by Hart, Alana
She could hear the springs of the bed creak as Ben settled in. She couldn't help but glance back, only to meet his quiet, confident gaze. He didn't look worried any more, just expectant.
Her hands tingled, then burned a bit, pulling her attention back to the task at hand. Silver flashed, and the otherworldly chisel appeared in her hand. She hesitated, then rested the tip against the wall.
She could feel the rest of the packet of knowledge in her mind expanding as she watched. Magic flared, then flowed through her. It poured in from the world around her, from the trees and the flowers and the wild animals in the garden. She could direct that magic with her will, and grandpa's chisel. The entire wall flared with light, just like the ones down stairs had. She could feel the magic sampling the scents of people in the cabin, feel the magic recognize the connections between her, Faith, Grandma Victoria, and even between the faint ghost of Gramps that lingered downstairs. The wards etched into the walls rearranged themselves, wove the connections of family into the fabric of their being then flared once more, and faded. But she had a nagging sense that something was missing. Not that she’d failed, but the wards didn’t feel complete, or hers.
Despite the extra shielding the wards had provided at her touch, she sensed that they still 'belonged' to her grandfather. It was his ghostly presence that had allowed her to adjust them. But they were keyed to him, and to gran. If she wanted to truly take grandfathers place as guardian, she was going to have to find her own house, and ward it.
She got the sense that the wards around the town were different. Those wards hovered just inside her senses, like movement barely seen via peripheral vision. They didn't have the light of personal wards. But they must have flared in time with the wards she'd just updated, since it was a fading spark of magic inside them that had drawn her attention to them. She'd have to go closer to look, but her instinct, and the bare bones knowledge gramps had dumped on her suggested that they were alright. For now. But the magic still felt wrong to her. And her head hurt something fierce. Maybe she got to pay a different price for this borrowed magic than he ever had. Only one way to find out.
Aria grabbed Ben and tugged him behind her as she headed down the stairs. Her head swam, and she fought to keep from stumbling as the pounding headache doubled its intensity over the effort required to keep from tumbling down the stairs. Ben's grasp on her hand was just enough stability to keep her from falling headfirst.
Aria stumbled off the last stair into the great room. Gran was settled on the futon next to grandpa's ghost, and it looked like they were whispering about old times. Arcos and Faith alternated between playing on the floor and checking to see if the ghost was still present. She didn't spot Delilah anywhere, but from the sounds coming from the kitchen Aria assumed the witch was busy making tea or something.
"Took you long enough," Gramp's voice had more echo and less substance than the last time he'd spoken.
Long enough? Aria glanced around, curious. It hadn't felt like they'd been upstairs all that long, but daylight was fading into dusk outside the big picture windows. Huh.
"I don't feel well. And whatever I did, it doesn't feel like what you did when you demonstrated." Aria swayed where she stood. Her head still pounded. When Ben's arms looped around her waist, she leaned back into his strong frame, grateful for the support.
"Guardian magic is different."
"Different from what? Not particularly familiar with magic, other than what I've seen from Delilah and you. And the little 'store' of information you so kindly stuffed into my brain earlier isn't helping much. It's a little short on explanation."
Grampa shrugged, then grinned. "I know. Felt the same way as you when I became guardian."
"Thanks for the sympathy, but what I need is an explanation. And an aspirin or something." Aria rubbed her temples and considered sitting, but there weren't really any good seats. Rocking would just make her headache worse, and Gran and Grandpa had pretty much laid claim to the couch.
Ben took the choice out of her hands. He scooped her up, the motion sending her brain spinning as her headache spiked. She closed her eyes in reflex, and clamped a hand over her mouth hoping against hope the urge to vomit would pass.
She felt his movements slow to a crawl, and was just thankful that he was so graceful. She heard a creak as he settled into a seated position, and slitted one eye just enough to verify that they were in fact snuggled into one of the twin rocking chairs. Yep. At least his lap was relatively comfortable, and he managed to get seated without rocking the chair one little bit. Maybe this would be somewhat bearable after all. But as soon as she had the information she needed, damned if she wasn't going to sleep for as long as humanly possible.
