A hound darts past my vision, taking out another man who thought he could best me. His dying screams is all I hear. But all I see is him.
Lucifer.
My rage consumes me. My revenge is all I see. I feel Jacin in my soul, I feel the drugs running through his system and his inability to do a thing about it. I will make him feel the same way. I will make him pay for everything he has done. I step towards the devil himself and a look of horror crosses his face. My daggers spin in my hands. My clean blades begging to be coated in his blood.
He takes a step back and I take another towards him.
Another man tries to tackle me down. I sidestep him and duck, ramming my dagger up through his chin, piercing his brain. He falls soundlessly to the floor. I stand to my full height again, Lucifer’s shocked expression at what I’m capable of, hits him hard.
He takes a step back and I take another towards him.
“Come now, don’t be such a pussy. You were all talk when I was chained up.” I call out to him. I stalk him like the prey he is.
He schools his features and puts his bad boy mask back into place. Wings erupt from his back. Large, thick black wings, similar to Jacin’s, but he only has one set, while Jacin has two. But the tips of his wings are clawed, much like Jacin’s, but his claw is larger, and he thrusts his tipped wing right at me, I duck in time to avoid a fatal blow and roll out onto my back.
I’m up before he can move towards me. Another winged attack slashes through the air and misses. I charge him then. His wings are his only defence at the moment. No one is coming to save him from me. He thrusts another clawed wing attack at me, my daggers are at the ready this time.
I slice my dagger through the air as a wing comes at me. I slice through the one claw of his wing, black blood sprays across my face as the tip of his wing hits the floor.
Lucifer cries out in pain. And I smirk at him as his blood drips from my face.
“You fucking bitch, you will pay for that!” He screams at me. His eyes too have turned black, evil leaks from his pores as I take him in.
I’m not afraid of him and I think he realises that now.
“You will pay for what you have done. I will take great joy in removing your head.” I hiss out to him as I pace before him.
“No, you won’t.” Weyland says from behind me. “You will back the fuck down, right now.” Weyland orders me.
I freeze.
“Like fuck I will.” I hiss out to him, but my eyes never leave Lucifer’s, who is smiling like a fucking Cheshire cat.
“You will, or I will make you. Don’t make me put you down, Natalie.” Weyland warns me.
“You will have to get the fuck inline Weyland. His head is mine.” I say to him and I start to pace before Lucifer. His smile hasn’t left his face, like he knows something I don’t.
I can’t take on both of them, I won’t win this battle against them both. Not Weylands skill set and Lucifer’s deceptive ways. So, I don’t lunge my attack at Lucifer, not even when his wings spread out more across the room, gesturing at me to come get him.
“You are a traitor.” I hiss out to Weyland. I feel his body come up behind mine. He grips my one hand, twisting the dagger from my hand which drops to the floor as his other hand rips my hand over my shoulder, pulling my hand and dagger down my back. I’m well and truly fucked.
My magic doesn’t get on board, it zaps out quicker than Lucifer expects and hits him square in the chest. Burning flesh fills the room, his body falls to the floor. It wasn’t a fatal blow; it would have been if I hadn’t used most of my power up already. But it does enough damage to bring him to his knees.
“Fuck, Little Lady. Control yourself.” Weyland hisses out at me.
“You don’t call me that, ever again.” I shout at him. “You are a fucking traitor, Jacin trusts you with everything and you are fucking him over!” I shout out as he moves me away from Lucifer’s body.
“Calm down, Little Lady. Fuck let me explain.” Weyland says to me, but I fight him even though he moves my body with ease. I buck my feet up, making it a little more difficult for him. I won’t back down and the moment his grip slips on my arms, I’m going to twist his head right off.
“Fuck you. Let me go and fight me like a man.” I shout out as he continues to push me away from Lucifer’s knocked out body.
“I will never lay a finger on my queen, now fucking calm down!” Weyland shouts out. Our fight has now gained the attention of the other hounds as they now have control over the room. My eyes zone in on four of the men, who are holding up Jacin’s body.
