The Pact Between Angels and Witches

by Kiesha Thomas

  “You threw yourself at me several times. I had the chance, but I’d rather swim in a stranger’s warm chunky vomit than deal with you.”

  “Oh wow, chunky vomit. I got a visual just now,” said Arianna.

  I will kill them. Whatever information he has is not worth the price of keeping him alive.

  A heavy sigh escaped me. I starred at Nicolo. “Where is the army of super mutagens?”

  “Why didn’t you kill me, if you didn’t believe me? Oh yea, you have no power. Liam commanded you like a dog and you obeyed,” said Nicolo.

  A guttural roar escaped my lips and I rushed over to Nicolo. Gripping his neck in my hands I squeezed it hard. His eyes bulged and his face lost its color as he dug his nails into my hands. It didn’t matter and I welcomed the pain, as I felt my blood run down my hand to my sleeves.

  “You’re killing him. He knows where they are, and I don’t. If you kill him, the information dies with him,” shouted Bethanny.

  “So.” I looked at her.

  Her face had lost its color as well, as she watched Nicolo go limp in my hands before I tossed him to the floor.

  Stepping over his prone body, I walked toward the door.

  “I want to know everything he knows, within the hour.” Closing the door behind me, I made my way to my room.

  I was emotionally desecrated. Closing my room door behind me, I leaned up against it. My mind was flooded with images of Melody and Arianna. These emotions were too much. I lusted for Bethanny’s death. I wanted to torture her slowly, when she was hovering on the brink of death, I would repair her and start over again. I wanted to make her beg me for death, so that I could deny her.

  She had taken Melody from me.

  15

  Trevor

  Visions of Catalia flew into my mind, and I closed my eyes. A family was something I never thought I would have. Nobody had ever loved me, until Kyra. I never feared death and I didn’t care if I lived or died. That changed when I held my son and daughter in my arms. When I looked into Kyra’s eyes, I knew that I would taste a thousand poisonous daggers to my flesh as long as she wouldn’t be hurt. I had just started to live, when her eyes met mine, and now I am dying on our bedroom floor.

  She is the reason I have regrets. I regret bonding myself to Victoria. No other woman should have any part of me but Kyra. I am going to break her heart when I die. She made me promise her I wouldn’t leave her alone. I never intended to leave her alone, but death has come and in his clutches I remain.

  Victoria has Catalia but at least she wasn’t a pawn that the DAO could use. My baby girl would not remember me.

  The thought made my chest tighter and I rolled over preparing myself to fade from this earth. I felt the salty tear run down my cheek and land at the corner of my mouth.

  Maybe its best that my children will grow up without me. I am trying to destroy their world. It doesn’t matter that they were not conceived when I set the course of action in motion. What I have done cannot be undone. I am a monster.

  A flash of light burst through the window. Squinting against the glare, I saw Victoria.

  She ran over to the DAO, and lifted him by his neck, twisted her hands and snapped his neck. Tossing his body to the floor she walked over to me.

  I rolled over giving her my back. “Woman let me die in peace. Where is my daughter?” Ignoring the pain, I twisted my face so that I could look at her. Her eyes were darker than before, and she seemed different.

  “She is on Xundar. We are bonding. She is acting more and more like me every day,” said Victoria.

  “You left my daughter alone on Xundar? Go get her now.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Did you forget that when you die, I die?” She bent down and placed her hands on my chest.

  Heat spread through me. I tried to twist away from her. I knew that she was healing me, but I didn’t want to be bound to her. I was not sure that she wasn’t strengthening the bond between us. I jerked from her, but the heat and pain racked through my body.

  I was foolish to think I could use her with no consequences. Things are different. I have kids now. My life and my death are not my own now. I must live for them.

  “Just undo this thing between us and let me die.”

  “It can’t be undone. I don’t have the power to break it. There has only been one time where I have seen this bond broken.”

  Damn. She can’t mean what I think she means. This is worse than I thought. Why didn’t she just let me die?

