Indignation

  “What is it?”

  “Julian’s guards have Alyssa and Annalisa. We need to fly home. Call all the Elim Guards. Tell Dias. I’ll send a message to the Underworld.”

  Miranda can’t help but smile. It’s been a little more than a week that Alyssa has disappeared. Everyone was losing hope to find her. She doesn’t know if she should be relieved though. A war is still approaching between the Heavens and the Underworld.

  She has already known of the precognition, but now it’s public. She doesn’t know what will happen if the two realms fight. She only really knows one thing. There can only be one winner.

  <><><>

  Annalisa glares at the guards that restraint her. She struggles against them, but they are too strong for her to take. Nothing is going as planned. Merlin betrayed her. After he attacked Alyssa he went after her. She fought him with all her powers of a witch, she fought with all her physical strength, but it wasn’t enough. He made her black out. She has woken up to the guard of men restraining her.

  She wants to kill Merlin with her bare hands. She wants him to die at her fingertips. She should have killed him with the dagger when she had a chance. She’s lost for words as she looks down. Her warobe is changed. She wears a tight fitted top with loose sweats. She would never wear this. This is something that Alyssa would wear. She silently curses Merlin for his stupidity. He has set her up all this time. She trusted him, she trusted him for over four centuries and he betrayed her.

  “You die at my hands!” She yells to nothing, but the men take it as a threat and grasp a firmer grip on her. They remain silent.

  She doesn’t recognize the men, but she knows they belong to Julian. She looks up at the night sky. Merlin must be laughing at her. She wishes she can slap that smirk right of his face at her entrapment. A form of light sheds on her thoughts. Annalisa knows why she’s dressed like Alyssa. It’s just to confuse Julian. Merlin has done all this just to mess with Julian’s head, knowing that she will never tell him that she’s Annalisa. It’s true though. Annalisa isn’t naive. She knows that he has learned to love Alyssa as well, but she would be damned if he chooses her sister than her.

  Alyssa feels her eyes close from her exhaustion. She wants to just sleep everything away. She also would like a nice warm bed with feather pillows, but she can’t be picky at the Moment. How did everything go so wrong in her life? When did she wake up to find her life being knotted in such a mess? It seems surreal that everything bad is coming her way and she can do nothing about it. She doesn’t even want to cry. She’s tired of crying. She tried of feeling like a weak woman.

  Sometimes when she used to close her eyes she could see herself graduating, going to college, and maybe try pole dancing just for the heck of it. Now when she closes her eyes she sees Dias naming her his heir, Julian losing control, Annalisa shoving her down the stairs. It seems unreal that something like this can happen to her. When she thought she was mortal is was never this complicated. She had her problems like many woman her age, but she never had feared entrapment so much.

  The dungeon is silent compared to her thoughts. She just wants to be let out. She wants to be let free to do what she wants without worrying about anything or anyone.

  A man in a black suit appears on the other side of the bars. His black top hat hides his eyes from view. He uses his own hand to break the lock. ‘Come with me.’ A deep voice says into her mind. The man grips her upper arm and rushes her out of her imprisonment.

  She pulls her arm away from his grasp. “How did you-?”

  ‘Question is preferred later.’ He takes a hold of her arm again and leads her through the Dungeon. The man starts to walk faster when a large oval like portal appears in front of them. He goes into it without much thought, pulling her with him.

  Demon Astator

  ‘You show your fear much too well.’ The strange man states.

  “Who are you?” Alyssa finds her voice.

  The man with the hat that hides half of his face leads her through the woods she has appeared in. His walks are more like a glide as he rushes to the unknown location with her following him in a sprint.

  He suddenly stops and turns around. She stumbles when she bumps into his rock hard body. Alyssa presses her hand to forehead from the impact. “Ouch.”

  “I am your worst nightmare.” He finally says out loud to answer her pervious question. “Although we did have some wonderful times together.” He smirks still not showing his eyes that are covered by the hat. He turns to lead her inside the small hut.

