Although never one to let impatience bother him, Savitar was also never one that liked it when things took longer than they should have. Annoyed when beings made things harder than normal, he inhaled deeply to purge the need to step in and speed things up. 1
There were dozens of things that he could do, but he wasn’t exactly sure how they would shape the future. He could have easily offed Labeve by himself, but as he told Tria, it was someone else’s responsibility. If he did it, then more than one person would never reach the level they were supposed to, and that could mess further things up.2
Slightly cursing as his inability to see his own future, he went back to the ideas of subtly getting the cast of players to move their butts. Kicking Roan in the behind to get her moving held a delightful prospect, but even she had to discover a few things on her own.3
Looking down at his hand as his fingers drummed on the desk he sat behind, Savitar clenched the fingers and went back to staring blankly at the expansive surface in front of him. It was rare that he utilized the office in his palace, but sometimes he needed a different venue to think. Besides, the beach reminded him too much of Aiden, and when he thought of her, all else took a backseat. 4
Things were supposed to end tonight for at least one player involved in this little drama, although keeping him alive might be better in the long run. Not that Savitar cared, but a change of this, along with an altering of that, and a new future for a long list of people could be discovered. Seeing the merit in such a future, and knowing that it would effect him in a roundabout way, he had to force himself to remain on Neratiti so he wouldn’t be tempted to sway things before it had the chance to happen. 5
Only the promise that he had made to Aiden a while back would prompt any sort of interference from him. He knew she would eventually understand why he could save one but not the other, even though it was his promise that set this in motion. Since he’d promised that he’d make sure no harm came to Dom or Angie, that left four others for the damage to rain upon. Roan was out of that loop since she’d finally listened to what Savitar hadn’t told her, which left Tria, Paul, and the unborn heir to Dom’s fortune. 6
Noticing that is fingers had started drumming against the desk again, he stood with a light growl. He wasn’t used to all this ‘caring’ about what happened to people, and wished that human would get their shit together so he could stop playing around to keep the preferred future intact. It seriously annoyed him to have to deal with humans, and it cut in to his surfing time. 7
Thinking of which, his outfit changed to a sold black wetsuit as he headed for the area of the island where he could forget most things for a while and concentrate on the one constant that he could always depend on. 8
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~~~~~~~~~~~~10
Jumping as a scream filtering in from outside, Dom was already heading for the door when Angie stopped him. 11
“Don’t go out there.”12
“You stay in here,” Dom said, gently moving her out of his way. He took one step out of the door, and was immediately reminded of the view that greeted him the night Craig died. He watched, silent as Tria knelt over Paul. When the avian slowly tried to sit up, Dom continued to stare at the three. Paul had a waxy appearance to his skin, no doubt from the blood that was pooled around him. 13
Clenching eyes shut at the continued carnage that seemed to surround him, Dom exhaled as he reached a decision. Without word, he walked to his car, reached in to tap the remote for the gate, then stepped back as it slowly opened. 14
“Labeve!” he yelled, getting confused stares from everyone. “Come on in, you bitch!”15
“What are you doing?” Roan snapped.16
“Get off my property,” he ordered evenly, his gaze not leaving the opening in the gate. “She’s not going to come with you here, and this ends tonight. One way or another.” 17
“Be reasonable.”18
“Take Angie with you,” he continued.19
“I’m staying.”20
Dom turned to look at Angie as she stood behind him. “You’re going.”21
Ignoring him, she walked past and crouched on the ground by Paul, who looked like he was still struggling with understanding what was going on. “You going to be okay?”22
“I don’t know.” Grabbing her hand in his, he stared in to her eyes. “You have to leave,” he whispered as he smelled the danger in the air. 23
“Has no one been listening to me?” Angie asked as she stood. Facing Dom, she crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m not going anywhere. Because if I do, I won’t be coming back.”24
