Destiny: A Hunter's Novel, Book 3

by Lilly, Felicite

  “The only thing I know is that if you can’t do it, then you shouldn’t.”

  Serafine stepped closer to me and brushed my hair behind my ears.

  “Your Mother would be so proud of you. I’m proud of the woman you’ve become.”

  I nodded my head and looked down, unable to look into the eyes of the woman who’d known my Mom best. Moved to tears at the thought of losing Serafine, too.

  “I will do it. For both of us.”

  I didn’t know if the “us” she was talking about was her and me, her and my Mom or her and Mastema, but I knew she was making the choice that I needed her to.

  “Thank you.”

  The front door slammed open and we both jumped.

  “The masses wait, Lass. Rally ‘em. Make ‘em crave the battle,” My Granddad was not a subtle man.

  Serafine held my hand as we made our way back outside.

  The masses were facing the porch where my Father, Az and Traugott stood. Serafine, my Granddad and I moved to stand with them. I felt sad that Anie and Cade, my oldest friends weren’t there to stand with me, but I understood and supported their absence.

  The moon was full. There was fog clinging to the hills surrounding us, and I could taste the salt from the nearby sea.

  I was missing a few friends, but there was a quality to that moment that made me feel like I had never been more surrounded by support and love. Maybe it was my Mom, or maybe it was the fact that I knew so much more now about, well, everything.

  As I stood in front of the people who had only heard about me, the Prophecy, or had been present and seen what I could do, I felt free in the confines of my bound prophetic position. I knew that no matter what happened I would stand strong and sure because at least now I knew what my roots consisted of.

  I put my hands up to silence the curious murmurs coming from the crowd. The moonlight was enough for everyone to see what I was asking of them.

  “I can’t tell you what you all being here means. I appreciate you all are willing to stand with me. I promise I will do my best to keep anyone from being harmed. What we are facing is uncertain but it is not so insurmountable that we can’t come out on top. If you want to leave now, you are absolutely welcome to do so. I need certainty backing me up, not doubt.”

  I looked around at the faces surrounding me. I saw one that I wasn’t expecting: Roma Keenan, the doubting tom from the town meeting. I held his eyes and nodded. He had a respect on him now that was absent at the meeting. It suited him better than doubt.

  “When Mastema gets here. I need you all to hold him in place, do not kill him. Whether you take out one of his Demons, because he will not come alone, or you use magic to hold him, anything helps. The rest you will leave to us.” I motioned to my family surrounding me on the porch of my Granddad’s house. “Until he gets here, we stay together. We will reevaluate if it takes longer than we expect.”

  “How do you know he’s coming at all?” A petite blonde woman asked.

  If I had to guess I would guess with her washed out almost white hair that she probably had some Fairy blood in her veins. Kai stepped into my thoughts for a moment and I felt my temper rise to the occasion. I wanted to give the smartass comment ready to roll off the tip of my tongue at this little blonde asking questions, but knew it wouldn’t serve any purpose but to amuse me.

  “Hellhound.” There were raised voices. I knew Hellhounds weren’t liked but it seemed they were less than tolerant here. They seemed to be outraged by this. I had to yell to be heard. “Hey! I have only one Hellhound that is a friend. I will tag him as a friend with a red collar. The rest you can have, but be humane.”

  There was a cacophony of joyful shouts. Wow. I wondered what happened that so many of these people hated the Hellhounds with such passion. I was now glad that Alewar was far away. I looked at my Granddad, who gave me a look and a nod that told me he’d explain later.

  “If you have magic get yourself set up to stay for a while, if not grab a tent.”

  “Nah. You all stay in tents. Too much magic will draw unwanted attention and strain our protections,” My Granddad said.

  I guess going to more of my magic classes would’ve been a good idea. Of course the dark magic had its claws in me at the time. Everyone turned and moved away from us. I went inside. Exhausted and needing a moment to just do nothing. I sat down on the couch with a thud. A cloud of dust rose around me.

  “Granddad, has no one dusted in here in a while?”

  “Well, most people sit politely on the couch, Laney.” He titled his head in a reproachful Grandfatherly way and I laughed.

  “Fair enough.”

  Az sat down next to me, my Dad sat on the other side of Az on the couch and my Granddad remained standing, while Serafine sat in the arm chair. Serafine’s mother came in the front door. I wasn’t expecting that, but apparently my Granddad was. She moved to him and he hugged her with a familiarity that indicated something more than friends. My Grandmother had been dead for a long time, dying shortly after my Mother left. So, I supposed I shouldn’t have been shocked and I wasn’t. At least, that’s what I kept repeating. I was just caught off guard since Serafine had been my Mother’s best friend. She was a beautiful woman so I could understand the attraction.

  My Granddad looked at me, and I raised my eyebrows in question. He simply smiled at me. His secret to keep I guess.

  “You met Serafine’s mother, Bedelia.”

  Bedelia walked to me.

  “We’re lucky to have you. And please call me Delia. The only one that calls me Bedelia is this old coot,” She said, throwing her thumb over her shoulder. My Granddad didn’t respond, just smiled affectionately. I liked Delia.

