by F. G. Adams
As if he’s shaking his head Aldin continues. “I am what my people call an Enchanted Immortal Vampire, one of three races created eons ago by the gods to protect humans and the Earth. There are Necromancers, people of magic. Shifters, who can take the form of any living being. And Vampires, like me, guardians of the night. I was created over two hundred years ago in the year eighteen twenty.”
He pauses. Rationally, I cannot seem to grasp what he is telling me. My dreams usually give way to warnings. Am I being warned to stay away from Aldin? Or is he the missing piece in my life? It’s all too crazy.
“This is very real, Wren. I assure you,” Aldin says, as if he heard my musings. “When I get you out of here, we will have this conversation again.”
“Alrighty, big boy. If you say so. But what does all this have to do with me? You’re telling me you are an Enhanced Immortal.”
“Enchanted Immortal,” he corrects me. “You are my true mate, my Wren. You must feel the connection between us growing. Pulling us together. A force stronger than either one of us. I knew it the moment I saw you in the neonatal unit at the hospital, when I came to help save my niece.”
“It was you? I felt something in the room with me. I thought I was going insane, but it was you? And what do you mean by true mate?”
I tell myself this can’t be happening as I slip further down into the rabbit hole.
Our exchange is cut off from voices coming into the cavernous vault.
“Are you sure, your Majesty? Can this be possible?” the one called Jafar asks.
“It’s brilliant, my old friend. I felt a part of Maarku within the womb. I’m certain now this is how he unlocked the curse,” the god Baako answers.
All at once, I feel the pull like tugging on both ends of a Twizzler taut until it snaps in two. Aldin is leaving me again. “Please Aldin. Stay. Don’t leave me alone.”
There is no answer. I have to wake up. I’m over this fantasy. Wake up Wren! Wake up! Nothing. The voices in the cave capture my attention again.
“I can be reborn into an Immortal. And the need to find my original body will be nonexistent. The son she carries will be my host. Once again, I will be all powerful,” Baako boasts. “The best part will be defeating my brother Maarku once and for all and taking away everything he loves and holds dear … again.”
Evil laughter explodes around me and my heart jumps to my throat in terror. No. This cannot be happening. If what he is saying is true, he plans on taking the baby’s soul that I’m supposedly carrying. Since I’m in this delusion with no way out, I can’t let that happen. Even if I wake up and it’s all been a dream. In the real world, I always take care of my own.
Chapter Seventeen
Aldin
Strong emotions I can’t identify shake me to the core. Whispering captures my attention and, with as much effort as I can muster, I focus on what’s being said. Unlike before, I can’t open my eyes. They aren’t paying attention to my weak plea. It’s as though all bodily functions have shut down except my brain. I’m thinking clearly and trying without any success to move. I’m alive and unharmed, but restrained. That’s odd. Something being said draws me back. The word “mate” is mentioned. Who are they talking about?
“He’s traveled far away from us. Possibly another realm,” a soft feminine voice says.
Something is nagging me. It’s right on the edge of my mind, but I can’t recall what it is.
An identical feminine voice coming from the opposite side of the room. “He will need nourishment to regain his strength from one of us, now that we have temporarily severed the bond. The bond is strong between them. Something is drawing on his life force. Her magic is awakening and the stasis her body is in calls to him.”
What magical awakening? What nourishment? I shouldn’t require blood now. I have my mate’s blood surging within.
“I’m afraid his memory will return soon as well. The spell will only last long enough to replenish him and help secure his mind for the melding,” Marcus sadly comments near me.
The smell of blood jolts me from my lumbering as my teeth sink into a willing donor. The moment the delicious taste hits my tongue, I know Marcus is providing his blood for me. The hold from earlier is gone also. I open my eyes to see Marcus watching me with a sadness I’ve never seen before.
“You are my son, Aldin. Never believe differently. I choose you,” he earnestly declares.
