Annihilation Page 7

  “Were you testing them?” A cold knot twisted its way through Nathan’s gut.

  The Supreme Being’s answer confirmed his suspicions. “No, not them.”

  So, this was his test.

  “Yes, this is your time of trial. Had this not happened naturally, I would have had to invent a test for you. As it is, I only need sit back and observe.”

  “But, what if Shimone finds out?”

  The Supreme Being’s laughter filled the heavens as its presence left Nathan alone in the cosmic ether. But his final words had the man-god’s gut fisting. “She already knows.”

  The energy of creation is eternal. – Melba Toiste, 16th century Arcanist philosopher.

  Chapter 9

  Ryan pulled the bedsheet over himself and Salina, trying to capture the warmth of this moment. He’d have no problem staying just like this for hours…days. The softness of Salina’s skin against his body had his core tingling. The heady herbal scent of the woman, and the musk of their recent passion, filled the air around them. The room glowed with the energy they’d created with their lovemaking.

  Curious.

  He’d never seen or read about this effect before. Magical energy was pulled from power pools, divine energy created by God and tapped by faith and worship. Certainly, he’d heard about sexual energy, but that had been an Arcanists thing—nothing the Templars had ever delved into.

  This was so different, yet it didn’t feel evil. It felt…right.

  The door to the room was suddenly flung wide open.

  “Salina, you are not going to believe this—” Anna Hughes stood in the doorway, mouth agape. Behind her, Ryan noted Joyce Jorgens and Kelly Grant.

  “Oh…sorry.” Anna blushed and started to back out of the room, but JJ pushed her forward.

  Joyce’s eyes were wide in wonder as she took in the tendrils of power swirling in the chamber.

  “Holy crap!” She stood as if dumbfounded. “This is all created?” She fingered a wisp of energy as it floated past her. “How did you do it?”

  Hopefully Salina wouldn’t go into too much detail.

  “JJ!” Salina began to rise, clutching the sheet to keep herself covered. In doing so, pulled the covering from Ryan, who snagged it back in time to keep himself covered.

  Joyce finally seemed to notice Ryan and Salina were in the bed and naked.

  “Oh, for goodness’ sake, children.” The portly sorceress grabbed a ball of the coalescing energy and threw it toward the bed. Instantly Salina and Ryan were clothed again.

  Ryan shook his head. A Templar’s use of power was usually subtle, many times unnoticeable. The Arcanists tended to use big, flashy displays of power. It was just another point of contention between the two groups that would need to be addressed if they were ever going to work in concert.

  “It feels much the same, yet there is a difference.” Joyce was trailing her hand through the tendrils of power she had pulled toward her. “The important thing is…it works. It looks like your experiment was a success. Good job you two!”

  An experiment? Was that really all this had been? Ryan couldn’t help feeling there was something more. A connection he’d never felt with another person.

  “Was there an actual reason you three barged in here?” Salina seemed incensed. It appeared she’d been as reluctant as Ryan to end their time together. She reached over and grasped Ryan’s hand. The simple act flooded him with warm emotion and a new tendril of power drifted up from the two clasped hands.

  “Our power centers are going down all over the world, much faster than we ever could have anticipated. The goddess’s energy in the world has diminished, and thus, so are we.” Joyce seemed to be oblivious to Salina’s signals. “This research is more important than ever, and we wanted to make sure you two were making some progress.”

  Salina grabbed a ball of the raw magical energy and bounced it in her hand. “Well, it looks like we are, but we could make even more progress if we…I don’t know…were left alone a bit longer?”

  Ryan blushed at Salina’s bold implication.

  Kelly Grant and Anna Hughes chuckled and reached out to Joyce to pull her from the room. Joyce was just standing in the middle of the room, still shaking her head. “Oh, to be young again.”

  Suddenly Kelly doubled over, as a contraction rippled through the pregnant woman’s body. Salina rushed to support her friend.

  “I thought I had a week yet,” Kelly groaned as the contraction subsided.

  Joyce was now focused intently on Kelly’s stomach. “Looks like this baby’s in a hurry. Let’s get you to the birthing room.”

