Protected by Emeralds (A Dance with Destiny Book 5) (14 page)

“Alas,” Tenshi continued. “Mama cannot change who she is. When she saw the likeness of her beloved Jinnites strewn about on the cold ground, lifeless… she removed her mask. She wished the vermin to see her hatred before she rended his condemned soul—sent him to his deserved afterlife with Apollyon.”

“Aye, but bloody Fate reared her ruthless head,” Vittorio added. “She cannae abide happy endings.”

Tenshi nodded his head in agreement. “When Mama looked into the eyes of the one she thought was the killer, she looked upon the unforgettable face of your long dead Emperor. The only man she ever hated.”

Yui sucked in a sharp breath. His heart raced with worry. Yet, he held his tongue and waited.

“Uriel had accompanied her for that very reason. She knew not the truth of it at the time,” Tenshi said. “When she beheld the very image of Musashi standing as living flesh before her, all sanity fled. The Arch stayed her claws, yes. But the worst was far from over.”

“Ye see, wee Shinobi. The man she called Musashi wasnae the killer.” Vittorio turned to face them then. “Nae the one she was sent tae collect.
His
face landed a far mightier blow tae her terrified heart. The real killer’s fair face was her undoing.”

Yui’s brows drew together as he waited for the words he did not truly wish to hear.

“Aye, his lovely face is deemed rare amongst men an’ women alike,” Vittorio continued. “When she turned tae face the black soul she was sent tae sheave, she looked upon the rare beauty of her beloved Hand.”

Yui closed his eyes, sorrowfully, regretfully. “Did he lay hands on her? Did my likeness still her claws in the presence of this beast?”

“Aye, wee raven-hair, ye know it did.”

“Ease your heart, good Yui,” Tenshi said. “
You
brought no harm to Naga. Things played out the only way they could… the way they were intended.”

“She ran tae ye, wee ninja.” Vittorio sighed. “Nae… she ran
from
Musashi.”

Tenshi nodded his head in agreement.

“An’ the ravenous soul roaming aboot layer eight seeking whom he may devour…
that
exquisitely lethal man wrapped his lying arms around mine Angel. She dinnae recall her lessons, Yui. She dinnae look past the wrapper. She was so terrified of yer Emperor an’ the scars he left her with… she lost herself—trusted her deceitful eyes.”

“Is she well?” Yui asked anxiously. “I was told she returned from this mission minus harm. I will go see to her.”

The worried Shinobi turned to leave, but Tenshi quickly grabbed his arm.

“She is well, Master Yui. We speak not of today. You already saw Mama after she returned from the summons we now speak of. A golden Dragon winged you to her side, if I’m not very much mistaken.” He winked at the shocked Shinobi. “Now she is home from yet another mission to that strange place… minus harm.”

“Minus harm, perhaps,” Vittorio said. “But nae minus a few more scars. The kind ye cannae see with the eye.”

Tenshi tried to reassure the distraught man who helped raise him. “She is with Daichi, Master Yui. She will be fine now. Her Blessing heals her as we speak.”

Vittorio snorted and turned back to the endless lavender. Tenshi cast sad eyes upon the Guardian’s massive back. The action didn’t go unnoticed by the raven-haired young Hand.

“So, tell me,” Yui whispered. “What happened next? In your story—when she saw the man who shares my face, what did he do to her?”

“He drove a knife into Mama’s back, through her lung, and out her chest.”

“Aye, while he kissed her, nae less,” Vittorio added.

Yui swayed.

Tenshi held fast his arm. “Fear not, good Yui. The one Mama mistook for Musashi, he slew your wicked lookalike. Then, he lovingly tended her wound. He carried her to safety and bathed away her fever for days.” Tenshi smiled softly. “It was amazing, actually. The man who had once beaten her so savagely, now went without food or rest… just to see her healed.” He sighed. “Well, that’s how Mama’s fragile mind dealt with it, anyway. Strangely enough… it was probably the best thing that could have happened in that regard. That tender, unlikely scene did more to erase the deep seated fears left from that accursed night than all the waters of Vanahirdem could ever manage. Fate can be funny sometimes.”

