Beneath A Sinister Moon, page 14
part #3 of Demon Hunter Series
“We.” I corrected. “We lost Tyler.”
The group looked at me, waiting for an explanation. “Jace tried to kill me, but Tyler shoved me out of the way, taking the blow.” The emotion was bubbling to the surface. “He saved me.” And with those words, my heart broke all over again. He sacrificed his life for mine, and I never had a chance to say goodbye to him or Killian.
Killian.
Sadness was like a plague, taking hold and spreading quickly, filling each cell with its black, inky poison.
I felt arms come around me, holding me tight. “I’m so sorry we couldn’t save them, Cass.” Casper’s voice was thick with emotion.
I buried my head in his chest and let him hold me as I sobbed. I couldn’t imagine a world without Killian or Tyler. They had come into my life at a time when I was at my lowest. I loved them, and now they were gone.
Jackson came over, “Listen Cass, I’m sorry. I didn’t see it, I just assumed he—never mind.” He patted my back.
Tehya managed to stand.
“Where were you?” My voice was thick with resentment. She’d abandoned us when we needed her the most. If she had been here sooner, we could have won without losing lives.
“Vygad. He’s trying to push into this quadrant. And because he knew you were on the cusp of war, he planned to slip in and claim the territory as his own. Thanks to the intel from the Earthbound priests and the Hunters of his quadrant, we fortified the gates and took out a few of his top guards. Probably not enough to make him give up, but hopefully it’ll give you time to get past this battle and regroup.”
I heard her words, but it took a moment to process their meaning. She had helped, in her own way. If Vygad had taken over our quadrant of the Human Realm, he’d solely command half of the world, making him a force hard to beat. “I see. It’s just—”
“I know, Cass. Killian was…one of a kind,” Tehya said sympathetically.
“Hey, what about your blood? Killian healed pretty quick from that neck wound thanks to its magical properties,” Jackson asked.
“My blood cannot bring back the dead. I wish it could.” She looked over at Killian’s body. “You should say your goodbyes before they move his body.”
Anchor ran over to us. “Jackson, the Hunters are clearing the grounds. They’re gathering weapons, lining up our fallen Hunters, and starting a fire for the corpses.”
My feet wouldn’t move. I didn’t want to say goodbye to either of them. Killian and Tyler had become my everything, my happiness, my hope, and my reason to live. They had saved me from the deep, dark depression I had fallen into after losing Gram and Jace. When I saw no way to move forward in life, they came into my life and encouraged me onward.
But now they were both gone. Already I felt their absence boring a hole, a gaping hole of emptiness into my chest. I would never heal from this, ever.
Casper’s arm came around me, guiding me forward, thankfully holding me together. “I’m right here for you Cass,” he whispered.
“He wasn’t supposed to die, Casper. Killian had so many plans figured out, and this was not a part of any of them.”
He chuckled. “I know. Killian had a plan for everything.”
“Why did he send me to the Human Realm with Skylar? He went on and on about how I belonged in the Clan and assured me I would be here beside him. What changed his mind?” I could barely get the words out. Maybe I could have helped change the course of battle.
“You need to look at the bigger picture, Cass. Maybe this was Killian’s plan all along. I mean, in the end, Jace ended up dead, Tyler did not kill you, and the balance between good and evil is restored. Isn’t that the ultimate goal of a Clan leader?”
I shoved out of his grasp. “You think he purposely sacrificed himself?”
“He’d told me you’d be here at the battle, but when I didn’t see you, I asked why he’d changed his mind, and do you know what he said?”
I shook my head.
“He said you were the Clan’s best asset, our strongest weapon, and he didn’t want to risk losing you in a breach attack. He wanted you safe while we secured the binding chamber and drew the demons here. But when we crossed to the battleground, we were ambushed. Everything had taken a turn for the worst and we were strugglin’.”
I blinked through the tears and stared down at Killian’s lifeless face. “Killian.” I whispered through the sobs as I fell to my knees. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.” I pushed his hair off his brow and bent over to kiss his forehead. His skin still felt warm against my lips.
