Nephilius - A Walker Saga Book 5

by Jaymin Eve

  I knew Brace would not be late, and sure enough I could see through the windows a doorway appear down near the sand.

  “Are you sure about this, Aribella?” Josian appeared at the room entrance. He’d been as annoyingly nervous as me all afternoon. “I can make up an excuse.”

  I shook my head. “No, in a strange way I’m kind of looking forward to it. Brace and I never got to do the dating, get-to-know-each-other thing. I want this moment.”

  “You must be careful not to touch him under the light of the moonstale.” Josian seemed excessively agitated. “Remember the lalunas’ warning.”

  “I remember,” I said. How could I forget?

  “You look beautiful.” Lallielle’s teary voice interrupted us.

  I turned, grateful to be ending the current conversation. I didn’t want to be reminded any more of the reasons I couldn’t be with Brace. The world already sucked enough.

  “Are you ready? Brace is at the front door.”

  I nodded, stepping around my father – who’d decided now of all times to act like a loony – and took Lallielle’s hand. She gave me a kiss on the cheek before ushering me over to the huge double front doors. My parents faded off, but Cerberus was suddenly next to me. Either he was worried too, or he wanted to see Brace as much as I did.

  I opened the door.

  He was just standing there, the setting sun at his back. And he was beautiful. I’d said it a million times. Brace was almost too perfect looking, but in that moment he’d never been more devastatingly gorgeous. He was clean shaven. His black hair had just enough length on top to be stylish. He was wearing black pants, his standard sturdy ass-kicking boots, and a simple fitted, long-sleeved white shirt. It was more Earth modern fashion than he normally wore. And for a moment we were just two ordinary people. No responsibilities, no energy powers.

  Of course, then a two-headed dog shoved me aside to jump onto Brace and knock him straight off the porch and onto the grass. He landed on his back.

  “Shit!” I said, following them off. “Are you okay?” I couldn’t help but laugh.

  Brace was attempting to ward off Cerberus’ enthusiastic greeting.

  “Cere,” I said, snorting out my laughter. “Give Brace a moment here.”

  Finally I managed to drag the thousand-pound puppy away. Luckily he wasn’t even in his largest form. Brace pulled himself up. His white shirt was crumpled and grass-stained. He looked down and then back at me. And we both lost it. Our laughter brought my parents out, but Lallielle dragged Josian back in as soon as she realized it was us. Josian shouted for Cerberus and the big black beast took off into the house.

  Brace and I were sprawled on the ground. It seemed natural to simply lie back, side by side. And before I could move he reached out and took my hand. Such a simple gesture as he threaded his fingers through mine. I should have pulled away, but lying there on the silky grass and staring up into the darkening sky, watching the stars and planets appear, it was a perfect little moment.

  “You take my breath away.” His words were low. “And it’s not just your beauty, but the strength with which you face every single day.”

  I turned my head on the side to see him better. He had done the same, so now we were practically face to face. Our lips just an inch away from the other.

  “I feel like I’ve had lifetimes with you already, Abby. Do you know what I’m talking about?”

  His chocolate eyes held countless questions. He was confused, not understanding why the bond between us still existed. The lalunas might have cut the cord, but what we had went so much deeper than that.

  I used my free hand to rub my temple, and cover my eyes a little. My emotions were almost on overload. I knew it was stupid, but it hurt that he didn’t remember that he loved me. Brace was only just discovering me; I, on the other hand, was a million miles in front of him. I remembered every second of our love; the memories were a burned imprint.

  “Let’s just go on our date,” I finally said, removing my hand from my face. “I’d love one care-free night before Nephilius tomorrow.”

  His eyes held mine, but with a nod he let me get away with my deflection, something he’d never have done when we were melded.

  “Just so you know.” Brace lifted his free hand and with slow, deliberate precision placed it on my cheek. His hand was huge. It covered half my face, before he traced it down to grip me gently on the chin. “You’re not deterring me. I like a bossy, complicated woman.”

