The Awakening (Immortals)

by Joy Nash

  “Oh, for the gods’ sake,” Kalen muttered.

  Christine shot him a glare that might have killed a mortal man. “You brute! How could you? He’s just a kid.”

  “A kid?” Kalen snorted. “Is that what he told you?”

  “We were only dancing!”

  “He had his hands on you.”

  “So what if he did? That’s no reason to blast him!”

  Mac rolled his head and moaned. Christine gasped and turned back to him, cradling his cheek in her palm.

  “Mac, can you hear me? Can you move your arm at—” She cut off frowning, running her fingers over his shoulder. “Wait. There’s nothing there. But I know you hit him.”

  Kalen propped his hip on his desk and crossed his arms. “Believe me, his hide is far too tough for that little blast to pierce it. Mac, get your ass off the floor. Now. I mean it.”

  Mac obligingly rolled to one side and rose, rolling his shoulder without so much as a wince. Kalen’s blast had left a singed hole in the cotton, but the skin below was barely red.

  “Damn, Kalen, nice shot. Good to see you, too.”

  “You’ve met Christine,” Kalen said.

  Mac glanced at Christine, whose expression had gone from enraged to gobsmacked. “Actually, we’re just getting reacquainted. I ran into her in London, waving a sketch of your castle around the train station.” He sent Kalen a probing look. “She told me Leanna’s after her.”

  “I’m well aware of that.”

  “Then why haven’t you popped the lovely Christine across the pond to America?”

  Kalen made a dismissive gesture. “It’s not necessary. She’s safe here and Leanna will eventually lose interest. Although, come to think of it, now that you’re back—”

  “Oh no,” Mac said. “If you’re thinking I’m going to keep an eye on her, forget it. I’ve got more pressing concerns. As a matter of fact, that’s why I’m here.”

  His sober tone gave Kalen pause. Mac was deadly serious—something he very rarely was. His habitual flippancy had vanished and his shoulders held a tenseness Kalen had rarely seen. His friend was truly worried. And for someone with Mac’s powers, that was no trivial matter.

  “What’s wrong?” Kalen asked.

  “I—”

  A trilling cell phone melody interrupted. Mac pulled his mobile from his belt and grimaced. “Gods damn it. I have to take it this time. I can’t put her off again.” He scowled and turned his back, flipping the phone open and pitching his voice low. Rapid conversation ensued. Kalen snorted.

  Christine regarded Mac curiously. “Girlfriend?” she asked Kalen.

  “His mother,” he replied. “You know,” he said to Mac as the phone snapped closed, “you could turn the damn thing off.”

  “Wouldn’t do a bit of good. She’d track me down some other way. The last thing I need is for her to show up in person.”

  “You have an overprotective mother?” Christine asked curiously.

  Mac looked discomfited. “Niniane’s a bloody maniac.”

  Christine started. “You can’t mean the Sidhe Queen.”

  “None other,” Kalen said.

  “You’re Sidhe? Leanna’s brother? But—your ears—”

  “So I didn’t inherit the pointy ears,” Mac said irritably. “So sue me. I’m only half Sidhe. Leanna’s half brother. And believe me, love, it’s not my better half.”

  “Why? What’s your other half?”

  Mac looked embarrassed.

  “Divine,” Kalen said.

  Christine gaped at him. “Your father’s a god? Really?”

  “Really,” Mac groused. “You needn’t sound so doubtful.”

  “But…you look like a kid!”

  “Yes, well, Niniane doesn’t look a day over twenty-three, and she can’t stand the thought of a son who looks older. She convinced Da to put a halt to my physical age. I’m lucky he capped me at sixteen. If Mum had her way, I’d still be in nappies.”

  “You’re joking.”

  “If only,” he muttered.

  Christine dragged in a breath. Things were just getting too weird. “And just who is your father?”

  “Lir,” Mac said. At Christine’s blank look, he added, “God of the Sea. Ever hear of him?”

  She shook her head. “I thought Neptune was God of the Sea.”

  “Americans,” Mac pronounced with some disgust. “You bloody Yanks never get past Greece and Rome. What do they teach you in those schools of yours? Lir is a Celtic god. Far more ancient and powerful than Neptune and Poseidon.” He grimaced. “And far more forgotten. I’m his only son.”

