Destiny: A Hunter's Novel, Book 3

by Lilly, Felicite

  I turned to my Granddad.

  “You all know Fergus.” I waived my hand at my Granddad where he stood next to Serafine, Michael, Az and my Dad behind the bar. I knew they were giving me support, but they looked like they were part of a lineup. “He will give you instructions on what needs to be done.”

  I’d instructed my Granddad to get everyone’s cell phone numbers so I could tell them when to gather, as well as to give the strongest witches special instructions. They were key to helping me win the battle – them and Serafine. He was also to tell everyone who volunteered where we would meet when the time came.

  I considered for a moment asking Michael to be a part of my plan, but I didn’t want to do that to Serafine. If Mastema killed Michael, then she would never be able to forgive him. I would have to stand without Anie. But at least I had the support of some in the town.

  I met Az’s eyes and smiled. He came to me and wrapped me in his embrace. He was almost a normal temperature now. The warmth I felt when he touched me was completely from my own blood heating up for him. I wondered if we’d still be Mated since everything that happened with him not being a Demon anymore and the spell I’d cast.

  Az pulled me from my thoughts and the bar.

  We walked for what seemed like forever in silence, simply holding hands. I knew I had work to do, but I couldn’t work if I wasn’t rested. The quiet comfort was helping center me. I realized my center didn’t even exist anymore. It was probably floating out in space somewhere. Az finally stopped at a grassy field. There was a waterfall I could hear and smell but not see in the dark. The moon stood brightly in the sky with the company of the stars. Az sat on the dewy grass.

  I could see the playful smile on his face. Before I sat I allowed the moment to sink in. Although there was a lot of uncertainty in my life, there was also a lot of things to be thankful for: my Dad, my Granddad, Anie, Cade, Serafine, Michael, and mostly Az.

  Azrael, Angel of balance and enforcement of that balance had chosen me before he’d even met me. I felt unworthy of such love, but thankful that he gave it to me so freely. Lord knows I needed it.

  I plopped down on the grass next to Az. He laid back, pulling me with him. I propped my head on his chest, and rolled to my side, trying to get close to him without actually laying on top of him.

  We had lain like this so many times before, but I had never felt more thankful. I was glad we got the chance to do this again. Hopefully we’d have countless other chances, but I knew what we were facing.

  “Promise me something,” I said.

  “I don’t like the sound of that.”

  “Promise me that if something happens to me, you’ll find a way to go on. A way to be happy again.”

  “Nothing will happen to you.”

  I wanted to laugh, because we both knew that was a total crock. It was the most danger any of us had been in and I stood at the axis of Mastema’s anger.

  “Just promise me.”

  “For you, I will try. But I make no promises.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Promise me something now.”

  “What?”

  “That nothing will happen to you.”

  “I make no promises.”

  Az sighed.

  “I love you, Laney. You’re my world. If something happened to you – I don’t know what I’d do.”

  “I love you, too. And I feel the same. But we both know there are risks in life, no matter what.”

  Whether it was Mastema after us or, like my mom, I took the wrong step down the wrong road – you just never knew. We lived in a terrifying reality. We were so strong and yet so fragile. I pushed myself off Az’s chest.

  “I need to go check on Anie.”

  “Isn’t Cade with her?”

  Yes, he was but I needed to make sure she was okay. We had been friends since we were kids. I knew Cade could take care of her, but I also knew Cade wasn’t great with an upset woman either.

  I may have been a leader, but I was her friend as well.

  “You coming?” He was already getting up off the ground. I could tell by the look on his face that he wasn’t happy. “I’m sorry. I promise there will be more time for things like this after things are settled.”

  I didn’t promise I’d be there. I didn’t promise they’d be happy times. I didn’t promise that Mastema was going to react the way I thought he would to seeing his Mate and he would again be a good leader instead of a ruthless one.

  Either way, for my heart, my Azrael, he would have more time for relaxation and appreciation when this was all over. The entire reason I was following through with the plan was for him.