  “Together? What do you mean? I’ve never seen you before.” She follows him into the abandon hut. He forces the door open. Nothing seems to surprise her at this point of her life. Breaking and entering is the last thing she would care about.

  “You have. Alyssa, sweet, innocent, Alyssa. In love with a boyfriend who loves your sister. They say the teenage years hard, but you have taken it to a new level.” He tsks. “I cannot say I am surprised by your complicated life. Fate is twisted in many ways.”

  She looks around the plain hut. Two chairs are place in front of the fire place. There’ a small round table on the far corner. The walls are made of rough wood. She can see the long door that might lead to a room. The hut is fairly small, but it seems cozy.

  She turns to the man with curiosity instead of fear. “Who are you?”

  “I am Astator.” He takes off his hat to reveal his bright red eyes.

  She gulps. Nothing seems to surprise her now, but her fear can still be spiked. Can someone help her not get kidnapped by more immortals? It will make her life so much easier to deal with. “What do you want from me?” She takes a step back, away from him.

  “Nothing you have is of any value to me. I am only here to help you.”

  “What are you going to do to me?”

  He takes a step towards her and smiles, not evilly, but sincerely. “I will not hurt you. I may have hurt the woman I love, among others. Maybe tortured even, but I would not ever hurt you. You may not remember, but I owe you my life.”

  “Why? I don’t remember anything.”

  “You are the only one that knows how to truly kill me, but you swore an oath on the Underworld, and the Heavens, to not attempt to murder me for eternity. The violation of your oath would result in your death.”

  “I find out more and more about myself every second.” Her voice is heavy with sarcasm. “I must have seen something in you to do that. You’re freaking me out with your red eyes.” She confesses. “That means no help from me. Helping you is like saying that Brandon has had a secret crush on me for years, which he doesn’t.” She knows she sounds like a typical high school girl, but it makes her feel better talking about her friends and normal life.

  “We had an exchange. I let you out of hiding, making you forget everything; in exchanged my life is spared in your hands.”

  “I was with you the time Annalisa was talking about? The time I had disappeared into some kind of portal? She thinks I disappeared with our mother.”

  “I have known Selene on a personal level, she trusted you in my care. I must say that when she created Annalisa I was shocked. Selene is such a powerful being. She would not have created a being with such a curse. It was never in her nature to sprout fear in others. To reconcile for that mistake, she created you. The light to the dark.”

  “Annalisa made Selene sound so cruel? You make her sound like a saint.”

  His dark chuckle is heard around the room. “Selene will never be considered a saint. She has morals she stands by. Not all of them are for the good, but she believes they are.”

  She bites her lip from the disturbing question that runs through her mind. “You said you knew my mother on a personal level. Were you her-?”

  He shakes his head with amusement. “Selene is my sister, not my lover.”

  Her eyebrows crease together in thought. “So you’re my blood uncle?” She says slowly.

  “Yes, I am. But I have too many enemies for you to be calling me
uncle in public. I promised Selene I would watch over you and I have done, so far everything I could, to keep you alive.”

  “How did you keep me alive? I never saw you before now. Plus isn’t Dias, Julian, Gabriel, Miranda, and the Elim Guards the one who protects me?”

  He motions for her to take a seat by the fireplace as he takes a seat as well. “Their job is to protect you at all costs, but I have secretly followed you since you have left the portal. I have done so in the name of Selene.”

  Her eyes widen in acknowledgement. “You’ve been following me? Like a stalker?”

  “Stalking is such a strong word.”

  “Stalking is a crime.” She points out.

  “Now you are just being dramatic. Although, now that we are on the topic. I congratulate you on your achievement for winning that competition in DEKA.”

  “It’s DECA.” She corrects him.

  “Mortals are too strange to follow.”

