Chapter Twenty-Three
Ekon
His whole being lit up like a fire torch had been set alight inside him. Ekon felt the surging of renewed energy that sent him in search of Todd. It wasn’t him in the driving seat as he rushed to where he knew without a doubt Todd would be—his computer room.
He burst through the door without ceremony and came to a halt, heart pounding ten to the dozen, making it hard to catch his breath. “Records, my records,” an ethereal voice demanded, “you have them.”
Todd was sitting in front of a large computer screen, the glow illuminating his face as he pushed the dark-rimmed glasses up his nose and stared at Ekon like he’d never seen him before. “Huh?”
The two enormous men sitting on the other side of the table were up and flanking Todd without a word, placing hands onto Todd’s shoulders. Their expressions fierce and mouths were all sharp teeth aimed in Ekon’s direction.
He heard Mao come to a halt behind him, except his focus wasn’t his. It was the fae inside him.
“Ekon… what’s with the glowing-torch look you got going?
” Todd questioned, shrugging off his two dragon mates.
He gave them a telling look that said he could handle everything.
They didn’t move, and he huffed, looking back at Ekon who watched the interaction as though he was flying above rather than in his body.
“You were the ones who took from me,” the ethereal voice insisted. “We need them.”
Mao placed a soothing hand on Ekon’s arm, he could feel it, smell his mate's fear, yet he could do little about it when he was a passenger in his own body. He could not freak out because he was blocked in such a way he had no ability to do anything, except watch.
Lucas and Kijina stared at each other, frowning at the sound of more boots on wood.
Todd stood, and the light of interest increased as he stepped closer, and Ekon saw the moment his kraken spirit rose to meet Ekon’s magic—or whoever’s it was—inside him.
“Okay, what the hell is going on? Todd, do not touch him.” Alexi got in front of Todd, scowling. “Ekon, wanna tell us what the freak show is about?” Alexi demanded, Danik right behind him crowding in with Marvin and Ajani too.
“Hey, I don’t need you defending me,” Todd complained, stepping around Alexi, just as Mao came and tugged Ekon behind him.
Power sparked the air with the magic igniting inside Ekon which decided it wasn’t playing this game. “Move,” the ethereal voice said, its echo boomed off the walls causing everyone to do as he requested then freeze.
Ekon walked to where the computer sat on the desk, aware every pair of eyes were on him as he reached out and touched where he considered the data chips were stored.
He felt the jolt like he’d plugged himself into the electrical socket.
The dreadful fatigue fading. His hand reached out to Todd and clasped around his wrist, and his entire body zinged with magical energy.
It gave him a monumental high. He swayed under the impact, and it released everyone from whatever spell they’d been under.
“What. The. Fuck. Is. Going. On,” Alexi enunciated furiously, a threatening storm in his dark eyes ready to lash out. His hands balled at his sides as if readying to punch someone. Or was he restraining his kraken? Ekon had seen those tentacles in action—they weren’t to be trifled with.
Whatever you are, please let’s be reasonable here, Ekon worked to reason with what was inside him.
“Get your hand off our mate,” Lucas snarled, reaching to rip Ekon’s fingers away, and they curled tighter.
Mao jumped in front of Lucas and snarled right back, “Touch him and you will die.”
Kijina was there by Lucas glaring at Mao. “There will only be one death here today if you so much as lay a finger on him, I will burn you to nothing but ash, know this!”
“Tut, tut, why do alphas feel the need to act like this, hum?” Marvin stepped in the middle of the fray and carefully eased Alexi back to reach Todd and Ekon.
“Can’t you see it doesn’t mean any harm.
It wants something we took.” Marvin met Ekon’s gaze.
“We did take it didn’t we?” Ekon’s head nodded, unconcerned by the scene playing out around him.
The fae’s focus was in staying connected to the kraken and the computer. “What was it?”
“The souls. You stole them. I pledged mine to carry the burden of them, and you came and took them.” His nose rose to scent the air, his glowing eyes taking in everyone in the room.
“You.” He pointed to Marvin. “You.” He nodded at Ajani.
“The scent of others who came, they are here, but they aren’t in the building.
They came and took what did not belong to them.
Like before, you stole what isn’t yours to take. ”
Marvin’s chin wobbled and his eyes glistened. “We did? Oh, I’m so sorry. We didn’t know. We were trying to help the others, stop it happening,” he sobbed. “Can’t you see we mean you no harm.”
“But harm you did. This man now must right the wrong,” the eternal fae stated.
“Christ, is this all to do with the records?” Alexi snapped, his tone glacial.
Mao came closer to Ekon but not touching.
“Yes, we believe it is,” he answered stiltedly.
“Records that you wanted destroyed. Ben told me that was what your aim was when you hired me. There was someone inside the bunker, a magic being—fae, who took responsibility for the souls that the shifter council and Andromeda killed all in the name of experimentation.”
“You did what, Alexi?” Todd screeched turning on his brother in temper.
“Why would you want to destroy them? I sent Ekon there to scan through the files, so we had those atrocities documented. So that we never forget what shifters are capable of. To protect our family, our children. Knowing what’s coming, what’s been, protects us Alexi.
I was doing that for all of us. Why didn’t you say something to me? ”
“Yeah, Alexi why didn’t you? The being guarding those files, he felt their pain, carried it like it was his own, and now my mate is carrying it.” Mao jabbed a finger toward Ekon. “Look at him, he is a shadow of the man Todd sent to the records. So don’t go acting all high and mighty.”
Lucas was there picking Todd up, effectively forcing Ekon to let go. It was as if he was waking from a dream, and he blinked and staggered back, his hand moving off the computer. His legs crumpled under him, and the world turned black.
