Damien
I knew my mother was going to be up to something. The more and more I looked at her today, the more the aura I could see around her started becoming dangerously black. One of the gifts I kept hidden was the ability to read auras. I could also phase, just as Ember could, though I told no one. Not even Jordan, as I have never seen him display such abilities. When mom’s aura turned black at the meeting, I followed her. Keeping my distance so she could not scent me.
She appeared to be making a bunch of calls. I traced her records and found the number had been going to Tallahassee. Who the fuck did she know there? I had an investigator friend of mine trace the number, only to find out it was going to a member of our enemy pack. Mom was a traitor, and I had the proof.
I followed her limo all day and she seemed to be doing normal duties and she headed back to the pack mansion. I kept in touch with Jordan, making sure Ember was at the house and was okay after we felt a small rush of fear from Ember. He said she stubbed her toe. Carter and Seth were still working.
I watched through the trees as mom’s limo stopped outside the house. She didn’t get out, which struck me as weird, until I saw Ember running out of the mansion. Mom’s driver got out, grabbed Ember, and nearly threw her into the car. I started to chase them and rip out his throat for even touching her, but I felt a presence behind me. It was Agatha, but her eyes were white and I felt a strong presence from her. My wolf recognized it.
“Selene”, I said, bowing slightly. I looked back and the limo was gone. I wanted to run after it, but Selene held me in place.
“You alone will be able to save her, but you must strike at the right moment, or not only will you fail to save her, but you will die in the process. ” She said to me.
“Where is she being taken?” I asked her.
“To War. The Horseman War. He is her battle of this life. Formally known as her ex-Ryder. War wears Ryder’s skin as his own meatsuit for pretenses, but Ember will be able to see through it. You must rescue her only at the right time. She is not strong enough to fight him alone. One wrong move from you, and he will kill her.” She spoke.
“What would you have me do?” I asked her.
“You will wait. You and your brothers have yet become strong enough to defeat War. You have yet to accept the power of Ember’s blood by mark.
You are a Red Moon Wolf. Both you and Jordan have the power to cross into Tallahassee territory. The spell does not affect you as much as it would Carter and Seth, but it will weaken the part of you that has your wolf. You will only have the strength to get her out. He has a bracelet on her that blocks her powers. You must stay hidden and not fight. Or you will die. This will be your mission, and yours alone. Tell no one, not even your brothers,” she said, letting me go and leaving Agatha’s body, returning Agatha back to normal. Agatha gave me a small bottle of a liquid.
” When you get to Ember, pour this liquid on her bracelet. It will help break it and unblock her powers. NOW GO and remember. You must wait for the right moment”.
Ember
I looked in complete fear at the skeleton robed man or thing, whatever it was, in front of me. This was literally something out of a nightmare. I came willingly to kill Ryder, but Ryder was already gone. With this bracelet on my wrist, I realized I couldn’t even phase back home to warn my mates. Now I am in a horrible predicament, and I have no idea how to get myself out. Those sockets where eyes are supposed to hold nothing but wisps of red smoke. Looking into those eyes, I could see armies upon armies of battle and war. Those who suffer from losing their loved ones. Those who not only fight physical battles, but internal battles as well.
Tears ran down my face as I could look nowhere else. It was like he was holding me in place somehow and was showing me the worst of the world. I saw children being forced to become adults in the battlefield for their youth. It was all too much.
“Please, stop”, I cried out. I heard a deep chuckle in my mind before my vision was snapped back to reality. I was back in the car with War, who was now wearing Ryder’s skin again. Looking at war, I could no longer see Ryder anymore. Only the demon that laid underneath.
“You know, I’ve been hiding with Ryder since the day he was born. Influencing all of his decisions. Waiting patiently for the day, I would completely take over his body and soul as I watched him corrupt himself. He tried so hard to keep me at bay. A battle was lost from the moment he attempted to. I always win. ” War taunted. I kept silent. The images I had been shown were still playing in my head. We had finally arrived back at Ryders’ mansion. It looked different from how I was used to it.
Trees all around were deaf. The mansion was completely black on the outside with a large sword-crafted entrance. I could see the faces of men with their eyes looking as if they had been torn out. There were no women or children. I gulped in fear, wondering what may have happened to them.
“Welcome home, my little flame”, War said, holding out a hand for me. I didn’t want to touch him, so I stayed in my place. He snapped his fingers, and it felt like all the breath I was breathing was cut off. Cuts appeared on my body in many different places and my blood was seeping out into the limo.
I woke up on a bed, in a dungeon-like chamber. The inside was filled with candles for light. There were skulls all around the chamber walls. Where was I?
Someone came into the chamber. A small boy who also had his eyes taken away from him. I could tell he was relying on his other senses to guide him as he approached.
“Master says to join him for dinner. You must wear these”, the little boy said. He handed me a red shortcut dress and a pair of black pumps to go with it. I took the clothing.
“What happened to everyone here? ” I asked.
“Master took our eyes to consume our knowledge”, the little boy said.
“Where are the women and children?” , I asked him.
“Master has no need for women and children. Only a few he keeps as servants. He has eaten the rest of us. Now please miss, get dressed. You do not want to be punished by the master”, the little boy said before running out of the cell. I looked at my skin. My cuts were still all around my body, but they were closed. Being human, it would take a lot of time to heal them, but that was the least of my worries. I got out of bed, and instantly sat back down. I was feeling very dizzy. I must have lost a lot of blood.