“Aye, hysterical,” Vittorio mumbled.

Tenshi only smiled at the crumbling warrior—his wings now hidden, his heart laid bare.

“Oh, dunnae forget tae tell him best part.” Vittorio looked back over his shoulder. “Dunnae leave oot the bit aboot her
savior
being the Crown Prince of that wee kingdom.”

“A Prince?”

“Aye, Yui, a Prince. An’ madly in love with her he was. Smitten at first sight, but wholly enchanted by the time my wee lass again opened those magical eyes of hers.”

Yui looked to Tenshi. He only nodded.

“But she knew it nae. An’ I knew it nae when I took her on our long awaited dream date.” Vittorio laughed sardonically. “I bound her eyes an’ led her intae the middle of a fairytale. There in the midst of a magical garden, completely surrounded by the most exquisite blooming cherry trees upon any layer. She opened her eyes… an’ smiled.” He sighed heavily. “Ahh, nae had her smile been so lovely. Nae had her eyes sparkled with such joy. Bathed in the constant rain of soft pink petals, she was an enchanting vision I wulnae forget. I fell in love with her… all over again.” His shoulders trembled as he turned to face them. “I was lost. The lass owns me, she does. I fell upon my knees an’ offered her my only forever.” His burning tears now made their desperate escape. “I had dreamed that very thing so many times before. Nae had I dared hope it would become reality.”

Yui’s sad tears matched those of the Guardian’s. He could tell things didn’t end like the dream he now mentioned.

“What did she say?” The mighty ninja’s voice was likened unto a child.

Tenshi clapped his angelic hand on Yui’s trembling shoulder. “She said
yes
, Master Yui. Can you believe that? Mama finally gave in to the oldest secret buried deep within her heart. She told Vittorio she would accept his manacle. She said the words, Yui.” Tenshi laughed joyously.

Yui’s wide eyes narrowed as he watched the ethereal warrior Vanir sink wearily down onto the padded lounge.

“So… What happened? What went wrong?”

Vittorio rested his angelic face in his massive hands. He couldn’t speak.

Tenshi’s laughter died away. “That same saving Prince.”

“The Prince? The one who tended her fever? The one who looks like Emperor Musashi?” Yui asked. “What does
he
have to do with the enchantments of Angels?”

“Aye, what indeed,” Vittorio grumbled.

“It was
his
garden,” Tenshi whispered.

Yui gasped, amazed. “What?”

“Aye, bloody hell,” Vittorio said. “Can ye imagine it? Across all ten layers of this vast universe, I winged her tae the only cherry trees owned by that chivalrous Prince. The very one who had lovingly wiped the sweat from my beloved’s brow… only the day before.”

Yui stood silent, dumbfounded.

“Yes,” Tenshi continued. “Good Vittorio, here, he loves
Jenevier
as you love
Naga
, Master Yui.”

Yui blushed.

Tenshi only smiled. “And as you know, Jenevier, Naga, and even Gealach can be seen by the eyes of man. Only Vashti can be hidden from them.”

“Aye, my damnable luck,” Vittorio grumbled.

Tenshi continued, “There Mama stood in that fair kimono
you
gifted her, dear Yui. The special one—the one she saved for only rare occasions.”

Yui smiled. “It suits her so well… all those tiny flowers sprinkled about on a sea of black. I love the look of her in that one—sweet and innocent, yet fierce and breathtaking.”

Tenshi nodded his head, smiling softly. “Yes, Master Yui. You outdid yourself with that one. Can you imagine her wearing
that
kimono… twirling around as soft pink sakura petals wafted about her tiny angelic form? Lighting upon her hair… falling within her curls.”

“Aye, an’ a smile on her glowing face that shamed the very heavens,” Vittorio added.

