Blood of Half Gods: Kallen's Tale (2 page)

Chapter 2

A loud knock on the door makes her jump.  I really hate my cousin at the moment.  “It is Kegan, ignore him,” I say, following a trail from her lips to behind her ear and enjoying her sudden gasp as I find the spot that drives her crazy.

Kegan knocks again.  “I know you are in there.  I have been sent to retrieve you.”

“I don’t want to go,” Xandra whines softly against my lips.

“Then we will stay here.”  In bed.  My hand finds her bare skin that moments ago was covered by her bikini top and she moans quietly.  .

“I was told to tell you that if you are not out of there in the next minute and a half, Xandra’s mother will be the next one to come get you.”

“Damn it,” I groan, as I tear my hands and lips from her and roll onto my back.  Considering the state of mind her mother has been in since learning that Xandra will be spending so much time in Dagda’s presence, finding us in this state would probably mean my early demise.  “I suspect she is not far behind him.”

 “Fine,” Xandra grumbles and sits up to adjust the tiny bits of cloth of her bathing suit.  I love that she is as disappointed as I am.  “We’ll be right out,” she says to the door.

Trying to focus on something other than pulling her back down on the bed and undoing the progress she has made with her bikini top, I say, “It will be best to talk to Grandmother before Dagda gets here.”  I roll off the bed and stand up.  Stretching my arms and back, I grin when I catch Xandra’s admiring stare.  She rolls her eyes but smiles. 

Kegan has a simpering smile on his face when Xandra opens the door. He is leaning against the far wall with his arms crossed over his chest.  “It is about time.  I thought I was going to have to fly in off the terrace.” 

I give him a warning look.  “Not a wise idea if you want to keep your feathers.”

Xandra shakes her head in mock disgust.  “Oh, stop arguing, you two.”  To me, she says, “We have to go talk to Isla.”

Kegan’s brows rise.  “Are you changing your mind about going?”

“I wish,” Xandra grumbles.  Louder, she says, “No, but apparently my magic has decided to do something else I don’t know how to control.” 

“Should we evacuate the house?” Kegan teases. 

Xandra glares at him.  “No, but I could practice on you.”

A look of actual fear crosses his face, which he quickly tries to shutter.  A satisfied grin moves onto my lips in response.  “I will pass on that, thank you,” Kegan says quickly.

Xandra shrugs.  “Okay, but it’s pretty cool.”  He does not look convinced.  “Fine,” she says, moving past him, “I’m going to find Isla, then.”  As I walk past him, I punch my dear cousin hard in the arm.  There is no simpering grin on his face now.  I hurry to catch up with Xandra before he retaliates.  A nasty profanity falls out of Kegan’s mouth and follows me down the hall.   As much as I would like to stay and take out my sexual frustration by continuing to spar with him, I am curious to hear what Grandmother has to say about Xandra’s new power. 

It takes a few minutes to find Grandmother. We finally track her down in her office.  Great, she hates to be disturbed here.  If the matter was not urgent, I would suggest waiting.  Instead, I rap on the door.  A terse ‘Come’ is her response. 

Having never been in this room before, Xandra takes a moment to soak up the atmosphere.  Not much to soak up.  Grandmother likes a clutter free office.

As we approach her, Grandmother’s eyes are narrowed in Xandra’s direction.  I believe the misdirected tidal wave is still on her mind.  Ignoring her obvious annoyance, I sit down on one of the chairs in front of her desk.  Since it is so small, I sling my leg over one arm, making myself comfortable.  Xandra sits in the chair next to me but sits up straight with her hands in her lap, all prim and proper.  Someday she will learn that Grandmother’s bark is worse than her bite.  Most of the time.

Leaning back in her chair, she asks us, “Have you come to say you changed your mind about the trip?” . 

I shake my head and grin.  “Xandra has a new ability.”

“I am waiting breathlessly to find out what it is,” Grandmother says dryly. 

I cannot wait to see her reaction to this.  “She can teleport.”

Grandmother instantly sits up straight in her chair.  I believe she is stunned.  That is a rare sight.  “What do you mean, she can teleport?”

“I moved Kallen and me from the bottom of the stairs to my room by wishing it to be true,” Xandra explains.  Guilty color invades her cheeks, instantly cluing Grandmother in as to why she moved us to the bedroom. Great.

“Both of you?”  Grandmother says pointedly and I feel a touch of color forming on my cheeks as well.  “You did this simply by thinking of where you would rather be?” 

I believe it is best to get the focus directed only on Xandra’s new ability.  I do not want to sit through questions regarding virginity status.  “I have never heard of a Fairy being able to teleport,” I say.  “I am assuming it is a rare personal ability.”    