Staring in disbelief, Dom couldn’t find the words to reply. Pain started in his chest, branching out to all of his body in a matter of seconds. He couldn’t risk her being hurt, but to have her walk away from him would be something he wasn’t sure he could recover from. 25
Walking two steps to stand by her, he placed a hand on her upper arm and gently led her to the side of the house on the other side of the brick wall. Stopping near the bistro table, he let go and stared at her.26
“I don’t like that you pulled that ultimatum on me,” he said in a calm voice. “I hate it in fact…mainly because you knew how much it would hurt me, and maybe change my mind.”27
“I said it so you’d understand how serious I am about standing by your side regardless what happens.”28
“Damn it, Angie,” he said, losing the little patience he had. “You’re going.”29
“I’m staying.”30
“Woman,” he warned.31
“Back it up, Dom,” Angie replied in the same tone. “I’m staying, and there’s not a damn thing you could say that will make me leave.” 32
She was wrong on that count…he had over a hundred things that he could say that instant to her. Unfortunately, most contained one impolite adjective or another, while the rest were just downright nasty. Suddenly feeling far too hot, he shrugged his jacket off and tossed it on the bistro table.33
“Besides,” she continued, “if I’m not here, then that demon will never show up. And since someone, namely you, invited her in, she can come any time before the baby is born.”34
Holy sweet fucking shit. “Fine,” he muttered. “But when this is over, and by some frigging miracle we both survive…”35
“What?” she asked, folding her arms and glaring.36
“We get married. Tomorrow.”37
The annoyance she felt immediately left her face. “Deal.”38
“Good,” he said, taking her hand and kissing it. Labeve had already screwed up his last attempt to marry Angie, and he would be damned to let her get away with doing it again. Pulling gently, he led her back around to the other side of the wall. 39
Paul had made it to his feet, although still looked like he was trying to figure out what had happened to him. “She’s staying,” he said.40
“Apparently,” Dom replied.41
“You can’t protect yourself and her from that bitch,” Tria said. 42
“I’ll stay,” Paul said as he stared at the couple. He looked at Roan and Tria. “Best be on your way.” 43
“She already knocked you on your hind feathers once tonight,” Tria pointed out. “I’ll stay.”44
“And what?” Paul asked. “Throw platters at her head?”45
“I was thinking fireballs.”46
“’Scuse us,” Paul said, grabbing Tria’s arm and pulling her to the side. “Think about what you said,” he muttered. “You’ve got a demon flinging fire, and you shooting it right back.”47
“Sounds about right.”48
“And Dom in the middle trying to protect his lady.”49
“You’re pretty astute for someone that got their arse kicked not too long ago.”50
“How’s this for astute? Dom’s afraid of fire.” Paul’s eyebrow rose as realization crossed Tria’s face. “Yeah.”51
Stepping back with a sigh, Tria crossed arms over her chest. “This is stupid, you know? Why am I even here then?”52
“I’ve asked myself that many times,” Paul told her. “Might be that this is a path you have to stumble through to get to what destiny intends for you.” 53
“Pardon?” she asked as what he said sparked a memory.54
“Nothing’s ever clear cut,” Paul said, moving slightly to relieve tightness in his chest. “You of all people should know that.” 55
All the arguments where there as to why she should stay, and to why a lone Were-Hunter couldn’t defeat the demon… but she knew they were just that, arguments. Paul, for all his annoying arrogance, was correct. Labeve wouldn’t show up with Roan there and after the events outside the gate, she probably had Tria pegged as someone equally dangerous. Sighing, she turned to look at the others behind her. Angie looked scared while Dom had the resolved look of someone about to face the fires of damnation. 56
“It’s his destiny,” Tria said, as the conversation with Savitar appeared in her mind.57
“Are you sure?” Roan demanded. 58
“Not really.” Taking a step towards the humans, she stopped in front of Angie. “Be strong,” she said. “Remember that there’s a reason all this is happening.” 59
“So I’ve been told,” Angie muttered.60
Looking at Dom, Tria nodded slightly. Although they’d had a rough spot the past year, she wanted to let him know that she wished him no harm. Unfortunately the words just wouldn’t come out. Taking a step back, she turned to Roan, stopping as she caught sight of Paul out of the corner of her eye. 61
