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By the time I returned to Afterlife I had issued so many orders, I wasn’t sure how many of my people I had out there searching for her, Dante included. So, granted the journey hadn’t been a waste of my time, despite cursing her name for half of it and cursing my own for the other.
Of course, I hadn’t been the only one to spend the journey barking orders as Dom had also been making his own calls. Although, I couldn’t help but point out that most of his would be pointless.
“You won’t find her that way,” I told him after he’d ordered whoever the fuck it was to monitor her bank accounts and have her passport flagged with all airports.
“Well, she won’t get fucking far with no money or use of her passport!” he snapped, making me shake my head as I got out the car once it was back in front of his building.
“I think you will find yourself eating those words when you discover the level of just how cunning your little girl can be,” was my irritated reply, hence half the journey spent cursing that very same cunning personality trait.
“Then what would you have me do, just fucking wait?!” he snapped back over the car’s roof after first slamming the door shut.
“Not at all, I am just advising you on what your men will find, as will most of my own,” I told him raking a frustrated hand at the back of my neck and making it crack.
“And that is?!” he demanded in a less than patient tone. So, as I entered the main doors to his club, I told him,
“Nothing, you will find...” I paused letting him overtake me once inside as suddenly a thought hit me, causing me to whisper the last word to that sentence,
“...nothing.” Dom looked back at me as my steps faltered. I then looked off to one side as my mind now focused on all the questions I had started to ask myself when she first stepped out of her hiding place. Questions that were only now starting to become relevant once more. Because, after I had found out she was missing, then nothing else had mattered but getting her back. And that same desperation in achieving this still stood strong but with little to go on, then it was time to find the answers I needed.
“What is it?” Dom asked obviously seeing it on my face as the last moments of her in the library started to play back in my mind. Then, the second I fixated on what I had seen after being flung back inside the library, I took off running. Doing so now with Dom following me and keeping up with my speed.
“You want to tell me what the fuck is going on now?!” he snapped the second I made it through the club, inside his home and back to the library, ignoring the obvious destruction we had caused.
“I am about to find out,” I told him as I walked straight up to the hidden door into the Janus Temple that I had noticed was ajar.
“I take it your vault is through here,” I commented as I opened the door and looked back at him. He raised a brow at me and nodded before following me inside.
“Amelia had the box in her hand when she found us,” I told him making Dom reach out and grab me the second we stepped into one of the Temple’s halls, holding me back long enough to tell me,
“She doesn’t know where my vault is, Luc.” I rumbled out a growl as I looked back towards the bloody footprints that now followed a path to only one door.
“No, but it looks like someone did,” I commented with a grim expression.
“You think she was led here by...?” I quickly interrupted his thought process with a growl.
“The witch, yes I fucking do,” was my snarled reply before we both continued to follow the path, telling me now why it was that her shoes were soaked, and the hem of her jeans covered in blood.
“What the Hell could have happened?”
“I don’t know but this isn’t her blood.” Dom growled at my answer and snapped,
“Please don’t talk about her blood like you are well acquainted with it, as we already destroyed my library.”
“And?” I asked with a raised brow.
“And I would prefer not to do the same to half this temple.” I scoffed but refrained from telling him it was a little too late for that, for I was more than acquainted with it, I was fucking addicted to it! Of course, the moment I came to the vault door that obviously belonged to Dom due to the family crest that was carved at the centre, I was growling for a different reason.
“Now that is her blood.”
“Yes, and I will ignore the reason it is now scented with that of yours,” Dom replied in his own scathing tone.
“And how the fuck is it you think I am keeping her eternally young and healthy Dom, a heavy dose of Vitamin C in her morning juice?” I snapped making him snarl,
“Just stop speaking, Luc, for the love of the Gods, just don’t say another word!” I smirked at that and focused back on the door, knowing now just looking at the center hole how the injuries to her hand had occurred. My only hope was that there was enough of my essence inside her that she would have healed by now. Along with the injury to the side of her head.
I moved out of the way so Dom could get the fuck on with it and open the door, one that wouldn’t have needed half as much blood from him that it most likely had from Amelia. The thought didn’t exactly sit well with me and from the hard look on Dom’s face, then I would say our thoughts weren’t that far apart.
“What the...?” he muttered the moment he opened the door and four inches of blood flowed out around our feet. We both looked inside to find the cause being from a large well situated through a wall of columns. One that could be seen overflowing with thick blood instead of the water that it should have been. Meaning that I knew just by looking at it, that it was no doubt fed by an underground spring that bordered the realms of Hell. Now, the biggest question was how it had turned to blood and had managed to flood the long passageway that led to what I assumed was Dom’s vault.
“I take it that this isn’t a security feature,” I said dryly.