I kick up again. Rage fills me as Weyland continues to hold me steady. He did this, how could he do this to his friends.
I continue to kick, back, forward, hoping to connect with something of Weylands. But nothing. I kick up once more, but Tray catches my legs and holds them to his body. I’m now trapped. Weylands grip on my hands don’t loosen and Trays grip tightens on my legs as I try kick him off me.
“Not you too.” I scream at him.
“Not me what?” He asks me back. Blood drips from his hair, runs down his naked chest, and fuck. I just realize I’m in a room with a hundred or more naked angry men and Jacin is in no condition to help me.
“She thinks I’m a traitor.” Weyland grumbles out.
“I don’t fucking think it. I fucking know it. I fucking had the asshole cornered. I would have ended him.” I scream out at them and trash my body wildly around, hoping it breaks their hold on me.
“He is no traitor.” Comes from the darkness and my body freezes. I shift to my side and look into the darkness and there the brotherhood emerges.
Bishop and Hades walk through the wreckage caused by the fight. The bodies and blood littering the floor, don’t seem to bother them. They just continue through the dead bodies, stepping over them when needed.
“How did you find us?” Weyland asks.
“We can track her.” Hades says and gives me a wink.
“He is a fucking traitor. I had the asshole; I was seconds away from ending his sorry excuse of existence and he fucking stopped me!” I scream at Bishop. I know he will understand and help me.
“As he should have.” Bishop simply states. My shocked intake of air echoes through the silent room we are all standing in. “If he had not, you would have thrown the balance out. You cannot react with expecting a reaction. Lucifer rules the human realm of hell. Taking him out before the time is right, would cause chaos, worlds could possibly end. You don’t know what your reaction could be by simply killing him.” Bishop says as he crouches before me. “Weyland, will never betray Jacin. There is much you don’t know, I understand. Not many of us are used to divulging information. But one thing you can be certain of. Everyone in this room, would die for him.”
“Can we let you go, my little vicious fluff ball.” Weyland teases me, as Tray releases my legs and lowers them to the floor. Next Weyland pushes me up right and releases my arms. My daggers are replaced into my arms, the dried blood falling to the floor as my daggers are absorbed by my body.
I glare at him. Weyland is also naked but thankfully that odd black smoke covers all over their private bits. Instead of glaring back at me, he smiles at me.
“I would have thought the same about you, if I didn’t know the rules of the game we are playing, fluffball. No hard feelings.” He says to me.
I nod my head. And turn away from him.
My legs are moving before I even know it. I crash into Jacin, who has now returned to his human form. He groans as I collide into him. His head falls into my neck and he breathes me in and then he collapses to the floor.
“He needs a doctor!” I scream out as the men around me rush to his aid. We are too late!
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“I want to lay with your black soul.” - Natalie
~Natalie~
“Is he going to be okay?” I ask Weyland and then look to Bishop. “You know what’s wrong and what we can do to help him. I will do anythin
g, just bring him back to me.” I say to Bishop and then look to the group of men, before my eyes return to Jacin laying unearthly still in his bed.
I can’t see the rise and fall of his chest and I’m checking his pulse every few minutes, that at least still throbs slightly on his neck. I have to hold my hands together, to stop the shaking of them, which has now become uncontrollable on their own.
“It’s not so simple, Natalie.” Weyland says to me.
“I’m waiting on my healer to get here. But this is very bad. I’ve got hold of Mason. He is on his way as well.” Bishop murmurs and I watch as he too keeps checking on Jacin’s pulse. He must be worried and it’s not a good thing if Bishop is worried.
“Will this Mason know what is wrong? Will he know how to help?” I question Bishop. I don’t know much about this guy and hopefully he can help us bring Jacin back from whatever is happening to him.
“What was given to Jacin, belongs only to Mason, he is in charge of its safe keeping, Natalie.” Bishop murmurs to me. “No one has access to it. No one.”
“So maybe this Mason guy has something to do with it.”
