Power of the Fae (21 page)

“Our time is almost here to go take what is mine! The humans think that they can keep their realm from me; the supernaturals of their realm think that they can protect them! The humans are weak, worthless and shall be my slaves.” Growls and snarls can be heard from around the room.

“No longer will we be banned to stay in the Underworld. No longer will we be treated as filth, animals not good enough to be on the surface! We will fulfill the prophecy and get our Queen! You will go to the realm, conquer and destroy anything that’s in your path!” I pause due to the uproar of demons getting excited, growling and snarling signaling their thirst for blood, thirst for destruction and mayhem.

“You will answer to my second in command, Bazin. He is already in the human realm. You are my soldiers, the elite demon soldiers. You will need a leader. We will not succeed without careful planning to get what belongs to us. I have appointed Oruzahl as your immediate commander. He will be your Captain, so to speak.”

The door to the barrack opens and Oruzahl walks through the door. He is also over seven feet tall, has large black wings, and red eyes like the others. He has his nose pierced with a gold bar and a gold ball piercing under his bottom lip. He wears camouflage cargo pants with no shirt and black work boots. He is one of the few demons that I would trust to lead an army.

“Here he is now.” Oruzahl bows deeply to show respect as I walk over to him. “Captain.”

“My lord.” His voice is deep and low.

“I want the first thirty demons to go with you to the realm. The Witches and Bazin should be opening the portal soon. Let’s see how my demons do. Bazin will be expecting you soon.”

“Yes, my lord.” I stalk towards the door with Dr. Hamilton in tow.

“Oh and Captain.” I pause at the door turning towards Oruzahl.

“Yes, sir.”

“Please say hello to my Queen for me. And while you’re at it, bring me a souvenir.”

W
ho could be visiting
at this hour? Henry called on the house phone to let me know that I have a visitor. I really am not expecting anyone at this time of night. Keegan and Lina just left to go investigate that portal house. This cannot be good if someone is coming now. I just finished getting the boy, Seth, settled in his quarters in the guest wing. As the High Priestess of our Coven, it is my responsibility to take new witches under my wing. It’s not uncommon for us to have ten to twenty neophytes staying in our home to learn how to weld their magical powers. Adela has been overseeing this project for years.

The school is located on our property behind the main house. Neophytes stay with us for at least one year, learning how to use their magic and cast spells. After the first year, they are allowed to move to their own coven where they will be mentored and taught the rest of what they need to know. They have the option to stay on for more intense training and can stay as part of my coven should they wish. My other daughter Ilona, is involved with teaching the new witches with Adela and about eight other teachers.

My two remaining daughters couldn’t be any more different. There is nothing but good in Adela, but Ilona, I fear that too much darkness has entered her. When schooling new witches, we not only educate them on white magic but we teach them about dark magic and Ilona teaches the dark magic portion of the curriculum.

Keegan and Lina said that they believed that the boy was part Fae; I agreed he could come and stay here until they decide what to do with him. My heart almost broke hearing his story. He will certainly be welcome here as long as he needs. He seems like a good kid.

Keegan and Lina don’t know that I gave him some truth serum in his drink, to make sure that he is who he said he is, and not someone trying to harm my family. The serum is harmless as long as one tells the truth. The serum will only allow you to speak the truth, should you start telling any untruths, then it will cause horrible abdominal pains and cramping. He spoke the complete truth when telling of his family and how he grew up. I will not let any harm come to my family.

I make it to the front of the house from the guest wing and Henry, our family butler of forty years, is waiting by the staircase.

“My lady, there is a Mr. Epan Ubahn and Miss Yasmin Gakely here to see you. I have put them in your study.” Henry nods his head down the hall towards my study.

“Thank you, Henry, I can see myself to the study. Please make sure we are not disturbed.”

“Yes, my lady.” He nods and walks away.

Epan is here? This is definitely not good! I cannot remember the last time he presented himself with good news. I make my way down the hall to the study. Epan is the highest-ranking Druid Priest, and when he visits, you better listen. Pushing open the door and walking in my eyes are drawn to Epan, dressed in his traditional Druid attire, of long deep golden robes that sweep the floor, standing by the window that oversees the gardens. His head is bald with tattooed ancient symbols on his forehead. He turns and smiles but his eyes are sad. My heart skips a beat. This is not good. Oh, how I wish Teronin, my husband, was here. Damn him, and his mission work, in another realm! He needs to come home.

“Epan, my dear. What brings you to Langdale?”

“Azura, it’s a shame that when I do come to visit you, it’s never for pleasure.” He grabs my hand and kisses the back of it. I motion for us to sit on the couch.

