When I woke the next morning Mikhail was gone. I threw off my comforter and sauntered to the bathroom where I did my usual morning ritual. Shower, intense drying, lotion applying, war paint application, hair drying...exhaustion. Welp, glad that's done.
Now what to wear? I walked briskly to my closet and stood before it in utter confusion. What did I feel like today? Although, about 90% of my clothes are black so....yeah, not a lot of options there. I sighed heavily as I grabbed a black ¾ sleeve T.D.H shirt and a pair of my fav flare leg jeans. I stood silently judging myself in front of my mirror.
"Well, if you're going for bad-ass....you hit the nail on the head!"
I smiled approvingly as I winked at myself, turned and headed for my bedroom door. Suddenly I was stopped dead in my tracks. Something was wrong, I could feel the shift in the air. There was a dark presence nearby, where exactly I didn't know. The magical barrier that protects the manor hinders my powers a bit.
It's sort of like looking at a quarter in the bed of a gently flowing creek or river, you know it's there you just cant see it clearly. I slowed my breathing, closed my eyes and focused. Sending out my mental feelers, I searched for any sign of trouble or dark intentions.
To my surprise the darkness was closer and stronger than I had thought. I immediately went into assassin mode, drawing on my powers I crept through the house seeking out the source of my unease. As I neared the staircase the feeling began to grow, what started as a minor warning in my mind was now a blaring alarm bell resonating throughout my whole body.
But how could this be? How could any evil bypass the gate? The wards would protect me, Mikhail's guards would protect me, I (my powers)would protect me. My powers would be going full force, blazing trails through my veins if any evil was as close as it feel's right now. What the hell is going on with me?
Whatever it is I need to snap out of it and fast! I steadied myself as I descended the staircase. The sun shone bright outside, it looked to be a beautiful day, sadly I just couldn't enjoy it. I was too busy sneaking around my own house trying to locate whatever dark presence was hiding within it.
To my very unhappy surprise it didn't take me long to find the source of the bad Ju-Ju feeling. As I entered my kitchen I saw a sight I never in all my bold day's thought I'd actually see, Beliad Cane stood by my island drinking My coffee out of MY coffee mug! He looked up at me as I entered the room.
"Geez Beliad, I coulda killed you, ya know?! if'n I'da had half a mind I would anyway!" I scowled at him. He beamed a self righteous smile back at me.
"From what I hear you couldn't beat the milk money out of a school girl!" he snorted with laughter.
I take it everyone knew about my run in with the idiot's in the parking lot after my botched hit. Oh Goddess, the embarrassment alone was enough o end me right there on the spot. I felt my cheeks go hot as my fingers began to dig into the hilt of my palm. I slowly turned to face somewhere, anywhere that wasn't where the snake was standing.
"Oh come now Redalia my dear, we can't all be super assassin's now can we? I mean after all....with your...lineage and what not...well you get my drift, I don't know why you even try. It's simply a waste really."
"Beliad! Care to explain what your doing in my home? UN-invited I might add."
"Oh, I'm here on official ELITE business. You've been summoned."
"Summoned? What the hell's that about?"
He scoffed and rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest and sighed heavily as if to say "Your annoying as hell and I hate you."
"It's what happens to you when you fail to kill your target. Your to meet the council in the Dogwood Grove tonight at nine o'clock sharp. You mustn't be late! Understand?" he spat at me.
"Y...Yes, I understand, I know what a Summoning is, I'm asking why I'm receiving a Summons."
"You'll find out tonight, wont you. I'm a busy man Redalia, places to go people to deal with."
"Oh, please don't let little ol me hold you up." I said sarcasm dripping from every syllable.
"Good, well now I can finally get out of this hovel....no offense." He threw his head to the side as he passed me. I wanted to punch him in that big fat nose of his.
Something still irked me though. The overwhelming sense of darkness and evil. Could it really be just him? His mere presence is quite vexing but....still....
"Beliad..."
"Yes, what is it? I'm a busy, busy man Redalia. As I've said!"
"Nothing, I'll be at the Dogwood Grove tonight, as ordered."
"Good."
With that he turned and slammed my front door shut behind him. I have to admit once he was actually gone I did feel a bit better, but not by much. There was still a lingering darkness, I just couldn't quite place it. My phone vibrated in my pocket and startled me out of my trance like state.
