by Ciana Stone
"I think so. I mean, I don't suddenly feel special or anything. I feel like I always have."
"And that's how it's supposed to be. It's like Augustus once said – we all measure normal by ourselves. So, despite your family being of the Seven tribes, you're still Nevaeh. That won't change."
Nevaeh hugged her. "Thank you."
"Any time. That's what friends are for."
Nevaeh pulled back with a smile. "I love you, Ellie. You're a good friend."
"As are you. Now, are you ready to go talk with the others?"
Nevaeh looked at Gabriel. "Are we?"
"I'm with you Nevie."
She held out her hand. "Then let's do this."
With one hand in Gabriel's and the other in Ellie's she headed back for the house. She didn't know that she was ready for any of this, but she'd learn to be. For all their sakes, she'd learn.
Everyone was inside, in the family room, when they reached the house. Nevaeh felt a little uncomfortable when everyone stopped talking to look at her. She tried to quell a sudden bout of nervousness and addressed Augustus.
"Ellie tells me you have a plan."
"We are trying to formulate one."
"And I'm guessing I'm involved."
"Yes."
"Then let's hear it."
"Would you like to sit?"
"No, I think I'll stand if that's okay."
Gabriel moved behind her and pulled her back against him, placing his hands on the top of her shoulders. She hoped he could feel how much she appreciated the gesture. His touch helped calm her.
Augustus gestured around at everyone gathered. "I understand from Gabriel that the woman who abducted you from the Hampton's estate is Fae and goes by the name Elysia. We believe her to be Eldric and Ellie's sister, but the only way to be sure is for someone who knows her to join minds with you. Will you allow that?"
"Sure, but it's only fair to tell you that I can't sense you anymore at all. In fact, when she had me, I tried to call you mentally or sense you in my head and nothing was there."
"We—"Thelonious gestured toward Severin. "—believe that may be due to your unique genetic make-up. Vampires can establish mental links through blood with Fae, but rarely with Daemons and never with Angels. Since you have the blood of Daemon and Angel, it may prevent the link from being permanent."
"And I don’t know Elysia," Augustus added. "But Eldric does. Would you allow him to touch your mind?"
"Yes."
Eldric rose and crossed the room to her. "This will take but a moment. If I could ask you to close your eyes?"
She did as he asked and followed his directions. "I am going to cup your face in my hands. Breathe in slowly through your nose to the count of four and then out to the count of twelve. At the count of twelve, I want you to focus your mind on Elysia."
Nevaeh saw Elysia in her mind and as she did, she felt Eldric's hands tense on her face and she opened her eyes. The pain she saw in his eyes almost made her cry.
"I'm sorry, Eldric."
He nodded and turned to face the others. "I know who she is." He looked directly at Ellie. "Our sister, Elysia."
"That's impossible. She didn't cross over when you did and the door was sealed."
Zerena spoke up. "Might I speak?"
Augustus looked at her. "Of course."
"I believe it was more than the doorway here that was opened."
"You mean…"Eldric looked at her and then at Ellie. "Of course … if Elysia sensed what we were doing and added her powers to ours then it would have been analogous to a master key. Every lock would have released."
"And allowed others entry into this realm." Severin added.
"But how many and who?" Augustus looked around at everyone.
Eldric shook his head. "Impossible to know. But it all makes sense. Elysia had a large following in the other realm and alliances with other factions from the dark side. If they made it here, then she would have sought to align herself with beings of like mind, which means—"
"She'd have aligned herself with my mother." Augustus finished the sentence. "And they worked together – on the attack at the Hampton estate and the damage it has wrought on the treaty with humans."
For the first time Layla spoke up. "Are you sure a stake won't work on a vampire because I'll gladly volunteer to shove one through Asha."
"If only." Augustus took her hand to give it a squeeze and then looked at Nevaeh. "What exactly did Elysia want of you?"
"To get all of you here."
"For what purpose?"
"I imagine to force Eldric and Ellie to open the door."
The entire room went silent. Nevaeh even felt tension in Gabriel's hands on her shoulders. "What? What am I missing?"
Eldric turned toward her. "There is but one reason for her to desire that."
"Which is?"
"To usher in her troops."
"Troops?"
"Dark Fae along with any other of our kind who have aligned themselves with dark power."
"But for what?"
"War." Gabriel said from behind her. "They want to destroy."
"Destroy what?" She turned around to look at him.
"Everything."
"Oh my god. What do we do?"
He looked over her head and after a moment she looked in the same direction. Augustus was on his feet, his eyes locked with Gabriel's. "We may never have a better chance to end this."
Gabriel's voice surprised her. It was low and harsh. "You want to use her as bait."
"Yes."
"I can't let you do that, Augustus."
"We need her, Gabriel."
"I need her."
"I know my friend and we will do everything in our power to keep her safe."
"But no guarantees."
"When are there ever in war?"
"Hey, time out!" Nevaeh waved her hands. "I'm guessing you're talking about me so do I get a say in this?"
"Of course you do." Augustus replied.
"Well thanks. So what exactly is it you want me to do?"
