Forever (25 page)

The omen
had pounced on her back.

“No you
don’t, you ugly beast!” Ever shouted as she turned on the invisible dog and
tried to fight. She let go of Mina.

Mina
plummeted from the bridge. “Ever!” she yelled, just before her body smacked
against the water and everything went black.

Chapter 32

“Wake
up!” his warm voice demanded.

Mina knew
that voice, remembered it and sighed in contentment, knowing he was near.

“You have
to wake up!”

“No,
because if I wake up, you’ll be dead,” Mina answered. “In my dreams you’re
still alive.”

Teague
appeared in front of her, hair slicked back, wearing his royal robes, the same
ones he’d worn when he greeted her on the steps for the Choosing Ceremony. His
eyes weren’t blue though. They were a comforting light gray. But that didn’t
matter like it had once upon a time. She knew now that she wanted to be with
him, in any form.

“But
sleep is not your destiny.”

“Was it
your destiny to die by my hand?”

“You
freed me, and for that, I can never repay you.” Teague’s eyes were so full of
love and understanding—the way they should have always been. He looked at
her—not with accusation or contempt—but simple adoration and love.
Seeing those emotions made her feel inadequate.

“I killed
you! You can’t possibly forgive me for that. Not when I don’t forgive myself.”

Teague
came forward and wrapped his strong hands around her. “I forgave you the moment
you stole my heart. A part of me will always live on.” He pulled away just
enough to touch her heart. “In here. Forever. But only if you wake up and fight
for it.”

“I want
to stay here with you until I die.”

“Which
will be any minute. Don’t waste your life feeling guilty. Because the thought
of losing you will kill what’s left of me for sure.”

“I
can’t.” She felt her lip tremble, and Teague leaned down, his lips gently
brushing against hers in the softest of requests. Asking for her love in
return. They brushed against her lips again, and she met him for the kiss. His
hands wrapped gently around her face to hold her in place as he deepened the
kiss.

She was
drowning in the kiss. Losing herself to the feelings. Her lips started to
tingle and go numb.

The kiss
changed. Teague pressed his lips down and blew into her mouth, forcing her to
breathe. Mina opened her eyes in surprise and gasped for breath before rolling
over on the beach and emptying her lungs of water.

Her hair
stuck to her face, and she peeled it away to take in her surroundings.

She was
utterly alone on the beach—at the edge of a warzone. Her heart broke all
over again, and fresh tears stung her eyes. Mina collapsed back onto the sand,
trying to ignore the way it rubbed against her. And—was she sitting on
something? Her bag! She tugged it out from underneath her hip and checked
inside. Relief flooded her. She hadn’t lost the Grimoire in the bay.

Fighter
jets race overhead toward what was left of the Golden Gate Bridge. Helicopters
whirred in the air. Everything was over—displayed on the news. The Fae
were exposed. The siren ship lost its glamour, and the helicopter moved in,
cameras homed in on the Fae ship. The world wouldn’t understand that not all
Fae were bad. The sirens were about to be attacked.

It
appeared more than the Coast Guard had joined in the battle for the world.
Humans in fatigues ducked in and out of the abandoned cars on the streets. More
Fae army boats docked, and suddenly Mina knew who they were.

Gnomes.
Gnomes and Reapers. Annalora was keeping her word. The gnomes and Reapers ran
through the streets, targeting the human soldiers.

With legs
like gelatin, Mina struggled to stand and make her way up the beach to the
street. If she stayed still for too long, the omen would find her.

One foot in front of the other
. Through pain and exhaustion, she moved,
then walked, then jogged until she got up to the main road. She passed an
abandoned vendor booth and grabbed a compact mirror from the display table. Had
they run? Or were they too busy recording the battle on the Golden Gate Bridge?

Her side
was aflame with pain. Mina pulled up her shirt to see a long black scratch on
her stomach.

So Death
had marked her after all.

