Chapter Fifteen
Angelica
I hadn’t imagined any of it.
Those words he’d whispered so sweetly in my ear as I’d fallen asleep. Or the ones he’d growled low in my ears while he had me pinned in the mud. It was all true and he’d known all this time but hadn’t said a word because he was waiting for me to be ready.
A hundred years…he waited a hundred years for me.
More seductive words had never been spoken, yet I still couldn’t let go of those last dregs of fear that kept me chained to my past. I knew what it was like to be in love with a Supernatural being, especially one with a calling. And Trey definitely had a calling.
I glanced up at him as we flew to Derek’s house, our eyes meeting for a second before he looked away.
“You’re thinking very hard,” he said.
“Yes.”
He knew what was churning through my mind, I didn’t need to elaborate. That was something that still stunned me, Trey’s ability to know me. It wasn’t just because we’d been working together for the past four years, either. He had always been like that. Was it because of those visions?
“What did you see of me in those visions?” I asked, before I could talk myself out of it.
“It’s hard to explain. There aren’t really scenes of your life, it’s more of a…feeling. I saw you happy, and sad. I saw you with your children, holding them, crying in your room for them.”
I shifted in his arms, knowing what he was seeing. There were many, many different times to choose from.
“I didn’t have the context but I knew you in those visions. I know that sounds confusing.”
“It does but it’s also somewhat comforting. Though I’m not sure I like the idea of you knowing everything about me when you met me.”
“Oh, I only knew some things,” he said with a crooked grin.
“Oh really?” I challenged. “Like what?”
“Like how you hate marshmallows but love s’mores.”
“That proves nothing, marshmallows are an abomination unless they are surrounded by chocolate and graham crackers. Everyone knows that.”
He chuckled and I couldn’t help grinning at him. I couldn’t even be mad that he’d cut off my sour mood at the roots and I was starting to relax into his arms.
“Alright, how you actually hate horror movies but you watched all the classics with Ava because she loved them so much.”
That got me right in the heart but I shrugged it off.
“That’s being a good mother.”
“How you stayed up late for the first year you were Director to learn all the names of the team members at the Archive who reported to you, including their families, what their treatment under Francesca was, and their birthdays.”
“And that’s just being a good boss.”
But my voice was getting weaker, not as full of conviction the more he peeled back the layers that surrounded the soft parts of me.
“You write personal letters to every spouse or parent that loses someone at the Archive and I know you don’t send a single person out into the field without worrying about them like you would your own children.”
“Tell that to Darius, if he could remember me, that is.”
“Deflecting helps, but it’s not doing you any favors.”
“You don’t have the baggage I do.”
Trey’s jaw clenched and he let out a long breath as we landed in Derek’s front yard. I started to walk away before Trey exposed me any further. I was barely holding on to my resolve to just think about his mating bite instead of jumping right in like my stupid heart wanted me to.
But, in typical Trey style, he wouldn’t just let me walk away.
He held onto my hips and held my gaze with a rock hard glint in his own.
“I know I told you that I killed my brothers during my trials, but there were others. My father’s advisors, their sons entered the trials, even though it wasn’t allowed. They did it to take me out. And I killed them too. Over the course of three days, I murdered ten Dragons who had bullied and tortured me most of my life. And when I went home to take my birthright? My father’s last breath was used to instruct his personal bodyguards to peel the royal markings from my scales and murder me where I stood. I dispatched them publicly, and put their heads on pikes as a warning to any other of my father’s friends who may have had ideas. And then I burned their names off their lineage, erasing them all, even my brothers, from existence.”
“Why are you telling me this?” I choked out.
“Because I have baggage too. I have scars on the inside of me that might never heal all the way, same as you. And I’ve seen those scars make you strong enough to do the right thing without apology, even when it hurt to do it. You aren’t afraid of anything, except letting someone in.”
I looked away, his words hitting too close to home.
“I let you in,” I said with a bitter laugh. “Actually, you crashed in and I just didn’t have the heart to kick you out. I wondered why you weren’t running and now I know. You have to stay.”
He tilted my chin up and shook his head.
“You know I don’t. I choose to stay by your side. Whether it’s hunting a dangerous artifact, or lying in bed, it’s all heaven because you’re there.”
I wanted to make a joke, but the naked honesty in his eyes, the love I saw there, made me unable to do anything but kiss him, hard. I couldn’t tell him with words that I heard him, that what he’d said mattered to me so much. And that I wanted to be his. I just needed time.
