by C. M. Owens
The oxygen fills my desperate lungs so quickly that it forces me to cough ruthlessly when a startled Stasia loses her grip on my breath.
"Well, isn't this sweet. I finally have a reason to exact some long awaited revenge," Gemma snarks as she slowly approaches the restrained Stasia.
"Put me down. Devin will kill you for hurting me," Stasia barks through strain.
I keep my hand on my chest as the breaths coming so vigorously ache with a pounding depth. Gemma smiles at her captured and struggling prey that can't paralyze her powers for some reason.
"I'm not trying to hurt you. You're just a Nuri, but I'm a goddess," she gloats.
The vines snap together, and I look away as the body of Stasia folds into the vines while they lower her deadweight to the ground.
I shiver slightly as I barely catch a glimpse of her open, glazed over eyes.
Gemma dusts her hands off as she murmurs, "I've been waiting on a reason to kill that bitch."
She turns toward me, and I scramble backwards on my elbows until I bump into the couch. She rolls her eyes at my panic, and puts her hand down to help me up.
"I don't want to kill you, or you'd be dead by now. I love Devin, but I'm not the psycho you just dealt with. I'll survive without him, and I'll be better off now that I can stop wondering 'what if' all the time. It's very freeing in fact," she offers.
"How did you know she was killing me?" I ask suspiciously.
Did she listen to all of that? Was she hoping I'd be dead before she finally got to kill Stasia?
"I didn't. I came out to sneak in some water to my smuggled in babies," she says while motioning to the retracting plant slithering back across the floor. "The second I heard your wheezes, I flashed in. To put you're worried mind at ease, I saved you the moment I knew you were in trouble," she adds.
I very warily accept her proffered hand, and she pulls me to my feet in one swift motion.
I continue to massage my aching chest, and then the stench of burning bacon overwhelms me as the smoke detectors ring out all over. Gemma flashes to the kitchen, and doors begin whirling open in unison as the smell finds everyone else at once.
Everyone stumbles to a halt when they catch a glimpse of the dead blond curled up on the floor. Devin's eyes grow wide as he flashes over to me.
"What the hell happened?" he gasps.
I cough a little once more as my lungs still sting from their weakened posture.
"Stasia tried to kill me, and…" I pause as Gemma returns, and my eyes thank her. "Gemma saved me," I sigh.
Devin's arms instantly embrace me in a horrified hug, and his breaths become erratic.
"What the fuck? Why did she try to kill you?" he snaps in complete terror.
"Because she's been psychotically in love with you for centuries," Gemma snorts.
Devin shakes his head. "We weren't in that sort of relationship. She never wanted that sort of thing and neither did I," he sighs.
"Gemma's right. She said she deserved you, not me. She's been playing a waiting game. She thought you would choose her if she played it casual, and then suddenly I was in her way," I cough out.
His eyes show disbelief and guilt.
"Oh, baby, I'm so sorry. I swear I didn't know she would do something like this," he murmurs through strain.
"I did," Gemma scoffs.
I can feel Devin's lips tightening, but he can't counter her snarky remark. She was right about Stasia all along, and he's been accusing her of lying for who knows how long.
"Why didn't she paralyze your powers?" I ask curiously, my steadier breaths allowing my tone to sound a little less hoarse.
"Because her powers were focused on you before she knew I was anywhere close to intervening, and once an immortal's power is active, a breath catcher can't stop them. That's why I didn't give her any lulls," Gemma explains.
Her eyes flash expectantly toward Devin. I suppose she's not as over him as she wanted me to think.
Now what? I can't be mad at her right this minute.
"Thank you, Gemma," he murmurs.
She looks a little disappointed. I'm not sure if she was also expecting an apology, or if she was expecting him to fall for her. She just nods before flashing out of the room.
Devin's face wears more burden than I've seen yet. He scoops me up and carries me over to the couch to hold me to him.
"I'm so sorry, baby," he breathes in a pained wince.