I slid my finger across the screen, put in my code and unlocked the text messages. I had one from Jax, as expected. One from Alex, also expected. And one from Conall Definitely NOT expected. I opened the one from Conall and perused it curiously.
"Redalia,
I know you do not wish to speak to me, and I don't blame you. I did something's...I'm not proud of them. I need to speak with you as soon as possible. I know you're still mad and hurt and you have every right to be. But you wanted answers and you wanted truths, well if you still do, please meet me by the river in the wood's behind the manor in one hour. Come alone, I want to talk to you face to face without interruption. If you still wish for me to leave you alone, I will. I'll be waiting.
Conall."
"Well...that got interesting pretty quickly. I should talk to Mikhail about this. Could be a trap. Though it might not be. Wait a minute, why the hell would I need Mikhail there? I'm a Kick-Ass-Top-of-My-Class Assassin for the super secret guild THE ELITE! I don't NEED anyone to watch my ass!" I argued with myself as I twisted and rolled my phone in my hands.
"Ok, so he said in an hour right? Well how's about I show up now! I'll check out the situation and make sure everything's okey-dory! Then wait him out. Yeah! Alright let's do this! Wait, why the hell do I keep talking to myself? Man I gotta quit this, someones gonna think I'm insane." I said to myself as I threw on my boot's, grabbed my leather jaket and head out the back door to head for the river.
The river was deep in the wood's, about a good mile in. Due to all the thick coverage of the tree's the wood's get pretty dark, thankfully it's broad daylight today with no clouds so I could still see pretty ok. Because of my tip top physical condition I cleared the mile in about six minutes give or take a minute or two.
Once I had the clearing by the river in my sight's I stalked all around looking for ward's or traps of any kind. I used my power's to feel for any vibrations or hums of spell's that may have been used to cloak someone or something. After checking then double checking everything I could think of and finding no danger I stepped into the clear.
Conall manifested a few feet away, the initial shock threw me for a moment but I recovered quickly. How had I not sensed him?! No time for that I crouched a bit and prepared myself for a fight. But Conall held up his hand's as if to say "I come in peace."
"Redalia wait. I'm not here to harm you. I'm here to talk that's all, I swear."
I stood slowly, cautiously. Keeping my powers on standby and sending out my mental feelers, I eyed him suspiciously. His aura showed he meant me no harm and had good intentions, but I couldn't trust his aura anymore, he believed what he was saying so reading it really meant nothing.
"What do you want? Haven't you done enough?"
"Red, I..."
"Only my friends, the people I trust, call me Red."
He was visibly hurt. I saw the sting in his eye's.
"I never meant to hurt you, you have to believe me. When I found out we couldn't share a real bond....I didn't know what else to do. It's our destiny to be together, to take down Doran and to rule over the Black Forest. Now, I don't know why I never really felt the power of a bond between us, I can't explain it, and I know it hurt's now, looking back on all the times I told you I felt a bond when there was never one to feel. But you have to understand, I did what I did because it was meant to be and the more time we actually sent together the more my feelings became real. I know I deceived you, I know what I did was wrong, I know you can never forgive me for using magic against you.....but please, try to understand, I did what I did to protect you, to protect everyone. WE have to stop Doran, so we may take our true places upon OUR thrones."
Rage boiled inside at the mention of all the times he lied to me then used magic against me, I tried to stamp it down and control the fire storm he'd set loose inside me. I thought back to Mikhail, I promised him I wouldn't reveal who he really was. But standing here now, seeing the total and utter UN-questioned belief in such a falsification or perversion of MY prophecy...I have to set him straight and hopefully I can do it with enough tact to not reveal Mikhail.
"Conall, I understand you did what you thought you were meant to do. But you were wrong, you ARE wrong. I was sworn to secrecy and so I won't reveal who it is, but you, Conall McGreggor are not the first born of King Quinn and Queen Ekaterina."
He stepped back in shock and probably disbelief. He looked from me to the ground then closed his eye's and exhaled deeply before clenching his fists and slowly turning back to me.
"My father....was a good man. A good King. I had heard whispers when I was a child. But whenever I would try to find out more the source of the whisper would disappear. How did you find out? How long have you known? Who...this is why."
It was as if realization hauled off and backhanded him in the face. He placed his hand on his forehead and clenched his eye's closed. Tear's were threatening to fall. I could see his pain, anger, heartbreak....I wanted to go to him, to comfort him, but I held my ground.
Though my heart bleeds for him, he still lied and tricked me. I couldn't get passed it. I waited for him to compose himself before I spoke again, in a bit of a gentler tone.
