by Aidy Award
She didn’t care about her family. They had died, abandoning her long ago. The only person who meant family to her had been Black.
“It doesn’t matter. I have no power without Black by my side.”
Percy pushed his way into the witches’ circle and sat on Kady’s lap. “Even if you weren’t a witch, you’re still the only person who can save Black’s soul. His is crying out for you. Go to him, bring him back.”
She pushed Percy off, then stood and backed away from them all. Too much had happened to her in too short a time to take anymore.
“I can’t,” she screamed, all her sadness, frustration, and fear pouring out with her tears.
Percy followed her, prodding her in the chest with his hand. “Kaden Ayininkizi, I was created to be your companion, your familiar and stand with you in times of strife. I watched and waited for you to realize your powers, and did a god-damned happy dance when that crazy alien bear showed up in your life.”
She backed away from him, frantic to find an escape, to get away, hide from the world, from the magic, from the grief.
But, Percy didn’t relent. “Don’t think for one magical minute I am going to stand idly by poking you with my spines while you wallow around crying for the soul only you can save.”
“Percy. Dammit. I can’t save him. He’s gone, my magic is gone. It doesn’t matter where I came from or what any of you thought I could do. Don’t you understand? I am back to being nothing.”
“Nothing?” Percy’s voice boomed, echoing off the rock walls. “You wield the strongest magic of all. The Universe bows to your will. The power was always there, your soulmate awakened it. You were born to be a warrior. Be one, dammit.”
She shook her head, sucking in gasps of breath, staving back Percy’s claims. “I don’t even know how to use the magic without Black.”
“Your souls are already intertwined. Even in his twisted state, he is still yours and you are his. All you have to do is feel it inside. He’s there.” Percy laid his hand over her heart.
She closed her eyes, searched inside for any trace of Black. The tears bubbled over and streaked down her face. She couldn’t feel him, only her broken heart.
Percy lowered his voice and spoke from his core to hers. “You’ve hidden from the world, let it beat you down, told yourself the flaws were within. They aren’t. Greatness is in you. Find the magic inside, Kaden. Search your heart, your soul, your very being. Become who you truly are.”
Kady closed her eyes, letting the tears stream down her face. Her body shook with sobs. She cried for Black, she cried for the family she had never known, she cried for the life she had been denied.
Years of self-doubt, self-recrimination washed away in the flood of emotion. The walls she’d placed around her heart and mind cracked and tumbled, crumbling to pieces.
There were scars on the fresh new layers of Kady, and they would take time to heal. They would always be a part of her. But, scars were more than a sign of a wound, they also meant healing. They meant she had survived, and become stronger.
That was knowledge she could take into battle.
The only battle, the only mission that mattered to her now.
Save Black’s soul, save the world.
Chapter
Seventeen: Fates Forsaken
Her soul burned like nothing else in the universe. He needed to rip it from her body, bring it into his new world. The blaze coming from deep within her scorched him just from looking at it.
It’s beauty and light ate away at the darkness, and must be extinguished. Then the shadow remaining would be added to his own blackness.
The witch cried out, reached for him, giving him the opportunity he needed to shatter her.
He seized her hand, suffering the effects of the other witches’ magic to get to her. Her touch burned so torturously. It fueled his anger, his need to take her.
Just as he had a hold, dragging the light from her into the darkness, a creature, who’s soul didn’t match its form snatched her from his grip.
No. They would all pay for this.
She must be his. She already was.
He gathered the darkness around him and prepared to pursue. He would sacrifice anything to seize what belonged to him.
The darkness didn’t obey his commands. He screamed for it, but it deserted him. A pinpoint of light beckoned through the dark despair around him and ripped him away from the witch.
He was being pulled away, dragged from his dark desire. He scratched at the air, flailing, trying to free himself from the cursed beam of illumination that had a grip on him.
It yanked, sending him rocketing further from his witch and her undamned soul.
Within a moment her light faded to a faint glow from far away and he was forced to join other dark shadows like him. They were pulled into a subterranean lair. It stank of unfettered souls.
The anger, hate, and sadness of the other warriors permeated his being. He was one with the wraiths of darkness, and they were with him.
One black soul near to him overwhelmed him with its sadness. The hate had fallen away from it, making it weak.
He recognized his maker. It was a wonder that soul had been the one to steal his own into this new world.
“Well, isn’t this interesting. I wondered what this bit of alien jewelry might be good for. Now, I see.”
A creature stood in the center of the dark souls, making unintelligible noise. It held the light in its hand, the tiny beacon that had dragged him away from his witch. The ember of light was encased in something that he knew couldn’t be permeated. He screamed his frustration.
That bit of light was his. No, it was him. It had to be destroyed.
The creature focused his energy on the ember and drew, no forced, his black shadow to his side. “This will come in very handy, I think.”
This creature’s light was a mere flicker compared to the soul of the witch. Barely worth stealing.
He dove for it regardless, wanting to dampen even its faded glint. A mass of dark souls blocked his path and in an instant, he understood the creature was a means to an end. Allowing that soul to remain in his form meant a path to victory over this entire world.
