Destiny: A Hunter's Novel, Book 3 (13 page)

“If she dies, I will come for you, Mastema,” Az said next to my ear. I knew who was holding me now. He was warm and familiar and I wanted to sink into him. “I would also suggest you leave, since your Demons have.”

“She’ll be fine Azrael. I am sorry.” I could hear the sincerity in his words, but I felt Az stiffen at his words, then it felt as though he was carrying me away.

I knew the sound of loss and pain. We were surrounded by it. There were raised voices, crying, howling and chanting.

I let my exhaustion overtake my body and mind. It pulled me into a place where the pain was less and the tiredness worn into my bones could heal.

“And wake up with me, Open up your eyes, Breathe easy, You and I can make our escape, And give the pain to yesterday, Feel a fresher light on your face.”

-
Gabriele Aplin
, Wake up With Me

I heard a voice in my head. Initially, I thought it was Alewar, but it wasn’t the quiet touch of his voice, it was harsher, more real somehow. I tried to open my eyes but my eyelashes must’ve become lead weights, because no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t lift them. I’d gotten close, with a glimpse of light here and there, but always just the light.

I finally gave up and focused on the voice: The cadence, the depth, the familiarity. It was then I actually felt the voice – my Azrael.

“Just open your eyes, Laney. Please. I don’t know if I can bear to sit here another day waiting for some sign that you can hear me. That you’re listening. I know your heart is beating, that there is blood pumping through your veins, but those things only matter if I have my Laney too.”

How long had I been out for? How long had it been since the battle with Mastema?

“God I miss you. I went months watching you sleep with other men, slowly becoming a shell of yourself. I thought that was bad. Then I watched as you became this amazing leader. I knew you before, the you who was a Hunter and I loved her more than I’d loved anything before. But now…”

He paused for so long I wondered if I’d get the rest of his confession.

“Now you’re
amazing
, so vibrant and alive, ready for anything, fearless. You amaze me with your wit and loyalty, but it is your heart that has taken me, wholly and completely. Please wake up so I can say this to that woman…This is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me. Worse than when you left.”

I felt his hand clasping mine. I then felt something I never thought I would: tears. He was holding my hand between his cheek and his unsteady hand. I could feel the scruff on his face, that I would’ve said was close to a beard, and the warm tears, which there were plenty of, wetting the back of my hand.

I wanted to open my eyes but when I tried, it was futile.

I heard a door open and felt Az rub the tears from his eyes with my hand. He placed my hand gently on my stomach and I heard the chair creak. I heard whistling and knew it was Cade.

“How’s she doing?”

“Still nothing.”

I wanted to scream that I could hear them.

“Well, she’s always been a procrastinator. She’s probably just taking the time to sleep because she can.”

“Have you talked to Anie?”

Oh, no! What happened to Anie?

“She’s still on a
walkabout
with Michael. They’ve been gone since before the battle with Mastema started. I don’t think Anie could handle it. The thought of losing someone else in her life…”

I was glad Anie hadn’t heard about what’d happened to me. She didn’t need the extra weight on her. It might push her over the edge.

“I’m tempted to kill Mastema anyway.” I could hear the venom in Azrael’s voice and it scared me.

“You want Laney to end up like Anie? If – when she wakes up, she’s going to need you.”

“She’s the only reason I’m here.”

“I’m just happy the battle ended so quickly. We could’ve lost more lives than we did.”

The fact we had lost any would weigh on my conscious for the rest of my life. But I was glad things had ended up the way I had planned, for the most part. I still wanted to hear what was going on with Mastema and Serafine. Where my Dad and Granddad were, how everyone was.

My life was all about the little pieces I’d put together over time. I didn’t want to think about my life without one of those pieces. I understood better than anyone why Anie had left before the battle had begun. I was thankful she didn’t have to deal with seeing me in the state I was in. I felt my finger twitch. Oh, thank up above! I was so glad I could move something, even if it was just my finger and only a little.

“Did you see that?” Azrael asked.

“See what?”

“Her finger just moved.”

“Ummm…”

“I’ve got an idea.”

I felt a wave of heat and knew before I heard him what Azrael had done.

Wake up little Prophecy.
Alewar said telepathically.

Am I not allowed even a little bit of sleep?

She is aware.

Can she hear me?

She’s heard you the whole time.

“She’s coming around,” Azrael announced. I could hear his smile.

“See? Told you she was procrastinating.”

My finger twitched again, I wanted to punch Cade.

“Stay with her, I’m going to get Fergus and Janesh.”

“Why not just take Kai up on his offer?”

“I would rather swallow my own tongue.”

I heard the door open and close.

“Kai was here. He wanted to heal you and wake you up, which he said he would do as long as that would wipe the slate clean. Basically any
wrong doing
you thought Kai did would be forgotten. Az refused to do it. He said that it was up to you. It killed him, but Az respects you too much to make that kind of a decision for you, even if he hasn’t been away from your side this entire time,” Cade said.

