Untamed Hawaiian Heat (Rift Hunters) (30 page)

To this point in time and space.

To Kiana and Mateo.

The love he felt for each of them blazed for a moment, then settled in his heart. It seeped into his magic and spread through his veins. He acknowledged it and refocused on the task at hand. His mates and fellow Rift Hunters were counting on him to get them home safely.

Tiaki pulled more energy from the core when his started to fluctuate. He’d never attempted to open more than one portal at a time. Opening his eyes, he saw the shock registering in Atê’s eyes as well as Thanos’s when a glowing ball of energy sprang to life between them. Apparently they’d thought he would be easier to kill. They began firing bolts of energy at them.

An intense need to run warred with an overwhelming urge to fight within Tiaki. Courtesy, of course, of Palioxis and Proioxis’s powers respectively. He glanced at his friends and mates. They all seemed to be suffering from the same desires. No doubt the Makhai had entered the fray. Tiaki shrugged the temptations off and focused on the portals.

The air rippled with electricity as the ball elongated, then stretched until it was large enough for them to pass through. The power of the spatial distortion pressed in on them as the twin portal struggled for dominance within the banyan grove. “Get your asses through. I won’t be able to hold it open for long. Tell Monte the same.” Tiaki screamed to be heard over the rush of air his magic stirred up.

He watched as Ash and Grant jumped through the portal, then waited for Mateo and Kiana to follow.
“Go. Now!”

“Not without you.”
Kiana practically shouted through their telepathic link.

Tiaki chanced a glance at Kiana, then Mateo.
“Get her through the damn rift!”

“The other team is through.”
Mateo pushed the thought through their link as he disconnected his magic from the portal. He grabbed Kiana’s hand and pulled her toward the opening.

Atê threw an energy bolt at the opening, making it fluctuate. “I don’t think so, Hunter. Both the kyrios and Mother will be most interested in studying the three of you.” She raised a hand and gestured to someone behind them. “Very interested, indeed. Bind them and take them to the gate.”

Tiaki struggled to keep the rift open when she threw another bolt at it. “Go now! Damn it! I’m right behind you,” he shouted. Sensing someone moving in behind him, Tiaki fought the urge to turn and see who it was. It didn’t matter anyway. He didn’t intend to allow anyone to harm either of his mates.

Atê laughed. “You really think you’re a match for me?” She flicked her eyes to the person behind him. “Now, Palioxis. Take him. Proioxis and I will get the other two.”

“No. You promised I could have the woman once the Hunter was captured,” Thanos said coldly.

Atê dropped her hand and turned to look at Thanos. Her mouth was pressed in a hard line. “I promised you no such thing, ilithie. And I’m under no obligation to honor anything my sisters may have promised you. Especially if it conflicts with something that could further the cause.”

Thanos raised the fully charged plasma cannon attached to his hand and pointed it at Kiana. “Then I guess you’ll have to tell the kyrios and mommy dearest one of their playthings was killed during battle, because if I can’t have her, then no one can.” A massive energy blast exploded from the cannon and shattered the eerie stillness with a deafening boom.

Tiaki grabbed Mateo and pushed him and Kiana through the portal. He dove through behind them and spun to close it. A wave of fear crashed over him when he saw the flash of Thanos’s cannon firing. The blast was heading straight for Kiana and Mateo. He threw himself in front of it as it passed through the rapidly shrinking portal.

The impact of the plasma bolt hitting his chest made his whole body jerk. His magic abruptly disconnected from the rift, sending arcs of lightning around the clearing. As he fell backward, he saw twin sapphire and silver energy blasts disappear through the opening as it flashed to a pinpoint and vanished.

* * * *

Kiana grabbed for Mateo’s arm as they stumbled through the portal. Her mind was still whirling as she tried to understand what Atê had been talking about. She turned just in time to see Thanos fire through the opening. Tiaki threw himself into the path of the plasma bolt. She screamed as she raised her hand and threw an energy bolt at Thanos. She was surprised to see a sapphire twin to it pass through at the same time.

Her magic cried out and reached toward Tiaki with an urgency she didn’t understand as he fell to the ground with a sickening
thud
. She raced over and knelt beside him.

