Ruffle My Feathers (The Seven - Book 2) (7 page)

Chapter Seven

Talk about real life being stranger than fiction. Five weeks ago I didn't even know the Preternaturals existed. Now, not only have I seen a lot of them, up close and personal, I've been bitten by a Vampire, kissed an Angel and witnessed an attack that was like something out of an action film.

I'm not sure I've mentally digested all of this. It still feels unreal. I keep expecting to wake up and realize that this was all some elaborate dream brought on by pizza that was a few days too old for safe consumption.

Nevaeh woke feeling disoriented. When her brain cleared enough to permit coherent thought, she shot up into a sitting position with her heart hammering in her chest and her body tensed.

Where was she? The last thing she remembered was … talking with Layla and then … oh my god, the woman in the water – the woman from the event that Augustus was seeking.

Nevaeh sprang up from the soft bed and looked around the room. It was bright and well appointed; the furnishings appeared expensive, as did the soft carpet and the tasteful art on the walls.

She walked over to the window and pulled back the blinds. "What…?" The view below could be nothing but New York. But how in the world did she get there?

As she pondered the question, a voice came from behind, causing her to whirl in its direction. The same lovely brunette stood in the doorway. "Ah, you're awake. Excellent."

"Who are you? What did you do to me and where am I? Why did you—"

"All questions will be answered." The woman raised one hand. "Please, you must be thirsty or hunger. I've had brunch prepared."

"I'm not either." It was a lie but Neveah wasn't inclined to eat or drink anything given to her by someone who had jabbed a needle in her neck and abducted her. "Answer my questions or get out of my way."

"I shall certainly do both, Nevaeh. I mean you no harm. In fact, I only acted to protect you."

"Oh yeah, right, how stupid of me. People who drug you and take you … wherever we are, are usually looking out for you."

"Sarcasm isn't necessary, although I completely understand your mistrust. If you will but give me ten minutes of your time I can explain."

"Then get to it." Nevaeh folded her arms across her chest.

"Of course." The woman turned on her heel and walked away.

Nevaeh stared after her for a few moments and then a few more. Finally, she went to the door and looked out. The room beyond was spacious, a living area. She could see through sliding glass doors on the opposite side. A table laden with covered dishes sat on a terrace, overlooking a cityscape that seemed to stretch out for miles.

The woman was standing at the sliding glass door, waiting.

Nevaeh hesitated for a moment then crossed the room to the woman. The woman smiled and gestured for Neveah to precede her onto the terrace but Nevaeh shook her head. "Thanks all the same, but after you. If anyone's getting pushed off the terrace it's not going to be me."

The woman laughed and walked out onto the terrace. She took a seat with her back to the city, leaving the chair closest to the terrace door for Nevaeh.

"Juice?" She lifted a glass pitcher of what looked like orange juice.

"No, thanks."

"Bottled water perhaps?"

"Yes, thanks." Nevaeh accepted the sealed bottle of water, twisted off the top and chugged down half of it. "Okay, so time for answers."

"Ah, yes." The woman poured herself a glass of juice and took a sip. As she lifted lids from dishes, she spoke.

"My name is Elysia and I am of the Fae."

"And you drugged me and brought me here because?"

"To protect you."

Nevaeh snorted. "Yeah, right. From what?"

"From those who would seek to exploit what you can do for their own gain."

"Stage makeup? I doubt that's going to prove to be of enormous benefit to anyone."

Elysia laughed. "We both know that's not of what I speak but if it comforts you to hear me say it, I refer to you temporal abilities."

"My what?"

"Your ability to slow or stop time."

"Lady you're crazy."

"And you are naïve."

"Screw you."

Elysia waved a hand in a dismissive gesture. "So, you can say to me, in honestly, that no one mentioned your abilities?"

Nevaeh wanted to be able to say no, but the truth was, Gabriel and Augustus both knew, as did Layla. Not that they'd try to exploit her for her. In fact, they hadn't asked anything of her.

Well, aside from letting Augustus bite her.

"Ah, I see on your face that you do have cause to doubt."

"You're wrong. Dead wrong."

"I wish I were, Nevaeh, but sadly I am not. Let's look at this another way, shall we? You obviously lent assistance during the fiasco at the estate of Asha Iltani. There was a temporal distortion and I suspect you are to be credited with that.

"And from what I have gleaned, Augustus asked that you give and take blood with him, making you linked with the Prince of the Vampire."

Nevaeh refused to acknowledge, but wondered where Elysia got her information.

"So, you helped Augustus and in appreciation he … what?"

It purely annoyed Nevaeh that Elysia spoke in such a supercilious tone. "For your information, Augustus and Layla are my friends. Why they even volunteered to pay for my dad's medical care. So here's what you can do with your bullshit about them not being my friends."

"Ah yes, people with the wealth of Midas offered money to help with care. Naturally they did not make any offer to a cure or heal."

"Well it's not like they could if they wanted to. He's in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's."

"Still within their power to cure. At least by some of their compatriots. Augustus could make him and as a Vampire he would be healed and immortal. And consider the power of the Fae. Eldric Whitehorse, the newly appointed Fae Council person has the ability. As does Gabriel of the Archangels. And yet, no one has offered such a thing – the one thing you want more than all else."

"That's not true."

"Oh but it is. Nevaeh, let me ask you… have you been seduced by someone of The Seven?"

"Of course not!"

"Really? There is not a male among them who has flirted with you, tried to become your friend or lover?"

