7. Chapter 7
Lennox
T he music cut off and the entire room turned to her. There was a brief pause before chaos broke. Some people started to rush out, others pulled out their phones calling for help as they followed the flow of people out. The woman who was still standing at the door of the bathroom screamed again begging for help. Her screams sent pins and needles through Lennox’s body. Her own screams echoed in her mind. Her previous loose demeanor quickly shifted to seriousness, sobered within a few seconds. Her instincts kicked into gear as she pulled at her internal vine. Her eyes bearing a dull green glow as they darted back and forth from her friends and the woman. She looked to Wyatt and Rosalyn after a head count on the group. The two stood beside her seemingly waiting to see what they could do, both looking worried.
“Help me get everyone out, now.” She directed Rosalyn before turning away from the group. “Wyatt, call the security team and find Eden and Rue.”
Both nodded and started directing others while Lennox moved towards a group of Omega Alpha members surrounding the girl who had screamed. The girl was a vampire, her housemate Percey. She closed the distance, moving past the others as calmly as she could manage. Percey still had her hands over her face. Lennox bent down to her and held out a hand. As she did, memories of Felix laying on the floor flooded her mind. No, no. Not right now. Lennox shook her head and forced herself to focus on the panicked eyes of Percey. Grief threatened to overwhelm her and rage would win if she allowed her emotions to take over.
“It’s okay, let’s get out of here, the security team will be here any moment,” she promised, watching her carefully. “Take my hand?”
The blonde-haired girl examined Lennox’s face before nodding. “Yeah-”
She didn’t take her hand but stood and started making her way towards the door. A few of her friends walked beside her, Percey with a blank stare in her eyes. After they were out of sight her mind wandered to where Rue was as her feet carried her towards the bathroom door. Every hair stuck on end as the thought crossed her mind. No, she’s fine. She’s probably taking care of someone outside. With each step her heart began to pound louder and louder in her ears, until a hand grabbed her wrist. The sudden touch caused her to jump and whip around just before the closed door.
“The staff at the club have it, Len. We need to go outside too.” Wyatt’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.
“I have to help, it could have been one of my girls…” Her eyes looked without seeing at the door where voices echoed.
“You can’t look at another dead friend. Whoever it is-”
“Whoever it is, they are alone. They may be gone but they are alone!” Her voice slowly got louder. “They are my responsibility, Wyatt. He was my responsibility!”
Wyatt moved in front of Lennox and placed his hands on her shoulders. Every movement was distinct, slow, unthreatening. Her eyes glowed dully as anger threatened to boil over. Instead, he only raised his eyebrows. He was rock steady just as he had been since they became friends. The two had their fair share of combat against each other to know they were matched.. “Do you trust me?”
She paused and finally met his stormy eyes. “Yes.”
Without a word he pulled her away from the door and past the members of club staff. Wyatt pulled her into his side and arm holding her tightly against him.Lennox let her head fall on his shoulder for a moment. The smell of his leather jacket mixed with whiskey brought her back to the moment. The two stepped outside and he released her to join the others. Her gaze swept over each of their faces, Bastien, Donnie, Lealani, Wyatt, and Rosalyn each safe. Whole. She forced herself to remain outwardly mostly calm though it was almost painful as she wondered about the fates of the other two.
“Has anyone seen Rue or Eden?” Lennox attempted to keep her voice as even as possible.
“I haven’t seen her, but I’m sure she’s safe.” Rosalyn spoke up. “Do you wanna go back to the house and see if she’s there?”
“No, I think I should stay. I have to know if it was one of my girls or one of Fel…” She paused and looked away as Donnie reached a hand to her shoulder. “Aron’s boys.”
“It’s okay, Lealani and I will go check for you.” Donnie offered.
“Thank you, text me if you find her please.” Lennox nodded as the two went back to campus.
It took a little longer than previously for Coyote, Cathwulf, and a new member of the security team to arrive. Everyone parted for them. The newest member was much taller than the surrounding crowd. The man stood about seven feet tall. A long scar was drawn down the right side of his face over a single milky white eye. A long white stripe in his hair on the same side as the scars marked him as a werewolf. He walked around the crowd trying to get everyone organized. Lennox herself had just managed to get herself together when they approached her. The sounds of whispers in the air.
“Is everyone out here alright?” The man asked, looking down at her.