He was looking at her with such a tender expression that she had the urge to walk over, grab his face gently in her hands, and head butt him. Frowning as he grinned at her, she realized he’d heard the thought in her mind. 62
~~~~~~~~~~~~63
~~~~~~~~~~~~64
Shielding his eyes as he looked in to the sky, Adlar Falconidae scanned the area for his daughter. He couldn’t see her fascination with flying, and sometimes wondered if there were some Katagaria in her ancestry. It would explain her friendship with the wolf. 65
Sighing when he knew that his daughter was just spirited and held too much of her mother in her, he leaned against the railing of the walkway that ran through the trees. At one time, this had been his refuge, a place that only he knew. Now beings were popping in and out like it was the newest vacation resort. 66
Scanning again, and not seeing Aiden, he turned, taking a step back when he realized she was standing not ten feet from him. “Wish you’d stop doing that,” he said, glossing over the discomfort seeing her always brought him.67
“Sorry,” Aiden replied in a neutral tone. “So, yeah, um, any other father/daughter bonding you’d like to do, or can I get my tail feathers back to my chalet?”68
Surprised, he arched an eyebrow at her. “I thought you wanted to get to know me?”69
“That was Sav’s idea, not mine,” she reminded him. “He seems to think that I’ve got this deep-seeded need to connect with my past.”70
“Don’t you?”71
“In part,” she admitted. “But I was mainly looking for the years I was mated, and all the things I missed while Pierce took over.”72
“Then Savitar was right.”73
“Nope.” Shrugging lightly, she leaned against the railing. “You vanished before all this happened, so any part you may have had in the drama that unfolded is mull and void.”74
“I had to leave.”75
“Keep telling yourself that, and maybe you’ll believe it.”76
Irritated at her impudence, he frowned. “And was respect for your father one of the victims of your so-called drama?”77
Snorting in annoyance, Aiden shook her head lightly. “After all these years, it still comes down to you, and the big, huge sacrifice you made for your family.” Standing, she slowly walked towards him. “You left. Okay, acceptable. You never contacted any of your offspring, even after we’d all reached maturity. Not acceptable. Hiding out here for nearly one hundred years?”78
“I really don’t see the need to explain my actions to you.”79
“And that gives me all the answers I could ever want or need.” Sketching a small bow, she turned and walked away. “Savitar thought it was important for me to spend time with you. And since I value is insight, I’ll remain for a few more weeks.” Stopping, she looked back at him. “If any of my friends needs me before then, I’m gone like a shadow at high noon.”80
Watching as she walked away, a smile slowly crept to his lips. He’d always worried about his only daughter, and now he could rest easy knowing that she would be able to handle anything that came her way. 81
“She can.”82
Turning at the deep, melodious voice that came from behind, Adlar leveled a slight glare at the being that stood there. Returning the gaze calmly, Savitar waited for him to speak. 83
“Ever have the feeling that you’ve been played?” Adlar asked.84
“Never.”85
“Why did you contact me about Aiden?”86
“Besides the fact that you’re her father and parents should be prepared to move heaven and earth in order to be a part of their child’s life?” Although spoken in an even tone, there was an underlying coolness to the words. 87
“You know why I did what I did.”88
“I know,” Savitar said with a nod. “But to be honest here, you don’t really know why you did it. Sure, you have what you believe to be the reasons, although if you look hard enough you’ll find those are just window dressing designed to hide the truth.”89
Slightly annoyed at the immortal, Adlar tilted his head in confusion. “The wolves-“90
“Were after you,” Savitar interrupted in a bored tone. “You left to lead them away, they attacked in your absence, and blah, blah, blah. Heard it all before.” Fixing him with an uncompromising stare, his lip curled slightly in disgust. “Why were they after you in the first place?”91
Standing straight in guilt, Adlar stared at the Omegrion mediator. “Why did you want Aiden with me?” he asked, extreme suspicion lacing his words.92
“She needs to find some solace in the past she missed out on,” came the pointed reply. “And you need to stop running from taking responsibility for your misdeeds.” 93
“I didn’t-“ Stopping as Savitar raised a finger, Adlar clamped his mouth shut.94
“You really don’t want to lie to me on any matter that concerns Aiden,” he pointed out. Looking around, and towards the house where he knew Aiden would be, he smiled lightly. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to have a discussion with your daughter.” 95
