by Swart, Karen
"Holy freaking hell! Is that Chax?" Nanini ruined the silence.
"Wow, now that I wasn’t expecting," Lotan murmured low, but not low enough.
"There you are, Chax. I was wondering how you would have fallen if you were the one that betrayed all of us." He kept his hold on her.
"Let... Go... Of me!" Raven tried to bite him again.
For a brief moment, his eyes locked on to her and looked at her. His eyebrows shot up and mixture of shock and fear emerged over his face. He dropped her and stepped back. "What is this?! What trickery is this?!" he hollered.
It was enough for me to react. I shifted and punched at the same time, sending him through his own wall. The throne room's walls cracked and groaned with the impact.
"Get them out of here now!" I ordered the rest and advanced on him.
I stepped through the hole and found him three walls further. My desired punch was successful. He rolled onto his side and started to get up.
"I'm going to enjoy this!" he yelled, standing up and starting to transform.
I waited patiently for the process to complete. He grew so much in size that he could almost match the new creatures. Dark wings like bats jumped from his back. But unlike the hellhounds, his were shredded as if decaying. Claws replaced hands and feet, and matching those of a reptile. On his head, horns sprouted from his skull, bending backwards to his back. A sickening roar burst from him as he turned to look at me. His size was too big to avoid shredding walls around him.
"Trust me, the joy will only be mine," I replied to him.
He roared again and stormed forward. Silent and immobile, I waited for him to advance on me. I have faced far worse than what he has become. I have destroyed far worse. He will join them today. For Kasadya and for the rest of the world, he will die.
***
Kasadya
My body ached. I was in pain, again. I should be freaking used to it by now, but it was still unbearable. I was burning everywhere, and something was trying to crush my skull. Deafening blows hit me over and over. I moaned and tried to grab my head, but my hands weren’t responding. Again my skull was slammed with a force.
"We can’t just leave!" someone bellowed.
I cried out as my skull closed in on my brains, the pressure igniting one hell of a pain.
"Oh crap, we need to get her out of here," a softer but yet too damn loud voice said.
I cried out again. Why the hell don’t my hands want to work?
"You heard what he said; I suggest not crossing him. Raven and Abby are already in one hell of a situation. Let's try to avoid joining them," a male's voice sent me into a frenzy.
My body jerked and thrashed around, but nothing moved to my will. It was frustrating not being able to hold my head. If I could just get my hands to work, maybe the pain would subside.
"Oh crap! Run, freaking run!" a female's voice bombarded me.
I was lifted up and flung over something. My aching body was jolted into a hard surface over and over again, moans and small cries burst out with each slam. I'm going to puke.
"Faster, move faster!"
"Holy crap, did you see that?!"
"Shut up, Nanini, and run!"
"Come on, like you're ever going to see that again. Chax just freaking sliced his arm off and didn’t even break a sweat."
"Shut up!" a lot of voices yelled in union.
Yes, shut up!
I cried out as my body was dragged towards the left and it felt like something was trying to tear it apart. I lost whatever I had in my stomach. Oh my soul, somebody just freaking kill me.
"Oh no, not good. Move! Run!"
"Over here!"
"Thank the Lord."
"Quick, inside! There is another chamber; just get inside."
"What about Chax?"
"He's coming. Just get inside!"
My body was jolted forward and more hands grabbed me. I tried to open my eyes but they didn’t want to respond either. Is this some form of new torture he developed? Because this might actually work. I felt my body placed on a hard surface, and I slid across it. Pain shot up my spine. My cry echoed around me, making the bloody headache even worse.
"Put her here," a female's voice whispered, thankfully.
I like this female. With her came a moment of silence, thank the heavens. I laid still, trying to figure out what was going on around me, and why the hell nothing of my body wanted to respond to my commands. I tried opening my eyes again, and the left one responded finally. It only opened a little, and my vision was blurry. I could make out a pair of boots, and more around it. There was a scuffling again and a few scraping sounds. Something landed hard on the surface. I closed my eyes, preparing for another skull crushing moment. Nothing happened. I could only heard hard breathing around me. Suddenly, I felt something touch me. Everything inside me screamed to kill the one touching me.
"Kasadya?" a beautiful voice whispered softly.
Thankfully, it was another dream; that is the only time I can hear this voice. I reached the point where I couldn’t wait to pass out or die, just to hear it. Chax. My heart broke again. I would give anything just to hear that voice for real.
