Love Beyond Flames

by Rebecca Royce

  His friend knelt down next to the safe. "You want me to see if I can get an answer from Eden?"

  "No. If she'd had one she would have given it to us already." Eden didn't hide information they needed. She was simply not shown everything they should see. Why that was might be in the safe.

  He rubbed at his eyes. "Stand back in case it does something horrible when I open it. I don't want to face the wrath of Loraine if I do something to damage your pretty face."

  "What can I say? I'm gorgeous. Do you hear the chanters?" Gabe didn't move.

  "Nope." Which was troubling but again not all that weird. The ancestors weren't big on speaking to him. He'd pretty much been on his own most of the time.

  "Open up." He spoke to the safe with his mind and he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt the way he knew how breathe that it would hear him. He ordered it to open and after a second it did, the black lines around it floating upwards and dissipating into the air around him.

  The safe itself was empty, not that he could see magic. It was…

  Pain slammed into his head, knocking him

  backwards seconds before it took down Gabriel. His life— no that was wrong—lives swam before his eyes.

  What was it with him and pain today?

  *****

  They'd travelled through so many time periods with Isabelle that Raquel would be happy to never again jump through time ever again. Alexa stared at the scene in front of them without any discernable expression on her face, which concerned Raquel since they were looking at Alexa's own past and the girl hadn't uttered a word since they'd been staring at Abraxas.

  Isabelle pointed at the boy in front of them. "That's Sebastian. When he still had his human body and you were all living with him in New Orleans."

  Alexa nodded once. "I'm familiar with the location and the time. I lived it. I know that boy. He was the kindest, best friend I ever had. He would grow up to be something more. He was…" Her voice trailed off and her already stark white face paled even further.

  Isabelle put her hand on Alexa's arm. "We know, honey. We know that's what you think and we understand what happened. It's unusual for an Outsider but we're not here to judge anything, simply to show you…"

  Alexa jerked her arm away. "You'll never be able to prove to me that he was or is a demon. It's all bullshit." She covered her mouth like saying the profanity hurt her. "He has the same powers I do, the same ones you all have. If you're not demonic, neither is he. You're the ones holding me captive. You're the evil ones as far as I'm concerned and—"

  Alexa jerked forward and Raquel grabbed for her before Isabelle did the same. As fast as she could manage, Raquel embraced both women in her arms. "What's happening?"

  "I don't know." Isabelle closed her eyes "My head. It's swimming. Something is happening. Oh, my god, the pain."

  Raquel gripped Isabelle and Alexa tighter. "Maybe it's your memories. Send us back. Before the darkness takes you for awhile and you can't. Send us back."

  Isabelle nodded once before the room swam around them. Hopefully they'd land back in present day because otherwise it was going to be days before she returned home. Had Zane gotten the safe open?

  By the time they landed back in the living room, Isabelle was unconscious and Alexa twitched next to her. Raquel's heart raced and she jumped to her feet, checking both women before she got up. This was really bad. All of them out cold at the same time would give the demon more than enough time to come and do whatever crap he wanted.

  "Raquel?" Marina's voice startled her and she jumped in response, whirling around.

  "Oh, thank the heavens. You're awake. You have your memories and I do, too. I guess that's why we're okay."

  Marina nodded once. "It's a relief to see you back. Gabriel, Zane, and Colin aren't here. They must have gotten that safe open. Everyone started toppling over and I couldn't figure out why I wasn't. Even Drew, who already had some of his, is out cold. I'm glad to see you got back. I'm enhancing the protections but with Leonardo out and the others…if Sebastian wants to attack, we've got your flames and my spell-casting. That's it."

