“Can you both meet us by the water in about ten minutes? I need to finish gathering my things.”
“And I’d like to see Kaede too,” Selene adds.
“Very well. I will summon both of them as well to see you off.” With that, Diana simply disappears and the air around us becomes much colder, empty of her radiant glow. We turn to leave preparing to take our first steps back to our world.
◊◊◊
I walk slowly back to the room that I’ve been staying in for all this time, deeply inhaling the fresh air, soaking in the beauty, and the calm of it all. I haven’t even so much as sneezed since being here. This land is truly amazing and rejuvenating. Still, I can’t believe I’ve survived this long without internet, cell phones, cars, or hell, a microwave. I guess that’s what happens when you go on a single minded mission of justice; other things that used to matter just don’t anymore.
I’m ready though. Even my toes are beginning to tingle with excitement. I think I need some of that Earthly normalcy back and soon. I need the hustle and bustle of everyday life, the sounds of music playing in people’s cars, children’s laughter, and the sight of people simply enjoying life. Even though to the world I am long dead along with the rest of my family, I know Damien will be waiting for me, happy to pull me into a firm embrace with his chiseled dark arms. He’s the only kin I have left, and that isn’t even by blood.
I wonder what he’s been doing all this time, if he’s found the man responsible for ripping my life to shreds. My heart begins to pound in nervousness. I never thought of the possibility that he’d gone too deep in this and ended up getting killed himself. I am so cut off from my world that anything is possible. World War III could have broken out and I wouldn’t have known. I wonder if the immortals would have even told me if they knew. Since I’ve been here, rarely have they traveled to our plane. I won’t even know what day it is when I get back.
As I gather my few possessions, my hands become clumsy and shaky. Selene notices it and puts her arms protectively around my waist as I breathe in her earthy scent. Her long hair covers us both in a blanket of love. I start to feel grounded and I smile.
“Thanks. You always know when I’m losing my composure.”
She turns me towards her. “I’m in tune with you Rayne, don’t forget that. Diana and Lawrence may not be willing to break the rules to help you out if things get out of hand, but I’ll be there, and I’m much more capable of handling things than you know,” she says with conviction.
There’s a flash of power in her eyes and I wonder just how much she’s improved. Hell, I don’t know how much power she had to begin with, so there’d be no way for me to gauge it. Though I’m sure she wouldn’t have been marked as a high priestess of her people if she didn’t have some serious magic inside of her. All I know is that it’s clear that she’s been running from something for a long time and I’ve always had this feeling that her meeting the Immortals was as much about her as it was about me.
Though I’m sure she had nothing to do with my family, it probably was a better opportunity than she could have ever imagined, being able to find a reason to summon them. After all, it seems that even among the supernatural community there is little knowledge of the Immortals or the pact that they made with my race; but Selene seemed to know much more than normal. She had been looking for a way in, of that, I’m sure.
That was a fact that I’d accepted a long time ago. After all, she stayed with me the whole time, supporting me, and healing me in more ways than one. Without her I would have never obtained this power, and if there was something extra in it for her, who am I to judge?
“I believe you,” I tell her. “I’ll keep a clear head and I won’t just jump into situations that are impossible to win.”
“Listen to your instinct on that. This is going to be more difficult that you can imagine. Trust me on this.”
I listen to her words and let them sink in. I have no doubt that Selene is right about that. Quickly now, I gather the rest of my belongings.
When we get to the lake, our three Immortals are waiting for us, two smiling. The male of the group has his arms crossed, expressionless, shoulder-length blonde hair blowing freely. I give him a bright smile to let him know that I’m not upset with him anymore, and his body relaxes slightly. Selene and I both stop an arm’s length away from the trio, but Kaede quickly embraces us in a long hug.
She may look like a young child with long hair dark as night, a round but otherworldly beautiful face, almond shaped steel grey eyes, and fair skin with that now familiar immortal glow, but she out-ages both of us by thousands of years. Still, she has this child-like demeanor about her that mirrors her outer shell. I’m sure that part of her personality never changes, no matter how old she looks.
Next, Lawrence puts one hand on my shoulder and nods, but I then pull him into a hug. He could never replace my own father, but in many ways, I could relate his own quiet strength and pushing to my own dad. For that familiarity, I am forever grateful. He returns the hug tighter and when we pull away from each other his smile is warm.
“You are a fool, but I believe that you have great things to accomplish in your future. You will become a Machaera and when you do, I’ll give you my own blood for the ritual,” Lawrence promises.
I smile at him, but don’t respond. Being a protector, the immortal’s sword, meant gaining immortality and that was something that I had yet to think about. Selene would age, I would stay young forever. Even if she and I didn’t stay together for the rest of our lives, I have never been one of those people who thought living forever was cool.
“There are a couple things that you should know Rayne; lamia will not show their true self until she is ready to attack. They take human form and will often be beautiful, non- threatening, and appear to be someone trustworthy. Look for women hanging around parks alone or late at night on less frequented roads. They will rarely take children from anywhere other than poor neighborhoods or from areas where homeless people stay. With the rate of death this high, it is safe to say that there is a nest somewhere close to your hometown and that the hunting ground may be covering three states,” Diana explains, and I imprint all that to memory.
