© 2017 SilverStream22. All Rights Reserved.  

~

  A constellation of tears on your lashes
Burn everything you love, then burn the ashes
In the end everything collides
My childhood spat back out the monster that you see  

~

The maze around me seemed to do a good job of masking me from the horrifying scene that occurred. I clenched my teeth, glaring down at my hands. 

There were perfectly normal, smooth skin stretched taut over bone and tissue. No glowing residue on my hands, no intense heat that felt almost scorching.

I trekked deeper into the maze, ditching the flats I wore so I could feel the earth under my curling toes. The vines were intertwining above me, creating a beautifully wicked overhang. With the moonlight pouring in from the pockets of space, the path was almost ethereal.

I always envied Mom's power over the earth. But now, that power belonged to me. 

Raising my hand, I let the power take its course through my blood stream. Mom always used her hands to concentrate her affinity, and so did Varian when he used his acid. Channeling it through, I focused on my fingertips, to get them brimming with energy. 

Once the tingling sensation was steady in my fingers, I closed my hand into a fist. The overhang became denser, new sprouts popping forth and aging rapidly. When I loosened the fist, the overhang retreated back to its original position, the fresh green dying into a dark brown before crackling off and landing on the path.

"Impressive."

I snapped back, the instincts my father ingrained in me seething to life. I lunged forward, delivering a punch to the man masked by shadows. The man was quicker than me, more fluid in his movements. He redirected my arm and sent me stumbling back. 

I felt a growl vibrate in my throat. 

"Child assassin, I've heard quite a lot about you." the low chuckle was unnerving. 

"Who are you? Step into the light, or I'll force you."

The man snorted. "Force me? Highly unlikely. Especially after that rather embarrassing show of trying to hit me."

"I don't have to touch you to make you appear." Uncurling my fist, the vines obeyed my silent command to retreat. 

The man was exposed, and my mouth ran dry when I saw the silver eyed Lycan. 

"Fair enough," Thick dark brown hair was pushed back rather messily, some strands lying across his sculpted face. Longer locks were tucked behind one ear, twirling at the nape of his neck. 

My breath caught as he drew his bottom lip into his mouth. The man was wearing a black long sleeve and dark wash jeans.

"My name is Temp."

I eyed him warily, "Lux." Why is my heart beating insanely?

His eyes darkened inexplicably, but the moment I blinked, the hungered gaze was gone.

"So, princess, why are you here?"

We were circling each other now, as a predator would do to its prey. However in our case I wasn't sure who was predator or prey.

I flinched at his question- my step almost faltering. I swallowed, sneaking a glance up at the moon. "I did something bad."

"Like what?" 

My hands tingled. "I don't know.  I've never done something like it before? Why are you here?"

He crossed his arms. "Your father invited me."

This time I couldn't hide my flinch. "So you saw then?"

He paused in his step, turning to face me. My wolf raised her hackles at his forwardness, taking it as a sign of aggression.

"Yes. I did." Temp said quietly.

I snorted, turning on my heel to walk deeper into the maze. "Then you know why I have to leave."

"You're not leaving." he called out to me.

"I am!" I snarled over my shoulder.

And then the man drew increasingly closer, the wind changing as he sliced through with the speed.

He wasn't going to dodge me twice. 

I pivoted on my heel, nailing him straight in the throat- or I was about to until he paused half a step earlier. I redirected my weight in my left leg so I wouldn't fall into him. He grabbed my elbow, yanking me to his side.

"Princess, you can't leave."

"Yes, I can!" I pushed against his stagnant body, feeling my chest tighten with every hit. "I have to leave!" my voice broke, a shattering that caused my wolf to howl.

He shook his head. "No. You're not leaving my side."

"Stay away, I don't want to hurt anyone." I glared at my hands through blurry vision.

"You won't hurt me." he insisted. "I know that for a fact."

I gaped at the man. "You don't know that."

He further astonished me when he grabbed my palms and placed them right on his face. 

"See?" Temp whispered softly. "Nothing."

My arms shook with my sobs, but he held my wrists firmly, ensuring that my hands remained on his face.

"Breathe." he murmured, forcing me to look into his silver eyes. "Just breathe." 

My heart was still beating erratically when he gathered me to him, pressing his cheek against my temple. 

"I've got you, princess." 

~

A few hours later and I emerged with Temp. The place was cleared out, the decorations put away. 

I could see my mom running to embrace me from her spot on the patio. I held her tight, enveloping her scent. My wolf calmed, settling in a relaxed manner. 

"Sunshine, you can't just go off like that," she insisted, cupping my face.

I nodded, my wolf lowering into submission. "I'm sorry. I just got scared. I- I didn't want to hurt anyone."

Babushka stormed up, her usually regal face contorted in anger and disappointment.

"WHY YOU- YOU SPOIL MY FAMILY NAME! A DEFECT IN MY BLOODLINE-" 

Her palm raised to slap me, and I grimaced, bracing myself for the hit.

Instead, the slap resounded higher up. I opened my eyes to see my father standing before me, his neck snapped to the side.

He massaged his cheek, rotating his jaw, then glanced over his shoulder at me. The twinkle in his eyes was a sure fire sign he was about to roast someone.

"Shame on you, I'd rather say. Hitting your own granddaughter for something out of her control? I don't give a shit if you harm me- but if you lay a hand on my daughter, it will be last time you'll have hands."

Clearly Stark was keeping up on Game of Thrones, and in that moment I couldn't be more grateful to have Stark as a father.

Nikolai stepped forward, his gaze narrowing. "Do not forget whose house you're in."

Draver blazed a trail between Stark and Nikolai. "Don't forget whose bitch you're fucking with."

I heard Mom sigh heavily. "Not this again."

Babushka glared at me, shaking her head in disgust. "This is all because of you, Stark. You tainted my bloodline- a mutt with a purebred will obviously produce defective offspring."

Defective. Yes. That was what I was, wasn't it? A Royal who can't do the one job they're supposed to do?  

"Excuse me?" Mom's temper flared like fireworks, her fatigue disappearing real quick. "Don't speak to Lux like that!"

To my utter shock, vines from the maze burst forward, poised threateningly.

"Mom." I breathed, pushing her shoulder so she would turn. "MOM, look!"

She turned around and had the wind knocked out of her.

"Holy fuck." Mom whispered, glancing down at her hands, then at mine.

"This isn't normal." Stark muttered, still standing protectively in front of Mom and myself.

The air seemed to change, as if electrically charged atoms were hyper active. 

And then, out of no where, a body dropped from the sky.

Stark shifted immediately, his hackles raised as he pawed at the body. 

Mom sobbed out, her form sagging against Stark's wolf when she realized who the body was.

I was horrified to see that it was the Jaeger family's daughter, Gemma, her limbs mangled and twisted and her eyes gouged out.

Her body then burned, a kind of fire that was almost paranormal with its purple hue. All was left was the outline of her body in ashes and a message singed into the grass.

ONE BY ONE UNTIL JUSTICE IS DONE

~

Prophecy is coming in next chapter! Stay tuned and don't forget to VOTE!!

BTW if you've noticed, I put a section of lyrics right before the chapter. It pertains to the story. All the lyrics aren't strictly about Lux- they vary for each character. Try to figure out which character each lyrics are for and comment on it!!! I'm curious to see what everyone thinks :3