"Convince Elysia that you're on her side and get her here."
"Here? To Ellie's house? You can't put her and her family in danger that way. What about her baby?"
"It's not here Elysia wants to be." Ellie said. "It's the place where the doorway lies."
"And that's not here?"
"It's nearby."
Nevaeh looked at Augustus and then at her father, who was watching her intently. "And what do you think?"
"I think we may be able to provide you with more protection than anyone realizes."
"What does that mean?"
He smiled, looked at his grandparents and then at her. "As it happens, you can do more than just stop time, Nevie."
"Oh? Well what is it you think I can do?"
"Absorb power."
"Say what?"
"Better to show her." Severin got up and crossed the room to Nevaeh. "May I?"
"Depends on what you're going to do."
"Simply take your hand."
"Oh, okay."
He took her hand. "While our hands are clasped, I want you to imagine that energy is flowing down my arm, into my hand and passing out of my hand into yours."
"Okay. Then?"
"Just focus. Focus until you can feel the energy transferring from me to you."
Nevaeh closed her eyes. She could feel his hand holding hers. His hand was not as large as Gabriel's, but his grip was firm. And his skin was warm, very warm. In fact, it felt like it was getting warmer.
Holy shit.
Nevaeh's eyes flew open as a bolt of heat passed from Severin's hand, into hers and raced up her arm. It tore up her neck and straight to her head where it blossomed, for lack of a better word into a brief flare of white that blinded her for a split second.
She must have staggered because she felt hands on her waist. Gabriel. She looked over her shoulder at him. "You okay, Nev?"
"That was … amazing." She turned her attention to
Severin. "What was that?"
"You absorbed power from me."
"To do what?"
There was more than one chuckle at her question and she looked around at everyone. "What's so funny?"
Gabriel answered the question. "Let's just say that Severin has unique abilities."
"Like what?"
"Like the ability to appear to be someone else."
"Say what?"
Severin's voice got her attention. "Pick someone in this room. Look at them, study their face, the shape of their body. Then imagine yourself as them. Picture a mirror in your mind and step up to the mirror. The reflection you see is the other person."
"Seriously?"
He nodded. "Try it."
"Okay. Let's see. Ellie." She looked at Ellie for a good full minute and then closed her eyes, trying to picture a mirror. It took a bit but she did. Then she saw Ellie's reflection.
She would still have been trying if it hadn't been for the "oh my god" she heard from Ellie.
"Did it work?" She looked around the room. "Did it?"
Layla jumped up, grabbed Nevaeh's hand, and pulled her into the power room down the hall. Nevaeh yelped when she looked in the mirror. Layla and Ellie. She raised her hand to her face. The reflection of Ellie did the same.
"Holy shit."
"Yeah." Layla agreed. "Pretty amazing."
"What else can he do?" She turned and hurried back to the family room. "What else can you do? How long will this last? Can I change now or do I have to stay this way until it wears off? Do I sound like Ellie? I can't tell."
There was a smattering of laughter. Severin merely smiled. "I can do many things, and for the moment you can as well. The effect lasts as long as you have the power to sustain it and yes, you can change at will."
"But how did it happen? Did you – I don't know – will your power into me?"
"No. You absorbed them."
She thought about what she'd done and frowned. "You mean I took them. If you weren't trying to share, then I took them."
"Yes."
"I don't think I want this ability."
"Why?"
"Because it's the ability of a thief. Stealing is wrong."
The entire room went silent. Severin stared at her for a long time. When his stern expression softened, she was shocked. "You’re an honorable woman, Nevaeh and I admire that. I would not advocate using the ability for sport or profit, but if your life is endangered, you use whatever weapons are available. If you are going to put yourself in danger of the Dark, then you'll need to be prepared to do just that. Use whatever is at hand to stay safe."
She nodded and looked around for Gabriel. "Am I me again?"
"Yes."
"Good. Then I guess I'm as ready as I'll get. What do I do?"
Gabriel took her hand. "Before we draw up a battle plan, I'd like to speak with you in private."
Nevaeh started to argue, but the look in his eyes stopped her. She let him lead her back out onto the patio. "I don't feel good about this."
She didn’t feel that great about it, but she'd already made up her mind to do her part. "Gabriel, she isn't interested in me. Just the doorway."
"You can't know that. Those who are held sway by Darkness don't think the way we do, Nevie."
"You might be right, but I can't let everyone down. Would you?"
He shook his head. "No."
"Then you understand."
"I do. But I want you to be as safe as possible."
"Me too but I don't know what else I can do."
"You can mate with me."
That was a surprise. She'd not have batted an eye at him wanting her to carry a weapon, or let someone cast a spell or even have her bitten again by a vampire. But mate?
"What does that mean? Like get married?"
"More. I mean it's the equivalent of marriage but more. If we mate, our minds will always touch."
"Why would you want to do that, Gabriel?"
"Because I love you."
"I love you, too, but I'm worried that you're acting out of fear rather than love. You don't want anything to happen to me and god knows I don't either but I can't let you bind yourself to me out of fear."
"It's not out of fear."
