Chapter Twenty

 

Declan peered around at the darkness surrounding them before he looked at his watch again, then back to the top of Bell Rock in Sedona, Arizona. Nalini’s long braid of hair was being tugged by the wind as she stood with Tristan and Tiernan.

It was only four minutes until 8pm when Mastema was scheduled to arrive, but Declan and his brothers were on high alert for any sign of the daemons or their bitch queen.

“There are reportedly four vortexes in Sedona. Are you sure we’re at the right one?” Reign asked through the shengari’ from the transport craft hovering above them.

“This is where Tristan and Tiernan said it was. I imagine they would know if their power can be nullified by the place,” Declan replied.

“I can’t believe you left me looking at paperwork until my eyes bled while you were out killing daemons! I hate you man, and I’m not going back now. Your bull shit flower hunting team is stuck with me now,” Reign swore, still pissed that he’d been kept out of the crazy events that had been going on with Declan and his team.

Declan mentally nodded, knowing there was no choice but to keep Reign now that Tristan awakened his abilities as well. Declan had already spoken to Chris and Mikal about it, and they all agreed that Lara and the Tezarian’s needed to be kept in the dark about all this for the time being. That meant it had to be hidden from the brothers still working with them to find the Dark Prime until the teams could be rotated.

Mikal’s team was going to transfer back to Terra and replace Declan’s, leaving Chris’s group of remaining brothers as the last to be awakened and trained by Morgan. The three oldest brothers hated doing it, but until they understood it all themselves, they weren’t telling anyone that didn’t need to know. Not yet.

“Heads up! I see movement! Son of a bitch! They are coming through the damn ship!” Reign roared through the shengari’ at Declan.

“Don’t expulse! Keep your mouth shut and just watch or you could start a war!” Declan warned in his brother’s mind.

He knew how Reign felt seeing the daemons for the first time and couldn’t blame him for the shock and uneasiness he heard in Reign’s voice.

“Reign is seeing them,” Declan relayed to his other brothers and Tristan.

“Stay safe, and on guard at all times, they’re being seen by Reign,” Declan whispered softly through Nalini’s mind.

She looked down at him from the giant rock above and gave him a brilliant smile that seemed to light up her whole face. He had to force his eyes away from her as Declan turned to Dizarion on his right and nodded.

Asha, on the other side of the lower rock they were on, saw the nod and repeated it. Each brother and Isabel also nodded in turn that they understood the daemons were coming and to be on alert for anything that may go wrong.

The air was thick with uneasiness at their exposure on the massive rock formation and expectation of the arrival of the daemons and their queen. None of it was what they assumed it might be.

The first shadow appeared in front of Isabel with its back to the rock above that held Tristan, Tiernan, and Nalini. More shadows appeared until each of the Dranovians, Isabel, Asha, and Dizarion were faced off with a daemon that stood between them and the rock above with their people on it.

“Remain calm, brothers. It is merely a show of bravado. Feel the fear in their energy,” Tristan warned his brothers through their private mental path.

Declan didn’t have to send out a wave of energy to feel the fear vibrating off the shadowed figure in front of him. This was no member of the court he was facing. This was another low-level creature like the others who’d been attacking Nalini.

Why the hell wouldn’t Mastema cover her ass with her best? Declan wondered as he looked at the other shadows near him to see if any resembled the court members he’d met before.

“Something is up. These are the queen’s low-level flunkies, not her elite guard,” Declan warned his brothers.

“Hold!” Tristan said aloud, his voice carrying easily from the top of the rock to the Dranovians 18 feet below.

Declan’s eyes were drawn to Tristan, and he saw Mastema materialize in front of his brother.

“We meet again, Warriors of the Light and Dark,” Mastema said with a nod at Tristan and Tiernan. Her golden eyes then lit on Nalini, and she cocked her head to the side.

“You must be the daughter of Kartikeya. Nalini. I applaud your skills. You cut an impressive hole through my daemons over the centuries. Definitely, your father’s daughter,” Mastema said with a nod at Nalini.

Declan’s teeth gritted in fury at the queen’s words, but he held himself in check and kept his eyes on the daemon in front of him and those he could see in his peripheral vision.

“Why the meeting?” Tiernan demanded, tired of the false pleasantries.

