by Janelle Peel
I could sense Kai’s location no matter the distance. Our connection was forged in love and strengthened by magic. Theirs was an entirely different scenario, but his mismatched gaze hadn’t budged from where I judged her room to be.
He nodded, sending the short length of his cerulean hair flipping with the motion. Thank the Goddess he’d decided to cut it. I couldn’t stand the long ponytail he used to have.
Smirking, I steepled my fingers. “Are you going to stare at her window all night?”
He sighed. “If that’s what it takes to keep her safe, yes.”
My mouth dropped open in shock. He had feelings for her. Was it due to their power, or something else? Shelving the revelation, I stood. “She won’t be able to get anywhere on her own, but please let me know if she runs.”
His tone dropped an octave. “Don’t underestimate her, Bex. You died to save your family. What would your sister do, I wonder.”
Moving to the door, I whispered, “Anything.”
Kai frowned from his reclined position on the mountain of pillows. “What’d Skye say?”
Crawling onto the mattress I let my actions answer for me. Sleeping naked was out of the question if I had to give chase.
“That bad, huh?”
Pressing my cheek to his bare chest, I marveled at the heat coming off him in waves. The days’ stress melted from my stiff muscles instantly. I mumbled, “Yes.”
Tugging me closer, his bass vibrated the small hairs inside my ear. “You could stay with her, you know. It’s okay.” Methodically, he began rubbing my lower back.
I groaned. “I know, but it would prove I don’t trust her. Skye said he’ll keep tabs on her.”
He chuckled. “The way I heard it you almost bit Viv’s head off for teasing Riva. Now you’re fine with Skye looking after her?”
My lids slid closed as I replayed Skye’s reaction and Riva’s obvious comfort around him. “Yes.”
Chapter 11
Riva
I tiptoed down the hall; my first stop was the kitchen.
Completely different than my previous visit, no one stirred as I pushed through the white swinging door. The dim lighting cast an eerie quality to the shiny steel adorning every surface. I almost abandoned my course, but the hollow feeling inside my stomach was not to be ignored.
I flipped through the endless cupboards, and my efforts were rewarded with a jar of the good stuff. Unscrewing the lid, I dipped my fingers inside.
“You could use a spoon.”
I screeched, “Fuck!”
Skye chortled. “Sorry! I couldn’t resist. Your reaction!” Holding his sides, he tried to gain control of himself.
I glared. “Damnit, Skye. That was not funny!”
He shook his head, his eyes dancing with glee. “Oh, but it was.” Moving further into the room, he pulled open a drawer near my hip. After a moment he brandished a silver utensil. “Viola.”
Before I could take it, he dipped the spoon into the peanut butter and popped it inside his mouth. My gaze latched on to his lips as heat pooled between my thighs. Focus!
Holding my bounty out of reach, I teased to cover my reaction. “Hey! Get your own!”
Finished with his stolen bite, he snickered. “What are you doing up so late?”
Plucking the spoon from his fingers, I scooped out a generous amount for myself. The truth was I couldn’t sleep. A deep ache had taken up residence along my shoulders. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t get comfortable. I diverted. “What’s going to happen tomorrow?”
His expression turned serious. “We speak to the Pacifians. I wanted to talk to you about something else though.” Moving around the counter, he pulled out a stool and gestured to it.
Shrugging a shoulder, I licked the spoon clean and sat.
Bracing his palms on the polished steel, he seemed to debate something. “You know Lila comes back tomorrow, right?”
I dug into the container for another bite. “Yeah. She’s Sora’s daughter.”
“Correct. She’s traveling with another female. Her name is Gazardiel. Gaz is like me, an Angel.”
Where was he going with this?
He paused. “You might… experience some tension from her.”
I frowned. “Why?”
Rubbing his jaw, he sighed. “She will be jealous of our connection.”
Ohhhh. He had someone. Disappointment soured my hunger. Pushing the peanut butter aside, I nodded. “You have a Mate.”
Running his fingers through his hair, he sighed. “No, actually. She’s pursued me, but I don’t feel the same. I’m content being alone. I just wanted to warn you.”
