TheHealers (25 page)

“Psihi mou.” The literal meaning of the words were lost to me, but I was able to grasp a little from the emotions rippling across his firm jaw line. He was letting me see himself vulnerable to me like this. The adoration that spilled from his eyes grasped my heart like an illusion.

“Layna, I asked you to relax. I did not think you would elevate your blood pressure while meditating.” Marissa’s real words called me back to her office.

I slowly opened my eyes and remembered I was not in Alexander’s arms snuggled away in bed.

“Sorry.” Although, I wasn’t.

“It’s alright, Layna. I just need to work with you on learning to relax yourself. If you don’t take some of that load off of your shoulders, it going to cause your death.” Her words reminded me to breathe deeply again and my shoulders relaxed. Until that moment, I was unaware that my body was tense. Blissfully lost in a memory that I savored should not induce tension. What in the hell was wrong with me?

“I’m working on it. Are you ready? What do you need from me?” My eyes found Marissa deeply focused on me.

“I just need touch. I’m going to hold your hands and then start telling you what I see. It’s really quite painless.” The smirk crossed her face so fast that I almost missed it.

I placed both of my hands in hers. Her fingers gently closed over them and her eyes closed.

Panic overcame my emotions as I waited. What did she see? Was it bad? Of course it was, otherwise her eyes would be open, right? My eyes opened.

“You are cursed and blessed.” Now maybe I was a little skeptical, but couldn’t you give that line to anyone? Marissa’s face colored as though she could hear my thoughts.

“You have such strength in you that I almost shiver when I touch you. It was born from the fire that ignited your life. You are almost mythical to our kind. I can see sparks from different types of magic working in you. You are most assuredly a Healer, but it is kissed with strands of other magic. It infuses with the healing magic to make you stronger. I see pain on the horizon. A lot of pain. There will be betrayal from a man.” Ta da! Wasn’t there always pain and betrayal where a man was involved. “This pain will change who you are. You will have to choose whether you are going to be cursed or blessed.” Her eyes closed again and a slight hum escaped from her throat. Shivers traveled down my spine as I wondered if this would turn into some sort of séance.

“Is…um…is that it?” What does a person respond with when such pearls of wisdom are dropped in your lap?

“No.” Marissa’s lips turned up like a little kid’s on Christmas. Her arms wrapped around my shoulders in a friendly embrace and she sat back. “I just wanted to give you a moment to digest it all. It’s a lot to hear all at once. I usually read everyone in small doses as they mature, but you,” her hands cupped my cheeks now, “You and I don’t have much time before it’s necessary for you to grow into your powers.” Her gaze reminded me I had another question.

“Are you sharing this with Iostus? Or Alexander?” I had to know. No more whispering behind my back.

“This is just between us. You can do what you want with this information. My only hope is that it helps to guide you on your path.” Marissa sat up straighter. I took this to mean we had some more to discuss. In my mind, more questions began to percolate.

And what was that exactly?

“I’m not quite sure what my path is. Should I know already?” A man would betray me and I would have to choose between good and evil. Yup. That about summed it up. It sounded like some cross between Harry Potter and Hope Floats. “What did you mean when you said there were different types of magic?” I knew I had healing gifts, but my training with Alexander seemed to come naturally, too. Alexander and I had not spoken about this, but I sensed that he noticed I caught on fast.

“My child, I know you know of Asclepius, but do you know about others?” A blank look across my face gave her reason to go on without any response from me.

“The sparks in you shine from all the realms of our magic. I see the healing powers of Asclepius in you strongly, but I also see Hecate. Hecate is the goddess of magic. The followers of Hecate are the ones that keep us safe here in the Conservatory. They cast spells of protection throughout our borders. Ares is our god of war and his bands are weaved into you with unparalleled strength. There is a story that tells of Ares bestowing his warrior gifts on a tribe of women. These women were known as the Amazones. I see their colors in your soul. It’s almost unclear to me whether your strength comes directly from Ares or the Amazones. However, it is there.” Marissa paused here and I took a moment to close my eyes and take some more deep breaths. The information that people received in this office seemed to require great strengths in meditation. I wanted to be all those things she described, but I didn’t even know where to start. It was easier to doubt, and believe her readings were inaccurate.

