by Debbie Long
It’s Loki that snarls at him and steps forward. “Get your hands off my mother!” I see his skin rippling, and his eyes flash red. His teeth sharpen to points, and he snarls again. I place my hand on his arm, glancing around to make sure no one pays us any attention.
“Calm Loki, he hasn’t hurt her, and we need to be vigilant.” I say to him. I watch as he visibly shudders, closing his eyes, breathing deeply. I look back to Lucifer, who is overseeing the scene with a bored expression. “What are you doing here, Lucifer? You were banished from this world.”
“Yes, I was.” The woman he is holding tries again to snatch her arm away. He gives her a shake in irritation, and she stills. “You see, it was my mates that bound me to the underworld. I didn’t want children you see, but I wanted them to rule by my side when I found out how powerful they were. I knew that in time, I could gain my powers back. Then that key just fell into my lap. When my mates died, I knew I had to rid the earth of my children and to do that, I needed the help of the gods. Of course, when I told them who they were, they had no objections to taking them away from here. Now, I am free to do as I please and no one to stop me.”
“We are here to stop you!” Snarls Loki. “Release my mother, and I won’t tear you limb from limb.” Loki steps forward again, but this time it’s Damon that puts his hand out to stop him.
Lucifer throws his head back and laughs. We all look at each other, worries etched in our faces. The girls look pale. The guys look ready to rip Lucifer’s head off, and I am trying to access the situation.
When he stops, his body emanates black smoke. His wings unfurl. I gasp at the sheer size of them, looking to Trey who has gone a sickly shade of grey. “No one will stop me this time. The gods have gifted me with more power than I had before. The only ones that can stop me are my daughters and since they are somewhat…. Engaged in other activities and will soon be dead, they can’t stop me from taking what is mine.”
“And that is?” I ask.
“The world, all worlds.” He smirks as the smoke grows. Swirling around him and Loki’s mother like a whirlwind. “The gods were foolish in thinking I will leave them alone after they stopped the first war and took my powers from me. Once I have conquered all fae, I will conquer the gods.”
“I would love to see that happen.” Jade says with a snort. “They stopped you before along with the fae, they can stop you again.”
“Little girl, you know nothing so shush and let the men speak.” Jade bristles next to me, her face going red with anger.
“Listen up you pompous asshole.” She starts to say. I look to her, and she is clutching at her throat, her eyes bugging out of her head. She falls to her knees, her face taking on a blue colour. I drop to her side, at the same time as Marcus. We both try to break whatever hold Lucifer has on her, but his power is too great.
“ENOUGH” Lucifer shouts. He releases Jade who gulps in mouthfuls of air. “Now, as I was saying.” He starts again as we glare at him. “I have control over the below and the academy. You will take me to the elemental academy and the palaces first. Then the shifter academy and all the shifter clans. You will not fight me, or this woman dies along with the succubus queen and the vampire overlord.”
“You can’t cross into my lands, even with us at your side.” Trey walks forward, looking to me to confirm his words. I give a curt nod, looking to Lucifer who is frowning at us.
“Maybe I am not making this urgent enough.” Lucifer rubs his chin in thought. Before we can utter another word, he extracts a dagger from his waistband and drives it into Loki’s mother’s side.
Loki screams as she drops to the ground. He runs to her side, yanking off his shirt and placing it to her wound. “You will pay for this Lucifer!” He hisses at the man stood over them both. “I will not rest until you are dead.”
Lucifer laughs again, “I look forward to you trying.” He looks to me, his eyes narrowing, and the black smoke flickering from black to grey to black again. “Now, about the elemental world.”
Trying to stop this demon will be more challenging than we thought. With the power coming my way, I know that he will be hard to destroy with the girls gone. We just need a distraction before he hurts anyone else.
Chapter nine
Morgan
That stupid orb has been following us everywhere. We set up our tents for the night, making sure we had two lookouts, and still that orb stayed where it was, above our heads.
I felt Zeus’s anger through it. I felt his watchful eyes on my neck, my face and those around me.
As we lay down for the night, I felt a slither of unease creep up my spine. My judgment has never been wrong, so I placed my hand on the earth, closed my eyes and asked mother earth to help me scope out the area. I smiled when she answered without hesitation. I opened my eyes to see Violet doing the same but in the opposite direction. I sensed someone nearby. I pushed a little further, and my head snapped up the same time as Violet’s.
I rushed to my feet, grabbing my blade. The air feels to still. The animals too quiet. I move to stand in the centre, my sisters pressed to my sides. Daphnae and her friend Zack rushed to their feet also. Mia, the other team-mate, was scouting the area in her hawk form. Oddly enough, she was half-fae, half-god. These gods were sluts, they didn’t know when to keep it in their pants. I think she was Artemis’s granddaughter.
A snap to our left has us swinging around to see the red team walk through the clearing. Pan’s eyes lock with mine, and he gives me a chilling smile.