Mina felt
Death’s presence and knew he was drawing near. Picking up her pace, she ran
down another street and turned. Nothing looked even remotely familiar until she
collapsed, hitting the pavement on her knees. Then, she remembered the vision
she’d had the night she drank Winona’s blue tea. She knew what was going to
happen next, yet couldn’t fight the curiosity.

She had
lost. Charlie—Charlie!—and her friends were either dead or
soon-to-be dead. She’d failed them. Teague was only a memory. What did she have
to lose? She wasn’t afraid to see her death coming.

“I’ll be
with you soon,” she whispered, as she thought of both of her parents and
Charlie, and of the one her heart lost. She opened the compact and scanned the
area behind her.

Her
mother was right. Only in hindsight can you see Death coming. Mina saw the
omen’s pale white eyes glowing behind her. It snarled and growled, saliva
dripping from its canines as it tensed to attack.

Mina took
off her bag, set it on the ground beside her and closed her eyes, waiting. She
let the mirror fall from her hands, and it shattered on the pavement.

***

She heard
the growls, but the attack never came. She looked over her shoulder, seeing
nothing.

But she
heard everything. Including his voice.

Mina
snatched up the broken mirror and held it up, desperately trying to see in the
only intact piece left in the frame.

“Come
on.” She turned and angled the mirror. And almost dropped it again.

Two of
them appeared in the reflection, fighting to hold back her death. Her heart
burst, and she couldn’t control the tears. Jared and Teague. She turned,
searching for them with her eyes but saw only an empty street. Was it because
they were both dead? Was that the only way to hold back Death?

Jared
cried out as the omen bit his shoulder, and he lost his grip on the dog. The
dog rolled off and faced Teague, who stood directly in front of her. Shielding
her with his body. He held his arms wide open like she’d seen her mom do, and
he said in a loud voice, “Death, you’ve been trying to claim me for over a
century. Take me instead. For I no longer fear you. I am free.”

Jared
yelled at his other half and dove for the dog, but the omen was too fast. He
opened his mouth and lunged at Teague.

In a
blast of black smoke, they both disappeared.

Mina
screamed Teague’s name and stood, but the parking lot was empty. Only a black
circle remained on the ground where Death had claimed Teague.

“No, no,
no.” Mina stared at the blackened spot, vision blurring, and she clenched her
hands. A tingle on her hand told her Jared was still there, although she
couldn’t seem him. She closed her eyes and opened her hand. His fingers slid
between hers and gave a gentle squeeze.

“Please don’t
go. I can’t lose you. I need you.”

She felt
another slight tingly sensation on her cheek and brought her hand up to touch
the spot where Jared had kissed her. It felt like a goodbye kiss. This couldn’t
be happening.

How could
he even be here? She was losing him
again
.

“Jared,
how are you here?”

“They’re
here because of me,” Taz Clara spoke. Her eyes glistened with power. “The power
I gleaned feeding from you and from the prince’s death afforded me enough
strength to pull… memories from him as he died. What I learned surprised me.
The prince, being separated for so long, created two distinct souls. They never
fully fit together properly again. It was easy to sort through and find the
largest group of memories. They came to me almost eagerly, so I took them with
me. Strangely, both souls were attached to the memories, like they were a
puzzle piece connecting the two princes.”

“And the
omen?”

“Well,
you saved Teague. I suppose sacrificing his soul for you was his way of saying
thank you. Don’t be fooled, girl. Both souls loved you dearly. And you still
have one part of him left, although I can’t sustain him in this form very
long.”

The
sprite who had once divided the prince waved her hand in front of Jared, and he
became corporeal in front of Mina.

“Oh, Mina.”
He hugged her to him.

She took
a deep breath and let the scent of Jared roll over her while the streets around
them rumbled with dangerous activity.

“I never
thought I would get to hold you again. I’m sorry for not telling you how I felt
sooner… and for all the things that the poison of that hate blade did to
me—to us. It lied and used our deepest insecurities against us.”

