by Anne, Melody
These weren’t questions, but she still nodded. John let out a sigh as if he was trying to convince himself to go on.
“That night of our last battle, I was stabbed, my wounds were mortal. If no one had stepped in, I wouldn’t have survived another five minutes,” he said.
Phoenix felt tears well in her eyes and begin to fall over. Jayden’s arms tightened around her as he offered his silent support.
“Cassidy was by my side, and then Josiah showed up.” He paused again. “Josiah was able to save me, but there’s a cost.”
“What cost?” she asked, not able to hold back the words any longer.
“I’m no longer a regular mortal like you and our parents.” He again paused.
“I don’t understand what you’re saying,” Phoenix said.
“I know. I’m finding this far more difficult than I thought it would be,” he said.
“Just speak from the heart, John,” Cassidy said, gazing at him with adoring eyes.
“There are those of us who are preordained with magic inside of us. Most mortals will never know the power that lies within. But a select few are chosen. Josiah is the leader of all good magic. He brings our powers to the surface. But as with anything beautiful and good in this world, there is a dark side behind a thin veil. Once our powers are unleashed we can fall, we can use what we have to cause mass destruction. It can turn us without realizing what’s happening.”
Phoenix was stunned as she looked at her brother.
“Are you turning bad?” she asked.
John released Cassidy as Jayden’s arms dropped from Phoenix. John pulled his sister to him and hugged her tightly as she cried in his arms.
“No, Phoenix, I’ll never turn,” he promised. “I was supposed to go with Josiah to learn how to control my powers, and he warned me I could get lost, but he doesn’t realize my great love for you and our family. He doesn’t realize how much I love Cassidy. There’s no part of me that could turn dark.”
“How long do you have to worry?” Phoenix asked.
She was truly surprised this wasn’t upsetting her. But then again, she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she didn’t care how John lived, just as long as he kept on breathing. She didn’t want to face the world without her brother in it.
“I think when we stop worrying is when we’re at our most vulnerable,” John said. “I’ll always have to harness my power, and never let it get the best of me. But you know the will I have. Nothing will pull me away from you. Nothing will entice me to embrace the dark side.”
She looked at John then Cassidy, before turning toward Jayden. It was all dawning on her at the same time.
“You’re all the same,” she said, feeling horribly alone all of the sudden.
“We all have varying degrees of power running through us,” Jayden told her.
“Which means you’ll eventually all leave,” she said, unbearable sadness descending upon her.
Jayden looked horrified at the thought. “I couldn’t leave you, Phoenix. I’m pulled toward you. You’re my entire reason for existing,” he assured her.
“That’s not a good thing,” Phoenix said. “We can’t love or need someone so much we can’t survive without them.” She might be saying the words, but she felt that way about her brother, about Sadie . . . about Jayden. But she knew she shouldn’t.
“I can’t explain how this all works, but I can say I don’t have a choice. It’s who I am,” he told her.
“But you were once as mortal as I am,” she reminded him.
“Yes, but that fades over time,” he told her.
“So you will stay the same, all of you will stay the same, and eventually I will die,” she said. That was the reality of it.
“No!” Jayden said, his voice a roar. “I won’t let that happen.”
She was oddly calm as she smiled at him. “You won’t get a choice,” she said. Then she turned to her brother. “Just as you won’t, and you have to promise when that happens you will still be you, the most kind and amazing person I’ve ever known. You can’t let something happening to me be an excuse to embrace darkness. I want you to always save the world.”
There was a part of her that was angry with Josiah for choosing who got to live or die. He was playing God. But the other part of her knew that wasn’t the case. He might be the one bringing the magic to the surface, but it was something already inside them. It was all too much to comprehend.
“I honestly don’t know if that’s a promise I can keep,” John said.