"Please don't take this on. You're not responsible for her extra dose of crazy," I mumble as I try to hold back the tears.
I know he'll feel even worse if I release the floodgates right now.
"I should have seen that. Why didn't I see that?" Persia whines as she paces back and forth.
"Because it wasn't premeditated. It was just an opportunity she tried to capitalize on. I don't want you blaming yourself either," I murmur through the pain in my chest.
"How badly does it hurt?" Devin asks with such guilt still pouring free.
"It's not unbearable. I wanted to bring you breakfast in bed," I pout.
He kisses me softly on my trembling lips that I've been unable to steady, and then he pulls me back to him.
"That fucking bitch," Kry blares as he grabs his head in disbelief. "We sat there and told her how crucial Adisia was to all of this, but she still tried to kill her. We told her how much we all cared about her, and she just thought everyone would be okay with her pulling the air from her lungs?"
I smile a little at everyone's reactions, but it disappears when I answer the question he didn't know actually had an answer.
"She was going to string me up and make it look like I hung myself. She knew of my past suicide attempt, and she was going to make everyone believe I carried through with it," I shakily reply.
The color completely drains from Devin's face, and the ghostly hue creeps into everyone else's as well.
"I can't believe this," Ther gasps while falling to the chair behind him. "I wish you could have zapped her into a pile of ashes," he growls.
"She wouldn't have come at me if I hadn't been mortal. That's why she was so eager to take her shot at me this morning," I mumble.
"I'd like to fucking revive the bloody psycho so that I can kill her my damn self," Deacon mumbles as his fists clench so tight they make a gripping rattle.
"I should have killed her last night when she made the comment about Adisia lying about your being her trigger," Camara hisses.
"She said that last night? She said it today too," I murmur.
"I missed that part," Devin grumbles.
"You had already gone on to bed with Adisia, and she watched you until the door closed. I just chalked it up to a scorned woman. I never dreamt she'd attempt something like this, or I would have burned her alive," Hale gripes as he buries his head in his hands.
"We told her to watch what she said because we all love Adisia. She just went to bed after that. I was hoping she had drunk too much," Camara whimpers.
"I should have listened to Gemma, and I can't believe I'm saying that," Devin grumbles.
"No more exes are allowed to join this convoy," I joke in an effort to lighten the intensity in the air.
Crap. Crickets.
No one even tries to smile at my failed attempt at a joke. Devin's eyes continue to be weighed with more anxiety than he deserves to suffer.
"This wasn't your fault," I say again while getting attacked by a yawn.
He kisses my forehead as he scoops me up.
"Go back to sleep. I know that was exhausting, and you need to rest for a while after enduring such a vicious attack. I'll wake you in a bit so you can eat," he murmurs so softly, and I'm worried I detect something else lacing his tone.
"Are you mad at me?" I worry.
"Of course not," he gasps. "I'm pissed off I let a crazy bitch in here that was trying to kill you," he chokes out.
I stroke his cheek as we find the bed.
"In all fairness, I tend to draw out crazy bitches," I say jokingly
.
He still doesn't crack a grin. I huff lightly as I stand up and grab a ponytail holder to swish my hair off my neck.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm getting half dressed so we can go get breakfast. I just burned the last of the bacon, and the eggs are now officially ruined since they've been left alone for so long. I thought all of us could go out and grab something together. I'm hungry more than I am tired," I murmur as I brush on a little makeup to kill the early morning, not-yet-showered look.
"I can send out for something," he protests.
"Please just let me go out for breakfast," I plead like a sixteen-year-old begging to for a later curfew.
"No. I'll send out for something, and then you can rest. We have stuff to do anyways. We have to dispose of Stasia's body, and explain to the Vegas immortal community what has happened before we spark a war," he asserts.
"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't think about that," I mumble.
Dead bodies don't even rattle me at all anymore. Not since the apocalypse brought about from my hands.