My brow furrowed. “Why would you want to be alone?”
In a tone brooking no argument, he rumbled, “Because it’s better that way.” Turning on his heel, he left without a backward glance.
The abrupt change in his demeanor left me off kilter. Had I said something wrong? Cleaning up my mess on autopilot, I decided to check the status of the pool.
Half full. Damn. Rolling my shoulders, I bypassed the lagoon leading to the courtyard.
Rustling sounded through the darkness. “Whhhooo?”
Startled, I squinted my eyes.
Twin amber orbs glowed back, lit by a tall lamp disguised as a tree.
“Whooo?”
I grinned. “Hello there.”
Its avian head tipped to the side and revealed what appeared to be horns. It leaped from the bough, and its wings extended over four foot in length. Flapping once, it shot over the wall and into the night.
Chirping picked up with the creature’s exit.
Settling onto the lush carpet of grass, I listened to the increasing buzz around me. A sharp pain pierced my spine and bowed my back at an awkward angle. I gasped.
As quickly as it’d come the agony passed. Heaving a relieved sigh, I sank deeper into the cool mat. I gazed at the multitude of twinkling lights brightening the sky, and my thoughts rolled.
What was happening to me? Something was very wrong.
A bright flash lit the horizon.
I sat up, my nose scrunched at the sudden illumination. Flaring across the night like a falling star, the light was heading straight for me. Goosebumps broke out along my arms and legs. Scrambling backward, I sought shelter beneath a stone bench.
The entity touched down with a soft thump. Her wings disappeared as a smaller person slid from her embrace.
“Jesus, Gaz! Why do you always have to put on a show?”
Honeyed hair fell from the Angel’s crown in a riot of curls. She shook out the golden tresses, and moonlight kissed the soft curve of her cheeks. Her pink, bow-shaped lips formed a grin. “You know you love it, Lila. Don’t be such a hater.”
The small female attempted a stern expression. Her platinum lengths stuck out in odd directions as if she’d been blown across the sky by a forceful wind. Her silver-flecked eyes danced merrily. “You’re right. I totally do.”
My mind connected the dots. Lila, Sora’s daughter. And… Gazardiel.
Faster than I could track, Gaz shoved Lila behind her. Reaching over her shoulder, the schwing of metal met my ears. A blue flame flashed across the blade’s edge. “Who’s there?”
I froze.
She strode forward, the shadowed grass dancing with her forward motion. “Show yourself!”
Her sharp bark grated on my nerves. Steeling my resolve, I rose from my hiding place.
Confusion flitted across her features. “Who the hell are you?”
Lila stepped to the side. “Oh my Goddess! Look at her hair!”
My gaze skittered between them.
Gaz lifted the sword higher. “Lila, stay back!”
Instinct took over. Power spilled from my well in response to Gaz’s threat. Seeking an outlet, the roar of water filled my ears.
Lila’s eyes rounded as the wave crested behind me. Splitting down the center, it left me untouched and slammed into Gaz. A silver-hued bubble popped into existence around Lil
a as Gaz tumbled to the ground.
My shock mirrored theirs.
Gaz screamed in outrage. One moment she was down on all fours, the next she towered over me. She lifted the blade, her face lit in righteous anger.
My arms rose to defend against her downward strike.
The ache plaguing my shoulders exploded in a searing heat and dropped me to my knees.
I screamed.
Skye
A tsunami of fear filled his chest.
Riva!
Calling to his Element, he blasted through the mansion without form toward the courtyard.
The scene before him dropped him to the ground as his mind struggled to process what happened.
Gaz carefully peeled her body from the retaining wall with a disgruntled expression.
Lila’s protective barrier popped in a shower of sparkles. Her mouth formed an O of surprise.
Following her line of sight, he stilled.
Hot pink near the tips, a set of large wings protected the being curled inside their soft depths. Shot through with every shade of the ocean, the glossy feathers trembled.
Squelching through the wet grass, he croaked, “Riva?”
The abalone-colored appendages twitched. “Skye?”