There was a pause and I lifted my eyelids enough to see Cade’s tall outline hovering over the bed.

“He came close Laney, there is nothing he wouldn’t do for you. I couldn’t have asked for a better match for you than Azrael.”

Men.
Could they not wait until I’m awake to have heart to hearts?! Good. Night.

I heard the door open and a few more footfalls.

“I thought she was awake?” My Granddad asked, his brogue much thicker than normal.

“She’s coming around. Alewar can speak with her telepathically, so she’s getting there.”

“Alewar’s inside Laney’s head? Poor guy,” Cade said. I heard Alewar snicker/bark.

If I wasn’t so tired, I would’ve beaten the crap out of them both.

I felt a hand take mine and knew from the rough calluses that it was my Dad.

“Come on Angel. Wake up.” I heard him blow out a breath. He kissed my forehead a moment later.

You know you could open your eyes if you really wanted to.

Cannot. I’ve tried.

But have you really?

Maybe I like eavesdropping.

Oh, there’s no doubt about that. But everyone is here. Wake up Laney
.

And for whatever reason, Alewar’s little command ended up being my wakeup call.

I opened my eyes and moved my head to see everyone standing around the bed. I smiled.

“How long have I been out?”

I slurred my words slightly.

“About three weeks.”

My suspicions about Az having a beard were confirmed when I looked down at his face. He was sporting an, almost, full beard. I liked it on him. I lifted my arm, still feeling weak, and crooked my finger at Azrael.

“And I think that’s our cue to leave,” Cade said. I saw him peripherally escorting everyone out of the room.

Az sat on the bed next to me. I pushed my body up, Az propping pillows behind me as I went. I sat against the headboard feeling minutely proud of myself for having sat up on my own.

I ran my hands into Az’s beard and pulled him to me. I kissed him with wild abandon, moving my hands into his hair, pulling him closer. He pulled back from me.

“Hey, take it easy. You just woke up.”

“Exactly, I don’t want to take it easy. I just want you.”

“I want you too, but you’re too weak.”

“Shouldn’t I be the judge of that?” I smirked at him.

“You are, let’s just talk for a minute. Relax. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Okay.”

My knee jerk reaction to Az had almost always been to have sex with him. I wanted it to be good, and if I was just laying there like a dead fish with no energy, then it wouldn’t be good.

He situated himself so he was lying next to me. I lifted my head so he could put his arm behind my head and we cuddled together.

“So, I found out I was an Angel Enforcer. That I asked to fall, to be with you.”

“Who told you?”

“I started dreaming about the conversation I’d had with my supervisor in Heaven. I thought it was just a joke, but I had a visit in my dreams from your Mother shortly after. Of course she just told me her name was Vida but you could be her twin. She explained to me that I had known you were coming and I had asked to be with you. I told my supervisor we were soul mates and that I knew far beyond space, time or situation that we were supposed to be together.”

A tear slipped from my eye.

“You are the other half of me Azrael.”

“And you I Delaney.”

We lay there for a while, just soaking the other in and it was lovely. I hoped we had more time for moments like that.

“How many did we lose in the battle?” I finally asked.

“Only a dozen or so. Comparatively to Mastema’s sixty, everyone is talking about it.”

“Still too many.”

“I wished it had been none, but you did the right thing. It had to be at the right time. If Serafine had been on the field with us ready to fight, Mastema never would’ve believed it. He would’ve thought it was a trick.”

“How are Serafine and Mastema?”

“They’re taking a vacation in the mountains away from everyone and everything so they can work out their issues.”

“Must be nice.”

“Serafine has popped in daily to check on you.”

Of course she had. I heard her telling Mastema that if he couldn’t save me that it would be the deal breaker for her.

I had lived and so would their love.

“You want to go somewhere, Laney? Vacation, anywhere you want.”

“Can we build a house here? And instead of calling it a vacation, we can call it our life?”

“You want to live here?”

“I had that revelation, in the pit of times…”

“So who’re you going to lead?”

“I’m not meant to lead one group but many. I’m sort of Switzerland, just like this place. The Land of the Unknown, will be known, and we’ll be the neutral place to hold meetings between groups and create a sort of United Nations for supes.”

“Sounds like you’ve got it all worked out.”

“I had a lot of time to think while I was stuck in my head.” Az was frowning and I was confused. I thought he would be on board with this. We needed a new start, and what better way for us than in Landet Av Ukjent? “What’s wrong?”

“You think our kids would be okay here?”

