DARKNESS

If I wasn't so sure that I had lost it before, the predicament I was in should have been a warning sign.

Someone was clutching my throat in a tight grip, cutting off my air supply. I thrust my hands out to grab whoever was above me but they pinned my wrists to a shackle which I didn't even notice being there before.

"Did you really think you can escape your destiny?" The person holding me whispered against my ears. I couldn't see who it was as they had a mask on but I could swear on my grave that the voice was a woman's.

Little soul? No, this woman's voice was deeper. 

"Destiny my ass! I'm going to kill you once I break free from these shackles." I hissed, more annoyed at the fact that I could not figure out who this woman was.

"You can never learn, can you? Very well. For now, see your future play out." The woman let out a giggle where I was forced to see someone else drag my wife to throw her in front of me. Fuck, I was hallucinating. I had to be. 

"Look at him, sweetheart." The woman goaded. "Don't you think he deserves punishment for what he did to you?" 

No. No!

Anyone but her!

Emie looked up from the ground, meeting my gaze with hatred. "You had your chance but you let Demos take me." 

In a second, there was a knife in her hand, courtesy of the masked woman. I tried to scream but nothing came out of my mouth. Without warning, she pressed the knife on her neck, cutting, deepening it more as the seconds went by. 

Why was she doing this?

Please stop!

"You didn't keep your promise." My head whipped around at the new voice. Zedkiel. Before I could sigh in relief, my old master ripped his own heart out.

What the-

A scream tore from my lips. I pushed against the shackles like a crazy madman but it didn't break. What the fuck was happening right now!? Lana and Mikhail both stared at me in pain. "You betrayed us."

"Your recklessness destroyed us." Turning around, I was horrified to see all the Volkios gathering around to set Allegra on fire. Her scream filled my ears no matter how much I tried to block it out.

This wasn't real. It couldn't be.

"You let them take me back to Hell." This time it was Zach who was in chains, taken away by the hellhounds.

"You let us fall. Now, it's your turn."

Then I was free-falling with nothing to hold on to.

I jolted in my bed, a scream barely escaping from my mouth. What the hell was that about and why was I here? I remembered getting my neck snapped by a crazy vampire so why on earth...

"Who died?" An annoying voice smugly asked just as I was preparing myself to seek therapy. Looking around, I found Zed hogging one of my chairs, looking like he made himself comfortable there for quite a long time. Well, I will be dammed.

"Am I still dreaming?"

"You dream about me?" He let out a holler, making me scoff. My master could be so childish at times.

"Surprisingly it was more of a nightmare. With lots of death and betrayal." I didn't miss the loss of smile on his face. He looked more serious now. Good. I had questions.

"Please tell me it was more of an emotional death."

"Yeah..." I trailed off, wondering if I should talk about it or not. This was the worst dream I had in a while and it would definitely make him worry. Shit, Emie. "Forget it. How am I even here? Where's Emie?"

He sighed. "She's safe. Lana had to physically go there to bring you two back. Valentine helped...after she threatened to curse his bloodline."

Oh damn.

"And, Byron?"

"Chopped to pieces." So, we were safe. No sooner than I thought that I heard people arguing from the next room. One voice I recognized but another I didn't have to. The anger in my heart was enough to let me know who it was. Now, that's strange. Ever since Emie came back, I had only seen them happy together. 

"Why are they fighting?"

"Oh, that?" He paused to listen more just as I did. "Lana used black magic and you know how much Emie regrets using that. She's lecturing on the cons right now."

"And that's why I love being a single child."

"As if I didn't have to practically raise you." He coughed, making me smile. There was a time I almost wished that he was my family instead of what I got. A mother who died in childbirth and a father who didn't deserve to be one.

 "Yeah, you did a damn good job on it. Now, who let you out of your cage? I haven't seen you in a while." I retorted, rolling out of my bed. 

He narrowed his eyes. "Hey! I raised you with chivalry. What happened to that?" 

"It died the moment my little soul went flying to Hell with our dear frenemy." I snorted at the glare he threw me. Could anyone even blame me for my bad mood? Emie, my little soul, practically admitted where we went wrong and what would I know?

It's me.

"And-" I started ranting only to notice I couldn't take a foot outside. Dammit! Zed's lips turned into a smirk like he just got the goddamn prize for freezing me.

"What happened when I was gone? Jeez, your shadows are practically dying to get out." 

"Seriously?" I rolled my eyes, not sure what pissed me off more. The fact that I just had my fears played against me in a nightmare or I couldn't move and punch Zed in the face for acting like a child.