After a few minutes had passed, and the throbbing ache in her skull had faded to almost bearable levels, Aria leveled her fiercest glare at grandpa's ghost.
"Explain." Her demand was more growl than speech. Hell, maybe being around shifters all the time was starting to rub off on her.
"Guardian magic is fueled by love. The more you love, the more territory you can guard. The deeper you love, the stronger your wards."
"Is this always the cost?" Aria waved at her head, and sighed. Not that it mattered, she'd pay any price to keep Faith, and her family safe.
Gramps shook his head slowly. "The cost can be shared."
"Shared?" How, why, who? Would I even dare?
Gran nodded. Then she edged the top of her v-neck t-shirt aside. A mark flickered in the dimming light, just below Gran's collarbone.
"A guardian has to claim their mate in order to share the cost of their magic." Gramps voice was so soft Aria could barely hear it. "A guardian who does not mate, burns out in a matter of years. A decade at the most."
"Burns out? Like runs out of magic?" Aria couldn't stop the quiver in her voice. She'd be more than happy to give up this magic if there were an alternative.
"Not exactly."
"Can anybody explain this so I understand?"
Delilah stepped around the corner just as the last word left Aria's mouth.
"I'll try. All magic requires a fuel source, just as fire does."
Aria nodded, made sense so far.
"For example, my magic is fueled by my will and my spell ingredients.” Delilah held out a small velvet pouch and shook it twice, then continued. “Some minor spells take one or the other, most require both. Or they fizzle."
"Okay. Still not seeing what claiming a mate has to do with fueling magic."
"Guardian magic runs on love. Pure, unadulterated, unwavering, unconditional love." Delilah placed a hand over her heart, and her eyes went round and soft.
"That's what Grandpa said said. I'm not buying it. Nobody loves like that."
"Guardians do. I suspect it's why he's still hanging around."
Aria looked back at her grandpa, and felt her heart start to race when Gramps' nod confirmed Delilah’s comment. Did that mean she was destined for a ghostly afterlife? That did not sound fun at all.
"Okay. Suppose I buy it. I still don't understand how love correlates or transmutes to magic."
"It doesn't. It fuels it. The purer, and richer the fuel, the deeper and stronger the magic. Now tell me, what loves are strongest?" Delilah’s arched eyebrows and quirked lips suggested Aria should have the answer down pat.
"The love of parent for a child." Aria replied to Delilah's question without hesitation.
"That's a strong one. Tied for first place for sure. What else?"
Aria hesitated, considering the possible fall out of her next answer. "The love for a soul mate?” Her stomach sank at the thought of just what a yes response would mean. She deliberately kept her gaze focused on Delilah, not daring to glance at Ben.
But she knew, either way the answer was going to be like a knife to the guts. And the sharp glance and intense focus of everyone in the cabin except Faith convinced Aria they all knew it too.
Delilah nodded. Once. Then spoke. "The love between mates is the root
of the rest of the great loves."
Fuck. Of course it is. But I'm not ready, not now. Maybe not ever. Aria's heart pounded in her chest, and her mind flashed back to that horrible night in the restaurant. That night Ben made his priorities abundantly clear, as in not her.
Sure, her rational, logical side knew that the bare bones explanation she'd gotten from Gran and the info she'd picked up over the course of the past few weeks was a reasonable explanation for his actions. But in her heart, and all the way through to her bones, all she felt was rejected, unwanted. And overcoming that was harder than she'd ever thought possible.
"And if I never mate?" Aria was surprised her voice was steady, because the rest of her was shaking like a leaf. Please be an acceptable consequence. Please.
"You fade away in direct proportion to the guardian magic you utilize." Gramps hollow voice was sharp, and filled with warnings beyond the obvious. Aria could sense hidden meanings, but damned if she knew enough to know just what was hidden. Damn mysterious, secretive people.
