Daughter of Anat Read online

  He hopped up and took his tray with him. I continued to stare at my severely interesting kneecaps until Cas wrapped his fingers around my hand and squeezed. He was sweet enough to say nothing at all.

  That night, I dreamed, but not of Cas.

  “Oh, your back. Great. What motherly advice shall you expel this time? Are my male counterparts hanging in the limbo too?”

  “The are not. Only you.” My mother wore the same long white gown looking everything of the goddess kind. I could see the resemblance especially in the way she carried herself. “You doubt yourself even now. You can’t see what you are capable of. Steps you’ve already chosen are set in motion leading our worlds to a collision course that is much overdo.”

  I remember her opening line from her last Dear Abby.

  We created you to change our own greed driven mistakes of the past. As history has claimed, we gods meddle in the affairs of humans and their corresponding supernatural factions living amongst them.

  “You told me last time I couldn’t fail. That I’d be the end of the supernatural in itself if I did. I still find that a little hard to believe.” I was dreaming, so rolling my eyes didn’t seem to soothe my annoyance near as much.

  “I know you have not called upon me in defiance of the reality I belong in and you were purposed for. Know that my offers stands. Say my name aloud or not and I will be there.”

  Could be handy. Maybe I was being a two-year of brat about all this. Could something change by simply believing yourself the “chosen one” for something like this?

  “I chose you because you can handle this, Anastacia. You are strong.”

  OH my! “Did you...can you read my thoughts?”

  The mother nodded a firm, but softly unspoken yes.

  Well, all heck to the gods.

  “Do you appear only in my head?”

  “Unless I otherwise choose to appear in another form and only then will I make that sacrifice if there is no alternative.”

  “Sacrifice?” I was dreaming, but I felt my hands perspire.

  “I cannot interfere in human or supernatural affairs.”

  I couldn’t help it. I laughed out loud and held my stomach the comment was so full of irony.

  “You do know that’s exactly what you’re telling me your doing?”

  The mother smiled. Oh, this smile wasn’t nice though. She apparently thought to be motherly enough to admonish my smartbutt mouth with indignation.

  Oh wait...I just remembered something. “You said before that all the factions were represented including human. You meant Cord was human. Why is that important?”

  The smile changed, but only a little to show some kind of admiration for me pointing this out. “At the end of this, they will know of your world.”

  Whoa! Um... "That might have been a detail you could have mentioned before.”

  “This world was broken a long time ago from the destruction humans brought on it. The pieces were scattered among us making the supernatural world dance around its glass shards, shattered and reconstructed to fit into a picture frame that doesn’t quite fit. It will take every single able body to make this work again. It is a delicate detail that needs to be handled very carefully. You needn’t tell your male counterparts until the necessary time.”

  Still standing right where my dream started I asked, “And when is that?”

  “You’ll know.”

  Ugh! My eyes stung with tears. Last time she told me the guys were “expendable” and I was not. Now she was saying I had to keep a secret from them that could change our world forever for which seemed like it could cause a bigger war than what we have now.

  “Sure enough, you are correct. But I have confidence in you.”

  Eavesdropping mothers come in all forms. “You have confidence in what you give no advance help in. I am to hear your great knowledge, bow to the power of it, and go back with nothing. Mother, I don’t know what to do next. I can’t choose the next move.”

  “You already have.”

  Didn’t see that coming. I waited so very impatiently.

  “I have word that you are aware of the Godslayer made of pure silver.”

  I’m sure my eyes widened, but I wasn’t shocked at this point anymore. Too many knew too much more than me. I didn’t answer as she continued but was hypersensitive to the prickle attacking the back of my neck.

  “It is real and very dangerous. The enemy will use it against you and I have no power to stop it. There are some things that have to be left to fate.”

  Ominous thought.

  “Your decision to involve the half Hunter boy from your court was a courageous, but critical move. He will be needed in the end.”

  More mystery. More people involved. Lee wasn't expendable as a whole.

  “And you are going to the enemy’s battlefield before he can make his next move. That shows your enemy that you have your own plans and you are not afraid.”

  But I am afraid.

  A sveevy smile cropped up on her face reminding me she heard me loud and clear.

  “Remember, if you need me I will be there.”

  I hadn’t said a word to her in the last half of our conversation since she spent time making sure I was aware she could read me verbally or not.

  Destinies are never really what you make them to be.

  “You chose the Vampire for protection, as you could have any of the four. The Hunter will die before this ends, but his destiny isn’t death. The human Were will be your greatest asset in the greatest peril.”

  “What about my brother?”

  “His purpose is served. He will remain the leader of the Valkyrie court.”

  Seems a little downing with all that the other are debted with.

  “Not at all. He will still aid you, protect you. His destiny is to be there, when you’re not.”

  I woke up instantly like last time. The humans would know about us. Calum would die but not die. Cord will help, somehow. I had a lot to think about. Hiding my “thoughts” was getting harder. I spent the rest of the night blocking like Cas had showed me. Now, what would be my excuse for hiding it from him?

  Chapter Twelve

  The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it...