Another creature entered the room, this one sparkling with both dark and light energy, glowing red. This one was to be left untouched as well. For now.
“You fool. You’ve lost fifty newly formed troops, putting us behind, and given the Star Rangers and witches the advantage.” She struck out at the male creature, knocking him to the floor.
Her hatred gathered around her, drifting through the air, delicious and enticing.
“Take the soul ember and the spectral warrior and get me that witch.”
“She’s powerful. You should have warned me.”
“You should have captured her in Colorado before she realized her power. Get her this time, or don’t bother coming back, unless you’ve join the ranks of the spectral warriors.”
The weak-souled creature pulled him along with the draw of the ember, leaving the other warriors behind.
“I’ll have to set a trap for her, cut her off from her friends before they can get back to Magic.”
He could feel the malice and greed coming off the creature in eddies. He could feed on that for the time being. The creature too coveted his witch. He would happily forfeit the benefit of keeping the creature around if it meant he could ensnare the soul of his witch.
Her soul was his, and his alone.
Chapter
Eighteen: Unforgiven
Kady held Black’s hand, she held it tight. He looked at her, at their hands, and back. The closest to an expression she could see was maybe confusion.
She folded his fingers around her own, closing his hand. That he seemed to understand, because when she let go of his fingers, they remained gripping hers.
“I know you don’t understand me right now, my love, but, I promise I’m going to do everything I can to get your soul back.
She wasn’t
even sure it was possible, and that hurt so hard she wanted to punch someone in the face. Someone who wore a black suit, black sunglasses and drove a douche canoe.
“Can somebody please put some clothes on Percy?” Stark held his hand out blocking his view from Percy’s mid-section.
“Aw, that would be such a shame.” Topper snuggle into Stark’s side, teasing him. Probably.
Lacey flicked her hand and put Percy into tight jeans, a sleeveless western style plaid shirt, a cowboy hat, and boots.
“Hey, Kaden, look at me, I’m Bronco Billy, no wait, the outlaw Josey Wales.” Percy laughed and danced around in the dirt, grabbing Lacey up and singing to her. “Throw your arms ‘round this honky tonk man.”
“What is he yammering about?” Frost asked.
“Hey Sara, need a couple of mules? I’ve got a fistful of dollars.”
Kady smiled, and it didn’t even crack her face. “He thinks he’s Clint Eastwood. We may have watched a few old Westerns together.”
“Ha ha. For a few dollars more, I’ll paint your wagon.”
Before Percy could come up with his next cheesy line a spaceship swooped down into the canyon. It blew dust and debris everywhere as it hovered and landed.
A door on the side of the vessel slid open and two men, identical to each other and who were each as good-looking as Black stepped from the ship.
“Stat rep.” One of them said. No greeting, no nothing. These must be men in Black’s team. He had mentioned he worked with his brothers.
Titian stepped up and replied. “Big ass battle against fifty some odd troops and spectrals, and one TFO man.” He glanced over at Kady, then back to the men. “Black is down.”
The two men looked at each other and then at Kady. “Release his body to us, woman.”
Oh, hell no. Kady narrowed her eyes and reached inside to call up her magic, forgetting that she’d lost it. Something tingled low in her belly and a warm glow built up.
Huh.
Titian stepped between her and the advancing men. “Stop. She is his mate.”
“Where is his soul ember? It will show us the truth of that.” One of the men pushed past Titian and knelt next to Black. He pushed the collar of Black’s shirt aside, examining his neck.
The other man watched. “Do you have the ember, woman?”
Kady would not be intimidated by them, their words, or their actions. She raised her chin and tightened her grip on Black’s hand. “I don’t know what that means.”
The kneeling man reached for her, pushing the neckline of her shirt aside before she could stop him. “You are not marked, you do not wear his ember. You are not his mate. He is not yours.”
This was some ripe bologna bullshit. Kady lashed out, shooting a golden beam of light from her free hand and toppling both men on their asses.
That act, calling on her magic again and having it respond felt…right.
“Don’t you ever, ever say that Black is not mine. We belong to each other.”
She hadn’t known she was going to hit them with her magic like that. She’d only meant to push the closest man’s arm away. But, the light had erupted from her hand and she welcomed it’s glow back.
She could and would defend both her mate and their relationship.
The men got back on their feet and Kady waited for their retaliation. She was ready for them.
Neither man moved, but both cracked smiles. One of them stretched his neck, rubbing it where he’d landed on it in the dirt. “You are a feisty one. Maybe you are Black’s match.”
“We are Black’s brothers. I am Russet and this is Dunn. But, if you are his mate, we are sorry for your loss.” They glanced at Black who had simply sat there holding her hand through the entire altercation.
“We also lost both of our parents to the spectral warriors. Losing Black is... a blow. I promise you we will avenge him.”
Kady stood and coaxed Black to his feet. She brushed a bit of dust from his cheek. “He is not lost. I’m going to get his soul back.”
The brothers glanced at each other, then to Frost and his mate. “Is this possible?”
Frost shook his head. “Don’t ask me. The way the magic on this planet works blows my mind every damn day. If the witch says she can get his soul back, you two better sign on to help her.”
