Emerge: The Awakening (12 page)

I love them so much!

Naeemah watched her six children swarming around her. She intended there to be only one child, but her eldest brought them such joy, she couldn’t resist the opportunity to fill the palace with children.

It will break my heart to leave them, but it is time.

As much as she loved her husband and their family, her people and their court, there was a gaping hole in her heart and she knew it was time to leave.

I’ve set everything in motion,
she sighed as her youngest daughter chattered away.
I must leave tonight.

Allie’s eyes snapped open and she blinked, disoriented to find herself back in the present.

“Naeemah!” she gasped. “How did you leave?”

“The Empress died in her sleep that night,” she said sadly. “Kurram was grief stricken by my death. He retreated into a year of secluded mourning and spent the remainder of his life building a mausoleum. It still stands today.”

“Mahal?” Allie whispered reverently.

“Yes, my wonderful husband built the beautiful Taj Mahal in my honor.”

“How did you escape the city?”  

“That is a tale for another day. Now it is time for yoga. Follow me please,” she instructed, every inch the teacher.

Allie gaped as she followed her through the glass doors onto a perfectly manicured lawn dappled with sunlight. They stood at the center of a cloistered path, housing stone benches, sculptures and fountains. Tall trees in the distance spread their branches across the high ceiling. Allie blinked in disbelief at the hazy white clouds floating above.

“Naeemah! How is this possible?”

“I detest the underground. Think of this room as a large terrarium, possible with just a little help from Emma, her daughter Hélène, and a host of others. There is a larger terrarium, which Greggory has so charmingly dubbed the ‘Yard,’ but this room is a special gift from him.”

“It’s amazing!”

“Shall we begin?” 

“Sure, but why yoga?”

“The exercise will help you gain strength and flexibility, but it will also teach you focus, which will aide you in every aspect of your training. We live dangerous lives. You cannot allow your emotions to compromise your actions when faced with danger. You must learn to disengage from any distraction. Yoga will teach you that kind of focus.”

“Come now, Allie, let us see what level student you are.” She grinned eagerly.

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CHAPTER

EIGHTEEN

The noise is maddening!
Allie cranked up the volume to drown out the distractions. “Thank you Mr. Bach for your lovely Cello Suites.”

Her senses were in overdrive and she was desperate for the escape of sleep, but found herself staring at the ceiling instead. Naeemah prepared her for this. Apparently, she would feel restless and uncomfortable for weeks!

Allie tossed and turned, but even the weight of the cool sheet was annoying. Just when she was almost comfortable, a loud clanking sound had her on her feet and across the room in an instant.

A strange earthy scent hung heavy in the air, and the churning sensation she was learning to associate with her rising power made her head spin.

“Aidan!” she snarled. He was driving her crazy!

A shadow moved on the balcony and she flung the doors open. She moved faster than she intended and crashed into him. He flew over the railing, landing in a heap among the bushes below.

“Ow! Alexis Ann, what’s the matter with you?” His voice echoed in the darkness.

“Sorry! Are you okay?”

“Yeah, although I’m starting to doubt if I will survive you.”

“Well, you should know better than to sneak up on me like that!”

She watched him climb onto the porch roof below. With a running start, he made an impossible leap to grasp the iron rail at her feet. He used his momentum to swing into a graceful flip, landing effortlessly at her side.

“In the last week you’ve managed to break my hand and throw me off a building. Let’s not go for three.” He glowered with that eerie shifting golden light in his eyes.

“You didn’t break anything, did you?”

“Just the bushes.” He grinned, instantly forgiving her.

“I have a door, you know.” 

“Where’s the fun in that? Get dressed. We’re going out.”

“Aidan, it’s late.” 

“Do I really have to teach you how to stay up all night?” But Allie wasn’t listening; her head was still spinning.

“Hey, deep breaths.” His tone softened as the odd earthy scent filled her senses.

“I just don’t feel like me.” 

“It will get better, I promise.”

“What did you have in mind?” She pulled on her recently discarded jeans and sweater.

“If anyone asks, I left you alone. I may have promised not to bother you.”

“Didja now? I hadn’t noticed.”

“Come on, Red.” He headed for the balcony just as Allie turned for the stairs.

“I’m so not jumping off that balcony, Aidan Loukas!”

“Just do what I do.” He vaulted off the terrace without looking.

She ran to the door in time to see him swing into a wild flip, spinning in the air for a long moment until he landed silently on the ground. His laughter floated up to her—like he did this all the time.

“You’re going to make me jump, aren’t you?”

“Yep,” came his soft reply.

