by B C Morgan
She didn’t utter a single word, but she did lock her eyes onto mine and with a deep breath I began.
“Nora said I was not from this world, and someone else seemed to hint at that. I didn’t want to believe them at first but I’m starting to piece together a few things and it’s getting harder and harder to deny. The fact I have more power than your general sorcerer or that my mother shut me out the minute my father died. But worst of all is I don’t have many memories from before that moment where he died. Every time I try to recall them it’s like I’m beating against a steel wall, I never questioned it before but now I wonder if my memories have been blocked for a reason.”
I left my tale there and waited for Janelle to say something in response to my confession, I wasn’t expecting her to jump straight into her own confession but that was what she did.
“I was mated at the age of sixteen, it seems young I know, but age works differently within the shifter community especially if you are a wolf. My father was the Alpha, and he was beloved by everyone within his pack or so we all thought.
I fell pregnant with Jonah’s child and we were so freaking excited, my mother had started to create little wonders for our child and I couldn’t wait until I got to hold her in my arms for the first time.
Fast forward a year and I got my wish, she was a little beauty, so content and happy no matter what was occurring around her.
It was on my eighteenth birthday that my world collapsed around me. Me and Jonah were looking forward to going out for the evening when the summons came, every wolf was there, accept from my father.
I learnt right there and then that the man who I had idolised had been murdered and as tradition dictates I was to become the new Alpha. I didn’t care about the title, all I wanted was to have my father back with us but I’d no intentions of doing anything that could have disappointed him.
I was ready to accept my title, when a scream rang out. It had come from our home, so we shifted to our wolf forms and pounded the ground as hard and fast as we could.
The sight devastated me, our home was a blazing inferno, our daughter had been inside with my mother. We didn’t assume they were dead until the fire was put out and two charred remains were pulled free.
We howled into the night sky together, joining our heartache. But that wasn’t the end for me, we’d just shifted back when my father’s brother appeared from around the side of our home. He looked so smug and righteous, Jonah backed us up a little bit, but he kept on coming closer.
The other wolves were getting nervous, but I don’t think any of us were prepared for what Alexander was about to do. He shifted to his wolf form and pounced at Jonah, I tried to stop him but two of Alexander’s friends held me back.
He tore his throat out and all I could do was stand there and watch, as my uncle feasted on my husband. I cried out my anguish and his two buddies were pulled from me. Many of the wolves stood behind me but he’d acquired too many allies for us to fight him.
“I will take my rightful place as Alpha, I would rather die before I let such a title fall to a child, and a female no less.”
His words dripped condescension, but we still tried to take him down. He killed a quarter of my followers before they urged me to run and not come back.
He killed my father, mother, daughter, husband and members of our pack. All for a title I never even wanted. Power didn’t mean a damn thing to me, my dad would have even given it to him if he had only asked!
But instead he betrayed us all and every time I disappear, it is to check on the pack I abandoned. He must have caught on to my scent though, and that is why I was shot.”
I was gobsmacked, it never even occurred to me Janelle could have been through so much before she joined us. It’d been clear her past still haunted her to that day, but none of us would have ever guessed about her mate or child.
I had no idea what to say, but before I could even think of anything she shifted into her wolf form and leapt out of the window.
It wasn’t long before her howl travelled along the air, sending chills cascading through my spine.
31
Unya
We couldn’t seem to keep our hands off one another, it was ridiculous, but you wouldn’t hear either of us complaining.
His arms were once again wrapped around my waist, as my back was pressed flush against his chest. I could feel his nose trailing down my neck as he pressed feather light kisses down from my ear and across my shoulder.
That mixed in with the bodies littering the streets was getting me all hot and bothered, what could I say, death and violence was my very own kind of porn.
“What’s next on the agenda dearie?” Asked Adiran, popping up in front of us.
“Busy, come back later,” I replied as I pushed my hand inside Malachi’s boxers.
“You can fornicate later, shouldn’t you be leaving? Someone will come down this street, do you think they wouldn’t notice the pile of bodies littering the ground around you?”
“What’s the shadow roach saying now? Can’t you stop him from popping up all the damn time.”
“Don’t worry baby, he’s just concerned about the bodies. He wants to know what I think will happen when someone happens upon us,” I replied, pulling his lower lip into my mouth and biting down on it.
“Well that’s simple, we’ll just add them to the pile. You and me Unya, what does a measly little human matter, when it comes to us?”
“What’s your opinion on me?”
We break apart to come face to face with a fierce looking woman, scars travelled down her face and neck and she had a wicked spear in one of her hands.
“She’s one of the Gods pet, don’t get to close,” stated Malachi, as he tried to pull me behind him. Like hell with that, I wasn’t going to hide from her.
“So what? Aren’t I supposed to be here to kill them anyway? Why not start with this ugly rat bitch?”
“You insolent child you are going to suffer for a very long time, it’s a shame you can’t remember all of the people you used to have in your corner. But the fun should still be the same nevertheless.”
