by K. H. Kate
"They are coming. They are coming to Hell." Demos sounded in disbelieve.
Whoever was coming if it meant I got some time...I turned around with the promise to hurt Demos when his walls were down and there was he, the father I never knew even existed standing with the dagger I was getting threatened with.
He mouthed for me to be silent but Demos turned around at the same time. "The angels are coming-Jonathan."
My father didn't even look scared. "You heard the screams. They are coming. All of them will fight this war, Demos. It's over."
"No, it's not." With that, he moved fast to grab Jonathan's neck. I almost screamed but seeing Jonathan match Demos's every step made me believe he was capable of keeping himself safe. With that in mind, I helped Allegra stand first. I didn't forget what she said. Condessa had to die if we wanted our kind safe.
I sought her out next. She was just starting to hide when I caught her. "Condessa, I am sorry but you need to die."
"We need to kill him first! Leave Condessa, we'll deal with her later." Jonathon yelled out suddenly, twirling the knife with a grin. Leave Condessa? So she could run again? Not a chance in hell. I kept my hands on her wrist, watching Jonathan kneel down to Demos's level to lift the dagger in the air. Just before he could pierce it into the demon King's heart, a loud voice stopped him.
"No!" I whipped around only to see Rose and the rest of the guys.
"Emeline, step back." Rose warned again. Her lips opened, an ancient language flowing from it and immediately a protective barrier fell upon us. What's happening?
"W-Why are you stopping him? He needs to die." I looked back at Lex who also furrowed his eyebrows. He was here, all of them were here. It looked like Demos was also right cause I heard the flutter of wings somewhere. I was just about to get to Lex to tell him about Zed when Condessa shoved me aside with her elbow, quickly crossing the barrier to run.
"Stop!" I was going to follow her but I found a hand grabbed me only to pull me against them. Lex.
"Little soul!" He snapped. "Let her go."
What about the witches? "But she-the witches..."
"Let her go. The clans must have heard the bell by now. They will go to the tunnels and they will be safe."
Will they though? "But there's not enough tunnels! Most of them were still under construction when we-"
"Shhh...Calm down. We will worry about them once we get rid of him." He kissed my forehead with a long breath. "We don't know what's happening inside the barrier. He's more important now."
"Yes, he's more important now. Which is why he needs to die." Jonathan nodded, rising the knife once again.
"Alexei, take Emeline away. That's not Jonathan."
What?!
"Demos is in Jonathan's body, Emeline. Killing him would mean killing Jonathan."
"There's nothing we can do." Lex's eyes were now pleading with me. "Not now. We have to play it smart and lock both of them here. I can't risk your life."
Of course. Demos could possess bodies. He wouldn't even need any spells like Keisha. He saw what happened to me back then and took inspiration from it. And like an idiot, I fell for it.
"I have no power here but I can't just turn my back on him!" I had to at least try. Seeing him drag Jonathan's body to the barrier made my hysteria even more prominent. "He's leaving! I-I can channel you or 5132 or anyone!"
5132 stared at me like I lost my mind. "Seriously? You can't walk right into the lion's den. Not for a father who left us like we were nothing!"
Shit.
"Help me." Lex had to help me, right? But to my disappointment, he only tugged me closer with a shake of his head.
"We need to leave, little soul. We will kill him, I promise. But right now, just come with me."
We could come back, alright. But what about Jonathan? Would he still be alive?
"They'll kill him." I said through clenched teeth and before anyone could say anything, I jumped into the barrier.
I made my way inside, walking faster. I had no plan of action. I wasn't even thinking clearly. My heart pounded in my chest and I swore I could almost hear it roaring in my ears. Did I make a mistake by coming here alone? But what about Demos? They were willing to let him live which I could never agree to.
I continued until I found voices coming from behind the door. Taking a deep breath, I pushed through the thing only to meet Jonathan and Demos. Jonathan's hands were tied to either side of the wall and Demos stood over him. The sight would have been satisfying if only they were in their respected bodies.