“Looks like we have caught ourselves some rabbits.” He sneers at me, nods to his teammate who nocks her arrow. She smirks at me but doesn’t aim at us, she aims into the sky where Mia is still circling. Before we can stop her, she lets the arrow go. It soars in the air, plunging into her wing. She screeches before falling to the ground with a thud.
Violet acts first. She bends, scooping her hand towards the ground where vines erupt. She locks her eyes on the girl, snarls and shoots the vines towards her. The girl tries to fire off another arrow, but I flick it away. Her eyes widen when the vines wrap around her. I watch Violet as she squeezes her hand, and the vines respond to her by circling tighter around the girl in a vice-like grip. I can see the panic in her eyes. I can see the terror in her teammate’s eyes.
Pan screams at Violet, but it’s almost as if she is in a trance. “Stop! You’re going to kill her.” He races to his friend, grabbing the vines. Instead of them coming loose, they wrap around him too.
“Violet! Stop.” I say to my sister. I move in front of her as she flicks her other hand towards the male teammate. She begins to crush him, too, without a thought. I see his sword fall to the ground. I see that he was inches away from me. “Violet!”
She looks at me, and I gasp when I see her eyes have taken on a green tone. Even her hair has hints of green. “They have killed another on my soil. I feel the ground weeping.” I blink at her voice. It sounds distorted, almost like a voice I have heard in my head.
“Mother Earth?” She smiles at me.
“I will not kill them. I will, however, protect my children.” She smiles again. For some reason, I begin to cry. Her magic washes over me like a warm hug. It surrounds me like a blanket of happiness and warmth.
“Let Violet go so we can get out of here. Please.” She nods, and Violet slumps to the floor. The vines remain around the other team. They don’t seem to be in pain but in a peaceful sleep. I drop to the ground, same time as Clarissa. “Vi, are you okay?”
She stirs, rubbing her eyes. “Well, that was something.” She gives us a weak smile as we help her up.
I look towards Daphnae and her friend on the ground. “We can’t go on. Not with her like this.” She looks sad.
“Let me help.” Clarissa says, hurrying over to her and dropping to the ground. “I can heal her wing and give her the energy she needs to keep going.”
“How can you do that? You haven’t practised.” I say to her.
She frowns in thought. “I don’t know how I know. I
just know I can do this.” She closes her eyes. Clarissa places her hands over the broken and bloodied wing. Mia squawks weakly but makes no move to stop her.
Just when I think nothing will happen, a dark blue light surrounds her hands. The light lands on the wing, lighting it up. I can feel a humming under my feet, and when I look around, the clearing is alight with rainbow colours. The flowers are bright and swaying slightly, the trees seem to be leaning towards us. I look at Violet, who is also glowing, and when I look down at myself, I am too.
When I look back up, Mia has shifted back. Her arm seems bloodied but healed. We all gape at Clarissa who is sat back on her heels wearing a smug look.
“You really do have Hades power.” Mia looks at her in awe. “You know, he only used it once. He had a chance to save his last wife but never did. We have never seen that power in action, only read about it.”
“Why have the power to heal and not use it for someone you love?” I ask perplexed.
“It’s like a double edge sword isn’t it. He has the power to heal, but he also has the power to control death and spirits. It torments him.”
“Why would it torment him?”
“Why wouldn’t it. Imagine having this power to save people, only you can’t save everyone. Those who cross his path in the afterlife ask him this time and time again. He never had an answer. He never even tried except one time with his first wife. He tried to save her, but it was too late, and she mocked him in her spirit form before she moved on.”
“That’s just sad.” Violet says. She looks back at the sleeping team. The vines seem to be protecting them, keeping them warm.
“We better get moving. I don’t like being here. I feel exposed in this clearing.” I move towards my tent, which is made up of the earth. I flick my hand, waving it over the ground for it to sink back and be still and flat once more.
We all gather our bags. I peer into mine, seeing my rations are low. I really don’t want to kill a creature, but we might not have a choice. I look up to the mountains and sigh. We have a long way to go. If only there was another way to get there faster.
I look at Violet and wonder if she could shift into her air form. I dash that thought aside. It wouldn’t work, she is far too small to carry us. Another idea comes to me, mother earth. If she could somehow take us there or transport us to the mountainside. I don’t even know if that would work, but I do know we are wasting time here. I feel in my soul that something terrible is happening in my world, and my gut is telling me my mates are in trouble.
“Did you call for me daughter?” I jump and squeak. I turn to see Violet smiling at me, though it’s not Violet. “I will help you daughter. It is important and with great urgency that you return home. Your world is in great danger. I fear it will be too late if you stay here longer then necessary.”
I look up at the orb buzzing over my head. Having enough of being watched, I grab my blade and swipe at it. The clang of metal hitting metal echo’s through the clearing. It drops to the floor where the ground opens up and swallows it.
“Thank you. That thing has been driving me mad.” I say to her. “How are we going to get to the mountain?”