“A living, breathing goddess from antiquity.” Yui sighed and lowered his head. “Is that how the Prince next saw her? Was that the vision his noble heart was blessed to look upon?” The look in the mighty Shinobi’s eyes was pained. “Tell me. How did he ever manage to restrain himself?”

It wasn’t just a hollow question. Tenshi knew all too well… Yui sought
advice
, not simply answers. He patted the raven-crowned man on the shoulder knowingly.

“You tell me, old friend,” Tenshi whispered. “How did he ever manage?”

“He dinnae,” Vittorio snapped.

“Could not,” Yui muttered quietly.

“Aye couldnae,” Vittorio agreed. “That be the truth of it, wee ninja.”

Tenshi drew in a deep breath. “Daichi and I could both sense what was happening in Mama’s heart.” He smiled. “The joy and delight she felt at Vittorio’s proposal was almost immeasurable. We couldn’t stop our wings. We raced to her side. Albeit, for very different reasons.
I
went to share in their amazing joy. Daichi went to rend Vittorio’s limbs.”

The Guardian snorted out a laugh.

“Alas, by the time our feet touched down… the likeness of the man who had torturously beaten and raped my tiny mother, held her within his arms. He was touching her, Yui, laughing and talking like they were new lovers.”

“Aye, ye should’ve seen wee Tenshi then, Yui. Nae have I seen the like. I cannae recall even
feeling
such power as what burst forth from that blue Angel, there. Knocked us off our feet, it did. Daichi an’ me alike.”

Yui raised his eyebrows as he turned toward his former docile pupil.

“What?” Tenshi exclaimed. “That’s my mama. I do not think where she is concerned. I only act. I have no control.”

Vittorio’s mouth turned up at one corner. “Aye, that’s a good lad.”

Tenshi blushed. “Anyway, Uriel showed up as well.”

“Aye, but nae tae help our lass. The bloody Arch came tae defend that damn Prince,” Vittorio growled. “The one with mine Angel pressed hard against his chest. The very man who was caressing her delicate back, fondling her lovely pink curls.”

“I… I don’t understand,” Yui said. “Uriel wishes her to be bound to another mortal? Why such madness? How many husbands must she be forced to bury?”

“Nae. I dunnae think he was there tae condone their union. He was there tae guard the Prince—shield him from our fury.”

“Yes,” Tenshi murmured. “The same reason he was with Mama when first she met Prince Suou. It wasn’t just to help with the shattering of her sanity alone, no. It was to save the Prince from her claws.”

“His future must be a glorious thing indeed,” Yui said. “To claim an Arch as your own Guardian Angel? Even Naga was not so blessed.”

“Blessed?” Vittorio spat. “Remember ye nae what happened when Archs closed their wings within these very walls? I wouldnae consider their type of attention a blessing, wee raven-hair.”

Yui could only nod in agreement.

“Whatever the case may be,” Tenshi continued. “The
situation
opened my stoic brother’s eyes.”

“Dammit tae hell,” Vittorio muttered.

Yui furrowed his brow at the troubled Guardian, while Tenshi could only smile.

The sapphire Angel caught Yui’s gaze. “When Naga’s Blessing realized how much she loved this mighty sentinel here.” He motioned toward Vittorio. “His eyes were well and truly opened. A union with this Guardian would be no temporary thing. No mere seven years. If that valiant immortal slipped his manacle upon her tiny finger, Daichi would lose her… forever.” He paused as his weighted words sank in. “That stubborn blue Angel has seen the error of his ways, Yui. He has reined in his pride. Finally, after all these years… he is acting like the Angel he was created to be. He is showing Naga what it truly means to receive a divine Blessing from the Father—one created for the sole purpose of healing and restoring a shattered heart… of mending a tattered soul.” Tenshi couldn’t contain his broad smile. “It is a glorious thing to behold. Never has Mama felt so blissfully at peace. Never has Daichi known this level of contentment. Never will they be as good apart as they are as a whole. As it should be.”

