Zombies Sold Separately (49 page)

“How are you going to do that?” I asked.

“I’ll take the essences from stones here and perform the spell,” he said, “and transfer the essences in the stones into this source stone.”

Desmond pulled a stone from his jeans pocket and held it up. The stone was larger and not plain-looking like the others. This one was as black as lava rock and as big as one of Colin’s big fists.

“Amazing,” I said.

Desmond leaned against a bare pillar that had once held stones containing essences. “I’ll return with the source stone to the Earth Otherworld and I’ll complete the transfer. The essences will go out from this stone and find their bodies once I complete the spell.”

“What about the Zombies?” I asked.

“They died within hours of Amory’s containment,” Desmond said. “Somehow Amory’s power had kept them alive. Without his power to maintain them, they quickly expired and literally vaporized to nothing. No trace can be found by anyone.”

I gave a slight smile. “One less question for the norms in the Earth Otherworld.”

Colin shifted his stance and crossed his arms over his chest. “What about the essences from Amory’s world? What will become of them? Will they be trapped in the stone forever? Many of them are innocent, are they not?”

“There is a world I know of from Amory’s mind that he wanted to choose,” Desmond said. “It was uninhabited. Amory’s lust for power and to conquer was great, though. He chose Earth over this other world because of the challenge to take over the infrastructure.”

“What does that have to do with those beings who are innocent?” I asked.

“This source stone is so powerful that it can restore those essences which are alive with a replica of their original healthy body in that world.” Desmond’s words surprised me into widening my eyes. “I will release them to that world and be done,” he continued. “It is up to them to make their way from that point.”

With that Desmond raised his hand, the source stone on his palm.

Brilliant colors and sparks flew from the stone. Loud crackling noises and thin, lighted laser-type trails soared from stones throughout the room into the source stone. It was almost blinding in its beauty of dazzling bright colors.

Desmond smiled after the last spark vanished. “That’s it. Now to take it to the Earth Otherworld.”

I stood there dumfounded. “Desmond, we owe our world to you. Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me.” Desmond shrugged with genuine modesty. “Just about anyone would do what I did if it came down to it. There was no choice.”

“What about Amory?” Colin asked.

“No Otherworld will ever have to worry about the Sorcerer Amory again.” Desmond pushed his hand through his long wavy brown hair. He looked younger then, like the weight of worlds was off his shoulders.

“What did you do with him?” Colin said. “Where is his stone?”

“Someplace he can’t be saved, someplace where he can’t save himself,” Desmond said. “In an Otherworld that is much like what is known as the Cretaceous period in the Earth Otherworld.”

“Dinosaurs?” I said with surprise. “You sent him to live with
dinosaurs
?”

“Not a norm or paranorm in sight.” Desmond gave me and Colin a tired smile. “If he makes it out of that stone in some way, he isn’t going to be able to hurt anyone ever again.”

I held out my hand and he took it. I smiled. “I hope you’ll stay in New York City. You’re pretty handy to have around.”

“The city is my home now.” Desmond squeezed my fingers. “I will see you.”

I kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you.”

Colin shook Desmond’s hand and thanked him, too.

“There’s someone you’ll want to see.” Desmond indicated with a nod of his head for me to look over his shoulder.

“Tristan?” I nearly held my breath as I saw the Drow male who looked so much like my brother. With his dark blue skin and blue hair, he stood out among beings of other skin tones.

“Considering he was the only remaining Drow male in this world, his Host was easy to match up with his essence.” Desmond released my hands. “Just remember that to him no time has passed since he was trapped in the stone. He won’t know you.”

I nodded, barely hearing Desmond as I stared at my brother. Desmond squeezed my hand again. I gave him one more look, telling him with my gaze how much I appreciated everything he had done for us.

Then I left him and Colin to walk toward Tristan. I came to a complete stop when I reached him and met his gaze.

He cocked his head in a familiar way that made my heart ache. “You are a Drow female.” Tristan looked me up and down with surprise in his gaze. “You are dressed much like a warrior.” His black eyes met mine. “I know of no female Drow warriors. Why do I feel like I know you?”

His voice was so much my brother’s that I had to hold myself back from running to him and throwing my arms around his neck.

“You do know me.” I walked up to him and took his hands in mine. His skin was dark blue against my pale amethyst. He was tall like our father and I tilted my head to look up at him. “It’s been a very long time.”

He glanced at our joined hands and back at me. “My soul knows you,” he said. “But it does not make sense.”

I smiled. “I was five the last time I saw you.” The memory of his being taken caused me to swallow. “You made me hide in the bushes the day you disappeared.”

“Nyx?” Shock filled his gaze. “It is not possible. My sister is only five.”

“Your essence was put into a stone, Tristan. Like these others that you see here,” I said, “time froze for you. It didn’t freeze for me.”

Tristan’s blue hair was a shade darker than mine and it brushed his shoulders when he shook his head. “It is as I was told earlier, but I cannot believe it.” He caressed my collar that I’d worn since birth. “You wear this. Only my sister could and it bears your name as well as your station. How—how old are you now, little sister?”

“Twenty-seven.” I smiled as more surprise registered on his features. “We could be twins now.”

My brother enveloped me in a hug, squeezing me so tightly that I gasped for air. “To know that I did not see you grow is a great sadness in my heart.” He drew away and I sucked in a deep breath. “But at least I am free now to get to know the sister that I always loved.”

“I missed you so much, Tristan.” My eyes would have filled with tears if they could have. “I thought you were gone forever. We all did.”

“How are Father and your mother?” Tristan’s hand seemed to shake as he pushed hair from my face.