"Welcome, love. I knew you wouldn't leave me." Demos's smirk widened when he noticed me gulp. Jonathan was barely hanging into his life and if I didn't do something now, I was going to lose my father forever.
"I didn't come for you." I whispered, running my gaze toward the other person present there. So Condessa didn't run after all. "Let him go."
Demos chuckled, lifting Jonathan's chin. "I knew the only way I can make people believe I was dead was if I killed him when he was still in my body. I could have walked away with all of you. Take over another body for the sake of it. I almost succeeded but then Rose stopped me. Do you see why I hate witches now? They are nasty little backstabbers."
"You don't have to do this, Demos. You and Condessa can stay in Hell, do whatever you like. Just let us go."
"Don't you get it? They might be coming but it's already too late. The witches are falling everywhere, clans are dying. It's time for Hell to be reconnected. Then you and I will live right here, forever." I could see movement, three or four demons were making their way slowly around us.
"You are insane." That's the only thing I could point out.
"I will take that as a compliment." He gave me a bright smile. "Condessa, link her to yourself. It's time."
I was just about to curse them both when she shook her head. "I can't."
His eyes narrowed to silts. "What do you mean by you can't?"
"She is carrying a powerful child in her womb. I can't link her to me, Demos." I couldn't have been any more shocked if I tried. Memories of those nights of passion filled my mind. Oh God, we never used protection. We never even discussed if we wanted a child or not.
"W-What!?"
What would Alexei say now if he knew? Would he freak out or take the news as a good thing? I never got to wonder cause the next thing I knew, I was in Demos's tight embrace.
"Love, you are pregnant! This is good news." His hands went to touch my still flat stomach and I flinched, trying not to panic. "We will get a little demon, Emeline. You have no idea how happy I am."
He knew this was Alexei's child, right?
For the first time, I wondered if Demos was right in mind. He should be furious but he looked like someone gave him the moon. I didn't even know how to react when he called Fallon with an urgency. "Take care of her until I return. Condessa and I will do the spell ourselves."
He nodded, bowing his head. I knew something bad was going to happen next yet it didn't give me enough time to prepare myself because Fallon was onto me with anger that even defeated Demos's. "I can't let you carry a Darkness's child and claim the role of a Queen of Hell. He's blind but I'm not. I'll get rid of it. I'll do it so slowly that he won't even recognize who did it."
Rage filled my entire being as I tried again to call my energy and powers all together but to my utter disappointment, I realized I still had no power of my own. Damn it, Demos! When his hands touched mine again, it felt like I was being electrocuted. Screaming, I fell back to the ground near my father's feet.
"Fallon, I swear I will kill you!"
"L-Let her go." Jonathan who was now in Demos's body started begging.
"I can't." He shrugged, bringing something from his pocket. Whatever it was, couldn't be good news. I fought as long as I could. I begged, I spat at him but he grabbed my throat, pushing the substance into my mouth until I had no choice but to swallow it. I tried to cough and pushed myself to puke but he kept his hands right there, watching me struggle with panic in my ga
ze. I couldn't allow this to happen. What kind of mother I was going to become if I couldn't even stop it from getting hurt?
"Don't-" I choked out, feeling the unshed tears finally running down my cheeks. I tried to jerk away from his hold but a demon held my arms, keeping me firmly on the ground. At the same time, someone clamped a hand over my mouth. Then I felt it. The pain. The unbearable pain in my stomach.
"Ah, it started." He chuckled, finally getting off of my body. I could barely see through the hazy vision but I could feel that sinister smile on his face.
My child, God, I hoped it was still alive. Momentarily closing my eyes, I saw myself far from here. I saw myself with Alexei, with the child running around us. I was safe here. I waited for the numbness to come and join me like that night Hannah died, but it didn't.
Even my Reaper side couldn't be called now.
