only a little less bright. “You have nothing to apologize for. Every moment in that realm was worth it to have such a brave, intelligent, and beautiful granddaughter.”

  I’m not sure I believe her but I appreciate her saying that. “Thank you again. I take it Hades isn’t allowed to capture the souls of Angels?”

  Grandma shrugs. “Yes and no. There are laws to be abided. If there is a lawful blood claim then he has no choice to let a soul go.”

  “Which is why Rashnu went to you. She knew that Hades would try to keep me there no matter what I said or did.”

  She nods. “You seem to have found one of the few soft spots in Rashnu’s heart. You should be proud of that.” Having the Angel of Judgment on my side? Yeah, I like that.

  Changing the subject, I ask, “Do you think Hades will keep helping Dagda’s wife?”

  A wicked little smile forms on Grandma’s lips. “I believe Zeus will have something to say about that. I do not believe he will be of assistance to anyone for a while.”

  I don’t need details. I’m just happy to hear that. Tana will no longer have the power of Hades backing her. The playing field has been leveled.

  I give Grandma another hug even though it’s weird to see her in this form. I liked the grandmotherly form she had back home. She looks more like a sister now than a grandmother. “Thanks again.”

  A thought strikes me as she steps back, preparing to go. “What about the Witches?” Grandma was Queen of the Witches back home.

  Grandma’s face is sad now. “I cannot return to them.”

  Uh oh. “So Grandpa is in charge again.” That’s not good. Turns out he has a pretty weak mind that can be easily controlled by his Witan. This sucks.

  Grandma puts her palms on my cheeks. “Remember, you are a Princess in both realms with responsibilities to both. You will have to return to the Cowan realm soon to ensure stability in the Witch world.”

  Great, I’ll add that to my mile long to-do list. “Okay.”

  A brilliant smile shines from her face again. “You are a blessed child. You will do well on your journeys, no matter where this life brings you.”

  That’s nice to hear. “Do you know if my lack of magic for a while made the darkness leave the Fairy realm?” After all, she’s an Angel once again so she may have inside knowledge.

  The way her smile falters is not a good sign. “Alas, there is more to fighting darkness than simply taking its magic. Darkness like that gets into some souls and frees the part of them they keep hidden, the darkness within them. Once this has been loosed, it is difficult to pull back the reins.”

  I think about that a minute. “What you are saying is that there’s evil in some people that’s all their own, and the dark spells are just the catalyst in waking that darkness up.”

  She nods. “There is the potential of darkness in many but the confines of society generally keep that darkness in check. Once the confines have been lifted, it is like herding cats trying to tamp it back down again.”

  On the plus side, we’ll know who secretly has wanted to do evil things in the Fairy realm. On the downside, we may not like knowing who these people are. We may be taken by surprise. I see sadness for a good deal of families in the near future when it turns out that Mom or Dad or someone else is evil at the core.

  “Do you think it’s too late to put in my resignation for this whole Witch Fairy thing?” I mutter.

  Grandma laughs in that beautiful, tinkling way only Angels can. She sounds like a wind chime in a ro
se garden. “I am afraid so, my lovely grandchild.” She puts a finger under my chin and lifts my face so I am looking at her. “But remember, darkness cannot abide for long where there is true love.”

  Leave it to the Angel of Love and Conception to think love is a cure all. “Can a person who is truly dark even feel love?”

  Eyes flashing in delight, Grandma says, “Yes. Just as there is darkness, there is always potential for light and love.”

  Glad she’s having fun with this. “If that’s the case then can’t you just go to the Fairy realm and infect everyone with love?” That may be cheating but I’m desperate here.

  She shakes her head. “I have just laid claim to my wings once again, I do not want to lose them to Tabbris by taking away free will from the Fairies.”

  I scowl. “Then why was it okay for Hades and Tana to infect them with darkness? That wasn’t of their own free will.”

  “There are different laws that confine different beings, Xandra. There are also many who will simply not follow any laws.”

  Yeah, I can see Hades as one of them. Maybe I should switch teams. It seems a lot easier to play on the one that isn’t concerned about doing the right things. “It was worth a shot,” I mutter.

  “If you truly need my help, I am always here for you,” Grandma says. “I must go now so you can be on your way. There is much to do in the Fairy realm to pull it from the hands of chaos.”

  Much for me to do, she means. I nod wishing I could go with her to Angel time and forget about everything else. “Thanks again,” I say.

  With another brilliant smile, she’s gone.

  Chapter 22

  “What happened? How did we get back here?” Kallen asks sitting up and rubbing his eyes. They must be sore from all the Angel light he’s been exposed to.

  “My grandma saved us.”

  His eyes open at that. “Your grandmother rescued us from the Underworld? How is that possible?”

  I sit down on his lap and he pulls me to him so my head is resting on his chest and his arms are around me. “Rashnu called her back, she’s not human anymore.” Or whatever she was when she was Fallen.

  “What of the Witches?” he asks.

  I groan. “One thing at a time. I have to fix the Fairy realm first.”

  He sighs. “I guess the no magic theory was unsuccessful.”

  I shrug. “It’s complicated. Something about the dark spells cracked open all the hidden darkness in certain Fairies.”

  He sighs again. “Then we should return quickly.”

