Found and Forged

by Ivy Asher

  Two.

  Tears stream down my face. Blood seeps out of my mouth. I try to call a weapon, any weapon, into my hands. Nothing comes.

  One.

  The Sovereign looks away from Suryn and right at me. Her brown eyes gleam with victory. She knows I’ve got nothing left. The ones I love pound impotently on the barrier all around us, and Suryn’s screams are cracking and splintering as her voice starts to give out.

  I look away from her hate filled triumph and look to my Chosen.

  “I love you,” I mouth, blood spattering my chin and chest as my eyes connect with each of them in turn.

  Ryker places his hands helplessly against the barrier, agony twisting his features and soundlessly screams out no. Torrez howls out his frustration and hurt and slams against the barrier harder and harder. Siah’s features morph into a snarl as he claws at the magic in an effort to get to me. Valen screams for me to hold on as his eyes pool with pain. Knox roars, his face filled with rage as he prowls like a caged tiger, trying to find a way in. Bastien’s cheeks are streaked with tears, and he begs me to stay, over and over. Sabin shakes his head as he cries, and he mouths “I love you” back.

  “I’m sorry,” I tell them, my heart breaking as I do. I can feel my soul fracturing as I turn away from them and focus back on the Sovereign.

  Suryn’s screams have morphed into a gravelly keening, and the Sovereign’s gaze flits from her to me again. I tighten my hold on the beam wrapped around my arm with my right hand and let go with my left. The Sovereign’s eyes widen with surprise as I reach out and grab onto the other bolt she’s feeding into Suryn. I yank it as hard as I can, and it snaps from Suryn, to me. I throw my head back in a silent scream as the beam of white pain slams into me.

  My legs give out once again, and I crumble to the ground, but this time I keep my hold on the Sovereign’s lethal magic. There’s nothing I can do to stop her, but maybe I can buy Suryn more time. Maybe they’ll figure out a way to break through the barrier and get to her. I just need to hold on to the Sovereign’s magic as long as possible.

  Black dots swarm my vision, and I start to go numb. I tighten my hold on the Sovereign’s magic and sway as I try to stay on my knees at her feet. She stares down at me, as life leaks out of me, and says something my ears can no longer hear. I open my blood stained lips to mouth one last “fuck you” to her, when out of nowhere, her head leans to the side at an odd, unnatural angle. I watch it, confusion sparking through my pain muddled mind, and then the Sovereign’s head slips off her shoulders all together and falls to the ground next to me.

  The Sovereign’s headless body falls a moment later, revealing Suryn behind it. My body gives out, and I completely collapse. I stare at the dead eyes in the Sovereign’s severed head, and relief wafts through me. I close my eyes, no longer able to keep them open.

  I can go now. They’ll be safe.

  And that’s the last thought I can think as death reaches out and wraps its cloak all around me. I snuggle into it as it warms me, and then the blackness takes over everything that I am.

  Bright light flashes on the other side of my closed lids. I try to turn away from it, but no matter what I do, I can’t seem to escape it. I breathe out a deep irritated sigh and open my eyes. The light is blinding, and I quickly slam my lids shut.

  “Fuck, someone turn down the light,” I grumble, and a deep laugh resonates around me. I squint to see where it’s coming from and can make out blurry black hair, olive-toned skin, and green eyes.

  Surprise flashes through me, along with resignation and peace.

  “Hey, where’s Keegan?” I ask Lachlan as his lips stretch into a happy and welcoming smile.

  I try to sit up and grunt from how stiff I feel. He leaps out of his chair and helps me.

  “He’s not here, Vinna,” Lachlan tells me, his tone solemn, and my throat gets tight.

  “Shit. I’m so sorry. Maybe we can find him together,” I offer, and my uncle’s eyes fill with warmth and emotion.

  “You don’t have to worry about that,” he tells me. “Just rest, and I’ll be right here if you need anything,” he reassures me, and I can’t help but give him the side eye.

  Lachlan sure is a fuck-ton nicer now that he’s dead. Although I suppose whatever happens after we die could maybe do that to a person. I take stock of myself, and I’m not surprised to feel a million times better than I did before I ended up here. Wherever here is.