“No, it fucking isn’t,” was his stern reply as he continued on down the wide entrance hall, seeing for himself what I was, that the blood dripping down from high up on the walls told us that there had been a lot more of it earlier.
“Do you think she ran from this?” Dom asked and I took in all the evidence I could, seeing that it was likely the doing of a certain witch we wanted to see burn. But there was only one way to know for sure. Which was why, after first swiping a finger down the wall and scenting the blood for myself, I turned to him and said firmly,
“Call your seeker.”
An hour later I found myself inside the library going back over everything we had learned so far. Something that, thanks to Takeshi, had started with a vision of myself waking her from a chair she had fallen asleep in. At least it answered how she had been led into the Temple to begin with and it pained me to see her trusting a figure of myself taking her into the dangers that awaited her. I had to give it to this bitch, the witch was turning into a mastermind at manipulating people.
I had, of course, ignored the questioning look I had received from Dom the moment Amelia threw herself into what she believed was my arms, telling me she was sorry. This, of course unbeknown to Dom, was referring to our argument on the rooftop.
But witnessing this all play out meant only one thing, which was that I found myself getting closer and closer to losing my shit with every second I was forced to watch the ghost of the past play out through Takeshi’s re-enactment of events.
However, this had been nothing compared to having no choice but to assume force was needed when using Amelia’s to open the vault. This was something that we couldn’t see due to Takeshi’s limitations to where we were. But once inside, this hadn’t been the case and we were forced to witness the struggle that occurred after the deception was discovered. And from the roar of anger next to me, then I would say I wasn’t the only one finding this shit difficult. Especially when Dom’s fist found itself embedded in his own image in the statue nearest to him. It reminded me once again of forcing myself to watch the fight between her and the mercs back at Transfusion. Although granted, it helped somewhat that I had seen her since this moment obviously happened, unlike before when she had been taken from me.
And just like that moment, I also found myself in utter awe at her strength and found that the only shred of a silver lining in all of this was that her father was finally getting a chance to witness it too. Because she made herself get to her feet despite the blow she received to the side of the head and run after the witch, fully intent on getting the box back.
Gods, but I didn’t know whether to be angry at her for what could have happened or worship at the girl’s feet for what she had accomplished when running after her. And it was easy to see that I wasn’t the only one who was astounded as Dom’s reaction was a mixture of disbelief and blessing the Gods for the gift of such a daughter. Something we were, unsurprisingly, in agreement of.
However, by the time Takeshi had finished showing us images of the past, then the biggest question of all had been how? Neither of us could understand what force had summoned the river of blood in that moment, for it was clear in the worried face of panic that it hadn’t been the witch’s doing, for she had looked both shocked and surprisingly... scared. It was a question that still plagued us both after Takeshi had admitted that no other trace of power could be detected, so it remained an unknown, something neither I nor Dom, accepted easily. But then Takeshi did also point out that his power was limited within the Temple’s walls as the past belonged solely to that of Janus. Once through the doorways, this was another matter. Hence the void in Takeshi’s visions.
It quickly had me questioning if consuming my blood wasn’t taking some affect that could cause such a connection with the source of Hell’s power the river of blood had come from? For that was the most that Dom’s Seeker could detect, none of which eased our concern. But this all seemed secondary and cast in the shadows for the time being, seeing as she was still missing!
Dom had even called the authorities reporting the theft hoping to add pressure to finding her. This was after my insistence of course, for I would stop at nothing in my mission of finding her and if getting her put in a jail cell was a way to achieve it, then so be it!
I walked over towards where she had been hiding when watching the wrong end of the conversation between me and her mother, one I would fucking curse until the end of my days. Even now, as I slipped behind the staircase and saw a book on the floor, I continued to replay every word back, trying instead to hear it the way she would have.
Gods, how she could really believe my love for her had been a lie all this time, it made me fucking furious that she could ever believe that! After everything we had been through these last few weeks, did she seriously believe that it meant nothing to me?!
I was as angry at myself, as I was at her. Knowing exactly all the places in the past I had gone wrong and asking myself if there was ever going to be a point with Amelia when I actually started doing things right!?
I lifted the book from the floor on the page it had fallen open seeing for myself the significance of events in those two pages. The double picture depicted was one that looked to have imitated life. A blood-soaked kiss represented her fairy tale unravelling and turning into what now looked to be a poisonous kiss she believed happened between myself and her mother. For I turned around and tried to see it through her eyes. To see what she had seen and quickly realising now that during that tender moment between Keira and I as old friends, it may have indeed looked like a stolen kiss between lovers.
The thought sickened me! I found my hands fisting the pages and tearing away the image of two lovers kissing, a scene now stained in the blood of heartbreak. Their perfect dream now shredded by demonic claws that forced their way over my fingernails. In fact, the more time passed the harder it became to hold back my demon from taking over completely. The only reason it hadn’t been allowed to happen yet was the belief that news would come to me soon and when it did, I needed to be in my right mind to act and act quickly.