Lennox cleared her throat, evening her voice. “As far as I know, we don’t know who the victim is. I’m missing quite a few people but I don’t know who was in the club and who’s back at the houses.”
“Okay. Can you get a list of all the names here? Is there anyone at the house you trust to get a list together?” He asked as Lennox’s attention drifted back to the doors of the club.
“I can.” Rosalyn quickly offered. “Mister… What’s your name?”
“Thank you. Oh, sorry. I am Mathias Bloodfang. I’m here to help Coyote.”
Just then Coyote came over on his way into Club Crossroads. Fang only glanced over. “We will go in. Come on, Fang. Cathwulf will stay out here and make sure nothing else happens.”
Wyatt turned to Lennox and met her eyes, his eyebrows raising slightly in a silent question. Nodding, Lennox wordlessly told him she would be okay and turned to the door. She glanced around for Rue one last time but didn’t spot her. Pulling out her phone she motioned for Rosalyn to do the same as they spread out to gather what they could. Between typing out names, she was sending texts to her asking where Rue went off to Lennox did her best to keep her mind busy. Coyote and Fang had been in there for well over twenty minutes. There was a nagging feeling in the back of her mind. What if she’s not at Omega? What if… No, she’s fine. She fought with herself trying to keep herself together to keep everyone else calm. After another few names, she took a second to call her phone, hoping she would pick up.
It rang once . Twice . Three times. Lennox watched everyone start to head back to the grounds, her back to the door. Fourth ring. The door to the club opened. The sound of a phone ringing from within drifted on the air before going quiet when the door shut. Lennox turned around to see Coyote walking toward them accompanied by a familiar woman with raven hair and purple eyes wrapped in his jacket. Fifth ring. Why does he look like he’s just seen a ghost? Lennox turned to see him as he weaved through the crowd towards her, his usual even expression already shifted into sadness as he met her eyes. Her throat tightened and every hair once again stood on end as it went to voicemail .
“Eden?” She rushed forward and her gaze scanned over her face. Her eye was swollen, slowly deepening in color.
Before Lennox could ask any questions, Wyatt appeared beside her his hands reaching out to Edenand his voice leaking with venom. “Viper, what happened? Who hurt you?”
“I- I don’t remember. Someone came in and.” Eden looked away as Wyatt’s hands hovered just over her arms. She seemed to hesitate for a moment but seemed to shift toward him to allow the contact. “I was talking with Rue then… Everything went black until the Security Team arrived…”
Wyatt looked like he was going to hit someone but steadied himself with a breath. “They better hope I never find out who they are.”
Leannox’s breath caught in her throat at Rue’s name. “You… You went in with Rue.”
For a moment the world seemed frozen in time, her violet eyes drifting to Coyote. In seconds it settled as to why he looked so sad when he walked out. He started to speak but stopped abruptly. That was all the confirmation she needed.
“No.” Ringing started to fill her ears.
“Lennox, I-” Coyote stepped toward her.
“I was right… All along. I was right.” Lennox’s voice broke as the world started to pick back up.
“You don’t need to see-”
“SHE’S ALONE AND YOU ALL HAVE KEPT ME FROM HER!”
In seconds the rage she had buried since Felix’s death burst through every mental and magical wall she had created. Internally she gripped the blinding thread of magic. Power, hot and hungry echoed through every limb. The sigils on her arms glowed. Vines of ivy found the small holes she had created the the backs of all her clothes for times like this. The vines grew thick and twisted themselves together, allowing a few to drape at the bottom of ten foot long wings that stood taller than her.
Her feet started to carry her forward but Coyote stepped in her path. “Miss. Cade. You cannot go in there.”
“You think I give a shit what you say I cannot do?” The demonic side of her had started to take over. Lennox’s voice was unearthly, dissonant. A clashing and jarring melody.
“Not right now, no.” He growled.
“Glad we are on the same page.”
Lennox took a few steps forward, ignoring the stare of the others. The sound of Wyatt and Rosalyn calling to her. She tried to shove past the man who still seemed unfazed by her display of grief to get to the club door. Coyote reached out and wrapped a single arm around both her shoulders. His grip was gentle yet firm around her as her body shook. Red. There was only red. She blinked away the tears that threatened to obscure her vision. He may have been bigger but if it came down to a fight, she was sure she could get past him.
“Let me go.” The ground beneath the two of them shook lightly.
“No. I’m just trying to protect you.” He told her in a soft, strict voice, irises turning a bright yellow.
