by King Ellie
“She needs time... this is hard for her,” I tilted my head. How did he know that?
“How?” Before I could finish my sentence, Exra answered.
“Nixy and I are tethered to her. We’re her protectors.”
Hina seemed to be surprised at this as she looked at Exra with a wide-eyed expression.
“You and your sister are my guardians? She’s been there the whole time? With you?”
Exra nodded as he stood and wrapped his arms around Hina’s neck soothing her while she laid her head on his little shoulder. This seemed like something that happened all the time, and it was too precious. It was beautiful to see that my son protected my sister and his.
Exra began speaking, “Nixy didn’t die like everyone thought. Instead, our powers activated even before you gave birth to us. Nixy protected me when she switched positions with me in the womb, and that was why you were in so much pain. She took my place as the first born. The moment our powers activated, it seemed as though she died but she didn’t. Her powers activated that night and she became invisible, that’s why there was no body to find. She survived because of me, whatever I was fed, she got. My powers activated a year after, and that’s when I first saw her. She explained to me through the link. I don’t know how but we talked, and she told me. The first time we merged, I met our father when he popped up in the room. He didn’t know what happened, but Nixy saw him standing there. I don’t know what made her human again, but it had something to do with you and our father.”
At this revelation, Exra let go of Hina as he turned to face Phoenix who sat on the floor still staring up at me. Every so often, she’d tilt her head as if she was taking it all in or as if I would disappear, but little did she know, I watched her from the corner of my eyes making sure that I wouldn’t lose her either. I didn’t want to ever lose any of them including my sister. I smiled at her as I took a deep breath in and as I got to the floor to sit in front of her, I exhaled.
“I thought I’d never get to see you,” Phoenix started, and she caught me by surprise. “I’d dream of you sometimes. I can do that ya know? Just think of you and you’ll show up in my dreams. You’re just as beautiful as the first time you appeared in there.”
The way Phoenix talked about me made me fall in love with her even much more than I could ever say.
“I am?” I said to her as I reached up smoothing out my hair in the messy bun that it was in. I let out a nervous chuckle, “What were we doing in those dreams?”
Phoenix smiled, and I was grateful that such a beautiful little girl was mine. She was the spitting image of Xáne when she smiled. I said it without even realizing it.
“You look so much like your father when you smile,” at this, she smiled widely, and she had dimples. “You’re so beautiful, I can’t believe you’re mine.”
Phoenix jumped up so quickly I didn’t have time to recover as she hugged me, and we fell over to the floor. I laughed hard at her tight hug, even this reminded me of my husband. As if I conjured him, he appeared in front of us. He looked so much bigger as my eyes were fixed on him then a smirk appeared on his face. He winked at me,
“What about me?” He said playfully. “You didn’t dream of me, Nixy girl?” The nickname for our daughter made me smile wider.
Phoenix let me go just as fast as she attacked me and leaped up on her feet. I watched as she smiled at her father. She nodded her head at a speed I hadn’t seen a supe do before and Xáne laughed.
“It’s going to be fun training you two but for now, let’s take it one step at a time.” Xáne said as he knelt down to be almost eye to eye with his daughter.
This! This was all that I wanted. A family. I had never had one before Xáne and meeting him was the best thing that had ever happened to me.
I caressed his mind with mine, making sure to speak to him in the softest way possible so that our tether could make him feel the love that I felt for him.
Thank you.
He smiled even though he didn’t take his eyes off our kids, he replied.
For what… love?
I sighed as I sat up.
For everything. For loving me, this family and the way that even though you tried, you never let me go. I don’t know what I would do without you. You complete me.
This time, Xáne’s eyes shifted to mine and the love in those pale blue eyes was all I ever and all I’ll ever need.
You will always be mine baby. My family, my heart, my soul and even when all else ends, this love of ours will live on for centuries.
With that declaration, my heart exploded. I stood from my place and got closer to him. I grabbed Xáne’s face into my hands and kissed him. I kissed him like the world was ending. I made him feel the love that I had for him and I wanted our kids to know that our love was what brought them here and now it was transferred over to them; we will love them even more than we did the first time because these two were the reason we found our way back together. We owed it all to our kids because without them, nothing would ever make sense again.
We were death and fire to everyone else but to our kids and the rest of our family, we were two beings hopelessly in love. Just plain old Xánur and Lucinda Helson, a man and a woman whose souls were made for one another in a world that one side was safe while the other was filled with a virus that not only killed humans but now was killing supes.
Throughout all that, he was Xáne and I was Cin, the only fire that could burn death.
Epilogue
Xánur
I smiled widely as I stood there watching as Exra trained with Phoenix. They were fighting each other, and I knew that was the only way they would learn each other’s weaknesses. If they learned that then they could protect each other from that. I observed as Exra who thought he was better at combat than his sister strikes a blow to her chest causing her to fly back a few feet, Cin gasped somewhere from behind me and I shook my head.
“No Lucinda, don’t interfere.” I stated.
Before she could say anything, Phoenix stood to her feet and charged Exra. She ran at full force. As she ran, her speed increased and then she did the one thing I expected her to do. She made herself invisible, as Exra slowly searched around for her, I saw the little spark of purple as she reappeared in his face with her fist raised, and her elbow cocked back striking him hard in the jaw. I heard the impact it had on him and I cringed, that was going to leave a scar but Exra didn’t drop instead, he called on his flames transforming into death’s grandson. He wasn’t as big as me, but his skin was covered head to toe like mine with the talons appearing.