Needless to say, that it was a torturous wait.
I left the library, knowing that it held nothing more for me in its discovery. Numb steps soon had me stood outside her bedroom door, cursing the fact that I hadn’t gotten there sooner. Along with it, the knowledge that I had been wasting that time in fighting with Dom before being able to get to her in time to stop her from leaving!
I pushed open her door and tried to take in anything that may have been missing, seeing that not one thing had been packed.
She had left with nothing.
Dom assured me that she wouldn’t get far with no money and no passport, with nothing to her name but a stolen Ferrari. And I hoped...no, more like fucking prayed, that he was right. But something in my gut told me that Amelia wasn’t going to be as easily caught as her father liked to think and no amount of hoping for that outcome would change facts. For her intelligence was nothing but a curse set against me.
Even her copy of the map she had taken today had been left on her desk, making me crush it in my hand before I turned back to her geeky little heaven. Which meant that without the box, one that was back in Dom’s possession for now, and without the map, then she was making a statement by leaving them both behind...she was done with her mission of discovery.
Just as she assumed that she was done with me.
A fact on which she would soon find herself proven wrong...very, very wrong.
I tore my eyes from the bed, tired of seeing her there in my arms like some cruel memory on repeat. For had it not been her room, then I would have found my fist embedded somewhere in space and the centre of the painted wall.
“You!” The second I heard the hiss of anger coming from the door I knew exactly who I would find standing there like some twin image of both mother and father combined.
“I don’t have time for you, boy,” I commented letting my dark tone speak for itself.
“I don’t give a fuck if you do! You did this! You pushed her away just like the first time!” Theo roared at me, storming his heavy frame inside her room and making me snarl at him for doing so. Right now, this room was off limits.
“You know nothing of which you speak and therefore this will be the only warning you get...back the fuck off, Theo!” I growled in a dangerous way, one the brazen youth didn’t take seriously.
“Man, you got some fucking nerve, you treat my sister like that and expect me to just what, let you get away with it. I don’t give a shit if what she saw wasn’t...”
“You spoke to her?!” I snapped, suddenly realising it and hearing it in his voice for myself.
“I didn’t say that, but the way I look at it, seeing as she left you then it’s no longer your business even if she did!” The second he said this was when I officially lost my shit, releasing the firm hold I’d had on my demonic side and relishing the moment of furious freedom!
“Big. Fucking. Mistake!” I snarled low and menacing before I made my move. Theo braced just in time for me to fly into him, forcing him back through the door so we wouldn’t destroy anything Amelia treasured.
We ended up crashing into one of the many stone walls in Afterlife, before I grabbed him and threw him down the hallway, one that was getting closer to my intended target. But then the asshole simply shook it off and barreled right back into me, causing us both to go crashing into some antique sideboard that almost crumbled on impact.
I felt a fist in my gut, just as my own connected with his jaw for the second time that day. However, the longer this continued, the more and more my demon seeped through and before long I couldn’t stop it as the leather on my glove ignited into Hellish flames. Meaning that if I didn’t put a stop to this, then I would end up doing something that couldn’t be undone the moment I touched him.
For a single touch by the hand of the Venom of God was all it would take to,
Kill a Draven.
“ENOUGH!” I roared and forced him to his knees using my will against him, just as I had done with his father. Only this time, he didn’t know it, but it was done so more for his sake than mine. So, despite making it less than a fair fight, the alternative would have undoubtably been far worse. Besides, I needed to get to the bottom of that call and fast.
“Now you will tell me where she is?!”
“Fuck...AHHH!” He ended this insult in pain as I twisted my fist, mimicking his spine.
“Lucius, stop!” Keira shouted coming out of Dom’s office, clearly still upset shown by the tears streaming down her face.
“I will, just as soon as he tells me what I demand to know!” I informed her calmly despite my demonic appearance. Then I felt her hand on mine, the only being in the world able to touch my hand and survive. This was due to the same Venom of God in her blood, being why she was unaffected by it.
Her touch startled me enough that I dropped my hold on the boy’s mind and staggered back, feeling my wings hitting the wall first before my back followed.
“He doesn’t know where she is, she wouldn’t tell him, just as she wouldn’t tell me,” Keira admitted in a devastated tone.
“You spoke to her!? When, what did she say?!” I demanded in a rush of words.
“Luc, please just calm down and...”
“NO! For fuck sake, Keira, don’t you see, all this deception, all these fucking lies are the reason I am now stood here without my Chosen One! She ran because I agreed to do as you asked of me!” I said verbally lashing out at her.
“I know...I know, but please if you will just listen to me and let me explain then I...”