I didn’t have a clue what she was talking about, the only thing that could hurt me now was...My eyes widened in shock as a sickening smile spread across her face, then her spear was flying through the air and embedding itself in Malachi’s chest.
He fell to his knees before slumping to his back, I fellbeside him but was yanked back up by my neck.
“An Incubus, I wonder if he could survive this, then again there’s no one left alive for him to feed from.”
She threw me down on the ground, before slamming two shorter spears through my shoulder blades and pinning me to the ground.
Our hands almost touching, but with just a fraction of an inch between us.
“You know what’s funny, this whole thing started because a sorceress fell in love with a demigod. Are you familiar with the story child?”
I shook my head, as I tried to pull my upper body up, but except from tearing my skin apart, I couldn’t get free.
“Hercules was infatuated with beauty and Calliah was amongst the most beautiful creatures, who wasn’t a God. He had to have her no matter what, and our boy always got what he wanted. The problem was, once he had her he grew bored. He got married and she was left to raise their child alone, I understood her pain but she really thought she could hold on to him.
She tried to kill us and lost her life in the process, but that damn child couldn’t accept it, he trapped us inside our home. We watched as the humans grew more idiotic with their beliefs, sure they made their lives better, well at least they thought they did. More and more of your ancestors were born, but none were right, until you. You broke the lock and set us free and we refuse to ever imprisoned again. You will take our freedom from us, you have to die.
But we’re petty and vengeful, we want you to die slowly and alone. We want your suffering to be so great that you wish and beg for death, then I’ll grant you the
greatest gift I can bestow, I’ll reunite you with your soon to be dead Incubus.”
I screamed out in rage, I wouldn’t let him die. I would find a way to rip these bloody spears out of me, damn the consequences.
“I can help you dearie, let me merge with you and you will have the strength you need to free yourself,” offered Adiran, but could I trust him?
“Will we stay merged? Because I don’t like the sound of that,” I replied, gasping for breath.
Athena laughed out loud while muttering about me being delusional and psychotic, fuck it, whatever the risk I would keep Malachi with me.
“Do it,” I gritted out as I pulled harder against my restraints, tearing flesh and sinew.
Adiran had an unsettling look appear on his face, but I didn’t have time to rethink my decision as he lay atop me and submerged under my skin.
32
Malachi
My life was fading fast, my vision was hazed in a cloud of grey. I could only just make out Unya when her eyes flashed and in an instant the entirety of her eyes were the soulless colour of endless black.
It matched her hair beautifully, but I didn’t have the strength to speak, all I could do was twitch my fingers.
In one swift move she bolted upright, tearing the spears out of her shoulders with such brutality that they were still embedded in the ground.
The blood was pouring out of her but she didn’t seem to notice, and she somehow had serious control over her elemental gifts as she hovered three feet from the ground.
“The problem with you Gods, is that the myths oversold you, making you out to be all powerful. It is laughable, your power has nothing on mine, now seeing as you’ve had the privilege to show me yours let me show you mine.”
Her voice had an eerie quality to it, almost as though it was supplying its own echo.
Athena began to laugh yet again, but she soon stopped when she was thrown through the air, crashing into a lamp post.
Even though my vision was impaired, I could still make out an orange glow as it began to heat up, until it was wrapping around the God of War herself.
“You tried to hurt what is mine, you deserve a slow and painful death but I don’t want to waste such an exquisite death on such a lowly being.”
She was antagonising her, what was the point in that? Athena roared as she vanished, reappearing behind Unya and thrusting a knife deep into her back. Fucking irony for you.
All Unya did was smile, turn around and cinch her hand around Athena’s neck and began to tighten her grip as she raised the God higher and higher. Even her tiptoes couldn’t reach the ground anymore, it looked as though she would pull her head clean off.
That was until her name was said in a tone of utter disbelief, it stole her attention as she looked around and Athena got free.
She grabbed hold of the new person and slammed a knife into her abdomen, Unya was unfazed as she pulled Athena back by her hair, forced her mouth open and dripped her toxic blood into her mouth.
Athena began to disintegrate as she screamed out in agonising pain and Unya just let her body fall.
The last thing I heard was a familiar voice, I couldn’t place, screaming out a name and then everything just disappeared.
Unya
“Addy please, I can’t lose you. Not like this, I never got the chance to make things right!”
The man or should I say Satyr, was cradling the girl who had just been stabbed in the chest, he had tears streaming down his face as her hand came to rest on his cheek.
“Ackley, I-I-I-I’m s-s-s-sorry. Unya.”
That’s all the little human said before her hand fell to the ground, limp.
“Am I supposed to know you too?” I asked, just before my heart began to thump so hard I thought I was having a heart attack. My head began to pound and my body was shaking violently.
“Adiran get out. It’s hurting,” I shouted out as Ackley took out his phone and began shouting into it.