"Conall, it took great strength and will power to stay true to a prophecy that worked against you, everyday of your life. For that I commend you. I feel your pain, your fury, and your heartache and for causing all this I really am sorry. But now, you're free. You can choose your own path, you can walk away. There is nothing to tether you here any longer."
"Redalia, I....I can't go. I told you, what I feel for you...it became real. I may not be your true mate, but I do truly love you. I want to be the one you come too. If you'll let me."
"Conall, what you did to me...I can forgive the lying because you thought it was a truth. But the use of dark magic to influence my decisions and my body....THAT, I can not forgive. You may stay in my town if you want, but don't go expecting me to forgive you or trust you."
He lowered his head as his shoulder's fell, his fists remained clenched by his side's. He turned his head slightly and gave a solemn nod. My heart ached for him but I knew I had to show strength. I could never truly forgive or forget what he did and because of that I could never fully trust him again.
I turned to head back to the manor, this little meeting was over. A great sense of relief flooded me as I inhaled deeply then released the trapped air flow. I glanced back over my shoulder, Conall watched me as I left the Wood. I called back to him.
"By the way, HE want's to meet you. He has for a very, very long time. When your ready, drop by the bar. It's well passed time you met your brother."
"Does he hold your heart Redalia?"
I thought for a moment, does Mikhail hold my heart? Do I love him? Wholeheartedly I mean? Do I trust him with my life? I barely know him. I mean, Yeah there's some serious attraction, then there's the whole prophesied to be together thing, but at the end of the day....do I want to spend the rest of my life with him?
Then I realized, these aren't questions I can answer right now, I don't have time for warm and feely thought's and answer's, so I opted for the opposite. I told him a truth, a cold, hard, truth that has stood in stone for as long as I can remember.
"No one holds anything of MINE."
With that final statement I left the wood and headed for the Manor. By the time I got to the house I I had received another text, this one was from Alex, again. I wondered what's up, she should be at work by now, matter of fact, so should I!
Then it hit me like a ton of bricks, Mikhail was undoubtedly at work, in my office, with the tape from the security office of the parking garage! DAMN It! I bolted for my truck, as I passed by the garage I noticed something strange, just a glint off the side of the building but enough to peak my interest.
I made a mental note to come back to it later when I wasn't in such a blazing hurry to stop Mikhail from watching a tape that could possibly show my exposed body and failure to escape a human to all his men. WOW that's a mouthful. I jumped in my truck fired him up and kicked rocks all the way outta my driveway.
My cell vibrated rapidly just then, I grabbed it and chanced a glance down as I sped down the road, obviously breaking the speeding limit. It was Alex, I slid my finger across the screen to unlock it and answer.
"Alex?"
"Where the hell are you, she said in a whispered tone?"
"I'm on my way, listen don't let Mikhail...." she cut me off.
"Red, stay away from the bar. Go anywhere else but here. There's a bunch of guy's here, they keep looking and askin for you. Alexi went to find Mikhail and warn him too. Red, they're using a security camera photo and it look's like one from a parking garage." she whispered hastily.
"Alex...does the guy have black eye's? Like so dark you cant see his iris because it blends in type eye's."
"Hold on I'll check really quick."
"Alex wait!" but she was already gone.
I whipped the truck off the side of the road and slammed it in park. I could just see the Bar a little way's down the road. I waited on pins and needles for her to come back on the line. After about a minute I became so frustrated I had to get out of the truck for fear of blowing it up.
I walked to my tailgate and let it down then bent over and placed my head against the warm liner. My powers were starting to take control of me again. My veins went hot, my ears started to lose hearing, I felt a wave of power rush over me like a wave over the sand.
It was amazing and terrifying at the same time. I glanced over and caught my reflection in the side mirror, my eye's were glowing bright violet, little electric waves of crimson started running all over my skin and clothes. I closed my eye's and concentrated as best I could. I was teetering on the edge of a knifes blade.
Just as I thought I would lose myself to the power I heard Alex's voice, it was distant and just barly a whisper but it was enough ot bring me back.
"Red?...Red?.....Come on answer me girl!"
"Alex...sorry I was, uh....(Clear throat) well did you look at his eyes?"
"Yeah, I did....they're black as coal. Red is this the guy that nearly killed you?"
A couple of big black motorcycle's rolled in and parked as she spoke. I paid them no mind at the moment though, I had bigger fish to fry.
