Chapter 21 The highest cost

Chapter 21: The highest cost

“No...I…I have to stop him.” Cassy wheezed trying to get up on her feet. Dmitry held her steady. “Mistress, you will hurt yourself further, please let me handle this for you.” He said while hold on to her arm. “You don’t understand him…he is mad because I got hurt, I need to show him I am alright.” Cassy said hiking her dress up so she could walk a bit better. Dmitry still held her arm but walked with her. He had no choice but to do as she said, she was his Queen after all.

As Cassy neared the two warring brothers, Nikolas had finally managed to climb from the rumbled of house he was smashed under. He seemingly retained no injury from the attack or he had healed very fast. His heat stopped when he saw Cassy getting closer to Mael and Adrian. “Stop, he will kill you, he isn’t himself!” He called but Cassy ignored the warning. “Mael, please stop it! Please!” She cried but her lover was entranced with the blood flowing from his brother’s wounds and the bones that pierced the skin.

Raygen, Maggie and Paul watched on, there was nothing they could do to help. “Damn you, stop it right now!” Cassy yelled. When there still was no end to the pounding, she wadded up her veil and threw it at Mael. It landed on his face, coving his eyes so he had to stop. He turned to her, eyes were not his own, they glimmered red instead of blue and his mouth was curved wickedly. Cassy felt a lump in her throat build when he shifted. Adrian was motionless and she nearly sobbed when she saw it.

“Please…. Stop it.” She squeaked as Mael rose to his feet. His stare was more of a hungry demon getting ready to feast.  But Cassy wasn’t going to run, she couldn’t. “I will not be afraid of you! I love you…” She stated bravely. She wasn’t sure if she was frozen in place or incredibly brave. Mael cocked his head, his hair was matted in long strings with blood, his face was painted crimson and his clothes hung from his body like rags. His mouth was poised in a permanent smile that was so wicked it hurt to look at.

He slowly approached her, his hand looked ready to swipe her head off but Cassy didn’t move; she simply stared into his eyes, searching, searching for the man inside this devil mask. “I won’t let you go… please don’t leave me now.” She whispered when he had come close enough to hear. His head cocked to the right, it was a frightening and odd action. His eyes looked empty of emotion, empty of life. “Mael, please… I am hurt…I need you.” Cassy said slowly. She inched closer then fell into his arms and locked her arms around his waist.

If she was going to die, she wanted her last thought to be of his strong arms holding her. She closed her eyes tight and waited. Nikolas was watching it unfold from several feet away. Mael didn’t move; his head bobbed back and forth as if he wasn’t sure of what was happening. And then his eyes closed and his head went still. Nikolas readied himself for what he might do; his eyes also darted back to his other son, lying still on the ground.

“I… feel… pain.” Was all Mael said then fell to his knees in front of Cassy. She cried out when she saw the metal that was protruding from his chin. It had gone through his entire head and the tip shimmered in his hair. “Oh..! I… I will get it out!” Cassy stammered. This was not her strong suit; she couldn’t even stand the sight of blood when she was hungry. She took hold of the metal at the chin; it was hard to hold on to for all the blood made it slick. She pulled on it, she was sobbing so hard it made it worse. It made a cracking noise and she freaked out and let go. “I… can’t…. I can’t do it.” She cried. “Let me help you…” Cassy felt a light hand on her shoulder and turned to see the most beautiful girl. “You… are…” Cassy stuttered. Gabrielle smiled. “The flower girl…” She said and then pulled the metal free.

Cassy watched in amazement. “You saved him, Cassy.” The girl said then she stood and started toward Nikolas, who Cassy hadn’t seen yet. Nikolas was hovering over Adrian, his body still quite lifeless. “How is he?” Gabrielle asked with concern. “He is in a lot of pain. I have snapped several bones back into place…. Luckily he is in shock. I am going to wake him so he can start to heal… prepare for the scream.” Nikolas said. He held Adrian’s head up in one hand and the other on his chest, that way Adrian could not fly up and re-snap all the bones.

