“What’d you do?” I asked Collin as my voice cracked. Disbelief grabbed hold of me, and I couldn’t shake it. This was the portal. It was open. That meant that the necklace… My words came out drenched in disbelief, “My necklace—it was the key?”
Nicole laughed, “Yes! We couldn’t have done it without you, Virgin!” She walked over to me, her golden hair blowing around her face. “See, every reason why this portal is here now is because of you. The prophecy was right—you are the reason that everything goes to Hell.”
I looked at Collin, trying to wipe the horror off my face. His words haunted me—it wasn’t something I decided, the prophecy was something that happened because I lived. Dread churned in my stomach, allowing my agony to rip through my body in an unimaginable way. Collin’s body tensed, but ignored my gaze. He stared unblinking at the growing hole. The wind whipped his brown hair around his eyes. He looked like a god, in a black tee shirt and jeans. The earth sank and spun before him. The wind and water swirled around him.
The Valefar began saying words that I didn’t understand, at Collin’s prompting—words that lined the edge of the painting. The spinning pit grew deeper and darker. I’d expected it to be open space—like the sky—but it wasn’t. As the thing spun and took shape, it looked more and more like the painting. The pit became deeper, as the walls shifted from brown to black. As the hole widened from the center out, the ground cracked and fell away, revealing slimy black stone. The only sounds that could be heard were wind, and the noise of rock and dirt falling into the chasm. Shards of shiny black glass clung to the walls. The hole would trap whatever fell into it. Fingers would have to fight the slippery slime to escape, and then if you did get a hold, those chunks of sharp black glass would shred you.
The wind howled, biting my face. I stood there, stunned, and too shocked to move. My eyes flicked to Shannon, who stared at me pleadingly. She wanted me to fight back.
But I didn’t know how. I had no weapon, no ring, and no way to channel my power. I broke her gaze, feeling ashamed that I didn’t know what to do—that I was letting this happen. I glanced at Eric—he wouldn’t look at me. There wasn’t any time to consider that because the bond filled with searing heat. Collin broke his gaze, and looked at me. He nodded at his Valefar. They moved in around me swiftly, and grasped my arms, moving me toward the edge of the pit.
Heart racing, I dug my heels into the ground, refusing to be thrown in. The wind whipped my hair out of my face, carrying faint noises from a distant farm. The air grew colder, as the pit grew deeper. I straightened my legs, locked my knees, and dropped to the ground screaming. The Valefar watched silently. Collin said nothing. He ignored my cries for help. He ignored the fear that penetrated the bond.
As they dragged me closer to the edge, all eyes were on me, ignoring what was occurring behind them. It took everyone a moment to recognize what was actually happening. It wasn’t until I saw several flashes of silver that I knew.
Al sent help.
The three Martis who watched me spar with Eric in the gym were suddenly in front of me. The two men slashed the Valefar who held me, killing them, while the woman, Elena, dragged me away from the edge of the pit.
Urgently she spoke in my ear, as the Valefar realized they were under attack. “We have to destroy them and close the pit. If they throw you in, you must—you MUST—kill yourself before Kreturus gets hold of you. He will absorb your power—power he needs to fulfill the prophecy. Don’t give him the chance.” She shoved me back, throwing a piece of celestial silver at me.
I touched it to my mark, and it turned into a single reaper blade. “Oh, what the hell!?” Why did I need the Grim Reaper’s blade? It felt more like an omen, than the silver choosing the weapon shape that was right for me. The farmland that surrounded the church turned into a war zone. More Martis shot out of the shadows. Eric and Shannon were freed during the first wave of Martis. When they cut Shannon free, she jumped into the fray, taking her dagger back from the Valefar who stole it. Shannon’s hair flew wildly, as she screamed, slaying Valefar after Valefar. My stomach clenched, making me sick. The smell of sweat and blood spread on the wind. I stood there unsure of what to do. I had no choice. I had to fight, but I couldn’t throw myself into the battle.
Julia ran beside me screaming, “Fight or die! If we don’t push back the Valefar before the pit opens completely, we can’t close it.” Her graceful body moved through the Valefar, slashing her short silver swords like a ninja.
