18. All Sass and Power

18

All Sass and Power

Merin

" A re you sure this is the right place?" Roman asked, his brow furrowed as he took in the dilapidated houses and overgrown yards that surrounded them. "It doesn't exactly scream ‘magical phoenix hideout,' if you know what I mean."

Glancing down at the ring in his hand, watching as it pulsed with a faint, ethereal glow. It had been a day since he and Roman had created the tracking amulet in the hopes of finding Mira.

Merin snorted, shaking his head in fond exasperation. "Since when have you known anything magical to be predictable, Roman? For all we know, Mira could be holed up in a cardboard box under a bridge somewhere."

Roman's lips twitched, a glimmer of amusement sparking in his dark eyes. "Fair point. But still, this place… it feels off, somehow. Like there's something lurking just beneath the surface, something dark and twisted and wrong."

Merin nodded, his own senses prickling with unease as they walked deeper into the heart of the abandoned neighborhood. He could feel it too, the faint but unmistakable traces of black magic that clung to the air like a miasma, like a poison that seeped into the very earth itself.

"I know," he said quietly, his hand tightening around the ring as its glow intensified, pulsing in time with the racing of his heart. "But the amulet it's telling us that Mira is close, Roman. We can't turn back now, not when we're so close to finding her."

Roman sighed, his shoulders squaring with a grim, unyielding determination. "I know, baby. I know. But I need you to promise me something, okay? If things go sideways, if it looks like we're in over our heads you get out, alright? You run, and you don't look back."

Merin's heart clenched, a fierce, protective anger surging through him at the thought of leaving Roman behind, of abandoning his mate to face whatever dangers lay ahead alone.

"Like hell I will," he growled, his eyes flashing with a fierce, unwavering light. "We're in this together, Roman. Always have been, always will be. And I'll be damned if I let you face this alone, not when…"

But before he could finish, the world exploded.

One moment, they were walking down the quiet, deserted street, the only sound the crunching of gravel beneath their feet and the soft, steady pulsing of the ring in Merin's hand. And the next was chaos.

Fire and smoke and debris raining down around them, the force of the blast sending them flying through the air like ragdolls, like leaves caught in a hurricane.

Merin felt the air leave his lungs in a rush, his body slamming into the ground with a sickening crack of bone and a burst of pain that made his vision swim and his stomach heave. He lay there for a moment, stunned and disoriented, his ears ringing and his mind reeling as he tried to make sense of what had just happened.

And then, through the haze of smoke and dust and sheer, unbridled panic… he heard it. A laugh, cold and cruel and achingly familiar, echoing through the ruins of the street like a death knell, like a promise of pain and suffering to come.

Riordan.

Merin's blood ran cold, his heart stuttering to a stop and then racing to catch up as he dragged himself to his feet, his eyes straining to see through the thick, choking cloud of debris that surrounded him.

And there, standing in the middle of the blast radius with a smirk of pure, unadulterated malice twisting his lips was the dark fae himself, his eyes glinting with a hunger, a madness, that made Merin's very soul shudder with revulsion.

"What have we here? A little seer and his pet bear, come to play hero once again?" Riordan purred, his voice like silk and smoke and the whisper of forgotten nightmares.

Merin gritted his teeth, his hands clenching into fists at his sides as he stared down the monster who had haunted them.

Though something felt off. Wrong, in a way that he couldn't quite put his finger on, but that made his skin crawl and his gut churn with unease.

Riordan looked the same as he always had, tall and lean and darkly beautiful in a way that was as alluring as it was terrifying. But there was something missing, something vital and essential that Merin had come to associate with the dark fae over the long, bitter years of their enmity.

The gravitas, the sheer, overwhelming sense of power and presence that had always seemed to radiate from Riordan like a physical force… it was gone, replaced by a hollow, empty shell of a man that made Merin's heart clench with a sudden, sickening realization.

This wasn't Riordan. At least, not the Riordan they knew, the monster who had tormented them and hunted them and sought to break them in every way imaginable.

No, this was something else entirely. A trick, a trap, a false face worn by a creature that had no true face of its own.

