THE AGENI SERIES: AMA ANGENI

by Yyanna Leigh Michaels

  Gawonii lifted Kasey up into his arms and carried her inside the house, shutting the door to me and the world.

  The pity in the woman’s eyes disgusted me. She offered her hand but all I could do was stare down at her outstretched invitation. I took one last look at the house and it was in that moment, like salt rubbing into an open wound, that the barriers between Gawonii and I dropped. I was taken over by a powerful wave of love and lust coming from inside the house. He was making love to her. Everything he was feeling, I felt. He was too far gone in the moment to even realize I was there.

  I scrambled to turn ‘it’ off unable to take anymore. Just hours ago, he proposed the same to me as images after emotions flooded my senses.

  I backed away from the house. He makes love to her but my punishment was ten lashes…

  Ignoring the old woman’s gesture, I took off running towards the cabin that Kasey and I stayed when we arrived.

  If something wanted to get me, let ‘em! At least their true intentions on what they wanted to do to me were clear.

  Chapter 10

  Iswali

  I stumbled around in the dark once I made it to the cabin without a fight. I guess the monsters got tired of getting their asses kicked. I had to admit though that I was a bit disappointed. I could have used the distraction and something to take my anger out on.

  Going into the bedroom, I looked around. Everything was as it had been when I left it almost a week ago. Throwing open the closet door, I pulled out the suitcase and started throwing whatever personal belongings I could find that Gawonii had not gotten a hold of into it. I will use Kasey’s rental to get out of this craziness.

  Making sure I didn’t miss anything; I grabbed the keys off the table next to the door and dragged the bag out of the cabin and over to the car.

  Placing the bag into the trunk, I got ready to jump into the driver’s seat when I was enclosed in a chilly embrace.

  Rubbing my arms, I walked over to door happy to be getting out of there when I felt the chill again. My hand reached for the handle but when I tried to grab it, my hand went through the spot the handle should have been.

  “What the…” I tried again and the same thing happened. More trickery!

  I spun around.

  Exhausted and angry, I have had enough. “I’m leaving ok! You don’t have to worry about me or whatever the hell I am anymore. Now cut it out and let me go!” I yelled my frustrations at…nothing. “I better be able to touch this damn car handle!” I yelled, reaching for the handle, this time more cautiously. Thankfully, my hand grasped the cool metal. “Thank you.” I said letting out a loud sigh of relief. Even the monsters have more compassion than Gawonii. I opened the door and was getting ready to place my foot inside the car when another chill swirled starting around my feet and traveling up my body. The eerie chill passed over my foot and it disappeared. I fell backwards onto the dirt, leg in the air, wiggling my once missing foot around to make sure that it was still attached.

  Seeing that it was still a part of my body, I rolled over onto my hands and knees pissed!

  “Fine! You don’t want me getting in the car…I’ll walk dammit!

  The air turned cold seeping through the layers of my skin. Standing to my feet, I backed away from the car, the hairs on the back of my neck standing straight up. I glanced down at the familiar warmth sensation around my neck to see my necklace dimly glowing. I guess whatever it was wasn’t playing any longer. Running back to the cabin, I clumsily made it up the steps too busy observing my surroundings. Not seeing anything after me I stopped at the door. The front yard remained quiet…no threat in sight. I relaxed my stance reaching for the doorknob to go inside. I will just have to go a little later when I felt a bit safer. It probably was some mischievous spirit messing with me. If it only knew that I wasn’t in the mood. I opened the door and stepped inside the cabin. The cabin for now would be safe. Gawonii had already blessed it the last time I had a run-in with some Yracs. Nothing else I should expect except me, myself…and I.

  The door slammed shut causing me to trip over the table. I broke my fall by grabbing for the wall to get my balance back. I turned to run back outside but was immobilized by a grayish thin haze dancing around my feet. It took its time working its way up my body until it paused at my necklace teasing me with anticipation on what its next move was.

  “Amaaaa.” A voice whispered. My heart raced as a touch lightly skimmed my cheek. A touch that soon materialized into flesh and blood. I inhaled sharply at the man that took shape before me. Hair stone white, skin as red as the Carolina clay, this man gripped my face and squeezed leaning his perfectly chiseled features, resembling Gawonii, mere inches away from me. His body temperature had to be about subzero and his eyes could only be described as black holes lacking anything that resembled a soul. Molding his body into mine, he straightened into his full height.

