Her Warriors' Three Wishes (Dante's Circle) (27 page)

Good, those two would be okay. He just had to pray Ambrose and Jamie would be the same.

The flames from the fire licked at his skin, the heat reminding him of home. To a human, it would be too much, but for him, it was a welcome sight. He’d gain energy from the flame, much like a dragon.

He knew that wasn’t the case for the djinn.

“I see your abomination found me,” Kobal said from his place right outside the warehouse, his hands stretched out, palms up.

The djinn had to be using a lot of energy to keep the storm up, even with his other djinn, who at the moment were most likely dying at Dante’s and Shade’s hands.

“I’d quit talking about her like that if I were you,” Balin warned as he palmed his daggers, ready to strike at any moment. “If you piss me off any more, I’ll make you hurt before I kill you.”

Kobal threw his head back and laughed. “You’re just like your father said. Nothing.”

Balin didn’t let the taunt hurt him. He didn’t care what his father said about him, not anymore.

“You do realize you’re just the distraction in this game, don’t you?” Balin asked as he moved closer, watching the sweat slowly drip down the djinn’s temples. “Pyro’s the main act while you’re just here to distract us.”

“You’re lying, and I’m going to kill you for that. Pyro came to
me
because he couldn’t get the job done. Who’s the better man now?”

Neither of them in Balin’s opinion, but he wasn’t about to make an issue out of it.

“Pyro will be dealt with momentarily.” He said a quick prayer for Ambrose. “You’re here because you’re behind the times. The gods deemed these girls worthy, and all you’ve done is anger them.”

“And you speak for the gods now, boy?” Kobal shook his head. “No, I don’t think so.” 

Balin saw the djinn’s arms straining as the power leached from him, the storm sucking him dry. 

Maybe he wouldn’t have to use his dagger after all. 

He’d rather kill the bastard now, just to be sure.

Balin struck like a flash, embedding one dagger in Kobal’s neck, the other sliding with ease under his ribcage, piercing his heart.

Kobal’s eyes widened as he staggered. Blood gushed from both wounds, coating them both. Kobal lowered his hands, but the magic still poured from him, draining him of his life’s energy.

“No…” the dying man gurgled. 

“Sort of anti-climactic, isn’t it?” Balin said as he pushed the man to the ground, watching him die. “You didn’t have to take Pyro’s taunts. You didn’t have to die.”

Kobal tried to murmur something but couldn’t speak with the dagger in his neck.

Just as his eyes turned to glass, the djinn looked at the sky and smiled, taking his last labored breath.

Balin knelt to remove his daggers then followed the dead man’s gaze.

Fuck
.

The storm, without the djinn’s power to control it, was only getting worse. Dark black and gray clouds boiled. The wind howled through the streets, sweeping anything not nailed down in its path.

The storm wouldn’t end on its own. 

Another djinn would have to stop it…if they could.

He looked up the hill to where Jamie was hidden behind the trees and cursed.

She’d have to save them all.

Another demon roared, coming at him like a battering ram, and Balin focused on the battle at hand. He’d make it to Jamie’s side one way or another, but first, he needed to make sure nothing could hurt her.

Then it would be up to her new powers to save them all.

****

Ambrose looked up at the sky and cursed. He couldn’t feel the magic from the other side of the street anymore, meaning Balin most likely had killed Kobal. From the look of things, it was far from over.

He couldn’t deal with that right now. No, there was a demon waiting for him.

It had been a long time coming, and now he was going to do what he should have done ages ago on that battlefield.

He crept through the darkened alley, following the stench of the demon he should have killed. Ambrose cursed himself for not doing it before, for showing that mercy that had cost so many lives.

Without Pyro, would he have found Balin?

A slight pang echoed through him, but he pushed it down. There was no going back, no tempting fate. His happiness wasn’t worth the dead that lay at his feet. 

He
knew
that, even if he was grateful beyond measure for both Jamie and Balin.

Ambrose gripped the hilt of his sword and walked into the empty building—well, almost empty.