  Ryan hadn’t even been aware the facility had a birthing room, though it didn’t surprise him. Salina shot Ryan a look that was full of regret, as she helped her friend from the bedchamber.

  “Go.” Ryan mouthed the word to her with a smile. There was a time for everything, and this was a time when Kelly needed her friends around her. There’d be another time for Salina to be with him. Hopefully lots of times.

  He lay back as he watched Salina leave the room with her friends. Along with the residual energy, the muskiness of their lovemaking still hung in the air. His body hardened and heat rose as he recalled Salina’s touch, her scent…everything about her.

  With a sigh, Ryan pulled the merest wisp of power to him, and sent it off in search. There was someone he needed to find in the complex and this was much easier than searching. Plus, he wasn’t quite ready to leave Salina’s bed.

  * * *

  “It’s not a man’s place!” Geoffrey le Court was pacing.

  “Not in the twelfth century Commander, no.” Ryan could feel the old Templar’s conflicting emotions. “But things have changed. It is now your duty to be by her side at this time.”

  Ryan knew duty was one thing that would compel Geoffrey le Court to do the right thing—the thing Kelly probably needed him to do at this moment. Wouldn’t she be expecting him to be with her during the birthing. Hadn’t they talked about it?

  “Ah, there you are.” A gruff voice came from the doorway behind him and Ryan turned to see Jack Hughes, the small bundle that was his daughter held in the crook of his arm. “Anna called and told me to find you, Geoff. I guess she thinks I can sniff out Templars or something. Anyway, you’ve got to get in there. Kelly needs you.”

  “I swear I will never adjust to this age.” There was panic in Geoffrey’s eyes. Ryan wouldn’t have believed such a thing possible of the centuries-old Templar. “What do I do?”

  “Hold her hand, tell her you love her…be there for her.” Ryan wasn’t sure where that had come from, but he had a feeling it was what Geoffrey needed to hear.

  “And be ready to be called every name in the book,” Jack added. “Just remember, she doesn’t mean a word of it.”

  Geoffrey looked down at the sleeping baby in Jack’s arms. “They are really quite small, aren’t they?”

  Jack chuckled. “Kelly won’t be thinking that right about now.”

  Ryan clapped Geoffrey on the back. “Come on Commander. Duty calls.”

  Ballor have no concept of a loving family. Children are to be used to the best advantage of the Ballor Lord. Wives who become barren are soon set aside. Is it any wonder the leading cause of death for a Ballor Lord is being murdered by a close family member? – Demon Psychology by Sir Edmond Bain, 1877.

  Chapter 10

  Salina mopped Kelly’s brow with a cool, damp cloth.

  “Okay, push,” JJ said. The sorcerous stood ready to receive the newborn.

  An unnatural intensity of power infused the room, like what had happened in her bedroom when she and Ryan made love, though this power seemed to be emanating from Kelly and had a decidedly blue tint to it.

  In any case, it had been a grueling sixteen hours of labor and she’d stayed with Kelly the whole time. Riding the edge of exhaustion, she wondered how Kelly was even hanging on. She had to be spent.

  While still using magic to ease the birthing process, the arcani
st’s birthing room contained the latest medical equipment for emergencies. And JJ, a practicing midwife, was adept in most of the necessary medical procedures.

  “I see the head crowning,” JJ crowed. “It won’t be long now.”

  Geoffrey le Court sat next to Kelly. Their clasped hands were glowing with power as Geoffrey used Templar healing to absorb some of the pain of each contraction. The knight had spent a lot of time with his teeth gritted tight. “I’m thankful we’re here for this. The Ballor world is still quite primitive when it comes to medical services. Is everything proceeding properly?” Worry laced his expression.

  Anna shook her head, but patted Geoffrey’s shoulder. “You should have seen Jack when I was having Calli. He was a basket case.”

  Salina could only imagine. Well, she wasn’t ready for motherhood any time soon, and seeing what Kelly was going through, she wondered if she ever would be. “Do you really forget all the pain afterward?”