  “Let’s go make sure Anie’s alright.”

  Az took my hand and I knew that no matter what happened, I’d be alright. I had the love of a man who would change the world for me if he could and had changed his for me.

  ~XVI~

  “When the evening shadows, And the stars appear, And there is no one there, To dry your tears, I could hold you, For a million years, To make you feel my love…”

  -Adele (Bob Dylan Cover), Make you Feel My Love

  Az and I entered The Wet Mug hand in hand. It was deserted of the supernatural mixes that had recently crowded the floor. The only indication the meeting had happened was the spicy mix of all the latent magic left behind.

  Az raised his eyebrows and shrugged. That was pretty much how I felt. I had no idea where they all went but, at that moment, I didn’t really care as long as they pulled it together when it mattered.

  I pulled Az to the back staircase and led the way up, letting go of his hand. I could feel the tenseness before I got upstairs. Then I heard crashing.

  My feet moved faster. I reached the top of the steps and threw the door open. There were miscellaneous broken…things all over the floor. I saw part of a picture frame next to where Michael’s kitchen was. I heard frustrated screaming coming from behind the closed, thankfully, bedroom door. I heard a laugh coming from the kitchen.

  I turned the corner and found Michael with a beer in his hand and one held to his head. Cade sat across from him with a beer, too.

  “What the hell is going on?!”

  “Anie’s been screaming and throwing things for a while. I was sitting on the couch out there and she comes out and throws anything she can get her hands on. Screaming like the world is ending,” Cade said.

  “I was closing up downstairs when I heard the commotion. Took a glass to the head when I reached the top of the stairs.” Michael moved the beer off his head so I could see his gash, although it was already healing. If he had been human, he would’ve needed stitches.

  “So you boys decided it was better to come into the kitchen and drink instead of doing something?”

  “After I tried to get near her to talk to her and she threw a picture frame at my head, with amazing accuracy I might add, we came in here,” Michael said.

  Az stepped over the two idiots sitting on the floor, opened the fridge and got a beer out. He sat down and cracked it open.

  “You’re not going to need me right?” Az said with a smirk.

  “Sometimes I think all you’re good for is your penis.”

  I turned my back on the three men who had been taken out by a heartbroken woman. And heard Michael say, “Sometimes, I wish that was all we were good for. I can’t handle that tornado in my bedroom – and I’ve never said that before.”

  I put my hand on the door handle to the bedroom, not hearing anything. No yelling. No crashing. No crying. Did she jump out the window?

  I twisted the knob and pushed the door. Something was behind the door, because when I tried to push it open the rest of the way it wouldn’t budge. I put my shoulder into the door and shoved. There was no resistance, though, because the door had already opened. I luckily, but ungracefully, landed on the bed. When my brain caught up with the fact that I was in Michael’s bedroom, I saw Anie.

  She was holding a small lamp and had her other hand on the door handle. She
was biting her bottom lip, shaking her head. Tears were invading her eyes. She put her head down and her body started shaking. I thought she was crying again. When she looked up at me, she was smiling. It looked sad but at least she wasn’t crying.

  “You should’ve seen it, you went ass over appetite…” She shook her head.

  “Why are you tossing Michael’s apartment?”

  That sobered her up. Leave it to me to kill a happy mood.

  “I’m mad. I’m mad you had Cade babysit me. I’m mad I can’t bring myself to function. I’m mad I’m stuck in the middle of Ireland. I’m mad he wasn’t strong enough to stay. I’m just…mad.”

  I wanted to make a smartass comment like yes you are mad…you’ve lost your mind. But I wasn’t in her shoes and knew that if I was, I might be in a worse state than her. I also didn’t think that saying something like that right then would have its intended effect. She’d probably throw something at me, too.

  “I get it. But the boys have now huddled up in the kitchen and are getting drunk.”