Kady wasn’t sure herself she could do what she’d declared, but when she checked to see what Lacey’s reaction to what Frost said, Lacey dipped her chin in a you-can-do-it nod.
In unison, the brothers stepped to Kady and took a knee before her.
“We are at your disposal,” Russet said.
Dunn nodded. “Tell us how we can help.”
“You can start by telling me what a soul ember is.” Something Black had mentioned niggled in her memory. She knew this ember was important.
The guys stood and reached into their shirts. Each pulled out a pendant hanging from a cord around their necks.
They matched the two halves of an orb together, the stone sparked and glowed for a moment before fading and revealing an engraving of a bear’s paw print on its center.
Dunn explained. “In our solar system, when shifters come of age and learn to harness the power of the animal inside of them, a witch harvests a sliver of our souls and encases it in an unbreakable spell.”
The two dropped the amulets back beneath their shirts. Russet continued. “This ember is for our mates. The Fates decide who we will match with and when. We know we are in the presence of our chosen one when the ember burns and glows.”
Ah, yes. Black had said his soul ember glowed right before they had met. But, she’d never seen any sort of amulet on him like what these twin brothers wore.
Wait. Yes, she had. She’d seen it in the hands of Agent Douchecanoe.
Dammit. “That TFO man has Black’s ember.”
Titian trotted over when she said that. “Fuck me, that’s about as bad as the news that we have to kill Black.”
The brothers raised their weapons. “Why would you kill the living body of our brother?”
Titian held up his hands. “Black discovered the key, and we tried and tested it.” He motioned to the bodies of the soldiers littering the ground. “It’s the only way to defeat the spectral. Kill the body, kill the soul.”
One twin glared at Titian, while the other raised an eyebrow at Kady.
“The witch will recover his soul,” Russ stated, no doubts.
Dunn completed the thought. “And reunite it with his body.”
Ooh, Kady hoped her mouth wasn’t writing checks her magic couldn’t cash. She had to believe it was true and force away any doubts. She didn’t know how, she didn’t know when, but Kady would reclaim her mate.
Rawr. She is woman witch bear, hear her roar.
Russ’s other eyebrow went up. “Did you just growl, beautiful witch mate?”
Maybe. She had meant that to be inside her own head, to psyche herself up. It had worked. “Yes, I did.”
Titian kicked at a rock. “I hope she does. But, remember what I said. In case she can’t.”
The brothers stayed silent. Kady did too.
She would save Black. She had to.
Kady swallowed down the fear. “You soldier boys have any idea how we can find the TFO and where they might have taken Black’s soul?”
“Yes,” the twins said in unison. Dunn grabbed Kady’s arm and dragged her toward the ship.
Russ guided Black behind them.
“You’re damn brazen flying around in a spaceship, aren’t you boys?” Topper kicked at the bottom of the ship like she was kicking tires on a truck.
Titian crossed his arms and grinned. “Passion will kick your asses.”
Russ ignored Titian all together and addressed Topper. “We learned a lot reconnoitering in the town called Roswell. The people of this area have long been privy to advanced alien life, and our modes of transportation.”
Frost snort-laughed.
With everything that had happened in the past few
days, Kady didn’t know what to believe. “Yeah, but it’s all conspiracy theories, isn’t it?”
Russet looked at her like she was an idiot.
“Okay, I guess not.” That was a conversation for another day. “Where are we going then?”
“There is a military installation near Roswell. The TFO and the spectrals are there.”
“Ha. I knew it,” Topper pointed finger pistols, shooting off little sparks of magic in her glee, “Area 51 is hiding aliens.”
Lacey touched Kady’s arm. “Be careful. We’ve had run-ins with these black government types and our fair share of mad scientists.”
“Thank you,” Kady put her hand over Lacey’s, so grateful to have met a strong woman, who was also a witch, and who she already thought of as a friend. A new thing for Kady. “But, I have to go.”
Lacey nodded and Frost came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her. “I know. I get it. More than you know. Go, save your mate, and when you’re safe, come to Magic. We’ll take care of him there and will be waiting for you.”
“Hey, take Herbie with you, ya might need him.” Topper placed Herbie, in broom form in her hand. “We’ll watch after Percy for you.”
Percy didn’t like that idea at all. “I can help. I’ll get a .44 Magnum and those TFO guys can make my day.”
Kady took Percy aside. He’d been her friend for a long, long time, and she needed him to be that and so much more for her now. “Perc, I don’t know what’s going to happen tonight, and I’m scared. I’m doing my best to pretend I’m not, but I am.”
“Even more reason I should go with you.”
“Everything you said today, about who I am, and who I was meant to be… well, I don’t think I would have believed, or even listened to anyone else besides you.” Kady was asking a hard thing from a man who’d been a hedgehog as long as she’d known him. She didn’t have anyone else. Her own fault.
If she made it through tonight, she’d have Black too, and the amazing people from Magic, New Mexico.
It was a start to building a life, one where she didn’t hide anymore. She’d denied herself meaningful connections her entire life, scared of who she was, trying to protect her heart from another beat down. She hoped Percy understood.