His chest tightened at her obvious terror. Reaching out, he fingered one lavender plume. Soft as silk, the downy length caressed his skin. “It’s okay. I’m here.”
Ever so slowly the curtain parted. The pommel of Gazardiel’s blade stuck out from the ground near Riva’s knees. Tears shimmered on the edges of her dark lashes. Her lower lip quivered. “I’m so sorry.”
Gaz had attacked her.
Irritation flashed through his veins. Swallowing the sharp reprimand begging to fall from his mouth, he helped Riva stand.
She wobbled as the heavy weight of her wings settled into place.
Tightening his grip, he glared over the top of her head toward the Angel in question.
Gaz paled. Throwing up her hands, she hissed, “It wasn’t my fault! She wouldn’t tell me who she was! Fuck, Skye! She attacked me!”
Lila frowned. “Only because she felt threatened, Gaz. She was hiding. Hell, we probably scared the shit out of her with our flashy arrival.”
Riva pulled away from his grasp. Swaying, she adjusted her balance and made her way into the house.
He wanted to go after her, but first he had to ensure her safety. Bending at the waist, he pulled the sword from the ground with a wet sucking sound. Tossing it aside, he growled, “Stay away from her. I will not warn you again.”
Crossing her arms, Gaz glowered but remained silent.
Lila bounced her gaze between them. Hesitantly, she asked, “When did we get another Angel?”
Heaving a sigh, he answered, “Riva is equal parts Mermaid and Fae. She is Bex’s sister.”
“That doesn’t answer my question, Skye.”
Turning on his heel, he grunted, “She thanked me. For better or worse, our power has joined.”
Gaz’s sharp intake of air followed him past the pool.
Bex
Rapping my knuckles on Riva’s door, I paused. Why wasn’t she answering?
A sniffle drew my attention.
Using the wall for support, Riva staggered toward me.
My eyes rounded at the sight of her torn tee before latching on to the wings dragging across the carpet behind her. Rushing forward, I pulled her arm around my shoulder. “Goddess! Riva, what happened?”
She barked a quick laugh. “Evidently Skye’s magic has unintended side effects.”
Opening the door, I helped her to the bed.
She collapsed in an ungainly heap and winced.
Understanding dawned. “Hush. Roll over and let me help.”
Flipping to her side, she released a relieved breath as I rearranged her wings. They’d taken on the exact color of her hair. My thoughts spun as I straightened the downy lengths across two-thirds of the king-size bed.
She had to be freaking out. Hell, I was on the verge of losing it. What brought on the change?
Softly, she whispered, “I’d like to be alone, Bex.”
The lost sound in her voice broke my heart. “Are you sure? Don’t you want to talk about it?”
One wing lifted and hid her from view. “I’m sure and, no.”
I sighed. “Okay. I’ll check on you in a few hours.”
Silence.
Retreating to the hall, I closed her door.
Skye rounded the corner with a grim expression.
Fisting my hands, I met him halfway. “What the fuck happened! You were supposed to keep an eye on her!”
His shoulders drooped. “I was. She never left the mansion, Bex.”
I waved in the direction of her room. “Then why is she sporting a set of wings, Skye?”
He shook his head. “Because Gaz attacked her.”
Frost flickered across my skin in response to my rage. “What did you say?”
Taking a step back, his mismatched gaze widened. “Don’t do something you’ll regret, Bex. Calm down.”
A growl rumbled from my chest. “She attacked my sister, and you want me to calm down?”
Eyeing the mist thickening the air between us, he nodded. “Yes. Lila was there. Ask her for the details.”
That was a low blow, and he knew it.
When the Sundering began, Gazardiel whisked Lila away to Heaven. Daughter of the Chosen, Lila held the power to subdue the Demonic horde. Embodied with the voice of God, she led the Angels to banish their legions back to Hell. After the final battle, God left her in peace. As the only Vampire offspring in existence, she was an abnormally strong Mage. We’d never get those years back, but Lila meant everything to me. Well, she had until recently.
My ire dulled to a simmer. Water dripped from my fingertips as my power retreated. “Fine.”