Blinking as he vanished from the walkway, Adlar shook his head and sighed. Turning, he morphed in to a large golden eagle and took off flying. 96
Appearing in the living room of the small house that rested on the side of a hill, Savitar glanced around. Although he wanted to be here, he really didn’t have the time to play nursemaid.97
“Low tide?” a voice asked from behind.98
Turning, he stopped at the view that greeted him. She could always take his breath away with the simplest of glances, and he had to remind himself that he wasn’t here for some private skin-to-skin action. “I needed to talk to you.”99
Giving a brief nod, she walked towards him and stopped. Looking up in to his eyes, she tried to gauge his mood. The eyes looking back were lavender, which were his usual ‘laid back eyes’, and prompted her to give a small smile. “Just talk?”100
“Unfortunately, yes,” he said with regret. Bending slightly, he brought his lips to hers for a small taste. “But,” he said as he pulled back slightly, “it can wait a minute or two.”101
Lips back on hers, she felt the familiar tingling in her body that he always managed to bring out. Her knees grew weak as his tongue waltzed with hers, the tempo increasing as his hand came up to cares the side of her chest. Breaking off with a groan, he took a step back. 102
“Business first,” he told her, his eyes raking over her body in a way that made her gasp in desire. “I’d prefer pleasure first, but…” trailing off, he exhaled, and took another step back to put more distance between them. 103
Nodding, Aiden breathed in a few times to tame the fire coursing through her. “What did you need?”104
“You, naked under me,” he answered without hesitation. “But, that’ll have to wait until next time.” 105
“Darn.”106
“I agree.” Studying her, he started to wonder just why he was here. Over the past few years he’d come to rely on her presence and insight into his decisions since she’d often supply the ‘are you frigging insane?!’ sounding board that he required. This time though, he was positive she wouldn’t want to hear what he was about to say.107
“Sav?” Aiden asked when he grew silent. 108
“Whatever happens tonight, and whoever calls out to you, I need you to stay here.” 109
“What, who and why?”110
“Can’t say, can’t tell, and you don’t want to know.” Taking a step to her, he gave his most charming smile. “Trust me.”111
”I do,” she told him. “But there’s also this little thing that accompanies all your ‘trust me’s’ that ends up in something that’s going to totally piss me off, and make me want to kick your butt.” 112
“And this time is no different,” he said, not skipping a beat. “It’s going to hurt you to stay, but it’ll hurt you more if you try to help whoever is calling to you.” Taking another step, he raised his left hand and rubbed her cheek gently with his knuckles. 113
“Is it Fury?” she asked, worried.114
“No.” 115
“Ash?” Frowning as he shook his head, she stared as he continued to caress her cheek. There was no one else she could really think of that she’d risk revealing her location to help. She didn’t have that many friends, and those that she did have were able to take care of- 116
“It’s Paul, isn’t it,” she said, the reason coming immediately to mind. 117
Not replying, Savitar continued to stare at her as he rubbed her cheek. He had originally planned not to see Aiden for a while so her location could remain a secret. That was until a little visit earlier in the day from a certain eagle, and amends being made for past transgressions. 118
That opened up a whole new series of possible events, and the need to stomp out one of those potential timelines was the reason he’d risked seeing the woman who made him feel whole. 119
“Remember what I said,” he muttered as he leaned down to kiss her gently. 120
“Sav?” she asked as he pulled back after the kiss. “Please tell me.”121
“You know I can’t,” he told her gently. “I really should have told you what I did.” Giving her another kiss, he took a step back. “Promise me you’ll remain here.” 122
Blinking in surprise, she tilted her head. That had to be one of the few, if not the first, time he’d actually asked her to promise something to him. “I promise,” she said, knowing that it had to be ultra important. “Now, is there anything else, or can I just hold you for a few minutes before you go?” 123
He had been ready to leave, but the look in her eyes begged him to stay. Although she was about as solitary as he was, he knew she was feeling lonely tinged with a little morose at being away from what she knew. “I’ll make the time,” he said, reaching out to pull her close. 124