It was my turn to frown. I had always been very anti-kids. Part of it had been because of the way the Black Shadow had raised me. I was afraid that those genes would be passed on to my child and they would end up like the Black Shadow. Of course, that was before I’d known my Dad was possessed by the Black Shadow. It was also before I’d come to the realization that I would give Azrael any piece of my life that he wanted. If he wanted kids I would give them to him. I also didn’t completely reject the idea of kids now, either. Especially kids with Az.

“What better place? I mean, there are so many different supes here, a kid that has every piece of blood line as well as a little extra kick of Angel, would best be raised here. Right?”

Az’s mouth dropped open. He obviously had been trying to make a joke and had gotten a completely opposite response in return. I laughed.

“I guess I deserved that little joke.”

“It’s not a joke. I’ll have your babies.”

“Don’t you want to get married first?”

“I don’t care. I’m willing to take whatever piece of your life that you’re willing to give me.”

Az pulled me under him on my back and kissed me, his weight pressing me into the mattress. I pulled his shirt up, so I could run my hands over his bare back and he flexed his bulging crotch into my core. I moaned.

“I love you Laney. You’re it for me. Always have been, always will be.”

“As we walk out, Without question without doubt, In the light that we have found, It is finally clear, Our day has come, And we’ll stand for who we are…On we march.”

-
Birds of Tokyo
, Lanterns

It had been three months since I’d come out of my near death experience with the knowledge of who I was supposed to lead. Az and I had built a house next to my Granddad’s within the month, and I had spread the word to the supernatural communities about who I intended to be to them: a mediator and educator of sorts. So far, it had been a challenge. Supernaturals were resistant to change, but there had been a few, foremost the Vampires, that were interested in what I had to say and offer. I’d hoped that it would improve with time, communication and experience.

In that time, Azrael embraced his roots as well and had been functioning as a middle ground to work out Angel, as well as Demon, issues.

We tried not to bring work home if we could avoid it, but sometimes it followed us.

I could hear someone walking quietly up the stairs as I lay in bed and figured it was Az. He had been working late for the past few days trying to sort out some Angel drama or another.

“Azrael, you don’t need to tip toe.”

The door opened and it was Alewar. I shot up out of bed. Too many bad things had happened for my brain to not automatically set on worry.

Easy there Princess. Azrael is fine. He has requested your presence outside.

Thanks for that and the tiny heart attack.

Would you rather I appeared directly on the bed?

I would’ve had a massive heart attack then, so, no.

Come on.

I pulled the jeans I had taken off before crawling into bed, back on. I slid a bra on under the black tank top I had been sleeping in and followed Alewar downstairs.

I was nervous as to why Az wouldn’t have just come to get me if he needed me to see something outside. But I figured there had to be good reason since he’d pulled Alewar from Hell to come fetch me.

Alewar had been given his home in a peace offering from Mastema. Alewar had decided he wanted to live with us instead. He wanted to be close and had told us repetitively that we would need him more often than not. He even kept on the red collar I’d given him at the battle.  I think he wanted to have a visible marking that made him ours.

Mastema had been giving out a lot of peace offerings. He had even offered The Land of the Unknown protection, which was pretty unheard of when it came to Mastema. But apparently,
Tema
was a generous Demon, at least he was now that Serafine was helping him rule Hell. Mastema had deemed Serafine the Queen of Hell and she was the happiest I’d ever seen her. They spent a lot of their time with Az, Granddad, my Dad and me in the Village, though.

Alewar looked back at me one last time, before disappearing into thin air. I wondered for a moment if I were dreaming. Then the scent of roses and wax hit me. My first thought was that my Granddad was outside working a spell. I wondered if he was in trouble and Az had found him.

Without further delay or thought, I urgently pushed the screen door open expecting to find my Granddad in a precarious position with Az trying to help him. It was the opposite of what I found.

Rose petals and candles were all over the ground for as far as I could see. It was breath taking. It smelled like heaven. There was a candle lit, rose petal strewn walkway from our porch to where Az stood in his dark worn jeans and black t-shirt.

I walked slowly down the path, enjoying the smell and feel of the moment. It was blissful. About halfway from our house to where Az stood, I stopped, closed my eyes and took a deep breath. My heart was beating fast but it was a calm excitement.

“Are you going to keep me waiting all night?!”

I laughed.

“What if I said yes?”

“I’d say we have the rest of our lives.”

Tears welled in my eyes. Azrael was everything I could ever want and more.

I walked the rest of the way to where Azrael stood. I looked down and saw the blanket I’d made out of Az and I’s old t-shirts. I used to have it on the back of my couch, but with all the moving around I’d done in the past year, I thought it was lost. It was in much better shape than it had been when I’d made it in one of my many Tequila stoopers.

I bent down and picked it up. I could smell the cloying scent of smoke still clinging to the fabric. Must’ve been from when Nolito had burned down my house.

“How is this blanket not incinerated?”

