At eight thirty that evening, Selene, Tara, and Colt stood in the middle of the field where the two women had been conceived. He hadn’t been shocked in the slightest when they’d found out earlier that the two sisters were twins.
Even though they looked nothing alike, they had several similarities, mainly in their powers. But where Tara could harness light, Selene gravitated towards darkness. That fact was reflected in their appearances as well. Tara had light blonde hair and tanned skin while Selene had darker hair and pale skin. Even their eyes were opposite. Tara’s were soft and green, while Selene had deep hazel eyes.
The question was why had Tara been hidden in a different world, sheltered by a loving family, while Selene had been discarded?
Without Selene’s knowledge, Tara and Colt had misled everyone, telling them to meet at the silo. They knew that Joe and Brea would hold to their promises and figured the best course of action was to not even meet everyone down in the silo.
The further the rest of them were from the danger, the better. Besides, Tara didn’t think any of them held any real power to fight what was coming.
They had filled Selene in on their plan and, since she was new to the group, explained that it was Tara’s game to move what players she had around.
“Put me where you want me,” Selene had said with a shrug. “No matter what happens, tonight we’ll all be fighting for our lives.”
That statement had caused a shiver to race through Colt. And even though he didn’t hold any power, there was no way he was going to leave Tara’s side. He was prepared to fight to the death, if there was a possibility of saving the world and saving her.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked Tara as they walked through the field.
“No, but it’s the best I can do.” She looked around. “I won’t jeopardize our new friends. Not when I don’t have to.”
“Why here?” Selene asked when they stopped walking.
“It’s where we were conceived,” Tara answered, motioning around them.
“My power is stronger at the full moon,” Selene replied. “Yours?”
“I… never thought about it. I suppose so.” Tara looked down at her hands.
“Long story short, the moon is where the rest of the group locked up Thanatos, the god of death.” Colt shrugged.
“Okay.” Selene sighed and glanced up to the dark sky. “What time does the moon rise?”
“Eight fifty-one,” Tara and Colt replied at the same time.
“What is it we expect to happen, exactly?” Colt asked.
“Darkness will fall,” Tara said.
“Is that what you’ve seen?” Selene asked.
“Yes, you?” Tara asked her.
“Not… exactly,” Selene answered slowly. “I’ve seen several things, all ending in a flash of bright light. Like an explosion.”
“That could be—” Tara stopped talking and both sisters tensed and turned to the sky.
“Something’s wrong,” they said together.
He was standing beside Tara one moment, and in the next, he was lying in the base of the silo, looking up at the group of friends. All ten of them.
“What?” He started to sit up.
“Don’t move! Tara and Selene’s lives depend on you staying right where you are,” Jess said quickly. Before he could blink, another man appeared beside him, a tall blond man in a very expensive business suit.
“What the hell?” the man said, looking around him.
“Somnum,” Jess said, motioning to the man. Instantly, the man fell back, his eyes closed.
“He’s asleep,” Jess assured the others. Then she held her hands high in the air, towards the moon, which was now directly above them. “Veni Rhea. Veni Typhon,” Jess said in a loud voice.
In the next second, the light from the full moon was blocked out.
“Keep the circle,” Jess said loudly over the rumble of thunder.
One minute, the walls of the silo were surrounding them, then the next, the twelve of them were in the open space of the field with the dark sky above them.
Tara and Selene hovered over the ground, their unconscious bodies floating in the breeze.
“Hecate, why have you summoned us?” a hissing voice echoed loudly in the darkness. “We have come to claim what is ours.”
“You cannot have them,” Jess said loudly.
“You cannot stop us.” This time it was a warm, smooth woman’s voice. “There power is needed elsewhere.”
“They are needed here,” Jess said firmly.
“What do you know of these matters?” Typhon hissed.
He watched Liz step forward, her eyes locked high above them, into the darkness.
“I am oracle,” she said loudly. “I have seen what will happen if you remove the sisters from this world.”
“We do not concern ourselves with the troubles of one world,” Rhea answered.
“Not just this world,” Liz answered. “All worlds. Every last one of them.” Liz turned to Joleen. “Show them,” she said.
Joleen stepped forward. When she reached over and touched Jess’s arm, light shot out of Jess’s fingers, forming a ball.
A scene unfolded of a world in chaos. Then it flashed to show another scene of more destruction. One after another, thousands of worlds were annihilated as they all watched in horror.
“What brings this destruction?” Rhea asked.
“The lack of balance,” Liz answered firmly.
“What you have created was against the will of the gods. As punishment, they will be forever out of your reach. Their power is not yours to have.” Jess motioned to Tara and Selene. “They have grown separate, stronger than even you could have foreseen. Yet their powers are connected. If you remove them from existence, their power will be left unchecked.”
“We must feed on them,” Typhon hissed. “It is our way. If we are to survive, the gods must continue. Their power is ours.”
“Each day they grow stronger, and we grow weaker. We cannot do our tasks without what little power we spared to create them long ago,” Rhea answered. “We split off, planting the seeds. Now it is our time to harvest.”
“I thought you wanted to protect her.” Colt screamed. “You had me find her. Why?”
Rhea’s eyes turned to his. “You were Tara’s last piece to her power. I brought her to this world on her sixteenth birthday in hopes that her power would grow.”
