by B C Morgan
“You won’t have to,” said a woman, who moved with a grace I wished I possessed.
“Janelle, no. I won’t let you risk your life, not for his,” and yet another guy I do not know, this is getting too confusing.
Sad eyes released me as he approached the suicidal lady, he asked if she was sure and she nodded vehemently. I didn’t like it, she looked at Malachi with love in her eyes, and I wanted to stab the little bitch.
I fell down beside Malachi, pressing myself up against him. The lady approached and I growled at her, what the fuck.
“I have to touch him Unya, but I can promise you right now, I don’t want him like that. He saved me a long time ago and I want to return the favour. I love him but not the way you do, please trust me enough to help with this. I don’t want him to die.”
Those last words reached me and I relaxed my territorial reaction as much as I could, I was jealous so sue me. If you had someone like Malachi in your life you wouldn’t want to share him either.
Someone who accepts you, all your craziness and homicidal tendencies. Who never tries to change you and still wants to be with you when you forced him to change his ways.
I was overwrought with so many emotions, love, heartache and an immense sense of guilt.
I placed my mouth against his, as Janelle placed her hand over his chest and rested her head in the crook of his neck.
She whimpered and I could see her tears rolling their way down her face and onto him.
33
Marcus
She really loved him, when did that happen. Obviously she could feel again and I was overjoyed for her, but that didn’t stop me from wanting to know what had happened since she first went down to the underworld.
I saw the moment Malachi pushed his hand through Unya’s hair and pulled her as close as she could get. She let out a moan that had everyone shuffling awkwardly.
“We should give them some privacy,” stated Janelle, looking anywhere but at them.
“I think we’re safe, it’s not as though,” I couldn’t finish that sentence as Unya climbed on top and we all turned around and walked out of hearing distance.
Thirty minutes later and they came to join us, our healers had fixed Addy just in time. Ackley had been beside himself, but she wouldn’t look at any of us as she mumbled her thanks and took off. Ackley chased after her, but his shoulders were slumped and he looked broken. He loved her and he didn’t want to live in a world where she didn’t exist, just like Unya and Malachi.
“Thank you for what you did, you didn’t have to risk your life for me,” said Malachi, pulling Janelle in for a quick hug.
It was a good thing that it was quick, seeing the look in Unya’s eyes.
“What’s going on Malachi? Do you know this group?”
“We both do, Marcus is or was, a close friend to you. Janelle helped to find you when you were taken and Addy was your best friend, she was practically your sister.”
His eyes widened in shock at his own words, what did he do?
‘I forgot, Unya, Hades stole your memories and has been lying to you ever since. You don’t live in The Underworld and you never did, you spent your entire life up here on the surface. I couldn’t say anything due to a deal I made with Hades and I couldn’t do anything against the deal until you found a way up here yourself. That human was the closest thing you had to a sister and Marcus was the only person you could trust and count on. When your world was blowing up around you, and you were being lied to constantly, he was the only one you could trust. ”
“It’s okay Malachi, I knew I couldn’t trust him. I wondered if I could even trust you, but I do, I trust you with my life. Thank you for telling me.”
“We need to go back down below Unya, you know that. We don’t want Hades sending his creatures up here to come after us.”
“You’re safe for now, Hades can’t see us as long as we are here. You don’t have to go Unya, I’ll protect you we all will,” I stated, hoping she would stay, but already knowing she wouldn’t.
“No, I can’t let the Gods win and that includes Hades. The Gods need to be wiped out and I can’t do that from here, Hades needs to trust me until the moment I kill him for all of the Underworld to see.”
“I’ll stand by you Unya, whatever you feel you need to do, it won’t be alone.” Malachi linked his fingers with hers, never once breaking eye contact.
“Before we go, there’s somewhere I need to go. But I don’t know how to get there.”
I asked where she felt she needed to go and the answer astounded me, how could she even know if Hades had stolen her memories. I couldn’t refuse her, and Malachi wouldn’t let her go without him. So that was how the three of us ended up entering Mihaela’s cottage, just as Semias tore her soul out of her and sent her body slumping to the ground.
34
Unya
I screamed the moment I realised she was dead, I may not have known who she was but she was family and she had risked her own life just to save mine from Adiran.
Marcus lost it, the floor shook violently as Semias was thrown against the wall. His face began to hollow and his skin was near enough translucent, Marcus kept screaming and I think he was going to kill the reaper.
He probably could have succeeded if Mihaela hadn’t appeared before me, shaking her head sadly.
I threw my hand out as a tornado of air hurtled Marcus through a wall, landing him outside and out of reach.
Semias stared at me in shock, before turning to face Mihaela. It was clear Malachi couldn’t see her, and I didn’t have the time to explain to him what was happening.
“It’s okay Semias you followed your orders, but before you take my soul to Hades please allow me a moment to speak to Unya. That is the only request I have.”
He nodded solemnly, before turning around to give us false privacy.
