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29.
Dragon
arrived that afternoon, bursting through the doors and calling for
Gabriel.
“I
apologize for taking this long, things at home are in turmoil. As
I’m sure you can understand. I rushed back as fast as I
could.” Dragon extended a hand to greet Gabriel as the
angel appeared round the corner.
Gabriel
shook Dragon’s hand. “I’ve sent Marcus to fetch the salamander
so we can find out where to begin our search. Shall we
wait in the living room?” Gabriel led the way to the
living room, gesturing for Dragon to sit.
“Did
Jade return with you?”
“No,
my mother is not taking Namara’s kidnapping well. Jade and my
mother are close, so she has opted to stay and help my mother through
this trying period.”
Gabriel
nodded. “That may be for the best. How is
your father taking this?”
“He
is very upset, he blames me for Namara being captured again, as is
his right.”
“It wasn’t
your fault.” Gabriel tried to console Dragon.
Dragon gave him a flat
stare. “If I had listened to you she would be safe.”
“Possibly, and maybe she
was meant to be captured.”
Dragon
snorted. “I do not believe in destiny.”
“Then
you live in a world that is not ours Dragonselen. Destiny
plays a strong part in all that we do.” Gabriel looked at him
solemnly.
“Why
do I suspect you know more of what is going to be than the rest of
us.”
Gabriel
shook his head, disagreeing with Dragon’s statement.
“No,
I can’t tell what will happen, but sometimes I get hints, and when
something was meant to play out the way it did, I know
it.”
Gabriel sat
forward putting his elbows on his knees.
“Namara
was meant to be taken again, just as we are meant to try and get her
back.”
Kyle
sat on the back of a chair and listened in on the meeting. The
day had been an eye opener all around and he’d gotten a grip on
most of what was currently happening in the compound. Things
had changed a lot since his death, but at the same time things hadn’t
changed at all.
At
the moment Kyle’s biggest frustration, was that no one could see or
hear him. He was pretty sure the sentins sensed his
presence, but none of them could see him or they would have told
their Du’call that he was around.
Frustrating
or not, he’d take this over being trapped in the mausoleum any
day. Kyle was convinced that pure boredom could drive a
man insane.
Khaish
was somewhere in the compound, investigating everything with
bliss. The sentin had probably suffered more from the
forced confinement than Kyle had. It still surprised Kyle
that Khaish had chosen to stay with him instead of moving
on. Everyone knew that a sentin would not stay in the
mortal world once his or her Du’call had died. That
Khaish had chosen to stay with Kyle in spirit form blew him away,
even now. Kyle was damn lucky because Khaish’s presence
had saved his sanity countless times.
Kyle
watched his brother stalk into the living room, dressed in leather
pants and boots with a leather jacket open and a Korn tee shirt under
it. Seth was taking the bike out, it’s about the only
time he leathered up.
“Dragonselen.” Seth
dipped his head in a nod.
“Seth”
Dragon replied.
“Listen
Gabe, I’m going to get Drew.”
“Are
you sure you want to do that Seth, she will come back, she would
never leave for good without Khettah.” Gabriel pointed out the
sentin still weaving round Seth’s legs.
“I’m
sure.” Seth shifted his weight from one foot to the other impatient
with the questions.
“Okay
then, but will you give it a few minutes, Marcus will be
here now with the salamander so we can see where to start with out
search for Namara?”
“Sure.” Seth
sat down in one of the chairs.
As
if on cue, Marcus, Darius, Ross and Dante entered the living room,
the glowing salamander on Marcus’s gloved hand.
Dragon
rose immediately and went to the fire-lizard greeting it in the
language of dragons.
“Hello
little sister.”
The
salamander crackled and popped in its language.
“She
greets her kin.” Marcus translated for the benefit of the
others.
Dragon
spoke to the fire lizard again.
“Dragonselen
just asked if Amber would help us in finding his dearest sibling and
only sister.” Marcus translated again
“Amber
says she will help by making her flames a proud green when near
Namara, she will point the direction and brighten her flame as we get
closer.”
Marcus considered
for a moment.
“Dragon,
I think maybe you should carry Amber, you won’t be burned by her
flame.”