"There's no way you will ever open your mouth to talk about your problems. So, if you don't tell me, I'll be your worst-"

I cut him off, scoffing. "Nightmare? Yeah, I was already having one."

"I was going to say friend but that tends to work too." Now he was really annoying me.

"I'm pissed off." 

His eyebrow raised higher. "I can see that from miles. Might want to tell me why?"

I didn't want to. Hell, it only proved that she didn't deserve a dark creature like me. But then again, Zed was my friend. The only friend I could talk shit to and not look insane while at it. I cleared my throat, ready to throw bullshit. "Even if I did talk about my problems, you wouldn't understand."

"Been there, done that." He chuckled much to my shock. "I loved Keisha, Lex. If someone understands your problem more than anyone, that's me."

It was just so rare of him to ever talk about his involvement with Keisha that his sudden joke made me somehow uneasy. After Keisha was gone, he never made his move on any other woman ever again. Sure he had bedded women once in a while but emotions? That dreaded feeling of love?

No, he ran from it as if his life depended on it. 

"I was just kidding." He sighed when I didn't exactly have the reaction he was hoping for. 

"Yeah well..." I trailed off. "We talked but it went nowhere."

There.

I said it. 

"And you did nothing to I don't know, get her to know the real you? The one who was so pathetically in love that he threw himself in a makeshift Hell without thinking." I almost laughed at him. Get her to know the real me? The real me scared her, it made her want to run away. 

For good. 

To stop thinking about her every goddamn minute. No, I could never do that. 

"You think I didn't try? She wants to be my friend, Zedkiel, friend. And, I used to laugh at the humans for acting miserable for the very same reason. Karma got me good." 

His eyes widened. "No shit! Well...I just hoped everything will be alright when I was gone."

Now that he mentioned that...

"Where were you, by the way?" I asked like I wasn't so interested in that but I was. My dear master was not someone who just left everything to do his own thing when we needed him. Even Allegra was starting to doubt him which pissed me to no end but still, where was he hiding for so long? 

"Me?" He laughed. Caught, I thought with a grin. "I was just here and there."

"Would that be the library perhaps?" I pushed for more but he was quick enough to pull me out of his hold without warning. If that wasn't suspicious, I didn't know what was. 

He shrugged, already starting to back off. "Among other places." Before he could actually leave though, I stopped him with one question. 

"Do you know anything about the prophecy?" 

***

"Master, you summoned meee?" Cone asked, bowing his head. Now that he had a name, calling him an 'it' was starting to sound a little ridiculous. Even Zed thought so who left in a hurry with that question floating in the air.

He had no answer.

And if Allegra still had any cute ideas in her head that's far from the truth, I was sure that my master was in trouble. 

"I have a simple job for you." I gave him the papers I had gathered from the Coven members during the time I was too busy trying to get away from Emie.

"Keep these papers safe. And find the names of the people I've crossed with a red pen, these are the people who are the best candidate for rituals involving the rebellion. I want you to keep them safe for the time being."

"Consider it done but masterrr, I've news for youuuu." Cone suddenly drawled out. 

"What is it?"

"The demons were looking for someone who escaped with the Deshayessss girl. They think the witches have her. She is an important piece in a war against the Devillll. If they don't find her soon, they will prepare a war between the witches and demons anywayyyy."

I had to shake my head in disbelief. "Remind me again, how soon is that?"

"In a month or twooo." Cone answered, not even looking at me.

Oh, for devil's sake!

"So..." How was I even supposed to formulate my answer? "You're telling me that demons are starting a war anyway?"

"Yessss, my masterrrr." Cone said it like that was the common answer, smiling happily.

"OK, Cone. We're going to find these people before the ritual. It's time I fucking stop this." 

He nodded and together, we left to find the ritual place. Two hours later, I returned tired and bruised. The demon was a great help but we just missed them for a second. There was still fresh blood on the ground when we found them. Every single one I suspected was found with a location spell. Every one of them was in one spot. Those pets of Emie were clever, I would give them that. They were using random places but by now I was starting to see a connection between them.

"The next one is going to be near the cemetery." Allegra looked at me weirdly but I couldn't stop. "Look at the map and connect the dots. You will find a pentagram."

I watched her connect all the places where we found the bodies and just as I thought, only one dot was needed to finish the shape of a pentagram. She looked up, surprise in her eyes. "How did I not catch that? After what I heard about Demos, I should have been more careful."

I shrugged, happy to stop at least one ritual. "Now you do. We will just have to figure out the rest."