"You don't have to think about that. You're still mortal, and you have a long time before you should have to deal with the politics of our world. Even after you change, I will be here to deal with this. Right now, you have mortal needs, and we have immortal obligations. I'll send out for food," he murmurs as he stands back up.
Tears invade my eyes from his stern tone. He says he's not mad at me, but he seems completely different. I feel like he's not telling me something.
"Are you upset she's gone?" I choke out as that possibility rumbles around in my mind.
His eyes scold me. "She tried to kill the woman I love. The only thing I regret is not killing her myself. I won't miss her at all, but the community will want her body and an explanation. I have to give them both," he informs.
"Will they want revenge?" I worry aloud.
"It's doubtful. She's made more enemies than friends, and I have numerous allies here. They'll only be mad if they feel disrespected by our neglect to offer the proper presentation. I'll be back in a little while. Hale, Theia, Phillip, Hagar, and Regina - his wife - will be here in case something happens."
He starts to turn to leave, but I call to him with a wounded tone.
"I love you. I'm sorry."
He flashes to me in that second, and his lips fall over mine as he grips me to his body. I can taste his fear flowing into my mouth as his trembling breaths rattle against my face.
"Don't be sorry. I can't tell you how terrified I am to know how close I just came to losing you again. I love you," he murmurs against my lips.
He pulls back as he caresses my face one last time before flashing out. I groan as I plop down on the bed again, and then I feel the tears I've been holding back starting to slip out.
Before I know it, they're gluing my eyes shut and forcing me to drift off.
"How was your nap?" Deacon asks as I step out of the room. It's already dark, and I stretch as I look over at the clock.
"Holy crap. It's ten o'clock," I gasp.
"Yep. Getting the life sucked out of you tends to leave you a little drained - no pun intended," he morbidly jokes, even though he doesn't laugh.
"Is everyone still reeling?" I grumble as I slump in the chair.
"Yes. It was a rude awakening, but we've got the mess cleaned up," he murmurs as he resumes his laptop tapping.
"Where's Devin? Did the Vegas group get mad?" I worry.
"He's just getting some stuff sorted. The Vegas crowd was very understanding, and there were plenty of women perfectly fine with Stasia's demise. We're going out for drinks in a little bit, so you need to eat and get ready," he instructs.
I roll my eyes as I walk over and open the fridge. The entire thing is packed with food that wasn't there earlier.
"Are we feeding a herd of horses?" I mock.
Deacon finally lets a small chuckle escape. "No. We're just making sure a stubborn mortal has a suitable selection. We can't have you weak and frail. Eat up." he says while closing his laptop and standing to his feet. "I’m going to go grab a shower. Most of the others are already waiting in the lobby. I was just waiting on you to wake up."
I nod as I grab everything I need to make a sandwich. I quickly scarf it down so I can rush the getting ready process.
Why is everyone waiting in the lobby? Why wouldn't they wait up here with me? Deacon seems a little off. Did something happen?
"Adisia? Are you almost ready?" Devin asks as he opens the bedroom door.
I smile a little as I turn to face him. The red dress has one wide strap that covers me from neck to shoulder, and then it hugs me down to just below my rear.
His eyes widen, and then he smirks as he walks over to press his lips against mine.
"As always, you look amazing. I might need to swap Sheila for Camara as far as personal shoppers go," he smolders.
"I've been worried something happened. Where have you been?"
"I'm sorry I made you worry. Everything went over rather smoothly. I've been dealing with various other things not related to this incident. I need a drink, and so do the others. You ready to go?" He murmurs to answer my question indirectly.
I nod as I grab my purse, and he pulls my hand in his. He kisses the back of my hand as we await the elevator, and I see that secretive twinkle in his eyes as well. I start to question it when I hear ice clanking in a glass.
"I'm ready too. Thanks for asking," Deacon plays as he walks toward us with a glass of scotch.
"I knew you wouldn't be far behind," Devin says with a smirk.
The elevator releases us into the lobby full of people who seem to be avoiding eye contact with me.
"What's going on?" I insist.