“Also,” Kaede continues, “You will need to cut the head off completely and then burn the bodies. Lamia may be low level demons, but they regenerate at a quick rate and can cause you a great deal of grief if they manage to get a good amount of venom inside you. It may not kill you, but it will paralyze whatever area it enters and too much poison can stop your motor functions and even cause you to suffocate.”
“Thanks Kaede for those herbs as well. I know how to create that poison neutralizer too,” Selene says proudly.
Kaede smiles at her like a teacher impressed by her student’s progress.
“There is one more thing,” I turn to Lawrence as he begins, his voice flowing all around me, deep and controlling. “This is just one of many Demon reportings that have been happening in a five state radius in the past couple years. There has not been this much demon activity since the Dark Days and even though there is no evidence that something bad is on the move, I want you to keep track of anything you may find out or uncover. Your world could be in danger, or it could simply be that Demon-kind is simply finding more ways to break through the gates, but I want to be sure.”
Another thing that has been noticed, but that they’ve done nothing about. I try to hide my frown, but as always, Diana catches it, and probably my thoughts too. She doesn’t say a word either, so I pretend to be oblivious to our exchange.
As we say our goodbyes, I think about where we are to go. Diana said to picture the place in my mind as she opens the gate for us to return. Since Damien is the only one I can trust, I immediately think of him. Still, I can’t say that I’m not afraid that he won’t be there, and if something has happened to him, it would break me so bad that I would not be able to put the pieces back together.
After this, I’d have to hardly ever see him ag
ain. He wouldn’t become someone to be used against me, even if he argued with me about it. Because if the choice came over saving him and stopping the witch responsible for my family’s death, I would let him die. That too would break me, but I knew what choice I’d make, and I didn’t want to ever have to make it.
I decide on his front door instead of inside his house where who knows what could be inside, let alone give someone a heart attack. Diana takes the picture from my mind and with one more glance at the three of them, my tattoo begins to glow.
Together, Selene and I step through and begin walking, but within seconds, we’re in front of Damien’s door. His house was never as large as ours because he lives alone, but from the well kept condition of every single blade of grass to the trim around the door, you can tell that Damien is well off.
His neighborhood is full of old, upper middle class, retired persons and I hope none of them are nosey enough to be hanging out of their windows right now. I look at the dark blue door and I hesitate before knocking for a couple reasons, one, out of fear, and two, because my world now feels different and I need a second to allow my senses to adjust.
I look around me. It’s almost evening, the sun making its trek back to bed. I can hear the slight vroom of cars rolling by and music in the distance, up-tempo, happy. I breathe deeply, taking in the different smells, smells that I haven’t smelled for a long time like barbeque and gasoline. It’s less clean, but it’s home. I even feel lighter, not really ever thinking about the difference in gravity while I was there after the first night. That meant I’d be faster here, stronger.
Finally, Selene says patiently, “Are you ready Rayne, or should we come back.”
I look at her smiling. “No, it’s okay. I’m ready.” There’d be time for sightseeing later. I need to see Damien now. I give the door three hard knocks and then stand back. About a minute later, a tall, dark, handsome man in need of a shave opens the door. At first, he looks confused. Then, I drop my luggage as he pulls me into a fierce hug and sobs a little. I return the force of the hug and shed my own tears.
“Dammit Ray Ray, I’ve missed you. I was so worried that something had happened and I’d never know.”
“Me too, D. I thought that you wouldn’t be here, that I’d never be able to find you.”
Finally, Damien lets me go, and looks at Selene.
“You’ve kept her safe. Thank you,” he says to her, voice shaky from the tears.
She just smiles at him and nods. Damien ushers us in his house and it’s the first time I’ve felt at home in a long while. We all sit down in the kitchen and Damien pours us some juice. While I sip it, I watch him as he examines me from head to toe. He looks at my short red hair, so much like Jazzy’s, my non manicured fingers, my newly muscled arms and legs, and more. Then, he lingers on my yellow milk maid dress and bites back a laugh.
I put the cup down and smile, taking in Damien’s own uncharacteristic appearance. His growing beard, his weight loss, even his sad looking eyes. I don’t know what battles he’s had to face, but clearly, he hasn’t been sleeping soundly for many nights. His eyes are beyond tired.
“You’ve changed so much Ray Ray. Not even your physical appearance, but the air around you is different. I don’t know what it is, but I can tell that you’re not the same,” Damien tells me; uncertain on whether or not that’s a good thing.
“I have changed, more than I thought possible, more than just losing my family. I am a warrior now,” I explain.
“Ah, I see. But, what does that mean?”
I stand up, glance at Selene and tell Katsu to reveal herself to Damien. He leans back in surprise as my sword seems to appear out of thin air. “It means that I now have more strength than probably five or six of you, and that I have skills that will allow me to avenge my family.”
