“Seriously, Dare?”
“Yes, sir. I'm not playing, sis. It's crazy because I saw him go intoâWhat did you call it, Momma? Stasis? Yeah, he did that crap right in front of me. We were watching sports, talking about how to get to you, and he started dozing, head wobbling and shit. Then he freaked out briefly.”
“You mean, you both freaked out?” Sanna chuckled. She could sense Dare shaking his head.
Darren scoffed, “Whateva, sis. Shit was crazy. Sorry, Momma. But it was what it is. Take was in a comatose state as soon as the granite hit his bicep. Freaky as hell.”
Sanna heard her mother laugh.
Amara chimed in, “Well, Miya fell to the floor of our kitchen. Like dropped like a fly, water going everywhere. I tried to move her, but she was heavy! Now how do you explain to your dorm leader that your roommate is a partial statue and stuck to the floor?”
Amara's soft, bell-like laugh made Sanna smile. “Aw, Mara.”
“Sis, I threw a blanket over her ass! She's on the floor with a big quilt over her. We have to learn what the triggers are, so they can be careful,” she said.
Sanna couldn't agree more.
While both of her siblings laughed, their mother interrupted, “Well, babies, the big indicator is if the sun is rising, and a second indicator is if they become very cathartic, you know, moving around slow like a drunk. Then get them to a safe spot fast.”
“Oh!” everyone sounded.
Sanna heard soft cracking and Kyo's random yawns. “I think they are waking up.”
“Okay, babies, let's handle business. Sanna, Darren, and I will be over at your house as soon as you are ready to leave Khamun's, and Amara, baby, handle school and come up when you are able. I'll send you your ticket. Momma loves her babies. Let's hang up.”
“I love you too, Momma” was sounded in unison.
Sanna was ready to hang up, but her sister's soft voice stopped her.
“Sis!”
“Huh? What's up, Mara.”
“So. How's Mr. Man's house? And how is he? Hmmm?”
Sanna shook her head and smiled, walking around the room, calmly pacing until she sat in the bay window. She was amazed at the massive amount of yard in front of the estate. Well-maintained flowers and foliage protected the estate, and she saw white glowing invisible lines woven together like a grind. She knew nothing would get in here partially due to those lines.
“Everything is fine, Mara.”
“Is it? Then why are you leaving? Momma and Dare should be meeting at his house instead of yours, and you
shouldn't
be on this phone with us right now because he
should
have been laying the pipe!”
“Mara! You're as bad as Kyo!” Amara's laughter had Sanna blushing.
“What? I'm just saying. And if Kyo said the same, then you know we are right.”
“Ugh! Look, it's not right. We just survived the craziest attack of all time, and Kyo is a statue, and we are Nephilims. IâI don't know him, and you can't tell me you are not scared.”
“Oh, I'm scared as shit, big sis. Very. I keep seeing things and feeling your pain or Darren or even momma, so yeah, I'm scared, but guess what? I don't have a Mr. Man to comfort me. You do, and yes, you do know him, sis. You've known him all your life. Ask me how I know?”
Sanna rolled her eyes as she sighed. “Sis.”
“No. You are always crying about you wanting someone to love you. But, sis, you know I'm going to tell you the truth. And the truth is, he's right there and you've known him all your life. You drew pictures of him as a kid. I remember. I called him Mr. Man even as a toddler. Ha! It just took what happened last night to make me remember. Sis, don't run scared from him, be with him. It's beyond time. Plus, I'm ready to be an auntie, and your coota is wasting away.”
“Mara!”
Amara chuckled as Sanna heard her rustling around in her dorm room. “I have to go. Miya is scratching at the floor, and she sounds scared. I love you, sis. Go get you some loving.”
Sanna looked at the phone as she sighed. Her sister wasn't nicknamed “Truth” without reason. She had a lot to process and understand here. It was something that she wasn't freaking out more, but when all of this fell on her as it did, it all made sense. She had dreamed this before, seen it play over and over like a repeated old movie, so accepting this as a reality was surprisingly easy for her.
“San? Sanna, I can't move.”
