by Jana LaPelle
“A, we have trouble!” It’s Tolin. I look to Ash and say, “Get dressed quickly and pack. Travel light. Okay?”
I jump out of bed and rush to the door, yanking it open, “Report!”
“Fomorians. They have not found us yet, but it’s just a matter of time. The wards hold for now.” Tolin reports.
"Torin is getting Declan up to speed?" I ask. "We all meet downstairs in ten minutes. Be prepared to roll out." I say.
“Jasmine is at the falls. We have to get word to her!” Ashlinn is standing just behind me still in her provocative nightie.
“Get dressed, woman!” I say, as I see her behind me.
Tolin just grins, "Nice nightie, Ash." He says, wiggling his eyebrows.
“Oh for heaven’s sake, you act like you’ve never seen a woman in her night clothes before. Get word to Jasmine. Now! Meet us downstairs in ten.” She says, in an authoritative tone.
"Yes, my lady!" Tolin turns and runs back down the hallway
“Wow, you handled that well. Let’s gather some of our things together and get dressed. We need to be out of here in no less than thirty minutes.” I say.
“Alaric, this is my home. I want this place to remain safe and secure. How do we make that happen?”
"Nemus is working on it, trust me. Get dressed. We need to hurry."
In the distance, we hear a loud banging sound echoing over the land. "They've found the perimeter that we set up. Nemus' protection holds for now, but we need to go!" Turning, I see she is dressed in all black slim fitting jeans, tight fitting tank, and black combat boots, her hair is pulled back into a high ponytail, and I see that she's armed with a Glock as she adjust the shoulder harness. She looks up to see me staring. "What? Mom taught me always to be prepared, and yes my aim is just as accurate with a handgun as it is with the bow. I wish I could take some of my bows with me, especially my favorite crossbow. But I guess I'll have to make do." I watch as she checks her magazine and adds several more clips to her harness. "You ready?"
I'm beginning to wonder who's protecting who as we race down the stairs. Bags and gear in hand. Everyone is gathered in the kitchen, and we make our way to the vehicle as soon as possible. "We need to head out! We're heading back to Faerie now. Our time here is up!"
“Wait! What will happen to the house, the property? This is our home! We want to be able to come back to one.” Ashlinn cries.
“Once we leave there will be no need for the Fomorians to continue their assault. It’s you they want, and they’ll follow us. Nemus, will the wards hold once we are gone?” I ask.
“Yes my lord. The wards are strong.” Nemus says.
"Then we're off. If we time it just right, we should be able to pass through the portal at sunrise. If not, we'll be stuck here for another day. Let's move out!"
Ashlinn and Alexia rush toward Millie and Hank and the four are caught up in a hug. I hear Millie say in a solemn voice, "My dears, I wish you safe travel. May the road rise up to meet you, May the wind be always at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your faces, and until we meet again may the gods and goddesses keep you safe." The girls pull away, and rush back towards the vehicle. Ashlinn says over her shoulder, "Take care of our home and yourselves. We'll see you again, soon." With that, we all climb inside the Hummer and head back to the dolmen in this realm that we came through before. We leave Millie, Hank, Talila, and a few others behind to see to the houses and the land. Once we're gone, there shouldn't be an issue with the Fomorians. I just hope we can get to the dolmen portal before sunrise. I'm worried about Ashlinn. This is the second night in a row without a good night's rest since her awakening. It's all going to catch up with her. I hope that we're safely back in Faerie when that happens. I’ll gladly let her sleep a week if that’s what she needs, just as long as she’s safe.
Chapter 19
(Ashlinn)
Everything is happening so quickly, "Can we swing by the practice range? I want to pick up my crossbow." I ask to no one in particular.
"Already done, they're packed in the storage compartment along with some of our other weapons; we're ready to head out," Declan replies. Lexie is sitting in the front with Declan dressed in a similar outfit to mine, and yes she is packing some heat as well. It looks as if the two of them have definitely worked things out. Jasmine looks like our unofficial bobblehead on the dashboard of the vehicle I think, and snicker to myself. I am once again stuck in the middle of Alaric and Nemus, and then TNT are in the back. The guys appear to be on high alert as we barrel down the drive to the main road. Declan slows as we take the turn, tires screeching onto the highway heading southwest back toward Tennessee. We're confined to highway 80 until we can get to the main interstate. Thank God we're traveling at night. There should be limited traffic on the roads because at the rate of speed Declan is going we could hit trouble.