Nikolas blew softly at his son’s mouth and as if he had breathed new life into him, his eyes popped open. And as Nikolas had warned, the scream was startling. The instant Adrian was brought to awareness the pain struck him all at once, he had felt pain and lived with it easily but to be woken to it all at once nearly sent in back into blackness. His teeth clenched and his eyes closed tight until the wave passed. Gabrielle had her hand at her mouth and held back a whimper.

She hadn’t seen her son face to face since the day they had all fallen into the sleep. She had always been able to feel others feelings and the pain her son had was unbearable… and sadly it was not the broken bones or the split flesh that tore him apart. “Oh my dear… my poor little boys…” Her voice quivered with her words. Nikolas focused on holding Adrian down so he didn’t hurt himself further. “I… can’t … believe you are… alive.” Adrian rasped finally.

And while the Father and Mother took care of one son, Cassy took care of the other. Mael had his head in her lap, his eyes were closed and he was very still. She mindlessly petted his hair and sobbed until his hand weakly took hers. “It’s not your fault…” He said weakly. Cassy swallowed another sob and wiped her nose. “Yes it is… if it hadn’t been for me wanting this wedding and… the Priest. It’s all my fault, if I hadn’t wanted to get married this wouldn’t have happened!” She said bitterly.

“I was the one that lost control… you have done nothing wrong, my love. I saw you crying… hurt and I…” He sat up slightly. “I wanted you to be happy today… I don’t seem to be very good at making you happy.” Mael said gravely. Cassy didn’t look at him. “I… I don’t know if I can do this…” She said suddenly. His heart slammed into his ribcage. “…What?” He uttered. “I don’t know if I can handle this life, hiding from my family, my friends… always being afraid that some nutcase is going to toss holy water on me! There is a guy over there with wings for G… goodness sake! I can’t even say the G word anymore!” She snapped.

He lowered his head. That was truly his fault. He had not asked her if she wanted to live like this, he had forced her to and that was something that was unforgivable. “I shouldn’t have turned you without your consent… I do not expect you to forgive me that.” He said low. “But… you know that I love you more than anything. I would do anything for you. Please don’t give up now…” He said, trying to hold on to his last bit of dignity. Cassy grimaced at this and, to his surprise, slapped him across the face.

“Do you think so little of my feelings for you? Do you think I would risk my life and our child’s life walking up to you when you were out of control if I didn’t believe you loved me? I said I wasn’t sure I could handle this; I didn’t say I wasn’t going to try. You need to learn the meaning of faith.” She scolded but wiped his bruised bloody face while she did it. “I have never trusted anyone; everyone I have loved has betrayed me. And…” He stopped because Cassy had placed her hand over his mouth.

“I was about to promise you my life, just because there isn’t a priest, preacher, judge or witnesses doesn’t mean I don’t still offer you all that. You know you can trust me, Mael. Look into my mind and you will see that I am purely innocent in my intentions.” She laughed just slightly and it made him smile. “I trusted you…” She said and that she had. “I still want to give you the wedding you wanted…” He said. It was all he could manage without his voice cracking. “It was my Mothers dream not mine. I got what I always wanted… even through I got a few extra things I didn’t plan on.” Cassy said and smiled.

Despite that her hair was ratted and tangle and her neck chest and a little bit of her face were red, she looked like the most beautiful creature in the world to him. And she was, for he only saw her heart then and his ugly black heart beat to be as shining and soft as hers. “If I did not know that Angels existed, I would now…” He whispered into her hair as he brought her close. “There you go with that silver tongue of yours. And just for the record, you are VERY good at making me happy.” She giggled.
“That is a relief to me.” He said though it seemed a little sarcastic. He paid for the remark with a strong tug to his hair.

Nikolas smiled when he saw the two embracing from afar. He had eased Adrian’s pain and relaxed him so he wouldn’t go on the attack again. “I am very proud of you my Son. You have carried a heavy burden for far too long…. I wish I could tell you that it was over but your destiny has not yet been fulfilled.” Nikolas said to Adrian. Adrian simply looked at him for a very long silent moment. There were so many things he had wanted to say to this man he called his Father, so many questions he needed answered.

“Why…? When will it end for me?” He asked weakly.

To be continued in Chapter 22: Desired path