Chapter 404: Falling
There was an odd excitement to falling I hadn't expected once the initial terror burned off. The air rushed past me in a gale, whistling in my ears, though the passion of its passing tore at my clothing and forced my body to ripple uncontrollably. It took me a few seconds to get past the idea of dying before my demon roared and shook me, taking control of our magic, diving for the veil.
Only to meet the same stone wall as before, even the rubbery membrane out of reach.
This time she wasn't taking no for an answer and neither was I, damn it. Forget this dying shtick-not while I had power to fight it. I reached deep, pulling from all of my magicks, leaning into the veil as hard as I could. Shaylee and my vampire core poured energy into my demon, now more powerful than she'd ever been.
And in that moment, while my body slowly spun sideways, as I now faced the ground rushing toward me, what was once tiny and antlike now alarmingly large and growing bigger by the second, I felt the veil soften, weaken.
And part.
We were inside in a flash, about a breath before the ground made me into something gooey, the slickness sucking me along in the dark, welcoming me home. My demon roared again, in delight this time, even as my body quivered in reaction to our near death.
Meira. I didn't have time to think of myself. I let my anger have its head, surging through the edge of the veil to the platform, slicing through the wards and landing next to my sister as the three assailants tried to pull her off the elevator and down a dark tunnel low on the mountain.
She'd done well, her power blazing around her, but I wasn't about to let her fight alone.
One of them ran at the sight of me, disappearing inside, but the other two took one look and flickered into the veil.
Oh hell no. I grabbed Meira and tore the edge open, flying after them. It was different inside this time, trying to track them. But I could feel them still, the echo of their passing, though by the time I figured out what I was doing they were long gone. Their persons, anyway.
They left their fear behind for my demon to snarl at in satisfaction.
I dropped us out in Dad's quarters, Meira grinning up at me with a fierceness triggering my own toothy snarl, though she shook as much as I did now that we were safe.
"Thought you were dead," she said, punching my arm as Dad leaped to his feet at our sudden arrival, Sassafras staring, Theridialis also half out of his chair, gaping like a suffocating fish.
"You too," I said, punching her back. I met Dad's eyes, letting him see how much anger I still had inside me. "That was a rush."
"Do tell," Sassy said.
Boy, did I. And when I became too furious to speak, Meira took over. I spent the rest of her tale in my typical pacing back and forth, hands clasped behind my back so tightly I didn't think they'd ever come apart.
Dad sagged back in his chair as Meira wrapped up, staring at me like he didn't know me.
"Syd," he whispered. "Are you all right?"
"I was tossed over the side of a mountain," I said. "What do you think?"
"And yet," Theridialis said, eyes narrowed as he stood and came to my side, power tickling along the edges of mine, "you managed to use the veil. Despite the fact it was somehow closed to you. Interesting."
"Does this mean I can go home now?" Home. Yup. Please and thanks.
"I don't think so," he said. "But there is hope now, yes?"
Hope. Lovely.
I spun on Dad, able to talk again. "So about this whole living forever thing?" I jabbed a finger into Theridialis's round belly since he was close enough to vent my rage on. "When were the pair of you going to get around to telling me?"
Dad had the good grace to look tragic. That's how I was feeling, kind of, so it diffused a little of my anger. "It's not just because you're half demon," he said. "While we are exceptionally long-lived, you, my daughter, are truly immortal."
Theridialis was nodding. "Consider, you also carry the soul of a Sidhe princess inside you, my dear. An immortal spirit tied to yours."
"And now you have the vampire essence as well," Sassy said. "Immortal number two. Add your demon's extended lifespan and it's not exactly a shocker, Syd."
All of my rage vanished in a sudden need to feel sorry for myself. I crossed to the table and sank into a chair, sadness taking me over. This sucked, big time. It meant I'd outlive everyone I loved.
Well, not everyone, maybe. Sassafras came to me and climbed into my lap, putting his paws on my shoulders, head-butting me with his fuzzy forehead.
"I've said goodbye to so many Hayle witches," he whispered. "It'll be nice to have you around for a while."
I hugged him, tears brimming. Now I knew how he felt, or could imagine it. Bad enough to have to see Gram die someday. Mom. But people who I was supposed to grow old with?
Oh. My. Swearword.
Quaid.
Liam.
Love.
I couldn't do it to either of them.
Sassy pulled away, met my eyes. "Don't go there," he said, as though knowing what I was thinking. "Besides, the way you fight you might not make it to nineteen."
Smartass cat.
Just what I needed.
"Maybe Grandmother is right then," I said. "Maybe I should stay and forget going home. At least here I'm not the only one."
"Syd-" Dad started.
I didn't let him finish. "Come on, Dad, think about it. I'm already in enough trouble with the coven and the Council for being part demon and all the other stuff I carry around with me. You know I make them nervous." Mom did her best to hide it from me, but ever since I took the vampire essence inside me she looked at me a different way. I guess she had the right.
Then again... "Unless Mom knows already?"
Dad shook his head, all the answer I needed.
"Now that I know I'm immortal, do you think the coven will be okay with that? Or the other powers that be? Not likely." I stroked Sassy's fur. "Staying on Demonicon makes the most sense." I met my sister's sad eyes. "And for Meira, too."
But as I sat there, surrounded by glum demons, I wondered to myself how I could go through with it. How could I just abandon my family without telling them what I was, giving them the chance to ask me to step aside?
And thoughts of the two guys in my life didn't make things any easier. Quaid at least was mostly out of the picture despite the fact I wished things were different. But now I knew I could never be with Liam. He wasn't immortal and the thought of falling in love with him then losing him was just too much for my heart.
So much for love, then. How much did my life suck?
***
