Ishtar Bound

by Natalie Gibson

  Aaron didn't say anything. This was the third person who had told him that Maeve carried this other guy's baby, but all this time he'd been hoping they were wrong. Aaron wanted it to be his baby so badly. He wanted to be a family with Maeve, but it didn't look like that was going to happen. Maeve had been clear from the very start, but he had been stubborn. She had made her choice and he wouldn't make it hard on her.

  “Look man, I know it's a bummer, but please don't let it keep you from coming to the wedding. You're the closest thing to a brother I have and I need you there standing beside me.”

  “I'll be there, JD. No girl's going to keep me from your wedding. Call me if you need anything between now and then. I love you.”

  “I love you too. Don't do anything crazy, okay? Maeve's baby daddy is hell bent on keeping her from getting upset and he's more than a little scary.”

  “No, I know. – see you.”

  Aaron closed his flip phone and took the bracelet out of the box where he had carefully arranged it. He was going to give it to her at the wedding, but he couldn't now. If it was magic like the voice said and could bind Maeve to him, Aaron didn't want that. Who was he to demand she be with him when she clearly wanted to be with someone else? It didn't sound like she was being forced into anything. She had enough people making demands on her life right now.

  He didn't know how, but he knew the spell could only be broken with the elements. He'd start with burning it. Aaron tossed the jewelry and the box into a trashcan and carried it to his balcony door. He balanced the wastepaper basket on his hip with one hand and unlocked the deadbolt with the other. He opened the door.

  A group stood on his balcony; they must have come up the back entrance. The woman in front held up an odd looking gun. It was almost silent when she pulled the trigger, but the sharp hot pain in his chest told him he'd been shot. He fell, tunnel vision closing in quick, and the can dropped and clattered away; its contents spilling for all the world to see. Aaron passed out as the cold radiated from his chest wound but not before he heard a familiar gravely voice say, “Now all we need is a pretty little bow.”

  ***

  “Call him again.” JD studied himself in the mirror. He wasn't thrilled about the outfit when Jolie told him what required attire was for a wedding of a Daughter, but seeing it in person was different. It was plain in color and style but the undyed cloth had a certain luxury to it and he knew it had taken weeks to hand weave. The tunic and pants looked good on him and Lucas alike. Aaron's suit still lay on the back of a chair.

  Lucas held his tiny cell phone up to his ear and waited. “Voicemail.”

  “Again?” JD held out his hand and Lucas put the phone in it. “Aaron you better have a damn good reason for being late.” JD turned to the side and dropped his voice. “You're the only family I've got; I can't do this without you.” He disconnected the call and handed the phone back to Lucas. He went back to primping his hair. The usual fauxhawk had pink tips – a surprise for Jolie on their wedding day.

  “He'll be here. Don't worry.” Lucas walked over to a chair and started to sit. He wanted to but then thought better of it. The suits looked pretty wrinkle prone. He settled for perching on the arm.

  “I'm not worried. I'm pissed. He said he would be here.”

  There was a soft knock at the door. The Abbess had given the guys her suite to get ready in. It was nice of her but they both got the feeling that it was so she could keep tabs on them.

  “Come in.” They both said in unison, spinning towards the door expectantly.

  Maeve's head poked in but her eyes were closed. “Everybody decent?”

  “Shit. We thought you were Aaron.”

  She stepped in, her bodyguard in step behind her. The giant wore an outfit similar to their own only on a much grander scale. Maeve wore a simple strapless dress made of the same natural material. The mid-calf length skirt bustled a little in the back and she had forgone her usual corset. Her long hair hung down her back, loose and virginal. Her only jewelry was a bracelet of stones. Her brows furrowed, ruining the tranquil look of her ensemble. “You mean he's not here yet?”

  They shook their heads. “Call him.”

  “We already did. Five times. It just goes to voicemail.”

  Maeve's guardian reached out and took her hand. She stared daggers at him before tearing it out of his grasp. They had done this. The council and its guardians were obsessed with the One. Now Aaron was missing his own cousin's wedding. Probably because he didn't want to face her.

  The Abbess ducked in. “It's time. Everybody ready?”

  “The best man's missing.”

