Chapter 178

Chapter 178
Drew

Drew shook his head to clear it from the annoying static buzz that was hammering away at his nerves. Every fiber of his being felt like it was being vibrated at an unnatural level. It made his teeth hurt and his skin crawl.

He knew his anger and annoyance wasn’t really directed at his friends but he had to find a way to get away from the noise of it all. Every minute he spent in their presence seemed to enrage him more. He felt as if the land itself was trying to force them apart.

He had left his Kindred behind, not because he was angry but rather he believed it was what had to be done to finish what they had started. He just knew that the magic of the place wanted each of them isolated. The thought terrified him.

It felt as if somehow he and the Kindred were being tested and he feared that he might fail. Or even worse that some of them would not survive. It was the thing that kept him up and night. The idea of losing his Kindred or his mate made him train and fight even harder.

He truly believed that their power they had came from being together. He was convinced that’s what the prophecy was trying to teach them. The unity they had was the weapon. It was their bond, five as one, that would save the world.

He loved Stormy with all of his heart. She was truly the one, the love of his life. But he also loved the Kindred. Not in a romantic way but as if they were all part of his family.

He knew he would do anything he could to protect the l Kindred, just as he would his mate. They were more than his mate’s other mates. David, Dean and Damian were his friends and he was determined nothing was going to happen to any of them.

It was this belief that allowed him to be driven away when they had begun to argue. He knew he meant as much to his friends, as they meant to him. Only the power of the land could drive them apart. The anger, the fear and the frustration were all part of whatever was evaluating them. He just hoped that at the end of this, they would all understand what he had done.

Almost as if the land was reading his mind, Drew heard something behind him. He turned to see Stormy approaching him. She was kicking rocks and making faces as she trailed behind him. He could tell she was upset and wanted to talk.

Drew stopped to wait, while Stormy caught up. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his embrace. He felt her relax against him and she nuzzled her head into his neck.

Drew immediately pulled back and looked at her. Something was off, this wasn’t how Stormy greeted him. He waited for her to speak but she said nothing.

In desperation Drew dropped his glamour and shook out his wings. He wrapped them around Stormy so it enveloped her in a cocoon. He listened closely hoping to hear the thoughts in her head. He was confused where he heard nothing.
Drew eyed Stormy suspiciously. She shrugged. This place is messing with my magic.”

He stopped and considered her explanation. He remembered her frustration at the fire she had made near the mirror gateway, so they could find their way back home again. He almost snickered when he remembered the pink sparks from her fingers. He swallowed the laugh so he wouldn’t upset her and decided it was a plausible theory.
“Is everything okay?” Drew asked her. “You seem upset.”

Everyone is acting so pig headed. Seeing everyone angry is making my guts roll. Stormy explained with her signs.

“Being split up for a bit might not be a bad thing. It gives everyone time to gain perspective and we should be able to cover more ground this way. Maybe one of us will get lucky and find what we are looking for.” Drew said with a shrug. He took Stormy by the hand and they continued to walk towards the mountain he could see on the distance.

Drew had no way of marking time as they walked. With no apparent light source, it was impossible to tell if it had been a day, and hour or even several. He felt tired so he imagined that significant time had passed when he began to hear the rustle of leaves around him.

He and Stormy immediately took a defensive stance as they began to check the area around them. He could almost feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and he waited to see what lurked among the trees waiting for him.

Drew felt the enemy closing in on him before he saw them. Seven shadow warriors stepped out of the underbrush with their swords raised. Three of them rushed at him, clearly ready for a fight.
Drew lost sight of Stormy as he began to shoot them with his fae fire light beam. It seemed to fizzle and fade against the enemy like he was doing no more than shining a flashlight at them.

Drew pulled out his sword and began to hack and slash at the three attackers. He managed to take them down one by one when he heard Stormy scream from behind him. He turned as the last of the four warriors she had been fighting put a sword through her chest.

Drew felt as if time itself had stopped. He rushed to her and caught her crumpling body, right before it hit the ground. He put his forehead to hers, silently willing her to fight for her life. He held her close as her eyes close and she drifted away.

Drew wanted to cry but the tears never came. Just the steel determination that she would not have died in vain. Drew touched her face. “I am going to find the Kindred and we are going to defeat them, Baby. Your mission is and always was mine.”

Drew held her close and tried hard not to think about all the long ages of immortality without her. He felt as if part of him was laying on the ground with her. It took every ounce of his will to force himself to his feet.

“You may proceed.” He heard in his mind as the world around him faded to white.