Avenge (Hillcrest Book 2)

by Cassie Pierce

  “There is something that neither of us told you before. An important detail that we shouldn’t have left out, but you have to understand. I didn’t know. I didn’t know until after it was done. I would have stopped her. I tried to fix it,” he says, gripping my arm so hard that had I been mortal it might have snapped in two.

  Unease hits me like a hammer to the chest as I register the look that Zane now wears. I know that look. I am familiar with that look.

  I have seen it on the faces of each of my friends, right before they crush me. It is the look of regret.

  Without even hearing it, I know that whatever he says next is going to change my entire opinion of him. I close my eyes, but I don’t beg him not to say it. The me from before would have, but this new Maci is so accustomed to disappointment that I don’t have the strength to beg.

  “Fix what Zane? What did you do?” I say, anger taking root in my heart. Does everyone I care about lie to me?

  “I didn’t do anything Angel,” he says sadly, not meeting my eyes as he says his next words.

  “It is what I didn’t do. You see.....Hecate. She isn’t just the queen of all witches. She is also my mother.”

  I was not expecting him to say that.

  “Your mother?” I repeat, stunned into using small sentences. I have no other words. He knew this entire time. He knew and he said nothing!

  “Did you know what she did? DID YOU!” I scream, dropping his hand and pushing him as hard as I can.

  It feels good when I hit him, so I do it again. Again and again I drive my fist into him, angry that he lied to me. That everyone always lies to me.

  This may have been a lie by omission, but a lie is a lie. I hate liars!

  “Yes. I knew. I knew before you knew, and way before I knew you.” His voice holds a level of resignation that only someone who has been drowning in guilt for a while can hold. A tone that registers no argument, and is open for any punishment.

  In this moment, I want to punish him. To punish him for being just like everyone else. I want to hate him, and hit him. I....

  Christ!

  I am so stupid! Jaxon tried to tell me! I should have listened.

  I start walking, having no damn idea where I am going, just knowing that I have to get away. My feet crunch over bones. My shoes sinking into bloody puddles as my boots carry me away from him. The liquid splashing the backs of my legs as I run. My boot catches on a root, throwing me off balance. I am falling before I can stop it. I cry out as my shoulder crashes into the ground, followed closely by my cheek. I don’t even wince as my cheek splits open, my blood mixing perfectly into the bloody puddle on the ground.

  “Maci!” Zane yells, his hands reaching for me even as I scoot away. Seeing that I don’t want him to touch me, he stops. His voice low as he takes in my battered appearance. A swear leaves his lips as he crouches down so that we are eye level.

  The really immature part of me wants to kick him.

  That part almost wins.

  “You’re hurt,” he whispers, pulling a clean cloth out of one of his cargo pockets and pressing it to my face. I don’t tell him that there is no need. That the injury is small, and will heal on its own before he pulls the rag away. I don’t tell him that I no longer feel pain. That my time in the underworld cured me of that.

  I don’t say anything as I watch the man that I trusted in the darkest moment of my life, try to heal a useless cut. What he doesn’t see...what they never see, is that those are not the cuts that hurt.

  It is the scars that only my heart can pay testament to that I wish someone would take the time to heal. The cuts that won’t stop bleeding because they never stop coming.

  Everyone hurts me, and no one cares.

  “In more ways than one,” I whisper, pushing to my feet and walking away. I don’t know where I am going, but I sure as hell am not staying here.

  ∞

  ~ Chapter 16~

  I wish that I could say that I made it a long way without Zane. That I was badass enough to totally ditch him, and defeat Hecate on my own. That would be a lie. I made it about a mile before something tried to eat me.

  My mind was in a different head space. That is the only rational explanation that I can think of for why I didn’t see it until it was too late. I was too busy throwing myself a pity party. So lost in my own head, that I didn’t see what was right in front of me.

