Daughter Trilogy Bundle (80 page)

I don't even feel the slice before I see the blood being tossed to the ground.  I gasp as Van's face distorts along with everyone else's in the army, and they disintegrate back into the buzzing ashes before vanishing just as quickly as they appeared.

My body has gone numb as I crash to the ground with a stiff collapse.  Devin instantly scoops me up and pulls me into his body as he carries me bridal style into the house.

Everyone is clattering loudly as they discuss the impossibility of this dead army, but he's silent as he nestles me into his body.

My whole body is trembling as the terror refuses to subside.  My mouth refuses to form words.  The trembles violently turn to convulsions, and Devin's arms grip me tighter to lessen the seizing episode.

Gradually, the dreadful jolts simmer back into trembles, and Devin's hand strokes my hair affectionately to soothe as he's had to do so many times before.

"Adisia," Theia blares, and I look up to realize all eyes are on me.

Apparently she's been trying to get my attention for a while, given her agitation.

"Watch your tone, mother.  Think of what she just had to endure.  I believe you told me being targeted by an army of dead is one of the worst things you've ever experienced," Devin scolds.

Her eyes soften, and she sits down on the coffee table in front of us.  She takes a deep breath before resuming with a more ginger tone.

"I'm sorry.  There's a time frame here though.  We've got seven days before they return for us, and that was our only pass.  I'm surprised Safina showed her hand knowing how quickly we could dismiss them this time," she huffs.

"She wanted us to dismiss them.  She knew this would be the only time we could banish them that way.  Next time we'll have to fight whether we're ready or not," Persia sighs through her angst.  "She's been inside of Adisia, and she's seen her fears, all of them.  We need to know about this guy, and what he did to you," she continues, turning her attention on me for the last bit.

"No," I whimper, and Devin's arms embrace me tighter.

This part of my life has been locked away for years.  How dare this bitch come into my mind and use it against me.

"Why did she target my daughter?" Persia blares.

"She's most likely found a way to unlock her memories.  You were right.  She's been in her mind, and now she's accessed the memories she didn't bother to look at when she first entered," Theia releases in a solemn tone.

"How did they find us?" Kry gripes.  "We haven't been out here long enough for them to track our power."

"They've watched our every move.  We learned this the first time.  They've probably learned all of our aliases, our homes, our accounts… everything.  We need new shelter," Theia sighs.

"I have a place we can stay," the woman who scolded Slash earlier states.

"No.  It's too dangerous.  Safina knows about all of us, our lineage, and our descendents.  It's possible she has scoped out everyone.  She knew we'd be meeting somewhere big and safe.  She knows of our unity.  We need somewhere new," Theia counters.

"I have a place.  Safina never knew me or anything about me.  I've made it a habit to stay under the radar because of the Athena girls.  We should be safe there," Persia promises.

"I'll get our stuff, but we really do need to know as much about the leader of the dead as possible.  His life and… his death," Theia insists.

"No," I whimper again just before the lights dim into nonexistence as my mind shuts down and forces me to escape this horrid reality.

Chapter 12

No One Stays Dead Anymore

A light
thud
stirs me from my accidental sleep, and I wake up to see we're on the jet.  I feel a delicious warmth pressed against me, and I smile when I see it's Devin.

His eyes are still closed, and his arm is protectively draped around me.  A blanket is gathered around my waist, and I quickly hide my left hand that no longer bears his ring.  The tattoo I want to keep a secret is shining for all to see - if anyone was awake to see it that is.

Thankfully the sleeping beauties haven't had a chance to notice it.

Devin's eyes flutter open, and he speaks softly when he sees I'm already awake.

"You okay?"

"I feel better.  What happened to me?"

Theia strides over to take my right hand in hers, and then she leads me off the plane while explaining.

"The army of the dead is led by one each time.  That army will stand until that leader falls.  The leader is chosen to signal the target of the attack.  It's the only way she can instill enough hatred to carry out the plan.  It has to be a mortal that struck fear in you while you were mortal.  The fear you felt is multiplied by the hundreds when their eyes gaze into yours.  Next time, avoid eye contact.  It's been enough to kill people in the past," she cautions.  "I thought it was meant for one of my family which is why I cast my blood."

"They didn't look dead.  Van died years ago," I mumble in complete disbelief.

"She breathes life into them, and they are just as lively as they were in the year before their death," she says just before my eyes fall on the landscape and the glorious house setting atop it.

I gasp in disbelief at the scenery that looks almost exactly like the one we just left, and Devin flashes to Persia's side.

"You know this place could be compromised within a week or two," he warns.

"I know.  I'm willing to give it up.  My daughter's safety is far more important than any home I own," she asserts.

"How do we stop them?" I ask Theia.

