Smoldered Flames: Part I of the Edonia Series
Chapter 55

Daxter

Kamau’s eyes alight with amber. “Beta! You and the wolves will go assist the hybrids in this revolt.” The Beta hesitates, but why? Surely that is why he came, right? I shake off the distracting thought. Kamau points at Eros and I. “You two will seek out and rescue the Princess.”

My heart races in anticipation. Sweat coats my palms as they itch to reign down arrows on those who dared lay a hand on my goddess. “And where will you be?” I ask darkly.

A wicked gleam enters his eyes with a grin to match. “I’m going to replace the source, of course.”

The room quickly empties and I’m left with my lover, my friend. He carries a certain energy within that tells me…“We aren’t going to rescue the Princess, are we?”

Eros pats my shoulder. “No, my love, we’re not.” he leans in,the smell of honeyed roses envelopes me in comfort. “I’ve got to see for myself if Val is alive,” his plump lips crashes into mine with hunger, chasing away the fears, doubts, and soulful loneliness away. My toes curl while I give back as much as I take, forcing a moan from Eros’ throat. He thrusts his pelvis against mine in rhythm. We break away quickly when another bomb sounds. Eros grips my chin lightly. “And I know you do as well.”

* * *

We pass several iron doors of the unlit hallway. Each is more gruesome than the next. The metallic tang of blood leaks through my nose and slithers on my tongue. Fleshy bits of the deceased hang from chain hooks like pigs in the slaughter. I swear I can hear the ghostly cries of victims who couldn’t be saved in time. Guilt gnaws at me unbidden. Had someone paid any attention to the patterns a decade ago, this wouldn’t have happened. Had anyone cared about the next person instead of themselves, we wouldn’t lose countless lives.

I hear deep inhalations and look over as Eros strides to a door left ajar. When he pushes the door open, it reveals a tall, broad shouldered man wiping a sleek metal slab table. With his bald head, he could pass for Mr. Clean. Except Mr. Clean didn’t have a blood-stained towel.

“Seeing as I don’t have the time to battle, I will be bidding you fellas good day.” he states without looking up. The stranger finishes the table and makes a move towards a mop bucket nearby.

Suddenly in a blur of wind, Eros slams the guy in a wall, claws circling his throat. The stranger’s eyes flash black before going back to normal. “Where is she?! What have you done to her?”

The man cracks a wide, sadistic smile. “I’m not sure what Aisha has done with her body, but I can give every glorious detail of what I’ve done to it.”

Eros lets out an animalistic scream, but before he could throw the stranger to the ground, the man disappears in a puff of black clouds. The man chuckles darkly, appearing on the opposite side of the stale room. Eros spins around and dashes across to him, but the man disappears again. Clearly unmatched, I’m too stunned to do anything but watch. This game of cat and mouse goes on until Eros perspires with a heaving chest, growling in frustration.

The stranger brushes off imaginary dust bunnies, not once out of breath. “It’s been a real joy, but I’ve got to get going.” He gives a small finger wave. “Bye-bye now.”

“AAAAARRRRRRGGGHHH!”

I jump as Eros picks up and flings the metal table across the room, creating a hole in the concrete wall. He stands there, nostrils flaring, eyes glazed over in rage. I walk slowly to him, slightly stooping with hands raised in submission. It’s like he doesn’t see me.

“Eros.” he snaps his head to me.

“Come back to me, baby. Please. We can avenge her soon, but I need you to come back to me.” Eros’ left eye twitches, but he still doesn’t respond. “I can’t lose you too…” My voice cracks at the end.

A flicker of emotion crosses his face, but leaves just as fast before I can identify it. And without warning, Eros zooms out of the room, leaving me alone once again.

“Wait!” I shout desperately, tears streaming down my face. Knowing I can never catch up to him, I still try to run out of the door after him. Gripping the door frame like a lifeline. Through my blurry vision, I see his figure making a sharp turn at the end of the long hallway. “Wait…”

Frost bites under my skin where warmth should have been. Heaviness seeps into my bones like a weighted blanket. It doesn’t bring comfort. I wander aimlessly through the halls not acknowledging my surroundings. That is, until a voice speaks softly. It beckons me forward to a lone door at the end of a hallway. A faint, pulsating orange-red light comes from it. As the voice picks up in sound and rhythm, I lean into the cracked door and see an indistinguishable figure.

I release an inaudible gasp as I witness two large protruding sets of horns. The first set is similar to that of the Markhor, but slightly curves outward with small ridges. The second set is like that of the bighorn with the same pattern. I can’t see many facial features since the mysterious figure is covered in shrouds of inky gray. Fear trickles down my back like invisible claws. The smoke-covered person is obviously female. With her lyrical voice and lithe but curvaceous shape, and almond-shaped black eyes are obvious signs.

While she continues to sing, someone moans in agony. At first, I think it’s Valeri, but my mind clears of that hope. The pleading and wailing are far deeper than hers could’ve ever been. He writhes around in a pentagonal star, surrounded by red and green candles. Someone in a hooded cloak stands off to the side out of the candle light’s range. They join in tandem, their voices a few octaves difference brings me to cold chills. I’m reminded of a church choir singing a hauntingly beautiful melody. It is ancient. Each word is cataclysmic, warning away prying ears.

But I can’t look away. Not yet.

That is until the chant finally stops. All I can hear is my heart pounding against my chest. The smoky figure snaps to the door and smiles. My blood freezes like the old Arctic Ocean. Her lips stretch unnaturally towards her ears. Her fangs rivals that of a shark; endlessly jagged. Her eyes become an abyss.

“Rise young wolf. Rise like the phoenix from the ashes and embrace your extraordinary you. Prove to me that you are worthy.” the woman’s voice is like crashing obelisks.

The writhing man stops. He slowly pushes to his feet, the sound of bones cracking reverberates against the walls and in my head. He lurches forward as his back creates a hump. His limbs stretch long and lupine, sharp claws taking form. His pant legs rip as his legs break and reform into hairless wolf-esque legs -gray and grotesque. His jaws jut half-way between snarled teeth of a wolf and that of a human. Small goat-like horns reach the ceiling, and his ears stretch high like a fae’s. The rings around his irises cover the sclera like a disease. The beast of a man releases a bellow from the depths of Hel and leaps after me.

Why didn’t I run away when I had the chance?

A/N:

I know… I KNOW.

“Why haven’t you updated?”

“Where the H*** have you been?!”

I’ve recently been through a helluva rollercoaster in my life, and I’ve had to step away for a bit. I will be updating as normal as I can to escape reality for a bit. Thank you for your patience.

With love,

Obsidian Nixx <3