Mystic Betrayal, page 21
part #2 of Mystic Series
“Gregory, split off. We need to separate them. I’m going to test their suits. This might be a good old-fashioned hand to hand fight.” Gregory just smiled in return and nodded. That was right up his alley.
“I’m all about that. I’ve been wanting to punch something without holding back for a while. I say we both strike at the same time, then split. Don’t forget the third one.”
“I warned Xavier. If the third one slips through, he’s ready. They’ll be moving her to the next spot soon.” Gregory held his tongue, not making one single derogatory remark. He wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or worried. Kate’s mind locked on her task and shut out all interruptions. He had to trust Xavier and Angie with her safety. Distractions would get them all killed.
They jumped from the trees in unison into the center of the demonic scouts. Simultaneously, Gregory cast a spell while Xander sent a jet stream hitting two demons square in the chest. It knocked them several feet back but they didn’t disintegrate. Not good. They had body armor. He sent the knowledge to Nikki. She responded that they had already switched to hand to hand. Thanks for the warning. Back to basics.
He ran to the left while Gregory took the right. Two demons followed him. Momentary relief coursed through him. Now he just had to kill both before one of them slipped away. He led them as far away as he could risk and then turned to face them. Assassin demons. Lucian was ready to sacrifice his best warriors for Kate. Did he fear her or was it something else?
His sword swung down and clashed with the first demon, while his right leg sent a roundhouse kick into the jaw of the second. Ducking the slice of one sword, he struck the one with the pitchfork tattoo in the stomach. Then he swung back around and parried with the red-eyed assassin.
Pitchfork made a move to disarm him. Like that was gonna happen. He spun and popped him in the back of the head with the hilt of the sword. Red eyes caught him with a kick right in the solar plexus followed by a punch to his cheek bone. That stung a bit.
Using a forward thrust to the throat, he knocked Red down. Then he deflected a downward slash from Pitchfork. He had to take one of these dickheads out fast or he’d be the one in trouble.
Xander leapfrogged over Red and flipped high in the air. He landed behind the other one and brought his sword down quickly removing Pitchfork’s head. His body erupted into flames and then turned to ash. One down. One to go.
Red eyes decided to run. Great. He followed after him at full speed. Branches caught his face and stung his arms. His speed prevented him from seeing most of what was coming at him. He hoped Gregory had dispatched his demon and had headed back to Kate. Ole Red had some serious speed. Using a spell, he created a net with the branches and temporarily slowed the demon down. With his legs he flipped the demon over him and jumped back to his feet. Xander’s offense met the perfect defense. They were well matched. He was growing tired of this fight, so he drew his sword forcing his opponent to do the same.
Steel clashed against steel. Xander drove him back but the assassin was no lightweight. He couldn’t get close enough for the final kill shot. Time to add in a little magic. Light couldn’t defeat him, but it could blind the stupid son of a bitch. He threw an energy blast right in Red’s face. The protective suit prevented the full burn but the brightness caused disorientation.
That was all he needed. He brought his palm up and crushed the demon’s nose. It howled in pain. Then he used an uppercut to the jaw knocking him back several feet followed by a sidekick straight to the gut. He swung his sword and sliced right through Red’s neck. He bent over to catch his breath as the demon turned to ash.
“Hey, old man, did you get both of them?” Gregory’s voice snapped into his head.
“Yep, why’d it take you so long to kill just one?” He stepped into the clearing beside Xander. He looked like he’d taken a few hits himself. He’d always worried about Gregory being too reliant on magic but he was still one heck of a fighter.
“It didn’t. I finished him off a while ago. I just wanted to see if you still had it in you.” Gregory slapped him on the shoulder. “All joking aside. Was it just me or were these demons pretty well trained?”
“Lucian and Braxus are sending their assassin demons trained by Fury for this fight. It doesn’t make sense.” Xander started walking back to the meeting spot.
