by Raven Moon
I looked at Lucian, his face drained of color, “What?” I said wiping my hands on my pants, “Are we leaving this fucking hell hole?” Lucian shook his head and pointed to Ben’s dead body lying in his own blood. I rolled my eyes and took off running around the chamber.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Rainelle
Voices carried the hollow passage leading me into a more massive cave. Sun-illumined the entire area. Air flowed freely. Water rushed down the stream of the river. Laughter repeated all around me. Lucian touched my back causing me to whip around. My closed fist striking him in his jaw. He stumbled backward regaining his composure quickly as he rubbed his jaw as he moved it back and forth.
“Nice punch.” He chuckled. I shook and rubbed my knuckles staring down at them for any sign of damage, but it’s nothing, not even a bruise.
“Serves you right asshole. You should know not to sneak up on me like that.” What a dumb ass.
“Where are those voices coming from?”
“Hopefully from the outside.”
“Do you think it is safe?”
“Only one way to find out,” Lucian said heading for large boulders leading straight up. I shrugged my shoulders and followed. The voices got louder the closer we accented to the opening.
Now I know why my Mom would never let me visit the caves, they damn nearly killed me. How I wish she were here with me right now. I grabbed the jagged rock in front of me and climbed. I lost my footing falling on my ass. I peered up at Lucian treading onward without me. I sat for a long moment catching my breath. Could Lucian be my destiny? I bit my bottom lip at the possibility. My heart belongs to Samuel now, and Lucian had his chance. I stood up carefully wiping my pants off then start the climb again.
Lucian stopped, “What happen?” He asked reaching a hand down. I accept it letting him help me onto the next rock.
“I lost my footing.”
“You okay?”
“Yeah.” The voices grew louder. I heard shouting as we neared the last rock. Crisp air blew inward.
Lucian positioned himself behind me, he pointed to a large root, “Grab the root to pull yourself out of the hole.”
“I never was good at the rope in gym class, I hope I’m better now.” He placed his hands on my bottom then pushed me upward. I climbed out into the bright sunlight. I turned to help Lucian, but he disappeared. A growl than a yell echoed from the hole.
“Lucian!” I yelled repeatedly but only found silence. I crawled back into the hell I just escaped when a hand grabbed my shoulder. I twisted throwing a blind punch.
“Rainie!” A familiar male voice shouted as a large callused hand cupped my fist, “Put these on.” He handed me a pair of glasses to shield the orange ball of fire. I turned my head slightly to see who stood over me. I gazed at my Dad.
I pulled my knees to my chest holding tight and looked down the dark hole waiting for Lucian to emerge, “I must go back after Lucian. He’s hurt, I feel his pain. I must save him. Eve and Samuel, they are down there, so is Sage.” Teary-eyed I gazed up to my Dad.
“You’re not making any sense at all Rainie. What happened down there?” My eyes closed as strong hands wrestled me back into the cave.
I jerked away, “What the fuck!” A cloaked man laughed loudly, “Let me go!” I demanded, thrashing in his hold.
“My master needs you.” He smirked dragging me down the narrow path. I kicked and thrashed around to no avail. My fingernails broke at the quick on the hard ground crippling my hands in pain as blood oozed from the nail beds.
Disorientated I woke in a dark room by muffled noises. There was a furtive movement of black on black, and I knew it was a cloaked warlock.
He rubbed his hand together like an evil scientist, “Good, you’re awake.” He said
“Who the hell are you?” He circled me like prey. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath. A white glow filtered the room and gave light to figure.
“You’re good, I give you that, but your fate is sealed and written in the blood of the old.” He hissed. His forked tongue flicked out tasting the surrounding air. Darkness clung to him like a shroud. The ground expanded, ready to receive us. He stood peering over the edge as smoke and steam rose up.
I scooted against a sharp rock using the serrated edges to cut the binding around my wrists, “I’m not a fan of Fate’s destiny.” I stated. He stood oblivious to my freedom. The dusty ground cracked and broke, parched of all life.
Fire circled my hands, flames danced between my palms.
“I wouldn’t do that witch.”
I whirled around my hands thrust forward. The faceless figure pivoted taking the impact of the flames. The hellion’s chest rose and fell with rapid breaths. I walked fast toward me. Panic mounted, threatening to swallow me belly-first.
“What the fuck are you?”
“I’m what I need to be, nothing less, nothing more.”
“I’m tired of the riddles. Give me your damn name or I will have to kill you!” I promised.
“You’re not in a position to threaten me.”
“It’s not a threat, it is a promise.”
His top lip raised, “Apollyon warned you’re a firecracker.” He cackled loudly.
“You have no idea.” I sneered. He watched me closely. I crouched down and circled him like a boxer in a ring. His eyes followed my every move. Pain crippled my stomach stealing my breath. I tumbled to my knees. I rotated my neck side to side, then in a small circle and listened as my cervical vertebrae popped one by one. My mouth parted as I drank in the air savoring my surroundings. I placed my palms firmly on the hard ground. My back arched. I watched razor-sharp claws replace the broken nails. I thought the change would hurt, but it felt good. My jaguar paced in the cage she that entrapped her deep in my soul, “Not yet a princess, not yet.” I purred deep in my throat.