Kyo's panicked voice had Sanna jumping from where she was and heading to the bed. Kyo lay frozen. The sparkling granite around her slowly sloshing off in pumice like pieces as resting sparkling dust created a ring around her body.
Something in Sanna had her gently holding Kyo's shaking hand. She knew what she had to say. “Just breathe and slowly flex where you can. Your body is going to take a quick moment to wake up, since you're going through your Gargoyle change.”
“Sanna, I had a dream that we were part of this crazy family. Angels with wings and other abilities. I saw you kissing that fine contractor guy who was killing those monsters last night, Khamun. What's going on?”
Sanna blinked. “Damn! You really are connected to me then, huh?”
Kyo raised an eyebrow, and Sanna explained. Kyo slowly moved her legs, stretching on the bed, then reached for the food and tore into it like it was her last meal.
“Our metabolism boosts when we go into stasis. That much I recall from my dreams. Oh, and why aren't you with Mr. Sexy?” Kyo muttered.
Sanna could only chuckle and roll her eyes.
Chapter 18
The Medusa lay in a puddle of her own blood and pieces of her flesh as she inhaled in pain. She was naked, cold, and shaking. She knew when she came back without the Initiate that the price would be taken from her own flesh, and Reina held true to her word. Yet as she lay there, it wasn't just Reina she stared at but the Dark King himself, Shroud-Eater Caius Primus-M'ylce. The First Fallen of their kind. The one who gifted her to Princess Reina. The Mad King.
See, this punishment was more than losing that young Nephilim. It was about coming across the Oracle and not taking her then and there. Yes. Her payment lay around her in pieces of her flesh and blood. The only reason she was still alive was because of her lineage and because she was the best tracker in their world and due to the fact that she was the Princess's Protector.
So she took the pain. Her braids blanketed her face as each slice into her skin brought her flashes of her old memories, memories that were dangerous because they were lined with hope and more.
“As you know the rules of this Society. What you lose is what we take.”
The Medusa clutched the floor, her nails scraping.
The Dark King coolly spoke, circling her with his power. His voice suddenly tore into her brain. She had been going through this torture for two weeks now, and she surely thought she was going to die.
“Father? I think it is time for her to tell us what she has learned from her assumptions and overzealousness. Hmm? Don't you think?” Reina acidly cooed as she watched from her usual iron-and-jewel-inlaid throne. Her legs were crossed while she studied her lethal fingernails.
She wore all-white again. Her long, dark hair was braided in an intricate knot at the top of her head, as curls framed her face, and dazzling diamonds dripped from her earlobes. Her lips seamed to sparkle with diamond dust and glaze as her eyes flashed with a partial madness only her close delegates seemed to notice.
The Dark King eyed his beloved daughter. His eyes skimmed over her revealing form as he smiled and walked her way, but not before he kicked the Medusa, squarely in her ribs. His partially decaying red wings briefly quivered with excitement, his clear arousal evident near his muscular right thigh.
“Yes, my beautiful girl. It's beyond time she spoke. Go play with your Protector.” He flicked his hand in mock boredom, and the Medusa swallowed as she prepared herself for more games.
A sharp gasp ripped from her throat as Reina gripped a handful of her braids. She pulled back with a coy smile as she dropped down into a squat, her diamond heels, sparkling in the pool of Nydia's blood.
“So, my darling Protector, what did you learn?”
The Medusa licked her lips. The chamber was full of Initiates, demons, Gargoyles and other Dark Society members, who watched the show with glee. The Medusa knew that the important information had to be given in privacy, so she closed her eyes and relayed what she learned.
“The Oracle has awakened. I could not get to her, but she has a weakness. It seems she knows nothing about what she can do as an Oracle. I witnessed this when I saw her try to project her power but came up empty-handed. This is good. I did not see her face, but I caught her scent!”
The last was said quickly as Reina dug her nails into her scalp.
“Then we know that you will be able to track her. Yes?” Reina slowly stated, her wild eyes flashing clear before clouding up again with a subtle madness.