Her wings stretched behind her. Coyote tried to keep his grip but was forced to release her. “I don’t want your protection. I protect others. I failed to keep Felix safe. I failed to keep Rue and Eden safe.”
Coyote moved forward to attempt to stop her once again. Lennox lifted her hand and with a simple tug on the thread shook the ground under his feet. He came to a halt as he almost lost his footing. Without looking she pressed on. She was right. The whole time she had been right. She should have listened to her instincts and went to see who it was. Which one of her loved ones was laying on the bathroom floor. Lennox’s jaw tightened and her face twisted as her mind conjured an image of Rue on the floor. It had been her all along. Rue, alone. Cold, alone. Dead. Alone. Lennox had broken every promise she made. The hunters had taken someone else she loved. The sounds of Rue’s voice, her laugh, she would never hear it again. This felt personal.
Rosalyn stepped forward and Lennox felt a hand grip her wrist. Her head spun around to see her best friend looking at her with sadness in her garnet eyes. Her wings flared and stretched up as she saw the molten veins that flowed up her arms. Heat to counter the heat in Lennox’s chains. For a moment, the red in her vision started to return to normal. Until suddenly the door to the club opened and shut once again. Fang stepped out of the door and his eyes drifted around the crowd. Finally, they fell to Lennox and Rosalyn who stood only a few feet from the entrance.
“I heard something, what’s going on out here?” He asked looking at Coyote for a second before returning to her.
She locked eyes with him as if to challenge him as well. “Let me through.”
“No, but it seems you already knew that.” He said in a deep, gruff voice.
She stepped to the side but was blocked again by Fang. She growled in frustration as her eyes turned pitch black. With another tug at the thread she lifted her free hand and sent branches toward the man as a distraction. He didn’t look away from her as she felt the connection of magic to the branch suddenly temporarily cut off. The man’s eyes also glowed a bright yellow but opposed to Coyote there was magic behind his next words.
“Don’t come any closer.”
She felt a strange sensation wash over her and she couldn’t focus enough to keep using her powers. The anger she previously felt started to be forced to the side as he looked at her with a glow in his eyes. No. Lennox tried to rebuild the mental barrier in her mind, brick by brick. The magic within her mind was familiar from her studies. Lennox had never met him but she had done enough essays on werewolves. There was a very small pool of Alpha wolves and this was one of their special tricks. Creating confusion within magic users to neutralize them. Deep down she could feel the embarrassment, but that didn’t matter right now.
“Nox, you don’t want to go in there… Just breathe for a moment.” Rosalyn choked out.
“I should have been with her.” Lennox lamented.
“We’ll wait right here until she comes out. Like you did for Felix.”
“No.” Lennox persisted weakly. “No… I won’t. I don’t need protection. Not from this. I was going to propose to her, she was the love of my life and I’m going to stand beside her until my knees give out. Then I’ll kneel at her body until my eyes won’t stay open. I will sleep on the floor. Beside her. One last time. She will not be alone until she’s put in the ground.”
Wyatt walked over with an arm around Eden. “Just let her through, man. Sometimes we have to break rules… Lennox never breaks rules so this should tell you something.”
The man looked at the group of them before finally stepping aside.
Lennox’s wings folded in as she stepped through the doors. As soon as she entered, her eyes darted around the empty club.She completely ignored Rosalyn following close behind. Her feet carried her toward the bathrooms but quickly found what she was looking for. A set of white sheets had been laid on the floor, another on top of a person. There were a few spots of fresh stains around the torso. She quickly closed the distance and bent down. Lennox’s heart pounded in her ears as her fingers touched the top edge of the sheet. With a shaky breath in she lifted it to uncover her face. Rue looking merely asleep. Her markings, gray and ashy. Tears blurred her face as she broke. Her elbows gave out and her forehead rested on Rue’s. An inhuman sob released from her chest as her left wing stretched over her body. It rested ever so gently, completely blocking the two from view. Tears dripped onto the floor as she sobbed. Her body wracked with grief at the loss of her soulmate.
“I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you.”
Lennox kept her promise. That day she hadn’t left Rue’s side. She had remained on guard from the moment the mortician came to take her body until Rue was laid on the table. When the man brought up paperwork, Rosalyn quickly volunteered. Lennox had stood for hours going over the last fifteen years they shared. True to her word, Rosalyn found her knelt beside the table beside Rue’s head. Her wings wrapped all the way around the table. A shield while Lennox’s back was turned. Rosalyn hadn’t said a word but brought a chair. She hadn’t asked her to come home. She only waited until Lennox passed out, her head on her arm by Rue’s cold hand.
