Chapter 28
Chapter
Twenty-Eight
Ash’s heart sank. “Dad, that’s not true. You know me better than that.”
“If it makes you feel better,” Race said, voice calm, “you are welcome to visit New York. It’s where the Guardians live.”
“What Guardians?”
“That’s what Race is, Dad.” Ash exhaled wearily, collapsing on the chair again. “They’re… They’re immortal warriors, sworn to protect humans.”
“Protect humans? Why?” her mother asked, confusion replacing disbelief, completely missing what Ash had just revealed—while her father’s eyes narrowed.
“Because demons exist,” Race said, reaching for Ash’s hand. “They wage war continuously on the innocent, always after human souls. No, you don’t know this because we keep it quiet—no need to cause panic.” He met her father’s hard stare. “I have lived a long time, Mr. James.”
Then it hit, and Mum gasped, face paling. “You’re immortal?”
“Aye.” Race inclined his head. “Our leader is the archangel Michael.”
Her father dropped back into his chair, as if his legs could no longer support him.
At her parents’ reaction to the news, Ash was bloody glad they’d agreed earlier to keep Race’s shifter side quiet for now. God, revealing that would’ve been utterly disastrous.
“Mum, when I spoke to you yesterday, we were in New York. Race can transfer us from one place to another in a heartbeat. It’s how we are here so quickly.”
Silence as her parents’ focus shifted between her and Race. Then they both lifted their teacups with slightly trembling hands—and sipped.
But her gaze remained fixed on her father. He slowly set his cup down and leaned back in his chair. Ash knew that while he was undoubtedly shocked, his scholarly side was also processing.
“Now what, darling?” Mum asked. “You’re going to live in New York?”
“Depending on where Race is stationed,” Ash said, still watching her father. “So, either New York or Romania. The Guardians work across the world.”
“Mr. and Mrs. James, you can visit the castle when you wish. Other females have families who call on them. When things calm down, Ash and I will come over, as well.”
Her mother watched them quietly, then said to Ash, “You’ll need more clothes.”
Go, Race said. I’ll try to pacify your father. Or, you might have to come save me.
She bit her lip as she rose to keep from smiling, but her chest ached at the ice that still hadn’t melted from her father’s demeanor.
After the Paul fiasco, Dad didn’t think anyone was good enough for her.
Upstairs in her little bedroom, she opened the cupboards and pulled out clothes she would need in Lemuria.
Her mother put a suitcase on the bed.
“Not that one, Mum. I’ll use this.” She got out her large, worn backpack and set it down.
Her mother sat and began folding the clothes Ash tossed onto the bed.
“So, you and Race…” Mum paused delicately. “I know it’s been three weeks, but the man is immortal, darling.”
“I know.” Ash faced her mother, clutching her undies to her chest, and smiled. “He’s wonderful. He makes me happy, Mum. He actually listens, and he cares—”
You are my mate.
Ooof, stop listening to us!
Why? I like hearing how much I make your life better.
Stifling a laugh, Ash shut off their mind-link and packed her underwear.
“This isn’t a rebound, is it, dear?” her mother asked softly.
At her mother’s troubled expression, she straightened. “No, it isn’t. Honestly, Paul’s the last person on my mind. But being back here…” She gestured toward the window. “The busybodies will have a field day. Mrs. Porter saw us. You’ll have visitors for tea soon.”
Mum laughed. “I suppose I will.”
“We couldn’t avoid them. Race can only open a portal near soft spots, usually water.”
“Oh, the stream behind Co-op?”
“Yes.” Ash grabbed more clothes and dumped them into her backpack, along with personal essentials.
“So, the hair and eyes are real?”
“They are.” Ash grinned. She could talk to her mother about anything, and she hated keeping the biggest truth of her life hidden.
“I suppose it was quite romantic when he saved you from that mob?” Mum lifted an eyebrow.
“Yes. Though I didn’t think so back at the time.” Ash laughed, remembering, then she said quietly, “Mum, I know three weeks sounds insanely fast for all this. But Race…he’s become everything to me.”
She sat on the bed and grasped her mother’s hands.
“There’s something else I need to tell you.
You can decide when to tell Dad—nothing bad, I promise,” she said quickly at the worry darkening her mother’s eyes.
“Every Guardian is given an obsidian dagger. It’s said that when a woman touches one, and it glows, she is that warrior’s destined mate.
Race’s dagger—” she took a breath “—glowed for me.”
Her mother blinked, then her mouth fell open. “What?”
“Darn, I forgot the dagger back in New York…” Then she smiled. “Okay, watch this.”
She held out her palm and summoned her dagger. The air stirred, and the obsidian weapon took form in her palm, with a faint glow to it as if to make her mother believe.
A soft gasp filled the room.
“Goodness me!” Mum reached out, hesitated, then she carefully took the blade, and her eyes widened as the truth landed. “Destined mate? So, he’s like a…a husband?”
All the finer details could wait for another time. “Yes. We’re mated.”
Her mother nodded slowly, then slipped the dagger into Ash’s backpack. “Well then, if you have to be with someone, better him—he looks like he could bring down an army singlehanded.” Another smile. “At least I know you will always be safe. You’ve been our gift, Ashaya…and now, Race’s.”
