rogue shifter 06 - torn apart (19 page)

"Good point." I squinted. I needed sunglasses around this chick. "Could you tone down the light show?"

"Oh sure. I've been locked down so long, I've been in celebration mode." The sparkly outfit disappeared and was replaced by a red mini dress and white go go boots. She refilled her goblet from a pitcher that wasn't there a minute ago and took another swig of wine. Maybe she was taking this whole "demons love chaos" thing too literally.

"I don't know what's to celebrate. My magic is tougher to access in the DR." Cherrie spread out on the carpet of grass in typical cheetah style. "I hate this place. I miss Garrett and Charlie."

Dee sat on the grass next to her. "Did you see how cute Charlie looked dressed in the tunic Linn made for him? Those fae chicks actually did something useful for once."

My cheetah girl sat up. "I know. And he's getting faster when he runs. I noticed it when he was practicing soccer with Sash." Cherrie practically purred with pride.

Hmm,  this had possibilities. I joined them on the grass. "And when he healed Sam and Jay...how about that?"

"So cool!" They agreed.

"That douche Kennet better stay away from him or I'm frying his ass," Dee gestured so wildly with her arms that her wine goblet went flying off into the bushes.

"I'm totally on board with that plan." Cherrie nodded, trying hard not to laugh at Dee.

"See, you can agree on something." I pointed out.

"Well Charlie's perfect," my shifter added with a toss of her pony tail.

I shook my head. "No, he's not perfect..."

"Yes he is." In stereo. They were ganging up on me. Good. "Fine, he's perfect, just don't tell him I said so."

Dee patted my shoulder. "Hey we know how this motherhood thing works. Most of it's healer work. We've been watching."

"You have?."

"You're doing awesome," purred Cherrie.

"Thanks. Now, do you think we can talk about working magic together? Isaiah thinks it'll make all of us stronger, and that's very good for Charlie."

They stared at each other for a few tense moments. Cherrie shrugged. "I guess..."

Here was the tough part. "But in order for it to work, we have to touch each other." Their faces contorted to look like they'd been eating sour lemons.

"It'll take getting used to, but we're awesome together without even trying. Just think how much more powerful we can be." That got a grin out of both of them. I was starting to feel like I should go into therapy for multiple personality syndrome. Even Garrett's going to have trouble believing this.

So during one of my craziest dreams ever, the three sides of me sat cross-legged in a circle on the grass and haggled out an agreement. With the sound of the ocean our only other companion, the negotiations went on all night.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

A servant got me up early. Really early. It was still dark outside, the violet dawn just beginning to pink up the sky. "The lord says you should eat a light breakfast and join him in the gym." She pointed toward a pile of work-out clothes folded neatly on the end of my bed. There seemed to be several days' worth. Oh, yay.

My head was pounding and my stomach felt like crap, but I managed to swallow down some fruit and toast and get to the gym half an hour later. I froze in place. Whoa. Isaiah in workout clothes was even hotter than him in his usual medieval getup. His dark hair was pulled back and tied at his nape, his pants were those black martial arts drawstring ones and he wasn't wearing a shirt. Plus he was barefoot.

"Does my attire amuse you?" He was "playing" with a blade, flipping it through his fingers in a dangerous dance, somehow managing not to draw any blood.

"Who was your dad?"

That got his attention. "Mother's alluded to a long dead fourth cousin, but there is no way for me to know for sure, unless she one day decides to tell me." Knowing him, I'd guess he'd spent a lot of  time trying to find out. "She likes to keep secrets from me, especially since I seek the truth. I only know that he was of a pure and ancient bloodline. Why do you ask?"

"You look so much like..."

"Don't say it. You'll put me in a horrible mood and then I won't take it easy on you today."

"What are we working on?"

"First things first." He indicated a wooden box resting on a nearby bench. I opened it to find an incredible blade similar to Liam's and also the one Kennet had given to Charlie.

"This is so cool. Is it magical like Liam's?"

"Of course, and just as ancient. It is a gift to you."

