Michelle took her daughter’s face in her hands. “I would rather see the sadness I see now than that blank look I saw all night. I thought I would have to bury my daughter and my son.”
Mickala laid her hands over her mother’s, closing her eyes. “For a while, I thought you would, too.”
Ian came in, his eyes as sad as Mickala’s. “You should know, reporters have been calling all morning. It seems as if news of Aiden’s accident has already broken.”
She nodded. “I didn’t think it would take long.”
Alex took Mickala’s hand. “I’ve already called the funeral home, and we took everything care of.”
“Thank you, Alex,” she replied. “I don’t know if I could’ve handled doing it by myself.”
Two days later, they had Aiden’s funeral, and the service was totally packed, and there were even people standing outside on the steps. Not only were there friends he’d had for years, even from out in Colorado, but there were several celebrities and a huge number of fans. Mickala just barely kept herself together, especially when it was her turn to get up in front of everyone. She had to stop and clear her throat several times, and she finished with a song Angel, her grandmothers, had sung at her own mother’s funeral, which was an old Solarian song translated into English. When it was over, hers were the only dry eyes in the room. No matter how she was falling apart on the inside, how the pain was continuously building up, she hadn’t been able to shed a single tear.
When it was time, Ian, Chad, Philip, EJ, Ari, and Travis stood as one for pall bearers. Ian held his head high, but his ice-blue eyes were too bright for the overcast day, and Chad was losing his battle with his emotions. Philip and EJ were openly letting their tears flow, and Travis and Ari’s faces were dry, but deeply sorrowful. Other than Ian, EJ had strangely enough ended up being Aiden’s closest friend, strengthened by their time living together after Mickala’s battle with Xiden. They carried the casket to the hearse, and they all got in their limos, and the procession of almost thirty cars with a full police escort began. At the cemetery, they lay Aiden to rest beside Selene, the small grave still fresh with several bouquets of flowers decorating her tiny headstone.
During the service there, Mickala closed her eyes tightly, her hands into such tight fists, she felt her nails cutting deep into her palms. They finally lowered his casket into the ground, and the enormous crowd broke apart. Mickala went up to the open grave, and she held out a hand in front of her. A single rose manifested itself in between her fingers, in full bloom. It was blood red on the outside, but slowly transitioned to the purest white in the middle. She laid it on his headstone. “I don’t know how I’m going to live without you, my dearest love. But I know this, when I die again, we’ll find each other on Solaris. The bond between us is far too strong to be separated by death, space and time. I waited three thousand years for you, and I’ll wait another three thousand years if I have to,” she whispered, her eyes closed. Her teeth clenched together violently. “That son of a bitch will pay for what he did to us, to you and Selene, if it’s the last thing I do. I swear to you and our daughter. If it kills me, he’ll die as well, and then, at least we’ll be together.”
Once they got home, she couldn’t bear the visitors, and she disappeared into her room and locked the double doors. She sat on the edge of her bed and held a photo of her and Aiden on their wedding day, then exchanged it for one of her, Aiden, and Selene on the day she’d been born. They had been so happy in the picture, thinking they had everything in the world they could ever want, and absolutely no worries. Then, after eight years of pure bliss, she’d had everything torn from her, ripped out of her hands in less than two months. There was a sudden, searing pain that ripped its way through her body, and she couldn’t contain all the pain and depression she’d been holding in, and the picture suddenly shot out of her hands, smashing against the wall.
* * *
A bone chilling scream rang through the house, and everyone jumped up. “She’s finally snapped,” Ian said, immediately being able to sense the desperation in her outburst.
Philip was the first to get through the door, kicking it in. It was much as she’d been when Michelle had told her about Selene being murdered. Mickala was floating about three feet up in the air, which was crackling around her. Her hair seemed to toss on an unseen wind, whipping back and forth across her emotionless, expressionless face, her eyes glowing that same bright silver. Everything loose in the room was flying rapidly around her.