Marissa’s smoky gray eyes fixed on me again.

“As Asclepius lay slain in his chambers, there was a Seer with him among all the Healers. This Seer foretold of a vial of blood that would strengthen and infuse those powers with gifts from all the Gods. The Gods sided with Asclepius and this was their proof. The blood in this vial would be gifted to a Healer and this woman would carry traits of all the gods. Yes, a woman. I’m sure you can imagine the turmoil that this created among the men. They decided to change that story a bit. However, the original tale was passed on throughout the Seers intact. It is most definitely a woman. I believe it to be you, Layna. In all my years of reading people’s souls, yours is colored in such a mixed way that leaves me no doubt. And this is why the choice you have to make is so crucial.” Marissa’s eyes glowed with hope.

“How many of our people know of this prophecy?”

“There are few that know the truth. Most of them are searching for a man. We have done our best to feed that rumor among the Hunters. They have long searched for this
man
in order to control the rest of us and destroy the person.” Someone knew. Why else would they be after me? I wasn’t sure who I could really trust yet, so I would save that information for later.

“Thank you, Marissa.” It was a heavy weight on my mind to think about all the words she had just shared with me. But, I was grateful for the honesty.

We both stood now and she brought her lips to my cheek. If I had ever been loved by a grandmother, this was what I thought it would feel like.

A chuckle sounded from deep in her chest. Uh oh, I thought. Another surprise.

“Do you know of Aphrodite, sweet Layna? She was the goddess of love.” The smile was plastered to her lips now.

“Let me guess. I have her gifts as well.” Unsure of what to do with that information I just shuffled my feet back and forth. “So men love me because of Aphrodite’s gift?” Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse.

“No. Aphrodite’s strength is a part of you. It is who you are. The men will love you for you. Remember that.”

“Men?” More than one?

“Your beauty and strength will attract many. Yes, more than one. I should think you would like more than one. Aphrodite always did.” Marissa’s smile turned into a laugh once again. I wondered where she would get her entertainment when I left.

Chapter Twenty-four

Running
through the courtyard towards the Guard building, I looked down to make sure I hadn’t forgotten a piece of clothing. In my haze, after Marissa’s reading, I had to hurry and change clothes to make it to my session with Alexander. Black yoga pants stretched down the short length of my body and a fitted camisole with a gray sweatshirt shielded my chest. Up ahead the door to the Guard building was visible to me, but I still had a few moments to be lost in my thoughts.

Although Marissa had certainly shocked the hell out of me, I couldn’t help but feel a little bit stronger. It did also drive my curiosity into overload about my parents. Did they know what I would become? What was I exactly? A healing, magical, fighting, sexual superwoman. I kind of liked it. But, I wasn’t quite ready to share with the world yet. My mind couldn’t help but toy with the idea that Alexander had to know some of this. He was the head of the Guard and a close confidante of Iostus. As the door came closer in my vision, he stepped out.

All reasonable thoughts disappeared. Muscle ripped off of his arms and tightened through his fitted shirt on his chest. Talk about taking a deep breath. This man was my ultimate weakness and the epitome of every hormone in my body. My gaze stopped at his face. There in his eyes, I was tempted to just fall and let him catch me.

His arm snaked around my neck to tuck me into his body. I inhaled and was consumed with need that bordered on insanity. Alexander smelled of man and strength. My own personal catnip.

“You know that it makes my heart stop to watch you walk towards me with that look in your eye. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking.” A small but possessive nip at my ear engulfed my body in flames. It still shocked my mind that he could incite that kind of response. He pulled me closer and whispered in my ear.

