by Dylan Quinn
“Understood,” Veccoli said. He turned and got on his wrist communicator.
“Skylar, would you accompany me?” Lennox asked. “This nonsense ends now. That woman has been cursed long enough.”
The two made their way to the transportation hub and hopped a zipper to the Forest Dome. Just as Veccoli had said, a stand off was taking place with Geneva and an Intra team.
In the midst of a marsh, like Lennox’s vision, Geneva stood alone, knee-deep in the murky water. Flowing white dress, sword in hand, butterflies surrounding her.
The sounds of her cries and the vision of the Cupid as her butterfly wings sprung from her back caught Lennox off guard for a moment.
The spectators grew silent as awe overtook them all.
Twilight surrounded Geneva, a light mist rose from the water and butterflies fluttered lazily.
Geneva stood with grace and beauty as she held the sword high above her head, eyes closed. A faint glow rose from both her and her sword, striking a chord with Lennox that he couldn’t deny.
He had fallen in love with her.
Lennox’s team had surrounded the marsh, Segif weapons at the ready, aiming for Geneva because she was carrying an unsanctioned weapon.
“Stop.” Lennox ordered the team surrounding the Cupid as he finally broke free from the momentary trance he’d been in. “Stand down,” he commanded. “Now.”
The Intra team stared for a moment then slowly relaxed their weapons, one at a time.
The daylight cycle began to wane as Geneva stood in the midst of the marsh, chanting beneath her breath.
Lennox focused on Geneva, her regal, true Cupid form pulsing powerfully in the glistening marsh.
A vision of her thoughts as they raced through her mind engulfed Lennox. Including where the hybrid was and how Geneva planned to save her.
By sacrificing herself.
Tremors rushed over Lennox.
He took off sprinting across the meadow to where she stood.
“Geneva!” Lennox yelled at the Cupid as she continued to chant, sword held high above her head.
A flash of lightening hit the top of the dome, causing a slight panic in the surrounding Complex residents.
Geneva looked to Lennox. Her caramel eyes filled with something new.
Happiness.
Love.
“Please,” Lennox pleaded, ready to fall to his knees. “Don’t do this.”
“It’s okay, my love,” Geneva said.
A pure, white light emanating from her sword travelled down through her limbs, through her entire body.
The light grew stronger by the second, so strong, so glorious, Lennox could hardly continue to look.
“Thank you, Lennox.” Geneva smiled. “For reminding me I deserve to be loved.”
Chapter 14
Lighting cracked outside the dome once more, nearly knocking Geneva off her feet.
She’d absorbed the pain moments before the damned Intra team showed up and tried to stop her.
Just as well.
Having them there, she could now draw from their emotions, making this process that much more effective.
Then Lennox came.
He loves me.
A warm glow grew from deep inside her.
The moment he begged her not to do this, she knew for certain she had made the right decision.
Lennox’s love was worth the sacrifice.
Geneva held her sword high, drawing in Lennox’s emotion, his love, letting it engulf her.
She used his love to fuel her desire to extract the energy from the generators, from the emotions of the Complex inhabitants, from the lightning outside the dome.
From her love for the Watcher.
One power at a time, she absorbed them all until she finally reached Lennox’s.
Being the most powerful Meta in all the universe, his power was the most difficult to completely extract. The deepest buried, which is why it was so hard to access without absorbing everything within the sword.
Geneva felt her body going numb, stronger, yet weaker every second as the power overtook her, one fiber of her soul at a time.
She’d generated enough energy, now it was just a matter of siphoning out the remainder of Lennox’s foresight. Then she could send it to him, and that would be that.
She could feel the power overtaking her, so strong, she was sure it was going to kill her.
But she didn’t stop.
She was all in now.
It was the only way to return Lennox’s sight and perhaps, save the newly created Ama Seldova system from certain destruction.
It was time.
Time for the spell she’d waited over a thousand years to perform.
Geneva closed her eyes, inhaling a cleansing breath.
“I love you, Lennox.”
She used his love to focus her energy as she began chanting the ancient words etched on Cupid.
The curse that evil witch had stolen her mortality with.
The heat surrounding her was so unbearable it felt like the marsh around her feet was about to boil, nearly burning the flesh off her bones.
Geneva tried desperately to hold in the pain, but she couldn’t any longer. An unintended howl escaped her lungs, one so fierce, her voice echoed through the dome.
A garish pop burst from the Cupid sword, forcing Geneva to her knees.
A final surge of energy sprung from her sword, and the power in their zone flickered once more.
The last thing Geneva heard was Lennox’s voice as he lifted her limb body into his arms.
“Stay with me, baby. Please,” Lennox whispered, his faint voice laced with fear. “I love you, Geneva.”
Chapter 15
“Geneva.”
Lennox pulled her from the marsh and sat along the shore holding her in his arms.
“Geneva. Wake up, baby. Please.”
As he held her, reminders of Jenexa rushed through him.
Holding her as she took her final breath.
All Lennox could think about was how this moment brought all the pain of losing her back.
The memories returned, but the actual pain was gone.
Something felt... off.
Different than before, though he couldn’t pin down what it was.
“Geneva, wake up. Please.”
“Sir, the hybrid...”
“Alpine Dome.” Lennox’s voice cracked as he managed out the hybrid’s location thanks to Geneva’s sacrifice. “She’s being held in the mountains. Look for the highest mountain, you’ll find here there. Bring at least twenty men. You’ll need them.” He peered up to Veccoli. “You got this?”
