The Veil

Prologue



When you’ve got a story to tell people say start at the beginning. To me, that seems rather ambiguous, but here goes. I guess I should start with who I am and what it is I did.

My name is Lilliana Elenvir and a thousand years ago I saved worlds.

My name has gone down in the history books of every world but the one I originally called home. There, they don’t know of the sacrifices I made or the ones that my friends made to save their way of life. I had help, you see. I couldn’t do it all on my own and their names have become legend. I have made sure that their names are remembered most of all.

Aella Bryn, my best friend. A woman with the heart as fierce as a warrior and has her own code of honor. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was half Valkyrie but there’s no way to prove it unless you want to go by spirit then I would say she’s a direct descendent. Best friends since childhood we could read each other like open books. Talon Buchanan, wolf shifter, and the perfect match for my best friend. He was with us from the very beginning of our journey and understood so much more about our destinies than we did. Aiden, the talking cat with the disgust of everyone and everything. He was our guide. And Cian Walsh, the vampire, and who was my perfect match.

All these centuries later their names are spoken with reverence. Sometimes I think back to those days, remembering words I said and shouldn’t have and words I didn’t say and should have. The first hundred years I had nightmares but now, with so many days and years distancing me from that time all I can really remember is the awe I felt at all I learned. Sometimes it still awes me.

So this is me, Lilliana Elenvir, the savior of worlds, and this is my story.



Chapter 1



I was born into a world of normal. And I mean that in two different ways. I grew up in the suburbs outside Atlanta. I had two loving parents who were married for over forty years who didn’t have any other children except me. I grew up thinking I was just like everyone else. It’s a wonderful way to live when you know what I know and sometimes I miss the freedom normalcy can give someone.

I went to school, graduated high school and then college. In my world there were no monsters unless you counted the human variety, no magic. The only fantasy one saw was in the entertainment world. Movies and TV bled the genre dry and there were thousands of books that used the same themes but written with different characters under different names. One person’s tiny difference created a whole new world with the same trials and tribulations of those who are different.

I guess you could say that about my story.

My powers developed at eighteen. I had dreams, visions, intuition about situations. I literally became a psychic overnight. If my parents noticed they didn’t say anything. The only person I told was my best friend Aella. She was the one person I knew who wouldn’t condemn me.

Aella Bryn and I have been best friends since kindergarten. Since the moment Billy Haymore stole my crayons and she shoved him out of her chair to get them back we became inseparable despite how different we were. Aella was an outgoing red head who had a short fiery temper to match. I was a quiet blonde who would rather stew in anger before I lashed out. She was the captain of the soccer team while I was class president.

I went to college and she joined the police academy. What we became, however, were spies for our country. With my extra “sight” and her gift with weapons, we became the best in the business. We got calls from around the world and had hunted some of worst criminals known to man.

Our dedication to serving was still strong ten years later. A lot of those who do what we do burn out easily; take cushy desk jobs and try not remember all the harm that was done with the good all in the name of the U.S. of A. And burn-outs also applied to handlers, those who supervised we field operatives and brought us home safely. Talon Buchanan is our newest handler and we’ve been working with him for the past year. He was a no-nonsense kind of guy when it came to the work but also gave us the space we needed to do the jobs our way. Others in the past had tried to rein us in and missions had gone south fast.

Talon was smarter than that. He was a large man, well over six feet, and broad shouldered and muscular. “The hottest thing next to the sun,” I’d heard on more than one occasion. His ever present five o’clock shadow and piercing green eyes had women swooning and passing their phone numbers or underwear to him at every possible chance. However, he seemed to only have eyes for Aella. The sparks between him and Aella flew every time they were in the same room. I didn’t dare tell her she’d met her match in Talon, she’d only deny it. I didn’t have to have a vision to know she was nuts for him, but the rules said no handler and field agent could have a relationship. Missions could be too easily compromised. I was glad I didn’t have that problem, after watching those two I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. Despite that, however, I found the whole situation hilarious and was smart enough to keep my opinion to myself. As time passed Talon became the big brother I never had and an even bigger annoyance for Aella as he seemed to become a permanent fixture in our lives.

