“They are very capable, almost ready I think.” She stood still, allowing him access to the back of her dress. She stopped fumbling with the buttons that closed the back of her dress and allowed her arms to fall to her side. Her Hybrid’s hands moved swiftly, releasing her from the dresses hold.
“How did Maura take the news of her dear sister’s betrayal,” he asked, though he had since phased back to Jax. Kelsha didn’t miss the transition. Heren’s hands were always soft and gentle where as Jax’s were urgent, rough. The hands that began undoing her buttons were no longer the same hands. The hands that touched her skin as each button was released caused her flesh to tingle. She had to steady her breathing before she could respond.
“Better than expected. She was furious at first which surprised me but the grief came. She cried but Danu offered comfort and she took it. She will be just fine,” she managed to say before allowing her dress to fall to her feet in a puddle of fabric.
It only took a few strokes across her skin, a few kisses on the curve of her neck, and the heavy breathing she felt against her body to ready her for him. She turned to face him, expertly undoing his pants and lifting his shirt over his head so he was just as nude and vulnerable as she was. Her mouth found his and seconds later they were in bed, making love. He didn’t take her fast or rough. He took his time, caressing every part of her body. He handled her body as though it was fine wine, tasting every part of her slowly, feasting on her body. When her body began to writhe beneath his, begging for release, he gave it to her. Her ecstasy forced his own causing him to collapse on top of her. They held each other closely and when he finally rolled off their bodies remained entangled as they fell asleep.
When she woke, only hours later, she was covered in sweat and facing a concerned Jax. She felt confused and agitated. “Are you alright, Kelsha?” He asked quietly. She sat up, trying to catch her breath. ‘It was only a dream’ she thought. She looked back at Jax. “I’m okay. It was only a dream.”
“I know, but it must have been a nightmare, you were screaming in your sleep, love. Want to tell me about it?
“I don’t want to go into details, but the basis was us losing the war. Many of my people died before the rest turned on me. It was a massacre, Jax and in the end we died too, at least I assume I died. I was nearing my own demise when I woke.” Tears had begun to stream down her face, but she did nothing to stop them. The nightmare had truly frightened her and frightening Kelsha was hard to do. She knew she was safe to let her guard down with Jax. He gently pulled her down into his arms as she wept.
“I’m sorry, darling. I could say that it was only a dream, not our reality but the truth is we could lose. I don’t expect us to. We are strong. The army you have built is strong. I have every faith that we will emerge the victors but it is foolish to think we will not lose people. In wars, lives are lost; there is no way around it. The key is making sure they lose more than we do. I will do my best to always protect you, Kelsha, although I don’t think you need my protection I will give it anyway. Now try to get some rest. I think the time is near.” He kissed her on the top of her head. Her raven hair was messy and knotted from their lovemaking and he liked it that way. She wore the effects of him. Nothing made him feel more like a man. He snuggled her closer to him, willing her fear away.
“Thank you, my love. I am better now,” she whispered. She didn’t like the vulnerable feeling she felt when she woke from her nightmare. She didn’t like feeling as though she was losing control. She surely did not like feeling as though she may lose this war, her war. She was grateful to have her Hybrid beside her, holding her close, feeding her ego and confidence. She never let anyone other than him see her weak. She would never let anyone see her as less than she was: strong, independent, smart, and confident. Every now and then, she allowed a glimpse of her madness, just to prove that she was a force to be reckoned with. She could never let them see her weak like she was as she lay in the arms of her Hybrid. The nightmare did a good job at scaring her. It also hardened her just a little more. She found new strength in her tears and fury at her fragility. She allowed herself to fall asleep and this time it was dreamless.
When she woke the next morning, her body was stiff from so many hours in bed, but she was refreshed. Jax was still in his form, and his arms were locked around her. His breathing was shallow, which told her he was in a deep sleep. She gently removed herself from his grasp and quietly snuck out of bed. She washed herself before dressing and going to check on the parts of the fortress she failed to inspect the day before.
