by Jaime Marks
“I shall ever respect and honor her with Light in my heart.” Mythos struggled out formally, his own emotions overwhelmed him but he held his focus to her.
“I, Marcus a Cymarcion, Praetor of the Guardians of Light, Protector of Light, Crowned King of the Light Throne of Balance and proclaimed mate of the Queen Reyana a Mythion do so witness this courting.”
Mythos pulled her tightly into his arms kissing her deeply as he allowed their essence to merge as one. He flowed into the dream state of her mind pulling her to him. He had to get through to her. There was so much confusion, so much pain lancing through her being. If he could not pull her out of this, they may well lose her. Please, with all the Light of Lucerna, the grace of the Divine Being, please, he could not lose her. He would not survive her loss.
Chapter 3
It hurt, so badly. The pain, the anger, it felt like it was ripping her apart. They couldn’t be here, why were they here? She was supposed to be starting over, building a new life, but they’d followed her bringing the nightmare back with them.
John had never left her alone he followed her, stalked her. He kept telling her she was his and no one else’s. She knew if he found out about Mythos he would do everything in his power to destroy what they had before they could even explore it.
What would Mythos think? She never had the chance to tell him the full story, never explained to him what happened. He’d caught a glimpse from the images in her mind, but he hadn’t seen everything. John would definitely turn it all against her. They’d been dating, he had always claimed that she had given herself to them. He swore she had agreed to it before the party even happened but she had never meant that she would be with all of them, just him, and she would never have willingly allowed it to happen. If he found out about Mythos, John would turn everything around…and he would find out.
She couldn’t let them hurt her anymore. She couldn’t let them hurt Star to punish her, but…Byryn was here. Byryn would protect Star. He had always protected Star, she reasoned. No. It wasn’t enough. She wouldn’t let him touch her ever again. She wouldn’t let him control her life.
Pain ripped through her as essence began to course through her being. Everything faded away in a golden Light. A vortex of energy swirled around her and she couldn’t stop. People were calling to her, begging her to listen but she couldn’t. She’d lost all control. A scream tore through her and she fell to her knees. It wasn’t like this last time, it hadn’t hurt like this. This was excruciating.
Oh god, was she dying? Is this what dying felt like, burning alive? Fire was erupting from deep inside of her and burning its way out and she couldn’t stop it. She had no idea how to stop it. Was she ever going to see him again?
She had never known anyone like Mythos. No one had ever cared for her enough to accept her and all her faults, to take care of her without taking over so they could use her leaving nothing in return. He listened to her, respected her opinion, but it was so much more than that. She knew she was already in love with him as insane as that was. He completed her and a part of her knew that she filled some hole that she couldn’t even fathom him having in his own heart. She couldn’t bear the thought of never being in his arms again.
“Please, please don’t take me from him!” She begged through her tears to whoever, whatever would listen. “Please don’t make me leave him!”
Gold burning rays shot through her body tearing through her. She felt like she would rip into a million pieces. She tried to call the knowledge from her mind that she knew she had, knowledge that was supposed to be locked inside her from the lifetimes of the Cerulyions, her family. There was no focus, no control. If she was battling, fighting, she might’ve had a chance, but this was just sheer rage. She had no idea what she was doing.
Reyana ran through the Palace as quickly as she could. She had seen it from her window. Steph was immersed in essence and it was ripping her apart. Running down the stairs she nearly tripped but caught herself and finally got to the bottom. Why the hell did she make this place with so many steps? Her legs burned by the time she exited the Palace and made it down the front steps to the courtyard. She was gasping for air.
Marcus tried to catch her, “Reyana, you shouldn’t be down here!”
She dodged him and went right to Steph and Mythos. The essence now swirled through them both. Strong winds swirled around the plateau despite the fact the there was never more than a gentle breeze that blew through the realm. The Light was so bright it was like standing aside the sun.
“Move, now!” She demanded.
“Reyana, if we do not pull the essence from her she will burn up! We cannot let go!” Cymeryn argued.
“Trust me, Cymeryn, on my mark you all have to let go!” She met each of their eyes. “Now!”
They released Steph as Reyana raised her hands encapsuling both Mythos and Steph in a sphere of Gray allowing Night essence to pool around them, cooling their skin. It was a strain to sustain it but she had to buy them some time. Steph was so confused, so lost in her mind that it would take time to find her and if she couldn’t keep them cool they would both burn up. Mythos had merged with her essence, her ancestral essence. It was surging through them both as it pulsed through Steph’s being.
“Reyana, what are you doing?” Cymeryn demanded. “You cannot possibly sustain this in your condition!”
“I have to keep them cool or they could both burn up. There’s no other way, Cymeryn.”
“Can we aid you, Reya? Can our essence sustain you?” Marcus demanded.
“Honestly? I don’t know. I’ve never exactly encountered this before.” She staggered slightly under the strength of the essence she wielded, her body still fatigued from the strain of the pregnancy and stress she had endured over the last few days.
Marcus and Cymeryn were by her side in an instant supporting her, their essences merging with her own. It provided her instant relief but she wasn’t sure if they would be able to hold up long term.
