“Hey Renegade, how are you feeling?” Dante asked grabbing her hand; she looked at him her eyes holding hatred.
“That’s a stupid question, how do you think I’m feeling.” She spat slowly sliding up the bed to sit up; Zira walked over to her bedside seeing her wounds had been freshly bandaged.
“Who did this to you?” Zira asked her words dripping with anger.
“Damien did.”
“Did he rape you?” She asked Renegade shook her head no as Dante growled.
“Then how are you pregnant!?” Dante yelled, Zira glared at him and sighed.
“Dante you need to get out, I need to speak to Renegade ALONE.” She said pushing him out of the room. She shut the door and sat in a chair next to the hospital bed.
“Let’s start with this, who is Damien?”
“He is Dante’s father; he threatened me and said to stay out of the way because he needs you and Dante, for something.”
“And what did he do to you exactly?”
“He kicked me in the ribs, and shoved his hand through my back threatening to paralyze me. I felt him place something in me, but it felt like a fire or poison coursing through my muscles. I never expected it to be a baby. I can’t have this child, it will kill me, I can’t have the child of the man I love’s father. Zira what am I going to do?” She asked crying, her body heaving with the force of her tears. Zira got up and hugged Renegade quietly hushing her.
“I will find a way to make sure this baby dies without hurting you, even if that means I have to go back to our world, to do it.”
“Your world? What are you talking about?”
“We believe that I am the princess of the Kivuli race Xaviera, and my sister is Melina princess of the Kalviyre race. There is a way to get back to our land in our era; it was on page 666 of the book you told Dante about. It requires a witch to perform the ceremony.”
“We have to do, I don’t care if it kills me, I can’t have this baby. I WON’T allow it.”
“Then you have to kill me in order to perform it.”
“No, what if it doesn’t work, then Dante will be devastated, he clearly loves you, love at first sight-“Renegade screamed in pain holding her stomach. Dante came running in a looked at Renegade withering in pain.
“Get it out of me!” She screamed as Zira held her softly.
“I will just hang in there, we just need you well enough to do the spell-“
“You want her to do that fucking thing when she’s like this-“
“This is the only way to save her from having your father’s child!” She shouted making Dante’s eyes go wide.
“My father . . . but he’s dead, my mother said so.”
“Dante we have to do the ceremony, we have no choice, if our father is here attacking those we love we need to retreat and plan out an attack plan.” Zira heard Luca say, she glanced over to see Namine nodding in agreement.
“Then it’s settled, we do the ceremony on the full moon when the moon is at its apex.” Zira said squeezing Renegade’s hand.
“I will get you out of here.” She whispered walking out of the door followed by the rest of the crew.
“How are we going to get her out of here, she is still in the ICU they won’t discharge her-“ Zira interrupted Dante’s rambling by kissing him gently.
“Don’t worry about that, right now I need you, Namine and Luca to go back to the wolf sanctuary and get everything set up for the spell, do you know Leon has the necklace?”
“When Luca and Namine drove over here Leon gave it to your sister, but what are you going to do.’
“Don’t worry about me, just go.” Zira said watching him reluctantly nod and lead the others out. She sighed and walked out the floors secretary and smiled.
“Hi, sorry to bother you I was just checking on the status of Renegade Imani, I would like to take her out just a few hours to get her out of here it’s our usual anniversary date night. Do you think she is well enough to go out?” Zira asked as politely as possible, she could tell by all of the pictures on the woman’s desk that she was in a same sex marriage and happily so at that. The stocky dark brown haired woman grabbed Renegades chart and looked it over, sighing heavily.
“I’m sorry hun, Doctor Nevarez said that she won’t be ready for discharge until next week depending on how she does over this weekend.”
“Oh. . . I really was hoping to at least brighten my girlfriend’s night by taking her out, but if that’s what he stated, I won’t push any further, since it is about her health.”
“Well, now wait a minute sugar, let me page him and see if he can examine her real quick and give you the authority to take her out.” The secretary said smiling brightly through her southern drawl. She quickly dialed a number on the pager and smiled at Zira.
“He will be here shortly.”
“Oh thank you so very much!” Zira said cheerfully walking over to the wall and sitting down in the chair, keeping her cheery demeanor. Keeping this façade up was growing tiresome and annoying, how could anyone be this cheerful all the time?
“Hello miss are you here regarding Miss Imani?” Zira heard a rather soothing voice say from down the hall. She stood up and looked at the bald man, he wasn’t Mc. Steamy by any means but he wasn’t Quasimodo. He had pretty hazel eyes that were just above his high rosy cheekbones which was the only real prominent bone structure that laid in his round face.
“Yes sir, it’s our usual date night, and I can tell she is getting depressed by staying here is there any way possible that I can take her out for a couple of hours?” She asked following the doctor into the room. The doctor poked and prodded Renegade checking her charts.
“I’m sorry but date night is just going to have to wait, she is in no position to be out.” Doctor Nevarez said, Zira felt her eye twitch at being told no, she let out a disappointing sigh and walked toward the cabinet seeing a syringe with the words Sodium Pentathol. She smirked and quickly slid it into her sleeve of her jacket and walked back over to him.