She turned to him, and her mouth twisted into a vicious snarl. “Get out!” she roared, and several things left their orbits, streaking towards him. A heavy glass vase smashed into the doorframe just a few inches from his head, and another glass object slammed violently into his arm.
He twisted away, quickly shutting the door and backing back into the living room. His right arm hung limply by his side, his eyes wide with fear. “What’s going on?” Nehela asked, quickly mending the broken bone.
“I think she’s gone crazy,” he said, his breathing coming in quick gasps. It was as if the whirling vortex Mickala was causing had sucked his very breath out of him. “She’s floating in the middle of the room, her eyes that same silver when Selene died, and shit’s flying around her.”
He apologized quickly to Michelle, but she shook her head, seeing how shaken he was. “It’s her grief. It’s getting the best of her. This time? I think she’s willing to let it destroy her.”
Thirty Four
(If I Could) Turn Back the Hands of Time
Ian stood. “I’ll go.” He went in, and it was exactly how Philip had described, and he could feel the waves of despair, rage, guilt, suicide. They were all battering at him, causing his emotions to whip back and forth along with hers. He felt for himself the desire for blood, the heartbreak, the need to end his own life. He called her name, not even trying to dodge the objects she sent flying at him, which now included broken glass.
The large and small slivers cut his face and hands, tore through his clothes, but he didn’t stop his advance. She directed the surrounding wind at him, knocking him backwards a couple of steps, shaking the double doors he’d closed behind him. He felt the very air being sucked out of his lungs, and he understood now why Phillip had been gasping like he’d just sprinted a marathon. Ian went down to one knee, his hand into a fist on his chest, struggling to breathe, but he got back up, bent almost in half against the force of the wind and continued making his way toward her.
“Just let me die already!!” she screamed at him, her face now twisted in total and complete agony. “What in the seven hells is left for me to do now?!”
“Live, Mickala,” he whispered, but the wind seemed to blow his words back down his throat. “For those we love who can’t, live. Aiden died so you could live, Mickala. Don’t let his death be for nothing, cousin. You owe him that much.” He reached out, stretching his arm as far as it would go, and finally took her hand. An electric shock went through him, causing him to grit his teeth against a cry of pain, his back arching sharply. He hit his knees again, but he refused to let her hand go. “I know you hurt, Mickala. I hurt, too. But don’t do it this way. Don’t let your husband, my brother, the father of your child, die in vain.”
* * *
Her eyes closed, her hand turning into a fist inside his, and the storm in the room died, her belongings thudding to the floor. She dropped to the ground, and her knees went out from under her, and she fell apart completely. Great, tearing sobs ripped their way out of her as she finally found the release she had so desperately needed. Ian took her in his arms, cradling her. “I know, Mickala. I know exactly how you feel, but you can’t forget all the others who are depending on you, who care about and love you. Together, we can figure out how to heal from this, but we couldn’t get over losing both of you. We need you, Mickala.” He held her as she cried and cried, and it was almost an hour before she could finally start pulling herself together. When she looked up at him, it relieved him to see intel
ligence and light flooding back into her bloodshot blue eyes. “Are you okay now?”
“For the first time, I really think so,” she said, sitting back on her knees, her hands still grasping his. “I, I just…” she trailed off, struggling to find words for the first time since he’d met her. “It’s like, I could feel everything building up inside, all of that pain and sadness, despair, everything. I could feel it coming off everyone, and it was finding its way inside me, building up more and more, and I couldn’t find anyway to let all of that out. I couldn’t cry, I couldn’t drag myself out of the darkness in my heart enough to try to talk. It just kept filling me up, like a poison for my soul. I couldn’t see anything else in my mind, and I felt like I had nothing to live for.”
She met his eyes. “Thank you. Thank you for reminding me of what I had left, what Aiden’s sacrifice had been for. I think that was about the only thing anyone could’ve said to snap me out of that whirlwind.” Her eyes suddenly seemed to focus, and her mouth dropped as she touched a deep gash across his cheek. Then she saw the rest of him. “I did that?” She shook her head. “I’m so sorry, Ian.”