  Nathalia came in. Her dress made soft noises when she walked. It was longer and trailed behind her. Its edges were ornately stitched with green vines and clearly marked her as the woman in charge. It was more matronly than Maeve's. Even her stone necklace was older and less flashy. It was mostly hidden beneath the high neckline of her gown.

  “I didn't say missing. He's just late. Can we wait a few more minutes?”

  Nathalia looked to Maeve to answer. She, not the Abbess, officiated over all marriages. Maeve nodded, “Sure. When was the last time you talked to him?”

  “A few days ago...Thursday, I think. He said he was coming. He was down; you broke up with him. But he acted like he was going to be okay. He certainly didn't say anything about leaving town.”

  “He's still in Austin.”

  Everyone looked at Maeve, astonished. She closed her eyes and pointed northwest. “That way. Maybe 20 miles or so.”

  “How do you know?” Nathalia asked.

  Maeve shrugged. “I just do.”

  JD spoke up, “I can feel where Jolie is too.” He closed his eyes and pointed out through the sanctuary but his arm was angled down.

  Unbelievable. He could sense that she was below with the capacitors. Maybe Maeve was matched to Aaron. No, it wasn't possible. Was it? Their separation kept Maeve ill, but that could be the pregnancy. She had a deep seeded desire to be with him, go to him. Aaron was telling everyone that she was perfect, the one for him.

  Nathalia sent out a mental call for Libby. The Abbess needed her vast knowledge of their histories and maybe a Renuntio. There was something happening here that she didn't like.

  As soon as Libby arrived, Nathalia ushered her and Maeve into the adjoining bedroom, leaving Lucas and JD standing. Staring. She tried to close the door on them but couldn't. She looked back to find the guardian in the door frame. He wasn't budging even when she tried to close it on him.

  “I'm fine.” Maeve argued.

  The giant just shook his head no and stepped in the room. Maeve let out a sigh and signaled Nathalia who closed the door behind him. The guardian went where Maeve went these days. Apparently they were inseparable.

  Maeve and Libby waited. “Is there any record of a Vinculum being a match for one of her marks?” Libby shook her head. “Is it possible?”

  “Possible. Not probable. Sorry, Maeve. Aaron?” Libby asked.

  Maeve nodded.

  “Is there any way to know, to see the magic, to be certain? Any ability that can be used?”

  “Not that I know of. An Iudex could, but she would have to be touching the spell caster at the exact moment. Maybe an Ingenium could make a detection potion.” Libby shrugged.

  Maeve piped up, “You could read my corset, Libby.”

  “My ability doesn't work that way. It shows me what happened while an object was being used, but seeing spells is impossible.”

  “You did it with Anne's glove.”

  “No. I saw that she was working a version of the matchmaking spells, but I only saw the physical evidence, not the spells themselves. We already know you worked magic while you were with him. I wouldn't be able to see where the spell went or anything. I'm afraid my magic only deals with the physical.”

  The guardian interjected, “If you allow me, my power source often effects gadishtu's abilities in unexpected ways.”

  The three women s
tared at him. His first complete sentence was a doozey. He offered his hand to her and she took it. The guardian turned her hand over and placed a kiss on her inner wrist. Libby's pulse jumped. She couldn’t take her eyes off of the jewels in this giant's head. His eyes sparkled in every color of the rainbow. She closed her eyes and thought about the guardian's mother. Libby didn't know why, but it felt right. She heard his voice in her head and, though she couldn't understand the language, she knew she was doing right. The guardian opened the path for her and showed her the way back to the endless supply, marking the memory's location so that it could be safeguarded later.

  Libby could feel the energy, foreign but familiar, gathering in her hands, making her feel tingly and warm. With the flush fresh on her face, she reached out to Maeve.

  “OK. Let's give it a try. Where's the corset?”

  “I'm wearing it. Be sure not to learn from the ties; they're new. You have to use the corset itself.”

  “You were told not to wear that. It endangers the One.” The guardian was angry. He was not used to his orders being ignored.

  “No it doesn't. It's too soon to hurt it. The fetus is still the size of a pea. I just wanted to wear it tonight.” She had felt the need to wear it because of the temptation Aaron presented. Or would have if he'd shown up. She'd also wanted to look her best for him. She must be crazy. Why would she want to look good for a man that she was trying to repel?