  “Valcrum is the only one who has the power to break the bond.” Victoria stood up. “You almost killed us both.”

  I sat up. The pain in my chest was a dull ache now. My strength was not fully restored but I did not feel like I was hovering on the edge of death.

  I rubbed my face. “I’m reckless. I can’t sleep. You took my daughter from me. I’ve been down here trying to finish the mission, but I need my daughter. I need to know that you won’t take Cyrus and kill Kyra, to keep me under your control.”

  She smiled. “I will do whatever I have to do to ensure that you do what you need to do. I had not planned on killing your children, but I’m not opposed to it if you push me.”

  It did not escape my notice that she didn’t mention Kyra. Victoria hates her with a passion.

  “If you kill my kids, I will kill us both.”

  She shrugged. “If I can’t have you, what good are you to me alive? Your children’s lives are on you; not me. Just remember that I own you.”

  “You don’t own me.” I didn’t trust myself to stand. Victoria was playing with fire.

  Victoria is underestimating me and that’s fine. I am not the same man that she knew when we first made this bargain. I didn’t care about death then and I don’t care about it now. I have never cared about another person before, but that has changed. Kyra is my world. My children are my heart and they will not be murdered. Anyone that threatens my kids will die.

  “This is the second time I have brought you back from the dead. You and I are bonded even stronger now.”

  I watched as Victoria ascended back into the sky. A smile played on my lips. She saw my family as a weakness, but they are my strength.

  She will come if I am about to be killed. I will find a way to kill her, so my family will be safe.

  Running from my bedroom, I darted outside. Lifting my head, I sniffed the air. I couldn’t smell Kyra. I began running toward Dylan’s scent. Ducking through the woods, and hopping over fallen branches, I skidded to a halt. Dylan was lying face down in a muddy puddle of blood.

  Valcrum take me. I am the one you want. He does not deserve this. His sins belong on me. Punish me. It is all my fault.

  “No!” My roar echoed through the trees and I rushed to him. Flipping him over, I touched his cheek. Placing my hands on his chest, I poured all my energy into his chest. His heart started to beat, and I leaned back, startled. Just then, I saw a DAO running full speed through the trees.

  Kyra and Cyrus.

  Running as fast as I could, I climbed the nearest tree. I leapt from tree branch to tree branch, not bothering to use stealth. I wanted him to know I was coming for him.

  “You haven’t died yet? I was beginning to think the stories I had heard about your ruthlessness had been lies,” he said.

  Kyra was holding Cyrus close to her chest shielding him from view as much as possible. His chubby arms were around her neck, and his cobalt blue eyes were staring behind Kyra. Out from the trees on the right side another DAO broke through.

  “Just leave us alone,” cried Kyra. She zigzagged to the left and then right rushing toward a tall oak tree. The DAO shot a lightning bolt at Kyra. Cyrus lifted his right hand and placed an indigo forcefield around them. Another lightning bolt shot past her. He fired at her again, but the lightning bolt bounced off the force field. I was right above the DAOs, and I leaped on one’s back.

  Wrestling him to the ground, I rolled on top of him. I punched him so hard in the chest that my fingers went throug
h his skin. I gripped his heart and ripped it from his chest. I bit into his heart and ripped a chuck of it with my teeth.

  He reached for his heart, but I tossed it to the ground. I summoned my energy and rage. The black flowed through my veins and I opened my mouth and spat poison into his chest cavity. He twisted in agony and withered underneath me. Heaving, I watched the light die from his eyes.

  Jumping up, I ran toward Kyra. The DAO was almost on her. She tripped and twisted her body in mid motion so that she fell on her back and Cyrus landed on her stomach. He laughed. When Cyrus didn’t see her moving, he started to cry. He reached out to touch her cheek and a fuchsia light traveled down Kyra’s body.

  A few moments later, she inhaled. Her eyes flew wide when she saw the DAO almost on her. She rolled over and rolled and put Cyrus behind the nearest tree. She got to her feet, just as he grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off the ground. She struggled and started clawing at his hands.