She was, once again, greeted by an array of Special’s and Creatures practicing in the great room. She wondered if any of them ever slept, then decided she didn’t care. She moved slowly through the enormous room, admiring the fluid movements of her people. Some practiced with weapons, others with strength, and others relied on their ability but they all moved gracefully. To Kelsha, it was the equivalent of watching ballet. An array of bodies in varying shapes and sizes moving toward and against each other. Resisting and surrendering. Bodies colliding, swords crashing while never losing the beat, they were led by their heartbeat. It was their music, and their fight was their dance. It was amazing and caused Kelsha to fall a little weak in the knees as she admired the show.
She was lost in the moment when she felt the presence of a body behind her. She heard the angry thoughts of Maura and greeted the girl without turning to face her.
“Hello, Maura. Have you come to watch? It is beautiful, don’t you agree?
“Yes, they are magnificent but I have not come to watch a practice session,” Maura began and Kelsha turned to face her.
“Then what can I do for you, my dear?”
“Is it true, Kelsha? Has my sister betrayed you? Betrayed us?” Maura asked.
“Yes, everything Danu told you was true. I thought it would be easier to hear it from him. I am sorry, my dear. I know how much you loved your sister,” Kelsha replied, carefully gauging Maura. When she looked into the girl's eyes she saw darkness there. Her face was hard and portrayed a woman with strength. Kelsha had never seen that in Fionna. No, Fionna always had a light around her, a goodness that Kelsha tried her best to darken. She wouldn’t have to try with Maura. The darkness was already there and had been there for a long time.
“When this war finally begins, when my sister comes to face you and I believe she will, I ask that I be the one to kill her.” Maura’s voice was unemotional and Kelsha was slightly surprised by her request. More than shocked though, Kelsha was damned proud of the girl. She saw a glimpse of herself in Maura. They both were abandoned by their sister. Both of their sisters now chose to stand against them. Both of their sisters were sickly sweet and incredibly righteous. Kelsha, herself, often dreamed of what it would feel like to hold Akayleah’s life in her hands. She wondered the power she would feel when she took that life away. The thought made her giddy with anticipation, and she wondered if that was how Maura felt. She doubted she felt too deeply about Fionna’s death. The betrayal was new, fresh. She hadn’t had years to properly allow the seed of hate to grow, but Kelsha felt her anger and thought she owed the woman her one desire.
“You know, Maura we are much more alike than I realized. You see, my sister betrayed me as well. She is all kinds of light while I am full of dark. She chose to stand against me many years ago. Given the chance, I would wrap my hands around her neck and rejoice when her body fell limp under my hands. However, her life has already been disposed of so I will never have that chance. Understanding your urge is why I will allow you to take care of Fionna. I will not kill Fionna. That is your right and I will not infringe on that. Just be sure, my friend that you can follow through because if you can’t finish her, I will. Clear?”
“Absolutely, don’t worry I will have no problem following through,” Maura said with confidence and Kelsha smiled at her.
“I have no doubt, now go find Danu and work on your training.” Maura smiled a thank you to Kelsha and walked away. Her
thoughts told Kelsha that she was grateful, she was ready, and more importantly, she was looking forward to the fight. Yes, Kelsha would have to look deeper into Maura but that was for later. She left the training room and wandered through the rest of her fortress. As she moved from room to room, she was pleased to see everything and everyone working perfectly. She stopped to talk to various Special’s and was assured by all that things were going as planned. By the time she made it back to her sleeping room, Jax was up and dressing.
“Where have you been? I was displeased to wake without you beside me,” he said half scolding.
“I didn’t have the heart to wake you,” she began and kissed him deeply before continuing. “I had to check on everything. I needed to do an inspection of my home, be sure everything has been running smoothly and as planned. I have spoken to many of my people and told them we will be away for a while again. I told them we were studying our enemies and would bring back information that would help them win the fight. They all seemed content with the explanation of my absence.”
“Good, so all is in order. When do we leave?”
“As soon as you are ready, I would like to get to the Levannah Manor soon. If Fionna knows what’s good for her she will be there waiting with my son.”
