by Lumtrexa
Apparently, his stythe has been triggered.
Colt watches him with an amused grin. Lorcan cocks his head at me and a slow sinister smile forms on his face.
"You see I don't want to get over it." Lorcan snarls.
I march up to Lorcan and attempt to talk him out of fighting.
"We need to leave now, Lorcan. We don't have time to fight. Just relax...do you understand what I'm saying?" I ask him gently, sometimes when he's in stythe his emotions drown out everything else.
I frown in defeat as his crimson red eyes stare over my head, towards Colt.
Crossing my arms, I begin to think of a way to deflate his anger. Before I have much time to contemplate, his gaze lands on me.
"I'll just make you my mate again. That way there's no more confusion." Lorcan says under his breath.
Lorcan grabs my arms painfully tight. I wince and try to pull myself away. Then just as quick as Lorcan grabs me, he lets go seeing a shadowy figure behind me.
"Idiot. Like I would ever make her my mate in Hell, let alone in front of you. Now that I have your attention, let's end this." Lorcan says. I wish he would just snap out of his stythe already.
Shoving me to the side, Lorcan steps in front of Colt.
"We can't fight! You'll draw attention to us and this will just waste our time! Stop!" I shout desperately. I stand in between the two of them pleading with my eyes.
"The sooner we end this, the quicker we can move on. Now let us end this for ourselves." Lorcan replies in a menacing tone.
Colt flickers out of sight, only to end up behind Lorcan. His shadows form in a pool under Lorcan and grab at his legs, making Lorcan land on his face.
Lorcan unfurls his wings and manages to stand back up, landing a punch on Colt's chin. His shadows release Lorcan momentarily and Lorcan takes his chance to fly above Colt.
"See if your little shadows can reach me up here, demon." Lorcan taunts.
Colt smiles and unfurls his wings, matching Lorcan's height.
Not only is their fight going to draw attention, but Lorcan's glamour disappeared when his stythe was triggered. Now anyone who happens to see us out here will know he is a fae!
"Enough you two!" I shout up at them.
Lorcan flies toward Colt, pushing him sharply into a nearby dead tree. The tree cracks and falls, with Colt on it.
I hope that Colt at least will come to his senses if Lorcan won't.
When the tree hits the ground a loud echo resounds around us. No doubt demons in the closest town heard it.
Colt lays motionless on top the fallen tree, I rush over to him.
"Are you okay?" I ask worried. The question is already answered as Colt laughs evilly, his eyes opening. Dozens of shadows creep along the floor up the tree and around Colt.
"I don't intend to lose my mate to a fae." Colt says in what truly sounds like a demonic voice. To my dismay, it seems Colt's demonic side is taking over him. How am I supposed to make them both stop fighting when now neither of them will think clearly?!
Colt's shadowy wings elevate him high, he rockets toward Lorcan and soon enough, the fighting continues. I know the longer they are up there fighting the more violent it will get.
Breaking me out of my thoughts, I spot a tree limb above me falling in my direction.
I leap to the side barely avoiding getting hit. I decide to just fly up myself to the both of them. I begin to walk out from under the tall tree.
However, I should not have let my guard down when I was thinking about how to stop Colt and Lorcan from fighting. I should not have been under the tree to begin with. I should not have unfurled my wings, my real fae wings-lifting my glamour and revealing my fae form.
As Colt and Lorcan continue fighting above me I realize we were unaware of our uninvited audience.
For I am forced onto the ground by some unknown force. I try to stand, but my body is practically forced to bow down. It must be one of the witch's spells.
"Ah. You were tricky to track down. Those two seem distracted enough. You're a handful aren't you? I'll fix that soon." Silvia says with a smirk. She looks down at me as if I'm gum under her shoe and perhaps treats me like it, as she kicks her pointed heel into my stomach.
I cough up blood, I manage to lift my head up to see about ten witches around her, they wear robes of dark colors and mud-covered boots. Most of them look older than me. I even spot a couple men among the group of witches. There is no way I can see myself taking them all down on my own.