  "I don't like our odds and I hate it that Zane isn't here. I have no idea how to get to him." She wasn't even certain where they'd popped to when they'd gone to the late scribe's house. Zane could be across the world from her. She sent her thoughts to him and got nothing back. She tried again. And again. And…

  Marina put her arms around her. "Hey, I know. It's okay. I can't reach Drew either. It hurts. We have to hold on and we have to believe everything is happening as it should. I know that's hard considering the cluster of crazy in our life. You're here. I'm here. He'll be back as soon as Gabe wakes up to bring him and Colin back. In the meantime, let's stay really busy. Help me drag everyone to their beds. They all fell where they were. If this is going to be days, I don't want to leave them on the floor.

  "Right."

  It took hours to drag everyone where they belonged and both Marina and Raquel worked on the task. Marina was tiny but strong. When they were finished, Raquel was drenched in sweat. She sat down on the couch in the living room to wait for whatever was going to happen next. Marina joined her and only the sounds of the cave's natural movements greeted them in the distance.

  "How far back do your memories go? Can you remember before-before? Not the past lives but the actual decision. When the eighteen of us said yes to always being the chosen ones?"

  She rubbed at her eyes. "Kind of. Like a distant blow of memory I can't hold onto. Can you?"

  Marina shook her head. "Exactly the same for me. But some of us should have that ability. Probably Leonardo."

  "Maybe Alexa. That would be really helpful. Her memories coming back would go a long way to helping her make good decisions and change her path."

  Marina leaned forward. "Do you think such a thing is really possible? You don't believe we've lost her this time? It's fruitless?"

  "I have to believe it's possible and unless you want to be very, very dead, you have to believe it too."

  "I…" Marina opened and closed her mouth. "Look, it wasn't so long ago I was alone in an apartment with her where I'm pretty sure she was drinking blood. Hard for me to imagine her coming back from that. I'll do my best to try.

  I'll send happy energy."

  "You'll send happy energy? What does that mean?"

  Before Marina could answer, a cold shiver crawled up Raquel's back and she jumped to her feet. Marina followed suit, looking left and right. "What is it?"

  Raquel shook her head. She couldn't explain it, but she could just feel it. They weren't alone. "Something's here. In the caves. That shouldn't be."

  Marina nodded once before her eyes took on a strange glow. "My wards have been breached. The tiniest amount, almost miniscule. A bat or a rat could have made the break. I have to leave enough give for the natural animals to come in and out. Even Sebastian in his noncorporeal form can't pass them without making more of a tear."

  "Then it's not Sebastian but it's something. I always know when evil is coming. I can't evade it yet I know it's there. All the years I was stalked, when he would find me, wherever I was, I knew he'd arrived."

  Marina took her hand. "Is it him this time? Did the human who must somehow be connected to the demon find us?"

  "No." She'd know for sure if it was him. His presence left a particularly bad taste in her mouth—like metal mixed with dog poop. This was different…this felt more like. "Zombies."

  "Not possible. I'd feel a bigger breach if we had zombies in the caves. Trust me. I'm not that bad at my job."

  Raquel rushed forward, compelled to see what was giving her the zombie mojo. If Marina was right it couldn't be an army of the undead coming through to kill them all. So why did she feel like it was? What had triggered her? She stopped short, Marina nearly colliding into her from behind when she did. They both stared at the gathering in front of them.

  Rats. A huge collection of rats blocked them from getting any further down the cave walkway. "I think
…" She couldn't get the words out to say what she wanted. The idea was both horrifying and the most ridiculous thing she'd ever seen in her life.

  "Zombie rats." Marina's voice caught while she uttered the words Raquel couldn't say. "The son of a bitch sent zombie rats."

  Sebastian couldn't get at them any other way so he improvised. The creatures made a high pitched squealing sound before they all sat up on two legs, their front claws displayed.

  "What do we do?" Marina whispered her question as though the rats wouldn't hear them regardless of the volume of their voices.

  There really was only one response and Raquel knew it fell to her. "I'm going to burn them. Only, sometimes I can't control it. I'm afraid of setting the caves on fire with everyone asleep."