  He lowered his face, but I couldn’t let him kiss me. Not right now. The wounds were too raw. Before he moved closer I shifted our position and broke the moment. Brace’s confidence wasn’t affected at all. In fact his grin turned so sexy I almost lost my mind and dragged him to me. But in the end I didn’t.

  He helped me to my feet and I expected him to open a doorway, but instead we started to walk into Angelisian. I was surprised but kept it to myself. I thought I knew his mind pretty well, but he still had his secrets. Angelisian, the small city on the ocean where we had made our home base, was more alive than I’d ever seen it. So maybe there was something special on in the town tonight.

  Brace still held my hand; he had not let go of it for even a moment. And if I was honest, I might have been desperately clinging to him.

  “I wasn’t sure what you wanted to do tonight,” he said as we entered the main center of the town. “I know that we can walk to any of the worlds, but I think it would be nice if we spent tonight closer to your home. I want a chance to get to know you. We can have adventures later.”

  “I’ve had more than enough adventures for a long time, close to home sounds … perfect.”

  He was perfect.

  We ended up in a tiny little restaurant, or whatever they called the equivalent on First World. A woman around my height led us into a back alcove area. I rubbed my free hand over my face, trying to hide my delight at the scene. It was open-roofed, the stars visible, and just below this were these floating lights, suspended somehow above the entire outdoor space. Soft music played in the background. I so rarely heard music anymore. It was soft and melodic, no words, but it created a surge of emotions within me.

  “My name is Larissa,” the woman said. “My partner is gifted with the ability of song weaving.” She spun around, her golden hair shining in the light.

  “This music is just so beautiful.” My voice cracked and to my horror a few tears welled in my eyes.

  Brace’s jaw hardened as he turned and spoke quietly to the woman. “Could you ask him to tone down the emotions a little?”

  With a nod and half-smile, Larissa left.

  Brace reached over and, as he had done many times before, wiped away the sadness from my face. Of course, he didn’t remember he’d done it before. But I would never forget. I swallowed and, as the music tempo changed to something a little more upbeat, joy replaced the sorrow. Song weaving was starting to look a lot like emotional manipulation.

  We moved into the room. There were no tables, just a rug and huge cushions surrounding a low table on the floor. Brace led me across and we made ourselves comfortable. I settled back on the cushions before opening my eyes wide and leaning forward. White, pink and yellow flower petals had suddenly started to drift down from the sky. I must have looked confused as heck, my head swiveling to find the source.

  “I wasn’t sure what Earth customs you’d expect,” Brace said, his eyes locked on me. “I brought you flowers earlier, so for something different I thought maybe a shower of fragrant petals from my world.”

  Their scent was divine, like vanilla, lavender and something exotic and spicy. None of the petals landed on us or the table. Instead they formed a circle around us.

  Brace was still speaking. I turned my wide eyes toward him.

  “And I’m guessing chocolate is a must, the way Lucy raves on about sweets.” He grinned.

  I sat up straighter. Chocolate got me every time. I’d never had it much on Earth, but I remembered the bitter sweetness with absolute clari
ty.

  Brace’s grin turned into a laugh. I was about to demand my chocolate when Larissa reappeared. In her hands were two large pots. They seemed to have flames beneath them. She set them down.

  “Let them heat for a few minutes,” she said, before departing.

  The arrival of food distracted me from chocolate. I leaned further forward, my hands drifting toward the lids. Brace laughed again, his straight white teeth flashing at me across the pots. Delicious smells were wafting from them. My hands hovered close by.

  “Is it a few minutes yet?” I asked.

  Brace reached out and captured my twitching fingers.

  “Why do I sense Abernath energy in you?” his question distracted me again.

  I froze. What was the best way to answer that? And why had the lalunas not removed the Abernath energy within me? When Brace had taken his mantle as Princeps of Abernath, I’d been there. The energy of his people had blasted into both of us, and a part of me had ties to Abernath now. I knew the only reason it wasn’t more obvious was that half-Walkers had some sort of inbuilt protection that muted our energy. But still he was sensing it.

