The Awakening (27 page)

"
Alex
," she shrieked.

Aya's cry was enough to snap Alex into action.

Stepping forward, he looked down at Aed, who was
struggling with all his strength. He was just meant to rip his heart out? Just
like that? He'd never hurt anyone in his life… He went to kneel down, but with
a roar Aed pushed against his captors with all his remaining energy and his
arms came free. Aya fell backwards with enough force to take Zac and Pyke
with her and Aed was loose.

He turned on Alex with blazing red eyes and hissed
at him. Instead of going in for the kill, the hybrid grasped the front of his
shirt and threw him across the room. The whole thing happened in a handful of
seconds, even before his friends could stumble to their feet.

Alex expected to hit the wall and fall to the
ground, but a sharp pain ripped through his stomach and his body fell limply,
feet dangling in the air. A long blade protruded from his gut and for a sickening
second nothing happened. Then blood started to pour from the wound and drip
onto the floor below. Swatting numbly at the blade, Alex realized he'd been
impaled on one of the halberds that was being held by one of the suits of armor
against the wall.

His eyes met Isobel's and she was white. It must be
bad. It didn't feel bad. Not yet, anyway. Did vampires feel shock?

A figure stepped into his line of vision, obscuring
his sister and he focused on Aed. The hybrid looked up at him with a sick look
of satisfaction on his face. This was the end, right? He couldn't get down, he
couldn't function…this was the part where he died.

Aed's muscles seemed to coil as he readied himself
for the kill, but just as suddenly as he'd broken free, his face fell into shock.
A long silver blade protruded through his stomach and he spluttered in
surprise, blood spraying from his mouth and running down his chin. The entire
room fell silent as all eyes fell onto Isobel. She stood behind the hybrid, a
look of crazy determination on her face, her small hands on the hilt of the
sword.

Aed swung around with a grunt, the sword well and
truly imbedded, his eyes betraying his surprise to find Isobel behind him.

"Siobhan?" he gasped, blood bubbling in
his mouth. "Why?"

"Why?" she hissed at him. "Because
I'm not your fucking girlfriend, you mental asshole."

Aed fell to his knees, disbelief etched into his
features. He swatted helplessly at the sword, too weak from the glyphs Gabby
had cast to pull it out. A pool of blood began to form around him as he gasped
for air.

Alex looked up as Aya and Zac appeared beside him
and nodded. They had to get him down and he supposed it would hurt worse taking
the halberd out than putting it in. Nye was behind them bracing the shaft of
the weapon as the two vampires heaved. Gasping in pain, he would've fell to his
knees if it wasn't for Aya and Zac. Just as suddenly, the pain started to fade
as his body began the healing process. Talk about a itch he couldn't scratch.

"Do it, Alex," Aya said. "It's your
last chance."

"Siobhan, please…" Blood dribbled down
Aed's chin, his eyes full of tears. "I love you,
please
…"

Alex clutched his stomach, trying not to focus on
the weird feeling of his organs and muscles knitting back together. Aed looked
up at him, his eyes swirling red and he was a pitiful sight. He believed his
lover scorned him, his entire family were dead, he'd lost three thousand years
and his entire race… It was time to put the hybrid out of his misery once and
for all.

Alex placed a hand on Aed's shoulder and took a
deep breath. Collecting his strength he pushed his outstretched fingers into
the hybrid's chest, the sensation of his hand travelling through flesh and bone
making him feel sick. Then he held the hybrid's beating heart in his palm and
he gasped. It pumped against his skin and the weight of his responsibility sunk
onto his shoulders with a crash. This was his first kill as a vampire…his first
kill ever…and what a kill it was.

With a grunt, he grasped Aed's heart in his fingers
and pulled. It came free with an awful sucking sound and as soon as it hit air,
it began to dry and crumble, ash falling through his fingers. The hybrid fell
limply to the floor, eyes open and unseeing, the sword clattering against the
floor boards.

Alex hoped he didn't have to do that ever again.

"Alex," Isobel shrieked, throwing herself
into his arms. "I knew you'd come. I knew it!"

Embracing his sister, he glanced at Aya who nodded.
He took that as confirmation it was done.

"Maddox," he heard Zac say and a flurry
of movement whirled around him, but he was only worried about Isobel.

"Izzy," he breathed. "You stabbed
him in the gut with a fucking sword."

"That's nothing," she laughed. "You
ripped his heart out."

"I didn't enjoy it, you know."

Isobel frowned. "You...turned."

Alex nodded. "To save you and everyone I care
about." After a minute, he choked out, "I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you, Alex," she whispered.
"Thank you for everything."

With a sad smile, Alex took Isobel into another
room while the others took care of Aed and their fallen friend, Rix. Gabby had
said they needed to hack the hybrid into pieces and that was something he
didn't want his sister to see, even though she'd had the guts to stab the guy
with a sword she could hardly lift.

He watched Nye, Zac and Aya through the window as
they built a pyre of wood in the manicured garden and when they stood around
waiting, he looked down at Isobel.

