Destiny: A Hunter's Novel, Book 3 (7 page)

“Misplaced trust in old friends, Never counting regrets, By the grace of God I do not rest at all.”

-
Ron Pope
, A Drop in the Ocean

After I’d explained, loosely, what my plan concerning Mastema was, Serafine left. She seemed to think my plan might work, since she’d agreed to it.

I sat at the kitchen table, quietly letting the world around me settle. Not to mention the sandwich in my stomach was not going down well. I hadn’t eaten in a while and even then I hadn’t been eating much, the book taking up most of my time and mind.

I had lost enough weight that when I reached down and touched my rib cage I could feel the bones protruding. My stomach was gurgling when Az found me running my hand over the bone under my shirt.

“I feel like I’m waking up. I could see everything I did, but now it doesn’t feel like me. You didn’t say anything to me when I walked up to you smoking. Looking back, I’m shocked you didn’t say anything to me, Laney.” Az shook his head. I could tell he was still trying to wrap his head around everything.

“I couldn’t risk saying something and losing you forever. It’s always harder to do the right thing.”

“Truer words were never spoken.” He sat at the table with me. He pulled the chair closer to me, getting as close to me as possible without sitting on my lap. “I overheard part of what you told Serafine. If it goes as you plan, it’ll work. He will do anything to get her back. And kill you.”

I knew Mastema hated me. No one needed to tell me what his plan would be when he saw me: Kill on site.

“I hope I can put my plan into play before he kills me.”

“He’ll have to kill me first.”

“I know.”

It was odd. The feeling of peace at what we would all have to do. To live, survive, die. If Mastema killed Az, though, I would kill him. I would take his place and wouldn’t think twice about my decision. My soul would already be dark and darken further, just as Mastema’s had at the loss of his Mate.

I ran my hand over the side of Az’s face, taking what he gave so freely now that the spell was broken.

“I’m going upstairs to get a shower and change. Wanna join me?”

How I wished I had the strength to join him. But I was still weak.

“I’ll be up in a minute.”

Az kissed me and then went upstairs. I heard his footfalls as he left and was comforted by the fact he was in the same house as me. My heart swelled. I would always have something on my plate, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t have Az, too. I was lucky.

A small light appeared in front of my face and momentarily thought about smacking it away. I just wanted to be left alone for five minutes. I guess I technically had been left alone for the time I’d been out in my “magical coma”. The light got bigger and I saw his wide smile before I saw the rest of him shimmer into existence.

“Our little Prophecy lives. Wonderful.”

“Yes. Good to see you Kai.”

“It is good to see you as well, Laney.”

“You’re rather happy.”

“And you are not.”

“I’m still finding my footing.”

“Well, I am rightfully happy. I knew everything would work out for the best. Your Az came back to you with a sacrifice he gave freely for you. Not to mention you also have enough knowledge from the book to unseat Mastema.”

I wondered to what length he had planned everything. I had a feeling that it all had worked out exactly the way he had wanted it to – the protection spell, me working on the book, everything. He knew the book would and had attached to me, and did nothing to stop it, and it would seem all because he wanted the Devil out.

“So you allowed me to almost die because you wanted me to translate the book?”

“Well, not exactly. You worked much quicker than I had expected. I thought Az would be enough of a distraction to slow you down so you got through just enough.”

“What?”

I felt like he was speaking another language, he was talking so fast.

“I only wanted you to get so far. You went much deeper than I anticipated.”

“Is the protection spell still in place?”

“Yes. It is weakened, but I have kept the ward strong for you.”

He sat in front of me as though he wanted a pat on the back and a gold star. I wanted to smack that happy smirk right off his face. I was almost ready for Mastema, but I needed a few more things in place before that happened.

“Fuck you, Kai.”

“I was simply doing what needed to be done.”

“Says who? You?”

“Yes.”

I saw an ageless sternness on his face that spoke of places the likes I had never seen and hopefully never would.

“Why do you want Mastema out?”

“He doesn’t know balance.”

Little did Kai know, I had a plan to give him back his balance: Serafine.

“You’re not welcome here.”

