Soul Mates Bewitched (4 page)

“Most likely Daire and Cole, possibly Thane and some others you haven’t met yet.”

“Are you sure Daire is the best choice? I thought he was keeping an eye on Abbey.”

“He was. But when Auberon figured out what was going on, he politely asked Mom and Dad to come stay at Faerie for a while with Abbey so he could send Daire. No matter what jokes he plays, Daire is a strong warrior.”

“Okay. You all aren’t staying here are you? Cause…well, you know how you draw attention.”

“Yeah, I know. And no, I’m going to re-open the Faerie Mound here. Daire and the others will stay there. I’ll be back and forth because I don’t want to leave Anna alone for too long with the triplets. They are a handful already.”

“I keep meaning to do a reading for them. Have they shown any kind of power yet? I know they are only a day old…”

Max grinned and pulled out a picture. “You tell me.”

I stared at the picture of the three Fae babies, two with raven hair like their mother and the other blonde like her father. Their skin glowed and sparkled, and their icy-blue eyes looked as if they knew exactly what was going on. “So yeah, they’ve got power.”

“They’re sort of wearing Anna out with it, which is why I’m not staying.”

“And you have the power to re-open the Faerie Mound?”

Max grinned. “You have no idea. Let’s just say Gaia has been very generous with her power.”

“Dude, that is totally chill,” I said, grinning at him. “So where should we meet up with Daire and the others?”

“In Central Park, near Sixty-Fifth Street. In fact, we should probably go now. They need me to get the door to open.” And with that, Max grabbed my arm and flashed us there.

I
looked around and frowned. “Max, I’m not prepared. I don’t have my swords, Jillian is still back at the apartment…”

Max grinned. “You like her! You are totally crushing on the little witch!”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course, I like her. She’s brave and strong and knows how to kill the Unseelie, even if she calls them demons in that sweet little Irish accent of hers. What’s not to like?”

“Well, she did try to kill me.”

“Don’t take it personally, Dude. She nearly got me killed last night, too.”

“Yeah, okay. She is sort a pretty, if you like redheads with flashing green eyes,” Max replied.

“I like redheads with flashing green eyes,” Cole said as he flashed in.

“Me, too. Where can I meet one?”

Max laughed. “I’ll go back and get your swords, but I’m not flashing that she devil here. She’ll have to find her own way.”

“Max!” I called, but he was already gone. He was back less than a minute later with my swords.

“Didn’t matter, they’re already on their way here. We need to get this done quickly before they arrive. Tony, stand back.”

I backed away and watched as Max and Daire placed their hands on the ground. Thane, Cole, and a few other Fae I didn’t recognize, had their swords drawn and were watching the perimeter.

As I watched, the ground rose up creating a hill nestled in between some trees. I could see the enchantment that surrounded the area that would make humans avoid it and look the other way. Max and Daire approached the little wooden door that appeared in the side of the hill. They ran their hands over it and suddenly the door opened and Max disappeared inside.

“Where are they going?”

“Into the Mound to look for the Chalice. We aren’t sure if it’s there or not. Gaia or Faerie may have hidden it elsewhere.”

“You talk like Gaia and Faerie are living creatures.” I smiled.

Cole just stared at me.

“I suppose that shouldn’t surprise me.”

“Well, why shouldn‘t ye be gob-smacked?” Jillian asked as she approached us. “Where’s yer friend?”

“Nothing. And he’s in there.” I nodded at the Mound.

“What? In that forest?” Jillian blinked. “Where’d that bloody forest come from?”

“Is that all you see?” I smiled again. She couldn’t see the Faerie Mound, all she saw was the enchantment. “Where’s Uncle Nicu?”

“He’s calling a meeting of the Guardians.”

“For what purpose?”

“Well ye’ve changed the rules. If the Light Fae are goin’ ta be ‘round he wants ta make feckin’ sure nothin’ brutal happens.”

“Got it,” I said as Max reappeared with a scowl. “Didn’t find it?”

“No. Auberon was so sure.”

“They couldn’t have found it already, could they?”

