Phoenix Rising

by Anne, Melody

  “This doesn’t concern you,” Johnathan growled, narrowing his eyes at the two of them. “Leave now.”

  “Any innocent human life is a concern of mine,” Sadie argued, practically spitting fire. “If you wish to take their lives, then you’d better be damn ready to take that little sword of yours and ram it into me first, because I will never stand back, knowing that by doing so, other’s lives were ended too soon.”

  “Stop fighting battles that don’t concern you,” Johnathan shouted. “Go off with Brian and act like the happy couple you are. This war is not your concern.”

  “If you and Phoenix are in this war then it is my concern,” Sadie shouted. Without even thinking about it, she stepped onto the table and walked across it. She then jumped onto the dirt and stood a couple feet in front of Johnathan, staring him down. “You are my family, and family doesn’t abandon one another.”

  Johnathan sucked in a deep breath and stared at Sadie. His hands clenched into tight fists, causing his knuckles to go white. Without another word he turned on his heel and started walking away.

  “Stop running,” Sadie shouted, chasing after him.

  Johnathan quickly spun around and grabbed her shoulder. “Leave me alone,” he growled before releasing her. Before Sadie could react, Johnathan was running, faster than the human eye could follow.

  Sadie turned to the group and walked back to Samantha.

  “Who was that? How did you stop him so easily?” Samantha asked.

  A tear tracked down Sadie’s cheek, and she had to take a minute before she was able to respond.

  “At one time he was my brother. He went through a terrible tragedy and turned. You are no longer safe here. I think it’s best if your group goes to our camp.”

  “We can’t just up and leave,” Samantha argued, rubbing her fingers against her temple to help ease the sudden pain of a headache this situation had brought on.

  “I know it’s not easy with a group this large, and I know there’s a lot in this area you want to accomplish, but after the incident today it isn’t safe for you to stay,” Sadie pleaded, hoping she could persuade her.

  “He left. You solved the situation. We don’t have to run scared,” Samantha said, ignoring the chill that ran down her spine, thinking about the visit today. She had faced enemy soldiers on multiple occasions and had been wounded to the point where she was on bed rest for weeks, but never before had her mortality felt as fragile as facing the man with such cold eyes.

  “He only left because Brian and I were here. I don’t even know if he would leave again if we stayed. He isn’t the same man we knew and loved, and we cannot guarantee your safety here. At least at our base camp there are many people he knows. I don’t think he’d risk going there,” Sadie explained, trying to use logic, when her mind was screaming to run far away.

  “And what about the war effort?” Samantha grumbled.

  “There are plenty of groups working on the war effort. Groups are sent from our base all the time. We just need to mingle our people better to provide more protection,” Sadie said, feeling triumphant as she noticed Samantha giving in.

  “I guess we’re moving,” Samantha said loudly to the entire group, her shoulders slumped slightly.

  “It’s the right decision.”

  At least Sadie hoped it was.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Vyco

  “Jessica,” Vyco whispered. He widened Devon’s eyes and gazed at her adoringly. He absolutely despised acting as if he needed her, as if he adored her like she was worth anything. She was nothing. But he also knew this was the best way to get what he wanted from her very quickly. She was putty in his hands if he flattered her. Vyco wasn’t afraid to use her weaknesses against her.

  “But . . . but, you died,” Jessica said, dumbfounded.

  “I didn’t, my love,” Vyco responded, stepping closer and pulling Jessica’s lithe body against his. “Josiah turned me into one of his beings, but that wasn’t for me. I couldn’t be away from you.”

  “How did you get out from under Josiah’s thumb?” Jessica asked, her brows furrowed.

  “He’s so focused on Phoenix, I could be doing anything without his knowledge,” Vyco replied, inflecting a sneer when he said Phoenix’s name. The host didn’t fight him. Interesting. There must be problems between the two of them. Vyco knew the use of her name was another way to manipulate Jessica.