Finishing, I pause to lick the wound on his arm and acknowledge him. “And you are my father.” I can tell my words have a powerful effect on him. I move to sit up and I am met with two sets of identical green eyes. The twins are even more beautiful than I remembered: long, sun-kissed strands of hair frame their round faces.
Twin smiles forms on lips the color of blood as they simultaneously speak: “You had us worried, young one. Thank the gods you returned from your slumber.”
“I’m not sure what has happened while I was gone, but thank you for your kind words, your royal highnesses.” I nod, acknowledging both before I ask, “Marcus, what in the hell is going on? The last thing I remember is falling on the floor, overwhelmed with the emotions channeling within me. I’m almost certain the emotions came from a young one, an infant, maybe. Then I was wrapped in protection only a mother’s womb provides while growing. Puzzling, isn’t it? I’m not sure what I was a part of.”
“More than you are aware, my son. The finishing touches of a long ago foreseen plan to right the wrongs of an overzealous god is falling into place.” Marcus pauses, lost in his memories. “Quite puzzling, indeed. The transference can happen, but only with a creation of the god Maarku’s bloodline. An ancient prophecy tells of a blooded unborn reaching out for help from the womb to his parents. I sense there is something you want to tell me. Am I right, Aldin?”
“Yes. That is correct, my lord. I was waiting for you to return from your errand, my lord. I wasn’t looking and thought I would never find one. The possibility only fleetingly entered my mind. I was sure the three wishes granted by you would be all I was allowed in an eternity. Once again I am wrong because fate had something more in store for me. I have found my true mate.”
“The time is upon us. The prophecy has begun.” Marcus directs his statement to the twins and they nod in agreement.
“Yes, it is time. We have waited eons for you, Aldin,” Jazmine excitedly says.
Jada clarifies, “Yet in human years, only eight hundred have gone by.”
I look at the three Immortals standing before me and notice the resemblance not only in appearance, but the regal posture each possess. How had I missed this before when I was in their presence? They are naturally born and have seen the worst and best over the years. The wisdom radiating among them comforts my jumbled feelings.
“You’ve mentioned a prophecy twice now, my lord. What are you referring to? I do not recall any mention of a prophecy in our history.”
“I had hoped this day would never come, but it appears I can no longer keep this part of history from you. What I’m about to tell you will change your perspective forever. I apologize in advance but I must place an enchantment on you.” He pauses, waiting for my nod of acceptance.
I bow my head immediately, acknowledging to him that I agree. “Your will, my lord.”
Marcus places the binding: “By my command, you are never to speak of this again to anyone, whether by choice or force. If by force, you will not be able to remember. It will vanish from your mind and you will not be able to betray me. If by choice, your lips will seal and your voice will be lost for all time. So let it be said, so let it be done.”
I straighten and wait for his story to unfold.
He doesn’t waste any time before he starts. “At the dawn of time, there were two Immortals, the god Zenon and his mate, the goddess Augusta. They had three children: the eldest son Baako, a daughter Jadzia, and the youngest son Maarku. For thousands of years, peace reigned over the realms under their leadership with humankind.”
Jazmine’s
soft voice continues where he left off. “Their love was renowned for each other and their subjects, but most of all, their children held their hearts. When Baako became restless and desired more than all that he had been given, Zenon and Augusta decided to create the Enchanted Immortals. Three new races: Necromancer, Shifters, and Vampires. A new race representing each child of the gods. The new companions the gods were given to oversee with the understanding the new races would be guardians of Earth and all who dwelled there.”
“What began as a gesture of love,” Jada explains, “quickly turned into something evil when the eldest son, Baako, introduced dark magic. Baako’s desire for power became humankind’s worst enemy. By calling on the power of the Abgrund Stone, Baako began to practice the art of body snatching. For a brief time, the horror stories known today of killings and death of supernaturals and humans took place. The darkest moment was when Zenon and Augusta realized Baako’s actions had to be stopped.”