I couldn’t be prouder than I was in this instance as Phoenix joined Exra transforming herself into a dragon shaped flame. It was fascinating to watch as each of them displayed their abilities, and I communicated with them via telepathy.
Now, merge.
Without much thought, they joined hands. This was what the prophecy was truly about. My father’s words floated in my mind. These twins were the real reason why Victor didn’t want you two to stay together because what they transformed you two into, could make the supernatural world tremble in fear. Victor thought your children were the real threat, but it was the love that you and Cin share… What’s love without tragedy?
And tragedy brought heartache, pain and so much dread, but it didn’t stop there. No… it made you see who your enemy was and who would stick by you in the times of need. For example, Jaya… she was my enemy from the beginning, but I never saw it. She was always there even before Cin disappeared and it never occurred to me why she was so close to me or how Victor always had the chance to come in and out as he pleased. Jaya was an accomplice, one who died seeking power that never belonged to her. She may have thought that being burnt to a crisp was the end for her but no baby, that was never the end… my father ate up her soul as though it was just a mere appetizer and when he was ready for her to be his dinner, he will spit her back out and make sure to primp, prime and fatten her up with torture to be his ultimate meal.
See that’s what happens when you betray or attack a Helson… My eyes scanned the area as I saw Asar further back near the open woods as his eyes fixated on Hina, who sat away from all of us watching the kids in awe.
I should rephrase that statement… Betraying a Helson was one thing but causing a Ragna like Asar to be provoked was a death sentence waiting to happen. I spoke to him through a private frequency where no one else would eavesdrop not even my mate.
Say the word brother, and we will go.
For the first time in weeks, he looked my way. His eyes were full of anger, vengeance and if the spillage of blood has a sight then it would be whatever I saw in Asar’s eyes.
I want to end that side of the world once and for all, and if I find one supe that had anything to do with causing my mate to be as distraught as she is… they will die a death so painful, their ancestors will feel it.
He smirked and I matched his expression.
Done.
I could tell Asar remembered something as he looked my way with a weird expression.
There’s a part of the prophecy we both ignored.
I was confused, not understanding what he meant.
What part is that?
Asar shook his head.
The part where it says…their offspring are the key to end it all.
I stared at Asar not sure what to say…There were so many questions that I needed the answer to like why Victor did what he did or how? Or the random supes that weren’t immune. I faced Hina, she knew all the answers to these questions and the only way we were going to know the answers were if she wanted to tell us.
I turned back to face Asar just in time for him to turn away as Cin touched my elbow, I faced her. She was looking between me and Asar. I quickly distracted her kissing her forehead.
“You know that I’d do anything for you right?”
She sighed,
“Yes, I know.” She answered.
“And you know that I’d do anything to make sure you felt safe right?”
Cin nodded her head, “I do baby, I do.”
I pulled her in for a tight hug as my eyes found Asar one more time as he just watched Hina. I let Cin go as I cupped her face in my hands, “Then, know this… Asar is going to do any and everything to make sure his mate feels safe. So, trust us?”
“Always.”
“I love you Lucinda Helson.” I smiled at her as I leaned in.
“I love you too, Xánur Helson.” She replied right before I pulled her in for another kiss not giving a damn that the kids were pretending to vomit at our intimacy.
She was my heart, my soul, my mixture of cinnamon and brimstone… above all else, she was my human flame. All Mine.
Again, I ask…What’s love without tragedy?
The End
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SYNOPSIS
Zara Foster knows the honeymoon phase doesn’t last forever. Especially when Valentine’s Day comes, and her boyfriend of two years forgets to celebrate it with her. After a long, exhausting fight she thinks she’s finally gotten through to him. However, she suffers another heartbreak in realizing he’s been cheating on her and making fun of her appearance with the woman.
Hurt and alone she makes it her mission to start anew. When a friend recommends Jasper Hayes - an accredited fitness trainer with an] reputation for crafting traffic stopping female bodies, Zara is a bit of a skeptic. That's before she experiences Jasper's unconventional methods first hands.
“There’s no better motivation than my tongue on your cunt.” Jasper states matter-of-factly. “And if you impress me, maybe I’ll fill you with my cock.”
Things are going to get sticky and hot as Jasper works Zara past her limits to achieve the Glow Up of a lifetime.
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"Monae, Monae! Don't let me tell you again. Cut the bad cop shit or I'm going to have to take it to your arse," I snarl.
Why am I shouting into her face of the woman I love while I have her jacked up by the shirt, her legs dangling off the ground, because I just stopped her from beating up a suspect? I don't have time for this bull. Actually, time is something that I see that I'm running out of.
Monae is going all crazy bitch on me, and I swear to God, I'm gonna split Piamon in two with my booted foot up his arse.
-KEAGAN
The case is nothing but annoying background noise as Keagan's mounting personal issues takes center stage. Daddy Dearest is on his way to claim his long lost son, if Keagan likes it or not. The scales are tipping, and not in our sexy detective's favor. Piamon silly ass is rattling an already weaken chain and ticking him off. When Keagan snaps to finally flex, what will be Monae's reaction? Then again, will Keagan even give a damn after she makes the mistake of breaking his heart?
One things for sure, Monae thought she knew Keagan. She about to realize, she don't know crap!