“Are you ready for me?” Anticipation spilled out of my pores. We could sneak off to a secluded stairwell and have a fast, hard fuck. That’s exactly what I needed to calm my nerves from all the “crazy” thoughts that were clouded in my head. Oh yeah. I was ready for him.

The front door swung open behind us.

“Are you coming? I’ve got the mat reserved for only an hour.” That had to be Shane. I twisted slightly to see fingers brush through his long blonde hair and amused topaz eyes settle on me. Those eyes were the source of most women’s undoing. Alexander pushed me deeper into an embrace with no hope of breaking free. He probably believed he needed to shield me from Shane’s charms.

“Must be rough to go to bed lonely every night.” Alexander’s remark was partly accurate. Shane emanated hotness, but he chose to share himself with several girls. None of them ever stayed the night. I wouldn’t call it lonely, but Alexander’s point was definitely taken.

Shane stepped back in the building.

Alexander turned his head toward me again and lowered his voice.

“I meant sparring, but you’ve given me another idea.” Wickedness dripped from his lips as they descended onto my neck. I liked it, but I knew Shane waited and I didn’t want to walk out there with rosy cheeks.

“Um…on second thought, I’m ready to take you down.” I knew as soon as the words left my mouth that Alexander would have some comment for that.

“You can take me down anytime. Just tell me where to lie.” Sincerity echoed through his words and heat licked up my spine as they touched my ears. Oh, the things I would do with him at my disposal like that.

Deep sigh. “You know we have to go. I think you’re just scared of being beaten by a girl.” Honestly, I had been getting closer and closer to defeating him at our last few sessions. Today was the day. I felt it in my blood. I grabbed his hand and went to the door. His other hand reached out to hold the door as we walked through.

Everyone always stared but pretended not to. No one had actually mentioned anything, but I thought it was because I was the only person in here that was not a Guard. As far as they knew, I was just a Healer. Or, it could have been the fact that I was closely intimate with the highest ranking Guard in here. Oh hell, it was probably both things. I was glad to provide a lot of fun gossip for the Conservatory. Well, I wasn’t really just a Healer, if Marissa was an accurate Seer. Marissa’s words started to replay in my thoughts.

“How did it go with Marissa?” Shit. Do I lie? Or just give a little less information?

“Informative.” Alexander’s brow’s arched up in question and he started to drop my hand when Shane ran over to us. Shane ran all the time in training
—
this was definitely not a training run. His face was covered in rage. I had seen that kind of rage in Alexander’s face when my house had been set on fire.

“Iostus needs us in his office now. There’s an emergency. He’s asked me to gather our first line for an immediate rescue mission.” Words became lost to me. My mind was wrapped up in fear. Something was pounding in my ear. Was that my heartbeat? Alexander brought me down in a chair on the side of the mats.

The others around me jumped to action. Shane began to call off names and bring a smaller group over to us. The chatter of the Guards silenced soon, waiting for Alexander to speak. Shane was his second, and he had called them, but Alexander was their highest point of command. Instead of immediately addressing the Guards that surrounded us, his words fell to my ears alone.

“Are you seeing something? The serpents?” No serpents, but that reminded me of something important.

“You have to take me with you!” I’ll admit, the words came out a little loud, considering I was only speaking to Alexander. But the moment I spoke, I saw a flare in his face for just a moment. He knew how important I was, too.

“Layna, let’s think this through and talk to Iostus. We don’t even know what’s going on yet.” Alexander’s face wrinkled up with indecision. “I don’t want you out of my sight for the time being. You can come with us and we’ll decide with Iostus.” Alexander stood back up to his staggering height and addressed the Guards. I heard bits and pieces of the directions he dictated to them. Something about first and second teams and back up teams that would stay behind. Mostly, I was alone in my head. And as any good therapist will tell you, it’s not a safe place to be when your mind is in chaos.