“Aries you have done well, I’m reborn once more to continue my work, this vessel shall be the door to salvation, I’m ready for my mate, you. Let us consummate my return with our joining. It is time!”
I felt the words come from my mouth, but they weren’t mine. Kali had stolen my strength. She now controlled me. Lust erupted in my loins and stomach as she reached for Aries. I felt jealousy of my own rip through me as she touched him. My soul recognized his within his body and wanted him. No one else was to have him, but me! How could things come to this in such a short time? Me jealous of another woman, days ago I’d have scoffed at this.
“Quiet human, he’s mine. You are, but the tool I’ll use. He’s always been mine. And always will be. You can cooperate, or I can throw your soul into oblivion. I want my world back. This earth cannot take any more abuse. I’ve suffered for eons at the hands of humans and other beings. I now have the power to correct the damage. Either you help, or you leave! The choice is yours.”
Aries couldn’t hear our internal conversation. I struggled to decide. I wanted my body back that much I knew. In the end, I knew the choice wasn’t that, but fate.
“Let’s bargain Kali... he is your creation yes, but he is mine otherwise. I want to keep him. I’ll do as you ask, be your tool, but allow me to do your work. You know I have the strength or you wouldn’t have chosen me. I wish to enjoy the pleasure of body. I’ll help you if, and only if, you let me do this my way.” I wasn’t about to sit back and watch while she did strange things with my body.
Kali paused inward, and outward. She seemed to struggle with herself. She knew what I spoke was the truth.
“I will do this mortal. I can at any time retake your body. My soul has lain here with yours all this time, dormant; I’ve waited for many lifetimes for such a moment, a vessel. I can wait a while longer. Not much, though, I want my land back. My body’s dying and if I don’t save her, then the world, as you know it perishes. I cannot allow that. My animals suffer needlessly. I feel their pain, as they scream in terror and pain. I wish for a human body of my own. With the mating of this body, I will be conceived.
“I’ll cleanse the world and bring forth a new type of human, one more suited to my will, one who’ll worship this world, not wallow in its treasures and be greedy. The mortals of this age have forgotten me and my wrath so see that you don’t.”
“Thank you Kali. Give me some time, I promise I’ll hurry. If Aries is my mate, and I bond physically with him, and all this is true... I want to love first, not because of some destiny or power beyond me, but because I love him…”
“Do you not know this body, your emotions? You love him as strongly as he loves you. Be confidant that there is no truer of a love.” Her voice was rich with power, and made me feel small. When she said this I knew it was true, whatever had blinded me with fear was gone. I did love Aries. He was mine, and I wanted the world to know. If I slept with him then my child would be a goddess, one capable of anything, carrying the power to destroy or create, could I do this? Was I ready for such responsibility? The alternative was definitely no.
I felt like I’d lost my mind. Was this really my reality? Would I rather do taxes and die an old woman? The reader in me craved an adventure such as this.
“Aries, I will return one day to you and the others. Tell them, I am grateful of their obedience and patience. For that, they will be rewarded. I had forgotten what emotions were, and through this vessel, I see that there are some humans that are still good, still worthy of life. I must meditate on this. Your friends are free to be with the lovers of their choice without losing their powers. If this vessel, Angel, dies then so do all of you...”
CHAPTER TEN
She faded from me. I was in control of my body again. As before, I couldn’t sense her, maybe because she had no emotions. I shivered at the memory of being so helpless, so tiny compared her. I tested myself. I was bordering shock, my mind not wanting to accept the truth of all of this, the cruelty of my own situation. Too much and in such a short time…
I needed a moment. Stars danced before my eyes as I made my way to the chair fondling the dagger still in my hands. I was strong, capable of handling this, like everything else I had in my past. If demons could exist in my world then why couldn’t all of this? My sanity was on the verge of collapsing, closing out all the weirdness around me. My heart shuddered, and I knew I could face this.
I could sense his need for me sexually, as I had for him. There was no doubt now that I was the reincarnation of Kali. She would in the not so distant future be my daughter. As bizarre as that sounded, I had no choice but to accept it was the truth.
I knew I loved this man, and yes a child with him someday. I basically had nine months to become ready to nurture a child. I knew deep down though, she would not be like other children. Hell I wouldn’t be a normal mother. From what I gathered I’d be some warrior queen and would not just take on single demons, but much, much more. Armies of them…
I returned the dagger to its sheath and box. I sighed as I realized that tonight I would no longer be a virgin. I wanted this on many levels, and on others I was scared. I’d never done more than kiss a man. I had the basic fundamentals of sex, of intimacy. I had read books, watched movies. The heat in my abdomen was spreading.
I pulled him with me upstairs. I didn’t know how to do this, and I guess he sensed this, and that I was nervous. He picked me up and then laid me in my bed. He held me for some time, allowing me to think it through. He knew as well as I that I had no choice in this, maybe time. He caressed my hip and thigh, staring into my eyes. I had not known him for long, but it didn’t matter. He was my soul mate. My heart and my soul knew that. In every life, he had been there, loving me, protecting me, as he would in this one.
“I love you, Angel.” He whispered this closing his eyes, worried I wouldn’t say it.