Mastema’s golden eyes flashed with fire for a moment at the disrespect in Tiernan’s voice, but it was quickly gone.

“I understand that the situation we are in is very unique. A cursed one who is mated to a Dranovian. The One God does have a sense of humor.” Mastema laughed nervously.

“I know! I mean think about how many minions you’ll have a year from now if the Dranovians just tour the world with her!” Tiernan chuckled. “We could call it the Magical Daemon Slaying Tour. Maybe sell tickets to some basement dwelling weirdos who’d all think it was great fun!”

“The weaponsmith could make enough daggers to hand out to each ticket holder, and it’d be a hell of a party,” Tristan chimed in with a grin.

He enjoyed watching Mastema’s face pale considerably, and it was then that he figured out what the meeting was for but he wanted her to say it.

“Well there’s always that one time she could be alone and something could happen,” Mastema said quickly. “I was thinking we could come to an agreement on maybe removing the curse.”

“I kind of like being the flame your moths come to these days. It’s much more fun now,” Nalini ground out.

Declan couldn’t help but smile at her courage in the face of the woman who’d cursed her before birth.

“Yes, well, luckily it is something that will be decided by the Light and Dark Warrior and not you,” Mastema snapped the last before she quickly calmed herself down.

“Maybe you should tell us what’s really going on here?” Tristan asked as he gestured to her low-level minions beneath them.

“Before you lie, consider what we already know. On top of that, our Dranovians are awakened, as is the Guardian of War, Adrasteia, and our weaponsmith. Imagine who could be next!” Tiernan growled back at the queen.

Mastema appeared to pale even more, and her mouth dropped open in surprise before she snapped it shut. It was obvious she hadn’t known of Adrasteia’s awakening.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I was trying to do you a favor and consider terms for removing the curse from your Dranovian’s mate,” Mastema argued.

Tristan and Tiernan chuckled, and the sound seemed to grate on the daemons still in shadow form in front of Declan and the others. Liking their unease, Declan grinned at the one in front of him and almost laughed when its form wavered.

“Cut the shit, Mast. You’ve lost control of your court, and you’re hoping that we’ll owe you a favor and help you out,” Tristan accused as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“I haven’t lost control!” Mastema snapped and turned her back to them. “I’m just having a few problems, and it’s all my daemons you keep killing! Not theirs!”

Tristan and Tiernan exchanged a surprised look before they quickly looked back at Mastema to judge the truth of her words.

“So who’s shaking up your court?” Tristan acted like he didn’t really care.

“Some ass from another world that got through the rainbow bridge with a few of his own daemons. I took them in out of pity, and they stabbed me in the back among my court. Since they refuse to recognize me as their queen, they aren’t compelled by the curses placed on the Terrans, so you aren’t killing them only those loyal to me,” Mastema growled out in anger.

“So you’ve lost complete control,” Tiernan whispered in shock.

This really was unprecedented. The hierarchy of the daemon order was as set in stone as the one created by the One God. The evil mimicked it to mock them. If the daemon queen on Terra was usurped by one that was not of this world, then the balance among the Daemon Kyn was set to collapse. If that happened, the daemons would choose sides in a dark war that’s casualties would include Terra and all of its inhabitants.

“Almost,” Mastema admitted with a shaky breath.

“Wait, so they’re channeling the power from their homeworld through the rainbow bridge?” Tristan asked.

Mastema snorted and shook her head as she paced along the edge of the rock.

“At first, yes. Then they took possession of some humans and now they’re channeling Terran energy through the human vessels. Like no one could have seen that coming,” Mastema fumed as she shook her fist at the sky.

Tristan and Tiernan exchanged shocked expressions before they cleared their faces and turned back to Mastema who still wouldn’t look at them.

“So you need our Dranovians to kill them, so you can retake control of the Daemon Kyn.” Tristan didn’t bother forming it as a question, it was apparent what Mastema wanted.

Nalini had to fight not to take a step back when Mastema abruptly turned to face them.

“I will remove the curse in its entirety.” Mastema immediately offered.

Tiernan broke into laughter, and even Dizarion and Asha chuckled along with him.

“So let me get this straight. Your court is in complete disarray, you’ve lost your power, and you expect us not to take advantage of it? You want us to help you instead?” Tiernan was incredulous that she even had the balls to ask.