“If you truly love me as much as you say you do, it’s the most important promise I’ll ever ask of you,” she said, not feeling an ounce of guilt over putting her brother on the spot like this. She was mortal, there was no denying it. And when she died, she wanted to leave this earth with a clear heart and mind. She wanted to sit with her grandfather again and laugh and love. She didn’t want an eternity filled with worry about her brother.
“You’ve always pushed me to do things I don’t want to do,” John said after a while. Phoenix smiled.
“Yes, and you’ve pushed me as well. We’re really lucky because there are a lot of siblings out there who don’t like each other. We never have to worry about that.”
“I’ll make that promise to you because I’m never going to let anything happen to you,” John finally said.
“That’s a cop-out. I want your word,” she pushed.
He stubbornly stared at her. She didn’t back down. Jayden and Cassidy were wisely quiet as they waited for the long standoff to finish. Finally John’s shoulders dropped as if he were defeated.
“Fine. I promise,” he told her. She nodded. It wasn’t a victory, but it did assure her that no matter what her brother would be okay.
“What does this mean for all of us going forward?” she asked. Her throat was tight with emotion.
“For now it means you don’t have to worry about something happening to me. It also means I’ll never leave you. You’re surrounded by those who want nothing more than to keep you safe,” John said with the same smile she’d always known and loved. He wasn’t any different from who he’d always been, confusing her more than she already was.
“I just . . . I can’t . . . seem to face this all. It’s way too much,” Phoenix finally said. So much had changed in such a short amount of time. Her innocent world had been shattered.
Panic began to set in as her new reality settled into her frenzied mind. She started breathing heavily. Apparently she wasn’t as strong as she thought she was. How could she take in all of this?
There were good and bad forces. Her brother could turn dark in the blink of an eye, and Jayden could go with him. She’d always believed in a heaven and hell, but it was so much more complicated than that.
Maybe that’s why mere mortals like her only caught glimpses of the true nature of the world. If they knew the full truth, they couldn’t face it, wouldn’t know how to deal with it.
“Phoenix, are you okay?” Jayden asked. His voice sounded as if it was coming to her through a long tunnel.
She couldn’t answer him. No. She wasn’t okay. John seemed like just John. Jayden seemed like a normal boy. And Cassidy couldn’t possibly be this all-powerful being. None of it made any sense. It was all too much.
From what John, Jayden, and Cassidy were telling her, John had nearly died, and now he was what . . . immortal? As thought upon thought circulated in her brain, it became too overwhelming. Phoenix sighed in thanks as blackness started overtaking her. There was a smile of relief on her lips as she fainted.
Jayden barely had time to catch her.
Chapter Seven
“Phoenix, open your eyes. Come on, Phoenix, you can do it,” were the first words Phoenix heard when the blackness began to fade. Jayden sounded stressed but she didn’t want to open her eyes. She wanted to lie where she was — in oblivion, warm in his arms.
“Sis, I see your eyes twitching — I know you’re awake
. Quit being a wimp,” John challenged. It worked, because her eyes snapped open so she could glare at him. He smirked at her, but she also saw the worry in his eyes, making her hold back the urge to throw the nearest item at her disposal, a rock, directly at him.
“I’m sorry, Phoenix. I knew this would overwhelm you, I just didn’t know it would be that bad,” Jayden said after sending a dirty look toward John.
“I’m okay,” she said, starting to sit up. Jayden kept his arms locked firmly around her and she easily gave in, snuggling deeper against his chest.
“We should’ve been a bit more tactful in how we told you,” Jayden said.
“Jayden, quit fussing. I felt overcome for a moment. I don’t understand this, and I don’t want to even try to right now. I know I have to face it, but my mind can’t, so I want to live in denial for a little while,” she pleaded with him to understand.
“Pretending none of it is real doesn’t make it go away,” John said.
“I know, John. I just need some time,” she snapped. She was happy to feel anger. Anger was much better than constant fear. As she lay there, glaring at her brother, she felt her blood boiling. She didn’t know why, but she wanted to get up and repeatedly smack him. How dare he cause her so much worry! How dare the world end! How dare her innocence be ripped from her! She was furious, and John was her target. Logically, she knew she was only taking her anger out on John because he loved her, and she had no fear that he’d get so mad at her that he’d choose to leave. She knew he could take it.