  I was trying to pull her out of her dark emotional hole, testing to see if she was ready.

  “What babies. I didn’t hit Donovan that hard.”

  “I’m sorry for…everything Anie.”

  “I know it’s not your fault Laney, you wouldn’t understand. You still have your Mate. Mine is never coming back. I won’t ever be totally okay again and there is nothing I can do about it. Fitz took that choice out of my hands.” Anie swiped a finger under her nose then looked at me. “How’d the meeting go?”

  “I think I’m going to have enough support from the Village to win against Mastema.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.”

  “Are you going to be okay?”

  “I don’t know if I’m ever going to be okay. I feel broken. I don’t know where to start. I need some normalcy.”

  Anie suddenly got up off the bed and stomped out into the living room, small lamp in hand. I put my arm on her shoulder to slow her down. She looked at my hand, then me. I removed my hand and she winked. Oh goody, she wasn’t going to kill them….hopefully.

  She moved quickly to the kitchen entrance, screamed a battle cry with the lamp over her head and stopped. I moved so I could see around her and all three of the “men” on the floor were covering their heads like a bomb was about to go off. There was a former Angel/Demon, one of the Hunters’ counsel and a Shifter/Angel cowering on the floor. I busted out laughing, Anie raised her eyebrows.

  She reached into her pocket and pulled her phone out shaking it. I heard the click of her cell camera and saw the horrified look on the guys’ faces when they looked up.

  “Oh my God, that was priceless.” Anie said with a sassy smirk.

  “I will be holding this over all of your heads for the rest of our lives. I am so glad we got that on film,” I said.

  “One of you ladies hand me a beer,” Anie stuck her hip out.

  Surprisingly, Michael was the one to act first. He opened the fridge, got a beer, opened the bottle and handed it to Anie.

  “Glad to see you’re better.”

  “Yeah.” Anie wasn’t looking at him, which meant two things: she didn’t want to talk about it and she was embarrassed about something. “Who’s up for a card game?” Anie swigged her beer.

  I pulled her into the living room.

  “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

  “What a card game? Laney, I’m never going to get over this. The best I can do right now is pretend.”

  “Don’t pretend for too long.”

  “What’d you do? Six months? I think I can swing it for at least half of that.”

  She needed support, but I could tell she would get it from Michael and Cade. If I stayed, I wouldn’t’ be able to drag myself out of bed in the morning. Az finished the beer in his hand and tossed it in the trash. He slapped Michael on the back.

  “Thanks for the beer.”

  “Anytime Az. There’s a soccer tourney going on Saturday. Come over. You too Cade.”

  I guess we all needed a little normalcy in the face of the looming battle with Mastema. I understood that we couldn’t stop living because we were afraid of dying, but Mastema was coming. I could never forget that.

  “I guess I’m chopped liver,” I stuck my tongue out in mock-toddler-sadness.

  Az pushed me toward the door.

  “This is guys’ night.” Az called to Michael over his shoulder, “See you Saturday Mike.”

  I literally left them alone for ten minutes and they were already using shortened versions of each other’s names; Beer, boys and their bonding, what could I do?

  We made it downstairs and out the front door of the tavern, before I turned to Az.

  “I’m glad you made friends.”

  “He’s a good guy. I think he has a thing for Anie.”

  “Oh good, because that turned out so well for her last time.” I winced.

  I shouldn’t have said that, it was too soon. I was disrespecting Fitzroy’s memory. Even though Fitz was a naked pain in the ass most times, he was also funny. He had given me information when I asked him for it, and sometimes when I didn’t. I suspected he may have been playing both sides of the fence but now I’d never know and maybe that was for the best.

  If I couldn’t voice my honesty to Az, then I would never be able to.

  “She isn’t ready. But she’s going to need him,” Az stated wisely.

  She would need him. Who knew what would happen to me, him, anyone?