My Granddad and I had been working on the witchcraft part of my magical makeup. He had taught me a little over the time we’d worked on the craft. Some of the essentials and how to work certain spells with words and a dusting of magic. The words I’d just spoken would push out any unwanted presence out of my Granddad’s house.

Kai clung to where he stood, though, always trying to control everything. He was powerful, I could feel his magic gathering, but he was in a house that had been spelled by me and my Granddad, so two against one. Not good odds.

“Are you going to unseat him?” Kai’s feet were now off the ground as he was being drug away by unseen magic.

“You’ll have to wait and see, like everyone else. Now won’t you?”

I molded the words in my mind again, speaking them silently. I pushed as hard as I could at Kai with the magic I had in me. There was a moment of surprise when Kai disappeared completely out of the door.

An enemy I had thought was a friend. I should’ve known better than to allow myself to think of Kai as anything but a Fairy.

I blew out the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. I stomped my way upstairs. I didn’t want to wait for anything anymore. There was more at play than I could anticipate or see. I needed to take life as it came to me, the good with the bad.

I swung the bedroom door open and pulled my clothes off as I made my way into the bathroom. It was steamed up with hot water. I pulled the curtain open and found Az rinsing out his hair. The water tracked down his muscled curves to a very happy part of his body. I met his eyes, eyebrow lifted.

“What? You told me you’d join me and I haven’t had any action but my hand since that spell.”

“Poor baby.”

I smiled and dropped to my knees, taking his substantial length into my mouth. I couldn’t get all of him in, but I ran my tongue, hands and teeth over him enough to drive him to the edge. I stopped just as he tightened.

“Come on!”

“I know you’re dying to,” I said with a wink.

I stood up. Before I could decide what I wanted to do next, he picked me up and hitched my legs around his hips, holding me up with no effort. He pushed me up against the wall and slid his hand between us, finding my clit and rubbing circles. I was moaning as he kissed my neck, the water from the shower splashing between us without apology. I was about to explode and he stopped.

“Turnabout’s fair play, Laney.”

“All is fair in love and war?”

“When it’s us, it’s only love.”

I knew what he was saying: there was only love between us. The rest of our lives could be complete chaos and conflict, but the world we put ourselves in would be nothing but love. My eyes filled with tears of bliss.

“Only love,” I whispered as he slammed into me in one swift move.

His eyes never left mine as he continued to thrust, his love for me shining through in rays almost too bright to look at. He pushed me over the edge with a movement of his hand and hips. I cried out and went lifeless. Az finished while I was still screaming his name.

Without ever letting me go, he turned the shower off, grabbed a towel wrapping it around us, and made his way to the bed. He laid me on my back, pulling out of me at the same time. I was still tired but weaker with pleasure than exhaustion. Az laid down on the bed next to me, pulling my body in front of his.

“You’ve lost too much weight.”

“Blame the book. It took up every available neuron in my brain toward the end. Eating wasn’t high on my priorities then.”

“You need to eat.”

“Serafine made me a peanut butter sandwich.”

“I’ll make you dinner.” I nodded. He and I both knew I couldn’t cook for crap, so if he was offering I wasn’t going to turn him down. “There are other ways of putting weight on you.”

My head snapped over my shoulder to see Az, smirking. He had to be joking.

“You want to knock me up?”

“Something like that.”

Woah. Woah. Was he serious? I was in no shape to be a mother.

“Can we table this conversation? Talk about it when the Devil isn’t breathing down our necks?”

“Do you truly believe that our lives will ever be calm enough?”

“Maybe that should be my argument to not have a baby then.”

“You don’t want to have a baby?”

I turned my head so I didn’t have to see the reaction on his face to my words.

“Right now? No.”

He didn’t say anything for so long I was almost sure he would get out of bed and leave without another word.

“Then you and I will have to be enough.”

Az then pushed up out of bed suddenly, holding the sides of his head as though his brain was trying to make an escape.

“What’s wrong?”

Az was seeing something I couldn’t, his eyes tracked to me.

“It’s Alewar.”

“Alewar is dead. Your Hellhound died.”

“It would seem he is back in Hell. But I can only see what he’s seeing. I can’t communicate with him.”