“And if not?” He asked, and Kelsha gave him a half smile.
“I bring her back to her sister, a lovely girl, that Maura. She has requested to be the one that stops her pretty sister’s heart and I agreed. I understand her desire.”
“Huh, well then, shall we be going?” He asked and held his hand out to her. They left her fortress in the capable hands of Danu with Maura by his side.
~Chapter Nineteen~
Kelsha felt absolute giddiness the closer she came to the Levannah Manor, closer to her boy. The possibility of Fionna betraying her crossed her mind only when Jax addressed the concern, but she couldn’t imagine Fionna being that daft. Fionna was far too much of a coward, Kelsha thought. Things could not have been more perfect for Kelsha. She had her man. She would have her boy, and with any luck, Fionna would go back with her. The moment her boy was safe on Ellurrah Island she would throw her war in motion. It was time. It was past time. She had no doubt she would come out the victor which also made her giddy with joy. Power, her man, her boy, her people, what more could she want. She was positively glowing, which didn't fall on blind eyes.
Her Hybrid felt her happiness. He felt a deep sense of satisfaction knowing he was part of what made her glow. He was not delusional though and understood all too well that the power and the baby were big contributors to her current mood. He also knew he fit in her heart as well. The idea of them ruling Neveah together was intoxicating. Heren had never been power hungry. Rather, he was always hungry for Kelsha. Jax reveled in the possibility of ruling a nation, but also yearned for Kelsha very deeply. The combination of love, want, desire for the woman and power nearly made him burst. He wrapped his arms tightly around Kelsha.
“We are almost there, love,” he whispered in her ear.
“Mmmm, yes, I can see the silhouette of the manor in the distance,” she replied unable to hide her excitement. She felt her heart pound in anticipation and leaned into her Hybrid’s hold, to steady herself.
“Not much longer and we will have my boy,” she stated, though she was not speaking to anyone in particular. Heren was listening intently though. “Yes, we will have your boy and soon after we will have the entire land of Neveah,” he replied only this time it was he that could not hide his excitement.
The land flew by them in a blur, but neither of them cared to glance at the passing landscape. Neither cared that the land below them, once beautiful and colorful, and blooming, was now desolate, bleak, and wilting. Both were too focused on their destination to realize no life stirred below them, the wildlife gone into hiding. Any inhabitants of the land were gone. Kelsha and Jax cared little about the land. The colors and life did nothing for them. Heren always found Neveah beautiful, but even he didn’t care to enjoy the passing land. The closer they came to the Levannah Manor, the more they noticed something was wrong.
“It's so quiet,” Kelsha whispered.
“Look at the house, Kelsha! It looks fallen,” Jax replied through a sharp feeling of shock. It was like nothing they had ever seen before. The Levannah Manor had, at one time, stood tall and proud. The house of the rulers of Neveah would never be viewed as pretentious, but it was stately nonetheless. The white pillars that held up the grand entrance had lost their pristine color. White faded to gray. The strong roof lines sagged slightly in the middle. The colors that rimmed every window, giving off the feeling of happiness and contentment, were peeling. Behind them a sick shade of gray emerged. Worse than the chipped paint and sagging house was the silence that surrounded it.
No sounds of Aria. No stir of Promontory. None of the Special’s that so frequently visited the house were around. Nothing but silence and misery surrounded Kelsha and her Hybrid. Their dragon landed with a thud that echoed in the silence. Kelsha, with a feeling of panic deep in her belly, slid slowly off the dragon. Jax pushed Heren deep inside and followed closely behind her. Both approached the house in silence.
Before they reached the front door Kelsha knew they would find nothing inside. A sudden sense of panic swept through her. She ran for the door and slowed only enough to kick it off its hinges before bursting into the house. She began screaming for Fionna.