"So, got an estimate? What'm I good for, twenty years?" Aria shivered at the thought, couldn't help the way her gaze strayed back to Faith, playing innocently on the floor with Arcos. Her legs trembled, and knees went weak at the bleak glance Arcos sent her way. Damn, that look suggested her guess was way off.
"Two years. Max." Gramps voice was hollow. “Or two weeks, maybe less, depending.”
Aria wanted to scream and cry and rage why at the universe. Instead she steeled herself, and stood as straight as possible. "I see. And who would take over my burden as guardian?"
Gramps shrugged. "No way to know. Not without some serious otherworldly help." The narrow gaze he sent skyward clued Aria in on just how otherworldly he was talking. Screw that. If she had her way, she'd never stand face to face with any gods, or hell, even an enraged, shifted Arcos again.
"I guess I've got some thinking to do." Aria slipped over to Faith, and crouched down for a cuddle. She couldn't resist joining in on the lighthearted game of cars the cub and Arcos were playing. But as soon as the babe crashed for the night, she was damned sure going to be dragging Ben aside for some serious discussions.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Ben's heart dropped, and he barely held his bear in check when the ghost spoke. Two years? Two fucking weeks? Beyond unacceptable. Bear was ready to stake his claim right here and now, despite the audience. Anything to keep their mate safe and sound.
Ben figured even hinting at Bear's need to mark her would be enough to send her running again. Far and fast. With her new magic, by the time he and bear caught her it might be beyond too late. Damn the gods and their stupid rules. Damn the guardians for tying their magic to the whims of fate and love.
And damn the elder Fox’s for not letting Aria or, hell, himself for that matter, in on what was obviously a somewhat open secret as far as the town was concerned.
Bear kept pushing to the surface, making Ben's skin prickle as he checked up on Aria. The beast's demand for reassurance that their mate was fine was understandable. But damn annoying, especially since she'd gone cold. She hadn't even acknowledged his presence since Gabriel had answered her questions.
Both Ben and Bear were impressed with the sheer strength their mate was displaying. She took the time to care for their cub, make sure the girl had all she needed, as well as a hefty dose of mothers love. When the babe finally grew tired, Aria snuggled her close, and claimed one of the ancient rocking chairs. Bear struggled to make out the words of the lullaby Aria sang under her breath as she rocked. Ben's heart ached at the thought that this might be one of the last few times Aria got to enjoy such small moments.
Bear roared in Ben's mind, staking his claim to their mate, demanding action. Ben could feel the need to change shivering across his skin, but he fought tooth and nail to keep bear in. It wasn't the beast that needed to fix this, but the man. Ben smothered a sigh as the bear subsided, for now. He could sense his beast’s sullen anger, and the certain need to claim what was theirs. Ben’s human half knew that claiming Aria wouldn’t be enough to save her though, despite Bear’s sincere belief in their ability to protect their mate from anything once she bore their mark. He’d picked up on the fact that Aria had to claim them, too.
Part of him looked forward to wearing Aria’s mark, but first, he’d have to convince her that the past was damn well going to stay there. There would be no repeats of that night in the restaurant. No more what ifs, or could have beens.
The appeal of bearing his mate's mark faded as a third option rose in his mind. What would happen if he claimed Aria, and she never claimed him back? Would his and Bear’s claim on her be enough to save her from this new magic she wielded? If not, could they divert that magic elsewhere, and save her that way?
Ben sidled over to the couch, and crouched just in front of Victoria and Gabriel. He kept his gaze focused on Aria and Faith, and called his bear just close enough to the surface to sense truth from falsehood. Then he spoke, low and soft, determined to keep his question and any answers he got to himself until the time was right.
"If I claim her, is that enough for the magic? Will that save her?" Ben felt his throat go tight, and his whispered question was cloaked in rasps and growls he hadn't intended to let slip.