  It worked, because that pretty face of hers immediately transformed into an ugly scowl. “That useless waste of human existence.”

  “She has crossed the line too many times,” Vyco agreed immediately. “I don’t understand why all of the focus is on her when a magnificent being like you is present.”

  “I am pretty magnificent,” Jessica said with a purr, bringing her face closer to Devon’s.

  It had been much too long since a man had invested so much time to flatter her and make her feel good, and she missed it. She had wanted so much from Johnathan, but he was always mean and unfair. Maybe Devon, Phoenix’s puppy dog and her almost beau, was just what Jessica needed to feel alive and empowered again.

  “You’re the most magnificent being in creation,” Vyco was quick to agree, thankful that the flattery was working and with such quick efficiency. “I would follow you to the ends of the earth to watch your perfection. I don’t care about the light when you aren’t a part of it.”

  “You are saying all of the right things, aren’t you?” Jessica purred. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his in a punishing kiss. Vyco responded by squeezing her tightly, biting her lip and relishing in the tang of blood that hit his tongue.

  “I want you right here, right now,” Jessica said with a pant, looking into Devon’s eyes, full of desire.

  “I will do anything for you,” he replied, triumph rushing through him.

  Soon he would have everything back in place, but for now, it was time to focus solely on pleasure.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Falcon

  Something had shifted. Falcon wasn’t quite sure what it was, but something was different. He halted and glanced around. It wasn’t exactly a bad feeling, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything.

  He was worried because despite his injuries, Falcon had learned to rely on his instincts, and they rarely led him in the wrong direction.

  Slowly stepping forward, he remained on alert for anything out of the ordinary. One strong enemy would be the end of life as he knew it, and as much as Falcon liked to think he didn’t care about life, or living, or the future, the thought of death terrified him. He wasn’t ready.

  In the distance a faint sound could be heard. It sounded musical.

  Falcon closed his eyes and attempted to listen, but it seemed to elude him, so with hardened resolve he continued to quietly move forward.

  He wasn’t wandering listlessly, instead he was searching for the source of that angelic tune. It had been centuries since he had heard anything in its likeness.

  The farther Falcon walked, the clearer the music became. It appeared someone was humming, and what a beautiful sound they made. Falcon felt peace settle deep within him.

  He needed to find the source of the noise. There was no question about it or another option; it was the only way to find what he was looking for. But that didn’t make sense.

  Taking slow deliberate steps toward the sound, he delighted as it became louder and more concrete the nearer he came.

  He paused, and leaned up against a large tree. The sound was coming from just around the corner, but Falcon wasn’t quite sure what to do about it. Did he walk out and confront the person, or did he continue to hide in the shadows and listen?

  That wasn’t an option because she wouldn’t be there forever, and the thought of his one ray of sunshine disappearing was unacceptable. He had to risk a meeting. He might be weakened, but he had nothing left in life if he was making a mistake.

  Falcon stepped from behind the tr
ee and felt his breath catch. The delicate woman before him had long black hair swaying in the wind, as a smile tilted her perfect lips while releasing a sweet hum. Her slight hands reached forward and steadily plucked juicy blackberries that matched her hair so beautifully.

  She was just as he remembered, complete perfection. And she was alive.

  “Evelyn?” Falcon whispered, hoping and praying with everything in his blackened soul that this meeting was real, she was really before him. He explored the idea that his injuries were making him delusional, and he was seeing things, but that thought was too painful to even imagine.

  Evelyn gasped, her humming immediately halted. She spun on the spot, terrified having been caught unaware. Only she and Elise were picking berries in this area, or so she’d thought. Evelyn closed her eyes and slowly turned, her limbs shaking. Taking a deep breath she opened her eyes, and suddenly she couldn’t breathe.

  “It really is you,” Falcon whispered, taking a hesitant step forward. He needed to touch her, hold her, make sure it really was her, she was real and not part of his imagination or pain-induced delusions.