  He spread his arms wide and offered a deep bow. “Manannán mac Lir, at your service.”

  “Manannán? You mean like the musician?”

  He gave her a cheeky grin. “Exactly like him, love. Haven’t you caught on yet? I’m Manannán.”

  Her gaze flew to the burnt speaker dangling from a single wire above his head. He followed her line of vision and swore softly. “Damn it, Kalen. Do you have to be so bloody hard on the furniture?”

  Kalen shrugged. Mac shook his head and gave a flick of his wrist. Instantly, the speakers shimmered silver and reformed.

  Christine’s knees turned to rubber. She felt Kalen’s arm encircle her waist, keeping her upright. She clutched his shoulder for added support. “You really are a god.”

  Mac gave a modest smile. “Only half. My musical talent is from my Sidhe side.”

  “Oh, Goddess! Your music is ethereal…incredible…magical…”

  Kalen made an impatient sound. “It ought to be. He’s been fiddling around with that noise for half a millennium.”

  “Five hundred years?” Christine said faintly. “How old are you?”

  “Seven hundred twelve,” Mac said. He frowned. “Or thirteen. I can never remember.”

  Kalen sent Mac a look a father might give to a particularly annoying offspring. “Look, Mac, you’ve quite worn out your welcome here. Leave.”

  Mac’s demeanor abruptly sobered. “No. I need to talk to you, Kalen.”

  “Make it quick. Christine and I have plans for the evening.”

  “We do?” Christine murmured, suddenly aware Kalen’s hand had drifted from her waist to her hips. He dipped a little lower and stroked her bottom, igniting an aching fire in her belly.

  “Yes,” he said softly. “We do.”

  “Well, the gods know I hate to wreck a party, but there’s something you have to know. The Unseelie Host is back.”

  Kalen’s hand dropped away, his body going suddenly tense. “That can’t be true. My brothers and I banished the Unseelie Host after the Great Battle seven hundred years ago. We sealed them in Uffern permanently.”

  “Not permanently enough, as it happens. They’ve escaped through a fissure in the Channel Tunnel and are laying a path of carnage through the countryside. I’ve been to some of the massacre sights. They aren’t pretty. And it’s getting worse.”

  “Are you sure it’s Unseelies?” Kalen asked. “Not vampires or demons?”

  “Yes. I found a few witnesses—and an Unseelie corpse. Then, on the way here, I ran into a pack of the vermin.” His eyes turned inward, and Christine thought she saw a shudder run through his body. “They’re every bit as hideous as I remember.”

  “You’re not a child anymore, Mac. Blast the miserable things back to Uffern.”

  “Believe me, I tried.”

  “And?”

  Mac speared his fingers through his hair, leaving the blond strands in spikes. “I used every trick you’ve taught me, Kalen, but it wasn’t enough. Sure, I killed a few, but then another pack would attack. They’re bolder than they were back in the Middle Ages. More organized. Every brownie, halfling, and faerie is fleeing to the city.”

  “That’s true,” Christine murmured, remembering Gilraen.

  “They’ve already begun attacking larger villages. Cities will be next. I can’t stop them.” He set to pacing. “I can’t stop any of it. The human world
is on a downslide, completely out of balance. At first I thought it was part of a natural cycle, but now? I think it’s worse than that. These Unseelies are taking orders from someone. Someone with enough power to free them from Uffern. Someone with a plan.”

  “Tain,” Christine breathed.

  Mac stopped pacing and glanced sharply at Kalen. “Isn’t Tain one of your brothers?”

  “The youngest one,” Kalen said tightly.

  “Tain is why I came to Scotland looking for Kalen,” Christine interjected. Quickly, she sketched the details of Tain’s imprisonment and his association with Kehksut. “Tain is insane. He wants to die. The only way he can do that is by draining every last drop of life magic from the human world.”

  “It certainly looks like that’s happening,” Mac said. “Buggering vamps and zombies are everywhere. And humans I’ve never pegged as being into dark arts are turning demonwhore.”

  “I think that’s the case with Leanna,” Christine said.

  Mac started. “Not bloody likely. I know my sister’s no saint, but she’s Sidhe. We abhor demons.”

