by Kristie Cook
But Tristan’s face showed no pain. Only fury. He flicked his hand casually and Mom and Owen flew backwards several feet, their powers released from him. Tristan flashed into the family room, less than five feet from me. He started to lift his hand toward me.
“I have to do it!” Owen yelled. The air in the room whooshed upward, followed by popping noises as four more people appeared. They immediately crouched, hands and wands out, focused on Tristan.
“NO!” I cried, throwing myself in front of him, my arms held out protectively. “Don’t hurt him!”
Tristan roared. I heard more popping outside and then cackling. Daemoni! My old sixth-sense alarms weren’t sounding. I had a feeling my new “gift” replaced that other sense. Instead, I identified the Daemoni with an instantaneous conviction. I could physically feel their evil energy nearby. The noises outside momentarily diverted everyone else’s attention. Tristan took advantage of their distraction. He snarled ferociously and his arm suddenly snaked around my waist, pinning me to his body.
Evil! Good! Evil! Good! Again, not my sense, but a physical feeling of the powers battling within him. I remembered the pain I’d suffered as the same forces had battled inside me only hours before. I had to help him win. I had to bring him back to us.
The protectors’ eyes flew from Tristan to me to the glass doors. The popping outside continued, like popcorn in a hot pan.
“Go!” Mom commanded the others. “Outside! Owen, we need more help!”
“Already on it!” Owen yelled.
“Alexis, you can do this,” Rina thought calmly. “His heart is yours. His soul is yours. Use your Amadis power.”
Confidence filled her silent voice. Confidence that felt unworthy. I knew the truth in what she said about his heart and soul. They belonged to me. Or, at least, they had. I didn’t know what, if anything, remained. The evil energy—the demon, the Daemoni force, whatever raged inside him—was so strong. Even if I could beat it, I couldn’t help but wonder what the evil power had already done to him…what would be left of him…if he would still be my Tristan.
The energy in him is so strong, Rina. Stronger than Sheree’s. I can’t do this. You and Mom have to.
“Use your Amadis power,” she repeated.
It’s not strong enough! I’m not risking our lives again. I can’t do it, Rina!
“Yes, you can, darling. Your power is stronger than even mine. You can do this, Alexis.”
Tristan put the debate to an end. He flexed his bicep and forearm, squeezing me tighter so I could barely breathe. One more move like that and he would crush my ribs. Maybe even snap my spine. But because he hadn’t done so already, I knew he still fought for us. Somewhere deep inside, he resisted.
“Trust me, Alexis. I am here if you need me, but only you can reach Tristan.”
I closed my eyes, inhaled as deeply as possible and focused on harnessing the Amadis power. I could feel it concentrating and then expanding, creating a bubble within me. Then I heaved the air I’d been holding and forced the bubble outwards from my core. A growl rumbled in my own throat as I impelled the Amadis power away from me. The bubble exploded from my body.
Electricity zapped between Tristan and me, violently separating us. I flew into the shelving against the wall. Glass shattered around me and rained to the floor. Tristan flew to the opposite wall. He crashed onto the couch, which broke with a crack under his force. He raised his hand. His power pinned me against the wall as he stood up. I remained motionless for several moments, knowing from previous experience that his power paralyzed his victims. But I realized I wasn’t completely paralyzed. I am strong enough.
I lifted my left arm and twisted my hand at him. The power surged through my arm and out my palm—not a thin thread anymore, like yesterday, but now a thick rope pulling through my veins. Blue lightning shot out, hitting Tristan in the chest. His shirt sizzled and fell to the floor in pieces. I pulled back slightly, for some reason afraid I could actually hurt him. I made the current strong enough to hold him still as he continued to hold me with his own power.
Owen and Mom both moved to take advantage of the opportunity.
“No!” Rina said. “Alexis needs to do this.”
“Mother!” Mom gasped.
“She can do it, Sophia. She needs to do it. She is the only one who can.”
“And what if she can’t? She won’t be able to kill him.”
“Her powers are very strong already,” Rina said.