  I look around and snort at the cliché tones of cream and white that cover everything. Why do I have to pee? Guess that kind of crap stays with you in the afterlife, go figure.

  “So how are you?” I ask Lachlan as I double-check that I’m dressed and then push the covers off of me.

  I’m decked out in some kind of shift—it’s white of course. The color palette is definitely going to get old around here quick.

  Lachlan snorts and rubs his hand over his face. “I’m good. Adjusting. It’s all a lot to take in,” he confesses, and I nod my head.

  “How are you?” he asks me, his earnest gaze searching my face. “I still can’t even believe you’re here and that I’m talking to you.”

  I mirror his actions and rub a hand over my face. “I honestly don’t know. I feel better, which is good. Nothing hurts. I guess I just don’t know what happens now...you know?” I ask him, running my gaze around the room like the answers will come floating out of the walls.

  The door opens, and more light floods into the room. I hold my breath to see who will walk in. Some kind of spirit guide? My mom? Laiken? Ryker walks in, and his eyes go wide. He leaps for me, and I’m wrapped up in his arms so fast, home slamming into me with his tight embrace.

  “Fuck, Squeaks, that was the worst fucking thing I’ve ever been through,” he whispers against my hair, and then his lips are on mine.

  His kiss is reverent, and I reach up and wipe the tears off his cheeks as he pours his sadness and joy into me. I get lost in his lips, and then it hits me like a ton of bricks.

  Ryker is here.

  I push back, separating myself from him, panic in my eyes as I trace his face with a heartbroken gaze.

  “No, no, no, no, no! You were supposed to be okay. How are you here?” I shout and spring up on the bed.

  Ryker looks confused for a moment, but before he can say anything, Bastien, Valen, Knox, Siah, Sabin, and Torrez come barging into the room. They look exhausted. Relief, sadness, excitement and several other things haunt their eyes and expressions. I want to scream.

  Tears pour out of me, and I scramble back when Bastien reaches for me.

  “No,” I yell at him, and he jerks back, hurt flickering in his eyes. “You shouldn’t be here!”

  I pull at my hair, my chest heavy. I watched the Sovereign die...

  “Who was it?” I demand. “Was it Suryn? I swear to fuck if it was her, I’m haunting her ass forever! What a fucking cunt! I save her ass, and she pulls this?”

  “Vinna, what the fuck are you talking about?” Valen questions, and I pause.

  “Who killed you?” I demand again, and he reels back, dumbfounded. “We’re going to fuck them up; I don’t care if we’re all ghosts or angels or whatever, we will find a way to make it happen,” I tell them.

  I spin to see if I have wings or anything on my back. “Do we get wings and shit?” I ask, turning to look at Lachlan. He’s been doing this whole afterlife thing longer and would know.

  “Bruiser, we’re not dead,” Bastien declares.

  My gaze snaps to his, and I stare at him for a moment, confused.

  Shit, do they not know they’re dead? Maybe they didn’t see it coming like I did. Fucking Suryn.

  “I’m sorry, Bas, but you are,” I tell him softly, moving toward the end of the bed so I can hug him.

  “No, I’m not,” he repeats with an incredulous snort.

  My eyes fill with pity. Poor guy’s in denial. I look for Sabin. He’s always rational, he’ll help everyone to see. I find his forest green gaze. It’s filled wit
h love and warmth, and it makes my stomach go all gooey.

  “You know you’re dead, right?” I ask him, and his eyes search both of mine for a beat.

  “Why do you think you’re dead, Vinna?” he asks me simply, and I snort out a humorless laugh.

  “Because I felt myself die. I got all warm and fuzzy. Everything went black. I woke up in the white monochromatic room and had a whole conversation with Lachlan,” I tell him, and understanding flares in his eyes.

  Finally. Now we can get past this whole shit, I’m dead thing and get right into who the fuck do we need to haunt for making it happen.

  “Vinna, I’m not Lachlan,” Lachlan says, stepping toward me.

  “Oookay,” I drawl with a titter. “Who the fuck are you then?”

  “I’m...I’m your dad. I’m Vaughn,” he answers, and my amused smile falls right off my face.

  “What?” I whisper, stunned.

  I take a step back away from everyone and look around confused.