  Libby seated herself in a chair and Maeve unzipped her gown and turned her back. The Librarian hesitated, “You know I'll be able to see everything that happened that night between you and Aaron?”

  Maeve shrugged, “Nothing you haven't seen before.”

  Libby slipped her hands inside Maeve's open dress, placing her palms flat against the tight material of the corset. Her brow furrowed slightly in concentration. There were a lot of memories to filter though, so she focused on Aaron. They had only been together once so it made it easy for Libby to locate the memory.

  A generous grin showed the room that Libby had found what she was looking for. She patted Maeve, “Zip up, honey. All done. Your magic is beautiful Maeve, a true work of art. I've never seen spells before.” They stared at Libby. Her words were slurred. She was a little drunk on power.

  Nathalia zipped Maeve back up. “So you could see the recognition spell on Aaron, the call go out and the bridge made between them and the capacitors?” Nathalia was curious as to what her friend's magic looked like.

  “Yes, no and yes. The call didn't go anywhere. It settled right in your chest. You even felt it at the time but didn't realize what it was. Like it or not Maeve, you and Aaron are a mated pair.” Libby could see the panic on Maeve's face, not the reaction she'd expected with her happy news. She quickly explained, easing what she thought Maeve's worry must be. “It's not like with Jimmy. You didn't distort the spells to acquire Aaron for yourself. You just happened to be the best match for him.”

  This was it. She finally had the real thing for herself. Aaron, not only loved her but, was a match. That was why she felt sick to be away from him. That was why she felt the need to run to him. That didn't explain why part of her held her there away from Aaron. It was as if 'with him' was the last place on earth she needed to be.

  Chapter 15

  Stay away from me, Maeve. I don't want you here. If you come here, you will die. Aaron sent out the same order for the thirtieth time and hoped that Maeve was wearing the bracelet. He should never have made it in the first place. Since he had, he would use it to keep her from joining his fate. He certainly hoped it was working.

  The sting of the lash brought his thoughts back to his present condition. Aaron strained against his bonds, more as a reaction to the pain than an attempt to get free. Freedom was more than he could hope for. Keeping Maeve safe was all that was left for Aaron. He sent the order again, Stay away from me, Maeve. I don't want you here. If you come here, you will die.

  Aaron was face down on a big rectangular piece of carved marble in a basement somewhere. He didn't remember coming here. He'd woken up just in time to see them remove a body from the alter. It was Rob the bartender, he thought and the man had been as he was now, nude and strapped to an alter. Aaron hadn't liked the guy. He hated the crude way Rob spoke about Maeve, but no body deserved to die like that. No body deserved to die like Aaron knew he would.

  He couldn't move. His legs and arms were tied in a way that bent them slightly backwards. The sharp edge of the alter bit into his shins and forearms and he knew that it wouldn't take much tightening for any four of his extremities to break.

  It wasn't him they wanted. They'd told him that straight away. If he could get Maeve to come here, they would set him free unharmed. He placated them at first, saying he was trying. When Maeve didn't show, they'd started hurting him, trying to force his hand. First there was the slicing. One man in particular loved to use the knives on him. Then, there was the red hot poker used to seal the cuts back up. They didn't want him to die of blood loss. Yet. Now they were on to the whip.

  It cracked again leaving a stripe of pain across his back. Stretched tight as he was, the whip was splaying his muscles, having made quick work of his skin. He could feel the blood trickling down his sides to drip onto the marble. Stay away from me, Maeve. I don't want you here. If you come here, you will die.

  Three strikes in rapid succession came as the man who loved knives yelled at him, “CALL HER TO YOU. The witches are all gonna die anyway. If you bring her here at least you will live”.

  ***

  Maeve had to sit. This was too good to be true. Aaron was her true mate?! Libby laughed and reached over to pat Maeve’s hand but when she touched the stone bracelet her laugh cut off abruptly. Her pat turned into a vice-like grip.

  Nathalia noticed. “What is it?” Libby just shook her head. She was still reading the object. Abbess turned to Maeve, “Where'd you get that bracelet?”