"It's just been a long day," Devin soothes.
"I wouldn't know. I slept through most of it," I gripe.
He seems to wince before speaking with reluctance. "That's because you were on the cusp of death when Gemma saved you - more so than I even realized. Mom read your memories while you slept," he confesses.
"What?" I gasp. "Without my permission?"
"She had to. We needed to be able to show rather than tell the details of the incident. I asked her to show them to me so I could see it for myself. Baby, you don't even know how destroyed I was. I went in there and held you while you slept for over two hours. I've been working on something to keep you safe ever since."
"What have you been working on?" I ask skeptically, given his bizarre tone.
"We'll discuss it later. Right now, let's just enjoy some drinks with friends. We all need a break from reality after the very real day we’ve had," he sighs.
I don't fight him on the issue. I could definitely use a drink and a casual atmosphere as well.
We walk into the bar just a little bit away, and I smile as I order some ridiculously fruity drink just because I like the name.
Devin chuckles at my amusement, but I can feel the tension still in the air. He moves away to speak to Deacon in private, and I huff a little at the secretiveness. Hale stands beside me as I wait while ordering his fifth drink in ten minutes.
"How do you feel?" the sun boy asks sincerely.
"A little tired, though I shouldn't be. Don't tell Devin though," I say softly.
"A dose of vitamin D would probably help things along," he playfully teases, and I just roll my eyes.
His drink suddenly rattles in his hand, and he ducks quickly as the scotch springs free from the glass and soaks him.
Devin is within range now and smirking slightly from his spewing bomb he just whirled. I burst out laughing as Hale dries his face with a napkin too small to really make a dent, and he can't stifle his own grin.
"Damn it," he snickers out. "I've got to buy a muzzle for my mouth when he's around."
I chuckle a little more, and we move over to join the others. Everyone is still avoiding eye contact with me, and it's starting to give me a complex.
Devin is almost stiff when he sits down beside me, and his
touch is so much colder than usual.
"Someone needs to tell what I've done to cause such awkward tension. I feel like I have food in my teeth or something," I gripe.
Persia finally makes eye contact with me long enough for me to see her burdened gaze.
"We need to discuss something with you," she sighs out tragically.
"Not now, Persia. Let's just enjoy a few hours without disruption," Devin argues.
"None of us are able to enjoy ourselves with this looming over our heads," she counters with exasperation.
"What? What's going on? I thought you said the Vegas crowd was okay with everything? Did you lie to me?" I bark.
Devin sighs as he slides his drink away from him in disgust. He rubs his head as if it's aching terribly, and I swear I can see tears trying to form in his eyes.
"I didn't lie to you. This has nothing to do with the Vegas group. We've decided it would be in your best interest if we housed you somewhere safe until we finish all of our meetings," he briskly blurts out with heavy reluctance.
My lips quiver under the heavy drop, and my ears begin ringing as I stare around at all the distraught faces.
"You don't want me here?" I whimper, and everyone's eyes shift back down to avoid my pitiful stare.
"No, baby. It's not that. I need… we need you to be safe. You're not eating right, you're not sleeping enough, and you almost got killed this morning in my own home."
I swallow hard and try to digest his patronizing tone.
"Unless you're planning on assembling an army of exes, I should be fine from here on out," I choke out with a hint of anger.
"The immortals we speak to, well, we're not familiar them enough to trust them around you. This incident with Stasia only proved how very little we know our casual allies," he mutters while wincing.
"I'll be careful. I've eaten today, and I also slept for-damn-ever," I whimper.
Devin's eyes twitch with pained remorse, and they quickly shy away from the tragic blue ones dripping tears down my cheeks.
"Adisia, we're immortal. You're not yet. When you're with us, it's just human nature to mimic our actions. You're eating when we eat, sleeping when we sleep, and trying to keep up with us when the reality is you just can't. You don't do what you're supposed to do until you're body forces you to. I'm sorry, but this is the safest option," he strains out.
