Ruffle My Feathers (The Seven - Book 2) (16 page)

"So you say."

"So I can prove."

"I doubt that."

"Look, I know you don't trust me and after what happened in the Hamptons I don't blame you, but I'm telling you the truth." She looked at Eldric. "You know. Father protected you, placed you with the Light where you were protected. Me? He left me to the Dark Fae, to mother's clan. I had no choice but to swear fealty and pretend to go along with them. To do otherwise would have been suicide."

"What do you mean you were left to the Dark Fae?" Ellie moved away from Cam. "I thought both you and Eldric were left with family so you'd be safe."

Eldric put his hand on Ellie's shoulder. "We were. Elysia chose to leave, to go to mother's people."

"No!" Elysia moved closer to Ellie, but Ellie retreated. "That's not true. The Dark Fae threatened war. It was either me go to them or war among the Fae. I didn't have a choice."

Elysia looked at Augustus. "I know you don't have reason to trust me, but I can prove it. I can prove that Asha is working with the Dark and plans to annihilate humanity. I have the proof. I just have to get to it and to do that we have to open the portal."

"Why would we risk that?" Augustus looked around at everyone. "No one here wants war. No one here wants to risk the Dark gaining ground here. Why would we be foolish enough to open the portal?"

"Because if you do, you'll get proof of what Asha is doing so that you can preserve peace here." She turned her attention to Ellie and Eldric. "Please. We're family. All I want is a chance to prove to you that I'm trying to help."

Ellie looked at Eldric and then at Augustus. Augustus held up one hand. "We need time to confer. I will ask that you wait here."

Elysia nodded and everyone else followed Augustus inside. Gabriel stood watch, peering from the window at Elysia who leaned against her car, and waiting.

Augustus' attention went first to Layla. "Is she lying?"

"If she is, I can't tell it. I don't sense any deception, but she's Fae, Augustus. My ability may not work on her."

"And might I remind you that we are prepared?" Eldric looked around at everyone. "If she is lying then we stop them before they can enter. If the information our father left was correct, we have people stationed at every portal. If we can capture just one conspirator to prove that Asha is undermining the peace, then we can have her removed from the council. And peace has always been our goal, hasn't it?"

"Peace without having to suffer war." Gabriel's voice drew everyone's attention. "No offense intended to you Layla, Ellie, and Eldric, but I don't advise putting much trust in what Elysia says. If her intent upon coming here was to work for peace, then why align herself with Asha and be participant in a bloodbath. Why drug and abduct Nevaeh and use subterfuge to arrange a détente with Augustus? Why open the portal if the goal is to avoid the possibility of more of the Dark entering this realm?"

Nevaeh felt pride swell inside her. Gabriel made out as if he was a novice to strategy and someone not given to deep thought but his words were of a man who saw much and was possessed of a clear head.

"I agree." She looked around at everyone. "I'll go along with whatever you decide, but I think Gabriel makes sense. And speaking just for myself, I have no reason at all to trust her."

Everyone's eyes went to Eldric. "I concur. Trust is not warranted. However, our people are in place and I have confidence in our ability to control the situation. I do think it important that she reveal her true intent, therefore I propose that we proceed."

Augustus nodded. "I agree. We proceed. We need proof and if this is the way to obtain it, we must risk it."

"Then give the word." Gabriel turned from the window.

"Consider it given."

Everyone returned outside, with Augustus in the lead. "If you are speaking the truth then tonight will end in peace. If you lie, the night will end in blood. Beginning with yours."

Elysia nodded and he gestured for her to join him. "Then come."

Nevaeh fell into the rear, reaching for Gabriel's hand as he stepped in beside her. "At the first sign of danger, stop time, Nev. Don't delay just do it."

She nodded and followed in silence. She knew Severin and the others were ready. She could feel Severin in her mind and knew he was aware of everything that had transpired. Somehow, that gave her a measure of comfort. Sadly, not enough. She still wondered if they were all marching to their demise.

Chapter Fourteen

Is this how soldiers feel when they are deployed to the battlefield? A sense of purpose that's iced with fear and dread? Fear that seems to seep out of your pores? How do you face it with courage and resolve?

All I want to do is turn around and run. Were it not for Gabriel beside me and Severin in my mind, I might do just that. I don't have a clue what to expect and I'm scared to find out. But I can't back down. It's my fight, too. My dad and grandparents are standing ready to fight. I can't chicken out.

But I sure am tempted.

Nevaeh stopped dead in her tracks when the house just appeared out of thin air. Where before there was scraggly trees, palmetto bushes, and vines that had grown out of control, now there was a lush lawn, landscaped with magnificent flowering trees and flowers of every imaginable variety arranged in artful beds.

Ellie and Eldric led them to the middle of the lawn and stopped. They joined hands and Eldric gestured for Elysia to join them. She took his hand and all three closed their eyes and started to chant.