Pyro slouched in a chair a grin on his face. When Ambrose cleared his throat, Pyro faced him and chuckled.

“I knew it would be you. My bastard of a son can’t try to kill me because of Lucifer’s curse, but that’s not the same with you, is it?”

“You shouldn’t have come to the human realm. You’ve started a war.”

Pyro shook his head and planted his feet firmly on the ground. “No, I don’t believe I have. That fucking Kobal is a weakling, all that incestuous blood running through his veins. I’m sure my son has taken care of him if you’re here.”

“You’ve still brought human attention to yourself, Pyro. That cannot be tolerated. Our secrets cannot be revealed. None of us want a war with the humans, not even you.”

He’d already stopped one calamity with Shade and Lily the previous year. He’d be dammed if Pyro threatened all supernatural kind just for revenge against the three of them.

“I couldn’t care less about the humans. They’re food for me anyway. All I want is for you and your precious
loved
ones to die. If I happen to start a war, and they blame it on you, all the better.” 

Pyro stood and stalked toward him, but Ambrose stood where he was, waiting for the perfect time to strike.

“You’re not going to leave here alive,” he said as he gripped his sword tighter.

“You’re very sure of yourself. You couldn’t kill me last time, and you won’t this time. I was going to wait to kill you so you could watch me rape your bitch, but I don’t care anymore. You’re going to die, and then I’ll get any one of my other demons to kill Balin.”

“Cocky until the end, Pyro. That will be your downfall.”

Pyro glared and lashed out with his claws, but Ambrose was faster. He turned on his heel, swinging his sword upward with all his strength.

Little resistance met his blade as he sliced through Pyro’s neck, beheading the bastard in one swoop.

The demon’s eyes widened as he reached up to the cut on his neck then fell to his knees, his head landing beside him.

Blood pooled around the body, and Ambrose let out a sigh.

He should have done that before. No, he’d thought he’d seen good in the man and let him live. He’d never been so wrong before, but through Pyro, he’d met his loves, his fate.

It was over.

It almost seemed too easy.

The wind slapped against the glass in the windows, shattering the one farthest away from him, and he cursed.

No, it hadn’t been too easy.

The storm was out of control, and that meant Jamie was their only hope to stop it or all of this would be for nothing.

Without a djinn controlling it, the humans were at risk from the impact of the storm, as well as finding out supernaturals existed.

He gave one last look to the demon who’d plagued him for far too long and left the body where it lay. They’d clean up their messes once they were done.

Now he had a mate to help.

The mate who would help them all.

****

Jamie fell to her knees, the wind lashing at and tangling her hair. She’d felt it when Kobal had died, her bones almost breaking under the strain of magic in the air. She couldn’t see either of her men, but she had to pray they were okay.

She’d had the vague hope that once the djinn leader and his followers were dead, the storm would dissipate and it would all end.

Sadly, that wasn’t the case.

There was no way she’d die on her knees though. No way, she’d go down fighting.

Using as much strength as she could, despite the roaring wind, she stood on her two legs, facing down the storm that wouldn’t die. Another surge of rain and wind came at them and she stretched out her arm, palm up, to pull at the core of the storm.

As if she’d formed her own wave against it, her power clashed against the storm, sending it back into itself so it didn’t attack the people below.

Her power waned, but she gritted her teeth.

There had to be something else she could do.

Before, it had taken all her strength to just keep the storm at bay, not letting it grow and move toward the unsuspecting areas of the city. As it was, she had no idea how they were going to explain this to the humans. The others had thousands of years of experience doing just that, so she’d leave it to them.

The storm brewing overhead, however, looked like it would be her problem.

Dante and Shade were finishing up the last of the demons and djinn. The pained screams as the enemies fell would forever echo in her mind, but it was better than the alternative.

If that made her cruel and callous, she didn’t care. 

She couldn’t let her family die.

The rain fell hard, soaking her to the skin. She shivered, and her teeth chattered as the wind whipped across her, practically icing her bones.

It didn’t matter. It couldn’t.