“Yes, sir.” Veccoli nodded, then turned and took off to rescue Reanna.
Lennox nodded, but couldn’t get out any more words.
There were none.
Geneva had sacrificed herself for him. For Reanna.
For everyone.
Visions of a new world order pressed through Lennox’s mind while he held his lover close to his chest.
His foresight. It had returned.
One last sacrifice, Geneva had given up his power.
Only she wasn’t dead, Lennox could feel her chest rise and fall as he held her.
She was still alive.
Skylar, the Curse Catcher slowly approached them.
“May I?” She asked.
Lennox nodded, still staring at Geneva, running his hands through her wet hair.
“Please, baby. Wake up. The Curse Catcher is here,” he managed. “She’s going to make this right. Like I promised.”
Skylar crouched in front of them and laid her hand against Geneva’s cheek. She closed her eyes for a moment, searching her mind for the curse.
“What do you see?” Lennox asked. “Her curse. Can you release it?”
“There’s nothing I can do,” Skylar said.
Lennox fought back tears as he moved stray hairs stuck to Geneva’s cheek. “I promised her, Skylar.” He looked up to the Curse C
atcher. “I can’t break my promise.”
Skylar laid her hand on Lennox’s shoulder. “You won’t have to,” she whispered. “She’s not cursed.”
Skylar patted his shoulder.
He looked up to Skylar. “What?”
“She was, but this act broke the curse. I didn’t have to take it away, Lennox. Geneva broke the curse.” Skylar smiled. “She’s free.”
Skylar bowed briefly, then left the two alone, sitting in the grass along the marsh as night overtook the Complex park and the lights surrounding the trees lit up around them.
Lennox sat holding the Cupid in his arms, a single tear slid down his cheek as he wiped it away with the pad of his fingertips.
Geneva’s eyelids fluttered open, her caramel eyes drank in the sight of the Watcher holding her close.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“For what?” Lennox asked, his hand set along her cheek.
“It was the only way to give you back your sight. If I hadn’t—”
“Shh.” Lennox brushed debris from the marsh off Geneva’s cheek. “What you did was incredibly stupid.”
Geneva began to growl and opened her mouth, but Lennox promptly, yet gently set his finger against her lips.
“But it was the most selfless, beautiful thing anybody has ever done for me.” He held her cheeks.
“I love you, Geneva. And whether you’re immortal, or Human, or whatever, I don’t care. I’m never going to let you go.”
“But the curse,” she groaned. “I can feel it. I’m still the Cupid.”
“No, baby.” Lennox shook his head. “There is no more curse.” He looked over his shoulder to Skylar, gesturing for her to come over.
“It’s true, Geneva.” Skylar smiled. “You’re free.”
“But how? I don’t feel any different,” she said. “My powers, I still have them all.”
“Perhaps you were meant to have them to begin with,” Lennox said.
Geneva sighed.
“You absorbed all the pain, love. Maybe you deserve them. You know what? I don’t really care how.” He let out a relieved chuckle. “All I know is I’m in love with you.” He laid his hand against her damp cheek.
Lennox leaned down, holding her cheeks gently in his hands and kissed her softly.
Loving.
In way Geneva had never felt from any other man.
Lennox knew, because he had his omniscience back.
Geneva’s selfless gift had broken her curse.
And for the first time in Geneva’s life, she knew she deserved to be loved.
“Whether this is for one lifetime or many, I will love you until you take your final breath. Until I take mine.”
Lennox ran his fingers against Geneva’s lower lip, sending tremors racing straight to Geneva’s heart.
“Because you, Geneva Jayne, deserve to be loved. And I’m honored to be the one man lucky enough to love you for all Eternity.”
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my novella from The Complex!
All reviews are appreciated.
If you would like to read more from The Complex series, please click on the link below:
The Complex Website
About the Author
Since sneak reading her first big girl romance at the age of eleven, Dylan's been addicted to Happily Ever Afters. Playing pretend with swoon-worthy book boyfriends and their strong leading ladies often keeps Dylan sleep deprived, though she seldom complains about dreaming in dialogue. With juxtaposed interests, Dylan writes it all ~ Character driven romance in NA, YA and adult, from sticky sweet to taboo heat ~ Urban Fantasy to Contemporary Romance and Romantic Suspense. Nothing's off limits.
When she's not writing guilty pleasures, Dylan plays stage mom to her daydreamer offspring in the Midwest. This Music fangirl goes nowhere without her beats and playlists. She has an affinity for Moscato and chocolate-covered strawberries. Dreams of singing on the Voice with Adam and Christina, and fantasizes about getting trapped in Mystic Falls with Damon Salvatore.
Other Titles by Dylan Quinn
Gemini: Book I, Eternal Sacrifice Saga
The Tree of Souls is empty, and only Zoe Adams’ Eternal Sacrifice—surrendering her soul—can refill it. Is forgotten love worth dying for, or is five incarnations more than one soul can take? With more than just the fate of their reunion at stake, love becomes an Eternal Sacrifice Zoe and Cade Adams may not escape.
Origin: Book II, Eternal Sacrifice Saga
One sacrifice saved humanity.
One kill has changed everything.
One secret could destroy them all.
Sometimes the most dangerous battle
is the war within ourselves
Merlot: Three of Hearts Ball
A Boys of Summer Prequel
Coming February, 2017
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