I did my best to get dressed in the clothes and heels, passing out a few times from the lack of blood inside of me. I made my way out of the open cell and through the hallway. With each step, the hallway seemed like it had grown longer and longer, but I used the support of the wall to help me along the way. I entered the patio outside and saw a candlelight dinner prepared. One of the men took my arms and assisted me to the table at War’s command.
“Eat”, he said. He was dressed as Ryder in a jet-black suit. I looked down at the food, which actually looked appealing, but I didn’t touch it. It could have been poisoned. War seemed to have read my thoughts.
“If I wanted you dead, Ember, I would have killed you the day I found you. Eat the fucking food, or feel my wrath”, he said. His wrath included cutting open my body again and I didn’t want that, so I dug into the food. With every bite, I felt a bit of strength coming back. I would need it if I was to escape this place.
“Let’s get down to it. It is my duty to lead the current one hundred years before that duty falls to my next brother. You will serve me in this life, and my brothers in the next lives of yours. Our God, Ares, spits on your so-called Goddess. How dare she wage the very thing I am against him? She will suffer. My brothers and I will consecrate this land for our Master, and your blood will run thick through its vines.
Humans on earth won’t know what hit them, until it is too late.
“I will never be yours”, I found myself saying. He was truly talking about the start of the apocalypse.
“You will, or I will feed you the innards of every single mate you have. You are MINE, little flame. Always have been. Always will be, he replied. Could he really go after my mates and kill them? I would do anything to prevent it from happening.
“As you wish”, I told him, with a tear breaking through my right eye. He smiled.
“I figured you would start to see things my way. As a reward, I will spare your mates for the future that is coming. You can keep your pets. They are no match for me anyway and I have no use for them. The first sign of defiance from you, however, and one by one I will make you watch as I pick the flesh from their weak bones. ” He said to me.
“I understand”, I told him. At that moment, I had a feeling we were being watched. It was like a chill up my spine when I smelled berries. I couldn’t see anything as I looked around, but I knew his smell from anywhere. Damien was here, but he came alone. I knew this because I smelled no one else. How could he be this foolish? War would kill him on the spot. War was eating, and gave no indication he sensed Damien, so I kept my feelings under control, but I was feeling grateful. My biggest emotion threatening to come out was what would happen if Damien were caught. Without my powers, I was useless, not to mention I was still weak from the loss of blood I suffered.
“We will be wed in the next coming days. There is a ritual required that will bond us together, allowing me to take full advantage of the power in your blood. Together, we will burn cities to the ground with an army of our own. Paving the way for my brother to begin his own reign. You will make a beautiful queen for us all, ” he said to me. I had to keep him talking, so he would not realize we were not alone. Damien was definitely here, and I knew he was coming to save me.
“How can you expect to reign over a world you plan on reducing to fire and Ash? Is it your plan to rule over nothing but dead bodies? ” I asked him, and he smirked.
“Of course not. Any good strategist knows how to plan carefully. This war on earth will last four hundred years. That is more than enough time to do what needs to be done. We will not need to do anything but sit back for our reign. I will speak in the ears of men, as I did with Ryder. We will watch together as humanity turns on each other, wiping themselves out in the process. By the time my last brother reigns, he will have completed the final rite for our savior Ares to come and claim the land for himself. “, War explained. All those lives, lost.
“To what end though? All for some beef between Selene and Ares. Where do all of the other Gods stand in this?” I asked him.
“It was always more than beef between the two. What many people do not know is that Ares and Selene used to be lovers. That is, until Ares’ wife, Aphrodite, found out about the affair. It is at the request of Aphrodite that Ares kill Selene, but every God or Goddess has their role to play. What Aphrodite suggested would bring nothing but chaos to the world.
My God loves his wife, and will do anything to see her request fulfilled, regardless of the cost. It is unfortunate that some of God chose to side with Selene, making it harder to simply kill her, but not impossible either. She will die. She is simply living on borrowed time for now. It is why she chose you, to be her sword on earth. She knows that she will soon fail” he said to me.
I stayed silent. Taking in the information and sighed. Even with the food I had just eaten, I was still very weak. It would take a few days to replace my blood loss and if Damien was here, then he must have a plan to get me away. Although we are not on good terms right now, I was ready to let him help me. I faked a sigh, making it seem I was more tired than I already was.
“Sleepy?” War said, and I nodded, looking down.
“Escort her to bed.” He directed one of his eyeless men. The men helped me stand up, and I leaned against them for support.
“You’re weak from the blood loss and are no use for me in your shape, so tonight I will allow you to sleep. Come tomorrow, I will be fucking you and drinking your ichor blood, making you mine. Sleep well, Ember”, I heard War say to me as I was helped back to my room. When I got back to my room, the smell of berries was all over it. Damien had been in here somehow? There was only one way to and from the cell. How did he get in there? Once the guards left, I laid down and closed my eyes. I didn’t know how long it would be before Damien was able to get back in here under War’s watchful eyes. I needed to get some sleep. I could feel it closing in on me before the bed suddenly dipped and a hand touched my face. With my eyes still closed, a spark of electricity zapped through my entire body from the touch.
“Damien”
I sighed in a small voice, opening my eyes and looking into his stormy grays. His eyes held so many emotions, from worry, to relief before he spoke to me.
” I’m going to get you out of here.”much I will tolerate from you before I destroy you all together. You will learn, very easily, how limited my patience is”, he said before taking a finger, wiping up some of my leaking blood and tasting it. Savoring the golden flavor. I prayed for death at this moment. I couldn’t even speak. The lack of air made my vision go out and before I knew it, I had passed out.