"You wanna go outside? You don't have to you
know."

"I want to," she replied. "I want to
know for sure that crazy isn't going to come back and kidnap me again."

With a smile, Alex took her hand and led her out
into the garden, the blue sky that had been promised by the mist beginning to
cloud over. It was England after all. It wouldn't be right if they sky wasn't
grey with rain. Tristan stepped forward and tipped a can of kerosene over Aed's
remains and Rix's wrapped body. As the knight flicked a lit match into the
pile, they were silent as a whoosh of flames cast heat against their faces.

The vampires and their human and witch friend stood
in the yard, bloodied, beaten and bruised as the flames from the pyre reached
into the air. Looking up, Alex saw the first flakes of snow begin to fall
before anyone else noticed. Drawing Isobel closer, he smiled down at her. They
were safe now and he would protect her and his family forever. This was the
last heartache they would ever have to face. That was his eternity.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Zac sat on the roof over Isobel's apartment. Oxford
was well and truly alive tonight, the streets full of people Christmas
shopping, spending time with their loved ones and walking through the multitude
of festive markets. It was that time of year and despite how drawn he was, it
was infectious.

Aya appeared beside him in that invisible way of
hers and he leaned over, burying his face into the crook of her neck.
"Hello," he murmured, pressing his lips against her jugular.

"Hello," she replied, breathing in
deeply. "You do smell like flowers, you know."

He remembered that he apparently smelt like a
Celestine and found himself smiling. Pulling away, he took in her familiar
features, her pale skin that seemed to shimmer in the moonlight, her clear blue
eyes, her long black hair. He'd never get tired of looking at her.

"Why do you like sitting on the roof so
much?" she asked, pressing against him.

"It's quiet up here," he replied, kissing
her on the cheek.

"I know what you mean." She looked up at
the sky and frowned. "It's closer to the stars here, but something should
be done about those clouds."

Zac laughed, shaking his head.

"What?"

"Are you saying you can move the earth
and
the sky now?"

Aya's eyes crinkled with laughter. "No, not
this Celestine."

"Good, you had me worried there."

"Worried?"

"My manly pride couldn't handle it if my
girlfriend was
all
powerful."

Aya shoved him playfully with her shoulder.
"Too much responsibility."

"How's everyone?" he asked. He hadn't
been around much and he felt a little guilty, but Gabby needed to rest and Alex
needed to spend time with Isobel. Distance and time to recuperate were first on
the agenda.

"As well as can be expected," Aya
replied. "Nye took Gabby to a hotel and he's looking out for her for the
moment. Tristan is watching over Alex and Isobel. Time is what they all need
now. To process everything, especially Alex."

"I have faith in him."

"Everyone has their own decisions to make now,
as to what happens next."

"And there's no rushing them, either,"
Zac said. He understood now more than ever the need for making choices with a
clear head.

"What happened to Maddox and Pyke?"

After they'd dispersed from the pyre in the manor
grounds, the Two, as he supposed they were now called, just disappeared. Both
of their promises to help with Aed's demise had been fulfilled and they were
free to go in whatever direction they chose.

"I don't know," Zac replied.
"Hopefully they find whatever it is they're looking for."

"Took them long enough."

"At least they have the chance," he said
morosely. "That's all anyone can hope for."

Aya smiled up at him and ran a hand through his
hair. "You realize we're free too, right?"

"As free as we'll ever be."

"I still have a promise to keep," she
said. "To the witches."

"Of course. I would never ask you to abandon
them."

"Would you go with me if I needed to?"
Her voice was full of doubt.

"I'll consider it on a case by base
basis," he said with amusement.

Aya slapped him on the arm. "Stop it."

"Of course I'll come with you. I'm never
letting you out of my sight again. You're well and truly stuck with me
now."

"How unfortunate," she said with a laugh.

"I love you forever and always, Aeriaya."

"I love it when you use my true name, but only
in private, okay?"

"Does it turn you on?"

"It takes me places I've never been," she
said and Zac laughed at the memory of their conversation on the very same roof
top a few nights ago.

"Where do you want to go first?" Aya
asked, cocking her head to the side and his eyebrows rose. They could go
anywhere, but there was only one place he wanted to go.

"Let's go to LA."

"Let's," Aya echoed, pressing her lips to
his.

Zac kissed her back, pulling her as close as he
could, while Oxford bustled beneath them and the stars shone beneath their
wintery blanket overhead and he knew he'd made it. The old Zac Degaud was
finally gone and the new one was ready to start living. It was time to go home.

Gabby sat at the small table in her hotel room in
the middle of Oxford as Nye helped himself to the minibar.

"I hope you're paying for that," she
grumbled as he lined up all the little bottles of alcohol.

"You're loaded now, lovely. Why am I
paying?" he said with a chuckle.

She'd slept for three days straight and had woken
to the spy reading the newspaper in the corner. Seemed he'd stuck around to
keep an eye on things after he'd dropped her off. To say she was relieved was
an understatement considering the last few months.