The street filled with water as the rain dragged on, and she knew a flood was imminent. Damn it. There had to be something she could do. She couldn’t last long like this, not when she didn’t know the full extent of her powers. Instinctively, she knew how to stop the storm from moving on, but she couldn’t stop it.

She didn’t know how.

“Jamie!” Balin called as he ran to her, his chest heaving. His clothes held bloodstains.

“Oh, God, are you hurt?”

“I’m fine. It’s not my blood.” He stood beside her and gathered her into his arms. 

Though she wanted to lean on him, she couldn’t. She needed to do this on her own. She pulled back but gripped his hand.

“You need to stop the storm, baby,” he said. “It’s not something any of us can do. A djinn started it, so a djinn must stop it.”

Her body shook as she kept that fragile hold on the cord the storm possessed. “I’m trying, but I don’t think I’m powerful enough. At least on her own.” A tear threatened to escape, and she cursed. She couldn’t start crying because, once she did, she was afraid she’d never stop.

Balin ran a hand down her back and kissed the crown of her head. “You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for.”

“I can see the cord, or whatever it’s called, that connects me and my magic to the storm. That’s how I’m stopping its progress—or at least slowing it down. I don’t know how to shut it down.” She shuddered. “I don’t know if I
can
. I’m going to find a way, damn it.”

“If you can’t stop it using your normal powers, you’ll have to use our last wish, my love,” Ambrose said as he came to her side. Though she’d been able to see him coming, she hadn’t been able to focus on it, not when she had to use all her strength to deal with the storm.

Relief, sweet relief swept through her as he pulled her and Balin into his arms. It was short-lived however as she pulled back so she could stand between them.

“I need to focus on the storm and not fall into your arms right now. Are you okay?” she asked.

“I’m unhurt.”

That didn’t really answer the question, but she’d take it.

“Pyro?” Balin asked, and despite the pain radiating though her body as she fought the storm, she hurt even more for him.

“It’s done,” Ambrose said and leaned forward to place a soft kiss to Balin’s lips.

As both men pulled back, she watched Balin’s face for any hint of emotion but saw only the resigned expression that marked Ambrose’s.

“I’m sorry you had to deal with something I should have been able to,” Balin said, his voice low and barely audible over the raging wind.

“I would do anything for either of you,” Ambrose said. “For now, we need to help Jamie. Love, if you can’t stop the storm on your own, you’ll need to use your wish. You saved Balin and Becca—both people you love. Now you need to save
everyone
you love.”

Jamie nodded. “I had already figured that’s what I’d have to do, but I needed to make sure. You know more about them.” She turned to narrow her eyes. “Something we’ll have to change. Soon.”

Balin framed her face with his hands as the rain continued to pour down on them.

“You can do this. No matter what happens in the future, you’ll always have us. We’ll do all in our power to make sure you don’t regret using up your wishes so early.”

A gust of wind slapped at them, draining her energy just that much more.

“I’ll never regret using the wishes as I have. Never.”

She kissed him hard then moved to do the same to Ambrose.

“Hold me?” she asked, needing their strength.

“You should never have to ask,” Ambrose said as she stood between her two men, yet also under her own power, ready to use her last wish as a djinn.

She closed her eyes, focusing on the storm, praying that this would work.

“I wish for this storm to end and the magic that came with it to cease, keeping the humans unaware.”

She added the last part to keep Kobal’s initial magic that had kept the humans away intact. She could only hope it worked.

Slowly, the wind died down, and the flooding receded. The rain became almost a drizzle, a soft memory of the storm that had raged with all its fury. 

Shade and Dante walked toward them, their clothes wet and their bodies strong, but with each lagging step, she knew they had to be as tired as her.

She watched as a small sliver of moonlight cracked through the clouds, and she smiled.

“It worked,” she rasped out.

Shade smiled, and Dante shook his head as if to clear it. 

Her men held her closer, and she inhaled their heady scents, wanting to go home and never let them go.

“You’re amazing, my djinn,” Balin whispered.

“Our djinn,” Ambrose corrected, and she laughed.

In the face of all that had happened, she laughed.

It would be okay.