Persia and Devin both avoid the conversation by flashing up to the house.  Theia's eyes follow the top of the sand while she speaks quietly.

"It's going to be hard, but if you can overcome your fear, then you can kill him again," she murmurs gently as we walk through the doors of the gallantly breathtaking house.

"Again?" I question.

The way she said it made it feel as though I had killed him.

"We can discuss it later.  I need to speak with some of the others, and we need to settle in too before we get to the hard stuff.  Plus, I need a drink," she exasperates.

"Wow," I gasp as I stare around at the fully loaded down space, dripping with character, color, and an overwhelming amount of familiarity despite the fact I've never been here.

It's my favorite shade of whimsical, and it almost makes me smile despite the ridiculously overwhelming fear still oozing through my bones.

Apparently I inherited my love for the prime color chart from Persia.

The brightly painted walls are loudly screeching their ripe orange hue.  A brilliant blue grabs my attention as we turn into the living area, and every surface is littered with pictures… of me.

My breath escapes as I pick one up and stare at myself when I was eight years old.  I'm wearing the tiara I had treasured, and I'm riding my bike down my suburban street.

"I remember that day.  You were so proud of the new bike your parents bought you, and I sat out there for hours watching.  You laughed until it hurt when your father chased you down the road, and your mother had to force you to come inside for supper.

"I cried that day when I saw how truly happy you were in your life, and I knew I had made the best decision for you even though it was killing me," Persia says from behind me.

I turn around to meet her teary eyes, and I feel the need to hug her.  She's feeling more like family with every passing second.  Her arms close around me, and I lean into her embrace.

There's nothing to say, so we just stand there in silence until a very rudely obnoxious interruption stumbles into the room with us.

"Oh that's the hottest mother-daughter combo I've ever seen," Jace blurts out.

I turn around to roll my eyes and realize there are several mouths drooling puddles from them.

Persia chuckles lightly, and Hale runs his fingers through his hair as he stalks toward her.

"I'd love to show you how close you can get to the sun without getting burned," Hale seduces, and I instantly snort in derision as I hear the recycled line he's used on me in the past.

He ignores my obvious distaste, and Persia's eyes flash green for a moment before a devious smirk spreads over her face.

"I've visited the sun before and learned nothing burns worse than I do," she smolders.

He shivers as he slinks down from the powerful goddess.  She walks off very proud of herself, and Hale's face spreads into a goofy grin.

"Mmm.  I wish I had found this family a long time ago," he sighs dreamily.

I slap his arm, and he just laughs in response.  I turn to start up the stairs, but something intrigues me.  There's a doubled-door entrance down the hall with my name burned into it.

I open the doors to a vibrant red, enormous room.  The oversized bed is decorated with lush folds of fabric designed for a queen.  The ornate details carved into the odd bed demand to be seen, and they only add to the ridiculous decorations.

The crystal chandelier dangles in the room to offer romantic ambience, and I feel the seductive draw nesting within.

"I need to take a look at your hand to make sure it's healing properly," Devin's voice rings out from behind, and I gasp in startled fear.

His eyes soften, and he walks over to take my hand in his.  I relinquish my right hand, and the wound that once gaped from Kry's blade has completely closed up.  His body radiates the exquisite heat I've desired for so long, and I have to distract myself.

"How do Kry's blades cut through our flesh?"

Devin seems indifferent to the question as he resumes his examination.

"Many immortals forge weapons to conduct their strengths when their power isn't an offensive weapon.  Any weapon forged in the hands of an immortal bears the strength of that immortal," he answers informatively.  "Theia needs you downstairs.  You know the questions she's going to ask, and if you don't want to answer them, then she can just look," he says soothingly.

"Look?  No.  I don't want her taking a peek in my mind anymore.  I don't want anyone running amuck in there anymore," I grumble.

"Do you think you can tell us about him?" he asks in his tone that makes me feel as though he's addressing a frightened child.

"Nothing about my interaction with him will help us," I counter.

"She says it will.  Whatever happened is fueling his rage, and it's giving him strength.  We need to know what we're dealing with before we can figure out how to take him down," he explains.

I huff out loudly and shake my head.  His hand catches mine and his eyes burn against the forgotten tattoo on my hand.

"This is what you had Hale put on you?" he asks with sincere and saddened excitement.

"Yeah," I mumble with a little embarrassment as I tuck my hand into my pocket.

"That's my name and the ocean.  Why did you get that?" he inquires with such a baffled tone.

Isn't it obvious?

"I-"

"Devin.  Adisia.  Please joins us," Theia's voice beckons from downstairs.

He takes my hand in his, and we flash down to join the others.  Each expectant face stares at me with complete quizzicality.

