Shattered Skies - Night Waves

by Heather Linn

  “You have no idea what you are talking about human. You are thinking with your heart, not your head. What happened in there was something that you will never understand. I wasn’t pulled to Cat. I was pulled to NXY! A concept that I am sure will take months to beat into your thick human skull. In time, if I feel it necessary, I will try to make you understand. All you need to know is as of right now, Cat is no longer just Cat to me. Part of her is the woman that I would lay down my life for, just to have one more day with her, and I will kill you where you stand before I let your self-righteous claim over Cat makes me lose my love again. Now I am going to let go of you and we are going to do what has to be done to get Cat out of here and as far away from Trāves as we can. Then and only then will we discuss the change in power on the horizon for this family.”

  For a brief second Darien was positive that he could get the gun out of his back pocket and get one of the new wooden bullets in place before Walker noticed the movement. It would only take one lucky shot and then it would be done. He would die before he ever let Walker touch Cat the way he had back in that room again. If it wouldn’t have been for Jaden suddenly speaking up Darien would have surely rendered the only father he ever knew a pile of dust, left to be swept away in that hallway.

  “Well, now that you two have got your pissing contest out of your system, I think it is about time to do what we came here to do and get Cat out of here in one piece. I think both of you need to stop and think about why you are arguing over a woman that has no respect for either of you at the moment. It’s nobody’s fault but your own. So figure it out before she figures it out for you and decides to drop both of you like a piece of red meat; but just a word to the wise since we are laying it all out on the table. My allegiance will always be with Cat. I am growing sick and tired of the way you are treating her, like she is a trophy to be claimed. If there is ever a day that she decides she is done with all of you, I am going with her. Then you two can spend the rest of your days fighting about exactly who and what pushed her away.”

  Chapter Forty-Five

  It took me about five minutes to convince Jace to let me say goodbye to Akia. He wasn’t pleased with my request at all, but he was smart enough to know that I was going to do it with or without his say so. He even promised to wait outside the closed door, which I knew was more of a freedom than Darien would have ever granted me. I reached for the door knob and nearly barged in before I thought better of it and decided to knock instead.

  “Unless it is important, and by important I mean life altering, go away and come back later.” I was sure my definition and Akia’s were different when it came to life altering circumstances. My definition included goodbyes, so I opened the door and walked in.

  “I just wanted to say goodbye Akia, I hope that is OK?” I was afraid he would reject me and send me on my way, not that I would blame him in the least.

  As soon as he realized it was me, Akia was on his feet and standing in front of his desk before I made it through the door. He looked so amazing leaning against the front of his desk, so lean and so smart and handsome. I never in a million years thought I would be standing alone in a room with him again. I had no idea what to say next.

  “I was afraid you would leave without saying goodbye Cat. I am sorry for tying you down earlier. I guess I just wasn’t ready to lose you again.” He sounded so sad, but there was no anger in him, no fight. He sounded like a man that was close to accepting defeat.

  “Akia, you did what you had to do. I don’t hold that against you. How did you know your father was on his way? I don’t understand how.”

  “Kitten, listen. I don’t know how I know; I can’t explain it even to myself. All I know is, one minute I was in the room with all of you and the next I was there watching him making preparations to come. None of that matters right now. What matters is, you need to get somewhere safe, somewhere where you can wait things out until I can get back to you.”

  I froze in place. I should have told him to stay away from me forever, that he was better off alone without me, but no words came. I gave into my selfishness. I wanted him to see me again. I did something that I am sure he wasn’t expecting. I looked into his eyes and I shook my head yes in agreement. I knew how to play nice when I sensed a need.

  “Maybe next time, we can do it right,” I smiled at him. “I mean it would be nice to wake up with you and actually remember how I got there.” That earned me a hug. It was nice to be wrapped safely in his arms again. “Akia, we have to talk about all this, about what I am.” I waited for his body to tense at being reminded that I was human, but the tension never materialized.

  “What you are Catalina, is a strong, mysterious and very beautiful stubborn and hard-headed woman; one that I hope to have another chance with someday.” I tried to protest but his mouth was on mine before I could speak.

  The kiss was quick and bittersweet. It was a kiss that left me wanting more. I craved his lips and his hands. I knew that I would spend the rest of my life waiting to get another chance to feel him kiss me again.

  There would be another chance, right? I had no time to think about the future now. I was going to have a lot of thinking to do as soon as I was safe. I was really starting to hate thinking.

  “No matter what happens, Kitten I need you to promise me something.”

  “You mean like you promised to stop calling me Kitten?” I couldn’t help myself; I winked at him to let him know I was just teasing.

  “Yeah, well, let’s hope you are better at keeping promises than me. Just promise me that you won’t disappear again Cat. I can’t go through not knowing what’s happened to you again. If you want out, or it gets to be too much, tell me. But no more disappearing, OK? Human, monster, demon, I don’t care what you are; you and I will figure it out together. I am not the enemy, Cat, I am your friend.”

  “No more disappearing, I promise Akia.” I didn’t say goodbye to him. Goodbye was too final. I simply touched him and turned and walked out his door one more last time.

  Chapter Forty-Six

  I laid there with my eyes closed. It felt so good to be in my own bed. You never realize you are going to miss something so much until it is gone. If this disastrous adventure taught me one thing so far, it was to never take anything or anyone for granted. One wrong move, one stupid mistake, one harsh word and something that you were so used to having could be gone forever and you could find yourself realizing that you would do anything to get it back, if even for a minute.