He shrugged. “It’s worth a few cuts and scratches to have you back in your right mind. That shock was the worst, though.” He managed a smile. “I think you about scared poor Philip to death.”
Shame flooded her face. “I broke his arm, didn’t I?”
“Nehela already fixed it,” he replied.
They got to their feet, and he could see her trying to work through her shame at how she’d acted, and she hugged him. “Thank you, but that doesn’t seem anywhere near enough.”
He gave a half smile. “We’re family.”
She traced her finger across his cheek, and he felt a small tingle as she healed his cut. “As good as new. Nehela would probably shoot me full of arrows, literally, if you came out of here scarred all to hell.”
He gave a low bow. “Welcome back, Princess Mickala.”
She gave a fluid, formal curtsey. “Thank you for bringing me back, Prince Ian,” she replied solemnly.
* * *
They went back into the living room, and everyone’s head came up, and Mickala sighed. “I’m so, so sorry about the way I’ve been acting over the past few days. I know I’ve been beyond crazy and into the bipolar zone, but I think I’ve finally got the mental capability to handle what’s happened, instead of acting like a lunatic.” She looked at Philip, wincing at the wary way he regarded her. “I’m really okay, Philip. And I’m so sorry I hurt you.”
He managed a weak laugh. “As crazy as it sounds, I think I would do it again to have you back to normal. None of us knew what was going on with you, and you wouldn’t talk to us, even though we all knew you were going through hell on Earth, and how bad you were.”
“I couldn’t,” she said, sitting on the arm of a chair. “I wanted to more than anything, but my mind wouldn’t let me.” She gave a small smile. “I’m truly okay now. Ian brought me back to Earth.”
Nehela flew across the room and hugged her, and Mickala could bring herself to hug her back with genuine feeling. Chad, Philip, EJ, Ian and Michelle all joined in on the group hug, along with Travis and Ari. Mickala started crying again from all the love she could feel now.
They all sat down in the living room, Michelle and Travis holding hands. “What are we going to do about him?” Travis asked.
“He seems to be the type to pick us off one at a time. He knows he’s not strong enough to face all of us at one time, plus it would be a slow torture of Mickala,” Ian said, sitting next to his cousin on the armchair.
“No one goes anywhere alone,” Mickala said, shaking her head. “I can’t lose anyone else. My sanity…it just couldn’t handle it.”
EJ sighed. “He’s hiding all traces of his energy. The only way we’ll be able to find him is if he wants to be found.”
They all fell into silence, then Ian shook his head with a dark swear. “I wish we could have killed this bastard before everything went to hell in a handbasket.”
They had the radio playing, and R. Kelly’s song “If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time” came on. The others looked up at two identical gasps on either end of the living room. Michelle and Mickala were staring at each other with the same expression, and they all knew the wolves had an idea.
Mickala was the first to speak. “Do you think we could do it?”
“I don’t see why not,” Michelle replied. “You’re stronger than Angel was, plus you’ll have my strength to draw from as well. It’s only a few years, so yeah, I definitely think we could pull it off.”
EJ raised an eyebrow. “Um, does someone want to clue the rest of us in?”
Mickala looked at him, more life on her face than they’d seen since the night Michelle had told her Selene was dead. “We can kill him before he ruins everything.”
“How?” Philip asked.
Nehela was the first to understand, then Ian right behind her, and they were both skeptical. “Isn’t it dangerous, though? I mean, the effort alone could kill you.”
“And so can sitting here with our thumbs up our ass waiting for Trey to pick us off,” Mickala replied as she stood and started pacing, her face deep in thought.
Chad scowled. “Would someone please explain to those of us not in the loop?”
“Mickala and Michelle can turn back time,” Ian said.
