Illusion

CHAPTER 12

One second, they were in Ash’s study, and in the next, they were in the middle of a massive and impressive war zone. Beautiful winged soldiers battled Aamons in wolf form and hell-monkeys. Axes and fire blasts mixed with snarls, hisses, and curses.

But as soon as the winged soldiers saw Nick, they pulled back from the fighting to stare at him. Everything came to a sudden stop.

Yeah, that was disturbing. It felt the same as standing naked in the gym in the middle of a pep rally.

A tall winged soldier who was dressed in reddish-gold armor approached them slowly. His pale blond hair fell from under his helm to his shoulders. More than that, the soldier was pretty enough to make even the hottest swimsuit model turn green with envy. “So, Acheron, you’ve come to your senses.” He stopped abruptly, just like Kody had done when they’d tried to leave Karma’s house. Touching the invisible forcefield, he glared at Ash. “What is this?”

Ash answered his question with one of his own. “Why do you want this boy?”

“That is not your concern, Atlantean. Now hand him over or we’ll tear this house down.”

With a grim gleam in his eyes, Ash held his ground. “You’re willing to go to war over a human?”

A slow smile spread across the soldier’s face. “Are you?”

Nick held his breath as his life hung in the balance of this conversation. He had no idea why the winged soldiers wanted him, but he was pretty sure it wasn’t to send him home with puppies, roses, and rainbows.

The soldier glanced over his shoulder to the rest of his army and said something Nick couldn’t translate. All of a sudden, they threw their arms out in unison and sent a sonic blast toward Ash and Nick.

Nick expected it to rebound off the force field.

It didn’t.

Rather, it sent both him and Ash reeling. Nick slammed against a wall with enough force to knock the air from his lungs. His back burned as his vision dimmed. Now, that stung.

The leader stepped over Ash’s body and grabbed Nick by his arm and hauled him to his feet.

“What are you?” Nick breathed.

“Death.”

Nick snorted at the arrogant tone. “No offense, I’ve met the man and he’s a lot more badass than you … prettier, too.”

Laughing, the soldier grabbed him by the throat and choked him.

“Ameretat!” Acheron snarled as he rose slowly to his feet. “Let him go!”

The soldier blasted Ash away while he increased the pressure on Nick’s neck.

Unable to breathe, Nick did his best to break Ameretat’s hold, but there was nothing he could do. His face turned hot. His ears rang fiercely.

Just as he started to black out, Ameretat went flying. An instant later, Acheron tossed Nick over his shoulder and teleported them out.

Coughing and wheezing, Nick tried to focus his gaze as he found himself back in Acheron’s study. Ash set him down on his feet then stepped away. He gave a shaky laugh as he met Acheron’s gaze. “Admit it, Ash. I’m too fluffy and adorable to kill.” He batted his eyelashes.

For a second, he was sure Ash would take over where Ameretat had left off and choke the rest of the life out of him. Finally, Ash rolled his eyes and scoffed derisively. “When we get you back to your mother, you better hug her close and thank her.”

“Not that I don’t always do that, but for what in specific?”

“The fact that I can’t break her heart by doing what I’m sure would be the best thing for everyone. Handing you over to them.”

Nick drew a ragged breath through his sore throat. “We both thank you for your restraint.”

Ash ignored the comment. “I’ve never tried to send someone into an alternate universe before. Never mind send them in and pull someone else out. But—”

“Wait,” Nick dodged Acheron’s hand.

“What?”

“My girlfriend’s here, too.”

Ash gaped in disbelief. “How do you mean?”

“When Thorn attacked me, somehow I pulled her here. Kind of like saving Simi. No idea how it happened. It just did.”

Cursing under his breath, Ash glared at Nick. “Where is she?”

“She was at the convent where your hell-monkeys found me. Pretty sure she’s not there now. But that’s just a guess.”

The expression on Ash’s face said that he was about to follow through with his threat and return Nick to his enemies. “Is she human?”

“Kind of.”

Ash cursed again. “I know I don’t want to ask this, but the compulsion’s more than I can bear. What’s kind of human?”

Debating the sanity of answering, Nick decided that he owed some kind of explanation to Acheron for not allowing him to die at Ameretat’s hand. But he had a bad feeling Ash wasn’t going to like it. “She’s a ghost.”

Acheron scowled at him. “A ghost?”

He nodded. “Weird, right? But true nonetheless.”

“Can’t I send you back and then you call her?”

“I’d rather you not … just in case I can’t. No offense, but the whole girlfriend designation means I’m kind of attached to her and would be very put out if she didn’t make it back and I did.”