“What did you say, bitch?”
I cleared my throat, “I said not yet.” I spit. Suddenly a foot connected with my stomach sending me hurling against the wall. I lay motionless for a long moment then sit straight. I set my jaw, “You have to do better than that.” I laughed.
Suddenly an over-sized hand crushed my windpipe ripping the air from my lungs. The hand lifted me off the ground. I stared into black eyes, void of empathy. The stench of a septic tank and fresh roadkill erupts from his mouth. I hurl bile into his face then swiped across his throat ripping his flesh. He grabs his neck as blood spurts. I land on my feet on the hard ground. The creature staggered backward falling over the ledge into the gaping hole the earth formed. I peered over making sure it was gone. The surface bubbled fire below releasing steam upward.
Screams pulsated from the fiery pit; spirits flew about, quickly swooping around.
“Rainelle!” Lucian howled. I smiled then wrapped my arms around his neck.
He tightly hugged me, “It’s okay my little Faelan.” I pulled away from him cupping his face in my hands pulling his mouth down onto my mine.
I back away panting, “What happened to you?” I asked. He looked behind me wide-eyed.
“We need to get the fuck out right now.” His tone brooked no argument.
“Are you going to tell me what happened to you?” I give him a once over. He drew in a long deep breath looking upward, “Hold on tight.” He pulled me to his side tightly then leaped up onto a ledge. I looked down to the abyss beneath us.
My breath caught, I exhaled in short breaths, “When did you learn to do that?”
“It’s one of many perks I have.” He cocked a smile.
“What abilities would I have if I shifted?”
“That is what the supernatural world fears Rainelle. They don’t know what the hell you’d release if you were to shift. You are powerful without shifting, but….” My posture went limp as if my bones dissolved away leaving only my skin to make do with standing. He pivoted his body.
“And?”
“You’re a powerful elemental, you have the marks of a vampire, and you have a sp
ecial gift to morph into any animal you that will suit your need in any given moment. You have the advantage against all shifters.” He let out a sharp breath.
“Lucian, I’m sorry that I hindered your job of killing me all those years ago, but if you try now, I will have to kill you, no matter what my heart says.” He drew in a stuttered breath.
“I know.” He cast his eyes downward then looked back into my eyes, “I would kill myself before I hurt you.” I stared at him blankly chewing the inside of my mouth. A scream sliced through the silence. Fear prickled my scalp. Lucian’s already pale visage grew leached of any color.
“What the fuck was that?”
“That my dear is a howler Demon, no amount of magick can kill them.” A panicked expression flittered across his attractive features.
I closed my eyes and summoned a deep breath, holding it in. I turned my head a fraction, as though straining to hear the notes of a song playing softly in the air, I looked blindly skyward then Lucian, “Now it is your turn to hold on to me, tight.”
A groan accompanied the roll of his eyes, “You may be magick, but strong you are not. How about you hold on to me and do what you need to do. Just get us both to where we need to be safely.”
My face twitched, “Do not let go of me. It won’t be me that dies, but you.” He studied me with piercing scrutiny. He wrapped his strong arms around my waist in a death grip. I twisted slightly, and he loosened his grip.
“By the Spirits of air. I wish to bare a gale of air, one strong enough to make ships sail one strong enough to make brick walls fail. So that I may take flight in this night into the dark to the light…”
The air spun grabbing loose dirt and rock in its path as it carried us up in a whirling motion. Lucian’s body tensed tightening his grip around my ribs. I scowled; he loosened his grip. I thought of the stairs leading to the outside. We glided in the air in a quick motion as visitors passed below us in the glass-bottom boat. I watched a little girl look up as we flew over tugging on a woman’s shirt sitting next to her. We landed on a rock ledge. The woman shooed her hand away keeping her attention to the captain of the boat. The Wind carrying us lifted the captains’ hat off gently laying it in the river below. While he reached for the cap, a large splash rippled the water rocking the boat. His face paled at the massive creature swimming below the boat. I could hear shouting from below. The tiny boat rocked back and forth with the creature circling waiting for its next meal.
Despair gnawed at my gut, “Cover your ears.” Lucian responded with a wink and nod of acknowledgment. I anchored my attention on the river watching the giant snake-like creature slink the depths of the water. A scream escaped my throat and sliced the misty fog enfolding us. The people below covered their ears as the blood curling shrill resonated. The creatures departed in haste.
Lucian whipped his head around lowering his hands from his ears raising his eyebrows in disbelief, “Where the hell did that come from?”
I drew up a shallow breath, “I don’t know.” I broke eye contact, “What the living hell were those things?” I peered downward; the boat vanished in the distance.
“I don’t know, but thanks to you, you saved those people.”
“That little girl watched me. I could feel her energy. She’s scared to leave with that woman.”
“There is nothing you can do about that Rainelle.” I nod in agreement pushing the little girl to the back of my thoughts. I open my mouth then close it.
“Where are Samuel and Eve?”