"It's almost done now-what the hell happened!?" I heard a voice scream and then I was being dragged somewhere. I also heard voices arguing, fighting between them. Was it me? Or was it someone else? Color spot my vision and blood spurt from my nose and mouth. I could almost feel the bitter taste on my lips. For a second, I wished for him to finish me soon as he promised so that I won't have to think anymore. I saw the ceiling as it was disappearing from my view. I also heard an earth-shattering scream.
But I never got to know if I was going to be a mother.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Find our beloved!
I could hear the alarm in my shadows. After she disappeared through the barrier, we also jumped after her. But to my disappointment and irritation, neither Emie nor Jonathan was there to be found.
"I warned her not to fucking do it!" Lana suddenly yelled, kicking a closed door. "I knew. I knew it was dangerous and we still let her go."
"It wouldn't have mattered." I heard myself mutter and at that moment I knew just how true it was. "She is stubborn. If she thought she needed to kill Demos then she will do it. No question asked."
"I wonder why." Zach retorted, mumbling a curse.
Then I felt it.
The feeling of dread, shock, pain, and loss.
My stomach twisted in agony, no wonder feeling what she was feeling. I didn't have much time. I had to find her.
Now.
"Mikhail, Zach and you are going for Demos." I stumbled over my words but Lana silently nodded. "Allegra and I will look for Emie. Rose can make sure we are not interrupted by any other demon."
Giving them a hasty goodbye, I was running toward where my shadows were going crazy. Condessa might destroy the earth, Jonathan might as well as be dead by now but nothing mattered where she was concerned.
It was my fault too.
For letting her go without any help. She asked, no, she begged me to allow her to channel me. But like the coward I was, I just stared and let her go.
"That look on your face is not going to help her, you know?" Allegra blurted out with a sad smile.
I had half the mind to ignore her but I only ended up with a low groan. "Shut up, Allegra."
She opened her mouth to say more but the closer I got to the hall, the more my anxiety raised. Not only that, but my instincts were also going haywire. Looking at every corner, my shadows goaded that this was it. That the Demon King would pop out of nowhere and try to kill us. But I didn't realize how true the statement was until a scream stuck in my throat, my eyes taking in the damage in front of me.
And, at that moment I wished that I was the one laying there.
I didn't know how long I stared.
But I didn't recognize her. This, this woman was not my wife. She was a stranger to me.
This broken woman in front of me couldn't be Emeline.
"You dare say lie to my face? She didn't do it herself!" I heard the demon King go off with rage, his butchered tail tightly wrapped around a demon of his own.
I didn't even care for Jonathan who was stringing from a rope not too far away from her. The only thing I could notice that my little soul's breathing was uneven, almost gone. I didn't understand if she was bleeding from within or someone dosed her with blood. My legs almost gave away when my gaze met her own.
She didn't even react when she saw me standing there barely able to function let alone understand how all these things happened.
"L-Little soul?" I asked, unsure of how to approach her. But she still laid on the floor, her eyes staring at me without any shred of emotions. She didn't even blink when my spine tensed hearing the world child from Demos.
"She's in shock." A voice wavered over me. I knew what I would see just by turning around. Allegra looking at me in pity. So, I didn't. Instead, kneeling down to her level, my thumb brushed away the dried tears from her cheek.
"Emie?" I tried again.
No, no, no...
"What the fuck happened!? Emeline!" I couldn't stop shaking her to show me any emotion. Be it rage, hopelessness, or relief to see me here.
Something. Anything.
But she stayed still. The only time a soft gasp left from her bruised lips was when my arms accidentally brushed along her throat. The skin there was completely torn. "Heal. She needs to be healed."
I heard the moan of protest when I tried to lay her down on her side so that I wouldn't hurt her back or stomach.
"Allegra, I need your help." I didn't have to tell the woman twice. She also kneeled by my side, carrying Emie's head on her lap.
