by Hannah888
"I heard you,” she whispered, willing away the tremble from her lips as she spoke. "But I can't help being scared."
Hadaen pulled her up to him and held her face firmly in his hands. "You will be fine. I've told you this before...I will make no harm come to you."
"I'm sorry." Her dampened gaze averted to his chest, obviously embarrassed by showing such weakness.
"Don't be..." He pressed a kiss to her temple and sighed. "Whatever it is that bothering you, we'll talk about it later."
...later.
"Hadean--"
"Promise me one thing, Amelia."
Promises. Could she really trust herself to promise anyone--most of all Hadaen--anything at a time like this? She nodded. "Whatever happens... Promise me you'll keep fighting. Don't be intimidated. Deorci feeds off your fear. I will be right there protecting you. Okay?"
At least that one could be kept. "I promise."
"Good." And he tugged her lips into a heart-felting kiss before turning away again. "Now, stay behind me."
"What do we do now?"
"We wait. We need Deorci's men to come close enough so that Gideon can take out most of them with the bombs he had set in the trails."
Blood flooded Amelia's ears. It was really happened. It was truly the time for her to avenge her parents' death... to redeem the Marujan kingdom.
"They're getting closer, Hadaen. I can feel it." The hair on Amelia's neck stood at attention, her stomach fluttering painfully. "What if--"
The anticipated blast shook the area, orange hues reflecting through the fabric of the tent. The anguished cries from men reverberated throughout and a series of gunshots went off. Amelia felt Hadaen's muscles tense beneath where she grabbed his arm.
It was time.
"Stay back, Amelia. And remember what I told you."
Hadaen stepped outside into the cool night air just in time to meet Gideon who looked as if he had been wrestling some wild creature. His shirt was almost ripped from his body and his hair flying in all directions.
"We have to move quick," Gideon said quickly, his breath laboured. "I don't see any signs of Deorci yet but I'm sure the bastard is lurking around in the shadows somewhere."
"Where are his men?"
"Dead. Some temporarily stunned by the blast." He managed a smug grin. "Let's go."
Hadaen wiped a hand across his bare chest, asking The First to guide him...to protect him.
"Where are the Protectors?" he asked, looking truly annoyed.
"I--I." Gideon cleared his throat. "I kind of sent them running in the other direction."
Hadaen froze and glared at his brother. "You could have given me notice."
"What was I supposed to do? Yell it from across the yard?" he snapped. "We have Sienna with us. It was decided that it was best to let the others go. Esyth led them through the woods."
An oath forced it's way pass Hadaen's lips and he grunted. He knew Gideon was right. They could not the lives of the Protectors. "Fine."
"We've got six sound men on our backs. Times that by two if we include Deorci."
Glancing back at his tent, where Hadaen knew Amelia was waiting impatiently, he moved alongside his youngest brother. Gideon's bomb had wiped out numbers of men, their lifeless bodies sprawled across the debris-covered earth. The other fortunate--or not so fortunate as far as Hadaen was concerned--ones were momentarily struggling to their feet.
He moved fast, grabbing one man by the arm and twisting it till he yelped. Gideon didn't waste any time though, twisting two necks as the victims were unaware. Bones cracked and tendons snapped.
They had no time to tarry.
Allowing his brother to satisfy his ego, Gideon held on to his own captive.
"It's about damn time!" came Sienna's voice. She sped from the east side of the woods, crashing pass them and slamming her fist against one Kankul soldier's jaw. Blood came squirting from the man's mouth as he fell back, hard and heavy on the ground. She then tugged a gun from the waistband of her jeans and pointed the steely weapon at the man's head.
The gunshot split his skull straight down the forehead.
They're safely away, she muttered mentally to Hadaen. Where's Amelia?
Don't worry about her, he said and yanked harder on the man's arm.
"Where is Deorci?"
The young man stared up with horror in his eyes. He was not more than Gideon's age. "Please, don't kill me!"
"I-I..."
"He won't talk," Gideon snapped, wiping sweat from his brow. "If we don't know anything about these Kankul soldiers, we know they are loyal fools."