“NO! No... FUCK NO! I am done listening! I have never once gone against you or said no to you, Keira, but I am fucking done! No more, No fucking more! Because all the lies, the secrets, where has it got me...WHERE IS MY GIRL!?” I roared losing it and I only knew this when Theo rose slowly and positioned his mother behind him, protecting her now and staring at my exposed hand.
“Easy now, Luc...let’s just take a breath,” Theo said in a calming tone that was meant to bring me back from whatever had claimed my vessel, aiming for my mind next. So, I followed their fearful gaze and looked down at my own hand, feeling it pulsating with Hell’s power like the Devil’s own limb was attached to me. And that wasn’t far from what I found, for it was only a glimpse of the charred black scarred skin that I had been used to seeing whenever I finally removed the glove.
However, now in the height of my wrath, it was more like volcanic rock with glowing magma showing through the cracks, as it had arisen from Hell’s own rivers of fire with the sole purpose of causing death and destruction as it was currently creating an opening in the floor. A growing circle of energy where I was unknowingly summoning up that same liquid fire I seemed able to command, and it was now flowing up through the opening I had made and being absorbed into the tips of my molten crusted fingers, each digit cursed for an eternity. It was as if it was reaching for its demonic puppet master, the edges of the flames licking out and scorching the stone floor, turning it black like my own burnt skin. Its infection spreading like soul weed, snapping outwards with every inch grown from the glowing hot serpents that continued to reach for me, as it was obvious that I was the one dragging them up from the portal I had made from Hell.
“Lucius, let go.” I heard Dom’s voice coming closer, after first taking hold of Keira’s shoulders and pulling her further back, nodding to his son to protect her as he took their place.
“I am not sure I can,” I confessed, my voice barely being that of my own, as it only just made it through the hold this undiluted rage had on my demon.
“Yes, you can my friend, you just need to fight it.” I looked up at him and saw the sincerity of those words in his purple gaze, his own dark wings now hiding his family from my view.
“She ran from me,” I told him, giving him the root of my rage.
“She ran from us all.”
“But she is mine.” My demon growled for us both as I felt the first tentacles of flames curling around my arm, feeding the venom in my flesh with a power I could barely contain. Dom looked to my hand and closed his eyes a second longer than what was needed, for it was the first time he had seen it since I’d lost it completely all those years ago.
“Then the Fates will grant her back to you,” he told me in a strained tone that said so much more.
“You can’t know that,” I said gritting my teeth at the very thought of the words I spoke.
“Oh, but I can, for they granted me back my own,” he said looking behind him and lowering a side of his wing to see his wife, who had tears in her eyes. But I found the sight too painful to look at anymore...for he had his Chosen One. He had fought for her and won! I snarled down at my hand, the hand now cursed by the first sinful act of an Angel of God and one that turned to poison. The one I had no choice but to sacrifice at the gates of Tartarus before it grew back into little more than a cursed hand of the Gods!
“Luc, don’t go back there...don’t listen to what that hand is telling you to do,” Dom said for he knew what it wanted me to do. It wanted me to burn the entire place down beyond its foundations and even past the realms of Earth, sinking it into a portal in Hell I knew I had the power to open. I wanted his happiness consumed and twisted back into the hatred of mankind!
I wanted a war.
I wanted death.
And I wanted destruction!
I wanted to scorch the Earth, ridding it of all life until there was nothing in it but her! I wanted nothing in this world but her by my side for all of eternity!
“I want her back!” I snarled fisting my Devil’s hand. Dom released a sigh and told me,
“I know.”
“I WANT HER BACK, DOM!” I roared again, now looking back at him and he closed his eyes once more before telling me in earnest this time,
“I know, my friend.” I forced the hard lump of pain down my throat before I felt as if I would choke on it and heard Dom take in another breath before telling me,
“I will help you...I will help you get her back, Luc.” I took another breath, one that didn’t come easily, for I knew how hard those words had been for him to say and therefore the true meaning behind them.
“Then you accept my claim?” I asked near fucking ready to follow through with the destructive nature of my hand should he say anything but what I wanted him to say.
But this time when he closed his eyes, he didn’t open them again until after he answered me, making even his wife hold her breath.
“Yes, I accept your claim on my daughter,” he finally admitted, and it was a sentence that seemed as if it had been torn from him, forcing others to lay witness to his acceptance. I, too, found myself closing my eyes as the true meaning of this moment branded itself to my soul.
It was a decree he could never take back.
“Good, because I promise you this, the moment I find her again, then make no mistake, Dom...” I said taking pause and extinguishing the flames of Hell with nothing but a click of my fingers. Doing so with ease now that my mind was back to being centered and focused on only two things, one was finding her and the second was the promise I then made to her father,
A promise not even the Gods could prevent...
“Make no mistake...I am making her my wife!”
Amelia