I'm surprised Lorcan and Colt haven't spotted the witches yet, but they are probably too carried away to notice. I glance up at the sky to see them still violently hitting and yelling at eachother.
"On with it!" One of the female witches shrieks.
Silvia walks around me and out of my line of sight as I stare helplessly at the ground. I let out an agonized yell when some kind of razor blade is mercilessly stabbed into my back.
"That should keep you out of trouble." Silvia says with a smile.
I glance up with tears in my eyes to see the sky clear. Where did Lorcan and Colt go?
One of the witches lets out a holler, pointing at her feet. Colt's shadows have crept along the group of witches keeping them from running away.
"Like we haven't prepared for this." Silvia says sarcastically.
She chants a spell in another language and suddenly Colt and Lorcan emerge from the shadows.
She must have warded off Colt's power somehow with her spell. At least the two of them aren't fighting anymore.
"Don't bother looking for us. We witches are much better at hiding than you." Silvia says as she pulls out a piece of wool. She throws it on the ground and begins chanting some kind of spell. I don't have to look at Colt and Lorcan to see their rage.
"Let her go, witch." Colt commands coldly.
"Release her." Lorcan clenches.
"I don't plan on seeing you again, Lorcan. Thanks for your help though. Go carry on with your fight now." Silvia says mockingly.
She then lifts her hand and Lorcan and Colt are flung far away from us.
One of the male witches walks over to me, I stare at him nervously when he takes out a big bag. His face is hidden by a hood. I can't even physically fight against them, I'm still under the spell that's making me practically immobile.
Before he stuffs me in the bag, though, panic sends my heart into a spasm.
For before I am thrown by him into the bag, the man looks me dead in the eyes. A brief moment passes and his hood falls back as he stands to his full height, revealing his true identity.
Seeing the recognition in my stare, Viktor winks at me.
Then he throws me inside of the bag, heaving me over his shoulders.
And just as quick as the witches came, they left.
With Viktor taking me with them.
Chapter 7-Separated
The faint sound of murmuring awakens me in my uncomfortable state. We've been travelling for what seems like hours, strangely I think we left Hell at some point. I can vaguely see the light from the sun shifting between the trees above-through the thin fabric of the bag I'm currently stuffed inside of.
My legs feel cramped and I'm curled in a fetal position. My limbs are still constrained under Silvia's spell.
I try to listen to see if I can hear what the witches are saying, but Viktor is walking behind them, not close enough for me to hear.
All I know is that it is unbearably hot outside and I can only imagine the witches are going to get tired soon.
Abruptly, Viktor stops walking and sets the bag I'm in onto the forest floor surprisingly gently.
The bag is unzipped at the top and I take in Silvia's cold stare. She signals for one of the witches to bind my hands behind my back. I realize I can move my legs again, I try to stand up, but someone shoves me onto my knees.
"We will camp here. I want the tents set up in rows. James you can be on lookout with Serena. The rest of you, find food and wood. Meet back here in an hour!" Silvia
screeches.
I watch as one by one, most of the witches scatter away deep into the woods.
"How are you feeling?" Silvia says mockingly. She walks behind me and I attempt to escape her reach, but once again it seems her spell has returned and I am unable to move.
A sharp pain stabs into the wound she gave me, sending my body into convulsion. She's stabbing her finger into the wound on my back she gave me.
It takes me a few seconds to recognize my own voice, a terrible pained scream. Raw hatred boils within me, as unforgiving tears flow down my face in a river.
"Ah. You're not so tough as I expected. Finick, you are to keep watch on her until we reach the coven." Silvia says sharply, with that she spins around on her heels and walks into a tent. Feeling returns in my legs, I can tell the spell she cast on me is gone.
I manage to steady my breathing and when I calm down enough, I briefly scan over my surroundings. The tents are like none I've ever seen before. They are made of pastel colors and simply held up by thin tree limbs hanging low to the ground.