Now that things were settled, she had the time to
properly mourn Regulus and sort through his estate. He'd left her his wealth
and what with all the Tuatha hunting, she hadn't had a chance to process it at
all. She had to go back to London and she had to convince Nye to come with her.
If there was anyone she or Regulus would chose to take over, it would be him.

"Have you given any thought to my
proposal?" she asked, knowing he'd get what she was asking.

The spy looked up at her and winked. "I know
your game, lovely."

"Don't you want to play?"

Nye laughed and unscrewed the top off a bottle of
vodka. "You're getting wickeder by the day."

"You know you're the only candidate."

"King of the Thugs? Me? A lowly spy who got
conned by a street urchin?"

The last reference went straight over her head.
"You know you want to, Nye. You've wanted recognition your whole
life."

"Witches are just bloody trouble if you ask
me."

"Times…oh, about a billion." She laughed,
kicking him under the table.

He leaned forward, his eyes on hers. "And
you'd support my claim?"

"Yes and I believe if he were here, Regulus
would, too."

"Well," he said, downing the vodka,
"when you put it like that, then I'll come to jolly old London town with
you and I'll think about it on the way."

"Nye."

"Oh, all right. You twisted my arm."

"I did no such thing."

With a lopsided grin, he opened the next bottle and
handed it to her. "Cheers, lovely. Long live the King of the Thugs."
He clinked a little bottle of scotch against hers and they downed the liquor.
It burnt a trail right down into her stomach, making her cough.

"Lightweight," the spy teased.

Before she could retort, there was a knock at the
door. Nye got up and looked through the peephole and his face split into a
grin. Flinging the door open, he cast his arms out and chortled, "Zac, my
old buddy, my old pal. And the ever lovely Aya with the sharp tongue. Come on
in."

"Hey," Zac said, shoving him aside. Aya
was close behind and smiled when she laid eyes on the witch.

"How are you feeling?" the Celestine
asked, sitting at the table. Her gaze fell onto the little bottles of alcohol
and her eyebrow rose.

"I'm much better since Nye's paying," she
explained with a laugh.

"Oh, a toast," Aya said, unscrewing the
cap off a little bottle of whisky.

"Hey," Nye exclaimed as she downed the
liquor.

"Have you spoken to Sam yet?" Gabby asked
Zac, shaking her head at the vampires.

"Who's Sam?" the spy asked.

"He's my brother," Zac explained.

"You have a brother? Like a human one?"
Nye cried.

"A human one that was turned shortly after I
was."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"He was also turned by Victoria and you could
imagine what would've happened to him if it became common knowledge that he
also has Celestine blood."

"You need to tell him about that, by the
way," Aya chipped in.

"Are you going to LA?" Gabby asked, her
eyes brightening.

"Yes," Zac said with a grin. "On the
next flight we can manage."

"Well, you know I have to meet this
fellow," Nye said sullenly.

"You're always welcome to visit," Zac
said, thumping his friend on the shoulder. "Once you get your kingdom in
order."

"I'll be there to rain on your parade, don't
you worry, mate."

Zac threw his arms around Nye and thumped him on
the back and to everyone's surprise, when they parted, the spy pulled Aya in
for a hug, too. Before Gabby could make a smart comment about that, Zac had her
in his arms.

"You'll be okay?" he whispered into her
ear.

"I'll be fine."

"Nye'll look out for you, you know. And I'm
only a phone call away."

"Zac, you don't have to worry about me
anymore," she said, pulling back. "Things can only go up from here,
right?"

"Sure."

"I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you more than you'll ever
know."

"Oh, I think I already know," she said,
choking up with tears. "Why does this feel like goodbye?"

"It's not goodbye," Zac said. "It's
see you later."

"Damn you, Degaud," she said, wiping away
her tears.

"You're crying over me?" he asked
feigning surprise. "Glinda the Good Witch?"

Gabby slapped him on the arm. "I told you, I
prefer Tabitha from Bewitched."

Aya stepped forward and embraced her. "We'll
see each other soon," she said. "After all, you are my sister."

"You're all part of my family now," Gabby
said and when Nye rolled his eyes, she laughed. "That means you too,
Nye."

"Great," he said with amusement.
"It's like I always say…"

"Witches are bloody trouble," they all
chorused and fell into fits of laughter.

Aya walked hand in hand with Zac down the main
street of Oxford, weaving through Christmas themed market stalls, the scent of
mulled wine and roasted chestnuts in the air. Her heart swelled with pride and
happiness that their long struggle was finally over.

"Are you ready to go?" Zac asked,
stopping to buy her a mug of wine. "We can get a flight in the
morning."

"I just have one thing I need to do," Aya
said, taking the cup from the attendant.

"Get drunk?" Zac asked with a laugh.

"No," she said with a groan. "I need
to see Tristan."

Zac didn't say anything, he just watched her sip at
the warm liquid.

"I need to make sure he's going to be okay. He
spent hundreds of years looking for me and now everything is wrapped up into a
neat little package, I need to make sure he's okay."