From the back, I hear, "We have company!" I turn to see two black range rovers approaching from behind at a high rate of speed. I swallow hard because things have just gotten real. These guys are really after me, and I'm trying to think of how we can possibly get ahead of them.
Alaric shifts in his seat beside me and says, “Declan, we need to lose these guys! They’re gaining on us.”
"Do any of you carry handguns?" I ask.
“What? No. We prefer our blades and other weapons, more hand to hand combat.” Alaric looks at me curiously. “What are you thinking?”
"Do you think the Fomorians would be carrying handguns?"
“I’ve never encountered a Fomorian that carries weapons from this realm. What are you planning on doing?” Alaric asks.
"I'm going to attempt to shoot their tires out, but I don't have the height that I need to do it. I'll need your help. If we open the moon roof and you stand up, you can hoist me up giving me the additional height that I'll need to take aim and fire at the guys behind us. We'll have to do this quickly. You'll have to hold me like earlier so that I can stabilize myself. I can wrap my legs around you and aim over your shoulder. It would mean having your back to what's going on behind you, so you'll have to trust me. Can you do that?" I ask.
He looks deep into my eyes seriously considering my plan and then nods, "Okay, let's do this. Declan, open the moonroof. You ready? Tell me what you need me to do." He says solemnly.
I crawl onto his lap straddling him as the moonroof begins to open. "I need you to stand up holding me, and then once you are upright, hoist me up a little further so that I have a clear shot over your left shoulder. That should give me the support I need to make the shot. Declan, keep it steady." I say. "Ready?" He nods, and I smile and lean in for a scorching kiss. "Let's do this."
I hear from the back seat, "This is crazy. We're supposed to be protecting her, not the other way around." Alaric holds me close as he begins to stand, at the same time I wrap my legs around his waist as he continues to rise. I pull my weapon from its holster and release the safety. Alaric is standing upright now and hoists me up a little higher giving me a good look at the vehicle behind me. Things seem to slow down as I assess my surroundings. The moon is full and the night is clear as the vehicles behind us are closing the distance between us. My hair is whipping around us. I have a clear shot and take it. My handgun kicks back as the shot rings out through the night. Alaric drops us both down into the seat. I'm still facing backward and I'm still straddling Alaric looking out the back window to see that my aim is true. The black range rover swerves right, then left before losing control. The vehicle in the rear has thrown on their brakes skidding to a stop as the vehicle directly behind us begins to tip and roll. I pull my hair back in the vehicle as Declan closes the moon roof. I continue to watch as we put distance between the Fomorians and us. Soon I can no longer see their headlights on the dark road behind us. It remains quiet in the cab of the vehicle as we all digest what just took place.
"Well, that's not something you see every day," Torin sa
ys.
“A, that was kind of hot," Tolin replies with his usual cheeky sense of humor as he claps Alaric on the back.
"Tolin, that's enough." Alaric retorts as he pulls me close to whisper in my ear, "That was totally hot, mo grá, but let's not do that again anytime soon. Okay?"
"I think it may be time that you guys start utilizing handguns while in the Mortal Realm. What do you say, Elf-Man?"
"I think you may be right, Ash." He says as he moves back to his seat and I slide off his lap and we both buckle in. Everyone's tired, and I begin to shake as the adrenaline rush is starting to ebb. Alaric takes notice and pulls me back into his chest and whispers, "You were so brave, my little warrior princess. Thanks to you and your quick thinking and wicked aim we've lost them. Relax and see if you can sleep."
My favorite water sprite takes flight from the front leaving her bobblehead post and comes to hover in front of me, with a serious look on her face. She reaches her tiny hand out to touch my cheek, "You are stronger than you know, my lady. I am honored that you call me friend. I will stand by your side no matter what comes our way. I have seen how you connect to the Tree of Life, and I believe you are meant to save the realms." Then with a midair curtsy, she cracks a smile, "You're going to kick some serious ass once the Guard trains you, and I'm going to have a front row seat!"