  “I’ve waited for you.” He hissed rubbing his face over mine. His lips descended and kissed me while his other hand tangled in my hair holding me in place. Shivering from his icy kiss, I couldn’t tell you how long we made out against the door. Being near him I felt disoriented. It never occurred to me that I shouldn’t be enjoying it this much. It wouldn’t have made any difference, I had not the strength to break the hold he had on me. When we separated, he smiled.

  “You are… you but yet…different.” He said running his fingers down over my face. “Beautiful.” He outlined my face. “I waited for this moment to have you alone. I felt you the minute you stepped foot on this soil but Gawonii made claim quickly. Always watching you…shielding you. Even when you thought you were alone all those days in the cabin, you weren’t. He always had someone guarding you…never trusting me.”

  I suddenly knew who he was. “Aether.” I whispered my voice trembling.

  He took a step back and bent halfway at the waist. “Call me Iswali.” Straightening up, he closed the space between us making it hard for me to think clearly. “I must say Ama, you are very clever my dear angeni. I figured Gawonii would not take you with him; even leave a protector. What I did not count on was your defiance to the almighty chief. Those children were supposed to be expendable… to remove an obstacle out of the way. You, however, managed to not only save the children but thwart my plot to get near you. Do you really think I would have allowed a creature like a rorret take your life? If you were to die again, this time it would be by my hands.”

  I whimpered backing up as far away from him as the door behind me would allow me to go. He tilted his head to the side breathing in my fear.

  “I suppose you would be afraid of me since I hadn’t done anything so far that proves that I wouldn’t hurt you…not now anyway.” He glanced down at my hand bringing it up to see it better. He planted an icy kiss where my wound healed. “Sorry about the hand.” He dropped it and strolled away from me allowing me to relax. “Well maybe I’m not sorry. You took out one of my best Yracs.”

  Feeling a little braver, I moved away from the door. I watched as he circled the room, his eyes never leaving mine. At times, I would see his shape shimmer out then back whole again. What Kasey told me earlier came back to me.

  Unstable. He was having trouble holding his human form.

  “Gawonii will be looking for me soon.” I said hoping he will get the picture and leave.

  He laughed shifting over the furniture to stand right in front of me. “You can’t deceive me Ama.” He leaned into me. “I see…you. Even in your new form you accept his betrayal. How many deaths do you have to go through for you to see that…I…will…never…betray…you?” His lips kissed my ear. I jerked trying to put distance between him and I, but he swung me around and threw me on the couch.

  “What do you want from me? I can’t help you because I don’t know anything or understand who I am.”

  I did not like the way his lips twisted into a smile. “Then let’s help you to remember.” He gently stroked my face before shifting into his true form, entering my body. Pictures an
d emotions flashed through my head overwhelming me. There were so many, I couldn’t make heads or tails of it. I tried to push him out but that proved difficult. He was lighter, harder to take possession of in my head like Gawonii.

  He exited my body holding form again.

  “What did you do to me?”

  “You will know sooner than later.” The room began to blur and distort. “But what fun would it be if they knew who showed you my dear Ama?” He then kissed me, and the room started to blur.

  

  I opened my eyes taking a glance at my surroundings.

  Silly girl, I thought. There was nothing to be afraid of. It was time to leave this freak show and not look back. Rubbing my arms, I took one final look to make sure I didn’t miss anything, I grabbed the keys off the table next to the door and dragged the bag out of the cabin and over to the car.

  Once the bag was in the car, I jumped into the driver’s seat placing the key in the ignition. My hand paused mid turn staring out into the darkness surrounding me in the car. I blinked feeling as if I was missing something. Dismissing it, I thought about how funny things took a drastic change in my life in just a couple of short weeks.

  I wondered if what Gawonii said was true about dying if I left this place…if I left him? I didn’t want to die. I wasn’t ready. So many things I wanted to do.

  Shaking my head needing to think positively, I started up the engine. I put the car in gear and began to pull out when the engine stalled.

  “What the hell?” I said trying the ignition again, but the car sat silently. “Damn!”

  Even the damn car had something against me leaving!

  My chest glowed. I was about sick of this thing. One minute it works, the next…

  I reached behind me and struggled with the clasp on the necklace for what seemed like hours until I gave up.

  My head fell back on the headrest; that is when I saw them standing, surrounding the car…Waya, Onacona, and Tsiyi. I couldn’t tell you who was who, but I knew they were the ones.

  One of them, the bigger one, practically ripped the door off the hinges opening a path for me to exit the car. The other two watched amused. One of them sat on the stoop in front of the cabin finding a great deal of enjoyment watching my plight.