“Fionna! Fionna! I'm back! I am back for my son! Fionna where are you?” Her voice was teetering on the edge of hysteria. Jax fought the urge to go to her, to comfort her. To tell her all would be alright. He knew it would be a lie. He knew the moment they landed that Fionna had betrayed Kelsha. He knew they would find nothing in the falling house. He also knew she would not listen to reason. He knew they would need to strike back and quickly for this betrayal. He would let her discover what they both already knew on her own. When the rage settled in they would go on a hunt.
Kelsha hastily moved from room to room looking for something she knew was not going to be there. Every room was empty. No trace of the Levannah's remained in the house. “You bitch! You will pay for this,” she whispered before finding her way back to Jax. She found him near the door she had kicked in moments before. She felt her blood boil and rise up in her body. Her skin was crimson and beads of sweat began creeping out. Her dark eyes reflected a darkness that was a dark passage to the depths of her soul. Jax didn't dare touch her. She could not be consoled by him.
“She betrayed me! That bitch betrayed me again, after all I have done for her.” Her breath was coming fast, and her words were laced with disgust. She wanted to destroy something. She wanted to throw something. She wanted to hit something. The rage was overwhelming. She scanned the house, and its emptiness enraged her more. She ran outside where she found a large stone and heaved it through the window.
She continued her rampage until her fingers bled from the stones. She turned to Jax, who had followed her out of the house, but had yet to partake in her destruction. “Burn it,” she demanded. Within moments, he disappeared and reappeared carrying a can of clear liquid. She recognized the scent immediately, and her mouth curved into a smile. “Methane from the landfill,” she stated while he gazed at her. “You're a genius, my love,” she said, her mood turning from extreme destruction to a calm madness. She watched as he slowly poured the flammable liquid along the front porch. He deliberately pulled a match from his pocket and struck it on a section of the porch not yet poisoned by the deadly gas.
The flame made Kelsha giggle. She drew in a deep breath as Jax dropped the match onto the Methane soaked wood. He ran back to her, hastily knocking her to the ground. The explosion was strong though and lifted the two of them from the ground before dropping them in a thicket of sticker bushes. They remained on their backs, unable to move, but fully conscious. Occasionally, a mad laugh would escape Kelsha's mouth while she lay there watching the house of Neveah go up in flames.
“The flames are prett
y aren't they,” she finally said. The laughing had stopped.
“Yes, they are rather enchanting, darling,” Jax replied. He slowly moved his hand to rest on hers. It took all her strength to slowly turn it over and twist her fingers with his.
“I'm just getting started,” she whispered.
“I am fully aware of the situation, love and fully stand beside you,” he replied.
“I can't feel my legs yet, Jax.”
“My toes are starting to tingle. I am sure yours will soon.”
“Yes, I am sure they will. In the meantime we have a fabulous show to watch.”
He squeezed her hand in his as tightly as he could. The roof of the manor was moments from caving in when the tingling in her toes began. She watched the magnificent manor burn to the ground. Sparks rose high in the air amidst the billows of black smoke. The sound of wood crackling was like a symphony. With every spark, every crackle, and every boom from falling wood her heart would flutter with excitement. The blood was flowing through her legs freely causing a slight sting as her legs came back to life. By the time the last piece of the Levannah Manor crumbled, both Kelsha and Jax were able to stand.
They stood slowly at first. Their legs were wobbly beneath their weight. The stinging was subsiding, the solidity returning. Kelsha's breath was coming fast. “Are you alright, love?” Jax asked, worried.
She laughed hysterically through her coughs and gasps for air. “I am more than alright. I am soaring right now! I admit to being a bit shaky from the blast but that is improving by the second. My heart is speeding out of control with excitement. This is the first step, darling. We destroyed their home. Now we will destroy them.”
She pushed her way out of the dense bushes that served as her temporary hospital bed. She stood in the clearing where the full view of her destruction was evident. The manor, which housed generations of Levannah’s, was now nothing more than a pile of burnt wood and dust. Kelsha was full of pride at their job well done. There was nothing left to see. She turned to Jax, who had been admiring their wickedness beside her. “Ready?” She asked. “Of course,” he replied, but she was already walking away.
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