“Aye, an’ how the hell am I suppose tae compete with that?” Vittorio grumbled.

“You are not,” Yui whispered. A single tear, filled with both great sorrow and unsurpassed love, slid a lonely path down his beautiful cheek.

Chapter 10

Jinn

(JINN)

“Do you chill?”

Jenevier hadn’t thought about it until Daichi asked. She automatically hugged herself, quickly rubbing the backs of her bare arms.

“Perhaps I do. I didn’t even realize—”

Her words stopped when she felt the warm blanket sliding around her shoulders. Daichi embraced her from behind, wrapping them up together in the comfortable warmth.

She smiled and leaned back against his sculpted chest. “Mmm… this feels nice.”

“Everything about you feels nice, Naga.” He tightened his embrace. “And everything about you smells nice, too. You are my whole world.” He kissed the side of her head. “I will not let you fight our healing contact anymore. I will sit right here and hold you to me for all eternity, if that’s what it takes, Little Fire.”

“Is that so? Then tell me, Daichi. How is it you shall eat your cake—sitting back there for all time? Mika told us to eat it while it was yet warm. Yours will get cold.”

He rested his chin on her shoulder as he spoke. “You will feed it to me.”

She only rolled her eyes and chuckled softly. “Very well, Lord Daichi.” She scooped up a mouthful of the warm chocolate. “Open up.”

He slowly slid his lips from the fork, closing his eyes. He moaned. “Mmm… divine decadence. Heaven must taste just like this.”

“Heaven, huh?” She snorted playfully. “Well I certainly don’t want to miss out on that.”

Daichi gently took her hand, stopping her just as the fork touched the moist desert once more. “Here, Naga… let me.”

Sweet delicious bliss spread throughout her mouth, dissolving into euphoria.

“Ahh… I could eat my weight in that. It is divine, so delicious. I just wanna roll in it. Bathe in it.”

“Now
that
would be something to see.” Daichi chuckled. “Hold still, Empress. You have a bit of cream on your cheek.”

She shivered when his tongue touched her flesh.

“Naga.” He squeezed her. “Everything about you makes me want to devour you.”

She wiggled in his tightening embrace, giggling. “And once you gobble me up, dearest Blessing, what will you do then?”

He kissed her shoulder. “I will not devour you wholly, dearest Naga. I will leave but a small piece. Remember? You are to remain with me always.”

“I wish never to forget,” she whispered. “Not again.”

“It does my heart good to see the two of you thusly.” Tenshi smiled through his words as he joined them on the balcony, taking the seat opposite the happy Angels.

Jenevier smiled at her beautiful son. “Your heart?”

“Yes. It does
my
heart good. Yet there are many now shattered.” He paused, staring at them. “Have there ever been two more stubborn creatures than the likes of you? Nay, there have not. Not within any realm, nor upon any layer.” He chuckled softly.

“Perfect timing as always, Brother.” Daichi half growled. “Is there something in particular you needed? We were just in the middle of dessert. Can your unwelcome visit not wait until dawn?”

Tenshi smiled. “I am not so foolish as to think the dawn will bring anything different than what I currently behold. Now that the gate has been torn from its hinges, it will not be shut again.” He matched his mother’s teary gaze. “It doesn’t bother me. In truth, my heart sings with the acceptance of your long overdue connection. It is as it should be.”

Jenevier sighed contently. “Only yesterday, I would never have believed peaceful, quiet times like these would ever be possible. The three of us have been through so much together. When first I entered this palace…” She paused, swallowing back her coming tears. “Can you believe
we
are the ones now roaming about these halls? Having tea together as we watch our little family grow. I could never wish for a greater blessing, a greater gift. Looking back… I would gladly have suffered through a thousand times more if I had known this was to be our reward—utter bliss.”

*****

Saying goodbye to Vittorio was one of the hardest things she had ever done. It ranked right up there with kissing Varick’s cold lips, and lighting Finnean’s funeral pyre. She held tight to him, demanding her tears remain at bay. It was no use.