“Please, let me introduce you to Yasmin Gakely, first. Yasmin is a Seer that works as a record keeper in the Hall of the Forsaken in the Sogro Monastery.”

Yasmin has long flowing dark mahogany hair that flows to her waist. She has mesmerizing large brown eyes that capture your attention. She has a long black sequined cloak over her white peasant shirt that is tucked in a royal blue floor-length skirt. She stands tall from her seat and shakes my hand.

“Hello, it’s an honor to meet you, Mrs. Văduva,” she says with a Sogroian accent.

“Oh, please, call me Azura, my dear. Nice to meet you too, Yasmin.” I gesture for them to have a seat.

“It has come to our attention that Melomouzor is trying to get free from his banishment. That must not happen,” Epan starts, deadly serious, speaking for the Druid’s of this realm. Yasmin is staring at a picture of Arlina that is on the table next to the couch she is sitting on.

“We are doing all that we can. Lina and Keegan found a portal in the city that they are investigating.”

“It is too late! The demons will cross over tonight! It is only a matter of time. Melomouzor has been contacting Arlina. He has given her a deadline to make her decision. He wants her as his Queen,” Epan continues.

“The prophecy has begun.” Yasmin’s voice is void of any emotion; her eyes are completely white as she is in a trance. The picture she had been studying is in her hands.

“He’s coming for her. The small black haired Fae is in danger tonight. The enemy is near; no one is safe. She will face a new evil tonight; strong and powerful she will need to be. She will lose a love, gain a love, bear love and sacrifice for love. The tiny one must be fierce.” She blinks quickly as her eyes return to their natural brown color as she comes back from her trance, slumping on the couch. Breathing hard, she jumps up, trembling as she paces.

“Are you okay, my dear?” Epan walks with her to hold her so she doesn’t fall; she’s trembling so hard.

She will lose a love, gain a love, bear love and sacrifice for love.
What is in store for my Lina? Goddess help us all.

“
L
ina with me
!” Keegan commands as we run towards the house. There’s a crash in the back yard and we head for the back. Colin is behind me. Christian, Tarron and Vander run along the other side of the house. There is a small trail of smoke coming from the back of the house. We reach the back and see the back of the house blown out and five of the largest demons I have ever seen jump out the crumbled building. The first one bends his head back and lets out a loud sadistic screech. His black wings have to have at least a ten-foot wingspan; he jumps up and takes off into the night.

“That’s not good!” I say eyeballing the other demons. “Umm, Colin I think we’ll need the other wolves.”

“Already on it, they’re on the way,” he says as the first demons attack. He pulls his Glock off his hip and starts shooting at the demons as they engage with all the Guardians. The bullets are not slowing the demons down at all. These demons are much larger and stronger. They move faster than any other demon we’ve fought before. Some have wings like the one who flew off, others do not.

“Bullets aren’t doing anything!” Tarron yells, ducking a large blow from one of the demons, swinging his blade slicing the demon across the chest. As four more step out of the house, Devyn and Dante make their way over. They are taken back by the massive size of the new demons as well. They instantly jump in the brawl. While everyone is fighting a demon or two, I realize someone has to go in the house to stop the witches and close the portal.

A demon swings at me. Fury rises inside me feeding the flames of fire that appear in my hands. Rolling the flames into balls as I was taught, I throw the ball of fire at the demon, hitting him square in the chest. Screeching can be heard as the fire consumes him. Raising my hands, I’m able to direct the fire to flow toward his mouth drowning his screams. Twisting my hand his body explodes into pieces. My Fae power is warming my chest and the warmth is spreading to my fingers again. My amulet is warming on my chest; I have to get into the house to stop the witches.

My small size allows me to run, duck and slide to avoid the claws of demons as I run towards the house. A brown skinned demon grabs my arm; I swing hitting him in the neck causing him to take a step back. Without a second thought, my Fae power allows me to snatch the air from his body, he falls to the ground choking and digging at his throat. Standing over his writhing body, I imagine his lungs exploding, he jerks and becomes still. I don’t want to chance him coming back; I grab Dawn from her scabbard and quickly separate his head from his body. I quickly return her to the sheath on my back.

“Lina, where the fuck are you going?” Keegan yells out, swinging his katana and decapitating a demon. I don’t have time to answer since the minute the body hits the ground another demon attacks him.

“I have to shut the portal!”

A demon jumps in my path. He looks down and smiles at me. Oh, shit! The power that is radiating from this demon signals that he is a high-level demon. The higher the level of the demon, the stronger, and more vicious it will be. From the looks of this one, he will be a bitch to take down.