“I’d watch that mouth of yours, Jacin’s mate or not.” A man’s voice comes from the other side of the room and I turn quickly to assess him. He is smartly dressed in a dark suit and tie, like most of the men wear, except for Hades. His dark hair is cut short and his dark eyes take me in, running the length of my body and then they travel slowly back up to meet mine.
He isn’t checking me out. No, he is measuring me up and I’m not sure by the look in his eyes that I meet his expectations.
“Who the hell are you.” I question the man while taking a step closer to Jacin. No one is getting near him, unless I know they will do him no harm. He is a stranger and strangers are danger in this case. I’m not taking a chance while Jacin is in this state.
“Mason.” He simply states. And starts to walk into the room. The air of confidence these men carry is beyond annoying. First Bishop, then Hades. What other delightful cocky men am I going to have to put up with?
“Stay right where you are.” I order him while giving him a glimpse of the ancient enchantress inside me. “You don’t go near him.” I say to Mason as my finger indicates to him not to move another inch.
“Natalie, don’t, he has known Jacin for over a thousand years. He is safe, he won’t harm him. Don’t challenge him.” Weyland whisper to me. I’m sick of it though. I don’t know who he is, I don’t know if he means to harm Jacin and who gives a fuck if he has known him for how long. People change and so do their loyalties.
“So you say, but if he was the only one with access to the poison.” I point out, not taking my eyes from Mason.
“He is part of the brotherhood, Natalie.” Weyland argues again, like that should make any flippen difference to me.
“Why you keep saying that like I’m supposed to know what it means.” I bite out, if they can’t explain things to me, they can’t be mad at me for not knowing.
“You should because I can make your worst fucking nightmare come to life. I’m here to assess if it was the poison that has done this too him. If it is. I’ll find the fucker and they can deal with Jacin’s wrath.” Mason says to me and I notice the slight accent he has to is voice. It sounds like a European accent, English, maybe Irish, I can’t be too sure.
I eye him once more. I can’t decide if I should trust him or not. This should never have happened. Why is there this kind of poison still available if it is able to do this to Jacin? Shouldn’t he have at least destroyed any trace of it, because I know I plan to, once I figure out what type of poison it is.
“Let me decide.” My ancient enchantress whispers inside my head.
“I will find the true colour of his heart.” She continues to whisper to me, and I allow it. I know I can trust her judgement better than anyone’s right now.
I bring her forward without a second thought and allow her control. I watch as she assesses him. But unlike me she peels the layers off him. One by one, layer by layer, she searches through him. I watch him assess me; her glowing white eyes reflect off his own inky depths. He is not afraid of her.
I start to combine my eyesight with hers. I’m not used to seeing things as she does, but I want to know what she sees about him, what she knows about it. I watch calmly as she continues to assess him and the strange thing is, he allows her to. He doesn’t move. He stands there looking directly into our eyes, hands in his pockets, like he has done this a million times over.
Finally, the last of his layers are pulled back and his soul is revealed to us. Its grey. It’s not white, it’s not black. It doesn’t glow like I always thought a soul would glow. His is just a dusty orb. I’m not sure what to make of it and my enchantress hasn’t said anything about it either.
“Mason Kingsley.” We finally say out to Mason.
His eyes miss nothing as they take me in. I watch as his head tilts to the side and then rights itself again. “Anita.” He says back to her and I feel our head snap up at the name.
She pauses for a while, assessing him and I can tell she is confused by his statement.
I know I am!
“I was once Anita.” We say back to him and I’m stunned. A past life. I didn’t think she would remember any of them.
“Yes, a very long time ago.” He agrees with her and he doesn’t seem the least bit concerned about this conversation he is having with me and my other me.
“Very long, I slumbered, Mason Kingsley.”
“I know, I put you there. She couldn’t handle you, your reign of terror had to come to an end.” Mason states and I watch him closely. He has put me down before.
“I remember you, Mason Kingsley.” We say out to him, but I want to know about this reign of terror. How bad could it have been?