The day that changed our lives started out ordinary enough. We were to meet an asset and collect the data so I could decrypt it then re-crypt it and send the message to our superiors waiting at Langley. The intel was from a terrorist organization that had plans to bomb American cities and it was coming from a turned asset in the Syrian consulate. John was an American born Muslim with a Catholic wife. I’m sure there’s a really bad joke in there somewhere.

I shivered and tried to burrow further into my coat as I sipped on a Grande hot chocolate from Starbucks. “I can’t believe I’m in this frozen wasteland.” I muttered, trying to keep my teeth from chattering. I rubbed the spot behind my ear, so acutely aware of how it itched because of the earpiece in it. I hated those. I didn’t like wearing them but Talon always insisted that we all be in constant communication when out in the field. He wanted to be available at the drop of a hat in case something went wrong.

“London is not a frozen wasteland.” Aella said in my ear, her humor obvious. “And quit touching your ear, you look stupid.”

Have I mentioned that I hate fieldwork? My happiest time is behind my desk in my office decoding whatever message I’m given. I’m the best at what I do, when it comes to that. Out in the field, however, I am less than par. Oh, I can shoot a moving target, I’m quite handy with a gun, but that’s about it. My extra “sight” helps tremendously and is a lot better at keeping Aella safe than it is in my performance out in the field.

“I’m standing next to Hyde park where there’s three feet of snow. Tell me how that’s not a wasteland.” I grumble and lower my hand to cup it around my quickly cooling cup. The urge to rub it is so strong I just want to pull the piece out and throw in the snow. For a moment I fantasize about this but Talon is then in my ear ruining it.

“You’re supposed to be tourist, Lilly.”

“I am a tourist.” I mutter. “I’m an American staring out over this wasteland that is Hyde Park.” But I dig in my pocket for my guide book and using the crook of my elbow I dig in my pocket for the guidebook stuffed there. It’s all about appearances; I remember thumbing through the book. Look touristy. Don’t touch your ear. “See? I got the book and all. Oh I can’t wait to see what Kate Middleton wears next!” At the silence I think my sarcasm is lost on them. The snow starts to fall in earnest again and I bite back a sigh. “Tell me again why MI 6 isn’t handling this?”

“Hey, it’s no fun in the van.” Talon mutters.

I pretend to be searching through the book, my breath crystalizing in front of me. “At least the van blocks the wind.” I mutter and without thinking reach for my ear.

“Don’t!” Aella hisses and I catch myself and bypass my ear and act as if I need to readjust the fur hat on my head.

“I wasn’t.” I lie and push up on my toes and look around as if I’m searching for something. I juggle my hot chocolate back into my hand and I feel the familiar sensation as the world blurs for half a second. It’s enough time for me to register what I’ve ‘seen.’ “Two steps to your left.” I say softly, this time remembering not to touch my ear. “He’ll see you. Game on.”

If Talon finds this strange, especially since my back is to Aella, he doesn’t say anything. After a year of running ops with us he’s learned not to question. I turn my cup empty and I move to toss it in a trash can on the sidewalk. Casually, I pass Aella but don’t make eye contact and throw it away. I continue on, passing the asset who looks as nervous as a guy who’s brought a knife to a gunfight. “This isn’t going to go well.” I mutter. I sit down in the enclosure that’s a bus terminal and pull out my guidebook again. I can hear the conversation clearly between the asset and Aella.

“Walk with me.” She says and they fall into step walking away from me.

After a moment when I’m sure that they’re far enough ahead I get up and follow.

“Have you got it, John?”

“Yeah, I’ve got it.”

Ahead of me they turn into an alley and stop walking. I keep going, planning to turn at the end of the block and come up from the other side. Just another lost tourist in the middle of London.

“I think they’re onto me. I want out.”

“Look alive, ladies.” Talon’s constantly gruff voice came through our earpieces clearly. “I’ve got movement down the street.”

I have another flash and I pick up my pace. “He’s got a tail. Two. Syrian. This is going to get messy.”

“Where’s the drive, John?” Aella insists.

“Here! Here! Take the damn thing!”

I am walking past them and with smooth practiced skill Aella palms the flash drive and easily slides it in my hand as I walk past. “Package delivered.” I say so Talon can here. “Un-friendlies headed right for us.”