  It came out of nowhere, and a scream ripped from me as I felt razor sharp talons dig into my shoulder. It knocked into me with so much force, that I tumbled forward. My freshly healed face splitting open again as it connected with the bony ground below. I still had zero clue just what attacked me, but whatever it was....

  It was hungry.

  It let out an ear-piercing shriek that I can only describe as a mixture between a caw and a roar, as its beak full of razor-sharp teeth came in for a taste.

  I closed my eyes, too stunned to do anything as I waited for the sting of pain. It never came.

  The creature was thrown off of me, flames engulfing it as a murderous looking Zane came rushing to my side. His eyes were on me, but his hand was raised and pointed in the direction of the creepy gigantic bird.

  The creepy bird that was now on fire. The caw from before turned to one of pain, and even though the creature tried to eat me moments ago, I felt myself feeling a little sorry for it.

  It...it was suffering, and no matter what, I hated to see anything suffer.

  Zane didn’t seem to have a problem with it though, as he stared at the creature with a hate filled gaze that made me wonder just how much anger he held inside.

  “Please...” I cried, wanting him to stop. The creature was on the ground now, barely moving but making the most inhuman sound. I couldn’t stand it.

  Zane seemed to snap out of it then, his eyes going from my pale face to the crispy bird that now flailed about on the ground. His lips moved rapidly, firing off words that were too low for me to hear. He twisted his wrist, and the bird went still.

  Zane.... He...he killed it.....with his mind!

  It was then that I knew Jaxon had been right. I have no idea who Zane Zelikos is. Not really.

  “Are you ok?” he asks, bending down and pulling me to my feet. I winced from the pain in my right shoulder, confused as to why it wasn’t already healed. I usually heal way faster than this.

  Zane’s hands reach out, his fingers running over my arms before stopping at the scratch on my shoulder with a curse. I couldn’t help but notice that they trembled slightly when he pulled them away.

  “Hell! It is going to be alright. I can fix this. I just need to find some Merroot.” His hands run through his hair as he searches for something in the distance that I can’t see.

  “Easy Zane,” I laugh, pulling my shirt up so that it covers the scratch. The scratch that I hate to admit hurts like a bitch. I have had papercuts bigger than this. It shouldn’t feel like my arm is about to fall off, but it does.

  “It barely scratched me. It will heal. I am fine,” I say. I try to believe that, even as the pain from the wound starts to move down my arm. I ignore it. I have bigger issues than a bird scratch.

  “No Angel. You won’t be. Uuuuhhhh! Did Jaxon tell you nothing about this life?” he fumes. He takes my hand and pulls me forward. His steps are quicker than before. Hurried. Frantic. Kind of like the beat of my heart.

  “Hey!” I say, insulted. “I just found out about all this supernatural stuff. A little slack would be good,” I grumble. I have a very bad feeling about where this is going.

  “No time,” he sighs, pausing to help me over a crater in the ground that I couldn’t see. I almost tell him thank you, but I hold it in. I am still pissed at him. I will thank him later.

  “That was not a bird Maci. That vile creature was a harpy. If you had looked closer instead of closing your eyes, you would have seen the very human face on that large ass bird body.”

  Zane curses then, not slowing his pace at all as we approach what looks like the sk
eletons of a million dead trees. I swallow as the dark gets even darker. I take a step closer to him, pushing back my irrational fear as he all but pulls me into the creepy forest.

  Not wanting to think about the creatures that are probably hiding in here, I decide to focus on the dead one that we left behind.

  “Ok? So, it was a harpy. It is dead now. What is your deal?” I demand. My eyes scan the darkness as all around us the sounds of animals fill the silence. Howls, and moans, and even some that I can’t identify.

  “The deal is that she scratched you Maci! A scratch from a harpy is poisonous. First, it will spread like an infection. You will get sick. See things. Hear things. If you can’t find the cure before it reaches your heart, you’ll....”

  Don’t say die....Please don’t say die. I am really tired of things trying to kill me.

  “I’ll what?” I demand when it becomes evident that Zane is having a hard time finishing his sentence.

