by Ivy Carter
I look around myself as I hear hundreds of footsteps. Not knowing if they are friend of enemy, Jessa and I both fire up our palms. My gift has not dissipated yet so I wave my hand out halting all of them. Every single one of them freeze. I look from face to face. Turning very slowly in a complete circle. There is a swarm of being surrounding us from all sides. From my count, my earlier guess was right. There are at least a little over two hundred beings here. All of them caught in the web of my stasis spell, most wearing a look of absolute surprise and utter disbelief.
“Even after you watch me kill a being that was said to be immortal, you still think to stalk toward me and mine. What is it that you want? Or do I just turn you all to ash with a wave of my hand as you stand in place like puppets attached to my will?” I shout out, for once using the power lacing my voice.
Faces surrounding Jessa and me are now shrouded in fear.
Good. Let them finally know WHO and WHAT I am.
I unfreeze the one that looks to have been at the forefront of the swarm. He doesn’t speak even though I have given him his will back to do so. The being, he looks like a beefy lumberjack, falls to his knees and kisses the ground.
Then he finally mutters something that is totally unexpected.
“My lady.” His voice is full of respect and awe.
“Ells, release them. I can’t detect any danger coming off them. I think they want to pay homage.” She whispers to me. So I wave my hand releasing the horde of beings surrounding us.
One by one they follow the first’s example. Falling to their knees and then kneeling their foreheads to the earth. I get now that they just wanted to show their respect. I nod at them then return to my next task.
Cleaning up my mess.
“Jessa?” I call to her…
She looks at me with a question in her eyes. Obviously still a tad off center at being surrounded.
“Do you want to fry that nasty thing over there?” She grimaces at me since I am pointing with my hand that is still holding the dead Demon Lord’s head.
Jessa’s eyes light up with glee as she quickly pockets the crystals then pushes her palms straight out and lets out a stream of fire that incinerates the entire gruesome scene that I left behind.
Blessed Mother, Bless this place once more. Wash clean the darkness that has fallen here. I pray under my breath. Hoping that it works and that this place isn’t tainted by my actions. The beings surrounding us are even more uneasy after watching a Vampire of all beings, shoot stark white flames straight from both palms. Hot enough to even burn bone to ash.
I look to Jessa and know that she has everything that we need, so it’s time to leave. Keeping a tight grip on the head with one hand I grab one of her hands with the other and I will us back to my brother’s home.
Relishing our coming welcome.
We land in the middle of my brother’s living room interrupting what looks like a full scale planning of a rescue mission. There are maps laid out all over the coffee table and there are four men yelling ideas at eachother. I let go of Jessa’s hand and walk forward. The looks on their faces as they take in my blood splattered appearance is amusing to say the least.
But not one of them says a word as I slam the High Demon Lord’s head down in the middle of one of their fancy maps.
I turn and look at each man square in the eyes.
“Each one of you have doubted me. Each one of you thought that I would fail. You have seen firsthand what I am capable of, yet you argued that I was walking, no running straight into my own death. I will not forget that slight.” I tell them in a voice laced with the remaining power that is still infusing my body. My eyes and skin are still glowing, even though my feet are touching the ground instead of floating in the air.
I turn my back on them and walk over to Jessa holding out both of my hands. She silently hands me the vial that she had tucked safely between her breasts and the blood crystals she had tucked into one of her many pockets. Once both of my hands are full and she is relieved of her burdens, she runs straight into Sebastian’s arms.
Even though he tucks her close to him, I can still see the remaining fury that marks his expression.
“She has fought bravely by my side tonight. If you chastise her…I will take it as a slight.” I tell him while staring straight into his dark eyes. He answers me with the barest of nods.
Haughty bastard to the end. I almost smile at that. But suddenly I am engulfed in a pair of strong arms. They aren’t the arms that I am expecting. Gavin is squeezing the life out of me.
“Don’t ever do something like that again without taking me with you. I knew you could kick that nasty bastard’s ass. You just didn’t ask me. You went off on your own.” His tone quiets and his voice cracks.
“Blood of my blood.” He whispers to me. “Never let me think that I am going to have to walk alone in this world once more.” I nod at him with tears in my eyes. I don’t yell or scream at him, he only wanted me to be okay. He never truly doubted me. My brother is truly amazing.
Jaxx and Tristan are both still standing close to the coffee table looking at the wasted head in silent contemplation. Selene is seething in the corner of the room, backed up against a bookcase. She truly must have been praying to whoever she prays to that I would die tonight. It’s time to deal out her punishment.
Without even thinking about it, I cease her in a stasis spell and use my psyche to pull her toward me. I make her kneel with a thought, I don’t even look at her. As she is kneeling in front of me, I call feel the darkness surrounding her heart. But there is something pure of Light currently growing within her. What I can’t comprehend is how she came to be pregnant with a child of the light when she is so damn dark. Unless she stole it.
The thought hits me in the head like a sledgehammer.
“What have you done?” There is utter disgust and seething anger within my tone. To steal a baby meant for someone else is truly repulsive. I release her from the stasis spell so that she can answer me.
My mind is a whirl wind, going over every scenario on how this can be fixed, if this can be fixed…
I don’t see the crazy blue eyes staring up at me. Or that the blond kneeling in front of me is pulling out a glowing blade from the small of her back.
I do feel the sharp, stabbing pain as the blade slides home straight into my gut. The blade is enchanted, it must be, and I can feel it sucking at my life force like a giant thirsty sponge. Blackness, the true blackness of death starts to bleed into my eyesight. I hear chaos erupt around me. Everyone is yelling…screaming in disbelief.
The last thing I hear before the black tendrils take me is a truly crazed whisper.
“I did it for him.”
Jaxx.
The End for Now.