Chapter Thirteen
“Are you sure about this, Sienna?” Aaron knew she was, but he still had to ask, one last time. “Two warriors by your side will increase your chances, let me go with you.”
“No, beloved, this time you cannot go,” Sienna stated. “Only her mate can go with me. You must remain here with the king.”
“Will you even be able to enter the portal, Sienna?” Zek asked. “I thought only the demons from the depths could pass or those of us dead or near death that the dark claims can go through and it was a one way trip.”
“That is all true, but Tabatha created this portal connecting the living amongst the dead and dying, by using her own blood. We are sisters, so I can use my powers to gain entry, and I can bring Cyrus with me, since he is meant for Shawnah.”
“Do you have to destroy it to enter?” Xav added his questions. “Can it even be destroyed?”
“I do not want to destroy the gate yet, merely open it. So, between you and Aaron, you can seal the door behind us, so nothing more can come through. And don’t forget, there are still demons of the dark loose in these waters. I fear they are the strongest ones you will yet face. They will try to destroy you to get to the gate. You must protect your king.” She stared at Aaron when she said it. “This is where you must stand.”
“Come back to me, Sienna. You damn well better come back,” Aaron stated flatly to her. Daring her to deny him. He took her in his arms and kissed her, inhaling her essence while trying to give her some of his strength. He prayed it would be enough.
Sienna treaded water away from him.
Cyrus moved to her side. “I’ll watch over her, Aaron. I swear,” he claimed.
“Call the Trident, my king. I will need it.”
They all stared at the portal leading to the dark depths, a place none would dare venture on their own.
Only Tabatha had the audacity to go, then return time and time again. Letting loose the monsters of Hades, now roaming the waters. There was a reason the only way into such a realm was through death. Tabatha should’ve never had access to such powers to create such a gate, one to allow those within to enter this world and wreak havoc.
Cyrus towered over Sienna’s smaller frame.
Aaron’s mate stood strong and determined before the dark mass of motionless water. Raising her arms out before her, she began to slowly murmur, calling upon her powers.
He could feel the ocean around them tense, like the living tangible thing it could become, rippling along their skin.
All the Children knew the sea was alive.
Sienna’s voice rose in volume and power. Strong ancient words he did not know, but felt in his blood. Words of power.
The sea answered Sienna’s call for aid in opening the abomination of this gate, one that never should have connected to these waters.
Aaron knew in his heart she’d foreseen this event, all those years ago, she would have to do this. The moment they’d sacrificed so much for. He would not fail her. He would hold the portal.
A soft glow emanated from her palms, the water around her hummed. Sienna raised her hands and the water before her swirled into a vortex, creating a mass like a tunnel, until it was about as wide as the dark hole in the water. “Now, my king, add the power of the Trident to mine. Now!” With her cry, she pushed the vortex toward the gate.
Xavior held the Trident in his hand, then raised it and shot a blast of pure blue energy that sliced through the water above Sienna’s head. It headed straight toward the vortex she’d created, aiding her in sending it crashing against the dark hole.
The vortex reached into the darkness and created a gap they could clearly see. Like a hole in the door, revealing dark murky slow moving waters beyond. They could smell it, too. No longer was it the saltiness of the sea and the life flowing through it, but the stronger stench of decay. The scent of it they’d gotten before, nothing like now. Death lay beyond the doorway, but at least there were no shadowy-looking creatures lurking near it. The power they used to open it, thank Poseidon, hopefully destroyed anything close by.
“Come quickly,” Sienna said to Cyrus as she moved forward. “Use the Trident, my king, seal the hole and you can open it again when we are ready.”
Cyrus swam after her. She took his hand and together, they entered the vortex that calmed at the center as they moved past it. The tunnel she’d created swallowing them as they passed.
Then the portal returned to its natural dark stillness as soon as they were through.
“Be safe, beloved,” Aaron whispered once their shadowy images passed beyond his sight.
“She’ll return to you,” Zek stated, swimming over to tread by him, placing his hand on his shoulder.
Xav used the power of the Trident to still the vortex and create a seal of blue energy like a net over the portal. “Meanwhile, we have a battle to fight. The dolphins just sent out a warning. They’re coming,” Xav stated.
“What? Who?” Zek asked.
“The army Tabatha has been gathering here. She managed to gather some of the tribes to her cause. And Sienna was right. Those demons weren’t the only ones in the waters. The dolphins warn, the worst is yet to come.”
“Then let them come,” Aaron claimed. “They shall not fucking get pass.”
Suddenly, a pod of twenty dolphins swimming fast, surrounded the warriors, acting as an outward shield.
“Protect your king,” Aaron cried to the warriors around them. “Fan out. No one. Nothing reaches the portal.”
The warriors fanned out, rimming the area.
Aaron stood on the left of his king, Zek on the right.
The rumble of an underwater earthquake had the water churning for miles before them. The waves undulating in a manner, letting Aaron know there were perhaps a hundred bodies coming toward his group. Soon, they could see their enemy, as they positioned themselves before them. He recognized some of the warriors. Most were young men, a few matured, but all had been won over by Tabatha’s promises of wealth and brides or mates.