I did as she said, not because she told me, but because I had to. Valefar ran at me, trying to drag me back to Collin. At first, I tried to hang back. I didn’t want to kill them. They were slaves. They had no choice in what they were. But when it turned into me or them—I swung my weapon without remorse. I could cry later. My blade cut through Valefar after Valefar. There were an unending number of them. They just kept coming. Eric’s cry caught my attention. He was making his way toward Collin, who was fighting Elena next to the pit. Collin and Elena seemed equally matched.
Silver flashed against the inky sky. A Martis cried out, as a Valefar sucked out her soul. The ear-piercing scream made me lose my focus, as my stomach lurched in response. My muscles trembled, reliving the moment of my demon kiss with Jake. The pain was so vivid that a Valefar almost caught me. At the last second, I swung my arm, and my blade ripped through his throat.
Slowly, I realized I was making a path toward Collin. The rage that filled me was because of him. His betrayal was worse than any I’d experienced. I couldn’t contain my pain. I lashed out, ripping flesh from bone, not bothering to bury my blade in the Valefar’s flesh to make sure they died. They cried out, as I left a wake of blood and screams behind me. I had to get to him before Eric. This had to end now, and I knew how. Elena told me if I died that they couldn’t use me anymore. My instincts told me that I would not survive anyway. As I slashed through two more Valefar, I knew they would never stop coming for me. I knew it would cost me every person I loved. They would never stop. That creature in the pit wanted me. I had to throw myself into the pit, and pierce my heart with my silver. The demon blood in my body would not allow me to live with celestial silver through my heart. It would kill me. That was the only way to end this and make sure all the things that I’d seen would never happen.
Morbid determination propelled me through the crowd. More screams went up around me, as Martis were drained of their souls. It chilled me, but I kept moving. My resolve thickened, as the meaning of the prophecy emerged in my head. I felt certain. All this time, this was what I was supposed to do. This is where I fulfilled my destiny.
I glanced at the pit. The sharp stones shone against the slick black walls. The lack of moonlight made it no less frightening. The hole was a portal to the Underworld.
With every step I took towards Collin, my determination increased. I slashed my weapon, not noticing the blood on my hands, not feeling the wind cutting my face.
This was my destiny. I had to fight. I had to defeat Collin Smith. As I approached him, his eyes locked on my moving figure. They had the familiar sadness that I saw every time he revealed something about his past. But now I knew that wasn’t grief, it was a lie. He planned this. And I walked right into it. With each step, a new thought flew through my mind, convincing me that I was wrong about him—that he was beyond redemption.
I’d trusted him. He made me think that he loved me. It was so easy to believe him. Eric called out to me, but I ignored him, lost in my own thoughts. I slashed the Valefar in front of me in two strokes. His blood washed over my hands, and I walked away leaving him screaming behind me.
Soulless creatures cannot love. Collin didn’t love me. The only real piece of soul he had now was mine. Hatred seared through me, making me feel invincible. I hated that he had a piece of me inside of him. It was a piece of me that I gave willingly to save his life. It linked me to him with an intimacy that I couldn’t tolerate. Not now. I felt the sting of my naivety, as my blade collided with another Valefar. Three m
oved in around me. Rage flashed in my eyes. I had no doubt they were completely violet, as I was consumed by bloodlust. I moved quickly, taking them down in rapid succession. All this time, Collin said I made the bond, and that I put the bond between us.
I slashed another Valefar across the face, and continued walking. I was a sucker, and I chose wrong. Again. Everything I thought about Collin was wrong. It wasn’t like I picked a bad guy—he wasn’t a bad guy—he was a Valefar. He used me, manipulated me in every way possible. My eyes burned with intensity that was singly focused on Collin. I knew he could hear my thoughts. Good. I was coming for him. I was going to kill him.
Eric yelled behind me again. “Your anger! Snap out of it, Ivy! Control yourself!”