“Ye’ve got ta stop that appearin’ oot o’ nowhere!”

Max looked at her, confused. “She’s not a Sióga Feiceann?”

“Not exactly.”

“I just assumed…never mind, I’ll fix it.” Max closed his eyes and his skin began to glow brighter, bronzer. When he opened his eyes they were swirling blue and green as if Earth was living in them, and I realized it was Gaia. I could sense her, flowing through Max as he reached out to Jillian. “Hold her still, Tones…”

Jillian had been backing away as Max came closer to her. “Bloody hell! What the feck does he think he’s doin’?”

I took Jillian’s hand and held her steady. “He’s going to make it so you can see.”

“I ken o’ ready see!”

“No. So you can see all of Faerie, not just the demons and Light Fae that allow themselves to be seen.”

Jillian set her jaw and stood steady next to me, but I knew she was feeling threatened. I could feel it pouring off her aura, however she allowed Max to approach her and run his fingers over her eyelids. As she blinked I watched Gaia flow into her, changing her emerald-green eyes just for a moment to a sea blue-green as they widened and took in all of the Fae that surrounded us, and the Faerie Mound.

“Bloody hell, have I gone mental, then?”

I grinned. “Nope. Welcome to the world of the Seelie.”

“Sorceress.” Daire nodded and smiled.

“Well.” Jillian nodded back and continued to stare at the Faerie Mound.

“Would you like to see the inside?” Max asked.

Jillian nodded, unblinking. She followed Max through the door, holding tight to my hand. I was kind of glad she hadn’t thought to let go. We walked through the door and entered an entirely different world.

The walls were earthen, but not dirt, exactly, more like adobe, but not that, exactly, either. The hallway we entered was well-lit as we followed Max through the maze to a center chamber, a throne room.

“The King’s throne room. Though I suppose for the duration of this visit it’s mine. We’ll meet here, where there is no chance of an Unseelie spy overhearing us.”

I nodded. “Any idea if they have found the Chalice?”

Max had a distant look on his face, as if he was communing with Gaia again. “No, they haven’t found the Chalice. Gaia can tell me that much, however the whereabouts of the Chalice is currently eluding her.”

“Well. So we’ll jest have ta search the whole of Central Park and find the bloody thing afore the demons.” Jillian nodded. “I’ll go back and report to Nicu. Since the others won’t be able ta see or enter this…place, Antony and I will be the go betweens. Like keep each other in-the-know.”

Max smiled. “Of course. Sorceress, may I send you a picture of the Chalice, so you know what we are looking for?”
              Jillian pulled out her phone. “Well.”

“Er, that is not exactly what I meant,” Max replied holding out his hand. “If you will take my hand?”

Jillian timidly placed her hand in Max’s and I watched his skin brighten again as he sent Jillian a mental picture of the Chalice.

“Bloody feckin’ hell! Who the hell is that?” Jillian asked blinking.

“What do you mean?” I asked. “Didn’t he send you a picture of the Chalice?”

“Well, roi’t, but he also sent an image o’ a…a creature woman…”

“The Maiden, Póg Tocsaineach.”

“Toxic Kiss?”

“Yes. She is the daughter of the Queen, and a mortal enemy. If you see her…run. Run here, to the Faerie Mound. It is protected from her; she cannot get in through this door.”

“I don’t run from demons, I kill them.”

“Not this one. Do not fight her, Sorceress. She is more powerful than you know. Leave her be. Come here…to the Mound. Promise me, Sorceress. Tony would never forgive me if Póg Tocsaineach took your life.”

Jillian glanced at me as if I were the strangest creature she had ever encountered. “Pure, well, I promise. I’ll not engage this Póg Tocsaineach creature.”

“Isn’t she…”

“The one trying to kill me? Yes. Being Auberon’s heir is not all fun and games. You aren’t the only one fighting the Unseelie in your off time, Tones. If Anna knew how many times…well, let’s just say these last several months have not been a party.”

“Dude, she doesn’t know?”