“Jaz, what am I going to do with you?” I smile at her, “Us girls together, girl power?” I ask.
“Absolutely, you, me, and Lexie with the help of these guys.” She smirks. "Seriously, though, Alaric is right you need to get some rest, you've barely slept since your awakening." She turns and flies back to her place on the dash and proceeds to lie down. I'm not sure that is such a good idea, what if we come to a sudden stop or swerve and she's asleep?
“Lexie?” She turns, and I can see that she is also getting sleepy, “Is there room for your legs if you open the glove compartment and keep it open for Jasmine so she can lie down? That may be a more secure place for her to sleep.”
"Good idea, there's plenty of room. Come on Jaz, in you go. I'll even make a bed for you with my scarf then we can get some sleep, hopefully with no more excitement for the night." Lexie is handling all this like a champ, and I can't be more proud of her.
Turning my attention back to the guys beside and behind me I find that they’re caught up in their own conversation, and my mind drifts back to moments ago with me staring back at my enemies. I have never had enemies before. Mom taught me to be kind and fair, but also to be prepared. Thinking back on all the self-defense classes and the archery and firearms training, I always thought that was Mom’s way of making sure I could handle any situation. Now I know that she was preparing me for what was to come. She insisted that Lexie and I train together telling Audrey it would be good for us. Now that I know the truth of who I am, I know without a shadow of a doubt this was her way of helping us prepare for when the time came. I shiver as I realize that time is now, and there is no escaping my destiny. Alaric tightens his hold on me and asks, “You okay?”
With wide eyes I look up at him, “I just realized that there is no escaping my destiny. I have enemies. I have never done any harm to any living thing. Ever. Before this is over I will not be able to say that, will I? Target practice is one thing, but someone could have been hurt back there, and it will be because of me.” I swallow back my guilt at possibly causing harm to someone I have never even laid eyes on. I feel my eyes prick and try to blink back my tears. Alaric cups the nape of my neck and pulls me towards him to kiss my forehead, and then looks down at me.
"Mo grá, you did what you had to back there. I assure you that the Fomorians in that vehicle were not hurt. They are very hard to injure or kill. You chose to shoot out the tire instead of going for the windshield, by doing that you chose to give us the best chance we would have to get away without causing direct harm to someone else. I'm so very proud of you. I know that you have been thrown into all this very quickly and haven't even had a chance to come up for air. Once we get to Faerie, I will be better able to protect you and give you time to adjust. You and Alexia both are going to need that time and hopefully, our days will fall into a more normal routine. I promise that we'll work hard to make sure that you both have the skills you'll need for what is to come. Just know this, you did very well tonight. You acted bravely in the face of danger and handled yourself with confidence and honor. I embrace my duty to you as your Guardian and your kindred. Your destiny is my destiny, and we will do this together."
At that moment I know that I love this male with all of my heart and soul, he is my Elf- man, and I’m never letting go. I look down to see that he has entwined his fingers with mine. I look up shyly through my lashes and whisper, “I love you. Thank you, you always seem to know what to say to calm my fears.” With a heavy sigh I lay my head on his chest and listen to the rhythm of his heart beneath my ear. The sound of it calms my racing thoughts.
"Rest, Declan is making excellent time, and we'll be at our destination shortly." He pulls me close and rests his chin on the top of my head before he whispers, "I love you too, Ashlinn Ryllae Elan." I shut my eyes and listen to the beat of my kindred's heart. All the while, the hushed male voices around me make plans and strategize, and I drift off to sleep sheltered from the world in my kindred's arms.
Chapter 20
(Ashlinn)
I wake to Alaric's gentle touch as he pulls me into his arms to carry me to a rustic but charming cabin in a wooded area. Through my sleep blurred vision, I can tell that we're in the mountains of Tennessee. A fog has settled over the trees and mist hangs heavy in the air. Above us, in the clearing, I can make out the full moon through the clouds that shroud the mountain. "What time is it? How long did I sleep?" I ask.