  The decision was made that we would meet Borgon on his turf just like my mother said. Fight unsuspectingly. He started this war and it was up to us to end it. If I’ve learned anything for all the years of sparring and the few missions I’d partaken in, it was that no matter what, every enemy has a weakness. A loophole that will end him.

  We finally did get a chance to explore openly the Elf, which remains nameless to speak of, and his motives. We decided that perhaps he really does agree with our own agenda of wanting to put Borgon down like a dog. He might just be a good ally, if we can find him. I texted Lee and asked for his help, adding to the list of favors from him. I tell myself he owes it to me.

  I was standing in Cas' room waiting for him to finish getting ready. I’d been dressed for an hour and antsy down in the weapons room while Cas showered. Now, I was up here waiting for shoelaces and weapons check.

  His solid black combat boots that were impeccably clean thud one at a time to the floor. Cas was masculinity made over in the dressed to kill department. All black head to toe with hair to match. Long sleeve well-fitted tee tucked in to combat pants and a utility belt that rivaled my own arsenal.

  His eyes just said all the things a girl could fall over dead in a dream with. I’m bad and I know it.

  He smiled at my thorough way of checking him out and started to lace the left boot that he just yanked on.

  “Do you think we can beat him?” I asked to distract myself.

  He continued to lace and tie up the first boot, now yanking the second one on. “I have no doubt we can take him. The question is whether he is slippery enough to get away again.”

  True.

  Cas stood and wrapped two iron grip arms around me though both of us were very uncomfor
table with the metal and silver objects jabbing us in all the wrong places. “We will not let any of us get hurt. They made us this way for a reason and we have to rely on that. If for one second I think you might be in danger, I will kill anything in my way.”

  I shuddered because I believe him.

  “I need to tell you something,” I looked anywhere but him.

  He leaned far enough for us to see each other aware I was avoiding his gaze. His fingers held my chin in place at the realization that I didn’t want to see his reaction and therefore telling him the next words were hard to share.

  “I overheard something in the club that night and have since found out information on the subject matter. Some kind of sword exists that Borgon believes will kill me and he apparently has it in his possession.”

  “The silver Godslayer.”

  My mouth fell on its own. You knew?

  “I’ve heard of it before. You’re father told me a story once, as well as Szar. Lee told me it’s been found.”

  Traitors never change. He told Cas!

  “When did he tell you?”

  Watching my face he sighed, “The day you asked him.”

  “Does he have a problem with telling me first? Why you?” Forget that Cas just told me he knew I went to see Lee and never told him.

  “I don’t ask. But someday you’ll realize that you are well sought after female that I was very lucky to win the affections of. Just accept that he did what you asked.”

  “When was he going to tell me?” I questioned.

  “I don’t know.”

  I’ll ring his big Hunter neck!

  “Stop worrying what you cannot be sure of. And it’s only a sword and only one man wields it at the time. Cord and Calum have both been made aware and know the precautions we have to take to keep you from it. If need be, we take measures to acquire the piece from Borgon and turn it on himself. For now, he thinks he has the upper hand, but we know what the five of us can do. He can’t match us, Stace. We will win this.”

  His confidence was comforting even if the circumstances were not.

  Cord drove the F150 hemi saying we needed a quick get-a-way just in case. He also said he’d just got it out of the shop for the second engine replacement. He didn’t drive like a maniac when I rode with him, but I’d seen the way he comes up the drive at the Cross Manor in a truck.

  Thick, gray clouds rolled across the sky in quick whiffs as I climbed up into his tank of a truck. The air was measurably humid and made my skin moist and my clothes clingy. The variably cold air in the truck didn’t help much.

  Yes, I’d been talked down from bum-rushing the whole dang thing, but that didn’t make me any less gung ho. I made them follow the lead from my mother and promise to keep the factions out of it for now. Lee told me the rest when I asked him for it. They asked how I knew, but I didn’t tell. I gave them the old, “Just trust me” and they unhappily complied. Being around Szar more than I had in my whole life also didn’t help my overwhelming vigor for wanting to just fight, fight, fight. He was such a battle wanton feign as of late. Maybe he always was and I just never knew him that well but he’s different to me somehow. I understand him a little more. I wouldn’t tell him that or the fact that I kind of understand where he was coming from all those years holding in the secrets he did. But I care. For that, I would never tell him the Mother said he was done in the gods department. And completely mortal.

  “Sweet! Stace found his trail like a dog.”

  I punched my brother without holding back much.

  “A cute dog. Yorkshire terror!”

  “Cuz were related but not really brother of mine. Or should I say dumb like a Shit-zu Cock-er Spaniel.”

  "Sister got smack."

  All went silent not a second later.

  Oh yeah, Borgon was here. Elves were everywhere, left and right, up in the trees, etc. Lee’s note not only told me of two places set up as fronts, but where to find Borgon without him being named as the informant. A half Elf, half Hunter turned Werewolf named Sean was blabbing all my business in his drunken state at the club. Lee had done his research.