“Well, I didn’t want to worry her while she was pregnant. She couldn’t shift and fight, Tones. What was I supposed to do?”

“Dude.”

“Yeah,” Max replied.

“You know she’s going to have your head when you get home.”

“Yeah.
Merde
. I’d better go calm her down before she shows up here.” Max flashed out of the Mound, leaving Jillian, Daire, Cole, and me standing in the throne room.

“What is it I don’t know aboot this Max? Why do ye all set him up as leader?”

I glanced at Daire and Cole, not sure what I was allowed to say.

“The Prince is the reason we have finally started winning the fight against the Unseelie. He has much more power than any Fae Warrior, and almost as much power as Auberon himself. Add that to his shifter powers, and he is a very formidable opponent. It is why Póg Tocsaineach wants to take him out. The Chalice of Light could turn the tide back in the Unseelie favor. If anyone can find the Chalice, it is Max.”

Jillian nodded. “Well, I suppose we’d better let Nicu know what we’ve learned.”

Daire led us out of the Faerie Mound to find that several hours had passed, it was now completely and utterly dark, and there were Unseelie everywhere.

“B
loody feckin’ hell!” Jillian said softly as she noticed all of the Unseelie wandering around the outside of the enchanted forested area. “What the feck are we supposed ta do?”

Daire and Cole drew their swords, “Stay here,” they said as they pushed beyond the forest and began to take down the Unseelie.

“Bollocks! I’m not sittin’ on me arse while they do me job in me part of the park!” Jillian said as she too pushed out of the forest and threw a couple of fireballs at the nearest Unseelie. “Come on ye feckin’ mog!”

“The Sorceress is one little hellion, isn’t she?” Thane said with a grin.

I nodded as I drew my swords and followed her, just in time to take down a particularly nasty Unseelie that was moving in behind her. I quickly sliced off the talon that was aimed at her back and then took the creature’s head.

“They must have been drawn to this area by the magic! We have to end them before they get back to Póg Tocsaineach or the Queen and inform her of our presence!” Daire called out, slaughtering another disgusting creature.

Thane took out a couple of flyers with his flaming arrows, their wings spanned at least ten feet across, and when they fell from the sky, we had to dodge their disintegrating bodies. Cole beheaded a few of the creatures that had landed and were beating their wings to create a dust tornado.

“What the feckin’ hell are these things?” Jillian shouted as she blasted a creature in the face with a fireball.

“Harpies!” Daire shouted back, slicing through the leathery skin and bone of a wing.

“Pure? I thought Harpies had like feathers and looked more female!” Jillian said as she firebombed another creature.

“That is just myth, Sorceress. These things are real and will befoul you with their fangs, so steer clear of their poison laced bites!” Cole shouted as he slid between the bird-like legs of a creature and cut it down as Daire took the same creature’s head.

I strode over to Jillian who was breathing hard, when I’d dispatched the last Harpy into the Ether. The whole fight was over almost as quickly as it started. All the losses were theirs, thank goodness. “Are you all right?” I asked softly, studying her aura and realizing that all of her energy was spent; the payment for sending out so many flaming balls of fire. She looked exhausted and fragile in that moment and I knew I would do anything to protect her.

“That…was totally…craic!” she panted. “I’m like…deadly.”

“With those fireballs, you are definitely deadly, Sorceress,” Cole replied.

“No, no. deadly is
awesome
, not deadly, like a
killer
deadly, though now that I think aboot it, I suppose I am, like, killer deadly, too.” Jillian gave him a tired grin.

“Come on Killer, let’s go find Uncle Nicu and let him know what is going on.”

“I will find our prince and inform him of our battle. The magic signature should be worn off now, and the area should be safe. Cole and Thane will take care of the debris,” Daire said with authority. “I feel certain that none of the Unseelie escaped to inform Póg Tocsaineach, as reinforcements have not descended upon us.”

I shook Daire’s hand, and Jillian and I headed back to Club Dorinta. You could hear the loud techno music before you even opened the door. I’d planned to use the fire escape, but Jillian went straight for the door, by passing the bouncer with a nod.