  "I can help in that regard." Marina waved her hand in the air. "I warded around us and the doors. The flames won't get past us. We have to keep them away from the living quarters. If the rats get in there when our people are helpless, they'll tear them to shreds."

  Raquel shuddered at the thought. "I hate rats."

  "Me too."

  She had to make Marina understand. "Here's the thing. I have a hard time taking lives. Animals are slightly easier but it doesn't matter, I'm probably going to pass out."

  Marina put her arm around her. "I've got you. I promise. But get rid of the rats. Please. Now."

  Raquel raised her arm. Her whole body heated up seconds before she blasted the rats in front of her. They squealed as the flames engulfed them and sweat broke out on her body. The execution of the should-be-dead-already rats didn't take long and several minutes later she lowered her arm, letting the flames burn down.

  The room spun. "I'm going to faint."

  Marina grabbed her from behind. "Good job with

  the rats."

  "Thanks."

  The world went black, which really pissed her off. What good was an offensive power that knocked her out every time she used it?

  "Raquel." Marina's insistent voice eventually made its way through her unconscious mind. "Please. Please. Please. Wake up. I need you. Now. Please."

  She sat up, her head swimming when she did. Her mouth was dry and the room seemed pale in color to how it had before. She really wasn't ready to be awake yet. "What's going on?"

  Marina pointed to the other side of the room. "The rats. There are more. They're here. Gaining in number."

  Raquel's joints hurt like she'd run for hours but she managed to get to her knees through the discomfort. "How long have I been out?"

  "About ten damn minutes."

  Damn, that sucked. They got only minutes between attacks? "Guess we won't be getting much of a reprieve. Any chance you could simply ward them into this room so they can't get past it?"

  "I've been trying to. The little fuckers keep chewing their way through the wards. I can't explain it."

  "We'll call it demonic and leave it at that. Okay. I'll go again." She raised her arm, and sent the flames to the rats. The fire hurt more this time. Her body wasn't rested and she needed to eat and drink. Only that wasn't an option. She had to keep the unconscious safe and that meant she'd do what she had to do for as long as she could.

  With the next batch of already dead rats destroyed, she stumbled backwards. Marina caught her. "I'm so sorry. I'd kill them if I could. Do you think stomping on them would work or do I need to take their hearts?"

  "I have no earthly idea." She grabbed Marina's arm tightly. "If it happens again and you need me to take care of them again, I need water when I wake. I can't do this if I get too dry."

  Her friend nodded once. "I'll try to think of something else."

  There might not be anything to do other than to burn them. She'd have to be the woman for the job.

  Chapter Seven

  Zane dreamed, only it was different from any he'd ever had before. He wasn't even meeting Raquel in their shared garden, which he'd only sort of started to remember he did. No, this was a memory and one he hadn't known he'd had.

  "Do we know what this meeting is about?" his love asked him, leaning her head against his arm while they sat down to wait for the others to arrive. So many lifetimes they'd already been together and yet every time they came back to the otherness, to the place where their souls met to be reborn, he experienced the most immense relief.

  What if they were separated? How would he go through a lifetime without feeling her soul press against his?

  The fates wouldn't be that cruel, would they? He looked down at the Moon. She dictated their lives and she might be if she saw fit…

  "A challenge has been set to you."

  The voice that boomed in the room was body-less and chanted more than spoke. He pulled his love against him. When the eternals spoke, they all listened.

  "We cannot force you to accept, any of you. But, if you do, you will be in a battle that will go lifetime after lifetime until one side definitively wins. Whichever side does, will have free run of all dimensions and galaxies. And so help the innocent souls when that happens."

  There weren't that many Outsiders to take on such a challenge. Two hundred souls and not all of them brave enough to do what was being asked. He'd bet his right arm that he knew which demons had issued a challenge to them. The four sons of bitches that he faced all of the time. Over and over again. Father, mother, and their two offspring. Huge pains in the ass.

