Infinity (14 page)

“I know,” He grunted.

“You know?” She threw her hands in the air.

“Well, the only person that doesn’t is Infinity. She doesn’t have a clue about the hornet’s nest of trouble brewing behind the scene.” She ticked off the points on her fingers. “She knows nothing of the Vampire Collective or the Wolf Covenant. Most importantly, she has no idea about the type of creatures that she’s messing with. She’s in danger and while we stand around waiting for the green light to tell her what’s going on, those damn blood sucking Vampires are circling around her like vultures waiting to pick at her carcass.”

“Don’t you think I know?” He barked, pounding his fist on the granite countertop cracking it. "Kara is calling all the shots, tying our hands, making us fucking weak. She will at least listen to you.”

Her eyes widened with shock. “I can’t talk to Kara when she’s like this. She’s crazed, and suspicious of everyone. Infinity, is hers to protect. She doesn’t give a shit what we think right now.”

He scowled, “Well, she’s not the only one who’s crazed. I talked to my father and he also thinks that we should wait it out and see how all of this plays out.” A decision that he vehemently disagreed with. His father was always waiting and contemplating every simple decision instead of surging into action. This was the reason tiger-shifters were not represented on the Other Council. His wait and see stance on whether it was beneficial for the tiger-shifters to join lasted centuries and ultimately their invitation to join was revoked. Along with the dragon-shifters, Fae, and bear-shifters.

She threw her hands up with an eye roll. “Oh, by the goddess. No disrespect, but your father would sell out his own mother to draw Ivan out of hiding.”

He looked at her stonily. “Let’s just wait to hear the outcome of her meeting.”

“All of this crap is going to blow-up in everyone’s face when she finds out that she’s been used as a pawn in the big chess game called the Immortals. I don’t want to be around when that happens. This is seriously warped.” She plopped down on the kitchen barstool throwing her head in her hands.

“This I know, but we’ll continue doing what we have doing for years. Protect her. And when the time comes to reveal all the cards, we’ll do that too. She’ll get over it. She has no choice.”

She looked at him through narrowed eyes. “You don’t know women. We hold a grudges over simple shit, and this is major. We’ve distorted everything about her life into one big lie, and now were waiting to see if a blood-thirsty vampire will slither out of hiding to execute her. Yeah, this is going to turn out great.”

Straddling the chair, he responded. “There’s nothing else to do. We make a stand. We protect her.”

“Humph, three of us against an army of vampires, seems like very good odds to me. Look, I’m not worried about my life; I would forfeit it to protect her in a heartbeat. I’m worried about her. Plus, there’s something she’s hiding, I can sense it.”

“You think? She’s always hiding shit.” His cell rang, which he quickly swiped to speaker. “What’s the status, Kara?”

“The Vampire Collective has refused to stand down.”

“So they’re coming for her.” He responded roughly.

“Exactly, so I don’t have to tell you that my meeting didn’t go well. Maxim will not declare war over this.”

He pounded his fist on the counter, “This? It’s Infinity that we’re talking about. How can he just stand back and let this happen?”

“He says that his hands are tied, it’s a lie, but that’s his stance. So, the official stance of the Wolf Covenant is that the conflict over Infinity’s refusal to cancel the concert is a vampire issue. He will not go against the will of the vampires.”

Anya sighed heavily. “This is a death sentence, you know? We cannot defend against an army of vampire. He knows this.”

Kara snarled. “Yes, he knows this, but we knew this day would come. Maybe not this soon, but knew that our lives would be laid down for her.”

“But over a stupid concert? Kara, we should have stopped her, putting an end to this bullshit.”

“Mason, she’s only doing what is right. The Collective has a strangle hold on the humans. Subconsciously, she feels this. She may not know why she feels so strongly about going against the Collective, but she knows that this is something that she must do, and I, you or Anya cannot convince her otherwise. So we must do what we can to protect her.” She breathed out with frustration. “The good news is that Maxim has made a last minute concession. Torch and Boulder have tentatively agreed to help with her protection tonight. Torch wants to meet with me in fifteen to hash out the specifics and Boulder and his men should be there when you arrive.”