He dared a sideways glance at the couple, seeking tell-tale signs of untruths, but all he felt was shock. Victoria sat tall, back ramrod straight with eyes wide. Her hands clamped around Gabriel’s as though the ghost could save her from whatever it was that had her so frightened.
Gabriel, on the other hand, was a shimmery albeit solid presence in the room. His hands and his eyes were rock steady, yet filled with some undefinable pain as he answered.
"The claiming must be joint, must happen simultaneously."
Shit. How the hell was he going to make that happen in a week or less? The ghost's answer had even set Bear back a bit; Ben could feel the beast plop down, damn near seated in shock and consternation. He paused to listen for any suggestions from the beast, but apparently Bear was drawing just as much of a blank as Ben.
After a long silence, Ben sensed a hint of a suggestion from Bear. He got the sense of sweet taste, and gifts? And daring danger to bring their mate a gift that mattered. Bear thought honey would be perfect. Ben couldn’t rule it out, but was absolutely positive there were better choices out there. Besides, they weren’t trying to buy her love. That would be impossible.
Bear huffed at the thought of buying love, then reiterated the need to provide a meaningful gift despite the potential of great personal harm. Hm, perhaps the beast was onto something. Aria surely did deserve to be spoiled for once. And maybe, if he played his cards right, he could give them a true second chance.
Ben leaned in to confer with Victoria and Delilah. If anyone understood how to win a woman’s heart it was other women. Maybe with two advisors vetting his and Bear’s ideas he could double their chance of success. He could not afford to fail, for Aria’s and Faith’s sake.
Ben felt a grin curl his lips as he listened to the devious women begin brainstorming improvements to his and Bear’s ideas. At this rate, at least he’d bought them a fighting chance. He hoped. Bear snuffed in further annoyance with all this meddling. The beast wanted to claim their mate. Claim her here and now and damn the consequences.
Ben wanted to claim their mate nearly as badly as his bear, but doing so without her permission, without her love, would doom them all.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Aria tossed the few clothes she'd brought to Gran's cabin on the bed. She couldn't believe it had been a week already since Gramps had given her that ultimatum.
Mate or die. Mate, or make Faith an orphan.
But damn if she was going to be threatened or blackmailed into making a decision as final as taking a mate. Still, she could sense that time was running out, and this silliness Ben had concocted wasn't making her decision making process any easier.
She'd enjoyed the way Ben spoiled her all this week. Brea
kfast in bed, snuggles and movie time on the couch. An unbelievable, unwavering attentiveness to her wishes, including the one to NOT discuss the sword dangling over her head. That interest had transferred seamlessly to Faith. But a small secret part of her - the injured, abandoned girl who had faced an empty table years ago - was absolutely certain Ben was trying to buy his way into her affections. Trying to buy his way into her love and her life. Not that anyone else had a chance with her.
Aria had slowly realized as her ever shorter guardian lessons progressed under Gramps’ patient tutoring, that her choice was really Ben or nobody. And if Gramps’ warning was right, nobody wasn't much of a choice at all. But she still wasn't sure what she wanted, despite the way the air felt heavy and stale when Ben was absent. A single sight of him passing by the door was enough to lift what felt like a thousand pounds off her shoulders.
His back up had been invaluable in facing down the gods, and the dependence she'd discovered inside, that reliance on his steady, calming presence scared the daylights out of her. She'd never thought Ben would return to her life, much less be such a pillar of help. Still, how dared she trust him not to run again in light of their past.
With a desolate, determined shrug, she set about getting ready from the night. Based on snippets of overheard conversations, Ben had set up some kind of date. He'd arranged with Gran to care for Faith, and he'd insisted she dress nicely. Not that Aria wanted a date, or much of anything Ben could provide in the way of material goods. I want him, though. But she stuffed that wanting back into the darkest corners of her mind. She couldn't deny her physical attraction to him, or her reliance on his presence the last week. But what she needed more than anything was to find normal. Unfortunately, ever since the night Ben had walked out, normal had gone the way of the dinosaurs and the dodo.