Casper placed his hand on my back. “I’m gonna go help the others but will come back to check on you.”
Once his footsteps faded in the distance, I mustered up the bravery needed to say goodbye to the man I’d loved. He lay there on the rocky ground, still—too still. His eyes stared at that sinister moon and I could bear it no more. My fingers shook as they reached to close Killian’s eyes, I half expected his hand to grab mine and pull me down into a kiss. But there was no movement from his limbs.
I released a slow breath and forced myself to truly see Killian this last time. His brown hair looked disheveled, reminding me of how he’d rake his hand through his hair when frustrated. He was pale and stained with the crimson from his neck wound. “You can’t leave us. You can’t leave me—” And then I saw it. Around Killian’s neck was a chain holding the golden ring Gram, my grandma, had given me. I undid the clasp and placed the ring on my finger and the necklace around my neck. “The ring.” I looked at the golden circle around my thin finger. “It’s hard to believe this piece of metal changed my entire life.” I laced my fingers with Killian’s still hand. “It brought me to you.” My whispers faded with the wind. I lay my head down on Killian’s chest, wishing I could feel his arms around me and the rise and fall of his breaths. I don’t want us to be over I repeated over and over in my head as the world fell away from me.
“Cassidy, shh, don’t cry.”
His voice. I must be imagining it. I blinked open my eyes and saw Killian kneeling beside me in an all-white room. What was happening? Where was I? Had we both died? People had died from a broken heart; I’d heard of it before. I just…I didn’t feel dead, but then again, I’d never been dead before.
“Cass?” Killian squeezed my hand.
“Did I die?”
“No. I don’t think so.” He pushed my hair aside and smiled.
“But you’re dead. I saw you die. I saw you...dead.”
He nodded. “Right, Jace. He killed me.”
“So if I’m not dead, how am I seeing you?”
“I don’t know.” He stood and paced away from me. “Is Jace still alive?”
“No. I killed him.”
He turned back, his eyes growing wide. “You must have taken on his powers!”
“Yeah, so? I don’t know where you’re going with this.”
“Jace killed our Caster. That’s how he got his strong powers.”
I couldn’t recall how a Caster differed from a Necromancer; I remembered them being similar to each other. “Wait, can I bring you back from the dead?”
“I don’t know. Probably not without a spell and something more to boost it. Casters are not as powerful as Necromancers.”
“Isn’t there any way out of here?” I stood and walked all about the room, pushing upon the walls, hoping to trigger a door to open—remembering my time in captivity. I was taking faster breaths as panic grew inside of me.
“Cass, calm down. I’ve already looked; there’s no way out.” And then his eyes focused on my hand. “You’re wearing the ring!”
I looked down at the golden band that had once belonged to Rya. “Think it’s enough of a boost to bring you back?”
“I don’t know, but it’s worth a try. I’ve got an idea—gimme your dagger.” Killian held out his hand.
“Why?” I handed it to him.
He slit his palm. “May I?” He motioned toward my hand.
I placed my hand in his and watched him cut.
He laced our hands together and pulled me close. “I don’t know if this will work, but in case it doesn’t, I should have said these words to you every day of my life.” He shook his head and bit his lip. The Killian standing before me looked regretful. “I’ve never loved anyone like I’ve loved you. And if I don’t make it back, just know that my heart is yours.”
I closed my eyes and took a mental picture of this moment, never wanting to forget how Killian had made me feel. His lips moved across mine with an urgency that made me fear this might indeed be the last time I’d ever see him.
“My heart is yours also.” I kissed him again, but this time his lips did not return the kiss. They were still and lifeless. I opened my eyes to find Killian lying on the rocky ground beneath me. The sorrowful cry that erupted from my chest drew the eyes of others, but I didn’t care. “Killian! Oh God, no.” What sick trick this power had played on me, allowing me to see him one last time, giving me false hope, then ripping him from my life once again? “Kill me!” I shouted to the other Hunters. “Make this pain stop. Someone please—please…” I begged through sobs, knowing that if I killed myself, I would condemn myself to an eternity without Killian.
