by Janie Marie
Gawain yanked him back in time. “You almost hit David, Jane!”
“GOOD!” she yelled, making David glare at the hole she just shot into the wall.
Gareth chuckled. “This is actually hilarious.”
Everyone turned to look at him.
“Well, not her trying to kill us, but she still sounds like her, and it’s funny. She’s shooting at you with energy blasts!”
David shook his head and peeked out, being less obvious. “Baby, there’s no way out down there. Please don’t shoot at me again.”
“ROT IN HELL, DAVID!”
“Well, now she doesn’t sound like her,” Gareth said quietly.
“She’s still there,” David said, not giving up on her. “Baby, please listen to me. Let me come down there. We can talk about what you’d like to do, and we can come to an agreement about how and when she will be punished.”
“I don’t need to talk to you! I already know her punishment.”
“Dammit, Jane!” David snapped, punching the wall. “This isn’t you.”
Hades suddenly appeared behind them, making everyone turn. “Where is she?”
Kay answered him. “One of the rooms at the end of the hall.”
Hades gave Arthur a look, one that David recognized when someone was mentally speaking to Arthur.
David grabbed Hades by the throat, slamming him into the wall next to Arthur. “If you know something, I want to hear it right now. Both of you have been judging her harshly since our last battle. I want to know what’s going on.”
Hades held up his hands in surrender. “David, certain things are meant to happen. I can’t tell you what I know. It won’t help her.”
“What the fuck is it?” David snapped and pointed a finger at Arthur. “I swear, brother, if you know something—something that has made you turn on the woman I love—I will not forgive you.”
Arthur sighed and looked at Hades before he turned back to David. “David, she is not the woman you love. Jane is gone.”
David let go of Hades, stumbling back as if he’d been hit. “What?”
Arthur glanced at Hades before looking back at David. “Yes, he knows something, and I found out because he thought of it while in my presence. I would have told you if it were not for what he also included would happen if this was revealed. But Jane’s thoughts are no longer in my reach, so I can only assume she is gone and you have been with her demon all this time.”
“That is Jane. MY JANE! She is not a fucking demon.” David bared his fangs at Arthur as Gawain and Gareth held on to him. “All you have to do is look into her eyes and see her, but you judged her as soon as you lost the ability to hear her thoughts. You didn’t listen to me about Melody. You let that bitch trick you, and now my baby is losing the war within her fucking mind. How can you not expect her to react this way? Did you even see Jason?”
“We all saw him, David,” Arthur said. “I take full responsibility for not removing Melody sooner, but I can’t allow Jane to kill her.”
David snarled, balling his fist. “That was the hardest thing for me to tell her. That I cannot ensure justice is given because you need Zeus to fight with us. She has every right to be this furious with us. Melody deserves to die.”
“Not the way Jane will kill her,” Arthur said, shaking his head. “She will torture her and that’s wrong.”
“If you would have sentenced her to death before she came back, she wouldn’t feel like we are picking Melody over her.”
“Let’s just try and talk to her again,” Gawain said, glaring at Arthur. “I know that’s Jane, brother. She’s hurt and her demon is likely feeding her rage, but Jane is a good person.”
David patted Gawain’s shoulder. “I’ll go alone. I think she feels too threatened with everyone chasing her.”
“She attacked you too, David,” Arthur pointed out.
David smiled, but he was beyond ready to beat the shit out of Arthur. “Jane had the chance to kill me several times tonight. That’s why I know she is my Jane. She held back. She’s holding back from killing anyone so far.”
Hades gave him a little smile and nodded to David. “Be careful. She may be holding back now, but she will eventually lose control. Just as she always does.”
It took a lot of restraint not to attack either of them, but he walked into the open. “Baby, I’m coming down there. It’s just me. The others are going to stay here.”
She didn’t answer, but she didn’t attack him with her powers either. That was good enough for him.