“So very, very bad. I lost control. I killed. I killed everyone.” She whispers to me and I feel the colour draining from my face.
“Am I allowed closer now?” He asks us dryly. Like it really wouldn’t have changed the outcome if we didn’t give permission, but he is just entertaining us.
“He cannot die, Mason Kingsley. I will not exist without him.” We say to him.
“I know. Bonds can’t be broken.” Mason says to us.
“No, they can’t. Ever.” We say out, but I feel her retreating back inside my mind and once again giving me back control.
I watch as Mason walks up to Jacin and looks down at him. I still have the urge to jump in between them and protect Jacin. But he is apparently here to help him, so I shuffle closer, just to keep an eye on him and what he is doing. His palms lay softly on Jacin’s cheek and he closes his eyes and starts to breathe evenly. But it is over before I know it and Mason removes his hands from Jacin and takes a step back.
“How long has it been in his system?” Mason turns and asks Bishop.
“We don’t know, and we don’t know how much was given to him either, my healer is on his way.” Bishop replies.
“You don’t have much time left. The poison will leave him in a paralyzed state. He will be as good as dead. His defences will be down, and they will come for him then.” Mason simply states and Bishop acknowledges his statement.
“Does Albert know?” Mason asks Bishop. But Bishop doesn’t answer him, his eyes move over Masons as if Mason was a book and Bishop was reading his words. But Bishop doesn’t answer with words. He just nods his head again and Mason then nods back.
“Well it is the same herbs Melinoë mixes for Hades. I checked my stock of it before I left. Everything is accounted for. Down to the last fucking dried leaf. It didn’t come from my stock.” Mason states.
“What about Hades then. Maybe he had something to do with it?” I say out.
“Weren’t you warned about that fucking sassy mouth of yours, Little Lady. I’ll spank your ass until its fucking red, you won’t sit for days, on Jacin’s behalf, of course.” Hades appears at the doorway to Jacin’s room and once again there is a dainty teacup and sa
ucer in hand, but this time there is a cat face on the cup. Totally fucking weird.
“What I’ve given you is accounted for?” Mason asks Hades and he silently nods as his eyes stay fixed on mine.
The way that man watches me, studies my every move, as if I’m the untrustworthy one here, when these are the men that had access to whatever poison that did this to Jacin.
“Don’t look at me like that, Hades. I’ve earned my trustworthiness. It’s you lot that had access to this stuff, I’m starting to doubt all of you.” I say out to all of them, giving them a look as I pass over them. I’m only talking the truth. They did have access and by the sounds of it, they are the only ones with access to the drugs.
“We are the brotherhood.” Mason simply states. And before I can take another breath to argue with him, he continues. “We are bound to one another for all eternity.” He simply states and my confused expression must be clear on my face, because he continues to talk to me as if I should know all this already. “And if that is not plain enough fucking English for you, we will all die if Jacin dies.” He says to me.
And I am at a loss for words. They are joined. Forever? As in like forever, forever?
“As in forever, forever or like until you lot have a fight or something and leave the allusive brotherhood I’m hearing so much about?” I question him. It’s one thing to be bound to someone you love for the rest of your life, but to bind yourself to a bunch of people, who by the looks of it, barely see eye to eye is another.
“Forever, forever, Little Lady.” Hades says to me. “And before you get any more stupid ideas, the bound is unbreakable, much like the bound you have with your mate. Un-fucking-touchable.” Hades states and then continues to sip on his tea.
“Okay, so you guys have a reason for wanting Jacin to live forever then.” I state and scratch my head. “But that doesn’t explain how Lucifer got hold of this stuff if you guys are the only ones who know about it.” I say to them and all their eyes shoot to Hades, which he just ignores.
We are all disturbed when a small knock at the door sounds and an older gentleman enters the room. I feel like I recognize him from somewhere, but I can’t seem to put my finger on it.
The Darkness in You (The Darkness Series Book 2) Page 26