He shook his head as if clearing cobwebs from his mind, “I honestly can’t tell you.” Darkness crossed his eyes
“Are they still in the caverns Lucian?” I looked him in his eyes, and he looked straight back into mine. He gritted his teeth for control. He spoke but huffed out the first breath.
“Like I said, I don’t know. The caverns run for miles with many unexplored passages. We could spend a month here and never explore every inch of the place. Eve is strong, she is an old witch with vampire blood in her veins. Samuel is a gifted witch, if…” His response laced with impatience.
“Well then, we need to search the entire cavern, no matter how long or dangerous it is.” I hissed like a cornered serpent.
“Do you really want to die down here? There are forces that we know nothing about. Eve and I have spent years searching and…”
“What?” I barked.
“Look, Eve made me promise I’d get you to safety. Trevor made me promise, so did Samuel and your parents. We need fucking back up. We need gun power and more magick. We are not strong enough.”
“But I’m…”
“I know you are gifted, you’re the elemental witch that can shift into anything your heart desires, but that is not enough my little Faelan. We need help and lots of it. Will you…” He stopped abruptly, first looking at the ground, then letting his gaze drift up to her face, “Trust me, please.” He begged.
I lowered my eyes, then met his glare, “We have to try Lucian. You cannot expect me to leave them to die. I know what awaits me above ground, and I’m learning swiftly what awaits me 300 feet below the street of Tennessee. Don’t make me choose.” His sharp gaze landed on me. A smirk most evil; bent his lips.
“Don’t make you choose? You chose years ago, and I did too. I chose your life over mine. I have been watching over you since that first night in 2006 when you first saw Trevor, then again in 2008 when we met. I gave you my heart and soul that night Rainelle.”
“Yes, and I gave you my virginity. You took my heart, my soul and my love and threw it all away. So do not blame me for your life choices Lucian., I never once blamed you for mine.”
“I’m not, I’m sorry that wasn’t fair. All I want is to keep the promises I made to your family and friends, that is to keep you safe and alive. All I’m asking is that you let me do that.” A ball of worry and foreboding twisted in my stomach like a fist trying to bury itself into my ribcage. I rubbed knots from my neck.
“No, it wasn’t fair. None of this is fair Lucian.” I said sliding down the face of the rock wall holding my knees to my chest. Lucian kneeled before me; he rested his hands on my knees.
“I’m sorry Rainelle. I know none of this is what you want to hear, but it is the ugly truth. Can you please stop fighting me? Trevor can close the caverns to the public for a while so we can keep the humans safe then we can search every inch of the cavern. I will not let harm come to Eve or Samuel; I swear.” His eyes misted. My throat squeezed down a sob. I knew in my heart we needed to do it his way, but that didn’t make my heart hurt any less.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Rainelle
“I call upon the power of the witches that died before me. I call upon the element of air. Take me to Eve, take me to Samuel. Take me now, this I ask. Without haste, twirl and twist, carry us along the passages. Conceal us from harm and evil.”
The air whispered in the dark like a humming of a love song circling around us.
“What are you doing? This was not what I meant Rainelle.” Lucian called out.
“Just hang on.” The wind picked up; dust swirled like a tornado. We lifted from the ledge floating along the empty passageways. We sailed into a small room. The wind gently sat us down. The Fire danced on torches giving a pinpoint light.
The thickness dark suffocated any air like a heavy blanket pinned over the earth. I glanced around.
“I know this room. The Black Cloak’s tortured Samuel and Sage in here.” I quickly observed the Iron Maiden device in the far-right corner. At first, I thought the black liquid was oil, but upon closer inspection, it was coagulated blood.
“My sweet child.” A faint voice whispered, grabbing my attention. I rushed over and tried to pull it open but failed. Blood pooled.
“Who’s in there?” I already knew the answer but had to ask.
“Leave me, child, my time is up, save Samuel, Lucian and yourself.” Dismay rode on her words.
“No Grams.” I wailed. Lucian rushed over.
“Help her Lucian.” I cried out. His biceps swelled as he forced ripped the cabinet apart. Eve hit the ground hard, her skull cracked on impact. Iron spikes pierced her flesh, one pierced her blackened heart.
“Do something, Lucian!” I screamed. He stared with cold eyes.
“I am doing all I can. I’m not the gifted one. I don’t do spells and healing Rainelle, that is your fucking specialty!” He retorted. He was right. I’m the one to heal her, not him. He is the brawns, I’m the brains.
“Oh, goddess of the darkness, mother to the immortal, let Eve be reborn as your child. Let your light absorb her own.
Allow her passage to the darkness as from your immortal womb into the arms of your children to whom she will call brother.
Oh, moonlight let Eve be reborn as your child. Skin pale as the moon, fangs white as snow, guide the dark ones to her, so she shall be born again.”
A painful groan escaped her throat. She looked at me, then to Lucian. He morphed into his wolf and disappeared quickly. She reached her old hands to my face and gently caressed my cheek.
“Rainelle, my sweet child. It is my time. You need to let me go sweet pea.” She said, her voice raspy.
“But I just got you back. I need you in my life.”
“I will always be with you in spirit. I’m not living, I’m merely surviving. My body is slowly decaying.”
