Chapter 35
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Ken woke up as he felt the shivering next to him. Alexa’s breathing was erratic, her heart racing. His first thought was that she was having a bad dream, probably from being so exhausted. She was safely beside him, so nothing else could have happened to her. His aura was protecting her.
“My love,” he called to her gently as he rubbed her arm. She continued to shudder and a quiet whimper left her throat. “Alexa.” He spoke loudly as he lifted her upright.
She squirmed yet was unresponsive, her face contorted. He squeezed her tightly in his arms and leaned his head into hers. He realized this wasn’t just a normal nightmare. Impossible.
Ken could hear the faintest of whispers in his head.
Please … someone … anyone … help me.
Ken felt desperate and tried to mindlink her, but he hit a solid mental barrier. He beat against it with all his godly might, but the barrier still held. It couldn’t keep him out for long, but he was desperate for any extra help he could get. Alexa needed help.
Mikah! Something is wrong with— Ken didn’t even finish the thought when Mikah burst into the room.
Mikah had been resting right outside Alexa’s door.
He didn’t know why, but he’d started to feel uneasy.
His princess was with the Kraken, and of course she was fine, but he needed to be close to her room.
The moment he heard Ken’s voice in his mind, he catapulted into Alexa’s room, his gaze darting to her and Ken’s troubled face.
“Can you reach her? I’m going to keep trying. I will break through. But we need to get to her now. There is no time to explain.”
Mikah stormed over, his eyes feral as he grabbed Alexa’s hand.
Alexa suddenly screamed out in pain, and blood began to seep from her eyes, trickling down her face. Ken’s eyes grew dark. He knew what could cause something like this. And he would be foolish enough to do it.
Mikah and Ken projected their auras out, pushing against the mental barrier holding Alexa hostage.
“Shh … it’s over, my treasure. It’s over. I’m so sorry I had to hurt you. It’ll be okay. It’s all over now,” Erebus cooed to Alexa as he wiped the blood from her temples with his thumbs.
Alexa lay there panting, her eyes clenched. It felt like a red hot iron was shoved into her eyes as something sharp was implanted in both of them. They were stinging and burning with so much intensity that she was afraid to open them.
When she saw his hand moving toward her eyes, she squeezed them shut and tried to avoid him, but she was no match for him.
He shoved something sharp through her eyelid and straight into her eye.
Even though she couldn’t shift, she could still feel her body healing itself. But what vile thing did he do to her?
“What have you done to me?” Alexa whispered.
“You’re perfectly fine. Go ahead and open your eyes. The pain will subside soon.” Erebus watched as her eyes slowly fluttered open.
“What have you done to me?” Alexa repeated, glaring at Erebus with newfound contempt. She already hated him, but now it was becoming even more personal.
“It’s just a small present. You can thank me later.”
“WHAT DID YOU DO?!” Alexa shot up on her feet as she staggered backward. Her brows were furrowed as her chest heaved angrily.
A cruel smirk rose on Erebus’ lips. “When you look at your heart’s desire, you will instead see your nightmare.” A sinister cackle left his throat. “I wonder if you’ll be able to be near HIM now.”
The whole room shook violently as pieces of the world began shattering around them.
“What the fuck is this?” Erebus stood up and looked around nervously.
A ferocious growl shook the room as the illusion began to rip open from both sides, two strong energies breaking into the area simultaneously.
One he recognized, but he wasn’t sure about the other.
He snorted and shrugged his shoulders. “Doesn’t matter.
We’re done here, for now. I’ll see you again soon, my gem. ”
Erebus walked toward her, his eyes wandering over her body as she stood there facing him angrily. He reached for her …
Alexa gasped and shot up, shaking herself free from the arms that held her, and jumped to her feet. Where was she? What were these surroundings? She felt her ice at her fingertips, and she shot out the icy energy.
“Lex, my love, it’s okay. It’s us.” She heard a voice that sounded like Ken.
“Lex, deep breaths.” That one was Mikah’s voice.
Alexa inhaled slowly, recognizing their scents as her vision came into focus. She felt a set of arms cocooning her, his scent calming her. She looked down at the ground and was trying to prepare herself for what she might see.
Alexa glanced over at Mikah and was relieved to see his blue eyes staring back at her. She slowly tilted her head up as Ken lowered his. It was Ken’s voice. It was his scent. But this was not his face. She gasped and jumped backward.
“Hey, you’re okay.” Ken began to move toward Alexa, but she shook her head and held up her hand for him to stop.
Alexa backed away a couple of steps until she reached the wall.
She felt the cold stone on her back and leaned into it, sliding down to the ground.
Her hands came up to cover her face, trembling slightly.
She knew it was Ken, but he now looked like the cruel deity with white, pulled-back hair. Erebus was her worst nightmare.
“What happened?!” Reiya ran in, having heard the commotion as she came up the stairs since the door had been left open. She looked down at the crumpled mess of her daughter on the floor. “Alexa …” She knelt at her side and rubbed her back.
“Lee,” Reiya called out, and he instantly manifested beside her.