The two Syrian’s are austere looking, their dark eyes locked on John and Aella as they are bearing down on them with a rapid pace. They are very scary looking and I know that they are men who will shoot to kill.

I flash a bright friendly smile. “Excuse me! Excuse me!” I give a little wave to catch their attention and put enough relief in my voice that I know I sound convincing. “Maybe you can help me.”

“I’m getting John out.” Aella says and I don’t turn around.

“I’m there.” Talon replies.

The two men are looking at me with such impatience that I wince. “Sorry, we cannot help.” One says in a clipped accent and doesn’t spare me another glance.

“Please! I’m so lost!” I step back to keep them in front of me when they step forward and I pull out my guidebook and wave it in front of their faces. “This thing is useless! Can you tell me how I get to Soho? The bus doesn’t run for another hour and—”

“Out of our way!” The other gives me a shove to the side and I nearly slip on some ice.

I turn and see that Aella and John are no longer in the alley. “But . . . hey wait!” I call after them, alerting Aella that she was now being pursued.

I’m about to go around the block again but the world suddenly, unexpectedly shifts beneath my feet. London disappears from my sight and is replaced with horrible images that could be scenes from a horror movie. It was horrible. People. Things. I don’t know what they were. I couldn’t tell what they were but it was a melee of bodies all screaming and crying in pain; some begging for help. Limbs flayed, grasping at nothing but air begging for someone to help them. And the blood! Oh the blood! It ran like rivers staining the already scorched ground as it ran from bodies so still in death. And above it all stood a man with sharp features looking like the devil with his sick smug smile as he watched the suffering before him. Blood stained his sharp teeth. And then his eyes shifted, rising from the pile of bodies he seemed to approve of and it felt as if he was looking straight at me. Black pit-less eyes that held no soul.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to close my eyes and turn my face away but there was no doing that when the scene was in my mind, a place that I couldn’t turn away from, even in horror. I’d never experienced anything like this. My visions were quick flashes of the future, of what would happen if I didn’t step in and move a piece here or there like the world was a large chess game I was forever manipulating. Not this . . . this . . . I didn’t have a word to describe it.

“Lilly! Lilly!”

The world came back into shaky focus as I realized that Aella had me by the shoulders and shaking me. I reached out and caught her arm to get her to stop. “I’m fine.” I try to assure her but my stomach rolls. I dart as quickly as the slippery surface allows me and barely make it to the trash can where I lose the hot chocolate I’d consumed.

At the echo in her ear Aella removed the earpiece with a wince. “You are not fine. What the hell happened?” She demanded. “I know it’s cold but it’s not like you to freeze like that.”

There were no words to describe the horror I had just seen. I blinked, straightening from the trash can. I had to force my mind away from the vision and on what I’d failed to do. “John—”

“He’s fine. Talon’s got him.”

“The Syrians?” I gasp, my gaze darting around for any sign of them. Aella grimaced and I realized she must have killed them. “I—I’m sorry.” I stammer, guilt eating at me. God I had really messed things up.

“You’ve got the flash drive?” Aella hooks my arm with a firm hand and steers me down the alley.

I reach in my pocket and I produce the small black rectangle and I breathe a sigh of relief. At least I hadn’t screwed that part up.

We get to the van where a very impatient Talon is waiting. “What the hell happened?” He demanded and took in my appearance. “Are you okay?”

“Fine.” I tell him and pull away from Aella and glance at the van. “John?”

“With MI 6. They’ll see to his trip home.” Talon was studying me. “Come on, let’s go.”

I sat back wearily in the van, closing my eyes.

“We’re headed straight to the airport?” Aella asked.

“Yeah. The plane is waiting.” There was a brief silence before he spoke again. “What happened out there?”

“She fell. Hit her head.” Aella answered.

“Ella . . . No.” She couldn’t cover for me on this. The whole thing had been recorded. Remembering that caused my ear to start itching furiously and I jerked the stupid earpiece out and leaned forward and put it in the spotless ashtray.

“That’s what happened.” She insisted, ignoring me.

“I froze.” I met Talon’s gaze in the rearview mirror when he looked at me. “I just . . . froze.” There was no other explanation that I could give him.

“It sounded like you were sick.”