  “Don’t worry. When I’m done killing you; I’m going to kill him. You can be joined together in the afterlife,” he said.

  His grip tightened on her neck. She turned and looked at Cyrus. A high-pitched scream left her lips as she lifted her upper torso and wrapped her legs around his neck. Her teeth were clenched as she squeezed his neck. A second later he dropped his hands from around her neck trying to pry her legs from around his neck. She leaned forward and jabbed her fingers through his eyes and ripped out his eyeballs.

  He dropped to his knees. I raced behind him and punched him in the back, ripping out his spleen. I reached back into his body and ripped out his heart. I placed the bleeding organ to her lips. Without hesitation she took a bite out of his heart and spat some of it in his face. His body fell to the ground

  “There are others. We will rule this world and wipe your seed from it. You have become weak and we are stronger,” said the DAO.

  I stepped on his mouth and watched the light fade from his eyes.

  Kyra untangled her legs from around his neck and ran to get Cyrus.

  “Dylan. I don’t think he made it. He gave his life for Cyrus and me.” She picked up Cyrus and hugged him tight against her chest. Bending her face down to Cyrus’s she wept.

  “Dylan was my favorite. I can’t imagine not hearing him snore in the mornings. Cyrus loved him so much.” She wiped her tears on her sleeve. “What the hell took you so long?”

  I was bleeding out on our bedroom floor. I did not know what we were up against, but I do now.

  “I came as quick as I could.” I placed my arm around her and bent to kiss Cyrus on the forehead. His soft giggle filled my heart with joy.

  “I don’t snore,” said Dylan. He walked through the trees and stepped over the dead DAO.

  “I’m sorry Trevor decided to take his time. I thought you were dead,” said Kyra.

  “I was but Trevor brought me back from the dead.”

  Frowning she looked at me. “Since when can you bring people back from the dead?”

  Dylan shrugged. “He probably temporarily got that power from Victoria.”

  “Your son and I almost died, and you were with her.” She pulled out of my arms and slapped me across the face.

  “He wasn’t chilling with her. He was dying on your bedroom floor, from a dagger to the heart. She saved him and he rushed from there to here, but stopped to save me too.”

  “You died on me. You promised that only Valcrum could kill you. You… You lied to me.” She stepped away from me and turned around to cry against Cyrus.

  “I didn’t lie to you. I am not dead. I was injured.” My eyes narrowed at Dylan who tried to look like he hadn’t caused an earthquake of an issue in my relationship.

  Kyra wasn’t usually this emotional. I have never seen her cry not when she almost died. Closing my eyes, I tuned out all the sounds and honed my energy on her. I heard it. My eyes snapped open.

  Kyra was pregnant. She will never agree to me altering her DNA if she knows. Our DNA will be altered. It has to. I can’t live with the fact that she was so vulnerable. She needs to be able to protect herself and my children.

  “We need to get out of here before there are others.” I wrapped my arm around Kyra, ignoring the fact that her back stiffened.

  “Are we going to address the fact that all three of us almost died a few minutes ago?” asked Kyra.

  “Let me get you guys somewhere safe, then you and I can talk about it later tonight.”

  “What do you mean, later tonight? You are not dropping us off and going off alone,” said Kyra.

  “You never had any issues when I left alone before.”

  “You never died on me before. You have changed things.”

  We reached the house. I led her to the bedroom, in hopes that’s she wouldn’t focus on the blood stain in our bedroom. I tried to usher her around to the dresser, to help her grab her things.

  Her hand flew to her mouth. “That is your blood.”

  She placed Cyrus down in the crib and threw herself into my arms. Her soft lips traveled kisses up my neck and all over my face. If I didn’t stop her, we might not leave this bedroom.

  Reluctantly, I pulled her arms from around my neck. “We’ve got to get out of here. There are others coming and I won’t allow you and Cyrus to be put in harm’s way.”

  She snorted. “This conversation isn’t over.”

  Opening the drawer, she tossed some clothing in a bag and placed it on the floor. She picked up Cyrus’s bag and dumped a bunch of stuff inside it and turned to look at me.