  “So Kalen has said,” Christine replied. “But Leanna’s half human, isn’t she? I saw her draw death runes, and she had a vial of something that looked like blood.”

  Mac swore. “If I find out Leanna’s been dealing with demons, I’ll wring her neck. She’ll get herself killed. Or worse.”

  “The world’s gone insane,” Christine said. “That’s why I’m here. Kalen’s oldest brother, Adrian, is assembling an army in Seattle, Washington. The Immortals and any practitioners of life magic we can find. We’re preparing for a battle with Tain and the Old One who’s manipulating him.”

  Mac’s gaze cut to Kalen. “Please tell me you’re not going to join them.”

  Kalen looked away. “No. I’m not.”

  The tension in Mac’s shoulder’s relaxed. “Thank the gods.”

  Christine glared at him. “I can’t believe this. I thought you’d help me convince him!”

  Mac eyed Kalen. “You haven’t told her, then?”

  Kalen didn’t reply.

  “Tell me what?” Christine demanded.

  “Nothing,” Kalen muttered.

  “Fine.” She turned to Mac. “Look. Kalen’s refused to help, but what about you? Will you come with me to Seattle? You’d be a huge asset.”

  “I’d like to, love, but it’s complicated.” He cleared his throat. “I’d need my father’s permission first.”

  “Then ask for it! Once Lir realizes how bad things are, I’m sure he’ll give you his blessing.”

  “It’s not that simple. Da would have to put a motion for Divine Intervention before the Celtic Gods’ Council. And as I’m sure you know, gods move in Their Own Time and in Mysterious Ways. The lot of them debate endlessly. Lugh and the Morrigan—that pair couldn’t agree on what to have for tea, let alone when to start a war. And then there’s Briga and Cerridwen. You don’t ever want to get in the middle of one of their hissy fights. Bran? That bloke can filibuster for centuries.”

  Christine stared. “You can’t be serious. Do you mean to tell me there’s bureaucracy in the Otherworld?”

  Mac scowled. “And why shouldn’t there be? Humans like to think gods and goddesses just go about intervening willynilly in human affairs, but believe me, love, if that were the case, the human world would have been burnt to a crisp long ago. Gods have a mountain of rules and regs designed to keep apocalypse at bay. And in any case, much as I love humans, it’s not like I could just drop everything and skive off to Seattle while Unseelies are slaughtering my charges. Lir’s only given me one job to do here in the human world—protect the Celtic magical creatures living outside Annwyn. That would be Sidhe, faeries, brownies, halflings, leprechauns, and Selkies, as well as the wilder creatures like imps, boggarts, and phookas. They’re all my responsibility. I can’t just abandon them.”

  “The best way to protect them is by joining Amber and Adrian in the battle against Tain! Surely the Gods of Annwyn will be able to see that.”

  Mac scrubbed a hand over his face. “I wouldn’t count on it, love. Much as it pains me to say it, it looks like death magic is at flash point. Celtic creatures have only one hope. Evacuation.”

  “Evacuation…” Christine stared at him blankly. “But—where would they go?”

  Mac’s features settled into a mask of resignation. “Why, to Annwyn, of course. That’s why I’m here. I need Kalen’s help to get my people home.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  “How long before the end, do you think?”

  “A couple weeks,” Mac said. “A month, on the outside. I sense something in the air, Kalen. Dark excitement. Anticipation. The cities, especially, reek with it. I think something big’s about to happen. Something that won’t be able to be reversed. I don’t want a single faerie or imp left outside Annwyn when it goes down. A good lot of them are already camped on the shore, but I’m afraid they’ll be sitting ducks for the Unseelies while I round everyone else up. I know you can’t fight, but if you could just provide a bit of added protection, it would be a big help.”

  Kalen nodded. “I’ll set the wards immediately. When do you think you’ll be ready to open the Gates?”

  “With any luck, within a few days. Then the Opening spell will take a bit of time.” He grimaced. “It’s one of niniane’s. Designed to keep people out, not let them in. The reversal is a tricky bit of spellcraft.” He paused. “You’ll be coming with us, of course.”

  “Of course.” Kalen had no choice, and now there was Christine’s safety to consider as well. He forced a light tone. “I wouldn’t dream of leaving you to face Niniane alone.”