She had awoken in her room beside a note that told her they were all taking shifts to stand beside Rue. A few days passed as the school prepared for another funeral. In the meantime, Lennox visited the mortuary every few hours. Grief overcame her the moment she stepped foot in the now empty feeling room. So to escape it she would go fill out paperwork and choose the casket for her to be buried in.
Her friends Donnie, Octavius, Rosalyn, Wyatt, and Lealani all took turns checking in on her between classes until the day of the funeral. It was sweet, but once they were gone she found herself lost in thought of all the things she could have done to prevent this just as she had done when Felix passed. Although, this time Rue wasn’t here to bring her back to reality. Occasionally, her grief would be replaced by anger. She would daydream about what she would do if she ever found out who had taken them from her. By the end of her raging, vines would attempt to crawl their way toward her through the window. Lennox would quickly send them away to hide her grief.
Saturday morning. Lennox sat on her bed lost deep in thought as she looked at Rue’s stuff hanging in their closet. Coyote had informed her she needed to pick out something for Rue to be buried in. She had tried for days and others had offered but she had refused. Now matter how determined she was to open the closet, he couldn’t bring herself to go in. Until now- an hour before the service. If I had just gone to check on her.
Lennox was already dressed in the same outfit she wore to Felix’s and Elder Greene’s funerals. The only black clothes she owned. Taking a step towards the closet, she touched one of Rue’s favorite shirts. The soft fabric ran through her fingers as memories of her wearing it in Paris flooded her mind’s eye. Gripping the sleeve, she fought back the sadness in vain though she had run out of tears the previous night.
Suddenly, there was a knock that caused her to jump. Frozen to the spot, Lennox watched someone slide a note under the door. Squinting to see what was written on the top she saw her name in familiar handwriting. She had seen her fellow Xemos Devotee and mentor, Mort’s, handwriting hundreds of times. She let out a long breath and moved toward the door at the same time footsteps receded. She picked up the envelope from the floor and cracked the door. Mort was already gone however the smallest smile found its way to her face. Two loaves of her favorite lemon lavender and sage pull apart bread greeted her. Lennox brought it into her room and quickly read the note he had left.
Lennox, you are not alone. My door is open to you as always. May wisdom guide you in the darkest hours.
Warmth started to flow through the heart she thought had been frozen after Rue’s death. He had found her the day after her arrival. According to Mort, Xemos had told him he had dropped her off at school. She walked over and put the bread away and made her way to the closet once again. Let’s try this again.
A second knock interrupted her thoughts. “Who is it?”
“Rosalyn, is it okay to come in?” Her soft voice wafted through the door.
“Yeah.” She moved her hand in an unlocking motion. The lock on her door flicked with a small click.
The young woman walked into her room. Her eyes fell to where Lennox stood in front of the open closet. Peering up at her, she saw Rosalyn was ready to go in her more formal black attire. With a soft smile she joined Lennox. The weight of her hand on Lennox’s shoulder almost brought tears forward once more, only to stifle it with a small sound of sadness.
“I know today is going to be hard but I’m here, okay?” She gave her shoulder a light squeeze.
“I know… You have been since we met… I don’t think I could make it through without you, Ros.”
“We went through hell and escaped. If they try for me next, I’ll take them down and throw them in our old cell.” Rosalyn told her, confidently.
For a moment, the memories of how they met played behind her eyes. She had just died after her deal and was taken to a cell in hell. Since everything else was full, she had been chained up beside Rosalyn. They had spoken in whispers between being tortured by the crossroads demon Rosalyn made her deal with. Armaros, a fallen angel turned demon who was known to be among the most powerful and cruel. He had lived up to his reputation in less than a week and they bonded in their hate of him. In the end, the lighting scared demon walked in and set Rosalyn free. Lennox on the other hand stayed for a while until Xemos came to hell and rescued her from Val, the demon she had sold her soul to.
“I’m very grateful for you.” Lennox told her with the first mostly genuine smile she’d managed in days. “If anything ever happened to you…Wyatt-”
“Girl, don’t say that shit. You’ll always have me and the others.” Rosalyn scolded as she peered into the closet. “Have you found something for her?”