Closing his eyes as her arms wrapped around his waist and her head nestled in to his chest, he rested his chin on the top of her hair and savored the sensation of doing nothing. 125
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Stalking back and forth from the front steps to the side of the wall then back, eyes never left the open front gate. He looked primed and ready to kill, a realization that gave Angie a large discomfort. Although she’d seen him like this before, that had been in his previous existence as a Dark-Hunter. Now, he was the father of her child, and seeing the cold-blooded hunger in his eyes made her wary. 128
Glancing at Angie, Paul grimaced slightly. Her worry radiated out of her like a tsunami, which wasn’t helped much by the overall situation. The first tendrils of dawn were starting to peek over the horizon, and although he’d suggested that they both go to the house, the couple had opted to remain in the open so this could hopefully be finished once and for all.129
Standing at the same time Dom stopped his stalking, both men automatically took a step forward, eyes glued to the gate. Reaching a hand out for Angie, Dom pulled her to the area just behind him, with her back against the small wall so no one could get behind her. 130
Footsteps echoed through the yard, prompting Angie to cower slightly as she looked around for the source. Before she even realized, a shape materialized just to the left of Dom, and swung out at him. 131
Not planning on giving the demon the satisfaction of first strike, Dom spun away, keeping his body between Labeve and Angie. A fanged snarl replied to his movement, immediately followed by a ball of fire. 132
Shrieking in anger as the fire bounced off a protective wall of magick, Labeve paced a few steps away to study the trio. Her attention centered on the one she had thought was the same that had attacked her earlier and she tilted her head when she realized that he wasn’t dead as assumed. 133
Grimacing slightly at the pressure Labeve was directing at the shield he was creating, Paul tightened his grip on the sword in his hand. Protecting others wasn’t his strong suit, and his magick was being stretched about as far as it could go. He had a sudden urge to talk with Aiden one last time, and tried to push that idea away so it wouldn’t distract him. 134
“Protect her,” Dom said in a low tone as Labeve started towards them again. He raised the sword in his hand slightly, as the words from Savitar ran through his mind. He knew that he would indeed face this with no expectation of coming out the other end alive. That alone gave him the peace that was needed to face anything if it meant Angie would be safe.135
Moving to stand between Dom and Angie, Paul concentrated on keeping Labeve’s powers from working on them. A ball a flame came at the trio, and was pushed to the side by Paul, followed by three more at various points as she tested the limits of his shield. Cringing as he could feel her trying to work her mojo in his mind, he stretched the magick a little further in hopes of protecting Angie from harm. I can’t…. I need help. Roan? Tria? …. Aiden? 136
Suddenly, a wall of flame appeared, hurtling at them far too fast for him to stop. He couldn’t vanish and leave them, and didn’t have enough energy to take both with him. With no other option, he placed an arm on each, and shoved away from himself. 137
The fire hit him just as the couple cleared the area, and knocked him off his feet and to the ground. With clothes on fire, his concentration completely dropped from protecting Angie and Dom, and switched to extinguishing himself. 138
Dom got to his feet, and swayed lightly before looking. Fire separated him from Angie, who was on her feet and staring at him. “Run for the house!” he yelled. When she didn’t move, he realized that she was frozen by Labeve’s magick.139
Looking for Paul, he stopped when he saw a smoldering heap barely moving on the ground. Eye flicked back to Angie and he took one step forward as Labeve approached her. Cringing at the flames that seemed to burn on their own, he realized that Labeve was keeping the firewall between them. Looking around frantically, he fought the panic in him as he looked for a way out. The sword he had dropped when pushed was behind him and he reached for it, pulling back quickly as the flames cut him off. 140
Panic took hold as he pictured the events of over one thousand years ago, and he knew that he was about to once again lose something more valuable than his life. If Labeve reached Angie, then his future with the woman he loved would vanish as he watched. 141