“Very well,” I said, my voice catching a little. “They’ll be shocked and ecstatic to see you.” I just couldn’t get over seeing him. Right there. With me. “You are back from the dead, Tristan.”

I shook my head, still having a hard time grasping it. “You’re here, you are really here. This is the happiest day of my life.”

Tristan hugged me tight. “It’s so good to see you, little sister.”

“Father has missed you so much that he could barely talk about losing you.” I paused. “Nor could I, and for that I’m sorry. I just missed you more than I could bear.”

Tristan hugged me again, squeezing me tight. I didn’t mind. His scent was so familiar that it brought back waves of memories from when I was just a little girl. All of the things he did for me and with me. I’d loved him so much.

When I pulled away I smiled up at him. “Let’s go see Father and Mother.”

FORTY-ONE

Sunday, January 2

“Suuuure you missed me.” I set down Kali’s crystal dish of Fancy Feast on the floor of my kitchen and looked at the blue Persian. “No need to pretend.”

Kali raised her head and stepped with a cat’s grace that easily rivaled that of the Elves. She took her first delicate bite before giving me a look that said, “I don’t like being watched while I eat,” then looked away from me to take another small bite.

“Dahlia always takes good care of you when I’m gone.” I turned and headed out of the kitchen. “There’s no reason you should be mad at me.”

I reached my bedroom door and sighed when I looked at the destruction Kali had left in her wake. The pretty panties I’d just bought were in shreds on the floor, scattered from one end of the room to another like black, hot pink, red and green confetti.

I quit trying to figure that cat out a long time ago. How did Kali get into a lingerie drawer three feet up? Had to be a paranorm cat—it just didn’t shift I guess until I left. Maybe that was it. Surprisingly, the panties I’d picked out with Colin weren’t among the destroyed.

Probably because she liked him. Maybe I’d have Colin do all of my panty shopping.

I smiled then turned as I heard a knock on the door. My first though was
Adam
, but it wasn’t his familiar knock.

To be on the safe side, I sent feelers of my air elemental magic out, allowing it to slide beneath and around any gaps in the door’s molding.

“Colin,” I said to myself with some surprise.

I opened the door and gave Colin a smile as I gestured for him to come in.

He looked as sexy and hot as he had the first time I’d seen him on stage at the Pit. His long golden hair rested around his shoulders and his burnished gold eyes looked at me in a way he’d never looked at me before.

The twist in my belly sent shards of desire through me. “You aren’t using your Dragon charm on me, are you?” I said without thinking as the door closed behind him.

He stopped in the middle of the room and his gaze held mine. “That’s just you wanting me,” he said and my face grew hot. “The same way I want you.”

My fair skin had to be full-on red. “I—”

Colin came close to me and he cupped my face in his hands. They were strong, callused hands that sent an erotic thrill throughout me. His scent, his presence, everything about him was enough to make my head spin as though I was drunk on him.

“I don’t think—” I started, but then he brought his mouth down on mine.

And kissed me.

A kiss that set my whole body on fire.

It was urgent, demanding. Nothing soft or hesitant about it. His was a kiss of ownership.

That thought made me break away. I tried to catch my breath as I looked up at him. His gold eyes looked almost bronze as he let his hands slide down to my upper arms then held onto me.

“What—what was that all about?” I said between breaths.

His smile was confident and sexy. “I’ve been waiting for this to be over,” he said. “And waiting for time to be alone with you.”

“You can’t just do that.” I wasn’t sure what I was saying, except that a man having ownership over me was not in my list of reasonable expectations in a relationship. “What’s gotten into you?”

“You’ve gotten into me.” Colin drew me up against him. It was a side I hadn’t seen. He’d been everything from friendly to flirtatious to someone who’d worked hard with me side-by-side. “From the time I first saw you watching me on stage, I knew you were the one.”

My face grew impossibly hotter.

Colin looped his arm around my waist and pinned me to him. “You and I are destined for one another, Nyx.”

I shook my head. “You are acting absolutely nuts.”

My breasts were smashed against his chest as he gave me an incredibly carnal smile. “I think not.”

Then he kissed my remaining words of protest away until I couldn’t remember what I’d been protesting.

He tasted warm and masculine. The hard press of his body against mine made me groan into his mouth.

A knocking at the back of my mind told me I wasn’t ready for this. It was too soon.

Why was it too soon?

But it kept knocking at my brain.

Then I realized I heard real knocking.

This time, familiar knocking.

I came back to myself and pushed Colin away.

This time I was breathing a lot harder and my heart was beating like crazy.

I cut my gaze to the door and heard the familiar knock again. “Adam,” I said, my voice hoarse.

When I looked back at Colin he gave me a gentle smile before bringing me to him and kissing my forehead. “I understand,” he said. “You need to work things out in your head. I’ll give you time.” His mouth quirked. “But not much.”

What was there to say? My recently ex-boyfriend kept knocking at the door, and another male had just given me a kiss worthy of his Dragon reputation.

Still, I knew he hadn’t used his Dragon charm on me. It had been the real thing.

“I’ll save you some embarrassment and questions.” He smoothed my hair. “You talk to him. I’ll see you later.” He said in a gently teasing tone. “Just remember what I said about not having eaten human males in a while.”

And then he was gone.

I knew he’d been teasing, but at the same time I knew he was serious about me. And him. The two of us.

For a moment I stared at the spot he’d been standing in, wondering if he’d just used a transference to leave my apartment, or was hanging around in glamour.

“If you’re still here,” I said as I walked to the door, “you’d better leave. I need to talk with Adam alone.”