Marcus nods and continues. “After he was questioned by his parents, Baako devised a hideous plan to capture them in an alternate realm with no doorway home, lost to all who loved them. When the Immortal Conflict began, Zenon and Augusta were caught off-guard and trapped, leaving Jadzia and Maarku behind to find a way to stop their brother. Jadzia concocted a powerful enchantment to capture Baako inside a lamp for eternity and bury the lamp inside a tomb. Maarku found the realm and cast wards up to keep it hidden. Unfortunately, Baako had help from one of his followers who was able to sever his soul from his body just as it was being cast into the realm, assuring Baako the ability to body-jump for eternity … unless he can locate his body.”
“So why are you telling me this, Marcus? I don’t understand what this has to do with me.”
“You are the one we have been waiting for, Aldin. You have initiated the prophecy by finding your true mate.”
“I’m confused. What does the prophecy have to do with me?”
“Jadzia knew they would each have to give a part of their essence to bind the enchantment, which would then be reincarnated into a human. They had to bide their time. You, Aldin, are the human who received Maarku’s essence. You are the key to ending Baako’s terror once and for all. You are truly my son, Aldin. You carry a part of me inside of you. I am the god Maarku.”
I’m taken back at the revelation that Marcus is a god and a part of him has been merged with my spirit. All this time, he has been walking among us—a god—and I didn’t even know. Struggling to remember something important tugging at my subconscious, I’m flooded by the memory of Wren and my son.
“Marcus, I have a son! How is that possible?” I cry out.
Marcus grabs Jada and Jazmine’s hand, smiling. “It is the prophecy, Aldin. We are so close to seeing them again.”
Chapter Eighteen
Wren
I’m floating in a bubble of liquid goo. I can breathe. How is this possible? I’m encased inside a cocoon of warmth. Or maybe it’s all just another part of this fantastical dream state that I’m in. The impressions of happiness and contentment flood my senses. Am I waking up? Finally …
Opening my eyes, I stare at the concave rock walls dripping all around me. Fuck! I’m going crazy. Yep. Just like my mother. This can’t be reality. Damn it, Wren, you're a doctor for god’s sake! Think.
Everything Aldin confessed to me, I replay over and over in my mind. Enchanted Immortals? True mates? What reason does he have to lie, if this is real? That’s the million dollar question. The connection he talked about is undeniable. I feel it too. Can I trust that this is real? I really have gone off the deep end, thinking such things. I need a sign, something that makes all of the chaos concrete. Right?
Strong emotions encompass me as my belly starts to flutter. What the fuck? Somewhere deep inside me, I already know the answer.
Giving in to the dream, I say in my mind, “Hello.”
Pleasure. Jubilation. The stirring of another intertwined with my soul causes a restlessness within me, only to be instantly replaced with peace.
It’s not Aldin. This is very different. Can it be real? Is it … my son? Okay, so I’ve truly lost it. But who the fuck cares? This is my dream, right?
“Hello, little man. I’m your mommy.” I giggle as affectionate laughter fills me. I jump in with both feet. “Don’t you worry, little baby Aldin.” I feel another flutter. “You like that, don’t you? Haha! Well, I won’t let anything happen to you, baby. Your father is coming for us … I hope.”
Another evident form of empathy flows around me—feelings of hope, along with protection. Already, my baby is fierce. I love it.
“We need to call your daddy, baby Aldin. I chanted and wished for him before and he came. Maybe I can do it again. If you can understand me and I believe you can, help me, baby Aldin.”
Again, the flutter within comes, and I smile. Let’s do this.
“Aldin, we need you. Aldin, please come. Aldin, we need you. Aldin, please come.”
The air turns heavy and those ominous feeling return. Aldin.
“He’s here, baby Aldin. We did it.”
“My lovely Wren, I’m here. Are you well? Our son? I’ve been out of my mind with worry. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to stay with you this time, but know this: we are coming for you and our son. Marcus now has your location.”
“Aldin, we’re scared, but for now we’re alright. Baby Aldin is quite the little guy.”