As the myriad of thoughts went through her head, her anger subsided. She almost wanted to cling to the rage. She was so afraid of being sad or scared. Anger felt better.
“It’ll work out,” Jayden whispered, as he ran kisses along her cheek.
“Quit saying that. You don’t know how everything is going to turn out. You don’t know what will become of us. You can’t guarantee the safety of my family or my friends. Please quit telling me everything will be okay. I’m sick of it. The elders say it, the other people say it, and now you’re saying it. Everything isn’t always okay,” she retorted. Jayden let her rant. No one said anything for several moments as she pulled herself together. Even their worrying about her ticked her off.
Fifteen minutes passed before Phoenix felt in control enough to speak again. She knew one thing — she loved John, no matter who or what he was. She’d die for him without batting an eye. She didn’t care if he was an angel, demon, frog, cow, or goose. She didn’t care if he was mortal or immortal. She loved him and she’d deal with the new situation.
“I’m done with my fit,” Phoenix finally said. She could almost hear the sigh of relief from each person. She rarely threw temper tantrums, so she had the right to do so every once in a while.
“Uh, Phoenix, that wasn’t a fit,” Jayden said with a smile. Of course he’d forgive anything she did. She loved him because he was wonderful and oblivious to her faults.
“We need to go inside. It’s getting late. We can talk more about this anytime you need to,” John said as he grabbed her hand, pulling her from Jayden’s lap. Jayden looked put out, but he quickly got to his feet, not wanting to interrupt the two of them.
“I know, John. I’ll want to talk more, but I need sleep. I haven’t gotten enough the last several nights, and I think it will do me a world of good,” she said as a yawn escaped. She reached up, thinking John was taller than he used to be, and gave her brother a hug.
“I love you, sis,” he said, his voice a bit scratchy.
“I love you too,” she said, not trying to hide the emotion seeping through. John reluctantly released her to Jayden, who immediately pulled her close and turned toward the cave.
The four of them made their way inside. They’d been out much longer than she’d realized and the halls were silent. They followed the dark path toward the sleeping quarters, walking softly so their steps didn’t echo. Phoenix watched as John and Cassidy slipped inside his room. She smiled, happy her brother finally had someone to love. It was obvious John and Cassidy’s feelings were mutual — almost disgustingly obvious, but in a good way.
“I’ll stay if you want,” Jayden offered. She knew her parents would kill her but she didn’t want to be alone another night, with only her fears to keep her company.
“Please,” she said. She didn’t need to explain beyond that.
“I’ll be right back.” He disappeared and she stepped into her room. She quickly changed into her warmest, thickest pajamas. If her parents found them, she wanted to make sure they knew nothing was going on other than Jayden being there for her when she most needed him. A slight tap on the door was her only warning before he entered. She’d just pulled her pajama top in place.
He was so handsome with his dark hair and midnight eyes. She could barely see his features, but they’d be forever locked in her mind. He said nothing as he led her to the bed and sat down, pulling her onto his lap.
Phoenix’s breath caught as his warm hand caressed her back, her body pressed tightly against his. Her heartbeats sped up, and suddenly thoughts of sleep were the furthest thing from her mind. She buried her head against his neck and breathed in the sweet scent that belonged only to him. A shudder rippled down her spine as she realized they were truly alone for the first time in a long while.
She opened her mouth and softly kissed the smooth skin of his neck, her lips turning up in a smile as his body tensed beneath her. He made her feel so powerful and attractive.
“Phoenix, you need to rest,” he moaned as her tongue trailed along his lean jaw. She ignored him as she pulled his bottom lip into her mouth and gently bit down. He groaned before his hand moved up to the back of her neck and tugged on her hair, angling her head where he wanted it. He shifted so he was the one in control, and his lips suddenly devoured hers, his tongue brushing past her hungry lips and plunging into her warm mouth.