  “So are immortals. I have so much experience with being kidnapped that can take Anastasia Dylan a run for her money.” She talks about the governor’s daughter who was all over the news last year for being kidnapped for seven years by the family’s lawyer. That’s really sad how someone is willing to do that and then make their victim pass as someone else.

  “Who is that?”

  “Just a girl who was kidnapped for years.”

  He shakes his head in disappointment. “Your mentality of a mortal gives immortal one a migraine.”

  She rolls her eyes. Now who’s being the dramatic one? “Welcome to the club uncle Astator.” Her words slip out without a thought.

  “You should be careful on your outbursts. If you were among the two realms that surround you, they would not care about your name or power, they will kill you instantly. No one must know our true connection of blood that binds us. No one must know I am Selene’s brother.”

  She frowns at his warning. “Do you really have enemies that would kill me if I told them that you’re my uncle?”

  “I have so many enemies now that I have threatened the vampire crown.”

  “The vampire crown? What’s that?” She questions. Her fear of him has vanished now that she knows he’s her blood uncle from her mother’s side. He’s the only tie that connects her to Selene. She disregards all the things Annalisa has said their mother.

  Annalisa is a liar, a manipulator. She has used her to get her curse lifted and then has handed her over to be dealt with. She doesn’t know it for sure, but what else could explain her sudden change of warobe? It’s obvious that Annalisa must be passing as her. In all honestly Alyssa doesn’t even know if she wants to go back to the life she has awakened to. All the lies, revelations, protection, are nothing of what she would have ever dream of her future being. The only thing worth go back for is her friends and Julian. That’s all, but she won’t even have them if she’s I constant danger.

  “I have threatened the life of the Vampire Queen. Their Consul, along with every Conclave they have, has been warned to kill me upon visibility.”

  “Didn’t you say that I was the only one who could kill you?”

  “I said that you are the only one who knows how to. Cynthia Machiavelli, a half-blood, has the Book of Shadows in her possession. She is using the bewitched book to collect clues to discover my true way of death.”

  “That’s awful.” There’s sadness in his bright red eyes. The same sadness she once had when Julian left her. “You love her.” Her eyes widen in realization.

  “I have loved her for over six centuries. She is in the same condition as you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  He stares out to the flames of the fireplace. “She does not remember her past, our past.” He explains.

  She doesn’t know what to say to him. Only Julian knows how it feels like to love someone who doesn’t remember, but their story is different. Julian loves Annalisa. “Why did you bring me here, Uncle?” She changes the subject.

  “The Oracle of Delphi has asked for you. She has a precognition for you.”

  <><><>

  Julian runs into the mansion. He stops when he notices Caledonia covered in wounds as a pair of Loyals treat her. He pulls her arm away from them to check if any wound is deadly because he doesn’t see it healing like an immortal’s skin should. “What happened to you?” He demands an answer.

  “Dias has gone mad. He attacked me as soon as he saw Annalisa.”

  Yenta and Hans finally catches up to him. Yenta grins when she sees the wounds on Caillech’s skin. “Seems like that’s going to leave a mark on your flawless skin, goddess.” She says with heavy sarcasm. Caillech glares at the woman. Julian is about to ask her of Alyssa’s whereabouts, but a piercing scream fills the air. The voice sounding so familiar.

  “They are torturing Annalisa.” The goddess confirms his thoughts.

  “Where are they?”

  “In the dungeon.”

  Julian motions for Hans and Yenta to follow him. They sprint down the long halls until they reach the secret door that leads them to the dungeon. The stairs seem to become longer as the screams become louder. Julian’s hands shake s they ball into fists. His veins all over his body show their strength. His eyes are becoming all black. He can’t control himself as he sees Dias ordering Gabriel to slice another part of exposed skin of the woman he loves. Her hands are tied in chains that are hung from the ceiling. Her legs are chained to the sides of the cell to make the form of an upside down ‘V’. Her head is hung low from all the cuts she has on her skin. Her head lifts as her eyes search for his. It’s as if she could feel his presence in the room. Her violet eyes are tired, but a sinister smile appears on her delicate face.