I followed her as she wove her way through the scantily dressed crowd to my uncle’s office. She shoved open the door, not bothering to knock, or to see if I was following. She didn’t even wait to see if I’d entered the room before she started in on a play-by-play of our afternoon.

“So, what are we going to do about finding this Chalice?”

“I don’t know what we can do, except provide security as the Seelie search for the item. It’s not like Gaia is going to reveal it to us.”

“What about your Spirit Guide? Any word from them on the whereabouts of this thing?”

“I hadn’t thought to ask, but if they felt it was something I needed to know, they would have filled me in,” I said.

“Well ask anyway. Perhaps they can help point the Light Fae in the right direction.”

“All right. I’ll do it after I eat. Are you hungry?” I asked Jillian, who was now sitting quietly. Her aura was looking better, stronger.

“Aye, food sounds like jest the thing I be needin’. I’ve got such a mouth on me. Where do ye wanna go?”

I looked at her strangely. “How about upstairs? I can cook us up some burgers.”

“Oh. Ye ken cook?” Jillian half asked. “Well. Lead the way then.”

I took her hand and led her up the back stairs to Uncle Nicu’s apartment. I deposited her on the couch and went to the kitchen to cook up the burgers. When I came out a few minutes later carrying plates laden with food, I found Jillian curled up sound asleep on the couch. I didn’t want to wake her, so I covered her with a blanket and took our food back to the kitchen. I put her plate in the microwave, ate my food, and then went to my room.

I stripped off my shirt and pulled out the Kohl that I used for meditation. I stood in front of the mirror and drew on the protection charms I needed, out-lined my eyes so that I could “see” what needed to be seen, and then pulled out my tarot cards. I went back to the living room and sat on the floor facing North. I laid out the cards in front of me and waited as my mind calmed and drifted, opening up to the psychic plane. I joined my Spirit Guide, whom I called Anca, which means grace. “You know why I have come to you?”

“I do,” Anca replied, studying me. “I cannot help you.”

“Why?”

“It is not my place to interfere with the Fae.”

“Interfere?”

“There is more going on than you know, Antony.”

“I know that if the Seelie do not find the Chalice of Light before the Unseelie, then the Humans will suffer.”

“That is not all that is being hidden. The Darkness seeks more than the Chalice, they seek the end of all goodness. I cannot help you, for that would increase the chance that the Unseelie will find what they seek.”

“I don’t understand.”

“The Unseelie will be following you, you and the Sorceress. You are both very much in danger. If you were to know the whereabouts of the Chalice of Light or the other artifact they seek, it would soon be the end of the Light. For that reason I cannot help you. I can tell you that your friend, the Prince of Light, has more power than any creature on your plane. He will do what needs to be done, and you will assist him. Follow his guidance and the world will continue to be a safe place for all. You must go now, your Sorceress is waking. And remember, Antony, the future is fluid, ever changing, ever evolving. The choices you make will determine your path. Go now, hurry.”

“Thank you, Anca,” I said with a frown as I returned to the normal world.

“Well, don’t ye look strange.”

I opened my eyes and smiled as I noticed Jillian sitting up on the sofa. “Are you hungry now?”

“What’s with all the eye stuff?”

“It’s to help me see psychically. It’s magic infused.” And this is usually where I lose the girl. There is a reason I let Mom do the psychic stuff publicly, and I stay in the background. I attempted once to share what I am with another girl, and she practically ran screaming from me when I told her that her dead aunt Sophie was watching over her and wanted her to know that she was her favorite. She still gives me strange looks whenever we run into each other.

“Well. Maybe ye ken show me how it works, sometime? Fer now, where is that food ye promised me? Or did ye lure me upstairs with promises of food jest ta take advantage of me?” Jillian said with a grin.

I ducked my head, unsure of what to say. I stood up and went to the kitchen to fix her plate. I returned a few moments later with her burger. “Here ya go.”

“Thanks,” Jillian said, picking up the burger and taking a bite. “Mmm, good,” she murmured.