  “I’m not dead?” I croak, my voice bleeding emotion and shock.

  Valen reaches for me, but I back away, feeling overwhelmed and reeling.

  What the fuck is going on?

  My eyes well up, and I look from Vaughn to my Chosen, completely lost.

  “How?” I ask, and everyone’s eyes soften.

  “When the Sovereign died, the barrier fell. That warm feeling you felt was all of us pushing Healing magic in to you. The blackness was you passing out, not dying,” Sabin tells me, his eyes suddenly filled with unshed tears. He reaches out, and this time I take his hand. I need him to help me feel tethered, to help me process what the fuck he’s saying.

  Emotion slams into me, and a sob works its way out of my mouth. I slam my hand over it and then fall on the bed and cry. I’m so fucking happy and shattered and overwhelmed that I just collapse into a pile of sobs. Comforting hands rub my back and arms and legs. Someone strokes my hair slowly, and they all just let me break, their touch and reassuring words promising they’ll help me put it all back together again.

  Gradually my soul-racking sobs taper, and my tears slow. I purge the desolation and anguish one salty drop at a time until it no longer weighs me down. I wipe at my face and lift my head. My eyes lock on Vaughn’s, and he wipes at his wet cheeks.

  “Hi,” I tell him, no clue what else to say in this situation.

  He smiles, and we both give a watery chuckle. “Hi,” he answers back, and then he hugs me.

  His arms lock in a vice-like grip around me, and his chest shakes from the sobs working their way out of him. I hold my dad as he takes his turn breaking. I hold him tight and let him know it’s okay, because we’ll help him put it all back together when he’s done. I have no idea how he’s here, holding me, but it’s a story that can wait. I can’t even imagine what he’s been through. But in this moment, his embrace is so much more than I could have ever hoped for.

  I don’t know how long we stay like that. Father and daughter slowly piecing themselves back together. When we separate, I’m immediately pulled into another set of waiting arms. I hug Bastien hard, and we breathe each other in. Valen steals me next, burying his hands in my hair and kissing me gently. Knox shoves his way in and lifts me into his arms. My feet dangle as he holds me, our locked arms offering the reassurance that we’re both desperate for.

  Torrez peels Knox’s arms from around me and sits down on the bed and pulls me into his lap. He tears the neck of my shift and rests his head against his runes on my shoulder. I run my fingers through his black hair, fortifying our bond with each breath and each stroke of my fingers.

  Siah sinks down next to Torrez and pulls me in to his own lap. We stare at each other for a while, and I take this moment to replace the last memory I had of his pained face on the other side of the barrier with this image of his love-filled features.

  Ryker extends his hand out to me, and I take it and step out of Siah’s hold. Ryker cradles my face and kisses me again softly. None of us say anything. We don’t need to. I can feel and see what this did to all of them. The relief is palpable. It was a close call, and none of us will ever be the same because of it. We take time and breathe each other in. We offer what physical reassurances we can in this moment. It’s going to take time to feel secure again and not haunted by the way death was breathing down my back. But we’ll get there, and when we do, we’ll be even stronger for it.

  31

  I stare at myself in the steamy mirror, studying my face. I look rested and as far from the deathbed as I can get. The guys told me I had been out for three days. Three agonizing days when they weren’t sure I would wake up at all. It felt like a blink to me. I tilt my chin back and study the new rune on the underside of my chin. The line of the simple circle is thick and black, and when I tilt my head back down you can’t even tell it’s there. The guys said it showed up as they were trying to heal me. None of us are sure exactly what it does, but I have an idea. One I’m not ready to think too hard about yet.

  I run my fingers through my wet hair, and a soft knock sounds on the door. It cracks open, and Ryker’s gorgeous blue eyes meet mine in the mirror.

  “I brought you clothes,” he announces as he steps into the bathroom.

  I look down at the pile, expecting black and leather, but instead Ryker is holding soft looking magenta fabric. I make an icked out face, and Ryker chortles.

  “Marn told me you had to wear a dress for this,” he tells me sheepishly. “You know there’s no arguing with her when it comes to this shit,” he adds, and I chuckle.

  He sets it on the bathroom counter and turns to leave.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” I tease. “Who’s going to help me get this thing on? The dresses here are always complicated.”