“It does if you believe this realm is the key to winning. I think Lucian fears Kate or at least thinks she has a good chance to defeat Braxus. He figures if he can shake or change the structure of the allies, his chances improve. His goal is to be freed. If you ask me, he doesn’t trust Braxus to get the job done. That’s why we’ve never seen this before in any of the research about the Rising.” Gregory shrugged but what he said actually made a lot of sense.
“Sounds pretty logical to me. We’ve already lost the Shadow Warriors, one of our biggest assets. If we lose this realm, we could be in serious trouble. They also managed to convince one of our own to turn traitor. It’s definitely a different game this time. I checked in with Nikki. Lucian must have sent his best and ugliest after us. She said they’re cutting through them with ease. They sent their minions in as a distraction. Roxy was right. Protecting the portals is their primary goal.” That meant Kate was in more trouble than they had anticipated, but it could only be her. Sharing her with the universe was beginning to irritate the hell out of him.
They returned to the clearing in time to see Xavier slice off the head of one demon and Kate ripped out the heart of another demon attacking Angie. Just took that sucker right out of his ribcage and crushed it. He was so proud. Gregory elbowed him. “Remind me to never piss her off.” Apparently, the protective suits didn’t give her any trouble. She was a bit scary sometimes.
He slid his arm around her. “We have to get moving. We’re only at the first receptor and have killed five demons. More are on the way. As usual, this is not going to be easy.”
“When has anything in this freaking world been easy?” She kissed his jaw. When they walked to the next location, he realized she’d healed him. He hoped he showed her even a fraction of the love she gave so freely to him.
* * *
Kate noticed a slight dip in her energy after the first cleansing but not bad. She’d never admit out loud but it had felt good killing that demon. Her powers coursed through her body like the blood in her veins. The electrical charge raced from her toes to her head. Talk about an above average head rush.
Having Xander safely back beside her allowed some of the energy to subside and her body to relax. Once she cleansed the area, they’d fallen under attack. She hadn’t had time to connect to Xander and make sure he was all right. She knew they were connected beyond words, but she still liked to feel his reassurance in her mind.
Xavier held out his hand. “I recommend we pop in at the next site. All of them will be guarded now. If we catch them unprepared, Kate should be able to slide in and cast a circle to prevent them from reaching her. Then, she can do her thing and we’ll move on. I’m familiar with the spot.” He was asking them to trust him. She didn’t hesitate taking his hand. The rest followed suit. She placed her hand on his followed by Angie. Xander added his to the pile and looked over his shoulder. Gregory rolled his eyes but added his hand to the top of the pile.
The moment they arrived it became chaos. Kate trusted her friends to take care of the demons and headed straight for the portal receptor. Using consecrated salt, she cast her protective circle. The black blood and bound soul marked the spot. She pushed aside the emotions and tried not to think about all that had been done to these innocent beings. She knelt to the ground and pulled in energy around her. The first step, she blocked all distractions and created an additional shield. She had a world of her own.
She channeled her power while the others battled demons. She would trust they could handle themselves and give this cleansing her full attention. Her hands glowed a soft pale blue. Then she leaned over the black pool and erased all traces of negative energy. She made small circles in a pattern to guarantee she didn’t miss one single spot. She added in a basic spell to further purify the ground and release the faery soul.
White is innocence, purity, and light
Defeats the black holding on to the night
Listen to my voice and succumb to my might
Restore what was lost to this soul once so bright
White flames leapt from her fingertips and burned away the blackened blood staining the ground. Little by little the specks of blood lifted. In the air, they turned to white and then disappeared. She connected to Zane. He helped establish the portal so the soul could find its way to the Eternal Realm, a resting place for lives lost. Her accuracy still needed some work so she had asked for his assistance. No one knew the realms better than him. And it seemed fitting for him to help save a realm he once protected.
With the soul set free, her next priority was to shut down the receptor. Taking a small knife out of her pocket, she sliced a small line across her palm. Should she be concerned that she couldn’t feel the blade across her skin anymore? She straightened her arm and let three drops of blood fall to the ground.