“I love you, too.” I thought it would be weird saying it but it felt right, like I’d been holding it in. He rolled me towards him, and his lips found mine. It didn’t take long to get me excited. I pulled him closer to me and wrapped my legs around his hips. My body seemed to have a mind of its own. It knew what it wanted, and my shyness wasn't going to stop it. It had waited almost twenty-one years for this and I was ready.
He cupped my butt and pulled my pelvis against his bulging manhood. I could feel how ready he was for me. I was quickly becoming aroused. If this were a mistake, then it would be a mistake I could live with. Ah, the sensations a body could live through. Who knew?
“Angel?” he murmured gently into my ear.
“Hmm...” I murmured breathlessly. I kissed him and moved my hands over his rock hard arms leisurely finding myself lost in an emotional tide.
“Are you sure? We don’t have to; I can figure out what she told you. She wants us to bring her into this world, as our child. If we... wow... if... if we do this... then wait...” He attempted, stuttering from the extreme emotional rollercoaster we were on. Apparently I was making it hard for him to think…
He moved back to let us think things through. Inhale, exhale, inhale, breath…
“Angel, if we do this, then we have nine months until the end of the world. All hell breaks through, and the destroyer will uncreate things. There will be panic and chaos. Maybe we should give it at least a few days. I’m sure she’ll wait that long.”
I was fighting the emotions between not just myself, but him as well, it was too much to handle. I heard his words, and there was something just out of reach in my thoughts, teasing, waiting until it was too late to help. He was right though, as my breathing slowed due to the ceasefire on the petting then I was able to think. Breathe. Breathe, girl. I growled aggressively, but it was not effective mainly due to the fact that I don’t look threatening.
“I want you more than I want air to breath, and I don’t mean all sexually. It’s hard for me to say these things. When I can’t see you, it gets hard to breath, my throat tightens, and it’s like you are my oxygen. When
I can't sense you nearby my heart feels like it’ll jump right through my ribs and explode. My body wanted to shut down, and scream your name. Everything I am wants to hold you in my arms, protecting you with my body, my life. I think though, that Kali intensified our feelings so that she would constantly be protected. I bet when your pregnant others will be drawn to you, as well. Not sexually or anything, but they’ll feel brotherly as Arch was saying.
“I think though, we should find out where it will be the safest for us while Kali wreaks havoc. Maybe decide who comes with us. Hell, maybe adopt a few kids and set up a way of surviving when all is done. I hate to see this happen, but Angel, she is right. We need to figure this out better. Is there any way you can communicate with her? Ask her where we go. She will understand this is important because if you get hurt so does she.”
I couldn’t help imagining all the children in the world calling to me during the apocalypse, screaming for me to choose them, save them. How many would die in fires, avalanches, in some kind of weather phenomenon. I saw a little boy no older than four or five with tears on his face, wearing blue PJ’s, crying out to me with his little hand held out. And a girl nine, perhaps ten, screaming for her parents along with millions of others all in pain. I pushed the images away. I was in over my head, but I’d do what I could.
“I can try.”
I looked inward, but I couldn’t sense her. She said she’d been here all along, maybe she still was, I just had to ask.
Speaking in my head only, I called to her.
“Kali?” I called to her tentatively.
“Mortal, ask your question...” she sounded sleepy as if she had been napping.
“We need to know what to do now. We know we must prepare for you, but how? Where do we go? Who do we take? Where will we be safe?”
“Calm mother. I will guide you as if these things are your thoughts. I am twisted throughout you, completely a part of you. I will not cleanse the world until the day I am born. I wish you to know, as I have sensed your thoughts, that I do not do this to punish, or be evil. It is something that has to be done. Your world, I am dying. I must be reborn and walk among the people, animals, and land to heal it. I will bestow powers upon some who will help me in my work.
“If I had any choice I would not do this. I would allow things to go on. I would suffer for my children. The world will die and cease to go on or be reborn, or rather started over. I want you to understand this, so that there is love between us.
“If I am to be human, I want to feel like one. I want to be a child. We have time before anything must happen, and when you conceive me, I will still be a part of you until I am born into your world. My master wishes this. I have no choice in the matter. We all do his bidding. He is the ultimate, the everything, and he created me so I could create you. For seven days, I birthed life into this planet. I cannot watch it die. Seven days will undo my work. For now, you should convince your loved ones to go with you. Tell Aries that the island where he was born is where you will return. The people there will serve you. Go to the island, make it yours.”
I was shocked and moved, and a little scared. Things seem to be moving too fast. Could I do these things? I knew I needed time, but that was a luxury we didn’t have. I was a mature, rational, open-minded person capable of self-support. I had a very over active imagination, and it was trying desperately to run away with me.
I shivered and felt her recede from my consciousness. I opened my eyes, and immediately Aries was there before me, his forehead to mine.
“She said we have to go to the island where you were born. That she will guide us along the way, even after we conceive her. Her master has ordered her to do this.”
“I thought the bible said that it wouldn’t happen again?” Aries asked as he sighed and rolled to his back. His eyes closed, and he grew quiet until I spoke.
“I don’t know, maybe her master, her God, gave her no choice.”