Nevaeh didn't understand the words, but it was beautiful the way their three voices harmonized. The chant went on for several minutes. Just as the thought entered Nevaeh's mind that nothing was going to happen a brilliant flare of light made everyone watching either shield their eyes or turn away.

Ellie, Eldric, and Elysia fell silent. There was, for lack of better words, a ring of light before them, about eight feet in diameter. Inside the ring light swirled like water that was illuminated.

"Now what?" She looked at Gabriel.

Just as he opened his mouth to reply Ellie screamed.

Nevaeh jumped. Something like dark oily smoke was emerging from the portal. Eldric snatched his hand away from Elysia and turned, his arms spread, to shield Ellie from her.

Elysia looked at the dark energy and then smiled at Eldric. "Fool."

The dark energy suddenly surged, straight at Eldric. By the time Ellie had screamed again, creatures from nightmare poured from the opening.

Nevaeh had never seen anything like them. Humanoid in build, their skin was dark, like leather, stretched tight over sinewy bodies. Their ears were like bats and eyes that resembled reptiles. When they opened their mouths and roared the sound was like a giant cat, but the teeth were like sharks.

They were horrifying.

Suddenly there were people around her. Augustus' army of Preterhumans. Daemons and Wizards hurled fire and bolts of energy, Fae sent lighting spiking at their enemies while Vampires raced among the enemy, tearing heads from bodies.

Two of the monstrosities rushed at Nevaeh. Gabriel shielded her. His wings unfurled as he roared at the monsters. They plowed forward. Gabriel met them head on, his fist caving in the head of the first then grabbing the second by the neck and snapping it like a twig.

Before the second body fell two more were on him. Nevaeh screamed and beat at it. It hissed and turned on her. The stench of its breath and the evil in its eyes chilled her to the bone.

They were way beyond the first sign of trouble. She had to do something. As the creature advanced on her, she stepped back, raised her hands and shouted.

"Stop!"

The sudden silence was deafening. Nevaeh looked around. There must have been two dozen of the creatures still in attack positions, with that many more lying broken on the ground.

She spotted Ellie and Eldric. They stood, back-to-back, white bolts of energy streaming from their hands.

Augustus had one fist literally punched into the chest of a creature, his other arm shielding Layla.

Severin was off to one side, with her father and her grandparents. They were surrounded by the creatures, clustered together with fire like energy shooting from their palms.

And from the portal two beings were emerging. A dark-skinned angel with wings as black as a raven, the tips a brilliant crimson towered over a slender man with silver eyes and skin so pale it was almost white.

Nevaeh grabbed Gabriel's hand and he came awake with a roar. "Gabriel, stop."

He lowered his arm from the blow he was in the midst of delivering and looked around. Nevaeh pointed to the beings in the portal. "Look."

"I know him." Gabriel walked over to the portal. "I know him. Nicodemus."

"Is he with these … things?"

"I don't know. He was of the Light."

"And who is that with him?"

"I don't know. Wake Eldric."

She headed for Eldric. He came to with a jerk and almost zapped Gabriel with an energy bolt.

"Hey, lightning, hold on."

"Sorry." Eldric looked around and then at Nevaeh. "You did this?"

"Yes. Do you know that man? The one with the dark angel?"

Eldric looked. "Yes. Yes, I do. That's Arturus."

"He's Light Fae?"

"No. Dark."

"And the Angel? Gabriel said he was Light."

"He was."

"Then why's he with these…things?"

"I don't know." He paced around, looking at the Fae and the Angel and then at the creatures of nightmare. "Something has changed. Something's shifted. Nicodemus was loyal to the Light. He would not have switched loyalty easily."

He looked at Gabriel. "I have to go back. Find out what has happened and see if it can be repaired."

"You could be killed."

"Possibly, but the only alternative is to seal the portal forever."

"Then do it." Nevaeh thought that sounded like a great idea.

Eldric turned to her. "I understand your fear and revulsion, but understand that just as this is home to you, there are millions who call our world home. Innocents who do not seek power, but who are held hostage by those powerful few who do. I cannot turn my back on them."

"Nor should you." Gabriel put his hand on Nevaeh's shoulder. "I call Earth home and love it here, but there—" He pointed towards the portal. "There is where I come from as well."

"Then what do we do?" She looked from him to Eldric.

"I go back and see if I can repair what has been damaged."

"Alone? You think you can do it alone?"

"I can try."

"No. You'll be – no. Wait." An idea suddenly occurred to her. "Severin. I need to wake Severin."

She ran to Severin and put her hand on his shoulder. He came to with a hiss. She grabbed onto his arm. "I have an idea but I need your help."

"I don't understand."

"Eldric thinks the balance of power has changed on the other side and he wants to go back and try and repair the damage. But he can't go alone. He could be killed."

"Quite possibly."

"But what if he had help?"

"What kind of help?"

"See those two coming through the portal?"

"Yes."

"Well, what if he went back with them?"

"Then they would, in all likelihood, kill him."

"Not if it was not really them."