His words finally registered. I stopped, turning to look at him as he fought a Valefar. His body heaved as he fought; slashing down Valefar, but more took their place. I turned my attention back to Collin. I didn’t know what Eric was talking about. Why should I contain my anger? We were in the middle of a battlefield, fighting to the death.
That was when I saw it. Lifting my blade in front of my eyes, I saw the silver was glowing bright white. I stared at it, but that wasn’t what made me pause. It was my reflection. I could see it in the blade. The glowing blade illuminated my face, revealing raging eyes that pooled deep violet. I could see the ends of my hair were glowing. They were illuminated with purple flames that did not burn. My hair had come loose from my ponytail and was whipping my face. I had no idea it was engulfed in violet flames. I couldn’t feel the heat. It neither burned nor smoked. It was just there, showcasing my rage in a way unique to me—the Prophecy One.
I sucked in a deep breath, unsure of what it meant. My heart thundered, pumping blood through my body, as my muscles flexed. I twisted the blade away from me so I couldn’t see my reflection and wondered if it mattered. Control my anger? Was my anger doing this to me?
Elena’s scream shattered my thoughts. She’d been fighting Collin the entire time, holding her own. I knew Eric trained her, so she was good. When I turned, I saw her body go limp, as she fell past the edge of the pit and into the chasm below. Blood was running down Collin’s right arm where her weapon pierced his skin. He beckoned my forward. Eric’s warning was quickly forgotten, and I allowed the rage to consume me. I couldn’t contain it. I stopped before him, just out of reach. Hatred flowed through me like fire. I didn’t recognize my own voice as I spoke to him, “A life for a life. A heart for a heart. A soul for a soul. You took all those things from me, and now I’m going to take them back.”
Before I finished speaking, before my words had time to sink in, I thrust my blade at his chest, expecting it to pierce his flesh. But, it met his Brimstone knife with a metallic clang. Collin’s eyes were wide. “Ivy, stop! It’s not what you think.” He didn’t strike out at me with his blade. He only blocked.
I swung again, and he blocked. Another cry pierced the night. I repressed a shiver that sent ice down my spine at the sound of Martis being demon kissed. Sucking in air, I continued to advance on him. I thrust my blade at his body, aiming for spots that were vulnerable, and finding none. “Stop lying to me!” I screamed. I swung at him again, only to feel my blade crash into his. “I lost everything because of you!”
Every ounce of fury went into my next swing. I knew it would make contact. I knew it would be his death. It would end the lies, the pain, and the look in his eyes; the look that caused me to believe him when he said he loved me. He twisted sharply at the last moment. The blade came down hard, missing his torso, but it pierced his arm. His shaking hand dropped the knife, as blood flowed over his arm. I kicked the black blade into the pit. It hit the side, clattering, as it fell into oblivion.
Rage filled my chest. I sucked in air, and drew my weapon over my head, as the wind whipped my flaming violet hair. Fury and power flowed through me, numbing everything but the revenge I so desperately needed. Collin fell to his knees, raising one hand over his head, as I was about to end his life. Pinched between his pale fingers, he held up something for me to take. Something I wanted. Something I never thought I’d see again. Apryl’s silver comb gleamed in the darkness, as he held it out to me.
I hesitated. His gesture threw me off, causing me to falter. I stood there poised to strike, but didn’t move. If he had the comb, he could fight. But he wasn’t. He surrendered. Certain I was over-thinking this, I reached for the comb, intending to rip it out of his hands. But when I reached out, his other hand flew up and caught my arm. He jumped to his feet, jerking me toward him. Looking down at me, his chest swelled with ragged breaths. A shriek tore out of my lungs, as I tried to pull out of his grip. I tried to twist away from him, using anything I could. But, he didn’t let go. Before I realized what was happening, the icy hot sensation from the bond shot through me. It came to life injecting images, memories, and emotions into me. I stood there paralyzed, with him clutching my forearm tightly.