A sick kernel of doubt formed in Nevaeh's gut. Gabriel.
No, that can't be true. He wouldn't do that.

"It's not necessary to answer me, but be honest with yourself Nevaeh. Augustus and his inner circle are brilliant, calculating, and ambitious. They seek to overthrow the Council and usurp power so that they can destroy the peace accord and rule Earth."

"That's the craziest thing I've ever heard."

"Is it now? Then explain why they are the ones against having the portal between worlds reopened? Why are they against the Seven returning home from whence we came? If the Seven returned home, humanity would not face any threat from them. Why would anyone want to prevent that?"

"I don't know. I don't know anything about any of that. I just know that – that they're not bad people and – and if they could do what you say then they would."

Elysia shook her head. "Sadly you are wrong."

"Oh, then prove it."

"Very well."

"Excuse me?"

"I will prove it. I personally do not have the power to permanently cure your father, but I do have enough to give him temporary respite."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that I can restore him to health for a few hours."

"That's just not possible."

"It is. Please, let me prove it. Let me prove to you that I'm not your enemy and that I was protecting you by taking you from the Vampire Queen's estate. If I can do that, will you help me prevent Augustus and his kind from starting a war that will see millions die? Neveah we have to stop this. Too many lives are at stake."

"That sounds … overly dramatic."

"But true. Let me show you what I can do and when you see and believe I promise you that I will enlist other Fae so that our combined power can cure your father. If we can do that, then I will ask for your help again. Will you at least let me try?"

"Let's say I said yes. What would you do?"

"I would call and book two tickets on the next flight to Orlando."

Nevaeh considered it. Chances were, Elysia was full of shit, but if she went along and was able to get on a plane and get home, she'd be able to ditch the bitch and call Layla and tell her what happened.

"Okay, fine. Do it."

"Thank you, Nevaeh. You won't be disappointed."

"That remains to be seen."

"And seen it will be." Elysia pulled a cell phone from the pocket of her slacks and placed a call on speakerphone, booking two first class tickets on the next flight to Orlando. They had an hour to get to the airport to make that flight.

She ended the call and stood. "Are you ready?"

Neveah stood as well. "You have no idea."

"Then let us depart." She pulled out her phone and made another call as she made her way into the apartment. "Please have the car brought around immediately. We are on our way down."

Nevaeh remained silent and followed Elysia to the door. If she suspected they were not headed for the airport, she was going to bolt. If they were going to the airport, then she'd play along.

Why? Because despite her desire to believe that Layla, Augustus and more importantly, Gabriel, had been genuine with her, if there was a chance in a million that someone on this planet had the ability to cure her father, she had to follow through. He might not be important to the world, but he was the most important person in the world to her.

*****

Gabriel landed beside the front porch of his house to find Severin sitting in one of the porch chairs waiting.

"Thanks for meeting me."

"You implied it was of great import."

"It is. It’s about Nevaeh Rockwell."

"Ah yes, I heard you are enamored of her."

Gabriel took a seat beside him. "This has nothing to do with that. I've heard that both the Daemons and Wizards are pursuing information on her. Now it appears the Fae are demonstrating interest as well. My question is why?"

Severin looked away for a few moments. "What do you know of Thelonious of the Daemons and Raj Ragnorok of the Wizards?"

"Obviously not enough or you wouldn't ask."

"Thelonious was very powerful, a leader among us, fair and just. He mated with a Fae, Zerena LaFoy of the Dark Fae. Together they had a daughter, Ameliana. When she achieved adulthood, she mated with Ragnorok and they had a son, Nathanial.

"Thanks to disputes among our kind, Ameliana was taken as hostage, to force Ragnorok into service for the Dark Fae. He refused and Ameliana was killed. But only after she had given birth to Nathanial. Ragnorok and his followers stormed the stronghold of the Dark Fae and many died, including Ragnorok.

"One of his loyal followers found Nathanial and spirited him away, placing him in the care of his grandparents, Thelonious and Zerena. To protect the child, they made the world believe they had died. They crossed into this world, changed their names, and raised the child.

"The name they took here on Earth was Rockwell."

"What?" Gabriel sat up straight in his chair, as if he'd been jabbed in the back. "You're telling me that Nevaeh's father is –"

"Daemon, Wizard, and Fae."

"Which makes Nevaeh?"

"More. Her father, who went by the name of Nate, met and fell in love with one of your kind. Gavreel."

"Gavreel? But she—"

"Was killed. Yes, by a Dark Fae."

"So Nev-"

"Possesses abilities of which she is quite unaware."

"And her father? Layla said he was in a hospital, suffering from Alzheimer's."

"That is untrue. He suffers, yes, but at his own doing. To protect Nevaeh from the same Dark Fae who killed her mother, Nathanial enlisted the help of his grandparents. Thelonious, Zerena, and Nathanial concocted strong magic, magic that mimicked the dementia that afflicts humans so that if he was discovered, nothing could be taken from his mind and Nevaeh would be safe."

Gabriel flopped back and stared out at the water. "And she has no idea who she really is."

"None."

"So that's why you wanted the DNA test?"

"Yes."

"Okay, I'm confused. If you already knew, why do the test?"

"Confirmation. Gabriel, if what I've said is true and I believe it to be, Nevaeh may be able to help us forestall what could be great danger. Whoever conspired with Asha to destroy the peace accord will certainly try again. And, if it is, as we suspect, Dark Fae who managed to cross from the other side when Eldric and Ellie Whitehorse opened the door, we must stop them."

"Because?"