“How?”

Az’s eyes were as round as saucers.

“Mastema, it’s the only possibility.”

“I’ve come to know the friends around you, Are all you’ll always have.”

-
Ben Gibbard
, Old Pine

We were sitting at an extended version of my Granddad’s kitchen table. He had expanded the room and table with some magic, not wanting me to be anywhere near the book for a while. I didn’t argue. I didn’t want to be near the book ever again.

Az sat next to me. My Dad and Cade sat opposite us, with Anie. My Granddad finally sat down next to me, after he had finished pacing.

“So what does this mean?” He asked Az.

“It means Mastema has a plan. He does everything with purpose. He’s methodical. There is a reason I can’t hear Alewar. And I can’t teleport to him or pull him to me. We need to be ready.”

“Maybe he’s doing it to throw us off,” Cade said.

“Maybe, but doubtful.” Az allowed.

“Why do you say that?” I asked.

“Mastema, who hasn’t allowed Alewar his ability to speak to me, only see what he sees, allowed me to see Mastema. Mastema wants us to know he’s brought Alewar back.”

“I think it’s best if we’re ready. Now that you are okay, Honey, it makes sense.” My Dad was a sweet man, even when he was instructing me to prepare for battle.

“I agree. I’ll get in touch with Serafine and we’ll start working. Az will work with us. Dad, Cade can you make sure the Hunters are prepared in case I’m not successful?”
In case I die
.

“We’re prepared. We’ve been prepping since you brought me and your Dad here,” Cade answered.

Of course he had. We couldn’t be caught off guard. We all knew Mastema was unstable. If this went south the Hunter’s had to be ready for the overspill. Cade had done what I would’ve done in his situation.

“Anie,” Her head snapped up from the table, bringing her back to reality. “any word from Fitz?”

“Nothing. But he’s still alive.”

I knew a Werewolf Mate could tell when the other was still living after they’d gone through the Mating ceremony. I thought it could only be conducted by another Werewolf and wondered who’d been the one to perform Anie and Fitz’s, if that is how she knew – or maybe she was trying to talk herself into that reality.

“Granddad, any word from the Witches?”

“Nothing. Been quiet, Lass.”

“Will any of them fight with us?”

“I think if you asked they might.”

“Can you call a town meeting?”

“I can call to those who want to come. No one is forced here.”

I was struck with the difference from this town’s reality from everywhere else in my world. Hunter, Drover, Were, Fairy, Vamp, even my group, there were rules and leaders, none of them were really a democracy.

Humans were lucky in that sense; they chose who led them by majority. Most of who led the supernatural groups were either the oldest, most feared by the group, or feared by others.

“Sounds good.”

My Dad stood up from the table and came around to me. I hadn’t gotten the chance to speak with Cade, Dad or my Granddad, yet. I had personally called everyone together but hadn’t seen them until then.

He pulled me up from my chair and held me at arm’s length. Looking at me with wetness on his eyelashes, he heaved me into a bone crushing hug. One I returned just as hard. He finally released me, a tear falling, tracking unapologetically down his cheek. I could feel my own emotions beginning their burn and escape. I smiled, so he could see I was okay.

“Love you Dad.”

“Love you more, Sweetie.”

Cade studied my body clinically as I stepped away from my Dad, making sure I looked okay.

“You need to eat more, kiddo,” Cade said.

My Dad left with Cade and Anie in his wake. Cade was going to be an amazing leader one day. I wondered how hard Cade kicked himself these days for not realizing the difference between my Dad and the Black Shadow.

My Granddad was next in line. I automatically ran my tongue over the now smooth skin of my lower lip. The signs of the stitches I had cut and pulled out before the meeting, were gone.

“You did a good job stitching up my lip.”

“It was the least I could do. Considering the pain I put you through.”

“You had to do it and thank you for that.”

I was trying to ease his guilty conscious. I knew he had probably never had to do that sort of power separation with anyone related to him before. It was my own dumb fault for not realizing I’d been drawn into a dark place.

“I do have a question for you, though,” I began. “Why did you take Az’s blood, when he made the sacrifice?”