She took a deep breath and gingerly climbed down over the railing where she began to swing as Aidan had. She closed her eyes and went for it. Turning into a mid-air backflip she didn’t know she could do, she came to rest in a crouch beside him.

“Okay, that was actually fun.” She grinned, reaching for his hand as they ran for the beach. He had a small driftwood fire and a chaise lounge waiting for them.

“Look at me, Lex.” He tilted her chin up to meet his gaze. “You’re putting up a brave front, but this is me. How are you really doing?”

“I think I’m fine, Aidan. It’s just a lot to take in.”

They curled up on the lounge together and it was the first time she felt calm all day.

“This is nice.” He pulled her close. “No more secrets.”

“Yeah,” she agreed. But Naeemah’s words of caution came back to her. She knew she shouldn’t allow the affection they shared, but no one understood her the way he did and she found such comfort in his touch.

“What’s wrong?” 

She couldn’t help it. It all just came tumbling out. “It’s like my body is rebelling against me, and my mind is running at warp speed. Everything’s so freakin’ loud! I can
feel
the noise, Aidan! And I can’t concentrate on anything longer than five seconds. I’m all, ‘oooh shiny!’ all the freakin’ time. My vision is weird and I’m dizzy! I’m so sick of thinking about food! And this is supposed to last for weeks?” Her voice came out in a squeak. 

“I’ll tell you a secret no one knows but Dad,” he said. “I got through this stage in less than a week and I think you can, too.”

“Cheers to that! Show me!”

“Okay, the important thing to realize is your senses are waking up after laying nearly dormant most of your life. I remember how frustrating those first few days were. You just need to learn how to distinguish what you’re feeling, and it will fade.”

“I take it there are more than the traditional five senses?”

“More like eight or nine depending on your strengths.” He laughed at her look of disgust.

“You have a sense of smell and taste, but you also have a sense that is a blend of the two, so it’s really something on its own. For instance, your scent tastes like honey and citrus.”

“I don’t even wear perfume, Aidan.” She rolled her eyes.

“Your natural scent, Lex.”

“So that’s you I smell, then? Earthy, like evergreen and juniper, and I think it tastes like mint and…dirt.”

“Dirt?” he scoffed.

“Yes, dirt! You know this is nuts, right?”

“I may have known it was coming, but I had to start here too,” he reminded her.

“I’m never going to wrap my brain around all this.” 

“One thing at a time. It is our nature to know and understand everything happening around us. It takes most young Immortals weeks or even months to figure out how to process so much information at once, but when you do, volume will fade, sight will focus, and you’ll feel more like yourself again.”

“Sight is killing me!” She closed her eyes, reeling from another spinning fit of vertigo.

“Let’s try it. Sit back, relax and pick one star as a focal point and don’t look at anything else.”

“‘Kay.”

“What do you see?”  

“The sky.” 

“Brilliant, I’m so glad you left the sarcasm at home. Focus on your star and when you’re comfortable, pick another. Keep doing that until you’ve picked the faintest star in the sky.”

He waited, absently stroking her hair as she concentrated. Just when she was about to give up, the universe exploded at her fingertips. Her hair stood on end and she felt a strange vibration.

“You see it now?”

“It’s amazing! It’s so close. And so much more than sight,” she whispered in awe, attempting to explain something she had no words to describe. “There’s a faint pulsing sound like I can hear the universe expanding. There’s a vibration too, like something I can feel, hear and see. Aidan, it’s so beautiful I can hardly stand it!”  

“It will only get better with practice.” 

When she finally came back down to earth, she no longer felt the nausea and discomfort.

“Oh, that’s so much better!” She had it under control now.

Allie stared into the dazzling flames of the driftwood fire and for the first time she understood how much more powerful she was than the others.

“What are you thinking?” He rested his chin on her head.

“Does it ever overwhelm you? Your power?”

“All the time, Lex.”

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CHAPTER

NINETEEN

Allie felt a strong tremor of nerves as she followed Gregg down the long corridor.

“Go on, Red, my office is just across from Nae’s. I’ll join you shortly.”

She wandered into the masculine study. It reminded her of an old castle library with its massive shelves of books and stone walls draped with the tartan of his ancestral clan. The room was comfortable and inviting, in spite of the arsenal of weapons on display at every interval. A cheery fire burned in the fireplace behind a giant oak desk, and a billiard table with a fully stocked bar encompassed the rear of the room. It was the ultimate man cave for an old Scots.

As she waited, Allie’s nerves spiraled into irrational anger, her pulse raced and her power churned. The nausea threatened to overwhelm her as her body responded with a fight or flight response—and she was definitely in fight mode.

“Okay, let’s get started!” Gregg burst into the room with a flurry of activity.