“Baby?” he said when he arrived at the door where he knew she was. “Sweetheart, may I come in?”
He listened, and only due to his extra sensitive hearing, did he make out her faint whispers.
“Please don’t do this,” she whispered, sounding on the verge of tears. “Please keep them safe. I can’t fight her anymore.”
“Baby, I’m coming in,” David said, knowing she was close to losing herself. “Don’t be scared, it’s just me.” Slowly, he pushed the damaged door open and peeked his head in to see her standing in the middle of the room with her arms hugging her torso.
He gave her a little smile, happy that she didn’t attack him, and entered the room. “Hi, baby.”
Her head bobbed as if she was agreeing to someone.
David walked to her. “Jane,” he said, and finally her eyes locked with his. “I’m sorry you found out like that. I was angry too. I almost fought Arthur just now because this could have been avoided.”
Jane’s eyes flashed black, but the way her face scrunched up in pain told him she was still there.
“I see her, baby. I know she’s hurting you. I can’t imagine what it feels like, but I want to be there to help you. I love you, and I know you love me. You would have killed me if you didn’t.”
Her hazel eyes filled with tears. “I can’t stop.”
“Baby, you have.” He smiled, gesturing to himself. “I’m not hurt. You’re talking to me.”
“Because he—” She shook her head.
David frowned. “He?”
“There’s no he.”
David studied the way she was standing. It looked unnatural. She was hugging herself, but she seemed like she would fall over only she wasn’t. “Is Death with you?”
Her eyes widened. “No. I haven’t seen him since I told him to leave. I don’t feel him.”
“Then tell me who the fuck is with you.” He didn’t want to hurt her, and he knew he couldn’t exactly attack something invisible. “Jane, answer me.”
“No,” she whispered, whimpering and tilting her head.
“Don’t listen to it, Jane.” David slid his gaze down her body, noticing she really did look as if she was being held. “Whoever is with you, they’re not here to help you. Trust me, baby. I can help. You just have to give me the chance.”
She stood still, her eye color shifting more violently as she tilted her head and whined a few times.
“Jane, look at me.”
“David, I don’t—” She shook her head, covering her ears.
“Baby, tell me what’s happening.”
She bared her fangs, glaring at him with black eyes before she screamed and hazel eyes came back into view.
“You’re stronger than her, Jane. I know you are, so push her down and come back to me. I will deal with Melody.”
She hissed, but he cupped her cheeks, smiling when hazel eyes peered up at him.
“There you are. Stay here, baby, and listen to me. I love you.”
She teared up. “David, I can’t.”
“Shh . . . It’s okay. Listen to me. Breathe slower and listen.” He waited for her to slow her breathing and spoke again. “I love you so much, Jane. This thing inside you is taking you away from me, and I don’t want that to happen. I know it’s making you think you have to kill Melody—it wants you to kill her so it can win. If you do that, she will. If she wins, I’ll never see you again. You’ll never see me, baby. She can do whatever she wants, and I
don’t think she likes me.”
“She hates you.”
He smoothed her hair back. “I know. And I know my girl doesn’t like when I’m under threat.” He grinned when she pouted her lips and shook her head. “My baby is fierce when I’m threatened, and she is even more vicious when her babies are threatened. You need to find that strength. That has always been you, my love. She has not been the one who has risen to defend me or the twins. So remember that when she’s threatening me, and you put her in her place. Because I want you with me for a very long time, my love. I want you to raise your babies, and I want to help you do that. They miss you so much, and I want to bring you home to them.”
“David, I’ll hurt them. Please don’t.”
“Listen to me, Jane. You are a wonderful mother. I don’t care what you think. I know by the way they talk about you. Everyone does. They adore you, baby. They want you to be happy. That can only be because they have a mother who showed them every day how much she loved them.”
“But you lied to me.” Her eyes darkened, but she squeezed them shut before revealing hazel again.