"You look like hell man, no offense." Mikhail commented to which I waved it off. I didn't blame him. He came here with a bullet lodged in his arm only to help me instead. I hated it. I hated not knowing. I always had a plan, always was one step ahead of everyone. And I took damn pride in it.

So how was it possible that I was not able to catch those suckers?

"None taken. Fuck! I should've caught them." 

"But why are they so eager to start a war now?" Lana asked with a frown. It was my turn to snort.

"They've started a war already when she went to Hell, Lana. According to my pet, Emie and that Demos dick weren't the only ones who left Hell that night." 

"You think Emie is protecting someone?" Allegra asked with curiosity. That thought crossed my mind but I was dreading the fact. If Emie did that...Allegra could just as easily make sure that Emie's life was in jeopardy. 

"She should have been in Hell but we found her in the Limbo. Why?" Lana added, looking at her beloved. I swallowed the burning rage at everyone's curiosity. She wouldn't lie to us, would she?

No, she couldn't. 

"Your sister would never lie, Lana, don't forget that. But for now, you twin, need to be careful." I pointed at Lana who rolled her eyes. Fine, die, why should I care? Next, I turned to face Mikhail. "And when the hell that sister of yours is coming?" 

He scratched his neck in answer. "Zach called last night, they hit a rough patch on the way but they are coming."

"I think you two should go, I need to have a talk with Darkness here." Allegra suddenly exclaimed making Lana and Mikhail look at each other. Both didn't look like wanted to leave me alone with her but one nod of mine had them scoot away. Only when they left that, I met her gaze, showing her just how irritated I was. If she wanted my soul again, I was going to lock her in a dungeon. 

"What is it?" 

"You heard what your pet said. He did a blood oath, he can't lie to you. Didn't you find it a little odd that we don't..." I grimaced, already knowing what she was going to say. "Know anything about it?"

"If you mean to tell me that she's a liar, you're wrong." If anyone was a liar, it was me. 

"Look, my members are already not happy with Emie. Most of them hate the Reapers. Especially after knowing that her waking up people from the graves started this cycle of death...So if she knows something we don't-" I groaned in exasperation.

"I already took care of it, in fact, I remember paying my debt with my soul. I no longer owe you a thing." She ignored my words like I said nothing at all.

"Of course. You must be devasted with other things. I understand, I truly do. You're careless, highly emotional, selfish, and cocky, doesn't think about others unless it didn't help you somehow, you hate your master for this life, your mother was a powerful witch and giving birth to you killed her, your father hated you for that and kicked you out." What in the hell was she talking about?

Blowing out a sigh, she turned to me. I was now sure that I was close to killing her. It had to be. 

"Surprisingly these are none of your faults. After all...you are who you are. And now that Emie has a chance at life again it's normal for you to think that she won't choose you."

My fists tightened, my shadows threatening to be out from my veins. "Yes, of course."

Will Zed kill me if I strangled her now?

"If I was her, I'd be staying away from you too. You let the prophecy win, just to make sure your soul still stays enact-"

"Enough!" A voice shouted, startling me. I whipped around to see Emie was leaning on my doorstep fuming in anger. Her brown eyes were narrowed at Allegra who was calmly watching us.

Oh, damn!

When did she come? How much did she hear? Why didn't I feel her?

"I respect you, Allegra but that doesn't mean it gives you the idea to disrespect my beloved. Get out. NOW!" She screamed at Allegra who started to leave but not before mouthing the words to me.  

'You owe me now.'

That cheeky little...Just unbelievable.

"I'm sorry on behalf of her. I don't know what made her say those things...I'm really sorry." She sighed. This was totally unfair. I couldn't even be happy that she defended me when I had no right to ask for more. 

I had to find the scraps and be happy with them.

"Why were you here?" I finally managed to ask her.

"I-I, uh, I meant...I want to try something." 

"Really?" I asked, almost having a panic attack.

Silently, she sat with me until I couldn't stop fidgeting. It was hell sitting so close to her and not being able to say something. Her face was only inches from me so I looked at her, asking permission to finally let us be free from this torture. When her lips crushed against mine, I pulled her by her hair, trying to get her closer than she was. 

Maybe this was starting over.

Maybe this was what she wanted all along.

As I kissed her back with a thousand apologies on my lips, I could only hope that it wasn't a cruel dream. I wouldn't be able to wake up if it was. Not when I had her again. And when we both stepped away gasping for air, she watched me with her lips slowly curving up into a smile. It was the first time I had seen her really smile at me after that night.

Yes, we could definitely start over.

***

So, how was valentine's day's gift? Did you like this chapter? Let me know!