“Maybe you should see what they’re doing before you decide not to negotiate,” Mastema snapped back.

“Where are they from?” Tristan asked as a shiver went down his spine.

“Some hell hole called Fornaite One. It’s all they talk about. How they were chased out of there by the Dranovians and had to escape through the rainbow bridge. To my world! The leader calls himself Balaneer,” Mastema threw up her hands in frustration.

Declan looked up at Tristan and Tiernan in time to see both of the warriors pale before they quickly recovered their composure.

“You will remove all curses from all Terrans, including the one on Kartikeya’s progeny,” Tristan ordered, making it clear there would be no negotiations.

Mastema sucked in a sharp breath, and her lips moved wordlessly for a few moments.

“You’re killing me as surely as they are! You know how many souls I get from curses! How do you expect me to recover my forces for the final battle?” Mastema choked out in shock.

“That’s bullshit, and you know it. If we get rid of your problem, you will regroup your court, and you’re still more than triple the size of us. Besides, there are a 100 fools a day making curses and not realizing what they are sentencing themselves and others to.” Tiernan nonchalantly picked at his fingernail.

Mastema huffed and growled as she stomped on the edge of the rock.

“I don’t have all night,” Tristan walked to the side and extended his wings as if to take flight.

“Wait! I’ll do it! I’ll do it!” Mastema yelled out.

“Where can we find the old ones?” Tristan demanded as he retracted his wings and turned to Mastema.

Mastema blew out a heavy breath and shook her head.

“I don’t know. They were in Paris, but they’ve since spread out. There’s something about them isn’t there? Something that scares even you two,” Mastema observed.

“You’ve already agreed and are bound to your word. Remove the curses now,” Tristan ordered as he stared down at the queen.

Declan thought she appeared to shrink when faced with Tristan and his power. He expected an elaborate ritual of some sort to remove the curse on Nalini and was surprised when Mastema just waved her hand.

“It’s done,” she said. “Now how are you going to get rid of them?”

Declan wasn’t sure he believed that was all it took to remove the curse and he observed Tristan and Tiernan to see if they showed any signs of it not being done.

“Well, since they aren’t yours and none of us have a desire for an early start to the war, I thought they’d make fine practice for our Guardian of War and his newly awakened team,” Tristan said with a chuckle.

“Kartikeya?” Mastema asked as her eyes glowed with excitement. “The Guardian and the Dranovians? Oh! I wish I could see it!”

“Don’t get too excited yet,” Tiernan warned. “You do realize that those in your court, who have betrayed you, might get in the middle of the crossfire if they are with the others?”

Mastema looked surprised for a moment and went back to pacing the edge of the rock in deep thought. Tristan grinned and nodded at Tiernan when her back was turned.

“OK, OK. If anyone from my court is with the others and caught in the middle, then it will not be a declaration of war if mine are killed. The bastards betrayed me anyway, and the likelihood of loyalty is already out the window,” Mastema agreed, though she wasn’t happy about it.

Declan was more than a little shocked at the concessions the queen was making and wondered at how powerful these other daemons could be to scare her like this.

“But if any, and I mean any of my daemons are killed, and I find out one of the others wasn’t also taken out, it will be war!” Mastema snapped.

Tristan and Tiernan only chuckled and shook their heads.

“If they could be taken out that easily, you would have done it yourself. In fact, I’m sure you tried and failed, and that’s why your power and court are in disarray. Failure doesn’t mean a lack of effort. You should know that!” Tiernan goaded the queen.

“We will only kill those associated with the others you speak of. Otherwise, the Dranovians will only cull those they randomly encounter, and the Guardian of War will remain out of that until the war is officially declared,” Tristan added before Mastema could flip out on Tiernan.

Mastema stared at both warriors for several moments before she nodded her head.

“Fine! That’s fair then. Besides, those bastards will give even Kartikeya a run for his money. Who the hell are they? What kind of planet is Fornaite One?” Mastema asked, truly curious about a world that could create such powerful evil. She was jealous.

“It is an unfortunate world. One that is still trying desperately to recover from the ravages of those that were never intended to go there. When did they arrive on Terra?” Tristan asked, needing to know how long the evil had been on this world.

Mastema put her fingers to her temples and gently rubbed as if trying to get rid of a headache.