  “You will turn into one of them.”

  Shit! I never thought that I would wish that he would have said die. Those things are ugly! Nope....not going to happen.

  “What is this cure? Please tell me that it is easy to find?” I ask, knowing that being hopeful is pointless. Nothing is ever easy for me.

  “Merroot,” he says, pulling me further into the forest. My heart rate picks up as the moans from before turn into screams.

  Human screams.

  “Where do we get this Merroot?” I demand, praying that he doesn’t say something ridiculous like the pit of hell or something. What he says is worse.

  “It is grown in the Fallen kingdom. The only place that it can currently be found is in Xavier’s personal green house.”

  Well shit..... looks like I am going to spend eternity as a harpy.

  ∞

  Zane tries to talk me into going home after that. He all but begs for me to let him take me back so that he can cure me. He promises that after we do, that we will come back and free Ashlee. There is only one problem with that.

  We both know that she doesn’t have that long. That the longer Hecate infects her soul, the more of it that dies. If I have any chance of helping her move on, it has to be now. If that means turning into a monster.....then that is just a risk that I am willing to take.

  Besides, according to Zane, Merroot was once found naturally in the void before it was sealed to keep evil from infecting humanity. That means that there is a chance, no matter how small, that we could still find some.

  It is a chance that I have to take. Ashlee needs me, and I have already failed her more than once. I won’t do it again. I would rather die.

  I never thought that my entire future would depend on a shiny silver plant with purple leaves.

  We have been walking for hours, and I haven’t told him, but I am starting to feel tired. Something that I haven’t really felt since joining club angel half breed. The throbbing pain in my shoulder now radiates down my entire arm, and my fingers are starting to turn an ugly ash color that makes the appendage look dead.

  Yep...I have looked better.

  The screams from before got worse when we stepped into the Land of Forgotten Souls. A place that is just as lovely as its name.

  The landscape is the same barren wasteland, but it is littered with thousands of ghosts. All of them in some kind of pain. Some cry for their children as they reach for the bones that crunch beneath our feet. Some scoop dirty water out of muddy puddles, only for it to disappear before it ever touches their parched lips. The children are the hardest. They cry for their parents, but no one comes. They are alone. All alone, and like the name suggest.... forgotten.

  There are a few times when I want to reach over and hug one of them. Scoop them up and tell them that they will be alright. I almost do, but Zane stops me.

  “I know you want to, but you cannot. This place....we cannot interfere.” His voice holds a warning, but his eyes hold only sadness as he leads me forward.

  “Why? What is this place really Zane?” I question. My eyes take in all of the sadness and pain around me. I try to understand how somewhere like this could exist. How this could be ok?

  “Look around Maci. You are half Angel. I am half demon. You know what this place is.....you have always known.....”

  Holy shit!

  I am in Hell!

  That is why Jaxon can’t come here! Why I can. Why Zane can! I knew that the void was somewhere in the Underworld, but Hell?

  “I always knew I was going to hell,” I joke, trying to calm my suddenly racing heart.

  “I just kind of thought that I would be dead first.”

  “Really Maci,” Zane laughs, sounding exacerbated. “All that you have learned about our worlds, and it never once crossed your mind that the void and Hell could be one and the same.”

  No. It did not. Not even once. Looking back, I guess it should have. I guess I always imagined Hell to be a big fiery pit and the Devil to be an ugly dude with a big ass pitchfork. It seems my imagination did not even come close.

  “Wait!” I say, spinning around as a thought occurs to me. “Do you know the devil?”

  I really.....really hope that he says no here, because friends or not, I do not want to be on the Devil’s BFF radar.

  “No,” Zane laughs, rolling his eyes at me as he pulls me forward.

  “I am a witch Maci, but I am not evil. The devil lives in Tartarus. That is a world below this one, and much worse. He doesn’t come out for social calls. He is imprisoned there. Do I know the devil? Please,” he laughs, only sounding a little offended.