“Even if she could physically kill him, she doesn’t have it within her. She won’t bring herself to do it.”
“What are you talking about? I’m not going to kill him! We don’t kill!” I shouted, confused and astonished at what my own mother said.
“See, Mother?” Mom seethed. She turned her eyes on me. “Alexis, if it’s your life or his…you’ll have to kill him.”
“She will not have to,” Rina said. Her voice remained amazingly calm. “Alexis, you can do this.”
“We’ll do it if she can’t,” Owen muttered. “But it’ll take all of us.”
Pain shot through my chest as my heart squeezed. “Nobody’s killing him!”
Even while this whole debate went on, even while I held the current on Tristan, another part of my mind assessed the situation outside. The popping noises had stopped and I heard fighting, but no one made their way up to the house. The protectors held the Daemoni back…at least for now. I had to keep Tristan away from them, keep him with us. Because if they had any influence on him, I might really lose him forever.
Mom was right—I could never kill him. Even if I lost him again. In fact, I thought I would just follow him this time. I couldn’t live without him again.
But what about Dorian? The Amadis?
They needed me and I needed him. I had to fight for him. He had to still be in there.
Tristan, listen to me, baby. It’s me. Your Lexi, your wife, your soul mate. You love me. You don’t want to hurt me.
He growled and increased the pressure on me. I could barely hold the current on him.
Tristan, you don’t want to do this. I love you. I trust you. I know you’re in there and I know you love me. Please, baby, come back to me.
My love and trust had always worked before. Mom and Rina even emphasized love when working on Sheree. But it seemed to only anger Tristan—or the monster within him. I could feel his power gaining on me, pressing my flesh tighter to my bones. I started to panic and lost control of the current. It jumped, singeing a hole in the wall. The break was exactly what the monster inside Tristan needed.
He lunged at me again.
I wasn’t quick enough this time.
He coiled his arms around me as if tackling me in a football game. We flew through the air, crashing head first through the sliding glass doors, through the railing and over the edge of the balcony. We landed hard on the ground below—hard enough to loosen his hold. I rolled free. We both jumped to our feet, facing each other. He let out a roaring bark and threw a flame of fire at me. I jumped out of the way and shot electricity at him.
Mom and Rina leapt from the balcony, landing to my right with the soft sound of bending grass blades. Owen followed with a harder thud, but still landed on his feet, his hands out and ready to throw magic. I noticed all this out of the corner of my eye while keeping my main focus on Tristan.
Everyone else had stopped fighting, holding each other at bay while watching Tristan and me. White noise, like static, buzzed in my head—everyone’s thoughts agitated and louder than normal with the promise of bloodshed. My wall started to crumble and I had to make a point of keeping it up. But the attention to the wall made me realize that if I could keep it up and focus on Tristan, not on talking to him, but listening to him, I would at least know his next move.
It was a good defense. Every time he moved at me or tried to use a power, I eluded it. He lunged. I stepped to the side. He shot a fire ball at my legs. I dodged it with a hop. He shot another, but higher. I dropped to my knees and
leaned back, my shoulders nearly touching the ground as the flame soared over me. From my upside-down viewpoint as I looked behind me, I watched Mom extinguish the fire with a shot of water from her hand. The shock of never knowing she could do that consumed my mind, but my body moved on its own, jumping back to my feet to face Tristan. My evasions infuriated him and his chest rumbled angrily. His thoughts filled with frustration and we stood in a stand-off.
I didn’t know what to do. Reading his mind protected me from his attacks, but it wasn’t a good offense. I didn’t want to hurt him, if that were even possible, but I had to do something to reach him—the Real Tristan imprisoned by the monster trying to kill me. I’d never fought before. I’d never even thought about fighting. This part of my life had arrived so soon and so quickly and no one had prepared me. I didn’t even know what powers I had, how to use them or their strength.
And I fought the person I loved most in this world, the person I could not live without, my own husband, my sweet Tristan.
No, not my Tristan. The demon within.