  “You’re in trouble.” Her voice is so low that he has to guess that she’s said that.

  Julian uses his immortal speed to push Gabriel to the far wall. He stands protective in front of her. “What is the meaning of this?” He roars, about to lose complete control.

  “Stand to the side Julian.” Dias orders.

  “I will not let you harm her!”

  Miranda steps away from the shadows that covered her. “Julian, you don’t understand. That’s not-”

  “Julian.” Alyssa sobs behind him, interrupting Miranda. He turns to her to caress her face. Her eyes are filling with tears. “Make it stop. Please, make it all stop.”

  He lowers his head to plant a kiss on her rosy lips. Her response is almost instantly. He can feel her desperation on her lips. He can feel the passion on her tongue. He pulls away staring into her purple eyes. He presses a light kiss on her forehead. She sighs of relief. She was waiting for him to rescue her. Why would he make her wait this long? How can Dias torture his own daughter? Is Dias that cruel?

  He bends his head to whisper into her ear. “Dias is a cruel man.” She nods agreeing with him. “It’s too bad that you haven’t seen cruelty yet.” He pulls her hair so her head is tilted back in an uncomfortable angle. “Where is Alyssa?” He demands from the imposter.

  Her body must be screaming at her from all the pain, but it doesn’t seem to show through her malicious smile. “Julian that is so rude. You had me believe that you bought my act.”

  “Where is she?”

  “Why do you care? You love me remember? Not her. She’s no one. We were created for each other. We are meant to be together.”

  Julian thought that seeing Annalisa again he would feel love towards her, but he doesn’t. It’s strange to know that he doesn’t love Annalisa. It’s taken him until now to really see her for who she is. That’s why he felt no pity for her when he harmed Alyssa for punishment of Annalisa’s betrayal. He remembers how she was. He blinded himself to think that she was perfect when she wasn’t. He always remembered her as gentle and loving when she was never that way, he was the one who showed love towards her. Alyssa has stood by him after everything he has done to her without reason. He loves the immortal who believed to be mortal for eighteen years. It’s a surprise that he was so blinded before
.

  “You never loved me Annalisa.”

  Her face becomes serious instead of a teasing one. “I do love you Julian. I love your power, your feel or revenge. I love the man who wouldn’t think twice before he murdered thousands to get his way. I fell out of love with you when you became soft. You became weak, a coward. How can you become something so different that you used to me?”

  “I say the same thing to you.” He lets her go.

  “I thought that if I showed you how to be the man I fell in love with, you would change. I guess I was wrong.”

  “Kill her!” Dias orders Gabriel.

  Annalisa’s loud laughter fills the room. “Do it. I dare you to.”

  “No.” Julian orders. He turns to Dias. “She had Alyssa for a long time. She has the blood of a witch more than she has yours. She could have done anything. Keep her alive.”

  “Where is my daughter?” Dias demands of Annalisa.

  Her eyes have become black, no purple left in them. “I’m here Daddy.” She says in a different voice.

  They all step back in fear of her new found voice and the change of her eyes. “What’s happening to her?” Miranda asks the question everyone thinks about.

  Yenta steps forward and roughly grabs them chin of Annalisa who won’t stop laughing. She scans her eyes before she lets her go and steps away from her with caution. “Black magick. Annalisa has been using black magick for her spells.”

  “What does that have to do with what’s happening to her?” Gabriel asks.

  “Everything.” She turns to Julian. “She has another soul inside her body.”

  <><><>

  Somewhere inside of her, Alyssa feels safe with her uncle, who happens to have red eyes like a demon. She believes he is a very cruel man, but at the Moment, he isn’t to her. She won’t judge him for what he does to others. She misses her friends and everyone else who has been in her life. It’s close to a month that has passed in the portals she has learned to navigate. Astator has told her that in the mortal realm, it’s as long as five months.