Kiana screamed at the sight of the gaping hole in his chest from the blast he’d shielded her and Mateo from. She looked up and met Mateo’s eyes in shock. The look on his face clearly said he hadn’t anticipated Tiaki sacrificing himself for them any more than she had. Tears stung her eyes at the sight of Tiaki lying so still on the ground. She drew a shaky hand along his jaw. His eyes fluttered open.

Tiaki grimaced, his face a mask of pain. He met her gaze, and a half smile tugged at the corner of his mouth before it faded as she saw him grimace again, telling her that the pain he was experiencing had to be intense.

Kiana laid her hand on his chest to stop the flow of blood. “Ash! Niki! Help me!”

Tiaki shifted his eyes to where Mateo leaned in behind her. He reached out and took Mateo’s hand and pressed it to Kiana’s. His magic swirled faintly around them, bathing them in a soft golden light.

Kiana felt her magic quicken to life. She gasped in surprise when she sensed Mateo’s do the same. Their magic flowed toward their clasped hands, silver and sapphire caressing gold.

Tiaki met each of their gazes in turn and squeezed their hands to his chest. When their magic combined around their hands, warmth spread through Kiana’s heart.

Kiana inhaled sharply when Mateo’s magic spread through her, seeking to merge with her in a way she’d never imagined being bound to another person.

“Take care of each other. I’m…”
Tiaki paused, struggling to take a breath.
“I’m glad I got to meet my soul mates even…even if we didn’t complete the soul bond.”
He closed his eyes and released their hands.
“I love you both.”
His hand fell to his side.

Kiana screamed, shattering the stillness enveloping them, and dropped her head to his chest as tears streamed down her cheeks. “No. You can’t leave me, Tiaki. I love you.”

* * * *

Mateo stiffened when he heard the words Kiana whispered against Tiaki’s cheek.

“You’re not, you know?”

Mateo stiffened at Ash’s words. Words so similar to what Remi had voiced what seemed like a lifetime ago. He turned his head to find Ash standing beside him. “What the hell are you talking about? Get over here and see if there’s something you can do.” He stood up and rubbed his hand across the back of his neck.

Ash knelt down beside Tiaki and Kiana as Niki and the others came to a stop behind him. “You know it’s already too late for either Niki or me to do any good.”

Mateo caught a glimpse of a tattoo along the back of Ash’s neck that he’d never seen before. A swirl of black and silver glittered, then disappeared.

Ash met his gaze. “You’re not betraying Remi’s memory by admitting what you know to be true.”

Mateo narrowed his eyes. “How do you know that name?”

“Remigius Delgado was my friend and my brother-in-arms. I won’t pretend to know what happened between you and him, but I do know he knew you were meant for another. He knew this because he’d already been bound to his mate,” Ash said quietly so only Mateo heard.

“Had been?” Mateo couldn’t stop the question from forming. “What do you know about the soul bond? Are you a Rift Hunter?” He was acutely aware that Kiana had quieted. While she hadn’t moved, he knew she was intently listening to every word Ash said.

“Yes. As in, he was bound to her, and she died. What I am has no bearing here and now.” He gestured to Kiana and Tiaki. “What does matter is whether or not you want to save him.”

Mateo regarded Ash, wondering how much he knew about Remi and the soul bond. More importantly, how long he’d known about him and Remi and that he shared a soul bond with Kiana and Tiaki. He shook his head and tentatively reached for Kiana through their link. The love she felt for him and Tiaki shone like the beacon of a lighthouse guiding passing ships safely to harbor. The intensity of Kiana’s combined love for him and Tiaki rushed through his link with her, storming along all his nerve endings until it found the nucleus where his magic pulsed and shattered the barrier he’d built around it. The resulting detonation of emotion almost brought him to his knees. Opening his heart, Mateo examined all the feelings he’d experienced since Tiaki had arrived.

Tiaki’s words just before he’d closed his eyes echoed in his mind.
“I love you both.”
Mateo rubbed his chest, his heart constricting painfully at the thought of Tiaki not being a part of their lives…of his life. Tears stung his eyes as realization filled his heart with regret for the time he’d wasted.

Mateo loved Tiaki as much as Kiana. Kneeling down again, he eased her to a sitting position and laid his hand over hers where it still rested against Tiaki’s heart. He squeezed gently and sent a wave of reassurance through their link. Reassurance he wasn’t sure he believed himself. He had no idea how to save a man who for all intents and purposes was almost dead. He glanced up and met Ash’s gaze.