“We will try to assist you, Reyana, if it becomes too much you must tell us,” Cymeryn offered.
She nodded. “We need to buy them time, hopefully Mythos can break through to her if only we buy them time.”
He could feel her, but he could not find her. The essence that flowed through her was too strong. He had to break through the shell, but how?
“God this hurts…” Her voice carried through the vortex. He could hear her, but where was she? “Please, please don’t take me from him! Please don’t make me leave him!”
“Stephynia! I can hear you, caria. I am here,” Mythos called out to her but she did not respond.
He needed to calm himself. He was in her mind not searching through some vast reality. She was here, all around him. Essentially where they were was her. Finding his caria should be as simple as focusing and reaching out to her. Forcing all other thoughts from his mind he focused on only one thing…Stephynia.
Releasing himself from any tether Mythos drifted through the ether of her consciousness. When he opened his eyes she was lying on the ground before him, curled in a ball with essence tearing through her. She screamed in pain, tears streaming down her face as she writhed on the ground.
He rushed to her side, drawing her into his arms. “Shh, caria. I am here. Please, how may I ease you?”
She cried, clinging to him, but he wondered if she even knew he was there. How could he show her? How could he bring her mind in line with reality? He turned her towards him. Her eyes were filled with gold essence and no recognition showed as he brushed the hair out of her face.
Caressing her cheek he drew her near to him, “I love you, caria. I am right here with you. Please feel me, hear me.”
His lips graced hers tenderly a moment, they were on fire, her whole body was burning up. He kissed her again ignoring his own discomfort and allowed his love and passion flow through her, around her. He had to trust that their love could save her, that she was not meant to die this day. Slowly he felt her lips meet his and his
heart soared. He restrained himself, however. Pushing her here was not an option.
Stroking her hair he kissed her head. “Stephynia, my love, please come back to me.”
“Mythos.” His name was a whispered prayer that drifted on the wind around him.
“Yes, caria. I will not leave you. Please show me you can hear me.”
Her hand raised slowly, weakly towards his face and he took it in his bringing it to his cheek. “Come back to me, Stephynia. Please. I need you.”
“No, Mythos,” she breathed as she shook her head turning from him. “You don’t know. Go...”
“I am not leaving you here like this. I love you.” He drew her back and kissed her head. “I mean it, caria. If you leave me you are going to have to take me with you.”
“No, no, not for me.” Her body shook from sobs but her voice was stronger, “Never for me.”
“Always for you, Stephynia,” he whispered kissing her chastely.
“Why? Why would you sacrifice yourself for someone like me?” Tears streamed down her face as she finally met his eyes. Relief coursed through him that he’d at least broken through. Now he only had to convince her, though he doubted that would be any easier than reaching her had been in the first place.
“Because for me, there is nothing but you, caria.” He kissed her deeply. She hesitated a moment, almost as if she wanted to fight him, but instead melted against him. He could feel her love so clearly here. There was no denying she felt this. She knew they were meant to be but why was she fighting this? Fighting him? He wanted to kill them himself in that moment for causing her so much pain, such doubt.
Pulling back from him she opened her eyes and he breathed a sigh of relief when those lovely topaz gems met his. There were gold flecks and swirls in them now, but they were still her eyes. He ran his hand through her hair. Her sobs had slowed and her breathing was relaxing but the essence was still pulsing through her.
“I think you may have triggered your awakening, caria. I need you to work with me to balance the essence within you. It can burn you apart otherwise.”
“It hurts, Mythos. It didn’t hurt this bad the last time I lost control.” She winced as the Light swirled through her form once more.
“I know, caria, but the amount of essence that surged through you…If it is not balanced the pain as it surges can be excruciating. Let me help you, let me share this with you.”
“It’s too much, Mythos. It will tear us both apart. I don’t know how I know, but I know.” She shook her head, “You can’t kill yourself for me. I won’t let you.”
“Stephynia, listen to me. We will not die here today. You will not die here. I know this, because I know you are meant for me, caria. You are my true mate, my bond.” He kissed her head. “Lucerna did not bring you to me just to lose us both.”
“You don’t understand, I’m not worth it. You don’t even know everything, Mythos. You only saw a small portion.” Sobs wracked through her again as she argued, “I wish I was more, that I was enough for you, but I’m not. You deserve so much more than me.”
“Then make me understand, Stephynia. We are in your mind. Show me so that I can show you how very wrong you are, caria, because I am not leaving you this way. I will not lose you.”
If she would not fight for herself, or even for their future, he would make her fight for the one thing he knew she would not sacrifice. Him.
Steph stared up at him, this man, this Fae that she should hardly knew. There was something about him. She couldn’t deny how she felt for him even if she shouldn’t yet. Despite the fact that she should hardly know him, she knew that he was telling the truth. He wouldn’t leave her here to her fate. She was burning up, there was too much. No one would be able to balance it and if he had been here this long, drawing her essence into himself to save her, it was already pulsing through them both.