“Why hide her in a different world in the first place?” Colt asked.
“Because we are not the only gods looking to feed.” Typhon hissed.
“You think that this band of powerful people are safe? You are a growing by the numbers. So much power here is like a beacon in the night.” Rhea said with a shake of her head. “More will come for what is here.
“Now, stand aside witch, our daughters are finally strong enough to satisfy our hunger.” Typhon bellowed.
“No, you’ll have to go through us or find another way to get your power.” Jess said sarcastically. “Just don’t consume your children.”
“We do not consume. Only return them to where they belong. Yes, their powers will be drained temporarily. Which is why they must be reset once more.”
“Reset?” Colt asked.
Rhea nodded. “A rebirth of sorts. Each time, they are seeded.” She nodded to both Colt and the blonde man asleep by him. “So shall their eternal mates who are their keys to their powers.”
All was quiet for a moment.
“Can’t you take your powers elsewhere? Aren’t you the mother of worlds?” Liz asked.
“I am,” Rhea answered. “Which is why I require so much eternal power.”
“So if the worlds are destroyed, all of your children will die,” Liz said, laying a hand over her belly. “How can you allow this?”
“Typhon, aren’t you the father of monsters? Surely there are a few bad ones with enough power that you can consume instead of these two?” Jess asked, motioning towards Tara and Selene.
“There is another way,” Rhea said finally as the winds slowed and the darkness lightened up slightly.
Colt could see the moon breaking through the clouds that had been circling the group.
“Then do that,” Liz suggested contemptuously.
“We would need the help of a Hecate,” Rhea said.
“I’m willing to help.” Jess walked forward.
“No!” Jacob shouted.
Rhea’s laughter stopped everyone.
“A special Hecate. You are powerful, yes, but not quite strong enough. We require one that is not quite powerful yet, he must find his mate to give him the strength that is required. It is foretold he will be the strongest Hecate to ever walk the earths,” Rhea said.
“Reed,” Jess said, her face going pale. “You can’t have him…” Jess’s eyes filled with tears. “We will fight you.”
“Do not worry yourself, Mother Hecate. He will unwillingly help all of the worlds and gods who watch over them when the time comes, the decision will be his alone,” Rhea said.
“For now, what can you offer us?” Typhon hissed.
Joleen stepped forward as Jess’s tears rolled down her face. “There is a place where Thanatos slumbers. He is powerful and currently is vulnerable.”
Loud hissing sounds made Colt and the others cover their ears.
“We despise him,” Typhon hissed.
“Good, you know of him,” Joleen said with a smile when the hissing died down.
“Where?” Rhea asked. “This will be an acceptable exchange. His power, even if he is drained temporarily, will suffice us for a time.”
“If I send you there,” Jess began, wiping the tears from her face, “will you go and leave this place, leave your daughters alone? Never to return?”
“I cannot promise this, Hecate. If we do not take them now, each of our daughters will have to fight other battles,” Rhea answered. “Others will seek to gain or control their powers as it continues to grow.”
“An immortal god’s powers for two mortals?” Jess said. “I’d say that is a pretty good bargain.”
“Our daughters are more than just mortals,” Typhon hissed. “She is the chosen one.” He motioned towards Tara. “And one day Selene will watch over all that is beyond.”
“If Thanatos truly slumbers, then you have our promise we will not return until called,” Rhea said.
Jess glanced over at Liz, who seemed to be deep in thought. When she blinked and then turned to Jess and nodded, Jess answered.
“Agreed. Release them first. Then I will show you where Thanatos slumbers,” Jess said.
Colt watched as both Tara’s and Selene’s still bodies floated towards the ground.
“My mother, a Hecate, slumbers with Thanatos,” Jess said when the sisters lay in the dirt. “Will you release her?”
“Your mother is not our concern. If she has the power to return to you when we drain Thanatos, you can have her,” Typhon answered.
Jess looked around the circle of friends and nodded. Instantly, the group started chanting.
Colt glanced up when a bright light caught his attention. He watched in horror as the full moon grew bigger and bigger until it filled the entire night sky.
“Go,” Jess said firmly, pointing to the bright light.
Colt watched as a dark shadow of a man slithered into the light, followed by the form of a woman. They were no more than shadows and when they disappeared, before he could blink, the moon was back to its normal size and high above them.
The moment they were gone, everything flashed and, suddenly, they were back in the silo. Tara’s scream echoed in the vast space as she sat up, light shooting from her fingertips, aimed at the sky.
Colt jumped up from the middle of the circle and sprinted over to where she sat on the cement.
“What happened?” Tara asked him, looking around.
“Hell if I know.” He held onto her. “But I have you. That’s all that matters,” he said, vowing to never let her go.
“Tara?” Selene asked, sitting up. “Did we win?”
Jess walked over to them. “We did,” she said with a smile. “You might want to go try and explain to your friend why he’s in Hidden Creek instead of Atlanta.” Jess pointed behind them to the blond man.
“Scott?” Selene said with a frown. “How…” she started to ask. “What happened?”
“I’m tired,” Xtina said, getting everyone’s attention. “Why don’t we head back to our place and fill everyone in on how we bargained to save the world?”