“You left me again.”
“I could never leave you…I promised.” I heard his voice say and even though I let my heart pound in my chest in reaction I knew I must be hearing things. But then I felt his touch and knew nothing on earth or in my mind, heart and soul could create a feeling so beautiful without the one I loved being behind the action. I opened my eyes and gasped as I saw the truth. I felt my lips tremble and my breathing hitch as I tried to take in the air needed to cry.
“Is it…can it be…Draven please, I can’t take this heartache anymore…please, please just say something so I know it’s not a dream…so I know…” I never finished as he crushed his lips to mine and I couldn’t breathe from happiness. Then he spoke over my lips the only words that mattered in the face of death…
“I love you.”
Then he heard Alex coming up behind him and turned quickly, creating a barrier between us both.
“NO! It can’t be, you can’t be here…the Titans would have killed you!” Alex wined out his misfortunes and I heard Draven growl.
“They failed.” Draven stated in a dangerous voice that had Alex backing up a step. Draven looked down at me and it was clear he was doing a quick scan of my injuries. I dreaded to think the mess he saw and I wasn’t surprised to see him enraged. He turned his head back to Alex and snarled like angry jungle cat. This was enough to get him moving pretty damn quick. To the point he nearly fell over himself to get back to his father quick enough.
“I need to move you.” Draven said trying to rein in his temper at seeing me like this. He lifted me up as gently as he could and I tried not to wince. I knew I hadn’t accomplish it too well when I heard him growl again. I ignored his reaction and instead used this moment to drink him in. His naked torso was covered in dirt and ash and it looked like he had been fighting a war. There was dried blood on his body in smears and drips that had obviously come from injuries that had healed. So apart from needing a bloody good soak in the tub he was in pretty good shape. I, of course, would have liked to have said the same but without his blood in me I wasn’t healing at even near the same rate as he had.
“Here, drink th…” He was cut off and stopped before biting into his wrist as Sammael’s voice echoed around the temple.
“You are too late!” I shuddered and Draven ran a finger down my cheek before winking at me. Was he insane…did he not see what was stood around in that circle? My doubt must have been written all over my face because he whispered down at me…
“Trust me, Love.” He held my gaze for a moment until I nodded feeling the hope bloom so bright inside me it was blinding and could have blotted out the sun.
“Good girl. Now stay here whilst I deal with some loose ends.” I reached out to grab his shoulder but pulled back at the last second, knowing that he would keep his promise…He wouldn’t leave me again. He noticed the action and his hard facial expression softened before he kissed me sweetly, like the face of Earth’s destruction in the room didn’t come first.
“Nothing in this world comes before you…nothing!” He told me fervently as if being able to hear my thoughts. I nodded letting him know I understood and let the tears rolling down my cheeks speak for me. He gave me a small smile before getting up and becoming the man I knew had to face the world alone.
“Wait…what’s happening?” Sammael said turning back to where the last Titan should have been coming through to see the faint figure vanish completely. He stomped around the circle with the Pentagram inside and looked around frantically. Was it possible? Had Draven found a way to stop it before it could complete?
Alex pulled out his wooden dagger and Draven just laughed seeing it.
“You’re going to need a lot more than that boy!” Draven warned and Alex looked around and decided his chances lay better stood behind his father. Sammael was shaking his head in disbelief and then his head snapped up to look at Draven.
“You!” He snarled. Draven nodded once and folded his arms across his chest. He looked like some sentinel warrior stood protecting me and preventing anyone from getting close.
“How?” He asked spitting the question out. Draven just lifted his chin to indicate where Alex stood behind him and Sammael twisted his head to look accusingly at his son. Alex’s eyes widened in shock and as he started shaking his head Sammael must have seen something because he started snarling at him. Then he grabbed him by the collar and bent his head to one side to show off where Lucius had taken his last and fatal bite.