“Turn back,” Xav yelled, raising the Trident. “Your king commands it.”
One person swam forward, a mature male.
Aaron knew him, a piece of shit of a male. Xav had told him he was the leader of one of the most rebellious of the tribes. He’d been in Tabatha’s army the first time she tried to make a run for the chair.
“We do not recognize you as king, Xavior,” the man called back, Paol was his name. “You have taken a human bride. Only Children may sit on the throne of Poseidon. We do not accept a human queen and her half-bred heirs. The rightful heir is Tabatha, the White Witch. She alone can bring the Children back to greatness.”
“You fool. Xavior has the full powers of the Trident. Go back to the holes you’ve crawled out of,” Aaron sneered.
The men around Paol growled their displeasure at his words.
“I will not ask again. I command you to return to your tribes,” Xavior said, drawing upon the energy of the Trident to lend power to his voice. The symbol of his office, and its power glowed red. The water around him simmered and boiled as if it too was angry.
There were a few mumblings among those in revolt, but then they turned. However, instead of leaving, they’d opened up a path. And what came through did not swim, but walked along the sea floor. With each step, the sand beneath its clawed feet rose up into a cloud, while the ground shook and the water rippled around them like a shock wave. This beast seemed as tall as the portal. It looked like a bi-pedal lizard with a long horse-like horned head and scale armored hide.
Worse, fucker had a twin, just as big and ugly who stomped behind him.
Aaron watched a red bolt of power hit the thing in the chest.
Xav had fired up the power of the Trident.
The thing staggered back a step, shook his head, but he kept coming.
He’d hurt it, but it was going to take more to stop it. And there were two such fuckers.
“We can hurt it, we can kill it!” Aar
on roared.
The men behind the beasts raised the swords they’d created from the water and rushed forward.
Xav’s warriors yelled, “For the king!” Then rushed to meet them, tossing their own powers against the swarming masses.
Zek let loose his lightning bolts at the second monster, his aim was good. He cut off one of the fucker’s arms.
Aaron rose higher and called forth his powers, he created his own sea sword and swam straight for the first beast Xav had wounded.
“Are you sure about this, Sienna? It’s still not too late?” Cyrus asked. Turning to glance behind them. They could still see the portal and the others on the other side. Though, it was like looking through a frosted mirror.
“It’s too late. Come. We won’t have much time.”
Cyrus turned to look around, but they couldn’t see very far in these waters. “This place is seriously fowl.”
“I know. We are far below the river Styx.”
“What? No kidding.”
“Our dark depths lie beneath the river Styx. It is how Tabatha entered Hades. With luck, we won’t have to be here long.”
“Do you know where we need to go?”
“Yes. I can find them. Both Tabatha and Shawnah are not far from each other. We need to get to Shawnah before Tabatha awakes.”
“How do you know she sleeps?”
“Because, if she didn’t, she would have already been here to stop us or sent her minions.”
“I’m just glad we haven’t encountered any more of those things.”
“We’re not out of the dark waters yet.”
It was true. The water they swam through seemed dark, like walking the street on land after the sun went down. All they could see were outlines, shadows of things their senses could not recognize. And the stench. The farther away from the portal they got, the worse it smelled. It wasn’t just the stench, the entire place reeked of the oppressive. Sucking at emotions, drawing out of you all sense of hope, life.
Sienna had to steel her resolve and used her powers to help encourage Cyrus. She knew he didn’t quite believe Shawnah was his mate. So, until he did, she needed to keep his emotions in check.
They hadn’t gone far when Sienna got a sense they were being watched.
“I think we’ve got company,” Cyrus said.
Good, his senses were also heightened. It would serve him well.
“Yes, but I don’t think they will attack us. I think they’re lesser beings.”
“How much farther?”
“There.” She gestured.
He stared in the direction she’d pointed.
A mound stood a few yards from them and seemed to rise, as far as they could see. For all they knew, it broke the surface, which was hundreds of miles from where they stood in the human world.
“Holy shit is that a mountain? Here?” Cyrus asked.
“It only appears like that. In reality, it is the entrance to Hades. Tabatha and your bride lie within. Come. Time is getting away from us. I sense a need to hurry.”
Chapter Fourteen
“Aaron, watch out!”
Zek’s cry had come too late. Aaron managed to dodge one of the thing’s lethal claws to ram his sword into the hole Xav had created. The monster roared in pain, and the vibration caused waves in the water. But the monster raised the other arm and one of his claws caught Aaron across the chest. Blood seeped out of the rip, flowing into the water clouding it red. It burnt like fuck. His body shuddered and went numb, floating toward the sea floor. Two dolphins began attacking the creature, distracting it so Xav could grab him and haul him out of the way, while Zek shot lightning bolts at it.
Damn thing was hard to kill.
Xav touched the Trident to his chest, sealing the wound. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the power to heal, Sienna did, but she was nowhere around. Aaron could not give into the pain. He took a deep breath and stood.
“You okay?”
“I’ll be fine. Thanks.”
“Then come on.” Xav surged back into the fray.
Aaron followed.