Grandmother is silent for a moment as she studies Xandra, who seems to be having trouble sitting still under the scrutiny.  Finally, she says, “That is because it is not a Fairy trait.  It is Angels who are able to move about that way.”

Sitting up and leaning forward with my elbows on my knees, I ask, “So, her Angel magic is growing?”

“So it would seem,” Grandmother says.  She is still looking at Xandra, even though she is speaking to me. 

“What does that mean?” Xandra asks.

With a barely noticeable shake of her head, Grandmother says, “I do not know.” 

I can count on my fingers how many times Grandmother has said that throughout my life, and most of those instances have been about Xandra.  But there is something she is not telling us this time.  I can see it in her eyes and the tiny, tight lines around her mouth.  Her eyes become cloudy for a moment and then shift back to the brilliant green they usually are.

Frowning, I ask, “Have you had a vision?  Is this a bad thing?” 

Again, it takes her a moment to answer.  “Fallen Angels do not retain the ability to teleport.  It is considered an unfair advantage over other magical and non-magical beings.”

Xandra’s forehead wrinkles.  “Do you mean I’m not supposed to be able to do this?”

Grandmother’s voice is even as she says, “Whether you are supposed to be able to do it or not, is not for me to say.  I am simply stating that it has never occurred in a situation such as this.”

In a situation such as this?  Since there has never been a Witch Fairy before, that would make sense, but Grandmother is stalling.  Why will she not simply say what she thinks?

Xandra is feeling the same.  There is a vein on her temple that I believe is in danger of bursting if Grandmother does not stop being so coy.  “Such as this?”

“You are not an Angel living amongst other Angels in their realm.  You do not carry your wings with you at all times, which, I have been told, is the Angels’ source of power for teleportation.  Yet, you possess a skill that only one such as that should have.  I am not sure that this is…” A pause.  Grandmother never pauses.  Her mental clarity is far too vast.  “I would suggest that this is a skill that you do not use unless you are in great need.  You do not want to encourage any…” Another pause.  Xandra’s vein is throbbing even more.  “…unwanted attention.”

I believe I have my own pulsing vein now.  “What type of unwanted attention?”

She takes so long to answer, both Xandra and I are sure that she’s decided not to do so.  Only I know that faraway look of hers indicates she is again seeing things we cannot.  Looking vaguely uncomfortable, Grandmother finally says, “Not all Angels who have fallen from their realm did so by choice.  Some were stripped of their wings and forced out.  Some learn from their mistakes and live out their time in the realm they are in, hoping that when the time comes, they will be allowed back into the Angel realm and their wings will be returned.  Others show no remorse over their actions, and create havoc wherever they go.  Their greatest wish is to return to the Angel realm to seek revenge.”

“Why are you telling us this, and what does that have to do with Xandra being able to teleport?  Grandmother, you looked like you were having a vision.”  Why is she dancing around the issue?  Frustrated does not even begin to describe how I feel at the moment.

Another toxic pause.  “I believe I am scaring you.  That is not my intent.”

Xandra obviously knows when she is stalling as well.  “But, there’s something else I should know, right?”

Grandmother sighs.  “Perhaps we should discuss this after your trip.”

“No way.  I’m not going anywhere if something bad is going to happen.”  Nor am I.

Grandmother gives her an impatient look.  “I did not say that anything bad is going to happen.  I believe you read more into my words than was there.”

I want to pound on her desk.  “Grandmother, this is ridiculous.  What are you holding back?  What have you seen?”  

“If you would like information, I suggest you use a more respectful tone,” she replies dryly.

I believe my tongue is going to bleed with the effort it takes to bite back my angry retort.  When I am finally able to speak in a somewhat civil tone, I grind out, “Will you please tell us what you are concerned about?”

She sighs.  “I am concerned that Xandra’s ability is different than that of the other Angels.”

“And?” Xandra asks for the both of us.  After all, she is not one hundred percent Angel.  It is not surprising that her powers are different.

Grandmother sighs again.  “Did an Angel come to discuss your use of teleportation in a realm other than the Angel realm?”  When Xandra shakes her head she continues, “Then, the future has already changed from what I saw.”

“How would they know?” Xandra asks, confusion still reigning on her face.

“Angels can sense each other when they teleport.”

“And you think that they can’t detect me?” Xandra asks.

“Your blood is thinner, possibly not as easy to detect.  Or it is the fact that your wings are in the Angel realm, not on your back, and it is wings that the other Angels can detect.”

“Why does that matter?” 

Grandmother shrugs.  “I am not sure how, but I would be cautious.  Again, I suggest you use this new skill of yours only if necessary.”

“Okay,” Xandra says, but neither Grandmother nor I believe her.  I cannot say that I would keep such a promise either.  She can teleport!  Who would not play with that power?  Her response was simply an appeasement for Grandmother’s sake.  I applaud her effort.