Forgotten Visions (The Divinities Book 1)

by Lia Davis

  It was the receptionist. “You have a visitor, Sheriff.”

  Thank the gods. “Thanks, Amy. Send her in.” He hung up the phone before Amy could question how he knew it was a woman. His connection to Kalissa allowed him to use her seer gift. Right then, it was the only thing he clung to.

  A few seconds later, Amy brought in a woman who looked to be in her early thirties. Ayden thanked Amy and asked her to shut the door to his office. Zach stood so the woman could sit down and then walked around to lean against the wall behind Ayden. Ayden had a sinking feeling. It couldn’t be good that Eleese had shown in person.

  Eleese spoke in hushed tones. “I couldn’t find the words to write down.” She dropped her shoulders. Her sorrow and worry wrapped around Ayden, increasing his own. She laid a piece of paper on the desk in front of him. “She is there.” She pointed at the address written on the scrap. “The house is heavily guarded with spells and wards. You won’t be able to teleport in.”

  “How do you know?” Ayden asked, picking up the note.

  “I saw her.” His head snapped up, eyes meeting hers. Taking a deep breath, she continued. “My Divine gift is shapeshifting. I scrambled the house number of the original address around and searched the properties until I found one with wards.”

  “I didn’t think about that.” Damn, what was wrong with him? He was a cop. It was his job to solve crimes.

  “Even if you had and went in, you would’ve alerted the demons. Like I said, the wards around the property are set to keep people out…and in,” Eleese pointed out. “I only got close enough in cat form.”

  “She responded to me as I had hoped, but he showed up, angry that she had opened the door. That’s when I noticed that the house was spelled to keep her inside,” Eleese added.

  Ayden cursed under his breath. Liam is so going to pay. “Thank you for your help. If there is anything you need…”

  Eleese held up her hand to stop him. “I am behind the Divinities a hundred percent. I want the demons defeated and banned from this realm. You have my support in any way I can give it.”

  Ayden stood to walk Eleese out. “We appreciate it.”

  “What will you do now?” Eleese asked before Ayden opened the door.

  Ayden looked her in the eyes. “I’m going to bring my magical partner home and complete the bond. No one will ever tear her away from me again.”

  Eleese smiled widely. “Good.”

  “Thank you again for your help.” Ayden opened the office door, and the three of them walked out to Eleese’s car.

  After Eleese had driven off, Ayden said, “Let’s go get Khloe and pay the demon a visit.”

  Zach looked over at his cousin. “You getting the same feeling I am?”

  Ayden nodded. “There’s something not right.” Ayden could feel it. He couldn’t explain it, but he felt it. Then, there it was. A brief glimpse of a vision. It was so short-lived that it looked like someone had flashed a photograph in front of his face. It didn’t make sense to him, but he knew he needed to get to Kalissa soon.

  In the vision, two people were surrounded by fire. He couldn’t make out whom they were, but his instincts told him to get Kalissa the hell out of that house.

  She stopped running so she could catch her breath. “You should really work out more with Lo,” she uttered. Her muscles burned, and she wondered how much farther until she was off Liam’s land.

  The snap of a twig jacked her heart rate up. Darting out of sight behind a fallen tree trunk, she waited, hoping it was just an animal of some kind. A small animal, not the large mean one she was running from.

  “I know you’re there, Kalissa. I can feel you.” Liam’s voice filtered through the trees and underbrush.

  She gathered strength from the air around her and darted in the opposite direction. Running as fast as her legs could carry her, she prayed she’d make it to the perimeter before he caught her. She grasped on to the hope and need to see her family again.

  There! About five yards ahead was the edge; she could see the transparent walls of the wards. She pushed herself forward with victory in sight. When she reached the energy wall, someone grabbed her by the waist and everything around her dissolved.

  When clarity reached her again, Liam stood in front of her. They were back in the house, standing in the living room. She wanted to cry, lash out, vent her frustrations, but most of all, she wanted Liam dead.

  Never in her life had she ever wished death on anyone. Until now.

  “You’ve left me no choice,” he informed her in a calm tone. “Once we are mated, you will not run again.” He glided forward.