“Alexa? What happened?” Levi turned and glared at Ken.
“Is this blood?” Reiya asked as she looked at the red streaks on her temples.
“Lex,” Ken whispered as she clenched her hands.
“She was trapped in a dream somehow. I don’t know. It was different than when she was in the dream world with Bella.” Mikah watched as Levi looked over at him.
“He …” Alexa whispered, touching her eyes. She grit her teeth and began to tremble with anger. “He shoved something into my eyes. He pulled me into some type of dream world that was real. He said it was a counter curse.”
“He … you mean …” Reiya whispered.
“Erebus, the deity who is now so obsessed with me that he shows me he loves me by hurting me,” Alexa spat out. “He pushed something into my eyes and said that when I look at my heart’s desire, I will instead see my worst nightmare.” Alexa steadied her breathing and turned her head to look at Ken.
“I know you’re Ken. I can smell you. I know your touch.
But I see Erebus now.” Alexa’s heart sank as she glanced between Ken and her parents.
“Is this permanent? I don’t know how I’m supposed to deal with this.
I won’t be separated from you again. I’ll learn to adjust.” Alexa focused on Ken.
She wanted him to know she had no intentions of staying away from him.
“Damn … this is what he wants. He’s trying to condition you.
Like the scent changers, the ones that can mock your mate’s scent.
Eventually, in a half-awake state, the body gives in to what it naturally knows.
” Ken balled his hand into a fist. “He felt confident that you would see his face. He wants you to get used to seeing him.”
Levi’s eyes darkened, the blue nearly black. “He touched my daughter again?! Enough is enough. I’m going looking for him.”
“Stay here and take care of your family. I’ll go.”
“And a lot of good that has done!” Levi snarled as his gaze snapped to Ken.
“We aren’t going to find him. He’s hiding himself too well. We need to follow the bread crumbs. We need to find the original demon he’s working with and wait for him. But first things first. We need to help Alexa.” Ken’s gaze softened. “Lex, I can leave the room if that will be easier.”
“Please don’t leave me.” Alexa bit her bottom lip as she looked at the face of Erebus. It was torture for the man she loved the most to look like the man she hated the most.
Mikah knelt down in front of Alexa and cupped her cheeks.
He stared into her eyes, and Reiya did as well.
He needed to focus on Alexa before he destroyed the room.
His rage was approaching a dangerous threshold.
He took in a calming breath as he tried to look for the foreign object that was shoved into his princess’ eyes.
“If he shoved it in, we can remove it, right?” Reiya leaned closer, pushing her fairy vision forward.
“He injected it in the dream world. It will need to be removed the same way.” Ken grit his teeth, huffing out a breath.
“Do you know what it is?” Mikah asked, and Levi snarled.
“Yes, we know what it is.” Levi turned his face away in disgust. “It’s something that demons have used to …
to take women of their choosing. Nembrant glass can make the person see either their heart’s desire or their worst nightmare, depending on what effect the owner gives it.
Usually, it’s used by the person so that they look like the one they love, making seduction easier.
Erebus twisted it. Of course he did. Making it so that when you look at your heart’s desire, you see your worst nightmare instead. ”
Ken growled. “The truth is he likely planned to use it the other way. He was going to make himself look like me. I think he had other plans in mind before Mikah and I destroyed the barrier he was keeping you in. Honestly, that was very impressive, and we should have a discussion with Mikah about it later.”
“If you know what it is, you must know how to reverse its effects, right?” Reiya said, a sharp edge to her tone. Her wolf Lumi was growling angrily at someone touching her pup. Reiya was fighting for her own control this time. She wanted to rip out Erebus’ black heart.
Ken looked up at Levi.
Kali isn’t here anymore. Our next best chance is Bella, Levi mindlinked Ken, who let out a low growl.
The dream world is dangerous. Shiva is looking for Kali now.
Levi’s sharp blue eyes locked with Ken’s.
I know it’s dangerous. Don’t tell me what’s dangerous and what isn’t.
Don’t for one second think that it doesn’t terrify me to even suggest it.
That’s MY daughter! I’ve been there through it all.
I’ve been by her bed through every fever.
I was there helping her when she first shifted.
AND I WAS THERE WHEN SHE CRIED BECAUSE YOU WEREN’T.
Ken inhaled sharply, wincing, then returned Levi’s icy glare. When it comes to these things, we both know I know better. Having said that … Bella will need to be trained on what to do. The longer they are in the dream world …
Levi nodded. The Great Sage should be able to teach her what to do. He then turned to look at his mate and daughter.
“There isn’t an immediate fix. I’m afraid preparations will need to be made first. And it isn’t without risks.” Levi looked at Alexa, who shook her head.
“I don’t care what the risks are. I can’t live like this.” Alexa tucked in her bottom lip as she glanced up at her mate. She needed him now more than ever. But at the same time, her body screamed at her to get away from him.
“Okay, don’t tell me I’m the only one who has a temporary solution.” Mikah chuckled, and Alexa glanced up at him. “Ever heard of the saying, ‘put a paper bag over it?’”