  “Get out.” The big one ordered.

  “Go screw yourself.” I answered. The man’s face looked as if I took him by surprise with my outburst. Looking uneasy, he reached in and dragged me out. I swatted and kicked but the giant wrapped me up into a ball and lifted me out of the car.

  “Please forgive me your highness. I have no choice.” Then he swung me over his shoulders.

  I heard a chuckle coming from the direction where one of the other Indians sat.

  “Maybe the elders are wrong about this one. She is nothing like the great priestess we used to hear stories about as pups. Special prayers to the Unelanvhi for Gawonii to be fated to this one. I don’t blame him for finding warmth at night with Chitsa-Yona. This one’s woman’s region has turned to ice. I bet her icy shards could cut Gawonii’s –.”

  “Onacona! Enough! You talk too much. This is a higher being you are degrading. Show your respect.” One of the other ones’ walking chastised the one talking all the crap.

  I lifted my head to get a good look at the asshole.

  “Higher being? She can barely save herself from a flock of rorrets. Chitsa and the children would have been torn apart if it were not for Gawonii sensing she was in danger and the four of us getting there in time.”

  Ok! So that was Onacona. The moment I am back on my feet and not so exhausted, I’ll be sure to picture him naked, covered in honey and dropped in a hole full of red fire ants. Let’s see how icy cold I am then!

  The one carrying me spoke. “You lack respect for your angeni. She is unprepared and confused. She is not aware of what or who she is and that should be understood by all. Right now, it is best that you exercise silence.”

  Thank you! Finally! Somebody gets it!

  “I agree with Tsiyi. Gawonii gave you his orders. That does not include insults.” The other one I assumed was Waya said.

  “Babysitting? I rather be between Inola’s legs like Gawonii is with Chitsa right now than watching over a woman boy.”

  I felt my whole-body spin along with Tsiyi. I could see the feet of Onacona.

  Tsiyi yelled in their language.

  I really need to take a class on Tsalagi. This language barrier is starting to grate on my nerves.

  Whatever Tsiyi yelled did the trick. Onacona zipped it but that did not take back the pain I felt over what Onacona said.

  Everyone knew. What a laughingstock I must be. I will never forgive Gawonii nor Kasey for any of this.

  We soon arrived at our destination. Looking up, I groaned at the circumstances.

  Inola’s.

  “Stop fighting your highness.” Tsiyi softly replied. “You are amongst friends.”

  He placed me carefully on my feet. “None of you are friends.” I answered back.

  There was a long pause as he thought over my words.

  “You are mistaken, angeni. We are your friends, your family, and your people. We are all you have.”

  Now why didn’t that make me feel any better? BUT there wasn’t a bit of resentment in his tone at all. He was soft spoken and kind with his words, neither sarcastic nor hurtful. He gave off a sense of understanding of my confusion to all that was happening around me. Too bad Gawonii wasn’t as kind.

  The door opened and they stepped into the room that carried a strong smell of incense than it had earlier. Tsiya pushed me gently forward before stepping back to stand at the door. Onacona walked over to Inola giving her a kiss.

  Inola glared at me but remained silent. She probably was still pissed over the fact that I didn’t get that punishment she was all for not too long ago.

  I have your number, too, sister, I thought.

  Inola dropped a plate of food on the table I was guessing that was meant for me. When I didn’t move towards the table, Onacona shrugged and began eating the food for himself. My reaction was to turn my back on all of them and walk right back out that door but Tsiyi’s large frame blocked the way. Waya leaned on the wall to the right of Tsiyi, legs crossed also waiting.

  Damn! Are all these men giants around here!

  I accepted both of their silent standoff refusing to be the one to back down when a hand touched my shoulder.

  I turned to see Hiawassee this time she motioned for Utsi who stood quietly in a corner watching me.

  I smiled. I hadn’t seen him there.

  He came forward, smiling, offering me his hand. A wave of peace calmed my frayed nerves as my hand reached for his. My body felt light and the moment our hands touched, his mouth moved forming the words, “Ega…”

  ‘No!” I protested retreating right in Tsiyi understanding in that moment what they intended. She had to leave! She wanted to leave, now! This place was to heal her wounds and her mind but all she was met with was pain. Struggling out of Tsiyi’s grasp, she successfully passed Waya for the door, but it was too late.

  “…sinu.”

  Then darkness fell…

  …to be continued

  Ama Angeni: Goddess (An Angeni Series Book 2)

  Coming March 2021