"Are you sure?"
"Very."
"Okay, but – and don’t get mad, but I have to ask. You said Angels don't mate outside their race. I'm only part Angel. Do you – I don't know, have to get some kind of exception or whatever from your people?"
He didn't answer and she knew he was hiding something. Gabriel was too forthright. If he wasn't answering, it was because he didn't want to lie.
"You do, don't you?"
"I am technically supposed to have any union sanctioned by the Angelic Convocation."
"So, let's do that."
"That's a yes?"
"Of course it's a yes. I just don't want you to get in trouble or have a falling out with anyone because of me."
"So, you do love me."
"You know I do."
"Then I will contact Lucien."
"Okay. So, should we go back inside?"
"You go on. I'm going to call him now."
She turned to go inside then changed her mind and faced him. "You're like a dream, Gabriel. Something too good to be real and I want more than anything to be with you. I'm still feeling like the new girl at school and all of this still seems a little like a really vivid but completely fantastical hallucination – but I know how I feel about you is real. I love you and I want you to know that I've never said that to a man before."
Gabriel stroked his fingers along the side of her face. "I love you, and this is a first for me as well."
His kiss dispelled any lingering doubts. She could feel his love and hoped hers rang as true and strong for him. He pulled back and kissed the tip of her nose. "I'll be in soon."
"Okay." She returned inside the house and gestured to her father and grandfather. They were family and deserved to know what she had planned.
"I just need a few minutes with my dad and Theo – my great-grandfather."
Everyone in the room acknowledged her statement without argument.
Nathanial and Thelonious followed her into the kitchen. Nevaeh didn't waste any time. "Dad, Gabriel asked me to marry – mate with him. I know he has to get permission but if he does, I said yes."
"He thinks your mating will provide protection."
"I guess."
"Is that what you want, honey?"
"It is. I love him."
"Then you won't get any argument from me."
"Nor will you probably get permission from the Convocation," Thelonious added.
"Why?"
"It is my understanding that to convene the Convocation and hold a vote takes some time."
"In other words, we'd have to delay doing this – whatever it is we're going to do with Elysia."
"Yes. However, if it would make Gabriel at ease for you to be in constant contact then there is an alternative."
"What?"
"Do you mind if we ask Severin to join?"
"I guess not."
"Excellent. In fact, I believe it would be for the good of all if everyone knew. Unless you and Gabriel want this to be a secret?"
"Well, I don't know. I mean we didn't – oh wait here he comes now."
Gabriel entered the house and came directly to her side. "We may have hit a glitch."
"I told them."
Gabriel looked from her to Nathanial and Thelonious. "And?"
"And we approve." Nathaniel offered his hand to Gabriel.
"Whew." Gabriel smiled and shook his hand then looked at Nevaeh. "Lucien said he would call for the Convocation to gather but with all that's going on it may not happen right away."
"Theolon—I'm sorry …"Nevaeh looked at Thelonious. "What do I call you?"
"Grandfather?"
"Works for me. Okay, so Grandfather said that might happen. But he says there's another way for everyone to keep in cons
tant touch with me."
Gabriel's brows furrowed a bit. "Am I going to like this?"
Thelonious shrugged. "That depends. Are you amenable to everyone knowing that you and Nevaeh plan to mate?"
"Sure."
"And do you trust Severin?"
"Absolutely."
"Then it should not be an issue. Come, let's rejoin the others."
Nathanial took charge and explained the situation to everyone. Nevaeh watched with a sense of pride. It'd been a long time since she'd seen her father like this – strong, assertive, and self-confident. This was the man she remembered, the man she'd always seen as her hero, the one who made her feel safe and loved.
When he finished the explanation, he turned his attention to Severin. "Are you willing?"
"With permission from Nevaeh and Gabriel?"
"Why me?" Gabriel seemed surprised.
"She is your beloved. If I am to have intimate contact with her mind I must know that you are comfortable with that."
"Well, you're not gonna come onto her are you?"
"Of course not."
"Then I guess I'm okay with it."
"You have to be certain, Gabriel."
"Okay, you're starting to make me feel this is more than what I imagine."
"It is a joining of minds. I will know her mind. As intimately as I do my own."
"So, you're saying …"
"That I will know all she feels and thinks and remembers and…"
"I got it. So, does this sharing go two ways?"
"Yes. She will know me as well."
Nevaeh had not realized until that moment what she was getting into Mating with Gabriel and allowing him access to her feelings and thoughts was something she could do. She loved and trusted him. But Severin?
She looked at Severin. "Is there any way to give this a test drive? No offense, but this is a little more than I realized."
"Unfortunately no."
"Oh, well … well …"She looked at Gabriel. "What do you think?"
Gabriel looked from her to Severin and held Severin's gaze for a long time. "I think that if anyone can be trusted it's Severin."
"Then that's good enough for me. Okay. So, what's next?"
Augustus took the floor. "The next step is for us to get our people here. Eldric, as leader of the Fae, will assemble his best and strongest. Severin's Daemon Coalition will coordinate with the Fae. I will speak with Lucien about Angelic support."