"Yeah, that's him. I'm right up the road, I can see the bar from here..."
"Oh shit....."
"What?!....Alex what?"
"Uh, girlfriend Mikhail and a few of his buddies just got here, thing's are not lookin good."
"Damn, if they start brawling I could wind up loosing the bar in the fight. They'll destroy it." I inhaled deeply then released it as I came to terms with what I knew I had to do.
"Alex, how many customers?"
"What? Oh well only like five at the moment. All Sunat's, why?"
"Ok, I'll be right there. Get everyone in the kitchen and keep them there."
"Red, NO! Wait..." I hung up.
I calmed myself and steeled my nerves as I shut my tailgate, walked to my door, got in and started the truck. My grip on the steering wheel tightened as I revved the engine. Memories of the black eyed man came flooding back and swirled around my head.
"Before this is over....I'll strap you down and not only will I beat you till your on the brink of death, I'll ride you like the bitch you are!"
Fury rose to greet the memories with it's blazing embrace...
"...over and over and over until I get tired of your mangled up ass then I'll finish you off. In the most merciless, drawn out way imaginable. Don't you dare for one second think this is over."
Oh he had that right, it for damn sure was NOT over! I threw the truck in drive and ripped down the road until I reached the T.D.H parking lot. I parked my truck at the side then stomped my way to the front door. I took a deep breath then slammed the doors open wide where they stuck in their stopper's.
The power was fighting to be set free, it roamed all over me making my fingers twitch slightly and my body to crack with electricity like tendrils. I waltzed inside all nonchalant, just like I would any other day. Mikhail had his men at his back, standing in front of the bar and kitchen. No doubt trying to protect the patrons.
I glanced from him to the black eyed man. He knew me immediately and smiled that horrid, dark smile. He straightened himself and ran a hand through his greasy hair.
"Well now, lookie here boys." They grunted in response to their lead dog's comment.
"Heard ya been lookin for me big man." I tilted my head to the side a bit then faked a yawn. I smiled at him afterwards.
"Oh yeah, I been lookin." He said, malice dripping from his word's as he clenched his fists.
"Well here I am, please do tell, how can I...assist you gentlemen?"
He scoffed then cracked his knuckles and neck.
"We're here to finish what we started little girl. You killed our boss, time to pay you back."
"Oh, so the Seer is dead after all. Look's like I can close that contract then can't I?"
He growled. Typical dog response I believe.
"Oh don't tell me you cared for the man? How sweet, I'd be happy to send you where I sent him."
"Ha, no, no little bitch. I made you promise remember? You and I.....we'll be seeing each other real soon and we can....." he looked me up and down stopping once on my breasts.
"...finish, what we started on that truck bed." he winked then motioned for his goon squad to follow him out the door.
I waited to hear vehicles start then pull out before I allowed myself to exhale the breath I'd been holding. My whole body shuddered. The power grew strong again. I doubled over, clenching my stomach. Mikhail and Alexi started to come to me but I held a hand up, stopping them in their tracks.
"Stay back! I don't want...to hurt you." I said between breath's.
Glasses on the bar and picture frames on the walls began to burst, wild whipping winds blew in from the open door's and cracked windows. Tables turned over and chairs went flying across the room. Lightning, red and violet cracked throughout the building, the lights began to flicker as they swung wildly around the ceiling.
"Redalia, it does not control you." Mikhail boomed at me over the noise of the wind.
"I'm turning into a monster, This power...it's to strong!" I screamed back at him.
"Breathe Moy ogon' just breathe."
I listened to Mikhail's deep sultry voice and slowly regained control of the raging whirlwind of power. The wind's subsided and the bar soon fell silent. As I started to calm, I stood slowly. I looked around, the patrons in the bar had come out to see what was happening, they all stared at me wide eyed.
"I never meant to....I would never...." I hung my head and looked away from them all. Suddenly I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. I turned to see that it was the Widow Reeves who had touched me so gently. She placed a hand beneath my chin and raised it up, I towered over the small woman, she smiled up at me and stroked my cheek.
"Redalia, we've always known you were special. You were born to do great things! This power you have is strong and terrible, BUT, it does not define who you are. Your action's everyday do." I smiled down at her, tears flooding my eye's. I wiped them before they could fall.
"Come on everyone, let's help Red and the girl's clean this mess up so we can have ourselves a drink!" cheer's came up from all around.