"He's right," Sienna huffed, looking around and scanning the area cautiously. "Kill the man and get over with it!"
Hadaen roared. His eyes turned red. His energy vibrated with fierceness that sent flames down his arms and over his body. The man screamed at the pain and Hadaen slapped his fingers around his neck, squeezing hard.
Lightning flashed, striking the ground between all four of them.
Thunder rolled. The Heavens above shone down its light; a white light that illuminated the dark land. Gideon held his hand above his eyes to block the rays. Sienna shrunk back, blinded by the intensity.
Then it vanished, sucked into a vortex in thin air. A heavy breeze whipped past them, almost knocking them to their backs.
“What’s happening?” Gideon asked; the shirt on his back blowing off and across the yard.
“I don’t know!” Hadaen never released his grip on the Kankul soldier but held the man upward before him, the wind slapping hard against them.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Sienna shouted, clutching her jacket. “What should we—.”
The breeze stopped abruptly as if it hadn’t even been occurring at all. Hadaen exchanged glances with his brother and then yanked the soldier hard. “Ready to talk?”
The man looked lost out of his mind. Poor thing.
“What is that?”
Gideon turned to look at Sienna who was pointed behind her.
“What?” Hadaen asked, turning swiftly as well. His eyes widened as he noticed a bright dazzling blue light emanating from his tent.
Amelia.
Just as he was about to toss the soldier to Gideon and then break into a run, the tent went flying up in the air and a large ball of white light came crashing towards them.
“Dodge it!” Hadaen yelled. And they slid out of the way just in time as the ball missed them by a few inches and colliding with the trees in the woods, taking them down with a crash.
When they managed to get to their feet again, they were greeted by Amelia.
Surrounded by beautiful blue light, she was. Her eyes flooded with white light and a white haze around her glow. Hadaen could not help but stare. She was…breathtaking. But what did it mean?
“Amelia…” he muttered; his heart softening as she turned to him.
“Well well well!” came a rough voice. “It’s about damn time!”
All three of them, including the soldier spun around to come face to face with the man who they had been waiting for. The man who had murdered Hadaen’s father and destroyed so many of his people, the devil who had taken Amelia’s parents from her. The fiend who had kept the Marujan kingdom in hiding.
Deorci.
Tossing the soldier to Gideon, Hadaen grasped Amelia by the arm and shoved her behind him.
“I see you’ve finally shown your face,” he said.
A choking scent of death surrounded the man as he stood casually, arms crossed and his long black overcoat fluttering in the wind.
“Sorry, if I kept you waiting,” the bastard had the audacity to say and then flashed a nasty grin. “I had to get my suit specially made. I do love to arrive in style.”
Hadaen clenched his teeth hard and forced himself to maintain composure. “Well, you’re here now so let’s do this!”
“Let’s kill this bastard.” Gideon tossed the soldier aside and prepared to attack.
Deorci’s laugh
echoed in the night. “Two of you? And two women at that. Surely you could have done better!”
“I know what you want.”
All eyes focused on Amelia. No one even realizing as the soldier slowly slipped away.
“Stay back, Amelia,” Hadaen warned.
Sienna glanced sideways at her. “Don’t let him draw you out.”
Deorci laughed again. “Surely if the woman wishes to speak, you must allow her.”
Gideon’s gaze bore through her as she edged closer, standing next to Hadaen. “I know what you want.”
Deorci’s heavy gaze swept her frame and he groaned with approval. Hadaen seethed. “You do look…ravishing. Perhaps, I will take you back with me for my own personal benefits.”
“You will do no such thing, you son-of-a-bitch!” Hadaen growled at him. “Lay a finger on her and I will rip you to pieces, you hear me?”
Amelia glanced at her intended, her eternal mate. Her lover. Tears clouded her vision as she pressed a palm to his cheek. Haden grasped her hand, searching her thoughts as best as he could. What was she doing?
“It’s for the best,” she whispered and cast a look in Gideon’s direction. He bowed his head sadly.
“What is going on?” he asked, knowing he would not get an answer. He looked from Amelia to his brother, to Sienna, and then back to Amelia. Something was wrong. He just could not figure out what it was.