Casper came over and hugged me. “Shh, you aren’t alone. We all love you and need you in our lives. We’ll help you get through this.”
“I don’t wanna get through this. I just wanna be with him again! Please Casper, help me get back to him.”
“I can’t do that. I’m sorry.” He stood and tried to pull me up, too.
The ring on my finger seemed to ignite on fire. “Ahh! Shit!” The gold disintegrated, leaving behind a black image of the ring on my finger. I rubbed at it but found the mark permanently tattooed beneath my skin.
“What happened? Are you hurt?” Casper reached for me again.
“Don’t touch me!” I stood and glared at him. What had he lost? Casper still had his mom and Lena. I had none of that, only a gaping hole in my chest from having everyone I’d loved ripped from my heart. He stepped toward me with arms extended but I shoved him with all my might. Feral, animalistic fury overtook me. I punched and slashed at Casper. He curled into a ball, taking all that I gave him. It didn’t matter who he was to me, nothing mattered anymore.
“Sean! Tranq her!” Anchor yelled.
It was the last thing I heard before the world and all its sadistic endings faded from sight.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Cassidy
“She’s been out for a while. Can’t you give her something to reverse it?” The deep worried voice sounded familiar.
I urged my eyes to open, but they refused.
“I’d rather not give her anything stimulating. I mean, look at what she did to Casper.” Lena’s voice was thick with emotion.
“How’s he doing?” The male voice asked.
Lena sniffled. “He has a lot of burns, some bruising, and a few broken ribs. Thankfully, Anchor tore her off of him when she ignited, or the burns could have been worse. What I don’t get is why he let her beat on him like that.”
“I did it because she needed it.”
“Casper, I’m sorry. We didn’t mean to wake you,” Lena apologized.
“Hey, I started wondering if there was actually anything under all this gauze.” The male voice teased. “Can’t believe you let a girl beat you up.”
“Yeah, your girl. If you’d only risen from the dead a minute sooner—”
Their voices faded into the darkness as the heaviness of sleep pulled me under.
***
I blinked away the exhaustion and rolled onto my side.
What room was I in? The structure was simple and solid—demon proof. With one invisible spelled wall, and the rest, including the bed I lay in, made of stone.
This was not the med unit; this was the cell designed to hold Tyler till the Clan restored his humanity.
What had I done to end up in here?
Siobhan sat across from me, outside the cell. I vaguely recognized her. Killian had mentioned she’d helped them find me and Tyler when…Tyler. I fought against the wave of depression; why I was in this cell? What could I have done?
Siobhan started to stand, but I halted her with my hand. “You’re awake. I’ll tell the others—”
“Wait. Why am I in here?”
“I can’t hear you. The shaman’s spell keeping you in there also keeps the sound in. Can you hear me?” She approached and touched the invisible wall.
I nodded. Then I pointed to myself, then looked around my cell, and put both hands out, palms up, in a questioning pose. My eyes fell upon the black ring tattooed on my right middle finger, and suddenly I remembered the confrontation with Casper.
“Why are you in there?” She guessed my charade.
I nodded.
“You messed Casper up pretty bad. They’re worried you’re a danger to the Clan so they’re keeping you here till the trial.”
“What trial?” I hurried to my feet and approached the invisible wall. “What trial?” I yelled in a panic.
“I can’t hear you, remember? Wash aisle? What child? I’m sorry. I’m not good at this. I’d better go get someone. I’ll be right back. Okay?” She tried to soothe me.
“No, no, no!” I didn’t want her to leave. I needed answers. I tried again to halt her with my hands, but she hurried off to fetch someone.
A few moments later, dressed in his all black Hunter gear, stood Killian, alive and well. I gasped, wanting so badly for this not to be a trick. Tears welled up into my eyes, blurring his image. But how? Did the ring have anything to do with bringing him back?