“You’re doing so good, baby.” He rubbed her cheeks with his thumbs. “And I did not mean to lie. I honestly thought she was gone. I knew Arthur was against carrying out a death sentence, so I suggested banishing her until we could all agree on her punishment.”
“She deserves to die,” she said, her chest heaving again.
“I know. I agree. She deserves the maximum penalty for what she did to them.”
“I want her dead, David,” she said, looking him straight in the eye. Hazel.
He exhaled, knowing this would be the only way to keep her. “Okay, baby. If you calm down and agree to stay with me, I will carry out whatever sentence you demand. If that is her life, I will take it.”
She searched his face, flinching a few times before growling.
“Whoever is arguing with you, ignore them and focus on me. I’m your David. I love you. Whoever is talking to you—trying to get you to leave me—they don’t love you. They’re lying to you and using your fears to make you believe they care. I care about you. So, you tell me what you need to have happen, and I will do it.”
“I want her to pay for what she did,” she said, her eyes staying the same hazel color.
“Okay. I do too. Do you think we can wait until the war is settled?”
Black. She covered his hands, but she was trying to calm herself, so he stayed still. Finally, opening her eyes, she shook her head. “She took away my children’s chance to have their father and hurt Nathan. No, she doesn’t get to wait.”
“You’re sure? You know I cannot bring someone back. I can’t undo what her death sentence will cause to happen in the war. I’m not trying to sway you—I am making sure you don’t regret anything.”
She tilted her head, whimpering.
“Baby, look at me. Stay with me.” He smiled when she glared at something he couldn’t see. “Tell me, Jane. Do you want her life for what she did to Jason and Nathan?”
Her eyes watered, and he knew he was getting his point across. “I-I don’t know. I do, but I don’t want you to do it.”
He smiled, smoothing her hair back. “And why is that, baby?”
She frowned, studying his face while still flinching, but now she was clinging to his hands on her face. “What would that do to you? Would that be a sin or something you couldn’t live with?”
“It does not matter what happens to me, Jane. What matters to me is what happens to you. If it gives you peace to see her dead, I want to be the one to give you that.”
A tear fell from her eye. “You’ll do this for me? You’ll make her pay for what she did?”
“Yes, baby.”
She frowned and closed her eyes. He watched her features switch between seeming to listen to another then argue back.
“Why are you doing this, David?” she asked with her eyes closed. “You said it is bad to do this.”
“I’ll still do anything for you.”
She opened her eyes, but she was silent.
He smiled, praying this would bring her back. “I love you, Jane.”
A shaky smile formed on her lips, and she reached up to touch his mouth. He kept smiling at her and leaned into her soft hand. It felt colder than normal, something he realized happened to her when she reached these breaking points.
“Thank you, David,” she whispered. “Will you do it now? I’m not sure I can keep her out of my mind for long. If it’s done, maybe there’s a chance I can do this. Maybe we can leave? Just you and me, so my babies and no one else will be hurt. You don’t have to, but I don’t want to be alone.” She bared her fangs and looked to her right. Then she flinched, staring off to the side.
There are two with her.
“All right, my love.” David knew this was wrong, but he had to save her from herself. He couldn’t watch the love of his life lose herself because she was being manipulated. He would sacrifice himself for her.
“Now, David,” she said, her eyes darkening before turning hazel again. “I want to be with you. I need to see her die.”
This went against everything he knew, but he would do this if it saved her. “Will you promise to stay with me, Jane?”
She flinched, whimpering as she covered her right ear.
“Baby, don’t listen to it anymore. I’m right here.”
“I’m trying.” She clutched his wrist, breathing in deeply as she started shivering. “I-I’m trying.”
“Good, baby. I’m so proud of you.” He kissed her forehead. Her skin felt like ice. “We’ll go now. I know it hurts. I’m going to relieve you, just please stay.”
“I’m sorry, David,” she said, looking up at him.