  I snuggle in closer. “Can’t we stay here for a little while longer?” I nuzzle his neck with my lips and he groans.

  “Xandra,” he breathes, “as much as I want you to seduce me, this is not the…” His voice catches as my hands begin to wander to sensitive areas.

  “Shhh,” I whisper in his ears. “Just a few minutes before we have to return to reality.” Five minutes can’t hurt, right?

  A deep moan catches in his throat as I kiss him deeply. Pulling me closer, his own hands start an exploration of my body that leaves me gasping. We aren’t going anywhere at the moment.

  With the fate of realms hanging over us, Kallen and I need this. We need this connection, this bonding of our bodies and our souls to give us strength. Grandma said that darkness cannot live where there is true love and Kallen and I certainly have that.

  The feel of his smooth skin and hard muscles under my hands make me impatient for more. With a rush of magic, our clothes are gone and I position myself so I am straddling my gorgeous husband’s lap. Our mouths fused and our tongues dancing beautifully together, I join our bodies and we are one. Our love making is fast and furious clearing our minds of everything else. There is only this minute in time. We reach heights in this passion that seem higher than ever before and it is not long before we are spent and breathless in each other’s arms. We needed this.

  Reality strikes all too soon, though. Thoughts come crashing back and our little break from chaos comes to an end. Without words, we are once again dressed and walking outside so we can journey back to the Fairy realm. I feel guilty not checking on the Witches but that will have to wait. Like I said, one thing at a time.

  Chapter 23

  I have to force myself to open a passageway back to the Fairy realm. I would so much rather go back into my old house, crawl into my old bed with Kallen and never come back out. If only I didn’t have a conscience. Such a nuisance the stupid things are.

  Peeling back the fabric between the realms, I am calmed by the miles of sand and sea that stretch out before us. I brought us back to Isla’s mansion just to find the serenity this scene can give me. When Kallen and I are both through, I close it the passage.

  “We should check on the house,” Kallen says. I nod in agreement. “I can do it alone if you want.”

  I look up at him in surprise. “Why would I want you to do that?”

  He looks vaguely uncomfortable. “So there’s no chance of you getting hurt.”

  I start to get upset that he thinks I’m a coward when I realize what he’s really saying. He doesn’t want me to get hurt and he would feel safer if I stayed outside. That’s sweet but he knows better. “I’ll come in with you.” He doesn’t mask his disappointment well.

  “What are we looking for?” I ask as we walk up the terrace steps.

  Kallen shrugs. “Anything that’s out of place, I guess.”

  Well, that narrows things down. “If Tana was going to do anything else to the house, don’t you think she would have blown it up by now?”

  “I do not know what to expect from her,” he says gloomily. I have to keep remembering that Tana was once a beloved aunt of his. Considering how I felt when I thought Aunt Barb had turned evil, I imagine he’s pretty devastated by her actions.

  “I can’t believe no one is here guarding the place,” I say as we look around the huge living room with its various sofas and chairs.

  “There is. Garren volunteered to stay here when we moved to the palace.”

  “Oh, I didn’t know that.” I’m impressed. That would take a lot of bravery on his part since part of the house has already been blown up.

  “Garren!” Kallen shouts. I suspect he doesn’t want to surprise the older Fairy. Who knows what the guy has ready for an intruder. He spent a lot of years in the Dragon realm and probably has some pretty good tricks up his sleeve.

  A strange noise coming from the direction of the kitchen has us both running that way. It was a loud thud and then the slamming of the back door. I’m not surprised to find Garren on the floor of the kitchen, bleeding from a head wound. What does surprise me is the image of a girl about twelve years old running from the house.

  “Check on Garren,” I say to Kallen. I don’t wait for a response. I am out the door and chasing the girl before he has a chance to say a word.

  I recognize the girl from earlier. She’s one of the kids from the woods. The oldest one, the one who had the disgusted look on her face. It’s becoming clearer how Tana knew that we were headed home. What a great trick on her part. Neither Kallen nor I would have worried about the magic of a child, which is why our danger sensors didn’t go off before I teleported us back home. Any aggression we felt emanating from the kids we just blamed on embarrassment or preteen disgust of kissing. I hate to admit it, but this Tana chick is clever. Diabolically clever. Fan-freaking-tastic.

  Unfortunately, the girl has taken to the woods and I simply don’t know them as well as she does. I should have let Kallen pursue her. The stitch in my side is in complete agreement. “Taz, where are you?” I grumble.

  To my great surprise, his cranky little body appears at my side. “What are you running from? Finally realize you’re living with a bunch of wankers and decided to move on?” he says with way too much hope in his voice.

  I stop running. “No,” I say breathlessly. “Chasing that girl.”

  “What girl?” Taz asks.

  I look around and can’t see her anymore. Da
mn it. Looking back at Taz, I say, “Track her scent and tell me where she goes.”

  I expect him to argue, but he doesn’t. Instead, he sticks his little nose in the air and inhales deeply. “Got it,” he says and off he goes. I think he actually likes the idea of tracking the girl in the woods. Nice.

  As for me, I pledge for the thousandth time that I’m going to start working out more. I can’t believe I was outrun by a twelve year old. Then again, she’s not really a twelve year old. I’m sure this is another of Tana’s disguises. She is good.