“Yes, Princess. I can find her. This encounter let us know that she was here in Chicago. This is good. Since she went missing in St. Louis. . . .” a swift punch to the chest had The Medusa flying across the floor. A blood streak indicated where she has slid from.
“Something that should have
never
happened! But I see this is becoming a pattern. Shall I end your life now, so we do not do this for a third time? Hmm?”
The Medusa wanted to reply that the Oracle going missing in St. Louis wasn't her fault. But all she could do was laugh in her own slight madness, grinning as she spat blood and slowly rose up, arms extended.
“Do with me as you will, Your Highness. I am but your Protector and servant, but as I recall, the loss of the Oracle was due to your lower-level Hunters, demons, and Gargoyles, not I.”
Reina smiled. Then she laughed. Her pretty hands clapped suddenly as she nodded. “That is true my pet. That is true. Let us move from this and get on with capturing what is rightfully ours, yes, Daddy?”
The Dark King waved a bored hand again, his eyes locked on his daughter's voluptuous form again, seemingly lost in a mad world of his own. “Do what you want.”
Reina smiled and balled her hand, pushing forward with her power, sending the Medusa flying into a thorn wall. The handprints that adorned the chamber seemed to move, wanting to help her, but she had to have been imagining that as she felt herself lifted in the air and slammed the thorn wall again, held in place by her master's own nailed hands.
Reina's icy lips brushed against her pet's cheek while she squeezed her throat, her eyes running up and down her body. “Challenge me again. You know how I love to play.”
The Medusa laughed and gagged as she choked, blood spilling down her plus mouth. “Almost as much as I do.”
Reina studied her some more and flicked her tongue out, licking the blood from the corner of the Medusa's mouth. “That is true.”
The room filled with satisfied cheers as Reina let go and watched her Protector slide to the floor. Sliding her hands behind her back, she turned her back on her pet, her ample rear sashaying as she walked. Her long, straight mane swayed against her back as she looked over her shoulder at her Witch.
“Winter! Bathe her, heal her, and dress her. You know how I despise filthy pets.”
Winter walked in calmly with a group of Initiate attendants, all dressed in white with various dark collars but with Winter's signature sapphire blue. That blue was also painted in a sash across their bodies on both their arms, legs, chest, stomach, or back as well, marking them as being trained by the Royal House. Several attendants glanced at the handprint wall, fear emitting from their bodies.
“As you wish, Princess,” Winter replied as she turned to curtsy. “My King,” she said, her fist against her heart as her dark hair spilled over her shoulder. She inwardly smiled as the king's attention focused on her, scanning her, wanting her.
It was good to divert his curiosity in his daughter
, she thought as she walked to a shaky Nydia.
“Come with me.” Winter reached out to grab the Medusa's shoulder but smoothly shifted to her side as the Medusa's nails reached out to scratch her in her face.
Nydia had been tortured too long and was in protection mode
, she thought. Ducking with her hands behind her back, Winter kicked up, blocking each blow with her feet, and turned into a roundhouse kick that connected with the Medusa's face. She sighed. Had the Medusa not been weakened, this fight would have been interesting.
Rushing forward, Winter rammed Nydia with her shoulder and then reached to spin her to hold her tight against her body.
“Be calm, darling,” she whispered. “Your healing will not take long, and we have some things to discuss.” She injected Nydia with a relaxant via her Asp ring, marking her a member of Reina's House. She smiled as the Medusa collapsed against her.
“Initiates, bring her to my quarters,” she commanded, and she watched the attendants pick up Nydia with ease.
“Your Protector will be healed and back to standard health within the week, Princess.” She waited for both Royals to wave her off, as a set of Society Council and general house members made their way in to proceed with daily delegations.
Her sapphire eyes flashed with power as she walked through the corridors of the palace. Her senses were high. She could tell if someone was following her. It was good that the councils and Royals were busy, because just that would have happened, and she would have had to paint the corridors with Cursed blood.
Nothing here could be done in the dark. That was why she always banked on the Light. She never thought she would say such things, but it took a frightened young boy and his cousin to trigger memories she never knew she had. Memories that showed her as an eight-year-old child snatched from her mother's arms and given the Cursed bite to make her what she was today.