He acknowledges my lack of explanation. I know he wants to know exactly what happened while I was gone, but I don’t think it really matters, especially since this visit may possibly be one of the last.
“So, what is your plan Rayne?”
Selene begins before I can even respond, trying to save me from having to be the bad guy. “I’m sorry Damien, but the less you know, the better. What we are going to do next could endanger your life. I’ve convinced Rayne that it’s better if we just keep you out of this. That may mean for a long, long time.”
Damien looks at Selene in anger and clinches his fist, when he turns back to me, he unclenches it in defeat. I can see it in his eyes that whatever he’s gone through in the time I’ve been gone hasn’t been rainbows and sunshine. He’s obviously had his share of threats.
“Please don’t let me lose you too,” I whisper.
“I can take care of myself Rayne. I’ve been doing it for this long. At least let me make my own choice,” he says quietly.
“Can you Damien? Can you protect yourself from what could be coming? I mean sure you’ve known I was a witch, but what about a demon stronger than the one that killed her family? What happens when they use you to force Rayne’s hand? You think humans are ruthless, you have no idea what my kind is capable of,” Selene raises her voice as she stands, stepping closer to Damien.
She’s pushing it, I know, but he needs to see the point. He stands up too, getting in her face. “I know how to protect myself. I have weapons. Jason and I, our company we’ve developed things…”
Suddenly, Damien is flying through the air and slamming against the far wall. Selene’s hair is floating from the magic swirling through her. She’s focused and I decide to let this play out. Damien is struggling against the push of her power to no avail. Then, a kitchen drawer opens and knives begin to fly out, towards Damien at disturbing speed. I have to force myself not to stop it, knowing Selene won’t hurt him.
“Weapons will not mean a thing if you don’t see the attack coming. You are human, you do not have the strength, speed, or skill to kill what could come for you. And now that Rayne has been un-made, she has become a different sort of target. Stay out of this or I will force you myself.” Then, she drops him and the chill of her magic leaves the air as the knives drop to the floor.
Chapter Seventeen
He stands himself up again, but refuses to look me in my face, embarrassed and angry. “I will be here whenever you need me, but I won’t force you to use my help. I’ve been waiting for you to return and have set you up with a new identity and place to stay as well as a vehicle. I just hope that’s enough for now. The place is about forty-five minutes away from here.”
“You know I appreciate any and everything you’ve done for me, D. I just want you safe. Please don’t think that I think you’re useless or weak.”
“Then, why are you and your girlfriend trying to chop my balls off?”
Selene snorts and sits back down. “Appreciate our concern for your life Damien.”
“I do. I just want to do my part.”
“You have, and for now, your part is done. Let me do the rest now. Like I said, I will call you when I need you, believe me. Trust me. Trust in me, Damien,” I plead.
“You are your father’s daughter,” he says and I smile and hug him, understanding all that he meant in those words, and appreciating the reminder that even though they were gone, all of them now live through me.
“I can do this. And I will have you to thank too. You have a job to do and that’s running the business.”
“Yeah yeah, the desk job.”
We both laugh and the tension in the room eases slightly.
“Let me go get your information out of my safe.” About five minutes later, he comes back with a bunch of paperwork. “Here. This should be all you need. Checking account information, new id’s, social security cards, birth certificates, and more. Read up on it.”
“Thanks D,” I tell him.
“Oh, and one more thing,” he begins, now with a smile on his face. “I’ve got a name for you. He may know the name of the witch who ordered the hit from the leads Selene gave me to check up on.”
“He’s apparently an Alpha wolf, goes by the name Anubis,” Damien says.
“How did you get to that name?” Selene asks before me. I wonder if she knows the name, but given her detachment from the supernatural community, I doubt it.
“Well, I’ve been using certain methods, asking questions, having sources ask around, and apparently, a couple years back, his wife or girlfriend was killed by a demon after a business conflict. One of your sources finally came back with the info. We put two and two together and figured it was probably too much of a coincidence for it not to be related to our situation here.”
“You said a couple years? A couple being two or are you just saying a couple as a guess?”
“Well, I believe it was about two years, maybe three at the most, why?” Damien asks curiously.
“It’s just something that we’re looking into. So, where can we find this Anubis?” I ask.
“I think I know where to start,” Selene tells me.
“Well, if her ideas don’t pan out, there’s another source we could possibly try.”
“Okay. I’ll contact you if it doesn’t pan out.”
We sit in silence for a few more seconds, then, I raise my hand like a student.
“Um, yes?” Damien asks, amused.
“Well, we’re going to need a ride, but before that, can you do me a huge favor?” I ask.
“Sure, what is it?”
“Can you make me a burger? I am absolutely dying to have one.”
With that we all laugh.
◊◊◊
Damien convinces us to stay the night before we get started on our day. When we get up the next morning, he takes me to see my family’s graves, then to our new place. It’s on the southside of town, quiet and peaceful. There’s enough distance between the homes that we’ll be able to keep a good level of privacy and if anyone comes snooping, you’d see them a mile away.
The Unmaking (The Rayne Whitmore Series Book 1) Page 14