“Do not be sad my dear child, I need you to know that you were loved deeply. No matter what happened between us, I was never disappointed in you, not truly. I am proud of you and even though you don’t yet know who you are, just know that I will always love you and you will never be a monster in my eyes. I have a favour to ask, would you grant me that, my sweet, sweet nipotina.”
‘Of course, anything,” I replied, choking up and struggling to get the words across.
She laid her hand on my cheek, and although I couldn’t feel the contact it did give me a sense of warmth and love that I would never forget.
“Marcus doesn’t know the truth about what he is, he suspects something but he will never figure it out on his own. When the sides have been drawn and the war has met its finality, please tell him the truth. Let him know what happened and help him become complete.”
She told me the secret she had hated to keep, she told me when I first bought Marcus to her it had broken her heart. Seeing how the lies had shaped him and knowing that then people he saw as family, would never tell him the truth.
“It’s not fair, I never got to know you. What if I never remember Mihaela, I may never get to know who you were to me. I just want to know you,” I was sobbing helplessly and I fell into Malachi as he pulled me into his chest.
“I was your Nonna child and you were my Nipotina, that is all your heart needs to know. I leave you my cottage child, when you are ready it will take care of you.”
She stopped looking at me and turned towards Semias, she laid a hand upon his shoulder and he flinched. He turned to meet her and his eyes widened as his pupils started to dilate.
“You are not the monster you think you are. You were not born this way as you have been led to believe. Someone has offered you the truth you need, be sure to get it my dear boy. I know what you will do now, please do not do it in front of my Nipotina. She would never forgive you if you did, and I do not want her to hate her father, not for something that is out of your control.”
“Do not worry Mihaela, there is no gift I can give to Unya to make up for killing you. But I can do this, you are too pure for the Unde
rworld, what a shame your soul was claimed before I had the chance to take you down to him.”
I didn’t know what Semias was talking about, but Mihaela did. A joyous smile spread across her face as she kissed him on his cheek, while cupping his other.
“You have a good heart Semias, I hope you get the chance to reconnect with your emotions, just like Unya has,” said Mihaela, as a woman and a girl, bathed in an ethereal glow appeared behind her.
She began to cry and she ran to them cradling the girl, as the older lady cradled her. They disappeared before my very eyes, but I recall Mihaela calling the girl her Aria and I was glad she got to be reunited with the ones she loved.
I didn’t want to face Marcus after what I’d done to him, so Malachi explained for me. Marcus wasn’t happy, but he understood that I did it for Mihaela. Only I knew the truth about Marcus and no one else would until this war was over.
Malachi and I returned to the Underworld, where we were led straight to the throne room.
Persephone had a smirk on her face, though she removed it before Hades saw it. His lordship was far from happy to see us, and I couldn’t care less. I wanted to kill him there and then, but I knew I wouldn’t succeed, not yet anyway.
“So, the chosen returns, can’t say this is a joyous moment seeing as you defied my orders.”
“Hades, you can’t win them all. She wanted her marriage to be to Malachi, why not let it be so. She came back when she could have run, what does that tell you?” Asked Persephone, smiling sweetly at his pursed brow and narrowed eyes.
“What do you have to say for yourself Unya?” He asked, completely ignoring his queen.
“She has nothing to say my lord. I released her, I told her to heal and take Malachi and I told her to go above for a week or two. Clearly she didn’t listen all that well seeing as she’s back before a week even passed but what can I say? Oh, and before you try to question my loyalty just remember that crazy loves crazy and she’s a beautiful psycho. Okay then toodles,” said Yana, then she wiggled her fingers and stood leaning against the only way out that didn’t involve beheading the bastard of the throne.
“Seeing as Yana has spoken for you and she is the one creature whose loyalty to me would never be questioned, I will let you off just this once. But you will never get the option to betray me again Unya or I will kill your weak little Incubus and make you watch every single second of it.”
We bowed our heads to this jumped up git and I knew Malachi was just as excited about killing him as I was.
“Just to let you know my lord, Malachi isn’t weak. Maybe you should have someone recheck the body count and find out how many creatures and humans alike we have killed since we came together. You’re going to love finding out, I guarantee it,” I said as I stood up, looked him head on and walked over to Yana.
Malachi followed us out and Yana shooed him away, apparently he couldn’t follow where we were headed. This girl has sick pleasures believe me.
35
Marcus
Unya had already been gone for a month and David and me couldn’t help but worry about her. We had no idea where she had gone or if she was safe, Unya was hard to predict, especially now. But all we could do was hope that she could defend herself against anything that might be thrown her way.
As for everything else, Nyakesh was still being quiet. Janelle and David were on the outs and Nora had been even more closed off than usual.
Ishira wouldn’t answer any of my questions in regard to the water nymphs, and whether or not Aurelia had returned from wherever she had gone in hopes to resurrect her lost love, Pearl.