“This is an insane idea! You are not taking him to put him in a pool with your kraken. I fucking mean it!” Mao’s snarls penetrated through the haze.
Ekon lifted his arm to press on the side of his throbbing temple. “Why are you shouting?” His voice was barely a whisper.
“It’s for his own good, we need to access the magic inside him to see why it’s draining him. See reason Mao,” Todd cajoled. “I’ve got an idea how everything fits together and how it will help Ekon, but I need to allow my kraken out for this.”
“Please stop shouting,” Ekon tried again, adding as much power to his voice to make it carry as he opened his eyes and was blinded by sunlight. Wasn’t it dark when they arrived? Shit, how long had he been out of it?
Twelve hours.
He found Mao standing at the side of the bed looking like he’d not slept in a week.
Dark curls all mashed together like a nest, there were black rings under his eyes and hollowed out cheeks.
Fuck, he probably looked no better, because Ekon might have been out of it all night, it sure as hell felt like he’d not slept in weeks with the tiredness back dogging his heels. Seriously?
Yes, Mao answered solemnly.
“Look who’s awake,” Todd murmured softly.
He came and sat on the side of the mattress and reached for Ekon’s hand.
The second it connected Ekon’s tiredness fled.
Todd turned his attention to Mao. “See, he needs this. Needs us. I did some research last night, Ekon, and I believe our krakens hold the key to your magic. I hope you don’t mind I took the liberty of reading the journals you brought with you using a program decipher the language. ”
Todd wet his lips a shadow of sadness in his eyes, and Ekon recalled what the fae had written about the kraken magic. “It was your family.” It wasn’t a question, Ekon knew as did what was inside him.
The nod of response was jerky, and Ekon intertwined their fingers and gave a squeeze. “I’m sorry.”
Todd blinked rapidly and squeezed back. “Thank you. I was their last child. I was young when he took them. My memories aren’t the same as my brother's. I can help you. Please let me.”
“I don’t—”
Ekon looked at his mate and gave him a weak smile. “I need to do this… for us.”
Mao’s sigh was long and loud, despite that he nodded and when Todd let go, Mao swept Ekon off the bed. “If we’re doing this, let’s get on with it.”
The energy burst was gone, and he added fake bravado to his voice. “You can always get in the pool with me.” Not that Ekon was a huge fan of swimming, but teasing his mate was fun.
Ekon felt the wince through their bond and chuckled while Todd walked alongside them, directing Mao. Ekon could have insisted on walking.
If we’re doing this then I’m carrying you, so don’t argue.
His lips twitched, and he paid no mind to the alarmed look of Danik as he came out of a door they passed.
Mao was an imposing force that was for sure.
Through a maze of hallways they ended up outside a biometric-locked door.
Ekon had been in once or twice before. The place inside was a delight on the senses.
What light came from the reflection off the enormous pool.
It cast a greenish glow over sea murals painted on the walls.
It resembled an ocean and its wildlife, giving a feel of being underwater. It was pretty cool.
“We keep this room at a constant temperature so that it’s always warm, and the water is the same temperature as the ocean.
There is a complicated system of pipes that we use to keep the water perfectly tuned to our krakens’ needs,” Todd explained to Mao as he glanced at them, following Todd into the massive room.
Other than a wooden bench which was set off to the left of the door that sat next to a small table that held a docking station for a tablet, there was nothing else in the pool room.
“It’s beautiful.” Ekon wasn’t a water baby, except he was kind of excited to get into the pool with an honest to gods kraken. “Put me on the bench, I’ll strip there.”
“You leave those pants on,” Mao muttered, side-eyeing Todd who was wriggling out of his jeans.
“He’s mated to two dragons, love. He isn’t interested in what I have,” Ekon placated, stripping but doing as Mao asked.
At the side of the pool, Todd took off his glasses laid them on the edge of the pool then dove in. Mao picked up Ekon and walked with him to the edge. He placed a kiss on his upturned lips. “I’ll be right here,” he murmured softly against his lips.
Mao crouched down and halted. Holy fuck, look at the size of that thing!
Ekon chuckled as he looked into the eyes of the amazing sea creature. Massive tentacles swirled up out of the water and wrapped around Ekon and Mao let go, startled. Ekon felt it and refrained from laughing as he was lowered into the water that embraced him in warmth he didn’t expect.
The water was silky smooth, and he could scent the salt, although it wasn’t overpowering.
Ekon felt his magic rise and meet the kraken’s, it’s voice suddenly filling Ekon’s mind. Relax child, you are safe in our tentacles.
Although it wasn’t a command, he did not startled for some reason. Can you help us? It was like communicating with his mate, only on steroids with the power the kraken held.
Your soul speaks to mine and yes… yes i believe we can. Souls, they are sealed through blood and bone. Tentacles moved over his limbs as if seeking answers. The fae is old and wounded by betrayal. To heal him and yourself, everything must be reunited.
Please don’t talk in riddles, I’ve had enough of that.
The laughter was all in his head as he swayed gently in the kraken tentacles, feeling at peace in ways he’d yearned for since childhood.
Everything must be reunited, blood, soul, and spirit. You can only do this with everything your fae carried within.
“What the hell does that mean?” Mao demanded, hands on hips looking pissed.
“The records, he carried those souls within him. We do not have all of them.” His mind was full of Todd’s thoughts coming through his kraken as he explained to Mao Todd’s thinking. “There were others on Andromeda’s ship.”
A deep furrow appeared between his brows. “Where the hell is that?”
“Mariana Trench, deep in the Pacific Ocean. We will need all the krakens to reunite.”
“Fuck me!” Mao growled. “Fuck me sideways. I hate the water!”