Dragon
dipped his head in agreement, he stepped forward and held his large
hand out palm up so that the crackling salamander could step into
it. She flashed green in thanks.
Dragon
bowed his head to her showing his respect. Then slowly
started turning a circle in the room. Amber stayed red and
orange until they were pointing east, then she flashed
green.
“East of
the compound is the old industrial district. There are
plenty abandoned warehouses and building there. Any one of
them would make a good hiding place for Sandamar.” Darius was
agitated this had taken too long already, they needed to get
going.
Ross tossed
the car keys he held in his hands. “Our best bet would
be to cruise the area and hope we stumble across their hiding
place.”
“That’s
a good idea,” Gabriel agreed. “Take the Omega with
you. Seth will be back later.”
“Call
me on my cell if you run into trouble. I shouldn’t be
too long.”
Ross
snorted, “What makes you think we can’t handle a little
trouble.”
Seth
started moving, in a hurry to go fetch his runaway nexus mate “Just
call if you need me.”
He
pulled open the front door.
“I’m
out.”
The
others gone, Gabriel walked over to the plasma TV and switched it and
the Playstation on. This was the part he hated most. He
wanted to be out there with his people, not waiting here like an old
woman. That wasn’t possible, he knew it was his job to
run everything and make sure all the right pieces fell into
place. Galloping off into battle was something you gave up
when you became the leader. Sometimes Gabriel regretted
that decision – hell most times. He picked up the
controller and started the game from the last save point. At
least Final Fantasy gave him the ability to distance himself from his
worry, and the frustration that came with waiting.
“Yes
Esbeth?”
The
nymph jumped, how had he know she was there, she’d come up behind
him.
“Do you
have eyes in the back of your head Gabriel?”
He
laughed softly. “No, just a gift that lets me know what
is happening around me all the time.”
She
moved over to the couch and sat down gracefully tucking her long
skirt as she sat.
“There is
something I need to tell you about the prophecy.”
“I’m
all ears.” Gabriel pushed the start button to pause the
game and dropped the controller onto the coffee table in
front of him. “But before you say your bit, let me ask
you something.”
“Of
course.” Esbeth smiled.
“When
Seth first got home with Drew. He was having some extreme
reactions. For example. I took her hand to
greet her and he blasted me with a thought so loudly I nearly jumped
out my skin.”
“Oh? What
thought?”
“Just one word –
Mine.” But the strength of it – well, it was amazing
for someone with no real mind abilities. But even more
amazing was with Seth’s history, and the fact that he only knew
Drew for a couple of hours. Well, he shouldn’t have felt
that way about her at all.”
Esbeth
was nodding. “That would be consistent with what to
expect from a nexus pair.”
“So
your telling me that extreme emotions and uncharacteristic jealousies
are normal for a nexus pair?”
“Completely. And
a tell tail sign. Watch out for them Gabriel. If
I’m correct in my suspicions you will be encountering nexuses quiet
regularly amongst your people from now on.”
Gabriel
dipped his head. “I will keep an eye out for that type of
reaction. Now, you wanted to tell me something about the
nexus?”
“Yes,” Esbeth
smiled. “At this point,” She took a breath thinking
how to phrase it. “the nexus is at its weakest.”
Gabriel
raised a brow. “Explain?”
“Well,
until Seth and Drew admit their feelings for each other, the nexus
will be essentially incomplete. The full bonding occurs
only after the pair has admitted that they love each other. That
part is inevitable, there is no way they could be a nexus and not
fall in love. But, full bonding comes with the affirmation
of that love, so they have to admit it.”
“Okay,
so the nexus is week right now. It won’t be too long
before they get around to it.”
“You
don’t understand Gabriel,” She frowned. “should either Drew or
Seth die before that happens….” She shifted in her chair. “No
other nexus will ever be formed. Because this is the first
of them.”
“The
fate of the entire prophesy hangs on this first nexus’s
formation.” Gabriel repeated frustrated. Why
the hell did prophecy have to be so finicky.
“So
Drew and Seth will be targets as soon as who ever is behind the
darkness figures out the first nexus has begun?”
“They
are already targets, Neferitis knows the first nexus has formed and
you can bet she hasn’t kept it to herself.” Esbeth
sighed.