“I guess we tell the guys now. They should probably find mates as well before they are limited. That should be funny, but I don’t feel like laughing.”
We got up and walked back to the club.
We didn’t talk much, but I did watch the moon. I felt like she was my best friend, even if she was far away. During the full moon, I had noticed my magic powers were stronger. I hardly had to try. When the moon was gone, I had troubles with the harder spells. That’s why my coven met once a month online, during the full moon. We felt so much stronger.
When we got to Deaths Door, I hesitated. Part of me was scared to go in. Inside, I knew I had no choice.
We had to wait until their set was done then we went back to the VIP room. We locked the door this time. No more people needed to eavesdrop.
“What happened?” Cross asked, sitting on a couch arm. He had his arms crossed waiting for us to explain.
“Well, there’s no doubt to what we guessed. Angel is the reincarnated Kali. Only Kali's consciousness is inside her right now. Angel touched the weapons, which awakened Kali, who then possessed her. She told me that yes I was Angel’s foretold mate. No surprise there really.
“Also she rewarded us by allowing us to um fraternize again. I think she meant that you guys should find a mate for yourselves. We have nine months to figure this thing out. We’ll have to move to an island somewhere near Ireland as well, in order to survive the apocalypse. Back when I was born it was called Kaliopsi, it’s between Ireland and Greece. I know that it could be any island now; I will look on a map and find it.”
“Armageddon doesn’t start until the day Kali is born. Seven days she said,” Angel whispered. She looked around at the others knowing what they felt.
“This is February, so that means October right?” Madness asked, looking around at each of them as well.
“Depending on when we um, consummate, our vows,” Aries said with a side look at me. There was a tender hopeful look…
“It helps if you asked you know!” I said sarcastically. I pulled my hand back and felt like sticking my tongue out at him. Childish I know…
“Maybe next winter by the looks of this,” Thorn said, making all the guys but Aries laugh hysterically. They stopped when one by one I gave them all glares.
“Remind me not to piss off your fiancé Aries, she has a goddess of destruction inside...” joked Switch. He stood up and walked over to the fridge and grabbed a drink.
“I'm barely his girlfriend. We’ll let you know when the titles change again guys, I promise,” I said icily. They talked like I wasn't even in the room.
“Can we bring our 360's and laptops you think?” Arch was obviously a gamer, and quite addicted it seemed.
“I think so, but electricity may be limited. This is the tricky part. We’ll have to figure out how this all works. No electric company, no electricity, so solar panels?” Switch suggested. He was one of the smart one’s apparently.
“Expensive, but maybe our only option at this point, so between all of us we can afford to do this,” Aries replied, putting his hands in his lap, and glancing at me.
“I think we should move to Kaliopsi first guys. See what buildings are like there and work with all that, we may not have to buy the island to reconstruct all of this. From what Kali said a few hundred will survive. Mainly children and young people,” I told them. “We have to see who all is on the island and who we bring with us. Doesn’t this sound like Noah’s ark?”
“A little bit, except there wasn't vampires and stuff there.” Cross was playing with his bluish-blond hair thinking about something.
The guys trailed off mentally, each imagining their own hells. Mine vastly different than theirs. Mine full of my own demons.
I thought about all this and felt like a huge job was ahead and I didn’t have the energy. Why couldn’t the world be taken over by fairies or something? Or freaking little chipmunks or deer?
“Mother?” she called, startling me.
“Hmmm,” I wasn't sure how I felt about her calling me that. The truth remained
the same though, in the end.
“I sense your sadness. I know this must be hard. I have these feelings now, that I didn’t before I awakened, and thoughts that I don’t understand either. My powers will be yours as well. I am so full of power that I have to share. You have to learn how to use them, because when I’m born demons, and other evil beings will try to take what you have built. They will want to control me. As a newborn, I will not be able to defend myself.
“My powers are now yours. I will have to learn everything again. I feel like you are upset with all of this, and I want you to understand it isn't too bad. There is good in this. You will die if we don't do this. In five years, the world will fall apart. The vegetation will dry up and stop producing the oxygen. The sun will destroy your planet. The animals are dying. There will be no food for your children.”
“I understand better now. It seems like so much work in such a little time,” I silently told her. I could imagine vividly the things she spoke of.
“Mother, you have some time. I am learning this thing you call patience. You will not conceive me until we reach the island. I must go now. I need to rest while you learn this new power of mine. I am sorry.”
I barely caught what she said. I had been paying attention, but it still took a second to understand what she meant.
Power?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
I didn’t understand why she apologized as I felt her fade. Then, all of a sudden, I got hot. There was a fire inside me, burning white hot, running through my veins, scorching everything it touched. I tried to let it go, dropping Aries hand as I jumped up and back. I screamed, falling to the floor, writhing in pain, I didn’t know what to do with it. It consumed me. Burning paths like molten lava through my veins. I looked at Aries, whose tortured expression told me he had figured this would eventually happen. This is why he had felt regret while we had been sitting in the car behind the club, when we’d first met, not so long ago. I watched his eyes change as I burned. Consumed by anger because he could not protect me from this thing, the thing he had so feared.
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