  Outsiders weren't, by nature, inherently good; their role in life was to keep the balance of things in order. But, when it came down between the demons and everyone else? They always fought on the side of good.

  "Sounds like a blast," his love whispered in his ear. "Where do we sign up to fight forever?"

  He shook his head. She always made him want to laugh at the most inappropriate of times.

  "There will be compensation." The voice again. "If the idea of giving eternal peace to the universe isn't enough for you—"

  He seriously doubted it would be enough for any of them. They already did enough self-sacrifice without needing more.

  "You'll never have to be separated from your other

  half again. We need nine couples. You'll always be together, every lifetime. Never to be without the other."

  He turned his head to look at his other half. She chewed on her lip like she could still feel her mouth. It was a habit of a lifetime she brought with her to the other world. They had no pain where they currently resided, chewing on her lip would do nothing to cause a reaction inside of her at all. Of course they had no pleasure either.

  Sex was a very corporeal, living thing to do.

  He missed having her beneath him, of feeling her tighten around him when she came. Her eyes met his. Was she thinking the same thing?

  "Well?" Their private link was the only way to discuss this.

  She smiled at him. "It would be worth it. The fighting, the battle. We know we'd be doing a really important thing. And I'd never have to live without you. Open my eyes as a baby and there you would be. Until I said goodbye and waited in the next world."

  "I hate that idea. I always go first or we go together. I'm not staying in some mortal realm and waiting to die while I ache for you."

  She waved her hand in the air. "I think we're getting a little off topic. Although I love you for it. I've waited just as much for you as you have for me. It's my turn, damn it." He didn't want to dwell on her words. Waiting on either end sucked. Yet in the mortal dimensions, time moved so much slower. "It's not like they're going to get an abundance of volunteers. Most of our people are better watchers than doers."

  "We'll do it." He turned his head to watch one of his fellow Outsiders step forward with his mate. Their volunteering made sense. They were always the first to lead, the first to put themselves into danger. The female took the male's hand. Together they could destroy dimensions if they wanted to. Only, she had a gentle soul and her mate did everything to keep her protected while she wielded her power. It would be a cold day in hell before evil touched her.

  "We can't let th
em have all the glory. If they can do it, we can do it. And forever together."

  "All right." He called out, "We'll go, too. Why not? Sounds like fun."

  The other couple turned to them and the male rolled his eyes. "You would think so. This is a noble thing we're doing. It's not necessarily going to be fun."

  Zane sat up from the floor panting and clutching his chest. Holy. Shit. What had happened? His body was drenched in sweat and his muscles ached like he hadn't moved in days. His mind pressed out of the fog threatening to take him back under.

  He could remember everything. All his lifetimes— more than he wanted to count—and what he'd done in each of them, not to mention the completely foolhardy way he and Raquel had volunteered for the battle to begin with. Had he actually told Leonardo, while they were in spirit form, they'd have fun?

  By the Moon, Zane could be a real jackass in lots of dimensions.

  Pain laced through his mind like a spear. He jumped to his feet. Raquel was in trouble. He could feel her agony. Something was hurting her badly. No. He had to get to her immediately and fix whatever it was.

  That was his woman. He would not lose her and be left to wait again. No. Too many times. If he'd thought he'd known what losing her amounted to before they volunteered, he'd been dead wrong. There was always the chance they didn't get sent back, that they lost altogether and their souls would never find each other again.

  Not to mention the sheer fuck-up of his current lifetime. So much for them never having to grow up apart.

  He hadn't signed up for what had happened.

  Someone was going to explain it to him some day.

  He looked up at the sky. "Yeah, I'm lodging a formal complaint. Hear me? You owe us all a big one." Zane grabbed Gabriel who groaned when Zane touched him. "Time to get up my old friend. My lady needs us. Now."

  "Shit." Gabe rubbed at his head. "The next time you want to open a safe…"

  "Yeah. I think we've been out for over a day. We need Colin and we need out now."