"My amo," Chax's dream voice taunted me again, and I swear my dreams were getting more vivid. It actually felt like someone was stroking my hair with a soft touch, as if he could feel my pain. Another sound bombarded me. I cried out the pressure around my brains reaching maximum capacity. With my back rigid and straight, I gave myself to darkness again, praying I don’t wake up soon, preferably ever.
Chapter 8
But like everything else in my life, I wasn’t granted that wish. The deathly silence of darkness was slowly replaced with whispering around me. I drew in a deep breath, trying to brace for pain. There was pain but it was a lot less than what I have received lately. Did boredom finally kick in? I could only be so lucky. One thing I found out right in the beginning is that suffering for others brought him much delight.
"Is she healing?" a female's voice whispered.
"Slowly, but yes," a male answered her.
Arms tightened around my body. Not crushing me, but merely holding me. I know that voice, but it can't be. After all this time? Impossible. I'm freaking dreaming again.
"Once you get her outside, her healing should speed up," the female continued.
Chax's dream voice didn’t reply. Instead I felt fingers softly brushing me, followed by something cold and wet. A cloth. My heart started to pump double time. If this was a dream, my dreams have also become agonizing torture. I had no way of escaping just for a few moments anymore.
"You can come with us," Chax finally spoke again.
The cold soothing wet disappeared and I wanted to yell that he put it back. I heard the noise of water being moved and then blissfully, my dream Chax heard my mental plea and placed the wet cool cloth on my face again. Softly and slowly the cloth moved over my face, taking away the burning sensation.
"Yeah, somehow I don’t think the world will welcome me with open arms. It’s okay; I’ll manage down here," the female responded.
"What if there was another way? What if you can get a second chance with him?" Chax asked as the cloth was removed once again.
Silenced followed, but the cloth was returned to my face and the stroking continued. The cloth reached my right eye and pain shot into me. Trying to jerk away, I only managed to turn my face a little. Mercifully the cloth was removed immediately. I breathed in deeply, trying to let the pain work its way through my body so that it could disappear. A few more seconds followed and it was gone. I relaxed, just a little, into the arms holding me.
"You know as well as I do there is no second chance for me. I am what I am, Chax," the female replied, anger laced in her voice.
The cloth disappeared again, and this time it didn’t come back. I wanted to scream and kick. I wanted to cry from the loss of it. Why? Please give it back. The only thing that did happen was a moan escaping from my lips. I felt pressure on my chest and
froze. No, please, not again! He was going to rip out my heart again. It was the worst of everything, the worst torture that I had to bear. Everything else was laughable, but this...
Hush, my love. I am trying to help you. My heart stopped completely.
Can it be? Is he really here? My heart gave a strange pump and I felt like bursting into tears. How I had dreamt about this moment. So many times, it was all that kept me alive. I wanted to reach up and feel for myself. I wanted to see for myself. I felt a tingling sensation running from the tips of my toes up towards the pressure on my chest. As it spread, the pain in my body lessened a little.
Chax? Are you really here? My mental voice sounded scared and desperate. That was exactly how I felt. Scared. Desperate.
I'm here, my love. I'm here. His voice sounded as fragile as mine.
To know that you are finally safe is overwhelming. I broke down in silence, my body unable to reveal the relief I felt. The massive strong arms held me even closer and my head was pressed forward into the most delectable smell I have ever smelled. He rocked me back and forth, rubbing my aching back and soothing me. I cried mentally. Over and over I cried my sorrow and relief.
You're safe, my love. You're safe. I won’t ever let you go again, he soothed me.
"Is she awake?" the female asked.
I was glad my body didn’t want to respond to me. It would have been embarrassing for someone else to see me break into a million pieces.
"Yes, but her body is still too weak. We are speaking through our bond," Chax replied and kissed the top of my head softly. I broke into more mental tears. That feels so good.
"You didn’t answer me," he continued.
"Just stop," the females hissed out and I could hear her stand up.
"My mate's blood is capable of changing a demon back into a human. The half-breed hellhound sleeping over there was created with her blood. He shares the ability too." Chax held me closer.
I went rigid. She was a demon! I tried to move my body, tried to free myself from his embrace to defend myself against an attack.
She won’t hurt you, Kasadya. She helped us find you. She is not the evil you have seen here, he said, pressing me tight against him.
Are... are you sure?
Yes, I will never let anyone ever hurt you again.
I took comfort in his words, but suddenly froze.
What the hell is that supposed to mean?!
He started to laugh. The sound echoed around us.
"I take it that was for your mate and not me." The female’s still irritated voice silenced the moment.