  Maeve pulled her arm from Libby and covered the adornment with her other hand, protecting it. “Aaron sent it to me. UPS delivered it yesterday.”

  “It's blood magic. He did it.” Libby answered softly. It was the truth but sometimes the truth hurt. She was telling Maeve that after all this time dreaming of something that could never be, now that she had a mate of her own, that mate was evil.

  “Aaron is a SOFE? No, it can't be.” Maeve was adamant.

  Nathalia ignored her denial. “What kind of spell was it? What's it doing to Maeve?”

  Until that moment the guardian had gone still as a statue, listening to their exchange. At the thought that it could be doing anything to Maeve and through her to the One she carried, he moved. It was so fast that he appeared blurred to the human women's eyes. He dropped Maeve's arm back into her lap. He had the bracelet in his hand. He was crushing it.

  “No! We have to destroy it with the four elements. Here.” Nathalia jumped into action. She tossed an empty mug to the guardian, who caught it effortlessly. She grabbed a matchbox from the night stand where it lay next to a few candles and a bottle of nail polish remover from her vanity. “Bring it to the window”, she barked. She pushed open the panes letting the evening air blow in.

  The guardian was there and Nathalia ignored her own discomfort at having the man so near her. She grabbed the cup and he dropped the bracelet inside. She doused it with the only flammable liquid she had in her room. She struck the match and tossed it in the glazed ceramic. The jewelry took less time to burn than they would have guessed. There was something weird about the way it was burning. It wasn't the tiny flames that bothered her; something was off about the fumes. There was some black smoke going the opposite direction of all the other gray. Nathalia looked closer at the wind defying emission and then it was gone. She tossed a dead potted plant from the window sill on it and the moist soil put out the fire.

  “I need to go to him”, Maeve said, already halfway to the door.

  “What? No.” By the time Nathalia looked up from the cup to Maeve, the guardian had somehow ma
de it around Maeve. He stood between her and the door. That man was fast. “He's a damn SOFE, Maeve. He used blood magic against you for goddess' sakes!”

  “He used blood magic on me. We don't know what it was for. You always assume the worst, especially if there is a man involved. I'm going. You can't stop me. If you try, I won't come back.” Nathalia didn't know the strength of the pull between two people bonded and matched. Being separated was killing Maeve and she couldn't stay away anymore. Maeve never turned back to face her friend. She stared at the guardian, deciding how adamant she would have to be to get around him.

  Before she could speak again he said, “Holy Father's job is finished.” he said simply in his complicated train wreck voice. He didn't care how Maeve felt about him; he couldn't allow anyone to threaten the One.

  Maeve's eyes narrowed down to slits as she looked up at him. Aaron was not negotiable. She used his name in front of the other women, “Samsiel Maru, Aaron and I are meant to be together. He cannot hurt me. What hurts me is being away from him. If you try to keep us apart, I swear to you this baby will never be born.”

  Thunder rolled in the back of the guardian's throat and his normally peaceful eyes were raging fires. The hair on Maeve's arms stood up and her head tingled like lightening was about to strike. She took a step back. The air crackled with electricity and Samsiel's words came out as a growl, deep enough to rattle the glass of the window panes. “Never threaten the One.”

  He was more storm that sentient. He had gone from man to monster and Maeve was scared. He towered over her. Libby stepped up beside Maeve. The normally docile librarian slapped him. Hard. Maeve turned in disbelief at the woman who would take on a monster.

  Libby stood beside Maeve with one hand on her hip and the other pointing right in Samsiel's face. She wagged it at him, “Shame on you, letting your beast get the better of you. Rein him in this minute. You know he would like nothing more than to kill the One.” The Librarian obviously knew more about guardians than she had let on. “Shock and stress can kill a fetus as quick as anything else.” Libby turned to Maeve and comforted her, “Samsiel is sorry, honey. He didn't mean to lose control. Go on. Go get your man. He's probably just distressed and doesn't understand what's happening. We might all turn to dark magic in his situation. You can make this better with a few choice words and a kiss. Take the guardian and Aaron's friends with you. I'll tell Jolie about the delay.”