The cluster of disasters that followed had me almost scream in frustration. Even Allegra was unable to make Emie react. There was beading of sweats on her forehead as she clutched Emie tightly, the fear that was on my gaze now mirroring hers.
"Move! Let me see."
I didn't care that I shoved Allegra away by a force that she almost stumbled. I only saw black when my fingers finally touched her forehead, the small shadows dancing right above her head. Not quite going in, just playing. I forced them not to play around now. She was in danger. I stared down at my hands while waiting for her soul to come and join my own. But no matter how much I tried, my hands shook, the connection between us dimming at every second. Allegra seemed to even stop breathing.
"It's not working." I felt weirdly calm. Not being able to see anything past the woman I belonged to. I was trying to stop her bleeding but the blood in my hands only led me to a time when I had to marry her to stop her from going entirely insane. I couldn't wipe the red stain from my hands, I couldn't stop seeing the red everywhere.
Even that day she was a bloodied mess.
"Alexei?"
I looked up only to avoid meeting my mother's gaze. "He won. That bastard won."
"A-Alexei, let me help." Rose pleaded, gathering Emie in her arms. I only stared at those blank dark brown eyes, as Rose and Allegra joined together to chant. I lost myself in my wife's agony when Rose cried out, stuttering the reason why she was like this. I didn't even breathe when the realization finally drowned upon me.
I only shared our loss when I heard that we lost our unborn child.
Then I prayed. In my thousands of years of miserable life for the first time, I knelt on the ground to pray. To pray for my little soul. To pray for the child that I was never going to meet.
And to pray for my soul when it met with those who dared to go against me...
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
I could hear his cry for help.
I could hear him saying everything was his fault under his breath. I could feel his soft lips trying to take my pain away. I could also hear Allegra and Rose chanting loudly to bring me back. It should be enough to leave my makeshift numbness. But I couldn't. It's not enough. Not this time.
I lost something even before it was mine. All for him. That bastard.
"Please, little soul. Let me in." His sorrow-filled eyes met mine. Before he could say more, the door was ripped open, giving me the view of Raphael with his angel followers. I could see Valentine with his vampires, Eros standing with his followers’ right alongside his beloved. They were all here. Every Volkio
s with their people. Even my people were ready to hear my next order. But didn't they know that it was already too late?
"Demos!? Come here, you fucking coward!" I heard Lex roar, gaining speed to catch him. Demos wasn't even scared, his attention on me and Fallon.
Fallon.
He did this. He killed my child.
I didn't know what happened. One minute I was looking at that culprit and the next, my body came back to feel everything at once, making me scream in agony.
"Fallon! It was him."
That was what needed to be said for two people and my army to go after him.
Lex's eyes moved faster than I could count on them. Demos and he were already pouncing at Fallon. I didn't know if he was thinking rationally or not. He was using his fists instead of his shadows where Demos latched his tail around Fallon, pulling him up from the ground and bringing him back there with a howl. A sickening growl left from Fallon's lips when Lex gripped his throat, tightening his hold.
"You did this! You killed my...Why do you...She will never be..." I could hear Lex stumble over his words. He didn't stop, like a possessed man, he took and took until he was the one left bleeding.
In all the chaos, my eyes finally turned to my barely alive father. He was still in Demos's body. Everyone was now distracted by fighting with each other so I had an advantage. I had to force myself to crawl to a wall, clinging to it to find my balance. My body protested against every step, tearing the skin but I only flinched. What I decided was by far the insane decision I had ever taken but I had to try it out or watch the people I loved die.
I touched Jonathan's face, smiling a little. Once his eyes opened, he must have known what I was thinking cause he let out a groan. "No! Don't do this! I will just wake up in some human's body back on earth. It will take me months to find you all again!"
"If it means you are safe? It's worth a try." Grasping his neck, I twisted it until a crack echoed through the room, blending in with the sounds of terror and violence. For a moment, I was stunned at what I did. But I didn't have time.