“But the
omen and my mother? You said you sent it, or Teague said that. I’m not sure
what to believe anymore.” She buried her head against his shoulder and felt him
nuzzle the top of her head.

“No, that
was a lie. I control the Fae Reapers, but the Death Reaper or omen is
controlled by the one who has the bone whistle.

“Annalora.”

“I
believe so.”

“How do
we stop this?” Mina had been so wrapped up in her own near death and Teague’s
sacrifice and Jared’s presence that she hadn’t thought about the battle for a
while. But it raged around them still. Annalora’s gnome army was here.

“I don’t
know.” He grimaced and flickered.

Mina
looked to Taz in alarm. “What’s happening?”

“His soul
can’t survive like this for long,” she answered simply. “You destroyed his body
beyond repair. I just saved a bit of his soul for you. I thought you’d be
grateful.”

“No, I
am. I just don’t want to lose him.”

“Then
don’t,” she challenged, as if it were nothing. “Do something about it.”

“I don’t
know how. I can’t lose them both.”

“It’s
okay, Mina.” The corner of Jared’s mouth lifted, showing off his unbelievable
grin. “You can let me go. I’m ready to leave.”

Helicopters
thwacked and thundered overhead.

“I
can’t
let you go. Not now, not ever.”

“You
don’t have to. I already told you, I will live on in here.” He pointed to her
heart.

“So that
wasn’t a dream?”

“No, we
wouldn’t let you give up on yourself.”

“Then I’m
not giving up on you. What can I do? I’m so sorry I caused all this in the
first place, but I love you. I will fight for you.”

Jared
pressed his forehead to hers. “I know, but there’s nothing I can do. It’s Taz’s
power that’s sustaining me now.”

“The
Grimoire!”

Mina
reached into her bag and pulled out the Grimoire. “Taz split you before and
bound your soul to a book. What if we did it again? What if we anchored your
soul again?” He flickered, and urgency made her heart pound.

“To
anchor my soul is to bind me eternally to you. And I can’t do that, Mina. As
much as I love you, I can never be a slave to another’s whims again. Even if
it’s a very pretty whim.” He kissed her nose sadly. “I don’t want to be
enslaved.”

She
pushed him away. “Why are you being so selfish? Why can’t you think of anyone
but yourself?” she yelled, instantly regretting her words. “I’m sorry,” she
whispered.

Taz Clara
spoke. “We have a problem.” She pointed to the tanks that rumbled past them.

Mina
looked to Jared. Even as he flickered, his determination solidified. He nodded,
and they began to run down the road after the tank. They were surprised when
they met up with another Fae along the way. The young man had pointed ears and
the bluest of blue eyes. He pulled a small sack of powder out of an ammo bag
and tossed it on the tank’s wheels, turning them to cement.

“Who are
you?” Jared asked.

“Theo, of
the SFGG.” He saluted, then climbed up on top of the tank and used another bag
of powder from his pouch to seal the door shut.

“The
SFGG?” Mina asked.

“San Fran
Godmother’s Guild at your service. Constance and the others are already on the
bridge trying to control the situation.” He laughed and jumped down to run to
another tank, disabling it just as fast. “Hey,” he shouted from the top. “I
think I know you. You’re the Grimm.”

“Yes,”
Mina answered.

“Then if
you keep going forward,” he gestured with his hand, you’ll meet up with our
leader. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”

“Thank
you,” Jared answered pushing ahead.

“Are you
going to disappear on me?” she asked him.

“I’ll try
not to.” He looked over his shoulder. Taz had retreated and was following them
along the water line. “She’s taken back to the water. I think I’ll last as long
as she has the strength.”

“I hope.
I guess that’s the best answer I’m going to get.”

“Yep.” He
reached out and grabbed her hand, and they ran together. She stumbled once or
twice, and he helped, pulling her along after him. “By the way, I like what
you’ve done with your hair.”