“I- I haven’t been able to pick.” She stuttered looking back at the shirt she still had her hand on.
“How about that white sundress she wore to last year’s send off party?”
Lennox said nothing but nodded as she pulled it out and turned to Rosalyn. A somber silence fell between them as Lennox followed her to the door. The two silently turned and went into the hall. Half way down the front steps she found she couldn’t take her eyes from the dress. The memory of how she had wanted to propose to Rue when she next wore it sent a pang into her stomach and a knot in her throat.
The smell of lilies filled the air as Lennox gazed at the casket that stood beside the newly dug hole. Everyone in attendance was already slowly walking away from the rows of chairs after each put a single orange lily around the open earth. Finally, she was left completely alone beside the casket. Her violet gaze locked on the dark wood of the coffin tracing the gold trim as she tried to will herself to stand. The white lily in her hand felt like a pin holding her to the spot as her thoughts drifted. This is the last time I’ll ever be next to her. She didn’t even know I wanted to promise her forever… I never thought the end of eternity would come so soon.
Her chest heaved as her emotions sprang to the surface, the crushing weight of grief came down harder than ever before. The sight of the coffin started to blur as every attempt to breathe in was rejected, her lungs refusing to expand. The flower in her hand shook as the mask fell. Her face dropping into her hands, uncontrollable sobs racking her body. Death for demons was final. There was no coming back in a new life. The knowledge that not even some version of Rue would be out there to find again one day hammered the already broken pieces of her heart.
After what felt like an hour, she finally gathered herself once more. Wiping her eyes and looking at the flower in her hand she rose to her feet. Her eyes drifted to the photo of Rue smiling beside her body. It was a photo Lennox had taken this summer while they were in Paris sitting outside a coffee shop. She let her feet carry her to Rue’s side, stopping in front of the casket. Slowly, she placed her flower on top of her chest as the closest loved ones of the deceased did. The snow-like lily stood out among the almost dozen orange ones which caused her breath to hitch for a final time. Drawing in a shaky breath she leaned over and brought the lid of the casket down. Her hands shook as her eyes locked on her eternally sleeping face for the final time. With an exhale, Lennox placed a kiss on the wood, resting her forehead there.
For a second she pulled the green thread her magic, resting her hand on the wood. Seconds later it started growing and blooming hundreds of other white lilies from the top all the way down the sides, completely engulfing the casket in bright white flowers. Once it was completely covered she stood upright, not taking her eyes off of the lilies.
“This goodbye is forever, but I will never forget you, my love.”
Gathering her strength, she turned and started walking back up towards Omega. Though she came to a brief stop as her eyes caught a group of people standing together by a tree ten feet away from the furthest chairs. Donnie, Leilani, Wyatt, Rosalyn, Bastien, Eden, and Octavius were waiting for her. Each was respectfully looking anywhere but at her whispering among themselves. A grateful smile crossed her face as she slowly made her way over to them.
Donnie was the first to turn and see her approaching. In the sun she could see her face was also glistening with tears. She closed the distance once Lennox started walking again and had made it close enough to the group. Her friend scooped her into a tight embrace and she saw the others turn to face them at the sudden movement. There was a second set of arms as Rosalyn joined them, her own grief apparent in her eyes.
“You stayed,” she said just loud enough to be heard.
“Of course we did, we need to stick together. You aren’t alone, Nox.” Rosalyn assured her.
Looking up, Wyatt and Octavious came over as the others stayed a few feet away, waiting. Wyatt fiddled with the sleeve of his classic black leather jacket as Lennox was released now fully facing him. Her own sadness was reflected in his stormy eyes as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
“Through thick and thin, Len.” He smiled in his usual, trying to lighten the mood, kind of way.
“We are your family, Lenny. We aren’t going anywhere,” Octavius agreed, putting a hand on her shoulder.
“If there’s anything we can do, you can always call us and we will be there,” Rosalyn offered.
“Thank you all, but I think I’d like to head back to my room.”
“Let’s head home then.” Wyatt said, offering his arm to her.
Octavius quickly moved to her other side and did the same. With the most genuine smile she had in days, she put her hands on their arms. Turning to view the casket one more time. Feeling Wyatt start to walk away, she let her eyes drift to the ground as they made their way across campus.
“What you did was beautiful,” Octavius whispered to her.
“Thank you… She loved lilies, they reminded her of sunsets.” Lennox told him.