Ash smiled. “You only honor Remi by acknowledging your love for both of your mates.”

“How?” he finally managed to say.

Monte cleared his throat. “I think Ash is talking about doing the same thing Tiaki showed me how to do to save Niki, Mateo.” He glanced at Ash. “Isn’t that right?”

“Yes.”

Kiana turned her attention to Monte and Niki. “What does he mean?”

Niki grasped her husband’s hand. “Combine your magic, and you may be able to save him.”

Mateo frowned. “But what if our magic isn’t strong enough—”

Ash cut him off. “Have faith. And if you need help, I’ll be right here. Though I believe your love for one another and Tiaki is stronger than you think. It’ll make up for whatever strength your magic lacks.” He paused. “After all, isn’t love the most powerful magic of all?”

Mateo looked at Kiana, who was watching him wide-eyed; hers glazed with unshed tears. Pain and confusion shifted in their depths. Mateo opened their link and let his love flow freely to her through his magic. He invited her to explore his heart. To feel the love he’d been denying he felt for Tiaki. Her eyes widened even more in surprise.

Mateo smiled.
“Yes. I love him, though I tried hard not to. Somehow I knew it was inevitable.”

“Show me how to save him, then. I need both of you to be whole. Tell me what to do.”
Kiana’s words, heavily laced with love and determination, whispered through his mind.

Mateo pressed Kiana’s hand more firmly over Tiaki’s heart, then laid his on top of hers. He pulled her as close as possible with his other arm.
“We need to focus our magic and channel it into Tiaki and command it to heal him.”

Closing his eyes, Mateo called to his magic and sent it to their intertwined hands over Tiaki’s heart. He felt Kiana do the same. Their energy swirled and danced together in joy before melting together and shooting through Tiaki, fortified with their love for him.

They both jumped when Tiaki’s heart began to beat beneath their hands. A faint trace of his magic pulsed gently.

Mateo and Kiana poured as much of their energy into Tiaki as they dared. Their hopes were bolstered each time his heart beat stronger in his chest. When it finally expanded with a ragged breath as the edges of the hole made by the plasma blast knit together, they let out a cry of triumph.

When they began to feel weakened, Kiana turned her head, and Mateo pressed his lips to hers in a tender kiss. He leaned away and smiled. The love he felt for her and Tiaki shone like a beacon of hope within his heart. “Let’s take him home.”

* * * *

Mateo slipped into the living quarters he shared with his mates and sighed. Kiana was still sitting beside Tiaki, bathing his face and chest with a cool cloth. His fever had broken last night, but both of them still worried their magic, even combined, hadn’t been strong enough to save their third. Although thinking of him that way didn’t feel accurate to Mateo. Tiaki and how he felt toward the man were equal to Kiana in all aspects of his heart and soul. He didn’t have to ask to know Kiana would agree. Shaking off his musings, he walked over to her and massaged her shoulders.

“Mi corazón, you need to get some rest. You won’t do him any good if you don’t take care of yourself.” He smiled as he said the words. It wasn’t the first time he’d said them to her, and he was sure it wasn’t going to be the last.

Kiana reached up and put her hand on his. “I know. I’m just so scared we didn’t do enough,
ko’u aloha
.” She turned her head enough to kiss his hand, though her eyes still watched Tiaki for any signs of him waking up.

“Come, Kiana. Let’s go get cleaned up. Afterward, you can lie down beside him and sleep while I go find us something to eat.”

It took Kiana so long to answer, Mateo was beginning to think he’d have to carry her out of the hale.

“Okay, but if he wakes while we’re gone, I’m going to kick your ass for making me leave.”

Mateo smiled. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

* * * *

Mateo reached around Kiana with a soapy washcloth and rubbed it over her neck and shoulders. He was glad she’d finally agreed to take a break from her vigil over Tiaki. It had been two days since he’d been hurt as they’d jumped through the portal after rescuing Kiana and the others.

She sighed under his gentle ministrations.

He could feel her relaxing through their link for the first time in he couldn’t remember how long. He knew she wanted to be there when Tiaki woke up, but he needed to talk to her. It was time for him to tell her about Remi. Tiaki had been right when he’d said he needed to face what had happened between them and why he’d fought so hard against his attraction. He took a deep breath and kissed Kiana’s neck. “Kiana, we need to talk.”