Gritting his teeth, he pushed all of that to the side. His eyes fell on Paul again, who was still smoldering but alive. The eagle looked at him from a badly burned face, and then quickly looked to the ground not too far from both. Following the line of vision, Dom realized Paul was looking at a burning branch from the rose bush that got caught in the fire. 142
Would you walk through fire for her? The words from Ash nearly a year ago about Angie ran through his mind. The answer was a resounding no… but he’d run through fire for her. 143
Without even giving himself time to think, Dom ran towards the fire, bending low to grab the burning wood as he ran past. Throwing himself forward, he vaulted through the flames, not even feeling the heat as it licked at his skin. In the blink of an eye, he was on the other side and swung with all his might at the same moment the demon’s hand touched Angie’s stomach. The flames hit Labeve across the shoulders, the momentum from the wood making her stumble away from Angie. 144
Not even breaking his stride, Dom seized Angie’s arm as he continued on past, pulling her from the spot she had been trapped in, and dragging her behind him. He could hear screeching coming from the demon, the sound threatening to bring him to his knees as she focused on the cause of her pain. 145
Stopping behind the wall, he peeked out, grimacing as Labeve slowly made her way towards him. Turning to Angie, he gave a sad smile. 146
“Are you all right?” he asked in a rushed voice. “Did she hurt you?”147
“I think I’m okay,” Angie said slowly. 148
Nodding, he grew still. “I love you,” he said. “Always remember that.”149
“Dom?” she replied, not liking the glint in his eye. “Don’t go after her.”150
“Promise me that if I die, you won’t spend your life mourning me.” 151
“No!” Pulling at his arm towards the side of he house, Angie tried to get him to follow. When that failed, she looked at the sky. “Ash!!”152
“He’s not going to help,” Dom said. Taking a peek around the corner of the wall, he went to pull back, but stopped. Reaching for his jacket that he’d left on the bistro table earlier, he picked it up and pulled an object out of the pocket, then flicked his wrist out, ignoring the gasp that came from Angie.153
“You carry that with you?” she asked in disbelief as she stared at the retractable sword.154
“Old habits die hard,” he said. “Now get your ass in the house, okay?” Giving her a kiss, he took a step out and warily approached Labeve who was now on her knees, but still trying to reach them. 155
She was still a nightmare spectacle, made even more gruesome by the burns that were quickly eating away at her skin. To Dom it looked like every horror story he’d ever heard about the warnings Hunters would receive regarding sunlight. The thought of just letting her die crossed his mind, but regardless what she’d done, he wasn’t yet callous enough to let someone suffer like that. A few hundred years ago, sure, when he would have relished such a thing, but not now after having a saving grace like Angie in his life. 156
Besides, he didn’t know if Labeve would be able to vanish under her own power, or appeal to whoever she served, and get whisked away to recuperate. Finishing it tonight was the only way to be certain that she was gone forever. And regardless how powerful she was, there was nothing that could survive a beheading.157
“No human can kill me,” Labeve growled as he stalked towards her. “You’ll die tonight and your child will revive me.”158
“Wrong on all counts,” Dom said as he stopped in front of her. Moving to the side as she lamely swiped out at him, he hoisted the sword and brought it clear through her neck. Taking a step back as the demon’s head dropped to the ground, a small flicker of warning sounded in his brain, prompting him to drop the sword and run as fast as he could from the body that was tottering lifelessly.159
Angie watched from around the corner, covering her mouth as her future husband beheaded the demon. Startled as Dom ran away from the body, she watched in confused terror as the demon seemed to shrink, then explode with such force that it tore the trees around her out of the ground, picking them up like toys, and rattling the wall in front of her. The force of the explosion caught Dom, plucking him in to the air, and flinging him towards the same wall she was hiding behind. 160
Just when she was sure she was about to witness the father of her child smashed to death, everything grew abnormally still. Trees hung in the air, along with Dom, who slowly opened his eyes to see why he wasn’t experiencing a world of pain.161