“I told you. She hit her head. Hard.” Aella insisted.

“Ella, it was recorded.” I tell her. “If I had fallen there would have been sound but it was quiet. I froze and you could have been hurt or killed because of it. There’s no excuse for it. I’ll deal with however the higher-ups want to handle it.” I could feel Talon’s gaze on my face but I turned to look out the window.

The plane was waiting for us when we arrived. It would be a private flight like it had been on our way here. Trailing behind my friends my steps slowed as I approached until they stopped all together. My stomach started to roll again and I was afraid that I was going to be sick again. I took a deep breath again and a feeling of dread filled me. I wasn’t supposed to get on that plane.

Noticing my hesitation Aella turned, her dark red hair blowing around her face from the force of the propellers. “What is it?” She yelled over the roar.

I looked at her. “I can’t get on the plane!” I yell back.

“What?”

“I can’t get on the plane!” I took a step back and felt better. It was the right decision even though I didn’t know why it was the right decision. Once that was realized I felt the familiar flash of a vision. I saw a beautiful glen with a lake. There was a sign Loch Derg.

“What’s going on?” Talon moved to stand next to Aella looking at me in confusion.

“I can’t go with you!” I step back again. The sick feeling dissipates more with every step back I take.

“What?” He looks at Aella for confirmation. “What’s she saying?”

But Aella only rolls her eyes. “Lil, we need to go home! We need to be briefed!”

But I just shake my head. “I can’t! I’m sorry!” And I turned and walk back into the hanger. I’ve probably just lost my job but I can’t worry about that now. All I know is that I need to find this Loch and I need to go there.

“Hey wait!” Aella catches my arm and turns me to face her. “You want to tell me what’s going on?”

My gaze darts around and I see that no one is hearing distance but still I lower my voice. “Vision. I can’t go home. Not yet.”

She’s silent for a moment, studying me intently and she must see the seriousness in my face because she nods. “Okay then. So we stay.”

I start to shake my head. “No, you need to—”

“I’m staying.” She insisted. “Whatever it is you saw it’s freaked you out.”

“What freaked her out?” Talon asks appearing. “What’s going on? The plane is waiting!”

I ignore his question. “What are you doing? Why aren’t you on the plane?”

“I would like to be on the plane.” He told me. “I would like to be relaxing with a cool drink or taking a nap after all of this. But no . . . I’m here trying to figure out what the hell is going on. Why don’t we figure it out on the plane?”

I shook my head. “I can’t go home yet.”

He glared at me. “Why not?”

“It’s personal.”

“Personal? How is it personal? You’ve been here all of twelve hours! How personal can it be?”

“Lay off, Talon.” Aella cut in. “We’re not going home. Get over it or go home by yourself.”

“Yeah, cause that’ll go over well with the director.” He rubbed his hand over his face in a tired motion and I nearly ask how tired he could really be since all he did was sit in the van. But I’m smart enough to keep my mouth shut. “Let me call this in.”

“No.” I say quickly. “You can’t.”

“Why not? Why are you acting all squirrely all of a sudden?”

I take offense at the description. “I am not squirrely. I told you it’s personal.”

Talon threw his hands up. “Whatever! We’re going home. Now get on the damn plane!”

“Yeah,” Allea said in a dry tone, “cause ordering us to do something has worked so well for you in the past.”

Talon turned on her. “These are our jobs you’re talking about. You don’t just not go home after an op because you feel like it.”

I shrugged, not bothering to argue. I couldn’t tell him that it was a vision of death and destruction that kept me here in the UK. “I’m sorry, but that’s the way it has to be.”

“So what are you going to do, Talon?” Aella asked watching him closely.

His hard gaze studied us and finally he sighed. “You’re staying. And because you’re staying she’s staying.” He nods at Aella. “And because both of you are staying I’m not about to go home and try to explain why I left both my operatives in London. I don’t leave my operatives behind. Where you two go, I go.”

Aella rolled her eyes. “You shouldn’t—”

Talon gave her a charming grin and winked flirtatiously at her. “You know I’d follow you anywhere, Ella. Now come on, lead the way.”

She turned to me and gestured with her hand. “This is your road, Lil. Let’s see where it takes us.”