He was forcing me to relive one of his memories. I fell into the memory, and a blood curdling scream came from somewhere in the distance. Collin ran toward the sound, not finding the girl who screamed. There were too many trees. She isn’t where she’s supposed to be. His heart beat violently, threatening to tear apart his chest. His feet crushed the earth, and dirt flew into the air, as he ran. Anxiety consumed him whole. He repressed his fear, but it kept trying to surface as he ran. He thought he was too late. As he ran into the clearing, his stomach lurched. He found the girl he was looking for.
Her pale form was lying lifeless in Jake’s arms, while his lips pressed to hers, striping her soul from her body.
The girl was me.
My eyes were closed and I knew that was when the golden light was leaving me. Collin saw it spilled on the ground like puddles of liquid gold. A tangle of emotions shot though his body—fear, dread, rage, revenge—but he never slowed. His body rammed Jake’s, knocking him away from me. Jake’s body flew through the air. His head connected with a tree in a loud crack, and his body slumped to the ground, motionless. If he weren’t a Valefar, the impact would have killed him.
At that moment in the memory, I tried to pull away and break Collin’s grip. I didn’t want to see this, but the bond held me tight—Collin held me tight—forcing me to relive the rest of his memory. As it continued, Collin watched my broken body, as I lay still on the dirt that night. My chest didn’t rise or fall. He slid his fingers carefully under my neck. His strong arms trembled, as he lifted me into his lap. My body was limp. I didn’t respond. I didn’t cry. There was no expression on my lips.
He pressed his forehead to mine and whispered, “No. No. Ivy… ” He held me in his lap, but didn’t respond. I was ashen faced, and cold beyond possibility. Images of his wife flashed through the memory—gray faces and funeral pyres. His gut clenched in response, terrified. The memory of my laughter, my smile faded in and out, as fast as lightening streaking across the night sky. The joy I made him feel, shot through him and vanished. He realized death already had hold of me. The turmoil within him threatened to tear him apart. In his mind, I could feel that he made a decision that pained him, though I didn’t know why.
Tears streaked his face, as he took his black blade and sliced his thumb. Scarlet flowed from his cut. He rubbed his blood into my mark—demon blood. My mark absorbed it, burning bright red, and then returning to pale blue. Words echoed in the memory, I’m sorry Ivy. There is no other way. His sliced finger touched my lips, as scarlet blood flowed into my mouth. I watched the memory, feeling the same horror that raked Collin’s body. He was the one who gave me demon blood. Oh my God!
But the memory went on. He wasn’t done yet. After the blood entered my mouth, his lips came down on mine, softly—gently. His lips took the kiss he always wanted but could never have. The result saved my life, and damned me at the same time. I could feel his thoughts. The demon blood granted the power to sustain life without a soul. It would allow me to live even if too much of my soul was taken. But, he risked me turning Valefar if he
gave blood alone. So he didn’t.
Something inside of Collin screamed, as his lips were pressed to mine. His tainted scrap of soul was torn, and a part flowed into my body, with the hope that I would not be Valefar. He hoped the angelic Martis blood would latch onto his putrid piece of soul and heal me. He took his thumb, spreading it over my lips as he backed away, using his blood to seal his soul inside of me. He watched my face. Waiting. His hand gently wiped the tears off my cheeks, and tucked a curl behind my ear. Quietly, he held me waiting and hoping. So many thoughts flew threw his mind, but they tangled together. The only coherent thought I heard, laced between the regret was, Come back to me Ivy. Come back to me. He held me in his arms, stroking my hair. Terror and remorse consumed him.
My eyes fluttered opened, staring up at him. Relief washed through him. All the heated rage washed out of him. His blue eyes wouldn’t leave my face. His mind brushed mine, as he assured me, You’re safe.
I couldn’t watch the memory anymore. I gasped, pulling away from him. The bond released me. I was out of the memory and stood there, in front of him with my mouth hanging open—trembling, and still enraged. I knew the bond could only show the truth. Collin’s eyes were the unreal vibrant blue that I saw after the attack. They were no longer red with bloodlust. Gasping, I stepped away from him. My voice was a whispered shock, “It was you? You saved me the night Jake attacked me? You were there?” My hand clutched my throat. I could barely breathe.