Their warriors and the dolphins took care of the rogue tribes, while he, the king, and Zek tackled the two dark demons.
The first one whose arm Zek had managed to cut off got on his knees shaking his head. The dolphins butted against the sides of his head, trying to keep him disoriented and down.
The three men stood side by side and faced the monsters.
Xav raised his Trident.
This time, it burnt so red, the monsters had to glance away from its radiance of power.
Even he couldn’t look directly at it. “On three,” Xav urged. “Give the fuckers everything you got. The one on the right is first. Aim for the wound on his chest. One, two, three.”
A blast of red flame cut through the water at the same time Zek’s lightning bolt raced down the center of it.
Using its power to propel it on, Aaron gathered the power of water to him, and pushed it forward, narrowing it into a javelin.
They hit it simultaneously with everything they had.
Like a boulder, the thing fell over backwards with a thud and sand rose surrounding it in a cloud.
Dead.
They all hoped.
Judging by the roar coming from the remaining creature, they’d managed to destroy the other one.
Aaron noticed the warriors managed to rout the rebellion, and the dolphins were chasing most of the tribes off. So, only a little fighting remained. A roar from the right, had Aaron turning to face the beast charging at them, claws extended. Between his loss of blood and the burst of pure energy, it took a toll on Aaron. His head kept spinning, but he couldn’t hold back. Could not let his king or Sienna down. He couldn’t take the time to even glance at the king or Zek, only to know they remained near. At least, they should be in better shape than he was.
The thing swung its claws and killed two of the dolphins trying to slow it down. It was a good thing it only had one arm left. But the remaining limb was unlike the other, Zek had managed to slice off…this arm was fully armored. It might not be so easy to remove this appendage. As Zek found out when he sent a bolt to try to do exactly that. But the beast flinched, so it did seem to sting.
Fanning out, they tried to surround the demon.
The thing turned toward him and lunged in his direction. Aaron raised his hands, but everything got blurry. He still hadn’t recovered. He saw the arm coming toward him and tried to swim back, when he felt one of the dolphins bump him out of the way. Thank Poseidon—the claw missed the dolphin.
His head by this time, full out pounding, like someone used it as a drum. The water around them didn’t hold the revitalization of clearer seas…too close to the portal of death, so it reeked of it. He needed the clear, clean waters of the depths to restore him. Still, he should not feel so weak. Something was wrong. Then he realized what it was and warned the others, “Poison. The claws. Poison…Sienna, belov....” Then he was sinking.
Sienna took Cyrus’ hand. “Before we cross this threshold, I have to create a mirage for us, an illusion cloaking us in invisibility. While no one should be able to see us, some of the beings in there might be able to sense us. So, we must have a care where we step. Because we will still be solid to the touch. Understand?”
“Yes. I think so. Don’t let anyone touch us.”
“We’ll still be able to communicate telepathically, just remember not to use your voice. You can move objects with your mind, correct?”
“Yes. How did you know?”
She smiled briefly. “I know many things.” Suddenly, pain slammed into her chest. She gasped and held her hand up to press against her heart. “No.” The one word came out in a whisper. When she wanted to shout her pain.
“Are you all right?” Cyrus asked and touched her shoulder.
She couldn’t answer him, all she could do was take deep breaths. Remain clear headed and strong for them both. Closing her eyes, using the bond she shared with her mate, she
focused. She felt Aaron’s pain.
He lived, but weak. So weak. In these waters, he would die.
She would not allow such a thing to happen. She had not viewed this, so many paths, she focused on hers, on Shawnah’s; she had not seen this for Aaron. It didn’t matter. He must not die, she would not survive to do what needed to be done if he did. Their energies, their very life forces were inevitably connected.
Drawing on her powers and their bond, she sent him a healing charm. You will not die beloved. I won’t let you. Helping him to slow his metabolism, slowing the poison trying to kill him. Giving his body the time to fight it, to heal. But they had to get him back to clear seas, away from the reach of the evil of the portal. Hoping he would remain safe, while he healed, she sent one of her dolphins with a message for Xavior, so he would know what to do to help Aaron. Opening her eyes, she stared into the worried golden gaze of Cyrus. She patted his hand. “I’ll be fine. Come on.”
“Will we be able to see in there?”
“Let’s find out.” Sienna took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the tainted water, but water nonetheless—she would need it.
Together, they crossed over the darkened mountain threshold. If the world they left reeked of decay and all things dead or dying, then this world was death itself.
They left the waters of life and entered into a fiery pit of Hades. The air of flames here was suffocating. The walls were dark molten rocks of black and red, the floor looked like coal dust…just as black and thick. At least, the humidity created moisture in the air, a dry kind, but moisture nonetheless. Enough, so they could breathe it, barely.
However, it was a water supply, and she could draw from it. She would need all of her powers wherever she found a source.
“Where are the hounds of hell?” Cyrus asked, but he wasn’t joking.
“Wrong entrance. There is more than one way into Hades’ realm. This one is from the dark depths of the waters and connects to Poseidon’s realm. But it should not be here. My sister connected with powers she should not have.”
Sea Witch: Children of the Waves Page 9