  “I’m not sure why that would be,” I finally mumbled. “Maybe there’s some Abernath in my Walker family tree.” That might not even be a lie.

  Brace leaned back, his eyes assessing me. Calculating. Sizing me up.

  “I know Josian’s history pretty well, and I don’t think there’s any Abernath.” His jaw locked then. He breathed in heavily through his nose. “You don’t have a mate already, do you?”

  Shit. He was wondering if that energy was from another Abernath male.

  I shook my head. “Do you think I would go to dinner with you, if there was another man waiting at home for me?”

  “I’d hope not.” His tone was serious, although his eyes sparkled. “If you were mine, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from killing him and probably locking you up for fifty years until you realized I was the only one for you.”

  It would take all of fifty seconds, but I’m sure we’d figure out how to keep ourselves occupied for the rest of the forty-nine-plus years.

  Brace was distracted from his questions by Larissa emerging, carrying a tray filled with small bowls.

  “It’s ready now. You use these metal prongs to cook the food.” She demonstrated a few times before leaving us.

  The setup was similar to something I’d heard of on Earth. A fondue, where you submerged food into the flavored broth until it was cooked. It took a while for the various meats, vegetables and seafood to cook, but Brace and I chatted the entire time, never running out of things to talk about. I had to be careful not to let on about all the information I already knew about him.

  “So if half-Walkers are not supposed to be possible.” I said supposed because there were clearly seven of us. “Does that mean Lucy and Colton cannot have children?” The intricacies of Walker reproduction were lost on me.

  Brace flashed me a full mouth of white teeth. His smile had my heart flip-flopping like a fish in my chest.

  “Are you asking for Lucy or yourself?” He tilted his head to the side.

  I didn’t answer, and after a minute he continued.

  “No, Lucy and Colton will not be able to have children. I’ve never heard of anything less than two full Walkers being able to reproduce.” He looked away from me for a moment. “Although now that you half-Walker girls exist, I’m not sure what the rules are. So if Fury as a half could have children with Dune or not? I guess only time will tell on those ones.”

  I’d had many dreams of having babies with Brace – not for like a hundred years or anything – right then I was not interested in the responsibility. But to know it might never be possible. Struck me hard.

  I lowered my eyes, hiding the emotions that I was surely leaking everywhere. I distracted us both by reaching for the second pot that Larissa had left. My mouth watered as I revealed a melted pot of chocolate. It was glossy and a rich brown. Very close in color to Brace’s eyes. As distractions went, it was stellar.

  “It’s not Earth chocolate, but I’m hoping the First World equivalent is just as good.” He hadn’t moved, seeming content to watch me as I tried not to lap it up like a puppy.

  We had a variety of fruit and cake to dip in, but by the end I was just spooning the smooth, creamy liquid into my mouth. It was a little nuttier in flavor, but very similar to Earth chocolate. On First World it was called it alamonlette. It was made from the alamond nut and some other fig.

  By the time we were done I was so full I could barely move. The twinkling lights and stars above us, teamed with soft music and the fragrant smell of the petals, was hypnotic. I could barely keep my eyelids open. Each blink was longer than the last. But I didn’t want to lose any of this time with Brace.

  “You can sleep if you want.” Brace’s eyes softened. “I’ll keep you safe.”

  I had no doubts he would.

  I didn’t want to sleep, but exhaustion was tugging at me. Since I’d broken the bond I’d had barely any real rest. I propped my eyes open, pinching myself to help me concentrate on the stories Brace was telling about his life on Abernath. But I was fighting a losing battle. My blinks slowed, until finally I drifted off.

  I awoke some time later, to find myself snuggled under my fluffy covers, the cloud-like softness of my mattress cushioning me. I had a brief recollection of being carried. Brace must have brought me home. I lay in bed, recalling every second of the dinner, letting the memories wash over me.