Aldin’s deep electric laughter blankets me, and for a brief time, all is right.
“He is quite special, as are you, my mate.”
“Whoa, buddy. First, you have to tell me what that means. You got yanked away before you were able to tell me.”
“Yes, my Wren. I will explain as much as I can. A true mate is the other half that makes a whole, a bond so strong and fierce that one can’t live without the other. It’s love in its purest form and you are mine.”
No. This can’t be. I swore long ago that I would never be like my parents. I would never succumb to one person and take a chance of being alone one day, going crazy if the other person left or died. I just can’t. But what if I lose my one chance of happiness? Aldin is my dream guy, everything I could ever want and more. If all of what he says is true, baby Aldin will need his daddy. I can’t or won’t keep him from his child.
“This is all so overwhelming, Aldin. So irrational.” Palpitations begin in my belly and flutter to my heart.
“Ah, my precious mate,” Aldin murmurs. “It will take time to understand all that you have learned and seen in such a short period. I can wait as long as it takes for you to grasp it all. I would do anything for you and our unborn son, my Wren. But just know this, my Wren: In the end, you will be mine.”
“You say all the right things, my Aldin,” I teasingly joke.
Chuckling, Aldin continues, “You are worth it. As I told you before, we will have this conversation again, Wren, once you and our son are safe.”
I’m immersed with affections of love and happiness swaddling around me, inside of me, and through every cell of my body. Baby Aldin.
“Do you feel that, Aldin? Our son is communicating to us.”
“I never thought I would ever have anything to call my own. When I met you, Wren, and what you represented to me, I knew my life would never be the same. And now, I have a son. We have a son. This moment is surreal. I only want two things in this world now. I want you. And, I want us.”
Silence surrounds our moment in time. I can imagine a family coming together, and bathing in the happiness that comes with it.
"I also need to tell you that you come from an Enchanted Immortal lineage,” he says. “You are from the Necromancer line. A powerful witch lives within you, waiting to emerge. Our joining has created our son and unlocked your magical side.”
“Wait, what? You can't be serious." But honestly, even as I protest, I realize the truth behind his words. Deep in my soul, I feel the stirring of magic. "Okay, mister. I'm struggling here, but I do feel something b
ig happening and have for a while. When I was a young girl, I realized that my dreams were sometimes a warning. I have this sixth sense about situations. I wasn't sure for a long time if it was a gift or a curse. Could this be part of what you're talking about?”
“Yes, my Wren. Your power is coming to the surface and one day soon you will learn to harness your special gift. You, my lovely Wren, will be an all-powerful witch.”
“TMI alert. Haha! I guess we'll see if we ever get out of the fun house. Oh, shit! Shit! Shit! Sorry, baby Aldin. Before anything else, I have to tell you what I heard Baako say about the baby. He plans on taking our son’s body for his own. He’s a body snatcher, Aldin. We have to protect him, no matter the costs. I will not let them take him.”
“You are fierce, my lovely. I will protect him. That, I can promise.”
“One more thing. He’s doing this all out of revenge for someone named Maarku. He longs to see him suffer.”
“Maarku? Are you sure that’s what he said?”
“Yes. He wants to take away everything he cares about. This guy or god or whatever he is, his elevator doesn’t go all the way to the top, if you get my meaning.” A warm feeling of going home floods my heart. “I feel like … I feel it’s time for you to go, Aldin. I don’t want you to leave.”
“Yes, my Wren. I feel it too. Be strong. Please don’t give up. I will be coming for you and our son. Soon.”
With his last words, Aldin’s presence disappears, taking with him my hope. I’m alone again. Emotions of solace, comfort, and love surge through me. I realize I’m not alone anymore, and never will be again.
Chapter Nineteen
Aldin
When I come out of the Wren-induced trance, Marcus and the twins surround me, waiting for an update. I look into Marcus’ eyes and know he was with me every second of the trip. He has the location to Baako’s realm. Now all that is left is the opening of the doorway and I will be with her again.