Casting my eyes upward, I meet ‘Finick's’ stare as he steps out in front of me, or should I say Viktor.
My heart plummets, of all the witches Silvia told him to keep an eye on me. Why is Victor hiding his real name from her though? Doesn't she already know he's a demon?
The new round of pain Silvia inflicted into my back pulsates, causing a sob to escape me.
"Hello little one." Viktor coos while crouching down to my eye level. Acting like a baby, I hide my face from him. I can't find the strength inside of me to stand up with my hands tied behind my pained back.
"Leave me alone." I grit through my teeth.
"I'm going to be doing quite the opposite." He replies quietly while snatching me into his arms. I squirm and holler for him to release me, but he easily picks me up. He carries me as I protest into a light pink colored tent. He walks inside of the tent, dropping me onto the ground. Unable to steady myself well, I simply stumble onto the ground in a heap.
Feeling vulnerable, I scoot back into the farthest corner of the tent away from him. I wish my hands weren't tied, it would be so much easier for me to try and escape.
"When they come, they'll kill you and the rest of the witches." I retort.
"Did you forget my promise?" He asks with curiosity.
I did not forget that he said he would take care of the witches and I did not forget that he said he would kill Colt either.
"You're a liar." I reply in a tired voice.
"Many of us demons are. Such as Colt." He states with a smirk.
"He would never lie to me." I counter.
Viktor suddenly pulls back part of the entrance to the tent to see outside. He quickly turns back to me. He gazes at me silently, I avoid his stare.
The witches must all be back, I can hear them walking in and out of their tents, I watch the outlines of their silhouettes on the walls of the tent.
"I know now why Colt is so fond of you." Viktor says offhandedly.
Because I'm going to make you mine, little one. Viktor's voice echos in my head, that's what he told me in my dream.
"Colt said you two use to be friends. What did he do to you?" I think out loud, my voice breaks at the end.
"You are in a weak state. Sleep." He commands with a stern voice, avoiding answering me. Like I would fall asleep anywhere near him!
Refusing to submit to his command, I sit up straight and glare at him.
"Silvia was wrong to call you weak. You're hopeless. My brother sees you as his redemption. As a demon he has done his fair share of sins. You're innocence is what attracts him." He says in a matter of fact tone.
"You know what would be cruel? I believe I have just realized how to repay him for what he has done to me." He adds with a sly look.
"After I kill him, I won't stop there. I'll also take-"He begins to explain, but one of the witches steps into the tent.
"Finick, this lantern's for you. Silvia says there will be no dinner tonight." The witch states angrily. She lets the lantern fall to the ground next to Viktor.
"A shame." He replies.
Soon it's going to be night time, I'll be trapped in this tent with Viktor, ew. I have to find some way out of here.
He sets the lantern in between the two of us.
"We practice our rituals at night time, it's for your own good you keep away. Staying in here is best. Oh it appears we have a visitor...keep her hidden." The witch mumbles on her way out.
The sound of Lorcan's voice resounds from outside of my tent.
Viktor jumps to his feet and pulls his hood over his head.
"Come." He says in a hushed voice. Seeing my struggle at standing up, he comes over to me and pulls me on my feet. I cower away from him, but he grabs my arm forcing me to follow.
When we are outside our tent I spot the witches surrounding Lorcan. Where's Colt?
"I hear how much fae love iron. I can finally put this to use." Viktor says as he pulls out a rifle.
I struggle against the rope binding my hands.
"Ah Finick. You can take care of it." Silvia says.
Viktor raises the gun, Lorcan eyes me and he shakes his head at me. I can't just let them shoot him! Why would he walk straight into their camp to begin with?
Suddenly, Colt is beside Silvia. He appears in his shadow form and grabs her throat before she has time to react.
I watch as Viktor lifts the gun, aiming at Lorcan.
"No!" I shout, running frantically in front of the gun.
I turn around to find the witches have started to beat Lorcan using spells to throw rocks and disorient him. Lorcan does his best to overpower them, but too many of them are attacking him at once. He must have been trying to distract the witches so Colt could get close to Silvia.