  Christine’s color was high. “So that’s it? The two of you are just going to run away and leave humanity to fend for itself?”

  Mac’s jaw tightened. Kalen knew how much he loved humans—this couldn’t be easy for him. Unlike Kalen, Mac could help with Adrian’s battle.

  “My first duty is to my own,” Mac told Christine. “I’ll extend an offer of sanctuary to trustworthy humans—Niniane won’t like it, but by the time she realizes what I’ve done it’ll be too late. But that’s about all I can do. You’re welcome, of course. In fact, I insist you come.”

  “You want me to abandon the human world, too?” Christine was aghast.

  Kalen caught her elbow. “You’ll love Annwyn. It’s a very beautiful place.”

  She regarded him as if he had two heads. “I’m sure it is, but that’s not the point here, is it? I can’t believe you two think I would just leave—”

  “You will leave. You’re under my protection now, Christine. You’ll go where I say.”

  Her blue eyes widened like saucers. “Why, you arrogant, high-handed Immortal jerk! What do you think I am, some kind of lapdog? I’m not going with you anywh—oooh!”

  Kalen hauled her against his body, hard.

  “Let me go!”

  Kalen nodded to Mac. “If you’ll excuse us? Christine and I have a few things to discuss.”

  Mac raised a brow. “Far be it from me to intrude. After all, I’ve got work to do. A sister to visit. A hundred thousand or so magical creatures to evacuate.”

  Kalen nodded. Christine balled up her fist and hit him on the shoulder, hard enough for him to feel it. Scowling, he pinned her wrists at her waist. “Stop that.”

  “I am not going to Annwyn!”

  “Quite the feisty wench you’ve got there, Kalen,” Mac said dryly.

  “Quite,” Kalen agreed. He hoisted a struggling Christine into his arms. With a parting nod, he shut his eyes and let his power flow into the ground, preparing for translocation. Luckily, Christine was too busy pummeling him to realize she might have hit him with a spell while his defenses were down. One, two, three seconds…

  He released his magic with a snap. A portal popped open. He stepped through it and willed himself and Christine to his bedchamber.

  Thankfully, the shock of the trip shut her up.

  Chri
stine landed flat on her back on the bed, the room spinning around her. For a long moment, all she could do was moan as her stomach threatened to heave up her last three meals.

  Kalen was beside her. He shifted on the mattress, drawing her into his arms. “Shh. Don’t fight the nausea. It’ll pass in a moment.”

  “Goddess, I hate portal travel.” She clung to him while her stomach roiled. When she thought she could risk it, she struggled to an upright position and shoved a damp hank of hair from her forehead. Her hand was still shaking.

  “What was wrong with the stairs?” she asked weakly.

  A laugh rumbled in his chest. “Takes too long.”

  Goddess, his arms felt good around her. Solid and true. It was all too tempting to let herself get lost in them. But she couldn’t. She turned her head slowly and caught his gaze.

  “There is no way,” she told him, “that I am going to Annwyn.”

  He sighed and pulled her onto his lap. For a moment she was distracted by the bulge of his arousal against her buttocks. The familiar melting sensation started up in her belly. The tips of her breasts tingled.

  “Christine…” The weariness in his voice dove right to her heart. “Stop fighting me.”

  She shut her eyes. “Don’t ask this of me, Kalen. I can’t do it. I can’t leave my people, even if it’s a lost cause.”

  His arms tightened around her. She lost her breath when his lips caught hers in a devastatingly gentle kiss.

  “I’ve waited so many years for you, Christine. I won’t risk you now that I’ve finally found you.” The tip of his tongue found her ear and swirled delicately around the shell. Delicious weakness flooded Chistine’s body. Electric magic hummed in her veins.

  “I love you, Christine.”

  Was it possible to soar and crash at the same time? “Oh, Goddess. Don’t say that. Don’t do this. I can’t—”

  He silenced her with another kiss, and she couldn’t summon the will to turn away.

  “You’re mine now, Christine. Mine. And you’re coming with me to Annwyn.”

  His hand found her breast. She gasped. He caught the sound with his mouth, consuming her with his lips, invading with his tongue. His magic flashed through her, hot and wild. Her own magic surged in reply. She was powerless to stop it.