“With Mystic blood this portal is sealed. Only me or my blood can undo this oath. Darkness can no longer touch this ground. Immediate death to all others that try. My blood binds this portal to the light.” A lightning bolt shot from the sky and sealed the receptor. She pulled back. Her hand had already healed. At least she only had to cut herself three more times.
Before dropping the shield and stepping outside the circle, she checked her surroundings. She ended up laughing instead. Her protectors had honored their end of the bargain and the demons were either dead or they’d run away. Either way there was nothing left for her to do. Disappointed but exhilarated, she let her guard down.
“Looks like y’all have everything under control. Where to next?” She couldn’t quite hide the shock on her face when Gregory stepped forward.
“I’ll take us to the next spot if you’ll trust me.” His hesitancy gave her pause. They had really needed this time together to re-strengthen their bonds.
She clasped his hand and looked straight into his eyes. “Always, Gregory. Take us to the next demon trap.” Hands came together without hesitation or ridicule. Lucian didn’t know it, but he’d strengthened the Mystic today. Her heart overflowed with faith and hope. She intended to make the asshole choke on it one day soon.
Receptors three and four went pretty much the same. Her friends killed the demons and she cleansed the ground and released the souls. By the time they arrived at the fifth location, all demons focused on them. Nikki and the others joined with them.
Mystic army met demon army in a clash of metal. It didn’t take long to wipe out the remaining demons, especially when their protective suits started running out of juice. Kate easily secured the last spot and set the Faery soul free. The stench of death surrounded them. But the light cut through the fog, destroying the remaining ash, and the breeze brought the smell of trees and wildflowers to wash away the dark.
Time to report back. She entered the tree castle once again. Faeries, nymphs, elves, and other creatures stood on both sides of the entryway cheering and dancing. Queen Annalisse stepped down from her throne and took Kate’s hands into hers.
“I don’t know how to thank you. All of you. We’ll fight beside you at the Rising. Mystic, our allegiance is yours for as long you rule the Council. The purity in your heart astounds me. I’ve never known a human to have the qualities you possess. Forgive my rudeness earlier. I tested you out of habit despite knowing the strength and loyalty you freely to give to others.”
Then the queen knelt in front of her. The rest of the kingdom followed. Talk about awkward. At least her warriors hadn’t bowed down. But from the looks on their faces, they were considering it.
“Thank you, Queen Annalisse. Please rise. We are equals in a battle to save all our worlds. I appreciate and accept your allegiance. You have ours. Call me if there is anything the Faery Realm needs or simply to update us. The mistake was ours that we overlooked the vulnerability of your people. This Rising will be like no other, and no one is immune to their destruction. We’ve all learned valuable lessons that will make us both better leaders.” She reached for the queen’s hand.
The Faery Realm had been restored and returned to peace, Kate and her friends returned to the Meadows.
* * *
“That was fun, but I think we’ve earned a night off. What do you think, Mystic?” Xander kissed her softly but the thoughts he pushed into her mind were scorching hot.
“Definitely. We’ll meet in the morning to brief the Council. Tonight is about fun. If we don’t celebrate when we can, we’ll forget the happiness and light that exists all around us.” At first, she thought Gregory was angry as he hurried away from them. Then she caught the glimpse from his thoughts that it was time to confront Roxy about the time they had left. She wished him well. Xavier and Angie disappeared. She didn’t have to guess on that one. Everyone deserved a little happier ever after. Nikki stood at the window looking over the gardens.
Xander wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “You were brilliant today, big sis. I’m sorry I doubted you. It’s hard for me to admit that you’re a warrior in your own right. I can’t keep you hidden away like Izzy. She’s the home-maker, but you’re the fighter. I guess I didn’t want to see that.” She nodded but had too many emotions to speak. She walked toward her room. Kate had one more surprise for her. Would it help or hurt? Either way, it wasn’t her choice to make.