“What kind of idiot dates a ghost?” The expression on Ash’s face said that he was about to send Nick back anyway. Until his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and checked the ID. After hesitating a few more seconds, he made a sound of supreme irritation before he finally answered it. “Savitar … it’s been a while.”

Grateful for the reprieve, Nick said a quiet prayer of thanks for Savitar’s timing.

And that new look Ash cast in his direction told him that he was the prime subject of their conversation. A conversation that was worsening whatever intestinal woe had besieged Acheron.

Nick cupped his hands around his mouth. “Tell Sav I said hi.”

Acheron narrowed his eyes in warning. “Yeah, I’ll bring him to you.” He turned off the phone and grabbed Nick’s arm. Before Nick could blink, they were back in the Burdette mansion. His mom and Bubba were sitting on the couch not far from Savitar while Kody stood in one corner, chewing her thumbnail. A tall blond man Nick assumed to be Mark was next to her.

The moment Kody saw him, she dropped her hand and gave him a smile that set fire to every male hormone in his body. “Oh thank the gods!” She ran to him and hugged him close. “We’ve been worried sick.”

Nick closed his eyes and inhaled the sweet scent of her hair. Yeah, okay, he’d take a beating and then some for this. There really were no words for what he felt anytime Kody was with him.

“Girlfriend?” Acheron asked sarcastically.

Nick grinned. “You don’t think I’d let just anyone molest me like this, do you?”

“Now I get it,” Ash mumbled as he and Savitar locked gazes. Something dark passed between them that said they had a bad history with each other. But what Nick didn’t miss was the way Kody reacted as she realized Acheron was with him. It was subtle. Just a tensing of her body. A flash of pained recognition in her eyes. Most people wouldn’t have caught it at all, but Nick was attuned to every nuance of her.

She knew Acheron. Well.

Gently, Nick tilted her chin until she met his gaze. “What is it?” he whispered.

Refusing to answer, she shook her head. “Nothing.”

Yet he knew better. It was another secret she refused to share. Had she dated Acheron or something?

Gah, he hoped not. That would mess up his head even worse than Bubba dating his mama. Never mind the fact that the two of them were married in this realm.

It was sick all the way around.

“Well,” Ash said to Nick. “Now that you’re reunited, let’s get rid of you both.”

Savitar snorted. “Won’t work.”

Acheron glared at Savitar. “What do you mean?”

Savitar jerked his chin toward Nick. “He’s been split. You can’t send him home and bring the other kid back.”

“How do you know?”

“How do you not know?” Savitar challenged Ash.

Rolling his eyes, Acheron scoffed. “When was the last time you were right about anything?”

“That’s a cold, low blow.”

When Ash started for Savitar, Kody broke them apart.

The scowl returned to Ash’s face as he stared down at her. “Do I know you?”

Kody swallowed hard before she shook her head. “Please don’t fight.”

“Are you sure we don’t know each other?”

Nick held his breath, waiting for her to answer Ash’s question.

Clearing her throat, Kody glanced at Nick. “We’ve never met.”

His lip curled, Savitar moved to stand by a wall. He crossed his arms over his chest before he sneered at Acheron. “A double transmutation through dimensions … Not even you can do that.”

Ash gestured toward Nick. “If it’s been done, it can be undone.”

“And we’re not talking about turning iron into gold, oh great alchemist Acheron,” Savitar countered. “We’re transmuting two living creatures across dimensions simultaneously. I’ve never even heard of this being done. Have you?”

Acheron didn’t answer.

“Well?” Savitar prompted.

“Yes.” Ash gestured at Nick and Kody. “How else did he get here?”

Savitar let out an extremely rude noise that was followed by an even ruder gesture.

“Would Arelim have that power?”

Every eye in the room turned to Nick with an intensity so disturbing, he felt a sudden need to make sure his deodorant was still working.

Kody frowned at him. “How do you know that term?”

That intense look made him squirm even more. “Um … we ran into them earlier.”

“What?” she gasped. Her face went white.

“They attacked my home and stabbed my granddaughter.”

Kody gasped at Acheron’s news and she paled even more. “Mia was hurt? Is she all right?”

Acheron slid a scowl toward Savitar that questioned Kody’s sanity. “Who’s Mia?”

“Your granddaughter.”

“I thought you didn’t know Ash?” Nick asked, interrupting them.

Kody stepped away from him.

“My granddaughter is Simi.”

Kody pressed her hands to her face. “Sorry. I keep forgetting that everything’s so different here.” She glanced back at Acheron. “Is she all right?”

Ash jerked his chin at Nick. “He saved her … healed her somehow.”