David gripped her face harder and kissed her. She responded instantly, throwing her arms around his neck. Her lips always tasted so sweet and it wasn’t any different this time. She tightened her hold on him, whimpering as he felt a constant tug, as if something was trying to pull her away.
He deepened their kiss, yanking her against him. Again, something tugged her, but she held on. He smiled, biting his lip so he’d bleed. She moaned, sucking his lip only to bite her own for him. David quickly lifted her, pulling her legs around his waist as he drank her sweet blood.
She cried against his mouth. “I love you, David.”
“God, I love you too, baby,” he said, tugging her hair and kissing her harder.
She pulled away enough to speak. “Please don’t hate me. I’m sorry for everything I’ve done. I’m sorry for what I’m asking you to do.”
He shook his head. “I could never hate you, my love. I want you to have peace. If this is how you get it, then so be it.”
She whimpered again, crying as she dug her fingers into his shoulder. “I love you! Forgive me . . . I love you. I love you.” She sounded hysterical and desperate for him to hear this from her.
“Don’t be afraid.” He smiled, rubbing her cheek. “I love you, too. Always. My love—my baby, my kitten, my baby doll. I love you. Everything is going to be okay. As long as we stay together, we will be okay.”
She shook her head, stroking his cheek with her cold fingers. “It won’t be okay.” She touched his lips. “Nothing will ever be okay.”
“It will.” He pressed his palm against her cheek; she was so cold. “I know we will be happy and together when this is all over.”
She gave him that look, that look that said everything.
He smiled before kissing her softly. “I love you, too.”
“Don’t do this, David,” said Arthur, following behind him and Jane.
David squeezed her hand. “I have to, brother. I won’t let her do this, and I refuse to lose her because we are putting battle tactics ahead of what is right.”
“I never meant for it to seem that way,” Arthur said, still following them as they went down the dark stairway to the dungeon. “But both of you must understand we need every ally. The more we have, the greater chance we h
ave at saving this world, which includes Nathan and Natalie.”
“Don’t bring the children into this.” David shot Arthur a dark look. “She’s the one who deserves to demand a sentence, and she has. If Zeus cannot see it is just, he becomes my enemy.”
“This will put too many against us,” Arthur said. “Jane, please understand our intentions are for the good of all. Our duty is to keep the world safe. Doing this will break our chances of succeeding.”
“Enough,” David yelled, coming to a halt in the cold hall. He turned, glaring at Arthur. “Do you want her to do this? Do you want me to lose her forever? For her to lose herself?”
Arthur shook his head, sighing. “You know I don’t want any of that.”
“Then don’t interfere. I don’t want to hurt anyone either, but I will if you try and stop me. She needs justice, and this is the only way for her to find peace. At least this way it’s fair and quick. This is the only way for me to save her.” He didn’t wait for any of his brothers to argue with him and turned down the hall again.
Jane had been whimpering the entire time while tears constantly streamed down her face.
“Hang on, baby,” he said, pulling her close.
“I’m trying,” she said, hugging his arm when she seemed to be yanked a little in the other direction.
David didn’t want the others panicking her, so he moved her to his other side before finally reaching the door they were looking for. He didn’t enter right away. For a moment, he stared at the metal door, praying this was going to be enough to at least help her escape whatever was threatening her.
“David,” she whispered, her hands shaking as she hugged his arm again.
He glanced down, smiling softly before bending down. “I love you.” He kissed her quickly. “So much.”
She touched his lips, crying. “And I love you.”
He grinned, kissing her once more. “Let me fight this battle for you. And I promise we will fight every battle together from now on. Be my brave girl, okay?”
“David, please think this through,” Arthur said, defeated.
Growling, David kissed Jane’s lips, her wet cheeks, and her forehead before glaring at Arthur. “I have. Don’t interfere.” He glanced at the others behind Arthur. “Any of you.” He was going to do this for her, even if it cost him his soul. And with that confirmation to his heart, he pushed the door open.