"Yes, she is getting stronger and more stubborn." I could hear the laughter in his voice.
If you think for one moment that you will be locking me away at home somewhere, think again!
We will discuss this when we get out of here. Rest, my love. Your body is still very weak.
"Would you take her blood if she offered it?" Chax continued.
"And then what? I'll be a human and world peace would finally take place?"
"You will be human and maybe have a chance at love again."
Intrigued, I stayed quiet and listened.
"No, I can’t face him after everything I have done," she dismissed the option.
"If there is one thing I have learned about love, it is that there are no boundaries with it. It has no color, no shape, no sound and no preference. Love is what it is. You believe that he will condemn you because of your past actions. I do not. Love is stronger than anything in this world. If you let it take the lead, you will discover the very essence of magic itself. I think you’re more scared of the idea of being human." Chax just had a way with women.
You're not doing very well. Once again you start off good, and then just ruin everything again.
I believe it is of great importance that she is turned to human. My instinct is telling me that this is right, that this must be. I have to change her mind.
"I am not scared!" she hissed at him.
Told you.
A deep sign. You need rest, Kasadya. Sleep. I will watch over you.
Hell no, I want to know how this ends.
Stubborn hellhounds.
Humpf.
"Then take it, give life a chance, and let love lead you. Give him the peace he has been looking for."
Okay, that was actually pretty good.
I saw a mental image of Chax smiling at me with that ‘I know’ look.
And then you go and ruin it.
"I will think about it. First we need to get you all out of here."
Where is the ‘here’ she is referring to?
He didn’t respond and my heart started to speed up again.
Chax? Where are we?
We are still in hell, but were getting out of here. I promise.
I didn’t want to tell him that I didn’t have much hope for that. Instead, I relaxed and soon drifted off into sleep, unable to fight my exhaustion.
"Sleep, my amo," he whispered as I started to fall into the abyss.
Chapter 9
The sound of voices woke me up. I groaned but could actually reach my head with my hand. I tried opening my eyes but only the left one opened, the right one still not responding. A memory of being thrown into a casket with spikes came crashing down on me. My breath hitched as I remembered the door closing in on me and a thousand daggers piercing my body. That was also when my right eye stopped functioning. Realization set in. One of the spikes had pierced my right eye, and it wasn’t healed yet. I moved my head and scanned my surroundings. Three females were towards my left. One was pacing back and forth while the other two sat and looked at her.
"I can’t believe they left us here again!" the one pacing yelled frustrated.
I looked closer and recognized the face.
"Sorry, Raven, but we reached our limit with Chax. And Kas needed protection," one of the females sitting said, so I trained my head to look at her. Abby.
"Yeah, I know. I'm just sick and tired being treated like a child," Raven spat back.
Time to see if my voice is functioning.
"Sometimes you need to stand down in order to survive," I croaked out.
Raven froze and looked at me. The two of them descended upon me with speed matching a vampire’s.
"How are you feeling?"
"Do you have pain?"
"Whoa, hang on. I'm fine. Sore, and a little out of sorts, but fine." I tried to muster a smile.
Digging my hands into the ground I gathered my energy to try and sit up.
Four hands grabbed and hauled me up before I could see if I could do it on my own.
"Don't overdo it. Your body is still very weak," Abby warned, her eyes filled with concern.
"No kidding. Hell, it feels like a truck ran over me, reversed, and did it again," I groaned, trying to force back the pain.
"Well, you can say it was a truck with super abilities, a mean evil nature, and a wicked habit to evoke cruelty," Abby pitched in.
I gave her a blank look. Did she really have to remind me?
"Sorry," she muttered and sat down next to me. Raven, on the other hand, was still prowling around like a caged tiger.
I scanned around and discovered that we were in a cave of sorts. My eyes landed on the third female and I did a double take. Is that? No, that can’t be.
"Hellhound." The female nodded.
"What in the name of all evil is she doing here?!" I was super pissed!
"Um, she's kind of our guide in here," Abby replied with a small smile.
"Yeah, believe it or not, the demon decided to help us," Raven continued, still walking up and down.
I looked back at the female, who sat there in the corner. She looked different since the last time I saw her. Pale, weary and old. Not the radiant, shimmering all fabulous demon princess.
"You look a little worn out, Luxuria. Did you forgot to take your dose of sin?" I asked sarcastically.
Her eyes flamed up with anger, her cheeks reddening.
"Careful, hellhound. I might not have the same strengths and abilities, but I can sure as hell drop all your asses down here and go my own way!" she hissed at me.