Nick held his hands up as Kody turned to him for an explanation. “Don’t ask. Don’t know. Still have no known powers here. But there is something that I learned even more interesting than my would-not-be powers. Ash has a living Charonte.”

Now it was Acheron’s turn to squirm under their scrutiny.

Incredulous, Savitar pushed himself away from the wall. “I thought they were all dead.”

A tic started in Ash’s jaw before he spoke. “I still have Xirena.”

Savitar’s expression darkened. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I never intended for anyone to know she survived. I swore to protect her and I will. She and my grandchildren are in a location where no one can reach them. Not even you.” Ash turned back toward Nick and Kody. “But one Charonte is nothing against an entire Arelim battalion.”

“Who led them?” Kody asked.

“Ameretat.”

Pressing the back of her hand to her lips, Kody moved away from them. Now there was an expression Nick was more than familiar with.

“You know him,” Nick said as a statement and not a question.

To his complete shock, she nodded. Wow, she could actually answer a question without hedging. That was a miracle. “Or rather, I know the one in our time. He’s brutal, but under the command of others. Ours wouldn’t have attacked on his own. But this one…” She met Acheron’s gaze. “What did he want?”

Ash pointed to Nick. “Your boyfriend. Hog-tied and delivered.”

“And they attacked you in your home and assaulted an innocent…” Her voice was scarcely more than a whisper. “This is so bad.”

Nick closed the distance between them. “What?”

Biting her lip, she looked up at him. The fear in her eyes made his gut tighten. He couldn’t stand for her to be hurt or afraid of anything, especially not of him. “I think I know what happened. When I failed to kill you, Sraosha and the others must have banded together to split you in half in your time period. Even as a fledgling Malachai, you were too powerful for them to take on. It’s why they sent me to your predecessors first. They were hoping to prevent your birth.” She laid her hand against his cheek. “You truly have no idea just how powerful you will be in only a handful of years. How deadly and cruel the Ambrose Malachai is. And when we bound your powers to prevent that, they must have used the opportunity to do this.”

Savitar gestured at Nick. “But how?”

Shrugging, she dropped her hand from his face. “They’re the keepers of Time and Order. I’m assuming that as they’ve sent me from time period to time period to battle his forefathers, they could have moved Nick’s soul to this one without his body. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

“So how do we get them to undo this?” Nick asked.

“They won’t.” Kody pressed her lips together. “But let me contact them and see if I can find out anything more. If I can learn how they did it, we should be able to undo it.”

Nick inclined his head to her.

Kody went to Ash. “Can you take me to your house so that I can teleport from there?”

Nick didn’t like the sound of that. Why did she want to be alone with Acheron? “Why not here?”

She glanced back at him. “They want you, Nick. Apparently at any cost. I don’t want them to use me as a locator and then attack all of you here. Let me go where I know they can’t use me to trace you.” She turned to Ash. “I’m assuming your house is shielded?”

“Yeah. I still haven’t figured out how they got in to attack us.”

Kody knew, but it was a secret she had no intention of sharing with anyone. Even her uncle. She was in enough trouble with her people already. No need in worsening it.

When she started to leave, Nick stopped her. “Be careful.”

“You, too.” She kissed his cheek then allowed Acheron to teleport them to his home.

As soon as they were in the grand foyer, Ash pinned her with a gimlet stare that was so similar to the one her father used whenever he was angry. Pain flooded her with that memory.

And Ash gave her no reprieve. “You were lying earlier. You do know me, don’t you?”

Against her will, tears filled her eyes and tightened her throat. “I do … and I don’t.”

“What do you mean?”

A sad smile toyed at the edges of her lips as she ached to hug him. He looked so much like her father that it was hard to be with him and deal with the savage grief that wanted to send her to her knees. She would give anything to have one minute with her father again. Just one.

“You’re my uncle, Acheron, but I never really met you in my mortal lifetime.”

Acheron stepped back with a curse. “You’re lying.”

“No. Truth. My father is your twin brother, Styxx.” One stray tear fell and she quickly wiped it away. “In my world, you and my father went out to fight together, and you never returned from battle.”

“I was killed?”

She shook her head. “Frozen with ypsni and carried off so that no one could reach you. My father spent the rest of his life searching, trying his best to set you free.”

He scowled at her. “Styxx?” he asked incredulously. “My brother fought for me and tried to free me?”

“My father loved you dearly. Always.” In her world, she would never dare tell this to Acheron, where it might change the future. But here …

Everything was so different. His knowledge or lack thereof couldn’t change anything in her world. Not to mention, Acheron knew the dangers of changing anything. He would die before he altered time in any dimension.