“Aye, Lass. Ye stand absent choice. I hold nae fault against ye.”

She squeezed him, gripping his waist ever tighter, crying against his stomach. “I love you truly. You know that, right?”

“Aye, my wee darlin’. I know.”

“This vow I make is not a light one, but I am making it all the same,” she whispered. “I will never hold
you
to it, but you can mark my words as truth.”

“An’ what vow is that, wee Princess?”

“I will never marry another. No matter how long I live, I will don no man’s manacle, save yours.”

“What are ye saying, Lass. Ye speak madness. An’ stop using words like that. Never is a long time, especially for ones such as us. An’ Daichi will be with ye until the end of all things. How is it ye can say ye’ll hold oot for me, when such a thing wulnae be possible?”

“Possible or not, I vow it and I will never withdraw. I cannot explain my connection with Daichi, for I know of nothing to compare it to. We are only whole together—two parts of the same unique creature. But what yet remains of my human memory… will not let me forget his birth. Whether he is
of
me or not, I cannot love him as a woman’s heart loves a man. A tiny piece of me will always count him as son. When we kiss, it’s different. It’s like… turning a key in a lock. Like watching the sun set and the moon rise, or flipping on a light switch in utter darkness—comfortable and glorious and perfectly healing.”

“An’ what’s it like when ye kiss me, wee Angel? How would ye describe the feeling of my lips upon yers?”

She smiled. “Over the moon… Like floating through the stars and wishing it would never end. When you kiss me, Vittorio, my heart swells to bursting. I am no longer the Death Angel when your arms wrap about me. I am woman only. My mouth waters and my tummy quivers. Your touch is that of a man, the only man I want pressed against me. I know not how else to explain it, rare Guardian. It’s kind of like… You own my heart, Vittorio, but… Daichi owns my soul.”

“Aye, Lass. Sweeter words cannae be spoken. I’ll love only ye, my wee darlin’, forever.”

“And thus my vow,” she whispered. “I gave you my heart amidst those lovely cherry blossoms, and I never want it back. It is yours, my beautiful warrior, until the end of all things.”

When he kissed her farewell, Jenevier couldn’t let him go. Vittorio had to pry open her clenched fingers before his tunic was freed. He didn’t want to, no, but she had begged him to be the strong one. He entered the clouds over Jinn with tears on his cheeks, and a smile etched upon his heart. She truly loved him… and that’s all that mattered.

*****

Munenori had watched their tearful exchange. He couldn’t help himself. When he had felt her essence drawing near to the battlefield where they had made their stand and defeated hell, he simply could not stay away.

“She will only ever hurt you, Munenori,” the smooth voice whispered beside him.

“Yes, Apollyon, I know that. But I decided long ago… she is worth the pain, worth suffering for.”

“In this, we are of like-mind, Brother.”

The sapphire Prince of Hell and the mossy lavender Guardian of Jinn sat silently as they watched her accented Guardian disappear into the clouds, and the Archs who called her little sister approached.

*****

“I can feel only a void where a heart once beat,” Uriel said as he came to stand beside her.

“Uriel is not wrong in this, little Naga,” Gabriel said. “Not only do I feel the void, I can sense the darkness buried deep inside you.”

“Yes,” Raphael added. “It’s like you’ve got this whole other
dark side
.” He kissed the top of her head as he draped his arm over her shoulders.

“Of course I have a dark side, Brother.” She elbowed him playfully. “That is why I have this morbid compulsion to be the Angel of Death. I mean, what else can you do when your life has been a continuous stream of one bad decision after the next?”

Raphael chuckled. “Yes, epically bad decisions.”

She elbowed him again.

“You know, baby Angel,” Gabriel said. “There are many in heaven who, despite your constant mistakes and epically bad decisions…” He gave her a little smile and a wink. “…think your heart is in the right place.”