  “I’m lucky to have the help of so many from the Village. I didn’t think I gave that good of a speech.”

  “Laney, don’t get me wrong, you gave a great speech. But the backing came because of your Granda.” Delia clarified.

  “That makes more sense.”

  “He’s well liked, respected and trusted. Normally when he recommends acting on something, we take it seriously.”

  Delia walked over to Serafine and sat down next to her, taking her hand in an act of solidarity and family.

  “Where is Anie?” My Dad was the one who’d spoken and I really didn’t want to have to be the one to tell him about how she may be broken for a while. Of course, he would understand better than anyone of us.

  “She is playing cards with Cade and Michael.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Fitzroy is dead.”

  Another soldier fallen. Another mark on my soul. Even though Alewar was back on Earth, I had no idea what condition he would be in when he finally got to us.

  “Oh God.” My Dad took his head in his hands and sat forward. I knew the feeling.

  Serafine was frowning at something I couldn’t see, and the lines of her face were digging deeper. I looked over the ground in front of her to make sure I wasn’t missing anything. When I saw I wasn’t, I finally spoke up.

  “What are you frowning at?”

  She shook her head. “Michael hates playing cards. Literally hates it. I used to beat him with skill and maybe a little magic when we were little, and he never picked up a card again.”

  Apparently, he was willing to do it for Anie. It spoke volumes for the kind of character Michael had. Either that or it spoke of his attraction to my best friend. I hoped he was ready for a wait. She had just lost her Mate. She wouldn’t be ready for anything anytime in the near future.

  “Some things change, I guess,” I said.

  “They always do,” Serafine said.

  ~XVIII~

  “I can’t remember anything, Can’t tell if this is true or dream, Deep down inside, I feel the scream, This terrible silence stops with me.”

  -Metallica, One

  We were waiting for the unknown. The weight of that burden was heavy. It had been two days and there were fights breaking out amongst ourselves. It happened – o
n the same side, but still divided.

  I walked amongst the people who’d gathered to help me and I felt guilt weigh like a lead brick in my gut. None of these people ever did anything to deserve to die, but some of them probably would. Would it be worth it? We needed balance back in the world. A little less pain, a little more peace. Not that there wouldn’t be something to take its place a few months from then, there’d always be something, but to me this fight was worth it.

  Az walked next to me. Az hadn’t been able to sense or see Alewar since Az had seen him in Miami. He’d been worried about Alewar since. I feared for our Hellhound. I feared for my friend.

  Cade had shown up a day ago, hung over as I’d ever seen him. He’d been with us ever since, waiting out the fight. Cade said that Anie and Michael had left on a walkabout. Whatever the hell that was. Whatever it was I guess there was no phone because I hadn’t heard from Anie or Michael since I’d left them all playing cards. I was okay with it though. If they were on a bender and that was what Anie needed, then more power to them.

  I mulled many things over as we walked toward a bonfire a shifter/witch group had made. They were sitting around it, speaking quietly to each other. I slowed and studied the flames as they licked at the logs in the fire. What was to be loomed and hung over all of us, you could feel it in every one of us.

  “What are you thinking about?” Az asked me.

  “Just pondering if I’m making the right choice. Sad for Anie still. Pissed and missing Fitz, too.”

  “What’ll make you feel better?”

  “Sing for me.”

  I hadn’t asked anyone but my Dad to sing to me, and that was when I had been little. Az had never outright sang for me before, but I’d heard him sing when he didn’t think I was listening…he had the voice of an Angel.

  Az took my hand and then sang a soothing song that lent calmness to an incredibly acrimonious time.

  “Over in Killarney, Many years ago, My mother sang a song to me, In tones so sweet and low…”

  “…just a simple little ditty in her good old Irish way, and I’d give the world if I could hear that song of her today,” One of the men sitting around the bonfire finished off Az’s lyric. And then something beautiful happened. The song broke out among the entire encampment.

  “Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li, too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush, now don’t you cry, too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li, too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that’s an irish lullaby.”

  By the end it seemed as though everyone had joined. Tears came to my eyes. It was the reminder I needed that we were all on the same side, and I think everyone else needed it too. There were cry outs of joy as well as the quietness of our reality echoing around us as we sat in a field next to the sea waiting for the Devil.

  I looked over at Az and saw happiness shining in his eyes. He took my mouth with his and kissed me deeply. My eyes were still closed when he pulled back. I could feel his breath on my chin and wet lips.

  “I love you Delaney Hinders. Even in the middle of battle, you shine.”

  “You were the one singing,” I whispered back to him.

  His heat was gone too soon. I opened my eyes, and found him on his knees, hands grasped around his head. I dropped to eye level with him, my knees wet from the damp ground.

  “Alewar’s almost here.”

  I ran to one of the stumps that had been gathered around the bonfire and hopped on top of it.

  “Alewar is here!” I roared.

  Az was now standing and everyone around us moving. I pulled him with me through the throng of semi-panicked supes as I B-lined to my Granddad’s house. Along with all the anticipation of what was to come, I felt a bit of relief and joy too. I would get to see Alewar again. If only all loss was erased so easily. As we approached the front porch, my Dad immediately stood, following us inside without question.