  I took his hand and we made our way down the street, back towards my Granddad’s. We strolled slowly, taking in the moment of just being together in our beautiful surroundings. I really would miss the town when I left. I felt a pull on my arm and Az had stopped walking.

  His eyes darted back and forth. He was looking for something but I had no idea what.

  “What’s up?” I asked, even though I hated to.

  “It’s Alewar. He’s on the move.”

  “What the Hell does that mean?”

  “He’s out of Hell and currently at our apartment in Miami, sniffing around.”

  “Is Alewar doing Mastema’s bidding now instead of yours?”

  “No, it doesn’t work that way. Alewar is trying to find me. It’s his nature. He literally cannot stop himself. His genes are set to find and protect me. He’s, in essence, been reset. The first time Alewar was given to me, he had to seek me out because that is how they’re tested. If he hadn’t been able to find me he never would’ve been mine in the first place. I guess since he died he has to do it all over again. I have no idea what he’s thinking right now or if he even remembers anything from before he died. He probably feels like a newborn Hellhound, which is why he hasn’t just transported to me.” Az paced in front of me in the middle of the dirt road we had been walking on.

  “So, he can’t transport to us, but what about us to him?”

  “I could try to go to the vicinity he’s in, but without that mental connection, I can’t go directly to him. Besides, it might be a trap.”

  “So we prepare for Mastema’s arrival, then?”

  “What do you think?”

  “Err on the side of caution, especially where the Devil is concerned.”

  I pulled my phone out and hoped that the little town meeting we’d held had been enough to convince some of the supernatural town members to help us. A sweat broke out on my neck and palms. I pulled up the thread with the numbers my Granddad had gotten and the drafted text message I’d been waiting to send until that moment. Lord help us all.

  Gather.

  ~XVII~

  “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, stronger, Just me, myself and I, What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, Stand a little taller.”

  -Kelly Clarkson, Stronger

  When Az and I arrived back at my Granddad’s there was a large convergence of people standing on the front lawn. Luckily, my Granddad lived on the outskirts and there was nothing but green grass and hills
surrounding his home.

  Az had branched off to find the head Guardian Angel, Traugott. I made my way through the crowd to the top of the porch at the top of the stairs leading to my Granddad’s house. When I reached my Granddad and my Dad, they were in a close-headed discussion.

  “Is everything okay?”

  “Cade will be here, but not until morning,” My Dad frowned at me.

  “I know.”

  I wasn’t going to tell my Dad that he was drunk with Anie or that Fitzroy had died. I didn’t know what Cade had told him, but I knew he wouldn’t have told him those things, not yet. Everyone needed their heads in the conflict with Mastema and I knew Anie was fine with Michael, I didn’t need my Dad worrying about her when we were about to face Mastema.

  “Are you ready, Lass?” My Granddad asked me.

  “As ready as one can be in this situation.”

  I heard that familiar pop I associated with Serafine now and turned to find her unruffled and looking fabulous. I took her hand and pulled her into the house.

  I looked around the entry way to make sure no one was listening in on us.

  “Are you ready to face him?”

  “Yes.”

  She was steadfast in her answer and I was glad she’d gotten to whatever place she needed to be in order to face her fallen Mate.

  “Good. Anie can’t be here, so you’ll probably be up earlier. Maybe not start with you, I’m going to talk to him first, but pretty damn early.”

  “I guess the sooner the better, right?” She laughed uncomfortably.

  I could see the false strength from a mile away. She was trying to keep it together, and I commended her for it. But I also knew that if she waivered or backed out on our plan, we’d all be screwed.

  “If you can’t do it, I get it. But I need to know right now.”

  “Could you do it without question? Face the man you’d avoided and loved for lifetimes when he’ll be at his most destructive?”

  I didn’t answer right away. I had to think about it. I had to consider the Az I knew to what he would be if I did what Serafine had done. I didn’t know, really. Seeing him after I broke up with him was difficult. Doing it after he thought I’d died…yeah, I could see where her hesitation was coming from.