“Is that so, Gabriel? Then, tell me. What do
you
think?”

“Me? Well… I think too much heart was always your biggest problem.”

“Yes,” Uriel added. “It seems you walk through the fires of adversity for the scars alone. I found you on Ashgard running away with your Dragon only yesterday. Now look at you. A day and a half in your life is like a year to most others.” He paused and took a deep breath. “Can I speak my mind, Empress?”

“Have you not been speaking your mind this whole time?” she grumbled.

He ignored her. “You need to always bear in mind this one thing. We cannot reverse the sun or erase the past. I told you an important summons was fast approaching. I know not the whole of it, not yet. But you shouldn’t be out here crumbling with a broken heart. You should be with your Blessing. He must make you whole so you can fulfill your promised duty. You have accepted your role in this life. Now accept who you are. Learn and grow, Naga. Quit repeating the same mistakes that always bring you such pain.”

“You think I do this on purpose?” She rolled her eyes. “By all that’s holy, Uriel. How can you be an Archangel and still be so damn stupid?”

His haughty smirk was so blatant she wanted to slap him.

“Tell me this, little Naga,” Uriel went on. “How is it you can be so fierce in the face of death, yet afraid to simply be who you are… afraid to simply live this life?”

“I am not afraid to live.”

“Then what is it? Why do you keep placing your heart in harm’s way—tying it down with impossible strings? What is keeping you from living, little sister?”

“…Death,” she whispered. “You see, delivering death is a blessedly calming thing to me. It brings me peace. When I am doing what I was made to do, I am centered and whole. Alas, I am Death. And death does not go well with life. Life? Yes, well, I know death… I don’t really know how to live. I mean, not blissfully, not like other creatures do. When faced with
those
kinds of decisions, I always divert to my stupid heart—let
it
make all the decisions. I cannot help it. I do not know how to live like normal people do.”

“Fret not. All is well, little Naga,” Gabriel said. “We are all different creatures, formed for different purposes.”

“‘Tis true, Gabriel.” She snorted out a self-deprecating chuckle. “I… am the Death Angel. And I chose to remain so. Yet I am the
one
entity who is recognized and feared within every realm, among every race… since the beginning of time itself. There are many places where they speak not
your
name, Brother. Yet… they know
me
. No matter how many things—beliefs, religion, culture, superstitions—separate the vast peoples of this universe, there is one thing that binds them all together, a common thread—me, the fabled Bringer of Death. And… they are justified in their fear of me. I have done many things, claimed many souls. I have nearly become numb to the blood and the tears and the atrocities.”

“It worries me to hear you say you are numb, little sister,” Raphael said. “No matter how many wars I fight in, each one haunts me. Does nothing haunt you, Kagi Naga?”

Tears burned her eyes. “Yes. There is one thing that haunts me… one thing that renders me shattered.”

“Tell me what it is, baby sis.” Raphael twirled one of her curls as he spoke. “Tell your big brother what haunts you and I will try to lighten your load—take some of your burdens on myself. Speak aloud the hardest thing you have to deal with, Naga, and I will gladly deal with it in your stead.”

Jenevier smiled softly at the beautiful dark-haired Angel with the voice as deep as the ocean. She was glad he was her brother, thankful for his love.

“Ahh, if only you could, treasured brother.” She rested her head against his side. “Alas, the hardest thing I have ever had to do, the thing which haunts me daily is… kissing cold lips that cannot kiss back.”

“So… is that why you came
here
?” Uriel asked. “Is that why you chose this place to say your bitter farewell?”

His voice was kind and gentle now. They fought a lot—clashed for no reason other than they could. But she loved him every bit as much as she did his brothers.

“Yes, Uriel,” she whispered. “This is sacred ground—watered with tears and blood… salted with the ashes of my brethren.”

“I watched you that day,” Gabriel said. “We all came to join you. When we emerged from the clouds, we heard your screams for help… saw the giant blade fell your noble husband.”