Chad and EJ both jumped to their feet, instantly excited. Philip, however, was looking at Nehela’s troubled face. “Why do I feel like there’s a ‘but’ coming?”
“But, it’s incredibly dangerous and difficult,” the elf said. “It could kill one or even both of them.”
“What are the chances of that happening?” EJ asked Michelle.
“The more time you go back, the more difficult it is. We’re only trying to go back ten, eleven years, so it shouldn’t be as hard. It’s going to be exhausting, but manageable.”
Mickala shook her head. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of this after that bastard killed Selene.”
“When do you want to go back to?” Michelle asked.
“Before school started our senior year. Just after Aiden destroyed Valez. Remember, he got Trey to expose himself on the first day of school.”
“When do you want to do this?” Travis asked.
* * *
Mother and daughter locked eyes, and Michelle gave a grim smile. “Well, there’s no time like the present.” She looked at Ian. “Can you go get your grandfather? We’ll have to hold hands, and only those in physical contact go with us, and they’ll keep their memory of now.”
Uncle?
Ari’s voice seemed surprised. Yes, Mickala?
Ian’s on his way to bring you here.
Why? What’s going on? he asked, concerned.
We’re going to make things right, she said.
What… he trailed off, and she knew he understood. You’re going to turn everything back?
Yes, to before he showed us who he really was, and we want you to go with us. I don’t want to lose the relationship we have now, and Ian damn sure doesn’t want to.
I’ll be waiting.
Mickala nodded at her cousin, and he disappeared. He was back in a couple of seconds with the King of Elagon. “Are you sure about this?” he asked, his voice grave. “You understand what could happen?” Mickala and Michelle said yes, and he nodded. “Let’s do it.”
Michelle looked at her husband, and he took her hand firmly. “I’m not losing what I’ve learned,” he said, shaking his head, and she smiled at him.
They formed a large circle in the living room, Mickala and Michelle opposite each other. “Whatever you do, don’t let go of each other.” Chad had to ask ‘why’, and she raised an eyebrow. “There’s no telling where in time you’ll end up, if you come out at all.” He turned white, and his grip on Philip and EJ’s hands tightened.
* * *
The wolf demons’ eyes closed, each concentrating with every fiber of their being on the tas
k. They began chanting in unison, their blue stars appearing along with their wings. Mickala firmly planted the time, date and location in her mind, refusing to let it be swayed. Great gusts of wind began swirling around the group, but no one opened their eyes. Mickala felt her strength waning, then Michelle opened a channel, bolstering her power. Once the others understood, they all opened channels as well, and Mickala’s star blazed suddenly. Mickala and Michelle’s chanting grew louder, and the power stirring behind their words raised the hair on the arms and necks of the others.
Suddenly, everything went pitch black and deathly cold, and they all felt as if the floor had fallen out from under them. The wind strengthened, tearing at their clothes, and all felt as if it was trying to rip them away from one another. The terrifying sensation continued, and the Solarians’ voices continued, chanting faster and faster until their words seemed to flow in a steady, never-ending torrent.
After several minutes, their knees buckled as their feet encountered a floor, and the air grew warm again, much warmer than it had been before they had started. Slowly, the winds died down as Mickala and Michelle’s voices grew softer, slower before finally stopping all together. They all opened their eyes.
Thirty Five
Unexpected Memories
They were standing in a kitchen which had been destroyed ten years ago. “It worked,” Mickala whispered, then her eyes rolled back in her head. EJ and Ian caught her as she collapsed, just as Travis kept Michelle from hitting the floor. Nehela checked them out quickly, but they were both okay, only completely drained. It took the guys a minute to remember where Mickala’s old room was, Victor’s mansion being three times the size of what Mickala had built. After laying Mickala on the bed, they showed Travis to one of the guest rooms. After a quick check, they realized no one was home, and the date was August 15, 2017, the day before they started their last year of high school.
Releasing the Demons: Solarian Chronicles II Page 31