  She took a step back, then another. He moved when she did and continued to walk her backwards until her back was pressed against the wall that separated the kitchen from the living room. He pressed his body against hers, keeping her from escaping. He leaned further in to kiss her. Kalissa turned her head to avoid his lips. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered into her ear. “I should’ve done this years ago.”

  “Done what?” Kalissa asked in a whisper. Something told her she wasn’t going to like the answer.

  “Mate with you.”

  Yep, she was right. She didn’t like it. She pressed her hands flat against his chest and pushed, but she couldn’t move him. He pressed into her more and nuzzled her cheek with his. Panic soared through her veins. She couldn’t use her magic. She was powerless and helpless against him. “Let me go. You can’t make me mate you.” The firmness of her tone surprised her and made her proud she hadn’t lost her backbone.

  He chuckled as he kissed her face down to her neck. “I can, and I will.”

  A tear escaped her eye and rolled down her cheek as realization settled in. She wished she’d had more time to show Ayden how much she loved him. She wouldn’t get the chance now.

  Liam pulled out a knife from his back pocket and held it in front of her face. “Through a blood bond, you will forever be mine.”

  Panic and fear overtook her. She did the only thing she could in that moment. She screamed.

  Ayden jerked his Jeep into the quarter-mile-long driveway of Paul’s oversized mansion. Ayden’s anxiety spiked when he turned the corner and got a visual of the house. He could feel Kalissa’s panic stronger now that they were at the house.

  He pressed hard on the brakes, making the Jeep slide on the gravel driveway in front of the door. He stepped out of the Jeep just as a scream came from inside the house.

  Kalissa!

  His heart stopped beating as Kalissa screamed for her life. He cursed and ran to the door. Zach and Khloe were right on his heels. He didn’t bother with the doorknob. He used his magic to blow the door off its hinges and blast through the wards. The door landed inside the entryway with a loud thud. He reached the middle of the foyer and froze.

  Liam had Kalissa pressed against the wall with a knife in his hand. Ayden met Kalissa’s red, tear-filled eyes, her gaze holding a mix of fear and relief. He felt Khloe and Zach come up to stand next to him, one on each side. “It’s over, Liam. Let her go,” Ayden demanded.

  Liam looked at them, took a half step away from Kalissa, and smiled. “Look, Isa. It’s a family reunion.” Liam took Kalissa by the arm and pulled her away from the wall to hold her back against his chest. He held the knife to her throat as he faced Adyen and the others.

  “You’re outnumbered,” Khloe said as she formed a fireball about ten inches in diameter in her palm.

  “Think again, witch.” A female demon appeared beside Liam with four other demons that formed a semi-circle behind them.

  Khloe smiled. “Ayd, I think we officially have a party.”

  Samoan gave a nod, and the four demons charged at Ayden, Khloe, and Zach. Ayden stepped up to meet the first demon head-on. The demon swung at him, using magic to intensify the blow. Ayden quickly ducked and punched the demon in the stomach, putting a little of his magic behind it. The demon staggered back a few steps, shook it off, and thrust his hands outward, releasing a bolt. The bal
l of energy hit Ayden’s side when he twisted, trying to avoid it.

  “You all right?” Zach’s voice filtered in through Ayden’s mental screams.

  Nodding, he hissed out, “You?”

  “Can’t shield.”

  Ayden flicked Zach a concerned look. “What do you mean?”

  Shaking his head, he ducked, swinging his leg up and out behind him, kicking the demon in the chest. Ayden had always been impressed with his cousin’s reflexes. “Something about the spell on the house. It weakens my magic. I can’t create energy bolts either.”

  Ayden looked over at Khloe, who was toying with a demon by flicking small fireballs at him. “Why are you affected and not the rest of us?” he said, looking back at Zach.

  Zach moved again, dodging another attack. This time, it was a bolt. Ayden waved his hand, forming a small shield to block it. “Not sure, but you’re not at full power either.”

  “I noticed,” he said sorely, noting that his adaptability gift was a lot weaker than normal. He’d actually felt the zap from the bolt. “You think it has something to do with my and Kalissa’s bond?”