“Hello, Princess or should I say, my Queen.” He bows his head slightly. He has a gold rod piercing in his nose and a golden ball piercing right below his bottom lip. I glance quickly to the right, Colin, Keegan and Christian are battling with one or two demons. To the left Vander, Tarron, Dante and Devyn are also busy with their own demons.

“I am NOT your Queen!” I hiss, pulling Dawn out of her sheath slowly. I’ll just have to kill him.

“Keep denying it, if you want, my Queen.
He
will claim you.” I swing my katana missing as he jumps back. He swings his claws, missing as I side step him, kicking him in the back of his knees causing him to stumble. I round house kick him in the back of his head causing him to fall all the way to the ground. I swing my sword down missing as he quickly rolls away.

“You can’t kill me that easy, my Queen!” he taunts jumping to his feet.

I swing again advancing on him. He dodges, catching me off guard, grabbing me by my throat, dangling me high in the air, bringing his face close to mine. His red eyes flashing, his fangs showing from underneath his top lip.

“You will belong to him, my Queen. It’s time you faced it!” he growls in my face.

I hear another growl coming towards us, this time a deep growl from an animal. A flash of black fur crashes into the demon causing him to throw me to the ground. Colin! I roll over, gasping for a second before I jump up running towards the house again. Colin and the demon are engaged. Colin must have shifted when seeing the demon dangling me in the air. Four more demons walk out the house. Two more take off into the air flying away.

Reed and Gunnar run around the house already covered in blood signifying that they had demon action on the way here. Out the corner of my eye I see Christian take down another demon. It seems for every demon we take down a few more pop out of the house. I run up the back stairs desperate to close the portal. Footsteps echo behind me as I hit the kitchen floor, ducking behind the counters to hide. My name is whispered loudly. Keegan follows me in the house. He crawls to where I am in the kitchen.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he whispers fiercely.

“We’ve got to shut the portal. You and I are the only ones here who can do it. If not, the demons will continue to come out.” He nods his head.

Growling and snarling can be heard from the next room. More demons have arrived through the portal. The wall that was blown out must be in the other bedroom across from the portal room. The demons are walking out the portal and straight into the yard.

“We are going to need more help. There are too many of them!” I whisper to him as he quickly peeks around the corner; assessing the hallway we have to go down.

“Reed said something about Alec calling for reinforcements. Reed said that Alec saw what was going on and called in the Vamps too. They should be arriving any minute!”

He looks back at me, nods his head and he slowly stands walking down the hallway with his body as close to the wall as possible. I follow closely behind him. I draw out my dagger from my belt sheath. The pulsating energy coming from the room can be felt in the hallway. Keegan reaches the doorway to the room, glancing in quickly. He flashes two fingers twice. Two witches and two demons must be in the room. I nod my head in understanding. I feel a presence behind me. Turning quickly I see Colin standing behind me in his wolf form, his blue and brown eyes staring at me waiting to see what Keegan and I do.

“Close the portal now!” Keegan demands walking into the room with Colin and me right behind him.

The far wall shimmers in black and gold signifying the portal is open. Wind exchange can be felt coming through the portal. The portal is a half circle arch, large enough for two grown men to step through at a time. The two witches are kneeling on the floor with the hoods of their cloaks pulled over their heads hiding their identities. Their focus is on sending their energy to keep the portal open.

The two demons collide with Colin and Keegan. Keegan and the one demon crash through the other wall that leads to the living room fighting. Colin and the other demon fall out into the hallway towards the other room, wrestling on the floor, his long canines latching onto the demon’s shoulder.

I rush the first witch and grab her hood snatching it off her head. She lets out a scream as I break her concentration, jerking her from the energy stream. I’ve never seen this witch before; she’s not of my grandmother’s coven. She jumps up, her face twists in rage, screaming trying to scratch my eyes out. She’s truly not a warrior. I backhand her hard knocking her out. A menacing laugh comes from the other witch. Her black hair escapes from under her hood, black hair that looks all too familiar. She turns to look at me.

“No!” I whisper. It can’t be! I take a step back in shock.

“Hello, my lovely niece!” Ilona speaks sarcastically from her knees, her face distorted in disgust as she looks at me.

“Have you lost your mind? You must shut this portal!” Aunt Ilona is a strong witch. She herself can open a portal; I don’t know why she would need the assistance of another witch.

“No! The Demon King is meant to rule this realm! By serving him, I will get all that I was denied by this wretched family!” She screams!

Keegan runs back into the room. He pauses, eyes wide, as shocked as I am. Azura had told us before she thought that Ilona was turning dark but had no evidence of it or how far gone she was. We have certainly confirmed it now. My grandmother is going to be devastated by this.