Camp Mirror Lake
Chapter 24 The Mission

Ethan smirked as we approached. "I don't recall you getting married as part of the plan," he chuckled holding out his hand to Nate. "Congrats, man!"

"Thanks, Ethan. And you are right. It wasn't part of the escape plan. But it was always in my long term plans," Nate smiled. "But your sister is pretty persistent, and she had a good argument. I wasn't gonna let Ben steal her away from me. I don't think I would have survived," he admitted, sliding his arm around my waist protectively. A zing of magic sizzled up and down my spine and I sighed.

"So, where is this item?" asked Ethan.

"Follow me."

We did... Into a deep, dark, forest.

About a half hour into our trek, we came across and ancient looking tree with a knot hole in it.

Nate laced his fingers of one hand through mine and with his other hand he reached in and pulled out a round disk, with a single golden spindle.

"A compass?" I asked.

Nate chuckled. "It's magic. It will lead us to the key hole. I haven't been able to access my magic since I've been trapped here. But since I didn't have the key, it didn't matter anyway."

Nate leaned in and grazed his lips over my forehead, sparking the little compass thing to life. Nate chuckled again. "Man, I think I could get used to this! Let's go!"

After what seemed like eternity following the glowing golden spindle through the dark scary forest, we finally came out at...

"MY TODDS!" I shouted, pointing to the gray toadstools.

Ethan burst out laughing. "I can't believe it!"

"Your what?" asked Nate, adorably confused.

"The first day here, Ethan and I went for a walk and came to the lake, and I found the toadstools. I don't have many friends, so I adopted them as my new BFF's and named them all Todd!" I chuckled.

Nate chuckled too. "Are you ready to get up close and personal with your little friends?"

"No, she is NOT!" came an ominous voice from the dark.

"Crap!" I growled.

"Not again," groaned Nate. "Jack, your time has come to an end. This was never gonna work in the first place! The kids are dying," he tried to reason with the crazy psychopath.

"Nathaniel. I am so disappointed. You took her power all for yourself! She was meant to be MINE!" Jack's voice went from soft to progressively more deranged.

"She was never going to be yours. Even Ben was going to keep her power to himself. I don't want her power! I love her." Nate stated the facts.

But apparently Jack wasn't paying attention.

He stepped out of the trees, arms out stretched like a lunatic. His hair was crazy, all standing on ends. Then there was the lightning being produced from his fingertips. I always thought there was something wrong with Jack, but this was certifiable!

"I kept her from her parents! Put her away with her twin, who while still powerful, is nothing compared to her. I kept her safe, so that at just the right moment, she would be mine!" shouted Jack at Nate.

"Where are my parents?" I asked

"Gone. They have all been destroyed! They would have ruined my plans! Come to me, Melissa, and no one will get hurt," promised the crazy man.

"No! I don't believe you. Even if I came with you, even if you didn't hurt me, you'd hurt Nate and Ethan! What do you want from me anyway?" I asked trying to come up with a plan.

"Your children, of course! If Ben was planning on betraying me, I can produce the same results," he cackled at me.

I looked at him in disgust. "Whatever is goin' on in your head... I don't even want to know! I've already chosen a man, and it ain't you!" I shouted.

Nate pulled me into him, and magic tingled between us. He placed his mouth next to my ear and whispered (even the air tickling my ear sent magical shivers through me) "I'm going to distract him. All you have to do is make sure you get that key into that hole. Nothing else matters."

Then he kissed me and I felt the transfer of power and gaped as I watched a huge broad sword made of lightning appear out of nowhere! NO WAY!

Nate sent a look over to Ethan. Ethan gave a nod. Then they both charged. Jack.

I couldn't see what was going on. I just heard loud bangs, booms, and crazy loud cracks! The ground was shaking, making it hard for me to move. I tripped and the key slipped out of my pocket.

Dang! It was dark and I couldn't see the key very well in the first place.

I heard screaming and shouting, but it took all my concentration just to look for that stupid key!

Finally, after groping around the grass forever, my fingers found the key.

Suddenly a large bolt of lightning landed in front of me and hit the key. The white hot heat burned my hand, almost causing me to drop the stupid thing again. But I wouldn't let my hand let go.

Crawling on my hands and knees I made it to my little friends and stuck they key into a hole in the ground. Magic boomed and rippled through the air. Bright colors danced in the sky. Music hummed in the night. It was so beautiful!

A loud "NO!" rang through the night as I twisted the key. A loud crack tore all reality in half, then snapped back together.

I looked back just in time to see Nate slice his massive sword right through Jack.

Jack dropped to his knees in complete shock. He dropped his head and looked at the sword currently impaling him, with the blood pulsing out of the wound. "Why?" he whispered on the wind into the silent night.

"You were banished for your use of dark magic, Jack. It wasn't Mother Earth punishing all fairies. Just you! You are what was wrong with the world, and what I was charged with to destroy," Nate finished.

I came up behind Nate and put my arms around him, resting my chin on his back.

"You did it!" I snuggled up to him. All the magic in my body making me slightly dizzy.

My hand still burned, but I needed Nate to ground me.

He turned in my arms and leaned into kiss me. It was soft and warm, making me melt into him.

"We all did it love," he smiled down at me.

Then turned to my brother, "Hey, Ethan. You wanna go get your girl and get outta here? I know where Jack keeps the Jeeps he used at the camps."

"Yeah, man! Thanks." He smiled.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Well, why don't we head to your home for a bit and we can decide to do from there," Nate suggested.

Two hours later, Becky was snuggled up in Ethan's arms in the back seat, with Nate at the wheel and me riding shotgun pulling into my drive.

Nate looked over at me. "Welcome home."

I couldn't stop to goofy smile spreading all over my face! We were home, and safe, and I had my mate with me!

Ethan opened the door, pulling Becky in behind him. "Hey, Beck, I'll show you Lissa's room... since I have a feeling she and my new brother in law will probably be taking the master suit," he winked at me.

Becky looked over at me and giggled. "See you in the morning." And followed Ethan up the stairs.

I took Nate's hand and lead him to the first floor master suite, and looked around. All the clothes, pictures, and knick-knacks had disappeared. "I guess they weren't planning on sticking around," I said.

"Their job was done. I guess that makes this house yours, since you are next of kin," chuckled Nate.

"I don't want to think about it right now. I just want you," I stated.

And with that I pulled Nate's mouth to mine and kissed him. I was gonna claim what was mine and make a little magic of my own!

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