  “That, and your gift.” Zach nodded to Khloe. “She seems almost completely unaffected. Could be a twin thing.”

  “Stay close,” he called out to Zach and was glad when the man listened, falling back a little as another demon charged them. When the energy ball flew at them, Ayden smirked and braced himself for the impact.

  The magical ball hit him square in the chest. Ayden gasped at the impact and heard Kalissa scream his name. He absorbed the power, and it ran through him with electrifying force, making him fall to his knees—though more for effect than from pain. The power of the blast filled every nook and cranny of his body until it started to build. This was when a normal person, be it human, witch, or demon, would die a horrific death. For Ayden, it was when his power of adaptability intensified the power.

  Ayden looked up through the hair that had fallen in front of his face. Zach was engaged in hand-to-hand combat with another demon. Khloe was toying with two others, laughing evilly. He would have to have a talk with Kalissa about her twin later. The woman wasn’t quite right.

  He reached out to Khloe and Zach. The demons could mind-link to one another, at least the ones in the room could. Ayden used that to link with Khloe and Zach. “Get down,” he demanded in their minds. They didn’t ask why; instead, backed off from their demons just enough. Ayden took the power that had built up inside of him and thrust it out toward the three demons. The power wave hit them with enough force to dissolve them into a pile of dust particles on the floor.

  Ayden stood up slowly, staggering a little before regaining his balance. He flicked a glance to Kalissa. She was struggling to get out of Liam’s hold. He looked around and noticed that the female demon was gone. “Give it up, Liam,” Ayden said, still trying to catch his breath from the energy ball.

  Liam glared at them. “Never. She’s mine.” He whirled around and headed toward the back door with his arms wrapped around Kalissa’s waist.

  Ayden panicked. He feared he would never see Kalissa again if Liam made it out of the house. He knew from his connection to Kalissa that Liam used most of his strength to keep her from using her magic against him. Liam didn’t have the energy to teleport with Kalissa so close to her twin and magical partner. He was trying to get her away from them so he could take her to the gods knew where.

  Reacting on instinct, and pulling from his love for her, he conjured a large fireball and winged it into Liam’s back. As soon as it hit, Liam released Kalissa. But she didn’t come to Ayden right away. Instead, she stood in front of Liam, grabbed his arms, and intensified the flames to engulf him fully.

  “Kalissa, no!” Khloe shouted. But it was too late. Kalissa was already controlling the fire, increasing its temperature and intensity.

  “Kalissa,” Ayden pleaded. Kalissa looked at him, then back at Liam, and let go. Liam fell in a pile of charred body parts. Kalissa turned to face Ayden and then drifted to the floor.

  Ayden crossed the room to Kalissa, gathered her up in his arms, walked out of the house, and climbed into the passenger seat of his Jeep. All he could do was hold her to his chest as tightly as he could without hurting her.

  Zach and Khloe came out a few seconds later. Khloe climbed into the backseat while Zach took the wheel, pulled out of the driveway, and headed home.

  Chapter 31

  Kalissa woke up scared and confused. It took her several moments before she realized where she was. She was sandwiched between two people. She inhaled slowly and relaxed. She opened her eyes and saw a mound of blond curls. Kalissa smiled. She’d thought she would never see her sister again.

  Khloe rolled over to face her and smiled. “Hi.”

  “Hi,” Kalissa choked out. Her throat was raw. She lifted her hand to touch Khloe and frowned at the bandages that covered it.

  Khloe sat up on the bed, tucked her legs underneath her, and faced Kalissa. “Your hands suffered the worst of it, thank the gods. Your eyes may be sensitive to light for a few more days.”

  Ayden tightened his arms around her and kissed her on the top of her head. “Promise to never leave again,” he whispered.

  Kalissa closed her eyes and folded her arms over his around her waist. After a few moments, she took his arm that had their marks and extended hers so that they were side by side. She was so happy to see the double roses on their arms. She brought his palm to her chest. “I don’t plan on it.”