“Are you sure she can’t leave just for two hours?” She asked politely again, he shook his head no and began walking away.
“I’m sorry but she cannot leave-“
“Then I’m sorry I have to do this to you.” Zira said dryly stabbing the syringe into his neck and injecting him quickly; he gasped and fell to his knees slowly falling unconscious. Zira laughed and dragged him over to Renegade and sat him on the chair near her.
“Come on Renegade, wake up-“Zira said seeing Renegade wide awake and waiting patiently.
“Why would you do that, we are going to get caught-“
“Trust me Renegade, I WILL get you out of here.” She said walking out of the room to find a wheel chair.
***
Dante paced back in forth on the bamboo floors the candles flames swaying as he created a breeze.
“Dante you need relax, pacing isn’t helping anything.” Namine said rubbing her temples, his constant pacing beginning to irritate her, Raven slowly walked over to him and nudged his hand. Dante looked down and sighed patting her head, his blood pressure dropping slowly. He squatted down and buried his head into her fur.
“That’s strange Raven only likes you and Zira, looks like you have to bring her along.”
“Alright let’s do this, Renegade isn’t doing too well.”
“I am fine, let’s just get this over with.” Renegade barked as Zira walked her over to the table that was set up in the living room. Namine jumped at Zira and Renegades voice and stood up walking over to Zira.
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
“I have no other choice Namine.” Zira said opening the book to page 666 and reading the journal entry again.
“Luca is there any way the moon shines into this room?” Zira asked quickly as Luca smiled grabbing a remote and hitting a button. There was a loud screech as the ceiling began to open up much like an observatory at the Smithsonian; the ceiling began folding like an accordion revealing the moon that was full and bright against the navy curtain of stars. Zira had knots in her stomach, she was beginning to feel nervous as the realization hit that she was about to let someone take her life. Dante saw the nervous look flash across her eyes and walked over to her.
“We don’t have to do this, we can find another way.” He whispered lifting her chin up with his index finger and thumb forcing her to look away from the book.
“We have no other option Dante, I am ready-“
“You don’t have to pretend to be brave, it’s alright to feel scared.” Namine interjected. Zira sighed angrily and backed away from everyone.
“I am fine okay!? I want to save Renegade and our people, I am doing this for my kingdom and there is no ifs ands or buts about it. We are going through with the ceremony and we are running out of time!” Zira shouted grabbing the bowls that they already had set up and handing them out.
“The cumin and salt mixture goes around all the doors and windows to keep away the spirits, and Dante, the cinnamon, myrrh and galangal is for you to rub on my flesh.” She said putting the book down in front of Renegade and sliding off of her jacket and shirt revealing her smooth toned stomach. She laid on the table slowly the cold wood making her jump as it touched her skin. Dante rubbed the concoction on her skin keeping his eyes locked on hers, she gave him a gentle smile as Namine began binding Zira’s arms and legs. Dante wiped off his hands on his pants and grabbed Zira’s dagger; he held it above her chest, his hands trembling.
“I can’t do this-“He whispered, Zira went to reach for him but the ropes prevented the contact.
“Yes you can, you did it once before you can do it again my love. Just believe in me, believe in us.” She said
“NOW DANTE!” Renegade yelled as Dante whispered I’m sorry, before stabbing the blade into her, the sound of her flesh tearing open as she screamed out in pain, tears slipping down her eyes. Growing up with her sister she never seen her cry more than three times, Namine looked away feeling her heart break as she witnessed the act, Renegade quickly drew a pentagram with her blood across her stomach. As the moon reached its apex, bathing the room in light, Zira began choking on her blood, the sickening gurgle and short shallow breaths echoing loudly, Raven whimpered and tried to run over, Luca held her tightly as the wolf struggled against his grip. Zira looked up at the moon and let out her final breath before falling limp against the wood, her green eyes remaining open and fixated on the moon. Dante felt tears slip down his face as he walked over to the spell book beginning to read:
For thou who sleeps in stone and clay,
heed this call, rise up and obey,
treck on through the Mortal door,
assemble flesh and walk once more.
384Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JPj85jTVQ
Renegade repeated the lines in Latin repeatedly:
384Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQm3e75mxp
Quia dormit in lapidem et
fictilibus attende, invitamento,
surge et pareat Treck on per mortalem
ostium congregamini caro et ingredior iterum
Dante felt his skull throbbing Namine, Luca and Dante looked at each other, blood was streaming out of their eyes.
“What’s happening!?” Luca shouted as a sharp pain shot threw his back, Namine quickly grabbed his hand and whimpered in pain as she fell limp against him.
“Namine!” He shouted before he fell unconscious as well.
“Renegade, what’s going on?”
“Just give in Dante, we will see you on the other side she said coughing, blood sliding down from her ears, eyes and nose. He grabbed Zira’s hand and fell into darkness.
ns 15.158.61.8da2