She saw more detail to the previous life she had, marking her a Witch. A Witch and a Hunter. She knew her mother had covered her in a protection spell, a spell that protected her soul and its memories. A soul that had been dormant for a long time. Ever since her soul's memories surfaced, her view with her status in the Dark Society skewed drastically.
She learned that an abundance of Light in the Cursed world could draw attention, but if you worked with it where it cast a greyness, deception could be had. And Winter was very good with deceiving those who were here. She had a lifetime learning what she could or couldn't get away with.
Resting her palm against a thorn-covered wall, she pushed, watching black blood spill to feed the ever-growing roots around it, and a secret door unhinged to allow her admittance. Her chambers were covered in blue sapphire drapings with Louis the XIV furniture, and various books, scrolls, bottles, bowls, and herbs lay everywhere.
A sly smile adorned her face as she walked into her healing chambers and observed a sleeping Nydia. She shared so much in common with the young woman she sometimes called sister. It was strange how one attached themselves to the wrong people, but this was different. She had a purpose here, and Nydia needed her help.
“You know you almost screwed yourself, Ny?” Winter grabbed some ointments and peeled back the white healing sheet that covered her. Sticky red and black blood clung to the sheet, as well as flesh.
She ran a hand down her protruding spinal cord, as she gripped and snapped each vertebrae, lining them up again as they should be.
Nydia screamed and tried to get up.
Healing Cursed worked backwards. You caused harm before healing could begin. Burning ointments sizzled and made wounds fuse and heal. Pulling and snapping massages made sure the circulation and bones in Nydia's body healed in line.
Black smoke filled the room as Winter exhaled and blew sulfuric ash over Nydia's body. This helped cloak the Light magic she often performed in Nydia during her spinal cord sessions.
“So how do you plan upon snagging the Oracle?”
Nydia flinched as she woke up, hissing, her long tongue flicking out. She clutched the healing table, digging into its surface. “Hmm. I plan upon tracking her scent. Winter, it seems Marco is alive.”
Winter kept her cool as she inwardly cursed. “Is he now? The rites were performed. There is no way he survived.”
“That was my exact thoughts. The King personally took care of his death, seeing that he was tainted. So it doesn't make sense. Ah!”
Winter dug her nails into Nydia's tender flesh and sent grey healing charges through her fingertips.
“Are you sure it was him? It has been, what, eighteen or nineteen years?”
Nydia shook her head, flinching. “I don't know. I have to do some hunting to be positive about this.”
“Of course, you do, darling. We don't need another episode such as this.”
“Ah, shit! No, we don't. How bad is it?”
Winter inwardly laughed while she reached into burning ash and grabbed a handle to rub into Nydia's skin.
The work of a Witch
, she thought. “It is what it is. How are your dreams, my dear?”
“They are what they are.” Nydia smirked then shouted in pain as Winter snapped a vertebrae in place.
“Hmmm. You still see him in your mind, don't you?”
Nydia tensed and didn't say a word.
Winter smirked as she continued, “You know that I can read that from you. I've taught you how to cloak your thoughts, but you must be more careful.”
“I don't need to do a damn thing. I have this in control. I am not one of Reina's weak pets.”
Winter stepped back and cleaned her hands. She turned and slapped Nydia so hard that her head turned to the side.
Looking at Nydia's jaw, she saw the flesh nicely healing. “As you say. So how are you going to snatch the Oracle once you have her?”
“That I am not sure about, but it will be done. Searching for her here in our homeland will not be so hard for me. I just have to find if she is doing many of the things she did in St. Louis.”
“Ah, of course. Now what if you can't get to her, due to it being white light blessed land?”
Nydia smiled. “We got through to her house in St. Louis before. We'll do it again, or you will, that is.”
Winter chuckled and pulled out a jar of leeches, applying each onto Nydia's body, watching as one slipped under her skin to get to her dark blood. “And now we get to it. I figured you'd need my services, which is why I asked. Call me, and I will be there.”