"Will you show me?" Theia asks hopefully.

"No, but I'll tell you.  I don't ever want to discuss this again though," I rattle out.

Devin seems so worried, and no one is acting like this is any easier for them than it is me.

"Can we go outside?  I don't want to feel confined right now," I say while tugging at the collar on my shirt that is nowhere close to strangling me.

I feel claustrophobic for the first time in my life, and I can't fight the anxiety burning against me.  Devin's hand takes mine again, and we slowly follow the others at a near crawl.

"I'm sorry you have to do this," he whispers.

"So am I," I growl.

It's almost too much.  The lingering stings of the burning fear aches inside me, and I want to scream out at the world.  I double over as it hits me in waves, and Devin starts to scoop me in his arms.

I push him back when I feel something strong bubbling inside me and going crazy.  I know this feel.  I felt it just before the fire flew from my hands, and I finally do scream as it surges from me in a barbarous flame.

Kry has to duck and roll out of the way as it explodes farther from my body, and Persia gasps in complete disbelief as the water bubbles on the surface as it's struck by my vicious, unexpected wrath.

I scream louder as it finally ceases the unruly release, and everyone's eyes stare expectantly at me as they try to assess if what they just saw was real.

It's not Aphrodite's passion, assholes.

"I told you," I whimper.  "I told you there was fire.  What else is in me?"

Devin's arm pulls me to him, and I look down to see bits of my clothes have now been scorched.

I'm going to need a fire suit that's flame resistant from the inside out if this keeps up.

"I don't know," Theia gasps.  She turns to Persia before continuing, "Do you have any clue as to who Sapphire was fathered by?  Anything at all to solve this piece of the puzzle?"

"No," Persia says shortly, her eyes telling me she's holding back.

She is hiding something.  I can tell it.  Why won't she tell me?

I feel so much better now that the fire has run from my body.  The anxiety has traveled away through the flame, and I sit down while taking a deep breath.  I've got to get this out quick before it returns.

"I met Van when I was eighteen," I say before swallowing against the knot in my throat.  All eyes quickly return to me as I continue with my heavy, daunting explanation.  "Clara's family has a home in the Hamptons, and we stayed there the summer after we graduated.  Van asked me out the first day we were on the beach.  A date turned into a whirlwind romance overnight, and I quickly realized he wasn't the guy for me when I found his lips crushed against another girl's," I say with pause as tears fill up in my eyes.

"Aphrodite's mortal curse," a girl interjects.

"Not everything should be attributed to that.  Some jerks are just creeps," Persia snaps with insult rattling from her tone.  "Don't make her do this.  I'll tell you what happened," she says with sympathetic terror.

"You know?" I gasp.

"I wasn't there, but I know," she murmurs guiltily as tears stream her face.

"What happened?" Devin insists.

I take a deep breath once more and summon up the courage to finally tell them what they're prying for.

"I broke up with him, and he came back like they all did.  I told him I didn't do second chances, but he wouldn't take no for an answer.  I kept seeing him everywhere we went, and he stalked me to the point I didn't want to leave the house.

"We finally decided to cut our trip short because of his incessant obsession with me, but the night we loaded up to leave, Clara met a guy.  She went off with him, and I was alone for the first time since the break up.

"I knew I shouldn't stay in the house alone, but I didn't want to go out.  I heard something in the house, and like a dumb bitch in a horror flick, I went to go check it out.

"It was him.  I ran like the devil was on my heels in order to get away, but he caught up with me.  I tasted blood before I felt the first blow, and I was screaming in agony before I knew I had been kicked down the stairs.  Each time he picked me up off the floor, he'd slam his fist into my body.  Each time I screamed, I could feel something else being shattered.  I can remember accepting death just before I heard Clara's screams.

"After that, I backed out.  I woke up in the hospital, and Clara's dad had arranged for me to be under his care.  He cleared it with them to move me to his house after I had a massive panic attack due to my fear of hospitals.

"I had three broken ribs, a broken arm, a shattered ankle, a broken collar bone
… in general, I was pretty broken all the way around.  That was the last time I ever saw him."

Devin quickly pulls me into his arms, and I feel his warmth bringing me comfort as my tears soak into his shirt.  I return the affection, and his soft lips graze the top of my head.  He grips a little tighter against my back, and his lips find mine for the first time in what seems like ages.

"How did you kill him?" Theia prompts.

My lips flee from their wonderful embrace as my startled body wavers in response to her absurd question.

"I didn't.  He died in a car crash a few months after he got out of jail.  He only spent a year in there.  Clara's guy friend had beaten him up pretty badly when they saved my life.  They interrupted the real damage he was going to do.  He would have killed me, but they couldn't prove that, so he got off light.