“No…NO! YOU FOOL!” Sammael bellowed at Alex and then pushed him aside hard enough he slid the length of the room. Alex looked as confused as I did but instead of mine his eyes were filled with tears of hurt. Sammael spun back to look at Draven and said,
“Then let their only act in this world be to KILL YOU AND YOUR BITCH!” He thundered in his demonic voice and my skin crawled at the sight of his true form causing the decaying skin of Morgan to peel away, leaving a monstrous sight beneath. He raised his hands to the night sky that showed through the glass dome, threw back his head and screamed,
“ELEF̱THERÍA!” The roof exploded and I shrieked as shards of glass rained down like a hailstorm all around us. At the same time the Pentagram burnt into the floor which released all the remaining Titans. They all roared as one at Draven and with the glass acting as a deadly backdrop to such a destructive force they charged at us.
“DRAVEN!” I screamed his name but it wasn’t my name I heard him roaring in return,
“LUCIUS NOW!” At that moment I didn’t understand why he chose to shout out his name in desperation but at the same time Draven’s blades came out on a rush and his body ignited into blue lightning. Where was his demon side?
I screamed again as they were less than a foot from striking him and my hands shot out in reaction.
“NOOOO!” Sammael was now the one screaming as the Titans first seemed suspended in time and were frozen mid attack. Did I do that? Just as the thought entered my mind the Titans all burst one by one into a black cloud. The dark and smoky fog filled the room making it difficult to see but I heard Sammael’s attack before I saw it.
He jumped through the mist with his glowing staff raised over his head and it was aimed straight for Draven.
Before I could utter a warning Draven saw the attack coming and defended himself with one sword and attacked back with the other. What had remained of the Titans was the image of lost souls as the cloud took on shapes of warriors fighting an enemy that was barely there. They lashed out at nothing and it looked more like a re-enactment of the war they had lost all that time ago.
The lighter vision of Gods started to strike them down, coming through the mist like a lantern leading the way. One by one they fell, causing the room to become clearer until soon there wasn’t a single Titan left.
I wasn’t sure what had happened, whether the Gods had finally come to beat them back or they had been summoned back into Tartarus. Whatever it was the only thing that remained was the fight between old enemies…
A fight to the death.
Chapter 54
Do or Die
Knowing the threat to mankind was eradicated helped ease my mind but my heavy heart remained as not all the threats were gone. Seeing the Titans disappear into nothing was of course most of the battle won but that didn’t make what I was seeing now any easier to swallow. Draven and Sammael fought in the same style as they had that day on the cliff. The only difference being there was no horde of Gorgon Leeches to aid Sammael and no pet bird Ava to help keep me safe.
I was still sat where Draven had put me and once again I was playing the helpless victim in this drama. There was nothing I could do but sit and wait for Draven to once again win the fight against those who had tried to rip us apart. Oh and of course there was the whole trying to destroy mankind and take over the world business!
Sammael was clearly fighting with his emotions fuelling him as he lashed out with such fury it wasn’t having the desired affect he was hoping for. It was givin
g him a greater strength yes but he certainly lacked Draven’s finesse and fighting skill. He struck out, swinging his staff like a bat but Draven simply ducked under each blow and getting closer to him with every turn. Once he got close enough Draven tripped Sammael up so he landed on his back with a crack. But before he could drive his sword down into Sammael’s chest he kicked out and took Draven by surprise so his swords clashed against the floor.
Sammael flipped up and kicked his fallen staff up with his foot to catch it. Then he spun round on the same foot but bent low trying this time to be the one tripping Draven up. He used his staff pointed down till the tip scraped the ground and Draven leapt over it at just the right moment. Draven used this to his advantage as before he landed he kicked out at the back of Sammael’s head. He fell forward landing on his hands and was taken off guard by being attacked mid spin.