  Kelly smiled. “No, not really, but the moment I held little Callista, I knew it had all been worth it. You’ll see, someday.”

  A wailing filled the chamber and interrupted Salina’s chain of thought. New life, filling its lungs for the first time and letting the world know it was here.

  “It’s a boy!” JJ announced wrapping the newborn in a blanket.

  Salina could feel the pain and exhaustion dissipate from Kelly and Geoffrey. The couple seemed to relax and brighten as they looked upon their son for the first time.

  A tear leaked from Salina’s eye and she brushed it away. JJ handed the precious bundle to Kelly, and the child’s wails instantly turned to gentle coos, as if he sensed he was in his mother’s arms.

  “He’s beautiful,” Anna said, moving back and allowing Geoffrey to slide closer to Kelly and his child.

  Kelly brought the baby to her breast to feed, and the newborn latched on firmly. “He already reminds me of his father.”

  That brought a chuckle from the room and eased the tension.

  “I have a son.” A look of wonder spread across Geoffrey’s face, as he brought up one finger to gently stroke the child’s cheek.

  JJ still stood over Kelly and the baby. Energy flowed from her outstretched hand as she scanned both. “Healthy…normal…well, as normal as folks like us get. The baby seems to funnel a vast amount of energy. I’ve never seen an aura so intense in a newborn.”

  Salina noted the radiant aura had a deep blue tint. It was a color she’d never seen before in an aura and wasn’t sure what it meant.

  “Now we can do a bit of healing,” Anna added.

  Salina joined JJ and Anna, sending healing waves of energy toward Kelly.

  Anna sighed. “At least you won’t have to worry about him turning into a hairy beast when he hits puberty.”

  Salina knew Anna feared her daughter, Callista, would inherit Jack’s ability to change into a Whargan demon, just as Jack had inherited it from his father. It was part of his DNA and certainly in there somewhere.

  JJ brushed Anna’s fears aside. “Calli will be just fine! Stop your worrying.”

  Salina had heard it all before…far too many times from JJ. But Anna’s fears weren’t unfounded. There was something Nathan Gray had told. The old wizard was a powerful precog and he’d had a vision of the future that involved Callista. It was right before Nathan disappeared to who-knows-where, and Anna had never been able to question the man further about his vision.

  But now was not the time to dwell on it. She decided she needed to bring the focus back to Kelly and her newborn child. She couldn’t resist the urge to reach out and stroke the baby’s head. A short growth of soft blond hair trickled across her fingertips. The child, intent on its suckling, never seemed to notice. “Have you picked out a name for him?”

  Kelly looked at Geoffrey and he nodded back. “We’ve decided to name him Grant, Grant le Court. That way he retains both our surnames.”

  Grant. Salina rolled the name around in her head. It fit. It also occurred to her that this child represented the first true union of the Arcanists and the Templars in who knew how long. Maybe forever. Could thousands of years of animosity be wiped away by the birth of one child? Admittedly both groups had a long way to go.

  She and Ryan had their work cut out for them.

  She smiled as warmth filled her core. The more she thought about Ryan, the more she knew it was more than just an experiment. It was certainly more than just sex. What was going on between them was real, and deep. The power was just a side effect. It was a strange phenomenon, to be sure, and certainly warranted research, but there was so much more going on than that. The way they’d connected…

  Exhaustion suddenly assaulted Salina. Her head spun as she sat back and closed her eyes. Then she was slipping, falling into sleep…falling forward toward the floor.

  “Whoa girl.” JJ caught her, holding her upright. “You’re dead on your feet. Go get some rest. We’ll be fine here.”

  JJ walked her to the door, supporting her. A small group of people were milling about the hallway outside. Instantly they started asking questions.

  “Kelly and the baby are fine,” JJ announced. “It’s a boy!”

  “I’ll take her.” Ryan’s voice surprised Salina as his strong arm came around her waist. Had he really been waiting out here with the Arcanists for news of the baby? Or had he been waiting for her? She rested her head on his shoulder.