“The 50s. I don’t remember the exact date or anything, but I know it was during that decade. Balaneer told me they came through the rainbow bridge but the bridge was more stable and powerful back then, and I just don’t see how they got through the Hyperboreans.” Mastema honestly seemed confused about the situation, and it only filled Tristan with more dread.

“I want the names of the human forms they’ve taken,” Tristan ordered. “Email them to my brothers.”

“Their power is using up the humans pretty quick. I’ll give you the last names that I had. Send it to Siggy or Dante?” Mastema asked.

The brothers were shocked that she knew their names and how to get them by email, but Tristan wasn’t.

“Either one is fine. Do it soon. Reign, port everyone. We’re done here,” Tristan called the last through the comm.

One moment Declan was facing a daemon and the next he was facing his siblings in the transport ship above. He looked through the crowd to where Tristan was and finally got a glimpse of Nalini moving down the aisle towards him. He caught her as she launched herself into his arms.

“It’s finally over!” Nalini whispered as the tears fell unchecked down her cheeks.

“Yeah, baby, you’re safe now,” Declan whispered back as he held her tightly.

He looked around for the nearest seat and sat down, cradling her in his lap as she cried. He looked up when a hand came down on his shoulder.

“The curse really is gone,” Tristan promised with a smile.

“Thank you, brother,” Declan choked out with gratitude as he held his precious mate.

Tristan nodded. “I will meet you back at the Talunaha later. Tiernan and I must go now.”

Declan was going to move Nalini so he could hug his brother but Tristan disappeared before he even blinked. He looked around at his brothers to see where Tristan went, but everyone was talking about Mastema and what was said at the meeting and Tristan was gone.

Nalini finally lifted her head and wiped the tears from her face.

“Sorry. I never realized there was a dark pressure inside me until it was released. I feel like I never truly took a breath until the curse was removed,” Nalini admitted with an embarrassed blush.

Declan smiled gently at her and used his hand to dry the spots on her cheeks that Nalini missed.

“You’ve been incredibly brave, and I couldn’t be more proud that you are mine.” Declan couldn’t stop himself from taking her lips in a passionate kiss.

Nalini wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself close to him as she returned his kiss with enthusiasm. Declan’s heart soared at her response, and he almost growled when he heard Isabel’s throat clear and her foot tapping on the floor. Instead, Declan slowly pulled away from Nalini and looked at her teen mother.

“I just want to hug my baby,” Isabel said with a watery smile.

“Oh, Mom,” Nalini whispered as she shot off Declan’s lap and into her mother’s arms.

The men were silent as they watched the women and their happy tears. Declan looked up at his brothers and caught Chris’s gaze. The look they exchanged was one they both recognized over the years, and Declan nodded once to indicate he knew Chris wanted to talk. Declan agreed.

The conversation they’d heard with Mastema was riddled with more questions than answers and Declan had a feeling that his new father-in-law might be able to give them some clues to what was going on. He hoped he was right because if the light and dark warrior paled at the news of the daemon who was creating the problem, then this was much more serious than they could have imagined.

Conversation resumed among the brothers when Isabel and Nalini finally dried their tears and sat down next to one another to whisper with bent heads. Declan ignored them as he made his way to the front of the transport where Reign was piloting them.

“Did you call Tarona and tell her what happened?” Declan had promised Morgan he’d send word the moment they knew something.

“Yeah, she said she’d let Morgan and Amber know. Tarona said Amber had woken up and Morgan was using all three replicators to keep her fed,” Reign replied with a chuckle at his adorable new niece and her crazy eating habits.

“You have no idea how grateful I am that you brought them.” Declan was thrilled that they’d be able to keep up with Amber’s dietary needs without slaving in the kitchen all day and night.

“From the looks on the baby bro’s face, we’re going to be too busy to be cooking,” Reign said and looked up at Declan to make sure he understood.

“I have a feeling all of us are going to be crowded around Morgan hoping he’s got the answers I doubt we’ll get from Tristan and Tiernan,” Declan admitted with a sigh.

“What about Asha and Dizarion? Would they know anything about this Balaneer?” Reign was hoping it’d be easy, though things rarely were.

Declan snorted. “Those two are as bad as their leaders if not worse. We’d be pissing in the wind trying to get anything out of them.”