Then before he could draw in another breath, Amelia sped away from him and towards the beast.
“No!” he yelled and ran after her.
“What is she doing?” Sienna cried, turning to Gideon. “He will kill her!”
Gideon kicked a rock at his feet and growled. “I should have never gone along with this!”
At that time, Hadean was inches away from grabbing Amelia back when Deorci’s hand came slapping him hard in the chest. The impact…the pain….the agony sent him flying backwards. Landing hard on his back, Haden groaned and wiped the blood that oozed from his nose.
“Don’t hurt him!” Amelia cried. Tears spilled over her cheeks and she glanced behind her as Deorci’s steely grasp clutched around her wrist.
Gideon started to pull Haden back to his feet but was only shrugged off during the process. “Amelia, do not do this,” he said, wincing at the pain in his chest. “Come back. You cannot leave me, goddammit!”
“I must. It’s the only way. You have to trust me,” she pleaded, ignoring the smug look on Deorci’s face. “I must make this sacrifice.”
“No!!!” he cried. “I—you can’t. Not when I have gone through so much… Not when I’ve finally found a woman who completes me! A woman that I love.” Love. “I know I suck at everything that may seem important to you but do not do this…”
“Amelia,” Gideon interjected, secretly waiting for an opening to attack Deorci without hurting her. “Think about this…”
“Please listen to us, Amelia.” Sienna clasped her hands before her, begging.
“Oh, give it up already!” Deorci drawled. “The girl has chosen!” He then grabbed her up against him. “Now, if you’ll excuse me—.”
Something bolted from the woods.
Or rather someone, knocking Deorci with such a force that he stumbled. The person threw Amelia where she landed right into Hadaen’s arms.
“What the—.” Sienna scowled at the green glow.
“What is going on here?” Deorci shrieked as he recovered his balance.
“Esyth?” Gideon’s voice came ringing. It was filled with so much dread…so much fear. “What are you doing here?”
Esyth gave him a forlorn look. “I’m sorry, Gideon.” She then turned to Amelia. “I couldn’t let you do this. I knew—I overheard you and Gideon’s conversation.”
“What conversation?” Hadaen shouted, his eyes hard as he glared from Amelia to his brother.
“You deserve to be happy,” Esyth continued.
“Enough!” Deorci grabbed her by the arm. “After I destroy your bitch, Maruj, I will take great delight in sucking the light out of all of you.” He chuckled slyly. “Just like I did to your father.”
Hadaen tensed, the mana coursing through his veins as he shoved Amelia behind him once again, daring her to move. Gideon looked as if he was about to break. Sienna on the other hand seemed frightened out of her wits…surprisingly.
“Esyth, have you gone fucking crazy?” Gideon said, hands clenching at his sides. Surely she did not mean to…
“No, but I’m sure we will meet again.” She smiled a sad smile and closed her eyes, murmuring, “Enahk… unek… maen… suti…”
“Oh no!” Amelia gasped.
Hadaen’s eyes widened. She can’t—she wouldn’t….
“What is she saying?” Sienna almost screamed with frustration.
“Shut up!” Deorci yelled, twisting her around to face him. “Shut up. Now!”
All sense of logic put aside, Gideon marched towards them, the red glow crackling angrily around him. He was angry. Mad.
Pissed.
He would not lose her. Not now.
“Enahk… unek… maen… suti…”
Not when he was just starting to grow feelings he thought were impossible to be felt by him.
A flash of green light slapped around them, blinding them for a few seconds until it slowly dissolved before their eyes, into some form of a vortex.
She was gone.
……Deorci was gone.
Esyth had sacrificed herself for them all.
Slumping to his knees, Gideon dropped his head into his hands and sobbed.
Esyth was gone.
Did you like 'Hadaen', Book One of The Marujan Brothers Series?
If so.....
Look out for Gideon [The Marujan Brothers Series] Book Two.
Follow the story as it progresses towards the search for Esyth and the anticipated defeat of Deorci.
Feel the spirit of reunion and the blooming of another love in Gideon and Esyth's story.
Coming Soon!!!!
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