I smiled as I picked up my shirt and started to pull it on. “Glad you like it.”

“Don’t put that on, not on my account. I kind o’ like seein’ the protection charms. What is that one on yer arm? Is it an eye?”

I glanced down at my right bicep and the symbols I had drawn there. “Yes. This one is the ‘Eye of Protection’. And this one,” I said, pointing at the circular symbol just below the eye, “is a Romani symbol for safe travel. Together they protect my journey into the spiritual plane.”

“Deadly,” Jillian replied, swallowing the last of her burger. “I’ve never seen yer Uncle Nicu use any of those.”

“Uncle Nicolae isn’t a psychic. He doesn’t travel between planes of existence. But he does have the ‘Eye of Protection’ upon him. It is just very well hidden within his other tattoos,” I said with a smile. “Up until now, I haven’t been old enough to get them permanently inked on me, but if I really think about it, I doubt I ever will. I like being able to move things around as they are needed. You can’t do that with permanent ink, just the Kohl.”

As I watched her, Jillian’s aura pulsed between clear-red and the brightest pink I’ve ever seen. It was quite beautiful, but after being around her for a while, I knew that it wasn’t her normal aura coloring. Normally Jillian’s colors ran more to orange-red and orange-yellow with touches of gold. As I thought about it, the clear-red could mean she was getting her energy back. Red could mean
so
many different things. Pink on the other hand, well, that one I wasn’t sure I was ready to deal with yet.

“Well?”

I glanced at Jillian’s face; she looked curious and interested in what I’d seen. “Nothing. I think you are getting your energy back.”

“Well, sure. I would be, wouldn’t I? Now that I’ve had a wee kip, and a delicious meal.”

“I don’t know how delicious it was, but I’m glad you liked it,” I said, sitting down next to her on the sofa. “Wanna watch a movie?” I asked, not ready to let her leave. I was really afraid she’d go out and find more Unseelie to slay, and she really wasn’t ready yet.

Jillian grinned. “Only if ye have tinnies and popcorn.”

“Tinnies?”

“Ah, what do ye call ‘em? Ye know, fizzy drinks?”

“Soda? Yeah sure, I’ve got sodas and popcorn,” I replied. “What should we watch?”

“Nothin’ scary.”

I found an old classic comedy in Uncle Nicu’s DVD collection and after making us popcorn I sat back down next to her and she smiled. I was very aware of her sitting next to me and I really wanted more than anything to kiss her, but I didn’t want her to kick my ass. So I settled for sliding my arm across the back of the sofa, I could feel her silky red hair brushing my arm every time she moved. As the movie progressed, Jillian moved even closer to me, driving me crazy. Every now and again, she would look up at me, her eyes locking with mine for a heart-beat, and then she would look away with a small smile on her lips. I can’t tell you how much I wanted to nibble that smile right off her delicious, salt covered lips. I don’t really remember anything from the movie.

As the movie ended, Jillian glanced back up at me. Her lips were just a few inches from mine. “That was…”

“Great,” I finished, our lips even closer than before. I was a half a second away from kissing her senseless, and I could tell she wanted me to kiss her. I started to lean in, one more second and…

“So what did your Spirit Guide tell you?” Nicu asked coming into the room.

Jillian and I jumped apart like a couple of guilty kids stealing cookies from the cookie jar. “She can’t help. It would be too dangerous. She suggests we allow the Fae to find it,” I said, standing up and moving away from Jillian.

“We cannot just sit back and do nothing while the Fae destroy our world.”

“No we won’t do that. But we can provide some measure of security for the Light Fae while they search for it,” I replied. I glanced over at Jillian who was now busy folding up the short blanket she had been using.

“Well. I think I’ll jest head home. Let me know what ye decide ta do,” she said as she started toward the door. “See ye.”

“Jillian, wait…” I said, following her to the door. “I’ll walk down with you.”

Jillian smiled. “Well, ye think I ken’t take care o’ meself?”

“No, not at all. I just…”

“Well come on then, don’t jest stand around here actin’ like an eejit.”