"Roman," Merin said quietly, his voice low and urgent as he caught his mate's eye across the smoking, shattered remains of the street. "Something's wrong. This isn't… it isn't him. Not really."

Roman's brow furrowed, confusion and concern warring in his gaze as he took in the sight of the dark fae, the way he stood there with a smirk on his lips and a madness in his eyes that was as empty as it was terrifying.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his voice rough and strained with the effort of keeping his bear at bay, of not shifting and charging headlong into a battle they couldn't hope to win. "How can it not be him, Merin? He's right there, taunting us like he always does."

Merin shook his head, his jaw clenching with a grim, unyielding determination. "I don't know," he admitted, his voice low and filled with a quiet, steely resolve. "But I can feel it, Roman."

He summoned his bow, and he nocked an arrow of pure, shimmering light and took aim at the creature who wore his enemy's face.

The false Riordan moved, faster than any creature had a right to be.

He was on them in an instant, a blur of shadow and smoke and a darkness that made Merin's very bones ache with the wrongness of it. Roman shifted in a heartbeat, his bear form rippling and tearing through as he threw himself at the false Riordan with a roar that shook the very foundations of the earth.

But it wasn't enough. The creature danced and dodged and wove around Roman's attacks like smoke, like mist, like the very essence of shadow itself. And every time Merin loosed an arrow, every time he poured his magic and his will and his sheer, unbreakable determination into the shimmering bolts of light.

They passed through the false Riordan like he wasn't even there, like he was nothing more than a ghost, a specter, a figment of their worst nightmares given form and substance.

"Fuck," Merin panted, his chest heaving and his muscles burning with the strain of keeping up, of matching the creature's impossible speed and agility. "Roman, we need a new plan. This isn't working, he's too fast, too…"

The false Riordan spoke, his voice like the grinding of bones, like the scraping of nails on a chalkboard. "Foolish little seer," he hissed, his eyes glinting with a malice, a madness that made Merin's blood run cold. "Did you really think you could stop me? Did you really believe that you, with your pathetic magic and your mangy beast of a mate, could stand against the might of the darkness that will consume this world and all who dwell within it?" He threw back his head and laughed, a sound that was like the shattering of glass, like the tearing of flesh and the snapping of bone. "I will reign supreme," he cackled, his voice rising and falling like the tide, like the pulsing of a diseased and damaged heart. "I will take this world and break it, bend it to my will until there is nothing left but ash and dust and the eternal, unending night."

And as Merin watched, as he stared into those empty, soulless eyes that burned with a hunger that could never be sated.

The false Riordan attacked again, a wave of pure, unadulterated darkness slamming into them like a tidal wave, like a physical force that knocked the air from their lungs and the strength from their limbs.

Merin felt himself flying, felt his body slamming into the ground with a sickening crack of bone and a burst of pain that made his vision swim and his stomach heave. He lay there for a moment, stunned and disoriented, his ears ringing and his mind reeling as he tried to make sense of what had just happened.

But even as he struggled to rise, even as he fought to gather his wits and his will and his sheer, unbreakable determination to keep fighting, to keep standing against the darkness that threatened to swallow them whole.

Then he heard it. A sound that made his heart skip a beat, that made his blood run cold and his very soul shudder with a fear and a desperation he had never known.

Roman's scream, raw and agonized and filled with a pain that went beyond the physical, beyond the mere breaking of bone and tearing of flesh. It was the sound of a heart shattering, of a soul being rent in two by the cruel, merciless claws of the darkness that had come to claim them all.

"Roman," Merin whispered, his voice hoarse and broken as he dragged himself to his feet, his eyes straining to see through the thick, choking cloud of smoke and debris that surrounded him. "Roman, where are you? Answer me, please…"

Then he saw it. A flash of red, bright and fierce and filled with a heat that made the very air around them shimmer and dance with the force of it.

Riordan's attack, a wave of pure, unadulterated darkness that would have slammed into them with the force of a thousand suns was intercepted, swallowed whole by a wall of glowing, pulsing flame that sprang up out of nowhere, that beat back the shadows and the madness and the sheer, unbridled evil that threatened to consume them all.