“Stop!” she snarled.

“Whoa, Allie!” He took several hasty steps back and dropped to the floor, swearing softly in Gaelic.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” he said in his soft Scottish burr. “It never occurred to me to warn you. You’ve no need to fear me.”

“I’m not afraid.” She sneered, not entirely sure why she was treating him with such disrespect.

“Aye, your eyes are crackling like green fire.” He chuckled. “You’re a powerful girl, making rapid progress. I can see that now. I wouldn’t have thought it possible for you to react so strongly to me so soon. Your instincts are responding to the oppressive weight of my lifeline and it is only natural you feel threatened by my experience.”

She felt a rush of shame for her behavior. She was standing over him, every muscle in her body tensed as if some unseen force threatened her very existence, but she was only reminded of a lion cub roaring at its father to prove it was fierce.

“I’m so sorry!”

“I will not hold it against you.” He winked. 

“So how freakin’ old are you?”

“Really freakin’ old,” he laughed. “I would like to show you a bit of my story, if I may?”

She nodded warily, still trying to suppress the anger boiling just under the surface.

“I’m really not sure when I was born, but I believe it must have been sometime around one-hundred-fifty BC.”

“As in before Christ?”

“Aye, I met the man named Jesus; he was brilliant and recognized me the instant he laid eyes on me. It was not long before his death. He was preaching his famous Sermon on the Mount and I was one of many in the crowd. As he passed, he said, ‘you are one of my father’s most precious creations. Never forget your purpose for the extraordinary life you have been given.’”

“Those words have always stayed with me,” he said with a faint smile at the long distant memory. “Jesus himself gave me the strength to believe we have a greater purpose. We are beloved by God, and our gifts, strength, and everything we have are because of his benevolence.”

“You actually knew Jesus?” 

“Aye, I witnessed his crucifixion. Something I’ll never forget as long as I live. I was in the crowd when he carried his cross down the Via Delarosa. The sorrow and fear among those who loved him was palpable. The crowd taunted him and the soldiers beat him as he struggled to carry his cross, but his burden had nothing to do with the weight of the cross. It was a burden I felt heavy on my own heart, so I stepped from the crowd when he stumbled, and carried the cross for him. He was suffering from more than physical wounds, but he still had the grace to thank me. I stayed with him through his ordeal and the moment he died, it felt like nothing would ever be the same. I’ve seen some amazing things, but I have never known anyone quite like Jesus of Nazareth.”

“You carried the cross for Jesus Christ? That’s kinda ironic.”

“Allie, we of all people have cause to believe in God. It’s impossible to live a miracle every day of our lives and believe we are here by mere chance. We have a purpose,” he said passionately.

“Two thousand years old? I can’t even imagine. You’re not really Scottish, then are you? You’d be a Celt, or a Pict?”

“Celt, although much of my early life was spent among the Romans. Eventually I returned to my Celtic roots of my homeland. I’m not nearly as gifted at sharing my experiences as my lovely wife, but I’ll do my best. Close your eyes, try to relax, and as I talk, you might drift into my memories.”

She nodded as he continued.

“I was born in an age of war, and my skills are well suited for battle. Subtle weapons I could use without detection, allowing a slight manipulation of the clouds to offer favorable conditions for my troops and a hindrance to the enemy. I can even generate a magnetic force into my sword, but it’s also a handy tool when faced with one of our own. Unfortunately, it is a gift many have coveted and I have fought often to protect.”

“My life changed dramatically one day when I was out with my scouts. We stumbled upon a small camp of slavers and I sensed a young Immortal in their midst. When I ventured close, I saw him; weak and starving…I couldn’t leave him.” Gregg’s voice grew faint as Allie’s mind whirled with fuzzy images.

“We can take these slavers, Greggory,” his second in command argued.

“Alright, but the lad comes with us.”

Gregg moved silently. Allie marveled at the use of his gift. The clouds followed him, keeping him well hidden among the shadows. As he drew closer to the camp, he saw the two soldiers closing in a moment too late when the first arrow was loosed. Allie felt a distant stab of pain, like an echo.

He’d taken an arrow before, but this one was different. It burned like fire—a magnetized arrow. The second and third lodestone bolts caught him sooner than he anticipated. There were far more soldiers here than he realized. The boy was bait and he’d fallen for their trap.

“On your feet, Immortal,” the soldier spat. The arrows were removed none too gently and Gregg found himself restrained with shackles made of strong magnetite. He would heal, but it would be slow.

“What are you called, lad?” Gregg asked the boy.

“Leikr. You needn’t have bothered.”

“You’re a Northman?”

“Yes.”