She didn’t know how she knew. It was just one of those things that the information was just there, in her head. Just like him. It was so strange. She had never met him before she came here, never seen him, but it felt like she had known him her whole life. She loved him. It felt too quick, too sudden, but there was no denying it. She loved him and she knew he believed he loved her. To save his life, she would have to show him why he never could. If the essence didn’t tear her apart, this definitely would.
Her eyes squeezed shut as she let the images float around them. It started at school, the day she first met John. He held her tightly as he watched as John flirted with her, drawing her out of her shell, breaking through all her walls. They watched the dates he took her on, the first time they kissed, their first dance. Finally the afternoon before that miserable party flowed through her as they had sat there on her couch making out, her telling him how much she loved him…and she’d meant it.
“Do you Steph? Because I love you too and I want to show you. I want to show you pleasure like you have never known, sweets,” John murmured in her ear. “Will you let me? I have a surprise for you tonight and I know how much you’re going to enjoy it, but I need to know you’re ready, baby; that you’ll trust me to show you what you need.”
She had been so stupid to trust him. Tears streamed down her face and her rage coursed through her as she watched the scene unfold.
“Yeah baby, I’m ready. I love you and I want to give myself to you.”
He groaned kissing her deeply. “I can feel your hunger, baby, but we’re gonna wait until tonight. I’m gonna make sure you feel so good, sweets. You’re mine. You’ll always be mine.”
The scene changed and she turned away as her rape played out later that same night. She couldn’t even stand to watch it. She saw it enough in her dreams. Mythos held her tightly cradling her eyes from it as if he knew it was too much for her. It comforted her but he couldn’t hide it really. There was nowhere she could hide from what had happened to her.
John was on the football team and they had all raped her. They held her down, using her like a common whore, telling her how much she enjoyed it. Then they paid her, like that was exactly what she was and somehow convinced the cops that she agreed to it and then regretted it after the fact. If the police didn’t believe her no one would. It didn’t matter that she’d been a virgin before, or that she was so battered and bruised that it took two weeks for her to heal enough that she didn’t feel their hands on her skin any more.
Steph tried to shake the pain as the next few memories flowed through them. Most were of John trying to talk to her at school, following her home, at her job which she had quit to avoid him. They set the scene, but on their own they meant nothing. It was the next scene that was really the issue. She had been at work at the mall and the manager had tried to take advantage of her. She almost gagged watching as that man put his hands on her. He would have likely raped her too, but she had nailed him a shot in his balls and took off running. She had just gotten home when John had come pounding on her door. She had seen his car pull up as she ran into the building.
“Sweets, baby, open up,” he called through the door as he pounded on it.
“Go away, John. I really can’t deal with you of all people right now.” Tears streamed steadily down her face as her whole body shook. She couldn’t face him too.
“I was there, Steph. I know what happened. I saw what he tried to do. I know you don’t want to see me but I need to know you’re ok,” he insisted.
“I can’t, John. I keep telling you that you need to leave me the fuck alone. I can’t handle this.” She couldn’t. Everyone she ever cared about hurt her or left her alone. Everyone tried to control her and use her until they had what they wanted before they walked away but he hurt her worse than anyone ever could have. He made her love him and then destroyed her.
“Please, sweets, I’m worried about you. I promise you, that son of a bitch won’t ever put his hands on you again.” The hardened edge dropped from his voice as he begged, “I need to see you.”
She ripped the door open leaving the chain locked in pl
ace. “What did you do, John?”
“I took care of it; like I always take care of you,” he nearly whispered as his eyes ran over the damage that asshole had caused. Meeting her eyes, his voice strengthened. “Now open this door and let me see you…please.”
She stood there feeling so frightened and vulnerable, but not of him. Of what had almost happened to her…again. Her shirt was torn part way open, her arm was bruised, there was a scratch down her face. The fact that he had dealt with it made her feel secure and in that moment that was what she needed. She was always so alone. There was never anyone there. Never anyone there but John. It was a moment of weakness. She opened the door and he stepped through watching her closely.
“Thank-you,” he murmured taking her in with his eyes as if he hadn’t seen her in years.
“Whatever John, just...you can’t stay, ok? I’m fine, see? So…why don’t you just go?” She wrapped her arms around herself trying to guard herself from everything he made her feel. The pain, the need, everything.
He stared at her with that intense gaze of his. It was almost as if he could see right through her. “Come here, sweets.” He stepped up to her opening his arms and she broke down. All the stress and tension weighing her down was just too much. He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her letting her cry it out.
“Why John? Why are you trying to take care of me? Why protect me?” She sobbed.
He grabbed her face pulling her up to meet his eyes. “Because you’re mine, sweets. That jackass should never have laid a hand on you. You belong to me.”
She tried to pull away. “Oh, but it was ok for the entire team to use me, right?”
John held her fast. “Hey, hey, sweets. I told you that I was going to make sure you were well taken care of and that I had a surprise for you. I didn’t know they slipped you something, baby. I’m sorry things happened the way they did.” He kissed her head. “I love you, baby. I won’t ever let anyone else touch you again.”
