Daughter Trilogy Bundle (52 page)

I dust my hands off when I walk back in, and Devin is very nearly smiling at my overzealous pruning endeavor.  Gemma's mouth is gaped open from the bizarre reaction though.

"What the fuck?  Who do you think you are?" she screams.

"I'm his fiancée, and you already tried to kill me once with a stray plant you brought in.  Call me crazy, but I think I'll go proactive this go around," I snark.

The smile fades from Devin's face, and Gemma gasps again.

"Your fiancée?" she squeals.  "What the hell is she talking about?  I've never met her before, so I know I've never tried killing her."

"That's why you're here.  There's been a rewind," Devin murmurs distantly, his eyes completely focused on mine for the first time as he walks toward me very warily.  "We're engaged?" he breathes through strain.

My eyes water slightly, and I turn toward Theia.

"Please hurry up and get this over with.  I'm tired of trying to resound the entire month," I whimper.

Devin eases onto the couch across from us, and Gemma - of course - takes the seat beside him.  Her arm loops through his, but he doesn't seem to notice as he continues staring at me.

Get your fucking hands off my man, you bitch.

"A month?" Theia squeaks, interrupting my silent reverie.  "That's impossible.  Time only rewinds for a week at the most.  A month is far too great a time span."

"Just look and see for yourself." I sniffle as I put my hands in hers.

She frowns slightly and starts her instructions.

"Breathe.  Try to focus on any event at all that happened the first time.  I can find the path to travel much easier that way."

I think of the best memory - Devin asking me to marry him.  I almost smile when I think of the beautiful ring he had picked out especially for me, and the incredible planned proposal that had captured my heart.

The breaking of the bed springs to mind next, and I giggle a little.  Then the bubble in which he told me he loved me joins in with the hot ocean bubble memory from when we made up after our hellacious fight that spawned from the vine-loving bitch.

Theia gasps loudly, and my eyes dart to her as she almost convulses from the month of memories surging through her at once.

I know how that feels.

She has to watch everyone die all over again, and those memories are haunting, horrific, and completely devastating.

Tears fall as she releases my hands and jumps back from her spot with me.  She stands up shakily, and begins pacing in a frantic manner.

Phillip walks over to hold his wife, and she falls apart in his arms as reality crashes to her the way it did me.

Devin seems a little disturbed by his mother's reaction, and Gemma is still clinging to him at his side.

I really wish I had my  powers right now.  I'd zap that bitch off the couch.

"When did the battle go wrong?" Persia asks as she sits down beside me.

"There were too many of them.  They were prepared to counter all of our people, and we weren't prepared for any of them.  They brought the daughters of Athena in to counter me as well as Gemma and her family," I say with a slight snarl.

Persia seems confused, and suddenly it hits me as to why she's confused.  I hadn't mentioned her name.

"Where was I?" she inquires pitifully, as if she's worried she hadn't been there when I needed her.

"You saved my parents before the battle ever happened.  You gave your life to keep them safe," I choke out as more tears fall freely.

She wraps me in her arms, and Devin's eyes turn to me.  I look away because it's painful to see Gemma so close to him.  He grumbles lightly, and he removes himself from her vine-like clutches as he goes over to see to his mother.

Then panic hits me.

"My parents.  The last time I gave Devin a false name, and they wasted time searching for Alexius Smith.  I didn't give him a false name this time.  They've been listening in, and they'll find me sooner.  Only, I won't be the one they find.  They'll go after them."

Devin flashes over to me.  "I'll get them out now," he consoles.

"No need.  I've already forced her dad to feel the need to get away.  I sent them on a vacation with plenty of money," Persia adds before capturing my attention again.  "You told me to take care of them.  I knew that meant someone was after them," she explains as she looks at me.

"Jake," I hoarsely release.

"Him, too.  I actually tried something new on him.  I forced my way into his mind, via Skype.  It worked though.  He's already on a private jet that's carrying him to be with your parents right now," she soothes while stroking her fingers through my hair the way an affectionate, concerned mother would.

I feel more tears falling freely as I sit back with a little relief.  Devin looks to his mom and speaks gingerly.

"Show me, please.  I need to know what is going on."

She takes a deep, steadying breath and walks over to the couch where Gemma is huffing.  Devin sits down beside her, and right away, Gemma is leaning against him as she observes the interaction.

Devin's face tenses, distorts, and then finally I see a tear wavering on his eyelid for a whole new reason once he's forced to endure the horrific memories that had been locked away.

He drops his mother's hands, and his eyes lock in on mine.

I see that desire, passion, and obsession that has been lacking the whole time I've been here.  His restraint is gone as he lunges to me and jerks me up in his arms.

His lips cover mine, and my tears stream into the kiss to offer a salty tang.  My arms wrap around his neck as I cede to the passionate embrace, and his hands begin burning against my body as he grips me almost too tightly, forgetting I'm mortal again.

"I love you," he murmurs against my lips with a needy longing.

"I love you, too," I sob, my eyes blurred by my hellacious tears.

Gemma almost falls off the couch after overhearing the endearing exchange, but I'm done worrying about her now.  My Devin is back.

He loosens his grip just barely, finally remembering I'm not immortal, and he does well not to crush my fragile body.

"You see why I have to end this before it's too late now," I whimper.

He shakes his head, his adamant stance more prominent than before now.

"No.  You're not leaving me ever again," he says, strain hindering his tone.

"Devin, you'll die if I don't do this," I cry out, my tears falling harder.