This move meant he lost his weapon again as it went skidding across the floor and this time, he wasn’t quick enough in picking it up. Draven drew in his swords before using his power to bring the staff to him making it levitate in the air before shooting to his outstretched hand. Then he brought up his knee and at the same time he slammed it down against it, breaking the glowing staff in two.
“NO!” Sammael shouted still on the floor and no doubt feeling his powers break by Draven’s hand. He discarded the two pieces left in his hands behind him and then before Sammael could get back to his feet Draven kicked him hard enough his body slid across the room. He slammed into one of the elaborate stone pillars and a deep crack branched up its length.
Sammael was losing the battle and we all knew it.
“Get up and face your executioner, Venom of God!” Draven demanded walking towards him putting his back to me…which turned out to be a grave mistake.
“Say a word and I will slit your throat bitch! Now on your feet.” Alex threatened quiet enough that Draven couldn’t hear him. I managed to get on my feet with Alex’s arm under my elbow pulling me the way he wanted me. Once I found my footing he banded an arm around my waist and used his other hand to put his wooden blade to my neck.
That stormy night in the woods flashed back in my mind and hit me with a Déjà vu so strong I could barely breathe. I had to remind myself that it was Alex holding the knife and not Morgan that was walking me backwards towards a cliff’s edge. I felt the edge of the knife dig in but it didn’t hurt as he hadn’t yet broken the skin.
Even hearing the glass crunching underneath our feet was reminding me of that night as it sounded like the branches and wood splinters I had been made to walk across bare footed. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath trying to work through all the scenarios and possible outcomes where I wouldn’t end up dead!
Once we stopped I knew I was out of time. I had just seen Draven punching Sammael across the face as they now fought without weapons and I wondered if this was some kind of code for Draven. That he wouldn’t fight an unarmed being when armed himself.
“Draven! I have your Bitch, now let my father go!” Alex shouted just as Draven was about to break Sammael’s neck. He turned his head and the pure Hell’s fury in his eyes was enough that I think I would have relieved myself if it had been aimed at me. Draven didn’t even think he just let Sammael go, pushing him aside. Sammael seemed confused for a second and took a moment to get to his feet before looking round at the situation.
“Let her go!” Draven demanded and I felt Alex start laughing through my back before I heard it.
“Fool! This is for my father!” Alex shouted and I barely had enough time to mouth the words ‘I love you’ before I started to feel the blade cut into my skin across my neck.
“NO, THERE’S A BLOOD OATH!”
“NOOOOO!” I heard both desperate cries scream out into the night and just before I thought I would find death, the feeling stopped and all I could hear was a gurgling sound in my ear. It was as though everything happened in slow motion. Draven had first looked at me and saw the last thing I wanted him to know with my time left in this world. But instead of saying it back, he looked past me, behind both of us.
Sammael had panic in his eyes at seeing what his son was about to do and I couldn’t understand why…wasn’t this what they had planned? Wasn’t killing me all part of revenge for stopping them? Well if that was the case then why did Sammael look like his son had just signed his death warrant? Sammael had instantly fallen to his knees and watched what was going on behind us.
The blade fell from Alex’s grasp and I watched the wooden dagger bounce on the ground, droplets of my blood spraying on the marble before it stilled. Alex’s hold on me disappeared and I stumbled forward at the same time covering my bloody neck with my hand. I turned after saving myself from falling and saw a figure stood directly behind Alex.
Blood spurted from Alex’s mouth and then dribbled down his chin when he looked down. Then his back arched as the figure behind him thrust what must have been a dagger further into his back because when he looked down what he found there was the bloody tip of a blade protruding from his chest.
Alex’s face was one of shock and I wasn’t sure if the pain had even registered yet because he turned to face his killer. The figure pulled back his hood and revealed the face of death.
“This is for our brother.” Seth said before taking hold of either side of his head in his hands and with one simple twist broke his neck. Alex’s body fell to the ground with a sickening thud and landed with his head facing the wrong way, making me feel sick.
