She would have reached me far more quickly if her passage hadn't finally triggered what had been building inside her for years. I watched with fear for her as the walls built around her shattered in a visible explosion of light. The pieces, still containing some energy, ricocheted from the inside of the family's wards. Pain/Cydia staggered and almost fell. But when she gained her balance again, I knew I was in serious trouble. Her power hovered around her like a tangible spirit, pale gold mixed with green. Her body vibrated with the release of her magic and she laughed once, so loud it was almost a shout."This is what it feels like!" That was Pain. "You will die another death, sister." Cydia. "One from which you will not return." Her power lashed out at me but Mom was there, her shields protecting me. Pain/Cydia hissed at her as the magic was absorbed this time, retained to strengthen the coven."Syd," Mom whispered in my ear, "tell me."I did, as quickly as I could. "The dreams,
Quaid surged forward before Pain could reach me, arms locking around her and holding her tight. She screamed and snarled her rage, thrashing against him as he grunted with the effort to control her.I spun back to my demon, even more desperate than before. "You have to come back," I said. "We need to fix this."Her flat amber eyes smoldered with quiet rage. "One more reason for me to stay put," she said. "Take your damned Sidhe magic and leave me alone."No, it wasn't like that! But she was already turning away. And I had nothing to say.Lucky for me someone else did."Why is this magic protecting you from yourself?" Sassy's amber eyes met mine. As soon as he spoke up, my demon paused. "We know for some reason it's repelling your demon. Could it also be the source of your discomfort with magic?"Of course. But why? And where had it come from?"Only one way to find out." My demon surged forward and grabbed my hand. She linked with my mind in that instant and dragged me into battl
My grandmother's face lit up, a happy giggle escaping her. "I knew you did," she whispered, gripping my face between her hands. "I knew."Still holding the crystal, I gently pushed toward the glowing core of power sitting so deep inside my mind I never knew it was there. It pulsed like a heartbeat, foreign to me, but yet so familiar after spending my entire life with it protecting me. It shaped me, guided me, but most importantly had done everything it could to keep me safe so I could one day do this.My demon's hand found mine as I opened my mind and let my grandmother in.She sighed deeply, blue eyes full of gratitude and rimmed with tears as the core of magic recognized her and reached for her. I felt her explore inside my head, drawing it out, pulling the magic back where it belonged.There was a surge of power as my body flooded with Sidhe magic before I jerked back, the last line between me and the ball of protective power snapping.Gram glowed like a small star, tinted gree
I could feel the wards shake around me, crumbling as the family moaned with the effort to keep them active. The Sidhe magic hummed against me, bouncing sounds and emotions from the coven and back to me.I ignored it all, even when I heard Mom call my name, even while someone gripped my hand so hard I knew I'd be bruised.None of it mattered. Nothing beyond the power inside me had any meaning whatsoever.My demon feared being lost, forgotten. She couldn't have been farther from the truth. She was as much me as I was now, perfectly blended inside me, so much I wept from the simplistic beauty of it. My power wasn't just from her magic, but came from the strength of who she was, linked with who I had become. Together we were unstoppable.I finally lifted my head, unable to keep the smile of joy from my face even as the wind slammed into the wards one last time, sending them, and most of the coven, crashing to the earth. I stepped forward, looking up at the looming clouds descending tow
"Betrayer!" We spun, saw Pain staring at us, her face filled with jealousy and madness. "My lord, have you forgotten what she has done?"Gwynn hesitated, a flicker of his rage returning. "Shaylee?"She left me for a moment, her grief so powerful she could barely act. I fumbled around inside my head for a way to keep him with me, anything that would stem the rising fury in his face, the return of the flames."I remember," he snarled at me, the lightning flickering back to life. "Your treachery, your blood curse. I remember." He turned to Pain. "Cydia, my thanks."Shaylee surged back, took control of me. "No, my lord." Our voice shook with so much passion I wanted to cry and hug him. "She lies now as she did so long ago. Don't you remember?"Pain's laughter was horrible to hear. "Don't listen to her, great lord," she hissed in his ear, jerking free of the exhausted Quaid to sidle up to Gwynn, her hate jabbing at me like a weapon. "She told me herself how she could never love one suc
Gwynn took a step back, his people gathering more substance as they started to cross over."There is no way," he said."Yes," Shaylee told him through me, voice full of her tears. "There is. Please listen. I can put you and the Wild back to rest, but you must trust me."He hesitated. "I do trust you, my love. Forgive me for that failing in the past.""I do," we said. "Always and forever."Gwynn's sadness lifted a little. "This way of yours," he said. "I will accept it. But only on one condition."Shaylee knew what he was about to say and prepared me and my demon for it, but it still wasn't good news."You must join me," he said, "in my eternal slumber. So when I wake at the ending of this world, you and I will be the ones to rebuild."Crap. I knew Shaylee would have gone with him, but I had other life plans in mind. She didn't fight me. Still, I knew it hurt her, what I was about to do to him."I can't." I said it, with my demon backing me. "I'm no longer just Shaylee, princes
Mom hugged me so hard I was sure she would break something."Syd," she whispered, "you are amazing.""No," I whispered back. "I'm whole. It makes a difference."I was still getting used to the other two people in my head even though they were so much a part of me it was hard to tell us apart. Still. I'd have to be careful who I told about the voices.Straightjacket, anyone?In the meantime, the family gathered around me, their happiness and relief so comfortable I wanted to hug them all one at a time."Whatever happens," I raised my voice so they could all hear me, "no one can screw up. Leaving town is no longer an option."Laughter. They laughed. Wow, how cool was that?I did get hugs, first from Gram, then Dad, then Gram again who kissed my cheek and smiled so wide I laughed at her. Uncle Frank and Sunny engulfed me in a vampire sandwich, making me hope they could fix the mess I made for them.Even Anastasia took a turn."Well done, demon girl," she said.Galleytrot nosed
I was expecting him. Was already sitting in the back yard, on our bench, waiting when he pulled up in the dark on his motorcycle. I hugged my knees to my chest, forcing myself to breathe as the sound of the motor died. Heavy boot falls echoed around the side of the house, thudding over the patio stones.I sat still and let him settle, leather creaking, the scent of it so delicious, mixed with the smell of him I almost couldn't bear it. As it was, I was unable to resist the small ribbon of my power that escaped and slid close to him, waiting for him to accept me.For a long moment, my heart stopped beating, my breath frozen in my body. He didn't move, made no effort to reach for me, though I knew he felt my magic waiting there. I had already sworn to myself I would not cry, I would not, but tears threatened anyway, past the tightening in my throat.A gentle breeze rose up, cooling the heat in my skin and tickling my nose. I drew a breath at last, breaking the spell of fear and despai