Merin spun around, his eyes wide and his heart pounding as he searched for the source of the fire. And there, standing tall and proud amidst the ruins of the street was Mira. She was wreathed in flame, her body burning with a light that was as fierce and as bright as the sun itself. And as Merin watched, as he stared in awe and wonder at the sheer, unbridled power that radiated from her like a physical force.

She raised her hands, a look of grim, unyielding determination on her face as she let loose a blast of fire that slammed into Riordan with the force of a thousand suns, that sent him flying back into the shadows with a scream of rage and pain and sheer, unbridled fury.

"Take that, you bastard," Mira snarled.

Merin ran towards the spot where Riordan had been standing just moments before, his heart pounding and his mind racing as he searched for any sign of the dark fae, any clue that could lead them to his whereabouts.

But there was nothing. No trace of Riordan, no hint of the darkness and the madness that had threatened to consume them all. It was as if he had vanished into thin air, as if the very shadows themselves had swallowed him whole.

"Well, that was a whole lot of nothing," Mira drawled, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she sauntered up beside Merin, her hands on her hips and her eyes flashing with a fierce, fiery light. "I swear, these dark lords are all the same. All talk and no substance, you know what I mean?"

Merin blinked, a startled laugh escaping his lips as he turned to face her, his eyebrows rising in surprise and amusement. "I… I guess so?" he said, his voice trailing off into a question as he took in the sight of her, of the woman who had appeared out of nowhere, who had saved them in their hour of need.

She was… not what he had expected. Not the soft, gentle creature he had met, the one who would offer words of comfort and solace in the face of their near-defeat. No, this Mira… she was all sharp edges and fierce, biting wit, her eyes flashing with a fire that could not, would not, be contained.

"Oh, don't look so shocked, pretty boy," she said, rolling her eyes as she caught the look on his face. "I may have just saved your asses, but that doesn't mean I'm some delicate little flower. I've been around the block a few times, you know. Seen some shit, kicked some ass. It's kind of my thing."

Merin felt a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth, a rush of warmth and affection washing over him as he shook his head in wonder. "I'm starting to get that," he said, his voice low and filled with a quiet, awed respect.

Mira preened, tossing her hair over her shoulder with a smirk. "Damn straight I am. And don't you forget it, mister. I may have come to your rescue, but that doesn't mean I won't hesitate to put you in your place if you get out of line."

Merin laughed, a full, rich sound that seemed to bubble up from somewhere deep inside him, someplace that had been locked away for longer than he could remember. "Yes, ma'am," he said, giving her a mock salute. "Wouldn't dream of it."

Mira staggered, her face going pale and her eyes fluttering closed as she swayed on her feet. "Whoa there," she muttered, her voice slurring slightly as she reached out, as she fumbled for something to hold onto. "I think I might… might need a little help here, boys. Seems like that little light show took more out of me than I thought."

Merin's heart leapt into his throat, his eyes widening with fear and concern as he lunged forward, his arms outstretched to catch her before she fell. But before he could reach her, before he could close the distance between them and pull her to safety, Roman was there, catching Mira's limp, unconscious form and cradling her close to his chest like a child, like a precious, fragile thing that needed to be protected at all costs.

"I've got her," he rumbled, his voice rough and strained with the effort of holding his beast at bay, of not losing himself to the rage and the fear and the sheer, overwhelming need to tear Riordan apart with his bare claws. "Let's get her somewhere safe, Mer. Somewhere we can regroup and figure out our next move."

"Damn," Mira mumbled, her head lolling against Roman's chest as she struggled to keep her eyes open. "This is embarrassing."

Merin felt a smile tugging at his lips despite the fear and the worry that churned in his gut. "Nah," he said softly, reaching out to brush a stray lock of hair from her forehead. "You're still the most badass lady in the history of ever, as far as I'm concerned."

Mira cracked one eye open, a weak, crooked grin spreading across her face. "Damn right I am," she said, her voice fading as she slipped back into unconsciousness. "And don't you… don't you forget it, pretty boy. ‘Cause when I wake up… we're gonna have some serious ass-kicking to do."