“What kind of a person would I be,” a deep voice said, “if I let you die after all you’ve been through?” Appearing on the top of the wall, Savitar dangled his feet over the edge like it was the most natural thing in the world to be sitting twelve feet up. 162
Closing his eyes in relief, Dom exhaled. “Thank you.” Feeling himself being lowered, he fought to remain on his feet when they touched the ground… even though he felt like falling to his knees and throwing up for a few hours.163
Hopping easily off the wall, Savitar strode over to the spot where Labeve had been. Giving a tired sigh, he motioned with a hand, sending the trees back to their original location before he turned back to Dom, who was now holding a scared looking Angie.164
“She’s gone,” Savitar said in a quiet voice.165
“For good?” Angie asked.166
“Quite.” Looking past them at the still form of Paul on the ground, he closed his eyes briefly, then grimacing slightly as two figures appeared behind him. “Little late.”167
Roan rolled her eyes as she snarled. “I was trusting you on this, Savitar, when you said I wasn’t the one to kill Labeve. But…What are you doing here?”168
“Paying a favor,” he said mysteriously. “In full, I might add. You should try it sometime.”169
Before she could reply, he vanished, leaving her lightly cursing him. 170
“Where’s Paul?” Tria asked. 171
Jerking slightly, Dom turned to look, taking a step towards the body on the ground. “I don’t think-“ Not able to complete the thought as images from a fire over a thousand years ago assaulted him, he turned away. 172
“I’ll need those powers back,” Roan said, motioning to Tria. Screaming as if she was shocked, Tria staggered slightly as the powers left. She realized that some remained, as Roan walked to the man on the ground. Closing her eyes, she touched his arm.173
Everyone cringed as he jerked and yelled out in pain. The burnt skin quickly repaired itself, along with his clothes that returned to normal. Giving Roan a grateful look, he tried to stand. “That’s twice tonight I nearly died,” he muttered. “I quit.”174
“Labeve’s dead,” she told him. “So I accept your resignation.” 175
Paul looked slightly confused, yet happy as Tria appeared near him, helping him to his feet. Raising an eyebrow at her as her arm remained around his waste, he transferred his gaze around the yard. Relief coursed through him as he saw both Angie and Dom, and he felt the arm around him tighten slightly when he realized that he’d nearly sagged to the ground in relief. 176
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Guess I fucked up a bit.”177
“No you didn’t,” Dom assured him. “Pushing us out of the way saved lives.” 178
Shrugging lightly, Paul exhaled. “Not to sound rude, but I need to go lay down someplace before I fall down.”179
Nodding at Tria, Roan watched as the pair vanished, then turned to face Dom. “Congratulations for removing the demon,” she told him. “I should be annoyed and jealous that I wasted those years only to have a human do the job I couldn’t,” she paused and sighed. “But I’m just relieved. Don’t ever take anything at face value,” she advised. “That includes anything Savitar may have told you.” 180
Watching as she too vanished, Dom and Angie were left alone. Turning as the sun rose completely above the horizon, Dom put an arm over her shoulder. “I’m tired.”181
“You ever pull a stunt like that again,” Angie advised, “and some pissed off demon will be the least of your worries.”182
“Sorry?” he offered, not really in the mood to argue.183
“That could have seriously messed up my wedding day,” Angie continued. “And I’ll be damned to become a widow before I’m even a wife.” 184
Somehow finding absolute macabre humor in that, Dom started laughing. 185
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Leaves rustled with the breezes, the air carrying the light scents of life in the forest. Perched high in a tree, Aiden sat on a branch as her legs stretched out on the branch in front of her. 188
Closing her eyes as the wind picked up again, she lifted her face slightly and smiled. The branch moved slightly and she opened her eyes, smiling at the person that sat beside her. Leaning towards him, she kissed him lightly on the cheek, then went back to watching the forest below. 189
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The Best
You are her equal. As Savitar would say, "You know who I'm talking about."
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Thank you for the comments! And for reading the entrie story in one day
Wow. Being compared to an author I admire is one of the best compliments I could ever get. 
I hope to continue to live up to that praise.
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