  “Falcon?” Evelyn questioned, tears filling her eyes.

  She hadn’t thought she would ever see this man again. She believed she’d spend the rest of eternity without him, and she’d come to accept that, though it had torn her apart for centuries.

  The war in the heavens had been too much for her to handle, and Falcon had gotten so into it and had changed. She hadn’t liked the negative change, the callous way he had handled injuries and death.

  It hadn’t been the man she’d fallen in love with. She had needed to leave, but by choosing to leave she had severed her ties with the heavens and had experienced a vast drop in powers.

  She had continued to live a long life, but without the extra abilities that most of the immortals carried with them. She hadn’t known what happened to Falcon, she didn’t know if he’d survived the war so many years ago. Not knowing was better than being there as he got himself killed. At least she’d found a measure of peace in dreaming that he’d overcome his dark desires.

  “You’re alive,” Falcon said with awe. He took another step closer, leaving them barely two feet apart. Falcon reached over and cupped Evelyn’s cheek, so happy when he came in contact with her warm skin. “Why did you leave?”

  Evelyn couldn’t hold back the tears as she looked at him. Nothing could have prepared her for this meeting.

  “I had to leave. The war was killing me. The violence. Watching you change. I couldn’t stand by as you destroyed yourself and our love.”

  “You could have talked to me about it! I searched for you for years and found nothing. You didn’t even leave a note! I was so lost.”

  “I thought it would be easier the way I did it,” Evelyn tried to explain. She looked away and sniffled, trying to hold herself together.

  “It wasn’t easier. Losing you was the hardest moment in my life. I’ve never gotten over you, though I’ve tried. Don’t you understand how much I loved you, how much you meant to me, even after centuries without you?” Falcon asked, feeling as though his insides were twisting into knots. He didn’t know whether to be happy she was alive or angry she’d run off.

  “I’m sorry,” Evelyn responded. “I never meant to hurt you. Really, I didn’t think you would notice. You were never home unless you were injured and needed to heal.”

  “No, I wasn’t home. I didn’t have my priorities straight. But don’t you understand that I came to you in my weakest moments because I trusted you with every fiber of my being? You were my rock, but then you vanished.”

  “We can’t change the past, Falcon. But we can move forward,” Evelyn said, grasping one of Falcon’s hand.

  “What does all of this mean?” he asked.

  She was silent for several moments, and he felt his heart ripping again. If she didn’t want him, he would have rather not found her.

  No. That wasn’t true. Even though it would rip him apart to lose her all over again, he felt peace, knowing she was alive and well. He loved her enough to let her go if that’s what she truly needed.

  “I have a new home now. I’m helping the rebellion, and we’re gaining ground. Come with me, Falcon. Let us get to know each other again,” she said.

  And for the first time in centuries Falcon felt warmth in his heart again. Maybe this was why he’d been thinking so much of her, maybe he’d known she was close, known they were going to come back together again. Whatever the answers, he wasn’t going to fight fate.

  He had a chance for a new beginning, and he prayed she would never know the horrors he’d inflicted on the world and those she cared about. If she did, her love might not survive it.

  “You haven’t changed at all. Still helping anyone you can,” he said.

  “I’ve changed. I’ve seen how terrible some people are. I also know how beautiful mankind can be. And those I’m with now have done nothing to harm me. They protect me.” She couldn’t keep the pain from her eyes as she said this.

  Fury rose inside Falcon. “Someone has harmed you?” he asked, his voice changing.

  She laid her hand against his cheek. “It’s over, Falcon. No one ever will again,” she told him.

  His eyes were narrowed, but as she pleaded with him to understand, he slowly felt himself calm. He wanted to rip apart anyone who had dared touch her, but he knew that by doing so, he would hurt her all the more and would inevitably lose her.

  That was more pain than he could swallow.

  “Come and meet Elise. She has made a home for me, making me feel as if I truly belong. We both have gone through pain, and we share something that only survivors can share.