“Nikki, I have a letter from Storm. He asked me to give it to you when we were done today. I was able to get it from Zane at the last portal we opened together. I hope it brings you some peace or at least resolution.” Nikki faded too fast for her to even reach for her hand. Pain struck her heart. She bowed her head and tucked into Xander hoping she’d done the right thing.
“Kate, you are my sister as much as Izzy, thank you. One day I’ll learn to deal with this as I should. Today, I simply needed to run away. We can catch up tomorrow.” She disconnected. Nikki had her own hide out far beneath the ground where she could communicate with nature or have absolute silence. It was her escape. Didn’t they all need one of those?
Xander took her hand. A few seconds later they were in their bedroom. She wanted to talk and work through some of what had happened today. But she sensed his urgency to connect on a different level. Another battle survived. However, the fear never ceased. He needed to be reassured everything would be okay. With a flick of his hand, the bed turned down and her clothes disappeared. Wasn’t magic grand?
“I don’t mean to rush you, but I need you.” Nothing else mattered. She felt the same.
Their connection brought her peace and momentary relief from all the weight on her shoulders.
His mouth consumed hers, and her inner energy lashed out to meet his demands. They tumbled back onto the mattress with her landing on top. She explored his body making sure to give him extra attention. Tonight was for him. Her protector and guardian. She brought him to the brink. Then he flipped her beneath him.
Their pace became maddening. Full of pent up energy and emotions. Her release sent her into oblivion. Her essence poured out of her, hitting Xander square in the chest. This time he absorbed it like they were one being. Maybe for this moment in time, they were.
Chapter 15
“Wake up, Sleeping Beauty.”
Xander grunted in response. She tickled his nose until he finally opened one eye.
“What do you want, woman? You should be exhausted after last night.” He nipped her shoulder and tried rolling over for more sleep. He’d become very fond of certain human conveniences.
“Oh no. No more sleep for you.” They needed to talk before debriefing the Council and updating all the warriors at the facility. A nagging voice deep in her gut wouldn’t give her any peace. She didn’t want to listen. The storms inside were building. The traitor’s next plan appeared on the horizon. He or she was ready to make their move. Why now? Was this a last hail Mary for Lucian? Why couldn’t any of them get a read on the traitor? She could move cities but not read one traitor’s mind.
Once Xander sensed her concern, he sat up and listened to all her questions. “I don’t know. Lucian seems afraid to send Braxus into battle with you. Or maybe he thinks this one will be like all the others and he has to be proactive. Remember, the last Omega killed Guinevere to weaken Cassius. He’s trying to tear you down. Maybe there isn’t a traitor and he’s been playing us all along. The weaker you go into battle, the better his chances. My guess is whatever he or the traitor has planned will be ugly and test us all.” His pause and avoidance of meeting her gaze made her stomach knot.
“Kate, if something happens to me, you have to stay focused on the battle. You can’t fall apart like Cassius did and nearly destroy the world. Everyone is counting on you to bring them light and hope. Promise me, Kate. Promise me. You won’t stop. You won’t give up. No matter what.” He held her hands tightly. “I’ve been avoiding this for weeks but yesterday when we had to split up and so many things could have gone wrong, I realized I couldn’t put this off any longer.”
She wanted to comfort him. It was the one promise she knew she’d break if the time came. But she’d give him peace for now. “I promise, Xander. I’ll stay focused on the Rising and how to win.” It was the best she could offer. She almost crossed her fingers behind her back. Instead she pulled his face to hers and lost herself in his embrace for the next several minutes.
Days passed without anything major happening. The tensions continued to rise. Rowena, Marcus, and Micah were desperately searching for information on the next attack to no avail. The warning voice inside her grew louder and louder until it consumed her thoughts. Angie tried to help but the incessant nagging threatened to drive her over the edge. When she tried to focus on the source, it’d disappear. Something was coming. What was it? Uggh, she threw her pen across the room.