“Cass, it’s okay. I’m okay.” His voice sounded strong and healthy.
“You’re alive?” He looked at me with uncertainty, so I tried asking it slower, in hopes he could read my lips.
“Yes,” he sounded amused. “I am alive, thanks to you and the ring.” He looked well, but troubled. I wanted to ask what was wrong, but I knew my charade ability and patience were minimal. He looked down and shifted his stance. “Are you okay?”
I shrugged. I had survived, unmarred from battle, but was I okay?
“I’m sorry about this.” He motioned to the cell. “Casper’s pretty messed up, but he’s tough and will heal quickly.”
I couldn’t hide my sadness; I had hurt Casper. He was like a brother to me, and if anyone else has done that to him, I’d wanna kill them. Did the rest of the Clan feel the same toward me? I’m sure Lena, at the very least, did. How many had died in the battle? I turned my arm toward Killian, palm up, showing my star tattoo, the one tying me to Tyler’s demon blood. I mouthed the word Tyler.
Killian stared at the white rhythmic patterns within the black inked borders, moving about like a slow brewing storm. “Siobhan, bring down the spell.”
The girl came into view. “I cannot. By order of the Elders, the spell is to remain intact until Cassidy is tried.”
He spoke in a low voice, too low to discern. She argued back and the two shook their heads in frustration with each other.
Tried? I slammed my hands on the invisible wall, but nothing happened. I slammed them again and caught Siobhan’s attention. She pointed in my direction and Killian turned to meet my frantic stare.
“Leave us,” he ordered her. Once she had moved out of sight, he approached me. “Cass, I know you didn’t mean to hurt Casper. But it looks bad. Your lack of control with the new powers, charring things in the compound, burning Skylar…and now this?” He placed his hand on the wall, opposite of mine.
If the spell were not there, our hands would touch. And damn the spell to Hell, because I’d give anything to feel his warm skin on mine.
“It’s gonna be a hard fight, but I will do whatever it takes to get you out of this mess.”
I nodded. I pointed to the star tattoo once more, wanting to know what happened to Tyler.
Killian looked away and I knew then that the news was not good. He met my eyes; there was no hope, only sadness. “I’m sorry. Tyler and your dad didn’t make it.”
Tyler AND my dad? Oh God. The painful stab to my heart plunged me back into the deep abyss.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Cassidy
Down, down I spiraled, my legs collapsing beneath me as I curled in on myself, beating myself up mentally.
Tyler didn’t make it. I knew this. I’d forgotten this…
My heart stuttered against my chest wall and a sob escaped my lips.
How could I forget? Tyler had pushed me out of harm’s way to take the fatal blow. His eyes had been trained on me as the gut twisting crack shattered my heart as it announced his end. His eyes…his eyes changed from the demonic black obsidian to the fair eyes of my friend. And then, I watched the life…the light…fade to nothing.
“Cass—look at me.” Killian begged. He yelled frantically, begging the guard to bring down the spell. “I need to help her! Look at her!”
Killian couldn’t help me. Tyler was gone, and it was my fault. If he’d never met me, Tyler would be alive and living a happy life. But now he was dead.
And my dad…I’d only just gotten to know him and connect with him. And now he’s gone.
Alone again. At least that’s how it felt.
I let the darkness consume me and knew there’d be no coming back from this. I’d never be the same.
Could I have hurried over and saved Tyler?
These repeated thoughts whipped at my soul, scarring it as a permanent reminder of how toxic I was.
“Cass, please. You need to hear this.” Killian.
Why does he bother to come here and waste his breath on me?
“Casper is okay. He’s healing and gonna make a full recovery.”
Casper…what had I done to him? I don’t even remember hurting him—I only remember the pain.
I grabbed at my aching heart, thinking of my dear friend as I let the world fade away from me. But I was trapped in my own personal Hell, forced to awaken from the nightmares and face the painful thoughts and sorrow over and over again.