  “I have you back now, Evelyn, and I won’t risk losing you again. Let me meet this new family you’ve become a part of,” Falcon said.

  “I hope you can find the same peace I’ve found,” she told him.

  “With you in my life, I can only become the man I once was,” he told her.

  “Oh, Falcon, you’ve always doubted yourself,” she said with a gentle smile. “You can become so much more than you’ve ever been. Just let the light shine through you again and together we will find the heavens.”

  Falcon couldn’t turn away from her, from the beautiful light that naturally radiated from her entire presence. He knew he would follow her to the ends of the universe and would never tire.

  He was home. Because wherever Evelyn was, that was home.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Vyco

  Vyco lay awake, watching Jessica as she continued sleeping. She tired much too quickly to be the perfect specimen for him, but she was fun for a short time, and she was definitely useful for his purpose. She would be the perfect puppet.

  He watched, finding it ironic how peaceful she looked while sleeping. Her little head leaned against his chest, her hair splayed around her head like a black halo. With her eyes closed she appeared almost innocent. It was quite a contrast from the manipulative, seductive woman he had come to know.

  Vyco ran a hand through her hair and tugged. Slowly Jessica began to wake. Her nose crinkled, and her eyes scrunched. She let out a wide yawn, finally pulling herself out of the sleep she’d fallen into.

  “You are so perfect,” Vyco said, holding Jessica close. She hummed and snuggled closer into his chest.

  “I haven’t been so satisfied in a long time,” Jessica replied with a contented sigh.

  “I plan to quench your every need, your every desire. We can change the world. You and I will rule the world together,” Vyco whispered in her ear.

  “How will we do that? Johnathan is so strong and has different ideas of how to run things than I do,” Jessica responded with a pout. She was so angry Johnathan had turned her down and had not let her do as she liked.

  “What if we go above Johnathan? Go behind his back and do exactly what you want. Find stronger allies, make yourself the one in power,” Vyco suggested as he
ran a hand along her spine, enjoying the soft smooth skin.

  “How do I do that?” Jessica asked.

  “We overtake and destroy the council.”

  “No one has that kind of power. Not since Vyco died,” she said with a wave of her hand.

  “You would be surprised the power I’m holding,” he told her.

  She looked up and gazed at him, first with doubt and then with dawning hope.

  “There’s something so familiar in your eyes — so much darkness,” she said, her fingers sliding along his cheek. “You just might be able to succeed.”

  “That’s what I want to hear, my darling,” he told her before ravaging her lips.

  When they pulled apart, he knew she was a puppet in his hands. His plan was in motion. He would soon have his kingdom back.

  Chapter Thirty

  Phoenix

  From the beginning I had a bad feeling about Jessica. It was an automatic dislike. It isn’t necessarily something I’m proud of. Mom always told me to not judge a book by its cover, not be so judgmental of people upon initial contact, but it was so hard not to judge her.

  Jessica had come into the cave caked in makeup and continued to wear that vain product while others were in ragged clothes. She’d purposely dressed in items that weren’t suitable for survival in the wartime environment, and she’d relished in the male attention it got her. She hadn’t given the time of day to the women. They were beneath her.

  I tried and tried to think kindly of her, but I couldn’t help but dislike her. She made me feel so small, and she made my feelings seem so insignificant. I might as well have been a bug beneath her shoes by the way she always looked at me.

  I was nothing, and that hurt my feelings, it especially hurt because she got away with treating me in that manner around the people I loved without them noticing, without them seeing her for the terribly mean person she was.

  Despite my dislike for her, I never imagined she could be so harmful, that she would cause so much damage. I just didn’t think she was smart enough to accomplish such a feat. I shouldn’t have underestimated her. Maybe if I had used more of my intuition, I could have seen a sign. But there’s no use crying over that now. All we can do now is move forward and hope she can be stopped, and that we can get Johnathan away from her grasp.