He grinned. “Good. I’m going to see if Riva will talk to me.”
I shook my head. “No. You can sit outside her door, but she’s exhausted. Leave her alone.”
“Okay.”
Satisfied with his response, I left him to it.
Lila paced from one end of the rec room to the other. She braced her palms on the pool table, her brow creased. “Let me get this straight. Riva is a Mermaid. She and Skye share the heart of the sea because she thanked him. When he thanked her, it didn’t give back her magic, but split his.” She rubbed her face aggressively. “And to top it all off there’s some big bad guy named Poseidon that’s supposedly awake and will destroy the Mer?”
Sliding a few fingers of whiskey across the bar, I chuckled at the youth I helped raise. Though she was nearing twenty, she was wise beyond her years. “Yes, but I don’t know if Skye shares her Element. He also didn’t mention the sprouting of fins or gills when I last saw him.”
Rolling her star-flecked eyes, she grumbled, “Semantics, Bex.”
Downing my drink, I asked, “So what exactly happened in the courtyard?”
Shrugging, she moved to a stool. “You know how overprotective Gaz is of me. She got all bent out of shape when Riva wouldn’t answer her. My guess is Riva’s magic responded instinctually.” She smirked. “You should have seen it, Bex. She emptied the pool! The wave split around her, reformed, and hit Gaz head-on. I cast a sphere, of course, but watching Gaz get tumbled about like she was on a rinse cycle was pretty insane. Then all hell broke loose. Gaz went to strike Riva down with her sword. It happened so fast. Riva’s wings exploded just before the blade could hit her. It was like the sun broke through the clouds. This big flash. When the spots cleared from my eyes, Gaz was sliding down the retaining wall and Riva was cowering beneath her wings. Cue Skye’s entry. Boy, was he pissed. I’ve never seen him so upset.”
“Yeah? What’d he say to Gaz?”
She snorted. “To stay away from Riva, and that he wouldn’t warn her again. Call me crazy, but he acted like it was an attack on him personally.”
Hmm. Maybe there was more to the melding of their magic
than I’d previously thought.
Running her index finger around the rim of her cup, Lila pursed her lips. “Mom hasn’t heard from Her?”
I sighed. “You know the Goddess has Her own reasons for not responding. Look at what happened before with the Sundering. She’d only say She wasn’t the only God in this world. Who knows how many more there are.”
Tossing back her drink, Lila cringed. “That’s still disgusting.”
Smirking, I poured her another. “True, but you like it. Imagine it, Lila. Before the world went to Hell, I’d get into trouble for enabling a minor.”
She laughed. “Like you’re one to talk. You aren’t that much older than I am.”
The truth of her words slapped me in the face. Dax had fooled my mother into thinking he was an ordinary Shifter. My birth nearly killed her. Born in Wolf form, I’d grown faster than anyone expected. Somehow my mother knew something was amiss. After she sent me away, Dax returned for me. She bit him. I didn’t know the details of her passing, and I didn’t want to know. She was gone, but she went down fighting. Dax died a few days later from her venomous bite.
A soft touch settled on my arm.
“Bex?”
Throwing off the sad thoughts, I sobered. “I’m good. Riva wants to raise the Rune Gate.”
She sucked in a sharp breath. “Why? Isn’t it buried under the ocean?”
Taking her hand in mine, I finished filling her in.
Chapter 12
Riva
A series of knocks drew me from a fitful sleep. Batting at the fluffy feathers sticking to my cheeks, I called out, “Come in.”
The door opened to reveal Skye. He met my gaze, and his cheeks heated as he stepped over the threshold. Pausing with his hand on the handle, he hesitated. “Should I come back when you’re, uh, decent?”
Decent? I snorted. “Does the sight of my wings offend you?”
The back of his neck reddened. “No, your shirt is, um. Not where it’s supposed to be.”
I glanced down the line of my nose. It was my turn to blush. Somehow the material had slipped down to my waist. Grabbing the torn collar, I quickly tugged it over my breasts. “Sorry about that.”