  She shrugged. “We can go. I will make do with what we have in these bags.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Kyra, you don’t even have Cyrus’s milk. Calm down and pack. We can afford ten more minutes.”

  It always baffles me how unorganized Kyra is. She was very messy for a girl. I always assumed girls were cleaner than guys, but Kyra wasn’t. She could pick up a shirt off the floor and put it on to go outside. I love her but she is not the kind of girl that cooks and cleans. I am glad she feeds Cyrus. I can feed her and I.

  Dylan opened the door. “We need to go now.”

  Nodding, I picked up the bags and motioned for Kyra to get Cyrus. We might have to fight our way out.

  “Dylan take them through the secret entrance. Go to Austell. I will find you once I’m there. Gather the rest of the men.”

  She lifted her chin and glared at me. “No, you come with us or I’m not going,” said Kyra.

  Grabbing her by the throat I lifted her off the ground and placed a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll be right behind you, but I need to make sure you are safe.” Placing her back down on her feet, I swatted her on the butt, to get her moving.

  The front door opened. Celeste, Paris, Jade, Warren and the rest of them walked in.

  Celeste smiled. “You left a bloody mess out there. They were worried about you, but I knew you could handle yourself.”

  Warren stepped up. “We did not find the Compound. I interrogated Clyde, a rogue werewolf, and he told me that Nicolo and Bethanny were heading to the Academy.”

  I tapped my foot. “What good does that do me?”

  Warren sighed. “If you’re worried about your family being constantly attacked, then you need to alter their DNA. I was sure you were planning on doing that, while we searched for the compound. You can use Paris’s DNA in the meantime.”

  “I might use your DNA instead.” My breathing became louder and heavier as I stalked over to him. I circled him like a shark does its prey, lingering longer behind his back.

  He shook his head. “I’m tainted. There is poison in my blood, so mixing it with your own might kill you.” His arm hung limply at his side and he shrugged.

  Tilting my head, I paused then spoke. “I don’t believe you.”

  “It’s true. Derrick knew that others would want to have an army of their own, so he decided to introduce the poison into Warren,” said Jade. She stepped forward looking me in my eyes before glancing at Kyra then at Cyrus.

 
; “Why don’t Paris or you have the poison?”

  “Derrick doesn’t want anything to happen to Paris. He has plans for her. Derrick never forgave Warren, so he decided to give him a fate worse than death. A slow and painful death,” said Jade.

  I can’t say that I blame Derrick for wanting to kill Warren. He has an attitude problem and I want to kill him too.

  Paris stepped up. “He was dying. I gave him some of my blood.”

  Paris and her soft heart, I’m not surprised that she gave him her blood. She and Dylan had so much in common. I know how he feels about her, but I don’t know how she feels about him.

  I waved my hand. “Dylan’s hurt really bad; we need to get out of here before the others come.”

  Paris stepped forward, then stopped. “Let me help him. I might be able to alleviate his pain.”

  16

  Chaniya Arko

  Zane was beautiful, but he acted like a man possessed. I wanted to rescue Ivy too, but I wasn’t willing to work myself into exhaustion to do it. He didn’t speak to me and he was utterly focused on getting his girlfriend back. I hated to admit it, but it was such a romantic thing to see. I can’t wait until I meet her. The girl sounds like she has cracked his armor and I want to see the woman who has stolen his heart.

  “Lover boy, do you think we can stop and rest for five minutes? We’ll need our strength if we run into any demons on the way there.”

  He sighed. “My name is Zane. Fine. We can rest here, for five minutes.”

  He’s beautiful but he is a jerk. I can’t wait for Ivy to get here.

  I rolled my eyes. “Where are we heading?”

  He leaned against the tree. “We will meet half of my men when we get to the Realm of Dreams. Ivy was last seen there, at the temple of Xumar.”

  “How many men do you have with you?”

  He looked at me. “I have twenty witches and warlocks that will meet us there.”