I could’ve stood there, kissing and holding him all day, but someone very loudly cleared their throat until we stopped and turned in their direction.
“Well, good morning, Mother,” Nathan said with a grin and a nod. “I see you’ve had a good evening, but if you’d please follow me, there are some things to discuss before you two get on with your… business .”
I rolled my eyes at my son but followed him in anyway. When we got to the front den where we’d had our first meeting, I found everyone assembled much like they’d been that day. I stopped a little short when I saw Derek, looking terrible with deep dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. For a split second I had another flashback to David looking very similar, but unlike yesterday, I took myself firmly in hand and refused to give in to it. This was my son, and I owed him an apology for pushing him away.
“Mom,” Derek said, getting up and leaning heavily on his cane, “I’m so sorry about yesterday. Please believe me, I had no idea the runes would do that to me. I…I’m not him, Mom. I never wanted to be and…”
“Hush,” I pressed my palm to his face and drew him into a hug. “I know you didn’t mean to. I’m sorry I shut you down like that. It was too much in the moment.”
“I’m not using those runes again,” he said, pulling back, a fierce determination in his eyes. “I won’t be like him.”
“You’re not, you never were. Except for the best parts. His heroism, his selflessness. You may not remember those things, but I do.”
“So we’re good?”
“We’re very good,” I said, hugging him again.
Derek usually didn’t care for such affectionate acts in front of others, but if his shoulders relaxing and the tight knot in my chest easing was any indication, we both needed it.
When Trey and I were seated, Alexis gave me a wink and all I could do was laugh.
“So, this is a thing now?” Max asked.
“Yes,” I said, taking Trey’s hand, “it is. I’m not saying what it is exactly but…we’re together. Now, if that’s the reason for this meeting, I’ll not be fielding any questions.”
“Good, because no one wants to hear the details,” Ava said, waltzing in.
She skipped over and planted a kiss on my cheek and gave Trey a wink.
“I see you survived,” she said to him.
“Quite well, thank you.”
“Good for you. Now, I hear we’re going to Egypt to kick some ass for Mom?”
“I called her in,” Derek said. “Since I won’t be using those runes any longer, I figured we’d need a third celestial in the air. Tessa and I will be handling interference with local law enforcement, keeping them out of the fray as much as possible.”
River gave him a loving smile, looking very well recovered after yesterday, much to my relief.
“Alexis and I will be on the ground,” she said, “using magic and enhanced weapons to hold a perimeter away from the temple.”
“Wait,” I said, “you’re all making it sound like there’s going to be a battle.”
“We got intel,” Alexis said around a bite of apple, handing me a sheet of paper. “My contacts tell me that Viktor’s been recruiting, that’s where the ‘missing’ Supernaturals are going. These are the ones we know of so far. A dozen Orcs from the now defunct Sinners organization, six more ex-special forces from the secret Supernatural division, all Werewolves. And the two weather Witches, which we know about, but we think that the missing Witches on that list are also helping him. Not to mention Dahlia, who appears to have a very impressive Supernatural weapons stash. I officially hate her.”
“Why is he arming to the teeth like this?” Trey asked.
“He thinks the Archive is going to back you up and he’s looking for a show down,” Max replied. “He wants to not only get the sundial, but destroy what he can of the Archive at the same time.”
I felt my cool and collected mask slip into place. Stick to facts, think through the different possibilities and strategize. It was comforting and cold, but it worked.
“Is there any indication that the Archive is coming?” I asked.
“No, I redirected any reports that might raise a red flag and there’s no chatter about it otherwise,” he answered. “But if you want the back up, I can do that.”
I thought through the implications.
If I brought in the Archive, then our chances of destroying the artifact decreased sharply. They would want to take it in, contain it, study it. And me being the director and giving an order might allow us time to destroy the sundial, but it also might result in another serious leadership crisis when my betrayal is revealed.
But if I didn’t bring them in, would my children, powerful as they were, be able to hold back Viktor’s forces long enough for us to get it and complete our mission?
“What do you all think? Can you handle what we know Viktor has at his disposal?” I asked. “Be honest with me. Do not consider anything other than your own chances of survival.”
“I’ve run the scenarios,” Max said. “It would be slim but we’d win.”
“That wasn’t my question, what does your gut say?”
Max let out a long breath and fidgeted with his hearing aid.
“I hesitate to bring in the Archive,” he admitted.
“I could call in some favors, keep it low key,” River said. “There are some Witches and more than a few Supernaturals that owe me.”