“I was waiting for someone to ask me about why I took his blood.” My Granddad motioned over my shoulder, and didn’t have to look to see that Az was standing behind me. Everyone else had already cleared out. “It helps the stones that protect the City to stay strong. The blood the likes of Az should’ve held it up for longer. His blood is washing off the Demon magic faster than I anticipated.”

I had told my Granddad all about Az and I’s history. Everything from A to Z so I wondered what was causing his power to drain out of him so quickly. He still had his Hellhound though. Maybe that is why he wasn’t able to communicate with Alewar, but I doubted that was all of it.

“Can I get Michael Donovan’s number?”

Az swung me around and rightfully so, since I had never mentioned the name to him before. My Granddad scribbled down a number on a piece of paper. Without turning around, I thanked him and I heard the door shut following his exit.

“Who is Michael Donovan?”

“Oh my God. You’re jealous.”

“No.”

I knew he was lying. I pulled my phone out and dialed Michael’s number. Az was an idiot and instead of fighting him with words, I decided to show him what an idiot he was. It rang a couple times, and then he picked up.

“Donovan.”

“Michael Donovan. It’s Delaney Hinders.” I used his full name, to soothe Az’s feelings about the whole situation.

“Laney, how are you? Heard about your row with the dark. Nasty bit.”

Okay I think I understood what he’d just said to me. Maybe.

“I’m better. It was a nasty row.”

“What can I do for ‘ya Lassey?”

“First of all, Lass is one thing, Lassey is a dog. And I was wondering if you might have your sister’s number.”

“What do you want with her?” I heard his suspicion, protection coming through loud and clear. I admired the love he had for his sister, even though he didn’t agree with everything she’d done in her life.

“Listen, I’m not going to try and pull her into anything she doesn’t want to be a part of.”

Which was partially true, since I’d already asked for her help on the plan concerning Mastema. Truth was, I’d been trying to call her by praying and hadn’t gotten a response.

There was no response on the other side of the line.

“Okay, can
you
get a hold of her ask her to meet me at The Wet Mug?”

“Can I come too?” Donovan asked.

“The more the merrier.”

I hoped that Serafine could get rid of Michael while we worked on hammering out the details of our plan.

I hit the end button on my phone and saved Michael’s number under Giant Pussy and laughed to myself. Az chuckled, and I realized too late he’d been watching over my shoulder.

“I don’t have to worry about him if you’re calling him Giant Pussy.”

He laughed again.

“You don’t have to worry about anyone. Even if I saved a name in my phone under Hottest Guy on the Planet, you should know you’re it for me. What do I have to do?”

“Delaney. We haven’t had any stability. What do you expect from me? Whether I’m a Demon, Angel – whatever – I am still a man. I know we belong together, I just wonder if you do sometimes.”

The scar I had left behind when I’d broken up with him the first time was deeper than I’d thought. He’d done nothing but support and help me and there was always something in the way on my end.

We had been headed in a good direction when he’d gotten us the apartment again. That had been cut short by the spell I had woven to protect everyone. I couldn’t bring myself to apologize for that, though. Had that spell not been in place, my people would’ve been picked off by Mastema as sure as the sun sets. I couldn’t blame him for his insecurity either. I could only try to soothe it.

“I promise, I know. I feel it down to my bones. The promise my soul has made to you couldn’t be taken by another man, Demon, Angel, Fairy, Shifter or spell. I really messed up. But I won’t again. I know you belong with me. And I know we have been through rough patch after rough patch, but no patch of anything could ever take my love for you away.”

Az kissed me hungrily. Then pulled back, his eyes still shut for a time after.

“I just need to be reminded sometimes. I need to hear it.”

“Michael Donovan is the first person I met when I came to the village. He’s a good guy. He’s also Serafine’s brother.”

The pieces fit together, finally, for Az and he nodded and lowered his head. I took his head in my hands and made him look at me.

“And no, you can’t come to The Wet Mug with me, I was just trying to get him to bring Serafine. I need to train with her alone. I’ll have to get rid of Michael somehow.”

“I’ll escort you there. Maybe Michael and I can…go for a walk.”