Anya paced back-and-forth with agitation before asking, “Do they know who she really is?”

“No, they’re going in blind.” Kara said.

Mason sighed. “Damn, the wolves are playing dirty, even in the inner circle. This whole thing is getting complicated, too complicated.”

“Everything with you Others is fucking complicated. I’ll call you if there are any issues with my meeting with Torch,” Kara said before hanging up.

“This is not your fault you know. It’s not even hers. This conflict between the vampires was bound to happen. They’re just using her as a way to start it.”

“I just feel that we should have persuaded her to cancel the concert. Maybe…I don’t know, maybe it would have given us more time to prepare her.” His eyes darkened, “This whole situation is a mess.”

“You’re young, Mason. When you’ve lived as long as I have, you see a lot of crap that turns your stomach. But never question your commitment to doing what is right. Like the Valkyrie’s say, courage, character, and commitment are all that we truly possess. All the rest…well that’s political nonsense.” She walked over to the cabinet pulling-out a bottle. “I took this assignment because I believed in the prophecy, but I stayed because I believed in her. Others will try to tear down hope. She will rebuild what they seek to destroy. It’s that simple.”

She poured the dark amber liquid into two shot glasses. “Drink up. We’re going to need all the liquid courage that we can get tonight.”

“You know alcohol has no effect on me, but you on the other hand get drunk on the mere scent of it. But I’ll humor you, old lady.”

“Damn Tiger.”

He grinned, “Damn Witch.”

They stared at each other menacingly before breaking out in laughter, toasting and tossing it back with a grimace.

Infinity

Hype, High...and Damn near Paranoia

Peeling off my robe, I stepped in the tub, allowing the scent to envelope me, transporting me from the stress of mentally prepping into my stage persona for tonight’s performance. The pressure was on; the pressure to be perfect, if there was any such thing, but my critics and fans didn’t want to hear about the reality of that fact.

Closing my eyes, I mentally went through my song lineup, humming softly, sinking lower into the scented water as the herbs floated around me like a cloak. I was halfway between sleep and awake when I felt that familiar feeling that accompanied slipping uncontrollably into one of my dreams.

Not now, please not now.
If I could just fight it, I would be okay. The air crackled with untamed energy, pulsing through my body, making my fingers and feet tingle then go numb before my eyes snapped open to find me standing on the wide expanse of a beach.

Thick lit bamboo poles protruded from the black sand. The sweet salt air cleansed my lungs, the azure warm water swept onto shore, kissing my ankles deliciously as my feet squished against the course, volcanic black sand.

My shoulders slumped with defeat as I sighed; it made no sense fighting the inevitable. So I stood, looking at the water, waiting for her. Lightening snapped over the thrashing water then a woman appeared, and not the one I’ve seen before. Gliding across the water, beautiful, and tall, with a rich honey complexion, she looked at me like I was some sort of specimen under a microscope. 

I regarded the female before me curiously, tired of the dreams, tired of the secret messages. Shit, I just wanted to be left alone.

“Look, lady, this is really not the time. So just say what you need to say and pop me out of this dream, okay?”

She smiled holding out her hands, wiggling them for me to grasp.

Stepping back, I looked at her like she had lost her mind. Hell no was I grabbing some strange lady’s hand and skipping into the sunset. I’ve watched enough horror movies to know that shit was not a brilliant decision.

“I’m not like the rest, Infinity.”

“Wait. There are more of you?”

She smiled, “Yes, there are more....”

I arched a brow, “More of what?”

“Immortals” She wiggled her fingers, “I will not hurt you. In fact, I’m here to help you. Trust me. This is important.”

I shrugged my shoulders, what the hell, if she wanted to kill me, she damn sure would have done it by now. I grabbed her fingers, instantly feeling the power that coursed through them, making the dream extra freaky.

She tilted her head to the side looking at me curiously. “So, it is true” she whispered before allowing her large black wings to unfurl gloriously. “You have so much work ahead of you, daughter Valkyrie. Ragnarok is quickly approaching.”

“Ragnarok?”

Releasing my hand, she circled me, touching my hair softly.