“It seems we are both very far from home. They kill your parents?”

“Yes.”

“I’m deeply sorry for your loss, but we will get out of this,” he promised, though he wasn’t sure how.

“Do not worry about me.” Leikr scowled. “I will take care of myself.”

Gregg shook his head with a grimace, he felt like he was looking at himself about a hundred years ago.

“I’ll not leave without you, but if you manage to get free on your own, you best be taking me with you,” he laughed, but his smile vanished when something happened he hadn’t anticipated. Somehow, he’d bonded this child as his brother and there was no undoing it.

The world swirled in a black cloud until Allie found herself watching as a spectator. Gregg and Leikr were taken to serve the house of Octavian—Master of the Coalition, a secret title he inherited from his uncle, Julius Caesar, upon his death. She watched as they were beaten and used for their gifts; their brotherly bond exploited to gain their cooperation for countless years.

When the parade of horrific visions finally stopped, Allie’s mind reeled. Gregg now sat confined to a dark cell. Leikr was a grown man with a dark and dangerous countenance.

“I will not be gone long, Brother,” he vowed. “My gift will lead me to Marc Antony. He is hiding somewhere in Egypt, and when I close in, he will have no choice but to return with me.”

“I don’t suppose you’ll listen when I tell you not to return?”

“Of course not, when have I ever listened to you?” Leikr’s grin was a familiar one.

Allie shivered as the memories that were not hers grew dim.

“How long were you slaves?” she asked hoarsely when she returned to herself.

“Far too long,” Gregg sighed. “I waited patiently for the opportunity to escape with my young brother, but Rome was a powerful nation, built on the backs of the slaves they conquered. It took many years to accomplish our escape.”

“You’ve seen so much history!” Allie shook her head in awe.

“Aye, but I chose to share this experience with you to illustrate how we develop powerful family bonds that are more deeply rooted than simple genetics—and how the Coalition can use those bonds against us. Leikr—called Liam now—is as much my brother as if we shared blood. In time, you’ll forge similar bonds, but it will not diminish your relationships with your mortal family. But there will come a time when they’ll no longer be with you,” he said sadly. “I hope someday you can think of Naeemah and I not as parents, but maybe as an overly protective aunt and uncle?”

“Of course,” she murmured. She didn’t like to think about how utterly alone she would be when her mortal family passed.

“Now, on to today’s lesson!” he grinned wickedly. “We’re going to get you armed so you can protect yourself and I can rest easier.”

“Weapons?”

“Buck up, Red.” He towed her into his private gymnasium. The room was spacious with blue padded mats covering the floors. The high stone walls were adorned with swords, shields and other frightening artifacts she couldn’t identify.

He led her to a glass case where several items were on display.

“Really?” She met his amused gaze when he handed her a harmless pen. “It’s really heavy.”

“Push the cap down and twist counterclockwise. Now you have a weighted dagger, perfect for throwing. Keep that on you at all times.”

Allie twisted and sheathed the blade. “What’s next?” She tucked the pen in her back pocket.

“This is something special I made just for you.” He presented the beautiful coiled bracelet.

“Now you’re talking, big guy.” She admired the large pewter beads and reached to snake the coil around her wrist. “How is it a weapon?”

“This clever little thing functions like a Boleadora throwing weapon. I knew you would need something easy to use that would offer a great deal of protection. If you ever have need of it, simply grab the last bead and pull.” He demonstrated and the bracelet relaxed into a long chain of weighted beads.  

“Flick the switch here and a potent tranquilizer will engage, triggering a chemical reaction to give the serum one hell of a magnetic kick. Whomever you face, mortal or Immortal, this will drop them where they stand. Just aim for an appendage and twirl the chain like a lasso and release. If your aim is decent, the weights will tighten and sharp hooks will embed into the skin, releasing the poison. Your attacker will be out of commission in seconds.”

“Couldn’t I just get a Taser?”

“No,” was his immediate and curt response. 

“This one will require some training time, but I want you to keep it in those fancy boots the girls gave you.”

The slim metal cylinder was heavy and about six inches in length. 

“Press the large button at the center just under your thumb,” he instructed, wrapping his arms around her to demonstrate. With a slight jerk, the cylinder extended into a five-foot quarterstaff.

“Should you need something more deadly, press the button again to extend the blades.”

“I know this is all very foreign to you, but it will only be a matter of time before you’re an old pro. For now, I’m much happier knowing you’re armed.”

Gregg walked her through some basic self-defense exercises utilizing her new weapons and she left their session feeling more confident in her ability to defend herself. But Allie wasn’t sure she would ever be comfortable with the idea of hurting anyone.

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