Merin chuckled, his heart swelling with a strange, inexplicable sense of connection to this fierce, fiery woman who had come out of nowhere to save them, to stand with them against the darkness that threatened to tear their world apart.

* * *

They made their way back to Merin's house in record time, Roman cradling Mira's unconscious form in his massive arms.

As they stepped into the small, cozy space of Merin's living room, Roman gently laid Mira down on the couch, his massive form rippling and shifting back into his human shape.

"She'll be okay, right?" Merin asked, his voice tight with worry as he knelt down beside the couch, his eyes never leaving Mira's pale, still face. "I mean, she's not… she's not going to…"

"She'll be fine, Mer," Roman said softly, his hand coming to rest on Merin's shoulder in a gesture of comfort and reassurance. "She's just magically burnt out, that's all. Using that much power, channeling that much energy… it takes a toll on even the strongest of beings."

Merin nodded, his throat tight and his eyes stinging with tears he refused to let fall. "I just can't help but wonder, you know? How she learned to use her magic like that."

Roman chuckled, shaking his head in fond amusement. "I know, right? She's like a walking, talking powerhouse of sass and destruction. Remind you of anyone we know?"

Merin snorted, a small, reluctant smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, fuzzball. But seriously, we can't afford to get distracted right now. Not with Riordan still out there, plotting god knows what."

Roman's face sobered, his eyes darkening with a grim, unyielding determination. "You're right, Mer. That Riordan back there almost had me fooled."

Merin frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion. "I figured that was the case, do you know what it was?"

"It was a construct," Roman said, his voice low and urgent. "A magical puppet, designed to look and act like Riordan, but without any of his true power or essence. Which can only mean one thing."

"He's gathering his strength," Merin breathed, his blood running cold as the realization hit him like a punch to the gut. "Preparing for something big, something that will take every ounce of his power and cunning to pull off."

"The Unseelie Court," Roman said, his jaw clenching with a fierce, protective anger. "It has to be. He's going to make his move, Mer. And if we don't stop him, if we don't find a way to cut him off at the pass…"

Merin swallowed hard, his heart pounding and his mind racing with the implications of what Roman was saying. He glanced back at Mira, she looked so young, so vulnerable in her unconscious state. Like a lost little girl, all alone in a world that was far too big and far too cruel for someone so small and fragile.

But Merin knew better. He had seen the fire in her eyes, the steel in her spine. This was no ordinary woman, no delicate flower to be coddled and protected.

No, Mira was a warrior. A fighter, a survivor, a fucking force of nature that could not, would not, be tamed by anyone or anything.

And as he stared down at her, as he tried to reconcile the fierce, sassy creature he had met with the still, silent form that lay before him.

"She's about our age, isn't she?" he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper as he reached out, as he brushed a stray lock of hair from Mira's forehead with a tenderness that surprised even him. "I mean, give or take a few centuries, of course. But still… she's young, Roman. Too young to be caught up in all of this."

Roman sighed, his hand tightening on Merin's shoulder. "I know, Mer. I know. But we can't afford to think like that, not now. Not when the fate of everything we hold dear hangs in the balance."

They sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts as they watched over the unconscious phoenix. Merin didn't know how long it would take for her to recover from the magical burnout, but he hoped it would be soon.

Merin felt a chill run down his spine, a cold, creeping sense of dread settling in the pit of his stomach. Roman was right. There was something bigger at play here, something that they were only just beginning to understand. And whatever it was, whatever dark and twisted plan Riordan had up his sleeve.

Mira was the key. The lynchpin that held it all together.

They sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts as they watched over the unconscious phoenix. Merin didn't know how long it would take for her to recover from the magical burnout, but he hoped it would be soon. They needed answers, needed to understand what role Mira played in all of this.

As if on cue, Mira began to stir, a soft groan escaping her lips as her eyes fluttered open. Merin leaned forward, his heart pounding in his chest as he watched her slowly sit up, her gaze darting around the room in confusion.

"Hey," he said softly, trying to keep his voice calm and reassuring. "Take it easy. You're safe now."