“The same way I’m not. I still had some of my Demons following you and when they told me that your house had burned to the ground, I had to make sure you weren’t among the wreckage. I dug through everything that was left and at the bottom of the ashes was this blanket.”

He took it from me and held it out so I could see it in its entirety. He had done a wonderful job of restoring and improving my drunken masterpiece.

“You’ve improved it.”

He turned the blanket over. It was a plain dark blue, with the exception of one square that had been added to the top left corner. I read what was stitched into the white square:

I have loved you forever, will you marry me?

My hand went to my mouth and tears fell when Az put the blanket to the side and dropped to his knee, pulling the same ring box I’d seen him remove from his safe all those months ago from his jeans pocket.

“Delaney Hinders, you have taken my world and shaken it, turned it upside down and covered it in everything I didn’t think I deserved. You are my other half…you make me whole.”

When he opened the box, I saw the most exceptional ring I’d ever seen. The ring had flames coming from both sides that wrapped around the main stone, which was black. There were two side stones that were small and white and held in place by wings.

“The middle stone is one of Mastema’s for protection. It will make sure that I always know you’re okay and you’ll know I’m okay,” He lifted his hand and I saw a plain gold band with four small black stones inset. “I had the setting made before the stone, and then the wings added last month, it’s supposed to be –”

“It’s perfect. And yes.”

“I was sweating there for a minute.”

“Really?”

“You just stared at the ring, you weren’t smiling, it’s like you were in shock.”

“Will you put it on my finger already?”

He stood and slid the ring on my finger.

“Alright, ya’ll can come out now,” Az said.

And from all around us emerged my family and friends. Most of the village was there, too. There were even some of the leaders of the different supernatural groups I had been able to establish a relationship with. My Dad emerged with my Granddad close on his heels. Behind my Granddad were two of the younger members of our coven carrying a keg. Apparently, it was party time.

What I really wanted to do was take Az upstairs. But as my eyes roamed the crowd, I froze when on two faces I hadn’t seen since before the battle with Mastema: Anie and Michael. I had heard from Michael about a week before that they had been in some castle in Scotland.

Anie looked better than she had when I’d last seen her, but she wasn’t yet smiling. Michael stepped forward from behind her, making his way to us, and smacked Az on the back.

“You’re in for a load of trouble if half the things Anie’s told me about Laney are true.”

Az kissed me behind my ear, nodded and stepped back, knowing I needed a moment with my best friend.

Anie came to stand in front of me. She took my hand and examined the new ring on my finger.

“It’s beautiful.”

“Where have you been?!”

“Long story for another time.” She paused, “How’s Michael’s pub been? I told him he didn’t have to go with me, but he insisted.” Anie looked over to where Michael and Az were still talking.

I could tell there was a familiarity between Michael and Anie that hadn’t been there before they’d left. It wasn’t love, but there was definitely affection. Michael looked up and Anie dropped her gaze. I linked my arm through hers and pulled her a little bit further away from Michael and Az.

“I’m glad you’re back. Wanna be my maid of honor?”

“Only if I get to wear a suit and Cade wears a dress.”

I pretended to mull it over.

“I think that can be arranged.”

As though by talking about him, it had summoned him, Cade walked out of the crowd and around my Dad and Granddad to Anie and I. He threw his arms around us and pulled us close.

“Why are you both looking at me like that? The last time ya’ll looked at me like that I ended up a part of the Seward Polar Bear Jump in Alaska.”

“How do you feel about dresses?” I asked him.

“They’re nice?” Cade was confused, but no more confused than he’d been when the time came for him to be fitted for a frilly red dress. Frilly wasn’t really my thing but for Cade, I’d make an exception.

“Good. I’m glad you feel that way,” Anie said.

In my mind he’d just agreed to wear a dress at my wedding.

“Glad you’re back Anie. Hasn’t been the same without you.”

Cade and my Dad spent most of their days in the village with me, working on supernatural relations. We all had also worried tirelessly about Anie and if she was alright. We knew Michael would keep her physically safe, but her mental state had not been good when they’d decided to go on their little walkabout.

“Me too. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to get a drink.”

Anie walked forward past Michael, his eyes tracking her the whole way. Something was happening there, but it would have to wait. I wanted my future husband.

I ran and saddled myself on his back as he stood talking to Michael.

“There’s a beautiful black haired woman on my back, isn’t there?” Az asked Michael, laughing.

“Eh, she’s alright,” Michael responded.

I leaned down to Az’s ear and whispered.

“Giddy up. I want at least three orgasms before the sun comes up. And if you’re really good, I’ll pull out the nurse costume.”

Az took off in a dead sprint toward our house, nearly knocking over several party attendees, including my Dad. I looked up in time to see my Dad laughing at our retreating forms.

“Outta my way! This is an emergency.”

Lust was still strong in us but our love still stood above it all, powerful and unwavering.