“Then I’d say yeah, we need some extra muscle,” Max said.
“Nathan, what do you think?” I asked.
His brow furrowed as he thought it through. Nathan might give off the impression that he was a hedonistic thrill seeker, but he did nothing without calculation.
“I’m worried about those Witches. If they open a demon portal, and add that to the mix, then we could get overrun and have to retreat. I don’t like the odds being that close.”
I nodded.
“Ava? You’re a bit new to this but I assume you’ve been briefed?”
“Yeah, and I think we need some back up.” Her playful expression turned deadly serious, even with her new cotton candy pink hair. “I can see if any of the Vampires are willing to help Considering it’s at night, I could probably get more than a few. And Ravi can fly in if necessary and bring his guard with him, those women are scary as hell.”
I glanced at Derek last, his knuckles tight as he gripped his cane.
“Derek? You haven’t chimed in yet.”
He took a deep breath and looked at each of his siblings.
“I think they’re all right. We thought that Viktor would just have a few Witches and henchmen, but this is different. He’s looking for a final fight, so let’s give it to him.”
“Well said,” Nathan said.
Max gave Derek a grim smile and Ava grabbed him for a hug.
“Even without powers, you’re still a leader,” I said with a gentle smile. “Never forget that.”
He blinked back tears and cleared his throat.
“Alright then, let’s get started,” Derek ordered.
“Do we know how long it’s going to take to set the ritual up?” Trey asked.
“I’ll go over that with you. We should talk alone after this,” River said.
Her tone set me on edge, like she was trying her best to be confident, reassuring, even though she wasn’t alright about something. It had to be about the ritual…. But before I could ask about it, Tessa spoke up.
“Derek and I will be monitoring Viktor’s movements,” Tessa said. “If it looks like he’s going to show up too early, we’ll find a way to stall him.”
“Max, you lead the forces that River recruits, Ava, you’re in the charge of the Vampires.”
They both nodded and I looked around at them, my family of brave, sometimes reckless, always incredible Celestial children and their spouses. I was as used to sending agents out to their possible death as a sane person could be. But this was different; my entire world was in this room and I couldn’t breathe at the thought that any one of them might not come back.
“Please be safe,” I said, not caring that my voice was choked. “No unnecessary risks. I will accept nothing but a hundred percent survival, am I clear?”
“We got it, Mom,” Ava said with a heartfelt smile.
“This is what we do,” Nathan added with a kiss to my cheek. “We’re even better at it than the last time we fought a battle.”
“And all of us got out of that one more or less intact,” Derek said with a hollow laugh.
“You don’t need powers to kick ass, Derek. Look at me,” Alexis said with a wink.
His grin relaxed and he nodded at her.
“Good point.”
“You don’t worry about us,” Max said, “focus on that artifact. When it’s destroyed, the fight will be pointless.”
I hoped he was right.
After the meeting broke up, Trey and I followed River into her small casting room. It used to be an enormous closet and storage room but Derek had converted it for her soon after they married. It was a bit narrow, with only one window that looked out into an herb garden just off the large vegetable plot. Books and crystals were neatly organized, and there were protection runes on the walls and in the corners. A large casting circle was etched into the floor and the scent of rosemary and incense made my nose itch.
River handed me the old journal and opened it to the back where the last few blank pages had been. Now they were covered with numbers and words in Draconian.
“Between the notes you already had in here and the cross referencing Max and Tessa did,” River began, her voice steady but hands fidgeting with the sleeves of her shirt, “I was able to interpret the ritual to open the door way to the between realm where the bowl is,” she swallowed and leaned against a small table against the far wall. “And the details of the spell to destroy it.”
I frowned as I waited for River to continue but she just sat there, face scrunched up in discomfort.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. “You’ve been off since you mentioned the spell to destroy the sundial.”
“You’ll be happy to know that the red stone altar is still there,” her words came out in a rush. “And that it looks well preserved so you should be able to—”
“River,” I said, voice firm, “what’s wrong?”
“I went over this all last night,” she said, “I’ve searched every database, called the few specialists I know in the field of ancient magics and…”
“Just say it,” Trey urged as if he already knew what was coming.
“Blood will unbind the magic to the artifact, but only royal blood. The artifact pieces have to be reunited, the blood poured over it and then the spell spoken during the conjunction of stars and planets.”
“How much blood?” I asked, mouth dry.