  I thought I could still smell the spicy sweetness of the flowers, and sure enough when I turned my head petals surrounded me. I lifted my arm, disturbing more colored silkiness. I was lying in a bed of flowers. And as I sat up I noticed a note on the pillow next to me. I didn’t hesitate diving across to grab the folded card and, smoothing it out, read it in the low light.

  These flowers are native to Abernath. They have healing properties and should help you rest. Tonight was beyond any expectation. Sweet dreams.

  As I ran my hands across the soft petals, I just knew they were from the vines that grew up the side of Brace’s house on Abernath. He was so sweet, picking the flowers from his home. The ache pierced my heart again, and I knew I could fall apart; I was alone, no witnesses. Now was the time to feel the flood of loss that engulfed me. But instead I chose to close my eyes, bury my face in the sweet scent and dream of every beautiful second I’d spent with Brace that night.

  The next morning, after breakfast, I was waiting in the front room. Colton had contacted me to let me know they were on their way back and I could feel Brace. He’d just opened a doorway onto the front grassed area. I got to my feet. I was wearing all black: boots, jeans and a thick jacket. Grantham had said it was cold on Nephilius and that we’d find the surroundings interesting. But the cagey Walker wouldn’t say any more. He didn’t want to ruin the surprise.

  Brace exited the doorway. He strode across the lawn with his typical strong and confident movements. He was dressed in what I liked to call his warrior garb. Black boots, army-style pants with the big pockets, and a dark gray hooded pullover shirt. He looked tall, sexy and intimidating. I wouldn’t want to be fighting him. Nope, but there were plenty of other things I wanted to do with him. Damn, I had to stop thinking about those things; it was weakening my resolve. My strength.

  “How did you sleep?” His eyes roamed over me when he reached my side.

  I grinned at him. “Great. I’m sorry I fell asleep on you last night; you shouldn’t be so boring.”

  He returned my grin. “What can I say? I’m a hit with the ladies.”

  A few peals of laughter rang from my lips. “Just doing my part to keep your ego in check.”

  He moved closer. “You’re succeeding.”

  I very much doubted that.

  We turned as another doorway opened. My front yard was like grand central station for the Walker world. Colton strode out, followed by a flying Lucy.

  “Using your wings like a champ, hey?”
I called to her.

  She grinned widely at me. “Well, I wouldn’t be using my legs like a sucker.”

  Colton held her hand. With her new pixie appendage, they were much more equal in height.

  “Did you learn anything from Malisna?” I asked, hoping Lucy could tell me about the visions without revealing everything to the men.

  She knew exactly what I needed to know. “The visions were definitely planted. Malisna showed me how to block them off so that it can’t happen again. But …” Lucy broke off, her face falling. “There was no way to know if my prophecies were placed there by friend or enemy, and therefore we have no way to determine if they’re accurate.”

  “Considering that some of them most definitely came true, we have to accept that there is some accuracy to them,” I said with a sigh, blowing out a huge puff of air. “What else did you learn?” I shoved aside my disappointment.

  She wriggled her nose at me, before comically raising and lowering her eyebrows. “I can do this.” And in a flash she sucked her wings into her back. They literally disappeared, and then she dropped in a graceful movement to the ground. And then in another flash her hands waved about and she opened one of those pocket things and stepped inside.

  “Pixies can use pockets between two dimensions of First World to cloak themselves.”

  Colton had that little grin on his face which told me he thought Lucy was cute as hell.

  Brace chuckled. “Very useful, but did the pixies tell you that Walkers could do this.”

  He reached into the spot Lucy had just been and with some sort of similar hand movement and a blast of energy he yanked her out. She was swearing and glaring as she became visible again. Colton gave Brace a shove before removing Lucy from his grasp.

  “How did you do that? I didn’t know we could manipulate the dimensions.” Colton looked surprised and pissed off, his brows drawing together as he too glared at Brace.

  Brace shrugged. “Walkers and pixies have been friends for a long time. There was this pixie I knew once who taught me some of their secrets. I’m guessing the queen wouldn’t be too happy to hear about it, so I’ll keep the name to myself.”