I was sitting in my chair staring out at nothing, when I noticed a commotion brewing out in the field. Making way quickly to what had now become a circle of people, I was quickly rushed forward into the centre.
It was shocking to find myself facing two wolves, Janelle was easy to recognise as we had seen her in this form plenty of times but the other one was nothing more than a stranger in my eyes. They were a dangerous one at that, seeing as they were the first unknown to ever just turn up here unannounced.
Janelle quickly returned to her human form and pulled on a long pea coat to hide her naked frame.
She laid a hand upon the other wolf’s shoulder and commanded that they change to their other form as well.
Audible gasps rang out when a man appeared before us, he was still down on all fours, but he fell face down into the dirt.
Janelle knelt before him and gently rolled him over, revealing a jagged knife wound in his abdomen.
“Jared, what are you doing here, how did you even find me?” She asked, as she placed a large blanket over him, that someone had fetched for her.
“He’s found you Janelle, he picked up your scent moments before he pulled his gun out and shot you. None of us had any idea what was happening, when he bragged about how he took down the bitch daughter of his brother.
“The comment didn’t go down well with a lot of us, but many of us have grown complacent. It’s out of fear, he just keeps killing us, not caring about weakening the pack.”
He began coughing, making his entire body shudder, as his wracking coughs took a hold of him and his wound began to bleed more profusely.
“I haven’t got long, he sent out Justin to track you further. He kept losing your scent, but he came across an older trail and it led near here. I heard him talking about it and arranging his men to come and take care of you for good.
I had to warn you, but his men arrived in Devon before me. They don’t know your exact location but if I could find it then Justin would have no issues, one of his men got me as I tried to slow them down. I am so sorry Alpha, I just wanted to help you to be who you were born to be.”
Janelle clutched his hand with hers, as his breathing became more laboured. The healers rallied around us, but even they didn’t seem too hopeful.
“He hasn’t just been stabbed boss, he was poisoned. Its running through his bloodstream, we can’t counteract it, he only has moments left,” said Laura one of our more senior healers.
Janelle returned to her wolf form once the other wolf passed, she had run into the woods and we hadn’t seen her since. Occasionally we would overhear one of her howls, but they were few and far between.
“I don’t know what is going on between the two of you, but I think she needs you right now David. You should go and find her.”
“I want to Marcus, I do. But we barely even talk anymore, I can’t even be sure she wouldn’t tear my throat out the moment she saw me.”
I honestly felt sorry for the guy, but pity wouldn’t help resolve the situation. I also couldn’t force him to seek her out, all I could do was hope he would make the right choice for them both.
At least another hour passed before Janelle resurfaced, she headed straight for the kitchen and devoured whatever she could find.
I was going to check on her, when I spotted David entering the room only minutes after she did.
It wasn’t my intention to listen in on them, but I wanted to make sure he wouldn’t distress her further.
“I’m so sorry Janelle, I don’t know who that guy was but he clearly meant a lot to you.”
“If you’re just going to get jealous again then you may as well save it, I don’t need this right now David,” she replied, refusing to make eye contact with him.
“This has nothing to do with that, I’ll admit I acted like a complete idiot when I found out about Malachi. I couldn’t help it Janelle, you have no idea what you mean to me and how much it pains me right now to see you hurting the way you are.”
“David I have to leave, the guy that is looking for me won’t stop until I’m dead. I can ensure you he will not blink twice at the number of creatures we have here, he will kill them all just to get to me. I can’t have any more deaths on my hands.”
“I can’t just let you leave, we’ll help you, anyway you need it, please don’t just disappear.”
Janelle rounded the table until
she was standing before him, I decided that was my cue to leave when she uttered her next words, and I understood why Kat had let me go.
Not because she didn’t love me but because of the opposite, she loved me enough to try and prevent me from being destroyed by my feelings for her.
“David, I love you I really do, but I don’t have the capacity for a relationship. My heart was broken a long time ago and although I love you, I must let you go. I won’t allow another person I love to be killed because I exist.”
I heard David’s voice crack and the faint sound of a kiss beginning, and then I returned to the outside. I began to put a plan in motion, to ensure that Janelle wouldn’t have to leave unless she desired to.
36
Unya
I was standing on a pedestal with mirrors positioned all around me, but at that point they had been covered so I wouldn’t be able to see how I looked in my dress.
There were only two days until my wedding and although I was happy to be marrying Malachi, it wasn’t a joyous occasion.
My great grandmother was killed before my very eyes, by my father. Yeah, I was struggling to come to grips with that one. A girl who was supposed to be like a sister to me was nearly murdered by one of the Gods and I didn’t know how to feel. I needed Malachi to answer a few questions and I couldn’t let it wait until our wedding night.
All of that aside, Yana had done as I wished and had an Ivory one made, but she added her own twist to the design. It had a cobalt sash running around my waist, with blue and green sparkling jewels dotted within a delicate floral design on the bodice. It even had a cobalt blue ribbon to cinch the bodice up at the back.