There are ways other than driving my blades through Thien’s heart to show him just how much I appreciated his so-called kindness in the kitchen. I don’t know how or when, but payback is imminent.
“Am I to bow to you every time I enter the room now?”
“There you go with that tongue of yours. Do we need to repeat the lesson I just gave you in humility?” Thien cut his eyes at me.
“Oh is that what that was supposed to be? It was degrading Havoc.”
Narrowing his eyes at me and gritting his teeth he says, “Thien.”
“Whatever,” I roll my eyes, “Is there a point to your little visit?”
“As my lieutenant general, you and I need to be on the same page.”
“Agreed.”
“I know things between us aren’t perfect, but here…while we’re on duty, you and I have to be able to check our bullshit at the door.”
“If this is about us, let’s not go down that rabbit hole. Your intentions are clear Thien and to be honest, I don’t want to talk about it. Stay out of my way and I’ll stay out of yours.”
“I think we both know this is a little more complicated than just staying out of each other’s way,” he sighed, “I need to know that if it comes to killing Noah you won’t hesitate.”
“I’ll do what I’m tasked to do.”
“I hope so,” he nods.
Wake came running into the kitchen to let us know Noah and Gavin were finally making their move. Our scouts spotted them several blocks away and Thien motioned for me to stop time. Asher was placed in a room with Despair and Tech, with instructions to kill anything that so much as breathed in Asher’s direction.
I could feel Noah’s presence. I could feel his touch against my skin and his warm breath in my ear whispering my name.
“Are you okay?” Thien examined me from head to toe.
“I’m fine,” I lied.
I know you’re inside Aria. Leave. I don’t want to hurt you…
“What the hell?” I whispered low enough so Thien couldn’t hear.
We have you all surrounded. You’re sitting ducks. Leave now and I won’t harm any of your friends, but stay…and I will kill them one by one and make you watch…
“Why are you doing this?” I spoke to the air.
Someone has to give the Magistrate and the Republic a dose of their own medicine. They need to know the suffering of those they cast judgment upon so erroneously, so carelessly…
“One could argue that given the current circumstances, their judgment of you was correct.”
He laughed. Noah laughed a hearty laugh and then there was silence. I turned to Thien who stared at me like I was crazy.
“Do I even want to know what that was about?” He asked.
“Noah says he has us surrounded on all sides. He wants us to leave or he threatens to kill everyone and make me watch.”
“Still an arrogant cocky bastard I see,” Thien huffed.
“How many?”
“Three hundred.”
“Powers?”
“Only three reek of dark power, Noah included.”
“Weaknesses?” He asked.
“Decapitation,” I slid my eyes over to his.
“All of them?” Not a question…a test.
“No,” I shook my head, “Not Noah.”
Thien cocked his head to the side and studied me. “What’s Noah’s weakness?”
“Me.”
“He still cares for you then,” I began to sweat under the weight of his gaze.
“At least someone does,” my eyes washed over him and then I looked away, “although he’s not the one I want.”
Silence.
Of course he wouldn’t reply. He thrived on torturing me emotionally. I’m pretty sure of it. He wouldn’t give me the satisfaction of replying or even acknowledging my words. No. That wasn’t Thien’s style. He’d let his silence torture me until I reached the depths of despair and decide then if he wanted to save me from my emotional prison. It would have to be on his time…his way.
An explosion and glass fragments flying everywhere startled me. But it was the strong arms and the warm body pressed against me, pinning me to the wall to shield me from the shards of glass that had my attention. Thien. He’d shielded me with his body and took the brunt of the shards of glass.
His face, lips and eyes were mere inches from mine. It’s the closest we’ve been since procreating. He hasn’t wanted to touch me since then. But now…our eyes locked on one another, I can see the spark of desire in his unyielding eyes. If bodies weren’t about to rain from the sky I’d take him right here and right now…if he’d let me.
“Shall we?” He inclined his head outside where we might possibly meet our deaths.
“We shall,” I nodded.
I followed Thien into the next room with the others and together we walked out the front door to confront Noah and his army. I counted at least three hundred demons. They were nasty beasts with wings, brown leathery skin, sharp fangs and talons for hands and feet. On top of them were Noah’s men. Six hundred. Six hundred beasts I was determined to make bleed tonight.
“Let’s show these beasts why we’re called the house of Muerte,” Thien smirked, “My love,” Thien’s eyes slid to me, “Gravity…I want them grounded.”
“As you wish,” I nodded.
Lifting my hand in the air, I grabbed hold of the air surrounding us, and increased the pull of gravity until they all fell to the ground. There would be no air fight tonight. No one would be able to take flight without my permission.
Oh the looks on their faces were priceless as they lost their advantage. Those large winged beasts were reduced to birds that couldn’t fly.
“Everyone, do what you do best. I only want Noah and Gavin.”
“What about Qi?” Wake asked him.
My heart damn near cracked in two. He hesitated, “Leave her to me.”
Like hell I would…she had her hooks in him deep…I didn’t trust that he could kill Qi anymore than I could kill Noah…
We pressed forward to confront Noah’s army until we stood face-to-face, weapons at the ready to take them down at Thien’s command.
Noah sauntered forward and approached Thien until there was nothing between them but opportunity. I scanned the area, but there was no sign of Qi. Perhaps she was recovering from whatever Noah had done to her the day he found out she was sleeping with Thien. I looked to Thien and he too seemed to be scanning the area.
“Are you looking for something?” Noah narrowed his eyes at Thien.
He could see it. At least now I know its not just in my head. He can see it too. Thien has feelings for Qi. How strong…I’m not even sure. But it was strong enough for him to be looking for her. My insides twisted at the thought.
“Where is she?” Thien asked.