"Isaiah...I can't..."

"You will do what you're told. Pick it up. Carefully." There was no arguing with him when he was in this kind of mood, so I lifted the blade with respect and not a little fear.

With the first touch, the heat of my magic combined with the energy of the blade, sending emerald veins and flaming threads spinning around the hilt. They didn't pool together, but instead intertwined, forming a complex braid of color and power. The carvings on the hilt and along the blade were exquisite: tiny demons in warrior form mounted on dragons diving out of the clouds. Now they shone with my magic, making each design come alive.

Holding it reverently, I remembered what it was like to use Liam's blade to kill Antoine. The weapon had spoken to my magic, infusing me with the desire to kill the evil creature in order to restore balance. It became an extension of my will, my body and my spirit. I'd become in that moment an instrument of a much greater power, a force for right.

This dagger reached for me in the same way, touching a part of my soul with its energy. I had no doubt that this blade and I would work perfectly in tandem, a uniquely powerful instrument that I would use in the future to protect my son. "This gift is beyond words..."

Isaiah's smile was a blend of mischief and pride. "Its Magick calls to your demon and your cheetah equally." He looked at the two colors. "The ice and the fire unite in a single purpose. I see you had that talk."

"Yes."

"And...?"

"Putting the whole nutty multiple personality aspect aside, trying to get an agreement worked out between them was as much fun as a mouthful of root canals." I shrugged. "I believe they're now in accord. You know...kinda "predators unite". But It'll take time for them to really trust each other."

I looked at the blade in my hand and then back at Isaiah. "Are you going to expect me to kill?

"No. Not in the DR."

I noticed he was still holding his blade. "Yours is the same?"

"Yes. They are a pair." He saw the confusion in my face. "Twenty years ago I made a promise to protect you. The blade is yours. It chooses you as much as you choose it. If you weren't the right person to wield it, it would not have accepted your magic. A blade such as this has few—partners. You are now bound together in magic, yours and the blade's. When you spill blood together, it will strengthen the bond, making you a better warrior every time you wield it. If one of your enemies steals it and attempts to use it, the blade with burn them down to the bone."

I thought about the advantage this gave me in a fight. "Thank you, Isaiah." I nodded toward in the demon way, showing him respect. He nodded back, smiling. "What's today's lesson?" I tried to keep my voice from shaking. Using this weapon was a scary proposition.

"Every day's lesson is the same. How to kick ass."

"I'm ready." I started to jump around like a boxer, trying to let go of my fear and psych myself up for a day of physical hurt.

He grabbed my shirt and brought me closer, misinterpreting my lighthearted attitude. "Today is serious. Your body with be bruised and your muscles will ache. You might even bleed. The good news is the faster you learn what I teach you, the less likely you'll be to bleed. Owning a magical weapon without the skill to wield it is the same as fighting in warrior form without the skill to use all that muscle. Did you eat?"

"Yes."

"Will you follow my instructions? Because if I find your mind drifting off to Garrett and Charlie land, I'll hurt you. If I hurt you often, you'll drop the blade. When you do, I'll take it back until I feel you're taking this training seriously."

My eyes narrowed as I removed his hand from my shoulder and spoke as calmly as I could manage. "Excuse my feeble attempt to boost my energy and my spirits, but I was up most of the night doing your homework assignment. I'm not a novice. I've been bruised and cut in the past. I've bled plenty, as you know."

To keep myself from shouting I walked over to the window and wrapped my arms around my body, turning my back on him."No matter what you think, I'm not taking this training opportunity lightly. Just try to cut me some slack once in a while and stop threatening me. I'm not one of your useless cousins and I won't be bullied." Staring through the window at the golden sea, I swallowed down my anger and wished once more that Garrett was here with me.