Phoenix wound her hands around his neck and pulled closer to his warm body. All her fear and anger turned to pure need as he loved her mouth and caressed her long silky hair and her back. She couldn’t get close enough to him.
Jayden continued kissing her for several long moments before he pulled back with a gasp. His breathing was heavy and his body tense. She reached for him again, not even knowing what she needed, but wanting his sensual kisses to keep driving all thoughts from her mind. He pulled her head against his chest and said nothing for several moments while he gained control of himself. She pouted, wanting him to let go and forget about right and wrong for a few hours.
He didn’t say anything. He brushed her forehead in a gentle kiss before turning her around and pulling her back tightly against his body. As his hand caressed her stomach, she felt her eyes grow heavy. He was much better than a sleeping pill. Humming softly next to her ear was the final bit of medicine she needed. She forgot her anger about unfulfilled needs, gave in to her exhaustion, and fell into a dreamless sleep, grateful he loved her as much as she loved him. His arms wrapped tightly around her kept the nightmares at bay, and allowed her the rest she so desperately needed.
Chapter Eight
“We’ve called you together because we need a team to go to the other camp and speak with their leaders. From everything our visitor has said, they’re more than willing to unite with us, but we need to get a message to them, let them know of our situation, and learn of theirs,” Larry said to the group sitting around the table.
He’d called in John, Cassidy, Jayden, Phoenix, Brian, and Sadie. Phoenix was surprised he wanted them to go instead of some of the elders. She hadn’t thought he’d allow her to leave the premises again. She wanted to go — she was just surprised he wanted her to do it. As if her father could read her mind, his next words explained his decision.
“I can see your confusion, Phoenix. I know you thought I’d keep you under lock and key forever, but this is a much younger group of people. From my understanding, there aren’t a lot of adults in their cave. Many of them are teenag
ers, so I think it wiser to send people their own age. You six have repeatedly proven how well you handle a tough situation, even under extreme pressure. You know the lay of the land from the many hours of hunting and picking you do, and you know how to make people feel comfortable. We need to join forces with them if we want to get our freedom back,” Larry said.
It made sense, and she was tired of being cooped up in the caves. She’d be willing to do just about anything to be out for a while, so she nodded. Her need to explore outweighed her fear of battle.
“I’m sending soldiers with you most of the way, then they’ll wait for you at a safe distance from their cave. We don’t want to scare their camp by our men coming in with full gear and weapons,” Larry said.
“Are we going on foot?” Sadie asked.
“No, it would take too long and that’s dangerous. There are narrow paths so you’ll have to take the ATVs, two per unit. I want you to pack extra supplies in case you need to escape on foot and abandon the vehicles. Hopefully, it won’t come to that,” Larry said.
They spent the next couple of hours going over the route they were to take, instructions for what they needed to say to the other survivors, and safety measures. If Phoenix heard the words be careful one more time, she thought she might pull her hair out.
“Are there any more questions?” Larry asked. Phoenix silently prayed none were asked because she knew it would lead to another hour in the stuffy, closed cavern. No one asked anything so Larry led them to the supply room.
The group gathered everything they’d need for their weeklong mission and then loaded it on the ATVs. Excitement bubbled up from Phoenix’s toes. They were leaving at first light. She figured sleeping that night would be difficult. She was wrong. All the excitement about the trip wore her out, and before she knew it, she was completely out. She was awakened suddenly when Sadie came running into the room and bounced on her bed.
“Wake up, Phoenix, it’s time to get ready,” Sadie said, already fully dressed. “I can’t believe we were chosen for this. I’m so excited I can barely stand it. I know I should be more subdued, or even worried, but an entire week of freedom from the cave, without having to go into a full-blown battle, is just what I need,” Sadie said without taking time to breathe.