Chapter 22
I had Amadis power and love and those would have to be enough. But are they? I just didn’t know. Whatever the Daemoni had planted in Tristan proved itself powerful. He was the mightiest creature on Earth and he couldn’t control it on his own. He needed my help. He needed my love. After everything we’d been through—everything we’d both suffered because of our love—surely it was strong enough to overcome this. Isn’t it? Tears stung my eyes with the possibility that the answer was “no.”
Owen’s words from just a couple of days ago echoed in my mind: “We always win.” Good always wins over evil, right? I’d lost my faith in that belief over seven years ago. And then Tristan came back…or so I thought. No, don’t think that. He is my Tristan. I just need to pull him out, help him beat the demon.
A strong gust of wind blew through the grounds. My hair whipped around, slapping my face. My dress thrashed at my legs. I glanced up for a split-second, the wind watering my eyes. A storm cloud formed directly over us, though the rest of the sky was the clear blue of a Spring day. The cloud reminded me of our wedding, right when Tristan took his vow to the Amadis. A strange, angry storm had hovered over us then, too. Like that one, this dark cloud swirled and twisted and lightning shot across its belly. Evil brewed above us, preparing to strike at the opportune moment.
Tristan and I watched each other carefully. His muscles bulged with power, his hair blew wildly and his eyes blazed with fire. He looked like a beautiful but enraged god of darkness. Everyone’s eyes remained transfixed on us as we moved side to side in a macabre dance. I monitored his thoughts and a series of profanities flew through his mind. The monster was pissed. It couldn’t beat me. Yet. I wondered how long it would take for the monster to completely take him over. Can it take his soul? Will the gray meadow imprison him in its lifelessness? Will his soul be lost forever? What will I do then?
I snapped out of the pensiveness with the sound of a Pop!
A long-legged, white-blond female, clad in her usual leather, appeared about ten yards behind Tristan. Her red-blue eyes, almost lavender in the daylight, shifted from Tristan to me and back to him. Her lips peeled back in a wicked grin.
Damn it! Can we ever get a break?
The Daemoni cackled and cawed around us. For the first time, I noticed the white-blond, male vampire from Key West—Vanessa’s brother. Just to his right stood the vampire who’d threatened me in my room. How can they be out right now?
“Uh-oh. Are we having a little squabble?” Vanessa sang as she sauntered over to Tristan’s side. She chuckled, the musical sound ringing in the air. “Looks like you finally came to your senses, lover.”
“Glad you could join the party,” her brother said. An Amadis protector snarled at him.
“The party’s just getting started. My Seth is finally coming back to me,” she crooned as she strutted around Tristan—too closely for my liking.
Tristan paid her no notice, but I was distracted. For a second too long. His power overtook me before I could react to the thought and he held me in place. I could barely deliver the electric current, especially as the blond vampire bitch ranted on. She ran her hands over Tristan’s bare shoulders and arms, her eyes on me, mocking me.
“Are you going to kill her, darling? Or do you want me to do it for you?” she purred.
“C’mon, Seth, just do it!” one of the Daemoni jeered. “What are you waiting for?”
Some of the others followed with their own taunting, the last thing we needed right now. I just had to hope he ignored them as much as he ignored the snow-white bloodsucker hanging all over him. Granted he was trying to kill me, but at least I had his undivided attention.
But seeing Vanessa touching him revolted me. The emotions—combined with Tristan’s intensifying power—started to weaken my resolve.
I can’t do this! I can’t hold him!
“You love him, Alexis. You can do this,” Rina thought.
I’m not strong enough! I’m going to lose him! I’ll kill us both.
“Use your love and your Amadis power. I told you. You are strong enough now.”
I didn’t understand why she couldn’t help, but once again I followed her instructions. With effort, I tuned out Vanessa and my emotions—all but my love for Tristan—and dragged my right hand up, palm out toward him. I focused on pushing the power through. That warm, soft ribbon, wider and stronger now, streamed through my body and along my arm and surged out of my hand. I felt it connect with his chest, right at the mutilated Amadis mark, penetrating into his heart.
I love you, Tristan. You and me together forever. That’s how it is. You and me, baby. You love me. Think of our love, Tristan. Think of your son’s love.