“The day of the final battle is approaching. The humans will perish and a new reign of terror will begin. Find the nine and release the Valkyries. Join forces to lead the battle against the wolves and vampires who will try to enslave the human race.”

I started to sweat, with my knees on the verge of buckling.

“The Valkyries, as in the chooser of the slain, Valkyries?”

Oh, this wasn’t right. A queasy feeling settled deep in the pit of my stomach. I had to be going insane and mom would have no choice but to put me in some psychiatric treatment center for burnt-out celebs. Groaning, I could just imagine the headlines: ‘Singer gone crazy saying she must save the world from wolves and vampires because the lady with raven wings told her so.’

Fuck! This is not good.

I licked my dry lips, my voice croaking. “Um, listen, I know you summoned me, but you’ve got the wrong girl, believe me. I must be some conduit to the girl you really want. Sometimes my dreams get crossed at the most annoying times and.....”

“Bullshit!” She laughed so loud that thunder bolts rained down, scorching the sand. “We don’t have time for games. You must find the nine.”

The air became thick and soupy as she looked over her shoulder, smiling mysteriously before saying in a sing-song voice: “Three that will change your life forever. One that will awaken the darkness within you. One that will feed your lust for vengeance. One that will struggle with the darkness within you. All you will fight their need to claim and love you.”

Oh, please not that ‘Three’ shit again.

She gave me an ear splitting smile as she pointed over to two huge wolves howling in unison as they prowled towards us. One with glorious fur the color of rich cinnamon, the other with silky fur the color of midnight.

I held out my trembling hands hoping to stop them, but they continued to prowl towards me with deadly intent.

She touched my cheek saying, “Do not fear. Hold fast to your Alphas. Accept them in your path and they will love and protect you for eternity.”

She stepped back, watching me with interest as I opened my mouth to scream, but instead a soft humming sound erupted from my throat followed by searing pain that sliced into my back. My body convulsed, the pain like razors slicing over and over.

She circled around me, “Courage, character, and commitment are all that we truly possess. Hold fast.” She disappeared as I doubled over with tears streaming down my cheeks from the unbearable pain that felt like ripping of flesh.

The wolves looked on with anxious eyes, rubbing along my thighs consolingly me with growls rumbling so loud that the black sand shifted beneath my feet. Nothing, I mean nothing, compared to the excruciating pain that I felt. It was like someone was digging claws into my back and peeling away my flesh inch by painful inch.

I let out a blood curdling scream, my knees buckling. The cinnamon wolf nudged me, as the midnight wolf caught me across its back. I gripped a fistful of fur when with one painful tear, large fluffy jet-black wings unfurled from my back.

The cinnamon wolf nudged my cheek while I buried my lips into the midnight wolf’s fur.

Feeling totally delirious, I murmured one word before fainting into utter darkness. “Mates”

My eyes snapped open, panicking and splashing cold water everywhere.

“What the hell?” I blinked with confusion, not knowing what to make of the dream.

My hands trembled as I pulled the wet strands of hair away from my face. My mind raced as I barely scrambled to my feet as I tried to rationalize the irrational. Dreams filled with monsters, and strange women spouting prophecies, all confirmed that I was either going crazy or everything was going to hell without my Rejuvenators. It was a ‘Ravens, and Wolves, and Vampires Oh My’ moment, and I wanted off the crazy train.

Grabbing my white Turkish robe, I started counting, allowing my nerves to settle, and launching into a much needed pep talk. “Everything is going to okay. One foot in front of the other. It was nothing but a dream brought on by concert anxiety. Pull it together!”

Yes
!
Crisis averted.

With a satisfied grin, I wiped the sweat from my forehead, ready to break out my happy dance and then I felt it, floating against my legs, taunting me.

I swallowed hard before looking down with dread. There, in the water, floating amongst the herbs was a long midnight raven feather, the width of my arm.

What. The. Fuck?

My pulse raced erratically as I reached in with trembling fingers, snatching it out. Practically tripping out of the tub, I tried to calm the panic attack that I felt coming on. Clasping against the granite countertop, I reached over my shoulder, feeling around for wounds on my back. Nothing, “Okay, only one option.”