I looked back up to see the man who had saved my life for a second time…
My Cathedral phantom.
“Seth.” I uttered his name as he walked past me with only one focus…
His father.
I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next as it wasn’t clear how Seth felt about his father. No, the only thing that had been clear was his obvious hatred for his brother, as Alex’s dead body laid to rest in a pool of his own blood was screaming proof of that!
I couldn’t say the sight wasn’t a welcome one, no matter how sickening it was and if it hadn’t been a disgusting thing for a lady to do I think I would have gone over there and spat on him! He had killed Lucius and had tried to take everyone else I care about from me along with him. And now there was just one more that needed to pay.
Sammael.
I turned away from scowling down at Alex and turned around to walk over to where Draven now stood looking down at a still kneeling Sammael. I wondered what he was still doing on his knees and why he was no longer fighting Draven when I remembered what he shouted to Alex the moment before his death. Something about a Blood Oath.
When Seth nodded to Draven it was all the sign he needed before he picked Sammael up and threw him down on top of the altar they were all next to. He had no choice but to lay flat as the impact would have shattered his vessels spine.
“You can send me back there Draven, you can send me to Tartarus a thousand times for my sins but you know I will find a way…one day, you will see, I will find a way to free them again!” Sammael threatened but Draven just smiled down at him.
“Not this time.”
“But you cannot kill me! For I am the Venom of God, I have Lucifer’s blood running through my veins! The Dark Lord forbids his…” Draven cut him off with a smile,
“Blood Oath Sammael. When you made that Blood Oath you forfeited your soul and handed its ownership over to me when you willingly gave me your blood. So seeing as you no longer have his protection and my terms were for you to ‘await death’ should that Oath be broken…” Draven leant down and said, getting in his face…
“And Sammael, I am a man of my word!”
“No! No, you can’t do this! I demand a trial! I demand…” He never finished as Seth drew a Katana from behind his back and stabbed his father in the heart. He then, like Draven had done, leant down and said,
“And this is for my mother!” During this obvious act of revenge in the name of his family, he flashed in and out of his demon sid
e. He changed from that handsome chiselled face that could have graced the screen advertising aftershave any day of the week to one that made my spine shiver. His skeletal face wasn’t like a skull void of flesh and skin but more like it had been projected on top of his mortal face. Only those intense eyes stood out against the black around his eyes and nose. When he moved it gave it a translucent effect that almost seemed as if it was a face over a face but the two weren’t fused together.
He looked back to Draven and nodded, ignoring the ink blood bubbling up around his blade.
“Son…” Sammael spluttered, reaching out to Seth who was walking away. He didn’t look back as he said,
“I was never your son, dickhead.” And then just raised his hood, the same one I had seen him wearing before with all the straps and carried on walking until he reached Alex’s dead form. Seth pulled an artist’s sketch from his pocket that was clear to see was a Pentagram. I then flinched when it burst into green flames and he dropped it on his brother. The body ignited as if it had been doused with lighter fluid, burning quickly as though he had been made of paper.
Seth didn’t wait to watch his brother burn or as his father died. No, he just left the Temple with his back to the world and without a single word spoken.
I was still looking towards the door he had walked out of when I heard the scream of someone in the face of death behind me. The clashing sound of metal hitting stone quickly followed. I closed my eyes after finally hitting my limit and needing to block out the evidence that this day even happened.
Seth had the right idea putting his back to this world as I couldn’t imagine what a lifetime of wanting revenge could do to a person. I remember now what he had said to me that day in my dreams…
‘For the one who carries blood in their veins, is one that can bleed and for one that can bleed, can then… die’
He had been waiting for this day. He must have known about the plans of his father and brother and I wondered if Draven hadn’t already beaten him to it would he have used the same blood that ran through his veins to send the Titans back? I was still unsure of how Draven did it but I guess I would find out soon enough.
The Pentagram Child: Part 2 (Afterlife Saga Book 5) Page 11