  Knowing that Darien was laying on the couch in my room made being back in my simple little home feel even better. Looking over at him while he slept made me wonder how much different both of our lives would have been if he had been unable to wake my sleeping ass up and I had missed the Ball that night. He would have been a father by now. He would have made a great Dad. Jace was down the hall from us. He didn’t want to overstep his boundaries, so when I offered to drag another sofa in so he wouldn’t feel left out, he graciously declined.

  For the first time in a long time I felt at ease with the fact that Akia was just a slip of the ring away. I knew that I couldn’t contact him any time soon, because of Trāves, but I also knew that I no longer had to be dead to him. I knew too that sometime soon, I was going to get to get to spend time with him, and I was going to get to explore all the unanswered questions that I had for him. I didn’t have to worry about where Walker, Jaden and all the others were. I knew for sure that Walker was in his office trying to figure out what approach to take tomorrow during our big talk, where things would be explained. Jaden I am sure, was busy charming the new teammates; keeping the peace was important to him and he had taken it upon himself to be the go-between until differences and trust issues could be resolved.

  A smile crossed my lips. A peaceful feeling filled me, one that meant for once in my life, I was completely content, and felt wanted and loved. Sure there was a lot I had to do. I had to figure out what to do about the three men that were in my heart, and of course the o
ne woman. Kira was something new to me, something that I had never thought I was going to have to worry about. Part of me wanted to believe that my attraction to her was just because of my bond with Akia. The other part of me that blushed at the thought of her, was hoping like hell that I was wrong. Not that I thought I could keep them all. That wasn’t how the world worked, right? One Man one Woman,that was the rule. But then again the people that made those rules were part of the old world, the black and white world of movies and old books. I wasn't a human anymore but I wasn't a Dominus either. So why did I have to play by anyone’s rules? I giggled at the thought of being one big happy family. Sure, I thought, why not? Then I realized Akia still didn't know about Kira, and I wondered how their eventual meeting would go. I should have been more concerned than I was.

  I didn’t remember falling asleep but my sleep had been calm and relaxing, dreamless, and absent tossing and turning. For the first time in forever, I slept the entire night knowing that I would surely wake up to a perfect next morning. I also knew that I was slowly regaining control of my life, and that I had a lot of things to figure out. But I vowed no melancholy thinking today. Today I was going to spend the day being me. I was going to hug everyone I saw. I was going to laugh, I was going to tease all of them and just forget how unhappy I’d been lately. It was time for the new Cat to take over. Today was going to be the start of my new life.

  Then I did something that I realized I had been avoiding. I opened my eyes. As soon as I did it, I wished I could return back to the dark. I wished that I could un-see where I was. Instead, I sat up and faced the light.

  “Akia, what in the hell is going on?” I stuttered at an empty room. “There better be a good reason, I am still here. What kind of a sick joke is this?” I was talking out loud and the fact that no one was answering was really starting to unnerve me. Had I dreamt about going home? Had I dreamt Darien and Walker rescuing me because my mind needed a way to cope with still being held captive in Akia’s palace? There is no way in heaven I could have dreamt all of that.

  “Akia, where are you?” I shouted as I climbed out of bed to find him. As soon as my feet hit the cold floor, he walked through the door. The ashen look on his face made me sit back down immediately, but there were still things I had to ask. “What is wrong Akia? What am I doing back here?” I didn’t know why but I started to cry.

  Tears were streaming down my face and Akia had yet to say a word. Suddenly he moved with a speed that belonged to the Dominus alone and before I took my next breath, he was on his knees in front of me, kneeling before me on the floor, his eyes level with my own. His large strong hands gently cradled my face. He held me still and forced me to look into his eyes.

  “Something happened last night Cat, something terrible,” he said. I barely got you out in time. I had another vision. I saw my father turn around, something more pressing must have come up for him and I knew he wasn’t coming. I was getting ready to contact Walker and tell him the news when I flashed on an image of Drake. I could see him following you back here, and somehow, even though he wasn’t in the palace, somehow he heard everything, including where Walker was taking you. I followed him, but he had a head start. I was so afraid I wasn’t going to get there in time.

  When I finally found the location Walker gave me, I walked in and Drake was on top of you ready to rip your throat out. We struggled ferociously and I got him off you but he got away from me. I thought everything was OK but it was too late. I am so sorry Cat, I’m sorry I was too late.”

  “Too late for what Akia?” I was shaking badly; I didn't want to hear the words that were going to come next. I knew with every breath and every beat of my heart that my world was about to stop. “What the fuck were you too late to stop Akia?” I was sobbing uncontrollably and he was holding me closely. My heart raced against his. “I couldn't save them, Cat, not even one of them. They are gone now, all of them, gone. They tried to stop Drake from hurting you, they were so brave, they fought fiercely but they never managed to prevail. They died trying Cat; they died trying to save you. I am so sorry.”

  “You are a liar Akia. Stop it! They can’t be dead! If they were dead I would feel it. I will hate you forever if this is some sort of game.” When he held my face more firmly, I knew it was no game. “They died because they loved you Cat. They died fighting to protect you. Promise me you will never forget that.”

  I had never felt pain like the pain I was feeling right then in that moment. The memory seared into my flesh and the scar cut deep. I sat there sobbing and staring into Akia’s blue eyes and for the first time in my life I was overwhelmed. I knew how it felt to be truly alone.