“No dear, I think I’m going to stay. You have so much untapped power, more than you deserve. I think I’ll take over now.”
I screamed out, it felt like something was clawing its way out of my head and chest.
“You won’t stay leech, I won’t let you take control of this body.”
Who the hell said that, it was in my mind but it was a male voice. How many creatures were living in my head? Even the voices of the creatures I had killed were silent. Almost as though they were waiting to see who would win, did I even stand a chance.
I had no idea what Adiran was, but he was powerful. How else could he hope to take control of me.
“Go away boy, you can’t hope to win. You are nothing, you are as inconsequential as a maggot. No one wants you or needs you, run along little demigod.”
They were having a discussion that only I could hear, the Satyr was still clutching onto the human and Malachi’s breathing was on the verge of stopping. The problem was, I couldn’t move, I had no control, but I don’t think any of the things inside my head did either.
The battle for control was on.
I was inside my head, it’s a rather strange place to be. It was dark and desolate, surrounded by fog so dense you could barely see past your own nose. When I moved forward my foot slammed into a tombstone, with my name written across it.
The more I moved, the more I found and they all belonged to me.
I could finally see Adiran and he was more dense here in my mind. He was still made of shadows, but it seemed more like a second skin, instead of being what created him.
Standing before him was a... a man. I didn’t understand, did my mind create him to help me win. I guess it could have been possible, but it didn’t feel right.
He had short brown hair with blue eyes, he looked pissed off and I laughed. What the fuck is wrong with me?
“Unya you shouldn’t be here, he’ll have more chance of taking over.”
“Why did you think I brought her in? She will never leave the hell that her mind conjures up, will you stay with her Lawson?”
“No, but neither will you!”
He launched himself at the shadow man and they came to blows, it didn’t look very entertaining. They were moving so fast, my eyes couldn’t keep up.
I brought a flame up into my hand and launched it at the both of them, I didn’t know who this Lawson was, what did I care if he got hurt.
Adiran shrieked and they split apart from one another, the look they sent my way was hilarious. Come on we all know I lost my mind, the leech who I had believed to be an ally thrust his hand through my chest.
I was still laughing, but it stopped being funny when an icy chill spread outward from the point of contact. I was frozen, the only thing I could move were my eyes and I can guarantee they were filled with fear.
I couldn’t stop him, why shouldn’t I give up. I almost did too, when a person in a cloak appeared next to Adiran. Lawson stood on his other side and their hands split him into two. I think they killed him.
I can’t explain how it happened, it was too weird, but what I can tell you is how sad Lawson looked.
His eyes were rimmed in red, as tears fell down his face, he gave me a watery smile before lamely waving at me.
“You know what this means don’t you Lawson?” Asked the hooded figure, revealing her to be female.
“I do, but do you know the risk you made coming here Mihaela?” He asked in response and the hood fell.
The woman looked like me, just an older version. I didn’t have a clue what was going on.
“My time has come to an end, I had hoped to get more time with my nipotina but it wasn’t meant to be. I won’t get to survive the next five years, but Unya was worth it. Clearly you already know that Lawson, you sacrificed your own life for the same reason.”
Who are you both? I don’t remember either of you.”
“I’m your great grandmother, but I loved you like you were my own daughter. I had hoped to see you before I passed on but Semias is coming,
tell Marcus...”
She vanished, what was I supposed to tell this Marcus, and hadn’t Adiran said I killed him.
“Goodbye Unya, I can’t stay anymore. I tried to help you, all I can hope is that it was enough.”
He came up to me and pulled me into a heart stopping kiss, I did pull away and slap him hard on the face and he smiled just before he too disappeared.
When I came back around, I was flat on my back and I saw when Malachi’s chest stopped moving.
I screamed out and crawled over to him, ripping his top off, followed by mine and pressed our bare skin together.
I connected my mouth to his as tears streamed down my face, but it wasn’t working. I refused to stop when I was pulled off him, I howled like a banshee and kicked out at whoever dared try to separate us.
“Ow. Damn it Unya, hold still, Nora’s trying to save him.”
My head snapped up and connected with the guy who had been at the cabin, he had the saddest eyes. I remember that he cried when my tormentor died, even though he was the one who killed her.
I hadn’t been in my right mind when we first met, but I knew he had tried to take me. Until Malachi woke me up and saved me from him and his merry gang of rejects.
I fought harder until a hand came down on my shoulder and I stopped moving.
“That’s enough Marcel, we need her to see we are on her side. Can you help him Nora?” Asked the guy with the sad blue eyes.
“I’ve restarted his heart, but he won’t last long. Even our healers won’t be able to save him, he needs another life force.”
‘He can take mine,” I said, as my eyes connected with Mr. sad eyes.
“Unya no, it will kill you.”
“I don’t care,” I screamed at him. It was in that moment it hit me, I loved him and I didn’t want to live in a world that didn’t have Malachi in it. “I don’t want to live without him.”