  Got it. The void is like the scenic layer of Hell. Tartarus is the final destination. All of it is a trip that I would rather not take.

  “Ok Zane. Truth time. I want to know the story. The entire story about what your mother did to Ashlee. Don’t leave anything out this time, or super powerful witch or not, I will break your face. Don’t think I forgot that you lied to me.” I force myself to keep walking as I say the words, knowing that this entire conversation will go much better if I don’t look at him.

  I need to forget that Zane is my friend. At least long enough to hear the truth and decide if he still deserves to be.

  He is quiet for so long. All I can hear is the crunching of bones beneath our boots as we make our way through the eerie land. Silent for so long, that I almost give up hope that he is going to answer.

  “Hecate is my mother, but only in name. I have never known her, nor have I loved her like a son should love a mother. Did you know that I was born here?” he asks, his voice dropping to a whisper.

  Against my will I stop, turning to him so that I can see his face. “Like here...here? In the void?” I ask, hoping that he denies it.

  “Yes,” he says sadly. “I am the only child to ever be born here. It is why I can navigate the land so freely. Why I can hear the voices of the people that are trapped here.”

  “What? How?” I question, taking a seat on a fallen tree as I get sucked into his story.

  “Hecate tricked my father into coming here by visiting him in his dreams. She seduced him, and the result was me. She had me in secret, her intention to sacrifice me for her own freedom. I believe that it would have worked, but my father got wind of her plan from the spirit of a dying witch. He...he saved me.”

  Holy...

  What kind of mother would do that? Have a baby just to sacrifice it for her own freedom. That...

  That is sick!

  “Zane.... I,” I start to say, but he shakes his head softly. His next words cutting off my apology.

  “Don’t. I don’t need an apology or pity. I just want you to understand. I need you to. You don’t see it yet, but a time will come when that understanding will matter.”

  Fear takes root deep inside of me as Zane moves closer to where I sit. I will admit. I have not known Zane for a long time, but this....

  This feels like goodbye.

  “What does that mean?” I ask, taking his hand and pulling him even closer to me. I
need him to see that I trust him. Even though I shouldn’t. Even though it makes no sense. I trust Zane. I always have.

  “It means that I hate her. Hecate. I hate my own mother Maci. What kind of man does that make me? Does it matter what she did? If I hate her, she wins. I didn’t want to hate her, but I always have. That is how I found out about Ashlee.”

  “I am not following. What does your mommy issue have to do with Ashlee?” I ask, confused as to how the two things are linked.

  “I used to come here. Sometimes weekly. Sometimes daily. Just to make sure that she was still here. I didn’t want her to do to another what she did to me. That is when I saw her with Lila. I overheard their plan, but Lila was already dead. I didn’t see a way to help her.” He looks away as he says it, unable to meet my eyes.

  “But Ash wasn’t Zane! She wasn’t dead!” I yell. I jump to my feet as a wave of nausea crashes into me.

  He follows, crowding my personal space. He leans down, his voice dropping to barely above a whisper. His words holding a note of the pain that he keeps so carefully caged. “I know. Dammit Maci..... I know.”

  “Why didn’t you stop it? Tell me!” I demand, anger turning into a blazing inferno inside of me.

  Zane’s face crumbles as an expression that I have never seen him wear before crosses his face. A tear leaks from the corner of his eye as he looks off into the distance. Slowly those eyes come back to me, meeting mine and not looking away.

  “Because I ran,” he whispers brokenly. “She saw me Maci. She said my name, and every ounce of my courage died. I turned back into that scared little boy that wanted her to love me.”

  “That want scared me more than anything because I didn’t understand it. So yes..... I ran. That is why your friend died. Why you have suffered so. I was a coward, and your pain was the price.”

  He.....ran?

  That doesn’t make sense. The Zane I know is fearless. He would never run from anything. The Zane I .......I don’t know him. How many times do I have to learn that the hard way? I don’t him at all. All I know about Zane is what he wants me to know.