"Jacqueline, please turn around." He'd lost that annoyed tone so I did what he asked. "Your mother used to put me in my place all the time." He smiled at the memory. "And you're right. I was being a bully and I apologize. I'd rather spend three months training you or your son than three minutes with those sycophant relatives of mine." He walked closer and lifted my chin with a finger. "You'll tell me honestly if you need a break, yes?" I nodded. "Have a few sips of water and then we'll begin." A pitcher and goblet appeared on a nearby bench.

We stretched, warming up muscles I'd forgotten were cold. I'd done this many times as a runner and also working with Sasha and so found the routines to be comforting like old friends. Isaiah spoke as we stretched. "All four blades were created by an ancient master of the Arcane."

"Who was he?"

"His name has great power. I won't speak it."

"Was he a demon?"

"No. The legend is that he was an ancient fae, gone thousands of years ago into the world beyond the veil. He gave three blades to the seelie, three to the unseelie and three to our race."

"These are two of the three given to your people?"

"Yes. We're your people too, Jacqueline," he added wryly. "Try not to forget that."

"And Charlie's." Smiling, he nodded. "You'd have me use this magical weapon against the demon race?"

"Only against those who wish for war. Those who crave power and will harm innocents trying to gain it. That includes the queen and her court. You must understand this. If you take this blade to your world and use it wrongly, it will turn on you."

"How did you find out that Charlie had a blade?" Isaiah wasn't around when he'd gotten it and Liam had hidden it.

"He told me a tall fae showed up at his party and said he was his father, then gave him a cool knife. I saw Kennet in his mind and also a picture of the blade. It is one of the three seelie blades, as is Liam's. That's how I know that Caelen's family studies the Arcane."

"Who has the others?"

"Mother has one. She's been searching for these two." He smirked. "The queen has the last seelie blade. The Goblin King has one of the unseelie blades, but I'm not sure about the other two. No matter how drunk I get him, he won't tell me."

He paced around me, predator style. "Allow your claws to grow on your left hand and hold the blade with your right." He watched intently as I followed his orders."Do not attempt to clench your clawed hand into a fist."

"Duh."

"Think about it. You're in human form, not cheetah. You may still perceive the world in terms of your human body. Don't. You no longer have hands. You have claws and a blade."

"I understand."

"What is the most dangerous aspect of fighting with a blade?" He tossed his straight up in the air and then turned,  gracefully catching it behind his back.

"Showoff." He waited for my answer. "You have to be close to your opponent."

"Making it much easier for your enemy to kill you. Especially if their reach is longer."

"I can throw it at them."

"If you throw it and you miss, it's gone, at least until you can call it back to you.

"Well, why should I even use it? I mean, isn't it better for me to attack from far away with my usual magic? There are plenty of other things I can do."

"Yes, of course. Never go in close against an enemy unless you're forced to."  He reached for my wrist faster than I could track, immobilizing the hand holding the blade. "This is your ace in the hole. No one will expect you to have such a deadly weapon."

His voice softened, becoming almost seductive. "Your opponent will block your magic and pull you in close for the kill—that's how my kind like it the best. Then you'll stab him in the heart," he positioned the point of my blade at his chest, "or the throat," at his neck, "or the eye." He moved it up his face to rest beneath his eye. A single drop of blood ran over his cheek and I watched, fascinated. " Can you do this? Can you kill close up?"

He was playing with me, always looking to shock or surprise. I could play that game too. "I have, with Antoine. I know I can." I caught the drop with my finger and put it in my mouth, grinning.

Isaiah laughed full-out. "Adele is somewhere laughing at me. Come, let's begin."

He demonstrated several stances and foot movements, defensive moves, then conjured up an animated dummy. Moving close behind me, he reached around my shoulder to hold out the wrist of my knife-bearing hand. With the dummy, we practiced forward attacks, upward attacks and hooking attacks, giving me a general idea of what would work best for me against different sized opponents.

"What about a demon in warrior form?" I asked.

"Bring him down to your size. Hamstring him, then go in for the kill. Unless he's a demon of the highest levels, this blade will block his magic. Then you can end him. You may have to use your
legendary cheetah speed
." He actually made the quotation marks in the air.

"I could beat you in a race."