"Colt help him! Please!" I beg.
Slowly, Colt releases his choke hold from Silvia. He flickers out of sight as Silvia still claws at her neck gulping for air desperately.
Colt then uses his shadows to drag the witches away, but the witches still manage to use their spells to fend off his powers.
"Just kill them!" Silvia yells.
Before I have time to react, Viktor raises the gun above my head without even glancing down at me and shoots.
The blood drains from my face as I force myself to turn around and face reality.
Colt lays motionless on the ground with a bullet through his head. A breeze passes and shadows seep out of him fleeing across the floor rapidly, leaving no trace of his body. He disappeared...he's...gone.
"You killed him! You killed him!" I yell with bitter tears. Victor shrugs his shoulders and Lorcan looks shaken.
The witches raise their voices and at the crescendo of their creepy chant, Lorcan is pulled away by an unknown force deep into the woods away from us. He yells trying to reassure me that he'll be back.
"Lorcan!? Let him go!" I yell at Silvia. She scoffs and walks over to where Colt died.
"Who was in charge of the ward..." Silvia yells at the group of witches, I tune her out as my mind goes into a dark place.
Numbly, I walk back inside of my tent with Victor following me.
"I told you I would kill him." Victor states calmly while watching for my reaction.
I narrow my eyes at the ground, I won't give him the satisfaction of arguing with him. So I grieve silently, in the far corner of the tent. Colt shouldn't have died, this is my fault. He came to rescue me and died. He didn't deserve to die.
"I suggest you get over it fast. You need to have energy for tomorrow, you should not waste it over Colt. If you promise to stay put and not put up a fight, I'll untie your hands." Victor sighs.
He's the one who killed Colt, my mind screams angrily.
Feeling detached, I silently nod my head while staring into the soft glow of the lantern.
When Viktor unties the rope from my hands I clench my hands into fists, my arms begin to shake.
"You...killed him." I mumble, lifting my eyes t
o meet his.
I gather all my energy and the pain in my back is forgotten as I lunge for him. However, my attempt fails pathetically as he easily restrains me by catching my fists in his hands.
"Little one, did Colt not tell you where demons go when they die in the real world? Do you even know how a demon can really be killed?" He asks me like I'm a child.
"Don't you say his name. You know nothing about him!" I sob. I try to rip my hands out of his grasp, but it proves useless.
"We demons can only die if we are killed in Hell." He says, releasing his hold on my hands. I remain frozen in wonder...what if he's lying? And if he isn't lying...where is Colt now?
I rub my wrists and look up at Viktor confused. Why did he shoot Colt, when he could of killed Lorcan?
"You give me no reason to trust you." I say quietly.
"Then let me show you where he is, who the real liar really is." He says with a serious voice. Why Viktor wants to gain my trust is beyond me.
"How?" I ask weakly.
"Just go to sleep and I will show you where he is." He says impatiently. Suddenly, I remember Colt's warning, not to get near Viktor...that Viktor wasn't interested in me out of just ‘mere curiosity’. This is different though, I got Colt killed and if Viktor is right, the only way for me to ever know if he's still alive somehow is to let him show me.
"Fine." I manage to say. I pull my legs toward me and lay in a fetal position closing my eyes.
"I'll be waiting." Viktor says in a bored voice.
My grief still continues to consume me, the pain in my back feels somewhat numb. All I can think about is the tiny flicker of hope Viktor may be able to give me, the very person I was told to avoid who now watches me as vulnerable as I am right now. It only makes me contemplate more over what Viktor's true intentions are. He's lied to me before, saying he wasn't with the witches. He did kill Colt though. What if Viktor is telling the truth?
With that final thought, I fall into a deep sleep.
Chapter 8-The Wind Knots Part 1
When I become aware of my dreaming, I realize I'm looking into a landscape. Undoubtedly it is Hell, but it doesn't look like the part of Hell we were in. For in the center of the landscape sits a large black brick tower amidst the desolate land.