“But Neferitis
thinks its Ross and Drew, not Seth and Drew.” Gabriel pointed
out.
“That may
be, but you’re forgetting that those who went into hell have
probably been watched closely. I’m sure by now they know
who the nexus is, I knew even before the test just by watching Seth’s
responses to Drew.”
“Crap!”
Gabriel spat out.
Gabriel
stretched to get his cell phone out the back pocket of his pants. He
hit the speed dial for Seth’s number.
The
phone started ringing, and kept on ringing. Gabriel spat
another choice curse and slid the cell phone
shut.
“E-frigging-ventually”
Seth muttered as he pulled the Harley to a stop outside the right
apartment building. He was so distracted he’d
managed to get himself lost. It had taken him two extra
hours to find the place.
“You’re
such a wreck you wouldn’t find your way out of a paper bag.” He
hissed at himself.
He
dropped the kickstand on the Harley and swung his leg over getting
off. Now just to find apartment twenty-three. He
looked up at the façade of the old building, the white stone
glowed softly in the dark light of the street lamps.
His
heart twisted in his chest every time he thought of Drew running away
because she didn’t want him. It almost made him pity
Veronica for his rejection of her.
“Common,
man up, and go get her.” He muttered then bound up the stairs to
the main door of the apartment building. He tripped over
something as he reached the last stair and had to right his balance
quickly or he would have fallen all the way back down.
He
managed to catch himself and glared down at the sentin who had
materialized in his way.
“Are
you trying to kill me or something Khettah?”
The
big cat shook her head from side to side.
“Great,
then quit tripping me up.”
He
pushed the glass doors open and strode through the lobby to reach the
elevator.
Brynn
was startled when the sentin that was lying on the carpet in front of
the TV suddenly lifted it’s head and peered at the door.
A
knock sounded on the wood and Brynn gasped raising her hand to her
chest in fright.
She
uncurled from the couch and got up. “You knew someone
was there didn’t you boy?”
Brynn
went to the door, this was a safe neighborhood so she didn’t have
ten different chain locks, she pulled the door open and froze. Brynn
stared at the man, tall, broad shoulder dressed in leather, he looked
good enough to eat.
“Oh
my god! When you open the door and the worlds hottest
eye-candy is standing on the other side you know you are having a
good day.”
Brynn’s
response to him made Seth laugh, flashing her his dimples. “Thank
you.”
Brynn
gasped, “Did I actually say that out loud!” her cheeks
suddenly felt hot.
Brynn
felt Khan push past her, she heard the sentin start purring
loudly.
“So this is where
you’ve been all day Khan. Some warning that you were
going to go AWOL would have been good. Hell - even where
you were going might have been helpful.”
The
big leopard ignored his irate Du’call and rubbed against his legs
instead then went to rub cheeks with Khettah, who was still sticking
to Seth like glue.
Brynn
had realized who she was talking to, and right now she was just plain
envious of her sisters luck. To snag a man like
this. Drew didn’t know how good she had it.
“I
take it you are looking for Drew.” Brynn stepped out the
way motioning for Seth to come in.
“Yeah
I am,” he moved past her “I’m Seth…”
“I
know.” She smiled. “I’ve heard all about you, I’m
Brynn, Drew’s sister.”
“Nice
to meet you Brynn. Is Drew…”
“Yeah,
but she’s in the shower. Have a seat and I’ll go tell
her to hurry up.” She stopped and looked down at the
other sentin.
“That’s
Khettah, Drew’s sentin, damn cat thinks she’s my shadow
today.”
“Maybe
she’s shadowing you because someone told her to keep you
safe?” Brynn made it a question but she was sure Seth
got her meaning because he suddenly looked down at Khettah
strangely.
When
Brynn left the room he asked the sentin quietly. “Did Drew tell you
to keep me safe?”
The
sentin nodded her big head slowly. Seth could have sworn
there was relief in her eyes that he’d finally asked the
question. He barked with laughter. “Well then
your in trouble cause I’ve nearly broken my neck a couple of times
falling over you.”
Khettah
gave Seth a dirty look and went to curl up on the carpet next to
Khan.
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