“Who? My consort?” Amusement shone in Noah’s eyes, “Careful now General. I wouldn’t want to get the impression that you have feelings for her. I mean with such…beauty surrounding you,” Noah’s eyes slid to me, raking over my body.
“I just want to know if she’s okay.”
A devious smile spread across Noah’s face. He snapped his fingers and his wingman Harm came forward carrying a heap of what looked like charred meat wrapped in a sheet. There was blood and pieces of skin entangled in the mess. Harm laid it down at Thien’s feet.
Thien’s stone cold face began to show cracks. Harm backed away and Thien knelt down to inspect the heap laid in front of him. He peeled back the layer of sheets until there were the remnants of a face and blood-soaked hair. He shuddered. He actually physically shuddered.
“What did you do to her?” Thien’s voice was barely above a whisper. Horror and despair laced his tone.
It was then that I understood why Thien put so much distance between us. He may have been in love with me at some point, but at this moment, his heart belonged to another. His heart belonged to Qi. It took all my strength to will myself not to show any emotion. But I couldn’t stop the knot slowly working its wait down my throat. As my eyes met Noah’s, I knew he’d done it on purpose. Noah wanted me to know that my love for Thien was in vain.
“The way I see it, you have two choices. You can heal her before she dies, which will more than likely deplete your energy and its reserves,” Noah smirked, “Or you can let her die while I slaughter your team. Everyone except for Aria of course. She I will take as an even exchange for you sticking your dick into my consort and turning her against me.”
Thien cradled Qi’s limp body in his arms and placed the palm of his hand against her chest. Every gentle embrace, every glance, and every sorrowful gaze he gave her, cracked my heart into tiny pieces.
He shielded himself, and then slowly raised his eyes to mine, “If you love me,” he said to me, “you’ll kill him.”
I nodded, unsheathing my swords and lunged at Noah, slicing into his face. The battle was on. While Wake, Harmony and Scythe worked one group, Blaze, Silt and Bo worked on another. Sky, Hydro and Peace protected the outside of the house as a third group tried to move in, and Crux backed me up.
More than anything I wanted Thien to know how much I loved him. Maybe if I killed Noah, he’d understand and he’d send Qi away. Maybe he’d even love me back like he used to.
I threw everything I had into trying to kill Noah, but I was distracted. Thien had chosen to deplete his energy to save Qi, rather than fight with us. He was willing to sacrifice himself for her. He loved her. No…he was in love with her.
Suddenly, all fight left my body. My arms fell to my sides and my swords clattered to the ground. Death was a welcoming thought compared to this. Compared to losing him. And I had. I’d lost him. I pledged an eternity to someone who didn’t love me back. Not anymore.
The amount of pain swelling in my chest was incalculable. Watching him cradle her in his arms…seeing the gentle way he handled her, and seeing the love he had for her in his eyes, I fractured far deeper than I had when my father spoke those hurtful words. The fracture went so deep that my power surged inside me like a roaring beast.
Our bond…it was forever, but his love for me was…gone. A lie. Even my binding to him was a lie. The sparks we now shared…yet another lie. Our love…perhaps the biggest lie of all. There was no love between us. Only pain…deep, penetrating, unrelenting pain and resentment.
I dropped to my knees, willing to accept death. Thien’s eyes quickly met mine and he shouted something to me, but I couldn’t make it out. Slowly I turned to look behind me as one of Noah’s demons, lifted my own sword above my head ready to drive it through my flesh. I turned my eyes back to Thien and Qi’s limp body.
His love for her gutted me. I lowered my head exposing my neck. Kill me now. At least this way I won’t have to live with the pain and torture my union with Thien was sure to bring once Qi was well.
“Aria no!” Thien shouted, “What are you doing? Fight!”
I couldn’t. I had none left in me. No will. No strength. Nothing. He said if I loved him I’d kill Noah, and I would have. I would have killed every last one of them for him if I believed for one second he loved me back.
He could stop them. He could cast Qi aside to save me if he wanted to, but would he? Resigned to whatever fate Alpha had for me, I closed my eyes and lowered my head. I waited for the blow that would end my life. Waited and waited. It never came.
Opening my eyes, I glanced over at Thien. His hand was still pressed against Qi’s chest, glowing. If he hadn’t saved me, then who had? I turned in time to see the demon drop my sword. He was thrown to the side revealing a blood-soaked Noah, covered in the blood of his own man. He tossed my second sword down next to me and motioned to the sky. He wanted me to release my hold on gravity.
I stood to face him and he wiped my tears away with his thumb, “Come with me,” he asked for the second time. I looked to Thien whose eyes were back on Qi. He was going to let me die just to save her and yet, I couldn’t leave him. I’m a lovesick fool who still loves him, despite the fact that he loves someone else.
“I can’t.”
“Your General…your consort, would rather heal his mistress than fight for you. Force your people to stand down so they won’t get hurt,” Noah instructed, “You have my word we won’t harm any of them. We’ll just take Asher and go. For you I’m willing to do this.”
Fighting was pointless without Thien. We needed his power and his strength, but he gave it to Qi. We could fight and possibly have one of us fall, or I could honor Noah’s request so we can live to fight another day.
I raised my hand and released my hold on gravity. Shielding every one of my men, I held them in place and allowed Noah’s men to take what they came for. Asher protested, but I had to think about what was best for the team. Noah wouldn’t harm Thien as long as he got what he came for. And as long as Thien’s strength was depleted, he wouldn’t be able to fight off a war this big. What he did was stupid and reckless and it shattered my heart into a million pieces. He forced my hand and as second in command I had to make a decision that was best for everyone.
Again Noah approached me as his men took flight. He tried to persuade me to leave, but as hurt as I am, I’m still in love with Thien. I still hoped we could have a life together. I still wanted a life with him. I still wanted him.
ns 15.158.61.40da2