  “Az saw Alewar, he’s almost here.”

  “It feels like Alewar is trying to warn me of something but I’m not getting about what.”

  I pulled out the leathers Anie’d made me when I’d gone to Hell for my first meeting with Mastema. Since they were fire proof, I figured it couldn’t hurt.

  When I went to take my shirt off everyone turned around…everyone but Az. My Dad saw he wasn’t turned around and physically pulled his arm to turn him. I laughed. Even at a time like this my Dad was still protecting my virtue. If he only knew.

  I slid into the leathers with ease, needing help with only one zipper. Serafine was the one to step forward and help me when I asked. My Granddad had made a holster for my swords to put on my back. He said it would be too hot to wear the jacket over my leathers, I wanted to point out I’d been to Hell in the outfit, but held my comment because he’d already made the holster. I slid my swords into my holster and strapped it onto my back. I patted my jacket pocket to make sure I had the red collar to put on Alewar. He was going to be so mad about it, but I knew he’d let me do it.

  I felt ready. I just hoped that feeling was true. Az turned around and cupped my face. He rested his forehead on mine.

  “You’re amazing Delaney Hinders.”

  I pressed my lips to his in answer. I couldn’t have these glimpses of goodbye. I loved those around me too much to allow myself to think like that.

  “Alright, let’s do this.”

  My trusted circle followed me out into the mêlée of supernatural panic that awaited us outside. Az whistled through his fingers and everyone froze.

  My Granddad came up behind me and took my hand. I looked down at our clasped hands. Over the last three days we had practiced getting rid of the camping gear and all the extras that littered the land. He nodded his encouragement and we put our clasped hands up, effectively combining our power.

  I pictured the clean field in front of me. I thought of making sure all of the animals, people and supernaturals remaining safe and unharmed, as well as wiping the earth of what we had all created. Keeping all of the things that should be there and expelling the rest. I felt a rush of power with a hint of pain.

  My Granddad had told me that when you practiced big magic, there was a possibility of pain that went with it. He thought I’d already known that since I’d experienced the dark magic of the book. I simply thought I’d experienced dark magic, not great magic. My Granddad had explained to me that it was both and I now understood what he’d meant.

  There was pain but there was also the absence of that clawing want for the book and its darkness. I could feel the heaviness of the magic I was wielding. It was empowering and terrifying. I felt the magic swell and let go. When I opened my eyes everything was gone and it was only us and our supernatural allies.

  “If you want to go now is the time.”

  “Fiiiiiiight!” I heard the battle cry from a man I hadn’t yet met.

  He continued to chant it. I almost felt as though I was back to being sixteen and watching the boys in the hallway fight. There was something more basic about what he was chanting, though. It felt earthy and honest. Maybe he was a shifter or a witch, but I could feel his magic radiating and helping those around him prepare. I took my sword out of its sheath, moved to the steps on the porch and held it high.

  I didn’t join in the chant but that didn’t lessen the symbol. I was ready to raise my sword for what I thought was right. Not in the name of religion or bias as many past battles had been waged in – but in the name of truth and rightness. I was ready to fight alongside these allies of mine. Allies forged in the form of panic, circumstance and askance. But I would take it, because no matter the circumstance, they were still risking their lives because I asked and because they believed – in me or what we were fighting toward, I didn’t know.

  I lowered my sword and returned it to its place on my back. I nodded to my Dad and Granddad. Serafine and Az joined me and we walked toward the open, clean field. Every one of the supes around us lined up as we passed through. The gap left behind as we passed was filled with bodies.

  We were a well o
iled machine. It eased my frayed nerves – as much as they could be, anyway. We finally reached the open field. I was hoping Mastema still had enough honor to come at me from the front and not drop in anywhere he wanted. I wasn’t stupid. I knew he made his own rules. But I could hope.

  I turned around and saw Serafine crouch behind those I had arranged to cover her, not only physically but also magically. I could only see a whisp of her hair. That’s all it would take for Mastema, he knew her too well.

  There was a man with striking dark features standing next to me with long black robes on. I turned to him and put my hand out. He looked at me like I was crazy.

  “I need that black robe.”

  “You need my robes? But –”

  “Do we have time for this?”

  Without further argument he moved quickly out of his robes and handed them to me. I moved to Serafine and helped her pull them on over her head. Luckily, the robe had a big hood that she could pull her hair under as well as most of her face. After she was securely tucked in, I pushed her back down to her knees.

  “Better?” She asked me from behind the wall of people in front of her.

  “Better.”

  I moved back to my spot in the front next to Az. We were the front line.

  I heard Alewar in my head before I saw him. He was panicked. I felt my heart flutter when I heard him in my head.

  Ruuuuuun!

  I knew from the look on Azrael’s face he had heard him, too.

  ~XIX~

  “And for a while things were cold, They were scared down in their holes. The forest that once was green, Was colored black by those killing machines.”

  -Of Monsters and Men, Dirty Paws

  Alewar had Hell on his heels and he was running like it. Although, once he saw us and our backup he slowed his pace minutely. He made his way to us and barked a few times, then started speaking to me mentally.