“The blood must flow for the length of the ceremony, and it has to cover the artifact, bathe it is the literal translation, but sometimes these priests could be pretty flowery in their language. It could be just enough to coat the sundial but considering the power of the artifact, there’s a chance it will need to be a lot. If there were more than one member of the royal family there, then all of them could bleed, so it would mitigate the risk. But, if I understand correctly, you’re the last, Trey.”
“Yes.”
River nodded.
“Then it all has to come from you.”
The room tilted and my own blood pump in my ears.
Trey was the sacrifice that would destroy this.
Trey’s blood.
A lot of his blood.
Once again I found myself in love with a man who was tasked with saving the world, I’d already suffered through that with David. I wasn’t sure I could watch Trey pour out his life too.
It’s not the same…but why does it feel the same?
“Okay, some of my blood. That doesn’t sound so bad,” Trey said.
I opened my eyes and glared at him.
“Not that bad? Did you miss the part where she said it could be a lot?”
“Angelica—”
How can you be so calm?” The words erupted from me like steam from a pot. “This is your life we’re talking about!”
“I expected this,” Trey said, walking up to me with infuriating calm. “I know enough about magic to know that you’d need a pretty powerful catalyst to perform a spell like this. There’s the conjunction, which will provide the main catalyst. But a sacrifice has to be given as part of that too. And I figured it would have to be me since I’m the only Dragon in this mess.”
“It’s too great a risk,” my voice cracked, and I hated myself in that moment for showing weakness.
“Angelica, it will be alright.”
“You don’t know that, none of us do. And besides, we have containment at the Archive for this sort of thing. I’m sorry that you won’t be passing your trial for your throne, but this is not happening.”
My face was flushed and tears were trying to push their way from my eyes but I would not release them. I would not give in to panic, even if it was filling my body with stinging heat. There was a simple solution to this, and that was that.
“I think…I think I have to,” he whispered. “If there’s no other way…”
“You want to die?”
My voice broke again and he captured my face between his hands, brushing my cheeks so softly with his thumbs.
“Fates no! I want you and a future with you, but there won’t be one for you or me, or your children, if I don’t do this. I told you that I would protect you, that I had to and this is—”
“Insanity! You could die !”
And you’d take me with you. In spirit if not in body.
The truth hit me harder than anything that had been discussed since we entered this room. I wouldn’t survive losing another man I loved to a magical destiny. But Trey seemed determined to run headlong into it.
Just like David did every single time he became Arch Angel. Only instead of having to watch someone I love slowly fade away into a monster, I’ll have to watch him die quickly.
Bile worked its way up my throat and I shook my head to dislodge it all. I had to think of another way, any other way. And I couldn’t do that if I was sick with worry about Trey.
I had to be calm…to think…
“Angelica,” River said, “I know that this is unthinkable. But—”
“I will not risk anyone’s life like this. You find me another way to destroy it and I will, but not like this.”
I turned to storm from the room and collided with Max. There was pain in those dark eyes and he shook his head.
“You know you can’t let this artifact stay intact.”
“Then it stays lost, how about that? Easy, simple.”
“No, Mom, you don’t believe that. You know how these things go. If you don’t find this, Viktor will. If not him, someone else. There’s one time we can destroy it because these stars only align like this once every fifty years. If you don’t destroy it, you risk it falling into the wrong hands, regardless of the security measures at the Archive.”
Max’s words struck me one after the other, knives in my flesh. If I looked down would I see dozens of stab wounds, would there be blood? Because I sure as hell felt as if I were bleeding somewhere.
His reasoning was sound, the logical one of my children who hated hurting anyone, but never hesitated to tell the truth all the same. I’d admired it, comforted those to whom he’d given hard counsel. And now it was I who needed the comfort, to whom he’d given the harsh lesson.
I allowed myself one moment to mourn the loss of a future I’d just barely begun to dream about. The crushing grief nearly took my knees out from under me but I wouldn’t let it, I couldn’t. I had a job to do, a world to save, a family to protect.
Even if it left me hollowed out and alone, once again.
“Fine.” My voice was hoarse like I’d been screaming, and I supposed inside I had been. “Load up everything we’ll need. Trey and I fly out in an hour.”
I started to walk away without so much as a backward glance at Trey when his hand on my arm stopped me cold. I knew he wanted to me to look at him, to talk to him, but if I did, I would cave in on myself. So I straightened my shoulders and looked straight ahead.
“Yes?” My voice was cold.
“We should talk about this.”
“There’s nothing to talk about. You’re right, there’s no other way.”
I walked away from him with heavy steps that crushed my hopes under them.