“I will send you there through the earth. I would suggest you close your eyes.” Mother earth’s eyes twinkle. She gives us a serene smile before closing her eyes. We do the same as the ground shakes, and I squeeze my eyes tighter when I feel myself drop. Clarissa let’s out a squeal, and I can’t help but chuckle. The air whooshes around us, and that’s the only thing I feel. I don’t feel myself moving, which I thought I would.
I see a flash of light that would blind me if my eyes were open. When the whooshing has stopped, I open my eyes. I blink a few times to see we are at the top of the mountain and right in front of us are two other teams fighting to reach the flag.
Chapter ten
Cole
Lucifer is currently sat on my father’s throne. He looks around with this smug look. I clench my teeth because I just want to wipe that look off his face. My parents are sat in the dungeon. I tried to get to them, but they are heavily guarded by his demon’s. In fact, they are everywhere, standing guard at the gates and throughout the castle.
Lucifer has summoned me here, along with Marcus and Trey. The others are locked in the tower. He stands, folding his arms behind his back and walking to us like he owns the place. My teeth grind when he snaps his fingers, and my parents' loyal guard moves from where he is stood to stand by his side. Ryker’s eyes flick to mine before looking away. He is the only that stayed. I don’t blame him really. He has a family in the village that he is protecting.
Lucifer looks us over and tuts. “We can’t have this now, can we. When you are in my presence, you will be dressed accordingly. You will walk into this room and kneel at my feet.”
My nostrils flare, and I feel Marcus shift by my side. I lay my hand on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze. “We will never kneel to you Lucifer.” I snap. All he does is smirk. “This is my kingdom and will never be yours.”
“Is that so.” His eyes darken. The whites of his eyes turn black. He snaps his fingers again, and my brother is dragged in by two demons.
My eyes widen when I see the state, he is in. “CALLUM” I move towards him, but binds hold me in place. I look down to see black smoke circling me, holing me where I am stood. “I swear to mother earth, if you harm in any further, I will end you.” My inner beast growls, and my body shakes. I know my eyes have changed to the honey yellow of my beast, my wolf.
Lucifer’s eyes widen slightly before he schools his features to a bored and dismissive look. “Calm that beast. I can feel the thing trying to break through my hold, but it will never happen.” His eyes gleam, but little does he know my beast is strong.
My beast growls again. He doesn’t like being told what to do, well Morgan is the exception. I smile at that thought, he is whipped when it comes to our mate. My body is shaking from breaking these binds. I feel the shift happening, my body humming in a content way. I sigh as I let him loose. The restraints fall away as my beast springs forward. I snarl in Lucifers face. He doesn’t flinch, he doesn’t move, he just looks bored like I am an irritating puppy.
He flicks his hand, and a ball of black magic hits me in the chest and sends me flying back. I crash into the wall, but spring back up and charge towards him. He holds up his hand to stop me and his eyes flick to my brother, who is suspended in mid-air.
I come to a halt, my beast whimpers.
“I will not ask again. You will bow to me, or the rest of your family will suffer the same fate.” He squeezes his hand and never takes his eyes off me. I hear a snap, my head whips back to my brother who is now laying crumbled on the ground, his head at an odd angle.
I howl. My body shifts back, and I race to him. I drop to the ground, my face burying into his face. The tears are falling freely. My wolf is whimpering. Marcus and Trey hurry over, both dropping to cradle Callum. I swear I even hear my parents crying.
We say a prayer for my brother. I feel his body start to ripple, and when I open my eyes, mother earth is welcoming him back.
My brothers kneel by my side, holding the link, so my brother has his final journey. We watch as his body turns into a ball of yellow light. He circles us in a warm glow. I smile through my tears before he vanishes into the old magic of dust.
Lucifer laughs behind me. I stand slowly, as do my brothers and we turn to him as a unit. “Are you ready now to kneel before me?”
My teeth grind. I look back at the spot where my brother just died, close my eyes and pray to the gods for help. Morgan, the girls, they need to return and fast.
When I walk forward, so do Marcus and Trey. I glance at Ryker whose eyes are glistening with tears. Him and my brother were best friends. They grew up together as brothers, same as I grew up with mine. Ryker gives me a sad, resigned look, that reflects my own.
We stand before Lucifer and drop to our knees. Lucifer smiles evilly, his teeth taking on a sharp edge same
as his face. He walks to us, patting me on the head. “Good boy.” He says in a patronising voice.
I don’t say a word, I just kneel and look at the ground. This man will die. If not by my hands, but by another, I will be happy. There is no forgiveness for him. There will be no remorse. There will be no second chances, he will die.
Damon
I am pacing this damn room. I heard the howl even from here, and I heard the anguish coming from Cole. Someone is hurt, I can feel it. I can sense death in the air. I let out a frustrated grunt and bang on the door. “Open the fucking door you scum of the earth.” I knock again and hear laugher on the other side.
“You know that isn’t going to work brother.” Loki drawls. “It won’t do any good talking to those bottom feeders.”
“I’m worried brother. What if one of them is dead? What do we tell the girls?”