Mira's eyes landed on him, and for a moment, Merin felt like he was drowning in their depths. There was something there, something ancient and powerful and achingly familiar, like a half-forgotten dream from another life.

"It's you," she said, a slow smile spreading across her face. "The one I was supposed to find."

Merin's brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean? Who told you to find me?"

Mira shook her head, her brow furrowing as she tried to remember. "I don't know. It's all a bit fuzzy. But I remember…I remember a woman. With skin like glass and hair that flowed like water."

Roman, who had gone to get Mira some water, froze in the doorway, his eyes widening in recognition. "That sounds like Moriganna," he breathed, his voice barely above a whisper.

Mira's eyes lit up, a spark of recognition flashing in their depths. "Yes! That was her name. I tricked her into saying it."

Merin's mind was racing, trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle. Moriganna, the mysterious queen who had helped them in the past, had sent Mira to find him. But why? What did she know about Riordan's plans, about the role that Mira was meant to play?

He took a deep breath, trying to calm the swirling thoughts in his head. "Mira," he said, his voice low and serious. "Do you know what you are? Who you are?"

Mira's eyes met his, and for a moment, Merin saw a flicker of uncertainty, of fear, in their depths. But then it was gone, replaced by a fierce, defiant spark that made his heart skip a beat in his chest.

"I know I'm a phoenix," she said, her voice steady and sure. "My foster parents were witches. They guarded me, protected me, until they passed away recently."

Merin's heart clenched, a sudden, fierce surge of protectiveness washing over him. Mira had been through so much, had lost so much. And now, she was caught up in a war that she didn't even understand, a pawn in a game that she had never asked to play.

"Why does Moriganna want you to find me?" he asked, his voice rough with emotion. "What does she know about all of this?"

Mira shrugged, her face twisting into a wry, humorless smile. "Beats me, pretty boy. All I know is that I'm supposed to stick with you, to help you in whatever way I can." She paused, her eyes growing serious as she looked at Merin and Roman. "You know my name. You know what I am. And something tells me that you're not just a couple of random guys who stumbled across me by chance."

"We'll keep you safe," he said, his voice ringing with conviction. "I promise, Mira."

Mira's face softened, a small, grateful smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Thanks, pretty boy. I appreciate that." She paused, her eyes darting around the room as if seeing it for the first time. "So, uh…where exactly am I? And is there any chance of getting some food around here? A girl's gotta eat, you know."

Merin laughed, the tension in his chest easing slightly at the sight of Mira's sass and snark. "You're at my place," he said, gesturing around the small, cozy living room. "And I'm sure we can rustle up some grub. Pizza sound good?"

Mira's eyes lit up, a grin spreading across her face. "Pizza sounds fucking fantastic. Lead the way, pretty boy."

Merin helped her to her feet, his hand lingering on her arm for a moment as he searched her face for any sign of pain or weakness. But Mira just grinned at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief and a fierce, unbreakable spirit that made his heart skip a beat in his chest.

"I'm fine, pretty boy," she said, her voice low and teasing. "No need to go all mother hen on me."

Merin felt a flush creeping up his neck, his cheeks heating with embarrassment. "I wasn't…I mean, I just wanted to make sure…"

Mira laughed, a bright, joyful sound that seemed to fill the room with warmth and light. "Relax, Merin. I'm just messing with you."

She paused, her face growing serious as she looked at him, her eyes filled with a quiet, aching vulnerability that made his heart clench in his chest. "Thank you," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "For saving me. For taking me in and keeping me safe. I know I'm not exactly the easiest person to deal with, but I appreciate it. More than you know."

Merin swallowed hard, his throat suddenly tight with emotion. "You're welcome," he said, his voice rough and hoarse. "And for the record, I think you're pretty damn easy to deal with. A little sass and snark never hurt anyone."

Mira grinned, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Careful, pretty boy. Keep talking like that, and I might just start to think you like me."

Merin laughed, shaking his head in fond exasperation. "Yeah, well don't let it go to your head. I've got a reputation to maintain, you know."

Mira snorted, rolling her eyes. "Please. You're a total softie, and we both know it."