"I'll die if you do.  I won't live without you.  I can swear to that."

I rest my head on his shoulder as he continues to hold me in the air, and he carries me to the couch to sit in his lap.

He strokes my hair gently with his hand, and I finally give into the exhaustion that is weighing me down.  I curl into his incredible embrace and watch as Theia awakens the minds of the others.

Devin pulls out his phone and dials a number.  I listen in as I nestle in closer to his chest, and he tightens his one armed grip around me.

"Hale, hey, it's Devin… Yeah… We need to talk… I'll text you the address, but don't tell anyone where you're going, especially not Serena… See you then."

He dials another number right behind it.

"Hey, I'm going to send you an address, and I want to see you there tomorrow… Yeah, bring Camara with you… We can skip the objections.  You'll see when you get here… Okay."

He puts his phone away, and he returns his stray arm back around me as one by one more tears flow.

Persia sits down beside Theia, and both look to be in disbelief.  Persia clears her throat before speaking.

"Since my memories stopped before the battle, Theia had to share hers with me.  I'm so sorry," she cries.

"It's not your fault, but I need to learn how to harness Asteria's power this time before the fight,” I mumble.

"I always assumed Kahl's mother was a Nuri," she says with a tiny ounce of conviction.

Why do I still feel like she's holding back?

"She definitely wasn't a Nuri," Phillip mumbles as he drops to the couch, his memories restored in true scarring fashion.

Gemma's eyes stay focused on the floor.  Her memories have returned as well, and now she knows why I hate her so intensely.  She also knows Devin expelled her from the group.

"I need a drink," Devin grumbles.

"I second that," I say while standing up.

His hand clasps mine, and Persia follows us to the bar.  Her eyes are heavy and troubled.

"I think you should go stay with your family until we sort this out," she says hesitantly.

"Not a chance in hell," I scoff.

"Adisia, you're mortal again, and until you're triggered… again, you'll stay mortal.  You don't need to be here, and they can't hunt you down right now as easily.  It would be so much safer."

"Safer?  If I'm there, my family is more at risk.  You're not sending me there,"

"Then I'll send you somewhere else.  I have numerous places, and you can stay there," she pleads.

"No.  I'm not leaving her alone," Devin interjects.

Persia now feels outnumbered, and he puts his arm around my waist to show his loyalty lies with me.

"Devin, she won't be safe here.  You know as well as I do this is no time for a mortal to be with us.  You saw what happened while she was immortal.  Imagine what she'll face if they find her now."

Devin swallows hard and pulls me into his arms while kissing the top of my head.  He stares her in the eyes as he speaks very calmly despite the storm I feel brewing inside him.

"If she's alone, what happens when they find her?"

Persia sighs and props against the counter while burying her head in her hands.

"It's risky either way," she admits.

"It's less so if she's with me.  I will stop at nothing to protect her, and I'm not going to leave her side," he says firmly.

I lean into his protective stance, and Persia nods in defeat.  She skulks away to rejoin the others.  Devin pulls my chin up and bends to kiss me so softly.

"We need to get to my other place.  They'll be watching this one soon if they're not already."

I nod in response, and he flashes into the bedroom to grab the couple of outfits I have here.  He grabs a small case to throw them in, and tosses it over his shoulder.

He grips my wrist and starts to flash, but he quickly releases me when I squeal in pain.  He flinches slightly from his accidental lapse.

"Sorry.  It's going to take me a minute to adjust to your renewed mortality," he mumbles with such a burdened, regretful tone.

"It's fine," I murmur while rubbing my wrist.

He walks over to examine it, and his eyes grimace when he sees the slight bruise already appearing beneath the reddened area of accidental assault.

He takes my hand in his and kisses the marks left behind from his haste.

"I can't believe I just did this," he sighs with guilt streaking his swirls more prominently.

I move my hand to stroke his burdened face and speak to comfort his guilty mind.

"I'm fine.  You got used to me being immortal.  Now that your memories are back, it's going to take a minute to adjust to me being back to this temporary, fragile phase."

His eyes are still etched with regret for his unintentional harm, and my lips call to his as I tug on his shirt to bring him down to me.  His lips respect my wishes, and devour mine with such a ready passion.

I start pulling him back, and he kicks shut the door to the bedroom behind him.  I feel the backs of my legs meet the bed, and I climb up on it backwards with my knees supporting my weight as I pull his shirt over his head.

His hands greedily slide up my sides, and he starts to lay me down when there's a knock at the door.  He sighs as he releases my lips and answers the interrupter.

"Yes," he murmurs.

"Hey, we're ready when you are," Ther prompts.

Devin lets a small frown show his sudden frustration, but then he pulls me up from the bed.  This time he scoops me up and tucks me against his chest.

"We're ready," he huffs.

"I'm not," I scoff.

He smirks lightly to show his very pleased reaction to my equal frustration.

"We'll pick this back up, don't worry," he smolders as he opens the door with me still attached bridal style to him.

"I can walk.  I just can't flash," I say, feeling childish.

"I'm not taking any chances on something happening.  If we need to move fast, then I already have you."

"I'm going to look a little silly being carried around New York," I grumble.

"I really don't care about a stranger's opinion.  I do care if you're safe or not."

"Well, wait until there's trouble to scoop me up, please.  I feel helpless enough," I gripe as I try to squirm free.

"You're not helpless," he says softly.  "Just fragile."

I roll my eyes.  "That did very little to make me feel less helpless.  Please let me carry some dignity around."