  “I will leave you two alone now,” Khloe said and bent down to kiss her sister on the cheek. She got off the bed and left the room, shutting the door behind her.

  Kalissa rolled over to bury her head in Ayden’s chest. She breathed deeply, taking in his earthy sandalwood scent. “I thought that I would never…”

  “Shh. It’s okay. You’re safe,” Ayden whispered and tightened his arms around her. “You do know I’ll never let you out of my sight from now on, right?”

  Kalissa laughed. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” She lifted her head from his chest to look into those baby blue eyes she remembered falling in love with fifteen years ago and had learned to love anew. “I love you.”

  They lay in each other’s arms for several minutes before Kalissa broke the silence. “Ayden?”

  “Uh-huh?”

  “Let’s complete the bond.”

  Ayden pulled back enough to look in her eyes. “Kalissa, are you asking me to marry you?” he asked with a large smile.

  Kalissa returned his smile with a little seduction mixed in. “I guess I am.” She climbed farther up his chest to place a kiss to his lips. She made a tiny squeal when he flipped her onto her back and then invaded her mouth with his tongue. He pulled out of the kiss and reached over to the end table beside the bed. Kalissa tried to see what he was doing but had no luck. Ayden had complete control over her, and for the first time in years, she welcomed that possession.

  Ayden laid his head on her pillow next to hers. He brought a small box into her line of sight. “I was going to wait for the right time. Try to be romantic and all that. But you beat me to it.” He laughed and opened the box. “Yes, Kalissa. I will be your magical partner, eternal lover, and companion for the rest of our existence. I give you my mother’s ring as a token of my love.”

  Kalissa gasped. The ring was the largest purple diamond she’d ever seen—it had to be at least five carats. The band was white gold with a rose vine etched around it to make the diamond look like it grew out of a stem like a fully blossomed violet rose.

  She raised her hand, only to frown that her hands were covered with bandages. She shook them in the air. “Take these off.” Ayden immediately unwrapped the bandages. When he’d finished, she examined her pink, slightly swollen hands, flipping them from front to back to front again. They were still raw and tender from the burns.

  “Lydia said it would take longer to heal burns that severe. I’m afraid you won’t be able to wear the ring until they’re complet
ely healed.” He sat up and moved to get up from the bed. He walked around to Kalissa’s side and helped her sit up, tucking her pillows behind her for support. He sat down on the edge of the mattress to face her and picked up a bowl from the end table.

  Kalissa noticed it was a cream of some kind. “Wait. Can I hold it…before you put that on my hands?”

  Ayden touched her cheek and pressed a kiss to her lips. He picked up the box, took the ring out, and placed it in her palm. Very carefully, she picked up the ring. The skin on her fingers began to tighten from being exposed to the air. She handed the ring back to Ayden. “I love you and accept your mother’s ring as a symbol of our union.” She leaned forward and kissed him. Out of reflex, she reached up to touch his face and hissed as the pain reminded her of her burned palms.

  Ayden gently took her hands and placed them in cream and herb mixture in the bowl. He set the bowl in her lap with her hands inside. “I’m going to go get the salve Mel mixed up and some clean bandages.”

  Kalissa stared down at her submerged hands. She wouldn’t change a thing. No matter how much pain she was in at this moment, she also knew that it could have been a lot worse. She was not bitter for not having Ayden the last fifteen years. They were together now and would be for the rest of their long existences. They had centuries together to make up the lost time.

  That last thought brought a smile to her lips.

  The bedroom door opened to Lydia peeking around the door. Smiling at Kalissa, she walked into the room and sat down on the edge of the bed. She pulled one of Kalissa’s hands out of the bowl and gently dried it with a hand towel she’d brought in with her. “The burns look better today. A few more days and I can speed the healing a little.”

  Kalissa looked at Lydia and asked, “How long have I been asleep?”

  “About three days.”

  “Three days?” Kalissa asked.

  Lydia nodded and took Kalissa’s other hand out of the bowl and dried it. “Yes. You were exhausted, and dehydrated. I am guessing you didn’t eat, drink, or sleep much in the eighteen hours you were being held.”