  “She needs to sleep,” JJ warned. “She’s still weak from her injuries as well as dead tired from assisting me with the birthing. So, no hanky-panky. Understand?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Ryan chuckled as he guided Salina away from the milling crowd. The cool, quiet corridors made her wonder what time it was. She’d lost all track.

  They walked together in silence, and when her knees threatened to buckle, Ryan picked her up, cradling her to his chest. Eventually, they came to the doorway to her room.

  “Can you make it from here, or do I need to carry you in and undress you?” Ryan’s voice dripped with sexy innuendo.

  “I’d love for you to join me, but I don’t think I’ve got the energy,” she mumbled.

  His lips pressed firmly against her forehead as he set her on her feet. Opening the door, he gave her a gentle, guiding nudge inside. “Get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Her bed was still a jumble of sheets and blankets from her romp with Ryan the day before. Power still pulsed in the room, creating a dim, comforting glow. She didn’t have the strength to undress. Maybe she should’ve taken Ryan up on his offer. Would they generate any energy if she fell asleep in the middle of it all?

  She managed to kick off her shoes before crawling into bed and dragging the twisted bedding over her exhausted body. The sheets smelled of sex…and him—warm, musky and erotic. It felt like he was still there, wrapping his arms around her.

  She drifted off quickly, embracing the loss of consciousness and the rejuvenation it would bring. Still, Ryan’s scent—his presence—filled her mind.

  Her dreams were anything but chaste.

  As I ponder my demise, I consider my legacy – From the song Apocalypse Later by Slayn Chavez (One hit wonder)

  Chapter 11

  Even though the man was almost family, Nathan Gray was a total enigma to Ryan.

  The powerful Templar Knight had been a sponsor at Ryan’s christening. As a child, Ryan had spent hours at the old man’s knee learning the ways of the Templars and the world at large. Nathan was Ryan’s godfather, mentor, and friend.

  When Ryan discovered Nathan was also working with the Arcanists, it confused him. How could someone he’d known all his life, and trusted so deeply, be an Arcanist? But trust was what it all boiled down to in the end—Ryan trusted Nathan Gray.

  The old man had disappeared around the time Geoffrey le Court and Kelly Grant traveled through the demon gate to destroy the portal to the demon’s world. Ryan hadn’t seen or heard anything about what his godfather was doing, but that wasn’t surprising. Nathan freque
ntly disappeared for long periods of time, sometimes years. Ryan always missed him and his wise counsel during those times.

  But he was back. Nathan had suddenly appeared in the midst of the Arcanists and the complex was abuzz with speculation. Ryan always thought of him as a Templar, but he knew the Arcanists also counted him as one of their own. How he’d managed to enter and be so active in the two opposing forces, was a mystery to both organizations.

  Ryan could tell from Nathan’s stance something was wrong.

  Nathan motioned him over. “Ryan, come here boy, quickly.”

  The old man just stared into Ryan’s eyes for long moments then sighed. “It’s gone. The fools! Why didn’t they foresee this happening?”

  “What’s gone?” Ryan had never seen Nathan so incensed.

  “You were destined for another. The closeness of the two Seeds of Immortality must have stimulated an attraction.” The old man was rambling…ranting. Could he have gone over the edge?

  As long as Ryan could remember, Nathan had seemed old, but never senile. He delved deeply into Nathan’s gaze, but found no trace of dementia. His eyes were clear but Ryan could feel the man’s panic and got an incredible sense of weakness he’d never felt before. What was happening?

  “Salina. Where is Salina?” Nathan asked.

  Ryan shrugged. “She’s in her room, sleeping. I left her there not four hours ago. She was exhausted. Is she in danger?”

  Geoffrey le Court entered the room supporting Kelly Grant and his newborn son. That Kelly was up and moving about so soon after giving birth was testament to the woman’s tenacity and the healing arts of the Arcanists.

  “We came as soon as we heard,” Geoffrey said. He and Kelly approached and handed the baby to Nathan. The baby seemed unnaturally awake and lively for being just born, not that Ryan knew much about babies.