“It’s four in the morning, and you only slept a couple of hours, we’re going to take about fifteen minutes here, and then we head out on foot. It should take us about an hour to an hour and a half to get to the top of the ridge to the dolmen portal. Do what you need to do to prepare for the next leg of our journey." He says as he puts me down inside the front door of the cabin. "Declan is pulling the Hummer into the garage out back and closing up there. We need to secure this place before we head out."
“Wait. Where’s Jasmine? I saw Lexie make her way down the hallway, but I don’t see Jasmine.” I say with concern.
“Damn, I bet she’s still sleeping in the glove compartment of the Hummer, I’ll go…” He trails off as I hear Jasmine’s irate voice before she comes into view.
"You would be sprite killer! I can't believe you were going to lock me up in that metal contraption. I would've died in there! It would have become my coffin! I'm so completely traumatized I can't breathe." At this point, she's so upset, she's hyperventilating, and her flying becomes erratic. I'm certain she's going to crash. I can tell that Declan is beside himself and keeps apologizing over and over to no avail. Jasmine's on a roll, so I decide to intervene.
"Jasmine, just calm down, we were just coming back to see to you. I would never leave you behind. You know that you're my very first bestest friend from Faerie and no one can ever take your place. Come on over here. I need to tinkle before we head up the mountain to the portal. What do you need to do before we take off?" My question takes her off guard, and she instantly stills. "That's better. Even though you're tiny in stature, I believe you to be my big sister." I say with a grin, "Can you oversee the guys while I'm indisposed. I'll be right back. Time is of the essence, and we need to leave here in under ten minutes." I look over to my kindred, and he is watching in fascination as I take control of the situation. Jasmine acquiesces. Lexie comes into the room, her unruly auburn hair braided around the side of her head in a French braid that wraps around her head, and rests on her front left shoulder. No doubt, she wants the heavy unruly mass off of her neck for the trek up the mountain.
“What did I miss?” She asks surveying the room.
“I coul
d have died!” Jasmine exclaims again in that shrill voice, but with a sharp look from me, she says quietly, “Your kindred, that’s what happened. I’ll tell you about it on our way up the mountain.”
I then busy myself by going to take care of business, and then readjusting my ponytail. I need to wrap it up, so I go out to meet Alaric in the front room, and he asks me if I'm ready to go. I look over to the brothers and ask, "I want my crossbow. Is it readily available?"
"We thought you might want it. Your weapons are on the table." Tolin says with a grin and a nod. I walk over and set about securing the brown leather holster around my hips and my thigh, and then sling the crossbow over my shoulder secure in its holster. Lexie has done the same, and we look ready to head out. I look around at Alaric's Guard, my Guard and they're all sporting their weapons of choice. TNT have at least four swords strapped to their backs and side. Nemus has a couple of short swords strapped on to his thighs. Declan carries a staff. Two short swords are strapped to his back and two to his hips, and there are multiple throwing knives strapped to his chest. Alaric has his short swords strapped to his back, long swords secured to his hips, and throwing knives are strapped to his chest. Damn, we look like we could be walking into that video game Warcraft.
Alaric secures a sealed container of water to his hip as he says, “Time to head out.”
I’m nervous, and it probably shows as I grab a canteen filled with water and attach it to my belt loop as I ask, “Do the Fomorians know of this portal?”
"I'm not sure, so we need to get a move on," Alaric says as we step back out into the early misty morning cover of the wee hours of night. They secure the cabin and lock up, and we begin our trek up the mountain through the woods. About forty minutes into our hike we hear a distant engine of a vehicle, and we pick up our pace. We're all panting by the time we make it to our destination. The sun is on the horizon, and I can see the night sky is slowly succumbing to the morning rays of dawn. At this moment, I look out over the tree covered mountains, the mist clings to the trees in the early morning light. I take in the beautiful scenery and hope that this is not the last time I see this realm, my home. Time creeps by as we wait for the sun to rise. In the distance, I can hear our foes coming for us as they make their way through the forest not even trying to quiet their approach. I pull Alaric close and say, "Lexie and I can use our crossbows to cover us as you open the portal. Hopefully, we can delay their approach." He nods with a grim look on his face.