"Pardon?"

"Give me your power. I'll go back with him. I'll take on the appearance of the pale guy."

"You will not." Gabriel's voice behind her had her turning. "I won't let you do that."

"I'm not going alone. You're coming with me."

"I am?"

"Yes. We'll say you're a prisoner or something. I don't know, we'll work out a story."

"And do what?"

"Take back power." Eldric's voice had everyone turning to look at him. "I am Whitehorse, heir to the throne. My family's power is great in the other realm, and I have powerful allies."

"You had." Gabriel gestured around. "Obviously there have been changes."

"The Light is strong, Gabriel. We can take back power."

Gabriel looked at Severin. "Maybe we should wake Augustus."

"Yes. Nevaeh? Would you please awaken Augustus and your family?"

She turned to comply but Gabriel stopped her by taking her arm. "And that one." He pointed to the dark angel coming through the portal. "But wake him last. We'll get information from him."

Nevaeh nodded and hurried to waken everyone. Once they were all up to date on Eldric's request to return, she touched the dark angel, Nicodemus.

He came to with a snarl and his wings snapped out, but before he could attack, Nevaeh's father and grandfather raised their arms and something that resembled spider web appeared around him. Eldric walked up to him. "You have betrayed the Light."

"Says the king who abandoned his people."

Nevaeh saw the way Eldric's face paled a bit at the statement. "It was not my intent," Eldric replied.

"And yet was the result. Darkness holds sway, Whitehorse and the only way to protect the ones we hold dear is to bend our knee to those who hold power."

"Is there no hope of the Light dispelling the Darkness?"

"We lack a leader, Whitehorse. Our King is no more and our Queen is prisoner, as are many others of the Light."

"Have you warriors willing to fight?"

"Have you leaders for whom we should be willing to die?"

"You have me."

"And me." Gabriel stepped forward.

"Gabriel?" Nicodemus fell down upon one knee. "We thought you were lost to us."

"Forgive me, Nicodemus. I should have returned before the door closed."

Nicodemus looked up at him. "For you our people will die."

"I prefer them to live."

"Then help us take back what is ours."

Nevaeh stepped up. "Excuse me, but can someone fill me in? How do you know this man, Gabriel and why is he on his knees?"

"He is royalty."

Nevaeh looked at Augustus in shock. "Royalty?"

"Yes. He is the Heir Apparent."

"You mean like in line to be King?" She turned her attention to Gabriel who merely shrugged.

"Indeed." Augustus chuckled. "And was so enamored of the idea that he left and came here."

"So if you go back…"She reached out to touch Gabriel.

"He will rule."

"Or be killed." Nevaeh argued with Eldric. "You heard Nicodemus. Gabriel's father is dead and his mother a prisoner. Maybe this was all a really bad idea. Just seal the damn thing."

For the first time her father spoke. "Nevie, we cannot condemn them to a life of slavery or death. We must return. Unless balance is restored there, it will never be safe here for any of us. The Dark will not give up trying to breach the portal and eventually they will succeed.

"If that happens, it endangers not only all of our kind but humans as well. If there is a chance, then I say we do as Eldric suggests and I volunteer to return with him."

"As do I and Zerena." Thelonious stepped forward, his hand in Zerena's who nodded her assent.

Nevaeh turned her attention back to Gabriel. "What do you want to do?"

"I want … I – I want to think."

Augustus gestured around. "How long do we have?"

"I don't know. I still don't know how it works."

Severin claimed attention when he spoke. "I believe we have time, and Gabriel deserves time to make his decision. Also, while he ponders the matter, I have a proposal."

Gabriel reached for Nevaeh's hand. "Walk with me."

She let him lead her away from the others, to the edge of the yard. He stopped and looked at her. "I will go back under one condition."

"What?"

"That we mate."

That seemed an odd demand under the circumstances. "Why? I mean, I'm not opposed, but why should that be the condition?"

"Because if we mate now, when I return I will not have to mate with my intended."

"Wh—hold the deal. Intended? As in fiancé?"

"A union arranged by our families."

"So that's why you left. You didn't want to get married – oops, sorry, mated."

"Neither of us did."

"But if it's like I hear, our union won't be sanctioned."

"It doesn't have to be if it has already happened."

"That's clear as mud."

"Angels are monogamous, Nev. Completely. Once we mate that's it."

"Oh. So it's to death do is part."

"Yes."

She gave his hand a squeeze. "Gabriel, I love you and I'd mate with you in a New York second, but I don't want to be an encumbrance or cause you problems. If you and Eldric are going to try and reunite your people then the last thing you need is a mate that your people are against."

"They will not be. You have Angel blood. And Gavreel was royalty as well."

"Oh please don't tell me we're second cousins once removed or something like that."

"No. There are three royal lines of Angels. Mine is but one, but is the line that has always held power."

"But I'm – a mutt, I guess. Angel and Daemon, Fae and Wizard. I don't really fit anywhere."