  Sure enough, I hold it up and immediately think there’s not enough fabric here. The dresses themselves are relatively simple and Grecian-esque; what’s complicated is making sure all my bits are fucking covered.

  Ryker grins and steps back toward me. I slip the thin material over my head. It’s softer than silk as it caresses down my body and pools at the ground. The straps on each of my shoulders have magenta leather wrapped around them at the top of my shoulder. The gathered fabric dips down my chest into a V and leads into a flowy skirt that has the ever popular slit up to my hip bone on one side. The V of the top plunges so low that all of my Chosen marks are visible between my breasts.

  Ryker holds up a smooth leather piece with braided ties on each end. It’s too small to be a corset but way too big to be a belt. I shrug, not sure how it’s supposed to be worn. Ryker steps up behind me, his chest skimming my bare back as the dress dips deeply on that side too. He wraps his arms around me until the leather piece rests against my stomach. The top of it sits a couple inches below my boobs, and the bottom ends exactly at my waist.

  Ryker wraps the braided ties behind me until it’s tight but not too binding. The ties crisscross at the back, and he brings them forward and ties them together at the front. He makes a bow and the long ends of the two braided ties hang down the front of the dress. Ryker flattens his hands against my torso, and our eyes find each other’s in the mirror again. We stare at each other, heat slowly building in our gazes and every part of my body that’s touching his. He leans down slowly, his eyes never leaving mine, and kisses where my neck meets my shoulder.

  Goosebumps rise up on my arms, and my nipples grow harder with each breath against my skin. I reach up and cup his head as he nips at my shoulder. With my other hand, I reach up and guide one of his hands from my torso slowly down my body. The air around us becomes heavy as his hand finds the slit in my dress. His fingertips move languidly across my lower abdomen.

  My muscles twitch from the ticklish attention, and I rest my head back against his shoulder as we continue to stare at one another in the mirror. Ryker slips a finger between the lips of my pussy and strokes me reverently. I hum my approval and sink my fingers in the strands of his soft blond hair. As he trails kisses up my
neck, he pulls the wet evidence of my desire up over my clit and begins to circle it slowly.

  Someone knocks at the door and opens it before either Ryker or I can say anything. Sabin pokes his head in to say something, but he pauses when he takes in Ryker’s hand and my hooded gaze. Ryker’s small circles around my clit never even pause, and I try to bite back a moan as I wait for the Captain to tell us it’s time to go or something else that puts a stop to the orgasm that Ryker’s touch is working to coax out of me. Instead, Sabin steps into the bathroom and closes the door behind him.

  In three steps, he’s cradling my face and kissing me so thoroughly that it’s making my head swim. His tongue plays with mine as Ryker’s fingers tease my clit and dip back down between my wet lips. Sabin swallows my moan as Ryker pushes his finger into me. He skims my hips with his other hand and pulls the fabric of the dress all the way to the side. Sabin pulls away from my mouth as Ryker pushes two fingers inside of me and begins to circle my clit with his other hand. I turn to Ryker over my shoulder, and his lips are on mine before I even have to ask.

  Sabin runs the tip of his nose around my hard, fabric-covered nipple and holds onto my hips as Ryker’s mouth leaves me panting. He pulls away, and I turn to watch him play with my pussy in the mirror. Sabin pushes the deep V of my dress to the side and sucks my nipple into his mouth. Every part of me feels needy and heavy, and I squirm and revel in the feel of them. Their attentions are slow, reverent, and I feel precious and fragile in their hands.

  An orgasm cascades through me, and Ryker whispers, “I love you,” in my ear. I turn to kiss him again, and Sabin pulls my other breast free of my dress and moves his full lips to it. Ryker pulls the skirt of my dress up inch by unhurried inch. His touch falls away from me as he unties his pants. Sabin pulls away from my breast and looks up at me, his forest green gaze blazing with tender affection.

  He grabs my face and pulls it down as he drops to his knees. I bend over in pursuit of his lips, and Ryker bunches my dress up above my hips. I spread my legs in invitation and steady myself on Sabin’s shoulders. Ryker strokes my hips and lines himself up. He pushes inside of me, and I break away from my kiss with Sabin to moan.