Her throat tightened. She hugged her mother fiercely. “Thanks, Mum.”
She’d been their miracle—born of loss, adopted out of love, the child they’d once thought they could never have.
“When you left to find out where your powers came from, I never imagined your life would change so much.” Her mother sniffed and tucked strands of Ash’s hair behind her ear. “Now we’ll lose you to another world entirely.” She reached for a tissue on the bedside table and dabbed at her eyes.
“Oh, Mum, you aren’t losing me.” Ash wiped her own damp eyes. “I’ll—we’ll both visit, as often as we can.”
She rose and buckled the flap shut, managing a wobbly smile. “Let’s go make sure Dad and Race are both still in one piece.”
Her mother laughed as they headed downstairs.
Ash froze on the bottom step, her mother beside her, gaping at the sight before them.
“The Sumerian tablets suggest these beings walked freely among humans,” Race’s low voice carried to them from the sitting room.
“It’s true. I was around when that happened.
The later Greek interpretations completely missed the significance of the original text’s distinctions between divine messengers and earth-bound immortals. ”
“That’s…that’s remarkably insightful,” her father responded, excitement clear in his usually quiet tone. “Most scholars focus on the hierarchical aspects, but what you’re suggesting is a more complex relationship between realms…”
A half hour ago, they’d left the men in stiff silence. Now, Race and her father were on the sofa, hunched over Dad’s prized first edition of something probably ancient, with him gesturing animatedly over the faded pages.
“Did we enter an alternate universe?” she whispered to her mother. “Dad’s found someone who actually enjoys debating ancient Mesopotamian history?”
No wonder her man wasn’t in her head—he was too busy charming her father through academia.
Her mother squeezed her arm. “I’d say he’s found a kindred spirit, one who actually lived through the era. All this is still rather overwhelming to absorb.”
“Believe me, Mum, I was there too.” She huffed, setting her backpack down.
She crossed to them, and her father looked up, his eyes bright. “Ashaya, your young man—” At Race’s faint smile, he cleared his throat, smiling sheepishly at his error. “Race—he’s a fount of genuine knowledge. It’s a pity we must remain silent about this and their existence.”
“It is,” Ash agreed. “But you can pick his brain whenever we come for a visit.”
Race cast her an indulgent look, while her father’s expression brightened at the prospect.
You have no idea what this means to him, she telepathed to Race. Dad’s usually so reserved. He has never opened up to anyone, until now.
He was probably testing me to see if I was truly immortal—and I couldn’t very well stab myself in the heart to prove it, could I?
Ash pressed her lips together, suppressing a laugh, then she said aloud, “Dad used to lecture on Classical Civilizations at the college.”
“Yes, I did.” Her father blinked, as though surprised he hadn’t mentioned that, and both Ash and her mother laughed.
“Come, let’s have tea. I’ll make a fresh pot,” Mum said, heading for the kitchen.
They settled back at the table, the warmth of home seeping into the moment, a rare calm after all the chaos.
As Mum switched on the kettle, she looked over her shoulder, smiling. “Ash, darling, why don’t you show your father the dagger—the way you revealed it to me?”
Oh, Lord.
But she did.
After her father’s initial shock—and a string of questions about metallurgy and runic inscriptions—the rest of the afternoon slipped away far too quickly.
“We should leave,” Race said at last. “Night approaches.”
They made their way to the front door, their outerwear on again. Race shouldered Ash’s backpack when her father asked, “Is Pyr’xian really your surname?”
“It belonged to my ancestor. A deity of old,” he said without missing a beat.
Her parents both blinked, stunned.
“As in a god, a pantheon god?” her mother breathed. “You’re a deity?”
A faint smile teased Race’s mouth. “I carry his bloodline, aye.”
Guess they finally believe I’m not a cultist about to make off with their only daughter for a ritual sacrifice.
Stop, she groaned.
Though I do plan a ritual…my cock as the dagger.
Ash choked, then coughed, her face blazing.
“Are you all right?” he asked quietly, but his eyes gleamed with mirth. “Water?”
Mum hurried off to fetch some, and with Dad watching, Ash could only nod, then accept the glass put in her hand and drink.
I am going to kill you for that.
Love your hands on me, heart-fire. Scratch, bite, whatever. Can’t wait.
Christ, this man.
Remembering where they were headed, she said, “Race and I are leaving for the mountains for a few weeks—taking some time off since we’re newly mated. I want to finish my climate project. I might be unreachable, but leave a message, and I’ll call when we’re back in Romania.”
Dad opened the front door. Winter twilight deepened, turning the garden silver and cold. A few of the neighborhood biddies were outside, wrapped in scarves as if enjoying the chill.
Ash snorted. More likely cataloguing their every move.
“Keep warm, sweetheart. Those mountains can be bitterly cold,” Dad murmured. “It’s been a long time since Mum and I visited, but I remember.”
After one last round of hugs, Race’s arm came around her shoulders, solid and warm against the freezing evening, and they headed for the stream behind Co-op.
With their little quiet time over, her nerves knotted at what awaited them in Lemuria.