“I don’t know if you and my father are enemies here or not, but in my dimension, my father would still be held on the Vanishing Isle in Hades’s domain by Artemis. Eventually, the two of you become friends again and forge an unbreakable bond of brotherhood. Before my birth, you two are best friends.”

He shook his head as if he couldn’t believe her story. “That’s not possible. My wife killed my brother centuries ago.”

Kody scowled at the impossible. “No, she couldn’t have. So long as you live, my father lives. Your life forces were bonded together by your mother. He can only die if you do. It’s how the Malachai finally kills my father and breaks his army. Once the Malachai realizes the truth of your bond, he reanimates you and kills you both.”

“The Malachai kills us?”

She nodded. “But that’s the history of my world. Not the one here. Maybe here, Apollymi failed to combine your life forces?”

He paused to think about it before he answered. “No. We were bound at birth to protect me from harm.” He winced as if a bad memory went through him. “Maybe Artemis didn’t kill him, after all. I can see her imprisoning him and then calling it death to protect me. She was always precious that way.”

Now it was her turn to be stunned. “Aunt Artie is your wife?”

“Was. Yes.”

Still, she couldn’t grasp it. Not given what she knew of their past. “Aunt Artie?”

“Why do you keep saying it like that? We loved each other more than anything. I can’t imagine we could be different in your world.”

Oh, she could. But that was her dimension and time. No need in ruining his memories of her aunt here. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter.”

Kody offered him a bittersweet smile even while she ached inside. What she really wanted to do was have him hold her like her father had once done. Have him tell her that everything would be okay. But that would never happen again.

I want you back, Daddy.

But Acheron wasn’t her father. And this would be infinitely easier if he wore his hair black in this universe as he did in hers.

Blond Acheron … that hit too close to home.

Not wanting to hurt anymore over memories she couldn’t change, she needed to put distance between them before she said or did something even more stupid. “I’ll be right back with information.” Closing her eyes, she summoned her powers and used them to teleport to the realm where the Arelim had built their fortress and homes long ago.

Existing outside of human time and space so that it didn’t matter what dimension she accessed it from, theirs was a sterile and austere place. The Arelim as a rule were very circumspect and puritanical. They never met a rule they didn’t embrace wholeheartedly. Because of that, she rarely ever came here to check in.

Usually her contact found her on the mortal plane where she worked to thwart the Malachai bloodline. And mostly at the worst possible times.

With a deep breath for courage, she walked to the grand hall where their commanders often gathered to exchange information or socialize.

Today, it was eerily empty. Only the lights from the winged torchieres that lined the walls burned. The fire made a light hissing noise and left a scent of cinnamon in the air.

She moved to the center of the vibrant white room and braced herself for the worst news. “Sraosha?” she called, summoning the Arel who was her direct contact.

He appeared instantly, dressed in his battle armor. Extremely tall, blond, and beautiful, he dwarfed her with his massive girth and height. “So, you finally remembered your station and duties. I have to say I never expected to see you again.”

The accusation and anger in his tone surprised her. While she’d known he wouldn’t be pleased that she hadn’t killed Nick yet, she hadn’t anticipated this much hostility. “What do you mean?”

“You failed to complete your mission. Again.” He spat those words at her as if they left a bitter taste in his mouth. “I do believe that I instructed you to destroy the Ambrose Malachai.”

“No. You ordered me to murder Nick Gautier. He isn’t Ambrose.” At least not yet.

He rolled his eyes at her. “You disgust me—you and that bleeding heart that sees lies instead of truth. You were given a direct order. You failed and now…” His scowl deepened as if he had another thought. “Why are you here?”

Something wasn’t right about this.

For that matter, something wasn’t right about him. Everything was off and every sense she possessed rang out with warning.

Kody glanced around to see faint burn marks on the wall. Several of the chairs were missing and one window had been broken. Even though it was forbidden by their ancient laws, it was obvious someone had fought in here. Fiercely. “What happened?”

“That doesn’t concern you.”

She looked over her shoulder as she felt someone approaching her from behind. It was Ameretat and another Arel whose name she didn’t know. When they reached for her, she twirled away from them.

“What’s going on?” she demanded.

Sraosha curled his lip. “You’re being decommissioned, Nekoda.”

Her eyes widened at his declaration. What he meant was executed. “Why?”

“Insubordination. Refusal of orders. You have put our enemy’s life above that of the entire world.”

She shook her head in denial. He couldn’t issue that order alone. Not even he had that kind of power among their ranks. At least five Arelim had to agree for a death warrant to be issued on their own kind. “Where’s Adidiron or Suriyel?”

“They won’t save you. They can’t.” He jerked his chin at Ameretat. “Take her and show her how we treat traitors.”