  Now we were here at the real camp where Borgon was housed and holed up plotting all manner of evil deeds. Just like the last camp, we parked, walked, and surrounded the area. Except this time we were announced by way of lookouts. Many lookouts.

  We still had the element of surprise.

  The camp seemed primitive until you moved farther in. Although no one was fighting us just yet, they were all weapons drawn and ready. At the first sight of the small house leading the other five indecently small cabins diagonal on both sides, I felt disgusted that Borgon had these poor Elves fooled into serving him. My pity didn’t last long when one single Elf dude drew his sword up high and aimed for my head. Nope! No pity at all.

  All four of my bodyguards stepped up to the base and cut him down before he made another step. In a matter of seconds, the war was on.

  Szar shot me a look after deflecting another sword holder, “Okay, sis. You da boss!” He jumped back into the action and threw his already bloody fists at a few more faces before slipping out the other end of a cabin door and into the field again.

  Something grabbed my arm making me fold to be released, but not before I stabbed his jugular. A gash just above my elbow told me my clothes where being destroyed. Next, my stomach. Didn’t they know I was unable to get severely hurt like them? Did they call themselves causing injury by ruining my clothes? I need to spread that word.

  Now two buttons were gone across the length of my shoulder making wish I’d chosen a different style altogether. Please don’t let me be found naked.

  One of the bigger ones attacked Szar who was coming back in the door so I aimed for his neck and took care of business. Another one smiled his way at the same instant and said to my brother, “Your mine.”

  Cas hit the big lug over the head with the hilt of his sword from behind and told Szar, “Think that one liked you big boy?”

  “Shut the—

  “WATCH OUT!” I screamed over the wrong moment bantering from Cas who never joked in a fight.

  Two Elves shot out like cannon balls across the back of the main front door with stained glass windows adorning it. It was the oddest part of the cabin-like house standing out among the cedar. I thought maybe I was in slow motion mode the way their ugly faces were frozen as they flew through the very pretty window frames.

  The quiet way that Calum always let his breath out and then held it made its way across to me signaling he was taking care of the current threat. I readied my dagger, but knew internally he had this.

  When it landed, dead, on the ground with an arrow in both their heads from dear sweet rarely misses his mark Calum, I wanted to leap for joy. He was amazing with the bow under pressure. He was definitely the Hunter in this motley crew.

  “Look at the size of that monster,” Calum joined my side in alert mode still not even knowing how much time I’d just taken to appreciate his mad skills.

  Cord shared his insight, “You know what they say, size matters.”

  “Epic proportions!” Szar chuckled.

  Acting like I wasn’t grossed out and didn’t hear anyway, I scaled the sofa and went for the only door left closed snagging the bow right from Calum’s hand. I landed on my cat feet and clumsily handed it back to a hardly hindered Calum. It amazed me how battle mode made their comedian sides show out.

  A sweet little evil was hiding behind the door. The Elf couldn’t have been three feet tall, but his face said he was not a child. Holding a handful of daggers, I stretched my body long and aimed sideways for the door. I heard the sound of the metal swinging through the air as I landed and flipped till I was on my feet.

  When I did, I saw that one of my own daggers had nailed him between the eyes but I didn’t even remember throwing it. I hate admitting it felt wonderful. I preferred injury over death.

  “Son of a...” Szar paused looking my way. His face scrunched up, “nutcracker
.”

  “Classy, brother.” I used their humor to hide the sting of killing something. Maybe that’s why they did it themselves.

  “Call ‘em like I see ‘em,” Szar shrugged and continued on.

  Calum cavemaned loud and strong with some kind of battle cry behind us. You can take the Hunter out of the fight, but you can’t take the fight out of the Hunter. He was up and mowing down the enemy all George Washington style.

  I wasn’t sure where they were coming from other than the many eyes we saw in the woods. The house was rather empty.

  I stood centered in the main clearing once again looking around at the downed Elves wondering why Borgon hadn’t made an appearance. I seriously had a bad feeling about the absence of the big, bad leader.

  Szar shot out more of his sarcasm even in the midst of all this death to one of the other guys, I didn’t know who. “Don’t be a panty-clad-pansy-ass. Be a friggin’ man, dude.”

  Was that English?

  I was fairly confident that the men supposedly protecting me weren’t really in danger. They were supernatural beings right?

  I saw Szar reach to his boot for an extra knife giving me the indicator that he was out of weapons. That worried me.

  Since the combative situation so far had been as sporadic as their comments, I took it upon myself to take charge. I lunged out towards the dagger in my peripheral and clanked against it with the primitive metal hook weapon I’d just picked up and stuck myself like a pin on my palm. Glad to have the reminder, I shoved attacking offender back and slapped a foot into the side of his angular distinctly Elf shaped head but not before he ripped my pants wide open slashing both thighs. I hurt, but will heal fast. A clean round kick later, the enemy was down and would be for a while. I understood it was an unfortunate circumstance for the cause of saving our world, but I would do it only when it was deemed the last resort. And.Nothing.Less.

  Before I knew it, my slashed hand took Cord’s to stand and giant lights and screams were around me nearly making my heart stop. Calum was in front of me and his face...it was...dying.