Tristan growled, the corner of his lip lifting in a snarl. I could feel the evil energy building inside him, gaining force to fight my Amadis power. And I thought it might be too late—I might already be fighting Daemoni.
So now what?
I couldn’t kill him. Even if I wanted to, he was virtually impossible to kill. The Daemoni had tried all their different ways and they couldn’t even take his heart. Because it belongs to me. Did that mean I could do it? Was I the only one? Is that what Rina meant after all? My stomach clenched into a sickened knot.
But even if that’s true…he’s Tristan. My sweet Tristan. My one and only love. Mom was right. I couldn’t kill him. I would let him kill me first.
“Do it already, darling. Kill the little bitch,” Vanessa taunted. “Then we can finally be together. Oh, the things we will do….”
She draped herself around his non-responsive body. My heart squeezed.
Get your raunchy hands off him!
I hadn’t meant for her to hear me, to reach into her head. The idea disgusted me. But she laughed aloud as if I had. Appalled, I returned my focus to what mattered.
No, Tristan! Love! Remember our LOVE. Remember Dorian.
His growl deepened and grew louder.
“We can have so much fun, now that she’ll be out of the way. Come on, lover, just do it,” Vanessa sang. Then her voice became a snarl. “Or I will!”
“Do it, Vanessa!” her brother shouted. “Fuck Lucas!”
“Shut the hell up!” I yelled.
The fury gave me the strength I needed to fight Tristan’s power. I turned my left hand on Vanessa, while holding my right on Tristan. I didn’t realize the extent of my power until I unleashed the electricity on her. She couldn’t handle it like Tristan could. She twitched and seized, her face twisted into a pained grimace.
“Easy, Alexis. We don’t kill unless there’s no hope. She’s a soul that can be saved,” Rina reminded me.
Are you freakin’ kidding me? She’s ready to kill me!
But I knew in my heart Rina was right. Overwhelming love still filled my body and I could feel a twinge even for the vulgar vampire bitch. I also knew Owen and the others wouldn’t let her kill me. I let off the current and Vanessa collaps
ed, her once beautiful blond hair standing on end in patches, what remained only an inch long. Purple smoke rose off her blackened skin.
“You little—,” she screamed. She lunged at me, but then she soared thirty yards backwards. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Mom and Owen magically restraining her.
I paid for the distraction. In an instant, Tristan’s power pressed on me more forcefully than ever. I now knew exactly why they considered him the ultimate warrior. His power was unbeatable, literally able to squeeze the life out of somebody. It compressed my body into itself, squishing my bones as if they were made of putty. My chest pressed into my spine, my heart flattening, my lungs about to collapse. My veins and arteries constricted, the blood flow slowing. My head felt like it would implode.
And I couldn’t bring myself to fight him. I couldn’t do whatever I needed to do to save myself. I couldn’t even think straight about it. I couldn’t save him and I couldn’t kill him.
It’s happening. Evil is winning. He’s actually killing me.
All those times he’d been so worried about accidentally killing me and I’d never believed he would do it. Now he was. And I was letting him.
But my death would leave the Amadis without hope for another daughter. It would leave Dorian without a mother. And it would leave Tristan—if there’s still soul left that would even care—to live out his existence knowing he’d killed me.
I’d promised him several years ago I would never let him do that to himself. I would never let him have to live with that. I would never let him kill himself over it. THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!
There was only one thing to do. I prayed.
Dear God, please help me. You are so powerful and I can’t do this without You. I need You. He needs You. I offer myself as a tool. Use me however You need to. Just please save him. Please, dear Lord, save Tristan.
A voice answered in my head and it didn’t belong to Rina. This voice came as quiet as a whisper, yet I could feel the immense power reverberating through it.
I am here for you, My daughter. His soul is already Mine, Alexis. When he gave it to the Amadis, he gave it to Me and nothing can change that. But until I bring him home, his soul needs protection against the demons. I have already given you what you need. Use the power I have gifted to you, My daughter. This is My plan for you. This is your purpose.